UPDATED: Demitra has signed 2/8 and the NHL and the Russian SL Reach deal...
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I Love Buffalo. The people are so charged and there is no mistaking that you are in a hockey town. I always try to bring my kids back some sort of trinket when I travel, and it really sucks when the best you can do is the airport on the way home.
My son has an incredible love of animals. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. We have learned to never buy an electronic game or some expensive toy. Just more animals. Those tiny little animals in tubes are the best. (fortunately he developed this interest AFTER the China lead paint scare). He will sit for hours and lineup all these little animals on the floor in the kitchen and then his creativity goes to work as he plays out these great big movies in his head where he is saving the giraffe. He's only three but he can identify hundreds of animals. It's not a monkey. it's a Haller Monkey. It's not a frog, it's a tree frog. I love this love of his because it is good for kids to show not only their creativity, but I am a believer that kids that care about animals when they are young will always be compassionate.
So in Buffalo of course I brought him home a Bison.
And my daughter, who is six...with a left-handed shot...who can pick corners with her one-timers from the off-wing...really is getting into hockey.
Every one of you with kids I am sure can relate to this next part. She's been watching hockey and football with me since she was born, but until this year I think it was more about a way to stay up later.
"Daddy, can I watch hockey with you?"
Yeh right, who among us is saying no to that one.
This past playoffs she would sit there and it finally clicked for her. I promised her if the Flyers made it past the Canadiens I would take her to game in the next round. I got three tickets to game 4 in the Pens series and bopped back and forth between the press box and sitting with her and my wife.
Getting back to the point. I love Buffalo.
So I am in the airport and I knew I'd find a Bison, but I wanted to get her something Sabres related. Many NHL airports have the NHL team stuff hidden behind NFL, MLB, and NBA stuff. NOT BUFFALO! Front and center and a great collection.
While I can't tell you exactly who I met with and what was discussed in my 6 hours in Buffalo, I do have some rumours for you to start with today.
Plan B
Many are curious what the plan in Montreal is if the Canadiens don't land Sundin. At this point the Habs are putting around 8 million aside for the undecided Swede. The Habs can make the needed moves, send guys down, to clear up the extra 2 or so...But should Mats decide he wants to play elsewhere or take the ferry back and forth to Holland next year, what then.
Well I touched base with a source last night who told me a plan was in place, and that he believed the plan had something to do with the oft-rumoured Patrick Marleau...Of course, many of us were on the Marleau watch as we waited to see if San Jose would pull a deal off prior to Patrick's NTC kicking in on July 1. When they didn't Marleau's name sort of vanished from the rumour world.
Well I am told that we may still want to look at Montreal and Marleau. Of course Patrick would HAVE to waive his NTC, but sources tell me that "may be strongly considered" should the right situation present itself.
We will stay on it, but it is safe to say the Habs have a backup plan.
That plan may possibly be Schneider from Anaheim. The Habs really need to consider that as strong as Markov is, Streit is gone and that other point man isn't just going to score points "no matter who you put there" on the PP. As a closet Habs fan this is my biggest worry going into this season. This team depends so much on the power play to win games...and Streit's impact I feel was under-valued.
Jason Williams
More talk today that Jason Williams is heading to Toronto or Buffalo. BTW Montreal, Jason plays the point on the power play sometimes as well...
Demitra
UPDATED: Demitra has signed a 2 year deal with the Canucks for 8 million
I am working on a larger blog as well that will put into perspective what teams are done and not done...
Follow me on Twitter to get text updates tomorrow
Go to www.twitter.com/eklund and hit follow and then set up your twitter account to get free text updates.
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