CAROLINA IN MY MIND - A FANTASY UN-DRAFT

Photo Courtesy of Full.Body.Transplant.

A Reverse NHL All-Star Draft brought to you by the smartasses at DropGlovesNotBombs blog

By Lauren Belfoy and Fraser Matthews

The NHL threw us for a loop when they announced that this year’s NHL All-Star Game would be changed from the typical East vs. West format to a pick-up hockey game type of “drafting” system, where team captains would choose their teammates from a pool of selected players, schoolyard style.

Interesting, a real-life fantasy Draft with all the best players in the NHL.

I’ve seen plenty of mocks of this Friday’s All-Star “Fantasy” Draft. Professional hockey writers, bloggers and fans alike are getting off on imagining who captains Nicklas Lidstrom and Eric Staal will pick, and in what order. Will there be a teammate/old buddy/country-of-origin bias? Will they keep it fair? Or will it get interesting? Will the Sedins be split in two, like Carolina? Who will be picked first and last, and what does that say about the process? What will the strategy be? Despite a handful of All-Star Game pillars (big names) pulling out like a first date (good riddance, right?), the pool of talent is still deep with prestigious picks hitting the ice for Sunday’s game in Raleigh.

As a kid, my favorite kind of team selection was the backwards kind, meaning you got to sandbag (sabotage) the other team by picking their team for them. We would take turns picking all the players we’d rather not have on our team first (the fat, slow kid), strategically leaving the ones- the ringers, that we wanted for ourselves last. Gradually we would whittle down the misfits until we had to make the real tough decisions- the ones we didn’t want to play against. Cruel perhaps, but at least no one really had to carry the stigma of being “last”. Maybe I feel this way because as the scrawny, lazy kid that just wanted to stand around talk to friends instead of engage in any sort of competition, I liked being picked in the early rounds for once.

My partner at DropGlovesNotBombs blog, my male-counterpart, Fraser Matthews (a fan of the game, like myself) and I, being the out-of-the-box thinkers that we are, decided to go for a different take on the NHL All-Star Game Fantasy Draft. We took it straight back to childhood for a good old fashioned reverse-draft, struck up a little friendly rivalry and put our dichotomy on display. We each represented a 2011 All-Star Team, and through a grueling, day-killer of a process, took turns picking players for the other guy’s team; an un-draft if you will. We took in consideration everything that an All-Star Game team captain would keep in mind when choosing a team that would be both a contender and a crowd pleaser- only in reverse. It resulted in what is hopefully an educational, off the wall, but mostly entertaining dialog.

Because what is really more fun than picking your fantasy All-Star team out of a plethora of NHL talent?

Sandbagging the other “GM” from picking theirs.

With Team Lidstrom being represented by faux-GM Fraser Matthews and Team Staal being represented by myself (Lauren Belfoy), I give you the first ever DropGlovesNotBombs Un-Draft.

This is Carolina in my mind.

By decision of a coin-flip Team Lidstrom (Fraser) has first pick for Team Staal (Belfoy).

ROUND 1
Team Lidstrom (Fraser Matthews)-
“With the first allocation, Team Lidstrom drafts Keith Yandle to Team Staal. He is the most recent addition to the All-Star Game roster, and is on pace for a career high in points, however he is an unknown around these parts and may not see much ice time”

Team Staal (Lauren Belfoy)-
“For our first round pick, Team Staal drafts Corey Perry to Team Lidstrom. The Anaheim Ducks winger is not exactly known as a fan favorite, and is commonly the answer to the old ‘player-you-like-to-play-against-the-least’ interview question. So I’m not really sure what’s worse, playing against Corey Perry or playing with Corey Perry.”

ROUND 2
Team Lidstrom-
“Speaking of guys nobody wants to play with, the one-dimensional Phil Kessel goes to team Staal here in the second round. Partially thanks to Leafs management, the right-winger found his way into this year’s game, as there is really no way any Leafs player should be there in all honesty. Kessel is a -19 with only 15 assists. And nobody wants to play with a puck hog in the All Star Game.”

Team Staal-
“In order to ensure Team Lidstrom has as little crowd support as possible, I pick left-winger Patrik Elias of the New Jersey Devils. Aside from a painful season (quite literally), the Devils have become a key rival of the Carolina Hurricanes the past several years, and have met four times in the playoffs since 2001. This ought to draw some boos from the crowd in Raleigh.”

ROUND 3
Team Lidstrom-
“Rounding out the Starting Defensive corps for Team Staal will be Erik Karlsson, a 20-year-old coming into the game with a dismal -16. I take it he’s representing Ottawa based on the ‘everyone has to send someone’ rule.”

Team Staal-
“Keeping with the anti-crowd-support theme, Team Lidstrom can look forward being jeered for Atlanta Thrashers defenseman Dustin Byfuglien's By-Fugly goal celebrations. Not to mention it's Big Buff's first All Star Game appearance, and since teammate Tobias Ennstrom dropped out of the ASG, there goes his Atlanta support. On the plus side, he can look forward to being reunited with former teammate Patrick Kane.”

ROUND 4
Team Lidstrom-
“David Backes. Power Forwards have never really been integral in the All Star Game as taking the body is not part of the friendly competition vibe at the ASG. This significantly diminishes Backes’ game, but I suppose anyone would be happy to be a plug on an All Star team. Backes is yours.”

Team Staal-
“Martin Havlat. Another last minute add to the ASG roster, the Wild right winger is a replacement for last minute All-Star scratch Evgeni Malkin, but just doesn't compare. Second best though is only the best for Team Lidstrom. Perhaps he can strike up a conversation with the Captain about getting knocked out by Red Wing Niklas Kronwall in the playoffs. All Star Grudge.”

ROUND 5
Team Lidstrom-
“Your kid brother is 231st in points this year, yet he made it to the All-Star Game. Nothing more awkward than an anchor on your team, even more so when he's your own blood. Defenseman Marc Staal belongs to Team Eric Staal.”

Team Staal-
“Starting in goal for Team Lidstrom will be Jonas Hiller. The Anaheim Ducks netminder is participating in his first All-Star Game in his four years playing in the NHL. While being an absolute rock for the Ducks, his popularity most likely doesn't extend all the way out to Carolina. Jonas who?”

ROUND 6
Team Lidstrom-
“Starting in goal for Team Staal is a guy that knows how to have a good time. Never one to shy away from the nightlife in Montreal, Carey Price will surely find some fun in the land of NASCAR and Budweiser. Banking on the Habs ‘tender being properly hungover, there is no better type of goalie to be shooting on.”

Team Staal-
“Also on D for Team Liddy will be Minnestota Wild blue liner Brent Burns. In his 7th year in the NHL, this will be Burns' first All-Star appearance. He is no doubt deserving (at least his beard is) despite a bloody altercation earlier this season for which he was suspended. In the All-Star game, the ruffians are all yours.”

ROUND 7
Team Lidstrom-
“There is nothing like a good goaltending controversy, but there will be a lot of talk about who is the 'King of Quebec' between Carey Price and the 7th round pick for Team Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury. One was born there (Sorel) and one has the key to the city. We all think of MA Fleury as the mild mannered Beaver Cleaver that looks like the lead singer from Simple Plan, but he leads all goalies in PIM's. He is sure to undermine starter Price all the way until he gets yanked.”

Team Staal-
“Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist goes to Team Lidstrom. I always say never trust a hockey player that looks like a male model. The puck bunnies are all yours.”

ROUND 8
Team Lidstrom-
“We aren't here to make friends, we are here to win. The game may be at home for him, but they are only 13-8-2 there, nothing too spectacular. Cam Ward can spend his 20 minutes in net for teammate Eric Staal’s team; the crowd support won't last beyond that.”

Team Staal-
“Looks like that leaves Team Lidstrom with Boston Bruins' Tim Thomas. Timmy is always an ASG go-to, and not just because of his stellar 23-5-6 record this season (which is reason enough to have him on the roster), but because he's the most entertaining guy to have mic'd up between the pipes.”

ROUND 9
Team Lidstrom-
“Nashville and Carolina should be bigger rivals. They play only two times a year despite sharing a border. That said, I am counting on the home crowd not knowing what Shea Weber is all about. The guy has a cannon of a shot, but I am sure has never been heard across state lines.”

Team Staal-
“Also manning the blue-line for Team Lidstrom will be Dan Boyle. One of a handful of All-Star selections over the age of 30, Boyle (and his team) have had a bit of an unhinged season thus far. Regardless, Danny seems like an All-Star Game mainstay. Still, I'm banking on the fans in Carolina to be relatively out of touch with this San Jose Shark.”

ROUND 10
Team Lidstrom-
“He is a big body presence with a hell of a slap shot, and Big Z Zdeno Chara is sure to repeat as champion of the hardest shot competition. But when it comes to the actual game, the biggest pylon can join Team Staal.”

Team Staal-
“In that case, Kris Letang is all yours. A smallish but incredibly capable D-man that is ideal in a regular season game or an HBO special won't do too much for the Carolina hockey crowd (‘Where's Sid?’). Maybe he and Lidstrom can compare their back-to-back Stanley Cup rings.”

ROUND 11
Team Lidstrom-
“Another grinder to fill out the third line on Team Staal is Philly’s Claude Giroux, a dynamic forward who brings speed and toughness to the table. He should mesh well with Backes.”

Staal-
“Ah bitch.”

Lidstrom-
“Your team sucks.”

Staal-
“Your team sucks more.”

Team Staal-
“Loui Eriksson belongs to Team Lidstrom. He's a hot scorer for the Dallas Stars, but is he hot enough for his first All-Star Game? Swedes of a feather should flock together.”

ROUND 12
Team Lidstrom-
“Matt Duchene is another young gun of the under 25 persuasion making his first All-Star appearance in the big show. He should show some flashes of brilliance out there if he can get used to the steamy NASCAR air of Carolina after thriving in that Colorado altitude.”

Team Staal-
“I regret having to keep him with teammate Patrick Kane, but no-teeth Duncan Keith belongs on a team with an already hefty defensive corps. You're welcome, Team Lidstrom. Team Staal can only hope that Duncan Keith is bored of All-Star appearances by now.”

ROUND 13
Team Lidstrom-
“The artist formerly known as Daniel Briere. Reincarnated this year thanks to his setup man Ville Leino, 'Danny' Briere has been lighting the lamp and deservingly punched his ticket to this year’s All-Star Game following an injury.”

Team Staal-
“I've heard a generous share of Brad Richards trade rumors this season. What a good chance for him to put his currently-hot offensive skills on display for the entire hockey world... on Team Lidstrom.

ROUND 14
Team Lidstrom-
“Anze Kopitar is a top flight NHL player, but will the jet-lag get to him? Will he mesh with his All-Star teammates? There are a lot of shooters on Team Staal right now, not a lot of playmakers.”

Team Staal-
“In the spirit of strategy, I'm going to take a leap of faith here and give up uber goal scorer Daniel Sedin to Team Lidstrom in the hopes of picking up playmaker Henrik. I may regret this later.”

ROUND 15
Team Lidstrom-
“Chicago’s Patrick Sharp is joining Team Staal. The Manitoba native is on pace to post a career high in goals, and is one of several players making his first All-Star Game appearance this year, rightfully so.”

Team Staal-
“While I don't mind splitting the Sedins, I just don't have the heart to separate Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. Captain Serious (Jonathan Toews) belongs to you, P-Kane (and Team Lidstrom).”

ROUND 16
Team Lidstrom-
“Rick Nash is headed to play with his Canadian Olympic linemate Eric Staal. The two have shared success in the past and should appropriately play together in this year’s All-Star Game.”

Team Staal-
“I should have seen this coming, but damn. Looks like I have no choice but to give up the other Wonder Twin to Team Lidstrom. Henrik Sedin is yours, you twin-hoarder. It's okay, I didn't want the bread without the butter anyway.”

ROUND 17
Team Lidstrom-
“I (painfully) give up to Team Staal the 9th leading scorer in the NHL, and perhaps the most popular player in the league, Alexander Ovechkin.”

Team Staal-
“Team Staal will gladly take a crowd pleaser. That leaves Team Lidstrom with the final non-pick: current number-one scorer in the league, and really no less of a fan favorite, the electric-dynamo that is Steven Stamkos.”


Well, that concludes the first ever DGNB NHL All-Star Game Un-Draft. The rosters of each team (as chosen by the other team) look like this:

It's up to YOU to decide who has the better team, as we are still bantering over who would win the actual game... and the crowd.

The New York Islanders: From Dynasty to Disaster

(Photo courtesy of CBC Canada)

Puckinvibes and Drop Gloves Not Bombs are teaming up for some quick hits on the latest news around the NHL. We are 20 games into the season and will be covering some of the biggest stories so far. Our first topic is the desolate state of the New York Islanders.

@pucktacular

They don't call them the New York Islanders for nothin', folks. It’s an organization that's been on an Island of its own for countless years, and for countless eye opening reasons. If Alexei Yashin and Rick Dipietro can get mega, Taco Bell mega big box type deals, then a Hockey fan sitting on his tush writing blogs about players skating on a sheet of ice can get that type of deal. Oh how quickly a franchise could go from a four-peat of Stanley Cups where guys like Bossy and Trottier were so bossy and brotted all over the opposition to being the inept organization that is being bossed around and trotted all over while playing in a barn that's in complete, utter shambles. The Islanders trigger finger for 15 year deals is worse than someone's outrageous sweet tooth for chocolate. Garth Snow stripping a blogger's locker room credentials, in the midst of an ugly losing streak (Losing streak count: 13, baby.), makes the fault of the team's super-sized rut fall on the blogger, himself. The Islanders must think that stripping a blogger's locker room credentials will make waves in a positive way, like the Ice Girls stripping and wearing outrageously skimpy outfits to appeal the bulging eyes of the male species. Not that this doesn't either, but I digress.
At this point, the Fishsticks may be the most giving charity I've ever seen. You want a big time player or two points from the Isles? They will give it to you so graciously that the definition of graciously will need to be re-worked in the English Dictionary.

Who's to blame for the Islanders demise over the last few years and counting? Is it the coaching staff/players or is the management that futile? Garth Snow, a former NHL goalie, is the general manager/stripper of blogger's credentials can be blamed partly for the Islanders struggles, but mostly for the recent struggles, not the overall organization issues over the last decade or so. Mike Milbury, resident d-bag and former Isles GM, absolutely stripped (don't fret about the stripped word count!) this team's talent level big time. We give Roberto Luongo a pile of sheet for his playoff choke artistry in Vancouver, but at least he isn't as fragile as one Rick Dipietro. Olli Joke-in-en is even better than Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish, righttttt? Zdeno Chara is better than the rejects that came the Islanders way, am I right or wrong?
Throughout the mid 2000's, the Islanders could have been a perennial playoff contender. At that point, those three were either in their prime or about ready to set off into their prime. They were what you'd want today. A number 1, dominant center who puts up 90 points per year, a number 1 blue liner, hulking one at that who sets off 100 mph bombs from the point and a young AND a super-talented number 1 netminder that could potentially ride you to the big dance. For the ten die hard Islanders fans, they can attest to the feeling.
It's easy to forget about a bad trade when your team is a contender year in and year out but when the team is on a bigger downfall than the water in Niagara Falls, the pain is everlasting. Shouldn't Milbury be banned from covering Isles games, as a color man or an analyst, after the slaughtering of his roster that still feels the affect, a decade later like a Scott Stevens patented hit on Eric Lindros?


@frsrmtthws

Much like their building, the Islanders are falling apart. This time, however, the damage may be irreparable. While it is certainly in vogue to pile on this franchise, the fact of the matter is that the dysfunction will certainly breed discontent. This time around instead of trading away their future stars, they may just walk away.

The Islanders have a decent nucleus of young talent, and at the top of this list is John Tavares. The key to the future of the team rests on the shoulders of #91. The big problem that we can all see on the horizon is that John Tavares is going to run out of patience with the franchise.

(Photo courtesy of The Hockey News)

While Steven Stamkos sets the league on fire with a great supporting cast, top notch coaching from Guy Boucher and the tutelage from hockey legend Steve Yzerman, Tavares has Jack Capuano and Garth Snow to fall back on. None of his line mates are all-star quality, he plays in front of 11,058 fans a night on the island and he is not becoming the future star that everyone has always promised he would be. His development is being hindered severely by the dysfunction from within the franchise.

Michael McEnany recently wrote in the Long Island Press: "They claim it took approximately 870 years to completely rebuild the Roman Empire back 753 BC. For fans of the New York Islanders, the rebuilding process around here is starting to feel just about as arduous."

It doesn't quite feel like rebuilding though does it. There is no long term vision from the owner, aside from a pocket filling mixed use land deal to get his Lighthouse project off the ground. The General Manager is clearly in over his head and they have just fired a coach and brought in an inexperienced man from the minors who is not exactly a superstar coach in the making. At this point in time they need to realize that they have Josh Bailey (who was just sent to the minors), Kyle Okposo and John Tavares to take care of. These players are the fresh faces of the franchise, the ones that they need to develop and the ones that they need to keep happy. If Tavares walks, this franchise will barely survive on the ice, and it is hard to believe that it will survive off of it. The Islanders haven't been relevant in over a decade, and nobody wants to fade into obscurity with them.

John Donne said "No one man is an island", however in this case, one very young man is the Island.

Rypien's Redemption

Rick Rypien has not followed the typical path of your average NHL player, typical being the easy road. The road where a young star is a sure thing, a "can't miss" kid who is making scouts run out of ink. Rypien has not been drafted at any level of hockey since he was a Bantam player in Southern Alberta. The CHL didn't draft him, and the NHL didn't draft him, suffice to say he has worked hard to get to where he is today.

Rypien played for the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves in a South-Western Albertan town with a population of under 6,000 people that was not your typical hockey hotbed. After a year with the Timberwolves, and going undrafted in the WHL Bantam draft, Rypien joined the Regina Pats. With the Pats he finally had the chance to prove himself at a prestigious junior level. He spent four years in Regina fine tuning his game, became the team Captain and leading scorer in 2004/2005 with 51 Points to go along with 148 PIMs. Rypien yet again had shown that he deserved to play, that he was working hard to get the puck in the net, and wasn't afraid to play in the dirty areas of the ice. When his junior career came to a close in Regina, he was signed as an undrafted Free Agent by the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. It was hard work that got him to that level, but he had to forge his own path the the NHL. Not to say getting drafted is an automatic cakewalk to the Show, as there are many more drafted players who fell down the ladder than those undrafted who were never afforded the luxury of being in a team's "system" that actually made it; players like Rypien, who seemingly slipped through the cracks.

Photo from Vancouver Canucks

Rypien's road to success has never been without its potholes. He was never big enough, never fast enough and never talented enough for a free-ride (or even an easy one), but he found a way to be. He came from a small town, went undrafted throughout his career, jumped through hoops, yet made it all the way to the Big Show. He was called up by Vancouver, but quickly became a victim of injuries. He had a hard time sticking to the lineup due to these various injuries, including a broken finger, a pulled groin, a viral infection and finally missing 70 games in 2008/2009 with a sports hernia. He briefly took a leave of absence from the team; many believe it was the frustrations of being injured, and missing so much time with the team when he had finally made it. No doubt it wore on him, but nothing of the sort has ever been truly confirmed. It's a realistic scenario considering how players like Rypien are required to bring a rough game, physically and emotionally, all the time.

The recent incident in Minnesota brought an instant spotlight to Rypien, something the overlooked player has never really had to deal with through his career. It was a difficult event to watch as a fan, and I am sure a difficult one for him to face up to, as we all knew how much heat he would catch directly following it. He lost his cool and reacted inappropriately, but I do understand why he reacted the way that he did in the heat of the moment. It happens to humans. It happens to the hockey players who feel something about the game. Violence should be kept on the ice at all times, and always within the context of that game; but every so often that passion for the game spills over into real life and is rightfully punished, as was the case with Rypien.

When someone tells him that he is 'not professional' I have no doubt in my mind that it stung him. That was probably the worst part of punishment, being thought of as less of a hockey player. He has since apologized, and received a 6 game suspension from the NHL (which was completely fair and logical). Rypien plays the game hard, sometimes a little recklessly, but that won't change, and the fans love him for it. In a real sense, these are all the things that make someone more of a hockey player. That is how he earned his spot in the league. He has spent the past 15-20 years of his life becoming a professional. Rypien now comes back from his suspension with something to prove to the league and to his team, once again.

“The fact that they're in my corner and helped me out, I'm very thankful for that. My mindset now is I want to make them proud and make it up to them and do the very best I can.”
- Rick Rypien
Source: Vancouver Sun

He needs to prove that he has learned he cannot be a sideshow, he cannot be a distraction, and every time he steps on the ice he knows that he has to earn his next shift (as a 4th liner often does). Despite everything that has happened, he is a team player, a glue guy that is going to make sure he sticks in the NHL for as long as he can.

Flatly, he deserves a lot of credit for the hard work that he has put into his game (Video: Meet Young Canuck Rick Rypien), and his teammates thrive off of that work ethic. They perhaps see someone that has not had it as easy as them, someone who has clawed and scratched to get to where they were practically guaranteed to be; and that should be something that inspires all hockey players. Rypien is a heart and soul player, someone who has shown sacrifice and love of the game. Someone who has put his body and persona on the line to become arguably the 'pound for pound' toughest guy in the league. He is the type of player that only the home fans love, and is hated by pretty much the balance of the league. I think that when we put it in perspective we can see him as an everyman, someone that has earned his spot, and while he crossed the line with his actions, I believe that he is someone that we should be rooting for, not against. Let's hope his road to redemption is paved a lot smoother than his road to the NHL.

We should all keep in mind that while the fan in Minnesota paid for his seats and his jersey, Rick Rypien had to earn his.

A KNUCKLE DUSTER MADE OF GOLD

Guys like Derek Boogaard are game changers. And not by a pair of dropped gloves during a single match. The game of hockey itself.

He is one of the offbeat few that shock us/anger us/delight us/whatever us with their antics; they force us to feel something new about the game, and maybe look at things a little differently. Their first instincts are rarely the correct ones, but always the most memorable. These players bring us closer to the humanity of hockey through their humility. In a world of mundane statistics, and anonymous uniform of suit, tie, and black eye, it’s refreshing when a player can find his way in the game by (mostly) sheer wit, and not talent. Such players have been known to inspire “No obscene distracting of the goaltender” (in so many words) amendments to the NHL rulebook, move GMs to shell out offensive amounts of cap space dollars for a simple character guy, and even drag this disenfranchised hockey writer out of hiatus.

These players exist outside the game of hockey. While I fucking love Anze Kopitar and I think he’s a fantastic hockey player, I don’t know anything about him, I certainly don’t feel anything about him, I don’t know what he does or who he is outside of hockey (though there is a certain type of fan devoted to finding out this exact kind of thing). The casual fan might not know who Anze is, any non hockey fan will not know who he is, but mom and pop back home are watching Derek Boogaard discuss his Fight Camp on Fox News Channel and reading about Sean Avery in Newsweek, watching Alex Ovechkin on MTV Cribs. People on the outside- people not associated with the game in any way- know these personas; they associate the game of hockey, the NHL, with these players. In a way these characters do their part to define the game as it is today, alongside the finesse and genuine god-given-talents of guys like Sidney Crosby, not necessarily to us who are familiar with it, but those who are not. What harmony our beloved game works in when you think about it.

So you could see, at least in the smallest sense, why these types of players would be perhaps as desirable to an NHL organization as a 30 G a season, slick skating power forward. We don’t understand it because no matter what, if you love the game, you look at it from a fan perspective. And we hate it because it reveals that our professional athletes are –gasp- performers.

No matter what anyone says, the truth is: character is EVERYTHING.

I read a quote on this thing called Twitter from a newly hired AHL GM; he said that the organization was “looking forward to building a winning and entertaining team”. It struck me as a little misinformed in the instant, but then I thought ‘this is really the aim of all clubs, isn’t it?’ To build both a successful, skillful team, and an exciting experience for fans. As much as we as fans hate the idea of having something we love sold to us rather than actually feeling it for ourselves, the NHL is in the business of entertainment. Clubs want to market the team well, and ultimately sell the game. Naturally a big-name team like the New York Rangers has a need for players who are skilled and players who are relevant to the game.

I don’t know much about the New York Rangers but I do know they must feel this way. Perhaps it has always been part of the NYR aesthetic to house “lifestyle” or “situational” players (Laraque, Avery, to name a couple recent examples), some might claim they even created the concept in the game. Perhaps Glen Sather (NYR GM/Pres) is trying to rebuild “a dynasty” or something cliché and marketable like that, and wants Boogaard as his cornerstone goon. We wonder what would really make a GM place that much money and good faith (or not) on a player who is not only statistically and fiscally not worth it, but also a liability. What we are all too afraid to think is that maybe Boogaard isn’t there to play; he is there to just be, man. That 6.5 million dollars looks like a frivolous, idiotic, unnecessary extravagance of deal to us not in the business of selling the game, but the NY Rangers are sending a message that is lost among dollar signs and stats sheets: Derek Boogaard is relevant, this team is relevant, and we are serious about our relevance. Likewise That 6.5 million dollars didn’t just buy Derek Boogaard four years as a Blueshirt (and probably a nice Rover); it bought him a lifetime (or career-long) tag as a high-end goon, one of the toughest guys in the league, despite the outcome of this situation. And what both sides get out of the deal is essentially priceless.

From the outside, it seems to be an almost sarcastic price to pay for a fan favorite, regardless of how many Boogaard jerseys or name/numbers tees (two O’s, two A’s) fly off the shelves. Everybody loves a tough guy, and MSG has seen its fair share of blood spilled at the knuckles of some of the greatest. Derek Boogaard is an old schoolish tough guy that has seemed to fine tune and adapt his skill set and character to launch an unusually successful career in the modern game. Derek Boogaard’s job directly is to play a game, more specifically to enforce, throw fists where and when it counts, show up and go through the same motions as his peers- and indirectly to sell the game. And who ever decided that one’s net worth was directly related to one-ice minutes, or offensive production? The NHL does not pay hourly, or on a per goal basis, so all $-per-ice-time arguments should be obsolete. From the NYR standpoint, Derek Boogaard does his job, and he does it well.

In a larger sense, the signing has celebritized Boogaard to an even higher status, making him more worth the money the more people fuss about it. Paradoxically, by “overpaying” for Boogaard, the NY Rangers may actually have made him worth it, regardless of how the next four years go. Is it just promoting violent behavior in the sport? I say nay. Is buying, not building, character wrong? Maybe. But if clubs can use moderately valuable cap space to bring a little character to a team, I will never see the problem. Of course, these incidents like Boogaard’s are rare and often isolated; as strange as it sounds, image is something that is earned, Derek Boogaard didn’t become a covetable tough guy overnight just by being declared as one. Derek Boogaard “seduced” the system. By simply being his gritty, goony self, he made himself desirable to a team that is looking for exactly that kind of image. Of course, you can probably sell any piece of shit for $6.5 million dollars and people will think it comes in a solid gold toilet bowl. In that metaphor, Derek Boogaard is the piece of shit, and his career is the solid gold toilet bowl.

It's always a good ending if you can use "piece of shit", eh?
Peace + love.

HELLO, HELLO AGAIN

We meet again, hockey fans. I’ve been on quite the blog-hiatus (if anyone reading this is saying “what blog?” you might as well stop reading now, skip to the next entry, and we’ll start fresh, cool?). Partly because I am on the tail end of a two-year binge of irresponsibility, and possibly the most fun I’ve ever had. And partly, less partly than the former, I’ve been working on a personal project of sorts, one that hopefully doesn’t attract all the connotations and clichés that come along with “writing a novel” (okay, maybe some of the clichés, let’s be real). I’ve been meaning to get back to you for a while actually. Who knows what really made me decide to actually put it into action, but I blame Derek Boogaard. 1300 + aimless words about this goofy son of a bitch (how about that? No censorship) and the recently infamous ‘Boogaard contract’ (I don’t even need to say the number because it is blaring in your head right now) had me realizing that I actually spend a lot of time during the day occupying my mind with things like this. Things like hockey.

By the way, I defended the Boogaard contract…. I know, right?

Truth be told, I’m hungry for this type of outlet; to be able to communicate with people all over about the game we all love. But that is only half of it. I’m only half an attention whore because my good buddy Fraser Matthews will be collabo-ing with me on all things hockey (not all things, just the things we care about). Fraser resides and works the nine-to-five grind in the hockey Mecca of Toronto, and I live and day dream out in the hockey-not-so-Mecca of Los Angeles- you’re starting to get why this is cute, eh? Matthews is perhaps the perfect constant contributor for me mostly because he is everything I’m not (a Rob Lowe look alike), he knows things I don’t know (he’s Canadian and you can’t argue with bloodlines), and he always has something good to say when we talk hockey (or when we talk whatever); always my favorite source of entertaining information. So this is our outlet, a collective of thoughts, coast-to-coast musings from a couple of real hockey fans. What we have to say is never more or less important than anything anyone else has to say- maybe (hopefully) just a little different, like Derek Boogaard, and we can appreciate that.


It’s good to be back, people. Looking forward to raising a glass, raising a Cup, and raising a little hell with you all this season.


Peace and love, hockey fans.