Berard coming back?

I just saw that Bryan Berard has been invited to Islander training camp! I adored him when he 1st joined the team, and was saddened by not only his trade but by his awful eye injury. I hope he earns a spot back on the team, and that he has settled down some (he was kind of a wild child his 1st run back on the island...) I'd love to see him be the player he was expected to be (once up on a time, he was being hyped as the next Leetch. I don't think he will ever play to THAT caliber - yes, I can say nice things about Ranger players ;-) - but I do think he can be a serious asset as a 2 way offensive d-man. We'll see how it plays out. (fingers crossed)

our new jerseys

well, the Canucks have new jerseys! People luv em or hate em. I personally like them with the green stripe and still have the ORCA. classier than those old yellow and orange things. well, what do you think? I know what I want for xmas. #16 Linden or #3 Biecksa

Who missed it?

The Big News...

Staal Brothers Eric and Jordan arrested for being disorderly, and Jordan also dinged for drinking underage.

No joke! It was EStaal's bachelor party in Minnesota.




According to the two articles (found in the Charlotte Observer and in the NHL Fanhouse ) the real issue didn't start until the party was asked to leave the premises. They did... "After leaving the property, the group gathered on Highway 61 and began harassing passing motorists," the Sheriff's office said, at which point 14 members of the group were arrested at approximately 4 a.m."

Why can I just see two blonde Staals laughing their asses off and mooning passing motorists? And where were the redheaded Staals? Behaving somewhere? And how the HECK can you look that good in a booking photo? (okay, okay, JStaal does look a little like he's re-evaluating how much fun he's having.)

Go Pios!

Hello!
I'm new to the blog. I actually watch more college hockey but if I had to pick a professional team to root for it would of course be the Colorado Avs!

The big question this year is...will the DU Pioneers make it to the Frozen Four which is held here in Denver at the Pepsi Center for the 2007-2008 year? I sure hope so! I really want to go! I've been to the Frozen Four in Boston, MA and Columbus, OH and had a blast. But, it would be even more fun in my own backyard. Haven't bought the tickets yet b/c I know if we do make it the seats will be a lot better than what I can get online through other means. Cheaper too.

As for the Avs? What can I say? They are awesome! :)

Hockey...All year long!

I'm super lucky, and I'll tell you why. My cutie boyfriend is a super talented hockey player, and plays on a men's night league at a local rink...So, I get to watch hockey ALL YEAR ROUND!

I also get to knit at hockey all year round :)

In other news, I am running a Football-a-Long site for football lovin' knitters. If your interested, pop on over to our site, or send me an email at footballalong@gmail.com (footballalong at gmail dot com)

I'm soooooo excited I can hardly stand it

I sure hope we don't crash and burn. hehehe

The 2007-08 schedule is out. We're only playing Boston twice (in Boston) and once is in October -- that one is financially out of the question. But I *will* be in Boston on Jan 19.

Jonesy -- Jan 16, Feb 16, Feb 23, & Mar 10 PREPARE TO CRY!!!!

Our boys (except for Nylander and it bit him in the ass) are really working with management to keep us under the cap and keep our players. Shanny signed for 2.5 mill for one year. That's less than 1/2 of what he could get elsewhere. But they're going to make it up in bonuses that don't count against this year's cap. And King Henrik agreed to a 1 year contract for not so much money so he could stay in NY and so we'd stay under the cap and they'll negotiate a long term contract in January so it will go on next year's cap.

I'm really getting giddy about the team -- here's hoping the new guys gel with the guys we already had.

Experts: Coliseum not why free agents snub Isles

Article HERE

Sports facility and financing experts Tuesday questioned Islanders general manager Garth Snow's claim that the "common theme" in losing key players to free agency was the 35-year-old Nassau Coliseum.

"It seems pretty unlikely that an agent would let his player turn down a deal that was better than the one he took just because the building is old," said Neil deMause, co-author of "Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit."

DeMause was referring to Ryan Smyth's choice to forsake the Islanders' $32.5-million, five-year offer to join the Colorado Avalanche at $31.25 million over five years. The loss of Smyth and four other central characters from this season's playoff team prompted Snow to say, "A lot of it has to do with our building; that's a big obstacle."

"My take," deMause said, "is [Snow] was taking the opportunity to make the case to get a new arena. If you're looking for a new arena, you take every opportunity to say so."

Marc Ganis, a sports marketing consultant and head of SportsCorp Ltd., said there is "validity" to an Islanders argument that "because they don't have a new arena, they don't have the financial wherewithal that they might have" for higher player salaries.

"There have been instances where training facilities, or ice surface or field of play is so poor or so good they cause a player to factor that into their decision," Ganis said. "But short of those, [the stadium or arena] is not going to be the operative issue."

Typically, player-signing decisions related to a home-team facility are based on competitive aspects -- artificial turf or short home-run porches -- according to Jay Weiner, author of "Stadium Games: Fifty Years of Big League Greed and Bush League Boondoggles."

"Maybe it's time for a new building," Weiner said, "but not because the Islanders can't sign a free agent."

The Coliseum often is described as "creaky" and "worn out," but the Islanders' losses came on the same day the Rangers landed two elite centers by saying Scott Gomez and Chris Drury wanted to play at Madison Square Garden -- which is four years older than the Coliseum.

The Garden's overwhelming advantage of location and mystique is widely acknowledged. Ganis said, "Long Island is a tough market but it shouldn't be this tough," because of an arena's enormous economic potential, "an affluence on the Island, and a team with a good history. It's easier for the Islanders than for the Nets building in Brooklyn."

But Snow won't be able to sell free agents on a new arena for a while, deMause said. "How long have the Islanders been talking about a new building?" he asked. "Five years? They're just getting started. It's taken the Yankees 20 years."

And they've signed a lot of free agents in the meantime

OMG!!!

I can't believe the Ducks signed Todd Bertuzzi.
Well, at least he makes Chris Pronger look innocent.

Oh, btw, bubukiti, I have two red-headed stepchildren.

Free Agency????

Is it me or have the Islander's turned into the red headed step child of the NHL right now.

Nobody wants to sign there, is it Chuckles, the crazy owner? The back up goalie, oopps I mean GM or is the toilet bowl that they have to play in when they get to Long Island.

UUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Sorry just had to vent a little bit, maybe I can turn my frustration into some knitting.

Hello from a Canuck!

I am new to blogs, but have been knitting for over 20 years.

We started going to Vancouver Canuck's games when they played at the Pacific Coliseum in the 60's and 70's. looking forward to the new season in the fall.

Rangers Come to Terms...

with both Chris Drury and Scotty Gomez. I'm not at all sure how I feel about this. I think both will be an asset (though they'll both have to learn to play under a coach who isn't nuts like they both previously had), but I'm afraid this means we'll be saying goodbye to Michael Nylander. Last I heard Nylander had fired his agent and got another one because the first one was going to agree to too little money to re-sign. *sigh* And I'm also afraid that with this new acquisition, Shanny won't be back.

Fingers crossed that we get them both back.

Hall of Fame

Wow - Messier, MacInnes, Francis & Stevens - congratulations. The only question: will the Moose go in as an Oiler or a Ranger?? Sorry Larionov didn't make it and Gilmour and Lowe continue to wait ..

Hey Rangers ..

Alexei Cherepanov - great pick!!

This was fun

This was a fun year with the Knit-Along. I wasn't sure if we'd get any members other than me, Jonesy, Barb and Dipsy. I was pleasantly surprised to see more and more folks signing up as the season went along.

See ya in October!

Stanley Cup Champs.

Since we didn't get the team pix with the cup, here it is.

Quack Quack!!

Stanley '07

Congrats to the
ANAHEIM DUCKS!
First Western Stanley Cup champs!



(I would have given you the big team picture, but it's not online yet... so instead, appreciate the emotional Finn, as he is awesome.)

Isle be seeing you.......

Ok this just makes me happy!!!!

It's a ton of money that's out of the cap, and a little bit of dead weight gone, so let the housecleaning begin!!!

Calder Cup!

Now, I know you're all probably excited for the Stanley, but we have to remember Stanley's bastard younger sibling, Calder. As a new resident of Hershey, PA, it's hard not to.... because the HERSHEY BEARS (formerly the Hershey B'ars, no joke) are IN THE PLAYOFFS. Woohoo! That means live hockey in my backyard! (almost literally!)

For someone from the West Coast, the concept of semi-big name live hockey within a normal day's drive (or for me now, a fifteen minute drive, sans traffic!)is sort of exciting. There IS no AHL team in the Portland, OR area, (or in Seattle) and NHL wise, you'd be going to see the Canucks and driving through all of Washington State to get there.

But I'm not exciteably camping on the Giant Center website ofr them to open Bears playoff tickets...

Not at all. :-)

Have any of you read this?

This article made me cry so hard. I couldn't help it.
Go Senators.

Not This Year

*sigh* They played well, those Sabre boys. I can't complain, especially not about Ryan Miller who made some awesome saves.

Now, just have to make the calendar -- hmmm, 4 1/2 months till next season opens!

Jonesy

PS I'm still anti-Hasek, read anti-Detroit. Skate you Ducks, skate!