2008 NYR Thread

[DarkStar50 679]

i havent really heard much about m.staal this year. he doing any good?

Marc Staal has made subtle improvements in his NHL game each night this season. You can watch him once and say so what's the big deal? I wouldn't be surprised if that was a one game scouting report. However, take the body of work by Marc Staal since opening night and this kid is on his way. I am not awarding the Norris Trophy to him but he thinks the game on the ice and he sees the game on the ice. He is incredibly inauspicious when he is out there. I do not see a lot of flash which would only get him in trouble. He is playing a steady positional game which is limiting his chances at making mistakes. Lately he has started to jump into the play when he sees the right opportunity. I have not seen him do this when the opportunity wasn't there. That is a tremendous difference in the game I see emerging from Marc Staal.

[#96 0]

I'm sorry but this is totally ridiculous...

Belak rejects the notion making the rounds that there is no difference between Tucker and Avery.

"Darcy's an agitator but he doesn't say the type of personal stuff about your family that Avery does," Belak said. "It's ridiculous. If (Avery) ever starts chirping about my family like that, he'll get a stick over the head."

If Belak can't handle a your momma joke or some heavy ribbing about his ugly ass wife and kids and is willing to risk a year long suspension from the league after he clubs Avery over the head—he's a complete moron. Seriously... what a whiny little grade schooler. Now I can officially lump this guy in with Luongo as a player with infinitely more ability then brains.

Yeah, I thought that was a little over-the-top as well. Jay, we finally agree on something. Doesn't it feel good? Let's embrace the moment, until Jags does something to spur another rant from yours truly.

I've been impressed with Staal and think he's slid right into the roster pretty well. He doesn't do too many flashy things, but for a defenseman, not getting noticed and just going about your business can be a good thing. I see a kid that wants to jump in a bit, but doesn't quite have the green light yet. He shows moments where he does, and you know what, I like it. He's big, he's strong, he can pitch in. He's no Lidstrom by any means, but if he gets a little more settled back there, I don't have a problem with it.

I've actually been impressed with all the call-ups to the roster. Dubi, Dawsey, Callahan and Staal. Cally got the call last season and did well, but I did not think the other guys were ready. They're ready now. I still don't know about Dubi as 1st line center for Jags, but I think once Straka gets back, that is going to change in a hurry anyway.

[halfmoonyote 0]

The only thing I can say about Sean Avery is that he wishes he was Shane Doan.

Avery is a sniveling little BITCH. When he was with the Kings, he manufactured this strange, personal rivalry with Shane Doan. But there a few things wrong with Avery's thought process, and why it didn't work:

1.) Sean Avery will never have the class of Doaner in ONE MILLION lifetimes.

2.) Sean Avery will never have the skill of Doaner in TWO MILLION lifetimes.

3.) Sean Avery will never have the heart or balls of Doaner - EVER. In fact, I don't think Sean Avery even has a set.

3.) Shane Doan would beat the living shit out of Sean Avery in any lifetime, so Avery is begging.

4.) Sean Avery pretty much sucks at life.

Anything I missed?

[DarkStar50 679]

"Not a damn thing, coach."

Joe Spilewski, 1960 Athlete of the Decade, Bergen County, NJ

Now, tell us how you really feel.

[jestrs 0]

I agree withDarkStar50's assement about Staal.

I think he has done a great job as twenty year old defense man. He makes smart decisions and plays a strong positional game. He might not become a superstar, but he will be a solid top four D-man.

[camhockey16 5]

avery has a fair amount of talent - it's a shame he doesn't to better use

i'm fine with people trash talking - in fact it's quite funny and sometimes motivating - but I agree there should be certain things that are off limits - avery just does't know when to stop

i'd be curious to know which ranger was disgusted at what avery said - if i had to guess i would pick shanahan since he is a veteran that is fairly respectable with regards to other players.

[Hidious 0]

I just moved here from the locked thread because i'm still shocked about what i read. I was totally ok with avery talking shit and starting trouble everywhere, i could tolerate one or two cheapshots from time to time but now, that leukemia story makes me wish cancer to this asshole. I haven't really verified the sources, i don't know if he really said it but if, just if it's true.....man.

[Krev 86]

Matter of time before Avery gets whats coming to him. After all this Blake drama, someone's going to snap, and not too many people are going to care about Avery's condition.

[KingPest19 0]

What gets me is that everyone is coming down on Avery with no proof whatsoever. You have a Toronto radio guy and his unidentified radio source. You have Toronto players saying something was said about family. You have Avery preparing to file a libel suit and according to a Rangers Blog Shanny and Jagr denying anything was said with Shanny going as far as to say both Tucker and Blake have denied it was about Blakes cancer. And Jagr sayingthat noone on the team would comment like that to a reporter.

To me Shanny denying that anything was about Blake and cancer speaks volumes. Thats one of the most respected guys in the league standing up for Avery. Everyone is so quick to bury the guy without a shred of evidence while ignoring all other things.

[Theo 1]

Shane Corson is Tucker's relative. Was something said about him, perhaps?

Lots of interesting quotes:

Sean Avery is preparing to file a libel charge against a Toronto radio personality who reported yesterday that Saturday's pregame skirmish between the Rangers' winger and the Maple Leafs' Darcy Tucker was incited by Avery referring to Jason Blake's cancer condition, The Post has learned.

Advised by his attorney to decline public comment, Avery has privately denied the charge as broadcast by Howard Berger over The Fan 590.

Shanahan vehemently denied that the Rangers' superpest said anything about Jason Blake's illness, noting that Blake himself and Darcy Tucker confirmed that. Jaromir Jagr denied that anyone in the Rangers' dressing room would have ever said anything like that to the Toronto radio reporter who first floated the story and who may have to face legal action by Avery

Just heard Berger on the radio

Pretty sure cancer was not brought up

the hosts, one being Kyperos, called him out on it and he seemed to be walking backwards

Kyperos said that Avery did say other things but not Cancer, as what he wa told by players.

Berger just kept saying "well we are talking to different people"...he still stands by the story though

Berger said his source (ranger player) did not like Avery to begin with but that ranger player didnt hear him say it either

He said he released the story cause it seemed everyone had the same scoop, but now they are all saying they got the scoop from him

The onus is on berger to prove his source, as a Ranger friend tells me

[KingPest19 0]

Shane Corson is Tucker's relative. Was something said about him, perhaps?

Who knows but it seems to appear that everything is starting to point towards a family comment and not a cancer comment.

[Theo 1]

Shane Corson is Tucker's relative. Was something said about him, perhaps?

Who knows but it seems to appear that everything is starting to point towards a family comment and not a cancer comment.

I think this got blown out of porportion to insane levels, but I can't wait to see the outcome. Like I said, nothing would surprise me in terms of what he said, but if he indeed did say something about a Corson and didn't touch Blake's cancer,...Well, quite a few people are going to look bad and #1 on that list is hamburger from fan 590

[KingPest19 0]

Shane Corson is Tucker's relative. Was something said about him, perhaps?

Who knows but it seems to appear that everything is starting to point towards a family comment and not a cancer comment.

I think this got blown out of porportion to insane levels, but I can't wait to see the outcome. Like I said, nothing would surprise me in terms of what he said, but if he indeed did say something about a Corson and didn't touch Blake's cancer,...Well, quite a few people are going to look bad and #1 on that list is hamburger from fan 590

Im not even thinking anything was said about Corson. Most likely something was said about Tuckers wife and he let it get to him. Apparently Berger was on the radio this morning and backpedaling. Said something to the effect that the unidentified player never liked Avery but that suppsoedly he never even talked to the player. This looks to be turning into a big mess.

[Chadd 916]

Let me get this straight;

It's not OK for Toronto fans to speculate on what was said, but it is OK for Ranger fans to speculate on what wasn't said? I believe the term for that is hypocrite.

2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

http://m-w.com/dictionary/hypocrite

[Krev 86]

Bottom line, dropping this most recent topic of choice, is that Avery will eventually get his ass handed to him.

[KingPest19 0]

Let me get this straight;

It's not OK for Toronto fans to speculate on what was said, but it is OK for Ranger fans to speculate on what wasn't said? I believe the term for that is hypocrite.

2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

http://m-w.com/dictionary/hypocrite

Chadd the big problem here is that everyone was going off a quote from a radio guy with no other source. Avery came out and said he said something about Tucker and family , Tucker said something about family as well and Belak made his dumb ass remarks using family too. Blake hasnt commented at all on the subject and Maurice stated he had no problem with Averys antics. And now with Shanny and Jagr both coming out and defending Avery its seeming more and more like Bergers reporting was false.

Most Ranger fans Ive talked to will agree that Avery said something but were waiting to pass judgement based on what those remarks were. Theyve said that if he did indeed say something about Blake and him having cancer then he did cross the line and needed to be punished. Their big concern was that this quote apparently come an inidentified Ranger while speaking to a Toronto radio guy.

[camhockey16 5]

What gets me is that everyone is coming down on Avery with no proof whatsoever. You have a Toronto radio guy and his unidentified radio source. You have Toronto players saying something was said about family. You have Avery preparing to file a libel suit and according to a Rangers Blog Shanny and Jagr denying anything was said with Shanny going as far as to say both Tucker and Blake have denied it was about Blakes cancer. And Jagr sayingthat noone on the team would comment like that to a reporter.

To me Shanny denying that anything was about Blake and cancer speaks volumes. Thats one of the most respected guys in the league standing up for Avery. Everyone is so quick to bury the guy without a shred of evidence while ignoring all other things.

I think people are quick to come down on him because he is generally disliked by alot of people and not well respected. At this point the details are just now coming out - so what else can we talk about other than the speculation we have heard? I would love to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he is innocent until proven guilty - but he doesn't exactly have the cleanest track record.

[KingPest19 0]

What gets me is that everyone is coming down on Avery with no proof whatsoever. You have a Toronto radio guy and his unidentified radio source. You have Toronto players saying something was said about family. You have Avery preparing to file a libel suit and according to a Rangers Blog Shanny and Jagr denying anything was said with Shanny going as far as to say both Tucker and Blake have denied it was about Blakes cancer. And Jagr sayingthat noone on the team would comment like that to a reporter.

To me Shanny denying that anything was about Blake and cancer speaks volumes. Thats one of the most respected guys in the league standing up for Avery. Everyone is so quick to bury the guy without a shred of evidence while ignoring all other things.

I think people are quick to come down on him because he is generally disliked by alot of people and not well respected. At this point the details are just now coming out - so what else can we talk about other than the speculation we have heard? I would love to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he is innocent until proven guilty - but he doesn't exactly have the cleanest track record.

I agree his prior track record works against him. Hes not an angel thats for sure. What bother's alot of people about this is that is was one reporter who used a quote from an unidentified ranger player. The only reporter to do so. Avery admitted to saying something about Tucker. Blake never made a comment at all. Maurice after the game said he had no problems with Averys antics. Belak said something about family. All quotes pointed away from cancer yet everyone ran with it like it was a set in stone truth. Based on one unsubstantiated source.

[kosydar 0]

I easily have the most respect for Shanny on that Rangers team, but watch the video, he is no where near Avery.

[KingPest19 0]

I easily have the most respect for Shanny on that Rangers team, but watch the video, he is no where near Avery.

According to a Rangers blog , at practice this morning Shanny vehemently denied Avery said anything and that both Tucker and Blake had confirmed to him that it had nothing to do with Blake having cancer. If thats true then it just completely destroys Berger and his quote.

[kosydar 0]

I don't get what the big deal about Berger is. Granted I don't live in Toronto and get any of his stuff, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone refer to him as reliable. He works for Hockeybuzz, enough said.

[KingPest19 0]

I don't get what the big deal about Berger is. Granted I don't live in Toronto and get any of his stuff, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone refer to him as reliable. He works for Hockeybuzz, enough said.

Neither do I. Hes the one that brought the cancer being used up and then quoted an unidentified ranger player as the source. On another board there are people defending him like theres no tomorrow. Saying hed have no reason to make it up and why would he risk his career etc. Yet its appearing that a) he fabricated the quote or B) that a Rangers player pulled the wool over his eyes.

[kosydar 0]

To be fair I suggested that he made a cancer remark, and I didn't even need an unnamed Rangers source. Call it speculation, but it just makes sense.

[Jordan 13]

Why is a blog a more reliable source than a reporter's source from the Rangers ?

[KingPest19 0]

Why is a blog a more reliable source than a reporter's source from the Rangers ?

When it quotes a Rangers player by name at a practice facility rather than an unidentified source whats more believable? And with Berger on the radio this morning apparently backpedaling and changing his story this whole mess gets even better. If Berger truly did say on the radio that this unidentified Ranger didnt like Avery but didnt hear him make the remarks about Blake what does that say about Bergers integrity?

Avery never denied talking trash. He admitted to that , what he denied was what Berger reported with no other confirmation.