Just some thoughts from around the NHL as I patiently wait for the Coyotes to make more cuts.
Boston Signs Krug and Smith
I keep seeing people praising these guys for signing a team friendly deal, as if they could easily have gotten a ton more money and term. Then I see people also saying Ryan Johansen needs to do the same thing.
This is crazy talk.
Krug and Smith are nice pieces, but these are guys with exactly one good year who kind of more or less came out of nowhere to do so. Ryan Johansen, sure you could say he has only one good year as well - but he is a number one centre who is almost assuredly going to be an elite NHL force for the next decade. He is a former high end pick of whom big things are expected.
To compare these players is just absurd. Boston is so close to the cap, and the Cup that it makes sense for these guys to take one year deals and see what happens. Johansen on the other hand is in a totally different situation and they just are not really comparable at all.
That's what I think anyways.
Tkachev
I think the reactions to the whole Tkachev scenario have been a little over the top. In case you didn't hear, the NHL rejected the contract the Oilers offered him because of some well hidden clause in the CBA that makes him ineligible for an NHL contract and forces him back into the draft next year.
Should the Oilers have known this? Probably, but who cares? I am so sick of the prevailing notion that anyone who makes a mistake must immediately be fired. Twitter and blogging and the sheer amount of information and media are all great, but in this crazy world people are so unforgiving and they demand IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES!!!!!!
I don't. So what if MacTavish should have known this? So what if he is now embarrassed and so what if the Oilers lose out on a pretty good prospect? These things happen. It's not like MacTavish is a bumbling idiot with no clue what he is doing. This is an honest mistake and could happen to any team or exec. The NHL CBA is about a mile thick and has a billion little rules and this could have happened to anyone.
I think people need to relax more and be more forgiving of errors. Stop trying to fire everyone.
The Kansas City Royals
Ok, wrong league, I know, but still, one of the most exciting games I've ever watched. Seven steals? Extra innings? It was awesome.
Ice Girls
I can't believe this is such a controversy. Yes, their existence is no doubt sexist. But does anyone want to live in a white washed world where nothing is offensive? I don't. I like the existence of ice girls. As long as they are treated well and paid fairly, what's the harm? Sure, some people will be offended, but there are so many more much worse problems that no one even talks about that I just can't even believe this is a problem.
Plus, where do you draw the line? Is it sexist to have models sell perfume? It's very clear that sex is used to sell just about every product so why are models in print ads or commercials OK, but at hockey games they are offensive?
Fact is, people like to see nice looking girls in skimpy clothes. That will never change and I don't want it to. Is it politically correct? No. Do I care? No. Every team should have ice girls and that's that. I no more care about the opposing side of this argument than I do that of climate change deniers.
Crosby Back Tonight
Whenever the games best player suits up for the first time in the year, it's big news. I love Crosby, can't wait to see him play. If he and Malkin are ever both healthy I don't think there's a team in the NHL that can stop them.
Coyotes at Oilers
Even for a pre-season game this should be exciting because these two teams have some of the most exciting young players in the whole league to watch. Yakupov, Hall, OEL, Domi.....who knows who's going to be dressing, as it is the pre-season, but I look forwards to tonight's game and hope it's on one of the 54 sports channels TSN and Sportnet have put on my TV. \
Both teams will make the playoffs this year too.
Leafs and Blues Trade Talks
I greatly enjoyed reading the trade speculation in Eklund's blog this morning so here's my two cents: The Leafs are not going to trade Kadri, he is all but untouchable. Based on what Eklund said, I would figure the two teams would be working on a Berglund for Lupul trade. Both teams are close to the cap, so there'd have to be another part to balance out the difference in their salaries, but Berglund probably could be a significant "change of scenery" guy and Lupul is a point per game player when he isn't getting bizarrely injured.
It'd probably be a good trade for both teams. Certainly at 26 but with his size and skill, the Leafs probably look at Berglund as a reclamation project who could perhaps give them their long sought number one centre.
Anyways, trade speculation is one of the most fun things about the NHL and that's what I took from it.
More later today if there's any Coyotes news.
Thanks for reading.