Good News, Islander Fans...

...and I don't mean the fact that the Darryl Sittler ad is back in heavy rotation on the NHL Network (as awesome as that is).

It's no secret that the Islanders had planned on putting out a third jersey for the upcoming 2008-09 season. I'd heard through the grapevine that it was going to be similar to the jerseys the Isles wore a few years ago for Throwback Night, but was never able to confirm it.

Until now.

Isles Blogger reports that the Islanders are indeed going to their retro look as a third jersey in 2008-09. This has been confirmed by HockeyBuzz. I know HockeyBuzz is hardly a bastion of journalistic integrity, but this was something I'd heard about from multiple sources before HockeyBuzz "broke" it.

Anyway, here's what we're looking at for next year...

(images taken from an eBay listing for this very jersey)

Ooh.

To me, the lettering makes the jersey. People have said the white sleeves look stupid, but not with everything else going on. Anyway, I'd expect some minor modifications to this look, so as to fit the RBK Edge template, but I'm sure this is pretty close to the real thing.

I've been secretly excited about this jersey for a very long time, but didn't want to post anything about it and then have it fall through. You know, because we break so many stories around here.

So there you have it, Islander fans. You now have the coolest third jersey in franchise history.

Not Yet Done...

Quick! Name the Rangers forwards under contract!

If you said Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev, Blair Betts, Ryan Callahan, Nigel Dawes, Chris Drury, Aaron Voros, Patrick Rissmiller, Dan Fritsche, Brandon Dubinsky, Colton Orr, and Petr Prucha, you win a cookie.*

You also might have said Lauri Korpikoski, Dane Byers, P.A. Parenteau, Artem Anisimov, and/or Greg Moore.

Restricted free agent Freddy Sjostrom might also have made your list.

That's 19 forwards for a 12-man roster. With healthy scratches and injuries, figure 14 forwards on the roster and one (Moore) making the trip from Hartford to MSG for 5 games this year.

Oh, what's that? Brendan Shanahan still might sign?

I don't think Anisimov will make the team, nor do I think Byers will see more than 3 or so games in the NHL this year. Parenteau has the talent - as Anisimov does - but might not be ready. Then again, he might be a better choice in the line-up then Fritsche or Rissmiller. However, you have to think Korpikoski, a 2004 1st round pick, will make the team from training camp.

That's not the point of this blog.

The point of this blog post is that I doubt the Rangers are done. We assume Sjostrom is going to sign, making him the 14th NHL-ready forward on the roster. Then there are youngsters ready to make the jump and play their menial minutes on the 4th line. And then Shanahan might be the dark horse here. He wants to play, he believes he still has it in him, and he believes GM Glen Sather wants him back.

There's no way they go into training camp with this many forwards. Expect a 7th defenseman or a few draft picks to be picked up after the Mats Sundin domino falls.** The 2009 NHL Entry Draft is going to be very deep, and a few extra picks couldn't hurt the Rangers.

* No actual treats will be awarded by the blog owners, although they will recommend the fantastic chocolate creme stuffed Oreos.

** In no may am I hinting that Mats Sundin will become a Ranger. I'm just saying that his self-imposed August 1st deadline for making a decision on what his future holds will be another domino to fall. Remember on July 1 when Brian Campbell signed, then defensemen starting signing left and right, including but not limited to Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival.

Time For DP To Make "The Leap"

Is this the year Rick DiPietro joins the league's elite?

Sorry to conjure memories of one of the NHL Network's most played ads, but it's a question worth asking. Some would say he's well on his way. Others would argue he's already there. Still, others say he'll never be any good and that his 15-year contract is the worst in NHL history. Clearly, there's no consensus here.

My personal opinion is that DiPietro played like a top-five goaltender (and that's top five in the NHL, not the Atlantic Division) for the first half of the season, then was never the same after "f'ing up his hip" at the Skills Competition. As fate would have it, it was at that same Skills Competition when we saw exactly what Rick DiPietro can be in this league.

Everyone points to his post-All-Star Game fade, but people forget that DP was just about made a star during All-Star weekend. He was probably the athlete the hosts talked to the most during the Skills Competition, he wore a mic during the game, and got hyped up pretty good by Versus. Oh, and he also started the All-Star Game itself and only let in one goal the entire weekend - and that was when one of the idiot announcers was talking to him. Despite being a goalie in the offense-heavy All-Star Game, he was a solid MVP candidate - not too bad for someone many considered lucky to be there.

So it all came crashing down after that. So what? Those who watched the Islanders play in the first half know how many games DiPietro singlehandedly won for them. If the Vezina vote took place in February, he would have gotten some serious consideration, not to mention quite a few votes. That's half a season of stellar goaltending, which is certainly an upgrade over the years when Tommy Salo and Felix Potvin graced us with their presence.

The challenge, now, is translating that half-season of greatness into a full year of Vezina-quality goaltending. Is DiPietro ready?

Well, here's the thing. He pretty much has to be.

The Isles are going to struggle to do much of anything this year, at least as far as making a playoff push goes. If they're going to have a decent year - and they're going to need to in order to attract free agents - DP needs to be spectacular. But it goes deeper than that. DiPietro himself needs to have the kind of year that really puts him on the map across the league. Believe it or not, he was drafted eight years ago. It's time for him to step up - and, at this point, we all pray his hips can keep him up.

And then, there's this. The NHL is dying to shove DiPietro down our throats, a la Crosby and Ovechkin. It just hasn't worked out yet. Why? Because DiPietro hasn't turned in that superstar-caliber year that would put his team over the top. Look at the aforementioned Crosby and Ovechkin. Crosby took a team that was headed to Kansas City and made it a Cup Finalist in three years. In that same amount of time, Ovechkin took a crappy Capitals team with crappy uniforms and filled the Verizon Center like never before. These teams are no longer bottom-feeders; they're exciting teams that people want to watch. This is why they're on NBC every Sunday.

Could DP preside over such a rebuilding act? In terms of hockey, doubtful. In terms of image, though, it's not that far off. If the Islanders can stay competitive this year and DP has a great season, that's a start. The following year, if the Islanders manage to make the playoffs and steal a round, then the stage is set for DiPietro to really set the hockey world ablaze. That's something the Islanders need. It's one thing to have a goalie locked up for the next twelve years; it's an entirely different thing to have one of the game's best players for the rest of his great career. We're hoping for the latter.

We're also hoping that this year is the continuation of what we saw more often than not last year - game-saving plays, smart goaltending, and quality leadership. If DiPietro can make "the leap" this year, it won't only help his stature out, but it'll drastically change the perception of the New York Islanders. Instead of being a laughingstock as they're said to be now, they will be seen as a team on the rise. And that just might be the kind of thing that can get the ball rolling.

Breathe Easy...

Breath easy, Ranger fans. Perennial difference-maker Hugh Jessiman has re-signed with the team.

Sarcasm is tough to do when you're typing a blog. Truth is, Jessiman was a waste of a draft pick. Hopefully the Rangers learned their lesson here. Never draft an Ivy League collegiate player in the first round. When the teams your playing including Princeton, Harvard, and Yale (does Yale have a team?), competition isn't tough. 

Had had 47 points in 34 games in his first year at Dartmouth. Then, he was drafted. His production fell to 33 points in 34 games his second year, then he scored 2 points in 12 games his third year. Who does he think he is, Jason Strudwick? 

Truth be told, me and Jessiman are both 24, and we both will never play in the NHL as a Ranger. The Rangers should have drafted me. I'd request less money.

What To Expect At The Coliseum This Year

We here at The Rivalry have been fortunate enough to receive a tour of the Nassau Coliseum in advance of the start of the 2008-09 NHL season. While we only received this tour because we attended the WWE Great American Bash tonight, it still called to mind the many trips we made to the Coliseum last season. It was nice to see the old barn in a different setting. And, as is always the case after a long layoff, it was interesting to see what's changed since last season.

- More Ads: One thing they did a lot of this off-season was sell ad space. There are more ads in the hallways of each gate than ever before; in fact, the sheer amount of advertisement one is greeted with on their way back to the concourse is a bit smothering. In addition, there are more of the 200-level ads we saw last year. There was also a banner in front of the 300-level section directly in line with the goals called "Northville". Since the stage took up the opposite goal area, it's unclear if there's a "Southville". On the subject of "Villes", we were unable to verify if Loudville will be back, as our seats were in Section 307. Either way, be prepared to be inundated with more ads than ever before.

- More Menu Selections: I think. I could have sworn I saw someone carrying around an iced coffee, but I can't say for certain. In any event, there are non-souvenir cups. The rest of the goodies remained pretty much the same. The exotic beers are still located in the "Beers Of The World" stand and in the outside area. We were unable to verify if they jacked up the price of the 24-ounce Labatt Blue can; we can only hope they didn't. Also, everyone's favorite Coliseum snack, the pretzel twist, is still as juicy and succulent as ever. Tonight's twists might have been even better than last year's. The twists are still only $4.50 - the best bargain anywhere. One last thing - we didn't see the guy selling pretzels outside of the Coliseum, but maybe that's on game days only.

- The Dragons Stuff: It's still there... for now. Since Charles Wang has just sold the team, it's unclear what will happen to the Dragons after the current AFL campaign ends. We don't even know if they'll be playing at the Coliseum. Either way, it's almost a given that we'll see a decrease in the promotion of the Dragons now that Wang isn't liable to shove both teams down our throats. Could this mean the end of Sparky The Dragon?

- Soda Guys: They had a guy roaming around selling sodas in the 300 levels, something we never saw before. In the past, this was strictly a delicacy for the lower levels. We pity the poor guy who has to climb the extremely steep Coliseum steps to deliver a Pepsi to someone up in Row T. However, the guy in our section dropped a bunch of his soda bottles, so it's possible that this experiment could be ended before the season starts. It's also something that could be started at games with lower attendance figures and phased in over the season. Who knows? It's worth a shot.

- Parking: As of tonight, it's still $7 to park. Still an extremely spacious lot (something to appreciate if you've been to either Shea or Yankee Stadium this year), and it's still a good idea to park right by the fence alongside Charles Lindbergh Boulevard. If you ever see some people playing hockey and drinking heavily along that fence, you'll know you saw The Rivalry.

- Bootleg Merchandise: If the Coliseum hired extra security to thwart the bootleggers, they called in sick tonight. We were able to not only score bootleg WWE merchandise, but also managed to take our time in negotiating a better rate, verifying that nothing was spelled wrong, and getting change without fear of getting busted. There were people all over; there was even a guy weaving in and out of traffic on Hempstead Turnpike selling stuff. His rates were even better than the guy we talked to. Oops.

- Arbour Banner: It still says "1500". We thought they were putting an updated one up there at Core Of The Four. Maybe they forgot. Or maybe they're waiting for this year's alumni reunion to do it. Or maybe, just maybe, they're talking to Arbour about coaching again. (Note: They aren't.) Either way, it'd be nice if they did something about it. It'd also be nice if they'd get around to taking #16 out of circulation and putting it where it belongs - with the numbers of the other Islander greats.

So that's what we discovered tonight - the Coliseum is pretty much as we remember it, with all of the good things intact and a few surprises. We're sure they have more in store for us this season. However, let's hope the first surprise is a quality coach.

As for the Bash itself? Good card with lots of quality, no-frills wrestling, though a lot of guys we wanted to see weren't there. The highlight of the night, however, was seeing Mets GM Omar Minaya walking in with his kids and then exiting the arena as we were pulling out. We can only hope his evening was enhanced by enjoying a delicious pretzel twist.

Jesse Joensuu...

Here's hoping winger Jesse Joensuu, the Islanders' 2nd round selection (60th overall) in 2006, cracks the line-up this year, if for no other reason than because I think I'll have a great time typing it all the time.

Tortorella?

Busy morning so far...

Kukla's Korner reports that the Islanders have asked Tampa Bay for permission to speak with former coach John Tortorella. The Lightning have approved this request.

It doesn't mean anything, but at least we know that the Islanders really are looking for the best option and aren't going to settle for some minor league coach. However, I would advise Mr. Snow that Tortorella can be just as controversial as Ted Nolan was. The fans don't mind that as much, but Snow might be looking for someone who can toe the company line better than Nolan did. Tortorella might not be that guy. That said, it's hard to argue with the young players who developed so well under his tutelage - Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, Martin St. Louis, and Vinny Prospal are just a few players who had breakout seasons for Tortorella.

We'll see what happens. Quite frankly, it's refreshing that they're doing this the right way. Those who had doubts certainly had their reasons.

Isles Lock Up Another Young Player

This time, it's Frans Nielsen who will benefit from Garth Snow's signing spree. Four years for $2.1 million... not bad.

Here's the big part of the news, though. It's a one-way deal.

You know what that means? They're actually doing it. They're going to rebuild the right way. They're going to throw the young guys in there, and even if they lose their first 25 games, the young guys aren't going anywhere. And, dare I say it, it's about f'ing time.

A one-way deal means you can't be sent down unless you clear waivers. That's why over the last couple of years, you'd only see guys like Neilsen if someone got hurt and they needed a quick fix. Nielsen was one of the guys who performed really well in spite of his prominent role on the Port Jefferson Ferry. Not only did he hold his own in the NHL, but he averaged roughly 0.8 points per game in Bridgeport - not bad, especially considering the AHL is often even more physical than the NHL.

As much as I love all these one-year deals the Islanders are giving out, perhaps the biggest subliminal effect will be the message these deals send to the fringe players under contract - contribute, or else. Now that it's clear what direction the Islanders are going in, they will want veterans who can not only play well, but who can teach these kids something. It's going to be interesting who ends up making the team out of training camp. I've got a feeling we'll see some surprises.

While it's nice that we're seeing guys like Nielsen, Jeff Tambellini, and Sean Bergenheim receiving rewards for their hard work, it's also becoming clear that we should expect significant growing pains this year. This only makes Snow's job of finding a new coach more difficult. Not only is this new coach coming into an environment of chaos (that's the perception of our team outside of Long Island), but he's also going to be losing a ton of games in his first season. As we all know, coaches are evaluated based on wins, even if the team is making a clear youth movement. Who wants to set himself up for failure? That's a very good question.

We should also look forward to a mass exodus at the trade deadline of the veterans who won't be back next year. As the Islanders get ready to bring up the next crop of youngsters over the next year or so, the Isles will need to make room for them somehow. No better way than to rent out the veterans, get some draft picks, clear out some cap room, and get ready for 2009-10. By that time, it's possible that the Islanders will be seen as a team on the rise; a year of stability on the management front won't hurt, either. They might even be able to attract a marquee free agent or two. Even if they can't, they may have an elite goalie in Rick DiPietro and one of the game's emerging stars in Kyle Okposo, not to mention some good young players with experience and not a whole lot of aging veterans taking up roster spots. Who knows what could happen?

Either way, if you're a real Islanders fan, you have to be happy that they're finally committing to youth. I think we can all deal with a bad season in 2008-09 if it leads to bigger things in the years that follow. It certainly beats treading water and praying for the 8th seed like we've been doing for the past five years. Maybe Zach was right - there could be a bright future for this team, and it might not be all that far away. We just have to pay our dues first.

Islanders Schedule Analysis

The Islanders released their schedule yesterday. It's a bit... um... interesting.

OK, let's not pull any punches. It looks like the kind of schedule you'd see in a video game when you play a second season. For example, in my 2008-09 season in NHL 08, I open up at home against the Devils... only to play the Devils at home again two nights later. The Isles' schedule isn't that horrific - and for that, we are eternally grateful - but it is a bit bizarre.

Let's dig into this thing.

- Unlike last year, the Islanders will actually be playing games in October this year. No more ridiculous strings of three games in two weeks. Thank God. That the Islanders play some teams they traditionally play well against (Rangers, Flyers, Devils, Lightning) as well as some bad teams (Blues, Panthers) helps out as well.

- The Isles booked a number of matinee games, which don't seem to make that much of a difference to many of us, but are great for getting kids to come out. (No, little Kylie will not be attending her first Islander game this year, but at least she'll get to watch the earlier games on TV.) They have a matinee on just about every holiday - Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, New Year's Eve, MLK Day, and President's Day. They've scheduled some other random ones as well.

- On the national TV front, the Islanders have two chances to crack NBC's flex schedule: March 8 vs. Phoenix and March 15 vs. Chicago. Great. Figures that the NHL screws the Islanders by putting them in useless matchups against the West on Sundays. Meanwhile, on those two dates, the Rangers will be playing the Bruins and Flyers respectively. Gee, I wonder which direction NBC will take.

- Now, we get to what makes this schedule so ridiculous - the extreme number of lengthy home/road swings the Islanders will go on. They're on the road for four straight in December and then they go out to the West Coast for four more in January (thankfully, they only have one West Coast swing). The West Coast trip is followed immediately by five straight home games. Then, we get to the season's crucial point - February 26th. This is the date when the Islanders will begin a six-game home stand, which will be directly followed by six straight road games. Who the hell came up with that idea? Everyone knows attendance on Long Island picks up significantly (as in, the Coliseum is sold out) if the Islanders are involved in a playoff chase in mid-March, so let's capitalize on that by sending them on the road for two weeks in crunch time. Good f'ing job, NHL.

- The final stretch of the season is a doozy, with nine of the Isles' final eleven games being played against playoff teams from last year. One of the two non-playoff teams is the Lightning, who will be significantly better this year. Uh-oh.

- If anybody cares, the Islanders will be playing twice against the following Western Conference teams: Columbus (hello, Mr. Filatov), Phoenix (The Great One, not to mention a good young team), and Minnesota (zzzz). Let's hope the geniuses in the Islanders corporate offices make these promotional giveaway nights. Something tells me the sizzle of an Islanders-Blue Jackets matchup isn't going to sell a lot of tickets on its own.

So, how do I see this season playing out? Well, it looks like the NHL did the Islanders a favor by giving them a lot of rivalry games early on so people can see them playing at their best, thereby helping the Isles to sell tickets for their remaining slate of games. However, the lengthy road trips will take their toll on this team; if they don't do the Islanders in, their punishing April will. They could sneak into the playoffs, but it's going to be a tall order indeed.

2008-09 Rangers Schedule...

Every year, when the schedule comes out, I write down all the home games, catergorized by month. I write down who they're playing, the date, and the day of the week. (Okay, I did this last year and I did this today for next season, as well.)

I then award each game 0, 1, 2, or 3 points. When I get my choice of packages, I count up the points, then whichever package has the most points, I get.

Oh, and by the way, I lied to everyone. I will be getting a package this year, if only so I don't lose my place in line in future seasons. See, when I first signed up for a ticket package right after the lockout, I got my choice of anything I wanted, any package (I picked the 7-game plan, now non-existant), any seat (mostly any seat, I picked blue line seats where the Rangers shot twice). The next year, the seats got worse, and last season, they improved, but barely. It's also nearly impossible to upgrade from my current 11-game plan to a half-season or full-season plan. So for those wanting tickets now, there is a wait.

Seven years of futility and a lost season means there's no waiting for tickets. Three straight playoff appearances and a team that isn't in it just for the money means you wait. Take the good with the bad, eh?

Anyway, I only originally gave 4 games 3 points. The home opener versus Chicago; Sean Avery returning with Dallas in October; and the last two home games of the season, against Philadelphia and Montreal.

I then figured out a few dates where Adam Graves' number 9 might be retired, and bumped any 1s to 2s, and 2s to 3s.

A few games got the dreaded "zero points." Those include Devil, Penguin, and Flyer games on Saturdays, when I wouldn't miss going to work and making $250 for a game I could catch any other time.

I remember one game in November of 2006, I had 2 tickets to a Devils game at MSG, and I sold them to a friend. The Rangers were losing 2-0, scored 3 goals in 90 seconds, and won. On my drive home from work, people on Steve Somers' show on WFAN were calling it the greatest regular season game in history. A text message from my friend concurred this non-exaggerated statement.

* * *

As far as road games go, I will be traveling to see the Blueshirts play this year. Probably a Saturday game in Boston, definitely one or two games in Philly (hopefully including the last game of the season). I'll probably go to atleast two games at the Coliseum and one game in Newark. Nice stadium. Frightening area.

Both games in Montreal are weeknights, which is kind of weak. Last year, me and some friends got there on Saturday, saw the Rangers' 5-3 win on Super Bowl Sunday, and came home on Monday.

I won't be going to their California swing, where they play the Ducks and Kings on back to back nights, but it's nice to dream.

Last year, I went to a Wednesday game in Newark, and a Thursday game in Philly. That was a lot of fun, but the schedule doesn't allow that this year.

However, the highlight of my schedule will be going to Nashville for the March 12 game.

Inside the Sommet Center, home of the Predators.

Formerly known as the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

I could probably get front row seats day of the game.

Busy News Day On Long Island

Sorry to usurp Zach's post on jerseys. I'd advise reading it; it's something I think we can all relate to. I can't say the same thing about liking Ryan Hollweg.

Anyway, it's been a pretty big day in Islanders Country. Who knew we'd have so much to talk about? I figured we'd have broken out the summer reading and NHL 08 stuff weeks ago.

For those who missed it, here's what happened today...

- It wasn't exactly publicized, but "The Committee" is no more. Charles Wang insists that Garth Snow is in charge of hockey operations going forward. Good for him. This "business model", which Wang insisted was the future of hockey, lasted almost exactly two years and resulted in exactly one playoff win, not to mention a ton of scorn and embarrassment. Thanks a lot, Charles.

Party on, Wang! Party on, Garth! (Sorry. That cracks me up every time.)

- The Islanders signed Jeff Tambellini to a two-year deal. It's a one-way deal that will pay Tambellini $550,000 this year and $625,000 the next. If nothing else, this guarantees that Tambellini will be on the Island for the next two years instead of riding the Port Jefferson Ferry a dozen times a year. For his development, it's huge; however, it's time for Tambellini to show he's worth it. Four goals in 79 NHL games doesn't cut it.

- The Isles also inked another of their restricted free agents - Sean Bergenheim. It's funny how firing your agents changes things. Just a week ago, Bergenheim was headed for a bitter arbitration hearing. Now, he's got a deal for 2008 and 2009 that will pay him $800,000 and $925,000 respectively. It's not confirmed anywhere, but we can only assume it's a one-way contract. This does a lot to convince Islander fans that the marriage between Bergenheim and his team can be a long-term one; it also shows the other young players on the Island that the team is committed to youth. Thank God.

- Buzz on The NHL Arena suggested that some of the NHL schedule would be unveiled today. The plan, as was speculated, was to announce the home openers today and the rest of the schedule tomorrow. Well, we never heard anything from the Islanders about this (yet), but we have been able to confirm that the Islanders will be visiting the Prudential Center on October 10th as the Devils kick off their home campaign. As is always the case in New Jersey, great seats are still available. Greg Logan of Newsday states that the Devils game will be the Islanders' first, with the home opener being played the following night against St. Louis. At least they're burning one of their non-drawing Western Conference games with the home opener, which will most likely be a sell-out.

Also, the worst-kept secret in hockey was confirmed, as the Red Wings and Blackhawks will be facing off at the 2009 Winter Classic, which will be played at Wrigley Field. I know a lot of us wanted the Islanders to be included, but this is great for the game. There's a serious hockey revival going on in Chicago, and this is the icing on the cake. It's great to have another Original Six city re-embracing the game. With an team full of emerging young stars, every game on TV, and now the Winter Classic, hockey is back on the map in Chicago - and not a moment too soon.

We should see schedules unveiled for both New York teams tomorrow. At this point, all we know is that the two teams will have six games against each other; common sense dictates that these games will be played on weeknights. Let's hope for some more home-and-homes like we saw down the stretch last year.

My 3 Jerseys...

On June 30, I had three Ranger jerseys of current players.

On July 2, my blue Sean Avery #16 jersey became null and void. I will however, still wear this one to the Garden and even on some road games, because nothing incites a different team's crowd like seeing Avery's name emblazoned on a $185 jersey.

On July 3, my vintage Jaromir Jagr #68 jersey became obsolete. I probably won't wear this one though, and I don't think I did last year either. It was a vintage jersey I had gotten a few years back that I added his name and number on the back. I liked it at first, but when I got some others, it was pushed to the back.

On July 14, my blue Ryan Hollweg #44 jersey became a thing of history. It was autographed by a lot of players from the early 2006-07 team, including Hollweg. Other former Rangers to sign it are Marcel Hossa (he grabbed the Sharpie before I could say "No!"), Brendan Shanahan, Aaron Ward, Fedor Tyutin, Jason Ward (a hell of a nice guy) and Adam Hall. This jersey was worn at certain times last year, although the Avery was my first choice. It will officially be retired in a ceremony before training camp.

This follows a pattern of mine, where I get jerseys of a player who leaves the team after the season. My Russian Pavel Bure jersey (he got hurt and retired), my white Eric Lindros (got it before the lockout, then he went to Toronto), my Liberty Steve Rucchin (signed with Atlanta after the season ended). Hollweg was the first player that I got a jersey of who was on the team for more than one season after I bought it.

I think I'm safe with my planned white Dan Girardi #5 jersey this season.

* * * 

On the Hollweg trade...

He wore out his welcome in NY. When he first came into the league, following the lockout, he was part of the "new corps" of Rangers. Jed Ortmeyer, Blair Betts, Dom Moore, Hollweg, Petr Prucha. He hit hard, he played with energy, and he was a solid checker. In 2005-06, I loved him, and he was a definite fan favorite. Besides mine, Hollweg jerseys and Ortmeyer jerseys became big in the Garden.

In 2006-07, his lack of offensive skills shone through when he played with Colton Orr more and more. Two players with the same style were useless together. They didn't shut down any top lines, they didn't energize the other lines, and they didn't score. 

Last season, Orr became better with his skating and puck-moving games, and Hollweg was scratched heartily. Freddy Sjostrom's arrival put Hollweg on the bench more, and you could now tell he was a borderline NHLer. When he did play, he took bonehead penalties that cost the Rangers more often than not (I will not talk about Game 3 of the Rangers/Penguins series, because I don't want my blood pressure to go through the roof).

The signings of Patrick Rissmiller and Aaron Voros signaled the end of Hollweg for good. These players had more upside than Hollweg did. They could score more than 5 goals in 3 years, and while they take penalties, they aren't a detriment to the team like Hollweg had become.

That said, I wish the Rangers got more for him. I understand a borderline NHLer on a re-building team like Toronto isn't going to get much in return, but I wish he was included in a bigger package. The Rangers have a glut of forward, and packaging him with someone could have gotten back a bigger reward than a previously-acquired 5th round pick.

In the end, though, I'm glad they didn't trade Prucha.

Yet.

* * *

And yes, I really own a Steve Rucchin jersey.

Me in my Rucchin jersey in Boston, January 2007.

Rangers Fan Perspective of Ted Nolan's Firing...

Because I don’t like bondage, I’m not an Islanders fan. Okay, that’s a lie. I like bondage, but not in a sports-sense. 

However, even as a street-wise, book-smart Ranger fan, I’m not happy with the Ted Nolan firing. To be honest, it doesn’t change my life dramatically, but I think it’s a pretty crappy move on back-up GM Garth Snow’s part.

He had to have known this was going to happen. Hell, former Isles Media VP Chris Botta went on XM’s Home Ice 204 last month and said this was going to happen. 

Yet Snow dilly-dallied around the situation, blowing off reports, “No comment”-ing when asked about it, and basically made it seem like the tension was a false report. However, he did it anyway, and he did it so late into the offseason that he completely screwed Ted Nolan. Between Tampa Bay, Atlanta, San Jose, Toronto, and Ottawa, he could have at least interviewed for a job there. Now, all those positions are filled, and the only other vacancy is in Los Angeles.

Did this all really begin with Nolan’s decision to start Wade Dubielewicz over Rick DiPietro against the Rangers? Dubie, unlike a certain backup goaltender who went 4-13 with a .886 save percentage in 2005-06, was capable of playing with the big boys.

A text received from an Islander fan friend of mine from Los Angeles while I was at work: “No more Ted Nolan. Garth really wants that Tavares fella next year.”

For the record, Johnny Tavares is a center with the Oshawa Generals who broke Wayne Gretzky’s OHL record when he scored 72 goals in 2006-07 (he dropped to 40 goals last season, but is right now still considered the consensus #1 overall draft pick next year).

You can bet the “John Ta-va-res” chants next March will be louder than the “Ste-ven Stam-kos” chants were this April at the Coliseum. 

The Aftermath

Now that we've all had a little time to absorb the shock of this whole thing and digest it a bit, there are a few things that have become clear.

- While it's going to down as Snow firing Nolan, it's pretty clear that the feelings that the two couldn't work together were fairly mutual. Nolan hardly sounded broken up about the firing, which suggests that he was ready to move on anyway.

- Snow's alibi that he "realized" the two had differing philosophies is a load of crap. You don't work with someone for two years, then suddenly realize that you don't think the same way. There's something else here, and I think it's their summer ticket push.

- It would seem as though the Islanders are done signing free agents this summer. Long Island was a tough enough draw 24 hours ago. With the second big-time shakeup in two years, it's going to be hard to convince anyone to come here.

- While the Islanders are losing a great coach in Ted Nolan, the real losers are the Islander fans, who must once again deal with their team being the league's laughing stock.

Such is the M.O. of the Islanders. Every time you think they're getting things going, they go ahead and do something that reminds you of exactly why they're an afterthought on Long Island. So, in tomorrow's papers, you'll read ten pages about the MLB All-Star Game and the 900th gushing tribute to Yankee Stadium published in a New York daily this year. But in every paper not called Newsday, Ted Nolan's demise will be buried underneath the stories on the WNBA and horse racing. Sure, that's partially due to hockey's lack of popularity (and baseball's obscene popularity, even when both teams are a combined twelve games over .500), but the Islanders do themselves no favors by conducting business in their style.

So, now what?

Let's pretend for a second that the Islanders aren't going to sign a minor-league coach, even though it's at least a fair shot that they will. Instead, let's take a look at some of the coaches that have NHL coaching experience. (By no means is this a comprehensive list of candidates.) There are a lot of names out there... but are they good coaches? Let's find out.

Bill Barber
Coached the Flyers for one partial season (2000-01) and one full season (2001-02). Won the Adams in 00-01, but lost in the first round in both years. Hasn't coached since being fired in 2002.

Pat Burns
Hasn't coached since 2004 due to cancer, but won hardware at every stop in his career - Adams trophies with Montreal ('89), Toronto ('93), and Boston ('98); Stanley Cup with Devils ('03).

Marc Crawford
A candidate for the coaching job back in '06, he is most famous for winning the Cup with Colorado in '96. Has won just one playoff series since leaving the Avs. Floundered in a rebuilding project in Los Angeles.

Robbie Ftorek
Known mainly for getting canned just before the 2000 playoffs and bouncing around the minor leagues. Is said to be a great developer of young talent. Has won only one playoff series in the NHL, but has never had a losing season either.

Bob Hartley
Has registered more than a point per game in each season as a coach except 03-04. Hasn't won a playoff series since leaving Colorado, where he won a Cup in 00-01. Went to at least the third round in each year with the Avs.

Paul Maurice
The youngest coach on this list by a mile. Aside from Carolina's Finals run in 01-02, has never won a playoff series in the NHL. Is used to chaos from coaching in Toronto for two seasons.

Joel Quenneville
Has never registered fewer than 87 points in any of his full seasons; however has traditionally had loaded teams to work with. Ability to develop young players is a bit unproven. Has never coached in the East.

Pat Quinn
The long shot. Has reached the conference finals in three different decades. With the exception of his stint in LA in the late '80s, has only missed the playoffs twice. Advanced age could be a deterrent.

John Tortorella
Known for winning the Cup in '04 and for trashing his own players in the media. Seems like he'd be a good fit to replace Barry Melrose on ESPN. Coached the Rangers for four games in 2000.

Of these coaches, I'd be fine with Burns, Maurice, Quenneville, or Tortorella; I'd tolerate Barber, Ftorek, or Hartley; I'd hate Crawford or Quinn. There are a ton of other guys out there as well. If I were to venture a guess as to what route Snow and Wang might take, it'd be either a minor-league coach or a forgotten guy like Ftorek who's good with young players. I highly doubt it's going to be a big-ticket coach like Pat Burns. After all, if they're going with youth, they need a guy who's going to be around for a while, and the best bets to stick around are going to be those with something to prove.

Losing Nolan is a tough blow. I'm not sure they can do any better with this group. But maybe Snow can find a diamond in the rough here. Remember, everyone thought the Islanders were crazy when they hired Peter Laviolette, and he didn't do too badly. Unfortunately, as is so often the case with the Islanders, we'll have to wait and see.

Holy Crap - Isles Fire Nolan

I can honestly say I didn't see it coming.

I assumed all the one-upmanship in the media was nothing to write home about. I figured everything was cool in Islander land; after all, Charles Wang would have seen to it that all the nonsense was stopped. This is the same guy who fired Neil Smith after forty days on job. If things were really that bad, wouldn't he step in and restore order?

Well, he finally did. Or, at least, he forced Snow to do what he felt was right. And it turns out that Wang's hesitance to extend Nolan's contract was, in fact, a harbinger of Nolan's impending doom.

I'm shocked.

I'm not understating what has happened here - this is huge. Let's consider what we had in Ted Nolan. A coach who was respected around the league as a guy who got the most out of his players. A coach who has won in both the "old NHL" and the "new NHL". He was a coach that Charles Wang proudly took a chance on, and he was a coach that got results with a team that was, at its absolute best, mediocre.

Let's look at what we have now - or, more appropriately, the perception of what we have now. We now have an owner who has presided over the firing of two established hockey people, Smith and Nolan, because they couldn't last in his "business model". We now have a general manager who not only was a backup goalie two years ago, but canned the only coach who was going to make people forget the fact that Peter Laviolette won a Stanley Cup three years after being fired by the Islanders. We have a fake youth movement going on in which half the team is unproven youngsters and the other half is aging veterans. We have the smallest fanbase in the league, one that was artificially enhanced by promotions and giveaways, and it goes without saying that this group of people is only going to get smaller now.

And for what? Are you telling me that Ted Nolan isn't the right coach for this team? Was he not the same person who coaxed a great season out of Blake Comeau? Was he not the same person who plucked Kyle Okposo out of Bridgeport, threw him on the first line, and gave him some valuable experience? Was he not the same person who helped push Alexei Yashin out the door in order to make room for Snow's bad contracts? Something is not adding up here.

Look at what we're giving up here. A former Jack Adams award winner. A coach who got the absolute most out of his team. And we're going to watch Garth Snow replace him with either some retread who has already been fired five times, or an unproved head coach from the minor leagues. And I'm sorry to say, but after the Steve Stirling debacle, I'm not exactly brimming with optimism at that prospect.

I guess on some level, I should have seen this coming. I should also have some faith in Snow, Wang, Trottier, and the rest of them to make the right decision. But after making one horrible one, it's hard to see how they can redeem themselves.

Taking a bad situation and making it worse. It sort of makes you wonder how the Islanders view this season and, dare I say it, the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Not that the Isles would tank or anything, but maybe they wouldn't exactly mind a subpar 2008-09 season. And you've got to love how they did this now that they've spent the past three months of the off-season begging you to buy season tickets. What do you do now? For the second time in three years, the Isles are in disarray in July. Something tells me that wasn't in the promotional package.

It's never easy to be an Islander fan, least of all when your team consistently undermines your passion. Ted Nolan had that passion. And now, the Islanders - the team who constantly whines about losing money - is paying Nolan $600,000 not to coach them. Go figure.

But this isn't about the money. It isn't about the fans. It isn't about grit, character, heart, or any of the other crap the Islanders try to sell us. This is about putting the pieces in place that give the New York Islanders the best possible chance to win. This wasn't a great team to begin with; deep down, we all knew Nolan would have to pull another rabbit out of his hat to keep the Isles in contention down the stretch. With Nolan gone, that task becomes infinitely tougher.

Still shocked. Still pissed.

I'm not sure if any of the above made any sense, but this closer will.

I challenge Garth Snow to find a better coach for this team than the one he just sent packing.

It's Not The Arena

If I hear one more person complain about how the Islanders need a new arena to attract free agents, I'm going to puke.

As I write this, I'm watching a Vintage Game on the NHL Network from 1983. The Islanders are playing the Bruins in Game 6 of the Wales Conference Finals. The Islanders are winning by a score of 7-3 and the crowd is boisterious. As we all know, the Isles go on to win the game, the series, and their fourth straight Stanley Cup. But that's not the point.

This is the point. The Coliseum is every bit of a dump now as it was in 1983. Yet, people have packed the place at any point when the team has been good. It was full in the 80s. It was full in 1993 and it was full in 2002. It's obvious that if there's a product worth watching, fans will turn out in great numbers to watch it. Look at the Mets. Shea Stadium is the most awful stadium in all of professional sports, but they've set attendance records in each of the past two years. They've also attracted premier free agents, and these players would have signed even if CitiField wasn't on the horizon.

So, getting back to the Islanders, what's the problem? If it's not the arena, it's got to be something else. In this case, that "something else" is the quality of the team. Sorry to say it, but it's true. The proverbial elephant in the room for the Islanders is the fact that their "youth movement" is a misnomer. Their organizational depth is average; worse, there's nobody on the team that can really help bring this talent along for the long haul. There are a lot of teams with a lot more depth and a better plan to develop their prospects. That's just the way it is.

I'm not trying to be critical of the Islanders. That said, I'm sick of the excuses that always seem to pop up when things go wrong. When things went awry last year, it was because there were too many injuries. Never mind the fact that the Islanders were in ninth place or worse for the final six weeks of the season. It's not that they were screwed; they just weren't good enough. The same goes for the prior season's playoff against Buffalo. Maybe it's not what fans want to hear, but the truth is the Islanders are nowhere near the league's elite.

You don't need excuses when you win. And when you're winning, the good players want to play for you. Two years ago, Pittsburgh was a last-place team in a crappy arena on the verge of being shipped off to Kansas City. Now, they're one of the best teams and, as a result, a top destination for free agents. The Devils used to play in a half-empty dump, but still drew free agents because they're always competitive. Now that they play in a half-empty palace, players have the exact same level of interest. If the Islanders had just won the Stanley Cup, do you really think players would spurn the Isles because they play in subpar facilities? I highly doubt it.

Again, it's not the arena. It's the team. If the Islanders want to get the best players, they need to build slowly and wisely. This year, if they're in 10th place again at the trading deadline and they still have Mike Comrie, Mike Sillinger, Bill Guerin, and Doug Weight in the final year of their contracts, then they should suck it up and get what they can get for these players. As much as I love Garth Snow for going for it with the Ryan Smyth deal, the Islanders need to be smart. Within a year or two, they could be a very good young organization. They just need to know who to build around. That would be Kyle Okposo and Rick DiPietro, not The Lighthouse.

Alex Radulov...

Today, news is going to break that Alex Radulov from Jed Ortmeyer's Nashville Predators has defected to Russia.

The new Russian league (now known as the Continental Hockey League) has been a fall-back for mid-level players like Wade Dubielewicz, Bryce Lampman, Mike York, and Ray Emery, who have found that they have no place in the NHL this season (although I still think Dubie should have waited for July 1 to see if teams came calling). The new CHL also has a lot of money to offer players, but so far, the likes of Evgeni Malkin and Nikolai Zherdev have turned them down.

Alexander Radulov, however, wanted to return home, and this was his opportunity. He claims he called Nashville to tell them his intention, and they never returned his call, making it clear he wasn't needed there. I would assume the CHL also offered him more money then he would be getting in the last year of his entry-level contract. Maybe they also offered him the rumored Jaromir Jagr Special - a tax-free contract.

Radulov claims that Nashville won't be able to legally bring him back over, apparently because he never read this story on NHL.com about an agreement between the NHL and CHL to honor contracts made in the other league. However, the Radulov move might have been made before the deal was finalized.

If he does in fact have to come back, I think it's a lock that he will be traded from the Predators. Seeing as the Rangers have their own super-fast, incredibly-talented, enigmatic Russian winger, I say "No thanks," but I do know that this guy is a great player if given the chance, and he has an Ovechkin-like passion for the game. It's a shame we might not see it in North America anymore.

Al Montoya...

The Rangers made two deadline deals this year. One of them recently turned into either Nikolai Zherdev or Dan Fritsche (depending on how you look at it) and the other now is this...

Marcel Hossa + Al Montoya = Fred Sjostrom

The night before the deadline, GM Glen Sather and Coyotes GM Don Maloney had a player-for-player deal on the table, Hossa for Sjostrom. It would have been a steal for the Rangers. Hossa was an underachiever who fans expected more from because of his last name (See: Fedorov, Fedor). Along with his 8 points, he had 24 penalty minutes, most probably from hooking. Sjostrom had 19 points (he played 15 more games than Hossa) and 14 penalty minutes. On top of the stats (Sjostrom had 2 points in the regular season as a Ranger), Sjostrom is a much more complete player who is actually going to be in the NHL this upcoming season, while Hossa skates against Ray Emery and Jaromir Jagr in Russia. 

However, the deal was delayed for some reason, and when it got faxed to NHL headquarters, Al Montoya was sent with Hossa for Sjostrom, goalie David LeNeveu and enforcer Josh Gratton.  

On Monday, LeNeveu was signed as a free agent by Anaheim, and yesterday, the Predators signed Gratton, presumably to replace Darcy Hordichuk. 

Now, LeNeveu and Gratton were never, ever in the Rangers plans, as if the signings of Steve Valiquette and Aaron Voros didn't tell you that already.

My beef here is with Sather throwing in Montoya to get these people with expiring contracts to play in Hartford for three months before they sign elsewhere.

Montoya was a first round pick, 6th overall, in 2004. This isn't one of those blogs like when I write about Hugh Jessiman and tell you that they could have drafted 30 other proven NHL players instead of him. But, for the record, just so you know, Drew Stafford, Alex Radulov (a future Hall of Famer, I called it here first!), Wojtek Wolski, Andrej Meszaros, Mike Green, Johan Franzen, Mark Streit (he of the $4.1M/year deal), and Daniel Winnick were all chosen after him. A weak draft, yes, but still.

Montoya was supposed to be incredible. He went 30-10-3 one year in college, 30-7-3 another year. However, he was a bust and deemed expendable when Henrik Lundqvist burst onto the scene after the lock-out. He never quite developed like he was supposed to (See: Tyutin, Fedor). No longer was he the Future. Instead, he was Money in the Bank, albeit money with a bad back.

Personally, I think Sather held onto him too long. He did do well in the AHL, so he wasn't a total bust. He went 66-34-4, completely respectable (although his save % was very poor sometimes). This past season, he lost his starting job, and other GMs knew this. Sather should have traded him at the 2007 deadline when he was a developing goaltender with a solid record who started for his AHL team. As a former first round pick, he could have fetched atleast a 2nd round pick.

Now, he seems like he was just thrown in the deal to get him out of Sather's hair, like he was a nuisance and he would take anything to get rid of him.

He might in fact go the way of Jessiman and never see action in an NHL game. He could be a late bloomer (ran out of people whose first names are "Fedor," so I can't give an example) and become starting goaltender of the Las Vegas Panthers in the 2012-13 season.

My point is that he seems like a throw in. Sather knew LeNeveu and Gratton would never, ever put a Rangers jersey on. He knew Maloney just wanted more for Sjostrom so it didn't look like a fix, and so he offered up someone Maloney wanted to draft in the first place.

Bergenheim Headed For Arbitration

If you're an Islander fan, odds are pretty good that you're happy with the way things have played out since July 1st. You're probably ecstatic over the Mark Streit, and you probably can at least live with the Doug Weight signing. However, a dark shadow is about to come over this whole thing - Sean Bergenheim's arbitration hearing.

Nobody really talks about arbitration and the damage it does, which is a shame. Basically, imagine you and your boss sitting down in front of an independent party to discuss your salary, and imagine the things you'd say about each other with thousands of dollars on the line. Now, multiply that monetary figure by a few hundred, and you've got the arbitration system of professional sports.

When hockey fans think of arbitration, the example everyone thinks of is Tommy Salo, the former Islanders goalie who was so overwhelmed by the criticisms levied against him that he actually cried during his hearing. That's not every case, but the nature of arbitration is not exactly a glamorous one. Last year, Sean Avery had a rather contentious arbitration hearing with the Rangers. You don't think some of that bad blood remained alive as Avery negotiated with other teams just a week ago? The bottom line is, no matter what people say, it gets ugly.

Bergenheim's handlers are saying all the right things, but we must remember that Bergenheim's relationship with the Islanders isn't exactly peachy. Rather than accept a two-way deal heading into the 2006-07 season, Bergenheim bolted, choosing to play in Sweden instead of riding the Port Jefferson Ferry between Long Island and Bridgeport. While everyone bashes Bergenheim for this decision, let's not forget that the Opening Night roster for the 2006-07 season included the likes of Mike York, Chris Simon, and Shawn Bates. Never mind the insult of being offered a two-way deal four years after being a first-round pick, and never mind the fact that Denis Grebeshkov did the exact same thing. Bergenheim took less last year to make peace with the Isles' brass, but nobody has forgotten what's happened.

The good thing is that while Bergenheim is going to arbitration now, the Isles have his rights for the next four years. So the two parties would do well to settle their beefs sooner rather than later. That said, a scandalous arbitration hearing would only make a bad situation worse. What would stop Bergenheim from immediately demanding a trade if he doesn't like what he hears? Just because he's committed to playing for the Islanders in 2008-09 doesn't mean he has to be happy about it.

Ultimately, it comes down to this. If the Islanders really want to do this youth movement correctly - and honestly, we have no proof that they do - Bergenheim is a key to lock up for at least the next couple of years. However, now that they've put matters into the hands of an arbiter, God only knows what will happen next. Whatever happens at arbitration, Garth Snow's next move has to be to work on a deal that will make both parties happy beyond this year. It would be a great sign of faith to the fans, not to mention the Islanders' other young players, that the Islanders know what they're doing. Quite frankly, some of us have our doubts.

Vote For Us!

Over at The NHL Arena, they're doing a little tournament called "Battle Of The Blogosphere". It's a battle of 128 different blogs who will be dueling it out for supremacy. And, as you might have guessed since you're reading about it here, The Rivalry is one of the blogs selected.

The actual home page for the tournament is here. The page where you can vote for us is here. We're up against Ranger Pundit, a Rangers-only blog that gives a more newsy feel than we do. It's pretty good. May the best blog win.

While we're happy to have made the proverbial playoffs (insert your own "Unlike the Islanders" joke here), we'd like to do pretty well with this thing. We don't claim to be experts about anything - we just have fun talking hockey and making fun of each other's (and our own) teams. We're not self-promoting shills, but we think we do a good job here and we'd like to show more people what we're all "aboot".

If you agree, head on over to The NHL Arena and say so. If not, it's all good. Either way, keep an eye on this tournament; there are a lot of really good blogs that nobody knows about because of the low profile of hockey in America. Again, you can vote for us by clicking this link. Thanks for the support.

On NHL Salaries

Note: This post has nothing to do with the Islanders or Rangers individually, but is certainly relevant to the plight the NHL finds itself in; therefore, it is quite relevant.

In the latest edition of their ridiculous feud, Anaheim GM Brian Burke called out Oilers GM Kevin Lowe and claimed that Lowe was responsible for the inflated salaries we're seeing this year. Apparently, because Lowe signed Buffalo's Thomas Vanek and Anaheim's Dustin Penner to offer sheets last year (Buffalo matched; Anaheim didn't), that's why $300 million in contracts were doled out on July 1 alone. Now, I don't mind Brian Burke, if only because his name is markedly similar to mine, but he's wrong on this one.

Burke's argument is as follows. Generally, a player gets an entry-level contract when he comes into the league. When he starts out-earning that one, he's supposed to be given a mid-level contract, which is eventually topped by the big-money deal he gets when he hits free agency. According to Burke, Lowe's moves have eliminated that middle deal entirely, meaning that a guy goes from his entry-level deal to the big bucks right away.

There are two problems with this statement.

First off, every other sports league has done away with the mid-level deal as well. Look at the NBA. Just a few years ago, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade each went straight from their rookie deals, which paid them roughly $1.5 million a year each, into deals that paid them $20 million a year until they become eligible for free agency. The NFL is no stranger to this phenomenom, either; with non-guaranteed deals, players are always holding out for more money and receiving extensions for years and dollars they'll never see. In Major League Baseball, the trend has turned toward young stars signing with their teams at sliding rates that take them through their arbitration years and, potentially, their first years of free agency. This is as close to what Burke considered a mid-level deal as we will ever see in sports again.

The second issue I have with Burke's blaming of Lowe is that the CBA has pretty much gotten rid of the need for mid-level contracts. Players don't hit free agency until they're 31 years old, by which time they've proven their worth. Very rarely is the case where a team doesn't know what it's getting. As for younger players who would normally be receiving these mid-level deals, that's a different issue entirely. If the player wants to continually prove his worth, thereby driving up his salary, and the team doesn't want to commit to a long-term deal worth big bucks, they can go to arbitration each year. While a player can only request arbitration after his fourth year, it occasionally takes that long for a player to develop; any player who is dominant right away is locked up as soon as possible.

So, to recap...
- Every other sport has done away with mid-level deals.
- Restricted free agents with four years service time can go to arbitration each year if they choose.
- Teams who have excellent restricted free agents are wise to sign them to long-term deals at market value.

Let's look at how Burke himself handled the case of Corey Perry. Perry is a former first-round draft pick, turned 23 in May, and scored 29 goals and had 108 penalty minutes in just his second full NHL season. Surely, someone was going to give him an offer sheet if the Ducks didn't do something. So what happened? Burke signed him to a five-year deal worth $5.25 million per season. That's less than what many of the big-name free agents received; it's half of what Vancouver reportedly offered Mats Sundin. In other words, Burke should thank his lucky stars that he gets to keep Perry for what may be five years of elite production. Sure, he'd rather pay less for that production, but that's the way the NHL is these days.

And the reason for that, of course, is the ridiculous deals given to unrestricted free agents.

We haven't discussed unrestricted free agents yet, and that's because they're the catalyst behind this whole entire thing. The trickle-down effect is unmistakable. Every time a Cliff Fletcher pays $3.5 million a year for Jeff Finger, every other defenseman of his ilk is going to want the same money. That's what drives salaries up, and as much as the GMs complain, they are the ones to blame.

A common cry in the lead-up to July 1st has been, "What was the lockout for?". Personally, I'm at a loss for words on this one. Coming off the lockout in 2005, the salary cap for each team was $39 million. The upcoming season's salary floor will be $40 million. Now, the NHL was smart to link the salary cap to league revenues, but it's not working. Too many teams are forced to put money into bad players just to hit the floor. Also, too many teams find themselves with too much cap room and make the wrong choices. This doesn't even begin to mention the nature of competitive bidding, which is presumably how Wade Redden is making $6.5 million a year to play for the Rangers.

And this is where it gets ugly. Let's use Redden as an example of how a big deal can ultimately ruin a player's career. It's fairly certain that Wade Redden did not request $6.5 million a year from the New York Rangers. However, given the cap room they had and the needs they had, they felt it was necessary to overpay in order to get their player. So, now, Redden has this huge deal, and with that huge deal comes pressure. The fans and media are going to be all over this guy if he doesn't perform at a superhuman level for the next six years. Same with Jeff Finger in Toronto. Nobody's going to turn down the money these guys were offered, but at the same time, their lives are going to get a whole lot complicated as a result of receiving it.

Getting back to mid-level contracts, they're not given because they simply don't exist anymore. Instead, they've been replaced by inflated salaries that aren't earned, just given out because GMs aren't being rescued from themselves. As much as I want to see the NHL succeed, I'm looking forward to the year when the cap doesn't increase; in fact, I'd love to see it decrease, just to see some accountability for all this spending. The GMs in the NHL have taken the most perfect salary system in sports and destroyed it. Instead of blaming each other for it, they need to look in the mirror and realize what they've done - preferably before we need another work stoppage to correct it.

A Quick Goodbye to Jaromir Jagr...

An alternate title to this could have been "How Radek Dvorak Turned Into the Best Player the Rangers Have Had in a Decade."

Radek Dvorak and Cory Cross (bad memories!) were traded to Edmonton for Anson Carter (and Ales Pisa, who never quite fit in the NHL). Ten months, 54 games, and 22 disappointing points later, Carter was dealt straight up for Jaromir Jagr. At first, I was angry at the trade, saying the Rangers didn't need another aging superstar.

Then, the decision was made to buyout Bobby Holik's contract the summer before the NHL re-started operations and to build the team around JJ. History was made.

Jagr's first and last games as a Ranger were bad. The first game happened in Ottawa and the Rangers lost 9-1, causing someone I was friends with at the time - who had no knowledge of hockey - to say, "What was that, baseball? I didn't know hockey scores got that high." Especially pre-lockout! (Hey, Jussi Markkanen and Jason LaBarbera were in goal that night.) His last game was Game 5 in Pittsburgh (fittingly), where the Rangers lost in overtime, 3-2. Also fittingly, he took two hooking penalties in the game.

I happened to be at the Garden for his first and last home games, as well. His first home game was against the Panthers, and the Rangers won 5-2. Jagr assisted on Brian Leetch's goal, then scored the game winner, then got an assist on Matthew Barnaby's empty-netter. One goal, two assists on his first night in NY. It was a great game in a dark season and it drew his first standing ovation from the Garden faithful. 

His last game at MSG was Game 4, where the Rangers shut-out Pittsburgh 3-0. This time, the statline was reversed. He had 2 goals - the game winner and an empty netter -  and 

assisted on Brandon Dubinsky's goal. He clapped at the crowd as we chanted "Jag-er! Jag-er!" (Editor's Note: Glen Sather must have forgotten about this game.) (Editor's Note 2: The "Re-sign Av'ry!" chants were also forgotten.)

Besides those 2 games, I was there in October 2006 when he was introduced as Captain, then scored 29 seconds into the game with a still-injured shoulder. I was there in March 2006 at the Nassau Coliseum when he had 4 first period assists (with one incorrectly given to his as a goal for a short time) to break Jean Ratelle's Rangers record for points. I was there in March 2007 when he scored in a shootout in the turning point of the season for the Rangers. If he didn't score, they would have lost, and he was getting heat for not participating in shootouts. So he came out, did a move, scored, and they wound up winning on a Marcel Hossa goal in the 4th round of a game there were down 2-0 with 9 minutes left.

Anyway, there's not much that I can say that hasn't been said by every newspaper and online outlet out there. Yes, he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he was much more than that. He was an extremely nice and vulnerable man. He would sign autographs for every kid there was, but if there was an autograph hound looking for one to sell, he wouldn't sign a thing for him.

He got a bad rap from the crowd at the Garden when he slumped. He bought into Tom Renney's defense-first system, which severely hampered his goal-scoring. However, he was still a beast when he could. He played injured ever since 2005 with hip flexor problems, yet he never complained and he didn't miss one regular season game as a Ranger (his last full season before 05-06 was 95-96). He did miss one game as a Ranger, and that was Game 3 against the Devils in the 2006 playoffs. He came back for Game 4, but got crushed against the boards and couldn't return. 

He was a great Ranger in his time in New York. I remember during the lockout, he said that if he wasn't a Ranger, he wouldn't come back to the NHL. So it doesn't surprise me that he is playing in Russia this year instead of signing with another team in the NHL. But can you imagine if he signed in the Western Conference? With all that open ice, he could have put up another 100-point season.

I wish him luck in Russia, and wonder what Petr Prucha is going to do without him.

L-R: Mario Lemieux, Jagr, Mark Messier, Brendan Shanahan. 

Jagr and Shanahan being honored at MSG for scoring their 600th NHL goals.

Need To Laugh?

While this news broke yesterday (we here at The Rivalry were out at the NHL Store and a number of city bars), it still remains baffling today.

The Penguins, reeling after losing out on Marian Hossa, picked up the pieces by signing Ruslan Fedotenko and Miroslav Satan to one-year deals. Fedotenko will be getting $2.5 million next year; Satan will receive $3.5 million. So, to recap, that's a lot of mediocre play for $6 million.

Will these two players benefit from playing with superior talent? Absolutely. Will they be worth the money? Hell no! Satan fell off dramatically on Long Island (a development that shocks absolutely no one who follows the Islanders) and Fedotenko never seemed to stand out among the random grinders the Islanders brought in last year. I guess Pittsburgh was right to take the chance, but $6 million is a lot of money for two guys who combined for 74 points last year.

My question is this. If the defending Eastern Conference champions saw it appropriate to pay Fedotenko $2.5 million and Satan $3.5 million, how on Earth could Garth Snow fail to get anything in return for these guys at the trade deadline? Makes you wonder.

A Sad Week...

Not only is today a sad day to be a Ranger fan, but it is a sad week, or at least a bittersweet week.

Sean Avery - the reason the Rangers made the playoffs the past 2 seasons - is gone. Jaromir Jagr - the reason the Rangers are no longer a joke - is gone. 

Wade Redden is here. Markus Naslund is here. Are there any other members of the 2002 All-Star Team that want to sign here, while the checkbook is out? Are Ziggy Palffy, Mike York, or Alexei Zhamnov available?

Michal Rozsival got a huge paycheck. $5M per year for 4 years translates to about $6.50 for every time he opts to pass the puck into traffic instead of shooting the puck on net.

There have been upsides this week. Nik Zherdev is a good pick-up. Brendan Shanahan might be back. Like I predicted on June 27, Dmitri Kalinin is a Ranger.

Truth be told, I am not against signing Naslund. It's a relatively short deal, 2 years, at $8M total. Decent money if he scores a lot. What I like it that he wants to be a Ranger. He told his agent that the top team on his list was the Rangers. 

I like that. Pre-lockout, the Rangers enticed players with money. I like that post-lockout, the Rangers sign players who want to be here (Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Paul Mara when he re-signs, Shanny, Jagr, even Bobby Sanguenetti and Brandon Dubinsky and Petr Prucha grew up Ranger fans). If Naslund wants to play in NY, he won't phone it in like players used to from 1998-2004.

What I most dislike about Naslund signing here is that it spells the end for Jagr. When the super-Free Agency period started on July 1, 2005, I was hoping Ray Whitney, Naslund, and/or Peter Forsberg would come here. Naslund and Jagr on the same line? Incredible. Now, he is replacing Jagr.

Jagr declined last year, yes, but he was incredible in the playoffs, even with hip problems nagging him since 2005. It won't be the same team next year, that's for sure.

* * * 

For those counting, the Rangers now have 15 forwards (not including about 4 people from Hartford who can make the roster or Shanahan) and 5 defensemen. If you believe the rumor of Paul Mara returning, that's 6 defenders. Fifteen is a glut of forwards. Expect only one or two minor signings (defensemen) and a trade or two to make some room both on the roster and in the salary cap.

Four More Years...

While the Rangers now have four more years of a pass-first, clear-the-crease-last blueline, we also have four less years of Sean Avery.

Wait, did that make sense?

You get the gist of it. You know my view. The Rangers needed Avery just as much as he needed the Rangers. Once an outcast in LA, he came to NY for relatively nothing (Jay Ward, a pick, and a swap of prospects who will never skate in the NHL) and revived a franchise... twice. They made the playoffs the past two seasons because of him and Henrik Lundqvist.

You know how angry I am about him being in Dallas. However, I was on the golf course while this all happened (hey, let's be honest, Glen Sather probably was too). Luckily, I had a stream of texts coming in announcing it. 

I told my golf partner two things. 1) I'm not re-upping my subscription package this year. I was on the edge, and it hindered on Avery's re-signing. I have no problem paying his salary. I will not pay Wade Redden's salary. 2) I'm going to buy a Dallas Stars fallopian tube jersey with "AVERY 16" on the back.

Now, the trade. Nik Zherdev (#13, above) came alive last season for the Blue Jackets, especially at the end. His 61 points and -9 were career bests (hey, give him a break, he played in Ohio). Should be a good trade. Dan Fritsche (#49, above) is a decent player, definitely the throw in to make it an even 2-for-2 trade. To be honest, I thought he was a defenseman until just now. The Rangers don't need another 3rd line center, although he isn't a bad player at all.

The Rangers' biggest problem was defense. 

Now, they have 4 defensemen - Michal Rozsival (overpaid), Redden (grossly overpaid), Dan Girardi, and Marc Staal. Now, they have about 15 or 16 forwards, including one first line winger (Zherdev), and two first line centers (Scott Gomez, Chris Drury). Everyone else is a depth player, or an "energy" player. 

Who's going to score? Who's going to stand in front of Henrik? 

Zherdev is a $2.5M cap hit; Fritsche is well under a million. If memory serves me correct, Fedor Tyutin is making $2.75M against the Cap, and Christian Backman's hit is around $3.3M. While this does give the Rangers a scoring threat, it also opened up a lot of cap room.

Too bad Sean Avery won't see any of that money

* * * 

Do you think Doug Weight will fetch the Islanders a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round draft pick at the 2009 trade deadline? 

Avery To Dallas

Just like that, the Rangers' job just got tougher. Sean Avery signed with Dallas; four years, $15.4 million. That's less than what the Rangers have reportedly offered. Hmm.

Zach, the floor is yours. Mr. Sather, time to get to work on signing people who aren't defensemen.

So... Now What?

With Mark Streit comfortably in tow, the Islanders had a far more successful July 1st than they did last year, and certainly a more productive day than anybody expected. Still, their work is not yet complete.

While Streit did play some forward last year with Montreal, the Islanders still need far more scoring help. Michael Ryder was an option, but he's off to Boston. There are still plenty otalented names out there. As good of a job Snow did getting his player at his price, there will have to be other similar moves. Remember, part of free agency is getting the right pieces in place that will entice other players to come.

So far, so good. As for the future? Doug Weight seems like a guarantee to come to Long Island eventually. While the last thing the Isles need is another aging veteran, they could do worse than Weight, who's won a Cup and could teach the youngsters a thing or to while playing some good hockey. There are quite a few other options out there; it'll be interesting to see how Snow plays this. I'd say he's earned the benefit of the doubt so far.

With Marian Hossa (reportedly) signed and Mats Sundin being offered big money, it's possible that the big guns will be off the market sooner rather than later. That's when we'll see what direction the Islanders take. For the first time in a long time, I'm not cringing at the thought of who Snow might bring in. That's the surest sign of progress so far.

EDIT: The Isles signed Weight to a one-year deal this evening. It is what it is, but it's a deal that will probably do more good things for the Islanders than bad. Hey, at the very least, it's an upgrade over Josef Vasicek and Ruslan Fedotenko.

The Day That Was

Never let it be said that The Rivalry is second to anybody when it comes to free agent prognostication.

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On Michal Rozsival, Zach said...

Let some other team overpay him. He tied for 7th in defensemen scoring last season (his 13 goals were 5 more than Campbell's), including 6 on the power play. He was the only D to have 2 short-handed goals, as well (yes, they were in back-to-back games). He made $2.2M the past 2 years if memory serves me correct, a steal for his production. This year, he will want atleast $3.8M, and teams might throw him close to $4.5M/season. I've said this since we started this blog, let some other team overpay for him.

Note that, while it was the Rangers who overpaid for Rozsival, he did demand considerable dollars. Also note that the Rangers will surely regret their decision.

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On Wade Redden, Zach said...

Wade Redden was bad at 31. How awful is he going to be at 35?

Again, the Rangers are going to be stuck finding out. Still, a long-term deal for a player who will be washed up by the end of it? We're two-for-two here.

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On Mark Streit, Bryan said...

The big name in this year's free agent crop is Mark Streit. People say he's not too strong in his defensive end, but he just completed his third year in the NHL and contributed 62 points. That's pretty impressive. Better than that, the Colorado Avalanche, a team many thought would be a major competitor for Streit's services, just re-signed John-Michael Liles to a four-year deal. If the Islanders overpay for anybody, it should be Streit - though it should be cautioned that he played for Montreal, the best offensive team in the East this year.

It's funny that, in Greg Logan's Newsday column today, Streit's name wasn't even mentioned. But Streit was the clear guy here. You can't fault this signing in any possible way. Maybe Garth Snow did show up for work today after all.

---

We're pretty sure that does it for us here - no more usurping for the time being. But, real quick, let's relive this day in chronological order...

• We wonder aloud if Garth Snow even showed up today.
• Aaron Voros is the first signing for the Rangers. Zach prays that the day ended here.
• Wade Redden is signed by the Rangers.
• Zach freaks out.
• A rumor about Mark Streit coming to the Islanders is posted; by the time the post goes up, he's signed.
• Zach freaks out again.
• A scouting report on Streit comes courtesy of a die-hard Habs fan.

Earlier in the day, Zach told me that once Brian Campbell was signed, things would really start to happen. Sure enough, the New York teams have three new big-money defensemen to play with. Only time will tell how these deals will turn out. If you're an Islander fan, you're a whole lot happier now than you were when you saw the inevitable "Islanders in talks with Doug Weight" posts earlier in the day. If you're a Ranger fan, you're still wondering where the hell Jaromir Jagr and Sean Avery are. Still, there are a lot of free agents out there, and a whole lot more cap room to blow. This is just the start.

We hope you'll stick with The Rivalry to watch it all play out. Today was a record day for posts and traffic - our third record-breaking traffic day this week. Thanks for checking us out... the comment section is yours to vent.

Mark Streit Scouting Report

Here at The Rivalry, we have an extensive network of professional scouts at the ready to provide us with information whenever needed. OK, maybe we don't. But my buddy, fellow Die Hard GameFAN writer, tag team partner (literally), and Montreal Canadiens nut Guy has come through with a sort of scouting report for Mark Streit. He's watched Streit for three years now and certainly knows more about him than any of us do. So, without further adieu, here's some info about the Isles' newest signing.

Mark Streit is a natural defenseman with a great shot from the blue line. He scored often and easily on the powerplay, but he is also a great playmaker. Our coach liked to use him as a forward, which is not where he prefers to play despite his great talent for the job. He can easily deke past the opposition with his good speed and stickhandling. One of the most versatile players in NHL history, he can easily fill the role of two players for the price of one.

Thanks again to Guy. You can catch him at Die Hard GameFAN and Kapoutland.