After commending the NHL for not competing with the NFLover ratings on Sundays, I have to say that I don’t understand what the league is doing with the rest of its opening week schedule. Last night, for example, the league only scheduled one game. One game! It was a Tuesday night, with the only prospective competition being MLB playoffs (Although baseball’s first round ended Monday, the NHL television schedule is completed mid-summer). While I realize that MLB playoffs garner much attention, Tuesday is a day without NFL or college football. Additionally, the NBA has not even started its regular season action. For some reason, the NHL decides that one game on a Tuesday and twelve games on a Wednesday makes more sense than six games each night? If MLB playoffs were the reason for the light Tuesday night schedule, then how does one explain twelve games the next night, where MLB, in theory, could have been playing the latter games of a 1st round playoff matchup. If the league expects to succeed in the United States then it just cannot have one game on Versus on a Tuesday, between non-draws like Carolina and Toronto. It’s as simple as that.
On to the morning papers:
- After losing to Washington over the weekend, the Hurricanes looked like an entirely different team Tuesday night handing the Leafs an embarrassing 7-1 defeat. Cam Ward exacted his revenge on the Leafs after they embarrassed him last season with 4 goals on 19 shots in late March.
- Damien Cox of the Toronto Star says the Leafs have already hit rock bottom and it’s not even Halloween yet. Mats Sundin called the Leafs’ effort “unacceptable.” Coach Paul Maurice said all the Leafs were poor across the board.
- Jason Blake is going to fight his cancer head-on with determination he has demonstrated his entire life. Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun has a must-read article on the inspiration that Jason Blake will provide to many in his fight against cancer.
- Paul Ranger has become a horse on the Lightning blue line with the loss of Dan Boyle writes Erik Erlendsson in this morning’s Tampa Tribune.
- A real sellout is expected for the Blues’ home opener tonight; instead of last season’s ticket giveaway, this year the tickets have actually been purchased. Paul Kariya faces off versus his former Predator teammates for the first time since signing with the Blues this off-season.
- As David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News explains, it appears that Sharks’ coach Ron Wilson has reverted back to his old lines for tonight’s game against the Blackhawks.
- Brooks Orpik has the tough task of shutting down Saku Koivu tonight as the Penguins take on the Habs. Even with lingering foot pain, Sidney Crosby is not going to pass up the chance to face the Canadiens who were his favorite team growing up.
- Keith Ballard is doing a great job of demonstrating why he is one of Wayne Gretzky’s favorites in Phoenix. Coach Gretzky thinks newest Coyote Freddy Meyer fits into the team well because he adds speed and energy.
- After all their team building, the Flyers get a chance to get back on the ice tonight when they face off against the Canucks at GM Place.
- As Alan Panzeri tells us in this morning’s Ottawa Citizen, Martin Gerber’s new mask has arrived, freshly painted, however the Swiss netminder doesn’t think he is going to put it to immediate use because of the team’s success when he wears his plain black helmet. Gerber seems to have finally adjusted to the added pressure that goes along with playing in Canada writes Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. Meanwhile, John Paddock has no immediate plans to break up the Heatley–Spezza–Alfredsson line (a.k.a. the Pizza line).
- There is no guarantee that newest Isle Bryan Berard will be in the lineup versus the Rangers tonight writes Greg Logan of Newsday.
- John Dellapina of the NY Daily News provides readers with Rangers’ coach Tom Renney’s explanation about why he will most likely go with Jason Strudwick in the lineup tonight over Paul Mara. Larry Brooks of the NY Post is critical of Renney saying that he believes the coach is using Jason Strudwick as a crutch.
- Mark Everson of the NY Post admires Devils’ coach Brent Sutter’s movement away from matching lines but says that utilizing John Madden in a checking role right now may give the Devils their best chance to win because of the struggles of their other offensive forwards. The Devils spent much of their Tuesday practice focusing on defensive positioning writes Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star-Ledger.
- The Predators realize that facing the Blues no longer means an easy two points. Here are notes about both teams heading into tonight’s game.
- Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette previews Carey Price’s much awaited season debut in Pittsburgh tonight. Price admits he’ll be a little nervous, but the cool netminder says “it’s just another game.”
- Pierre-Marc Bouchard is striving to be more consistent this season writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
- After scoring two easy tap ins on Saturday night, it comes as no surprise that Dustin Brown loves playing with Anze Kopitar.
- Richard Zednik is back from injury and should add some much needed speed to the Panthers top line.
- The Oilers aren’t exactly excited to see Derek Boogard for the first time in 2007/08. The Oilers hope to improve on their recent record against the Wild writes Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun.
- The Red Wings are disappointed they will be playing in front of their third below capacity home-crowd tonight when they host the Flames. In other Wings’ news, goaltender Dominik Hasek has a sore knee and may have to miss tonight’s game.
- The Stars expect Mike Ribiero to make his season debut tonight against the Kings writes Mike Hieka of the Dallas Morning News.
- When Ken Hitchock arrived in Columbus he was not happy with the team’s fitness scores and he takes pride in the team’s improved fitness since his arrival. The Jackets expect to have Mike Peca in their lineup for the first time this season when they face-off against the Coyotes tonight.
- Milan Hedjuk has made a point of making Jaroslav Hlinka’s transition to North America a lot easier.
- Jonathan Toews will make his NHL debut tonight in Chicago writes Chris Kuc of Chicago Tribune.
- The Flames are hoping to make up for their lackluster performance at the Joe Louis Arena in the 2006/07 playoffs tonight when they visit Detroit. Craig Conroy of the Flames calls tonight’s game versus Detroit “huge.”
- According to coach Bob Hartley, Thrashers’ star forward Marian Hossa is “very doubtful” for tonight’s game against the Sens after injuring his groin in practice on Monday. Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution opines that the Thrashers’ slow start can be attributed to a lack of effort.
- The Ducks will finally raise the Stanley Cup banner tonight writes Dan Wood of the Orange County Register.
- According to Bruins’ coach Claude Julien, forward Marc Savard “is probably out” for tonight’s game against the Ducks.
For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.