Faster than a speeding Sundin indecision, more powerful than a McCabe rumor . . .
It’s a bird. It’s a plane.
Nope. It's another insult-filled installment by the Gallof brothers.
Sibling Rivalry: Offseason Edition
If you are like us, you’ve been watching the dull days of August wind down. There is nothing worse for a hockey fan than August. The entire month leaves a chasm between what usually proves to be an overrated free agency period for most team fans, and then the anticipation of training camps.
Last we left our noble heroes, they had made a bet with the Hockeybuzz NJ bloggers in one Sam Woo and Roger Mussa. That bet was that NJ would not get past the NY Rangers. The losers would have to take pics of themselves wearing the opposing team paraphernalia. So, as most already know, Woo and Mussa have furnished those pics as they and their team went down like the Hindenburg. Oh, the humanity.
Gallof Brother Victory Part 1: Roger Mussa, NJ blogger extraordinaire 
Gallof Brother Victory Part 2: Sam Woo, NJ blogger extraordinaire 
Never bet against the Gallofs, boys. That, and don’t look to share a plate Buffalo Wings with them either. Else you end up like the Pens waiting on Hossa.
We saw lots of changes for both teams. Isles left one coach in the dust. Rangers left Jagr at the train station. So, without further ado…
Scott Gallof – New York Rangers Blogger: First off I’d like to congratulate the Islanders on their new coach. I feel like they made the right choice. When I think of a name like Gordon, well it just seems to have an affinity to an organization such as the Islanders. I mean it just seems to roll off the tongue, Gordon, Islanders… fishsticks. It’s truly serendipity.
Also the Islanders made a good pick up in the way of ole Doug Weight. We all remember Doug Weight, the last time he played in the New York metro area, B.D. actually had a few strands of hair on his head.
B.D. Gallof – New York Islanders Blogger: Ok, so the name gives the Ranger’s some good comedic material.
But, Gordon comes in as Nolan basically wrecked himself out of the organization. We’ll take the frozen food as long as the coach and GM ‘stick’ to the plan.
But, speaking of fish, let’s talk about the gutting of the NY Rangers. Jagr, Straka, and Avery are gone, with perhaps Shanahan to join them. This is a complete overhaul in motion. Add to this out of all the defensemen that were available, you overspent on the one who wilted in the Ottawa limelight in one Wade Redden.
In fact, with what all you spent, to sign Mr. Indecision himself who sits on a fence somewhere in Sweden, would require you to wheel and deal. Darth Sather must be smoking something more than a cigar this summer to stick himself in a corner when he clearly isn’t done.
Sure, Doug Weight was better in days before. But he’s there to work with the kids and pass along knowledge. Meanwhile, your biggest sparkplug last season is passing some Texas BBQ as he looks to hit on some Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. Sean Avery might be the biggest loss. Because without him last season, the team FLOUNDERED.
Fry some of that, chubby.
Scott Gallof – New York Rangers Blogger: Touchy, touchy. Bring up some frozen seafood and you get yourself worked up in a hissy, maybe your GAP sweater vest is on too tight.
It’s always amusing to me, that when the Rangers sign established free agents, all the Rangers’ haters immediately regurgitate the overused “overspending Rangers, blah blah, yadda yadda…,” and now that they let some of the older players walk to bring in younger faster talent, now the Rangers have “Gutted themselves.” Let’s face it, whatever the Rangers do will always be placed under the armchair critic’s microscope. I guess it’s the price we pay for being a team that actually matters.
The Rangers simply moved on from Jagr and Straka, which seems to have been the plan all along when they signed Drury and Gomez last offseason. Then, Sather engineered a spectacular trade to bring in Zherdev to play alongside Gomez and signed Naslund. Let’s remember that Jagr didn’t exactly light up the red light last season and only woke up in the few weeks before the playoffs. The Rangers changed their dynamic are going to be a more exciting team this season.
As for all the Mats Sundin speculation and innuendo, let’s remember at this point that is all it is. Glen Sather nor any Rangers’ brass have said anything about bringing in Mats Sundin. Only Sundin’s agent has told the public that Sundin had serious interest in playing for the Rangers. Funny I don’t remember him mentioning the Islanders as a place for Sundin to play, can’t see why he wouldn’t want to play in Uniondale.
Losing Avery was regrettable, but they wanted to address bringing in a defenseman to quarterback the powerplay. Turned out that defenseman was Wade Redden, he had two subpar seasons, but if a change of scenery can turn his game around, the Rangers’ powerplay could be now quite deadly. As you know since your team didn’t actually play in the playoffs, the Rangers powerplay was the difference why the Rangers did not move on to 3rd round of playoffs.
Speaking of the postseason next season; good luck in the Tavares sweepstakes.
B.D. Gallof – New York Islanders Blogger: Wow. That was almost as long as Tolstoy’s WAR & PEACE. You hit a Ranger fan in the right spot and you get the Stuart Smalley dialogue as they stare into the mirror.
Let’s all step back here and recall that last year was the Ranger’s year. Most predicted them to be a cup final team. Then they met the bonafide article in the Penguins and dropped like Hugh Jessiman’s prospect value.
Sure, we Isles are staring at a rebuild. No denying that we will be going through some tough days ahead. Our only comfort is a highly respected draft this summer. That will at least assure us of some pence to the downtrodden . . .
But, there are no assurances in Ranger country. In fact, that scenario has to be unsettling to some Ranger fans. Zherdev is another enigma. Naslund has been stuttering seasonly, where even Canuck fans were not sorry to see him go. Voros, Fristche, and Rissmiller? Are these players or people who will assault our sense on the next American Idol? Kalinin might be one of your better pickups , to tell you the truth.
So, yes, Isles might be lucky to tread water next season. But don’t worry about us, my smug fishstick waving brother of mine. Worry about yourselves. Most teams have gotten better, meanwhile a retooled Rangers might be jumping into a chum-filled ocean . . .
Your team might be that Kitner Boy, spilled out all over a dock next season.
NY Rangers going to need a bigger boat?
Fini
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