NEW YORK, NY – With the new season firmly under way, we take a look at 5 things that have shaped the NHL opening fortnight in our new weekly column.
1. Can Stars Keep on Shining?
It’s hard not to feel slightly conflicted by the start Dallas has made to the new season. On the ice, they made a stellar start before eventually being downed by Tampa Bay. Off it, storm clouds appear to be gathering.
With long time goalie Marty Turco settling in to his new home, ‘the face of the franchise’ Mike Modano moving to Detroit, and a steady decline in the standings over the past couple of seasons, few expected much from the former Stanley Cup winners this year. Instead Brad Richards picked up right where he left off last season and new #1 Kari Lehtonen has been outstanding during a 5-1-0 start for the Texas outfit.
Sadly their on ice exploits cannot hide the financial issues which are beginning to dog the team off it. While much of Phoenix very public exploits came off the back of a poorly thought out move to the Glendale Arena, the Stars organisation worked incredible hard to establish a bedrock of hockey in and around Dallas after moving their from Minnesota.
This included active efforts to get new rinks built and junior leagues running, and the franchise even brought the Stanley Cup to the ‘lone star state’ after just 6 years there. Whilst this should have ensured some form of hockey market to support the Stars for years to come, interest in the team has waned.
Things are not helped by their ongoing search for a new owner. With a variety of debts and commitments, many respectable businessmen are balking at the NHL’s $300m asking price. With the league keen to avoid another Barrie/Koules situation, rumours are now circulating the league may have to front the Stars up to $10m from league revenue sharing and NHL TV money in order to meet their commitments.
Worrying times indeed for NHL hockey in Texas
2. Maple Leafs Toast of the Town
Toronto’s exceptional start to the 2010/11 season surprised nearly everyone, including many of their own fans!
Whilst much of the pre-season talk surrounded Nazeem Kadri and the amount of dollars tied to the Leafs defence, Head Coach Ron Wilson has seen his team grab 9 points from their opening 5 games to start the regular season, with only an overtime loss against New York Islanders to blemish their record!
How long Toronto can keep rolling is anyone’s guess – after all they finished the 2009/10 season well and seem to be getting the best out of their star players such as JS Giguere, Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessell right now.
3. Quick off the Mark
After a shaky finish to the 2009/10 regular season, and a forgettable play-off series against Vancouver, many people expected this to be the year Jonathan Quick would be unseated by ‘heir apparent’ Jonathan Bernier as LA’s #1 goalie.
Either these people forgot to tell Quick, or simple over looked the fact the Team USA stopper is actually rather good. If any further proof were needed, Quick’s 3-0-0 record with a 0.97 goals against average and a .963 save percentage to open the new season aught to cover it. And these aren’t just pretty numbers, Quick has topped his post season nemesis Vancouver twice already with an array of athletic saves and looks likely to give the young Kings side a chance every time he plays.
4. New Season, not so New Injury Problems
You’d be forgiven for getting a little paranoid with your health in the New York area at the moment.
As if things did not appear challenging enough for the New York Islanders this season, losing Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo to long term injuries without shooting a puck in anger simple compounded the Isles woes.
Panic could easily have set in when franchise star John Tavares was then sidelined with a concussion, thankfully the young centre only missed 3 games but no sooner had Tavares returned than the team lost Josh Bailey! The red hot Bailey left Mondays game with an injury.
While the Islanders can find solace in their gutsy performances, which have seen them ride out the injury ‘crisis’ and record a respectable 3-1-2 opening to the new year, the same cannot be said of their New York neighbours, or their New Jersey cousins.
The blue shirts are facing around a fortnight without superstar winger Marian Gaborik after he separated his shoulder against Toronto. Veteran centre Chris Drury is also expected to be out for 5-6 weeks with a broken finger. With the Rangers painful lack of quality it seems they have a serious battle on their hands if they are to improve on their solitary win so far this season.
Some stark comfort for Rangers fans may come in the knowledge the rival Devils are doing little better. Despite the summer shenanigans in actually getting Ilya Kovalchuk signed, the Russian winger is about the only Devils player with anything to shout about. Despite a 1-0 overtime win against fellow strugglers Buffalo, the Devils are firmly rooted at the bottom end of the league table right now with just a single win, Brian Rolston on the long term injured reserve and summer signing Anton Volchenkov also sidelined after taking a puck to the face.
5. Rypien Sees Red
The Canucks shock 6-2 loss at Minnesota was overshadowed by an ugly confrontation between Vancouver tough guy Rick Rypien and a Wild supporter during the 2nd period.
After sharing what are likely to be a few choice words with the officials Rypien moved to head down the tunnel to the Canucks dressing room, but ended up trying to pull a fan from his seat behind the Vancouver bench!
Whilst the video does little to suggest what, if anything, the fan said or the tone in which it was meant (it appears to be simple sarcastic clapping and probable a couple of choice phrases) Rypien’s reaction crossed the line in a major way.
Sadly part and parcel of being a professional sportsman, or any sportsman where fans pay to watch, is putting up with the odd bit of stick or abuse. While most fans enjoy the banter and rarely over step the mark, there is a sad minority who see their entrance ticket as a passage to say whatever they like. As pro’s, NHLers unfortunately have to take this rather ‘ugly’ side on the chin from time to time.
Had the fan physically confront Rypien the situation could, and probable would, be seen differently. As it is, Rypien has committed one of the games major faux pas!
With Gary Bettman and Bill Daly involved in the disciplinary process, Rypien could be facing a lengthy ban.
Until next time.
Contact the author: rob.mcgregor@prohockeynews.com
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