Taking his share of bumps and bruises over the years, 36-year-old Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger is playing in his 17th NHL season. After tallying 10 goals and 45 assists for 55 points last season, Pronger appeared to have a lot left in the tank and was showing signs of deserving to keep a top spot on the team’s blueline.

Now the All-Star blueliner finds himself on the sidelines awaiting to heal from an injury that may keep him out for the remainder of this NHL regular season.

Pronger had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right hand this past week and told the media that the surgery went well. Adding to that was Flyers GM Paul Holmgren who said Pronger may miss 3-4 weeks making his return in the regular season questionable at best.

Pronger injured the hand in a game against the rival New York Islanders on Feb. 24 when he blocked a shot; yeah the veteran is still doing all the little things that has made him one of the top D men in the league for well over a decade.

In an interview with NHL.com Pronger said:

“It’s a little swollen, still bandaged up and all the rest of that stuff. I probably won’t know more until we get this off in a few days as far as that goes, really just how it progresses over the next couple of weeks.”

With the injury being on the upper part of the body, the good news is, Pronger can continue to skate to stay on shape and be ready for the playoffs.

If Pronger makes it back in the three week period that Holmgren mentioned, that would place him back on the ice on April 5 with Philly having just three regular season games left. That in mind, it’s more likely we won’t see the 36-year-old until the puck has dropped for this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

Every time the Miami Heat gives their fans a reason to think they can be a top team going into the playoffs, the team pulls off another stinker. After winning three straight while averaging 114 points in their last two games, LeBron and company shot just 38 percent from the floor and ended with just 85 points in a loss to the Thunder.

Oklahoma City was led by Kevin Durant who scored 29 points on 12-of-21 shooting and Russell Westbrook who chipped in 18 more in the 96-85 road win.

Leading the Heat were Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade who both finished with 21 points with the third Big Three member LeBron James adding 19 points. Bosh also lead the team with 11 rebounds and has been coming on stronger since he commented to the media about the coach’s lack of using him in more key situations.

With the win, the Thunder are on a five-game win streak and are sitting in the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.

With the loss the Heat (46-22) sit three games behind the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls in their race for the No. 1 seed in the East. Another speed bump in that road is the fact the Heat have four more losses and would lose the tie breakers with both those teams.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

Leave it to Bobby Knight to once again gain attention by not filtering what comes out of his mouth, even when he’s on national television. This afternoon during a college basketball game, Knight referred to one of the team’s defenses as “chicken shit”. Here’s the video:

The comment got a response and nervous laughter from his fellow analysts but then lead man at the desk, Rece Davis, apologized for the remark.

According to sources close to the production, when Knight was approached by one of the producers after the incident and told:

“You can’t say chicken shit on television.”

Knight responded:

“You can once.”

Even off camera he just keeps on entertaining.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal following.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

The Miami Heat and their Big Three are leaving their fans in shock after putting together a string of games that included blowing leads as large as 24 points, only to end up on the losing end all three nights. To make matters worse, all three games came at the hands of Eastern Conference teams who they may be facing in the upcoming NBA Playoffs.

On Feb. 24, LeBron James and the Heat were up by 11 points against the Chicago Bulls but lost that game 93-89 after Chris Bosh shot 1-of-18 from the floor. That’s not a typo people. The Heat followed that lackluster performance with a game on their home court on Feb. 27 against the New York Knicks. The Heat jumped out to a comfortable 15 point lead in that one but riding on the shaky shoulders of Dwyane Wade’s 5-of-15 shooting, bowed out to the Knicks and left the court with their tail between their legs 91-86.

Wanting to avenge that implosion, the Heat returned to their home court last night to face their interstate rival Orlando Magic and to the delight of the crowd came out with a vengeance. At the end of a dominating first half, Mike Miller sank a 70-footer at the buzzer, a shot that would not count but that didn’t seem to matter at the time. Trotting off the court with a 63-45 halftime lead, the Heat brought the raucous home crowd to their feet.

Appearing to have this one on the bag, at one point the Heat were hammering Dwight Howard and his supporting cast with a beatdown that included a 24-point lead.

Then came Déjà vu.

The Magic didn’t quit and mounted a historical comeback. With the help of a 40-9 run, Orlando outscored the Heat 54-33 in the second half and shocked the South Beach crowd with a 99-96 win.

There’s a pattern developing here with the Heat. The team has been dominating at times but are 5-12 in games decided by five points or less. Not a good sign with the playoffs right around the corner; a time when so many games are decided by the narrowest of margins.

And BTW, who got the final look in the Orlando game only to clank a 3-pointer off the rim? The one who calls himself “King”.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

The NHL trade deadline hits at 3PM this afternoon and even team captains may not be safe, unless your name is Crosby or Lidstrom.

Just days after the Florida Panthers traded their captain, Bryan McCabe to the New York Rangers for left winger Tim Kennedy and a 2011 third round pick sources anticipate a flurry of yard sales to hit the news feeds throughout the day.

Dallas Stars forward Brad Richards name has been thrown around like a hot potato over the past few weeks and although comments from the team have indicated the player isn’t available to be moved, his name remains in the forefront.

Making a huge splash after leaving the Avs for St. Louis was Chris Stewart who went to the Blues for former first round pick Erik Johnson. Stewart settled in to his new sweater by setting a franchise best mark of scoring six goals in the first five games, beating a record held by Brett Hull.

Other notables who have changed uniform are the Leafs Tomas Kaberle (to Boston) forward Rich Peverley (from Atlanta to Boston) Kris Versteeg (from Leafs to Philly) and Jarkko Ruutu (from Ottawa to Anaheim).

Expect a flurry of movement today but with the salary cap in place, the days of teams treating the day like a smorgasbord are over. One year the Detroit Red Wings picked up several All-Star caliber players in the final hours of trade deadline, setting up for a playoff run that ended with a shocking first-round exit.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

If you’re a New York Knicks fan, you better buy a program to refer to next time you attend a game because you won’t recognize the roster after the trades the team made this week.

Coming into the Big Apple and donning a Knicks jersey will be four-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony along with guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter, center Shelden Williams and forward Renaldo Balkman. The nine-player deal moves Knicks players, guard Raymond Felton, forwards Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler and center Timofey Mozgov out to Denver. Three million cash and the Knicks’ first-round pick in 2014 and second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 also went to the Nuggets in the deal.

Before the dust settled from this exchange, the Knicks obtained Corey Brewer from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Anthony Randolph, pine warmer Eddy Curry and $3 million.

Since LeBron made “The Decision” to go to South Beach to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Orlando Magic and now the Knicks are stockpiling superstars, loading up their line-ups for a playoff push.

Before the NBA season tipped off, the Heat were looking like the team that could run away with a title but since then, the Eastern Conference title looks to be up for grabs.

While the Orlando Magic pulled off two blockbuster deals and added Gilbert Arenas to their roster, Anthony will now be joining All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire to form one of the league’s most potent scoring tandems. Throwing All-Star Billups into that mix under coach Mike D’Antoni offers the Knicks a chance to go deep into these upcoming playoffs.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

The Atlanta Thrashers signed All-Star defenseman Dustin Byfuglien to a multiple-year contract extension that is said to be worth $26 million over the next five years.

Byfuglien, 6ft-5 and 260-pounds, is one of four African-Americans playing on the Atlanta team. Buff leads the Thrashers in scoring with 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points this season. Six of those goals are game-winners and that mark is just one shy of the NHL mark of seven by a defenseman in a single season.

The Minneapolis, Minn., native was named to the NHL All-Star team this season and has played in 318 career NHL games with stats that include 72 goals and 80 assists, most of those earned with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2005-10.

Buff had a solid postseason with the Blackhawks last season, finishing with 16 points after turning on the red light 11 times and adding five assists in 22 games. Chicago ended up winning the Stanley Cup and that’s what inspired GM Rick Dudley to sign the defenseman.

GM Rick Dudley made a statement for the Thrashers.com website following the news.

“Dustin has emerged into an elite player this season and been invaluable as a leader both on and off the ice,” said Dudley. “It was a priority to sign him and we’re looking forward to witnessing his All-Star caliber play for many years to come.”

Buff was acquired by the Thrashers last summer in a blockbuster deal with Chicago and was originally selected by the Blackhawks in the eighth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He is shown in a picture above, shortly after that trade, hoisting the Stanley Cup while wearing a Thrashers jersey.

NHL: NHL goalie lands on IR for 4-6 weeks with broken facial bones (FIGHT VIDEO)

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

I have a major question regarding this goalie fight video between the Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas and the Montreal Canadians’ Carey Price. You can see it below.

How could the television production staff be so prepared to place the “tale of the tape” graph listing the goalie’s size and stats stats before the guys even threw a punch?

BTW, like last week’s NHL goalie fight of the week, this one also ended in a one-punch knockdown with Thomas getting the worst of the exchange.

Maybe both guys backed off after the initial punch since goaltender Rick DiPietro ended on the IR list with facial fractures for four to six weeks after taking the one shot from Penguins goalie Brent Johnson last week.

Here’s a link to the Johnson one-punch fight video here .

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. 

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

Tennessee Titans former coach Jeff Fisher took the time, and money, to send the fans a heartfelt message while thanking them for their support during his years as head coach of the franchise.

It wasn’t always a smooth ride, in fact some of the speed bumps along the way developed into brick walls, Google “Vince Young”.

A copy of the one-page spread from the Tennessean can be seen below and included:

“With heartfelt gratitude I would like to thank you for your unwavering commitment and support through the years.”

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

Happy Anniversary goes out to music legend Jimmy Buffet!

Ten years ago today, it was determined by NBA referee Joe Forte that the music legend’s courtside behavior more specifically his language, was unsuitable even for a Miami crowd so Forte ejected Buffet from the building.