Some guys have all the Lutz

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Take a bunch of former NHL stars, add some brave female figure skaters, toss in a handful of judges and a whole lot of sequins — CBC shoots... scores! (CBC)

Could there possibly be a more red-and-white-blooded-Canadian unscripted-TV show than this?

CBC's Battle of the Blades takes the reality/competition blueprint employed by ABC's hugely successful Dancing With the Stars and completely Canuck-ifies it by outfitting its contestants with figure skates rather than ballroom shoes and relocating its quick-footed showdown to a sheet of ice located in, of all places, Maple Leaf Gardens.

Oh, and the contestants? Former NHL stars, teamed with some of the nation's most beloved female figure skaters in a pairs competition whose winner will be decided by viewer votes.

I must admit I was skeptical when I read the press release announcing Battle of the Blades. It seemed like it might turn out to be a show in search of an audience -- too artsy for the jock-TV crowd, but not quite refined enough for serious fans of figure skating.

But the ratings for the short-run series' first week suggest otherwise. Nearly two million viewers watched Sunday's premiere in its entirety; curiosity-seeking drop-ins pushed its total audience to almost 2.5 million.

And that's probably because, on the strength of its performers' charisma, good humour and paired-up chemistry, Battle of the Blades is a pretty darned entertaining show.

As it enters its second week of competition -- minus Kristina Lenko and partner Bob Probert (as a figure skater, the former Red Wings enforcer was sort of like one of those bicycle-riding bears in the Moscow Circus -- a lumbering mass of muscle doing something that was oddly compelling but clearly not what nature intended) -- the hockey stars and their toe-pick mentors will be expected to step up their games.

This week's musical theme is Frank Sinatra. The guest judge, alongside regular panelists Dick Button and Sandra Bezic, is a "good Canadian kid" named Don Cherry.

Let the toe loops begin!

Just for fun, here's one couch spud's attempt at handicapping the rest of the Battle of the Blades field:

Claude Lemieux and Shae-Lynn Bourne

Week 1 judges' scores (out of 6.0): 5.7, 5.7, 5.6

One of the NHL's greatest-ever irritants demonstrated lot of rhythm, a bucket of fun and enough hip-shimmying to make everyone watching feel slightly uncomfortable. And he never cross-checked Bourne from behind even once. Maybe the best of the first-week bunch.

ODDS OF WINNING: 2-1

Craig Simpson and Jamie Salé

Week 1 scores: 5.6, 5.6, 5.6

The erstwhile Oiler has the benefit of being paired with the most famous (thanks to that judging-scandal gold-medal swipe) female skater of all, but their routine was slow-ish and Simpson narrowly avoided the dreaded toe-pick nosedive.

ODDS OF WINNING: 8-1

Ken Daneyko and Jodeyne Higgins

Week 1 scores: 5.7, 5.4, 5.4

Daneyko, who spent his entire career patrolling the Devils' blueline is still as strong as an ox -- and kinda skates like one, too. Except for Probert, he's the guy who most looks like a hockey player trying to figure skate.

ODDS OF WINNING: 50-1

Stéphane Richer and

Marie-France Dubreuil

Week 1 scores: 5.5, 5.4, 5.3

The former Hab looked very tentative during his first skate, and rightfully so -- it was revealed during post-performance judging that he'd dropped Dubreuil earlier in the week, knocking her unconscious. Did much better in Monday's elimination skate-off, and seems to be regaining his confidence.

ODDS OF WINNING: 7-1

Glenn Anderson and Isabelle Brasseur

Week 1 scores: 5.7, 5.6, 5.6

Mark Messier's longtime Oiler linemate showed the same reckless abandon he employed while cutting to the crease and steamrolling all those goalies -- his performance was fast, perilously on the edge, and contained difficult lifts and spins. And he clearly got a big kick out of the experience, as evidenced by the ear-to-ear grin he wore throughout.

ODDS OF WINNING: 3-1

Ron Duguay and Barbara Underhill

Week 1 scores: 5.8, 5.7, 5.8

As was the case during his entire helmet-less NHL career, Duguay still has the best hair and pretty-boy looks in the arena. He and partner Underhill both wore hockey skates, but were fast, flashy and fearless.

ODDS OF WINNING: 2-1

Tie Domi and Christine Hough-Sweeney

Week 1 scores: 5.7, 5.6, 5.7

The former Jets/Rangers/Leafs tough guy showed a lot of pizzazz in his opening-night skate, employing an impressive combination of skill and showmanship. Clearly, he's the favourite of the Gardens crowd... but will viewers/voters across the country agree?

ODDS OF WINNING: 4-1

OSWALD'S (TOE) PICK TO WIN IT ALL: Duguay and Underhill, by a hair.

brad.oswald@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 10, 2009 C1