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NHL Fight Club

September 12, 2008, 9:16 AM ET [ Comments]

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Hat tip to Islandersmania post vznyisleszv and bossy4president for the YouTube finds

1. First rule of NHL Fight Club is you get yourself an enforcer

There are many this summer who have sat waiting for Garth Snow to sign a solid enforcer. After all, doesn't a rebuild need protection? Yet, we all just kept waiting (checks watch). And waiting.

Then later this summer, we received an email touting "The Wrecker!" as if he was the second coming of Joey Kocur. And at 6"5', 240lbs, he is intriguing. I am hardly convinced, however, despite that bubbly email that he will be any more than a Kip Brennenesque presence at Bridgeport. In fact, some are disappointed that Kip never saw the NHL ice after pounding many AHLers like that hanging meat in Rocky.


2. The second rule of NHL Fight Club is you sign an enforcer who is available

So, Brandon Sugden was invited to Isles camp. This follows suit to last year as Snow seems to look for enforcers by sifting outside the NHL. Last year Kip and Gord Dwyer were invitees. That said, Sugden is far more intriguing and exciting than The Wrecker, in my humble opinion.

Except for one thing.

One big thing.

Nobody is going to let him play in the NHL due to his retired status. When he left Syracuse, he did it as "retired". By doing so, unless the league votes unanimously to let him play, he must wait a year according to NHL rules.

So, yet, you've guessed it. Someone voted no. In fact, 4 teams voted no.

I am BD's fake shock!

No nearby team that must face the Isles are going to give permission for them to sit there and count a new set of loose teeth.

Chris Botta in his blog broke that the Rangers were one of those teams trying to block Sugden's return. Read that here! Kudos to Botta, who once again has a juicy piece of info the press has not had.

However . . .

I am BD's unsurprise.

It makes a lot of sense that the Rangers would not want to see him across the ice. Fair, unfair, whatever. Opposing teams do not want to give the other an advantage. This is competition.


3. Third rule of NHL Fight Club is you try to SIGN or TRADE for an enforcer, not sift for those fallen through the cracks of the ice!

This is not the first, nor second time the Isles have put themselves in a position where they are not in control. Why leave positions and roles to NHL league votes or their office? The time to buy-in was earlier this summer where players like Laraque were available. Players who were locks for the NHL level.

The Isles were pushed around last season. This team now gets older and younger. There are still not much to protect players and mete out the old code. It just wasn't smart planning to leave plans to other teams who clearly were going to vote no. (Bet you a few of these: NJ, Philly, Florida, and Pitt have a very good chance to be the other 3 votes of "No!")

Nobody but Isles brass and fans really care about Brandon's story. Not that it isn't a good one. Not that he doesn't deserve a shot. Not that we don't need him DESPERATELY. But fact is, it is out of the Isles control. If the NHL sticks to the rules, they will not allow him to play this year. This is the likely scenario, despite hopes.

I am BD's annoyance.


4. Fourth rule of NHL Fight Club is you don't leave it to other people to set your destiny or season's fate!

I think that an enforcer should have been signed or traded for earlier this summer. That Sugden should have been an extra bonus IF things fell our way. That we could have been masters of a plan to protect investments of free agency and futures.

Now we sit with a teary soap opera, where the most probable result is all of us re-reading that email for The Wrecker and hoping that scouting and Garth know something we don't. Hey, The Wrecker might be exactly what we need. But hoping and having are two very different things.

I am BD's concern.

I pull for Brandon Sugden as much as any other fan familiar with his story. He should have his true shot at redemption and to play in the NHL. However, it is up to a league who MIGHT love to throw something else at the New York Rangers face by reinstating Sugden. Anything that pisses off Ranger brass and fans, of course, is a good thing.

However, this is a chancy outcome. My concern that the result will be another source of frustration and waiting for Isles fans. That these vets and kids will lack a true pugilist to provide some sort of protection and have their back. That fans don't get to see a good fist to the mug of those like gap-tooth grinning players who take advantage of our lack of physical presence and punishment.

I am BD's critical commentary.


Sillinger Status in Question

As I've said in this blog, and Greg Logan in Newsday also reports today, that Sillinger will not be ready come training camp. He is still rehabbing his hip. Logan, of course, has more info on precisely why. So go check it out.!



- BD
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