Stirring the pot

(courtesy NY Rangers)

I have to give Larry Brooks some serious credit because nobody can stir the pot about the New York Rangers or even the New York Islanders like Larry Brooks does.

Good old Larry, with a doubleheader on Sunday making sure that he did his job to perfection. His job isn't really about reporting on hard news, but rather to get you over to the New York Post's website or to purchase a paper copy of what he says.

Brooks does his job quite well and I would be lying if I didn't mention that when there's nothing else to write about; I can always count on Mr. Brooks to give me some material to comment on. For the Rangers, Brooks says Glen Sather talking to Nashville Predator's GM David Polie regarding the rights to Alexander Radulov.

It is a very good strong rumor that Brooks can strengthen using a quote from John Tortorella where Torts says "You have to be really careful about ruling people out; you don’t want to box yourself in."

Yes Radulov is an exceptional offensive talent one who could help the Rangers except for one tiny detail. I don't believe there is a chance in hell that John Tortorella would put up with Radulov and his nonsense.

This is not a criticism at all of John Tortorella, but rather a criticism of Alexander Radulov's character or lack of. One of the main reasons why I believe the Rangers were able to be as successful as they were was in large part because the locker room was drama free.

You don't have to love all of your teammates in order to come together as a team. But one thing you really must have is 22 players all on the same sheet of music; working together for a common goal.

We're talking about a person who broke his contract with the Nashville Predators and went back to Russia. The same person who goes out partying past curfew, the night before a key playoff game.

I don't like John Tortorella or his coaching methods but I will give him his proper credit for having one set of rules for 22 players rather than 22 sets of rules for each individual player. That's a difference between success and failure.

I for one don't believe that Radulov would make it past the first time John Tortorella screams at him for not back checking. Radulov wouldn't even be out of his uniform before he's boarding a flight back to Russia.

The only person who might seriously consider trading for Radulov would be Glen Sather. Glen Sather for all his faults, has this belief that he can fix problem players.

Maybe it's a weakness to some, but Glen Sather has been about giving people a second and sometimes third chances to make good. Please pray this is not one of those times because this would be a gigantic disaster.

Courtesy NY Islanders

For the poor suffering Islander fans, Larry Brooks claims that Gary Bettman was spotted exiting the subway station last Friday and entering the newly built Barclay Center as entering the newly built Barclay Center .

This one's kind of cruel because back on April 20th, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says Brooklyn may not be a viable potential destination for the New York Islanders because it's hard to reach for the team's fan base in Long Island and Queens.

I will agree with Larry Brooks that moving the Islanders to Brooklyn is really worth discussing because it's totally bogus the excuse that Gary Bettman used at the time he said what he said.

Gary Bettman claimed that Atlantic Avenue would be too much of a hardship for Islander fans to try to reach. At the time I also chimed in, counting off that there were 11 different subway routes, 11 bus lines and LIRR that stopped at the Barclay Center.

I found it grossly insulting that Gary Bettman doesn't think that New Yorkers whether they live on Long Island or in the city would not know how to use mass transit. That may have been one of the dumbest things Gary Bettman has said regarding the New York area.

It is something worthy of discussion but at the same time, the New York Rangers need to be included in any and all discussions about anyone moving into New York City itself.

I understand Islander fans might not like that point of view but if Toronto has been able to repeatedly prevent any NHL team from moving into Hamilton, Ontario (approximate 44 miles away) then explain to the Dolans how they would be allowing a team to move into a arena just six miles away?

See you next Sunday. Uncle Larry.