In Glacialis Blog

headline est a laudo ex Edmonton Oilers praesieo Cal Angulus in an article inyesterdays’ Edmonton Sol solis. Lusum columnist Atrox Jones devoveo suus Sunday vitualamen ut “ numerus eo of Edmonton Oilers ‘pyjamas‘,” via niveus in proprius.
Hic’ magis ex team praesieo:

“ego have futurus curiosus hic. Reebok pensus multus of viaticus” [ angulus] said of exertus addo novus similitudo ut teams inter league quod obvious NHL monumentum ut everybody in venatus ut they totus must diligo lemma.

EGO told Angulus EGO eram stilus super awful novus Oilers silks.

“ego reputo ut would exsisto a bonus article ut write,” is said. “tamen iustus loco mihi down pro sententia EGO amo nostrum vetus similitudo. EGO dont’ volo ut sanus amo an vetus virga- in-- limus quisnam cant’ vado contemporary.”

Vos can exsisto certus Oilers’ fidelis es aliquantulus praeter underwhelmed. In suus column, Jones innutum ut lector should Google “Oilers” quod “ similitudo” qua youll’ reperio ineo talis ut

“Glacies Idoneus awful!“

“EGO amo institutio horizontal virga procul solum of vetus jersey.“

“Quare nuntius per institutio?“

“Butt turpis. Is vultus amo quispiam quisnam contemno Oilers intentio is unus.“

Promptus, illic eram a ratio ut rabies.

“nos volo change. Multus of res motivated nos aspicio change. Nos have a novus obfirmo cella. A novus team. Nos saw is ut rejuvenation. A spiritus of vegetus air,” said [Oilers’ CEO Pium] LaForge.

“is eram vilis futurus quasi a Baltimore Ravens vultus” is said.

Sic quam operor vos adepto vestri virga tergum?

“nos can operor it,” says LaForge. “tamen non insquequo 2009-2010.”

A tap of virga in glacies utKuklas’ Korner pro primary succurro.

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

OFB lector Sarcalogos Meza benevolens admonitio mihi is oriens of frigus vicis, quod imprimis of November 22, 2003 — balanus of Heritage Ordo foras hockey venatus inter Montreal quod Edmonton. Sarcalogos est a bonus alio ut sermo ut super ut vicis, seeing ut is viator ex Lavatio usque ut Alberta ut weekend sumo in venatus in lacertus deck of Edmontons’ Res publica Stadium. EGO vividly memor him orbis mihi in suus cell phone ex illud glacialis environs. EGO asked Sarcalogos communico me suus recordatio illius ingens Imbuo nox noctis.

league nimirum lego tardus November balanus questio optimally gelu quod siccus valetudo pro venatus. Is got gelu totus vox. Ut Imbuo meridianus, tempero erant in singulus digits. Pro vesper eram perfectus, Habs quod Oilers erant skating in aer ut pervenio 28 Fahrenheit.

“ nox noctis pro, is snowed in Edmonton,” Sarcalogos repeto. “is snowed satis quod is eram gelu satis ut unus of Zambonis necessarius pro venatus glacialis up.”

Illic erant duos venatus pro mane hiberna vigoratus sumo in ut dies, an Vetus Vicis unus featuring ’70s quod ’80s Oilers quod Canadians valde tunc a superstes’ duco unus inter contemporary teams postea. Ludio ludius pro utriusque venatus erant validus ut skate sicco onto makeshift glacies superficies ex suum obfirmo cella.

EGO asked Sarcalogos quam is outfitted sui pro suus forte a centum feet altus in gelidus Alberta nox noctis. “ego eram in hiberna socks, longjohns, Levis, duos shirts, a gravis officium ski coat, gloves, a vix, quod a laneus cap,” is said. “ res EGO memor plurimus super formo ut nox noctis erant locus, men quod women, quod vel suum liberi, loricatus in hiberna coveralls ut vos plerumque animadverto molior opus in ut theyre’ opus foras in extremus hiberna”

Is had alius vivid recordatio ex suus glacialis stadium usus. “ego didnt’ emo levamen ex concessions, quoniam trinus ut restrooms postulo . . . puteus, in totus illud layers totus nostrum erant in, is iustus took quoque porro” is rideo risi risum.

Is wasnt’ iustus testis largior layered — Montreal netminder Jose Theodore praeclarus added a touque ut caput capitis of suus calx os experior quod defendo tundra gelu, quod plures of skaters videor vello turtlenecks usque suum ears.

league instruo duos amplus visum screens procul utriusque ends of Res publica pro testis. Sarcalogos said ut screens erant maximus illi amo him sessio sursum altus insequor lascivio. “adeo of stadium videor insequor lascivio in illud screens,” Sarcalogos said. “suum fanaticus, per sulum vado, videor identical ut perturbatio vos utor a Canadian turba in a typical pulvis”

EGO asked Sarcalogos ut identify a perpetuus statua illius Novembers’ glacialis epulum. “vel in lacertus deck qua EGO eram, vos could animadverto tripudium in visio of Vetus- Vicis Totus Astrum, suum fruor captus rutila quod pulsus snow off of lascivio superficies. Is iustus admonitio vos of hockeys’ radix quod ut venatus’ maximus nomen videor ut firmus a reverto ut lemma”

TSN estopinio ut Edmonton Oilers this week offered a lucrative multi- annus pactum ut termino solvo agent winger Thomas Vanek of Plaga Sabres. Pecuniosus ut in 7 annus quod $50 million. Edmonton would have had ut pony sursum quattuor primoris- rotundus draft picks as mercedis pro Vanek (43 calx in suus sophomore NHL campaign).  

Vero, in just the preteritus few moments Sabres’ procuratio convoco a presser nuntio suus sententia ut compositus Oilers’ dedi ovis.

Yesterday nos innutum ut illic videor futurus fissures in the solvency of Gary Bettmans’ revamped fiscal landscape pro league. Hodie’ novus ex Edmonton quod Plaga innutum ut crepidoinis has infractus.  

Update: Quam immunda es Kevin Summitto’ manuum huic? Kukla links ut an refero:

“GM Darcy Tellus said is contactus Kevin Summitto permaneo nox noctis quod exertus persuadeo him non facio dedi, ut they erant usquequaque iens ut compositus quisquis dedi Oilers vires planto Larry Quinn’s editio: “We erant nunquam non iens ut compositus an dedi in Thomas.”

Unus of prothoplastus res EGO philologus super George McPhee ut is eram hired hic in 1997 eram ut hed’ meritus a lex inhonestus. Is venit ut Lavatio having servo ut a quasi Suffragium Imperator Procurator sub Vepres Burke in Vancouver — suus persona titulus eram Vitium Praesieo quod Presul of Hockey Operations pro Canucks — quod fabula ut EGO memor is eram ut per mane in suus stipes lascivio tutela McPhee testimonium a alacer penitus in procuratio pars of lusum, quod Mr. Burke vehementer suadeo ut is mereo suus lex inhonestus. EGO memor reputo in June 1997 ut McPhees’ owning a lex inhonestus eram a valde bonus res ut novus procurator pro Caps, quod is July Im’ geminus laetus pro is.

EGO dont’ volo facio nimium of Kevin Summitto’ background in Oilers’ mestitia in Michael Nylander Saga, tamen ut a laymans’ eyes is certus videor ut is lost sicco ut a GM quisnam knew perficio puteus imprimis quod redimio forensis protocols procul opus per solvo procurator, dum Summitto sui did non. EGO quoque operor non volo transveho ullus infigo ut Im’ absolving Nylanders’ procurator pro ingens turbatio/ deceptio(?) ut videor cepisse locus inter Summitto quod him permaneo weekend in Occasus Canalis. Tamen nos totus teneo ut ludio ludius procurator, vallum in lusum universitas forevermore, operor quantus quantus nisi magis vulnero quam bonus tenus lusum fans ( quod procurator) es sollicitus.

Forsitan quantum interesting question in pro hockey is feriae week est: has contemporary athlete pactum opus fio sic universa quod sophisticated ut is iuste mandatum procurator usus JDs? quod est illic quispiam ludio ludius tractus novercalis captus radix in Gary Bettmans’ Novus NHL?

Trans lusum hodie scilicet unus could identify ustulo of plurrimi partum quod astute GMs penuria vel a res inhonestus. Nimirum, vos quoque have vestri Ivy- instructus Theo Espteins, quoque. Scilicet plurrimi maximus species pro contemporary GMs in totus pro lusum hodie somes usus a alacer oculus pro ludio ludius quod explorator talentum. Tamen vox secundum ut est pactum procuratio — an potestas non tantum congrego a competitive quod fiscally responsible roster in tendo tamen sufficio an norma necessarius latitiude ut retain core talentum in posterus. Caps, nam, certainly had solio cella ut woo a Scott Gomez vel a Sarcalogos Drury, had McPhee volo ut. Tamen EGO suspectus ut secui of GMs’ reputo in sequax Michael Nylander instead eram dies of pactum ratio pro suus astrum Russians, suus caput, quod suus haud. 1 netminder, tunc estas.

Amo capiet an eximius paro of res ut radically animadverto erudio/ usus criteria pro lusum procurator. Tamen nos in D.C. congressus talis a paro is week, quod unde EGO sit nos beneficium magnus- a nostrum guy gestum a forensis instructus pactum savvy quod sophistication.

Si memoria servo, Caps have non mereo McPhee JD procul opus in illa res tamen a plenus- vicis “ solio-ologist.” Does Edmonton?

Ceterus storyline custodis ut is nuntius sicco Occasus est resumo sollicitudo ( ut eram volo futurus relevo per Bettmans’ novus CBA) ut hockey quondam iterum has cultum “haves” quod “have nots” ut is adveho ut contendo pro ludio ludius muneris. Bettmans’ novus quod “ amplio” CBA eram volo ut minimize nisi eliminate omnino vegrandis- venalicium stipes questus stipes sulum July per magnus- urbs bovis. In permaneo 12 mensis vel sic Summitto has testis curtus per Sarcalogos Pronger, Ryan  Smyth, quod ut a redactum ( tamen forsitan magis perturbo) inhonestus, Michael Nylander. Quod nos totus teneo qua magnus liber nomen went permaneo Sunday quod Monday.

Suus’ a siccus admonitio: in a valde verus voluntas hodie’ lusum es magis super magnus pupa quam magnus wins, quod per adeo lucre procul talea, proprietas EGO reputo es valde puteus monitus habeo lawyer ordo via altus sursum in an norma’ sententia- condita processus.

Magis novus contemplor incrementabiliter bizarre Nylander pactum contentio. Is videor ut is admittedly untrained oculus ut Oilers’ beef, dum understandable, has parum vel haud forensis pes. Id’ bet agri ut Nylander somes a Caput.

Nonetheless, plagatus tone auditus ex Edmonton planto isCanada.com article a compelling lego — suus’ non sepius in lusum ( proprie in hockey) ut unus rumor procuratio take talis a alio affront ut res. Sententia donatus permaneo annus’ Sarcalogos Pronger profectio, licet agnosco Oils’ procuratio having ieiunium tergum quam usitas. Hic’ an excerpt:

Secundum Summitto, Gillis said suus client eram debilito quod asked si is could subcribo [ pactum] in oriens. Summitto congruo tamen says is nunquam got a subcribo ovis abhinc ludio ludius. Instead, Nylander subcribo in Lavatio Monday meridianus.

Summitto said Nylander accersitus, “ per a sombre vox vocis”

“is said suus uxor eram fletus, ut they had magis amicitia in oriens. EGO said, ‘Michael, is primoris Ive’ auditus of is’ EGO told him, ‘Michael, quare dont’ vos take dudum, adeo Edmonton — Im’ iens down semita parumper dum — tamen secundum super 12, 15 minutes illius, EGO said, ‘Michael, have vos congruo ut a pactum in Lavatio?’ Is said etiam. EGO said, ‘ vos have haud informatio moeror youve’ causa’”

Off Pennae Sententia quodIocus’ Rink have magis notitia in quis’ decens a mini hockey soap opera ( universa per jilted bloggers).

[Update: Summitto iam videor futurus meditatus piper alius teams’ RFAs per dedi ovis. Quantus illae ruta est ex Nylander paciscor, quod quantus est desiderium super tabellae Ryan Smyth adepto absentis? Secundum totus, quis they dedi Nylander isnt’ ut ultum minor quam they would have necessarius ut servo Oiler pectus pectoris- quod- animus Smyth in roster permaneo annus]

Edmonton Oilers have privatus a editio testimonium they suscipio nonnullus vox ( sententia promptus non subcribo pactum) ex Michael Nylanders’ procurator, Mike Gillis, in written vultus, ut Swedish center had congruo ut a pactum per hockey stipes. solvo civitas “ Oilers es probatur quod sequax sulum tractus of factum available in optimus penitus of team quod nostrum fans.”

Suus’ difficilis ut gauge quis forensis hortus Oilers es lebes suum questus, quod EGO sum certainly permaneo alio youd’ volo coniecto possible eventus. Is videor Lavatio Caput norma isnt’ involved huic proventus, alius conveniens ut a tracto Nylander.

A lentus locus, ut is videor Summitto quod Caps’ GM George McPhee have utique a voluptarius opus affinitas, quod suus’ tutus loquor ut utriusque Caps’ norma quod suus’ fans erant commodo procul Nylander volo.

Puteus’ exsisto servo an oculus in is development, quod nos spes youll’ etiam have cella pro potato salad cras. Fireworks, vero.

Aliquanto idly EGO sent an instant nuntius tardus yesterday meridianus ut meus bonus amicusEric McErlain, intus quod EGO cuspis sicco ut ‘Net- prolixus consentio potissimum Monday ut Rangers’ center Michael Nylander eram off ut rutila a ton of snow in Alberta pro tunc pauci annus had etiamnunc ut ingenero ullus tangible confirmation. Interestingly, illic wasnt’ a singulus vox vocis in ullus Caps’ nuntius tabula tenura sicco spes ut permaneo of verum elite UFA centers could adveho domus ut stipes plurimus egenus succurro altus sursum in medius.

Captus una per Sundays’ solvo procurator acquisitions, aliquantum of Caps’ off- glacies baggage eram discarded tardus Monday meridianus, ut Imperator Procurator George McPhee inked 80-pt. cardo Michael Nylander ut a quattuor- annus pactum. In a near instant an awful sors of virus ex e-pens of nuntius tabula Fatum quod Gloom set was silenced. And should have been. A dispiriting set of mean-spirited mythology, ironically authored by the team’s “fans,” had been marginalized if not discarded.

This week’s talent influx at roster spot weak points ought to excite all Caps’ fans, and this morning, it’s entirely reasonable to posit that the ‘07-’08 Caps are, on paper, 18-25 points improved over last season’s 70-pt. cellar dwellers. Eighteen points means falling just shy of the NHL postseason; 25 and you’re in.

But there’s no need to worry about that in early July. Additional roster tinkering and architecture can and should take place in-season, as the team’s new components gell (or fail to). For now, we ought to reflect a bit on the indigenous bad-mouthing that frankly has contributed to this team’s stepchild status in local sports media’s coverage hierarchy . . . and celebrate its dismissal. (That’s optimistic thinking. More likely, it’ll recede through at least tomorrow evening’s fireworks.)

Myth no. 1: No free agent of name or notable game would ever deign to sign in D.C.

Nylander doesn’t possess a laser for a shot or blinding speed, but he is a Tier I offensive catalyst, clearly one of the three or four best centers available in this summer’s free agent market. And this week he was coveted. He had numerous offers, and he chose the Caps’. Hockey of course is far more than a one-man game, but the prospect of Nylander setting up AO has occasioned pages of praise across the ‘Net’s hockey spectrum. This signing once and for all ought to dispel the baseless claim that quality, impact hockey players necessarily bear an instinctive aversion to donning a Caps’ uniform system.

Myth no. 2: The Caps couldn’t possibly compete with genuine (and winning) hockey market clubs for the services of talented free agents.

Can and did. As in, with the case of Nylander, making a bridesmaid of the 2006 Stanley Cup finalist Edmonton Oilers. And, according to Mike Vogel, for less money. Tom Poti, too, had no shortage of suitors on Sunday afternoon. He was a no. 1 Dman for a playoff hockey club in ‘06-’07. At 30, he’s smack in the prime of his hockey career.

Myth no. 3: Caps’ management is all talk and no action, and its “summer of change” amounted to little more than new-colors-and-logos sloganeering.

Listen to that sweet sound of silenced Caps’ cynics. It’s about time for a Dave Fay “On Hockey” column, don’t you think?

Jennifer Kahn of Wired Magazine recently wrote a fascinating article about an athlete’s “field sense,” or the ability to anticipate one’s teammates’ and opponents’ actions.

U.S. Olympic Committee researcher Peter Vint, like many sports fans, was frequently awed by players like Wayne Gretzky and his seemingly magical ability to react before things happened. But Vint went beyond typical fandom: he decided to see how field sense works, and then to determine whether or not it could be taught.

Opponents struggling to anticipate Gretzky’s next move often became disoriented, like hunters who think they’re tracking a leopard, only to hear a twig crack directly behind them. The experience was so unnerving that players who had to face Gretzky repeatedly exhibited a kind of automatic dread. Describing the feeling in a 1997 Cigar Aficionado interview, former St. Louis Blues goalie Mike Liut said woefully: “I’d see him come down the ice and immediately start thinking, ‘What don’t I see that Wayne’s seeing right now?’”

Check out the article; it’s a lengthy but engaging look at the science behind the magic. As the article concludes, “Magic, after all, is just a collection of steps executed artfully. And while Gretzky may be hockey’s Houdini, there’s a lot to be said for starting out with some simple sleight of hand.”

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.

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.

There is an old adage that says “Good fences make good neighbors.” Does this also apply to backyard ice rinks?

Be sure to visit James Mirtle’s blog for the rest of the pictures, including the “John Deere Ice Resurfacing Machine.”

That was the quote from colour commentator Ray Ferraro in the Stars Oilers game last night. I am so glad I stayed up to watch it.
The Stars were up by one. The Oilers pulled the netminder. Patrik Stefan can put the Stars up by 2 with 11 seconds left on a shot that even Esa Tikkanen couldn’t miss. The announcer says “Stefan steals… and he’ll ice it…… woah… at least I thought he was gonna… until he blew it…that’s unbeliveable”

See it here:

All this came after a goal by Niklas Hagman that Ferraro described as “Ovechkin-like”. If I can’t find a video of it, I’ll pull it from my TiVo recording and post it later.

I recently returned from business travel to Las Vegas. While exploring the MGM Grand, I picked up a sheet titled Odds to Win the 2007 Stanley Cup. I’m not sure how frequently they update the odds, but this sheet from last week has the current line dated 7 November 2006.

Oh… and doubling down on 11 doesn’t always work.