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Here at WUYS, we do not discriminate.  We love all hockey players equally.  Young. Old. Canadian. American. European.  It don’t matter.  They’re all cool in our book.

Today, we’re feeling a little cougar-ish..okay a LOT cougar-ish…but not in a South Florida-divorcee-white-jeans-wearing-white-wine-drinking-sorta-way.  We’re totes classier than that.  We like red wine better.  Or gin.

The subject of our adoration and Foxy Friday honoree this week is a mere 18 years old.

You make me...feel like I'm livin' a....teenage dream.

18, people.   You don’t want to know what we were doing at 18.  it probably involved keg stands at West Campus frat parties and dumping dish soap into the fountain in front of the COM building at BU.

This young man is doing none of that.  He’s a bona fide, real life, NHLer.

From hockeyboylove.tumblr.com/

So, why have we seen fit to grace Gabriel with this highly prestigious honor?

Well, isn’t it obvious…

No shirt. No shoes. No problem.

Hockey player + puppy = love

Hockey Player + Baby = mega love.

But in all seriousness, there are plenty of other reason why we thing Gabriel is foxy.

• He’s a solid 6’1″, 204lbs.
• He’s Swedish.
• He was a first round draft pick for the Avs in last year’s draft.
• At 17, he was youngest player in 30 years to wear the ‘C’ ‘for the Kitchener Rangers & 1st European Captain in their history.
• Also wore the ‘C’ for Sweden’s Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 teams.
• And his Djurgarden team at the age of 6.
• Made Swedish Elite League debut at 16 years and 90 days.  Youngest player in Djurgarden history.
• Most embarrassing hockey moment: Going on to the ice with his skate guards on in front of 6,000 Kitchener fans.
• His childhood idol is Peter Forsberg…who also happens to be Swedish…and to which Gabriel has often been compared to.  We’re going to start calling him Foppa 2.0.

NHL Central Scouting’s Chris Edwards on Gabriel Landeskog…
“He is a good-size guy who is solid on his skates, not afraid to take the puck to the net or battle for it along the boards. His skating is very good in all areas. He plays the game with so much passion, he plays the game hard, he’s a great mentor for players that are younger and older, maturity beyond his years. (He) doesn’t need one game in the American league next year — he should step right into the NHL. I think the team that gets him next year is going to get a player that helps them win a Stanley Cup.”

Remember this face. In 5 years, I'm going to be pretty boss.

Pretty bold words if you ask us.  But we sort of have to agree.  For what we’ve seen so far, the Foppa 2.0 has mega potential, for sure.  He’s big and skilled and great with the puck.  All the thing you want in a guy you drafted #2 overall.

Avs are 6-3 this young season and so far, Gabriel has 6 points (4 G, 2 A).   Not a bad start for a 18-year-old in his first season.  We’ve got our eyes on him this season.

Rookie of the Year?  Maybe.  But we are taking applications for a new Rookie of our Lives….

Learn more about Foppa 2.0 here.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE.

Hello? Yeah. It’s been while. Not much. How ’bout you?

I’m not sure why I called. I guess I really just wanted to talk to you.

I really DO miss your smile.

I was thinking maybe later on, we could get together for a while.

It’s been such a long time and I really do miss your smile.

a million watt smile!

I’m not talking about moving in. And I don’t want to change your life. But there’s a warm wind blowing and the stars are around and I’d really love to see you tonight.

the best of the best, hottest of the hot.

I won’t ask for promises. So you won’t have to lie. We’ve both played that game before. Say I love you and say good bye.

ok, maybe I will ...

We could walking through a windy park, take a drive along the beach.

baby you can drive my car ...

any one for skinny dipping?

Stay at home and watch TV, you see it really doesn’t matter much to me.

my favorite little devil

hell, making out in the snack isle will work! right seriously pissed?!

I’m not talking about moving in.

your place or mine?

And I don’t want to change your life. But there’s a warm wind blowing and the stars are around and I’d really love to see you tonight.

*sigh* really ... no, really. SRSLY. really.

I’d really love to see you tonight. I’d really love to see you tonight. NO, REALLY, I’D REALLY LOVE TO SEE YOU – TONIGHT. I KNOW YOU’RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.

– 10 Things I Hate About You (WUYS all-time fave)

And in Sweden.  This afternoon, Peter Forsberg will announce his re-retirement from the NHL.

You're a good man...

Well thanks a lot, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, for getting me all excited and then having some crap plot line about aliens and locking yourself in a fridge.

We have to tip our hats to Foppa for giving this a try.  It’s an inopportune time (the Avs are in the midst of their worst-ever losing streak: 7 games) and he was really making a go of it.  Injuries kept him off the ice so much during his career that no one is really surprised they will be the end of it.  The foot that has plagued him for ages just isn’t up to the rigors of NHL hockey.  But there was only one way to find out.

Still, I’m sad.  One of the greats getting back into the game could have been epic, and these days 37 is still pretty young in the NHL.  We applaud Peter and thank him for pressing his luck.  Too bad it came up a Whammy.

We’ll probably forgo audio/video updates from the presser unless they involve Matt Duchene being drunk.  Otherwise it’s just too painful.

When I first moved to the west coast and experienced the annoying concept of time zones and TV schedules, the Avs became my adopted team. Of course, it was 2001 and they were kicking serious ass (all the way to the Cup).  Forsberg, Sakic, Foote, Tanguay, Roy.  And fresh out of Boston, Chris Drury and Ray Bourque! That was a good year.

Forsberg consistently rocked one of the best hair/beard combinations in hockey history.  More than that, he was (is?) the most incredible passer.  Watching him was like watching a dancer or an artist… maybe like watching Gretzky back in the day.  He could skate and score but he saw the ice in a way that no one else did.  And then he’d throw a check and knock you out.  He’s widely considered the most “complete” player in NHL history (say Wikipedia and I).

He’s won 2 Cups, 2 World Championships and 2 Olympic gold medals.  He’s got a career rating of +242.  Forsberg ranks tenth all-time in career points-per-game and fourth all-time in career assists-per-game.  In 1994, Forsberg scored the Olympic gold medal game-winning goal in a shootout against Canada.  Sweden famously put him on a stamp.

Plagued by injuries, Forsberg racked up his impressive totals in 13 NHL seasons.  Once forced to miss an entire regular season after having his spleen removed, he came back to lead the playoffs in scoring (’01-’02).  Beast.  He’s now 37 years old and his contract with Colorado goes through the end of this year.  He will likely play on a line with Milan Hejduk (34) and Matt Duchene (only 20).

A big WUYS welcome back to Peter Forsberg. Just when we were feeling old, you’re showing us how it’s done.

Flames’ Alex Tanguay is out indefinitely with a concussion.  No individual hit has been identified as the culprit, but Tanguay last played in the Flames win over Chicago on Monday night.  He missed practice Tuesday and Wednesday before the announcement was made.

Things were looking up.

I am the world’s #1 Alex Tanguay fan and I have been known to go on about him (this post, this post).  He is my lobster and we go back like Melrose’s mullet. And now Forsberg is making a return… this can’t be happening!  Aside from bad news for me, it’s really bad news for Calgary.  After a really rough start they have been on a roll:

The Flames are 12-3-4 in their last 17 games, and have climbed from 14th to eighth in the Western Conference, one point ahead of ninth-place Los Angeles. Tanguay has 5 goals and 11 assists in that span.  Tanguay has 14 goals and 28 assists in 55 games this season. – NHL.com

On the doorstep

We are very upset with this development.  I am probably having selective memory, but I don’t remember concussions being such a big problem in past years.  It seems like when they started making rules to avoid them, they started happening more.  It’s not true of course (paging anyone named Lindros).  It’s just a little closer to home these days.

GET WELL SOON, ALEX! Dawn is really counting on the Flames making something happen this season.  I’m really counting on seeing you vs. Foppa without having to ride in the TARDIS.

UPDATE! I love the internet.  In the time it took me to find that video, things have improved!  40 minutes ago Alex was out indefinitely with a concussion.  24 minutes ago the Flames said it was neck strain.  14 minutes ago he was listed as day-to-day. Don’t change the station.

Instant Improvement