Steve Moore's Civil Suit Continues

((HT: GlobeSports))

Legal counsel for the Vancouver Canucks, Bertuzzi, Moore and others will be in a Toronto courtroom today to file pretrial motions.

Moore and his legal representative are seeking a court order to question former Canucks head coach Marc Crawford within the next three months, according to court documents.

Here's the suckerpunch in question...
((HT: NHL/FSN))


It was in response to this hit Moore administered to the Canucks Markus Naslund three weeks earlier...Crawford, at the time of the incident, was understandably hot.
((HT: NHL/FSN))



Moore was left with three fractured vertebrae in his neck, facial cuts and a concussion. He is suing the Canucks, Bertuzzi and Crawford for upward of $38-million.

Earlier this year, Bertuzzi filed court papers claiming Crawford’s negligence contributed to the attack on Moore.

Those papers allege Crawford urged his players to make Moore “pay the price” for the hit on Naslund and that as coach, he “failed to exercise control over and caution his players against physical aggression toward Moore.”

Crawford replied Bertuzzi acted in “direct disobedience” when he refused to come off the ice as ordered by the coaches prior to the attack on Moore.

Court documents show Crawford was given a list of questions from Moore’s legal counsel earlier this year. Today’s request to query Crawford is an attempt to have many of those questions answered under oath prior to Christmas.

That could help set a trial date for the case.

Those of us at OSG HQ thought the Bertuzzi retalliation was just as bad as this shot Marty McSorley levelled onto Donald Brashear's face from behind.
((HT: NHL/Rogers Sportsnet))


Whether or not Bert did it on orders from Marc Crawford, probably, will never be proven in court. And we all know no one will have the stones to come forward and admit a screw-up. Especially after Bertuzzi plead guilty to assault in 2004 and got a year's probation and a conditional discharge.

He could squawk double jeopardy...

All of it is a shame...

Crawford Hired As Stars Coach

((HT: TSN))

Well, that didn't last long- the worst kept secret in the NHL is out.

The Dallas Stars have hired Marc Crawford ((pictured, thanks Jeff Vinnick/Getty)) to be their next head coach. The move comes one day after the team announced the dismissal of Dave Tippett.

''I am very excited that we have been able to secure Marc Crawford as head coach of the Dallas Stars,'' said Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk. ''Marc is a winner with extensive experience in this league, and I am confident he will get the most out of our hockey club.''

This will be Crawford's fourth assignment behind an NHL bench. He began his career with the Quebec Nordiques-Colorado Avalanche franchise, and also coached the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings.

''I'm very excited and honored to have been selected as head coach of the Dallas Stars,'' said Crawford. ''This is a winning organization and I look forward to building upon the success that it has earned over the years. This club has a great deal of potential, and I'm eager to get to work in restoring the franchise to among the league's elite.''

He won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 1995, and also won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996.

Crawford, 48, is a native of Belleville, Ontario. He spent the past season as a broadcaster after being fired by the Kings after the 2007-08 campaign.

He has coached in 987 NHL games, with a record of 470-361-156.

Tippett Out In Dallas

((HT: TSN))

After six seasons behind the bench in Dallas, the Stars have fired head coach Dave Tippett ((pictured, thanks Jeff Vinnick/Getty)).

The move comes on the heels of the team naming former Stars' player Joe Nieuwendyk general manager earlier in the month.

While no successor has been named, sources say that the Stars have asked for permission to talk to former Los Angeles Kings coach Marc Crawford, who remains under contract to the Kings. It's not clear at this point whether Crawford has been hired to take Tippett's place or is merely a candidate.

Picked to be a potential Stanley Cup contender this past off-season, the Stars struggled mightily this year, having their season de-railed by the controversy caused by Sean Avery's comments and his subsequent banishment from the team.

The Stars finished the season in 12th spot in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs for the first time during Tippett tenure in the Lone Star state.

Tippett was hired by the Stars from the Los Angeles Kings, where he was an assistant, in May 2002 and led the team to two Pacific Division titles.

The Moosomin, Saskatchewan native also played 11 seasons in the NHL and accumulated 93 goals and 169 assists in 721 career games. Following his playing career, Tippett led the IHL's Houston Aeros to the 1999 Turner Cup while serving the dual role of general manager and head coach.