Team Finland toothbrush...

Supporting my team and all* ;)

I've seen weird fan stuff but this gets pretty high on that list...

Hopefully it has better defense system than the team does.

*Apparently 25 cents from the price goes to support the Finnish junior hockey

Waka waka eh eh

I assume everyone who follow NHL and doesn't live under a rock have already heard about the Toronto Sun/Pension Plan Puppet plagiarismgate. You know, the one where the Sun publish nice little interview with Kaberle's father, which was already posted at PPP couple of days earlier. And stunningly, they had the exact same translation... With Google Translate. Their Czech-English translating must've got lot better since I last tried it...

Now first of all, I do use Google Translate too. I basically need it on daily basis when communicating in English to either check the spelling of a word or to check a word if I'm not sure if I remember the meaning of it correctly. I find it makes my life easier since google usually gets the simple words correct. It however does not usually get long sentences, yet alone articles, correct. And we can't really expect it to do that. There are so many different idioms and phares in different languages that it would be quite unreasonable to expect it to be able to that. Not to mention the differences between the language structures, which makes google translate's chances to get the correct outcome even more difficult.

And this gets us to my main point. Google translate is somewhat valuable tool when you at least have a hint of the word(s) you're looking for. If you however have no idea what the text says in original language and are determined to publish the translation of it, I would recommend an actual dictionary. This of course only works if you have any kind of basic knowledge of the language and preferrably of the culture. If you don't, it would be wise to try to find someone who does. I understand most bloggers can't do this and it's fine. They don't have the same staff army most news papers have - or should have. Which is why this applies mostly to news papers. Because they're supposed to do the fact checking and have the tools to get real translations. Because they're supposed to be the source of "real" information.
What does it tell about them if they say that they use google translate (whether or not they actually used it) and have really no idea if it matches the original story? For me it tells that I shouldn't trust what their articles say because there's no guarantee it's in any way correct.

- - -

Yesterday there was played the tribute game between Kenny's All Stars and Rögle honouring Kenny Jönsson's remarkable career. Rögle won 9-8 but apparently everyone still had great time.
Mats Wennerholm (who runs a hockeyblog for Aftonbladet) gave his opinion about Sundin's game: "He became better and better the longer the match went and I think he could step into any Elitserien team without making a fool of himself. With couple of weeks of training."

Guess who will play one more game?

This guy

Mats Sundin will play in Kenny Jönsson's tribute match along many other Swede stars in Ängelholm on August 21st in a game against Rögle (plays in second highest league in Sweden).

Kenny Jönsson is a Swedish defenseman who retired in 2009. During his career he showed quite remarkable loyalty to his home team Rögle, where he played all the seasons he spent in Sweden, despite that the team went constantly back and forth between Swedish Elite League and Allsvenskan. He also played 10 season in NHL (Toronto Maple Leafs and NY Islanders) and represented Sweden's national team on adult level 11 times, winning Olympic gold twice (coughjerkcough).

Here's the Kenny's All Star team:

Goalies
30 Henrik Lundqvist
23 Billy Nilsson
31 Magnus Wennström

Defense
19 Kenny Jönsson
35 Kari Eloranta

26 Håkan Persson
55 Niklas Karmhag

5 Stefan "Femman" Nilsson
3 Andreas Lilja

Forward
25 Stefan Elvenes
13 Roger Elvenes
11 Tord Elvenes

40 Henrik Zetterberg
13 Mats Sundin
91 Mariusz Czerkawski

8 Patrik Tano
21 Jörgen Jönsson
14 Mikael Gath

12 Benny Johansson
24 Heinz Ehlers
18 Jonas Bergqvist

Coaches
Peter Johansson
Beng-Åke Gustafsson

"We must learn playoff hockey" - now with fog hockey updates

Bäckström knows what's up...



Swedes sites have surprisingly found little time for stories that don't include Foppa and hockeybladet.se offers this interview with the Capitals center.

Nicklas Bäckström about tough losses and dreamhouse.

Nicklas Bäckström went on two real knocks this season.
But summer has been a hit.
When he came home to Gävle, was the newly-built dreamhouse of 520 square within a ten-minute drive from the town ready.
- I was very pleased, but I had decided everything myself too, says Bäckis.

Nicklas Bäckström had a fantastic season in NHL and crossed the 100 points dreamline with his 33 goals and 68 assists - total 101 points - in regular season. And when the season was over he signed a 10-year contract worth 67 million dollar (or over half billion Swedish kronor) with Washington Capitals.
Then you can afford a summercottage which is as big as many plots others are building on.
- It feels nice to have solid place when one is home during summers. It was here I was a lot whole summer although I travelled around and visited relatives and friends, says Nicklas.

"A bit sloppy"

But bestfriend Alexander Ovechkin hasn't visited this summer either, despite a standing invation.
- We have called each other couple of times, but we will meet again soon when the trainingcamp starts. He doesn't want to leave Moscow in summer.
But Nicklas Bäckström's winter "didn't just go straight up in sour cream" (don't ask, swedes are weird... or if you're Swedish, please explain).
First loss against Slovakia in Olympic quarterfinals in Vancouver, then directly out of Stanley Cup playoffs in first round against Montreal, despite leading 3-1 in series.

Gets Swedish company

Washington that won regular season in Eastern Conference and was a favourite to win the Stanley Cup.
- I actually think it was bit sloppy on both occasions. I don't really know what happened against Slovakia but I believe it was bit of underestimating from our part. It went simply wrong. And we should've won against Montreal when lead 3-1 in series. But it's easy to be afterwise. Though they played smart playoffs hockey and were good defensively. That one must give them credit for. And we must learn a bit more about how you play playoff hockey. But we still have a great team so I think we have the chance to take a quick revenge next year.

Does it feel good that you will stay in Washington for 10 years?

- Yes, I like it so well in the city and in organisation so it feels right.
And now there come more Swedes to the town?
- Yes, Marcus Johansson is new in the team. I've talked with him on telephone and he was there and signed his contract at the same time I signed mine in the end of May.
In addition, Anton Gustafsson - Bengt-Åke's son - will make a new attempt to break into the squad.
But you must be pleased with your own season last year?
- It was cool for me individually to reach 100 points, but to be honest I'd rather change it to Stanley Cup title. It's difficult to enjoy your own achievments when you go out in first round.
So speaks a winner.

/Dear Finnish sites, please start to write something interesting so I don't always have to do Swedish-English translations... (you know, since I epically fail at both). Tack.

- - -

Apparently my little Finnish team HIFK played yesterday their 3rd European throphy game. After winning the first two, they now lost to German team Adler Mannheim 2-1. Now, I normally wouldn't bother to with these kinda things but here's the circumstances they had to play in.

And for the record, that's in a real arena not an outdoor game. Apparently the ventilation in the arena in Järvenpää had broken down and the warm and humid weather from outside got in and caused that rather thick fog. And concidering the outcome, I think the Germans might be used to this kinda circumstances...
But seriously though, this is why HIFK should be playing their homegames in their own arena and not somewhere beyond the civilization. Because this stuff doesn't happen in Helsinki. And had the games been played here, I could've go to see the darn games... I also think this proves why hockey in August is bad idea. IT'S FREAKING WARM OUTSIDE! Hockey is a winter game. That's why it's played in Winter Olympics, not in Summer Olympics. We're supposed to get the summer off to be able to get over the last season and to gather strength and booze for the upcoming. And the whole teams are still in training conditions thing...

I can barely see the shamed figures of HIFK players in the back

/Pictures of European Throphy mist fest from mtv3.fi

One era in hockey is apparently about to end

Or then not. Foppa is still a Swede and you know how they can be with deciding and stuff...
Anyway, there has been lots of back and forths during the past month or so about this since Forsberg's charity team, The Icebreakers have played couple of games with the man himself. And he has done well. And apparently went pretty good too for the first two game. After that, I've seen stories about him coming back, I've seen stories about him retiring and I've seen stories about... well, that was that I guess. Anyhow, here's one of the many, many Foppa articles one can find in Swedish sites nowadays. In an English-like language.

Foppa rules out the chances of playing

The last test was negative.
Now almost everything is pointing that Peter Forsberg's fantastic hockey career is over.
According to him there's only 5 percent chance that he continues.
- It hasn't worked in 7 years, so why it would work now?, says Peter Forsberg to SPORT-Expressen.

In the 2 first games with Icebreakers the hockey worlds most known rightfoot felt ok.
Yesterday's test against Västerås, however, was a disaster.
- It didn't feel good today. I don't think I have any balance at all, says Peter Forsberg to SPORT-Expressen.
Right now the continuation of his hockey career seems to be very, very far away.
- There's not more than 5 percent chance that I will continue with elite hockey, says he to SVT.
- Something must change radically if there will me more games. If it will be like today, I think I won't continue. Something has to better.

Messages in skates

And it's not the foot Forsberg means. He doesn't plan to do anything more about it. However, there are various messages in the skates than can help.
- I will go home and see how it goes for few weeks, but I don't have high hopes, says Forsberg who understands his critics who thinks that he vacillates too much back and forth.
- I understand everyone who thinks that I'm an idiot and thinks I should quit. But I have battled with these problems for 7 years and won Olympic gold (you jerk...) and if one checks Philadelphia, I'm second in points/match for players who have played over 100 games. I haven't been that woeful.

"No deadline"

Which team it would be - if he can play- he doesn't want to think. What comes to Modo, it has earlier this week been speculated that Modo's coach Charles Berglund gave a deadline for Foppa to give a notice to the team if he plays or not.
However, it's a big misunderstanding according to Berglund:
. I haven't set any deadline. Me and Peter have a dialog and there's no time limit, although of course it would be good to know as soon as possible, says Berglund to SPORT-Expressen.

Doesn't want to mess up

Something Foppa agrees with:
- I don't want to stand on Modo's way. I don't want that it will go back and forth like it went last time.
Now points most things to a life aside of ice - and If one is going to believe Foppa, it isn't that bad.
- I feel so good aside of hockey now and I have so much other things going on so so it will be if there's not gonna be hockey. If it doesn't function 100 percent, I will pack my stuff in the near future.

I guess this means it's adjö for Foppa then. I've spend most of my life hating him (he and Sundin really liked to ruin my childhood, youth and faith in my national team...) but as the years have past by I've learnt to appreciate his undeniable skills and passion for hockey. I believe the last Olympics proved that even one-legged Foppa is still a hell lot of a better player than many of those with two functional feet.
Yes, he might be an idiot for keep trying to come back but for me that shows how much he loves the sport, how dedicated he is to it. And for that I respect him.

One more year

Selänne apparently approves Ducks moves thisfar and is indeed going to play at least one more year according to Urheilulehti. Here's the same in English (or in something that should be English....).

Teemu Selänne confirms to Urheilulehti that he has made a decision to continue his outstanding career at least a year. According to Selänne the contract with Anaheim might get done within few days.

"I have made a decision to continue my career. Actually it has been clear for awhile. The negotiations are now ready to start and hopefully it gets signed in couple of days", Selänne says.

Selänne says the reasons for continuing are purely game related. The 40 year old supersniper felt that his body has still enough energy left for seeking success.

"I told Anaheim that if they start to rejuvenate the team and rebuild it, I'll do something different. Those guys who have been now acquired have convinced me that we can still success. Once again money didn't play a role", says Selänne.

"Hijacking" Selänne won't necessarily be Anaheim's only super acquisition. On the radar is also Selänne's legendary linemate Paul Kariya's comeback to Anaheim.

"I've talked about that with Paul and Anaheim. Paul has been waiting for my decision and hopefully thing swill move along now", Selänne says.

Selänne admits that he has thought about the idea of dream line where with him and Kariya also would play Saku Koivu.

"It has been on my mind but in this thing the coach will make final decisions. Jason Blake who played last season with me and Saku was really good in the end of the season."

Random hockey things

Looking all good and getting ready to rock in October. Because God knows that poor arena ain't gonna see good hockey performed by home team after that...

• A Swedish hockey player Conny Strömberg won about 6000 euros after betting himself in betting for top scorer in Allsvenskan (Sweden's second highest league)
• In past two years a team that has played in Helsinki has won the Cup (Pens in 2008 and Hawks in 2009). So, Minnesota Wild, your SC winner 2010/11? Also, I really think this means all the teams should want to come here next year... Any suggestions? I'd like Caps, Leafs or Ducks :P
  
• Here's something that kinda shocked me: A Swedish goalie Robin Rahm (23 years old Färjestad player) has been caught for using anabolic steroids. He has admitted the use. Doping and hockey (especially goalies) just don't go together.
• Not so shocking, Sami Salo injured again.
  
• The Antti Niemi adventures... I think I've seen him to be linked with every single NHL team. Here's thought. If you have no clue where he's going, don't write a damn article about where he's going!