Here is a post from guest writer Carey Tepperman which actually came to me via email. Carey is the most passionate hockey fan I know and definitely doesn’t shy away from controversy with his thoughts. Enjoy and thanks to Carey for allowing us to post.

I have just returned from taking in the Leafs/Rangers game down at the ACC. A couple of comments before i get into what i really wanna say. The new NHL is so terrific. In every game there seems to be at least a few stretches of flurries of fast paced action, end to end. Finally the skilled players have room to skate. The game has opened up so much. Lots of chances, goalies getting tested. No more neutral zone traps and left wing locks (ie. emphasis on positional play in a defensive shell) means that the passing lanes have become huge and open, both lengthwise and widthwise. I am seeing better, more crisp, longer passing than i ever have. A good break out, passing d-man is more important than ever. I can also see so many defensemen being tentative out there, being so careful not to hook or hold or impede guys, still unsure of what they can get away with, having trouble adapting. As one coach put it (i forget who now) “You can build a beach house in front of the net.” It’s true. Defensemen barely touch you. This is surely a big contributor to the increased scoring. Stickwork is a thing of the past. Overall, it’s an amazing new product.

Usually, these emails are to praise the leafs. But tonite is different. Here is the real reason i write: I am about to make an extremely bold statement, so you better sit down. As we are getting older now, many of us have watched alot of hockey over the years. I myself have likely taken in thousands of hours. Born in 1979, i guess i really began following hockey in the late 80’s. Of course i am a huge fan of steve yzerman, wayne gretzky and mario lemieux. But unfortunately, by the late 80’s and early 90’s, one could argue that they were all on decline from their primes and we really didnt get to witness them at their very best.

Thus, there is one man who stands out above them all, as the best hockey player of our generation: Jaromir Jagr.

That’s right. Hands down. Bar none. I know there are knocks against him, but he has constantly and consistently been so dominant over the span of THE LAST 16 YEARS, moreso than the 3 i mentioned previously. Sure you could say that he’s played with other great players, but so have the other 3. Jagr has amassed 5 scoring titles, 2 cups, not to mention leading his team to an olympic gold and a world championship last year (with a broken pinkie no less). He steps it up in big games. He makes everyone around him better. He still plays the first minute and a half of all powerplays and he’s no spring chicken. He is so confident he was skating up ice tonite with the puck, as the last man back with a minute to go, rangers down 2-1, wildly waving his arm for Weekes to come to the bench. The guy still has passion and he still wants to win every nite. He is so strong on the puck a big guy like ken klee cannot budge him literally. jagr positions himself to fend off checkers, cannot be knocked off the puck, giving his teammates time to get open, and he then spins and fires a pass right on their tape, giving them a point blank opportunity. This is even more enhanced cause his vision is tremendous. It’s unbelievable yet so subtle yet makes such as difference cause he does it repeatedly time after time. He is always so dangerous out there, every time he touches the puck. He is durable, avoiding serious injury his entire career. Of course he’s a sniper, what a finisher. He plays physical, he grinds the corners. He dangles and dances, he has spin and other crazy moves, and at least 3 guys fell trying tonite, in attempting to strip him of the puck / stick check him. He dekes guys out of their pants and makes their knees buckle. He banged his stick on the ice a bunch of times tonite, wanting the puck, one of these bangings resulting in a goal on a one-timer. Wow what a lightning release and a rocket of a snapshot, which has always been so accurate. He finds space and knows how to get open. He wants the puck simply cause he knows he can do more with it than anyone else out there and it’s true. He’s the total package. Honestly, he’s the best ive ever seen. He is the best of our generation. All sportsfans would love another chance to watch MJ or Joe Montana in their primes. And that is why, if you are a true hockey fan, i urge you to take in a rangers game this season, while he is still in his prime, at his best.

I know this email will open up a can of worms, and that is what i’m here for. So all arguments are welcomed.

On another note, I will leave you with this: They miked JR a little while ago for a game in detroit on TSN. After he scored he was chatting with a teammate on the bench and he said: “Not as good as scoring in toronto, but i’ll take it.” Surely, this was a reference to his OT goal in game 6 that knocked us out of the 2003 playoffs, stunning and silencing the crowd. Classic JR.

Beleaf.