Hockey Notes November 30, 2007
Posted by Dave in Andrew Alberts, Boston Bruins, Colin Campbell, Dean McAmmond, Jessie Boulerice, Jim Balsillie, Jonathan Matsumoto, NHL, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Patrice Bergeron, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Phantoms, Pittsburgh Penguins, Randy Jones, Scott Hartnell, Sidney Crosby, Steve Downie.trackback
No one knows it but the NHL’s Board of Governors met yesterday and determined two things; a change in schedule and they would allow the Nashville Predators to go up for sale. The schedule change will begin next year in the 2008-2009 season. The most notable change is that each team will play every team in the NHL at least once over the 82 game schedule. They claim that the increase in out-of-conference opponents will create more diversity in the competition. Subsequently now that teams don’t have to play each divisional opponent eight times a year the division games become more important. I dig it. This is the way the schedule was before the lockout and evidently more fans than that of the Flyers, Rangers, Devils, and Islanders wanted to see Sidney Cry-…sorry uh, Crosby.
What intrigued me was the sale of the Nashville Predators. Last I heard the mid-west loved them some hockey and were enjoying the Predators success. They have made the playoffs the last three seasons even though they have never advanced past the first round. 2008 would celebrate the 10th year of hockey in Nashville. Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie was at one point the front runner. He planned to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario, giving Canada a seventh team in the NHL. These days it looks like a local group is looking to buy the Preds and keep them in Nashville. The team is to be sold for $193 million.
Flyers forward Scott Hartnell scored his first goal of the year while a goalie was in the net against Ottawa only to be suspended the very next game against Boston. You can decide for yourself if it warranted ANOTHER suspension for the Flyers. I’m beginning to get sick of all the negative attention the Flyers are getting this year. Randy Jones was the last Flyer to get suspended bringing the season total to four. The first two I understood. Steve Downie left his feet to hit Dean McAmmond and it was a dirty play. It didn’t deserve 25 games but fine, I see where they were coming from. Jesse Boulerice is a goon that shouldn’t have been allowed to play hockey after his first incident in ‘98. He should never have made the Flyers roster and his suspension wasn’t severe enough.
The two most recent suspensions are ludicrous. Randy Jones had no way of knowing Patrice Bergeron was dumb enough to stop right in front of the puck just like Scott Hartnell didn’t know that the only way Andrew Alberts could handle a puck was on all fours. I’m surprised the Boston Bruins have 28 points to be honest. I didn’t think you could win 13 games with a bunch of guys that can’t skate with their heads up. Colin Campbell has gone too far. He must have forgotten hockey is a contact sport. Obviously that’s not what the “new NHL” is supposed to be about but that’s hockey. Deal with it.
The new “Broad Street Bullies” that everyone is complaining about just so happens to lead the Atlantic division with 30 points. The Phantoms of the AHL are an Eastern Conference best 15-4-1. Friend of the show, Jonathan Matsumoto, leads the Phantoms with 8 goals and 9 assists for 17 points.
Couldn’t disagree with you more. Alberts was in a VERY vulnerable position and Hartnell should have known what was going to happen when he checks a guy’s head into the boards when hes down on all fours. absolutely ridiculous…ESPECIALLY since there was only 4 minutes to play with the bruins up 4-1…UNCALLED FOR….and to add insult to injury…ANOTHER flyer just got suspended… Cote….which makes the total to 6 players now. this is getting out of hand and I am glad that the NHL is going to take action the next time this happens. 6 times in a FOURTH OF A SEASON!? thats ridiculous.
But, it does make for a great matchup the next time the Bruins and flyers face off against each other…i hope to see some type of retaliation from the Bruins after the SAME team has injured two of their players.
Jeff,
I don’t often respond to comments (partially because we get so few comments) but I felt compelled. Hockey players are bred to finish their checks and play a physical game. Hockey is after all a contact sport. I stand by what I said about the Hartnell hit. He tried to let up on the hit and the player was not even injured. He skated off the rink under his own power. Five players, not six on the Flyers roster have been suspended thus far but yes you’re right, it’s ridiculous nonetheless. Colin Campbell has it out for the Flyers.
He declined the offer to be the Flyers general manager following Bob Clarke’s resignation in 2006 and is bitter because he never got the offer he was waiting for from the Toronto Maple Leafs. This has become a joke. I see why they warned the Flyers. Cote and Boulerice were blatant hits of poor taste. But the overall severity of his penalties for the Flyers is unnecessary.
And the latest Flyers/Bruins matchup was the first time the two teams had met since the Randy Jones “incident” and the Bruins lacked the cojones to make any type of retaliatory hits. I would expect more of the same from their next meeting on January 12.