Belak death latest NHL tragedy

Three tragedies in three months. All equally mystifying and horrible for hockey. Yesterday, popular tough guy Wade Belak was found dead at his Toronto condo. The recently retired big man, who made a living with his fists for 15 years was 35. Belak concluded his career in Music City with Nashville. The Predator organization released a statement:

“The entire Nashville Predators organization and family is shocked and saddened by the sudden and untimely passing of Wade Belak. Wade was a beloved member of the organization, a terrific teammate and wonderful father and husband who will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Jennifer and children Andie and Alex. We offer our full support to them at this very difficult time.”

Regrettably, Belak became the third enforcer to die over the summer, joining brethren Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien. The stunning news passed like wildfire in the early evening on the East coast, sending more shockwaves throughout the hockey world. erhaps former Leaf teammate Owen Nolan summed it up best when he tweeted:

"I'm lost for words. Wade Belak RIP my friend."

The original Quebec Nordique first round selection in '94 (12th overall) did it the hard way, playing for five different teams, including the Maple Leafs where he was most popular sticking up for teammates for nearly seven seasons spanning '00-01 to '07-08. Belak began his career with Colorado following their first Cup and played parts of three seasons before moving onto Calgary (included in the Theo Fleury blockbuster) where he started to establish himself, putting together consecutive 100+ penalty minute (PIM) campaigns in '99-00 and '00-01.

That included a trade to Toronto, who were serious contenders. Over 16 games, he even notched his second career goal (first since '97-98 w/Avs) while adding an assist along with 31 PIM. Though he didn't get in a postseason which saw the Leafs go toe to toe with the defending champion Devils before falling in a grueling second round rematch, Belak continued to impress Leaf Nation. In '01-02, he registered a career high 63 games along with four points (1-3-4), plus 142 PIM. It was that year when they made it to the Conference Finals before losing to Carolina when Belak debuted and scored his only career playoff goal during 16 games that Spring. Not surprisingly, he racked up 18 minutes. The following year ('02-03), he established career bests with three goals, six assists and nine points to go with 196 PIM.

Belak registered at least 100 penalty minutes in seven straight NHL seasons sans the lockout. Of his eight goals, seven came wearing the Maple Leaf. Seventeen of 25 helpers also came with Toronto where he played 318 of 549 career games, including a personal best 65 in '06-07. The following year, he was dealt to Florida where he had a brief stay before being traded to Nashville, where he spent a majority of his last three seasons before being waived last 2/25. On April 9, he announced his retirement. Belak finished with 1,263 PIM in 549 contests.

"Now I think people will realize the tough job of playing in the NHL and the tough job of being a heavyweight," former NHLer Georges Laraque said. "It takes a lot mentally. It's really hard."

"When you retire after being a heavyweight for as many years as you played, most of those guys didn't make [much] money, so there's no options for them after. So, after you have all this pressure of playing and fighting for a living, now you have to fight to live when life after hockey is over."

Belak's tragic death leaves more questions than answers. We're seeing more and more extreme cases of Anxiety/Depression in athletics. Not every single one has resulted in tragedy. However, it begs the question if troubled athletes are getting enough attention. As someone who deals with this important life issue daily, it can be very challenging. Just imagine how it must be for a player, who's dealing with more pressure along with extensive travel and expectations.

It's hard to pinpoint the reason(s) why the NHL lost three popular players who all were tough customers. Former troubled star Theo Fleury overcame great obstacles that included a long bout with alcohol and drugs stemming from anxiety and depression due to sexual abuse at the hands of monster Graham James. He had several strong tweets on post-retirement/depression. This was one of the highlights:

"The drug companies make billions on pain meds with no consequences or claim any responsibility for overdoses or deaths."

This is an epidemic that isn't covered enough. While it's probably not the only reason, there needs to be more emphasis on the drug industry so we can prevent future tragedies such as Derek Boogaard's. It's important for the NHL to closely examine each case and discover if there are any similarities between Belak, Boogaard and Rick Rypien. What we do know is that Boogaard was an accidental overdose of dangerous painkiller oxycodone mixed with alcohol while Rypien's is rumored to be suicide. Privacy concerns have kept anything from being official.  

According to an ESPN report, Belak hung himself. At least that's what one person who had knowledge of the case believes.

"It's not only about the deaths, it's the deaths that surround similar type players," former Calgary GM and current NHL Network analyst Craig Button told The Canadian Press. "It's not just getting hit in the head, it's everything that goes with that (enforcer) role. I think that people are paying very, very serious attention to concussions and blows to the head and the role of the enforcer.

"I don't think anybody can stop until we really understand the impact it has not only physically, but emotionally as well."

All these factors must be considered along with a way to encourage more troubled athletes to come forward and seek help. Sometimes, it can be a matter of pride. Even for myself, I kept everything buried inside and it finally manifested itself five years ago. Anxiety and Depression can strike at any time. It can be lethal. The sooner you deal with it, the better.

Prayers go out to the Belak family and friends. Our thoughts are with the Boogaard family and the Rypien family. Let us pray.

Devils switch to tiered pricing for home games

In the last few years, ticket buying and ticket selling has changed dramatically with the boom of the secondary market and more and more teams responding to that by going to tiered pricing. What tiered pricing is, in a nutshell, is when a ticket for the same seat is priced differently depending on the game. Rivalry and weekend games, as well as special promotions (say, Retro Night for the Devils) are more likely to sell out than mid-week games against a second-division team from the other conference. Quite frankly, teams like the Devils that don't sell out every game need a system like this to help maximize profits on the marquee games and sure enough, a few days ago they announced they were implementing such a system for the first time.

Considering the Devils have seventeen different price sections(!) I'm going to explain it as simply as possible by using the sections I know best - the Brown which is the extreme upper corners, the Green which is the rest of the upper bowl and the Aqua which I'm sitting in now in the mezzanine. Each team has 44 home games in a year, including three preseason games. Of the 41 regular-season games, ten now fall into the Premier Game category, which include all three Ranger and Flyer games, two Penguin games (all the Flyer and Penguin games are on weekends including Retro Night) and also a game against the Caps just before Christmas and a weekend afternoon game against the Habs earlier in December. Premier games will get price hikes. In the Green section, last year's single-game and season ticket costs were $37 and $30, respectively. Now they're $45 and $41 for those ten games.

For the twenty-one classic games, they're basically priced the same single game and season ticket prices that they were last year, except in the Brown section which saw significant overall increases on single-game tickets since that's no longer a $10 ticket section. While the Devils claim (via Facebook) they will still have $10 gameday tickets, the details are still unknown as to how, how many or where. On their chart, they now list the Brown section - which didn't have very many tickets available anyway - as $35 for the Premier games, $27 for Classic and $20 for the last category, so those tickets will be available to the general public before the day of game.

And the remaining ten regular season games as well as the three preseason contests fall into the '30th Anniversary Special' column. Those games will in fact be worth less than they were last year, and considering neither the Devils nor sth's trying to sell these games were able to get anywhere close to face value for these type of games (all of the regular season games here are Monday-Thursday) this was a neccesary change imo. As was the wide margin between gameday prices and sth prices. Amazingly, my new seats in the Aqua section are priced $52 at the box office but they only cost $12 to the season ticket holder.

Over the last few days on various message boards, I've read so many misconceptions about this new system among Devil fans it's mind-boggling. Refuting point by point:

1) We (single-ticket purchasers) are being priced out of the building with all of these increases! No you're not...the price went up for exactly ten games, and down for ten games as well. For three-quarters of home games, the prices either stayed flat or went down for day of game purchasers. If you're being priced out of the building because you purchased only the best games at box office price or in a partial plan, well that just proves the Devils' point that those games are valued more and more people want them. If you think the Devils are overcharging for these games, take a look at StubHub or TicketExchange for these games, prices will still be way above what the Devils are charging. As one poster on NJDevs summed up succinctly 'If the Devils don't price games this way, the secondary market will do it for them'. There will still be a secondary market if you don't want to pay the Devils' prices for games, and likely you'll be able to get tickets there at comparable or lower values to face for half the games.

2) It's not fair that some games are worth more than others! How is it not fair when you see tiered pricing in all walks of life? You think it's an accident that plane trips and hotel rooms cost more over the holidays? Or that a meal in a fancy restaurant in Manhattan costs ten times as much as the same dish would in a dinky small-town restaurant? It's quite frankly good business and to be honest, the Devils did this fairer than most teams would. They didn't hide a total ticket price increase in a readjustment of the prices, season ticket holders didn't get their invoices upped and day of game purchasers got discounts on 1/4 of the games from last year and flat prices for half of them.

3) This is the silliest one yet, that somehow season ticket holders still paid the same price for every game, so the value of the ticket didn't change at all. On an average that's true, since the Devils structured their prices in a way where it's really not any different than paying the 'Classic' price for all 41 games. My tickets in the Aqua section were $22 per game, but now only half the seats are actually valued at that - but the total still comes out to exactly $22 a game if you factor in my ten Premier games at $35 and thirteen (including preseason) Special games at $12. Psychologically it feels better to waste only $12 on preseason games as opposed to the $22 average and makes it easier to resell the non-essential regular season games at close to cost. It doesn't matter too much what the Premier prices are, since I'm either going to those games anyway or will still be able to resell them at a profit or face at worst if I have to.

4) As far as eliminating or redistributing the $10 tickets go, I admit I could care less about doing away with the $10 line since I never really had a need for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having a set amount of affordable tickets for college students and younger fans and am glad the Devils are apparently keeping some $10 seats available. However, from what I've heard in a secondhand fashion about the $10 line, it seemed like it was more trouble than it was worth - especially for the limited number (between 100 and 200) of tickets available. Both because you literally had to stand outside for hours to get tickets to a regular season game and because the line itself wasn't well-policed and there was rampant cutting and 'saving spaces' involved, particularly for the bigger games. If anything, the Devils and the fans would be better off just having an online lottery or some other way of selling $10 tickets that didn't involve chicanery. Maybe make that an extension of College Night where if you have a college ID you could purchase those tickets to any game on the day of the game.

5) The Devils took care of people that were able to give them a couple grand up front (i.e. season ticket holders) but took a dump on the little people. While I've already explained the fallacy of the latter, the fact is season ticket holders DESERVE special consideration. We're not all born with silver spoons. Honestly, it's good business to take care of your most loyal customers. I've been all over the Devils in recent years as the value of the sth anywhere outside of the Brown section - which is still $15 on average for season ticket holders, with a tiered system of $20-15-11 - had been devalued significantly.

Between the $10 line, a boatload of team discounts/ticket giveaways, the secondary market devaluing sales of tickets that were $30 and up face value and having to pay normal price for preseason games, the market had tilted heavily towards getting tickets on the secondary market and waiting for discounts to get a better price than season ticket holders got. How was that fair exactly?! I can't say how many times I've heard my fellow sth's in the green section complain that there were discounts for even special games while they got left holding the bag paying more for their ticket.

However, lowering the prices for preseason and the least desirable regular season games help the sth significantly in reselling them. True, the Devils take a chunk out of your profit if you were looking to unload the premier games but real season ticket holders as opposed to broker wannabes will want to go to most of those games anyway. Not to mention giving season ticket holders the ability to purchase any game at sth cost at any time throughout the season helps both the sth and fans who may not have the means to become an sth but want cheap tickets in the building. If you want to get tickets for the best games or really inexpensive tickets for the non-marquee ones, I suggest that non-STH's buddy up with an STH real fast lol.

That kind of arrangement helps the Devils too, as they're able to pawn off additional tickets that are not going to sell at face and get some money out of it. Every ticket in the upper deck and behind the net in the mezzanine section is $21 and below for season ticket holders to the Special games, there are still affordable seats. If after all this you still think pricing is unfair, talk to my fellow Ranger fan blogger about their pricing. We don't have it that bad, folks.

A Mixed Bag: Drury, Islanders, Zajac, Rick Rypien

With less than 10 days left in August, hockey's around the corner with Traverse City getting underway in the second week of September, just as the U.S. Open finishes. Yes, I'm a huge tennis fan who follows the grand slams and can't wait for it to kick off next week. Once the first ball is served, you know our sport's finally on deck. By show of hands, who can't wait? The #IsItOctober trend on Twitter's been increasing by the minute. For yours truly, it's all about September with the big prospect tournament that MSG airs along with training camps and preseason.

With the NFL also two weeks away with the first Sunday set on the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11, it's going to have extra significance for everyone. There's so much going on that Opening Night will be here before you know it. Personally, this is my favorite time of year with summer fading away while leaves change colors and school restarts. That might not be so thrilling for some of you. But I'm becoming a substitute teacher and am looking forward to a new challenge just as our hockey teams prepare for their own.

A lot's happened lately. So, let's try to cover it:

1.Chris Drury Retires- For most observers, it isn't a surprise that one of America's finest hockey players called it a career due to a chronic knee issues. Of course, it came after the Rangers bought our former captain out, clearing room. Whatever happened to Dru the past two years, it's easy to forget that he was one of our best performers in Years 1-2, averaging a shade over 23 goals with nearly half the production on the power play while also averaging over 56 points. Sure. It wasn't the 37 markers or 69 points the former Little League World Series Trumbull, Connecticut hero put up in his final season in Buffalo- haunting us with a tying goal in Game Five. However, what gets lost is that was his best statistical year, coming on a much more talented squad that advanced to its second consecutive Conference Final. Drury was never about stats but rather intangibles like winning faceoffs, outhustling opponents on the PK and making the right play. Don't forget he had a knack for scoring big goals as a good chunk (47 of 255 goals) backs up. The Avalanche don't win a second Cup without Captain Clutch. A hardworking, well respected player loved by teammates and peers, who poured overwhelming support last week. Over 12 seasons, he handled himself like a true professional. The 615 points (255-360-615) in 892 games are a good measuring stick for any third round pick, originally drafted by Quebec in '94 (72nd overall). I think everyone will agree that if Brandon Dubinsky or Ryan Callahan come close to those figures, the Rangers just might not wait another 37 years for Cup No.5. Congrats to Chris Drury on an outstanding career!

2.Islanders- No matter what they're involved in, chaos is the buzz word when it comes to the Islanders. So, Charles Wang's referendum failed. For now, the Isles were supposed to concern themselves with the upcoming '11-12 season, commemorating the franchise's Forty Year Anniversary. One which is filled with promise thanks to a young nucleus led by John Tavares. Instead, the Isles found themselves mixed up in another controversy involving one of their Top 10 games last season. This past Friday, they were expected to hold a Viewing Party to air the club's 9-3 melee-induced 2/11 win over the Penguins. However, due to opposition from a Pens blog and even the league, the organization decided against showing the bloodshed. Instead, they substituted one of their most exciting wins over the Sabres that occurred two days later- a 7-6 treat that featured a hat trick from Calder runner-up Michael Grabner, who finished third behind Jeff Skinner and Logan Couture. It's understandable why there was some resentment to showing such a game. While it was quite entertaining with Jack Capuano's club exacting revenge on the Pens for their cheap antics in a prior match that included laughing from the Pittsburgh bench after Rick DiPietro was concussed by Brent Johnson, the general consensus is that they went overboard- turning the third period into a circus. Given the sensivity to violence, the Islanders made the right decision here. Besides, the combined 13 goals in what was a seesaw battle between two Battle rivals, was a better game.

3.Travis Zajac Injury- The Devils were dealt a significant blow when it was learned that top center Travis Zajac tore his achilles during a training session. He's expected to miss at least the first month and possibly half of November. Considering the club's recent history with injuries, figure the Devs to use caution, which could mean Zajac doesn't return until December. How that impacts them under new coach Pete DeBoer remains to be seen. Considering that they subtracted Brian Rolston to save cap space, New Jersey is pretty thin up the middle with Patrik Elias probably shifting to center the top line. Elias has had success there and could find chemistry with a healthy Zach Parise, who's in his final year before potentially testing the market. The question is how will DeBoer handle the loss. Last year, Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk couldn't co-exist. It probably makes sense to split them up, balancing out the lines. If say you keep complement Nick Palmeiri with Kovalchuk and substitute Dainius Zubrus, it would allow Elias and Kovalchuk to perhaps team with David Clarkson, who could provide the meat and potatoes while Swede connection Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby remain on the third line. That assumes Clarkson reestablishes himself. Keep an eye on prospect Adam Henrique, who should get an extended look with Zajac out.

4.The NHL is mourning the loss of Rick Rypien, who was found dead at his Alberta home last Monday. The popular tough guy, who took on all comers despite his smallish 5-11, 190 pound frame, had battled demons off the ice. He took a leave of absence nine months ago to address personal issues. At age 27, another extended member of our family is gone too soon with many questions left as to why. That it came three months after Ranger enforcer Derek Boogaard passed away due to a mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone, has raised concerns about player mental health. Rypien had dealt with depression. It's unfair to compare the untimely deaths of Boogaard and Rypien even though they were basically the same age with the Boogey Man passing away at 28. The former Canuck was excited to be returning to Manitoba where he starred for the Moose under current Winnipeg Jets Assistant GM Craig Heisinger. Like Boogaard, his death was a shock to the hockey community. To hear Vancouver GM Mike Gillis tell it, it sounded like Rypien was improving.

"Over the course of the last three seasons, we participated in a variety of different initiatives with him and we were all really close with him," Gillis expressed last Tuesday in Toronto. "We had an understanding of what we thought was going on and had a number of outside agencies involved in assisting us, and we felt we were on course.

We felt he was making progress in a lot of different areas. When he signed with Winnipeg, we were all really happy for him."

It's extremely difficult to think that two players we watched and cheered for are gone. The NHL definitely must put more emphasis on finding out why these tragedies happened. It's not good for the league and sports as a whole. Anxiety and Depression are serious issues that we are seeing more and more of with players taking time off to try to address these matters. Whether it's Substance Abuse or Mental, we tend to forget that these are people just like us with everyday problems. The more we learn, the better each league will be at helping treat their employees. Preventing future tragedies should be priority. Here's hoping things improve to the point where we don't have to eulogize another stunning death. Life's too short.

Zajac tears achilles, out three months (at least)

This is what technology has done for us...during a boring day at work, I was surfing the internet on my phone and came across a Devils tweet that said 'Zajac had successful surgery to repair a torn achilles'. WHAT?!?!?! I could do nothing but roll my eyes and shake my head. Yes, the same Travis Zajac that played in 401 consecutive games somehow managed to tear his achillies in off-season training and will now need three months to heal, and with the Devils' track record in rehabbing guys recently (think: Zach Parise, David Clarkson, Paul Martin) bet on it being longer. The only good news is that the first month and a half is before the season, but that's also time you lose getting into shape for the season and you have to rehab on the fly.

There is no understating how big this loss is, Zajac was the team's top center and was competent to good in all areas of the game (offense-defense-faceoffs). To lose him even if it was for only half the season may mean the difference between the Devils being a sure playoff bet and being a borderline eight seed - at best. Although GM Lou Lamoriello said at this point he has no plans to bring anyone in for tryouts or in a trade, with over $5 million in cap space plus the amount saved on the cap from Zajac going on LTIR the Devils could and should eventually make a move...if the budget isn't factoring in. This might be the biggest acid test yet to see whether the Devils are in fact rebuilding and cutting costs.

If the Devils really do have another non-playoff or even borderline playoff year it also hurts their chances of retaining star winger Parise. Of course that's a secondary concern at the moment since there's still the 2010-11 season to be played. But with the black cloud of Parise's contract already hanging over us, now this injury to Zajac is the lightning and thunder we didn't need before the coming rainstorm.

Doughty, Selanne lead remaining FA's, Devs/Rangers go young on D

Believe it or not, there are 16 days left in August. That means hockey's around the corner. It still is offseason with some names still lingering around like former Ranger captain Chris Drury, who hopes to get a tryout somewhere. That's probably the best bet. While some familiar faces like Alex Kovalev and Nikolai Zherdev have left for the KHL, vets like Cory Stillman, Sergei Samsonov, Marek Svatos, Marty Turco, Bryan McCabe, Craig Rivet, Nick Boynton, John Madden, Jarkko Ruutu, Mike Grier, Brian Sutherby, Ethan Moreau, Steve Staios and Paul Mara are still available. Finnish Flash Teemu Selanne won't decide if he's returning until September. American hero Mike Modano still hasn't retired.

There are also key restricteds with Drew Doughty still the main headliner. One of the game's bright stars on the blueline, still hasn't come to terms with the Kings on a new contract. Considering what Shea Weber was awarded, it probably didn't help, even though Doughty has hardly achieved that lofty status. Something will get done. Our guess is the closer it gets to camp, they'll work something out. Other Group II's of not are Winnipeg's Zach Bogosian, Toronto's Luke Schenn, the Isles' Josh Bailey, Chicago's Chris Campoli and the Yotes' Kyle Turris and Mikkel Boedker.

Two players who were signed by the Hudson rivals are both defensemen added for depth. The Devils signed ex-King Peter Harrold to a one-year two-way deal. Considering the Devs' youth transition, figure Harrold to spend his time in Albany. Meanwhile, the Blueshirts signed former Senator Brandon Bell for essentially the same reason. With Steve Eminger re-signed and the likes of Mike Del Zotto, new Ranger Tim Erixon, plus hopefuls Pavel Valentenko and Tomas Kundratek, Bell should be ticketed for Connecticut.

Indeed, both the Devils and Rangers are now on a similar path with youth served on the back end. New Jersey boasts No.1 pick Adam Larsson, who's expected to step into the top four. There's also Andy Greene, Mark Fayne, Matt Taormina, Mark Fraser and Matt Corrente- plus hopefuls Alexander Urbom, Tyler Eckford and Eric Gelinas. That doesn't include American prospect Jon Merrill, who the club selected in Round Two a year ago. He's one to keep an eye on.

While the Devils re-load with key cogs Anton Volchenkov and Henrik Tallinder vital to any success, the Blueshirts again will not boast a D over 30 thanks to the core of Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Mike Sauer. With Eminger the elder statesman at 27, the Rangers are banking on a turnaround from Del Zotto and key acquisition Erixon to round out one of the league's youngest bluelines. Figure Valentenko and Kundratek to provide stiff challenges in camp while Bell looks to impress brass. Others to watch for are Sam Klassen, Lee Baldwin and Jyri Niemi, with the latter two taking part in Traverse City next month. Former No.1 Dylan McIlrath will also be included.

Factoring in the up and coming Islanders, youth will be served in the metro area for the future.

Miller passes up North Dakota for Plymouth

J.T. Miller decided to take the quicker route to the NHL. The New York Rangers' 2011 first round selection will pass up a full athletic scholarship to North Dakota. Instead, the 15th overall pick from East Palestine Ohio, who signed with the Blueshirts on July 28 will opt to play for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this Fall.

The 18-year old has his eyes on becoming a Blueshirt earlier than expected. Assuming the Team USA leading scorer, who posted five goals and eight assists for 13 points in helping lead our country to the 2011 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship (WJC) in Germany- adjusts well in the OHL, he could be developing in Connecticut by next year. In fact, Miller and the Ranger organization could've went that route once he signed but that would work against the current CBA, which states that any AHL experience would count towards an entry level deal. Aside from that, it would've been rushing him.

If Miller feels skipping a well respected hockey program like the Fighting Sioux won't hinder his development, then I support his decision. Even if I'm a bit skeptical considering my excitement about UND. As we get to see daily on the other side of the Hudson with Devil tandem Zach Parise and Travis Zajac, North Dakota has a good reputation. I just hope it's for the best.

Also noteworthy, Miller made the first cut for Team USA at their pre-summer Junior Camp for this winter's WJC. In fact, they're taking on Sweden right now. The Swedes lead 2-zip after one. For full coverage, check back on the official Team USA Hockey site. I'll try to update later or perhaps tomorrow.

Anyway, I did find some cool highlights from a game versus Russia in which JT lit the lamp twice. He definitely has some wheels and knows where to go to score. Hopefully, Garden Faithful will get to see a lot more of that in the future.

Avery Arrest not encouraging sign

Sean Avery is a lot of things. Up till this past weekend, one of the NHL's bad boys had never been in trouble off the ice. The controversial Ranger antagonist was arrested for pushing a cop while at his Hollywood Hills home in California Friday.

A complaint about the noise level during a party at around 1 AM brought the LAPD to Avery's door. According to a report, he answered but shoved the cop before slamming the door. However, the 31-year old Blueshirt then opened the door and cooperated fully. He was taken away to the Hollywood police station where he was charged with battery. Avery posted a bail of $20,000 and then indicated, that "it'll all work out at some point." He'll have to appear in court on September 2nd at 8 AM.

Certainly, this is discouraging news for the Ranger organization with an important season approaching. Avery's situation is being closely monitored by the NHL, including the Behavior Program he once took part in following his remarks on ex Elisha Cuthbert, who was seeing Dion Phaneuf prior to a Dallas/Calgary game. He was suspended by the league and didn't return until the Rangers brought him back after the Stars had seen enough. Ironically, Brad Richards was one of the most vocal about the incident. Now, they'll be reunited on Broadway, which bares watching.

What we do know at least is that Avery made a mistake that won't get resolved until his court date prior to training camp. He also had some unsavory remarks about cops referring to them as, "fat little pigs," before coming to his senses. There was a party at his place with loud talking and predictably loud music, which disturbed neighbors. However, nothing out of the ordinary happened.

It still wasn't a good idea even if Sean can do what he pleases away from the rink. He's entering the final year of his contract. So, the timing couldn't be worse. Avery has already apologized to owner Jim Dolan and GM Glen Sather. How will John Tortorella react? He's always been very strict on Avery, which doesn't bode well. If he's cleared, will he get a clean slate or might it impact his role? That remains to be seen. He can be a valuable player when he's agitating opponents and providing energy. In what amounts to the biggest year of his life, he's already got detention. How will he respond? The Blueshirts can't afford distractions. Especially with the big Euro-trip to start the season before heading to Western Canada due to the renovation.

There's already been plenty of sentiment on Twitter about whether Avery should be allowed to return. The last I checked, we don't know all the facts. Everything we hear is just that. Some of it could be true. I'm sure there's more stuff that we haven't heard. As a former juror on a pretty big case out here six years ago, I try to keep a clear head. Until all the evidence is in, you're presumed innocent. In this case, it looks bad for Sean. Though cooperating should help.

There are plenty of Avery haters who would like nothing better for him to get locked up with a slanted jury. Good thing that's not how the justice system works. Sometimes, I get the distinct impression that these fans act like Avery hurt them. Regardless of what kind of person he is on the ice, we don't really know him unless you cover the Grate One. I can't judge.

At the end of the day, what he does doesn't affect me. This is the same individual who spoke out in favor about gay marriage. A major breakthrough that saw other athletes also be pro on the controversial issue, which was passed by New York State. There's a lot more to the man than what we see. Maybe we should check ourselves next time.

My take on Islanders Arena

As many of you already know unless you were living on a different planet, the New York Islanders took a hit seven days ago when a majority voted against the referendum for a new Coliseum complete with a minor league ballpark and sports complex. Fifty-seven percent voted no, dealing another blow to club owner Charles Wang, who wants desperately to keep the team on Long Island.

Just from an outside perspective, it seems Nassau County doesn't care enough to keep the team. Perhaps another area of Long Island will come to the rescue. Whether that comes to fruition remains to be seen. Currently, the Islanders who are celebrating their 40th Anniversary for the upcoming 2011-12 season, have until the conclusion of '14-15 to play out the end of their lease. Afterwards, my guess is as good as yours. From now until then, that gives Mr. Wang a small window to get something done. Whether it's in Long Island or possibly Brooklyn or Queens, I am rooting for the Islanders to find a permanent home that keeps them part of our sportstown.

In a piece I did over on my other blog Hitting Back, I expressed how much the Islanders mean to our Tri-State area. The reason three hockey teams can work is because it's big enough for each to have their own fanbases. The Devils got their new palace. The Rangers are getting theirs with Madison Square Garden being renovated. The Islanders have remained in Nassau Coliseum throughout their existence. They deserve the same treatment despite Wang not exactly guaranteeing to put his own money on such a project. Something that can't be overlooked.

In my post, which took literally an arm and a leg to complete, I look at a franchise that's close to competing once again. It's the Islanders who boast more talent than either its neighbors. Do we really want to see them leave as things are about to get good? Here are the highlights from No Vote could spell doom for Islanders:

As was previously noted, the idea to push ahead a $400 million project on Nassau County without Mr. Wang coughing up anything aside from picking up the two million tab for a yes vote didn’t make much sense. Especially given the national debt crisis. For one of the heaviest taxed counties, the timing couldn’t have been worse. So perhaps it wasn’t a shock that a majority voted it down- unwilling to have more taken from their pockets for a referendum that could’ve cost as much as $800 million over a 30-year period had it passed.

The reality is 57 percent voted against the new proposal that came on the heels of Wang’s dream Lighthouse scenario which he wasted time/money on before moving forward. While he would’ve ponied up an arm and a leg had there been overwhelming support for the Lighthouse, the Islander club owner was unwilling to spend a nickel for his latest proposal. It was like he expected the public to deliver a new arena with all the trimmings because he lost over $250 million. Part of it’s the existing lease that runs out in 2015, unable to generate concession revenue- leading to higher costs and lower turnout. Combine that with a team that’s had little success since a ’93 Cinderella run and it’s easy to explain why the Islanders are in trouble.

How can Islander faithful get past last week’s defeat and try to look forward to a roster GM Garth Snow’s built? It’s impossible for anyone not to ponder the plight of the franchise. Unless Wang and Nassau County executive Ed Mangano come up with a new plan, the team is done with Nassau once the lease ends at the conclusion of 2014-15. Considering the opposition in a stubborn county, maybe it’s best for Wang to consider alternatives such as moving to Queens or even Brooklyn if Nets’ billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov changes his mind about icing a hockey team. Barclays Center will be an impossible commute unless fans are willing to make the trip on the tracks. Not exactly the easiest choice.

A new arena in Queens next to Citi Field would be a marketing dream which could provide easier driver access with public transportation also available. Would the city be willing to help build it for Wang, preserving a franchise rich in tradition? This isn’t the Yankees, Mets, Giants/Jets or Devils getting their own palaces. Even the Nets knew when it was time to get out of the disaster known as New Jersey Sports And Entertainment Authority (NJSEA). If the lockout ever ends, they’ll play out a second year in Newark and then finally reroute to Brooklyn.

The Islanders seem like an afterthought much like the four consecutive Cups they won from 1980-83, dominating hockey. Maybe it’s cause of where they play. It’s still unfair to forget the impact of the bright orange and dark navy blue, who pushed around the Great One to win one final Cup before the Oilers took the mantle away from Al Arbour, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, Mike Bossy, Billy Smith, Bobby Nystrom, Butch Goring, Clark Gillies, Ken Morrow, Bob Bourne, Duane and Brent Sutter.

Those Islander teams boasted some of the greatest collection of talent to ever lace ‘em up. Imagine losing a franchise that was the gold standard three decades before the Yankees, Devils and even the Giants. The Bronx Bombers never won four straight, narrowly missing in the ’01 Fall Classic on the heels of 9/11. Out of that era, I choose the one my team lost to Arizona over ’96, ’98-00 because of what it meant to New York City and our country.

As a hockey blogger who’s followed the sport since the late 80′s, I can’t imagine life without the Islanders. They’ve always been the Rangers’ biggest rival. From all the classic series when they arrived to the old “19—40 chants,” until 1994 finally erased it forever, Long Island has always been our bitter enemy. As players from both sides have noted, the passion in the stands is what makes it so special. The energy and electricity at MSG or Nassau Coliseum are what make the games compelling. With apologies to the Devils, who have become our most universally loathed rival based on recent history, it’s the Islanders that are still No.1 in my book. When they’re good again, it’ll change instantly.

Rivalries are what make sports great theater. You have it in every sport with the latest installment of Yanks/Red Sox that concluded last night at Fenway. This upcoming season marks the 40th Anniversary for the Islanders. Forty years of hatred between two intense fan bases, whose emotions run high when the two teams take the ice. Whether it’s “Rangers Suck,” at The Coliseum or “Potvin Sucks,” at The Garden, this classic rivalry is one that MATTERS. Toss out the standings, stats or the names on the backs. It’s always been about the logo on the front. Players have changed allegiances. Each fanbase have welcomed a once hated enemy with open arms.

Chris Simon was once ours. A good Blueshirt when suddenly he became Public Enemy number one after his dangerous baseball bat swing connected with Ryan Hollweg’s neck. Thankfully, he was okay. Pat Lafontaine once donned all three New York jerseys, finishing his career on Broadway after successful stints with the Islanders and Sabres. Bryan Berard won a Calder with the Isles, eventually joining up with the Rangers. The list is endless.

The Islanders mean a lot to New York even if a select number of Blueshirt supporters can’t resist taking shots. This isn’t about having them to beat up. Or have we forgotten that the Isles are the grittier, scrappier bunch who bring a lunch pail work ethic to this rivalry? Sure. We have fatter pockets. But that’s never meant much against a classic rival.

The bottom line here is the Islanders are part of the fabric that makes hockey in the metro area special. No matter which way you root, there are always the other team's fans wherever the games are played. As our Devil blogger Hasan has echoed, Islander fans have invaded Newark. They have a strong following, which often gets overlooked due to the current poor arena situation. Not making the playoffs deters fans into staying away. Ticket and parking expenses don't help. Unfortunately, we live in tough times.

Amazingly, our run of five in six postseasons after going blank for a decade dwarfs the Isles. If Devil fans were spoiled for so long, then we actually have it a lot better than our No.1 enemy. The Rangers can always attract free agents because we have an owner who will pay top dollar. Until the Islanders get a new arena, they will continue to struggle recruiting UFA's. Say this for Garth Snow. The man tries. With a questionable future and not exactly a playoff lock yet, it's a tough sell for the Islanders. Look at the Devils since getting The Prudential Center. While they haven't been a free agent magnet, Ilya Kovalchuk re-signed last summer, surprising some. Their past success helps. Even if Hasan is not fond of Lou Lamoriello's post-lockout record, there's still a perception that you can compete for a Stanley Cup in Jersey. Until Tavares and Co. finally make the big dance, it will continue to be an uphill climb.

 

Hopefully, they'll get a new arena and continue to be part of our community.

Devils buy out White, who moves on to San Jose

After being waived by the Devils and then bought out once he cleared waivers yesterday afternoon, it didn't take two-time Cup winner Colin White long to land on his feet. Today Whitey signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the San Jose Sharks, and the irony is twofold. First off, Shark fans can recycle their Ian White jerseys (Colin will wear his familiar #5 in San Jose), plus now you really can call him the Great White Shark. Despite the fact he's moved on, Devil fans won't have to wait long to see Whitey again, as the Sharks make a trip into the Prudential Center on October 21. Thankfully we're not seeing him any more than that - for rumors were the Penguins were also interested in him, among other teams.

I'll be cheering him on in his return from my new seats in section 120 this year, for I've decided to move on as well. Not from the Devils of course, but from my section in 208 - which is now a thing of the past for me. After mourning not being able to have tickets there anymore, and resisting the temptation to buy season tickets I've finally decided to get back in the game, with good seats right behind the Devils' net (for the first and third periods). At $22 per game, can't really argue with the price, since it's only $7 more than my extreme corner seats have been the first four years of being a season ticket holder in everything but name at the Rock.

Guess sometimes change can be good, whether we like it at the time or not. Here's to hoping a change benefits Whitey as well.

Islander Arena Referendum Vote Today

The moment has finally arrived for Islander fans. For days, Long Islanders counted down to today's pivotal Referendum Vote for a new arena in Nassau County. New York Islanders team owner Charles Wang pitched his new proposed arena that would keep the Islanders on Long Island. After his pipedream Lighthouse project fell apart, the billionaire reconsidered with an alternative plan for Nassau County to build a $400 million complex on the same land where Nassau Coliseum is, complete with a minor league ballpark.

If a majority Vote Yes, the breakdown would be $350 million for the new arena along with $50 million for the minor league ballpark. Ideally, a yes vote preserves the Islander franchise in Nassau County. However, it's somewhat controversial due to the most heavily taxed county in America having to pony up higher tax costs so the project can be completed. This helps explain why there is plenty of opposition with elected Democrats campaigning against it, which has drawn the ire of a passionate fanbase that would be in a state of panic if it doesn't go through.

Prior to the big vote, rallies were held over the weekend in support of a new arena. The question is does the entire county of Nassau want to push Wang's arena through at the risk of higher taxes, which would come directly out of their wallets. Perhaps that's why it's expected to be close. At last check, a vote of No was ahead according to early polls. At the beginning of the day, light participation seemed to favor the Islanders. However, nothing is etched in stone. Even when it comes to a once proud franchise that won four straight Stanley Cups that's provided Long Islanders with an outlet, you just can't predict what will happen.

The final tally should occur tonight. If it's passed, Islander fans have nothing to worry about. However, in the doomsday scenario, it's hard to say whether a no vote spells the end. As Wang's repeatedly said to anyone who will listen, including a rare public appearance in studio with WFAN's Mike Francesa, he'd have to explore 'other options.' The existing Nassau Coliseum lease expires in 2015. One of the worst leases in sports that prevented the club from taking in any income off concessions- leading to higher ticket and parking costs. Along with a team that hasn't won a playoff round since a Canadian team last won Lord Stanley ('93 Canadiens), this likely explains why the turnout hasn't been good. Not surprisingly, it cost Wang millions.

Understandably so, he's right about Islander fans needing a new state of the art facility. The one avenue that might get lost in the shuffle is that Wang was willing to pony up significant costs if his Lighthouse dream had been approved. He spent a ton on marketing a wonderful concept that was unrealistic in today's economy. Now, the once part-time owner who took over full ownership in 2004 after buying out former partner Sanjay Kumar, wants Nassau County to deliver him a new arena without anything coming out of his pocket. Does that sound fair? As much as I have supported the latest proposal with even the Rangers and Devils encouraging Long Island to vote yes, I can't totally agree with Wang getting an arena that eventually could run as much as $800 million over 30 years. It almost reminds of the Brooklyn Dodgers with Walter O'Malley daring Robert Moses not to lend support to a new stadium in Brooklyn. The rest is ancient history. Hopefully, Long Island won't suffer a similar cruel fate if today's referendum gets voted down.

There are alternatives like possibly relocating to Brooklyn ironically enough where the Nets will move next year. Aside from basketball, the complex will also include ice surface for making, which would allow hockey to be played at Barclays Center. While it's still far fetched, at least the Islanders could be saved if Wang decides to sell to Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. Another slim possibility would be to move the franchise to Queens where the Mets play at the beautiful Citi Field. However, given The Wilpons financial woes due to Bernie Madoff, that seems like a pipe dream.

As a rival fan who's always enjoyed Rangers/Islanders, I can only hope no matter what transpires, the Isles stay put in Long Island. It's where they belong. Relocation would be terrible for the metro area, who have always supported three teams. It's what separates New York/New Jersey from other places. Having the Devils, Islanders and Rangers close together has been a blessing for hockey. I can't bare the thought of losing a franchise rich in tradition with loyal fans, who deserve better. Here's one vote for common sense.

Devils continue to shift things around, put White and Hunter on waivers

With a second buyout period available to the Devils starting today, few thought anything earth-shattering would happen, especially with the Devils a little under the salary cap with a full roster. Maybe it was somewhat expected that new acquisition Trent Hunter would be bought out, although disappointing that now we have to deal with a dead cap hit for four years at 666,667 per season and comical that we essentially traded Brian Rolston for cap space only. There was some speculation that Bryce Salvador, with one year left on his deal would be bought out but since he's still on LTIR it wasn't a possibility.

However, the decision to waive two-time Cup winning defenseman Colin White came out of left field, as did the revelation that GM Lou Lamoriello has been trying to trade Whitey since the end of the season. There were no takers that White would waive his NTC for. In announcing his intention to buy out both White and Hunter if neither were claimed on waivers, Lou cited 'budgetary' concerns and the current depth of young players on defense and right wing. While I do agree we have a ton of young defensemen just about ready for the NHL, the fact is that if we don't have a miracle return from Bryce Salvador or some other move before October, our fourth-most experienced defenseman going into next season is the immortal Mark Fraser. Yeech.

Of course, the budgetary admission does worry me, although it can be a fairly loose term - either referring to the team's budget in terms of actual money spent, or the salary cap itself. Cap-wise we were approximately $3 million under the salary cap including Salvador and $5.5 million without him (replacing a minimum-salaried player with Salvador's $3 million equaling a net difference of $2.5) before these buyouts. Assuming neither player gets claimed on waivers, the buyouts will give us an additional $3.3 million in cap space with a full roster. In terms of real money, it saves ownership just over $2 million of the approximately $7 million combined owed to Hunter, who was signed for two years and White - who was on the last year of his deal.

Still, after calming down about this a little I have to admit that it's unlikely that a couple million dollars here and there would really make that big a difference so perhaps it wasn't the overriding factor, it's not like we're booting $50 million off the payroll like the Mets, although the initial signs haven't been good - from Parise not getting a long-term deal, to Rolston and White being given away and being stuck with a cap hit for four years because we wouldn't stick Hunter in the minors. Although White was still one of the team's best defensemen, maybe the Rolston and White moves really were a belated attempt to change the culture of a locker room that went through coaches like Kleenex.

Even if he was declining as a player and whether or not there were locker room issues, it's sad Whitey's Devil career has to end like this. He's been a part of the Devils organization since he was 17, and he's 33 now so do the math, that's sixteen years. As Lou himself put it, White was a 'true Devil'. He played ten seasons with New Jersey, playing a physical, gritty style at the start of his career that got him compared to one-time teammate Ken Danyeko. Two years after the lockout ended though, he suffered a career-threatening eye injury in camp but managed to return after only missing the first twenty games of the 2007-08 season. Physically, he wasn't the same player but compensated with smarts and was frequently matched up against the other team's best players. Even this past season, he was one of the few Devils who pulled their weight in the first half and helped a young defense mature in the second half.

As far as what comes next, I give up. I have no earthly idea anymore, since we've been sending mixed signals all offseason. Are we rebuilding or going for it? Are we saving money or reallocating it? I didn't see this one coming...it will be interesting to see if we actually use the cap space we're clearing or not, or whether we clear even more salary? I'm kind of nervous to find out the answer.

Devils, Parise fail to reach long-term agreement and settle for one-year deal

How's my night going? Let's see...between 6 PM and 6:30 I got sucker-punched twice by the sports world, between the Nmandi Asomugha fiasco with him spurning the Jets (and Cowboys) for the Eagles at the last second after a three-day soap opera and then moments later hearing that talks between GM Lou Lamoriello and star winger Zach Parise came to a halt because the sides couldn't agree on a long-term contract. As the immortal Joe Benigno would say: 'What a disgrace!'

Clearly it's been a great night so far. So we avoided arbitration by inking Zach to a one-year, $6 million deal, whoopdie darn doo. As much as both sides wanted to put a happy face on and emphasize the fact that they could agree to a deal after January 2012, it is now obvious that after months between the end of the season and now to agree to a long-term deal, if it wasn't going to happen now it's just not going to happen before UFA next summer. Things really shouldn't have come to this, on either end. There are only a handful of reasons why it might have gotten to this point, none of which suggest a happy ending by next summer.

1) Ownership doesn't have the money to pay him...we've heard this for a while now, and while it's been denied right now those denials ring as hollow as the Mets' assertions that the Bernie Madoff fiasco would not affect club operations. Clearly there was concern about having two long-term deals on the books at big money, with the huge money payouts on Ilya Kovalchuk's deal starting next year. Sure, I can't prove that money actually is a factor but when ownership is in flux and has trouble dishing out money for Parise just one offseason after throwing $100 million at Kovy, you can't stick your head in the sand either.

You also have to wonder what the recent Brian Rolston trade was actually about now, if it wasn't to clear cap space for a potential long-term deal for Zach. Saving ownership a few more million? It sure wasn't about hockey talent, for as much as I couldn't stand Rolston he's a better player than Trent Hunter without question. And it wasn't about staying under the cap either since we still would have been at least a couple-few million under without trading Rolston.

2) Lou wants Zach to prove he's healthy...okay I could buy that except for two things, one we benched him towards the end of the season when he could have gotten in a few games and proved he was healthy. If his health was that big of a question mark then he should have played down the stretch for the benefit of both himself and management. And if his health (after a knee injury that forced him to miss 3/4 of the season) really is a big deal, then why exactly did we go through this tete-a-tete for the last three months regarding trying to sign Zach long-term? We should have just tendered him a one-year offer when the offseason began if that was the case and avoided this drama.

3) Zach wants out...I won't believe this one yet BUT the fact is while we spent all our time and attention on Kovy last offseason, when Zach wanted a long-term deal (and was healthy) we made no movement toward signing one. And when Lou had months to sign him this offseason little visceral movement was made towards that end, while we were signing everyone else from the waterboy to Mark Fraser to Cam Janssen and even the immortal Stephane Villeux. Sometimes being last-minute Lou does backfire and now we're staring at having Parise go UFA next offseason with half the league in a position to bid on him handsomely.

4) Zach wants a big payday...when you don't sign a long-term deal despite assertions to the contrary that you want one, a cynic might conclude that Zach was just conducting a PR campaign and had no intention of signing long-term until next offseason when he got to free agency. Granted, about 98% of sports athletes are all about the last dollar but in an offseason where Andy Greene, Johan Hedberg and even rookie Adam Larsson took less money to either stay or get to the Devils, it looks a bit disingenous at best that Zach couldn't find any common ground with us while claiming repeatedly he wanted a long-term deal.

Whichever reason or reasons you want to believe, the fact remains the same...it is now a lot more likely that Parise hits UFA and that was the absolute nightmare scenario from this offseason. And for that, I'm frustrated with the mess that is ownership, angry at Lou (though admittedly some of that is my overall frustration with him since the lockout - his head coaching carousel, his inability to replace our defensive stars walking out the door or adjust to the post-lockout NHL) and dissapointed in Zach. Shame on everyone involved if this ends in divorce next July!

Devils trade Rolston to Isles for Hunter

Since last offseason, Devils winger Brian Rolston has been rumored to be on the move and from mid-December on (when he got waived twice), nobody was more aware than Rolston himself that there was hard truth to the rumors. Particularly given his $5 million cap figure and declining production. However, nobody claimed him or dealt for him before last season's trade deadline and Rolston picked up his play in the second half of the season like a professional, turning in some of his best hockey in either of his stints as a Devil with twelve goals and seventeen assists in his last 44 games played - including a memorable shootout winner over the Isles in early March where he 'called his shot' on the bench.

Despite that improved production, Zach Parise's return this year - whether he signs long-term or not - would have relegated Rolston to the third line once again, a role he chafed in earlier in his Devil tenure. Between that and his still too-high salary for next season, perhaps it was inevitable something would finally happen now that Rolston was on the last year of his deal. And today, something did happen as Rolston finally got dealt to the Islanders for injury-prone winger Trent Hunter - giving the Devils $3 million of cap savings - and another option at RW, a position we are a bit thin at.

While Rolston does have a NTC and could have declined to be dealt to the Isles, he admitted post-trade that he had for all intents and purposes waived the NTC for any destination GM Lou Lamoriello wanted to send him. For his part, Rolston was pleased to be going to Long Island given the proximity to his home and the fact he has a near-guaranteed role in the top six. Not to mention you could feel the edge in his voice just by seeing his quote about it being nice to go somewhere that he was wanted.

I've had my differences with Rolston since he returned to the Devils and has largely underperformed his contract, but you have to at least give him credit for not going in the tank and being an asset to the Devils' second half run. Not everyone who knew they weren't wanted would have reacted with the same professionalism (cough Jamie Langenbrunner cough). So, despite his underachieving I do wish him well next season and beyond. And while the Isles' primary motivation may have been to acquire Rolston's salary to approach the cap floor, they do also get the better player in the deal.

As far as where the Devils go from here, well the 31-year old Hunter if healthy (he missed most of last season witha n MCL injury) provides another intriguing option to the third or fourth line, an upgrade over a lot of the guys fighting for spots here - particularly on the right side where we have only the young Nick Palmeri, inconsistent David Clarkson and hard-working but undertalented Danius Zubrus currently above Hunter on the depth chart.

Sure, you can argue the Devils' primary motivation for the deal was financial flexibility, since you can get rid of Hunter's salary (via the minors or LTIR) where you couldn't get rid of Rolston's because of his 35+ deal. That said, I didn't really think we needed another trade to fit in a possible long-term deal for Parise - not unless his cap figure was going to be north of $8 million and we wanted to give Bryce Salvador a chance to win a job in camp. Either way, getting rid of a non-essential piece and gaining much-needed financial flexibility (if not for Parise, then for another possible trade or signing down the road) should help us and gaining his salary and another vet presence should help the Isles.

Time running out for Devils, Parise to avoid arbitration

With d-day now less than a week away for the Devils to avoid next Wednesday morning's arbitration hearing with star winger Zach Parise, not only is the urgency there for both sides to get a deal done, but there really are no excuses not to get a deal done now that GM Lou Lamoriello's signed everyone but the waterboy and knows what a full roster could look like and exactly how much cap space he has right now. As Lou himself admits, Parise's the 'total focus' now with no other outstanding contract figures to consider for anyone who could conceivably be on the roster next season. I'll say this for Lou, as much as it's driven me mad that he's signed everyone but the waterboy (including Mark Fraser, who avoided his own arbitration hearing by inking a one-year deal for $550,000) before taking care of Zach, he really has lined all of his ducks in a row including finally hiring Pete DeBoer last week to be the head coach.

So now not only does Zach know how much room the Devils have for him, he knows who's going to be coaching next year and hopefully beyond. And make no mistake about it, it behooves both sides to get a deal done. Sure, a cynic could say Zach might want to ride it out to UFA where he'll almost certainly get more money than he could get in a deal with the Devils right now but two factors might preclude that - number one being the fact the CBA's due to expire before next season, and if there's a resolution to that before July 1 there'll almost surely be new rules in the new CBA with regards to contract structure that could curtail intense frontloading. After all, it's a lot easier for teams to hand out a 10 year, 70 million dollar deal if they can frontload a bunch of money now and buy out the deal at the back end when you have low-salaried seasons if the player's no longer worth his cap hit. Plus after having missed all but one game in eleven months' time between last October and this season's Opening Night, another major injury this year could prove devastating to Zach's open-market value.

Clearly from the Devils' end, they can't afford to lose their most dynamic home-grown talent since Patrik Elias was in his prime, and an American Olympic hero at that. Even with the Devils' great second half run without him last year, the Devils did still finish a point under NHL .500 overall with the worst offense in the league. Having Parise around will also make it harder for teams to key on Ilya Kovalchuk, who carried the offense almost single-handedly during the Devils' winter surge. Not to mention perennial linemate Travis Zajac looked lost offensively last year without Zach.

True, even if the Devils wound up going to arbitration next week they could still theoretically have months to re-sign him before Zach hits UFA next July 1 but the possibility of that is a lot more unlikely if both sides endure a messy arbitration hearing. And if both sides agree to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration, then I may be driven insane by all the speculation over whether we should trade Zach (which we won't) to get something back for him. It was bad enough last year when fellow fans were getting paranoid long before this looming arbitration hearing, it would be a total black cloud if it were allowed to hover into this season as well. Not to mention both sides have had months to negotiate this, almost as long as the NFL players and owners had to reach an agreement on a CBA where billions of dollars were at stake. If they can't come to any more than a one-year agreement now with exclusive negotiating rights, that doesn't bode well for any long-term deal next offseason.

At least cap space shouldn't be a problem. Currently CapGeek (a useful website for amateur GM's like me) has the Devils a few million under the cap, but that doesn't factor in the unfortunate Bryce Salvador situation. Seeing as he hasn't been cleared to play yet, it's likely he'll begin the season on LTIR. If Sal is cleared to play though, he could wind up facing a Dan McGillis-type fate with no NMC or NTC to prevent the Devils sending him to Albany, seeing as a trade would be extremely unlikely with Salvador having been out a year and one hit away from retirement if he even did get cleared. Either way, that would clear almost another $3 million in space.

So looking at a likely roster for next season, CapGeek has fourteen forwards (not including Zach) listed at $33.675 million combined. Having all of those forwards make the roster and factoring in Zach is extremely unlikely though, so figure on at least one of the forwards making under 600k - either Rod Pelley, Cam Janssen or Vladimir Zharkov - not making the team and the figure's closer to $33 million. I'll cut Janssen, giving us a $33.125 figure for 13 forwards not including Zach. Goalies Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg factor in for $6.425 million with another $1 million of dead cap space thanks to the buyouts of Jay Pandolfo and Andrew Peters last offseason. So adding that $7.425 would put us at $40.55 million.

Among our defensemen, if you go with the six returning players - including Fraser as the seventh D - and sub in Matt Taormina (a non-listed 550k salary) for the departed Anssi Salmela, you arrive at a cap figure of $15,267,500 for seven defensemen, not including Salvador or first-round pick Adam Larsson, whose cap figure would be 950k if he made the team. That would put our cap number at $55,817,500 which would be $8,482,500 below the $64.3 million cap celing. If Lou wants to give Salvador a legitimate chance to make the team, that does make the equation harder. If you sub out say, Fraser for Sal, that'd be around a net $2.35 million decrease in our cap space, putting our cap figure at just over $6 million. That would make it unlikely to sign Zach without either a trade or at least shortening the roster below 23 players.

Either way, if the Devils don't get Zach done, it won't be because of cap issues. Guess it's time for another few anxious days of waiting before a resolution, one way or another. At least I have the NFL free-for-all to keep me occupied until then, not to mention the MLB trade deadline. If there's been a nuttier week as far as total sports transactions, I'm hard-pressed to remember one. The first few days of NHL free agency following the lockout were somewhat comparable to what the NFL's going through but you didn't have corresponding action with another sport's trade deadline to complement that. For me it's particularly a goofy time, with literally all of my sports teams (the Mets, Jets and Devils) potentially making major transactions between now and next week.

Rangers, Callahan agree: Three years, $13 million

Ryan Callahan and the Rangers avoided arbitration by agreeing on a three-year deal worth a reported $13 million. The breakdown hasn't been posted yet but it'll cost the club an average of $4.33 million per season. A shade higher than the four-year contract Brandon Dubinsky signed last week, which is a cap hit of $4.2 million.

Both gritty American forwards, who teamed with Russian Artem Anisimov on the Draft Line to the tune of 65 of the Blueshirts' 224 goals (29 percent), are building blocks that helped get the Original Six club to its fifth postseason in six years since the lockout. Quite an accomplishment considering Callahan broke his right leg after diving in front of a Zdeno Chara point blast, which ended his season earlier than desired. The Rangers rallied for Cally, qualifying on the second to final day when their win over Hudson rival New Jersey combined with Carolina's loss to Tampa Bay clinched it.

Minus their emotional leader, the Rangers fought valiantly but fell to the Caps in five in a closely contested first round. Offense was at a premium with his team only able to score eight goals with Dubinsky's pair pacing them. John Tortorella consequently broke up Dubinsky and Anisimov, which definitely didn't help solve the scoring woes. In a physical series where they could've used Callahan's presence especially in front of the net, it was too much to overcome against a more skilled opponent. Not to say they'd have exacted revenge against Washington if No.24 played but the sides would've been a lot more even.

Despite missing 22 games during the regular season, the 26-year old Rochester native had his best year, setting new career highs in goals (23), assists (25), and points (48), while pacing the club with 10 power play goals and five game-winners. A fourth round steal back in the '04 Draft, Callahan's become the classic overachiever who gets the most out of his 5-11, 185 pound frame, never hesitating to finish a check. A solid overall player who can be deployed in any situation, he's combined with buddy Dubinsky to help form a potent penalty killing duo that can strike shorthanded at any moment. It's his desire to compete that comes out, winning fans over with the kind of style New Yorkers identify with.

While Cally will never be confused talent-wise with Dubinsky, his effort is second to none, which explains why the general consensus is that he should eventually replace recently bought out Chris Drury as the Rangers' next captain. Outside of Henrik Lundqvist and perhaps Marc Staal, you can make the argument that nobody means more to the Rangers' chances than the hard nosed right wing who plays with an edge.

The only drawback is how he plays, which could make him injury prone. Probably why the Rangers gave him three years instead of four with sidekick Dubi (6' 1", 210)better equipped for that taxing style. Each have missed time due to injuries the past couple of years. No doubt our team is much more effective when they're healthy, dishing out the punishment.

With Brad Richards expected to boost the offense sans Marian Gaborik, it should relieve pressure, hopefully allowing our second line to stay intact. Though the choices of buyout candidate Wojtek Wolski, Ruslan Fedotenko, Erik Christensen, Mats Zuccarello and Sean Avery, aren't overwhelming enough for Tortorella to consider trying Dubinsky on the top line. What that potentially does for Anisimov and Callahan remains to be seen. Even if Callahan is the main ingredient that makes it work.

The good news is Glen Sather has had a superb summer, sticking to the plan. After adding new enforcer Mike Rupp and top pivot Richards, he took care of business, re-signing Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Dubinsky, Steve Eminger and Callahan. A look at the roster makes one wonder if they'll retain Wolski.

NEW YORK RANGERS DEPTH CHART

G-Lundqvist, Biron, Johnson, Talbot, Stajcer, Missiaen

D-Staal, Girardi, McDonagh, Sauer, Eminger, Del Zotto, Erixon, Valentenko, Kundratek, McIlrath, Pashnin, Klassen

C-Richards, Anisimov, Stepan, Boyle, Christensen, Mitchell, Newbury, Lindberg, Miller, St. Croix, Fogarty 

LW-Dubinsky, Wolski, Prust, Avery, Zuccarello, Hagelin, Kreider, Bourque, Kveton

RW-Gaborik, Callahan, Fedotenko, Rupp, Weise, Kolarik, Thuresson, Thomas, McColgan

Sabres re-sign Enroth

For once, Sabre fans have plenty to get excited about. With new owner Terry Pegula's committment to winning at all costs, he's made it clear what the organization's goal is. Bring Lord Stanley to Buffalo. With our resident Sabre lurker hiding out in the woods literally, you just know he's plenty pumped for the upcoming season. Especially with Robyn Regehr, Christian Ehrhoff and Ville Leino added to a roster that boasts Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, Ryan Miller, Tyler Myers and hopefully a healthy Jason Pominville.

Indeed, there's plenty to like about Darcy Regier's club that also features young guns Tyler Ennis, Nathan Gerbe and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Now, you can throw in real backup Jhonas Enroth, who re-upped with the club last week for two years at a friendly cap hit ($675 K).

The 23-year old from Stockholm was instrumental in getting the Sabres to a second straight postseason, filling in for Miller down the stretch. Amazingly, a player with only one NHL game prior to '10-11 won four critical games over the final week-plus to help his team make the cut. If you include two other wins in March, six of his nine victories came over the last five weeks. No small task for the former '06 first rounder who supplanted recently retired Patrick Lalime as Buffalo's backup. Cue an odd celebration somewhere in Long Beach. :P

For the season, Enroth went 9-2-2 with a 2.73 goals against average (GAA) with a .907 save percentage along with a 1-0 shutout of the Rangers in a pivotal match that nearly cost us. Thankfully, it didn't. For a guy who was basically new to the pressure, the Swede showed tremendous poise between the pipes, making some wonder if he couldn't be a No.1 elsewhere. Luckily for Western New York, they have what looks to be a steady backup for the first time in years, which should allow Lindy Ruff to feel more comfortable giving Miller a night off. That could be crucial if the Sabres are finally able to take that next GIANT step as a franchise.

Eminger re-signs, Callahan on deck

When summer began, Glen Sather had his work cut out, needing to not only fill the No.1 center need with landing Brad Richards AKA Richy Rich, but our much maligned GM also knew he had to get some vital pieces re-signed. So far, so good for Slats who today re-signed veteran blueliner Steve Eminger to a one-year deal (undisclosed). It probably should range between 800-925 K. A nice discount for a team guy who earned $1.5 million after coming over from Anaheim in exchange for Aaron Voros and Ryan Hillier.

The well traveled vet who turns 28 on Halloween looks to have found a home in the Big Apple after filling in admirably as the sixth defenseman most of last season. In 65 games, Eminger totaled two goals and four assists with just 22 penalty minutes. While nothing earth shattering for a former first round pick that's on his sixth NHL team, he more than made up for it with gritty play- registering 143 hits and 101 blocked shots as part of a team that sacrificed for the common cause.

When there were injuries to Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, Eminger adequately filled in even elevating his play with increased minutes. Considering that I wasn't too keen when we traded for him, he definitely won over a new fan. On a young D that's anchored by Staal and Girardi with kids Ryan McDonagh, Mike Sauer, Mike Del Zotto and likely Tim Erixon, bringing him back makes sense. There's nothing wrong with having an experienced player who actually isn't that old. Even if it makes it unlikely Pavel Valentenko or Tomas Kundratek will make the club. Considering how physical the game is, you can never have enough depth on the back end. See the '10-11 New Jersey Devils for why.

There's still the prevailing thought that with all the depth, Slats is cooking up something. Might camp result in a trade? With Mikhail Pashnin also expected to join the mix, it's sure to be crowded. Too close for comfort. After our top four, nobody should assume they have a spot. It should make for some stiff competition.

Cally On Deck: With Sather getting another player done, he's quietly had a nice summer. He also brought in vet pugilist Mike Rupp to fill in as team enforcer while getting Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle and Brandon Dubinsky re-signed. All that's left is Ryan Callahan, who could go to arbitration this Saturday if the two sides don't reach a deal. Considering how they were able to work it out with Dubinsky, it's easy to conclude a similar scenario that'll make everyone happy.

Prospal finds new home in Columbus

It looks like someone else's fans will get to enjoy Vinny Prospal's awesome goal celebrations. After spending two years on Broadway, the 36 year-old crafty veteran forward signed with the Blue Jackets this afternoon for a year, $1.75 million.

"Vinny Prospal is a proven top six forward in the National Hockey League and we look forward to him playing that role for our hockey club," Columbus GM Scott Howson said of his latest acquisition that should help offset the loss of Kristian Huselius while fitting in nicely with Jeff Carter and Rick Nash. "We are very pleased to be able to add a player of his caliber to our team at this late date in the free agency process."

Following a successful debut in the Big Apple where he ranked second in team scoring with 58 points (20-38-58) over 75 games, a bad knee limited the Czech complement to Marian Gaborik to 29 games last season. Despite the injury, one of the Rangers' emotional leaders showed guts returning to help spark the club back into the postseason. His penchant for big goals along with the coolest celebrations you'll ever see often ignited teammates. Never was that more evident during a three-goal comeback against the Bruins in a pivotal match-up at The Garden.

With the team needing to win to keep pace with Carolina, they came out flat and paid dearly falling behind by three against a stingy opponent. When all felt lost, Prosp injected life back into the bench and crowd with two big goals that cut the deficit to 3-2 after two periods. Most noticeable was his reaction after scoring the first one, doing his trademark pump of the fists and then having some pointed words of encouragement for the bench. The response was overwhelming with the Blueshirts continuing to push until Brandon Dubinsky somehow tied it late followed by Mike Sauer's finest rookie moment with under three minutes left. Derek Stepan's empty netter would seal one of the bookmark wins that got our team in.

That's the kinda rugged determination Prospal demonstrated, going to the net for garbage goals. When the Rangers needed him most, he was there on the last day of the season, scoring and setting up another in a do-or-die win over the Devils before an incredible MSG atmosphere. Without his contributions that saw him scratch out nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points over 29 contests, they don't make the playoffs. I can honestly say I never expected him to return. Everything that was said made it sound like we shouldn't count on Prosp. But the prideful man who's had successful runs in five NHL cities (Phi, Ott, TB, Ana, NYR) discounting a spare part with Florida, proved why John Tortorella liked him enough to sign him.

Thank you Prospal for two good years and best wishes in Columbus.

Doc in class by self

Yesterday, we lost a great voice. Sure. Doc Emrick's not going away permanently as we'll still be able to catch the legendary play-by-play man exclusively on NBC and Versus. Home of hockey and Lord Stanley. Thankfully, he'll still grace our TV sets with that boyish charm that makes fans of us all. It's hard to believe that he will no longer be part of Devil games where he became a fixture for 21 brilliant seasons on the Turnpike.

Maybe it was fate for a franchise that hadn't had any true success because soon after, New Jersey would go onto win three Cups with guess who behind the mic. It was Emrick who got to call their first one after sweeping Detroit in '95, where he teamed with another great voice our metro area lost a few years prior, John Davidson on Fox. On national TV, of course he'd make an elegant call as the clock wound down at the old Meadowlands Arena saying:

"The championship to New Jersey! The Devils win the Stanley Cup!!!!!"

It was like Doc was speaking to the entire Garden State, representing them in the best way possible. That's who he is. To have been complemented by the equally classy and well stated Davidson, who represented our city for so many years, is what made them such a dynamic duo. The best Devil broadcaster and the quintissential Ranger color analyst are the best to ever do it at least in The States. Considering that our team broke Devil hearts a year earlier in one of the greatest series ever en route to its first Cup in 54 years, it was fitting that JD would congratulate the Devil organization as time ticked away. That kinda professionalism from both sides of the Hudson is something that makes the rivalry special. No matter which side you're on, our broadcasters are very complementary of the other. Something I'm proud to say still exists thanks to holdovers Sam Rosen, Chico Resch and Stan Fischler. It's still funny seeing Ken Daneyko as part of Hockey Night Live. But he fits in perfectly.

You can't replace a legend like Doc in the booth. Nobody is more knowledgable and as fun. I can still remember some of our production meetings when yours truly worked the Devils truck for home games during a majority of the '00-01 season. A job I got thanks to the most misunderstood hockey guy outside of Don Cherry, The Maven. Unless you work for him, you shouldn't judge. It was also through Fischler that I wound up in Bristol, Connecticut twice as an NHL researcher for another controversial network ESPN. We'll save that for another day.

During each game, the production team gets together an hour before game time to go over the rundown. A lot of relevant info is used but it always began with a Fischler joke. One stands out that can't be repeated and still brings a grin. Emrick was always well prepared like a hockey encyclopedia. Once, I mentioned to Chico that the two clubs with the most hat tricks were playing with a kid named Ilya Kovalchuk and the Thrashers meeting the A Line and the best second line I can remember (Brylin-Gomez-Mogilny). As the game was winding down in the third period while I was logging highlights, suddenly the affable Resch noted my discovery with my name mentioned on air. I barely noticed but thought how cool it was. That's the kind of quality people that work on these games.

As it pertains to Doc, he was the epitome of someone who cared about you. When I improved, he'd tell me, "Good job." Sometimes, you can just tell when a person is genuine. Mike "Doc" Emrick is and that's what matters most. He's not just another broadcaster in a tough business who worked his way up from doing radio for the Rangers to TV for the Flyers (go figure) to becoming an icon with the Devils. This is a quality individual who goes out of his way to meet and greet fans before and during games when there's time as Hasan accurately noted in his post. It reminds me of a game we went to in the mid-90's at The Garden. The Flyers were in town and I sat in the press box right beneath the broadcast booth. After the game, we climbed over and waited for Davidson, who had to leave quickly due to a Fox game the next day. When he came out, he still signed my media guide and greeted Dad and Justin. The similarities between Doc and JD are endless. Rosen too is a great guy. Basically, all four guys we grew up with are terrific. Chico is one of the sweethearts. Even if he can go a little ga ga with the Marty-isms, I still get a good chuckle.

In many ways, we've been fortunate to have such great announcers for all three clubs in this area. Howie Rose will always be synonymous with "Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!" Billy Jaffe was fun before he left for Versus full-time. The coverage we get even in the offseason is so much better than the TSN run NHL Network. You can thank MSG with their Vault that brings back classic memories for all three fanbases. I could go on here but won't.

This is about losing a man who knew when to be serious but also mixed in sarcasm and expressions that brought joy to our living rooms. Who else can pull off, "pitch forked out" and "hit the post with the shot," with such vigor? There are so many like "iron," "cage," and signature, "waffleboarded away by Brodeur." There aren't enough adjectives with Doc. He makes every game exciting. Who can forget during the lockout when he effectively called Olympic water polo? I was sitting in my room watching and started laughing hysterically. He basically turned it into hockey, which I mentioned to Justin, who also watched and laughed. Only one of the coolest things ever.

Doc is the best. This is coming from a big Rick Jeanneret guy, who enjoys the legendary Sabres' enthusiasm. There is only one Doc, who as one Devil game was going on, spoke through his headset to a production team that still includes director Roland Dratch and producer Larry Gaines and said about some loud music during a break, "Are we in Mardi Gras?"

Never a dull moment for Emrick. Now, at age 65 which I still have a hard time believing based on how he acts, the Hockey Hall Of Fame Foster Hewitt winner finally gets an easier schedule where he can concentrate fully on being the voice of hockey for NBC/Versus. We'll still get to hear him occasionally call our games, which will make it more special. But even more, I'll try to catch Doc as much as possible because of the total admiration I have. You made hockey here better and will be sorely missed. I hope one day the Rangers and Devils meet deep in the playoffs once more so the greatest voice I know can call it.

Our own hockey God.

Dubinsky, Rangers agree on new four-year deal

Sometimes, wishes do come true. On what's turned into a bittersweet day with the departure of legendary Devils' broadcaster Mike "Doc" Emrick, at least the Rangers and Brandon Dubinsky brought some happier news to one side of the Hudson rivalry- reaching agreement on a new four-year deal worth $16.8 million, avoiding arbitration today.

“I wanted to be in New York, it’s the place I live, it’s the place I love and I want to be here forever,” an excited Dubinsky expressed to NY Post's own Larry Brooks. “At the end of the day, I think it’s a home run for me. I hope the team feels the same way.”

Perhaps it was because one of Dubinsky's biggest fans via Twitter @sarahhlokk actually wore his jersey to bed last night, braving the crazy heatwave we're getting that's close to the century mark. While that's about as loyal a fan as you can find, it sounds like logic prevailed between the two sides with Dubinsky's agent Kurt Overhardt and new assistant GM Jeff Gorton able to work it out before the doomsday scenario of a crazy divide that reportedly had Dubinsky coming in at $4.6 million while the Rangers were expected to counter with $2.8 million.

As it turned out, Dubinsky kept his word after stating he wanted the Rangers following our first round exit. Instead of letting a $500,000 difference come in the path of getting a long-term contract done, both sides came together to hammer out a logical four-year deal that keeps our '10-11 leading scorer on Broadway through '14-15. Even better, the average cap hit is better than expected at $4.2 million. Remember, I projected the number in the neighborhood of $4.75 M. In the first two years, he'll be paid $3.75 million with the annual salary increasing to $4.65 million for the final two seasons. Essentially, they split the difference, making the 25 year-old Alaskan a rich man. He posted career bests last season with 24 goals, 30 assists and a team-leading 54 points. Now, Dubinsky will be expected to increase production with our '04 second round steal capable of 30 goals and between 65-70 points. He definitely feels ready for the challenge. 

“I can’t even tell you how much I’m looking forward to the season,” Dubinsky said. “With all the guys we have coming back plus the signings we’ve made with Richie [Brad Richards] and Mike Rupp, I think we’re going to be a contender in the East; I really feel that way.

“I have high expectations for myself and for the team. The last couple of years we’ve talked about being contenders. Now I truly believe we have the team to do it, not just talk about it.”

With Dubinsky locked up, that leaves one more core player for Glen Sather to get done in likely captain Ryan Callahan, whose arbitration date is set for next Friday, July 30. Figure Slats and Callahan to come up with a similar conclusion, allowing Garden Faithful to breathe easier and look forward to the upcoming season.