Jackets 4 Ducks 0

Yea, you read that correctly. We shut out the former Stanley Cup champions in our home opener. It was amazing you couldn't have asked for a better game. Ilya Bryzgalov was in net for the Ducks and Pascal Leclaire was in net for the Jackets. Leclaire proved to me he can be a good goalie...now he just needs to keep it up. Nash scored twice and got two assists on the night. Feds had a goal and an assist as did Ron Hainsey. The former Stanley Cup Champs couldn't get their first shot on goal until 16 minutes into the game. We dominated the play and the Jackets earned this win. Shots on goal were 37 (CBJ) to 28 (ANA). It was an impressive win and we got to hear the cannon go off a total of 6 times. It was pretty sweet to say the least. While some people could say the Ducks are tired and not playing their best hockey...well I am going to have to agree with what Randy Carlyle said:

Asked if his team was tired after playing four games on two continents and in three arenas in less than a week, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle refused to take the easy way out.

"Those are excuses," he said. "That's the way it goes. We didn't have the energy that was necessary to compete at the level they played at."

Wait...we're talking about the Jackets right? The Columbus Blue Jackets? WOW. I guess the season is underway and well we play again tonight...vs Minnesota. My Prediction for the game tonight...Jackets 3 Wild 2. Keep up the great work. Check out quotes from the boys here. It's going to be a good season.

Also, be sure to look out for my new site which will hopefully be up by Monday :)

Teemu to Retire??

Well according to this article it is looking that way. The 37 year old who had 48 goals last season and 1041 games played in his entire career with 540 goals and 1135 points had this to say:

“Hockey has been a career of life for me, but there are so many other things in life,” said Selanne. “Winning the Cup crowned that career. What scares me most is if I decide to keep on playing for something else than my motivation and hockey.”

Ya know at least the guy is honest. Could we really blame him for retiring after such a long career capped off with winning the Stanley Cup? He's 37 and has young children...maybe it is time for him to hang them up...and move onto something else.

”Many have asked me, ‘why not take those millions?’…but it is not
about that,” said Selanne. “I have never played for money, so I will not play for it now. If hockey is not fun, I will do something else.”

I absolutely adore Teemu Selanne and seeing him hoist the Cup was one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed. That quote above about money makes me respect him so much more. But, however he and Scott Niedermayer are still stringing us along with a decision...Teemu had this to say:

”I do not think the decision comes out just like with a snap of a finger,” he said. “It is taking shape, though. I somewhat know what I will do. I just want to make sure it is the right decision. August is usually the month when I get back on the ice. That has not tempted me, yet. It is a sign of some sort. On the other hand, there still is a month until the start of the training camp and I may get the spark.”

Let's hope that Niedermayer and Selanne stay one more year...there aren't many guys like them left.

Oh Burke.

Does this make anyone else giggle?

Oh Kevin Lowe...

So, I found this little doozy on one of the facebook groups that is anti Kevin Lowe and thought it was quite entertaining. Anyway, Kevin Lowe got his man. Dustin Penner is officially an Oiler. It's kind of weird to think of him that way. The Ducks will receive a first round, a second round, and a third round pick in the next Draft. Over the next 5 years Dustin Penner will receive $21.25 million. Penner had 29 goals and 16 assists last season. Dustin Penner will go to Edmonton being one of their top forwards. I'm kind of speechless. Burke's reaction was typical of Burke

''We don't believe these salaries make sense,'' Anaheim general manager Brian Burke said on a conference call. ''If I believe these salaries don't make sense and I match then I'm just as dumb as the team that extended the offer.''

The friendship between Lowe and Burke seems to be over. But, I think that Lowe put it best when he said this:

"I have not (called him) and I don't plan on it," Lowe said on a conference call. "I have one responsibility and one responsibility only - and that's to the Edmonton Oilers fans and the Edmonton Oilers ownership.

"I'm not in the business of trying to make friends. Never have, never will be."

Dustin had this to say about the pressure that was about to be put on him.

"The pressure that I receive from the media and fans won't be near the pressure of what I put on myself," said Penner. "I know myself I didn't peak this last year as a player in Anaheim.

"I don't know what my potential is, but I think in the next five years I'll find out."

Just a random thought though if Brian Burke and Kevin Lowe were to duke it out...who do you think would win? My money is on Burkie.

Get a good hard look Dustin, you won't be holding that for a long long time.

Dustin Penner

I really wanted to wait to write something about the 'Large Human' until he was officially a Duck or officially an Oiler, but, I can't wait anymore. Penner is one of my boys. He started his career with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks...so I got to watch him develop from his first game as a pro into the NHL player he is today.

Penner was tendered an offer sheet by the "desperate" Kevin Lowe. Is he really desperate? Well, yeah. But, if Dustin Penner continues to develop into a great NHL talent then the deal will make Lowe look like a genius. However, it is entirely possible that Lowe could have another Lupul situation on his hands.

Penner was always the Cinderella Story of the NHL. The kid that got cut from every team he tried to play for. The kid that went and played club hockey eventually earning a spot on the University of Maine's hockey team. Which then earned him a professional contract with the Ducks. I can't say I blame him for signing the five year $21.25 million dollar offer sheet. Although, selfishly I wanted him to stay with the Ducks because I think they have the potential to repeat. In about 24 hours we will know where Mr. Penner will be going...but wherever he will be I will be cheering for him. So listen up Jordi you better take good care of the kid and be nice if he ends up playing for the Oilers!!

I know that Kevin Lowe is staying with the rules in tendering these offer sheets however do you think this will affect his trading abilities? I mean given Buffalo's reaction saying:

"As it comes to the Edmonton Oilers," pledged Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn, "if there is an opportunity for us to put an offer sheet on a player any time as long as we're alive, we'll be very comfortable doing that. And they can expect that."

Those are some pretty big words...Larry Quinn wasn't too happy about the offer sheet. And, now with Burke's reaction was somewhat similar:

"I have no problem with offer sheets, they are part of the CBA," Burke said on a conference call. "I think it's a tool certainly a team is entitled to use. My issue here is this is the second time this year in my opinion Edmonton have offered a grossly inflated salary for a player, and it impacts on all 30 teams and I think it's an act of desperation by a general manager who is fighting to keep his job."

Here's some other bloggers take of the Penner situation.
Sleek's Ode to Penner
Finny already says goodbye
Mirtle pokes a little fun at Burke
Shmee has her take up

Hockey where are you?!

My lil Hainsey...

Lots of Stuff

I think I have decided that on Sundays I am going to just make it a day where I highlight what went on in the week...that way I don't really have to talk about much...I can just highlight it. I am lazy...I know this.

• Dave King is interested in the Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Position. He was our Coach from 2000 - 2003 when he was fired. He has never been a General Manager in the NHL but according to a Blue Jackets Official, "He should have been a GM 10 years ago, but he wanted to keep coaching. Nobody knew the league better than Dave King and nobody had a better grip on the talent in Europe at the time. It would take him some time to get up to speed on the game -- he's been away for a few years now -- but he'd catch up quick." King was fired basically because he and MacLean got into over Klesla. King thought Klesla needed some time in the minors MacLean had other plans.
  
• Howson met with Priest and the owners and according to Portzline if things went well he could be hired this week. My take on Howson is any man who would have any part of the Ryan Smyth trade....I don't want. I don't want anyone who would trade away our heart and soul which in our case is Rick Nash. And, apparently I'm not the only one in Blue Jackets Nation to feel that way.
  
• Pascal Leclaire will be in Columbus later this month to test his knee. If things don't go well Columbus could be looking at getting a Veteran goaltender via unrestricted free-agency. Let's hope he looks like he did the whole season...like crap!
  
• On a non Columbus Blue Jackets note...congrats to the Anaheim Ducks, again for becoming the first West Coast team to win a Stanley Cup, and also congrats on winning for the first time in franchise history!!
• Also, on Thursday, June 14 at 7 p.m. EST the NHL Awards show will be shown on VS I suggest everybody watch it. It should be entertaining. If you don't remember who was nominated I posted something on it so check it out.

If there is anything I missed I'm sorry...but that's all I have for now.

I remember when I fell in love...

It was a Saturday in November 1998 I believe. My dad came home from work and said I got free tickets to a hockey game want to come? I said ok, and called my best friend at the time Sarah and we headed to a hockey game...who knew it would change my life. Ya see my dad was never one that was into sports...those who know me well know why. Those who don't, well, don't worry about it. My Uncle was a sports journalist so his kids were VERY athletic and into every sport imaginable. I remember going down into their basement and my cousins Joe and Dan would be sitting on the couch watching the Cyclones on tv. It was fuzzy reception but I remember being intrigued...flash to the day of my first hockey game. Sarah and I went to see the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. Hockey was HUGE in Cincinnati and doing really well. We managed to support 2 teams. Anyway as we're walking into the game I remember being so excited and not knowing what to expect. We handed our tickets to the guy at the door and he handed us a Duck call. Yeah that's right a Duck call that I still have. I was so excited. When we got there, we were sitting towards the top right on the aisle. I cheered so loud every time we touched the puck. And, when we scored it was all about the Duck call. We had a lead and one of the guys from the other team decided to drop the gloves. I was amazed...not only can these guys ice skate and have some stick in their hand and move a puck along on the ice...they can hit each other. Our guy lost the fight, and then the trash talking started. A boy next to us started saying oh you're team sucks and all this stuff...I lost it...it may have been my first game but these were my boys and you don't mess with them. I started trash talking right back to him, I was about to get into a fight when my dad said it was time to go. We had won the game. That was my last hockey game until I decided to go and see the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks again. It was amazing to say the least. It was the year of the lockout we had guys like Joffrey Lupul, Shane O'Brien, Ilya Bryzgalov, Stanislav Chistov, Dustin Penner, Ryan Getzlaf, Kurtis Foster, Chris Kunitz, and Michael Holmqvist. We were totally unstoppable. It was unbelievable. We made it to the playoffs and I was there EVERY game. Shane O'Brien racked up 319 penalty minutes. Seeing this guy was so amazing. I started learning everything about the sport I could. I remember our final playoff game...we ended up losing the series...I was introduced to a little guy who played on the Milwaukee Admirals named Jordin Tootoo. He dropped the gloves with O'Brien and a hatred was born. Oddly enough my first NHL game was seeing the Nashville Predators play the Detroit Red Wings...and once again I had to see Jordin Tootoo act like an idiot. About a month after my first NHL game I took my best friend to Columbus to see the Blue Jackets and I found my true love for a team. They stole my heart away...all of them from that first game. Seeing Shelley drop the gloves with somebody, to Fedorov and his still amazing puck moving skills, to Foote and his grit, all of them made me fall in love. Now, I am a full blown Blue Jackets fan...although I still hold a special spot in my heart for the Anaheim Ducks because they have most of the team that made me fall in love with hockey.

But I still have to say Let's go Jackets!!

HNIC Playoff Tribute

A beautifully done playoff tribute by, Hockey Night in Canada....enjoy!

Anaheim Ducks are Stanley Cup Champs!!

Congrats Scottie...you battled all season long. You lead the team all season long. You got done what you came to California to do. I am proud of you. You earned the Conn Smythe. You ripped the Cup out of Bettman's hand *and I love you even more for that* Thank you for all that you do, not only for the Ducks, but for the sport. You are one of the classiest guys in hockey.

Highlight of the night aside from seeing Scott rip the Cup out of Bettmans hand was seeing you...hand off the Cup to your brother. I love you for that.

Teemu seeing you cry with that Cup...was the most beautiful thing I have seen. Thank you for being you.

Like I said before...I love both of these teams. While I am so happy that the Ducks won a part of my heart hurts for the Sens. They have come so far and battled so hard but I do feel that the better team won.

CONGRATS DUCK FANS!!!

The List.

1. With Murray out of the running for GM...I am frustrated. Not at the organization, not at the team (because I love them and am a loyal fan), but at Mike Priest. I understand that this is a long process and I was praising him for taking time and not telling us much. But, now that Murray has dropped out it makes me nervous. I want to know what is going on...I have a right to know. I had every intention of buying season tickets...I had even called and gotten ticket information. But, until they find a GM...I'm not going to. We need a good General Manager. It is not an option...it is a necessity. I have faith in Hitchcock...all the faith in the world actually. I just hope he doesn't let me down.

2. Congrats to the Anaheim Ducks for going up 3-1 against the Ottawa Senators. Game 4 seemed exciting although I just had to listen to most of it because I was at work and then when I got home the Directv thingy was acting funny. I am disappointed in Alfie because I think he got a little too frustrated at the end of the second shooting a puck at Scott Nieds. The Ducks got everything together and came out on top without one of their top defenseman...again.

3. I am really excited for Wednesday and I really do hope the Ducks close it out at home. It'd be a great thing for their fans, and it'd be a wonderful thing to rub in the face of Kings fans haha...just kidding. Although, I do plan on doing it to some of my friends who are Kings fans.

4. DELETED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT

5. That's all I really have...if anything else strikes me...I'll add it on.

6. Bryan Berard was the FIRST Overall Pick of the First Round in the 1995 Draft...are you kidding me?! I guess I missed something with this guy. He made $2,500,000.00 this season. He played in 11 games for us this year. He missed the first 51 games with a back injury. Then he missed the last 16 games of the season because he hurt his back...again. He was a -4 and had 3 assists and 8 penalty minutes. WOW

The Scrum

Dear Mr. Pronger

Dear Mr. Pronger,

I have been a supporter of yours for some time now. I watched you last year as you completely dominated in the Stanley Cup Final. Sure, you hit Smyth with a puck in the face but you played hard and I was grateful for that. Then, when you came to the Ducks, one of the teams that I like to consider a bit mine, I said ok, I like this guy he's going to help them go all the way. I even supported when you hit Homer in the head, I was mad at you, but I said, hey it's tough out there to stay calm. When they suspended you for that one game, I said alright he'll learn his lesson and not do this again. Then it became time for the Stanley Cup Finals to start. I said great two teams that I actually enjoy watching and like are going to the Finals. I was happy for everyone involved. I watched Games 1 & 2 and was happy for the Ducks and YOU that you were half way there. But, during game 3 you let me down. It's not ok to elbow people in the head. You should be suspended for the rest of the playoffs and I hope you are. I'm done supporting you. I will boo you ever single time you touch the puck. And, IF you do get your name on the Stanley Cup...I hope they don't show you skating around with it. People like you don't deserve it.

Sincerely,

A disappointed ex fan of yours

AND, in case you missed the hit here is a clip of it.

Pronger Suspended Again?

Should Pronger be suspended AGAIN for this?


Thanks to Kukla's Korner for the picture.


UPDATE Pronger was suspended for one game...way to take care of the repeat offender NHL. Article and Interview with Carlyle

Bob Murray New GM?!

It sure is look that way. Reading this today then along with what Arace wrote...I think he is the best man for the job. I think he has done great things for the Ducks organization and apparently he had a hand in the Fedorov trade. So, we all know he can make trades...and also, who wouldn't want a team like Anaheim...I would love to see my Jackets play with that grit and with that much defense...not saying we need Pronger but ya know. Also, in case you know nothing about Murray...the Dispatch put a little thing up on him...it wasn't a lot...but it was a little bit...I will put it up here.

Murray file

• Age: 52

• Position: Vice president of hockey operations, Anaheim Ducks

• Notable: A defenseman, played 1,008 NHL games, all with the Chicago Blackhawks … After retiring in 1990, joined Chicago front office and was named general manager in 1997 … Blackhawks went 64-94-29-2 under him, and he was fired during the 1999-2000 season … Worked as a scout for Vancouver Canucks from 1999 to 2005 before joining Anaheim

Also, congrats to the Anahiem Ducks for winning tonight 1-0. The Ducks now lead the series 2-0 with the next 2 games being played in Ottawa. Sens were out played the entire night...being outshot almost 2-1.

Game 1 in the books!

Anaheim Ducks 3 Ottawa Senators 2
Anaheim leads series 1-0

Man, what a game!! It was well worth the wait. Yesterday I spent my day preparing myself...sorta...before the Reds game yesterday I watched my 2003 Stanley Cup DVD...then went to the baseball game where Ryan Freel was taken off in a stretcher. Not saying that him getting hurt got me pumped, but seeing the way the Reds played after that happened made me happy...they won that game for him.

Anyway, back to the hockey game. The Ducks checking line and two Norris trophy nominees were able to shut down Ottawa's top line...which is something no other team was able to do this year in the playoffs...the top line was limited to 5 shots on goal and oddly enough that line had 5 giveaways. I really and enjoy both of these teams and will be happy if either win...I don't want it to be a sweep...so I hope the Sens can get it together and get it going next game. Anyway, I better get ready for work!

Have a great day!

It's about that time!!

So, after waiting for what feels like an eternity it's time for the Stanley Cup Finals to begin. I am honestly so excited. I still think it is weird for this series to start on Memorial Day. I am heading to the Cincinnati Reds game today at 1:15 they are playing Pittsburgh Pirates who are on a three game winning streak and we're on a SIX game losing streak...yeah that's right SIX games. Woot. Ugh, I hate Pittsburgh sports teams. Anyway I suppose I will go but I am very excited for the game tonight!!!!!!!!!! And, for a great laugh head over to my buddies blog, A View from the Cheap Seats she has Jason Spezza and Teemu Selanne going head to head!



Go Reds!!

UPDATE So my Reds won...4-0 I believe...but my beloved Ryan Freel did go down he was taken off in an ambulance for tests...all the best to him and his family!



My beloved Freel

Stanley Cup Finals

Anaheim Ducks

Why I like 'em

*PPG (Penner, Perry, & Getzlaf) line. They have been practically unstoppable. They are so big and so powerful. Getzlaf has 13 points (five goals and eight assists), Penner has five points (two goals and three assists), and Perry has nine points (four goals and five assists.) The thing that I like about this line is that Getzlaf has 24 penalty minutes and Perry has 27 penalty minutes, but, Penner has no penalties. None...seems like he is doing pretty well. He may not be putting up the points but he for sure isn't hurting the Ducks.

*Their checking line...a lot of people say Jersey has the best checking line...but I don't know that they compare to Robbie Niedermayer, Sammy Pahlsson, and Travis Moen. They are amazing.

*Their goalies. I love them both. Giguere is amazing and has been on FIRE this playoff run. Bryz is so funny and I adore him.

*My hometown boys. Yeah that's right...these boys played right here in Cincinnati. I got to watch them develop as players and rock the AHL the year of the lockout.

*Their defense is amazing. Pronger, Niedermayer, Beauchemin, and O'Donnell I don't know that it gets much better than those top four. As much crap as I will probably get for saying this...I like Pronger...I do...he is tough, fun to watch, and as long as he is on the ice and not talking I like him. Scott Niedermayer is the best skater in the NHL he can do anything. And the other two well Beauchemin was mine (well on my team) once upon a time. And, O'Donnell well he is the one that falls out of the lime light. But, he truely does deserve to be up there.

Ottawa Senators

Why I like them!

*Ray Emery...it's pretty hard not to like Emery. How many guys can fight with a big smile on their face?! I know I wouldn't be smiling. He is a great goalie and has been outstanding in the playoffs.

*Alfie the Captain. I have never seen someone play like this in the playoffs. I would love to see him be the first European Captain to raise the Cup.

*Their top line Alfie, Spezza, and Heatley. Whether it's Spezza's passing ability, Heatley's goal scoring ability, and Alfie's crazy playoff run this is one fun line to watch and you can't help but like them.

I will be watching the Finals closely, cheering for both teams...GO DUCKS AND GO SENS!

LIVEBLOGGING!

Yeah that's right I'm going to liveblog the game tonight and it will be the best ever....yup. Go Ducks!

Snoop you may have to choose...