Everybody wants Zach

CBS New York

Former Fighting Sioux and current New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise is going to be one of the most sought after free agents in some time. Parise is going to be able to command a very hefty raise this summer and there are going to be teams lined up to pay him that hefty salary.

Jim Matheson, edmontonjournal.com --- Has there been a hotter ticket than New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise on the free-agent stage in the last 10 years?

You can see how badly he wants to win, the pistons pumping as he hunts down a loose puck in the neutral zone and sends it into the open net to ensure the Game 5 win for the Devils at Madison Square Garden.

He’s the engine that drives the Devils, with due respect to the big wheel Ilya Kovalchuk, who is much better than I thought he’d ever be when they gave him that lifetime contract as a free agent.

But how can there be room for both players next season and beyond when the Devils ownership is an absolute mess and Parise can easily get $8 million US on the open market?

The Devils have no wiggle room because Elias ($6 million) and Dainius Zubrus ($3.4 million) aren’t unrestricted free agents until July 2013, the same with Marek Zidlicky on defence.

There are four scenarios: Parise stays in New Jersey; he goes to Detroit, where the Red Wings will sell him on playing with Pavel Datsyuk, he slides over to the New York Rangers; or Parise, who turns 28 in July, goes home to suit up for the Minnesota Wild.

One can only speculate where Parise going after the July 1st when free agent can begin signing contracts with other clubs. You can bet that the Wild are going to be in the running and Michael Russo has basically stated that the Wild will give him the money he wants if he decided to come to Minnesota. With all of the young recruits in the pipeline ready to step up for the Wild this “might” be enough to convinced Parise to say yes to the Minnesota Wild. Or not! I guess we will find out around July, 1st?

In Minnesota, the citizenry are awash with expectations that Parise might want to come home. His dad, J.P., runs the hockey program at the exclusive Shattuck St. Mary’s prep school and Parise’s girlfriend is from North Dakota and one of J.P.’s best friends is former North Stars GM Lou Nanne, who holds significant sway in that area. But then again, plenty of NHLers don’t want the pressure of playing before friends and family.

Please Zach come to the state of hockey…

Parise and Zajac never played together at UND

NJ.COM

This seems to be a common historical point of discussion – but incorrect – while it’s true that Zach Parise and Travis Zajac both played their collegiate hockey for the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux – Parise and Zajac never played together. It never happened; this could be cleared up by doing a simple search on Google. So it would be impossible for them to have developed chemistry at UND.

Parise was a member of the Fighting Sioux hockey team from 2002-04, Zajac arrived at UND in the fall of 2004 and played two season at UND as well, 2004-2006.

Larry Wigge --- Travis Zajac and Zach Parise go together like two peas in a pod.

They are center and winger, both from the University of North Dakota. Both worked well together there, so why not in the NHL. They feed off one another.

Zajac is the straw that stirs the drink and prefers to stay in the background to Parise's star status.

The secret is out, Zajac is a star too.

For much of the 2011-12 season, Zajac was a lost man ... a player without a team.

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Then there were two - Devils and Kings

There will be at least one former Fighting Sioux hockey players name on the Stanley Cup this season.

From the Eastern Conference Champion - Zach Parise and Travis Zajac's Devils will play the Western Conference Champion and Matt Greene's Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals starting on  Wednesday Night.

Zach Parise - Because It's The Cup

This was a commercial that I saw on the NHL Network tonight, it was the first time that I had seen it. Former Fighting Sioux forwards Zach Parise and Travis Zajac are one win away from putting three former Fighting Sioux players in the Stanley Cup Finals. Also, when the Stanley Cup is presented after the cup clinching game, an "American" Captain will accept the Stanley Cup.

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Fighting Sioux own the night in Devils win

NBCSN ice level announcer/personality Pierre McGuire couldn't seem to say it enough as he kept mentioning the two outstanding players from Grand Forks, ND. While Zach Parise (2002-04) and Travis Zajac (2004-06) are former Fighting Sioux Hockey players - they never played hockey together during their time at UND. Parise left UND in 2004 after playing two season for the Fighting Sioux. Shortly there after, Zajac arrived at UND in the fall of 2004 and played two season for the Fighting Sioux as well before joining Parise in New Jersey.

That historical fact doesn't seem to matter as both players seem to have a good chemistry on the ice together as the two former Fighting Sioux forwards frustrated the New York Rangers and led the way for the New Jersey Devils beating them 4-1, Parise was named the game first star and (2g-1a—3pts). 

The empty net goal by Parise at end of the game was a thing of beauty as well as the puck appeared to have a bit of English on it and curved into the net to ice the New York Rangers.

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Mike Rupp and the New York Rangers come unglued

Mark it down as being a rough and tumble hockey game between two teams that really don't like each other at all. In the end the Rangers kind of lost it and acted like a bunch of spoiled babies at the end of the game.

For his efforts, New York Rangers forward Mike Rupp was given a 10 minutes misconduct and a double minor (4 minutes) for roughing. I don't know, If I was Rupp, I might think twice of trying to rattle Marty Brodeur's cage, your just looking for some extra lumber to the back of the legs. It's obvious that the Rangers are sending a message but the fact remains that the Devils really didn't take the bait from the Rangers.

Personally, I think that the Mike Rupp hit behind the net on Devils Defenseman Peter Harold was questionable even a border line and unnecessary check, Rupp left his feet and led with his hands as well, lucky for Peter Harold that Rupp didn't catch all of him.

It should be an exciting game in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night as the series is now tied again. During game the Devils play disciplined hockey for the most part.

Here are the penalty minutes from the boxscore 
06:18 NYR Mike Rupp : Misconduct (10 min) - 0 min
06:18 NYR Mike Rupp served by Michael Del Zotto :  Roughing - 2 min
06:18 NYR Stu Bickel : Roughing - 2 min
06:18 NJD Ryan Carter : Roughing - 2 min 06:18
NYR Mike Rupp served by Michael Del Zotto : Roughing - 2 min
06:18 NYR Stu Bickel : Misconduct (10 min) - 0 min
 06:18 NJD Ryan Carter : Misconduct (10 min) - 0 min

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Henrik Lundquist stuffs Ilya Kovalchuk

New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been nothing short of amazing during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and this was no different this past Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.

Check out this amazing save by the All-World goalie Henrik Lundqvist as he stopped a Ilya Kovalchuk breakaway attempt with the game score still tied at 0-0. It's saves like this on on Kovy that helps make Lundquist's case for why he deserves the Hart Trophy.

I also think that Henrik Lunquist could be in the running along with Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

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Brandon Prust suspended for Game 4

The New York Rangers forward Bandon Prust was suspended for his elbow on New Jersey Devils forward Anton Volchenkov at the 2:31 mark of the second period of yesterday's game.

I predicted that this play would warrant a suspension from the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety yesterday. The NHL has set a precedence if you hit someone where the head is the principle point of contact you will be suspended, it no longer matters if you're a repeat offender or not. In this case, Prust is not a repeat offender - yet he will become the 13th player to be suspended by the NHL during this season's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers forward Brandon Prust has no one to blame but himself on this play and I just don't think you can really defend this hit. A player is responsible for his actions on the ice at all times and I think that going forward all of these hits need to be punished consistently.

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Tortorella Responds To “Headhunter” Charge From DeBoer

John Tortorella (Photo credit: Robert Kowal)

It looks like the smug one; New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella can actually say more than 36 words during a press conference, albeit this was a pregame press conference. This is what Torts had to say about the Prust hit as well as what he thought about the New Jersey Devils. There seems to be no love lost between these two teams.

Dave Lozo, NHL.com --- On Sunday, Rangers coach John Tortorella responded to that comment by defending Prust and accusing the Devils of embellishing calls and setting illegal picks during their power plays.

"He's probably one of the most honest players," Tortorella said, before launching into a a big chunk of gamesmanship. "I look at (Dainius Zubrus') elbow to (Anton) Stralman. I look at (Zach) Parise launching himself at (Michael) Del Zotto. Maybe if our players stay down on the ice, we'll get something. We tell our players don't stay down on the ice, get up.

"The picking on the power play. If we want to start discussing officials with the media, I've got a long list here. That's a set play by Jersey -- picking so we can't get to (Ilya) Kovalchuk to block his shot. There's some gamesmanship right there, huh?"

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Rangers' Prust to have hearing Sunday

Rangers forward Brandon Prust has a hearing today with the department of player safety for his hit to the head of Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov. After the game, New Jersey Devils head coach Peter DeBoer was not happy with the hit. "Headhunting," DeBoer said. "Plain and simple."

NHL.COM --- New York Rangers forward Brandon Prust will have a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Sunday morning after connecting with the head of Anton Volchenkov during a 3-0 win against the New Jersey Devils in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday.

Volchenkov was carrying the puck along the boards and chipped it out of the zone when Prust landed an elbow to the back of Volchenkov's helmet in the second period. Volchenkov was down on the ice for almost a minute afterward, but was able to continue playing. No penalty was called on the play.

 

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(Video) Brandon Prust Elbows Anton Volchenkov

How many games do you think that Rangers forward Brandon Prust be suspended for this dirty elbow on New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov? There was no penalty called on the play but from vantage point on the coach, this appears to be a chicken wing elbow by Prust on Volchenkov and a violation of rule 48 - as I interpret this from reading the rule book - to quote Brendan Shanahan, "this is an illegal hit to the head."

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered.

In closing, I expect that Brandon Prust will receive at least a one game suspension for his hit to the head on Volchenkov. I think the NHL has to suspend Prust because the NHL has set a precedence finally, after getting it wrong during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While it's true Prust doesn't have a history of being a dirty player or does it appear that he has ever been suspended or fined by the NHL, neither had Claude Giroux at the time of his suspension in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Torts game two press conference

I think the best job in the NHL would be transcribing New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella's brief post game press conferences - there are very few words spoken by the Rangers head coach - especially when the New York Rangers lose the game. I have to admit that I thought the short post game press conferences were funny at first but I would actually like to hear what he has to say. Why didn't Gabby play in the third period.

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Don't be that guy - Torts unloads on reporter for having cell phone on

The ongoing joke during the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been the Rangers head coach John Tortorella and how short his press conferences have been. As a person that been to a few post-game press conferences – sometimes the coaches just don’t want to talk to the media nor are they in any mood to answer questions from the media jackals.

Don’t be that guy – you also don’t want to be the person that has forgotten to turn off his cell phone. You might do it once but you probably won’t ever do it again.

Dave Stubbs, National Post --- “Typical New York,” veteran New York journalist Stan Fischler said Sunday with a laugh.

Next to this lunacy, Tortorella is just a cloudburst whose 15-second, syllable-short news conferences add to this season’s delicious drama on Broadway.

Torts’s act is well known in hockey, fittingly showbiz in the world’s headquarters of the theatre as his team prepares to face the New Jersey Devils Monday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final.

The coach’s shtick probably is carefully crafted to take heat off his team, give the opponent as little information as possible and keep the media off balance. It quickly wears thin with many and is viewed as disrespectful not just of reporters, but of the many great communicative coaches who have gone before him.

Predictably, Torts’s players will tell you they respect their leader who will go to the wall for them. And his results —the Rangers now eight victories from a Stanley Cup championship — speak for themselves.

I have to give Torts credit, he is very entertaining and a lot of fun to watch in the post game press conferences that they show on NBCSN and a lot of what he says can’t be said on TV without being bleeped out, but It makes for good theater. I also think it might be a tactic and maybe his antics do take the heat off of his team when they lose.

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