Hockey Insider Talk

Leafs/ Ducks Trade Imminent?

2008-10-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Wow, didn't get around to blogging for a while, been kind of busy. Sorry about that. I'll be making up for that soon, as I'll be introducing a new site feature, and updating the site, once I get all the details down.
In the meantime... I'm still hearing the Leafs are hot on Bobby Ryan (as I said before) but I was told by one source (out of many who are telling me the opposite) that the Leafs wont make a deal with Anaheim anytime in the near future unless they're getting an amazing deal. Some other people have told me that the Leafs are looking trade with Anaheim or Pittsburgh sometime soon.
If you're looking for one fantasy draft sleeper (who's probably still a fa in your pool) then I would take a serious look at Jakub Voracek. This rookie has 3 pts in 5 games, and I think is poised to do a lot more damage. In my mind, he's the early Calder Trophy favorite...
More later...

Updates

2008-10-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged for a bit, been shuffling through cities for a bit. Here's the news. Bell clears waivers. Deveraux has just been put on waivers, as well as Stefan Kronvall. Colaicovo has been shopped around by the leafs, mostly to Pittsburgh. The Ian White rumor I'm hearing has been crushed or put on hold. As my sources indicated White was shopped and ready to be sent to another team, which very well could have been the Flyers, until the club tested him up front, to which he responded very well which boosted White's status big time, as now the club can switch him from defence to forward. A source called me and told me very vaguely that Patrick O'Sullivan will resign, presumably today or in the next couple of days. I've also been told that the Penguins have been talking to Vancouver about a potential deal for a defencemen, which could or could not be Kevin Bieksa. Very interesting. I'll try to get back with more info later...

UPDATE: O'Sullivan has now signed a deal with L.A per TSN.

Bulin Updates, Leafs Updates and Savard Rumor Debunking

2008-10-02T15:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't heard too much about what will happen with Khabibulin, and the only hard info I've received from a source was one person told me that Washington was giving Bulin a look, which kinda caught me off guard, but then again, it's only a rumor. I think that when the Caps made a commitment to Theodore they took a chance and I think they'll sleep with that one, and not go after Bulin. We'll see how that one turns out though. I've heard some talk about Europe being an option, but nobody has come straight out and told me that, however if I where to bet on one place for Bulin to land, somewhere in Europe would be my choice.
Some Leafs rumors here that I gathered up and which none should be considered top notch rumors whatsoever, but something to think about:
1)White to Philly (details not specified)
2) Colaicovo to Pitts. (picks return)
3)Kaberle to Pitts. (prospect, picks, and Tyler Kennedy's name been thrown in there)
4)Ponikarovsky to L.A (details not specified)
5)White to Boston (details not specified)
6)Kaberle to Philly (details not specified)
7)Prospects and picks to Anaheim (Bobby Ryan return) - I hear from a source that Fletch is still hot on Ryan but, I personally think that ship has sailed.
---------------Again most of those sources just threw at me, probably for the sake of entertainment, but the White one I've been tracking for a while, and I think the Colaicovo one could happen, givin the right return. The rest I don't think have a chance of happening, but we'll see.

On the Savard rumors, I personally haven't heard anything. Which is odd actually, because usually when a story gets broken at least someone will come along and filter me a rumor. I haven't heard anything though, which leads me to believe there's nothing behind it. I can't see it happening either. The Bruins like Savard, and so do the result sheets. He may have some issues in the dressing room etc... but I haven't heard anything, so I'm guessing this is a no air rumor.
Anywho that's it for today, I'll get back if I hear anything.

Kaberle On the Move? Schenn Goal, Plus More On Bulin...

2008-09-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

Frantisek Kaberle that is. I heard from a source that Kaberle could be on the move sometime during the first half of the season. "If not then, then [Kaberle] will be moved at the [trade] deadline." The source went on to say that the suitors could be L.A, Montreal, or St.Louis but to "not count anybody out".
I like Frantisek. He's a great puck moving defencemen, the only thing that has hurt his value has been his injury's, but I think if he stays healthy, he's an asset for any team. The way my source tells it though, the Canes wouldn't be looking for a significant return.

If you wanna watch something that's gunna make you smile, Leaf fan or not, you gotta watch this heart warming goal by Luke Schenn- the shootout winner - last night. Oshie made a great move for St.Louis also, but lost the puck, or else he had a wide open right side of the net. Entertaining.

The latest on Khabibulin is that he was put on waivers as my source indicated, and has recently cleared waivers. A couple of people suggested to me that L.A would pick him up, but someone within the L.A organization told me "The Kings aren't really interested in Bulin, I think. From what I've heard, they're just focused on re-signing O'Sullivan and getting to the cap floor rather than going over it by acquiring [Khabibulin]." The source isn't high up in the L.A organization whatsoever, but was the only person I could get a hold of right now. So don't count L.A out just because of that, because there will obviously be some interest with the recent send down of Bernier. I was also told by someone point blank that the Sens were not interested in Bulin whatsoever, and that they'd like to ride Gerber, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense givin that Gerber hasn't exactly been solid in pre-season. But it's a hard one to call. If the Sens were to want to acquire Bulin, then they would want to move Gerber most likely to avoid another goalie controversy. So my question is this. Is Khabibulin that much better than Gerber? And wouldn't the Hawks want to avoid taking Gerber in return to avoid a goalie controversy of their own between Huet and Gerber? I dunno, just my thoughts.

Khabibulin On Waivers?

2008-09-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

I'm hearing rumblings that Nikolai Khabibulin has been placed on waivers or is going to be placed on waivers. I got a text from a source that reads "Khabibulin on waivers." Not so much info there. The source isn't the most reliable but it's at least something to think about. To add on to that vague topic, a buddy of mine in Chi-town said that the talk was Bulin was headed to Ottawa.
I'll talk about that and more when I hear more about it....

UPDATE: Now confirmed by TSN..

Debunking Gaborik Rumors...

2008-09-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

One subject that is sure to come up over the next couple of weeks (or perhaps months) is that of Minnesota Wild's star Marian Gaborik being moved to another team. Here's the scoop. Gaborik wants tons and tons of money if he's gunna stay and play for the defensive minded Wild. There's nothing to argue there. If Gaborik is going to have to restrict his offensive output then he wants long term security and big, big money. And he's got one of the best agents to do it. Now here's the thing, Minnesota has already offered him a fair amount of money, which he has turned down, and has recently left the Wild with a number and told them basically "Sign me for this, or I sign for nothing". This puts the Wild in a bit of a bind. If they choose to trade Gaborik they will not get full value, because everyone else is gunna know that they want to get rid of him. If they choose to keep him but not sign him, then they risk the chance of him calling them on their bluff and going elsewhere via free agency (which, believe me, will happen if they don't sign him). So the question is this: will the Wild sign him, or trade him. Many believe they will end up trading him if he continues to ask for the contract he's asking for (which I've heard is around Ovechkin-ish type of money, something he certainly has not yet earned). In fact I've had one person tell me straight out that in his mind Gaborik being moved is 100% happening.
Me? Not buying it. I don't see Gaborik going anywhere, but to celebrate a 9 year deal worth millions, with the Wild. The fact is, the Wild can't afford to lose Gaborik- and he knows it! Without Gaborik the Wild have the chance of losing not just games, but fans, and credibility. Even if they pull off a deal for him witch seems like an okay deal, unless they bring in at least, at least, fair value (aka a top forward or two or three) then the Wild lose. Even if they save that money from the Gaborik deal and use it toward the UFA market and try (key word is try) to bring in a nice forward, they still lose.
So my point is that the only way this conundrum is going to be solved is by the Wild giving Gaborik what he wants, even though it might be tough to see. So Wild fans, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over the Gaborik issue, as I'm all but sure he'll be sticking around for a while, maybe even more than a while...

Taking In the Leafs/ Pens Pre-Season Game, Update Schneider Rumor...

2008-09-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

Although it is only pre-season, these games give us a bit of glance of the talent of the players that will be playing next season. When watching a pre-season game, try not to think about the score, and try to pin point the players, and you'll instantly see the one's with good work ethic (along with the ones just fighting for a job). Two players really stand out in my mind from yesterdays game between the Leafs and Pens. Luke Schenn, and Justin Pogge. Pogge continued to look great and comfortable in net. He had little chance on the goals that he did let in: two went in off his own defenders (Boumedienne and Stralman), and one was a 2-0 with Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal- I'm sure even Marty Brodeur would have nightmares about that- after Stralman blew a tire and created the turnover in the Leafs defensive zone.
For me, Schenn was the only solid defender for the Leafs last night. Even Tomas Kaberle found his jockstrap in the crowd- along with other Leafs- when Malkin decided to have a little game of keep away. Schenn consistently makes smart plays, and doesn't show any rookie jitters or impatience. He's very very mature for a hockey player of his age. He did have one sort of bad turnover however, but right after made a smart move to gain the puck back. Ron Wilson is gunna have to send him out there alone if he wants to make a case for sending him to the minors.
Leaf overratee (yes it's a word now) Nikolai Kulemin seemed invisible once again, until one power play where he decided to dangle around a few Pens and snap a dangerous shot.
Grabovski had some bad turnovers in the game, but made up for them with a beautiful goal with around ten seconds left in the game. Draped all over Pens, Grabovski rushed to the net, and slid the puck home. Grabovski seems almost too selfish though. Even though it's a pre-season game, just watch him every time he gets the puck, he'll try to create everything by himself, but due to his size, often then not he'll end up planted on the ice. He is very skillful though, and I can seem him turning into a very solid forward force for the Leafs.
On the Pens side of things, they seemed like they were just playing with the young Buds. Malkin threw so many dangles together the Leafs must of thought they were in Slapshot 2.
Staal showed once again how unselfish he is on the 2-0 with Evgeni Malkin. Malkin promptly handed Staal the puck right in front of Pogge with no defenders in sight, and in a situation where most players in pre-season would try to plot the puck home for their own benefit, Staal threw it right back to Malkin who tapped it in to the mercy of Pogge.
The final score by the way was 3-2, but that hardly tells the full story as the Pens dominated the Leafs.

As for the Schneider rumor, I really thought it would have been over by now, the deal that is. It's the first time I've actually had a ton of people tell me the same thing over and over. For that, I suspect the deal should be done by the end of this week, but the mystery factor is still there because my none of my sources could give me any real hard info, like the details of the trade, so don't count this as too reliable. I'm trying to dig around for more info, but haven't got anywhere. If I come up with something I'll let you know. I do know that the Blues really need a defender, among other things, if they wish to make some noise this year. Schneider seems like an okay fit, but why not Marek Malik (UFA) ? He's not as top notch as Schneider, but is still a very good d-man in my opinion. And I'll keep campaigning for someone to sign him until some one does!

I shall be writing more later, especially if I find anything more on Schneider...
UPDATE: Traded to Atlanta

Schneider To St.Louis Apparantly Almost Done

2008-09-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

I'm hearing from a ton of sources right now that a deal between St. Louis and Anaheim has been worked out, and only the final touches need to be gone over. I have no implications of what the deal involves, but am only hearing that the deal is going down because Erik Johnson is likely to miss the entire season. I tried to press a couple of people for more info, but got squat. Take that as you will. More on this rumor later, unless by then it's a done deal...

Can't You Smell the Hockey In the Air?

2008-09-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well the regular season is almost here, and while we wait we can indulge in the cheap champagne called pre-season. Being a Leaf fan, I'm very curious to see how Pogge performs tonight against the Sabres (in the 2nd and 3rd periods), and how Kulemin will fair in North America. Great chance for me to take some notes and call some people. I wont be at the game tonight, but will probably kick around a couple of other games, just to scoop up some news. I'll be bringing some more rumors soon, just haven't heard anything blog worthy for a couple of days- although I'm still hunting around for the latest on Ian White being moved. Don't hold your breath though cause a bunch of people have told me if it's going to happen it wont be till just before the mid way point of the season.

On another note I'd like to welcome Leafy to the site as a co-blogger. I really thoroughly enjoy his articles, and I know you will too. Great stuff.
More later...

Malik Rumors...

2008-09-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

I've started to hear some rumblings about where Marek Malik will land. Some sources have told me L.A and Montreal, while another source told me Atlanta. I think if Atlanta where to get Malik it would be a huge plus for them, as there's still room for improvement there, even with the additions of Ron Hainsey and Zach Bogosian. I'm not so sure Montreal would go after Malik, but rather Schneider instead. I know for a fact that the Habs want Schneider, but how much? By my calculations, Montreal only has about 2 mill under the cap, so they would definatly want to move someone.
Plus with the recent re-upping of Brezzer, the Habs have a cluster of d-man:
Markov, Komisarek, Hamrlik, Gorges, Brisebois, Bouillon, Dandenault, O'Byrne; and some young ones on the horizon: McDonagh, Valentenko (for my money a future top D-man in the NHL), Subban, etc...

On another note, I sense some exciting things ahead. Don't ask, I just do. I'll be writing more later.

Schneider Rumors, Crash the Crease...

2008-09-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Just a quick blog right now, I was surprised actually that the Ducks were even thinking of getting rid of Schneider, but they recently put him on waivers, and I'm hearing that although teams are hesitant to pick him up, there will be interest if he clears waivers and is then released. Teams I'm hearing are L.A, Tampa, and Montreal. L.A would seem like a logical choice to get him because they have tons of cap room and they even need help getting to the cap floor. Not hearing any rumors that really flash out at me though.

And if you have the chance you'll probably wanna check out Crash The Crease. One of the premier hockey sites on the web. The link will be located on the side bar from now on, if you wanna check it out at any time.

I'll be writing more later.

Couple of Rumors

2008-09-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of days, haven't come across any rumors really blog worthy, meaning I'm not gunna throw the trash rumors at you. Today though I heard that the Rangers will soon drop out of the Sundin "sweepstakes" if you wanna call it that. If they do drop out, my source told me they'll for sure re-up with Shanahan, and will probably re-sign him even if they do get Sundin- which would seem to be very difficult considering their cap numbers. And while we're talking about the big Swede, I might as well mention that I heard from someone that Mats is heavily considering retirement, but I'm not too fond on these rumors cause everyday, according to some people, Mats is thinking about something else. Until Mats comes out and says something, or I happen to find a chunk of his brain on a curb, I'm not trusting anybody.

Lang and Breezer in Montreal

2008-09-12T17:33:00.000-07:00

Per TSN... Lang was acquired from Chicago for the 2nd rounder the CH got from T.O in the Grabovski deal. Breezer re-ups with the club also.
Really gotta thank my sources as they have been spot on so far with about 90 percent of the stuff I've been posting. Most recently with basically calling this one, telling me that if the Sundin talks didn't go like Gainey wanted (an actual commitment from Mats) that he would move on. And that's exactly what happened, I'm guessing givin the Lang trade and Breezer re-signing.
More later...

UPDATE: Bob Gainey has now officially closed the books on Sundin signing in Montreal. Thanks once again to my sources. Spot. On.

The Value Of Ian White

2008-09-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I wrote a blog about how, according to a source, Toronto would be most likely parting ways with d-man Ian White. So after some vigorous calling, and emailing around, I came up with the following scouting report of how the rest of the league views Ian, and how much T.O would get in return. Again, this is a compilation from a bunch of different sources (not just one) so I can give you the overall feel of how Ian White is received league wide.
----------------------------------
Talent Analysis:
-"A solid contributor on offence, and defence alike"
-"A player that still needs a bit of fine tuning"
-"An underrated overachiever"
-"Under-sized"
-"Great puck moving defencemen"
-"...untapped potential"
-"A solid second/third line d-man"
-"A core contributor"
-"Sloppy in the defensive zone"
-"Too small to compete at a higher level of hockey"
-"Great hands, but doesn't always use them"
-"Scarcely engages in physical play"
-"The kind of player you'd love to have on your farm team as a call up"

So as you can see the reaction is mixed. As for what potential draw back White would be able to garner:

-"a mid round draft pick"
-"a solid prospect, and maybe a late round pick"
-"maybe a second rounder at best"
-"I know some teams that would be willing to trade a younger d-man for Ian's services"
-"a couple of late round picks...possibly a mid round"
-"a fourth line player and a pick"
-"possibly an underachieving veteran with a pick, make Toronto pick up the money on the veteran, and they're rewarded with the pick"
-"two mid round pics sounds reasonable"

And that's basically the overall picture that I have received. It's quite obvious Toronto wouldn't be getting a HUGE return, but a reasonable return considering 2 mid rounders or so can go a long way.
And finally to relate to the White to Philly rumor I kinda dug up, I asked a source close to the Flyers organization if the Flyers would be interested in White, who said "White would probably fit the mold for the Flyers. He's that puck moving d-man that they're really looking for. Even though Philly has the tendency to trade off picks for a quick fix, I think a couple of picks or a prospect for White would be painless to fix the void they have on the back end. I could see it happening if White has trouble under the Ron Wilson styled defence in pre-season."
So I have every reason to believe this rumor could actually happen. More later...

Quick Canadiens Rumor

2008-09-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

I'm hearing that in Canadiens GM Bob Gainey's meeting with Mats Sundin he asked Sundin of his intentions- no skipping around the tree. The same source told me that if Sundin did not give a clear indication of when or if he is interested in playing for the Canadiens, then Gainey will move on and begin shopping. The bait? Chris Higgins seems to be the man in motion said my source. I also heard from an invalid source (someone I can't really trust for the best info, but is decent enough to post) that Halak would be a part of a package to attract attention from another team such as the Kings or Chi-town. From my point of view, dealing Halak doesn't seem like a smart move, as he and Carey Price make a very good tending duo. Although if they could attract a team like the Kings to bite on Halak, they could possibly get some good return. I like the idea of pedalling Higgins though. For me, he never looks comfortable on the ice, even though he has the talent to do great things. Just my thoughts.
I'll be posting more about Ian White being dangled later.

Rumors, Updates, Maple Leafs Hotstove, and such...

2008-09-06T18:21:00.001-07:00

Some quick rumors for you:

A source has told me Philly is still looking for a defencmen. The trading partner? "Leafs and Chicago. Two team's that are looking to move. But don't expect anything till we get pre-season under way..." The source couldn't name any names, but I dug further and gave a call to one of my good buddies who's been all around the league who said Ian White will probably be the odd man out in T.O. I put 2 and 2 together, obviously, and present you with the rumors that Toronto's dumping White, Philly's looking for a d-man. Hmmm. Anyways, I can't see why the Leafs would trade Ian. IMO he's the most solid all around defender on the list of the Leafs back defence core (AKA excluding Kaberle and Kubina). But, that being said, that could be why they're trading him in the first place. If scout's are seeing the same thing I am, then the return for White could be pretty steady. Steady as in a mid draft pick or two. I'll have to put a couple calls through to check that.
Anyways, I'll probably be making some site updates soon, don't hold your breath though.
And finally I call all Leaf fans, or fans of good hockey writing to head on over to Maple Leafs Hot Stove , the leafs blog of Hockeybuzz's Alec Brownscombe. Great site. The link will be posted in the sidebar over there (to the right, you can't miss it) in case you wanna check it out later. Once I update the site I'll make it look fancy and what not.
One last note actually, I'm gunna be kicking on the blogging shoes a lot more now, so expect some regularly updated stories and rumors.

Q&A with Daniel Tolensky

2008-09-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to ask some questions with hockey blogger Daniel Tolensky of HockeyBuzz.com. If you haven't heard of him, I suggest you check out his daily blog. Good reads.

-Q: How did you get your start in hockey blogging?

I started my own small site and wrote there for a couple months. I ended up sending some of my stuff to one of the writers on Hockeybuzz and he ended up passing it along.. One thing led to another and next thing I knew I was staying up until all hours of the night writing a daily hockey column.

-Q: When you were growing up, who was your favorite hockey player?

Wayne Gretzky. My room was plastered with posters and at least half of my wardrobe was black and silver. Needless to say living in Toronto I wasn’t so popular in my class when the Leafs played the Kings in 93.

-Q: If you weren't a hockey writer, what do you think you'd be doing?

Sleeping a lot more. A LOT more.

-Q: What's your earliest hockey memory?

The first game I attended at Maple Leaf Gardens back in 1986. It was actually a playoff game and the Leafs beat Chicago 7-2 in game three to complete the series sweep (back then they played best of five in the first round). We were second row center ice right behind the Hawks’ penalty box and Denis Savard kept taking penalties so we thought he was this really tough player. I remember watching the graphics on the old scoreboard, the organ, the coloured seats and the incredible feeling you got being a young kid watching a game at the Gardens. From that day I was hooked.

-Q: For you, what's the greatest reward about covering hockey?

Getting to meet so many interesting people in and around the game, whether its’ players, management, members of the media or fans. It’s great to talk to so many others who share my obsession of hockey.

-Q: Other than hockey, what sports are most appealing to you?

Definitely NFL. I’m a huge Eagles’ fan and try and to one game a year when possible. My greatest football memory was the 2004 NFC Conference Final game in Philadelphia. I had gone down for the game the year before against Carolina and to be at the Linc to experience the lowest of lows and the return the next year to see them advance to the Super Bowl was just incredible.

-Q: In your opinion, which player has the most overall talent in the NHL today?

Alex Ovechkin. When you look at pure talent and what he can do with the puck, I don’t think there’s any doubt about it.

-Q: I know it's early and all of the rosters haven't been set, but if you had to pick one team as a favorite to win the Cup it would be______?

I hate making predictions, especially in August but I’ll go with the team I picked last year to win it all, San Jose.

-Q: If there was one rule in the NHL you could change, which rule would it be (unless you like 'em all) ?

Protect the players better – eliminate headshots and punish offenders more severely on plays where there is clear intent to injure or even just recklessness.

-Q: And finally, cause I gotta ask, where do you think Sundin lands?(Retirement included)

I’ve said Montreal all along and I’ll stick with them. If he wants to have a good chance to win the Cup, stay in Canada and play in a historic city, the Habs are the perfect choice. I still can’t see him retiring...

--Much thanks to Daniel for this interview.

Sundin Rumbling

2008-08-29T17:42:00.001-07:00

Since my sources thus far have been spot on (i.e Meszaros landing in Tampa) I decided to phone up a couple people to hear their take on the Sundin situation, and rush my next blog to now, cause hey- that's life. Anyways, here is the info I have gathered together.
Sundin's options right now have been basically been limited to Toronto and Retirement. Again, take that info as you will, because so many other hockey insiders have said that T.O is about a 2% option for Sundin. But hey, this is just what I'm hearing. Also, expect there to be a media frenzy when Sundin comes to Toronto to play in his charity game- but also expect some shrewd answers like "Right now I'm undecided". Again this is what my sources are saying. If Sundin were to sign with Toronto, I'm hearing it's 7 mill, with a NTC, for one year. If he retires, I'm hearing he will go to coach in Sweden. Again, take all this as you will...more later.

Meszaros To Tampa

2008-08-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

Consider it almost a done deal. A source told me it's 100% done, no doubt...so we'll see. Meszaros, who is a RFA under the Ottawa Senators had reached a stop point in talks with GM Bryan Murray. Tampa swooped in and offered him a $5-6 million dollar contract, apparently for around 4-5 years. Tampa will need to give the Sens a 1st, 2nd and 3rd round pick, unless of course the Sens choose to match the offer sheet- which I would think not. And hope not. Great deal both ways. Tampa gets much needed defence, while Ottawa can turn those picks into valuable building blocks for the future. The only way I see Ottawa matching is if they would then choose to trade Meszaros for players that they can use now, instead of in the future...which would be a horrible move. Anyways, for Tampa to do this they would need to dump some cap space somewhere else. My best guess would be Jussi Joikenen and Michel Ouellet shipped off somewhere, possibly Vancouver, Toronto, New York Isles, or even LA. Also I'm hearing St.Louis may be on the way out, but don't hold your breath.

--Update: Meszaros has just been traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, per TSN.

Nylander Out of Washington?

2008-08-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

A source has just phoned me urgently with the information "Nylander's on the way out soon. Count on it." Take that info as you will, but just remember that Nylander has a NTC. When I tried to get more info about the situation my source would tell me little to nothing. Again take that as you will. It does, however make sense. The Capitals are looking to shed some cap space, and many teams are looking to find a good centreman. Which teams? Montreal, Edmonton, the Rangers, etc... just about everyone. Maybe this is Bob Gainey's "plan b" ? The Blackhawks have also just signed centre Tim Brent to a 1 year deal, whom they aquired about a month ago from Pitts.

---UPDATE: Nylander's house has just been put up for sale, per HF boards.

Thinking About Countries...

2008-08-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

As a Canadian hockey fan I always become somewhat torn when thinking about other countries rising as a hockey nation. Sure I like to imagine what it would be like if China was right up there with the hockey powers of Canada, Russia, U.S.A, etc... But on the flip side, doesn't that take away from the hockey dominance Canada already has? Sharing the slices of the pie with more countries, well....takes away from our pie! We like our slice of pie just the way it is here in Canada! But I'm not knocking anybody here, if a country can have success- and they've earned it- then by God let them. So then what's my point? Well my point is that it's a very hard thing to think about when thinking about other countries in hockey. So the solution I've come up with is this: don't think about it, or you're going to confuse readers. So I'm not. I'll let you.

Article tidbits from around the web:
-"In a nation with more than a billion people, if even a small percentage of Chinese youths concentrated in the northeast of the country seriously take up the game, there will eventually be a large pool of talent. But for Chinese hockey to grow in the future, it can't be allowed to die in the present. During the last year, the NHL's San Jose Sharks have been working to make sure there's a viable Chinese team in the seven-team Asia League of Ice Hockey (ALIH)." From NHL.com
-Hockey in Ireland: "Recently, the Irish Ice Hockey Association announced the launch of the country’s first all-island domestic hockey league -- a five-team circuit that will play each Saturday from Sept. 15 until next April. Given the success of the Division III Worlds and the enthusiastic support that a Northern Irish club -- the Belfast Giants -- has received from fans on both sides of the political divide, the Irish Ice Hockey League stands a good chance to succeed, given proper planning and organization." From Allducks.com
-Aussies developing: "Ice Hockey Australia (Australian Ice Hockey Federation Incorporated) has six state member ice hockey associations and is the recognised governing body for ice hockey in Australia. IHA is affiliated with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), and is an active member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)." from http://www.iha.org.au
-Hockey in South Africa: http://www.icehockey.co.za/
-Hockey in Japan: "Japan Ice Hockey League comprised six teams.
Each team plays the others six times for a 40-game schedule,
after which the top 4 teams qualify for the playoffs.
Semifinals and finals are palyed in a best-of-5 format." from http://www2q.biglobe.ne.jp/~toru/hockey/jihl.html

And if you're not intrigued and scared at the same time about this then congratulations! You don't need to live with the dilemma I face...or don't face.

Rumor Dash

2008-08-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well if you've read this far then that means that you're actually interested in what I have to say, so that's what I'm gunna do....say. Seems like I'm relatively good at it. I'm gunna throw some quick rumors at you, like to hear from you so feel free to comment.

-The McCabe to Florida rumors have rounded out a bit now, and the general consensus is that Van Ryn is headed to T.O in return. A source of mine confirmed: "Florida is very much looking to move Van Ryn's big contract (2.9 mill) . Also watch out for Karlis Skrastins. He has been unproductive and the Panthers would also like to move his contract (2.4 mill)." He also went on to point out that "Jay Bo to T.O is complete fiction. Nothing going down".

-Sellane is reportedly heavily considering signing with Montreal. The only hold ups: Retirment considerations and a big domino named Mats Sundin. As soon as Mats signs, or doesn't sign whichever way you look at it, Selanne will have wide options to pick from with the teams who failed to land the big swede.

-Shawn Horcoff could be making a trip to Montreal. A source told me: "Horcoff for a D-man looks like an almost done deal. The Habs are just waiting for Sundin to make a decision." I'm not so convinced. I think the Oil's are hooked on his offenceive ability's , and would be hard pressed to give him up. Just my thoughts...

-In my books, Forsberg is retired from the NHL. Enough people have told me that I wont see Forsberg in the NHL again that I'm convinced.

-Don't expect to see Marian Gaborik in any other jersey than the Wild's. Minny is pressing hard to resign him, and have convinced him that he can still be productive in the western conference. I would expect an imminent 8 year deal worth big time money.

-Sticking with re-uping players, Jason Pomminville and the Buffalo Sabres are reportedly close to an extension. Expect Pommer to cash in big as Buffalo doesn't want to lose another one.

-The NHL and NHLPA are reportedly close to signing a deal, which means there will not be another lockout!!! Phew.
More later...