Toronto going crazy with the rumors
Toronto’s rumor mill is having a field day with the GM position. Who will take the wheels of the MLSE from John Ferguson Jr.?
Red Wings’ fans are no stranger to these Toronto rumors as they invariably contain one of the Wings’ management people including Scotty Bowman, Jim Nill, and Steve Yzerman.
As for Yzerman, Devellano said he has settled nicely into his vice- president’s role and has repeatedly said how much he enjoys apprenticing under Holland. The Wings are also compensating Yzerman handsomely.
Devellano dismissed the threat of a Toronto raid on the Wings’ front office as being more the product of a hyperactive media market.
“Our people are sexy, who wouldn’t want them?” Devellano said “But they all have contracts and I don’t think they want to go anywhere.
“The media in Toronto are dreaming in Technicolor.”
How much do I love that snippet from the article? A lot. As GM Ken Holland tells us, those guys aren’t going anywhere, but we’re happy to share some other characters according to Abel to Yzerman.
The article also notes that Assistant GM Jim Nill was interviewed for the Toronto job a few years back, but the team decided not to hire him. Nill said he has turned down multiple offers from other team’s wanting him to be their GM over the years.
Kevin, of the always entertaining Barry Melrose Rocks blog, has a new gig with FanHouse and today he offered up pointers on how to start a Toronto rumor.
11/28 - Quick Links
New posts on my other blogs: Steve Yzerman comes in first at No. 19 (BTJ19), Wings defeat Flames, 5-3 (Winging It In Motown), and Wings controlling the All Star vote in the West (WIM).
Bob Duff at the Windsor Star has an interesting article about the importance of pro scouts to NHL teams especially after the implementation of the salary cap.
High above the ice, Nick Polano busied himself feverishly filling a notebook with pertinent data.
A pro scout for the Ottawa Senators, Polano, the former Wings coach, was among 14 of his brethren who populated the end seats of the Joe Louis Arena press box for Tuesday’s contest.
“When I first started as a pro scout, the first season (1985-86) after coaching in Detroit, there were only two or three of us (in the entire league),” Polano said. “Now, every team has at least two or three pro scouts.”
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is considering more international NHL games, but no decisions about locations for next year have been made. In addition, the NHL may prevent its players from participating in the 2014 Olympics when the games are held in Russia.
“Our experience in London was terrific,” Bettman told Reuters on Tuesday about the NHL’s season-opening games this year between the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.
“There are rumors rampant that we might go to Prague or Stockholm next,” Bettman said at the Reuters Media Summit. “We’re looking at the options. …I could envision at a point in time in the future to maybe go to a dozen different cities over time. There are lots of hockey markets with tremendously avid fans throughout Europe.”
Bettman mentioned Moscow, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and various German cities among the possibilities.
James Mirtle takes a look at the instigator rule and why Bettman may not mind that the NHLPA is pushing for a change in the rule.
But I disagree with Tom when he says this is “the last thing Gary Bettman wants to see.” My guess is that, after two and a half years with a completely dysfunctional — and for all intents and purposes useless — players’ association, the commish is just fine with the fact the very first order of business for Paul Kelly and Eric Lindros is wading into this old, essentially unwinnable instigator tiff.
In the grand scheme of things, there are far more prickly subjects the union could be broaching — player safety, the definition of hockey-related revenues, marketing the stars, improving television coverage and media attention — instead of chasing down a relatively minor rule change. (The board of governors isn’t going to be all that concerned, relatively speaking, if there’s a sudden push for their employees to punch each other in the head more often.)
Damien Cox writes in a special to ESPN.com about the rise of the Original Six and lists the playoff chances for each six franchises. The Wings were given a 5 out of 5 rating or basically a lock to make the playoffs. Why? The longevity of their success and despite being in the “best” division (the only one where each team has a winning record), the Wings are number one in the West. My second favorite team, the New York Rangers (a distant second, but second nonetheless), was given a 3 out of 5 saying that things may be looking good there are still some trouble spots up ahead.
Alanah at Canucks and Beyond interviewed author Gare Joyce about his new book, Future Greats and Heartbreaks.
The Blue Seats discusses the difference between the Wings and Rangers’ use of European players and that style of play.
What this all has to do with the Rangers is this: we complain about the Jagr-ization of the power play, decrying it as European hockey when it’s not exactly that simple.
Yes, the style played in Europe differs from that in North America, but players can be molded and directed by effective coaches and management into playing the system that benefits the club. Detroit is an example of how European talent has been married to North American grit and determination to reap great success. It’s also proof that it’s possible … even in New York.
11/27 Quick Links
The Detroit sports blog Out of Bounds writes about how the Wings are a team without anyone to hate.
I seriously doubt whether the average Red Wings fan could name more than three players off today’s Avalanche roster, when that same fan could have rattled off 12, easily, during the height of the two teams’ struggle for supremacy in the West.
And it’s not as if the teams sunk in terms of success. The Avs are still a solid playoff contender, and this morning are in first place in their division. Just like the Red Wings.
Yet things are nowhere near the same.
Looking around the NHL the other day, I couldn’t come up with a single team that elicits anything close to the hostility that the Red Wings mustered up against the Colorado Avalanche a decade ago.
Aaron Downey is really making a name for himself and his teammates and Wings’ fans alike are taking notice.
Downey’s getting even with Jody Shelley and Jared Boll (a former Plymouth Whaler) of the Blue Jackets are examples things are different this season. There’s protection for skilled Wings, where there might not have been in the past.
“He’s done a great job for this hockey team,” Kris Draper said. “He’s one of those guys; he’ll do anything to pick up his teammates. Just a great guy. He never has a bad day; he’s glad every day he’s a Red Wing, and just a great guy to have in this dressing room.”
Downey’s fight with Boll in last Saturday’s game against Columbus:
The Toronto rumor mill is running rampant with media speculating that either Scotty Bowman or Steve Yzerman would make their way to the Maple Leafs organization. It ain’t gonna happen. But IwoCPO at Abel to Yzerman has some personnel/players that Toronto can have from the Red Wings. Consider it our gift to a fellow Original Six team.
So we, the Wing fans, aren’t angry with Toronto for trying to steal away everyone from the janitors on up. In fact, because the staffers here at A2Y appreciate the O6 and TO’s place within that legendary group, we’d like to help. You can’t have Kenny, and you can’t have the Captain. And, no, you can’t have Scotty either…even though you feel you’re owed a stop on the Bowman tour of hockey towns.
But there are plenty of other Wing icons to choose from.
New defenseman Brian Rafalski was asked to describe Newark, where his former team’s new arena is. Chris Chelios tried to make sure Rafalski said the right things.
“It’s, uh, it’s, uh . . . ,” Rafalski says after the Detroit Red Wings practice Monday morning at Joe Louis Arena. “Newark is . . .
“Careful what you say,” lectures Chris Chelios. “Just say you’re not familiar with it.”
Responds a chuckling Rafalski: “But I can’t say that.”
A pause.
“It’s definitely not the safest neighbourhood,” re-starts Rafalski.
Orders Chelios: “Don’t say it.”
Replies Rafalski: “But it’s not safe. Look at the statistics. And hey, Detroit just got rated the most dangerous city (in the U.S.).”
Chides Chelios: “Well, don’t say that, either. Block and bridge, block and bridge. Just do what the league told us — just lie.”
Revenues, payrolls & winning in the NHL
I am currently taking Sports Economics at UM and earlier in the semester, I had to complete a project regarding revenues, payrolls, and winning in the NHL. I got an A- on the paper and would have gotten an A except I did not include the two-team diagram graph that was apparently required. The paper analyzes the correlational relationships between the 1993-1994 and 2003-2004 seasons in terms of revenues, payrolls, and winning.
After analyzing the data, I believe the two-team diagram theory appropriately applies to the NHL over the ten-year span from 1993-1994 through 2003-2004. After completing this project, I was able to interview the Wings’ capologist (Ryan Martin) and ask him if he believed that higher payrolls led to more winning in the NHL. He said, “Generally speaking no…The New York Rangers have the revenue to pay the big payroll.†Last year, which was just two seasons after the lockout, the top four teams in terms of payroll under the salary cap were the New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Detroit Red Wings (Martin). Only two of those four teams, the Red Wings and Devils, made the playoffs that season. Detroit was the only team of the four to make it to their respective conference finals. As Martin suggested, these teams are able to have the big payroll under the salary cap because their market generates the revenue enabling them to do so, which is supported by the two-team diagram.
To read my 8.5 page paper, which is considerably less if you remove the graphs and tables, simply click here.
I am currently working on my final project, which I got to create the topic myself and is centered around the Wings’ attendance woes so I will definitely be posting my paper sometime in late December after the project has been turned in and graded.
I’m thankful for…
I first would like to wish all the BTJ readers out there a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your holiday with family!
I am thankful for…
- The Detroit Red Wings leading the Conference and Division.
- Henrik Zetterberg’s offensive dominance.
- Chris Osgood’s solid play in net while Dominik Hasek has been shaky.
- Nick Lidstrom’s always steady play.
- All of my BTJ readers.
- My advertisers for providing my only source of income.
The New LGW.com
If you haven’t noticed already, Lets Go Wings got a new look last week and now has writers posting daily and weekly thoughts on the Red Wings. Matt was kind enough to allow me to re-join the gang (I used to blog for LGW right after the lockout) and you can check out my first post in the Detroit Hockey Report here. My post focuses on the stats after the first 20 games and, in particular, how Chris Osgood and Dominik Hasek compare after each played 10 games.
11/19 - Quick Links
I would like to apologize for the lack of frequent posts (outside of the quick links). Last Saturday, my knee flared up and I have been in an incredible amount of pain resulting in missing some classes and even work. I was getting a little better and then attending the OSU-UM football game and then working the Wings’ game that night put me back even further. Hopefully, the pain will go down to its normal level when I get back from South Carolina, where I will be going for Thanksgiving weekend, and thus I will be unable to catch Saturday’s game against Columbus. I’ll try to get some solid posts written in the next couple of days before I leave, but only if my knee permits.
Now onto the links…
My game recap of yesterday’s 5-4 victory over Columbus in the shootout @ Winging It In Motown.
The UM-OSU football game drew in big ratings for ABC despite a 12pm start.
The battle for the Big Ten title drew a 6.4 overnight on ABC, especially impressive when one considers the game began at Noon ET. The 6.4 makes Ohio State/Michigan the highest rated college football game so far this season. Versus last year, the 6.4 is a 52% drop from the 13.4 overnight the same match-up drew in a later timeslot. Keep in mind that last year’s Michigan/Ohio State game was a battle between the #1 and #2 teams in the nation.
Michigan’s head coach Lloyd Carr announced his retirement this morning. Sean at Michigan Sports Center has a great recap of what was said during the press conference.
The Wings have hit the 20 game mark and beat reporter Bruce MacLeod has passed out his grades for each player.
The Edmonton Journal did a nice article on the Oilgosphere, which really came to life during the 2006 playoffs. While I’m still slightly bitter about the Wings loss to the Oilers in the first round, I started reading those entertaining Oilers blogs and continue to today.
Downey is quite the agitator
I mentioned just last week that I like the attitude and work ethic Aaron Downey brings to the team. While he may not get a lot of ice time, he does what the team needs him to do when he does get a chance and doesn’t usually do something stupid in that timespan.
Today’s game is still going on as I write this, but Downey was inserted into the lineup and made a huge difference in giving the Wings a lead in the first period. Downey ended up in the Blue Jackets’ net with goaltender Pascal Leclaire roughing him up and Jody Shelley throwing a couple punches. Downey drew two penalties resulting in a Wings’ 5-on-3 power play for two minutes. 15 seconds into the power play, captain Nicklas Lidstrom scored a goal. Tomas Holmstrom then scored another goal 24 seconds later with the 5-on-4 power play. Downey’s agitating ways resulted in two penalties and two consequent goals.
Admittedly, he did get called for goaltending interference which resulted in Columbus’ lone goal, but I like the effort that I’ve seen from Downey so far today.
“Good things happen when you go to the net…This game is turning into a chess match…”
- Downey during the first period intermission interview with John Keating
11/18 - Quick Links
My UM-OSU football game recap @ Big House Football.
My brief Wings-Blackhawks game recap @ Winging It In Motown.
Christy Finn @ Girl with a Puck takes an in depth look at blogging about hockey including quotes from Anaheim’s Brian Burke and top hockey bloggers James Mirtle and Eric McErlain.
Wings GM Ken Holland likes where the Wings stand at the 20 game mark.
More than 2600 Detroit Free Press sports fans voted on the best Detroit athlete and Henrik Zetterberg came in first with 54.4% of the vote.
Bruce MacLeod, the Wings beat reporter for the Macomb Daily, is an admitted blogaholic.
Go Blue, Beat OSU!
It’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine!
@ the UM-OSU football game
GO BLUE!