They're Already Starting With This Crap

As soon as the Winter Classic ended, you knew everyone was going to start gushing about what a wonderful event it was - even if there was a whistle approximately once every six seconds during the first two periods. This one, hot off the presses, is entitled "NHL Sets Higher Bar with Latest Classic".

For Marco Sturm, it was his son wanting to stay on the ice at the family skate the day before the Winter Classic.

Doesn't every kid want to stay on the ice when the session is over? I mean, I'm 28 years old, and when the sessions at Cantiague Park end, I start to cry and beg the attendant for five more minutes on the ice.

Maybe it was James Taylor's lyrical version of the national anthem.

Isn't EVERY version of the national anthem performed by a singer considered "lyrical"?

It is not a stretch to suggest that for every Boston Bruins player, every Philadelphia Flyers player, every coach and manager, and the 38,112 who jammed into the Fenway Park stands, there will be a separate memory of the Winter Classic that they will tuck away forever.

OK, first of all, this is a one-sentence paragraph. Second of all, this isn't even possible. Third of all, people are going to have exactly two memories of this game - it was cool to see a rink at Fenway, and the Bruins won in overtime. In that order.

First, would this audacious plan work? The Buffalo experience on Jan. 1 2008, answered in the affirmative.

Fun fact - if the Winter Classic didn't debut in Buffalo, it would NEVER be held there. Somehow, I doubt the allure of Ralph Wilson Stadium could attract non-hockey fans.

Corporate sponsors are clamoring to get on board and NHL teams are now bidding to host the event.

Keep this sentence in the back of your mind.

"It is a cornerstone of the strategy we began over three years ago to build scale and connect with our fans in ways we haven't done before, using all of the platforms available to us," commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday.

Except, of course, ESPN. This game was listed ninth in ESPN.com's top stories just an hour after the game was over, behind non-stop college football coverage. That'd probably change if ABC was airing the game. Not saying it's fair, but that's the way it'd be.

Success is said to breed success, but at the same time, the bar has been set extremely high and the risk of backsliding, of having an event that doesn't measure up and therefore becomes subject to criticism or disappointment, goes up.

The bar was never NOT high. Last year's game set the bar as high as it was going to go. This year's game just happened to have a better finish. Now, every Winter Classic will have to be held at an iconic stadium and feature two major-market, media-friendly teams.

The NHL has for the first time opened up a bid process to come up with a host for the 2011 game.

Hey, this sounds familiar! I think I read this somewhere before.

The process will force teams to think outside the box in suggesting venues and activities that will "wow" the league.

I'd imagine the bids of teams like Nashville and Columbus will be pieces of paper stating simply, "We know we have no chance of ever getting a Winter Classic. However, we're submitting this so we can tell our fans we're in the market for a Winter Classic someday."

The New York Rangers, for instance, are the only U.S.-based Original Six team that has yet to play in a Winter Classic, and it is important they are involved given their heritage and importance to the league.

Wrong. A GOOD Rangers team is important to the league. The current Rangers team doesn't do anything for the casual fan outside of New York. It'd be like putting the Knicks on a Christmas Day game... oh wait, nevermind.

Yankee Stadium may not be a possibility, though, with word college football will be using the facility over the holidays; so, the league must consider ways for the Rangers to host a game somewhere else or invite them to play in the contest as a visiting team.

Let's also not forget that the new Yankee Stadium has been open for exactly one year. A game there isn't what it would have been a year or two ago. I'd rather see a Winter Classic at the decaying carcass of Giants Stadium than at new Yankee Stadium.

One memory many fans will cherish from Friday's Winter Classic was watching former Bruins great Bobby Orr skate onto the ice as the team's honorary captain. Former Philadelphia captain and GM Bob Clarke was the Flyers' honorary captain, and to see the two Hall of Famers skate to center ice together for the ceremonial puck drop was a nice moment.

It was also a "nice moment" when Clarke pulled the ultimate dick move, "winning" the ceremonial faceoff despite being the road team. What a prick.

Are we saying that places like Tampa, Atlanta, Carolina or Phoenix should never have an Outdoor Classic?

What's an Outdoor Classic?

Wrigley and Fenway were no-brainers, but now it becomes more difficult to find those iconic venues.

This is actually a good point. I guess there's a first time for everything.

The game also has to celebrate its biggest stars, and that's why we don't have any problem with Pittsburgh and Sidney Crosby being involved in a second game, or Detroit hosting a Winter Classic in the near future even if the Red Wings have already been in one.

We are guessing it is a formality that wherever the game is held next year, the Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin will be involved in some way. It is mystifying that three events have passed without the Caps being involved.

You can bet that Ovechkin and Crosby will each play in three Winter Classics before they retire. God forbid NBC and the NHL promote the other teams in the league.

In the end, the challenge of maintaining the Classic's magical spark isn't about being fair, it's about making the right choices.

Awesome. So teams like the Islanders will always be stuck playing second fiddle to the "big" teams and attractive venues. And the "right choices" will always be what yields the biggest TV ratings, not what hockey fans want to see. Get ready for Rangers-Capitals next year, which will be followed by some regurgitation of past Winter Classic matchups. Thank goodness NBC is here to expose the unheralded talent in the NHL.

Ruining A Classic

The 2008 NHL Winter Classic was one of those events we'll always remember. The novelty of an outdoor game, the snow falling, the almost-too-perfect ending with Sidney Crosby scoring in the shootout. The 2009 NHL Winter Classic was no less entertaining, with a resurgent Blackhawks team and the defending champion Red Wings taking over Wrigley Field. The 2009 game showed that the Winter Classic was a sustainable commodity, something that could get the casual sports fan to take an interest in the NHL. Most true hockey fans, though, had the same thought - as great as the Winter Classic is now, if there's a way for the NHL to screw it up, they will certainly do so.

Fast forward to this year. The debate over who would play in the 2010 Winter Classic was red-hot, which is usually a great sign. Hockey fans had high expectations for the third installment of this event, and with good reason. So when the NHL announced that the Boston Bruins would be playing the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park, many were a bit underwhelmed. Sure, Fenway Park is an iconic venue, but Bruins vs. Flyers?

Many have pointed to the Flyers' sorry start to this season - 38 points in 38 games, 13th in the East - as proof that the NHL screwed this one up. My thought is that the NHL didn't screw anything up. Instead, NBC stepped in and got who they wanted - as in, who they thought would pop the best rating. The far more appealing Bruins-Canadiens matchup was shelved, and instead we get Bruins-Flyers, a matchup of two teams who have no rivalry whatsoever and combined to win exactly one playoff series last year.

A Bruins-Canadiens Winter Classic would have done so much to promote the event as a true hockey event. The Montreal Canadiens have one of the richest traditions in all of sports, maybe even more rich than that of the almighty Yankees. Casual fans might not be able to name one player on the Canadiens roster, but they know the team and understand something about the their history. They could come to understand the Canadiens-Bruins rivalry (assuming the NHL and NBC promoted it) and get into this matchup, giving the Canadiens the same respect they'd give to any well-known NHL team. Lastly, and most importantly, including the Canadiens in the Winter Classic would have been a huge bone thrown in the direction of the Canadian teams, who got the ball rolling when it comes to outdoor games and deserves to be part of this event going forward.

Of course, that's when NBC stepped in. I can picture the conversation...

GARY BETTMAN: For the 2010 Winter Classic, I'd like to have the Bruins host the Montreal Canadiens at Fenway Park.

NBC EXECUTIVE: The who?

GARY BETTMAN: The Montreal Canadiens.

NBC EXECUTIVE: What are they, an expansion team?

GARY BETTMAN: No, sir. They've been around for a hundred years. They've won 24 Stanley Cups. They may well be the most famous...

NBC EXECUTIVE: Hold it right there. I don't know what you're talking about with all this Montreal nonsense, but I'm not interested. This is NBC, damn it. We only show games that include the Penguins, Capitals, Rangers, Bruins and Flyers. Hey, Bruins and Flyers, that'd be a great matchup, no?

GARY BETTMAN: Not really.

NBC EXECUTIVE: Well, that's how it's going to be. If you think about it, it doesn't really matter who the Bruins play. ESPN will see that a Boston team is involved and promote the hell out of it, so neither of us will have to do anything.

GARY BETTMAN: Good point. Besides, we don't really care about our Canadian audience anyway.

NBC EXECUTIVE: Then it's settled. It'll be Bruins-Flyers at Fenway, and I'll tell you what. We'll put you in our NFL studio show for Wild Card weekend. We already have 30 analysts on that show, what's one more?

(Both Bettman and the executive laugh uproariously, then roll around in a pile of money.)

OK, so maybe it didn't go exactly like that. But it may as well have. In the mean time, the NHL is already doing everything it can to weaken its "flagship event". (Editor's note: Anytime your "flagship event" isn't your championship game/series, you're in trouble.) Bettman has talked about creating an outdoor game solely for Canada, largely because he knows there's no way in hell NBC is letting a Canadian team anywhere near the Winter Classic. With more than one outdoor game in any given year, the NHL seriously risks ruining the uniqueness of the Winter Classic. It might be running against crappy college football games, but the viewing audience still needs something new and fresh to watch.

Sadly, NBC doesn't do "new and fresh". NBC does "whatever will get us the highest TV ratings possible". So, while the 2010 Winter Classic might be about the Bruins and Flyers on paper, it's a bit different to diehard hockey fans. Years from now, we may look back at the 2010 Winter Classic as the year the Winter Classic changed from a hockey event to a TV event - the year the NHL gave its huge showcase event to NBC in the name of ratings and advertising dollars. You know what the worst part is? The only thing that's surprising is that it took this long.

Islanders 2009-10 Schedule Analysis

Last year, on the day when the 2008-09 schedule was released, I did a post talking about the schedule and predicting how the Islanders would fare. Honestly, it was one of the most fun blogs I did all year. Now that the 2009-10 schedule is here, let's take a look at how things shake out for the Islanders.

- October is going to be a brutal month. Thanks to the Olympic Games, the schedule is super-compressed and starts earlier than it might. And it just so happens that the Islanders are getting slammed with quality opponents in the first month of the season. Let's check out this stretch starting on October 17 - home against San Jose, home against Carolina, at Montreal, home against Washington, at Montreal, home against the Rangers, at Washington. All of this takes place in a 14-day span. So, to recap, that's seven games against 2009 playoff teams, including two cross-country trips, in two weeks. To say this is a test would be an extreme understatement.

- Unfortunately for the Islanders, the real test comes in November. With the exception of a home game on November 7 against Atlanta, the Islanders will spend 19 straight days on the road. They'll stop in Buffalo, New Jersey, Washington, Carolina, Florida, Boston, Minnesota, St. Louis and Toronto. Five playoff teams in that group and three that just missed out. Oh, and the Islanders' Thanksgiving celebration is bookended with home games against Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. And after that, the Isles head out on the road again to play the Devils, Thrashers, Lightning, Flyers, and Maple Leafs.

- The silver lining is that after the Islanders come home after their December 9 game in Toronto, they'll spend virtually the rest of 2009 at home. The Isles' ten home games between December 12 and December 29 are all played in New York. They play two games at home, face the Rangers on the 16th, play four more at home, head to the Garden again on the 26th, and then play two more at home before traveling to Ottawa for a New Year's Eve game.

- The rest of the schedule pretty much follows the pattern of bizarre, long stretches at home or on the road. After a three-game Western Conference swing in January, they get six out of seven at home - which, of course, is followed by a four-game road trip. Then, in March, they play four out of five at home and follow that by playing four in a row on the road. Thankfully, the Islanders finish out the 2009-10 season by playing five of seven at home.

- That final stretch will be key if the Isles intend to make a playoff push. The Islanders' final ten games include two against the Rangers and two against the Penguins; they also take on the Flyers and Devils once. In other words, if the Islanders will prove if they're a playoff team or if they're still a year away during this stretch.

- Five. That's the number of times the Islanders will be forced to play games on consecutive nights with less than 24 hours between start times. I'm not talking about 30-minute differences, either. Most of these are 7 PM faceoffs followed by 5 PM starts the next day. As if it wasn't bad enough that they're scheduled to be playing two full games within a 24-hour period five times, on four of these occasions, the Islanders are traveling between games. So, for example, the Islanders will play a game at the Garden against the Rangers at 7, have to travel back home, and then host a well-rested Flyers team at 5 the next day. Do other teams have to do this? I sincerely doubt it.

- I know this will come as a surprise, but the Islanders don't look to be a popular candidate for NBC games this year. Not one of their Sunday games starts earlier than 5 PM - and as we all know, NBC has better things to show at 5 PM on Sundays than hockey. The Rangers, of course, have four Sunday games starting at either 1 PM or 3 PM. As for Versus, it's interesting to note that the Islanders don't play a single Monday night game after December 21. Presumably, this is so Versus can burn through the Islanders game(s) they're required to show and save the Mondays later in the season for more TV-friendly, playoff-contending teams. The Isles do have plenty of Tuesday night games, as the schedule largely sticks to the Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday norm we've seen over the years.

- The day when the Islanders don't have to promote the Rangers on their own website is a day I'll be a happy man. As it is, though, the Islanders' main page trumpets Rangers games as the biggest attractions on the schedule after Opening Night. That's sort of depressing. The Islanders, and their fans, will never develop their own identity if they're constantly comparing themselves to the Rangers. They're fun games and it's a fun rivalry, but come on. Let John Tavares and the young talent sell this team, not three visits from the cross-town rivals.

- West Coast teams that will be visiting the Coliseum this year: Los Angeles (sadly, they probably won't be wearing their awesome third jerseys), Sharks (I'd be there if my wife wasn't due to have a baby that week), Oilers (the Islanders of the West, basically), Blue Jackets (I'm there), Red Wings (awesome), Predators (when were they last here, 2002?), Blackhawks (ooh), Blues (good young team), Flames (good test for the Islanders). The Isles will be heading to Minnesota, St. Louis, Colorado, Dallas, Phoenix, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Columbus. So, for those who care, they're double-dipping against LA, Columbus, Minnesota, and St. Louis. Not bad.

- Looking at this schedule, I still see the Islanders much the same as I did beforehand - a team that should be good for somewhere between 80 and 85 points in 2009-10. I'm leaning towards the lower side of that number now, if only because the final weeks are going to beat the crap out of this team. Having said that, a healthy Rick DiPietro can make a huge difference for the Islanders. He might even get them in position to get them into the playoffs. Who knows?

- My friend Leslie, writer of The Lefty Stick blog, just purchased season tickets and invited me to call some games. Much to my surprise, I picked mostly games against Western opponents. In fact, the only game against an Eastern opponent I picked was a December game against Boston. I used to hate games against the West and actually loved the post-lockout schedule where there were only a handful of inter-conference games a year. Now? Seeing those Western teams is going to be a huge thrill.

- As for the rest of the league... as bad as the Islanders got the shaft, the teams that are worst off are the teams opening the season in Europe. Last year, those teams got a head start and were home before the season began for everyone else. This year? Not so much. Those teams actually play after some of the teams who will be opening the season from the comfort of their own homes. So these teams not only have to deal with flights to and from Europe, they have to do so on the same compressed schedule as the rest of the league. I sure hope these teams are being well-compensated for their sacrifices.

- The Winter Classic... ugh. It's starting to get ridiculous now. As we all know, the Winter Classic is no longer a bone thrown to the fans, a special moment in a very long regular season. Instead, the Winter Classic is like the Super Bowl or interleague play in baseball - it's something for the non-hockey fans who watch one game a year and act as if they follow hockey. If the NHL really cared about what the fans wanted to see, they'd have the Bruins facing the Canadiens, not the Flyers. But this is the NHL and NBC we're dealing with, and NBC is convinced there are only six teams in the entire league - the Flyers, the Rangers, the Penguins, the Capitals, the Red Wings, and the Blackhawks. Did you know that the Bruins and Flyers have a rivalry? I sure as hell didn't. And yet, Gary Bettman hails it as "a great rivalry". Um, NO. Speaking of rivalries, for those of you who are happy that the Rangers weren't a part of this year's game and are holding out hope for an Isles-Rangers Winter Classic, it's never going to happen. Bettman would never take the chance of an ugly incident happening in the league's showcase game, and Isles-Rangers can get a little intense at times - if not on the ice, then definitely in the crowd. Next year's game will obviously be Rangers-Capitals at Yankee Stadium, because God forbid NBC showcases a team outside of their usual favorites.

Rangers 3, Officials 2...

This post will NOT be about the "officiating" in tonight's Rangers game in Chicago, where Chicago had five 5-on-3 power plays. 

But, let's get it out of the way first. The NHL say there is no bias against the Rangers, and I agree. However, I think there IS a bias FOR certain teams, namely Pittsburgh and Chicago. The NHL (and former NBA shill Gary Bettman) love young teams in cities that had awful attendance in the early part of the decade, we know that. 

Let me take you to the final game of the Rangers-Penguins series last year. Ryan Malone's stick gave Chris Drury a blade-shaped cut on his face. He gushed blood. The game was stopped for a few minutes to clean the ice. No penalty called. At the end of the same period, Drury's stick hits Malone. Four-minute penalty going into overtime with the series on the line.

Let me take you to the Winter Classic this year, when Detroit was called for 4 penalties in the first period on what the NHL wants to be their biggest stage. Chicago scores 2 power play goals (and another even-strength).

So it should be no surprise when playing the Blackhawks or Penguins that your team is unfairly penalized while the opposition skates punishment-free.

What I want to write about is Tom Renney. A few games ago - to be honest, I forget after which game - he said that he should be more vocal in arguing with the referees in hopes to get some calls go his way. Makes sense, no? Remember how vocal Devils' GM Lou Lamoriello was to the referees? Then, magically, Michal Rozsival gets called for a high-sticking penalty. Not only was his stick on the ice, it never touched an opposing player. But apparently, referees make up calls when a playoff game is tied 2-2 after the GM rips you apart.

Well, after Chicago tied the score at 2 in tonight's contest, Renney got madder than I had ever seen him. Sure, we've seen him yell, and even question a referee before. But never had he John Tortorella-ed and completely flipped out on the refs. Okay, okay, he didn't do that today, but when he ran to the bench door and opened it, I thought he was going to go out and physically attack one of the referees. What Renney said was not fit for TV, and I'm surprised MSG wasn't ready with a pixelating device to cover his mouth up. 

What happens soon after he throws a hissy fit? Chicago is called for a penalty, which can definitely be seen as a make-up call.

And in overtime, a Ranger had their stick broken. The referees obviously missed it (after all, why would they be watching the puck carrier?), but the players reaction - stick thrown down, hands up while looking at the ref - made the referee blow the whistle even if he didn't see it. 

So, class, let's recap. Renney stays quiet, Drury gets his face cut open in the playoffs. No penalty. Renney attacks the refs verbally, a Rangers' stick gets slashed, 2 minute penalty. In overtime, no less.

Let's hope that Renney keeps this newfound passion. I'm not looking for make-up calls, all I'm looking for is fairness to both teams. But since that is few and far between, and since the refs genuinely blow a lot of calls on accident, it's nice to see him getting worked up about it. I hate watching him casually shake his head time after time on a bad call. It's nice to see him get angry.

Happy New Year

Well, the Islanders were able to capitalize on what was a fine effort Monday night, parlaying the strides they made against the Rangers into an impressive 4-2 win against Florida. Here's what stood out to me.

- Mike Comrie is on fire. Over the past three games, he has four goals, two of which were scored in the final minute of regulation in close battles. He had a Gordie Howe hat trick in a losing effort on Monday night. And today, he contributed two goals and was on the ice for a third. It's taken Comrie a bit of time to get back into game shape, but he's been the best player by far over the past three games. Maybe all this talk of being "pain-free" actually has some merit.

- Disappointing crowd of 12,211 on an afternoon day when every kid on Long Island is off from school. You can blame the weather for some of that, but still. You'd like to see a better turnout for an afternoon matinee, especially since nobody does anything on New Year's until later on at night. Anyone who attended the game would have to be impressed with what they saw today.

- I missed the first 15 or so minutes of the first period, so I was surprised to turn on the TV and find Jiggs McDonald doing the game. After a while, I remembered that Howie Rose traditionally takes off when the Isles go out to the West Coast. And who can blame him? With no time off at all between baseball and hockey season, Howie's got to take whatever time he can. Anyway, it was great to hear Jiggs again.

And that's when it hit me. About a month ago, Jiggs McDonald and his wife were being detained in Thailand with a group of tourists. Nobody was sure what would happen, nobody knew when (or if) Jiggs would make it home. Now, not only is he home, but he's calling Islanders games and sounding like he's with the team as often as Howie or Jaffe. What a tremendous broadcaster and man. Those of us who grew up hearing Jiggs call Islanders games are lucky to have heard him for so many years.

- It was nice to see the Islanders put forth a great third period for once. Even though they were only playing Florida (a team Jaffe suggested wasn't giving their best effort), we got to see what might happen if the Islanders could string together 6o successive minutes of quality play. The Islanders got multiple odd-man rushes as the third period progressed; that none of them resulted in goals is no matter. This is the kind of third period the Islanders can build on; the problem is, they're traveling out to the West Coast and might be fatigued before long.

And thus, the Islanders end 2009 having played four good games in a row. Five out of eight points isn't a lot, but it's sure better than the first 20 or so days of December. It's a nice little run that hopefully can be improved upon as January unfolds.

We're obviously going to be watching the Winter Classic tomorrow, as should all of you. January 1 is traditionally a college football day, but hockey is starting to make New Year's Day all its own. Even ESPN.com has the Winter Classic as its headline story right now. Even people who usually hate hockey are sort of intrigued by this thing, so let's hope the Blackhawks and Red Wings give us a good show. I have no doubt that they will. For a lot of people, this is the first time they're seeing this Blackhawks team; I'll be pulling for them. Hockey's comeback in Chicago is one of the biggest stories of 2008, and I hope they can build on that with a big win to kick off 2009.

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.

Bryan's Playoff Predictions & Year-End Awards

The second season - the real season is about to begin. And even though the Islanders will be spending their spring working on their golfing skills, I can do without seeing them if it means watching the most intense action available in any sport. Bring on the playoffs!

But, before we get to that... let's take a minute to remember the events that got us here.

Most hockey writers post their awards ballot in June, which makes no sense to me. The awards are supposed to based off the regular season, not the playoffs. In theory, they're no more relevant than they are today. So why not get a head start and give out the proverbial hardware now?

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NHL Awards
Hart Trophy: Alexander Ovechkin, Washington
- Honorable Mention: Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh

Vezina Trophy: Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose
- Honorable Mention: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey

Norris Trophy: Dion Phaneuf, Calgary*
- Honorable Mention: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit
(Note: Everyone knows Lidstrom is going to win this. But Phaneuf at least deserves to be considered.)

Adams Trophy: Bruce Boudreau, Washington
- Honorable Mention: Wayne Gretzky, Phoenix

Selke Trophy: Mike Richards, Philadelphia
- Honorable Mention: Patrick Sharp, Chicago

Calder Trophy: Patrick Kane, Chicago
- Honorable Mention: Nicklas Backstrom, Washington

Miscellaneous Awards
Best GM: Bob Gainey, Montreal
Most Improved Player: Mike Ribeiro, Dallas
Best Arena Snack: Pretzel Twists, Nassau Coliseum
Best TV Telecast: San Jose Sharks
Best Moment: Winter Classic
Worst Moment: Mike Milbury comparing Sidney Crosby to Bobby Orr after his fight in December
Best Development: The emergence of Alexander Ovechkin as a legitimate superstar
Worst Development: The rash of violent attacks by NHL players

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Now that we've gotten that out of the way... time for the playoffs. The first-round picks are followed by brief explanations. The rest of the hypothetical matchups will be explored at a later date.

Eastern Conference
Montreal (1) over Boston (8) in 6. Boston's better than people realize... but so is Montreal. It won't be an easy series, but the superior talent of the Habs should shine here. Look for the Bruins to put on a good enough show to land the one free agent they need to make a run next year.

Pittsburgh (2) over Ottawa (7) in 4. Ottawa is falling apart, while Pittsburgh is one of the league's hottest teams. You'd like to see Ottawa win at least one game, but with Marc-Andre Fleury on top of his game, it's not likely. The fans might not want to admit it, but a thrashing is exactly what the Senators need to refocus and get hungry.

Philadelphia (6) over Washington (3) in 7. I know, I know... everyone loves Washington right now. However, let's not forget that Washington played 24 of their games against the likes of Tampa Bay, Florida, and Atlanta. Also, keep in mind that Philadelphia actually scored more points than the Caps this year, all while playing in a much tougher division. I love this Caps team, but they remind me of last year's Penguins - they'll put forth a good show, but fall just short.

Rangers (5) over New Jersey (4) in 6. Martin Brodeur can't score the three or four goals per game the Devils are going to need to win this series. The Rangers have too much firepower, not to mention an elite goalie of their own in Henrik Lundqvist.

Western Conference
Detroit (1) over Nashville (8) in 6. Detroit is clearly the class of the league, but Nashville gets up for their games agains the Red Wings. This series won't be nearly the cakewalk it looks like, mainly because Detroit's goaltending shuffle won't work in the playoffs. Still, the Wings are too good to lose in the first round.

San Jose (2) over Calgary (7) in 5. Calgary's got a pretty good team down there, but they can't score against most teams. How are they going to score against Evgeni Nabokov? That said, even if Nabokov were off his game, the Sharks have the firepower to beat Calgary pretty easily.

Colorado (6) over Minnesota (3) in 7. This pick depends solely on Peter Forsberg's ability to stay healthy for all seven games. Colorado is a different team with Forsberg in the lineup. Now that they're getting quality goaltending, they can make a run. Minnesota is a fine team, but they're going to have a hard time scoring enough goals to win.

Anaheim (5) over Dallas (4) in 7. People say the Ducks can't score, and they didn't this season. But they certainly have the capacity to score in large numbers. If Corey Perry can come back in this series, that only bolsters the Ducks' chances. The Stars have put together a great team, but I don't think they can keep up with the Ducks for seven games.

Future Rounds
Conference Semi-Finals
Montreal over Philadelphia in 5
Rangers over Pittsburgh in 7
Detroit over Colorado in 6
San Jose over Anaheim in 7

Conference Finals
Rangers over Montreal in 6
San Jose over Detroit in 5

Stanley Cup Final
San Jose over Rangers in 6

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Will any of these predictions come true? Probably not. But I can't wait to find out!

Season In Review: New York Islanders

At long last, it's finally over. The season has come to an end, and you know what that means. No more injuries. No more woefully unprepared call-ups from Bridgeport. No more losing. No more free chili. No more exasperated claims from Howie Rose that he can't figure this team out. Which is a good thing. Because as Mr. Rose heads off to WFAN and the Mets, I'm sure he's found more questions than answers. I think I speak for every Islander fan when I say that I have a few of my own.

For me, the question doesn't concern who's going to be back next year. Instead, I'd like to ask about who isn't returning. Personally, I'd sleep easier knowing that the following players will never again don an Islanders jersey - Miroslav Satan, Josef Vasicek, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Bryan Berard. Not that these are bad players, but they aren't going to get any better. Their production could easily be replicated by a young player with at least a decent upside. One of the biggest problems on Long Island this year was the glut of roster spots that were being wasted, and getting rid of these players would help. It would also be nice if Garth Snow would refrain from signing role players to one-year deals and relying on them to be first-line players.

So, then, who to sign? A scorer would be nice. However, this team has seen both Satan and Alexei Yashin come to the Island and almost immediately lose their scoring touch. The Islanders need a player they can build around - or, even better, a player they've already subconsciously prepared to acquire. Who that player is, I have no idea. But getting a superstar scorer would not only get the Islanders some goals, but they could clear up some room for another desperately-needed commodity - an enforcer. The Islanders, for all of their muckers and grinders, ranked 26th in the NHL in fighting majors. The good teams in the NHL have a balance between their scorers and their fighters; that is, they don't roll four lines that play the same exact style. This is something the Islanders need to work on this off-season.

Truthfully, it isn't all that bad. Should they get a scorer, they already have a quality set-up man in Mike Comrie. They have tons of grinders and penalty killers - Richard Park, Sean Bergenheim, Mike Sillinger, and even Andy Hilbert are guys that are going to be back and should continue to succeed on the Island. Kyle Okposo should be a candidate for Rookie Of The Year, and Jeff Tambellini should have a good season in his first real chance at a 82-game NHL season. The Islanders have a solid defensive core, with an above-average offensive D-man in Chris Campoli and some good stay-at-home guys in Brendan Witt and Andy Sutton. And, in net, Rick DiPietro is obviously the go-to guy. If DP can replicate the first half of his 2007-08 campaign over a full season, he could be a Vezina nominee. As bad as it seems, there are some pieces in place. It's up to Garth Snow to make the necessary changes, but not change too much.

In my opinion, the most two most important facets of the off-season have absolutely nothing to do with the on-ice product of the New York Islanders. The first is the Isles' potential participation in the Winter Classic. I know the Islanders aren't exactly the most popular choice with the NHL or NBC, but an appearance on the league's second-biggest stage would be a major (and much-needed) coup for this team. I'm not even suggesting that the Islanders deserve to be there, just that it'd do a world of good for the team and the Islanders-Rangers rivalry.

More important than the Winter Classic, though, is Charles Wang's proposed Lighthouse Project. It was suggested the other day on NHL Live that if the Lighthouse Project falls through, the Islanders would have a hard time staying on Long Island. Time will tell how true that is, but facts are facts. The Islanders have the third-oldest arena in the league, and once the Penguins move into their new arena and the Garden is renovated, the Islanders will be left in the dust. The Coliseum has the smallest capacity of any arena in the NHL, not to mention it draws the lowest number of fans per night in the league. Sure, attendance has increased, but anybody who followed the Islanders this year saw the significant increase in ticket promotions and giveaways. The Lighthouse Project is critical for the Islanders, not just for the fans, but for purposes of attracting marquee free agents and increasing the visibility of the franchise. Charles Wang claims ground is to break in July 2009, but there's a lot of paperwork and political maneuvering to be done before then.

On Monday night, the New York Islanders officially end their season with the NHL Draft Lottery. The Isles will have a top-six pick in this year's draft, but exactly where they'll draft will be determined tomorrow night. In what's said to be the deepest draft in years, the Islanders should end up with a quality pick. Time will tell whether that pick will be turned into an elite prospect or a trading chip. Either way, it's a good problem to have. In an off-season where Garth Snow undoubtedly has his work cut out for him, he certainly has a good problem on his hands to start it off.

With that, we effectively close out our coverage of the Islanders for the next little while. Our focus turns to the Rangers and the NHL Playoffs as a whole. This is the best time of year for any true hockey fan; just because the Islanders aren't in the playoffs doesn't mean they shouldn't be enjoyed. We've got plenty of Islanders-related stuff in the hopper, but we have a whole summer for that. In the meantime, there are four rounds of playoffs to watch and savor. We'll have some sort of playoff preview up before the real season begins Wednesday night. Maybe next year, the Isles will be part of the dance... and if there's a God, they won't appear as an 8 seed yet again.

Frozen Out

According to Steve Zipay, the Rangers are among the favorites to play in the next Winter Classic... and they're not likely to face the Islanders. Ugh.

There's already opposition from the baseball world against giving the Rangers the nod, mainly because some purists feel Yankee Stadium's final act shouldn't be a hockey game. Well, better a hockey game than another first-round exit, right? Besides, does it really matter? Trust me, if the Yankees win the World Series, nobody will be complaining about a hockey game being played two or three months afterward.

The big issue, at least from an Islander fan's perspective, is the fact that the Isles are far from a favorite to be included. Rumor has it that the NHL and NBC both want an Original Six team; Zipay says Red Sox owners are pushing for a home-and-home between the Rangers and Bruins. That would ruin the Winter Classic more than the Islanders ever could. However, it's more than a decent possibility, thanks to the one force that nobody can fight in the sports world.

You guessed it. ESPN.

That's right. The same network that is trying its best to kill the NHL could be the most influential figure in the destination of the Winter Classic. We all know that, in ESPN's world, only three teams matter - the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Patriots. Every other sports team in the world is tied for fourth. As such, ESPN would love nothing more to fellate itself one more time to the proverbial porn that is the Boston-New York rivalry. Horrid imagery aside, the truth is that ESPN would promote the hell out of this thing, just to shove the whole Yankees-Red Sox dynamic even futther down our throats. Even if it means actually acknowledging hockey as a legitimate sport.

In such a scenario, the Islanders would be on the outside looking in. And you know what? They kind of deserve to be.

I know, I know. When I first read the news about the Islanders potentially missing out on the opportunity to play in the Winter Classic, I was pretty upset. Offended, even. After all, the Islanders are the ideal opponent for the Rangers; certainly, the Islanders are the most hated of the Rangers' many rivals. Why would the NHL forgo an ideal opponent for another tired rehash of the New York-Boston rivalry? Or, even worse, some other Original Six team that has no beef with the Rangers?

However, if you really think about it, it's clear why the Islanders aren't high on the NHL's list and, more importantly, even futher down on NBC's list. The reality is that the Islanders just don't draw. They only sell out on weekends, holidays, and when the Rangers come to town. Their TV ratings, while significantly improved, are still rather dismal. Not only did they not get on NBC's Sunday schedule before falling out of the playoff race, but they weren't even considered to be part of NBC's flex schedule. Get the picture?

The sad part is, if the Islanders had even won one playoff round this year, they might have a very strong case for inclusion in what has already become the NHL's showcase. The NHL is very big on promoting individual superstars these days - just look at the aggressive marketing of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin for proof of that. Rick DiPietro, if he had an above-average supporting cast, could conceivably join that group. He has all the makings of a star; the one thing he's missing is a deep playoff run to cement him as an elite goalie in the minds of hockey fans everywhere. If the Islanders had that run this year, the whole team would have gained a ton of stature with the general public and might have had a shot at moving up to the next level. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.

Ultimately, the Winter Classic isn't a game intending to please hockey fans. Instead, it's the NHL's best effort to convert new fans. And, while hockey fans might love to see Isles-Rangers in Yankee Stadium, the average sports fan who doesn't care about hockey is far more inclined to see the Rangers play the Bruins, Flyers, or any of the other large-market, recognizable teams out there. It's a shame, too, because the Islanders could put on a great show if given the opportunity. However, they ruined their own chance to do so.