NOTE to NHL: Find that Tom guy who runs MySpace. Pay him a lot of money. Bombard the social networking site with ads and do the same with YouTube and the retarded/stoner video watching community.
The NHL On VERSUS opened up its second season with two of the smallest U.S. markets (Buffalo and Carolina) playing each other. Guess what? The Earth as we know it didn't collapse! It was actually up 14% from last year's fancy-schmancy Philadelphia-Rangers broadcast.
Speaking from a technical sense, I think the graphics package is terrific now. The scoreboard they're using was a really risky move, but it works. My only beefs are that you can't see the numbers at certain points and that you, VERSUS, cannot see your own advertising in the corner boards. As for the broadcast talent: You all know how I feel about Doc, and the studio remains dependable, and Olczyk remains dull. But the one shining player in the VERSUS warehouse was Daryl "Razor" Reaugh, doing color for the Dallas-Colorado game. Reaugh talks to hockey fans like the literate, intelligent audience we are, and throws in an Austin Powers reference to make us even more delighted. If you can, check out his blog (LINK: http://blog.dallasstars.com), the guy is simply hilarious and should be on the fast track to the top of the NHL analyst totem poll with John Davidson gone and Eddie Olczyk duller than a composite stick with a minute left in the third.
Not to harp on TV issues too long, but doesn't the NHL's scheduling format hurt NHL Center Ice, its season-long PPV package? Here in the New York area, I will be able to watch 39 Flyers games this year and 40 Pens contests. What would be the point of paying for half a season?
Moving on to actual hockey issues, how bad has Tomas Vokoun and the Nashville Predators defense been? I know it's the new NHL and all the penalties and what not, but you gave up 14 goals in two games against CHICAGO and MINNESOTA! Jacques Lemaire's Minnesota Wild netted six on you, and the perennially D.O.A. Blackhawks got eight! Perhaps Vokoun is still recovering from the blood clots that kept him out of the '06 playoffs.
The Islanders are still bad. Just thought you should know. Lucky for New Yorkers, with the Mets and Yankees in the MLB playoffs (or at least were at the time), the Rangers and Devils opening close to home, the Jets and Giants in the middle of their season, the Isles, who opened up with games at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. in Phoenix and San Jose, have been able to fly under the radar. Thank goodness, as the orange and blue have looked atrocious in their first two contests, especially Charles Wang's golden goose, Rick DiPietro. As I count it now, Ricky D. has only 1,146 games left as an Islander. Keep countin' it down, folks!
Zdeno Chara's huge defensive presence was felt in the Bruins' 8-3 loss to Florida on Friday. Chara remains the leagues most overrated defender and playing without Wade Redden and the talented Ottawa core will expose him to how bad he truly is.
First NHL goals this week: Dallas' Loui Eriksson, Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar, New Jersey's Travis Zajac, and Phoenix's Joel Perrault.
Did anyone look more uncomfortable than new Pens' boss Michael Ballsillie in front of the Steel City media on Thursday night during the first intermission of the Flyers-Pens game? Even Mario Lemieux was cynical on the new arena situation, with his whole "House"-ish "Everybody lies" statement.
Carolina is showing exactly why I picked them to finish 7th in the East. They have just looked flat in their first three games, particularly against New Jersey, where they were beaten by a solid Martin Brodeur and four deflection goals. They will make the playoffs, but expect an early exit for the 'Canes.
-SFM-
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