2006-2007 season notes

May 8, 2007

Now that the Wings have advanced to the Conference Finals, lots of talk is whether the Wings can handle the potent Anaheim Ducks with Mathieu. With Mathieu logging the second highest amount of ice-time, plus being such a fixture on the point, it is a big hole to fill. While he can't help on the ice, he is sticking with the team, not only to provide a cheering section, but for extra coaching help, especially for the young defensemen hoping to fill in for him.

May 7, 2007

Mathieu indeed has several broken bones in his wrist, and will require surgery soon to repair the damage. He has seen a specialist, and will be out "8 weeks" (obviously, that is the rest of the playoffs, even if the Wings play in the Finals).

Hopefully the Wings will continue to play well without Mathieu. He hopes so, too. Before going to the hospital for diagnosis and early treatment of his badly borken wrist, he called young defenseman Brett Lebda: "He was on his way to the hospital, he called me in and kind of between me and him we had a heart-to-heart, kind of what to do now. I don't want to say it was a passing the torch thing because this was a huge loss for our team, but he gave me some words of wisdom and really touched home with me." (As reported by Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press)

May 5, 2007

OH NO! Detroit media has reported that Mathieu has a broken wrist and will miss at least the remainder of this series. He was injured by a (legal but awkward) hit with Patrick Marleau early in the game and was taken for X-Rays immediately. I'll post more info when I have it.

May 2, 2007

Whoa! Mathieu finally made it to the score sheet... with the GAME WINNER IN OVERTIME! With 4 minutes left in the first overtime, Mathieu scored an unassisted power play goal from beyond the blueline. He also had an assist. The series is tied at 2 games apiece. Second Round game summary: Holmstrom (PP)(Lidstrom, Schneider), 19:55 of 2nd; (hooking), 6:28 of OT; Schneider (PP)(unassisted), 16:04 of OT.

May 1, 2007

I've been lame with updates because, well, Mathieu has been pretty quiet. Three games into the second round, Detroit is down two games to one. Mathieu has yet to hit the score sheet. In fact, the Sharks defense has managed to block most of his shots totally. Just for comparison, he had 34 shots on goal in the 6 games of the Calgary series. In the three games of this series, he has had 1. One! He hit the post a few times in game 3, but can't seem to find the back of the net. He is also shooting wide intentionally, hoping the forwards pick up the rebounds. But such has not been the case. Yet. There is still lots of series left to go.

April 23, 2007

It's official. The Red Wings will play the San Jose Sharks in the second round of the playoffs. Game one, in Detroit, is scheduled for this Thursday, April 26. Side note: People who know me or have followed this site for awhile know that in addition to being a huge Mathieu Schneider fan, I am officially a San Jose Sharks fan. In the 15+ years as a hockey fan, my player has never met my team in the playoffs. That luck had to end sometime, I guess. And my allegiance in this series is so split, I think I might get an ulcer! On the bright side, the series looks so evenly matched, it promises to be a series of great hockey. And at least I'll be happy with whoever wins. =)

April 22, 2007

No other skater for either team played more minutes than Mathieu in tonight's game (37:53!), but he was kept of the score sheet and game summary. The Wings did win and eliminated Calgary in the first round of the playoffs 4 games to 2. Calgary Flames defensman Mark Giordano luckily escaped serious injury after he took a Mathieu slapshot to the side of the head while trying to block the shot. He was down for awhile, dripping blood from his eye area, but skated off on his own power and returned to the game. Thank goodness for helmets!

April 21, 2007


Ick. Ugly, ugly close to Detroit's win over Calgary today. Calgary really lost their cool in the last few minutes, and some totally unnecessary (and dangerous) incidents occurred. Mathieu was lucky, escaping injury at the hands of Flames captain Jarome Iginla. As the two skated down the ice, Iginla first slashed/hooked at Mathieu's feet; Mathieu looked back, but didn't not seem to respond. Then Iginla gives him a cross-check, knocking him to the ice. As Mathieu climbed back to his feet, Iginla caught him in the head with the butt-end of his stick. Iginla was called for hooking and cross-check at 19:17 of the 3rd. (You can see the sequence at about minute 4:10 on this video posted on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgJ1TB-UXSM). To his credit, Mathieu just got up, and continued the play (which was blown dead seconds later). He was not involved in the ensuing scrum. After the game, Iginla maintained there was no butt-end: "I never butt-ended him. I've never butt-ended anybody in my life. I've cross-checked guys and punched guys in the face. I cross-checked (Schneider). But I didn't butt end him." In the end, though, the Wings come away with a win, bringing the series to a 3-2 advantage for Detroit. The goal on which Mathieu assisted proved to be the game winning score.
First Round game summary: Zetterberg (PP) Lidstrom, Schneider), 8:50 of 2nd; (hooking), 17:47 of 1st; (cross-checking), 10:25 of 2nd.

April 19, 2007

First Round game summary: (cross-checking), 6:28 of 1st.

April 17, 2007

Un-happy birthday to me. The Wings dropped the game to Calgary this eveing, bringing the series to 2-1 in favor of Detroit. Mathieu had no points, and two penalties. First Round game summary: (holding), 2:01 of 1st; (interference), 3:16 of 3rd.

April 16, 2007

Mathieu took a trip down memory lane and recalls to Tim Wharnsby of the Globe and Mail his experience winning the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. In the article, Mathieu also reveals his goal of playing for the U.S. Olympic team in 2010, when he will be 40. Here are some of his quotes about winning the Cup:

"It was, like, pinch me, I'm dreaming. I was 23 years old, and to win it in Montreal, I can't imagine there is a better place to win the Stanley Cup... I certainly took it for granted when it happened. I realized at that point, though, how much hard work it takes. It takes a bit of luck, a hot goalie, a lot of things. The moon and the stars have to align. It's not just talent alone and work ethic because everybody works hard in the playoffs."

Side note: He actually said "like"? Oh, Matheiu, I'm so sorry. It's California's fault. A few years with the Kings and now a summer residence in the state, and we've made you talk like one of us. If he is ever heard saying "and I'm all like, dude," then I'll know the assimilation has been complete. =)

April 15, 2007

First Round game summary: Lidstrom (PP)(Schneider), 3:50 of 1st; (interference), 13:02 of 1st.

April 12, 2007

The Wings open the series with a win over Calgary, 4-1. Mathieu had a goal, an assist, and was voted third star of the game. He also played pretty physical, hopefully sending a message to the chippy Flames that Detroit won't just lay down.
First Round game summary: Datsyuk (Holmstrom, Schneider), 6;56 of 2nd; Schneider (Datsyuk, Lidstrom), 9:57 of 2nd; (roughing), 12:03 of 3rd.

April 8, 2007

And so, the regular season comes to a close. All things considered, Mathieu had a very good year. His stats were a little down from last year's career year, but nonetheless an impressive showing. This year saw 10 fewer goals, but 3 more assists than last year, bringing his offensive production down 7 points from his career high. Keep in mind, though, he played 4 fewer games (thanks largely to the mid-season knee sprain). If my advanced calculus is correct, his points per game production decreased by only .06, which seems pretty insignicant. But hey, eventhough he scored fewer of them, two of his goals were game winners.

	Games	Goals	Assists	Points	PIM	+/-	Shots	Shooting %	Time on Ice per game	Shifts per game
personal stat	68	11	41	52	66	+12	184	6%	23:34	25.8
team rank	14th	11th	3rd	6th	tied: 1st	10th	5th	11th	2nd	4th

	Hits	Blocked Shots	Missed Shots	Give Aways	Take Aways
personal stat	78	82	101	62	18
team rank	7th	4th	1st	5th	16th

Note: All stats and ranks from nhl.com

Adding to his continued impressive offensive showing on the ice, Mathieu had a busy year off the ice, serving on the NHLPA's interim executive board. In this capacity, he has helped lead the charge in the investigation of rumored wrongdoings by now-suspended executive director Ted Saskin. With this drama promising to only get more complicated, Mathieu's leadership skills and dedication to the league and Player's Association has really shone.

All and all, not a bad year.

April 7, 2007

Mathieu was scoreless in the 7-2 win over Chicago. The Wings finish the season atop the Western Conference, and will play the 8th seeded Calgary Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game summary: (hooking), 6:25 of 2nd.

April 3, 2007

It is that time of the season when the team will use any little problem to justify a much needed break. And also when they want to be extra cautious with their key players. Thus, Mathieu did not play tonight because of a sore elbow.

March 30, 2007

Game summary: Draper (Schneider, Samuelsson), 14:32 of 2nd.

March 26, 2007

High praise tonight from Mathieu for Wings' goalie Dominik Hasek: "He just does what he always does. He always gives us a chance to win the game." And tonight Hasek did all he could to help the Wings, who needed only one goal (on which Mathieu assisted) to beat the Ducks.
Game summary: Datsyuk (Holmstrom, Schneider), 4:50 of 2nd; (tripping), 17:55 of 3rd.

March 24, 2007

Mathieu helped tie the game with an assist midway through the third period, capping a two goal comeback. But the Wings went on to lose in a Shoot-out. Game summary: Filppula (Schneider), 12:43 of 3rd.

March 17, 2007

Game summary: Datsyuk (PP)(Schneider, Lang), 6:05 of 1st; (roughing), 7:43 of 1st.

March 14, 2007

Game summary: (interference), 5:40 of 1st; (tripping), 2:10 of 2nd.

March 13, 2007

Game summary: (high-sticking), 5:46 of 1st.

March 7, 2007

Last night, after his milestone goal #200, Mathieu returned to the bench to be congratulated by his teammate. He was warmly greeted by Niklas Lidstrom, who scored his 200th just days earlier: "I got back to the bench and he said, 'Welcome to the club,' kid. He and I had a friendly bet with Langer at the beginning of the year; one of us wanted to beat Langer to 200, but he killed us, he got there way before both of us." Wait... "kid"? Isn't Lidstrom the kid compared to Mathieu? And more quotes post-game from Mathieu: "It's a special goal, obviously. I've been fortunate to be here on a great team, with great players, to have that opportunity. It's awful tough scoring those goals when you're on other teams. It's been a really good ride for me here in Detroit."

Mathieu had special reasons to score his 200th goal early in the game; his father-in-law sent him a cellphone message: "Get your 200th goal early because I have to watch 'House.'"

Finally, here is a clip for the scrapbook:

Schneider was the team's offensive hero in regulation, registering a goal and an assist. His goal came on a 1980s style rush up the ice. Schneider looked like he was Paul Coffey as he found a seam in the defense and jetted up the ice to score on a high wrist shot for the 200th goal of his carer. Robert Lang fed him the home run pass, but Schneider said it was Kyle Calder who created the play by getting out of the zone quickly to attract a defenseman. (from Kevin Allen of USA Today)

March 6, 2007

CONGRATULATIONS MATHIEU!! With tonight's goal, he has reached the career milestone of 200 regular season NHL goals! Game summary: Lang (PP)(Calder, Schneider), 12:30 of 2nd; Schneider (Lang, Hudler), 12:55 of 2nd; (hooking), 15:27 of 1st.

March 4, 2007

Game summary: Filppula (Datsyuk, Schneider), 19:03 of 2nd; Draper (Calder, Schneider), 18:33 of 3rd; (hooking), 7:04 of 1st.

March 2, 2007


Game summary: Schneider (Lang, Kronvall), 19:56 of 1st.

February 24, 2007

Tomas Holmstrom's hat trick, and Mathieu's three assists on those three goals, weren't enough, and the Wings drop the game to Nashville 4-3.
Game summary: Holmstrom (PP)(Datsyuk, Schneider), :38 of 2nd; Holmstrom (PP)(Schneider, Datsyuk), 2:27 of 2nd; Holmstrom (PP)(Zetterberg, Schneider), 14:52 of 3rd.

February 23, 2007

Game summary: Zetterberg (PP)(Schneider, Lidstrom), 4:33 of 1st; Holmstrom (PP)(Lidstrom, Schneider), 7:34 of 1st.

February 17, 2007

Game summary: Zetterberg (PP)(Schneider, Datsyuk), 10:30 of 2nd; Zetterberg (PP)(Schneider, Datsyuk), 18:01 of 2nd.

February 14, 2007

Mathieu helped the Wings cap a victory over the Dallas Stars with an empty net goal. Game summary: Schneider (Cleary, Zetterberg), 19:27 of 3rd; (roughing), 20:00 of 1st.

February 12, 2007

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, the Wings got 7 goals and won big; today they lost 6-1. Mathieu took a double minor penalty for high-sticking in the third. The Flyers converted late in the powerplay (the goal would be officially the game winner for Philadelphia, but they scored 4 more unanswered goals so I'm not sure it made that much difference). Game summary: Holmstrom (PP)(Zetterberg, Schneider), 11:53 of 1st; (tripping), 14:08 of 1st; (high-sticking, double minor), :46 of 3rd.

February 11, 2007

Mathieu is slowing working back to pre-injury ice-time, and saw loads of action in tonights 7-4 win over Calgary. He also record his first points since his return (a goal and an assist). Game summary: Schneider (Lilja, Hudler), 13:54 of 1st; Zetterberg (PP)(Schneider, Lidstrom), 3:16 of 2nd.

February 8, 2007

Mathieu got into a bit of tussle in tonight's game with St. Louis Blues forward Lee Stempniak. Mathieu took the initial elbowing call, but both parties pick up coincidental roughing calls. Game summary: (roughing), 17:35 of 1st; (roughing), 17:35 of 1st.

February 5, 2007


After the long layoff due to injury, Mathieu admits that while healed, it will take awhile to return to form 100%: "Guys are going like a 100 miles per hour. It's going to take a couple of games to get back to speed."

Also, the Detroit News' regular "Over the Board" feature focused again on Mathieu. Topics covered in this edition include why he feels obligated to like The Mighty Ducks movie, his past sin of silk suits and shoulder pads, and his love of cheeseburgers, sans onions, of course.

February 2, 2007

No word on whether it came down to a wrestling match with the coach or not, but Mathieu did return to the line-up tonight. He played just under 20 minutes (about 8-10 fewer than usual), and had no points or penalties.

January 31, 2007

The good news is that Mathieu's knee is healed. The bad news is the coach has decided to keep him out two games, bringing him to 10 straight missed games due to a knee sprain. Though Mathieu felt he could have played Sunday night and certain he could have gone last night, coach Mike Babcock scratched Mathieu for both games. Coach says: "Schneids obviously wanted to go today, but I told him he just wasn't going,. We're looking at it big-picture wise. We've got 31 games left, so instead of focusing on tonight, it's the big picture and playoffs. And he's a huge part of our hockey club both defensively and offensively."



Mathieu says: "Mike just said, 'I made the decision. He said, 'I'm not even going to ask you.' So that was it. It will give (Babcock) another three days for him to skate me into the ground. I cannot tell a lie. I'm a little disappointed. I guess err on the side of caution. I can tell you now though I'll be playing on Friday without any doubt. We'll have a wrestling match before he keeps me out of that one."

January 30, 2007

Andy Strickland, hockey radio and print personality has again brought up the rumors that all is not well in the Detroit locker room. Specifically, he cites a "source" who saw a blow-up between Kris Draper and the coach, and also says "Players such as Robert Lang, Chris Chelios, and Mathieu Schneider apparently are leading the charge against their Head Coach." Ansar Khan of refutes those rumors on his own blog, calling them all bogus: "...to label Chelios and Schneider as malcontents is laughable.... Schneider? Didn't he have the best offensive season of his career under Babcock last season? He was on pace for a similar year until his recent knee injury." Who really knows but the players and the coach?

January 26, 2007

Well this is an ugly accusation from the Globe and Mail: "There were unconfirmed reports yesterday that Chelios and Detroit teammate Mathieu Schneider, a member of the NHLPA's interim executive committee, cajoled and bullied players to get enough votes for Block." Block refers to the lawyer recently appointed to lead the Saskin investigation. Being that he is taking a larger role with the NHLPA, this won't be the last time Mathieu sees some heat.

January 26, 2007


Today saw some interesting NHLPA news, of which Mathieu is a part. The NHLPA has appointed an independent counsel to investigate the hiring of Ted Saskin. In a statement released through a NY public relations firm and quoted in various Canadian Press and Associated Press articles, Mathieu, a member of the interim executive committee, states: "This is an informative investigation that we feel will preserve the integrity of our NHLPA constitution and leadership process. The purpose of the investigation is to clear the air, produce clarity and fortify a strong unified union." He adds: "There are a lot of questions that haven't really been answered. There are a lot of players that have questions, it's not a small group. At the end of the day, even a small split in the union is going to cause you to not have success" (note: this quote is from the Toronto Sun, and I am not sure if it is part of the official statement, or an additional comment made seperately).

January 16, 2007

Still listed as day-to-day, Mathieu has now missed 4 games, including last night against his former team, the Canadiens, due to a strained left knee. Says he: "I've been holding out hope, but it's been a little stiff since we left Phoenix (on Thursday). It felt better back on the road. It may have stiffened on the plane ride a bit. It has good strength, it's just a matter of feeling comfortable on the ice. I skated (Saturday) during the morning skate, but it didn't feel good. We'll see how it feels (today). I don't think it's any slower than we thought. (Medical staff) told me it would probably be a couple of weeks. There's really no way of telling." (as reported in Ted Kulfan's Red Wings Notebook in the Detroit News.)

He may not play again until after next week's break for the All-Star Game.

January 9, 2007


A slight strain of his MCL will sideline Mathieu for the two remaining games in this road trip. The injury is not thought to be serious and his knee will be re-examined when the team returns to Detroit.

January 7, 2007

Mathieu left the game against Anaheim after just 2 shifts (3:07 total).

January 6, 2007

Starngely, Mathieu was the second star of the game in tonight's loss to the LA Kings. Maybe his old friends in the LA media wanted to talk to him (I've learned from Homersonic over at Red Wings International that the 3 stars of the game have to be made available to speak to the press after games). He was the only Red Wing to have a plus rating for the game, though. Game summary: (hooking), 16:41 of 3rd.

January 4, 2007


What a wacky game. The Wings started fast, scoring 3 quick goals (Mathieu with one assist), and then totally collapsed in SJ allowing the Sharks 9 unanswered goals. Since there isn't too much nice to say about the game, I'll share a mathieu moment. On a clearing attempt, he shot the puck right into the face of a Sharks player (I didn't catch which one), who luckily wears a visor. As the Shark waited at the bench for the equipment manager to get him a new helmet (the shot cracked his visor), Mathieu skated up to him and gave him a pat. It was nice to see. In the end, Mathieu amazingly escaped with a +1 rating, sinc emost of the Sharks goals were Power Play goals. Game summary: Holmstrom (PP)(Schneider, Zetterberg), 8:47 of 1st.

January 2, 2007

Game summary: Schneider (PP)(Williams, Zetterberg), 1:00 of 2nd; (holding), 7:07 of 2nd.

December 31, 2006

Game summary: Datsyuk (Schneider, Kronvall), 6:40 of 2nd; Samuelsson (PP)(Schneider, Lang), 15:10 of 1st; (hooking), 15:10 of 1st.

December 27, 2006

Game summary: Zetterberg (Datsyuk, Schneider), 4:03 of 2nd; (interference), 5:02 of 3rd.

December 23, 2006

Since my first mention of Mathieu's point streak last week, I didn't want to say anything more as to not jinx him (Ok, so Mathieu isn't superstitious; but I guess I am). Well, tonight his streak ended after recording a point in each of the 12 previous games in a row. That is that longest point streak in the league this year. It is also only one short of a Detroit Red Wings team record for defenseman, and the longest by a defenseman in the league since Brian Leetch went 14 straight games 10 years ago.

Says Mathieu: "I've been fortunate a couple of those nights for sure. That's my job out there, to be offensive. I feel things have been developing out there, and that makes me feel good." He addes: "The forwards are playing great, creating things, and it's been making our job on defense easier." Rightfully so, Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News follows that last quote with the statement "give Schneider credit, too. On a team that has struggled at times to get its offense rolling, Schneider continues to see openings on the ice."
Game summary: (interference), 12:04 of 2nd.

December 22, 2006

Game summary: Lidstrom (Draper, Schneider), 18:13 of 2nd; (holding), 19:24 of 1st.

December 20, 2006

Game summary: Cleary (Schneider), 5:46 of 1st.

December 18, 2006

Game summary: Hudler (Draper, Schneider), 12:42 of 3rd.

December 16, 2006

The crackdown on obstruction and interference has helped some players, like Mathieu. It has hurt other players, like teammate Tomas Holmstrom, whose talent lies in getting his big body in front of the net. Says Mathieu: "Tommy's so good at doing what he does without interfering with the goalie that I think teams go out there and complain to the refs right away and the refs are looking at him. I think they've called mostly the same game they have the last couple of years, but I think they're on the lookout for certain players, and Tommy happens to be on the top of that list." (So reports, Ansar Kahn of MLive.com.)

Also, in today's day-game, the Wings pulled out a 2-1 win, and Mathieu added another assist, bringing his current point streak to 9 games! That may be the longest streak of his career. It is the longest streak since I started kept track of his stats on this page in 1998. (what can I say? I'm working at the reference desk at work all day today, and not only is it Saturday, but classes are over and no one is here. I've got lots of time on my hands today) Game summary: Datsyuk (PP)(Schneider, Lidstrom), 10:43 of 3rd.

December 14, 2006


The terrible Wings' powerplay has seen some success finally, with powerplay goals in each of the last six games. Mathieu says: "If we're doing the things that we have success with, it's awfully tough to cover us. We have a lot of threats out there, and the biggest thing has been our movement down low. Our forwards are getting more chances down low. Teams were taking away our points for a long time. And now, I think we're starting to develop some plays down low that have really helped open up a lot more options, and that's why we're having more success lately." (So reports George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press. Game summary: Samuelsson (Schneider, Lidstrom), 11:36 of 3rd; (roughing), 14:45 of 2nd.

December 12, 2006

Game summary: Datsyuk (Schneider, Zetterberg), 17:34 of 2nd.

December 9, 2006

Detroit's sluggish powerplay finally exploded in their 5-1 win tonight; all goals came on the powerplay. Game summary: Zetterberg (PP)(Holmstrom, Schneider), 17:16 of 1st; Samuelsson (PP)(Lidstrom, Schneider), 10:42 of 2nd; Cleary (PP)(Datsyuk, Schneider), 1:15 of 3rd.

December 7, 2006

Game summary: Lidstrom (PP)(Lang, Schneider), 1:48 of 2nd; Cleary (Schneider, Lidstrom), 4:33 of 3rd.

December 5, 2006

Game summary: Zetterberg (PP)(Datsyuk, Schneider), 2:34 of 1st; (interference), 3:31 of 3rd.

December 5, 2006

Tonight's game in St. Louis features the hometown Blues retiring long-time Blue and one time Red Wing Brett Hull's jersey. Of Brett, Mathieu says: "The quickest release ever in the game of hockey... He used to say, "If you can see my stick, I'm open," and it was the truth. We'd kid him about it, but he could get off his shot from anywhere at any angle. He was just deadly out there. He could find the open space anywhere on the ice. Some coaches might have called it lazy -- I think it's genius." (as reported by Helene St. James in the Detroit Free Press)

December 2, 2006

Kind of an ugly game tonight. Mathieu was on the ice for all three goals against, including the Sharks' game winner with 5 seconds left in the game; but he also scored a goal, and had another goal in the first period disallowed due to a Red Wing player in the crease. For his offensive work he was awarded the third star of the game. Game summary: Schneider (PP)(Lang), 12:49 of 2nd.

December 1, 2006

Game summary: Lidstrom (PP)(Schneider, Datsyuk), 7:55 of 2nd.

November 28, 2006

Mathieu had been remarkably quiet the last few weeks, but today saw an article where he was very vocal about the "questionable" hits that seem to be prevelant this season. Here are his quotes: "There is a lack of respect for your opponent, and that's sad.... As important as it is for guys to protect themselves, it's been kind of taken away because of the new rules. In the past, you were able to get your elbow and stick up and that would prevent you from getting run. Now, you get a five-minute penalty. It kind of prevents you from being able to protect yourself, so you're left vulnerable." As executive vice-president of the NHLPA, Mathieu has talked to players about the hits. And he has more quotes: "You're seeing more and more hits where guys aren't looking, guys are in bad positions. It's not only happening to us, you're seeing it on the highlights on a weekly basis. That's dangerous. You've got to protect your superstars. These are the guys that need to be highlighted. It's just respect for your opponent. It's a simple as that." He adds some thoughts on enforcers, too: "They're kind of like nuclear weapons. If the other team has one, you want to have one. If they have two, you want two." (Quotes used from Dave Waddell's Windsor Star article; also see Ansar Khan's article at MLive.com

November 27, 2006

Two nights ago, the Wings lost 6-2 to Nashville, and the next day Nashville Tennessean publishes the following quote: "On most nights, Detroit defensemen like Chris Chelios and Mathieu Schneider look experienced. On Saturday, they just looked old on more than one occasion." Luckily, both the Red Winsg and Mathieu rebound tonight with a 2-1 victory over Dallas. Mathieu had the game-winning short handed goal, and was voted 2nd star of the game. Game summary: Schneider (SH)(Zetterberg, Markov), 12:13 of 3rd.

November 22, 2006

Game summary: Schneider (Lang), 9:24 of 1st; Lidstrom (PP)(Schneider, Lang), 12:05 of 1st; (interference), 15:35 of 1st.

November 20, 2006

ALL-STAR BALLOTS ARE READY! Don't forget to vote for Mathieu! http://www2.nhl.com/allstarballot/

November 17, 2006

Game summary: Cleary (PP)(Lidstrom, Schneider), 19:19 of 3rd; (holding), 12:11 of 3rd.

November 13, 2006

Philadelphia rumors continue. Mathieu, who always seems to draw interest from the Flyers, is again being mentioned as a possible trade prospect. His name seems to show up in articles and rumors daily now.

November 12, 2006

Guess who is on this year's All-Star ballot!? Voting begins November 15. I'll put a link here. Vote early, vote often!

November 10, 2006

Ouch. Mathieu took a stick to the face from Raffi Torres in the last game that left his jaw so sore he was unable to speak to reporters yesterday. He wore a jaw protector for practice but isn't expected to miss time.

November 8, 2006

After missing three days due to a groin injury, Mathieu returned to action tonight in a game against Calgary. And he must have been in a bad mood after missing those games; he took three pretty nasty penalties. Game summary: (cross-checking), 16:26 of 1st; (charging), 17:52 of 2nd; (boarding), 5:06 of 3rd.

November 1, 2006


Uh oh. After sitting out two days worth of practice due to groin troubles, Mathieu will not play in tonight's game against Calgary. He is listed as day to day. But the good news is that he is back in the Defenseman Top 3 of TSN.ca's Player Rankings, updated October 31 (his score is 85.04).

October 30, 2006

On November 6, Mathieu will officially be named to the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Neat! Says Mathieu: "Yeah, it's a great honor. I'm real excited. It's going to be fun. My parents are coming in, so it'll be great." (as reported by Ray Slover of The Sporting News)

October 29, 2006

Mathieu slipped from the top, but is still ranked #4 in TSN.ca's Player Rankings with a score of 83.40. Honestly, I'm not totally sure what that means. But it cool! =)

October 27, 2006

Game summary:Lidstrom (PP)(Lang, Schneider), 8:32 of 2nd;(hoking), 11:38 of 2nd.

October 25, 2006

Again, Mathieu gets first star of the game honors (the second time this season). He gets this reward after scoring the game tying goal, and assisting on the game winner. Of the win, Mathieu said: "It's something we can definitely feel good about. It was a gritty and hard-working win. Nothing came easy. It was a true test of character for this team and everyone did their job." (As reported by The Detroit News'.) Game summary: Schneider (PP)(Lidstrom, Datsyuk), :38 of 3rd; Lang (Schneider, Lebda), 11:02 of 3rd.

October 20, 2006


Yay! More recognition of Mathieu's nice start. In TSN.ca's Player Rankings, Mathieu was ranked #1 among defenseman.

October 19, 2006

Another penalty filled game for the Red Wings, as they lose 5-1 in San Jose.
Game summary: Hudler (PP)(Schneider, Franzen), 11:08 of 3rd; (Delaying Game-Puck over glass), 2:54 of 2nd; (holding), 5:57 of 3rd.

October 18, 2006

Game summary: (interference), 10:49 of 1st; (holding), :48 of 2nd.

October 16, 2006

Game summary: Lang (PP)(Lidstrom, Schneider), 1:37 of 3rd.

October 13, 2006

How cool is this?! Mathieu is one of only two active defenesemen in the NHL with multiple hat tricks (currently sidelined Sandis Ozolinsh also has two). He is also one of only 11 currently active defenseman to have a trick at all (and the only Red Wings defenseman).

October 13, 2006

In light of the talk about athletes having dangerous hobbies will theya re still playing (i.e. flying airplanes, riding motorcyles), Mathieu says he'd like to ski, but won't until he's done playing: "Skiing is one of the things I'd love to do. I always say that's the first thing I gotta do when I retire. It's one of those things, it's just not worth it if you blow out your knee." (as reported by George Sipple in the Detroit Free Press)

October 11, 2006


WOW! In tonight's blow-out of the Phoenix Coyotes, Mathieu recorded his second career hat trick! At the end of the game, he had four points, was a +3, and voted first star of the game. YAY! Game summary: Schneider (Datsyuk), 13:48 of 1st; Schneider (unassisted), 4:10 of 2nd; Schneider (Holmstrom, Kronvall), 16:29 of 2nd; Samuelsson (Kronvall, Schneider), 18:17 of 2nd.

October 10, 2006

The Red Wings began the season slowly, with a 1-1 record, but the city is celebrating the late success of the Tigers as they battle for a sport in the World Series. Despite being a Yankee fan by birth, Mathieu is happy and excited about the baseball team: "It's nice to see the buzz, frankly. It exciting for all of us in here, especially since Mr. Ilitch owns both teams, you feel part of the same family, which makes it extra special." And he adds: "They took the focus off our season-opening loss." (as reported by ted Kulfan in The Detroit News)

October 4, 2006

The NHL official opens the 2006-2007 season tonight. Mathieu and the Red Wings play their first game tomorrow, against the Vancouver Canucks at home. Yay! Let the games begin!

September 27, 2006


There are some days I am just so proud of Mathieu. Today is one of those days. Helene St. James had an article in today's Detroit Free Press about Mathieu's increased involvement in the NHLPA. He was elected this summer as interim vice-president of the Players Association. With his new voice, he hopes to bring the Association back to one that better markets the game/players and one that is lead by the players.

First comments, about marketing:

"We've been accused many times of being boring. I think the new generation coming up is a much different generation. Just naturally guys are more outgoing, more outspoken.... I think that's going to be good for our sport. I think marketing is the biggest thing that needs to be done. With a new marketing strategy, I think people will really learn to appreciate what the guys are capable of doing on the ice. It's really a graceful sport, and people don't always realize that."

Second set of comments about NHLPA leadership:

"Right now, it's time for the players to really take back the union* and run the union* amongst ourselves, and to be aware of the issues, be aware of what's going on, be current, up to date. That's something that we haven't had for several years."

*Side comments: While I agree with all of his sentiments, I'll admit to taking some issue with Mathieu's use of the word "union." I'm reminded of the great line from the movie The Princess Bride: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." The NHLPA is not a union; otherwise it would be the NHLPU. It is an Association. Be careful not to use the "U" word. Being a "real" union involves some sacrifices I'm not so sure the NHL players are willing to make, i.e. the good ole sympathy strike. Would the players not play a game (be that a preseason or Stanley Cup playoff game), and go without pay for that game, if the concessionaires at an arena are on strike (most concessionaires are part of the UFCW). Would the NHLPA pay the individual cab fees for each player if the usual buses couldn't roll (many companies are served by the Teamsters). Or, what would they do if there was an airline strike of some kind? Pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics all have unions (whether they are flying the big commercial jets, or charter planes). Air Traffic Controllers are union, too, but I'm not sure ANYONE would want to fly during one of those strikes (though after the 1984 strike and subsequent rulings, I'm not sure if they are actually allowed to strike again, due to that obvious public safety concern). Anyway, Unions are often called "Brotherhoods" for a reason. Not only are the members of one union in the "good fight" together, but ALL members of any union support each other, often at great expense (monetarily and otherwise). Sadly, we've already seen how the NHLPA "respects" other groups strikes/walkouts: remember the officials strike of 1993? The games went on with "scabs." This is all a huge slippery slope, best solved by never using the "U" word. I could go on with my treatise about both the importance and obsolescence of unions, but I'll save that for a more appropriate forum.

Updated side comment (10/3/06): An eagle-eyed fan brought to my attention a quote from the NHLPA page regardings it's status as a union: "The NHLPA is a labour union whose members are the players of the NHL and whose mandate is to represent their interests" (see: http://www.nhlpa.com/AboutTheNHLPA/WhatIs.asp). Hmmm.... so they are using the "U" word now. Quite a departure from the old days when they were careful to point out otherwise. After all, they didn't want to be held to tradition union issues like union-negoatiated salaries for all members (often based on tenure and seniority).
I liked this past column from Bob McKenzie to sum up some of my own "hesitations" to call the NHLPA a "real" union: http://www.tsn.ca/tsn_talent/columnists/bob_mckenzie/?ID=123201. Also, I thought this article from Seven Oaks Magazine, comparing the NHLPA to more traditional unions was pretty interesting: http://www.sevenoaksmag.com/commentary/19_nhl.html. Of course, as a Librarian, I would be completely irresponsible to neglect to admit that these are opinion pieces, with no authority or "scholarship." I, of course, liked them because they fit with my point of view. =)

Ok, I'll stop talking about Unions now, and start talking hockey. Two days and counting!

September 24, 2006


Last night, in his first preseason game of the season, Mathieu record 3 points: 2 assists and the game tying goal.

September 22, 2006

From the Sports Network's 2006-07 Detroit Red Wings Preview: "Mathieu Schneider, meanwhile, has long been one of the top offensive rearguards around, and he flourished under the NHL's new rules. Schneider was among the team's 20-goal scorers with 21, and he notched a career-high 59 points."

September 18, 2006

After leaving practice early yesterday with concerns surronding a sore rotator cuff, Mathieu returned. According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, he sat out the scrimmage, but continued to workout. Mathieu said: "I feel pretty good, I just didn’t shoot the puck very hard. I didn’t want to get in a scrimmage and have to shoot or get in any physical one-on-one battles."

September 13, 2006

Scott Burnside had an nice little comment in his otherwise snarky review of Red Wings in "Camp chatter: Western Conference breakdown" at ESPN.com:
"Defensively, the Wings remain an elite team ... Mathieu Schneider is an underrated presence."

September 6, 2006

With the Red Wings training camp right around the corner (starting on 9/15), Mathieu and many of his teammates are already in town and working out at local rinks. Mathieu and some of his fellow Wings will also take part in a "Champions Challenge," a charity softball game pitting Wings players against retired Detroit Tigers baseball players. The game, to be held at Comerica Park, will take place Saturday, September 9.