How to Deal

This is how I deal with bad sports: Adam Levine.

Like Lady Bee, I’m still reeling from watching my beloved hockey team, the Washington Capitals, crash and burn on Monday night. It’s so bad, that I can’t even watch hockey. I know, it’s really bad. Since I’m used to this annual heartbreak, I can’t understand why, this year, I’m so depressed about it.

It’s not like the Caps don’t do this to me every single year. This year I was so indifferent about hockey. I was mad about the lockout, but as a season ticket holder, I was excited to get back to Verizon Center and spend time with my hockey family. That was what I looked forward to: happy hours, victory beers, inside hockey jokes, good times with friends and making fun of our players – not so much the hockey.

Hump Day Hottie: 2013 NHL Playoffs

Steckel wants to know who you got in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

It’s that time of year…finally! We weren’t sure if we would even have the NHL Playoffs this year, but here we are. While other sites try to compile their own lists of the hotties of the NHL, we know our hockey here, so you can trust us.

As an added bonus, we’re even providing a preview of sorts for those who have checked out on the NHL so far. So strap on your skates and don’t ice the puck…

Hump Day Hotties: NHL Trade Deadline

Did you know that the Sabres acquired the draft pick they used to draft Ryan Miller from the Florida Panthers in 1999? Well, now you do.

To commemorate today’s impending NHL Trade Deadline, I’m celebrating what used to be my favorite day of the year (it’s been uninteresting the past couple seasons) with some NHL hotties that have been dealt at the trade deadline over the past few seasons.

Throwback Thursday: Miracle on Ice

I meant to post this last week, but it’s better late then never.

We’ve been doing a bit of spring cleaning around the house, and I was crawling around the attic and stumbled across this copy of Sports Illustrated from March 3, 1980. It was randomly sitting on top of a few boxes, calling my name from across the room.

My dad has been collecting SI since the 70s, and every issue of the magazine since then is somewhere in my house. After finding this issue, I’ve decided to search for some iconic issues and start framing them. Wish me luck!

What I love about the cover is how simple it is. No headlines, no descriptions, no words. Just the pure joy of a couple amateur hockey players beating the best hockey team in the world.

Cosmo Picks Hot NHL Players, We Disagree

Phil Kessel over David Steckel?? What was Cosmo thinking??

Take a look at “The Hottest Players in the NHL 2013” according to Cosmopolitan Magazine. I don’t entirely disagree, but there are much better options out there. They did the same thing in 2012, and the picks are less offensive, yet still missing the mark.

Advent Calendar of Hotness Day 18: Troy Brouwer

This guy is one of my favorite hockey players ever, and, surprisingly, I’ve never featured him here on Ladies…, but that’s about to change. Welcome to Ladies…, Troy Brouwer. You are now officially a hockey hottie!

Lady Bee’s 2012 Holiday Gift Guide: The Best of Down Goes Brown

A quasi-regular feature for the month of December in which Lady Bee provides you with gift ideas you won’t find in the Williams-Sonoma catalog.

If you love NHL hockey, and you have a sense of humour (seems required these days if you subscribe to the former), then chances are you are quite familiar with the excellent hockey blog Down Goes Brown. Brown, or Down, or…well, anyway, his parents and spouse know him as Sean McIndoe. He’s pulled together a compilation of his best work on the blog in The Best of Down Goes Brown, which was released this fall.

Ladies…Mixtape: Your 2011 Stanley Cup Final Mix

Tim Thomas gets my vote for Playoff Beard of the Year. (Photo: Getty Images)

Hope you had an enjoyable holiday weekend! Let’s get this part out of the way first: CALLED IT!

Talk about a region that is simply torn when it comes to hockey loyalty. On the one hand, this part of Canada is crawling with longtime Bruins fans, thrilled to see the team in the Final for the first time in over two decades (it’s another geographic thing. See Red Sox, Boston.) On the other hand, a Canadian team is thisclose once again to hoisting the Cup, and that means the bandwagon is making room. Vancouver fans have waited nearly as long to get back to the Final: 1994, to be exact.

I’m also torn. It’s the Great Battle of My Hockey Boyfriends: Kesler vs. Thomas! And I realize I am crushing on two American-born players. Whatevs. This is going to be a fun series. It all begins Wednesday (here‘s the sched. Being on Atlantic time, I am grateful for all the 8pm Eastern starts. No need for me to mainline coffee the following morning unless we get subjected to OT.)

To celebrate, I pulled together a playlist featuring great bands from both great cities. So put some beers on ice, dig out your fave retro sweater and crank up the laptop speaker after the jump.

Hump Day Hottie: Caps in Suits

Not all of these guys made the cut after the jump, but obviously the Caps love their suits!

Awhile back, I tried to enlighten the Ladies… readers on the hotness that is the Washington Capitals.  Thanks to a super sexy GQ-esque team photo shoot, I was able to show you a bunch of hot hockey players in street clothes looking super fine.  Well, the brains behind the GQ shoot decided to give us more.  This recent shoot was done in conjunction with the re-launch of Scarlet Caps, a site about the Caps geared towards female fans.  While I’m not a huge fan of the site, I’m definitely a huge fan of the photo shoots.

So follow me after the jump to see hot athletes in suits.

I Was There: The Ladies… Do The Winter Classic

Hello, Ladies… readers! I know it’s been awhile since you’ve seen a post from me, but I’m back in full force and bringing you some hockey, of course!  I was lucky enough to be able to purchase Winter Classic tickets for the Capitals vs. Penguins game in Pittsburgh on New Year’s Day.  As a loyal Caps season ticket holder, I decided to make the purchase, book the hotel and make the trek to Western PA.

Make the trek with me after the jump to read all about my trip (and I promise some pictures of hot guys).

Hump Day Hottie: I Miss Hockey Edition

Because. I. Can.

I know baseball season is in full swing, and football is already on our brains, but I’m really missing hockey.  I’m constantly checking my calendar and figuring out my schedule around the upcoming NHL season.  I just can’t shake hockey.  I thought there has to be other people out there feeling my pain right now, so I’m going with a hockey themed post today.

Since the biggest NHL story line right now involves the validity of Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract, I decided to take a look at the free agent tracker and see who went where this summer.

So take a skate with me after the jump for some hockey hotties who were on the move this summer!

Hump Day Hotties: Chicago Blackhawks

Nice footwear, fellas.

In honor of the Stanley Cup Finals taking place right now, it’s time we feature some hotties to watch.  Since I couldn’t bring myself to even go on the Flyers website, I’m bringing you some hotties from the Hawks!

So take a trip with me after the jump to see some hot boys from Chi-Town.

Hump Day Hottie: Super Swede

So you’re going to have to excuse me as I go all fangirly here.  I love Nicklas Backstrom.  Not the kind of love most of us Ladies talk about on here, though.  I love this kid’s game.  I love his little baby face.  I love his flowing blonde locks.  But most of all, I love that he’s a Washington Capital.  I love that he plays for my team (and my fantasy team).  I love that he’s only 22-years-old and hasn’t even begun to peak yet.  This kid is going to be something special.  He’s already a top scorer in this year’s playoffs, and set career highs in goals and points this season.  So if you like his game or his adorable little face, follow me after the jump for some Super Swede lovin!

Your 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview

So Lady Bee and I have decided to do the preview for the 2010 playoffs.  Since we’re the hockey fiends, we figured we’d do a fun roundtable discussion of predictions and hotties.

Follow us after the jump for some knowledge and eye candy!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This moment is the reason I live for deadlines. Feds GWG against the Rangers in Game 7.

If you read this site, you know that I’m a hockey addict.  That is why today is one of my favorite days of the year: NHL Trade Deadline Day!  With all the new technology available, Deadline Days have become even more fun.  Text message alerts? Check.  Twitter updates? Check. Live Blogs? Check.  Trade Trackers? Check.

If you, like me, enjoy a fun day of speculation and mind-blowing trades, then take a trip with me down the rabbit hole…

Won’t you let your red heart show?

Allow me (again) to bask in a little national pride for a moment.

Canadians spend a lot of time navel gazing and musing over the fact that we don’t wear our hearts on our sleeves much. We’re afraid of coming on a little too strong, and when we do, we apologize profusely.

I’m so glad that for a change, we let our flag wave often and proudly. We sported the red and white. We sang our anthem spontaneously. We celebrated with beer! We even came off as a bit obnoxious.

For once, Canadians need not apologize.

(Exception: the closing ceremonies music. Let me make this clear: most Canadians don’t like Nickelback. Here‘s an example of a band we should have had close the Vancouver games, which also explains the mystery behind the title of this post.)

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Games certainly had its ups and downs and fair share of criticism. There will be plenty of time for analysis in that regard. For now, let’s just bask in the glory of those record 14 gold medals, including one in…mens’ hockey!!

Holy Patriotism, Batman!

The Olympics can bring out the best and worst of one’s allegiances to their country.  I’ve never found myself hating on countries like Germany and South Korea in the past, but make them the USA’s latest competition, and I loathe them.  I’ve also encountered another sort of conundrum.  Being a huge hockey fan, I have allegiances to certain players because they play for my favorite team.  None of the players that I love play for Team USA.  Uh-oh!

So after the jump experience my patriotic conundrum. 

Hump Day Hottie: Team USA

Since I’m snowed in today, I have snow on the brain.  And, as most of you know, I usually have hockey on the brain.  So why not show you a glimpse of some Team USA Hockey hotties?  So follow me after the jump for some hotties to watch for in the next coming weeks!

Hump Day Hottie: Dion Phaneuf

Destiny wishes it looked like this.

If I’m going to fill in for Raven, then it’s only appropriate that I bring you a HDH from the NHL.

Life has been a bit more bearable in Bee Land these days. Never mind that pitchers and catchers report in two weeks, Brian Burke made a few moves on the weekend that gave this Leafs fan something to smile about. For one, Vesa Toskala was sent packing to Anaheim in exchange for Jean-Sébastien “What was I thinking showing up on Leno way back when?” Giguère. If that wasn’t enough, defenseman Dion Phaneuf was the pièce de résistance in a seven-player trade between Calgary and Toronto. The addition of Phaneuf brings a much-needed intensity to the Buds not seen since Gary Roberts played in Hogtown (sigh…I miss Gary)

One can only assume the change of scenery will do Phaneuf a world of good. The one-time Norris Trophy finalist has 10 goals and 12 assists in 55 games this season. His projected point total is 32, which is well short of last year’s rather meh 47 point season. Disappointingly as well, he did not make Team Canada’s Olympic roster (which makes it a little hard to watch this ad, but it still gets the blood pumping. And yes, I realize I’ve linked to that before.)

On the upside, he seems happy to be a Leaf. And I’m sure (because he reads this site, yeah…) he’ll be happy to be today’s Hump Day Hottie, too.

Hockey Night with the Ladies…: Flames and Pens at the Saddledome

Welcome to the hockey version of our ever-popular “Take Us Out To The Ball Game” series.

As I recently mentioned, I made my first ever visit to the western part of my vast homeland. This visit included my first ever live NHL experience. More on that after the jump.

But first, a special shout-out to my new favourite city, Vancouver! Calgary was alright – I can’t fault any city with a Bath and Body Works. But oh, how I love Vancouver and its lush mountains, coastal scenery, Granville Island Market and sushi! I would live there tomorrow, if it weren’t for that whole outrageous real estate situation. Oh, and the uprooting of my family. They’d be pissed.

Oh yeah, so I went to this hockey game…

I was there: US Olympic Hockey

Last week, the University of Wisconsin men’s and women’s hockey teams hosted Team USA teams.

On Tuesday, January 5, the women played the US Olympic Team as part of Team USA’s Qwest Tour, a round of warm-up games heading into the Olympics.

The following Saturday, the men hosted the U-18 team.

I was lucky enough to be at both games.

Hump Day Hottie: GreenLife52

It’s been some time since I showed the Caps some love over here, and a friend of mine sent me some gorgeous pics of the boys to use, so I thought, “What the hell? These are worthy of some Hump Day Hottie love.”  So that brings us up-to-date.

Today I bring you my favorite offensive defenseman and our resident wannabe thug – Mike Green.  I’ve shown you his insanely silly website before, but now let me show you some of his hotness.  Follow me after the jump for some Mike Green adoration.

Future Hump Day Hotties: IIHF World Juniors

While the world of hockey has been buzzing about the upcoming Winter Classic and the 2010 Olympics, the IIHF World Junior Championships have been going on in Saskatchewan, Canada.  I’ve been catching some of the premier games on the NHL Network, and tomorrow’s big match-up is USA vs. Canada. (Check it out live at 8pm on NHLNet in the US, and TSN in Canada)  In honor of this so-called clash of the titans, I thought I’d introduce the Ladies… readers to, what will some day be, a few future Hump Day Hotties. 

Right now, these boys are just cutie-patooties because they’re way too young for me (now – ahem).  So follow me after the jump for some up-and-coming hockey hotties, and stay for a mini-preview of tomorrow’s match-up.  (I promise the boys after the jump are hotter than the ones before it!)

Advent Calendar of Hotness: Day 18

Luke Schenn, Maple Leafs first-round pick in the 2008 draft. I couldn’t resist a little bit of homerism, but honestly, I don’t think you’ll mind. More after the jump.

Advent Calendar of Hotness: Day 9

How adorable!?  It’s Day 9, and just let me tell you, I wish this hottie was under my tree in 16 days. Find out what hottie this adorable kid turned out to be after the jump!

Sports Fan Conundrum: Am I Really That Biased?

How can you hate when he loves the game so much?

A lot of controversy has surrounded a couple of my favorite athletes recently.  First, it was the Tiger Woods’ accident and, most recently, his “transgressions”.  Then it was the 2-game suspension handed to Alex Ovechkin for a knee-on-knee hit on Carolina’s Tim Gleason.  Many folks have had harsh words for both of these guys, but I’ve been trying to avoid the frenzy surrounding both incidents.

The whole thing has made me wonder whether I am blinded by sports-related bias.

Hump Day Hottie: Brendan Shanahan

We Ladies are equal-opportunity oglers.  That is, we don’t discriminate when it comes to sports hotties, young or old.  Some of you may consider today’s HDH to be on the old side of the spectrum, but some of us here think he’s quite handsome.

Brendan Shanahan announced that after 21 seasons in the NHL, he was finally hanging up his skates.  What better way to honor his impressive career (Can you say 19 playoff appearances in 21 seasons?) than with a hump day hottie post chronicling his career in hot pictures?

Follow me after the jump for a trip down memory lane.

Friday Fellow: Steve Yzerman

It’s time for me to care about hockey again! As you may have heard this week, new members were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (you can be forgiven if you didn’t – after all, it turned into another ridiculous edition of the Gretzky Show.) Brian Leetch, Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, Lou Lamoriello, and the handsome former captain of the Detroit Red Wings, Steve Yzerman. Hall of Fame, Olympic Gold, Stanley Cup rings: the man has it all! Well, except his own Friday Fellow feature. Watching him during pre-game shenanigans in Toronto the other night, I decided this had to be remedied.

Join me after the jump for a trip down Hottie Memory Lane.

Hump Day Hottie: Fantasy Hockey Edition

Bonus Hottie!

Since I love hockey, it’s only natural that I have a fantasy hockey team.  This year I’m playing under the name “I Laich It!” for Brooks Laich.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t put up awesome fantasy stats so he’s still on waivers.  Anyways, I like to draft players that I like, and I usually like hot players.  So as I was perusing my roster and wondering what to post about this week, I thought to myself, “Self…you have a pretty hot roster.  Maybe you should share these hot boys with the Ladies… readers.”  So that is what I’m doing.

So follow me after the jump and check out my hot fantasy team!  I promise not to disappoint!

More Flags! More Fun! Six Flags with the Caps!

This was from last year, but you get the point!

So I’m only a few hours removed from one of the coolest nights ever. As most of you already know, I’m a Washington Capitals season ticket holder.  One of the perks of being a STH is a party with the team at Six Flags America.  Well, last night was the party, and I thought I would share some photos and stories from the event.

Follow me after the jump for some pictures of some hockey hotties. And I promise there is gratuitous Steckel.