Halloween horrors are here before there is any frost on the pumpkins. This new edition of the NY Rangers is starting off the 2017-18 season by scaring the bejesus out of their fans. Twelve goals allowed in two games is horrible hockey. The Toronto game, an 8-5 loss, was a massive scream fest, for anyone, who could stomach the entire debacle. Who was that guy wearing the Lundqvist git-up?
Sean over at the Blue Collar Blueshirts blog pounces on the debate that looks to rage on all season: is the 35-year-old Lundqvist finished? Has the King fallen off his throne as hockey royalty, are the Rangers now crippled by carrying an expensive has-been goalie? Forget the sorry defense guarding the King. Lundqvist looks to be out there all by himself this year, and sadly the King has no clothes. Where are you, Dan Girardi?
Sean at BlueCollarBlueShirts writes:
By now, many of you know me as the guy who predicted the demise of Lundswiss. I’ve been saying it for the last three years. I wanted to keep Talbot. I wanted to keep Raanta. However, the Rangers have this insane idea, that no matter what they do, this will be the year that the “bedrock” of the franchise, in Henrik Lundwiss, will take this team to a Cup. That is fantasy and not reality.
Listen, many young fans will argue with me all day long, even after Lundswiss gets pulled after giving up five goals in one period (not the first time) like he did tonight. I was young once too. I remember how heartbroken I was when Don Mattingly was at the end. I have also told you my stories of being absolutely furious when Graves and Leetch were jettisoned out of NY. However, you need to leave the Lundswiss bubble and try to think what’s the best for the front of the jersey and not about an overrated and overpaid goalie.
The name calling is a little extreme, Lundqvist has earned a little respect, but all our hockey heroes are human. And right now we are very afraid for our hero, Hank. Can Lundqvist remain a top goaltender, and can he carry the team up Mount Stanley? The Shakespearean-like drama of King Henrik is going into its final act and it will be fascinating to watch.
Speaking of great literature, one of our other hockey heroes will be coming out with a tell-all book later this month. Sean Avery teamed up with writer Michael McKinley for Ice Capades - A Memoir of Fast Living and Tough Hockey. Plus, he's fired up the old Owen Sound bus for a grand little book tour.
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| Sean Avery book tour for "Ice Capades" |
“Tortorella has a reputation as a hard-ass, but not if you know him as a player. We used to laugh at him all the time. There was always someone in the dressing room who wanted to take their skate and decapitate him or take their stick and whack him over the head with it. Marion Gaborik despised him with every bone in his body. Even Hank Lundqvist, an even-keeled Swede who was usually in his own world, thought Tortorella was a terrible manager of pro athletes. And he can’t skate and stickhandle a puck at the same time, and he doesn’t realize we don’t take him seriously because of that.”
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| Sean Avery and Mike Savino at the Ranger Pundit's 80th Birthday Party December 2010 |
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