May 12, 2008
The Bigger Fool
  

While they got to the second round due in part by the apparent gypsy hex they have on the New Jersey Devils, their five game defeat by the Pittsburgh Penguins showcased all the gaps that makes them a middle of the pack team despite a roster with very recognizable names.

The Penguins exposed them as too slow, too old and not defensive minded enough to be thought as a serious contender for a championship and as they break for summer vacation, it’s likely that the 2008-09 roster will be little resemblance to the one that was vanquished by Sid, Gino and the Steel Town crew.

One area where there is stability is between the pipes; Henrik Lundqvist was responsible for not making the second round a sweep. He outplayed his counterpart, Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury, but the team in front of him offered little protection and less offense to carry the Rangers to a Conference Final.

And how about those forwards?

Biggest and baddest name in the bunch was Jaromir Jagr, a salary cap bargain due to smart dealing by President/BM Glen Sather at the time of his acquisition from the Caps.

While Sather was happy to take a game changing player off Washington’s hands and DC wasn’t sorry to see him go, the fact that Jagr couldn’t produce at contractual requirements to stave off automatic free agency is a sign of an irreversible decline.
 

But at 39, Shanahan faded worse than a pineapple left in the desert during the second half of the season and to bring him back again at age 40 doesn’t make this team better next season.

So while these two moves are both mandatory and carry good hockey common sense, there’s a third player whose impending free agency and its outcome that could adversely affect the Rangers for next season and beyond. You know who I’m taking about, my most favorite target and least favorite NHL player, Sean Avery.

No one likes to see a player injured regardless of your personal feelings, so publicly I will say that I’m glad Avery recovered from a bruised spleen that saw him miss the second round.

Privately, my thoughts are probably the same as 99% of the people that come across Avery’s path and we’ll leave it at that.

Give the guy credit; he’s bamboozled the Rangers’ faithful into thinking that he is a game changing, impact player. Forgive me; I don’t see the logic in how significant a contribution a forward makes who has never scored more than 15 goals in his career.

Maybe if you define “significance” as having the NHL make unprecedented rule changes in the course of the Stanley Cup playoffs, I guess so.

Avery had the good fortune of Shanahan having his back all season (who would have thought?) but with the impending departure of the Hall of Fame winger, there’s no one in the room that will come to the aid of “Puppy” once he starts with his nonsense.

Don’t get me wrong, Avery’s no dope; he’s won the hearts of the fans and has said all the right things. But he did the same in Detroit and Los Angeles and since leopards never change their spots, it’s only a matter of time before he wears out his welcome in the Big Apple.

Given the intense media pressure in New York, as things go south Avery will yearn for those less caustic times at the Joe and Casa del Staples.

Rangers’ management will certainly feel the heat to extend him a multi-year deal (maybe $10 million over 3 years) but if they were really smart, wouldn’t they wait to see what other offers come down the pike for him? The worst thing an organization can do in the era of a salary cap is to bid against themselves and I’m thinking that’s what would happen come July 1.

MORE AND MORE EMAILS...

Based on the popularity of the Round 1 emails I received there were even more as the second round started. Some were sent directly, others were intercepted:
 

Sean,

I was the first guy to send roses when I heard about the spleen. OK, they were dead ones, but still.

Sincerely,
Marty B in NJ

Dennis,

Maybe I’m really not the smartest man in hockey. If I was, my team never would have been down 3-0 to begin with. Do you know of any other coaching vacancies?

Hopefully,
Ron Wilson
Already missing the Bay

Dear Hollywood Person,

Can’t blame me. I skated real fast because my skates finally fit! I think I’ll ask Doug Wilson for a raise.

See you on Best Damn Sports Show,
JR
SJ

DB,

What the heck are all these FOR SALE signs doing in my front yard?

Wondering,
An unproductive Patrick Marleau

D Bern,

Maybe they name a new sandwich after me at Pat’s or Geno’s in South Philly after that last round, eh?

Hungering,
R.J. Umberger
Home of the Cheesesteaks.

Dear American Hockey Person,

We know, fourteen years and counting.

Crestfallen,
Canada

Dennis B,

Yep, shoulda stayed in Sweden. I warned the Avs but they saw how much money the Eagles made on their Reunion Tour and thought it would translate to hockey.

Painfully,
Oft Injured Peter F

Dennis!

Wasn’t I awesome in the last round?? Think maybe your jokes about my lack of performance in the playoffs might stop? I know I’ve never won in Detroit but you didn’t even think I’d be here did you?

See you in the next round,
Marty Turco
Stars in his eyes.

Monsieur Bernstein,

We really don’t see why Canada was so Cup Crazy. We had a kid and a guy named Halak in the net and our defense hasn’t made anyone forget Serge, Big Bird and Guy.

Au revoir,
Les Habs

Dennis,

Can’t win ‘em all. Would be embarrassing to the rest of the league if we did. Didn’t know Penguins could fly so high did you?

Best regards,
The Pittsburgh Franchise
 

Sir Dennis,

So much for your trade deadline comments about me not being a closer.

Sincerely,
Maid Marian Hossa

Dennis,

Wow, there really IS pressure in TO! Think I’m a better candidate for an opening than Ron Wilson? I’m much better looking and articulate, you know. Too bad Cliff didn’t give me a team to work with.

Calm, cool and collected,
Paul Maurice
 

Dennis Bernstein, the man behind SCORE! Media, is a columnist for TheFourthPeriod.com and the Los Angeles Correspondent for The Fourth Period Magazine.