tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33244887120359738302024-02-08T00:13:08.390-05:00MUCK & GRINDA Hockey BlogC Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-33674407460889045712008-10-10T13:30:00.001-04:002008-10-10T13:33:08.156-04:00Great Image<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeNPa5Urr_mnyuo5goxFioyC2R-dVpU0wB1zQkvIwWvpQ285Ui3rIp2q8TH2qjZRDIkZCTQfwRlD9hgjEib2uC0yJn4BazDUBVBUearNU3rHJaUNUtcRZIyljSOJP7-0u4euhUdFeHQKo/s1600-h/capsrollercoaster.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeNPa5Urr_mnyuo5goxFioyC2R-dVpU0wB1zQkvIwWvpQ285Ui3rIp2q8TH2qjZRDIkZCTQfwRlD9hgjEib2uC0yJn4BazDUBVBUearNU3rHJaUNUtcRZIyljSOJP7-0u4euhUdFeHQKo/s320/capsrollercoaster.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255579393374184290" border="0" /></a>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-47726707624098877232008-08-31T15:05:00.006-04:002008-08-31T16:50:54.345-04:00Tampa Still Adding Pieces<span style="font-family:georgia;">As if Lightning fans weren't already going to be furiously checking their programs for most of early October, the addition of Andrej Meszaros has me wondering, "Are they done yet?!"<br /><br />I've gone back to look at the Tampa roster that was in place for the '07 season opener in order to document the overhaul that has taken place. It all started just before last season actually, when Owner Bill Davision began the process of selling the franchise. The trades picked up near the trading deadline when they shipped out Brad Richards and his large salary (plus goaltender Johan Holmqvist) to Dallas for Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern, and Jussi Jokinen. Following the Draft where they won the Steven Stamkos lottery, the Lightning have thrown money around and kept the phones busy acquiring a bunch of ex-Penguin forwards, an experienced (read: almost finished) goalie, and a few young defensemen with big upsides. And, lets not forget the hiring of a legendary personality as coach named "Bubba". The new owners, Oren Koules and Len Barrie promised to be busy in the off-season and build a winner. They haven't disappointed and I'm sure the rest of the Southeast is shaking in their skates.<br /><br />Here's a look at the changes in the Tampa roster from the '07 opener to the current roster:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhJYHm9NyVl3pSIDz4Ert6FWFIuuPnGvxiZIc7tUPaULlGdf_uMjmnITSRqzRaRk5TJh5A6C7ipRP_U_tfqE2fCSWktbyD3PR5x6vfmzQuzZNQsaM9ECRZCPKBsccYMeZSc_-50Fwdpig/s1600-h/TAMPA07-09roster.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhJYHm9NyVl3pSIDz4Ert6FWFIuuPnGvxiZIc7tUPaULlGdf_uMjmnITSRqzRaRk5TJh5A6C7ipRP_U_tfqE2fCSWktbyD3PR5x6vfmzQuzZNQsaM9ECRZCPKBsccYMeZSc_-50Fwdpig/s320/TAMPA07-09roster.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240786868462025298" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">They couldn't possibly land Mats Sundin, could they?</span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-40885827370413869032008-07-31T16:23:00.005-04:002008-07-31T16:39:06.124-04:00Scotty bolts Motown for Chi-town<span style="font-family:georgia;">Scotty Bowman is almost 75 years old. But it's the 9 Stanley Cups that matter.<br /><br />It's amazing when you think of the changes the Chicago Blackhawks have gone through in the last year. Their future is as bright as any team's in the NHL. And their most well-known player (outside hockey circles at least), Nikolai Khabibulin, probably won't be around to see the team reach their potential. Towes, Kane, Huet are just three of the names that will lead the team in coming years. And the fact they themselves will be led by Scotty Bowman, Dale Tallon, and Denis Savard just makes their prospects that much brighter.<br /><br />If nothing else, Bowman switching teams will make the Winter Classic II between the Wings and 'Hawks at Wrigley that much more intriguing. I know I can't wait...<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-18130201555464489012008-07-24T00:46:00.003-04:002008-07-24T01:04:15.285-04:00I have the power of the Internets!<span style="font-family:georgia;">The internet runs freely in my apartment now (after 9 months without), so let the blogging resume.<br />I missed writing about pretty much the whole season, playoffs, draft, and most of free agency, so I'll make up for it like Carl Lewis <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uDc5tQxmJY">(YouTube link)</a> in '08-'09.<br /><br />And I begin with an NHL.com salute to the future of the Atlanta Thrashers:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiaV7BNHumKI3HsqS5tE2q_Q2tQPDAMSCGYEVh5T2dh1n31PxUHB9co0aFAdKUqppMljw7gGUfozjmOX48HRSHI4HOo99ze2Te4yHgw8NbwYCDZFyDjut15X6ouXr8T2FyA_3ELDEfW_H/s1600-h/ThrashersTools.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiaV7BNHumKI3HsqS5tE2q_Q2tQPDAMSCGYEVh5T2dh1n31PxUHB9co0aFAdKUqppMljw7gGUfozjmOX48HRSHI4HOo99ze2Te4yHgw8NbwYCDZFyDjut15X6ouXr8T2FyA_3ELDEfW_H/s320/ThrashersTools.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226441384259683890" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm sure Brett Sterling and Darren Haydar (I believe it's Haydar) appreciate that.</span> Ahhhh, the Thrashers...C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-82833987029014228422008-02-16T23:42:00.004-05:002009-10-10T14:51:37.877-04:00<span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-40071014672717926012008-02-16T23:39:00.004-05:002009-10-10T14:52:24.580-04:00<span style="font-family:georgia;"></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-12448726041250463542008-02-16T23:18:00.001-05:002008-02-16T23:21:06.606-05:00Ethan, get a visor!<span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Two days after the Zednik incident:<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGu9_JPEZRiFPMecX7Yi-i8KZpoDE2QUa-jRonu1aMhAwFtsYixFvAb5JyPrn7F0Gccwyk1WElZ0HexZPHrICPshrnGmKAj_YH2pCpugUitoUDbgxjbDtWpHaZycZTCVbJFZ0MaYmjYvw/s1600-h/moreaugaborikskate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGu9_JPEZRiFPMecX7Yi-i8KZpoDE2QUa-jRonu1aMhAwFtsYixFvAb5JyPrn7F0Gccwyk1WElZ0HexZPHrICPshrnGmKAj_YH2pCpugUitoUDbgxjbDtWpHaZycZTCVbJFZ0MaYmjYvw/s320/moreaugaborikskate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167799203556363826" border="0" /></a>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-48647406666122735452008-02-16T22:25:00.006-05:002008-02-16T22:29:45.382-05:00Fleury Goes White<span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >No more bright yellow's for Marc-Andre Fleury...<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Citzens Voice (Wilkes-Barre) Article </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.citizensvoice.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19285820&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=504260&rfi=6">HERE</a><span style="font-family: georgia;">.</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEeIo38KIXIv4W3Dmxg21s9BNYVo65vMXcu7-Qh37ezJpvzgw_oZZqkjx_AOeSmxe6CUIitYIicP0JlBniW1vrMncqmNuR1RORdahL0NtzfFqGXIM7cVDBwf3hXOHe2RiiekZcduDI2Tq/s1600-h/fleuryWBwhitepads.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEeIo38KIXIv4W3Dmxg21s9BNYVo65vMXcu7-Qh37ezJpvzgw_oZZqkjx_AOeSmxe6CUIitYIicP0JlBniW1vrMncqmNuR1RORdahL0NtzfFqGXIM7cVDBwf3hXOHe2RiiekZcduDI2Tq/s320/fleuryWBwhitepads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167785506905656866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.citizensvoice.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19285820&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=504260&rfi=6"></a></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-38791814292472684092008-01-14T16:08:00.000-05:002008-01-14T16:27:38.965-05:00Resurgent Kovie<span style="font-family: georgia;">Unless you live north of the border, you may not have noticed the resurgence of one of the NHL's top snipers. <br /><br />Alex(ei) Kovalev has been superb for the Montreal Canadiens; leading the team with 19 goals and on pace for nearly equaling his '02-'03 output when he split time between the Penguins and Rangers while tallying 37+40=77. <br /><br />Not many saw this coming after last years campaign with the Habs and the bad press that followed for actions both on- and off- the ice. And there's no way anyone could have dreamt he'd be wearing the captain "C" this year (if only for a game).<br /><br /><a href="http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5i01PZ7_fbA-HGNEKM7lkH5CTkT2A">Canadian Press article...</a><br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-66772371404719256672008-01-09T11:03:00.000-05:002008-01-13T19:47:04.671-05:00Yotes rise, Rangers fall<span style="font-family:georgia;">When the Phoenix Coyotes hosted the mighty Detriot Red Wings on December 29th, they weren't playing poorly at all. The most goals they had given up to opponents in the month of December was 3 (4 times, all losses). So when the Coyotes had a 2-2 game in front of a packed house in Glendale in the 3rd period vs. Detriot and Pavel Datsyuk has a break with Valtteri Filppula and 'Yotes Defenseman Keith Ballard is struggling to get back into position, and then overplays Datsyuk as he scores the game winner, it's no wonder Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky was so visibly upset on the bench.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigS_wTgKp65SDMH9-5nLADzh3sWdLGxUyHsd0FPNGtjcyN3xkdTCVEx6xCnr-hdGthux6ehv1cj92Z3dehmnWL-SRvEE_FYriS7zU8RxWFRjPzEdq7v7OZX1JEu4eZj-89NeFGgTX-41Fj/s1600-h/datsyukcoyotes12-29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigS_wTgKp65SDMH9-5nLADzh3sWdLGxUyHsd0FPNGtjcyN3xkdTCVEx6xCnr-hdGthux6ehv1cj92Z3dehmnWL-SRvEE_FYriS7zU8RxWFRjPzEdq7v7OZX1JEu4eZj-89NeFGgTX-41Fj/s320/datsyukcoyotes12-29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155127208007354978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />Gretzky's anger must have gotten to the team - since that game the Coyotes have been awesome. 5-0 in beating Colorado in a home-and-home, Chicago, Anaheim, and Calgary. They even managed to give up 3 goals to the Avs in the 1st game and still win (in a shootout). This stretch, coupled with the aforementioned solid December, has the 'Yotes 2 points back of the 8th playoff spot out West.<br /><br />On the other hand, everyone's favorite pre-season pick to lift the Cup, the New York Rangers, are struggling again. Save for the last three games of 2007, December was terrible for the Blueshirts. And now they have yet to win in 2008. Getting swept on a Western Canadian swing is bad enough, but to help another struggling team (Tampa) end their 7-game winless streak on your ice is pitiful.<br /><br />Henrik Lundqvist has been struggling lately - just ask my fantasy team. <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2008/01/07/2008-01-07_dad_on_henrik_lundqvists_mind.html">The Daily News reports that Henrik has some other things on his mind, even if he won't admit it's bothering his play.</a><br /><br />But, the Rangers obviously have other problems. The offense isn't chipping in as expected. They've averaged 2 goals per game in their winless '08. Their goal scoring is tied for 3rd worse in the league. Look at their roster and tell me how that makes sense.<br /><br />Is it the late '90's again at MSG? Tons of money, loaded roster, no chemistry.<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-56921255208093054952007-11-13T11:41:00.000-05:002007-11-13T12:23:25.434-05:00Weekes -79<span style="font-family: georgia;">While listening to the Penguins-Devils radio broadcast last night on Pittsburgh's 105.9 WXDX, I heard a story from color-man and ex-Penguin Phil Bourque (he's the Bourque with <span style="font-style: italic;">two</span> Stanley Cup rings, mind you) that I hadn't heard before.<br /><br />Devils goalie Kevin Weekes was brought in this year to back up future HHOF'er Martin Brodeur. Weekes, throughout his career, including stints with Carolina and the NY Rangers, had worn #80, as a tribute to legend NFL wide receiver Jerry Rice. When he got to New Jersey this year, he initially donned the number until one day during the pre-season when he walked into the locker room to discover all of is equipment had been changed to #1. Apparently, Mr. New Jersey Devil, Lou Lamoriello, had told the Devils' equipment guy to go into the locker room and change Weeks' number - no questions asked and without Weekes' knowledge or permission. Lamoriello is an "old school" guy and doesn't allow his players to wear high numbers. Weekes and Lamoriello never spoke about it - Weekes just accepted it because he wanted to be part of the team and moved on. Lamoriello is a system guy, a team guy, and doesn't like anybody to stand out from the pack. <br /><br /><br />You can't argue with success; but still, I don't know whether to love or hate Lou for something like this. It's approaching, but not quite, Steinbrenner territory.<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-32968572917943631412007-11-07T16:03:00.000-05:002007-11-07T16:40:25.490-05:00Tortorella questions again?!<span style="font-family: georgia;">Listen, I understand the Lightning haven't won a road game yet. I understand they were up 4-1 on home ice vs. Atlanta and ended up losing 6-4. But what I don't understand is why every year since winning the Stanley Cup, questions about Head Coach John Tortorella's job have arisen. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">NEWSFLASH:</span> Filip Kuba and Brad Lukowich are your top two on Defense! Johan Holmqvist and Marc Denis are your one-two in net! <br /><br />You have about half your salary being paid to three forwards (Lecavalier, St. Louis, Richards). Sure they're great forwards and worth the money they make, but you need some Defense, man!<br />Maybe Jay Feaster should have kept Khabibulin and let one of those three go. This has been their problem since they won the Cup and will continue to be their problem until they let one of them go.<br /><br />In this scenario, Tampa Bay is a good team - a playoff team most years. But that's all they are and all they will be until one of the big three forwards leaves town. Everyone needs to accept this and get off of Tortorella's back.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tsn.ca/tsn_talent/columnists/bob_mckenzie/">Tsn.ca article</a><br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-20443273895263897242007-11-07T15:22:00.000-05:002007-11-07T16:01:58.156-05:00Flyers/Pens Preview (more numbers)<span style="font-family: georgia;">You should know by now that the Penguins swept the Flyers last year - 8-0. Yep...<br /><br /><br />Philly got shutout by the Rangers on Monday, while the Penguins shutout the Devils. <br /><br /></span>Flyers- 4-0 home, 4-5 road.<br /><br />Philly is getting outshot badly. They have only outshot their opponents 3 times this season.<br /><b>In their last 7 games, they have been outshot by a combined 101 shots!</b> That includes getting outshot by 20 vs NJ (win), 19 by Florida (loss), 22 by MTL (loss) and last night by 15 vs NYR (loss). Unreal.<br /><br />Because of that, Martin Biron has been standing on his head every night. If it weren't for him, Philly would <i>maybe</i> be a .500 team.<br />He's seen 396 shots in only 11 games. The only 2 goalies to see more rubber this season have played in more games: Kiprusoff - 398 in 15, Vokoun - 420 in 13.<br /><br />If the Pens outshoot the Flyers badly like every other team has been, and they still can't score, then something's really wrong with the Pens. But they will score. Crosby plays up for big games and every time the Penguins play the Flyers it's a huge game.<br /><br />Only questions are:<br />1) Could Sabourin keeps it up?<br />2) Can any Penguins besides Sid and Geno score?<br />3) Is Simon Gagne over his concussion-like symptoms?<br />4) Can Joffrey Lupul convert some more of his shots on goal? (Lupul is 2nd on the team in SOG, but only has an 11.1 Shooting Percentage. The only other regular forward with a lower percentage is R.J. Umberger, who started the season injured.)C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-79121926321860471002007-11-05T16:57:00.001-05:002007-11-05T18:02:51.774-05:00Running Some Easy Numbers<span style="font-family: georgia;">One of my favorite stats to keep tabs on NHL teams to help determine who's better than who when teams have similar point totals or who's better or worse than their record may show is goal differential. Total goals scored - Total goals scored against = goal differential. It's sort of a plus/minus for teams rather than players.<br /><br />Not surprisingly, the top three teams p0ints-wise are also tops in goal differential:<br /><br />1. Ottawa + 19<br />2. Detroit +18<br />3. Carolina +16<br /><br />And the bottom 3 are all within the bottom 3 of their respective conferences points-wise:<br /><br />30. Atlanta -20<br />29. Edmonton -15<br />28. Tampa Bay -8<br /><br />But here's the interesting numbers:<br /><br />-The Northwest-leading Minnesota Wild have the 3rd most points in the league (18), but is merely 8th overall (+4) in G.D. <br />-Columbus and the New York Rangers have an NHL best 23 goals against so far, but Columbus is +13 in G.D., while the Rangers have scored an NHL-worst 23 goals leaving them with an even (0) G.D. Atlanta has the worst G.D., as posted above, but have scored 14 more goals on the season than the Rangers. <br />-Toronto must be playing some wild games considering they have matched Atlanta's terrible goals against number (57), but are only a -5 and tied for 5th in the Eastern standings. Toskala? Raycroft? McCabe? Bueller?<br />- While the Sharks lead the Pacific in the standings, they have a -1 goal differential. Oddly enough this is tied for best G.D. in their division (Los Angeles). That's right - no team in the Pacific has even matched the amount of goals they've given up yet. Funny, considering I heard someone on the NHL Network describe the Southeast division as the "Southleast" again. At least the Southeast has Carolina; who's the other non-traditional division got right now?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home Vs. Road</span><br /><br />Philadelphia - Undefeated at home (4-0), .500 on road (4-4)<br />NY Rangers - 6-2 at MSG, 1 point in 5 road games (0-4-1)<br />Tampa Bay - 5-1-1 at home, 0-6 on the road. Good enough for 13th place in the east. Ouch.<br /><br />San Jose - 1-3 at home, 6-3-1 on the road. They must have a thing for the road whites.<br />Colorado - 6-1 at home, 2-4 on road.<br />Vancouver and Phoenix - both 1-6 at home. Phoenix I can understand, but Vancouver winning one out of seven games at home is crazy. I don't care who's not scoring for the Canucks (apparently everybody).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-68575134635540287762007-11-05T16:09:00.000-05:002007-11-05T16:53:19.813-05:00Fanfare for Rivalry Weeks<span style="font-family: georgia;">Can you feel the excitement in the NHL-air? <br /><br />Surely you noticed the plethora of billboards, newspaper ads, tv spots about the next two weeks? And talk radio is abuzz with enough chatter about the NHL's first Rivalry Weeks to make you forget all about who won the Colts-Patriots matchup yesterday.<br /><br />Maybe if the NHL weren't guided by such incompetency...<br /><br /><br />I have to give the league credit for coming up with a positive in terms of scheduling and making the most out of the 8 divisional games each team will play against each other. <br />Twice this season, including the last two weeks of the regular season, every team will play from 7-9 straight games against their divisional rivals. Yes, it's only November, and the end of the season Rivalry Weeks will have more importance and excitement - but, does anyone even know it's happening right now? <br />I wouldn't be surprised if a number of dedicated hockey fans had no idea these Rivalry Weeks were even taking place and won't until some time next week when they start cursing the NHL schedule makers because the Preds are playing the Blue Jackets and Blackhawks for the second week in a row!<br />Again, I give the NHL credit for having a good idea and attempting to make the 8 divisional games mean more and hopefully be played with more vigor than usual. But, ultimately, it's the same problem as having a great on-ice product filled with young superstars, but no one is watching because you're on the VS network.<br />One step forward, two steps back.<br /><br />The NHL obviously knows nothing about selling the game. Do the next two weeks even have a proper name? Is it Rivalry Weeks? I think I made that up. <br />God help us all.<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-54650824542924879062007-10-07T13:28:00.000-04:002007-10-07T15:23:39.958-04:00Super Saturday #1<span style="font-family: georgia;">Nobody likes being sick, but when you're like me and come down with a fever and can't go out on the NHL's 1st Super Saturday of the season - it's not a bad thing at all.<br /><br />14 games, 28 of 30 teams in action. I <3 the Center Ice package. <br /><br />I flipped around between mainly the following:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7:00 - Hockey Night In Canada - Habs/Leafs<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> </span>Great way to start the evening. Toronto-Montreal Hockey Night in Canada should be the season kick-off game every year, American ratings be damned. <br /><br />Great game, great action, great rivalry. People think Toronto is a playoff team and Montreal isn't, but huge games like this often balance the teams out. <br /><br />I plum forgot that Vesa Toskala was a Leaf now. Andrew Raycroft can't keep a #1 job to save his life. But, to be honest, I didn't think goaltending was the Leafs problem last year. Leafs fans might have a different view, as his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Raycroft">Wikipedia page</a> is currently being protected from vandalism.<br /><br />Note to DIRECTV: when a hockey game is tied after the 3rd period, and the broadcast goes to commercial, THE GAME IS NOT OVER! Do not cut the feed off! I could almost see if they did it at the end of Overtime and forgot there was a Shootout, but COME ON! This is the 2nd major Center Ice flub I've seen this year - with the 1st being when the wrong Fox Sports Net feed was routed to the Center Ice channel, preventing me from taking in the pre-game and 1st period of game #1 between the Kings-Ducks in London.<br />I would have really liked to see the conclusion of this one, with Tomas Kaberle netting the 4-3 OT winner. I guess they put it back on at some point, but I had given up flipping back by that point and stuck to other games.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7:30 - Ducks/Penguins<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span></span>Not a surprising turn of events given the Ducks awful schedule combined with the Pens lackluster start in Carolina. The Pens had a weak 1st and then turned it on in the 2nd and the tired Ducks just couldn't keep up. <br /><br />Marc-Andre Fleury needs to pick things up. He's been a capable goalie for a few years now, but it's time to show he's the real deal. I know he's 22, but the Penguins are ready to go deep and if Fleury doesn't play great he could play himself out of a Stanley Cup. His contract extension also expires after this year, so there should be no lack of incentive for "The Flower" to step up.<br /><br /> I missed the flurry of goals that started the 2nd, but Petr Sykora's 2+2=4 performance in under 14 mintues of ice-time made GM Ray Shero look like a smart man. <br />I had always thought Sykora would be a great fit in Pittsburgh ever since he had the production drop and subsequent falling out with management in Anaheim. When he was bouncing around from the Ducks, to the Rangers, and finally the Oilers, I couldn't understand why Pittsburgh never came up in discussions of Sykora's next destination. There was such a void of European scoring talent on the Pens left by the departures of Jagr, Kovalev, Straka, and even to some extent - Morozov, that Sykora seemed like a perfect candidate to fill. At only 30 years old, and surrounded by a wealth of young talent, look for Petr Sykora to return to his former production this season.<br /> Quick note: Ryan Malone really picked that corner on the last Pens goal. He had a lot of time and space 1-on-1 with the goalie, but that goal was crucial and Malone could use to bury a few more of those.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8:00 - Flyers/Oilers</span><br /> Daniel Briere has 3 goals in 2 games as a Flyer and two of them have been absolute beauties. Even the third (first in sequential order) was pretty nice and showed a lot of skill down low. I know it's early, but he certainly looks like he's earning that huge contract so many were quick to criticize. However, Danny couldn't save the Flyers on his birthday. <br />A few bad bounces did them in vs. the Oilers Saturday night. They looked poised to take over the game, but allowed Edmonton to tie it back up with :04 left in the 2nd period. It hurt their momentum, which was lost for good when Martin Biron made a save and let the rebound pop out to the slot where it bounced off the snowplowing Mike Knuble and back past Biron. <br />Knuble's skate = Edmonton's GWG.<br /><br />I was surprised by Edmonton's performance. It will be interesting to see where they'll end up in the West, because it's a bit of a mystery at this point.<br /><br />Other action:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hurricanes/Capitals</span><br /> First of all, thank God that Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (Caps regional network) finally upgraded their video/broadcast equipment. They had such horrible quality video for the last few years that I actually couldn't bring myself to watch much of Alexander Ovechkin because of it<span style="font-weight: bold;">. </span>It was really that bad. They went from fuzzy home camcorder last year to HD this year. Plus, those new Capitals sweaters' look sweet.<br /><br />The little I saw of this game I was keeping an eye on rookie Nicklas Backstrom, whom looked lost out there. I don't know if it's the smaller ice surface, or new teammates, or the speed of the NHL game, but Backstrom was a step behind and a little out of position on the few shifts I saw of his. I was left wanting more, but I'm sure we'll get it soon enough from the kid.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Red Wings/Blackhawks</span></span></span></span><br /> I actually brought myself to watch the Red Wings play, if you can believe it. I really wanted to see the 'Hawks. I finally saw how the injury to Martin Havlat went down. So unfortunate. It was really so innocent and he was so pissed going off the ice because he knew it was the same injury he just had repaired twice and he knew it was bad. It reminded me of the Milton Bradley incident from a few weeks ago in MLB. <br /><br />It was good to see the 'Hawks had so many in attendance on a night the Cubs had a playoff game. 18,768 is a damn good crowd and good enough for a sellout in many other cities. Hockey isn't dead in Chicago; William Wirtz just killed it. <br /><br />Anyway, it was good to see the 'Hawks get 2 points from the Wings in front of that kind of crowd on that kind of night. It was great to see Patrick Kane deke and score on the Dominator for the deciding score - even if it was in the Shootout.<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-86366600223862736332007-10-06T18:16:00.000-04:002007-10-06T18:37:56.381-04:00The Business of Branding and Marketing<span style="font-family: georgia;">The NHL has had so many missed opportunities and failed ventures in the arena of marketing that any endeavor which doesn't make us real fans cringe is seen as an enormous triumph. <br /><br />We know the NHL has the stars, the drama, the action, the skill, the artistry, the physicality, the passion of any other sport on earth - even eclipsing the other sports in many of these categories. But the problem is that "we" are a small bunch. We had to seek it out, and hold on when it went away, and stick up for it while it was assaulted by every pundit, sports journalist and talk show host imaginable (not that the criticisms were undeserved).<br /><br />And whether or not you find such matters fascinating, boring, or confusing, it's good to know that the NHL appears to have an excellent candidate, ex-NFL executive John Collins, in position to at least put the league back on America's radar; if not catapult it into the mainstream. (Here's hoping, anyway...)<br /><br /></span><span class="body"><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">We are a $2.3 billion business, and a lot of that revenue is through the gates. We have 22 million people at our arenas every year. We have 53 million avid fans in North America. But the big insight we came to after the lockout is that our fans say they love hockey, but they don't behave like they love hockey. They behave like a million fans of the New York Rangers, a million fans of the Chicago Blackhawks. The passion they have is at a local level, but that doesn't translate to passion at a league level. If you are a fan of the NFL's New York Giants, you'll still watch Monday Night Football even if the Giants aren't playing. You'll watch the playoffs and Super Bowl even if the Giants don't make it. But according to the traditional metrics that tell you about the health and vitality of broadcast ratings, we're not able to scale at the national level of the NFL, MLB or Nascar. So we don't feel like a $2.3 billion business; we feel like a $300 million business, like a niche sport like Major League Soccer or AVP [professional volleyball].</span> </blockquote></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">I also like the mention of the league ad campaigns that will slow down the game like NFL films does. Excellent move.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/sportsent/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003649143">"Brandweek" article from 10/1</a><br /><br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-13193527303732263042007-10-06T14:33:00.000-04:002007-10-06T14:49:54.064-04:00My favorite player<span style="font-family:georgia;">#3, Calgary Flames, Defence, 22 years old.<br /><br />He would kill you if he had the chance.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63vSJFAotgSLDpuaYSvIXnmiO1gOYtvpLAf128H91eYhX2Sd-TzonKkdKg0A1CZPqrUoPhx_pRfcgSODKcS9JSBa_4MWhiJzuwBI8iJWuMXnxOUDekgIrTcTg3x2DBVJD3yTshPVcSu7Z/s1600-h/phaneufonsmyth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63vSJFAotgSLDpuaYSvIXnmiO1gOYtvpLAf128H91eYhX2Sd-TzonKkdKg0A1CZPqrUoPhx_pRfcgSODKcS9JSBa_4MWhiJzuwBI8iJWuMXnxOUDekgIrTcTg3x2DBVJD3yTshPVcSu7Z/s320/phaneufonsmyth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118295661026159778" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />In the season opening loss against the Flyers, Phaneuf logged 31:20 of ice time. That's more TOI (time-on-ice) than some players will see through their first two games combined. </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Just incredible. </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">And that's not to even mention the assists on both Calgary goals.<br /><br />This kid is every bit the star and has every bit of talent that any of the leagues' other heralded youngsters have. But you might not know it since he plays on the blue line in Calgary. <br /><br />Every time I see him play I can't help but hope that one day he will don a Black and Orange sweater. It would fit perfectly.<br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZKmgEFwkG1bdB0pwoNx1-o3F1zIyuUQ1CHfw7_ek7Rert3C116DUznsJWG5HM7IJqSHVhmZkz3zJcly6ynsM5zDpQ106Oeqt5E68Iol8f_sZwGdAg93KOXjVAK0ZK8QyFZnTkxLy6HYn/s1600-h/phaneufcheck.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZKmgEFwkG1bdB0pwoNx1-o3F1zIyuUQ1CHfw7_ek7Rert3C116DUznsJWG5HM7IJqSHVhmZkz3zJcly6ynsM5zDpQ106Oeqt5E68Iol8f_sZwGdAg93KOXjVAK0ZK8QyFZnTkxLy6HYn/s320/phaneufcheck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118295768400342194" border="0" /></a>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-53182456350461014092007-10-05T00:54:00.000-04:002007-10-05T01:11:21.464-04:00First and LastCouldn't have gone better for the Flyers. <br /><br />Daniel Briere scores first early, Biron plays solid, Briere gets the winner late (sweet roof job). Thanks, Buffalo!<br /><br />Gagne and Briere were trying a little too hard to give Daniel the hattie - Briere took a lick, and Calgary got a chance the other way - but you really couldn't blame them for trying to put the cherry on top.<br /><br />These weren't your '06-'07 Flyers...C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-46766034341995146872007-09-29T17:25:00.000-04:002007-09-29T17:46:30.600-04:00Uniforms?<span style="font-family:georgia;">A pretty good article with analysis of the new RBK Edge jerseys from ESPN's Uni Watch:<br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/070927">Link</a><br /><br />I was trying to come up with a name for that stripe-piping that runs from the collar down to the waist that look awful on a few jerseys (especially the Oilers'), but couldn't come up with anything good. This article did the job: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Apron strings</span> (also referred to as Bettman stripes).<br /><br />Example:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxVvYe6GrCo5CEhzTZhTOcZNSa4OA2z6ZejStwPd4_VSzzOFhxgu50HftZfJ3yNtjzIK4Q4-0LSVGcGHQtZCITg7x3YdEW1EYuEqBjfYiX2bx0ckGj9Km_F9pTpD3NxOIJlg1qfuFjvCc/s1600-h/garonoilsave.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxVvYe6GrCo5CEhzTZhTOcZNSa4OA2z6ZejStwPd4_VSzzOFhxgu50HftZfJ3yNtjzIK4Q4-0LSVGcGHQtZCITg7x3YdEW1EYuEqBjfYiX2bx0ckGj9Km_F9pTpD3NxOIJlg1qfuFjvCc/s320/garonoilsave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115743011638291570" border="0" /></a><br />I had no idea about the "Diaper effect" since I hadn't seen too much on-ice action yet. Ugh.<br /><br />But the article doesn't mention the half/short sleeve design as modeled by the Penguins:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjZP0cCeA3et3SMioaHOT89t_NQNsFmW2sohfe7_vFPWiCjW0V54UCSEAtSUMCUwCDWjSkMaK5wkJc3Dz1X8vY3KE0ChFcMECVb6dqxVDatkb4CAiju5LGUmNC2qzMqKdSiJRu-IybtSk/s1600-h/adamhallpensoulahenwings.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjZP0cCeA3et3SMioaHOT89t_NQNsFmW2sohfe7_vFPWiCjW0V54UCSEAtSUMCUwCDWjSkMaK5wkJc3Dz1X8vY3KE0ChFcMECVb6dqxVDatkb4CAiju5LGUmNC2qzMqKdSiJRu-IybtSk/s320/adamhallpensoulahenwings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115745622978407554" border="0" /></a>I don't get that one...C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-60227175850757548062007-09-26T23:16:00.000-04:002007-09-27T00:15:09.141-04:00Blackhawks year?<span style="font-family:georgia;">This may be callous, but my first thought upon finding out about the death of Blackhawks' owner Bill Wirtz was, "the 'Hawks could be back..."<br /><br />Apparently I wasn't the only one:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21000125/">"Wirtz's death good thing for Blackhwaks" - MSNBC</a><br /><a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=277743">"Blackhawks crumbled under Wirtz" - Sporting News</a><br /><a href="http://cbs.sportsline.com/nhl/story/10374263">"Blackhawks look for return to glory days" - CBS Sportsline</a><br />not to mention how they probably feel over at <a href="http://www.wirtzsucks.com/">Wirtzsucks.com.</a><br /><br />But, really, for all the good Wirtz had done for the game and the NHL, the disgrace of the Blackhawks is what Wirtz will be remembered for.<br /><br />Hawks fans were already optimistic about the future with the arrival of Towes (pronounced Tayvz) and Kane, but the passing of Wirtz gives hope they will no longer be stifled by indifferent ownership.<br /><br />If Dale Tallon (GM) and Denis Savard (coach) are able to continue building the Hawks for a few seasons, all they will need to return to the playoffs on a yearly basis, and even become a powerhouse, is an owner willing to foot the bill for a winner. This is the new NHL and turnaround comes quick.<br /><br />This coming season is very up in the air for the Hawks. With the notable additions of Sergei Samsonov and Robert Lang, Europeans desperate to regain their form (which is why they ended up in Chicago), along with premier face-off man Yanic Perreault, there is at least a core of players that should compete every night.<br /><br />Maybe Kane and Towes will be the spark Samsonov and Lang need. Maybe Martin Havlat will stay healthy for a full season and score 100 points. Maybe Perreault can win enough defensive-zone faceoffs to keep the pressure off Nikolai Khabibulin late in the 3rd.<br /><br />But, really, even if all of the above happens, the Blackhawks still won't get a sniff the playoffs. With a defense as thin as Chicago's, no matter how many goals they can score, the Blackhawks will still let more by the 'Boulin Wall.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9nxC2dseUjj9jTbc2ZcGxxJXk2m2xQt2rTwGrGu92GSi6Y3ooOVrBiTfZ_vge4QpAU0OLMIdOMZ2pB0xC7EqpcGwA2e1gjb6tzmzvVVMFk9LE67vRkvJ8zQGaJmSrrUfnyvD_CuJA3S9/s1600-h/khabibulin_scored_on_large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9nxC2dseUjj9jTbc2ZcGxxJXk2m2xQt2rTwGrGu92GSi6Y3ooOVrBiTfZ_vge4QpAU0OLMIdOMZ2pB0xC7EqpcGwA2e1gjb6tzmzvVVMFk9LE67vRkvJ8zQGaJmSrrUfnyvD_CuJA3S9/s200/khabibulin_scored_on_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114730605790021330" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />There's always next year. And next year there will be even more hope.<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-49847158058348844602007-08-28T12:11:00.000-04:002007-08-28T12:42:36.255-04:00'06 Champs to have early D trouble<span style="font-family:georgia;">Don't be surprised if the Carolina Hurricanes get off to a slow start this season. They raised the Cup in '06, missed the '07 playoffs by a few points, and may have trouble racking up valuable points in October for the '08 playoff run.<br /><br />After losing Defenseman Andrew Hutchinson to the Rangers via free agency, their remaining defensive corps should struggle as Frantisek Kaberle has decided to have surgery on his right knee. While the injury is minor and Kaberle should be ready for the start of the regular season, he'll miss most, if not all, of training camp and the preseason. In addition, veteran Bret Hedican has only recently decided to not retire and "hopes to be ready" for the start of the season.<br /><a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/796/story/684627.html">Raleigh News & Observer article</a><br /><br />While the 'Canes defense was middle of the pack in the East as far as Goals Allowed is concerned, it still wasn't good enough to get them into the playoffs. And their Goal Production was worse.<br /><br />With no notable additions on either side of the puck to help these numbers, it's hard to see how the 'Canes won't miss the playoffs again, especially with their Defense struggling to get in game shape right out of the gate.<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-71155057819193926682007-08-26T23:12:00.000-04:002007-08-26T23:51:34.653-04:00Goal judges get the boot<span style="font-family:georgia;">The area behind the net will look a little different this year at NHL arenas. There will be no more goal judge sitting in Row 1 behind the net.<br /><br />Sweet archival image:<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdyzshztZ8Qu4Iif4O2QoEBam0RV8WMOVVBahMjVdfVPSFrPnPD-jP6bMrT4fNkqFk34OZiBePFA-sUqUHdbfjj35X8ZXxfjKAOY7jVsxjnvg6vDntmJXpQ7InAFipdwGyBAAW4tDbnEj/s1600-h/goal-judge-behind-net.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdyzshztZ8Qu4Iif4O2QoEBam0RV8WMOVVBahMjVdfVPSFrPnPD-jP6bMrT4fNkqFk34OZiBePFA-sUqUHdbfjj35X8ZXxfjKAOY7jVsxjnvg6vDntmJXpQ7InAFipdwGyBAAW4tDbnEj/s320/goal-judge-behind-net.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103219004823241106" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The NHL has decided to do away with the ice-level goal judge. It's not that big of a change, really. The on-ice referee makes the determination of whether or not the puck has crossed the goal line, and if there is any dispute, the arena video replay judge, in conjunction with the NHL's war room in Toronto (aka the best replay system in all of sports) make the final call.<br /><br /><blockquote><p> Some judges have complained privately that making borderline calls with pucks on or across the goal line will be difficult from the press box. That's where video replay has held the upper hand.</p><p> The goal judge signals a goal with the red light, but it is up to the referees, the video goal judge, or both to decide whether a goal was scored.</p><p> In an e-mail to The Inquirer, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the video goal judge, in conjunction with the two referees, had already "lessened the responsibilities" of the goal judges and minimized their involvement in determining whether a goal was scored.</p><br /></blockquote></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20070824_NHL_verdict_goes_against_goal_judges.html">Philly.com Goal Judge article</a><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote>This is really for the better anyway. How many times have you seen your team fire a shot past the goalie, the red light goes on and you celebrate, only to have the replay show that the puck rang off the post and out? Too many.<br /><br />I say down with trigger-fingered goal judges! And their little popemobile boxes!<br /><br />I don't know why they're merely "relocating" the goal judge and not getting rid of them totally. Why can't they equip the referees with a remote device to turn on the goal light? They are the ones who call the goals officially, so why not let them activate the light. I'm sure that even the NHL can handle this kind of technological advance.<br /><br />Not surprisingly, the Flyers are turning the now-empty space into "premium seating" that comes with the purchase of a luxury box (see above article).<br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-61745339158987179222007-08-26T15:48:00.000-04:002007-08-26T15:53:06.206-04:00New Bolts Jerseys<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70zqlDIRIJz82WcoqMcgQEhafZt36aBhDrgRHA-NDgBMuMmT41XAbYs92P-sOanZwc7sQZyweMKihGuLb6YGt-gjRsx8IIfByB9rsiciiPAJFCBE3SLREHIAfdKbNnEz3XOh76ZFJRlf7/s1600-h/boltsjerseys.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70zqlDIRIJz82WcoqMcgQEhafZt36aBhDrgRHA-NDgBMuMmT41XAbYs92P-sOanZwc7sQZyweMKihGuLb6YGt-gjRsx8IIfByB9rsiciiPAJFCBE3SLREHIAfdKbNnEz3XOh76ZFJRlf7/s320/boltsjerseys.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103099012026925442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not bad...<br /><br />At least they're not really "busy". These will probably look good on the ice, which is just as important as how they look off the ice.<br /><br />They didn't release any images with lettering/numbering on the back yet. I guess they haven't settled on a font yet? Hopefully the numbers will be readable on the ice.<br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span>C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3324488712035973830.post-83120593100049223502007-08-10T00:06:00.000-04:002007-08-10T00:07:47.684-04:00I'm back<span style="font-family:georgia;">I just had to post this image of the DOMINATOR:</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRq2iQYub0K403BG66fzDMp_W9Za6ZwugTw9LrvIrD_SmGJWD-VQBhAeKe0qg_6sBI5pRcX8iEY5GNMBlBU3Y0zkaBtYnNa3NvW31roHoscjcAJvZ3zwL_94bqHGYH5f5PkX9gZsqQ5tF/s1600-h/hasekballs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRq2iQYub0K403BG66fzDMp_W9Za6ZwugTw9LrvIrD_SmGJWD-VQBhAeKe0qg_6sBI5pRcX8iEY5GNMBlBU3Y0zkaBtYnNa3NvW31roHoscjcAJvZ3zwL_94bqHGYH5f5PkX9gZsqQ5tF/s320/hasekballs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096918444508372818" border="0" /></a>enjoy.C Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06238212645651259884noreply@blogger.com1