Judging by the reaction in the locker room during post-game interviews, it looks like the Flyers were crestfallen after losing 5-4 to the Devils in a shootout last night.
They scored first. They led 4-1. They still lost (Tied, actually, since your humble author refuses to accept shootouts). The script is a familiar one in New Jersey in those rare times the Flyers have wrested control of the game early at the Meadowlands.
All hands and feet inside the bus during the ride home, boys. Don't want anyone taking a header off the Pulaski Skyway or the Delaware River Bridge.
This loss is hardly a time for handwringing. The Blackhawks are 6-0 in the preseason, and does anybody expect them to contend for a playoff spot? Half the teams in the league still don't have their rosters set, who feature a slew of minor leaguers desperately trying to prove their worth or contract players trying to prove they aren't trade bait. Has this rivalry become so one-sided, and the wound so deep over past dominance, that even exhibition losses carry the full weight of disappointment?
The Devils are no different - they have to decide who to keep between Sergei Brylin, Alexander Mogilny, and the unsigned Brian Gionta. The Flyers are an exception. They have maybe one spot in contention (on defense) and one spot open (the eternal goaltender question) with one game to go before the curtain goes up for real.
Maybe that's the precise reason for the gloomy navel-gazing - that a Flyers team damn near to the one which will make the 82-game trek blew a three-goal lead on the road to a team with major issues. Still, baseball, football and hockey are littered with teams who exceeded or confounded expectation, based on lamebrained predictions gleaned from preseason performance and record.
So, my only two words to reference last night's game are: Who Cares? Who cares if the Flyers blew a three-goal lead in September? Who cares if they go out and lose tomorrow night in Washington? The Caps won't finish with a record anywhere close to Philly come next April.
Please, reserve all judgment beginning on the night of October 7th. The opener, which I suspect the Flyers could lose, is a wash. Openers should only set the tone for the NFL with only 16 games on the slate. Start the suicide watch should the Orange and Black lose their home opener to the Rangers.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
A Low Down, Dirty Shame
Need any more proof that preseason games shouldn't be dress rehearsals for the regular season?
Here you go:
Goodbye, Columbus
There's too much at stake anymore to have players going full-tilt at ANY time before the first game. I don't recall Tie Domi, Rob Ray, Dave Manson, Bryan Marchment, or Darius Kasparaitis being suspended for hits before the drop of the puck in October. This guy's a known thug, but now he's gotta be put in that category of "dangerous to the opposition, more dangerous to his own team."
Here you go:
Goodbye, Columbus
There's too much at stake anymore to have players going full-tilt at ANY time before the first game. I don't recall Tie Domi, Rob Ray, Dave Manson, Bryan Marchment, or Darius Kasparaitis being suspended for hits before the drop of the puck in October. This guy's a known thug, but now he's gotta be put in that category of "dangerous to the opposition, more dangerous to his own team."
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Policia de la manera, parte dos!
That's a little Espanol for ya, in "honor" of the Rangers-Panthers game in that hockey hotbed of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
That's right. You heard me. Moving on.
I'm going to work my way up to a Crash Davis style monologue about all the things I think hockey should still be, but for now, I wanna break down the jersey situation.
Three years ago, the league decided it would be better for all involved if the home team would wear either their third jersey or road uniform, and the road team wear their home whites or (if they have one) the lighter colored third jersey. The logic behind it was to prevent certain teams from having to pack all three jerseys on long road trips, since the choice of apparel is up to the home club, and the visiting team realistically couldn't predict what home team would wear which jersey when, so...every night in every arena now becomes a vicious kind of Opposite Day.
First - I'm not a big fan of third jerseys anyway. 1A - I think the Bruins have the most clever (brown bear, gold color), and the Blackhawks the most pragmatic (black base with red and white trim, not altering logo or color scheme or design).
Second - I'm for the third jersey making, at the most, five or six appearances a year. Break 'em out only for your squad's first OLN or NBC game, keep 'em in the rotation for afternoons on national telecasts. Don't bombard the senses and keep fans guessing which monstrosity their players will show up wearing game-to-game.
Third - I thought King Bettman and the Knights of the Square Boardroom Table wanted to hook more casual fans into watching. How proactive can it be to have new fans them questioning their local papers after they read their team is home, yet seeing them wearing the road darks?
Used to be that arenas were distinct enough that fans could tell where the game was played just by looking at the size, the boards, or, most obviously, the logo of the team prominent at center ice. Now, every rink is 200 by 85, bearing some kind of corporate name, with ads surrounding the boards. If a casual fan happens to catch some action on TV not near center ice, no wonder they'd be confused if there were no markers to let them know who's playing where. My parents, who aren't hardcore Flyers fans, but who have been watching since the early 70's, have asked me about 20 times over the past three seasons if the Flyers were home while glancing at the TV every so often. I've asked them multiple times, "would you think the Flyers were always on the road, if you didn't happen to notice the scoreboard at the top of the screen?" Their answer is either "yes," or, "I can't tell what the hell is going on, but I do know I don't like these new orange uniforms." There you have it, from people who were partying hard circa the 1974 Stanley Cup parade.
The league wised up for television in the early 1970's by making teams wear white at home, dark on the road, and eventually forced names above numbers. The whole jersey-switch thing was kinda cute after the 1992 All-Star Game, as the league celebrated its 75th year - but that experiment returned to normal once the regular season ended. This trial is now entering its third full season, and fourth overall, and I know I'm not alone in hoping it will end.
Maybe the mad, mad minds of upper Madison Avenue should hire Mike Keenan as a uni consultant, instead of having him force his tired old management act to every bench in North America. Keenan, thus far, has been the only independent thinker to refuse that his team wear a third jersey design. The Blues had a blue, red, and yellow "triple trumpet and note" design, set to debut in January, 1996. Keenan took one look at these affronts to nature, and vehemently declined the offer for his club to don the duds. I only wish the 20 other clubs who trotted out their very own pastel colored daymares had half the brainpower of the man dubbed "The Teflon Coach."
For my hometown club, I wish their black jerseys (now the road/home?) colors are relegated to the merchandising kiosk at the center - only to be whipped out come January's NBC Game of the Week. I hope their current third unis, a sickly pairing of bright orange, black, white, silver, and cutout shapes a third grader could be proud of - are modified again to become home/road? colors.
For the rest of the league, I don't care what mega-multi-millionaire comic book creator comes along, don't be suckers. Teams create a logo as part of a tradition, maybe now even to launch a brand. Why muddy the waters for revenue's sake by creating a totally different design scheme, when certain teams have built up 10,20,30, 40-plus years of tradition with colors and crest? Even Montreal's poor excuse for a third uniform sullies the bleu, blanc et rouge and the distinctive "CH" crest.
To steal a phrase from Bill Conlin, "When I'm King of the World," only these teams (besides Boston and Chicago) would be allowed a third uniform: Buffalo (who have embraced their past), Florida (whose blue unis aren't much worse than their real jerseys), Vancouver (we've never been able to distinguish anyway), Philly and Toronto.
Everyone else, build a huge bonfire, preferably before the home opener. Let people in the parking lots 90 minutes before game time. Charge a buck, serve orangeade, give everyone a match apiece, and set those designs aflame!
That's right. You heard me. Moving on.
I'm going to work my way up to a Crash Davis style monologue about all the things I think hockey should still be, but for now, I wanna break down the jersey situation.
Three years ago, the league decided it would be better for all involved if the home team would wear either their third jersey or road uniform, and the road team wear their home whites or (if they have one) the lighter colored third jersey. The logic behind it was to prevent certain teams from having to pack all three jerseys on long road trips, since the choice of apparel is up to the home club, and the visiting team realistically couldn't predict what home team would wear which jersey when, so...every night in every arena now becomes a vicious kind of Opposite Day.
First - I'm not a big fan of third jerseys anyway. 1A - I think the Bruins have the most clever (brown bear, gold color), and the Blackhawks the most pragmatic (black base with red and white trim, not altering logo or color scheme or design).
Second - I'm for the third jersey making, at the most, five or six appearances a year. Break 'em out only for your squad's first OLN or NBC game, keep 'em in the rotation for afternoons on national telecasts. Don't bombard the senses and keep fans guessing which monstrosity their players will show up wearing game-to-game.
Third - I thought King Bettman and the Knights of the Square Boardroom Table wanted to hook more casual fans into watching. How proactive can it be to have new fans them questioning their local papers after they read their team is home, yet seeing them wearing the road darks?
Used to be that arenas were distinct enough that fans could tell where the game was played just by looking at the size, the boards, or, most obviously, the logo of the team prominent at center ice. Now, every rink is 200 by 85, bearing some kind of corporate name, with ads surrounding the boards. If a casual fan happens to catch some action on TV not near center ice, no wonder they'd be confused if there were no markers to let them know who's playing where. My parents, who aren't hardcore Flyers fans, but who have been watching since the early 70's, have asked me about 20 times over the past three seasons if the Flyers were home while glancing at the TV every so often. I've asked them multiple times, "would you think the Flyers were always on the road, if you didn't happen to notice the scoreboard at the top of the screen?" Their answer is either "yes," or, "I can't tell what the hell is going on, but I do know I don't like these new orange uniforms." There you have it, from people who were partying hard circa the 1974 Stanley Cup parade.
The league wised up for television in the early 1970's by making teams wear white at home, dark on the road, and eventually forced names above numbers. The whole jersey-switch thing was kinda cute after the 1992 All-Star Game, as the league celebrated its 75th year - but that experiment returned to normal once the regular season ended. This trial is now entering its third full season, and fourth overall, and I know I'm not alone in hoping it will end.
Maybe the mad, mad minds of upper Madison Avenue should hire Mike Keenan as a uni consultant, instead of having him force his tired old management act to every bench in North America. Keenan, thus far, has been the only independent thinker to refuse that his team wear a third jersey design. The Blues had a blue, red, and yellow "triple trumpet and note" design, set to debut in January, 1996. Keenan took one look at these affronts to nature, and vehemently declined the offer for his club to don the duds. I only wish the 20 other clubs who trotted out their very own pastel colored daymares had half the brainpower of the man dubbed "The Teflon Coach."
For my hometown club, I wish their black jerseys (now the road/home?) colors are relegated to the merchandising kiosk at the center - only to be whipped out come January's NBC Game of the Week. I hope their current third unis, a sickly pairing of bright orange, black, white, silver, and cutout shapes a third grader could be proud of - are modified again to become home/road? colors.
For the rest of the league, I don't care what mega-multi-millionaire comic book creator comes along, don't be suckers. Teams create a logo as part of a tradition, maybe now even to launch a brand. Why muddy the waters for revenue's sake by creating a totally different design scheme, when certain teams have built up 10,20,30, 40-plus years of tradition with colors and crest? Even Montreal's poor excuse for a third uniform sullies the bleu, blanc et rouge and the distinctive "CH" crest.
To steal a phrase from Bill Conlin, "When I'm King of the World," only these teams (besides Boston and Chicago) would be allowed a third uniform: Buffalo (who have embraced their past), Florida (whose blue unis aren't much worse than their real jerseys), Vancouver (we've never been able to distinguish anyway), Philly and Toronto.
Everyone else, build a huge bonfire, preferably before the home opener. Let people in the parking lots 90 minutes before game time. Charge a buck, serve orangeade, give everyone a match apiece, and set those designs aflame!
Friday, September 22, 2006
September 21st or February 21st?
Here's a trick.
Grab a hockey fan. No. Grab 20 of 'em.
Doesn't matter if they are casual or rabid, as long as these people know the history between the Flyers and Devils. Show the box score of last night's Flyers-Devils game, doing your best not to tip off the time or date, or year in which the game took place.
See if they can guess if the game is preseason or regular season, and if it's from this year or any year since 1995.
I bet a bunch of them couldn't guess any of the above correctly.
How do I know this?
Because I watched the game, and, resting stars aside, couldn't tell if it was an exhibition contest or a late February snooze fest where both teams are trying to wring every point from every game they can.
I switched channels frequently between commercials, and lulls in the action. Found last season's final rerun episode of "Grey's Anatomy" to be more compelling. Found the season premiere of "ER" packing more punch and featuring more collisions, explosions, and violence than half a season's worth of games last year. I think the NHL should sponsor re-enactments of television's dramatic scenes at your favorite local arena, just to cover the bases. Having Linda Cardellini recreate her final scene in last night's 10 PM NBC show would have given the proper punctuation the Flyers game desperately needed.
Don't give me "it's only the preseason," or "the Devils were playing their third game in three nights."
It was all of seven years ago the Flyers and Devils once had a 10-2 preseason game. Jersey used to wait until the season actually began to put the brakes on the offense. Wouldn't you expect a tired team that's undermanned to give up a couple, 5, 6 goals? Wouldn't you expect the Flyers to not only turn on the juice for their first home game, but to work at converting more chances, and maybe taking more chances on the rush or the backcheck?
Guess not, because I saw a system already being played. Endless cycling followed by ordered line changes and mechanic puck movement (when there weren't fumbles or missed chances), followed by more endless cycling followed by rote by-the-numbers power play and penalty kill situations. I saw neither team taking advantage of the two-line pass, or making creative plays with more open ice. I did see two teams playing a looser game of Ice Chess than they would in the regular season - and this without both teams skating some of their top talent.
Of 30 teams welcomed back for the first season of the New NHL, the Flyers and Devils made my top five list of "Teams Who Won't Take Full Advantage of the New Rules." They're still in my top five, and it doesn't look like things will change. I already suspect goal scoring will be down by about three-tenths of a goal from last year because coaches have had a year to figure out how to circumvent the rules, but to have a 2-1 game where one team hasn't unloaded on another, or where the game is so sloppy and listless, is ridiculous.
Let it all hang out boys. An 8-6 preseason game may draw more interest than you'd expect.
Grab a hockey fan. No. Grab 20 of 'em.
Doesn't matter if they are casual or rabid, as long as these people know the history between the Flyers and Devils. Show the box score of last night's Flyers-Devils game, doing your best not to tip off the time or date, or year in which the game took place.
See if they can guess if the game is preseason or regular season, and if it's from this year or any year since 1995.
I bet a bunch of them couldn't guess any of the above correctly.
How do I know this?
Because I watched the game, and, resting stars aside, couldn't tell if it was an exhibition contest or a late February snooze fest where both teams are trying to wring every point from every game they can.
I switched channels frequently between commercials, and lulls in the action. Found last season's final rerun episode of "Grey's Anatomy" to be more compelling. Found the season premiere of "ER" packing more punch and featuring more collisions, explosions, and violence than half a season's worth of games last year. I think the NHL should sponsor re-enactments of television's dramatic scenes at your favorite local arena, just to cover the bases. Having Linda Cardellini recreate her final scene in last night's 10 PM NBC show would have given the proper punctuation the Flyers game desperately needed.
Don't give me "it's only the preseason," or "the Devils were playing their third game in three nights."
It was all of seven years ago the Flyers and Devils once had a 10-2 preseason game. Jersey used to wait until the season actually began to put the brakes on the offense. Wouldn't you expect a tired team that's undermanned to give up a couple, 5, 6 goals? Wouldn't you expect the Flyers to not only turn on the juice for their first home game, but to work at converting more chances, and maybe taking more chances on the rush or the backcheck?
Guess not, because I saw a system already being played. Endless cycling followed by ordered line changes and mechanic puck movement (when there weren't fumbles or missed chances), followed by more endless cycling followed by rote by-the-numbers power play and penalty kill situations. I saw neither team taking advantage of the two-line pass, or making creative plays with more open ice. I did see two teams playing a looser game of Ice Chess than they would in the regular season - and this without both teams skating some of their top talent.
Of 30 teams welcomed back for the first season of the New NHL, the Flyers and Devils made my top five list of "Teams Who Won't Take Full Advantage of the New Rules." They're still in my top five, and it doesn't look like things will change. I already suspect goal scoring will be down by about three-tenths of a goal from last year because coaches have had a year to figure out how to circumvent the rules, but to have a 2-1 game where one team hasn't unloaded on another, or where the game is so sloppy and listless, is ridiculous.
Let it all hang out boys. An 8-6 preseason game may draw more interest than you'd expect.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins...in Moncton?
Flyers' preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins is tonight.
Peter Forsberg won't play vs. Pittsburgh, or tomorrow night at home against New Jersey. Honestly, I wish he'd sit out all but the last couple preseason games. Captain that he is, the team really doesn't need him to be wholly fresh and ready for Game #1, especially coming back from injuries to both ankles. The most important thing is that he can keep up with the speed and motion of practice and scrimmages, not that he's busting off the bench like an angry mustang, ready to lead the troops from the first second of action.
I'm happy the NHL is scheduling more preseason games away from teams' home or minor league affiliates' home. The AHL's abandoning of so many former tiny-market Atlantic Canadian and American cities opens up a world where these die-hards can see top-flight action at least once or twice a season before the Q and the O return to the ice.
It wasn't that long ago that the league would throw in a random match-up in a random location, as when the Flyers played Detroit in Orlando in the early 90's. Even though it makes me cringe that the league will throw only a small bone to Quebec and Winnipeg, having the Avalanche and Coyotes play in their former homes, it's at least comforting that the Home Office hasn't totally written off these cold-weather hockey hotbeds in favor of sunny Southern climates where interest is tepid at best.
Peter Forsberg won't play vs. Pittsburgh, or tomorrow night at home against New Jersey. Honestly, I wish he'd sit out all but the last couple preseason games. Captain that he is, the team really doesn't need him to be wholly fresh and ready for Game #1, especially coming back from injuries to both ankles. The most important thing is that he can keep up with the speed and motion of practice and scrimmages, not that he's busting off the bench like an angry mustang, ready to lead the troops from the first second of action.
I'm happy the NHL is scheduling more preseason games away from teams' home or minor league affiliates' home. The AHL's abandoning of so many former tiny-market Atlantic Canadian and American cities opens up a world where these die-hards can see top-flight action at least once or twice a season before the Q and the O return to the ice.
It wasn't that long ago that the league would throw in a random match-up in a random location, as when the Flyers played Detroit in Orlando in the early 90's. Even though it makes me cringe that the league will throw only a small bone to Quebec and Winnipeg, having the Avalanche and Coyotes play in their former homes, it's at least comforting that the Home Office hasn't totally written off these cold-weather hockey hotbeds in favor of sunny Southern climates where interest is tepid at best.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Surprise!
So, the NHL began their exhibition schedule last night. I have to admit, I had no idea things got under way so quickly after the start of training camp.
Thanks to the ESPN-clone website of Our Hockey Mad Neighbors to the North, we diehards can get the fix we need, as America continues their morbid fascination with the NFL's version of the Morning After:
tsn.ca/nhl/scores/
Thanks to the ESPN-clone website of Our Hockey Mad Neighbors to the North, we diehards can get the fix we need, as America continues their morbid fascination with the NFL's version of the Morning After:
tsn.ca/nhl/scores/
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Fashion Police
The Buffalo Sabres finally (mercifully) revealed their new uniforms yesterday, ending the terrible nine-year reign of the Goat Lord logo. Their primary colors are back to basics, deep blue and sharp yellow, and they're even bringing back the old purple-and-gold unis and logo for their third jersey.
However, the new uniforms themselves bear the mark of a corporate partnership with Reebok. The fit is not unlike the jerseys worn by the ice hockey nations in the Turin Olympics.
Take a look: sabres.com
Tell me these things don't remind you of football jerseys. They're high and tight in the shoulders against the shoulder pads, and slender down the torso, just like an NFL uniform which is designed to be snug to prevent linemen holding onto them to get good positioning. The logo itself, "reminiscent" of a buffalo, and the color scheme, are intended to look sleek to the television viewer. I think these monstrosities would look like nothing more than a splotch of blue and gold paint whizzing by. The jerseys even have the numbers prominent on the chest, because I'm sure the jersey designers realized that it'll be hard to identify a number on any player due to the haphazard coloration placement.
It wasn't that long ago that the actions of the players, not the style of the sweater, defined what looked sleek and bold and attention grabbing on a broadcast. Even as Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, Gilmour, Kerr and dozens of others blazed around the rink, their names and jerseys were simple, vibrant, two color designs that caught the eye.
Take this new avant-garde Sabres logo and design, and place it up against these old style unis:
We'd better get used to it though. The Reebok partnership with the Sabres is just the first step toward the league bringing these new jerseys to every team. Sure, there will be a painful period in a couple years where you'll have about half of the teams in the league opting for the new hotness, and the rest stubbornly clinging to the old ways. Funny to think, how, 30 years ago, it was a big deal to switch from sweaters with the drawstring at the neck, to closed neck jerseys with color.
However, attrition, the promise of tons of merchandising capital, and the plans of the league office to put the NHL on par with the other three sports by converting to these slick duds, will eventually win out. Prominent and identifiable logos will be replaced by impressionistic doodlings that amount to little more than a cross between a Madison Avenue board room and the accidents of your garden variety kindergarten art class.
It's time to lead a revolution, folks. Don't shell out $50 for the new design, just to outdo your friend and neighbor, and look cool in your seat. Go buy a retro jersey, or take an existing one and put the name and number of an old-time player on the back. Like the Sabres fans have since the 90's, write and call team management to request your traditional colors and logo. Demand your current players be schooled in that tradition, which may inspire them to achieve while wearing a crest they can be proud of.
However, the new uniforms themselves bear the mark of a corporate partnership with Reebok. The fit is not unlike the jerseys worn by the ice hockey nations in the Turin Olympics.
Take a look: sabres.com
Tell me these things don't remind you of football jerseys. They're high and tight in the shoulders against the shoulder pads, and slender down the torso, just like an NFL uniform which is designed to be snug to prevent linemen holding onto them to get good positioning. The logo itself, "reminiscent" of a buffalo, and the color scheme, are intended to look sleek to the television viewer. I think these monstrosities would look like nothing more than a splotch of blue and gold paint whizzing by. The jerseys even have the numbers prominent on the chest, because I'm sure the jersey designers realized that it'll be hard to identify a number on any player due to the haphazard coloration placement.
It wasn't that long ago that the actions of the players, not the style of the sweater, defined what looked sleek and bold and attention grabbing on a broadcast. Even as Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, Gilmour, Kerr and dozens of others blazed around the rink, their names and jerseys were simple, vibrant, two color designs that caught the eye.
Take this new avant-garde Sabres logo and design, and place it up against these old style unis:
- The bright green, gold and white of the Minnesota North Stars circa 1985, with the iconic "N" logo
- The blue, orange, and white of the Edmonton Oilers circa 1985, with their large oil drop logo
- The star-spangled Washington Capitals jersey, in deep then lighter shades of red, white, and navy blue
- The fireball red and gold of the Calgary Flames, before their own art department went certifiably nuts
- The simple, traditional designs, colors and logos of the Montreal, Chicago, Detroit, Boston (mid 70's to 1995), Philadelphia, and NY Islander (pre-Gorton's mishap) teams.
We'd better get used to it though. The Reebok partnership with the Sabres is just the first step toward the league bringing these new jerseys to every team. Sure, there will be a painful period in a couple years where you'll have about half of the teams in the league opting for the new hotness, and the rest stubbornly clinging to the old ways. Funny to think, how, 30 years ago, it was a big deal to switch from sweaters with the drawstring at the neck, to closed neck jerseys with color.
However, attrition, the promise of tons of merchandising capital, and the plans of the league office to put the NHL on par with the other three sports by converting to these slick duds, will eventually win out. Prominent and identifiable logos will be replaced by impressionistic doodlings that amount to little more than a cross between a Madison Avenue board room and the accidents of your garden variety kindergarten art class.
It's time to lead a revolution, folks. Don't shell out $50 for the new design, just to outdo your friend and neighbor, and look cool in your seat. Go buy a retro jersey, or take an existing one and put the name and number of an old-time player on the back. Like the Sabres fans have since the 90's, write and call team management to request your traditional colors and logo. Demand your current players be schooled in that tradition, which may inspire them to achieve while wearing a crest they can be proud of.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Forsberg, The Choice of a New Generation
I sincerely hope Peter Forsberg has kept open eyes and ears during his 11-year career.
He is now the fifteenth captain in Flyers history, and will have to exert that much more energy to become the ultimate team leader - the man who is the best player on the ice AND the go-to guy with the coaches, players, and officials.
Yesterday, in the Daily News, Rich Hofmann, while a great writer and veteran of the Philly sports scene, can't be confused with Al Morganti in terms of knowing the essence of the sport, said Forsberg's selection "just makes too much sense, unless he doesn't want it."
A couple things to mull here: First, how can anything logically make "too much sense," and why would Forsberg, who has spent all of 66 games in a Flyer uniform, be the best choice? And why would Hofmann frame the question in such a way as to imply Forsberg would be ducking responsibility which may not even fit him in the first place?
OK, we're done with Derian Hatcher. Mike Richards is too young. Simon Gagne turned it down last year, and enjoyed the kind of adulation Forsberg enjoyed in Colorado while Joe Sakic took the heat. Usually a typically reserved Finn, Sami Kapanen (10 years service, 2 1/2 with Philly) even gushed that be honored to have it offered to him. That leaves Mike Knuble, who, like Forsberg, has played only one season here. But, but...he has played for Detroit, the Rangers, and Boston before coming here, so he's seen how guys like Yzerman, Gretzky, Guerin and Thornton take control. Plus, Knuble has built a reputation not unlike John LeClair - tough but skilled, a guy you'd grapple with but give enough respect not to fight. Remember, the captain usually isn't the best or most skilled player on the team - just someone who can balance the load of on-and-off ice responsibilities adeptly.
I'm not sure Forsberg is that guy. And if you are certain, you're either one of his last remaining fans in Denver, a non-beat Daily News guy, or looking at the Flyers through orange-tinted glasses.
Foppa had ample time to soak in the glamour of two Cup rings. His reputation was that of the player with the most promise, potential, then the most concrete ability among all the players who suited up for the Quebec/Colorado franchise since the days of the Stastny brothers. As a member of Team Sweden, he became a God-like figure with his Gold-medal winning shootout goal in 1994, then again this year as the Tre Kronor won in Torino. It's worth noting, that there was no letter sewn onto his jersey during those championships.
So, with this move, Bob Clarke and Ken Hitchcock have boosted Peter's job description from "best player in NHL who will be major piece in Stanley Cup puzzle," to "best player in NHL who not only has to prove he's durable, but also that his skill can lead the Flyers to the Cup, and also be the man who acts as the bridge between coach and player, responsible for the attitude of the team at all times." Also worth mentioning is, nobody stops to ask if HE wants the challenge, or is ready to accept it, as they strut and fret over the implications of Gagne's outright refusal and Hatcher's absolute failure.
Only two captains in team history have fallen under the mantel of "best player as captain." One has two Cup rings, is in the Hall of Fame, and has a job for life with the organization. The other is trying to reclaim the shards of a shattered career in a Northeastern Texas metroplex.
Getting to the heart of the issue means asking the right questions:
Why were the Flyers so quick to install Forsberg as the chosen?
Who else can fit the bill equally as good, or better than our fragile superhero?
Will Peter lose anything in the exchange with the captaincy?
Is it fair, or even right to ask another top-flight talent to lead so soon after the melodrama of the last one?
He is now the fifteenth captain in Flyers history, and will have to exert that much more energy to become the ultimate team leader - the man who is the best player on the ice AND the go-to guy with the coaches, players, and officials.
Yesterday, in the Daily News, Rich Hofmann, while a great writer and veteran of the Philly sports scene, can't be confused with Al Morganti in terms of knowing the essence of the sport, said Forsberg's selection "just makes too much sense, unless he doesn't want it."
A couple things to mull here: First, how can anything logically make "too much sense," and why would Forsberg, who has spent all of 66 games in a Flyer uniform, be the best choice? And why would Hofmann frame the question in such a way as to imply Forsberg would be ducking responsibility which may not even fit him in the first place?
OK, we're done with Derian Hatcher. Mike Richards is too young. Simon Gagne turned it down last year, and enjoyed the kind of adulation Forsberg enjoyed in Colorado while Joe Sakic took the heat. Usually a typically reserved Finn, Sami Kapanen (10 years service, 2 1/2 with Philly) even gushed that be honored to have it offered to him. That leaves Mike Knuble, who, like Forsberg, has played only one season here. But, but...he has played for Detroit, the Rangers, and Boston before coming here, so he's seen how guys like Yzerman, Gretzky, Guerin and Thornton take control. Plus, Knuble has built a reputation not unlike John LeClair - tough but skilled, a guy you'd grapple with but give enough respect not to fight. Remember, the captain usually isn't the best or most skilled player on the team - just someone who can balance the load of on-and-off ice responsibilities adeptly.
I'm not sure Forsberg is that guy. And if you are certain, you're either one of his last remaining fans in Denver, a non-beat Daily News guy, or looking at the Flyers through orange-tinted glasses.
Foppa had ample time to soak in the glamour of two Cup rings. His reputation was that of the player with the most promise, potential, then the most concrete ability among all the players who suited up for the Quebec/Colorado franchise since the days of the Stastny brothers. As a member of Team Sweden, he became a God-like figure with his Gold-medal winning shootout goal in 1994, then again this year as the Tre Kronor won in Torino. It's worth noting, that there was no letter sewn onto his jersey during those championships.
So, with this move, Bob Clarke and Ken Hitchcock have boosted Peter's job description from "best player in NHL who will be major piece in Stanley Cup puzzle," to "best player in NHL who not only has to prove he's durable, but also that his skill can lead the Flyers to the Cup, and also be the man who acts as the bridge between coach and player, responsible for the attitude of the team at all times." Also worth mentioning is, nobody stops to ask if HE wants the challenge, or is ready to accept it, as they strut and fret over the implications of Gagne's outright refusal and Hatcher's absolute failure.
Only two captains in team history have fallen under the mantel of "best player as captain." One has two Cup rings, is in the Hall of Fame, and has a job for life with the organization. The other is trying to reclaim the shards of a shattered career in a Northeastern Texas metroplex.
Getting to the heart of the issue means asking the right questions:
Why were the Flyers so quick to install Forsberg as the chosen?
Who else can fit the bill equally as good, or better than our fragile superhero?
Will Peter lose anything in the exchange with the captaincy?
Is it fair, or even right to ask another top-flight talent to lead so soon after the melodrama of the last one?
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Another "C" Change
After a star-crossed sixteen-year NHL tenure, Keith Primeau finally admitted the inevitable, and, in a largely unemotional farewell this morning, called it a career.
Primeau acknowledged that it was time based on two conversations: a blunt sit-down meeting with Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin, who said Primeau stood no chance of being cleared to play, and a meeting with Flyers brass, who impressed upon him, finally, that a decision needed to be made quickly so that the start of training camp would not be clouded by continuous question marks about a comeback.
I'm sure others will have opinions, and they're by and large correct ones, but the two moments that seemed to define Primeau as a player in the Flying "P" crest are:
A trade to Hartford, which then became the Carolina Hurricanes, allowed Primeau to stretch out, find his game, and become both a scoring and locker-room leader on a rebuilding squad. Then came the contract squabble in 1999 which dragged on through the new millennium, forcing a deal to Philadelphia in exchange for Rod Brind'Amour and Jean-Marc Pelletier in January, 2000. The next year, with Lindros' absence, John LeClair's injuries, and a virtual clean slate, #25 scored a career high 34 goals. Following that, the ignominy of being identified as the point person for the players' mutiny against then-head coach Bill Barber after an abysmal first round loss to Ottawa. After a season and a half under the tutelage of Ken Hitchcock, his potential was finally, fully realized.
Whoever gets to step into that void of leadership, now that the captain has unfortunately gone down on dry land, will have to put his own stamp on the office. It is a demanding job for any player, and a great honor, made even more demanding as Hitchcock's M.O. has always been to use the captain as the chief messenger of the head coach's ideas, strategy, and attitude. In an unexpected twist, one of the Flyers' veteran Europeans, Sami Kapanen, said it would be "an honor" to be asked to assume that role. The finalists for the position appear to be narrowed to Simon Gagne, Peter Forsberg, and Mike Richards, an underdog who may eventually be groomed precisely for that role.
The man who gets to wear that "C" must be able to withstand the harsh light of the media, as well as the cold, piercing stare of the main man behind the bench. Due to his lingering concussion symptoms, Keith Primeau can no longer withstand any light, harsh or otherwise, for very long. Whoever follows in his footsteps would do well to use him as an advisor, since the embattled center plans to remain in Philadelphia, awaiting the next phase of his hockey life.
The fifteenth captain in team history has a unique opportunity - to be the uniting force in what may turn out to be a fresh, young, speedy squad. An historic parallel exists: back in 1984, upon Bobby Clarke's retirement, Clarke had major input into selecting Dave Poulin as the leader of what was then the youngest team in professional sports. That 1984-85 team, without Clarke, Bill Barber, or Darryl Sittler, won 53 games, sported the best record in the league, and advanced to the Finals.
Expectations being a funny thing in the sports-crazed Eastern megalopolis, thousands of Flyers fans will no doubt be dreaming that the bearer of the "C" will lift that Cup high come June. Short of that, a timely overtime winner, and some key plays in wins over the Devils and Rangers will fit the bill just fine.
Primeau acknowledged that it was time based on two conversations: a blunt sit-down meeting with Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin, who said Primeau stood no chance of being cleared to play, and a meeting with Flyers brass, who impressed upon him, finally, that a decision needed to be made quickly so that the start of training camp would not be clouded by continuous question marks about a comeback.
I'm sure others will have opinions, and they're by and large correct ones, but the two moments that seemed to define Primeau as a player in the Flying "P" crest are:
- Game 4, 2000 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Pittsburgh, 2:30 AM. The future captain's electrifying top-shelf shot deep into overtime number five, tied the series at 2 and sent all the momentum swinging back the Flyers way. Facing a 2-0 series hole, the Flyers come back to win four straight.
- Game 6, 2004 Eastern Conference Finals, Philadelphia. His goal with 90 seconds left in regulation completed a hard-fought game where the Flyers led, lost it, and clawed back to win in overtime. The miraculous behind-the-crease stuff-in, which began as an errant pass off his skate, signalled the unison of luck, skill, and seizure of the critical moment fans had been waiting for since the end of the fractured Eric Lindros Era.
A trade to Hartford, which then became the Carolina Hurricanes, allowed Primeau to stretch out, find his game, and become both a scoring and locker-room leader on a rebuilding squad. Then came the contract squabble in 1999 which dragged on through the new millennium, forcing a deal to Philadelphia in exchange for Rod Brind'Amour and Jean-Marc Pelletier in January, 2000. The next year, with Lindros' absence, John LeClair's injuries, and a virtual clean slate, #25 scored a career high 34 goals. Following that, the ignominy of being identified as the point person for the players' mutiny against then-head coach Bill Barber after an abysmal first round loss to Ottawa. After a season and a half under the tutelage of Ken Hitchcock, his potential was finally, fully realized.
Whoever gets to step into that void of leadership, now that the captain has unfortunately gone down on dry land, will have to put his own stamp on the office. It is a demanding job for any player, and a great honor, made even more demanding as Hitchcock's M.O. has always been to use the captain as the chief messenger of the head coach's ideas, strategy, and attitude. In an unexpected twist, one of the Flyers' veteran Europeans, Sami Kapanen, said it would be "an honor" to be asked to assume that role. The finalists for the position appear to be narrowed to Simon Gagne, Peter Forsberg, and Mike Richards, an underdog who may eventually be groomed precisely for that role.
The man who gets to wear that "C" must be able to withstand the harsh light of the media, as well as the cold, piercing stare of the main man behind the bench. Due to his lingering concussion symptoms, Keith Primeau can no longer withstand any light, harsh or otherwise, for very long. Whoever follows in his footsteps would do well to use him as an advisor, since the embattled center plans to remain in Philadelphia, awaiting the next phase of his hockey life.
The fifteenth captain in team history has a unique opportunity - to be the uniting force in what may turn out to be a fresh, young, speedy squad. An historic parallel exists: back in 1984, upon Bobby Clarke's retirement, Clarke had major input into selecting Dave Poulin as the leader of what was then the youngest team in professional sports. That 1984-85 team, without Clarke, Bill Barber, or Darryl Sittler, won 53 games, sported the best record in the league, and advanced to the Finals.
Expectations being a funny thing in the sports-crazed Eastern megalopolis, thousands of Flyers fans will no doubt be dreaming that the bearer of the "C" will lift that Cup high come June. Short of that, a timely overtime winner, and some key plays in wins over the Devils and Rangers will fit the bill just fine.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Upcoming Updates
The first order of business is to address Keith Primeau's impending retirement announcement, his career, and his impact to the Flyers.
To kick off the 2006-2007 season, I will post my team-by-team previews based on their respective divisions, beginning Sunday, October 1st.
I realize that, with six divisions, the previews will run smack into the first games of the regular season, but it's not going to be worth a whole lot to dissect and analyze Games 1 and 2 of 82. Give me until the first week is finished to whip up something worth reading.
To kick off the 2006-2007 season, I will post my team-by-team previews based on their respective divisions, beginning Sunday, October 1st.
I realize that, with six divisions, the previews will run smack into the first games of the regular season, but it's not going to be worth a whole lot to dissect and analyze Games 1 and 2 of 82. Give me until the first week is finished to whip up something worth reading.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Gagne, He Win
He's back in Black...and orange, folks.
Simon Gagne (or his agent rather) finally wised up and got a deal done with General Manager Bob Clarke.
All it took was for Clarke, who had thus far made all the overtures in this summer-long process, to get on a plane and meet #12 and his agent (former career back-up goaltender Bob Sauve) way up in Montreal. Ca-larkie apparently wasn't worried one bit that Gagne would sign before the start of training camp, and I'm sure he really thought one bit about it while he sat on his deck in Ocean City, New Jersey, sinking beers while the Nights in Venice floats rode by his place on the bay.
Anyway, the deal is five years, 26.25 million. According to the Daily News, it's a full $250,000 more than Clarke's last overture. So Gagne played his cards right, tuned Clarke like a grand piano, and wrung a hell of a lot more money than I'm sure he wanted to give for more years than he wanted to give.
In case anyone might think otherwise, it's a damn good thing this got wrapped up at the 10th hour, with training camp set to open on Friday.
Take a look around the league, there ain't anyone who'd come close to Simon's age (26) and his production last year (47 goals, 79 points) for a discount - certainly not a discount Flyers organ-eye-zation has been whimpering for now that cost certainty and a soft salary cap has forced the club to be frugal with their ducats. And since Peter Forsberg has a slight problem with shooting at the net, the sum total of anyone Hitch could put on that front line with Foppa couldn't add up to that explosive chemistry from last year when both were healthy.
Flyers fans, lift up your glasses in triumph. We've got a full house, with the preseason opener eight days away.
Simon Gagne (or his agent rather) finally wised up and got a deal done with General Manager Bob Clarke.
All it took was for Clarke, who had thus far made all the overtures in this summer-long process, to get on a plane and meet #12 and his agent (former career back-up goaltender Bob Sauve) way up in Montreal. Ca-larkie apparently wasn't worried one bit that Gagne would sign before the start of training camp, and I'm sure he really thought one bit about it while he sat on his deck in Ocean City, New Jersey, sinking beers while the Nights in Venice floats rode by his place on the bay.
Anyway, the deal is five years, 26.25 million. According to the Daily News, it's a full $250,000 more than Clarke's last overture. So Gagne played his cards right, tuned Clarke like a grand piano, and wrung a hell of a lot more money than I'm sure he wanted to give for more years than he wanted to give.
In case anyone might think otherwise, it's a damn good thing this got wrapped up at the 10th hour, with training camp set to open on Friday.
Take a look around the league, there ain't anyone who'd come close to Simon's age (26) and his production last year (47 goals, 79 points) for a discount - certainly not a discount Flyers organ-eye-zation has been whimpering for now that cost certainty and a soft salary cap has forced the club to be frugal with their ducats. And since Peter Forsberg has a slight problem with shooting at the net, the sum total of anyone Hitch could put on that front line with Foppa couldn't add up to that explosive chemistry from last year when both were healthy.
Flyers fans, lift up your glasses in triumph. We've got a full house, with the preseason opener eight days away.
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