Hang Up The Skates

Some people just don’t know when to quit. Athletes are extremely good at staying in the game too long. Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Franco Harris, Joe Montana, and many others tried to continue to do what they did very well, sometimes years after their skill diminished. Others tried to move in different directions within the same sport without success. This is one of them.

It is no secret that Wayne Gretzky was hockey’s greatest player, so far. Passing, shooting, puck handling, you name it, and he did it well, great in many cases. He owns or shares 61 NHL records (40 for regular season, 15 for Stanley Cup playoffs and 6 for All-Star Game). He was ranked No. 5 among North American athletes by SportsCentury's distinguished 48-person panel. Only Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown rated higher than Gretzky. Not many players can hope to achieve anything close to what he did. And yet he wanted more.

So he took the challenge of being Managing Partner in charge of all hockey operations, Alternate Governor & Head Coach of the Phoenix Coyotes on February 15, 2001. In his first full season, the 2001-2002 season, the Coyotes went 40-27-9-6, finished second in their division and made the playoffs. The next year they finished next to last in the division with a 31-35-11-5 record. They bottomed out in 03-04 with only 22 wins and started their three-year stay with Cinderella in the basement.

In the early stages of this season, Phoenix is 3-6 and doesn’t look like it’s going to turn it around anytime soon. What can be done to get into “Wayne’s World” and let him know he just doesn’t seem to have the skills required for coaching? Or management decisions for that matter? He was criticized for some of his choices of players in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Wayne gave the nickname of “The Next One” to Sidney Crosby, stated that Sid would probably break a few of his own records, and then didn’t put him on the Canadian team. Why? Objecting to his own critique?

The sad part of this all is no one has the stones to tell him or fire him. Would you want to be the person to call Wayne Gretzky into your office and tell him he sucks? But, Wayne should know. He is a very smart person and we all are not great at everything we do. He should realize that what he’s done, what the organization has done, isn’t working.

It’s time for Wayne Gretzky to put away his ego, accept that he is human, and take this failure as something that happens to all of us.

It just took longer for it to happen to him.

~ ogre1kanobe

The New Boss

The NHLPA hired a new leader this week in Paul Kelly. His appointment has come with mixed reviews of course coming from opposite sides. The players feel they have the right guy, which makes sense, or why would have they hired him? On the other side of the fence some members of the NHL have said the NHLPA has found another Bob Goodenow. The thought of the players causing another labor issue at the end of the 08-09 season has even been brought up on some of the mainstream media's web sites. The players union can opt out of the CBA two years early if they wish. For now though Kelly is saying all the right things. He wants to have a positive relationship with the league. He wants to focus on the game, bring back old fans and develop new ones. He wants hockey to get more coverage in the United States. He wants to have a open and forthright relationship with Gary Bettman. Again, all the right things to say when talking to the media on your first day on the job.

But what does this all mean for the NHL?

In reading some of the players comments about Kelly being hired, it sure sounds to me that there are still some sour grapes from the last labor fight. After all Saskin got punted for being to "chummy" with the NHL. What's really disturbing is that this new CBA has put more money in players pockets then ever before because with the salary cap, came a salary floor. The players where also given shorter paths to Free Agency, which of course if your any good at this game, means more money. Yet that subtle feeling that the NHLPA isn't happy still simmers in the background.

I'll say it right now, if the NHLPA decides to bring down the current CBA and play hardball with the league anytime soon, it will destroy the NHL. Lets hope this Paul Kelly fellow is telling the truth when he says he wants to work with the NHL to make hockey better and that he will be able to make the players agree that needs to be the plan. After all they are supposed to be working for the same company.

Then again, this is just a damned opinion.

~ damned

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arena Hot Topics

Randy Jones Suspended

Officials Out For Boorgard?

Kipper Locked Up

The End Brings A New Beginning

After nearly 25 years of play, the Devils move into a new place to dwell. Aptly named The Rock which symbolizes how the Devils have played during this long run of excellence...the new arena will opened last night amid a lot of fanfare and a little controversy. As always, have to have a little spice to go with the sugar. Now we'll throw the spice off a little to the side for now. Last night meant a ton to someone like me...someone who remembers the history of the franchise well.

There were the downtrodden times when the Devils couldn't buy a win....all those games when they were on a little tiny station (WWOR- Channel 9) out of Secaucus, New Jersey. However, even then, they were still our team...we stuck by them win or lose. I remember my father taking me to games and I was amazed at how fast it all was and yet I felt I could almost compartmentalize it. I understood the game and as my love for the game grew (it didn't hurt that I played hockey on some level for the better part of 20 years +), I learned to appreciate the finer subtleties and just to be thankful to be a fan. The Lloyd Lyndsay-Young hellos to all the Devil fans out there....when Gary Thorne took over the play by play from Peter McNab and called the Johnny Mac gamewinner that put us in the playoffs for the first time. When we moved to Sportschannel...we were usually relegated to the upstart NewSport or eventually FSNY2 for awhile but that wouldn't last all that long.

Then there was Lou Lamoriello who turned this franchise around...when he came aboard almost 20 years ago....the Devils were kind of a doormat if you will. Three Cups later, he is still widely considered one of the best GM's in sports. The marketing may be a bit of a sore spot but talk to any Devils fans and they will tell you how much they appreciate Lou....especially this one. Lou orchestrated the compensation when the Blues tampered to get Shanny and everyone knows who we got as that compensation...#4 Scott Stevens. The draft brought us Niedermayer and Brodeur and the rest is well forever ingrained in Devils lore. Madden, Pandolfo, Elias and a cast of characters came later. But without Lou and scouting director, David Conte, who knows if the Devils would still be in New Jersey. After years of playing hard ball with the state of New Jersey which for anyone who knows, can be a worse of a pain than divorce, child birth, or death....the Devils would finally get their new arena in Newark.

The arena has not been without its share of hiccups...there was the oringinal attempt after the near move in 95...and then after the 2nd cup in 2000...I got to the point where I started to wonder if there was ever going to be a new arena. Finally, ground was broken during the lockout and when they said The Rock would be open for the 2007-08 season...a smile came to my face almost as wide as when they won the first Stanley Cup over Detroit. Then when the schedule came out for this season...I saw the date October 27th and penned it in...I knew some way somehow (even 2900 miles away), I would see this game. So yes I am using the Tivo for it but it shall never be erased. Bon Jovi played to a packed out Rock the other night and the people that I have talked to that went said the music was great but the arena stole the show. Now it is the Devils turn to get the party started...red and black style.

My brother got tickets for the game during the week and bought an extra one for the one person that got us all started on this crazy fandom as my mother still calls it. Hockey was the one sport we all agreed upon as a family and it was my dad who guided us that way. So yes, my niece sat in that seat but in a way my father was there...call it a hunch. This is our day.....our Christmas!

A Devils Christmas That Is!

~ stevens8204

Money Can't Buy Me Cups

Money. The root of all evil. The world revolves around it. Can’t live without it. Hard to live with a lot of it. Lottery winners, millions all at once, broke in two to three years. And what about sports teams? The “haves” spend a lot to get the best players; the “have-nots” struggle to get by with those they can afford.

The New York Yankees have not had great success spending billions over the last 15 years. Well, that’s what George thinks. Multiple playoff appearances and a couple of World Series rings isn’t enough when you have tons of money.

What about his hockey partner, the Rangers? Not nearly as “unsuccessful” as the Yankees, with only two Stanley Cup Championships since 1939-40, with their last one coming in the 1993-94 season. Having talent on your roster such as Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, Brendan Shanahan, Petr Prucha and they young goalie Henrik Lundqvist wasn’t enough for this team. Feeling the need for offensive production, management went out on “Free Agent Frenzy Day” and acquired the likes of Chris Drury of the Sabres and Scott Gomez from the Devils for around $80 million dollars.

So how’s that working out for you?

They are in last place in the Atlantic division with a 2-4-1 overall record, and yes I know it’s early. But what is more disturbing is the other numbers. Although Lundqvist has kept them in many games with giving more than three goals only once, the pathetic offense has scored only 13 goals in those seven games. Using superior math skills, that works out to about 1.85 goals per game, and if memory serves me, that’s under two goals a game. Lundqvist would have to be a four-foot by six-foot load of blob to win more games.

The other sad stat, is they have scored only six power play goals. And most of those goals came recently. They went, 0 for 16 at last recollection, and this with “Mr. Feed-it-to-me-in-the-slot” Jagr on the power play. Jagr has only one goal but he has assisted on seven others, leading his team in points, that being eight.

And how are the new guys doing? Gomez “leads” the team with two goals and only one assist and Drury has one goal and five assists. Offensive fireworks for sure!! Will these Rangers turn it around? Odds are they will. Don’t bet all your money, though.

Money can but you a lot of things. Houses, yachts, fancy cars and yes, even love, for a little while. But money can’t buy me rings and cups. You have to earn those.

~ ogre1kanobe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arena Hot Topics

Kaberle For Hossa?

Lidstrom Close To Extension

Possible Drama Between Vigneault and Naslund?

That Extra Edge

So Tory Weber, an Alberta resident, figures he has the next product that will revolutionize hockey. The man has created a heated hockey blade. The idea behind it being that the heated blade will provide a players skates with less friction between the blade and the ice surface. Of course this means the player should be able to skate faster and in the end also be less tired. They, being the creators, also suggest that the product might cause less injuries. The question I asked myself after reading about these heated blades was this.

Do we really have to revolutionize hockey?

Has it really come to that? Was Joe Malone, Gordie Howe, and Bobby Orr really that boring in hockey jerseys that weren't aero dynamic? Did Wayne Gretzky and Super Mario provide that bad of a show with wooden hockey sticks? Are Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin really at such a big disadvantage they need heated hockey skates? I think the answer is a simple no across the board. Players in the NHL are going to be the best in the world no matter what equipment we give them. Sometimes I wish we would keep things simpler so we could celebrate just how good these guys really are instead of being told "It must be the skates".

Then again, this is just a damned opinion.

~ damned

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arena Hot Topics

On Ovechkin's Nerves

Will Volchenkov Be Suspended?

The Beauty Pageant Submission Thread

Lucky 13

As the Arrogant Worms used to say..."Me Like Hockey". Tonight me really like hockey as there are 13 games including well for us left coasters...
a 1PM matinee with the Rangers @ Boston to face the Bruins. The Devils play the Islanders in the never ending road trip that now is just a few bus rides...and HNIC has Hawks-Leafs and Oilers-Flames tonight for its doubleheader....it should be glorious. Even Captain Caveman would have been proud.

So...what to watch? With so many choices....Carolina @ Philly is our Game Of The Week. I am not sure of Center Ice's blackout rules so I am more likely to get the Canes' Fox Sports South feed than Comcast. That being said expect a tight tussle between an angry Canes team who lost their composure for 3:00 last night and it cost them dearly...and a Philly team who is reversing last year's horrible showing in a big way with their consistent play. Biron Vs. Ward I am guessing and for the record Biron will not get a shutout tonight....too much forward talent in Carolina but you never do quite know what to expect. Both teams will come out
hungry but I do think the Flyers will pull this one out 4-2.

Onward to Long Island to see if Martin Brodeur can regain last year's form against the team he loves to play against...the New York Islanders. Didn't it feel
like Brodeur had at least 10 shutouts against the Isles last year? Well Isle fans certainly felt that way and I am sure Rick Dipietro felt the same considering in 5 of the Isles losses, he only allowed 11 goals....not too shabby. When will Sheldon Brookbank play? When will the Devils stop being the worst on the Penalty Kill? Where is the old Devils people are used to seeing? Better yet, are the Isles better than last year (post-Yashin)? Hopefully most of these questions will at least be answered and you can catch it all on FSNY.

Finally I do want to check out The Battle Of Alberta tonight in Calgary. As usual I am sure the bloggers with the same name will have some interesting insight
on the rivalry that is truly their own. Can Mikka Kiprusoff start playing like he did the last couple season? It just seems weird that a lot of big name goalies are off to very slow starts (Roberto Luongo included). Iginla and company and ready to take on Rolosson, Hemsky, Souray and all the Oil has to dish out. This has the makings of a nice little late night game to kick back, enjoy a 6 pack and salute some good Hockey Nite In Canada.

Now really really finally.....next Saturday's blog will be a little different...as I preview my upcoming road trip to San Diego in my quest to find hockey there and relax and all that good stuff....till then, enjoy and ME LIKE HOCKEY!!!!

~ stevens8204

Easy Come, Easy Go

If you haven't heard by now, Bob Hartley has been fired. After taking the Atlanta Thrashers to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, as well as clinching their first Southeast Division title, his thanks for a dry spell at the beginning of the season is a pink slip.

Granted, the Thrashers are 0-6. Their power play ranks 28th, and their penalty kill 29th. To add to their misery, they average a league worst 1.5 goals a game, and allow 4.5, also a league worst. It could be simply that the team isn't clicking as well as it should. It could be that they might have a playoff hangover, even though they went 4 and gone in the playoffs.

But for whatever reason, Bob Hartley is to blame for this travesty. It is easier to blame the coach, than the players or the GM. Don Waddell is a genius, so obviously it isn't his fault. Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk can divide by zero and stop the world from rotating by just thinking about it. Keri Lethonen is the final solution to cancer. There's nothing wrong with the team, and by all rights they should've been 6-0. Because Bob Hartley was behind the bench, they aren't.

The above paragraph sounds harsh, and it is. From the sounds of things, it's probably what some people are thinking.

Coaches have the worst job in the league. They aren't given the proper due when their teams are doing spectacular, and they're discarded when their team stinks up the joint. In the meanwhile, they're responsible for dealing with the possibility of locker room drama, making players happy with adequate ice time, and motivating their troops when they need it. The best thing that happens to them is a simple trophy that the media votes on called the Jack Adams trophy. Kinda makes you wonder why they're in it at all, doesn't it?

So this is an ode to whom I feel is still a good coach, Mr. Hartley. Good luck with your future endeavors, and I hope your next team treats you better than the last one. People soon forget you have banners in two cities, and rings from one.

That's something Mr. Waddell can't claim over you.

~ Atma

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arena Hot Topics

Trade Feelings

Rangers Searching For Offense

Goal Of The Year!