One week to go: A short wrap up

Real, meaningful, hockey games start in less than a week. I've been barely keeping up with whatever pre-season games are shown on TV.

Did anyone catch the Leafs/Sabres game the other night on the NHL Network. It was in Buffalo at HSBC Arena, but I couldn't figure that out for a bit, because the boards had no ads. They were stark white. Also, Miller and a Sabres skater were wearing helmet cams. Of course, I didn't see one replay from those vantage points.

I watched John Tavares' debut on Long Island, versus the Devils. He didn't unimpress me. He actually made nicer plays on the defensive end, instead of showing off his offensive hops. Maybe he's saving that for the regular season.

Last night after the U2 concert, I caught the replay of the Capitals/Rangers game. Brashear and Sugden had 2 fights, but round 2 was solid.



Also, Brandon Dubinsky made a great play to set up the eventual game winner. Smart move by both sides to end that stand-off.


Gretzky stepped down and Dave Tippet got the job. Great trade off for the Coyotes. Gretzky was a great name and a not-so-great coach. Tippet is a proven winner. He's just go to teach the kids and get an everyone is against us attitude in the locker room.

Crib Notes - New York Rangers

New York Rangers
Last season - 4th in the Atlantic, Collapsed in round 1 vs. the Capitals
Lost tough guy Colton Orr to Toronto via free agency
Lost Freddy Sjostrom to Calgary via free agency
Lost rentals Derek Morris and Nik Antropov to Boston and Atlanta, respectively. Not sure the Rangers even wanted these guys back.
Lost Paul Mara to Montreal via free agency
Traded Scott Gomez and some cats and dogs for Chris Higgins and change
Signed Donald Brashear to replace Colton Orr
Signed Ales Kotalik to replace Nik Zherdev (who was let go and has yet to sign with a team)
Signed Vinny Prospal and re-signed Ryan Callahan
Signed Marian Gaborik with the money saved from trading Scott Gomez.
Let Markus Naslund and Lauri Korpikoski go.

Questions going into 2009-2010:
How many games will oft-injured Marian Gaborik play?
Can Henrik Lundquist's keep this team in playoff contention even with a weak defense?
How will the team respond to a full season under John Tortorella?
Does the rest of the league realize that they can torch Hank Lundquist's glove hand by now?
Will Hobey winner Matt Gilroy and former 1st rounder Bobby Sanguinetti help the thin defense? What will happen to Brandon Dubinsky? Is he singed for 2009-10?
Which high-priced player gets booed in MSG first - Kotalik, Rosival, Redden, Drury or Gaborik?

Poised for a breakout season:
Chris Higgins. He's a Long Island native and NYC will love his game. 30 goals this year.

I'm sure he's a great guy but:
Joe Micheletti is a dreadful color analyst. Keeping him around is the worst mistake MSG has made since they stopped serving Bud Ice.

If you had to buy one Ranger sweater:
Blue Drury. It tells people that you are pretty reliable and always in a position to win.
I think Scotty found a white, misspelled, Straka jersey in his apartment this summer. I may have dreamed this.
I know his gf's parents bought him an Avery jersey for Christmas because they knew that he was a big hockey fan. They're from Kentucky so it was a good try and a nice thought.

Is this former Ranger Ron Duguay or rocker Jon Bon Jovi?



Player whose game you sneaky like:
Donald Brashear has a pretty good shot when he gets it off and has more a better stick than your typical tough guy. Plus he's a top 3 heavyweight.

Something that only interests me and a few others:
Roster hopeful Dane Byers is cousins with former Bruin badass Lyndon Byers

Old guys:
Brashear is 37
Prospal is 34
Drury is 33
Redden is 32
The "Potvin Sucks" cheer should have died 15 years ago.

Young guys:
Dubi is 23
Marc Staal is 22

Tough guys:
Avery plays tough, Higgins and Callahan finish checks, Voros is scrappy and Brashear is a beast.

Interesting:
The Rangers practice facility keeps cups full of cough drops on the bench because Jagr used to like to eat them while skating.

Nostalgia:
Either chubby Chris Drury pitching Trumbell, CT to a LLWS title or the 2Man interviewing Patty Riss in a bathroom.

NHL 94 players:
Messier, Gartner and Tikkanen starting up front. Beezer in net.
Brian Leetch rated 76 was a crime.

YouTube:
Our Penguin Ulf tries to steal a broken Lundquist stick and gets in trouble with Aaron Voros.


- Nemmy

What you missed last night while you were at work because of the awful "late email"

A lot of games, so I've just picked out THE highlight you should be sure to catch. If I missed the right one, tell me in the comments.

Canadiens beat the Oilers in OT, 4-3: The game winning goal - Montreal on the power play move the puck around to awesome acquisition Mathieu Schnieder. He puts the puck on net and great tip by Saku Koivu gets the win.

Devils beat the Flames, 3-2: Flames first goal - I have no idea how players get the puck up so quickly when they are so close, but don't over look the great pass to Olli Jokinen.

Maple Leafs win over the Islanders in OT, 3-2: Jeff Finger's big hit. This game wasn't great on any level, but Jeff Finger absolutely laid off Tim Jackman. Bruno Gervais fought, and according to Nemmy, "looked like a natural," but not the top highlight.

Red Wing beat the Coyotes in OT, 3-2: Shane Doan's tip to tie the game.

Penguins beat the Panthers in the shoot-out, 4-3: Malkin's goal - Back to the net, D-man on him and he roofs a backhand. Its so good its stupid.

Sharks beat the Wild in OT, 4-3: Owen Nolan's 400th - How'd he get it? Going to the net with a great tip. He got 401 to tie the game, but the side of the net tip was so great.

Thrashers shut-out the Avalanche, 3-0: no highligt - this game sucked

Flyers beat the Sabres, 5-2: Hartnell's first - side of the net and somehow got his stick on the laser pass from Mike Richards. The Flyers went back and forth cutting up the Sabre's PK and eventually a super pass to back post found Hartnell for the goal.

Blue Jackets shut out the Bruins, 2-0: STEVE MASON

Blues beat the Stars, 5-2: Neal's goal - James Neal, side of the net, fakes the pass across, and when the keeper went down, he put the puck top shelf from no angle.

Capitals win over the Predators in OT, 2-1: The Fights - Belak knocks out Brashear, Bradley owns up to his from behind and fought Tootoo (and got bloody), Erskine fighting Belak. All good boughts.