Turning Point in Rangers' Season

It's been quite a while since I was able to post here, because my wife and I welcomed our first child into the world recently, and, as you can imagine, it has kept us quite busy.

During this time, the Rangers seem to have found their game, winning 7 of their last 8 games to move within one point of the first-place Flyers going into tonight's showdown in the City of Brotherly Love.

So, what turned the Rangers season around? Some might say their recent string of wins is due to Captain Jaromir Jagr re-emerging as a dominant force. Or, Scott Gomez beginning to settle in and find his game. Some might even say the emergence of the Rangers' "kids" have energized the team.

While all of that may be true, I prefer to think my daughter has made all the difference. The team's current 7-1 run just happened to coincide with her birth, and she has become the good luck charm for the season. I have posted a picture below of her enjoying (sleeping through) her first Ranger game.

Out-of-Sync Gadget Transformed Into Defensive Machine

After the Rangers collective contraption blew a gasket against the Ottawa Senators on October 13, when they gave up 3 goals in 52 seconds, I described them as being “like a rich kid’s rendition of an out-of-sync gadget thrown together for a science class project”. Link to October 13 article.

This description* actually made a Philadelphia Flyers fan (JD FLYGUY) write: “You have no idea how much that made my day. I think I have a new favorite quote. That's pure genius”. Link to JD FLYGUY’s quote (in comments section).

The irony is that after shutting out the Flyers 2-0 tonight, the Rangers seemingly out-of-control science project is beginning to resemble a defensive Frankenstein, which was masterminded by a mad hockey genius.

Having given up only 2 goals in their last 4 games, 8 goals in their last 8 games, and a league low 23 goals in 14 games, the Rangers find themselves as the league’s top defensive team with a GAA of 1.64.

The Rangers, who’ve amazingly also scored a league low 1.78 goals per game, have obviously found the answer to their season-long offensively offensive woes—the best offense is a good defense, combined with a royal goalie (King Henrik Lundquist).

Humorist’s Hindsight: In the NOT DEAD YET category, Brendan Shanahan is trying to bury the October 17 pronouncement by myself and former Rangers statistician, Nomar Goles, that his goal scoring ability is “dead”. Shanahan has scored 3 goals in his last 4 games, including resurrecting his patented one-timer against the Flyers tonight.

In figuratively trying to stay off the “corpses’ cart” that was immortalized in the classic film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Shanahan has not only proclaimed his goal scoring as being “not dead yet” with his recent surge, but he was also overheard after tonight’s game saying, “I feel happy. I feel happy”.

*The original quote that JD FLYGUY responded to was “like a rich kid’s rendition of a gadget thrown together for a science class project”. I later added “out-of-sync”.

Courtesy of The Hockey Humorist - http://hockeyhumorist.blogspot.com/

Boulerice in and Boulerice out...simple as that!

First went Downie, then fell Boulerice...

29-year old enforcer Jesse Boulerice has been suspended 25 games by the National Hockey League for his striking hit on Canucks forward Ryan Kesler's face last night in Vancouver.

The suspension bodes nicely with prospect Steve Downie's out of training camp on Ottawa's Dean McCammond (he got 20 games).

But as for Boulerice, he's in and out.

Signed October 3rd as a free-agent to a 1-year contract, Boulerice was expected to assure a depth role on the Flyers checking lines this season.
But one week and two days into his Flyers tenure, the Plattsburgh, New York native gets slapped with the longest single-season ban in NHL history.

Longest NHL suspensions ever include:

Chris Simon, NYI March 2007, 25 games
Jesse Boulerice, PHI October 2007, 25 games
Marty McSorley, BOS Februaru 2000, 23 games
Gordie Dwyer, TAM September 2000, 23 games
Dale Hunter, WAS May 1992, 21 games
Steve Downie, PHI September 2007, 20 games
Todd Bertuzzi, VAN February 2004, 20 games
Tom Lysiak, CHI October 1983, 20 games
Brad May, PHO November 2000, 20 games

"This was more than a careless and reckless play," Colin Campbell said. "It was senseless."

Paul Holmgren expected nothing less than that from Campbell on this situation.

"Is 25 the worst?" he said. "It's pretty close to what I expected."

Boulerice isn't new to massive suspensions, in fact, he was suspended one entire year in 1998 by the Ontario Hockey League for his newfound fondness for "stick-swinging", something Habs fans can remember Alexander Perezhogin for during his short-lived Bulldogs stay

The following year, now in the American Hockey League, Boulerice didn't get the nod to play until mid-November, when he was ruled "eligible" to return to action.

He will be eligilbe to be reinstated to the Flyers active roster December 13th against the Montreal Canadiens; but one can wonder if he'll ever suit up for the Flyguys ever again.
It's unlikely, in my opinion, that Boulerice gets a second chance for his infraction and if anything he'll salt the rest of the season down on the farm with the Flyers' AHL affiliate Phantoms.

It's not as if he was ever good or effective in his role to begin with.

-BBeR

A New Beginning

And it has begun.

The 41st season in Philadelphia Flyers history began last night with a clutch 3-2 victory over the Western Conference powerhouse Calgary Flames. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous going into the game. Our preseason ended with a sketchy 3-5 record, and there was still some chemistry issues that were being addressed in practice. Not to mention - we were facing Kipper and Iginla in our first game. Can you say "test?"

Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic about the moves that Paul Holmgren made in the off-season, but having at least 9 new players in your roster can make for some lofty confusion on the ice. Fortunately for the Fly-guys, last night's game lacked the issues fans and media alike were half-anticipating.

The game featured impressive performances from Danny Briere (first goal and game winning goal), Simon Gagne (2 assists), and Mike Knuble (1 PP goal, 1 assist). Aside from the first line point-getters, Mike Richards and the understated Braydon Coburn had especially strong games. Richards' forechecking game was determined, high in energy, and consistent. He played a ton of minutes (19:10) and seemed to make something happen every time he stepped out. Coburn's game didn't involve any points, but holy-defensive-positioning Batman - this guy was just great when it came to being responsible on the ice. He's often overlooked when he doesn't put up any points, but I can honestly say that he looked like one of the most confident defensemen on the ice.

In other Flyers/NHL news, I had a chance to chat with former Flyer defenseman Chris Therien last night before the game. I've been trying to find out what's going on with free agent LW John LeClair since he was released in November 2006 from the Penguins roster. Knowing that Therien and LeClair are good friends from "back in the day," I figured this was my best chance to find out what the deal is - is he retired? retiring? planning on a comeback? seeking a contract? Whatever I could find out, I was happy with.

When asked about LeClair's status, Therien told me to "consider him retired...He's had a tremendous career and [now has the chance to] ride off into the sunset." I couldn't have said it better myself, Chris. Although, what I wouldn't give to see him play one more game in the NHL.

Here's to John LeClair, his extraordinary career (even though it's not officially over), and a new beginning for the Flyers in the 2007-08 season.

What Do You Think?

As you probably have heard or read, in the Flyers vs. Senators game last night, Flyers rookie right wing Steve Downie absolutely crushed Senators veteran left wing Dean McAmmond. Unfortunately, I had to miss the live broadcast because of class, but replays have been clogging highlight reels since. My reason for saying this is that I didn't get to see the context of the hit (which team was in possession of momentum at the time, etc.).

I've gotta be honest, I think it was a pretty dirty, bad hit. I don't necessarily think it was blatant, because I believe Downie was merely trying to give his team a boost in a visiting setting - plus the fact that he apologized immediately afterwards. He's an agitator, and that's his game. I'm not a fan of agitators in general, but I understand their part in the game. Don't get me wrong, I love a good hard hit here and there - it shows energy and drive to win. It's just I'm not a fan of their style in general (hit first, score second). I'm a firm believer that a good "stick-it-to-em" strategy relies on hitting AND scoring.

From what I can tell he hit him with his shoulder, but it also seems evident that he left his feet in order to make the hit. I'm a Flyers fan to the um-teenth degree, but I really have a problem with dirty players representing my team, my city, and my fellow fans. I have a feeling that if he makes the NHL club he'll be penalized by the league, and the next time he plays against Ottawa he might want to watch his back. From what I've heard, Brian McGrattan has quite the vendetta out right now. What do you guys think? I can't be the only one with an opinion on this one.

Here's the video so you can all see what I'm talking about.

Anticipation: Philly Style

After easing my summertime hockey withdraw at rookie camp this morning, I felt it was about time my Philadelphia season preview was written. We have been called the most improved team in the NHL by Sports Illustrated, and unless you've been hiding under a rock this off-season, you know why. We weren't the team that got arguably the top 2 free agent centres (NY Rangers - Drury, Gomez) to bolster our offense, but we were the team that reconstructed it's roster, from top to bottom.

For those of you who haven't beeen enlightened, I'll give a brief synopsis.

Before season's end, the Flyers newly appointed GM, Paul Holmgren started the re-vamping of the roster. As the trade deadline approached, Holmgren decided it was in the best interest of the club to part ways with captain Peter Forsberg. Foppa was sent to Nashville in return for highly regarded defensive prospect Ryan Parent, a 1st round pick in the upcoming Entry Draft, and quick fan favorite Scottie Upshall. If that wasn't enough, he kept going. He acquired Buffalo goaltender Martin Biron for a 2nd round pick (T.J. Brennan), Atlanta defenseman Braydon Coburn, and Chicago defenseman Lasse Kukkonen. Not bad for only a few weeks of work.

Prior to one of the most anticipated free agency periods in recent memory, Holmgren showed the hockey world that he was here to stay by sending the Pred's 1st round pick (Jonathan Blum) back to them and acquiring offensive-defeseman Kimmo Timonen and budding power forward Scott Hartnell. Soon after shocking the hockey community with his bold move, he prepared for a free agency period that would truly change the face of the franchise, as if it wasn't different enough. Just hours into free agency, Holmgren signed star centre Daniel Briere to an 8 year, $52 million, front-loaded contract. Later in the day he continued to reassure fans by trading away frustrating defenseman Joni Pitkanen and talented, but over-the-hill forward Geoff Sanderson to Edmonton. In return the Flyers acquired locker room favorite Jason Smith and potential-driven winger Joffrey Lupul.

Whew...not-so-brief. Thanks for sticking with me. Almost done.

Many analysts are writing the Flyers off as not making the playoffs this upcoming season. What one needs to remember is that the Flyers, prior to last season, were riding a streak of 11 straight seasons making the playoffs. Another thing that people are seeming to forget is that the year prior to last season, the Flyers still had a lot of their leaders from previous years in the lineup, notably Keith Primeau (even injured, his presence was more than enough), Eric Desjardins, and Chris Therien, all of whom retired the following off-season. Point being, last year is not what people should be going by when they think of the Flyers. Even towards the end of last season, we were a competing opponent. Here is a fact that may be making you re-think our team at the end of last year: of our 19 games after the trade deadline, 13 of them were either losses by 1 goal or wins. That's 68%. That same stat before the trade deadline is 33 games out of 63, being 52%. You can't tell me that this year's team should be judged by last years overall measures after that fact.

The keys to success this season lie in chemistry, special teams, and depth. There is no doubt that the Flyers might be the best team on paper going into this season, but if there is no chemistry on the ice, the paper doesn't mean anything. Our powerplay last season was hard to watch. In fact, it felt like we had more scoring chances on our penalty kill - I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers are close. Now that we have powerplay specialist Timonen and penalty kill specialist Smith, we should have improved both areas significantly. Regarding depth, the Flyers need to prove that they can stay healthy, and if not, still succeed. 05-06 was a good year for the Flyers in that area; we set a season high for man days lost to injuries yet still made the playoffs. We had a lot of help from the minors, to say the least. What needs to happen this year is that youngsters like Ryan Potulny (a personal favorite), Steve Downie, Ryan Parent, Lars Jonsson, Stefan Ruzicka, and Ben Eager have to show that if their time comes, they are up to the task.

There aren't too many roster spots open going into training camp as of right now (0 centers, 1 wing, 0 defensemen), so look for the roster to look like it does now going into the regular season. It should be a good one Philadelphia fans. Let's just forget about last year and be excited about this one!

There were a few other points I wanted to touch on (division challenges, possible captainship, etc.), but for the sake of brevity, I'll hold off.

Otherwise, let's go Flyers!!

Briere...Montreal...Philly...media circus BS...argh!

In a recent article published by Montreal's "La Presse", new Flyers 10-million gem Daniel Briere publicly spoke out, saying he doesn't "understand some (hoho, I think you mean many) Habs fans are mad at him.

Let's just think for a second, why on earth would the greatest fans in the world of the the greatest sport in the world be upset at Monsieur Briere?

If he hasn't figured it out, then the Flyers better hope the $52 million man is more than what his words seem...utterly ridiculous.

We're UPSET Daniel because, and I speak for all Habs fans, you disappointed us....YOU chose an American-based (and really no offence meant here) team in Philadelphia, coming off a horrific season just to be with your buddy Martin Biron when instead Habs fans would have welcomed you with open arms to arguably the best hockey city in North American...YOUR hometown.

So tell me, Daniel, what's more important?

That you get a front loaded contract from the Flyers that will pay you a whopping and certainly insane $10 million for the first few seasons and $52 million overall or that you come to a city that's dying for talent...and more importantly in the majority of fans' eyes, a FRENCH-CANADIAN talent for the exact same amount?

I think the choice wasn't all that difficult, and for the very reason I will rant about below:

I'm sick AND tired of this freaking BS involving Montreal media, why can't they just zip their mouths up when it's needed and not go around busting players the chance they get or pouncing on their captain, question his leadership ability because he can't utter a word of French...pathetic.

So in a way, Daniel Briere chose money in a city where hockey isn't even as remotely popular as in dear Montreal just to avoid facing a few questions from morons who should be banned from anything that's related to interviewing (see Alex Kovalev, like come on, you'd think the guy would be more motivated to play if you weren't always on his case?), writing (practically all of RDS's crew demanding that Koivu be traded, that Huet be traded and that Latendresse plays on the first line instead of Higgins after the Habs' 6-5 loss to Toronto on the final day of the season) or making up ceremonial nonsense (like our amis over at 110% did the other day, claiming Saku Koivu has asked to be traded).

I know, I know...maybe I should pull out my violin instead of wasting my breath (or fingers) saying what's already commonly been said only in a more polite manner.

Ok, I won't totally kill the media for Briere not signing here, but here's something else worth noting..if, for all the money and hype he received, he's not at least partially intelligent enough to understand why we are upset at him in more ways than one and why he's so baffled by all the hatrid he's received, then I'm happy he didn't sign here after all; I wasn't a big Briere fan in the first place, and this certainly doesn't help.

But, why oh why, Daniel, did you have to drag this out...AGAIN, I mean, most of us have gotten over losing out on you and settling for Roman Hamrlik and Bryan Smolinksi instead, but come on, was it really worth increasing your future "booooo" burden at the Bell Centre AND show the hockey world that you aren't very bright?

Or maybe it's that there hasn't been much (or anything) for us bloggers to feast on...so, thanks, for looking out for us, I guess.

He also says he "wants to win"...I won't even comment on this, mainly because all you need to know (Timmonen, Hartnell, Briere or not), the Flyers were at the BOTTOM of the Eastern Conference last year.
I think what he meant is "I'm a big baby and I want to play on the first line because I've only had one season of more than 80 points"

Before you go blasting me because I'm a "stupid French Canadian baby", I'm not, I'm not in the least French Canadian so don't use that pathetically overused excuse to prove me wrong, but by all means, prove me wrong...feedback is really appreciated, even during rants and tough times like these!

-BBeR

Cheapskate Owners Fleece Fans on Both Ends

While I was away in Maine last week, the Buffalo Sabres announced an ingenious new ticket pricing plan. The Sabres call it the "Variable Pricing System." Here is how the team describes this new system:

Individual game tickets are based upon the Sabres innovative, Variable Pricing system, which is a newly created program where each game is designated by one of four different classifications (Gold, Silver, Bronze and Value). Each classification is determined by the opponent, time of the year, day of the week, rivalries and games against all-star players.

GOLD GAMES

Gold games will be those games that typically have the highest demand with regard to the opponent or the date of the game.

SILVER GAMES

Silver games will typically be weekend games (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) or games versus high demand opponents.

BRONZE GAMES

Bronze games will typically be mid-week games or against up-and-coming opponents.

VALUE GAMES

Values Games will be "family friendly" priced games that are offered at a deeply discounted rate for the season.

For the cheapest seats in the house, here is the price breakdown:

Gold: $68

Silver: $41

Bronze: $29

Value: $20

The Sabres host the Rangers and Flyers twice each. One game against each team is slotted as a "Gold" game and one game against each team is slotted as a "Silver" game.

So, what does this all mean? Well, it means that the Billionaire Owner of the Buffalo Sabres, Tom Golisano, didn't think it was worth his money to re-sign either Chris Drury or Daniel Briere, but he certainly thinks it's worth his fans' hard-earned money to watch them come back to Buffalo and play against their team. For the four games against the former Sabres stars, fans have to pay $218 as opposed to the regular price of $80 for games Golisano and his errand boys in the marketing department didn't deem worthy of extortion. It must feel great to pay so much extra for the right to watch these guys play for another team. Talk about pouring salt in the open wound.

This is what makes the small-market NHL owners so lovable. They whined and screamed for a lockout, and took over the wheel of the league and drove it straight into the iceberg. Now, they finally get the system they held the players and fans hostage to get, and they are complaining about the big-market teams spending too much money. But, that won't stop them from charging their own small-market fans an arm and a leg to see those big-spenders when they come to town. The best part of this is that other owners will catch onto this idea, and it will drive up revenues, which, in turn, will raise the salary cap. But, if you think owners like Golisano will take your money and use it to put a better product on the ice, don't hold your breath. They will be the ones trying to shut the league down again to lower salaries, and blaming the Rangers and Flyers for destroying the small markets, while they laugh all the way to the bank to deposit the extra money they made off those very same evil teams.

Will the Rangers go “All the Way”? - Size Does Matter

In addition to staying True Blue to my tagline of “Shooting From Angles Not Covered By Any Other Blogs”, I am going to be just a little forward and fire my rubber load (so to speak) in the direction of a subject that I have yet to see mentioned on any Ranger blogs, websites, message boards, newspapers or magazines. And if this subject has been covered in any of the aforementioned forms of “social intercourse”, its coverage has been scanty.

While the main focus continues to be (and justifiably so) on the Rangers sizzling summer, double-dip splash into the UFA pool – A.K.A. Scott Gomez and Chris Drury – other ubiquitous Ranger topics include: 1) draft day’s Russian Heist (Alexei Cherapanov), 2) the relatively peaceful signings of Henrik Lundquist, Brendan Shanahan, Petr Prucha and Marcel Hossa, 3) the signing of Sean Avery after an ornery arbitration hearing (and its long-term consequences), 4) the trading of Matt Cullen and who his replacement will be, 5) the potential impact of Marc Staal and other highly touted prospects, 6) what will become of the current glut of defensemen and how the defense corps will ultimately pan out, 7) general opinions on the Rangers chances of winning the Stanley Cup, etc.

What never seems to be brought up is a very simple question: Are the Rangers physically equipped to be capable of winning the Stanley Cup? One of the reasons this potent poser should be a timely one is the urge that some of the league has had to enlarge since the events of last spring. Once the Anaheim Ducks consummated their season with hockey’s ultimate gratification, the Stanley Cup, some NHL teams have chosen to “go with the flow” and mimic the mighty Ducks. This was evident in the 2007 entry draft, where some teams refused to succumb to the temptation of raw talent, and instead decided to reload their pistols with brawnier ammunition. After all, in this copy-cat league the physically dominant Ducks have become the envy of all their gamey rivals in the hunt for next year’s big prize.

One might argue that the league’s rules favor fast, skilled teams - not necessarily big ones, and Anaheim’s championship was more an aberration as opposed to the beginning of a new trend. This argument would be supported by the fact that no Stanley Cup winner has repeated in 10 years, and that historically a size advantage in the playoffs doesn’t necessarily become the deciding factor. The Philadelphia Flyers, in their Bobby Clarke days, are the probably the best examples. On the other hand, had the Flyers actually added an elite goalie to the mix for many of these years, their physicality might have been the force that carried them over the top to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The biggest difference between today’s hefty hockey teams and those of yesteryear is that some of the current NHL teams, namely Anaheim and San Jose, have a frightening combination of size, strength, speed and youth. Anyone, who was watching the Detroit-San Jose series, would have bet the family fish tank after game 3 that the Sharks were going to swim away with this one. But despite being seemingly over-aged, out-muscled, out-skated and out-matched for much of the first 3 games, Detroit proved in a stunning 3 game turnaround that a “strength of character” advantage can sometimes offset an entire host of physical deficiencies. Should the Sharks be able to overcome their character issues this year, their daunting endowment of assets might make them the favorites to sink their teeth into the Cup.

Anaheim is dealing with a number off-season issues often encountered by defending Stanley Cup champions, such as players contemplating retirement and an increase in their players’ perceived value (and salary demands). This often leads to the loss of some players, who are lured away by other teams willing to overpay for their services. So depending on how things shake out for Anaheim, they could be headed for a fall this spring. On the other hand, should Anaheim eventually be able to get their Ducks in a row without ruffling too many of their franchise feathers, they will be every bit as formidable as they were last year.

What about the Rangers? As much as I enjoyed their brilliant resurrection late last season, which climaxed with an improbable surge to the playoffs and a first round thumping of a throttled Thrasher team, I knew that they realistically had no chance of “going all the way”. Although the Rangers inevitable encounter with the Buffalo proved to be a much closer contest than I could have ever anticipated, ultimately they were destined to succumb to the Sabres wealth of weapons.

But even if the Rangers could have pulled off the humongous upset against Buffalo and had the stamina to outlast the Senators (in what would have been a tough and evenly matched series), their bubble would certainly have burst against a physically superior Western Conference foe.

In the playoffs, much of a team’s success depends upon which opponents they are pitted against and how well they match-up against them. The Rangers had plenty of skill and speed, but not nearly as much as Buffalo. The Rangers certainly had enough size and grit to physically stand up to any Eastern Conference team that made the tournament, but not nearly enough to withstand the perpetual pounding that they would have received at the hands of the Ducks or Sharks. Had the Rangers encountered either of these teams in the Finals, they would have been eaten alive – as Duck soup for Anaheim or as Shark bait for San Jose.

In fact, the Rangers were fortunate that Philadelphia and Toronto didn’t make the playoffs last year. In the regular season, even though the Rangers could compete with these teams, it was obvious that both the Flyers and Leafs were more broadly built than the Blueshirts. Had the Rangers faced either squad in the post season, they would have had trouble holding their own in hit-for-hit hockey. Of course, the more drawn-out a series becomes and the further into the playoffs the match-up occurs, the more difficult it is for a smaller team to cope with the carnage inflicted by their colossal counterparts. This means that the Rangers would have a better chance of surviving this kind of clash had it occurred in the first or second round, as opposed to the final two rounds.

Relatively also enters into this equation. Certainly a team can more easily overcome a disadvantage, if the disadvantage is a minor or moderate one. A real mismatch can arise when one team has substantial supremacy in size, speed, or skill.

As teams continue to assemble the off-season pieces to their respective puzzles, it’s hard to say for certain how much of a relative advantage/disadvantage each club will have next year in the desirable attributes of size, speed, and skill. We won’t know the answers until each team’s internal competitions have been decided in league-wide training camps and all their final transactions have been made.

Aside from particular line combinations and defensemen pairings, the Rangers really have only a few spots that remain in question. Assuming that Ryan Callahan and Daniel Girardi have completed their post graduation requirements from the Hartford Academy and will remain in New York, along with two year veteran, Hossa, that leaves only one center position, a couple of fourth line positions, and one or two defense positions remaining in limbo (assuming no further trades).

Therefore, we have a pretty good picture of how the Rangers breakdown in some of the key physical categories. They would appear to have good (but not excellent) team speed and plenty of skill that would probably allow them to stay competitive (in this sense) with just about any team in the playoffs – especially since the Sabres machine lost two of their main cogs in Briere and Drury. Although the Rangers parted with a very speedy center in Matt Cullen and a very skilled center in Michael Nylander, they picked up two very fast centers in Gomez and Drury – with Gomez possessing excellent playmaking skills and Drury bringing a host of intangible qualities (one of which bit the Blueshirts in the butt in game 5 of the Sabres series).

As far as size and strength goes, they’re simply not among the Rangers strong suits - notwithstanding a couple of players whose physical force could potentially wear down their playoff opponents, such as Jaromir Jagr and Hossa. This is not to say that the Blueshirts don’t have some gritty players, as well as some other players (aside from Jagr and Hossa) of impressive stature - at least 6’1” and over 210 lbs. It’s just that Shanahan, Marik Malik and Paul Mara don’t play a physical style that wears down the opposition, while Colton Orr and Jason Strudwick are fringe players who are often not dressed.

Brad Isbister, whose offensive capabilities could never be confused with Joe Thornton’s, did provide the Rangers with some well-needed bulk late last season and in the playoffs. His ability to work the boards, cycle the puck and compliment Jagr made him an effective player, and in that sense, he will be missed. I should also mention that if the question mark at center is answered by Brandon Dubinsky, then on top of the other talents he brings to the table, his ponderous proportions and feistiness would definitely be a welcomed addition to the team.

Overall, I would say that the Rangers could physically endure a playoff series against most teams, but would very likely get blown away by the power of some of the jumbo jets they could engage in battle.

The reason that I’ve barely touched upon the “joys of youth” is because a Stanley Cup championship team is generally composed of a nice blend of young bucks and wily vets. Next season, the Rangers will probably have the right mixture of those ingredients.

Perhaps the most important factor in determining whether the Rangers have a chance to “win it all” is chance itself. Who knows if the elements that GM, Glen Sather, compounds will result in good chemistry? Who knows how healthy the team will be, especially heading into the playoffs? Who knows if a topsy-turvy season will be topsy or turvy in late April? And finally, who knows in the pursuit of the ultimate conquest, what sequence of opponents will need to be conquered?

So with size being one of many uncertain variables, will Lady Luck scorn the Rangers for their physical shortcomings? Or will the Rangers have the goods to get the gold (silver in this case)? These answers will go a long way in determining how deeply they can penetrate into the big dance come next spring. The final score will either show the Rangers living large as Stanley Cup champions, or being pre-maturely humbled as inadequate also-rans.

Postscript: Should the Rangers surmount all the obstacles and defy all the odds this season to hoist hockey’s Holy Grail, then next summer they would be wise to beware of invaders from the Great White North (Edmonton). For if “Kevin the Poacher” aims his next Lowe blow at the Rangers family jewels, they must prepare themselves by defending their Cup.

Courtesy of The Hockey Humorist - http://hockeyhumorist.blogspot.com/

Did You Enjoy This Post? If So, Tell Me - If Not, Blast Me!

The REAL Crosby...

I couldn't resist, Martin Biron says it best, Sidney Crosby is a LIAR and a WHINER.



You rock Marty, man, Sabres fans must really miss you!

--BBR

NEW Flyers jersey information leak?

Reader John D. sends in the following (who will as well become a contributor for the Flyers on this blog, you interested? Shoot me an email over at bbrblog@gmail.com, now back to the topic!)

Thanks John for sending this in, really appreciated.

But folks, take it for what it's worth, John didn't get this from the team directly, so it's hardly a done deal, just a rumour.

Thought I'd let the hockey world know some inside information about the
Flyers new jerseys that will be out next year. I was at the Flyers main
practice facility today (in Vorhees, NJ) and will be for the rest of the
week. On my way out, I was talking to the staff, and we were discussing
the new jerseys coming out in the fall.

Apparently, there will be a complete overhaul of the Flyers jerseys and
it will be released on September 14th. No one, even the staff, even
knows what it will exactly look like except for this clue (thanks to the
skate shop staff): "You know what the Buffalo Sabres wore last
year...Yeah, it's like that."

Next year, the Flyers will be sporting 2 new jerseys - a black and a
white model. There will be NO THIRD JERSEY next year. When there is
one though, it will be an orange one. It is most likely going to be
released after this upcoming season or the season after that.

I hope I helped! I know it's not much information, but thats all there
is right now. I'll give regular updates when I get them.

John will also be given updates once he joins in officially on this blog!

-The Detroit Red Wings signed former Blues captain Dallas Drake to a 1-year contract worth just above league minimum at $550 K.
Drake is still effective, even at his current status, and for that price, he may just turn out to be a bargain, much like Yannic Perreault was last season with the 'Yotes.

-Speaking of em 'Yotes, Phoenix has signed former Flyers forward, Mike York to a 1-year deal.
York will net $1 millon over the course of next season before being eligible to hit the UFA market once again.
York's career has slown down big time after a few succesful seasons with the Islanders, he was dealt mid-season to the Flyers, along with defenceman Alexei Zhitnik (later passed on to Atlanta) for centre Randy Robitaille and poitman Freddy Meyer,

How slow, you ask?

I think a downfall from 53 points with the Isles in 2005-2006 to just 21 points in two-half campaigns with New York and Philadelphia is more than enough cause for concern.

-Among other news, the Stars picked up tough-guy Todd Fedoruk today, signing the enforcer to a 1-year/$850 K contract likely to drop the gloves on more than a few occasions next year.
The Canucks agreed to terms with defenceman Aaron Miller on a 1-year contract, the terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

--BBR

Flyers sign Hartnell and Timmonen...already?!

The title should really be: "Flyers acquire Hartnell and Timmonen for Flyers"

Our buddy and faithful hockey insider over at TSN, Bob McKenzie, is reporting that the Flyers have signed defenceman Kimmo Timmonen and forward Scott Hartnell to multi-year contracts.
That is, of course, after the Flyers dealt the first round pick Nashville gave to them for Peter Forsberg, in exchange for two unisigned UFA's, Kimmo Timmonen and Scott Hartnell.

Both were expected to be hot commodities on the open market.

The terms of the deals?

Hartnell, who was scheduled to become a free agent on July 1, signed with Flyers on a 6-year, $25.2 million deal for a cap hit of $4.2 million per year.

The Flyers also agreed to terms with Timonen on a 6-year, $37.8 million contract for an annual cap hit of $6.3 million.

Someone bring me some painkillers...did I just read right?
Scott Hartnell and $4.2 million in the same sentence, in this universe?

Oh God, that is huge overpayement for a guy that ammassed 39 points last year, 22 of them being goals. I understand the hype around him, but $4.2 million, at this point in this career is really overdoing it.

Now, back to the main topic: FLYERS SIGN HARTNELL AND TIMMONEN, ALREADY?!

The Philadelphia Flyers have dipped into the free agent market a little early, thanks to the Nashville Predators.
Because of Nashville's uncertain ownership future and an expected tight budget in the coming year, sources tell TSN the Predators arranged with the Flyers to give them exclusive negotiating rights to two coveted free agents — defenceman Kimmo Timonen and forward Scott Hartnell.
Sources tell TSN the Flyers have now signed both Hartnell and Timonen to long-term contracts.

Wow, wow, wow, totally unreal.

At first, I thought this wasn't allowed, that you couldn't do this, but then I just realized that you can.

Not trying to say that this is bad, but it goes against everything that free-agency means, and how it works.

I just don't get how the NHL, really, can allow a team to do this, to trade for an impending UFA and sign him, that's just trying to get to the UFA pool early...hmmm, come to think of it, if the Habs can't sign Sheldon Souray, they should trade him to a team that really wants him right away, since this kind of activity is apparently allowed!

Still, legal or not, top talent shouldn't be allowed to be taken away by any other team before July 1st, and as a result, this is going to make more than a few GM's lose their tops.

--BBR

Vanek Situation Creates Tense Times in Buffalo

Reports are starting to filter out of Canada and Philadelphia that the Flyers intend to make a sizable offer sheet to Buffalo Sabres restricted free agent Thomas Vanek. Vanek, who led the NHL in plus-minus, led the Sabres in goals with 43 and was named a Second Team NHL All-Star. Now in the big scheme of things, a player with those type of credentials deserves that type of money. Unfortunately, this type of contract concern is gigantic when it comes to a 23 year-old forward who is the cornerstone of the Sabres future. Already saddled with the likely enormous demands of free agent co-captains Danny Briere and Chris Drury the conventional wisdom is that Vanel would get mid-range money for 4 years and then score big as an unrestricted free agent in his next contract.

The reality appears to be that instead of having "affordable" young stars for two contracts team will have to pay top dollar almost immediately. This seems counter intuitive to what people expected from the Salary Cap era. It is quite possible that the Salary Cap era could end up being the death of small markets as opposed to their saving grace.

In my estimation, this has changed the entire dynamic of the Sabres off-season. I believe that Vanek has to be priority one. If they lose him it sets the franchise back years. Sure losing Briere, Drury or both would be awful, but losing Vanek would be devastating, he is that good.

I imagine teams all over will be watching this situation very closely and more offer sheets to other young stars could follow.

Hawks win first overall choice in upcoming draft...

The Chicago Blackhawks have won the first overall pick according to multiple sources.

Poor Flyers, they have a horrific year and still can't win the first one.

The bottom five had already been determined in a pre-lotto:
1. Philadelphia
2. Phoenix
3. LA Kings
4. Washington
5. Chicago

And the Hawks win...the Flyers will likely pick second.

Here's the most updated rankings from ISS:

1. Jakub Voracek, RW
2. Patrick Kane, RW
3. Alexei Cherepanov, RW
4. Kyle Turris, C
5. James Van Riemsdyk, LW
6. Karl Alzner, D
7. Sam Gagner, C
8. Maxim Mayorov, LW
9. Keaton Ellerby, D
10. Logan Couture, C
11. Angelo Esposito, C
12. Colton Gillies, C
13. Nick Petrecki, D
14. Joakim Andersson, C
15. Alex Plante, D

Hope this pick will compensate for all the "missed chances" that the Hawks had of getting Ovechkin and Malkin.

I can see Patrick Kane going to the Hawks...

Wouldn't it be nice if the Caps got Cherepanov to compliment Ovechkin and Backstrom?

Wow.

Finally. It's Over.

Fans of the Philadelphia Flyers went into this season with cautious optimism, such as I did. At the start of the season, I pegged them to be 6th, but only after acquiring Geoff Sanderson for a "cheap" US$1.5M, and trading fan favorite Michal Handzus for the budding Kyle Calder. Both plays by then- GM Bob Clarke were complete busts, as was the entire summer was for the Flyers. To replace Kim Johnsson, Clarke pegged Nolan Baumgartner, who was nothing more than a glorified AHL player. This was Clarke's big spash early in free agency, but he did outdo himself. He threw darts at a thumbtack hole when he signed Randy Robitalle, Lars Jonsson and Mark Cullen. The gyst of the Flyers offseason plan was "Were already a good team, we just need to stay healthy." Anyone with an open mind could clearly see that after being whitewashed by Buffalo in last year's playoffs, the last thing the Flyers needed to do was stand pat.

A heartbreaking 4-3 shootout loss to New Jersey on December 2 is what really signaled the end to the Flyers season. Mike Knuble scored a goal early in the 3rd period and the Flyers twarted any attempts the Devils made at tying the game, leaving to a rare later Devils penalty. Lo and behold the Devils score shorthanded goal, the first of the season for Brad Lukowich (3 of his 4 goals this season came in Philadelphia), the game is tied and the Flyers played like zombies in overtime before a weak attempt in the shootout. The Flyers before that point had shown signs of putting it together despite crucial mistakes leading to losses against Ottawa and Nashville in then-recent games. That loss against the Devils was the beginning of the end and the Flyers only won 4 of their next 24 games.

Also dissapointing, was the Flyers heralded sophomores. Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and R.J. Umberger were massive disappointments offensively. Carter and Richards both spent a significant time on the injured list, and Umberger was missing in action for more than half of the season. Antero Niittymaki left much to be desired after a 2005-06 season that left some promise that he would emerge as the #1 goalie we hoped to have. And while not a sophomore, but in his 3rd year, Joni Pitkanen was thrown into a sink-or-swim situation, and he sank despite career highs in points and assists. He left this season with more questions than answers, and hopefully he can do well in the World Championships as he has committed to playing for the Finnish National team. However, a sophomore who shined bright for the Flyers was superpest Ben Eager, who with a strong work ethic, determination and attitude has had fans being endearing to him, with numerous fans now sporting his name and #55 on their jerseys. Alex Picard has also made strides in his rookie season.

The shining bright spot for the Flyers, this season, was certainly their penalty kill. The Flyers PK was dreadful last season. With players coming in and out all season this year, the Flyers penalty kill was ranked #3 in the league at one point, led with a top unit featuring Derian Hatcher and Denis Gauthier, with Richard and Umberger seeing a large amount of time, along with Sami Kapanen and Mike Knuble who were both signed to two-year contract extensions and will probably end their careers with the Flyers.

And after the trade deadline, the Flyers found themselves stockpiled with many young assets and a new #1 goalie. Gone was Superstar Peter Forsberg, Kyle Calder, Alex Zhitnik and Petr Nedved (sent off through waivers earlier in the season). In are Scottie Upshall, who has quickly established himself as a fan favorite, scoring goals and creating scoring chances, highlighted with his overtime winning goal in Boston, with 9.9 seconds left. Braydon Coburn and Ryan Parent are two promising defensemen. Coburn will definitely find himself in the lineup next season, and Ryan Parent will see some time as well, he has already played one game vs. New Jersey last week. Lasse Kukkonen has been a solid find, he was brought in for Kyle Calder. Kukkonen was the runaway leader in blocked shots among rookie defensemen. Kukkonen's play has made himself part of the future of this team and has shown to be a valuable player.

For next season though, the player who has been responsible for Flyer fans having hope for next season is Martin Biron. Once the enemy for so many years in Buffalo, New Flyers GM Paul Holmgren made a bold move giving up a valuable 2nd round pick to ensure that this team had a #1 goalie. Biron was recently signed to a two-year contract extension, and if everything goes as planned, both sides know it will be longer than that. With a positive attitude and stellar play, Biron helped shine optimism on a hopeless season. By himself, he has drawn excitement and anxiousness for next season.

The Flyers have over $20M in cap space for next season, and will absolutely make a big splash in free agency and at the very least the Flyers will be far more competitive and hopefully make the playoffs next season.

As for a personal highlight for the Flyers this year...well, there was only 10 home wins, but A February pasting of the Detroit Red Wings is one of two shining moments I have. The Flyers were tied 1-1 after 3, but in the 3rd period, Peter Forsberg led off a 5-goal onslaught capped off with Todd Fedoruk's breakaway goal in a 6-1 win. It turned out to be Peter Forsberg's final game with the Flyers as he was traded three days later. Another would be yesterday's season ending win against Buffalo. The game meant nothing to either team in the standings, but it meant a lot to the Flyers and the fans in that building. At the very least, Flyers fans wanted just one more time to cheer and feel good about the team, and celebrate the future of the team.


I'll be back in a day or two with a Kings season review too.

Goalie makeover complete for Flyers with Biron signing...

On Trade Deadline Day 2007, Sabres goalie Martin Biron did not participate in his team's morning skate, which led to wild speculation of him being dealt.
Those rumours persisted for about an entire season and began once Ryan Miller took over Martin Biron as the Sabres number one man.

A Biron trade wasn't too unexpected but this was sure unexpected.

The Philadelphia Flyers, the worst team in the National Hockey League acquire Biron at the twilight of the season for a 2nd round draft choice.
It did shock me as I thought Biron would've been moved to a team seeking a starting man heading into the playoffs...nevertheless, the move made perfectly sense on Paul Holmgren's part.
The Flyers, having a dreadful year, weren't getting much from their goalies, young Antero Niittymaki sports a very un-cool 3.41 GAA and horrific 9-28-9 record, and the monster that is Robert Esche, whose injuries and inconsistency have merited him a 5-9-1 record and a 4.32 GAA.
I bet you Esche would be an elite goalie...in the AHL.

Esche, a UFA on July 1st, will not be coming back to the Flyers, and with Martin Biron signed on for two more seasons and Antero Niittymaki being favoured over him, there's only room in the pressbox for him.

Martin Biron happily arrived in Philadelphia and was enthusiastic about getting the once fierce Eastern Conference franchise back on its feet, and the notion of the Flyers being 100 times worse than the Sabres doesn't bother him, and it shouldn't, as he's now the undisputed clear number one guy.

And they showed him he's their number one guy by signing him to a 2-year contract extension worth $7 million, or, $3.5 million annually.
The move keeps Biron in Philadelphia until 2009 and possibly beyond.

Biron, a former Sabres first round draft choice, is 16-9-2 with a 3.01 GAA in 29 games this season and is 4-5-1 with a 2.96 GAA and .913 save percentage in 10 games with the Flyers.

The .913 stat right there is a 20 point improvement over the other two guys, whose futures in the city of Brotherly Love is now pointed to uncertain.

Esche is a goner, but Antero Niittymaki could be also, with his contract expriring at the end of the season, he's eligible for RFA status.
Niittymaki's agent has stated that his client would consider playing in Europe next season.
This scenario would be great for Antero Niittymaki, not only would he be a starter, but he won't have to permenantly back-up Biron.
However, the Finnish netminder said that it would be hard to go to Europe, as there aren't many jobs available.

"They want to give me a qualifying offer. I don't know. It's not that easy just to go to Europe. Not too many jobs available. If I sign the qualifying offer, I have to work hard to get some games next year."

"I don't think you can ever discount solid goaltending," Holmgren said. "At the end of the day, you have to have it, no matter how many goals you score. You have to have the guy who can make the timely saves and that your team has confidence in."

Biron, as I stated earlier, is excited about this challenge.

"Personally, this is very big for me," Biron said. "It was big that they came in and got me at the trade deadline, to be able to know more about me and introduce me to this organization and move forward. I want to move forward, too. That was a big part of my decision."

Biron is key for the Flyers if they expect to rebound next season and they will depend on him heavily, which raises the question if the Flyers should bring back Antero Niittymaki next season, just so he can rot on the bench, or should they just bring a minor-league scrub up like Martin Houle to back him up? Kind of like Dany Sabourin backing up Roberto Luongo in Vancouver.

Ed Snider Fulfills a Promise

When the Flyers got spanked in Buffalo back in October, 9-1, A infuriated Ed Snider let loose on a rant about how this will never happen again (a few weeks later the Flyers lost to Pittsburgh 8-2 at home). Some people think Ed Snider is full of hot air, but he was right when he said this: "The old Flyers will be back."


The first move was the re-acquisition of Todd Fedoruk from Anaheim for a 4th round pick. Todd was someone who came in and held people accountable, but the Flyers still had terrible lulls, two 10-game losing streaks (if you ask the NHL it's 2 0-9-1 slumps) led the Flyers to find themselves out of the playoffs by the New Year.

Ben Eager was made a regular. His work ethic, fights, and in-you-face attitude quickly made him a fan favorite in Philly.

Then came Dimitry Afanasenkov, a curious waiver release from Tampa, picked up by the Flyers and put in a chance to succeed, and has recently found himself on a very effective energy line with Sami Kapanen and Mike Richards. He works hard, controls the puck well and has added a scoring touch the Flyers don't always find on their 3rd line. 8 goals since being picked up in late December.

Scottie Upshall, was the ace in the hole though. Assumed a throw in to the Peter Forsberg trade, Scottie Upshall has taken a chance and run with it. After scoring in his first game with the Flyers, Upshall has 5 goals and 4 assists since the trade and his attitude and heart has given hope for the rest of this season and next season. Upshall has been put on the top line with Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne and most nights has been the best, or should I say, most effective player on the ice. Upshall has drawn some comparisons to John LeClair as far as being able to finally flourish in Philly, and some will tell you that he's been better for the Flyers than Peter Forsberg is for Nashville. Upshall will fit nicely with other players who fit that Flyers attitude such as Mike Richards, Sami Kapanen, Martin Biron, Mike Knuble and other aforementioned players. With some adjustments, the Flyers have a team the fans in Philly will love to watch.

A Deadline Seller That Bought

The Philadelphia Flyers, enduring their worst season in the team's 40-year history, sold off Peter Forsberg, Kyle Calder and Alexei Zhitnik at the trade deadline. However, some raised eyebrows when the Flyers traded their 2nd round pick (essentially a late 1st) in the 2007 draft for Martin Biron. As a Flyers fan though, the reason was quite simple.

The Flyers have gone through struggles this season at every position. Early in the season, the team had trouble scoring, and beyond that the defensemen looked like they were skating in ice cream. Shoddy goaltending was amplified when the team finally started to play better. Robert Esche was hurt, Antero Niittymaki (I'm probably his biggest fan) between making great saves began to give up puzzling goals and waiver pickup Michael Leighton, well...he is now on his 4th team this season. It was starting to become apparent, especially after a 6-5 OT loss to the Devils, that it wouldn't hurt to find a better goalie too.

Enter Martin Biron, a member of the long-hated Buffalo Sabres, was deemed to be part of the solution by Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. The Flyers could have waited until the July 1 free agency period and sign him for nothing, but why wait until July to look to next season? A team with a lot of assets within the organization, I'd say the draft pick is worth it for the extra 4 months the Flyers will have to sign him. And from all indications, Biron seems to be enamored with the fact the Flyers gave up an asset because this is the guy they want. And with this, Flyers Nation is not only excited for next season, but we're all looking forward to a team that won't be an easy out for the last month of the season. And as a season ticket holder of a last place team, that's all I ask.

Looks like Ol' Jeremy is finally finished.

"My body's tired. I'm tired of a lot of certain mentalities that go along with
this game," he said. "A lot of it I induce myself because of stuff I say, but
I'm okay with that. If this happens to be the last year, I'll walk away knowing
I had a pretty darn good career and I can enjoy my life after hockey."

This is what Roenick told Grant Kerr in today's Globe and Mail after being a healthy scratch in the Yotes' game versus the Canucks.

Jeremy Roenick looks like he's ready to retire, and sadly, for he hasn't yet reached the 500-goal mark. He is eight shy of this milestone and with his current sad offensive production, along with his sharp decline, it may not be likely for Roenick or his body, to reach that milestone.

He will likely be known as the guy who just missed the 500-goal mark, such as Sammy Sosa in baseball, who still sits 12 homers shy of the 600-homer mark.

Roenick went from being a decent offensive force with the Flyers and his career went downhill after a downright dissapointing season with the Kings and an even more miserbale one this season with Phoenix.
You know something is wrong with him, as he's stopped dancing on the ice, singing to Michael Landsberg and being open to the media.

It looks like the door is closed on Roenick now.

My morale would decline too if I found out I was traded for nothing to a slumping team (Los Angeles). After a respectable 47 point injury marred 2003-2004 season, it looks like the new NHL isn't mean for ol' Jeremy as he's averaging now mediocre 20 point seasons.

God, I would retire too.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Red Wings gamble on underachieving Calder

Just minutes after a deal that sent Brent Sopel to Vancouver, the Red Wings have taken off another potential player to be traded the night before Deadline Day, I hope there's something left for tomorrow.


The Chicago Blackhawks traded defenceman Lasse Kukkonen to Philadelphia for struggling forward Kyle Calder who sports a league worst -31 with the Flyers this season and has struggled offensively, netting just 9 goals, which began coming after Christmas and earned 12 points for a measly total of 21.

The Hawks then dealt Calder to the Detroit Red Wings, who have hopes of resurrecting this player from the dead, in exchange for surprising young forward Jason Williams who has put up some impressive numbers this season with

This is just a gamble by the Red Wings in hopes of adding a potential scorer (who hasn't scored this season). They did give up Williams to get him, but seriously, why the hell would Detroit do this? No logic behind this move at all, unless they expect Calder to become the player he was which, at this point, there's no telling what he'll do.

Williams has floundered this season and has not lived up to his $1.6 million salary, Red Wings fans will be happy to see him go.

Kukkonen is a solid young defenceman and the Flyers will likely play him if an injury occurs (very likely.)

I nearly lost all respect for Ken Holland...until a reader notified me of Williams' salary.
Calder could be a make-or-break player for Detroit.

We'll just have to wait and see...

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge