Flickr/Jannie-Jan

As I was researching this two-part series on the media and hockey, my original intent was to discuss the quality of information and reporting standards first, followed by a examination of the gap between the mainstream and the blogosphere.  However, with Greg Wyshynski’s recent discussion of certain teams’ efforts to have bloggers banned from their locker rooms,  and the responses that arose from that article, it seemed prudent to switch the order.

Speaking of those responses, a few merit special consideration.  Justin’s well- articulated article at The Goalie Guild provides sound advice to bloggers wanting to achieve recognition from both their peers and club management.  Jeff Quirin provides a nice synopsis of the high-level arguments  at the Bluenote Zone. Last, but certainly not least, Washington Capitals‘ owner Ted Leonsis chips in with his own passionate defense of the bloggers’ role in covering the NHL today.

As intriguing, pointed and valid as these posts are, they truly represent relatively minor spats in a far more fundamental argument.  While the purported NHL policy is short-sighted and misguided, broad references to “bloggers” and “mainstream media” also skirt the central issues.  This two-part series is intended to re-focus the discussion and perhaps alter perceptions of the debate, as there are some widely divergent interests in play here.

Before plunging headlong into the abyss, let me disclose my particular path here, so that any perceived biases can be dealt with up front.  An attorney by trade <brief pause to permit booing, hissing and tossing of vegetables>, I began blogging a few years ago, devoting my time to our local Columbus Blue Jackets.  I leveraged my business/legal background to provide a more analytical approach to some of the thornier issues (the arena controversy, coaching changes, player moves, etc.), and spent a lot of time researching my articles.  Those efforts attracted some notice by more prominent internet sites, and ultimately resulted in my current post with The Hockey Writers, covering the Blue Jackets and providing analysis of hockey issues in general.  Through THW, I am credentialed by the Blue Jackets, (one of several THW writers credentialed by their local franchises).  I maintain my blog, Ten Minute Misconduct, which I use for less structured, more off-the-cuff commentary.  I receive no compensation for my writing, and do it because a) I love hockey, b) I love to write and c) I believe (perhaps erroneously) that I can bring a unique and reasoned perspective to the debates.

With the preliminaries out of the way,  let’s dig into the substance, first identifying the interested parties and how those interests are being served.

Ultimately, the discussion begins and ends with the media, as it is only through the media that the information gets

Blogger Ted Leonsis/Flicker - Internews Network

distributed to the fan base.  Whether we are talking about “mainstream media” or “bloggers”, they serve the same function:  accessing, processing and distributing information.  While they may do that in different ways, and with vastly different results, the essential nature of the function is identical.  The NHL franchises themselves are the purveyors of the raw information needed for the media to process.  While certain aspects of that information are readily available (i.e. anyone can watch a game), others, such as access to players and front office personnel are controlled.  (More on this later).  However, while the franchises all occupy the same link in the food chain, their interests can and do diverge substantially.   Thus, you have teams like Edmonton and the New York Rangers, on the one hand, who seek to stifle the bloggers from having access, and Ted Leonsis and the Capitals on the other, who embrace (and actively employ) the emerging media as a welcome development that creates fan interest and boosts the popularity of the game.   In my discussions with colleagues around the country, franchises  have adopted approaches to the emerging media consistent with their own individual interests — some restrictive, some expansive, many in between.   The NHL itself may or may not be viewed as having a substantial interest in the dispute.  On the one hand, the league  is interested in looking after the best interests of its franchises, and perhaps protecting the interests of its media partners.  On the other hand, the NHL is dying for exposure and increased fan interest.

Turning to the media themselves, neither  ”mainstream media” nor “blogger” are helpful terms, because they encompass so many different species.  MSM includes print media (newspapers, magazines), radio and television enterprises (as well as the online branches that those entities have spawned.)  Each of those branches of MSM, in turn, have their own appeal and are used differently by the fan base.  I don’t rely on the TV or Radio game broadcasts for statistics or box scores.   Similarly, I can’t use a newspaper to provide the immediacy of the game experience or the intangibles that make the stat line misleading.  Depending upon the game, the situation and my location, I may prefer radio to television, or vice versa, or might turn the sound off the TV and use both.  Each format provides a different aspect of the experience, and no single outlet can be all things to all people.

The blogosphere, on the other hand, presents a dizzying array of content, with the only common factor being the Internet as the medium of transmission.  From largely anonymous personal blogs, with only tangential relationships to hockey —  to ardent fan sites, replete with profanity-laden opinions and comments —  to more comprehensive and “serious” sites, encompassing the full spectrum of hockey — all of these are tagged with the  ”blogger” moniker. (I much prefer “emerging media” to describe online vehicles of communication) Yet, as with the MSM, the medium serves different aspects of the hockey experience, from hard “news”, to pure entertainment. After all, we are talking about hockey here, not peace in the Middle East — there is room, and indeed need, for levity from time to time.    Emerging media, to my mind, fill a gap between the immersive and immediate experience of a television or  radio broadcast, and the static,  more reflective nature of the print media.

The fallacy in so much of the discussion that takes place concerning MSM vs. emerging media is that it focuses on the medium, rather than the message.  There is nothing inherent in the internet protocols that mandates a different degree of accuracy, integrity, news or entertainment value.  It matters not one iota whether the message is conveyed by ink, photons, sound waves or pixels.  Yet, that is how the dispute is often posed.   Alternatively, clubs will raise the issue of control , most frequently dealing with issuance of credentials and access to players and press conferences.  Again, however, this is largely a red herring — a symptom of the underlying problem.

For most franchises, access for the traditional media is a relatively controlled and finite process. There are only so many radio, television and newspaper outlets in a given market, and franchises have varying degrees of control over the personnel involved in that coverage.  Those media outlets operate within a highly structured environment — deadlines, restricted column inches or broadcast time, etc.  In practice, deference is usually given to these outlets in press conferences and locker room chats, due to the existence of those deadlines.

It is the very size and amorphous nature of the emerging media contingent that poses a problem for many franchises. Given that internet access with some form of input device is the sole prerequisite for blogging,  sheer numbers preclude media access for every member of the emerging media.   Only so many bodies fit on Press Row, in the locker room, or in the Press Conference venue.  There are rules of decorum, and there is an institutional nervousness about having hordes of  Mountain Dew- fueled bloggers annoying the players and embarrassing the franchise.  As many of the recent commentators have observed, many of these characters don’t desire that access in the first place, and are content to voice their opinions unfettered by restrictions, and, in some cases, facts.

Glenn Sather/ NY Rangers GM

To their credit, a number of franchises have taken the time to monitor the emerging media and establish internal criteria for credentialing members who have demonstrated responsibility, ethics and quality in their reporting.  Others franchises, however, have abdicated that responsibility and have fallen back on the broad brushed “blogger vs. mainstream media” distinction to simply bar the emerging media from any form of access, without any sort of qualitative analysis.  In this way, they perpetuate the myth that there is something inherently unreliable and uncontrollable about the internet medium.

The purportedly proposed NHL policy quoted in Greg Wyshynski’s later piece is misguided and tailored essentially to cater to existing traditional media outlets having web-based components.  Two requirements of that proposed policy  – that the individual be part of a “national news gathering organization”, and that the organization “employ full time journalists” pretty much wipes out the vast majority of the emerging media.  Again, this is a mere perpetuation of the myth that internet based media are somehow inherently inferior.

Franchises such as Washington, the N.Y. Islanders and Columbus have shown that emerging media can be successfully incorporated into the media mix with reasonable controls and a modicum of effort.  That same spirit of accommodation can address any concerns over access to visiting players and personnel.

The entire debate over bloggers, mainstream media, credentials, access and control ignores a fundamental reality — which Ted Leonsis and others have readily grasped — namely, that the emerging media exists, and is performing the same functions as the traditional media — collecting, processing and distributing information on the great game of hockey. Sure, credentials and access are a benefit and a recognition of sorts, but these are not the alpha and omega of the task. By framing the debate as “Internet vs. Traditional”, detractors are effectively shooting the messenger, based not on the content, but on the manner of delivery.  Instead, the real issue involves the message itself — the product of that acquisition and processing of information.   What rules and standards were applied to generating that product?  What is the quality of the result?   The viability of any media effort, whether expressed in words printed or spoken, televised or streamed, is ultimately dependent upon the message that emerges.  That represents the real issue . . . and also represents the subject of Part II: The Media and Hockey: Cascading Misinformation. Stay tuned . . .

San Jose Sharks Hockey Writer

Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos is reporting that Stanley Cup Champion goaltender Antii Niemi is on his way to San Jose, and will sign a one-year, $2 million deal by Thursday.

The rumor mill (or, more accurately, the rumour mill) has been very active regarding Niemi lately, with the Kings mentioned as suitors, along with Montreal.

The Sharks were prominently mentioned in the “in” group, but were also reported as having “no interest, now or ever”, in Niemi.

The 27-year old Finn will join Antero Niittymaki, whom the Sharks signed on the first day of free agency to replace Evgeni Nabokov. Nabokov and the Sharks parted ways after his latest contract ended, and the Kazakh netminder signed with the KHL during the off-season.

When contacted for comment, a Sharks spokesman replied “nothing to report.” Read into that what you will; I personally believe that the lack of an outright denial is as close to confirmation as we will get before the press release.

Doug Weight (ShutterSpeak/Flickr)

It was well known throughout the Islanders community that Doug Weight would be returning to the Isles for his third season with the team, but it was unknown as to when the contract would be finalized. Well, the wait is over. The Captain will be back in gear for the 2010-2011 season on a one-year deal.

According to NHL.com’s Brian Compton, the deal is for an inexpensive $850,000 salary with potential bonuses. Weight’s value to the team cannot be measured by his contract, but by his professionalism in the locker room; his vocal presence on the bench; the leadership he possesses and delivers to all of his younger teammates that have and will continue to learn so much from him.

Prior to the start of free agency, it was uncertain on whether or not Doug Weight would be back with the Islanders after and injury riddled season forced him to bow out early due to surgery in March. He tore his labrum in his shoulder and was playing hurt from the start, handcuffing his ability to produce as he only posted 17 points, (1 goal and 16 assists), leading to speculation that Weight’s career might have come to a disappointing end. When I interviewed Kyle Okposo back in June, he and I discussed the possibilities of him becoming the next Captain if Weight did not return. But this is all Kyle had to say:

“Obviously I’d be honored by it, but as far as I know Doug Weight is our Captain and he’s done a great job in that position and he’s such a good leader that until the time comes he’s our Captain.”

Kyle Okposo (Patxi64/Flickr)

Straight and to the point, Kyle did not want to even think about taking a position that belonged to someone as respected as Doug Weight. Josh Bailey had a lot of positive things to say about #93 as well:

“Obviously with Dougie, he brings so much leadership. He’s someone that really I’ve been able to look up to and a lot of guys look up too, as a hockey player and as a person. He’s been so good to me since day one. I still remember in my first year living in the hotel and he would have me over for dinner with his family. I became pretty tight with him and his family so I’m really excited that he’s back.”

In addition, many Islander fans are aware of how he has mentored John Tavares since he was drafted two summers ago. During the course of the 2010 season, Tavares was living with the Weight’s and was accepted as part of his family. He even took Matt Moulson in his guest house as well. All of this goes to show that his value cannot just be measured by what he is capable of producing on the ice; it’s what he does off the ice that likely earned him one last run with a team that he has helped grow each year. A veteran of 19 NHL seasons and 1,220 career games played, the Captain still has a lot to offer.

-Rob McGowan

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Call this the preview to the preview. Training camp is still a couple of weeks away and the final roster is far from set. We don’t need to go into the statistical specifics about new and returning players and how we stack up against our opponents.

Canucks fans have been through a lot, including some of the more egregious examples in our history, from the spin of the wheel giving our expansion cousin Buffalo Sabres Gilbert Perreault to ‘the mistake’ by Harold Snepts in the 1982 Finals. We’ve been through Joel Otto kick to knock us out in ’89, through Nathan Lafayette hitting the post, and the catastrophic nightmare of the Mark Messier, Mike Keenan era.

It was worse this offseason: we had to deal with watching the hated Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup and we’ve been dealt a God-awful football team to watch this year in the Lions here in British Columbia.

But that’s all going to change–we are close to hockey. In this city where the cold fall and winter rain with dense fog obscures the vision so your only sights are the nearest Starbucks and the city bus lights flashing the phrase ‘GO CANUCKS GO’ periodically. We’ve been somewhat vindicated, at the NHL’s awards extravaganza gave our own Henrik Sedin a much-deserved Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player, the first Canuck to do it.

So get used to preseason magazines and Internet experts predicting the Canucks finish high in the West this season, and get ready for it to not feel weird. Something about the phrase “reigning MVP” next to one of our guys will be a little odd at first, but after the initial acceptance stage, it will remind us that our franchise has finally arrived.

It’s our 40th year, and already shaping up to be a real dandy.

Top left wing and top fantasy player. (Wikipedia)

Last Friday, we posted the first Taking a Stand fantasy preview focusing on left wings.  Today, is our first installment of position rankings. Remember, you can find more analysis in the Taking a Stand previews as well as the other fantasy articles to be released in anticipation of the season.

To follow up on the Taking a Stand preview, today’s position ranking is left wing (eligibility determined by Yahoo! default rules).  As I mentioned the other day, left wing is top heavy and shallow.  There will be a few surprises, but the position seems filled with either a lot of risk or limited potential.

1. Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
2. Zach Parise – New Jersey Devils - See Taking a Stand on Left Wings
3. Dany Heatley – San Jose Sharks
4. Ilya Kovalchuk – Free Agent
5. Daniel Sedin – Vancouver Canucks
6. Bobby Ryan – Anaheim Ducks – The sixth spot may be a little low for Mr. Ryan.  I expect him to take yet another leap again this year, 40 goals, 35 assists and 90 PIM is very possible.
7. Patrick Marleau – San Jose Sharks - Marleau does present somewhat of a risk at 7.  His previous production certainly merits the ranking, but his production may suffer if he is not playing on the top unit.
8. Wojtek Wolski – Phoenix Coyotes – Because he has played five full seasons, many forget that this kid has a great pedigree and is only 24 years old.  He also played better in Phoenix than Colorado.  Could be a top 50 player.
9. Rick Nash – Columbus Blue Jackets
10. Simon Gagne – Tampa Bay Lightning – See Taking a Stand on Left Wings
11. Patrick Sharp – Chicago Blackhawks
12. Alexandre Burrows – Vancouver Canucks – Like Marleau above, previous production warrants the ranking, but linemate and injury concerns increase the risk significantly.
13. David Perron – St. Louis Blues – Perron is trending in the right direction.  The 22 year-old former first round pick has improved in each of his previous three years, this year should be no different.  I’m betting on a big jump.
14. Michael Cammalleri – Montreal Canadiens - See Taking a Stand on Left Wings
15. Thomas Vanek –  Buffalo Sabres – See Taking a Stand on Left Wings
16. Jamie Benn – Dallas Stars – Benn has been very good at every level and his rookie season was no exception.  I expect Benn to build off of his solid rookie campaign to become a 30 goal 30 assist asset, with upside beyond that.
17. Mason Raymond – Vancouver Canucks
18. Dustin Penner – Edmonton Oilers
19. James Neal – Dallas Stars – Don’t sleep on any of Dallas’ top six.  They aren’t on Tampa’s level, but there is plenty of talent.  They will need the offense with how the defense currently looks.
20. Ryan Malone – Tampa Bay Lightning - I’ll take the over on 25 goals, 20 assists and 80 PIM.
21. Jussi Jokinen – Carolina Hurricanes
22. Alexander Frolov – New York Rangers – Frolov could exceed this ranking if he earns top line work with Gaborik.  However, that is no guarantee, so I bumped him down.  Frolov should be low-risk with a decent return.
23. David Booth – Florida Panthers – See Taking a Stand on Left Wings
24. Ryan Clowe – San Jose Sharks
25. Scott Hartnell – Philadelphia Flyers
26. Chris Kunitz – Pittsburgh Penguins – Somebody has to step up on the Penguins’ wing.  Kunitz was hampered by injuries all 2009-10.  Many around Pittsburgh have questioned his worth.  I expect him to answer with 30 goals and 30 assists.
27. Kristian Huselius – Columbus Blue Jackets
28. Andy McDonald – St. Louis Blues
29. Brenden Morrow – Dallas Stars
30. Ryan Smyth – Los Angeles Kings – Lots to cry about for this aging vet.  If he doesn’t get top line minutes in LA, he could become a huge bust.  There just isn’t any upside with Smyth.
31. Brooks Laich – Washington Capitals
32. Ray Whitney – Phoenix Coyotes
33. Kris Verteeg – Toronto Maple Leafs – Many people are expecting a huge jump in Versteeg, but I don’t see it.  Even on the first line, he will be playing with worse talent in Toronto.  Maybe a slight jump, but don’t count on much more than 25 goals and 50 points.
34. Taylor Hall – Edmonton Oilers – Bright future for Hall, but I doubt that he will produce enough to justify his draft status.  Stamkos only had 23 goals and 23 assists in his rookie season, after having a better junior career.  I’ll take the under on both 25 goals and 25 assists.
35. Nikita Filatov – Columbus Blue Jackets – Filatov is a better option than Hall, but only because he should come cheaper.  Their seasons should be pretty comparable.
36. Alexei Ponikarovsky – Los Angeles Kings
37. James van Riemsdyk – Philadelphia Flyers – See Taking a Stand on Left Wings
38. Guillaume Latendresse – Minnesota Wild – There is a chance that Latendresse finishes with much more value than this ranking.  He flourished in Minnesota.  However, it will be impossible to continue shooting 18.8%.  He will likely score 20-25 goals.  But if he only matches it with 15 assists and 30 PIM, he won’t be of much value.
39. Milan Lucic – Boston Bruins
40. Alex Tanguay – Calgary Flames – Reuniting with Iginla will help.  You won’t get 80 points, but would you complain about 50-60 points from your fourth left wing?

Let’s first take a look at the areas we know are strong when we talk about the 2010-11 Philadelphia Flyers:

Chris Pronger Leads a Much Better Supporting Cast on D This Season

#1.) The Defense. Paul Holmgren is going out on a limb here. He is basically saying that the Flyers can survive with an average goalie because the defense is going to be so good that they will eliminate so many of the top scoring chances. I was never a huge fan of Andrej Meszaros, especially seeing what he did after he left Ottawa, but I think he’ll do well with the atmosphere around him. Also, Peter Laviolette is an outstanding motivator as well as a strategical head coach, so he should be just fine. Sean O’Donnell on our 3rd pairing I like. He brings a veteran presence and I think the team needed more of that last season. Matt Walker is a weird case here. I like what he brings as far as a physical presence but with 7 d-men signed for next season it makes me wonder why there hasn’t been a trade. Maybe it’s a feather in the Flyers cap should the goalies flop on their face next season with a guy like Carle as trade bait. But Walker’s a guy who needs to play a bit and not be scratched 80% of the time.

#2.) The Chemistry on the Scoring Lines. Other than the defense looking really promising this upcoming season, I’m really excited for the Leino/Briere/Hartnell line to take the ice. These guys were flat out gutsy and clutch in the playoffs and they gave their 100% up until the last game of the finals. With Carter’s foot healing and Mike Richards on the top line I’m sure the other guys will follow suit as well. Zherdev again is a question mark, but this Flyers team reminds me a lot of the Phillies teams of 2007-09 in baseball. They have the right attitude and voice in the clubhouse right now and they won’t let any 1 guy screw it up. Zherdev will have to buy into the belief that they can win it all, because Peter Laviolette and everyone else in the locker room sure do believe that.

Questions:

The Biggest of All: GOALTENDING

Will Leighton get the job done? I don’t think he’ll be awful, but I don’t think he’s a starter in the NHL. I think he’s a capable backup. I sat there and watched the softest goal of my life watching hockey squirt past him in Game 6 and I just saw too much of that going on in the Finals. Yes, the Hawks were a great team. However, there is no excuse for that. Here’s how I see it shaking out: If Leighton is good, the job is his. The defense is strong enough. The Wings did it with Osgood. I personally hate this philosophy but the Flyers seem intent on carrying it out. If he stinks on the other hand, I see the Flyers making a trade for a guy who might be available at the deadline or sooner, and there will be a few. Stay tuned and let’s hope goaltending doesn’t become the downfall.

R.I.P. Tucker 1998-2010

Lastly, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who reached out to me this summer in what will go down probably as the worst summer of my life. I have so many wonderful friends throughout North America and Europe and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. I have not written an article here since June, and as many of you know the reason for that is because my grandfather became ill and passed away on June 28th. I spent many early mornings in the hospital with him and it was really heartbreaking. He was a World War II veteran and a family man. He was strong and stubborn up until his very last days. As if I thought it couldn’t get any worse, my beagle dog of 12 years, Tucker, passed away unexpectedly on July 30th. Those who know me personally know that Tucker was really a huge chunk of my life and without a doubt my best friend. He stopped eating all of the sudden 6 days before he passed away. He had no other symptoms at this time. He was a happy dog. The vet diagnosed him with a virus and I fed him egg whites out of my hand for a few days. On July 28th, he started stumbling, shivering, and his belly became red from internal bleeding. An x-ray revealed he had cancer throughout his body and he passed away on July 30th. Amazing that he didn’t display any pain until it was too late. I miss them every day and RIP Pop and RIP Tucker. I know they’re pulling for the Flyers this season wherever they are.

Thanks again, and I truly look forward to discussing hockey with you all this year. Looking forward to seeing you all down at the Wells Fargo Center. I will also be in Pittsburgh for opening night on October 7th, and I’m ready to get the ball rolling on what should be a great season. I’ll be back with another blog soon leading up to camp. All the best!