You can't compare the Penguins to the 1983 Oilers

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

The 2008 Penguins are the equivalent of the 1983 Oilers only if that Edmonton team was poised to lose Jari Kurri (as Marian Hossa); Glenn Anderson (as Malone); Dave Lumley (as Jarkko Ruutu); Willy Lindstrom (as Pascal Dupuis); and Randy Gregg (as Brooks Orpik) to unrestricted free agency over the summer.

Here is the entire piece from the NY Post. The article mostly focuses on officiating during the playoffs.

Did Brooks compare Ryan Malone to Glenn Anderson???????????????? Someone please tell me that is a joke. Seriously, please tell me he is kidding.

Rangers ordered to pay up signing bonuses

Larry Brooks of the NY Post: "Perhaps the most dishonorable episode in recent Rangers' history was settled yesterday when arbitrator Richard Bloch ruled that the New York Rangers must indeed pay Bobby Holik and Jed Ortmeyer their respective signing bonuses the team withheld during and after the 2004-05 NHL lockout."

Here the entire article courtesy of the NY Post.

The article notes that the Rangers were the only team during the lockout to not pay up signing bonuses. I really don't understand why the Rangers went to all this trouble to withhold the bonus money from these two players. Never mind the fact that they spent time and money on legal proceedings. It appears the Rangers would have been far better off just paying these bonuses a long time ago and moving on.

The Outdoor Game may not be in New York

Larry Brooks: "The NHL needs to make commitment to the Winter Classic's host city within the next week or two. If the Rangers are awarded the game, it is believed they would meet the Bruins on New Year's Day in what would be the first of a home-and-home, with the return at Fenway on a year to be named later."

Here is the full article from the NY Post.

It appears the NHL's first choice is to have the game in New York and why not? However, the concern that the New York arrangement won't work does not seem that concerning to me as long as the NHL has Chicago and Wrigley Field as its second choice (which it does). Either of these two choices are terrific and whichever stadium is chosen to host the event, I'm sure will do a great job. As much mystique as the Rangers organization carries with it, an opportunity to watch Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane at Wrigley Field may be even more appealing than Scott Gomez and Henrik Lundqvist.