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Friday, August 22, 2008

Odds and Eds

Sir EddieBody By CheliosEddie Vedder

Here’s a preliminary list
of this season's home game promotional calendar.

-Highlights:

Mon. Oct 13 – Opening Night – Team Calendar vs. NSH

Wed. Oct 15 – Magnetic Schedule vs. PHO

Wed. Oct 22 – Breast Cancer Awareness Night (this is that odd 8:00 start vs EDM)

Mon. Nov 03 – Patrick Kane Figurine vs. COL

Wed. Nov 12 – #3 Retirement Ceremony (Keith Magnuson/Pierre Pilote) vs. Boston

Sun. Jan 11 – 7th anniversary of 1934 Stanley Cup Championship team vs. NSH

Fri. Jan 16 – Patrick Sharp bobble head vs. NYR

Sun. Mar 29 – Patrick Kane bobble head vs. Canucks from Vancouver

There’s also five Blackhawks’ Heritage Collector’s Series giveaways: Dec. 3, Jan. 21, Feb. 22, Mar. 11 and April 1st vs. STL, which is also Glenn Hall Night.


** Steve Poapst
was officially inducted into the Cornwall, Ontario Sports Hall of Fame this past Saturday evening.  Problem is; he failed to show up.  Honestly, now that’s a slap in the face.


** Detroit Red Wings re-signed former Hawk Aaron Downey to a one-year, two-way contract worth $575,000 last week.  This leaves Detroit GM Ken Holland with approximately a half million dollars to re-sign Chris Chelios, which Holland has insisted he intends on doing prior to next month’s training camp.  Last season, Chelios played into the age of 46 under an $875,000 contract.  Before you even suggest it, Dale Tallon can’t offer any player a single dime until he moves one of the following; Nikolai Khabibulin, Martin Havlat or Robert Lang.


** Speaking of Chelios, he’ll be singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” today (Friday) at Wrigley Field.  Following that game, Chelios will then head down to "the Cell" where he and Buffalo Grove native Brett Lebda will be showing off the Stanley Cup when the Sox host the Rays.  Chelios also attended Eddie Vedder’s solo concert at the Auditorium Theatre last night.  The two are friends and share mutual acquaintances such as legendary surfer Laird Hamilton.  Many local sports celebrities are attending Vedder’s two shows, Thursday and Friday.  Chelios is in town for the weekend before heading back to Detroit for a charity golf tournament this upcoming Monday.


** More local sightings:  Eddie Olczyk took his youngest son to see WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” taping at All State Arena this past Monday.  Sir Eddie was able to secure second row ringside tickets just feet from Cubs’ pitcher Ryan Dempster and former wrestling champion Harley Race…. Olczyk, who turned 42 last Saturday, then joined Pat Foley and random local TV execs at the Cubs’ game Tuesday night….  And no, Eddie Olczyk (31-64-8-10) is still not being considered for the Thrashers’ coaching job….. Denis Savard and his wife were in attendance at Thursday afternoon’s Cubs’ game.  Savard’s wife looked none to happy in the brief moment they were shown on the broadcast.  I’ve gotten that look before at Cubs’ games, so – oh! do I know the feeling, Savvy.  There’s nothing you can possibly do, just watch the game and drink your beer…… James Wisniewski was at Lollapalooza earlier this month.  Realistically, he won’t be ready to play until mid-to late-December, but he’s hoping for Thanksgiving.  The longer he’s out, the better the chance another defenseman or two will have to bump “Wiz” out of the top seven and onto the Atlanta Thrashers’ organization…..


Blackhawks’ tickets sales surge
Chicago Tribune, 8/12


** Tickets to Saturday September 20th’s “Training Camp Festival” can be purchased
here.

-This used to be the Season Ticket Holder party, minus the street hockey and the running.  John McDonough hates fat hockey fans.  No wonder he’s never in the 300 level, like he says he is.  Pay them five bucks and you-too get to run/walk or dry heave the three miles around the United Center neighborhood (I think they should consider starting the run at 7am) just to sit on your fat ass for five hours watching a practice you can see for free another day at the Edge in Bensenville.  No thanks.  I’ll be sitting on my fat ass at a table in Las Vegas~!  They have treadmills and spa treatment centers there.


To be fair, and give credit where it’s due, the team will also be giving you two tickets to a preseason game so I don’t have to be the only one subjected to another September of the Hawks fouling up another brand new offensive scheme.  If I see Brian Campbell dumping the puck off the rush with any semblance of repetitiveness a month from now, I’m putting my tickets on StubHub.


**
The very next day, Sun Sept 21, out in Rockford the Blackhawks will be re-introducing the “Red vs. White game” at the MetroCentre.  Tickets for that exhibition event are $20 and $15.  No mention of any of those proceeds going to charity.  The four-hour, $20 practice even has a corporate sponsor.  I guess that MetroCentre renovation really isn’t going to pay for itself.


Tommy Hawk Quit~!  But, fear not kids! Mr. McDonough is on the case
(update:  It appears they’ve found their new “Tommy.”  The job listing has been taken down.)


Blackhawks are still looking for a
50/50 raffle ticket seller.


The Chicago Wolves made
Jason Shaver their new play-by-play announcer, replacing Pat Foley.  Shaver was previously the Houston Aeros’ announcer.  Wolves' web site story


Rockford's team president resigned
and will be taking a position outside of hockey.


Meanwhile, the IceHogs introduced their
new head coach Bill Peters this week.  I always used to wish my name was Bill Peters, or Evan Keel, or Richard Wang, or Jesus Pantzaroff.


VERSUS 2008-09 Broadcast Schedule
(they’re saying every game will be broadcast in high-definition.  That’s a year past due.)


Oct. 27 – Blackhawks at Minnesota

Jan. 19 – Minnesota at Blackhawks

Mar. 31 – Blackhawks at Montreal

--I’m shocked VERSUS is doing FIVE St. Louis Blues games and just three involving the Hawks.  Seems like a huge mistake to me.


Hockey Night in Canada unveils season schedule
CBC.ca


HDNet and the majority of NBC’s schedule have yet to be determined.  If you don’t have access to HDNet, I implore you to drop anything you may be doing at this moment and rectify the situation immediately.  No network does hockey better than HDNet.  You get two games per week (Thurs and Sat), but sadly we won’t get to see Judd Sirott gazing lustfully into the eyes of broadcast partner Larry Murphy before games or between periods any longer.


An update for fans of former Blackhawk
Igor Korolev  Jon Yaneff, King Sentinel


Gunzos
looks to the web for a sales boost. PRweb (For some people I know, this could mean trouble)


NHL’09 (EA Sports) goes on sale September 9th.  One-handed dekes, protect-a-puck, Gary Thorne, Bill Clement and DUMP-N-CHASE-O-FENCE~! (don’t let Savvy play this game) highlight this year’s improvements along with the new “Be a Pro” mode where you create a player and begin your career in the AHL.


I’ll have more this weekend.


ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com

Fri, August 22, 2008 | link

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Darryl Sutter turns 50

Darryl Sutter

Current Calgary Flames general manager and former Chicago Blackhawks’ coach and player Darryl Sutter is celebrating his 50th birthday today, Tuesday August 19th.

 

Sutter was elected the Blackhawks’ 24th team captain in franchise history for the 1982-83 season, succeeding Terry Ruskowski.  Darryl became the second Sutter brother to be named captain of an NHL team.  His brother Brian, also a former Hawks’ head coach, captained St. Louis from 1979-1988.

 

For those who may be too young to remember, Darryl Sutter wore Indianhead sweater number 27 from 1979-1987, every season he played in the NHL.  He was forced to retire at the early age of twenty-nine due to a multitude of injuries accumulated during his seven full seasons in the NHL.  He would immediately begin his coaching career in the 1987-88 season, assisting under new bench boss, Bob Murdoch.  That would last just a year though, as Murdoch was fired following the 87-88 season to make room for Mike Keenan.  Darryl would move on to Chicago’s IHL affiliate Saginaw for one season as he begun his head coaching career.

 

The next season, Darryl would go on to lead Chicago’s new IHL minor league affiliate, Indianapolis Ice, to the Turner Cup Championship in 1990.  You may recall that team was backstopped by Jimmy Waite and Darren Pang, with forwards Brian Noonan, Mike Stapleton, Mike Eagles, Sean Williams, Bob Bassen, Mike McNeill, Warren Rychel, and Ryan McGill, Bruce Cassidy, Cam Russell, and Mike Peluso (the goony-one) on the blue line.  Ironically, Jim Playflair, whom Sutter years later would hire to coach his Flames’ team, only to fire and demote to assistant under Mike Keenan, also played on that 1990 Championship team.

 

After the success of 1989-90 in Indianapolis, Darryl was summoned back to Chicago where he served for two years again as assistant, this time to Mike Keenan, before himself being hired to lead the Blackhawks from 1992-95.  At the time of his promotion, Sutter, at 33, was the youngest coach in the National Hockey League.

 

Under Sutter, the Blackhawks went 110-80-26 for a .569 winning percentage.  But, after the lockout-shortened 94-95 season that saw the Hawks reach the Conference Finals only to lose in five games to Detroit, Sutter quit his coaching position and was reassigned to “special assignments” saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife and children, especially his youngest son Christopher, who was two at the time and born with Down’s syndrome. 

 

Darryl Sutter’s NHL Statistics – All with Chicago

Career Regular Season Statistics

 

Career Playoff Statistics

GP

G

A

Pts

PIM

 

GP

G

A

Pts

PIM

406

161

118

279

288

 

51

24

19

43

26

Tue, August 19, 2008 | link

Depth chart, Salary/Cap board and Roster pages have been updated
Tue, August 19, 2008 | link

Friday, July 18, 2008

Blackhawks kick off convention by naming Jonathan Toews 34th team captain
They also announced that the number 3 (Pierre Pilote, Keith Magnuson) will be retired this upcoming season.
Fri, July 18, 2008 | link

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Schedule news, New sweater numbers, Trade Rumor, Classic made official, New Signees and more....

The NHL will finally release the 2008-09 schedule on Thursday.  It’s been pushed back 2-3 times but is now apparently ready.

 

** Blackhawks Preseason Schedule – Complete (Home dates in red)

 

Tuesday Sept 23 – vs. Columbus Blue Jackets – United Center – 7:30

 

Friday Sept 26 – vs. Minnesota Wild – United Center – 7:30

 

Sunday Sept 28 – vs. Dallas Stars – United Center – 7:30

 

Monday Sept 29 – at Columbus Blue Jackets – Nationwide Arena – 6:00pm

 

Tuesday Sept 30 – at Minnesota Wild – Xcel Energy Center – 7:00pm

 

Thursday Oct 2 – at Dallas Stars – American Airlines Center – 7:30pm

 

Friday Oct 3 – at Colorado Avalanche – Pepsi Center – 8:00pm

 

Sunday Oct 5 – vs. Colorado Avalanche – United Center – 6:00pm

 

-- Tickets for Blackhawks preseason home games went on sale this Tuesday.

------------------------

 

** Put out as marketing teasers (and a good way of promoting the schedule unveiling), some teams announced their home openers on Wednesday prior to the complete season release Thursday.

 

What we know is the Hawks will participate in Washington’s home opener on Saturday October 11th.  So Cristobal Huet presumably will meet his former mates right off the bat.  The Caps will be in Atlanta the night prior for the Thrashers’ 2008-09 home ice debut at Philips Arena.

 

Chicago will play Boston both at the UC, and at the TD Banknorth Garden as part of the new ‘at-large’ inter-conference scheduling format.  Mmmm, Bruins' Ice Girls~!

 

The Blackhawks other two Eastern Conference home-and-home series will showcase New Jersey and at team to be named Thursday afternoon (Islanders, Rangers or Lightning).

 

Also of note:  Detroit will raise their latest Stanley Cup banner at Joe Louis Arena on Thursday October 9 when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs, who last held a ceremony like that of their own in 1967.  The Wings will then head to Ottawa, where they will participate in both the Senators’ home opener, as well as this coming season’s first Hockey Night in Canada broadcast on CBC…. Toronto will host their first home game the same night against their arch-rival Montreal Canadiens…..  All six Canadian teams will meet at least twice this season…..

----------------------------------------

 

** Dale Tallon signed three players to one-year deals on Tuesday.

-          Doug Janik (formerly of Tampa Bay), a 6’2 – 28 year old defenseman who played 136 games over the last two seasons with the Lightning.  Prior to that, he began his career with Buffalo, being a Sabres’ 2nd round pick in 1999, but spent most of his time there in the AHL with Rochester.  Janik’s arrival should signal doom for one of the top six defenseman listed on our depth chart.  The National Post is reporting Janik will earn $500,000 this season.

-          Aaron Johnson (Islanders, Blue Jackets), another 6’2, 210 pound left-shooting d-man.  Most feel he’s regressed since leaving for New York in free agency last summer and barring injury or insane player transactions, I’d consider him a long-shot to make the 23-man roster out of camp.  This deal was actually completely last week, but the Hawks didn’t announce it until Tuesday.  Johnson’s deal reportedly will pay him $525,000.

-          Colin Fraser is back for one more year.  He’s a depth forward and a pretty darn good minor league player.  Fraser was a fan favorite in Rockford.  No word on the value of Fraser’s contract.

--------------------------------------

 

** A few Blackhawks have requested new numeric stitching on their Indianhead sweaters.

 

Jordan Hendry will now wear #6, shedding his former #42.

 

Dustin Mc-Byfuglien has chosen #33, apparently signifying his move from super-heavyweight to just plain heavyweight.  I suppose this opens up a roster spot for my long-awaited comeback.

 

Niklas Hjalmarsson is now #4, switching from #41.  Now he’ll look even smaller than he’s listed as, which I didn’t think was possible.  Somebody at least get the kid a real helmet.

 

Newcomer, defenseman Matt Walker, will be seen wearing sweater #8.

 

Doug Janik, for now, will wear #14.  He wore the number three with Tampa Bay.

 

First-round pick Kyle Beach is being listed as #12.  Many scouts predict he’ll be sporting the number 890625CC before too long.  I’m just disappointed Dale Tallon overlooked Sean Avery this summer.  Could you imagine Beach centering for Akim Aliu and Sean Avery?  PURE GOLD~!

 

Other notable assigned numbers according to blackhawks.nhl.com

-          78 – Akim Aliu

-          40 – Dan Bertram

-          29 – Bryan Bickell

-          44 – Michael Blunden

-          41 – Nathan Davis

-          26 – Igor Makarov (Sergei’s kid)

-          57 – Michael Brennan

-          48 – Tim Hambly

-          23 – Aaron Johnson

-          42 – Shawn Lalonde

-          30 – Joseph Fallon

-          31 – Antti Niemi

-          70 – Josh Unice

 

---------------------------------

 

The “big rumor” making the internet rounds and now print media over the past two days has the Hawks, Senators and Kings working on a 3-way, “blockbuster” deal.

 

Here’s the rumor:  Chicago sends G-Nikolai Khabibulin and (either Brent Seabrook or Cam Barker) to Ottawa.  The Sens then ship G-Martin Gerber and D-Andrej Meszaros (RFA) to Los Angeles.  Chicago would then get C-Anze Kopitar (6’4 – 220) from the Kings.

 

Now, the bullshit meter goes up here for a couple of reasons.  And I won’t even address Seabrook’s inclusion in this scenario.  Why would LA get rid of arguably their most skilled forward?  Gerber’s a good goalie, but is likely to walk following 2008-09 and Jonathan Bernier is the future in net for Los Angeles anyway.  So, that essentially strips down to a Kopitar for Meszaros trade.  Meszaros is a good, complimentary #3 defenseman; Kopitar figures to center LA’s top scoring line for many years to come.  That’s not going to look good on Dean Lombardi’s next resume.

 

Here are Kopitar’s, a Slovenia native who turns 21 next month, career stats since being drafted (2005, 11th overall)

Season

GP

G

A

Pts

+/-

PIM

PPG

06-07

72

20

41

61

-12

24

7

07-08

82

32

45

77

-15

22

12

 

Now, Kings’ GM Dean Lombardi is understandably desperate to bring in some high-priced talent as his team is approximately TEN MILLION DOLLARS – UNDER the bottom threshold for team salaries.  It’s estimated the Kings are hovering around the $30 million mark today, and need to get to the league minimum $40.7M by the start of the season.

 

On the other hand, Chicago needs to shed more than $4 million just to get under the salary cap.

 

With that in mind, what GM in their right mind would be on the phone right now offering Dale Tallon a fair deal, let alone a steal?  Sure, it works both ways, but the Hawks are in worse shape since they can’t release or buyout anyone without it counting against their cap.

 

Player contracts: 

Khabibulin ($6.75M, UFA following ’08-09)

Seabrook ($3.5M-3yrs, RFA following ’10-11)

Barker ($2.736 cap#, RFA following ’08-09)

Gerber ($3.7M, UFA following ’08-09)

Meszaros (currently restricted-free agent, seeking $3.5-4M a season)

Kopitar ($956,000, RFA following ’08-09)

 

Information found at NHLScap.com determines the Ottawa Senators to be over $9 million under the $56.7 maximum.  However, that is with Meszaros and Antoine Vermette still unsigned.  So, in doing the math, Ottawa couldn’t do this rumored trade without making another deal as they’d still need room for Vermette, who is scheduled to go to arbitration.

 

------------------------------

 

Tim Sassone It's official: Blackhawks to play outdoors at Wrigley Daily Herald

 

Darren Pang talks "Winter Classic II" at Wrigley Coyotes.nhl.com

 

Jay Mariotti The Frozen Confines: Hawks at Wrigley a dream Sun-Times

 

-- Jesse Jackson sent in a note wanting to say he’s sorry…. John McDonough and Rocky Wirtz are reportedly planning a community-to-community bus tour this August to apologize to Hawks’ fans personally for Dan Kelly….. I’d like to apologize in advance for all of the horrible things I will write about Eddie Olczyk this year.. That’s a lie too…. Olczyk wrote in to note he’s still interested in the Atlanta Thrashers' coaching job.  Apparently Don Waddell didn’t get the message.….

 

ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com

Wed, July 16, 2008 | link

Monday, July 14, 2008

Hawks' preseason home games

Tickets for the Blackhawks’ four preseason home contests go on sale via Ticketmaster tomorrow morning at 10:00am.

 

-- Tuesday Sept. 23 vs Columbus Blue Jackets – 7:30pm

 

-- Friday Sept. 26 vs. Minnesota Wild – 7:30pm

 

-- Sunday Sept. 28 vs. Dallas Stars – 6:00pm

 

-- Sunday Oct. 05 vs. Colorado Avalanche – 6:00pm

 

Ticketmaster.com

 

* NHL regular season begins Wednesday October 8th.  Again, the full regular season is set for release this Wednesday afternoon.

 

* The other news here is that, at least for the preseason, the Blackhawks have not moved their weeknight puck drops up to 7:05pm as was hinted by team president John McDonough late last season.

 

* Jason Williams signed with Atlanta this morning.  Thank God.  Perhaps Don Waddell would have interest in a one-legged U.S.-born defenseman?

Mon, July 14, 2008 | link

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Progress...

We’ve updated the Blackhawks' current roster and the Payroll/Cap tracker, as well as the depth chart in the right column here on the front page.

 

My ‘brief’ vacation is over.  Many more updates and commentaries on Dale Tallon’s wackiness are long overdue and forthcoming.

 

The NHL is releasing this season’s schedule this week.  I believe its newest target date is Wednesday, which will trump the Chicago Cubhawks’ ceremonial convention kick-off announcement of this year’s Winter Classic at Wrigley Field by a day or two.

 

ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com

Sun, July 13, 2008 | link

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

He's Still Got It~!

Roenick celebrates his second goal Tuesday night in San Jose
Photo credit: Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images /
Yahoo Sports

 

Last September, depending on whom you asked, Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson was either the bravest team executive in the league or the dumbest.

 

Wilson had gambled his Sharks’ fortunes on an old dog, the once-great Jeremy Roenick.  The same Roenick who’d supposedly announced his retirement two months prior via text message and was seemingly fading out of the NHL spotlight the way no one would’ve ever imagined considering Roenick’s track record; without much fan fare.

 

But Roenick wasn’t about to be forgotten. 

 

The retirement story for those who’ve followed his career closely seemed absurd considering J.R. has never done much of anything quietly nor concealed from a television camera.  That’s just not his style.

 

Whether he was feigning retirement to drum up one last round of calls from general managers or he really had come to terms with his career only Roenick truly knows.  It is however, what followed that may just define his legacy forever.

 

Doug Wilson wasn’t looking for a first-line center or a scoring winger.  What Wilson’s Sharks needed was a pulse.  A character-guy on the ice, in the locker room, on the plane and in the hotel lobby.  Someone who’d take some of the spotlight away from some of the many young players San Jose would be counting on this season.  Rookies like Torrey Mitchell, Tomas Plihal and Devin Setoguchi (not the DAVID Setoguchi Hawks’ announcer Dan Kelly saw playing for the Sharks this year) along with young stars Milan Michalek, Joe Pavelski and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.  A guy who’d relish the opportunity to be a spokesperson for the team when others (read that Patrick Marleau) would rather not.

 

For the past few seasons San Jose’s had a team, at least on paper, which figured to have what it took to win it all.  What they didn’t have was a swagger.  The certain cockiness that the great teams always seem to have. 

 

There’s a fine line in sports between arrogance and confidence.  Arrogance in the NHL playoffs will likely get you eliminated.  A haughty bunch will get stung by a group fueled by the fear of failure most times than naught.  However, a talented self-confident group with a fighting spirit comes in with a leg up on the competition.

 

Doug Wilson was tired of getting stung in the playoffs.  So, with few options in free agency he turned to an old ally, Jeremy Roenick.

 

The move didn’t come without its stipulations however.  Wilson and Roenick both claim nothing would be guaranteed to J.R.  The now 38-year-old future Hall of Fame candidate would need to prove himself worthy of a roster spot.  Roenick would be asked to be a mentor to the younger Sharks and accept a minimal on-ice role.  This wasn’t going to be about Roenick, his controversial persona or his statistical milestones.  This was about team; the San Jose Sharks, and the greater goal – a championship.

 

There was ONE other thing; Roenick would have to give up alcohol for the entire season.  It was a request Wilson felt would verify Roenick’s commitment to San Jose’s ultimate goal – the Stanley Cup, something J.R. had also yet to attain in his career.

 

With the conditions met and his abilities proven up to the task, Roenick quickly earned the respect of his teammates and fans alike. 

 

He reached the 500-goal plateau in a fashion most elite goal scorers would be embarrassed by, a fluke redirection off the HP Pavilion dasher-boards, which Phoenix goalie Alex Auld actually batted into his own net on November 10 in San Jose.  For Roenick, it seemed apropos and he celebrated it just as if he’d just gone end-to-end, dekeing every member of the Coyotes on his way to 500.

 

Roenick compiled 14 goals and 39 points in 69 regular season appearances with the Bay area hockey club.  Of those fourteen tallies, ten officially registered as game-winning goals.

 

While his regular season accomplishments may have earned him comeback player of the year honors, it seemed the J.R. career-rejuvenation tour had hit some black ice during the Western Conference quarter-final series with Calgary.  Roenick had just three shots on goal in the first five games of the series and hadn’t exhibited the same physical intensity he had during the regular season.

 

Prior to game six in Calgary, Sharks’ coach Ron Wilson made a decision that may have saved his team’s post season.  Wilson made the call to scratch the worn-down Roenick for Game 6, knowing full-well Roenick, who admitted he was “crushed” when Ron Wilson informed him he wouldn’t be playing in game six, had a history of coming up big in game sevens.  If it came down to it, Wilson would be armed with additional ammunition in the series-deciding match Tuesday night; a well-rested, fired up Jeremy Roenick.

 

Coming into Tuesday’s game, Roenick had played in five game 7’s in his post season career and scored a total of four goals in those contests.

 

Well, Ron Wilson is a genius at least for one day.  Roenick came through when his team needed him most.  He was the ingredient Doug Wilson was looking for when he signed Roenick to a one-year, five hundred thousand dollar contract last September.

 

Calgary had just taken a 2-1 lead on Owen Nolan’s third goal of the series early in the second period despite being badly outplayed by the Sharks to that point.

 

Previous Sharks teams may have had their wills broke.  They’d been dominating game seven on their home ice only to see Jarome Iginla and Nolan answer their charge with two timely goals.

 

It was then Wilson turned to his ace-in-the hole.  Approximately two and a half minutes after former San Jose fan favorite Owen Nolan let the air out of HP Pavilion, Roenick threw a fifty-foot wrist shot towards the net.  Roenick was hoping for a deflection or a rebound opportunity for a teammate, what he got was a Devin Setoguchi screen which allowed the puck to elude Miikka Kiprusoff.

 

Exactly three minutes later, a determined Roenick followed his own power-play snap shot chance by picking up his own rebound and firing it over Kiprusoff’s right shoulder, giving San Jose the lead they’d never relinquish.  What should be noted on the play was Sharks’ defenseman Craig Rivet (who was in front of Calgary’s net) noticing Roenick following his shot and allowing his teammate to take the shot.  If Rivet hadn’t picked up head and weren’t aware of Roenick’s position, the goal would’ve never happened and it’s quite possible there may have been an entirely different outcome.

 

Roenick was named the game’s first star.  He finished the night with two goals and two assists, his only points in six games during the first-round series.

 

It certainly wasn’t Roenick’s best career playoff performance nor would I say he was even the best player on the ice Tuesday.  It wasn’t and he wasn’t. 

 

But for at least one more night Roenick was “J.R.” again.  He was the brash power forward with a passion his profession and lust for the big-game spotlight.  When it was needed most, he grabbed the game by the proverbial throat and led his team to victory.

 

One more time, Roenick’s flame illuminated his team, electrified an arena and an entire organization.

 

Doug Wilson wanted ‘swagger’ and that old-dog cashed in when most pundits set the odds long.  Roenick gave his boss, teammates and a city everything they’ve asked for and now even more; a trip to the second round of the playoffs; one that may have not been possible without Jeremy Roenick.

 

Who would’ve thought?  Well, Doug Wilson did.

 

Sharks 5 - Flames 3 (Scoresheet)  -   Highlights nhl.tv

 

Game stories: NHL.com / Yahoo Sports / Sporting News (AP) /  

 

J.R. joins elite 500-goal club TheThirdManIn 11/11/07

 

ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com

Tue, April 22, 2008 | link

Friday, April 18, 2008

Ex-Blackhawks - Final '07-08 Statistics

 

Ex-Blackhawk Goaltenders / NHL-Active in 2007-08

Years w/Chi

Player Name

Team

GP

W

L

OTL

GAA

Save%

SHO

GA

SA

MIN

ENG

90-92

Hasek, Dominik

Detroit