Jaromir Jagr Comeback?

As I've stated before once before on this blog, and many more times in different mediums, the Rule of Jagr is that he is just crazy enough that anything you hear about him and his future has a 2% chance of coming true.
The rumor mill surrounding Jagr has ramped up once again, with speculation being heavily focused recently on a possible return to the NHL with the Redwings. For those keeping track at home, he has also be linked in recent months to possible comebacks with the Montreal Canadians, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers.
One of the more interesting aspects of the story that has been underreported is his purchase of his former Czech Elite Team, Kladno, which nurtured his talents as a young player. He has taken over the primary role as President of the Club from his father this February. The team is struggling financially and on the ice in recent seasons. I’m not an expert on the CBA, but would shoring up the finances of a European club with which Jagr has vested interests, or making a verbal commitment to do so upon his completion of service, be something that would be considered a violation of the established salary cap? I would think so, but it is such a unique circumstance that I doubt it is spelled out clearly, even in this league’s copious rulebooks.
I’m staying with my initial speculation that Jagr will stay in Russia, collect the largest amount of money he can there, and eventually retire home to Kladno and become the Czech Elite League version of Chris Chelios/Mark Recchi, playing there into his mid to late 40s. He has the talent and has been focused on conditioning long enough that he should be able to still contribute at that level for many more years. At what age will all the NHL return speculation cease to subsist? Damned if I know, but I’d say around 42.

Rangers back in series with Capitals

The New York Rangers returned to the comfort of Madison Square Garden and pulled out a 3-2 victory over Washington Sunday.
The Rangers struggled to score in the first two games, but were able to get a few pucks past Michal Neuvirth. Erik Christensen scored on a funky shot.
Washington is one of the favorites and I still believe they will win the series in five, although New York will play them tough in Game 4. I predict a close win for the Capitals Wednesday, and they will close it out on home ice.
In other games, Vancouver beat Chicago, 3-2, to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. It looks like a new champion will be crowned this season.
Also, Nashville knocked off Anaheim, 4-3, to lead 2-1 in the 4-5 matchup in the West. This series is shaping up to be a good one. I picked the Ducks to win this one easy, but it is shaping up to being a solid series.

Monday Morning Notebook (03.21.V3-3)

*The US lead an all out air assault over the weekend on Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the Libyan civil war. The UN resolution gives nations carte blanche to do whatever is necessary in order to stop Gaddafi from attacking civilians in his bid to retain power. This is a bold gambit by the Obama Administration to spread and cultivate the new found freedom and Mass Movement power in North Africa. The attempt to so audaciously spread core American values is a grand goal, but is military intervention really the best route to do so? One can only hope for the best results from this adventure for US forces and sincerely wish them success in their mission. The prudence of this undertaking must be brought into question in light of the already ongoing conflicts our all-volunteer military is currently serving in. It is not to be suggested that the (so far) limited engagement airstrikes will truly strain our armed forces readiness. As we saw in Iraq however, not only the worst case, but sometimes totally unpredictable scenarios unfold from these actions. It would be a shame if a decade from now we are looking back with regret on this moment of well intentioned intervention because of these unforeseen demons yet to be encountered. The cause against Gaddafi however is just, and hopefully in this case justice prevails for the people of Libya, the people of America, and the people of the world.

*Matt Cooke's hit yesterday on Ryan McDonough of the New York Rangers was ill-timed, dirty, and really selfish when you consider the situation both within the game that was in progress and efforts at large by his team, and others, to eliminate these cheap shots from the game. The fact that McDonough was okay should be no consolation to anyone with the power to determine Cooke's fate. The Penguins should step up and send their own message to Cooke that these actions will not be tolerated on top of the already certain forthcoming league discipline. The GM and coaching staff of the Penguins must also take into serious consideration whether Cooke is a potential liability come playoff time with these increasingly frequent unnecessary hits that cost his team significant penalty minutes.

*Yemen seems to be the next Country in line after Libya to go down the road toward political freedom through mass movement protest. The army today announced they will support the protesters legitimate complaints in that nation, and several of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s administration members are also turning against him quickly. Saleh, who could be out of power by tomorrow, has been an ally of the United States in trying to root Al Qaeda out of his Country, but perhaps a more free, open, and prosperous society in Yemen will reduce the recruiting base of the terrorist forces in that region long term. Yemen is the most poor and desolate Countries in the Arabian Peninsula, and one of the most beleaguered in the world. It would be the first Country outside the geographical barrier of Africa to succumb to the protest movement that has rocked the Arab world.

Monday Morning Notebook (03.07.V1-4)

*On the international scene, Libya remains the global hotspot that everyone is watching, but nobody is doing much of anything about. Muammar Gaddafi, the long standing tyrant, remains in security control of Tripoli, with his blue shirted thugs enacting violent repression against protesters. Those in revolt from his regime remain in power in Benghazi and the Eastern side of the Country, and the two forces are conflicting in the lightly populated, but oil rich, middle sections of Libya. There is little doubt that Gaddafi has initiated violent assaults upon his own people using terrible weapons of mass warfare to quell internal discord. The international community has done little to stop him from doing so, outside of sending much needed humanitarian aide to the Eastern border of the Country where streams of refuges are fleeing the violence. This inaction by the rest of the world may be a course of prudent wisdom from an international affairs standpoint, but it certainly leaves those seeking a more free and fair society in Libya at the diabolical whims of a violent madman who will stop at nothing to retain power. The situation has reached a point where it is already functioning as a low level civil war, and if we have learned anything from misadventures in Iraq, it is that these sectarian styled conflicts are not often resolved quickly or peacefully, and outside intervention may do more harm than good at this point.

*Ryan Callahan had the game of his life on Sunday afternoon as the New York Rangers whitewashed the Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia Flyers, who all of a sudden seem eminently beatable after dominating the first five months of the season. Goalies in Philadelphia tend to thaw out as the birds return and the flowers bloom, and April, May, and June are the harshest months for Orange and Black clad netminders. Henrik Lundqvist meanwhile remains a rock solid rubber stopper for the Blueshirts and hasn’t let up more than 3 goals since January 25th, the thinking here is that he may be able to vault the Rangers into darkhorse Cup contenders this Spring.

*The US Senate will take up two proposed bills to provide funding for the rest of the federal government's fiscal year, the GOP passed House Bill, and the New Democrat compromise plan. Both cut billions from President Obama's budget, but neither is predicted to bridge the 60 vote threshold needed to get out of the Senate. They are however expected to lay out the groundwork for future debate and compromise.

*The New Jersey Devils continue their most unlikely of quests for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East, which if they could claw their way into, would be one of the most incredible in-season turn around stories in the history of professional sports. I still believe they will burn out from playing each and every game as if it is the 7th of the Stanley Cup finals, and the law of averages states that they inevitably will start losing some of these 1 goal decisions. The authoritative statistical probability website, Sports Club Stats, still only has them listed as being a 1.8% chance to make it into the playoffs this season, but if they can complete this absolutely astronomical turnaround, the Devil will be a very scary matchup for one of the top 4 seeds in the East.

*Speaker of the House John Boehner is putting together his legal options to challenge Obama's plans to not enforce DOMA laws. This little culture war salvo is a bit unexpected given the current focus on fiscal issues and the laser-like focus on job creation promised by GOP leadership.

*It seems like Mario Lemieux was once again right, and the NHL and pompous Canadian media blowhards were wrong in regards to a situation with the League. After Mario blasted the league for not throwing the book at Trevor Gillies and the New York Islanders in the wake of an absolute travesty of a contest on February 11th which saw Gillies concuss young forward Eric Tangradi with a blindside elbow to the head, continue to pound on him as Tangradi lay helpless on the ice, and mock him from the runway as the training staff attended to the injured skater. Tangradi has yet to return to action, but after the league mandated 9 game suspension, Gillies was back at it again on Wednesday night. He saw less then 4 shifts and 2 minutes of ice time before he once again took a blindside flying elbow to the head of Minnesota Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck, who is now out with a concussion “upper body injury.” What did the league determine was just reprieve for a thug who obviously didn’t learn his lesson the first time around? 10 games measly games this time was what they saw fit to lay at his doorstep for his grevious misdeeds. He should have been gone for the year, and possibly all of next season as well. There is totally no place for him in this league. For those who claim the game of hockey is nothing but a circus freakshow on skates, all they have to do is point to Trevor Gillies being back out there on March 26th against the Philadelphia Flyers and I will have absolutely no rebuttal.

*Both sides in the debate over the State budget and the future of public sector unions remain entrenched in their hardline positions. Governer Scott Walker continues to insist upon stripping the unions of their collective bargaining powers and forcing them to recertify every year. Democratic State senators stay in self imposed exile so that legislation remains at a standstill in Madison.

NHL Trade Deadline Update

Been a quiet morning for the NHL trade deadline day. Reports are that the General Managers who hold the rental players are asking way too much in return. I expect at least a few of those bottom dwelling teams blink and start dealing guys off in the afternoon. Biggest deal so far: Niclos Bergfors from the Atlanta Thrashers to the Florida Panthers for Radek Dvorak. Atlanta gave up too much there, imo. They got Bergfors as a center-piece to the deal for Ilya Kovalchuck with the New Jersey Devils last year and he has shown goal scoring promise. I don't see why they would give up on that potential they so coveted last year for a short term fill in, which is all Dvorak brings them. There is a reason this is a franchise yet to win a playoff game.
Biggest deal that WON'T happen: Brad Richards of the Dallas Stars to the New York Rangers for a king's ransom. Start with the Rangers 1st round pick, add in two of their young performing roster guys, and you may have a deal, but I don't think even Glenn Sather would gove up that much for the UFA to be. Then again... Its Sather.

Goal celebration songs

I don't know too many names of the songs, but here are some of my likes and dislikes for what arenas play when NHL teams score plus a few suggestions.

I really enjoy the Rangers' song. I don't know if it is by a band or what, but I like it. I like the Flyers, too. I know, both are Atlantic Division rivals with the Penguins, but I can't help it. They're catchy.

The Penguins were fixated on Rock 'n' Roll Part 2 but, have scrapped it since moving into the Consol Energy Center, isn't it ironic that the Consol Energy Center has lighting issues? Anyways, I have been hearing Blur's Song 2 when they score. Yeah, I didn't know the name for a while, either, but it's the one that repeats, "Woo-Hoo" over and over. It fits for a goal celebration song.

The Canadiens play Vertigo, and it doesn't fit at all. I don't mind the song, but it doesn't work for me when it comes to a team scoring. I despise that Chelsea Dagger song they play in Chicago. I like the Blackhawks, but what a bad song. Being that they have been a great team for a while, I am tortured to hear it when I watch Chicago play.

I really like Rise Against's "Help is on the way." Maybe it is in use somewhere, but I like it and the band seems to be popular at NHL arenas. Killswitch Engage's "This fire burns" is really cool and it is a good song that could be played when a tie scores late in the third period with the goalie pulled.