Since I am not able to attend training camp and since it isn’t televised at all, I can’t really report myself what’s going on there. So I’m going to re-direct everyone to Red Wings Central. They are able to attend camp so they are able to report what’s happening. They have daily reports that are pretty interesting. I will say, it sounds like Jiri Hudler is having a good camp and actually has a good chance of making the team. Another interesting thing is Datsyuk and Whitney seem to have good chemistry and will play together to start the season, likely with Hull. Zetterberg has been playing with The Captain (who, if you hadn’t heard, scored the first goal of camp). See yesterday’s notes here. Red/White game is Thursday, first exhibition game is Friday vs. the Caps and first televised game is Saturday against the Rangers. I can’t wait for the real games to start on October 9!
Monthly Archive for September, 2003Page 2 of 2
This was sent to me today and I think it’s something we as hockey fans should think about. Here it is, word for word:
There has been alot of discussion about the online petition requesting the NHL and NHLPA start CBA talks now. I am one of the sponsors of it as well as creating the website to support it, www.noNHLstrike.com.
A bit about the two guys that sponsored the petition. Both of us are in the Military. Dennis is in the ANG in St Louis and I am in the Army in Germany, in fact I just got back from Iraq. Additionally, I won the 2003 NHL 7th Man award and was able to come out of Iraq and go to NY to act as comissioner. Alot of this stuff is on the website.
The point is that I am not sure what we will be able to accomplish with the petition or the website. I do know that we both don’t have a lot of time to spend on developing and promoting the site. We are however very passionate about hockey. Forgive the spelling errors and whatever other nitpicking you find. We are not, after all, lawyers.
The goal of this whole thing is not to tell the NHL or the NHLPA how to solve the problem BUT we want them to come to the table to start discussions now, instead of next year. If this helps so be it. If not, at least, I feel better that I spoke up and tried. If we say nothing the answer is no.
As for who is to blame. I don’t really like to think of it as who is right and who is wrong. I think all parties are to have contributed to the state of the NHL today. I do know that the group not coming to the table right now is the players. Gary Bettman told me this to my face during lunch. After careful consideration, why would the players come to the table? They are the ones who are going to get affected the most by this. Do i think that is fair? No, I don’t. That is why I hope they work it out equitably. But in reality I don’t blame them.
The group that doesn’t have a chance is us, the fans. Do I believe that after all is said and done th eNHL will actually lower ticket prices? Right!!! I told Mr Bettman that with the internet, the fans can be a viable force in the grand scheme of things. I am hoping that we can do something. Yes, the petition doesn’t present options on how to resolve the issues facing us but the website, noNHLstrike.com, will try. For right now we are tryingto get the site up and running. We had problems with the original host server and just switched. Hopefully, by Monday, everything will be fixed.
The things that we are going to propose is contacting the NHL and NHLPA’s corporate sponsors. We are going to try some other things as well, although we are working on how to make it all work. I am personally working on contacting booster clubs to get a representative from each team to be able to contact a select slice of fans from each market. Will we have any affect? Chances are slim, but by god, I am going to make some noise. I am going to try and create some media scenarios and whatever else I can think of.
All I ask is if you don’t like this idea, fine, just don’t impede those of us that want to try.
I am open to all suggestions. We may have taken off out of the starting blocks a quicker than we should have but I think we are having some effect. The petition is over 1,900 strong with us working hard taking out the bogus signatures like Jenna Jamison. Ahh, ya gotta love the internet.
Do petitions work? I am not sure but if you look at the main petition site you will see that both Microsoft and CNN have changed policy and issued apologies. You will also see that there are US Senators with petitions and a few others in the top 25. I take it with a grain of salt and will not know if the petition is real until it is validated. By this, the petition service takes a select slice of the signees, who have submitted their email addresses and send them a message, asking for a response. Not unlike the way some message boards do to ensure people posting are real. If we come up with a good number we will present the petition to whomever. Will Bettman read it? I doubt it, will his subordiantes get wind of it? Absolutely. And then, i don’t know, but at least we tried.
Take a look at the website. I have a page to vote on certain topics as well as a message board to discuss the issues. Find out about the CBA and salary caps.
Take a look. Thanks,
Roger Farina
Igor Larionov has decided that the Wings have taken too long in making their final decision on whether or not to bring him back and signed a one year deal with the New Jersey Devils. The contract is reportedly for $2 million, which is twice what the Wings last offered. I’m sorry to see Igor go, he was a great mentor to the rookies and still had some jump, even if he is 42. Good luck in New Jersey, Igor. I hope you like the trap a lot.
Now that Richter has retired, the Rangers should have more interest in CuJo. Currently, they only have Mike Dunham, who’s been inconsistent, and Dan Blackburn, who’s not proven yet. Glen Sather, the Rangers GM, is expected to talk to the Wings after Joseph recovers from his surgery. That means early October. That also means the Wings will have to carry Joseph into the season and might have to risk having him longer if they can’t get a deal with New York. They obviously want a center in return but will probably have to settle for draft picks. The Rangers may offer Eric Lindros but thankfully, the Wings have little interest in the injury-prone center.
I haven’t said anything about this yet but I should have. As I’m sure everyone has heard, Darren McCarty has admitted to being an alcholic and is working to overcome his addiction. I’m very proud of McCarty for coming right out and saying it and for then working to fix it. It takes a lot of guts to admit to something like that, especially after what has happened to Fleury. I’m not so naive that I believe that NHL players don’t drink but it’s good to know that at least one guy is man enough to admit he has a problem. McCarty has really shown his quality this summer and I admire him for that. Way to go, Big Mac!
Don’t expect to see Steve Yzerman play both games of a back-to-back series. As of right now, he isn’t planning on playing consecutively much, if at all, in the 14 back-to-back games the Wings have this season. I think this is a good decison, especially since Yzerman is really taking a risk in playing at all this year. His knee can’t take a whole season of grinding and they need him more for the playoffs anyway. He probably won’t play much center, unless the Wings use a trapping system (NO!) which would put less stress on his legs. This is most likely The Captain’s last year.
There is no longer the possibility of the Wings trading CuJo to Boston. The Bruins signed Felix Potvin to a one year deal today and now have the #1 goalie they’ve been looking for. I feel really bad for Ken Holland right now.
On a slightly brighter note, New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter will be announcing his retirement tomorrow. I only call this “slightly brighter” because this may open a spot for Joseph in New York. May. Mike Dunham is still there and is a more than capable goalie. This probably means that Eric Lindros will be coming this way (ugh….) but maybe the Wings can get some draft picks instead. I’d rather have those than the Big E.
It’s sad to see Richter go, however. He’s a great goalie and probably would play more if his knees weren’t so messed up. His last win was in November 2002, when he was kneed in the head and received a concussion which he still hasn’t been cleared from. A sad way to end a career.
There’s a rumor circulating that the Wings are discussing a trade with Boston that would send CuJo there for draft picks. In a comment to the Boston Sun, Red Wings Senior VP Jim Devellano said that “our payroll is already too high… draft picks would be good.” The likelihood of such a trade definitely grew when the hockey world learned that CuJo had surgery and will be out up to 6 weeks. I would not be happy with such a trade, since I still have remnants of hope that we can pick up a solid center for CuJo, but I would be satisfied that we would be getting SOMETHING in return for our huge investment in CuJo. Losing him in the waiver draft would be no good, and would awaken the trauma of losing Chris Osgood in the same manner. Let’s cross our fingers that CuJo is moved before training camp starts!
