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Bringing Hexy Back • 42 Years Old • Male
I sit here, nursing a bottle of Stella Artois, watching the Belmont, and realize...I wish I had a hockey game to watch.

-A lot of coaching vacancies might be waiting on the approval of the sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Rumor pipe says Barry Melrose will be hired for a staggering $2mm a year. If a guy who hasn't coached in almost 13 years can demand that kind of coin, what does a guy like Ron Wilson get?

-Chicago will swing a major deal out of nowhere. I could see, and somewhat understand interest in Brian Campbell. I think if he lands there, the 'Hawks might surprise by dealing away a young defenseman or two for an established winger who can get his nose dirty and clear space for Toews and Kane up front.

-With the staggering mess surrounding Boots Del Baggio, the manner in which Jim Balsillie was handled is nothing short of disgraceful. In a league where guys like Bruce McNall, John Spano and Sanjay Kumar all owned teams, you'd think the NHL would do more "due diligence" in selecting owners.

-Jesus, I hate the phrase "due diligence"

-The death knell of the Pens due to free agency is over-rated. I think they can keep quite a few of the core players that hit the market in a few years. Even if they can't, imagine the haul that a guy like Evgeni Malkin could bring in.

-I think the Flyers might be looking for a new back-up goalie at some point of this summer.

-Joe Thornton might be the most stunning name to move this summer. I don't think Campbell will stay in San Jose, and that could trigger some major movements.

-I hate that the draft will be spaced over two days this year. However, don't be surprised if more big deals get swung this year than in the past few drafts.

-I guess Henrik Zetterberg will no longer be the most underrated player. Dion Phaneuf might get to stay at most overrated.

-The NHL's efforts to get younger ref playoff experience by force feeding them in the playoffs was an utter and abject failure. The consistency was nonexistent, and so many tick-tack penalties were called while blatant and obvious penalties were greeted with a shrug by refs.
Filed Under:   Jsaq   refs   Boots   Pens   Campbell   Melrose  
June 7, 2008 7:43 PM ET | Delete
Phaneuf is so overrated... and he's such a douchebag.
June 7, 2008 8:52 PM ET | Delete
I thought Wade Belak was the most underrated???
June 8, 2008 8:54 AM ET | Delete
Nice work JS!!!I can see Soupy ending up in Chicago also. Part of me says Montreal for some reason but Chicago makes sense.100% agree with you in regards to the ref's in the playoffs. Hell...the refs in the entire 07/08 season went from bad to worse. especially in the playoffs...you have to let the teams play and let them decide who moves forward not the refs. You can't put away the whistle for most of the 3rd period than decide to finally call a penalty that hardly looked like one. If this keeps up we will be in Pre-Lockout mode before you know it.
June 8, 2008 9:20 AM ET | Delete
maybe they just did " due diligence". do you really think ANYONE in the nashville ownership group wants this guy in it. i wouldnt. who would want soneone that is that despised in this town to own part of their business that operates here. it would be suicide. jimbo is radioactive, especially here or pittsburgh.
June 8, 2008 10:57 AM ET | Delete
Basillie would be great for the NHL. He would be like a Jerry Jones or a Mark Cuban. How is that bad for the NHL?
June 8, 2008 12:21 PM ET | Delete
Yeah, but unlike Del Biaggio, Spanos and McNall, Balsillie is solvent and not facing a slew of lawsuits and issues with the SEC. The NHL has had enough clowns as owners-when you have a self made billionaire who is buying a team because he loves the sport, you find a way to accommodate him, not shun him for guys with questionable finances and ethics.
June 8, 2008 4:35 PM ET | Delete
i agree on the solvency issue, but considering we got boots as an already minor sharks owner i think all are surprised at the recent events. i do think balsille would be like the owners buts listed and would be good for the sport. my issue with him is his approach/integrity/ethics when dealing in buyout scenarios or daling with other owners/teams. he is woefully terrible at that. and i certainly wouldnt want him buying into my business knowing the antics that he would bring with him. he leaves no room for doubt about what he wants in the end
June 8, 2008 4:36 PM ET | Delete
and by the way i absolutely LOVE phaneuf
June 8, 2008 5:38 PM ET | Delete
don' like Due Diligence .. how about .. fiduciary responsibility
June 8, 2008 6:02 PM ET | Delete
I like that better fiduciary responsibility
June 9, 2008 9:23 AM ET | Delete
other odious phrases (aka "Bettmanisms"): "work stoppage", "cost certainty", "competitive balance"
June 9, 2008 11:41 AM ET | Delete
Another phrase, "currently sober". Nice job JS.
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