North Guy

Friday: Phoenix @ Ottawa Toronto @ NY Rangers Nashville @ Columbus Vancouver @ Buffalo Edmonton @ Calgary San Jose @ Anaheim Carolina @ Los Angeles Saturday: Colorado @ Dallas Phoenix @ Montreal Boston @ Ottawa Toronto @ Pittsburgh New Jersey @ Washington Buffalo @ Atlanta NY Islanders @ Florida NY Rangers @ Detroit Minnesota @ Tampa Bay Columbus @ Nashville Chicago @ St Louis Calgary @ Edmonton Philadelphia @ San Jose Sunday: Vancouver @ Chicago Carolina @ Anaheim

Friday: NY Islanders @ New Jersey Chicago @ NY Rangers Florida @ Carolina Montreal @ Buffalo Washington @ Atlanta Nashville @ St Louis Columbus @ Dallas Saturday: Montreal @ Toronto Detroit @ Ottawa St Louis @ NY Islanders NY Rangers @ Philadelphia Chicago @ Washington Atlanta @ Florida New Jersey @ Pittsburgh Carolina @ Tampa Bay Dallas @ Nashville Boston @ Minnesota Columbus @ Phoenix Los Angeles @ San Jose Vancouver @ Calgary Sunday: Phoenix @ Anaheim Colorado @ Edmonton San Jose @ Los Angeles

Who wins the Pronger deal will be in question for many years to come. You can say Eric Cole is now a byproduct of the Pronger trade. But right now the advantage goes to Anaheim just because they won the Cup. As for the other players you mentioned... Samsonov: As a free agent he wanted to play in the East for family reasons. In hindsight, ask any Montreal fan how they feel about signing Samsonov. Peca: Wanted to play in the East to be closer to his wife and kids. Spacek: Wanted to be closer to his Washington based wife. The travel was easier. Harvey: Where is he playing now? Murray: ditto Smith: An aging veteran that was traded for Pitkanen (another story). Smyth: Thank god the Oilers are not paying this injury-prone player $6M/season. The bottom line is Edmonton and other western-based teams have a hard time of attracting players because the travel is brutal compared to the East teams. Same reason why 90% of Red Wings fans want to see Detroit in the Eastern conference.

Are the winters really worse in Edmonton than Calgary? Doesn't Calgary get the odd snowstorm in March too? Crime? Was there a random stabbing spree in Edmonton like what happened in Calgary at last year's Stampede? Also, last I looked Edmonton didn't have a psycho dad killing his wife, roommate and little kid. By the way, what top-notched free agent did the Flames sign besides Bertuzzi?

What's the deal with these outdoor games following Ty Conklin around? He played the first one in Edmonton and then last winter with the Pens. Ironically, Conklin was the back-up goaltender for both teams, but due to injury to the starters, he played in both outdoor games. Watch out Osgood!

If Sundin does sign with the Canucks, it'll be Mark Messier in a Canuck jersey redux.

If Hitchcock can light a fire under Torres butt, watch out. Even if Torres does not score 25 goals, his physical presence is what Columbus needs and what Brule cannot provide. Both Torres and Nash are LWs so I'm not sure if they can play on the same line. After watching the Worlds Championships, Scott Howson probably wants two big boys to play with Nash. Eric Cole basically replaces Torres in the Oilers lineup. Not sure how Brule will fit though.

After Detroit's recent Cup victory, NHL teams now want to copy the Wings by loading up on puck-moving defencemen. The Oilers now have a stockpile of them.....Visnovsky, Souray, Gilbert, Pitkanen, Grebeshkov, plus two highly regarded prospects in Taylor Chorney and Jeff Petry. Once Brian Campbell signs with a club, RFA Pitkanen's trade value will increase dramatically. I doubt the Oilers will re-sign Pitkanen because he wants a $5M/year long term contract. So expect the Oilers to trade Pitkanen for a Top 6 forward.

Here is the scenario: Either Brunnstrom agrees to play for the Red Wings OR Mats Sundin decides to play for a Stanley Cup contender and signs a contract with Detroit. Good Times!

from the Globe & Mail.com....... ............On the Fabian Brunnstrom front, Fletcher said that former Leafs legend Borje Salming placed a call to try to convince the highly sought-after Swedish free agent to sign with the Leafs. Brunnstrom, 23, is expected to make a decision this week and has reduced his short list to the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars and the Leafs. "He has a choice to make," Fletcher said. "He's narrowed it down to four teams. The other three teams have been far more successful than we have this past season. But on the other side of the coin, we probably offer the best opportunity." Fletcher also reported that he expects to meet with Mats Sundin, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, early next month in Toronto about the possibility of continuing his NHL career with the Leafs next season. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...ortsHockey/home

Thank you everyone for participating. And a big thanks to Aussie_Wing for the great work. Time to celebrate my first ever victory!!!!!

Friday: NY Islanders @ NY Rangers New Jersey @ Philadelphia Florida @ Carolina Boston @ Ottawa Nashville @ Chicago Phoenix @ Dallas Saturday: Anaheim @ Los Angeles Columbus @ St Louis Buffalo @ Boston Toronto @ Montreal Florida @ Washington Tampa Bay @ Atlanta Calgary @ Vancouver Sunday: Chicago @ Detroit Minnesota @ Colorado San Jose @ Dallas NY Rangers @ New Jersey Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia St Louis @ Columbus Phoenix @ Anaheim

Friday: Philadelphia @ New Jersey Atlanta @ Carolina Nashville @ Columbus Montreal @ Buffalo St Louis @ Detroit Vancouver @ Minnesota Edmonton @ Colorado San Jose @ Anaheim Saturday: Ottawa @ Boston Dallas @ Los Angeles Montreal @ Toronto Philadelphia @ NY Islanders Washington @ Florida Carolina @ Tampa Bay Chicago @ St Louis Edmonton @ Calgary Sunday: NY Rangers @ Pittsburgh Nashville @ Detroit Colorado @ Minnesota Boston @ Buffalo Columbus @ Chicago Dallas @ Anaheim Phoenix @ San Jose Calgary @ Vancouver p.s: I feel like the Detroit Red Wings on these last weeks.....just going through the motions while the Colorado's, Nashville's, Vancouver's, Edmonton jockey each other for positioning. Ho hum!!! Pss: I like your Stats Extra, AussieWing!

Friday: NY Islanders @ New Jersey NY Rangers @ Philadelphia Toronto @ Buffalo Washington @ Atlanta Minnesota @ Vancouver Anaheim @ San Jose Saturday: Colorado @ Edmonton Chicago @ Nashville Los Angeles @ Dallas Boston @ Montreal Toronto @ Ottawa Tampa Bay @ Florida Detroit @ Columbus New Jersey @ Pittsburgh Anaheim @ Phoenix Minnesota @ Calgary Sunday: St Louis @ Chicago NY Islanders @ Philadelphia

Friday: Atlanta @ Washington Chicago @ Columbus Carolina @ Buffalo NY Rangers @ Florida St Louis @ San Jose Saturday: Philadelphia @ Boston Nashville @ Detroit New Jersey @ Colorado Vancouver @ Dallas Buffalo @ Toronto NY Islanders @ Montreal NY Rangers @ Tampa Bay Los Angeles @ Minnesota Edmonton @ Phoenix St Louis @ Anaheim Sunday: Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh Calgary @ Chicago Boston @ Washington Ottawa @ Carolina Detroit @ Columbus Atlanta @ Florida Edmonton @ San Jose

Unbelievable!!! I should start playing the sport lotteries. Thanks!!! But it's not over until it's over.............

Friday: Tampa Bay @ New Jersey Edmonton @ Columbus Minnesota @ Atlanta San Jose @ Chicago Nashville @ Calgary Saturday: Washington @ Boston Dallas @ Colorado Montreal @ Los Angeles Ottawa @ Phoenix New Jersey @ Toronto NY Islanders @ Philadelphia Buffalo @ Carolina Atlanta @ Florida St Louis @ Vancouver Sunday: Pittsburgh @ Washington Edmonton @ Chicago Boston @ NY Rangers Nashville @ Detroit Tampa Bay @ Columbus San Jose @ Minnesota Montreal @ Anaheim Colorado @ Dallas

Friday: Washington @ New Jersey Montreal @ Buffalo Minnesota @ Florida San Jose @ Detroit Toronto @ Tampa Bay Columbus @ Vancouver Calgary @ Anaheim Saturday: Atlanta @ Boston Philadelphia @ NY Islanders Pittsburgh @ Ottawa New Jersey @ Montreal Toronto @ Washington Tampa Bay @ Carolina Los Angeles @ Colorado Nashville @ Dallas San Jose @ St Louis Calgary @ Phoenix Sunday: Philadelphia @ NY Rangers Vancouver @ Chicago Atlanta @ Pittsburgh Florida @ NY Islanders Detroit @ Buffalo Los Angeles @ Minnesota Columbus @ Edmonton

Friday: Edmonton @ Dallas Detroit @ Calgary Colorado @ Phoenix St Louis @ Anaheim Saturday: NY Islanders @ New Jersey Ottawa @ Pittsburgh Chicago @ Los Angeles Washington @ Carolina NY Rangers @ Buffalo Atlanta @ Toronto Florida @ Philadelphia Columbus @ Montreal Boston @ Tampa Bay Dallas @ Nashville Detroit @ Vancouver Sunday: Calgary @ Minnesota San Jose @ Pittsburgh New Jersey @ Washington Florida @ NY Rangers Chicago @ Anaheim Colorado @ Edmonton St Louis @ Phoenix

Friday: Atlanta @ New Jersey Washington @ Florida Columbus @ Detroit Dallas @ Anaheim Calgary @ Los Angeles Saturday: Buffalo @ NY Rangers Boston @ Toronto Philadelphia @ Montreal New Jersey @ Ottawa Atlanta @ NY Islanders Florida @ Carolina Washington @ Tampa Bay St Louis @ Nashville Los Angeles @ Phoenix Edmonton @ Vancouver Sunday: Colorado @ Chicago San Jose @ NY Rangers Detroit @ Dallas Columbus @ St Louis Pittsburgh @ Buffalo Montreal @ Philadelphia Calgary @ Anaheim Nashville @ Minnesota

Whoo Hoo!!!! First place!!! Can I hold off the horde? Friday: Anaheim @ New Jersey Carolina @ Washington Boston @ Buffalo Columbus @ San Jose Saturday: NY Rangers @ Philadelphia Los Angeles @ Pittsburgh Detroit @ Toronto NY Islanders @ Minnesota Edmonton @ Calgary Florida @ Boston Montreal @ Ottawa Carolina @ New Jersey Tampa Bay @ Atlanta St Louis @ Dallas Colorado @ Vancouver Nashville @ San Jose Sunday: Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh NY Rangers @ Washington Anaheim @ Detroit Minnesota @ St Louis Los Angeles @ Columbus Florida @ Buffalo Nashville @ Phoenix Chicago @ Vancouver

Friday: NY Rangers @ New Jersey Buffalo @ Atlanta Vancouver @ Florida Colorado @ Detroit Anaheim @ St Louis Dallas @ Edmonton Saturday: NY Islanders @ Montreal Chicago @ San Jose Detroit @ Boston Ottawa @ Toronto Los Angeles @ New Jersey Anaheim @ Philadelphia Atlanta @ Washington Minnesota @ Columbus Carolina @ Pittsburgh Florida @ Tampa Bay Phoenix @ Nashville Colorado @ St Louis Dallas @ Calgary Sunday: NY Rangers @ Montreal

Friday : Edmonton at Carolina Florida at New Jersey Atlanta at Buffalo Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh Anaheim at Minnesota Los Angeles at Calgary Chicago at Colorado Saturday : NY Rangers at Boston Columbus at Dallas Nashville at St. Louis Pittsburgh at Montreal Philadelphia at NY Islanders Tampa Bay at Ottawa Buffalo at Toronto Florida at Washington Chicago at Phoenix Los Angeles at Vancouver Detroit at San Jose Sunday : Boston at NY Rangers Edmonton at Atlanta Anaheim at Dallas Toronto at New Jersey Ottawa at Philadelphia Columbus at Colorado

Friday: St Louis @ Columbus Minnesota @ Chicago NY Islanders @ Calgary Phoenix @ Vancouver Saturday: Boston @ Philadelphia Dallas @ Los Angeles New Jersey @ Buffalo Detroit @ Ottawa Montreal @ NY Rangers Colorado @ Carolina Pittsburgh @ Atlanta Tampa Bay @ Florida Nashville @ Columbus Toronto @ San Jose Sunday: Philadelphia @ Washington Colorado @ Florida Vancouver @ St Louis Phoenix @ Minnesota NY Islanders @ Ottawa San Jose @ Anaheim Calgary @ Edmonton Chicago @ Nashville

Friday: Philadelphia @ New Jersey Ottawa @ Buffalo Carolina @ Atlanta Chicago @ Anaheim Saturday: Washington @ Montreal Detroit @ Dallas Florida @ Pittsburgh New Jersey @ Boston Philadelphia @ Toronto Tampa Bay @ Ottawa Minnesota @ Nashville Carolina @ St Louis NY Islanders @ Colorado Anaheim @ Phoenix NY Rangers @ Edmonton Calgary @ Los Angeles Columbus @ San Jose Sunday: Buffalo @ Atlanta Detroit @ Chicago