55fan

Best Wishes to the Drake family. It couldn't have been easy living away from his kids this year, and hopefully he will now have time to make up for it. Truly the right decision. That said, my personal thoughts on losing Dally are more along the line of NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I'll get over it.

Backstrom. The Swedish one. Can't remember which is which. The one in Washington. Brett Hull (02) or Luc Robitaille (02)?

cujo McSorley or Twist?

Psst...check your link.

I'm sure they are pulling for Jimmy, but really, what else are they going to tell him? Of course they're going to tell him to work hard and try to win it in camp. To do otherwise gives him no motivation since he knows he can be sent back to GR. I'm not saying they're playing mind games with him, or that they aren't sincere, but it does seem that in signing Conklin they at least have reason to believe that Jimmy might as well make the most of his last year in the AHL without being exposed to waivers. If it was my decision, I'd keep him in GR for another year and let him get in playing time and hone his skills; but I'd also want him to come into camp with a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard and show me what he can really do.

I found the IIHF article highlights on the side to be interesting as well. Unfortunately, the link to the full article didn't work for me. It sounds like Nashville may have international bite to its bark.

The original article has been deleted from the Freep as it is old, but it is archived here: Link Scroll down to the Helene St. James story, last paragraphs.

The Stanley Cup has a history and lore that makes it unique amongst trophies. It is revered, yet it is commonplace as well. It has been used as a cereal bowl, geranium planter, baptismal font, and toilet. It has been jet skiing, atop mountains, and kicked almost across a river (emphasis on the "almost"). It has raised millions of dollars for charity. It has been in strip clubs and children's hospitals. It has been raised up by the strong and placed in the arms of the weak and dying. No two players or fans see it in the same light, and each has their own dream of what they would do with their day with Stanley. The Cup is to each of us what we want it to be, and yet it is a unifying symbol of the rewards of patience, endurance and hard work. It is the essence of a dream.

Shanny for Commissioner! I could go for that. I wonder where he stands on the octopus matter.

So that's it. I always wondered at the amazing coincidence when Dats, who spoke no English, had a locker next to Larionov. Crazy Russian alphabet.

Heck, Pronger kissed it. What's a little baby poop?

Good heavens, man! You actually think Floppa should get hit by a beer truck? What kind of a heartless person are you? Do you realize that hundreds of people will have to wait for a beer if that happens? Beer is not to be toyed with to fulfill your fantasies. Make it a spam truck. On topic (my opinion only): Lids is a lock. Ozzie is a strong maybe (not a lock because I do not get to make the decision). Dats and Zata are on course for it should they stay and continue as they are playing now. Lots of guys deserve recognition for their efforts. If it was a Wings HOF, I'd nominate Mac, Drapes, and Homer (just talking active players here) because of what they bring to the team. The HHOF looks at the individual. These are team guys. We're lucky it's our team. Personally, I think that the fewer numbers retired, the better. It just makes it that much more special and meaningful. Besides, there are only 99 numbers out there without resorting to #41c or #34.36 or the infinity symbol.

It may be a relative thing, but I'll take Clement-Hull-Ferarro over what they've got now. They may not have been the best ever assembled, but at least none of them set my hair on edge.

McCarty played in the finals. I believe he played two games, but it's 5:30 in the morning, so I'm not going to look it up as to which two he played. He gets his name on the cup. I do have a cup-related question, though, for people who have gotten this far: What about a player is a Black Ace and hasn't already qualified to have his name on the cup (I'm thinking like Quincey)? If the team wins, he gets to take the cup home and touch it and all that. Is he considered a Stanley Cup winner, even though his name is not on it?

From next week's news (no link as it hasn't happened yet): Bettman Fines Lowe for Comments Commissioner Gary Bettman fined the Oilers' Lowe today. The amount of the fine has not yet been disclosed, and inside sources refused to comment. This is the latest in a series of events which began with Brian "why's that camera off?" Burke accusing Lowe of offering offer sheets to players whose value was of less to Burke than to Lowe. After a year, Lowe commented. Commissioner Bettman told Burke and Lowe that no further comments would be allowed. Burke responded to comments which Lowe had made before the comment ban. Yesterday, a reporter asked Lowe for a comment, to which Lowe replied, "I have no comment." Bettman levied the fine immediately. "You see," explained Bettman, "Lowe commented when he said he had no comment. That was a comment, and so he was fined. Burke did not comment, he responded. I think that is fine, so there was no fine. Had he commented, rather than responding, that would not have been fine, and he'd have been fined. Should Burke comment on the fine, that is not fine, and there will certainly be a fine, on which I will comment at that time. Lowe should have told the reporter that he had no response, which would have been the responsible thing to do, and that would have been fine, although I may have fined him anyway, as I am responsible for both comments and fines, which is fine; and I have no further comment." Tune in next week to "As the Puck Turns". Let's play some hockey. (In case anyone was wondering, I made that up.)

I believe the rules forbid co-captains, so that lets out Sammy/Lilja. Draper would make a good Captain, but as said earlier, he won't be too far behind Lids getting his pension. Cheli only has a decade or so left to play, so no point in giving it to him. Can't give it to a goalie. Don't want to foist it on one of the kids before they're ready. I'll join the majority in giving it to Hank, although I agree that Pavel and Raf have good leadership potential. After Drapes and Lids are retired, I see Hank as C; Pavel and Raf as A. Maybe add one of the younger ones who proves his worth to a rotating A to get him trained in for when Raf retires.

You took the words right out of my keyboard. I think the current lineup is probably better, but man, what I wouldn't give if they could return the Russian 5 to their prime and put them on the ice against the boys we have now to see what would happen. That would be a hockey dream come true. As far as next season's lines, I'm all for experimenting, but if I had to wager on it, I'd bet Z and Dats will stick with Homer, and Flip and Mule will be with Hossa. Not saying that's carved in stone by any means. Anything could happen once we start seeing how they fit together chemistry-wise. No matter how we stack them, we've got killer top two lines.

I realize all is fair in love and hockey, but I have to wonder if they said something to Lilja when he signed. I would be hating it if I went away thinking I had dodged a bullet only to find that he was choosing the shade of red for the bull's eye on my back. <sigh> and my dad was so happy they re-signed Lilja. I don't think I'll tell him about this.

Dude, I was just hoping he'd send me some of his DNA. Scientific research and all that. Maybe a "When Cloning Goes Bad" reality show. I saw Zetterberg about a month or so ago. At my parents' house. On their TV. No idea how he got up there. OP: Thanks for linking me to the other thread. I had glanced at it, but didn't know it was what you were talking about here. Coolness!

Weren't you the guy who claimed his wife was having a baby? Didn't people congratulate you without demanding to see an ultrasound, and then demanding a DNA test to prove the child was yours? I would consider that just as big of a deal as meeting Z. (And I hope all is well with your family, which, for the record, I believe exists without proof.) To the OP: That's cool. I can't wait to see the results of your work with Z.

Thank you. I had totally forgotten that Quincey was not signed. I guess that leaves Quincey to battle it out and prove that he is better than any of the others vying for that spot. That will be a tough battle. It will be even tougher to pick which one I want until I see them in camp. I guess I know how Holland feels right now, except that he is the one who has to live with the decision.

Well, we've got the top 4 sewn up: Lids, Raf, Kron, Stu. Holland has said he's carrying 8 D this year, so I assume one will be Meech since he's like having an extra forward. Let's mentally put him as #8 for now for that reason. A good camp and he may move up from that. Big Jon will be back in GR, barring a killer camp, since he doesn't have waiver worries. That leaves #5, 6, and 7 open. We have Lilja, Lebda, Quincey, and Cheli going for those 3 spots. Lilja and Lebda will be 5 & 6, so it comes down to Quincey or Cheli for the #7. I love Quincey, but I'd take Cheli over him. I forsee Quincey either spending the season in GR, with Jon being called up if needed so as not to be exposed, or Quincey going to another team somewhere along the line. In my opinion, that would suck, but like him or not, he does seem to be the logical odd man out.

Hoss is the best, not that we are the ones who will ultimately decide this. If we choose "Hoser" we'd have to listen to Bob and Doug every time he scores a goal. No, thanks.

The whole point of guys keeping their numbers is that they are associated with that number. It's "their" number. Mule has made his name (and nickname) with the number 93. 39 may have been his old number, but after this season, 93 is truely "his number".

He sure has. Just last year when we were all panicking about what would happen if Hasek didn't hurry up and sign a contract. Some people blasted Dom and his agent for stretching things out for so long. If you don't remember how it went down, here's a quote (thanks to Naranja, who uses it as her sig so I was able to find it easily). "Dominik wanted to give the team room to have money under the salary cap. Let's face it, he's a $5 million-a-year goalie. We all know that. But I managed to talk them down to $2 million. It was a unique negotiation." Ritch Winter (Dom's agent) Given his experience with Dom, I think he's ok with the Hossa situation.