Metro Pucks: Final Roster Decisions for the Rangers, Islanders and Devils

In the N.H.L. world of guaranteed one-way contracts – by which established veteran players make the same salary even if sent to the minors –the notion of widespread competition for jobs in training camp is primarily a myth. There are, however, a few spots still open on the rosters of the Rangers, Islanders and Devils with a few exhibition games remaining.

Here is a position-by-position breakdown of which players are safe and who needs to make a stand to crack the opening night lineup.

New York Rangers

Forwards

Set for Lineup (11 of 13 available spots): Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Ruslan Fedotenko, Marian Gaborik, Brandon Prust, Brad Richards, Mike Rupp, Derek Stepan, Wojtek Wolski

Veterans Pushing: Sean Avery, Erik Christensen, Mats Zuccarello

Prospects Competing: Ryan Bourque, Carl Hagelin, Dale Weise

Notes: As the Rangers play the first of four European preseason games Thursday in Prague, Zuccarello is the front-runner for a spot in the starting 12. The coaching staff is pleased with his off-season workouts and the Norway native provides a bonus with his efficiency in the shootout. Avery, as is his style, will not go quietly. Bourque, Hagelin and Weise are among a group of youngsters to please Coach John Tortorella in camp and will be utilized during the season when injuries hit.

Defensemen

Set for Lineup (5 of 7 available spots): Steve Eminger, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Sauer, Marc Staal

Veterans Pushing: Brendan Bell, Stu Bickel

Prospects Competing: Michael Del Zotto, Tim Erixon

Notes: Del Zotto had a very good rookie season in 2009-10, but regressed last year and was sent to the minors. The former first-round pick must improve his play in the defensive zone. Erixon, the son of former Rangers forward Jan Erixon who was born in New York, was acquired in an off-season deal with Calgary and has the most upside of the youngsters. Especially with the uncertain status of Staal (recurring concussion symptoms), the Rangers will consider signing an available free agent for depth.

Goaltenders

Set for Lineup (2 of 2 available spots): Martin Biron, Henrik Lundqvist

Notes: Prospect Scott Stajcer is with the Rangers in Europe for the balance of the exhibition season, but Lundqvist and Biron are entrenched as the team’s tandem in goal.

New York Islanders

Forwards

Set for Lineup (11 of 12 available spots): Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Michael Grabner, Matt Moulson, Nino Niederreiter, Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo, P.A. Parenteau, Marty Reasoner, Brian Rolston, John Tavares

Enforcer: Trevor Gillies

Veterans Pushing: Matt Martin, Micheal Haley, Jay Pandolfo

Prospects Competing: David Ullstrom, Rhett Rakhshani

Notes: The Swiss rookie Niederreiter will make the club, so the only open jobs are on Coach Jack Capuano’s fourth line. Gillies will be the 13th forward, shuffling in and out of the lineup when a heavyweight fighter is required. Pandolfo, the longtime Devils grinder, has yet to stand out in camp. Martin, young and tough on the wing, is an incumbent and currently the leader to stick. The organization’s most talented prospect, Ryan Strome (the fifth overall draft pick in 2011), needs another year of first-line ice time and bulking up in the Ontario Hockey League.

Defensemen

Set for Lineup (6 of 8 available spots): Mark Eaton, Travis Hamonic, Milan Jurcina, Andrew MacDonald, Mike Mottau, Mark Streit

Veteran Pushing: Steve Staios

Prospect Competing: Calvin de Haan

Notes: The uncertain status of McDonald, the steady two-way defender coming off hip surgery, should prompt General Manager Garth Snow to add a veteran or two to this very thin corps. The 37-year-old Staios is in camp on a tryout agreement. He is gritty and experienced and will likely be signed, but cannot be Snow’s only answer. The talented de Haan is only 20 years old and just out of the Ontario Hockey League. Although he’ll see games with the big club this season, he would be best served by some development time in the minors.

Goaltenders

Set for Lineup (2 of 2 available spots): Rick DiPietro, Al Montoya

Veteran Pushing: Evgeni Nabokov

Prospect Competing: Kevin Poulin

Notes: DiPietro and Montoya got here first, so they will be given the first cracks by management at the No. 1 job. It’s up to Nabokov, the longtime Sharks netminder who sat out most of last season, to steal a job and not let go. (A three-goalie rotation has rarely worked in the N.H.L.) Of all the goaltenders in the Islanders’ system, the Quebec League-developed Poulin is arguably the most talented. He’ll get his chance to lead the position in the next year or two.

New Jersey Devils

Forwards

Set for Lineup (10 of 13 available spots): Eric Boulton, David Clarkson, Patrik Elias, Jacob Josefson, Ilya Kovalchuk, Zack Parise, Rod Pelley David Steckel, Mattias Tedenby, Dainius Zubrus

Injured: Travis Zajac (out until at least December with a torn Achilles’ tendon, suffered during an off-season workout)

Veterans Pushing: Cam Janssen, Petr Sykora

Prospects Competing: Adam Henrique, Adam Mills, Nick Palmieri, Vladimir Zharkov

Notes: Boulton, a rugged wing with a willingness to fight, signed a two-year, one-way contract with New Jersey after playing the last six seasons with the departed Atlanta Thrashers. Janssen is also on a one-way deal, making them a leading contender to stick, but first-year Coach Pete DeBoer may prefer to add skill in Sykora, who is in camp as a tryout and has performed well. The void created by Zajac’s injury may have to be filled with a trade or waiver wire acquisition. Henrique (a playmaker) and Mills (a workhorse) have been standouts in camp.

Defensemen

Set for Lineup (6 of 7 available spots): Mark Fraser, Andy Greene, Adam Larsson, Bryce Salvador, Henrik Tallinder, Anton Volchenkov

Veterans Pushing: Peter Harrold, Anton Stralman

Prospects Competing: Matt Corrente, Mark Fayne, Matt Taormina

Notes: Devils management will do its best to manage expectations for Larsson – the brilliant fourth overall pick in this summer’s draft – but there is no doubt he’s making the team. Stralman, who played the previous two seasons in Columbus, is in camp on a tryout agreement and has made a solid bid for a contract. Fraser, who turns 25 on Thursday, will be pushed for ice time by the trio of prospects.

Goaltenders

Set for Lineup (2 of 2 available spots): Martin Brodeur, Johan Hedberg

Notes: Keith Kinkaid and Jeff Frazee are still in camp, but even they could tell you the Devils are Brodeur’s team and Hedberg will be the backup.

Scioscia disputes criticism from Detroit about lineup decisions

Sports talk radio in Detroit is abuzz with criticism of Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, who pulled Ervin Santana and Jered Weaver from their scheduled starts against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday and Wednesday and arranged to start five rookies in each game.

The Angels started Tyler Chatwood in Tuesday’s 10-3 loss to the Rangers, and rookie Garrett Richards will start Wednesday’s season finale. Wednesday night’s lineup also includes September call-ups Gil Velazquez at second, Efren Navarro at first and Jeremy Moore in left field.

The Tigers need the Angels to win to have any shot of winning home-field advantage and avoiding the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.

But Scioscia bristled at any suggestion that he wasn’t honoring the integrity of the game by sitting so many regulars, saying Santana “has battled forearm stiffness all year,” and Weaver “has had multiple issues with his upper back, which flared up recently.”

First baseman Mark Trumbo was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot Monday, and second baseman Howie Kendrick sprained his left wrist Tuesday night.

Rugby World Cup 2011: RWC stats, numbers and facts … how many would you get right in a pub quiz?

Sitting at a Wellington cafe mulling over Pools B, C and D… will we see the pre-tournament favourites go through to the knockout phase, or will we see an upset or two this weekend? But that, and my predictions, will have to wait until tomorrow, so please come back and let me know how you see the final pool games unfolding.

Heading back up to Auckland first thing on Friday, in time to see the pools-deciding matches of South Africa v Samoa, England v Scotland and Fiji v Wales (and watching the rest on telly in a pub).

In the meantime, some interesting figures relating to the Rugby World Cup, courtesy of the RWC News Service.

2,246,685 - Record total attendance for a RWC tournament (2007). Attendance in NZ currently stands at about 760,000.

82,957 – Record crowd for a RWC match – Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Australia (2003 Final Australia v England)

12,278 - Points scored in RWC tournaments (1987-2007)

1,711 -  Most points scored by a team in RWC tournaments – New Zealand (1987-2007)

1,429 - Tries scored in RWC tournaments (1987-2007)

1,053 -  Penalty goals kicked in RWC tournaments (1987-2007)

1,014 - Conversions kicked in RWC tournaments (1987-2007)

975 - Most points conceded by a team in RWC tournaments – Japan (1987-2007)

361 - Most points by a team in a RWC tournament – New Zealand (2003)

249 -  Most points scored by a player in RWC career – Jonny Wilkinson (ENG) 1999-2007

233 -  Total number of matches played in RWC finals tournaments (1987-2007)

162 - Most points in a RWC match (New Zealand 145 Japan 17, 1995)

142 - Biggest winning margin in a RWC match (Australia 142 Namibia 0, 2003)

126 - Most points scored by a player in a single RWC tournament – Grant Fox (NZL), 1987

106 - Drop goals kicked in RWC tournaments (1987-2007)

45 - Most points scored by a player in a RWC match – Simon Culhane (NZL) against Japan (1995)

40 - Age of the oldest player in the RWC (1999) – Diego Ormaechea (URU)

25 -  Most points scored by a player in a RWC Final – Matt Burke (AUS) 1999

24 - Countries to have participated in the RWC (1987-2007)

23 -  Most drop goals kicked by a team at a RWC tournament – England (2003)

22 -  Most matches by a player in RWC career – Jason Leonard (ENG) 1991-2003

21 -  Countries to have participated in at least two RWC tournaments

20 - Most conversions kicked by a player in a RWC match – Simon Culhane (NZL) against Japan (1995)

19 - Age of the youngest player in the RWC (1987-2007) – Thretton Palamo (USA) in 2007

18 -  Most consecutive matches by a player in RWC career – Martin Johnson (ENG) 1995-2003

17 - Highest losing score in a RWC Final (England 20 Australia 17 aet, 2003)

16 -  Countries participating in the first RWC (New Zealand 1987)

15 - Most tries scored by a player in RWC career – Jonah Lomu (NZL) 1995-1999

14 - Players sent off in Rugby World Cup matches

13 - Most RWC matches hosted by one venue (Murrayfield, Scotland, 1991-2007)

12 -  Most successive RWC victories – set by Australia between their 1995 quarter-final defeat by England and the loss to the same team in the final eight years later.

11 - Matches lost by Namibia at the RWC (1999-2007) – every match they played

10 - Occasions that 10 or more conversions have been kicked by a player in one RWC match

9 - Players who have scored at least 100 points in one RWC tournament.

8 - Most tries scored by a player in a RWC tournament – Jonah Lomu (NZL) 1995 and Bryan Habana (RSA) 2007

7 - Players who have represented two countries in RWC history

6 - Most tries scored by a player in a RWC match – Marc Ellis (NZL) against Japan (1995)

5 - Most drop goals kicked by a player in a RWC match – Jannie de Beer (RSA) against England (1999 quarter-final)

4 - Most tries by a forward in a RWC match – Brian Robinson (IRE) 1991 and Keith Wood (IRE) 1999

3 - Most red cards in a RWC match – South Africa v Canada (1995)

2 -  Hosts to have won the RWC – New Zealand (1987) and South Africa (1995)

1 - Northern hemisphere countries to have won the RWC – England (2003)

0 - RWC winners who have successfully defended their title

This blog is supported by Maximuscle, suppliers of Whey protein to Courtney Lawes, Joe Simpson and the Welsh Rugby Team.

Sink your teeth into the U.S. Putting Tour Championship

 

A putting competition is underway this week down in Carlsbad, where those with steady nerves  will compete for a cash prize and a chance to move on to a “World Putting Tour Championship.” Augusta, it’s not. But the first-ever tourney is a nice opportunity to hone putting skills against a range of competition, from duffers to club pros. It is open to men and women, ages 13 and up.

Dubbed the U.S. Putting Tour Championship, the event begins with a single preliminary round by each participant. In Round 1, entrants play 72 holes on a day of their choosing (Thursday, Friday or Saturday, at this point).

Seventy-two golfers will advance to Sunday’s championship. They will play 36 holes that morning, after which the field will be cut to the best 24 scores. Those 24 golfers will then play 36 more holes. In the event of a tie, there will be a sudden-death playoff.

The entry fee is $100. Amateurs can sign a waiver to maintain their amateur status. Total cash payout will be determined by the size of the field.

The tourney, run by Jim Hartley, takes place on the Crossings’ large, two-tiered practice putting green in Carlsbad, north of San Diego. For details, go to www.usputtingtour.com/

Directions from L.A.: Interstate 5 south through Camp Pendleton. Exit Palomar Airport Road. Continue east one mile. Turn left on The Crossings Drive.

--Chris Erskine

 

Will Power gets another shot at IndyCar title

For Will Power, it's a chance for redemption.

Last year, the Australian driver had a sizable 59-point lead in the Izod IndyCar Series championship battle with four races left, only to blow the advantage and see Dario Franchitti win his second consecutive IndyCar title and third overall.

At the time, Power was more skilled on curvy road and street courses than on oval tracks, and all four of those final races were on ovals.

Now, Power again has the lead with only two races left, but it's a much narrower 11 points over the second-place Franchitti, who drives for the Target Chip Ganassi Racing team.

But Power, who drives for Team Penske, is confident because he's had another year of navigating oval speedways, which included his first oval win at Texas Motor Speedway in June. Power, 30, has six wins overall this season.

The series' last two races are Sunday at Kentucky Speedway and Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, both 1.5-mile oval tracks.

"I really didn't have the experience" on ovals a year ago, Power said in a telephone interview. This year, "I'm just going to focus on the job and the things I can control," he said.

And if the championship slips away again? "All we can say is that we did everything we could do to win it, that's all we can do," he said.

Meanwhile, driver Oriol Servia has maintained a surprisingly strong showing, and the Spaniard is fourth in the standings entering the final two races.

Servia is a distant 145 points behind Power but still higher than such well-known IndyCar drivers as Tony Kanaan (fifth), Ryan Briscoe (sixth), Marco Andretti (seventh), Helio Castroneves (10th) and Danica Patrick (12th).

Servia, who drives for Newman-Haas Racing and lives much of the year in Los Angeles, doesn't have a win this season but has earned top-five finishes in three of the last four races.

"We're having a great year" and it shows "we can definitely be strong contenders for next season," Servia said.

--Jim Peltz

Photo: Will Power, right, talks with a crew member during practice Aug. 13 for the Izod IndyCar Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. Credit: Toby Talbot / Associated Press

Sam Farmer talks about injured quarterbacks and NFL winning streaks

Times NFL columnist Sam Farmer talks about injured quarterbacks, and which team's winning streak will last the longest:

 

 

Embracing a Snow Bowl

When the N.F.L. decided the site of the 2014 Super Bowl would be the new Giants/Jets stadium in the Meadowlands, an involuntary shiver went through the league, visions of snowplows and Eskimo masks dancing through everyone’s heads.

So, what better way to celebrate such enthusiasm than by creating a Super Bowl committee logo featuring a snowflake?

The logo also features the George Washington Bridge, but fortunately, the designers did not jam it with rush-hour traffic. Of course, in the spirit of the snowflake, perhaps they should have. After all, the logo is supposed to be embracing all that is New York/New Jersey.

“As public anticipation for the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl grows, so too does our commitment to hosting an historic event that truly encapsulates the distinct characteristics of our region,” Woody Johnson, the owner of the Jets and co-chairman of the host committee, said in a statement.

Granted, it is wise not to pretend this is just a slightly northern suburb of Miami, and it could open up all kinds of new sponsorship possibilities (Uggs, anyone?), but do the Super Bowl promoters really want a constant reminder of the one reason people objected to this Super Bowl in the first place?

What do you think should be in the New York/New Jersey Super Bowl logo?