Odds & Ends

Apologies for not posting since the Rick Nash deal but, frankly, haven't been all that inspired. It's been bloody hot outside and not a whole helluva lot is happening in the NHL hockey world ... well, except the slow death spiral towards a lockout. And that is as depressing as the stifling heat and humidity.

Some random topics and random thoughts:

*RIP Bones Raleigh, one of the overlooked all-time Ranger greats. Stan Fischler, of course, knew him and wrote a nice piece that is worth checking out. It is a shame so many terrific players bled Blue and were all but lost in a history that the Rangers have chosen to ignore. You know, 1994 was amazing and all but the team did play 84 other seasons ...

*The news came out that that NBC will pay for this season no matter what, and if there is a lockout then extra year is added onto deal for no rights fee. Interesting. No word on if that means they get days, weeks, months back as well. If so, it may actually behoove the NHL to postpone the start of the season until just before the Winter Classic - that way, on the back end of the deal they have the Winter Classic in their pocket as negotiating power for a new deal. NBC would start the 2021-22 season, and be even more pressured to pay up if they want the sponsor-friendly outdoor game.

*Stop being furious at Gary Bettman. Yes, he is a smug, sleazy, smarmy former lawyer who lies to your face. But he is just a puppet of the powerful NHL owners. Ed Snider, Jeremy Jacobs, Jimmy Dolan - those are the true villains in this labour battle. They are blaming others for their financial mismanagement and capitalizing upon our everlasting passion for pucks to ensure they get away with it. Boardroom typical.

*Several pieces came out about the impact of a lockout on front office employees and on the Winter Classic. But also keep in mind the ancillary impact: spoke to the owner of a MSG-area bar the other day and the thought of losing Ranger fan income is driving him to drink (well, more than usual). After an anemic summer because of the renovation - no concert cash - losing the True Blue boozers could really hurt his business. While his particular pub could/should survive thanks to being in New York, you'd have to imagine other establishments in other cities may not be as fortunate.

*One good thing about a lockout - me looking on the bright side! - is it would give everyone the opportunity to expand their fandom internationally, even if the NHLers aren't allowed to steal jobs (the Elitserien has said no-go). Been to the Scandinavium twice so Frolunda is a certainty in Sweden, loooooved being in Zug (Zurich and Bern, notasmuch) so despite the Rangers losing to them, EVZ ole! Kings Park's Bobby Goepfert plays on the DEG Metro Stars in Germany so that's my DEL team. No love for the Czech league or the KHL, so that pretty much leaves England, Italy and Finland left for me to find teams. Puck around the planet!

*Still really, really hate the Arron Asham signing. Not for hockey purposes - the team needs someone who can and will fight for his teammates (Rupp sure as hell hasn't) but just because he is Arron Asham. It is not quite as egregious as Donald Brashear becoming a Blueshirt, but close.

*Del Zaster wants more than $2.5 million a year. Ha bloody ha.

*It's tough but try to temper your expectations for Chris Kreider this coming season, or whenever they play next. The kid showed he has serious talent, but now teams have seen him and his tendencies against NHL level defenders so they will be more prepared. It will be interesting to see how he fares, especially alongside Nash on the power play.

Wanted to unveil a feature this Friday but it looks like it will take at least another week, so stay tuned.

Who Else Will Get Hired?

Seeing as Jimmy Dolan felt it best to bring Isiah Thomas back to the Knicks, I thought it might be fun to brainstorm some possible re-hirings on the hockey side, and the positions they would be best suited for:

Brian Trottier - Stenographer - What with his exceptional ability to write things by hand, what better job for Trots than to take dictation in the front office?

Bobby Holik and Matt Cullen - Financial Advisors - Teach the players how to get the most out of their contracts before leaving town.

Mark Messier - Team Psychiatrist - Forget this GM-in-training stuff. Mess would be the perfect person for the players to speak to, to find out that it is ok to cry.

Tom Poti - Allergist - Who better? My boy Tom knows all about allergies. After all, he is allergic to peanuts, chocolate, fish, checking, playing defense, making smart passes, standing up for his teammates...

Perry Pearn - Assistant Coach - Bring him on for the penalty kill this time, since he boosted those numbers for the opposition every night the first time around.

Jeff Bloemberg - Team Pastor - The born-again Bloemberg could pacify the tortured souls of Sean Avery and Derek Boogaard.

Sandis Ozolinsh - Designated Driver.

John Ferguson Sr. - Fashion Consultant - Seeing as the culprit for those horrid Liberty jerseys isn't public knowledge (as far as I know), perhaps the Rangers should dig up Ferguson to design the coming third jersey. I may own and enjoy the 1978 Ranger sweater but there is no denying that screwing with the original Blueshirt was just wrong.

Colin Campbell - Disciplinarian - Hahahahaha.

Rico Fata - Power Skating Coach - Maybe good ole Rico could put a spring in the Boogeyman's step. And, luckily for him, Fata wouldn't have to teach Boogey how to stop as the big man will just run into the opposition!

Marek Malik - Game Night Staff (seasonal) - Someone has to scare the kids on Halloween.

Ryan Hollweg - Rangers City Dancer - Considering what Holly did in the locker room, imagine what he could do on a grand stage? And he wouldn't be sexually harassed like the old Ranger City Skater girls were!

Esa Tikkanen - Translator - There has never been a more cunning linguist in Ranger history.

Glen Sather - Head Janitor - Sather has proven quite adept at cleaning up many of his free agent messes, why not have him take care of those MSG bathrooms? Oh wait, You have to be leave at some point if you are to be re-hired? At this rate, the only thing he will be good for after he leaves is to stink up the opposition dressing room with his decomposing carcass.

And on that happy thought, I open the floor to you guys - who could/should be re-hired and in what position?

Monday Meanderings

We're getting close folks, can you feel it? The humidity in New York has slightly improved and a cool breeze is sweeping across the streets. Not long before we can feel the rush of artificially chilled air as we walk into Madison Square Garden.

As I sit hear enjoying my second favourite sport with some Prem football in HD on ESPN2, I figured I would talk a little about No. 1 hockey.

*First off, individual Ranger tickets will go on-sale on Saturday, September 12th at 10:00 am through the usual outlets. For those of you season subscribers, our tickets can be picked-up beginning Wednesday, September 2nd at 9:00 am.

*In addition to sending out that info this afternoon, the Rangers also released their *official* roster for Traverse City. Still no word on if the games will be televised but it would be folly for the NHL Network not to offer up coverage. I don't know about you but I've seen Pens/Caps 18 times already this summer.

*Speaking of folly and hockey, how about this Direct TV/Versus battle? How ridiculous would it be for the NHL to lose their primary national network because Comcast plays hardball with DTV? Times like this I am glad I have Cablevision, but only in times like this.

*I don't have any game-worn hockey jerseys but I'd imagine if I did - unless it was some kind of special jersey (like a 9-11 Rangers or a signed superstar like Hank) - that I would wear it. I have looked into the game worn market quite a bit this summer and it seems that most folks don't wear them. What about you?

*Zip is reporting that the Rangers are again interested in acquiring Mats Sundin. I'm not so sure that's a good idea. On one hand, Sundin on the power play with Gaborik will ensure that our special team doesn't suck as bad as it did last season. On the other hand it doesn't inspire confidence in either Brandon Dubinsky or Arty Anisimov. With double-A's play with us last season didn't inspire much of anything in me, I do think he has reached that make or break stage and deserves a shot.

*The New York Rangers Blog tracked down a story that the Blueshirts are looking to bring in another blueliner ... again. First it was Anton Babchuk, now Dennis Seidenberg. Mind you, both were part of a defensive corps that was said to be Carolina's Achilles heel and mind you that the Rangers have a half dozen young players trying to make the jump to Broadway. Is Sather hedging his bets, does he have no faith in the kids, or does he feel that he has to sign "every piece of garbage on the market"?? Idiot McGrath.

*If you are trying to plan your Christmas shopping this year, I recommend the book 100 Ranger Greats. It isn't out until the end of next month but I luckily got a preview copy. I will give a more detailed review at a later date but it will definitely be good for debate. They have a blog up here where they have the daily "This date in Rangers history" - well worth adding to your daily viewing.

*While I am shamelessly whoring stuff, MSG.com has kept busy this summer with a bunch of photo slide shows. Of course Handsome Hank has a gallery, as does the camera-loving Avery but they also have the "Bad Boys" of hockey.

*Blair Betts still doesn't have a team for this season as Edmonton has immersed in money troubles (where have we heard that before?). If he can't have a reunion with Renney, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if New Jersey picks him up. Bettsy would be a good, cheaper version of John Madden, who headed to Chicago. That would suck, Shanny and Bettsy across the river playing for those clowns.

*As for another ex-player favourite of mine, anyone else excited to see Jed's return with the Sharks on October 19th? It will be his first game since Game 6 against Buffalo. Then again, I am almost as excited for the first preseason game against Boston on September 15th ...

*Keeping with Boston - they are keeping the Winter Classic rink up after New Years in Fenway and are planning on having a BU/BC showdown on it on Friday, January 8th. It just so happens that the Rangers play the Bruins the next day. Can you say road trip?

*Getting back to the top, the Liverpool match I'm watching was preceded by a moving rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone", which is simply awesome. It is a shame there is no singing of any sort at hockey games (Potvin Sucks doesn't count).

*A bigger shame is that hockey broadcasts are so much worse then football. Listening to this match has been a delight because you can actually hear the match! What a concept! No droning on by Al Micheletti, spouting off incorrect facts and analysis. No awkward banter. Just the facts. And the announcer mics aren't much louder than the nat sound from the stadium. You get an actual feel for what the live experience is like and hockey is best experienced live. Letting the broadcast breathe is a good thing, and something MSG - and the rest of the U.S. NHL broadcasters - would be smart to learn.

Hockey Happenstance

All sorts of random stuff rattling around my head so I figured I would share them. Sorry there hasn't been that many regular updates of late but this is the time of year I work like a dog - gotta pay for those season tix somehow ...

*Today was Z-Day as the kids are calling it, the day Nik Zherdev and the Rangers headed to arbitration. The ruling should be made in the next two days and the Rangers will make their decision in the next two days after that. As I've said for a while, his departure from Broadway is all but a certainty. While my buddy Eric and several others I know are saying 'I hope the door hits z on the way out,' I do not share the sentiment fully. I certainly have not been a fan of the soft, lazy Zherdev but the potential was certainly alluring and made itself known from time to time. So I won't be heartbroken to see him go, I will be a tad sad. Z follows in a strong line of very talented, yet very flawed players to come through New York, a line that stretches from the poor attitudes of Pierre Larouche and Theo Fleury to the well-past-their-prime Marcel Dionne, Guy Lafleur and Jari Kurri to the physically impared Eric Lindros and Pavel Bure.

*Could Todd Bertuzzi join them? He is saying he wants to come east and a capable power winger might be alluring to Tortorella. I still like the thought of Vinny Prospal (who would be cheaper) but Bert certainly would add an interesting dimension if he still has any wheels left.

*You have to figure that the Dubinsky signing will be imminent, right?

*In the Cycle With The Sedin's re-draft of the NHL I used my second selection, the 41st pick overall, on Dan Boyle. If there is one thing we've learned here in NY, you have to have a power play quarterback if you are to have any success.

*On that note, best wishes to Sergei Zubov, who is heading to the KHL. The Russian league will put him under less wear and tear while keeping him in shape so he can play in the Olympics. Zubi was a hell of a Ranger who I don't think got the credit he deserved as the limelight often went to Brian Leetch. Both were all-world defensemen who could play both sides of the ice. Hopefully we see Zubi again in Vancouver ...

*I. Want. One.

*If you haven't been following him, Third String Goalie was showing off his jersey collection this month with a sweater for each day. While there was a clear Minnesota bias and a Mmmmaaaarrrtttyyy sighting, it is still pretty damn cool and worth checking out.

*Totally off topic - soccer football great Sir Bobby Robson passed away today. He was a stellar player and manager but an even better person who raised a lot of money to fight cancer, a battle he waged personally five times. RIP Sir Bobby.

*Aces Over Brooklyn has been covering the demise of the EPHL. The league is dead but there is a new one taking it's place up in New England. There are rumours that that NEPHL will add teams in Danbury and Brooklyn but nothing solid yet. I made it to Brooklyn for all of one game but had a great time. Minor league hockey can definitely make it in New York, the interest is there and the economy is right for cheap options right now. The Aces would have drew better with a rink that was easier to get to via public transportation - like the Devils (lol).

*The Islanders decided to stop paying for Chris Botta's blog at Islanders Point Blank. While Botta is known for being a good, upright guy, it was always hard for me not to see some impropriety for an 'independent' blog to be paid for by the team that it covered. The same goes for Newsday considering the close advertising relationship between the two ... but Botta has been a class act and hasn't really pulled too many punches that I could see so I have to wish him the best.

*Meanwhile, as Cablevision spins off the Rangers into their own company, the Dark Ranger has announced a spinoff of his own - check it out.

And that is about that for now, I think. If there is anything big on your mind, feel free to drop a line in the comments!