The Epic Saga

No, not Twilight. It's the Peter Forsberg saga, and it's not over.

Earlier today, Terry Frei of The Denver Post tweeted that the Avalanche would be making an announcement about Peter Forsberg. So, silly me, I think that Forsberg is announcing that he is finally hanging 'em up.

I should know better, I really should.

The headline, from The Denver Post: Forsberg to skate with Avs, mulls possible comeback

I realize that I'm at risk of losing my Avaholic card over what I'm about to say, but ... really?

Over the last few years, we've seen a two-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Calder, Hart, and Art Ross trophy winner go from being one of the elite, most sought after players in the NHL, to a guy riddled with the same foot injury that has either crippled a comeback or made a comeback impractical. He hasn't played at all for MODO in the Swedish Elite League at all this year, but he wants to measure where he is physically against the likes of professional NHL players, not only much younger than he is, but who are also at their prime.

As an Avalanche fan, these repeated, failed comeback attempts sadden me. They really do. It's a shame that when Peter does finally hang up his skates, he won't necessarily be known for his shootout winner in the 1994 Lillehammer games, or for how he made splitting an opponent's defense look effortless, or how when he had a point, the Avalanche were almost guaranteed a win.

But as an Avalanche fan, who has been with the team through the best and the worst of times, I don't want to keep looking to the past for answers. While Adam Foote is the current link to the past, present, and future of the Avalanche, the glory days from the mid 90s to the early 2000s are gone, and in their place we have a young, exciting, upstart team with a "Why not us" mentality, and I just don't see where Peter Forsberg fits into that.

I can't imagine being in Forsberg's place, where your heart says yes and your body says no. It can't be easy for any athlete. But others, like Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman, made that difficult decision because they could no longer physically play at the level they expected.

I wish Peter the best, I do, and if it works out, it works out. But I have to be a realist when I say that Forsberg doesn't have it in him to skate with and compete with this younger, faster NHL. Not with his injury history.

News and Notes

The all star captains have been named: Lidstrom and E. Staal. While I'm ok with the nod to Lidstrom based on oh I don't know his whole career, but Staal? Had this event been anywhere else, Staal isn't even in the running.

Which sort of leads nicely into this next bit of news. There is a story going around that Sid Crosby will sit out of the all star game in protest of the head shots. Look, I love Sid but he's vanilla. He's not going to sit out. Period. He'll go and if he can't play, he'll make nice just like he did in Montreal. He's the NHL corporate boy. He knows his role (plus he was voted in. He's bright enough to know that fans want to see him there; he will not disappoint). However I wonder if that rumor had anything to do with Crosby not being named one of the captains.

Or is the league *gasp* trying to expose other players? Say it's not so! What will all the haters do when Sid and Ovie are not "shoved down their throats"?

The Panthers coasted to a 2-0 lead over Atlanta only to watch the Thrash score two goals in the last two minutes of the game to push it to a shootout. Atlanta won. Florida is finding new and creative ways to lose games. If there is a case study in contraction, may I give you exhibit A.

Finally there are game on TV tonight that I actually care about. Granted I won't be able to see two of them (the wings play the pens so that will be blacked out and the Buffalo v Montreal game is on Versus) so that leaves me Colorado and Vancouver. Starting at 9 my time. Stupid time zones. My dog Max is a patient sort of guy but he won't wait that long for an end of the game potty break.

Good news, and bad news

So we have good news and bad news.

The good news: Ryan O'Reilly will only be out a couple of weeks for the Avs, with his shoulder injury not requiring surgery. (Mike Chambers' article can be found at the Denver Post's website here.)

The bad news: Ryan O'Reilly will be out a couple of weeks for the Avs.

Why is this bad? Because O'Reilly is staple on the Avalanche penalty kill, and I shudder to think how bad it can get without O'Reilly. It's already not the greatest.

More good news - Jonathan Toews scored career goal number 100 tonight against the Preds. 100 goals in 266 career NHL games ain't too shabby. Congrats Captain Serious.

Two more things

1. I buried Megan's post about the Avs...please read it.
2. Good on Columbus for getting their general shit together and pulling out a shootout after their fans pledged over 5 grand for charity if they won. The jackets will match. The team put it on their white board last night as incentive/motivation.



There is a bit more information and details on how this all got started here

Maybe the jackets need to be bribed to win games? Ron Wilson approves.

Here is what I just don't get

Toronto's Mike Brown was suspended for hitting Jovo in a game against Phoenix. Why? A blind side hit. In the play, there are a few players going for the puck (this is important actually). Brown comes in and delivers a wicked hit to Jovo in a way of getting in his way. Ok, the hit wasn't clean, fine. There was no penalty called although I'm thinking a case for at least interference could have been made. But no call was made and ok we go from there. But, to me, the key is, they were going for the puck. There was a reason for the contact

Lets jump into our way back machine and travel to January 1st. Sidney Crosby is behind the play when he was clocked by Dave Steckel. The puck was no where near him at the time of the hit.

Rule 48.1 reads as follows:

Illegal Check to the Head - A lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact is not permitted.

There was no reason for the Steckel hit. I'm not going to say he is dirty because I think it's far from that. However, it wasn't like two guys coming together for the puck. Stecks delivered a "lateral or blind side hit" to an opponent whose head was "the principle point of contact". I youtubed the clip again to make sure I wasn't talking fangirl shit. You can see it here. Please go take a look and tell me Sid's head didn't take the brunt of the contact.

Now, would league discipline have prevented Sid from getting hurt? No, but still. Maybe this is just a rant from someone who is tired of seeing # 87 out of the line up. Again.

Ouchie

Wow, scary second period for the Avs in Minny tonight when Ryan O'Reilly lost an edge and went awkwardly into the boards, head and neck first. He was taken off on a stretcher and then to the hospital for precautionary reasons, and he's moving his extremities, so very, very good news from the Avs' camp.

And I'm throwing this out there because, well, it's true. The Avalanche were stupid to let Andrew Brunette walk away. He kills penalties, works down low, and has been a general thorn in the Avalanche's side since he went back to Minnesota. There have been a lot of guys come and go, either by free agency or trade, but Andrew Brunette is the one I wish was still in the burgundy and blue. (And as I wrote this, Brunette scored to make it 3-1 Avalanche in the third, further proving my point).

Let's talk about sights for sore eyes: both Chris Stewart and Cody McLeod returned to the Avs' lineup tonight, and man, have they made a difference. They've given the Avalanche what they have been seriously lacking over the past few weeks - energy. The Avalanche are young and exciting, yes. But it's those times where the game just sort of plateaus where Stewie and Cody Mac can liven things up.

Alright, I need a little fantasy help: I have one roster spot open for tomorrow, my utility spot. So who do I play? Grabovski or Tanguay?

It's Friday.....ooh and a three day weekend

You know, I work as a government lackey and while there are not many perks in my line of work, Federal holidays are. WOOOT.

I am an avid reader of Puck Daddy over at yahoo and there are days when I find gems. The Jersey Fouls can easily go into my top ten favorite reads of a week. Not just for the photos but for the words that describe them.

Total, unmitigated, without-a-second-thought PASS. If only because we're pretty sure this guy is going to die with his sneakers on, in a room of other cult followers while a comet passes overhead one day ...

That was said about some oddball Kings Poncho style....thing. I laughed out loud.

I feel like hockey tonight:

Vancouver v Washington - ugh, can't they both lose?

Detroit v Columbus - fans have put "money on the boards" for their favorite charities if Columbus gets a win tonight. Good luck on that.

New Jersey v Tampa Bay - most. boring. game. of. the. night.

Philadelphia v Atlanta - rumor has it Pronger is back. Hide the children.

Calgary v Ottawa - I'd watch but that would involve watching Ottawa.

Colorado v Minnesota - I'll catch this one when I get home (lets hear it for the gamecenter dvr feature!). If Minny plays Colorado like they played the Pens the other night, I might have to make this the most boring game of the night instead.

Speaking of Columbus (No, really, I did, up there).... there has been some general bitching about why Rick Nash doesn't call more penalties. Nash, who personally I wish could be moved to a better team, is a big dude. I've seen him in person and you really don't get the impression he's that big on the ice (which I can't explain because on ice he should look BIGGER). He's also a big dude with gobs of talent and decent speed. So why isn't he getting the calls? Because he's Rick Nash that's why. He's quiet and doesn't bitch much to the refs... not that I condone it but I gotta think it makes a difference. The old adage of squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Maybe the squeak/cranky player gets the calls? For what ever reason, Ricky will still take the abuse and not get the calls. That is, until he's out of Ohio.

Also on Columbus: I can't put a rational meaning behind this but it tickles me to no end that Mike Commordore has cleared waivers and is in the AHL. I used to really like him but it seems that he's been a problem for Columbus from damn near day one. The GM was quoted as saying something about [very paraphrased] they look at the whole player, how he is on the ice and off the ice and in the room and we made our decision based on that. To me that screams a diplomatic way of saying Commie was a cancer type in the room. So be it.

Holy cow! The sabres won! Ok, that's not nice but you know what? I blame a certain goaltender's recent announcement for ALL OF IT. Derek Roy has nothing to do with their downfall (ok, missing your leading scorer and having to depend on the likes of Tim Connley will not get you wins but still). Crunchy, you know what I mean.