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Late last night I was informed by four sources from three countries (in a very short period of time between 2:00 and 2:30 am) that the Oilers and Canadiens had a deal in principle." Three of the sources felt it was done and would be announced "at any point now."

Today I have been calling around since 7:30 am to get as much info as possible, and while I don't believe the deal is 100% done yet, I do believe the two teams have worked something out that may still hinge on as one source put it..."A definitive, and highly likely circumstance occuring."

I don't have any players "on the record" but I do have some great info here. I am not certain that I will be able to get the names out before the deal actually is announced, but I hope to get a bit of a head start. If nothing else, the fact that these teams are talking at this level is indeed worthy of my continued research.

"Ok, Uncle!"

Oh well, I must now address the Alex Burrows situation that has been so gripping and taken the league by storm. A situation so dire, so incredibly awful, so close to tearing a hole in the very fiber of the game that almost everyone in hockey has spent the last 24 hours polarized and questioning their very existence. A bizarre reaction, but before you burn you customized jerseys and NHL pins I can tell you that the NHL has decided to do nothing beyond a $2500 fine to Burrows. (and that I would call....nothing at all.)

Darren Dreger is in fact reporting today that the NHL has closed the entire case and no one will get punished or fined.

But who is to blame?

"WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND RETRIBUTION, DAMNIT!
SOMEONE MUST BE AT FAULT FOR THIS!
SOMEONE MUST PAY!
WHERE IS OUR COME-UPPENCE????
WE WANT MORE....UPPENCE?!!!"

I have a three letter word for this whole media/fan passion play: "Ugh"

So for those who don't know what I am talking about...

Here is a sentence to catch you up:

NHL Referee Stephane Auger supposedly said to Alex Burrows (according to Alex Burrows and no one else), "You showed me up, now I'm going to get you back" during the warmup prior to Monday's game.

Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. Ok, I will bite....

For the sake of this all, let's say Auger did indeed said something to Alex about the fact he was displeased with Burrows dive a few games ago and told Burrows to be careful, and that he should know he'd be watched and probably wouldn't get the benefit of the doubt next time. I am sure that Sean Avery, or Riley Cote, or any other player on the edge would be shocked and quick to tell you that such a conversation has never occurred.

Auger called two penalties on Burrows (Lady Bing candidate not known at all for diving) in the third period. The last penalty ended a Canucks power play and put the sides at 4-4. However a Henrilk Sedin penalty was called and the Preds scored the game winner on the ensuing 4-3. Sedin apparently did not have a personal vendetta on him.

What shocked me most about this?

How immediately and passionately people wanted me to write about this non-story and I must have returned 40 emails with the same response... "honestly, I would rather chase down trade rumors."

Today I realized how stunned I should have been at a Ref saying to a player that essentially he was watching him after seeing replays of an earlier obvious dive and that player being upset....oh forget it, I can't even muster up the sarcasm.

This is a non-story. This kind of stuff happens all the time. Ask any player with over 100 PIMs and they will tell you that they have had a talk like this with the Ref at some point. It is no more than a teacher telling a student caught cheating that I will be watching you..

IF he said it the way Burrows quoted him, was Auger right to say it? No.
Was Burrows right to bring this up to the media right after a frustrating loss? No.
Are the Canucks fans right to blame the loss on it? No...but I don't blame them for being pissed.

Listen, I am fan too. Better yet, I am a a Flyers fan! I challenge anyone who is a real fan of this sport to tell me that they have never felt this, or attended a game where, in their opinion.... a Ref had it in for their team. If you haven't felt this then you aren't really a hockey fan. Hockey can be infuriating to watch and passion is a wonderful thing. As a reporter I can honestly say that I have said equally as often that the one team is getting bad calls against them as the other. I have sat in many a press box and said to the guy next to me, "The Refs are having a rough night tonight...for both sides."

I have also met these Refs and I can tell you that they are good guys. Normal hockey fans themselves, doing a thankless job and they will "laugh out loud" if you ever ask them, "So, how many fans, players, coaches, or media guys came up to you tonight and said, 'Great game!'?"

Their goal is to be invisible. These are "real people" work ridiculous hours (for far less per hour than you probably think) and are away from their family 9 months a year to follow a dream. It is as hard, if not harder, to make it to the show and equally as risky. Most referees never see a big pay day and hit a ceiling somewhere along the way.

Do they have egos? Sure
Do they make mistakes? Sure

They also are judged harsher than 99% of working people in this world. How many of you leave your workday with a DVD of your last day at work that you are supposed to watch before your next workday? These guys are handed one after every game and told to watch it and evaluate their performance on the airplane as they head to another city that eagerly awaits their arrival with adoring fans and a party cake.

The NHL is right in doing nothing here, because really nothing happened. That is why I avoided bringing attention to it until now. I really see any story like this as sour grapes.

This isn't the 1919 White Sox or Tim Donaughy or the NBA....

For some perspective here, watch below for Donaughy story... THAT WAS A STORY






Back to rumors...more to come....