ARE WE WITNESSING ANOTHER MIRACLE METS



BY MARK
HALPERNIf Estelle Getty was writing this, this is how it would open “Picture it flushing
Queens 1969. The Mets were in third place and chasing the Cubs all season and
on August 14th a Miracle began.” That magical season in 1969 proved that even
being so far back, came back to not only win the pennant but, also went on to
win the World Series. I could only imagine what Shea Stadium felt like. I had a
season ticket to the Mets and there was a time the stadium got so loud you felt
the stadium shake. An example of that moment I was there was when Endy Chavez
Robbed the home run and got the ball in for a double play. I think during that
time in 1969 the stadium shook harder.



    Here we are 7/25/2024 and at the beginning of the season with all the injuries to the rotation and bullpen, there was speculation the Mets would have another abysmal season and miss the playoffs. Things were looking that way too as the Mets sat in fourth place in the NL East. The Mets organization has enough on their minds with EXTENDING ALONSO, getting more pitching for next year, or dare I say
a trade happening soon to help the bullpen and starting but, only time will
tell. Sitting where they were Mets fans didn’t quit and kept coming to games to
cheer this team on.



   Then on June 13th, 2024, the Mets had a
special guest to throw out the first pitch. Grimace one of Mcdonald’s mascots
threw a decent pitch to home. It’s hard to throw a ball in a mascot uniform and
he got it there. After that, it was like the Mets had some extra boost in their step. The
Mets went from really being counted out, to a team if the season ended
now, they would be in the playoffs. The Terms “No Quit New York” and “OMG”
(happens to be Iglesias #1 hit single) have special meanings and the Mets
have been on a tear and now find themselves in the second wild card slot and a
game and a half out from the top spot. The team that stands in their way right
now has been a thorn in their sign forever and that’s the Atlanta Braves. The
Braves have always been a huge threat in the NL East but, they have had some very bad
luck with injuries losing Acuna, Strider and now Albies are all most likely out
for the season. Atlanta has been in a slow downward spiral and that’s the team
the Mets will face off and if we sweep, we own the top spot.



    Injuries have plagued the Mets as well but one injured player will return to face the Braves and that’s the Met’s Ace Kodai Senga who was hampered by a capsule strain that takes time to heal as we saw with Scherzer and Verlander who both had the same issue. Senga has finished his rehab and is ready to contribute and it’s at the right time.

With the Trade deadline rapidly approaching the Mets have to make decisions on what they are willing to move to get a top-end bullpen hand like Tanner Scott of the Marlins. Brett Baty doesn’t have a spot right now as Vientos has won the 3b job. Baty could be used and adding Scott would be amazing, especially with the loss of Drew Smith. My mom said “It’s like Déjà vu” on what’s happening with the Mets. This Lineup is producing big time and not just by one player. The entire team seems to have a bonfire in their bellies and wants to bring this city another championship. Keep watching cause the Phillies are now only 11 games ahead.   



 



Kings Of New York

By Mike Rifkin

The New York Mets defeated the New York Yankees 12-3 on Wednesday night, completing their first Subway Series sweep since 2013. The Mets scored 36 runs in the four games, hit 13 home runs and 25 extra base hits. The depth of the Mets lineup is what you take away from these four games. They didn’t have to rely on the big guys, unlike the Yankees everyone stepped up. Tyrone Taylor, Mark Vientos and Harrison Bader along with Francisco Lindor all had multiple Homers in the Subway Series. 

The most impressive thing about the Mets offense, is what they did to reigning AL CY Young Award Winner Gerrit Cole. Cole in two starts against the crosstown rivals went 9.2 innings pitched gave up 15 hits, 12 runs, six walks,four strikeouts and gave up seven home runs. 

The other key was the Yankees lack of hitting with Runners in Scoring Position, where they were 3-34. If you look at the boxscore for each game, three of these games were non competitive outside of an Aaron Judge grand slam. 

At least for 2024 the Kings of New York reside in Queens.

TEXANS, LIONS AND COWBOYS OH MY!



BY MARK
HALPERN



     As a member of the Sports Insanity
Network, I get the honor of being an NFL Blitzer. What is that? Well, simply we
as a network break down the 32 teams, and members MAY pick a team to write
about and follow through the year. I am excited to be writing about my Dallas
Cowboys, the playoff-bound Detroit Lions, and the complete reemergence of the
Houston Texans. Being a Blitzer allows me to write not only recaps of the games of the teams I
have chosen. Each Team that I have will have regular weekly articles or vlogs
on our YouTube channel, then write the pregame and then the post-game, and then
repeat for 17 weeks + playoffs.With the Texans, I get the opportunity to write about C.J. Stroud. Stroud who
brought the Texans back to life. He made a star out of Tank Dell and this
team’s offense is going to be one of the most electric offenses this season.
The Defense needs to get better and they have and I will get into all of that
when I do the Texans opening article.The Detroit Lions were a lot of fun to write about last year. This team is for
real and the league needs to take notice. This high-powered offense can score
on any team in the league. The biggest weakness is the Lion’s secondary as they
collapsed over the last 5 regular season games. So, keep a look out for their
outlook for the season very soon.

  I am a 40-year fan of Dallas Cowboys and I
have been there during the ups and downs and have been on this roller-coaster
way too long. This is the year that Dallas needs to get to the NFC Championship
at least. Winning the Superbowl would be the icing on the cake. This Dallas
offense is high-powered, the offensive line has been re-done and DAK is the
guy. The Defense is top 5 in football and can’t say enough about the
linebackers and the “no-fly zone” secondary is getting Diggs back after missing
last year. We will get into the defense line in the opening article. All these
articles will be rolling out very soon so be on the lookout cause the BLITZERS
are getting ready for the opening day

A HUGE POSITIVE SIGN FOR THE WNBA



BY MARK
HALPERN Over this past year, I have been grateful to be given the task of writing about the WNBA. If you have read my previous articles they were just about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. They are the story of the young and upcoming stars. However, we will leave the competition aside and get to the great news. It has been no secret the WNBA has been losing close to 10 million a year with a whopping 50 million loss this
year. With the excitement of Veterans and Rookies, the response has been the best in the last few years. Games are selling out and to be fair it’s when Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are the opponents. The same can be said for Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. The emergence of youth and talent has caught the eyes of investors
worldwide. It was announced two days ago that a new Broadcast deal to air games on multiple different platforms to the tune of 2.24 billion Dollars. This is the announcement that this league needed. The WNBA is filled with amazing talent such as Breanna Stewart, A,Ja Wilson, Elena Delle Donne, and Candace Parker just to name a few. It’s hard to be recognized in a league if you have no strong media access for WNBA fans.   I will say that Clark and Reese were the catalysts that got it going. Both players have set records upon records and there are still about 15 games left. The coverage of these games being made to be seen all over is going to attract a whole new audience and this league because of ALL the talent that it has is going to inspire a whole
new audience and that means everything from merchandise to autograph signings
will also bring in financial capital to help each struggling team out. This is
a huge moment for the WNBA and they ALL should be ecstatic.



Showing Their Stripes

By Mike Rifkin

The NFL season is right around the corner, and training camp is beginning this week.. The Cincinnati Bengals are seen as one of the biggest threats to the Kansas City Chiefs, not just in the AFC but across the NFL.  In 2023 the Bengals finished with a record of 9-8 and missed the playoffs, but a lot of their issues had to do with injuries. The two seasons prior the Bengals were in among the final four teams standing. 

One of the reasons the Bengals have become a top tier team in the NFL is the dynamic offense they’ve built. Quarterback Joe Burrow (who has a long term deal), Running Back Joe Mixon, Wide Receivers Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase were just so much fun to watch. Now this offseason things are changing in Cincy, Joe Mixon was traded to the Texans, Tyler Boyd signed with the Tennessee Titans, following Offensive Coordinator Brian Callahan. That leaves Higgins and Chase, but the question is for how much longer? 

Tee Higgins was given the Franchise Tag this summer, and he and the team couldn’t get a long term deal done. Things got so bad, that Higgins had requested a trade, but later just signed the tender. Then there’s Chase, who has one year (fifth year option) left after this season. But Chase was eligible to sign an extension this offseason. 

Bengals President Mike Brown said on a potential extension : “It’s not so likely that this is a good time to negotiate. The offseason is a better time for that and we’re going to try to keep focused on the football part. I’m not going to rule anything out, but I will tell you that the die has probably been cast.” Chase, the fifth overall pick in 2021 has been sensational since going to Cincy, going over 1,000 yards in each of his three prior seasons. Last season Chase had a career high 100 receptions for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. 

So if the Bengals are not inclined to give Tee Higgins a long term contract, why are they not making Chase more of a priority? They’ve locked up Joe Burrow, so why not his favorite target? And the Bengals really missed an opportunity here, because they had a chance to lock Chase up before the Vikings locked up Justin Jefferson and the Cowboys lock up Ceedee Lamb. Chase’s production is up among the best in the league and he will deserve every penny, and the longer this goes the more his price will go up and the Bengals will have to pony up, because under no circumstances can they lose both Higgins and Chase and still be considered a Super Bowl threat. But these clouds hang over Cincy as they look to bounce back from 2023.

HOW I WOULD VOTE : BASEBALL HALL OF FAME 2025

BY Mike Rifkin

On Sunday the Baseball Hall of Fame presented their class of 2024. The class consisted of Joe Mauer, Todd Helton, Adrian Beltre and Jim Leyland (Vet committee). So let’s look ahead to how I would vote for next year’s class. *Note will not include from Veterans committee. 

Returning 

  • Billy Wagner : At the moment Wagner is top 10 in saves all time and outside of John Franco and Francisco Rodriguez all of the guys in front of him are in the Hall or will go in (Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen). Even though his playoff numbers might not be the best, Wagner fell a few votes shy last year, and with this being his last time on the ballot he should get in. 
  • Andruw Jones: 10 Gold Gloves and 434 homers should be enough to put Andruw Jones in. Jones was a premier Center Fielder on the premier team of the National League in the 90’s. 
  • Carlos Beltran : 2,700 hits, 435 homers, 312 Stolen Bases, three gold gloves, and a World Series Champ. Like Jones, Beltran was one of the best center fielders of his time. Yes, people can hold him accountable for his actions for the 2017 Astros, but it’s time he gets his plaque in Cooperstown. 

First Time

  • Ichiro Suzuki : Ichiro came into MLB in 2001 and promptly won Rookie Of The Year and MVP in the same season. He set the American League hit record for a season, had 10 200 hit seasons. 
  • CC Sabathia : Sabathia was the definition of a big game pitcher. Look at what he did for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008 after being acquired from the Indians. CC was then instrumental in the Yankees success. He won one CY Young, but was a top five finisher four times. CC won 251 games,was the 2009 ALCS MVP  and is a member of the 3,000 strikeout club. 
  • Dustin Pedroia : Pedroia’s career was cut short due to injuries, but when he played he was impactful. He won three World Series with the Red Sox,, four gold gloves, 2007 rookie of the year and 2008 AL MVP. Pedroia wasn’t the best player on the field, but he gave the Red Sox everything he had.

Rifkin Reacts : ESPN’S TOP 10 QB RANKINGS

BY : Mike Rifkin

ESPN talked with executives, scouts, and coaches to put together lists of the top 10 players at each position entering the NFL season. Below will be how ESPN ranked the quarterbacks, then I will explain what they got right and what they got wrong. So let the debate ensue. 

ESPN RANKINGS

  1. PATRICK MAHOMES – CHIEFS
  2. JOE BURROW – BENGALS
  3. JOSH ALLEN – BILLS
  4. LAMAR JACKSON – RAVENS
  5. MATTHEW STAFFORD – RAMS
  6. JUSTIN HERBERT – CHARGERS
  7. CJ STROUD – TEXANS
  8. AARON RODGERS – JETS
  9. JARED GOFF – LIONS
  10. DAK PRESCOTT – COWBOYS

HONORABLE MENTIONS : BROCK PURDY (49ERS), JORDAN LOVE (PACKERS), JALEN HURTS (EAGLES), TUA TAGOVAILOA (DOLPHINS), KIRK COUSINS (FALCONS), TREVOR LAWRENCE (JAGS)

RIFKIN’S RANKINGS

  1. PATRICK MAHOMES – CHIEFS : They did get the best quarterback in the league right. Mahomes’ magic was on full display last season taking a Chiefs team that every talking head said wasn’t good enough to another Super Bowl Championship. The most underrated part of Mahomes’ game is his running ability, which was a factor in the Chiefs playoff run. 
  1. JOSH ALLEN – BILLS : There’s one reason I am putting Allen over Joe Burrow and that’s durability. Allen is a consistent MVP candidate and at times has put the Bills on his back. Here’s a hot take but I think Allen can thrive without Stefon Diggs in Buffalo. But a veteran executive called Allen “overrated” and has “immense talent but makes a lot of mistakes.” He does turn the ball over, but to call Allen overrated is a stretch, the only thing I hold against him is not winning in the playoffs, but most of the time that’s not all on him. 
  1. JOE BURROW – BENGALS : Burrow is elite, but the one issue he has had at times is staying on the field. It’ll be interesting to see how Burrow operates this season without running back Joe Mixon and receiver Tyler Boyd, but he will have Tee Higgins. Burrow needs a bounce back season and stay on the field if the Bengals are going to challenge the Chiefs in the AFC. 
  1. LAMAR JACKSON- Ravens : Ok, so they got the first four right (maybe not the order) Lamar is the best dual threat Quarterback in the league. He had career highs in completion percentage and yards. Lamar’s last two regular season games against the Dolphins and Ravens earned him his second MVP award. If there’s something to hold to Lamar is that he has to get it done in the playoffs. 
  1. BROCK PURDY – 49ERS : Call him a system quarterback, the fact is Brock Purdy has a very high upside.  Does Brock Purdy have a great arsenal of weapons? Yes, but Brock Purdy has been great at getting those guys the ball. He was top 10 in yards, touchdowns, and QBR.
  1. DAK PRESCOTT – COWBOYS : Find me a quarterback who gets more disrespect than Dak? The answer is you can’t and when I say disrespect it comes from his own owner. Prescott had another great year, and yes the Cowboys failed in the playoffs (again) but there are very few quarterbacks more consistent than Dak. Luckily for him someone will give him a payday after the season. 
  1. AARON RODGERS – JETS : I said find me a quarterback who is more disrespected than Dak, now find me one who has as much pressure than Aaron Rodgers? The Jets have the longest playoff drought in the league, and this season they expect that to be broken. It’ll truly be a success though if Aaron lasts five snaps. 
  1. JARED GOFF – LIONS : The Lions are on the prowl in the NFC and they are led by a former number one pick. Goff, since being out of the spotlight of LA has been phenomenal. If there’s a nitpick to Goff’s game, it’s he has to better on the road. But now the Lions have expectations and their 50 million dollar quarterback is going to have to be big in their success. 
  1. JALEN HURTS – EAGLES : Yeah, the Eagles choked the NFC East away last season and Jalen Hurts was at the forefront of that. I think the choke job came with the Eagles getting away from who they are.  But with a new Offensive coordinator and a upgrade at running back, Hurts should have an MVP type season. 
  1. TUA TAGOVAILOA – DOLPHINS : Is this a homer pick? Probably, but Tua is coming off a season where he was at the top of a lot of passing categories. If he can continue to stay healthy the Dolphins have found their franchise QB, the first since Dan Marino. Tua is extremely accurate and he has a great supporting cast surrounding him. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS : MATTHEW STAFFORD ( RAMS), JUSTIN HERBERT (CHARGERS), CJ STROUD (TEXANS), JORDAN LOVE (PACKERS), KIRK COUSINS (FALCONS)

So you’re asking why he didn’t put Stroud or Love on his list? Well the answer is simple, I need to see more. Both had fantastic first seasons starting, but what happens if the league adjusts to them and how will they handle expectations.

Joe Pavelski Officially Retires from the NHL

By Nathan Moser

After 18 seasons in the NHL, forward Joe Pavelski has officially retired from playing in the league. He was originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks with their seventh-round pick (205th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He made his league debut during the 2006-07 campaign, where he posted 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points in 46 games. He learned from some of the best talents in Sharks history, such as Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

It did not take long before Pavelski became a Sharks legend in his own right. He became one of their best offensive weapons. While in San Jose, he hit the 30-goal mark on five different occasions and had his career best in goals during the 2013-14 season when he scored 41 goals. He fell short of getting 40 a few other times; as he tallied 38 goals in 2015-16, 38 in 2018-19, and 37 in 2014-15.

Pavelski also was a key contributor in helping San Jose make the playoffs 12 times. His best postseason totals came in the 2016 playoffs, when he put up 23 points in 24 games (14 goals and nine assists). That was also the playoffs where the Sharks made the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. They would not defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins, but Pavelski individually had a great playoff run with the team and he proved like he did every postseason while he is one of the best to ever don the Sharks sweater.

As great as he was for the Sharks, he also became a special player in the history of the Dallas Stars. He signed a contract with the team in the 2019 offseason. He was an immediate force in the lineup for the Stars; who already had some crucial pieces in their lineup like Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Miro Heiskanen, and John Klingberg among others. He finished the 2019-20 campaign with 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points in 67 games. In the 2020 playoffs (which were different due to COVID-19), he accumulated 13 goals and six assists for 19 points in 27 games. The Stars made it to the Stanley Cup Final (Pavelski’s second appearance in his career), but they lost to Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

Pavelski also had his best statistical season of his career in Dallas. He notched 81 points in 82 games during the 2021-22 campaign (27 goals and 54 assists). If there was one thing about Pavelski, he never really seemed to slow down based on production. Even in his last season in 2023-24, he finished with 67 points in 82 games (27 goals and 40 assists). Those 67 points were good enough to be ranked second on the Stars in points. Only Jason Robertson (80 points) had more.

Overall, Pavelski was a fantastic leader both on and off the ice. He meant so much to the locker rooms he played in with San Jose and Dallas. His number should be retired by the Sharks when that time comes. His impact will be felt on the league for many years to come with how many younger players he helped. Congratulations to Pavelski on an awesome career. Best of luck to him in whatever he does next.

First Half MLB Awards

By Mike Rifkin

We have reached the halfway point of the Major League Baseball season and it has been quite eventful. Here is how I would vote for the awards at the halfway point of the season. 

AMERICAN LEAGUE

MVP : Aaron Judge, Yankees : Judge has 34 home runs, which is a Yankee record before the All-Star break and 85 RBI, along with a 306/.433/.613 slash line. Judge, has been the constant of a Yankee offense that has been inconsistent most of the first half, it makes you wonder if teams will stop pitching to him in the second half. Other candidates : Juan Soto (Yankees), Gunnar Henderson (Orioles),  Bobby Witt Jr (Royals), Jose Ramirez (Guardians), Rafael Devers (Red Sox) 

CY YOUNG : Tarik Skubal, Tigers : Skubal is 10-3 with a 2.41 ERA, which is second in all of Major League Baseball. Skubal is in the top five in wins, ERA, Strikeouts, and WHIP. He has a 6.7 strikeout to walk ratio as well. Other candidates : Seth Lugo (Royals), Corbin Burnes (Orioles)

Manager Of The Year : Stephen Vogt, Guardians : Vogt replaced a legend in Terry Francona, and the Guardians have been exceptional. They’re up 4.5 games in the AL Central and have done all of this without their ace Shane Bieber, who underwent Tommy John Surgery. The Guardians enter the break with the second best record in all of Baseball and the best record in the American League. Other candidates : Alex Cora (Red Sox), Matt Quatraro (Royals)

BIGGEST SURPRISE : Boston Red Sox : The Red Sox enter the break as the third wild card team and are only 4.5 games out in the AL East. In a year where most people thought the Red Sox would not be competitive, they’re in the thick of things. Led by Alex Cora the Red Sox have gotten contributions throughout their roster. Rafael Devers is a superstar, who also is having an MVP-esque season. The Red Sox are in the top five in team batting average and ERA. 

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT : TORONTO BLUE JAYS : The Toronto Blue Jays enter the break eight games under .500 and are 9.5 games out of the wild card. To make it sound worse there are three teams in the AL with a worse record than the Blue Jays (Angels, Athletics and White Sox.) Things have gotten so bad for the Jays that people are talking about them selling at the trade deadline (they should). But for a team I dubbed a sleeping giant in the AL, I don’t think they’ll be able to get themselves out of the hole they dug. 

NATIONAL LEAGUE

MVP : SHOHEI OHTANI, Dodgers : Ohtani has lived up to the hype in his first year in Dodger Blue. He has 29 homers and 69 RBI’s along with a slash line of .316/.400/.635. The most impressive part about Ohtani’s season isn’t the distraction he faced early in the season, but what he’s done since Mookie Betts got hurt and Ohtani has had to hit leadoff. Other Candidates : Freddie Freeman (Dodgers), Bryce Harper (Phillies), Marcell Ozuna (Braves), Christian Yelich (Brewers) 

CY YOUNG : Chris Sale, Braves : Sale has had an injury riddled last few seasons, but this season he’s been healthy and a big part of the Braves success. Sale is the MLB leader in wins with 13.He is also in the top 10 in ERA, Strikeouts and WHIP. The Braves have needed Sale to revert back into the ace he was in the absence of Spencer Strider. Other Candidates :  Zack Wheeler (Phillies), Ranger Suarez (Phillies), Tyler Glasnow (Dodgers) 

Manager Of The Year : Pat Murphy, Brewers : After Craig Counsell left and trading Corbin Burnes, most people thought the Milwaukee Brewers would take a step back. After Counsell left they decided to promote Pat Murphy form Bench Coach to Manager and the Brewers haven’t missed a step. The Brewers are 55-42, which is the third best record in the National League and lead the Central by 4.5 games. Other Candidates Rob Thompson (Phillies), Brian Snitker (Braves)

BIGGEST SURPRISE : NEW YORK METS : This sounds weird because they’re only three games over .500. But the Mets were 11 games under .500 and most people were discussing what they sell at the deadline, but the last few weeks the Mets have turned it around and currently occupy the final Wild Card spot. With the impending return of Kodai Senga, the Mets can be a dangerous team in the second half. 

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT : SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS/ CHICAGO CUBS : Yes, both of these teams are in the thick of the wildcard race in the NL. But in reality everyone is minus the Rockies and Marlins. The Giants and Cubs spent a lot of money this past winter and both find themselves on the outside looking in at the break. If things go sour over the next week or so both teams can find themselves as sellers at the trade deadline.

Nate’s Notes Profiles: Brian Rafalski’s Hockey Journey

By Nathan Moser

There have been some talented NHL players who went undrafted before joining the league. One of the most famous examples of this is winger Martin St. Louis, who went undrafted, played shortly for the Calgary Flames, and then took off with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Other examples include Florida Panthers goalie and 2024 Stanley Cup champion Sergei Bobrovsky, Ed Belfour, Dino Ciccarelli, Mark Giordano, and Adam Oates among others. Then, there is the story of NHL defenseman Brian Rafalski. After spending time in a junior league and college, the NHL still had not called his name. However, Rafalski did what he could to get better, and he created his opportunities by not giving up and pushing forward.

Undrafted and Heading Overseas

The beginning of Rafalski’s journey into the NHL began how many upcoming draft picks’ journeys would. He played in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the Madison Capitols during the 1990-91 hockey season. In 47 games played, he tallied 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points. Like those drafted by NHL teams, Rafalski then went to play college hockey at the University of Wisconsin. He suited up for the Badgers for four campaigns. During his time there, he posted the following numbers:

  • 1991-92: three goals and 16 assists for 19 points in 38 games
  • 1992-93: 13 assists in 32 games
  • 1993-94: six goals and 17 assists for 23 points in 37 games
  • 1994-95: 11 goals and 34 assists for 45 points in 43 games

Despite his time in the USHL and at Wisconsin, Rafalski did not get drafted or signed by an NHL club. Some players might give up on their dreams to be a pro hockey player and move on to something else, but he was determined to keep playing the game he loved. As a result, from 1995-96 to 1998-99, Rafalski suited up in both Elitserien (now known as the Swedish Hockey League) and the SM-Liiga (which is the Finnish Elite League).

Rafalski had an exceptional skillset while growing his game overseas in Sweden and Finland. He went from a player who did not go to the NHL after college to one of the best defensemen not playing in that league. During his days with Brynas IF in Elitserien and his two clubs in the SM-Liiga (HPK and HIFK), he posted the following stats:

  • 1995-96 (Brynas IF): one goal and eight assists for nine points in 22 games
  • 1996-97 (HPK): 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points in 49 games
  • 1997-98 (HIFK): 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points in 40 games
  • 1998-99 (HIFK): 19 goals and 34 assists for 53 points in 53 games

One of the NHL teams who took notice to how well Rafalski was playing overseas were the New Jersey Devils. General manager Lou Lamoriello had already built a stacked lineup, and won a Stanley Cup back in 1995 with superb players like Scott Niedermayer, Stephane Richer, Scott Stevens, Bill Guerin, and Martin Brodeur among others. The Devils signed Rafalski, and he made his NHL debut during the 1999-2000 campaign.

Thriving in the NHL

Rafalski joined a Devils defensive core who already had Niedermayer, Stevens, and Ken Daneyko. He finished his first season in the NHL with 32 points in 75 games (five goals and 27 assists). The whole roster had a lot of depth, and this led to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in the 2000 playoffs, with Rafalski making it that far in his first season in the league. In 23 postseason games on that run, he accrued two goals and six assists for eight points. The Devils beat the Dallas Stars in six games to claim their second Cup championship as a franchise.

Throughout his time in New Jersey, Rafalski amassed the following numbers:

  • 1999-2000: five goals and 27 assists for 32 points in 75 games
  • 2000-01: nine goals and 43 assists for 52 points in 78 games
  • 2001-02: seven goals and 40 assists for 47 points in 76 games
  • 2002-03: three goals and 37 assists for 40 points in 79 games
  • 2003-04: six goals and 30 assists for 36 points in 69 games
  • 2005-06: six goals and 43 assists for 49 points in 82 games
  • 2006-07: eight goals and 47 assists for 55 points in 82 games

Rafalski and the Devils were able to make the Stanley Cup Final two more times in 2001 and 2003. New Jersey lost to Ray Bourque and the Colorado Avalanche in the 2001 Cup Final, while they were able to win the Cup in 2003 versus the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Rafalski during each of those runs accumulated the stats below:

  • 2001 playoffs: seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 25 games
  • 2003 playoffs: two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 23 games

After becoming a free agent following the 2006-07 campaign, Rafalski signed with the Detroit Red Wings. Like when he joined the Devils, Rafalski was entering a stacked lineup in Detroit. He joined a blue line that already had Hockey Hall of Famers Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios on it; as well as Niklas Kronwall, Brett Lebda, Andreas Lilja, and Brad Stuart. Rafalski finished the 2007-08 regular season with the fourth-most points on the team. Only Pavel Datsyuk (97 points), Henrik Zetterberg (92 points), and Lidstrom (70 points), had more.

The Red Wings made the 2008 postseason and advanced all the way to the Cup Final to face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Detroit beat Pittsburgh in six games to win the Cup. It was Rafalski’s third championship in the NHL. He finished the 2008 postseason with four goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 22 games.

Rafalski played the rest of his career with the Red Wings. He posted the following regular-season numbers with them during his tenure in Detroit:

  • 2007-08: 13 goals and 42 assists for 55 points in 73 games
  • 2008-09: 10 goals and 49 assists for 59 points in 78 games
  • 2009-10: eight goals and 34 assists for 42 points in 78 games
  • 2010-11: four goals and 44 assists for 48 points in 63 games

After the 2010-11 campaign, Rafalski retired from playing. He finished his 11 seasons in the NHL with 79 goals and 436 assists for 515 points in 833 games. He is one of the best blueliners to ever suit up for New Jersey, and he has three championship rings on his finger because of the hard work he put in. Rafalski could have ended playing the sport once he left Wisconsin, but he was determined to keep developing his game and play overseas to get better. He became an NHL-caliber talent and made a massive impact on both the Devils and Red Wings during his stints with both clubs.

What Rafalski worked to accomplish is one of many examples about not giving up on dreams. If anyone has something they want to do, it might not be easy, but hard work does pay off and that is exactly what happened for Rafalski entering the NHL with New Jersey.