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Jaromir Jagr took his first shifts last night against the New York Islanders last night, after just being cleared by doctors last week. Jagr didn't have many collisions last night, and his timing was apparently off, but the one thing Evan Grossman of the NY Post pointed out, is that " ...seeing No. 68 tee it up on a 5-on-3 advantage from the right point - opposite Brendan Shanahan blasting away from the left - was a fearsome sight to behold. " The Rangers fell to the Islanders 2-1 on an Alexei Yashin goal late in the third period. Brandon Dubinsky scored for the Rangers.
Jagr is expected to play again tonight against Boston, the Rangers final pre-season game before they open up their season against the Washington Capitals next Thursday night.
Dragons torch Coyotes
Well, not really. Unfortunately most of the Coyotes were out drinking, and only three of their boys showed and were forced to forfeit. So rather than waste rink time, a few Dragons swapped jerseys and joined the Coyotes for an exhibition match that could only be called the Mark Giordano Highlight Reel Special! Mr. Giordano, suiting up against his own team, scored 19 goals, 23 assists and finished the evening +45 (no penalty minutes as Mark is a perrenial Lady Byng Trophy Winner). Giordano is either the greatest hockey player in New Jersey, or the Dragons play defense like the Penguins last year......which is to say, not so good.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Colorado Avalanche forward and 13 year veteran of the NHL, Steve Konowalchuk sadly announced his retirement today. After an abnormal EKG reading during a pre-training camp physical, Konowalchuk went through further tests that revealed a genetic disease called Long QT Syndrome, which causes irregular heart rythms. After conferring with several physicians it was decided that retiring was his best option.
Konowalchuk spent most of his career with the Washington Capitals and was traded to the Avs in 2003. Over his 13 seasons Konowalchuk as scored 171 goals, and 225 assists while playing in 790 NHL games. I wouldn't be surprised to seem him wind up in the back offices of the Avs or Caps very soon.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Unwilling to sign with the Hurricanes for the past two season, defenceman Jack Johnson, the 3rd overall pick from 2005 was dealt to the L.A. Kings along with defenceman Oleg Tverdovsky, in exchange for defenceman Tim Gleason, and Eric Belanger.
The Hurricanes were left with a depleted defence corps, after losing Aaron Ward to free agency, and the recent injury to Frantisek Kaberle, were in need of fresh bodies. Their #1 pick from 2 years ago, Jack Johnson, has refused to sign, preferring to remain in college. Rumors were abound that he would be dealt, but no appealing offers were apparently to be had. Until today.
The Hurricanes aquire an average defender in Tim Gleason, with tremendous offensive upside. He scored 21 points for the Kings (2 goals, 19 assists) last season and center Eric Belanger who scored 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) should help to lessen the loss of Cory Stillman. Slightly. However, they get two NHL ready players for one, and an untested rookie who would never have played for them.
The big question is, can the Kings lure Johnson from Michigan (i think that's where he plays), sign him to a pro contract and get him in the line up. The bigger question is, can Johnson play at the NHL level. Bigger still, can he grow a playoff beard? Can the Kings make the playoffs!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The New Jersey Devils put forth a strong team effort in their 5-4 shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers last night.....but the team that was iced, is still riding over the $44 million salary cap. With a week remaining before the season begins, Lou Lamoriello is now in a desperate situation. He must unload salary to get under that cap, and still re-sign star forward Brian Gionta, defenceman Paul Martin and a backup netminder who will most likely be Scott Clemmenson.
One man on the trading block is forward Sergei Brylin, who scored the game winner in the shootout this evening, hopes he remains with the team. But it's going to take more than Brylin and his $1.5 million salary to ease the Devils cap problems. I can only assume that a huge deal will be in the making with either several players moving, or one big named player.....Gomez or Elias? The longer Lamoriello waits, the harder it will be for him to make a fair trade. Time is not on his side, and frankly I'm surprised he's waited this long.
There is talk that he may be able to waive Alex Mogilny's salary of $3.5 million because of his injured status, but this is still pending league approval. Help the Devils, yes it could, but for the NHL, it would create a league wide precedent, one which they may not wish to install. The next 6 days should be very interesting ones.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Big News! The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed right winger Nikolai Zherdev to a three year contract worth $7.5 million. The deal will pay Zherdev $1.75 million the first year, $2.5 million the second, and $3.25 million in the final year.
Zherdev had been threatening, or posturing rather, that if he wasn't signed he would play in Russia for the entirety of the 2006-2007 season. Zherdev's threats did not fall on deaf ears as GM Doug MacLean signed unrestricted forward Anson Carter to a one year deal, in case a deal with Zherdev could not be made. However, in signing the Russian forward, the Blue Jackets now boast one of the strongest first and second lines in the NHL, which includes the likes of Rick Nash, Sergei Federov, Fredrik Modin, Anson Carter and David Vyborny.
It looks like the boys from Columbus won't be shaving in April! Can Rick Nash grow a playoff beard?
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The pre-season has been tough on a lot teams so far. Injuries are abound and the season hasn't even begun yet. So far it appears the groin is the most popular ailment. Here's a list of the wounded:
Toronto Maple Leafs
Kyle Wellwood - groin
Michael Peca - groin
Darcy Tucker - unknown
Ben Ondrus - unknown
Wade Belak - groin
Tomas Kaberle - unknown
Brendan Bell - bone bruise
San Jose Sharks
Jonathan Cheechoo - groin
Joe Thornton - bruised foot
Nashville Predators
Jason Arnott - groin
Atlanta Thrashers
Vitaly Vishnevski - groin
Steve Rucchin -groin
Buffalo Sabres
Daniel Breire - hip flexor
Carolina Hurricanes
Oleg Tverdovsky - groin
Chicago Blackhawks
Tuomo Ruutu - knee
Michal Handzus -shoulder
Mikael Holmqvist - groin
James Wisniewski - back
Dallas Stars
Eric Lindros - groin
Detroit Red Wings
Danny Markov - knee
Greg Johnson - heart (abnormal EKG)
Florida Panthers
Ville Peltonen - shoulder
Philadelphia Flyers
Antero Niittymaki - hip
Ummmm, does anyone stretch before they play hockey anymore? Come on guys! Either that or the NHL needs to look into getting some better trainers. This is ridiculous!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Expected to challlenge and possible take the number one goaltending spot for the Philadelphia Flyers this year, Antero Nittymaki tore a labrum in his left hip at yesterday's Flyers morning practice. The Flyers are waiting to hear word back from doctors to see if the tear will require surgery, and how long Niitymaki will be on the shelf.
Robert Esche and Martin Houle who was called up from the Phantoms were shelled last night by the Capitals. In all fairness, they really didn't face that many shots. Esche allowed 5 goals on 16 shots, and Houle allowed 1 goal on 7 shots. Not exactly the kind of play that will inspire confidence in Ken Hitchcock and the Flyers. Kolzig on the other hand made 43 saves and helped the Capitals defeat the Flyers 6-1.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
That's the good news. The bad news is that Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Evgeni Malkin will need six weeks to recover from the dislocated shoulder he received after a collision with teammate John LeClair. The young forward is expected to miss as much as 10 of the Penguins first games. Dissapointing yes, but if his shoulder needed to have surgery he could have missed much more, if not all of the season. Sacrificing the month of October at this point, seems a blessing for the Penguins and Malkin.
Steve Yzerman joins Wings management
The Detroit Red Wings announced yesterday that their first ballot hall of famer Steve Yzerman would become it's Vice President. The position would have him working closely with Senior Vice President Jim Devellano, GM Ken Holland and Assistant GM Jim Nill.
Sean Burke waived
The Tampa Bay Lightning have placed their goaltender Sean Burke on waivers. Burke had an awful 2005-2006 campaign and has obviously been outplayed by newly acquired goalie Marc Denis and Johan Holmqvist. Burke's $1.6 million salary will still count against Tampa Bay's cap regardless of whether he plays in the minors or chooses retirement. Unless he is picked up off of waivers by another team.....which will probably be the Red Wings once Hasek's groin detonates on the ice.
Jagr cleared to play
Good news for us! New York Rangers Jaromir Jagr has been cleared to begin full practice with his team. According to Coach Tom Renney Jagr will be included in 'all forms of practice' which includes contact drills. If all goes well perhaps he will see some ice time in the pre-season against the Islanders or Boston later this week.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Tonight's Show:
September 25th Show
It may be a rare Monday show, but we're already in Wednesday mode. Lyle Richardson from Spector's Hockey will join us to talk about the happenings at training camps and the happenings off the ice. David Littman from EA Sports' NHL07 will join us to talk about the new NHL game for the Xbox 360. We'll give you the latest on Evgeni Malkin's shoulder and why Dr. Nick Riviera may have been called. Also, we'll talk about the retirement of the Golden Brett's number in St. Louis, who's an executive at Joe Louis Arena, and the return of two old favorites for a new season.
TONIGHT AT 9PM EST!!
Click here to listen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
With the opening face less than 2 weeks away, most of us are gearing up for a great season of Fantasy Hockey. TSN.ca has posted a very interesting chart, on projected points and stats for the upcoming 2006 season.
Here are the top 10 forwards and their projected output as predicted by TSN:
1. Sidney Crosby PIT 48 goals, 71 assists, 119 points
2. Alexander Ovechkin WAS 55 goals, 60 assists, 115 points
3. Eric Staal CAR 47 goals, 59 assists, 106 points
4. Joe Thornton SJ 27 goals, 78 assists, 105 points
5. Jaromir Jagr NYR 46 goals, 54 assists, 100 points
6. Daniel Alfredsson OTT 38 goals, 58 assists, 96 points
7. Ilya Kovalchuk ATL 50 goals, 44 assists, 94 points
8. Brad Richards TB 25 goals, 63 assists, 88 points
9. Dany Heatley OTT 40 goals, 46 assists, 86 points
10. Patrik Elias NJ 36 goals, 49 assists, 85 points
For the complete list click here.
Bosh's thoughts:
Personally I think the scoring is going to go up rather than down. Across the board, and not just because of newly curved sticks. I said last week, it looked as though most teams had forgotten the new rules, and teams with great power plays and some level of discipline will come flying out of the gate. As for the point totals above. It wouldn't surprise me to see Thornton lead the pack again, and perhaps surpass last season's output, especially since they will have a solid left winger, and more experience playing with one another. Jagr's point totals should increase as well, especially on the powerplay if he is teamed with Shanahan on the left point. I think Crosby and Ovechkin will have great years but they won't do better than Jags and Joe. Crosby's cast is better than Ovechkin's so I will give him the advantage, however, I do think Ovechkin is the more complete player and he has little to no support.
Here are the top 10 defensemen and their projected output as predicted by TSN:
1. Niklas Lidstrom DET 16 goals, 46 assists, 62 points
2. Sergei Gonchar PIT 12 goals, 48 assists, 60 points
3. Sergei Zubov DAL 10 goals, 46 assists, 56 points
4. Bryan McCabe TOR 16 goals, 39 assists, 55 points
5. Chris Pronger ANA 12 goals, 43 assists, 55 points
6. Jay Bouwmeester FLA 8 goals, 46 assists, 54 points
7. Scott Niedermayer ANA 12 goals, 39 assists, 51 points
8. Wade Redden OTT 14 goals, 36 assists, 50 points
9. Zdeno Chara BOS 12 goals, 35 assists, 47 points
10. Dion Phaneuf CAL 18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points
For the complete list of defencemen click here.
Bosh's thoughts:
Lidstrom will probably lose some production because of the loss of Shanahan, but I expect some ridiculous scoring from the pair of Pronger and Neidermayer. I feel bad for the penalty killers who will have to lay down in front of those two. Hopefully Gonchar will start a little stronger than he did last year. I don't know why Detroits Matt Schneider doesn't get any love. He should be paired with Lidstrom, the guy puts up great points, and he plays with a mean streak. Everything you'd want in a defenseman! What about Jovonoski? Check out Los Angeles' Lubomir Visnovsky. All he did was score 67 points last season.
Here are the top 10 goalies and their projected number of wins as predicted by TSN:
1. Miikka Kiprusoff CAL 39 Wins
2. Martin Brodeur NJ 39 Wins
3. Tomas Vokoun NAS 35 Wins
4. Marty Turco DAL 36 Wins
5. Cam Ward CAR 33 Wins
6. Henrik Lundqvist NYR 33 Wins
7. Roberto Luongo VAN 32 Wins
8. Ryan Miller BUF 32 Wins
9. Kari Lehtonen ATL 31 Wins
10. Manny Fernandez MIN 30 Wins
For the complete list of goaltenders click here:
Bosh's thoughts:
Can't really argue with too many of these. Kari Lehtonen and Roberto Luongo are the wild cards. Lehtonen is the goalies equivalent to Lindros. The guy always gets hurt. Kari, buddy....fire your trainer. Luongo has been put in a situation designed for him to succeed. Question is will he? Luongo has always played for bad teams, and faced a lot of rubber. Will he be as good as everyone thinks he is, or will he crack under the lack of traffic to his net? I like the respect being given to Manny Fernandez and the Wild. Perhaps with him as the bonafide number 1 keeper he will step it up.
TSN also put together an excellent write-up on possible sleepers and breakout players this season. You can check that article out here. TSN, reporter Scott Cullen, points out some great picks, such as Colby Armstrong, who ended the season nicely on the wing of a gentleman named Crosby. Alex Tanguay, now setting Jarome Iginla is supposed to be a combination worth looking at. A well rested and rejuvinated Owen Nolan in Phoenix. Carolina's Andrew Ladd who will probably receive an upgrade in ice time due to Stillman's injury. Patrick Eaves may get the top line assignment in Ottawa playing with Heatley and Spezza. Matt Cooke could become the Bertuzzi replacement on the Naslund, Morrisson line. Jan Bulis could also be replacing Anson Carter on the Sedin line (unless the rumors I've been hearing about Naslund joining the Sedins is true). Mark Bell playing with Thornton and Cheechoo.....that is just a gift wrapped salary bump. There are lots more.
Here's a few names that weren't mentioned that I think are worthy of a look. The Rangers sophomore Petr Prucha scored 30 goals last year and has been playing on a line with Brendan Shanahan for most of the pre-season. I've been hearing nothing but stellar reviews of Nashvilles Alexander Radulov, the youngster may crack the lineup this year. Anaheim is loaded with talent. Watch for even better returns from Andy MacDonald, and newcomers Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Both should see more ice, with the departure of Lupul. I'm gonna get shelled for this one, but if you have room on your roster, take a look at Lindros. If he stays healthy, the guy is an easy point a game player, and may be even better on the second line in Dallas. With all the attention on Luongo in Vancouver, I think one goalie due for a great year is Tampa Bay's Marc Denis. Who ever is playing on Crosby's other wing, grab him. With Recchi out with a pre-season injury, perhaps Jordan Staal will get the nod.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Philadelphia Flyers Captain Peter Forsberg returned to action last night against the Ottawa Senators. After surgery on his right ankle in May, Forsberg was expected to have the same procedure done on his left, until a doctor declared it uneccessary. Both surgeries would have kept Forsberg out of the lineup till January. Last night's early return is probably a great indication that the bearded one will be ready to play for the Flyers on opening night. Forsberg picked up an assist on a goal by Derian Hatcher last night. Ottawa defeated the Flyers 4-3.
What's Leetch doing?
According to Larry Brooks of the NY Post, Brian Leetch is no closer to making a decision on whether or not to return to the NHL. According to Brooks, Leetch had been working out during August, but has stopped his training over the past few weeks for personal reasons, which is leading many to speculate he may actually retire rather than play one more year.
Brooks points out that Leetch can take his time, and perhaps sign with a team in November, and also says that Leetch has the capability to be a factor into in his forties like fellow blueliner Chris Chelios. To this I agree, and disagree. Yes Leetch is in amazing condition, and his skill has not waned, but unfortunately, over the last several seasons, injuries have taken there toll. His ankle, no pun intended has become his achilles heel. Nothing would make me happier than to see him continue playing, but only if he were doing it a high level, and not sitting on the Injured List. To check out Larry Brooks article click here.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Perhaps one of the greatest playoff beards ever seen in the NHL is on full display at AnaheimDucks.com. Defenseman Scott Niedermayer's playoff beard is on full display in the upper right corner of the page. My hats off to the Anaheim organization for not only recognizing Mr. Neidermayer's greatness, but also his unparalleled facial hair growth. Thanks again to my buddy from Scandanavia, JR for sending this in.
Rangers vs. Panthers in San Juan, Puerto Rico
In attempt to be ambassadors for the sport, the Rangers and Panthers are bringing the NHL to the Islands. I think it's great that these teams are trying to spread the NHL around the world, and get more people into the sport. I've always believed that if you got an individual to go to one game they would be hooked for life. You can watch this Caribbean matchup tonight at 7:30 on MSG.
Tonight's Games:
Boston at NY Islanders 6:00 PM
St. Louis at Atlanta 7:00 PM
Toronto at Montreal 7:00 PM
Ottawa at Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Florida at NY Rangers 7:30 PM
Buffalo at Pittsburgh 7:30 PM
Calgary at Edmonton 8:00 PM
Carolina at Nashville 8:00 PM
Columbus at Chicago 8:30 PM
Colorado at Los Angeles 10:30 PM
Anaheim at San Jose 10:30 PM
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
I managed to find some video of the collision between the Pittsburgh Penguins John LeClair and rookie Evgeni Malkin. Click here to view it.
The one good thing I will say about the clip, is that Malkin is fast! Holy cow can that kid move. Hopefully that shoulder is up and running sooner rather than later!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Dallas Stars have re-signed Brendan Morrow to a six year deal worth $24.6 million. The deal keeps Morrow, one of the Stars most consistent forwards in the lineup till he's 33, and prevents the possibility of losing him to Unrestricted Free Agency, which he would have been eligible for next summer.
Brendan Morrow had a career year last season scoring 65 points (23 goals and 42 assists) and still remained devoted to his defensive responsibilities posting a team high +30 rating. This is a great signing for the Stars, they hold on to one of their best home grown players who would most certainly been scooped up in free agency next year.
Malkin's status
Evgenin Malkin suffered a dislocated shoulder last night during the Penguins victory over the Flyers. He sustained the injury while colliding into teammate John LeClair. Malkin attended practice this morning, but did not participate. His team mates said he looked much better than the previous evening as he left the ice clutching his arm. His game ready status is still not known, and wheter or not he will be available for the team's season opener is still undetermined. His shoulder will be re-evaluated next week, and a clearer timeline should be made available.
No Jagr for Rangers opener?
Speaking of shoulder injuries. The New York Rangers MVP forward Jaromir Jagr is still recovering from his off season shoulder surgery and Coach Renney and staff are treating him with kid gloves. While he is being put through a rigorous exercise regimen twice daily, he has been restricted from any on ice contact drills, which include scrimmages and pre-season exhibition matches. The word is still uncertain as to whether Jagr will be activated for the home opener agains the Caps on October 5th.
Red Wings Captain to be announced at Opening Night
The Red Wings still haven't made it official and named the successor to retired Steve Yzerman. Although it's a good bet it will be mainstay blueliner Nicklas Lidstrom who just re-upped with the Red Wings for two more seasons, my boy Jeff has pointed out that Datsyuk, or Zetterberg, two of Detroit's younger and future of the franchise, may get the nod. Looks like we will all have to wait till the 5th.
Tonight's Games:
Boston at NY Islanders 6:00 PM
Nashville at Carolina 7:00 PM
Chicago at Columbus 7:00 PM
Tampa Bay at Detroit 7:30 PM
Buffalo at Ottawa 7:30 PM
Washington at Pittsburgh 7:30 PM
Montreal at Toronto 7:30 PM
Phoenix at Dallas 8:30 PM
Vancouver at Anaheim 10:00 PM
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Unreal! After everything this guy went through to get to the NHL he's knocked out in his first game? Not even a regulation match, but a pre-season game, and by his teammate John LeClair?!?
According to reports from TSN.ca suffered an 'upper body injury' which is playoff speak for shoulder, after colliding with his Penguins teammate John LeClair. No official word is being given on the exact nature and status of the injury, but I'm sure all eyes will be on Malkin and the Penguins over the next few days. This is truly a blow the Penguins organization, the fans, and to Evgeni Malkin. Hopefully the kid pulls through.
Rangers roll over Devils again!
I know, I know, it's still pre-season, but my boys are taking it to the Devils, and appear to be coming out strong. Henrik Lundqvist, Vezina finalist, shutout the Devils 2-0. The Rangers out shot the Devils 21-1 in the first period. Greg Moore helped set up Matt Cullen and Petr Prucha for the scores.
Fantasy News
Apparently Fantasy Leagues everywhere have high hopes for Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, and Washington's Alexander Ovechkin. The Playoff Beard .com League is no different as both guys went in the Top 5. There's a really great Fantasy article on TSN.ca you guys you should have a read through, that offers some obvious picks and a few sleepers. Check it out here!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Reports from the Vancouver Sun are saying that the Canucks are toying with the idea of uniting Swedish forwards, Marcus Naslund, Henrik Sedin, and Daniel Sedin. The idea was apparently floated the other day, and everyone except for Brendan Morrison is apparently thrilled with it (just kidding, but obviously not riding shotgun with Bertuzzi and Naslund anymore is going to seriously hurt his point totals.
The Vancouver Canucks have been looking to find a replacement right winger for the Sedin twins, which was held by 33 goal scorer,(and recently departed) Anson Carter last season. They may not have to look much further than their own backyard. The twins finally fulfilled their superstar potential last season, both breaking th 70 point mark. Playing on a line with Captain Marcus Naslund, all three would certainly prosper.
This scenario has major fantasy implications. If the line works, and becomes the standard for the season, the Sedin's stock, both Henrik and Daniel will skyrocket. Brendan Morrison will unfortunately become less valuable as he will no longer be the beneficiary of the Swedish sniper's skill. Luckily for Bosh, I managed to land one of the Sedins.....I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this line gels.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Tonight's Show:
September 20th Show
The games have begun in the NHL. We'll give you the latest news out of the NHL training camps and pre-season action. Lyle Richardson from Spector's Hockey will join us to talk a little bit about the situation with Nikolai Zherdev, Tie Domi, Eric Daze, and the Maple Leafs goalies scenarios. We'll talk about the WHL coach who is putting the old back into old time hockey. The Penguins are back on the market-- we'll tell you who the newest bidder is and why they are going without a captain for the season.
TONIGHT AT 9PM EST!!
Click here to listen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
I know it's early, and I know it's only pre-season, but it's nice to see the Rangers getting off on the right foot after a lackluster finish to their promising season. The Rangers came out blazing and stunned the New Jersey Devil's Martin Brodeur for 3 goals in the first 8 minutes of the game. Blair Betts, recently acquired Adam Hall (traded in a three way deal with Nashville and Pittsburgh for Dominic Moore), and youngster Brandon Dubinsky (who's efforts to make the roster are looking better by the day) recorded the tallies for the New York Rangers. Goaltenders Al Montoya and Stephen Valiquette allowed only one goal on 25 shots.
Koivu's sights are set
Even thought the Habs fell to the Bruins tonight 5-2, the team was apparently thrilled with Saku Koivu who's eye ailment did little to prevent him from playing and assisting on a goal by Michael Ryder. It would seem that Koivu has once again persevered.
Minnesota's offseason already paying dividends
Minnesota Wild forward Marion Gaborik scored two goals including the game winner to help the Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Draft day trade acquisition, Pavol Demitra scored the other helper.
Penguins Malkin to make debut
With or without the blessing of the Russian hockey federation, Pittsburgh Penguins much travelled forward Evgeni Malkin will make his debut tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. A lot of eyes will be on this game, and I'm certain it won't be just to check out Malkin's play.
I'm still hearing alot of power play opportunities are being given away. It looks like the clubs with discipline and / or polished special teams are going to be flying out the gates this season. One night after winning with superb power play units, Dallas did the exact opposite, and let the Colorado Avalanche showcase their special teams, scoring three. Every coach in the NHL must be losing his mind right now.
Tonight's Games:
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 6:30 PM
Florida at Atlanta 7:00 PM
New Jersey at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Tampa Bay at Washington 7:00 PM
Boston at Montreal 7:30 PM
Toronto at Ottawa 7:30 PM
San Jose at Anaheim 10:00 PM
Dallas at Phoenix 10:00 PM
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Toronto Maple Leafs forward and enforcer Tie Domi is expected to announce his retirement later today. At 36 years of age, a recently bought out contract, and no new deal on the table Domi has decided to retire. Domi scored only five goals last season, and the landscape of the new NHL doesn't support fighters the way it used to, thus leaving the Leafs enforcer without a role on the club.
Domi spent 11 years with the Maple Leafs, and in over 1000 games played with them, the Rangers, and Jets, he has accumulated over 3500 minutes in penalties (4th in the NHL).
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Damn! Did everyone in the NHL forget the new rules in the offseason? In the last two days I've heard nothing but conga lines headed to the penalty box and consequently teams being eviscerated by their opponents power plays.
Last night saw the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres combine for 18 penalties! Of course the Sabres capitalized on 4 of those power play opportunities, and the Maple Leafs went 0 for 7. The Leafs also debuted their new number one goalie Andrew Raycroft who was shelled in his first outing. Raycroft is apparently the first Leaf to wear the #1 in over a decade. His number may be #1, but the Leafs played like #2.
The Dallas Stars were another team to benefit from their opponent's lack of discipline. The Atlanta Thrashers allowed the Stars to bury two powerplay goals enroute to a 5-2 win. The Thrashers were able to score on one of their chances, but squandered 5 others.
So much for Anaheim's defense. Well, in fairness the Ducks Dynamic Duo of Neidermayer and Pronger were scratched for todays game, and the team that played tonight proved that they will certainly need them to provide quality minutes this season. The Los Angeles Kings torched the Ducks 7-1, scoring 3 goals on the powerplay in another penalty filled game.
Hooking and Tripping appear to be the most popular infractions early in the pre-season, with the occassional seasoning of interference and holding. Everyone is going to have to brush up on the basics, or it could be another slow frustrating start for many teams out of the gate. Goals will certainly be in abundance, especially for teams with monster power play units.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 They may not all be signed, and they are no where near being a salary cap friendly team, but Lou Lamoriello's New Jersey Devils made short work of the Boston Bruins last night, dismantling them as they paraded to and from the penalty box. The Devils Scott Gomez converted 2 of 7 power play opportunities in the first and finished off the evening with 2 more assists. The Devils had 4 goals on the power play, and Zach Parise scored the only even strength tally, winding up the evening 5-0.
Devils goalie Scott Clemmensen, although still unsigned, kept the Bruins off the scoreboard for more than half of the game. In fairness to the Bruins, their star free agent aquisitions Zdeno Chara, and Marc Savard were not iced tonight, but their keeper Hannu Toivonen who apparently made some great saves throughout the match was shelled by the Devils, and allowed 4 goals on 26 shots.
While the evening was good one for the Devils, a dark cloud is still hovering over the Meadowlands, for their salary cap issues will not be clearing up anytime soon. Defenseman Vladimir Malakhov, whom the Devils are paying $3.6 million this season, is not expected in camp, and forward Alexander Mogilny is unable to play due to chronic hip problems....he is owed $3.5 million this season. In a perfect world, the Devils had hoped to get them in camp, showcase them, and then trade them to relieve their cap pressure. It appears this isn't going to happen. According to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, any player over 35 that signs a multi-year contract, subject the team that signs them, to absorb their salaries against their cap, regardless of where, or if they actually play. Essentially the Devils are screwed. Expect them to deal some major players for little or no return, and remember, they still need to sign Brian Gionta, Paul Martin, and a backup for Brodeur...presumably Clemmensen.
Tonight's games:
Buffalo at Toronto 7:30 PM
Atlanta at Dallas 8:30 PM
Florida at Edmonton 9:00 PM
Los Angeles at Anaheim 10:00 PM
Welcome back NHL!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Some of the best coverage, and certainly most honest, is being produced by locals at the
>Blueshirt Bulletin. An independent paper (and great website) that brings us in depth reports on our (my) favorite team, the New York Rangers!
Currently the boys at the Blueshirt Bulletin are covering the Rangers Training Camp (this is really just a taste, because their coverage year round of the Rangers is always top notch) and it's exciting to hear thus far, that a few more of the Rangers youngsters are positioning themselves for a run at the big club. Coach Tom Renney has already commented on the play of Brandon Dubinsky and Nigel Dawes, both who are fighting for only a few available roster spots.
Jagr is being kept on the 'no contact' list for a bit longer. He wasn't allowed to scrimmage with the team over the past few days, and will not being playing in at least the Pre-Season Opener against the New Jersey Devils. Coach Renney is being careful with Jagr's newly reconstructed shoulder. From my point of view....GOOD MOVE! I had the same surgery 2 years ago, and when I tell you it hurt to pick up a cup of coffee 4 months later, I understand Renney's concerns. Jagr's range of motion is apparently good, the strength is something that will take time. Patience Rangers fans....patience!
For more great Rangers training camp news, I highly recommend you visit the boys at Blueshirt Bulletin!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The NHL season is just around the corner! Most NHL Training Camps opened today, following pre-camp physicals that were administered yesterday.
Bruins send Zhamnov home
Already we have our first camp casualty! The Boston Bruins have sent Alexei Zhamnov packing after he failed his physical. I don't think he went on the Tkachuk Diet of 2005 in the off season (who apparently has shown up to camp 30 pounds lighter than last season), Zhamnov may still be suffering from a broken ankle that occurred in January, and ended his season. He signed with Boston last year, for three years, $12.3 million. I'm uncertain as to what the cap consequences are to the Bruins, but I'm guessing there may be none. Zhamnov will reportedly be re-examined periodically throughout the season to determine if he is able to play or not.
Tkachuk ripped!
I think it's funny how this is news, but considering how this guy treated his body to a year of beer and Ho-Ho's during the lockout season, Keith Tkachuk showing up 30 pounds lighter is apparently a very big deal. Tkachuk has arrived at Blues camp this year at a wholesome 229 pounds, and appears to have re-dedicated himself to the sport that pays him ungodly sums of money. Way to hit the stairmaster and lay of the wings Keith!
Blues sign Dvorak
The UFA pool just keeps getting more and more shallow. The St. Louis Blues have scooped up former Oiler Radek Dvorak to provide penalty kill and roster depth.
Avs Konowalchuk to have heart examined
One of the great things about these physicals, is that they do make sure these guys are ready to play, but also can help detect severe health problems. During an EKG test done on Konowalchuk, a heart abnormality was discovered and he is now being thoroughly examined. He will be put on the shelf temporarily till they determine the full scope of the problem.
TSN unveils its NHL 2006-2007 NHL Preview!
This is great, and I highly recommend all my bearded friends check it out. TSN really gives you a nice inside look at all of the teams, and definitely gets you salivating for the opening face off. You can check out the NHL PREVIEW HERE!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
More changes in are in store for us this year! Not as many as last year, but the biggest one being added this season is the NHL's allowance of a larger curve in player's sticks. Traditionally the maximum curve was half an inch, but this season that will increase to three quarters of an inch. Goalies beware! The NHL, is clearly looking for even more offense this year, and the larger curved blades may provide that. The NHL's second newest rule is that all goaltenders must now play naked. Just kidding....but am I really?
The same penalties will be administered for illegal sticks as in previous years, so players trying to add a little extra will fined accordingly. Challenges during shootout's regarding illegal sticks has also been approved, but any challenging team that guesses incorrectly will be fined $5000, and the coach would be fined $1000. They would also forfeit a shootout attempt and that player would be bumped to the end of the rotation....essentially not being given an opportunity to shoot unless the goalies put on a clinic and the entire roster missed the net. For more on this check out TSN.ca.
Canucks retain Kesler
After signing an offer sheet for $1.9 million with the Flyers, the Vancouver Canucks had a week to match or recieve compensation for forward Ryan Kesler. The Canucks opted to keep Kesler after only two days, but are now forced to pay nearly double what they were originally negotiating for to sign him. The Flyers are still without a center to replace their former captain Keith Primeau who officially announced his retirement today. There are still a couple of unrestricted free agent centers out there in Yanic Perreault, and Jason Allison....perhaps the Flyers will make a move for one of them?
Captain Forsberg
The Flyers didn't wait long to replace Primeau....at least his title anyway. The Philadelphia Flyers annouced that Peter Forsberg would be the newest captain, with Simone Gagne and Derian Hatcher acting as his alternates. Forsberg becomes the 15th captain in Flyers franchise history. Hopefully he will be on the ice a lot more than last year and help lead the team (and help my fantasy stats!).
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Well....close enough. Anson Carter has finally landed! The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed the unrestricted free agent forward to a one year deal worth $2.5 million. The Blue Jackets appear to be resigned to the fact that Nikolai Zherdev will be playing in Russia this season, so they went out and found a suitable replacement. I think Carter is actually and upgrade to Zherdev and should see some solid minutes on a second line with Modin and Brule.
Anson Carter had a career year playing with Vancouver's Sedin twins, and scoring 33 goals. He's been waiting for what he felt was a fair market value price for his services. Although I think he was looking for a multi-year contract, perhaps Carter didn't want to miss any training camp time, which I can only consider a very intelligent move. If he duplicates last season's tallies with the Blue Jackets, and proves it wasn't a fluke, I would expect Carter's multi year deal hopes to be realized.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Tonight's Show:
September 13th Show
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the Lunacy in Long Island continues. We'll try to make sense of the 15-year deal that was given out by the Islanders and what it could mean to other contract. Lyle Richardson from Spector's Hockey will try to wrap his head around this deal and what the Flyers are trying to do to poach young talent from other squads. We'll get into the happenings at rookie camps, as well as look at the other news around the league. All that, plus what you've come to love about FOHS-- hockey and hilarity.
TONIGHT AT 9PM EST!!
Click here to listen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Almost a year since has passed since a concussion cut short Keith Primeau's season for the Flyers last year, and unfortunately it appears that it may have cut his career short as well. Although nothing is final yet, Primeau is expected to make a decision about his future with the Flyers and in the NHL prior to the league wide opening of training camps later this week. Primeau will meet with Flyers team physcian later today and then make his final decision.
In anticipation of his retirement, the Flyers have signed Vancouver center Ryan Kesler to a one year offer sheet. A move (correct me if I'm wrong) that hasn't been done since the Hurricanes offered then Red Wing Sergei Federov a multi year offer, and the only time before that by the Rangers, who did the same with Avalanche forward Joe Sakic. Vancouver has the right to match the offer (I believe they have a week to decide) or let Kesler go to the Flyers and in exchange recieve compensation in the form of a 2nd round draft pick in next years NHL Entry Draft. Kesler had a modest season for the Canucks scoring 10 goals and 13 assists. Kesler is clearly the backup in case Primeau is unable to continue play and forced to retire.
The Philadelphia Flyers captaincy will also be up for grabs, which TSN.ca is speculating that Peter Forsberg may be in line for that position. The only issue there is the often injured status of Forsberg (which would suck for me since I drafted him), but the man does bring tremendous playoff beard to the table. I'm willing to overlook certain weakness for beard depth.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Dragons new season begins on Friday, September 15th (the same day most training camps open) at 11 P.M. The Dragons are coming off a great campaign where they came in 2nd overall, losing in the Finals to the Grateful Dead.
We open the season against our hated rivals the Bulldogs (actually most of them are pretty good guys, I was just trying to spice it up a little).
Game Time:
9/15/06 - 11PM
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Devils GM Lou Lamoriello is a lucky man. There aren't many players that would do what Gionta is preparing to do. In spite of not having a new contract with the Devils, Brian Gionta is putting faith in his team that they will sign him prior to the start of the season, and will attend training camp without one. For the second time, this guy has put the team before himself. Gionta could have gone to arbitration, where he easily would have been awarded th $3.5 million he is seeking, but declined the option, in exchange for a long term deal.
The issue here, is not that Lamoriello doesn't want to sign Gionta, the problem is that the Devils have no cap room in which to sign him. The Devils are at the ceiling of the $44 million dollar salary cap, and have no room to fit the small forward in financially. The Devils will be forced to move some players before signing Brian Gionta.
Gionta is currently seeking insurance to cover himself in case of injury during Devils training camp. For more on this report by Mark Everson, visit the NY Post.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
No this isn't a joke. There were rumors about this earlier in the year when Mike Milbury was still at the helm, but I thought it would have died with him. This however, is not the case. The New York Islanders will announce the signing of their goaltender Rick DiPietro to a 15 year deal, worth $67.5 million dollars. Yes, 15 years, $67.5 million.
Rick DiPietro will turn 25 before the start of this season, so his new contract will keep him with the Islanders till he is 40 years old. DiPietro will earn $4.5 million per season for the life of the contract.
From where I stand this is ridiculous. DiPietro, is a good keeper, and perhaps you could convince me that he is worth $4.5 million per season, but for the next 15 years? The deal definitely favors DiPietro, especially in the twilight of his career, but once again the Islanders are taking an uneccessary risk by tying themselves to a player for the extreme long term which may end up biting them in the.....well you know. Look at what happened with the Alexei Yashin deal. The Islanders are stuck paying a guy top dollar who barely breaks the 20 goal mark each year, and 2 seasons ago was demoted to 4th line minutes. For more on this deal, and report visit TSN.ca.
Islanders owner Charles Wang was apparently the architect of this deal. I wonder how much, if any input Garth Snow had in the deal.
Isles to sign Viktor Kozlov
Garth and Chuck have been busy boys today! The Islanders are also expected to sign Viktor Kozlov to a one year deal.....why not sign him for 12 years? Kozlov will add some more size up front for the Islanders and yet another Russian teammate to hopefully jump start the woeful Yashin.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Simon Gagne and the Philadelphia Flyers standoff has finally ended and ended in a huge way. The Flyers have re-signed forward Simon Gagne to a five year contract worth $5.25 million per season. Both sides got exactly what they were looking for. The Flyers keep their breakout forward in the den for the long term, and Gagne gets the market level contract he was waiting for. The signing ensures that Gagne will be in Flyers camp which begins on Friday, September 15th.
Great move by the Flyers and for Gagne. Missing camp would have been devestating for Gagne, as I said earlier last week, that most players who hold out, usually start slow when eventually signed, and are often injured due to poor conditioning. The Flyers make sure they re-unite Gagne with Forsberg who provided the team with an extremely potent top line along with Mike Knuble. It really is Always Sunny in Philadelphia!
Canucks re-sign Trevor Linden
Trevor Linden and the Canucks agreed to a one year deal yesterday worth $600,000 and another $200,000 in performance bonuses. Linden scored 16 points in 82 games for the Canucks last season, and although is not an offensive juggernaut, I'm sure was brought back as a character and leadership player for the team. Something they could have used just a little bit more of last year.
Welcome to the New Playoff Beard
Well it's taken some time, but I've rebuilt Playoff Beard .com for the new upcoming season. Hopefully it will provide us all with alot more information, entertainment, and facial hair! Hope you guys like it!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 This is the newest feature of Playoff Beard .com. With the start of the 2006-2007 NHL season less than a month away, it's time to once again celebrate the beard that flourishes on ice. Granted the real facial hair doesn't start blossoming till April when the post season begins, but playoff beard potential can always be spotted throughout the season. Once a month we will spotlight the Playoff Beard of the Month.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Predators have called a press conference for later today where they are expected to announce the signing of goaltender Tomas Vokoun to a new four year contract. The new contract will begin following the end of the 2006-2007 season.
Vokoun led the Predators to 36 wins and their second playoff berth before he was diagnosed with blood clots in the abdomen and was sidelined for the remainder of the year. For more on this report and the news conference, visit TSN.ca.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
I'm almost getting tired of writing about this kid, but something tells me he is going to be a huge addition to not only the Penguins, but the NHL. On Friday, Evgeni Malkin, the newest signed Penguin, hit the ice with the Penguins latest draft pick Jordan Staal, and over 20 other rookies. Malkin's only flaw at the moment is his English. His skill is apparent, and his coaches have little doubt he will be able to adjust to the NHL, but not understanding English makes taking direction difficult. Give AO a call Evgeni, and you'll be speaking it in no time!
Markus Naslund to remain Canucks Captain
Canucks coach Alain Vigneault stated that he never had any doubts that Naslund would remain captain of the team. Although there was some speculation due to the sweeping changes Vancouver has made over the past 4 months. Changes that saw a new coaching staff and the replacementt of 14 players on the roster from last season.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Last but not least. Buffalo's well of restricted free agents slowly dwindled over the past month and a half and has finally run dry with the signing of their star goalkeeper Ryan Miller. The Sabres re-signed Miller to a 3 year contract worth $8 million. Miller will earn $2 million in the first year of his contract, $2.5 in the second year, and $3.5 in the final year of the deal.
The Sabres had to cut ties with J.P. Dumont in early August when an arbitrator awarded the forward close to $3 million, which would have made it difficult, if not impossible for them to re-sign Miller. With his new contract, Ryan Miller will be ready to start in Sabres training camp which begins next week.
Miller had 30 wins last season for the Sabres and also helped the team to the Western Conference Finals where they eventually fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in game 7.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Here are the results from last night's Playoff Beard. com NHL Fantasy Draft:
1. J. Thornton
2. M. Kiprusoff
3. A. Ovechkin
4. M. Brodeur
5. M. Turco
6. I. Kovalchuk
7. J. Cheechoo
8. S. Crosby
9. D. Heatley
10. J. Jagr
11. R. Luongo
12. D. Alfredsson
Not many surprises overall (Here's what I predicted would happen). We did have a mini-run on keepers but that is to be expected in most leagues. Overall the draft was pretty much how I thought it would go down. I thought Jagr would go sooner, likewise for Luongo. Thanks again to everyone who joined, and here's to a great season! Good Luck!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 New York Rangers Coach Tom Renney is expected to present Jaromir Jagr with the team's captaincy this season. The team has been without a captain since Mark Messier retired and has since gone with a platoon of three assistant captains. Jagr when asked last year said he would have turned down the honor, but appears ready to accept it this season if is bestowed upon him. Coach Renney is also reportedly considering Brendan Shanahan, and Darius Kasparitus for the role as well. For more on this report from Mark Everson, visit the NY Post.
Where Jagr goes this team follows. After the season he just had, there is little doubt that he is the pulse of this team. He is the clear cut choice and I hope he is named captain. Shanahan does have tremendous playoff beard potential, so you can't overlook that.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Philadelphia Flyers and restricted free agent forward Simone Gagne sitll remain very far apart financially in terms of finalizing a new deal for the star winger. Gagne, who enjoyed a breakout season while riding shotgun to Peter Forsberg scored 79 points (47 goals, 32 assists) is seeking a multi-year deal between $5 and $6 million per season. Contracts awarded to Alex Tanguay ($5.25 million per year) of the Flames and Martin Havlat ($6 million per year) of the Blackhawks have set the bench mark for Gagne and his agents demands. Flyers GM Bob Clarke appears unwilling to budge and has stated his latest offer on the table is his final offer. Big surprise there. It's looking very likely that Gagne will not be in Flyers training camp when it opens next week.
Ducks re-sign Bryzgalov
Rookie sensation Ducks netminder Ilya Bryzgalov recieved a big raise due in large part to his playoff heroics which lifted Anaheim to the Western Conference Finals. The new 2 year contract will pay Bryzgalov $1 million the first season and $1, 362,500 in the second. He led all goalies during the playoffs in stats and shutouts. He kept Colorado off the scoreboard for 3 of the 4 games enroute to a sweep of the Avalanche.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Tonight's Show:
September 6th Show
Rookie camps are open, exhibitions are happening around the junior leagues, it's hockey time in North America. We'll give you all the reports injury and other wise. Lyle Richardson from Spector's Hockey will join us to talk about the Mike Keenan firing/resigning which has become more clearer over the past few days, as well as other signing this past week. We'll give you all the fun an excitement in the reoccurring police blotter. We'll also look into the news around the league and the news happening concerning the FOHSHL. It's time to drop the puck on another season, so put on the foil and tune in.
TONIGHT AT 9PM EST!!
Click here to listen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Alexander Ovechkin has told the Washington Capitals that he is not ready to Captain the team yet.....huge emphasis on yet. This kid has made massive strides as a player, a leader, and an ambassador for the NHL. I believe in making this decision, he has made another huge move. Claiming that his English is not good enough to be a captain yet (although he has apparently made amazing strides in learning the English language) and believes that any good leader needs to address his teammates clearly. You have to love Ovechkin. Not only did he light up the league last year, but continues to impress with his actions off the ice. The captaincy is going to be his one day. It is only a matter of time.
Forsberg on ice
And for once its a sheet of ice, and not a bag covering one of his many ailments. Peter Forsberg skated yesterday for the first time after having his ankle surgically repaired. He has a little over a week to test and work the ankle, but is optimistic he will be available for Philadelphia Flyers training camp which opens on September 15th. Considering the original forecast for his return was January 2007, I would say there is plenty to be optimistic about.
Koivu still concerned about eye
Although he will be in camp when it opens for the Montreal Canadiens, Saku Koivu still has some concern regarding his injured eye. His eye which was struck by an errant stick during the playoffs against the Canes still is not open fully and appears red. Koivu plans on testing the eye during camp to see how it will react during game type situations.
Bell arrested for DWI
Great way to start fresh with a new team! This is driving me crazy! Mark Bell would have been a great late round fantasy pickup, especially considering he was slated to be the third man in on the Thornton / Cheechoo express....now however that is all up in the air. Not only was he allegedly driving under the influence, but apparently was responsible for a hit and run.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
What's the NHL, without Fantasy Hockey? The same as the NHL, without playoff beards! I just set up a league over at Yahoo and it's open to everyone! This is a 12 team league so get in quick! Here's the info to join:
Your new League ID# is 32303
Password: brethedican
Your draft is set for this Thursday Sep 7, 11:15pm EDT
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Could this entire Malkin drama finally be coming to a close? It appears that way as far as Evgeni Malkin is concerned. Malkin's agent has stated that contract negotiations would begin following the Labor Day Weekend, and that has come and gone. The Penguins also have a news conference prepared for some time today to announce the signing.
Malkin's deal is supposedly a mirror image of Alexander Ovechkin's contract which is $984,200 per year with incentives that could bring it as high as $2.85 million.
Whether Malkin's former Russian team, Metallurg, will sue for compensation or not is almost a certainty. What sort of compensation, if any, they will receive is another matter all together.
Fantasy Season
Stache has already drafted and perhaps we will do a little evaluation later this week on his team, but for the rest of us it is time to gear up for our Fantasy Seasons. I was thinking of starting a Playoff Beard League. Let me know if there is any interest and I will get on it right away. Time to start doing your homework guys. I'm going to post a new Fantasy Draft, and some players who I think will be sleeper picks, who I think will have break out seasons.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Although the public line is that Mike Keenan resigned as the GM of the Florida Panthers, rumors are abound that he was forced out of the position. Keenan has always been notoriously difficult to work with, so the only surprise of this move is that it comes a week before the start of most NHL training camps. Perhaps the Florida Panthers were anxious about letting him take the reigns for another season, even though he was the architect behind many moves this off season thought to improve the club, most notably the acquisition of forward Todd Bertuzzi, traded for Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo. He also signed free agent goalie Ed Belfour this summer. Keenan had three years left on his contract.
Head coach Jacques Martin will assume the role of GM as well as that of his coaching responsibilities. For more on this story visit TSN.ca.
Farewell Crocodile Hunter
This is not related in anyway to hockey, but I have always loved this guy. The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Erwin died today after being stung by a stingray. The unfortunate circumstances of his death, are clearly overshadowed by the fact that he died doing what he loved best. All my best to his wife and family during this difficult time.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
According to Larry Brooks of the NY Post, the Rangers are currenlty looking to sign unrestricted free agent forward and former Ranger, Radek Dvorak. Dvorak was traded to Edmonton as part of a package to bring Aanson Carter to the Rangers in 2003. The Rangers are looking to replace the holes left on a diminished penalty kill unit by the departures of Dominic Moore, Steve Rucchin, Martin Rucinsky, and the injury sidelined Jed Ortmeyer. If signed Radek Dvorak would absorb third line duties where Tom Renney believes his speed and skill would help him excel and perhaps move up in the lineup if the situation presented itself.
Dvorak is reportedly also being pursued by Detroit and St. Louis. For more on this article check out the NY Post.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
What a season! Unfortunately for us, it had an ending similiar to that of this years Edmonton Oilers. The Dragons ended the regular season with a 7 - 3 record finishing 3rd overall. The playoffs saw them fight past the Wolfpack in a tight match that ended tied 1-1 in regulation. After a scoreless overtime period the game went to a shootout. The Dragons and Wolfpack traded quick goals; our first tally was by leading goal scorer Mike Feeney who had 26 points in the regular season (17 goals 9 assists). After that it was all goaltending. Dragons netminder Jose Alicea put on a clinic stopping the entire bench of the Wolfpack. The winning goal was potted by your own Captain Bosh, and followed by one more beautiful save by Alicea, that helped propel the Dragons to the finals.
The Dragons found themselves facing off against the Grateful Dead, a team that that bested us easily during the regular season. Playing with a short bench in game one of the series the Dragons still managed to keep the game close and a third period rally brought them within one goal of winning the game. The Grateful Dead scored late in the third and completed the win 5-3 to take game 1 of the series. Game 2 was another hard fought battle and extremely tight, however the Grateful Dead went on to take the Championship with a 6-4 win.
The Dragons definitely played with a never give up attitude all season and that spirit continued and helped carry them through the playoffs. More than once finding themselves in an early deficit, they always seemed to find a way to rebound and grind out a win. Honors have to go to our goalie Jose Alicea who was solid all season, and kept us in every game while managing to steal more than a few. Forwards Mike Feeney (26 points), Mark Giordano (19 points) and Mike McCarthy (17 points) provided a constant scoring threat for the Dragons, while defencemen Paul Mazza (4 points), Mike Kurth (5 points), and Bill Ecklyn (2 points) were stalwarts on the blueline. Angel Rivera who sustained a broken ankle towards the end of the regular season was a huge inspiration on the bench during the playoffs taking over as coach of the team.
Even though the season ended in disappointment, its impossible to look at it as anything but a success. Huge strides were made and the momentum will surely continue into the upcoming season for the Dragons. I'm proud to be a part of it and can't wait to see what we do next. Great job guys!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
As Evgeni Malkin has struggled and battled to make his way not only to the United States, but to the NHL and his team the Penguins....Nikolai Zherdev is currently doing quite the opposite.
Zherdev is a restricted free agent who is unsatisfied with the current contract offer he has received from the Columbus Blue Jackets and is bargaining with the threat of playing the entire upcoming season in Russia with Khimik Voskresenk (I believe he was a Klingon Commander of some note). The Blue Jackets have offered Zherdev a 2 year deal worth $3.8 million. Not exactly chump change. Zherdev finished the season with 27 goals and 27 assists. If Zherdev is not signed before the season begins on October 6th he will be lost to Columbus for the year. Lack of talks over the last few weeks are perhaps foreshadowing that is exactly what will happen. It's a shame, because alongside a healthy Rick Nash, this guy could put up some serious numbers. Hell my mother could put up serious numbers playing alongside Nash.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
The Islanders lost 4th round pick Stefan Blaho to a car accident this week. Stefan Blaho was 21 years old and had just finished scoring a goal for MsHK Zilina, the Slovak Champions and was about to sign a contract with. Blaho played several seasons in the OHL and was drafted by the Islanders in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
I'd like to wish his family and friends all the best.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
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