NHL Hockey thread

[viper37]

Scott Gomez, a Onetime Rookie Star, Is Again an N.H.L. Prospect
HERSHEY, Pa. — Less than 21 hours after a game in Syracuse, and less than 17 hours after the team bus rolled back into town, Scott Gomez perched astride the boards at Giant Center, awaiting the first shift of the seventh American Hockey League game of his life.

Gomez, a 36-year-old center who was the N.H.L.'s top rookie in the 1999-2000 season, had two assists for the Hershey Bears in that game, a 5-1 win over the Syracuse Crunch here on Saturday, and the sellout crowd of 10,964, including dozens of children tooting vuvuzelas, went home happy.

"I'm not just hanging around," Gomez, his bag packed and his tie askew, said as he stood in the empty Hershey locker room afterward.

Gomez, who had 181 goals and 574 assists in his 1,066-game N.H.L. career and helped the Devils win two Stanley Cups, was waived on Dec. 30 by the St. Louis Blues, his sixth N.H.L. team. He considered retiring until the man he calls his "paid consultant" talked him out of it.

That consultant is Adam Oates, a Hall of Fame forward who coached the Washington Capitals, the Bears' N.H.L. parent club, for two seasons before returning to the Devils, with whom he was one of three coaches last season, alongside Lou Lamoriello and Scott Stevens.

Oates, 53, sees Gomez's quest this way: If Jaromir Jagr, who turns 44 on Feb. 15, can thrive with the Florida Panthers despite not being the player he once was, Gomez can find an N.H.L. spot to land — ideally as a third-line, 14-minute-a-game center who can direct a team's power play.

"I think Gomer's still got that skill," Oates said Sunday. "If he plays the right minutes and is put in the right situation, he can help somebody. There are parts of his game where he's still elite. He's an elite passer.

"You've got to get that edge back, that conditioning back. In another week or so, he can reach another level of skating, and hopefully an N.H.L. team will notice."

Gomez, who played for the Devils for seven years before signing a seven-year, $51.5 million contract with the Rangers, earned a spot with the Devils again last year after Lamoriello, the longtime general manager, promised only a tryout. Gomez had 34 points in 58 games.

Gomez said he and Lamoriello had all but agreed to a contract for this season when Lamoriello retired last May, appointing Ray Shero as his successor. Lamoriello was named Toronto's general manager in July, and both Oates and Gomez had to look for work.

"Hey, that's business," Gomez said. "There were no hard feelings."

Gomez was signed on Oct. 7 by the injury-ravaged Blues, whose assistant general manager, the former goaltender Martin Brodeur, was Gomez's teammate with the Devils. Gomez played in 21 games, recording a goal and seven assists, but was cut after injured players returned.

"I wasn't in the plan from Day 1; that's what happened," Gomez said. He added: "I knew right away I wasn't going to play more than seven or eight minutes a game. That's not the reason why I went there."

Oates had helped him set up the tryout with the Blues. As a way to prepare to coach the Capitals, Oates had become a coach with the Bears, who play 130 miles north of Washington, during the 2012-13 N.H.L. lockout. He suggested to Gomez that he could stay in shape by playing in Hershey. The Bears are the top-drawing team in the 30-club A.H.L.

"I don't want to say he convinced me," Gomez said of Oates. "But he said: 'Hey, you're still good. You've still got it.'

"And all the older players I talked to said: 'Gomer, don't. You're going to regret it,' " Gomez said of retiring.

Gomez's last game with St. Louis was on Dec. 27. He signed a professional tryout agreement with the Bears on Jan. 14 and played his first game with the team two days later.

The Bears have not lost in regulation with Gomez. His coach in Hershey, Troy Mann, said Gomez played his best game Saturday, displaying his vision, his "skill set" and his playmaking ability.

"It's very difficult for an N.H.L. player to come down here, because in the N.H.L., you know if you make a play, the guy is going to be there," Mann said, referring to a teammate who receives a pass.

Mann, a second-year coach for the Bears who played for 14 teams in his career, all in the minors, added: "That's not always a guarantee in the American League. So that's a difficult adjustment."

Wearing No. 39, the reverse of the No. 93 he wore in St. Louis, Gomez played center on Saturday on a line that included left wing Nathan Walker and right wing Riley Barber, both born on Feb. 7, 1994. Walker scored the Bears' first goal, Barber the last three. Gomez was the game's second star.

Barber said it was an honor to play with Gomez.

"I grew up watching him play for the Devils," Barber said. "It's really cool to play with someone who sees the ice so well and wants to help you. He's been playing great since he's been here. He looks great."

Although he is still trying to get back into top hockey shape, Gomez said he generally felt good. He appreciates what Oates, whom he calls hockey's Bill Belichick, has been able to do to extend his career, he said. He can even deal with the long bus rides.

"I'm still the Alaskan kid who came in," Gomez said. "Maybe the body gets a little stiffer afterward, but there's no ego. I never had an ego — that's the thing."

He's with the Senators now (in French)

575 000$ per season, about 120k$ for the remainder of this season.

He was doing ok in the AHL, maybe he'll bring something to the Sens, at this price, they ain't losing much.
It migth be hard on his ego to play for so little, but at least, he's back in the NHL.
Good luck to him

[katmai]

Yeah heard about signing earlier today.

[Josephus]

It's becoming increasingly clear to me that there won't be a Stanley Cup Parade in Toronto this year 

[Barrister]

The Jets are having their worst season since coming back.

What's really galling is that they're currently tied with Edmonton in the standings.

[PRC]

The Jets are having their worst season since coming back.

What's really galling is that they're currently tied with Edmonton in the standings.

How's attendance / fan outrage levels?

[Barrister]

The Jets are having their worst season since coming back.

What's really galling is that they're currently tied with Edmonton in the standings.

How's attendance / fan outrage levels?

Attendance is about the same.  Every game is a "sellout" (though they don't count single tickets or tickets that go on sale on gameday) but it's easy enough to get a ticket if you ask around.

Hasen't reached the level of outrage.  Disappointed, going on to anger, but if this is a one-off everyone will be okay with it.  If it takes another 3-4 years to make it back to the playoffs though people will be out for blood.

[katmai]

So by time they move to Seattle, cool!

[Barrister]

So by time they move to Seattle, cool!

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

Now Winnipeg is 24 out of 30, but only because they play in the smallest rink in the entire league.  Their overall percentage of seats sold is 101.9

Bottom of the league?  Carolina, at 64.5%

[Jaron]

Let's go SHARKS!

[viper37]

I hear the Stanley Cup parade has been cancelled in Montreal.

[Jaron]

Hey Valmy,

Your crapitals got owned by the Sharks.

[Valmy]

Hey Valmy,

Your crapitals got owned by the Sharks.

Twice. This clearly means they are destined to ruin the dream in the Finals

[viper37]

Lots, lots & lots of rumours about the Hurricanes moving to Quebec city.
No newspiece, most of what I've read is in French.  They quote unnamed well-connected Canadian and American sources.

A local radio called all the NHL teams ticket sales to see if season tickets would be refundable.  All said no, except the Hurricanes.  Ergo, they must be moving here!  Right?

The owner says he's not moving the team, the NHL says it's not moving the team.

There is an expansion process, and I'm pretty sure the NHL will find a way to not implant a new team in Quebec city.
The reasoning people are doing is US$ too high, therefore 500 million$ for a team is too much, ergo it makes sense the NHL would move a team TO Quebec city instead of having them pay 500 million$ for a new team filled with players no one really wants to have anymore.

I fail to see the logic in there, but who am I to argue with dillusional people?  It's real life out here, not an internet forum!

I still don't think the NHL will announce a new team in Quebec city, either via expansion or from moving a team that loses too much money where it is now.  Not with Gary Bettman in place, he does not believe another Canadian team is in the best interests of the league.  I suppose he fears brand dilution.

[Savonarola]

Hockey doesn't have much of a following here in Florida.  On the 30 or so sports stations we get there was only some sort of Hockey Talk show and the Rangers-Penguins game.  Even though Tampa Bay is the closest city with a hockey team to us Lightning-Wings was nowhere to be found.

[viper37]

Time to move the Lightning to a city where they can be appreciated!