AROUND THE RINK with GREGSKY

FLASHBACK: WINNIPEG JETS

2011-07-18T07:02:00.036-04:00

The following presentation is an attempt to celebrate the return of the Winnipeg Jets to the NHL. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite all-time Jets for you to remember and enjoy! All pictures are courtesy of Gregsky's collection.

In remembering the past we all can look forward to the future....

Teemu Selanne

Dale Hawerchuk

Doug Smail

Anders Hedberg

Bobby Hull

Dave Christian

Peter Sullivan

Bob Essensa

Randy Carlyle

Dave Babych

Willy Lindstrom

Barry Melrose

Brian Mullen

Dave Ellett

Lucien DuBlios

Laurie Boschman

Phil Housley

Ted Green

Gord Donnelly

Morris Lukowich

Ulf Nilsson

Serge Savard

Paul MacLean

Keith Tkachuk

Ron Wilson

Let's Hear It For Re-Relocation!

2011-07-06T14:42:00.001-04:00

I’m really glad that the Winnipeg Jets are back in the NHL. Part of me wishes we could see a return of the Nordiques and the Whalers as well, but that my friends won’t ever happen.

I mean really….Quebec can’t make up its mind whether or not it wants to be part of Canada half the time when it wouldn’t be able to sustain itself alone, how in the world would it be able to sustain a franchise in the NHL. Although they had the coolest freakin' uniforms ever!

Connecticut? Let’s see….from what I understand it is mostly comprised of New Yorkers who only live there because they can’t stand the smell of piss. As far as the sports fans there, they are already fans of their New York teams so relying on them to support their own team seems farfetched. Not to mention that those who live there that are not transplanted New Yorkers, don’t seem to realize that professional sports are so much better than college sports and seem to be quite satisfied with napping while watching bowling on television.

So the Jets really are the only one that makes sense to get a franchise back. Atlanta had two cracks at it and failed. Something about Kansas City still doesn’t feel right….you know, that whole lipstick on a pig thing.

I am also completely happy with the fact that they kept the Jets name. It would not have been a great idea to transfer the name Manitoba Moose to the NHL, it was its own thing and should always be remembered as such. Besides what the hell else would you call them? Other than moose and an airport what else is there in Manitoba to name a team after? It’s not like you could call them the Winnipeg Fuck It’s Cold Here or anything like that….right?

So in an effort to truly show that I really am glad that the Jets are back, my next post will feature a pictorial montage in celebration of their return. Wait until you see this blast from the past….you won’t be disappointed….trust me.

IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD(LINES)

2011-07-04T15:49:00.001-04:00

So I thought I’d have a little fun this morning playing catch up with some of the events that have taken place lately in the world of the NHL. Enjoy!

Where everybody “nose” your name or Never “bite” off more than you can “chew”

That was one hell of a run boys! The Boston Bruins winning the Stanley Cup this year, in the fashion in which they did, was truly amazing. To think that they played in and won 3 Game7’s in route to hoisting the cup, without a bonified 40 goal scorer and an anemic power-play speaks volumes to their strength and character as a team. I can’t remember a time when the pieces of the puzzle just fell together for another team like they did for the B’s this season.

Tim Thomas….are you freakin’ kidding me? I know over the years I have picked on Timmy for his unorthodox style, but I have to give him credit for putting up those numbers and that performance all year. Well deserved all around Tim, you were completely lights out! Unfortunately for all goaltenders going forward, you will be judged by Timmy’s accomplishment and undoubtedly fall short in your efforts. At least now Tim can shave off that playoff beard that made him look like one of the Muppets and go back to that cheesy 70’s porn star mustache that we have all come to know and love! You didn’t really think that I wasn’t going to get any shot in at him, did you?

His name is my name too? or But you doesn’t have to call me Johnson

Congratulations to the newest member of the Oil Nation, youngster Ryan Nugent-Hopkins picked #1 overall in this year’s draft. So let me get this straight kid…..your full name is Ryan Jeremy Noel Nugent-Hopkins? What the hell were your folks thinking? Makes me wonder if your nickname in Edmonton will be…. “Alphabet” or “The Nuge” or “Jingle Heimer-Schmidt”. Anyway, good luck to you kid and at least we all can rest assured that whenever you go out the people will always shout “There goes Ryan Jeremy Noel Nugent-Hopkins la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la!”

I think that Philly cheese-steak I ate was bad! or The Carter you go, the Jagr you get

Sorry Flyer fans, but this has to be said. I just don’t know how you can justify purging your roster of 80 goals per season in Carter, Richards and Leino and replacing them with a possible (and I’m being generous here) 50 goals in Jagr, Voracek and Simmonds. Okay, so they kind of upgraded their goaltending situation….but Bryzgalov hasn’t proven to be any better come playoff time than any of the carrousel horses you rode last year so forgive me if I’m not feeling all warm and fuzzy about it.

Come on…. Jagr?? The old goat can only give you one 20 second rush up the ice and he is huffing and puffing to do that! Whoever he plays with won’t be better next year stat wise you can count on that. He will be too slow to keep up the pace with the speed of Briere ,Van Riemsdyk or Giroux and forget about seeing him back-check he’ll be too busy struggling to get to the bench to do that! Mark my words people….two months in and he will only see minutes on the power-play and maybe two shifts per period at regular strength. I just don’t understand how you can be so close to raising the cup and then throw it all away….wait a minute, yes I do….Paul Holmgren…..nevermind! Time to stock up on the antacids!

NEWS FLASH PUCKHEADS.....GREGSKY IS BACK!

2011-07-03T09:49:00.003-04:00

Yes folks its true…… I’m back.

Just to dispel any of the rumors that went around the last couple of seasons, in an effort to explain my absence…. I did not actually fall off the face of the earth, was not kidnapped and held as a sex slave for Maggie the Monkey or just decided to go write in Europe.

Truth is I came down with an illness……called marriage. This sickness pretty much kept me from doing any writing and almost killed all hope of generating any amount of creativity. Not sure if any of you have ever come down with this disease, but if you have, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

Now that I have recovered from this affliction, I’m feeling stronger than ever with a renewed sense of self-worth so I can resume my duties entertaining you all with my coffee induced madness and amazing wit.

I will be starting slow at first and then picking up the pace(don’t want to get dizzy and fall down), seeing that it is now the off-season I can use the summer to get back into the swing of things and be ready to hit the ice running for the start of camp. So be on the lookout for a summer of antics as I have a ton of crap rattling around in my brain that needs to get out before it spontaneously combusts.

Oh lucky you!

ONCE IN A LIFETIME OFFER FROM GREGSKY

2010-07-29T08:13:00.007-04:00

I am asking you all to please pass the following along within your hockey circles and help spread the word by posting links to this on your favorite message boards, blogs, etc. across the web. Your help in this is greatly appreciated.

After long thought and lengthy conversations with my son along with strong urging from my wife, I have come to a conclusion that I never thought would happen. With very shaky hands I type this open letter to any seriously interested parties.

As most of you know, I own a massive autograph collection of professional hockey players/coaches that spans 80 years and is virtually a history of the greatest sport known to man.

My collection consists of an estimated (low figure, not done cataloging yet) 10,000 autographed pictures and index cards of the greatest players to ever play the game along with journeymen and even those who enjoyed a cup of coffee playing pro hockey(NHL, WHA, AHL ect.) and just about everyone you can imagine inbetween. The collection also boasts a wonderful collection of U.S. Olympic and international players autographs including the 1980 "Miracle" team. Also included are thousands of hockey cards (hundreds autographed) spanning decades including a complete 60 card set of Topps 1954 hockey cards, autographed pucks, autographed and non-autographed team pennants, autographed sticks, hockey magazines and "The Hockey News" papers ranging from the 1940’s to the present, game programs and yearbooks that span decades, novels and various books on hockey, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings that cover the Boston Bruins and Springfield Indians of the 1920’s – 1960’s, collectable figures and countless other vintage and rare collectable items.

For a peak at a tiny fraction of my autograph collection click the link on the sidebar titled Gregsky’s Collection.

Now for the hard part:

I am officially announcing that I will begin to entertain offers from seriously interested buyers for my entire collection. I will not sell off partial portions of my collection any deal made will be strictly all or nothing.Since this collection has been a major part of my life, my son’s and my father and grandfather’s life, has been the passion of my family and it’s legacy on top of the last collection left in the family, I’m sure you all can understand how difficult it is for me to come to this decision. Never before have I put any serious thought into selling, but there comes a time when I have to decide what to do with it as it has completely swallowed up my home. As noted above it is a family heirloom and that factor will also be reflected in the price. All proceeds from the sale of my collection will go toward my son’s future education and playing career aspirations, as per his wish, since until now, it was going to be handed down to him as it was handed down to me.I will be continuing to catalog the entire collection so as to give any potential buyers a detailed list of items within the collection. I will give any serious responders a complete background and history of how and where the items within the collection were acquired.

Please forgive me for profiling, but I am afraid that this is the only way I can do this and feel good about the decision. I hope you all understand. The reason that I am deciding to go this route instead of through an auction is that I want to stay clear of the collectable chain stores and major dealers who have no soul. This collection is special and needs to go to a private collector who shares the same passion and commitment that made this collection what it is.The perfect buyer would be someone who already has a large collection of hockey autographs of players from the 1990’s to today and is looking to complete their collection by adding history to it. The perfect buyer should be someone who will appreciate the value of owning a large collection of signatures of past superstars, heroes, and innovators, some of which are no longer with us. Above all, the perfect buyer should be someone who truly loves the sport and all its history.

Buying this collection should be an investment not made for profit, but an investment made to own a complete autograph collection of museum proportion that can be cherished for generations to come.If seriously interested and somewhat fall within the criteria I am hoping to find, please contact me or leave a comment on this post.

Thank you all very much –
Gregsky

PLAY GREGSKY'S NHL OVERRATED/UNDERRATED GAME

2009-01-18T11:19:00.002-05:00

Instead of the usual Mid-Season report, I figured it would be more fun to throw around a few thoughts playing a little game I like to call Overrated/Underrated. Okay the game goes like this: I say who or what I think is underrated or overrated and you hit the comments and tell me if I’m “spot on” or “out of my tree”. Play along it’ll be fun, really.

OVERRATED

The Atlantic and Northwest divisions

Scott Gomez

Shootouts

The RBX jerseys

The All-Star Game

Keith Tkachuk

Fabian Brunnstrom

Maxim Afinogenov

Steven Stamkos

Marty Turco

Brian Burke

Barry Melrose’s knowledge

Don Cherry’s wardrobe

The need for ESPN to carry games

UNDERRATED

The Krejci – Wheeler – Ryder line

Mike Richards

Mikko Koivu

Bryan Little

Loui Eriksson

Dustin Brown

Mike Green

Brian Engblom’s new hairdo

Shea Weber

NHL Center Ice Package

Scott Clemmensen

The new schedule format

U.S. born players

Peter Chiarelli

Okay now it’s your turn. You can agree or let me have it with both barrels. You can even give me your list of over/under rated if you feel compelled. Enjoy!

A FEW THOUGHTS BEFORE THE NEW YEAR

2008-12-31T12:41:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone is having a safe and wonderful Holiday Season in these tough times in which we all live. While on my holiday break from posting, I have been watching a ton of games and figured that I’d post a few thoughts just before the new-year begins. Enjoy!

Isn’t it strange when a player just seems to flourish under a certain coach? Case and point: Ryder and Julien.

I don’t really care that Ovechkin chews tobacco; as a matter of fact I wouldn’t care if drank like a fish, chased after women or hung out at the casino as long as he continues to be the most exciting player to watch. Remember that boys will be boys.

It’s good to see Jonathan Quick getting a shot along with former Hockey East rival Corey Schnieder. I hope they can stick.

I hope that the Hawks were just playing possum with the Wings in that Winter Classic preview.

I can’t wait for that Bruins vs. Sharks match-up on the schedule! Will Lemieux be a factor or a farce by then? Hmmm…

Come on Toronto, you can’t keep playing decently and end up seeing Tavares in a Leafs sweater next year. Just look at the Isles for the formula.

Swapping Kovalchuk for Gaborik won’t do either club or player any good, forget that one folks.

Well I hope you all have a great New Year and check back in 2009 for upcoming posts continuing the series: Celebrating 100 Years of Habs Hockey.

HEY BRUINS...DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING...YET

2008-12-10T12:30:00.003-05:00

So let me ask you, have you ever had one of those questions that seem to just pop in your head at a time when you’re not even focused on the subject? You know, like when you’re rushing around getting ready for work making sure you have everything you need before you leave (The old … Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch pat down) when out of nowhere you’re blindsided by the instant memory of your crazy uncle pulling the “Hey kid, pull my finger” trick on you when you were five. That kind of question that you just can’t get out of your head after the initial trigger, like “Why is it that my uncle shit his pants and then proceeded to point and laugh at me?” You know what I mean? Or maybe that’s just me. Damn… maybe I should have thought that one through a bit more before putting it down. Somehow I don’t think coffee helps my thought process.

Anyway, that kind of question popped into my head the other day while heading into work. I was minding my own business, thinking about what I was going to face for the next nine and a half hours, when one simple question started to pinball around upstairs. Should the Bruins even think about tweaking the roster in time for the playoffs? And of course that one simple question nagged at me all night and ended up opening up a slew of other questions that just won’t leave my melon. So now I’m at the point where I have to write about it just to get it out of my head and into yours. Oh, lucky you!

Before we start to tackle the questions (Why is it that there are always questions when it comes to the Bruins? Sorry another question just popped in there for a second.), let’s take a look at just what the Bruins have been doing lately and how they are getting it done during their surge to the top of the East.

The Bruins success can be attributed directly to the fact that they can roll four lines and produce effective puck possession and scoring from each line. The Bruins are the best 5-on-5 team in the league; which allows them the luxury of not having to rely on the power play as their bread and butter. Ranking at #5 the PP isn’t struggling by any means and their PK is holding steady at #8, so special teams for the Bruins are just an added bonus. Coach Julien has his troops committed to the system and the proof is in the pudding (9-1-0 in the last 10 games). Goaltending has been rock solid with both net-minders sporting top 5 spots in both save% and goals against average. Just about every player on the roster is a plus player. What the Bruins bring to the table every night is hard work, discipline, speed, puck possession and firepower topped off with a tough, physical style and that is just too much to handle for opponents.

For the first time in years the Bruins are sitting in the catbird seat and sitting pretty at that. They are so deep at the center position that a player the caliber of Patrice Bergeron sees more time on special teams than anything else and sometimes plays on the wing. Most nights they have a problem getting players like Nokelainen and Sobotka into the lineup. With both goaltenders playing superbly they can afford to let Rask get more playing time in the minors. Injuries, so far, haven’t seemed to hurt the B’s as they haven’t missed a beat since the loss of Ference, Ward and Sturm. In fact with the return of Sturm it poses a question of who do you sit to make room for Sturm? That is a good dilemma to have and the Bruins know it. How many teams would kill to have too much depth?

With all of that said, let’s now get back to the question: Should the Bruins even think about tweaking the roster for the playoffs? My answer is: for the playoffs yes, but for right now “don’t fix what ain’t broken” is the best approach. Even though they took their foot off the pedal in the 2nd half of the game against Tampa Bay, they still managed to win and Julien and the boys know exactly how to correct that “running around” bit they displayed. Right now they are still on top of their game and if I were them I wouldn’t change a thing. That in no way means that I wouldn’t be on the phone to Atlanta to set up a package for Kovalchuk and looking West for another veteran defenseman offering up one or two roster players the likes of Bergeron, Sturm, Kobasew, Nokelainen, Stuart, Hnidy, Ference or Fernandez.

Some Bruins fans may be swearing at me right now for even suggesting that the B’s trade away some of the names I mentioned, but the reality is that the roster is too inexperienced to go far in the playoffs as is. If all you want to accomplish is a first round win, then I guess go with what you have and ride it till it fails. If you want to make a serious run, then you need to go out and get what will put you over the top. The Bruins are so deep that they can afford to move some of the names I mentioned above. It’s only a matter of what you want to call a successful season, a 2nd round loss or the Stanley Cup Finals. Can you picture the impact a player like Kovalchuk would bring? Adding another playoff tested D-man to solidify the backend too risky? What happens if some of these kids hit a wall or wear down? Don’t you think that with a bit of tinkering this team could go the distance?

Did you see what just happened there? Another friggin’ bunch of questions just invaded the space! I guess the questions surrounding the Bruins won’t go away, but at least now the questions are positive which is a sure sign that finally this franchise is on the way back up to the standards it set for itself from the beginning. Maybe I’m just a big softy when it comes to Original Six teams doing well or maybe that’s just me showing my age, either way all the Bruins really need to do is just keep doing what they’ve been doing and be set up and prepared to pull the trigger on deals that will help them in the post-season. There is no need for any of the playoff questions to be answered right now. The Bruins shouldn’t change a thing yet; there is no need to. Right now life is sweet for the B’s, just “let the good times roll” and stay healthy.

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK : NORTHEAST DIVISION

2008-11-19T12:55:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Gregsky’s Eastern Conference Notebook. Let’s take a quick look around the Northeast, now that we are creeping up on twenty games into the season, and see what signs are starting to appear that can give us some insight into what to expect for the next twenty games.

Here are a few questions to chew on:

Where have the Senators gone?

The Senators are taking up residence at the bottom of the division instead of their normal perch at the top. This is due to the fact that they lost key cogs on the blue-line over the last couple of seasons and did little to replace them. It’s not like the Sens can’t score or anything, the guys paid to put the puck in the net are doing their jobs just fine. It is the fact that they can’t stop the opposing team from scoring that trip this team up. Not that this fact should in any way excuse Nick Foligno for not working harder on his defensive game (4 points and a –11 is shameful). Just who is the anchor of this defense? Chris Phillips (-8)? Volchenkov (-4)? Jason Smith (-2)? To top it off the Sens are using a quality backup goaltender in Alex Auld as a workhorse when everyone knows that that is a recipe for disaster. Unless this team solves its leaky defense issues their view won’t change much over the course of the next twenty games.

Are we starting to see Buffalo’s true colors (3-5-2 in the last 10)?

The Sabres started the season on fire with Vanek finally living up to his paycheck. The problem for the Sabres is that it takes more than one guy to win consistently (Afinogenov this means you). Miller is doing all he can in the net to steal some games, but even that is not enough. The fast start is keeping them in the race for now, but they need to find consistent secondary scoring if they want to remain in the middle of the pack. If they don’t they will be cursed to be a .500 team over the next twenty games and perhaps loose some real estate in the conference.

Are the Bruins ready to turn the corner?

The Bruins are for real, for now. Just about every player on the roster is a plus player. They are at the crossroads at this very moment and as well as they have started, it remains to be seen if they can sustain their tough style of play. It does appear that Coach Julien has his troops fully committed to the system, which I for one never doubted his ability to do so, but the nasty injury bug usually shows up this time of year to dash the hopes of this surging team. If the “Big, Bad Black and Gold” can stay healthy through this next stretch they will indeed be for real and a real threat to challenge for the conference crown. Both goaltenders have been steady and that is a plus for this team who have worked so hard to solidify their blue-line the last couple of seasons and the payoff is on display this year. Missing Andrew Ference due to his injury is a bit of a problem for the B’s (this means that Mark Stuart has more ice time than you would like him to have and Matt Hunwick has to show that he belongs), I wouldn’t be surprised if they go shopping for another defenseman to help hold the fort. They do have a stockpile of forwards they could use as bait (Sobotka or Nokelainen come to mind since both can’t make the roster at the same time) and don’t forget that they also have Rask in the minors who could make Fernandez expendable to a team struggling at the goalie position. Right now that is a good problem to have over the injury bug and the Bruins are poised to take it to the next level, the next twenty games will be crucial to weather or not they will be able to.

What is stalling the Canadiens push for dominance?

Relax. There is nothing to worry about in Hab Land. The Canadiens had some jump right out of the gate at the start of the season and since have played like a .500 team, but in reality they have kept a nice pace and if it wasn’t for the Bruins’ superb play they would be leading the division. The scorers are scoring, the defense is steady, and goaltending for the most part have kept them in it, so there is no problem with the core of this team. The only area of their game that has been lacking and is the root cause of their recent .500 play, is they have lost the spark on the power play. It is strange to see considering that they had one of the most potent PP units in the league just last year. All in all the Canadiens are in good shape and in a good position so if they focus on getting the power play clicking over the next stretch they will ease all of the fears in Montreal. Just breath people the sky isn’t falling.

Does anyone really think that Burke can save the Maple Leafs?

Brian Burke nor anyone else can save the Leafs this season. This team isn’t rebuilding it’s imploding. The only thing anyone can do with this club now is blow it up and start over. The roster is filled with one-dimensional forwards and too many offensive minded defensemen, which translates to poor play in their own end. Goaltending hasn’t been sharp (it’s not like the team has been out-shot on most nights) and that isn’t helping the situation any. The bottom line is IF they can jump out to an early lead, and a big lead at that, they can hang on long enough to win some games, but with no commitment to defense they won’t win many. The only area they play well is the power play, and for some reason this year they are staying out of the box (good thing because they suck on the PK), so one would think that this would be something to build on, but not this team. Lack of defensive discipline will haunt this team not only over the next twenty games, but the rest of the season if major changes aren’t made to the roster. The front office can only help restructure the team, it’s not like Burke can slap a bucket on his head and help stop the bleeding on the ice. You can blame the front office and the coach, but when all is said and done it is the players that have to execute and this team has failed to execute so far and give no indication that they are even trying to turn it around.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: STRENGTH UP THE MIDDLE

2008-10-25T15:08:00.023-04:00

One of the many things that have always impressed me about the Montreal Canadiens over the years; is their ability to effectively use strength up the middle in order to let the wings’ fire power do its damage. The center position has always been a key factor in the success of the Habs offensive prowess. Although overall it hasn’t primarily been the centers that garner the most attention, the wings, defense and goaltenders usually get the spotlight when it comes to the most celebrated Canadiens players, there have been some that have won the hearts of fans and media alike. I think over the years the media has been more critical of centers than any other position players, but that just may be a weird coincidence or perception on my part, nonetheless, even though they may have faced more scrutiny they have indeed won the praise of all.

Some of the best centers the Canadiens have ever had did the dirty work, the grinding and back checking that created the turnovers that led to offensive attacks. The ability to move the puck and draw the defense in, then to dish it perfectly to an open winger with the cannon loaded has been a staple for the Habs for decades. They used their strength, speed and skill to make the offense effective and allow the wings to fly. If you couldn’t tell by now, this week’s celebration focuses on my favorite Montreal Canadiens centers over the years.

The following courtesey of Gregsky's Collection. http://aroundtherinkwithgregsky.blogspot.com/2008/07/once-in-lifetime-offer-from-gregsky.html

ELMER LACH

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
664 215 408 623 478 1940-1954 14

JEAN BELIVEAU

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
1125 507 712 1219 1029 1950-1971 20

HENRI RICHARD

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
1259 358 688 1046 928 1955-1975 20

PHIL GOYETTE

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
375 62 120 182 44 1956-1963 7

RALPH BACKSTROM

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
844 215 287 502 348 1956-1971 15

JACQUES LEMAIRE

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
853 366 469 835 217 1967-1979 12

DOUG RISEBROUGH

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
493 117 185 302 959 1974-1982 8

PIERRE MONDOU

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
548 194 262 456 179 1976-1985 9

PIERRE LAROUCHE

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
236 110 126 236 59 1977-1982 5

DOUG JARVIS

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
560 91 154 245 151 1975-1982 7

KEITH ACTON

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
228 78 110 188 229 1979-1984 5

GUY CARBONNEAU

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
912 221 326 547 623 1980-1994 13

RYAN WALTER

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
604 141 208 349 419 1982-1991 9

BOBBY SMITH

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
505 172 310 482 430 1983-1990 7

BRIAN SKRUDLAND

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
475 78 139 217 592 1985-1993 8

KIRK MULLER

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
267 104 143 247 292 1991-199 5

DENIS SAVARD

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
210 72 107 179 215 1990-1993 3

PIERRE TURGEON

GP G A PTS PIM SEASONS YRS
104 50 77 127 50 1994-1997 3

50 KIDS TO WATCH THIS YEAR NOT NAMED CROSBY, OVECHKIN AND MALKIN

2008-10-17T12:54:00.001-04:00

The NHL is in full swing and right away the league’s youth movement is making its presence felt in a big way. The game is getting younger and faster and the kids are recharging a product that desperately needed a shot of adrenaline to the heart. I do hope that the league takes notice of the fact that there are some amazing kids playing today and contributing early and often. This is the perfect time to start promoting these kids to help carry the flag and put the NHL back on the tongues of sports fans and the media. There is a ton to get excited about in these kids and the league’s future looks bright with them on board, so I can’t help but feel like the league should tap into its youth movement and package it as a must see product. Look beyond Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin and see what today’s youth has to offer. So far it looks damn good.

Only problem is this is the NHL I’m talking about and the league has a history of “missing the boat” when it comes to opportunity to promote itself. So, with that said, I’m going to give you a list of 50 kids (in order of age) to watch this year NOT named Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin, because I'm not sure the league will.

50. Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning – 18
49. Colton Gillies – Minnesota Wild – 19
48. Jakub Voracek – Columbus Blue Jackets – 19
47. Brandon Sutter – Carolina Hurricanes – 19
46. Kyle Turris – Phoenix Coyotes – 19
45. Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks – 19
44. Mikkel Boedker – Phoenix Coyotes – 19
43. Kyle Okposo – New York Islanders – 20
42. Bryan Little – Atlanta Thrashers – 20
41. Milan Lucic – Boston Bruins – 20
40. Wayne Simmonds – Los Angeles Kings – 20
39. David Perron – St. Louis Blues – 20
38. Peter Mueller – Phoenix Coyotes – 20
37. Patrik Berglund – St. Louis Blues – 20
36. Nicklas Backstrom – Washington Capitals – 20
35. Jordan Staal – Pittsburgh Penguins – 20
34. Jonathon Towes – Chicago Blackhawks – 20
33. Viktor Tikhonov – Phoenix Coyotes – 20
32. Phil Kessel – Boston Bruins – 21
31. Devin Setoguchi – San Jose Sharks – 21
30. Sergei Kostitsyn – Montreal Canadiens – 21
29. Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings – 21
28. Guillaume Latendresse – Montreal Canadiens - 21
27. Marc-Edouard Vlasic – San Jose Sharks – 21
26. Vladimir Sobotka – Boston Bruins – 21
25. Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens – 21
24. Derick Brassard – Columbus Blue Jackets – 21
23. Tyler Kennedy – Pittsburgh Penguins – 22
22. Wojtek Wolski – Colorado Avalanche – 22
21. Brandon Dubinsky – New York Rangers – 22
20. Kris Versteeg – Chicago Blackhawks – 22
19. Paul Stastny – Colorado Avalanche – 22
18. David Krejci – Boston Bruins – 22
17. Patrick Kaleta – Buffalo Sabres – 22
16. Blake Wheeler – Boston Bruins – 22
15. Lucas Kaspar – San Jose Sharks – 23
14. Kyle Quincey – Los Angeles Kings – 23
13. Steve Bernier – Vancouver Canucks – 23
12. Ryan Suter – Nashville Predators – 23
11. Mike Richards – Philadelphia Flyers – 23
10. Milan Michalek – San Jose Sharks – 23
9. Fabian Brunnstrom – Dallas Stars – 23
8. Jeff Carter – Philadelphia Flyers – 23
7. Mike Green – Washington Capitals – 23
6. Robert Nilsson – Edmonton Oilers – 23
5. Patrick O’Sullivan – Los Angeles Kings – 23
4. Shea Weber – Nashville Predators – 23
3. David Booth – Florida Panthers – 23
2. Andrei Kostitsyn – Montreal Canadiens – 23
1. Dion Phaneuf – Calgary Flames - 23

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: HEROES HANG FROM THE RAFTERS

2008-10-10T09:38:00.041-04:00

They are revered in our hearts. Their spirit fills the air. There is honor in their in their legacy. There is glory in their achievements. They are heroes who hang from the rafters.

Just one look upward in the house of Habs tells the story. The championship banners, conference and divisional banners and the retired numbers looming overhead is an awesome sight to behold regardless if you are taking the ice or taking a seat. It holds a presence unmatched by any other arena in the world; all you have to do is look up.

In honor of the Montreal Canadiens and the heroes that hang from the rafters, A.T.R. presents the following pictorial tribute to the retired (and soon to be) numbers of the greatest team in all of sport. All photos courtesey of Gregsky's Collection. http://aroundtherinkwithgregsky.blogspot.com/2008/07/once-in-lifetime-offer-from-gregsky.html

JACQUES PLANTE

DOUG HARVEY

JEAN BELIVEAU

BERNIE GEOFFRION

HOWIE MORENZ

MAURICE RICHARD

GUY LAFLEUR

DICKIE MOORE

YVAN COURNOYER

HENRI RICHARD

SERGE SAVARD

LARRY ROBINSON

BOB GAINEY

KEN DRYDEN

PATRICK ROY

JUST IN CASE YOU WERE BUSY WATCHING FOOTBALL

2008-10-06T12:48:00.001-04:00

Hey gang, I know you watched the opening of the NHL regular season on Sunday, right? You did watch hockey on Sunday, didn’t you? Please tell me you were at least aware that the NHL opened its season this weekend in Europe and Verses was showing two games on Sunday. You were aware, right? Right? (Whew!) For a minute there I thought you were going to tell me that you were too busy watching football all weekend to notice that hockey had started or something equally as ridiculous as that. Okay people, you have to stop scaring me like that or I’m going to start thinking that you’re not paying attention.

Just in case you missed it, here are a few things that I noticed. (Because I was watching)

The games this weekend left me wishing that they showed a bit more of Prague and Stockholm.

Three out of the four teams that played escaped from Europe with points.

Tampa Bay gave up twice as many goals than they scored, no surprise to me, but Melrose might want to focus attention there.

Marty St. Louis’ backhand goal was a thing of beauty!

Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley look sharp, not sold yet about the rest of the team.

This could be a year where Malkin absolutely dominates, IF, he drives to the net like he did on his first goal.

Markus Naslund looks too comfortable with the Rangers, he could easily net 30+ this year if he can stay healthy.

Jaromir who?

Alex Auld continues to be one of the better backup goaltenders in the league.

Brandon Dubinsky is New York’s best-kept secret. Not bad for a big Alaskan boy, there should be more press on this kid.

And finally… BRIAN ENGBLOM NO LONGER LOOKS LIKE HE IS WEARING A MUSKRAT PELT ON HIS MELLON!!! Looking sharp Brian, it’s about time you made the adjustment. Now maybe we can start taking you seriously!

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: GRANDPA'S STORIES OF YESTERYEAR

2008-09-29T12:35:00.004-04:00

If you are of a “certain age”, then you grew up hearing about the early days of the Montreal Canadiens. For most though, the stories of yesteryear have long faded and have been sadly relegated to the works of historians, who mind you, do an absolutely fantastic job researching the past in order to preserve it for the future, but it’s the stories handed down from generation to generation that seem to get lost. Most people my age and younger never had the stories of old told to them due to the tragic misfortune of growing up in a much busier society where our elders have been cast aside and ignored instead of revered as wise, experienced and worth listening to.

Lucky for me, I was born in a small farming community where growing up you had nothing but time. Time to simply enjoy life, the outdoors and the friends and family that made up your existence. I grew up learning to respect my elders and learning from them. When I say I was lucky, it’s not just because of where I was born, rather it’s because whom I was born around. No, we’ve never had anyone rich or famous in our clan, we are a hard working simple family that just happens to be crazy about sports. It all started with my grandfather, who as a kid was very athletic and played minor league baseball, his passion for sports his whole life was only overshadowed by the caring and strength he possessed when it came to molding his family. As a son of one of seven brothers who came to this country in 1900, my grandfather was part of the first generation of our family to grow up American. Coming from humble beginnings he developed a strong work ethic and an uncanny passion for all things sports related. Using the word “addicted” seems merely to scratch the surface when describing his love of sports. You have to understand we’re talking about a man who knew everything there was to know about the four major sports. Since the age of ten he saved every sports page, magazine, program, media guide, etc. just to back up his word incase anyone dared to dispute his knowledge. You only needed to challenge him once to find out you NEVER EVER want to make a mistake of that magnitude again. This man would have made ESPN’s resident trivia guru Howie Schwab look like a dumb-assed huckleberry who done “gra-G-a-tid from the sixth grade”. He loved to talk about game strategies and the inner complexities of game plans, sometimes on a level way over my head so I did a lot of listening and a little head nodding as if I truly understood. It is because of him, that this common trait that my father, uncle, brother, my son, and myself all have for sports even exists. Yes, I was lucky to have been born around this man. I was lucky that he cared enough to make sure that I knew about the heroes of his time and their glories and the games that they played.

The stories I grew up listening to were fascinating, and since I spent an enormous amount of time as a child with my grandfather, I had little choice but to hear them again and again. My favorites, of course, were the stories of hockey, the early years of the NHL (and before there was an NHL) and the fervor in which those men played a simple kids game with such skill and grace mixed with just the right amount of brutal force. Sometimes I would close my eyes while listening to him talk about Joe Malone, “Newsy” Lalonde, Cy Denneny, “Cully” Wilson, Howie Morenz, “King” Clancy, Lionel Hitchman and Eddie Shore and it would take me to a place of roaring fans hovering just above the ice surface all clamoring and waiving their hats in the air charged up in a deafening mix of joy, frustration and excitement.

I remember him talk about some players with a tone to his voice that just drew you in. You couldn’t help but to cling onto every word. One such name that always stuck with me was Sprague Cleghorn. Whenever my grandfather mentioned his name it was always accompanied with “one of the nastiest players to have ever play the game” as if this was a title given to him at birth. The stories involving Cleghorn I remember to have been filled with vicious hits (mostly leaning on the dirty side) and a sheer will to drive the puck end to end and slam it into the back of the net with a vengeance. He spoke of the 1921-22 season, the year that Cleghorn was reunited with his brother Odie in Montreal, in a trade that sent Harry Mummery and Amos Arbour to the Hamilton Tigers. According to my grandfather, “that trade changed the face of the team” it not only gave the Canadiens a whole new look, but was among one of the first ever multi-player trades to take place which in turn changed the face of the league. Cleghorn went on a rampage that year punishing opponents on both sides of the ice. Sprague led the league in penalty minutes and along with brother Odie led the Canadiens in scoring. He and his brother scored four goals each in one game to lead the Habs to a win over Hamilton. “He played that season as if he was on fire”, my grandfather would say. This conjured up images in my mind of him barreling down cross-ice and laying out an opponent at the top of the circle by any means necessary. The way my grandfather described the force in which Cleghorn played, was intense. It was as if he had no choice but to grit his teeth and squint his eyes to make the nastiest face he could when he said his name just in order to capture the rage Cleghorn displayed on the ice. I remember one time as a child sitting at his kitchen table listening to him talk of Cleghorn and him taking vicious revenge against a few of his former team-mates in Ottawa, my father chirped in “Pops, stop filling the kid’s head full of stories about goons, tell him about some of the greats.” “He wasn’t just a goon! He gave the Canadiens grit and determination. He was one of the greatest skaters the game had ever seen”, my grandfather snipped back taking exception to my dad’s comment. I just sat there with my eyes darting back and forth wondering if things would escalate. “Whatever, Pops” my father sarcastically retorted to avoid an argument, much to my relief. It was times like that, that made me listen intently to my grandfather spin the tales of the early years and the players like Sprague Cleghorn. He had a lot to tell and I was just the right sponge to absorb it.

Sprague Cleghorn’s statistics while a member of the Montreal Canadiens may not go down in history among the greats this team has seen, and some may just remember his antics, but his impact still ripples throughout the franchise as well as the league today. He is just one of many impact players over the years to have pulled a Canadiens sweater over his head, part of a special team at a special time in history. His time with the Habs bore historic fruit in the first Stanley Cup for the team as members of the NHL in 1924. One thing is certain, the Montreal native left it all on the ice each time he played and he left fans with memories to share and stories to tell.

I like to believe that somewhere out there a young boy is listening to his grandfather tell the stories that were told to him about the early days of the Canadiens and special players like Cleghorn, it helps me believe the world is a better place. My grandfather left us 20 years ago, but his stories still live on inside each member of my family. I hope that it is not too late for you to talk to yours. At least I know that there will be one future grandfather who will pass the stories down, thank you grandpa.

YEAR OF THE LOSERS - NHL 2008-2009

2008-09-27T16:45:00.002-04:00

Okay, here we go. The NHL pre-season is in full swing; teams are feeling their way through it with the hopes that their newly adjusted rosters will bring them rich rewards. Timing, chemistry and learning systems are only a few of the bugs being ironed out feverishly as they gear up for October 4th.

While everyone is busy speculating how well (or poor) their team will do and predictions are already running rampant, I can’t seem to take my focus off the fact that once this season is done we will have another dream lottery by way of the “Tavares Sweepstakes”. I know what you’re thinking, “Gregsky, the season hasn’t even started and you want to talk about the next draft? Just what are you putting in your coffee man?” I know, I know, but I just can’t get away from it when I look at some of the rosters that teams are icing this year. I’m already convinced that no matter how much I try to focus on the teams that will be leading the league this year, keeping an eye on the bottom dwellers will divert my attention all season. It’s going to happen and I won’t be able to do a thing to stop it.

For some reason I have a feeling that we will have more teams with sub-par records making the playoffs this year. The last 3 playoff spots in each conference could very well be noticed earlier this year than in years past as there just might be fewer teams fighting for them. However, the race for the worst record (and best lottery chance) will be jam packed with teams in a battle to become the league’s ultimate loser. Which, in the end, will make them the ultimate winner.

We have seen what being a loser has done for some teams lately when impact players come through the draft that are clearly above the rest of the pack. If there were a year to become the biggest loser, this is the year. How hard will the bottom dwellers work in March and April when the light at the end of the tunnel is John Tavares? My guess is not very. I can’t help but imagine the Leafs, Thrashers, Panthers, Islanders, Canucks, Kings, Blues, Oilers, Sabres and Blue Jackets all fighting to be the worst they can be in the hopes of landing a player that could turn their fortunes around. And you might even be able to throw in the Canes, Preds, Bolts and Yotes to that mix just to make things interesting. Any of the aforementioned teams stands a good chance of “earning” the dubious yet attractive title of becoming the worst of the worst.

So while everyone is focused on who the best teams are going to be I will be keeping an eye on the other side of the coin. Call me crazy (it’s okay I know you want to) but I think it will be a bigger dogfight to suck than to succeed this year. Now that I have spread some sunshine, my work here is done. Enjoy!

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: REFLECTING ON THE IMPACT OF A FRANCHISE

2008-09-22T10:14:00.006-04:00

No matter how old you are, if you’re their biggest fan or if they broke your heart one (or many) playoff year(s), when you think about the Montreal Canadiens you can’t help but be in awe of all accomplishments this one franchise has amassed over the last 100 years. Thirty-one trips to the Stanley Cup Finals and skating away with twenty-four championships is a feat worthy of the title “The Greatest Team In All Of Sports”.

Over the years we, as hockey fans, have been treated to viewing some of the greatest players ever to play the game don the uniform that signifies a true champion. I’d be willing to bet that each one of us has some sort of story where the Canadiens have made a significant impression in our memories weather it be good or bad. Even the most diehard Bruins and Leafs fans have to admit that somewhere deep down inside they have the up-most respect for the amount of talent the Habs have iced throughout the years (even if they get that uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomachs thinking about it).

As for myself, some of my earliest memories have me sitting in the old Boston Garden watching a 21-year-old Guy Lafleur fly down the wing sidestepping an aging Dallas Smith’s attempt to clean his clock. Watching a 19-year-old Bob Gainey develop his crafty two-way play that would become a staple for years to come. Listening to my father talk about how great Frank Mahovlich and Henri Richard once were, making sure that I understood the importance of their roles on the team even though (at that time) they appeared to have lost a step. Sure, just about everyone in the raucous old building kept their focus on Bobby Orr and itching to see some fisticuffs, including myself, but it was the lessons on the prestige and class that accompanied the Canadiens that made the biggest impression on me. Anytime the Habs came to town it was an event that couldn’t be missed and let me tell you I soaked it all in. Even the few times we didn’t make the trip to the Garden we were glued to the television set not missing a moment of the action.

Lucky for me I was born into a family who happened to be heavyweights in the field of autograph collecting so I was afforded the opportunity to meet, speak and correspond with hundreds of legendary players many of which played for the Canadiens. What has always resonated within me ever since the first time I encountered a member of the Canadiens was the way in which they carried themselves. The grace and class was apparent as they always greeted me in a warm and friendly manner knowing that I was about to ask them to stop and sign for me. They seemed genuine when they smiled at the pictures I had for them to sign, some stopping fellow teammates to take a peek and share a laugh, gracious and interested when I would talk hockey with them never once giving me the impression that they were put off by me approaching them. Some of the friendliest Canadiens players I had the pleasure of meeting were Toe Blake, Larry Robinson, Guy Carbonneau, Dickie Moore and Roggie Vachon. Each one of these men (in their own ways) took the time not only to sign for me, but took an interest in talking with my father and myself sharing stories and handing out playing advise to a young fan. Those are the type of memories that have stuck with me throughout my life and have made an impact on how I teach my own children to carry themselves.

When I was born, the Canadiens were the reigning champs and won again that year for their 16th time, my father made sure I was propped up in front of the set to witness it with him. The year my son was born, (the boy was just a bit over a month old so I fashioned him a cushy little seat in a laundry basket for the games which received a sarcastic “And it Begins” from my wife) together we watched the Canadiens dismantle Gretzky and the Kings for their 24th Stanley Cup.

Even though I have never had a true favorite team (choosing instead to like all teams equally) the Canadiens always seemed to steer my attention their way. For example, when playing pond hockey as a child with my brother and our friends, I remember how we would all pretend to be NHL or WHA stars. As we cleared the snow off of the ice, we would all stake a claim as to who we were going to transform into that day. Was it only coincidence that I happened to pretend to be Guy Lafleur or Steve Shutt when on offence and always Larry Robinson or Serge Savard when playing defense? Maybe, but one thing is for certain I always got funny looks or laughs from the other kids when I picked to be them to play against the kids who picked the likes of Orr, Howe, Hull, Esposito, Sittler, Clarke, etc. Being the youngest of the group, I was relegated to picking last every time so the biggest names were already taken by the time I got to chirp. Somehow it never bothered me and I think it was because I got to pretend to be just who I wanted every time regardless of my lowly status in the group. Besides, all of the ribbing I took only made me play harder when the games started. The whole thing sounds silly I know, but times were simpler then and we all had a wealth of time to kill each winter day. Looking back at it all now I guess it must have seemed a bit strange for a kid growing up in the early 70’s in Massachusetts to have Montreal players instead of Bruins players as heroes, so the teasing I proudly took makes sense. Sort of like realizing that an unconscious installment of the grit, determination, honor and class that the Canadiens carried had been woven into the very fabric of my being at an early age. But if you were to have asked me about it back then, my answer most likely would have been along the line of “Because the Habs are great…duh.”

The Montreal Canadiens will forever be one of the classiest organizations, rich with history and honor. They embody the spirit of hockey, not only in Canada, but also across the globe. Even in the toughest of times there is an air of greatness that surrounds the team and the pride shown through the players let’s you know something special could happen every night. The reach of the Canadiens throughout the league is immense. Just take a look around the league, in the front offices, scouting staffs, both past and present, and you will find the fingerprints of the Canadiens are everywhere.

Although this barely scratches the surface of what the Montreal Canadiens means to me, I hope that you all will enjoy the weekly series here at ATR dedicated to celebrating the franchise’s 100th anniversary this season. As always, please feel free to post comments and share with me you stories and views. Enjoy!

AROUND THE RINK CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY

2008-09-15T09:01:00.008-04:00

As you all know, the start of this upcoming season marks the 100th anniversary of the most storied franchise in hockey history, the Montreal Canadiens. In honor of this historic event Around The Rink will be posting a weekly series starting next week and running throughout the season celebrating the teams and players that made this franchise one of the greatest in all of sports. So as not to completely bore anyone to death with too many statistics and bios about the players you already know and grew up with, the posts will be filled with images and interesting details, stories, quotes, etc. in the attempt to celebrate the past and relive the memories. All of the autographed pictures posted will be courtesy of Gregsky's Collection along with some old newspaper clippings and from the scrapbooks and magazines in Gregsky’s collection. This weekly feature promises to be very different from anything else you will find on the web celebrating this tremendous achievement.

We here at ATR hope you all will enjoy remembering the past and encourage you to share with us your stories of how the Canadies have effected your lives as well as your fondest memories of the teams and players. We hope you will join us each week this season as we celebrate 100 years of Montreal Canadiens hockey.

You can view each installment of the series by clicking below:

REFLECTING ON THE IMPACT OF A FRANCHISE
http://aroundtherinkwithgregsky.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post.html

GRANDPA'S STORIES OF YESTERYEAR
http://aroundtherinkwithgregsky.blogspot.com/2008/09/celebrating-100-years-of-habs-hockey.html

HEROES HANG FROM THE RAFTERS
http://aroundtherinkwithgregsky.blogspot.com/2008/10/celebrating-100-years-of-habs-hockey.html

STRENGTH UP THE MIDDLE
http://aroundtherinkwithgregsky.blogspot.com/2008/10/celebrating-100-years-of-habs-hockey_25.html

YOU KNOW IT'S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN.....

2008-08-04T10:15:00.003-04:00

Gregsky's collection for sale

The off-season, a time when hockey fans crave any scrap of news concerning their favorite teams or players just to appease their insatiable appetites for the greatest sport known to man. The period from mid July to mid August is always the roughest time for fans as days go by without any newsworthy happenings in the world of hockey. The lack of news over this time period has an interesting effect on the deprived masses. Today I’ll take a look into the phenomenon called the NHL off-season. Get your barf bags ready people.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. The Sundin Watch generates a daily buzz rehashing the same old news we’ve known since June adding only insignificant and mostly inaccurate speculation. What’s next? Breaking news that Mats farted and the fumes seemed to waft in the general direction of Vancouver?

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Dan Hinote’s wedding is a top searched hockey news topic.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. People actually give a shit that Mike Comrie went shopping with Hillary and her mother.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Articles are written about Sidney Crosby’s favorite kind of alcohol when he doesn’t turn 21 until Thursday, but has been of age in Canada since 18.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Mainstream media outlets give us such “gems” as NHL Logo Rankings.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. People actually stoop to levels of all-time low by wondering who will replace Barry Melrose on ESPN.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. Ice Girl tryouts for several teams top the latest news from your favorite “lonely” blogger.

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. There is actually an article out there discussing Sean Avery’s “creamy calves”. Are you kidding me???

YOU KNOW IT’S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN ….. I actually have enough material to post this kind of drivel.

A FEELING OF "OPTSKEPTAFEARISM" IN TAMPA BAY

2008-07-14T11:01:00.008-04:00

Gregsky's offer

What’s that smell in the air in Tampa these days? [Sniff] yes, yes, definitely it is an emotion that is thick in the air. [Sniff] I can’t tell if it’s a smell of optimism, skepticism or fear. Maybe it is a combination of all three at once. Optskeptafearism. That must be it, a new hybrid human emotion exclusively acquired by those who follow and are fans of the Lightning. Whew! I’m glad I figured that out quickly, it was starting to smell like cheese.

I suppose you can’t blame Bolts fans for not really knowing just how to feel, what with the resent crazy whirlwind that has ripped through the entire organization and all. Just how in the hell are Bolts fans supposed to feel? They were the laughing stock of the league last season. Have a weak and depleted farm system. Watched their team draft a glutton of forwards when everyone knows it is the backend that needs the most help. Under a media blitz, witnessed the team usher in a new ownership group, hire a train wreck for a coach, sign a slew of free agent forwards some past their prime, sign a declining goaltender, ask your best defenseman to leave town, replace the front office and re-sign your best player for $85 million. To top it all off have one of your new owners, obviously hopped up on Flintstone Vitamins, publicly declare that your “new look” team will indeed win the division.

"What the deuce?" (Read out loud in your best Stewie Griffin voice and cue a Family Guy flashback montage) "I haven’t seen a circus this bad since the one on Wang Island where a pot-smoking monkey on a unicycle was giving advise to the front office staff."

Was that a bit too much? Oh well, let’s just blame it on the coffee and move along.

The levee has to break at some point. Don’t you think? They are going to have to unload some of the new stockpile of forwards to shore up that disturbingly weak defense. Don’t you think? I mean they can’t really think that this roster will win the division. Right? Come on, Bochenski? Hasn’t he been in something like six different uniforms over the last three or so years? Gratton? Recchi? Roberts? Halpern? Who will they unload to try and plug the gaping holes on defense? Well, the way things are going, don’t be surprised if in all of their infinite wisdom they decide to trade away one or more of their younger forwards like Craig or Ouellet or Tarnasky. Now won’t that be nice. Just who could you get to shore up the D? For a best-case scenario look to swing a deal with Carolina or Vancouver.

No matter how you look at it, things in Tampa still smell a bit funky and will continue to do so under the hot Florida sun until something gives way to at least get fans leaning more toward optimisism than skepticism and down right fear.

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OFFER FROM GREGSKY

2008-07-09T11:23:00.005-04:00

I am asking my readers to please pass the following along within your hockey circles and help spread the word by posting links to this on your favorite message boards, blogs, etc. across the web. Your help in this is greatly appreciated.

After long thought and lengthy conversations with my son along with strong urging from my wife, I have come to a conclusion that I never though would happen. With very shaky hands I type this open letter to any seriously interested parties.

As most of you know I own a massive autograph collection of professional hockey players/coaches that spans 80 years and is virtually a history of the greatest sport known to man. My collection consists of an estimated (low figure, not done cataloging yet) 10,000 autographed pictures and index cards of the greatest players to ever play the game along with players who enjoyed a cup of coffee playing pro hockey and just about everyone inbetween, thousands of hockey cards (hundreds autographed) spanning decades including a complete 60 card set of Topps 1954 hockey cards, autographed pucks, autographed and non-autographed team pennants, autographed sticks, hockey magazines and hockey news papers from the 1940’s to present, game programs and yearbooks that span decades, novels and various books on hockey, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings that cover the Boston Bruins and Springfield Indians of the 1920’s – 1960’s, collectable figures and countless other vintage and rare collectable items.

For a peak at a tiny fraction of my autograph collection click the link on the sidebar titled Gregsky’s Collection.

Now for the hard part: I am officially announcing that I will begin to entertain offers from seriously interested buyers for my entire collection. I will not sell off partial portions of my collection any deal made will be strictly all or nothing.

Since this collection has been a major part of my life, my son’s and my father and grandfather’s life, has been the passion of my family and it’s legacy on top of the last collection left in the family, I’m sure you all can understand how difficult it is for me to come to this decision. Never before have I put any serious thought into selling, but there comes a time when I have to decide what to do with it as it has completely swallowed up my home. As noted above it is a family heirloom and that factor will also be reflected in the price. All proceeds from the sale of my collection will go toward my son’s future education and playing career aspirations, as per his wish, since until now, it was going to be handed down to him as it was handed down to me.

I will be continuing to catalog the entire collection so as to give any potential buyers a detailed list of items within the collection. I will give any serious responders a complete background and history of how and where the items within the collection were acquired.

Please forgive me for profiling, but I am afraid that this is the only way I can do this and feel good about the decision. I hope you all understand. The reason that I am deciding to go this route instead of through an auction is that I want to stay clear of the collectable chain stores and major dealers who have no soul. This collection is special and needs to go to a private collector who shares the same passion and commitment that made this collection what it is.

The perfect buyer would be someone who already has a large collection of hockey autographs of players from the 1990’s to today and is looking to complete their collection by adding history to it. The perfect buyer should be someone who will appreciate the value of owning a large collection of signatures of past superstars, heroes, and innovators, some of which are no longer with us. Above all, the perfect buyer should be someone who truly loves the sport and all its history. Buying this collection should be an investment not made for profit, but an investment made to own a complete autograph collection of museum proportion that can be cherished for generations to come.

If seriously interested and somewhat fall within the criteria I am hoping to find, please contact me or leave a comment on this post.

Thank you all very much –
Gregsky

THOUGHTS ON HOSSA, JAGR AND MORE

2008-07-07T10:43:00.002-04:00

Okay Pens fans, you have every right to be upset about Marion Hossa’s decision to take less money than the Penguins offered to suit up with the Wings next season. It sure looks like he just wants to bounce around leaping from one contender to another until he guesses right and lands on a championship team. Next year when the Wings get bumped from the 2nd round he’ll be looking elsewhere and we’ll do this all over again. True it would have been nice to see what a full season of the Hossa/Crosby connection would have accomplished, but he’ll do just fine playing with a number of highly skilled players on the Wings roster. His personal stats won’t suffer in Detroit so he will again be a top free agent next year, the bidding war will kick in and insane offers will land in his lap once more. Only next time I don’t see the Pens making an offer to him, as the bad taste from this year will still be in the mouths of the Penguin brass. The Penguins will be just fine in the long run without him as they did the right thing by locking up Malkin, Fleury and keeping the young core intact. Besides, picking up Satan (who can really finish when he plays with talent around him) will most likely bring close to the same production they would have got from Hossa.

If Jaromir Jagr really wanted to keep playing in the NHL he would have signed any one of a number of offers that came his way. True he was looking for a 2 year deal that would keep him collecting coin in the $5 - $6 million per season range, but at this stage in his career that just wasn’t going to happen. If he would have taken a 1year deal worth $2 - $4 million he could have finished his career in the NHL. Obviously, he wanted more in his paycheck and he got what he wanted in Russia. I find it funny that hockey fans feel robbed of “super talent” with Jagr’s move to Russia. When was the last time Jagr and his “super talent” led the league in anything? Realistically there was no way any team was going to pour the kind of money Jagr was looking for in a player whose skill is declining in the twilight of his playing career. Just look at the fact that Jeremy Roenick and Owen Nolan still find a home every year in the NHL. This happens because they know what they are worth and accept what comes their way. Don’t feel bad for Jagr folks, he found the coin he was seeking and we still have the memories of when he was worth that much.

Dan Boyle may have been upset with how things went down in his departure from Tampa Bay, but he will be on a much better team and will at least make the postseason next year. He should be happy that he is no longer with the circus that is the Lightning. Speaking of the circus, I didn’t think another team could match the sideshow atmosphere that the Islanders have displayed in resent years, but the Lightning actually pulled it off. Sure Boyle may be over-shadowed by the likes of Lidstrom, Phaneuf, Pronger, Campbell, etc. in the west, but it should bring out his “A” game and put him in the running for the Norris trophy which would not have a chance of happening if he stayed in Tampa.

Now, is it just me or does it seem like we are starting to see that same separation of teams who can spend money from the ones that can’t that we saw before the lockout? I can’t quite figure this one out because the separation seems to be there but the teams involved have changed a bit. No longer is this separation between big and small market teams. Which leads me to believe that it could be due to a couple of factors. One being that the cap ceiling keeps rising every year to levels we saw before the lockout, most NHL GM’s are flat out insane with how much money they throw around and some teams don’t mind hanging out in the cellar if it will increase their chances of getting in on the “Tavares Sweepstakes” next year. That last reason may be more realistic than any of us want to think possible, but how else do you explain the moves or non-moves made by teams like the Lightning, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Thrashers, Islanders, Sabres, Kings, Canucks and Blues? It’s not like Toronto, New York and Los Angeles are small markets by any stretch of the imagination, so what gives here? I’ll keep scratching my head as I get to the bottom of this, but it looks as though we will see a greater distance of points between playoff and non-playoff teams next season with the best of the worst filling out the last playoff spots. Which bodes well for a bubble team like Boston, as they should have an easier chance at making the postseason next year. All they have to do is focus on the teams ahead of them because there will be no one around them.

FRENZY AFTERMATH

2008-07-02T11:19:00.002-04:00

As the dust begins to settle after the whirlwind that was yesterday’s Free Agent Frenzy, there are still a few big names that went unsigned. Most notably Mats Sundin, Marion Hossa and Jaromir Jagr still haven’t found a home even though the money rumored to be thrown at these guys is enough to make your head spin. Apparently, the notion of Jagr returning to the Penguins was enough to make even him chuckle. Hossa just seems to be waiting for his choice of a few teams to out bid one another for his services. As for Sundin, well, the money offered from the Canucks had to be enough to make him sit up in his chair, but Mats may just be more concerned with protecting his legacy or the desire to win a Cup before he hangs up the skates. Since the Canucks are nowhere near Cup contention, the $20 million for 2 years may just be a flattering offer in Sundin’s eyes. Hey Mats are you nuts?? $20 million will go a long way in easing the pain of never playing for the Cup and you wouldn’t be the first guy who decided to take the money and run. Think about it.

I’m not sure what the hell is going on in Tampa. They seem to be fixated on boosting the offensive side of the roster instead of shoring up one of the weakest defenses in the league. I’m sorry, but Kolzig is not the answer to the problem. Sure he is better than what you had, but he isn’t enough to fix what truly ails you. I guess this is the route to go if you want to lose games 9 – 8, or better yet if you just want to pull a smoke and mirrors trick on your fan base to sell tickets aka “Look at the shiny thing”, or even better still if you just want to tank another season and increase your chances of landing Tavares in next years draft. Anyway you look at it you are left scratching your head at the decision making.

The Bruins found out that they just aren’t comfortable parting with big money for big names. They were rumored to be big players in the weeks leading up to July 1st, but the closer it came the more timid they became when they found out just how much money was being tossed around. Still the only task the B’s had to accomplish was to find a scoring winger to play along side Savard and they found it Michael Ryder. I thought this was a smart and affordable move for the Bruins, as Ryder should regain his form in a better situation than what he had in Montreal. Sure he is no Hossa, but he has the speed to keep up with Savard and a much better nose for the net than anyone else they have on their roster. He should easily become their top goal scorer next season. Picking up a blue-chipper in Blake Wheeler will help them in the future, as he should develop into a top tier winger. Many still find the defense to be suspect, but under the guidance of Julian the B’s backend will suffice for now.

Before I get into any detail on the rest of the league I’m going to wait until the rest of the chips fall into place as there are still some 2nd tier players left on the market that can help quite a few teams. I will continue to update the latest transactions that happen on my Free Agent Tracker post so be sure to check it often to see who ends up where. Enjoy!

FREE AGENT TRACKER - LIVE UPDATES

2008-07-01T08:39:00.198-04:00

The Free Agent Frenzy may have come and gone, but the signings will continue on and we here at ATR have you covered all summer. We will be updating all of the transactions as they happen throughout the summer. Be sure to check back often to see who is staying put, who is on the move and who pissed off whom with an offer sheet. There are still a few big names seeking big money on the list as well as plenty of 2nd and 3rd tier players that can help any team so it is worthy of tracking. Besides, what the hell else is there for a hockey fan to do in the offseason?

*Note* - I will continue to post any Free Agent signings/re-signings/trades with *Live Updates* as they happen here on this post for the entire summer. Make ATR your one stop for every move made this NHL offseason.

*NOTE* - FOLLOW LINK TO VIEW A SPECIAL OFFER FROM GREGSKY http://aroundtherinkwithgregsky.blogspot.com/2008/07/once-in-lifetime-offer-from-gregsky.html

THE LATEST TRANSACTIONS: (UPDATED @ 7:00 am - 9/13/08)

SEPTEMBER 12 TRANSACTIONS:

*TRADE ALERT* - Blackhawks trade forward Robert Lang to Canadiens in exchange for a 2nd round pick in 2010

SEPTEMBER 11 TRANSACTIONS:

Carolina Hurricanes sign forward Eric Staal to a 7 year $57.75 million extention

SEPTEMBER 9 TRANSACTIONS:

Detroit Red Wings sign defenseman Chris Chelios to a 1 year $750k deal

Florida Panthers sign defenseman Keith Ballard to a 6 year $25.2 million deal

SEPTEMBER 4 TRANSACTIONS:

L.A. Kings sign forward Jarret Stoll to a 4 year $14.4 million deal

St. Louis Blues sign defenseman Alex Pietrangelo to a deal

Ottawa Senators forward Brad Isbister to a 1 year two-way deal

Atlanta Thrashers sign defenseman Zach Bogosian to a multi-year deal

SEPTEMBER 3 TRANSACTIONS:

Boston Bruins sign forward Stephane Yelle to a 1 year $750k deal

Detroit Red Wings sign defenseman Chris Chelios to a 1 year deal

SEPTEMBER 2 TRANSACTIONS:

*TRADE ALERT* - Maple Leafs trade Bryan McCabe to Panthers in exchange for Mike Van Ryn

*TRADE ALERT* - Canucks trade Ryan Shannon to Senators in exchange for Lawrence Nycholat

AUGUST 30 TRANSACTIONS:

Tampa Bay Lightning sign defenseman Andrej Meszaros to a 6 year deal

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Maksim Mayorov to a 3 year $1.8 million entry-level deal

AUGUST 29 TRANSACTIONS:

*TRADE ALERT* - Ottawa Senators trade defenseman Andrej Meszaros to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defensemen Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard and a 1st round draft pick

AUGUST 28 TRANSACTIONS:

Los Angeles Kings sign defenseman Colten Teubert to a 3 year entry-level deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Forward Stu Barnes announced his retirement and has signed on with the Stars coaching staff

Chicago Blackhawks sign forward Tim Brent to a 1 year deal

AUGUST 27 TRANSACTIONS:

Los Angeles Kings sign defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov and forward Andrei Loktionov to 3 year entry-level deals

Colorado Avalanche sign forward Joe Sakic to a 1 year $6 million deal
San Jose Sharks sign defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to a 4 year $12.4 million extension

AUGUST 26 TRANSACTIONS:

Nashville Predators sign forward Nick Spaling to a 3 year entry-level deal

AUGUST 25 TRANSACTIONS:

Chicago Blackhawks sign forward Akim Aliu to a 3 year entry-level deal

AUGUST 23 TRANSACTIONS:

Toronto Maple Leafs sign defenseman Josef Boumedienne to a 1 year two-way deal

AUGUST 22 TRANSACTIONS:

*NEWS ALERT* - Devils place defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski on waivers

AUGUST 15 TRANSACTIONS:

Montreal Canadiens sign defenseman Yannik Weber to a 3 year deal

AUGUST 14 TRANSACTIONS:

Ottawa Senators sign forward Zach Smith to an entry-level deal

AUGUST 11 TRANSACTIONS:

Nashville Predators sign goaltender Chet Pickard to an entry-level deal

Ottawa Senators sign defenseman Geoff Waugh to a 1 year two-way deal

Los Angeles Kings sign defenseman Drew Doughty to a 3 year entry-level deal

AUGUST 8 TRANSACTIONS:

Buffalo Sabres re-sign defenseman Teppo Numminen to a 1 year $1.1 million deal

Chicago Blackhawks sign forward Pascal Pelletier to a 1 year deal

Buffalo Sabres sign forward Tyler Bouck

Calgary Flames re-sign forward Cam Cunning

AUGUST 7 TRANSACTIONS:

*NEWS ALERT* - Defenseman Sean Hill has signed a 1 year deal with Swiss club Biel

AUGUST 6 TRANSACTIONS:

Washington Capitals sign forward David Steckel to a 1 year extension
Montreal Canadiens sign defenseman Chad Anderson to a 1 year two-way deal

AUGUST 4 TRANSACTIONS:

Buffalo Sabres sign forwards Colton Fretter and Colin Murphy

San Jose Sharks re-sign forward Ryane Clowe to a 1 year $1.6 million deal

AUGUST 3 TRANSACTIONS:

*NEWS ALERT* - Forward Mike Johnson signs with Germany's Cologne Sharks

JULY 31 TRANSACTIONS:

Nashville Predators sign forward Jerred Smithson to a 2 year extension

Ottawa Senators re-sign forward Antoine Vermette to a 2 year $5.525 million deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Czech team HC Liberec reports that Flyers defenseman Jaroslav Modry has left the NHL and signed a 2 year deal with the team.

JULY 30 TRANSACTIONS:

Carolina Hurricanes sign forward Drayson Bowman to a 3 year $2.06 million entry-level deal

Columbus Blue Jackets re-sign goaltender Pascal Leclaire to a 3 year $11.4 million deal

Detroit Red Wings sign forward Valtteri Filppula to a 5 year $15 million deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Minnesota Wild place forward Mark Parrish on waivers, preparing to buy him out. Parrish still has 3 years remaining on his deal.

JULY 29 TRANSACTIONS:

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Steven Stamkos to a 3 year entry-level deal

JULY 28 TRANSACTIONS:

Florida Panthers re-sign defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to a 1 year $4.875 million deal

Ottawa Senators sign goaltender Jeff Glass to a 1 year two-way deal

JULY 26 TRANSACTIONS:

New York Rangers re-sign forward Fredrik Sjostrom to a 1 year $840k deal

Washington Capitals defenseman Shaone Morrisonn was awarded a 1 year $1.975 million deal through arbitration

Minnesota Wild sign forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard to a 5 year $20.4 million deal

JULY 25 TRANSACTIONS:

Montreal Canadiens sign forward Yanick Lehoux to a 1 year deal

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Mike York to a 1 year deal

Nashville Predators sign forward Rich Peverley to a 2 year deal and signed goaltender Pekka Rinne to a 1 year deal

Colorado Avalanche re-sign forward Marek Svatos to a 2 year deal

New York Islanders sign defenseman Bruno Gervais to a 3 year $2.2225 million deal

JULY 24 TRANSACTIONS:

Buffalo Sabres sign forward Mathieu Darche

*TRADE ALERT* - Boston traded forward Pascal Pelletier to Chicago in exchange for forward Martin St. Pierre

Vancouver Canucks sign forwards Ryan Shannon, Rick Rypien and Mike Brown, defensemen Nathan McIver, Zach Fitzgerald and James Sharrow

JULY 22 TRANSACTIONS:

Anaheim Ducks sign forwards Eric Boguniecki and Josh Green to 1 year deals

Phoenix Coyotes sign forward Daniel Carcillo to a 2 year deal

Boston Bruins re-sign defenseman Dennis Wideman to a 4 year $15.5 million deal

JULY 21 TRANSACTIONS:

*TRADE ALERT* - Dallas trade forward Richard Clune to Kings for forward Lauri Tukonen

New Jersey Devils sign forward Fedor Fedorov

Los Angeles Kings sign defenseman Peter Harrold to a 3 year deal

Chicago Blackhawks sign goaltender Corey Crawford

Philadelphia Flyers sign forward Joffrey Lupul to 4 year extension

Detroit Red Wings sign defenseman Jonathan Ericsson to a 3 year deal

Detroit Red Wings sign goaltender Jimmy Howard to a 3 year deal

New York Rangers sign forward Greg Moore

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Jeff Taffe to a 1 year deal

JULY 20 TRANSACTIONS:

Calgary Flames sign forward Andre Roy to a 1 year deal

JULY 19 TRANSACTIONS:

Minnesota Wild re-sign forward Stephane Veilleux to a 1 year $737,500 deal with a signing bonus of $125k

Phoenix Coyotes sign forward Garth Murray to a 1 year deal

New York Islanders sign forward Frans Nielsen to a 4 year $2.1 million deal

JULY 18 TRANSACTIONS:

Phoenix Coyotes sign forward Garth Murray to a 1 year deal

Buffalo Sabres re-sign goaltender Ryan Miller to a 5 year $31.25 million extention

Edmonton Oilers sign goaltender Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers to a 2 year deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Forward curtis Brown has signed a 2 year deal with Kolten Flyers of the Swiss NLA league

Atlanta Thrashers sign forward Angelo Esposito to a multi-year deal

JULY 17 TRANSACTIONS:

Calgary Flames sign defenseman Adam Pardy

*TRADE ALERT* - Pittsburgh Penguins trade the rights to Tim Brent to Chicago for the rights to Danny Richmond

San Jose Sharks sign defensemen Matt Kinch and Brett Westgarth to 1 year deals

Montreal Canadiens sign forward Max Pacioretty to a 3 year entry-level deal

Atlanta Thrashers sign forward Brett Sterling to a multi-year deal

Atlanta Thrashers sign forward Marty Reasoner

St. Louis Blues sign defenseman Andy Wozniewski

JULY 16 TRANSACTIONS:

Calgary Flames sign forward Jamie Lundmark

Edmonton Oilers re-sign forward Shawn Horcoff to a 6 year $33 million extension

Atlanta Thrashers re-sign goaltender Kari Lehtonen

Minnesota Wild sign forward Peter Olvecky and defenseman Clayton Stoner to 1 year deals

Los Angeles Kings re-sign forward Gabe Gauthier to a two year deal and sign goaltender Erik Ersberg, forward Matt Moulson and defenseman Joe Piskula to 1 year deals

Montreal Canadiens sign defenseman Ryan O'Byrne to a 3 year deal, defenseman Sean Belle to a 1 year two-way deal and forward Mike Glumac to a 1 year two-way deal

New York Rangers sign forward Nigel Dawes to a 1 year $587,500 deal

Buffalo Sabres sign forward Daniel Paille to a 2 year $2.25 million deal

New York Islanders sign forward Sean Bergenheim to a 2 year $1.725 million deal

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Steve Kelly to a 1 year two-way deal

Columbus Blue Jackets re-sign defenseman Marc Methot to a 1 year $522,500 deal

Columbus Blue Jackets re-sign forward Alexandre Picard to a 1 year $787,500 deal

St. Louis Blues sign forward Brad Winchester to a 1 year $600,000 deal

New York Islanders sign forward Jeff Tambellini to a 2 year $1.175 million deal

Nashville Predators sign defenseman Kevin Klein to a 2 year $1.3 million deal

JULY 15 TRANSACTIONS:

*NEWS ALERT* - Defenseman Joe DiPenta has signed with Frolunda of the Sweedish Elite League

Anaheim Ducks sign forward Logan MacMillan to a 3 year entry-level deal

New York Rangers agree to terms with forward Dan Fritsche

*NEWS ALERT* - Forward Dallas Drake announced his retirement after 16 seasons

*TRADE ALERT* - Columbus traded forward Joakim Lindstrom to Ducks for conditional pick

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Bill Thomas to a 1 year deal

Pittsburgh Penguins re-sign forwards Kris Beech and Ryan Stone to 1 year deals

Edmonton Oilers re-sign forward Zach Stortini to a 1 year deal

Edmonton Oilers re-sign forward Carl Corazzini to a 1 year deal

Chicago Blackhawks sign forward Colin Fraser to a 1 year deal

Chicago Blackhawks sign defenseman Aaron Johnson to a 1 year deal

Chicago Blackhawks sign defenseman Doug Janik to a 1 year deal

Colorado Avalanche sign forward Brian Willsie to a 1 year deal

Colorado Avalanche sign forward Cody McCormick to a 1 year deal

St. Louis Blues sign forwards Steve Regier and Cam Paddock

JULY 14 TRANSACTIONS:

*NEWS ALERT* - Forward Patrick Thoresen signs a 1 year deal with Lugano of the Swiss League

Tampa Bay Lightning sign goaltender Mike Smith to a 2 year extension

Colorado Avalanche sign forwards Philippe Dupuis and Nathan Smith, defensemen Darcy Campbell and Aaron MacKenzie and goaltenders Jason Bacashihua and Tyler Weiman

Colorado Avalanche re-sign forward Cody McLeod to a 1 year deal

*TRADE ALERT* - Rangers trade forward Ryan Hollweg to Maple Leafs for a 5th round pick

Carolina Hurricanes sign forwards Patrick Dwyer and Joe Jensen, defenseman Mark Flood to 1 year deals

St. Louis Blues sign forward Matt Foy

St. Louis Blues re-sign forward Jay McClement to a 1 year deal

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Craig MacDonald to a 1 year deal

Columbus Blue Jackets re-sign forward Derek Mackenzie to a two year deal

Vancouver Canucks sign forward Jason Krog to a 1 year deal

JULY 13 TRANSACTIONS:

Atlanta Thrashers sign forward Jason Williams to a 1 year $2.2 million deal

Tampa Bay Lightning re-sign forward Vincent Lecavalier to an 11 year deal worth $85 million

JULY 11 TRANSACTIONS:

Ottawa Senators sign defenseman Brendan Bell to a 1 year two-way deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Forward Sergei Brylin has signed with SKA St. Petersberg of the KHL

*TRADE ALERT* - Minnesota Wild trade defenseman Shawn Belle to Montreal for forward Corey Locke

Washington Capitals sign forward Boyd Gordon to a 1 year deal

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Chris Gratton to a 1 year deal

*NEWS ALERT* - According to Russian reports, Nashville forward Alexander Radulov has signed a 3 year deal with Russian team Ufa. Radulov is currently under a vaild contract with the Predators.

JULY 10 TRANSACTIONS:

St. Louis Blues sign defenseman Mike Weaver to a 1 year $700k deal

Anaheim Ducks sign defenseman Steve Montador to a 1 year $800k deal

San Jose Sharks re-sign forward Marcel Goc to a 1 year $775k deal

Washington Capitals re-sign forward Eric Fehr to a 1 year deal

Edmonton Oilers sign forward Jason Strudwick to a 1 year $650k deal

New Jersey Devils sign goaltender Scott Clemmensen to a 1 year deal

Vancouver Canucks sign forward Pavol Demitra to a 2 year $8 million deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Martin Straka signs a 1 year deal with HC Lasselsberger Plzen of the Czech league

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Nikita Filatov to a 3 year entry-level deal

JULY 9 TRANSACTIONS:

Atlanta Thrashers sign forwards Junior Lassard, Grant Stevenson and Mike Hoffman

Montreal Canadiens re-sign defenseman Josh Gorges to a 3 year $3.3 million deal

Edmonton Oilers sign forwards Marc Pouliot and Jean-Francois Jacques to 2 year deals

Carolina Hurricanes re-sign forward Chad LaRose to a 1 year $875k deal

Nashville Predators sign forward Josh Gratton to a 1 year two-way deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Goaltender Ray Emery has signed a 1 year $2 million deal plus bonuses with Atlant Mytishchi of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League

Washington Capitals re-sign forward Brooks Laich to a 3 year deal

Washington Capitals re-sign forward Sergei Fedorov to a 1 year $4 million deal

JULY 8 TRANSACTIONS:

San Jose Sharks re-sign defenseman Christian Ehrhoff to a 3 year $9.3 million deal

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Micheal Peca to a 1 year $1.315 million deal

*OFFER SHEET UPDATE* - Vancouver Canucks match St. Louis Blues offer sheet for forward Steve Bernier and sign him to a 1 year $2.5 million deal

Atlanta Thrashers sign forward Eric Boulton to a 2 year deal

Edmonton Oilers sign forward Marc-Antoine Pouliot to a 2 year deal

New York Islanders sign defenseman Brendan Witt to a 2 year extension worth $6 million

*OFFER SHEET ALERT* - St. Louis Blues sign forward Steve Bernier to a 1 year $2.5 million offer sheet - Canucks have 7 days to match

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Brandon Bochenski to a 2 year deal

Ottawa Senators sign defenseman Jason Smith to a 2 year deal

Montreal Canadiens sign goaltender Jarolslav Halak to a 2 year $1.55 million deal

New York Rangers sign defenseman Paul Mara to a 1 year $1.95 million deal

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Evgeny Artyukhin to a 2 year, $1.9 million deal

Anaheim Ducks sign forward Brendan Morrison to a 1 year $2.75 million deal

JULY 7 TRANSACTIONS:

Tampa Bay Lightning sign defenseman Andrew Hutchinson

Ottawa Senators sign forward Greg Mauldin to a 1 year two-way deal

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Mark Recchi to a 1 year $1.25 million deal

Anaheim Ducks sign goaltender David LeNeveu to a 1 year deal

Montreal Canadiens sign forward Ryan Flinn to a 1 year two-way deal
Minnesota Wild sign defenseman Tomas Mojzis to a multi-year deal

Philadelphia Flyers sign forward Arron Asham to a multi-year deal

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Ben Lovejoy to a 1 year entry-level deal

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Janne Pesonen to a 1 year deal

Chicago Blackhawks sign defenseman Matt Walker to a one-year deal
Calgary Flames sign forward Todd Bertuzzi to a 1 year $1.95 million deal

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward R.J. Umberger to a 4 year $15 million deal

Toronto Maple Leafs sign forward Matt Stajan to a 2 year $3.5 million deal

Carolina Hurricanes re-sign defenseman Dennis Seidenberg to a 1 year deal worth $1.2 million

JULY 6 TRANSACTIONS:

Minnesota Wild sign forward Owen Nolan to a 2 year deal worth $2.75 million per season

Minnesota Wild sign forward Jesse Schultz to a 1 year deal

JULY 5 TRANSACTIONS:

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Matt Cooke to a 2 year deal

JULY 4 TRANSACTIONS:

Vancouver Canucks sign forward Mark Cullen

New York Rangers re-sign defenseman Paul Mara to a 1 year deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Jaromir Jagr has signed a 2 year deal with Avangard Omsk of the Russian CHL

*TRADE ALERT* - San Jose Sharks trade defenseman Craig Rivet and a 7th round pick in 2010 to Buffalo in exchange for 2nd round picks in 2009 and 2010

*TRADE ALERT* - Tampa Bay Lightning trade defensemen Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich to the Sharks in exchange for defenseman Matt Carle and Ty Wishart, a 1st round pick in 2009 and a 4th round pick in 2010

*TRADE ALERT* - Buffalo Sabres trade forward Steve Bernier to Cunucks in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick in 2010 and a 3rd round in 2009

JULY 3 TRANSACTIONS:

Carolina Hurricanes sign forward Dwight Helminen to a 1 year deal

Phoenix Coyotes sign forward Brian McGrattan to a 1 year deal

Phoenix Coyotes sign defenseman Matt Jones to a 2 year deal

Phoenix Coyotes sign forward Derek Nesbitt and defenseman Drew Fata

Minnesota Wild sign forward Antti Miettinen to a 3 year deal

Florida Panthers sign defenseman James DeLory to a 3 year entry-level deal

Florida panthers sign defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick, goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu and forward Steve MacIntyre to 2 year deals

St. Louis Blues re-sign forward Yan Stastny to a 2 year deal

New York Islanders sign forwards Mike Iggulden, Kurtis McLean, Mitch Fritz, defensemen Brett Skinner, Chris Lee and goaltender Peter Mannino to 1 year deals

Montreal Canadiens sign goaltender Marc Denis to a 1 year two-way deal

Montreal Canadiens sign goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to a 2 year deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Rangers GM Glen Sather says the pick up of Naslund means Jaromir Jagr won't be back with the club next season

San Jose Sharks sign defenseman Rob Blake to a 1 year $5 million deal

*NEWS ALERT* - Tampa Bay Lightning have asked defenseman Dan Boyle to waive his No Trade Clause - no destionation reported - STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS

New York Rangers sign defenseman Dmitri Kalinin to a 1 year deal

New York Rangers sign forward Markus Naslund 2 year $8 million deal

Colorado Avalanche sign forward Chris Durno

Colorado Avalanche sign defenseman Daniel Tjarnqvist to a 1 year deal

Montreal Canadiens sign forward Georges Laraque to a 3 year $4.5 million deal

Pittsburgh Penguins re-sign Marc-Andre Fleury to a 7 year $35 million extension

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Wyatt Smith to a 1 year two-way deal

Tampa Bay Lightning sign defenseman Scott Jackson to a 3 year deal

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Ruslan Fedotenko to a 1 year $2.5 million deal

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Miroslav Satan to a 1 year $3.5 million deal

Phoenix Coyotes signed defenseman David Hale to a two-year deal

Dallas Stars sign forward Francis Wathier, defenseman Maxime Fortunus and defenseman Garrett Stafford each to two-year, two-way deals through 2009-10

Dallas Stars sign forward Landon Wilson to a one-year, two-way deal for 2008-09

Montreal Canadiens sign defenseman Alex Henry

Toronto Maple Leafs sign Dominic Moore to a 1 year deal, John Mitchell to a 1 year deal and Greg Scott to a 3 year entry-level deal

*TRADE ALERT* - Maple Leafs acquired forward Mikhail Grabovski from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the rights to defenseman Greg Pateryn and a second-round draft pick in 2010

Washington Capitals sign forward Keith Aucoin to a two-year deal

JULY 2nd TRANSACTIONS:

Anaheim Ducks sign defenseman Stu Bickel to a 3 year entry-level deal

Columbus Blue Jackets sign forward Kristian Huselius to a 4 year $4.75 million deal

Vancouver Canucks sign defenseman Nolan Baumgartner to a 1 year two-way deal and forward Alexandre Bolduc

*TRADE ALERT* - The Rangers trade defenseman Fedor Tyutin and defenseman Christian Backman to Columbus in exchange for forwards Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche

Pittsburgh Penguins re-sign Evgeni Malkin to a 5 year extention that mirrors Crosby's $8.7 million deal

New York Islanders sign forward Doug Weight to a 1 year deal worth $1.75 million

Philadelphia Flyers re-sign defenseman Randy Jones to a 2 year deal and forward Riley Cote to a 3 year deal

Dallas Stars sign forward B.J. Crombeen to a 1 year deal

Colorado Avalanche re-sign forward Wojtek Wolski to a 2 year deal

Pittsburgh Penguins sign defenseman Brooks Orpik to a 6 year $22.5 million deal

Minnesota Wild re-sign defenseman Kurtis Foster

Atlanta Thrashers sign defenseman Ron Hainsey to a 5 year $22.5 million deal

Ottawa Senators sign forward Jarkko Ruutu to a 3 year $3.9 million deal

Ottawa Senators sign forward Shean Donovan to a two-year deal

Washington Capitals sign forward Graham Mink and defenseman Tyler Sloan

Boston Bruins sign forward Petteri Nokelainen

Dallas Stars sign forward Sean Avery to a 4 year $15.5 million deal

Calgary Flames sign defenseman Jim Vandermeer and forward Curtis Glencross

Vancouver Canucks sign UFA goaltender Curtis Sanford to a 1 year deal worth $650,000

Detroit Red Wings sign forward Marian Hossa to a 1 year deal worth $7.4 million

Vancouver Canucks sign forward Ryan Johnson to a 2 year $2.3 million deal

Carolina Hurricanes sign defenseman Joni Pitkanen to a three-year contract worth $12 million

Carolina Hurricanes sign defenseman Josef Melichar to a one-year contract worth $1 million

Tampa Bay Lightning re-sign defenseman Janne Niskala, to a one-year deal

Tampa Bay Lightning re-sign forward Ryan Craig to a two-year deal

JULY 1st TRANSACTIONS:

Calgary Flames sign defenseman Mark Giordano

Vancouver Canucks sign forward Ryan Johnson to a 2 year $2.4 million deal

Boston Bruins sign Michael Ryder to a 3 year deal worth $4 million per season

New York Rangers re-signed goaltender Steve Valiquette

*OFFER SHEET UPDATE* St. Louis match offer sheet by Canucks for David Backes

New York Islanders sign defenseman Mark Streit to a five-year contract worth $20.5 million

Minnesota Wild sign forward Craig Weller to a two-year contract worth $600,000 a season

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward David Koci to a one-year, two-way deal worth $525,000 in the NHL, $100,000 in the minors

New York Rangers sign defenseman Wade Redden to a six-year contract worth $39 million

New Jersey Devils sign forward Bobby Holik to a one-year contract worth $2.5 million

Toronto Maple Leafs sign forward Niklas Hagman to a four-year contract worth $12 million

New York Rangers re-sign defenseman Michael Rozsival to a four-year deal worth $20 million

Vancouver Canucks sign forward Darcy Hordichuk to a two-year deal
Philadelphia Flyers sign forward Nate Raduns to a one-year deal

Philadelphia Flyers sign forward Glen Metropolit to a two-year deal

New Jersey Devils sign forward Brian Rolston to a four year deal worth $20.25-million

New York Rangers sign forward Patrick Rissmiller to an undisclosed deal

Philadelphia Flyers sign defenseman Ossi Vaananen to a one year deal worth $1-million

Columbus Blue Jackets sign defenseman Mike Commodore to a 5 year deal worth $18.75-million

Chicago Blackhawks sign defenceman Brian Campbell to an 8 year deal worth $56.8-million

Buffalo Sabres sign goaltender Patrick Lalime to a 2 year deal worth $2 million

Ottawa Senators sign goaltender Alex Auld to a 2 year deal worth $1-million

Colorado Avalanche sign forward Darcy Tucker to a 2 year deal worth $4.5-million

*OFFER SHEET ALERT* - Canucks sign center David Backes to a three-year $7.5 million offer sheet. The Blues have 7 days to match.

Chicago Blackhawks sign goaltender Cristobal Huet to a 4 year $5.6 million deal

Florida Panthers sign forward Cory Stillman to a 3 year deal worth $10.6-million

New York Rangers sign forward Aaron Voros

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Eric Godard

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Adam Hall to a 3 year deal worth $1.8-million

Toronto Maple Leafs sign defenseman Jeff Finger to a 4 year deal worth $3.5-million per season

Phoenix Coyotes sign forward Todd Fedoruk to a 3 year deal

Detroit Red Wings sign goaltender Ty Conklin to a 1 year deal worth $750,000

Montreal Canadiens re-sign forward Andrei Kostitsyn to a 3 year deal worth $3.25-million per season

Colorado Avalanche sign goaltender Andrew Raycroft to a 1 year deal
Washington Capitals sign goaltender Jose Theodore to a two-year contract

Phoenix Coyotes sign defenseman Kurt Sauer to a 4 year deal

Carolina Hurricanes sign defenseman Tim Conboy to a 2 year $1.95 million deal and re-signed Ryan Bayda and Wade Brookbank to 1 year deals worth $475k

*TRADE ALERT* - Flyers send defenseman Denis Gauthier and a 2nd round pick to the Kings for prospects, defenceman Patrik Hersley and left wing Ned Lukacevic

Pittsburgh Penguins re-sign defenseman Mark Eaton to a 2 year deal worth $2-million

Vancouver Canucks sign forward Kyle Wellwood to a 1 year deal worth $997,500

Minnesota Wild sign forward Andrew Brunette to a 3 year $7 million deal

*TRADE ALERT* - Wild trade prospect Ryan Jones and draft pick to Nasville for defenseman Marek Zidlicky

Tampa Bay Lightning sign goaltender Olaf Kolzig to a bonus laiden 1 year deal worth $1.5-million

Toronto Maple Leafs sign goaltender Curtis Joseph to a 1 year $700k deal

Boston Bruins sign forward Blake Wheeler to an entry level contract

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Radim Vrbata to a 3 year $9 million deal

Minnesota Wild sign goaltender Barry Brust to a two-year, two-way deal worth $1.1 million total

Carolina Hurricanes sign defenseman Anton Babchuk to a 1 year $1 million deal

Nashville Predators sign goaltender Drew MacIntyre to a 1 year two-way deal

*TRADE ALERT* - Blackhawks trade forward Rene Bourque to Flames for future draft pick

*TRADE ALERT* - Oilers defenseman Joni Pitkanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for winger Erik Cole

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Pascal Dupuis to a three-year deal which will average $1.4-million per year

Anaheim Ducks re-sign forward Corey Perry to a five-year deal worth $26.625-million which will average $5.325-million a year

Detroit Red Wings re-sign defenseman Brad Stuart to a 4 year $3.75 million deal

New Jersey Devils re-sign forward David Calrkson

New Jersey Devils re-sign forwards Jay Pandolfo and Barry Tallackson - Declines option on forward Sergei Brylin

*TRADE ALERT* - Oilers trade Raffi Torres to Blue Jackets for Gilbert Brule

New Jersey Devils re-sign defenseman Bryce Salvador to a four-year deal worth $11.6 million

Washington Capitals re-sign defenseman Mike Green to a four-year deal worth $5.25-million a season

JUNE 30 TRANSACTIONS:

Detroit Red Wings re-sign defenseman Andreas Lilja to a two-year contract

Buffalo Sabres re-sign forward Paul Gaustad to a four-year, $9.2 million contract

San Jose Sharks re-sign forward Jody Shelley to a two-year contract

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Vaclav Prospal to a multi-year contract

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Gary Roberts to a one-year contract

Colorado Avalanche sign defenseman John-Michael Liles to four-year, $16 million contract

Colorado Avalanche sign defenseman Adam Foote to an undisclosed contract

Tampa Bay Lightning sign forward Ryan Malone to seven-year, $31.5 million contract

Calgary Flames re-sign forward Daymond Langkow to an undisclosed contract

Calgary Flames re-sign forward Craig Conroy to an undisclosed contract

Calgary Flames re-sign forward Eric Nystrom to an undisclosed contract

Calgary Flames re-sign goaltender Curtis McElhinney to an undisclosed contract

San Jose Sharks re-sign forward Jeremy Roenick to an undisclosed contract

San Jose Sharks re-sign goaltender Brian Boucher to an undisclosed contract

Ottawa Senators re-sign forward Chris Kelly to a four-year, $8.5 million contract.

Nashville Predators re-sign goaltender Dan Ellis to a two-year, $3.5 million contract

HAVE NO FEAR - MELROSE IS HERE!

2008-06-24T10:43:00.004-04:00

Please forgive me if I'm not getting that same warm and fuzzy feeling about this decision by the Tampa brass that some people are. If you are lucky enough to be too young to remember Barry's playing days, this move may have you saying "Wicked cool man, the Bolts just got that ESPN guy with the mullet to coach!" If you are like me and sat through many a game where Barry pretended to play defense, "wicked cool" most likely isn't your choice of words to express your opinion of the move. Unfortunately I just happened to have lived in L.A. when he was coaching the Kings, so I've had more than my fair share of Melrose exposure. I do wish the Bolts all the luck in the world going forward if this is what they think will work for them. At least the star players will be pampered, after all that's what makes a great hockey team right? Pampered superstars and a coach who loves the attention of the media should at least make for some "wicked cool" billboards. Whatever sells tickets, I guess. Go Bolts! Melrose Rocks!

DRAFT AFTERMATH

2008-06-23T11:34:00.003-04:00

Well this was supposed to be a wacky post handing out grades for the Draft, but after some thought about the experience that was the 2008 Entry Draft I was left with a feeling that it just wasn’t that eventful to warrant such a post. Not quite a yawn-fest mind you, but a bit on the lackluster side. Instead of an off the wall post I’ll give you my take on some key moves/picks that took place.

When the hell did the Coyotes learn how to draft? There are just some things in life that you can count on –

1. The sun rising

2. A rainstorm just after you washed the car

3. That annoying guy at work that thinks he’s your pal will try to make small talk with you on subjects he knows absolutely nothing about

4. The Yotes will draft the worst possible players available in any given draft

Well we can now scratch #4 off the list because the Coyotes have drafted well in consecutive drafts and this one has got to be their best ever. They used their 1st round picks wisely by adding a future scorer in Boedker and a possible menace on ice in Tikhonov (if he plays with the same emotion he displayed for Russia in the World Juniors). Going with some big boys with the next 3 picks in Staal, Stone and Brodeur shows a commitment to getting tougher to play against in the near future. They were able to shed deadweight and cap chokers in Boynton and Ballard while acquiring a gem in Jokinen to give them (as well as Jokinen) a serious chance at the playoffs next season. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the question. When did the Coyotes learn how to draft? When they added Greg Malone to their scouting staff.

Another team that must be grinning from ear to ear is the Blue Jackets. They landed Umberger (played college hockey for Ohio State), selected what may be the most dynamic player in the draft in Filatov and loaded up with big defensemen with big potential in the future. The Jackets are hoping that this Russian turns out to be more like Ovechkin than Zherdev. No, the Jackets didn’t exactly hit it out of the park on draft day, but GM Scott Howson must be pleased with how well they did with the picks they had.

The Bruins rolled the dice with their selections, banking more on character type players than actual skill level. They went center happy hoping that one or two will pan out (centers taken in past rounds have been less than stellar). Only time will tell if the gamble will pay off. Perhaps the biggest gamble was trading up to pick Arniel. He must have interviewed well and there must be more to the story with this guy or at least another side to the story. That’s not to take away from another gamble they took with their first pick in Joe Colborne. With a ton of high ranking talent left on the board with the 16th overall pick the B’s raised a few eyebrows when they selected Colborne. Mostly due to the fact that he played in the AJHL against what most see as inferior competition. However, the Bruins see more in this guy and most likely hope that his time at the University of Denver will go a long way for his development at a higher level. Now if the hush-hush news about Wheeler comes to bear fruit and they are able to land Hossa, the gambles on draft day won’t look as bad if they don’t pan out.

The Lightning may have gotten the best overall player in the draft in Stamkos, but did little after that to address their need to add depth to their future backend. We all knew that they would get the leftovers when it came to defensemen and goaltenders, but instead of taking the best available with the 62nd overall pick the Bolts (in all of their infinite wisdom) traded down to take another forward with the 117th pick. They finally took a goaltender with the 122nd pick and chose Tokarski who ranked 9th in North American goaltenders. They didn’t pick a defensemen until the 6th round where they took two. So much for playing it smart and shoring up the weak areas in your system. They did however get the green light from the new ownership to be aggressive in the free agent market this year. The only trouble with that is they also set a cap limit of $44 million, when they already have $35 million committed to payroll next season. I’m sorry, Bolts fans, but $9 million isn’t enough to be aggressive and fill the holes on that roster.

PRE-DRAFT RAMBLINGS

2008-06-17T11:21:00.002-04:00

The 2008 Entry Draft is fast approaching and everyone already knows that the Bolts plan on taking Steven Stamkos with their #1 pick. Stamkos (a 6’-3” 185 lbs. center out of Scarborough, ON.) isn’t something you pass up on even if he won’t necessarily address your needs. Some think that with this draft being heavy with defensemen and goalies that the Bolts in particular should start building up their back end, but keep in mind that in this draft they can accomplish that in later rounds. That is why they jumped right away and announced their intention on picking Stamkos. There will be no surprises on who goes 1st overall on Friday.

This year on draft day I think I will be most interested in what trades go down more so than who picks who. I just have this feeling that there will be a plethora of movement amongst teams trying to shed payroll and gather more picks for either this draft or ones in the near future. This will most likely be a last ditch effort for teams to trade away players before buying them out or losing them to free agency come July 1st. Hey sometimes a future draft pick and a bag of pucks is better than taking a cap hit on a buyout or getting nothing in return. Ahh yes, I can see it now, sort of like a clearance sale or better yet like a concession vendor; “Emery…Emery here…get ‘yer ice cold Emery here…” or “Only one Murray left…last chance for a Murray here…buy one Murray and get a Fernandez free…and by free I mean we’ll be free of him…get ‘yer Murray here…”

I think we will see a lot of defensemen taken in the first couple of rounds this year, as they seem to dominate the landscape. There will be a fair share of goaltenders taken as well and the Bolts will get their chance at a number of them and d-men to boot. By taking Stamkos with their first pick they will get the leftovers when it comes to the back end but in this draft the leftovers will be solid as well. In Stamkos they will however get the future replacement for Vinnie, this time I am hoping they will seriously consider how much they should pay a young super-talent.

Settle in on Friday and watch your teams select the future and attempt to move payroll and enjoy it hockey fans, it will be the last bit of excitement until July 1st. I will hand out my report card on how everyone did after the draft ends, most likely in a wacky format so until then keep your head up and enjoy!

THANK YOU

2008-06-09T09:22:00.003-04:00

Now that the season has ended things here at Around The Rink will start to slow down to its off-season pace of around once a week. At this time I want to shout out a big Thank You to Miser for his great work and contributions to this site this year and look forward to working with him next season. I also want to thank everyone who checked out our blog over the past year and especially those who kept coming back. You are the reason we do this on top of our normal everyday life schedules, without you we are just talking hockey to ourselves. I do encourage everyone to respond to what they read by adding comments to the posts (not enough of you do this, you know who you are) we would love to hear what you have to say and carry on discussions about the topics. So don’t be shy (Lord knows I’m not) and let us know what you think about the game we all love.

This past season we had over 3800 new and unique visitors from 13 different countries stop by Around The Rink to expose themselves to the madness. Over 1200 of which came back for more, time and time again, adding to our growing number of regular visitors to the site. Thanks to that we have a steady growth rate and look forward to increasing that rate next year. With that in mind, Around The Rink will undergo a face-lift this summer in an attempt to make the site more visually pleasing to our readers as well as easier to manage.

Even though the season has come and gone, don’t forget to stop by Around The Rink from time to time over the summer, as the posts tend to get a little wilder, funnier and even more experimental. I’m sure to have a few things to say about the Draft, Free Agency, Offer Sheets, Salary Cap and the like. Things may be getting slower, but the madness here at Around The Rink never stops. Thank you all for making Around The Rink a part of your day, as you all make our day every day. Enjoy your summer one and all!

FINAL THOUGHTS

2008-06-06T08:14:00.001-04:00

Now that the season has ended, I wanted to take a moment to put down some final thoughts. I must warn you though, the coffee is strong this morning and I’m awake way too early so things may get a bit wacky. Buckle up Spanky it could be a bumpy ride.

A tip of the hat to Dallas Drake and Gary Roberts – thanks for the memories boys you have exemplified what it means to be a heart and soul kind of player – no regrets you have been champions your whole careers.

I hope Sean Avery takes the off-season to work on how to just play the game and put all of his bullshit antics on the shelf once and for all.

Hey Alex – are you still seeing that play in your nightmares? Maybe next time you’ll shoot the damn puck!

I don’t want to hear any more about how Euro’s are soft. Got it? Okay, let’s move on.

I don’t want to hear any more questions of Sidney Crosby’s heart and leadership skills – I think he proved enough this year to put an end to the speculation he can’t handle the load, he was truly special this post-season.

Why would Marion Hossa want to go anywhere else? Sometimes it’s not all about the money. Besides, Mario has a ton of it.

I hope the brothers Staal can keep from making the news with any drunken escapades this off-season.

I’ve never watched Tiger Woods do his thing and now I’m damn sure I never will – and watching that gay-assed Gillette commercial featuring the three gayest guys in all of sports doesn’t count – unless that’s his thing in which case I’ve seen it and I must say I’m not impressed. I hope Tiger Woods will remember – hockey fans don’t need him around anyhow.

If the new ownership of the Lightning actually thinks Barry Melrose is the answer – I will have to question every other move they make. I fear for you Bolts fans.

The only thing Malkin needs to work on this summer is his stamina. I hated watching him run out of gas right when he was needed most.

Someone please give Chris Osgood a bit of credit for stepping up when Hasek fell flat – he’s a hard working goalie who never seems to get any credit for being a number one net-minder. I think a couple of Cups speaks volumes.

Okay Bruins – you have a tough little team going – now will you please get a goal scorer to play alongside Savard. Murray just can’t bring it anymore and P.J. can’t hit the net.

GREGSKY'S FINALS WRAP UP

2008-06-05T10:31:00.001-04:00

Well, what started out looking like a dud actually had some pop to it. Granted it didn’t fully live up to the hype, but you have to admit that it came close. At the very least it was one of the more entertaining series in recent history thanks in large part to the triple overtime Game 5. The result was what I expected to see and only now I am able to feel good about picking the Wings to win. I have to admit that I was hoping the Pens would push it to seven just for dramatic effect if not to extend the season just one more game. I hate it when the season ends because I instantly start thinking about next season and now I have to wait. I hate waiting. One thing I do like is that I was able to reach my goal this year of toping my picks record from the previous year. Going 11 – 4 had to have kicked the every living shit out of that stupid freakin’ monkey, which puts a “Grinch-like” smile across my face. I hate that stupid freakin’ monkey.

Anyway, enough about that, what I want to talk about is what I consider to be the defining moment in the series. You remember, when Henrik Zetterberg was able to get a last second stick check on a wide-open Crosby at the goalmouth. If Crosby would have scored there it could have put this series on its ear. And that my friends, is why Zetterberg without a doubt deserved to win the Conn Smythe. It’s funny sometimes how this game boils down to simple plays, but that is the very reason why we teach our kids to focus on making the smart and simple plays because it may just turn out to be the difference between winning and losing. I know, in this age of “tree-hugging” we try to teach our kids that winning isn’t everything, and it’s true winning isn’t everything, but every kid will tell you that losing sucks. When it comes to winning the Stanley Cup all of that “tree-hugging” crap goes out the window. It’s all about winning and doing everything it takes to earn the right to call yourself a champion. It is the hardest trophy to win in all of sports because you have to earn it. The Cup doesn’t care if you are hurt and playing through injuries. It doesn’t care if you are a superstar or a 4th liner. The Cup will turn a deaf ear to your complaints of being tired and bruised. No, the Stanley Cup only recognizes those of strong will and determination. Those who have the heart to go the distance are the only ones who can raise the Cup over their heads and let out a primal scream. Those few are the only ones who get their names etched on this glorious trophy. This year that right belongs to the Red Wings.

Just to show you that I’m not totally against the “tree-hugger” mentality, I will give props to the Penguins for a hard fought battle. They fought hard, even when getting severely out played, and showed the never give up attitude right to the bitter end. Pens fans shouldn’t feel bad for their team in any way, shape or form; this is just the beginning for this club. Even the great Oilers of the 80’s had to lose their first chance at the Cup. This year was nothing more than a stepping-stone and a learning process that will guide them to the Promised Land in the near future.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - STANLEY CUP FINALS

2008-05-22T10:19:00.001-04:00

Well folks this is it. It’s down to the finals and I’m down to my last pick. As of now I’m sitting at 10 – 4 and need a win to reach my goal of besting my record from last year. If I end up blowing this now I think I will still be satisfied due to a few factors. One being that a tie at least shows consistency (besides, 10 – 5 really isn’t that bad) another is at least I will have been treated to what should be a whale of a series and finally I was able to get to this point without having to pull any tricks out of my bag to do battle against my primate nemesis Maggie. You don’t know what a relief it is not to have to throw your poop at a spinning wheel just to beat a stupid freakin’ monkey! On the other hand maybe you do. I really shouldn’t judge. Anyway, that’s certainly a discussion for another time right now the finals pick is all that matters and I can’t for the life of me decide a winner in this battle and feel good about it.

DETROIT VS. PITTSBURGH
In my opinion, the two best teams in the league will face off in this beauty of a cup final. There is no David versus Goliath in this one, only two Goliath’s going head to head. Each team posses enough weapons to do the other in and this factor should even things out between them. The biggest question is which team has the most heart and enough gas left in the tank to get the job done? Who will be the one to reach down deeper and find that extra gear that no one else has? As they say, the cream will always rise to the top, only in this series it’s a crapshoot on which superstar will pull it off. Will it be Datsuyk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Franzen or Osgood? Will it be Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Staal or Fleury? My bet is that each of them will play a factor, but only one of them will be MVP and it won’t be an easy choice to make. No matter how this series ends not since the ’82 – ’83 finals have we had the pleasure of witnessing so much talent at one time fight for the prize and that alone makes this a dream series. The NHL hierarchy must be completely giddy with joy over this, although through strict laws they are not allowed to show any emotion, but on the inside you know they are all pissing themselves. Can you say “Cha-ching”? This match-up has me torn right down the middle as far as picking a winner. My heart says pick the Pens, it is the romantic choice, the kids done good story, the let’s bring a Championship to a city that almost lost their team pick. My head says pick the Wings, it is the money bet, the smart and logical choice, the let’s bring a Championship to a city that desperately needs some sort of good happening pick. Do I go with my head or with my heart? I’ve always been told to follow my heart but not to lose my head in the process, so you can see why I’m having trouble making this pick and have been staring a blinking cursor on this page for quite some time not wanting to make this pick. I know as soon as I do I won’t feel good about it so I guess I better just do it and get it over with. DETROIT IN SEVEN (But I will be rooting for the Pens to take it in six. Don’t try to understand the madness just embrace it!) Enjoy!

COULD THIS FINAL SERIES BE THE BEST EVER?

2008-05-20T11:05:00.003-04:00

Just in case no one is saying it…this upcoming Stanley Cup Final series has the potential to be one of the greatest of all-time. There its been said. Now hold on Spanky, before you call for my head and remind me of all the great cup finals in the history books let me reassure you that I’m fully aware of the history of this sport and point out that I did say “potential” and “one of the greatest”. Now that I have the disclaimer out of the way…it’s on to the madness.

In my opinion, not since the ’82 – ‘83 and ’83 – ’84 cup finals have we seen so much talent on one ice surface fight for the cup. What we are about to see could have us flashing back (if you’re old enough to remember) even though the game has changed so much since then. Back then you had the experienced veteran team against the upstart kids. Shift after shift you had the best of the best hitting the ice from both benches, it seemed like there was a scoring chance every minute. This year’s final could give us the same feeling as both of these teams are capable of turning on the jets with a flick of a switch. The Penguins remind me of the high flying Oilers of the early 80’s and the Wings remind me of the great Islanders in the prime of their reign. Gretzky – Kurri, Bossy – Trottier, Messier – Anderson, Gilles – Tonelli, Coffey and Potvin, Fuhr and Smith sounds an awful lot like Crosby – Hossa, Datsuyk – Zetterberg, Malkin – Sykora, Franzen – Hudler, Gonchar and Lidstrom, Fleury and Osgood don’t you think? I’m just scratching the surface of this year’s combatants, there are many layers and many weapons laced throughout each roster that truly gives the feeling of something great brewing. That same feeling you get when you are witnessing history unfold before your very eyes. Search your feelings Spanky; you know this to be true. No, I’m not trying to lure you to the “Dark Side” or anything like that, I merely want to point out that whenever you put this much talent to the ultimate test of wills, the results could be phenomenal.

While we won’t see any Jedi hocus-pocus during the finals, we will be treated to some damn good hockey by the two best teams in the league. A match-up the likes of which hasn’t been seen for quite some time and one you shouldn’t miss a second of (the beers will wait for commercials). I can’t wait to see how it will all play out. We could very well get a little of everything that makes us love this game to our very core. Speed and transition, outstanding goaltending, crushing hits, shorthanded breakaways, monster power-plays, stingy defense, relentless offence and the potential of fisticuffs. Yes folks, this series could go down as one of the greatest of all-time so soak it all in and enjoy the all out assault on your hockey senses.

For those of you following my picks of this year’s playoffs, I’ll be posting my finals pick soon (in the next day or so) as I need a victory to top my record from last year. The pressure is on.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - CONFERENCE FINALS

2008-05-07T11:18:00.000-04:00

Well its crunch time now folks. Last round I spent all of the losses I can afford if I have any chance of bettering my record over last season. I’m now at 8 – 4 and have to go perfect the rest of the way. The pressure is now on for me as it is on the teams facing off for the conference titles. Monkey be damned, I’m going to show up and do my best to pick the winners despite the magic and trickery the animal kingdom will undoubtedly be using against me. Last year all I had for a thorn in my side when it came to making picks were the Senators, this year I seem to have two pesky teams (Stars and Flyers) fudging things up. Chances are one of these teams will ultimately screw me out of my goal of going 11 – 4 for the playoffs so it is making my picks a bit harder to make, but since I have to make them; let’s get to it.

PITTSBURGH VS. PHILADELPHIA
The big time players for the Pens came through in route of dispatching the Rangers where as the lesser lights propelled the Flyers past the Habs. Goaltending was superb for both teams and there is no reason to believe that it will be any different going forward. Neither goalie has seen action this deep into the second season so it is hard to gage how they will respond and will most likely wash each other out barring a complete disaster. When looking at the talent of the rosters the Pens have the edge and with the Crosby/Hose combination just starting to click they seem to possess all they need to get past their state rivals. As for the Flyers, they have been living off 2nd and 3rd liners coming up big for them when their top players are put in check. I wonder though just how long they can live off of Umberger, Hartnell and Upshall as go to guys. We all know that the Flyers will try and play physical and stay in the face of the Pens forwards while trying to make them pay for mistakes like they did against their previous opponents. The Pens have shown us this season that they can play any style of game and still come out on top shedding any notion that their defense is suspect in any way. They will have to work for everything they get as the Flyers have no quit in them and make you pay for every inch. They will have to make the Flyers run around with puck movement in the offensive zone and force them into taking penalties. This series should be a good one and I foresee a split after 4 games. PITTSBURGH IN 6

DETROIT VS. DALLAS
The Stars fell a couple of would be giants in route to the Conference Final and in the process made them look big, slow and sloppy. They had outstanding goaltending from Turco and excellent play from the kids on the blue-line as well as hard nosed effort from their leaders. Finding timely scoring is what did them in last year and it looks like they solved that problem this time around. No, that is not their problem any more. Their problem is they are about to face a machine not a hockey team. The Wings systematically dispatch anything in their path rolling 4 lines of pressure when needed and puck possession – time eating dominance when in the lead. There are no holes in this lineup as every line can create offense and defensive pairings are top notch. The one thing that Turco has not really had to deal with so far is someone constantly in his face. Both the Ducks and Sharks failed to keep him from seeing shots, but that will all change facing the Wings. It will be interesting to see how he reacts with Holmstrom in his grill the entire time. The Wings actually lucked out with the Stars beating two very physical teams and drawing the Avs in the 2nd round, they are healthy for the most part and arrive at the final without having been beaten up which was missing from the formula the last couple of seasons. I have to give credit to the Stars for a very nice run, but this is where the run ends. DETROIT IN 5

ROUND 2 WRAP UP : SHARKS/HABS FALL FLAT

2008-05-06T10:30:00.001-04:00

Wow, now that was a fast and furious 2nd round of playoff action. Two teams surprised me with wins and even more surprising were two teams that lost. I stayed up until sometime past 3:00am waiting to see if Dallas would close out the Sharks or if that whole “Every 33 years” thing had any merit. I love marathon playoff games, especially ones with the series on the line. I know there are people out there that complain about the length of some of these games and that makes for a great subject to explore, but I’ll save that battle for another day. Today I want to look at why the Sharks and Canadiens are starting their summer early.

SHARKS – I don’t know where to start so I guess the beginning of the series will do. Giving credit to the Stars for having a ton of jump in their game catching the Sharks flatfooted from the drop of the puck. For the first couple of games the Sharks looked big, slow and sloppy and continued that in spurts throughout. Landing in a 0 – 3 hole, Nabokov finally stepped up his game, but it was too little too late at that point. Too many turnovers everywhere and giveaways along the boards made Dallas’ job easier. The Sharks failed to take advantage of a young and inexperienced defense and use their big forwards to get in Turco’s grill. They didn’t show any sense of will until their backs were against the wall. Looking back at the end of the regular season, they reeled off some 20+ wins. At that point I had wondered if they were peaking too early and it seems that might have been the case. Not that that is any excuse for sleepwalking through the first 3 games of a second round series, but they did show signs of this in the first round when at times they looked out of gas. Whatever the reasons the Sharks face some tough questions this summer and need to take a long look in the mirror and see if this combination has enough heart to get them to the promised land or if some house cleaning is in order.

CANADIENS – This one is easier to understand. Of all the teams that made the playoffs this year, the Habs were the most fragile. It was their speed and transition through the neutral zone coupled by what was supposed to be the most potent power play in the league and a rookie goaltender on fire that should have propelled them to the Conference Final. All they had to do was let the horses run and they would breeze their way through destroying anything in its path. Only trouble is they ran into a couple of teams that used their size and toughness to wear the Habs down, zap all the power from their power play and exploit the cocky young net-minder. Absolutely nothing went according to plan. They were supposed to roll right over Boston, just like they did in the just about all of games played against them this year, instead found themselves in a gritty battle. A battle they eventually won but left them punch drunk and about to face another bruising team. They were supposed to regroup and use the same plan against the Flyers except they forgot to regroup. There was doubt from the start and they never gained any momentum as the Flyers flat out took it to them pounding out the wins. Let’s face it, the horses were hobbled and the magic ran out of the man-advantage. Oh yeah, and that rookie goaltender looked like a rookie. Welcome to the playoffs kid. The Habs need to get tougher over the summer to wear down opponents in order to let their speed dominate next year and don’t let the press beat up the kid too much. Show that you have a ton of confidence in him as he has so much upside you don’t want to damage that in any way.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - ROUND 2

2008-04-24T11:03:00.003-04:00

Okay, okay so I didn’t get the number of games right (in fact I didn’t get any of them right), but the important part of making picks is picking the winner. Right? Well, at least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself anyway. With that said; I guess I did pretty good going 6 – 2 (I’ll take that gladly as the 1st round is always the hardest). How did that stupid monkey do? I don’t even want to look. Stupid freakin’ monkey. And don’t get me started on that whole “Ekland’s Dog” thing. Sometimes I wonder why my biggest adversaries are pets and if there isn’t something crazy wrong with that considering I blog about hockey. You know, every year I try and come up with something to beat members of the animal kingdom (sometimes beating them at there own game) when it comes to making my picks. This year I’m just not sure I want to stoop to the level of throwing my poop at a spinning wheel to do it. I even shaved my playoff beard and changed my underwear (I know, I know but I’m not superstitious so I never followed the whole underwear thing anyway) so I figure this time I don’t really need to pull out any tricks in order to beat a stupid freakin’ monkey. Okay, enough of this it’s time for my 2nd round picks.

MONTREAL VS. PHILADELPHIA
Neither of these teams played the way I expected them to in the first round so I’m a bit tentative to declare an outright winner, but knowing that I have to I’ll look at a key areas. Goaltending for each team will be crucial, as each has looked shaky in short spurts but managed to regain form. The Habs have speed, strong transition and can light the lamp, but can they withstand another physical series? The Flyers are gritty and physical, will grind out a full 60 minutes and never quit, but if they have to rely on secondary scoring or can’t handle the speed they might be in trouble. The Habs will have to score early and often and hope for a short series avoiding overtime at all costs in order to win. The Flyers will have to slow the pace down and muck out a few ugly wins and hope for overtime games where they can wear down the Habs as well as keep Briere and company free to continue scoring in order to win. MONTREAL IN 6

PITTSBURGH VS. NEW YORK RANGERS
The Pens made short work of their opponent in the first round and have been waiting comfortably for round two. They will have to shake off the rust in Game 1, but I’m sure these horses are ready to run. I don’t see them having much trouble matching up with the Blueshirts and with all of their top players healthy they should exploit the defensive holes on the Rangers. The Rangers will try to play as solid defense as they did against the Devils and I can’t wait to see what that jackass Avery has in store for Fleury. I’m sure he’s already in the kid’s head even if only a tiny amount. The Pens will have to stay out of the penalty box and hope to draw a few calls their way to do real damage, so they will have to be careful not to get goaded into any extra bullshit Avery will create. The Rangers will have to continue to spread the scoring around and hope their top players come through at key moments. The Pens just need to keep up the confidence and keep the machine running on all cylinders and they should be fine. PITTSBURGH IN 6

DETROIT VS. COLORADO
Well this isn’t quite the same series match-up as it was years ago, but it should be entertaining none-the-less. The Wings will try and get an early lead so they can control the pace and the clock with strong puck possession play where as the Avs will try and keep coming in waves in the attacking zone and pepper the Wings with shots. The Wings should be weary of overtime and try to finish games early so as not to give the Avs any extra chances. Each team is loaded with vets with strong youngsters mixed in so this series will be fun to watch. I just don’t know if there will be enough gas left in the tank of some of the Avs’ elder statesmen to get through another round. DETROIT IN 6

SAN JOSE VS. DALLAS
It’s time for both of these teams to prove they belong in the conference final. The Stars have a ton of confidence after eliminating the ex-champs rather easily. Turco looks like his shaky playoff play is far behind him and if they can get their injured stars back in the lineup it will give them an extra boost so they don’t have to rely on a young defense (not that the kids didn’t play super in round one). The Sharks can’t afford to have any lapses in this series like they did against Calgary and will not only have to beat the Stars with physical play but also with speed. They should crash the net and get in Turco’s face every chance they get and keep the puck away from him if they have to play dump and chase. I didn’t think the Stars would be here and I’m hoping they don’t become this year’s version of Ottawa (who killed me last year), so I just can’t pick them in this one. SAN JOSE IN 6

ROUND 1 WRAP UP

2008-04-23T10:29:00.005-04:00

Now that the dust has settled and the first round is complete, I want to take a moment and reflect on what was an interesting opening round of the NHL playoffs before jumping into my predications for round two (check in tomorrow for my 2nd round picks). There were some surprises, disappointments and downright head scratching moments that I have just got to share with you. (Oh, lucky you!)

Disappointments

The Ducks – I can’t figure out why a team built for the playoffs was not ready to play come playoff time. Okay, will you please stay retired this time Scotty and Teemu?

The Caps –I’m not disappointed with the run only the result and the vanishing 2nd round match-up with the Pens (that would have been fun).

Marion Gaborik – 1 assist? Enough said.

Surprises

The Bruins –Saved their best hockey of the year for the playoffs. Watched this team all year and never saw them play so sound as they did in games 2 through 6. Finding a “real” goal scorer to play with Savard should be the focus going forward.

The Preds – Here is a team that has been labeled generic by most, but I’d bet if you asked any of the Wings they’d tell you a different story.

Roenick and Nolan – The two oldest guys on the ice were the two best players on the ice in Game 7. A tip of the hat to the old farts, how about that?

The Head Scratching Moments

Sean Avery – What the hell was that all about? You have enough skill to where you don’t have to pull idiot stunts like that and yet you do. I don’t like the idea of the new rule being called the “Sean Avery Rule” that solidifies his name in the history of the sport forever for garbage play. Can’t we just call it the “Don’t Be A Fuckin’ Tool Rule” and try to erase it from our memories.

Jaromir Jagr – I’m not as superstitious as some and yet I understand the whole playoff beard thing, but come on Jags, a Hitler mustache? Really? Is that necessary? I think it’s safe to say that look was forever ruined. Please try and fix your face for round two, okay?

Ovechkin – Let’s see….it’s Game 7….the series on the line….the game is tied….you are the leading goal scorer on your team….the leading goal scorer in the league….the puck is on your stick….in the high slot….the goalie is out of position….AND YOU PASS THE PUCK????….WHAT WERE YOU THINKING MAN????….SHOOT THE PUCK!!!!….YOU SCORE GOALS….THAT’S WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING….have a nice summer.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - PART 2 - WESTERN CONFERENCE

2008-04-08T10:42:00.001-04:00

Here we go. It’s time to take on the Western Conference match-ups so welcome to Gregsky’s Playoff Picks. As I stated before, I have a new bag of tricks to guide me through the maze that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but for the first round I will trust in good old-fashioned know-how and a bit of luck (I’m sure to dip into the ol’ bag-o-tricks for the next round. Especially if that freakin’ monkey kicks my ass in the first round!). Remember, I’m shooting for one better than last year which means I will have to go no worse than 11 – 4 (yikes!).

DETROIT VS. NASHVILLE
At the start of the season I tried to tell people that the Preds would sneak into the playoffs despite the salary dumping and ownership issues and that they had a better team than most were willing to give them credit for (not surprisingly, I haven’t heard a peep out of some of the people who laughed at my notion). With that said, I want to extend a hearty Welcome To The Playoffs Preds! Your prize for your accomplishments is a first round date with the Wings. Well…. it was nice knowing you. This series will be merely a tune up for the next round for the Wings. They should roll right over the Preds in a puck possession, time management sort of way fine tuning the machine and making sure they are running on all cylinders. RED WINGS IN 5.

SAN JOSE VS. CALGARY
I can say that the stretch drive for the Sharks was extremely impressive, as they chewed up and spit out nearly every opponent to close out the season, but I wonder if it was a case of peaking too early. Jumbo Joe and the boys seem to be poised to take the Sharks to the promised land, but they still need to prove it. Calgary, on the other hand, limped into the post-season and has pretty much been mediocre all year. They did little in the off season to address the lack of secondary scoring and finding help to spell Kipper so he wouldn’t burn out come playoff time. Granted, bringing in Keenan and his whip cracking style of coaching hasn’t been as bad as I had first thought, but you can only get so much out of a roster that hasn’t been fixed in several years. Sorry Flames fans, but there just isn’t enough here to get excited about. SAN JOSE IN 6.

MINNESOTA VS. COLORADO
This series will be tough to pick. Gaborik is healthy and is out to prove he belongs in the playoffs and Forsberg is out to prove he still belongs in the NHL. The Wild are another year seasoned and most of the roster still feels the sting of last year, which should help them avoid another miserable end. The Avs have been up and down all year and have been bitten by the injury bug in stretches and yet they still managed to stay afloat and erase their own memories of last seasons miserable end. Backed by a resurgent Theodore (who has his own things to prove) the Avs are a veteran team with a few youngsters added in. The question is; are they too old to keep up the pace needed to go deep into the post-season? I’m not so sure they can make a long run, but they should get by the Wild. However, it won’t be easy and just might leave them with an empty tank going forward. COLORADO IN 6.

ANAHEIM VS. DALLAS
Jeez, the Stars just can’t catch a break. For the second year in a row they flew under the radar all season and found themselves a comfortable spot in the post-season only to have to face a tough opponent in the first round. Last year I wanted to pick them as a sleeper until I saw they had to contend with Luongo right off the bat. This year they drew the short straw again having to face the defending champs. Anaheim is a team built for the playoffs and will most definitely flex its muscle and pound down on the Stars. With a slightly banged up roster already the Stars are about to face more punishment. Turco will have to match his effort from last year and Richards will have to light it up if the Stars are to get past the Ducks. Maybe their luck will change next year. ANAHEIM IN 6.

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - PART 1 - EASTERN CONFERENCE

2008-04-07T10:47:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Gregsky’s annual Playoff Picks. Each year I role the dice, spin the wheel, throw darts at a board, jump up and down (like Maggie) and do whatever it takes to beat the mainstream experts and prognostic members of the animal kingdom. In the past, I have used gypsy magic, gut feelings, magic 8-balls, etc. to carry me through round by round. This year I have a new bag of tricks to help guide me through, so keep coming back to check and see how I do and what I do to arrive at my picks each and every round. For the first round this year, I’m not pulling any punches (or any tricks out of the bag), just plain old-fashioned know-how and hoping for some luck. Last year I went 10 – 5 which was slightly better than the 9 – 6 from the previous year, so this time out I’m shooting for no worse than 11 – 4 which leaves very little room for mistakes. I hope that damn monkey has her game on this year!

MONTREAL VS. BOSTON
Well, no tricks needed for this one. The Habs have outright owned the Bruins all year as this match-up just doesn’t match up. The Bruins work hard, but make too many mistakes in the neutral zone and have a hard time putting the puck in the net. The Canadiens on the other hand fly through the neutral zone and have no trouble with scoring. The B’s will try to play physical against the Habs in the hope to wear them down, but you can’t hit what you can’t catch. Oh yeah, then there is the goalie match-up, which is no contest. The Bruins best friend and best chance in this series is overtime. If there is to be a sweep in the first round this is it, but because of overtime I’ll give the B’s a game. MONTREAL IN 5.

PITTSBURGH VS. OTTAWA
Every year I pick the Sens to fold come playoff time, no offense Ottawa fans, it’s just in the genetic make-up of the team to do so. Last year though, picking against them accounted for 3 of my 5 losses so common sense should tell me to tread lightly. It should, but it’s not. This time out the Sens seemed to run out of gas at the end of the season and the goaltending has been just mediocre all year. I could go on and on about the strengths of the Pens, but see no need to do so this early. Playing in Ottawa is always tough, but the Pens should fast track through this one with the help of a shaky Gerber and the tendency to quit when they are pushed around by the star players. PITTSBURGH IN 6.

WASHINGTON VS. PHILADELPHIA
For the last couple of seasons I have been saying that the Caps are quietly building something special and are worth keeping an eye on. This year, in August, I said they would surprise everyone and become a sleeper pick come playoff time. And here we are. Ovechkin flat tore up the regular season and is about to treat us to his playoff debut. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out because the Flyers work hard for 60 minutes and make you pay the price with their physical play, something the Caps struggled with all year until the last month of the season. Working in the Caps favor is finally getting the solid goaltending they have been lacking and mixing in seasoned vets to compliment their young guns. Neither team is a powerhouse yet, but should give us a damn good series to watch. WASHINGTON IN 6.

NEW JERSEY VS. NEW YORK RANGERS
This one has all the makings of going the distance. This one will get a ton of media hype. This one will give us multiple overtime games and in spurts will give us goaltending battles that will have us all on the edge of our seats. We just might see this series flip flopping back and forth all the way to double overtime in game 7. Marty will steal a game or two for the Devils, but the lack of scoring will lose just as many for them. The Rangers shaky defense will be exposed at points and they will pay for the mistakes, but their leadership and timely scoring will win them a few games to even it out. The second round will be waiting for this one to end. RANGERS IN 7.

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK: BUBBLE TEAMS - WHO'S HOT AND WHO'S NOT?

2008-03-14T11:48:00.001-04:00

Ahh yes, you can feel it in the air. We are creeping up on playoff hockey time. A time when the upper echelons are fine-tuning their machines for the stretch run and division/conference titles while the bottom feeders are playing for pride, future paychecks and playing the spoiler role. But if you are a team in the middle, a bubble team, well, then this is a time where it comes down to do or die. For these teams the playoffs have already started. All of those close games that got away earlier in the season now come back to haunt you. It is time to put the pedal to the floor, leave everything on the ice from here on out only to be rewarded with a low playoff seed and have to face the tops in the conference. But that’s why you play the game. To earn a ticket to the dance where anything can happen and with any luck you can find yourself dancing with the prettiest girl.

For this installment of the Notebook, I will be looking at these bubble teams to try and determine which teams are poised to make it and which ones are running out of gas. From the looks of things, right now, there are 7 teams battling for 3 spots. With little to no chance of winning the division, each of these teams are solely focused on capturing one of those 3 spots. As of now, the Rangers, Bruins and Flyers are occupying the last three spots with the Sabres, Caps, Panthers and the Leafs on the outside looking in.

So, who’s Hot and who’s Not?

HOT : The Rangers are trying to take a foothold and claim the #6 spot. Going 8 – 0 – 2 in the last ten, they are a team clearly focused on making the playoffs. That #6 spot looks suitable for the Blueshirts as an opening round match up with the Canes would be a fine battle, but the way they have been playing lately could have them climbing up a few spots before it’s over.

NOT : The Bruins are currently taking up spot #7. This is a team that is fragile right now. Injuries have played a factor all year for this team and with little offence they have hung in there so far. But at this time of year hanging in there just isn’t good enough. When it should be time to surge, the B’s are stalling. Going 4 – 4 – 2 over the last ten games is putting them in a precarious position. They have dropped games against teams below them in the standings and if that wasn’t bad enough some of them were blowouts. Looking at the remaining schedule it won’t get any easier for the B’s and if they are not careful could very well be playing themselves out of the playoff picture.

HOT : The Flyers are residing in the 8th and final spot, picking up points in 7 of their last ten games and a chance to leap-frog the Bruins this weekend with a win. They are starting to turn it on at the right time and are playing hard-edged playoff style hockey. If you are going to beat this club you are going to have to pay the price because they refuse to give an inch. Look for them to claim one of the last 3 spots.

NOT : The Sabres are just on the other side of the line. So close, but yet so far away. Here we have a team within a sniff of making the playoffs and they go 2 –5 –3 in their last ten games. Worse yet, they gave points away to the Flyers and Rangers in that stretch. The Sabres, like the Bruins, are stalling at the wrong time. They sure could use Briere, Drury and Campbell now. This team looks like it is about to crash and burn because inconsistency won’t get the job done.

NOT : Speaking of inconsistency, the Caps are a tough team to figure out. Just when you think they are going to go on a roll, they let up on the gas. Just when you think they are done they turn it on. They are in a nice position right now and need to find that extra gear to push their way into the playoffs, but in order to do it they will have to battle for 60 minutes each game, something that has plagued them all year. Time however, is running short and there are a couple of teams breathing down their necks ready to climb over them if they continue to give away points. Look for Ovechkin to carry the load the rest of the way. He’s hungry, but is the rest of the team equally as hungry?

HOT: The Panthers have a bit of a new look since the trade deadline and collecting points in 8 of the last 10 shows that they still have hopes of making the dance. It won’t be easy by any means for the Panthers but the hope still lives and if they can continue the pace they just might climb over a few stumbling teams in front of them. They have had an up and down season, obviously the last 10 games have been an up, the trick is to avoid another down. Despite the current up swing; look for Jokinen to miss the playoffs again, but this time only by a fraction.

HOT : The Maple Leafs have been a team in turmoil all season, but just won’t go away. With all of the distractions and rumors and media pressures pounding them every step of the way, this team refuses to die. They are finding their playoff hopes still alive, but much like the Panthers have to find a way to sustain the current push. Going 7 – 2 – 1 over the last 10, the Leafs are coming together at the right time. The question remains if they have enough left in the tank to keep it going. With both the Bruins and Sabres starting to fold under the pressure there is a backdoor open, only I’m not sure they will go through it.

MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP

2008-03-10T09:55:00.001-04:00

The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are looming ahead. In the Western Conference, a couple of big deadline day moves have brought two teams closer to the front running Detroit Red Wings; while some prepared for the future by obtaining draft picks. Two teams, Calgary and Edmonton, were silent as the deadline came and went. Who won? Who lost?

SHARKS, STARS MAKE BIG MOVES

In the Pacific Division, two of the top three teams made big trades to upgrade their rosters. In San Jose, the Sharks acquired D Brian Campbell and a 7th round draft pick for RW Steve Bernier and a 1st round pick in the 2008 draft. The trade is sound for both clubs. Both players have five points in their first five games with their new clubs. Campbell is great at running the power play and has eats up ice time (averaging just over 25 minutes a night). If the Sharks can sign Campbell to a new contract (he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1), Campbell will be a thorn in the side of his division rivals for years to come. If Campbell is nothing more than a rental, he still gives the Sharks a better shot at advancing in the playoffs. This move could be GM Doug Wilson’s master stroke, or his downfall if San Jose fails to advance.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, the GM duo of Les Jackson and Brett Hull engineered a deal to bring Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards in from Tampa Bay. The price was steep: for Richards and G Johan Holmqvist, the Stars let go of forwards, Jeff Halpern, Jussi Jokinen, G Mike Smith, and a 2009 draft pick. Richards, a Cup winner with Tampa, had been more noted lately for having the worst plus-minus rating over the past two seasons. That is not completely his fault, of course, but it did make some people wonder (including yours truly). Richards must have been happy about waiving his no-trade clause and moving to Texas… in his first game as a Star, Richards collected five assists in a 7-4 rout of Chicago. Personally, I hated to see Jokinen go – I think his career is on the rise (Note to Tampa: keep him at center instead of on a wing). The worst part, however, is letting go of Smith. Smitty has played so well in his first two seasons in the league, and provided Marty Turco with a solid safety net. Given Turco’s past playoff outings, it will be interesting to see if Turco can build upon last spring’s performance against Vancouver. Dallas lost the series in seven, with Turco winning three games by shutout. Should an injury befall Turco, Johan Holmqvist will man the net, which would probably mean yet another first-round ouster for Dallas. Yikes.

DEPTH DEALS

In Anaheim, the Ducks made deals with an eye on getting some insurance for injuries or underperformers. Anaheim obtained D-men Jay Leach (Tampa) and Marc-Andre Bergeron (NYI), as well as exchanging a 7th round pick with Los Angeles for G Jean-Sebastian Aubin. Leach and Bergeron will augment the blueline (with Bergeron providing insurance on the PP), while Aubin will probably backup J. F. Giguere come April. The offense took a hit last night, as Corey Perry went down after being cut by a skate in a 1-0 loss to Colorado. Perry, who was second on the team in scoring (29-25-54), will likely miss six weeks, meaning Anaheim will have to get through the first round, and perhaps part of the second, without him.

There is a reunion in Colorado. D Adam Foote was acquired from Columbus for conditional draft picks in 2008 and 2009. This, combined with the signing of Peter Forsberg, shows that Colorado wants to win now. The loss of draft picks could haunt them in the future, but that doesn’t seem to bother the Avalanche, who missed they playoffs last year by one point. Where are Deadmarsh, Ozolinsh, and Roy? Colorado also acquired D Ruslan Salei from Florida for Karlis Skrastins and a draft pick in a depth move.

Detroit gave two draft picks to Los Angeles for D Brad Stuart. Stuart will help a D-corps that has been a bit banged up. In another “homecoming” move, Darren McCarty was signed as free agent. Columbus traded Sergei Fedorov to Washington for a college defenseman (Ted Ruth of Notre Dame)…did the Wings even make a call to the Jackets? Vancouver traded a veteran grinder (Matt Cooke) for a younger, perhaps more offensively gifted, grinder (Matt Pettinger). Pettinger is physical, but has yet to show much more than fourth liner ability on offense.

STEAL OF A DEAL?

The Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers combined to deal five players. One of the Coyotes’ acquisitions was G Al Montoya, who they believe can be their tender of the future. Marcel Hossa (no, not THAT one) comes to the desert as well. In exchange, the Rangers got a draft pick and three guys (F Fredrik Sjostrom, LW Chris Gratton, and G David LeNeveu). Three or four years from now, this may be seen as the steal of the year. Or, we will never hear from these guys again.

ELSEWHERE

Minnesota got Chris Simon from the Isles for a 6th round pick… this will make Marian Gaborik feel better about his playoff chances?

St. Louis got a 4th line winger (Cam Janssen from New Jersey) and a 4th pick from the Rangers for two D-men (Bryce Salvador to NJD, Christian Backman to NYR).

Nashville hoped to improve their offense by getting Jan Hlavac from Tampa and Brandon Bochenski from Anaheim.

Chicago sent Martin Lapointe to Ottawa for a draft pick, and sent forward Tuomo Ruutu to Carolina for forward Andrew Ladd in a deal that gives each player a fresh start in a new town – a chance to retool and elevate their careers.

OBSERVATIONS

Detroit is still the class of the conference, but Dallas and San Jose have gained ground.

Anaheim’s chances of repeating took a hit, but never count the champion out.

Dallas must hope that Marty Turco – and his teammates – can get that first-round monkey off of their backs. IF they can, the sky is the limit. The team is a great mix of young and old that has survived injuries to their top two defenseman (Sergei Zubov and Philippe Boucher). Can they keep it up?

San Jose must find a way to lock up Brian Campbell.

Colorado must get Ryan Smyth healthy and keep him that way.

As long as Vancouver has Roberto Luongo, they must be respected.

Phoenix just might be the mystery guest in the playoffs; Minnesota just might be left scratching their heads as to how they missed the postseason.

It’s one more month until the playoffs: THE best time of the year!!!

Peace.

YOU KNOW YOUR HAVING "ONE OF THOSE DAYS" WHEN....

2008-03-04T10:38:00.002-05:00

Well folks, it seems to be one of those mornings. You know the kind I mean…where the coffee tastes like it was made using a hockey glove as a filter, but you just have to keep pouring it down your gullet because the dog woke you up hours too early doing the “pee-pee dance” at the door. The kind where you wake up your 10 year old daughter by crabbing at the dog while you let him out and she gives you a huge good morning hug and then tells you “Did Mom tell you? I have pink eye!” The kind of morning when you make a mad dash for the sink to sanitize your face after the deadly pink eye hug with Windex or Comet or whatever is closest, only to have the toxic coffee churning through your system pick right then to act like Ex-lax. Yes that kind, where you find yourself doing “the dance” outside the bathroom door because your 14 year old son is in there doing "God only knows what" for the next twenty minutes and you are left with nothing but time to kick yourself in the ass for not building that 2nd bathroom and wondering if the boy made the coffee. Yeah baby! It’s one of those mornings.

So forgive me if the rest of this post seems to carry a “tone”, but if you’ve ever had one of those mornings, I’m sure you’ll understand. Thank God there is hockey. Sometimes it seems to be the only shred of normalcy I get all day. My reward for going through the “Morning From Hell” is everyone leaves and it’s just myself and the Bruins vs. Caps game that was recorded last night. Ahhh….time to relax and enjoy. Right? Wrong! It seems that the timer on the DVR was set for 7:00am and is currently recording a fishing show. ARRRRRGH!! How could this day get any worse? Well then Spanky, I’ll tell you how. The game that didn’t get recorded only featured the Caps burning the B’s for 10 goals in which Ovechkin nets a first period hat trick to push him over 50, Backstrom passes Kane with a 4 point night and my 3 favorite former Hershey Bears Green, Schultz and Fehr had an awesome game. To top it off I also missed Brashear mixing it up with Chara and Thornton. “What the…..??” The cat just hacked up something unidentifiable on the carpet! Just great! Maybe at this point I should call in sick to work out of fear of getting my balls caught in a machine or something equally as horrific.

Well I guess I should look on the bright side. Things could be much worse. I mean at least I’m not Tim Thomas. So I’ve got that going for me. I wonder how his day is going. Anyway, I’m planning on bouncing back from my rocky start and I’m sure that Tim Thomas is planning the same thing only he’s hoping that Ference and Ward play better in front of him tonight. My biggest worry left in front of me for the day is making sure the timer on the DVR is set right to record tonight’s game and being extra vigilant not to get my balls caught in a machine at work. I guess when faced with days like this all you can do is laugh. Enjoy!

SOME OF US SAW THE HOSSA DEAL COMMING

2008-02-27T10:30:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I wrote about how there will be some trades that would come from left field and catch us off guard, and “to most”, that trade was the Hossa to Penguins deal. I said “to most” because yours truly along with some Pens fans with big dreams saw this as a golden opportunity over month ago. Yes, we all got blasted when we made the bold statement on our blogs, message boards and rumor sites where we were laughed at and called silly. For my thoughts back in January just scroll a few posts down to CROSBY NEEDS HIS OWN KURRI and you will see how silly I was.

Now, in no way am I saying that the Pens didn’t give up a lot to get Hossa, but keep in mind when a chance to give the best playmaker in hockey a true sniper with speed riding shotgun, you do what ever it takes to do it. Sure there is no saying that Hossa will re-sign with the Pens and he may become a really expensive playoff rental, but they have the rest of the year figure it out and I just have the feeling that once Hossa and Crosby connect Hossa wouldn’t think of going anywhere else. Why would he? This is a win-win for both players and their production could easily hit the roof.

When you are talking about one of the most gifted players to ever play the game you have to surround them with the best possible players in order to get the best out of them. Remember how important Kurri was to Gretzky? Remember after Wayne went to the Kings how imperative it was for them to acquire Kurri? Remember the names involved in the 3-way trade between the Oilers, Flyers and Kings? Okay, I know you remember how important it was for the Rangers to get Kurri when they got Gretz and the names involved in getting that one done, right? Well then, what makes the Hossa deal any different? There is no questioning the dynamic that Kurri brought to Gretzky’s game and Hossa and Crosby are on the cusp of bringing us that same kind of brilliance.

I openly applaud the Penguins management for making this bold move and bringing the city of Pittsburgh a team that fans haven’t seen since the days of Mario, Francis and Jagr. If anyone is worried about screwing up the chemistry of the team, think about it. You are talking about a couple of truly gifted players who can play with anyone and now have a chance to take chemistry to a whole new level. They have some time left to click and when it happens, look out; this could be the best thing we’ve ever seen and the best thing for the game in decades.

THE HYPE IS BETTER THAN THE TRADES THEMSELVES

2008-02-26T10:32:00.001-05:00

Psst……I heard a rumor……

Well, today is the day hockey fans perk up and play GM in anticipation that their team will pick up the missing piece of the puzzle to put them over the top. The excitement and buzz on Trade Deadline Day is traditionally better than the deals themselves. The speculation of big names involved in movement chew up a ton of time while big media places “name” analysts to hype it up for hours until trades slowly start to trickle in. Granted some big names do move on Deadline Day but for the most part it is the minor acquisitions that ultimately have the most impact. There are always one or two trades that seem to come from left field and catch us all off guard, but predicting where players will go is the fun part. And that is the part that makes us all pay attention and listen intently to the big media hype while wiping the drool as they mention our favorite team.

Will Hossa practice today? Will the Leafs move anyone? Will the Habs swing for the fences? Will the Bruins stand pat even though they need a scoring winger? Will Dallas find help for the Modano line? Will the Panthers actually move Jokinen? Do the Ducks tinker at all? Will the Wings get tougher? Will the Rangers move anyone to get defensive help? Where in the world will Brad Richards land this afternoon? The buzz engulfs us all – and the buzz itself is better for the game than the answers to the questions. Anytime hockey talk takes center stage it’s a good thing all around. I guess what I’m driving at here is enjoy the day, get fooled by the hype and dream big my friends, because today is the day for hockey talk.

As for myself, I’m not expecting too much as the months leading up have been anemic as far as trades are concerned. And to me that is a telling sign that too many teams are on the fence and reluctant to trade away the future for rental help. Parity is what the league wanted and is just what they have accomplished. Because of that and cap space, major trades have diminished drastically. Of course there will still be headline moves and that is why I’ll be here at the computer all day, as will most of you.

10 THINGS THAT BUG ME ABOUT THE NHL

2008-02-15T11:13:00.003-05:00

I think we are all in agreement that hockey is the greatest sport known to man. I think it is safe to say that we will never see such scandals in our sport as the steroids mess in baseball and the spy-gate fiasco in football. We will never hear about club shootings or as many sex, sexual harassment or gambling scandals as basketball. It is true that hockey is not exempt from scandal, but the level and frequency of such scandals is minimal in comparison to these other sports. I mean really, can anyone picture Congress getting involved in wanting answers for why the brothers Staal party hard or why Ed Belfour is known in every bar in North America? Could you imagine Ovechkin trying to persuade Congress that he really is that good and has no need for illegal enhancements? Sure we had a minor gambling issue that was found to be surrounding other sports, we had an ice girl treated distastefully and a strange purse-snatching incident. We had a poor decision made by a rookie where some odd pictures were taken, but none of that really stacks up to the incident rates of the other sports.

With that said, hockey clearly doesn’t have to worry about such things dragging it’s name through the mud as the other sports have to contend with. Instead, we deal with on ice issues more than off ice. We deal with questionable decision-making and rule interpretations. Borderline brutal hits and a lack of respect among players seem to top the list of issues hockey faces. Are there any reasons as to why hockey seems to stay clear of the types of scandals other sports contend with? Well, I’m sure we can all draw some conclusion to that question and our answers most likely won’t differ too much. Hockey may not get the exposure, air time or respect the other sports get every day, but we can hold our heads high in knowing that we won’t have to go through as much crap as fans of other sports seem to face on a continuous basis.

With that said, there are some things that are bothering me. These things are minute compared to scandals, but bug me nonetheless, so I have to spout off about them due to the fact that I seem to have nothing else to complain about. So enough with the extensive lead in… here are my TOP 10 THINGS THAT BUG ME ABOUT THE NHL…

10. Arbitration – This is an issue that needs to be addressed in the next CBA. It usually ends in a lose – lose situation for both parties

9. No Trade Clauses – I understand the purpose for it, I just hate that it puts the kibosh on what would be interesting trades.

8. Distinct Kicking Motion – Come on, either it’s a goal or it isn’t. The interpretation is too broad and the decisions are mostly poor.

7. Stick Checks Being Called For Slashing – If the stick makes contact with the body then call it slashing, if it makes contact with the opponents stick (even if the stick breaks) let it go already.

6. Four Sets Of Eyes Missing Calls – Just how many officials do we need on the ice and in the way to not even notice cheap shots behind the play?

5. Inept Marketing – The league flat out strikes out when it comes to promoting itself and its stars to the American audience. This needs to improve. Continuous missed opportunities and self inflicted wounds hasn’t worked yet and never will.

4. Unbalanced Schedule – Yes this will be changing, but until it does it will continue to bug me.

3. Not Enough Canadian Teams – Expand in the North not the South. What is so hard to understand about that?

2. The Hideous RBX Jerseys – No one likes them. Admit failure and realize some things don’t need to change.

1. Peter Forsberg, Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer – If you want to retire then retire. If you want to play then play. If you can’t make up your mind or physically can’t get back to form then just sit down and stop wasting everyone’s time. There should be a rule that states that if you are not on an active roster by December 15th then you sit out the rest of the season. Or a rule that states that if you are not on an active roster by the 15th of December than you lose your right to pick and choose what team(s) you want to play for whenever you decide you want to come back. On top of that you have to clear waivers in order to do so. Maybe then your decision will come faster when faced with the prospect of going to a bottom dweller and not a contender.

MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP

2008-02-05T10:13:00.000-05:00

Hello, again! I hope everyone is doing well. It’s been a while since stopped by, so let’s get going right away. Today, along with a quick look at the West overall, let us look at the West from a health standpoint. With the trade deadline looming, it would do well to look at who is hurting, and where.

DETROIT (40-10-4, 84PTS): The Red Machine keeps rolling. It doesn’t seem to matter who is hurt, Detroit pushes ever forward. Tomas Holmstrom missed eight games, Kirk Maltby missed 19, even all-world forward Henrik Zetterberg missed a couple. No matter. The Wings continue to run away with from the conference. The only current injury is to D Nik Kronwall. He is day to day with a shoulder problem. I’ve said it elsewhere, and I’ll say it here: it appears at this time that the only club that can stop Detroit is Detroit.

DALLAS (31-20-5, 67): Dallas recently got Jere Lehtinen back into the lineup after an extended absence due to hernia surgery. The blueline, however, continues to miss the services of Philippe Boucher (shoulder surgery), and Sergei Zubov (foot). The Stars have gotten contributions from rookie Matt Niskanen (5-14-19, +14), and Trevor Daley (2-11-13). Even Stephane Robidas has chipped in with four goals, after going all of last season without a goal. C Mike Ribeiro was inked to a five-year extension on Jan 7th. There is that seemingly ever-present rumor of G Marty Turco going to Tampa Bay for Martin St. Louis, but both teams have denied the rumor again and again.

MINNESOTA (30-19-3, 63): Right now, the only injury being reported by the Wild is to LW Derek Boogard (back). Minnesota is one of the hottest teams in the West, with 15 points in their last 10 games (7-2-1).

SAN JOSE (29-16-7, 65): The Sharks trail Dallas by two points with four games in hand in the Pacific. The D-corps, however, is being held together with staples and duct tape. Injuries to Kyle Mclaren (knee), Alexei Semenov (viral infection), and Douglas Murray (hip, day to day) have decimated San Jose. Add injuries to C Curtis Brown (hand), and LW Ryan Clowe (knee), and it is amazing that San Jose is still in the thick of it, even with Joe Thornton.

ANAHEIM (27-22-7, 61): The Ducks are very happy to have Scott Niedermayer back on defense. With Samuel Pahlsson on IR (abdominal), and Mathieu Schneider nursing a wrist injury, Niedermayer provides loads of skill and leadership on the back end. With Teemu Selanne returning as well, Anaheim will not give up their crown as easily as one might have thought.

CALGARY (26-18-8, 60): The Flames currently report no injuries. Calgary had a four game win streak stopped this past Saturday in a 2-1 loss to Dallas at the Saddledome. Jarome Iginla has a point in 5 of his last 7 games (0-5-5).

COLORADO (28-21-4, 60): The Avs are in dire straits, indeed. When a team loses Joe Sakic (hernia), Ryan Smyth (fractured ankle), and superkid Paul Stastny (appendectomy), goals are going to be difficult to find, at best. Add in a groin injury to Marek Svatos (day to day), and the defense and goaltending are going to be pressured to be near perfect every night. The Avs will have to fight and scratch for points just to keep their current 7th seed. Do they have the depth to do so?

NASHVILLE (27-21-5, 59): Aside from a groin injury to pest Jordin Tootoo, the Preds are healthy. Forward Jason Arnott did leave the game against Columbus on Jan. 31 with a leg injury, and sat out their next match, a 3-2 win over the visiting Coyotes. Reports today indicate that Arnott will play tomorrow night against Carolina.

VANCOUVER (26-21-6, 58): The Canucks are another club swamped with injuries to the defense. Kevin Bieksa remains on IR with a calf laceration. Lukas Krajicek (shoulder), Willie Mitchell (vertebrae), and Sami Salo (groin) are listed as day to day. Up front, Vancouver is without the services of Brenden Morrison (wrist surgery, IR). Roberto Luongo will have to be even better than he was in last year’s playoffs… is that possible?

PHOENIX (27-22-3, 57): No injuries reported.

COLUMBUS (25-23-6, 56): Sergei Fedorov is currently on IR with a concussion.

ST. LOUIS (24-20-7, 55): D Christian Backman (foot) and LW Martin Rucinsky (separated shoulder) are on IR, as is RW Mike Johnson (shoulder surgery). I think the Blues have the best shot of still making the playoffs. Why? I don’t know…

CHICAGO (23-24-5, 51): After a great start, the ‘Hawks have suffered some setbacks. With Kevyn Adams (ACL), Jonathan Toews (knee), and Jason Williams (groin) on IR, Chicago’s offense has slumped. They have only the slightest chance of making up ground and getting to the postseason.

EDMONTON (23-26-5, 51): The Oilers are without the services of Sheldon Souray (shoulder), and Raffi Torres (ACL). A very keen observer of the Oil is Anaheim GM Brian Burke. Why? The Ducks own Edmonton’s first round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft; compensation for the Oilers’ signing of Dustin Penner last summer. That pick could be a very high one in what is supposed to be a draft deep in talent. Do the Ducks hold on to the pick, or use it in a package to land more scoring depth at the trade deadline? Stay tuned.

LOS ANGELES (21-30-3, 45): Rob Blake is day to day with an ankle injury. Mike Cammalleri (ribs) and Ladislav Nagy (neck) are on IR.

Next time: Who won and who lost at the trade deadline?
Peace.

CROSBY NEEDS HIS OWN KURRI

2008-01-16T10:32:00.000-05:00

Watching Sidney Crosby play this year makes me think he is missing something. Not anything in his own game (he already possesses more than his fair share), but if you think about what made Wayne Gretzky “The Great One” a case can be made that it was the luxury of having Jari Kurri. Sid the kid needs his own Jari Kurri. That missing piece to the puzzle for the Pens could be the key to lofting Crosby to heights we haven’t seen in decades.

Imagine for a moment Sid playing along side a fast gifted scoring winger who seems to be in the right places at the right times (not that Sid couldn’t get him the puck no matter where he was). Imagine how Crosby’s creative genius could expand if he new he had someone riding shotgun who can put the puck in the net more often than not. Now picture in your mind a player who could bring that kind of dynamic, speed and talent to help Sid reach the outer limits. Who did you see? Is he reasonably available? Does he have a no trade clause?

I’ll tell you who I saw, Marian Hossa. He could possibly be available if the Thrashers fail to resign him and he has the speed dynamic and talent that would compliment Crosby’s and make them a lethal combination. Now imagine how much production the two of them could generate playing together and how dangerous the power play would be adding Malkin on the left side. Yes folks Sidney Crosby needs his own Jari Kurri and the planets are aligning to where there could be a chance for the Pens to get one for next year or even by the deadline this year.

Yes this is all imaginary and the Pens could have no interest in picking up Hossa and have someone else in mind or no one at all, but I can’t help but think this is a golden opportunity for them and one they should seriously consider. Hossa could be Crosby’s Kurri and just what he needs to actually reach the bar Gretzky set (or at least get within a sniff). If the Pens pass on Hossa, the need for a player of his caliber remains and the help Crosby needs becomes more apparent.

Well, I imagined Hossa. Who did you see? Let me know who you think should be riding shotgun to “The Kid” and what you would give up to get them.

WHO'S GOT THE BEST HOCKEY - EAST OR WEST?

2008-01-08T12:13:00.000-05:00

I’m back from my winter break feeling refreshed, recharged and ready for the 2nd half of the season. Usually at this point of the season I take a look back at the first half to get an overall feeling of how we got here, but because this is also the point of the season when the age old argument of “ who’s got the best hockey East or West?” starts to show up, I’ll detour that way when I look back.

I’ve taken on this subject before and it usually turns into Western fans calling the East a “cupcake league” and whining about Eastern media bias or easy travel and Eastern fans calling the West irrelevant or “too much euro flash not enough North American smash”.

Year after year I hear the same old jabs going back and forth and I always come to the same conclusion. Having lived both in the West and in the East the answer to the question simply lies with where you live. Naturally you chose to watch the games in your area or the ones that affect your favorite team(s). So it is no great mystery that if you live in the East you tend to favor the East and the same for Western fans. We all know that you can’t judge the two conferences from the joke they call the All-Star game, so I did some looking into the 1st half of the season and came up with some numbers to fuel the fire for this years version of the debate (cue creepy organ music and an evil laugh).

Who’s got the best hockey? East or West? Before you decide, chew on this….

…As of today…

The conference with the most total points goes to the West with 706 (East 667)

The conference with the most overtime points goes to the East with 63 (West 58)

The total number of points in East vs. West games goes to the West with 98 (East 66)

The number of players in the top 50 in scoring goes to the East with 29 (West 21)

The number of forwards in the top 50 in scoring goes to the East with 30 (West 20)

The number of defensemen in the top 50 in scoring goes to the East with 28 (West 22)

The number of defensemen in the top 50 +/- rating goes to the West with 30 (East 20)

The number of goaltenders in the top 30 in GAA goes to the West with 19 (East 11)

The number of goaltenders in the top 30 in save % goes to the East with 16 (West 14)

The number of teams in the top 15 in goals per game goes to the East with 9 (West 6)

The number of teams in the top 15 in goals against per game goes to the West with 9 (East 6)

The number of total goals scored goes to the East with 1761 (West 1742)

The number of goals surrendered goes to the West with 1697 (East 1806)

I still say it all depends on where you live for where your alliances lie, but after looking at some of these numbers I get the feeling that if you want to see offence head East and if you want to see defense head West. Just remember on average there really is only 2 points that separate the two conferences with the West holding the slight edge so they are quite even overall. Happy debating!

NHL's CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

2007-12-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

The Holidays are upon us so it is time for my annual “NHL’s Christmas Wish List”. Sit back, relax and take a moment to lighten the load in this busy time of year. I wish all of you a safe and happy Holiday season. Enjoy!

Dear Santa,
In lieu of presents under my tree, this year I would like for you to give gifts to those who are in need. Please do the best you can to fulfill the following wishes listed here.

Thank you,
Gregsky

Please bring more power to the power play in Toronto, Nashville, St.Louis and Edmonton.

For the Caps just enough legs to actually skate for 60 minutes.

For Chris Simon a job in Ultimate Fighting so he can use all of his “talents” and not get suspended for them.

For Gary Bettman a visit from the ghosts of hockey past, present and future in the hopes that he will see the light and do some good for the league before it is too late. (I know, but it’s worth a shot)

More of whatever it is in the water in Detroit that makes the Red Wings so good.

Less of whatever it is in the water in Phoenix that makes them so bad.

A ton of consistency for the Lightning and Penguins so their stars can shine.

A rear view mirror for Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews so they can see Nicklas Backstrom coming. (Remember objects are closer than they appear)

Better judgment for Jiri Tlusty the next time someone wants to take his picture.

For the Rangers a chemistry set so they can find a formula to feel comfortable playing together.

Just one moment of peace away from the media for Saku Koivu.

Someone who is willing to step up for the Sabres in the 2nd half.

Enough gas for Kovalchuk and Zetterberg to score 50+ goals by seasons end.

A new muskrat pelt mullet for Brian Engblom his current one is looking a bit shabby these days.

For the Flames 10 more games just like the last 10 they played.

For the Devils more goals for than against in the 2nd half.

Some defensive help for the Canes so they can win those close ones.

Some road wins for the Lightning and Kings.

And finally for the League to dump the failed experiment of those hideous RBX jerseys that everyone hates and to remember that some things don’t need to be fixed.

SCATTERED THOUGHTS

2007-12-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

The coffee is strong, the eyes are tired, the brain is scattered and the fingers have a mind of their own. I’ve been at 6 different rinks in the last 3 days where I have watched some entertaining action on a few different levels and enjoyed every minute of it. Right now though, just when I need to write, I find my thoughts racing around like Bobby Orr on a penalty kill (hard to catch). With that said, the best I can do today is put down some random thoughts as they come to me and shoot from the hip or in this case the lip.

If the Panthers miss the playoffs color Jacques Martin gone, but please people stop the talk of trading Jokinen it’s not going to happen.

As smart as it would be for the Leafs to move Mats Sundin don’t expect it to happen as Sundin himself has said he wants to finish his career as a Maple Leaf.

Saw the U-18 Team USA in action against UMass the other night and even though they were outmatched and out-muscled by the older and more experienced UMass squad, the kids were fast and moved with precision on the ice. The future of U.S. Hockey looks bright.

Tip of the hat to Wes Walz. Thanks for the memories and best of luck in your life after hockey.

Will we actually see CuJo in an NHL jersey this season? Stay tuned.

Out of the top 10 in scoring so far, only Zetterberg (#5), Alfredsson (#6) and Stillman (#7) are on a team with a winning record.

The Blues, Bruins and Blackhawks have been pleasant surprises this year where as the Caps, Sabres, Flames and Kings have been well, not so pleasant.

The Stars have finally found the scoring touch and it has translated into wins.

Tough decisions lie ahead for the Lightning. Do you trade your leading scorer for the sake of the future? Do you trade your top D-man for help in the net? Do you fire your coach? Will any move have an impact on the sale of the team? Choose wisely my friends.

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK

2007-11-30T11:23:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can’t believe it is almost December already. Time for teams to either make it or break it. What happens over the course of the upcoming month will define weather or not some teams will get back on track and if some teams will fall from grace. This is the point of the season where it is still not too late to make a push as well as not too late to stumble and let other teams pass you by. For this month’s edition of my Eastern Conference Notebook I will be looking at trends, both good and bad.

Northeast
For the first time all season the Ottawa Senators are starting to look in the rear view mirror. What they see is the distinct colors of rouge, blanc and bleu and black and gold. There has been a noticeable trend over the last 10 games for the Senators and not a good one. Going 3 – 5 – 2 the Sens have left the back door open and the wolves are licking their chops to enter. The Canadiens have been playing .500 hockey lately but feasting on the power play with deadly accuracy which keeps them afloat. If they can find some consistency playing 5 on 5 the Habs can trend upwards and catch the napping Sens in no time. However they are not alone. The hottest team in the Northeast over the last 10 games have been the Bruins going 6 – 3 – 1. That’s right I said the Bruins it wasn’t a typo. The B’s have been solid defensively so far this season and have recently found the scoring touch even though they are without offensive catalyst Patrice Bergeron. They have become a tough team to play against and if you are going to beat them you will need to match the physical play and accept that you will be sore the next day. If the trend continues for the Bruins they will pass the Habs and be nipping at the Sens heels by Christmas. The Leafs are in the midst of a freefall going 3 – 4 – 3 in their last 10 games, certainly not the kind of trend that will get the Toronto media off their backs. The Sabres fall from grace is starting to trend upwards as they have gone 6 – 4 – 0 bringing them back to playing .500 hockey, but there is still a ton of work to do if they have any hope of catching the front runners.

Atlantic
Look out. The Rangers and Devils are starting to find their groove again which spells trouble for division foes. The Rangers have caught up to the Flyers going 7 – 2 – 1 in their last 10 games which is the trend everyone thought we would see from the start. The main reason for their upward trend has been the solid play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist who posts a 1.82 GAA and a .930 S% giving the Blueshirts a chance to win every night. The Devils got off to a rocky start uncharacteristically playing shoddy defense, but have tightened up over the last 10 games going 7 – 3 - 0. They have also found some scoring recently and if they lead after 2 periods they have been deadly. The upward trend for the Devils, have them once again in the playoff hunt. The Islanders have not been trending in the right direction lately and are starting to show their weakness. They are one key injury away from dropping like a rock. The only trend the Penguins have seen this year is a losing one. Playing .500 hockey on the road and sub .500 hockey at home, the young guns have come down to Earth after their surprise attack of last season. It is not too late for the Pens to start trending upwards, but until they find some consistency between the pipes the current trend will continue.

Southeast
This division is up for grabs and so far the Hurricanes are the only team willing to play hard enough to grab it. Although the trend for the Canes over the last 10 games would suggest otherwise as they have a mere 4 – 6 – 0 record. This is not the time to stumble as the Panthers are starting to catch them going 5 – 4 – 1 in their last 10. The key to the Panthers upward trend has been the power play and they will have to thrive on that if they want to continue to close the gap. The hottest team in the division over the last 10 games has been the Thrashers going 6 – 4 – 0. The rough start to the season has put them in a hole that they are desperately trying to dig out of. The trend is favorable, but the question is how long will it last? When thinking of trends in reference to the Lightning it has been a tale of two teams. One that plays lights out at home and one that sucks wind on the road. At home the Bolts boast a 8 – 3 – 1 record so far which makes for happy fans, but on the road they have been anemic going 2 – 10 – 1. It is the trend away from home that keeps this team from gaining any ground. As for the Caps, the only trend has been a pathetic one. This team was supposed to sneak up and surprise everyone this season and so far the biggest surprise has been that they don’t work hard for 60 minutes. It will be interesting to see if more shakeups are planned for the Caps in the near future in order to reverse the trend that has plagued them all year.

MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP

2007-11-29T12:15:00.000-05:00

Hello, again! I hope everyone had a great holiday! Here is a look at what’s happening in the West:

GOALIES STAND TALL: Two Western netminders were included in the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week for the week ending Nov. 24. Ilya Bryzgalov, claimed by Phoenix on Nov.17 after the Anaheim Ducks placed him on waivers, was selected as 2nd Star for posting a 3-0-0 record with a 1.62 GAA and .938 SV%. Mike Smith of the Stars was selected as 3rd Star, also going 3-0-0, with a 1.00 GAA and .963 SV%.

The move of Bryzgalov to the desert came after several teams had made calls to Ducks’ GM Brian Burke about the 27-year old goaler, but no deal ever came to fruition. With J.S. Giguere under contract for four years, and with up-and-comer Jonas Hiller waiting in the wings at Portland (AHL), Burke agreed to let Bryzgalov go via the waiver wire. Burke made the following statement:

“He’s been great. He has not asked for a trade. This whole schematic here is mine. He never came to me and said, ‘I want out.’ His agent never said ‘I want out.’ When we signed Hiller during the playoffs, you didn’t hear a word out of Bryz. We gave Giguere the four-year deal with a no-trade clause and you didn’t hear a word out of Bryz. He’s been terrific.

"I think organizations need to have reputations for honest answers with their players. And since this player came through for us: he won three playoff rounds in the last two years, he’s a quality person who helped us win, then he deserves to go somewhere else and play. The market has not materialized and I’m keeping my word today.”

The Coyotes have welcomed him with open arms. Opening Night starter David Aebischer, who appeared in that one game with Phoenix, has been loaned to HC Lugano of the Swiss-A league. The Dogs had been switching off between Mikael Tellqvist and Alex Auld in net; the arrival of Bryzgalov should give them some stability in that position. If they can get their game going at home (PHX is 4-7-0 at home but 7-3-0 on the road), the Coyotes could still make a run for a playoff spot.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, Mike Smith has helped what was a beleaguered Stars club regain an even keel. On Nov. 10th at Los Angeles, Dallas coughed up a four-goal lead, allowing five goals in a Kings’ record 5:07, and ended up losing to the Kings in OT, 6-5. Marty Turco took the loss in a game that not only shook his confidence, but embarrassed the entire organization. GM Doug Armstrong was fired three days later, replaced on an interim basis by assistant GM Les Jackson and former Star Brett Hull. The pair will run the hockey department for the rest of the year. It is an interesting idea, to say the least, and it may fall apart completely. However, the team has flourished since the move, winning six straight games after a shootout loss at home to San Jose. Smith has been a rock in net, especially on Sunday past at Madison Square Garden, stopping a career-high 39 shots in an improbable 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Could there be a move in the works… and could it be Turco moving on? I should point out that I have heard nothing in that vein… it is pure speculation on my part. The biggest problem about that idea is finding someone who would take Turco’s contract (one of the items that got Armstrong in hot water with the fans in the first place…).

CENTRAL DIVISION

For the past two seasons, the Central Division has been one of the weaker divisions in the league; with only two teams (Detroit and Nashville) making the playoffs. With the weakness of the other Central clubs, the Wings and Preds rolled up 100+ point seasons last year, while 3rd place St. Louis could only muster 81 points.
Change has arrived in the Central. While Detroit still leads the division (and conference) with 34 points, St. Louis and Chicago currently hold the 4th and 5th slots in the West with 26 points each. Also with 26 points (7th in West) are the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Each club is facing injury problems. The Blackhawks have lost C Kevyn Adams for the year to an ACL injury, but will get RW Jason Williams and RW Martin Havlat for tonight’s match against Tampa Bay. The Jackets are missing LW Fredrik Modin and D Duvie Westcott., with C Jiri Novotny listed as day-to-day with a bum shoulder. The Blues’ Martin Rucinsky is dealing with a bruised hand; while rookie RW David Backes is out with an MCL injury.
While those clubs have been on the rise, the Predators are struggling to keep pace. They are only two points out of the playoffs at this early stage, but have scored one less goal than they have allowed (62 to 63). In addition their special teams rank in the bottom third in the league; and starting goalie Chris Mason is sporting a goals-against of 3.07 and an .897 SV%.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

The Vancouver Canucks have charged to the forefront by winning five of their last seven; the last two coming via back-to-back shutouts from Roberto Luongo. The Canucks are 7-1-2 in their last ten; and have been road warriors (7-3-1 away from GM Place). A 6-6-1 home mark is perplexing, to say the least. Minnesota has faded a bit after a strong start to the year, but still hold down second place. The Wild has split their last ten; and for the season are being outshot almost every night. Colorado takes no prisoners on home ice (9-2-0), but are a poor 3-7-1 on the road; and have been outscored 63-66 this season. The Avs power play (13.2%) has been anemic despite the addition of Ryan Smyth; and the team ranks 27th in faceoffs won. The Flames are struggling under Mike Keenan – or is it the play of Miikka Kiprusoff? Kipper is on his way to the worst season of his career: 10-10-3, 2.96, .886 SV%. The trio of Jarome Iginla (33pts.), Alex Tanguay (22), and Daymond Langkow (21) leads the way on offense, but the defense and 27th ranked penalty kill have been Calgary’s undoing. Edmonton has been racked by injuries, with five players on IR. The Oil has been outscored 74-57, and has the worst power play in the league. It looks to be a long, cold, and restless winter in Alberta.

PACIFIC DIVISION
Despite the upheaval in Dallas mentioned above, the Stars have moved to the top of the division. For the first time in seemingly forever, Dallas is averaging three goals a game. The Stars are 7-1-2 in their last ten games, and are once again above .500 on the road. There are bumps ahead, however. Marty Turco must get his game in order if the Stars are to hold their position. Also, Selke Award winner Jere Lehtinen requires hernia surgery and will miss the next 8-10 weeks. This will affect Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow, who had forged one of the best lines in the league with Lehtinen. The recent flurry by Dallas has allowed them to open up some space on a division that is middling, at best. The Ducks are 8-3-3 at home but have been outscored 70-61. In San Jose, the Sharks are second in the league in goals allowed (2.09) but are an inexplicable 3-5-1 at home. Injuries have hurt the Sharks, with the likes of Ryan Clowe and Marcel Goc on IR. Jonathan Cheechoo continues to struggle, with seven points in 22 games. Evgeni Nabokov should be an All-Star this year: third in the league in minutes played (1307) with a 2.02 GAA and three shutouts. As described above, Phoenix is making a move behind new tender Bryzgalov. Shane Doan’s 18 points leads the way on a club with eight players in double figures. The Los Angeles Kings have won one of their last seven, and have lost Scott Thornton to injury (groin). Alexander Frolov is battling a chest injury, and is day-to-day. Ugly stat: defensemen Lubomir Visnovsky and Rob Blake are a combined -22.

Quotes courtesy ducks.com

THE NHL'S BIGGEST TURKEY AWARDS

2007-11-22T11:16:00.000-05:00

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday I will be handing out “The NHL’s Biggest Turkey” awards. These awards are given to the worst the NHL has to offer so far this season. I’ll break them down into two categories for your viewing pleasure. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday. Enjoy!

INDVIDUAL AWARDS

The “You mean I’m supposed to play defense?” award goes to…
Scott Hannan of the Avalanche for his –11 through 20 games.

The “I’ll be taking a bus to games soon” award goes to…
Sergei Samsonov of the Blackhawks for his uninspired play.

The “Boy this game is fast” award goes to…
David Steckel of the Capitals for being a rookie in over his head.

The “Did they make the nets bigger?” award goes to…
Miikka Kiprusoff of the Flames for his 2.96 GAA and .888 SV% through 21 games.

The “I was supposed to repeat that?” award goes to…
Jordan Staal of the Penguins for his 2 points and –8 through 21 games.

The “I’m supposed to lead this team?” award goes to…
Maxim Afinogenov of the Sabres for not stepping up.

The “NHL’s Biggest Turkey” award goes to…
Sean Avery of the Rangers for being Sean Avery.

TEAM AWARDS

The “Can’t play for 60 minutes” award goes to…
The Washington Capitals

The “Failed experiment” award goes to…
The Edmonton Oilers

The “Boy do we suck” award goes to…
The Buffalo Sabres

The “What do you mean the Coyotes are better than us?” award goes to…
The L.A. Kings

The “Weren’t we supposed to win the division?” award goes to…
The Pittsburgh Penguins

The “We forgot how to play defense” award goes to…
The N.J. Devils

The “What’s so special about special teams anyway?” award goes to…
The N.J. Devils

The “Thank God we have a good goalie” award goes to…
The N.Y. Rangers

The “We play better a man down” award goes to…
The Edmonton Oilers

The “NHL’s Biggest Turkey” award goes to…
The Washington Capitals

CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE

2007-11-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

Glad to see that teams are getting the message about offer sheets and signing their young players before they become targets. No more waiting around all year to negotiate contracts, the 800lbs. gorilla in the room won’t be ignored anymore.

With Tuukka Rask, the Bruins future between the pipes looks bright.

Looks like the Wild will have some choices to make for next season. I hope they choose wisely and find a way to keep Rolston.

Am I the only one who could care less to even know about Jiri Tlusty’s exploits?

Good to see that all those moves Kevin Lowe made over the summer are working out for him. Don’t despair Oil fans, the farm team looks good.

Is it really that surprising that the Penguins are struggling and the Blackhawks aren’t? Yes. Yes it is.

Don’t look now, but methinks the Rangers got their groove back.

The Islanders just won’t go away, yet.

It’s time for the Caps to do some soul searching and find out what kind of team they want to be. One that works for 60 minutes or one that works for 30 minutes.

How rich is Thomas Vanek?

Too many goalies is a nice problem to have for the dessert dogs. I can think of a few teams that wish they had that problem.

The Thrashers are doing their best to erase the hole they dug to start the season.

The Avs are wishing they could play all of their games at home this year. The Bolts second that.

Iron Mike has been pretty quiet so far, how long can it last?

Congrats on your 400th as a Leaf Mats, now try translating that into some wins.

CAN THE MAPLE LEAFS BE FIXED?

2007-11-16T11:49:00.000-05:00

Stuck in the midst of over 40 years of drought, the once mighty Maple Leafs have fallen on hard times of epic proportions. Not financially by any means as they were recently touted as the NHL’s most valuable franchise by Forbes, but in terms of on ice futility. 1967 was the last time that Leafs Nation tasted victory in the form of the Stanley Cup. Since then, not so much as getting close enough to even sniff it.

In 1969, 1972 and 1974 the Leafs were ousted by the Bruins in the playoffs. 1975, 1976 and 1977 they ran into trouble with the Flyers. 1978 and 1979 it was the Canadiens turn and in 1980 and 1981 it was the North Stars and Islanders turn to snuff the hopes of Leafs fans. 1983 the North Stars took them out again and 1986 St. Louis got in on the act. 1987 and 1988 the Red Wings did the honors and St. Louis again took them out in 1990. 1993 seemed to be the year that they would finally bring some glory back to Toronto, that was until they ran into Gretzky’s Kings and a barn-burner 7 game series that found the Leafs heading home early once again. 1994 they ran out of gas falling to Vancouver and 1995 Chicago sent them packing. 1996 the Blues shattered the dream once more marking the last time they would see playoff action in the Western Conference. Trying their luck again in the East, they made a run in 1999 where they ran into trouble with the Sabres. 2000 and 2001 New Jersey took over as Leaf killers and 2002 had the Hurricanes giving them the boot. 2003 and 2004 the Flyers took them out and they haven’t made the playoffs since.

This season’s version of the Leafs generated some buzz over the summer as additions to the lineup had Leafs Nation thinking playoffs again. Consistency has so far eluded this year’s version and a weak blueline now has fans second guessing earlier predictions. It is understandably difficult to play in Toronto under the constant microscope of the media and fans, but it is no different today as it has been all along in Toronto. Eleven Stanley Cup championships as the Maple Leafs gives the franchise its historical clout, $83 million in profit gives them the financial clout, but on the battlefield, between the whistles where the war is waged the Leafs have come up empty for the last 40 years. This is the reason for the constant scrutiny, the calls for front office change as well as on ice changes. Change can sometimes be just what the doctor ordered, but there are no guarantees that change will actually fix anything. Until the right formula is put together from top to bottom the drought will continue. Don’t forget that there are 83 million reasons not to change a thing and in today’s world the bottom line is the bottom line.

There is only one easy answer to what will fix Leafs Nation and that is winning the Cup. Trouble is, that is the hardest task to accomplish in all of sports and this year’s version isn’t off to a roaring start. Winning is the cure-all for what ails this once proud franchise and it remains the only way to bring glory back to the city. Winning is the only change that needs to be made and it starts with a face-off, a battle in the corner or in front of the net, one shift at a time and one game at a time. No matter what changes are made in the front office, it comes down to the guys who take the ice to make the necessary changes in order to win. Sure the front office can put together the best possible product, but even then winning isn’t in their hands it is solely up to the players to generate the wins. Winning is an attitude, a culture, a measure of pride and status and something that has been missing in Toronto since 1967.

MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP

2007-11-10T08:25:00.000-05:00

We’re nearing the quarter-pole of the 2007-08 NHL season. (Can it really be November already? Seems like the season started just last week…) Looking at the top of the Western Conference, one might think this was the “old” NHL, where teams could win simply by opening their wallets to procure the talent they needed.

The similarities stop there.

Look past the top three, and you not only see the effects of the “new”, salary-capped league, but also the infusion of youth and talent that some clubs have been able to assemble. In my estimation, there are three clubs in the West with serious designs on the Stanley Cup, two upstart clubs, and then a gaggle of teams hoping to squeeze their way into the postseason.

THE CONTENDERS

Detroit (12-2-1, 25pts): The Wings started out with wins in four of their first seven games. Since then, they have won eight straight, outscoring opponents 29-13 in that span. Henrik Zetterberg has played like a man on a mission, recording at least one point in all 15 games, and leading the NHL in scoring (12-13-25). Five of his goals have come on the power play, and he is winning 57.4% of his faceoffs. I haven’t even mentioned the names Datsyuk, Holmstrom, Lidstrom, or Rafalski (all with 12 points or more). Chris Osgood has won all eight games during the streak (8-0-0, 1.48 GAA). It’s early, but it appears that the only team that can stop Detroit is…. Detroit, or possibly….

Colorado (10-5-0, 20pts): After missing the playoffs last season, the Avs have stormed back to prominence. Ryan Smyth has worked his way into the offense nearly seamlessly, but the best part for Smyth is that he doesn’t have to be THE man in Denver. With Joe Sakic, Paul Stastny, and Andrew Brunette leading the way (15 G, 34 A between them), Smyth can use his skills in a complementary fashion. The Avs have yet to max out their talents, which should scare the rest of the West.

Minnesota (9-4-2, 20pts): My apologies to all Wild fans. I thought Minnesota would get buried by an early, road-heavy schedule. I was wrong, OK? (To my relatives in Minny… ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?) Niklas Backstrom (7-1-1, 1.88 GAA) is the real thing. Balanced scoring – six players have 10+ points – keeps opponents guessing. Of the three contenders, Minnesota is the longshot, but they could be dangerous.

THE UPSTARTS

Columbus (8-4-2, 18pts): Ken Hitchcock is working his magic once more. The jackets have a good mix of talent and grit. Rick Nash (16 pts) and Nik Zherdev (10 pts) lead the way, while Sergei Fedorov, Jason Chimera, and Jiri Novotny have chipped in with timely scoring. Netmindr Pascal Leclaire has been a huge surprise, going 7-2-0 with five (yes, FIVE) shutouts. The biggest question marks: 1) Can Leclaire continue this torrid pace? 2) Lack of scoring depth – Nash has 10 goals; no other Jacket has more than four.

Chicago (8-7-0, 16pts): While the Blackhawks mourn the passing of team president William Wirtz off the ice, there is a renaissance beginning on the ice. Patrick Kane (5-12-17), Johnathan Toews (6-7-13), and Patrick Sharp (6-4-10) bring scoring and loads of youthful enthusiasm to the Windy City, while experience is provided by Robert Lang, Jason Williams, and Yanic Perreault. The D-corps is solid, if unspectacular. The question mark is in net. Nik Khabibulin (5-6-0) has a GAA north of 3 and a save% south of .900. If the “Bulin Wall” can be patched up, the ‘Hawks might just scare somebody.

THE GAGGLE

Dallas (7-7-2, 16pts): OK, so they lead the Pacific and would claim the No. 3 seed if the postseason started today. That means very little. To say the Stars are inconsistent would be an understatement. Dallas has yet to string three wins together, and has lost five of their last eight. Last week, the Stars lost three consecutive home games; surrendering third period leads in two of them and getting shutout by Phoenix in the third. The Stars are poster boys for mediocrity. 3-3-1 at home. 4-4-1 on the road. 5-5-0 in their last ten. 44 goals scored, and 44 goals allowed. There was no move to add scoring during the summer, and the normally solid defense and goaltending have become pourous. The only positive right now is the weakness of the Pacific Division. It might be the only reason the Stars qualify for the postseason – someone has to win it.

San Jose (7-7-1, 15pts): See Dallas above. The Sharks are fantastic on the road (6-3-1), but abysmal so far at home (1-4-0). C Joe Thornton is on a point per game pace, but forwards Jonathan Cheechoo (6 pts) and Patrick Marleau (5 pts) are far behind last year’s pace. Once again, the weakness of the Pacific may be their salvation.

Nashville (7-7-1, 15pts): Winners in three of their last four, the Preds currently hold down the eighth seed in the West. After winning their first two, Nashville lost six straight by a combined 29-9. The power play is in the bottom third in the league, and the Preds allow just over 30 shots each game. Dan Ellis has surprised as the backup to Chris Mason. The former Stars product is 4-0-0 with two shutouts.

Calgary (6-7-3, 15pts): I had Calgary winning the Northwest in my preview, which tells you how prescient I am. This is a head-scratcher. Last season, people were talking about how Miikka Kipprusoff had an off-year. What are they saying now? Kipper has struggled (6-7-3, 3.14, .884) this year. Has his new contract – a six-year extension – made him too comfortable? Is new coach Mike Keenan playing him too much? Is the defense that bad? Of all the teams currently treading water, I still think Calgary is in the best position to improve. From the quotes I have read, the Flames are still looking for a full, 60-minute effort (sounds familiar to those who follow Dallas…). Can Keenan find the right buttons to push?

Anaheim (6-8-3, 15pts): The Ducks look lost. They are a shell of their former selves. Anaheim has been outscored 49-39 so far, and have not won more than two games in a row. Injuries have played a role (Rob Niedermayer, Ryan Getzlaf, and Mathieu Schneider missed time), and the short summer combined with the London trip to start the year haven’t helped, either. The biggest problem seems to be that Anaheim just wants to tread water (so to speak) until Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selaane make a triumphant return. The Ducks need to move forward without them. NOW. It really is poor form for those two to hold their club and fans hostage just because they got a ring. It’s time for those two to decide. Play or go home.

That’s all for now. I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! Talk to you again soon.

Peace.

I BETTER GET OFF THE PHONE NOW

2007-11-08T12:28:00.000-05:00

A friend recently called me and wanted to do a little Q & A with me about a few recent happenings in hockey. Whenever I get a call from him it turns into a heated debate for an extended period of time (my wife hates it because the phone is usually attached to her head and she gets jealous). I figured I would share the raw results and estimated time with you.

Q: Is Eric Lindros Hall of Fame worthy?
A: No. When Glen Anderson and Rick Middleton get the call then we can start to talk Lindros, until then the answer is no.
Q: So you don’t think he will get in?
A: I’m sure he will get in. There are enough supporters to push him in, but you asked if I thought he was worthy and my answer is no. There are still some players on the outside who need to get in before considering Lindros. The problem is politics and agendas drive the selection decisions and until that changes I don’t put any stock in HOF choices.
Q: So you don’t agree with the selection process?
A: I feel that the benchmarks are blurry and without clear-cut benchmarks it is subject to tainted decisions. If you solely went with production numbers (for forwards) and set a benchmark of say 1000 points and weighed that against games played and championships won, then you would have a base for decisions that couldn’t be argued. The process right now allows too much wiggle room and we have players getting in that shouldn’t and players not getting in that should.
Q: With your suggested benchmark, Middleton wouldn’t get in. I don’t think he broke 1000 points and he has no championships on his resume care to explain?
A: Exactly. Neither did Lindros and that’s why I say he isn’t worthy.
Q: What about considering what he could have accomplished if not for injuries?
A: Projected stats? I truly hope that doesn’t play a factor. That could be done for a ton of players and the Hall would be full. Bob Carpenter in the Hall? Just look at Mario, Bossy and Orr they had shortened careers due to injury and their numbers blow Lindros away. No, projected stats are a waste of time.
Est. time 14 min.

Q: Right now, who is the best player in the NHL?
A: Right now? Henrik Zetterberg.
Q: Just because he is leading the scoring race?
A: Yes. And when the game is on the line I want the puck on his stick. Until someone plays better he is my choice.
Q: Do you think Crosby will pass him by soon?
A: Sure, and maybe Thornton or Iginla too, but right now he is playing better.
Q: Where do you see Zetterberg at season’s end?
A: In the top 10, maybe #6 or #8 – higher if he stays healthy all year.
Q: So if he stays healthy, do you see the Wings as the best in the West?
A: Yes. Even if he isn’t healthy all year the Wings are the best in the West. They are solid in all areas and their record shows it.
Est. time 6 min.

Q: Are the Bruins actually better this year or are the teams in their division weaker?
A: They are tougher to play against. If that makes them better, than okay sure. I’m not sure the other teams are weaker, just off to rough starts.
Q: Do you think the B’s have a shot at the playoffs?
A: Everyone has a shot – the Bruins need to find some scoring if they want to win. They have tightened up the defense and that keeps them in the game longer and their physical play makes them tougher to play against. Relying on an aging Glen Murray oft injured Sturm and youngster Kessel to carry the scoring while Bergeron is out makes me think they will start to slide soon.
Q: About Bergeron – what do you think about the 2 game suspension?
A: Maybe it should have been a little more, but Jones isn’t a dirty player and I think he just used poor judgment on that hit. It’s hard to tell if a player is going to turn to face the boards at the last moment when you are committed to making the hit. Jones should have just pinned Bergeron to the glass instead of finishing off the check, but the decision was made and a 2 game price was paid.
Q: You don’t think the punishment should reflect the injury?
A: Hits like that are a tough call. Clearly Jones didn’t mean to injure him just take him out of the play. No one wants to see a lasting effect from the injury, but keeping Jones from playing until Bergeron recovers makes little sense. Maybe the suspension should have been 5 games to give Jones time to think about his decision, but more than that wouldn’t have made sense.
Est. time 8 min.

Q: What do you think of Mike Modano setting the record for U.S. born players?
A: Good for Mike. He is the face of American hockey. Trouble is that here in the U.S. it is back page news. This is where the league fails to market its players to the U.S. audience. Instead of pushing Americans to like Crosby they should hype the likes of Modano to give U.S. fans an American hero.
Q: You don’t think Mike is too old to be hyped as a hero?
A: Not at all – actually there are several U.S. players that should be hyped and the fact that they aren’t shows that the league is content on pushing Crosby and Ovechkin on everyone. Not that I don’t think those two deserve to be hyped, only give Americans a homegrown hero to cheer for.
Q: So who is your favorite U.S. born player right now?
A: Ryan Suter – there are tons of appeal to push him through the hype machine – solid game, big hits, terrific work ethic, great lineage – there is a story just waiting to be told.
Q: And your favorite all time?
A: Pat LaFontaine.
Q: Do you think we will start to see more U.S. players becoming stars in the near future?
A: Yes. U.S. hockey is doing a wonderful job with their development programs and the last few drafts are starting to reflect that. It won’t be long before some kid out of Texas or Florida goes on to have a celebrated career.
Q: You take in a lot of youth hockey games – Do you think hockey is growing at the grassroots level in the U.S.?
A: The numbers are up and down from year to year, but overall I think it is growing and most importantly it is growing in non-traditional markets and that is the key to success for U.S. hockey. I live in Ma. so the numbers here are always strong – but if you look at what is happening in Dallas the numbers there are doubling and that is a great sign of growth.
Q: You mentioned the U.S. development programs – How accessible are they for most kids?
A: They hold tryouts every year in my area for a reasonable fee and it is a great way for kids to measure themselves against the best around. They take the best and put them in programs that focus on getting them to the next level. When 6 to 10 kids go in the 1st round from a U.S. program that to me is a success.
Est. time 12 min.

Well, that only accounts for half of the actual time spent on the phone and only because my wife threw me the “I’m gonna kill you look” did it end that soon. When it comes to talking hockey I don’t put a time limit on it, but when it comes to talking on the phone my wife’s limit for me is around the 80-minute mark before something heavy gets thrown at me. The phone is back where it belongs pressed up against her head and I will head for the computer.

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK: NIGHTMARES IN THE EAST

2007-10-31T10:22:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another edition of Gregsky’s Eastern Conference Notebook. In the spirit of Halloween, I will take a look at the horror facing the bottom half of the conference and see if there is any hope left in the nightmare start to the season for some of these teams.

Islanders
Nothing too horrific happening to the Isles to start the season, their horrors are yet to begin. Right now they are the hottest team in New York and have the fans (for now) leaving the paper bags at home. Strong special teams have kept the team from Long Island afloat. They have been more of a nightmare for opposing teams, as they have been tougher to beat than in the past. I don’t think they will sustain much longer though so fans will don the masks after Halloween passes.

Sabres
Playing .500 hockey giving up 3.40 goals/game is spooky for Sabres fans. Not used to seeing their team struggle this much this early, the horror show of management mistakes over the summer have the fans a bit squeamish over the results. Playing for a full 60 minutes has been frightfully missing so far this season and they will be lucky to escape October without a worse record.

Capitals
With the improvements this team made in the off-season they should be in a better spot in a weak division. The fear at the start of the season was defense, but that hasn’t been the problem. Injuries and lack of scoring has been the evil lurking around the team so far. Once this team gets rolling the early part of the season will just be a bad dream, but for now the nightmare of inconsistency looms large.

Rangers
Maybe blood and gore is just what the Rangers needed to spark them into putting the puck in the net. Jagr giving up a few chicklets to the puck dentist seemed to get him going after a horrific month and they may want to start a ritual of bashing him in the mouth before every game. Really, the issue is not clicking on the power play. An area that was hyped to be deadly has in fact been dreadful.

Panthers
Projected to be a much better team this season, the Panthers have struggled out of the gate. An upgrade in net was supposed to be a boost and while 3.09 goals against isn’t horrific the 2.36 goals/game makes it spooky. The real problem for the club is when they take their show on the road. Winning only 1 game out of 6 on the road is enough to make any fan scream.

Thrashers
Cue the Death March music now. The start to the season has been a classic horror show for the Thrashers. Leading the league in goals against the nightmare may not end for the team this year. They lost too much over the summer and didn’t do enough to replace the pieces that helped them make the post season last year. Their coach has already felt the axe and a total lack of scoring may spell trouble for their future as they are still trying to reach a deal with Hossa. The fans that do show up to witness this horror on ice may want to borrow the paper bags that Islanders fans haven’t had to use yet.

Devils
Maybe the moniker is fitting for Halloween, but no one is used to including this team as part of a creep show. Maybe it is due to only playing 1 game at home so far this year, but view just 1 game and you can see that this isn’t your father’s New Jersey Devils. Lack of defense has been the devil of the Devils and poor special teams play has them dwelling in the dungeon of the conference. Maybe the hiring of Sutter on Friday the 13th was an omen, but right now the Devils are bedeviled.

SUM IT UP IN A SONG

2007-10-25T12:19:00.000-04:00

Just a little musical musing to start the day folks, as I find some lyrics to sum up some recent NHL happenings and show my age. Enjoy.

“Meet the new boss…same as the old boss” – The Who
The NHLPA hires Paul Kelly to head the union. Another lawyer in the mix – just what the game needed. Bob Goodenow simply calls him Mini-Me. Can’t wait for him and Bettman to clash in an epic battle of the geeks.

“I ain’t the reason you gave me no reason to return your call. You built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall…You can’t take the effect and make it the cause.” – The White Stripes
Mismanagement in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville and Edmonton has lead to one coach fired and several others on the hot seat. It’s time for some GM’s to feel the heat, don’t you think?

“See how he dances, see how he moves from side to side. See how he prances, the way his hooves just seem to glide. He’s just a one-trick pony, but he turns that trick with pride.” – Paul Simon
Year in and year out Tomas Holmstrom shows us all why he is at his best when he creates havoc in front of the opponents net. I’m sure, to a man; the Wings would all say he is the most valuable player on the team.

“You done lost your good thing now…” – B.B. King
A 3–5–0 start for the Buffalo Sabres suggests they may have made a few mistakes over the summer. What do you think?

“How you treat the weak is your true nature calling.” – Jane’s Addiction
The Carolina Hurricanes look poised to dominate the Southeast Division as every other team is struggling out of the gate.

“The kids are alright…the kids are alright.” – The Who
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Towes in Chicago and Andrew Cogliano and Sam Gagner in Edmonton are giving fans something to sing about early on this season.

“There’s a fog upon L.A. and my friends have lost their way…” – The Beatles
The Kings defensive woes continue to undo the hard work their forwards create for them. Some think the problem lies in the net, but the guys playing in front of the goaltender are more to blame. If the blue-line doesn’t turn things around soon, it will be a long season for Kings fans.

“Safe complaining, ‘cause everything’s rotten, go insane and ain’t a thing forgotten, feelin’ cozy, rats in the cellar, cheeks are rosy, skin’s turning yellow, losers party, lookin’ rather lazy, see my body, pushin’ up daisies…New York City blues…” – Aerosmith
The lack of scoring, team defense and any resemblance of chemistry have the Rangers searching for answers to the awful funk they are in to start the season. I had a feeling this would happen given their history of signing “Big Name” free agents and getting little bang for their buck.

“This is a thing I’ve never known before it’s called easy livin’…” – Uriah Heep
In Phoenix nothing is easy. Looks like another long season in the dessert for the dogs.

THE KID DRIVES ME CRAZY SOMETIMES

2007-10-18T11:58:00.000-04:00

So there I was sitting at my desk blankly staring at the computer, teeth clinched tight - palms as sweaty as an NHLer wearing the new RBK uniform, minding my own business trying to mentally nurse myself through the strongest coffee buzz of all time without completely wigging out, when all of a sudden I heard a loud “Dad!” coming from behind my chair. The shout startled me as if I just found out Brian Engblom’s hair was made out of muskrat pelt. When my ass finally came down from orbit and hit the chair, my eyes still twitching like Kyle McLaren hopped up on Sudafed waiting for the puck to drop, I slowly turned to face the noise maker behind me suddenly realizing why lions sometimes eat their young and answered with a surprisingly calm “what is it son?” “Do you think I’m pressing too much?”

Are you kidding me? This kid just scared the ever-living shit out of me and he wants to know if I think he’s pressing too much? Pressing his luck maybe as I think he snuck up behind me on purpose, but nonetheless I answered him with the first thing that came to my mind “It’s Thursday morning, what are you worried about?” He had a look on his face as if he was about to get demoted to Peoria and was just waiting for the call to come. “I’m seven games into the pre-season and I only have two goals, I’m just wondering if maybe I’m pressing too much out there” he said with concern in his voice. My initial thought was to bust out in laughter, but knowing that he takes Bantam hockey seriously I refrained and responded with “pressing?” “The coach has you in a checking role, why are you worried about goals?” “I know” he said, “but if I can show him that I can score he might take me off the third line.” Here we go, another morning talking shop with the boy before he heads out to school. He continued as I let out a deep sigh, “We have trouble scoring, and since I was the second leading scorer on my team last season, I just feel like I can contribute more to the team this year.” “But I can’t do it on the third line.” He was right. He can put the puck in the net and set up others, I’ve seen it first hand over forty times during the last two seasons, but he can’t do it this year when he spends every shift in the defensive zone. Even though this year his new coach has yet to see that the boy is being wasted offensively, he has seen how responsible he is defensively and uses that to help the team’s overall performance. However, explaining that to a kid who wants to be a sniper is as difficult as finding someone on the Atlanta Thrashers roster who can score some goals.

So I cautiously responded with “Give it time, like you said it’s pre-season and your coach is still learning what his players can do.” “So if he puts you in a checking role then you play that style of game, banging in the corners, chipping the puck out of the zone, fore-checking and back-checking like a madman, chewing up minutes, don’t worry about goals they will come.” I sat there looking at him, hoping that my infinite wisdom was sinking in without shattering his confidence level in the slightest bit, when he responded with “Yeah, but this was supposed to be my breakout year and my line can’t even breakout of our own zone.” “Thanks anyways Dad.” Those words hit me like a Chris Simon chop to the face. Being a father first and foremost, my fatherhood instinct instantly kicked in “Look buddy” I said with a lump in my throat as I realized this really has him tied up in knots on the inside, “Facing adversity is what makes a person strong, you are no stranger to that and this year isn’t any different than what you’ve faced since you started playing.” “I’m not a coach and even though I could be the fact remains that I’m not, so all I can tell you is to respect what your coach wants you to do and continue to work hard and everything else will fall into place.” “Eventually, your coach will put you in a position where you are playing with more skilled line-mates and you will have the opportunity to show him what you can do, until then just play the game and have fun.” “Don’t worry about goals and pressing too much and all of that stuff just go out there do your thing and have fun.” “That’s why you play isn’t it?” “Because it’s fun?” He nodded without saying anything letting my words sink in. He sat there looking up at the picture of him and I sitting with the Stanley Cup that hangs on the wall above my desk. After a few moments of silence and an intense stare at the picture he said “You’re right Dad, it is fun no matter if we win or lose or if I score or not or if I’m on the first line or the third.” “I just love to play and can’t imagine doing anything else.”

It was my turn to nod without saying anything feeling as if I just gave a team a motivational speech before a crucial game seven. Then, just as I was celebrating my apparent victory of wisdom within my mind and patting myself on the back as if I scored an overtime goal, the boy chirps in with “Maybe I’ll ask the coach if I can play center on that line this weekend.” “That way if we can win a face-off and control the puck we might be able to get it out of our zone and get some chances on offense.” “Thanks Dad” he said standing up and smacking me on the shoulder, “I knew you could help me out.” Within a second he was gone like Peter Stastny on a breakaway, leaving me feeling exposed and confused like Darren Pang in an 8-0 blowout. All I could do was put my face in my hands shake my head and chuckle to myself wondering what to do with that boy. He is such a good kid and he tries so hard to do the best he can and just never seems to catch a break no matter what. Maybe things will turn around for him this year, in fact, I’m sure they will it’s only a matter of time.

The coffee is now cold and I sit here once again starring at the computer screen wondering what to write about today. Thanks, son.

ANOTHER QUICK TRIP AROUND THE RINK

2007-10-16T12:03:00.000-04:00

This morning nothing in particular is jumping out at me when I look around the league, instead several things of note are screaming for attention. So I will take a quick trip around and comment on my observations.

It seems the Rangers are having some chemistry issues – Drury on the 3rd line? Shanahan has zero goals? The most hyped team in the off-season is dwelling in the cellar in their division? I mean really, I questioned if the Rangers made a mistake back in July, but I didn’t think that they would struggle this much this early.

Win and they will come. Seems that is the message sent by Sabres fans as their home sellout streak comes to an end. Just kidding Sabres fans, Monday night games are hard to sellout that’s probably why you only have four of them this year.

“In some respects I suspect that you have a respectable side” – Jack White (of The White Stripes) Only I’m not sure that Jesse Boulerice could ever show that side of himself on a sheet of ice. Jordan Tootoo is next on the watch list as his recent play won’t go unnoticed by the league. A little respect will go long way boys, let’s think about the consequences before the decision to take an opponents head off.

Hockey fans in the U.S. – The NHL Network – Comcast has it – find it - get it – enough said.

The Kings need to solve their goaltending problem soon or else they will be out of the mix by mid November.

Going “Wild” in Minnesota. The tight defensive style still works for wins in this league, despite the push for more goal scoring, 5-0 and only giving up 4 goals is a feather in the cap for this system.

Some one please stop the bleeding! If your team is struggling to score goals just hope the Leafs are coming up on your schedule, they’re giving them away by the truckload.

Okay, so the Bruins hung in tough on their opening road trip, but let’s see how they play at home before we all eat crow for our doomsday predictions.

Blue Jackets need to find a 1st line center – maybe that was something they should have addressed over the summer?

Atlanta needs to find someone who can score. Anyone? Hello?

Through 6 games Sheldon Souray is only a minus 3. Are things looking up?

The Stars are 2-2-2 overall, 2-0-1 at home and 0-2-1 on the road, 16 goals scored and 16 goals surrendered. Is there a trend here?

Martin Gerber is earning his paycheck in Ottawa, haven’t heard an “on the block” rumor about him since the season started.

HAS FREE AGENCY KILLED RIVALRIES?

2007-10-12T09:48:00.000-04:00

If video killed the radio star, then free agency killed team rivalries. In this day and age of professional sports with free agency and heavy amounts of player movement each and every year, are there any real rivalries left? I’m not talking about fans hating fans of other teams and the like, rather the rivalries that take place between the teams and the players themselves. Since I’m a hockey guy I will focus on the NHL and it’s situation therefore bypassing all of the overdone and played out media bullshit surrounding the Red Sox and Yankees of MLB. With that said, are there any true rivalries left in the NHL? Yeah I know that you have the Habs and Leafs and Leafs and Sens and Rangers and Islanders and I suppose you can add the Ducks and Kings and the Wings and Avs and Flames and Oilers to start forming a list, but once again that seems to be mostly fan driven more so than amongst the players themselves. Yes, certain teams have a history against one another for one reason or another that has happened in the past, but most of the players involved have since moved on and the players on those teams today just don’t carry the same grudge. I’m sure that incidents will happen and the players will retaliate and such and there will be a brief moment where we’ll hear the wait until next time routine, but nothing that can sustain and form a true rivalry. The NHL has attempted to force feed the fans divisional rivalries with their skewed schedule (thank God that’s changing), but even the fans don’t buy into that failed experiment. When I really take a look into the game today there seems to be a total lack of rivalry between the players on the ice. Back in the 70’s you had real rivalries between teams that down right hated each other, any time the Bruins and Flyers met or the Rangers and Flyers faced off you could feel the distain the moment you walked into the building. Then again, the players back then stayed on their teams for much longer periods of time and developed that hatred over time. Today, it is even hard for the fans to keep the hate going when one year they are cursing the ground a player walks on and the next year they embrace the same player when he joins their team. Player movement has absolutely watered down the entire notion of team rivalries in the game today. Sure there are battles that still take place especially later in the season when teams are fighting each other for playoff spots, but even then after the game players are friends with each other having played with one another not too long ago. The true distain is gone. You can hear it in the voices of the players themselves during the post-game interviews where they constantly churn out the standard pre-rehearsed lines to the media. The messages are always the same even though the faces change. I guess what I’m driving at here is let’s just stop talking about rivalries altogether because I’m afraid true rivalries are dead. The hype just doesn’t work anymore. Yes Islanders fans you can still chant “Rangers suck”, yes Leafs fans you can still hate anyone wearing a Habs jersey and so on, but let’s call it like it really is, fan rivalry not team rivalry.

#26 - THE NHL GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER AND PAUL

2007-10-09T11:06:00.000-04:00

Despite the title, you won’t find any fire and brimstone in the following passage. Nor will you have to fear any evil or wrath of God. Instead, you will only find me preaching about a young up and coming super talent and how closely he resembles his legendary father. Yes, I will climb up on my soapbox and sing praises of the young and bow in humility to a legend.

Even though it is still very early in the season, when you take a look at the stats leader-board for individual skaters at this point you find one constant name in the top ten of five different categories. You can see him in the #1 spot in goals, in a tie for #7 in assists, tied for #1 in points, a nine way tie for #2 in +/- and a four way tie for #1 in shooting percentage. I am of course, talking about Paul Stastny of the Colorado Avalanche. If anyone expected this kid to level off after his 28 goal 50 assist 78 point season last year, you are sadly mistaken. There doesn’t seem to be any “slump” in this kid and we may have yet to see just how good he can be. If the start of this season is any indication, he is primed to show the world that he belongs among the NHL elite.

The comparisons to his legendary father Peter have been well documented, but if you weren’t lucky enough to have witnessed Peter dominate (I thank my lucky stars I got to see him many times beat the ever living snot out of the Bruins and Whalers for years) all you have to do is picture Paul in a Nordiques or Devils jersey and you can get an idea. Okay so good old dad was a bit more dominating in his first six seasons, but remember he also played in an era where goaltending was weak (the same era Gretzky tore up the league, not that it would have made a difference to either of them). Production aside, when you watch Paul play it is his smarts and creative ability coupled with his strength and drive to the net that reminds one of Peter. They are very similar in size (Peter 6’ 1” 200lbs. and Paul 6’ 0” 205lbs.) and as fluent of skaters as you will ever see. Peter joined the NHL at age 24 and Paul had his first full season at 21. When you take a look at dad’s production at age 20 (25-27-52) playing in Czechoslovakia and weigh that against Paul’s totals from last year, it leaves you with a sense that greatness is still to come from Paul. Considering Peter exploded at age 24 (39-70-109) one can only imagine how much better Paul will be in a couple of years.

I’m sure that Paul takes the comparisons to his father in humble fashion and most likely talks “pops” up as the greater player, but one thing that he won’t want to mirror his dad in is the lack of a championship ring. As long as Paul keeps playing the way he is (and the Avs keep building and adding pieces to the puzzle), that Stanley Cup ring may just be in his future.

Can I get an Amen? Amen!

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK

2007-10-04T09:55:00.000-04:00

This is the first edition of my Eastern Conference Notebook, where throughout the season I will be taking a look at how the East is taking shape. I don’t usually make predictions this early, but for my first notebook post I will make an exception.

1. Ottawa – Until proven otherwise they are the best of the East and the best in their division.

2. Pittsburgh – The kids are out to prove last year was no fluke, a year older and a year wiser.

3. Carolina – After an embarrassing end to last season, they will rebound back to the top of the Southeast.

4. N.Y. Rangers – Despite holes on the blue-line, the offence, especially the power play will put the Rangers in a solid playoff spot.

5. Buffalo – Even though they will drop off a bit from last season, they are still a tight and fast team.

6. N.J. Devils – They will struggle from time to time to find scoring, but Marty will keep them in the mix.

7. Philadelphia - They made enough improvement to make the postseason, after that it’s anyone’s guess.

8. Toronto – Fighting tooth and nail with the Habs, Caps and Panthers to end the season and claim the last spot, the Leafs squeak in.

9. Montreal – Another just miss year, but not for long.

10. Washington – They will look strong for stretches and suspect for stretches, they are still a year away from being a playoff contender.

11. Florida – Vokoun and health problems will once again deny Jokinen a trip to the postseason.

12. Tampa Bay – This is the year the wheels fall off. The “Big 3” experiment fails and the window of opportunity closes. Defense and goaltending will need upgrading.

13. Boston – A season of transition for the Bruins, learning a new system will tighten up the defense, but goal scoring will become the issue.

14. Atlanta – A total fall from grace will have the fans in Atlanta scratching their heads as to which team will show up from night to night. Most nights it won’t look pretty.

15. N.Y. Islanders – Hillary Duff will be the most attractive addition for Isles fans. As for the bench, the best looking thing will be Ted Nolan.

As the season goes along I will be breaking down the conference and take a deeper look into each division and individual teams. So be on the lookout for Gregsky’s Eastern Conference Notebook and Miser’s Western Conference Roundup as we have your season covered here at Around The Rink.

LETTING THE COFFEE DO THE TALKING

2007-10-02T10:23:00.000-04:00

Seems like the coffee is dictating my thoughts once again this morning along with giving me the sensation of feeling my hair grow. I don’t expect anyone to understand that statement unless they too have more caffeine than blood in their system. In which case, seek help before it is too late, you really don’t want to be in my situation. Which leads me to the point I’m attempting to make – can’t think straight – brain flooded with too many thoughts – having trouble with order and organization skills – fearing complete meltdown. With that said, please forgive me if today’s post sounds like - I’m talking like I have a paper asshole – like a screen door with a busted hinge just flapping in the breeze – it is just the coffee talking. Really. Now that you’ve read my disclaimer, I will shake the rust off of my Andy Rooney impression and throw my scatter-brained thoughts your way. Oh, lucky you.

You ever notice that Joe Thornton tears up the league during the regular season and runs out of gas somewhere in the middle of the 2nd round of the playoffs?

Ever think it would be great to see Rick Nash getting an opportunity to play with players on his level?

Have you ever wondered how good the Bolts would be if they would have been smarter about how they spread the payroll around?

Is there anyone left who views Sergei Fedorov as a top tier player?

You ever notice the size of Barry Trotz’s head makes him look like he has no neck?

Ever wonder if the Wings would look as good if they played in a tougher division?

Am I the only one who thinks that Shea Weber will one day win a Norris trophy?

Does anyone outside of Bruins management really think Glen Murray is still a 1st line winger?

Will there ever come a day when Ilya Kovalchuk won’t feel like he has to do it all by himself?

Ever wonder what the Senators would look like without Spezza and Heatley?

Will this be the year that Ovechkin scores 60 goals?

Has anyone thought about who on the Sabres roster will fill the leadership role this year?

Am I the only one who would love to see a Penguins vs. Sharks final?

Ever wonder how tense a poker game between Mike Keenan, John Tortorella and Andy Murray would be?

Will it really shock anyone if Chris Chelios is still playing when he’s fifty?

Is it just me or does Dave Tippett really look like Elliot Gould?

If I was granted one wish I might be tempted to use it to give Gaborik a bionic groin.

Speaking of groins, will that be Sidney Crosby’s Achilles heel?

Speaking of heels, which team will sell the farm to get Forsberg on their roster for the 2nd half?

You ever notice that Ray Ferarro’s teeth seem to be too big for his mouth?

Is it just me, or does all of the tough talk that comes from Don Cherry seem strange when his wardrobe looks like he should be leading the annual parade in Northampton, Ma?

Will this year’s Ducks mirror last year’s Hurricanes?

Ever wonder if Barry Melrose’s hair is really a helmet? (think Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon)

When I look at Canucks logos throughout history, I’m left wondering if there are any art schools in Vancouver.

Is there a better role model for kids in today’s NHL than Joe Sakic?

Speaking of kids, will John Tavares burn out before he’s 30?

Ever wonder if Olli Jokinen will ever see playoff action?

Will there be a better rookie this year than Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom?

How long will we have to wait for the Hawks to name a captain?

Ever wonder how many times the King’s players will sit through a “Good cop – Bad cop” routine this year with Crawford and Lewis at the helm?

Is it just me, or is the best thing about the Islanders bench Ted Nolan?

LACK OF RESPECT AMONGST PLAYERS IS THE REAL PROBLEM

2007-09-28T09:51:00.000-04:00

Okay people, let’s go over this one more time and then try to move along. The issue, intent to injure and blows to the head. Of course I am referring to the latest hubbub getting certain media types all wound up; the Downie hit on McAmmond. There seems to be quite the outcry for justice over this hit and the blame is being pointed at the league for not doing enough to ensure the overall safety of its players. While it is true that the league does a poor job in this matter, all the blame for this particular situation should not be laid at the league’s doorstep. If it was a case of intent to injure or an illegal hit to the head then the league should step in and levy a punishment. Instead what we have here is a total lack of respect amongst the players themselves.

One of the reasons that the league appears to not care about the safety of its players is that it must view each case independently and weigh all factors. The general public and the media have a knack for grouping all cases together when calling out the league for justice. It is down right idiotic to put this recent hit in the same group as hits like Bertuzzi/Moore and Simon/Hollweg; you just can’t do that people. Each and every situation is unique and must be treated as such by the league. So if you want or need to group the issues together for a big flag waving and outcry for justice then focus your attention away from the league and onto the players themselves. For this is where the problem lies.

For a moment let’s look at this case. Here we have Dean McAmmond coming around the back of the net (once again) with his head down admiring his play and putting himself in a prone position. We see Downie (no stranger to rough play) stop skating and start to glide at the top of the circle with McAmmond in his sights he goes in for the hit. At the point of collision, Downie leads with his shoulder not his elbow and absolutely destroys a prone McAmmond. It would appear that Downie left his feet as he gets almost vertical at the follow through from the hit, but in reality that is just forward momentum and impact reaction (much like a head on collision between two cars) that causes the flying effect. The damage to McAmmond appears to take place not at the point of contact with Downie, rather at the point of contact with the boards. Therefore, my assessment of this particular incident is it was a legal hit where unfortunately a player was hurt. With that said, I do believe that there was a lack of respect for McAmmond by Downie without a doubt. Downie had plenty of time to see that McAmmond was in a prone position and he made the decision to clean his clock instead of holding up and just sitting him on his ass. This is where the root of the problem takes place. The decision to disregard the health and well being of a fellow player by punishing him with extreme force is a definite league wide problem. One that the league should address, but most likely won’t.

Disregard for each other on the ice is as old as time and the players of today aren’t much different from the players of the past when it comes to lacking respect. One look into the history of the sport and you will find countless incidents where a total lack of respect for another player caused injury and a few that caused death. In the 1907 season Owen McCourt of the Cornwall, Ontario team died the following morning after he was clubbed in the head from the hockey stick of Charles Masson. In 1968 the league lost Bill Masterton as a result of being catapulted to the ice head first by a duo of Seals defensemen, which lead to more players wearing helmets. What was lost on the Masterton incident was the intent to injure imposed on him by his opponents. 1933 gave us Eddie Shore’s hit from behind on Ace Bailey that forced Bailey to never play again. The list goes on and on and I’m sure every hockey fan today can remember some sort of incident (Lemieux, McSorley, Simon, etc.) where a total lack of respect for another player has caused injury.

The only way for the league to put an end to this problem is to institute a rule clearly defining intent to injure and blows to the head under the punishment of fines and suspension. The only way the problem will go away is if the players themselves take an active roll in curbing their desire to destroy their opponent with blatant lack of respect and make a conscious decision to ensure the safety of fellow players.

Violence and hockey go hand and hand, always has and always will. You see, hockey is a tough sport and violence is just a part of it. It just so happens to be the part that brings fans to their feet and to the seats of the arenas. Many years ago Conn Smythe once said when critics of the violence in hockey were taking him to task “Yes, we’ve got to stamp out this sort of thing or people are going to keep on buying tickets.” Forever now, the league has accepted it, the players have accepted it and the fans have expected it. The problem will continue, injuries to players will continue and the media will continue its outcry for justice (most likely missing the point). Enough said.

MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP

2007-09-26T09:04:00.000-04:00

Hello, everyone! Before I begin, I would like to thank Gregsky for the opportunity to be a guest here on ATR. I hope you will find that my work is worthy of the kind remarks he made in his announcement. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!

First, I’ll go through the West by order of finish last season and give you a few thoughts on each team. Afterwards, I’ll give you my predictions for the upcoming season.

DETROIT RED WINGS 50-19-13 113 PTS Lost in Conf. Final (ANA)
It always galls me when Detroit is more successful than my Stars, but respect must be given to the defending Central Division champs. DET was in the top ten in goals against (2.33, 2nd), goals scored (3.07, 10th), and penalty kill (84.6%, T6). Those ingredients are always going to get you far. The Wings lost three of their top eight scorers over the summer; saying goodbye to Robert Lang, Mathieu Schneider, and Kyle Calder. My question: SO? Any club that can ice the likes of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom is a dangerous club, indeed. Adding Dallas Drake and Brian Rafalski to the mix does nothing but help. For leadership, look to Methuselah – I mean – Chris Chelios. He just keeps going and going. The only question: Can Dominik Hasek stay healthy. If not, just how much confidence is there is Chris Osgood?

ANAHEIM DUCKS 48-20-14 110 PTS STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS
What do you say? Yes, Dustin Penner was plucked away by the Oil; and Selanne and Niedermayer are taking more time than they should to decide whether or not to return. However, the majority of this club is intact. The aforementioned Mr. Schneider now calls Anaheim home, as does one of his teammates in Detroit: Todd Bertuzzi. J.S. Giguere returns, as does underrated (in my mind) backup Ilya Bryzgalov. The Ducks finished in the top eight in offense, defense, PP%, and PK%. Will they return to the Finals? Probably not, but they will makes teams work to the limit before they give up the crown.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS 49-26-7 105 PTS Lost in 2nd Round (ANA)
Ah, yes, the cause of my distress for these several months: Roberto Luongo. Luongo outlasted Marty Turco as Vancouver ousted Dallas in one of the finest seven-game series one could ever see. He is back, as are the Sedin twins, Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison, and company. I’m not sure if Ryan Shannon helps the offense much, but Aaron Miller is an upgrade over Brent Sopel, which should make it even more difficult to score on the ‘Nucks. For all of that, this team goes only as far as Luongo can carry them; meaning that they may bow out in the second round again, or not make the postseason at all.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS 51-23-8 110 PTS Lost in 1st Round (SJ)
OK, so you lose Paul Kariya, Scott Hartnell, and Tomas Vokoun. To replace them, you bring in Radek Bonk, Greg DeVries, and you put Chris Mason (84 games of NHL experience) in net, backed up by Finn Pekka Rinne (with all of 63 MINUTES in the NHL). While you’re doing that, people are trying to move you to Hamilton, or KC, or Fort Nelson, or some other place. New captain Jason Arnott looks to have a long season ahead of him. The Preds look to have lost their fangs.

SAN JOSE SHARKS 51-26-5 107 PTS Lost in 2nd Round (DET)
I think the Sharks are a dangerous team with the size, speed, and skill to win a title. Of course, I said that last year, and the year before that, etc. When I look at a roster and see Thornton, Marleau, Cheechoo, Clowe, and Grier, I think that is a group that can do some damage. Yet, San Jose has fallen short of expectations. Bill Guerin was a late-season rental who now plies his craft as the captain on Long Island. The netminding tandem of Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala has been split up, with Toskala going to Toronto in exchange for three draft picks. I really don’t know why they bothered to sign Jeremy Roenick (please JR, don’t bitch when you get no ice time). The biggest thing working in favor of the Sharks is the more than $12 million in cap space they have to make a move or two. The pressure is on in San Jose – will they be able to breathe?

DALLAS STARS 50-25-7 107 PTS Lost in 1st Round (VAN)
I will try to be as objective as I can, but it is difficult to do so when talk turns to my hometown boys. Yes, they suffered another early exit. No, neither Marty Turco nor Coach Dave Tippett have ever advanced past the first round. No, Dallas made no splash in free agency. That said, please remember that the Stars battled through numerous injuries all year long, losing almost 300 man-games. Mike Modano missed 23 games. Brenden Morrow missed 33 games after a nasty wrist injury (stepped on and sliced at Chicago in late December. Pot-stirrer Steve Ott missed 63 games due to an ankle injury. Despite all of these issues and more, Dallas posted a 100-point season, and Marty Turco answered all the critics in the playoff series. Dallas needs three things in order to play past the first round: 1) stay healthy, and 2) hope the kids (Joel Lundqvist, Loui Eriksson, Junior Lessard) can step forward and help the offense. Finally, forwards Jussi Jokinen (who just signed a two-year deal) and Antti Miettinen (who got his salary doubled in arbitration despite contributing little) must prove they belong at this level.

MINNESOTA WILD 48-26-8 104 PTS Lost in 1st Round (ANA)
The Wild didn’t lose that much, and seemed to have found a No. 1 tender in Niklas Backstrom. They sent Manny Fernandez to Boston to make room for Backstrom and 2002 draft pick Josh Harding. One would like to think they have enough talent to improve on last season’s finish. Problem: This is essentially the same group that was blasted out of the first round in five games. Minnesota’s power play was nonexistent in the series (7.4%), and the penalty kill was dead last among all 16 playoff qualifiers. Does that linger with the club? Minnesota plays seven of their first eleven games on the road – if there is a hangover, the Wild could get buried early.

CALGARY FLAMES 43-29-10 96 PTS Lost in 1st Round (DET)
I read one preview that said goaltender Miikka Kipprusoff had an “off-year”. Excuse me? The guy wins 40 games (seven by shutout), a 2.46 GAA and a .917 SV% and it is an “off-year”? How many teams would pass on that? I thought so. This team has loads of talent and experience. The Flames scored 3.11 goals per game and allowed 2.70. They were in the top half in the league on the PP, but were 22nd on the kill (is that why Kipper was said to be “off”?). Can new coach Mike Keenan put the right people in the right positions? Jarome Iginla enters his 10th season with Calgary. While it’s not “now or never” for him, his window isn’t going to open any wider. The Northwest may well be the toughest division in the league, and it is difficult to say how that will affect them when the playoffs start. It will be very interesting to watch, though.

COLORADO AVALANCHE 44-31-7 95 PTS 9th in West
Look out: here come the Avs. Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan join a club that finished with a flourish (winning 15 of their final 19 games), but came up just short of the postseason. Smyth joins Paul Stastny, Wojtek Wolski (who I believe will have an all-star type of year), J.M. Liles, and the ageless Joe Sakic on an offense that shouldn’t miss a beat. The Avs scored 3.26 goals per game last season. The biggest impact Smyth and D-man Hannan will make is on the power play, which was in the bottom third last year. Peter Budaj is solid in net, but overpaid head case Jose Theodore is his backup. An injury to Budaj could derail hopes in Denver.

ST. LOUIS BLUES 34-35-13 81 PTS 10TH in West
Look out again: Here come the Blues. The additions of Paul Kariya and Keith Tkachuk immediately improve the offense. The blueline is well-manned with Eric Brewer, Barrett Jackman, Jay McKee, and big, young Erik Johnson, the number one pick in the 2006 Draft. I was able to see Johnson when St. Louis visited Dallas last week for the preseason opener, and I was immediately impressed. At 6’ 4” and listed at 222 pounds, he already cuts an imposing figure – give him a couple years to fill out and he will be a behemoth. He scored a goal that night, showing a better than average shot. He played in all situations and acquitted himself well. His potential is unlimited right now. St. Louis will make the playoffs this year, and they just might be the surprise team in the West playoffs.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 33-42-7 73 PTS 11th in West
The Jackets finished in the bottom half of every major category, but there may be some hope. Scott Howson replaces Doug MacLean as GM, and many claim that move is “addition by subtraction”. Secondly, Ken Hitchcock begins his first full season as coach. This gives him the chance to fully install his system and begin to instill higher levels of responsibility and work ethic in his charges. Hopefully, Rick Nash, Nik Zherdev, and company will listen and take Hitch’s lessons to heart. However, this club is still at least two years away or more. Goalie Pascal Leclaire is on IR, which means the job is up for grabs between Frederik Norrena and a bunch of guys I’ve never heard of. There is much to do, much to teach, much to learn. By the way, I haven’t mentioned Sergei Fedorov at all… is he that irrelevant?

EDMONTON OILERS 32-43-7 71 PTS 12th in West
I feel for Oiler fans. I have always had a quiet admiration of the Oil dating back to the seemingly annual meetings with Dallas in the playoffs. Just watching the fans go nuts at Northlands/Skyreach/Rexall would always give me chills. Now, they have to pick up the pieces after having their heart and soul ripped out. When Ryan Smyth was traded to the Islanders, Kevin Lowe was nearly run out of Alberta on a rail as the Oilers went into freefall (winning two of 20 games). Now Oiler fans will watch in pain as Smyth leads the Avs back to the postseason. When Lowe tried to sign Tomas Vanek to a huge deal (which failed), then succeeded in signing Dustin Penner to a huge contract, GM’s around the league wanted to run him out of the league. Penner and Geoff Sanderson will help, but it won’t be nearly enough to resuscitate an offense that finished last in the NHL. Sheldon Souray and Joni Pitkanen were brought in to bolster the D-corps. While Souray will definitely help on the power play (19 PPG with MTL last year), Souray and Pitkanen were a combined -53 last year. Dwayne Roloson will be a very busy man in net. The Oil are a year away… at least.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 31-42-9 71 PTS 13th in West
The ‘Hawks had the second-worst offense in the league, and the ninth-worst defense. So, what’s to like? Well…. Um…. OK: Robert Lang, and draft picks Johnathan Toews (2006) and Jack Skille (2005) might be able to help Tuomo Ruttu on offense. Kevyn Adams adds a little depth, but not much scoring. Yanic Perrault and Sergei Samsonov bring a dash of scoring. On defense, Cam Barker may see more time with the big club. Brent Seabrook is durable (81 games, 104 PIM). Of course, these are the ‘Hawks, and things are never easy. Toews injured his hand last week and might be available for the opener. Things are never easy in Chicago…..

LOS ANGELES KINGS 27-41-14 68 PTS 14th in West
The Kings may have put together one of the best young teams in the league. Anze Kopitar, Alex Frolov, and Derek Armstrong are joined by Kyle Calder, Michael Handzus, and Ladislav Nagy (I don’t know what is so great about Nagy – he contributed precious little here in Dallas and was considered “soft”.) Brad Stuart and Tom Preissing will provide solid help on the blueline, where youngster Jack Johnson will get loads of time this year. What will keep the Kings from making the playoffs? Goaltending. Dan Cloutier was recently sent to the minors, leaving Jason LaBarbera and J. S. Aubin to guard (?) the nets. The Kings will be spoilers this year, but look like contenders in the future.

PHOENIX COYOTES 31-46-5 67 PTS 15 in West
Everything I read suggests that the Coyotes may finally have a good group of prospects, but that won’t help them this year. Poor on offense, decent on defense, and with a near vacuum in goal, it will be another long, difficult year in the desert. Phoenix may be fortunate to net 67 points again this season.

My predicted order of finish (Please, no wagering):
1) Calgary
2) Detroit
3) San Jose
4) Vancouver
5) Colorado
6) Anaheim
7) Dallas
8) St. Louis

9) Los Angeles
10) Minnesota
11) Nashville
12) Edmonton
13) Columbus
14) Chicago
15) Phoenix

There you have it. I’ll check in from time to time throughout the year. Peace.

MISER JOINS AROUND THE RINK FOR 2007-2008 SEASON

2007-09-24T08:11:00.000-04:00

I am extremely pleased to announce that fellow blogger Miser will be joining Around The Rink for the 2007-2008 NHL season. With his home base in Dallas/Fort Worth, Miser will be the eyes and ears of the Western Conference. He will be contributing a monthly report titled “Miser’s Western Roundup” sharing his view of how the West takes shape as the season goes along with Around The Rink readers. Miser has been a “Featured Blogger” on NHL.com, his uncanny attention to detail and in depth report style of writing is a must read for hockey fans everywhere. Miser’s Western Roundup will be a welcome and complimentary addition to my “Eastern Conference Notebook” monthly report, as well as this entire site. So be on the look out as we approach the start of yet another exciting season of hockey where Gregsky and Miser team up to cover the greatest sport in the world.

A QUICK TRIP AROUND THE RINK

2007-09-19T11:03:00.000-04:00

Since I’m battling a cold today and feeling less than sharp, I will just take a quick trip around the rink to put in my 2 cents worth of the happenings so far this pre-season and call it a day.

First off, I want to jump for joy (I won’t due to feeling dizzy and will most likely end up on my ass) over the news coming out of the board of governors meeting suggesting a possible change to the “unbalanced” NHL schedule as early as next season. There should be cheering in the streets by hockey fans everywhere over this decision as I have yet to hear any fan proclaim their love for the current set up. The current schedule is nothing more than a failed attempt at forcing rivalries within a division while at the same time robbing fans of the opportunity to see the leagues top talent visit their city and its demise can’t come fast enough.

Sean Burke announced his retirement from the NHL after an almost 20 year career. I want to extend best wishes to Sean as he moves forward in his life. I have had the opportunity to met and talked with Sean on many occasions and I can truly say that I would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy than him. He has had the misfortune of being a solid goaltender on some pretty week teams throughout his career and never once has he let that become an excuse or distraction to his game or his professionalism. He would embrace the fans and the community of every city in which he played be it an NHL city or a minor league town. He would talk with fans before each game and stay as long as he could after games regardless if he posted a shutout or saw 40+ shots in a loss. A true class act who will be missed by many. Good luck to you Sean.

I want to be happy about the outdoor game scheduled for January 1st being sold out in less than 30 minutes, but knowing that Ticketmaster failed to restrict the amount of tickets sold to each customer makes me sad. What that does is force fans who came up empty when trying to buy tickets to pay insane amounts of money from scalpers if they want to attend the event. It’s great that the league can wave the flag on selling out, but it really ends up being the true fans that they sold out.

The Kings, Bruins and Blackhawks all want to show that they can better their records over last season, but questions still remain for these teams as they enter the season. The Kings are hoping the right mix of vets and kids will do the trick, but shaky goaltending will be the issue of concern. The Bruins will want to make a statement by using tenacity and tightened up defensive system, but may just find it hard to put pucks in the opposing net. The Hawks are hoping their kids excel and bring plenty of speed as they continue to rebuild, but they look very small and might get pushed around in the process.

RADICAL "FIX" FOR NHL - ONE MAN'S PIPE DREAM

2007-09-17T12:04:00.000-04:00

Over the years I have heard many ideas on how to “fix” the NHL, with contraction being the top focus. I have never been a big fan of contraction or relocation for that matter, having felt the sting of having a team in my backyard close up shop and move away. Contraction does have its advantages though, and I can see where it could “fix” the league on several levels. As much as I hate to admit it, the NHL has become a bit watered down ever since the expansion to 30 teams took place. You would have to be blind not to notice that teams are struggling in certain markets and relocation seems to be the popular answer to “fix” their situations. While I have heard the cases for contraction, expansion and relocation with each possessing advantages, I still haven’t been convinced that any one of them will actually “fix” everything. Then, it hit me. What about a hybrid of all three?
I know what you’re thinking – put down the coffee Gregsky and slowly back away from the keyboard – but hear me out on this one. You simply take the best of all three and mix them together and you end up with a new term altogether. Realignment. Yes, that’s what I said, realignment. The idea is a simple one, you “fix” the watered down product with contraction, you add the benefits of relocation to strong markets and you add the excitement of expansion into new areas to support the game. Before you get too worked up ready to call for my head, let me break it down. We all know that if there is any place where contraction should happen it is in the U.S. There are simply too many teams in too many cities where hockey just doesn’t work. I hate saying that, but it’s true. We all know that Canada will support hockey no matter where it is played, so relocation and expansion should happen there. So, if I were king, this is how realignment would work.
You start with the contraction of 6 teams, from 30 down to 24 and split the remaining 24 into 2 conferences of 12 teams each. You take the 12 from each conference and split them into 3 divisions of 4 teams. Simple right? Here comes the fun part. You add the relocation and expansion benefits here to make up the realignment. Going with the idea of contracting 6 teams from the league, you take it one step farther by making the 12 team conferences into 1 American conference and 1 Canadian conference. That’s right folks, 12 teams from the U.S. and 12 from Canada. To break it down more, you take the top 12 U.S. markets that support hockey and have a strong television marketplace to make up the American conference. You then relocate and expand into the top 12 Canadian cities based on location and population relative to being able to support a team. The realignment would then look something like this.
American Conference
New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Philadelphia
Boston
Dallas
Washington
Detroit
Tampa Bay
Minnesota
Colorado
Pittsburgh

Canadian Conference
Montreal
Toronto
Vancouver
Edmonton
Ottawa
Calgary
Quebec
Winnipeg
Hamilton
Regina
New Brunswick
Thunder Bay

I know, I know, it’s too radical of a change to actually happen and there is just too much greed involved with corporate interest and the reality of owners not willing to relocate to these Canadian cities and giving up the American markets, but a guy can dream right? If this plan were ever to happen it would put the league in a prime spot to expand into Europe in the future by adding a 12 team European conference to make it a global league. I’m not sure if Europe would be able to set up two 12 team conferences for balance, but that is a discussion for another day. For now, I’ll take the league the way it is as the real important matter is we still have the sport being played and we can worry about how to “fix” it later. The season will start soon and my focus will return to what’s happening now instead of what should happen in the future and all will be right in the world. Sort of.

BRUINS TRAINING CAMP - ANOTHER CHAPTER BEGINS

2007-09-15T12:08:00.000-04:00

It was the third day of training camp for the Bruins as they prepare for the 2007-2008 season and the boys were put through some intense drills. They were split into a couple of groups as coach Julien barked out the orders for the first hour. They did some 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 drills and some forechecking drills with a ton of contact especially down low. They broke into sprints to end the first session, which seemed to be the normal full speed then cool down then full speed driven by the intermittent whistles. The second group went through much of the same grueling workout as the first group had with a little less out of Julien. Then it was time for the rookies to hit the ice with coach Gordon leading the drills. They worked on a ton of positional drills as the rookies tried to learn the B’s system. At times having the boys play with their sticks upside down to stress the importance of body positioning against the puck carrier.
Not that you can really put any stock into what transpired but a few things stood out as the practice went along. One thing of note was Peter Schaefer played along with Savard and looked like he was shooting more than his usual role of digging out the puck in the corners and dishing the puck. Maybe the thinking is to put him on the top line in the hopes to use his quick shot to boost scoring. If you really think about it his style of play the last few seasons was a lot like that of P.J. Axelsson, mostly in a checking role or playing with guys who want the puck, so there really isn’t a need for the B’s to have two guys playing that way. Schaefer can hit the net better than P.J. so he would fit that role on the first line with better results. It may not have any meaning, but really who else do they have to put on that wing? Maybe converting Kessel to wing would work, but if you read the practice the same way, they had Phil centering Murray in the second group. Like I stated above you truly can’t put much stock in things this early, but speculation is always fun. Another thing of note was seeing the new goaltending tandem of Thomas and Fernandez as both have two distinctive styles to their play. Thomas displayed his usual “flopping butterfly of sorts” style throwing everything at the puck to make saves and Fernandez used a more traditional style playing the angles with precision and testing his repaired knee a few times diving across the goal mouth. The rookies looked good, but with all of the veterans in camp it would be a stretch to think any of them will crack the lineup this year.
Overall the Bruins still have a ton of questions to answer as they head into this season, but that is what training camp is for and I’m sure the B’s coaching staff will figure out how to put the pieces together to ice the best possible product. They are a bit more skilled this year, a bit tougher and with Julien leading the way you can bet they will be more responsible on defense. Making the playoffs may be the goal of this team, but it won’t be easy, as most of the other teams in their division have made improvements as well. Still the Bruins should look much better than last year and should give the fans something to cheer about.

WHAT IF....?

2007-09-12T12:36:00.000-04:00

I don’t know if it is just the coffee taking over this morning or if there is any real method to my ramblings, but I woke up thinking about what surprises we may see this season and the more coffee I poured down my gullet the more my mind was flooded with scenarios. Instead of trying to put my thoughts in a list or some sort of coherent order, I figured it would be best to just let them fly in a “What if…” format to just put the idea out there and let you decide the answers. It may be a bumpy ride, but here it goes.

The Rangers spent a ton of money over the summer to boost their roster with big name free agent forwards to form a solid top two lines in the hope that they will go farther in the postseason.
What if…. Failing to worry about their blueline becomes their biggest problem?
What if…. The chemistry between all of their top forwards is flat or induces a power struggle for ice time and leadership?
What if…. The arbitration fiasco with Avery becomes a cancer in the locker room?

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis recently said he expects his team to make the playoffs this season citing reasons including being tired of the rebuilding process and wanting results.
What if…. The Caps fail to provide results? What other option is there other than rebuilding? Going back to spending a ton of cash on washed up vets with big contracts?
What if…. The Caps do make the playoffs with the new cast of supporting players? Will they finally be able to sell tickets?
What if…. They put together a line of Kozlov, Ovechkin and Semin. Will they call it “The Russian Front”?

The Flames hired controversial coach Mike Keenan who has a knack for rubbing his players the wrong way and has more than once drove top talent out of town.
What if…. The Flames fail to re-sign Miikka Kiprusoff and continue with the plan of overusing him and Keenan presses the thumbscrews on him to perform better?
What if…. The combination of Keenan and Sutter becomes a power struggle for control of the team and the direction of the future?
What if…. The players just don’t respond to Keenan’s “old school” tactics?

The Sabres took a huge hit this summer losing their leadership and having to shell out big bucks to keep Vanek.
What if…. The now super rich Vanek has a sub-par season in term of production?
What if…. No one steps up to become a leader and they spend the season searching for an identity?
What if…. They miss the playoffs altogether? Can management fire themselves?

The Bruins have been knocked the last couple of seasons for the lack of solid goaltending and a defensive deficiency in their performance.
What if…. Claude Julian is the answer they have been looking for?
What if…. Claude Julian is just another added to a long list of coaching failures?
What if…. Coaching hasn’t been the problem all along?
What if…. They finally found a goaltending tandem that works?
What if…. They suddenly realize they have too many centers and not enough on the wings?
What if…. They actually improve defensively but can’t find scoring?
What if…. They dwell in the cellar for the next couple of years and win the Tavares lottery?

The Ducks seem poised to be able to be right in the mix again come playoff time this season. Minus a couple of heavyweights, for now, they still look formidable on paper.
What if…. They experience the same kind of “hangover” the Hurricanes brought into last season?
What if…. Some of their key players that helped win them the cup didn’t have enough time to heal?
What if…. They simply pick up where they left off? Can they really repeat?

The Maple Leafs have been going down the same path for some time now with little results, never really rebuilding or boosting the roster enough to make a difference.
What if…. The ownership grows tired of the status quo and calls for the heads in the front office to roll?
What if…. They are out of the playoff picture come trade deadline time? Will they unload Sundin for picks and prospects and try to re-sign him the following season ala Kieth Tkachuk?
What if…. The additions of Blake and Toskala ends up being just what they needed to put them into the postseason, will J.F.jr. still get the axe?

It will be difficult for the Senators to keep the current roster intact after this season facing having to re-sign their top players who will command big money contracts.
What if…. They lose Spezza, Heatley and Redden next summer?
What if…. They don’t recover from the sting of losing to the Ducks and are out of contention by the deadline? Will they move Alfie to free up cap space to resign Spezza and Heatley?
What if…. Ray Emery was a one hit wonder?

The Lightning have been riding the same trail since their cup win, sinking most of their payroll in three players and have not seen the same results since.
What if…. The “big three” fail to produce results once again? Will they finally realize the need for a balanced roster? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They find themselves at the bottom of the division? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They finally realize that they have raided the farm too much over the last couple of seasons to fill the roster and there is nothing left to pick from? Will they move Vinnie?
What if…. They move Vinnie?

J.R. - WE ALL LOVE TO HATE HIM

2007-09-07T09:51:00.000-04:00

Am I the only one who finds all of the Internet chatter about the return of Jeremy Roenick funny? I mean here we have a guy who has been slammed, for a good part of his career, for spouting off at the mouth with his opinions. Every time JR makes the news, the first thing people do is spout off at the mouth giving their opinion on how much they dislike players who spout off at the mouth. Message boards and blog threads across the globe are jam packed with pokes, jabs and some down right nastiness all about how much this guy bugs them. Granted, JR does cross the line sometimes with his comments to the press to the point where he fills the role of the NHL version of T.O. Everyone loves to hate him. With that said, let’s get to the fact of the matter regarding Roenick and his signing with the Sharks.
My initial thought about the signing was: Why? The Sharks don’t need another center. They pushed every team around during the regular season and then got pushed around in the playoffs and Roenick certainly doesn’t fix that problem. They really didn’t need to find secondary scoring and a progressively declining Roenick definitely won’t be providing that anyway. So why would they sign this guy? Grit? Come on, that can’t be it unless you only need grit on the bench and in the locker room, because his grittiness ends there these days. Leadership? With guys like Thornton, Marleau, Davison and Brown I highly doubt that was it. When you ask the question of what is the missing piece the Sharks need to advance through the playoffs, JR and his 28 points certainly doesn’t come to mind. So all we are left to do is ask why with no real answer forthcoming.
Instead of asking why would the Sharks sign him, let’s ask why would he want to sign with the Sharks over retiring. This will be fun; I can get my shots in on him during this part! Let’s see….Umm, the Sharks are a team that has a shot at winning the cup and all he would have to do is ride the coattails of his teammates to have one last chance on getting his name on the trophy. How about reaching 500 goals? He is only 5 goals away from that plateau. Better yet, how about reaching #2 all time goals for U.S. born players? Joe Mullen stands at 507, which is only 12 goals away. Let’s face it folks, a friggin’ tree stump could score 12 goals on a power play where Thornton is dishing the puck. Come to think of it the tree stump might be a better idea, JR didn’t score 12 goals last season and the stump would probably come cheaper. Okay, that’s all fine and dandy and I’m sure that somewhere in the back of Roenick’s mind this is motivation enough to give it another try, but this is Jeremy Roenick we are talking about and in his mind there is no one better so could it be that maybe he has his sights on catching Modano for the #1 spot? Well, that’s not going to happen unless he plans on pulling a “Tanya Harding” on Mike. I can picture it now, an unsuspecting Modano walking down the dimly lit corridor leading to the locker room before the game and out of the shadows pops Stu Grimson with a lead pipe in his hand. All anyone hears is a “Whack!” and then cries of “Why?” “Why?” Okay, sorry about that, the coffee started to take over for a minute.
The reality of it folks, is that JR feels that he still has some gas left in the tank and that he can still contribute in some facet even if it is just cheerleading from the bench. Yes, I think he would have been better off joining NBC and trading jabs with “Chicken-parm” on Saturday afternoon games, but if his buddy Mr. Wilson wants to give him $500k to put on a Sharks uniform and give the local media some juicy quotes so be it. He won’t help the Sharks find the “promised land”, but he won’t hurt their chances either.
Love him or hate him or love to hate him, it doesn’t really matter; JR is back for one more go around. This bit has just been another opinionated asshole spouting off at the mouth about an opinionated asshole who spouts off at the mouth. You can now return to your regularly scheduled program.

AROUND THE RINK with GREGSKY

FLASHBACK: WINNIPEG JETS

Let's Hear It For Re-Relocation!

IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD(LINES)

NEWS FLASH PUCKHEADS.....GREGSKY IS BACK!

ONCE IN A LIFETIME OFFER FROM GREGSKY

PLAY GREGSKY'S NHL OVERRATED/UNDERRATED GAME

A FEW THOUGHTS BEFORE THE NEW YEAR

HEY BRUINS...DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING...YET

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK : NORTHEAST DIVISION

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: STRENGTH UP THE MIDDLE

50 KIDS TO WATCH THIS YEAR NOT NAMED CROSBY, OVECHKIN AND MALKIN

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: HEROES HANG FROM THE RAFTERS

JUST IN CASE YOU WERE BUSY WATCHING FOOTBALL

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: GRANDPA'S STORIES OF YESTERYEAR

YEAR OF THE LOSERS - NHL 2008-2009

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY: REFLECTING ON THE IMPACT OF A FRANCHISE

AROUND THE RINK CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF HABS HOCKEY

YOU KNOW IT'S THE NHL OFF-SEASON WHEN.....

A FEELING OF "OPTSKEPTAFEARISM" IN TAMPA BAY

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OFFER FROM GREGSKY

THOUGHTS ON HOSSA, JAGR AND MORE

FRENZY AFTERMATH

FREE AGENT TRACKER - *LIVE UPDATES*

HAVE NO FEAR - MELROSE IS HERE!

DRAFT AFTERMATH

PRE-DRAFT RAMBLINGS

THANK YOU

FINAL THOUGHTS

GREGSKY'S FINALS WRAP UP

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - STANLEY CUP FINALS

COULD THIS FINAL SERIES BE THE BEST EVER?

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - CONFERENCE FINALS

ROUND 2 WRAP UP : SHARKS/HABS FALL FLAT

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - ROUND 2

ROUND 1 WRAP UP

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - PART 2 - WESTERN CONFERENCE

GREGSKY'S PLAYOFF PICKS - PART 1 - EASTERN CONFERENCE

GREGSKY'S EASTERN CONFERENCE NOTEBOOK: BUBBLE TEAMS - WHO'S HOT AND WHO'S NOT?

MISER'S WESTERN ROUNDUP

YOU KNOW YOUR HAVING "ONE OF THOSE DAYS" WHEN....

SOME OF US SAW THE HOSSA DEAL COMMING

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