Blue Notes

Steve, terrific job with the blog. Question for you. How did the league formulate the "at-large" teams on the schedule? Rangers get the 'Hawks, Ducks, and Stars while the Isles have dates with the Jackets, Coyotes, and the Wild. Seems like a bit of an easier set for them with only the 1 playoff team for last season in that group.

I'm all for this, 8 times a year against Those teams, although its like begging to take at least 12 pts from each division rival, is just too much, i'd rather see different players from all over then see the same 4 teams 32 times out of an 82 game scheduale. It also made the rivalries a little less intense when you play the Islanders 8 times, then ended up playing the Devils 13 times and the Penguins 13 games as well, not to mention if we had beaten the penguins in 7 games (which would have made it 15 games) we woulda had to play the Flyers at least 4 more times on top of the 8 games in the regular season.

Enough is enough with the division, we are better off playing the West a Little more for a fresh look and to see each team at least once.
Is no one concerned that at least 2 of the 3 cups since the lockout, the two teams didn't even face each other prior to going to the finals? I say 2 because I don't remember if Edmonton and Carolina faced off that season. I think its important the scheduale is more balanced and get to see different players. I am excited to see Gaborik and Phaneuf come to the Garden this year.

The Ducks aren't an At large game. There are only 2 at large, and I thought the teams got a say on those at Large games, thats why I think dallas got one.

Steve, I personally am in favor of the schedule change. In fact, I don't think it goes far enough. I think every team should visit every other team at least once. As a season subscriber who goes to about 90% of the games, I found myself getting bored and distracted when the same teams kept coming back again and again. I want to see players on teams we don't normally see, and see other teams' systems that we don't normally see.
That said, I do notice that the Garden is quieter against Western Conference teams, with about a 10-20% higher no-show rate. MSG execs might not like that, for while all the seats are paid for, there is that much less in concession sales.
Which brings me to another question: Do you think MSG will go in the direction of PSLs, like the Giants/Jets, when they are near the end of the Garden renovations?

This schudule absolutley stinks...We want to see division and Conference rivals More, not less. How you guys can even think that way is so beyond me. Wait for the day when the Westernteams stink, and we play less and lrss Eastern teams, you will be bitching all over the place. The again, with this Mediocre team, why would anybody get excited playing US.

I don't like playing division rivals 8 times. It's boring. The playoffs are when it matters.

There are 30 teams in the NHL and I'd like to get a look at all of them.

I like the new schedule actually...it gives us the oppty. to see teams we never see, players with such great talent will play on Garden Ice...that is terrific! Seeing the same teams in the same division 8x's get's a bit boring...now, seeing them 6x's a year, the novelty becomes that much stronger. BTW, the western teams have grown stronger over the years and don't see them reverting back to being a crappy division. And one more thing, the Garden in my opinion will never go to a PSL System. They know they will lose their fans if they do so. Glad to see they signed a D'man to replace Hutch and Baranka, BUT, we really need a bonifide NHL D'man up here in at the Garden.

I hated those force fed rivalries of having to play same team 8 times. I want rivalries with every team and elimination of divisions and division leaders being shoe in for a #3 playoff spot while a better team with more points doesn't get into the playoffs.

eeeeeeeeeyaw!!!

I felt like playing against our division 8 times each kind watered it down a little. I

8 times against each divisional opponent = 39% of games played

simply too much.

Pock just has NEVER been given a fair shot. He played 1 game last year before Renney sent him down, and was then unable to be called up. Instead we got stuck with Backman, Malik, and Struds as our 6th Dman last year. Pock played pretty good in the 2007 playoffs.

In favor!

For it.
more teams. Better.

bob are you related to andy rooney of 60 minutes? don't you just hate that?

hate what? I don't know any andy rooney.

eeeeyyaw!

Definitely in favor of the change, I want to see guys like Kopitar, Thorton, Datsyuk, etc. come to the Garden. Rangers/Sharks games have always been extra fun for me and we get to see the defending champs (althought not in town) and teams like Dallas.

Like the change in schedule but think they still need to tweak. Every team should simply have a home and home with every non-conference team...Every market deserves to see every team every year.

To do this i think the league needed to increase the schedule to 84 games...well worth it IMO. They would also need to drop two pre-season games - oh no! to keep the number of games played flat....seems like an easy decision to me.

What ever has become of this site, and Where are the regulars? Probably dying from enbarrassment. Kiddies, if you are through with your Crayolas, please leave and head for the nearest Psych ward. NOW, We are receiving disturbing news that some fans here are "Prancing" over to the Islanders Beat site, and leaving rather "COLORFUL" MESSAGES FOR THEM. Be advised that WE have won a total of One Cup since 1941....................those that live in stink gardens shouldnt throw ...........LMAO.

Debate about the schedule is fine, everybody can have a valid opinion. I like the new schedule because there are great players we will get to see who might not have been seen before. More important issue is who is going to clear out the crease when we see these great players. We need a hard hitting, tough D to make teams respect us! We may be faster going up the ice but that can result in faster turnovers and we need help at D to back us up. BTW, I agree that Pock is good and was never given a real chance.

the Islanders suck. period. There is nothing special about that team in anyway shape or form. UFA talent look at Long Island as a place where careers die. Drafted talent know that the Isles of Long means a place that will end their new budding careers.
The org drafts well, but trades off the new talent to bring in older vets, only to watch them leave as well. It's been like that for 25 yrs.
It's only a matter of time, I'd say the end is near for the Islanders.
That will be the happiest day in Hockey history, the death of the islanders.

Can't wait.

not for nothing, but that team is going to almost 2 decades without a playoff series win. 16 years is a long time.

A few more examples of how 90% of the people on this blog have no idea what they are talking about...

Ryan Miller (who I love to watch and really do respect his skills) just signed a 5 year deal at 6.25 million per. Now when Lundqvist was signed to his deal ( about 6.85 per) everyone jumped on Sather and said it was a ridiculous deal and would kill our cap in the future. Lundqvist has been a Vezina finalist in each of his three years, and again I really like Miller but can you all now see how these salaries are market driven and not just some # that Sather pulls out of his a$$?

Another good comparison is the deal Horcroft just signed in Edmonton. I believe it is about a 5.5 million per year hit. So Gomez and Drury are getting about a million to 1.5 more per year than Horcroft. Who would you rather have for that money? I will take Gomez and Drury every time.

Bottom line is get off Sathers case and give him some credit for giving players what it takes to get them to sign with us. This whole idea that players should take less to show that they want to be a Ranger is absolutely insane. This is nothing more than a career to these players...we are the fans that bleed our teams colors. Would you stay at your job if they asked you to take a pay cut while at the same time the business across the street is offering you a big raise? No, you would obviously follow the money, unless you were working for your family or something. Just because we grew up dreaming of being a Ranger and would obviously jump at the chance to play for rock bottom does not mean that somebody who has dedicated their entire life to hockey and wants to be compensated will do the same. It is completely immature and unreasonable to expect these guys to say to Sather "oh thanks for the big offer Glen, but I love the Rangers so much that I will sign for 2 million less."

I really don't understand why most of you are even fans of the team. You hate all the coaches, hate the GM and hate all the moves made. Please find another team, or better yet a different sport.

Terrific improvement. Better than baseball which has some teams playing half their entire schedule against four divisional rivals. UGH! Hockey can do better than that.

Re the Islanders projected demise - unfortunately, teams don't fold, they relocate to the Kansas City's of the world, where they suffer even more financial destitution, mandating even more expansion for cutting up expansion fees. It never fukin ends.

Thank the players union for the watered-down product we have to suffer, today. They would rather have 200 extra "jobs" at the NHL level, than a good, solid product and overall league franchise stability. No wonder union shops represent just a fraction of the American labor force, today, down sharply from the old days. Their own greed and selfishness has ruined many a formerly viable industry in this country, including professional hockey.

Funny how a team, and an origional six team at that curses a team out that had a Dynasty era the likes of which we have never seen. If you Start at 1941, when AmeriKKKa went into an undeclared War, this franchise has a total of ONE Stanley Cups. In 67 years. This franchise, and its rather Queer way of looking at things needs to stop throwing pot shots until it Fixes its Own House.

Spirit, yes the Isles had glory days. The point is, now they are a terrible, and not even respectable franchise! Citing past accomplishments is not going to change the fact that now the Islanders are on the level of an AHL or ECHL team, and will probably be in that boat for quite some time...

Look at your own history, Eric the cutie,..want a massage? Comment at 11;40 tells you about me.

Burt you said- "the Islanders suck. period. There is nothing special about that team in anyway shape or form. UFA talent look at Long Island as a place where careers die"

You mean how Straka's, Jagr's & Shanny's careers died with the Rags?? I don't want to hear how they made it to the second round and that it was considered successful. If that is how you measure success then you can't be helped.

Those in glass houses... ehhh. You know the rest.

.....at least we made the playoffs! and year after year show even more potential to go to the big dance...the Icelanders are nothing but a sorry franchise who's fans only jump on the bandwagon when the team does well (which is rare all onto itself)....and isn't it embarrassing when the visiting team buys more tickets than the home team?.....The white elephant (Nassau Col.) sounds like MSG when our Rangers play there....just goes to show you who the real fans are...year after year I might add! and one more thing....as long as Charles Wong owns the Icelanders, they will never, ever be successful-he don't know how to run a hockey team, let alone hire the right people. It doesen't take a rocket scientist to understand you don't hire an inexperienced 2nd string goaltender to be your GM-that is nut!!!!!!!!!! Smart people hire smart, experienced people to lead a division, company or sports franchise, and what is so ironic is, the Icelander had Neil Smith...combine that with Ted Nolan and at least 'ya got something...but heck, as long as those icelanders keep making the "Wong" choices, the better for US. ...And Bob from Brooklyn-you are a schmeck! yiddish for schmuck...w/all due respect You said Straka's, Jag's and Shanny's career died w/the Rags-NO....Straka's and Jag's careers continued elsewhere...and Shanny's is currently up in the air. And I'll tell you this fact...The Icelanders Franchise died years ago when Potvin, Trottier, Smith and Bossy took their last shift...just keeping it real 'ya know!

SLATS' HEAD-SCRATCHING SUMMER

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07202008/sports/slats_head_scratching_summer_120656.htm

Brooks crying for Shanahan back is hilarious, what a moron. And I don't mind Avery leaving, especially to the Western Conference. Crying about not bringing back Shanahan who can't skate or shoot, Jagr who is too scared to go in a shootout, and Avery who is more into fashion than he is into hockey.

Oh and Brooks must have not gotten the memo, that Billy Ryan stinks.

But I do agree that Redden signing is very risky and dangerous--6 years at such a high salary to a player who just had a bad season.

Brooks being paid to write about hockey is hilarious. How does he figure that bringing back the same exact team as least year would give us any kind of better result then the last three years? Jagr would be invisible during the regular season and then show up for the playoffs and Shanny and Avery did the exact opposite. Those two were awesome in the regular season and then would disappear in the playoffs. Avery was also going to be a huge detriment to the Rangers if he was kept. The refs already had it out for him and without Shanny on the team, I think Averys antics would only get worse.

Sather is obviously building a team that is not centered on any one person (or any one ego to be more exact). This years team is going to be the epitome of "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts". Rosi will shine while not having to defer to Jagr. Drury will be able to lead without having to defer to Jagr. Gomez can be the top line center while not having to worry about meshing with Jagr etc etc etc.

Naslund can and will out score Avery, Straka, Shanny and probably Jagr.

Zherdev has all the tools to be the dominant top line winger that Jagr was in the past.

Addition by subtraction with booting Backman, Malik and Hollweg.

And a power play that wont be centered on getting Jagr the puck at the half boards for him to do nothing but stand there.

Is it possible that Sather knows more about team management than Brooks and everybody on this board? My guess is yes...that's why he is the GM and we are fans and Brooks is the poor excuse for a beat writer that he is.

sather is a poor excuse for a gm. No matter what he does, he keeps his job, and some fans spin whatever he gives them into genius. How many more years is it going to take him & Renney to get to the finals? So far all they have done over the last 3 seasons is nothing to jump up & down about, except it's better than the garbage he delivered before that. Wow I'm impressed.Now he's gut a part of the team, but their are no more outs for him & his coach, but the usual chemistry story. Maybe he should stop experimenting & find a winning formula. He almost signed those guys Brooks is talking about, so declaring him great is absurd.

who is saying that Sather is a genius? All we are saying is that they did the right thing by cutting ties with Shanahan, Jagr, Straka and Avery.

"How many more years is it going to take him & Renney to get to the finals?" bklyblue july 20th 14:12

Umm, a week. No, wait, 2 weeks. No, no wait, umm how about when ever the heck it happens.
Would you prefer Wang-doodle or Snow.
Now about the 28 other teams management or Gm's. Pick and choose. Anyone from anywhere.

Now that you've come up with your dream team of management, how long is it going to take them to bring us the cup?
a week? No, wait, 2 weeks? No, no, wait, how about whenever the heck it happens?
Come on, don't stop there... this new management team would have made different choices, drafted different players signed different UFA! So what's this team look like now?
I already know.
It looks like a f**king figment of your imagination. Which is where your living, Imagination land! Look out the trolls are attacking your imagination.... ahhahahahaahaahhahahah! Where's Santa when you need him?

Come back from Imagination Land you losers and be happy that you are getting ready for a season with a brand new team, with some new superstars, that aren't known for their incredible egos!
These kids are going to get the chance to show us what their made of! Will the team be good or bad? Man, that's a far cry from where the Islanders are at this moment.
And I'll take a chance on having a chance instead of already knowing the season is scraped without the puck even dropping.

Then again, some people just like to have something to b!tch about.

Slick

None of you seem to remember that Sather said this is a 5 year project, and the fact they've made it to the 2nd round in the beginning and middle of the "project" shows progress. Just because we aren't winning the Cup every year doesn't mean they couldn't win it soon. And don't try comparing The Rangers to any team, there are teams that have never made the playoffs, and also have never won a cup in more then 15 years of exsistance. So honestly just wait and see how they play before starting to say this year is a bust and off with Sather and Renny's heads.

Slick Sather's been here long enough. His original contract was 5 years. Being a NYR fan shouldn't cloud what this guy is up to. He's confused rebuild with make the playoffs, go past the 2nd round, cap restriction team, among a few. He's a pro at covering up. He's far from stupid, but he's never held accountable. It's the corporate culture at MSG. He was going to sign Jagr & Avery, & still might with Shanahan. And if he did or does that it's fine too. Anything he does is fine. They are the next red wings, in your dreams & imagination.

OMG are you hard up for some conversation or what? Beat that horse little dawgy. Beat that horse good and well. Find me a post from anyone that says the NYR's are the new Red Wings. I'll give you one of my paychecks if you can find it posted (pryer to today) where I even so much as compared the Rangers to the Red Wings in any way shape or form.
See bro, it's in your imagination. Your hoping and wishing and praying... and stretching reality.

Tell us all brklynblue how you are qualified to be the GM of any hockey team, let alone an NHL team.
Tell us about the people you use to make the best draft choices?
Tell us about the choices you've made in picking up and icing a quality team with championship potential.
Tell us about your roots. How you came to be the all knowing, all seeing, all hearing master of contention.
Tell us what the mighty genius of hockey and resident expert of Rangers History where Sather has gone soooo wrong?
Why don't you tell us how to fix our crippled team from Renney and Sather.
Wait, let me guess! Fire them and hire you, right?
PURE GENIUS!
Brooklyn Blue ladies and gentle-tards our new GM and bench boss!
Yeah!
the cup is as good as ours!

Slick

lol Slick

Imagination Land... lol
Where's Santa... lol
Slick,
many folks around here prob have no idea what you're referring to.
it makes it that much funnier.

LOOK OUT! THE TROLLS ARE ATTACKING YOUR IMAGINATION!

Best read of the day.

BRKLNBLUE,

You know for sure that Sather was going to sign both Jagr and Avery? Why, because he said so to the papers? Have you ever heard the term "lip service"? He would have been crucified if he came right out and said that he had no intention of signing Jagr.

Have you ever heard of keeping all your options available? Maybe he wanted Avery and Jagr as a plan B if plan A didn't work out. Our maybe there was a Plan C & D that we never heard about. Maybe Sather could care less what BRKLYNBLUE from Newsday blog thinks or thought about what Sather may or may not have been thinking...get the point? We out here have no idea what did or didn't take place behind closed doors.

Did Sather try and get Orpik? Well according to Brooks the answer is no...but you can read eleven other sources that say we offered him more than what he took from Pitt.

Like Slick said...would you be happier with Snow/ Wang...or how about what Edmonton has to go through to get players...or how about Atlanta's current struggles to get and keep quality players?

As has already been pointed out, nobody here has said anything about Sather being a genius. Nobody has tried to put a positive spin on each and every move. But on the other hand, there are people like you who criticize every move no matter what. Which again brings up the question of why you are a Ranger fan if the team is so bad??? You do realise that there are other teams in the league that go after the same players, that go after the cup each you etc? The rangers are far from the worst team and are making huge strides at getting closer to the top. I would love for the Rangers to win a cup, but the season is not a waste if they don't. I love watching the games and supporting the team and hoping things will be better next year. There are fans of teams (again like Slick said) that know before game 1 of the season that they have zero chance of doing anything. So grow up and realise that the NHL is not like the fantasy league you play with your friends where you get to pick Lecavalier and Iginla and Kipprissof and whoever else you think the rangers should have on their team.

Slick,

Great posts...however I think our words of wisdom are falling on deaf ears. Something tells me this topic will be brought up over and over this summer.

one other thing...

all those people on here criticising Sather for moves and signings never seem to want to respond to my posts where I point out vary similar contracts being handed out to far weaker players.

Miller gets $6.25 while Lundqvist got $6.85

Horcroft gets $5.5 while Drury and Gomes got about $7

How are Sather's signings so bad when you look at other contracts being handed out? How in the world do you say Gomez gets too much when a player like Horcroft only gets 1.5 less?

I wish just as much as anyone that we could have saved a million here or a million there in order to have more $$ for other players. But you have to pay what the player wants or they go elsewhere (unless it's the isles who can't even overpay to get someone there as proven by Drury).

are the little kids like slick and joke asleep yet. Wow the NYR are better than the fishsticks. Now there's an accomplishment for 2008.So slick et al what qualifies you people to decide where the NYR are & will be. You don't like opinions, than stop posting yours'. Hey Slick what qualifies you little one? So if you want to just attack have fun , you got someone to laugh. Use your paycheck to bet on the NYR. I'm not worthy to be in the presence of such great fans & all knowing hockey minds. LOL! Joke you have the name and you have company playing that game.

"Joke you have the name and you have company playing that game."

huh?

ok, enough of this BS, let's talk about something serious and fun.....Roadtrip...anyone here interested in a road trip to MTL or TOR this season?.....take AMTRAK up, check out the city, watch an away game??? I was planning on this w/my Brother and a couple of friends and decided how kewl this would be....ok, let's hear it...whose SERIOUSLY interested????

I couldn't read that post bklynblue. I made almost no sense what so ever. Try again.
I like your opinion, if that's what you were getting at. I like to make fun of it because it holds no water.
I've been here a long time. I only post here. I've seen guys b!tch and complain about Sather every single day.
Why don't you play my game and answer the simple questions I've asked of the SUPER GENIUS OF HOCKEY, our NEW GM, ladies and retards bklynblue!
Tell us so we can remove the Sather blindfold!
Why is Sather bad for the Rangers? Tell us. Explain yourself, or shut the F**K UP you little B!tching B!tch.

Thanks to Joke, Burt and Tweak ("their stealing my underpants")

The greatest picture story of the summer.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0807/nhl.islanders.follies/content.1.html

Slick

anyone know when graves night is?

Wow Slick, I knew Islanders were wowful, but that lays it out for you in such a way.

wow slick you're really scaring me, should I run & hide? great moves by sather at the deadline. you are as gullible as his boss. now run along son your mommy is calling you.

scare you? Umm, no I don't take this place seriously. Do you?

That's it, the moves by Sather at the deadline is all you've come up with all day. If that's the only thing you've come up with in the last 12 hours than you are a little b!tch. I will no longer read your crap-tastical posts.
Thank you for proving my point, you are wrong and just like to complain for no other reason than to complain. You wouldn't know good team from a bad team if the papers didn't tell you so.
Enjoy the season, I know I will.
I hear mom calling, make sure you remind your Dad that touching your no no place is wrong and that you are going to call the police, ok?
Good day Peder@ss!

Slick

slick do yourself a favor stop being a jerk. I don't agree with any of Sather's seat of the pants moves he made for next season. He wanted Jagr & Avery, but had to go with plans b, c, d, & e. And when you can prove yourself right, I'll just laugh your garbage off. You can't prove it genius, until April. What's on paper is less than last season, and is just a hope & a prayer. If you think Jagr & Avery are replaced by Nazlund, Zherdev, or whomever, I disagree no matter what last seasons' numbers were. But I',m just being polite responding to an idiot like you who thinks baby trash talk will intimidate me. Grow up. I have no doubt you are 30 or younger. Have a nice life trying to learn something, instead of trying to act like Jess @ BB. They needed a physical D man, didn't get one. They needed to resign or really replace Jagr, Straka, Shanahan,&. Avery, Your entitled to say what you want, since you're an internet punk. If you want to go further, bring it on.