What New Years Resolutions Should Teams Be Making? Andrew Bogusch runs down the resolutions each team should be making at 12:01AM.Since Sean Avery’s mouth remains closed and Mats Sundin is already in Vancouver, we have little to whine about this week, so we’re taking the easy way out. Everyone else is providing NHL-themed New Year’s resolutions, so why shouldn’t we?
Commissioner GARY BETTMAN resolves (1) to simply chill out a little bit (have a drink, a nice cigar, something!) and (2) to allow Jim Balsillie to own a franchise. After the ‘Boots’ del Biaggio disaster in Nashville and with too many teams struggling financially, like the Coyotes, whose owner is about to abandon ship, it is ludicrous that the hockey-obsessed Balsillie isn’t overseeing an organization.
NHL OWNERS resolve to push a team into another Canadian city, particularly one in or near Toronto. This is not a plea for expansion – there are plenty of teams as is. It is time to admit that Phoenix or Sunrise, Florida or Atlanta was a mistake, or to realize that Long Island cannot support an organization anymore, and give our crazy neighbors to the north another squad.
The SAN JOSE SHARKS and BOSTON BRUINS resolve to keep their feet on the gas because they are too fun to watch right now. The boys from out west also resolve to reach at least the conference finals to erase their reputation as playoff chokers.
Atlanta GM DON WADDELL resolves to move Ilya Kovalchuk by this year’s trading deadline for 2-3 more assets. The Russian winger is the Thrashers’ lone draw, but winning more games will fill more seats and Atlanta needs more quality players to win more games.
Wild GM DOUG RISEBROUGH resolves to deal to Marian Gaborik as soon as the fragile winger is close to 100% healthy. Gaborik is Minnesota’s only elite scorer, but he’s out of the lineup too much. Risebrough can build depth through a trade and let another manager nurse Gaborik’s wounds.
The COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS and FLORIDA PANTHERS resolve to do whatever necessary to get themselves into the playoffs this spring. Even if that means Florida does not unload stud blue-liner Jay Bouwmeester.
The LOS ANGELES KINGS resolve to only be OK this season. Anything better than that would keep them from adding another high draft pick to their already successful rebuilding process. The Kings could be Cup Contenders early next decade.
The OTTAWA SENATORS resolve to shakeup their roster if they remain in the bottom-third of the East come the trade deadline. We’ve written this before, but moving Jason Spezza may be necessary to turn things around in the Canadian capital.
New Jersey GM LOU LAMORIELLO and head coach BRENT SUTTER resolve to use Scott Clemmensen more in relief of Martin Brodeur once the future Hall-of-Famer recovers from his arm injury. Clemmensen has more than proven himself in Brodeur’s absence. And since Marty is only getting older, he’ll need more and more rest.
The CAROLINA HURRICANES, SAINT LOUIS BLUES, and Islander goalie RICK DiPIETRO resolve to participate in some sort of exorcism to rid themselves of the injury bug.
The NEW YORK RANGERS resolve to acknowledge that they lack the offensive firepower to be a true Stanley Cup contender this season. Maybe Glen Sather should roll the dice by calling Waddell or Risebrough.
The PHOENIX COYOTES resolve to negotiate a better parking arrangement with the local government ASAP. Instead of making money off people driving to their games, the team is currently paying out roughly $2 million dollars per season. Is there anything more illogical in sports right now? And also, the Yotes resolve to burn their third jerseys and develop a new one this summer.
And YOU resolve to read this blog daily.
The Shootout…
Commissioner GARY BETTMAN resolves (1) to simply chill out a little bit (have a drink, a nice cigar, something!) and (2) to allow Jim Balsillie to own a franchise. After the ‘Boots’ del Biaggio disaster in Nashville and with too many teams struggling financially, like the Coyotes, whose owner is about to abandon ship, it is ludicrous that the hockey-obsessed Balsillie isn’t overseeing an organization.
NHL OWNERS resolve to push a team into another Canadian city, particularly one in or near Toronto. This is not a plea for expansion – there are plenty of teams as is. It is time to admit that Phoenix or Sunrise, Florida or Atlanta was a mistake, or to realize that Long Island cannot support an organization anymore, and give our crazy neighbors to the north another squad.
The SAN JOSE SHARKS and BOSTON BRUINS resolve to keep their feet on the gas because they are too fun to watch right now. The boys from out west also resolve to reach at least the conference finals to erase their reputation as playoff chokers.
Atlanta GM DON WADDELL resolves to move Ilya Kovalchuk by this year’s trading deadline for 2-3 more assets. The Russian winger is the Thrashers’ lone draw, but winning more games will fill more seats and Atlanta needs more quality players to win more games.
Wild GM DOUG RISEBROUGH resolves to deal to Marian Gaborik as soon as the fragile winger is close to 100% healthy. Gaborik is Minnesota’s only elite scorer, but he’s out of the lineup too much. Risebrough can build depth through a trade and let another manager nurse Gaborik’s wounds.
The COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS and FLORIDA PANTHERS resolve to do whatever necessary to get themselves into the playoffs this spring. Even if that means Florida does not unload stud blue-liner Jay Bouwmeester.
The LOS ANGELES KINGS resolve to only be OK this season. Anything better than that would keep them from adding another high draft pick to their already successful rebuilding process. The Kings could be Cup Contenders early next decade.
The OTTAWA SENATORS resolve to shakeup their roster if they remain in the bottom-third of the East come the trade deadline. We’ve written this before, but moving Jason Spezza may be necessary to turn things around in the Canadian capital.
New Jersey GM LOU LAMORIELLO and head coach BRENT SUTTER resolve to use Scott Clemmensen more in relief of Martin Brodeur once the future Hall-of-Famer recovers from his arm injury. Clemmensen has more than proven himself in Brodeur’s absence. And since Marty is only getting older, he’ll need more and more rest.
The CAROLINA HURRICANES, SAINT LOUIS BLUES, and Islander goalie RICK DiPIETRO resolve to participate in some sort of exorcism to rid themselves of the injury bug.
The NEW YORK RANGERS resolve to acknowledge that they lack the offensive firepower to be a true Stanley Cup contender this season. Maybe Glen Sather should roll the dice by calling Waddell or Risebrough.
The PHOENIX COYOTES resolve to negotiate a better parking arrangement with the local government ASAP. Instead of making money off people driving to their games, the team is currently paying out roughly $2 million dollars per season. Is there anything more illogical in sports right now? And also, the Yotes resolve to burn their third jerseys and develop a new one this summer.
And YOU resolve to read this blog daily.
The Shootout…
If you haven’t been watching the World Junior Championships from Ottawa, now is the perfect time to start. The US and Canadian teams ring in the New Year Wednesday night as group play comes to a close. With the medal round on the horizon, we’re finally getting quality matchups. Canada’s 15-0 drubbing of Kazakhstan was too embarrassing to be entertaining…
As perfect as the Blackhawks-Red Wings matchup in Thursday’s Winter Classic is, it also could expose this game’s lone major flaw. Bad ice, high winds, and/or heavy snow could have a direct effect on the final score. The Central Division title may be won by only a point or two, and I wouldn’t want that margin to come from a pseudo-exhibition. Making this game a true exhibition (or playing the All-Star Game outdoors) may be the fairest option in the end…
Happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2009…
As perfect as the Blackhawks-Red Wings matchup in Thursday’s Winter Classic is, it also could expose this game’s lone major flaw. Bad ice, high winds, and/or heavy snow could have a direct effect on the final score. The Central Division title may be won by only a point or two, and I wouldn’t want that margin to come from a pseudo-exhibition. Making this game a true exhibition (or playing the All-Star Game outdoors) may be the fairest option in the end…
Happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2009…
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