Sutter Resigns, Devilish Problems, and Wiz Trade Shows Isles Colors

Written on 12/29/2010 by Jim Cerny

With much news in hockey land of late, here is a smorgasbord of the most important doings the past few days, and my quick take on each.

Daryl Sutter Resigns as GM of the Flames

This was not a shock, and probably could have/should have happened this past summer. The Flames are a midling team at present---one stuck with 11 no-trade/no-movement contracts---with a weak farm system after one poor draft after another.

That falls on the general manager. And as such, with the Flames sitting in 14th place in the Western Conference, it was no suprise that team president Ken King asked for--and received---Sutter's resignation.

But all that said, I don't understand the level of vitriol that has been sent Sutter's way, in general, by the hockey media, not to mention the glee with which Sutter's resignation has been reported.

Sutter is no bouyant personality, never looking to be quick with a joke or to banter with media folk. I get that. But I also understand that he made a series of bold moves earlier in the decade to turn Calgary back into a relevant franchise again, one that was within a controversial call of winning the Stanley Cup.

Under his stewardship---both as general manager and head coach---the Flames became a profitable organization once again, not to mention a contender on a regular basis. That needs to be recognized as part of Daryl Sutter's record as much as his recent head-scratching moves and lack of on-ice success the past couple of years.

As for the bottom line, the Flames are in good hands with interim GM Jay Feaster, a solid hockey man, in charge for now. But it will take time to clean up this mess, what with untradeable veterans and less-than high-end prospects in the organization.

Devil of  a Time in New Jersey

John Maclean finally got the boot as coach of the Devils, with Lou Lamoriello dropping the axe right before Christmas on one of the organization's most popular and devoted all-time individuals. The move was as justified---the Devils are shockingly last overall in the 30-team National Hockey League---as it was disrespectfully timed.

That Jacques Lemaire was brought back in by Lamoriello to coach this mess of a team, mere months after an exhausted Lemaire retired as bench boss in Jersey following a first-round playoff pasting at the hands of the Flyers, is either a desperate move, a convenient move, or a move of a man who could think of no other move.

Nonetheless Lamoriello now has to figure out how to purge salary from his Cap-stressed roster and begin to look towards how to fix things in time for next season. He is all but begging some other team to claim Brian Rolston on re-entry waivers by noon tomorrow---a move that would save the Devils half of Rolston's $5 million salary this year and next.

That is the only beginning, though. Lamoriello has a helluva' lot more work to do than that. And while purging salary, he needs to find a way to be creative and get Zach Parise---the injured, yet soon-to-be-star-free-agent---signed this summer, and then attempt to rebuild his awful defense corps while getting Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac and the like to score like they used to.

I spoke with a Devils staffer today at the Prudential Center and he wore the blank look of someone shellshocked by what has happened this season. As that Devils employee and I said to one another, seasons like this always have seemed to happen to other teams---pretty much every other team in the NHL, actually---just not to the Devils.

Now that it has happened to the Devils, Lamoriello and the organization do not seem to know how to slow down the snowball that has swiftly descended the negative slope.

And thus they are buried in an avalanche of a mess.

Islanders Trade Wisniewski to Canadiens

On the surface the Islanders trade of defenseman James Wisniewski to the Montreal Canadiens for two draft picks, including a second rounder, seems like a win-win for both clubs.

The Islanders are not in playoff contention and they turned the servicable Wisniewski into a pair of draft picks.

The Canadiens are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, battling for their playoff lives with a string of other teams, and could use veteran help on the blueline, especially now that the club has seemed to decide that rookie PK Subban is not quite ready for a regular role among the top six defensemen.

But what irks me about this trade is that I get a nagging feeling that the Islanders just wanted to drop more salary from their payroll. That Charles Wang is in Garth Snow's ear telling him to drop even closer to the Cap floor, though I don't know how much further down they can go before falling through that floor.

I spoke with a respected veteran NHL person "in the know" today and he said exactly what I was thinking, "At some point you have to stop selling this notion of the future, the future, and start showing something in the present. This guy (Wisniewski) is no star, but he was vital to that team. In my opinion this was all about shedding more salary and continuing to sell the idea that stockpiling draft picks and prospects is the way to go."

Couldn't agree more. It's almost like a street-card game of Three Card Monty. Keep shuffling in a fast deceiving way, keep offering hope, but never deliver the goods.

And so it goes on The Island...

Follow Me On Twitter: @jimcerny

Posted in Calgary Flames, Charles Wang, Darryl Sutter, Jacques Lemaire, James Wisniewski, John Maclean, Lou Lamoriello, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, NHL, Rink Rap | Comment Now!

Hockey Recollections on a Snowy Day

Written on 12/27/2010 by Jim Cerny

Sitting here at Madison Square Garden after a 2.5 hour snow-shoveling marathon and an ensuing uneventful drive into Manhattan---well, other than having to back up the length of 26th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues through the snow due to a stalled truck near tenth---I realized that I have yet to wish you all a Happy Holiday!

My bad....but, hey...Happy Holidays!

If you are on the east coast, hopefully you survived the wild snowstorm with at least you sense of humor still intact.

As for me, snowstorm or not, I did what I had planned all along to do last night...kick back and watch Team USA on The NHL Network play it's first game at the World Junior Championships up in Buffalo.

Sitting there watching hockey as the snow pounded greater New York outside my window I thought back to a pair of snow-related hockey travel stories from my past. One was after the Islanders team plane landed at a small Long Island airport following a wicked storm and all of us in our suits and dress shoes trudging through the deep snow to find our cars just absolutely buried underneath the white stuff.

Now, I'm not a complainer at all, but it's enough of a pain in the butt to clean ten inches of snow off the car when you do it in the middle of the day, but it really sucks when you do it at 2:00 in the morning following a full work day, game, and travel!

All the players were helping clean each other's cars when John Vanbiesbrouck came over to me and, without asking if I needed any help, quickly and efficently helped clean off my car and dig it out of the snowdrift it was parked in. It was a reminder that I didn't need to be a teammate to still be part of the "family", and it's part of the reason why I have so enjoyed my time working for both the Rangers and Islanders during my career.

We all---players, coaches, trainers, equipment men, staff (like me)---spend so much time together, traveling and living together on the road throughout the long season. And hockey players are so down to earth...though they are clearly the stars of the operation, and the most important people within the family...they see and understand and respect the other members, people like me. The Beezer snow story is just one of many examples I could give to prove this point.

The other story I thought back to last night also occurred when I was with the Islanders, serving as the team's radio play-by-play broadcaster. We were bussing from Calgary to Edmonton and the heating system in the bus did not work! So here we are, just absolutely freezing in the middle of an Alberta winter, million-dollar athletes and much-lesser paid "family" members alike. And though no one enjoyed the predicament at all, the laughs we had on that bus ride were priceless memories. I will never forget how everyone huddled inside their own long winter coats and shot one-liners back and forth the entire bus ride.

Welcome to the National Hockey League one and all! Indeed....

Good times and good memories were stirred during last night's storm.

As for Team USA's debut at the World Juniors....well, they did find a way to earn a 3-2 win over Finland on Nick Bjugstad's overtime goal, but they are going to have to be much better moving forward. Finland was the better team much of this game and was able to dictate the style of play.

But it was only the first game---butterflies and all that---so I'll give the US squad a pass and we'll see how they look moving forward in the tourny. But, again, the bottom line is that they won the game even when not at their best. And it's never a bad thing in a short tournament like this when your goalie---in this case Jack Campbell, the number one pick of the Dallas Stars this past summer---is your best player. And he was.

Next up for Team USA: Slovakia tomorrow night...and they may have to play without winger Jeremy Morin who suffered a fairly serious shoulder injury in last night's win. The loss would be significant as Morin is a veteran on the US squad, and I thought that he was one of the better and more effective players for United States last night.

Stay tuned....and in the meantime take something for that sore back you have from all that shoveling today...

Follow Me On Twitter: @jimcerny

Posted in 2011 World Junior Championships, Jeremy Morin, John Vanbiesbrouck, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Nick Bjugstad, Rink Rap, Team USA | Comment Now!

Dead on the Island

Written on 12/06/2010 by Jim Cerny

When I served as the play-by-play voice of the Islanders during the predictably unpredictable dark days of multiple bad ownerships, Mike Milbury's reign of error as General Manager, the revolving door of head coaches, and one last place finish after another there was always one positive thing that could be counted on.

Whenever the Islanders hosted the Rangers at Nassau Coliseum, the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike would be sold out and rocking.

Though attendance at the Coliseum  was always fairly lousy in those days, and season ticket holders were few and far between, the joint would be jumping and tickets were impossible to find when the arch rival Rangers paid a visit.

Sadly, not even appearances by the Rangers can fill the old building in Nassau any more. The Rangers have visited the Nassau Coliseum twice already this season, and the arena has not been close to sold out either time.

Back on Columbus Day---keep in mind a Monday day game on a holiday not everyone gets off from work for---the announced crowd was a bit over 11,000, some five thousand short of capacity. And to be honest, it really looked that afternoon that perhaps there were fewer than 10,000 actual bodies in the Coliseum as huge swaths of sections were empty.

Then last Thursday night the Rangers skated on Long Island again and there was good news/bad news for the Islanders. The Good News: the team had its largest single-game attendance of the season. The Bad News: less than 14,000 showed up for the New York-New York "rivalry", still 3,000 short of a sell out.

And I guess I'm piling on here, but only 7,773 were announced in attendance for yesterday afternoon's Sunday matinee with another long-standing rival, the Philadelphia Flyers.

Larry Brooks, the excellent hockey writer for The New York Post, wrote yesterday that the league should intervene and save the Islanders from an owner who has done everything within his power the past several years to gut this franchise of any sense that it belongs in the major leagues. Everything about the Islanders now reaks of minor league---from front office to sales & marketing to public relations to the building to the on-ice product. Owner Charles Wang is spending the minimum amount possible to keep this team alive until its lease expires at the Nassau Coliseum in four years and, presumably, he can move it somewhere else.

While I agree, in part, with Brooks that the league should step in, I would argue that enough is enough and perhaps Gary Bettman et al could help broker an early termination of the lease and end the misery sooner rather than later. Let Wang take his team elsewhere, or sell it to someone who wishes to do the same. Because I do not believe there is anyone in their right mind who would buy the Islanders now and keep them on Long Island. Wang has killed the market, and four more years of this painful slow death is just so cruel to the Islanders Faithful.

Wang's Lighthouse Project for a time made him the people's champion as he tried to get a new arena and bustling entertainment and shopping area built. But without any political support to speak of, the project is dead in the water, and with that, Wang has pulled back on dumping his resources into the team---certainly his business perogative---and the fans have responded to that---as well as the rich ticket prices---by simply not attending Islanders games any more.

I thought I had seen and lived through the worst of it for the Isles back in the '90's and the early part of this decade.

I was wrong. This is worse. Much worse. And it feels like it should finally be the end.

Posted in Charles Wang, Gary Bettman, Larry Brooks, Mike Milbury, New York Islanders, New York Post, New York Rangers, Rink Rap, The National Hockey League | Comment Now!

Gordon Had No Chance on the Island

Written on 11/17/2010 by Jim Cerny

Does it seem logical and make sense that a National Hockey League coach is fired after two straight last-place finishes and in the midst of a ten-game losing streak in Year No. 3?

Absolutely. It makes perfect sense. And for that I believe Islanders GM Garth Snow was certainly justified in sacking head coach Scott Gordon on Monday morning.

However Gordon was not the problem on Long Island. Just as interim coach Jack Capuano will not be the problem beginning with this evening's home tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Islanders' issues start much further up the food chain than the head coach. And higher up than the general manager for that matter, as well.

For all of their good young talent---and make no mistake, the Isles do have a good group of talented youngsters both on their current roster and in the organizational pipeline---the Islanders are headed nowhere under the petty and penny-pinching ownership of Charles Wang.

Once hailed as the savior of the franchise---and rightfully so---at the start of his ownership tenure earlier this decade, Wang has now become a mirror image of some of the disasterous ownerships that preceded him, ones that I was more than well-acquainted with when I served as the club's play-by-play broadcaster.

There was the unfortunate end of the John Pickett regime. There was the embarrassing tenure of the Howard Milstein group, led by clueless hatchet man David Seldin. The "Gang of Four", whose names I can't even remember they were in and out so fast. And of course Gary Bettman's personal black eye, John Spano, a fraud with hardly a dime in his pocket who was personally endorsed by the commisioner of the NHL.

It was embarrassing to be an Islander for all of those years---whether being an Islander meant as a player, a coach, an employee, or more importantly, a fan. The team was mismanaged, a last-place guarantee year after year on the ice, and played to an empty house on a regular basis at the Nassau Coliseum.

Sound familiar?

Sure it does because history is repeating itself these past several years under Wang's stewardship.

Listen, he helped build this franchise back up, and it wasn't too long ago that under his guidance the Islanders were back in the playoffs and the old barn in Hempstead was rocking again. But those days are gone, and I can't envision them coming back.

Wang either wants his Lighthouse real estate project---which includes a new arena, retail, and hotels---to be approved by the Town of Hempstead or he wants out, spending the absolute bare minimum on his team until his lease is up at the Coliseum.

It's his money, so it's his decision. But in the meantime he is holding Islanders fans---what few of them actually still care---captive.

And a good man, and solid coach, like Gordon is given absolutely no chance to win with the roster he is handed. Then he is fired when the team doesn't win. Same will hold true for Capuano for as long as he is here. And the next coach, probably another minor league guy because they are the least expensive to pay, will face the same the situation down the road.

It's going to get worse before it get's better, too. Wang is committed to not spending much more in player salary than what the CBA mandates as the bare minimum. Heck, the Islanders only reach the salary cap floor because they still have Alexei Yashin's buyout on the books.

And what of John Tavares? Remember him? First overall pick in 2009. The player the Islanders craved to build around and center all of their off-ice marketing strategies around?

What of Tavares today? He has a respectable 10 points in 14 games, but his relevance on the National Hockey League landscape has just vanished. This is a guy, similar to a Steven Stamkos, who should be one of the faces of the new NHL. Instead he is adrift on the Island. There can't be a week that goes by that he doesn't speak to his agent or his family about the day that he can finally become a free agent and quickly flee to another organization.

This story could go on and on. But the bottom line point as it regards to Scott Gordon's firing is that yes, the Islanders were justified in letting their head coach go.

But Scott Gordon never had a chance to succeed in the first place.

Follow Me On Twitter: @jimcerny

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Posted in Charles Wang, Garth Snow, Gary Bettman, John Tavares, New York Islanders, Scott Gordon | Comment Now!

A New Epidemic in New York

Written on 10/16/2010 by Jim Cerny

You heard about the bedbug epidemic in New York? I'm sure you must have. You know, nasty little critters sabotaging hotels and closing down retail stores in and around Manhattan? Yeah, those bedbugs have become quite the story, so much so that my aunt in Iowa brought it up to me the second my plane landed out her way during a visit this past summer.

But I digress.

There is another epidemic sweeping through the New York area---one that has infiltrated Long Island and into New Jersey, as well. And it affects only hockey players.

It is called the injury epidemic.

It actually began on the Island, taking strong hold and wiping out numerous key members of the New York Islanders. Then the New York Rangers took a few hits in Manhattan as did New Jersey Devils in Newark. And last night the full force of this epidemic came crashing down on the Rangers during their home opener at Madison Square Garden when superstar sniper Marian Gaborik suffered a separated shoulder and team captain Chris Drury suffered the second fracture to his left index finger in the span of a month.

There is no end in sight to this vicious epidemic.

Here's a detailed look:

New York Rangers:

Drury broke his finger blocking a shot during the first scrimmage of training camp. He missed the entire pre-season, and first two games of the regular season, before returning last night. He lasted into the second period when he collided with teammate Michal Rozsival and fractured the finger in a new spot. He is out six weeks. "I am worried about him," said head coach John Tortorella. "He is fit to be tied." Gaborik was boarded by Toronto's Colby Armstrong, suffered a separated shoulder, and the 42-goal scorer from a year ago is out 2-4 weeks. The team's alternate captain Vinny Prospal missed all of training camp with a sore knee. He will undergo surgery Tuesday and is lost for an indefinite period without having played a single shift yet this year. So gone from the equation are three key veterans, including two of the Rangers top scorers from a year ago.

New York Islanders:

All-Star defenseman Mark Streit was forced to undergo major shoulder surgery after being hit during an intrasquad scrimmage that was opened up to the fans in mid-September. He is out six months. Gone is the club's minutes-muncher and power play quarterback. Winger Kyle Okposo---a 52-point scorer a year ago at the age of 22---also injured his shoulder before the season's first game. He is out indefinitely. Center Rob Schremp suffered a back injury, and the Isles lose another key power play performer. He's gone on a week-to-week basis. And just when it doesn't look like it can get any worse, John Tavares---the focal point of the Islanders and last year's first overall draft pick---suffered a concussion on opening night against the Dallas Stars. He likely will return tonight against Colorado, but still....this is The Franchise we are talking about...never good to put the word "concussion" next to John Tavares' name.

New Jersey Devils:

Now in the Devils case, one could argue that their injuries have been extremely timely because some of them have offered salary cap relief via the long term injured reserve list, of course made necessary by the Ilya Kovalchuk contract signing. But again, I digress. Defenseman Bryce Salvador suffered a concussion during the pre-season and is out indefinitely, placed on long term IR. Veteran forward Brian Rolston joined him on IR, and provided signifciant salary cap relief in the process, by undergoing a sports hernia operation earlier this week. He'll be out at least 4 weeks. Rugged defenseman Anton Volchenkov broke his nose on opening night and hasn't played since. Meanwhile the Devils skirt questions about whether or not Volchenkov, too, suffered a concussion. And another defenseman went down this past week when Mark Fraser fractured his hand.

OUCH!

We are a little more than a week into the 2010-11 season and that is a total of 11 key players injured on three teams loacted within a 30-mile or so radius of one another.

It's an injury epidemic.

Don't go drinking the water.

Follow Me On Twitter at: @jimcerny and @thenyrangers

Posted in Brian Rolston, Chris Drury, hockey injuries, John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Marian Gaborik, Mark Streit, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Rink Rap, Vinny Prospal | Comment Now!

Modano and Gagne Return Home

Written on 10/15/2010 by Jim Cerny

I found it quite interesting that Philadelphia and its fans gave a warmer reception to ex-Flyer Simon Gagne upon his return to The City of Brotherly Love last night with his new team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, than the Dallas organization gave Mike Modano (photo) upon his return with his new club, the Detroit Red Wings, also last night.

Gagne, who was a salary cap casualty this summer being shipped to Tampa after ten seasons with the Flyers, received a long ovation during his first shift and then a sustained standing ovation at the conclusion of a moving video highlighting his career was shown on the scoreboard during a play stoppage.

Modano, the 40 year-old sure-bet Hall of Famer who spent the first 20 seasons of his career with the Stars---both in Minnesota and then in Dallas---decided to continue his career this season after signing with rival Detroit during the summer. Last night the fans treated him with love, but the Stars organization simply chose to put his picture on the scoreboard with a simple "Thank You Mike" message.

Perhaps the Stars organization, including GM Joe Nieuwendyk---a former teammate and good friend of Modano's---felt that proper tributes took place in Modano's final home game in Dallas last April and that both sides have moved on. If so, that was a mistake because the fans turned out to salute Modano last night, and the organization should have done so, as well.

Modano said afterwards that he is relieved to get on with the rest of the season now. With one goal and a -2 plus/minus so far, Modano still is looking to find his footing with the Red Wings.

Same goes for Gagne, the reluctant Bolt, who is pointless and a -4 in three games for Tampa Bay.

Here are two excellent takes on Modano's return to Dallas and Gagne's return to Philly.

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A few other NHL observations:

The Islanders are fun to watch: No Mark Streit...no Kyle Okposo...no John Tavares...no James Wisniewski...No Problem! This hungry and gritty team does not quit and they play an entertaining in-your-face style, plus these kids are growing up and learning to score. There may be a lot of 5-4 games in their future, but who says that's a bad thing? Rally from two down to force overtime against Dallas. Rally from 4-3 down late in third to beat the Rangers 6-4. Lead Washington for a long stretch of the game only to lose 2-1 on the road without four of their best players. It's early, but these guys really may be a pain in the ass to play against this year.

Minnesota Turns Up The Power: The Wild picked up their first win of the season last night, using four man-up goals to power past Edmonton 4-2. I tuned in on Center Ice mainly to get a look at Edmonton's talented kids---Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Magnus Paajarvi---and instead had my eyes fixed on Minnesota's captain Mikko Koivu all night. His play was inspirational, leading his club back from a 2-1 hole to the 4-2 victory, not just scoring the tying and winning goals, but there was a look in his eyes that all great leaders have. The Wild needed someone to be a difference maker, and Koivu made sure that it would be him.

Hey! What Is This, the NFL or NBA?: A bit of a rough week publicity-wise for the NHL. Isles d-man James Wisniewski graphically shows Sean Avery what he can do with his, um, stick in full view of fans and TV cameras to become a YouTube sensation. Stars forward Mike Ribiero and his wife are arrested for an incident outside a Dallas bar. Thank goodness news broke that Brett Favre took pictures of his crotch and sent them to a Jets employee a couple of years ago, and that Sports Illustrated's cover story is about an agent decsribing how he illegally paid off college football players, or else people might start confusing the NHL with the NFL or NBA!

Posted in Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, James Wisniewski, Mike Modano, Mike Ribiero, Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, NHL, Phil Kessel, Rink Rap, Sean Avery, Simon Gagne, Tampa Bay Lightning | Comment Now!

Avery Not The Bad Guy This Time

Written on 10/12/2010 by Jim Cerny

Listen, probably too much breath and too many words have been wasted already on the incident yesterday involving Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski and Rangers forward Sean Avery.


Bottom line is two guys, playing hard in an intense game, jawed at each other---with much smack, I'm sure, spewed back and forth---and then Wisniewski unfortunately decided to make an obscene gesture/act, repeatedly I might add.

If the referees had done the right thing---the officials clearly had to see what Wisniewski was doing, as you can tell from the video clip I posted---and penalized the Isles d-man for unsportsmanlike conduct then this would be a minor story---vulgar, but minor.

The issue is that the referees chose to ignore Wisniewski, and his act went unpenalized, leading to the inevitable anger from Avery after the game, from which this story really grew legs to become one of the top stories from around the league today.

I was there when a calm, but clearly irritated, Avery said after the game, "It was pretty obvious what happened...it's interesting that you'd get a warning (from the refs) for something like that...can you imagine if I did that (said with sarcastic laugh)...they sent me to rehab the last time I did something like that...it's crazy."

I am not an Avery apologist, and it's not like I have any kind of personal relationship with Sean, just a professional one. His past transgressions, as well as his rap sheet, is well documented.

But he is right. What the heck would have happened if Sean had made the same obscene gesture to Wisniewski? Would the officials have looked the other way as they did on Monday? Not a chance.

I'm not insinuating that the refs are out to get Avery, though I will say that when he returned from his suspension and counseling two years ago, clearly plays involving Sean were ruled on a different standard. But I don't think that was the case last year, and I don't foresee it to be that way this year.

The refs just blew it with Wisniewski yesterday. And as such it has become a bigger story than it likely would have been had there been a penalty called.

Today Hockey Night in Canada analyst, and former NHL player, coach, and GM, Mike Milbury made himself part of the story by shifting the focus away from Wisniewski's ill-advised actions and instead focusing on why he believes Avery is a discredit to the league.

Here's a snippet of Milbury's comments: "Here we are we're talking about Avery again, not because he made a great backhanded pass to set up the game-winning goal, but because he's part of another unsavory incident. It's like watching a car wreck. You know it's not going to be pretty but you can't seem to turn away from it until you've had a look."

News Flash to Mr. Milbury: Avery did not make the obscene gesture. It's Wisniewski who disgraced himself.

Is Sean a saint? Hell no. Is he an agitator to the max? Absolutely. But agitating is part of the game, always has been, always will be. C'mon, Milbury was a pretty good agitator with his play and his mouth while manning the Bruins blueline back in the day. And Milbury the GM/Coach would have LOVED having Sean Avery on his side.

So why all the hatred now?

Funny that Milbury mentioned about Sean not making a great pass for a game-winning goal. Great timing, Mike. Avery had two assists on opening night in Buffalo, including a perfect feed from behind the net on Derek Stepan's third goal of the game. Guess he missed that, huh? And maybe Mike missed that Avery has been one of the two or three best players throughout camp, pre-season, and the first two games for the Rangers.

Don't know which is worse, Milbury's misdirected tirade or the referees' blown call.

Follow Me on Twitter at: @jimcerny and @thenyrangers

Posted in James Wisniewski, Mike Milbury, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Rink Rap, Sean Avery | Comment Now!

NHL Thoughts on a Snowy Day

Written on 2/10/2010 by Jim Cerny

So as the snow descends here in New York, and I try to figure out how I am getting to The Garden to work tonight's Rangers-Predators game (yes, by the way, officials have confirmed the game is on and will start at 7:05 PM as scehduled), let me share a few random NHL thoughts.

Lehtonen In; Turco Out?

The Dallas Stars made an interesting trade yesterday, picking up injury-prone goaltender Kari Lehtonen from Atlanta for defense prospect Ivan Vishnevskiy and a 4th round draft pick.

My immediate reactions were: Marty Turco (above photo) is playing his final days in Dallas, and Don Waddell better have a game plan for all the young defensemen he is stockpiling in Atlanta because he sure isn't filling the club's biggest need, offensively-capabale forwards.

Turco, at age 34 and with a salary of just under $6 million, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. His play has declined the past few seasons, though it should be noted he was tremendous in the playoffs just two years ago leading the Stars to the Western Conference Finals. Once a Vezina Trophy-candidate, now Turco is a good goalie who is not considered good enough for a legit contender.

I think Turco will go, but will it be now---prior to the trade deadline---or as a free agent this summer? Not sure the market is hot for Turco right now, especially with cheaper options like Martin Biron available.

And Dallas also has veteran Alex Auld in the mix, too. So Stars coach Marc Crawford will have to find playing time for three NHL goalies, unless someone is moved.

As for Lehtonen, the 26 year-old has missed the entire season following a pair of back surgeries, just the latest in a long line of ailments he has suffered. The second overall pick in 2002---behind Rick Nash---Lehtonen never stayed healthy enough long enough to make an impact in Atlanta. The one year he was healthy, though---in 2006-07---he played a career-high 64 games and led the Thrashers to the playoffs. Of course he was atrocious in that four-round sweep at the hands of the Rangers, and his regular season numbers since have not been good.

Interestingly, I was chatting with Olli Jokinen after Rangers' practice yesterday and Lehtonen's name came up---even though he had not been traded yet, just a coincidence. Jokinen said Lehtonen is "a really good goalie, really good. I enjoyed playing with him (for Finland in international competition)."

Lehtonen will benefit from being on a better defensive team, though. He is a RFA at the end of the season, and the Stars will likely qualify him and begin to build around him moving forward, a somewhat risky proposition considering the myriad of health issues he has had.

As for Waddell, make it two cornerstones traded in the past week, though this one doesn't sting nearly as much as dealing Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils. Still, another young defenseman? Hmmm. He added Johnny Oduya already to the mix that includes Zach Bogosian, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, and Pavel Kubina. That clearly is a strength moving forward. But this club needs offensive help up front to join Evander Kane and Rich Peverley in the years to come. Let's see if Waddell delves into that depth on the back end to help up front.

Gaborik Suffers Cut in Practice

This is why, as a reporter, you go to practice every day. You just never know when a big story could happen.

I'm standing with the other reporters yesterday at Rangers practice, keeping an eye on the rink while also engaging in the banter that is part of our daily routine. Marian Gaborik and other players were finishing practice with some breakaway drills against goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Just part of the daily norm.

That is until Gaborik leaped over Lundqvist who had come out of his crease and slid to knock the puck away. When Gaborik did not immediately get up, I figured he was playing around. Lundqvist told me later on that he thought the same thing.

"But then I went from thinking he was joking to hoping that he was," Lundqvist told me.

No such luck. Lundqvist's skate lifted in the air and Gaborik did not clear it. As he hobbled off the ice, dropped on the bench, and then eventually limped to the locker room, we all feared the worst. Groin, again. Maybe a knee sprain. Ankle perhaps.

Fortunately for the Rangers and their leading scorer (35 goals, 69 points), none of the above. But frightening nonetheless.

"It's not like a twist to the groin or a knee or anything like that," explained Jim Schoenfeld, the Rangers assistant coach and assistant general manager after practice. "It's a laceration."

Lundqvist's skate blade had cut Gaborik's thigh---though originally thought to be his knee. Gaborik was stitched up, sent home, and we'll see if he can play tonight, blizzard be damned.

Scary moment for the team and the players involved. But as Andrew Gross, Rangers' beat reporter for The Record in New Jersey, pointed out, could have been just as scary for the reporters. In this world of Twitter and blogs and instant access, not being at practice yesterday, and missing this potentially big story, would not have been looked kindly upon by those who employ us reporters.

Happily, though, it looks like disaster averted in all areas.

Good for Marty Biron

It has not been a good year for Martin Biron. A No. 1 goalie for the Sabres and Flyers the past decade, he found out no one really wanted him as a UFA this past summer. So he signed with the Islanders, figured to split time with fellow free-agent signee Dwayne Roloson until Rick DiPietro returned from knee surgery. That plan blew up when Roloson outplayed him and his 3.20 goals against and sub .900 save percentage.

He hadn't been in the Islanders' net since December 27---when he played quite well actually in a loss to his old club in Philly---and had not won a game for the Isles since November 13 in Raleigh, NC.

That is until last night. Brought back from purgatory, what with DiPietro and Roloson unable to get the Isles a win in their previous seven games, the 32 year-old Biron turned aside 24 shots as the Islanders snapped their skid with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Predators.

And I say Good For Him. Biron has been as good soldier this season, despite difficult and disappointing times. And though this is only one game, one moment, for him, he deserved last night, deserved that victory.

Where does it go from here? We'll see. A UFA again this summer, he would seem to be a solid pickup for a contender looking for an experienced No. 2 goalie before the deadline. Would make no sense for the Islanders to carry three NHL goaltenders, though they may have competition in dealing Biron now that the Stars could consider trading either Turco or Auld. Perhaps GM Garth Snow held on to Biron a touch too long? Maybe last night was an audition for possible suitors.

No matter. It was a good night for a deserving Marty Biron.

Posted in Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Kari Lehtonen, Marian Gaborik, Martin Biron, Marty Turco, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Rink Rap | Comment Now!

Tuesday Tidbits on Komisarek, HNIC, the Isles, Rangers, and More

Written on 11/03/2009 by Jim Cerny

There are so many things I want to get to, and each one could fill a blog entry by itself, but instead I will provide a bunch of NHL quick hits, with a longer column on a singular topic---the Minnesota Wild---tomorrow.

First off, after a long, long day of travel, and travel delays, returning from Minnesota on Saturday, my Halloween night could not have been spent in any better fashion than watching the Canadiens and Maple Leafs duke it out at the Bell Centre on Hockey Night in Canada.

The game had everything you could want. Great rivalry. Back and forth action. Plenty of scoring. Mike Komisarek's first return to Montreal since departing as a free agent on July 1, with the home-town fans spewing their anger at him at every turn. Beleagured Leafs show no quit by scoring twice late in third to force OT. Numerous scrums, much vitriol, and 36 combined penalty minutes.

And finally a shootout victory for Les Habitants.

Great Stuff. Great Theater.

And great throwback candycane-striped jerseys by the Canadiens.

This was not an artistic gem, but it would be awesome if this type of battle was the norm as far as the NHL regular season goes.

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By the way, great work by the HNIC studio crew disecting the issues surrounding the NHLPA. There was good substantive debate, with Glenn Healy's passion for the topic at hand really standing out. I know most fans would rather tune in to Don Cherry's weekly segment, but this was HNIC at its absolute best and most compelling.

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Speaking of the NHLPA, I had a chat with Hockey Hall of Famer Andy Bathgate at Madison Square Garden on Sunday and he had nothing but contempt for how the current players ousted Paul Kelly as Executive Director.

"I bet you these players don't even realize the role Paul Kelly had in improving this player's association by prosecuting (former union head) Alan Eagleson years ago," Bathgate told me. "They have no sense of what has happened before. Just as long as they can count all their money at the end of the day."

Pretty strong stuff, though to be fair, many of the players from the '50's, '60's, and '70's are somewhat bitter that the current crop of NHLers is so much better compensated than the oldtimers ever were.

By the way, Bathgate will be joining me and Steven Gelbs on Rangers Radio over at the Rangers official web site, NewYorkRangers.com, this Friday afternoon. Don't forget to check it out.

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As for the Rangers, don't expect winger Enver Lisin to play tonight in Vancouver. His foot is still sore after blocking a shot Sunday against the Bruins. Christopher Higgins, reported to be on the trade block according to the Ottawa Sun, might get a crack to play on the top line with Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal tonight.

Prospal, by the way, has been named as an alternate captain, and very deservedly so, by John Tortorella. Prospal has emerged as a true leader and powerful voice in the Rangers dressing room, not to mention a strong presence on the ice. He joins Ryan Callahan as an "A" serving under team captain Chris Drury.

One other quick Rangers nugget: 19 year-old defenseman Michael Del Zotto today was named as the NHL's Rookie of the Month for October. Though scoreless in three straight games, Del Zotto closed out his first initial month in the NHL with four goals, eight assists, and 12 points in 14 games.

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And how about those Islanders? Winners of four in a row, after last night's 3-1 home-ice win against the Oilers, the plucky Isles find themselves tied with the Flyers at 15 points for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

In 14 games so far this season, the Islanders have won only five, true, but they have lost only four in regulation. This is a gritty, hard-nosed team, one that was decidedly tougher than the Rangers in a 3-1 win last Wednesday and the Sabres in a 5-0 shutout victory last Saturday.

Seeing Kyle Okposo---no heavyweight---fling Sam Gagner to the ice after a whistle in the final minute last night was awesome because it showed the fire, passion, and desperate nature of this young team. Seeing unheralded Jeff Tambellini notch a hat trick on Saturday, and veteran defensive-minded defenseman Brendan Witt pot a pair last night, makes you think that the Hockey Gods are finally smiling down on Long Island's team.

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Ok, enough for now, though I could go on and on....

On Wednesday I'll have a piece for you on the new-look Wild, featuring interviews with freshly-minted captain Mikko Koivu and long-time favorite Andrew Brunette.

Posted in Andy Bathgate, Glenn Healy, Kyle Okposo, Michael Del Zotto, Mike Komisarek, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, NHLPA, Rink Rap, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vinny Prospal | Comment Now!

The Kids Start Off Alright

Written on 10/05/2009 by Jim Cerny

John Tavares (photo left) did not disappoint in his NHL debut on Saturday night. The first overall pick in this past NHL Draft---and annointed savior of the Islanders franchise---notched a pair of points, including his first NHL goal, against Sidney Crosby and the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins at the Nassau Coliseum.

If you haven't yet seen Tavares' goal, check it out here. He displays a quick set of hands, turning a broken play into a big goal. True goal scorers---whether they have played ten years in the NHL or ten minutes---instinctively know where to position themselves to get the prime scoring opportunities.

Rangers coach John Tortorella says that, "the puck just follows these kinds of players...it finds them all of the time."

John Tavares is that kind of player. Right spot, natural instinct, great hands.

Good for the Islanders and their fans to have landed Tavares following years of misery on The Island.

Bad for the Islanders that not long before Tavares and his 'mates took to the ice on Saturday, team owner Charles Wang spoke in bitterly disappointed tones that the Town of Hempstead had not met his October 3rd deadline to resolve whether or not his planned Lighthouse Project---which includes a new arena for the Islanders---would go forth. In grave tones, Wang spoke of options such as selling the team or relocating it to another city.

Veiled threats? Perhaps so. But threats nonetheless as far as the dispirited fans on the Isles are concerned.

Chris Botta over at NYI Point Blank and BD Gallof at The Hockey Independent are the two reporters who have covered this story the best---really for years now---and the best part is they usually offer up very different views on the goings on. That makes for some fun reading, while also providing a wider scope of opinion. Go check them out if you have not already.

Anyway, getting off topic here, it's a shame that Tavares' debut was pretty much overshadowed by arena politics. As Arthur Staple wrote in Newsday, "I went to a hockey game and a press conference broke out."

Good stuff that Tavares scored a goal and an assist in his NHL debut, even if he failed on a couple of other prime scoring chances and muffed his shootout attempt.

And JT was not the only youngster making a positive early impression over the weekend. Both Victor Hedman, the second overall pick right behind Tavares, and Matt Duchene, chosen No. 3 this past June by Colorado, had nice starts, as well.

Though he was a minus-two in Tampa's season-opening 6-3 loss to Atlanta on Saturday night, Hedman played confidently, and he played a lot. Coach Rick Tocchet used Hedman in all game situations, and the kid led the Lightning with nearly 27 minutes worth of ice-time. He also picked up his first NHL point, assisting on the Lightning's first goal of the season, and was second on the team with five shots on goal.

Duchene, one of two 18 year-olds in the Avs lineup along with Ryan O'Reilly, earned an assist in his NHL debut last Thursday, and played 15:29 in Saturday's win over the Canucks. O'Reilly, the Avs second rounder this year, has seen far less of the ice than Duchene, but he also earned an assist in his NHL debut against the Sharks last Thursday.

Another member of the 2009 draft class---Atlanta's Evander Kane, selected fourth overall---made a neat play to also earn an assist in his first NHL contest on Saturday. Kane stole the puck at the Lightning blueline, burst past the defenseman to drive towards the net. Though goaltender Mike Smith poked the puck off Kane's stick, Rich Peverly was there to clean up for the Thrashers and hand Kane a point.

Two other kids have impressed right from the get-go, Philly's James Van Riemsdyk (first round in 2007) and Michael Del Zotto (first round in 2008) of the Rangers. Van Riemsdyk, who is in the perfect situation, I think, surrounded by such a deep and talented group of teammates, has three points already in his first two games. In Saturday's win over the Devils, he notched a pair of assists and was a plus-three.

Del Zotto is clearly still adjusting to the speed and intensity of the pro game, but there is no denying his offensive skills. The 19 year-old defenseman is playing on the Rangers' top power play unit, and looks comfortable doing so. He also picked up his first NHL goal on Saturday in the final minute of the second period against Ottawa. You can check out Del Zotto's first goal here.

Early samplings for sure, but so far, the kids are looking alright at the NHL level.

Posted in Charles Wang, John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Michael Del Zotto, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Rink Rap, Tampa Bay Lightning, Victor Hedman | Comment Now!

Del Zotto and Schremp Get Different New York Calls

Written on 9/29/2009 by Jim Cerny

It might have been a foregone conclusion once the Rangers re-assigned Bobby Sanguinetti  to Hartford in the American Hockey League last week, but head coach John Tortorella made it official today that 19 year-old blueliner Michael Del Zotto (photo right) will be on the club's opening night roster.

"Based on his play, he has made the club," Tortorella said of Del Zotto this afternoon. "We feel right now he has played well enough to be with the National Hockey League team."

Del Zotto, the club's first round pick in the 2008 draft, has displayed much poise and confidence during camp and the pre-season games. And he has also show that he is as-advertised as a highly-skilled puck-moving defensemen.

Tortorella places much emphasis on having his defensemen join, and often lead, the rush. Now he has added two rookies who are more than willing to do that in Del Zotto and the 25 year-old Matt Gilroy, who also had a splendid pre-season.

There will be a big learning curve for Del Zotto---especially on the defensive-side of his game---but there is a tremendous upside, as well. There is the chance he does not spend the entire season in the NHL because he still is eligible to play for his major junior team in London, though he will start the season as a New York Ranger, and will be evaluated closely from that day forward. The Rangers can play Del Zotto in nine NHL games without him losing his junior eligibility and before his entry level contract kicks in.

Mark my words, though. If Del Zotto proves he can play in the NHL over those nine games, Tortorella will keep him. His age and inexperience will not matter. Torts just lights up when he speaks about Del Zotto and Gilroy quarterbacking things, both at present and in the future.

If Del Zotto is overwhelmed during his indoctrination to the NHL, he can still go back to London and play 30 minutes a night, knowing that a return engagement in the National Hockey League is coming as soon as 2010-11.

"I'm just taking it one day at a time," Del Zotto told me. "They could send me back before nine games, or even tomorrow, for all I know. So I am here to prove myself every day. My goal is to be here all year."

I have more on Del Zotto in a feature I wrote today over at newyorkrangers.com.

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Smart pick-up by the Islanders today, claiming center Rob Schremp off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. The 23 year-old has been a big disappointment since being Edmonton's first round pick in 2004. Schremp has played in only seven NHL games---picking up three points, all during last year's four-game stint---and has not come close to resembling the 58-goal, 145-point player he was with London in the OHL back in 2005-06.

But Schremp does have a 20-goal season under his belt at the professional level (23 in the AHL two years ago), and, well, he'll always have that monster season in junior on his resume, making him worth a second look.

With the Islanders, Schremp should land some quality ice-time, including important power play time, which should jumpstart his confidence, as well as his offensive production.

Katie Strang of Newsday caught up with Schremp earlier today as he was driving down from his home in upsate New York to Long Island, and he was predictably excited about the opportunity with the Islanders.

"It's exciting," Schremp told Katie. "It's a new situation...I'm excited to be an Islander."

Unless someone moves to the wing, the Islanders are putting together a pretty interesting young nucleus down the middle with Schremp, first overall pick John Tavares, and last year's No. 1 Josh Bailey. Throw 25 year-old Frans Nielsen into the mix, along with veteran Doug Weight, and, well, at least it's better than what they had last year, and they could be developing a decent nucleus moving forward.

Schremp will get his opportunity on the Island. Let's see what he does with it.

Posted in John Tortorella, Matt Gilroy, Michael Del Zotto, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Rink Rap, Rob Schremp | Comment Now!

Clouds Hang Over Tavares' Home Debut for Isles

Written on 9/23/2009 by Jim Cerny

This is the night Islanders fans have been waiting for ever since the club selected its next savior, high-scoring forward John Tavares, with the first overall pick in June's NHL Entry Draft. In fact, this is the night the diehards have been salivating over since the Isles won the draft lottery.

Tonight, John Tavares dons the home blue jersey and skates in his first game---albeit a pre-season one---in front of the hometown faithful at the Nassau Coliseum following training camp in Saskatoon.

It should be a happy occasion for these fans, who have been mercilessly beaten down with on-ice foibles and off-ice turmoil the past 15 years or so. Tavares' home debut should signal that there is a bright light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

Unfortunately that bright light, as Islanders fans have been reminded over and over again through the years, could very well be an oncoming locomotive headed the wrong way on the same track.

You see, just 24 hours prior to JT's maiden game at the Coliseum, Islanders owner Charles Wang was taking part in a 12-hour marathon of a public hearing regarding his Lighthouse Project, which calls for a much-needed new arena for his team---along with several billion dollars worth of other devlopment. And by most accounts, including this one from Chris Botta over at Fanhouse, it was a rough go for Mr. Wang and his Lighthouse Project.

After the hearing, Wang reiterated his October 3rd deadline for certainty that the Town of Hempstead would be willing to green light the massive Lighthouse undertaking.

That ain't happening. Too many questions. Too little time. Not enough negotiating from both sides.

"It's time for Lighthouse to push the panic button," BD Gallof, creator of HockeyIndependent.com and longtime blogger on all things Islanders, told me this morning. "Charles Wang's only leverage is that October 3rd date, and really what kind of leverage is that?"

Perhaps Wang would have had more leverage if the Isles pre-season game in Kansas City---which also took place on Tuesday night---did not play to a half-empty house. Had there been a sellout---or at the very least, a good-sized crowd---Wang could have pointed out that if he doesn't get his Lighthouse Project approved, then he'd be willing to move or sell his team to Kansas City, a market with a brand-new arena already in place.

If that was Wang's orginal plan when the pre-season game in Kansas City was scheduled, then let's just say things did not play out the way he wanted.

Pierre LeBrun at espn.com takes a closer look at the failed outing in Kansas City last night, and concludes that KC is not the hockey market Long Island is. Now that's saying something.

So circling back, what exactly are Wang's options? He is holding firm to an "all or nothing"---as Gallof refers to it---non-negotiable take on his enormous development project. It's not just the arena he wants. Wang wants the hotels, retail, etc. to transform the area by Hempstead Turnpike, as well. But without a real threat to leave---OK, perhaps Jim Balsillie could offer to take the team off Wang's hands and move it to Hamilton---Wang lacks the leverage to get the whole enchilada.

There has been talk of the Isles considering a move to Brooklyn, where the New Jersey Nets basketball team plans to move into a still-to-be-built-or-even-approved arena. But in Gallof's opinion, "Brooklyn is not an option. There are so many holes though that, not the least of which is the demographic."

The one thing that could be mutually acceptable to both Wang and the Town of Hempstead is a refurbishing of the antiquated Nassau Coliseum, though who would pay for what would also be hotly debated. There has actually been discussion about refurbishing the old barn in Nassau, one that would add the necessary suites and other popular amenities to suit Wang, though it might take upwards of two or three years to complete.

The bottom line here, though, is that, yet again, Islanders fans can not enjoy the moment without worrying what about is around the corner. Yay, Tavares is here! Ugh, the Islanders may be skipping town!

It has been this way really for the past decade or so, ever since one Islanders owner after another has tried to figure out how to land a new arena to stop the financial bleeding that, reportedly, costs Wang about $20 million annually.

"The past 15 years have been excruciating for the Islander fan," stated Gallof, who does provide some optimism on his blog in that top Town of Hempstead officials have told him they expect a new arena to be built...at some point.

"These fans are just tired of it all. They are damaged by it."

Posted in Charles Wang, John Tavares, New York Islanders, NHL, Rink Rap | Comment Now!

Phaneuf Hit on Okposo Legal or No?

Written on 9/18/2009 by Jim Cerny

Posted in Brent Sutter, Calgary Flames, Chris Botta, Colin Campbell, Dion Phaneuf, Katie Strang, Kyle Okposo, New York Islanders, NHL, Rink Rap | Comment Now!

Isles Captaincy, Rangers Camp, 'Yotes Woes

Written on 9/14/2009 by Jim Cerny

Many topics on the hockey front, what with training camps now in full swing, and I've got a few thoughts to share. If there are topics/questions you want addressed in the days and weeks and months to come, leave them in the Comments section and I promise to blog about them.

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Katie Strang of Newsday is the only reporter from New York covering the Islanders training camp out in the metropolis of Saskatoon, and she is doing an excellent job already. It's a shame for the Islanders organization---as well as it's fan base---that the excitement of John Tavares' first pro camp is an afterthought in the local media since camp is being held thousands of miles away from the team's base on Long Island.

Nonetheless, Katie chatted with veteran Doug Weight today about him possibly being named captain. Not surprisingly, Weight---a former captain of the Edmonton Oilers, and a well-respected man, both on and off the ice---would love that opportunity.

Weight told Katie, "I'd take it in a heartbeat and run with it," if given the chance.

While it makes almost too much sense not to name Weight as Bill Guerin's successor as Isles captain---especially with him already forging a strong relationship with Tavares---I'd reason that a better long-term choice for captain is defenseman Mark Streit.

Weight may only be on the Island for another season---if he doesn't get dealt at the trading deadline---while Streit is going to be a vital cog on this team for years to come. Streit also is coming off an All Star season, is well respected in his own dressing room, and has a strong relationship with the media, all pre-requisites for the position.

This is coming from the outside looking in, but why not name Streit captain, hand an "A" to Weight so that he could help mentor the talented Swiss defenseman, and finally stabilize the captaincy?

By the way---and totally off topic---Isles and Canucks in Hockeyville Game tonight on NHL Network. Let the games begin!

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In a posting here on Rink Rap  a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the difficult position Don Maloney is in as GM of the Phoenix Coyotes. Of course, things only got worse on the hockey front when training camp started and head coach Wayne Gretzky was a no-show.

I saw Don's brother Dave---the Rangers former captain and current radio analyst---at Rangers camp the other day and asked him how his younger brother is holding up. Dave told me that that Don is doing his best, but that the situation "is just brutal".

And that is just on the hockey operations side of the business. As for selling tickets, forget about it. Not shockingly, it has been nearly impossible to sell any form of season tickets this season in Phoenix, since the fans have no confidence in the future viability of their team.

No matter the outcome of the bankruptcy court ruling, the business is dead in Phoenix. It was dying already---hence the bankruptcy in the first place. But this whole dance between the league and Jim Balsillie, and perhaps the club moving to Hamilton during the season, or being sold and moved next year, has driven a final stake into the Coyotes' surivival in Phoenix---er, Glendale.

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Am up at the Rangers practice facility for training camp, and have just about Tweeted my thumbs off the first three days for all of you hard-core Blueshirt fanatics out there! But here are a few more tidbits following today's first two scrimmages of camp.

• 25 year-old defenseman Matt Gilroy might be a self-professed "late bloomer", but the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner is in peak physical condition, and he really impressed me in the morning scrimmage. Clearly heeding John Tortorella's call for defensemen to jump into the play, Gilroy confidently led the rush over and over again. Though he didn't score a goal---he did ring a shot off of the crossbar---Gilroy created several good scoring opportunities for his team. Good start for the rookie. John Tortorella agreed, saying after practice today, "He's one of the better fit athletes out here...he did some things we wanted him to do...he was up the ice...we'll see as the grind of camp goes on where he sits."
• Marian Gaborik, bothered by a sore groin, not related to his surgically-repaired hip, did not take part in either scrimmage, but he did skate in the afternoon practice. Afterwards he said, "The first few days, I did not want to overdo things, so (today) I went out there to do some skating and felt pretty good." Tortorella, who called Gaborik a "helluva player", said, "He's out practicing, which is good news....we just need to get him healthy, and this is just a little bump."
• Say what you want about Sean Avery, but this guy is a physical speciman. He is in outstanding shape, and really stood out to me during the team's conditioning testing the first two days. Avery showed a lot of jump and spark in the scrimmage, as well. Crazy thought maybe, but does Tortorella consider giving Avery a letter this season? Just a thought...
• Among the newcomers, Vinny Prospal and Donald Brashear had strong scrimmages in the afternoon session. Torts has said that Brash is here instead of Colton Orr because he is a better skater and could play off of the fourth line at times this year, too. Brashear showed that in the scrimmage, for sure.
• Defenseman Nigel Williams, who was picked up in a summer trade with Colorado, threw some big hits during the afternoon scrimmage. A long-shot to make the varsity, the 21 year-old at least tried to make a solid first impression.

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Finally, I will be the guest on the Blueshirt Banter talk show tonight, beginning at 7:30 pm, on BlogTalk Radio. Here is the link to listen. I will also take phone calls from the fans. The phone in number to participate is 646-479-4692.

Hope to chat with you tonight!

Posted in Don Maloney, Donald Brashear, Doug Weight, Jim Balsillie, Mark Streit, Matt Gilroy, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Phoenix Coyotes, Rink Rap, Sean Avery, Wayne Gretzky | Comment Now!

Howlings in Glendale

Written on 8/27/2009 by Jim Cerny

While all hell has broken loose with the Phoenix Coyotes the past several months, Don Maloney has tried to go about the business of assembling a competitive hockey club on a phantom budget, not knowing if his team will remain in Glendale, move to Hamilton, or even continue to employ its head coach, Wayne Gretzky.

Just consider this the latest imperfect situation for one of the NHL's classiest gentlemen.

That Maloney is indeed as first-class as they come is something I know firsthand, having worked with him in the Islanders organization during the 1990's. At the time of his retirement as a player, on my birthday---January the 17th---in 1991, the Islanders hired Maloney as Assistant General Manager, and heir apparent, to legendary GM Bill Torrey.

While the Isles fully expected the intelligent and hard-working Maloney to one day succeed Torrey---to that point, the only General Manager in franchise history---no one believed that it would happen as quickly as it did. But a new ownership group forced Torrey out after the 1991-92 season, and Maloney---only a year and a half removed from his playing days---was elevated to the GM position at the age of 33.

Just call this "Imperfect Situation No. 1" because Maloney was often overwhelmed---and rightfully so---by the job at hand, and he no longer had one of the sharpest minds in all of the sport to turn to and learn from with Torrey out of the picture.

That 1992-93 Islanders squad actually made a shocking run to the Eastern Conferenec Finals---remember David Volek's OT goal that ended the Pittsburgh Penguins two-year reign as champion?---albeit with a group of players largely acquired by Torrey, not Maloney.

The following season, the Isles barely made the playoffs, and then were embarrassed in a one-sided first-round sweep at the hands of the Rangers. It was their final playoff appearance for the next eight years.

While balancing his own missteps, diminishing returns, learning on the fly, and dealing with a shaky ownership situation, Maloney remained true to himself. He was upbeat, personable, and friendly to all whom he came in contact with. And just like he was as a player, Maloney worked dilgently at his craft.

But in the summer of 1995, he signed his own death certificate when he hired Mike Milbury as head coach. Everyone in the game knew of Milbury's hunger to run his own club---not only on the ice, but in the front office, as well. Not shockingly, Maloney was out as Isles GM before the season was even three months old, replaced by Milbury.

Maloney's reputation as a future management star had taken quite the hit. And things actually got worse over the ensuing months when many in the Islanders organization, likely seeking to curry favor with Milbury, continued to take shots at Maloney's ability to lead a franchise.

Often not mentioned, however, is that under his watch as GM, the Isles had drafted solid NHLers in Darius Kasparaitis, Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Tommy Salo, and Wade Redden (who was flipped for Bryan Berard in a deal with Ottawa). Instead, it was more commonly discussed that he had swung and missed by selecting Brett Lindros with the ninth overall pick in 1994, and Lindros would only play 51 NHL games due to consussion-related issues.

Eventually, Maloney returned to the Rangers, the team that had drafted him and for which he played the majority of his 13-year NHL career. He served as Assistant General Manager under, first, Neil Smith, and then Glen Sather for ten seasons.

Unfortunately for Maloney---and the Rangers---the Blueshirts reached the post-season only twice during those ten years.

To a lesser degree, you can call this the "Imperfect Situation No. 2" for Maloney, considering the fact that it was one of the least successful runs in Rangers' history.

However, it was an excellent learning time for Maloney, who eventually became Vice President of Player Personnel for the Rangers, helping draft the likes of Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal, Ryan Callahan, and Brandon Dubinsky, among others.

After being passed over for many GM openings over the years---perhaps the stigma of his time on Long Island haunted him---Maloney was named General Manager of the Coyotes in May of 2007. And since that time, Maloney has actually received deserved respect for the job he has done running the show in the desert.

However, pretty much from Day One with the 'Yotes, it has been "Imperfect Situation No. 3" for Maloney. An extremely tight budget, declining fan base and revenues despite a state-of-the-art arena in Glendale, and then bankruptcy this past spring have overshadowed Maloney's solid work the previous two seasons.

Maloney has had his young squad knocking on the playoff door in the Western Conference two years running. And with the likes of impressive youngsters Kyle Turris, Peter Mueller, Mikael Boedker, and Viktor Tikhonov all on the rise, buoyed by Maloney acquisitions Ilya Bryzgalov, Matthew Lombardi, Scottie Upshall, Petr Prucha, and Lauri Korpikoski, the Coyotes have the look of a team ready to make their first post-season appearance since 2002.

But will that be in Phoenix---err, Glendale---or in Hamilton? And will the NHL own the club or will Jim Balsillie defy all odds---despite his $200+ million plus bid---and be awarded this team by a bankruptcy judge? And will Gretzky be retained---even at a salary less than his current $8 mill a year---by either entity?

And in the end, how will all of this affect the job Maloney has been hired to do? That answer, like so many others in this mess, lies down the road. But what is known, is that Maloney still remains true to the classy individual he has always been.

Like his days on the Island and on Broadway, Maloney continues to forge ahead, still smiling and doling out witty remarks and hearty backslaps. A gentleman who deserves better than he has gotten, though he would never think so, himself.

Posted in Bill Torrey, Don Maloney, Glen Sather, Jim Balsillie, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, Phoenix Coyotes, Wayne Gretzky | Comment Now!

So, why "Rink Rap"?

Written on 8/26/2009 by Jim Cerny

Now, the title of today's post might lead you to believe that my first offering here on Rink Rap, and for World Sports Blogs, is a set-up. You know, use my own blog to self promote. Place the ball on the tee and knock it out of the yard, all for my own good.

In other words, ask the question: "Why choose to read and follow Rink Rap?"

And then inundate you with the reasons why.

Well because I have 20 years of experience covering the NHL. And my blog will be fun and often zany, as well as informative and opinionated. And many of the top people---players, coaches, broadcasters, front office execs, scouts, writers, etc.---will stop by for interviews. You know, that kind of shameless self promotion.

Of course, I wouldn't insult your intelligence by doing that. The thought would never cross my mind to subtlely lure you in and then zap you with all of that pat-on-the-back information...

No, instead the title of today's post is really about "Why did Jim choose the name 'Rink Rap' for his blog?"
And with that I can provide a little historical background into Rink Rap, with no real puffing out of the chest.

First off, I can not take credit for the name Rink Rap. So if you like it, well there is someone else to praise. And, just as importantly, if you hate it, there is someone else to blame!

Chris Botta---whom many of you know for his terrific work on Islanders Point Blank, and who was an Isles exec for 20 years,---was hosting a hockey talk show called "Rink Rap" on Long Island's WGBB-AM when he was also starting out as the editor of The Islander News (remember that blast from the past?!). He asked me to co-host with him, which I did for two years before before the financial backers of the show stopped backing and, instead, backed out.

Though the show was no more, I had caught the bug and couldn't shake it. With a real dearth of hockey talk on the airwaves in early '90's New York radio, I ventured out solo and created my own program. Without asking---Botts never said anything, so I am assuming no grudge on his part---I named the show Rink Rap.

As it turned out, Rink Rap aired for four years and provided me with the exposure I needed to jumpstart my career. I really believe that all the good things that have happened to me in hockey since---becoming the play-by-play voice of the Islanders, covering the sport for The New York Times, hosting the NHL Live talk show, and now being the beat writer at the New York Rangers official web site---have come about because of Rink Rap.

And perhaps most important, Rink Rap was fun. There was so much zaniness behind the scenes---mainly at the hands of my producer, Wild Bill Parrinello (yes, I finally spelled your name right, Billy)---and so many laughs, it is impossible not to look back and think of Rink Rap with a smile.

But we delivered the goods, too. In fact, the debut of Rink Rap featured the GMs of all three local New York area teams at the time---Neil Smith, Don Maloney, and Lou Lamoriello---on air for live interviews that night.

So that is why this blog is titled Rink Rap. Resurrecting a good name---and great memories--from my past.

And looking to create more of the same moving forward.

It should be a fun ride. Let's take it together.

Posted in Chris Botta, IslandersPointBlank, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL, NHL Live, Rink Rap, The New York Times | Comment Now!