Just for Shots and Giggles

The more I look at it - the more I realize that the NHL is not like any other league in the world.

Earlier this week, although the various collective bargaining agreements and NHL rules stipulate that training camp does not open for another week or so - most of the Ranger players have taken it upon themselves to gather and scrimmage against one another - to get themselves sharp and in hockey shape before camp officially opens.

The Ranger coaches are - by rule - not permitted to be with the players until the training camp officially opens. They can't even come in and watch them.

Imagine this happening in football. Would the New York Giants get together on a field, slap some pads on and start playing each other with no coaches around? Not in a million years. A few years back Shockey and Plaxico wouldn't even show up for the supervised workouts.

Would the Yankees start a pick up game? Never.

But your Ranger Hockey team - they are out there this week scrimmaging - just for "shots and giggles". And they only had one goalie show up last Monday so - get this - they set up a screen with gaps in it across one of the nets to simulate the other goalie.

What?

A lifeless sheet with obvious holes it it taking the place of a real live goal tender? If those exist why is someone like Jose Theodore still drawing a salary?

All kidding aside, it is pretty cool that in 2009 our NHL players still show up voluntarily for pick-up games and to scrimmage as a team.

But please guys - don't let Gaborik hurt himself out there.