Officially, I'm on vacation, but have grudgingly moved off the beach chair for a few seconds, so figured I'd chime in on a couple matters...
* The league's pre-season schedule is out and some fairly large, out-of-NHL-market, U.S. and Canadian cities will host six games: Kansas City; Las Vegas; Halifax, Salt Lake City and Winnipeg. Here they are: Sept 22, Boston/Montreal in Halifax and LA /St. Louis in KC; Sept. 24, Calgary/Phoenix in Winnipeg; Sept. 25, Boston/Detroit in Halifax; Sept. 27, Colorado/LA in Vegas and Oct. 5, LA/San Jose in Salt Lake.
* Favorite sets at Newport Jazz Festival Saturday, all on the smaller stages: trumpeter Warren Vache's quintet, the sublime trio of Bill Frisell/Charlie Haden/Ethan Iverson, and drummer Brian Blade's Fellowship.
* Flashback: Rangers prospects won four straight games at last September's tourney in Traverse City, Mich. Brandon Dubinsky (3-4-7) and Marc Staal (two goals and a plus-6) made the big club. Alex Bourret (now with Phoenix) also was 3-4-7. Antoine LaFleur and Miika Wiikman were the goaltenders. This year's tournament is Sept. 13-17; rosters haven't been announced.
* Assume Wiikman will be the No. 1 keeper in Hartford this season (Al Montoya is gone, David LeNeveu is in Anaheim and Chris Holt's in Peoria). Among the other Wolf Pack players who've departed: Andrew Hutchinson (Tampa), Josh Gratton (Nashville), Ivan Baranka (Moscow), Jake Taylor (Springfield), Frankie Lessard (Phoenix) and Mitch Fritz (Isles).
With LaFleur, Matt Zaba and journeyman Mike Ayers in Charlotte, the Rangers probably could use netminders from somewhere. And more defensemen in Hartford: Right now, the injured Mike Sauer can't start the season, which leaves Pock, Potter, Fahey, I assume Sanguinetti, and Busto and Denisov???. Expect some transactions here...
* In July----the offseason, mind you---Blue Notes was the most-viewed of all Newsday sports blogs, breaking the monthly record for any sports blog at the paper. Got a big boost from the first few days of news during free agency, but we're steadily on the rise, so many, many thanks again for making us a daily stop.
For the pre-season and beyond, please continue to swing by a few times a day for up-to-the minute reporting from morning skates, practices and games, home and away, as well as the usual pithy commentary, notes, live chats, stuff from around the NHL and the wide array of flotsam and jetsam that washes up on the shore of my senses.
One other note: Before the season, we hear, the powers-that-be are planning registrations on the message boards to allow us to continue the fever pitch of discourse and thought-out inquiries, presumably with less interference from those pesky trolls. Think that will be another improvement.
Til later....
Comments (18)
Steve...glad you are having a good well deserved vacation. With regard to Sanguinetti...won't surprise me to see him on B'way this year....and congrats to Blue Notes as being the #1 blog. I am not surprised, unlike the other two Hockey teams in the area-WE care and show who the best fans Really are. As far as the trolls go, it'll be nice not seeing them on the blog anymore.
Steve,
Aweaome job on the website. Being in FLA and a diehard Ranger fan - you are my lifeline to what's going on. Thanks for all the hard work! It is greatly appreciated!!!!
Just posted this on Sam's blog also.... So I work in Times Square, and a new billboard series for the Gap just went up above Toys R’ Us, featuring celebrities modeling Gap clothing…. I only recognized two of them… Liv Tyler, and SEAN AVERY…. no joke, Toys R Us on broadway / 7th ave between 44th and 45th
good stuff, zipper. i'm a big frisell fan going way back, have seen him many times, never with charlie haden though so that must have been great.
and i'll chime in on long-distance ranger fan appreciation for all you bring to my desktop -- many thanks from the home office in flagstaff, az!
Zip,
Enjoy your vacation but when you get back DEMAND that Newsday puts a registration format in place. Things have improved since the board in general has done a good job if ignoring the troll posts but we all know it is a fragile relationship. This would be by far the best blog if we could register our handles. Thanks for the continued hard work and BRING ON TRAINING CAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the blog Steve-Enjoy your vacation!
The pack also signed D man David Urquhart, a 2008 Graduate of McGill university to an AHL contract...
Rich- re: Sanguinetti. Bobby needs to show he can handle the physical aspect of the NHL. While his offensive skills are at NHL levels, he shot is a cannon,he needs to be able to clear the crease area. If you weren't aware, he was born with a pinched nerve on his right side, which has slowed the physical development of this right side. He does everything lefthanded except shoot the puck. He has put on muscle, but don't be surprised if he starts the season at Hartford
Glad you're having a fun summer - we're all getting ready for a new season. How's your Czech? "Ahoy!" (I kid you not!) "Dobray den" (and the most important - Pilsner Urquell)
Great idea about the registration Steve. I was hoping you would eventually do that.
Didn't know about Sags pinched nerve. I'm sure the Rangers know about it and picked him anyway.
Per Joos, love Flagstaff Az. Generally stay at the Days Inn there where you can make your own waffles. Also great pizza place on the main drag, Stromboli's. Little cold in the winter though.
B'Way Blue....I wasen't also aware of his pinch nerve...I would think the Rangers training/medical staff are all over it! I do not dob't he'll be ok and he'll be with the Pack this year...if he does great there, who's to say's he won't be w/the Big team this year?...anything can happen..I think he'll be able to clear the crease as long as he has been successful in putting weight/muscle on during the off season...I have been asking for a crease clearing D man all along-perhaps we had one all along and this is why Sather didn't put a lot of his time in trying to find one vis UFA's????
I think we should trade Lundquist and his weak glove hand for Avery.
The Charlotte Checkers just acquired former Cornell netminder David McKee. That might lessen the need for the Rangers to make a deal - especially if there is an agreement in place that sees McKee play in Hartford and eventually become Ranger property when the roster restrictions are played out.
Rich, that was an imposter using my name. I'm sure Steve has the Ip address of that offender. That's why registration will be the best thing on here. Get rid of all the imposters.
Guess I better address that to Bway Blue too who was insulted by the imposter using my name. I don't have an issue with either of you and as far as the imposter (troll) is concerned, your days are numbered until Steve has registration on here.
I can't wait until the new registration is set in place....we'll find out who the mole is here!...Breaking News..Fishsticks hire Gordon as new coach....now all they need to to do is bring back that fisherman logo to complete their ridiculous descision.
Rich- from what I've read, Sanguinetti's "condition" has "stayed" with him & limited the development of his right side. He still cannot fully rotate his right forearm. Despite such, the condition has not effected the development of his "cannon" from the point. I have friends in Canada who have seem him fire the "biscuit" & they tell me its like a laser. He did score 4 goals in a game last year. He has been able to put on some weight to where he's over 190 lbs & is 6'1"/6"2". He has improved every year, so it's just amatter of time until we have a pairing of Staal on the left & Sanguinetti on the right
'Blue...where did you read this re: Sanguinetti's condition?...'yeah-that would be the future combination we all can look forward to.
Isn't Tomas Kundratek another possibility for Hartford's defense corps? (Successful transfer negotiations permitting)
http://www.blueshirtbulletin.com/2008/08/second-czech-bo.html