When You Wear Your PJs On Game Day and Other Musings From Around the League. . .

Oh those Canadiens. After being in Boston on Saturday, and thus being reminded of the Boston/Montreal afternoon Super Bowl tilt yesterday, I decided to tune in. Not right away, but about halfway through the game.

When my eyes adjusted to the site before me, my first thought was, oh, the Canadiens decided to wear their pajamas to the rink. Excellent.

Note, if you haven't had the chance to seen them, I'll try to post a photo later. To paint a picture, the sweaters were your bleu, blanc, et rouge, in horizontal stripes. Their socks were the same pattern as well. It was dizzying to say the least.



As a note, they were apparently worn during the 1912 season when the Canadiens were a NHA franchise. The CAC on the white maple leaf, stands for "Club Athletique Canadien."

Well in 2009, however, they did not prove to inspire, apparently.

In the part of the game I watched the Canadiens looked flat. The Canadiens dominance of their Boston rivals has definitely slowed since last year's playoffs, but it just looked outright gone yesterday. The only thing that felt old time about the rivalry was listening to the broadcast by Bob Cole. He has a way of making it all seem incredibly nostalgic, which is somewhat rare nowadays.

Back to the teams at present. As if it wasn't bad enough losing to your rival, on Super Bowl Sunday, wearing your pajamas, things did get worse for Montreal.

In a short time period, Robert Lang, Matt D'Agostini, and Guillaime Latendresse all went down and went off the ice. D'Agostini would return. Latendresse and Lang were not so lucky. Lang, I heard this morning, had his tendon cut by a skate blade. For the life of me and throughout the replays, I did not see that at all. But he will be out indefinitely.

So the Canadiens were down three men, four if you count #27.

For Alex Kovalev, the most baffling of superstars, was benched by Carbonneau for about 90% of the third period. This is yet another chapter in the long standing external battle between coach and player, and the long standing internal conflict between Alex and, well, Alex.

After the game, PJ Stock called him - potentially - the most talented offensive player EVER.

The problem is, it's only under the most extreme of circumstances that we see THAT Alex. I've seen that Alex. I have. For love of all the gracefulness that hockey can be, I'd hope that everyone at least once got to see that Alex.

Unfortunately, he is the undefinable example of up and down. I say undefinable because there is really no reason I can see why he plays when he plays and why he doesn't when he doesn't. I'm sure that's the million dollar question in Montreal this morning.

Almost chased out of town in 2006-2007, the best player and team MVP candidate in 2007-2008, and back to being ineffective and openly criticized in 2008-2009. Not many have had the relationship with the fans that Alex Kovalev has had in Montreal during his time there. His rise from Hero last weekend in the All-Star Game to his fall to Villain yesterday afternoon took not a full week to accomplish.

It's interesting to note, however, that Carbonneau had no problem benching his star player when he did not show up.

{pause for affect}.

Post game, Kelly Hrudey and PJ Stock discussed double standards. Apparently Kovalev played better this year with the C he was given in Koivu's absence. PJ questioned why a player who was having as horrible a year as Kovalev got the C. He said another younger player would be called out for having a bad performance, but Alex was almost rewarded. Hrudey said he thinks there can be double standards among stars, in that case. PJ obviously disagreed. Although, let it be noted, neither were defending Kovalev and his season this year. Apparently PJ was quiet the whole game because Hrudey was laying into Alex the whole time.

Anyway, Stock had said perhaps it was the PJs they wore that did the Canadiens in.

Later, he mentioned PJ Axelsson had a great game for Boston.

Ron: So PJs were good for Boston.

PJ: PJs are great.

[I was waiting for that]

PJ pokes Ron.

Ron: Why watch the Super Bowl, when you can listen to this.

Gotta love it.


Around The League:

I spent a lot of time on the way driving back from Boston and once I arrived back home listening to and watching other games.

I listened to Montreal come back against LA late in the game.

I listened to Anaheim/Colorado for a bit.

My 7pm game of choice was the Toronto/Pittsburgh game where they retired Doug Gilmour's #93 before the game.

Oh and before we continue with the game recap, we've run into Leafs Senior Advisor Cliff Fletcher.

Cliff: Who is this guy?
Burke: Doug Gilmour?
Cliff: Dougie Gilmour. hmm. Sounds familiar. Did I draft him?
Burke: Draft him? You traded for him!
Cliff: Woo-wee! What a steal. When's he going to lace up?
Burke: Lace up? They are honoring his jersey tonight. That's why we are here.
Cliff: Honoring his jersey? For what?
Burke: Uh...
Cliff: He hasn't even played a game yet and they are honoring his jersey?
Burke: But Cliff, he was the captain of the team back in...
Cliff: [smiling] I must have picked a winner. Woo-wee!

Thanks Cliff for always looking so, awake.


The real moments of the game, however, came from rookie d-man Luke Schenn.

Listening to the radio broadcast was perhaps as thrilling as watching it.

Their call as Schenn hit Malkin! And the call of the mauling of Tyler Kennedy by Schenn was beautifully intense. I didn't need to see it, I got it.

I guess you can say the Toronto radio team do not exactly love Crosby. I think that's fair to say. They made mention of when Crosby grabbed Brett Mclean off a faceoff and mauled him, tallying 19 or so minutes in penalties. If anyone else did that, they mused, it might have been a bigger deal. But because it was Sidney. . .

But back to Schenn. I later got home and watched his post-game interview. How adorable is he? Laughing, smiling, generally amicable. He really seems ages older than his 19 years. And ready, apparently, to assume responsibility for the Leafs franchise. Their steadiest defensemen happens to be their youngest. And he won't back down from anyone. It's great to see.

Also great to see, would be TWO Schenns playing for Toronto next year. But Luke won't worry about that, just enjoy the moments this year is bringing him:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Hockey/article/580744

Lastly, I watched the Minnesota/Vancouver game, mostly to see how Dan Fritsche was making out with his new team. I saw him on the ice on a regular basis, which already was a marked change from his time in New York.

And guess what - he was playing center. And taking a couple faceoffs. And, well, playing his natural position.

Tom Renney, take note.

Not that I'd say Dan had a startlingly great game, but, heck, if I hadn't played more than one game in two months, I'd need a few games to get my legs under me too. It's just good to see him playing.

In other thoughts on the game. Cal Clutterbuck. Tell me that's not a fun hockey name? Wow. I kept hearing this guy's name for a while this season, but finally got to see him play. He is fun to watch. Well, he was fun to watch until he took the 5 minute boarding major and was tossed for hitting Alex Burrows from behind. Burrows got a nasty gash by his right eye.

In Vancouver, Mats Sundin is getting booed. Booed badly. And Vancouver is just not playing well. By losing at home on Saturday night, the Canucks continue adding games to their franchise worst home ice losing streak. Not a distinction a team that is trying to turn its franchise around wants to be making.

Now look, I didn't pick Vancouver to make the playoffs here, but I didn't think that adding Sundin would make them worse. If there even is a connection between the two at all.

Boudreau's Son, Jumbo Joe, and Mats With Hair. . .

So I finally got around to watching last weeks After Hours on HNIC. Only five days late, but I was so tired after the Rangers/Ottawa game I didn't stay up as late as I usually do. I know, excuses, excuses.

The highlights:

Bruce Boudreau's son - Brady - is adorable. He interviewed Brooks Laich, Dave Steckel, and Mike Green on a segment shown on Hockey Tonight. For those of you keeping track, Green's new nickname is Lambor-greenie, for his new vehicle. Good stuff.

Mats Sundin was the guest on After Hours after the Sharks/Canucks game. Shocking I know. Scott Oake said, it only took Mats sitting out six months and signing with a western Canadian club for him finally to appear on After Hours. He then asked if he regretted the decision now that he was here. On the show. Ouch. They did tell him he boosted their ratings though.

Mats was given a test to see which Sedin twin was which. I, by the way, think I've finally figured it out. But, sorry Mats, I'm not telling.

Mats fielded a phone call of questions from Glen Healy, former teammate with the Leafs and a genuinely good guy. Mats responded not so much in answers, but with a "fact" that the reason Scottish people, like Glen, wear kilts, was because the Vikings came downt to Scotland and made them.

He said he's still waiting for a response from Healy.

The best part, though, was watching clips of Mats from Draft Day - with hair. People think he's unattractive or menacing, and while I've never agreed with them on either front, he was an adorable little blond kid. He really was.

Like him or not, and I honestly always did, he's had a great career in this league.

Lastly:

Jumbo Joe Thornton gave another good interview, pre-Mats, with a few laughs. First he takes off his shirt pre-interview so appears with only a towel draped around his neck.

Not far into the interview, a voice heard in the background says, "Joe, put your shirt on. You are going to scare the kids!"

The voice?

Jeremy Roenick.

:)

At the close of interview Scott Oake asks Thornton to say something to PJ Stock who is coming on to do score updates. Joe says, "how am I looking buddy," or something along those lines. [Joe joked weeks earlier that there was an over 30 (or 40) league PJ could join in San Jose].

When we finally get to PJ after McClean, Hrudey, and Milbury joke about how cold Joe must be in that hallway, he jokes about how he looks and why aren't they getting on him because he looks like:

"A milk bag."

You can't make this stuff up.

On PJ's list of those snubbed for the All Star game - Patrick Marleau, Mike Green, Brian Rafalski, David Kreiji.

To which McClean said, "I"m working the game and I might not even watch it."

Gotta love it.

Summer of Sundin Finally Ends December 18th [UPDATED]. . .

Wow. Umm, so Mats Sundin is not going to play in New York this year. At all this year.

I guess it's about time there was an answer. Any answer.

The "Summer of Sundin" and all it's deadlines, quickly gave way from July 1st, to sometime in August, and before anyone could have expected it, 3 months of the season have been played, and everyone was then hearing deadlines of December 1st, December 15th, Christmas, after Christmas.

I think so many people were just sick of hearing about it. I obviously haven't written much about it (except my angry mention of it in tangent the other day earlier this week), since before the season started.

Am I happy or unhappy with Mats inevitable decison to play for Vancouver instead of New York?

Actually neither.

What I am is shocked.

A friend of mine got a text from her friend and told me the news last night. I was like, what? It actually was hard to believe. It almost still is. Almost six months of what if, and in what seems like a second, we have our answer.

I guess only Mats himself can know what was in his head and how much it was a 2-team race, or whatnot. But I can only go on what I know, which is very little and mostly hearsay, probably.

I was of the opinion that he was going to Montreal, back this summer. When summer faded, Montreal signed Robert Lang, and said, we're done, I still thought there would maybe be an outside chance.

I thought, like so many others, that if it were truly the money that mattered, he'd have been in Vancouver to start the season.

Perhaps none of it really mattered as much as his not being sure. And really needing extra time to figure it out. Not anyone's favorite thing, because a player like Mats held up a lot of other plans for a lot of teams, but it is his right and I can't fault him for that.

Perhaps after all of this time, the bad travel schedule for the Canucks didn't seem so bad to him if it was only going to be for half a season. I mean, yeah, I'm sure the money didn't hurt either. But the timing is funny.

Perhaps he saw part of the Trevor Linden ceremony and said, these guys can use a leader more than New York can and thought he could fit in there better. Maybe Mattias Ohlund, Alexander Edler, and the Sedin twins were more appealing than Markus Naslund, Hank, and Freddy Sjostrom were.

Perhaps it really was just the fact that the Rangers realized they needed to shed more than just a player or two, and were not prepared to do so at all, or certainly so quickly. And once Mats said, I want to play, he wanted to play as soon as possible.

Perhaps, we'll never truly know. There are just too many eventualities.

So to recap, I am not disappointed. I bare no ill will. I rather enjoy Vancouver and think they are a good organization. I hope Mats and the team have a better season than I thought they would, as remember, I picked them to miss the playoffs this year.

But let's face it, Rangers fans, Vancouver will have nothing directly to do with us unless there is a very, very, very unlikely repeat of the teams in the 1994 Finals. So live, let live, and let's all move on as best as we can.

And I say, as best as we can, because surely, a lot of Rangers players - those that play, like Rozsival, Kalinin, and perhaps even Gomez, and those that don't, like Prucha and Fritsche, surely wondered if they'd be around to spend Christmas in New York. As it stands, they will. For how long? I'm not sure.

I guess the only part of me that sees this as bittersweet is the part that thought, gee, Mats Sundin on Broadway, how cool would that be. Cool because I have always liked the guy, the way he played, the way he skated, and the leader he was in Toronto through good and bad times.

And Mats coming to New York would have been satisfying only more so in that it would finally answer some questions for the players on this team. Make the perhaps needed shakeup. Get guys like Prucha or Fritsche - who I still contend can be full time players on other teams in this league - out of New York so that they can do what they love to do, which is play hockey. [Even if #25's departure would cause me to burst into tears, which I won't try to deny].

Instead, they stand pat. Two surprising wins into their 3 game West Coast swing [where I was betting they'd maybe win one], and going into San Jose tomorrow night, where the Sharks will be coming off a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Detroit. I'll be curious. Tomorrow. Next week. For the next little while. On a given night, what team shows up? And even if they do show up, will they be exciting enough to watch...?

Anyway. Mats, good luck in Vancouver. Seriously, there are no hard feelings, at least not from this fan. Just a lot of questions, a lot of questions with perhaps no chance of ever being answered.


**Update Dec 20th, 11:31 am:

Great line by Larry Brooks in yesterday's NY Post online. And what I've been saying - not necessarily in regards to Mats Sundin but the team in general - all year long:

"Let's face it, though. The Rangers didn't lose Sundin yesterday. They lost Sundin on July 1 when Sather had perhaps the worst day on the market since people were jumping out of windows on Black Friday of Oct. 25, 1929."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12192008/sports/rangers/no_shock__sundin_followed_the_money_144914.htm

This team is handicapped not only for this year, but perhaps for as many as 3-4 more. For those of you that wanted or like Gomez, Drury (2007's blunders), Redden, Rozsival, and Kalinin (2008's crop of the overpaid) on this team, you have to take a deep long look and realize those moves - one, two, or all of them - will hurt the Rangers in the end.

If they haven't already.**

Utter Confusion and an Argument for Mats Sundin. . .

Utter confusion, from me, apparently. Not the team. The Rangers team said they played well, and all indications would show, they did. Hank said it was one of the team's most complete games all year.

Then why do I feel the way I do?

To start, I'll be honest. I watched maybe 25 minutes of last night's game. And by 25, I don't mean just under half of the 60 minutes they play, I mean about 25 minutes out of the 2 and a half hours it takes a spectator to watch a game.

And trust me, it was my intention to. I had a giant soda on my way home around 8:30 or so, so I could stay up. But somewhere in between that and the start of the game, I just lost interest.

You understand my utter confusion now?

I wanted to see how they would play, I did. But I guess I didn't know how much I wanted to. And truth be told, a lot of other stuff, outside of hockey, has been going on this week. Maybe it's just a bad week overall for a West Coast trip to coincide with my busy life. It is weeks like this I wish I was still in college, because I'd be able to stay up as late as I wanted and at some point today, make it up. But in this world, I don't see it happening.

Feeling Guilty:

Here's the part I hate to say and almost didn't want to. But I've tried to be honest with my feelings regardless of how they make me look, so I will continue to go with that honest.

I didn't care that they won. Again. I said it. For the second time in about a week, I didn't care if my team, a team I am very loyal to, won.

What's worse. When I walked back into the room and heard it was Nigel Dawes who scored, I was like, oh great. More fuel for Renney's stupid "he rocks" argument. And before anyone starts to think this is a biased opinion against someone for reasons other than the fact that I don't necessarily like him as a player. Oh forget it. All honesty aside. I do dislike people like him. I do. I really do.

People from Manitoba!

Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.

Really, and this is the part I must apologize for. Dawes is well liked. Seems to be an overall good guy. One of the few guys whose name I heard five years ago as the next best thing. And whether or not he lives up to that - ever - at the NHL level doesnt matter right now. What matters, sadly, is that he will, always, be the guy Renney chose instead of Prucha. And I can't shake that. I mean I know searching for logic in the actions of an illogical man is futile, and that there really IS no on-ice reason for that action. But, it still stings. And I can throw all of the anger at Renney, surely. But somehow some of it ends up going back at Nigel, and that's probably unfair.

I don't think I am the only one, at all, to suggest that he, of all the players in that 3rd line roullette, carousel, musical chairs charade, was probably the least deserving of a spot on the team. [Except, probably poor Patrick Rissmiller who never should have been there anyway].

But, lest we forget, wonder boy Dawes, Renney has to stick with his slumping playmakers. Even if they are boring and invisible. Damn illogical maddening moronic thought process!!

Okay, I'm done with that. Nigel, I'm sorry. I hope, sincerely if you are going to be in the lineup, that you produce. I really do. The Prucha debate is essentially over for now. I have to let it go. I just hope the Rangers let Prucha go - somewhere, anywhere - so he can play. I think we'd all be happier, as long as we know that with Renney here the story will be no different for him.
Now if Renney weren't here??

Back to the game. I heard on the radio that the Ducks only got 19 shots, so it certainly wasn't an intense attack the Rangers faced. Other than that, I really can't comment on the game. It would seem silly for me to do so. If it hasn't already seemed so.


In other Rangers news, Mats Sundin will make his decision tomorrow, supposedly. I have not spoken much about this in a long while. Perhaps for reason. But I now have a much more concise thought process on the whole Sundin matter.

I was not a proponent of getting Shanahan back because I thought - oh how stupid of me - that to get him would mean guys like Prucha, Fritsche, or whomever, would be sitting on the bench and not getting opportunities. Well thanks to Renney or Glenn or whoever the frack is making those decisions, young guys that were told they'd get a chance, they never did.

So, my argument meant nothing. It's Renney, not Shanahan {see blog, "With Apologize in Advance to One of Hockey's Greats} that should be apologizing to those guys for favoritism. Not Shanny.

Considering that was my only argument for not wanting Shanahan, that would have been my same argument against getting Sundin.

But if Renney will not play the young kids anyway or use them properly when he does [ I'm thinking of you Lauri Korpikoski], then I see no reason for that to, well, be a reason.

With that said, bring on Sundin!

Why?

The team is already in financial shambles for the better part of the next decade [see blog "Do the Math Rangers fans].

The team is without leadership and stuck behind the gloriously mismatched and innefective bobsie twin pairing of Gomez and Drury for the next four years - at least!!

The team lacks any sort of heart or spark that apparently makes me remotely intersted in watching them.

If Sundin comes - I will watch for him, I will root for him, because he, unlike half the guys on this team - I actually like. I always did. [Guy gave his heart to Toronto and they practically threw him out the door].

If he comes to the team, you can add him to the small, very small list, of players I actually like on this team {Staal, Mara, Vali, Hank, Naslund, Sjostrom, Zherdev, and Callahan]. I'll root for him to succeed.

Whether or not this team will be better or worse? I beg to ask, can they truly be any worse if a fan as diehard as me, who cleared her evening of all prior committments, and looked forward to the West Coast swing for months, chose willlingly to not watch the game.

Something is not good guys. If Sundin can provide some entertainment value- do it. The team is already screwed financially and screwing with their young guys already. To deny either, is to not be able to see the full picture that is, the New York Rangers.


**{Authors's note. About the whole Manitoba thing. If you haven't realized, I was kidding by now, get over it. I was.} **

Rangers/Canes Post Game Thoughts. . .

Well to say the Rangers got back on track, is accurate, I guess, if you are not looking at the whole picture. They got another win, yes. Another win in a shootout. Tell me you're surprised.

The game didn't have a bad pace at all. It was actually pretty good. The second was kind of boring, with not much action. But the first and third were not bad.

Hard to tell what was more surprising however - the Rangers powerplay goal they got or the shorthanded goal they didn't give up? Heck the Rangers even got a shortie of their own, with what was actually a really pretty play from Sjostrom and Betts (who got his 4th on the season).

What might have gotten lost in yet another typical Rangers shootout win [well typical in that they were having it, tied 2-2, but I guess a-typical in that it took five rounds for anyone to score], was the poor discpline from both teams, the Rangers especially. They took a bunch of penalties, many in the third, that they were just lucky to kill off. If the Rangers penalty kill wasn't so damn good, the whole game could have played out a lot differently.

As it was the Hurricanes went 0-8 on the man advantage. The Rangers 1-5. On a side note, Philadelphia (I believe) went 4-6 in their game versus Pitt today. See, Rangers, it is possible!!

I am not going to knock them too much, but I'm not going to pat them on the back either. It was an important win. Especially for Lundqvist. And this team will only go as far as he can carry them, that is for sure.

But it was not pretty or convincing. Too many things need to be shored up before that's the case.

Two other things real quickly.

One - Chris Drury shocked many when he gave a post game interview and did not put everyone to sleep. Good job on that. And it is good for him to get the unofficial game winning goal in the shootout. Bad he didn't seem to do much before that, but good for him.

Two - I actually really love Carolina's 3rd jerseys. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think when they wear all black, it makes me think Ottawa. But I like the logo, no matter what Al Trautwig says about gale force winds. And the numbers on the back, with the white outline, pop and you can see them perfectly.

In other news, there is no news on Mats Sundin, except that he was there at the Garden. Is he the magic piece? I . . .all I can say is I can't imagine he'd make the team any worse.

But will they let him play the powerplay??

Sundin and Shanahan. . .

I'm not commenting on either really. Just posting for the sake of posting.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2008/11/07/7336291-sun.html

So December 1st is D Day, huh? Just five months later than the first day we all thought was decision day, July 1st, 2008. Alas.

And according to the article, somehow the Rangers and Flyers make the most sense. Hmm. Well honestly, considering the Rangers need scoring and that two of their "centers" seem to play better on wing. Perhaps.

As for Shanahan, Philly does make sense because Shanny's family is in NYC and he's not pulling the twins out of school, etc. But, for less than $1 million. Didn't he, somehow, with bonuses and such, end up costing close to $6 million last year. I personally think if it were less than a million he was asking, or willing to accept, he'd be still playing for the Rangers night now.

Just a thought.

**Updated as of 11/11/08 - 5:15pm

I listened to the Isles game earlier on the radio. After the Flyers 2nd goal, the Flyers announcers said it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the arena. Which, considering how few fans come to games, I'm not surprised.

But what I am suprised at is the fact they had the game at 2pm at all. It's Veteran's Day. And yes they are Nassau Veteran's War Memorial Colliseum. It is a fact. But how many people actually get off work for Veterans Day? Enough to justify a day game? Enough to justify a day game for a team that can't draw very well anyway? And they did this on Columbus Day too, didn't they?

I'm stumped.

Note: Attendance was announced at 13,447**

The extra (although somewhat dated) stuff. . .

Alright, so there are a few things I’ve been delaying in blogging about. Either because I’ve been busy (which is true) or because I guess I was trying really hard to forget about them (which I guess I won’t try to deny). Here’s the random conglomeration one, because the other one turned from a paragraph into a giant book about #93. So. . .

-Mike Millbury being tapped to do Hockey Night in Canada. Really? Having to watch him on NBC (which I only watched during the playoffs or when the Rangers were on, for the most part) attacking people left and right wasn’t enough? Watching him with the Islanders wasn’t enough? Having him breathe the same air as me. . .okay. Okay. I’m done. But I really do not like the guy. Maybe he’s a nice guy. Maybe. But he strikes me as a moron. A smug, pompous moron. A moron who’d rather bash someone. A moron who’d rather talk loudly to try to make a point rather than think clearly and really make one that matters. Let’s just say he’s just not for me. Now maybe some people like him. That may be. Maybe Canada will love him. But as a fan who really for the first time this past year avidly took advantage of watching HNIC, it makes me want to puke. Just what role is he going to have? A Don Cherry like one? Please do not tell me they will have him on with Ron MacLean. Or mess up the tandem of Scott Oake and Kelly Hrudey on After Hours (not that I really think they would). But honestly, if they mess with what I like about HNIC, I’m going to be very, very disappointed. You already lost a long honored and highly respected theme song. What’s next? Seriously. I might have to get a l…li….life on Saturday nights – you know, go out and not watch hockey. And that is just unacceptable for me, because I happen to believe that watching hockey on Saturday night is very much a life and one that I very much enjoy. Oh and if he’s replacing PJ Stock. . .I am going to be livid. I’m still laughing about the “t-he” comment from last March. Hilarious stuff.

-Now, I know, I know, the Summer of Sundin still rages on. Or is losing steam? If the Rangers still weren’t rumored to be one of the teams still in it, I’ll admit I would have given up paying attention a long time ago. And I must apologize because this is horribly dated now because I must have listened to that segment on Vancouver’s Team 1040 more than three weeks ago? But it was still funny how the people and businesses of Vancouver took to trying to bribe Mats to come to town. Cars! Free pizza for life! These are just some of the things that people were using to lure the great #13 to Canuckville. See below in an article from Vancouver’s The Province for more details and offers. Very funny:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=6bbcc025-f02e-42f5-8a59-c9fa094c32fc

Now who said $20 million can’t buy everything? :)

The Great "Are Mondays Really That Dull?" Debate. . .

Some more quick hits to get me through this very dull Monday. (BTW, are any Monday’s really anything other than dull? I’ll leave you to ponder that later.)

-So 21 days into July and the Mats Sundin debate rages on. Will he stay? Will he go? Will he even play? I personally felt and documented last week that Mats will not stay in Toronto, and that if I had to pick, I would assume he would most likely go to Montreal. But, events of the last week have made others question whether or not Vancouver still has a good chance, despite Mats apparent preference for the Eastern Conference. I mean I guess Vancouver always had a chance, because look at the money out there. 2 years at $20 million. That’s a chance if I ever saw one. But apparently, as I heard on XM 204 last week, Vancouver is trying to sweeten the city in Mats eyes by saying the 2010 Olympics will be held in Vancouver. Yes, I see that. And apparently Mats is a prideful Swede, as I always knew he was. So playing for his home country would be a great honor for him. His home country. Have you ever listened or taken part in the utter glorious insanity that involves Canada and Canadians competing in the Olympics? They love it. They need it. They are devastated if they lose any world competition where hockey is the game being played. I’m not saying it’s wrong. I still believe hockey is Canada’s game and I proudly support Canada for giving me the game I love. But. . .you really are going to tell me that Canuck fans in Vancouver will cheer their potential captain as he leads Sweden to a gold medal in the 2010 Olympics? That he won’t be knocked down (although understandably) in the wake of such a glorious personal achievement if the city that has persuaded him to come and has loved him for his greatness in black, gold, and orange – whoops sorry, I meant blue, maroon, and navy. uh, er, what was I thinking, I really meant - his greatness in blue, white, and green (whew!) because they are so devastated the red and white didn’t win gold? Right. Sure. I believe that. And for all those doubters saying, oh but Sweden will not win. They can’t win. Umm, then what happened in 2006? Canada is and was and will probably always be the favorite, but they do not always win. And Sweden (with guys like Nick Lidstrom, Henrik Lundqvist, and Sundin) has just a good a chance as any. Just something to think about before planning any Olympic celebrations with captain Mats in Vancouver.

-Am I letting the IIHF stuff bother me? No. Honestly, it hurts my head. And even though it’s summer and the off-season and the closest thing to a “break” I can ever hope to get, it still hurts my head. So I think I’m going to go the way of waiting. Waiting to see how this really affects the NHL and its players. If this is just another temporarily blip or if it’s something to get really worried about. If it is, then I’ll worry. But for now, palm trees, sandy beaches, raspberry margaritas. Whoops, sorry, that’s someone else’s life! I can only dream. Where was I? Oh yes, but for now, messy cubicle, poor air quality, I’m-not-sure-if-its-uv-protected-or-uv-enhanced-water from the kitchen filtration unit. *Sigh*

-Jonathan Toews being named captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, third youngest captain in NHL history behind Sidney Crosby and Vincent LeCavalier. Toews says he’s not he most vocal in the room, but it’s about what he can do on the ice. I guess it’s better him saying that than…well, than someone who wasn’t good. J Greatly looking forward to watching the Hawks this season and seeing NY open their home season (literal home season, not including the games in Prah-ha) against them at the Garden. That should be a fun one. I’ll start taking over and under numbers on goals for Toews and Patrick Kane combined - 3? 4? 5? Too early to predict, I guess.

-So the results are in. Chicago and Detroit are the two teams I’ll be watching on New Year’s Day 2009, while tired, dehydrated, and quite possibly hung-over. ;) I’m kidding. Seriously. Really. Well, maybe not. But if it wasn’t going to be in New York and/or have the Rangers, I guess it’s really cool it’s in Chicago on a famous field like Wrigley. That’s a trip I have to make. No, no, not for the hockey game. For a beer, a hotdog, 9 innings of dreadful boredom. (again, kidding!) That kind of a trip. Seriously though, I’ve never had the pleasure of going to Chicago. I hope to go and see a ball game, a hockey game, and all the city has to offer. But if I’m in as good a state next year as I was watching this year’s Buffalo/Pittsburgh tilt on New Year’s Day, I’m just as happy to be watching the game from the comfort of my own home.

-In case anyone missed it (and I admittedly did) the Calgary Flames and Phoenix Coyotes are playing a pre-season game in September from Winnipeg. Nice. Anyone predicting a whiteout for old time’s sake? Seriously though, anyone NOT predicting a whiteout for old time’s sake?

-Which brings me to “Bring back hockey to Canada!” As much as I’m saying I feel for the Islanders and Atlanta and even New Jersey which certainly struggles to fill seats anyway - - (and don’t tell me NJ didn’t have to pay that special tax that only a few teams had to pay for not generating enough money or not having high enough attendance numbers. Guess who’s crying in Jersey? Lou and Co. Because the Rangers, Flyers and Penguins are all coming one less time to the Prudential Center next year. That’s three more high intensity, big ticket nights in Newark lost due to rescheduling. But one question. How did the all-mighty Lou let that one happen. . .?) - - I am not against having more teams in Canada. I’m for it! We all know that even if you stuck two more teams within a half an hour of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) that they’d still sell out. Come on! People in Canada wait years – decades? – for a chance to have season tickets? Tell me these people wouldn’t gladly take season tickets for an NHL team, even if it wasn’t their beloved, although not at all moments lovable, Maple Leafs? So, yes, I feel for those teams that are in the . . .well, those that are not doing so great right now, but not enough for me to not know where teams do and should belong.

-On a Rangers note, Larry Brooks and I saw eye to eye again this Sunday (In Slap Shots in the New York Post, which might just be the only thing I enjoy about waking up on a Sunday morning). I think we’re going on . . .just about every week this year and running. Good job, Larry. Kudos. Honestly. Again, you say what no one else has the guts to say. And most of the time, it’s not that far from the truthful, though sometimes painful to swallow, reality. Now if by chance the Rangers have a stellar season and everything falls perfectly into place and all these questions and these worries were for naught (for example, guys like Jagr, Straka, Avery, Shannahan are never thought about as regrets again, just pieces of the past, and guys like Patrick Rissmiller and Aaron Voros are the best pickups in NYR history, and lead the Rangers to the promised land – you know – beyond the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs), well we’ll all smile, nod, and forget you or I ever wrote these things – agreed?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07202008/sports/slats_head_scratching_summer_120656.htm?page=1

How you doing with the “are there any Mondays that aren’t dull” question? Seriously, you didn’t forget now, did you?

Thank you. Goodnight. Try the veal.

The Best of the Rest. . .

Hmmm....where to begin. . .

- Jason Strudwick is heading off to Edmonton. He's another guy I wish well. Filled his role here perfectly. Was a role model for the younger guys. (Even if he couldn't teach Brandon Dublinsky how to fight). A ham, for sure, I'll miss his interviews. Although not his singing!! But he did everything that was asked of him and more. When the Rangers had the chance to bring him back at the end of the 2006-2007 campaign from where he played for the Swiss, they jumped at it. Even if all he did was write a playoff blog and keep the players loose, he did it well. The Rangers had their best playoff run under that guidance. All signs pointed to him being a very good guy. I think Edmonton can use him similarly. He will offer good guidance and leadership for the plethora of young guys they have in Oil country. Good luck Struds. . .

-Ryan Hollweg. It was announced today that the Rangers traded him for a pick to Toronto. Sounds about right to me. I liked the guy, but never more than that. I'm sure he was a nice guy. Never game me the feeling he wasn't. But...one too many times his "boarding" calls cost the team. The entire crowd of 18,200 knew that the second he took that penalty in game 3 versus Pittsburgh in this year's second round that that would spell the end of his time in Blue. But that wasn't the first time. Whether he's getting some calls on reputation (many people think he his very, very dirty) I cannot say, but I must believe that as a player he has to be extra careful that what he does get caught for doesn't happen repeatedly. And unfortunately I never felt truly safe when he was out on the ice that he wouldn't do that. And I think that's unfortunate. Because I do think he had heart. And he did have guts. But after that last game, he just did not have a place on the team. I'd wish him well in Toronto (and I will) but if he boards and injures any NYRs next season, I am not going to be very forgiving. You've been warned, Ryan!

-Meanwhile in Toronto, we've caught up with Cliff Fletcher again: "Huh? What? You said we got him for a puck?" "A pick, sir, a pick." "A puck? What is that thing?" "A puck, sir. A puck is round, rubber, and you use it to play hockey. But I'm talking about a pick. . ." "Hockey? Hockey? What is this nonsense you speak of." So it goes in Toronto. Think Luke Schenn is still smiling? :)

-The great winner of the Marian Hossa sweepstakes went to. . .The Detroit Red Wings. I was shocked. I was stunned. Many in the Canadian community were ready to award the 2009 Stanley Cup to the Red Wings immediately. I . . . well I really can't come up with an argument why not.

-Vincent Lecavalier. . .a Lightning Bolt for life. I've already sang Vinny's praises before. I think he's GREAT for Tampa Bay. I think it's fantastic he's staying. Not every team in the NHL has a player like Vinny and not every community with an NHL team has a person like Vinny. They are lucky and he is lucky. Good for him. Now. . . if only they shore up the defense to go with those fancy, pretty goalies, huh Vin?

-Ted Nolan gets fired on Long Island today. You know, Ranger fan or not, I always liked him. Or rather I didn't dislike him. Not everyone battles demons and comes back to prove people wrong. I think he did as good a job as can be expected of him. The Islanders are a work in progress, to say it nicely. And I'm not sure if anyone has any idea where to begin. I don't think it was Nolan's fault. I really don't. And Rangers fan or not, I hope the Islanders find the road back. I have too much fun enjoying the banter with their fans. But it works best when it goes both ways. There's not too much better than a truly competitive Rangers/Islanders matchup, whatever the venue. I hope they still have some of that in them.

-I didn't get to comment on the Devils bringing back familiar faces Bobby Holik and Brian Rolston. In almost all situations, I love the player-returning-home scenario. I just feels good. I like Rolston a lot and have really come to like watching him play in Minnesota these last few years. And while I really, really did not like Bobby Holik, the experiment on ice, while he was in New York, I must admit he is a nice and genuine human being. One of the nicest. And a proud person, like so many Czechs. And like Jagr who loved and respected good old Ronnie Reagan, Robert Holik appreciated America. In fact he made it his goal to become a U.S. citizen. Devil, Ranger, or Thrasher, I salute him for that. And I wish both of them the best of luck in NJ, minus the eight times a year they play the Rangers, of course. (authors note: 7/31/08 - okay, and apparently I did already comment on this. My shoddy memory deceives me. See Reflections on Day One. . . from 7/2/08)

-Mats Sundin. A man without a team. Still. I love Mats. Now that we've got fellow Swede, Marcus Naslund, I know the slightly small but very real dream of having Mats come play for NY is all but faded. I have always loved Mats. I'm really one of few Rangers fans that have always liked Toronto (despite my ribbing. . . that's all it is!) and liked their captain. I'm not going to lie about it. But Mats just kinda encapsulates great player with great struggle for great success - personal that is. I just feel that Mats was so willing to stay in Toronto and took so much heat for not being Canadian (to start) and that he proved that he was finally worthy. And I wish for him to have had success. I do think his time in Toronto has ended, and part of me finds that very sad, but sometimes teams and players get hurt by one another. (Ask Brian Leetch). Mats deserved respect. He eventually got a lot of it. But not when it counted the most. He wanted to stay the rest of his career in an Original Six uniform. He gained and held many team records. He was loved by the fans. He didn't want to be traded. He wanted to go down with the sinking ship. Mats should have been applauded. Instead he was publically ridiculed for it. It's something he might never get over. (Again, ask Brian Leetch!) Leetch, of course, was ungraciously sent out of town (ironically to Toronto) when he wanted to stay with the fast sinking ship that was the 2003-2004 New York Rangers. A lifetime Blueshirt, he was proud of his place on the team and wanted to stay there, despite knowing he might never play on another playoff team again. But he got shipped out with no warning (on his birthday!). He's now mended ties and came back for what was a glorious banner retirement ceremony. He's gotten over it. But he hasn't forgiven and he hasn't forgotten. What will become of Mats Sundin in his once loved home of Toronto? Again, I love Mats. I respect whatever he chooses. But I'd love to see him play again, no matter what the team.

-But goodness help Vancouver if he decides to stay East, and where I'd have to assume Montreal is the front runner. When did Vancouver become Atlanta and Edmonton? Of course the great and personal favorite of mine, Trevor Linden, saw it time to retire, but Marcus Naslund to New York. What next? Roberto Luongo suddenly missing the sunny skies of Florida? The Sedin twins going home to be pro golfers? So much is falling apart in once proud Canuck-ville. :( I'm not happy with what I'm seeing.

-Speaking of Atlanta. . . if one more big name leaves. . .does anyone really think Ilya Kovalchuk is loyal enough to stay? In Georgia? Alone? I feel bad for Toronto and for Vancouver, but I cannot feel worse for Atlanta if that becomes the case.

-Lastly, in sad stories of NHL careers cut short, Eric Lindros's (another good guy who doesn't get enough credit for being a good guy) story is right up there. But who else can compete with Peter Forsberg. Does a player that great deserve to continue going in and out like this?

-At least with all the other drama going around the league, I don't have time to think about how the Rangers and their new players will mold with their old players to create what is turning out to be a very. . .interesting. . .team in blue next year. If Nik Zherdev can play like he can, look out! I've seen those moves on Columbus. But I've also seen the year he was unhappy and indifferent. So I'd expect those razzle-me-dazzle moves every game, but I'm more expecting a repeat of the fate of another young Russian's role on Broadway - Alex Kovalev. The great magician of them all. The greatest talent in the world. Take a few years off. There he goes - wow, look at him go! Oh, no, the career is over. Oh, but he's back again! I tell you what, for Nik's tenure on Broadway, I'll take Alex's 1993-1994 campaign in NY and his 2007-2008 campaign in Montreal. Hopefully with less of the muck in between. (Love you though Kovs!)