CDL Season Preview Series: Columbus Blue Jackets

The Cycle Down Low Season Preview is a feature where we look at the chances for your favourite team in the 2011-2012 NHL campaign.  AND WE’RE GOING TO VEGAS!  With the new season upon us, a mere 30 days away, the CDL Season Preview Series will take you right up to game one of the new season.  Is this the year they surprise everyone and take the Cup?  Are the great expectations placed upon them too much?  Here you’ll get the scoop on what is to come for every team from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.  The breakdown will list the teams in six categories: Stanley Cup Odds (the actual odds from Bodog.ca and a breakdown of what you can expect), Lock (the best bet or biggest star on the team), Upset (the bust or player that won’t preform as well as many think), Pit Bosses (front office), Payout (the overall summary of the team), and CDL Bet (our bet at what the results will be for the team this year).

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STANLEY CUP ODDS: 75/1

In 2009, the Columbus Blue Jackets became the last of the four expansion teams to make the Stanley Cup playoffs.  The 8th place finish, however, set them up for a battle against the ever powerful Detroit Red Wings.  The Wings, the Western Conference’s top ranked squad, made quick work of the Jackets defeating them in four games, sweeping the series and sending Ohio’s NHL franchise packing.

However, for Jackets fans it seemed their fate was about to change.  Rookie goaltender Steve Mason played outstanding, carrying a heavy workload between the pipes for the Jackets.  Mason’s record of 33-20-7 with 10 shutouts was enough to earn him the Calder Trophy and a Vezina Trophy nomination.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have only tasted the playoffs once. Could this year be a possibility?

If there can be anything said about the Jackets up until that point, it was that their weakest position was easily goaltending and now they had a legitimate starter.

But, as is often the case, the sophomore slump hit Mason hard.  Since his breakout season in his rookie campaign, he has been unable to recapture that magic.  In the last two years, his combined record has been 44-47-16 with a .901SV% and GAA over 3.00, a far cry from the .916SV% and 2.29 GAA he posted in his first season.

To go along with the Jackets inability to remain stable in goal, they were forever searching for a legitimate top-line center to play along perennial all-star Rick Nash.

Nash, the Jackets first round pick — first overall in his draft year — in 2002, has been the face of the franchise since his arrival.  With a combination of size, speed, and strength, Nash is the prototypical power forward.  Think Eric Lindros without the concussion or injury issues, and you have Nash.

It is because of Nash that the Jackets are ever even spoken in the same breath as contenders, but with hockey being the ultimate team game that it is, it is impossible and improbable to believe that Nash himself could carry this team to a championship.

Bringing in the likes Antoine Vermette, Kristian Huselius, R.J. Umberger, and with Scott Howson’s smart drafting and the blossoming of top draft pick Derrick Brassard, the Jackets seem to have begun to take that turn towards consistent competitiveness.  But are they there quite yet?

Aftermath of Catastrophe: The KHL’s Plans For Lokomotiv

A memorial for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has been set up outside Ufa's arena where fans have been leaving red roses (Image from Pavel Lysenkov, @plysenkov)

The following comes from reports from Slava Malamud (Foreign Correspondent for Sport-Express), Dmitry Chesnokov (Member of International Sports Press Association and Puck Daddy contributor), and Pavel Lysenkov (SovSport.ru).  Follow all three men on Twitter for up to the minute updates, and take the time out of your day to commend them on the job they have done in the past couple days in reporting on a tragedy that hits far too close to home for all three men.

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It was roughly 8:45am Eastern time when the news broke in North America.  A plane, carrying Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a Russian team participating in the KHL, had gone down.  It was not immediately known if there were survivors but the collective held their breath in hopes that news would come of it.

Sadly, there were only two.  Two men, of the fourty-five on board the Yak-42 flight from Yaroslavl to Minsk, Belarus, had survived the crash and even they were in critical condition.

It is with a great deal of hope that I write that, at this time, Alexander Galimov, the only active player for Lokomotiv to survive the crash, is still alive in hospital.  After fighting desperately, and through multiple surgeries, Galimov has been transported to Moscow where he has been placed on a respirator.  He is in a medically induced sleep while doctors figure out a way to repair his respiratory  system that was damaged by the third-degree burns the 26-year old suffered.

Both black boxes from the plane have been recovered and will be utilized in determining the cause of the crash.  At this time speculation is abound but it is believed to be either a human error, equipment malfunction, or the cause of low quality fuel.

In hopes to curb a tragedy of this scale, or any for that matter, ever again, the KHL has determined that it will now make major changes to its travel planning beginning with the league taking over the duties of scheduling for each team.  Prior to yesterday’s events, each team was left to their own devices when scheduling travel between games.  Russia’s biggest airline, Aeroflot, has proposed to handle all travel and took the initiative to fly the families of all victims to Yaroslavl.

Earlier this morning, Alexander Medvedev met with the people of Yaroslavl and announced plans to keep hockey alive in Yaroslavl, and announced that not only will it be hockey that lives on, it will be the name of Lokomotiv.  Already a coach has been named, former Lokomotiv head coach Pytor Vyrobyov.

There is currently no clear report on how, or when, the team will draft, be loaned, or sign players but it is believed that it will be through one of these three methods.  Dmitry Chesnokov reported that Medvedev has hinted at the team being made of ex-players and free agents, while Slava Malamud has proposed that it may be through the use of Lokomotiv’s MHL players — MHL is the KHL’s minor league system — or through a supplemental draft where 1-2 players from each team are given to Yaroslavl.  Whatever the case may be, it is very likely the team will play again this season.

Only one day after the tragedy, thirty to fourty KHL players have said they would volunteer to join Lokomotiv this season.  Among them is former NHL defenseman and current member of SKA St. Petersburg Denis Grebeshkov, who said that he feels it is his duty to do so.

As well as icing a team again, the league plans to honour the players and their families in a ceremony on September 10th in Yaroslavl and by creating a patch to be worn on the jerseys of each KHL, and one would assume MHL, team when the season resumes on September 13th.  The design for the patch has yet to be determined.

Support continues to pour in for the families with teams, the KHLPA, KHL, and the Russian government donating money to the families of the deceased.  Salavat Yulaev Ufa and Moscow Dynamo have already made monetary donations of $2 million and $10 million rubles respectively.  Services are continuing to be held in cities around the league and the tributes to the players continue to be released.

To Alexander Galimov; Fight, kid.

And to those that have passed on; May you all rest in peace.

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CDL Season Preview Series: Florida Panthers

The Cycle Down Low Season Preview is a feature where we look at the chances for your favourite team in the 2011-2012 NHL campaign.  AND WE’RE GOING TO VEGAS!  With the new season upon us, a mere 30 days away, the CDL Season Preview Series will take you right up to game one of the new season.  Is this the year they surprise everyone and take the Cup?  Are the great expectations placed upon them too much?  Here you’ll get the scoop on what is to come for every team from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.  The breakdown will list the teams in six categories: Stanley Cup Odds (the actual odds from Bodog.ca and a breakdown of what you can expect), Lock (the best bet or biggest star on the team), Upset (the bust or player that won’t preform as well as many think), Pit Bosses (front office), Payout (the overall summary of the team), and CDL Bet (our bet at what the results will be for the team this year).

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STANLEY CUP ODDS: 75/1

Out with the old, in with the new.  Quite literally, that’s the way things seem to be going in Florida.

After years of the Panthers continuing their playoff drought — now reaching the decade mark — the Panthers have gone ahead and cleaned house.  Randy Sexton, the team’s GM in 2009-10, was let go and Dale Tallon, seen by many as the architect behind the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup winning team, was brought in.  This summer Peter DeBoer was let go after three full seasons as the team’s coach and replaced with former NHLer and coach of the AHL’s Portland Pirates, Kevin Dineen.

With the front office and bench boss positions filled, the re-shaping of the Florida Panthers began.  After trading away Nathan Horton, Gregory Campbell, and Keith Ballard, the Panthers went into the year knowing it was going to be one of those years.  The team struggled from nearly the opening faceoff.

Scoring was a struggle all season with the Panthers managing a measly 2.33 goals a game, good enough for — Oh, I don’t know — 28th in the league?  If that wasn’t enough, it seemed like every move Tallon made to add scoring fell flat on its face.  A trade for Niclas Bergfors, who was at one time a key piece in the Ilya Kovalchuk deal, didn’t quite work out as Tallon would have hoped as the talented prospect failed to get anything going and would register a measly seven points (1-6) in 20 appearances with the Cats.

It wasn’t only Bergfors that struggled, either.

Tallon would make a plethora of moves up front to make the offense blossom, but nothing would click.  Jack Skille’s 13 games in Florida were good for two points, off-season acquistion Steve Bernier only put up 15 points in 68 games, and even those he could count on regressed as Stephen Weiss’ point totals dipped after to two consecutive years at 60+ to 49 (21-28).

Not only were things going wrong on the ice, off the ice there was just as much negativity surrounding the team.

For the past several years the only redeeming factor for the Panthers has been their undeniable all-star between the pipes, Tomas Vokoun.  The clear cut team MVP year in and year out since his arrival in 2007-08, Vokoun has never posted a save percentage below .919 in a Panthers uniform, and it was clear what Florida’s intentions were: sign him, and sign him long-term.

As rumours continued to swirl about the back and forth, it became clear that there was very little chance Vokoun would be back in a Florida jersey, and the bad news seemed like it didn’t stop there for Panthers fans.

Just before the trade deadline rumours were sparked that Dale Tallon had made his voice heard about blowing up the entire roster and starting fresh, stating that there were almost no untouchables on the team.  Stephen Weiss, he was looking at you.  For weeks, even months, there was speculation about the chances of Weiss being moved, but nothing ever seemed to happen.  It was not until the trade deadline came and passed that people stopped the speculation about Weiss’ future with the team.All in all 2010-2011 was a year to forget for the Panthers.  Matter of fact most of the past ten years have been that way, but is there some light at the end of the tunnel?

Maybe, but it may very well just be a train.

Even In The Face of Tragedy, Lokomotiv Will Live On

Fans left flowers at a vigil set up by Dynamo Minsk outside the arena in memory of those lost in today's horrific plane crash

The hockey world was shocked, saddened, and stricken with great disbelief as reports came out that KHL team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl had been involved in a plane crash.  Within minutes, it had been said that there were many fatalities and only as the news continued to spread did we begin to find out just how terrible a tragedy this was; Lokomotiv’s entire team was on board, and a total of 43 passengers had died as of 2:00 EST.

Shortly after the KHL had dropped the puck to signal the beginning of a new season, the teams were taken off the ice, informed of the tragedy, and shortly thereafter, the game was cancelled.  An eerie silence fell throughout the building in Ufa where hometown Salavat Yulaev was set to take on Atlant Mytishchi in the Champions Cup.  Fans, upon learning of what had happened, were dismayed and distraught, tears streaming down their faces, and a stunned, glazed look in the eyes of many.

Reports still continue to swirl about what will become of the KHL season and when it will continue, with many signs pointing to games continuing as soon as tomorrow.

However, a question many have been asking today, is how will the KHL honour the lives of those lost?

Ceremonies are being held in Minsk, Yaroslavl, and both participating teams from today’s contest in Ufa took in a church service to pray for the men they would not describe as “opponents” and “colleagues” but rather “friends” and “family.”  Dynamo Minsk has also stated that they will donate all the money from ticket sales that are not collected by those wanting refunds — which we can be safe in assuming will not be many — to the team in Yaroslavl.

As well as honouring their lost ones through the celebration of their lives, the Russian Minister of Sports has said that the Lokomotiv hockey club will continue to find a way to operate.  It is unclear whether or not it is meant to be this season or in the near future.

In all likelihood, if the KHL and Yaroslavl’s management and ownership were to discuss the idea of the team continuing operations this season, it would be through a dispersal draft of sorts with each team loaning a player to Lokomotiv.  Slava Malamud has stated in multiple tweets the desire of those in the KHL to get Lokomotiv back on the ice this season and went on further to say that the KHL will be inventing a method in which to allocate players to Yaroslavl.

One thing is for certain: there will be no greater honour in hockey than playing your heart out for those that lost their lives.

Thank you to Slava Malamud, Pavel Lysenkov, and Dmitry Chesnokov for their stellar reporting today and directing us all to the information.

Keep with Cycle Down Low as we try to keep you up to date on the situation in Yaroslavl and the KHL.

Tragedy in the KHL: Plane Carrying Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Crashes

Today, September 7th, 2011, will forever be associated with one of the great sports, and human, tragedies of all-time.

A Russian airline, carrying the entirety of the Russian hockey team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl including four members of their junior squad Loko, crashed after reportedly catching fire just four kilometers after takeoff.  The crash, happening on the teams departure from Tunosjno Airport, is said to have claimed to the lives of all but two aboard the plane.

Of the confirmed deaths are ex-NHLers Brad McCrimmon, Pavol Demitra, Karel Rachunek and Ruslan Salei.  Also aboard the flight, and tragically confirmed dead, was New Jersey Devils prospect Alexander Vasyunov.

The crash site of a Yak-42 which was carrying members of the KHL team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (AP Photo)

Reports from Slava Malamud (@slavamalamud) stated that Alexander Galimov, who survived the initial crash, was taken to hospital after suffering third-degree burns to 80% of his body.  His injuries are said to make his chances of living very slim, but he continues to fight for his life in hospital.

Russia Today, which has been doing an incredible job of covering the story today, have confirmed that 45 passengers were aboard and it is believed that 43 have died.  It is unclear what the full condition the other survivor, a plane engineer, is in at this time and whether the injuries suffered could be fatal.  All that is known is that both men, Galimov and the engineer, are in serious condition.

From the story on Russia Today:

Visitors of the International Political Forum, who are visiting Yaroslavl at the moment, held a minute’s silence to commemorate the victims of the crash. The Russian Hockey Federation voiced its condolences to the Lokomotiv club, the families of the victims and the entire ice hockey community.

Hockey fans in Moscow are gathering in Red Square near the Kremlin to honor the deceased Lokomotiv players and the other victims of the crash. In Minsk, people are laying flowers in front of the stadium where the team was scheduled to play on Thursday. Yaroslavl fans are meeting at one of the city’s squares to mark the loss of their team.

As well as the statement from the KHL on this unbelievable tragedy:

“We are only beginning to understand the impact of this tragedy affecting the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl club and the international hockey community. First and foremost, our condolences go out to the families and friends of the players, coaches and staff lost in today’s tragedy.

“We know that there are many in the KHL family who will be grieving with us. As the investigation of this tragedy progresses we will work closely with investigators, government officials, club executives and the Yaroslavl community. We are working to find an appropriate way to honor this club and begin the healing process from the deep loss so many of us feel today.

“We are aware that many of you have questions. This tragedy remains our primary focus. We ask for patience as we find an appropriate way to proceed with the 2011/2012 season. We will continue to communicate our plans as they take shape.”

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UPDATE:  A list of the deceased can be found here: SovSport.ru

The citizens of Yaroslavl have gathered and are waving flags, jerseys, and laying flowers in respect and in honour of the fallen after today’s news.

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Please keep the families and friends of those involved in today’s epic tragedy in your thoughts as our hockey family has suffered an incredible loss.

More to come as it is available.  A lot seems to be up in the air.  Will continue to update as confirmation comes in.

CDL Season Preview Series: New York Islanders

The Cycle Down Low Season Preview is a feature where we look at the chances for your favourite team in the 2011-2012 NHL campaign.  AND WE’RE GOING TO VEGAS!  With the new season upon us, a mere 30 days away, the CDL Season Preview Series will take you right up to game one of the new season.  Is this the year they surprise everyone and take the Cup?  Are the great expectations placed upon them too much?  Here you’ll get the scoop on what is to come for every team from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.  The breakdown will list the teams in six categories: Stanley Cup Odds (the actual odds from Bodog.ca and a breakdown of what you can expect), Lock (the best bet or biggest star on the team), Upset (the bust or player that won’t preform as well as many think), Pit Bosses (front office), Payout (the overall summary of the team), and CDL Bet (our bet at what the results will be for the team this year).

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STANLEY CUP ODDS: 80/1

The good, and awfully wealthy, people at Bodog have the Islanders as the biggest underdog heading into the season, and it really comes as no surprise.  Toiling in the basement for several years — it has been four seasons since the Islanders last tasted the playoffs — the squad from Long Island has had a difficult time getting much to go their way.  Be it injuries, financial issues, or not being able to fill the building, the Islanders have certainly become every hockey fans punchline.  All that said, it does seem like this could finally be the time the team turns around.  Or not.

It really is as simple as that for the Isles.  After a season in which they lost their all-star defenseman Mark Streit right out of the gate, it was a harbinger of things to come.  The Isles lost over 500 man games to injury, a stat that would make even a Canucks fan shiver and shake with sadness and disgust.  The key injuries, the ones that really prevented the Isles from ever getting their season rolling, were to the Swiss Streit, their power play QB, Kyle Okposo, and — do I even have to say it? — Rick DiPietro.

The oft-injured DiPietro appeared in only 26 games, the highlight of which was pretty much the summation of DiPietro’s career thus far; a one-punch KO at the hands of Penguins backup goaltender Brent Johnson, the left hook sidelining DiPietro for 8 games with a headache/concussion-like symptoms.

On top of it all, Kyle Okposo going down with a shoulder injury in training camp didn’t help the Islanders cause.  When healthy, Okposo registered over half a point per game and some would say if entirely healed he could have done more.

Most will see the Islanders name and, not without reason, shrug the team off and move on, not even giving them a chance.  But the Isles were, for a time, one of the hottest teams in the league last year.  That said, they were also one of the worst for a stretch that last much longer, a 14-game slide putting them right in their normal position in the standings.  Though it seems obvious, the point I am trying to make is that if healthy, the Isles can make some noise.  They’re not world-beaters, but they can surprise some teams.

CDL Season Preview Series: Introduction

The Cycle Down Low Season Preview is a feature where we look at the chances for your favourite team in the 2011-2012 NHL campaign.  AND WE’RE GOING TO VEGAS!  With the new season upon us, a mere 30 days away, the CDL Season Preview Series will take you right up to game one of the new season.  Is this the year they surprise everyone and take the Cup?  Are the great expectations placed upon them too much?  Here you’ll get the scoop on what is to come for every team from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

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As the introduction says, this year at Cycle Down Low, we’re going to try something a bit different — and bite a bit off of world renowned Puck Daddy’s season preview style — by throwing together a theme for this years season preview.  The theme?  Vegas and gambling.

Listen, we’ve all done it; you’re sitting around a table, you’re talking with a few of your friends, and someone makes an outrageous statement: “I guarantee you that this season, Lubos Bartecko is going to be an all-star! At least 45 goals!”* or, ”THIS is the year Jamie Storr goes off for 40 wins.  He’s going to do what Gretzky couldn’t and carry the Kings to a Cup, baby!”**

In those crazy bets, those outrageous statements, we are going to break down the league from bottom to top by the Stanley Cup futures odds that Bodog.ca has set up this season.

For those unfamiliar, a futures bet is a wager placed on an event that is going to be coming up in the future (Crazy, right?).  Often times these bets encompass all things pertaining to championships — in regards to hockey it would be division winners, conference winners, Presidents’ Trophy, and the Stanley Cup — and can also include things such as: final point leader, final goal leader, who will win which trophy, etc.

You can go to Bodog.ca to view the order or, better yet, visit Cycle Down Low each of the next thirty days as we break down the odds.

So, without further ado, Cycle Down Low is proud to present the NHL Season Preview with sportsbook style.

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*No one has ever said this.
**Or this.

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Follow Cycle Down Low on Twitter @cycledownlow and make sure to subscribe to the RSS feed for the latest from CDL as we preview the NHL season.

KHL Kickoff Set For Wednesday

Ahh, ’tis the season, my friends.

September is nearly ten days old and the NHL pre-season is mere weeks away.  The Winnipeg Jets have finally unveiled their new threads for the coming season, and, thankfully, we get regular season hockey in the form of the Kontinental Hockey League.

This upcoming KHL season is all about revenge for Atlant, the team that will kickoff the season against their new found rivals from Ufa.  With fresh faces in Kovalev and Zherdev, some see Atlant as the front runners for the Gagarin Cup and the ultimate revenge, a championship, after a five-game defeat at the hands of Salavat Yulaev Ufa.  Ufa, however, has retained the services of Erik Ersberg and some believe the play of the young Swedish netminder can once again lead Salavat back to the top of the mountain.  With talent from back to front in Ufa — Alexander Radulov up front, Oleg Tverdosky on the back end and the aforementioned Ersberg between the pipes — it is hard to believe that the defending champs will go down without a fight.

Regardless of who fans believe will win opening night, all signs point to this being the most competitive KHL season since the league’s inception in 2008.

In concert with the opening ceremonies and the Cup presentation to the home fans in Ufa, the KHL has released a season preview video.  As Dmitry Chesnokov astutely pointed out this morning, the video bears a striking resmeblance to the NHL’s “History Will Be Made” television spots.

But what history may be made in the K?

Does AK Bars Kazan get back to the top and assert themselves as the KHL’s first dynasty in capturing their third title in four years?  Will Chekhov play a game without taking a major penalty?  Or, better yet, can Alex Kovalev play, with heart, every shift?

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Along with the beginning of the season, and sticking with a theme that will be very prominent on this site in the weeks to come (more on this later), Cycle Down Low presents you with the odds, from betting site BWin, for the 2012 Gagarin Cup:
SKA St. Petersburg — 7-2
Salavat Yulaev Ufa — 5-1
AK Bars Kazan — 11-2
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl — 7-1
Avangard Omsk — 8-1
Metallurg Magnitogorsk — 8-1
Dynamo Moscow — 15-1
Traktor Chelyabinsk — 20-1
Atlant Mytishchi — 20-1
CSKA Moscow — 25-1
Spartak Moscow — 40-1
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod — 40-1
Severstal Cheropovets — 50-1
Sibir Novosibirsk — 50-1
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk — 50-1
Dynamo Riga — 60-1
Dynamo Minsk — 60-1
Lev Poprad — 100-1
Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk — 100-1
Barys Astana — 100-1
Vityaz Chekhov — 300-1
Metallurg Novokuznetsk — 300-1
Amur Khabarovsk — 300-1
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg — 500-1

Of all the teams listed, the biggest surprise is the tough odds given to Atlant.  With the additions they have made, it’s beyond surprising that they’ve not been given better odds.  On top of Kovalev and Zherdev, Atlant also made the move to sign Branko Radivojevic to add depth and a bit more scoring up front.  Radivojevic, who has spent his three seasons in the KHL with Dynamo Moscow, has put up 129 points (42-87) in 159 games over those three years.

SKA, right at the very top of the list with 7-2 odds, looks outstanding at all skater positions but their goaltending, if it falters, will be their downfall.  Jakub Stepanek’s numbers last season were good enough to put him amongst the upper echelon of goaltenders in the KHL, but one has to wonder if his showing in the Euro Hockey Tour could be a sign that his number from last year were somewhat of a mirage.

Sticking with strange odds, it is almost comical to see an “expansion” team, Lev Poprad, garner better odds than a quarter of the competition in their first season.  Receiving permission to play in the KHL last season, the Slovakian Poprad has had an interesting off-season in anticipation of their first season in one of, if not the, top leagues overseas.  Lev has signed a slew of North American talent, namely AHL defensemen Grant Lewis and Jordan Sigalet, as well as looking to other Euro leagues to bolster scoring, with former NHLer Ladislav Nagy fitting that bill (NHL Totals: 435GP, 115-196-311).

All in all the KHL has seemingly established a certain level of competition that, quite frankly, was not there last year.  I think it would be a great surprise to see any team, even at the peak of their playing ability, go on a run similar to Avangard’s 18-game winning streak last season.  With much of the deck shuffling from last year, it appears that it really could be anyone’s game… unless you’re Vityaz, Novuokuznetsk, Amur, or Avtomobilist.

“The Detroit Red Wings presented by Amway”

The Red Wings and Amway took their relationship to a new historic level Thursday when it was announced that the Ada, Michigan-based company will be a presenting sponsor of the Original Six club for at least the next three seasons.

The direct quote above, one taken right from the official website of one of the NHL’s most storied and high-class organizations, has had me in complete disarray today.  Next season, the Detroit Red Wings will no longer be that.  They will no longer be merely the Winged Wheel, the most successful Detroit sports team in the history of Michigan sports, they will instead be branded — bound by a contract — to an organization that has, by all accounts of those within the state of Michigan, has disgraced the state.

The new deal will see the Wings and Joe Louis arena plastered with the Amway logo, the implications of which have already been felt with just a few simple keystrokes and a visit to the aforementioned internet home of one of the classiest organizations in all of sports.  The Amway logo, clear as day, in the upper right hand corner of the splash image that introduces the website to all visitors.  The Amway logo, attached to one of the most recognizable symbols in the entire game, anchoring the Red Wings emblem.

 

A portion of the splash image from the Red Wings official website. The Amway logo has already made it's presence felt.

In an in-depth blog post over at Hockey Independent (It’s a long read, but worth your time), the entire framework of the contract is laid out along with some tongue-in-cheek analysis of the statement released by the Red Wings themselves.

Some of the better comments pertain to how the partnership is going to allegedly increase the fan experience at games, only to fail to mention a single way that it will do so aside from the placement of the Amway mark rink wide.  On top of that, the author of the post at Hockey Independent, Gordon, goes on to thank everyone for their support of himself and Justin Verlander in their 20-win season, a jab at Steve Lieberman, VP and Managing Director for Amway North America, who, in a roundabout way, linked the successes of Amway to those of the Red Wings.

Although sullying the name of the franchise and the sanctity of the Red Wings logo with that of Amway is an alarming act in and of itself, it can also be said that it breeds the fear that this could be the direction the league is going.

As a Winnipeg resident at the time of the Jets return mere months ago, it was ever apparent that one of the main hurdles that those in the city were worried about was the idea of corporate sponsorship.  Where would the money come from?  What would the impact be on the team?  Would there be enough money to make the team sustainable?

Now, with this deal and a few notable others this off-season, it is becoming apparent that the next stage for the National Hockey League and it’s thirty franchises is the integration of corporate sponsorship on not only a business level, but an on-ice and visual level.

There was great uproar last season when the Chicago Blackhawks pasted patches of Giordano’s pizza chain on the front of their jeresys, and again some words to be had about the Florida Panthers selling the naming rights to the ice surface inside the BankAtlantic Center.  That’s right, not the building itself, the ice.  The Florida Panthers sold naming rights to frozen water.  Thank you, Lexus.

For the North American sports fan, the idea of teams selling their jerseys for marketing space is so foreign and heavily opposed.  The comparison that is often drawn is that of the international game, where teams throughout Europe and Russia sell the branding rights to almost every inch of space on the jerseys.

The advertising on hockey jerseys outside of North America has reached an almost absurd level.

Admittedly it was before I had any cognitive recognition of what the playing surface looked like, but if you can recall so far, there was a time when on-ice ads were a laughable idea.  Above and beyond that?  A time when not only was the idea of selling advertising space on the surface seemingly impossible to fans, but space on the boards.

When we look at the game today, there is not a single spot on the boards not reserved for promotions of some sort; be it movies, television, restaurants, or local businesses, every space is taken.  The ice?  Four spots, all within the neutral zone, all taken up by the images of those who have bought the space and the right to have their brand be forced down your throat at the drop of every puck.

If this method of gaining profit continues, it can only be a matter of time before we see the first ad appear on the front of a professional jersey.  It is something no hockey fan wants to see, but it has to feel like the dawn of a new day is upon us — and I for one do not like the feeling of impending brand punishment that this new day is bringing with every passing season and every new money making scheme thought up.

While we as fans must all be aware that the ultimate goal of almost every owner, in the modern day especially, is to turn a profit and begin to see a return on their investment, we must also hope that they can find it in their green hearts to keep something sacred, leave this stone unturned, and save us from ruining the beauty of the hockey sweater streaking down the ice.  The blue and white of the Maple Leafs, the blood red of the Detroit Red Wings, the orange, blue, and white of the Oilers; these are colours fans — a family of puck crazy men and women — identity themselves with.

Let’s save ourselves from relinquishing our identity to that of Motorola and Google logos and the days of skating advertisements.

We can only hope this isn’t the direction that the game is going, but if it is, I’ve got some ice cubes in my freezer than BMW can have the naming rights to for a couple hundred dollars.

– JPDC

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The Season is Upon Us

Although I am certain my readership — now the two or three people who will see this link pop up via Twitter or Facebook and take the time to read it — has not suffered from an extended hiatus, I am glad to say that I have come back with some sort of defined dedication to continuing this blog now that the season’s grasp is about to take ahold of all those who call themselves hockey nerds.

With September, we begin to see the news of training camp rosters, last minute tryout contracts, and predictions for the year to come.

On Cycle Down Low, September means a bit more; along with NHL training camp beginning, it gives way to what is almost the beginning of the fourth Kontinental Hockey League campaign, and a season of great change it is sure to be.  Some of the league’s talent has shifted, some of the spending has risen and some fallen, and Vityaz, well, they are the same old Vityaz, goons and all.

While this post states the obvious — yes, the season really is right around the corner — it is also my statement that this blog is back, up and running, and going to be full steam ahead.  Let’s get into the corners and keep our elbows up.  Expect more soon.  As in, later today.