Yesterday the venerable JP Barry stated on Vancouver radio that the longer this goes the more teams have gotten into the game. Should be no surprise to readers of this blog, but coming from Barry, officially on the record, it is news. To read more on that Barry interview you can read Mark Gage's great blog.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16382
It was also stated that this Friday is much more of a "soft deadline" (oh wow, really?) and that Mats may just be deciding that he will play tomorrow. (Burt just barked in approval...)
So who are these teams?
Ok start with the ones we know.
Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto.
I would also put the Rangers in there as a definite. Too many people saying this and it is the ONLY team to which Mats personally reached out.
So the other two:
One I am told is Ottawa. And this makes a ton of sense. Ottawa has long been the darkhorse and at the trade deadline were a big factor. Plus they are the "sleeping giant" of the East. Add Sundin and....look out...they are immediate favorites. Add Khabibulin at the deadline and they jump to the top of the NHL.
So that's five.
The other I am told is one of four darkhorses...
Phoenix, Edmonton, the NY Islanders and Philadelphia
I am going to touch base with sources at all four of these teams today and will report back on my findings...
Were I to judge based on my talks, his decision is based on three factors ...(thank God for Skype...calling Sweden would be killing me)
#1 By far the biggest unknown still...Is Mats ok with finishing his career in a jersey that is NOT the Toronto Maple Leafs? This matters to Mats more than any of us know I am told. Mats is very loyal to the foliage and the city.
#2 Does he want to play out West?
#3 Who can win a Cup in the next two years?
Notice how money isn't on that list.
More on this later and a few other rumours that are starting to come to the surface in light of what Mats is doing.
Secondly: Kevin Lowe is moving up in Edmonton and Tambellini is in...more coming on that as well..
Thirdly: Antoine Vermette has signed an extension....is he staying? more coming soon there...
and Finally: Major Props to Andy Strickland.
On June 24th, Andy wrote the following..
Things could become even more interesting with the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Sources have indicated to me that NHL legend Scotty Bowman has been offered a position with the Blackhawks in which Bowman would oversee everything regarding hockey operations. His son Stan (named after the Stanley Cup) is currently the Assistant General Manager, Hockey Operations with the club.
What followed was the typical media slam fest as everyone called Strickland crazy. To my knowledge only Bob McKenzie gave it any shot of happening: "Could it happen? Perhaps. When it comes to this stuff, Bowman can be an enigma wrapped in a riddle."
The Detroit Free Press took it's shots:
"An unsourced report out of St. Louis had Bowman joining his son Stan in Chicago as director of player personnel. Stan is the team's assistant general manager for hockey operations. 'I don't know anything about that,' Scotty Bowman said this evening. 'As long as I'm healthy and there's no change in ownership in Detroit, there'll be no change. I'm perfectly satisfied.'" - Detroit Free Press
Hey thanks for mentioning the site and Andy by name Free Press..(oh right, you didn't)
It is funny to me. This happens all the time.
Seriously, what are you folks afraid of?
I just called you "The Detroit Free Press" didn't I. I post links to your stories and other stories all the time. I don't call you "A newspaper from a midwestern town."
Anyway, I just hope that some of the mainstream papers and websites today give credit where credit is due to Andy...The fact that Hockeybuzz has broken numerous stories this summer may be ignored by those outlets that see us as competition, but based on some recent behind-the-scenes stuff at Hockeybuzz...the ones that matter....REALLY get it.
+++++
Burt is closing in on 600k views!...with a Friday deadline looming for Mats...will he make it to be the first ever Qik vid to a million???
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