In Glacialis Blog

Meus three astrum of seasons’ primoris vicus es:

(3) Pascal Leclaire — backstopper of BlueJackets, disbelievingly in lascivio litis, per a .940 servo percentage, 1.59 calx- obviam ( secundus- optimus in league) quodquinque shutouts. Hes’ meus Vezina Trophy victor pro prothoplastus vicus;

(2) Henrik Zetterberg — antea a magnificabiliter ustulo porro, iam a superstar, quod videlicet a magis dynamic talentum sursum frons pro Pennae quam Interfixus Datsyuk. Nunc futurus pensus sic?;

(1) Vincent Lecavalier — simplex having suus optimus season ut a pro, leagues’ plumbum ustulo per 32 pts.; dominion suus contradictio quod condita quis eram puto futurus a caput capitis- gravis somes of Telum’ porro in a primoris versus ut’ sic bonus is res parum quis contributions, si ullus, insisto. Hes’ meus Hart Trophy victor pro prothoplastus vicus.

Recolitus profero: Jarome Iginla (26 cuspis in 19 venatus) est having an MVP species season, tamen hes’ laboriosus in a nixor Flamma stipes. Quod Comcast, pro coming per per NHL CenterIce, NHL Network, quod Lisa Tumulosus.

Cado astrum:

(3) Lavatio Caput

(2) Proficiscor Andre Fleury

(1) Reebok

Midwest Mojo: Redivivus in Pullus quod St. Louis es ahead of passus quod infigo. Pium Kane est meus Calder Trophy victor pro prothoplastus vicus. Robert Lingua, per 19 cuspis in 20 venatus, quod skating a +7, est giving Hawks subtilis quidam quaedam quedam quidam uber, veteran gubernatio theyd’ spes pro in caput capitis versus. Etiam, Hawks have proventus — in suum tergum terminus. Theyve’ trado 61 calx, quod utriusque Khabibulin quod Lalime lusum sub-.900 servo percentages. Tamen secundum a decade of dreariness, Hawks es fun ut vigilo iterum. plumbum ustulo pro Puteulanus es greybeards Paul Kariya quod Keith Tkachuk. Exinde, suus’ a lunchpail outfit ut’ outworking suus inimicus. Illic’ multus of juvenis illius roster, sic is may fulcio ut season progrsses. Quod quis of Rudis, vindicatum of Jiri Novotny quod Kris Beech? They es duodeviginti obvius Occasus, quod 6-2-1 domi.

In Oriens, Montreal quod Insula have been attonitus prosperitas repono. Suus’ a pondera tentatio in Montreal: Habs iam have duodeviginti ludio ludius in geminus digits in ustulo. Quod memor quam everybody in hockey eram misericordia Isles secundum oris hora of solvo procurator, ut guys amo Jason Blake, Tom Venenum, quod Viktor Kozlov telum? Ted Nolan est opus suus secundus consecutive miracle in Isle.

Vires in Michaels. Mike Richards quod Mike Cammalleri have talea sicco take- is- ut--bank Totus Astrum venatus lectio. Richards (23 cuspis in 19 venatus) est Philadelphias’ plurimus convenienter quod dynamic tractare, a cuspis-per- venatus ludio ludius quisnam is season has transitioned ex spondeo youngster ut elite, caput- species talentum. Suus three shorthanded procerus plumbum league. Cammalleri (12 calx, 7 succurro) est orsa ut vultus multus amo Occasus placitum’ poema poematis of Bellicus St. Louis.

Jolly Ole Uber St. Nik. Nik Antropov est sanus quod lascivio virtually a cuspis-a- venatus hockey pro Folium, quod skating a +9. Quisnam knew is could? Is had 33 cuspis permaneo season, quod a altus of 16 calx quod 29 succurro in 2002-03. Obviously hes’ in passus parumper tutela annus. Alex Kovalev est in passus pro 40 calx. Meanwhile, Jonathon Cheeechoo has iustus 3 calx in 21 venatus pro Partis. Jaromir Jagr, Im’ tristis ut opinio, est in passus pro 16 calx is season, quod Sarcalogos Drury (3 calx!) vel minor. Etiam, suum Rangers have serio fervens sursum in Atlantic.

Jeremy Roenick — memor him? — est outscoring Mike Modano, Brendan Shanahan, Thomas Vanek, Drury, Sarcalogos Higgins, Vepres Gionta, quod Pium Mara. Unus of causa Tampa eram validus supersto damnum of Dan Boyle pro ultum of seasons’ primoris vicus eram lascivio of Paul Ranger: 4 calx, a +11, quod an validus pensator in vox lascivio cuspis.

Is certus videor tanquam Peter Forsberg has ludio ludius suus permaneo venatus in NHL, quod forsitan in pro hockey period. Tunc subsisto, Aula of Laus. Minor liberaliter sidelined, in meus ratio, es Scott Niedermayer quod Teamu Selanne, quisnam videor ut volo permitto suum Ducks teammates ut umerus humerus mane ordinarius seasons’ bumps quod livor pro forsitan rejoining lemma pro tendo run quod postseason. Im’ rumex, tamen hockey ludio ludius lascivio hockey ut hockey satus, non perfectus. Vacuus lemma, vallo champion Ducks es tenura is una quinymo puteus.

Guy Carbonneau quod Ted Nolan partis Jack Insuadibilis Trophy pro seasons’ primoris vicus, ex meus vantage. Recolitus profero: Ken Hitchcock.

Does quislibet teneo res pro Pullus taedium niveus similitudo ratio domi obviam Columbus tonight? EGO hadnt’ seen alius stipes operor ut is season. Illis eyes suus’ a refoveo quod exspectata reverto ut quis videor Northmanni.

Vos teneo quam unus ex sulum 125 vel sic NHL pugna moneo vos, per rectum of suum mala-dropping, vix-- canis- per- vestri-shrieks reactions ut suum vis, of suum sincerus territo, venatus- muto auctorizo? Unus illorum iustus transpired in Boston, qua 6 ‘9, 251-lb. Zdeno Tutela nomincemeat of 6 ‘6, 238-lb. Blackhawk David Koci. Is eram positively a Sanctio scaena . . . ut in rectus ex movie ‘Halloween.’ Splatters of Koci cruor — quispiam ex Showtimes’ ‘Callidus‘ — repletus center of a visio orbis. Koci, venatus’ renuntio iustus edoctus, tolero a infractus nose duos venatus abhinc. Is eram occatio seeing him rudimentum cohaereo Tutela’ jersey per suus left armo dum trying sustento a tutus, visio- reservo loginquitas ex Tutela’ disfiguring verbera.

Incredibilis, is eram Tutela’ primoris pugna ut a Frendo. Ut candela of is est vigilo inter league, youd’ reputo is moris’ exsisto in suscipio terminus of plures challenges in near posterus.

Nos mos update is lima per video iustus ubi nos locus is.

Update: Gratiae ut Sig pro indicium ut video.

Quis would a manus manus of hockey bloggers careo divinatio pro novus NHL season?

Nos dont’ vindicatum potior aut crystallus ball vel spys’ eyes inside palaestra castra of 29 alius stipes, tamen nos sententia is vires exsisto benevolens ut nostrum lector ut congero a album of offseason ( quod tardus permaneo season) ludio ludius tractus, in a concisus lima, quod have aliquantulus fun vitualamen sursum nullus- quoque-accountable “ pollex Sursum” vel “ pollex Down” forecasts pro totus 30 teams.

Basically, a team meritus a “ pollex sursum” si nos sententia suus manuevering quod maturation innutum ut itd’ amplio super suus 2006-07 cuspis numerus. Stipes ut “ subsisto pat” vel engineered boneheaded volo quod/ vel inedicabilis, altus- terminus solvo procurator farewells erant awarded “ pollex down.”

Sic weve’ dummodo panton “primer” a puckhead could postulo hic.

Praeter beer.

Team	Comings	Iens	Juvenis est Servo	Verdict
	Mathieu Schneider	Selanne quod Neidermeyer ( pro iam?), Pulvis Penner	Bobby Ryan
	Eric Perrin, Ken Klee, Todd Niveus	Scott Mellanby, Crur Hnidy, Glen Metropolit, Keith Tkachuk, Denis Harniis, Eric Belanger,	Bryan Parum(?)
	Glen Metropolit, Aaron Pupillus pupilla, Peter Schaefer	Crur Donovan	Res Ferito (?)
	Jocelyn Thibault	Fere sulum	Dan Paille, Drew Baculus
	Adrian Aucoin, David Vigoratus, Cory Sarich, Owen Nolan	Tony Inter, Jeff Amicus, Romanorum Hamrlik, Brad Stuart, Andrei Zyuzin	Eric Nystrom (?)
	Res Runco	Jack Johnson, Anson Currus, David Tanabe	Nullus	Hmm . . .
	Brent Spoel, Robert Lingua, Sergei Samsanov, Andrei Zyuzin, Yanic Perreault	Michal Manus manus, Adrian Aucoin, Peter Vinculum, Jason Cullimore	Jonathon Toews, Pium Kane, Jack Solers
	Scott Hannan, Ryan Smyth,	Ken Klee, Pierre Turgeon, Ossi Vaananen, Pium Brisebois	Nullus
	Michael Peca, Jiri Novotny	Vepres Boucher, Bryan Berard	Gilbert Brule, Insulto Orichalcum (?)	Hmm . . .
	Todd Fedoruk	Res Barnaby, Jon Klemm, Eric Lindros, Ladislav Nagy, Pium Stefan, Darryl Sydor	Niklas Grossman
	Vepres Rafalski, Dallas Drake	Robert Lingua, Todd Bertuzzi, Kyle Calder, Danny Vestigium, Mathieu Schneider	Igor Grigorenko
	Crusta Acidus, Joni Pitkanen, Pulvis Penner, Denis Grebeshkov, Dick Tarnstrom	Ryan Smyth, Joffrey Lupul, Petr Sykora, Jason Smith	Sam Gagner, Ryan OMarra’ (?)	Hmm . . .
	Uber Zednik, Radek Dvorak, Tomas Vokoun	Ed Belfour, Alex Auld, Bellicus Gelinas, Sarcalogos Memor, Todd Bertuzzi	Nullus
	Brad Stuart, Tom Preissing, Kyle Calder, Michal Manus manus, Ladislav Nagy	Mathieu Garon, Jamie Heward, Tom Kostopoulos, Jamie Lundmark, Aaron Miller	Jonathon Bernier, Jack Johnson
	Eric Belanger, Sean Tumulosus,	Ratio Fernandez, Todd Niveus	Benoit Fomentum (?)	Hmm . . .
	Romanorum Hamrlik, Bryan Smolinski, Tom Kostopoulos	Crusta Acidus, Radek Bonk, Sergei Samsanov, Mike Johnson	Tutela Pretium, Kyle Chipchura, Andrei Kostitsyn
	Bellicus Gelinas, Radek Bonk	Fere sulum	Villa Koistinen, Kevin Klein (?)
	Fastidiosus Zubrus, Vitali Vishnevski, Kevin Weekes, Karel Rachunek	Scott Gomez, Vepres Rafalski	Nicklas Bergfors (?)
	Bill Guerin, Mike Socius, Ruslan Fedotenko	Fere sulum	Sean Bergenheim (?)
	Scott Gomez, Sarcalogos Drury	Michael Nylander, Karel Rachunek, Res Runco, Kevin Weekes, Brad Isbister	Proficiscor Staal, Ryan Callahan (?)
	Tondeo Donovan, Luke Richardson, Denis Harniis	Mike Socius, Tom Preissing, Peter Schaefer, Oleg Saprykin	Nick Foligno, Vepres Lee
	Daniel Concisus, Joffrey Lupul, Jason Smith, Bellicus Biron, Scott Upshall, Kimo Timonen	Peter Forsberg, Joni Pitkanen, Kyle Calder, Robert Esche, Todd Fedoruk, Mike York	Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parentis
	Alex Auld, Radim Vrbata, Niko Kapanen, Mike York	Owen Nolan, Jeremy Roenick, Velum Joseph, Mike Ricci	Peter Mueller
	Darryl Sydor, Gary Roberts, Petr Sykora	Eric Cairns, Joel Kwiatkowski, Jocelyn Thibault, Michel Ouellet, Nils Ekman, Josef Melichar	Kristopher Letang
	Craig Flumen, Jeremy Roenick	Scott Hannan, Bill Guerin, Vesa Toskala	Nullus	Hmm . . .
	Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk	Radek Dvorek, Dallas Drake, Glen Metropolit, Jamie Flumen	Erik Johnson
	Michel Ouellet, Sarcalogos Memor, Jan Hlavac	Cory Sarich, Ruslan Fedotenko, Eric Perrin	Karri Ramo (?)
	Jason Blake, Vestigium Campana, Vesa Toskala	Jeff ONeill’, Michael Peca, Yanic Perreault, J.S. Aubin	Jiri Tlusty (?)
	Brad Isbister, Ryan Crur	Bryan Smolinski, Brent Sopel, Jan Bulis, Rory Fitzpatrick,	Luc Bourdon (?)
	Michael Nylander, Viktor Kozlov, Tom Venenum	Fastidiosus Zubrus, Kris Beech, Bryan Muir, Jiri Novotny	Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Viridis, Tomas Flesichmann

Iocus’ Rink permissum Caput’ angustus season ticket contemplatio ex pera ut quondam iterum broached thema of “ glacies Puella”. Neither OrderedChaos neque nec EGO suscipio season ticket contemplatio, sic nos dont’ teneo si is comprehendo praeter quinque questions memoratus per Iocus’.

Tametsi nos have penso informatio of Lavatio Caput’ Glacies Puella, nos dont’ teneo si is est a perfectus paciscor necne. Potissimum ceterus teams have iam held suum tryouts. Est Lavatio secundum curvo, sic oro? Vel have eximius specialis auditions iam been held quod glacies puella es promptus pello pepulli pulsum glacies in September 8th?

In ullus theca, nos erant curiosus ut ut quot alius teams have talis squads. refero may admiratio vos.

• Anaheim Ducks Vox Ludio ludius
• Atlanta Thrashers Puteulanus Crew
• Boston Frendo Glacies Puella ( link ut Glacies Puella pelagus page eram lost secundum profugus ut NHL servo)
• Calgary Flamma Glacies Crew
• Carolina Turbo Tempestas Squad
• Pullus Blackhawks Glacies Crew
• Columbus Puteulanus Jackets (quisnam vere have 2 humus) - Vox Patronus & Glacies Crew
• Dallas Astrum Glacies Puella
• Florida Pardus Glacies Presul
• Nashville Predators (quisnam quoque have 2 humus)
• Calx Puella
• Presul
• NY Insula Glacies Puella
• Ottawa Orchestra Vox Patronus (magis of a phasmatis humus quinymo quam glacies puella/cheerleaders)
• Philadelphia Flyers Glacies Team
• Phoenix Coyotes Sarcina
• Pitsburgh Penguins Pens Patronus (magis of a phasmatis humus quinymo quam glacies puella/cheerleaders)
• Tampa Sinus Levitas Puella
• Vancouver Canucks Glacies Team

update[: Dan Steinberg est procul Kettler quod has non seen ullus “ glacies- substructio letifico alio”]
update[ 2: Dan Steinberg suscipio confirmation ex Nate Ewell, Presul of Interventus Consanguinei, ut illic erohaud glacies- substructio letifico alio roaming Phone Tabernus is season.]

Caput did ut pollicitus: they erant major domus ludio ludius in solvo procurator venalicium is offseason. Quod suus’ haud certus res ut theyre’ perfectus paciscor, ut negotium of RFAs via professio has been a civitas calx of team pro mensis.

Im’ non sententia ut Michael Nylander, Viktor Kozlov quod Tom Venenum erant absolute optimus hockey ludio ludius sursum pro carpo; tamen volo reddo smart permoveo ut directus oratio teams’ postulo vacuus caveo posterus. Plurimus maximus, permoveo amplio team statim dum servo satis crumens manus manus ut obfirmo in Ovechkin quod Semin — Id’ quinymo animadverto team ante sursum illi duos super ullus of magnus- nomen porro huic annus’ UFA proventus. Los Angelus Rex rgis took a similis propinquo ut Caput’, volo cardo Michal Manus manus ( quattuor annus, $16M), volatilis Ladislav Nagy ( unus annus, $3.75M ) quod Kyle Calder ( duos annus, $5.5M) quod D Tom Preissing ( quattuor annus, $11M). Alius cognatus responsible restocking huic offseason of magnus prodigo.

Quam did ceterus 28 teams fare? Puteus, lets’ recenseo pauci of notabilis. Quinymo quam a typical grading ratio, Peius’ rudimentum a Hollywood Astrum ratio instead: Scarlett Johansson, Lindsay Lohan, vel Nicole Uber.

Scarlett Johansson

Undeniably venustas, smart, quod sexy. Quod Scarlett aint’ nocens aut. Nonnullus teams no iustus vox permoveo, non only in suum choice of ludio ludius tamen quoque per paciscor they dedi. Quinymo quam prodigo amo Datum Trumps’ e-wives, certain teams instituo vox ludio ludius() pro vox pretium.

Avalanche fans ero thrilled per Ryan Smyths’ adventum in Colo colui cultum. Per addo in Smyth (5 annus, $31M) quod Scott Hannan (4 annus, $18M), Avs adepto duos scabrosus- quod- tumbus ludio ludius cuius penicullus opportunus team perficio. 31-annus- vetus Smyths’ quinque- annus paciscor est non tantum a iuste affordable solio ledo, tamen a oportet tentatio ut foedus ut nonnullus alius volo.

Detroit Rutilus Pennae persevero suum minor- est- magis propinquo per volo iustus unus notabilis ludio ludius in prothoplastus duos dies of UFA- Solemnitas: Vepres Rafalski. Secundum losing 38- annus- vetus Mathieu Schneider ut Ducks, Pennae curo ut upgrade dum non losing a dime per volo 33- annus- vetus Rafalski. Suus $6M per annus pro quinque annus est super quis Ducks es pensio Schneider per annus; etiamnunc Rafalski est quinquennis iunior. In addition, Rafalski notched 55 cuspis permaneo season (30 in PP) dum lascivio Diabolus’ ultra-conservative ratio. Unus would reputo abyssus’ tractare vel melior in Motor Urbs’ magis suscito penicullus of lascivio. Quondam iterum, Detroits’ procuratio curo facio vox permoveo vacuus effrego bank; suus’ haud admiratio theyre’ jugis contenders.

Lindsay Lohan

Nonnullus teams went in sinus ut certantibus Ms. Lohan’s. Novus York Rangers quod Philadelphia Flyers signed magnus nomen players to ignotus pactum — condita sexy tamen rabidus permoveo. Amo Tyrone Maior per fragor cocaine, neither team could reluctor prolecto of prodigo per relinquo. Videlicet utriusque teams’ rosters es dramatically amplio pro tunc season; tamen is quasi freewheeling prodigo backfires magis sepius quam non. They utriusque es trying emo championships; quod in hockey, ut rare officina.

Philadelphia coepi suum binge mane, conicio rabidus pre-July 1 paciscor procul Kimmo Timmonen quod Scott Hartnall — utriusque appealing tamen iam- opprimo ludio ludius — whose pactum es rabidus secus ultum in terms of annual salary ut they es in terms of tentatio. Tunc Flyers occumbo themselves per giving telum- ut--groin Daniel Concisus an duodeviginti annus paciscor. Sulum illorum ludio ludius est undeniably ingeniosus; tamen pupa quod tentatio illorum pactum planto unus admiratio si Bobby Expedio est etiam in Philadelphia, opus campester ut vir secundum velum.

Mens vos, Rangers’ rudimentum facio Novus York Yankees videor amo cheapskates est iustus ut attonitus. Snagging utriusque Sarcalogos Drury quod Scott Gomez est per a pluma quippe. Tamen $7M per annus ut Drury, combined per a $51.5M septem- annus paciscor ut Scott Gomez ( quisnam has validus 20 calx iustusquondam in septem annus of lascivio), est insanity.

Comprehendo Jaromir Jagr, they iam have prodigo super a tertius of suum salary solio inthree ludio ludius, quod they have non subcribo Brendan Shannahan, Sean Mediocris, vel Henrik Lundqvist etiamnunc. Yikes. Unus admiratio quamdiu capiet Jagr queror super damnum of Nylander si suus adjustment ut Gomez/Drury est minor quam perficio. Verum, is sanus amo hes’ iamlaying groundwork pro posterus queribundus.

Nicole Uber

Eatenus, ceterus 2/3 of Novus York eram ferinus diripio per solvo procurator’ incursio. Amo Nicole Uber, Sabres quod Insula es skeletal remnants quisnam practically species pro Foedero calamitas suffragium.

Sabres lost utriusque suum co- caput quod videor habeo reverto ut suum spendthrift mores. Secundum suum season of excellentia eram eclipsed per Ottawa Orchestra, Sabres procuratio permissum utriusque caput ingredior absentis per promptus minimal nixus ut subsisto lemma. Per penitus league- prolixus penitus in utriusque Drury quod Concisus, nemo specto Sabres ut retain utriusque ludio ludius. Tamen losing utriusque est a contricio pulsus ut team, non iustus in terms of solers tamen of gubernatio pariter. Procuratio’ dimidium- pectus pectoris pactum dedi, proprie ut locus vir Drury, testimonium a “ puteus, nos exertus” attitude subsido in per Buffalos’ orichalcum. Hic’ unusSabres fan stilus pro ESPN quisnam certainly sentio ut via

Ut pro Insula, they lost Kozlov, Venenum, Ryan Smyth — quisnam verto sicco futurus a quinymo carus pensio, sumptus duos quondam primoris- rotundus picks plus is years first’ teres — captain Jason Smith, quod Uber Zednik. They videor futurus emulating Florida Mara, tantum vacuus championship ( puteus, non in preteritus 20+ annus). Tunc theyll’ rename suum pulvis ut Nassau Mausoleum. Isles fans cannot exsisto gauisus losing three of suum caput capitis six scorers — quod suum sole UFA volo of Jon Sim est non refero. Atrum dies es ahead in Insula.

Quod. . .

Alius teams were relatively silens, plurimus notabilis Caps’ Inferus certantibus. A Visum ex Vilis Sessio vultus procul Caps’ divortium foes, quod est similis unimpressed per suum volo eatenus.

Pauci alius permoveo of nota: Puteulanus snagged Kariya quod Tkachuk (a.k.a. “ St. Louis Boomerang”), Folium us Jason Blake ex decimated Insula, quod Penguins sapienter re- subcribo Ryan Niveus ( tamen quis’ per Darryl Sydor volo? Umbra of Phillys’ Insulto Securis erroris), quod Pullus brought in Robert Lingua. Ducks opprimo Todd Bertuzzi ut subsequens they have quispiam sumo bardus poena si Pronger gets vulnero. Nusquam quoque suscito illic, sententia Puteulanus es videlicet vultus to return to the playoffs per illud veteran paciscor.

Ut pro Caput, fans videor pulchellus gauisus super teams’ acquisitions; nonnullus may vel abdico suum hockey grumpiness. Hogs essimilis commodo,quod Off Pennae Sententia has nonnullus interesting laudo ex GMGM placitum dico.

Totus in totus, suus’ been a bonus iugo dies pro Caput bloggers quod fans pariter. . . with forsitan magis bonus news on horizon.

[sentio solvo ut stipes vestri take ut a ineo — aut in Caps’ permoveo vel alius teams’ signings.]

Today’s Chicago Tribune details what is perhaps the nadir of the Chicago Blackhawks under Bill Wirtz: free tickets there can’t even be given away:

“One of the National Hockey League’s charter franchises, the Blackhawks have been so desperate to attract fans to a half-empty United Center that the organization has been offering free seats through numerous promotions, including an e-mail campaign that put top-notch freebies the length of a hockey stick from the ice.

“It’s called papering the house,” said Barry Melrose, a former NHL player and now a hockey analyst for ESPN. “I’m not surprised they are doing it. It’s been a terrible period for the Blackhawks. People are frustrated and angry, and the fans are showing it the only way they can, by staying away.”

Some relevant facts: owner Wirtz has held hard on his refusal to televise Blackhawk home games — all of them. That’s a policy that runs counter not only to the rest of the NHL but modern common sense. Even Abe Pollin recognized the imperative of getting the Caps’ home games on TV decades ago, when his building was half full. And one of Ted Leonsis’ first accomplishments as owner was to get all 82 Caps’ games on TV.

Chicago is and long has been one of America’s great sports towns. It still has great fans, and those fans have proven that they will lavishly support competently run professional sports teams (think Cubs, White Sox, Bears). But with the the recent feats of the White Sox and Bears in mind, who can much blame the city’s hockey fans for staying away from the United Center’s hockey nights in droves?

This state of affairs on Lake Michigan is no trifling matter. Beyond being an Original Six franchise, the Hawks have given birth to hockey legends. It was Bobby Hull in his Hawks’ sweater on the cover of Life Magazine; Larmer . . . Savard . . . Chelios . . . Roenick; the Hawks drafted Dominik Hasek. Bill Wirtz more or less has full prerogative to run the club as he sees fit. Right now, he’s running it into the ground.

Today, the NHL announced that its Draft Lottery will be held at high noon on April 10th at the league offices in New York. The results will be announced immediately afterward.

Teams that did not make the playoffs (or those that acquired the first-round picks of those non-playoff teams) will participate in the lottery. However, only the worst 5 teams in the league will be eligible for the top pick, as a team may not move up more than four positions in the draft order.

The current percentage chance of being selected in the Draft Drawing is as follows, based on team finish:

30th………..25.0%
29th………..18.8%
28th………..14.2%
27th………..10.7%
26th………….8.1%
25th………….6.2%
24th………….4.7%
23rd………….3.6%
22nd…………2.7%
21st………….2.1%
20th………….1.5%
19th………….1.1%
18th………….0.8%
17th………….0.5%

Currently it is a foot race for the second best chance at the top pick as Philly looks like a lock for the worst this year. Here’s the standings before tonight’s games.

Thanks to Paul Kukla for the primary assist.

We in Washington know well what restlessness within an American Hockey League franchise can spawn when a parent club poorly feeds the farm. In 2005, the Hershey Bears had had enough of the meager support provided by the Colorado Avalanche, and fresh from missing the AHL postseason in unheard-of consecutive seasons, they welcomed George McPhee’s affiliation idea that spring. Today the reigning Calder Cup champs, whose lineup the past two seasons has been a marvelous blend of AHL vets and Caps’ high draft picks, are poised for another lengthy post-season run.

One of the Bears’ main rivals, the Norfolk Admirals, most certainly did not want to see their seven-year affiliation with the Chicago Blackhawks end. But it does, at the conclusion of this season. This week the Blackhawks announced the termination of their tenure in Tidewater. Beginning next season, they’ll affiliate with the new Rockford Icehogs (Ice . . . Hogs?), who’ll compete just 60 miles from the Windy City.

While the Hawks have been futile on the ice in recent seasons, the Entry Draft compensation for it has been substantial: a litany of talented draft picks, among them Cam Barker, Brent Seabrook, Jonathon Toews, Jack Skille, Jake Dowell, Dave Bolland, and 2007 Hobey Baker finalist Nathan Davis. In fact, the Hawks announced Thursday afternoon the signings of WCHA standouts Skille and Dowell and their immediate assignment to Norfolk. The Hawks have drafted very well in recent years, and most league observers see the club — not unlike the Caps — benefitting soon from it.

For Admirals’ fans, however, the stunning and jarring affiliation news this week is a very rude eviction notice: from prospect penthouse to outhouse, as their parent club beginning next season is virtually certain to be the seriously draft-challenged Tampa Bay Lightning. Hockeysfuture recently updated its NHL organizational rankings for prospects, and the Bolts delivered little beyond static electricity coming in at no. 27. Among Hockeysfuture’s list of top 50 prospects, the Bolts scored only one, goaltender Riku Helenius, at no. 41.

Recently, too, OFB shared with our readers the Hockey News‘ Future Watch rankings for NHL clubs. Tampa came in dead last at no. 30.

That’s two leading independent arbiters of young hockey talent surveying central Florida recently and telling folks to avert their eyes of youngBolts. Norfolk is very much a military town, and our brave and selfless servicemen and women deserve far better in their R&R options.

During their affiliation with Chicago, the Admirals won two division titles and made the playoffs every year. Tampa’s AHL affiliation the past three seasons? The current last-place Springfield Falcons. They’ve never qualified for the AHL postseason with Tampa’s talent. Yikes.

This bit of candor about the plight of the Tampa farm I found on a web page devoted to the team’s prospects:

“From the Springfield press to the fans — it seems like people are by and large unhappy with the Lightning organization.”

I asked Bears’ beat reporter Tim Leone of the Patriot News about this affiliation shakeup, and he noted that years back Tampa actually enjoyed success with its minor pro affiliate in Atlanta. “Tampa Bay obviously hasn’t had much success in the AHL, but it’s not for lack of trying,” he told me. “Jay Feaster has made seemingly decent offseason moves, but they just haven’t panned out.”

“I’ve got to think they’ll put a good foot forward in Norfolk. Funny, when the ‘Ning started out, they always had powerhouse teams in Atlanta [of the International Hockey league].”

Beginning next season, it will be a lot easier for Caps’ fans to monitor the prospect assets of division rival Tampa with manageable drives north and south. And gloat afterward.

The latest issue of The Hockey News has ranked all 30 NHL team’s prospect systems. They have defined prospects as players under 22 years of age as of January 31, 2007. This ranking does not take into account any movement of players at the trade deadline. Note that three of the Caps’ Southeast Division rivals bring up the bottom-5 rear.

1. Pittsburgh [Last Year’s Ranking 1]
2. Washington [7]
3. Nashville [6]
4. Los Angeles [10]
5. Chicago [8]
6. Boston [12]
7. Anaheim [2]
8. St. Louis [28]
9. Montreal [17]
10. N.Y. Rangers [19] (Continued)

Mrs. Gustafsson just returned from Las Vegas and brought me the Bellagio’s Odds to Win the 2007 Stanley Cup. I’ve combined that sheet with the one I picked up in November.

Ted’s latest blog post comes to us from Tampa where he attended last night’s game. He was impressed with the party-like atmosphere before and after the game and the enthusiastic crowd during the game. He also mentions the use of “Ice Girls” and cheerleaders which have become more numerous as Atlanta, Boston, Carolina, Chicago, Dallas, Florida, Long Island, Nashville and others have similar squads to Tampa.

The Lightning also utilizes ice girls and cheerleaders in the stands. While I always thought that kind of entertainment was best suited for football, I must admit that they provided a lot of energy and entertainment for the fans. What do you think of ice girls and cheerleaders in hockey arenas?

Would Ice Girls and/or cheerleaders improve the attendance and/or atmosphere at the Verizon Center? Or are they better left for football and basketball games?