UPDATED:It appears as though Ryan Clowe has signed a deal with the San Jose Sharks...
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So here we are...
It's Friday, it's August...
When I went to Europe in High School I stayed with an older couple in Copenhagen for a week. They spoke very little English, were nice enough, and fed me nothing but Coke, bread, butter, and chocolate ice cream sprinkles. Each day they would watch me eat, and put the the bread, butter, and sprinkles in front of me.
I was never sure what to do with them. Ok, you can butter the bread, but then what?
Anyway, the older man would occasionally blurt out, "So!" with a long trail of the "o" sound.
I still don't know if he was nuts or it was just a "Danish" thing.
I start with this allegory today for reason.
#1...I felt like I was part of an experiment back then. Given a few objects to see what I would do next...
#2...As I call around the league today I want to say to people..."Soooooooooo"
That is how the Mats situation makes us all feel...
But alas, it is news.
I talked to one source that put it best:
"Yup. I think the game has really begun. JP first comes out and says the number of teams are increasing, then says that the longer it goes the more possible it is that Mats retires."
Yup...Classic negotiations 101.
And this is no knock on JP at all. He has done a hell of a job here in my opinion. We should all have agents who are this good. And JP is in a spot. A definite spot. Quite simply, at the end of the day we can look to Mats.
"Mats doesn't lie" a source told me again, "I completely believe that he is considering retirement....it is hard to ramp it up again."
Sooooooooooo..........
Enter another source. This one one of my best. If you want to know why I broke Forsberg's signing with Philly or getting traded to Nashville, this guy played a major role.
"It's about controlling expectations." the source said, "Mats is like Peter in that he would rather surprise than disappoint. So the closer it gets, the more it may be played that nothing at all is happening. I believe, and I am not alone here, that the whole thing will get tied up quickly."
Another source agrees stating:
"All of this stuff saying that we will first hear he wants to play and then the team will be decided is a smoke screen. If Mats wants to play, Mats knows where he is going to play already. It will be Montreal or retirement, and we will hear about it all at once."
Ok...confused?
Meanwhile another team has gotten in on the Afinogenov rumours...The Blues. A source has informed me that there are some "substantial possible offers being discussed."
Another player to look for to sign soon is Mark Popovic. Mark is a puck moving guy and has had interest from several teams I am told. I like the way he plays, and puck moving d are few and far between...Montreal, Boston and Tampa are among some possible teams...
Also...and I cringe to even write this...in the gossip world..trust me when I tell you this...Eric Lindros and Kate Hudson are NOT an item...
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