*So I, for one, was shocked with the whole Marty Biron to the Island signing, and something tells me I was not alone. The Isles office makes it seem like, oh, we have 3 potential #1 goalies now. Yes, but guys, I beg to remind you - uh, that's not, uh, normal.
It is what it is though, right? If I had to take a guess - and I do, mind you, like Biron a bit and think he's better than given credit for - I'd say Biron got enticed to go to the Island full well thinking he could steal the #1 spot from Roloson, who, probably, thought he was getting the #1 spot when Rick fell to whatever injury was just waiting to happen.
I may be a Rangers fan and, by default, people may assume I wish bad for the franchise on the Island. Not true. I hope they do improve and I don't want them going anywhere before they get the chance to do so. Too much fun, those rivalry games. And as much as I was never a Rick DiPietro fan, and mocked and was shocked by his lengthy signing, it's no good for him and no good for TeamUSA if he's truly done at so young an age. We may all mock, but I don't think anyone wants to see that happen. Rangers fans have had to watch two goalies retire this decade alone due to injury. It's not happy for anyone.
I'll be curious - very curious - to see how this plays out.
*So Marian Hossa is apparently injured. Very injured. Not play til late December injured. I mean the Blackhawks had him take a physical. And they signed him to a 12-year deal, which even to me made little sense just because it's sooooo damn long and I just don't see how they had the money to spare. Radio speculation was abound today. I mean Tallon, a supporter of Havlat, is let go last week. Havlat, obviously a big supporter of Tallon, is ripping into Chicago management on Twitter. And the guy they got instead of Marty, looks like he will be off the ice for a significant part of the season. It keeps getting more and more interesting.
*Good interview with Glen Healy on the Team1040 today. Next winter Olympics are set to go in Russia in 2014. Healy praised Ovechkin as the best player in the league and an ambassador for the Olympics and the NHL. Said about 96% of the player vote was in favor of player participation in Olympics. He pondered, as do many, just what someone like Alex Ovechkin, or Geno Malkin, would do, if the NHL players were not allowed to play in the winter Olympics in Mother Russia? It's a good question.
Me personally - and we'll delve into this as the 2010 games get closer - complain that the NHL takes a break and I hated, like all Rangers fans, how horrifically the Olympics wrecked the momentum of the 2005-2006 Rangers, a team I love, adore, and miss terribly. BUT, I remember the 2002 Olympics with such fondness I can't even express to you. And I had such a vested interest in the 2006 Rangers playing for their home squads, it'd be hard to imagine NHL players not participating. Once upon a time I probably would have said, I wouldn't watch without NHL players. Now, probably, I can admit I'd still watch, but it'd be for team pride and not for the need of following a group of players I knew. It would be a different experience, that's for sure.
I guess I just see how important it it for the players, playing for their home country. I think back to that day - February 22, 2002, if not mistaken - as I, with tears in eyes, watched Theo Fleury and Eric Lindros, celebrating wrapped in Canada's colors, and thought, well, hey, at least some of our guys won.
*That's it for now. Sorry for the extreme lack of posting. I'm going to stop saying it's laziness and just blame it on summer. =)
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2 comments:
IMO... DP is not done. Although initally when Biron was signed I couldn't think of any other senerio that made any plausible sense for the Isles to sign a third goalie. But considering that Biron can be inconsistent, and that Roloson is as old as he is and didn't play too many games last season, it made sense to have two legit starters for the club. Meaning DP won't be a starter for the Islanders next season. Basically, he's an injured mess, but still can be a top 10 goaltender in the NHL and has just about forever left on his obnoxious contract. If the Islanders can give DP (another) year off to become completely healthy, he can lead Tavaras, Okposo, Bailey, etc into being a talented young core for the Islanders to start being respectable once again. Of course, considering how injury prone he is, it's possibly a useless endeavor. But if it CAN happen... this team is set for years. Not as set as Pittsburgh, but set, none-the-less.
Also, if by chance DP is healthy and ready (and really ready, I don't mean sitting in as a backup when he can't possibly play like they did to him this past season)then at the trade deadline they can sell Biron and/or Roloson off to a team that needs a veteran presence in goal to try and make a Cup run.
Maybe Chicago thought by locking him up forever, it wouldn't matter that Hossa was going to start the season injured? IDK. That organization's a bit out there recently.
And I LOVE the Olympics, and will be pissed if they don't allow these NHLers to play for their home countries. They deserve to play for their countries. It's very important for a lot of them... Americans and Canadiens, too, but especially those from Europe and Russia, who don't live at home on a regular basis and never get to play for their country. I love watching Olympic hockey and seeing my favorite NHLers take part in it. And, although I did adore that 2005-2006 team that was hurt by the Olympics, I still loved watching Lundqvist win.
Didn't love Jagr being hurt so much, though ll.
Grreat blog
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