I Live For This

An Open Letter To Those At Camp 2011-12

Hello, and welcome to the New York Rangers,

There are some things you need to know before you get the 2011-2012 NHL season started as a member of the Broadway Blueshirts. I will attempt to lay them out for you to make your transition to New York easier. If you keep these in mind, your stay will be an enjoyable and, hopefully, productive one. Best of luck.

1- First and foremost, being a Ranger requires respect. Respect for your teammates. Respect for the jersey. Respect for the fans. Respect the Rangers. Everything else on this list falls under this dictum. Respect. It sounds simple, but it's not. It's a complete way of being that will require hard work but the payoff is virtually limitless - watch the tape of Eddie Giacomin's return with the Red Wings.

2 - Always, ALWAYS have your teammate's back, on the ice and off. On it the Boogeyman is no longer around to fight your battles for you and team toughness is far more intimidating than having one designated policeman - just ask the Sedin twins as they were bent over the barrel by the Bruins. Now take a look at Erik Christensen. Mr. Softie the Backstabber over there. If you have a problem with the way another Ranger plays or acts, you take it up with him inside the room. You just look like a gigantic, untrustworthy ass when you do it to the media. And an ass that is bound for the waiver wire sooner rather than later.

3 - I mentioned toughness. Toughness is battling from whistle to whistle. No reprieve, no relenting. Hockey is your job and we expect you to work while you are at the office. That is what is expected of you. Anything less - let up for just one moment of one shift - and the results will be disastrous. During that lapse a goal may be scored against the Rangers, or it may not. Either way, someone will notice - we Ranger fans pay attention and take this stuff quite seriously. The Blueshirts are the most scrutinized NHL team not in Canada, both by the media and by the fans. You do not want to let up in this town. At the same time, even if things aren't going your way - go without scoring for games at a time, whatever - if you are visibly working hard you will given a pass for quite a while ... Brian Boyle got one after his goal scoring dried up last season. You may look around at the fans down by the ice and see the nice clothes, the Blackberries and the models, but don't be fooled: this is a blue collar fanbase that expects and appreciates hard work.

4 - Meet the fans, greet the fans. They are your best asset on the ice, better than any newfangled composite stick or heated skateblade. You may have played in the Garden in the past, you may have not. But you have never felt anything like it when you have 18,200 New Yorkers getting your back, helping you up, pushing you forward. At the same time, that 18,200 can be merciless. This goes back to No. 3, if you don't show maximum effort, you will face the ire of the fans and trust me, you won't enjoy it.

5 - Maximum effort is an understatement when the Islanders, Devils or Flyers are in town. Those are the times that you have to go above and beyond. There is no faster way to the hearts of the fans than through the franchise's biggest rivals. In this day and age of free agency (which may have brought you here), rivalries are harder to cling to for players - you may have friends and former teammates on the other side of the ice - but they are grossly important to the fans. Go out to dinner with your buds, go on vacation with them, whatever - from the second that puck drops, you had better be out for blood. Players come and go but that jersey that you pull on has been around for a long time and that means something. That Blueshirt comes with the baggage of hatred for wrongs past. It may sound petty, but it is a part of sporting life. And, if you use that hatred right - through the aforementioned hard work - then it is a very, very good thing.

6 - You know that quiet guy who is hanging around practice? The mild-mannered fellow with his name and number nine in the rafters. Listen to him. If he says something, it's for a reason. If he acts a certain way, it's for a reason. And that reason is always the betterment of the franchise and, frankly, the betterment of yourself as a person. Pay attention to Adam Graves. You will not find a better role model in your search for what it means to be a Ranger. There is a reason why he is beloved in this city, and what he did on the ice is only part of the explanation.

7 - Give not to temptation. New York never closes and there is fun to be had no matter what your vice may be. But if you give in to it, then you are breaking No. 1 on this list. There is a time and place for everything, and while you wear that jersey the time is not right for nefarious activities. Take a second to look up the sad case of Don Murdoch.

8 - While you are at it, spend some time reading up on the past. The more you read about the 85 year history of the franchise, the more you will understand just how important No. 1 on this list is. A lot of people have put their blood, sweat and tears into building the Rangers and the least you can do is know who they were.

9 - Don't be afraid to speak your mind because honesty is indeed the best policy. Silly, right? Not at all. When speaking to the media or to the press, one of the worse things you can do is speak in benign cliches - there is no such thing as 110%. You can only take things one game, or one day, at a time. And you don't always get the bounces. We know that; tell us how, tell us why. You can't be afraid to show your personality, because that is who you are and we want to know you. We want to root for you. We want to see you succeed.

10 - Don't believe the hype. There are a lot of people playing pundit, a lot of people shooting their (our) mouths off. Expectations have leapt up with the signing of a certain center and they will be difficult to meet. But that will come if you work hard, listen to the coaches and play your game to the best of your ability it is possible to reach the high bar that has been set.

This list may seem daunting, but you will be pulling on a Blueshirt and these are the things that come with the jersey.

Let's Go Rangers.

-Scotty Hockey

Hittin' The Road For Hockey

A good friend of mine was sitting at work last week and decided to use her time the best way possible (if you ask me): by planning a hockey road trip for her next vacation. She shared her plans and it got me thinking about how much fun it is to see how the other side lives by hittin' road to go watch hockey elsewhere. As regular readers know, I try to get out and about when I can and have had some utterly amazing experiences. I have one booked for certain this season (a week in Sweden) and have a few more possibilities lurking around in my head.

So what goes into a hockey trip? With a little help from the well-traveled Tapeleg of the terrific blog Jerseys & Hockey Love and Seth Mates, a road-weary/wary buddy of mine, I'll break it down into the misnamed five Ws: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How? Some are easier to answer so let's knock those off first:

Why?
Cause you love hockey, duh. Everyone should make a hockey bucket list that includes things other than 'see my team win the Stanley Cup,' especially when it is pretty likely you won't (sorry Canuck fans).

Who?
Many people make sure to include their favourite team. Steve Williamson pulled off 30 games in 30 nights and managed to include eight games with his Tampa Bay Lightning. But cheering on your team doesn't necessarily have to happen. Sometimes it is easier to take in the scene when not blinded by your own fandom. As Tapeleg warns, "if you are at an NHL game wearing your teams colors, then you are in for various degrees of ribbing. Remember, you chose to wear your jersey. The degree to which you will be taunted will vary depending on where you are. Be prepared, and learn to laugh it off. Being confrontational will not help your cause." If you do decide to see your team in an away setting, do your best to abide by A View From My Seats' Road Trip Etiquette.

When?
During hockey season and when you can get off from school/work/responsibility. But even then that isn't necessarily the case as work trips often allow for some time off and if you are in good locales, you can fit in some puck. A friend of mine caught a game in Chicago last year, another hit the Hall of Fame last weekend ... and both were expensing it. It is a beautiful thing when you can manage it. But if you have to use your vacation time, choose wisely - remember hockey is played when it is cold, so snow could be a concern for many a trip. And holiday travel is always a hassle; the Rangers make their trips to Florida over Thanksgiving and New Years this season - sounds great but you will pay more and have to put up with more nonsense. Mr. Mates recommends that you "try to aim for games against crappy teams or in the middle of the week. The overall game experience is better when you avoid the crowds and chaos. Presents more opportunities for you. Also much cheaper." While I think the chaos is fun at times - i.e. Montreal - I have to agree on all of the other points. Plus the fans at those 'lesser' games are primarily the hardcore folks, the ones you want to be around anyway. I went to a Friday night WHL game in Seattle and no one around me knew anything about anyone; it sucked.

Where?
Well, when you aren't tied to the location of your business trip, the where can be anywhere you desire (or can afford). Some folks copy the classic baseball bucket list item of hitting all the ballparks, something my baseball obsessed buddy Mates is close to completing. I was up to 15 NHL arenas myself but with the Pens leaving the Igloo, a trip back to Pittsburgh will be in store down the line (dammit). But the NHL's teams are scattered across the country so it is hard to include a lot of NHL games in a geographically reasonably area for one trip. Tapeleg suggests, "going to hockey games outside your home rink is fun, but putting a theme to the trip is even more fun. My three major road trips all had some purpose to them: a trip through Texas (hockey on the border is great stuff), a west coast hockey tour (NHL, ECHL, and WHL), and a road trip through the entire UHL (14 teams in a league that doesn't exist any more). Having a theme can keep you focused on your trip, or just be a bit more fun, and give you more of a story to tell."

What?
Let's change this to What to Wear?
I don't know about you but this is a big deal to me; I know, I'm ridiculous. If you are following the Rangers do you wear road whites to match the boys? Do you wear a fan favourite? I donned my Ortmeyer once in DC and had many Caps fans come up and say how much they liked his heart, asking what team he was on ... it was great. Then again I wore my Rangers Blair Betts to a Philly game and it just felt like I was rooting for the wrong team - but it did get some of the more ... enthusiastic ... Flyer fans to back off. The Blueshirt is so iconic that you can just go with NNOB (no name on back) and still get accolades and start conversations. But what if you aren't watching your boys on the road? I have some generic goodies that always work - a USA Olympic sweater from '02 being one. But that's a bit boring and Tapeleg recommends "if you don't have a horse in the race, wear a jersey that is somewhat remarkable, something a little different. My go to jersey is my black Johnstown Chiefs jersey. Most people will recognize the Chiefs from Slap Shot, but this isn't some novelty jersey. This jersey is from the home of Slap Shot, worn in a game at the War Memorial. You would be surprised at how many people from Johnstown, PA you can meet at an airport, or at a hockey game. Hockey jerseys are social objects. They draw other hockey fans to them. If you want to talk to hockey fans, wear a hockey jersey. And you might as well wear an interesting one."

How?
Now this one is the biggie so strap in. First there is the scheduling. I mentioned Steve Williamson's 30 in 30 before but Tapeleg warns against booking a packed trip like that. "Seeing 30 teams in 30 days is a stunt," he said. "It will get you a few free beers from people who want to say hi, but it will also make you hate your life. Build in a day of rest every so often." Mates, on the other hand, thinks that you should "oversubscribe yourself. If you're going for a week, book a different team for every day, some hundreds of miles apart. Also, stay flexible. You can always change plans, but better to have constant options than to change your mind and there's no game when you want one." While I like to have options, I do agree with Tapeleg in that some rest time between games is necessary. When I went to the Olympics this year, I took in nine games in four days (and watched another two on tv in bars). It was awesome, but insane. And frankly, it was hard to take it all in and remember everything as it seemed to be just one long game. Plus, when you include free time, you can head out and just explore. If you are going to go all the way there, might as well play the tourist and see the sights too. I'm a big art and museum fan so I make sure to include time to stop at the biggest one in town. Mates agrees that you should see the landmarks, but he thinks the sightseeing should be planned. "Schedule your day from sunrise to sundown," he said. "Depending on how much driving you do, you'll want every ounce of sunlight you can get. Try not to drive too much at night, and try to restrict your post-game activity (especially early in the trip) so you don't tire yourself out before you even begin."

To avoid having to avoid post-game partying Tapeleg offers this advice: "I do my best to have my hotels lined up for game nights, and stay within walking distance of the arena. This allows me not only to have a beer or two at the game, but save on the parking fees that so many rinks want to charge as well. Sometimes this isn't possible, so I try to say in places that are comfortable. If I can, I stay where I can get some perks (Holiday Inn Express is a great option), and even a little consistency. When I stay at a HIE, I know what I am getting. Cheap is great and all, but when you are driving day after day, having a nice - or at least clean - place to stay can help keep you sane. Pro tip: some of the smaller 'boutique' hotels like Hotel Indigo can be really nice without costing a ton of money. The O Hotel in downtown Los Angeles is a great option for Kings games, and whatever the hotel next to the arena in Stockton, California is great."

Personally I book the hotels last as they really don't mean too much to me. If you are going to a big city, it is nice to find a place near the touristy stuff as you can run right over to check those out, then go back to your room to drop your souvenirs off and relax before heading out to the game. You have to be careful in selecting your souvenirs too as you will be bringing them along with you for the rest of the trip - not to mention that it often ends up being an expensive endeavour.

But back to lodging as Mates has an interesting opinion, one that runs contrary to my own obsessive nature: "Never, ever book hotels in advance, unless you're 1,000% sure you'll be where you think you will. Wait until you're tired of driving, then just get a room. If you stick with interstates and daylight, you'll never have trouble finding a hotel. Plus, there's enough iPhone apps, etc, now that you can still get a great deal. You can haggle at most hotels too -- if you're checking in on a Tuesday night and half the place is empty, they're likely to give you a great deal just to get something for the room. After all, if they don't rent it for something, they get nothing. But stay with friends along the way if you can (great way to save money)."

It is the little things like that that help you save money that can be better spent better tickets, better souvenirs or even best, on another trip. And Mates has more: "Also, even after you book a rental car or hotel, keep checking afterwards for a better deal (NEVER pay in advance for anything except a flight). I booked a car for an LA to Denver weeklong trip that I thought was a bargain at $588 (everything else had been over $1,000) - then I got a rate for $280. Wound up payin $211 by the time the trip came. Sign up for every free credit card/travel rewards program you can. You'd be surprised how quickly the hotel/flight/cars points add up. Also, don't buy the game tickets until the week right before. I've bought tickets and then changed my mind and never made it to the game."

When it comes to buying tickets, I'm usually the opposite myself. I like to make sure that no matter what, I will be in the building gamenight ... after all, that was the whole reason for the trip. And I definitely do not want to have to go through scalpers. If you deal with them, you will get your best price at or after game-time but you will miss so much. I like to show up to a new building as early as possible to explore everything - take a lap around the concourse, hit the team shop, get a game-night pretzel and watch warmups. As for picking the best place to sit, you can always email the local bloggers or even call the team for tips. "You would be amazed at how friendly and helpful team staff can be," Tapeleg said. "Calling ahead and telling the team what you are doing can not only give you a few perks (I've gotten better seats, as well as cheaper tickets and a few souvenirs). And if you are going to a minor league game, they will bend over backwards for you, and you may gain some interesting insight and background before the game."

Seeing as NHL teams aren't often as accommodating, you might just say 'screw it' and hit up Ticketbastard or Stubhub for your tickets. If you do, Mates says that you should "get either really cheap seats or really expensive seats. Either you want to save money, or you want to have an amazing time. Why half-ass it?"

While I certainly think you can (and probably will) have just as amazing an experience upstairs as you would down low, he has a point. If you aren't used to being a few rows off the ice and think you would find it enjoyable, what the hell? Go for it, you're on vacation.

This day and age we all spend far too much time cooped up at work or school that the rare moments of freedom should be enjoyed to their fullest. And what better way to do that than to hit the road and watch some hockey?

An Open Letter To Those At Camp 2010-11

Hello, and welcome to the New York Rangers,

There are some things you need to know before you get the 2010-2011 NHL season started as a member of the Broadway Blueshirts. I will attempt to lay them out for you to make your transition to New York easier. If you keep these in mind, your stay will be an enjoyable and, hopefully, productive one. Best of luck.

1- First and foremost, being a Ranger requires respect. Respect for your teammates. Respect for the jersey. Respect for the fans. Respect the Rangers. Everything else on this list falls under this dictum. Respect. It sounds simple, but it's not. It's a complete way of being that will require hard work but the payoff is virtually limitless - watch the tape of Eddie Giacomin's return with the Red Wings.

2 - Always, ALWAYS have your teammate's back. There is nothing worse than seeing a player get hit in a vulnerable position without retribution. That especially goes for your goaltender and your superstar. Lookin' at you Dan-o.

3 - I mentioned hard work. That is what is expected of you. Anything less - let up for just one moment of one shift - and the results will be disastrous. During that lapse a goal may be scored against the Rangers, or it may not. Either way, someone will notice - I'm especially good at it and I sure as hell will call you on it. The Rangers are the most scrutinized NHL team not in Canada, both by the media and by the fans. You do not want to let up in this town. At the same time, even if things aren't going your way - go without scoring for games at a time, whatever - if you are visibly working hard you will given a pass for quite a while ... Chris Higgins made it for months. You may look around at the fans down by the ice and see the nice clothes, the Blackberries and the models, but don't be fooled: this is a blue collar fanbase that expects and appreciates hard work.

4 - Meet the fans, greet the fans. They are your best asset on the ice, better than any newfangled composite stick or heated skateblade. You may have played in the Garden in the past, you may have not. But you have never felt anything like it when you have 18,200 New Yorkers getting your back, helping you up, pushing you forward. At the same time, that 18,200 can be merciless. This goes back to No. 2, if you don't show maximum effort, you will face the ire of the fans and trust me, you won't enjoy it.

5 - Maximum effort is an understatement when the Islanders, Devils or Flyers are in town. Those are the times that you have to go above and beyond. There is no faster way to the hearts of the fans than through the franchise's biggest rivals. In this day and age of free agency (which may have brought you here), rivalries are harder to cling to for players - you may have friends and former teammates on the other side of the ice - but they are grossly important to the fans. Go out to dinner with your buds, go on vacation with them, whatever - from the second that puck drops, you had better be out for blood. Players come and go but that jersey that you pull on has been around for a long time and that means something. That Blueshirt comes with the baggage of hatred for wrongs past. It may sound petty, but it is a part of life. And, if you use it right - through the aforementioned hard work - then it is a very, very good thing.

6 - You know that quiet guy who is hanging around practice? The mild-mannered fellow with his name and number nine in the rafters. Listen to him. If he says something, it's for a reason. If he acts a certain way, it's for a reason. And that reason is always the betterment of the franchise and, frankly, the betterment of yourself. Pay attention to Adam Graves. You will not find a better role model in your search for what it means to be a Ranger. There is a reason why he is beloved in this city, and what he did on the ice is only part of the explanation. And that big, bald crying guy up in the office? Messier? Yeah, him too.

7 - Give not to temptation. New York never closes and there is fun to be had no matter what your vice may be. But if you give in to it, then you are breaking No. 1 on this list. There is a time and place for everything, and while you wear that jersey the time is not right for nefarious activities.

8 - Spend some time reading up on the past. The more you read about the 84 year history of the franchise, the more you will understand just how important No. 1 on this list is. A lot of people have put their blood, sweat and tears into building the Rangers and the least you can do is know who they were.

9 - Don't be afraid to speak your mind because honesty is indeed the best policy. Silly, right? Not at all. When speaking to the media or to the press, one of the worse things you can do is speak in benign cliches ... no matter what captain Drury does. There is no such thing as 110%. You can only take things one game, or one day, at a time. And you don't always get the bounces. We know that; tell us how, tell us why. You can't be afraid to show your personality, because that is who you are and we want to know you. We want to root for you. We want to see you succeed.

10 - Don't believe the hype. There are a lot of people playing pundit, a lot of people shooting their (our) mouths off. Expectations aren't as high as they have been in the past due to last year's failure but this is still New York and success is always demanded. But that will come if you work hard, listen to the coaches and play your game to the best of your ability.

This list may seem daunting, but you will be pulling on a Blueshirt and these are the things that come with the jersey.

Let's Go Rangers.

-Scotty Hockey

The Game, Love & The Rangers

While I was in Philly for that fateful, horrible January game against the Flyers, I popped into a used book store near UPenn. I flipped through the stacks of beaten and battered sci fi books and was about to leave before thinking to look at the sports section. There, in the far back corner of the musty store was an original copy of Ken Dryden's book, The Game. I took the faded dust cover off to find that it was a bright red hardcover with a blue binding. Combined with the white of the pages, you have the blue, blanc et rouge of the Montreal Canadiens, Dryden's team. After years of hearing good reviews that raved just enough about it to peak my curiosity but not my wallet, I finally decided to buy it. I read a few pages on the ride home after the loss but, once home, I set the book on a stack of other unread books, preempted by television, internet, life.

Randomly yesterday I decided to pick it up again and began working my way further through Dryden's well-written prose. I am still far from the finish but I came across a passage that I needed to share here. It was originally written about the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were in the depths of the ineptitude of the Harold Ballard era. I took license to change it to the Rangers as it certainly correlates with the current state of the Rangers and unequivocally describes exactly how I feel right now, with the Blueshirts' season over:

'It is easy to say that a fan can stay at home, or at home he can change a channel and watch something else. But it isn't as simple as that. A sports fan loves his sport. A fan in New York loves hockey, and if the Rangers are bad, he loses something he loves and has no way to replace the loss.'

The playoffs start tonight and I'll hop on the bandwagon of my secondary and tertiary favourite teams by Dryden is right, something is gone and it won't be the same watching these games. The highs won't be as high and the lows certainly won't be as low.

It will be glorious to see the Stanley Cup raise, but with our boys not in the battle, it is somewhat hollow, and we can only hope and pray that next season will be able to fill that which went missing. Sadly, things being what they are here on Broadway, that feeling of loss as become all too familiar and those hopes and prayers have gone unanswered.

And yet still we hope, and still we pray, because us fans in New York love our hockey and that love can not, and will not, be lost.

When It Comes To Pucks, Size Doesn't Matter

I have always found it difficult to understand how small town folks can be happy with their small town hockey. Sounds snobbish, doesn't it? Covering hockey in Binghamton for years then indulging my fandom with UHL, EPHL, ECHL, AHL, ELITE, those games in Switzerland and Islander hockey, I saw and appreciated the passion folks have for lower level pucks. I didn't understand it, but I definitely appreciated it. As my friend Andrea often says, "same religion, different church."

Now, sitting on an Amtrak train on my way to the Olympics, I think I finally get it: sure the NHL is the NHL, but these hometown teams are theirs. Just as we feel a New York pride when we pull on the Blueshirt to root on the boys, they feel the same love for their team - simply because it is theirs. The team represents their town and they want it to do well. Yes, there is something bigger and better out there but that is out there; this team is here and its ours.

It is a strange feeling to be sure but one I am certainly confronted with as I head to watch the best of the best, while the Rangers are back in New York, about to face off against Tampa. Sure I will root for Team USA, but my emotions will rise and fall based upon the text messages I get over the next few hours. Because that quaint little team in my home town will be playing and that team is mine. Sure there is something bigger and better out there, but the Rangers are mine.

As I've mentioned in the past, I love Olympic hockey and was lucky enough to be in Salt Lake for the entire '02 Games (and was even inside the E Center for the Gold Medal game). So it can't be the five circles rings that has brought me to this conclusion.

I think it was the WHL game I went to last night between the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Silvertips in Everett. Played in a wonderful 8,000 or so seat facility, the game was quite exciting with the Tips prevailing 5-1. There were just over six thousand fans in the building but if you closed your eyes, you would have thought there was over 10.

They were loud, proud and passionate. It was not unlike the Bern/Ranger game in Switzerland last year with flags and noisemakers but these folks knew their hockey. Where the Swiss just seemed to be happy to have something to do no matter the outcome, these people were diehards. And the trippy thing? From my understanding, Everett was never a hockey town until the Silvertips came to town seven years back. But over that span the townfolk learned the game and embraced it.

Looking around the pro shop for my traditional puck (every new city, gotta get a puck), I was startled to see a bunch of Phoenix Coyotes sweaters. 'What in the holy hell are those doing in here?!?' ran through my mind until I pulled one off the rack: it was Peter Mueller #88. Mueller, aside from being the target of dozens of trade rumours to New York, was one of the first, best graduates of the Everett program.

Sure Mueller was born in Minnesota, but he was a Everett product - he was one of their boys. And they will root him on and follow him in the show but, at the same time, there is a new bunch of kids wearing the green and white and they are the focus now.

We will root for the Ranger Olympians (and pray that they don't get hurt) while they play in the Olympics but if they win or they lose, we won't lose any sleep over it. And that's ok; the Rangers are our team, just as the Silvertips are Everett's.

Just for perspective purposes (timing and quality), this post was written earlier today while I was stuck on a train full of screaming, whining, crying children.

An Open Letter To Those At Camp 2009-10

Hello, and welcome to the New York Rangers,

There are some things you need to know before you get the 2009-2010 NHL season started as a member of the Broadway Blueshirts. I will attempt to lay them out for you to make your transition to New York easier. If you keep these in mind, your stay will be an enjoyable and, hopefully, productive one. Best of luck.

1- First and foremost, being a Ranger requires respect. Respect for your teammates. Respect for the jersey. Respect for the fans. Respect the Rangers. Everything else on this list falls under this dictum. Respect. It sounds simple, but it's not. It's a complete way of being that will require hard work but the payoff is virtually limitless.

2 - Always, ALWAYS have your teammate's back. There is nothing worse than seeing a player get hit in a vulnerable position without retribution. That especially goes for your goaltender.

3 - I mentioned hard work. That is what is expected of you. Anything less - let up for just one moment of one shift - and the results would be disastrous. During that lapse a goal may be scored against the Rangers, or it may not. Either way, someone will notice. The Rangers are the most scrutinized NHL team not in Canada, both by the media and by the fans. You do not want to let up in this town. At the same time, even if things aren't going your way - go without scoring for games at a time, whatever - if you are visibly working hard you will given a pass. You may look around at the fans by the ice and see the nice clothes, the Blackberries and the models, but don't be fooled: this is a blue collar fanbase that expects and appreciates hard work.

4 - Meet the fans, greet the fans. They are your best asset on the ice, better than any newfangled composite stick or heated skateblade. You may have played in the Garden in the past, you may have not. But you have never felt anything like it when you have 18,200 people getting your back, helping you up, pushing you forward. At the same time, that 18,200 can be merciless. This goes back to No. 2, if you don't show maximum effort, you will face the ire of the fans and trust me, you won't enjoy it.

5 - Do anything but sit back and watch when the Islanders, Devils or Flyers are in town. Those are the times to be proactive. Very proactive. There is no faster way to the hearts of the fans than through the franchise's biggest rivals. In this day and age of free agency (which may have brought you here), rivalries are harder to cling to for players - you may have friends on the other team - but they are grossly important to the fans. Go out to dinner with them, go on vacation with them, whatever - from the second that puck drops, you had better be out for blood. Players come and go but that jersey that you pull on has been around for a long time and that means something. That Blueshirt comes with the baggage of hatred for wrongs past. It may sound petty, but it is a part of life. And, if you use it right - through the aforementioned hard work - then it is a very, very good thing.

6 - You know that quiet guy who is hanging around practice? The mild-mannered fellow with his name and number nine in the rafters. Listen to him. If he says something, it's for a reason. If he acts a certain way, it's for a reason. And that reason is always the betterment of the franchise and, honestly, the betterment of yourself. Pay attention to Adam Graves. You will not find a better role model in your search for what it means to be a Ranger. There is a reason why he is beloved in this city, and what he did on the ice is only part of the explanation. And that new guy in the office? Messier? Yeah, him too.

7 - Give not to temptation. New York never closes and there is fun to be had no matter what your vice may be. But if you give in to it, then you are breaking No. 1 on this list. There is a time and place for everything, and while you wear that jersey the time is not right for nefarious activities.

8 - Spend some time reading up on the past. The more you read about the 83 year history of the franchise, the more you will understand just how important No. 1 on this list is. A lot of people have put their blood, sweat and tears into building the Rangers and the least you can do is know who they were.

9 - Don't be afraid to speak your mind because honesty is indeed the best policy. Silly, right? Not at all. When speaking to the media or to the press, one of the worse things you can do is speak in benign cliches. There is no such thing as 110%. You can only take things one game, or one day, at a time. And you don't always get the bounces. We know that; tell us how, tell us why. You can't be afraid to show your personality, because that is who you are and we want to know you. We want to root for you. We want to see you succeed.

10 - Don't believe the hype. There are a lot of people playing pundit, a lot of people shooting their (our) mouths off. Expectations aren't as high as they have been in the past due to the roster shake up but this is still New York and success is always demanded. But that will come if you work hard, listen to the coaches and play your game to the best of your ability.

This list may seem daunting, but you will be pulling on a Blueshirt and these are the things that come with the jersey.

Let's Go Rangers.

-Scotty Hockey

I Love Hockey

Puck Daddy has been running a series over the last month where Wyshy asks folks for five reasons why they love hockey. So, unasked, I was thinking that I would chime in here on my own blog. But, I have to say that it has proven to be a helluva a lot harder of a task then I thought it would be. How the hell do you narrow it down to just five? Hockey is an obsession, a passion, a lifestyle, the perfect confluence of athletic prowess, violence, grace and honour ... I simply couldn't pick five singular things.

Instead, I figured I would pick five games - no, moments in time - that encapsulate that love:

1- October 20th, 2007: Rangers vs. Bruins.
The B's won 1-0 in a shootout but my trip to Boston was still well worth it (even if I was annoyed and exhausted afterwards). Now my fondness for penalty killing is well acknowledged in this space and that afternoon had two incredible plays. Now I can't remember which came first but Marty Straka blocked a Zdeno Chara slap shot, broke his wrist, stayed out on the ice, blocked another shot and finally went to the bench when the puck was cleared. The second instance I found up on YouTube - Marc Savard congratulating Hank for robbing him. Probably the single greatest save I've witnessed live, followed by an honourable act of appreciation by an opponent. And to top it off, Travis Roy did the ceremonial puck drop prior to the game. His story alone makes you appreciate this sport.

2- October 1st, 2008: Rangers vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
At the time I said it felt like a Miracle and a year later it still holds up as an incredible experience. Picture it: Metallurg fans are having the times of their lives waving flags and going crazy as their team went ahead 3-0. Surrounded by quiet German-speaking Swiss, I yell at the Russians that 'we won in Rocky, we'll win here!' And we did! Thanks to Ryan Callahan, who completed the improbable comeback with the game-winner in the final seconds. I. Lost. My. Mind. That kind of euphoria ... words can't do it justice. And all because one hockey team beat another one.

3- September 23rd, 2001: Rangers vs. Flyers.
The second Sunday after 9-11, I went to the second preseason game in the Garden after the attacks. Now, everyone remembers the home opener against the Sabres on October 7th - which was so poignant - but this had it beat, for me at least and I was in the building for both. It was mostly empty on this afternoon but you couldn't tell from the ovations given the firefighters, cops and construction workers when they were shown on Gardenvision. People had signs memorializing the lost - I still get choked up thinking about it. We Ranger fans, and New Yorkers in general, may be (rightly) known for our abrasive, crass nature but when it comes to respecting and honouring our own we get it right, and we do it better than anyone else. The unifying nature of sports is well documented but experiencing it is something different and truly incredible.

4- September 27th, 2006: Rangers vs. Bruins.
This was an unremarkable preseason game that, frankly, I can't remember much of. However, the occasion was personally monumental. It was the first ever game that I took my dad to as a season ticket holder. For that, it will always be special. My first memory as a child - I was maybe three, three and a half years old - is watching a Rangers/Rockies game with my dad, who was yelling 'shoot the puck Barry' at the tv. Years after that my dad worked long hours and was always very busy but he would always sit with me, eat oranges and hard pretzels while we watched Sam and JD on MSG. Every once in a while he would land awesome seats and we would go to the Garden and always came away with a good story - like when I told St. Louis head coach Mike Keenan that he sucked and was a traitor and got a surprised look back, something my dad still laughs about to this day. So this preseason game, when I finally got my season tickets and finally took him to the Garden was pretty special.

5- June 14th, 1994. Rangers vs. Canucks.
The only one of these five games that I wasn't at so I will leave it to the experts: "The waiting is over, the New York Rangers are the Stanley Cup champions!!! And this one will last a lifetime! No more curses, this is unbelievable! These people have waited a long time. Fans, players, coaches ... unbelievable! Let the celebration begin! What a series, two fabulous teams. Vancouver lost and hockey was the winner. For the New York Rangers and their supporters no more 1940, it's gone, congratulations Rangers. The 1994 New York Rangers have done it and for every Ranger who ever put on a uniform, they can stand with pride. What a moment." Thank you Sam, thank you JD ... I couldn't have said it better.

Sure, there have been other great games - when my ex got me great Ranger/Canadien playoff tix, I went to the first Winter Classic, any of those nights with my dad - but these five stand out. Which games have you gone to that stand out?

From Cup To Cup: My '08-09 Season

The NHL season has officially come to a close and what a season it was. For myself, it was one where I was insane lucky enough to go to 59 hockey games in four different countries. It started with the Victoria Cup and ended with the Stanley Cup. Since September I saw 25 NHL teams (missed the Sharks, Kings, Predators, Blue Jackets and Blues), two British Elite League, two EPHL, one Swiss and one Russian in person. This is not to boast or brag, but an attempt to reflect on the wonder that is our favourite sport.

I saw great goals, great saves, great hits, great hockey and great hockey fans. There were highs and there were lows. I felt the Garden shake amid a deafening roar in the playoffs, I heard the players' chatter from the empty upper deck in Newark as the Devils took on the Stars.

In an odd bit of synchronicity, my second game this season began with song ...


... and my second-to-last game of the season ended with song.


Last summer Tiger Woods said that he doesn't "think anybody really watches hockey anymore" but he was most assuredly proven incorrect. Aside from the thousands of folks at every game I went to, plenty of people would come up to me (as I am often clad in something with a logo on it) and want to talk pucks - from the conductors on the LIRR to street vendors in Bern, Switzerland.

Some say that the game is a niche sport but it really transcends gender, age, race and physical borders. I was sitting on the Amtrak train at the US/Canada border coming back from Montreal and the all-too-serious-looking Homeland Security officer came through the car, asking everyone a battery of questions. Everyone was quite quiet - either nervous or annoyed - and there was an uneasy tension in the air. When he came to me, the officer asked the usual questions about where was I from, where am I going, what I was bringing into the country and what did I do in Canada. I answered the last question "I watched the Rangers beat up the Canadiens. And it was terrific." The entire car erupted with laughter, the officer smiled and went on his way.

That is what it is all about: the smiles, as corny a thing as that is to say. We take this kids game - played by men who, frankly, aren't us - all too seriously all too often. But for all the moments of sadness and frustration - seeing Wade Redden in a Ranger jersey, seeing Brooklyn Aces goaltender Eddie Neville lying prone on the ice fearing the worst, seeing Cindy raise the Cup - I have to take a step back and remember the smiles.

-Adam Graves' sly grin as a 'Potvin Sucks' chant filled the silence amid the emotional banner raising ceremony.
-Jason Spezza laughing at my "Please Sens, Take Redden Back" sign before a game against Ottawa.
-A Swiss man enjoying the spectacle that was me jumping up and down like an idiot as the Rangers came back to win the Victoria Cup.
-The smile on my buddy's four-year-old son's face as I handed him a Ranger game puck provided by a kindhearted MSG employee.

Finally, my own. Minutes before I left Pittsburgh after Game 3 of the Finals, the last game I went to, I stopped in the media workroom in the hotel to check my e-mail. As I walked out to go catch my ride to the airport, I caught a glimmer of light out of the corner of my eye. I stopped and looked over to see that in a mostly empty ballroom there was Stanley. There is just something about that trophy that draws a crowd and I stopped to take a picture. Walking out I was sad that the Rangers went another season without getting it but I had to smile to myself because the quest continues.

Through all of the games, all of the ups and downs, I can say that Badger Bob was right: it is a great day for hockey.

Every day.

Cycling With The Sedins

James over at Cycle Like The Sedins asked me to take part in their ongoing series called Hockey Orphan which is basically making the case why you should root for a particular team. My task was to advocate for the Blueshirts, which I found almost impossible at first - given my well-known loathing for certain individuals *cough, cough Redden, Gomez, Naslund, Zherdev, Sather cough*. But I looked deeper and realized that no matter how much I dislike some of the folks that wear the jersey, I do love the jersey itself and what it stands for. Click on the big picture below to see what I scribbled:

An Open Letter To Those Players At Camp

Hello, and welcome to the New York Rangers,

There are some things you need to know before you get the 2008-2009 NHL season started as a member of the Broadway Blueshirts. I will attempt to lay them out for you to make your transition to New York easier. If you keep these in mind, your stay will be an enjoyable and, hopefully, productive one. Best of luck.

1- First and foremost, being a Ranger requires respect. Respect for your teammates. Respect for the jersey. Respect for the fans. Respect the Rangers. Everything else on this list falls under this dictum. Respect. It sounds simple, but it's not. It's a complete way of being that will require hard work but the payoff is virtually limitless.

2 - I mentioned hard work. That is what is expected of you. Anything less - let up for just one moment of one shift - and the results would be disastrous. During that lapse a goal may be scored against the Rangers, or it may not. Either way, someone will notice. The Rangers are the most scrutinized NHL team not in Canada, both by the media and by the fans. You do not want to let up in this town. At the same time, even if things aren't going your way - go without scoring for games at a time, whatever - if you are visibly working hard you will given a pass. You may look around at the fans by the ice and see the nice clothes, the Blackberries and the models, but this is a blue collar fanbase that expects and appreciates hard work.

3 - Meet the fans, greet the fans. They are your best asset on the ice, better than any newfangled composite stick or heated skateblade. You may have played in the Garden in the past, you may have not. But you have never felt anything like it when you have 18,200 people getting your back, helping you up, pushing you forward. At the same time, that 18,200 can be merciless. This goes back to No. 2, if you don't show maximum effort, you will face the ire of the fans and trust me, you won't like it.

4 - Do anything but sit back and watch when the Islanders, Devils or Flyers are in town. Those are the times to be proactive. Very proactive. There is no faster way to the hearts of the fans than through the franchise's biggest rivals. In this day and age of free agency (which may have brought you here), rivalries are harder to cling to for players - you may have friends on the other team - but they are grossly important to the fans. Go out to dinner with them, go on vacation with them, whatever - from the second that puck drops, you had better be out for blood. Players come and go but that jersey that you pull on has been around for a long time and that means something. Pulling on that jersey comes with the baggage of hatred for wrongs past. It may sound petty, but it is a part of life. And, if you use it right - through the aforementioned hard work - then it is a very, very good thing.

5 - On February 3rd Adam Graves' No. 9 will be raised to the rafters. Pay attention. Pay attention not just to the testimonials and not just to the sheer adoration that will thunder through the Garden. Pay attention to Adam Graves. You will not find a better role model in your search for what it means to be a Ranger. Words cannot do him justice, just watch and listen.

6 - Always, ALWAYS have your teammate's back. There is nothing worse than seeing a player get hit in a vulnerable position without retribution. That especially goes for your goaltender.

7 - Give not to temptation. New York never closes and there is fun to be had no matter what your vice may be. But if you give in to it, then you are breaking No. 1 on this list. There is a time and place for everything, and while you wear that jersey the time is not right for nefarious activities.

8 - Spend some time reading up on the past. The more you read about the 82 year history of the franchise, the more you will understand just how important No. 1 on this list is. A lot of people have put their blood, sweat and tears into building the Rangers and the least you can do is know who they were.

9 - Don't be afraid to speak your mind. Honesty is the best policy. Silly, right? Not at all. When speaking to the media or to the press, one of the worse things you can do is speak in benign cliches. There is no such thing as 110%. You can only take things one game, or one day, at a time. And you don't always get the bounces. We know that; tell us how, tell us why. You can't be afraid to show your personality, because that is who you are.

10 - Don't believe the hype. Because of the payroll, because of the market and because of the ever-positive preseason expectations, there is going to be people saying that you will win the Cup. Don't let it get to your head. Things can go south, and quickly with the tough teams on the schedule throughout the first month of the season. Work hard, listen to the coaches and play your game to the best of your ability.

This list may seem daunting, but you will be pulling on a Blueshirt and these are the things that come with the jersey.

Let's Go Rangers.

-Scotty Hockey

NHL Four-cast: New York Rangers

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Did you enjoy high school science class? You know all of those chemistry experiments where you get to see if the light bulb goes on or stuff bubbles and blows up? That's the 2008-09 New York Rangers. There are a slew of new faces and with them will be a new philosophy on the ice. What's worth watching is seeing how the formula works out. Will the alchemy work and create Stanley's silver or will it just fizzle out? But if seeing red goo ooze out of a paper mache volcano isn't enough for you, then tune in for Nik Zherdev, who can be incredible when he wants to be.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? It is so, so very difficult to say. My initial instinct is worse but the building blocks are there to make something great - it will just take them all coming together lego-style to create a winner. The foundation is still the same, but at this point, who can really say what is built on top of it?

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? As I said, the foundation is still the same. Henrik Lundqvist has been a finalist for the Vezina Trophy three years running and there is little reason to think it won't happen again this year. It's true he list the only crease-clearer on the team in Tyutin, but Tom Renney's defensive philosophy remains. That being said, one hopes that the reigns will be loosened for the mercurial Zherdev, who can flourish alongside Scott Gomez if he works hard. Even if Zherdev bags it, Gomez should be good for the same 70 points he got while sleepwalking through last season. Little Leaguer Chris Drury, Brandon Dubinsky and Michal Rozsival should all benefit from a new, more aggressive power play bereft of Jaromir Jagr's puck-hogging, time-wasting possession. As for the big signings - Markus Naslund and Wade Redden - I would say wait and see since they both appear on the down-swing of their careers but may be rejuvenated in a new setting. Then again, they may just be happy to collect their over-inflated paychecks ... but at least Naslund is saying all the right things.

4 - If they are my favourite team, why am I so down on them? What can I say? I'm a pessimist by nature. If you look at the recent Stanley Cup winners you can see that all of them were built from within. Instead of fostering that development, Glen Sather reverted back to the open wallet policy and that scares me. But no matter how much I disagree, they are the still Rangers and I love them. Awwww.

Digging Through The Archives

I am a pack rat. It's crazy the things I've saved. But, while looking for something tonight I found some of my old articles from back in high school that I don't even recall writing. My guess is that I wrote them for the school paper but don't even remember being published. So, as I keep searching for fun-yet-interesting filler, I figured I would throw an unedited piece up here). I hope you enjoy it; I know I got a laugh. There are a few other treasures, but I will save them for now. This was written back on September 26th, 1994:

As the new school year begins, so does a new hockey season - didn't one just end? The 1993-94 NHL hockey season ended gloriously with the New York Rangers ending their 54 year curse by winning the highest team honor in hockey - the Stanley Cup. For 54 years the Rangers futilely struggled to win the cup coming up short every time. During all that time, a world war has come and passed, man has went to the moon, and the New York Islanders ( who started over thirty years later than the Rangers 1940 cup win ) has won the cup 4 consecutive times. Now, for the first time in a very, very long time, we are wondering if the Broadway Blues can repeat.

With many of their players getting old or injured and their coach gone, chances do not look to good. Colin Campbell, the replacement for the traitorous Keenan - who went to St. Louis to try to win with a talented Blues team ( never thought you'd hear those two words together huh? ), is said to be a more players coach than Keenan. Campbell has never coached in the NHL before and now he gets a shot with the returning champs. On the island, the other New York team is looking to rebound from an embarrassing showing against the Rangers in the first round ( if anybody hasn't heard, the Isles were swept 4 games to none and were shutout twice by the Rangers ).

This year the Isles gave up their experienced netminder, Ron Hextall, in favor of Swedish goalie Tommy Soderstrom. With Soderstrom, the Isles have the goaltenders of both of the last two Swedish Olympic teams ( they drafted Tommy Salo, this years Olympic netminder, in the first round of the amateur draft ). It looks like the Isles have young defence, young goaltending, and a one line offence made up of Benoit Hogue, Pierre Turgeon, and Steve Thomas. The Isles look like they will have little chance this year to make the playoffs with the Philly Flyers and the Florida Panthers rebuilding and improving over the off-season.

As a Ranger fan myself, I sincerely hope that the Rangers repeat and the Isles fall flat on their collective faces. This year I can proudly walk around the school with my Rangers jersey and laugh in the faces of the Islander fans. Our school, although it may be located on Long Island seems to be predominately behind the Rangers, with all of the former Ranger fans and the Islander fans converting. Now there can be no more chants of 1940 and may the Rangers go on to win 3 more so the Islander fans have NOTHING to be proud of! 54 no more! Go Rangers!

Well, the Rangers didn't. We are still waiting for the follow up but there is always next year ... right?!?!

Food, Folks n' Fun

So I am typing this from behind the bench at the Garden, how cool is that?

The Rangers are holding their annual Rangers Season Subscriber Skating Party at the Garden, allowing shmucks like me to take the Garden ice. It is a great event that is fun for the whole family. Of course, the teams wheels out the usual suspects (alum) to pose with the fans and to sign autographs.

This particular afternoon shift is Gresch and Glen Anderson with Adam Graves floating around. While not quite as impressive as Nicky Fotiu and Ron Duguay (who were at last year's event when I went), they are fantastic with the kids and everyone is having a great time.

Sorry for the lack of current pictures but when I get home I will dig up the shot my exgirlfriend took of me sitting in the penalty box last year. I gotta tell you, it was awesome.

Kudos to the Rangers for holding the event and hopefully they will have another later in the season with some of the current players!!