Battle Of Hudson

It’s eleven years today for 9/11. It’s hard to believe. I remember standing over in Bayonne station with a co-worker on our way to work. Well, we were supposed to be. Instead of catching the Light Rail to Harborside Financial Center, we were stranded in the parking lot with many other civilians who just expected another day at the office. Sadly, we were mistaken.

You never would’ve figured what happened that tragic day. One we’ll never forget as long as we live. All those lives lost due to the worst terrorist attack on our country. There was a close call once on the World Trade Center in 1993. Eight years later, the evil doers finished the job killing many and destroying the Twin Towers along with an attack on the Pentagon.

It is hard to put into words. All the stuff we take for granted and it was literally blown away. Along with my associate Jason, we stood helplessly as the towers smoked before collapsing, taking people with it who flew out the windows. On my way from Staten Island, I had just hit the Bayonne Bridge when Howard Stern announced it. Of course, I didn’t believe it because it was Stern. But in a split second, there were both tall buildings clouded by thick patches of smoke. In that moment, I was stunned. Who would do such a thing?

Not everyone loves what we represent. Over a decade later, soldiers are still stationed in Afghanistan sacrificing everyday for our way of life. A little thing called freedom. Even with Osama dead and buried along with Saddam Hussein, the battle cry is far from done. There will always be terrorists who will try to destroy everything we stand for. Many firefighters, policemen and soldiers have passed away since for a noble cause. In a Presidential election year, both parties are at each other’s throats but at least they can agree on one common denominator. We shall never rest until we get every last one.

Everyday, I count my blessings and am thankful for family, friends, a roof over our heads, a job, food and being able to do what I want. Here, grieving families have heavy hearts today remembering loved ones. Fortunately, I didn’t lose anyone close. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t feel the pain so many are going through because it never goes away. We should all close our eyes and take a minute out of our day paying tribute to the lives lost. Those are the real heroes. I will visit Wolfe’s Pond Park later and visit a monument for those who served. That’s what this day is for.

NEVER FORGET.

It’s a September Saturday in New York/New Jersey and the weather is balmy to the point of no return. On a day where tornadoes hit parts of Brooklyn and Queens, perhaps it’s an ominous sign for what looms ahead. Personally, I’d rather not think about it. The idea that there won’t be NHL hockey this October is pathetic. It speaks to how arrogant and out to lunch the two sides are. So, if that’s what you want then go walk the blank like in Goonies. But at least that was fun :P.

I don’t know how I’ll feel when the owners and players finally come to their senses. Do they even realize that the sport’s still way behind baseball, basketball and football? Hell. Even golf and horse racing dwarf hockey. Yet here we go again and I’m not referring to a favorite 80’s White Snake hit I heard in the car headed into work. Hey. I put my hours in. When will the rich and richer?!?!?!?!?!

Be that as it may, there’s actual puck going on with the start of the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League). The other day marked the one year anniversary of the terrible tragedy to Lokomotiv. A year later, they played with honor by winning their second game of the season.

It’s still hard to believe that 44 lives were taken away due to Yak-42D crashing after takeoff, killing the entire Lokomotiv roster and seven crew members with soul survivor Alexander Sizov, who also was on the crew. The impact on their families and the hockey universe is still being felt. Such a tragedy makes you think about how precious life is. It also gives us a chance to reflect and remember players such as Pavol Demitra who was so much fun to watch. That’s what the game is about. Alexander Karpovtsev was one of the first Russians to etch his name on Lord Stanley alongside Sergei Zubov, Sergei Nemchinov and Alexei Kovalev. He was solid in his time here, filling in admirably when Jeff Beukeboom was suspended. Josef Vasicek went onto have a good career helping Carolina win a Stanley Cup in 2006. He was a smart two-way center who I wouldn’t have minded seeing in a Blueshirt. Maybe not a star like Demitra but the kind of high character guy every team needs.

Rugged defenseman Ruslan Salei was a physical stay at home type who sacrificed for his teams while adding offense. A player who improved throughout and did a solid job. Karlis Skrastins was a similar type of player who made a living out of blocking shots, which means John Tortorella would’ve loved him. Uneducated Daily News sports columnists not so much. Karel Rachunek carved a nice as more of a skating blueliner who could contribute offensively. He was an underrated passer who played power play and could log important minutes. The former Senator did well in his time in the Big Apple.

Jan Marek was a European the Rangers drafted with hopes one day he would come over to North America. However, we never got a chance to see him but from all accounts, he was a skilled player who probably would’ve been fun to watch. Stefan Liv was a former goalie prospect in the Detroit system and Alexander Vasyunov an ex-Devil defenseman. Other Lokomotiv Yaroslavl personnel along with Karpovtsev included Igor Korolev, who was decent with St. Louis and coach Brad McCrimmon, who made his living on the blueline.

The rest of the list includes Vitaly Anikeyenko, Mikhail Balandin, Gennady Churilov, Robert Dietrich, Alexander Galimov, Marat Kalimulin, Alexander Kalyanin, Andrei Kiryukhin, Nikita Klyukin, Sergei Ostapchuk, Maxim Shuvalov, Pavel Snurnitsyn, Daniil Sobchenko, Ivan Tkachenko, Pavel Trakhanov, Yuri Urychev, Alexander Vyukhin, Artem Yarchuk, Yuri Bakhvalov, Aleksandr Belyaev, Nikolai Krivonosov, Yevgeni Kunnov, Vyacheslav Kuznetsov, Vladimir Piskunov, Yevgeni Sidorov and Andrei Zimin.

Somehow, Lokomotiv has survived by winning their first two KHL games. They now play not just for the logo on the jersey but for fallen comrades who still should be around. My heart sinks when I think of how they’re gone. It will always hurt. You feel it in your bones and get chills which I have as I’m punching away. I hope the club continues its renaissance. Persevering with heavy hearts. It’s a great thing that they’ve managed to keep a tradition alive. Today, we celebrate Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Make sure you take a moment of silence for all the victims.

I was just going to post something on a potential season. For now, I’ll save that for later. What’s the point in getting excited when both the NHL and NHLPA continue to take their jolly old time? Obviously, they take us for fools as Gary Bettman noted to our loyalty that’s allowed the league to flourish. We’re nothing in this cat and mouse game.

Unfortunately, the fans come last as do passionate writers and bloggers who care about the sport. We live and die with our teams and desperately want hockey back. Instead, politics in an election year have extended to a game we all love. A great playoffs full of unpredictability has been replaced by debates with players taking to Twitter in response to Mr. Bettman. It’s about as fun as watching paint dry. Hell. My job is better and that ain’t saying much.

How tough are times? You had plenty of diehards actually following the Inline Championship. Geez. I’m not that desperate yet. I’ll continue to find classic throwback videos of players I love (Sergei Fedorov) and historic games that look more meaningful the longer we go on. Earlier today while exploring HF Boards (yes I have lost it), I discovered a decent thread on The Great One. The emphasis was on the genius of Wayne Gretzky, who was always thinking ahead. His anticipation is what made him so special. We’re not talking about the fastest skater or even the most dynamic. Only the smartest who became arguably the best. Cue your Howe, Orr and Lemieux supporters, which would make for a fun bar debate over some Irish stew or shepherd’s pie and a pint of Guinness or Irish Killian’s Red. Who knows? Maybe we will explore that very topic depending on if hockey is played on Halloween.

Speaking of No.99, the thread creator linked up one of the classic Russia/Canada games from the 1987 Canada Cup. The highlights were from Game Two played in Calgary with the all too familiar 6-5 score. Canada won on a Lemieux goal in double overtime from Gretzky. His spectacular vision was truly on display, setting up five goals including a subtle three-on-two after Doug Gilmour came out of the penalty box. The poster illustrated how most players would’ve dumped the puck in but instead the Great One held onto the puck and dropped for Rochefort knowing a trailing Gilmour would have an open shot creating the odd-man rush. It worked to perfection with Gilmour finishing the play started by Gretzky. If you heart hockey, then this series is a must. Remarkable talent on display featuring Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Coffey, Bourque and Fuhr. Russia only had Larionov, Makarov, Krutov (KLM Line), Fetisov, Gusarov and Kamensky, who skated through four Canadians to score a highlight reel goal that forced sudden death. Not the out of prime guy who tortured us during the Dark Ages. There’s also an amazing sequence in which a sprawling Fuhr flat out robs Larionov on a backhand. Remarkable.

So, there are ways around the impending lockout. If you own DVDs, that’s one or You Tube, which has been my go to guy. So much of our game is the history behind it. Another area we’ll take a look at is the Summit Series and how it changed hockey. Russia’s impact was great. It opened our eyes to a more creative, free wheeling game. The European influence is an important branch that improved the overall talent. Now with the KHL, players don’t always stay put opting to go home. Not such a positive for the sport moving forward. Without the NHL, I’ll follow more KHL along with juniors, AHL and NCAA. May even check out some local high school action close by. We can’t only depend on the best league for our puck. I’m always willing to follow prospects and discover the next generation. If only I lived in Canada where you could go see future draft picks in person. I really want to go back to Montreal this winter. I went some 15 years ago on a basketball trip. It’s definitely on my bucket list. There are some really great Montrealers I’d like to meet. Time to get my passport. Who wants to come?

With the news a couple of days ago that negotiations have broken off between the NHL and NHLPA just two weeks before the start of training camp, it seems as if we’re heading down an all-too-familiar road as hockey fans…preparing for yet another work stoppage.  Unfortunately, this seemed all too inevitable to me, especially given the principals involved.  Heading the NHL ownership group is, of course commissioner Gary Bettman who presided over the work stoppages in 1994 and 2004 (the ’94 one costing us half a season, the ’04 one of course, wiping out the entire campaign).  Perhaps the only big difference between those lockouts and this one, is that the NHLPA is headed by someone equally as bull-headed and determined – union chief Don Fehr, who presided over countless strikes and labor strife in baseball, including the cancellation of the World Series in 1994.

No hockey fan wants to see a lockout.  It doesn’t really matter who’s to blame, if the owners are hypocrites for wanting contract lengths to be shortened in an offseason where massive contracts have been handed out left and right, the players are being equally intractable – including their insistence on a 3-4 year CBA (far too short).  As fans we’ll be back, we’ve proven that already.  If losing an entire season wasn’t enough to drive the most loyal fans in sports away, very little either of these men or their subordinates could do will cause us to say ‘no mas’ en masse.  Just for myself, I can’t take any of this personally.  As annoyed as both sides make me, in the end we root for our teams and enjoy watching the sport because it’s entertaining.  None of the posturing and arguing off the ice affects any of that.  When the Devils come back, I’ll be at section 120 in my new aisle seats – I managed to move from the middle of my row to the end of it during an offseason season ticket relocation event.

Everyone knows how much a lockout would stink, we all want to see our favorite teams and the best sport out there.  We’re only three weeks away from the start of the preseason (which in itself seems unbelievable after all the hockey local fans enjoyed last year), and we don’t even know if there’s going to be games in September.  Or December.  Yes, the NFL will still be going on and god knows I’ll be into it more than ever now that I have the NFL Network on Cablevision – finally, but that’s a one-day a week sport for the most part, as much as the NFL tries to spread out its games over Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  And while baseball never seems to exist for me as a Met fan after July, Yankee fans still have October…maybe.  At least they have September, though they’re struggling right now.  I’m not even going to bring up the NBA, since for the most part it seems as if there isn’t a real big crossover between basketball fans and hockey fans – really, to be devoted fans of both an NBA and NHL team when both sports are going on at the same time is problematic to start with.

So clearly there are other sports out there for the big sports fan to enjoy in case of a lockout, whether you want to include college football/basketball, and other non-major team sports or not.  Life does go on, whether we like it or not we’ll just have to find something else to do with our three hours a night if there’s no hockey game on, not to mention the time we spend going to and from games.  In the age of high-speed internet and pretty much anything you could want at the touch of a button, there won’t be a problem finding something to do.  Even if that something to do is just going out for a nice walk on a cool night, or doing some recreational physical activity.

All that said, me, Derek and all of you reading this are big hockey fans because we spend so much time watching, writing and talking about this great sport.  Seeing the end of the replay of Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Finals on the NHL Network just now while flipping channels drove that point home further.  There is no real subsitute for the best reality TV out there, with hockey’s 82-game season, the parity of tight playoff races followed by unpredictable postseasons where literally anything could happen in a two-month attrition battle for the best trophy in sports – the Stanley Cup.  Granted, it’s easier for me to romanticize about missing hockey as opposed to baseball if this were happening there, since the Devils have been by and large a competitive franchise for nearly two decades while my baseball team is stuck in a vortex of ineptitude. 

Still, it’s not just Devil fans, or Ranger fans that will miss the sport.  You have rabid Canadian markets that sell out no matter how bad their team is, along with competitive teams in big US markets – including the last three Cup winners (LA, Boston and Chicago).  Almost every fanbase goes into a given NHL season with hope their team can at least make the postseason.  Whatever people feel about the salary cap, it has helped competitive balance.  Before the lockout it was mostly the big markets battling for free agents.  Now you have teams like Minnesota handing out huge contracts and even a mid-market like Nashville being able to match the Flyers’ insane offer sheet to captain and defensive anchor Shea Weber.

Not to mention pretty much every team has at least one great rival that spices things up, some more than that.  Rivalries are more fun in the NHL than any other sport, especially when they meet in the playoffs.  Devils-Rangers ECF and Flyers-Pens in the first round this year are among the many examples how rivalries in the playoffs can be entertaining, for different reasons – the former for the quality of play and momentum shifts in the series, the latter for its shenanigans and video-game scoring.  And during a long regular season you get goon-fests and intensity you normally won’t see until the playoffs when teams like Boston and Montreal meet.  Or Calgary and Edmonton.  Or any number of other grudge matches that help make the NHL what it is.

I guess in closing I’ll only say I hope we see hockey sooner rather than later.  Yes, there’s a tiny part of me that wouldn’t mind the extra rest for a Devil team that had a deep playoff run, but only a tiny part.  Unfortunately it won’t be exactly the same team that comes back to defend their Eastern Conference Championship, but time marches on.  Zach Parise may be gone, but young players like Adam Henrique, Jacob Josefson and Adam Larsson will continue to develop, and you never know when someone else steps up (after all, few had really heard of Henrique before last year either).  Martin Brodeur will be back, of course, but with each passing year there are fewer chances to see the legendary HOF-to be goalie.  At least he reminded people of his greatness this spring when he turned back the clock and went deeper in the playoffs as a 40-year old than he has since he just turned 31.

Until then, we all wait and hope for a resolution.  I just hope this lockout doesn’t last long enough to make me pine for Mark Everson‘s anti-Devil hatchet jobs in the Post.

With so much free time, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes me so passionate about hockey. Having been a fan for 25 years dating back to my teens, I have always enjoyed how fast the game is. The transition from defense to offense is in an instant/blink of an eye. Particularly in today’s advanced stage where the players are bigger, faster and stronger.

There is more of an emphasis on defense. Teams are better schooled defensively at coming back on the back-check and clogging up the neutral zone. The difference between winning and losing is magnified. By limiting mistakes, you give yourself a better chance. Aside from the focus on D, goalies are much more athletic and take advantage of better equipment. In some cases, they take up too much of the net. However, great goaltending is something we’ve come to appreciate. Thanks to legends Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek and Martin Brodeur, the game is that much better. The new breed of Roberto Luongo, Henrik Lundqvist, Jonathan Quick, Jimmy Howard, Carey Price and Tuukka Rask are part of what makes the game exciting. Along with the uncanny ability of two-time Vezina winner Tim Thomas, the next great save is just a split second away.

If you love the game, then there are stars who shine brightest that get you out of your seat. The game’s best players are Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who just happen to star for the Penguins. The dynamic duo of Sid and Geno are great for the game even if we love to hate them. Part of a good rivalry. You can still enjoy what they bring to the table. Some of the greatest world class skill that the game’s seen since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. Amazingly, Jagr still plays. He’ll be joining the Stars this Fall. With an unknown time frame surrounding the ’12-13 season, I’ve been on a kick linking up classic highlights on my You Tube channel of some of my favorite players. That’s included Super Mario and No.68. Other players include The Dominator, Sergei Fedorov and my current fave Pavel Datsyuk. Everyday there is no new CBA, I’ll continue to give fans reasons to remember why we love the sport.

I can be followed on NewYorkPuck. Or you can also follow our new page on Facebook.

Welcome to our latest creation. If you’ve followed us before, we used to be Battle Of New York. For five years running thanks to originator Steve Lepore, we covered the metro area in hockey spanning the Rangers, Devils, Islanders with Sabres and NHL sprinkled in.

New York Puck looks to continue that trend and beyond as we prepare for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. While it’s anyone’s guess when that will be, there should be hockey this year. If it doesn’t start on time, so be it. I believe that would be a mistake. Unfortunately, the owners want to have their cake and eat it. The players are once again backed in a corner, forced to make more concessions to save owners from themselves. What must happen is a joint partnership with revenue sharing so all 30 teams can not only survive but flourish.

Gary Bettman represents the owners. He really has no choice and must do what they want the NHL commissioner to do. He is right that hockey fans are the greatest and likely will return even if there’s another lockout. It’s the league that’s put a September 15 stipulation, leaving little wiggle room. With Donald Fehr representing the NHLPA who are holding firm, there is little chance that the season will begin on time. It’s not fun for anyone. Especially when training camps are scheduled to open up in less than a month. Already fun prospect tournaments such as Traverse City have been canceled due to the current situation.

While we’re all patiently waiting for puck to return, we’ll do the best we can to look forward. Who improved this summer and who took steps back that could doom 2012-13? Along with outstanding Devils blogger Hasan and Buffalo extraordinaire Brian, we’ll look into the future. I also will be doing some features on past players, etc to keep things light.

Looking forward to some new followers and hopefully hockey sooner than later. 

I’m not real sure on a title for this. So I called it, “Untitled: The thoughts of a hockey fan.” As August nears conclusion with no solution to another potential lockout causing more heartache and headaches, I just don’t have it in me to write about a dull topic. One side will never be satisfied. There’s not much more to add.

As someone who listened to Program buddy Chris Wassel interview Spectors Hockey’s Lyle Richardson on the very depressing issue, it was numbing. They painted a gloomy picture with basically, a remote chance that the two sides will work out a new CBA agreement by Gary Bettman’s September 15 deadline. Donald Fehr is a tough negotiatior who may have learned from the ’94 baseball strike. The NHLPA will lose again because there’s no other choice. I don’t foresee a long work stoppage because there’s too much at risk. The Winter Classic which pits Original Sixes Detroit and Toronto against each other should bring the sides closer. Right now, figure the first month to be wiped out. If we’re lucky, we’ll have plenty to be thankful for if you catch my drift.

In the mean time, I will stick to what little hockey discussion we have which is predictions, projections, fantasy hockey rankings and overall. Lately, I’ve been on a Russian kick over at New York Puck. Since I upgraded into the 21st Century with an iPhone, I’ve linked up Alexei Cherepanov video tributes along with other Russian hockey players. Somewhat astonishingly, it’ll be four years since the young Russian the Rangers selected in the ’08 Draft tragically died during a KHL game for Omsk Avangard. Maybe it’s all the free time but I can’t help but wonder how things couldn’t been different for the Ranger organization if disaster was prevented. Of course, who knows if Cherepanov would’ve ever played hockey again.

When you draft as talented a kid as him, you’re not fearing the worst. You’re dreaming. The highlight reels of Chery17 showcase his supreme skills. A player who combined fast skating with slick moves and a quick release. He also went to the dirty areas to score. Something highlighted in a strong second effort finish against Sweden. Cherepanov had flair. It’s a shame he’s gone so soon. Worst of all, I can’t imagine how his family is dealing with the loss of their son. Even all this time later, it never goes away. When tragedies strike such as the devastating Lokomotiv flight crash that wiped out an entire team, the pain is always with us. For the families who lost their husbands/fathers, it’s indescribable. My heart goes out to them.

Pavol Demitra was the most notable former NHLer who was lost. One of my favorite European players. His best years came with St. Louis after Ottawa gave up on him. The skilled Slovak developed into a dependable scorer who was part of some good Blues teams that never could get over the hump. In over eight years, he tallied 70-or-more points four times while eclipsing 30 goals during three seasons. His best campaign came in ’02-03 when he finished with 93 points, including 36 markers and 57 helpers. The most goals he ever scored were 37 in ’98-99 when the club made the Western Semis. Following the ’04-05 lockout, he spent his final five NHL seasons with the Kings, Wild and Canucks before going to Russia to play for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv (’10-11).

Though he never won any major awards aside from a Lady Byng for most gentlemanly player in ’99-00, Demitra was a very good playmaking pivot who made teammates better. He could play in any situation including on the penalty kill where late in his career, he had five shorthanded goals with LA in ’05-06. A career mark which beat his previous high of four nine years prior with St. Louis. In 16 NHL seasons, Demitra played in 847 games tallying 304 goals, 464 assists for 768 points. That included half a dozen years of 60+ points. In fact, 10 of 16 seasons saw the underrated Slovak register at least 50. A credit to his consistency.

The three-time All-Star was a fixture representing his native country Slovakia taking part in three Olympics including a final swan song in Vancouver 2010 where he also finished his NHL career. At 35, Demitra played with the enthusiasm of a teenager turning back the clock to score three goals, seven assists and 10 points in the Winter Games. I’ve seen plenty of clips of Demitra coming down the right wing to finish off a Marian Hossa feed that led to a great celebration. There’s also a nice congrats from current Blueshirt Marian Gaborik, who probably wouldn’t be here if not for the contributions of Demitra and other greats such as Peter Bondra and Miroslav Satan, who also was part of that Olympic team.

All this time later, there’s something cool about seeing stars in the twilight of their careers performing as well as they did under such a big stage. Whether it’s Jaromir Jagr getting the best of Martin Brodeur or Brodeur outperforming Henrik Lundqvist, it shows how much pride these athletes have to still compete at the highest level. Representing your country is something special. As we saw again with passion exhibited during the London Games, the Olympic spirit is alive and well. It’s why no matter what happens with the upcoming CBA which eventually will get done, I hope there’s Olympic hockey over in Sochi 2014. It wouldn’t be the same. 

John Tavares and Evgeni Nabokov lead the way for the Islanders in 2012-13.

Last season, the Islanders finished 34-37-11 with 79 points finishing last in the Atlantic Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference. It was another retooling year under Jack Capuano, whose club endured some growing pains before recovering. Perhaps expectations were too high for a team that didn’t have enough scoring or defense.

One of the issues that’s plagued the Islanders has been Rick DiPietro’s health. Fortunately, Evgeni Nabokov decided to play on Long Island instead of causing more headaches. The veteran netminder was solid in his first year for the Isles, winning 19 games while posting a 2.55 GAA, .914 save percentage with two shutouts over 42 contests. Even with Garth Snow removing DiPietro from the injured reserve due to the CBA, Nabokov is expected to carry the burden. You can’t expect much from youngsters Kevin Poulin and Anders Nilsson, who are still in the development stage. Our guess is as good as anyone’s on what DiPietro has left. If the Isles are to be taken seriously, they need consistency in net. At 37, Nabokov can’t be expected to start over 60. Even that’s a stretch.

Aside from goaltending, the Islanders need stronger support for top scorer John Tavares. In his third year, the 21-year old former first overall pick improved from 29 goals and 67 points in ’10-11 to career highs in goals (31), assists (50) and points (81). Most encouraging was his minus-six. An area he struggled in. JT91’s stronger skating and magic touch soon could put him among the game’s best. If he can get off to a better start in ’12-13, the sky’s the limit. Consistency will be the key. He and sniper Matt Moulson (36-33-69) have formed a dynamic duo with both combining for 67 of the Isles’ 203 goals. They accounted for a whopping 33 percent. If you include former Islander P.A. Parenteau (signed with Colorado), the cohesive trio connected just under 50 percent of the team’s power play goals (Moulson-14 Tavares-7 Parenteau-6). As a team, New York totaled 45 including five from Frans Nielsen and three apiece from Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit.

With Parenteau cashing in with the Avalanche, Snow gambled on former 40-goal man Brad Boyes. He once totaled 76 goals and 137 points over two seasons with St. Louis. The trouble is he hasn’t been the same since with the Blues dumping him on Buffalo where he frustrated Western New York. In an injury riddled ’11-12, he had only 23 points (8-15-23) over 65 games. At 30, can a player with his skill set really be done? Boyes isn’t overly big (6-0, 204) but has something to prove on a one-year contract. He has to do better with Tavares. The Isles need him.

Aside from Boyes, it’s up to ex-first rounders Okposo and Josh Bailey to perform. They’ve been around too long to go through prolonged scoring slumps. Even with better finishes, neither cracked 50 points. Capuano needs a consistent second line. He knows what he’ll get from Nielsen, who’s developed into a solid player who’s a third liner on a contender. The jury’s still out on Michael Grabner (54 goals in 2 years). Second seasons are usually tough. I’d put more stock in the gifted Grabner lighting the lamp than either Okposo or Bailey. He’s more of a finisher. At least Bailey became a fixture on the penalty kill netting a team best three shorthanded goals. Sooner or later, Okposo has to fulfill his potential. He once scored nine power play goals. Only three of 29 the past two seasons (117 games) have come on the man-advantage.

One area Snow addressed was team toughness, adding defenseman Matt Carkner and enforcer Eric Boulton to a roster that features Matt Martin. Martin is the Isles’ toughest player who can not only fight but also contribute as his seven goals and seven helpers suggest. He finishes every check and is a great teammate. Like Devil David Clarkson, he needs to become more disciplined. There’s no reason why he can’t double that output. With Carkner around and Boulton, he can become a better player under Capuano. The kind who’ll be a pain in the ass for foes.

Aside from adding Carkner to beef up the blueline, he also went out and got Lubomir Visnovsky. Even though the offensive-minded vet is having an arbitrator decide if Anaheim violated his no-trade clause with the Slovak entering the final year of a five-year deal originally signed with Edmonton, expect him to be an integral part of a D that has Streit, Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic. Visnovsky’s experience should prove instrumental in allowing the organization to ease prospects Ty Wishart, Matt Donovan, Calvin de Haan and Aaron Ness along. If they’re lucky with health, the top five should include Carkner, meaning two spots are up for grabs. Defensemen take patience. How they’re handled could prove pivotal to the club’s future.

The Islanders will also keep a close eye on 2011 first round pick Ryan Strome, who one day could fill a void as back up for Tavares. Strome is very talented with great wheels and vision. He’s only 19 and shouldn’t be rushed like Nino Niederreiter, who must be handled differently in his third pro year. El Nino has great two-way potential along with physicality. The forgotten man looms large. David Ullstrom should be back.

Other kids include Casey Cizikas, Johan Sundstrom and Brock Nelson. On paper, depth isn’t a problem. But it’s still a long-term project with the Islanders in the best division. The Devils, Flyers, Penguins and Rangers are all better. Is this the year they make a dent? Stay tuned.

There are always two sides to a deal. Even if everyone believes the Rangers stole Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets still received two solid NHLers who can contribute right away to their rebuild.

Brandon Dubinsky is an established two-way forward who can play almost anywhere. Whether at center or on the left side, he will bring experience and leadership to the league’s worst team. Having gone deep last postseason, he’ll be determined to turn a laughingstock around. The trade might serve as motivation to prove his former club wrong. He’s due for a bounce back season. Now, he’ll get to play more consistent minutes under Todd Richards, which should benefit a player entering his prime.

Artem Anisimov is a couple of years younger with potentially a higher ceiling. The lanky Russian has more skill. Despite his skating, he’s capable of evolving into a 20-25 goal, 60-point scorer. What he becomes depends on consistency and strength. . If he can improve in these facets, the 24-year old could combine with Dubinsky to turn what looks like a bad trade into a good one. It’s not like they’re garbage with both second liners who were at instances misused by John Tortorella. With a new team that doesn’t boast as much talent up front, each will be looked upon to elevate their level. A challenge that makes following Columbus intriguing. You want to see each do well. Both were well liked here and deserve a fresh start.

Tim Erixon remains a prospect at this stage, having only played in 18 games last year. Hardly given ideal ice-time, he could have a chance to crack the Jackets out of camp. At 21, the former Calgary first round pick who came to New York for Roman Horak spent most of last season with the Connecticut Whale. Over 52 games, he tallied 33 points (3-30-33) with 42 penalty minutes while registering four assists during the postseason. Once the Whale were eliminated in the second round, Erixon spent the rest of the season with the Rangers during their run to the Conference Finals. Even though he didn’t play, it’s still a good experience that could prove beneficial. He practiced with the team and probably learned a great deal under John Tortorella. He’s still considered to have a bright future but now is on his third NHL club before he’s scratched the surface. If he is to stick with Columbus, he’ll have to surpass players ahead of him on a revamped blueline that features Jack Johnson, James Wisniewski, Fedor Tyutin, Nikita Nikitin and Adrian Aucoin. He’ll be competing with John Moore and David Savard.

For Dubinsky, Anisimov and Erixon, it’ll be a new challenge. They’ll have to adjust to life in a new city while also probably having to deal with adversity. Especially in one of the league’s strongest divisions. Right now, the Blue Jackets rank last in the Central behind St. Louis, Detroit, Nashville and Chicago. All of which went to the postseason. Those are established teams who should all be competitive once again. Especially with the Predators keeping cornerstone Shea Weber. Despite Nick Lidstrom’s retirement, the Red Wings still boast plenty of arsenal in Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Niklas Kronwall and Jimmy Howard. Don’t expect a slip up. The Blues and Hawks both are loaded. Neither lost much this summer. It’ll be tough climbing for Columbus. Just the divisional games alone could put them in a hole.

When looking at the roster GM Scott Howson’s putting together, much depends on how quickly the team meshes. It’s never easy when you bring new players in. There won’t be any pressure. Expectations are low. Howson acquired Sergei Bobrovsky from the Flyers to upgrade in net. He’ll likely split time with Steve Mason before Richards chooses a starter. Gone is former captain Rick Nash, who leads by a mile in most offensive categories. Ironically, ex-Flyer R.J. Umberger ranks in the top five in goals and points. He’s been a good player. If you toss out a contract that sees him earn an average cap hit of $4.6 million per year, he’s solid overall. He won’t blow you away but is usually good for 20+ goals and 50 points. No doubt he must improve on the 20-20-40 from ’11-12. Along with ex-Blueshirt Vinny Prospal, Johnson, Wisniewski, Tyutin and Dubinsky, they’ll be looked towards for leadership.

It will take time. The West is a very difficult conference that also boasts defending champ Los Angeles, Vancouver and San Jose. I still expect Phoenix to surprise even if Shane Doan departs. They have one of the game’s best coaches in Dave Tippett who has a strong system. With Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota and Edmonton all on the rise along with free spending Calgary, it should be a struggle for Columbus. Sometimes, when you’re written off you can sneak up on teams. Without the Nash distraction, they should be able to focus more on hockey. That could only be positive moving forward.

CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN

West Summer Rankings

1.Los Angeles
2.Vancouver
3.St. Louis
4.Detroit
5.Chicago
6.San Jose
7.Nashville
8.Phoenix
9.Colorado
10.Dallas
11.Anaheim
12.Calgary
13.Minnesota
14.Edmonton
15.Columbus

A day following the Rangers big trade for Rick Nash, there was more news regarding Shea Weber. With a day left to decide, the Predators opted to match the gigantic frontloaded 14-year $110 million offer sheet Weber signed with the Flyers. Considering all the discussion about the clubs possibly working out a trade so Philadelphia could complete the transaction, it definitely came as a surprise. For Nashville to match and retain its best player and captain, they showed that they’re serious about competing.

On behalf of Predators chairman Tom Cigarran, GM David Poile and CEO Jeff Cogen, the team released a statement that called the Weber signing, “the most important hockey transaction in franchise history,” per TSN Tuesday.

“It was absolutely essential that they understand and believe that we are doing everything possible to ice a Stanley Cup competing team each and every season,” the Predators said in a release.

Such a bold move not only demonstrates that the Predators want to stick around but continue to challenge for Cups in the future. The departure of Weber’s partner Ryan Suter to Minnesota was a blow. Had they let the face of the franchise go, it would’ve been a nightmare for the franchise’s future. Many assumed hockey wouldn’t work in Music City. However, Poile’s built a consistent playoff team who made the second round the last two years. By re-signing elite goalie Pekka Rinne and keeping Weber, the Preds should still be good. Finding a replacement for Suter won’t be easy. However, Poile also announced the re-signing of forward Colin Wilson to a three-year $6 million deal. It was a great day for Nashville.

“I think what Nashville showed today is they’re willing to step up with some of the more solid ownership groups,” praised Weber’s agent Jarrett Bousquet . “They said, ‘You know what? We are a destination for free agents. We’re a place that guys are going to want to come and we’re solid ownership. We’re going to keep our stars.’ When that happened, Shea was pretty excited they were willing to step up like that and give him that commitment.”

The 26-year old Weber is one of the league’s premier defensemen who’s entering his prime. A seven-year career has already featured three All-Star appearances, an Olympic gold medal, him being named team captain and his first selection to the NHL’s First All-Star Team. In 78 contests this past season, he totaled 19 goals and 49 points with a plus-21 rating. Ten of those 19 goals were scored on the power play while two more were shorthanded, giving him 12 special teams goals. In 480 career games, Weber’s tallied 99 goals with 164 assists for 263 points. His postseason record consists of 10 goals and 10 helpers over 43 games.

Somewhat astonishingly, Nashville stole him in the second round of the ’03 Draft selecting Weber 49th overall. By comparison, the Islanders took Robert Nilsson and the Rangers picked Hugh Jessiman in the first round. Oops. He ranks as one of the top blueliners in the game. With Nick Lidstrom retired, stick Weber in there with Zdeno Chara as the game’s best. Erik Karlsson won the Norris due to his offensive explosion and more media attention playing in Ottawa. It’s amazing that Weber’s never won it. Much like Henrik Lundqvist who finally won the Vezina, his day is coming.

Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren was complementary to Weber and Nashville after losing out. “In tendering an offer sheet to Shea Weber, we were trying to add a top defenceman entering the prime of his career,” Holmgren said. “With Nashville matching our offer, we wish Shea and the Predators all the best.”

Weber will earn $27 million in the next year due to a signing bonus that includes $68 million to be paid during the first six years of the contract. If anyone’s wondering if Nashville could still trade him, they aren’t allowed to for at least a year. I wouldn’t expect to see Weber in a Flyer uniform anytime soon. Though they have been criticized for tendering such a ridiculous offer, give Holmgren credit. The Flyers have guts. They’ll do anything within league boundaries to improve their roster. Chasing after a perennial All-Star who could’ve made a huge impact on the East was a smart calculated move. There was little risk. If the Preds didn’t ante up, the Flyers would’ve been that much better. Probably Cup favorites. Instead, it’s back to the drawing board for Holmgren, who replaced Matt Carle with Luke Schenn. There’ll be no reunion between Scott Hartnell, Kimmo Timonen and Weber in Philly.