Zenon Konopka isn't just a goon!

With the second round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs underway, the Ottawa Senators have already been eliminated at the hands of the New York Rangers and will enjoy the rest of the festivities from the sidelines. Although they are gone from contention, they took New York to a full seven-game series and it was one of their "grunt" players that has impressed me the most out of any player thus far in the playoffs; Zenon Konopka.

For most of his career Konopka has been classified solely as a goon and it is easy to see why. After parts of seven seasons in the NHL, Konopka has scored a mere 11-goals in 250-games, while at the same time racking up 877-minutes in penalties. Since 2002, he has bounced back and forth from minor league hockey to the NHL, only recently having garnered a full time stay in "the Show". While vying to solidify a permanent NHL roster spot during that time, he has had stops in the East Coast Hockey, the American Hockey League, and even the former Russian Super League, which was the predecessor of the current Kontinental Hockey League, Eastern Europe's version of the NHL. In that time, Konopka has played for 14 different hockey clubs in total.

Konopka has been viewed as an expendable. Not having the talent to make a regular lineup in the NHL, he has done his darndest to earn a spot with his tough, physical play and fisticuffs. Konopka was the most penalized player in the NHL during both the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 seasons. He had 33 and 25 fighting-majors in each of those seasons respectively as well; the 33 fights in '09-'10 being more than any other player in the league that season. Though Konopka has most often been used for intimidation purposes only for any team that he has played for, after his performance in Ottawa's losing efforts against the Rangers that very well may change.

In the 6-games that Konopka played in during the opening round, he was a faceoff wizard. He would win 75-percent, 73-percent, 83-percent, 63-percent, and 77-percent of his faceoffs across the last six games of the series respectively. Those stats alone could make him a highly sought after prize for any franchise in the league. It is very rare for a player to win that percentage of draws in the circle repeatedly. Having been so proficient on the draw allowed Konopka to take a regular shift during the series and play some of the longest amounts of ice-time in his career.

Along with how well he performed on faceoffs, what impressed me most about Zenon Konopka during the playoffs was his determination to win and his drive to play at his best. I felt that he was one of the most intense players to watch during the series. So much so that it got Konopka into a bit of trouble, as the NHL fined him $10,000 after he "verbally abused" a Ranger player that was giving a live-interview prior to the start of Game Two. Regardless of that incident, Konopka was constantly in front of the Rangers net, screening premier goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and driving Rangers defensemen to the boiling point. Being built like a tank at a solid 6'0" and 210lbs., and owning very imposing stare, Konopka created much havoc as he made camp in the New York crease.

Despite the losing effort by the Sens, Konopka would finish the series with 2-assists and a plus-2 in the 6 playoff games he appeared in for Ottawa. These 2-points were ninth best on the Senators team and his plus-2 in the losing series tied for second best on the Ottawa roster. Konopka had a better faceoff winning percentage than any other centerman for the Senators and still has one of the best percentages for regular faceoff takersfor any team in the NHL playoffs thus far.

At 31-years of age, Konopka very well may have earned himself the security of a full-time, permanent job in the NHL. Any team would want a player who can win faceoffs that steadily, and with his tenacity to boot Zenon Konopka is the kind of player that every winning team wants and desires. I wish for his success for next season and for years ahead. I have taken a whole new appreciation of him as a player who is multidimensional in numerous aspects of the game; not just when it comes to dropping the gloves.

The new "Little Ball of Hate" - Nathan Gerbe

Pat Verbeek - the original "Little Ball of Hate"

During the mid-1990s while playing with the New York Rangers, winger Pat Verbeek was given the nickname "The Little Ball of Hate" by his backup goaltender, Glenn Healy. The name was partially applied to Verbeek because his teammate, Ray Ferraro, had already been nicknamed "The Big Ball of Hate". However, the moniker seemed to most fit Verbeek due to the tenacity (combined with a high level of skill) that he played the game with, despite the fact that he was a short and stocky 5'9" player with a build of 190lbs. Verbeek never backed down from anyone throughout the 20 years that he played in the National Hockey League, oftentimes playing the game just downright mean and ornery. His determination and drive made him a success in hockey for many productive years. Winning a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999, Verbeek is the only player in NHL history to score over 500-goals and record over 2,500-penalty-minutes. Verbeek's nastiness, along with a healthy scoring prowess allowed him to play the game like a much bigger man would, and gave him longevity in the NHL with five different teams (Rangers, Stars, New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers and Detroit Red Wings).

Diminutive but fearless Nathan Gerbe

In the NHL today, "The Little Ball of Hate" moniker most befits Buffalo Sabres winger Nathan Gerbe. Even Verbeek would have had some size on Gerbe if both were playing today. Gerbe stands a diminutive 5'5" but is a very sturdy, tank-like 178lbs. Gerbe's build is reminsicent of other tank-like forwards who found success in the NHL, such as Steve "Stumpy" Thomas, Randy "Stump" Burridge and Andrei "Tank" Kovalenko. With a low center of gravity, muscular build and dominant speed, Gerbe is very difficult to knock off of the puck when he is out on the ice. His small stature allows him to maneuver well in corners and along the boards, and he is able to sneak through the opposition and beat them to the punch before they are able to make a hit on him.

Besides his build, Gerbe has excellent hockey sense out on the ice. He makes very smart plays in terms of his positioning when back-checking and he can oftentimes be found sacrificing the body in order to make a pinch along the boards for the puck or to put a shooter at a bad angle. Knowing how a play is going to develop, Gerbe has been able to put himself in the right place at the right time and has contributed well offensively in the short time he has played thus far in the NHL. Gerbe has the Sabres record for the fastest 2-goals by a player when he scored twice a mere five seconds apart against the New York Islanders on January 21st, 2011.

Gerbe up against a much larger Zenon Kenopka

But what is perhaps most impressive with Gerbe's style of play is that he is completely fearless - in an "oh so similar" way to Pat Verbeek. Giants who tower over him like Zdeno Chara and Chris Pronger do not intimate Nathan Gerbe in the least. When there are scrums in front of the net or in front of the benches, Gerbe is right in the thick of things. Gerbe plays well beyond his own size limitations and routinely out-hussles opposing players that are larger and stronger then he is. In Buffalo, fans have taken to calling Gerbe "Tasmanian Devil", which was a nickname once applied to former big, bad Bruin Terry O'Reilly in the 70's and 80's. But O'Reilly was a much larger player and one of the greatest enforcers and pugilists to ever play in the NHL - a much different style of player. I feel that Gerbe's style of play more closely resembles that of Verbeek, and that the "Little Ball of Hate" title is far more suitable.

Gerbe's initial success came in college while playing for Boston College from 2005 to 2008. Gerbe's finest season with Boston was in 2008 when he tallied 35-goals and totaled 68-points in just 43-games. That year in the "Frozen Four" Hockey Tournament in Denver, which is the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament championship, Gerbe stole the show entirely as he notched 5-goals in the final 2 games of the tournament, while leading Boston to the championship. Gerbe was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and was named to the All-Tournament Team. That same year Gerbe was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award which is given annually to the top collegiate men's ice hockey player.

Gerbe led Boston to a Frozen Four
championship in 2008.

In 2007, Nathan Gerbe was part of Team USA's bronze medal winning team at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Mora, Sweden. Gerbe played alongside fellow NHLers Patrick Kane, Erik Johnson, Jack Skille, Kyle Okposo, Justin Abdelkader and James van Riemsdyk, as Team USA lost to Team Canada in the semi-finals but would defeat Team Sweden in the Third Place game. Gerbe recorded 6-assists in 7-games during the tournament.

The Buffalo Sabres had taken notice of Gerbe's skill in 2005 when they drafted him 142nd overall in the NHL Entry Draft. Since that time Gerbe's hard work and determination have given him a permanent spot on the Sabres roster. In May 2008 Gerbe signed his first NHL contract, a 3-year deal with the Sabres. During the 2008-09 NHL season Gerbe first cracked the roster for 10 games managing just one assist while playing mostly in the AHL with the Portland Pirates where he recorded 30-goals and 56-points in 57-games. Gerbe followed that up the next year with 10 more games with the parent-club, this time scoring his first NHL goal against the Washington Capitals in December 2009 and finishing off the season with 2-goals and 3-assists in those 10-games.

Gerbe standing up the Philadelphia Flyers

The 2010-11 season would see Nathan Gerbe land a permanent spot with the Sabres, as he appeared in 64 regular season games, along with all 7 playoff games in a heated series against the Philadelphia Flyers that the Sabres would eventually lose. Gerbe potted 16-goals and 31-points during those 64-games but perhaps made a bigger impact in the playoffs in a very hard fought series with Philadelphia that saw him endear himself both to the Buffalo fans and his teammates. Gerbe would lead all Sabres in penalty-minutes in the playoffs with 18 as he waged war with numerous members of the Flyers, most notably Philly's premier disturber at the time Daniel Carcillo, who like Gerbe is also small in stature but is a very physical, in-your-face type of player. During the series Gerbe notched 2-goals which tied him for second on the team with Tyler Ennis for most playoff goals for the Sabres that season, behind Thomas Vanek who had 5. However, it would matter very little as the Sabres would fall to the Flyers at the end of the 7-games.

Nathan Gerbe has maintained his effective style of play in Buffalo during the present season 2011-12, though he has missed numerous games due to a concussion and an upper body injury. Never wanting to see a player injured, it does however make sense that Gerbe would be putting himself at a higher risk for injury with his fearless style of play and high-speed skating which is fueled by guts and determination. Gerbe has 3-goals and 9-assists for 12-points this season while playing in 27-regular season games thus far.

Gerbe celebrating a Buffalo goal

Believing that attitude, determination and heart can more than make up for a lack of size, Gerbe also possesses skill and speed that most others do not. His heart in particular is much bigger than the hearts of most of those players who outweigh him on the scale or stand over a foot taller. It is my thought that the new "Little Ball of Hate" has all of the necessary tools needed to have the same longevity that Pat Verbeek once had, and that he can develop a similar knack for scoring goals and putting up big numbers. Gerbe is a difference maker on the ice and with Buffalo's lackluster record at this point in the season (17-17-4 as of January 2nd), he is one of the few players on the team who has been giving it his all each and every shift.

The re-emergence of the Florida Panthers

For a team that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in only their third year of existence (way back in 1996), the Florida Panthers have been in a playoff drought ever since the 2000-01 season and no one has taken them seriously. That is until now. Having missed the post-season for ten consecutive years (the last time they were in the playoffs, the "Russian Rocket" Pavel Bure was leading the way for them with 58-goals and 36-year old Mike Vernon was in goal), which also included eight different head coaching changes during that span, the 2011-12 edition of the Florida Panthers are suddenly one of the top teams in the League and give all appearances that the years of being in the bottom-half of the Eastern Conference are finally over.



Kevin Dineen - Head Coach

 First year Panthers' head coach Kevin Dineen demands respect and accountability. It is in his nature, from the way that he played the game as a player himself, and continuing on into his role behind the bench. Dineen played parts of 19 seasons in the NHL, tallying 355-goals, 760-points and 2229 penalty-minutes in over 1100 regular season games. All in all, a very successful career as a tough, rugged player, which has continued on into his pursuits as a coach.

When his playing days ended in 2002, Dineen would eventually move onto being the head coach of the Portland Pirates in the American Hockey League in 2005 and quickly garnered accolades as a highly successful coach. In his first season alone as Portland's head coach, Dineen led the team to a 53-19-5-3 record, which is quite an accomplishment for a first year head coach. Dineen would continue to coach in Portland from 2005 through the end of the 2010-11 season, and would never once have a losing coaching record in any of those six seasons. During that time Dineen would also provide tuteledge to some of hockey's top young talent in the game today. Dustin Penner, Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Kent Huskins, Nathan Gerbe, Jhonas Enroth, Tyler Ennis and Luke Adam, among numerous others, all saw their careers advanced while playing under Dineen in Portland.

It would be no surprise that Kevin Dineen's coaching talents would become widely recognized and an NHL team would take note. Looking to make a break from their repeated years of coming up short and being lackluster, the Florida Panthers made a very wise move by naming Dineen their head coach in May of 2011. And since the start of the 2011-12 season, and Florida's almost miraculous accension in the NHL standings, it would appear that not only will the Panthers return to the playoffs but that Kevin Dineen is also an early favorite for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach.

Brian Campbell

With Dineen now at the helm, the Panthers are one of the best team's in the league this season. Here in early-mid December, the Panthers boast a record of 16-8-5 for 37-points, which is presently tied with Philadelphia for first overall in the Eastern Conference (although Philly is officially in first place by having more wins in less games) and first overall in the Southeast Division; at least six points ahead of all other teams in their division.

Perhaps even more important than Dineen's coaching success, Panthers' Executive Vice President and General Manager, Dale Tallon, has assembled a Panther's roster that is cohesive, experienced and remarkably talented. Remember, Tallon got his name on the Stanley Cup and was chiefly responsible for building the team that won the championship in Chicago with the Blackhawks in 2010. Since Tallon stepped into his present role with the Panthers after leaving Chicago in May 2010, he has acquired the main core of players that comprise the team, including Jose Theodore, Ed Jovanovski, Tomas Kopecky, Brian Campbell, Tomas Fleischmann, Scottie Upshall, Kris Versteeg, Sean Bergenheim, Marcel Goc and Matt Bradley, as well as drafting highly promising young star Erik Gudbranson. Three of those players, Campbell, Kopecky and Versteeg, won the Stanley Cup together in Chicago. The other players are a core of veterans that having been joined together, give all appearances that the Panthers are now in fact legit.

Stephen Weiss

The line of Fleischmann, Versteeg, along with ninth year Panther Stephen Weiss, are arguably the most productive line in the NHL right now. All three are averaging at least a point per game, and have combined together for 36-goals and 89-points in the 29-games that the Panthers have played so far this season. Combining these three on a forward line together with the fact that Florida has a highly offensive defense making them one of the most formidable teams in the NHL offensively. D-man Brian Campbell is presently second overall in the league for scoring amongst defensemen with 24-points in 29-games (2-goals, 22-assists). Another Florida blueliner, Jason Garrison, leads all NHL defensemen in goals scored as he has netted 9 of them already this season. Add in Dmitry Kulikov's 17-assists and 20-points in 28-games, and you also easily have a trio of the league's deadliest defense corps from the point.

Ed Jovanovski

Another marquee defenseman, but a familiar face in Florida, Ed Jovanski re-signed with the team during the past summer for a four-year term. Jovanovski was a 19-year old rookie with the Panthers in 1996 when they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would eventually lose in four straight games to the Colorado Avalanche. The first overall draft pick by the Panthers in the 1994 draft, Jovanski played three-and-a-half seasons in the "Sunshine State" before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the Pavel Bure deal during the 1998-99 season. Making his heralded return to the Panthers organization this season, Jovanski brings with him a resume that includes an Olympic Gold Medal in 2002 and NHL All-Star honours in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008. And at 6'2" and 210lbs., Jovanovski has always been an intimidating presence in his own zone.

Tim Kennedy

Mix in role players such as Buffalo cast-off Tim Kennedy, long-time NHL veteran of over 900-games Marco Sturm, Mike Weaver, Jack Skille, Shawn Matthias, Evgenii Davydov, Mike Santorelli, and another Stanley Cup winner in Mikael Samuelsson, the Panthers seem to have all the parts needed on both forward and defense.

The other staple to any hockey team's success is who they have in net, and Florida's goaltending tandem is a couple of old reliables. At 35 and 34 years of age respectively, Jose Theodore and Scott Clemmenson have backstopped the Panthers to their success this season. Theodore, the 2002 Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's best goaltender and the Hart Memorial Trophy winner as the League's most valuable player that same season, has registered an 11-5-3 record between the pipes, while recording 2 shutouts, a 2.17 goals-against average, as well as a .929 save-percentage. Clemmenson, standing at a record of 3-0-1 has also notched a shutout this season and has numbers of 2.23 and .913. Obviously, both goaltenders are very steady and have been playing the game long enough that Florida can rely on them wholeheartedly to continue manning the nets and winning.

Jose Theodore

When examining each facet of the 2011-12 Florida Panthers, there is no doubt that they are strong on all ends. From the leadership at the very top that both Tallon and Dineen provide, all the way down through their bench and the character and talent of the players that they have on their roster, there is little to no doubt that they will in fact end their playoff drought this season. Dare I say it, there is even potential for a Cinderella-run to the Stanley Cup like they had back in 1996. It would seem most-fitting, almost storybook-like, that with Jovanovski back with the team for one more run that it could in fact be possible. Regardless of what playoff success they may earn this year, the Florida Panthers have re-emerged and are formidable.

Highlighting an unsung hero: Jiri Hrdina

Jiri Hrdina

Season after season goes by in the National Hockey League. As a decade or two passes, players that were once household names, at least casually, are often long forgotten when their playing days end and new favorites quickly take their places in the daily conversations of the hometown fans. Though most of these players are not within the Hall of Fame, may never have been on an All-Star team, nor do they hold any league or team records, their accomplishments during their careers may in fact hail them as unsung heroes. Players who made a difference with the way that they played hockey, but have been overshadowed by the game's truly great players. Still, as unsung as they may be, they did make a difference.

Case in point is former Calgary Flame and Pittsburgh Penguin, Jiri Hrdina. During a time when only a handful of Czech-born players skated the NHL arenas of North-America, and certainly no Soviet-born players as of yet, Jiri Hrdina made his NHL debut at the age of 29 as one of the very few players in Western-hemisphere hockey to hail from the Eastern-bloc. This was still a short time before the likes of Jaromir Jagr, Dominik Hasek, Petr Nedved and a larger influx of players from Czechoslovakia (later to be separate countries of Czech Republic and Slovakia) would make their country a breeding ground for highly talented hockey superstars who would run rampant in the NHL on an ongoing basis. Jiri Hrdina would join the NHL and the Calgary Flames during the 1987-88 season.

Born in one of the World's most beautiful and most remarkable cities, Prague in the former Czechoslovakia, Hrdina's successes in the NHL in a relatively short career are remarkable in and of themselves. After debuting with the Flames for a mere nine games in '87-'88, in which he scored 2-goals and added 5-assists for 7-points (along with 1-playoff game that year as well), Hrdina would only play in four full NHL seasons from 1988 through 1992. In three of those four seasons though, Hrdina would win Stanley Cup Championships. There is likely no other player in NHL history with a better percentage of championships compared to the number of seasons played. Yet there is little to no mention of Hrdina's noteworthy accomplishment amongst hockey circles these days.

Hrdina was a very solid two-way player throughout his career. As a versatile centerman, Hrdina excelled in his own end of the ice and also contributed offensively against the opposition. Coming to the NHL at 29, Hrdina's best years were likely spent while still playing in his homeland and playing on the international stage. While with Team Czechoslovakia in 1984, Hrdina helped lead his team to a Silver Medal at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics. Likewise, Hrdina medaled with Team Czechoslovakia on five separate occasions at the World Championships of hockey, winning gold in 1985, a silver in 1982 and 1983, and bronze medals in 1987 and 1990. By the time Hrdina made the jump to North-America he was already a very well accomplished and decorated hockey player.

Hrdina playing with Calgary Flames
Alumni during the Heritage Classic.

With his track record of Stanley Cup championships, Hrdina's success with winning obviously continued throughout his career in the NHL. Hrdina's finest season came during the Calgary Flames' championship season of 1988-89. This would be Hrdina's first full season in the NHL and he registered 22-goals, 32-assists for 54-points in 70-regular season games; a fine performance for a first full season in the league. Though Hrdina was certainly instrumental in bringing the Stanley Cup to Calgary, his contributions are much in the backdrop when considering that Hockey Hall of Fame players Lanny McDonald, Doug Gilmour, Al MacInnis, Joe Mullen and Joe Nieuwendyk were members in the forefront of that championship team, along with all-star players Theoren Fleury, Brad McCrimmon, Gary Roberts, Gary Suter, Mike Vernon, Hakan Loob and Rob Ramage. With so many big names and so much talent on one hockey club, it is not really surprising that Hrdina's contributions to that championship team were overlooked.

The 1989-90 NHL season would be the one season in which Hrdina did not win a Stanley Cup in his NHL career. Statistically, it would be his second-best season though, notching 12-goals and 30-points in 64-regular season games. While this Calgary Flames team was mostly comprised of the same players and staff from their championship team of the season prior, they would fail to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions, losing in 6-games in the first-round of the playoffs to Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings.

The next and final two seasons of Hrdina's career would bring him two more Stanley Cup championships, though this time with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In December 1990, Hrdina would be traded from Calgary to Pittsburgh for tough-guy defenseman Jim Kyte. Considering Hrdina's skill and winning experience the deal was rather lopsided in more ways than one. In Pittsburgh Hrdina would find himself on the third or fourth line used mostly in a limited role, for like the Flames, the Penguins were laden with a vast array of talent including one of hockey's greatest players ever Mario Lemieux, along with an additional mix of Hall-of-Famers, future Hall-of-Famers, and other all-star players like Jaromir Jagr, Kevin Stevens, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis, Bryan Trottier, Mark Recchi, Paul Coffey, Larry Murphy and former teammate Joe Mullen.



Jiri Hrdina with the Pittsburgh Penguins -
brought in to tutor fellow countryman and
18-year old Jaromir Jagr.



Again, it is not any real wonder that Hrdina would be forgotten amongst a group of this calibre. However, at least one person would not forget Hrdina's impact on the team, as fellow Czech and upcoming superstar Jaromir Jagr would greatly benefit from his fellow countryman's guidance and tutelage during his rookie season in the NHL. At the time, Jagr was only 18-years old, and Hrdina, having lived in and played in North-America for a few seasons longer and being over 10-years Jagr's senior, would prove to be quite instrumental for adjusting the young Czech superstar to the NHL-brand of hockey, life in North-America and adopting the English language. Hrdina and Jagr would be nicknamed the "Czechmates"and suffice it to say that at least some of Jagr's outstanding success in hockey both globally and in the NHL can be attributed to Hrdina and the mentoring he provided during their two seasons in Pittsburgh together. The Penguins would go on to defeat the Minnesota North Stars in six-games of the Stanley Cup Finals that first season in Pittsburgh. Hrdina saw limited action in the Finals, only appearing in Game-3, but he played in 14 of Pittsburgh's 24-playoff games that season, record 2-goals and 2-assists in that stretch. Jagr would play in all 24-playoff games, registering 3-goals and 10-assists.

The 1991-92 season would be Jiri Hrdina's last in the NHL and would also see the Penguins repeat as Stanley Cup champions, this time defeating the Chicago Blackhawks in four straight games. Hrdina would get his name enscribed on the Stanley Cup for the third and final time. He would also appear in all 21-games of the Penguins playoff run that season, picking up 2-assists along the way. Meanwhile, his "student" Jagr would become the youngest player in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals at 20-years old, finishing the playoffs with 24-points in the 21-playoff games, and well on his way to super-stardom in the NHL. Hrdina would retire in 1992 after this last championship.

These days Hrdina busies himself as an amateur scout with the Dallas Stars. Though his playing days may be behind him, there are few players more celebrated as a champion than Jiri Hrdina. And while he was greatly "unsung" as a player perhaps mainly due to the fact that he was buried by a long list of some of the greatest players to ever play the game who happened to be his teammates, attention must be paid to the fact that he became a champion so frequently across such a short period of time. For his achievements and perenial championships, Jiri Hrdina should not be forgotten.

Islanders are oldies but goodies

After voters in Nassau County nixed the so-called "Lighthouse Project" which proposed to provide the NewYork Islanders with a completely renovated, competitive hockey arena as devised by team owner Charles Wang, the future of the Islanders and their existence on Long Island remains very uncertain. Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is currently the second-oldest arena in the NHL and also the second-smallest; it has been home to the Isles ever since their inaugural season in 1972. To say that it has seen better days is a major understatement, and with such dank and dilapidated confines the Islanders are decades behind the rest of their NHL competition when it comes to adequate facilities for their players, staff, organization and especially their fans. And though there is no certainty of what shall become of one of hockey's most storied franchises when their lease is up in 2015, or whether there is enough bubblegum and patchwork in the meantime to keep the anciet arena together, the Islanders have endeavored to put a competitive hockey club together by becoming a haven for grizzled veterans who can impart knowledge into the Isles young stars before they finally do decide to call it quits on their playing careers.

Upcoming star John Tavares is one of the Islanders'
many youngsters who will benefit from the presence of
so many veterans on the club's roster.

The 2011-12 New York Islanders have eight players who are 33-years of age or older. Even the Detroit Red Wings, who often regarded as having one of the largest collections of players past middle-age in hockey years do not have as many players that age and above. One could argue that the Islanders are merely trying to take the cheap way out by signing players who are on their last legs but have recognizable names and can be gotten at a bargain-price because their skills have diminished and they have lost a step or two over the years and do not really fit into another team's plans. Whether that is truly the case or not I cannot say for certain, but I recognize the fact that the Isles also have an array of young talent in the likes of 2009 first overall draft-pick and upcoming star John Tavares, 2011 Rookie of the Year finalist Michael Grabner, as well as other talented twentysomethings Matt Moulson, Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, PA Parenteau and Andrew MacDonald. These youngsters are in fact the future of the Islanders, whatever may come of the team, and they can benefit immensely from players who have been around the block a few times.

Jay Pandolfo

Two of the Islanders veterans are former Stanley Cup champions. American-born Jay Pandolfo, 36-years old, is a rugged winger who has spent most of his career as a third or fourth-liner, a role player who has always been a solid penalty-killer. Pandolfo is the kind of player who doesn't draw a lot of attention but who works as hard as anybody and does the dirty-work in the corners and along the boards. Pandolfo won Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and 2003, and he has also been a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive-forward, as well as having served as an alternate captain while with the Devils on more than one occasion. In all, Jay Pandolfo is a veteran of over 800-games in his career and played an integral role with the great teams that the Devils had during the late-90s and early-2000s.

Brian Rolston

Similar to Pandolfo, another Islanders veteran, 38-year old Brian Rolston, was a Stanley Cup champion with the New Jersey Devils back in 1995. But unlike Pandolfo who has never possessed much of a scoring touch, Brian Rolston is one of those players who is a complete player in every way, shape and form. Rolston can play the power-play, he can penalty-kill, he puts the puck in the net, he forechecks, he backchecks, he is a leader and consumate teammate - he does it all. If there is one player who will most benefit the younger regime of the New York Islanders, it is Brian Rolston. Capable of playing all three forward positions, Rolston also possesses good size at 6'2" and 214lbs. Rolston has represented Team USA at three separate Olympics, winning the Silver Medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. And even at 38, Rolston can still contribute offensively having netted well over 300-goals in his career, including 33 shorthanded goals as well.

Evgeni Nabokov

Arguably the most talented New York Islander veteran was initially resistant to becoming an Islander in the first place. 36-year old two-time NHL All-Star goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov was not happy when the Islanders claimed him from the Detroit Red Wings off of waivers in January of 2011, and refused to report to the team. The Islanders would suspend Nabokov for the remainder of the 2010-11 season for his failure to report. Putting their initial differences aside, Nabokov would report to Islanders training camp in the Summer of 2011, and is the Islanders top netminder here in the early stages of the 2011-12 season. Like Rolston, Evgeni Nabokov is a former Olympian, having represented Team Russia for both the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. Nabokov also backstopped Team Russia for the World Championships of Hockey in 2008 and 2011, winning the Gold Medal in 2008. Prior to joining the Islanders, Evgeni Nabokov spent the entire 10-years of his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks, and holds practically all of the Sharks goaltending records, including most games played, wins and shutouts. In 2010, Nabokov became only the second goaltender to ever record three straight seasons of 40-wins or more in the NHL.

Mark Streit

The Islanders' top defenseman is also their team captain, 33-year old Swiss defenseman Mark Streit. Prior to the start of the 2011-12 season, Streit became the first ever Swiss hockey player to be named captain of an NHL team. Streit also has the dubious honor of being one of the most underrated players in all of hockey as he is a top-notch defenseman who could serve as a number one defenseman on any NHL team, but does not garner much attention likely because he plays for the New York Islanders. Streit is also a former Olympian, having played for Team Switzerland at both the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. Streit has hit double-digits in goals from the blueline in each of the past four seasons, and has registered seasons of 62, 56 and 49 points the past three years.

The other elder statesmen on the Island include 34-year old center Marty Reasoner, 38-year old Steve Staios who is capable of playing both forward or defense, and defensemen Mike Mottau and Mark Eaton who are 33 and 34 years old respectively. Each of whom are journeymen who have been around the league for a long time and have filled the role of a steadying and solidifying presence on any team that they have played for.

Perhaps Long Island has become a place for NHL veterans to be put out to pasture, but I doubt it. Each of these players still have something left in the tank (Mark Streit is at the top of his game and gives no signs of slowing down, while Nabokov has a solid .927 save-percentage in 4 games this season), and they can at least ensure that the New York Islanders will be competitive and given the respect that they deserve each night. And while the question still remains of what will eventually become of New York's future on the Island, they can rest assured that these veterans will impart to the younger generation knowledge and skills that they can carry with them either in the years ahead on Long Island, or wherever the franchise will eventually settle when the tired confines of Nassau Coliseum can longer be called home.

The need for Sean Avery

Sean Avery

The start of this still very early NHL season was a rollercoaster ride for one of the most despised players in hockey, Sean Avery of the New York Rangers. On October 4th, 2011, Avery had been waived by the Rangers, due mainly to his lack of offensive production during the preseason and for the fact that New York has an abundance of better talented and younger players than Sean Avery. Upon clearing waivers and not being picked by another team, Avery was subsequently assigned to the Rangers' AHL affiliate the Connecticut Whale. This demotion of Avery irked me at the time, but more on that later.

After an injury was sustained to Rangers tough-guy Mike Rupp, New York felt the need of Avery's services and thus called him back up from Connecticut to join the club. Similar to Rupp, though much less physically imposing, Sean Avery can play rough, in-your-face hockey. Avery was called-up on Halloween (October 31st), and after clearing re-entry waivers he would join New York in time for November 3rd game against the Anaheim Ducks (Avery ended up being a healthy-scratch for the game).

I make no excuses for Sean Avery's
ill-behavior.

I will clearly state that I for one am very happy that Sean Avery is back in the NHL. I am referring to Sean Avery the player not Sean Avery the person, though probably for many there really is no difference. The drama he has created at the expense of his teammates, his coaches, the NHL and the fans is inexcusable and of poor taste. The inappropriate derogatory comments he made about his former girlfriends, the poor remarks he directed towards French-Canadian players, his run-ins with the police, his unecessary behavior directed at fans, etc. - all of it is embarrassing, asinine and has no place in the game of hockey. I make no excuses for Sean Avery on this level and I try to disassociate this behavior with his play on the ice.

Stating that, I think that the New York Rangers, or any NHL team for that matter, need Sean Avery, or "a Sean Avery". There is no questioning the effectiveness of Avery's style of play. Avery is likely the most effective pest and agitator in the game today, and arguably one of the best ever. He gets under the opponents skin with the greatest of ease, and gets their minds out of the game and on Avery instead.

Prime example: Sean Avery's shadowing of superstar Ilya Kovalchuk during the 2007 NHL playoffs when Kovalchuk was still with the Atlanta Thrashers and Avery joined the Rangers in February of that season after a trade from Los Angeles. Kovalchuk, maybe the best pure goal-scorer in the game right now, notched 42-goals that season for Atlanta, but saw himself and the Thrashers eliminated in 4 straight games against the Rangers in the 1st-round of the playoffs. In that series, Kovalchuk was limited to just 1-goal and 1-assist in the 4 games, but registered 19-minutes in penalties; most of which included time in the box for going after Avery who was a thorn in Kovalchuk's side all series long. Sean Avery had shutdown one of the best players in the world and took him completely off of his game. To this day there is still no love lost between Avery and Kovalchuk.

And history has proven time and time again that pests and agitators like Sean Avery can help win Stanley Cups. Perhaps the most prolific champion of all-time amongst pests and agitators is Esa Tikkanen who won five Stanley Cups in his career, four with the Edmonton Oilers and one with the New York Rangers. Tikkanen was notorious for getting under opponents' skin while using his insesent "Tikkanese" talk, Tikkanen's own wild combination of Finnish and English, which was enough to madden the opposition. When another team's player took exception to Tikkanen's play and antics, he would torment them further with the question, "How many Cups you got?", referring to all of the championships he had won while the other player likely had not won any.

Another prime example is the first player to garner the title "The Rat", Kenny Linseman. Since Linseman retired in the early-1990s, that nickname has been used too generously with other pestering players (i.e. Matthew Barnaby) but for longtime hockey enthusiasts Ken Linseman will always be the true "Rat". Linseman also won a Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers in 1984 and appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals on three other separate occasions (1980, 1983, 1988).

Sean Avery has a official rule
nicknamed after him.

And as Tikkanen's and Linseman's names will forever be enscribed upon Lord Stanley's Cup, Avery in his own bizarre way will forever being embedded into the NHL records and annals, particularly the NHL rule book. During the 2008 NHL playoffs when Avery's Rangers squared-off against crosstown rivals the New Jersey Devils, Avery did everything amongst his vast array of annoyances to pester and agitate the Devils players, but especially future hall of fame goaltender, Martin Brodeur. During one contest in the series while the Rangers were on the power play with a two-advantage, Avery, who was already in front of the Devils net screening Brodeur, intentionally turned his back on the play and began to wave his hands and stick in front of Brodeur's face in an effort to distract and exasperate the nerminder. Avery would eventually be the one to score the power-play goal against the Devils later during the sequence. Many felt that Avery's antics were unsportsmanlike and uncalled for. But no one could question their effectiveness, as the Rangers would go onto win the series 4 games to 1. During the traditional handshake between the two teams at the end of the series, Martin Brodeur actually refused to shake Sean Avery's hand.

Though at the time when Avery employed this particular tactic there was not any explicit violation of the rules, many hockey experts still felt that Avery's method of screening was in fact unsportsmanlike and should not be allowed. The day following the game when this took place, the NHL issued an interpretation of the unsportmanlike conduct rules which stated that it was an illegal play for a player to intentionally turn his back on the play while screening a goaltender, and that the player's focus must be directed towards the play at all times. This interpretation of the rules was dubbed "The Sean Avery Rule".

Make no mistake, Avery does possess other talents that coincide with his knack for antagonism. Avery is actually fairly accomplished in winning face-offs. And though his offensive skills have diminished with age, Avery has hit double-digits in goals on four separate occasions, including his highest output of 18-goals during the 2006-07 season, all the while racking up over 1500-penalty-minutes. Sean Avery also has on his career 15-points in 28 playoff games, which is not too shabby for a player who has spent most of his time on the third or fourth-lines. During the same 2008 playoffs aforementioned, Avery registered 7-points in only 8 games. Avery brings more to the table than just spunk and diarrhea of the mouth.

The New York Rangers of 2011-12 are a team leiden with talent. And suffice it to say that perennial pests can play integral roles in highly talented hockey teams becoming champions, as Tikkanen and Linseman did. While already possessing the likes of top-notch talent in Marian Gaborik, Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Callahan, Michael Del Zotto, and the offseason blockbuster acquisition of Brad Richards, the New York Rangers need to blend in various role players that can them a unique advantage over the opposition, the way that agitators and enforcers able to do. There is perhaps no other player in the League more unique than Sean Avery, and he has the capability of playing a role that can change the outcome of a hockey game or series and help his team to win.

An end for Ivanans(?), and the dangers of concussions from fighting.

Raitis Ivanans of the Calgary Flames

Tying into some of my earlier thoughts on the mental and emotional effect on hockey players that concussions cause and exacerbate, I would like to delve a little further into that subject with a particular case that is very current but seems to have drawn little to no attention. The case regards of one of my favorite NHL enforcers, Calgary Flames forward, Raitis Ivanans.

Fighting in hockey. I have seen the pros and cons of it for many years, but I have always considered myself "Pro-Fighting" when it comes to fisticuffs being allowed in the game. I agree with the moniker; "Let the players police the game and themselves". Fighting holds would-be cheap-shot artists accountable for their actions. If you are going to deliver an elbow to the head, or decide to be an idiot and go for a knee-to-knee hit on an opposing player, then you SHOULD have to receive your comeuppance and pay a price for your actions. Hockey can quite often be a game of karma; what goes around comes around. And oftentimes, it does not always seem that time in the penalty-box or a temporary suspension without pay can make up for an underhanded act performed on a player that could forever be a detriment to both their career and their livelihood.

Raitis Ivanans, while with the Los Angeles Kings,
delivering a punch to Aaron Johnson of Calgary

There is the much argued and much maligned fighting instigator-rule. Ennacted in 1992, the rule used to dissuade fighting gives the player who starts the fight an additional 2-minute penalty for instigating, thus potentially putting his team shorthanded.  If the instigator-rule were to be abolished it would ensure that a player, likely a team's enforcer, could exact retribution on the opposing player who committed an offense without the fear of putting his team at a disadvantage for his actions. The guilty party would receive what is coming to him and would likely refrain from committing any further offenses. This would mean that players like Matt Cooke, Patrick Kaleta, Jarkko Ruutu, Sean Avery and Steve Downie, all of whom are widely considered "dirty" players would be held accountable for their actions. Knowing that they would have to tangle with the likes of imposing giants such as George Parros, John Scott, Jody Shelley, Brian McGrattan and Raitis Ivanans would act as a major deterrent for these "dirty" players when having to pay the price for their actions. And in theory, the game would be much "cleaner" and there would be far less instances of long-term and/or career-threatening injuries taking place due to one player intending to do harm to another. Less hits from behind, less overzealous stickwork, less instances intended bodily harm. The players police themselves and keep anyone from getting badly hurt by a cheapshot. Fighting serves a necessary purpose.

I have long agreed with that philosophy, and I know that the players in the game who are inclined to drop the gloves realize the risk involved. They are grown men, they are "big boys", and they know that there is always a chance of serious injury. But when that serious injury actually takes place, and that player not only misses playing time but is also out of work on a long-term basis and has ongoing major health-issues after the initial injury, the question that has to be asked is "was it really worth it?". Was it worth it to go toe-to-toe in order to avenge a violation of the sacred "code of conduct" in a hockey game? So a agitator slashed one of our finesse players - is the act of retribution worth the same price as a concussion that may prevent a player from ever playing the game again? When I look at Raitis Ivanans of the Calgary Flames, I do not know if I can truly justify fighting anymore, at least not to myself.

Strong arms of Raitis Ivanans

Raitis Ivanans is a giant and one of the fiercest and most intimidating enforcers there is. The most recent statistics that I saw on him listed him at 6'4" and weighing 240lbs. He has trimmed down a bit if that is the case, for I remember early in his career he weighed in at 265lbs., and was the heaviest player in the NHL; even heavier than the largest player in the League, Zdeno Chara. Ivanans has arms the size of Redwood tree trunks that look as if he could crush someone's skull with a single squeeze. The sight of him alone would be a major deterrent for most to stay away from doing harm to any one of his teammates. Ivanans is also one of the very few players to ever make it the NHL from the small country of Latvia.

After going undrafted, Ivanans was signed by the Montreal Canadiens where he played but 4-games, perhaps largely due to an injury during the 2005-06 season. In Raitis' very first NHL game, he fought fellow giant Zdeno Chara while Chara was still playing for the Ottawa Senators, and sustained a broken orbital bone after Chara threw a late punch once Ivanans was down. That summer, Ivanans would sign on with the Los Angeles Kings where he has played the bulk of his career. In all, Raitis Ivanans played four full seasons with the Kings, appearing in over 270-games while recording well over 500-penalty-minutes. Ivanans garnered (though it would not be that difficult for him to do so, due to size alone) a reputation as one of the most feared enforcers in the NHL.

Ivanans fighting Steve MacIntyre.
This is the fight that gave him
a severe concussion.

In the summer of 2010, Ivanans would leave Los Angeles for the Western Conference rival Calgary Flames, after signing a new 2-year contract. To this day, Ivanans has only played one single game as a Flame. I remember watching that very game and have not forgotten it. My wife and I were on honeymoon in Montreal in early October 2010, right at the start of hockey season. After a day of sightseeing, we returned to the hotel and I put a hockey game on the television. The game happened to be another "Battle of Alberta", as provincial rivals the Edmonton Oilers and Ivanans' Calgary Flames were playing each other. In the third-period, Ivanans squared-off with the Oilers' giant, Steve MacIntyre, who is listed even somewhat larger than Ivanans, at 6'5" and 250lbs. I was actually quite excited to see these two heavyweights drop the gloves. That was until the fight got underway. MacIntyre certainly got the better of the fight by landing about seven straight shots to the left-side Ivanans' face, while Raitis got only a few shots in. Seven hard shots to the face may have done a fair amount of damage in and of themselves, but it was the eighth punch that was the most damaging and most horrific to see. When MacIntyre caught him with that eighth and final haymaker, Ivanans slumped to the ice immediately. The first thought through my mind was, "Oh no, this is bad. He is in trouble". I think that everyone watching the game realized it as well, and the announcers duly noted it too, as medical training personnel hurried to assist Ivanans on the ice. Ivanans was practically knocked cold and badly concussed.

That was the last game that Ivanans has played in the NHL, as he has been out for over a year making efforts to recover from a debilitating concussion which was a direct result of the fight with MacIntyre. At 32-years of age, Ivanans isn't getting any younger, and he hasn't played for more than half of his 2-year contract with the Flames which is scheduled to run out at the end of this season. I can only imagine the large amount of frustration and stress that a longterm injury such as this must be putting on Ivanans. Recovering from a concussion is a lengthy process that has no definitive end of recovery time. There are good days and bad days of the symptoms involved (i.e. sensitivity to light, depression, irritability, headaches, etc.), not to mention the sense of not being able to work and competing with your teammates. It is my fear that Ivanans could never fully return from this injury in being the same player that he once was, and even a worse fear should he fall into the same struggles that afflicted fellow tough-guys Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak and Rick Rypien.

Raitis Ivanans

However, there is some very bright news which came about just recently on 10/20, as it was announced that Calgary had assigned Ivanans to their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. Even better was the fact that Ivanans was able to play in his first hockey in over a year and already has a couple of games under his belt with the Heat, after a long, long recovery from his concussion. Regardless of this excellent news, who is to say that Ivanans' playing career and life will ever truly be the same, and whether or not he will ever make it back into the NHL. One concussion, especially a serious one, usually makes a player more prone to additional concussions down the road. And not being a skilled player makes Ivanans' role with a hockey club extremely limited. It is inspiring to see that Ivanans is moving forward and returning to the game, but has the concussion gotten the better of him and has it already made a lasting imprint and done its damage? For Raitis Ivanans sake, it is my sincere hope that with all of the recent attention to concussions and the emotional and mental strain that they can cause, that he will have all of the assistance and support he needs in returning to hockey permanently.