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Labor Day is now passed and the summer’s end is in sight. The World Cup training camps are open, pre-tournament games start on Thursday… hockey is so close you can feel it. The one thing about the World Cup that I hate is that it delays the opening of training camp by about ten days… and the compacted schedule makes things even more interesting.
Previewing this season is going to be a pain… especially when it comes to the Central Division. Many pundits predicting that only four teams come out of the Central this season as the Pacific Division is purported to be improved. I am just not sure how much. There was a very bright line between the top three and the rest of the Pacific last season… Is Arizona better? Probably… but are they 20 points better? They need to be in order to contend for a spot in the division. Same goes for Vancouver and Calgary.
September always brings some interesting and not-so-interesting stories…
Bobby Ryan has a new number switching from 6 to 9, the announcement assisted by Drake in a video posted to Twitter…
🔄 pic.twitter.com/aasGQnJ4qJ
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) September 2, 2016
The KHL has come to China, Kunlun Red Star is a new team based out of Beijing…
The Olympic hockey tournament in PyeongChang Korea is set as Germany, Norway and Slovenia all qualified in their respective groups over the weekend. The groups are now set for the 2018 Winter Games; Group A: Canada, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Korea Group B: Russia, USA, Slovakia, Slovenia Group C: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany No word on if the NHL and the NHLPA is any closer to an agreement for participation.
Other September Stories include the annual Raffi Torres “I can change… interview… color me skeptical at best after five suspensions that include a 25 gamer and a 41 gamer and of course the owner of the new Las Vegas franchise revealing that the various names he registered like “Sand Knights… were misdirection ploys.
Well… we can’t review the September stories without a “coach on the hot seat… story… Jack Capuano is widely mentioned to be on a short leash in New York as the Islanders begin their second season at Barclays… and speaking of Barclays… the other inevitable story is about a team moving… as the Islanders are also mentioned in a heap of relocation rumors regarding their “opt-out… clause from their so-called “iron-clad… agreement with Barclay’s Center… this one bears watching.
Can we get camps open so we can talk hockey???
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Random Notes
- Countdown to hockey… 11 days to World Cup… 24 days to Preds first home preseason game… 38 days to Predators season opener.
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