No NHL? No Problem

As it seems like midnight is certain to mark the start of yet another NHL lockout, it is time to look at other options for live hockey; gotta feed the addiction somehow and not everyone can take the ice themselves.

Sure it won't be the Blueshirts but that isn't a bad thing - I've found that less emotional involvement often equals more fun (surprise, surprise). There are many other teams out there at various levels of play and they are far more affordable than the NHL. Road trips are always delightful, but for now let's just focus on the tri-state area:

KHL:
Should the lockout stretch into the New Year, you can catch a pair of regular season KHL games at the new Barclay's Center. Dynamo Moscow will face SKA Petersburg, which could mean Ovechkin vs Kovalchuk.

AHL:
Connecticut Whale - The Rangers' AHL affiliate is just a two and a half hour drive from MSG. Brooksie tweeted that Kreider is the only kid off the NYR roster that will be allowed to play there but Future Blue will still be well represented - Bourque, Miller, Thomas, etc. Plus Jeff Beukeboom is now an assistant coach!

Bridgeport Sound Tigers - One of, if not the most convenient franchise to get to from NYC as Metro-North lets you off just blocks from the arena. For Long Islanders, it is an easy ride on the Port Jeff ferry - leave your car in Port Jeff, take the hour-15 cruise and walk two blocks to the arena. And they then hold the last ferry back until just after the game. It is entirely possible that the Isles will reschedule a few of the cats' games for the Mausoleum, as they did during the last lockout. It's not like they will be using that dump for anything else.

Albany Devils - Another two and a half hour drive from MSG, but a team not really that interesting. The only baby Devil worth watching will likely be Keith Kinkaid, the possible heir to Mmmaaaaaaaaaarrrttyy. Like the Isles with the Sound Tigers, the Devils could resched a few of Albany's games for the Rock; they are already set to play four games down in Atlantic City which might make for fun trips.

Also reachable by car are the other upstate franchises: the Binghamton Senators, the Rochester Americans and the Syracuse Crunch, Tampa's new affiliate (meaning most players won the Calder Cup last year in a dominating performance with Norfolk). The Providence Bruins also aren't too far and they will be hosting the AHL All Star Game at the end of January.

ECHL:
Elmira Jackals - If you are road tripping up to Binghamton, Elmira isn't too far away and the Jackals were the ECHL's regular season champs last year. The Craig Rivet-captained squad is an affiliate of the Ducks and Sens and they play in an old, quaint arena that is easy to get tickets to. The Rangers' E affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors, will be there on October 13th and November 21st.

Trenton Titans - One of the closest teams to NYC at just over an hour drive, but not in the nicest neighborhood (or so I've been told) and the worst team in the E last season. Greenville visits the Flyers' affiliate on October 12th and November 24th. (Thanks to MNYR for the correction.)

FHL:
Danbury Whalers - Sadly the Brooklyn Aviators are no more, leaving Danbury as the easiest Federal League option. It is reachable via Metro-North - a two hour ride - and they have some raucous fans. Interesting note, Mike Rupp played in Danbury during the last lockout, with the UHL's mob-connected Trashers.

NCAA Division I:
The Frozen Apple - There will be hockey at MSG this fall, that is for certain: the annual college game around Thanksgiving. Cornell will face Michigan on November 24th, allowing Ranger fans to watch this summer's second round pick Boo Nieves in maize and blue.

There are many other D-I collegiate options in the tri-state area, including Army, Canisius, Clarkson, Colgate, Niagara, Princeton, Quinnipiac, RIT, RPI, Sacred Heart, St. Lawrence, UConn, Yale, and Union. Wish I could expound upon them further but have yet to go to a single game at any of them - this lockout should afford me the opportunity to change that.

How are you going to get your fix?

TC: Rangers 5, Blues 2

It was great to be able to tune in to MSG on Saturday to catch some Ranger hockey - it's that time of year again people and it is wonderful. The Baby Blueshirts faced a poor St. Louis side and came through with a victory. They showed a bit of resolve by coming back to win after blowing a 2-0 lead but the final result isn't really all that important. This Traverse City tournament is all about the players learning the basic Ranger system while getting comfortable playing at a higher speed than most are used to. The brass uses it to evaluate the players so that is primarily what I will do here.

It should be explained that the St. Louis team was missing their stud Vlad Tarasenko, who was back in Russia. There were a few other decent players but the majority of the Blues top young talent have already made the leap to the NHL so it wasn't like the lil Rangers were facing an elite side. That being said, they still had a good showing. For the statheads out there, the official game sheet is here.

A few Baby Blueshirts who impressed:

*Blake Parlett: solid and steady with smart, quick puck movement. Heard good things about him last season in Greenville and Hartford and they all appeared true. No panic and good poise - hugely impressive.

*Tim Erixon: Really not much of a surprise that he appeared calm and collected given that he has nearly 140 games of professional experience under his belt.

*Carl Hagelin: Waited a long time to finally see him in a Blueshirt and former Ranger Red Berenson certainly helped develop him into a player. It will be interesting to see him play against men in a week.

*Ryan Bourque and Dylan McIlrath: The two are together for the reason that both had major things to improve on after last year's tournament and they both clearly worked on them. Bourque is stronger and McIlrath is swifter. Sure Mac got tabbed with a few penalties but he smartly avoided fisticuffs and showed far better puck movement than last year.

*Jonathan Audy-Marchessault: And we thought Zuccarello-Aasen would be too long for a sweater? This kid started strong but clearly laboured as the game went on. Definitely showed good signs though.

A few Baby Blueshirts who didn't:

*All of the 2011 draft picks: JT Miller was barely there. Shane McColgan was trying too hard to impress. Michael St. Croix did quite well during a second period penalty kill but overall was mediocre. Peter Ceresnak was disastrous.

*Jason Missiaen: Everyone said he was a project and man, is he. He needs to put on weight, he needs to work on his footwork and improve his puck control. Among other things.

*Tommy Grant: The oldest of the kids at 25, Grant was barely there.

*Christian Thomas: Perhaps he was disappointing purely because of the hype around him. He looked like a Pavel Brendl-type one-dimensional winger. Hopefully he shows more as the tournament goes on.

Finally, it says something fantastic about the state of hockey that Jeep and all of the other sponsors would jump on board to bring MSG on site to cover the tournament. While it is hellacious to have to listen to Joe Micheletti but we all have to suffer for our passions. Both Dave Maloney and special guest John Davidson (love you JD!!) were far smoother and more interesting than Joe, why can't MSG see that? But still, it was great to be watching hockey again. Game 2 is tonight at 6 against Dallas.

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?

First Ranger Game Tonight!!

Sure it's only preseason but still ...

Stanley Cup Final Game 6: Words Don't Do It Justice

I'v spent the better part of the last day trying to decide how I was going to handle this post. How do you describe the indescribable? The rush of emotions that come with the raising of the Stanley Cup is the culmination of so much energy, effort and passion that it is quite difficult to properly detail.

After good 'ole Gary handed the Cup off to Jon Toews, the media lined up in a queue to rush onto the ice and interview the Blackhawks. The Hawks are jumping up and down, friends and family are joining the rush I ended up standing in line next to former Ranger and current Sportsnet broadcaster Nick Kypreos. I turned and asked him, "you've won one of these - thank you for that by the way - what were you feeling at this moment?" Kypreos turned to me and solemnly said "it was surreal, like you are on a cloud" before turning his attention to his Blackberry.

Now I was at the Finals last year for a few games but was not there to see Sidney celebrate (thankfully); this evening was the first time I've witnessed the Cup awarded in person. As a lifelong hockey fan it has, of course, always been a dream to see Stanley raised and - even though it wasn't the Rangers - the experience was a dream come true. I'm not a religious person but the Cup is like Jerusalem: it means an awful lot to a wide variety of people and much blood was spilled trying to take control of it. Seeing the latest conquerors revel in their victory ... well, it is a religious experience in the church/mosque/temple of hockey.

When they finally opened the Zamboni door to let the media frenzy begin, I looked down and stepped onto the Wachovia Center ice. I would like to say it was like 'walking on a cloud' and that I had a spiritual or mystical experience but I almost slipped and fell on my ass.

Yeah.

After laughing off the near-fall, I waded into the fray and went about business joining in scrums, getting quotes and soaking up the scene. Even with an attempt at focusing on work, part of my head was grossly aware of just how wild things were. One second I am standing there talking with Scotty Bowman, then next I am stepping back from John Madden so he can share the moment with his wife and kids.

I navigated through the scrums to find Antti Niemi talking to a pair of reporters and joined in the interview. While I was waiting for my chance to ask a question, I kept getting hit with something hard in the shoulder from behind - I turned to find that it was the Stanley Cup. The Stanley freakin' Cup. Cristobal Huet was trying to pose with it and his family before a phalanx of photographers and I was in the way.

I think that being shoved with the Cup doesn't count as my intentionally touching it so I still have that going for me. Whew.

But that brings up the point that, if anything, the experience has made me want the Rangers to win the Cup that much more. I want to be one of the fans reaching over the boards begging for a touch. Knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, that at that moment, my team is the best in the world. Now that would be surreal ...

Some other notes on the night:

*Jeremy Roenick is coming under fire by some people for what they say is grandstanding with his tearful display on NBC after the game. Personally, I think that is a load of crap. Roenick gave blood, sweat and tears to the organization and was never able to win, so the tears were a culmination of everything - his failure, his passion and the Stanley Cup. I have a hunch that the ones who are maligning JR the most are the ones that don't fully grasp what it takes to win one and what players sacrifice for that chance.

*That being said, he was more emotional than many of the Hawks themselves. They have a lot of young guys who are winning way early in their career so the 'chase' is foreign to them. The vets were a mixed bag. Brian Campbell seemed to be one of the most excited, because he had gone through over 500 games without winning. Andrew Ladd and John Madden had the been-there-done-this attitude while Brent Sopel just seemed to be enjoying his young daughters' wonder. As for Marian Hossa, for all of the hype about him not winning, he said "I am very happy." Now I know that he is European but his english is good enough to articulate his excitement ... had it been the Olympic gold medal, I think he would have been a tad more excited than "very happy." (And that is ok, he just grew up with different priorities.)

*I tried not to be very happy walking along the concourse after the buzzer while seeing Flyer fans openly weeping. It was difficult not to revel in their misery. I hate the Flyers. I hate many of their fans. Why shouldn't I be grinning ear to ear? Because I know that if it had been the Rangers losing, I would have been utterly inconsolable. That being said, I did manage a smirk, haha.

*One fan kept repeating "next year we'll have Carey Price" like the Hab will be the difference maker next year for Philly. Now I am not about to predict the future but I have a hunch that Jesus Price won't be carrying the Flyers to victory in '10-11. At least I hope not.

*I don't believe that goaltending was the difference in this series as both teams got mediocre netminding at best. I do have a bone to pick with Michael Leighton though. I was raving about his five overtime, 98 save AHL performance from a few years back when he gave up the game-winning goal. Nice, right? I turned to the guy and said, "Kane thinks that is in. The Blackhawks are thinking it is in. Did you see it go in? Did anyone? Where is the puck? Oh my. Chicago just won the Stanley Cup. Cool."


By my count, Game 6 finished a season where I caught 72 live games - NHL, AHL, juniors and Olympics - and watched a good number more on tv and the net. What the hell am I doing to do until September? At least we have the schedule release on June 22nd, the draft on the 25th and 26th and free agency on July 1st. Expect the usual coverage from your not-so-humble scribe ...

Olympic Opening Day

Yesterday was the first day of pucks here in Vancouver and the event got off to a solid start. The United States beat Switzerland 3-1, Canada blew out Norway 8-0 and the Russians beat on the Latvians 8-2. I went to the U.S. and Russia games and watched the Canada at a bar.

I wish I could show off my photos but my new camera doesn't like my old laptop. Still, some random notes/observations:

*The Russians may have won by six but they did not look like the world-slayers that everyone has expected. Maybe it was a slow start but if Latvia was a little bit better, they could have made it really interesting. They blew at least five good scoring chances. Former NHLer Herberts Vasiljevs scored a goal but cost his team at least two (if not three). Poor guy.

*But at the same time, it wasn't as if the Russians were really trying. Alex Ovechkin, yeah, he's good. Right after the first Latvian goal, he skated down the rink and fired a slap shot into the upper reaches of the net to get the goal back. Just because he could.

*The in-house music guy was clearly were rooting against Russia. After each Russian goal they tried to get the crowd to chant Lat-Vi-Ya, Lat-Vi-Ya, Lat-Vi-Ya. It was pretty funny and the primarily Canadian crowd was right there with him, hating on the Russians.

*As for the Americans, while the score was close they looked pretty good. The lone Swiss goal was Ryan Miller's fault, he tipped the puck past himself. Bobby Ryan's and David Backes' goals were suh-weet while Bugsy Malone's was the result of hard work in front. The only underwhelming Americans were Brooks Oprik, who got better by the third period, and who else but Chris Drury. As the extra forward he was constantly rotated around the lineup and the only good thing that I noticed him do was win a defensive zone faceoff cleanly that caught his linemates by surprise. Ryan Callahan was Ryan Callahan: finishing checks, relentlessly skating all over the ice and juuust missing a good scoring chance.

*There were Olympic-paid cheerleaders in the crowd all day - dudes, not underclothed chicks, sorry - trying to get fans to clap, chant and do the wave. They were a bit ridiculous but most folks got into it so I guess they did their job.

*The moron who spastically dances at New Jersey Devil games showed up for the Russian game, throwing out tee shirts and twitching around like an idiot. Can't stand that dude but it seemed the Canadians dug him, at least for the free shirts.

*Former NHLer Marc Denis was the in-game host doing interviews with fans and celebrities all day. The guy honestly did a pretty good job. When he spoke to Mike Eruzione during the U.S. game the place went wild.

*There was a lot of crowd control getting in and coming out of the arena. Going in the security wasn't too bad, basic airport security metal detectors. But the coming out was annoying as people exiting the arena were packed into one small staircase to get up to the street because there were people waiting to get in for the next game at the entrances.

*By the third game, the arena showed its overuse with filthy restrooms and tired, scrambling employees.

*I made $35 off of some Canadians by picking Jarome Iginla to score first against Norway. It was awesome; so much for the 'dumb' Yank not knowing anything about hockey ...

*In the arena they ran 50/50 raffles for each game. The winner for the U.S. game took home over $11,000 - that's insane. And it wasn't me, which is just unfair.

*When they say that Visa is the official card of the Olympics, they mean it. The in-arena stores only took Visa or cash and the ATMs in the building wouldn't even take other cards. So annoying.

*There were scalpers everywhere on the streets around Canada Hockey Place and the cops didn't care in the least. It was kind of trippy, as was the public marijuana smoking (which appears to be socially acceptable in this city).

*I went ice-side for warmups at both games that I was at. For the U.S. game Ryan Callahan hit the boards by me, digging the Ranger flag. Chris Drury kind of shot me a nasty look; maybe he remembered me and my Wade Redden sign. I don't care, it was funny.

*As I tweeted, it appears that this city is still quite bitter about losing in '94. I wore the Ranger flag around and dozens of people over the course of the day talked trash, threatened to beat me up or actually admitted to be Ranger fans. When I walked into a store looking for a Trevor Linden tee shirt, the guy said he didn't have one but he had an authentic sweater with the '94 patch - I asked if it came with Linden's tears running down the front and he threw me out of the store.

Well, that's it for now - I have to get moving as I will be at Canada Hockey Place for all three of today's matches. Olli Jokinen opens with Belarus, Hank takes on Germany and Jaromir Jagr will meet Marian Gaborik. Let's go Rangers!

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.

Link Of The Day

For those who don't watch football soccer much, after big matches it is customary for players on each side to trade their jersey with an honoured opponent. I've always found the tradition quite impressive - a step farther from just a handshake. While there is too much money involved in the used jersey market for hockey to ever allow that to happen, a neat story did come out last week about fans trading sweaters. While they weren't opponents, it still is a really nice read. Check it out, over at Uni Watch.

Fans Are Fans And We're All Fans

As I pointed out in the game wrap of the Rangers/Wings game, a guy showed up to the Garden wearing a Penguins Bill Guerin jersey and was given the proper Garden reception. Well, in case you didn't see it in the comments of that post, Stan said hi and I thought it was worth a post on it's own:

I am the guy who was wearing Billy G jersey. First of all i must thank all the Rangers fans for a great night! Even though i was rooting for Rangers and i know you guys like to feel important but its was not about you that night. It was about Detroit. Hope you guys enjoyed my Lets Go Pens chants, Geno Malkin score updates, and tons of other good stuff. I definately put on a show for all of you! I am Russian and a huge hockey fan and yeah i love Penguins and yeah we won the cup! The girl i was with was not my girlfriend though :-) Was at MSG last night as well watching Rangers take on Ovie great game. After the game met Marc Staal (Jordan's bro of course), Vinny Prospal, Michael Del Zotto, and Brian Boyle. Here is a link enjoy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usbzoso
I'll be seeing you on Nov 30th when Pens take on Rangers! Hit me up on twitter @usbzoso

I have to admit, I can appreciate that: rub it in the Wings' faces that you beat them when it counted and root against them the first chance you get. Sure he shouldn't have been rooting for a division rival, just against the Wings (not the same thing) but that's ok. Stan had fun with the situation, didn't get upset and didn't act stupidly. Luckily (surprisingly) no Ranger fans acted stupidly either so it was just an enjoyable jousting.

Hockey pride is hockey pride and proud fans should certainly be appreciated.

As long as they aren't fans of the Islanders. Or the Devils. Or the Flyers.

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.

Must Read Material

Wysh over at Puck Daddy regularly provides good reading - some things by yours truly every once so rarely too, heh - but today he presented a piece by 'Duk that is just outstanding. Every hockey fan who lives and dies with their team can understand the sorrow the Blackhawks fan felt as he was forced to go under the razor and shave his playoff beard.

And on a side note, on Wednesday Jess did a nice wrap up of the progress made by Future Blue this season. Well worth checking out for us Ranger fans.

Class Acts in Quebec

Now, I hate Mmmmmmaaaaaaarrrrrrrtttttyyyyyy more than most any NHLer not named Poti, Redden, Malik or Crosby and I am certainly going to give the Habs fans hell on Tuesday but what they did tonight for Fatso was a wonderful moment in NHL history.

If you didn't see it, the Devils topped the Canadiens 3-1 to secure Mmmmaaarrrtttyyy's 551st career win, tying him with St. Patrick Roy. That wasn't so great. What was great was the loud, prolonged ovation that the packed house at the Bell Centre gave Brodeur in recognition of his accomplishment. You can watch it with the final seconds of the game here.

Maybe it is because he is a hometown boy, maybe it is because the two teams aren't rivals, who knows? Honestly, I can't say that I would have cheered him had he reached the mark at the Garden so kudos to the Canadien fans for their class. This display ranks right up there with the notoriously tough Boston Garden fans giving Ron Tugnutt a standing o' after his 70 save performance for the Nordiques back in the day and rivals the display of virtue by Jarome Iginla after Trevor Linden's final game in more recent history.

So nice work Hab fans and congrats to Fatso, who remains an overrated and classless clown.

6-1-0: Two More Points

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have the facts of life. The facts of life! And the facts of life right now is that the Rangers have earned 12 of the first 14 possible points. But it must be said that they have done it without playing top-flight hockey. The offense still doesn't click, the defense is all over the place, the coach is juggling lines and personnel and yet the Blueshirts are now 6-1.

On Friday night they seemingly played hockey for about 5-10 minutes of their game against Toronto and escaped with a 1-0 shootout victory over the Maple Leafs. As it is late, let's get right to it:

*Perry Pearn is a terrible coach. Pearn is the Rangers assistant in charge of the Rangers power play and it was utterly ineffective, officially going 0-8. Granted two of those power plays were cut short by bad NY penalties, but 0-6 isn't much better and is just utterly unacceptable if this team is to go forward.

*On the other side of the coin, Ron Wilson is a helluva coach. He has implemented a great system that doesn't necessarily make for great hockey to watch, but it keeps the Leafs in the game. For large chunks of the game they had all five skaters below the hash marks and they did a great job interrupting the Ranger offense.

*But the key to that system was definitely Toskala, because when the Rangers started finding the net in the third period he was nothing short of brilliant. Luckily for New York, Stephen Valliquette was every bit as good and even made a few bigger saves, even if he had to get help from the iron work behind him twice.

*Before the game I told someone who didn't recognize any Leafs other than Blake and Dom Moore that he should watch Toskala because he can steal games, Nikolai Kulemin because he has a ton of talent and Jamal Mayers because he is a tough veteran who will do anything for his team. Toskala was fantastic, Kulemin scored in the shootout and Mayers rearranged Marc Staal's face in a one-sided fistfight that the young Ranger was not prepared for.

*I want to know what was different about Jonas Frogren's charging penalty in the second period and the run Patrick Kaleta made at Paul Mara on Wednesday. Frogren made more contact on Sjostrom but he also didn't leave his feet ...

*All of the talk about Nik Zherdev being quite mercurial is proving correct. Zherdev clearly has more skill than 95% of the league but he just can't seem to focus it. He seems to be a combination of former Rangers Alex Kovalev and Marty Straka. He stickhandles and turns the puck over like Kovalev and he doesn't like putting the puck on the net like Straka despite having a great shot.

*Luke Schenn has a great shot to become one helluva NHL defenseman. Schenn played nearly 26 minutes, doled out five hits and blocked five shots. And he is two weeks away from turning 19 years old.

*The Rangers youngsters were ineffective. Ryan Callahan played less than 13 minutes and never got as involved as he needs to be. Brandon Dubinsky never got into a good shooting position and had every attempt blocked. And Nigel Dawes returned to the lineup and contributed absolutely nothing, while blowing his shootout attempt. It isn't like he is a much better option than Petr Prucha but once Lauri Korpikoski gets healthy, Dawes should be done.

*Now, things worked out for the best, but you have to wonder what is up when the three shooters Tom Renney picks are Zherdev, Dawes and Freddie Sjostrom. For all of the insane money that Glen Sather gave out, Sather didn't feel good turning to Gomez, Drury, Naslund or Redden. I don't get it ...

*Interesting stat of the night: the Leafs dominated in the faceoff circle, going 33-24. That's just embarrassing for the Rangers.

*PHW Three Stars
3-Fredrik Sjostrom - Deciding shootout goal.
2-Vesa Toskala - 32 saves.
1-Stephen Valiquette - 21 saves.

Scotty Hockey Three Stars
3-Jamal Mayers - By going after Staal after Staal leveled Matt Stajan by the Ranger net, Mayers taught his young teammates (and everyone for that matter) that if you mess with one guy on the team, you mess with the entire team. I love hockey.
2-Toskala - When the Rangers realized that they were the Rangers and flooded the crease with pucks, Toskala was the boy with his thumb in the dyke.
1-Valiquette - The Ranger defense was terrible and Valley stood tall, as usual. Without him, the Leafs win this one 3-0.

4-0-0: First Real Win Of The Year

lau·rel (lôrl, lawr-uhl) n.
1. A Mediterranean evergreen tree (Laurus nobilis) having aromatic, simple leaves and small blackish berries. Also called bay5, bay laurel, sweet bay.
2. A shrub or tree, such as the mountain laurel, having a similar aroma or leaf shape.
Idiom: "rest on (one's) laurels"
1. To rely on one's past achievements instead of working to maintain or advance one's status or reputation.
2. To sit on a four goal lead against a dangerous divisional opponent.

You know, there is a reason that we are sports fans. To live and die with your team, you experience a wide variety of feelings - both good and bad and you can live with that, because of the passion you feel for that franchise. I have to say, the 4-3 Rangers win over the Flyers definitely tested my fandom. After the Blueshirts played their best period in recent history, the pendulum swung the other way and I nearly had an ulcer. As a friend said to me, it was 'like watching the Montreal game from last season all over again.' This horrible New York trend of resting on their laurels and relaxing in second periods has got to end - of inly for my sanity. If Stephen Valiquette didn't play every inch of his 6'6 frame then the Rangers would have blown it entirely. So let's get going on this rollercoaster ride:

*The fetching yet not-so-bright Sarah Palin dropped the puck so it's official, the Philadelphia Flyers endorse the Republican ticket for the presidency. And, unless Gary Bettman gets a team to have Joe Biden drop the puck at another game, you can assume the league endorses them too. Politics have no place on the ice and the league fumbled the puck by allowing Palin to drop it.

*I am sure some of you out there cringed when Orr was out on the ice in the last minute but he really deserved it. Sjostrom, Betts and Orr were the best three shutdown players for the Blueshirts and they easily kept pace with the much-more-talented first line of the Flyers.

*Speaking of Bettsy, YEAH BUDDY!!! He scored, he actually scored!! People mocked me for nominating Betts for captaincy but he proved that hard work pays off. After battling the first three games and getting chances, his luck finally changed and he racked up a goal and an assist. If you don't think the Rangers practice dumping in the puck like he did on Sjostrom's goal, you would be mistaken. Perfect. And he was incredible defensively as well, but that is par for the course for him.

*Marc Staal needs to learn how to inflict pain. After Danielle Briere ran Valley in the first period, Staal just jumped on his back. Utterly unacceptable. That is an instance where you need to take the penalty, especially at this time of year. Granted, the Rangers scored on the ensuing power play to go up 4-0, but making a statement is much more important. And I don't think that Dubi's battle with Richards after the ppg did it.

*Speaking of that fight, kudos to Dubi in taking off his helmet, because it forced Richards to lose his. The Flyers captain is a pro at the cheap shot because he can hide underneath his visor and by taking off his helmet, Dubi forced Richards to reciprocate. Granted, Dubi still needs to refine his fisticuff form, but it was still fun to watch.

*The other first period tussle was between Colton Orr and Riley Cote, and that was a quick wrestling match. It is sad to see heavyweight battles determined by who can get the other off-balance first rather than the better puncher.

*Dmitri Malik Kalinin had a terrible game and yet the equally-awful Joe Micheletti kept making excuses for him. After a Malik-esque turnover by Kalinin led to a Philly goal, Micheletti glossed over the mistake and attacked the non-call on goalie interference. It certainly was a mistake by the ref, but it would have never happened if Malik Kalinin knew how to play defense. I think it is a matter that Micheletti, who was a piss-poor defenseman himself, sees some of himself in Malik Kalinin so he sides with him at every chance. What a joke.

*While I won't put the two in the same class, Wade Redden sucked nearly as bad as Malik Kalinin. Redden was beaten repeatedly by faster forwards, knocked off the puck a few times and made some really unwise passes. Six million dollars for this?

*On the other side of the puck, I used to think quite little of Paul Mara but the lumberjack is turning into the responsible defensive defenseman that I wanted Jason Smith to be on the Rangers blueline. He is playing well positionally and doing his best to stop the other teams from allowing the other team to take physical liberties in the Rangers end.

*Stephen Valiquette made 25 saves in the game for the Rangers. Starting him was probably a smart move by Tom Renney, given Valley's track record in Philly but the Rangers have to be careful: after an amazing start to last season by Henrik Lundqvist, Valley got a start (and a win) against the Toronto Maple Leafs. For several months after that, Hank wasn't the same goaltender. He still rattled off some wins, but couldn't recapture his Vezina-worthy form until mid-February.

*Kimmo Timonen played over half the game for Philly and came out of it +1. He is definitely one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL.

*Ryan Callahan had his worse game this young season as the Flyers physically challenged him. They stayed close to him and on one shift I counted him getting hit four times. Lauri Korpikoski and Patrik Rissmiller also didn't fare too well, something that will certainly complicate things for Renney going forward.

*PHW Three Stars
3-Antero Niittymaki - 13 saves.
2-Mike Richards - one goal.
1-Nik Zherdev - one goal and one assist.

Scotty Hockey Three Stars
3-Richards - I hate this weasel but he really did everything for the Flyers. He contributed offensively, getting chance after chance only to be foiled by Valley or the post all but one time. As captain he knew he had to do something and he threw down with Dubi ... one can only hope Drury will put forth a similiar display when called upon.
2-Betts - Aside from his offensive display, Bettsy was a huge part of the penalty kill that shut down the Flyers. Both he and Chris Drury deserve medals for their work during the third period 5-on-3.
1-Valiquette - The three goals against him weren't his fault as the team in front of him relented and he stood tall when he needed to.

Today Should Be Thanksgiving

.., Because it wasn't too long ago that this happened:


The 2008-09 NHL season starts tonight.

Now This Is Hockey!

"He watches a lot of hockey, so he knows about Milan. We said we're going to set up a Lucic-Phaneuf fight. When we go to Calgary, Jarome said he's going to do his part to get Dion all fired up. We'll get Looch the same way. No problem."

- Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference, speaking of former Calgary teammate Jarome Iginla and joking about scheduling a Milan Lucic-Dion Phaneuf bout when the Bruins play the Flames Oct. 30.

The NHL needs more stuff like this to not only happen, but to come to light. It builds rivalries and draws fans. Thanks to the Boston Globe for it.

NHL Draft: Day 2 Talk

I had started up a long analysis of each of the players that the Rangers picked with plenty of links but let's face it, who cares? I haven't seen these kids play and there are plenty of places that the same info can be found (Blueshirt Bulletin is a good one, as always and the Rangers also looked at their new additions).

Instead I will just throw out some big picture notes:

*The Islanders were one of the big winners in the draft, picking up 13 players to restock their system. That's incredible and some of the picks are actually good prospects. Hartford will be in for one helluva fight in a few years.

*Speaking of the Pack, the Rangers dealt away Alex Bourret to Phoenix so they could draft Czech defenseman Tomas Kundratek in the third round. Kundratek was the highest-rated Czech in the draft but really, does that mean much? Every country has its ups and downs in development and the CR has rarely produced top flight defensemen with Petr Svboda and Tomas Kaberle being two exceptions. And don't throw Rozy out there as he has been pretty damn mediocre but the Rangers thrust him into the No. 1 spot because Jagr loves him. Bourret may have been fat and lazy but he still put up the points, especially in the clutch - 15 in 12 playoff games with the Pack. Who knows how he could have developed if the Rangers actually invested some time in him?

*Then again, while other teams ping-ponged up and down the draft with deals, the Rangers were relatively quiet. They made two moves - the Bourret deal and the reacquisition of their own fourth round pick for next year's fourth rounder and the seventh rounder from this year. They used the fourth rounder on WHL late blooming winger Dale Weise.

*With a gamble on a late bloomer like Weise, they also rolled the dice for their sixth rounder, Mitch Gaulton. Gaulton could end up a total stud or a total bust as he is coming off of a major injury. But I guess, like with all draft picks, it's really a crap shoot.

*There was no guessing when it came to the best story out of Ottawa. David Carle, the brother of San Jose defenseman Matt, was expected to be a early round pick. During the pre-draft physicals, Carle was diagnosed a heart condition that puts him at risk for sudden cardiac death if he exerts himself too strenuously. He withdrew his name from the NHL draft but the Tampa Bay Lightning used their last pick on him anyway. New owner Oren Koules said, "The kid worked his whole life to be drafted in the NHL, and I don't see a reason he shouldn't be." It was an incredibly classy move and I tip my hat to him and the Lightning organization for making it - it's the people that make this sport so great.

The Messiah Delivers Again

As most of you know, I am a sucker for the nice, heart-warming hockey stories. I feel that we pay hockey players (through our tickets, gear, etc.) to entertain us on the ice. That they give back to the community in any way is just icing on the cake. But it certainly does help endear the players to the fans: Adam Graves wasn't one of the the best hockey players, just one of the best human beings and that's why we love him in New York. Well, his old captain Mark Messier did a good thing himself last weekend. Thanks to the CBC's Bring Home the Stanley Cup contest Messier brought the Cup to Adam Bourque, a young man with a disability in PEI (click on the link for the guy's winning entry - it really is quite touching). While I am sure he was compensated for his participation, Mess certainly didn't need the money. He went so far as to tell the Canadian Press that “it’s an incredible experience for me. That’s what the Stanley Cup is really all about, when you see the number of people it touches.”

And it sounds like Mess showed how much he cared by making sure Adam had a good time. Of course, while they played a game of street hockey, Mess had to score a goal on the kid but if he wasn't so competitive, he wouldn't be Mark Messier.

It's a great story on the eve of the Stanley Cup Finals and yet more proof that hockey players are the classiest of all athletes. I love this sport.

Suck It Up

So I had started to do a long-winded piece on the problems the NHL has had in presenting the games, both in the arenas and on television, and you know what? I decided that I don't care. Not now.

The league has botched the marketing of the game for years, the Garden has whitewashed their game presentation so its bland fodder for corporate clients and I don't care. Not now.

The officiating has been ... well, I won't even get started on that one.

We may sit on the eve of something pretty damn impressive, so why should we bitch endlessly about things out of our control? That does include officiating, by the way - every blog on the web can complain about the ineptness of the refs and that won't sway Gary Bettman, so at this point, why bother?

This is the time of year that hockey players show distinction from their fellow athletes by toughing it out. Broken bones, open wounds ... who cares: The Stanley Cup is in sight.

Now is the time for us, as fans, to tough it out. The pitiful officiating isn't going to change their ways (unless Sean Avery dares to try something else new), the droll game night operations folks aren't going to get any better, the inept, annoying colour commentators on television aren't going to become any more watchable.

Deal with it. You have to, and you know why? Because the excitement that they try so hard to manufacture is already there. You bring it. I bring it. We all bring it.

Thunderous ovations, nail-biting silences, unadulterated joy, crushing misery. It's all there and it all starts with the determination of the players and is reinforced with our passion. And that is something that the commissioner has never understood. You can't force that upon the unwilling; that depth of emotion is instilled in the fabric of the game and it calls to those who truly get it - those who appreciate every blocked shot, every clearing pass, every hit, every shift. That's us, and that is something they won't take away from us. It survived the goons. It survived the trap. It survived the lockout.

We are in the throes of the playoffs folks and when that beautiful, beautiful trophy is raised in the air none of the petty nonsense will matter anymore. So suck it up, quit your crying and let's just enjoy some hard-fought, leave-it-all-on-the-ice hockey.

I reserve the right to take everything I just wrote back the second the refs buy into another one of Mmmmmaaaaarrrttttyyy's dives and it costs us the game.