NHL » Eh.

It only took me two month’s in Toronto to meet my future wife, Alyonka Larionov. Pretty damn good if you ask me.

Alyonka did an autograph signing at Real Sports Apparel in Maple Leaf Square on November 15th promoting the perfect hockey swagger, Sauce Hockey. Sauce is a clothing brand that endorses the life of a hockey player. Chucking lunar sauce, hard work, big tilly’s, chirps and off-ice shenanigans.

The future wife.

The brand that is Sauce has finally made it into the big old city of Toronto. A small company out of Arizona that was created by two dudes with a dream in 2009 has grown like wildfire inside the hockey community by word of mouth and social media.

The twitter-famous Phoenix Coyote left winger, Paul Bissonnette has been vital in the growth of the product created by Eric Kleineck and Brett Beckfield (the dudes beforementioned). With the Biz (referring to his twitter handle BizNasty2point0) flawlessly promoting the brand with his quirky tweets and unmistakable humour, the brand has been kicked into overdrive with Biznasty followers leading the pack in honing this brand. Biz has been such a staple for the company that he has his own clothing line with Sauce called ‘Biznasty’. His line incorporates his twitter humour and his 4th line status on his NHL club and has created a line of clothing that depicts the way he lives his life.

Livin’ the dream. Designer clothing for the perfect hockey swagger. Epic sauce. Grocery stick. If anybody chucked out one of these quick one-liners to a Sauce Hockey fanatic they would know exactly what you are talking about. Sauce Hockey.

Since the coveted month of Movember is approaching us, I have decided to list my five favourite moustaches in the current day NHL. Why the NHL? That answer is simple. Hockey players love to grow facial hair. It is something that will forever be apart of the sport.
Now let’s have a look at these beauties flaunting their Mo’s.

Numero cinco: Olli Jokinen
This dude probably hones the creepiest muzzy in the league. This ginger handlebar ‘stache is an attempt to re-enact Lanny McDonald’s moustache that he wore with pride in his 1989 run to the Stanley Cup Playoff’s with the Flames. Calgary won the cup that year, and Lanny (as captain) was the first one to lift Lord Stanley’s cup over his head, and his ‘stache.
As a Canucks fan I hope that Olli wont be lifting that cup in his lifetime with the Flames, but it would be kind of a cool sight to see.

Numero quatro: Mike Brown
Another version of the handlebar moustache with a bit more flare than Joke’s. A 5th overall draft pick by none-other than the Vancouver Canucks (yeah that’s right). Mike Brown is now a speedy 4th liner for the Leafs and hits anything in sight.
His bushy version of the handlebar ‘stache has become some sort of hockey icon in the NHL today.
On my list he topped off at number four; however.

Numero tres: Cal Clutterbuck
This young-gun for the Minnesota Wild broke into the league in ’06 and has already made his moustache a staple in the NHL. His ‘stache looks like he’s a soldier going to war, with the slick hair and caterpillar like ‘stache that bushes underneath the nose.
Cal led the league in hits in only his second season, so his playing style directly reflects the way he looks.
I’d say he’s got the classiest muzzy in the ‘chel.

Numero dos: Mike Commodore
Another red-haired beauty has taken a spot in my top five.
When I was thinking about who honed my favourite moustaches in the current NHL, I knew that Commodore needed a seat. With the curly red locks and the thick red beard, his facial prowess is unstoppable. Unlike the boys mentioned before him, Mike’s full beard complimented with his thick 80′s afro is a perfect candidate for facial hair king.
Imagine if this guy shaved off his beard and just kept his moustache. Unreal, right?
Or even better yet, imagine if he completely spit-shined his head and just kept the beard. The combinations for Commie’s style are limitless.

Numero uno: George Parros
The king of moustaches in the NHL. The big kahuna. The caterpillar of all caterpillar moustaches. This guys upper lip flow is next-level.
A fighter for the Anaheim Ducks, Parros grows his moustache every year starting Movember 1st and then going 365 days (366 if it’s a leap-year) until Halloween (October 31st for all you weirdo’s out there).
He loves his caterpillar so much that his twitter account is a tribute to the bushy little bugger. @Stache16. Like most hockey players are, Parros is a twitter sensation. I guess it’s just the culture of hockey and how players love to chirp each other and entertain their fans.
George even has his own clothing line called Stache Gear. Check it out, it’s got some pretty sick stuff.
Now, take a look at his beauty.

Tenacious, hardworking and will are just three words that sum up the type of player that former Canuck Rick Rypien was.

Rick passed away on August 15th 2011 after suffering from depression. He was said to have been suffering it because of his role as a fighter to make a living in the NHL. His long time pal Kevin Bieksa said this wasn’t true in a featured article in the Vancouver Sun. Bieksa said Rypien’s illness was too complicated to be explained by one event or circumstance, such as the car-accident death nearly a decade ago of Rypien’s girlfriend or the constant stream of injuries that slowed his NHL career (Iain MaCintyre, Rick Rypien: the one everyone leaned on).

It was obvious that Rick was a well-liked member of the Canucks. Even though he didn’t play too much because of his injury setbacks and leaves of absences, Rick did everything he could when he got the call to ignite his team and stand-up for his mates. He may have only been 5’11″ but he was huge at heart. Rick was the kind of guy that would drop the gloves with anyone. He didn’t care if he was going toe-to-toe with a beast like Hal Gill (who is a whomping eight inches taller), because he was full of heart and determination.

After a six year stint within the Canucks organization, whether it be in the ‘chel’ or with the farm team in Manitoba, Rick was set for a fresh-start with the re-birth of the Winnepeg Jets. Rick had just signed a one year, $700,000 contract but passed away just prior to training camp.

Tonight on TSN before the Canucks and Rangers game there will be a special tribute to the former Canuck, and it will without a doubt be an extremely emotional evening; not only for the organization but for the fans as well.

Rest in peace Ryp.

Tonights the night. The night that I have been waiting for ever since the heartbreaking loss on June 15th that saw the streets of Vancouver burst into flames.

Being a Vancouverite I got to see the riots first-hand. But I ain’t here to talk about that stuff. It’s in the past. The Canucks are looking to rebound and hopefully paint the exact same picture from last season; without the tears of defeat.

With almost an identical team from last year, it looks like the Nucks’ should be able to rekindle what they had in that historic season. They’ve got what it takes to be a championship winning squadron. Grit, talent, goaltending and two Swedish dudes who won back-to-back Art Ross trophies.

With Kesler and Raymond out for the first bit of the season with injuries, rookie Cody Hodgson and veteran Marco Sturm will fill their voids on the second line alongside Mikael Samuelsson. Cody worked hard all summer long training with the likes of Steven Stamkos at Gary Roberts’ house this Summer in Newmarket. ‘Coho’ is looking a lot quicker this season and he looks like he will finally be able to be that force that we have patiently been waiting for.

The season is 82 games long so there is no point in doing any of those predictions you see people posting. It’s hockey. A full contact sport. Anything can happen, be it injuries or just not performing. Any team can look good on paper, but it’s the teams that can gel that make it big.

Canucks and Penguins tonight baby.

Eh.

Sauce in Town

The ‘Stache

Remembering Rick

Hockey Season Baby

Dane’s Tweets

Eh.

Sauce in Town

The ‘Stache

Remembering Rick

Hockey Season Baby

Dane’s Tweets

Cloudy