Blue Notes

From a rapidly-filling notebook in Big D, with more to come later:

First, here's Brendan Shanahan, who is having trouble scoring recently, so take this with a grain of salt:

"I don't think we're at a point yet where we have to make the nets bigger. The goalies are going to hate me for saying this, but I think we failed with the goaltenders in streamlining their equipment. So much of the focus was on the width of their pads, and It's really about their upper body. I just don't understand how a cop can walk down the street in a bulletproof vest and look normal, and yet our goalies have to look like lacrosse goalies or Michelin men in order to stop a puck. I think the shoulders are high again. I think their armpads are square again, jerseys are big, pants are big."

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You've probably read the reports---including mine on newsday.com about the Board of Govs just missing a two-thirds consensus on a schedule change for next season. Nineteen teams did want some movement, though, so 2008-09 looks promising.

No surprise. The league probably needs to wait until the Pittsburgh situation is resolved---which Commissioner Gary Bettman said would be "within weeks"---before tackling any schedule change or possible re-alignment, whoch should theoretically come at the same time. Bettman says he still hopes the Pens remain in the Steel City, but...

If Kansas City is the new home of the Pens, the league now will have to live with that for a year.

Reaction from Bill Guerin, former Dev, now with the Blues: "I miss not going to every arena. I’d like to get back to the old schedule. The way we travel now it’s not a big deal for the players. We’re supposed to be doing things for the league."

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The word from the Rangers camp is that Jagr had a touch of the flu and worked out at home yesterday....Cablevision boss James Dolan was here for the BOG meeting, then left...The GM is around though, and I'm going to try to catch up with him later

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As I prepare to cozy up in the press box at American Airlines Center for the Young Stars game, a few thoughts on the state of the Rangers and Isles.

Neither have reps on the East Team.

In fact, the only Rangers rep was G Dan Blackburn in 2002. In that game, by the way, Karel Rachunek (Ottawa) had an assist…In 2003, Marcel Hossa (Montreal, two assists) and Adam Hall (Nashville, goal and assist) played in Young Stars game as did former Ranger Pavel Brendl (Carolina), who had two goals. Trent Hunter (Isles) had an assist in 2004.

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Pittsburgh’s Ryan Whitney and Ottawa’s Andrej Meszaros both called Jagr the toughest player to defend because of his size and skill...It appears Florida has decided to move Gary Roberts…Karppa, which means “otter” in Finnish, is the nickname for Kari Lehtonen, the Thrashers goalkeeper who stifled the Rangers 3-1 the other night. “Because I used to be fast,” he said…

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A blast from the past:

Six former local MVPs in the All-Star Game: Billy Smith in 1978 (15 saves); Mike Bossy in 1982 (2 goals). In 1984, Don Maloney had a goal and three assists…Mike Gartner in 1993 (four goals and an assist) and Mike Richter in 1994 (19 saves, 2 goals against)…Wayne Gretzky, fittingly in ’99, with a goal and two assists.

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Tomorrow's game, on Versus, is the first not on a weekend since 1993....Next year’s game is in Atlanta, that's followed by Montreal and a Centennial celebration