Kira

Okay, so he told the Islanders to take a hike...and now what happens is up in the air again. This is the biggest soap opera since the Manny/Cujo/Hasek debacle.

I also have that set. Worth its weight in gold. If you're lucky you might find it at Best Buy. I've seen it there before.

Someone posted it over on Facebook. As I have always believed, Red Wing Nation is everywhere.

Oh well...easy come easy go. wonder what Manny Legace's up to these days?

Sounds good, but isn't it kinda hard to play that with hockey gloves on?

As I type this it's 1AM. I think we're safe for tonight. Let's see what happens in the morning. I still think it's cheap insurance, and nothing more. If he pulls this off, I'd say he's a sly dog who hedges his bets. We shall see.

Well, he is playing for Toronto. You blame him for wanting to leave???

So do we have a running tab on who has said no?

I really think Ken Holland is a sly old dog. He's hedging his bets. This is insurance of a bargain basement form.

I have always thought that John Vigilante had one of the coolest hockey names ever.

I'm sorry you feel that way, but what part of "Bad idea" needs to be explained? This has happened over and over again, and every time he just doesn't have the wherewithal to make a viable comeback. You would think after multiple attempts, he'd get the message and just give up. But no. He's like Ralph Nader running for President...you know he doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell but he won't go away.

I thought we were rid of this idiot once and for all. God, it's like a bad rash that keeps coming back.

Dear God, I have missed Pasha so damned much. And you can tell it's not the same without him out there. It'll be so good to see him back!

So NJ has already said no? Okay, one down and 28 to go.

I have a couple of stories to share with you. I have a very dear friend named Julie, who, unfortunately, is confined to a wheelchair. She had a wonderful picture of her with Jiri Fischer that she had always wanted him to sign, but could never get done. A couple years ago at camp, one of the volunteers asked if she had the picture with her. He took it to Jiri, and he signed it for her, along with the words, "Sometimes, life is better than we think it is. " When he brought the picture back to her, she and I both were in tears. It was such a sweet and wonderful thing. A couple years before that, she was close to getting Scotty Bowman to stop and talk to her, but he got mobbed by people. He looked at her and said, "Maybe tomorrow I'll come out." She said it was okay, and didn't think about it. A few minutes later, someone tapped her on the shoulder and said, "He wants to see you." "He who?" "Mr. Bowman." He had gone over to where Julie and her husband had parked their jeep and was waiting for her. They sat and talked, just the two of them, for about 15 minutes. She said it was the thrill of a lifetime. I guess good things do come to those who wait.

Let us hope this is the beginning of a string of getting players back. Should be after the weekend in Mayberry that we get Pasha and Dan back...so that's three more games. We might stand a chance of winning a couple of them (I question the Chicago game, but I'll be happy to be wrong), but once we start getting healthy bodies back, things should improve.

As I've been lucky enough to go to training camp every year since '05, my list is very long, so I won't list them all here. But the nicest is definitely Pasha. If there was anyone that was a little standoffish and cold, I'd have to say it was Dan Cleary.

Since I live an hour and a half away from Saginaw, I'd have to go with them.

Okay, on one hand you have a chance to take some rest and recuperation time. Your bosses have requested that you not be included in the mix of players for that weekend. Fair enough. On the other hand, you can spend a weekend in Mayberry playing in a game that means absolute bupkus in the standings. Believe me, I've been to Raleigh, and a weekend at Barney's ain't my idea of having fun. Kind of a no-brainer, don't you think?

If you want to throw $300 away, you can send it to me. I can use it to pay off a credit card or two.

$300 for the Raleigh Comedy Festival? I think not. Save your money to party when we win the Cup. You can have a hell of a good party with that kind of money.

Well, what else would you call it??? I guess you could call it the Raleigh Comedy Festival.

Pasha was out skating as well. But to see Mike holding a stick was very encouraging.

During the pregame show tonight they showed both he and Modano skating, so that's as much of an update as I can give you. They are saying he'll be back right after the All-Joke break. I agree with you - I miss him something awful.

I will second Hockeytown Cafe. The burgers are great!