A Bit of Everything

Well we got our day off to a pretty good start when this bit of news caught our eye from the Barrie Colts in the OHL:

The Barrie Colts today announced they have hired former NHL defenseman Jeff Beukeboom as an Assistant Coach to the coaching staff, and Athletic Therapist Richard Rotenberg to head up the team’s training staff.

Beukeboom, 43, retired from the NHL in 1999 after a 15-year career with the Edmonton Oilers and the New York Rangers. He played in 804 career NHL games, and recorded 30 goals to go along with 129 assists and 1890 penalty minutes. The native of Ajax, ON returned to hockey in a coaching capacity during the 2003-04 season where he served as an Assistant Coach for the American Hockey League’s Toronto Roadrunners. Beukeboom replaces former Assistant Coach Corey Bricknell, and will join Drake Berehowsky, the Colts’ other Assistant Coach.

“We feel they are both excellent additions to our hockey staff,” commented Colts Head Coach Marty Williamson. “Jeff brings vast experience from the professional level, and has also been involved in various roles at the Tier II and minor hockey levels over the past several seasons.”

What can we say other than we are so glad to see one of the most popular guys to ever wear the Ranger uniform back involved with the sport. Having dealt with the great folks who run the Colts this is a great place for Beuk to be at.

The kids who will be playing on the Colts are going to get a great teacher but an even better role model to help guide their careers. Can we dream of the day when Jeff Beukeboom is named the coach of the Rangers?

The Jason Baird Benefit

Then it got better when we got word from the folks at the OHL and Erie Otters. In case you can not see, that fella in the back row on the left with the black shirt on is Steve Valiquette (note Thanks Amos).

For those of you who have not been following the story, Jason Baird a career minor leaguer was burned over 65% of his body during an off-season work accident.

Baird is fighting to recover at the Akron Burn Center in Akron Burn Center. This cause has touched us because Baird may have been a minor league hockey player but he is a hall of fame human being.

No matter what team Baird has played for he has given of himself to the community he played in whether it was purchasing tickets of under-privileged kids or setting up a foundation to help at-risk youth.

What is not shown in the picture is the dollar amount that Vally and his friends raised to help former teammate Jason Baird with his medical expenses.

The amount was $30,000 so how about a hand for Vally, the Erie Otters, Mike Rupp (New Jersey Devils), Tim Connolly (Buffalo Sabres), former Otters goaltender Adam Munro, former Otters captain Colin Pepperall, Ontario Hockey League Commissioner and Canadian Hockey League President David Branch, current members of the Otters and member of the Otters staff.

However while 30,000 is a great number it sadly is not enough to help out a minor leaguer with a Hall of Fame Heart. The Baird family can still use some help so if you would like to help the Adam Graves of the minor leagues then you can find out more information at:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jasonbaird

You can also send donations to

Baird Family Fund
PO Box 264
Perry, OH 44081

Oh and in case you were not aware injured Ranger prospect Mitch Gaulton belongs to the Erie Otters which means WHEN the days comes when Gaulton joins the Rangers; that the Rangers will be getting someone who comes from the kind of people Ranger fans can be proud of.

Dale Wiese

Once again our newest friend Jon Keen brings us the latest on Dale Wiese with a great read of an interview that JK posted at his "Keen's Korner"

Here is some of the highlights that we liked to seeing from Wiese:

JK: Where you play this season either here or pro hockey is up in the air.... if you are here and they come to you with the captain's "C" with Zack Smith going into the Senator's system, is that a role you would be willing to take on?

Dale: If I came back, I wouldn't put anything less on me. I think I am ready to take over from Zack Smith. I have learned in the past from guys like Myles Rumsey and Luke Hunter who are absolute role models.

If I have to come back and play here I wouldn't be upset at all. I'm excited to be here, I love the team and the coaching staff, the city...... I'll be really excited to come back and get the opportunity.

Our experience with the prospects normally does not show a 20 year old with his head so squarely on his shoulders as we are seeing from Wiese. This is very much a win-win situation for the Rangers as either they are going to get a player who is going force his way onto a pro roster or they are will be sending Wiese back to a great situation where he will further advance his development.

As always we do have to thank Jon Keen for asking the right questions so we can all learn about this pretty solid young man.

Finally Baby Doll Alyssa

OK would you believe that people are upset with this? Yes folks you too can have your very own Alyssa Milano's New York Rangers Women's 2 In One Burnout Babydoll Top-Tank "touch" (on sale at ShopNHL.com for JUST 59.99 plus S+H)

It seems that people are upset over that Alyssa only created her outfit for 12 NHL teams (and we are sure had the Rangers not been included someone would have been very upset) which means that someone out there fans of 18 NHL teams are not able to spend 59.99 on something for their female halves of their lives.

Cmon people get real already stop whining about someone who is trying to help sell the NHL. Milano did not make an outfit for all 30 NHL teams oh boo hoo.

If your team was not included then contact the NHL and ask for one, maybe if you look at which teams they made it for and compared them to the list of those who sell merchandise you might understand it was about supply and demand, not a dreadful omission.

Seriously people are getting upset over this non-issue but in the spirit of things we at Prospect Park want the world to know that we think Alyssa clearly messed up here.

A TRUE Ranger Baby Doll outfit would have had a blue top with Rangers stitched across the front of it just like the uniform with white pants. Real Ranger fans would want their baby doll outfits to look like the ones I am sure the Ranger players wear at home.

See she may be cute but she does not know how to market to Ranger fans like we do.

(pictures: Alyssa Milano:NHLshop.com, Beuk: New York Rangers, Baird Benefit: The Erie Otters/OHL, Dale Wiese: Swift Current Broncos)