The trapezoid's demise, and why the Blues are last

Monday, November 9, 2009 | Feedback | Print Entry

Well, if you're tired of my semiconstant references to "Mad Men," rejoice! The terrific series' third season came to an end Sunday night. So this will be my last Mad Men Monday.

The season finale was another gem. Personally, I can't imagine a mother (of a father, for that matter) leaving two of her children on the eve of the winter holiday season to fly across the country for six months with an infant and her elderly would-be lover for a six-month stay in Reno, Nev., for the purpose of getting a divorce.

Oh well, good riddance, Betty Draper. And now, here's the Monday 10.

1. Some big hitters: I have to start with some happy news, right? Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and Brian Leetch will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night. Those are some big hitters, baby. Devils boss Lou Lamoriello also will be inducted into the Builders section. And, lest I forget, Blues president/former TV analyst John Davidson and longtime Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Dave Molinari will be honored for their terrific work in the broadcast and print media, respectively. As I say, these guys are all pretty big hitters. Congratulations!

 
 

To read about why the St. Louis Blues are in last place in their division as well as a rule change that could benefit Martin Brodeur among others, you must be an ESPN Insider.
E.J. Hradek
E.J. Hradek

E.J. Hradek is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, joining the staff prior to its launch in 1998. He began covering hockey as a writer/editor for Hockey Illustrated in 1989. The following year, he beat the Stars to Dallas (by three years), taking over as the editor of Beckett Hockey Monthly. When the Stars finally did arrive in Big D, he hosted a weekly hockey radio show and tried (unsuccessfully) to convert ESPN's Skip Bayless to the greatest game on ice.

In 1996, Hradek left Dallas, but not the Stars. Relocating back to the New York area, he became a part-time pro scout for the club, seeing more than 100 NHL/AHL games for each of the next two seasons. The scouting gig was a great learning experience, offering a different view of the game.

Hradek grew up in Tuckahoe, N.Y., about a 40-minute train ride from New York City. Despite the proximity to the Rangers, Hradek embraced the Islanders when the expansion franchise debuted in 1972. Eight years later, he was part of the sellout crowd at the Nassau Coliseum that witnessed the Islanders' first Stanley Cup championship.


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