Sabres Unveil Reebok Edge Uniform

One year after changing their overall jersey style the Sabres were at it again Tuesday. Well, sort of. The team unveiled their new jersey in the Reebok Edge design. The most marked change is the flowing stripes of white from the bottom of the jersey vertically across the arms.

Brian Campbell, who wore the Edge jersey in last years all-star game said "There’s a little difference in the players’ arms. The major thing is getting the sizing for every individual guy. I’m sure some guys are going to be complaining; some guys won’t have a problem with it. A lot of guys have liked them."

The Sabres will also not be wearing their third jersey, with the original crossed-swords logo for at least the first year of the new jersey roll-out due to marketing concerns. It has been reported previously that the third jersey will be re-rolled out next season with a blue to match the current jersey and the original Sabres crest. We shall see.

Ray Emery Has Anger Issues

And this time it might cost him.

A 65-year-old Ottawa man says he's planning to sue Ottawa Senators goaltender Ray Emery over an alleged road rage incident this week, even though police have decided no charges will be laid.

Jean Therien said he was on his way to a workout at Scotiabank Place on Wednesday morning, when he and Emery simultaneously moved their vehicles from the right- to left-hand lanes in order to pass a car that was ahead of them.

Therien claims Emery then tried to run him into the ditch, eventually parking and exiting his vehicle near the arena before threatening him.

The altercation took place last week and after a police investigation, no charges were laid.

Perhaps I'm unfamiliar with this type of law but if it's not about the money than what is it about? I can imagine Therien would be hard-pressed to make a successful case against Emery if there were no charges filed by the police and he suffered no physical damages. So then, what exactly is he asking for compensation for?

That being said, it unnerves me a little bit that Emery has found a way to get into the media for something other than his playing. Ray, don't get me wrong, I love your rambunctiousness and the league could use more personalities like you. I'll even give you props for having the cajones to say that you won't apologize for something you're not actually sorry for. But come on, let's bring the focus back onto the ice shall we?

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

Our team. Our Tradition.

The Canes (finally) unveiled our new RBK jerseys for the 2007-2008 season. They also showed off the 10th anniversary patches that the players will be wearing this season. As is obvious in the photos, the only real change to our sweater is that there is white piping along the shoulders on the jersey. On the away sweaters the piping will be red. Also, "Our team. Our tradition." is the new marketing slogan we will be using this year.

Avalanche Roundtable

Coming at the beginning of October, myself and several of the respected Avs bloggers on the intrawebs are participating in a roundtable discussion to kick off the 2007-2008 NHL season. Some of the bloggers will be familiar to Avs readers, some (like myself) maybe not as much. We hope to tie the great Avalanche online community a little closer together and have some fun while we’re at it. We’ve got plenty to talk about including the goaltending situation, new faces (both rookies and impact free agents), fearless prognostication for the new season, and unabashed Joe Sakic worshipping. Hopefully, the Avalanche faithful will find the discussion lively, entertaining, and informative. We hope to help generate a buzz for our beloved Avs as they enter the new season with the eyes on the ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup. See you in October.

Ka-Chow!!

This entire off season, the (small) population of Coyotes fans have been sitting back cursing in the general direction of the whole management team for not having any good news about Keith Ballard. Fret no more Coyote lovers (if indeed you DO exist). The Coyotes have finally resigned the poster child to a 2 year contract. That, of course, means we have to go through this whole ordeal in a couple years but we're out of the fire for now and that's all that matters. Isn't it?

Here's to another two years of the deadly hip check (fondly referred to as the booty bump), playing goalie when ours is off in candy land or wherever those dazed goaltenders go when they are not doing what they should be and entertaining us fans through the long nights ahead of us. Take a shot and pass it around Coyotes fans, even with our baby back we've still got a long, hard ride ahead of us.

Guess what.........

Its almost hockey season!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Hockey News : "Habs to finish 13th in East", Koivu : "We're making the playoffs"

Recent discussion about the Canadiens has been revolving around predictions.

The Hockey News (THN) has predicted that the Habs will finish 13th in the East.
Gaston Therrien, journalist for RDS, wrote in an online editorial on http://www.rds.ca/ that the he agrees with THN in saying that the Canadiens will be packing up their gear before the playoffs.

He predicts a 10th place finish.

Team captain Saku Koivu replied to THNs prediction in an interview given to La Presse published in today's Montreal paper.
He assured Richard Labbé of La Presse that the acquisitions of Hamrlik and Smolinksi are worthwhile, and will help the team make the playoffs.
On Harmlik, Koivu feels he is a very good defender able to fill some of the void left by Souray on the power play. He also feels that Smolinski who has played on a winning team in Ottawa is the type of player that the Habs needed.

Now that I've filled you in on the predictions I've gathered up, time for me to analyse them a little myself! Firstly THN according to me seems to rely too much on free agent signings to come up with their predicted standings. Therrien from RDS is much more realistic with a 10th place finish, but being a Habs faithful, I have to say I believe they will make the playoffs! Of course, it will be a tight finish, but they should pull it off. They are more solid defensively, young players like Higgins, Plekanec, Komisarek, Lapierre and Latendresse have gained experience, and several more are ready to step up if needed (Price comes to mind). The Habs will finish 7th or 8th, after a very tight race!

Canucks new jersey...can this finally be the one?

Countless "leaks", speculation, unconfirmed talk and restlessness from Canucks fans caused a good deal of havoc for much of the month of July, when most of the jerseys were released, primarily because they seem to be so picky about what their team will wear in the coming seasons.

But all that may just be about to end.

Just recently, the Canucks logo was confirmed by many a leaked images to be this one:

Shortly after -gee, what a coincidence- the Vancouver Canucks official website leaves behind a typical teaser, previewing the Canucks new jersey and advertizing its release date by showing you just enough to get an impression of what it may look like and still keeping you in the dark by actually not showing you anything but the basic colours.

And the moment we've all been waiting for...your EA Sports NHL 08 Canucks UNCONFIRMED (I say this because if this turns out not to be legit, then please don't come down hard, I blog for fun and I try to give fans the most accurate information possible) leak (which I got from a very reliable source connected to EA Canada.)

-Note: some of the colour/contrast/clarity may be a bit off in some spots, that's my image hosting service's doing.

Click here for a higher-resolution version

Feel free to speak your mind in the comments section.

And as for the jersey, I actually like it very much; I always enjoyed watching them suit up in that classic look every so often last season.

-BBeR

Defending a Cheapskate

Actually, I have to defend Golisano and the Sabres on this one. The process came out of a trend that had developed in Buffalo. Most of the Weekend Games and marquee games (Leafs, Canadians, Sens, Flames, Oilers and a few other teams) sold out quickly. What they found was that fans were buying these and flipping them on e-bay for a large markup. Meanwhile, midday games, games against teams like the Wild, Thrashers, etc lagged.

In an effort to answer the supply and demand and maximize attendance and revenue the team instituted the variable pricing TWO seasons ago and it has been a large success. The Sabres have sold out the past two seasons and already are nearly there this year. The paln has had the desired effect of keeping the building full so the team can miximize parking, souvenier and refreshment revenue. A real stroke of genius in my estimation. Also remember that every single game is shown on TV as well. This team due to marketing, pricing and media coverage is the most accessible team in Buffalo. The NFL's Bills could learn some real lessons from the Sabres.

The fans here have actually embraced the variable pricing, for the most part, because it creates affordable lower end games for the income challenged and enables the Sabres to maximize profit on the uber-high demand games and the influx of Canadian fans that are willing to pay 200-300% premiums. Basically, they cut into the e-bay crowds markup and made that profit their own.

The policy extends to the season ticket base as well. Season ticket sales have gone through the roof for two reasons: 1) Team is very good and 2) The sabres have one of the lowest ticket costs in the league. Season ticket holders in Buffalo get a significant discount. This has enabled the Sabres to manage their revenue to their significant advantage.

The Drury and Briere decisions, in my view, were independent. What it really came down to is that Briere and Drury were vastly overpaid for their relative worth. The fact that both are getting $10 million in the first season is highly relevant. I don't think the Sabres flinched at Drury's price, It was clearly Drury's decision to just be done in Buffalo due to a falling out with management over a contract extension dispute. Poorly managed, yes. Cheap? No.

As for Briere I believe that the signing of Tim Connolly to a three year deal,even when injured, was the writing on the wall. Getting a 8-year deal with nearly $10 million in salary year 1 from the Flyers sealed the deal. I believe the plan all along was to cut Briere loose. I also believe they were genuinely shocked to lose Drury.

So, as opposed to crucifying the Sabres and Golisano for gouging the fans I tend to recognize the fact that he utilized good business sense that extended benefits to the fans. The fact that the Sabres are spending $12 million more per season on salaries than prior to the cap is also a significant argument against the cheapskate argument. It is truly a win-win situation. The fact that the team is financially viable in spite of this salary increase is the real story. The Sabres, while doing a terrible job with Drury and Briere, are a model of how to manage a small market team and be competitive in an inherently unfair marketplace.

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.

DiPietro shows off Isles new jersey...

"Barring" the news that Mark Bell is headed to jail and that the annual Hockey News Ultimate Pool guide for the upcoming season is out (yipee!), Islanders 'tender Rick DiPietro gave bloggers something to write about as he has recently unveiled New York's new RBK jersey look on ice at Iceworks rink in Syosset, NY.

(Thanks to fellow blogger Sean over at Popjocks and regular Peter Arheim for sending this in!)

And as every single other jersey that RBK has remade out there, this is "the result of two years of Reebok research, it incorporates the company's "Edge" system, which offers lighter, more breathable fabric that allows for a greater range of movement, and two new technologies -- Bead Away and Playdry -- which wick away moisture, providing for a significantly drier jersey over 60 sweaty minutes."

Sure we've all heard this many times before, and many of us have even examined the concept of a RBK Edge jersey, but I wonder, will the fabric of the jersey you wear really make you noticably faster, or will this just turn out to be another NHL-laid bomb?
I will reserve judgement on the actual results of wearing this newly designed and manufactured jersey, until I see some action this October.

As for the look of the jersey, I have to admit, it looks pretty nice even if I hate the fact there are numbers on the front of the jersey and that horizontal striping is just plain silly.

Oh and sorry for the lack of posting this month, as you've probably noticed, hockey news is becoming increasingly rare.

The jerseys post will be updated soon!

-BBeR

Survivor: Coyotes Edition

I've never actually watched Survivor but from what I've heard, there's a lot of backstabbing and feeding each other to the sharks (no pun intended) so I'm looking forward to seeing who will be the first to cry... I know, I know, I have a mean streak in me. All I can say in my defense is that I love these guys to death, even the ones I don't really know yet; as soon as they put on that Coyote uniform, they steal my heart and I will go to bat for them, no questions asked. That being said, I want them to fight for it. I am sick of guys coming here simply to retire (and because we have good golf); I want them to come here because we are using a winning system and they want to be a part of it.

So who's it going to be? Will it be our backup from last year, Mikael Tellqvist? Will it be one of the two new guys brought in to duke it out for the top spot, David Aebischer or Alex Auld? Will David Leneveu finally have his shot at the big club or will this be the end of his run in our organization? Where will my boy Josh Tordjman rank in this line up? Will he continue to be San Antonio's backup or will he move up and become their number one, shaping him to show up for us in the next year or so?

So many questions with no answers. They should, at the least, give us all a good show at training camp next month. Whoever is chosen, though, should know that they can't just coast through. "Oh, it's only the Coyotes, they're not going to the playoffs anyway, I'll just take tonight off." Nay, goalie, nay. You'll have to prove every night that you deserve to be here... we're not taking any shit from anyone. Or at least I hope we're not...

(X-Posted to TrueCoyoteLove & the HLOG)

Bars for Bell?

Mark Bell, traded this summer from the San Jose Sharks to the Leafs in June of this year. While the story maybe relatively knew, it appears Maple Leaf brass were monitoring the situation since his arrival. The charges, and impending jail time were the result of an incident that occured in september of 2006. Bell, apparently had twice the legal limit of blood/alcohol content as he collided with a truck during the early hours last fall. He then made the inebriated choice to stumble away from the scene, making the issue a felony. He was facing close to four years in prison, but, according to TSN he will recieve 6 months that will be served after the season ends. In all likelyhood, Bell will not miss any regular season games, as he will serve only two thirds of his sentence which is common for cases such as this. While most athletes are professionals and do in fact conduct themselves as such, what are your thoughts on athletes in the justice system? Should jail time, house arrests, or any such repercussions be served around the players schedule?

Sabre Notes

Mostly Quiet on the Sabres front...

Team is reportedly close to signing prospect Felix Schutz whom they drafted in the 4th round of the 2006 draft. Shutz has apparently decided against resigning with his German league club and will join the Sabres. Schutz is a speedy, shifty centerman that measures in at 5'11 190 pounds.

Talk has heated up regarding talk of Ales Kotalik being moved for help in another area. I think it is more likely that Clarke Macarthur or Jochen Hecht will get the first opportunity to win the 3rd line center job and then moving Kotalik would be considered. This is unless an offer for a quality young blueliner comes around and Kotalik is as good as gone.

Rumours were abound that Sabres were about to sign Tim Kennedy from Michigan State. Kennedy was picked up after the Capitals had selected him in a quiet draft day trade in 2006 and has blossomed with the Spartans. He is a local Buffalo kid and has shown tremendous finishing touch.

Don't be surprised in Andrei Sekera comes in and takes a job from either Dmitri Kalinin or Jaro Spacek. Unfortunately it could result in one of those two (or both) being cast off for relatively nothing.

The more I think of it the more I like the Jocelyn Thibault signing. The man can play and seems to thrive in the backup role. I especially like it that this should allow Buffalo to rest Ryan Miller far more often than they did late last season.

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/

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Should Gainey have just left Brisebois alone?

EXLUSIVE TO XNHL.NET

I have a column over there, and from time to time, I will share with you the stories I publish there.

As we all know by now, the Canadiens officially signed veteran free-agent defenceman Patrice Brisebois to a one year contract, likely worth around 700K.

I guess it's a bargain for a guy that could put up 30 points in a full season...and if he could put up another +17 rating, like he did a few years back with the Habs, then it's a good signing nonetheless.

Otherwise, it won't matter if he sucks or not...he's not getting paid the $4.5 million to play "crapily" (is that a word?) like he did in his last season in Montreal and get literally booed out of the city.

Or maybe Bob is just a sympathetic guy who wants to see this vet retire in a Habs uni.

I, for one, would have preferred Gainey to let Brisebois retire, and take a good hard look at some nice young guys down in Hamilton itching to earn a spot on the Canadiens roster next season.

The obvious option is Ryan O'Byrne, who looks to me like a lock to make the Habs' squad...his size and shot being his most useful assets.

Another option, though unlikely, is Mathieu Biron, a former NHLer with the Washington Capitals and now the Bulldogs' main powerplay quarterback.
When I saw him play, along with the rest of the team at the Bell Centre a few months ago.
I was especially impressed with his offensive game, his booming slap shot on the powerplay won't replace Sheldon Souray's...but it would be a pretty nice consolation prize.

Besides them, there isn't much to hope for...besides Jean-Phillipe Cote, who had a cup of coffee with the Canadiens 2 seasons ago, but has fallen way low due to injury and inconsistency since then.

Gainey finally realized the Habs lacked depth on defence, and had little options in Hamilton, and as a result, the 2007 Habs draft class consisted of mainly defencemen, notably top-ranked Ryan McDonagh (1st round) and the big muscular P.K. Subban (2nd round).

The question is: will the presence of the 36-year old Patrice Brisebois force Bob Gainey to potentially cut a promising young player from next year's team in training camp?

-BBeR

It's NOT Staal good

I know I am a bit, behind with this post but I have been super busy. I am sure everyone has heard by now about the Staal brothers' arrest on July 25th.

Apparently Eric's bachelor party was loud and "disorderly" and after several times after being asked to quiet down they were thrown out of the resort. Once they left they were walking along side the road (at least they were smart enough to stay from behind the wheel) and being obnoxious at which point they were arrested. It has surfaced that both Eric and Jordan were both one of the few who actually went to bed when asked the first time, but were woken up and told to leave. Not so sure how much truth is behind that.
While Eric is JUST being charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process, Jordan will also face an Underage drinking charge because he was only 18 at the time.

Jim Rutherford has indicated that Eric won't get any punishment fromt the team, although I am guessing Laviolette will give him a nice talking to.

*As a small side note: Eric's wedding was this past Friday. Congrats to him and Tanya.

It's official, Brisebois is back home

RDS reports defenseman Patrice Brisebois signed a one year 700 000 $ contract with possible performance bonuses of up to 700 000 $. Gainey justified this move by saying that "Patrice is a proven veteran defenseman who will add depth to our defense."

The deal is too fresh for me to decide whether or not I am pleased by this signing. We can almost certainly forget about seeing a prospect defenseman from Hamilton (Côté for example) make the team. However, their is no doubt in my mind that having signed a contract that is well under the 4.3M he was making in his last campaign with the Habs, Brisebois will not be as pressured by the media and the fans. I have no problem with Gainey signing him so long as he is not going to be a liability defensively. If he finishes the season with a + rating, his offensive numbers will not be of concern to me.

I wont lie to you guys, many things need to be proven by the Habs on the ice, and I can't wait for the season to start to see what will work out, and what wont.