“Devin’s Den” Vol. 2: Fighting, Girls, and the Playoff Push!

As promised, I bring you the latest installment of “Devin’s Den”, where I ask New York Rangers’ prospect Devin DiDiomete anything and everything, on topics ranging from, of course, hockey, to whatever else that may be happening. With the Connecticut Whale wrapping up their season, and trying to clinch a playoff berth (much like the parent-club Rangers), I only sent him five questions. When the season is over, or maybe this summer, we will have our next installment. In the meantime, if you have anything you would like me to ask Devin, please leave it in a comment below or email it to me. Also, make sure to follow him on Twitter. Below is our conversation:

Quick Hits

Favorite actor? Denzel Washington

Favorite actress? Based solely on looks, Megan Fox.

Favorite band? I’m a sucker for any rap or techno.

Favorite book? The first and only book I have ever read cover to cover is Tough Guy, about Bob Probert.

Favorite vacation spot? Anywhere I can see hot girls in bikini’s. (laughs)

Favorite hockey moment? Team wise, going to the OHL finals with the Sudbury Wolves. It was a pretty crazy run. We finished below .500 and won the Eastern Conference over Plymouth in 6 games. Personally, either being drafted or signing my first NHL contract.

Q & A

GC: With the season winding down, and the Whale sitting in 8th place, what will you guys have to do to make that final push towards clinching a playoff spot?

DD: I don’t think we can worry about what other teams are doing. We just have to focus on the job at task and win our remaining games and there won’t be anything to worry about!

Email Q from Johnny Lis: Which team would be the biggest challenge for the Whale to face in the playoffs?

DD: It’s playoffs so anything can happen, but if I were to pick one team I wouldn’t want to face, it would be Manchester. They have a good combination of skill and toughness, but so do we!

GC: You recently reached your milestone 300th penalty minute. How do you keep your hands healthy after throwing so many punches?

DD: This year was the first time in my life I’ve hit the 300 penalty minute mark, and I think I could have made a push for 400 if I hadn’t got injured (hopefully my mom doesn’t read that or she would want to kill me!). My hands look like they’ve been through a meat grinder and back, but I do have to take care of them and I do that by icing them a ton and dipping them in hot wax; not sure what that does but it makes them smooth, and what lady doesn’t like smooth hands?

Email Q from Eric Welles: How has fighting changed over the years, if at all? How does it feel to be in a fight?

DD: I think guys are a lot more technical now. With how big some of these tough guys are, you can’t just sit back and chuck or you won’t last very long. To be honest, most of the time adrenaline takes over and I don’t feel anything until after the fight. There’s no better feeling than when the building is rocking and the fans are on their feet after a scrap, or maybe scoring feels better, but I don’t do enough of that so I wouldn’t know (laughs).

GC: Finally, to go off topic, what jobs did you have before you became a hockey player? If you were not one, what occupation would you like to have and why?

DD: When I was young, I cut grass for a few businesses in town. After doing that for a few summers, I realized that I should really work at hockey because “real” work wasn’t for me! I always wanted to be a professional hockey player so I didn’t really think about anything else. If I had to pick another occupation, I’d have to go with professional golfer (laughs).

I would like to thank Devin again for taking the time to do this interview. I also wish him and the rest of the Whale the best of luck in the remaining few games, and hope they can clinch a playoff spot!

“Devin’s Den”: Rangers’ DiDiomete Discusses Team, Pranking Players, and More!

Having interviewed New York Rangers’ prospect and current Connecticut Whale left-wing Devin DiDiomete two years ago, when I noticed that he was going to be immersing himself in the online phenomena known as Twitter, I asked if he would ever consider blogging. I told him that if he ever wanted to write anything and send it over, that I would publish it. Devin responded with, “I’m a character, not a writer. I’ve been out of school for too long.” but told me that he would answer any questions I had for him. We talked about trying something a little bit different, with not your usual boring questions that can only garner standard responses. These are only a few questions because this is just the first installment of “Devin’s Den”. We will be getting together again in a  few weeks for a second one, and hopefully we can do a third one over the summer.

Devin is the type of player you would classify as the dictionary definition of “fan favorite”. All Whale season ticket holders are nodding their heads reading this, and a few told me after I said I would be doing this series with Devin that he is one of the nicest players you could ever meet. But on the ice, his smile and handshake turns into a snarl and a punch in the face. In 62 games this season, he has racked up 296 penalty minutes, his career high in any league (you can view some of his fights here). He also has six goals, which leads me to compare him to current Rangers’ forward Brandon Prust, as the player who may not be the biggest, but he’ll fight anyone in the league, and even chip in a goal every now and then. While playing for the Charlotte Checkers in 2009/10 for the ECHL on a brief stint, Devin somehow managed to get 128 penalty minutes in just 15 games (next time, I’ll have to ask him how he accomplished such a feat!).

Since 2004/05, Devin has been playing professional hockey. He started out with four seasons in the OHL, playing alongside current Rangers Marc Staal and Ryan McDonagh for the Sudbury Wolves, and Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Steven Stamkos for the Sarnia Sting. We can only hope that Devin will be playing in New York Ranger blue next season, to join his old teammates on the greatest stage of all.

Quick Hits

Favorite movie? Old School
Favorite TV show? Entourage
Favorite food? Steak with mushrooms and spinach
Favorite player growing up? Steve Yzerman
Favorite team? Toronto Blue Jays
Favorite hobby? Working on my wash board (laughs)

Q & A

GC: I’ve heard from many Hartford season ticket holders that you are a funny guy. What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened to you as a professional hockey player?

DD: Over the past couple of years, I have got the label of being a prankster; always hiding guys shoes, clothes, taping wallets and keys together with pounds of tape, sewing guys pant legs together, cutting guys sticks before practice so it breaks on their first shot—but someone this year is beating me at my own game. For the last month, at least once a week, my one shoe and one sock go missing. [My teammates] always manage to come up with better hiding spots than me, so they go missing for days on end. Needless to say, I’ve had to walk out of the rink in two different shoes a few times this past month.

GC: Another thing I have heard is that you are very personable with fans. Obviously some players are not, so how do you feel players should treat the fans? How would you describe Hartford fans?

DD: I appreciate all the support my fans give me, so I feel the least I can do is give them a little bit of my time or sign some autographs for them. I always remember going to games growing up and being so pumped to talk to players or get a fist pump from them on the way out to the ice. I want to try to bring some of that excitement to all my fans.

GC: Being a heavyweight fighter, what are your keys to success for winning a fight? Do you have any safety tips for young players who may want to begin fighting?

DD: I would say I am more of a pest than a heavyweight fighter. I love feeling when I get under someone’s skin so bad that they want to rip my head off—it means I’ve done my job and they are more worried about me than our more skilled guys. As far as tips go to the young guys out there, hit the other guy more than he hits you. When in doubt, knock ‘em out and ask questions later.

GC: I have to ask this because there seems to be a lot of fans on both sides of this. What name is better, Whale or Wolfpack?

DD: (laughs) I don’t want to answer that question. Some people have taken the name change to heart, but I will tell you one thing: the new jerseys look a lot better!

GC: With all this talk about head shots in hockey swirling around, what are your thoughts on the subject?

DD: I like what they are doing. I don’t think there is a place in hockey for the dirty elbows and dirty shoulders to guys’ jaws. Concussions are a serious issue and each year it seems like more and more guys are missing time due to dirty hits. If they take the instigator rule out of the game, I bet you would see a lot less cowardly plays because it forces guys to stay honest and they might think twice before doing something dirty or cheap.

Devin also had some kind words to offer for Connecticut Whale defenseman Wade Redden:

DD: I have nothing but good things to say about [Wade]. I’m sure he would much rather be in New York, but I think everyone here wants that. He has impressed me with his good attitude and work ethic. He’s a great role model for the younger defensemen and a great leader in the locker room. Having played almost a thousand NHL games, he brings much needed experience and leadership and I think he has done a great job of staying positive throughout this season.

I would like to thank Devin for taking the time out of his busy schedule to contribute to my blog. This is definitely one of the most interesting hockey interviews I have ever conducted (right up their with the Dale Weise one last season, when we ended up talking about Farmville), because it is not your typical “blah blah blah” responses. Make sure to look out for our next edition, coming out in a few weeks! And make sure to follow him on Twitter if you haven’t already clicked the link @deeds2424. He is new to this so take it easy on him!

UPDATE: Read Vol. 2 of “Devin’s Den” here.

New York Rangers Free Agents: Who Stays, Who Goes?

Even if the New York Rangers manage to slip into the playoffs, they must begin to look to the future, starting with their own free agents and who they will bring back and let walk when the off-season begins.

1. Olli Jokinen (C)

2009/10 salary: $5.500 million

For the past two seasons, Olli Jokinen has been a shell of the player that once scored 30 goals and 90 points with the Florida Panthers. The Rangers stole the one time superstar from the Calgary Flames, in exchange for Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik, who have combined for a total of 32 games played, 4 goals, and 2 assists. Jokinen, meanwhile, has 3 goals and 10 assists in 20 games.

He has shown promise is certain situations since being acquired by the Rangers, but a lack of consistency has plagued him, and led to him being called out by head coach John Tortorella a few days ago. Because the Rangers will be in a strong need of offense next season, and Ilya Kovalchuk is on the market, letting Jokinen walk to save that $5 million would be the ideal move.

That’s what the trade really was, a salary dump, and the Rangers should allow the course to run itself. However, if Jokinen were to take a pay cut, and accept a one year deal for $4 million, then I would consider having him back, but that is unlikely.

Final Verdict: Do not re-sign

2. Vaclav Prospal (C/LW)

2009/10 salary: $1.1 million (Receiving $1.167 million from Tampa Bay due to a buyout)

The Rangers signed Prospal this summer to play center alongside Marian Gaborik this season. For the most part, the tandem worked, and Prospal sits second on the Rangers in scoring, all while being paid modest sum of $1.1 million dollars. This can clearly be called the steal of the summer.

Prospal’s natural position for his entire career has been on the wing, and it only goes to show how poor a depth the Rangers have, since their number one center for the majority of the season has been a career winger. But even so, he and Gaborik have found great chemistry, and he has even played well when being moved around on different lines.

The Rangers should look to re-sign Prospal, who will be getting a raise. Given that he is 34 years old and will be getting money from Tampa Bay until 2015, the raise should only be slight, and he should play on the wing if the Rangers can get a real number one center.

Final Verdict: Re-sign for two years/$3.6 million

3. Enver Lisin (RW)

2009/10 salary: $790,000 (RFA)

At the beginning of the season, Lisin showed flashes of brilliance with his lightning speed and heavy shot. Unfortunately, he soon fell into the doghouse of John Tortorella and has not been given ample playing time in months.

At only 23 years old, he still has a lot of potential, and as much as I would like to give him a chance, would it be worth it for the Rangers to re-sign him only to have him be scratched or given five minutes of ice time on the fourth line? If John Tortorella is fired, I imagine he will be re-signed, but if not, than the Rangers will have to not offer him a qualifier, because he is a restricted free agent. The Rangers could also look to trade his rights, but I doubt they could really fetch anything for him

Final verdict: Do not re-sign

4. Erik Christensen (C)

2009/10 salary: $750,000 (RFA)

Who would have thought that a third line center claimed off of waivers would end up being the Rangers’ number one center later in the season? Since being picked up off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks, Christensen has played very well in the roles he has been assigned.

Although he does not have the caliber of a number one center, he has formed good chemistry with Marian Gab0rik and Vaclav Prospal. He has a very heavy wrist shot, back checks, and has decent speed. He also has an excellent scoring percentage in shootouts.

The Rangers should look to bring back the 25 year old, to play on the first line, or even slide down to the third line if the Rangers were to acquire a center over the summer.

Final verdict: Re-sign for two years/$1.8 million

5. Jody Shelley (LW)

2009/10 salary: $725,000

After being quiet during his first few games as a Ranger, Shelley has quietly found himself a nice role on the fourth line. After forming chemistry with Artem Anisimov and Brandon Prust, he has also been seen as defensively responsible, and has been on the ice for late shifts when the Rangers have a lead.

He is a better skater than Brashear and Orr, and has been a decent fighter. He also does not

take dumb penalties, which is the fault of many enforcers. I should hope that the Rangers would look to bring him back for another season.

Final verdict: Re-sign for one year/$750,000

6. Brandon Prust (RW)

2009/10 salary: $525,000 (RFA)

Since being acquired by the Rangers, Prust has been relatively calm and unnoticeable. He led the league in fighting majors at the time the Rangers acquired him, but really has not been as active with the Rangers. He has shown good speed, and the willingness to stick up for his teammates, but if the Rangers choose to re-sign Shelley, and keep Voros, there really would not be a need to have him back.

The Rangers should try to give a youngster the spot next season; a player like Dane Byers or Devin DiDiomete could fit in well, and for less money.

Final verdict: Do not re-sign

7. Dan Girardi (D)

2009/10 salary: $1.6 million (RFA)

When Dan Girardi hits free agency, I would hope that the Rangers run as fast as they possibly can. Aside from not being physical, Girardi has been a shell of that ultra-calm defenseman we saw two seasons ago, and for the beginning of last year. He has been, in one word, brutal.

As an unrestricted free agent, the Rangers simply cannot just walk, but they can choose to not offer him a qualifying offer, or even try to trade his rights for a late round draft pick. Getting a 5th or 6th rounder could be a pretty good return.

The Rangers then also call up Potter or Sanguinetti for next season, to give them a chance.

Final verdict: Do not re-sign

8. Marc Staal (D)

2009/10 salary: $765,000

The one thing that is on the mind of every Rangers fan out there is what the Rangers will be paying Marc Staal, and how can they afford him. First of all, I am not Staal’s biggest fan, and consider him to be an ordinary defenseman, who is so highly overrated by fans and analysts alike, simply because of his last name.

That said, I would like to see Staal brought back for next season, but without breaking the bank. Should Staal sign for only one year, to bridge the gap until the Rangers can pay him more the season after, than he would get less. But if the Rangers can lock him up long-term, then they can pay him more.

Final verdict: Re-sign for one year/$1.8 million or four years/$12 million

Other Players

In the last few games, P.A Parenteau has been playing very well, now that it seems he will finally be given a chance to prove himself. He has skated well and has shown offensive prowess on the top two lines. However, there is a catch– Parenteau is a top-six player or bust. He is useless on a checking line, and the Rangers should only bring him back if they can guarantee him a spot on the top two lines. Should this scenario be possible, then I think a one year/$600,000 would be fair.

Anders Eriksson has been unnoticeable in the two games he has played since being called up from the Wolfpack, after being acquired from Phoenix in a deadline day deal. On this defense, though, being unnoticeable is almost as good as actually being good. At 34 years old, the journeyman can be the epitome of a 7th defenseman, and can be valuable down the stretch for the Rangers next season, without hurting the development of any of the Rangers young defensemen. He should get a one year deal for $550,000.