Hockeyrama

Did the EA cover jinx catch up with Kane?

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:30:00 +0000

You may have heard of the Madden Curse, where the NFL player gracing the cover of the popular video game often befalls an injury-ridden or otherwise dubious season that year. The jinx isn't limited to football. A number of NHL cover boys have befallen sad fates, including the most recent, Patrick Kane.

2010 - Patrick Kane and his cousin James were arrested for attacking a cab driver in his hometown Buffalo.
2009 - Dion Phaneuf had the worst season of his young career, turning out his lowest goal (11) and point (47) totals as well as his first minus year (-11). While that's still better than most NHL defenseman, he was the only one called out for enjoying Sean Avery's sloppy seconds.
2008 - Eric Staal, his brother Jordan and 12 others were arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct after enjoying Eric's bachelor party a little too much.
2005 - Markus Naslund has the dubious distinction of gracing the cover during the lockout year, but that didn't make him immune from the jinx. His point total declined every since the lockout despite the more "open" game.
2004 - Dany Heatley crashed his Ferrari into a wall four days after the game's release. Teammate Dan Snyder died in the accident and Heatley was seriously injured. EA replaced Heatley on the cover with Joe Sakic. Joe Thorton was the original cover choice but was replaced by Heatley after being charged with assaulting police.
2003 - Jarome Iginla dropped out of the top 30 scorers after leading the league in 2001-02.
2002 - Mario Lemieux cut his injury plagued season short after winning gold at the Olympics in Salt Lake City.
2001 - Owen Nolan played just 57 games in an injury-riddled season.
1999 - Eric Lindros put up 93 points in 71 games, but his season ended abruptly after suffering a collapsed lung.

So who's escaped the jinx? John Vanbiesbrouck (1997), Peter Forsberg (1998), Chris Pronger (2000), Vincent Lecavalier (2006), and Alexander Ovechkin (2007).

Free agent frenzy begins

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:37:00 +0000

Canada Day marks the opening of NHL free agency. This year the fireworks started early, unlike 2008 when the good folks at TSN were forced to fill airtime until the board started to light up around 6pm ET. Fortunately, there was more to talk about this year and not just where Dany Heatley will be traded to (not Edmonton).

Here are the notables (in order of appearance):

Daniel & Henrik Sedin, Canucks, 5 yrs/$30.5M each. OK, they were officially resigned before becoming UFAs at 12pm ET, but I'd otherwise have to lead with Mattias Ohlund. Not very exciting. The twins were looking for matching long term contracts but settled for less to stay in Vancouver.
Mattias Ohlund, Lightning, 7 yrs/$25.25M. Steady defenseman will be a mentor to future franchise blueliner Victor Hedman.
Marian Hossa, Blackhawks, 12 yrs/$62.8M. Hossa can get 12 years but the much younger Sedins can't? This puts him under contract until age 42. For a winger, that's like Chelios years. But let's be honest, no one expects Hossa to play out his deal. It's front loaded, paying him $59.3M in the first eight years and $3.5M over final four, reducing the cap hit to a manageable $5.23M while still lining Hossa's pockets with gold.
Dwayne Roloson, Islanders, 2 yrs/$5M. This is a hedge against Crazy Wang's golden boy, Rick DiPietro, getting injured - or just generally sucking. Roloson, who's know to flop backwards if a crashing forward breathes to heavy, is going to love Brendan Witt knocking guys over in his crease. Do you think he thought about how many times he'll have to face Sean Avery when he signed the contract?
Donald Brashear, Rangers, 2 yrs/$2.8M. It sickens me to admit this is an upgrade in the pugilist department for New York. I assume this means Glen Sather doesn't expect to resign Blair Betts.
Scott Niedermayer, Ducks, 1 yr/$6M. No real surprise to anyone once Chris Pronger was dealt to the Flyers.
Brian Boucher, Flyers, 2 yrs/$1.85M. Boucher's return to Philadelphia isn't really all that noteworthy other than providing a chance to recall one of the sickest saves ever.
Nikolai Khabibulin, Oilers, 4 yrs/$15M. Edmonton fans shouldn't be too upset about losing Roloson.
Scott Clemmensen, Panthers, 3 yrs/$3.6M. Clemmensen returned to NJ last year with his tail between his legs after bolting to Toronto the season before for a chance to play more games, which never materialized. When Marty Brodeur was lost to injury, his dream came true and, in fact, Clemmensen was the goalie he said he was. He deserves more back up duty than he got behind Brodeur but don't expect a second deal with the devil (no pun intended) should Vokoun go down.
Mike Cammalleri, Canadiens, 5 yrs/$30M. Bob Gainey is hoping Cammalleri will have more chemistry with Scott Gomez than Jaromir Jagr did.
Mike Komisarek, Maple Leafs, 5 yrs/$22.5M. Brian Burke spent today toughing up his defense, signing Komisarek and trading Pavel Kubina for Garnet Exelby.
Marion Gaborik, Rangers, 5 yrs/$37.5M. Sather almost regains his respectability with the Scott Gomez trade and then loses it again 24 hours later. Scotty Hockey puts it well: "The dude is a Fabergé egg. Stunningly beautiful and expensive, yet ridiculously fragile." Either this was a knee jerk reaction to Ottawa's choosing Edmonton's offer over New York's for Dany Heatley or Sather decided "he must be mine" after witnessing Gaborik score 5 goals against his club in a single game. Or maybe the masterplan is to flip Gaborik for Vinny Lecavalier? One can only dream.
Brian Gionta, Canadiens, 5 yrs/$25M. Together with Gomez (5-11) and Cammalleri (5-9), Gionta (5-7, yeah right) fills out the shortest top line in NHL history.
Martin Havlat, Wild, 6 yrs/$30M. Minnesota plugs the hole left by one oft injured winger with another. Havlat stopped counting his pennies just long enough to Twitter his displeasure with the Blackhawks. Gee, I can't imagine why they'd choose Hossa over you?

The fun resumes tomorrow with Montreal's former first line - Alex Kovalev, Saku Koivu and Alex Tanguay - still available.

Find the complete list of free agent signings on TSN.ca.

Aaron Ward's no sucker

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:14:00 +0000

Aaron Ward took a sucker punch from Scott Walker during the Bruins' game 6 romp over the Hurricanes. Ward's no sucker though.

One thing hockey players do is learn from past experience. If a guy takes a run at you, the next time you see him coming you'll have your elbows up.

And Ward has experience to learn from. A couple years ago while with the Rangers, he took a punch in the same spot from Donald Brashear, who was on his way off the ice after a scrap with Brendan Shanahan.

So don't feel too sorry for Ward. Perhaps a little too willing to take one for the team, but he's no pacifist.

Survey says: Pronger is dirtiest player in NHL

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Sports Illustrated recently polled 324 NHL players and asked them, who's the dirtiest player in the league? Their answer may surprise some, but not me.

30th Anniversary: Potvin Sucks!

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:08:00 +0000

In 1979, Potvin and Nilsson were locked into one of the better hockey rivalries as the glamorous urban Rangers were trying to hold off the emerging expansion team from the Long Island boondocks.

Potvin was the hard-hitting young defenseman with the Islanders, and Nilsson was the smooth center for the Rangers, one of those so-called “chicken Swedes” who were too mature and too skillful to be intimidated. Hard hits were part of the game.

“With about 1:20 left in the period, Rangers fans saw a sight to enrage them, when Potvin splattered Nilsson against the boards in the left corner,” Lawrie Mifflin, now an editor at The New York Times, wrote in The Daily News that night.

When Nilsson’s right skate caught in a crevice in the ice, the leg took the full weight of Potvin’s hit.
- Slap Shot, New York Times

Throughout the early '80s, the organ at MSG would continue to play the popular arena tune "Let's Go Band." Regardless of the opponent — whether it were the hated Islanders or a non-rival like the Winnipeg Jets — Rangers fans would punctuate the end of the tune with a choir-like refrain of "POTVIN SUCKS!"

In the mid-'80s, Garden management wanted to clean up the Rangers' gameday experience and stopped playing "Let's Go Band." Rangers fans noticed, and started to whistle the tune on their own — punctuating their grassroots version with a "POTVIN SUCKS!" holler at the end.
- Fox Sports on MSN

True blue Rangers fans know to respond to a whistle from the crowd with a hearty "Potvin Sucks", but not all know the origins of the chant. I, myself, knew about the hit on Nilsson which sparked it all but wasn't aware the whistle itself had roots as well.

I love traditions like these. In my hometown, Seattle Thunderbirds fans chant "Portland Sucks" (referring to the archrival Winter Hawks 200 miles south) to the tune of Gary Glitter's arena anthem 'Rock & Roll, Part 2' after every goal, regardless of the opponent. Good times.

Sadly, in recent years, Potvin Sucks has become overused. Instead of the one whistle early in the game from near the press box, it's all night long, particularly if the Islanders are actually in the building - likely a bi-product of the Rangers success over the past few years. It's been fun to go to games again, reviving the popularity of the chant.

Georges Laraque on Fighting

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Ever wonder what exactly The Code is for hockey fights? Montreal pugilist Georges Laraque explains:

The Code is unwritten -- everyone knows it, but not everyone follows it, and those who don't are not respected. When you retire, respect is all you have left, and you want people to say that you were honourable at all times. At least I do.

The Code says things like:
not fighting a guy at the end of his shift
not jumping guys to get a head start
never punch a guy when he's down (that's the most important thing for me; players -- and referees -- know I never do)
and, especially, don't celebrate after a fight. You see that stuff a lot in junior hockey, but for guys who do it in the NHL, it's embarrassing and shows no respect for the other guy. Remember that everything you do comes back to you; you do that, it will happen to you because everyone is watching and talking!

Laraque expounds more on fighting and his "job" in the NHL in his blog for Sportsnet.ca. Pretty good read.

Funny kinda fight night

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:17:00 +0000

First Sidney Crosby goes gong show on Brett McLean during a faceoff....

Later Alexander Semin tries to b*tch-slap Marc Staal...

Can you imagine Crosby vs Semin in a tilt? Finally put that Puck Daddy interview to rest.

Cinderella Slovaks upsets United States at WJC

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Wow. It may be shocking enough to hear Slovakia beat USA in the quarterfinals of the World Junior Championships. Perhaps even more shocking that it was a 5-3 score in which the Slovaks never lost the lead. But you had to see the game to realize what a stunner it was. (Highlights here.)

USA thoroughly dominated until the third period, when the Slovaks realized their carriage would in fact not turn into a pumpkin before the final buzzer sounded. Credit to the Slovakian team, who kept battling despite being out shot 47-18. Though the game was hardly back and forth action, it was a goaltenders duel.

Slovakia's Jaroslav Janus was undoubtedly the star of the game. His initial saves seemed more dumb luck, often leaving the netminder searching for his own rebounds. But as the game rolled on, luck turned to confidence and he made a number of big saves to win the game for his country. Janus called it "the best game of my life." An understatement if ever I heard one.

On the other end of the ice, USA's Thomas McCollum struggled. Perhaps a classic case of rarely seeing the puck, he let in 3 of 8 shots in the first period and 2 of 9 in the third. I wonder what the Red Wings think of their first round draft pick in pressure situations?

While there were many possible turning points in the game for USA - Jordan Schroeder's missed penalty shot in the first minute, Janus' glove save on Tyler Johnson, center ice turnover which lead to Tomas Tatar's empty netter - it was more than just a moment, it was surviving the second period which brought the Slovaks victory. Though they only managed two shots on net, Slovakia kept USA off the scoreboard. If USA had managed to get one, it would have been a different third period.

The upset clears the road for Canada on their "Drive For Five". They'll next meet Russia in the semis. USA plays Czech Republic for 5th place. And Slovakia has a shot at a medal. This could perhaps turn into an Eastern Bloc Miracle on Ice.

Props to James van Riemsdyk's third period goal in an otherwise disappointing game. It's up there with Pavel Datsuyk's backhander at the Winter Classic.

WJC puts focus back on Tavares

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:33:00 +0000

The annual World Junior Championship began today in Ottawa. The team to watch is Canada, who has won the last four gold medals. The expectation is they'll make it five in a row, as Hockey Canada has cobbled together no less than 10 first round NHL draft picks plus future first rounders John Tavares, Evander Kane, and Ryan Ellis. And that's without Steve Stamkos, Drew Doughty and Luke Schenn being released from their NHL gigs.

Tavares was the star of the night for Team Canada, potting two goals and an assist in an 8-1 trouncing of Czech Republic. More importantly, his points came early in the game before Canada was rolling full steam and the Czechs still had some air in their sails. His goals weren't quite as pretty as his hand-eye test in exhibition play, but Tavares kicked off the scoring and shook Canada out of its opening night jitters.

It's been a rough year for Tavares by his standards. He's out grown major junior, and many pundits say his game has stagnated in the OHL. He failed to increase his point totals from 2006-07 (the year he broke Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record) to 2007-08. And his points-per-game is down from 2.0 last season to 1.7 this season-to-date. Worse yet, after being the undisputed top draft prospect for the 2009 class since his OHL debut as a 14 year-old, a pre-season TSN scouting poll had Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman displacing Tavares from the top of the draft ranking.

That may all be behind him starting tonight. Well, actually starting a few days ago, when the TSN scouts reversed their pre-season picks. A strong WJC showing will vault Tavares back to undisputed status and have NHL teams tanking the season to "earn" his rights.

Regardless as to what happens in Ottawa over the next few days, Tavares won't return to the OHL next season thanks to the 'Jason Spezza' rule, which allows a player who has played four years of major junior to be assigned to an AHL team. Somehow I think his days riding a bus will be coming to an end after this season.

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:18:00 +0000

Ott-a be ashamed

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:53:00 +0000

I've always disliked Brendan Witt, not because he'll sucker punch your best player. But because after doing so, he turtles when called on to drop the gloves. Be as chippy as you want, but be prepared to back it up.

You can now add Steve Ott to the list of incorrigibles with Witt. In Dallas' 5-1 loss on Saturday, Ott spent the game targeting Bruins players' knees. Having rooted for Darius Kasparaitis while he wore Rangers blue, it'd be hypocritical of me to take issue with that. But Ott refused to fight when challenged multiple times, leaving Sean Avery and Kyrs Barch to answer the bell.

You can see the whole debacle below. As the NESN's Jack Edwards puts it: "The difference is the Hanson brothers were funny."

You gotta love how Andrew Ference tags Ott open ice.

To the Bruins' credit, they didn't whine about the rough-n-tumble game, which is admittedly much easier to do when you leave the building with two points.

Ott has a long history of dropping the gloves, although if they all went like this, I can see why he no longer wants to partake in the fisticuffs. I'm not a big fan of fighting, at least uncecessarily, but Ott's performance Saturday night is a glimpse of what hockey will become without it.

Rangers Sweep Lightning in Prague

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:19:00 +0000

The Rangers continued their trend of only scoring two goals when facing off against an NHL team. But unlike their experience in the preseason, those two goals were enough to get them by Tampa Bay, who didn't look much improved from their 30th place finish last year. New York swept the series with a pair of 2-1 victories and fly home with a valuable four points.

Some thoughts on the new look Rangers:

Putting Aaron Voros and Colton Orr on the same line seems like an exercise in redundancy. I'd prefer to see Freddie Sjostrom or Patrick Rissmiller in that wing spot. Orr is ripe for waivers.
If Nikolai Zherdev plans on trying to pull that toe drag bullsh*t five feet inside his own blueline at the Garden, he better be prepared for a chorus of 18,200 boos.
I hate to say it, I'm in love with Brandon Dubinsky. There will be no sophomore jinx. But Portland still sucks.
After getting beat noticeably by the speedy Lightning forwards in the opener, Dmitri Kalinin managed to pull himself together for game two. I barely noticed he was out there today, which is a good thing.
Don't get too excited about the PP goals this weekend. While 18.2% efficiency is much improved from last season's 16.5%, it's still won't strike fear in the hearts of the opposition.
Two goals? Seriously? If the Rangers' manage to make it to the playoffs with this anemic offense, then King Henrik will finally get his named etched on the Vezina.

RIP: Reggie "Reg" Dunlop

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:41:00 +0000

Paul Newman
1925 - 2008

Rangers score 2 many goals....again

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:43:00 +0000

It seems the Rangers have a preseason game every day. In fact, they have six in eight days before heading off to Europe for a couple more. That's a great end to the summer for any Ranger fan, unless you're on the left coast where the box score is the only evidence there even was a game let alone get a look at the prospects.

Thanks to the internet age, I can at least catch the highlights on TSN.ca. But you don't need those to notice a disturbing trend: New York's inability to score more than two goals a game. Actually, anything other than two goals.

The Rangers are sporting a 1-3 record, but I don't put a lot stock in preseason standings. All three loses were a 3-2 final score, which is a disturbing trend and, I shudder to think, a glimpse of the future.

Blueshirt fans can accept a losing season. It's like riding a bike. You never really forget. But if you're going to lose, lose big. There's nothing more frustrating than watching games slip through your fingers. Hope can be a cruel mistress.

Speaking of hope, how about Petr Nedved? With a goal and assist tonight, he's making it hard for coach Tom Renney to send him back home to the Czech league.

Update: Rangers managed to score exactly two goals again tonight in their loss to the Lightning. Will this madness ever end!? Nedved was held pointless and a minus two, so perhaps his return from the dead is not so likely after all.

Avery returns to Hollywood

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:43:00 +0000

No, Sean Avery hasn't already worn out his welcome in Dallas.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that agitator extraordinaire and fashionista Avery has inked a deal with New Line Cinema to make a film "about professional hockey player Sean Avery's experiences in the fashion world, including his stint as a summer intern at a fashion magazine... The movie will be a romantic comedy."

Avery, who was interviewed for the article, seems rather pleased with his latest off-ice accomplishment. Let's hope he just as happy after New Line casts Freddie Prinze Jr. and Hilary Duff in the leads, and Mike Comrie is stealing his thunder on set.

Rumor is Hollywood producer-cum-NHL owner Oren Koules will soon be announcing his plans to bring the Vincent Lecavalier Story to the big screen.

Sold!...?: Portland Winter Hawks

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:34:00 +0000

If you thought being a Blackhawks fan was tough before Bill Wirtz kicked it, the poor citizens or Portland, OR have their own circus in the WHL's Winter Hawks. The last couple years, the Winter Hawks had more in common with the Chicago club than their jersey. (The sweaters originally worn by the Winter Hawks were hand me downs from the Blackhawks. They were later tweaked, such as redoing the cross-tomahawks shoulder crest with a "P" for Portland, but they're essentially still the same...excepting that awful 25th anniversary shirt.)

Portland has been the league's worst team under their current ownership, lead by Jim Goldsmith. Worse yet, they're being sued by their former coach, are accused of neglecting medical treatment for their players, and have been late to pay suppliers.

However, it looks like salvation will come in the form of new owners. Greg Drinnan reports that the Winter Hawks are set to be sold pending league approval. The buyer is Calgary-based billionaire Bill Gallacher, who also has an interest in the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers. The price is a reported C$7.5MM.

Not too long ago, the Winter Hawks were a proud franchise, having won two Memorial Cups and churning out NHL-bound players, such as Marian Hossa, Brendan Morrow, Braydon Coburn, Richard Zednick, Adam Deadmarsh, and Cam Neely to name a few. Oh yeah, and Brandon Dubinsky.

Portland's recent years of suffering pale in comparison to their brothers in Chicago, but they're hoping that with fresh blood at the purse strings they'll have an equally miraculous turnaround in the standings.

Gallacher will have a tough go of it. The Winter Hawks have the worst lease in the league, particularly now that their arch rival Seattle Thunderbirds are exiting KeyArena to become the primary tenant at Kent Events Center, currently under construction. Despite reports that a new lease is imminent, it's highly doubtful new terms will bring any significant revenue sharing, though even a reduction in rent would go a long ways. I expect Gallacher and his group will be underwriting the team in exchange for the glamours of ownership.

Oops, he did it again

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:13:00 +0000

After waiting almost 10 years for another shot at the show, controversial coach Ted Nolan was dismissed as a result of tension with Isles GM Garth Snow.

"Ted has helped us achieve some success over the last two seasons, however it has become clear that we have philosophical differences and have decided together to part ways," said Snow. "Since last season and continuing into the summer, I have realized we do not share the same philosophies. I would like to thank Ted for his two years with the team and wish him the best."...

Added Nolan: "While I am disappointed I will not be coaching the Islanders next season, there have been philosophical differences and we’ve agreed it’s a good time for me to move on. I want to thank the Islanders organization for giving me a chance to coach in the NHL again. I have tremendous respect for what the team is trying to do and I wish them well."
- Team release

As I'm sure you recall, in 1997 Nolan lost a battle with then Sabres GM John Muckler. Dominik Hasek wasn't that hot on Nolan either. Sound familiar?

Nolan may not leave the Island with the same scar on his reputation as he did in Buffalo, but his willingness to make thinly veiled comments to the press about Snow won't warm him to other GMs looking to hire a new head coach. Snow and Nolan were at odds over a youth movement. Snow wanted to play the kids. Nolan wanted to win and let the world know Snow didn't give him the players to do so.

If Nolan had the same job security as Barry Trotz in Nashville, it might have been an easier pill to swallow. But Nolan needed to win. Not to keep his job in New York - you'd have to be a masochist or an extremely inexperienced GM to want that - but to prove to the league that he belongs in the NHL. Nolan hit the unemployment line before he had a chance to redefine himself.

The Kings are currently the only other team with a coaching vacancy. They are in the midst of a youth movement themselves, but Nolan was successful in the junior ranks where youth abounds. More likely though, he'll join the ranks of Bob Hartley, John Tortella, Paul Maurice, Marc Crawford, et al who sit and wait for the inevitable firings of the 08-09 season.

Update: Greg Logan of Newsday has all the juicy tidbits here and here.

Hollweg shipped to Toronto

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:16:00 +0000

I could tell you I called it, but who didn't see this coming really. The Rangers traded checker Ryan Hollweg today to the Maple Leafs for a 5th round pick. Hollweg was an 8th round pick in 2001, so it looks like GM Glen Sather came out ahead.

The Leafs are looking to increase their toughness. They'll also need to better their penalty kill, which was the league's worst last season. Hollweg has a knack for taking inopportune penalties.

Hollweg's days on Broadway were numbered once New York signed Aaron Voros. Not a big loss for the Rangers, although surely his teammates will miss the lockerroom entertainment.

Lowe bites back

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:27:00 +0000

A year after The Penner Incident, Ducks GM Brian Burke still has a bug in his craw about Oilers GM and ex-friend Kevin Lowe's offer sheet moves last summer. Lowe has been pretty mum to Burke's media attacks...until yesterday in a radio interview with Edmonton's Team 1260:

"This guy is an absolute media junkie and I guess he's achieving what he wants because he gets his name in the headlines. But the reality is, I hate the fact that my name is linked to his. He's an underachieving wanna-be in terms of success in the NHL. He won a Stanley Cup? Great. I've won six Stanley Cups, you want to count rings? Who cares, it's just a little pathetic that he carries on."
- Kevin Lowe on Brian Burke

Meow.

I don't know if Lowe's name is so much synonymous with Burke's as it is with tendering offer sheets to RFAs. And while the Penner offer sheet may have driven up the price for young talent, the past few days have shown us that Lowe isn't alone in making bone-headed offers which skew future salaries. The most obvious example is Jeff Finger's 4 year, $14M contract with Toronto, affectionately know as Leafs Fans Getting the Finger.

But if Lowe is right, and Burke is on his way to destroying the Ducks the way he did the Canucks, then Lowe may have the last laugh in this battle of egos.

Update: How do you prove you're not a media junkie? Don't ask Brian Burke. In response to league commish Gary Bettman telling both he and Lowe to end their stand-off, the Ducks sent out a press release about the feuding GMs' trip to the principal's office. Probably not what Bettman meant by "quit it".

No room for Jagr on new look Rangers

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:17:00 +0000

On the heels of losing Sean Avery to the Stars, Rangers GM Glen Sather has closed the book on Jaromir Jagr as well. Upstaging the press conference to announce the signing of Markus Naslund and Dimitri Kalinin, Slats told reporters that he has informed Jagr that the team will be moving on without him.

I think the New York media themselves will miss the enigmatic Jagr the most. You have to admit he's been a hell of a bargain for the Rangers at just under $5M per year. Though Sather says they never talked numbers, you have to believe it would have taken more than that resign the captain.

Truth be told, if Jagr had clicked with either Scott Gomez or Chris Dury, bringing him back at any price would have been a no brainer. Equally, if Avery could keep his off-ice antics to a minimum, it would have been easy to justify giving the grating winger $4M. In both cases the Rangers chose their future over the present. Jagr's return would have meant another year of Gomez and Drury pushed down the depth chart - and Dubinsky up it before his time...or worse yet, big $$ to Mats Sundin. And who believes Avery would ho have tried to stay in management's good books (remember the media gag?) once he got his NY payday?

Don't get me wrong, both players are worth what they'll earn next season. The price was just too steep for Broadway. And, no, that still doesn't explain giving Wade Redden $6.5M a year.

Unfortunately, Jagr's exit means goodbye to Marty Straka as well. That's a loss I'll feel deeply as I loooove him. I wish I had gotten a Straka jersey at Cosby's when I had the chance.

So out with Jagr, Avery, Straka, Marek Malik, Fedor Tyutin, Christian Backman, and probably Brendan Shanahan. I think Ryan Hollweg's days are numbered as well. I was about to add Paul Mara to this list, but apparently he's in talks to return.

In with Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev, Dan Fritsche, Patrick Rissmiller, and Aaron Voros up front; and Redden and Kalinin on the blueline. The Rangers still need to add a 6th defenseman (if they don't resign Mara) and some scoring depth at wing.

The stars won't be shining as bright on Broadway next season, but that may be a good thing. The Rangers are trying to build themselves into a younger, more hungry team. But now that fans have finally tasted the playoffs for a few years running, will they be satisfied with a quick fourth trip (which would be impressive considering the roster Sather has cobbled together) or is it the Cup or nothing?

A (Not So) Merry Christmas in July

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:02:00 +0000

In retail, the day after Thanksgiving is called "Black Friday", the biggest shopping day of the year. The NHL equivalent falls on July 1st and the stores open at noon Eastern Time.

Grandpa Sather went shopping, but unfortunately he forgot to bring the Rangers fans' wish list. And worse than buying a Zune when you really wanted an iPod, he got ripped off by the clerk who talked him into spending more for the useless warranty.

Here's what fans found under the tree today:

Wade Redden - 6 years, $39M
Redden receives a much needed change of scenery without taking in the pocketbook. The Rangers get.. well... um... Let's hope Sather didn't choose to match the no-trade clause he had in Ottawa as well. Adding Redden vastly improves the D corps (admittedly there was a lot of room for improvement) but the price tag was hefty.

Michal Rozsival - 4 years, $20M
Admit it, Rozy was a steal at $2.3M per year. Well, he just doubled that for the next four years. If he can return to form, he will still be overpaid but not grossly so. Redden will take some of the pressure off Rozsival, particularly on the power play.

Patrick Rissmiller - ~~salary undisclosed~~ 1 year, $1M
Healthy sized winger had 17 points in 79 games in San Jose last year. This signing along with Voros points to the Rangers trying to bulk up their checking lines. Rissmiller checks in at a healthy 6'4" and 215 lbs.

Aaron Voros - 3 years, $3M
At 6'3" and 178 lbs, this is the Rangers other "big" signing up front. Rissmiller had 141 PIMs last season to compliment his 14 point in 55 games. Ryan Hollweg's days on Broadway could be numbered as Sather's showing a clear preference for size with some offense upside, neither of which Hollweg has.

Stephen Valiquette - ~~salary undisclosed~~ 1 year, $725K
It's not like there's a huge market for a goaltender that doesn't play. It's here or backing up Martin Brodeur, and Kevin Weekes is still under contract for another year of bench warming across the Hudson. Still Valiquette was a good soldier in his limiting role and earned another year of the same.

Andreas Jamtin - salary undisclosed
Jamtin is a sh*t disturber in the Swedish Elite League. The line between agitator and punk is a bit different this side of the pond, so I'm not convinced he'll turn into an Avery replacement. Call him New York's own little Jarkko Ruutu. I hate Ruutu.

Sather didn't do much to address his holes up front, notably replacements for (or resignings of) Jaromir Jagr, Sean Avery, Brendan Shanahan, Martin Straka - collectively know as the Rangers' top four wingers.

Please, Slats, remember the shopping list tomorrow. Don't come back with Mats Sundin.

Rangers Off-Season Primer

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:29:00 +0000

While other NHL teams have been busy making (admittedly nominal) trades, waiving/buying out players and locking up their valued RFAs into long term deals, the Rangers have been inactive in dishing out new deals for the upcoming season. GM Glen Sather may be waiting to see what he can buy at the supermarket on July 1st before committing to his veterans. But like any true blue Rangers fan, I have my own ideas on where the Rangers stand this summer:

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Sean Avery. The big stat is the Rangers record with (50-20-10) and without (9-13-3) him in the line-up. But no matter how much Avery's agent Pat Morris flogs that fact to Sather and anyone else who will listen, we all know that only three lockerrooms are big enough for Avery's ego - New York, Los Angeles and Toronto - and Slats knows it too. With Marc Crawford out in LA and Darcy Tucker being bought out of his contract in Toronto, those are real possibilities.

If Avery could keep the crap that comes out of his mouth on the ice, he'd be worth every penny of the $4M he's asking for. But, alas, that never will be. Avery's self-imposed media gag late last season proved that he can cease being a distraction for small stretches, but will he show the same discipline without Brendan Shanahan in the dressing room, should Shanny find himself facing retirement?

The Rangers have a ton of thinkers on their roster, but not a lot of raw emotion. I'm in the camp to resign Avery, if for no other reason than if he's not playing in New York I'd hate his guts. Although, I grudgingly admit I did find his turn in Men's Vogue amusing).

Jaromir Jagr. The dilemma is not if Jagr should return to the Rangers for another year (at a salary closer to his price with the Caps' discount), but whether he should continue to be captain. The Stars managed to strip Mike Modano of his "C" while still allowing the former all-star to keep his dignity. It's no secret Jags is a bit "special" with a reputation for requiring kid glove treatment. But let's not forget he took a drubbing last year for his relative lack of scoring and didn't do the disappearing act he did in Washington. In fact, he was even witnessed back checking on occasion.

The Rangers didn't sign Chris Drury to not wear a letter on his chest. He's expected to be a leader on this team, and he's a more productive player when he bears that responsibility. Just ask Flames fans how effective Drury is when he's put in a purely scoring role. His numbers in Calgary were mighty close to his stats last year (read: underachieving). If Jagr can take a page from Modano's book and pass the captaincy to the Rangers' next wave, then resign him.

Brendan Shanahan. I know he played through injury for much of last season, but he's lost a step between 06/07 and 07/08. I don't see the trend reversing in 08/09. If the Rangers were a three line team, I'd advocate resigning Shanahan for his leadership and effectiveness on the PP and PK. But coach Tom Renney likes to roll four lines and that leaves Shanny with too much even strength time.

Shanahan has had an incredible career but it should end this summer. Don't feel too sorry for him, though. The Hockey Hall of Fame will be waiting.

Martin Straka. First, I love Marty Straka. Looove him. He's my absolute favorite Ranger, and if anyone in the front office is reading this, please send me anything autographed by the man.

Straka had a disappointing season last year, but injury and line shuffling kept him away from playmate Jagr for much of the season reducing his effectiveness. If Jags stays, I make no bones about the fact I'd like to see Straka remain on Broadway too. The point may be moot, however, if there's any truth him playing out his career in the Czech league (which his agent denies).

Straka's a smart, underrated player. He does all the little things on the ice that go unrewarded, never takes a night off, and is respected by his teammates. How do you not want that on your team? Did I ever tell you you're my hero? You're the wind beneath my wings.

Marik Malik. There's no need to rehash his fall from grace. I don't think Malik has gotten gotten a fair shake from Blueshirt fans, but his time on Broadway is done. Thanks for the goal.

Paul Mara. He turned his +/- around in New York - as in he actually finished positive for the first time in his career, albeit a +1. Good thing because he was brought in to boost the Rangers power play, which struggled mightily most of the year. There are cheaper versions of Mara on the market, who earned $3M last year.

Michal Rozsival. While it's true, the Rangers probably would not have brought Rozsival to New York if not for wanting to surround Jagr with Czechs. He has nonetheless been an incredibly steady defenseman for the Rangers. Rozsival is effective at retrieving the puck in the corners and evading forecheckers. While not physically intimidating, he can do the job in front of the net. On the other end, he's even shooting the puck now and then.

Even if Sather wins the Bruce Campbell sweepstakes, there's room for Rozy, particularly on a team which lacks depth on the back end. Off-season surgery should keep other teams from inflating Rozsival's worth, keeping him from looking to hard elsewhere come July 1.

Jason Strudwick. "The mustache" is the perfect utility player. He'll sign for the league minimum, is a popular player in the locker room, can play forward or defense, and has no problems watching the game from the press box. So long as he's not a liability during the limited ice time he sees, it's better to have Strudwick as a healthy scratch than prospects Corey Potter or Bobby Sanguinetti.

Stephen Valiquette. He did a competent job last season as the Kevin Weekes to Henrik Lundqvuist's Martin Brodeur (which was ironically Weekes' actual job the previous season). Like Strudwick, Valiquette understands his role on the team - namely watching the game more than playing it. But what if King Henrik is lost for any significant amount of time to injury? Will Valiquette be able to step up? With the Montoya trade, it's not like there's any help waiting in Hartford.

The Rangers are going to have to address their lack of depth in net this summer, either by trade or free agency. There's a couple ways to go. Sign an aging vet who's willing to take a limited back-up role to stay in the game (say, Olaf Kolzig), or resign Valiquette and acquire a vanquished goalie willing to play in the AHL with hopes of being next year's Ty Conklin (say, Andrew Raycroft).

Andrew Hutchinson. Why did we trade for him again? Hutchinson was the third leading scorer in Hartford, but never got the call-up. (He would have had to clear re-entry waivers.) It's doubtful he'd stick with the big club next season, so there's no pressing need to bring him back.

Darius Kasparitius. He's served his sentence and is now free to retire to Russia permanently. Good luck, Kasper. I'll miss those hip checks.

Also UFA: Mitch Fritz, David Leneveu

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Nigel Dawes. If it weren't for his size, Sather would be scrambling to get Dawes resigned before July 1st. But listed at a very generous 5'9", he's not an offer sheet target. Once Dawes adds a few pounds of muscle, he'll be rewarded with more ice time, particularly on the power play, which will be in desperate need of a sniper once Shanahan is gone. Heck, it needs one now.

Fredrick Sjostrom. Patience is beginning to wear thin with Ryan Hollweg, who found himself a healthy scratch towards the end of the season. Both he and Sjostrom play similar roles - physical forechecking - but there's more upside with Sjostrom who adds an offensive threat with his speed. Hollweg's a harder hitter, but his borderline shots have him on the refs' and the league's radars. Given the choice between the two, I'll take Sjostrom.

Ivan Baranka. He's off to Russia, with no "out" clause. Baranka wasn't very happy playing in Hartford, but the Rangers will retain his rights. Hopefully, he'll return NHL ready.

Hugh Jessiman. Is there any hope for the former first rounder who has spent a good chunk of his pro career in Charlotte? Jessiman turned his game around last year but still isn't ready for the show. Sather would need to qualify him at almost $1MM. And if the rumors about Blake Wheeler are true, the Rangers hardly need two high profile underachievers in Hartford.

Also RFA: Bruce Graham, Chris Holt, Josh Gratton, Rick Kozak, David Liffiton, Greg Moore, P.A. Parenteau (resigned), Matt Zaba (resigned)

TRADE BAIT

Christian Backman. Shaky defense and a $3.4 salary is not a good combination. Despite the impending deadline for buy outs, Sather hasn't added Backman to the waiver wire (the first step in buying a player out). But then again, the Rangers can afford to let people rot in the minors rather than take the cap hit from a buy out (case study: Darius Kasparaitis). Backman and Thomas Pock can spend next season commiserating.

Ryan Hollweg. His game is playing on the edge, but after three seasons he still hasn't learned to stop when facing a player’s numbers. Good thing the Rangers were sixth in the league on the PK last season. As I said before, I'd take Sjostrom over Hollweg, particularly if Sather manages to resign Avery, who will fill the agitator role. Sjostrom will hardly get under the other players' skin the way Hollweg can.

Ryan Callahan. He earned a roster spot based on his play as a call-up in 07/08, but wasn’t able to hold onto it. After being demoted last season, Callahan rediscovered his game in Hartford and was more consistent upon his return to MSG, but his play was still below expectations. The prospect pipe is pretty full for the Rangers, which makes Callahan expendable.

Thomas Pock. He wasn't really happy with his lack of playing time and was vanquished to Hartford as a result. That's usually the first stamp on your ticket out of town. If Sather can't move him this summer, I wouldn't be surprised if Pock asked to play in Europe (with the Euro club picking up his salary) rather than spend another year with the Wolfpack.

Petr Prucha. It's becoming increasingly clear that there's not a top 4 wing spot on the roster for Prucha. But even with his production declining, he still remains a fan favorite. Prucha flings himself around the ice like a ping pong ball, which often results in some fabulously entertaining train wrecks. And like those punching bag clowns, he just pops back up. Sooner or later, Prucha's not going to be so lucky. The Rangers are better off moving him now before he's broken for good.

PROSPECTS

Artem Anisimov. The Rangers are pretty set down the middle. I don't think there's any interest in moving him to wing, so if he makes the big club, that either pushes Drury out of the center spot or puts Blair Betts on waivers. Betts has a lot of value in the face-off circle and on the penalty kill, so unless Anisimov is ready to make a big impact in the NHL, he's likely in for another year of seasoning in Hartford.

Michael Del Zotto. It's rare that a defenseman makes the jump to the NHL at 18. The Rangers’ latest first round pick is no exception.

Alexei Cherepanov. He had a decent but not stellar year for Omsk in the Russian league. Cherepanov has yet to play the North American game. The Rangers will want him to play at least a year in Hartford to learn the defensive aspects before making the jump to the NHL. Unfortunately, Cherepanov still has a year left on his contract with Omsk, so it may be awhile before we see him in Rangers blue.

Lauri Korpikoski. He had a strong year in Hartford and a goal in his only appearence on Broadway. If he can back that up with a strong camp, Korpikoski can force his way onto the roster, likely at the expense of Callahan.

Bobby Sanguinetti. He spent most of last year in the OHL. I consider Sanguinetti a lesser prospect at the same age than Marc Staal, who made the jump from junior after his 19 year. However, the Rangers aren't incredibly deep on the back end, so Sanguinetti could be promoted out of necessity. But if the Rangers are true to their intent of developing players, he's best left to at least start the season with the Wolfpack.

Getting reading for next year

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:04:00 +0000

The NHL Awards aren't just the (anti)climax of the hockey season. It's the beginning of your team's run for the Cup, as GMs position themselves for 08-09 and beyond, beginning with the NHL Draft.

Here's some thoughts and the first few days of the off-season:

The transfer agreement between the NHL and IIHF has expired. NHL teams now must negotiate directly with European clubs to bring players to North America. While Russia has been successful in luring third and fourth line wingers with million dollar contracts, you don't hear about many NHLers bolting to the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia or Switzerland (the six major European members of the IIHF) for richer pastures.
The Russian Super League, er, Continental Hockey League (KHL) on the other hand is continues to try to lure star players back to Russia. The Toronto Star recently reported that the KHL wants to offer Evgeni Malkin $12.5 million dollars a year to return home. Equally amusing, the renamed leagued has employed Bob Goodenow as a consultant.
For the second straight year, there was a conspicuous absence of European players chosen at the NHL Draft, only 39 of 211 picks. Compare that to 2000 when 123 of 293 players were from across the pond, the most of any single draft class.
John Tortella's firing in Tampa has apparently cleared the way for Vinny Prospal to return to the Lightning. Interesting, as after he was dealt to the Flyers, Prospal had some parting words for GM Jay Feaster as well. Water under the bridge, I guess.
Speaking of the Lightning, while I wasn't impressed by new owner Oren Koules' turn at the podium to select Steven Stamkos with the first overall pick, he's shed my Hollywood-cum-NHL skepticism with the Lightning's seventh round pick, David Carle (brother of Sharks D Matt Carle). Carle withdrew his name from the draft after being diagnosed with a heart condition. Said Koules, "The kid worked his whole life to be drafted. I didn't see any reason why he shouldn't." OK, maybe I'm still a little skeptical.
Ray Emery and Dan Cloutier were placed on waivers, the first step in being bought out of their contracts. I'd rather seem Emery rot in the minors, but I'm sure the Senators would rather wash their hands of him as soon as possible.

Pens elect arbitration for Fleury

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 03:23:00 +0000

The Pittsburgh Penguins have elected to take goaltender (and impending RFA) Marc-Andre Fleury to salary arbitration. It's not that Fleury isn't worth the $1+ million qualifying offer he would otherwise be owed. GM Ray Shero is sending a clear message: "Kevin Lowe, you won't be shopping for a no. 1 netminder here."

Owners fought hard for club-elected salary arbitration in the new (is it still new?) CBA. Nothing's worse than having to decide whether to commit to overpaying a RFA another year or let the player walk and get nothing in return. Bryan Murray faced that question twice when he was GM in Anaheim. If only he could have taken Paul Kariya to arbitration.

Club-elected salary arbitration has another added benefit. The player cannot be tendered an offer sheet by another team. That buys some more time after the July 1st free agency deadline to negotiate without fear another GM will poach your guy - or at least drive his price up. Worse case, it goes to arbitration, some not so nice things are said, and the player's under contract for at least another year.

But beware, taking a player to arbitration now may screw you later. A player can only be subject to club-elected arbitration once in his career. If Shero doesn't come to terms with Fleury on a contract which extends to UFA eligibility, he can't pull this trick again next time...and Fleury knows it (or at least his agent does).

Also, a club can only exercise their right to arbitration twice per year. Shero's other RFAs this summer (Tim Brent, Jonathan Filewich, Ryan Stone) are hardly being drooled over by the league's other GMs. Next year, however, Pittsburgh has Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Maxime Talbot and Tyler Kennedy scheduled to become RFAs. Shero will need to spend most of next season negotiating contract extensions, as he did with franchise player Sidney Crosby this last year, to keep his stable of young talent in the fold.

NHL Awards night: the envelope please...

noreply@blogger.com (danae) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:04:00 +0000

The NHL Awards is generally one of the most boring awards show of the year. The athletes are stiff as rink boards, and Ron McLean is no Billy Crystal when it comes to opening monologues. But this year's event was a celebration of youth hockey as well as the professionals vying for league hardware.

The sport's willingness to celebrate its future as well as its past and present is one of the reason's I fell in love with hockey. So props to the show producers for meeting Canadian content laws by giving a gaggle of young hockey players the stage instead of some Juno-nominated house band.

And the winners are...

Hart Memorial Trophy
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Vezina Trophy
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils

James Norris Memorial Trophy
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings

Calder Memorial Trophy
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings

Frank J. Selke Trophy
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings

Lester B. Pearson Award
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

King Clancy Memorial Trophy
Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Jason Blake, Toronto Maple Leafs

Jack Adams Award
Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals

Lifetime Achievement Award (inaugural)
Gordie Howe

Awards Based on Regular-Season Statistics

Art Ross Trophy
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Maurice Richard Trophy
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

William M. Jennings Trophy
Chris Osgood & Dominik Hasek, Detroit Red Wings