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THE RUMOR CHART for real-time updates throughout the day..Rumours....wow things kind of exploded overnight on the rumour front..I think what happened was many of the people I met up with in Ottawa decided they would email me for my trip back, because they aren't going to Anaheim, and it is really hard to find secret out-of-the-way spots to talk to a GM or another source when there are hundreds of media people around who, if they see me talking to someone, immediately get curious.
After driving all friggin night...I had to...when your little girl greets you at the door with a huge running hug saying, "Dad you came back for my big day!" Well that made the 7 hours in a car worth it. She graduates pre-school, AND has her first dance recital tonight. How can you miss that if you can at all avoid it, you know? (plus when she is 17 I plan on holding this over her head like an albatross..."You act this way towards me young lady...I left Ottawa at 1:30 am and drove through the night to be home for less than 24 hours when you were five, AND THIS IS HOW YOU RE-PAY ME???)
Anyway, I have much to get to...
First one little thing I ask for today and tomorrow. Don't fall into the trap again where we waste a truly rare and precious day during the greatest series on the planet talking about one stupid malicious act. Alfie lost it. No question in my mind, but Alfie has had a hell of a career and lost it VERY rarely, so he will get the benefit of the doubt. Let's move on...especially Ducks fans. You are about to embark on a crazy few days. A few days that we would all kill for, and if you get hung up in something like the Alfie shot, it is like asking your wife to marry you at dinner and spending the following days talking about how the soup was cold, and the waiter over-charged you...
Trust me. It is not everyday that you sit down and watch a game where your team could win a Cup...I was 6 years old, and I still remember sneaking the radio under my pillow so I could listen to the Flyers beat the Sabres. From that point on I was hooked on this game...and I have waited 32 years to have that feeling again, and in all those years, only once, in game 7 of 1987, has the team I grew up watching played for a Cup. It is THAT rare. So I implore you, if you are hockey fans, make sure your kids see it...and for goodness sake, let them stay up.....:)
All this being said, when I left the Scotia Place 9 hours ago, I turned around, closed my eyes, and asked myself if I would be coming back on Saturday...and I saw myself making the same trip again...I said the same thing last year when the Cup final was 2-0 going to Edmonton and people thought the Oilers had to be done...I closed my eyes and said, Nope there will be seven games...I am coming back here twice...
I don't yet see beyond game 6 in this series, but I feel a game six for certain.
There were some fun moments...I was talking to Holmgren, who I have to admit is just about the nicest GM in hockey. The guy is pure genuine. "He's a good man." a respected agent once told me, "We all trust Homer." After talking to Homer I was talking to Poile about all the craziness in Nashville, and Homer walks by and says, "David, you keep his ID secret now...or else." Poile is pure class as well and is an amazing team builder...but the funny part is, Poile looks like a real scholarly slim man and Holmgren, well he is Paul Holmgren...So it was a funny moment. I thanked Paul later on in the parking lot, "Hey, thanks for having my back with Poile, Homer."
Paul laughed, "No Problem Bud."
Anyway, I can speak of the two of them by name, because none of the rumours I am about to write came from them at all....that I promise you.
First off, Briere is NOT going to Montreal I am told. Wants no part of it. The teams that Have the best shots at Briere currently are San Jose, Florida, Buffalo, Vancouver and Toronto. Many people are saying Philly, and I wouldn't even ask Paul this, but I don't think that Briere fits into the plan.
That does not mean that Montreal isn't up to something, because three teams, Toronto, Edmonton, and Montreal, are all looking runnerish leaning off the first base bag.
The Oilers need a D-man badly to stabilize that D. They are looking at many options I am told including one of the current Sens guys, Souray, and Timonen. However...I believe the Sens guy is more likely their target, but of course the Sens are still playing, so we won't go there.
There were three people who told me last night that Gainey has been whispering under his breath at the AMAZING run that Price is on for Hamilton in the AHL finals. Words to the effect of: "If he keeps playing this well, he will be here and he will be the guy." So that opens up all sorts of trade rumours about Huet of course, and the latest involves the Phoenix Coyotes and Derek Morris going back to the Habs. Maloney had perhaps the most interesting scrum yesterday in his new role in Phoenix. He flat out said I need a goalie, but beyond that we are going with young kids and trying to just win ten game segments. We will NOT be active in the free agent market, so don't expect us to be...With have young talent and we are going to let them play for us. We are in a great and unique spot."
Also there is more and more talk that Drury may be VERY QUIETLY closing in a on new deal with the Sabres. The other two teams involved are Boston and San Jose, but in no particular order as of yet...Although one source said, "Don't expect Drury to be around much longer in fact, I am not going out on a limb to say he will be signed back to Buffalo by the eve of the Draft. If he isn't he is probably heading to San Jose or Boston. My bet would be Boston if not signed by the draft."
Vanek is a whole different ball game altogether.....Although he is actively shopping for a new home, he is a very tempting player to the Rangers, Flyers, and Stars....and just now I got a call that said you can add the Flames to that list as well...
Souray rumours are prevalent too..."There is no way he goes back to the Habs...they are already looking elsewhere. And as much as he would love to be in LA, that may or may not work out...However, I fully expect the Devils and Rangers to get into that."
The St. Louis Blues are still heavy on Handzus and would absolutely love to grab Martin St. Louis at the draft..."A real good chance Marty is moved in Columbus to the Blues." Another source, "The Lightning are now saying that they are not looking to shop and of the big four...However, I do believe that has more to do with posturing right now and realizing that you aren't going to move one of the big four and get value if people know you have to move one of the big four."
The LA Kings have a big UFA in their radar as well, but that players name is currently off the record as far as I am concerned.
The Blackhawks may be "bluffing" when it comes to the word they are putting out about Patrick Kane being their guy. In fact a few people told me they are "Absolutely bluffing" basically because Luce, the ex-scout for the Sabres, now Flyers, has a really close personal relationship with Kane, and in fact I have even heard talk that Kane lived with him for a while a few years back. Luce is an amazing find for the Flyers, and only became available because the Sabres went to purely video scouting...a controversial cost-cutting move among NHL scouts who still feel you need to be there in person and meet a guy to know what you are truly getting...especially in the latter rounds. So the Hawks may be looking to get the Flyers to swap picks by adding another first rounder to assure Kane is a Flyer...That would give the Flyers back that pick that they fought so little for so long last year to get only to lose it due to a MAGIC ping pong ball. Flyers fans would like Kane for sure, since he wears # 88 and most FLyers fans have a few #88 jerseys lying around that could be easily and cheaply converted... But many question if he is really a wing at his size...As one writer noted, "only Paul Kariya has really been able to be that potent at that size from the wing in the NHL."
More later, after the family stuff...
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