Chris Casciano’s Place Name Here

Jaromir Jagr’s 2nd goal puts the Rangers up 3-0. Stanley Cup Playoffs, 2nd round, Game 4. May 1, 2008

comment on this photo at flickr

2

The NHL season is now in full swing — and though the ride has been a little bumpy the new season has brought some new or upgraded hockey web sites and game coverage.

Its déjà vu all over again.

The Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival scores on the first shot on goal of the NHL season just 37 seconds into the game.

Last season Jaromir Jagr scored a goal on the first shot of the 2006-2007 season.

Not to be missed, off season acquisition Chris Drury getting his first point as a Ranger with an assist on the Rozy goal.

Its great to have hockey back.

Congratulations to the Anaheim Ducks for beating the Ottawa Senators 6-2 in game 5 of the finals to win the Stanley Cup.

I thought it was a tremendously fun series to watch from the sidelines. Even though Ottawa never seemed to be able to finish when they needed to the action was great, and for two teams that almost never play each other the familiarity and animosity built through the whole series. And the fans in both arenas totally into it for all 5 games.

Not DOM I, but Tie Domi.

Tie Domi set to announce retirement

The longtime Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer will officially make the announcement on Tuesday afternoon, a source told The Canadian Press.

Gonna miss him being in the league. He’ll always be one of my favorite Rangers even though he’s been one of /those/ Leafs for a decade. Always seemed to find his way into my FHL drafting too.

Look what showed up in my MyYahoo! sidebar:

There’s a ton of hockey stuff one can talk about this off season… from management who seems intent on awarding big contract after big contract just a season out of a lockout, to trade rumors about where Leetch will end up or if they’ll ever be another Pavel Bure or Theo Fluery sighting in North America. But the story I didn’t want to let just go by was the news that a group including Dan Marino and Mark Cuban made a bid for the Pittsburgh Penguins which has been rejected by the team.

While I’ve never really liked any of the logos in Buffalo Sabres history the newly proposed (leaked?) logo for the 2006-07 season is just far too swooshy and generic—and far too close to identity of the Buffalo Bills.

I’m clearly not the only one who doesn’t think much of the work. Fix The Logo is a site set up by Sabres fans hoping to gather support and convince the powers that be not to go through with these particular graphics.

That isn’t about the draft…

If you haven’t been up on some of pre-draft and during draft trades around the league here’s my quick take.

Demitra playing alongside Gaborik could turn out to be interesting.

The Toronto trade to get goalie Andrew Raycroft is an interesting one, but I think how some of their other roster issues flush out will be just as interesting if not more so.

I’m not all that surpised at the earlier deal moving Luongo although he seemed shocked by it. I had really expected him to wind up somewhere at the trade deadline but that obviously didn’t happen.

And then there’s Pronger.

It won’t be a boring off season for sure, though by the end of it I’m sure I’ll be sick of hearing the phrase “new NHL” by the end of it.

And if you want some more info on who actually got drafted yesterday check out Blueshirts Bulletin Liveblogging of the event (though he gets a bit crazy around 11:17pm).

What a great series that finished with a great game 7.

Huge props to the Oilers for making it close, trying to press for a comeback both in the series and in the 3rd tonight, but the ‘Canes deserved the win in the end.

Great end to a great hockey season.