GoonBlog.com

Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks

Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks.

Jon Mirasty

And Yabo Makes Three


in Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Jeremy Yablonski, Jon Mirasty, New York Islanders, Trevor Gillies

It’s decided. The 2010 Center Ice Team for me is the New York Islanders. I can’t say I’ve ever decided on a team this early, but with the addition of the uber scary Jeremy Yablonski to an already formidable line up of goons, I’m there. Yablonski will probably be assigned to Bridgeport, but it’d be awesome to have a 4th line of Trevor Gillies, and Yabo between Zenon Konopka. Giddy is the word you are looking for!

I think a trip to camp may be in order. I missed a great fight between Gillies and Yabo at the Worcester Centrum a few years ago because I was drinking in a bar. [INSERT SHOCKED FACE HERE]. From what I understand it was a heck of a fight, and as a back story, apparently the two combatants exchanged voicemails about the fight happening. You can bet these two guys will tangle in camp as a battle of the two toughest kids on the block in an effort to impress the brass enough to stay with the big club.

I might suggest YouTubing (is that a word? Like Googling) Jeremy Yablonski. What you’ll find in addition to lots of great fights with Jon Nasty Mirasty, is a few good tilts with Trevor Gillies as well. Oh, and don’t forget about Yabo’s extensive UFC stuff. The guy is a nut, and I’m glad he’ll be with a club I can see on TV if he makes the Isles, or Bridgeport, which makes more New England stops than Bingo did. I have included the tilt between Yabo and Mirasty from the AHL Winter Classic last February. If this doesn’t get you pumped for hockey season, you need to check your pulse.

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Will Work for Cake


in Brandon Sugden, Brian McGrattan, Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Jon Mirasty, Shawn Thornton, Trevor Gillies

Typically when the NHL free agent period begins teams load up on the guys that help them win by scoring, stopping, or defending. Then as the period goes on, they load up on guys that protect the scorers, stoppers, and defenders by signing the beloved tough guys. These guys are every bit as important to the mix that makes a successful team. Think eggs in a cake mix. Sure, you can make a cake without it, but isn’t it more delicious and moist with eggs? Um. I think I want cake. The exception to the rule was of course proved by the Boston Bruins a few years ago. They signed PJ Stock on July 1, and later in the year, sent him to Providence, then loaned him to Philadelphia of the AHL where he sustained an eye injury, and never played again. Nice work assholes. Point being, we are approaching the time now when teams will start loading up on the eggs.

Calgary got into the mix this weekend by adding Brian McGrattan to their roster. McGrattan played only 5 games last year after entering the NHL’s substance abuse program. I am happy to see Calgary give this very capable tough guy another shot in the NHL. McGrattan has a huge block head, and in my opinion, is one very tough customer. I have included a fight between McGrattan, and Boston tough guy Shawn Thornton from their AHL days. A decent tilt indeed.

There are some very capable enforcers out there to be signed. Trevor Gillies, Jon Mirasty, and Brandon Sugden are all looking for work. Gillies almost made the Hurricanes out of camp last year, but hasn’t played since getting his eggs scrambled in a December 20th fight against Paul Bissonnette. It was the ice that got the better of him, and not any punches thrown his way. Sugden was with Hartford last year, and Mirasty is a long time Syracuse Crunch fan favorite. I’m hoping they all find work, and selfishly, hope it’s within an hour’s drive of me. I’ll take Worcester, Providence, and Manchester please. Oh, and a cake.

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Stupid Summer


in AHL, 2008 Playoffs, Chicago Wolves, Chris, Detroit Red Wings, Goons, GoonSquad, Gordie Dwyer, Jon Mirasty, Lowell Devils, Milan Lucic, Pittsburgh Penguins, Shawn Thornton, Trevor Gillies, Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins

To quote John Winger: And then, depression set in. After Screwy and I are done drying our eyes, and the last team member has retired to the dressing room to drink from Lord Stanley that’s when it’s real. I am stuck with stupid baseball until September. Oh and the Celtics are in the finals, which is cool I guess, but I really can’t stand basketball. My Celtics fan friends all want me to pick the Lakers in six, because I had the Penguins in six, so they like the reverse jinx angle. So, there you go. I’m predicting the Lakers in six. They are playing the Lakers right? This really sucks. I am glad I have the NHL Network because the AHL finals are still going. It looks like Chicago is going to handle Wilkes/Barre easily though, and then it’ll all really be over. MOL is happy. I am not.

Overall, I think this hockey season was a good one. I didn’t’ write enough here, and that will change next season. I took a new job at work in October, and that on top of buying the house, figuring out how to be a husband, and my love of being in a gin mill, killed my productivity here. For next season I promise more running diaries of the games, and I recently bought a microphone, so I am going to try a Podcast. I think I am turning into a nerd. So, like I said, the season wasn’t bad. The beloved Bruins surprised me. Milan Lucic is my favorite player EVAH, and Shawn Thornton really had some great bouts in the second half of the season. YouTube continues to be a favorite spot. I love the Gillies/Mirasty tilts out there. It was nice to see Gordie Dwyer on American soil for a little bit. I am telling you, there aren’t many guys as engaging and friendly as him. I’d like the AHL to pay more because Lowell could sure use a guy that can skate and hit like him. Oh, and the Devils? They suck. Bad. Plus they are boring. They could use a guy like Dwyer to add some personality. So that’s it for 07-08. I’m really into birding these days (no kidding) so I’ve got my feeder to keep me occupied. I need some more, and a good bird book to help me identify what I am looking at. So far at my feeder I have seen a squirrel, and a chipmunk. Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal, and a bunch of brown birds. Oh, and the fattest Blue Jay since Frank Thomas! HI OH! Congratulations to the Red Wings have a great summer all. I wish it was September.

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No need to Outlaw Fighting


in AHL, Albany River Rats, Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Hockey Fight Videos, Jon Mirasty, Trevor Gillies

This is some fight between Goonblog favorite, Trevor Gillies and Jon Mirasty. This is round two for these guys, and it came after a questionable hit. Reason number 84 million why fighting should not be outlwaed in this game. As an aside, Mirasty was on a PTO with Lowell a few years ago, and played one game. I never got to see him, and that makes me sad. Enjoy this one boys.

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