Saturday Wrap Up: It's Christmas Eve! (Sort of)

Atlanta; you will never get this, you will never get it (again), la la la la la la. Jim McIsaac/AFP

• The NHL wants you to know that it is not poor: Interestingly enough, the cap has jumped about $6 million for next season. TSN reports that the limit will be $50.3 million dollars. Not that all teams will spend up to it, but it should give a lot of wiggle room to teams like New Jersey, Buffalo and San Jose who were right up against it... I think it's safe to say no one really thought it would go this high. We knew there would probably be an increase, but $6 million is a big figure and can play a serious role in how much teams are going to spend on free agents... And now those free agents may be asking for a bit more.
• I don't like to say 'I told you so', but... Keith Tkachuk has re-signed with St. Louis. I am > the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
• You can't fire everyone: As it turns out, Boston isn't going to fire everyone in the organization after all. It turns out that they need someone to play between the pipes, and that person is going to be Manny Fernandez. In return, Minnesota gets Petr Kalus and a fourth round pick. While Kalus is a prospect with a great upside, couldn't Minnesota have gotten more for a pretty good starting goaltender?
• It's like Christmas in July: The free agent market opens tomorrow at noon, and I can't wait! It's hands down the best day of the off season.

Free Agency Matchmaker: the Rest of the Field

Well, time is quickly running out before the free agent market opens tomorrow. Due to some pretty poor planning, I won't be able to chronicle all of the remaining top tier free agents in their own posts. For the sake of making sure they are all given their due before July 1st, I've got a big, huge, monster post for you today, which dissects the rest of the top tier players.

Teemu Selanne - RW - Anaheim Ducks
Fresh off a Stanley Cup victory, Selanne is one of the biggest names on the market this July, and rightfully so. He scored 98 points during the regular season, his highest total in almost a decade, and the Finnish Flash's 15 post season points were a career high. What's most interesting to note is that Selanne picked up some of the Ducks' style of play, notching 82 PIM. That's a total that almost doubles high previous career high. Apparently, the Ducks' physical play was emphasized up and down the lineup.

Prediction: Selanne has said himself that he would love to retire on top. After winning the Stanley Cup this season, I believe he has two options. He turns 37 on July third, and can either try and cash in one last time (both in $ and championship terms) with the Ducks, or pull a Bourque and call it a career. My guess is that he'll hang up the skates... All that being said, there will be a long list of suitors for Selanne's services, but few, if any, offering a long term lease.

Paul Kariya - LW - Nashville Predators
Kariya played alongside Selanne for many years in Anaheim, but unlike the Finn, has the potential to suit up for many more years in the NHL. At 32 years of age, Kariya scored 76 points this season, leading the Predators to a 110 point season. All signs point to Kariya leaving the Predators, and the firesale/potential move of the team are the main catalysts on that front. There's almost no way Kariya, and fellow UFA/teammate Peter Forsberg re-sign in Nashville. Or in Hamilton. Or in Kansas City.

Prediction: It's tough to say where Kariya will end up. There are a number of teams who would love to have his services, but the rumor from has been eerily quiet. One thing is for sure, Kariya won't be back in Music City.

Keith Tkachuk - C/LW - Atlanta Thrashers/St. Louis Blues
Tkachuk is one of the premier power forwards in the game today, and that was again the case for Tkachuk during the 2006-07 season. The winger has seen his numbers decline in recent years, but he is still a serious asset to any team that needs a big body up front. Prior to the trade deadline, Tkachuk was traded from St. Louis to Atlanta, to help with the Thrasher's playoff push. They were ousted in the first round by the Rangers, but he managed to put up 18 points in 22 games during his short stay in Atlanta (including playoffs). Earlier this week, his rights were traded back to St. Louis... The Blues are reportedly offering 2 years in the neighborhood of $3.5 mil.

Prediction: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks that by trading Tkachuk back to Missouri, the chances of him re-signing in Atlanta have been increased. While I believe there are only two front runners for his services (St. Louis and Atlanta), I also think that this trade is an indicator that he will re-sign with, and may finish his career in St. Louis.

Jason Blake - LW - New York Islanders
Oh, Jason Blake. How you pull at my heart strings. You've had your best seasons on Long Island, and were continually given a shot by a last place team that decided to keep you around after you put up 18 points in 82 games during the 2001-02 season on the basis of your work ethic. All that hard work has paid off, and now you're a top free agent looking for a big pay day. After the Islanders decided to hold onto you at the trade deadline, you gushed about how much you always wanted to be on Long Island. Rumors say that the Islanders offered you $10 mil over three years, and you declined to test the open waters. Good luck on the high seas Jason, as all signs point to the Islanders shifting their sights to Ryan Smyth.

Prediction: Minnesota and Detroit have been reported to make a push at Blake, and my feelings are that Blake would love to return home to Minnesota... Assuming the price is right.

Sheldon Souray - D - Montreal Canadiens
Souray is by far the #1 blue liner on the market this off season. It seems as if he's been rumored to go to every NHL city, and there's no reason to think half of those rumors don't have a slice of truth in them. He would fit nicely in almost any lineup and is a sure fire way for a team to bolster it's defensive corps, while providing a boost to the power play. Souray had a whopping 64 points last season, huge numbers for a defenseman, but they come at the price of a -28 +/- rating. To his credit, Souray's prior career low plus-minus was -11.

Prediction: Spector suggests that Souray will sign with a Californian team, and I tend to agree. While I find it hard to believe Souray would like to play for the Kings, if either San Jose or Anaheim can find the money for him, it would be a great fit. I'm going with San Jose on this one, but it's a pure guess.

Dominik Hasek - G - Detroit Red Wings
If you're looking for a bad group of free agents this season, which is really pretty hard to find, then you've come to the right place. J.S. Giguere has already re-signed in Anaheim, and unless you think Ed Belfour is the answer to your team's goaltending woes, the only serious starting net minder on the market is The Dominator. He made less than one million last season in Detroit, while proving he is still a stellar #1 net minder... While his resume does include a .913 save percentage in 06-07, there are other, more impressive numbers. Hasek turned 42 (yes, forty fucking two) in January and notched 38 wins (T-6th NHL), 8 shutouts (2nd NHL), a 2.05 GAA (2nd NHL) this past season. In the playoffs, his GAA was a minuscule 1.79 over an 18 game span, which trailed only Roberto Luongo (1.75 in 12 games) and Marty Turco (1.30 in 7 games).

Prediction: The Wings are certainly interested in re-signing Hasek, and I think that the interest is mutual. Hasek would probably love nothing more than to stay in Detroit, get a nice pay day and have a shot at winning another Cup.

This Guy is in the Hall of Fame?

There are so many things I could say about this picture, but they all are offensive to the mentally handicapped. To call Mark Messier one of them, would be all too degrading. To them.

If you haven't heard, Messier, Scott Stevens, Ron Francis and Al MacInnis were elected to the Hall of Fame.

Free Agency Matchmaker: Ryan Smyth

The start of free agency (July 1) is almost upon us, and to help shed some light on the subject, BMR brings you the fifth in a series of profiles chronicling this summer's free agent class. Next up is Edmonton's Long Island's Ryan Smyth.

One of the most talked about free agents this off season has been none other than Captain Canada, Ryan Smyth. If you're sober enough to remember February, you'll remember that Smyth was shipped from Edmonton to the New York Islanders in a trade deadline day blockbuster. Since he left town, the Oilers enjoyed a free fall ending to their season, all the while hoping to lure Smyth back home. There has been no end to the speculation regarding where Smyth will sign, and the further we get from February 26th, the more likely it seems that Smyth will sign elsewhere. Only time will tell. What we do know for sure is that Smyth will make a huge impact with whichever team can ink him.

It's hard to imagine Smyth playing in anything other than blue and orange -- whether it's in Edmonton or on Long Island. ViewImages

Smyth is a leader, as he wore an 'A' for Edmonton this past season and plays with a serious passion for the game. There's absolutely no denying that he comes to play on a nightly basis.

This summer, he is hitting the free agent market for the first time at the age of 31. Without a doubt, he is the filet mignon of this year's free agent class, right up there with Scott Gomez, Paul Kariya, Peter Forsberg and a host of others.

Much like Gomez, Smyth is a steady performer on the ice. He has scored between 61 and 68 points each of the past four seasons, with the highest total (68) coming this past season. Smyth's style of play is probably best described by TSN's scouting report; "Goes to the net with ample vigor and scores the majority of his goals due to supreme determination."

Of course, no profile of Smyth is complete without mentioning his love for the Oilers. He grew up in Banff, Alberta, which happens to be closer to Calgary than Edmonton, but he nonetheless bleeds blue and orange (the Oiler kind). Need proof? Look no further than Smyth's farewell press conference after being traded in February.

And of course who can forget Knob Hockey's hidden camera in the Oiler's dressing room during their 2006 playoff run...


Matchmaker, Matchmaker make me a match...
(in no particular order)

• New York Islanders: The Islanders like Ryan Smyth. A lot. Everything coming out of Long Island these days gives the indication that the Islanders are doing everything they can to keep Smyth on the Island, even if that means parting ways with Jason Blake. The team seems to be willing to shell out the big bucks to keep him there, but if money doesn't tempt Smyth, then he will be looking elsewhere. If there's one player that might not be swayed by an American Dollar, it's this guy. Nonetheless, the Islanders will probably be able to put together something very tempting to Smyth, whether that means a large sum or a long term deal. They did it with Yashin and DiPietro, and there's no reason to believe owner Charles Wang will stop now... All that being said, the Islanders would make Smyth the face of the franchise if he re-signs, which is exactly what he was for the Oilers.
  
• Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers are the hometown team, and are trying to regain a player that played with them for 12 seasons and was originally drafted by the organization back in 1994. Sending Smyth to Long Island at the deadline was completely unexpected, and gave him a pretty good shock. It'll be interesting to see how much that hurts their chances of signing him. Do they get a hometown advantage and/or discount, or are they paying full price? One thing is for sure, they are not going to go down without a fight. Smyth was the face of the team, not to mention provided a whole lot of other intangibles, and is a mighty big figure in the city of Edmonton. Even if they burned a bridge or two by sending Smyth across the continent, they still have a hell of a chance to sign him.
• Calgary Flames: There have been rumors around the internets that the Islanders and Flames were on the verge of a deal that would send Smyth to Calgary, similar to the Timonen/Hartnell trade. Let's just put this one to bed right now. If Smyth is as much of an Oiler as he seems to be, he would never sign with Calgary. I'm sure the Flames know this, and there's no way they would trade for the guy prior to July 1 if they felt they would not be able to sign him. Doing that would be silly. The numbers aren't right for the deal, either. The Flames have already committed about $35 million to next season, and have a good amount of free agents left to re-sign. They have got the room to sign a big name, but it would probably cost them a pretty penny to make Smyth a part of the team. Even if money isn't a huge factor for Smyth, there's no doubt it would take a little extra to get him to play for Edmonton's rival.
  
• Everyone else: There are a number of teams out there that can offer Smyth some serious cash. Off the top of my head, Colorado, San Jose, the Rangers, Philadelphia and St. Louis all come to mind. They are all the teams that are going to be trying to make a splash this July, and there are probably others out there that I didn't mention. The reason that I lump them all together is that there is no one team from the aforementioned group that, I think, would appeal to Smyth more than any of the others. All of these teams are hoping that Smyth goes to the highest better, or that the location/talent level of their team sets them apart from the crowd.
  

If you put a gun to my head and made me choose a destination for Smyth: This decision is a tough nut to crack. In my mind, there are two teams that stand head and shoulders above the rest. I hope I'm wrong about this, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Smyth will sign back in Edmonton. All we keep hearing from Edmonton is how badly Kevin Lowe wants to make a splash, in any capacity, and how much the team means to Smyth. The two parties have had some problems with contracts in the past (in the latest instance, it's rumored that the team traded him in February, since no contract could be agreed upon prior to the trade deadline), but I think they'll find a way to work things out.

For fuck's sake and all that is Bobby Nystrom, I hope I'm wrong. I'm starting the campaign right here and now; Please Ryan, stay on Long Island.

Wednesday Wrap Up: Scotty Bowman Turns Down Toronto

Toronto; you will never get this, you will never get it, la la la la la la. AP

• Scotty Bowman does not want to be a part of your Cup drought: Today, the Toronto Sun is reporting that Bowman has turned down an offer to join Toronto in an executive role. The Sun names former Sens GM John Muckler as the leading candidate for the job... and I'm sure hiring Muckler would go over really well with the fans.
• Here's a list of all the available free agents, thanks to SI.
• The turnover continues in Boston: TSN is reporting that the Bruins have fired assistant GM Jeff Gorton and scout Daniel Dore. (Edit: And by the way, I'm calling it right now. Mike Milbury will be back in Boston before opening night.)
• Keith Tkachuk is back in St. Louis: The Blues received Tkachuk from Atlanta along with a conditional fourth round pick next year for a conditional first round pick yesterday. If you remember, he was traded to Atlanta for Glen Metropolit, first and third round picks in 2007 and a second round pick in 2008 back on February 25th. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks the trade was a good move for the Thrashers, who would have had to give up a first rounder if they re-signed Tkachuk before July 1st. The article goes on to say that the Thrashers are the leading candidate to re-sign Tkachuk and increased their chances with the move. While that may be true, I highly doubt St. Louis would have made this deal if they thought that they would not be able to ink the 35-year old.
  
• Maybe it's time to quit your day job: Pittsburgh's Maxime Talbot has won a seat in the World Series of Poker, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting. For those of you not familiar with poker, that's pretty damn impressive. Anyone can buy a seat for $10,000, but to actually win a seat, is quite a feat. I would say that a comparable accomplishment would be getting drafted by an NHL team in the first or second round... Something Talbot has not accomplished.
  
• SI FanNation still doesn't care: It sure seems to me that the NHL folks at SI FanNation don't give a rats ass about hockey. A while back, I told you that FanNation seems to have a problem with getting things right in regards to their hockey coverage. Apparently, that is still the case. Could someone please tell them what Ryan Smyth looks like!?
  
• Where are they now? The Hanson brothers.
• Bill Simmons and hockey is a deadly combination: You've probably seen it by now, the Sports Guy did a blog of the draft last Friday. If you haven't seen it, you should. It's pretty entertaining. There was one point that got me thinking;

  "6:03: Hmmmm ... the Rangers already had a sweater ready with Cherepanov's name on the back. That's a little fishy. How did they know a top-five guy would slip to No. 17? If Esposito "drops" to the Penguins at No. 20 [BMR: which he did], we'll have moved right into the Fishy Zone -- two marquee teams "fortunately" getting two marquee prospects? Even David Stern wouldn't have been this blatant. Then again, this would mean Bettman is working to make the league better and more interesting. Scratch that thought."

  It's a funny point, but it really got me thinking. Could Bettman have purposely put Cherepanov in the NHL's biggest American market, and Esposito along side the league's best young players in Pittsburgh? It makes all too much sense, but it's completely improbable. There is no way you can get so many teams to pass on these guys, unless they simply have no interest in drafting them. It would cost too much to pay off that many teams, and if Bettman really wanted this scenario to play out, he would have just rigged the lottery. Oh wait, didn't the NBA already do that?

So Much for Remembering to Post Weekly Features

Here at BMR, we hate Mondays. So, to try and ease everyone back into the work week, we present to you a weekly installment of nonsense and (hopefully) laughter. Without further ado, here is your Monday morning ice breaker... On Tuesday... Night...

Yea, I guess I kinda forgot about this ol' boy. I'm not really sure if any of you actually like this weekly video feature, but it does serve a purpose -- it certainly fills some space.

This video makes me cringe a bit, but that's only because it features a bit about a certain Stanley Cup winning team. But that's OK. I can block off the feelings that come from being bred to hate the Rangers. I'm an equal opportunity blogger.

Anyway, the guys over at the 2 Man Advantage have filmed a gem this week. They've got a hilarious interview with Neil Smith, ex-Rangers GM (among other things). Not only that, Neil is half naked for part of the video and it takes place in a locker room. Who doesn't want to see that? Oh... right. Everyone.

...and what's the deal with the army gear?

Free Agency Matchmaker: Scott Gomez

The start of free agency (July 1) is almost upon us, and to help shed some light on the subject, BMR brings you the fourth in a series of profiles chronicling this summer's free agent class. Next up is New Jersey's Scott Gomez.

In this year's free agent class, Scott Gomez is probably the safest bet. He has steadily performed at a high level for the Devils ever since he set foot on the Meadowlands' ice. Over the last seven seasons, he's helped lead the Devils to two Stanley Cups, while missing only 26 games over that span.

Mmm... Stanley Cup... Devils Weapon

Every year, you know exactly what you're going to get out of Gomez on the ice. He has scored 60 or more points five times in his career, but only once has he scored more than 70 (83 in 05-06). He had never missed more than 6 games in a season, until this past year when he missed a grand total of 10. We might as well call him hockey's version of 'Mr. Consistency'.

It hasn't been all peaches and cream for Gomez in New Jersey. Two summers ago, the Devils were not able to lock him up long term. Gomez signed for only one year, as the Devils failed to lock up their home grown star long term. Last summer, New Jersey's cap woes created an even more difficult situation. The two sides ended up going to arbitration, where Gomez was awarded a one-year deal valued at $5 million. There was a lost of speculation as to whether or not the Devils would even accept the deal due to cap constraints, but in the end they were able to hold onto him.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker make me a match...
(in no particular order)

• New Jersey Devils: This one seems to be a sure bet; the Devils won't re-sign Scott Gomez. After last year's arbitration issues, and the continuing crunch of the salary cap in New Jersey, it's going to be tough for them to hold onto their star. The Devils have already used $30 million of next season's cap space committed to only 11 players. It's going to be a real tight squeeze again this year in New Jersey. As the Star Ledger reports, it just doesn't look good.
  
• Philadelphia Flyers: Well, it seems that I name the Flyers in each one of these articles as a possible suitor. It's not without reason, though. The Toronto Sun is reporting that the Flyers have contacted the Devils about acquiring Gomez's rights prior to July 1st. For New Jersey's sake, they should do it. There's no reason not to take a first or second round pick for a guy whom you most likely won't re-sign anyway.
• Edmonton Oilers: What's also interesting is that the Sun went on to say that Kevin Lowe has also called the Devils about the pre-July 1st rights to Gomez. We all know that the Oilers are looking to improve fast this off season, and Gomez would certainly fill the gap left by Ryan Smyth. To add to that, Gomez would probably come a bit cheaper. He is also from Alaska, which is a heck of a lot closer to Edmonton than New Jersey.
  
• Calgary Flames/Ottawa Senators: Rumors have been swirling about the possibility of these two teams signings Gomez, but Fox Sport's Spector has tried to put it all to rest. As it stands right now, neither team has the cap room.

If you put a gun to my head and made me choose a destination for Gomez: I'm going to go out on a limb and say Edmonton. All we keep hearing from Edmonton is how badly Kevin Lowe wants to make a splash, in any capacity, and I think he's going to get his chance in Gomez. Gomez would fit the team very nicely, and might feel better about the location, since he is from that side of the continent. That being said, there are going to be some serious shots taken at him by other northeastern teams, such as the Rangers, Islanders and Flyers.

Free Agency Matchmaker: Daniel Briere

The start of free agency (July 1) is almost upon us, and to help shed some light on the subject, BMR brings you the third in a series of profiles chronicling this summer's free agent class. Next up is Buffalo's Daniel Briere.

In sports, many times we see teams give huge contracts to players coming off one whale of a season during the final year of a contract. It happens time and time again, as GMs make short sighted deals with hot free agents that may or may not pan out in the long run. Buffalo's Daniel Briere might be the next beneficiary of this type of spending. That's not to say Briere wasn't a good player prior to this season, but his game took a monster leap in the final year of his contract with Buffalo.

It's awkward fan photo time! ClassicBuffalo.com

Briere had a career year in 06-07, going 32-63-95 in 81 games. The Sabres had the league's best offense, and Briere was the biggest reason for it, leading the team in points and power play points. This guy was friggin' dynamite on the ice.

A year ago, Briere was on pace to put up similar numbers, but was sidelined with abdominal surgery for 24 games. Nonetheless, he still managed to put up 58 points in 48 games, and was on pace for a 100 point season.

Prior to the lockout, his career high in points was 65, and at only 5'10" Briere got pushed around a lot in the 'old' NHL. That's not the case anymore. His speed and size have helped make Briere successful in the 'new' NHL, and he is a prime example for the type of player that the rule changes have benefited the most.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker make me a match...
(in no particular order)

• Buffalo Sabres: If you've been following the Briere/Drury situation up in Buffalo at all, you know that the Sabres will more than likely not be able to afford both of them. While Drury is the heart and soul of the team, Briere is a dynamic offensive player in his prime. The Sabres have a very tough decision ahead of them, pertaining to which player they intend to keep, if not both. They've got $28 million locked up for next season and a host of other free agents including Thomas Vanek, Teppo Numminen and Dainius Zubrus. Briere's price tag looks to be somewhere between $6.5 and $7.5 million, a hefty sum for the Sabres to try and come up with. The Toronto Sun is reporting that the Sabres still have yet to make an offer to both Drury and Briere. Yikes.
  
• Philadelphia Flyers: The word around the league is that the Flyers are looking to make a big splash this off season via free agency, and Briere is one of the players that they have their sights set on. Money is going to be awfully tight in Philly, but if they cap goes high enough, they should have enough money to sign a big name free agent. Outside of that, the main drawback that Philly faces is the stigma of having the league's worst record this past season. They're going to have their work cut out for them in convincing players that they are going to be competitive next season. To their credit, acquiring Timonen, Hartnell and Biron has gone a long way towards accomplishing that.
  
• Colorado Avalanche: The Avs are a team that has come up in each of these Matchmaker articles, and that's because I'm convinced that they're going to make a big splash in July. The team is keeping quiet, but don't let that fool you. As I've said before, they have the young talent, the money and a half decent 06/07 record to sell to free agents. Watch out.
  
• Montreal Canadiens: Briere grew up near Montreal, and the hometown team always has a shot at signing the hometown guy. The Habs are expected to make an offer to Briere, but it might not be the biggest one on the table. They have $30 mil committed to next season, and a bunch of free agents that they need to re-sign. The biggest name of the bunch is defense man Sheldon Souray, who is one of the top defenders on the market this July.
  

If you put a gun to my head and made me choose a destination for Briere: This is probably the toughest decision that I've had to make yet. I think the Sabres and Flyers are the two leading candidates in this race.

From all indications, Philly wants nothing more than to make a splash in the free agent market, even if that only means signing one big name. On the other side of things, it would be a disaster for Buffalo if they lost both Drury and Briere to free agency. That's what decides it for me. Darcy Regier is a smart man, and realizes that he needs to re-sign one of them. My guess is, if he had to choose only one of them, it would certainly be the offensive magician, Briere.

That's my final answer. I think Briere will stay in Buffalo. Take it for what it's worth.

Sunday Wrap Up: New Jerseys, Possibly the Most Interesting Part of the Weekend

• Awkward jersey designs: Feedback is still coming in about the new jerseys the league is using for next season. The Blue Jackets have put a really awkward looking collar on theirs... Oh and, I don't know about getting Malhotra on the back of it. It's about that time again.
  
• More jersey madness: The Capitals went old school in their jersey design, and it looks pretty neat to me.
• A complete listing of all the draft picks: SI.com.
• You know, we could have sexual intercourse right now. Yes, yes we could. But lets not: Apparently, Manny Fernandez was a few minutes away from going to Boston, but the Wild didn't want to take on Glen Murray's $4 million dollar deal.
• The newspaper that puts the iladelp in Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that the Oilers are trying to obtain the rights to Scott Gomez from the Devils. They would then trade those right to Philly for Joni Pitkanen. That makes my head hurt.
• From the mouth of Larry Brooks: The New York Post's Larry Brooks always has a lot of information to convey, but take it for what it's worth. Today's highlights; Mark Messier is being controversial (wow, really?)... Alexei Yashin may opt to play overseas if he doesn't see a nice enough NHL contract (good riddance)... And Brett Hull may have been let go by NBC because the NHL doesn't like his commentary...

The Derek Zoolander Draft Recap For People Who Can't Read Good

...or just like looking at pictures better.

#1 Patrick Kane (RW) - Chicago Blackhawks

Ryan Remiorz/CP

#2 James Van Riemsdyk (LW) - Phildelphia Flyers

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

#3 Kyle Turris (C) - Phoenix Coyotes

Marc Serota/Getty Images

#4 Thomas Hickey (D) - Los Angeles Kings

Marc Serota/Getty Images

#5 Karl Alzner (D) - Washington Capitals

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

#6 Sam Gagner (C) - Edmonton Oilers

Dave Sandford/Getty Images

#7 Jakob Voracek (C) - Columbus Blue Jackets

Marc Serota/Getty Images

#8 Zach Hamill (C) - Boston Bruins

Jay LaPrete/AP

#9 Logan Couture (C) - San Jose Sharks

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

#10 Keaton Ellerby (D) - Florida Panthers

Marc Serota/Getty Images

#11 Brandon Sutter (C) - Carolina Hurricanes

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

#12 Ryan McDonagh (D) - Montreal Canadiens

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

#13 Lars Eller (LW) - St. Louis Blues

Jay LaPrete/AP

#14 Kevin Shattenkirk (D) - Colorado Avalanche

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

#15 Alex Plante (D) - Edmonton Oilers

Marc Serota/Getty Images

more cleaning up of the wreckage that the draft left behind to come...

Let's Make Ethnocentric Comments on National Television!

Things even Brett Hull wouldn't say...

What if we replaced all on-air talent with monkeys? Would the monkeys make off color comments? TSN

Maybe it's because I'm not Canadian. Maybe I'm just too sensitive to oddly phrased questions. Maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing. Any of those reasons could easily explain my distress.

TSN's James Duthie took journalists everywhere down a peg or two tonight. During TSN's draft coverage, he had the cojones to ask Coyotes GM and living legend Wayne Gretzky if he drafted Kyle Turris for the sheer reason that Turris is Canadian.

Yeah. He went there.

(Check it out by forwarding to the 4:25 mark of this video.)

It just makes me cringe; the mere suggestion that any NHL GM would select a player in the draft based on the player's national origin. Even the Great One laughed at the question; Would he 'Canadianize' his team due to the Ducks successes with a large number of Canadians on their squad? Forget about Anaheim's unique style of play and their checking line that doubles as a scoring line. No, it's obvious the reason for their success is all those Canadians on the ice. After all, no other NHL team has Canadians on it, much less a whole bunch of them!

I guess Duthie may have thought he was asking a pretty good question. A 'unique' attempt at 'serious' journalism. That is, if 'talking heads' can be considered serious journalism, and as high on the totem pole as polished MSM print writers (my apologies to those who dabble in both practices).

Maybe the reason for such an offbeat question could be that Duthie was a little bit perturbed that Americans had gone #1 and #2 in the draft for the first time ever, following up Yankee-blooded Erik Johnson's #1 selection in 2006. Maybe he thought to himself, 'Good ol' Wayne, he's making sure we get a Canadian high up on that draft board!'

Whatever the case, it's over the line in my mind.

Think about it. What if Chris Berman had asked an NFL GM if his selection of an African American player was based on race? What if Peter Gammons asked an MLB GM if he selected a player because he was Dominican? The San Antonio Spurs just won the NBA title with a boat load of international players on their roster. Obviously, the smart thing for other teams to do is suddenly load their rosters with internationals. Personally, I don't think there is that much of a difference between these examples and what Duthie said.

But that's me. I could just be crazy. I do have a history of making big deals out of small things. Very. Small. Things.

To clear one thing up; Yes, Alexei Cherepanov dropped in the draft partially because he's Russian. The difference is that the reasoning behind that had a lot more to do with the lack of a transfer agreement with Russia and questions about his personal characteristics. It wasn't because he is Russian. It's because he is in Russia.

Friday Pre-Draft Wrap Up: It's Draft Day Dealing Time!

Toronto, meet your newest Maple Leaf. Paul Connors/AP

There's already a lot of news breaking leading up to the start of the draft on this beautiful Friday afternoon (if you're in the NYC area, anyway). Let's recap...

• Your first draft day trade: The Sharks have sent Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell to the Maple Leafs for a conditional (are there's a lot of conditions) 2007 first round pick, a 2007 second rounder and a 2008 fourth rounder. If the 'player San Jose wants isn't available,' then the first round pick will move to 2008. If the Leafs get a top 10 pick next year, the pick will move to 2009. If Mats Sundin's head explodes randomly during a home game, the pick moves to 2010. Ok, I made that last one up... This is a pretty swift no confidence vote in Andrew Raycroft. Toskala is a bargain, making only 1.375 this season, but will hit the free agent market next summer. Raycroft still has two years left, valued at a total of $4.2 mil. Let the media frenzy begin, there's going to be some serious competition in the Toronto net this September... Alan Muir's throws down the people's elbow. I mean, he's got some analysis.
• Your second draft day trade; the dismantling of the Predators marches slowly along: Nasvhille has sent Tomas Vokoun to the Panthers for a first rounder and two second rounders. This is a great trade for both teams. Florida no longer has to deal with Ed Belfour, and has a serious #1 goaltender in Vokoun. From a Nashville standpoint, three high draft picks is a great return... This makes me wonder; even if a local group buys the Preds and keeps them in Nashville, will there be anything left? This is going to be a really ugly team next season... The situation regarding Forsberg and Kariya staying in Nashville is no longer a matter of if they will re-sign with Nashville. After this trade, it has turned into a matter of when they will sign elsewhere.
  
• Adrian Aucoin wants nothing to do with Bill Wurtz: And who can blame him? After signing as a free agent with the Hawks in 2005, the Hawks captain has waved his no trade clause and is moving to Calgary. Aucoin's years in Chicago were two of the worst season's of his career (statistically speaking), both plagued by injuries. A 2007 seventh round pick accompanies Aucoin to Calgary. In return, the Hawks gain Andrei Zyuzin and Steve Marr.
• Cows are people, too: Some Wisconsin hockey players are getting fined for tipping over a cow. Actually, it wasn't even a cow. It was a sculpture of a cow. Let it be known that the state of Wisconsin does not want you messing with their cows. This marks the first step of the bovine take over of the United States. You've had fair warning, cows will soon rule the day!
  
• Your daily Predators update: The Tennesseean is reporting that Jim Ballsillie's exclusive negotiation period with Preds' owner Craig Leopold has expired. This paves the way for a local ownership group to make a serious bid, if they can find the finances to do it. The way Balsillie was acting by taking deposits for a team in Hamilton suggests things were close to finalized. I'm not too sure what to make of this, but if Balsillie is the smart businessman that he seems to be, it will only be a minor bump on his path to Hamilton.
  
• Blatant marketing ploy, or far fetched theory to try and increase scoring? You decide: As you might have heard, the NHL is going to change over to some fancy schmansy futuristic looking uniforums next season, and they'll be unveiled tonight. Apparently, this is what the Caps will be wearing.
  
• Let's have one more go around, ol' boy: Mark Recchi and Gary Roberts have re-signed in Pittsburgh for one year. Recchi will make $2 mil, including bonuses, and Roberts will snag $2.5 mil.
• Anaheim will have 86% more Giguere: Giggy has re-signed with Anaheim for four years, a deal totaling $24 million. The contract is pretty backloaded. He will make $5.5 mil each of the next two years, a figure which escalates to $6 mil and $7 mil in the final two years of the contract. That being said, Ilya Bryzgalov will probably be on the move.

Your Obligatory Mock Draft

This could get pretty ugly…

As you all know, I don’t have much talent as a prognosticator. I’m still hurting from the whooping I took thanks to my SC Finals prediction. Frankly, I probably wouldn’t even make predictions if it wasn’t for the spectacle and the laughs that you probably get out of it. That being said, what good is a blog if the author doesn’t randomly spout off opinions?

I feel almost obligated to follow the lead of the general populous, and write about those topics that everyone feels the need to chime in on with their two cents. You know, everyone’s got their preseason predictions and playoff projections. This time of year, the favorite topic around the internets is the mock draft. It seems as if everyone and their uncle’s neighbor’s cat has made and talked to no end about their mock draft. So, I present to you BMR’s mock draft. Take its opinions at your own risk. While you’re at it, take a shot, too. It makes everything that much more fun!

Of course, there are all sorts of trades that will happen between now and draft time. I’m going to ignore those possibilities to keep from going in way over my head.

Pick #	Team	Projected Pick
1	Chicago Blackhawks	Patrick Kane – Kane is #1 on a lot of draft boards, but it’s not a lock. Let’s face it, Chicago needs a lot of help, but offense is probably their biggest need. If they keep the pick, they should go with the guy who has the biggest offensive upside. He’s also a player who can (and should) make the jump right now.
2	Philadelphia Flyers	James Van Riemsdyk – It’s a tough call for Philly between Turris and Reemer, but the latter is probably the better fit. Both have tremendous upsides, but Reemer probably won’t impact the league this season. The Flyers can afford to wait, even if their fans may say otherwise. They have added Hartnell, Timonen and Biron already, and who knows what tricks they have up their sleeve for July 1st. They’re already improving and should continue to do so throughout the off season.
3	Phoenix Coyotes	Kyle Turris – This is essentially a three man draft, if you count the fact that teams might be scared to take Cherepanov, thanks to the lack of a transfer agreement (and reports about his effort level). At this point, there’s no doubt Turris is the best player left. It’s a no brainer for Phoenix, if he’s still around.
4	Los Angeles Kings	Alexei Cherepanov – The Kings have taken a European in the first round three out of the last five years, and somehow I think they wouldn’t be afraid to take Cherepanov. He’s got tremendous upside, including the highlight of breaking Pavel Bure’s Russian rookie scoring record. Los Angeles also needs a RW, and he fits the bill.
5	Washington Capitals	Sam Gagner – Another one that should be a no brainer. Gagner is a playmaker who may be able to step into the NHL soon. Who better to put alongside Ovechkin and Semin?
6	Edmonton Oilers	Karl Azner – Washington and Los Angeles need a blue liner too, but Azner could drop given the lack of top tier defensemen available (to be specific, none). Edmonton needs help defensively, and they’ll get it with Azner. He’s no Pronger, but he should be solid for years to come. Yikes, I just said the P word to Oiler fans. Sorry!
7	Columbus Blue Jackets	Keaton Ellerby – At 6’4” Ellerby would be a great addition to the Columbus blue line. They could use a big body to go along with Rusty Klesla. Hopefully Ellerby can bulk up.
8	Boston Bruins	Jakub Voracek – The word is that Voracek is a real “good guy.” He’s also a big guy who can make plays and should be able to jump in right away. I think the Bruins have their man.
9	St. Louis Blues	Logan Couture - The Blues need offense. Plain and simple. This guy should help bolster their corps of forwards, and they should be getting great value. If it wasn’t for Couture’s bout with mononucleosis, he might have been a top five pick.
10	Florida Panthers	Brandon Sutter – The word is that Sutter could easily move over and become a winger. If that’s possible, then he fits in nicely in Florida. They’re lacking any real size on the wing, and the Todd Bertuzzi experiment didn’t go as planned, so Sutter should be a nice addition.
11	Carolina Hurricanes	Kevin Shattenkirk - Carolina’s biggest need, as with a lot of teams in this draft, is a defenseman. Shattenkirk is captain of the US U-18 team, and how can you pass up a guy with the skills and the ability to lead?
12	Montreal Canadiens	Angelo Esposito – If he falls this far – and there’s a good chance – the Habs have to take the home town boy with a famous bloodline.
13	Toronto Maple Leafs	Mikael Backlund – Mats Sundin is on the outs in Toronto. Not next year, and probably not the one after that, but his time is coming. Potentially, they could replace him with another Swedish center in Backlund. Just had to point out an interesting storyline there. Anyway, Backlund is probably the best available at this point. The Leafs are pretty deep all around, and would probably rather have a defenseman, but I think any blue liners worthy of the #13 pick are gone at this point .
14	Colorado Avalanche	Maxim Mayorov – If you’re not afraid of that transfer agreement, you’d probably want to take this guy. I might be overvaluing him a bit, but he’s #8 overall on ISS and is still available. I think a risk could pay off here, and the Avs have a ton of young talent as it is. They can afford it. But who am I kidding, no one’s going to have the cajones to take him this high.
15	Edmonton Oilers	Lars Eller - If I hadn’t already picked the Oilers to take Azner, I would of pegged them on Petrecki here (look for that if they don’t get a d-man at the #6 spot). That being said, Eller is another talented European and may be better than Mayorov. He’s the safer pick, and if Colorado doesn’t take him, Edmonton will.

The NHL Draft Keg Party: Alexei Cherepanov

Here at BMR we try to provide you, the reader, with as educational and entertaining a look at the NHL as possible. In preparation for the NHL Draft, today we continue with a feature entitled 'The NHL Draft Keg Party'. The goal of this feature is to provide you with information about the prospects that you haven't heard already. Hopefully, this will be a fun and entertaining endeavor. (Disclaimer)

Alexei Cherepanov TSN

Prospect Profile: Alexei Cherepanov

Birth date: January 15, 1989

Birthplace: Barnaul, Russia

Position: Right Wing

Height/Weight: 6'0" / 183lb

Shoots: Left

Current Team: Avangard Omsk (RSL)

ISS Ranking: #4 overall

CSB Ranking: #1 Europe

[McKeen's Profile]

BMR Scouting Report

Alexei Cherepanov will break you. At least that's what I half expected the scouting report to say.

Well, I'm going to digress from dumb jokes about Russian people. Life isn't like those Rocky movies. The point is that there is the serious possibility that Cherepanov could be a one man wrecking crew in the NHL, and potentially one of the best players to ever come out of the former USSR. It's far from certain, but it's a possibility after Cherepanov set the rookie scoring record in the Russian Super League. He broke Pavel Bure's record, a total that was never matched by Alex Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin, and many others.

As it turns out Cherepanov doesn't have a MySpace, Facebook or place to find out fun information about him (as far as I know). Not cool Alexei, not cool. To try and make it up to you, please enjoy these YouTube highlights of Cherepanov.

The NHL Draft Keg Party: Colton Gillies

Here at BMR we try to provide you, the reader, with as educational and entertaining a look at the NHL as possible. In preparation for the NHL Draft, today we continue with a feature entitled 'The NHL Draft Keg Party'. The goal of this feature is to provide you with information about the prospects that you haven't heard already. Hopefully, this will be a fun and entertaining endeavor. (Disclaimer)

Colton Gillies Facebook

Prospect Profile: Colton Gillies

Birthdate: February 12, 1989

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 6'4" / 194lb

Shoots: Left

Current Team: Saskatoon (WHL)

ISS Ranking: #12 overall

CBS Ranking: #30 North America

[Hockey's Future Profile]

Favorite Music: Rise Against

Favorite TV Show: House

Quotes: "theres nothing like a dream to create the future"

"In the end, its not the years in your life that count. Its life in years."

Famous Father Uncle: Clark Gillies, who helped lead the New York Islanders to four Stanley Cups.

BMR Scouting Report

As it turns out, the Central Scouting Bureau doesn't like our boy Colton too much. It's a pretty interesting disparity as compared to his ISS ranking of #12 overall. If you're looking for a tie breaker, TSN didn't place in him the top 15 of their Mock Draft. That's fine, since I'm perfectly alright with Gillies falling down the draft board to the Islanders. If his dad uncle won four cups with them, who says Colton can't? After all, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. OK, maybe he'll only win three Cups with the Isles.

Either way, what I do know is that he plays a style similar to his father uncle. He's a big guy who likes to throw his weight around, and is solid defensively. The scouts say that Gillies is going to need to bulk up, but what 18-year old doesn't? If this kid can improve offensively, watch out.

Where's Stanley?

Pictures that you probably shouldn't show your wife...

Not exactly what I would do on my day with the Cup. But, there's nothing wrong with that, if that's what you're into. Mike Bolt/HHOF

As I'm sure you are all aware, as per tradition, the Stanley Cup makes it's way around North America (and other places) during the summer. During this time, everyone in the winning organization and their dog gets to have a day with the it. Just like any drunken teenager, the Cup can be hard to keep track of. It's tough to always keep tabs on the darn thing, as it goes missing every couple of months.

To try and pass some time between now and the start of the season in October, I'll be randomly posting some blurbs about the Cup's summer travels. Hopefully next time, that doesn't mean pictures of scantily clad men. Heck, maybe it'll even help to keep the NHL from losing the Cup.

Friday, June 15th
Last Friday, was Teemu Selanne's day with the cup. He had some, uh, interesting choices about what to do with it (see above). The Hockey Hall of Fame is all over it, as they were alongside Selanne for the day, and have written a pretty detailed report about it.

Mike Bolt/HHOF

Monday, June 18th
In a great move, the Ducks took the Cup to Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in San Diego on Monday. Gotta show love for the troops!

Denis Poroy/AP

Tuesday, June 19th
In what can only described as some of the oddest looking cross-promotion that I've ever seen, the Cup made it's way to Angel Stadium in Anaheim Los Angeles, California. Angel Stadium is home to Major League Baseball's Anaheim Los Angeles Angels. Dustin Penner, Chris Kunitz, Brad May, Chris Pronger and Ryan Getzlaf were on hand prior Los Angeles' game against the Houston Astros. It might just be me, but there's something awfully odd about seeing the Cup on a grass field (not to mention people wearing Ducks jerseys and Angels hats). Brad May, of all people, threw out the first pitch.

Kevork Djansezian/AP

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Brett Hull: Ambassador of Fun

Sir, please step away from the Rally Monkey! Picasa

On Sunday, the Vancouver Sun reported that NBC had fired Brett Hull. Today, the Dallas Morning News is singing a slightly different tune, saying Hull left NBC to take a job with the Dallas Stars.

Maybe NBC fired Brett Hull, maybe they didn't. At this point it's all a little foggy, in a typical he said, broadcast network said kind of way. One thing we do know for sure, thanks to the Morning News, is that Hull will be working with the Dallas Stars by the time the 2007-08 season rolls around. The Stars have yet to give Hull an official position in the organization, but last year they had an interesting one for him.

"Hull last season served as assistant to Stars president Jim Lites and was used mainly in a marketing role with the title "Ambassador of Fun" in the team's primary advertising campaign. Hull also stepped into the broadcast booth, filling in as an analyst when Daryl Reaugh was working with Versus."

There you have it, folks. Brett Hull; Ambassador of fun. It's another sign that the apocalyspe is coming. I'll see you all later, I'm going to start building a bunker.

Tuesday Wrap Up: It's Kinda Hard Bein' Snoop D-O Double G

Where have all the cowboys hockey games gone?

More fun with Snoop Dogg and future draft picks! Facebook

It's been a long, busy Tuesday afternoon in June, and there's a lot of NHL news to catch up on. Seriously. How crazy is that? A busy news day in June. It's almost as if the off-season doesn't exist anymore, which depending on your point of view could be a great thing.

• First things first: This isn't hockey related, but that doesn't really matter. Some sad news, Terry Hoeppner, the head football coach at Indiana University, died today at the age of 59. He fought through an awful lot, and should be an inspiration to all.
  
• Your obligatory mock draft round up: The NHL draft starts on Friday, and everyone and their cousin's, best friend's, dog has a mock draft up on their website. You can see what the folks over at TSN have to say, or you can take a look at Alan Muir's (from SI) predictions.
  
• Poaching the Predators: Nashville reacquired it's first round pick, traded to Philly in the Forsberg deal, after sending Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell to Philly. The Flyers have reportedly signed both Timonen and Hartnell, who are UFAs to be... James Mirtle brings up a great point. Chances are the Flyers would not have done this deal if they knew that they wouldn't be able to sign these players. Tampering, anyone?
• An Eastern Conference title just isn't enough: In a typical NHL managerial move, the Sens have let GM John Muckler go, handing over the title to coach Bryan Murray. Yes, this Bryan Murray. Rejoice! There will be no more whining in Ottawa!
• The Bruins did not hire Mike Milbury... Yet: I had my money on the guy, too. Anyway, the Bruins have hired Claude Julien to replace ex-coach Dave Lewis. A huge upgrade, as Julien essentially coached the Devils to the Atlantic Division title this season before Lou Lamoriello had to jump in and take all the credit.
• Someone over at the Canadian Press is trying to write action movies: Doesn't this sound like an opening to the trailer of some hockey/action/thriller movie?
  

  "The Anaheim Ducks knew they might lose veteran winger Teemu Selanne if they won the Stanley Cup. But losing superstar defenceman Scott Niedermayer was never in the cards.

  Until now."

• The latest on Jose Theodore, although you probably stopped caring in November: The Denver Post has a sneaking suspicion that Jose Theodore and his $6 million dollar cap hit will not be bought out, but we sort of already figured out that what would happen.
  
• He has the greatest last name in hockey: That's right, after all these big news stories were lumped together, I gave Derek Boogaard his own post. The man introduced us to his camp for fighting, a kid's dream, and I think the least we can do to thank him is by glorifying the dropping of his assault charges. Besides, by the time you stumble over to BMR, chances are you've heard all there is to hear about Murray, Niedermayer and the Preds/Flyers trade. Someone has got to pick up the scraps.

Kids, This is How to Get Assault Charges Dropped

WildEnforcers.net

Ten days ago, a story came up about the Boogaard Brothers and their hockey camp that teaches kids how to fight on the ice. As it turns out, police thought that Derek Boogaard liked to take his act to the street, as he was charged with assault last August after a fight at a night club. Well, today he's going to lose a few points toward his rep on the streets, but it's probably for the better. Boogaard, the one that plays for the Wild, had those assault charges dropped.

Maybe now Boogaard can add a lesson to his camp that teaches kids how to avoid jail time bad situations. That would make enrollment go up, right?

The NHL Draft Keg Party: Patrick Kane

Here at BMR we try to provide you, the reader, with as educational and entertaining a look at the NHL as possible. In preparation for the NHL Draft, today we continue with a feature entitled 'The NHL Draft Keg Party'. The goal of this feature is to provide you with information about the prospects that you haven't heard already. Hopefully, this will be a fun and entertaining endeavor. (Disclaimer)

No, we didn't paste a picture of Kane over James Van Riemsdyk. Kane loves the Miller Lite girls too. Who doesn't? Facebook

Prospect Profile: Patrick Kane

Birthdate: November 19, 1988

Position: Right Wing

Height/Weight: 5'10" / 160lb

Shoots: Left

Current Team: London (OHL)

ISS Ranking: #1 overall

CSB Ranking: #2 North America

[NHL Connect Profile] [Hockey's Future Profile]

Nickname: Kaner

Jersey Number: He wears 88, for his birth year. Not for Eric Lindros, thank goodness.

Favorite TV Show: Prison Break

Favorite Movie: Wedding Crashers

Favorite Actor: Will Ferrell

Favorite NHL Team: Buffalo Sabres

Most Memorable NHL Moment: Take a deep breath Sabres fans. You know what's coming. Kane's most memorable moment is Brett Hull's foot-in-the-crease spectacular during Game six of the 1999 finals.

BMR Scouting Report

Today, we preview the handsome young man that you see above, who is arm in arm with some beautiful Miller Lite girls. For all you grandmas reading out there, please, don't try and pinch his cute little cheeks. It's the internet.

Speaking of grandparents, Kane is an old man compared to the many of the players in this year's draft. Born in November 1988, he is nearly a year older than many of the other players in this year's draft. Watch out, though. Grandpa Kane can skate with the best of them. The knock on him coming into the season was his age as compared to the other prospects, but an outstanding season in the OHL (62-83-145) silenced those critics.

Many scouts believe that Chicago would be pretty dumb to not take Kane with the first overall selection, and I concur. With all do respect to the prospects that have already been profiled on this blog, Kane possesses the best off the ice assets out of any of them. There's no sign that he has any affection for John Mayer or Jack Johnson (hopefully, he's into Slayer, or some other ridiculous band that literally kicks ass), and he likes Prison Break (no sign of the OC either), Wedding Crashers and Will Ferrell. That's what I'm talking about! A guy who likes Ferrell and is probably tough as nails just from watching Prison Break? Say no more. He's my #1 pick, hands down.

And no, I didn't just copy and paste pictures of Kane over James Van Riemsdyk. It just so happens that they are both down with Snoop Dizzle and the Miller Lite girls. Fuckin' A, boys. Fuckin' A.

Monday Morning Ice Breaker

Here at BMR, we hate Mondays. So, to try and ease everyone back into the work week, we present to you a weekly installment of nonsense and (hopefully) laughter. Without further ado, here is your Monday morning ice breaker...

What would practice be like if Samuel Jackson was your hockey coach? Glad you asked...

NBC Wants to Make Sure It's Broadcasts Have No Flavor

Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images

Just when you thought the NHL's deal with NBC couldn't get any worse, it did. Forgive me for being so naive, it's just that I thought there was probably a clause in the league's contract with NBC that said the league could only get screwed over three times during one calendar year. I guess after the Preakness fiasco, an NBC affiliate in Tampa Bay refusing to cover the finals, and a network whose sports telecasts resemble PBS' Antiques Roadshow more than actual sports telecasts, actually covering the NHL in the first place, things couldn't get any worse.

Today, the Vancouver Sun is reporting that the little bit of personality that NBC's telecasts did have, has been removed. According to the Sun, NBC analyst Ray Ferraro has told the radio station Team 1040 in Vancouver that Brett Hull has been let go by NBC.

Whether you liked listening to Brett Hull or not, you certainly can't argue with the fact that he brought some life to NBC's telecasts. Many times, Hull was an outspoken character, but that's just what the NHL in America needs -- personality. With all due respect to Bill Clement and Ferraro, watching sports on NBC is always a chore, and the NHL is no exception. Having a boisterous, controversial character in Hull on the set is what makes people watch; both those who love him and those who love to hate him. It's just flat out entertaining television, as everyone wants to see what he will say next.

When NBC brought in Don Cherry during the Stanley Cup Finals, it brought a glimpse of the personality that the NHL so desperately needs in the US. Aside from Barry Melrose, who gets released from whatever closet ESPN stores him in twice a week for a short segment on SportsCenter, the NHL doesn't have personality in America. Yes, we have Sean Avery and Jeremy Roenick, but when is the last time those guys had any serious MSM exposure? Hull was all that you could find, and best of all, he was on broadcast television. This kept all those hockey haters out there from using the excuse that they couldn't find the channel. Hopefully, we'll see some other network pick him up, as I seriously doubt that NBC will bring in anyone who will bring any more life to their set than Hull did (attention Jeremy Roenick: please call NBC now).

Well, at least we'll always have the memories.

"Bill Clement: What two things do you want to talk about?

Brett Hull: Huh?

Bill Clement: (Incredulous) You just watched a whole freaking game!"

Montreal Wants Nothing To Do With Sergei Samsonov

News that comes as no surprise

This is a nice throwback to the days when Samsonov was, you know, relevant. NHL Images

This afternoon, TSN is reporting that the Canadiens have traded under performing winger Sergei Samsonov to the Blackhawks for just about nothing. In fact, they practically are giving him to the Blackhawks. The Habs do recieve Jason Cullimore and Tony Salmelainen in return, but they also plan on buying out Cullimore.

So there you have it. Samsonov is traded to Chi-town for Salmelainen, a 25-year old RFA to be.

There really aren't any good reasons as to why the Hawks would want Samsonov, save for the fact that they desperately need offense. I guess they're hoping to try and resurrect his career.

Samsonov spent most of this past season in the Montreal dog house, a healthy scratch for much of the stretch run. In 64 games, he had 26 points and was a -4. Not only that, Samsonov is slated to make $3.525 mil this season, and that amount is not anywhere near worth paying him that much.

Friday Wrap Up: Mike Milbury is Probably Calling the Bruins Right Now

Slow news day... Slower than Derian Hatcher...

This guy has the highest winning percentage of any coach in Flames history. No, not Keenan or Sutter. The other guy. Patrick Price/REUTERS

• The NHL coaching carousel is running slow these days: Around these parts, coaches are usually fired by the half way point of the season, or after the final game. NHL front offices are typically very quick to pull the rug out from under their coaches. In stark contrast to that notion, Calgary took about a month after their last game to announce that they had replaced Jim Playfair. Today the Boston Bruins, who haven't played a game in a much longer amount of time, got rid of Dave Lewis. What a shocker... By the way, Mike Milbury is available for a return to Boston. I'm just saying. Let's hope for the sake of Bruins fans, that little sentence is all we ever hear about that... Sorry, just had to throw it out there.
  
• On the Playfair/Keenan situation: There's a very interesting statistic relating to Playfair's time as Calgary's head coach; he will leave his position with the highest winning percentage of any coach in Flames history (including their time in Atlanta). Granted, he only coached Calgary for one season, but for all the flak he took from the fans up there, it's something worth noting. Maybe just a little punch in the stomach, if nothing else.
  
• The Hamilton Predators: Well, it's finally official. The Preds have activated the clause in their lease that allows them to skip town if average attendance does not surpass 14,000 next season... If you're wondering just how many butts they could put in the seats when if they bolt for Hamilton, James Mirtle is reporting that they sold at least 10,000 season ticket deposits in about 48 hours. Somewhere, Jam Balsillie is counting his money.
• It's like déjà vu all over again: I'm pretty sick and tired of talking about the NHL's television problems, so I'll let DeadSpin, the FanHouse and Off Wing tell you about the problems Versus had in showing the awards show last night. I can't wait for all the vultures to repeat what they always say when something like this happens; "Blah, blah, blah, no one watches the NHL anyway, blah, blah, blah."
  
• It's twice as fun if we pretend to be twins: Montreal has signed Mike Komisarek and Chris Higgins (Suffolk County represent!) to identical contracts. They will both earn $1.5 mil this year followed by $1.9 in 08-09, for a grand total of $3.4 mil over two years.
• Jan Hlavac's domination of the NHL will be swift and thorough: After a three year absence, Hlavac will return to the NHL. He has signed a one year deal with Tampa Bay.

This ends a ridiculously slow news day. Is it October yet?

The NHL Goes All Hollywood on Our Asses

Chris Pronger just looks goofy in a suit.
Graig Abel/Getty Images

Tonight, the NHL rolled out the red carpet in Toronto and went all Hollywood on our collective asses. Sidney Crosby, Nick Lidstrom, Chris Pronger, Vinny Lecavalier and a host of other big NHL names got all dressed up in suits, each hoping to receive some hardware. Before we get to the real award winners, I'd like to present BMR's award for Best Date to Shane Doan of the Coyotes. Doan brought along Trish Stratus, of WWE fame, for the event. Well done Shane, well done.

Here's the rundown:

• Hart Trophy (NHL MVP): Sidney Crosby, PIT
• Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Evgeni Malkin, PIT
• Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman): Nicklas Lidstrom, DET
• Lady Byng Trophy (Sportsmanship): Pavel Datsyuk, DET
• Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Rod Brind'Amour, CAR
• Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender): Martin Brodeur, NJD
• Jack Adams Award (Best Coach): Alain Vigneault, VAN
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership/Humanitarian): Saku Koivu, MTL
• Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, Dedication to hockey): Phil Kessel, BOS

There were also a few decided by statistics, that we knew the owners of after game 82.

• Art Ross Trophy (Most Points): Sidney Crosby, PIT
• Maurice Richard Trophy (Most Goals): Vincent Lecavalier, TBL
• William Jennings Trophy (Fewest Goals Allowed): Niklas Backstrom (a.k.a.Wild Bill Backstrom) and Manny Fernandez, MIN
  

Dave Sandford/Getty Images

What? You really thought I wouldn't post a picture of Doan and Stratus? For shame!

Fan Reactions to the Keenan Hiring

An artist's rendering of what the impact of Mike Keenan's hiring will have on the city of Calgary. Source

After TSN reported that Mike Keenan would be announced as the 14th head coach in Calgary Flames' history, shit hit the fan, for some fans anyway. There were some priceless reactions across the internets. Here's a quick recap.

Some excerpts from the comments section at TSN:

"All i can say Is..........GOD HELP US ALL" - captainandbilly

"I guess Mike Milbury turned them down" - PRIDEOFCAPETOWN

"WHY? I don't get it....WHY! Not Keenan...ACK!" - mws79

"Vancouver just got that much better in their division.....if this is true." - richard1313

"Huselius is probably on the first flight out of Calgary." - KipKaboom

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" -bigD!!

Of course, some people are more optimistic.

"This might be the KICK IN THE BUTT the Flames need to get them over the hump" - tyler15

"This is a brilliant move by Sutter if this goes through. Playfair seemed too soft on his guys and for a team built like Calgary is with the hard nose attitude you need a hard nosed coach who won't let players take a shift off. I think Keenan is ok (aka amazing) at making players accountable... Perfect fit for the environment." - LeafsEqualsLife

Battle of Ontario does a great job breaking down the whole situation for us. The highlights:

"A quick survey of Flames fans to this move reveals reactions from 1 to 10, that number of course referring to the number of 'O's in the NOOOO!!!!"

"Playfair is out as HC. That's good."

"Mike Keenan might just be a terrible coach. That's bad."

Mike Keenan is Poised to Destroy the Calgary Flames

Can you say 'train wreck?'

Honestly, that's a pretty frightening picture. Gonduin.com/ptg

It looks as though Mike Keenan is attempting to impose his iron-fisted will on yet another organization. Last night, TSN reported that Keenan is on the verge of becoming the next coach of the Calgary Flames. It's also worthy to note that current Flames GM, Darryl Sutter, was Keenan's assistant coach when Keenan coached the Blackhawks.

What's amazing about Keenan is that he has taken three different teams to the SC Finals on four occasions, and yet still manages to find controversy wherever he goes. Usually, his coaching tenure ends with a power struggle that he almost always finds a way to lose. The worst news for Flames fans; Keenan hasn't taken a team to the playoffs since the 1995-96 season, when he was coaching the Blues.

For a good summary of all the controversy that has surrounded Keenan, check out his Wikipedia page.

"Keenan was unceremoniously dismissed from the Philadelphia Flyers a year after leading them to the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals. After taking the Chicago Blackhawks to the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals, Keenan was forced to focus solely on his GM duties when longtime Blackhawk player and assistant coach, Darryl Sutter, was being courted by other teams to be their head coach. Owner, "Dollar" Bill Wirtz did not want to lose Sutter, especially since Keenan had stated, in July, 1992, that he wished to focus solely on his duties as general manager after the 92-93 season. Keenan lost a power struggle with Senior V.P. Bob Pulford after the 1992-93 season, resigned his position, and was soon hired by the New York Rangers. Incidentally, Darryl Sutter resigned as head coach of the Blackhawks in 1996 after Jeremy Roenick made derogatory, and, well-publicized, comments on a local sports-radio show. Keenan managed to coach the Rangers to the Stanley Cup in his first and only year as head coach, but was unable to coexist long enough with general manager Neil Smith and resigned weeks later, citing a violation of his contract by the Rangers. Unremarkable stops as coach or general manager in St. Louis, Vancouver, Boston and Florida (twice) followed.

In September of 2006, Keenan again attracted headlines when he abruptly resigned as general manager of the Florida Panthers. It was speculated that Keenan had lost a power struggle with head coach and longtime friend, Jacques Martin, over personnel decisions. Martin succeeded him as general manager upon his resignation."

I'm Only Signing Up if You Throw in a Pair of 'Ice Girls'

Historic Moments in NHL Marketing (I'm being serious this time)

Jesus. NewYorkIslanders.com

The folks in the New York Islanders' marketing department have always been ahead of the curve (unlike the rest of the organization). They were the first to make virtually every second of the team's day (from morning skate to post game report) available on their website in a feature called 'Islanders TV', and they were the creators of the hockey cheerleaders on ice/ice girls/Hooters on skates fad that has been going around the NHL. Today they reached out to us, the People, in a different way.

"The Islanders are challenging their fans with a passion for writing to start their own Islanders blog. Fans with existing Islanders blogs are welcome, too.

But here's the kicker: all chosen bloggers will be given the opportunity to cover select home games and practices with special media accommodations.

We're setting up a BLOG BOX in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum – sort of like a press box, but away from the scribes and broadcasters because we know you want to cheer, shout, have a pretzel and enjoy the game experience on your own terms.

We will provide you with a media pass for a few games next season and a seat in the NYI BLOG BOX. You will also receive your own set of Game Notes when you enter the Coliseum Press Gate. All you have to do is bring your note pad and/or voice recorder and cheer as loudly as you want. After the game you attend, we will set up an area where you can toss a few questions at a coach or players, based on your requests and their availability."

I'm really not too sure what to make of this.

From a fan's perspective, it seems pretty cool. 'I get to talk to the players, cover the team, go to a game (presumably) for free? Sweet!' From a marketing perspective, the team is trying to spark some interest in it's product by reaching out to an emerging demographic. Great idea. From a blogger's perspective, I think to myself 'other than some nice perks, what exactly is this doing for me?'

It's an interesting situation. For one thing, most bloggers don't usually rely on 'inside info' and player interviews, so it might not help all that much. Eric McErlain from Off Wing Opinion pretty much scoffs at the whole idea, and to an extent he's right. For serious bloggers, such as himself, there really doesn't seem to be a whole lot of exciting things to it. There's a little irony in McErlain's opinion, though. As he scoffs at the idea of bloggers in a box, many MSM people are scoffing at the idea of bloggers. Let's not repeat the mistakes of our forefathers, eh? On the other side of all this, this is (presumably) the first time any sports team/organization has seriously reached out to bloggers, which should be noted. Whatever you believe, we are probably going to have to wait until the season starts to really see how much of an impact this has.

It's really just an altogether interesting situation, and I don't really know what to make of it. I've been thinking about what I was going to write for the last few hours after the news broke, and I can't say that this is awesome, terrible or somewhere in between. It's a great, original idea. There's no doubt about that. How much of an impact this will have remains to be seen. It's hard to say that it will be a huge success/failure and if it will have any negligible impact on the blogosphere. At least they know we're out there, I guess.

What I can say from experience is that when Chris Botta (who's an awesome guy, by the way) says that the team has received 50-100 responses already, half of those blogging efforts won't make it to the start of the season. You know, people will get bored of it and what not. Despite that, I expect the Islander blogosphere to get very crowded, very soon.

One thing that I have to point out, based on the interview with DeadSpin, is that it doesn't seem like the bloggers are going to be put up high in the rafters anywhere near the other media personnel. Rather, it sounds like they'll be somewhere with the general public.

"Thinking right now is there will be room for about a dozen [Bloggers] at each game, but that is very much subject to change. Most likely location at the Coliseum is a section we have in mind at the top of the 200s, a good view right off the concourse about halfway up."

You don't have to know a lot about the Coliseum to figure it out, but it sounds as if the Bloggers will be placed somewhere in the normal audience. The Coliseum does have these odd little 1970s 'luxury boxes' scattered around it. They are these groups of about 10-15 seats that are walled and scattered around within the general seating arrangement, right above where staircases from the upper bowl exit to the concourse. That's my guess as to where the Bloggers will be boxed. Those boxes do have about four TVs per, though. It could be worse.

Something to note: You all know of my strong Islander convictions. I fucking bleed orange and blue. Before BMR was born, I was actually thinking of starting an Islander blog. Then I decided to create this piece of garbage instead. I wonder what I would have been saying had this website been called 'Mike Bossy Rocks'. Honestly, I made the right decision. That team just makes me depressed more often than not. At least now I get to laugh at other team's misfortunes.

Should the NHL Start From Scratch and Build a New Playoff System?

For those of you who are fans of ESPN's Bill Simmons, you may have already seen his Page 2 column today. Regardless, you should check it out and read it over as if you're reading an article about the NHL, and not the NBA (that link will probably disappear since ESPN hasn't yet discovered permalinks for it's "blogs").

What's extremely interesting about it is how Simmons outlines a radical idea for a playoff system that would create some serious excitement for the NBA, since the league is apparently incapable of generating any interest in the Finals. That being said, I feel that it would do just as much for the NHL. To be honest, the NHL playoff system isn't broken beyond repair and this year's finals were fairly entertaining. Nonetheless, it seems as if everyday we hear more and more about how badly the NHL's television ratings need a kick in the pants (turns out that's the case in the NBA as well). With Simmons' proposed system, both leagues could benefit greatly. They would almost certainly see a ratings increase, an attendance increase, and most importantly, an "entertaining-as-hell" finish to the season.

If you're a purist, or are afraid of change, or someone who simply loves the playoffs the way they are, take a few minutes and humor me. You are more than welcome to disagree with the following ideas, but all I ask is that you give it a listen. Couldn't hurt, right?

Like I said initially, read the following excerpt from the Sports Guy and pretend that Simmons is talking about the NHL. Anywhere you see 'San Antonio Spurs' think 'Anaheim Ducks' and when you read 'David Stern' think 'Large Bag of Douche Gary Bettman'. The ideas that Simmons outlines create a playoff format drastically different from any we've seen before, but it could seriously work wonders for both leagues.

Anyway, Warriors announcer Bob Fitzgerald made two radical proposals in his blog recently: One for realigning the conferences (not as pressing of an issue), and one for turning the playoffs into a straight 16-team bracket, almost like the Sweet 16 for March Madness, where seeds are awarded by win-loss records (so Dallas would have been No. 1 this spring, Phoenix would have been No. 2 and the Clips would have been No. 16). Please know that (A) I loved this idea and will always be ticked off that somebody else thought of it, and (B) John Hollinger beat me to the punch on Monday with his own version of how he'd handle the reseeding. Anyway, I chewed on the concept, chewed on it some more ... and decided that I'd tinker with Bob's renegade idea in the following ways:

• The top six teams from each conference still make the playoffs, only because we need the conference alignments to mean something.

• The team with the best record gets the No. 1 seed; the best team in the other conference gets the No. 2 seed. Every other seed is up for grabs. For this season, Dallas would have been No. 1, Detroit No. 2, Phoenix No. 3. and San Antonio No. 4. None of those teams could have played one another until the conference finals. Now that, my friends, is a good thing.

• For the No. 13-16 playoff spots, the league adopts my antitanking idea (from my April 23 magazine column):

"Shorten the regular season by four games, guarantee the top six seeds in each conference, then have a double-elimination tourney for the seventh and eighth seeds between the remaining ... teams. I suggest this for five reasons. First, it would be entertaining as hell. In fact, that's what we'll call it: the Entertaining-as-Hell Tournament. Second, I'm pretty sure we could get it sponsored. Third, the top 12 teams get a reward: two weeks of rest while the tournament plays out.

"Fourth, a Cinderella squad could pull off some upsets, grab an eighth seed and win fans along the way. And fifth, with the Entertaining-as-Hell Tournament giving everyone a chance, no team could tank down the stretch without insulting paying customers beyond repair."

Is there any downside for that idea? Lottery teams couldn't tank down the stretch and sideline their best players with dubious injuries. Playoff teams get two weeks of rest and practice so they'll be running on all cylinders in the playoffs. And if that's not enough, the Entertaining-as-Hell Tournament would be entertaining as hell, wouldn't it? Then, when the real playoffs started, we'd have a wide-open, 16-team bracket in which (A) the top-four teams couldn't play each other until the conference finals, (B) the matchups would be completely unpredictable, and (C) the bracket even would lend itself to a few illegal office pools (with the Finals MVP as the tiebreaker).

Just think of all the problems this solves for the NHL almost instantaneously.

• Bettman and the owners will have raging mega huge boners just thinking about how easily so many 'non-traditional NHL fans' will be able to relate to the March Madness style bracket format.
• This story would make huge news in the world of sports, and TV ratings will jump because of it. Maybe they won't go through the roof, but you can be sure they'll be up, especially in the short run. The fact is, when sports fans hear 'March Madness' (what this essentially is) they come running from all directions. If it's a success, they'll stay around.
  
• You won't hear the traditional whining from the teams who barely missed the playoffs. In this format, unless you are absolutely horrific, you've got a playoff shot. The whining was especially loud from Toronto this year after the Devils questionably did not start Brodeur in their final playoff game, giving the Islanders an easy chance to sneak in. All of that would be irrelevant. Teams such as the Maple Leafs would have the chance to settle everything on the ice. Missed the playoffs as the league's 25th best team? Sorry, play better next year.
  
• Mediocre and bad teams will be able to sell tickets during the stretch run. That's sure to make a whole slew of owners (and fans) happy. We won't have to expand the playoffs to 20 teams to give every team a chance, instead every team will have a chance during the play in tournament.
• As Simmons said, it would be pretty easy to get the play in tournament sponsored. Viola! More dough for all those money grubbing owners. The Bud Light NHL Playoff Push Tournament, anyone?
  
• When a division has a shitty season, as the Southeast did this year, their winner doesn't jump multiple teams that are much more deserving of the playoff spot. This season, Atlanta jumped Ottawa and Pittsburgh in the standings, and Atlanta was hands down the worst of the three. The same thing happened out West, too. Vancouver was not hands down better than Nashville, San Jose and Dallas, but they did have fewer points. That's gotta mean something.
  
• The division alignments will still mean something. In this format every point counts, and even though winning the division will not get your team an automatic top 3 spot, as long as you continue to play a ton of games against division opponents, the divisions will continue to be relevant. The rivalries that are created out of playing a ton of games against divisional opponents will do just that. It would be a disservice to break up the divisions, and see fewer of these rivalry games.
• The conferences could potentially even out. This might be a little far fetched, but all of a sudden, teams would not be trying to best other teams in their own conference/division. They would be trying to top teams throughout the entire league.
  
• If the NHL were to bring back a schedule where every team played every team during the regular season, then a game between Boston and Chicago in mid-January would be that much more interesting. It would, get this, mean something to the playoff race.
  

To have a little fun, I've broken down what this year's playoffs would have looked like if this playoff system was installed. There's no way to tell what would have happened during a play in tournament (part of why I love this idea), so I left seeds 13-16 blank.

Playoff Seedings Under Simmons' System
#1 Buffalo Sabres vs. #16 (play in team #4)
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #15 (play in team #3)
#3 Nashville Predators vs. #14 (play in runner up)
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #13 (play in winner)
#5 San Jose Sharks vs. #12 Calgary Flames
#6 Dallas Stars vs. #11 Minnesota Wild
#7 New Jersey Devils vs. #10 Pittsburgh Penguins
#8 Vancouver Canucks vs. #9 Ottawa Senators

That would leave the 13-16 spots up for grabs from any team that was not listed above. Here's where I differ from Simmons. You couldn't just let EVERYONE in a double-elimination tournament. As great as that sounds, you drastically water down the regular season (since technically everyone has a shot at the playoffs) and the season would drag on and into August. Double elimination? Might as well double the length of the season. Personally, I suggest a 12 team single-elimination tournament, as opposed to18 team double-elimination. This would keep truly abysmal teams (see: Philadelphia, Phoenix, Los Angeles) out, proving that the regular season would mean at least a little, and maintaining some standard of quality for the play-in tournament by keeping out the league's worst teams.

Here's how it works: The top four teams out of these 12 would receive a first round bye. The remaining eight teams would knock each other out in the first round (5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10, 8 vs. 9), with the winner of the game that had the lowest top seed getting the highest seeded second round opponent. For example, the top team would play the winner of the 8/9 game and the second best team would play the winner of the 7/10 match up. From the second round on, it would be your standard single-elimination tournament, just like March Madness. This type of tournament would only take 11 games to play out. That would add about 2-3 weeks to the schedule so, as Simmons said, why not take out the last week of the regular season (~4 games)? The extra length of the playoffs could be completely nullified by moving away from a 2-2-1-1-1 format and to a 2-3-2 format. With travel times reduced, games could be played much closer together, maybe even on back to back nights. This way, the playoffs wouldn't take until August to complete.

The most interesting part of all this; multiple playoff races would be created. Think about it. The teams at the top, the creme de la creme if you will, would be fighting for those #1/#2 seeds and the right to massacre the #15/#16 teams. If it's a year where one conference doesn't have a serious #1 team, the battle could get even more intense.

The second playoff race would be similar to the one we have now, as teams try to obtain the automatic bids and get some much needed time off while everyone else tries to play their way in.

The third race would be between the 'bottom feeders', who would be trying to play their way into the #23/#24 slots and take their shot in the tournament. No longer would teams be out of the playoffs in mid-January. We could have as many as 26 or 27 teams playing very significant games in late March. That sells tickets, folks and money speaks volumes. In an era when sports are a business, I sincerely wonder if the league would lend an ear to this.

Apparently This is All That Philadelphia Has to Look Forward to Next Season

Historic Moments In NHL Marketing

The rest of that sentence read '...thanks for the memories.' What extraordinary memories they were, indeed. MySpace

If you're not familiar with the Flyers, and chances are you're not, then you might not have noticed Shawn Hill, a.k.a. Orange Dancin' Guy, a.k.a. Dancin' Shawny. Let me introduce you. Hill is probably the NHL's best 'dancing, chubby guy who's got season tickets in the upper deck'.

During the second half of the season, he found his way onto the JumboTron at the Wachovia Center during many of the Flyers' home games. He's probably the most talented JumboTron dancer out there and, as it turns out, he does a very entertaining emulation of Thriller.

You could certainly make the argument that at some point during the season, what Hill was doing from his perch in the upper deck became way more entertaining than whatever was happening on the ice. If you weren't paying attention, this season the Flyers went 22-48-12 for a grand total of 58 points and won the dubious distinction of being the worst team in the NHL. That was also the team's lowest point total in franchise history, which includes their inaugural season in 1967-68 when there were, you know, 12 NHL teams. It's really an impressive feat, considering the extra point teams now gain for simply making it to overtime. But I digress.

Now, put this heart warming story together with the Flyers' ice cold record and the conclusion that came from the Flyers' marketing department is an interesting one, although it does show that NHL clubs are now thinking past using hot girls to market their team. Every team has their own set of 'ice girls', including Carolina, Dallas and Florida. In what has to be an NHL first, the Flyers have now used their Orange Dancin' Guy in a recent marketing campaign. Will awkwardly dancing white guys become the new NHL marketing fad? I'll believe ya when me shit turns purple and tastes like rainbow sherbet. For now, all I can really handle is one Orange Dancin' Guy, and I think that's all the ODG we need.

The following is a video tribute to Hill that, correct me if I'm wrong, the Flyers played at their last home game.

Whatever gets you through the season, Philadelphia. Whatever gets you through the season.

If you want to check out the marketing campaign, head over to the 700 Level. They even have a link to a video of ODG's spot.

And if you were wondering, he's got a MySpace. Naturally.

People Who Like Their Current Employer and Those Who Don't

Careful, he's probably old enough to be your father. Some Random Website

It's time once again for another edition of 'People Who Like Their Current Employer and Those Who Don't'. Even though you might not realize it, there is hockey news to talk about after the end of the SC Finals and July 1. Here's a quick look around the league at some recent signings.

People Who Like Their Current Employer

• The top news today is that Mats Sundin loves him some Maple Leafs. The team's captain signed a one-year deal valued at $5.5 million, taking a $700,000 pay cut.
  
• Old Man Winter Chris Chelios is going to give it another go with Detroit, he re-signed for $850,000 today.
• The Ducks are not wasting any time savoring the Stanley Cup, as they re-signed Travis Moen ($1.825 mil, two years) and George Parros ($1.1 mil, two years) to new contracts today.
• Yesterday the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they had re-signed Kyle Wanvig (one year) and Nick Tarnasky (three years). I haven't been able to find any of the financial details involved.
• Update (7:40 PM): TSN is reporting that Coach Lindy Ruff and GM Dacry Regier have re-signed with Buffalo.
  

...And People Who Don't

• Not that Pierre Turgeon has anything against the Avalanche, but TSN is reporting that he will announce his retirement in the near future. I'll always remember him for putting up 132 points in the 1992-93 season with the Islanders. He played every game that year, but would got knocked out of the playoffs by a ridiculously dirty hit from Dale Hunter of the Capitals. Sadly, that's also the last time the Islanders won a playoff series.
• Vancouver's Lee Goren is leaving the continent after signing a contract with Skelleftea AIK in Sweden.
  
• Boston's Nathan Dempsey has signed with SC Bern, a team in Switzerland. At least I think that's what the article says. Who knows, maybe 'Der Verteidiger wird nächste' means that he is starting a nacho store. Seriously though, it is being reported on english websites, as well.
• Update (7:40 PM): Larry Brooks of the New York Post is reporting that Jarkko Immonen and Bryce Lampman of the Rangers have signed contracts to play in Finland next season.

Free Agency Matchmaker: Chris Drury

Chris Drury might like his teammates in Buffalo more than we could have imagined.
ViewImages.com

The start of free agency (July 1) is almost upon us, and to help shed some light on the subject, BMR brings you the second in a series of profiles chronicling this summer's free agent class. Next up is Buffalo's Chris Drury.

We have all heard the story -- it's brought up almost every year during the playoffs -- of Chris Drury's exploits in Little League Baseball. What we don't hear enough about is Drury's aptitude for the game of hockey. Until he became the star of the show in Buffalo, fans didn't hear a whole lot about him, as he played in the shadows of Forsberg, Sakic and Roy in Colorado. Believe it or not, the guy kneeling in the picture above is actually a very talented hockey player.

This is one of those player-uniform combinations that really makes my head hurt. In five years no one will believe it ever happened. CalgaryFlames.com

Drury doesn't put up gaudy numbers, but he has been a solid and steady performer throughout his NHL career, even during the odd year that he spent in Calgary (remember that?). He is not a prolific scorer, as he has averaged only .75 points per game during his eight year career. His plus/minus isn't amazing, notching a career high of +9 in his rookie season and he only put up a +1 this season, while teammate Thomas Vanek led the league at +47.

What the 30-year old Drury does bring to the table are his intangibles; his work ethic, guts, grit, determination and a whole boatload of leadership. Drury has all the things that you want in a leader and excels at all the things you cannot quantify. For the past two seasons Drury has been the face of a team that has no big name superstars. He has co-captained the Sabres with Donald Briere since the lockout, and has been a vital part of the team's recent success.


Matchmaker, Matchmaker make me a match...
(in no particular order)

• Buffalo Sabres: The prevailing notion around the league is that the Sabres are going to have to make a very serious choice this summer; do they sign Briere, Drury or neither? Drury is undoubtedly the cheaper option, but Briere provides an irreplaceable amount of offense. Chances are that the Sabres are going to opt for Briere and his 95 points, but his price tag is going to be steep. Briere made $5 million this year, a year in which he topped his highest career point total by 30. Drury, on the other hand, made $3.154 million, and hasn't seen his number dramatically increase in the past few years. Nonetheless, he'll probably be looking for a raise big enough to significantly hinder Buffalo's ability to resign both captains (I'm not trying to imply he will do that on purpose, he'll likely try and do anything but). Case and point; Drury in a Sabres uni isn't looking too convincing at this point. Drury is a relatively young UFA and waiting until July 1 should benefit him greatly... Let's not forget about Thomas Vanek; a RFA coming off a career year, who will also be looking for big money.
  
• New York Rangers: The Rangers are flying under the radar in the Drury sweepstakes, but make no mistake that they are a leading candidate. Drury grew up in Trumbull, Connecticut, only an hour away from the Garden and it's not so hard to believe it when Wikipedia tells you that he's a Yankee and Ranger fan. Hometown advantage? You better believe it. The word out of Buffalo is that Drury is going to be looking for a team that has a shot to win it all, and a young up and coming Ranger team fits the bill. As I went over in the Peter Forsberg article, the Rangers have the cap room to grab a big name free agent. Drury might just be the easiest one for them to get their hands on.
  
• Colorado Avalanche: We might as well take a look at this angle, as Drury could certainly have a second go around in Denver. He would be joining a team that's talented, young, well under the cap, and could throw the house at him if they wanted to. That's going to be the key this off season. Who, if anyone, do the Avs want to throw all their cap space at? Even the rumor mill has been very hush-hush on this possibility. I can't wait to see how it plays out.
  
• Los Angeles Kings: The Kings are another team rumored to be interested in Drury, and rightfully so. They've got miles of cap space. What kills this rumor for me? Their record and their history. The Kings were the third worst team in the NHL this year and haven't had serious success in a long time. If Drury is at all interested in playing for a contender, he won't make a stop in L.A.
  
• San Jose Sharks: As rumors continue to swirl about Drury, the Sharks are rumored to be a major suitor. They have the talent to convince Drury they have a shot at a cup, and since Drury is in the $4 million neighborhood, he would fit better under the cap for them than most of the top free agents out there. He doesn't quite fit into the Sharks lineup, though. They already have gifted offensive minded players in Cheechoo and Marleau and aren't in need of a big name center. They've already got Thornton, Marleau and a heap of young players in the middle. It's also worthy to note that Drury's former teammate and friend in Buffalo, Mike Grier, is in San Jose. Grier might have some interesting things to say to Drury about the situation. We'll just have to wait and see if switching coasts is something Drury would be interested in doing.
  

If you put a gun to my head and made me choose a destination for Drury: It would be the Garden, hands down. Drury is an east coast guy, and I don't see him going across the country to play hockey. The Rangers have as talented a core of young players as any team in the league, and they have just as much money to spend, too. Recent success? Oh yeah, they've got that too. The impending free agency of Vanek and Briere in Buffalo will probably leave Drury as the odd man out. Unless for some odd reason Briere has zero desire to play in Buffalo, the Sabres are probably going to spend what money they do have on Vanek and Briere. Colorado is a wild card in all of this. Don't count them out of it, but they're going to need to make a series play to take Drury away from home.

The Constitution of the United Mullets of BMR

The man. The mullet. The legend. FansOnly.com

Today marks exactly one month since Barry Melrose Rocks came into existence. Yes, in that short time you have heard near incoherent rantings about everything from playoff beards and people who watch half naked teenagers ride stationary bikes to prospects who love to party and some half assed quality playoff coverage. That's great and all, but it still has left many questions unanswered such as; why isn't Sarah Silverman funny, why did the sequels to the Matrix suck, and why on God's green earth internet does this blog even exist?

As it turns out, I'm really not sure about the answer to any of those questions. If you really need to know, you should probably ask your parents.

That being said, it's about time to try and figure out exactly what the purpose and direction of this blog is going to be in the coming months. To simplify things, today I am proud to announce the creation of the Constitution of the United Mullets of Barry Melrose Rocks. It's kind of like the US Constitution, minus slavery.

Article 1: The Author

• Section 1: Despite the hilarity and success that certain kick ass blogs have had regarding the use of the 'royal we,' the writers at Barry Melrose Rocks (henceforth identified as 'BMR') shall not make use of said 'we', unless said use is absolutely necessary. At the present moment there is, in fact, one writer at BMR and he shall not even think of invoking the use of the 'we' until there actually is a 'we'. At the present, even though the writer does indeed speak for the entire blog, he does not speak for all of the readers, all NHL fans, nor all members of the cast of the television show 'Reno 911'. Since he cannot speak for these parties, he shall not make it appear that he speaks for these parties.
• Section 2: The author shall not speak in the third person, unless he is writing a document such as this or if the use of the third person is absolutely necessary.
  

Article 2: Blog Posts

• Section 1: In the name of all that is fun, the author shall not post more than three completely serious blog entries in a row. The lone exception being during a time of national crisis (i.e. Brian Burke's head explodes during a press conference).
• Section 2: In all relevant instances, the author will cite any sources used in a post by creating a hyper link to those sources. The author has the right to either link at the bottom of the post or anywhere in the post's text as so; what would they have called hyper links in 1787? If a source goes uncited, the commenters have the right to request sources and/or attempt to discern if the author is a witch, whereby they will place him in a cage and determine if the author weights the same as a duck. If it is found that the author is of equal weight as the duck, they will be declared a witch and burned (since both ducks and wood float and witches are made of wood because they burn).
  
• Section 3: The author will not intervene in their own article with a note from the editor. The lone exception being if, and only if, said note is funnier than the video Super Size Me (With Whiskey). Since that it not possible, this is is not allowed.
• Section 4: This is not your parents' hockey blog! The author will attempt to be as original as possible, even if that means being completely random at times (i.e. posting long articles about playoff beards). Every website has a finals preview and post game analysis, and one of BMR's goals will be to provide you with that knowledge and insight, but not bore you with the lame ass, repetitive details. We know where the game takes place. We know the key players. Now tell us something interesting!
  

Article 3: Posting Photos

• Section 1: The author shall not go more than five (5) days without posting at least one picture that in some way involves a celebrity or hot chick.
  
• Section 2: In the event that the author cannot find a suitable picture to accompany a post, a picture of a celebrity/hot chick must be used as a substitute. Said picture must relate in some way to the post, even if it has six degrees of separation.

Article 4: Categories

• Section 1: The number of categories shall be kept as small as possible and any category that does not pertain to a person, NHL team or event (playoffs, draft, free agency etc.) shall have a ridiculous name.
  
• Subsection A: No category shall ever be created for Mark Messier. The author fears that if such category is created, Mr. Messier will request a formal, overly dramatic press conference to announce it, wherein Mr. Messier will cry like an 8-year old girl.
  

Article 5: Vendettas
Any personal bias and/or vendettas that the author has shall be made clear in this, Article five (5).

• Section 1: Bias
• Subsection A: The author is, by birthright, completely and utterly biased towards the New York Islanders, but will try and be as impartial as possible.
• Subsection B: The New York Jets also present a problem of bias, but they play football. That sport is irrelevant here.
• Subsection C: Let it be known that the University of South Carolina is far superior to Clemson University, and that the SEC is the best college conference in the nation (save for Big East basketball).
  
• Section 2: Vendettas
• Subsection A: The author, as you might expect, has an extreme distaste for one Gary Bettman.
• Subsection B: The New York Rangers are going to be given their due diligence, but that is all.
• Subsection C: From herein let it be known that the author has no patience for the ramblings that come out of Toronto every so often. (Exhibit A)

Monday Morning Ice Breaker

Here at BMR, we hate Mondays. So, to try and ease everyone back into the work week, we present to you a weekly installment of nonsense and (hopefully) laughter. Without further ado, here is your Monday morning ice breaker...

These guys have been around for a while now, but if you haven't seen their act it's really worth checking out. Let me introduce you to the Whitest Kids You Know, if you haven't already been acquainted. They are a sketch comedy troupe comprised of white, 20-something males from New York City. Recently, they got their own (fucking hilarious) show on the cable network Fuse, which is MTV for the kids that are anti-MTV. The clip below is a parody of Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me. I present to you, thanks to the Whitest Kids You Know, Super Size Me (With Whiskey).

The NHL Draft Keg Party: James Van Riemsdyk

Here at BMR we try to provide you, the reader, with as educational and entertaining a look at the NHL as possible. In preparation for the NHL Draft, today we continue with a feature entitled 'The NHL Draft Keg Party'. The goal of this feature is to provide you with information about the prospects that you haven't heard already. Hopefully, this will be a fun and entertaining endeavor. (Disclaimer)

Even the Miller Lite girls know this guy is dynamite. Facebook

Prospect Profile: James Van Riemsdyk

Birthdate: May 4, 1989

Position: Left Wing

Height/Weight: 6'3" / 200lb

Shoots: Left

Current Team: US National Team Developmental Program

ISS Ranking: #2 overall

CSB Ranking: #3 North America

[NHL Connect Profile] [Hockey's Future Profile]

Nickname: Reemer

Favorite TV Show: The OC

Favorite Movie: Happy Gilmore

Favorite Music: John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Bruce Spingsteen, OAR

Quote: "Success is never final, and failure is never fatal." - Nick Saban

Post Draft Plans: University of New Hampshire

Favorite NHL Memory: Game seven of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals (Rangers defeat the Canucks)

BMR Scouting Report

From all accounts Van Riemsdyk sounds like a great kid. I've got a beef, though. Some of his favorite TV shows and musicians include John Mayer, Jack Johnson and the OC. That's a minus in my book. That makes two prospects in a row that enjoy some Mayer and Johnson. I sincerely hope hockey players aren't starting to go soft. Maybe this is why fighting is down? I think there's a good chance that we can blame the OC for a lot of things happening in the NHL. It's possible that the Sens came out flat in the Finals because they were staying up too late watching OC reruns, a show that they didn't start watching until they started hanging out with Buffalo in the Conference Finals! Ah ha! That must be it!... Since I live a stone's throw from where the Islanders paraded four Stanley Cups, it's tough for me to swallow that Van Riemsdyk is a Ranger fan. That being said, the guy can play some serious hockey, and he can have a spot on the Island any day. You know, shit happens... One thing is certain; this kid is going to be good. You can tell me that the draft is a crap shoot. You can tell me Van Riemsdyk will be the next Alex Daigle. Don't waste your breath. I won't believe any of it for a second. Take a look at the picture accompanying this post and think about this; Did the Great One or Super Mario ever have a picture like that surface prior to their 18th birthday? I don't think so (and if they did I want to see it!).

By the way, if Gary Bettman starts using the OC as an excuse for expansion, remember that you heard it here first.

UPDATE: As it turns out, Van Riemsdyk is down with Snoop Dizzle. That seals it, there is NO WAY Chicago can pass on this guy.

Sources: Facebook, NHL.com, TSN

The Boogaards Like Teaching Kids How to Throw Right Hooks

Learning how to jack guys up from Derek and Aaron Boogaard. Now THAT is a summer camp! Fred Trask/WildEnforcers.com

Remember every year on the first day of grade school when your teacher would ask the class what it did on summer vacation? This year, about 30 kids from Regina, Saskatchewan are going to have one heck of a story to tell.

"This summer, some NHL players taught me how to throw a right hook and protect myself on the ice," they might say.

Two NHL brothers, Derek (Minnesota Wild) and Aaron Boogard (Pittsburgh Penguins) are showing kids exactly how to do that. They are holding a training camp for kids between the ages of 12 and 18 that teaches the kids how to fight and protect themselves on the ice. To outside observers, the brothers may sound a little nuts, but they don't see it that way.

"The people who say this is a bad thing - because it's going to happen - just tell them to cool it, relax, sit back and watch (what he's teaching)," said Derek Boogaard. "It's not a bad example. A bad example is letting a kid go out there and fight and get himself hurt. This is to protect the kids, bottom line."

Personally, I can't wait to see the kids present this to their classes for show and tell. I imagine it would end with someone getting their shirt pulled over their head and taking some punches to the stomach. Now that's how you do show and tell!

Watch and learn, kids. This is how you get a sick rep in the NHL:

Free Agency Matchmaker: Peter Forsberg

It's really easy to imagine seeing this photo on Match.com. Nettavisen.no

The start of free agency (July 1) is almost upon us, and to help shed some light on the subject we bring you the first in a series of profiles of this season's class of top free agents. First up is Peter Forsberg.

The man pictured to your left needs no introduction. What he does need, is an NHL team to call his own. Step right up NHL GMs! He enjoys candlelit dinners, long walks on the beach... Well, I don't know if he really does enjoy those things, but he certainly is good at his day job.

Forsberg has battled serious injury problems during the past three seasons; from groin strains to ankle and wrist injuries, even a concussion. Those problems have limited him to 156 games over that span. That averages out to 52 games played per year.

Despite those problems, Forsberg is still one of the premier players in the league and is arguably the best player to ever come out of Sweden. Over those three injury plagued seasons he still averaged 1.19 points per game and had an average plus minus rating of +14.6. Those numbers are even more impressive considering that he played the majority of the 06-07 season for Philadelphia, the NHL's worst team.

To play devil's advocate, Forsberg can be looked at as a shaky signing. He will be 34 in July probably still has a few good years left, but there's always the chance that his next injury (and it seems likely there will be a next injury) could be the one that ends his career for good. In 12 NHL seasons, Forsberg has managed to play 70 or more games five times, the last of those seasons coming in 2002-03. It's almost certain that he will spend at least a small chunk of the year on the shelf.

Despite his injury problems, it's clear that any NHL team would love to have Forsberg in their lineup, but who will have the most realistic shot at obtaining the Swede?

Two years ago, Forsberg signed with Philadelphia as an unrestricted free agent. At the time, the Flyers were a serious competitor in the East and threw big money in his direction ($5.75 mil this season). List some of the main factors Forsberg will look at... competitive teams, $, previous experience, who has cap room.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker make me a match...
(in no particular order)

• Philadelphia Flyers: Forsberg may choose to go back to the team that traded him in February, and if so, the Flyers will certainly have the money to do it. NHLNumbers.com estimates the Flyer's contract commitments for 2007-08 to be in the neighborhood of $31 million. There are serious questions about this option; is Philly a town Forsberg wants to be in, and does he want to be part of a rebuilding project? Let's face it. Despite the acquisition of Martin Biron, the Flyers aren't going to be a contender next year. If winning another title is part of Forsberg's plan, and there's a good chance it is, Philly may drop on his list.
  
• MoDo (Swedish Elite League): Rumor has it that there is currently an offer on the table from MoDo asking Forsberg to return home. He would certainly be taking a pay cut, but he is adored in Sweden, and a ticket home is never something that is easy to turn down. Earlier in the season Mats Sundin turned down an offer to play in Sweden. We will have to wait and see if Forsberg does the same. Remember, prior to the lockout it was rumored that Forsberg would return to Sweden. Thanks to the lockout he did without having to choose between Sweden and the NHL, but did he get the urge to play at home out of his system?
  
• Nashville Predators: You certainly can't take them out of the equation, as Forsberg would have the opportunity to play along side Paul Kariya and a host of other talented players on what should be a competitive team. That begin said, as the scenario of Nashville relocating gains steam, so does the scenario of many of the Predators free agents (Forsberg, Kariya, Timonen) skipping town. Unless things really accelerate, it looks like they will have at least one more season in Nashville, but it may not be a location that is attractive for the long-term. The Predators do have the cap space (approx. $28 mil committed to 07-08) to sign both Kariya and Forsberg, but there are also 14 other expiring contracts on their roster. Signing both players, who will be asking for at least five million a piece, may not leave enough room to sign Timonen (who is coming off a career year and will certainly be looking for more than this season's $2.28 mil) and the rest of the pack.
  
• Dallas Stars: Forsberg could fit in as a short term replacement for the aging Mike Modano, or would look great playing alongside Modano, Jere Lehtinen and Brenden Morrow. The problem with this scenario is that the numbers don't look so great. Dallas is committed to ~$40 million for next season and has a plethora of free agents. Leading scorer Mike Riberio is a RFA, and will undoubtedly be looking for more than the $1.9 mil he made this season. The contracts of 10 other players, including Eric Lindros, Patrick Stefan, Daryl Sydor and Jussi Jokinen are also up. Even if Dallas lets most of those players walk (likely), they still need room for replacements.
  
• Colorado Avalanche: It has been reported that the Avalanche currently have about $30 million locked up for next season, leaving a lot of wiggle room under a salary cap which is expected to increase. To add to that, they only have two RFAs to worry about in Marek Svatos and Cody McCormick. Forsberg is going to cost a pretty penny, but he spent most of his career in Colorado, including two Stanley Cup victories. They certainly have a 'home town advantage' so to speak. Colorado missed the playoffs this season and didn't roll through the West like we expect them to - don't let the facade fool you. This team is bursting at the seams with young talent and is on it's way up (Svatos, Wolski, Stastny and Liles to name a few). If the Avs can get a solid net minder, be it through Budaj's development or free agency, this team will be making some serious noise next year. One side note: Colorado would only be committed to about $24 million next season, if they didn't have Jose Theodore's lousy contract. Just imagine all of the possibilities!
  
• Detroit Red Wings: If Forsberg wants to go to a Cup Contender, and loyalty to Colorado isn't a factor, here's his next stop. Detroit came up short this year, but looks as if the Wings will be able to have continued success in the future. Money isn't as much of a problem in Detroit as it is in Dallas, but they face the same problem that Nashville is facing. Chris Chelios, Robert Lang, Dominik Hasek, Todd Bertuzzi, Kyle Calder, Mathieu Schneider and Danny Markov are all unrestricted. Yikes. It's tough to imagine them resigning half those guys and still having room for Forsberg.
  
• San Jose Sharks: This one is purely a hypothetical, but think about it. It almost makes too much sense. Yes, the Sharks were right up against the cap this year, but that was in part to Vladimir Malakhov's $3.6 million dollar retirement. Best of all, they have all their core players signed. They are looking at a total of eight free agents (5 UFA, 3 RFA), the big names being Bill Guerin, Scott Hannan and Craig Rivet. Let's get to the numbers. The Sharks have ~$35 million committed to next season. We'll say that the cap moves to $46 mil next year, leaving San Jose ~$11 million under the cap. If they ink Forsberg for $6 mil (I'm being a bit generous), let Guerin and Rivet walk, sign Hannan for $2.5 (again, a bit generous), that leaves ~$2.5 to fill in the rest. Forsberg's offensive output replaces Guerin's, who was a rental and might not want to stay in San Jose anyway. There is one string attached; the Sharks must be confident enough to leave their defense mostly as is. That means an increased role for Matt Carle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
  
• New York Rangers: You can bet the Blueshirts will be interested in a big name like Forsberg, but this scenario may be a little far fetched. Imaging him alongside Prucha and Jagr is a frightening possibility... Spotlight? Check. Contender? Check. Not relocating? Check. Cap room? Sort of. Free agents? Tons. Like San Jose, the Rangers are looking at about $35 million already committed. They can drop Kevin Weekes and Sandis Ozolinsh, freeing up $4.75 mil. That doesn't replace the fact that they have 12 free agents to be including, Petr Prucha, Henrik Lundqvist, Sean Avery and Brendan Shanahan. Prucha and Lundqvist made a combined $1.38 last season. You can bet that figure is going to sky rocket. This scenario has some possibilities, but I feel like the Rangers have too many players to resign to take a realistic shot at Forsberg. Of course, if for some reason they let Shanny and Avery walk, all bets are off.

If you put a gun to my head and made me choose a destination for Forsberg: I don't like making predictions, and my Stanley Cup pick showed everyone that I'm not good at them, either (I picked the Sens in seven). That didn't work out well. Nonetheless, I'm going to stick my neck out for your entertainment. If playing for MoDo doesn't interest Forsberg, then returning to Colorado surely would. He turned down more money from Colorado in 2005 to go to Philly, but that experiment hasn't worked out. With a little elbow grease the Avs will be a contender, they have the money to throw at him, and have a young team that isn't in any danger of being broken up through free agency. Throw in the fact that Forsberg has already spent 10 seasons in the organization, and that's where I feel he will be as long as he didn't burn too many bridges on his way out in '05.

SI Fan Nation Wants You to Know That it Doesn't Know Hockey

World, meet Backstrom Prime. He in an unstoppable wrecking machine. CBS Sportsline

Not that hockey needs more people who don't care about it, or that we need to tell you about the ever growing number of people who like to remind us that they don't care, but the sport just got a few more of the aforementioned folks thanks to Sports Illustrated's awkward blog based offspring, FanNation.com.

For the record, I'm not talking about the actual Sports Illustrated website. The people over there do a bang up job, especially Alan Muir, whom I have professed my man love for in the past. Their new devil child, Fan Nation, not so much.

Look, people make mistakes. It's not a big deal. It happens. It's just that when you continually make the same mistake, it makes it look like you're either dumb or that you flat out don't care about what you are doing. The latter might be the case for the folks who run the NHL section over at Fan Nation. They seem to have a bit of a problem identifying pictures of hockey players.

No, not the Denis Arkhipovs and the Todd Fedoruks of the NHL, whom even to avid hockey fans, are not that recognizeable. As it turns out, Fan Nation has a problem identifying the Ryan Smyths and Teemu Selannes of the league. You know, the guys who you would probably recognize if you paid attention to the NHL for the last, oh, month of the season (see picture here).

Maybe you could just blame most of this on the Washington Capitals' newest addition, center Nicklas Backstrom. After all, he didn't do anybody a favor by naming himself within one letter of Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom (who will be referred to as Wild Bill Backstrom from now on, cause it sounds ridiculously cool). Fan Nation didn't have a problem posting a blurb about Nicklas' new contract with the Caps on May 17 (I will refer to him as Backstrom Prime from now on, to help make this all a bit easier and pay tribute to the new Transformers movie). Still with me?

Alas, the NHL just isn't big enough for Wild Bill Backstrom (the one who stops pucks) and Backstrom Prime (the one who shoots pucks). On May 26, when the Wild made their first move to court Wild Bill Backstrom, Fan Nation had a little hiccup. Backstrom Prime, the wrong Backstrom, appeared on the website. Ok, big deal. They made a mistake. Shit happens.

As Lee Corso would say, 'not so fast, my friend.'

Fast forward to June 7th, the day after Anaheim won the Stanley Cup. An article about whether or not Teemu Selanne will retire is posted on Fan Nation. Teemu Selanne's face? Nowhere to be found. No one is really certain who it is, but the person who was pictured next to the article appears to be a North American fellow (certainly not Selanne) with a dirty blonde colored beard. Commenters speculate that the man pictured is possibly Travis Moen or Todd Marchant. Apparently, something as simple as copying the description that the AP writes for a photo, isn't all that easy.

Later in the day, an article was posted pertaining to a rumor about Ryan Smyth having a hand in Alexei Yashin's departure from Long Island. Ladies and gentleman, meet Brendan Witt as does his best impression to portray Captain Canada. All you have to do to be Ryan Smyth is have long hair and wear a blue jersey, apparently.

The nail in the coffin, if you will, would be the repetition of a prior mistake. Today, June 8th, the cycle is completed when Backstrom Prime appears in another article about Wild Bill Backstrom. Worst of all, the folks reading the article aren't so sure that what they are reading is actually news, or a rumor for that matter.

Sure, it's really not a big deal, but you would think that Fan Nation would fix their errors after a few weeks, or after their commenters notice. Yes, it's just a bunch of mislabeled photos. The problem is though, that it does a disservice to all the journalists/bloggers/webmasters/other webish people (I think I just created a new word) out there who do their best, check their facts and crop their photos.

Update: I guess they never saw this post, cause they're still at it.

Edmonton Needs a Mulligan

Yeah, that sight still may sting a little for the inhabitants of Edmonton. Ann Heisenfelt/AP

After finishing within one game of taking home the Stanley Cup last season, the Edmonton Oilers might of endured more heartbreak in the past year than any other franchise.

Let's recap:

• June '06 - Oilers lose in Game seven of the finals
• July '06 - In a huge P.R. debacle Chris Pronger, a key instrument in getting Edmonton to the finals, requests a trade.
  
• February '07 - The heart of the franchise, Ryan Smyth is traded. The Oilers go on the lose 11 in a row and miss the playoffs.
• June '07 - Everything comes full circle as (part of) Alberta watches in horror as Pronger lifts the cup with Anaheim.

Covered in Oil summed up this whole situation better than anyone could ever hope to. Their post is hilarious, but should probably be followed by a few drinks for those readers in Edmonton.

2006-07: A Year in Pictures [Covered in Oil]

The NHL Draft Keg Party: Kyle Turris

Here at BMR we try to provide you, the reader, with as educational and entertaining a look at the NHL as possible. In preparation for the NHL Draft, allow me to present to you a new feature entitled 'The NHL Draft Keg Party'. The goal of this feature is to provide you with information about the prospects that you haven't heard already. Hopefully, this will be a fun and entertaining endeavor.

Before the floor is opened for criticism, let me say a few things. We're not out to try and slander these kids or 'dig up dirt' on them. We're just interested in the simple things, such as what their favorite movies are. You know, the stuff you actually want to know about the players that your team will be drafting. Sports are now big business and sometimes we have to be reminded of the fact that these 18-year old kids are, in fact, 18-year old kids. They're not any different than the kid who sells you popcorn at a movie theater or the one that babysits your children, except that, well, they're really, really good at hockey. Hopefully everyone out there can remember what they were like at age 18.

Can this man save an NHL franchise? Facebook

Prospect Profile: Kyle Turris

Birthdate: August 14, 1989

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 6'0" / 165lb

Shoots: Right

Current Team: Burnaby Express (BCHL)

ISS Ranking: #3 overall

CSB Ranking: #1 North America

[NHL Connect Profile] [McKeen's Feature Article]

Favorite movies: Lucky Number Slevin, The Departed, Night at the Roxbury

Favorite music: Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Rascall Flatts, Keith Urban, Nickelback

Favorite TV shows: Seinfeld, The Simpsons

Quote: "Don't pick a fight with an ugly guy, he's got nothin' to lose."

Did you know? Turris had a lacrosse stick in his hand before he was on skates, starting at age four and five, respectively.

BMR Scouting Report

This one is for all the ladies out there who are looking for a hockey hunk. Get your game faces on girls, cause Mr. Turris is single. A little patience could help, though. He won't be 18 until August... He earns some cred with the guys, too. One of his favorite movies is The Departed, and that's good enough for me. How can you possibly lead a team if you don't like that movie... John Mayer and Jack Johnson are questionable, but it's hard to knock a person's taste in music... Gotta feel the love for Will Ferrell too, with Night at the Roxbury...

Be sure to check back for more prospect profiles in the coming days.

Sources: Facebook, McKeen's Hockey, TSN

Hockey, We Will Certainly Miss Thee

The Finnish Flash capped the 06-07 season by lifting his first Stanley Cup. David E. Klutho/SI

Last night's game five in Anaheim was the last game of the 2006-07 season, hockey's version of icing on the cake if you will, and it would be a shame to let the year pass without bidding adieu to the season that was.

To recap, here are some of the most talked about stories from 2006-07.

• Anaheim didn't like being mighty. They would rather just be Ducks.
  
• The Islanders signed Rick DiPietro to an unbelievable 15-year deal. (9/12/06)
• The Sabres unveiled some new duds. (9/16/06)
• Stevie Y took up residence in the Red Wings' front office as Vice President. (9/25/06)
  
• Mario Lemieux's number was retired (again) and Jim Balsillie agreed to purchase the Penguins. (10/5/06)
• Brendan Shanahan scored his 600th career goal. (10/5/06)
  
• Colby Armstrong lit up Trevor Letowski. Yikes. (10/14/16)
• Colorado's sellout streak finally ended. (10/17/06)
  
• Scientists are still trying to figure out what Ryan Getzlaf did. (10/22/06)
• Evgeni Malkin absolutely smoked the Devils. (10/24/06)
  
• The Sabres got off to their best start in franchise history, winning their first 10 games. (10/26/06)
  
• Patrick Marleau got absolutely jacked up. (11/7/06)
  
• Later, the Ducks decided to not lose for the first 16 games of the season. (11/10/06)
• Buffalo set an NHL record by winning their first 10 road games of the season. (11/13/06)
• Jaromir Jagr scored his 600th career goal. (11/16/07)
  
• We found out that Atlanta and Washington do not appreciate each other. (11/22/06)
• Ken Hitchcock took over behind the bench in Columbus. (11/22/06)
  
• Sidney Crosby > the New York Rangers. (12/7/06)
• Boston's Phil Kessel was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He would return to the ice a month later. (12/11/06)
  
• Tomas Vanek had a heck of a year, including making Cristobal Huet look downright silly. (12/12/06)
• Balsillie withdrew his bid to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins. (12/15/06)
  
• Scott Nichol got suspended for going ape shit on Jaroslav Spacek. (12/21/07)
• Christmas was over and so were the niceties, as Donald Brashear and Andrew Peters proved. (12/26/06)
  
• The Red Wings had to order a lot of extra Yzerman jerseys. (1/2/07)
  
• Patrick Stefan is probably still wishing that he hit the empty net. (1/4/07)
• Marty St. Louis proves that you don't actually have to be facing the goaltender to score on a penalty shot. (1/7/07)
• Chicago is probably still mad about this goal. (1/14/07)
  
• That was a heck of a fight, eh? (1/26/07)
• 'O, Canada' was sung in an aboriginal language for the first time at a major sporting event. (2/3/07)
  
• Sid the Kid never ceased to amaze us. (2/7/07)
  
• Ronald Petrovicky showed that he is a dangerous man. (2/11/07)
• This proved that Henrik Zetterberg has eyes in the back of his head. (2/14/07)
• Peter Forsberg became a Predator. (2/15/07)
• Joe Sakic became the third player this year to score his 600th career goal. (2/15/07)
  
• After two years, the All-Star game decided that it finally wanted to come out and play. The 'Vote for Rory' campaign came up short, and Rory Fitzpatrick was not at the All-Star Game. Conspiracy? (2/24/07)
  
• Keith Tkachuk became a Thrasher. (2/25/07)
• Buffalo and Ottawa had a little bit of a disagreement. (2/27/07)
• Trade Deadline Day: Bill Guerin became a Shark, Todd Bertiuzzi hit the motor city and Ryan Smyth was traded to Long Island. The Oilers never recovered and even lost on Mark Messier Day. (2/27/07, 2/28/07)
  
• Chris Simon decided that he had enough of Ryan Hollweg. (3/8/07)
• The world started rotating again upon hearing the news that the Penguins would stay in Pittsburgh. (3/14/07)
  
• Jordin Tootoo proved that he does not like the Dallas Stars. (3/17/07)
• Mike Modano became the highest scoring American born player in NHL history. (3/18/07)
  
• You just hate to see a guy go down like this. (3/21/07)
• Atlanta clinched their first playoff berth in franchise history thanks to the New York Rangers 7-2 win over Toronto.
  
• Marty Brodeur set the record for most wins in a season. (4/6/07)
  
• For the first time ever, both defending conference champions missed the playoffs. (4/8/07)
• Sorry, Toronto. (4/8/07)
• Montreal led the league in attendance for the 4th straight season. (4/8/07)
  
• The Devils finally sold out a home game. It turned out to be a dandy, too. (4/28/07)
  
• The Canucks and Stars wanted to see if they could stay up all night. (5/12/07)
  
• NBC reminded us that it hates hockey fans. (5/19/07)
  
• Jim Balsillie bought the Predators, and rumors continute to swirl about a potential move to Canada. (5/24/07)
• Brian Leetch bid adieu. (5/24/07)
• Did you know: Snoop Dogg loves hockey. (5/31/07)
  
• Chris Pronger got suspended for his hit on Tomas Holmstrom, and his hit on Dean McAmmond. (5/15/07, 6/2/07)
• Don Cherry made an appearance on American television. (6/4/07)
  
• Long Island divorced Alexei Yashin and said good riddance goodbye to Mike Milbury. (6/6/07 and 5/29/07)
  
• And finally, the Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup. (6/6/07)

Chances are that I missed something. Heck, I probably left out some pretty important events. Feel free to let me know what else you think should be included either by email or in the comments, as I will continue to update this post.

Bow to Your Water Fowl Overlords!

Well, because of these guys there's not going to be any hockey this weekend. Thanks, jackasses.
Dave Sandford/Getty Images

The Ducks' take over of the NHL is complete. It won't be long until there is a Duck in the White House, so we might as well embrace our water fowl overlords now before we become their slaves. Congratulations to the Anaheim Ducks, the 2007 Stanley Cup Champions!

Blame Giggy if There's no Hockey in the Morning

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

(As if I had to remind you) Tonight could be the last game of the 2006-07 season, and all signs point to that being a likely scenario, so enjoy it folks. If Anaheim wins, it's going to be that much more of a long, hot, hockey-less summer.

Charles Wang Has Had Enough of Your Shenanigans

Thanks to the buyout, Yashin is now an UFA. Kevork Djansezian/AP

After six years of the Alexei Yashin Experiment on Long Island, the organization has had enough. Owner Charles Wang announced that the team will buyout the remaining four years on their captain's contract.

From NewYorkIslanders.com:
"This decision was one of the hardest I have ever had to make" said Islanders owner Charles Wang. "The organization holds Alexei in the highest regard – as a player, as a teammate and as a person. He was part of the revival of the franchise at a time when we had not qualified for the playoffs for eight seasons. All of us at the Islanders wish Alexei nothing but the best as he continues his career."

According to TSN, the team will pay Yashin two-thirds the value of the rest of his contract over an eight year span. That's a $17.6 million dollar price tag. Spread out over eight years, it comes to about $2.2 million per year.

Waiter, I'll Have What He's Having

Littering and... Littering and... Smokin' the reefer. CP

Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Ferguson has made a good point. The problem is, he's also made a completely ridiculous one.

I'm not exactly sure what got into the water up there in Toronto, but from this article published in The Star, it seems like the GM has come down with a case of foot-in-mouth-disease.

First things first. Ferguson brought to light a fairly important question; why was Sean Hill of the New York Islanders allowed to play nearly two months despite the league's knowledge of his use of performance enhancers? A week, maybe even two or three, to investigate the incident and confirm the results is certainly acceptable. In a matter that can be potentially career threatening if there is a conviction, the league should be absolutely certain that it's test is correct. Two months? The argument could be made that amount of time is a bit excessive.

That's about all the water Ferguson's argument holds.

The rest of the article is something that you might expect to hear from a Maple Leaf 'homer,' and not something someone who represents an NHL organization should say. When asked if the delay in Hill's suspension affected the Maple Leafs' playoff chances, Ferguson went full speed ahead into playing the blame game.

An excerpt from the article:

"For sure I think we would have made the playoffs," said Ferguson when asked about the impact of Hill's delayed suspension. "I had heard that it might have been as far back as February when he tested positive, and clearly we now know it's an area that needs to be addressed."

Let's recap for a second. The Islanders made the playoffs on the last day of the season by defeating the New Jersey Devils. Thanks to that game, the Leafs finished one point behind the Islanders and missed the playoffs. Had the Islanders lost or tied, Toronto would have been given the distinction of getting steamrolled by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the playoffs.

What makes Ferguson's argument completely ludicrous is that, if he's going to blame circumstances outside of the organization's control for it's own shortcomings, he picked just about the most far fetched place to start. Hill's impact for the Islanders in the final months of the season was almost nonexistent. You can see the statistical impact for yourself (3 points, -11 +/- since March 1st), or just take it from someone who watched most of the Islanders' stretch run; Hill more or less mailed it in down the stretch.

In any organization, there are always numerous places to place blame when a team fails to qualify for the playoffs, so I'll overlook all that went wrong with the Maple Leafs themselves (and there was a good amount). I'll bite. I'll play Ferguson's lame game of placing blame elsewhere, and show him where his blame would have been better placed.

• Blame the New York Islanders as a whole. They overcame uncanny odds to win their final four games of the season and sneak into that all important eighth playoff seed (I use the term important loosely).
  
• Blame them for beating the Leafs on April 5th.
  
• Blame Islander net minder Wade Dubielewicz. The career minor leaguer stepped up in Rick DiPietro's absence, recording a GAA under two during their final four games.
• Blame Lou Lamoriello. In that fateful final game, Sweet Lou started Scott Clemmensen over future Hall of Famer Marty Brodeur. Conspiracy theories, anyone?
  
• Blame the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. All of the aforementioned teams lost to the Islanders during their four game win steak. Did I mention the Maple Leafs also lost to the Islanders during that time?
  

I could keep going with this, but it's getting late and I digress.

The point is; it's about time Toronto took a look in the mirror and tried to fix things from within. That's what any good organization should do when they miss the playoffs. It's too bad that after 40 years without so much as a SC Finals appearance, blame is still being placed outside the organization.

If This Had Lasted Any Longer, Bill Clement Might of Had a Seizure

Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images

Yes folks, that's the Golden Boy and Grapes sitting next to each other. Scary, right? During the intermissions of Game four last night, Don Cherry sat at the NBC desk alongside Brett Hull and Bill Clement. I'm afraid that if I try to imagine their off air conversations for too long, my head will explode. I feel sorry for Clement that he had to sit next to this mess.

A quick translation for those of you not familiar with hockey, Brett Hull or Don Cherry; this would essentially be the same as sitting Terrell Owens next to Terry Bradshaw at the FOX NFL Sunday desk.

-----------

Brett Hull: Whats going on?

Bill Clement: We just went to commercial, Brett.

Don Cherry: Now, I don't know how you do things down here in the States, but we're not a bunch of wussies up in Canada. When a damn euro like Danny Alfredsson fires a shot at you, you gotta take it like a man. Niedermayer did and I give him credit for that. But he shoulda just ripped Alfredsson's head off. Back when I was coaching the Rockies I would of just told Chico to drill him next time he gets near him. Take his blocker and clothesline him! That'll get your TV ratings up!

Hull: What? Why is fucking Cherry here?

Clement: We're just doing some cross promotion with CBC. We're trying anything to get ratings up.

Cherry: ...Back then we didn't wear shin guards! If a guy shot at you, you just had to stand there and suck it up!

Hull: What the hell is CBC? I'm so drunk.

Clement: Brett, come on. We're almost back from commercial.

Hull: You don't own me Clement!

----------

I imagine that the conversation was somewhere along those lines between commercials.

In case you missed it, the Canadian Press published a pretty good article on the event. Hull and Cherry got along a lot better than you might imagine, but considering that they both believe in 'old school hockey,' maybe it's not so hard to fathom.

The Daily Sniper: Don't Go Towards the Light, Ottawa

The Daily Sniper: News and notes from last night's action...

Is it me or does Ryan Getzlaf look drunk? Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

It's about that time again. I'm talking about the time of year when Canada's hope of taking home the Stanley Cup is put to bed. For the past three seasons at about this time, a Canadian team has lost in the finals to signal the beginning of summer.

The Senators still have a chance at winning this series. After all, they're not dead yet (not quite dead). Nonetheless, the forecast in Ottawa is pretty grim. The Sens are now down 3-1, needing to win three straight (two of those on the road) against the Ducks, a team that has pwnd them like n00bz controlled most of the action in the series to date.

Monday night, the Senators had their shot to get back in this thing. It wasn't a must win, but if they lost it would put them down 3-1 with the next game coming on the road. If they won, they would send the series back to Anaheim at two games a piece, and all of a sudden it would be a best of three series.

The Sens had their chance to win Monday night. You can't say they didn't come to play, either. Their captain Daniel Alfredsson netted a power play goal with :01 left in the first period, capping a thundering first period in which his team out shot Anaheim 13-2. For 20 minutes, it looked as if Alfredsson and his teammates had found the legs they had in the Conference Finals against Buffalo. After a lackadaisical effort in Anaheim and flashes of brilliance in Game three, it looked like the Senators that ripped through the Eastern Conference were back.

For Senators fans, it was too good to be true. And it was.

Their team stood 40 minutes away from evening the series and erasing all that went wrong during games one and two in Anaheim. Somewhere between the ramp and the dressing room, they lost all the energy that they had in the first period. I mean all of it. Maybe it was just their pre-game Red Bull wearing off, but the second period was a complete 180 degree turn of events. Anaheim controlled the play all period, and out shot Ottawa 13-6.

The most impressive part was how the Ducks instantaneously became uber disciplined. After leading the league in penalty minutes during the regular season and postseason, they took two penalites over the last two periods. Only one of those penalties yielded a power play to Ottawa, since Sammy Pahlsson and Mike Fisher had coincidental minors at the end of the second period.

That would be all she wrote. To their credit, the Sens skated hard the rest of the way and gave it their all, but dump and chase hockey only gets you so far. Time and again Ottawa would cross the red line and throw the puck deep, only to have the Ducks clear it back down the ice. Even if Ottawa was able to hold the zone and get a shot off, the Ducks always seemed to get in the way of those shots.

The final two minutes of a the third were simply a microcosm of the period. With Ray Emery pulled, the Sens tried desperately to muster some offense. They were only able to record one, yes one, shot on goal during the final minutes that Emery spent on the bench watching his teammates play 6-on-5. Whether it was along the boards or in front of the net, Anaheim shut the door on any offensive opportunities the Sens had.

Now the series shifts back to Anaheim for Game five on Wednesday, a game which surely looks as if it will conclude with a Cup raising ceremony for the Ducks. Up 3-1 in the series and almost completely in control of the action, my money is on the Ducks Wednesday night. Recent history is on their side, too. This season they are 3-0 when presented with the opportunity to clinch a playoff series on home ice.

Monday Night Ice Breaker

Here at BMR, we hate Mondays. So, to try and ease everyone back into the work week, we present to you a weekly installment of nonsense and (hopefully) laughter. Without further ado, here is your Monday morning night ice breaker...

My apologies for completely lapsing on the MMIB this morning. But fear not dear readers! The Ice Breaker is here! (Better late than never, eh?)

This week, it's probably Predator fans who are having the worst Monday out of anyone we can think of thanks to all this Jim Balsillie business. Thanks to the beauty of YouTube, I present to you a compilation of Jordin Tootoo highlights. Essentially, it's a video of Tootoo going ape shit on a whole bunch of people, with some goals sprinkled in. It's really very entertaining.

SC Finals G4: Do or Die for Sens

Here's a quick look around the web at tonight's Game four. I'll be back later tonight with more blather.

• Despite a win in Game three, Out of Left Field is not getting too confident:

"Still, without meaning to sound too bleak, and only to curb the enthusiasm of many faithful in the aftermath of the Ottawa Citizen's Wayne Scanlan stopping just short of declaring a "McArthur Park Cakewalk" Cup win for Ottawa today, remember that the Senators are facing the most daunting of tasks of having to win three of the next four games, two of which would be on the West Coast.

The Ducks are bound to be extra-motivated tonight, not to mention "smarting," having received a very rude awakening on Saturday night before being jolted with yesterday’s off-ice drama involving Chris Pronger's suspension for Game 4."

• Dean McAmmond will be a gametime decision, but it doesn't look too good for him. McAmmond has a history of concussions, and the newest hit on his noggin could have a lasting effect. The more concussions you have, the longer it can take to return to the ice.
  
• As you probably know, Chris Pronger will not play tonight. Alan Muir thinks he got off easy.
  
• Some folks in the San Diego area couldn't see the end of G3 because NBC cut it off for Wheel of Fortune in HD. The whole TV situation has basically degenerated into a game of 'what can NBC show instead of hockey?'
• The Ducks are 'crying poor' and the FanHouse thinks it's all a bunch of baloney.
  
• And for those of you who get your hockey coverage from Al-Jazeera, you're going to be missing out on those exclusive post game interviews.
  

The Daily Sniper: Ottawa is Not Dead Yet...

The Daily Sniper: News and notes from last night's action...

Who are you and what have you done with the Ottawa Senators? Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images

...Not quite dead.

Saturday night was for the Senators. It could have been the cool Canadian air, or just home cooking, but somewhere on the flight between Anaheim after Game two and last night, the Sens found their legs. Most importantly, they were able to find the back of the net. Anton Volchenkov scored the fifth and final goal for Ottawa as they took Game three by a score of 5-3. The Sens finally looked competitive and comfortable in the Finals. Even though Ray Emery was not the brick wall that he was in the first two games, it was the rest of the team that stepped up to draw the Sens within one game of tying the series. They will have the chance to do that on Monday.

Three times during the first two periods the Sens would rally to overcome a one goal deficit. That was a major problem they couldn't solve in the first two games of the series.

With under two minutes left in the second, Dean McAmmond would put his team ahead for good. The third period would be dominated by Ottawa, with Chris Pronger's hit on Dean McAmmond becoming the turning point. After Pronger put his left elbow into McAmmond's head, Chris Neil retaliated and a five-on-five brawl ensued.

It was almost as if Pronger's hit had completed the reawakening of everyone on the opposing bench. For two periods, the Senators were slowly regaining more and more of the form they had against Buffalo, but Pronger's hit finally gave Ottawa the energy they needed to make the pot boil over. To add to it all, the Ducks came unraveled. They forked over four third period power plays, stifling most of their chances to make a comeback. Volchenkov added insurance at the 8:22 mark to push Ottawa's lead to two goals, and they would never look back.

The biggest storyline from last night has nothing to do with how the Sens or Ducks played, but what the NHL front office will do about Pronger's hit on McAmmond. It's really not a matter of 'if' there will be a suspension, but rather the question is; 'how many games?' The hit looked worse than what Pronger did to Tomas Holmstrom in the Western Final, and it was. The hit was certainly no accident, and it left McAmmond unconsciously sprawled on the ice.

There's only one reason to not suspend Pronger; to continue the inconsistent officiating that we have seen throughout these playoffs. Pronger's hit on Holmstrom sent Pronger to the box and teammate Rob Niedermay to the showers, while last night's hit was dubbed 'clean' by the zebras. Case and point.

Saturday Wrap Up: How Fast Can Kyle Turris Mow Your Lawn?

No, of course Gary Bettman doesn't look awkward standing next to Snoop Dogg. John M. Heller/Getty Images

• In 'old guys watching shirtless teenagers on a treadmill' news: That, in a nutshell, is the NHL Combine. It started yesterday in Toronto and will continue today, with scouts ogling over how fast a bunch of shirtless 18-year old kids can ride a stationary bike. Do the tests help to predict the potential of prospects? No one's really all that sure. What we do know though, is that the NHL's scouting directors have something to do during the SC Finals. Frankly, I think there should be a lawn mowing competition. Isn't that what the average 18-year old does during their summer vacation?
  
• It'll probably be played in Snoop Dogg's crib: ESPN's E.J. Hradek is reporting that the NHL plans to have a regular season game played outdoors next season. No teams have been named yet, but the word is that one American team will be involved and the game will be televised on NBC in the States... Something to ponder; It was about this time last year that rumors swirled about the Islanders and Rangers playing a game at Yankee Stadium... If you remember, the only outdoor NHL game was played in November of 2003 between the Oilers and Canadiens. The game took place in Edmonton and drew about 56,000 fans. If it's true that an American team will be involved, you can bet that will probably be limited to a selection of either Colorado, Dallas (obviously would be an away game for the Stars), Detroit, the Rangers, or Philadelphia. You could probably add Boston and Buffalo to that mix.
• The Hamilton Predators: The word from Hamilton, Ontario this week is that "Predators' owner to be" Jim Balsillie has reactivated an agreement with the city to have exclusive rights in bringing an NHL team to town. This comes only a week after it was revealed that his company had purchased a piece of land outside of Kitchener, Ontario. It looks like Balsillie could be playing a few Canadian cities against each other if he pulls the Preds out of Nashville. A smart tactic, as these cities might fall to his feet at the possibility of obtaining a team... As it stands right now, Kitchener and Hamilton have the most evidence against them, but you can never rule out Winnipeg, either. Quebec City seems more a like a long shot. In my opinion, QC just happens to get thrown in whenever talk of adding a Canadian team pops up. There never seems to be serious support behind it, although I don't doubt that there are people who would love to see a team there. Of course, you still can't rule out the American cities completely, (Las Vegas, Kansas City) but all signs are pointing to Balsillie relocating to Canada.
• Vancouver to have 45% more Pyatt: It is being reported that Taylor Pyatt has resigned with the Canucks for two years, and the contract is expected to be worth over $3 million... For those of you keeping score, the Canucks' official website reminds us that there are still 102 days left until training camp.
• Toronto should still draft him; it would be funny: The good people over at Out of Left Field have dug up a gem from the wonderful world of Facebook. Jamie Arniel, from Kingston, Ontario, is in the running to be a first-round draft pick in 2008. He has already made it quite clear that he has no intentions of playing for the Maple Leafs. The following quote is what Arniel posted on a message board for a group whose objective is to encourage Leaf fans not to cheer for the Sens during the Finals: "The leafs are absolute shit, so if chirping ottawa helps you to get your mind off of the awful leafs then so be it. But id definitly rather watch the sens choke in the finals (which they havent lost yet) than to watch the leafs choke in the fuckin season, emabrrasing, LEAFS ARE SHIT" The upside to this is that now he will never have to worry about playing for absolute shit Toronto. (Ed -- I keed, I keed. I make a little joke.)
  
• Shouldn't this be taken as 'bad news'? The CP is reporting that Alanis Morissette will sing the national anthems before Game four of the SC Finals in Ottawa. As far as celebrity singers go, this is one of the more confusing choices (besides her being an Ottawa native). I really just have a hard time picturing it. Halfway through 'O, Canada' she might go off on a tangent. Something to the extent of; 'I've got one hand in my pocket, and the other is cross-checking Teemu Selanne.' TSN has another point of view. They think she might be a good luck charm. "The Ottawa native could bring some good luck to the Senators, who are down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series after a pair of losses to the Ducks in Anaheim. When she sang the national anthem at the their first game on Oct. 8, 1992, the Sens beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-3." Sorry, that's a bit of a stretch. That's kinda like saying 'since Snoop Dogg was at Games one and two in Anaheim, the Ducks will lose if he doesn't make it to Game three'... The real tragedy here is that Morissette replaces Holly Cole, who sang before Game two, and is arguably much better looking.