Man-Child by the numbers by numbers I Mean Flippin FANCY STATS: NHL
Movement on the horizon? Chicago Tribune
Jim Nill..Heartbreaker: TSN
More central center depth: ESPN
Well it may be they just aren’t that good: PD
McClure took you through the local hockey club’s actions on the opening day of free agency, as I was too busy passing out from every Belgian attack (I passed out a lot). So I thought I’d clean up what went on around the league.
Central Matters
First, it’s probably best to look closer to home and that’s in the Central division. The big move was Jason Spezza going to the Stars for pretty much nothing. One aspect that didn’t get mentioned a whole lot is how this move slots The Ginger Ninja, Cody Eakin, down into the 3rd center role. That’s where he’s supposed to be and don’t be shocked if he becomes one of the better 3rd centers in the West.
Three years ago today I was in Vegas wanting Stan to sign this guy: SunTimes
Well they did for a perfect stopgap: Chicago Tribune
The Dane returns! ESPN
Big D could once again be a big problem: DMN
My contract sucks: TSN
No Paul, anywhere else….Sportsnet.ca
The beats will all have columns when the Hawks play the Panthers: MH
Today Stan Bowman took further steps in Quenneville proofing his forward group by bringing back step-child Peter Regin for one year and $650K, and Brad Richards, in a career reclamation move predicted on this very site about 24 hours ago.
Probably best to just let the mess settle and comment afterward. Have at it here.
After a mostly silent draft from a trade standpoint, even if Stan Bowman and Doug Wilson made a lot of teal and red clad sphincters audibly clench when they approached the registry table, it appears that Bowman is going one of two directions. The first option is that he’s going to allow this group, which for all of their faults were a goal away from another Cup Final berth against an inferior opponent, another crack at the Chalice minus some deadweight and augment as the deadline approaches. Or he’s going to let the market get set tomorrow in a barren UFA market place and parlay some of his cost-controlled assets into greater return and/or cap space.
This ran in the March 4th print edition for the game against Colorado, right after Bollig had signed his inexplicable three year extension. So it’s with no small amount of glee that he was traded to the outpost of Calgary over the weekend, where the new braintrust will appreciate what he brings to the table, and he will have a new batch of high school girls and jock sniffing misogynists to impress. And that he recently bought a condo in River North just makes it extra hilarious.
(credit also must be given to the inimitable mightymikeD for the above image)
We think so too! Suntimes
Its pronounced Cal-Gary: Chicago Tribune
So the field is narrowed: TSN
We have seen it already: Globe and Mail
Draft recap: Hockeenight
Pretty glorious day, no?
Sure, we’re making too much of a deal of barely a fourth-liner (or barely an NHL-er). But at least we now know that Stan sees what all of us sees, or saw. And Stan is at least making attempts to re-jigger this team how he sees fit, with more speed and skill (thus the pumping and re-signing of Morin). And the fact that some team was dumb enough to give up not just a draft pick, but a 3rd rounder which could be somewhat valuable, I nearly plotzed! Watch what a difference actually having a 4th line could make next spring.
As for the picks today, well, who knows if any of these guys will come up for air. But we’ll do what we can to see what the Hawks have picked up.
