Friday, October 10, 2008

Another Opening, Another Show

I believe that song is from a Broadway show but I can't remember which one. Would you believe that another hockey season is upon us. It will be the Rangers 83rd season and my 71st. My, time flies when you are having fun. The Rangers won two Cups in the 12 years prior to me becoming a fan and only two in the years I have been a fan. So maybe the kids are right. I am the problem.

So what kind of a season will we have? How the hell should I know. Hey Pundit, Pundits are supposed to know these things. You want predictions, listen to Stan "The Maven" Fischler who has predicted Cups for the Rangers for the last three years. It must be in the contract. This season promises to be more of the same. Great expectations, low results or low expectations and great results.

One thing this year I can predict. It will be different. A new Captain that is truly a Captain. A lot of new faces that could prove exciting or could flop. Can Chris Drury really lead the Rangers, along with his sidekick Gomez, to the promised land? Will Markus Nasland and Wade Redden resurrect their careers in Blueshirts? Can hotshot Nikolai Zherdev actually become a hotshot and raise the Garden rafters? Will Laui Korpikoski become this years Dubinsky who we hope will be even better than last year. And what of Staal, Dawes and Callahan? Will they continue to improve? Will Henrik Lundqvist knees hold up? Can the team overcome the cluelessness of the coaching staff?

We ask these type questions every year and do they matter? What matters is that hockey is back and there is no better competitive sport in the whole world and I will be there tonight with my two sons and my grandson and folks that is priceless. Let's Go Rangers!!



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3 comments:

  • Anonymous said...
     

    Mike,

    You are right about the things a Rangers fan looks at going into the new year. There is one thing you missed - and if you think about it the fact you did is telling.

    You did not mention Prucha. My guess is this was prophetic. I assume he will be somewhere else and Shanny will be back.

    335

  • mike said...
     

    section 335-You are right my friend. I firmly believe that the first chance they get he is gone. What a shame. A young talent under a clueless coaching staff.

  • Anonymous said...
     

    Here is my observation about Prucha. He does not fit on the Rangers because we have a non-physical team with a non-physical coach. He is small, and other teams take runs at him. No one defends him.

    When he had Jagr or Shanny on the ice with him, he was exceptional.

    Put him in Dallas or Philly and he gets 30 goals.

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