One would think he’d be a shoo-in, right? And I’d love it if he made it as soon as he became eligible. I’ll post the new class when they announce tomorrow. In the meantime, share your thoughts here.

UPDATE:

Grabbed this from The Hockey News:
The Hockey News’s Brian Costello believes that Los Angeles Kings forward Luc Robitaille may have a tough slough in terms of joining Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman, former Wing Brett Hull, and New York Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch as the four players inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame for 2009:

The fourth opening is the one that will spark plenty of dialogue. The other first-time candidates (retired three years from hockey) are Luc Robitaille, Alexander Mogilny and Dave Andreychuk.
At first glance, Robitaille is considered an automatic as well – and by all rights he should be the fourth inductee this year. He’s the highest-scoring left winger in NHL history, 10th on the all-time list in goals (668) and 20th in points (1,394). He won a Stanley Cup, a Calder Trophy and was a first- or second-team all-star eight times.

The only thing that might hold Robitaille back is the fact both Mogilny and Andreychuk are excellent candidates as well. It all depends on the opinions of the 18 committee members, 14 of which must grant approval.

Mogilny scored 473 goals, 1,032 points, won a Cup and was a second-team all-star twice. He was one of the game’s most creative minds and a brilliant skater and he was a pioneer in his defection from the Soviet Union in 1989. Andreychuk also won a Stanley Cup, is 13th all-time in goals (640), 26th in points (1,338) and is the game’s all-time leader in power play goals (274).

Robitaille’s in, no question, but former Red Wings like Dino Ciccarelli and Mike Vernon will have to wait another year or three to earn their place in the Hockey Hall.

For the first-timers who don’t get inducted this year, they go into a pool of players who have been turned down before. That list includes the likes of Pavel Bure, Doug Gilmour, Adam Oates, Dino Ciccarelli, Phil Housley, Tom Barrasso, Mike Richter, Guy Carbonneau, Esa Tikkanen, Sergei Makarov, Mike Vernon, Claude Lemieux and Dale Hunter, to name several.

UPDATE 2

Long story/press release type dealio on the Rangers’ scouts’ readiness for Friday. Check it out if you can handle the link.

Shameless ripoff from nhl.com here, but neat story about one of the greatest who is not Wayne. Plus, I figured it was time for a new thread. The other one was deteriorating and ticking me off.
Don’t cheat. Before you read the story after the dreaded jump (sorry, too long to post up front) see if you can name this non-Ranger…If you don’t cheat, this should be a bit of a toughie (I hope), especially for the young’uns. Read more of this entry »

I lied. Said I wasn’t going to pay attention over the weekend. So sue me. You guys are like crack…very addictive. Nothing major here, but at least wanted to give you all a new thread to chat on.
First, the random thoughts.
• You all are doing amazing draft chat among yourselves….bravo, and continue on.
• Yes, I am giving you the dreaded jump “read more of this story horror!” But there’s a legit reason. There are many photos and many of you may not want to look at them, so don’t read more. Blame Hanny, not me. He found them and sent them to me. Fair warning: it’s the Pens Cup party at Mario’s. My thoughts: it’s nice to be really, really, really rich. And I think the Cup in the pool is not cool.
(I have my own really cool story about the Cup after another team’s victory, but that’s for another post.)
• Men….I love you all and your dedication to this blog. And I’m not meaning to be all parochial school here, cause I want you to have fun and chat about anything. But, really, can we clean up some of the comments please? This ain’t cable ya know, and while all of the girls on here rock (including your hosts, Jane and I) a little respect wouldn’t hurt. I mean, is the Rangers Report or pay per view? And fyi. Carp would agree, Thanks.
And now, the festivities in Pittsburgh….. Read more of this entry »

Let’s end our week together with a little amusement shall we. Can’t wait to see the response to this.
Ranger and Rangers Report fan John Patrick Gatta, a freelance writer/photographer, was sooo kind to send me these photos. He was reporting out of Bonnaroo, where he interviewed a Fuse field reporter named Sean Avery.
He took these photos of Mr. Pink Tie doing Vinyl Spin Art and posing with his final artwork. As John says, the moment after Avery used the color blue he turned to the Rangers person and Fuse folks with him and said he was going to make it Rangers colors, then added red and white. 
Some of Avery’s work for Fuse is scheduled to be broadcast at 9 p.m. tomorrow during its 2009 Bonnaroo special.
So now I give you my Friday fun gift. First, though, John, if you’re gonna shoot a guy with his shirt off it had to be that one?

Looky, art!

But seriously folks, I had the most fun with you this week, and I hope you did too. Some blog notes:
• Jane’s back Monday but will likely be swamped after a week off and she’s got Jets and other stuff on her plate, so you’ll still have me for a few more days on the assist (so lucky).
• Carp’s back for draft day!!! He’ll be posting here Friday for the draft. He also says don’t plan on him spoiling you as much as I have this week during the off season.
• I’m taking the weekend off from you knuckleheads. Need to recharge for our next round, so have great weekends, thanks for your support and kind words this week, and catch up with ya Monday!

Well I gave you all the draft news I had yesterday and I don’t imagine there’ll be more today, so for now let’s rehash last night in Vegas (no, not everything stays there).
OV….Oy vey. He swept. And second Hart in a row! Oh my Lord Stanley, he’s on the books now (and with Gretz and Mess as a repeat. Sigh.) I found this comment ironic, since he, or at least his team did, um, lose.

“Losing’s not for me,” the Washington star said before the results were even announced.

He did make a sweet comment, dedicating the Pearson to the memory of his grandfather, who died during the season. Hey, I can only imagine his pre-hockey life and that was a nice comment, but he’s still OV to me. And no picture of him! (and no soup for you!).

So, since I corrupted this post myself with a long intro, I have to give you a picture for fun. I had trouble finding one of him, and actually got this from a 2006 (yikes) RR from the late great Sam. KInd of easy, but name that Ranger.

(NON-DRAFT) NEWS UPDATE

NEW YORK (AP)– A golf resort developer duped nearly two dozen NHL players out of $25 million, blowing the money on gratuitous parties that were attended by former Yankees players Roger Clemens and Reggie Jackson, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.
The New York Post reported in Friday’s edition that 19 former and current NHL players filed suit against Ken Jowdy, alleging they invested the money with the Las Vegas-based golf-course mogul to develop two luxury resorts in Mexico — a project they say is seven years behind schedule.
Instead, according to the players, Jowdy squandered the money on “lavish parties” to impress the likes of Clemens, Jackson and banned hits king Pete Rose, among others, who Jowdy hoped would eventually buy real estate in the planned resorts.
The lawsuit seeks the return of the $25 million they invested and $15 million in damages.
Former New York Rangers and Islanders defensman Bryan Berard and one-time Islanders captain Michael Peca were hit the hardest, each losing $700,000 in the deal, according to the filing in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
“It’s particularly uncomfortable for all,” Berard told the Post. “He’s taken our money without telling us, and it’s supposedly all gone.”
Other players involved in the alleged scam include: Chris Simon, who played for both the Rangers and Islanders; former Rangers Greg deVries, Steve Rucchin and Rem Murray; former New Jersey Devil Turner Stevenson; and Sergei Gonchar of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

I know you’re all salivating over this topic, but I’m a bit too swamped (no more boarding jokes here) to break down any draft info, and nor do you want me to, to be honest. But, in our continued feeding of this beast, I’ve come up with one area for your thoughtful consideration. (Seriously, it’s dead ice out there on this topic news-wise. nhl.com has some features, but I think what the good folks at Rangers.com have put together is better.
And I’m sorry, SORRY, but for this to work you’re gonna have to follow the link. But return back here for your regular chit chat.

Rangers.com has a break down by round and position.

MINOR UPDATE

The “experts” at NHL.com are taking their guesses at how the first 30 picks of the draft will go. They say, “The biggest storyline is who the New York Islanders will take first — London Knights center John Tavares, or giant Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman.”
Blueshirts didn’t even get mentioned in the story I read. I know, a dreaded link. Hey, you think I like giving someplace else the hit?

Continue chatting about Heatley if you wish, but even though I’m the one who brought it up, (lesson learned there!) I’m bored of him already. HockeymanRanger suggested this topic, another one of your favorites…..
When do you think Sather will give it up, if ever? And if he does, who will take his place?
What does Sather do that’s so different from other GMs?
To quote Hockeyman, “We know he like’s to HAND out big contracts and HOPES they turn their game play turns around just because they come to play in NY.”

Let the unleashing begin…..

MINOR UPDATE

It’s amazing how people can find you on the interweb…..just got an e-mail from the Sierra Club in California suggesting I post their brief interview with Mike Richter. And yes, you’ll have to link for this one. Doesn’t he still look so adorable?

Pathetic pun, but whatever. Since he keeps coming up here, I thought I’d share this recent column from Ottawa Sun blogger Don Brennan, who called Heatley “The Modern Day Yash.” Discussion on him may be totally moot considering the likelihood of us affording him, but since character is often a subject regarding our players, I thought this was interesting…
But yes, first! A photo and Laurel’s daily sidebar before the news! Not of Dany boy (oh boy, the New York tabs would have fun with his name) but of another old timer who was near and dear to my heart, and who I had the pleasure of sitting next to one year (more time stamping of my fine self) at the annual Rangers fan dinner. My brother took me one year as a Christmas present and he and I went out with many players afterward. My brother’s good at finagling that kind of stuff. It was so long ago that a young defenseman I got lucky enough to sit next to referred to himself as “just a kid.” His name was Brian Leetch.
But here was my dinner partner. Name that Ranger…

Whew, I am getting long winded. OK, from the Ottawa Sun:

Don’t shed too many tears over what is now the inevitable departure of Dany Heatley.
The Senators will be better off without him.
Sure, his goals will be missed. But the millions the team saves on his salary will buy back some goals, and maybe even some character.
That last quality, Heatley lacks.
Here’s a couple of questions for Heatley, who will remain in hiding until a deal is done and therefore steer clear of all questions:
If it is indeed about the coach, exactly when did your relationship with Cory Clouston turn sour?
Couldn’t have been over the last two months, unless you had a phone conversation that hurt your feelings. So it must have been at some point during the season – when you were busy denying reports that you did not see eye-to-eye with him.
And what could possibly bother you about Clouston? The team was better with him in charge, right? There’s promise for next season, right? Isn’t that the most important thing?
Of course, he did cut back your ice time. Bumped you down to the second power play unit, even. And why would that be? He wouldn’t say, but there was a reason and again, the team had success with him behind the bench. Isn’t that the most important thing?
Or maybe that’s the problem. Maybe, as far as Dany Heatley is concerned, Dany Heatley is the most important thing. That’s what it looks like from here. Here’s a team that moved its best player for you a few years ago, making your trade wish in Atlanta to be granted. Here’s a team that set you up with a very rich, multi-year contract.
Made you the highest paid player in the NHL last season, even though you were nowhere near the best player in the NHL last year, or any year before it.
And now, because you don’t like something that happened, you are repaying its loyalty by saying you want out?
Of course, you will get your wish again, Dany.
Some team will give up some talent and devote a large chunk of its cap budget to you.
If not, I fully expect you to hold out of camp next September, until a deal is worked out. You remind me a lot of Alexei Yashin, Dany.
You’re a great goal scorer, just like him. One of the best. But you bring absolutely nothing else to the dance, just like him.
And now you’re proving to be just as selfish, too.

Sorry I’ve been so silent today all, but I’ve been getting pounded along the boards all day. But you’ve been doing so well chatting amongst yourselves you didn’t need me anyway….So, while I’m digging around the dust for something for tomorrow, is there anything in particular you’d like to chat about? A particularly lovely picture to view perhaps :) We here at RR aim to please, remember, so offer your thoughts and I’ll see if I can rise to the challenge!

Like the Rangers, for those of you who trade in your sticks for clubs come spring, perhaps you’d enjoy our live chat at noon today previewing the U.S. Open. It’s at lohud.com/protalklive. Just thought I’d pass it on.