Off Topic » NHLs department of player safety on Thursday

NEW YORK -- Hall of Fame defenceman Brian Leetch and former You Can Play executive director Patrick Burke joined the NHLs department of player safety on Thursday. Leetch is taking the position of manager of player safety that had been held by Rob Blake, who was named assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Kings last month. Burke will serve in the new position of director of player safety. "Brian Leetch and Patrick Burke are two astute members of the hockey community who will bring unique perspectives and personal experiences to the Department of Player Safety," Brendan Shanahan, the NHL vice-president of player safety and hockey operations said in a statement Thursday. Leetch, who spent the majority of his career with the New York Rangers, ranks eighth among NHL defencemen with 1,028 career points. He earned the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994. He is also a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHLs top defenceman and was chosen as rookie of the year in 1989. Burke, a former Philadelphia Flyers scout, is one of the founding partners of the You Can Play Project, which fights sexual orientation discrimination in sports. Burke, the son of former NHL executive Brian Burke, stepped down as executive director of You Can Play on Tuesday, but is still involved with the organization. Nike Air Force 1 Clearance Australia . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. Nike Air Force 1 Australia . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. http://www.cheapnikeairforce1australia.com/.C. -- Colin Kaepernick raced into the end zone, then pretended to rip open his shirt with both hands imitating Cam Newtons Superman touchdown celebration. Nike Air Force Ones Sale . So they rushed to re-sign the first baseman who general manager Ben Cherington described Friday as "a unique player." The World Series champions finalized a $32 million, two-year agreement Thursday with the slugging former catcher who turned into a surprisingly good defender. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet .com) - John Wall supplied 24 points and 11 assists in leading the Washington Wizards to a 102-91 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas Day.The Calgary Flames locked up defenceman Kris Russell to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.26 million. The 26-year-old defenceman has four goals and 20 points in 44 games tthis season.dddddddddddd This is Russells first year in Calgary after having spent the first six years of his career split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues. ' ' '