You would think that a Vancouver fan would do a nice tribute to Markus Naslund retiring. Yeah, you would think that. Instead, James at Cycle Like The Sedins decided to take a look at what Glen Sather will do with the cap space. It really is priceless, hilarious and sadly, quite possibly going to pass.
For a look at someone who actually celebrated Nazzy's accomplishments, check here, to see other Vancouver fans pay tribute head over to SBN and to look at Naslund's place in history, there is no one better to turn to than Joe Pelletier.
Showing posts with label markus naslund. Show all posts
Showing posts with label markus naslund. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Ha det så bra Markus
Brooksie reported - but could not confirm - that Markus Naslund is calling it a career.
As I said when we signed him last summer, Naslund should have retired with the lockout. He truly was a game-breaker who was wonderful to watch back when the Canucks put him out there with Morrison and Bertuzzi but time goes by and the force faded with age. There were moments this season when you could see some evidence of his former superstardom but they were few and far between. Nazzy looked completely lost and a step behind come playoff time, which was when he was needed most. Perhaps he will completely step away from the game or will have a farewell tour in Sweden with Modo ... either way, his time in New York is through.
Inferno at Rangers Review sees this as the first domino to fall in a massive restructuring. While I am not so sure that is possible, I agree with another point that he made in that the money saved will help re-sign some of the team's free agents. Seeing as they made up most of the top performers - Callahan, Dubinsky, Betts, Sjostrom and Antropov - any little bit will help.
As for who will replace Naslund on the roster, I think that it is the perfect chance to promote from within - not only is it cheaper but this team needs to get away from the mercenary mentality and actually build a winner.
The pieces are there and Dane Byers might be the man to step up. Byers, who was hurt most of the season in Hartford, had seven points in nine games before his injury and returned for the playoffs where he had four points (three goals and an assist) in the six postseason games. He is a big, strong winger who could look fantastic across from Ryan Callahan - giving the Blueshirts a more talented, but just as relentless version of the Ben Eager/Adam Burish combination who looked so good for Chicago last night in Game 2 of their series against Vancouver.
Speaking of such, I am watching most every playoff game (gotta get my fix somehow!) and have decided to just root for a Original Six final. Of the eight teams still playing, there is no way I could ever pledge my allegiance to Cindy so the Pens are out. It would be nice to see the team that beat the Rangers go all the way, giving a little vindication, but Tom Poti keeps me from jumping on the Cap bandwagon. Ray Whitney is a personal fav but not seeing Pucky anywhere on their jerseys keeps me away from the Canes. The Ducks, well, are the Ducks: even though the Mighty is gone, they are still a product of the evil empire that is Disney. As for the Canucks, I'm sorry but those twins are creepy - astoundingly good, but creepy. That leaves Boston, Detroit and Chicago and you just can't go wrong there. Keep your silly baseball rivalry out of the hockey equation and root for former Ranger Marc Savard. I will go on the record and say that I feel that Nick Lidstrom is one of the top five defensemen of all time and it is easy to Commit To The Indian when they are so exciting to watch.
So what about you guys? Who are you throwing your support behind?
Oh, and one last thing - as you can see programming here at the blog has slowed but I can promise that it won't go away. There is always stuff to talk about, but it is nice to be able to catch up a little on life away from the rink. I am sure that Ranger season subscription packages (with their inevitable price increases) are coming, as is the Stanley Cup and the ensuing offseason. So stay tuned!
As I said when we signed him last summer, Naslund should have retired with the lockout. He truly was a game-breaker who was wonderful to watch back when the Canucks put him out there with Morrison and Bertuzzi but time goes by and the force faded with age. There were moments this season when you could see some evidence of his former superstardom but they were few and far between. Nazzy looked completely lost and a step behind come playoff time, which was when he was needed most. Perhaps he will completely step away from the game or will have a farewell tour in Sweden with Modo ... either way, his time in New York is through. Inferno at Rangers Review sees this as the first domino to fall in a massive restructuring. While I am not so sure that is possible, I agree with another point that he made in that the money saved will help re-sign some of the team's free agents. Seeing as they made up most of the top performers - Callahan, Dubinsky, Betts, Sjostrom and Antropov - any little bit will help.
As for who will replace Naslund on the roster, I think that it is the perfect chance to promote from within - not only is it cheaper but this team needs to get away from the mercenary mentality and actually build a winner.
The pieces are there and Dane Byers might be the man to step up. Byers, who was hurt most of the season in Hartford, had seven points in nine games before his injury and returned for the playoffs where he had four points (three goals and an assist) in the six postseason games. He is a big, strong winger who could look fantastic across from Ryan Callahan - giving the Blueshirts a more talented, but just as relentless version of the Ben Eager/Adam Burish combination who looked so good for Chicago last night in Game 2 of their series against Vancouver.Speaking of such, I am watching most every playoff game (gotta get my fix somehow!) and have decided to just root for a Original Six final. Of the eight teams still playing, there is no way I could ever pledge my allegiance to Cindy so the Pens are out. It would be nice to see the team that beat the Rangers go all the way, giving a little vindication, but Tom Poti keeps me from jumping on the Cap bandwagon. Ray Whitney is a personal fav but not seeing Pucky anywhere on their jerseys keeps me away from the Canes. The Ducks, well, are the Ducks: even though the Mighty is gone, they are still a product of the evil empire that is Disney. As for the Canucks, I'm sorry but those twins are creepy - astoundingly good, but creepy. That leaves Boston, Detroit and Chicago and you just can't go wrong there. Keep your silly baseball rivalry out of the hockey equation and root for former Ranger Marc Savard. I will go on the record and say that I feel that Nick Lidstrom is one of the top five defensemen of all time and it is easy to Commit To The Indian when they are so exciting to watch.
So what about you guys? Who are you throwing your support behind?
Oh, and one last thing - as you can see programming here at the blog has slowed but I can promise that it won't go away. There is always stuff to talk about, but it is nice to be able to catch up a little on life away from the rink. I am sure that Ranger season subscription packages (with their inevitable price increases) are coming, as is the Stanley Cup and the ensuing offseason. So stay tuned!
Monday, September 8, 2008
The Trial Of Brendan Shanahan
Hear ye, hear ye, will the First District Night Court of the Blogosphere please come to order!
The Honourable Harry T. Stone presiding.
Today we will hear the case of Brendan Shanahan v. New York Rangers. Mr. Shanahan will be represented by Mr. Scotty Hockey, while the Rangers will be defended by Mr. Glen Sather. The jury of New York Ranger fans will hear each of your arguments and decide the outcome of this case. Opening statements please.
Scotty Hockey: Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that my client, Mr. Shanahan has been disrespected by the defendant New York Rangers and seek to prove that, beyond the shadow of a doubt, they need to tender him a contract. Thank you.
Glen Sather: I feel that we, as an organization, have done nothing wrong, have no need to offer up a deal and will not do anything of the sort.
Judge: Alright gentlemen, I will begin hearing your arguments. The floor is yours Mr. Hockey.
SH: Thank you. I would like to submit into evidence Prosecutor's Item #1, the NHL Official Stats and Media Guide. Within it you will find the details of my clients famed NHL career. Take a listen to these numbers: 20 seasons played, three Stanley Cups won, 1471 points in 1667 games, including 120 in 160 for the defendants. And he got those while battling back from several major injuries that would have injured lesser players' careers.
GS: Your Honour, those numbers reflect the past, while we are an organization looking towards the future. Mr. Shanahan is 39 years old, there is no way he can duplicate those numbers now.
SH: I am just trying to present my client's history to show how much he has contributed in the past and the veteran leadership he can still provide.
Judge: I'll allow it. Want to see a magic trick?
GS: No, no I don't.
Judge: Yeah, I guess you see a disappearing act every day with all of that money you waste. Zing!
GS: Not funny your honour.
SH: [snickers] If it may please the court, I would like to summon a witness. Will Mr. Donald Brashear please take the stand ... Mr. Brashear, do you like the Rangers?
Donald Brashear: No.
SH: On the night of December 30th, 2006, what were you doing?
DB: Playing the Rangers.
SH: We knew that, I meant what were you doing during that game.
DB: The usual - hitting people, slashing, spearing, starting scrums after whistles. It's what I do.
SH: And what happened when my client, Mr. Shanahan, confronted you over your actions?
DB: He beat me up.
SH: Excuse me? Did you say that a 37 year old man beat you up?
DB: I'm not proud of it.
SH: Did you stop taking those aforementioned liberties? The hitting, slashing, spearing ...
DB: Yes.
GS: Your honour, if I may cross examine ... Mr. Brashear, the next time your played the Rangers, and every time since, did you continue to act the fool? I mean, did you continue to cause disarray on the ice by attacking skill players and starting confrontations?
DB: Of course, if I didn't, I wouldn't still be in NHL.
GS: I rest. If I may call my witness, Ms. Cindy Crosby to the stand? Ms. Crosby, when your Penguins beat the Rangers in five games last season, where was Mr. Shanahan?
Cindy Crosby: I don't know.
GS: She doesn't know. She DOESN'T KNOW! That is because Mr. Shanahan was invisible on the ice!!!
SH: Objection! Many of the Rangers were invisible in that series!
Judge: Sustained, prosecutor just present your case, don't make outrageous claims.
GS: Sorry your honour. I would now like to call Markus Naslund to the stand. Mr. Naslund, welcome to New York. Do you feel that you can still make an impact in the NHL?
Markus Naslund: I do. As you can see in that record book, I have played 14 seasons in the NHL and scored 823 points. I just got tired of Vancouver so I stopped playing as well.
GS: I find that hard to believe, as the captain of that team ...
MN: Hey, it's tough when your are the only scorer and opposing teams key in on you.
SH: If I may cross your honour? Mr. Naslund, you said you were the only scorer? Did you not play at times along the immensely talented Sedin twins?
MN: Well, yes but ...
SH: That is all, you may step down. Your Honour and members of the jury, Mr. Naslund scored 194 points over the last three seasons, had a plus/minus of -23 while playing in 245 regular season games. He also played in 12 playoff games and had just five points. My client, however, played in 222 games, had 189 points, was a plus +29 and did it while playing alongside several players less talented than the Sedins - Dawes, Callahan, Drury, Prucha ...
GS: But Naslund is younger and faster.
SH: And has never won a damn thing! Not to mention younger is meaningless when you signed the guy for just two years ...
Judge: [hanging gavel] Stop your bickering. You sound like Dan and Ms. Sullivan. Bailiff Bull, can you step in and separate these two? Geez. Once you two calm down you can offer up your closing arguments.
GS: It's my team and I can do whatever I want. Piss on old time hockey and piss on Shanahan. We don't need him, we have Mr. Naslund now. So suck on that Scotty.
SH: Ladies and gentlemen, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup this year and on their roster was a certain Chris Chelios. Chelios, an elder statesman who had already won two Cups, didn't play every game and scored just 12 points. But he was there when his team needed him and he provided the guidance needed to get that team to the promised land. This isn't an either/or thing with Mr. Shanahan and Mr. Naslund. We are stuck with Mr. Naslund after the drunken spending spree of Mr. Sather this summer so he will get plenty of minutes on the ice. But his presence doesn't render Mr. Shanahan useless. He wants to play in New York and he will do it at a discount.
GS: Bah, I already picked up Patrick Rissmiller and Dan Fritsche to fill out the roster and be useless grinders! I don't need Shanahan!!!!
Judge: Mr. Sather!! You already closed! Another word and I will hold you in contempt of court!
GS: [stamps feet, chomps on cigar]
Judge: I thought so. So I leave it to you, Ranger fans of the jury, to deliberate and determine a verdict. Place it in the comments and we will determine the sentence at a later date.
[Gavel]
The Honourable Harry T. Stone presiding. Today we will hear the case of Brendan Shanahan v. New York Rangers. Mr. Shanahan will be represented by Mr. Scotty Hockey, while the Rangers will be defended by Mr. Glen Sather. The jury of New York Ranger fans will hear each of your arguments and decide the outcome of this case. Opening statements please.
Scotty Hockey: Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that my client, Mr. Shanahan has been disrespected by the defendant New York Rangers and seek to prove that, beyond the shadow of a doubt, they need to tender him a contract. Thank you.
Glen Sather: I feel that we, as an organization, have done nothing wrong, have no need to offer up a deal and will not do anything of the sort.
Judge: Alright gentlemen, I will begin hearing your arguments. The floor is yours Mr. Hockey.
SH: Thank you. I would like to submit into evidence Prosecutor's Item #1, the NHL Official Stats and Media Guide. Within it you will find the details of my clients famed NHL career. Take a listen to these numbers: 20 seasons played, three Stanley Cups won, 1471 points in 1667 games, including 120 in 160 for the defendants. And he got those while battling back from several major injuries that would have injured lesser players' careers.
GS: Your Honour, those numbers reflect the past, while we are an organization looking towards the future. Mr. Shanahan is 39 years old, there is no way he can duplicate those numbers now.
SH: I am just trying to present my client's history to show how much he has contributed in the past and the veteran leadership he can still provide.
Judge: I'll allow it. Want to see a magic trick?
GS: No, no I don't.Judge: Yeah, I guess you see a disappearing act every day with all of that money you waste. Zing!
GS: Not funny your honour.
SH: [snickers] If it may please the court, I would like to summon a witness. Will Mr. Donald Brashear please take the stand ... Mr. Brashear, do you like the Rangers?
Donald Brashear: No.
SH: On the night of December 30th, 2006, what were you doing?
DB: Playing the Rangers.
SH: We knew that, I meant what were you doing during that game.
DB: The usual - hitting people, slashing, spearing, starting scrums after whistles. It's what I do.
SH: And what happened when my client, Mr. Shanahan, confronted you over your actions?
DB: He beat me up.
SH: Excuse me? Did you say that a 37 year old man beat you up?
DB: I'm not proud of it.
SH: Did you stop taking those aforementioned liberties? The hitting, slashing, spearing ...
DB: Yes.
GS: Your honour, if I may cross examine ... Mr. Brashear, the next time your played the Rangers, and every time since, did you continue to act the fool? I mean, did you continue to cause disarray on the ice by attacking skill players and starting confrontations?
DB: Of course, if I didn't, I wouldn't still be in NHL.
GS: I rest. If I may call my witness, Ms. Cindy Crosby to the stand? Ms. Crosby, when your Penguins beat the Rangers in five games last season, where was Mr. Shanahan?Cindy Crosby: I don't know.
GS: She doesn't know. She DOESN'T KNOW! That is because Mr. Shanahan was invisible on the ice!!!
SH: Objection! Many of the Rangers were invisible in that series!
Judge: Sustained, prosecutor just present your case, don't make outrageous claims.
GS: Sorry your honour. I would now like to call Markus Naslund to the stand. Mr. Naslund, welcome to New York. Do you feel that you can still make an impact in the NHL?
Markus Naslund: I do. As you can see in that record book, I have played 14 seasons in the NHL and scored 823 points. I just got tired of Vancouver so I stopped playing as well.
GS: I find that hard to believe, as the captain of that team ...
MN: Hey, it's tough when your are the only scorer and opposing teams key in on you.
SH: If I may cross your honour? Mr. Naslund, you said you were the only scorer? Did you not play at times along the immensely talented Sedin twins?
MN: Well, yes but ...
SH: That is all, you may step down. Your Honour and members of the jury, Mr. Naslund scored 194 points over the last three seasons, had a plus/minus of -23 while playing in 245 regular season games. He also played in 12 playoff games and had just five points. My client, however, played in 222 games, had 189 points, was a plus +29 and did it while playing alongside several players less talented than the Sedins - Dawes, Callahan, Drury, Prucha ... GS: But Naslund is younger and faster.
SH: And has never won a damn thing! Not to mention younger is meaningless when you signed the guy for just two years ...
Judge: [hanging gavel] Stop your bickering. You sound like Dan and Ms. Sullivan. Bailiff Bull, can you step in and separate these two? Geez. Once you two calm down you can offer up your closing arguments.
GS: It's my team and I can do whatever I want. Piss on old time hockey and piss on Shanahan. We don't need him, we have Mr. Naslund now. So suck on that Scotty.
SH: Ladies and gentlemen, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup this year and on their roster was a certain Chris Chelios. Chelios, an elder statesman who had already won two Cups, didn't play every game and scored just 12 points. But he was there when his team needed him and he provided the guidance needed to get that team to the promised land. This isn't an either/or thing with Mr. Shanahan and Mr. Naslund. We are stuck with Mr. Naslund after the drunken spending spree of Mr. Sather this summer so he will get plenty of minutes on the ice. But his presence doesn't render Mr. Shanahan useless. He wants to play in New York and he will do it at a discount.
GS: Bah, I already picked up Patrick Rissmiller and Dan Fritsche to fill out the roster and be useless grinders! I don't need Shanahan!!!!
Judge: Mr. Sather!! You already closed! Another word and I will hold you in contempt of court!
GS: [stamps feet, chomps on cigar]
Judge: I thought so. So I leave it to you, Ranger fans of the jury, to deliberate and determine a verdict. Place it in the comments and we will determine the sentence at a later date.
[Gavel]
Thursday, July 3, 2008
An Unfortunate Turn Of Events
The New York Rangers signed Markus Naslund and Dmitri Kalinin today as was announced during a conference call a half hour ago.
This is another major mistake by the Rangers. Just two days after signing a defenseman who is on the downside of his career (Redden), Glen Sather added a forward who is not just on the downside of his career, but who should have retired two years ago in Naslund. And the defenseman ... well I hope Jim Ramsey and the training staff is well prepared because Kalinin can't stay healthy.
Don't get me wrong, Naslund would have been a great signing before the lockout. Unfortunately we are three seasons removed from the labour dispute and he is a shell of the player he once was. His point totals have dropped each of the last four seasons and two of the last three saw his plus/minus end up in the red. He was given plenty of chances to succeed with the Swedish Sedin wunderkinds and still his effectiveness has dropped. Naslund is no longer a force off of the wing and it will be a huge mistake to count on him for more than 20 goals and 40 points this season - not numbers worth a $4.5 million contract.
As nervous as I am to get my invoice for season tickets for next season, there is some consolation in knowing that I will very likely not have to pay for playoffs, because this roster appears like it be hard-pressed to grab a seven or eight spot.
So sad.
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