Hope everyone is having a happy holiday season. We've been prety busy over this time as you can tell by the lack of posts. We'll be back starting tuesday with our daily updates.
2 Man Advantage
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
York for Robitaille
Today it was announced for the second time in a week the Flyers and Islanders have swapped player. To Philadelphia goes underachieving center Michael York, and to the Island goes journeyman Randy Robitaille and a 2008 5th round pick.
York is currently making $2.85 million on a one year arbitration award, and is up for UFA status this summer. York has a mere 13 points and a -9 rating in thirty two games, and is on pace for his second worst point total in his NHL career. York is capable of far more as he has regularly put up more than 50 points. The Flyers are hoping he can return to that form as they have given up yet another draft pick which is a bit odd for a supposedly rebuilding team.
Going back to Long Island for his second stint is journeyman Randy Robitaille. Robitaille is outscoring York with 14 points, but on a poor Flyers team, someone has to score (he did the same in his firs half season with Pittsburgh, scoring 20 points in 40 games). His defensive game isn’t the best, and on a deeper Islanders team (who would have though we’d be saying the Isles are deeper than the Flyers?) I don’t expect him to be putting up the points he is. It’s also odd that GM Garth Snow could have had Robitaille in the off season for nothing during the off season.
So far the Islanders have managed to take off about $5 million worth of salary in their two deals with the Flyers, meaning they may be gearing up for a bigger trade to bring on a higher prices veteran. If York doesn’t work out for the Flyers, they lose a 5th rounder and a utility player they can always resign in the off season.
Regardless, I think its time to keep an eye on the Islanders because they may just be up to something.
-Jordan
York is currently making $2.85 million on a one year arbitration award, and is up for UFA status this summer. York has a mere 13 points and a -9 rating in thirty two games, and is on pace for his second worst point total in his NHL career. York is capable of far more as he has regularly put up more than 50 points. The Flyers are hoping he can return to that form as they have given up yet another draft pick which is a bit odd for a supposedly rebuilding team.
Going back to Long Island for his second stint is journeyman Randy Robitaille. Robitaille is outscoring York with 14 points, but on a poor Flyers team, someone has to score (he did the same in his firs half season with Pittsburgh, scoring 20 points in 40 games). His defensive game isn’t the best, and on a deeper Islanders team (who would have though we’d be saying the Isles are deeper than the Flyers?) I don’t expect him to be putting up the points he is. It’s also odd that GM Garth Snow could have had Robitaille in the off season for nothing during the off season.
So far the Islanders have managed to take off about $5 million worth of salary in their two deals with the Flyers, meaning they may be gearing up for a bigger trade to bring on a higher prices veteran. If York doesn’t work out for the Flyers, they lose a 5th rounder and a utility player they can always resign in the off season.
Regardless, I think its time to keep an eye on the Islanders because they may just be up to something.
-Jordan
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Things I pulled out of my ....
- Anyone notice the Gretzky and LT comparison by Al Micheals. Hopefully, NBC decides to follow up with more plugs and ads for the NHL on NBC etc. It could only help them
- Washington is currently ahead of the Stanley cup champions in the "playoff" race. Yea yea, wake you up in 4 months but who would think that with guys named Chris Clark, Boyd Gordon and Matt "F'nin" Bradley that your nation's capitals are currently 6th.
- If Buffalo contines to dominate is it possible that more teams will adopt the slug?
- Speaking of the slugs, I questioned the whole Campbell for Norris debate until I caught a few more games...while I still question him being a top 5 dman in the league as some argue, we can safely say that his future is bright and he certainly attain that status
- While the whole vote for Rory is cute and all, come on people...HONESTLY...I know the Allstar game is a joke, as it is in every sport, but top 7 dman in the conference. Please! Heck why stop at Rory.. Jay Pandolfo FOR ALLSTAR GAME..he's a good guy...he works hard...
- Speaking of fixing allstar games...let's do away with fan voting!!
- Lord Blackberry backs out.. There was something about him that made everyone uncomfortable. He may be a nice guy... he may wanted to keep the Pens in Pittsburgh but he still played that creepy guy to perfection
- Jaarko Ruutu last week spearheaded a Penguin comeback last week on OLN against the caps. Perhaps Therrien is learning how to play him. Another example that the era of the Goon/Pest etc is still viable in this new NHL.
- Can we stop talking about changing the game during the regular season...sure it's not perfect and the NHL has its faults but let's discuss it when we actually can
- I hope that Ozolinsh is able to clean himself up and get another shot at the league next season. It may be easier for the backseat fan to question the need for athletes to do drugs/drink excessively but seriously a lot of people have been there. Of course I'm only speculating about this. He never was great defensively but atleast he would wow you with some risky chances. Maybe the defensive gaffes aren't worth the highlight real goals anymore. This season and frankly last season also...things seem a bit off. Hopefully it's not cuz of the bottle, and more so injuries and getting older...
- Jordan spoke about the Zhitnik deal. As a Freddie Mayer guy and BU grad I did get to Freddie play for 4 years. While he won't ever qb the powerplay nor does he have that big booming shot that Zhitnik has but he is younger and can chip in defensively and he is very gritty. I must question Philly's idea here. I thought they would be trying to get younger? Zhitnik is a good player. He is a top pairing d-man. And he can log minutes. He is worth his money. If he is worth Meyer AND a third is another story. Moreover, this reaks of one of those deadline deals that contending teams make to give them an extra boost. Could Jeff Carter being traded for Jeremy Roenick next? I kid but who knows Zhitnik could be the player that is able to take Pitkanen to the next level also. Maybe than it will be worth it?
- On a serious note, our thoughts and prayers are with Phil Kessel and the Gainey Family.
- Don Cherry's favorite player Jordan Staal's shorthanded goal against the Flyers shows that this big kid has nifty moves and has the ability to take over games as well. As if the Penguins needed more centers that can do that. Staal is also the latest young Penguin to be compared to Mario Lemieux. That means Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Staal have ALL been compared to Mario...
I would like to wish you all happy holidays and best of luck for the year 2007.
-op
- Washington is currently ahead of the Stanley cup champions in the "playoff" race. Yea yea, wake you up in 4 months but who would think that with guys named Chris Clark, Boyd Gordon and Matt "F'nin" Bradley that your nation's capitals are currently 6th.
- If Buffalo contines to dominate is it possible that more teams will adopt the slug?
- Speaking of the slugs, I questioned the whole Campbell for Norris debate until I caught a few more games...while I still question him being a top 5 dman in the league as some argue, we can safely say that his future is bright and he certainly attain that status
- While the whole vote for Rory is cute and all, come on people...HONESTLY...I know the Allstar game is a joke, as it is in every sport, but top 7 dman in the conference. Please! Heck why stop at Rory.. Jay Pandolfo FOR ALLSTAR GAME..he's a good guy...he works hard...
- Speaking of fixing allstar games...let's do away with fan voting!!
- Lord Blackberry backs out.. There was something about him that made everyone uncomfortable. He may be a nice guy... he may wanted to keep the Pens in Pittsburgh but he still played that creepy guy to perfection
- Jaarko Ruutu last week spearheaded a Penguin comeback last week on OLN against the caps. Perhaps Therrien is learning how to play him. Another example that the era of the Goon/Pest etc is still viable in this new NHL.
- Can we stop talking about changing the game during the regular season...sure it's not perfect and the NHL has its faults but let's discuss it when we actually can
- I hope that Ozolinsh is able to clean himself up and get another shot at the league next season. It may be easier for the backseat fan to question the need for athletes to do drugs/drink excessively but seriously a lot of people have been there. Of course I'm only speculating about this. He never was great defensively but atleast he would wow you with some risky chances. Maybe the defensive gaffes aren't worth the highlight real goals anymore. This season and frankly last season also...things seem a bit off. Hopefully it's not cuz of the bottle, and more so injuries and getting older...
- Jordan spoke about the Zhitnik deal. As a Freddie Mayer guy and BU grad I did get to Freddie play for 4 years. While he won't ever qb the powerplay nor does he have that big booming shot that Zhitnik has but he is younger and can chip in defensively and he is very gritty. I must question Philly's idea here. I thought they would be trying to get younger? Zhitnik is a good player. He is a top pairing d-man. And he can log minutes. He is worth his money. If he is worth Meyer AND a third is another story. Moreover, this reaks of one of those deadline deals that contending teams make to give them an extra boost. Could Jeff Carter being traded for Jeremy Roenick next? I kid but who knows Zhitnik could be the player that is able to take Pitkanen to the next level also. Maybe than it will be worth it?
- On a serious note, our thoughts and prayers are with Phil Kessel and the Gainey Family.
- Don Cherry's favorite player Jordan Staal's shorthanded goal against the Flyers shows that this big kid has nifty moves and has the ability to take over games as well. As if the Penguins needed more centers that can do that. Staal is also the latest young Penguin to be compared to Mario Lemieux. That means Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Staal have ALL been compared to Mario...
I would like to wish you all happy holidays and best of luck for the year 2007.
-op
Monday, December 18, 2006
Atlantic Activity
Sorry for the late post on this, but the weekend had a lot less free time than I anticipated.
First up is the trade of Alexei Zhitnik for Freddy Meyer and a 3rd. I’ve got to give this one to the Isles. Meyer isn’t anything great, but he’s still young and can improve. Zhitnik on the other hand is on the down turn of his career and making $3.5 million this year and next. To be honest I’m not that big on picks, even though they are often used to balance out deals (and rightfully so) as I am often perusing through TSN and seeing players dealt with picks that almost always amount to nothing (I suggest you look at players bios and see the players who were chosen with picks in deals, you wont have heard of most).
Curious is that the Flyers would absorb this contract when so close to the cap. Granted Mike Rathje could be done for good, but you replace one 35 year old defenseman making $3.5 million a year with another. And seeing as how the Flyers are pretty much rebuilding now, I don’t see the point to this trade for them.
Also in the Atlantic the Rangers placed defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh on waivers. Ozo has been underachieving for the past few seasons, and his poor defensive game has been hurt even more by the new rules. The fact that his point totals continue to decline, paired with off ice problems have made him little more than a player eating cap room.
Ozo is in the final year of his contract being paid $2.75 million. With his production I don’t think anyone will be picking him up. However, if put on re-entry waivers, I can see a team taking a chance on him, though not one with limited cap room, and definitely not one in playoff contention. They will want to save it for someone who will make a more positive impact.
-Jordan
First up is the trade of Alexei Zhitnik for Freddy Meyer and a 3rd. I’ve got to give this one to the Isles. Meyer isn’t anything great, but he’s still young and can improve. Zhitnik on the other hand is on the down turn of his career and making $3.5 million this year and next. To be honest I’m not that big on picks, even though they are often used to balance out deals (and rightfully so) as I am often perusing through TSN and seeing players dealt with picks that almost always amount to nothing (I suggest you look at players bios and see the players who were chosen with picks in deals, you wont have heard of most).
Curious is that the Flyers would absorb this contract when so close to the cap. Granted Mike Rathje could be done for good, but you replace one 35 year old defenseman making $3.5 million a year with another. And seeing as how the Flyers are pretty much rebuilding now, I don’t see the point to this trade for them.
Also in the Atlantic the Rangers placed defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh on waivers. Ozo has been underachieving for the past few seasons, and his poor defensive game has been hurt even more by the new rules. The fact that his point totals continue to decline, paired with off ice problems have made him little more than a player eating cap room.
Ozo is in the final year of his contract being paid $2.75 million. With his production I don’t think anyone will be picking him up. However, if put on re-entry waivers, I can see a team taking a chance on him, though not one with limited cap room, and definitely not one in playoff contention. They will want to save it for someone who will make a more positive impact.
-Jordan
Balsillie Gone for Good
It was announced this weekend that prospective owner Jim Balsillie has withdrawn his bid for the Pittsburgh Penguins. This comes two days after a meeting with the gaming commission in Harrisburg that will decide next Wednesday on the winner of the slots license in Pittsburgh.
Right now the rumor is that Gary Bettman and the voting board created some last minute stipulations that the Penguins must be kept in Pittsburgh. If so, as a Penguins fan, I can assure you were are very happy about that, and to be honest have some newfound respect for the commissioner.
This is really quite the development, and honestly can of a few different ways. (It should be noted though the sale between current ownership lead by Mario Lemieux and Balsillie was agreed upon and the problem did not lie there).
In a press conference today Owner Mario Lemieux said that Balsillie will absolutely not be back, and went as far as to criticize the billionaire for his withdrawing at the last minute. Lemieux also stated they are keeping Balsillie’s deposit as they consider it a breach of contract.
The rumor circulating that the reason Balsillie pulled out was that the NHL at the last minute put in stipulations that under no circumstances could he take the Penguins from Pittsburgh, and even allow the NHL to take control of the team. Under these conditions, you can hardly blame Balsillie for withdrawing as who would pay $175 million for a team and maintain so little control over it? From a business standpoint it made no sense. But it could also mean that Balsille intended to move the team all along, in which case Pens fans should be thankful he has left.
Now a new window has possibly opened for new buyers, but nothing will be decided until the announced winner of the slots license on Wednesday. Today also came the confirmation that Canadian businessman Frank D’Angelo is interested in purchasing the team. He has said he will keep the team in Pittsburgh no matter what, so at least there is that (the internet rumblings I have heard about him aren’t real positive, but I am with holding judgment until I know more). The rumors are also persisting of Pittsburgh native Mark Cuban again being interested in the team. But I would think his interest to be superficial like last time, as he has come out and said that he did not want to control two sports teams, and the fact that Pittsburgh and Dallas are a ways away would make it even more difficult to do so.
Right now any questions that need answered will have to wait until Wednesday when the winner of the slots license is announced. If the Isle of Capris does win, don’t be that surprised if Lemieux Group ends up keeping the team for a little while longer.
-Jordan
Right now the rumor is that Gary Bettman and the voting board created some last minute stipulations that the Penguins must be kept in Pittsburgh. If so, as a Penguins fan, I can assure you were are very happy about that, and to be honest have some newfound respect for the commissioner.
This is really quite the development, and honestly can of a few different ways. (It should be noted though the sale between current ownership lead by Mario Lemieux and Balsillie was agreed upon and the problem did not lie there).
In a press conference today Owner Mario Lemieux said that Balsillie will absolutely not be back, and went as far as to criticize the billionaire for his withdrawing at the last minute. Lemieux also stated they are keeping Balsillie’s deposit as they consider it a breach of contract.
The rumor circulating that the reason Balsillie pulled out was that the NHL at the last minute put in stipulations that under no circumstances could he take the Penguins from Pittsburgh, and even allow the NHL to take control of the team. Under these conditions, you can hardly blame Balsillie for withdrawing as who would pay $175 million for a team and maintain so little control over it? From a business standpoint it made no sense. But it could also mean that Balsille intended to move the team all along, in which case Pens fans should be thankful he has left.
Now a new window has possibly opened for new buyers, but nothing will be decided until the announced winner of the slots license on Wednesday. Today also came the confirmation that Canadian businessman Frank D’Angelo is interested in purchasing the team. He has said he will keep the team in Pittsburgh no matter what, so at least there is that (the internet rumblings I have heard about him aren’t real positive, but I am with holding judgment until I know more). The rumors are also persisting of Pittsburgh native Mark Cuban again being interested in the team. But I would think his interest to be superficial like last time, as he has come out and said that he did not want to control two sports teams, and the fact that Pittsburgh and Dallas are a ways away would make it even more difficult to do so.
Right now any questions that need answered will have to wait until Wednesday when the winner of the slots license is announced. If the Isle of Capris does win, don’t be that surprised if Lemieux Group ends up keeping the team for a little while longer.
-Jordan
Friday, December 15, 2006
Balisillie Out
Prospective owner of the Penguins Jim Balsillie has withdrawn his bid to purchase the Penguins, with a failure to reach an agreement wiht the NHL cited as the reason.
I will have a comprehensive post on this later in the weekend.
-Jordan
I will have a comprehensive post on this later in the weekend.
-Jordan
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Crosb'y True Strength
There is no doubt how talented Crosby is, nor is there any doubt he is reaching his potential very quickly. But it’s not just his skills that have gotten him where he is. Much of his success is due to his mental game.
For those that don’t remember a young Mario Lemieux, his head wasn’t totally into the game. He was known to be very lazy and selfish during his teens and early twenties. Any of his teammates during that period won’t hesitate to say he would only work hard off the ice when his stamina was decreasing or his strength not where he wanted it. If you want an analogy, it was like only putting fuel into your car after the gas lamp had been on for a while.
But Crosby is different. At 19 he is already mostly filled out, an extremely rare feat for someone that age. Most players, even the best young talents, take a few years to add muscle and get their bodies where they want to be. But Crosby has been working for years to shape his body, and it’s already paying dividends. If something isn’t where he wants it to be, he works even harder and longer on that. He has one of the best work ethics in the league.
Also, Crosby is incredibly modest. Now most hockey players are, granted, but Crosby never seems to judge himself on feats, but rather if he met his own standards, which seem to be higher than anyone else’s. His teammates or coach give him compliments, he takes them in stride, they seem to phase him less than the Flyers defense.
Also one of Crosby’s strengths is having Lemieux as his landlord. Mario went through all the same things: the next great player, being the savior of a franchise, new poster boy of the NHL. Been there, done that for Mario. He is able to pass on that knowledge to Crosby to help him handle it, which I’m sure is a load off his shoulders.
The thing, Crosby is only going to get better. At 19 he has just taken over the scoring league competing with long established player like Jagr, Selanne and Hossa. And he’s doing it on a weaker team than either of the two.
If he’s already this fun to watch at 19, who knows how fun he will be through his entire career.
-Jordan
For those that don’t remember a young Mario Lemieux, his head wasn’t totally into the game. He was known to be very lazy and selfish during his teens and early twenties. Any of his teammates during that period won’t hesitate to say he would only work hard off the ice when his stamina was decreasing or his strength not where he wanted it. If you want an analogy, it was like only putting fuel into your car after the gas lamp had been on for a while.
But Crosby is different. At 19 he is already mostly filled out, an extremely rare feat for someone that age. Most players, even the best young talents, take a few years to add muscle and get their bodies where they want to be. But Crosby has been working for years to shape his body, and it’s already paying dividends. If something isn’t where he wants it to be, he works even harder and longer on that. He has one of the best work ethics in the league.
Also, Crosby is incredibly modest. Now most hockey players are, granted, but Crosby never seems to judge himself on feats, but rather if he met his own standards, which seem to be higher than anyone else’s. His teammates or coach give him compliments, he takes them in stride, they seem to phase him less than the Flyers defense.
Also one of Crosby’s strengths is having Lemieux as his landlord. Mario went through all the same things: the next great player, being the savior of a franchise, new poster boy of the NHL. Been there, done that for Mario. He is able to pass on that knowledge to Crosby to help him handle it, which I’m sure is a load off his shoulders.
The thing, Crosby is only going to get better. At 19 he has just taken over the scoring league competing with long established player like Jagr, Selanne and Hossa. And he’s doing it on a weaker team than either of the two.
If he’s already this fun to watch at 19, who knows how fun he will be through his entire career.
-Jordan
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Day of the Tough Guy not Done
There have been many rumblings since last year about the new NHL being the twilight of the tough guy. I beg to differ.
I agree with this in the sense of pure fighters who have no other skills, such as Peter Worrel who was little more than a boxer on skates. But many tough have learned to apart their game to go beyond just fighting.
Guys such as Georges Laraque and Andre Roy are guys who may be tough, but possess better stick and skating skills that a normal goon. They can play between 5-10 minutes (better off towards the lower end) a night without being a major liability.
But there’s more to a tough guy than just fighting. They can go out on a shift and change the momentum without fighting. Just finishing a few hard checks can get the crowd, and the players pumped up. I’ve seen it happen more than a few times, as I’m sure everyone else has.
Another reason for keeping a tough guy around is that someone will always have one. One team will have one on the roster, and he will beat the hell out of that team, and they have no one to stand up to him. So that team goes out and gets one. Now two teams have them and other teams begin to worry they have no one to defend their good players. Next thing you know, everyone has them again.
If you disagree, think of it this way: would you want Crosby, Jagr, Ovechkin, Gaborik, Sakic or whoever is the great player on you team getting taken out by a guy that no one on your team can stop? Is that something you would want to risk? I doubt it.
They day of the goon may be done, but the day of the tough guy is not, because there is much more to their game than just fighting.
-Jordan
I agree with this in the sense of pure fighters who have no other skills, such as Peter Worrel who was little more than a boxer on skates. But many tough have learned to apart their game to go beyond just fighting.
Guys such as Georges Laraque and Andre Roy are guys who may be tough, but possess better stick and skating skills that a normal goon. They can play between 5-10 minutes (better off towards the lower end) a night without being a major liability.
But there’s more to a tough guy than just fighting. They can go out on a shift and change the momentum without fighting. Just finishing a few hard checks can get the crowd, and the players pumped up. I’ve seen it happen more than a few times, as I’m sure everyone else has.
Another reason for keeping a tough guy around is that someone will always have one. One team will have one on the roster, and he will beat the hell out of that team, and they have no one to stand up to him. So that team goes out and gets one. Now two teams have them and other teams begin to worry they have no one to defend their good players. Next thing you know, everyone has them again.
If you disagree, think of it this way: would you want Crosby, Jagr, Ovechkin, Gaborik, Sakic or whoever is the great player on you team getting taken out by a guy that no one on your team can stop? Is that something you would want to risk? I doubt it.
They day of the goon may be done, but the day of the tough guy is not, because there is much more to their game than just fighting.
-Jordan
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Kessel
For those that didn’t hear (which I assume is no one), Bruins winger Phil Kessel yesterday underwent a surgical procedure for cancer. Nothing else is known about it at this time.
At only 19 Kessel already has do deal with something as major as cancer. Something like this is always sad to see, sadder the younger the person is, and even worse when you can actually put a face to the name. The fact that we hear some about players personal lives, see them on tv and hear them on the radio tends to trigger an emotional reaction, especially when the player is on your favorite team.
Our best wishes go out to Phil on a speedy recovery and best wishes go out to his family.
-Jordan
At only 19 Kessel already has do deal with something as major as cancer. Something like this is always sad to see, sadder the younger the person is, and even worse when you can actually put a face to the name. The fact that we hear some about players personal lives, see them on tv and hear them on the radio tends to trigger an emotional reaction, especially when the player is on your favorite team.
Our best wishes go out to Phil on a speedy recovery and best wishes go out to his family.
-Jordan
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Dont Waste Your Vote
As I’m sure many have noticed, there is a campaign going on to vote Rory Fitzpatrick, a career 7th defenseman into this year’s All Star game. Here is a word of advice: don’t waste your vote.
Now, I have nothing against this guy, but seriously what has he done to deserve to be in the all star game?
I hear the main arguments of how he works harder than the stars, what a good guy he is, he deserves recognition, he’s made it on sheer will and not skill etc. Well congratulations, you just told the story of every bottom pairing defenseman and bottom line forward in the entire NHL since its inception. So tell me, when so many others share this heart warming story, why Rory? Why is he the only one that should get recognition? Why not recognize all the other hard workers in this league?
Let’s not forget, the point of the All Star game is to have the best players, i.e. the most talented and skilled in the league compete. Rory fits neither of those. And what skills competition is this guy going to be in? Hardest shot? Accuracy shooting? Penalty shot? He can’t be considered for any single event. And let’s not talk about how badly he would get beaten facing a line that looks like Shanahan – Briere - Kovulchuk? Or maybe we should talk about how badly embarrassed he will be facing talent far beyond his own.
Also the idea that he deserves to be there because he works hard is absolute crap. Are you going to tell me Joe Sakic doesn’t work to stay as good as he is? That Rod Brind’Amour’s skill alone is the reason he’s fifth in the league scoring at age 36?
This year when Crosby thought his accuracy was lacking, he stayed after practice and shot 500 pucks. Last year when Ovechkin thought his game wasn’t up to par, he went on the stationary bike for an hour after the game. These from 19 and 21, who rarely have as good a work ethic as the veteran players. Please.
Voting Rory into the All Star game is an insult. By saying he deserves to be there because he works hard means that none of the players there work hard. And while I won’t deny that some don’t, many do. Skill only takes you so far. Case in point is Petr Nedved, who is extremely talented but has lacked the drive his whole career to be a top tier player.
Also, if Rory gets in someone else who deserves to be there will not. Here is the most recent results for Western Conference defenseman in voting:
Scott Niedermayer ; Anaheim 329,657Nicklas Lidstrom ; Detroit 317,373Chris Pronger Anaheim 219,372Dion Phaneuf ; Calgary 208,945*Rory Fitzpatrick ; Vancouver 144,819Sergei Zubov ; Dallas 110,562Mattias Ohlund ; Vancouver 110,146Scott Hannan ; San Jose 108,757Mathieu Schneider ; Detroit 88,449Rob Blake ; Los Angeles 83,814Robyn Regehr ; Calgary 77,205John-Michael Liles ; Colorado 71,360Lubomir Visnovsky ; Los Angeles 57,928
In no way does he belong on the All Star team ahead of any of those players. Any. Even if some don’t belong on the All Star team, they deserve it more than Rory.
If people want to give Rory credit for hard work, I have no problem with that. If you want to give him an award for hardest working player in the league, you can, I won’t dispute it. But the All Star game is not for people who just work hard. It’s a show, even if you consider it a side show. People watch it, and pay to see the best players in the league, not a 7th defenseman who they can see night in and night out.
-Jordan
Now, I have nothing against this guy, but seriously what has he done to deserve to be in the all star game?
I hear the main arguments of how he works harder than the stars, what a good guy he is, he deserves recognition, he’s made it on sheer will and not skill etc. Well congratulations, you just told the story of every bottom pairing defenseman and bottom line forward in the entire NHL since its inception. So tell me, when so many others share this heart warming story, why Rory? Why is he the only one that should get recognition? Why not recognize all the other hard workers in this league?
Let’s not forget, the point of the All Star game is to have the best players, i.e. the most talented and skilled in the league compete. Rory fits neither of those. And what skills competition is this guy going to be in? Hardest shot? Accuracy shooting? Penalty shot? He can’t be considered for any single event. And let’s not talk about how badly he would get beaten facing a line that looks like Shanahan – Briere - Kovulchuk? Or maybe we should talk about how badly embarrassed he will be facing talent far beyond his own.
Also the idea that he deserves to be there because he works hard is absolute crap. Are you going to tell me Joe Sakic doesn’t work to stay as good as he is? That Rod Brind’Amour’s skill alone is the reason he’s fifth in the league scoring at age 36?
This year when Crosby thought his accuracy was lacking, he stayed after practice and shot 500 pucks. Last year when Ovechkin thought his game wasn’t up to par, he went on the stationary bike for an hour after the game. These from 19 and 21, who rarely have as good a work ethic as the veteran players. Please.
Voting Rory into the All Star game is an insult. By saying he deserves to be there because he works hard means that none of the players there work hard. And while I won’t deny that some don’t, many do. Skill only takes you so far. Case in point is Petr Nedved, who is extremely talented but has lacked the drive his whole career to be a top tier player.
Also, if Rory gets in someone else who deserves to be there will not. Here is the most recent results for Western Conference defenseman in voting:
Scott Niedermayer ; Anaheim 329,657Nicklas Lidstrom ; Detroit 317,373Chris Pronger Anaheim 219,372Dion Phaneuf ; Calgary 208,945*Rory Fitzpatrick ; Vancouver 144,819Sergei Zubov ; Dallas 110,562Mattias Ohlund ; Vancouver 110,146Scott Hannan ; San Jose 108,757Mathieu Schneider ; Detroit 88,449Rob Blake ; Los Angeles 83,814Robyn Regehr ; Calgary 77,205John-Michael Liles ; Colorado 71,360Lubomir Visnovsky ; Los Angeles 57,928
In no way does he belong on the All Star team ahead of any of those players. Any. Even if some don’t belong on the All Star team, they deserve it more than Rory.
If people want to give Rory credit for hard work, I have no problem with that. If you want to give him an award for hardest working player in the league, you can, I won’t dispute it. But the All Star game is not for people who just work hard. It’s a show, even if you consider it a side show. People watch it, and pay to see the best players in the league, not a 7th defenseman who they can see night in and night out.
-Jordan
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Nieuwendyk Retires
Joe Nieuwendyk announced his retirement today due to constant back problems. He finishes his career with 564 goals and 562 assists (1126 points for those unwilling to add them) in 1257 games spanning twenty years.
Nieuwendyk won three cups during his career, last in New Jersey in 2003, Dallas in 1999 and with a stacked Calgary team in 1989 (which was still awesome in the original NHL Hockey I might add).
It’s always a feat in any sport to be able to last until the age of forty. Though his skills were declining, it was his bad back that did him in as even the faster post-lockout NHL he was able to keep up his scoring ways.
With his name he should have no problem getting a front office job with a team in the league.
Nieuwendyk won three cups during his career, last in New Jersey in 2003, Dallas in 1999 and with a stacked Calgary team in 1989 (which was still awesome in the original NHL Hockey I might add).
It’s always a feat in any sport to be able to last until the age of forty. Though his skills were declining, it was his bad back that did him in as even the faster post-lockout NHL he was able to keep up his scoring ways.
With his name he should have no problem getting a front office job with a team in the league.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Head Hunting
There is a growing concern about the amount of injuries resulting in hits to the head. Some are starting to call for new rules that outlaw any this to the head, or for repercussions from the league.
People need to remember that hockey is a rough sport. I don’t think anyone will doubt the toughness of these players. They play through pain that would keep most people home in bed. They are tough, but despite how tough they are going to get hurt no matter what rules there are. There are some main things that need to be taken into consideration when thinking about any kind of rule changes for this situation.
A lot of the injuries result from the player being hit having his head down or not aware of the player who is hitting him. Case in point when Colby Armstrong injured Trevor Letowski early in the year. The hit was clean, but the reason it was so devastating is that Letowski wasn’t looking at what the other players were doing; he was watching where his pass was going. He got blindsided because he wasn’t paying attention.
Hitting is part of the game. Every time there is a big hit, the fans cheer. They love it. It adds another element into the game that no one wants gone. There are going to be big hits, and there are going to be injuries. Outside a few occasions, players aren’t looking to hurt the guy they are hitting. Rattle them, yes, but not hurt. Not all hits to the head are intentional. Why should a player get penalized if the guy he hit put his head down at the last second?
In addition, players are going to slip, lose their balance, get tangled up, tripped and fall into the boards, go down awkwardly or hit another solid object. You can’t really do anything about these, and in my opinion, you can’t do anything about head hits either. They’re not predictable and hence hard to prevent.
What can be done? There have been rumblings about changing shoulder pads to a softer material instead of the hard plastic. People say make any hit to the head a penalty, but then any time a players head will flail a penalty will be called when no penalty is warranted.
If the shoulder pads can be made softer without reducing protection to the player wearing them, then a change should be considered. But other than that, the only real way to prevent injuries from hitting at all is to get rid of hitting, an option that shouldn’t be considered.
-Jordan
People need to remember that hockey is a rough sport. I don’t think anyone will doubt the toughness of these players. They play through pain that would keep most people home in bed. They are tough, but despite how tough they are going to get hurt no matter what rules there are. There are some main things that need to be taken into consideration when thinking about any kind of rule changes for this situation.
A lot of the injuries result from the player being hit having his head down or not aware of the player who is hitting him. Case in point when Colby Armstrong injured Trevor Letowski early in the year. The hit was clean, but the reason it was so devastating is that Letowski wasn’t looking at what the other players were doing; he was watching where his pass was going. He got blindsided because he wasn’t paying attention.
Hitting is part of the game. Every time there is a big hit, the fans cheer. They love it. It adds another element into the game that no one wants gone. There are going to be big hits, and there are going to be injuries. Outside a few occasions, players aren’t looking to hurt the guy they are hitting. Rattle them, yes, but not hurt. Not all hits to the head are intentional. Why should a player get penalized if the guy he hit put his head down at the last second?
In addition, players are going to slip, lose their balance, get tangled up, tripped and fall into the boards, go down awkwardly or hit another solid object. You can’t really do anything about these, and in my opinion, you can’t do anything about head hits either. They’re not predictable and hence hard to prevent.
What can be done? There have been rumblings about changing shoulder pads to a softer material instead of the hard plastic. People say make any hit to the head a penalty, but then any time a players head will flail a penalty will be called when no penalty is warranted.
If the shoulder pads can be made softer without reducing protection to the player wearing them, then a change should be considered. But other than that, the only real way to prevent injuries from hitting at all is to get rid of hitting, an option that shouldn’t be considered.
-Jordan
Monday, December 04, 2006
Commissioner Gary Bettman announced last week that the NHL will be switching to the new form fitting uniforms starting next year. These uniforms were used during the last Olympic games and are supposed to be more streamlined to help the players.
Bettman claims the switch is for the players benefit, and I don’t doubt that. But something else needs to be looked at here. Fan reaction to these new kinds of uniforms was not very positive. And if the fans don’t like it, they won’t buy it. The NHL wants as much revenue as it can get, and if there is enough fan displeasure with the uniforms then you can bet jersey sales will take a dive.
I don’t want to say these will look awful. All we really have to go on are the Olympic uniforms which had some of the worst designs ever. The colored bars on the arms and socks were horrid, and the rest of the uniform plain and boring. That means the only real things we have to judge on have only negative appeal, which isn’t particularly fair.
Maybe they’ll look better, but one of the fun things about wearing these sweaters is how big they are. But we’ll have to wait and see next year on how well the jerseys will sell.
-Jordan
Bettman claims the switch is for the players benefit, and I don’t doubt that. But something else needs to be looked at here. Fan reaction to these new kinds of uniforms was not very positive. And if the fans don’t like it, they won’t buy it. The NHL wants as much revenue as it can get, and if there is enough fan displeasure with the uniforms then you can bet jersey sales will take a dive.
I don’t want to say these will look awful. All we really have to go on are the Olympic uniforms which had some of the worst designs ever. The colored bars on the arms and socks were horrid, and the rest of the uniform plain and boring. That means the only real things we have to judge on have only negative appeal, which isn’t particularly fair.
Maybe they’ll look better, but one of the fun things about wearing these sweaters is how big they are. But we’ll have to wait and see next year on how well the jerseys will sell.
-Jordan
Friday, December 01, 2006
Because Jordan told me I need to blawg...
Everyone watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhAw-xtz6ew
Do you remember that guy? One of the biggest pieces of shit in the league? The Esa Tikkanen for a new generation. I wonder what happened to that guy. Wait a second! he's on the Penguins?
Really? No way..
YES kids, it's true. Ruutu is on the Pittsburgh Penguins. How is that for a surprise. Apparently, they signed him this past offseason?! He has been very useful on the 4th line with an aging and recently waived Leclair and a energetic Maxim Talbot. The problem is though you can't give a guy like Ruutu 5 minutes of ice time a game. He's a pest, prick and god damn, is he ugly. I just want to reach over and punch him in the face even when I see his ugly mug show up on my NHL 2k7 videogame.
Suffice to say, he is now trying to do everything he did with 12 minutes of icetime as a Canuck, with 5 minutes of icetime as a Penguin. As a result, he is simply commiting bad penalties and perhaps the unbelievable act of being invisible! Poor, Poor, Jaarko. I would hope that Michel Therrien awakes from his great slumber and decides to put Jaarko with fellow Checker Dominic Moore. Maybe even sprinkle in a bit of Ronald Petrovicky. Boy that would be an annoying checking line: 2 pests and a harvard guy.
ugh
Hopefully, we get to see Jaarko arise like the Phoenix and make his return to the NHL. He is sorely missed.
-OP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhAw-xtz6ew
Do you remember that guy? One of the biggest pieces of shit in the league? The Esa Tikkanen for a new generation. I wonder what happened to that guy. Wait a second! he's on the Penguins?
Really? No way..
YES kids, it's true. Ruutu is on the Pittsburgh Penguins. How is that for a surprise. Apparently, they signed him this past offseason?! He has been very useful on the 4th line with an aging and recently waived Leclair and a energetic Maxim Talbot. The problem is though you can't give a guy like Ruutu 5 minutes of ice time a game. He's a pest, prick and god damn, is he ugly. I just want to reach over and punch him in the face even when I see his ugly mug show up on my NHL 2k7 videogame.
Suffice to say, he is now trying to do everything he did with 12 minutes of icetime as a Canuck, with 5 minutes of icetime as a Penguin. As a result, he is simply commiting bad penalties and perhaps the unbelievable act of being invisible! Poor, Poor, Jaarko. I would hope that Michel Therrien awakes from his great slumber and decides to put Jaarko with fellow Checker Dominic Moore. Maybe even sprinkle in a bit of Ronald Petrovicky. Boy that would be an annoying checking line: 2 pests and a harvard guy.
ugh
Hopefully, we get to see Jaarko arise like the Phoenix and make his return to the NHL. He is sorely missed.
-OP
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