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Good For Nabokov

February 22, 2012 By

It is not very often in the National Hockey League that a player gets signed by a team, refuses to play for them, changes his mind and decides to play for him and thinks long-term when it comes to his future with said club.

This is exactly what has happened with veteran netminder Evgeni Nabokov. When the Islanders originally signed Nabokov during the middle of last season, Nabokov first refused to report to the team.

Now, things are completely the opposite. Nabokov is enjoying his time on Long Island and furthermore, has provided the steady goaltending that the team has been missing for several years, and has been offered a 1 or 2-year deal to stay with the Islanders.

It would certainly be well deserved considering how Nabokov has played this season. In 30 games, Nabokov is 14-14 with a 2.24 goals against average, a .925 save percentage and 2 shutouts.

Remember folks, this is coming after not having been in the NHL for over a year, not to mention the fact he is playing behind a very young Islanders’ defensive corps. Everyone should also remember that he is 36 years old and his best years are supposed to be behind him.

Basically put, Nabokov made the best of a bad situation and is more than likely going to be awarded for it. Good for Nabokov, I say.

Patrick Hoffman is a veteran hockey writer/blogger based in Fairfield, Connecticut.

On top of his work for Kukla’s Korner, Patrick covers the NHL for the Red Light District Hockey Blog and also contributes to Sportsnet.ca.

Prior to writing for the above-mentioned outlets, Hoffman’s musings have been published on TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Spector’s Hockey, Hokeja Vestnesis, Blueshirt Bulletin, SNYRangersBlog.com, here on NHL Home Ice from 2008 to 2009, as well as a slew of others.

For comments and hip checks, feel free to contact Patrick at patrickhoffman3530@gmail.com or on Twitter at @pathoffman35.

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Coyotes May Have a New Owner

February 21, 2012 By

As my friend Chris Stevenson, the national hockey writer for Sun Media, said:  “What’s the over/under on people rolling their eyes at that headline?”  I set the mark at about 94% of hockey fans and will take the over on it.

It’s my feeling that the die hard hockey fans in Phoenix want their team and want it in Arizona.  However, the team’s attendance numbers this season have been disappointing, falling just under an average of 12,000 fans per game.  This falls well below what Jets fans were told they would need to sustain their re-incarnation of their club.  But the Coyotes are not alone.

In fact, there are 4 other teams that fall under that same dark cloud:  Blue Jackets, Islanders, Stars and the Ducks.  And each team has its own reasons and circumstances that have caused their problems at the gate.

Islanders
A once proud, championship team that gave hockey its first dynasty since the Montreal Canadiens of the 60′s and 70′s.  They gave us stars like Potvin, Bossy, Smith, Nystrom, Arbour, Torrey.

But that once glorious franchise hit hard times with questionable drafting, bad trades, little winning and fans have had their fill.  Long Islanders would not continue to hand over their hard-earned money to support a team that they felt did very little to support itself.

And despite efforts from current owner Charles Wang to not only put dollars into the team and to secure a new arena for the Isles, fans are still not flocking to the Coliseum.
Ducks
The team that Hollywood inspired.  An instant hit with the kids with very different, flashy jerseys, a cartoonish logo and mascot and colours that were very youthful and energetic.

And through some trades, free agency and the draft, the Ducks found themselves in a Stanley Cup Final within 10 years of existence.  Four years later, they would hoist the west coast’s first-ever Stanley Cup.  However, that team was soon broken up.  Gone are names like Giguere, Niedermayer, Pronger, Penner, Pahlsson, Moen.

While young stars like Perry and Getlaf remain along with veterean Teemu Selanne, other youngsters have begun to emerge:  Hiller, Ryan, Fowler.

And with the coaching change this season, the team seems to be buying into Bruce Boudreau’s system more with each passing day and that has led them to their recent surge.

But given the limited fan-base and the challenge of selling a winter sport in a sunny place, the Ducks will have to be a marketing machine at all times.

 

Blue Jackets
What words have defined this franchise more than any others:  losing, losing and losing.

There is no question in my mind of the passion of hockey fans in Ohio.  There have been teams in Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland for as long as I can remember.  But along the way, there have not been a lot of winners.

And when it comes to these Blue Jackets, the playoffs have eluded them each year of their existence, save one and it was one to forget, having been swept by the Red Wings in round one.

The fans have tired of what they see as excuses and poor management and now face the fact that their franchise-face, Rick Nash, is on his way out of town at some point this calendar year.

The tough pill to swallow here is how ownership has been appreciated in this community and respected by hockey fans from the very beginning.

This one is one of the easiest cases to evaluate….you don’t win, they don’t come….and while I personally don’t subscribe to this notion, as I think you support your team through thick and thin,  I can understand.

 

Stars
This one is the toughest one to figure out.  A Stanley Cup, competitive teams, good trades and free-agents signings over the years should be a recipe for success.

Yet, over the past couple of years, attendance numbers have dropped along with the teams spot in the standings.

Until recently, some also pointed to a shaky ownership structure as one of the reasons for nervous fans.

I get a sense that Joe Nieuwendyk has a plan in place and now has an owner who supports him and the direction he chooses and this will hopefully bring forth a re-birth of the Stars in Dallas and continue to grow the game the way it has in Texas to this point.

So, back to my original point:  The Coyotes may finally have a new owner.

Hey, did you just roll your eyes?

 

You can follow Chris Stevenson from Sun Media on Twitter….  @CJ_Stevenson

 

Catch Mike Ross and Mick Kern weekday mornings from 7am to 11am ET / 4am to 8am PT on NHL Home Ice, Sirius 207/XM 92

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Good Luck

February 21, 2012 By

This is exactly what it seems like is going to be needed when it comes to beating the Detroit Red Wings.

With Sunday’s 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks, the Red Wings have won an astounding 23 straight games on home ice at the Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings last lost on home ice back on November 3 when they lost 4-1 to the Calgary Flames.

Since that time, the Red Wings have been flawless on home ice. They win the close ones, they crush teams in the blowouts and when the team hits the ice at the Joe, there is no doubting that fans will see a 60-minute effort from the team in red and white.

Not only have the Red Wings won 23 straight games on home ice, but they now appear to be unbeatable in general. The team has won six straight games and has beaten good teams in the Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, and Anaheim Ducks.

Because of their most recent winning streak, the Red Wings find themselves at both the top of the Western Conference and entire National Hockey League with 84 points (As of this writing…February 20, 2012). However, they are just two points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and three points ahead of the New York rangers (As of this writing…February 20, 2012).

There is still a lot of hockey left to be played and with the stretch run now in full swing, all games will be extremely competitive as teams try to claw and fight there way into the playoffs. With that said, is there anyone out there who can really compete with the Red Wings right now?

Good luck with that, NHL.

Patrick Hoffman is a veteran hockey writer/blogger based in Fairfield, Connecticut.

On top of his work for Kukla’s Korner, Patrick covers the NHL for the Red Light District Hockey Blog and also contributes to Sportsnet.ca.

Prior to writing for the above-mentioned outlets, Hoffman’s musings have been published on TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Spector’s Hockey, Hokeja Vestnesis, Blueshirt Bulletin, SNYRangersBlog.com, here on NHL Home Ice from 2008 to 2009, as well as a slew of others.

For comments and hip checks, feel free to contact Patrick at patrickhoffman3530@gmail.com or on Twitter at @pathoffman35.

 

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The REAL NHLPA Player’s Poll

February 21, 2012 By

Scenes We’d Like To See – The REAL NHLPA Player’s Poll

Recently, the National Hockey League’s Player’s Association, in conjunction with CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, conducted a poll of over 300 current NHL players.  The questions ranged from who has the hardest shot, through to what is your favourite rink to play in.

All good questions, but inquiring fans want to know about the real stuff.

The War Room pulled a lot of strings in order to gain access to the confidential NHLPA Player’s Poll questions that only a few people outside of the Association has access to.

Unfortunately, at this time, we do not have the results to this particular poll, but our sources are working on it.

Please DO NOT post this questionnaire on WikiLeaks.

 

2012 NHLPA PLAYER’S POLL – FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY – NO EXCEPTIONS

 HOCKEY QUESTIONS:

  1.  Easiest Player to Push Around
  2.  Easiest Goaltender to Score Against
  3.  Most Overrated Player
  4.  Most Easily Intimidated Referee
  5.  Who Is The Dumbest Player?
  6.  Who Is The Dirtiest Player?
  7.  Which Player Do You Most Want To Punch In The Face?
  8.  Which Coach Would You Least Like To Play For?
  9.  Which Team Would You Least Like To Play For?

 

LIFESTYLE QUESTIONS:

  1. Which City Has The Best Food?
  2. Which City Has The Best Nightlife?
  3. Which City Has The Hottest Chicks?
  4. Which City Has The Friendliest Police Force?
  5. Which City Has The Least Media Presence In The Locker Room?
  6.  Which Hockey Media member is the most clueless?
  7.  Does TSN or Sportsnet pay more for an interview?
  8.  Which media outlet will give you the most free stuff?
  9.  Which restaurants can you safely run out of without having paid the bill?

 

HOCKEY RULES QUESTIONS:

  1.  Should the nets be bigger?
  2.  Should the puck be smaller?
  3.  What exactly is an offside?
  4.  Should I continue to push an opposing forward on top of my own goaltender?
  5.  Is it acceptable to crosscheck an opponent in the head if I only think that he tried to hurt one of my teammates?
  6. Should we be permitted to aim the puck at the media members who congregate between the benches during a game?
  7. Should we be permitted to use Twitter during a game?
  8. Can I call my agent during a time out?
  9. Which City Has The Hottest Chicks?

Mick Kern

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Same Old Story in Philadelphia

February 21, 2012 By
When it comes to the Philadelphia Flyers, there are certain things that are a constant for the franchise.
For starters, goal scoring. The Flyers have never really had problems putting the puck in the net and usually boast one of the top offensive teams in the National Hockey League.
Another constant is injuries. This season, just like every other it seems, the Flyers have had to deal with major/minor injuries to the likes of Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk, Daniel Briere and Chris Pronger.
However, the major constant is goaltending problems. With two capable netminders this season, one would think that this simply cannot be the case. Unfortunately, these people are wrong.

After signing a nine-year deal during the off-season with the Philadelphia Flyers, many hockey pundits and media alike thought they found their goaltending savior in Ilya Brzygalov.

That has not been the case this season for Bryzgalov. In 40 games this season, Bryzgalov is 20-11-6 with a 2.79 GAA, a .900 save percentage and 2 shutouts.
While the 20 wins are nice, the rest of the numbers are well below the average for an NHL starting netminder. Furthermore, Bryzgalov has allowed a lot of soft goals this season and when that happens, it is easy to tell how it impacts the club in front of him.
It is also never good when your starting netminder says things like “I am lost in the woods” or “Great news, I am not playing tomorrow night. Goods news, we have a chance to win the game tomorrow night”. While Bryzgalov is definitely great for a quote, and a funny man, these are not the kind of things a team should want to hear out of their starting goaltender.
While Brzygalov has struggled, back-up netminder Sergei Bobrovsky has not been much better. In 24 games, ‘Bob’ is 12-8-1 with a 2.99 GAA and a .900 save percentage.
The back-up goaltenders’ job is to win hockey games when the starter is not playing. While Bobrovsky has won more games than he has lost, he has not exactly inspired confidence with his teammates this season.
Because of the shaky goaltending, the Flyers made two moves last week that general manager Paul Holmgren believes will help the team in the long run. The Flyers went out and acquired two massive defensemen in Nick Grossman and Pavel Kubina.
Grossman and Kubina are big guys that can block shots, clear guys out of the crease area and get the puck out quickly when they need to. For the Flyers’ goaltending to be successful down the stretch, all of those things are going to be crucial for the team’s defense to do on a consistent basis.
The fact of the matter is that Holmgren was forced to make these moves because Brzygalov, the team’s $51 million investment, has not lived up to the end of his deal thus far. If Bryzgalov was playing like he did with the Phoenix Coyotes over the last few seasons, Holmgren would not have had any reason to make these deals.
It is now up to the team’s new defensive corps to make life easier for their goaltenders. If they fail, it could be another short spring for the Flyers.

Patrick Hoffman is a veteran hockey writer/blogger based in Fairfield, Connecticut.

On top of his work for Kukla’s Korner, Patrick covers the NHL for the Red Light District Hockey Blog and also contributes to Sportsnet.ca.

Prior to writing for the above-mentioned outlets, Hoffman’s musings have been published on TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Spector’s Hockey, Hokeja Vestnesis, Blueshirt Bulletin, SNYRangersBlog.com, here on NHL Home Ice from 2008 to 2009, as well as a slew of others.

For comments and hip checks, feel free to contact Patrick at patrickhoffman3530@gmail.com or on Twitter at @pathoffman35.

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If Hockey Were More Like Basketball

February 20, 2012 By

If Hockey Were More Like Basketball

Or Please Smother Me While I Sleep

The wife managed to get her hands on two (free) tickets to the Raptors-Bobcats tilt at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto this past Friday evening.  It’s a work thing.   The tickets, not the basketball, though I do have to work up a passable level of enthusiasm in order to put one foot in front of the other to attend a round ball game.

No, the tickets were from a client, as in thanks for all the business you’ve thrown our way, so we’d like to show you our gratitude by making you attend something boring.

The wife pawned the tickets off on me, and I brought our seven-year-old son along, as he still thinks basketball is cool.  Then again, he still thinks Star Wars is cool.  Star Wars is so not cool.  Never was.  Not that I know cool anymore at this age.  Well, Nick Cave is certainly cool, as is Neko Case.  Did you hear that cover of the Zombies song they did together?

After walking around the nearby Toronto Auto Show like a pair of zombies for 90 minutes, the boy and I made our way down the street towards the beckoning ostentatious opulence of the A.C.C.

Having attended countless Maple Leafs game at the same venue, it was interesting to see the Big Box Barn in a new light.

There were the same scalpers, the same blaring video advertisements, the same unordered symphony of cars, cabs, and pedestrians all scurrying to get somewhere at the same time.

You know a hockey crowd when you’re in the midst of one; they give off an air of edgy expectancy, of pent-up energy awaiting an excuse to be let loose.  Tonight felt different.

No such reservations with an NBA crowd; they show up already partying.  If anything, entering the A.C.C. that night was like walking in with a crowd for a big football game, or even better, a concert…not that I attend Big Box Barn concerts, unless Nick or Neko were there.  And they wouldn’t be.

After walking around nearly the entire circumference of the arena in order to find the corporate box we were sequestered in that night, my orientation was obviously off kilter.

I didn’t look closely enough at the box numbers on the tickets, and we ended up in the swanky corporate box next to the one we were supposed to be in.

Ever walked into a party, and everyone turns to you with a look of disdain, as they collectively think “he’s not one of us”?

As I usually garner that reaction wherever I go, I didn’t make much of it, and proceeded to unlayer both my kid and I of our winter gear.

Looking around, I was curious to know why the box was festooned with Pepsi propaganda, and was hit with that warm wave of realization that sweeps over oneself when you realize you’ve stepped outside with no pants on.  Hey, it happens.

The hostess was kind enough to politely shepherd the two of us out of there before the sugar water crowd could tear us limb-from-limb, though it probably didn’t help things that I was taunting them with various vintage Coke slogans as we left.

We made it safely to our assigned corporate box a half hour before tip-off, and were treated like Sacramento Kings by the staff.

I’ll go to practically any sporting event live, for as good as a high quality HDTV set is, nothing beats being there in person.  Unless it’s really cold outside or there’s a long line-up for the washroom, or the drinks are ridiculously overpriced, or parking is prohibitively expensive.  All those things aside, there’s nothing like being there in person.

With about twenty minutes to go before the start of the game, both the Raptors and Bobcats came out onto the court.  That in itself was something of a small miracle, as both teams are near the bottom of the NBA standings, and should have been embarrassed to be seen in public.  Sorta like the Columbus Blue Jackets; when was the last time anyone actually saw them in person?

Which got me to thinking, as I waited for the chicken fingers to arrive.

What if they ran hockey like basketball?  What kind of a nightmare would that be?  Or would it be a revelation?

First things first.  As mentioned, the two teams come out of their dressing rooms twenty minutes before the game begins.  They go through their warm up, not all that dissimilar from hockey players.

But, about five minutes later, the arena darkens, and everyone stands up for the national anthems.

No big production on TV, no John McDermott trotted out once again, or some overused gimmick of singing with a dead singer on the video screen.  No, they just get to it, and get it over with.  Quick and respectful.  Though why they also sing the national anthem of the Ukraine, I couldn’t quite figure out.   Maybe they just like it.

Afterwards, the players return to warming up, but the court is also beset by mascots, sponsors, TV dandies, etc.  Think if that happened in hockey warm up.  More than Taylor Hall would be getting banged up, though I, for one, am all for Mike Milbury slipping around out there in his shoes…or did he rip those shoes off somebody’s feet?

The most notable difference between NBA games and NHL games is the music that is played while the action on the court is going on.  I recall that being done at an indoor soccer game at Maple Leaf Gardens back in the mid 1990’s, but I thought that was to keep the half dozen of us in attendance from falling asleep.

Music is also played at Toronto Rock lacrosse games, and there is no need for extra stimuli during those matches.  You think there’s a violence problem in hockey, go see a major lacrosse game.  Fights, fights, and more fights, and then they play the national anthems.

I dread many things in life; back taxes, musicals, and anal exams, for starters.  I wasn’t all that pleased when they put gaudy advertising on the boards, but learned to live with it.  I rue the day that crap ends up plastered all over NHL uniforms, but you know that is inevitable.  Hey, teams need more money to sign stiffs like Jeff Carter.

But music being played while they play?  Look, I like video games.  Grew up with whole Pong Phenomena, got Blip for Christmas, played on the Commodore 32 for hours (we couldn’t afford the 64), and spent many an hour in downtown Ottawa video arcades playing Ms. Pac-Man with the beautiful Kathleen C. during those heady summer nights of 1984.

So I’m down with the video game generation.  I’m a charter member.  But I don’t need, nor want to have, music pounding away while the players pound down the court, or skate down the ice.

And it’s not even cool music, whatever that is today.  It’s run-of-the-mill commercial Grammy crap your Mom would probably hum while she shops for toothpaste.

Regardless, they could have a house band consisting of Keith Richards, Jeff Tweedy, Buddy Rich, Miles Davis, Stu Sutcliffe, and Beethoven himself, and I still don’t want to hear them make music during the game.

But I’d be right there for the halftime show.

Speaking of which, basketball is structured like football as the game is broken into four quarters, though mercifully they shave off three minutes from each one in basketball.

Which means there’s a halftime, which means there’s a halftime show, which usually means some band like Nickleback, the whitest, stupidest, uncoolest, richest slock band on the planet.

But this ain’t the CFL, nor the NFL, this is the N.B.A.

And that usually means rap.  And tonight the halftime show was Naughty By Nature.

At first I thought it was 2 Live Crew, and panicked thinking what my son would repeat back to my wife.
Keep in mind my encyclopaedic knowledge of rap artists runs from RUN DMC, Grandmaster Flash, through to Public Enemy, and maybe some Ice-T.  That’s about it.  So what did I know?

Rap can be the punk of black music when it wants to be, though like all important music, it didn’t remain pigeon holed in one culture, nor one ethnicity.  Just like rock and roll decades earlier, rap has jumped over into white youth culture, and the kids of the past twenty years have lapped it up.

And just like rock and roll, there is good rap, and there is crap rap.  I do not know enough about rap to offer an opinion on where Naughty By Nature fall in that discussion, but their halftime performance was certainly much more invigorating than most of the tired white rock or country acts that other sports trot out.  So we’ll have to give the basketball experience the nod on this one.

After one half of basketball, I’d have to say the NBA crowd is certainly more lively than an NHL crowd in Toronto, or most arenas I’ve been to in Canada.

And I think the reason for that is simple.

Generally speaking, people who attend NHL games in Toronto (and I’ve also witnessed this in Calgary, and Ottawa, and somewhat in Montreal, though they are party loonies there) watch the game unfold in front of them like they are watching a highly precision operation take place.

They understand the nuances of the games, and appreciate the small things that, for the most part, less indoctrinated crowds (say, in Nashville, or Anaheim, or Dallas) might overlook.  Not all of them, but most of them.

Of course, there are diehard, educated, nuanced hockey fans in Nashville, Anaheim and Dallas, but they are still in the minority.

Much like diehard, educated, nuanced basketball fans in Toronto.  Still in the minority.

So the rest of us party!  Hence the pumped up atmosphere at the A.C.C. for a Raptors game.

I’m alright with both approaches, though I must admit the party crowd at the basketball game kept me awake.

Because it’s true what the detractors say about basketball; you only have to watch the last minute.

You can often say the same thing about a hockey, football, or baseball game, so that is somewhat unfair to levy that charge solely at basketball.  Though it does feel that way.

Of course, that last minute in basketball drags on and on thanks to seemingly endless time outs.

What if NHL teams could call time outs in the same fashion?  Just get the ref to whistle play dead regardless of where the puck was on the ice?  Well, for one thing, there’s be no more clock malfunctions in Los Angeles, because the game would slow down to a crawl.  You could time the game with a sundial.

Though come to think of it, with some of the low scoring snooze fests we’d have foisted upon us in the NHL this season, the last minute of play in those games might be enough to drive one to drink.  And the last minute in the Raptors latest loss (98-91) on this night was at least entertaining.

So maybe basketball comes out on top again?

Okay then, so how exactly is hockey the better spectator sport than basketball?

Easy.

First, hockey has goalies.  There is no goaltending allowed in basketball, though I think they’ve missed out on a wonderful opportunity here to employ out-of-work horse jockeys.  Just station those little guys up above the rim, and allow them one attempt each time at blocking a shot.

Second, hockey doesn’t have an equivalent to a free throw.  Yes, there is the empty net scenario near the end of a game, but a defensive player can pretend they are an out-of-work jockey and try to block the puck.  Think how exciting it would be like if a player was hauled down, or interfered with on a breakaway, was awarded a penalty shot, and took that shot against an unguarded net.

We don’t do that in hockey, notwithstanding some of the goaltending Dwayne Roloson has provided this season.

Third, we don’t allow the Zamboni to come out on the ice when the puck is played up to the other end.  In basketball, some dude or chick comes out with a mop, and mops up all the sweat off the floor when the ball is at the other end of the court.

Or at least that’s what I think is going on.  What else could they be wiping up?  My kid votes for blood, but he always does.  A future MMA zombie.

Fourth, there’s no shot clock in hockey.

Imagine if there was.  That Soviet powerhouse of the mid-70’s would have been derailed long before Bobby Clarke exhibited the ultimate sportsmanship with his hockey stick in 1972.

A shot clock would only add to the universal word that all hockey fans utter at some point in their lives…shoot!  Hey, I heard some Raptor fans say that during the game tonight.

Fifth, they don’t make Bob Cole, or Dennis Beyak, or Doc Emerick sing Sweet Caroline during a TV timeout.  This is a good thing.

For whatever reason, the TV crew of the Raptors did exactly that in the fourth quarter, and they weren’t all that bad, but really, wasn’t this a Red Sox thing?  Can’t teams find their own songs to beat into the ground?

As I said earlier, I’ll take (free) tickets to practically any sporting event, and probably will enjoy the experience.  But would I pay for it?  That is the litmus test.

In the case of basketball, the answer is no.  Not until they put jockeys above the rim.

 

Mick Kern

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The Kid

February 17, 2012 By

This week was a tough one for me.  I am involved with School Council at our neighbourhood school and Thursday night was our annual fundraising dinner.  I was on the line serving up spaghetti, buns and butter.

As the evening got late I got an email from my co-host and fellow Montreal Expos fan, Mick Kern, telling me that ‘Spos great Gary Carter had died after a lengthy battle with cancerous brain tumours.

The news rocked me and stuck in my craw the rest of the evening.

Why, you ask?  Well Carter was my first ever boyhood hero.  He was the reason I wore #8 in Little League…He was the reason why I played catcher….He was the reason I drank 7UP.  And while he gave me numerous baseball memories, he also provided me with one of my most memorable life moments:

In 1998, as we were getting ready to launch OSR 1200 in Ottawa, I went to Montreal to get some players to read some station liners. I saw Gary in the media dining area and approached him very nervously. But moments after I introduced myself and my reason for being at the Big O, he asked me to sit with him… and we talked about what I was doing in sports radio, how I got my start in the business and what I wanted to do down the line.

Here I was, sitting with my hero, and all he did was ask about me. That, in a nutshell is who Gary Carter was to me. A great baseball player, a man of faith, a selfless man.

And it got me thinking about meeting one of my hockey idols, Mats Naslund.  It was the 1994-95 lockout shortened season and Naslund signed on with the Boston Bruins after starring in Montreal for 8 seasons.  I was in my first season covering the Ottawa Senators and was at the Ottawa Civic Centre for the Sens and Bruins morning skate and stood in awe as Naslund strolled past me to the ice for his game day twirl.

Afterwards, I pulled a very unprofessional move.  I cornered Naslund in the Bruins room and asked him if he’d sign a photo for me after the game that night:  he said yes.

So later that day, after the B’s had beaten Ottawa, I pulled a photo out of my duffle bag and approached Naslund, Sharpie in hand.  It was a picture of his playing for the Habs against Boston at the Montreal Forum.  It was a shot of him leaning over at LW awaiting a face-off. 

True to his word, and in a very discreet way (because reporters are not supposed to ask for autographs) he personalized the message:  To Mike, Best Wishes, Mats Naslund 26

As Mick alluded to on Hockey This Morning on Friday, it was a moment where I became a kid again…I was giddy, I was star-struck, I was a fan.

And when I met Gary Carter that August day in 1998, it happened all over again, and in an even more personal way.

I have a Gary Carter autograph from him from my younger days tucked away at home and want to send him and his family the same greeting he wrote to me:

God Bless.

Thanks Kid

 

Catch Mike Ross and Mick Kern weekday mornings from 7am to 11am ET / 4am to 8am PT on NHL Home Ice, Sirius 207/XM 92

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Class of the East

February 17, 2012 By

Going into the 2011-12 NHL campaign, hockey pundits and fans alike were not quite sure what to expect out of the New York Rangers this season.

For starters, the team was coming off a season in which they had to fight until the very last game of the regular season in order to clinch a playoff spot. The Blueshirts would wind up losing to the Capitals in five games in a very one-sided series.

Secondly, no one knew what exactly Brad Richards was going to do. The team signed him to a whopping 9-year deal in the off-season and given past history with the Rangers and high-priced unrestricted free agents, it was definitely a gamble.

Lastly, no one knew what the health of sniper Marian Gaborik was going to be. He was coming off a somewhat injury-riddled season and one in which he scored just over 20 goals.

Fast forward to now and the New York Rangers find themselves at the top of the Eastern Conference and very near the top in the entire NHL. While it may be a surprise for many, it really should not be based on how they have played this season.

For starters, the team has gotten unbelievable goaltending from their starter Henrik Lundqvist. This season, Lundqvist is 27-11-4 with a 1.77 goals against average, a .941 save percentage and 7 shutouts (As of this writing…February 16, 2012). Lundqvist is easily the Vezina Tropy favorite for best goaltender in the NHL this year.

Secondly, the Rangers have had balanced offense all season long. Gaborik has had a strong bounce back season and leads the team in scoring with 49 points on 27 goals and 22 assists (As of this writing…February 16, 2012).

The team has also gotten solid offensive performances out of the likes of Ryan Callahan (23-19-42), Brad Richards (17-22-39), and Derek Stepan (11-26-37) (As of this writing…February 16, 2012). The team is able to roll all four lines on a somewhat consistent basis and in the NHL, that is considered a luxury these days.

The Blueshirts have also been very strong defensively. Defenseman Michael Del Zotto has had a terrific bounce back season and leads all Rangers’ defensemen in scoring and +/- (As of this writing…February 16, 2012).

The Rangers have also had absolutely terrific play from defensemen Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh. While defenseman Marc Staal was out with post concussion symptoms, Girardi and McDonagh anchored the defense and have done so all season long.

This could end up being one heck of a tough hockey club to play come playoff time this year, eh?

Patrick Hoffman is a veteran hockey writer/blogger based in Fairfield, Connecticut.

On top of his work for Kukla’s Korner, Patrick covers the NHL for the Red Light District Hockey Blog and also contributes to Sportsnet.ca.

Prior to writing for the above-mentioned outlets, Hoffman’s musings have been published on TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Spector’s Hockey, Hokeja Vestnesis, Blueshirt Bulletin, SNYRangersBlog.com, here on NHL Home Ice from 2008 to 2009, as well as a slew of others.

For comments and hip checks, feel free to contact Patrick at patrickhoffman3530@gmail.com or on Twitter at @pathoffman35.

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Canadiens’ Playoff Hopes Diminishing

February 15, 2012 By

When you are fan of the Montreal Canadiens, you live and die by your favourite hockey team.

Unfortunately, many Canadiens’ fans have experienced both this season as the team has had an up and down season to say the least. Unfortunately, it has been more down than up for the team and its die-hard fans.

The Canadiens currently find themselves in the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference with 55 points (As of this writing…February 14). While the team is only seven points behind the eighth place Toronto Maple Leafs (As of this writing…February 14), the club is also two points in front of the 15th place Carolina Hurricanes (As of this writing…February 14).

For the Canadiens, this is simply par for the course this season. The team is not bad enough to be in last place in the East but is also not good enough to be considered a playoff hockey club right now.

Monday night’s 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes is the perfect example of what the team’s season has been like up to this point. The team spotted the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead before playing one of their best periods of the season in scoring 3 goals to put themselves back on top in the game.

Unfortunately, the Canadiens were not able to hold onto the lead and eventually ended up losing the game by a score of 5-3. Again, the Canadiens were not terrible enough to lose this game but at the same time, they were not good enough to win it either.

Something must be done to this hockey club in the off-season. This team needs more scoring, a better general manager and may be, a better coach, although this is certainly not Randy Cunneyworth’s fault.

Unfortunately for the Canadiens and their fans, it could be a long off-season as the team may miss the postseason for the first time since 2006-07. Should that happen, be ready for anything in Montreal.

Patrick Hoffman is a veteran hockey writer/blogger based in Fairfield, Connecticut.

On top of his work for Kukla’s Korner, Patrick covers the NHL for the Red Light District Hockey Blog and also contributes to Sportsnet.ca.

Prior to writing for the above-mentioned outlets, Hoffman’s musings have been published on TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Spector’s Hockey, Hokeja Vestnesis, Blueshirt Bulletin, SNYRangersBlog.com, here on NHL Home Ice from 2008 to 2009, as well as a slew of others.

For comments and hip checks, feel free to contact Patrick at patrickhoffman3530@gmail.com or on Twitter at @pathoffman35.

 

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Shalley-Kern Graduated Point System

February 15, 2012 By

Talking with the Shalley Lama (he knows all) the other day while hanging out in the swanky NHL Home Ice offices, the conversation wound its way through a myriad of topics; pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training, weather in Thunder Bay, how to best take out a small army of mercenaries armed with only a pocket knife, and the NHL point system.  The Shalley Lama (he knows all) was lamenting the current state of his beloved Chicago Blackhawks, so we were going through their upcoming schedule, to see if there was a gimme game in there.

Standing out like a beautiful woman in Thunder Bay was the name Columbus Blue Jackets.  That should be an easy two points for the Hawks (though ask the Blues about that).

All things being equal, Chicago should take two points from the lowly Jackets.  Which got us to thinking.

Sports teams have graduated seat prices, just another way to separate you from your money.  You pay more to see the Detroit Red Wings, or New York Yankees, or Dallas Cowboys.  Despite the blatant cash grab inherent in this approach, it is logical to expect to pay more to see a good/popular sports team in action, as opposed to the dregs of the league.

Why not apply the same logic to the actual games we are paying to watch?

Why should a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets count for the same amount of points as a win over the New York Rangers, or St. Louis Blues?

The Shalley-Kern Graduated Point System addresses that, and in turn, reinvigorates the pro sports landscape.

Using the National Hockey League as a template, we present to you the basics of the Shalley-Kern Graduated Point System.

The league shall be divided up into three sectors.  No, the conferences and divisions stay exactly the same, and the beauty of the SKGPS is that if realignment eventually occurs, the three sector system remains intact.

To further explain; before the regular season starts, the league is divided up into these three sectors:

-          TOP ECHELON TEAMS

-          MIDDLE ECHLON TEAMS

-          LOWER ECHOLON TEAMS     

These rankings are determined by the previous season’s final regular season standings.

After the league has reached the 20-game mark (this will be averaged out, because not all teams reach that mark at the same time), the three sector system is re-seeded.

 When facing a Top Echelon Team, a win counts for four points.

When facing a Middle Echelon Team, a win counts for three points.

When facing a Lower Echelon Team, a win counts for two points.

A Top Echelon Team is determined by a team’s point ranking in the NHL standings.  The top ten teams are considered Top Echelon Teams.

The next ten teams make up the Middle Echelon Teams, and the bottom ten teams comprise the Lower Echelon rankings.

Under the current point system, which will be open to review, both teams still receive one point for a regulation tie, regardless of their Echelon status. 

If a regular season game is not decided during the five-minute overtime period, then a shootout will still be utilized to decide the outcome, with the winner receiving the extra points based on what echelon-based team they just defeated.

Yes, the point system as we know it will be out of sync with past NHL campaigns, but we strongly feel it is time for such a radical change, as it better reflects, and rewards, the stronger teams in the league.

It also allows for teams that have struggled in the early part of the season to make significant leaps forward, so that no team is truly out of the playoff race if they can win a number of Top and Middle Echelon games.

As part of this new point system, we also advocate moving the NHL Trade deadline to February 1st, though that date is also open for discussion.

There will still be 16 teams (8 in each respective conference) that qualify for the post-season, therefore the SKGPS will not apply in the playoffs.

But it would apply in the regular season, which we strongly believe will add to the excitement of the greatest game in the world.

 

SKGPS President Mick Kern

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