25 PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS SEASON

I was going to put together a list of the top 25 players to watch this year, but after putting it down, the names on the list looked more like a who’s who of the NHL and that wasn’t the angle I was going for. We all know the names of the top players in the league so I saw no reason to just list them. Instead, I decided to take a look around and compile a list of young players that are up and coming or are well on their way to establishing themselves as future superstars in a short period of time. Here is my list (in no particular order) of 25 young NHL players that are poised or have the potential to have strong seasons this year. Unfortunately, I limited the list to 25 so a few players were left off the list and I added a couple of surprises over some more obvious picks. If, for some odd reason, you don’t know much about the names on this list, do yourselves a favor and learn them. I will be keeping an eye on them this year as some of them will continue to progress, some will break out with a monster season and some will level off or disappoint. All the same, they are worth watching as these youngsters gain more ice time, experience and exposure as they climb the ranks of the NHL.


Corey Perry - Ducks
Phil Kessel - Bruins
Drew Stafford - Sabres
Paul Stastny - Avalanche
Wojtek Wolski - Avalanche
Daniel Fritsche – Blue Jackets
Valtteri Filppula – Red Wings
Rostislav Olesz - Panthers
Anze Kopitar - Kings
Alexander Frolov - Kings
Petr Kalus - Wild
Tomas Plekanec - Canadiens
Guillaume Latendresse - Canadiens
Shea Weber - Predators
Zach Parise - Devils
Petr Prucha - Rangers
Anton Volchenkov - Senators
Jordan Staal - Penguins
Rob Scuderi - Penguins
Milan Michalek - Sharks
David Backes - Blues
Lee Stempniak - Blues
Kevin Bieksa - Canucks
Alexander Semin - Capitals
Jeff Schultz - Capitals

A RANDOM THOUGHT PROCESS

Here we go again, I’ve got a strong coffee buzz on and my thought process is too scattered to concentrate on one topic. So, as always when this happens, I will toss down my random thoughts (in between twitches), so you too can experience what it’s like living with my brain jacked up on coffee. Oh, lucky you.


Eddie Belfour signs with a Swedish club? Has he run out of bars in the U.S. that will tolerate his shenanigans? I wonder if he will offer any Swedish cops a million euros to let him go.

Scott Niedermayer’s going to retire….no, wait….he’s not….no, wait….he is….no, wait….he’s not….What the hell? I’m crazy enough without this kind of shit! I’m glad Scotty isn’t this indecisive when he has the puck.

I love the idea of the outdoor game between the Pens and Sabres; only I hope this year Buffalo doesn’t see the kind of snow they got hammered with last year. Get your shovels ready, just in case.

So what exactly are the lessons learned from the lost and recently found Stanley Cup ring of Jim Pappin? When you earn a ring, don’t give it to your father-in law? When someone gives you a Cup ring don’t wear it while diving? When you lose someone’s Cup ring while diving tell them that you lost it right away, don’t have it replicated and not tell him you lost it for ten or more years? When you find a lost Cup ring while treasure hunting return it without asking for a reward? I’m confused.

I guess my questions are….Would Steve Moore have made $20 million playing hockey? Todd Bertuzzi still makes money playing hockey, why?

What’s going on with the Flames? First Kiprusoff rejects a contract offer and wants to test the market next year, now Giordano rejects an offer and signs with a Russian team. Oh, yeah that’s right, I forgot, Mike Keenan.

Do the Sharks and Senators really think a more determined and fierce looking logo upgrade will be what it takes to succeed in the postseason?

The Hockey News released their list of the top 50 players in the NHL. This one is a head-scratcher. Just take a look and you will see what I mean.

Who will provide the most “bang” for the buck? Vanek, Penner or Parise? My pick is Parise.

Mental note: Don’t ever let Alex Kovalev ride your Harley.

Soon we will have two hockey arenas in the U.S. without a team (K.C. and Vegas). Can you say relocation anyone?

If Vegas gets a team in the near future, will they ask Rick Tocchet to be the GM? Just a thought.

Just spin the damn wheel to see where Peter Forsberg will be playing this year. The only thing that is certain with Forsberg is that he won’t be playing until December at the earliest. Which makes me wonder why any team would want to be on that wheel.

I mean really, is anyone shedding tears over the Cuthbert – Avery breakup? File this one in the “I didn’t care in the first place” folder.

What a sad day it will be when the NHL does away with goal judges.

The Crosby Collection? Come on Sid, did you really have to launch a clothing line? What’s next perfume? P.S. The pink sneakers are a bit much, don’t you think?

Normally I get at least a chuckle out of Mike Myers and his antics. But a movie starring Justin Timberlake portraying a L.A. King has got to rank among the worst ideas ever.

I hope they never ever play that Nike ad with Micheal Vick playing hockey with the Avs again.

Too bad there isn’t any hype in the U.S. about the Russia – Canada super series. The one that took place 35 years ago was a classic. It can be found on DVD, do yourselves a favor and get a copy.

Mike Peca wears a Blue Jacket….for now.

Free food and drink will be offered again for the fans at the Blues game versus the Predators. I guess you have to do something to get people through the gates.

There will never be another GM like Sam Pollock. He will be missed.

Will Mike Richter wear his goalie mask when he takes part in the New York marathon?

LIST OF NAME RFA's FOR 2008 - POTENTIAL OFFER SHEET TARGETS

A friend recently sent me a list of RFA players next summer that could be potential targets for offer sheets. In light of what took place this summer there is a chance we could see more offer sheets in the future, so I thought it was noteworthy to pass along the list. There are some names on this list that I’m sure will be under contract before next summer, but if for some reason teams let time slip away the poachers will be ready. It will be interesting to see how GM’s will approach the situation. Will they be pro-active and make sure they tie up their RFA’s long before it becomes an issue? Will they take the arbitration route and take their chances there while protecting from offer sheets? Or will they role the dice and hope no one will walk through the door Kevin Lowe kicked open this summer? Any way you look at it the threat of offer sheets is like an 800lb gorilla in the room, you can choose to recognize it and react or choose to ignore it and hope it goes away. Here is the list:


Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Dion Phaneuf, Tuomo Ruutu, Brent Seabrook, Wojtek Wolski, Dan Fritsche, Valtteri Filppula, Jarret Stoll, Dustin Brown, Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, Matt Carle, Christian Ehrhoff, Joe Pavelski, Brad Boyes, Kari Lehtonen, Mark Stuart, Brandon Bochenski, Paul Gaustad, Tim Gleason, Andrew Ladd, Jay Bouwmeester, Jaroslav Halak, Fedor Tyutin, Al Montoya, Jason Spezza, Antoine Vermette, Andrej Meszaros, Patrick Eaves, R.J. Umberger, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Jussi Timonen, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kyle Wellwood, Matt Stajan, Alexander Steen, Alexander Semin, Mike Green, Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon.

After looking over the list, it seems that the Ducks, Preds, Sharks, Sens, Flyers and Caps are the teams to keep an eye on to see what they do. While other teams have some key players on this list, it is the teams mentioned that have a few and the potential to have to make some tough choices. The list may dwindle down over the course of the season leading into next July, but there should still be enough names left come next summer to make things interesting. What do you think?

NHL'ers HEADING FOR EUROPE - A REASON FOR CONCERN?

One of the effects we are seeing from operating in this “salary cap era” is more middle tier and older veteran players heading for Europe. These players are getting squeezed out by the high prices being paid to top tier talent and to make room for affordable young up and coming talent. We are also seeing more European players heading home due to being less than happy with their roles on NHL teams. This new trend isn’t all that alarming on face value and was even predicted by some as the new CBA was introduced. Everyone knew there would be casualties and it makes sense for these players to be the ones to take the hit. Although the trend isn’t alarming, it shouldn’t be taken lightly by any means. Just looking at the fact that some players that are under contract with NHL teams are “defecting” back to Europe tells you that the pay scale for them looks brighter overseas and perhaps increased ice time as well (not to mention being back home around family). To me, this trend should be kept a close eye on as to how things develop. The reason I say this is because if the European and Russian “super leagues” decide to get their acts together and merge as one league, it has the potential to give the NHL a run for its money. Picture a rivalry that would make the bidding wars between the NHL and WHA of the 1970’s look like a “hissy-fit” at Girl Scout camp. Imagine the NHL without the likes of Ovechkin, Malkin, Lundqvist, Kovalchuk, etc. as its premiere players due to the appeal of playing in Europe. On top of that, picture a steady stream of middle tier players (not just European) heading over due to bigger paychecks, older vets finishing their careers for bigger money, young talent going straight there bypassing the NHL and you can start to see my concern. Some will say that it would do the NHL some good to have some competition as the league sometimes seems stale, but there is always trouble when you let the wolves in the back door. Truly I’m not trying to be an alarmist, I just want to make the point that this is something that could potentially become a reality in the future and something the NHL should be looking into and taking steps to put a plan in place. The problem that the NHL faces is that they could very well be handcuffed by their own salary cap system if this were to become a reality in the near future. Something to think about.

GOON SCHOOL FOR KIDS?

Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the ice…..along comes Derek Boogaard, bringing his “special” talent of kicking the ever-living shit out of his opponent, to a hockey school for kids. For just $40 you can have your child instructed on how to drop their gloves and go toe to toe with an opponent. I can hear it now: hockey dad’s sitting up and saying, “hmmm…sounds interesting” and hockey mom’s saying, “Oh, dear God I can’t watch”. Either way you look at it, it’s here for now, and is part of a camp designed for kids to learn the “art” of fighting on skates in the hopes of teaching them how to defend themselves. There will indeed be some uproar involved with this as I’m sure people’s opinions will be split defending the need for such a camp and being down right disgusted with the notion. Fighting has always been a part of the game, but is it really necessary for kids ages 12 – 18 to be taught how to do it? Defenders will say things along the lines of ‘You put your kids in a Karate class what’s the difference?” and “It’s about time someone shows kids how to defend themselves.” Of course the people against it will be saying things along the lines of “ It’s barbaric.” and “Totally brainless acts of violence shouldn’t be glorified.” Just as a little experiment, I decided to tell my wife and my son that I signed him up for Boogaard’s “Goon School” to see their reactions. Right away, my wife said: “What on earth made you do that?” “I’m not sure he needs that sort of thing.” and my son’s comment was “Cool.” “Boogaard is an animal!” I of course, told them I was only joking before the conversation escaladed into a household split, but you get the point. As for me, well I have always defended fighting in hockey as it has a place in the game, but when I say that I mean in the professional game. It has always been against the rules but an element that needs to stay. However, I don’t believe that it is something that needs to be taught to kids. I will say that when I watch a game and Boogaard gets into a scrap I am on the edge of my seat as it is exciting to see, but if I was to see my son scrap with another kid on the ice at one of his games I would be sick to my stomach and feel shame. There is a difference in watching professionals fight and watching kids fight. If the camp was designed to teach 18 – 22 year olds heading into careers in the game I could understand the need for such a camp, but for kids in youth hockey I just fail to see any real purpose. What do you think?

MY COLLECTION - MOMENTS FROZEN IN TIME

Recently I enjoyed an article written by Tyler over at NHL Digest .com titled My Favorite Hockey Card where he describes his enjoyment in looking through his card collection. As a lifelong collector myself I know the feeling you get when you take the time to just enjoy your collection very well. For me, it is an almost every day event in the off-season (that is when I chip away at sorting through my autograph collection and adding to the books) where I sometimes get lost in the memories of the games I went to and the players I have met. Every time I open a book it is like opening a time capsule and a nostalgic feeling overcomes me. That is the greatest thing about my collection; I can open any team’s book(s) and instantly fall back in time and see the progression going forward. My collection is so massive that sometimes I forget about a player here and there only to have the memories come rushing back when I turn to their page(s). Reading Tyler’s article and briefly discussing our collections was very enjoyable for me as a lot of times I don’t get a chance to talk about it with other collectors. In our discussion, Tyler had asked me if I ever had any intention in selling at some point and quite frankly, I never really put much thought into it. My collection was started by my Grandfather in the 1920’s, as he was an avid fan of all sports. He started a collection of each sport with the intention of passing it on to his kids when they came along. My Father and Uncle were handed the collections to which they added thousands of autographs throughout the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. My Uncle never had any kids and my Father had three boys. My older brother and I were responsible for adding to the collections throughout the next 30 years (my younger brother never took an interest in sports), during that time it was clear that I was the hockey nut and my brother was a basketball fan. My Father and Uncle sold the massive baseball and football collections in the mid-90’s, as did my brother with the basketball collection that was passed down to him. I held on to the hockey collection in the spirit that my Grandfather started it, by waiting to see if any of my kids would take an interest. My son just turned 14 and hockey is his passion. He loves playing (getting to be quite the player) and going to games as well as collecting autographs. I haven’t handed it down to him yet as it is very overwhelming, but that is the intent when the time comes. He can decide later on if he wants to keep it going and pass it on to his kids or sell it or donate it or whatever he chooses. Until that time comes, the collection will just keep growing and be there for us to enjoy over and over again. I’ve been blessed to have been born into a family of collectors and have loved every minute spent working on the hockey collection and the times shared going to the games and meeting the players. I have never collected with the intention of profit and I don’t think I ever will, I just love the game and my collection helps me remember all of those who have made it was it is today.

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT - TO A KID

It’s getting to be that time of year again. The getting up early, pounding down as much coffee as you can, getting the kids to the rink in time for a warm up skate and standing in a freezing building for a couple of hours while the kids tune up. I absolutely love it. Having done this all spring and summer bringing my son to his camps, you would think I would be numb to the experience but it is different this time of year. The season is fast approaching and crunch time is upon us. I love the buzz that surrounds the rink on game day and can’t wait for it to begin again. I realized this when I brought my son and one of his friends to a pick-up game on Saturday. Instead of the usual six or so kids on the ice, there was about 17 guys (ages around 20 – 30) all itching to get back into form. My son and his buddy went to the rink thinking that they would be working on a few things and instead found themselves playing a game with some guys just shy of twice their age. My initial thought was uh-oh the boys may be intimidated by the size and speed of these guys, but my feelings soon changed when they jumped right on the ice to start the game. Sure the guys playing were bigger, sure they were more seasoned, but they really weren’t that much faster and the boys had huge smiles on their faces the whole time. The older guys welcomed the two kids to play and involved them in the action. This of course re-enforced my belief that hockey players of all kinds are some of the best people you’d ever meet. After an hour of non-stop play everyone on the ice was completely spent except the two boys who just didn’t want it to end. They didn’t stop talking about it the whole way home and repeatedly mentioned how they can’t wait for the season to start. Taking my son to expensive camps during the off-season helps with his basic skills and keeps him skating, but he gets bored with just doing drills all the time. On Saturday, he got to get into some action and ever since he seems energized, feeling excited to get into game play again. For all of the money I have spent on camps this off-season, the $10 I spent on Saturday seemed to do the most good. Thanks to a group of guys who just wanted to play and didn’t mind a couple of kids joining in. Of course I’ll be spending another $10 next weekend as they were invited to play again with the same group of guys. It’s funny how sometimes something so simple can mean so much to a kid. That is a lesson for all of us and I’m glad that a bunch of hockey players reminded me of how great this game is. My son’s team starts it’s warm-ups in just under two weeks and I have a feeling the boy will be ready for anything.

ISLANDERS GET HELP BY ADDING SUTTON

It may have taken a while, but the New York Islanders finally answered some of the questions regarding their blue line by signing free agent defenseman Andy Sutton. Finally, Islanders fans have something to be happy about as Sutton’s presence in the lineup instantly gives them a big, shot blocking defenseman with some grit, who can chew up a ton of ice time and is just the type of hard working player coach Ted Nolan loves to surround himself with. At 6’- 6” 245 Sutton brings good size and a decent shot to the Islanders back end. Sutton also brings much needed veteran stability to what will be a young group of D-men that include Bruno Gervais, Marc-Andre Bergeron and Chris Campoli. Sutton has bounced around the league a bit having played for San Jose, Minnesota and Atlanta totaling 432 NHL games. Last season he was tied for the 19th spot in the league for blocked shots with 162 even though he missed 27 games. He was 4th in the league in 2005-06 with 195 blocked shots. It was surprising to most that it took so long for a team to pick up Sutton, as he was high on the list of free agent blue-liners heading into July. The reason may have to do with original salary demands that may have since changed or the Islanders realizing their glaring need, paid a price that had most teams shying away. Regardless, the Islanders now have a replacement for departed defenseman Sean Hill who was signed by the Wild earlier this summer. This signing is truly a step in the right direction for the Isles. It still may not be enough for the fans to take off the paper bags next season, but you might catch a couple of them sneaking a peek.

EAVESDROPPING ON THE LEAGUE

My buddy (and hockey fan) down at the local FBI office decided recently to put his access to wiretapping technology to good use. Here’s a sample of what he picked up…..


(*ring* -*ring*) …. Hello- Mr. Bowman? …. Yes….Please, please, please come save our team!! We’ll give you anything you…..How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not interested!….but, but ….(*click*)


(*ring* -*ring*) ….Hello….hi Brian its Kevin, how’s it going pal?…..(*click*)
(*ring* -*ring*) ….Hello….come on man, you’re not still pissed are you?….(*click*)
(*ring* -*ring*) ….Hello….I didn’t do it to you to make you mad, I….(*click*)
(*ring* -*ring*) ….Look here you weasel, you better quit calling me before I come up there and kick your punk ass all over Alberta!! Do you hear me??? I’ve had it up to here with you, you low down double-crossing S.O.B! ….umm…Mr. Burke, this is your paperboy Timmy, I was just calling to remind you that your payment is due Friday….(*click*)


(*ring* -*ring*) ….Hi, you’ve reached Sidney Crosby, I can’t come to the phone right now I’m busy building a trophy room to house all of the hardware I will be getting each year as I dominate this league and pick apart each teams weak attempt to stop me. If you’re calling to congratulate me on all of my success or to tell me how great you think I am, please leave a brief message after the beep and I’ll get back to you…well…I won’t get back to you but thanks for the kind words. If this is an official calling, you better recognize that I’ll be wearing the “C” next year and that means you’ll have to listen to me!!! Thank you and have a nice day….(*Beep*)….ummm….Happy Birthday? ….(*click*)


(*ring* -*ring*) ….Hello…. Mr. Messier? ….Yes….how are you today sir? ….fine….my name is Paul and I represent Kleenex brand tissue, we here at Kleenex would love to sponsor you at the HHOF ceremony this fall. Would you be interested? ….(*click*)


(*ring* -*ring*) ….Hello….Hi, Dean? Chris Pronger here. I was wondering how you were feeling….Hello? ….Dean it’s Prongs, are you feeling better? I really didn’t mean to lay you out like that….Hello?? ….I was just calling because I felt bad about how things went down and I….Hello??….Hello??….something’s wrong with the phone, it just keeps ringing and ringing no matter how many times I answer it….wait, maybe it’s the Bat-phone, the city may be in trouble! To the Bat-cave!!….(*click*)

ARBITRATION - THE REAL DEMON OF THE CBA

With all of the recent outrage and attention being paid to offer sheets by scores of hockey fans (including yours truly), it has become the focal point of the CBA this summer. Many seem to think that the loophole in the current agreement needs to be changed next time around. I, for one, don’t mind the offer sheet so much. I think if used right it is a useful tool for competing GM’s to keep their counterparts on their toes and their houses in order as well as an avenue for them to acquire players. The part of the CBA that has always bugged me (one that seems to be overlooked) is arbitration. This is the aspect of the CBA that needs to be changed. Arbitration is a lose-lose situation for each side with ripple effects that cause deep wounds that can’t be fixed. For those unfamiliar with the process, when a team and its player files for arbitration they go to a hearing where both sides plead their cases for what they think is a fair price to pay or be paid for services. The case is heard and an arbitrator awards a decision that the player must accept and the team has a choice to accept or walk away from leaving the player a free agent. The majority of the time the team accepts the decision weather or not they like the outcome so as to not lose the player. The problems start in the hearing where the team feels the player isn’t worth the money they are asking and tries to show proof backing their case which in turn leaves a player with a bad feeling about how the team perceives their service. Then the player tries to show proof of why they are worth the money they are asking citing the salaries of comparable players and weighing that against their production. Imagine for a moment if you had to do that at your workplace. Picture your boss or your employee sitting across a table from you and both of you hashing out weather or not the employee is worth the salary they are getting or asking for. Just how nasty would it get in that room? How would you feel leaving that room (after an outside arbitrator awards his decision) knowing that you now have to go about your business? In hockey, most arbitration awards are for 1 year unless the sides choose to go for a longer term. Most of the time the team accepts the decision and leaves the hearing with a bad feeling that the player is being paid more than they are worth. The player leaves the hearing with a bad feeling about how management feels about their work. There are no winners when it comes to arbitration. Even if the decision favors one side or the other (most of the time it lands somewhere in the middle) the damage is done and the player usually leaves the team the first chance they get. Now, a smart GM (I know that’s somewhat of an oxymoron) will file their player for arbitration to protect them against offer sheets from other teams and then work hard to sign them before the case goes to a hearing to avoid the process. Take the recent situation the Ottawa Senators were in with goaltender Ray Emery. They knew he was do a raise and was a prime target for an offer sheet from a rival team, so they protected him by filing for arbitration and then re-signed him before the hearing. The result is happy team and happy player. Now take the Rangers situation with Sean Avery where the team knew he was due a raise, filed for arbitration and went to the hearing where both sides battled it out. Avery was left with a bad feeling and most likely won’t re-sign next year knowing just how management feels about him. Look at last season’s case involving the Sabres and Daniel Briere. They went to arbitration, he was awarded a 1-year deal, the team accepted and yet he left the first chance he got. It makes you wonder just what was said in that hearing that would make a co-captain of a winning team go out and have the best season of his career and jump ship as a first choice instead of re-signing. I don’t even want to get into last nights decision between the Kings and Mike Cammalleri, that’s going to be a 2- year mess if not handled right. Yes folks, it is arbitration that should be receiving the outrage and attention and not offer sheets. It should be a major focus for both sides when the current CBA expires, one that needs to be removed for the better of the game and all parties involved including the fans.

TORONTO TOO DESPERATE FOR CHANGES?

Sometimes while surfing the net sniffing out scraps of news, I stumble upon reports that make me scratch my head. The latest one being the reports of the MLSE (Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment) being close to hiring Scotty Bowman as president of the Leafs. Not that the Leafs couldn’t use or would love to have Bowman on board, but really people, do you think Scotty is looking for that kind of work? His career is one of legend and he is still active as a league adviser and on several league committees committed to bettering the league as well as the HHOF selection panel. Not to mention, I’m sure that he is still tied in some aspect to the Wings as an advisor of sorts. So my question is where does this sort of report get its start? Well, in June Bowman was contacted by a representative of MLSE to offer him a job with the Leafs in which he apparently declined. The recent report gained steam when Bowman was spotted next door to the Maple Leafs arena. Only problem is he was next door at NHL headquarters at the request of Colin Campbell to be part of a panel aimed to discuss rule changes, NOT to revisit the Leafs offer. It seems that some in the Toronto media are so desperate to see major changes in the Leafs front office that any sighting spurs wishful thinking. I too wish the Maple Leafs will one day return to glory and as much as they have failed for so long now I understand the frustration of the media and fan base. What surprises me is the levels of desperation to have the Leafs a contender is so great that stories like the alleged Bowman signing gains steam. This upcoming season the Maple Leafs have a chance to make the playoffs with their off-season acquisition of Jason Blake (who should be just the scoring punch the team needs to put them over the top) and goaltender Vesa Toskala. Don’t forget that they just missed making the dance last year, so with Blake and Toskala added there is a good chance they will be in the mix this year. Once there, anything can happen. That should be enough hope for Leaf fans and local media to focus on, but unfortunately it isn’t. Montreal (you didn’t really think I wouldn’t mention them did you?) is in the same boat as Toronto as far as the media fishbowl and constant pressure to succeed. The difference between the two remains that the Montreal media is critical of the team and players, but accepts the direction where as the Toronto media is desperate to call for changes each year and any hint of new blood has them rushing to push the story. Okay, my rant is over. You can now return to your regular scheduled program and I will get another cup of coffee and continue surfing.

THE NHL, AMERICAN FANS and A COLD CUP OF COFFEE

Did you hear the news? What do you mean what news? The Big news! News so big, it’s gonna blow yer freakin’ mind. The biggest news of the day! I know, I know, I can hardly contain myself too! The hype is killing me! Get ready (you might want to sit down for this), here it comes…….Zach Parise just signed a new 4 year deal worth $12.5 million!!! Can you believe it??!!! I get goose bumps every time I say it!!!

Well, at least that’s how it should have gone. You see, I happen to be a firm believer in that the NHL’s American audience woes are borderline self-inflicted. It’s more of a case of missing opportunities to promote the league and down right not seeing what’s right there in front of them. I know, everyone says it’s because they don’t have a solid TV deal and not everyone gets the channel. But really folks, the plain and simple fact is that hockey just isn’t a TV sport. It’s a live game. The “casual fan” doesn’t get it because it doesn’t translate effectively on television. If the casual fan went to a game to see the action live, they would be hooked. They would take an interest in learning how the game is played and in turn be able to decipher what they see on the screen when it’s on. I’d be willing to bet that a good majority of them would be looking for when it’s on. Stay with me folks; this is where I get you. There is not only a missed opportunity there but a self-inflicted wound as well. Let me explain, the reason that the casual fan can’t (or won’t) go to a game lies in the fact that the casual fan in the U.S. can’t afford to take their families on a regular basis. Everyone talks about how in the good ole’ days the arenas were packed and how hard it was to get a ticket. I for one remember this well; I grew up in some of those arenas going to games where the crowds were huge. That’s because the league had its audience then, it was before the corporate influence and investors took the working class fan and drove them out with high prices. Back then a sellout meant that all of the seats were taken and actually had people sitting in them. Today as long as the seats were sold it’s a sellout, even if most of the seats are empty. Now, back to the point. In the haste to gobble up all of that corporate money, the league forgot about their bread and butter. These are the people who still are fans and still love the game only they can’t afford to spend $300 - $500 a whack to take their family of four to see it. If the NHL really wants to attract the casual fan, they need to make it easier for them to see a game live so they in turn view it when they find it on TV. Which brings me to the missed opportunity. The NHL flat out does a poor job promoting itself. Just about the only place you can catch an ad for an upcoming game is on the network the games are on. How does this make any sense? Where are the ads on the other channels reminding people to tune in? Where is the ad with Gordie Howe demanding that we tune in to the Rangers vs. Flyers game or else he’ll give us the peoples elbow? Where’s the Tuesday Night Hockey format with all of the hype surrounding it? It’s great that the league has the Crosbys and Ovechkins to be able to promote and they do a good job with that, but in the U.S. they can only carry so much. The U.S. audience needs a U.S. kid to be promoted and it would do the league some good to realize that. Parise is a perfect candidate (you see how I did that, came full circle {wink}). Think about it, Minn. native, went to North Dakota, 1st round draft choice, young intelligent player, great NHL linage, plays just outside of New York, puts up great numbers. There is a ton to promote there only they don’t see it. Give the U.S. audience something to be proud of, test their patriotism by introducing a kid like this to the American public and demanding that they tune in to watch. The U.S. public would buy into a hometown hero quicker than warm up to a Canadian or Russian kid. This is just one example. There are many more where the league misses the boat, like their complete failure to promote youth hockey when they have the chance. Last season the All-Star game was held in Dallas. Texas is one of the fastest growing states in terms of youth hockey in the nation. Where was the celebration of the grassroots explosion? Where was the on ice presentations to the best that youth hockey has to offer? Where was anything involving a kid besides the camera shots of them passing through the gates? Where was the format for youth hockey all-stars to play on the big ice while their heroes were in town? The chance to skate with their heroes? They had a week of festivities, and found no time to squeeze anything in? It’s a shame too; these are the future fans, players and officials as well as corporate and political leaders. The NHL could be doing so much more to help themselves but somehow fail to recognize the treasures that surround them. Oh well, at least I was excited when I heard the news of the Parise signing. I thought that it was one of the best items of the day and one of the best deals signed this off-season. He could become their leading scorer again this year and start paving his way to becoming a future leader of the team. For him to sign a contract that keeps him in a Devils uniform for at least the next four years at an affordable rate, speaks volumes about this kids character especially when you factor in the cap struggles and recent player losses of the team. He is the type of player the Devils can build around and now they have the opportunity to do so. It should have been made into a big deal here in the States, catching the eyes of the casual fan. Instead it was relegated to the small blurbs and back pages and was only cheered within the hockey circles of existing fan base. The NHL has a think tank right? Maybe they need to start thinking about how they can do a better job of helping themselves to strengthen it’s visibility in the U.S. Here’s a hint: start with the kids and work your way up, promote U.S. kids playing in the NHL in the U.S., in your face self promotion works in the U.S. (American viewers are for the most part lazy and need to be told what to watch), set up a format similar to Monday Night Football and hype it to the max (even get a celebrity fan in on the show), have a solid half hour show nightly recapping action (give it a catchy name and hype that as well), and for God’s sake lower the ticket prices so your faithful fans and new fans can go to a live game on a regular basis. Great, now my coffee is cold.