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.

Mike Komisarek

Getting Closer


in Brian McGrattan, Chris, Chris Nilan, Colton Orr, Darcy Hordichuk, Deon Phaneuf, Goons, GoonSquad, Mike Komisarek, Milan Lucic, Scott Walker, Shawn Thornton, Tom Kostopoulos

It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here! The NHL announced the schedule for the 2009-2010 NHL season last Wednesday, and I for one, am more excited than Chris Nilan walking into the men’s swimsuit section to find the guard off getting a sandwich. I have gone over the schedule, and chosen a couple of games I am the most excited for.

Thursday October 1. Washington Capitals: Opening night. Finally the stupid summer is over.

Saturday October 3. Carolina Hurricanes: Honestly, I am probably more excited for this game than any other on the schedule. I love the fact the Bruins won’t have to wait long to exact revenge on the Hurricanes, and more specifically, Scott Walker. It’s time to answer the bell. Carolina also signed Tom Kostopoulos who was one of the chief punks on the Canadiens last year. He’s one of the dirtiest players in the league in my opinion. This game has the chance to get very ugly.

Saturday October 10. NY Islanders: Our first look at John Tavares in an Islanders uniform. I am interested to see if his skating is Glen Murray Bad or if it’s just NHL bad.

Thursday November 5. Montreal. I can’t believe they don’t play these guys until November. I am eagerly awaiting Hal Gill stepping out on the ice to a chorus of boos like he’s never heard before. Oh, and I hate the Canadiens.

Saturday December 5. Toronto Maple Leafs. Speaking of bell answering. Mike Komisarek, it toll for thee. Milan owes you one big time, and I hope he drops you like a bad habit. I am also looking forward to Colton Orr and Shawn Thornton having a go.

Friday January 1. Philadelphia Flyers. This once in a lifetime event is the talk of the town right now. To say this is going to be the toughest ticket to get is the understatement of the year. Season ticket holders are guaranteed the right to buy seats for as many as you own at the Garden (so if you have 2 seats at the Garden, you can buy 2 seats at Fenway) at a price point to be determined later. I would love to get out on the Monster, or up in the Pavilion, and would expect to pay at least $500 for the right to do so. Am I paying that? Hell yes. Don’t tell MOL.

Saturday February 6. Vancouver. The annual game I take my brother too. I hope Darcy Hordichuk plays, and goes completely mental. Oh, the Baby Faced Enforcer Shane O’Brien will be in the barn as well. Good times.

Saturday March 27. Calgary. Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, and Brian McGrattan all in the building at the same time? Are you kidding?! Remember the dudes head at the end of Scanners? That could be me.

Saturday April 10. Carolina. Finishing it off pretty much right where they started. I hope there is a ton of bad blood between these two teams all year, and I’d love to see it boil over at the last home game of the year before the playoffs start.

So, there you have my important dates. If Boston plays the crash and bang style they played most of last season, and no one gets hurt at the Olympics, they should have a shot to be one of the best in the league next season. Fire up the Zamboni, it’s almost time to make ice!

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Free Agent Frenzy


in Chris, Colton Orr, David Koci, Goons, GoonSquad, Hal Gill, Jeremy Reich, Mike Komisarek, Mike Rupp, Milan Lucic, Pierre-Luc LeBlond, Riley Cote, Shane Hnidy, Shawn Thornton

I hope everyone is having a very Happy 4th of July, and Happy (belated) Canada Day to all the Goonsqud in the Great White North. So far free agency has been open for a couple of days. What has developed has been a new GM putting his mark on a franchise, another two or three reasons to hate the Canadiens (as if any were needed); Boston fixed some problems on defense by not signing two guys, and a lot of tough guys switching uniforms. Let’s take them in order shall we?

One hour and thirteen minutes into free agency is exactly how long it took Toronto GM Brian Burke to make the Leafs a Brian Burke team. The Leafs are looking to get tougher, and they are doing so by adding Colton Orr for 4 years, at 1 million per season. Having Orr in the blue and white should make the six times Boston plays them next season watchable at least. Shawn Thornton of the Bruins was originally drafted by the Buds, and he’s on record having said he tries to play extra hard against Toronto to prove them wrong. I’m giddy. I’d stand upright now, but I don’t have a math book with me. A few hours after adding Colton Orr, Toronto signed defenseman Mike Komisarek. Komisarek, you will remember, is off Milan Lucic’s Christmas card list, after cross checking the burly winger at the end of game 4. It was a move out of frustration that he will certainly have to answer for when the 2009-10 season emerges from its summer off. The question is, after asking Milan to go in the very same game 4 he was obliged by a one punch to the mind administered by young Lucic after he asked Komisarek if he really wanted to do this, will he answer the bell that most certainly will toll for thee? Where the hell is my math book!?

Hal Gill is a Canadien. I will say it again. Hal Gill is a Canadien. Having Goonblog’s least favorite son don a Habs jersey should be enough to get the blood at a boil, and the hatred to a nice simmer, but those frog pussies go and add Scott Gomez via trade, and sign Brian Gionta. In the hockey pecking order of disliked teams, it goes, Montreal in first, New Jersey a close second. I don’t really need any more reasons to dislike the Habs, but I just gave myself three. Good luck in Montreal, Hal. You suck.

It looks like the organization might be willing to give Eddie Shore Winner Johnny Boychuk a legitimate shot to make the big club this season, as Steve Montador, and Sheriff Shane Hnidy were both allowed to sign elsewhere this past week. Both Boston blue liners played poorly in the playoffs, and essentially are the same exact player anyway, so both were allowed to leave. I like what Hnidy brings to the ice and the room from a leadership standpoint. He’s a cagy veteran that is willing to stand up for a teammate at anytime, and that’s my kind of player. Same with Monty. He dropped em a couple of times for the black and gold, but they need an upgrade on defense, so they are allowed to walk. I certainly wish both guys the best of luck this season in Minnesota, and Buffalo. This leaves Boston in need of at least one more defenseman. Could they still be trying to swing a trade for Kessel to TO for Kaberle? Stay tuned.

Finally, some tough guys are on the move. We spoke of Colton Orr trading in Ranger red, white, and blue, for the blue and white in TO; there have been some other notable goon signings. It looks as if Donald Brashear will be counted on to fill Orr’s spot in New York signing with the Rangers for 2 years at 1.4 million a year. Ian Lapierriere will be looking to stir it up in Philadelphia with Riley Cote for the next three seasons. That is one agitating pair there. Mike Rupp is the new Sheriff in Pittsburgh tasked with protecting Crosby and the like. He was allowed to walk after New Jersey signed PL3 earlier this off season. Speaking of filling roles, David Crazy Eyes Koci will be taking Lapierriere’s role in Colorado after singing on for 575K. He played for about half the league last year, so look for him to wind up elsewhere at the end of the year.

Finally, I’d be remiss if we didn’t say a good Goonblog farewell to The Reicher Jeremy Reich. Jeremy signed with the Islanders, and has a legitimate shot to crack their roster next season. Had it not been for Blake Wheeler coming out of nowhere this season, Reich could very well have been with Boston all season. He took the demotion like a man, and Captained the Baby Bruins to a very fine season indeed. Good luck Reicher, we’re pulling for ya!

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Lucic Knows “The Code”


in 2009 Playoffs, Carolina Hurricanes, Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Mike Komisarek, Milan Lucic, Montreal Canadiens

A direct quote by Milan Lucic, from the Hockey News who named him this year’s winner of the John Ferguson Award given to the NHL’s toughest player.

I had to let him get his gloves off, and I caught him clean.

What he is speaking of is the one punch he gave Mike Komisarek in game 4. Komisarek asked him to go; Milan appeared to ask if he was sure about his decision. When Komisarek decided he was sure he wanted to get knocked the fuck out, they fought. That’s how those types of things go. Scott Walker sucker punched Aaron Ward and he will pay for it next October. As Forrest once said, that’s all I have to say about that.

Drubbing is the word I would use to describe game 6. Boston is a better hockey team, and it really showed from the goal out last night. Tim Thomas was outstanding, Lucic had a fantastic game as well, and the defensemen looked excellent. Tomorrow night will not be the funeral parlor entrance we received in game 5, but one of rowdy Bruins fans looking to cheer on the boys to a game 7 triumph. I am giddy at the thought. One game closer to lifting Lord Stanley and I can’t wait.

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Unsupervised Thoughts


in Brad Staubitz, Chris, Dallas Stars, Goons, GoonSquad, Jarkko Ruutu, Jody Shelley, Joe Thornton, Jordin Tootoo, Mike Komisarek, Milan Lucic, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Petteri Nokelainen, San Jose Sharks, Shawn Thornton, Steve Ott, Tom Kostopoulos, Toronto Maple Leafs

MOL is in Connecticut visiting our new nephew, leaving me at home by myself to watch the Bruins. Not a bad deal really. I saw the little guy yesterday, and he’s super cute. He does a lot of baby things like sleep, and look around like he’s lost. It’s pretty cool. MOL gets to hang with him tonight, so I have done all my laundry, ate left over Chinese and yelled at Shawn Thornton for having a crappy fight with Toronto’s Jamal Mayers. Like I said, not a bad deal. I’ve been super busy over the last few weeks. I’ll spare you the gory details, but I have made three observations in this young NHL season. They are, in no particular order.

1. I grossly under estimated how good the Bruins are. I mean, when I wrote the piece about the sneaking suspicion I had about their suckatude, I couldn’t have been more off base. Milan Lucic has turned his game around so drastically it’s hard to explain. He’s gone from zero to hero in no time, and I am pretty sure if he ran for Governor of the Commonwealth he’d win in a land slide. Not only is he responsible for a hit that will be played on every jumbotron in every arena in the NHL (well, maybe except for Toronto) for the next 20 years, he’s started scoring and piling up assists at a furious pace. Oh, and don’t forget his first fight of the year last Thursday. In a battle that had Jack Edwards near a stroke, he beat Mike Komisarek like he stole something in a 6-1 thrashing at Boston last Thursday.

On top of Lucic’s improved play, they have the ability to roll four very solid lines. In fact, one could argue the line of Shawn Thornton, Stephan Yelle, and Chuck Kobasew (now that he’s back. The real loser in all of this is Petteri Nokelainen who finds himself the odd man out since Koba’s return) has been the Bruins best and most consistent line. They have been super fun to watch all year, and I have been having the time of my life as a season ticket holder so far.

2. Someone is going to get killed if something isn’t done about the hitting from behind problem. Forget the headshots, I think the biggest disciplinary issue facing the NHL, is guys hitting each other from behind. Tom Kostopoulos’s hit on poor Mike Van Ryan, best known this year as the guy that Milan Lucic almost put into the second row in Boston with his glass shattering hit, and the guy that almost got paralyzed by some asshole with no respect for the other guys on the ice, should have been suspended for at least 5 games. The first thing you are taught when learning how to body check, is don’t hit someone when you can see their numbers. I have heard all the rational that Van Ryan turned at the last minute and the like, but it’s bull shit. Van Ryan fully had his back to Kostopoulos, and the only thing he turns is his head from looking right at the glass, to looking left over his shoulder to see if TK is going to slow up. Guess what? He’s not. Ding Dong. I’ll get it. Oh, and to the announcers out there. All of them. Can we stop defending people that are doing these heinous things on the ice please? Why is there any blame being laid on Mike Van Ryan? Tom Kostopoulos could have pulled up, and shouldn’t have hit him. Sorry or not about it, he had a choice on the ice, and he made the wrong one.

3. This game needs policing. This is NOT your father’s NHL. If it were, they’d still be trying to break up the fight that would have erupted after Tom Kostopoulos hit Mike Van Ryan. There seems to be a lot more punks in the league than ever before. Jarkko Ruutu was running around like a punk earlier tonight against New York, and wouldn’t fight when Aaron Voros tried to fight him. Steve Ott was ringing the bell all over the ice in Boston a few weeks ago, and never would answer the bell. When he slew footed Nokelainen at the end of the first, he should have been held accountable as soon as the second period started, but he never was made to answer the bell. If something isn’t done soon, i.e. removal of the instigator penalty, and guys having more respect for one another on the ice someone is going to get really hurt out there.

So, that’s what I’ve been seeing. Right now I’m watching the third period of the Sharks and Nashville. Jody Shelley just had a nice go with Greg De Vries. Shelley landed a wicked upper cut to win the fight. It was the last of three fights in a row. Nice to see Brad Staubitz get in a dust up with Jordin Tootoo as well. Big Joe Thornton was in the first one. Not much of a fight really. I love the Center Ice Package for this very reason. Anyway, I’d love to hear your opinions on the first quarter of the season so far. Don’t leave me out to dry here goons and goonettes. You know what to do, and as Dave says Stay Gooney!

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