How to do it right

The Dallas Stars know how to host a photo gallery for its fans. I have a feeling this photographer is using overhead strobe lights due to the perfect exposure for each shot. Very nice work.

Return of the Heater

AP PHOTO-JOHN BAZEMORE

Dany "Heater" Heatley returned to the Atlanta Thrashers this week. It is hard to figure out who this will help more, Dany, the families, the players, or the fans.

In an article for ESPN, Scott Burnside asked Blues forward Doug Weight if any NHL player would taunt Heatley about the accident that killed [#37] Dan Snyder.

I would like to think that throughout his entire career he would never hear a thing from another player. As a league I think we've united to stand behind Dany and this team. I'm very proud to be a part of this league. - Doug Weight

As Hulk Hogan used to say, Amen brother.



In the Sharks hemisphere, 2003 first round draft pick Milan Michalek was assigned to the Cleveland Barons after returning from a knee injury.

[Note to the columnist who said the Sharks could falter if hit with injuries]

In addition to a lineup firing on all cylinders, the Sharks have Milan Michalek getting into game shape, AHL leading scorer Miroslav Zalesak, and the rookie NHL scoring leader among defenseman from last season Jim Fahey, all playing well in Cleveland.

[Bonus goalie mask photo]



It looks like Vesa Toskala's mask is from Bishop Custom Designs. Nice gallery of Bishop goalie masks on Eddy Masks as well.

NHL Notes - sellout edition

• A year after Jason Allison last played in an NHL game, the LA Times reports he is still suffering symptoms similiar to post concussion syndrome. The Kings roster has been decimated by injuries and could desperately use Allison's talent.

[update: Todays Ross McKeon article mentions the serious injuries to Adam Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller. Ziggy Palffy, the Kings leading scorer, had season ending shoulder reconstruction surgery. Straka is also down.]

• Via Off Wing Opinion, BudLight presents Mr Giant Taco Salad Inventor.

• The NY Newsday has started counting down the days until the Rangers GM Glenn Sather is fired.

But look at the five "questionable" deals the NY Newsday thinks are suspect. Which of these moves is supposed to be irresponsible?

1. Trading for goalie Mike Dunham
2. Trading for Anson Carter
3. Hiring coach Bryan Trottier
4. Trading for Pavel Bure
5. Trading for Eric Lindros

Add Holik and Jagr to this list and these are some of the best players in the league who for whatever reason [injuries, motivation, Donald Trump] have not worked out. The onus should be on the players not the GM in this case.

• The dumbest management team in professional sports has done it again - Al Morganti.

• New hockey website, The Ice Block. Very nice movable type layout, and lots of content. Take a look.

• The HNIC Hotstove crew expands on which NHL team they think will move to Winnipeg. My opinion? Bring back the Nordiques, not the Jets.

• According to Dave Pollak in the SJ Mercury, Sharks attendance has lagged averaging 89.2% in the first 25 home games.

Four comments:
1. Losing star attractions Nolan, Selanne and Marchment without corresponding cuts in ticket prices will effect fan interest. Even with the team in first place.

2. Name a local radio personality that has attended a Sharks home game.

3. How about having a large Sharks photo gallery of both home and away games. James Guillory has a nice one for Top Shelf. The official SJsharks.com site used to have a photo gallery from all home games, but it looks like that is gone. It is easier to see photos from Mars than a Sharks game.

Post a regular gallery of large game photos, or a virtual panorama of the inside of the HP Pavilion. A picture says a thousand words.

4. Your fan base can only be so large in an area where people do not grow up playing the game. Put a year round roller hockey rink in the park across from the Arena and the attendance problem will be an afterthought.

Brian Boucher backstopsa 2-1 Phoenix win

A few starts after his 5 game shutout streak, Brian Boucher made 34 saves to shut down a confident Sharks team.

The NHL released a statement saying the referees made an error allowing the first Phoenix goal. The net was off the moorings when the puck went in.

I emailed Hockey Pundits a rant about this mistake, the Shanahan self-highsticking in Detroit, and the Korolyuk Chicago nongoal/goal.

Bleeding edge of NHL photography

Minnesota Wild photographer Cory Shubert is utilizing the latest wireless technology built in to the Nikon D2H digital camera. Here is how he hopes to set up the workflow:

Shoot images during a period of hockey and while shooting, the RAW files are being written to the CF card and the .JPG's are being FTP'd to a folder on the desktop of my G4 PowerBook.

Once the images hit the folder, iViewMediaPro has been set to watch this folder and once activated, will take the images and add Keywords for use in retrieving images on a per game basis, then trigger a PhotoShop action that will process the images and save them off to a game day folder sitting on the MN Wild's server.

Not only is the camera beaming images to his laptop, but he wants to set up automated image adjustments and keywords before it saves them to the Minnesota Wild server. All of this should happen while he is shooting the players on the ice. Amazing.

In addition to news and galleries of hockey and panorama photos, Cory Shubert also has a forum where visitors can ask questions.

I asked him what white balance he uses when shooting a NHL game.

Hi PJ. I use a custom WB off a Gel Card from ColorEyes. I tried vaious color settings but have found over the years that a custom WB is always best. I get in early with all the TV lights set to full and have someone stand at center ice and I do my WB settings.

That is what I use all year since they don't change anything during the season. It is not perfect, as the color does shift at different spots in the arena, but since I have to do the best I can and average things out, it is the best of all worlds. Try to set a custom WB and see how it works for you. Good luck, Cory

I did not have time to set this up for the Phoenix-Sharks game, but I will try this in the future. Not quite sure how it works, but Thom Hogan has more information.

The Sharks also deserve another round of Kudos for changing the camera policy at the HP Pavilion. Instead of each usher determining whether a camera was professional or not, a sign on the front door last night said all cameras with lenses under 6 inches are allowed. This is a great policy in gadget crazy Silicon Valley.

Make sure to read these two earlier posts:
• amateur guide to amateur NHL photography
• amateur guide to pro NHL photography.

NHL on TV

Adding to an already uncertain future, the NHL's next television contract might be