Devils sign Dmitry Kulikov, re-sign Nicholas Merkley, Alexander Holtz off to a good start

Posted on October 23, 2020 by Derek

The Devils signed Dmitry Kulikov to a one-year deal worth $1.15 million. A veteran defenseman of 11 years, Kulikov will turn 30 on Oct. 29.

He’s a good skating, left shooting D who can log around 20 minutes in a top four role. With the off-season addition of Ryan Murray along with incumbents Will Butcher, Damon Severson and P.K. Subban, Kulikov can fill a role in the top six.

Originally a Panthers 2009 first round pick, the Russian blueliner has spent time with three NHL teams including the Sabres and most recently the Jets. Once a player who could contribute offensively, Kulikov has taken on a different role the past few years. He spent the past three seasons in Winnipeg where he totaled 27 points (5-22-27) and 101 penalty minutes over 170 games.

He helped the Jets make the playoffs three consecutive years. In 51 contests during the regular season, Kulikov tallied two goals and eight assists for 10 points with 32 penalty minutes and a minus-four rating. All 10 points came at even strength. He averaged 20:01 per game with 77 blocks and 104 hits.

In the postseason, he had two assists in four games. Winnipeg was eliminated by Calgary in the Play In Round.

Overall, it’s a low risk move by Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald. Think of it as insurance for former first round pick Ty Smith. At the moment, he’d have to play his way into the lineup. Here is the projected Devils defense:

Butcher-Subban

Murray-Severson

Kulikov-Carrick

Smith

In another move, the Devils re-signed forward Nicholas Merkeley to a one-year contract for $874,125. It’s a two-way deal. The 23-year old left shooting right wing was acquired by the team from the Coyotes as part of the Taylor Hall trade that netted defense prospect Kevin Bahl and 2020 conditional first round pick Dawson Mercer. A trade that looks like one of Fitzgerald’s smartest with Hall leaving Arizona for Buffalo. Especially if both Bahl and Mercer pan out.

Merkley posted a goal and helper in four games for New Jersey. The 23-year old from Calgary is a former Coyotes 2015 first round pick.

The Devils have quietly had a good off-season thanks to additions like Murray, Kulikov, former Blackhawks Stanley Cup champion Corey Crawford and acquiring ex-Leaf Andreas Johnsson. They still have 13.93 million in projected cap space with just restricted free agent Jesper Bratt to re-sign.

New Jersey 2020 first round pick Alexander Holtz is off to a good start with Djurgardens IF in the Swedish Hockey League. The seventh overall pick has four goals and two assists in eight games. The 18-year old Swedish right wing looks like a sniper.

https://twitter.com/SRC9596/status/1316948607401156611?s=19

Holtz looks like one of the best finishers out of a strong 2020 Draft Class. He turns 19 next January 23. Devils fans should be excited about the future. Holtz and Mercer will be a big part of it along with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.

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Legendary voice of hockey Doc Emrick hangs up the microphone

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Derek

The year has been a trying one for so many people. In spite of everything, the NHL successfully completed its longest season with the great Doc Emrick calling the Lightning winning the Stanley Cup over the Stars on Sept. 28.

Fittingly, Mike Doc Emrick had the call for NBC Sports. That included the series final goal scored by Blake Coleman to provide insurance for the Lightning in a 2-0 shutout to win the hard fought Stanley Cup Final in six games. It also included Emrick’s final call with some excited Bolts celebrating their team’s second ever Cup.

There was a cool trophy presentation where the team included captain Steven Stamkos in a memorable photo around NHL commissioner Gary Bettman before each member skated with the Cup. It was all described by the legendary Emrick, who had done this for 50 years. The last 14 for NBC and a network that went from OLN to Versus to NBCSN. A great broadcaster, who could make any game exciting with his unique description and anecdotes to keep the audience engaged.

When they had Emrick do a special video time capsule of the most challenging three month journey in a playoff bubble, we didn’t know it would be the final time he would talk to us through our televisions. The former Devils announcer who had the call of some truly memorable moments, announced his retirement from broadcasting earlier today in a video message shared by NBC Sports on Twitter.

It definitely caught many by surprise including me. How could it not? Maybe for the proud and brilliant, soft-spoken man who’s lived in Michigan for so long while sharing his passion for the Pittsburgh Pirates all these years, 2020 was the perfect time to call it a career. Listening to him do a voice-over of how he started in the game of hockey when legends like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito played without helmets some 50 years ago, I understood why he decided to call it quits. The way he described how different the game was with goal judges seated behind the glass before video replay and technology confirmed goals, to how helmets became mandatory, and going from one ref to two, hockey is so different now.

Oh. It’s still a great game we can all enjoy. But the way Doc artfully told it was similar to his great long journey going from doing minor league games by the Port Huron Flags and Maine Mariners to getting his first big break with a new team that relocated to New Jersey called the Devils in 1982-83. His first stint there went until 1986 before winding up in several roles with rival teams such as the Flyers and even the Rangers. Astonishingly, before he returned to the Devils in ’93-94, he was the lead play-by-play man for the Flyers and worked with future ESPN analyst Bill Clement.

Ironically, Emrick replaced former Devils broadcaster Gary Thorne, who moved to ESPN and became the lead voice of National Hockey Night. Their careers are intertwined. Emrick’s work was outstanding with Fox Sports recognizing him as the voice of the number one team where be paired with Rangers analyst John Davidson. One of his most memorable calls was getting to announce his team the Devils winning their first Stanley Cup alongside Davidson on a late June summer night in ’95 at the old Meadowlands complex at Brendan Byrne Arena.

“The Stanley Cup to New Jersey,” he said. “The Devils are Stanley Cup Champions!”

It must’ve felt awesome to be able to call that a year following Mark Messier’s Game Six theatrics for the rival Rangers that carried them past the Devils in seven hard fought games and eventually the Cup. Emrick was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the broadcasters wing as a Foster Hewitt recipient in 2008. The winner of six Emmy Awards who left the Devils in 2011 a year before they avenged a crushing loss to the Rangers, would have the memorable call of Adam Henrique scoring in overtime of Game Six to beat the Rangers in a Conference Final rematch 18 years later. A year removed from doing Devils telecasts, Doc couldn’t contain his excitement.

“Threw in front by Kovalchuk. Blocked there. They poke away at it. They scooooooree! Henrique! It’s over!!!”

It remains one of his best calls. Even if there was a tad bit of emotional bias attached to it given the circumstances with Martin Brodeur at age 40 finally avenging the seven-game defeat in ’94, it was understandable. I never held it against Emrick, who I was fortunate enough to work with behind the scenes during the ’00-01 season as a production assistant for the Devils truck for home telecasts. This is as genuine and professional man as there’s been.

The loss of Doc, who at 74 can finally enjoy family life with his wife Joyce, and spend time with their dogs and six horses in St. Clair, Michigan, is felt by the hockey world today. We love the man who gave us signature phrases like, “Waffle boarded away”, and “Hit the post with the shot.” There are others like referencing the goalpost as the pipe and the net as the cage.

This is a brilliant and passionate man, whose enthusiasm for calling not only hockey, but even Brett Favre’s first NFL start where he completed his first past to himself, is fondly remembered. He called NFL games for CBS and even did some NCAA basketball tournament games, which I never knew. He has done the National Lacrosse League All-Star Game and who could forget his entertaining calls of Summer Olympics Water Polo. It was insane. It felt like he was calling hockey except the athletes were swimmers in the pool playing a cool sport made cooler by Doc.

He also had the call of Zach Parise tying the gold medal game for Team USA versus Canada at the Vancouver Winter Games. Then, had Sidney Crosby’s golden goal for Canada in sudden death. Heartwarming for the Canadian side, but gut wrenching for American hearts. He did the first ever NHL Winter Classic with Crosby scoring the shootout winner with snow falling against the Sabres at Ralph Wilson Stadium in front of a then NHL record 71,217 fans on Jan. 1, 2008.

Doc Emrick has done it all. He’s been an exemplary person who’s represented the NHL and the sport of hockey well. He is a legend. We will miss him. But I’m glad he’s going out on his own terms. A truly authentic person who’s been great forever like Doc deserves that.

What a great man. He’s as genuine and kind hearted a person as there is. What I admire most is those unique qualities. He never forced his opinion on the audience. But if he disagreed with a missed call, he would often say, “And play continues”, for dramatic effect.

I kinda wish he could do one last Devils game with longtime partner Chico Resch. Doc and Chico were great together for two decades. Who didn’t love the way they played off each other? Plus Chico was a funny man with great stories from his playing days which included the Islanders, Devils and Flyers. You can’t replace that kind of dynamic duo. Even though Steve Cangialosi does a very good job on the call. Ken Daneyko isn’t Chico. Steve isn’t Doc.

I wish there were more Doc Emricks. We had another in Dave Strader, who lost his battle to cancer a few years ago. I got to work with him behind the scenes over at ESPN. Doc Emrick is a cancer survivor. He is someone to be cherished.

#ThankYouDoc

Respectfully,

Derek Felix

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Doc Emrick says goodbye as only he can

Posted on October 19, 2020 by hasan4978

For at least a generation of hockey fans, Doc Emrick has been the voice of the NHL – Olympics, Winter Classic games, playoffs and many other national telecasts on FOX and NBC – if there was a big game in the last twenty-five years odds are Doc was doing it. And why not? He combined a storyteller’s flair and a child’s enthusiasm with a golden voice to entertain and inform hockey fans throughout North America for decades. It’s hard to believe Doc is 74, or that he has been broadcasting for fifty years. I couldn’t help but feel sad upon hearing the news of Doc’s retirement this morning, after all it seems like a piece of my youth has gone away.

If national fans have gotten to enjoy Doc, Devil fans have been able to savor him as nobody else has, since he was the team’s first voice in New Jersey when the team moved from Colorado in 1982 and stayed until 1986 in his first stint before going to the Flyers for a few years. I’d hardly believe he ever announced Flyer games if not for hearing the call of Ron Hextall’s goal, the first ever off a goalie’s stick in the playoffs.

After spending some time in Philly, Doc came back to New Jersey just in time for the franchise’s unparalleled run of success beginning in the mid ’90’s. As luck would have it, Doc got to call yet another memorable goalie scoring in the playoffs goal, this one by Martin Brodeur against his boyhood team, the Canadiens.

Like most of his broadcasts during that period Doc was calling that game as part of the regular MSG/Metro/SportsChannel/whatever network the Devils were broadcasting games on. Unlike nowadays, the local telecasts still broadcast the first couple rounds of the playoffs. For the first part of his tenure (at least that I remember) he did games with Peter McNab but in the late ’90’s was paired with another one-of-a-kind character in former goaltender Chico Resch.

Doc’s professorial, storytelling nature and Chico’s goofy, off the wall homerism made them a beloved pairing for just about every Devil watcher. Probably my favorite ever Doc and Chico exchange came during a game against the Flyers in the early ’00’s, when Chico couldn’t help but notice that Devils ace penalty killer John Madden wasn’t on the ice for a particular PK, and alluded to it in passing two or three times. Finally towards the end of the penalty Chico said something to the effect of, ‘I don’t know if he’s got a skate issue or what the problem is…’

Doc: ‘The problem will be alleviated as Madden comes out of the box now’

Chico: (laughs) Oh yeah

New Jersey’s salad days on the ice were complemented with a first-rate broadcasting team off the ice. Doc and Chico doing games provided the color for the action itself while Matt and the Maven had their own ying-and-yang act during intermissions. For over fifteen years Doc did both local and national broadcasts. At FOX it was Doc with Ranger broadcaster John Davidson, and for a brief period of time – before Davidson left to work in the Blues’ front office and started a long management career – they were the gold standard for all hockey broadcasts, with one example why here in a YouTube of the final few minutes of the Devils’ 1995 Stanley Cup triumph.

In his capacity doing national games for FOX, Doc still got to call the Devils’ first championship in 1995 on TV, and as usual was understated yet powerful:

‘The championship to New Jersey…the Devils win the Stanley Cup!’

Unfortunately ESPN didn’t employ Doc when they got the rights to the Stanley Cup Finals games, but he still got to call – and emcee – many memorable Devils moments along the way, also receiving countless individual awards for his work and service – including being honored with hockey’s highest honor, induction into the Hall of Fame. When he left the Devils in 2011 to focus on only doing national games, his explanation was typically deep with a touch of self-depreciating, commenting about how sometimes you have to look in the mirror and at your birth certificate (he was 65 then) before making major life decisions.

Even though for the last decade of his career he was no longer our own to cherish, we still felt like he was during a brief, shining moment in the year after he left when he got to call the Devils’ last truly iconic moment in 2012 – Adam Henrique’s OT Conference Finals winner against the hated Rangers – this time on NBCSN.

Maybe it was fitting as the team got worse and the Devils made fewer national TV appearances, we got slowly weaned off of Doc as a local guy but still got to enjoy him from afar. Ironically things came full circle in what’s now the final game Doc ever broadcasted, when former Devil Blake Coleman scored the Lightning’s second goal.

If I knew it would be Doc’s last game I’d have been watching too but typically he didn’t make a meal of his retirement and waited until after the playoffs and the NHL’s warp speed draft and FA periods after that before word got out this morning. Maybe I’ll find that Game 6 online somewhere and watch, or some of Doc’s many Devils highlights. Doc may be gone in terms of active broadcasting, but in the age of YouTube and electronics, his presence will live on forever.

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Lundqvist continues to be more visible at new home

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Derek

Henrik Lundqvist finally got to visit his new stall in the Capitals locker room. He posted the following photo above. He looks at ease in what will be his new home.

Even if the first part of next season likely will begin in a bubble due to the second wave, at some point the new Cap in a different red, white and blue, will play at Capital One Arena at DC. That’s when he’ll hopefully see and hear unfamiliar support of fans that once were the enemy. In a recent Zoom interview with the media when he was introduced, he indicated that he doesn’t know how they’ll react to him.

If the proud 38-year old affable Swedish goaltender plays well, there’s little doubt he’ll hear the cheers from Washington fans. A strange difference from when he broke Cap hearts in the last three playoff series they played versus the Rangers.

He understands the rivalry which dates back to the good old days of the Patrick Division. If only they renamed the Metropolitan that. Why not? Then make the Atlantic the old Adams Division. I’m all for makeovers if it emphasizes tradition.

How successful will Lundqvist be for the Caps? Well, we know he’ll be replacing Braden Holtby and be part of a tandem with much younger Russian netminder Ilya Samsonov. What will the split be? Maybe 60/40 in favor of the 23-year old Samsonov. But remember, the season could be a little shorter depending on when it begins. That could be ideal.

Although MSG’s Steve Valiquette hinted at some defensive issues with the Caps, Lundqvist will be playing on a better team. Maybe the structure will improve under proven coach Peter Laviolette. A bench boss who’s won a Stanley Cup and been runner-up. He has to be better than Todd Reirden.

He ranks second among active NHL goalies in wins with 459. Only Marc-Andre Fleury has more coming in with 466. He’ll also be a backup in Vegas behind Robin Lehner. They’re fifth and sixth on the all-time wins list.

Whatever the case, seeing Lundqvist wearing his throwback number 35 jersey in a Caps Jersey will be like seeing Joe Thornton donning the Maple Leaf after signing with Toronto for a year at $700,000.

Similar to seeing Martin Brodeur in Blues colors or Mike Modano as a Red Wing. Such is the business of sports. Not everyone stays with one team. That’s the lesson learned here.

One day soon, it’ll become a haunting reality for Rangers fans. I’m already getting used to it.

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Rangers put together highlight package of DeAngelo, who must continue to produce while becoming a leader

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Derek

A couple of days following the re-signing of defenseman Tony DeAngelo for two more years at a reasonable average cap hit of $4.8 million through 2022, the Rangers paid tribute to the breakout American offensive star on their improved Twitter account.

A nice highlight package showed off the big season the 24-year old DeAngelo had in achieving personal bests with 15 goals and 53 points. That included posting his first career hat trick in a win over the Devils at MSG. A fun game to be at.

With the New Jersey native who once was a high first round pick for Tampa before getting dealt to the Coyotes, it took him some time to earn the trust of his third NHL team. Even in coach David Quinn’s first year, at one point DeAngelo found himself benched due to off ice related issues.

The talent has never been a question. He put up good scoring seasons in the OHL for both the Sarnia Sting and Soo Greyhounds.

After some struggles to establish himself with Arizona following a trade by the Lightning that resulted in current Rangers defenseman Libor Hajek being taken in the second round, he was part of a big deal to New York with the Coyotes 2017 first round pick (Lias Andersson) in exchange for center Derek Stepan and goalie Antti Raanta.

At the time, Rangers GM Jeff Gorton was starting to change the roster. By moving Stepan prior to his no-move clause went into effect, he was admitting that the team needed to change for the future. That really spelled the end of a good roster that had consistently made the postseason and gone to three Conference Finals and two second rounds. Raanta was given a opportunity to become a starter in Arizona. Injuries prevented it. He’s the backup behind Darcy Kuemper.

As for DeAngelo, he gradually became better over the past three seasons for the Rangers. After going 4-26-30 over 61 games in Quinn’s first season behind the bench during ’18-19, he broke out for 15 goals, 38 assists and 53 points this past season in 68 games. That allowed him to earn a bridge deal with the club that’ll pay him $9.6 million over the next two years.

DeAngelo turns 25 this week. A unique personality who keeps things loose in the locker room, he will now be looked to as more of a leader. That means continuing to produce and make adjustments to his defensive game that needs improvement. Especially if he wants to stay on Broadway past 2022.

With a influx of young talent in the farm system due to D prospects K’Andre Miller, Nils Lundkvist, Matthew Robertson, Tarmo Reunanen, Zac Jones and 2020 first round pick Braden Schneider, DeAngelo will have to prove he belongs.

Of course, more production over the next two years could price him out of the Big Apple. That’s salary cap life. Especially with no end in sight to the pandemic, which in turn could mean the cap doesn’t move off the number of $81.5 million.

For now, we can enjoy more DeAngelo highlights sometime in 2021 when hockey returns.

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Rangers make great bridge deal with DeAngelo

Posted on October 15, 2020 by Derek

Guess who’s back. Tony D. Yes. The Rangers will have their Eminem version back for at least the next two years after avoiding arbitration. I thought bridging him for two years at $4.75 million would get it done. As it turned out, I almost nailed it.

Tony DeAngelo has re-signed with the Rangers for two years and an average cap hit of $4.8 million per season. That’s a perfect number for the offensive defenseman who posted career bests in goals (15), assists (38), points (53), plus/minus (12) and games played (68).

The soon to be 25-year old Sewell, New Jersey native also achieved personal highs in even strength goals where he notched 12 of his 15 with the other three coming on the power play. A number one quarterback who has great vision and an accurate shot, DeAngelo had a good split by recording 34 even strength points (12-22-34) and 19 power play points (3-16-19).

He also was a fixture in overtime where the playmaking defenseman excelled at the three-on-three by combining his superb skating with his ability to be both a passing and shooting threat. That was on display at MSG when he was directly involved in Mika Zibanejad scoring his franchise tying fifth goal of a game in a wild 6-5 overtime win over the Capitals. The best regular season game you’ll ever see.

DeAngelo works well with both Zibanejad and leading scorer Artemi Panarin. So, there’s even more reason to be excited about the future with top pick Alexis Lafreniere joining a young talented team that still includes Chris Kreider, Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko.

The only question is will DeAngelo friend and teammate Ryan Strome be returning. There’s little doubt Brendan Lemieux will be back even if he winds up going to arbitration. He doesn’t have much leverage.

As for Strome, who’s a year away from unrestricted status, he had his best season. The center benefited by playing with Panarin on the second line where he achieved a career high 59 points (18-41-59) including 41 points at even strength with a plus-21. Unless the Rangers have a different solution, they might be wise to bring him back on a one-year deal for $5 million. Given that he made $3.1 million last season, that’s what it’s looking like.

It’s up to the organization to decide what they want to do. So far, they’ve wisely not overspent on free agents due to their commitment to core players. Instead, they decided to address depth with the additions of center Kevin Rooney and much maligned veteran defenseman Jack Johnson, who is only signed for a year. You’d think these misfits knew more than John Davidson or Jeff Gorton about hockey. They understand where this team is. I’ll trust them over anyone.

What about replacing Jesper Fast? Well, they can’t. He was a responsible two-way forward who was trusted by the coaching staff at five-on-five and penalty kill. A interchangeable player, who was a quiet leader for a group that doesn’t have enough grit. Hopefully, that void can be filled by guys like Lemieux, Brett Howden and Rooney, who is a diligent worker if you watched him with the Devils. There’s room for growth.

It’ll be imperative for kids like Chytil and Kakko to take steps in the right direction next season. There just isn’t enough room to do too much else. The salary cap will remain at $81.5 million, leaving the Blueshirts with slightly over $7 million to work with. That could mean penciling in Strome and Lemieux.

Maybe if they’re lucky, they can afford to give a proven veteran like Michael Grabner a pro tryout. He was bought out by the Coyotes. The speed and two-way capability of the ex-Ranger would be a good fit on the fourth line. He’s a strong penalty killer who’s totaled 11 shorthanded goals over his 10-year career. Grabner is 33 and could still be serviceable for a team.

I’m pleased with both Davidson and Gorton on getting both DeAngelo and Alex Georgiev done. They’re not screwing around. Only two players left to address.

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Rangers avoid arbitration, re-sign Alex Georgiev and Phil Di Giuseppe

Posted on October 15, 2020 by Derek

In good news, the Rangers reached agreement with two restricted free agents on new deals. A couple of days ago, they re-signed forward Phil Di Giuseppe to a one-year, $700,000 contract.

The 27-year old left wing was called up from Hartford last season. In 20 regular season games, he had a goal and three assists with a plus-one rating and 35 shots. He registered 38 hits and 20 blocked shots while averaging 11:17 of ice-time. In the Play In Series against Carolina, Di Giuseppe finished a minus-three with no points while logging 8:15.

He’ll again have a chance to make the team in training camp. The 2021 season won’t begin until sometime next January.

In another important move, the Blueshirts re-signed goalie Alex Georgiev to a two-year, $4.85 million contract. The average cap hit comes out to $2.425 million thru 2022. Here’s the salary breakdown from Cap Friendly.

Originally signed by the Rangers as a undrafted free agent at age 21 on July 19, 2017, the 24-year old Georgiev developed well enough in a year with the Wolf Pack to be recalled during ’17-18. In 10 games, he had a 4-4-1 record while posting a 3.15 GAA and .918 save percentage. During ’18-19, he proved himself by going 14-13-4 with a 2.91 GAA, .914 save percentage and two shutouts.

This past season, Georgiev again was steady enough despite a crowded crease. Under a unique situation due to the emergence of starting goalie Igor Shesterkin with veteran Henrik Lundqvist losing playing time, the Bulgarian played well enough to earn the backup spot. He got into 34 games and won a team high 17 games with a 3.04 GAA, .910 save percentage and two shutouts.

With Lundqvist having moved on following a buyout by becoming a Capital, Georgiev is fully entrenched as the Rangers backup behind Shesterkin. The pair of 24-year old Russians will form a tandem entering next year. Keith Kinkaid was signed last week as insurance for the AHL.

Whenever the next season starts, it’ll be a different situation. The Rangers will depend on two young netminders moving forward. They’ll also hopefully have Tyler Wall developing in his first pro season at Hartford. This will be a change from the past 15 years when Lundqvist was the clear number one goalie entering play.

With still approximately 12 million left, the Blueshirts will turn their attention to RFA’s Tony DeAngelo, Ryan Strome and Brendan Lemieux. The first two due significant raises. We’ll see if they go to arbitration. The arbitration dates are as follows:

1. Tony DeAngelo Oct. 20

2. Ryan Strome Nov. 5

3. Brendan Lemieux Nov. 6

In other news, former Blueshirt Greg McKegg signed with the Bruins to a one-year, two-way contract for $700,000. In 53 contests, the 28-year old center played on the fourth line and killed penalties while putting up five goals, four assists and nine points. One goal came shorthanded and two of his nine points were on the penalty kill. He did a solid job in a small role.

The Keg Man will move onto his seventh NHL team. Name the first six.

Trivia Answer: McKegg has played for six teams. They are the Maple Leafs, Panthers, Lightning, Penguins, Hurricanes and Rangers.

In other free agent news, the Canadiens extended Brendan Gallagher for six years and an AAV of $6.5 million through 2027. A real good player at even strength, he will cost $3.75 million in 2021 before basically getting double in ’21-22.

The Senators opened the vault and splurged on unrestricted free agent Evgenii Dadonov by inking the ex-Panther to a three-year, $15 million contract. A interesting move for a rebuilding team that hinges on core pieces Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, Colin White and Nick Paul. They recently added Austin Watson in a trade with Nashville and acquired former Pen Matt Murray to man the net.

We’ll see what those additions do for Ottawa.

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Lundqvist ready to be a Washington Capital

Posted on October 15, 2020 by Derek

Coming Soon To DC: Henrik Lundqvist will go back to wearing his old number 35 when he plays for his new team as a Washington Capital. AP Photo credit Washington Capitals via Getty Images

It’s been a week since we learned Henrik Lundqvist would be joining the Washington Capitals. Since he made it official last Friday on Day One of the strange and ghostly October Madness, the 38-year old former Rangers legend seems to be getting accustomed to life as a Capital.

That’s included more of a social media presence via his Twitter account than New Yorkers were used to. He even greeted Caps fans with a brief video. Maybe it will be easier for Lundqvist to feel at ease now that he’s out of the spotlight in Manhattan.

Brought in by Washington to replace revered former starter Braden Holtby to play 1B behind 23-year old Russian netminder Ilya Samsonov, King Henrik has been very accommodating so far. As seen above where the official Caps Twitter posted superstar Alex Ovechkin’s 100th career NHL goals at his expense after the Great Eight undressed a Rangers defenseman, all has been forgiven by Lundqvist.

Kudos to the Capitals organization for paying tribute to Holtby for being a great Cap for a decade where he helped them win the Stanley Cup highlighted by a absolute robbery on Alex Tuch in Game Two that changed that series against the Golden Knights.

It will be interesting to see him and Ovechkin play for the same team. Almost like the time Jaromir Jagr joined the Devils and got to team up with legendary netminder Martin Brodeur. Both out of the classic 1990 NHL Draft class. The two best players were always interesting to listen to following games.

Having Henrik and Ovi pair up for at least one year will be like Perfect Strangers II. Although the original duo was when Wayne Gretzky reunited with former Oilers teammate Mark Messier in NYC, they’d played together and won four of five Cups in Edmonton. So even if their personalities were different, they knew each other well.

Perfect Strangers was a good show. Now, you’ll have the more low key Lundqvist and more quotable personality in Ovechkin providing interesting insights off the ice. Like Brodeur and Jagr, who was always had a keen sense of humor. It took him playing for both the Rangers and Devils for fans to understand him better.

Number 68 will always be in a class by himself. He could’ve challenged Gretzky’s scoring record had he wanted to. But he lost time due to lockouts and playing for Avangard Omsk in the KHL before returning with the Flyers of all teams. Then, the Jagr Fan Club started following him around after he kept changing jerseys. There were the Stars, Bruins, Devils, Panthers and even the Flames which unfortunately didn’t work out.

So, what else to say on Lundqvist rocking the red? Well this. He’ll finally be able to wear his old number 35 as a Washington Capital. The number he wore while leading Frolunda to a championship in Sweden. Also the familiar number he wore when he won Olympic gold against Finland at the ’06 Winter Games in Torino. That included a quite memorable last second save on Olli Jokinen to preserve the one goal victory.

It’s funny how in that brief 13 second cameo, not a hair is out of place for the King. It’s uncanny. Did GQ call?

Whenever the start of the 2021 season is, it’ll probably begin in the saw fashion the ’19-20 season concluded. With life in the bubble. That’s how it looks like it could play out. Hopefully, we will be able to see our team play at MSG at some point. Especially for the introduction of Alexis Lafreniere.

Wouldn’t it be something if there is a Caps at Rangers game on the schedule by April that is on 33rd and 7th with fans in attendance? That would be a can’t miss.

Until the next time, it’s more posts on the continued unpredictable off-season. See you soon.

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Alexei Cherepanov passed away 12 years ago today

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Derek

Remembering former Rangers 2007 first round draft pick Alexei Cherepanov 12 years later.

It was thirteen years ago that the Rangers had a very talented Russian scoring forward fall to them in the 2007 NHL Draft. With the number 17 pick, they were only too pleased to select Alexei Cherepanov out of Avangard Omsk from Russia.

Considered by TSN experts as a “top four talent” who only dropped due to questions about when he’d come over, it was like the Rangers knew he’d be there to be taken. They had the Cherepanov jersey ready when he was picked. What an exciting moment that was for the teenager. He looked thrilled.

A very skilled right wing who was named the Top Forward of the 2007 U20 World Junior Championships with five goals and three assists for eight points in six games, the future looked bright for the 18-year old from Barnaul, Russia.

A big admirer of Rangers superstar Jaromir Jagr, who returned to Avangard Omsk to play with him for the ’08-09 season in the newly formed KHL, Cherepanov had a dream come true. He was playing with his favorite player on the same line. It all must’ve felt like a dream. A teenage phenom on the same team as a legend. If only the story had a happy ending.

In ’08-09, Cherepanov was off to a promising start. He had scored eight goals and added five assists totaling 13 points. However, in the 15th game for Avangard Omsk, something terrible happened. It came in the same game he scored in. After finishing a shift with Jagr, Cherepanov passed out on the bench. Jagr signaled immediately for medical help.

For reasons only known to the new league, there wasn’t a functional defibrillator working that could’ve prevented a horrible tragedy. Even worse, the ambulance had left the arena and had to come back. By the time they got him to the hospital, it was too late.

Cherepanov had died of a heart condition. It was stunning news throughout the hockey community. How could a 19-year old athlete pass away? Apparently, he did have a heart issue the team physicians kept under wraps. They ruled the cause of death due to myocarditis. A condition where not enough blood gets to the heart. However, that was disputed by a regional investigator who claimed it was due to chronic ischemia.

Whatever the reason, on Oct. 13, 2008, Alexei Cherepanov died at only age 19. His final shift came with Jagr on a two-on-one before returning to the Omsk bench. While having a discussion with Jagr, that’s when he collapsed. It still remains a mystery.

A chemical analysis of his blood and urine concluded that Cherepanov had been blood doping for several months. They said he had taken the banned stimulant nikethamide hours before the game. The investigation found several Avangard Omsk team personnel guilty of criminal negligence for their roles in Cherepanov’s untimely death. That included the team doctors.

It’s shameful to think this actually happened. Even a dozen years later, I can still remember watching NHL Network when during a Rangers special on former captain Mark Messier, I saw the news flash across the screen. I did a double take. I didn’t believe it at first. But when it flashed again, I told my Dad and brother. It was hard to take. A kid that age and so young. Why?

We went to the game that night at MSG. There was a moment of silence. I don’t recall anything else about that game. It didn’t matter. I was heartbroken. It was like being there after 9/11 for the preseason game versus the Devils. Except that was even worse due to the scary circumstances.

I was very excited for Cherepanov after watching highlights of him. He definitely looked like a impact player with the kind of finishing capability the Rangers lacked. They had good teams during that time. But never a young potential star who could become a game breaker post Jagr.

Maybe Alexei Cherepanov could’ve been that guy for the Blueshirts. Perhaps he may have helped them win a Cup during the Henrik Lundqvist Era. We’ll never know. Instead, we’re left to ponder what could’ve been.

But most importantly, I can only imagine how difficult this day must be on the Cherepanov family. Parents should never have to bury their kid. Were they ever fully compensated for the tragic loss of their son? Does it even matter? No amount of money can replace a loved one. He had a bright future and then it was over before it really started. Ugh.

Since the tragedy, the KHL has named their Rookie of the Year Award after Cherepanov. It’s the Alexei Cherepanov Award. A good way to honor his memory. They learned a valuable lesson. The league has survived and even expanded into other countries including China and Slovakia.

Here’s a final thought. Cherepanov was a rarity. He came from Siberia and made it. Not many players have to work that hard to become a good player. Ironically, he was nicknamed the Siberian Express. In a tribute, I named my fantasy hockey team that in our South River League. I would win the championship in ’09-10. Maybe it was fate. Or perhaps Cherepanov was smiling down. I got a little lucky. Sometimes, you have to.

How I wish Alexei Cherepanov was still around. What kind of player could he have been? It’s too hard to answer. I loved his speed, skating and goal scorer’s instinct. He knew where to go. Not only was he good on breakaways showing off that unique Russian speed, but Cherepanov wasn’t shy about going to the dirty areas to score goals like the hardworking rebound he scored on against Sweden. Or how about the dominant shift he had on the forecheck before going top cheese on Team USA.

Maybe it’s hard to believe he’s been gone so long. Twelve years today. We still remember him. God bless the Cherepanov family. 💛💜

Алексей Черепанов (15 January 1989 – 13 October 2008)

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Lafreniere signs his entry level contract with Rangers

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Derek

The Alexis Lafreniere Era is ready to begin after the Rangers top pick got a late 19th birthday present by signing his entry level contract on Monday. AP Photo credit Newsday via Getty Images by Mike Stobe.

Yesterday, Alexis Lafreniere and the Rangers made it official. The recent top pick in last week’s NHL Draft signed his entry level contract (ELC) with the club who lucked into the first overall pick due to the unpredictable two part NHL Lottery this past summer.

The three-year ELC pays Lafreniere $2.775 million. That includes salary bonuses he can earn. As far as the Rangers salary cap structure, the young left wing will be a $925,000 cap charge over his first NHL contract. Here’s how the salary can break down:

Base Salary: $832,500 $832,500 $832,500

Signing Bonuses: $92,500 $92,500 $92,500

Total Salary: $925,000 $925,000 $925,000

Minors Salary: $80,000 $80,000 $80,000

Performance Bonuses: $2.85 million $2.85 million $2.85 million

AAV: $3.775 million $3.775 million $3.775 million

Basically, the performance bonuses can increase his salary. Something you see with most top picks. Assuming he performs up to expectations, Lafreniere will produce well enough for the Rangers to lock him up to one of those huge long-term deals we’ve seen with superstars such as Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, etc.

Think of the signing as a birthday present for Lafreniere, who turned 19 on Sunday. Happy Birthday kid! He will wear number 13 for the Rangers. Hopefully, it’s a very lucky 13. Not many Blueshirts have worn it. The only good player I can think of is Stanley Cup winner Sergei Nemchinov. There have been others. Now, it belongs to our top pick. Wow.

The only conclusion I can make is hopefully, that number is never worn by another Blueshirt. A pretty simple wish.

Let’s take a look at some of Lafreniere’s best highlights.

I like not only his game breaking speed, but how quick he snaps it. Good usage of the wrist shot through traffic. A deceptive backhand which is always tough for a goalie to pick up. This kind of high skill player comes around very rarely. He’s unselfish and will help improve Kaapo Kakko, who could benefit if they play together.

In last week’s interview with the legendary Sam Rosen of MSG, we get to see a different side of Lafreniere. He’s a very mature and well spoken young player who understands the expectations of becoming a professional hockey player. It’s going to be a transition for him, but he wants to get better and made certain to point out that his goal is not only to improve, but help the Rangers win the Stanley Cup. The ultimate dream for any Canadian kid.

Here, we see the unique speed and skill of Lafreniere on display. He picks up seven points in a Rimouski Oceanic win over the Quebec Remparts. Two goals and five assists. When you’re that good, sometimes the puck magically finds you as it did on one of his goals. He had three cracks at it. My favorite goals were off the rush where he used his game breaking speed to back up opponents and find the seam for open teammates. That’s the makings of a great player. It sure will be exciting to watch him play in NYC. Even if it’s in a bubble (rumored) for the first part of next year.

Lafreniere wore number 11 for Rimouski. That’s not possible as a Ranger due to some guy named Mark Messier. So, it’ll be number 13 selling out quickly. There’s much to look forward to. We will be waiting in anticipation for January 2021.

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