|
For nine years, I was an ESPN.com
hockey columnist on a contract basis while I worked at The Denver Post. For most of the period, I was part of a pool
of newspaper-employed freelancers providing most of ESPN.com's hockey writing. I enjoyed it immensely. Below
are links to a few of the available samples of those perhaps 300 columns. ESPN's remaining archives for that period are limited.
From what I was able to find, I've included few game- or event-oriented columns. These are mostly issue-oriented commentaries.
I also have a lot of hockey material on my Post page here. -- TF 
November 11, 2000: Here's what we gotta do to make the game better. December 31,
2000: Ray Bourque skates past 40 January 9, 2001: Could others in sports do what Lemieux is doing? January 15, 2001: The Expansion Cup: Blue Jackets vs. Wild. February 2, 2001: Denver does have a hockey tradition. Seriously. February 22, 2001: How the Rob Blake trade to Colorado changed the landscape March 5, 2001: If the coach is such an idiot, what's that make the GM who hired him? March 12, 2001: On "Chemistry" March 24, 2001: Bruins fans endorse Bourque Cup quest May 9, 2001:Avalanche get past the Kings ... and it wasn't easy May 22, 2001: Avalanche back in Stanley Cup Finals June 14, 2001: Joe Sakic picks up the hardware June 26, 2001: Fulfilled, Ray Bouque hangs 'em up July 3, 2001: Mario Lemieux on the financial game July 25, 2001: Did Fedorov marry Anna? Did Hasek have viral infection? World wants to know! September 10,
2001: Avs in Sweden ... as it turns out, on the day before 9/11 September
17, 2001: Taking stock after 9/11 September 25, 2001: They have stats, but ... October
1, 2002: Categorizing the D-men? Everbody has to have a bit of the hybrid in them October 8, 2001: Safety measures should be more than suggestions October 24, 2001: Lecavalier intriguing mix of talent and potential November 5, 2001: Get ties out of the NHL ... and not the kind the coach wears November 12, 2001: A Finn, a Russian, an American -- an historic Hall of Fame class November 28, 2001: Only negative of OT. Takes away the last-minute test January 30, 2002: It's STILL a Miracle on Ice February 1, 2002: NHL turned the Olymic preliminary round into a fiasco February 14, 2002: Germans, Belorussians seek respect, fun February 19, 2002: He's the Great One, but Gretzky's Olympic compaints hollow February 24, 2002: Setting up USA-Canada gold-medal game February 28, 2002: Good for Golden Mario, bad for business March 12, 2002: What a stupid system ... the late trading deadline April 11, 2002: Sens show class in getting Neilson to 1,000 games coached April 14, 2002: Dollar valued measured by distance from Lord Stanley May 22, 2002: Drury has that "it" ... in hockey, too May 28, 2002: Forsberg made all the right moves May 31, 2002: Rivalry
redux -- Red Wings blast Avalanche to move on June 20, 2002: The Hart choice here is Iginla June 25,
2002: Now, Hasek has it all September 1, 2002: Can Roy re-establish his image as "money" goalie? September 4, 2002: For at least this season, Rangers can be America's Team September 24,
2002: NHL taking the crunch out of numbers ... at least on the sheet October 7, 2002: Captaincy -- A suit that doesn't always fit October 9, 2002: Measuring Gretzky's impact as his number retired in L.A. November 11,
2002: Drury-Morris trade shouldn't be the sole scapegoat December 2, 2002: With Joe Sakic, what you see isn't what you get December 9, 2002: The lunacy of the coaching carousel December 18, 2002: An actual surprise firing! Bob Hartley is out, Tony Granato in January 6, 2003: Dollars and sense case studies: Ranger$ vs. Senators January
16, 2003: Is the Blood Feud cooling off? January 19, 2003: Assessing Brett Hull's legacy on the verge of 700 goals March 4, 2003: GM accountability March 18, 2003: "Playoff goalies," step up April 23, 2003: Avs complete collapse. It was Roy's last game May 28, 2003: Roy's greatess goes beyond hockey August 6, 2003: Looking ahead to the salary cap fight
August
11, 2003: On the death of Herb Brooks October 16, 2003: Hurry up! October 28, 2003: As his number is about to be retired, Roy revels in retirement February
21, 2004: Canada, we're jealous May 26, 2004: Avalanche need 2002-like return from Forsberg July 15,
2004: A new CBA shouldn't be that hard August 6, 2004: As John Elway is about to enter Hall of Fame ... September 30, 2004: Will Bettman ever be allowed to be "a hockey man?" October 22, 2004: The Stastny Saga February 21, 2005: Don't lock out Lord Stanley, too April 25, 2005: No rush to re-instate Bertuzzi June 13, 2005: After the dark season and settlement, Goodenow and Bettman should resign June 28, 2005: The NHL needs more speaking their minds September 5, 2005: Parity, schmarity. NHL doesn't need it. September 15, 2005: Hey, Avs. Remember Steve Moore? September 20, 2005: Obstruction crackdown? Everybody has to buy in July 15, 2005: Don't give up on selling hockey to all parts of the country October 6, 2005: The NHL-is-back ad campaign should have been locked out November 17, 2005: Blasphemy! Scrub the morning skate November24, 2005: Give that diver an 8.2 December 15, 2005: The NHL needs to get on schedule January 19, 2006: PEDs won't ever be as much of a problem in hockey May 18, 2006: Belittling the small markets is silly June 7, 2006: From the Oilers-Hurricanes Stanley Cup Finals on 62nd anniversary of D-Day. Saluting U.S. and Canadian service. June 13, 2006: Why can't the Finals be more of a party? June 16, 200: Tender Mercies from a Fathers Day Tragedy July 27, 2006: All things Penguins ... make up your minds. August
3, 2006: NHL should be more transparent about salaries August 17, 2006: The good and bad of the game's old guard August 25,
2006: How to make the most out of the NHL's divisions October 9, 2006: Ultimate hockey experiences in North America October 12, 2006: Hobey vs. Heisman October
18, 2006: Avalanche waiting to be rewarded for faith in Theodore November 2, 2006: The never-ending shootout debate December 28, 2006: NHL New Year's Resolutions January 11, 2007: Weighing Penguins' options February 6, 2007: Karlis Skrastins closes in on ironman record March 1, 2007: Twenty questions April 19, 2007: After marathon playoff OT ... what are the options? June 15, 2007: A new era for the 35-and-over player July 26, 2007: Can NBA's Donaghy debacle be repeated in NHL? September 7, 2007: American players have more options October 11, 2007: Stastny family effect October
25, 2007: Imitate baseball, put on a bow tie and wax poetic November 29, 2007: Ode to "Slap Shot," the best sports movie ever made December 13, 2007: Suggestions for Gary Bettman's radio show January 10, 2008: Spinning the tongue-in-cheek narrative for rest of season January 24, 2008: Some polite suggestions for the All-Star Game March 6, 2008: Forsberg about to play again for Avs ... what now? April 3, 2008: O Canada, can I win the 50-50 just once? July 4, 2008:Joe Sakic and others ponder July 24, 2008: On buying out veterans September 4, 2008: Wasn't moderating ticket prices the whole point of the lockout? September 27, 2008: On the death of Paul Newman October 23, 2008: Measuring the No. 1 overall picks November 3, 2008: Blue Jackets' Nash gives center a shot December 5, 2008: On Broadway in Nashville -- Preds' resilience December 11, 2008: Dustin Brown has grown into the "C" December 23, 2008: Sound familiar? Will Forsberg play ... or not? January 29, 2009: About those ticket prices ... again February 13, 2009: Yes, Minnesota is the State of Hockey March 13, 2009: The best goalies from each NHL decade April
1, 2009: How far have the Avalanche fallen? April 15, 2009: Excerpt from Columbine's Boy in the Window, by Patrick Ireland with Terry Frei. May 18, 2009: Now they're looking for flaws in John Tavares June 2, 2009: Rating the highlights of the 2008-09 season. July 9, 2009: Top Ten Sakic moments November 19, 2014: "Save by Roy" excerpt, Roy's notorious first game as Avalanche coach. With co-author Adrian Dater.
|
