It’s Thanksgiving in the US (just Thursday in Canada). Before we Americans thank whomever for the bountiful feast in front of us, let’s give thanks for the entertaining game in our arenas and on our TVs…
I’m thankful for FROM THE SLOT since I now have a place to ramble aimlessly about my favorite sport. Hopefully one day soon, more than 8 people will check out what Mr. Bernard is doing everyday.
I’m thankful for NHL CENTER ICE because there is nothing like falling asleep to a Sharks, Canucks or Oilers game – until you wake up at 3am and you are back on the channel lineup for that night with that annoying music playing. That tune has quickly become the soundtrack of my nightmares.
And while I wish Center Ice had more of it, I’m (very) thankful for HIGH-DEFINITION. If you’re watching games nightly in HD, this needs no explanation. If you’re not, BOO…
I’m thankful for the NHL NETWORK because 24/7 hockey programming is as good as it gets. NHL Live and Classic Series are already must-watches. Voices and Day in the Life are fun. And On the Fly is the best highlight show on television. Hopefully soon, other shows/network follow suit and start showing their highlights in 90-second to 2-minute chunks.
I’m thankful the RANGERS haven’t missed Jaromir Jagr or Sean Avery yet (this is for purely personal reasons). Losing your captain and one of the greatest goal scorers ever could have been an issue. And I would’ve told you in October that letting Avery go to Dallas would haunt the Blueshirts. But here they are, led by Henrik Lundqvist and Nikolai Zherdev, with 15 wins and 32 points.
I’m thankful I’m not a SENATOR, PANTHER, STAR, or ISLANDER fan. Ottawa couldn’t be more disappointing at this point. Florida hasn’t been relevant in years. Dallas can’t get out of its own way, wasting all the momentum built by last year’s run to the Western Conference finals. And Long Island isn’t Manhattan, or even Newark.
I’m thankful for MILAN LUCIC because the NHL needs more “hockey players”. Whether it’s muscling his way to the net and scoring a key goal or sticking up for a teammate, Lucic is a factor almost every night for the surprising Bruins. If I was not from NYC and had to possess a general dislike for all things Boston, I might consider purchasing a Bruins #17 jersey.
I’m thankful for KEVIN BIEKSA and SHEA WEBER. My man-crush continues with these two rugged blueliners from Vancouver and Nashville – and for the same reasons I’m smitten with Lucic. Growing up, I always envisioned myself in the NHL as someone like Alex Kovalev, big and strong but still supremely talented. Now I wouldn’t mind being a right-handed D-man with a big shot who’s always willing to fight.
I’m thankful for ROCKY WIRTZ, PATRICK KANE, and JONATHAN TOEWS in Chicago. The chairman and the two young studs have made hockey in the Windy City relevant again. And as cliché as it is, the league is better off with the Hawks being better off.
I’d be thankful, if I were BARRY MELROSE, that I’m no longer the head coach of the Lightning. The circus is just setting up its tent in Tampa. Oren Koules and Len Barrie certainly embarrassed Melrose by dumping him 16 games into the season, but once the sting subsides Barry will realize how lethal a bullet he just dodged.
I’m thankful for whomever voted MIKE EMRICK into the Hall of Fame this year. The long-time voice of the Devils and national TV broadcasts is one of the nicest men you could meet…on top of calling a tremendous hockey game.
Hopefully, I’ll soon be thankful for the guy(s) who decks Ottawa pest JARKKO RUUTU. As written last week, it is OK to run around the rink agitating. Just be willing (once a month or so) to put the gloves down and pay for what you’re doling out.
* * *
The Shootout…Whether you root for the Canucks, Canadiens, Senators, Rangers, or anyone else connected to the Mats Sundin sweepstakes, be thankful Brian Burke will soon be running things in Toronto. His official hiring should lead to the official re-signing of Sundin, who has been prepping for a comeback in LA over the last few weeks. Sundin in Toronto should spare you some unnecessary frustration. Yes, he is a future Hall of Famer, but he is also 37, far from his prime. It won’t be pretty initially as he builds up his game against younger guys in mid-season form. Plus, it is not a given that the guys in the locker room will immediately take to someone, even Sundin, waltzing in two months into the season.
It’s been 48 hours and what Ryan O’Byrne’s intentions were Monday night against the Islanders is still unclear. The young defenseman played the puck into his (open) net during a delayed penalty. The mistake evened the game at 3-3 with 4-1/2 minutes to play -- the Islanders eventually won in a shootout. The game ended with the Bell Centre fans chanting “O’BYRNE”, which will do more damage than losing one point in the standings.
Finally, to “Third Jersey Watch”. The Hurricanes, Blues and Penguins were a great start, but most of the teams that unveiled theirs in the last week lost an edge. It took Phoenix, Ottawa and Tampa Bay seven weeks into the season to come up with a dancing dog, SENS across the chest, and BOLTS on a diagonal?! Black was a copout by the Coyotes – why not push the envelope by being the first team to use gray as a primary color? And in Tampa in particular, why not exploit the strength of your logo (the lightning bolt)? Wouldn’t an emboldened bolt look better than B-O-L-T-S haphazardly across a blue background?
I’m thankful for FROM THE SLOT since I now have a place to ramble aimlessly about my favorite sport. Hopefully one day soon, more than 8 people will check out what Mr. Bernard is doing everyday.
I’m thankful for NHL CENTER ICE because there is nothing like falling asleep to a Sharks, Canucks or Oilers game – until you wake up at 3am and you are back on the channel lineup for that night with that annoying music playing. That tune has quickly become the soundtrack of my nightmares.
And while I wish Center Ice had more of it, I’m (very) thankful for HIGH-DEFINITION. If you’re watching games nightly in HD, this needs no explanation. If you’re not, BOO…
I’m thankful for the NHL NETWORK because 24/7 hockey programming is as good as it gets. NHL Live and Classic Series are already must-watches. Voices and Day in the Life are fun. And On the Fly is the best highlight show on television. Hopefully soon, other shows/network follow suit and start showing their highlights in 90-second to 2-minute chunks.
I’m thankful the RANGERS haven’t missed Jaromir Jagr or Sean Avery yet (this is for purely personal reasons). Losing your captain and one of the greatest goal scorers ever could have been an issue. And I would’ve told you in October that letting Avery go to Dallas would haunt the Blueshirts. But here they are, led by Henrik Lundqvist and Nikolai Zherdev, with 15 wins and 32 points.
I’m thankful I’m not a SENATOR, PANTHER, STAR, or ISLANDER fan. Ottawa couldn’t be more disappointing at this point. Florida hasn’t been relevant in years. Dallas can’t get out of its own way, wasting all the momentum built by last year’s run to the Western Conference finals. And Long Island isn’t Manhattan, or even Newark.
I’m thankful for MILAN LUCIC because the NHL needs more “hockey players”. Whether it’s muscling his way to the net and scoring a key goal or sticking up for a teammate, Lucic is a factor almost every night for the surprising Bruins. If I was not from NYC and had to possess a general dislike for all things Boston, I might consider purchasing a Bruins #17 jersey.
I’m thankful for KEVIN BIEKSA and SHEA WEBER. My man-crush continues with these two rugged blueliners from Vancouver and Nashville – and for the same reasons I’m smitten with Lucic. Growing up, I always envisioned myself in the NHL as someone like Alex Kovalev, big and strong but still supremely talented. Now I wouldn’t mind being a right-handed D-man with a big shot who’s always willing to fight.
I’m thankful for ROCKY WIRTZ, PATRICK KANE, and JONATHAN TOEWS in Chicago. The chairman and the two young studs have made hockey in the Windy City relevant again. And as cliché as it is, the league is better off with the Hawks being better off.
I’d be thankful, if I were BARRY MELROSE, that I’m no longer the head coach of the Lightning. The circus is just setting up its tent in Tampa. Oren Koules and Len Barrie certainly embarrassed Melrose by dumping him 16 games into the season, but once the sting subsides Barry will realize how lethal a bullet he just dodged.
I’m thankful for whomever voted MIKE EMRICK into the Hall of Fame this year. The long-time voice of the Devils and national TV broadcasts is one of the nicest men you could meet…on top of calling a tremendous hockey game.
Hopefully, I’ll soon be thankful for the guy(s) who decks Ottawa pest JARKKO RUUTU. As written last week, it is OK to run around the rink agitating. Just be willing (once a month or so) to put the gloves down and pay for what you’re doling out.
* * *
The Shootout…Whether you root for the Canucks, Canadiens, Senators, Rangers, or anyone else connected to the Mats Sundin sweepstakes, be thankful Brian Burke will soon be running things in Toronto. His official hiring should lead to the official re-signing of Sundin, who has been prepping for a comeback in LA over the last few weeks. Sundin in Toronto should spare you some unnecessary frustration. Yes, he is a future Hall of Famer, but he is also 37, far from his prime. It won’t be pretty initially as he builds up his game against younger guys in mid-season form. Plus, it is not a given that the guys in the locker room will immediately take to someone, even Sundin, waltzing in two months into the season.
It’s been 48 hours and what Ryan O’Byrne’s intentions were Monday night against the Islanders is still unclear. The young defenseman played the puck into his (open) net during a delayed penalty. The mistake evened the game at 3-3 with 4-1/2 minutes to play -- the Islanders eventually won in a shootout. The game ended with the Bell Centre fans chanting “O’BYRNE”, which will do more damage than losing one point in the standings.
Finally, to “Third Jersey Watch”. The Hurricanes, Blues and Penguins were a great start, but most of the teams that unveiled theirs in the last week lost an edge. It took Phoenix, Ottawa and Tampa Bay seven weeks into the season to come up with a dancing dog, SENS across the chest, and BOLTS on a diagonal?! Black was a copout by the Coyotes – why not push the envelope by being the first team to use gray as a primary color? And in Tampa in particular, why not exploit the strength of your logo (the lightning bolt)? Wouldn’t an emboldened bolt look better than B-O-L-T-S haphazardly across a blue background?
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