Back in 1995-1996, right before the Florida Panthers’ home opener, Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the Panthers dressing room. Little did he know, that dead rat would go on to become one of the biggest things to be associated with the Florida Panthers… ever. That night, after Mellanby killed the rat, he scored 2 goals and had one hell of a performance. John Vanbiesbrouck called Mellanby’s performance the ‘Rat Trick’. Vanbiesbrouck’s coining of the term started a craze in Florida, and fans began to bring plastic rats to the Miami Arena in Florida, throwing them on the ice when the Panthers scored – much like the octopus on the ice in Detroit.

Well, in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals against the Colorado Avalanche, during the first finals game on home ice – Ray Sheppard would score (arguably) the biggest goal in franchise history.

Ok… well if it wasn’t the biggest goal, it was the most unforgettable, thanks large in part to the fans in Florida. The fans absolutely SHOWERED the ice with hundreds upon hundreds of plastic rats. At this point, hockey was alive in the Southern United States, and it was great to see. (Oh, and thank god for HD TV, which did big things for the NHL. That glowing puck was just an awful attempt by Fox to help Americans know where the puck was on TV).

The ‘Rat Trick’ in Florida would stick around, but it was never seen quite the same way in Florida after the goal by Sheppard. The Panthers would make the playoffs only twice more, winning only one game, before going on one of the worst playoff droughts in National Hockey League history. The Panthers hadn’t made the playoffs since 1999-2000 when they were swept by the Rangers in the Conference Quarterfinal… it seemed like the ‘Rat Trick’ was dying, and the franchise was heading down the wrong path…

That was until last season, of course – when the Florida Panthers ended the playoff drought and brought the rats back, and there was a resurgence of hockey in Florida. The Panthers had won their first playoff game since April 17th, 1997, and the fans showed their appreciation for the Cats.

It was awesome to see hockey come alive in Florida again. The fans of the Panthers had waited long enough for a successful season. Lets just hope the Panthers growth, and the growth of the sport of hockey in Florida is not hindered because of the ignorance showed by the owners and players. It is all about the fans, and the growth of the sport… whatever you choose to believe.

But they’re not.

And that’s nothing against them. Sometimes it’s good to see the human side of athletes. During my internship with the Florida Panthers, I was able to interview multiple players, and they were all very friendly and down to earth. Many players do charity work and help out in the community. And if a visit from a famous player can bring a smile to a sick child, well that’s more than any on ice contribution could ever mean.

But there’s another side. An uglier side that’s coming out during these labor negotiations.

As the NHL finally offered a reasonable deal, a 50/50 split that most figured would start the beginning of the end of talks, optimism rose. And while it’s entirely possible that this starts the ball rolling to end the lockout, it’s very clear that if either side stops these negotiations from moving on any further, it’s going to be the players side.

Now don’t get me wrong. This isn’t for all the players. I know there are already some who are ready to take the deal and get back on the ice. But there are too many that want more and more and more.

Sometimes I think the players forget who they are. They are human beings, blessed with exceptional talent, some more than others, with a ton of drive to succeed, again some more than others. And they’re extremely fortunate to get paid millions and millions of dollars to play a game.

And that’s what drives me crazy. They’re playing a game, making a ton more money than most of the hard working population that pays money to watch them and keep their sport alive.

And now, they’ve decided not only do they deserve more to play this game, but they deserve a higher split of the profits than other athletes.

Look, I understand they’re trying to get the best deal possible. I also understand that the owners have plenty of greed on their side and are looking for the best deal possible as well. I get all of that.

I would just urge everybody to really look at this situation. These players that we admire for their talent and passion for the game we love are not heroes, certainly not for what we look for. The athletes that are heroes are guys like Larry Fitzgerald, who donate countless hours and funds to charity, and use their unbelievable talents to make lives better. These are, not coincidentally, the guys you never see holding out for more money or trades to a better team.

Fire fighters, teachers, police officers, military personnel – these are heroes.

Take all of this into consideration before tossing around the term hero too often for athletes. Remember those fighting for a few extra million dollars, choosing that over the love of the game, while the majority of us work ourselves ragged to make a living.

For it’s true that hockey is only a sport. And most athletes playing it? Definitely not heroes.

September 4, 1963 – John “Beezer” Vanbiesbrouck is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender, who was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. A four-time All-Star goalie, John Vanbiesbrouck played for the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils from 1981 to 2002. Vanbiesbrouck won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goaltender in 1986. He holds the NHL’s all-time record for most wins by an American born goaltender with 374.

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There are many ways to spend time during a long day. Some people choose to take a nap while others will pop in their favorite video game or movie to kill a few hours. A couple of us at Sunshine State Hockey like to waste the time away by looking for cool, uncommon items on EBay related to the Florida Panthers. After doing this the other day we decided that it would be a fun idea to share some of the more interesting items we find with our loyal readers.

Today’s EBay search theme is “Florida Panthers Autographs” and we are happy to announce that it turned up some very nice items. After browsing through page after page we have compiled the top five that peeked our interest and hopefully will do the same for our followers.

1. Florida Panthers Inaugural LTD ED Crystal Puck

This may not be an autographed item but it is definitely a nice collectors item for any Florida Panthers fan. This limited edition crystal puck was created for the inaugural season of the Panthers back in 1993. The item description claims that this is #809 out of only 2500 made, so it is a pretty rare piece. There are six days remaining on the EBay auction and no one has placed the opening bid of $69.99 yet. If anyone wants to make sure they win this item without competition they can pay the buy it now price of $79.99.

2. PAVEL BURE Florida Panthers SIGNED Hockey JERSEY

This nice autographed jersey has a pretty steep price tag but it could be worth it to the right Cats fan. This Bure jersey is being sold by an EBay sports memorabilia dealer and comes with a certificate of authenticity, so that explains the high price. Just how much is this item? $399 or best offer. If any of our readers are interested but don’t currently have the cash there is time to save up. This item, unless sold, will be on EBay for 29 more days.

3. DAVE GAGNER RAY SHEPPARD KIRK MULLER ESA TIKKANEN SIGNED 8X10 FLORIDA PANTHERS

When we wanted to find interesting items we had no idea we would come across this gem. This cowboy themed photo is autographed by former Panthers Dave Gagner, Ray Sheppard, Kirk Muller, and Esa Tikkanen, all of whom are featured in this borderline weird shot. This piece has a buy it now price tag of $99.99 or best offer and does not have an expiration date. If someone makes this purchase please let us know, seriously. Yeehaw.

4. Brian Campbell signed 2012 All Star Puck COA Florida Panthers

Getting back to normal here we came across a nice 2012 NHL All-Star game puck signed by Florida’s lone representative Brian Campbell. The item description says that the puck comes with a COA, so it should be legit. There are only two days left to bid on this nice piece, and the opening price is a decent $19.99, so get to buying!

5. JOHN VANBIESBROUCK FLORIDA PANTHERS SIGNED HOCKEY PUCK IN DISPLAY W NAME PLATE

The final item on our list is a simple, yet nice signed puck by John Vanbiesbrouck that comes in a case with a nameplate included on the front. This item does come with a little risk as no certificate of authenticity is included, so buyers beware. If anyone would like to take a risk on this piece they can do so for starting bid price of $49.99 or the buy it now price of $59.99.

We hope that everyone enjoyed our list of interesting Panthers related items that we found on EBay. Those of us at Sunshine State Hockey always browse the online auction site so we will definitely be featuring this article more in the future.

2) Arturs Irbe: July 1994
Instead of enjoying his Summer holiday, Irbe had experienced a clash with Rambo, his pet dog. The Labrador bit the goalie’s left hand, ensuing in nerve damage, a broken finger, and a detached blood vessel. The dog was euthanized afterwards. Even though Irbe had an abundance of time to get better because of the NHL lockout, he had trouble finding his game in 1995, and ended up signing with Dallas as a free manager the next year. However, he wasn’t done just yet, as he backstopped Carolina to the 2002 Stanley Cup finals against Detroit. Irbe was last seen playing in his native Baltic country.

3) Joe Exter: March 8, 2003
Joe Exter experienced the equivalent of being struck by lightning when the Merrimack goalie collided with Boston College’s Patrick Eaves with just six minutes remaining in an NCAA game. The left knee of Eaves hit Exter full force in the head, and the goalie fell, hitting his head on the ice as his helmet flew off. He was left unconscious and bleeding from his ears, and remained in a coma for 10 days with a cracked skull. Doctors predicted Exter wouldn’t play again, but he eventually suited up for two seasons with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. In 2007, he was pronounced the first full-time goalie coach with USA Hockey’s NTDP.

4) John Vanbiesbrouck: June 12, 1988
He was sitting on a glass coffee table, tinkering with a video camera he intended to make use of to film the birth of his first child a few days later. When he tried to rise from the table, it collapsed underneath him slicing his left wrist, incurring nerve damage and three lacerated tendons. Doctors performed 5 hours of microsurgery on him. Luckily, it turned out not to threaten his career at all.

5) Rich Parent: February 13, 1999
Al MacInnis is famous for having a 100mph slapshot, and did not ease his thunder while warming up with his team mates. While training with the St Louis Blues, he unleashed his furious slapshot directly at the goalie, Rich Parent, unfortunately resulting in Parent having scrotal contusion and a ruptured testicle.

A Goalie’s worst nightmares.

A little bit of loyalty goes a long way...for fans AND players.

I was 13 years old when I first had my heart broken.  True story.  My dad called me after school one day and said, there’s a rumor the Rangers might trade Tony Granato.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT?????  I had to calm myself down and take a walk around my suburban neighborhood.  I had become a Ranger fan for good earlier that year (1989), when my dad took me to see some dude named Mario Lemieux play for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the New York Rangers, where another dude named Brian Leetch scored a shorthanded goal.  Hard to believe I was sitting in an arena with future hockey hall of famers, yet when I was thumbing through the program I saw two pictures that made my heart soar as a teeny-bopper 13 year old: Tony Granato and John Vanbiesbrouck.  Granato was also another rookie who came up along with Brian Leetch — defenseman of the future — and Beezer was a fan fave.

But to trade *my* favorite player and the hottest guy on the team?  Heart wrenching.  I could only imagine what my mom might have gone through when the Beatles broke up, as a girl of 14.

Yet, it prepared me.  Granato was traded, and the Rangers ended up winning the Cup a few years later on the back of hard workers like Mark Messier, Mike Richter, Adam Graves and Brian Leetch.  Leetch, who should have been a Ranger-lifer, was traded in the last few years of his career, but still came back to hoist his number to the rafters.

Cutting ties with Beezer was easier to take when it happened (especially since I loved Mike Richter). When my crush Gregg Jefferies was traded for Bret Saberhagen, my dad called me to break the news.  Expecting a shriek, I said, “Well, it’s Saberhagen.  He’s good.”  My objectivity kept me grounded.  And I learned to not get attached to certain players.

And that my friends, is our lesson of the day: you root for the name on the front of the jersey, not on the back.

Gone are the days, as Frank at NY Fan in South Jersey, of the Cal Ripkens and Tony Gwynns of the world: baseball greats who are synonymous with the teams for which they played.  I don’t count the Yankees’ “core” of Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera because they overpay for the first two and Mo is a freak of nature.  Pretty much, we have the Houston Astros, whose Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell (to a lesser extent Lance Berkman) who are all over the leaderboards for the team but were also there for a generation, and Atlanta Braves’ Larry Jones.  Don’t give me the “Big Three” as an example: Tom Glavine left for the hated Mets (to them, not to me, of course) at one point and Greg Maddux, hypocrite who wanted to stay with the Cubs but opted for money, fame and championship caliber baseball in Atlanta.  Not like I can blame him.  I’m sure many of us would do the same thing.

The concept of the “hometown discount” is dead.  I would say you heard it here first, though many on Twitter said so today and even our very own Metstradamus said as much yesterday.  The Mets lost Jose Reyes, but this isn’t a team known for cultivating their own talent and keeping their homegrown players.  It should not surprise us nor should it be unexpected that this would happen.  Steve Keane at Kranepool Society said that he knew the Mets wouldn’t sign Reyes, and as he said a few months ago on our Kult of Mets Personalities podcast, that he actually thought Alderson HOPED someone would give Reyes a six-year contract.  Someone did, and we see the fallout from that.  We can only hope that it turns out to be a 20/20 hindsight good move.

Yet, I was surprised…nay, SHOCKED, really…that Albert Pujols left the Cardinals.  Yes, I know he and the Cards couldn’t come to an agreement before the season.  But I also know that people counted the Cards out when Wainwright was hurt.  And hey, did you hear who won the World Series this year?

But raise your hand if you thought if there was such a thing as “company loyalty” left in baseball, there was such a thing as a “hometown discount,” that Pujols would have typified that.   **RAISES BOTH HANDS AND FEET**  Yeah, I am that chick.  I hear all these great stories about the fans in St. Louis, how loyal they are, how every player LOVES playing there, no one ever wants to leave.  Even careers get rejuvenated in St. Lou.  Look at Berkman, who seemed like he left his best years behind in Houston.  Even though Pitchers Hit 8th told me that Pujols pretty much stated he wasn’t looking for a hometown discount, I didn’t believe it.

There is Larry Jones.  There is Derek Jeter.  But these guys are exceptions to the rule that the name on the back of the jersey does not trump the name on the front of the jersey (yet, if you talked to Jeter’s GM Brian Cashman last year, he made negotiations uncomfortable by telling Jeter to get another offer better than the one they were offering).

I was 13 years old when I learned my lesson.  That you’re only as good as the team you play on, and if you can get a better return in value, then that happens too.  I’m not saying we can’t get attached to our favorite players (I am accepting of losing Reyes, but I will still miss him and wonder “what could have been”), but if we realize that we root for a larger entity as fans — the “laundry” — we’ll save ourselves much pain and anguish in the long-run.

Goalies: Dan Blackburn and John Vanbiesbrouck

Defensemen: Ron Greschner, Darius Kasparaitis, Tom Laidlaw, Brian Leetch, Dave Maloney, Dale Purinton, Mathieu Schneider

Forwards: Glenn Anderson, Paul Broten, Ron Duguay, Nick Fotiu, Mike Gartner, Adam Graves, Pat Hickey, Kris King, Nick Kypreos, Darren Langdon, Stephane Matteau, Brian Mullen, Darren Turcotte

Coaches: Mike Keenan, Emile Francis, Colin Campbell

Reports are saying Messier is recovering from surgery and is hopeful to play in the game, but what about Richter? Who wouldn’t rather see No. 35 with Vanbiesbrouck like the early 1990s? Nothing against Blackburn, but the guy had a cup of coffee in the worst era of Rangers hockey in its 85-plus year history.

Wayne Gretzky is still a possibility, but I don’t think he’ll play. I think he would have announced it already, but what I do know?

Purinton playing in the alumni game? Really? Is that necessary? Doesn’t he have some minor league hockey game the same day? Not sure why Kypreos is playing either.

I’m excited to see Leetch suit ‘em up again, as well as Graves and Anderson. Very cool to see Gartner come back to a Rangers jersey, as he was the best player the team had pre-Messier. Always sad that he was dealt before the team won the Cup. 

Who do you guys wish were playing? Who are you annoyed at? Let me know in the comments.

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattCalamia

Personally, I am 5’9″ and found that were I lack in height, I make up for it in agility, aggressiveness, and drive to never give up on a play. Here is a list of former NHL goaltenders who came in at 5’10″ or under:

• Andy Moog 5’6″ – 3 time Stanley Cup winner and 1 Jennings Trophy
• Arturs Irbe 5’8″ – All Star and Stanley Cup runner up
• Darren Pang 5’5″ – NHL color commentator
• Fred Brathwaite 5’7″ – Played on a variety of NHL teams
• Chris Terreri 5’9″ – Two time Stanley Cup winner
• John Vanbiesbrouck 5’8″ – Hall of Fame, Vezina Trophy and 3 All Star games
• Chris Osgood 5’10″ – 3 time Stanley Cup winner, 2 Jennings Trophies, and scored a goal
• Mike Vernon 5’9″ – 2 time Stanley Cup winner, 1 Conn Smythe Trophy, 1 Jennings Trophy, and 5 All Star games
• Grant Fuhr 5’9″ – Hall of Fame, 5 time Stanley Cup winner, 6 All Star games, 1 Vezina Trophy, and 1 Jennings Trophy

Last but not least, don’t forget about the shortest goalie in NHL history, Roy “Shrimp” Worters who was only 5’3″ tall. He was the first goaltender to win the Hart Memorial Trophy and the first goaltender to record back to back shutouts. Over his career he recorded 66 shutouts and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The list of active NHL goaltenders who are under 6’0″ is not that long and keep in mind that the documented height of players sometimes can be a few inches more than they actually are.

• Jhonas Enroth 5’10″ – Currently the shortest in the league. Backup for the Buffalo Sabres
• Tim Thomas 5’11″ – Boston Bruins starting goaltender, Stanley Cup winner, 3 All Star games, 1 Jennings Trophy, 1 Conn Smythe Trophy, and 2 Vezina Trophies
• Jose Theodore 5’11″ – Florida Panthers starting goaltender
• Jonathan Bernier 5’11″ – Backup for the Los Angeles Kings
• Jaroslav Halak 5’11″ – St. Louis Blues starting goaltender

Finally, here is the shortest goaltender in hockey history:

As you can see it does not matter how tall you are, it is how dedicated, determined, and hard working you are that will get you to the level you want. So the next time someone tells you that you are too short to achieve a certain level just tell them, “Nice try Nogoalov”!

February 17, 2011 – NY Rangers 4, LA Kings 3 SO (Game No. 59, Home No. 29)

Click Here For The Official Game Summary

• The Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Kings, 4-3, in the shootout tonight at Madison Square Garden to improve to 31-24-4 overall, including a 14-12-3 mark at home.  New York is now 12-7-2 in their last 21 games at home.  Erik Christensen and Mats Zuccarello (game-deciding goal) each tallied shootout goals for the Rangers.
• Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves through regulation and overtime, and turned aside two of three shootout attempts to record his 200th career win.  He is now tied with John Vanbiesbrouck for fourth on the Rangers all-time wins list.  Lundqvist improved to 23-18-4 overall, including a 10-9-3 mark at home.
• Ryan Callahan notched one goal, added an assist and was credited with four hits to capture first star honors.  He has registered seven points (five goals, two assists) in seven games since returning from injury on Feb. 1 vs. Pittsburgh, including five points (three goals, two assists) in the last two contests.
• Artem Anisimov tallied one goal, added an assist and was credited with a season-high, five hits.  He has now registered nine points (three goals, six assists) in the last 12 games.  The Rangers improved to 10-1-1 when he tallies a goal, and are 16-4-2 when he registers a point.
• Marian Gaborik notched one goal to extend his scoring streak to four games (one goal, four assists over the span), and has now recorded a point in eight of the last nine games (two goals, seven assists).  Gaborik has registered 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in the last 12 games.
• Brandon Dubinsky registered one assist to extend his scoring streak to four games (two goals, two assists), and has recorded five points (two goals, three assists) in seven games since returning from injury on Feb. 1.  He also posted a plus-two rating, and was credited with four hits.
• Michael Sauer recorded the only assist on Gaborik’s third period goal, and posted a career-high, plus-three rating.  The Rangers improved to 6-1-0 when he registers a point.
• Derek Stepan tallied the primary assist on Callahan’s second period goal, and has now registered six points (two goals, four assists) in the last seven home games.
• The Rangers won 34 of 54 face-offs for a 63% winning percentage, led by Brian Boyle’s 13 faceoff wins in 19 attempts (68%).  Boyle also tied for the game-high with six shots on goal, and was credited with a season-high-tying, seven hits.
• New York was credited with 50 hits in the contest, led by Dan Girardi’s career-high, eight hits.  Girardi also registered three blocked shots and logged 28:23 of ice time.  The Blueshirts now lead the league with 1,695 hits on the season.
• Ryan McDonagh registered a team-high four blocked shots, and tied for the game-high with a plus-three rating.
• The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the New Jersey Devils tomorrow, Feb. 18, at Prudential Center (7:00 p.m.), in the second game of a back-to-back set.  The game will be televised live on MSG Network and can be heard on 1050 ESPN Radio and www.newyorkrangers.com.

POST-GAME QUOTES

John Tortorella on Ryan Callahan…

“The last couple of games you can see he’s coming back. I thought he started off well statistics wise, with a couple of goals early, then I thought he had a tough time finding his game for a couple of games. He’s a very important guy if we want to get where we want to be.”

Ryan Callahan on tonight’s game…

“We know they weren’t going to give up or let up. That’s a good team over there. They work hard. It was really tough to get through the neutral zone and I thought we really struggled with that early on, getting pucks deep. We kept at it and kept with the game plan and it paid off in the end.”

Henrik Lundqvist on his 200th career win…

“It’s a great feeling to reach that. It’s a milestone for me. I’m happy I’ve been able to be here for almost six years now. I just hope I get the opportunity to stay here and get another 200. I’m very happy to reach that, it’s a sign that I’ve been part of good teams. Over the last couple of years I’ve been able to play a lot too.”

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The most exciting part of the off-season is less than two weeks away. On July 1st, all the buildup of where free agents such as Ilya Kovalchuk , Patrick Marleau, and  Anton Volchenkov will be realized. This year features a decent market for forwards and defense, but what is really being overlooked is the goaltending market.

I don’t think I can remember a time where there were so many capable goalies available, as this year we have five goalies who were number ones this season as well as a slew of backups. With a bad economy and teams not wanting to spend as much money as they used to, it will be interesting to see who goes where, because there are way more goalies than spots available.

Over the next week, I will give my predictions, breaking them down by position. I figured to start this year moving from the crease on out. Joe and I will also be on the air sometime next week, most likely before the draft. We will be bringing back Around the NHL, which we have not broadcasted from since the last off-season. If you remember, Joe and I hosted a show on Youcastr called Rangers Radio, from July 2008 to April 2009. That would end when the station went out of business.

Predictions

1. Evgeni Nabokov to the Washington Capitals

“Birds of a feather flock together” is the old saying, and with Washington’s two main catalysts, in Ovechkin and Semin, both being Russian, it would make sense that if Nabokov does not re-sign in San Jose, that he would join his countrymen in Washington. The Capitals had a glorious season last year, but were eliminated from the playoffs by the eighth seed Montreal Canadiens. Since Olaf Kolzig left, this team has desperately needed a number one goalie.

Jose Theodore has been nothing short of a disaster, and Semyon Varlamov is just not ready, despite his record. Nabokov has been known in San Jose and in the Olympics as a player who is not a big game goalie. This is true, and is the reason why he most likely will not be back with the Sharks. But the Capitals will be willing to take that risk, as they have much more at stake.

Unlike San Jose, the bulk of their stars are in their prime, not on the cusp or past it. The Capitals will sign Nabokov to a five-year deal, that will carry them through the primes of Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, and Green.

2. Marty Turco to the Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have not had a good number one goalie since Ron Hextall. Since then, we have seen Vanbiesbrouck, Cechmanek, Boucher #1, Esche, Niittymaki, Boucher #2, and most recently, Ray Emery. Out of all of those, the one who would carry them the farthest, would be Michael Leighton, a 29-year old minor leaguer.

It would make sense to think that Leighton would re-sign with the Flyers, but the recent trend of free agency has shown career minor leaguers become starters, win games down the stretch, then bolt during the summer for another team, and a boatload of cash. We saw it last summer with Scott Clemmensen of the Devils, and we are going to see in here with Leighton.

The obvious choice for the Flyers to be goalie, would be Marty Turco, a goalie who had fallen out of favor in Dallas after two average seasons. But prior to 2008, Turco was a model of consistency, and is desperately in need of a change of scenery.

The Flyers could be the optimal team for him to be attracted to, as they can boast of one of the hardest hitting defenses in the league, that only got stronger when they acquired the rights to Dan Hamhuis yesterday from Nashville.

I can easily see a two-year deal for the 34-year old Turco.

3. Jose Theodore and Vesa Toskala to Europe

Perhaps there is only one goalie in the league that could have the best offense in front of him since the 1980′s Oilers, go 30-7-7, and still find a way to blow it. That will go to Jose Theodore, who undoubtedly will not return to the Washington Capitals next season after an embarrassing first round exit that was shared between him and Varlamov.

The fact is, teams have not been spending a lot of money on goalies, compared to what they spend on offense and defense. Turco and Nabokov are the only two goalies who will make out well this summer, and with teams looking for cheap, older veterans or young rookies to be their backup, Theodore has no place left in the NHL.

The same can be said for Vesa Toskala who has been brutal since he left San Jose in 2007 and has earned the nickname “ToskaLOL” on the internet forum circuit. It can be attributed to the shoddy defense of the Maple Leafs, but it has taken its toll mentally on him. I do not see there being any team willing to take on Toskala, when any kid in their farm system can come up and play the same way, if not better.

Both of these goalies will head to Europe, most likely Russia, and get paid like kings all while being number one goaltenders. They will each look for one year deals over there, and will hope to return to the NHL next season after a solid year overseas.

4. Chris Mason to the Atlanta Thrashers

When the Blues acquired Jaroslav Halak from the Canadiens the other day, that all but spelled the end for their number one goaltender Chris Mason. The last two seasons have witnessed excellent play from Mason, despite a young and inexperienced team in front of him.

He will be looking for a starting job, and as of right now, there is only team left with a gaping hole at starter. The Thrashers make sense, as do the Sharks if Nabokov bolts for Washington as I predict he will. The two backups for both these teams are Thomas Greiss for San Jose, and Ondrej Pavelec (RFA)  for Atlanta. I think the Sharks will look to go younger and give Greiss the starting job, but the Thrashers will look for stability.

A goalie tandem of Mason and Pavelec going 50/30 for the season could work out well. Atlanta’s defense will also be much better this season, and such a young corp could be attractive to Mason.

5. Martin Biron to the New York Rangers

Joe and I have been saying this since last season, that the Rangers would have an interest in Biron. Henrik Lundqvist needs a backup who can play twenty games and also push him to play better during the middle of the season, when Lundqvist usually tends to slump.

Biron has been a starter in the past and could be a reliable backup that the Rangers would trust over Chad Johnson or Alex Auld. The Rangers would give him a one year deal so Johnson could get an extra year in the minors to be ready for next season.

Other signings:

6. Dan Ellis to re-sign with Nashville

7. Michael Leighton to Dallas

8. Ray Emery to Edmonton, or back to Europe

9. Patrick Lalime to Montreal

10. Johan Hedburg to New Jersey

11. Alex Auld to San Jose

As great as the sport of hockey is, there are still only a few seminal moments that will forever stand out in your mind. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been watching this great game nor does it matter who you root for, watershed memories are a rarity.

Players and plays that simply transcend the game, in all of it’s wondrous splendor do not happen often. On the night of June 7th, 1994 Michael Thomas Richter forever entrenched himself in Stanley Cup final lore. His status as an all-time great can be debated. What I am about to describe certainly will never be.

Midway through the second period of Game 4 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, Rangers leading the series 2-1 but trailing the game by the same difference, the ‘Russian Rocket’ Pavel Bure was hauled down on a breakaway. It was one of the few times Brian Leetch made such a critical error in this spring, but he was completely beat by the speedy Bure and was forced to do whatever he could to take him down.

Terry Gregson emphatically pointed towards center ice, indicating a penalty shot was awarded to the fallen Bure. Only the diminutive goalie from Abington, Pennsylvania stood in the way of a Canucks two goal lead and absolute bedlam at the old Pacific Coliseum.

There wasn’t a scarier player to face, one-on-one, in the league at that time than Bure. But if there was one cool customer on the Rangers end of it, it was the man between the pipes readying to face him.

He had history on his side, he stopped Bure on a penalty shot-like attempt during the 1994 All-Star Game, which earned him MVP honors in that contest.

With the sound of Gregson’s whistle, the proverbial gunfight took place between the two competitors. Bure skating determined towards Richter. Richter, coming way out of his net, as if he was saying to Bure “gimme your best shot, pal”.

As Bure shoulder faked to his right and quickly went back to the left hand side, Richter’s outstretched right pad preserved the score. But this save did more than preserve the score it crushed the hopes of the Canucks and their fans and adversely gave his team and it’s band of diehards a reason to believe that this could be the year. After so many years of despair and heartache,  this couldcould be the year the New York Rangers finally end the dreaded 54-year championship drought.

The Rangers, buoyed by Richter’s heroics, did comeback to win this game 4-2 and despite almost blowing a 3-1 series lead, were able to slay the dragon and hoist the Stanley Cup in a memorable two-month run. Some even thought they could now die in peace after this moment!

Of all the praise that was heaped upon Conn Smythe trophy-winning Leetch and the captain Mark Messier, the cup finally coming to New York City would have never been possible if it weren’t for the man his teammates dubbed ‘Ricky’ and how clutch he was throughout the entire 1994 season and playoffs.

Rangers fans want to remember him this way, because towards the end of his career the affable and well-liked goaltender was plagued by injuries and playing on mediocre hockey clubs.

His journey has been as unique as the man himself. As previously mentioned, he is a Pennsylvania native, so naturally growing up he was a Philadelphia Flyers fan, particularly a Bernie Parent fan.

He attended two programs, Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania and later the Northwood School in Lake Placid, NY. He honed his skills well enough to earn the right to play for his country in the World Junior Championships in 1985. From there he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he played from 1985-87. His one year as starter for the Badgers saw him win 19 of 36 games. But his save percentage of over .900, an impressive mark during this time in the game of hockey, was another sign that the Rangers, who drafted him 28th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, might have a future #1 netminder on their hands.

The next two years saw him play in the IHL for the Colorado/Denver Rangers, which was up-and-down. In the aftermath of the 1988-89 season, he was actually called up to play against Super Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of their Patrick Division semi-final contest.

Although the Rangers wound up losing this game and thus getting swept by the Pens, Richter showed flashes of otherworldly athleticism and quickness. His penchant for stopping great players on breakaways, as evidenced by his denial of Mario Lemieux in this game, a trait that would obviously came in handy down the road.

In the 1990-91 season Richter was here to stay, as he split time with fellow American-born goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck. This tandem would split the following three seasons together, as both would virtually get equal playing time throughout. Despite nobody officially claiming the #1 position, it was widely considered that ‘Beezer’ was the go-to guy, due to his decided advantage in the experience category.

After a disappointing 1992-93 season for the New York Rangers that saw head coach Roger Nielson get fired and Mike Richter demoted to Binghamton as well as a last place finish in the division, change was on the horizon.

With the Expansion Draft underway, the New York Rangers exposed the veteran Vanbiesbrouck, thus allowing Richter to finally have his opportunity to shine.

Shine he did, as previously mentioned at the top, Richter helped lead the way to Rangers long awaited Stanley Cup glory . He recorded a career high 42 wins during the regular season during this banner year, along with all 16 victories required of a championship team.

In those playoffs he became just the eighth goaltender in Stanley Cup postseason history to record four shutouts in one playoff season.

Although the team wasn’t able to duplicate the success of ’94, Richter did carry his stellar play onward for several years after. During the 1996-97 season, a season in which Wayne Gretzky graced the Madison Square Garden ice as a New York Ranger, the Rangers made another gallant run within the Eastern conference.

Led by Richter, Gretzky and several others, the Rangers advanced to the Eastern conference finals, only to be eliminated by the Legion of Doom-led Philadelphia Flyers. Richter was simply brilliant, even more so than in the year of the Rangers cup win. He recorded all nine victories and held a remarkable save percentage of .932 during these playoffs. His shining moment, was against the heavily favored New Jersey Devils, where he completely outplayed the great Martin Brodeur, as the Rangers upset their arch rivals in five games.

Unfortunately this would be the last time Ranger and hockey fans would ever see Mike Richter in NHL postseason action. The Rangers were simply as poorly run as any team in the league during the last several years of Richter’s career. But this didn’t take away the respect he had earned throughout the entire league and it didn’t go unnoticed when international competition came calling as well.

During the inaugural World Cup of Hockey tournament in the summer of 1996, he was tabbed as the obvious choice to lead Team USA. Although a talented group, they were never really considered a serious threat to Team Canada, who boasted the likes of Rangers teammate Messier, as well as future teammate Gretzky, Joe Sakic, Steve Yzerman…I could go on, but the list of legends for that team was endless.

But there in the World Cup final stood the two rival nations from North America, winner to be decided in a best-of-three series. Mike Richter was special once again, backstopping the Americans to a thrilling and stunning upset, garnering the MVP of the tournament along the way.

These were the best of times, the worst of times were dawning for Richter and the only team he had ever played for in the NHL, the Rangers. The inability to construct a competitive team didn’t allow Richter to attain the numbers his talent was worthy of. He never reached the 30 win mark in a season after the ’96-’97 season.

Along with playing for sub par clubs, injuries set in. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in both knees and suffered concussions, which inevitably forced him to retire far too soon. The ligament tears he was able to successfully comeback from, the concussion issue is what did him in.

His last moment in the sun took place in Salt Lake City, Utah for Team USA in 2002. It was there where he helped his team secure a silver medal game, only succumbing to Team Canada in the final game. Richter did his best to repeat the upset of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, but this time no avail. He was on top of his game though, especially in the final game, despite the loss. Canada totally outplayed USA but Richter kept it close.

That nightmare end to his career all started in a meaningless game against the Atlanta Thrashers, late in 2002. A Chris Tamer slap shot caught him in the side of the mask and if watching, you were able to tell something was amiss the second he fell to the ice. Despite his small stature(5’11″, 190lbs.) he was in terrific physical condition and was as tough as anyone on the Rangers. He missed the rest of that season, with the rest of his playing days remaining in question.

He did return to play the following season, but simply couldn’t compete at the level he was so accustomed to for so long. His ability to focus and compete was second-to-none. Leetch was once quoted as saying: “His level of focus was so high, his compete level even higher. I’ve never seen an athlete as focused as Mike is, so much so that I was always surprised when he allowed a goal.”

Simply stated, playing with concussion symptoms doesn’t allow you to do any of that.

Despite ending his brilliant career in sad fashion, he did manage to break almost every single New York Rangers goaltending record. He is the only Rangers goalie to amass 300 or more wins, as he finished winning 301 games. His 41 playoff victories are tops in the history of this franchise, as well.

On February 4th 2004, it was time to return the favor and honor the greatest goalie to ever wear the Rangers sweater. His #35 was sent to the rafters, never to be worn again by anyone who plays for this organization going forward. As it turned out, he was the first of the 1994-Horsemen(Richter, Messier,Leetch and Adam Graves) to be honored with such a ceremony.

Gracious and humorous as was his trademark with the media for all of his playing days, Richter, despite the scenario that forced him to retire from the sport he loved, made sure the many tears that were shed in the audience turned into laughter, as he managed to entertain the crowd, like he used to on the ice. Instead of glove saves and acrobatics, his wit and charm were the tools of his trade on this night.

Since his retirement, he has led an active life, competing and completing in the New York City Marathon, in under four hours, as well as an Iron Man Triathlon. He has also tested his mind, enrolling at Yale University and getting his degree in 2008, majoring in Ethics, Politics and Economics(EP&E).

Usually ex-players take the easy retirement route and get handed a job within the organization, but not Richter. He was never built that way. Everything he accomplished was earned and he never backed down from adverse circumstances.

On the ice or off the ice, he continues to show why he is definitely one of a kind. While his numbers don’t indicate sure-fire Hockey Hall of Fame status, at his peak he was as money as money could get. If you needed one game to win, there are few you would choose to tend goal in a big game over the clutch Richter.

Players and people of his stature deserved a lot better than how Richter ended his career. But for all the downtrodden nature which overshadowed the end of his professional hockey playing days, Richter has shown time and time again that he is a champion of the highest order.

His status as a Hall of Fame goaltender isn’t assured, statistics matter to gain that acclaim. If only there was a People Hall of Fame, he would be a first ballot selection.

Understandably, I went for approximately three days not knowing what to do. I was lost in a world of confusion and despair.

And then on a boring Friday night…I had a stroke of genius.

Sitting on the top shelf above my desk was an old friend of mine. This friend went by the name of Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or Super NES for short…or SNES for even shorter. With desperation about to overcome me, I pulled down the old, familiar system; the system that at one time in my life, had brought me hours upon hours of simple, entertaining, ridiculously fun joy. I used to spend endless hours with friends playing Super NES as a child. When I pulled the old system out of the Rubbermaid container that so gently contained it, I felt as though I was ten years old again. A spark of joy shot through my mind.

Within two minutes, my Super NES was set up, plugged in and ready to go. Dare I turn it on to see if it still works? Do I really chance experiencing such brutal disappointment…yet again? Would this risk be worth the potential reward? It was at that point that I realized I had nothing to lose.

I went to pick a game from the Rubbermaid bin. The first game that jumped out at me was Jurassic Park. Strike one. I slowly moved my eyes down the row of cartridges. Paperboy 2. Strike two. And then there it was. Emblazoned with John Vanbiesbrouck on the cover and NHL ’97 in bold jet black letters; I had found my savior.

In went the cartridge. On went the Super NES. Up lit my TV. A smile crossed my face. The familiar terrible mid-90′s computer techno chimes in. Followed by the awful and painfully robotic “E…A…Sports. It’s in the game.” It doesn’t even matter. The game menu flashes upon the screen and I immediately race to the “Season” game mode. Perfect. There is no saved data. This means that I get to start a brand new season from scratch. What is the first thing that I do? Check the Calgary Flames roster. At first, I am elated to see that I still have a character created in the game. Perfect. Scratch step one. Step two: “Trade Players.”

Here’s how my roster looked on opening night:

#3- James Patrick
#5- Tommy Albelin
#9- Brett Hull
#10- Gary Roberts
#11- manovrboard
#13- German Titov
#14- Theo Fleury
#16- Cory Stillman
#17- Jari Kurri
#18- Pavel Torgajev
#19- Glenn Anderson
#20- Luc Robitaille
#21- Steve Chiasson
#22- Ron Stern
#23- Adrian Aucoin
#24- Jeff Beukeboom
#28- Tie Domi
#30- Kelly Hrudey
#31- Rick Tabaracci
#33- Zarley Zalapski
#44- Todd Bertuzzi
#55- Darryl Sydor
#71- Wendel Clark

After a brief stint back in the vintage threads, I was 6-0-0 with this star studded line-up. May I remind you, I acquired all these players through trades which had to be verified by the league itself.

Let me tell you, for the hour and a half that I sat in front of my TV playing a game that is so out of date, and not even close to as crisp and well put together as NHL10, I haven’t enjoyed myself that much in a long time. As awesome as the new systems and games are for realistic game play, quality graphics, life like motions, etc, etc, etc…you will never beat the simple enjoyment that comes with playing a classic system and a classic game. In fact, if you happen to have a classic system, whether it is NES, SNES, or anything else, I highly recommend that you turn off your computer now and go dust it off. Plug it in. Find the most favourite game from your childhood, and fire it up. For a short time, you will be ecstatic. I promise.

-m.o.b.

Le match a bien débuté pour les Blues Shirt qui ont rapidement pris les devants sur un tir dévié dans l’enclave. Le ton était donné ! Toutefois, après une période, la marque était de 3 – 3 et les deux équipes pouvaient rêver d’une victoire. C’est en deuxième que les Rangers ont imposé leur tempo. Avec un style de jeu classique impliquant une solide défensive et un jeu de transition hors paire, les Newyorkais d’adoption ont limité le CH à seulement quelques tirs facilement bloqués par votre humble serviteur.

La troisième période n’a été qu’une formalité malgré une tentative de remontée des Glorieux en fin de match. Trop peu trop tard, la victoire était acquise pour New-York.

FAITS SAILLANTS

• Les deux gardiens ont été solides : le Homard avec de savantes glissades et moi-même avec quelques arrêts de la mitaine saupoudrées d’un peu de moutarde mais bon… il faut bien se faire plaisir !
• La SNOB CONNEXION a été horrible. Rien d’autre à ajouter.
• Le big four à la défense des Rangers a, selon moi, volé le match. Bravo les boys !!!

UN PEU D’HISTOIRE

Certains parlaient de John Vanbiesbrouck dans la chambre hier soir. Voyez par vous même un bref moment du quatrième match des séries en 1996 entre l’Avalanche et les Panthers.

Pour ce qui est des conversations de l’Antichambre, je laisse le blogue faire son oeuvre ! À vous de commenter !!!

Bonne semaine

We all know how unpopular – hated – Todd Bertuzzi is in Colorado.

But, why would his uncle Larry be so popular – almost revered  in some quarters?

It goes back to sixteen years ago.

The Nordiques must have thought that they were operating under some creative form of Napoleonic Law.

They reasoned that they could sign two contracts in one day, and then pick which one they wanted to keep.

They traded disgruntled draft pick Eric Lindros to the New York Rangers for: Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck and three First Round Draft Picks – in 1993, 1994, and 1995.

Plus, Quebec would get $12 million thrown in for good measure.

From the Flyers, they were to receive: Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne and Peter Forsberg.

And, they would receive First Round Draft Picks for 1993 and 1994, plus $15 million.

The Nordiques preferred the Philadelphia offer, and the NHL’s appointed arbitrator, Larry Bertuzzi agreed with them, and Lindros became a Philadelphia Flyer.

The Nordiques moved to Colorado three years later, and won eight divisional titles, and two Stanley Cups.

Many argue that the Lindros trade – plus the later acquisition of Patrick Roy – were the keys to Colorado’s success.

And thus, is Larry Bertuzzi popular among many in Colorado.

His grand-nephew, however, isn’t.

“I didn’t swing my stick at him,” Simon said. “I chopped him. I know it’s wrong, but it wasn’t a golf swing or a baseball swing like everybody else says. I don’t want to do that again. But I’m still going to play the same way I always have. It was a reaction thing, not an action.

“Getting hit the way I did, I was injured on the play. I wasn’t myself. I was half-knocked out. It wasn’t like I was looking for anybody. I didn’t even know who hit me. He came back towards me, I was hurt, and that’s all I could do. I didn’t want to get hit again.”

“When I’m fighting, if I hit somebody hard and hurt him, I know what’s coming. Because the guy is trying anything he can to not get knocked out. That’s what happened to me. I think if I had been hit again on that play, I would have been out. That’s the only logic I can put to it.”

“I go out thinking about what I have to do to stay in the league, to play my game,” Simon said. “I’ve always been the type of player who’s stuck up for myself and, more importantly, for my teammates. All I’ve been thinking about is my first game against the Flyers. I’m really excited to get back out and help the boys.”

Greg Logan: Updated his blog late Friday and reported Nolan put the team through a very hard practice Friday. Jeff Tambellini was sent back to Bridgeport because Simon was activated, Bootland will dress for the Flyers, Bergenheim is being moved up to the second line and only six defenders will dress and drew praise from Nolan. Bates is at least two weeks away from returning.

“I thought Jeff got much better,” Nolan said. “The game against the Rangers, he played a great game for us. The other game [against Toronto], it wasn’t just him. It was everybody.”

“We have to pull a ‘D’ out,” Nolan said. “I talked to the team. We’re not going to take anything for granted. You have to play hard if you want to play. It’s just that simple. If life were that easy, we’d just show up and play and not worry about anything. There’s only a few chosen people in this world that can do that. We can’t. We have to work or you don’t play.”

Ottawa Sun: Bruce Garrioch is reporting former Islander Randy Robitaille may be signing with the Senators and there has been mild interest from the Islanders in bringing him back as well. A source said the Senators’ deal for Robitaille, who would be joining his ninth NHL team, was still being worked out late yesterday.

Espn: Reports former Islander John Vanbiesbrouck will be inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame Friday.

Sound Tigers Website: Has coverage of the 2-0 win against Norfolk and Joey MacDonald’s shutout.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had three blog updates. Tambellini’s return for the Sound Tigers in home opener, and a quick ECHL update, centered around a win in the home opener.

Ct Post: Also has an article on the game. Tambellini had a goal and an assist.

“In the third, I thought we dominated,” said MacDonald, a free-agent acquisition this summer who earned his 17th AHL shutout and first for Bridgeport.

“Our goal is six penalties or less in a game, and we gave up seven. (MacDonald) kept us in the game,” coach Jack Capuano said. “We were a little sluggish early, not moving our feet, which is not what we want.”

Virginian Pilot: Paul White has the Admirals coverage of the game along with Steve Stirling’s comments.

Sound Tigers play at Lowell Saturday night.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Busy off day top to bottom. A little surprised Tambellini got demoted for Bootland but this could be temporary. Good sign he went right back to the AHL and help the Tigers win by scoring. Interesting Bergenheim got promoted for taking a penalty against Toronto and was benched while Tambellini was demoted. A little surprised Nolan worked the club hard after five games in seven days, but apparently he wanted to send a message.

I’m not sure what Nolan’s going to do with the defense after only five games where things have been unsettled. I do not think Bergeron has any special dispensation nor will Berard who was minus three and for that matter the same applies to Andy Sutton.

If Johnson outplays all three, Johnson should dress, I’m not sure what it means when Berard practices with Johnson but I can see Sutton and Bergeron both benched.

I don’t put much stock in Garroich rumors and normally would not waste blog space here with them but this one is Ottawa centric and specific, let’s just hope the Sens win this one and sign Randy Robitaille.