Welcome to Snipe City, a weekly column looking at hockey from 36 Crazyfists singer, Alaska native and huge hockey fan Brock Lindow. 36 Crazyfists’ new album, Time & Trauma, is out now on Spinefarm Records.
Forgive me for the late entry this week, as I’ve been nodding off between intermissions and trying to acclimate back into society. The kick-off touring cycle for our new album was one of epic memories and late night, gut-busting laughter. Oh yeah, and the shows ruled, too! I’ve made the trek back north to Alaska and I finally have some time to rattle off the most up-to-date happenings in the league.
We all know the trade deadline came and went on Monday and some teams benefitted more than others. But the most heartwarming trade story was the one that came out of Minnesota. In the waning hours before Monday’s 3PM deadline, news surfaced that veteran defenseman Jordan Leopold, a native of Golden Valley, Minnesota and former University of Minnesota standout, had been traded to his hometown Minnesota Wild from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
But this story gets way cooler.
Not long after the trade broke, a letter from Leopold’s 11-year-old daughter, Jordyn, went viral on Twitter. Blue Jackets’ general manager Jarmo Kekalainen tweeted a photo of the letter and wrote, “It isn’t always just about business…” Leopold’s wife Jamie said Monday that she found on the counter at their home after her daughter left for school one day. In it, Jordyn addresses The Wild coaching staff and pleads for her dad to come home and rejoin the Leopold family. The letter reads: “My dad is very lonely without his family. We are living in Minnesota right now and I am lost without my dad, and so is my Mom, my 2 sisters, and my brother.”
Young Jordyn goes on to explain that her father is lonely on the Blue Jackets because the 34-year-old is playing on “a team with young guys.” Then Jordyn got down to business: “Well to get to the point the Wild have not been winning games and you lovely coaches are most likely mad about that but your team needs more D men so can you please, please, please ask the Jackets if you guys can get him!” Jamie Leopold told Twin Cities radio station KFAN she “just started bawling” after she read it.
She then posted it on her Facebook page a couple of months ago. “It’s been a long couple months, but we’re really excited,” she said Monday. Kekalainen was pleased to fulfill Jordyn Leopold’s request in sending the veteran defenseman to his native Minnesota.The trade for defenseman Justin Falk and a 2015 fifth-round pick was completed just as Jordyn Leopold’s letter asking for her father to be dealt began circulating online. Now if that damn story doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will. Kids rule!!!!
Congrats are in order to Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle and Avalanche forward Alex Tanguay, as each man played in his 1,000 career regular-season game Wednesday. The last time two players suited up for their 1,000th NHL game on the same day was January 17, 2011, when New Jersey’s Jamie Langenbrunner and the San Jose Sharks’ Patrick Marleau each did it. The battle for getting into the playoffs is raging right now and teams on the outside looking in are separated by just a couple points.
Dear Flyers,
Paaaaalease get your wins for the final push so the Wild Card spot has your name on it. Signed,
Dedicated Flyer Fanatic!
[youtube]http://youtu.be/pA5JuFwMsNA[/youtube]
The “Fight of the Week” goes to the bout between Buffalo Saber Marcus Foligno and Tampa Bay Lightning’s new acquisition Braydon Coburn. Coburn was a Flyer I gave a lot of grief to, with my yelling at him through the TV, but in all honesty, he was always a player that went to bat for his boys and it’s good to see him dropping the mitts and getting on with his role in Tampa. Winner goes to Coburn for the sweet hit he put on Brian Gionta to get this dust up with Foligno started!
Well, it’s the Govenor’s Cup around here this weekend for our University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves and the University of Alaska Fairbanks; they are interstate rivals that always make for a great series. The rivalry between Alaska’s two college teams dates back to 1979. It has been filled with fury, which is to be expected in a clash for state supremacy and bragging rights!
UAF will definitely play its last games of the season Friday and Saturday when it hits Anchortown for the final two games of the annual Governor’s Cup – the Nanooks are prohibited from post-season play because of NCAA violations in previous seasons. UAA could be playing its last games too, the Seawolves must sweep the Nanooks and get some help to make the WCHA playoffs. As a kid, the Seawolves were the only game in town and the environment of those games were tremendous, as the years have gone on and the Alaska Aces (ECHL) became household names the college games became poorly attended so I just felt the need to plug the games this weekend at the Sully for all my Alaskan hockey brothers and sisters. Get out and support Coach Matt Thomas and the boys in Green and Gold. Go Seawolves!
Finally, I can let the cat out of the bag and let you know I have partnered up with Matt Marini over at Puck Hcky, and the next evolution of Snipe City is gonna rule! Interactive topics, prizes, merchandise, skate-arounds with the Flyers… okay, maybe not the last part, but it’s gonna rule, my friends. Looking forward to seeing what all we come up with! So there you have it, hockey fans. it’s the best time of the year as the playoffs are upon us. Lace’ em up, strap ’em on and most importantly….
…Keep your head up,
Brock
