So come on down to the War Memorial, we've got fun for the whole family

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone and while no really big game changers was traded it's all about the subtle improvements to steel a team for a long run in the hardest tournament in the world to win.

The Rangers perhaps made the biggest splash landing Arizona's great offensive defenseman Keith Yandle. Yandle had long been rumored to be on the block with the ownership issues for the Coyotes and a need to cut salary. The Rangers were the team to finally step up and pay the steep price it was going to take; forward Anthony Duclair, defenceman John Moore, a conditional first-round pick in 2016 and a second-round pick in 2015. Yandle immediate improves the Rags powerplay and will help in breaking them out of their own end with his sharp passing. Johnny is quite interested in whom they pair Yandle with.

Yandle should be available to play for the Rangers tomorrow night in Detroit which brings us to the Devils move yesterday, trading skilled defenseman Marek Zidlicky to the Red Wings for a conditional third-round pick in 2016. In Zidlicky the Wings get someone who can step into their second-pairing and add depth to what is currently the best powerplay in the NHL. Should the Wings win the East the pick becomes a second-round choice.

The Islanders added a backup netminder in Michal Neuvirth from the Buffalo Sabres for goaltender Chad Johnson and a conditional 2016 third-round pick. Neuvirth has a bad record (Ahem, Buffalo) but some very solid numbers; 6-17-3 in 27 games this season with a 2.99 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. The Isles also added some depth up front by trading for forward Tyler Kennedy from the San Jose Sharks for a 2016 conditional third-round pick. Kennedy has only four goals and has played sparingly.

Johnny thinks of the three the Rangers won the day. Your thoughts?

NHL Trade deadline day

So Johnny will be watching TSN Trade Centre all day monitoring all the Red Wings, Rangers, Islanders and Devils trades on the day. Back later today with analysis.

So Devils fans, what trades would you make?

As the NHL gets within the last month before the trading deadline teams assess their chances and needs. In some cases top teams need a piece to put them over the top though usually a trade at the deadline is not the end all be all. As an old hockey adage goes, sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Well Devils fans what changes would you make? Is anyone untouchable? Zidlicky to Detroit? Jagr back to Pittsburgh? Since it's apparent the Devils need an influx of big draft picks and young talent if YOU were GM, what would you do?

New York Rangers fans, are you gonna sit there and take this?

The Hockey News is counting down the top NHL logos and your team's famous crest and shield look rated no better than #14.

To enrage you another way, the Buffalo Sabres are going to outrank you. Here you go, vent your rage here.

The quintessential Stanley Cup Final preview; Rangers vs Kings!

It seems just two short years ago the Devils dispatched the heavily favored Rangers at the Prudential Center in game 6. The Rangers were favorites to make the cup final out of the east but indeed fell short. Two years and a new coach later the Rangers have returned to the Final for the first time since 1994.

So New York vs. L.A. Kings vs. Rangers. East vs. West. What's it all about Johnny?

These teams are such a mirror image of each other, strong young defense protecting a great netminder and teams that like to get the forecheck going to let their defense work through the middle. So what are the little differences that will make all the difference in the end? Let's find out.

The Kings have one of the best two-way forwards playing in Anze Kopitar. He's been nothing short of amazing and otherworldly some nights. He reminds Johnny a little of Sergei Fedorov back in his days in Detroit. Freakishly fast, able to cover a mistake, checks the opposing centers into the ground and yes, scores. Jeff Carter is only the second line center and has almost as many points as Koptiar. Add to that former Rangers castoff Marian Goborik who has finally found his comfort zone seemingly in L.A. and the Kings have a very scary couple of scoring and checking lines. The Rangers may actually be deeper up front than the Kings but to have that aspect possibly play out someone named Rick Nash is finally going to have to carry his weight offensively. The Rangers will need scoring from Nash to take the pressure off Richards and St. Louis whom the Kings will be all over. The biggest advantage of the entire series for L.A. will be their faceoff winning percentage and how they hold onto the puck. They are an elite possession team and to do that one must win faceoffs and plenty of them. The Rangers cannot cede this battle to the Kings. The Rangers HAVE to be close to 50/50 on faceoffs or they already start the play chasing the faster Kings. One thing, and it's a dicey thing to call an advantage, is the Kings have "ice assassins" in guys like Dustin Brown that are willing to not only throw an elbow or take a head shot that can turn a series, they don't much seem to care they are doing it, which is sad.

Defensively both teams sport fantastic, young, strong bluelines. The Rangers have one of the absolute breakout stars of the 2014 playoffs in Ryan McDonagh, who along with Dan Girardi have been very solid. The Rags #2 pairing of Marc Staal and Anton Stralman has been better than advertised going into the playoffs. The Kings also have a great young defensive corps led by Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin. The Kings also have a good #2 pairing with Alec Martinez and Slava Voynow. We'd say the Kings have an ever so-slight advantage here.

Goaltending stands to be the Rangers biggest advantage IF the Rangers can stop the Kings puck possession game. They can't hang King Henrik out to dry. He's great but he's not Terry Sawchuk, not yet. Everyone talks about the Kings netminding advantage with Olympic goalie and 1012 Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Quick. As Lee Corso is fond of saying, "Not so fast my friend." The Rangers DO have a decided advantage in Lundqvist. Quick has given up 13 goals in his last 3 games. He's not been the shut 'em out goalie he was in 2012. Advantage Rangers.

Both teams have played a LOT of hockey this spring. Harry Neale, the great CBC announcer, used to say you wanted to make the Final having taken no more than 15 or 16 games to stay fresh and ready. Well the Rangers have already played two seven game series and the Kings have played the maximum 21 games to get to this point. Conditioning will matter but we don't think unless there is a major injury this will be the difference maker.

So, without going into micro-managing stats we'll say this. These teams are mirrors of one another and the one who plays their game better will win. Johnny will be cheering for the Rangers as it's an Original Six thing. That respect goes back many many decades and it's like a brother fighting for the title. That being said here's Johnny's fearless forecast:

L.A. Kings in seven games.

P.S. You are ALL going to hate Eric Cartman by the end of this series? Don't know what Johnny is talking about? You will....

Johnny's going to take a moment and pay tribute to one of the truly great hockey players

Nothing to do with the Devils or Rangers, sorry, Johnny's an unapologetic Red Wings fan. Tonight Red Wing fans are going to do what we do best, celebrate our own greatness as a franchise. The number 5 will retire to the rafters in the cathedral of hockey tonight, Joe Louis Arena. Nicklas Lidstrom, the Perfect Human, St. Nick, or however you know him will receive the ultimate sports honor tonight in Detroit. His number 5 will be retired in a ceremony beginning at 6:30 pm (NBCSports Network and NHL Network) and will join such legends as Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Sid Abel, Terry Sawchuk, Alex Delvecchio and Steve Yzerman. Johnny could start some mess with Bruins fans and come right out and say Lidstrom was simply THE best defenseman ever to play in the NHL and there are quite a few numbers that would back that up. For now we'll just say that NHL fans now have their top all-time defense pairing set with Bobby Orr and Lidstrom.

So a heartfelt THANK YOU to St. Nick from a Red Wings fan. You have played with great distinction, honor, and pride. Steve Yzerman said you were the best played he'd ever had the chance to play with. High honors indeed. Now enjoy your evening and your hockey immortality.

Here now every playoff goal by Lidstrom is all his Stanley Cup winning seasons with the Wings, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008.

The New Jersey Devils are back on the menu here

The gimme gimme take take Jeff Vanderbeek days are officially over! A long nine year nightmare of ownership has given way to a new owner and ownership team at the Prudential Center. The NHL has approved the sale of the Devils to billionaire John Harris and co-owner John Blitzer.

Harris, a co-founder of Apollo Global Management, one of the largest private equity firms in the world, will also now control operating rights to all shows and events at The Rock. The Star-Ledger also spilled more on the Devils new braintrust and who'll be running the day-to-day operations:

Scott O'Neil, who became CEO of the 76ers earlier this year, will also be CEO of the Devils organization overseeing Devils business operations and Devils Arena Entertainment, which includes the Prudential Center. O'Neil is the former president of Madison Square Garden Sports, where he oversaw the business operations of three professional sports teams: the New York Rangers, the New York Knicks, and the New York Liberty. O'Neil will work closely with Lou Lamoriello, the Devils’ president/general manager.

So there you go. We congratulate Mr. Harris on his purchase. Now, you've got about a season an a half to become a GIVER in the revenue sharing setup in the NHL and not a constant TAKER before Johnny starts in on you. Welcome to the NHL.

Sounds like the NHL is going to have to take over the New Jersey Devils

One good thing to come of this, once Jeff Vanderbeek, one of the owner architects of the lockout is gone Johnny can go back to going to games at the Prudential Center and writing about the Devils.

Yes yes, a couple days off of divesting themselves of running the Phoenix Coyotes it looks as though Gary Bettman and his merry band of elves my have to take control of the Devils:

The report says the Devils' debt is at $230 million and team owner Jeff Vanderbeek missed the first payment on a recently restructured bank loan. In June, Vanderbeek was in talks with an investment group led by attorney Andrew Barroway to sell the team. Forbes reported that Barroway recently withdrew his offer after seeing the team's books.

Ta da! Guess the lockout didn't save you there Jeffy. All it did was help your losses accumulate faster and now, well, it's over. The NHL is saying that unlike the Coyotes they do not want the Devils franchise to go the bankruptcy route. So either a new owner is found, pronto, or the NHL will own another team. But the Devila are in the Metropolitan Division which with a sassy name like that will help bring interested buyers running.

Oh you bet we're going to talk about the New Jersey Devils today

Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek and GM Lou Lamoriello has a sad today. They both believed in Ilya Kovalchuk enough to trade away talent, draft picks (including a #1) to the Atlanta Thrashers now the Winnipeg Jets Redux. They were penalized by the NHL a #1 draft pick for a ham handed attempt to circumvent the salary cap. They inked Kovie to a 15 year $100 million dollar contract of which he was three years into. Yesterday he "retired" from the Devils and the NHL, only be reported to sign a deal Monday to play for SKA St. Petersburg in Russia's KHL.

The great Harry Neale, former NHL head coach and brilliant CBC Hockey Night in Canada analyst, said it best when he said sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Boy is he right.

But Johnny, how did it come to this? Why would Kovalchuk retire from the NHL, leave the Devils devoid of offense and sign to play in Russia? Let us count the ways.

Kovalchuk's mother was asked by Yahoo if he had enjoyed his time playing in the KHL during the lockout last year:

Did he like SKA during the lockout?
“Of course. Otherwise this question about leaving the NHL wouldn’t even be raised. And so it happened… Besides, there were some problems in New Jersey. You know there will likely be a change of ownership there. It’s unclear how everything will turn out.”

Wow, he only liked it because he got to try it. Yes the tax free thing is nice but again he wasn't hurting for money here.

So, what caused the lockout? Let's ask Gary Betteman and better yet Jeff Vanderbeek. Vanderbeek argued  for the lockout and that's when Kovalchuck fell in love with the KHL. In love so much when told by Lamoriello to report to the 'hurry up there's a season training camps', Kovalchuk decided to stay behind in Russia and play in the KHL all-star game. Ruh ro.

Ya know that 100 million dollars you reached deep and found for Kovie, Mr. Vanderbeek? If you'd have spent that better and paid Zach Parise a portion of that in renegotiations he'd still be a Devil. You knew Parise would never bolt in the middle of a contract. HE was a leader. While we're speculating if you'd have taken another portion of the $100 million you'd still probably have David Clarkson.

So now the Devils have nothing. No offense. A huge risk in Ryane Clowe after his concussion issues. Maybe one more year from Marty Brodeur. Ownership is in let's call it, flux. Money is needed. Ticket sales will suffer because of the product on the ice. The new playoff format is even more foreboding and unforgiving. Kovalchuck saw this too and did what Ilya Kovalchuk has done everywhere he's played, soiled his wittle baby diaper and left.

Never expect Johnny in the office on NHL free agency day

Or trading deadline day for that matter. Free agency dawns and Johnny's Red Wings are doing what they do (Alfredsson and Weiss) while the Newark team took a big chance (concussion issues) on a good player in Ryane Clowe. While Johnny won't mention that team as long as Mr. Lockout Jeff Vanderbeek owns them (that may change soon and Johnny can stop holding his breath like a child) we hope that Clowe is able to rebound from the concussions. Nobody should lose a career to an injury. Sure it's the nature of sport that any game or play could be your last but the head shots in the NHL are a disgrace and the penalties and suspensions, while tougher, still are too weak.

The NHL is back! Dear Devils, please don't call Johnny

Late last night the NHL players and owners reached an agreement on the framework of a new collective bargaining agreement and thus will begin the process of putting in place some sham 48 game season starting later this month. Johnny will no doubt have more analysis on the deal later but it would appear that Gary Bettman finally met his negotiating match in Donald Fehr. Fehr didn't care if the season got cancelled. The players he represented cared but were willing to take a ziggy on a season. The owners, who Bettman no doubt told the players union would fold again, were not willing to waste an entire season. So off we go on a truncated NHL season. And a commissioner who looks worse if possible than he did eight months ago.

Which brings us to the fact the Devils ticket office will now be working overtime to get butts in the seats to not watch Zach Parise play (remember Zach Parise?). While not a season ticket holder Johnny does attend quite a few games out at the Rock as he prefers the building to the one at MSG which is cramped, dark, and people wander around too much during play for Johnny's tastes. The Islanders can't get to Brooklyn fast enough. So, Devils ticket sellers, you're going to call Johnny. The first time he will be polite in telling you that your owner, Jeff Vanderbeek is part of the ownership problem in the NHL and just cost the league half a season and countless goodwill. The ticket agent will be reminded politely that Vanderbeek is a "taker" when it comes to team revenues. Vanderbeek happily accepts money from the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Red Wings and other successful teams, like the Rangers.

All this will be explained in a friendly matter-of-fact way. THE FIRST TIME ONLY. Call back and you'll get the wrath of the scorned NHL fan. Yes, this is a breakup letter with the Devils. No more. 

So the NHL is back yet sadly Gary Bettman still walks the earth. Ah well, you can't get everything you want on one day. 

The Devils are in Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs tonight

Oh wait, no they're not. That's right. There is no game because Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman are both greedy assholes who don't give a shit about the true NHL fans. They only care about themselves.

It would be legally, morally and ethically wrong to toss Gary Bettman off the Chrysler Building...

...but if someone decides to do it can you film it so the rest of the REAL hockey lovers can enjoy it many many times? Devils fans, your organization is complicit in this coming rant, you know Johnny loves you but, well, facts are facts.

Gary Bettman (hereafter to be known in this rant as "Commissioner Jackhole") has shut down the NHL again for a few of his owner friends. Not ALL owners mind you, no, just these captains of industry who demand to own a team in a SOCIALIST system. Set salary caps, tax the workers more every time to put money in the state's hands. When you want to extract more money just shut down the plant. Yes many of Commissioner Jackhole's "southern strategy" teams aren't doing so well. All that buy in cash in the form of franchise fees is long gone, those teams never could support themselves and it kicks off this spiral of lockout after lockout after lockout (3 on Mr. Jackhole's watch as the NHL's fearless leader).

Like we said, not all owners are with the Commissioner on this. They have successful teams built the right way. Unlike say, mmmm, The Minnesota Wild. A team that just busted the bank for two all-star players KNOWING they were in mere months going to look to Gary Bettman and say "Cut their piece of the pie, it's killing my bottom line. I just can't do business like this."

In other words it's not "don't stop me before I spend again" but "please protect me when I do."

If I were a Devils fan I'd be very worried right now. They are ready-built hockey "markets" out there like Kansas City, Portland/Seattle (because Vancouver needs a playmate) and some say they might put a professional team in Columbus one day. Honey Badger Gary doesn't give a shit as long as there might be a couple more franchise fees to gnaw on.

Something else Commissioner Jackhole won't discuss that much folks, revenue sharing. These failing franchises are being wheezed back to life yearly by the revenue sharing wherein teams like the Rangers, Red Wings, Canadiens, Flyers and a few others pay millions to prop up Nashville, Carolina, Florida, the artists formerly known as the Thrashers, Phoenix and a handful of others (Yes Devils this is where you fit in). More socialism from the lower end owners again. See if this is how business works; The Canadiens pay X millions in revenue sharing and money from that pot goes to say Nashville so Nashville has money to bid against the Canadiens for free agents and such. And as long as this kind of untoward thing goes on should these poorer market owners be able to shake down the players for more money after the players caved 7 years ago to the owners demand of a salary cap? These owners signed that deal.

Commissioner Jackhole you come off as a miserable little petty man in all this. A sniveling huckster who happens to have a trump card. You sneer from behind your office windows at hockey fans you spew platitudes at. You don't know how hockey fans feel because you're not one. You had never attended an NHL game before you became commissioner, you said it yourself.

Johnny's going to give the last words on this to Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun:

Almost every time Gary Bettman opens his mouth, I have this tendency to want to slam my fist right into it.

And I’m not, in any way, what you’d call a violent person.

It’s his way, his voice, his condescension, his verbal cadence, his don’t-you-understand-I’m-the-smartest-man-in-the-room vibe that makes him so impossible to believe or trust.

So here we are again, held hostage by the NHL boss for the third time — a distinguished record of most work stoppages by one commissioner — with an absolutely unnecessary lockout, his league with record revenues, the players with record high salaries, fighting over increments and percentages. And this time, without a need to change the game, without a philosophical argument, with Bob Goodenow long gone, there is no one to truly detest from the players’ side.

This time it's official, Zach Parise signs with Minnesota Wild

No rumors this time kids, just facts. Zach Parise has signed a 13 year deal worth $98 million dollars with the Minnesota Wild. The Wild also broke the bank to sign free agent defenseman Ryan Suter as well.

Both players have cited it being important to be close to family and friends; Parise is from Minnesota and Suter is just an hour east in Madison Wisconsin. That's great. We are happy both will be able to get rich and play in front of family and friends for a long time. But Ryan and Zach, do NOT tell us you signed in Minnesota to win a Stanley Cup. YOU. DID. NOT. No, you told us you didn't want to play under the white hot spotlight of Detroit or Pittsburgh or even Chicago, all cities that have recently won the cup. You don't want the pressure or the hassle of winning the cup? You've made the right choice. Enjoy obscurity and an occasional #7 or 8 seed in the playoffs and an early exit back to your family and friends.

Martin Brodeur has re-signed with the Devils

Because it would have been a crime for the Devils management to chase him off by doing very little to keep their living legend. Brodeur will be around the Prudential Center for two more years at an average of $4.5 million per season.

Good news on a day Devils fans brace for he exit of Zach Parise.

NHL free agency dawns

Well, as much as something can dawn at noon. Zach Parise, Marty Brodeur, Bryce Salvador are the big names in play for the Devils while the Rangers are rumored to be dangling Brandon Dubinsky and Michael Del Zotto and picks for the Blue Jackets' Rick Nash. As a Red Wings fan Johnny is more than interested in today's goings on. Suter, Semin, Doan, all names that could fond new homes today and in the next little while.

What say you hockey fans, who lands where and which if any of their free agents do the Devils re-sign? Tell us your thoughts in comments.

Farewell St. Nick, you are a champion

Detroit Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom will be announcing his retirement in little over an hour. Lidstrom had one of the great careers not of just a defenseman but of a player period. Described on HBO as "the perfect human" Lidstrom along with his other accolades became the first European born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy and the first European captain to be handed the Stanley Cup in 2008.

Now, some will say that Bobby Orr is the best defenseman ever. And until today's announcement they would be right (Some Boston fans are even trying to claim Ray Bourque was better than Lidstrom and to them I say put down the crack pipe). Johnny will say what so many seem to be afraid to; Nicklas Lidstrom is the best defenseman to ever play in the NHL.

Orr supporters will say he changed the game. That's right, he did but as you see above where Lidstrom is the first Euro to win the Conn Smythe AND captain a team to the title is also every bit as groundbreaking. Lidstrom's longevity is another reason he's better than Orr. Didn't take the penalties Orr took and stayed healthier. Orr won 8 Norris Trophies but Lidstrom had only one less with 7 AND he out Stanley Cupped Orr 4 to 2. You can parse other numbers as well but in the end Nicklas Lidstrom in our eyes (and we fell this will be the opinion prevailing over time say 10 years on) Lidstrom was better.

Farewell St. Nick, you have been a stalwart, a great player, a wonderful leader and captain and yes the perfect human.

Devils at Rangers tonight at MSG

The trade deadline has come and gone and besides a couple minor deals neither the Devils nor Rangers went whole hog. Johnny thinks the Rangers were smart to not blow up their team for Rick Nash. Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make.

7:30 start tonight for teevee but it is sure to be a spirited affair with the Devils winning the last couple games against the Rangers and the Rags looking to defend the hallowed MSG ice over which they have two retired #9's.

The intensity now begins to ramp up and hockey gets even better. In the words of Jersey City native Martha Stewart "It's a good thing."

It's a miserable day

So make some comfort food, make some hot chocolate or coffee and turn on the trade deadline day for the NHL on TSN. It's gooooood watchin'. Anybody wanna jump in and predict or discuss Rangers, Devils or Islander moves?

The TSN Trade Deadline Show; It's what the players watch...

Devils opening night on a BRILLIANT fall day, does it get any better?

Come back tonight Jersey City Desk fans for the music series (If Johnny doesn't go out for a few pops in the Ironbound section of Newark tonight) and full coverage of the Devils opener. Johnny's got happening seats and will have some pics to share and maybe a nice video clip he'd love to throw in Gary Bettman's face as being shown without the express written consent of the National Hockey League.

Boy howdy, can the weather get ANY better today?