only after they pick up their duty free liquor.
- paulr

Those dumb fish should do what I do - stop at Binny's Liquors before coming back to Canada.

The first episode of LA LAW....all accountants remember it well...
- wiz1901

One of my fave shows EVER

Kotska didn’t fit in with the Leafs for the reasons of too many prospects, age etc.. That doesn’t mean he is not able to play in the NHL because clearly he can as he has proven.

- paulr

I might have to see him a lot more before I agree.

Kotska had 3 offers from teams who need defensemen on their NHL clubs yet he chose to sign for the Blackhawks. Does logic not tell you that he signed believing he had a good chance to play for the Hawks in the NHL next season?

- paulr

He must also see the top six in front of him...and like I said before, maybe he knows something about them trying trade Brookbank...

I realize you think you know more than everyone but in some cases other people have more insight to certain situations you do not. You may prove to be correct about Kotska which I’m sure you’ll let me know.

- paulr

I have no sight except for what the written roster top six, Brookbank, and talk of bringing in Rockford's defenseman Ryan Stanton....

I wonder if you’ll admit you were wrong if I happen to be correct? I promise if I am right I won’t rub your nose in it.

- paulr

I certainly will admit it and believe me I will not ever claim more insight, just use my eyes to judge, and even more frankly when I saw the Leafs he didn't stand out or get noticed, but I watch much with the sound off so a different name to lead to iso on him, might have changed than....
Kostka was never in my sights,
but my point with this new post was more Kostka's small Hawk contract and the Paul Ranger large contract.

I just don't see how the Paul Ranger signing by Toronto fits, if we use the logic for why they didn't sign Kotska because of too many prospects, age.

So the Leafs decide to not pay Kostka (27yrs. old) the same as the hawks, but opt for Ranger (28 yrs. old) ?

Maybe the leafs felt ranger is ready to again return and bring a stronger all around game than Kostka?

and paul an anyone...if I come off a know it all, please just type U R being a know it all...really not my intention, and niw try to use my passion for the game as an excuse.


Thanks, Paul!

One of my golf buddies owned the Erie Beach Hotel in Port Dover for many years before selling the business to his kids. I have had hundreds of meals at that establishment and have never seen Walleye printed on his menu - only pickerel.

I think it is a Canadian thing - walleye do exist in Canada but they are referred to a pickerel (probably incorrectly).
- RickJ

A coworker says they are called Walleye in northern ontario and pickerel in southern ontario. There is also a slight colour variation between the two but he isn't sure what the difference is.

Those dumb fish should do what I do - stop at Binny's Liquors before coming back to Canada.
- RickJ

Yeah Rick all we need are Walleyes getting p!$$ed to the gills!

Yeah Rick all we need are Walleyes getting p!$$ed to the gills!
- paulr

Yeah, they'll start acting like hard-assssed muskies!!

Contract inflation continues, though. Keith's contract is now one of the best values in the NHL, and Seabrook's is pretty good, too, when compare to recent top end defensemen contracts. Paying Hammer 5M in today's market might be a really big number in a year or two, and isn't enormous right now.
- mohel

Boy you really hit that on the head!

But maybe the derals don't look so good , if you a struggling club whose pieces have never evolved to Cup challenger....so you many times see really good player get launched because the team sort of blames them.

Some already said Hammer doesn't score so Bowman doesn't pay, and was it only Hammer's agent who wanted him in SJ because of an actress girlfriend or Hammer also?

He may want to pay chicken with the hawks to go elsewhere...

I think we can easily say we have watched one of the most mobile three pairings hockey has ever seen.

38"?
- Cmonalready

38 POUNDS ... although at that weight it may have been close to 38 inches long too.

This has probably been answered on this blog at some point but I hope someone can confirm for me. Will Teravainen be in Rockford at any point this year or is he staying in Europe for another season?

Boy you really hit that on the head!

But maybe the derals don't look so good , if you a struggling club whose pieces have never evolved to Cup challenger....so you many times see really good player get launched because the team sort of blames them.

Some already said Hammer doesn't score so Bowman doesn't pay, and was it only Hammer's agent who wanted him in SJ because of an actress girlfriend or Hammer also?

He may want to pay chicken with the hawks to go elsewhere...

I think we can easily say we have watched one of the most mobile three pairings hockey has ever seen.
- wiz1901

As you suggest, Hammer did sign that offer sheet a few years ago. To me, this shows he is willing to leave the Hawks to get market value. Maybe things have changed for him in the past few years and he's willing to take something reasonable. We shall see how this Hammer negotiation plays out.

38 POUNDS ... although at that weight it may have been close to 38 inches long too.
- paulr

38 pounds would be 50", maybe more. 38" would be 10pounds or thereabouts?

38 pounds would be 50", maybe more. 38" would be 10pounds or thereabouts?
- Cmonalready

I was speculating on length she told me the weight.

I think you're right about 8.5 each, but I think they would be signing those contracts knowing that when it comes to pure 'hockey money' they could be getting at least 9 per, maybe 9.5... That being said, the financial advantages away from hockey likely outweigh the premium in contract money they would get going elsewhere.
- PuckAndSticks

I agree. I'm sure they can get at least 9.5 on the market. Hopefully they realize what a great thing they have going here and take A Little less so we can still build a solid cast around them and keep winning Cups. Plus all the other opportunities, too.

I was speculating on length she told me the weight.
- paulr

I just wasted the last 30 minutes searching for monster pike catches. Im an avid canadian fisherman. i know a 30 pound pike in Canada is VERY rare. Ontario record is 42 pounds. Ill bet that was caught 40+ years ago. I'm an avid fisherman, and I just haven't heard of a 35+ pound pike caught in Canada in about forever. (BTW, if you google search, the 55# pike caught in Rainy Lake Ontario has been proven many times to be an urban legend. That fish was caught somewhere in Europe, where pike grow larger).

Who the hell am I to question the size of your daughter's fish. But a 38 pound pike caught in Canada any time over the last 40 years is only slightly more likely than spotting Bigfoot.

The 42 pound Ontario record pike was caught in 1946. There were bigger fish back then. From over harvesting of big fish through the 1960/70s, trophies became smaller. With catch and release and slot limits, trophies are getting larger again these days.

And on the pickerel vs walleye debate, I noticed that Ontario does have a province record walleye, but no listing for a pickerel.

http://ontariofishing.net/fishrecords.html

I just wasted the last 30 minutes searching for monster pike catches. Im an avid canadian fisherman. i know a 30 pound pike in Canada is VERY rare. Ontario record is 42 pounds. Ill bet that was caught 40+ years ago. I'm an avid fisherman, and I just haven't heard of a 35+ pound pike caught in Canada in about forever. (BTW, if you google search, the 55# pike caught in Rainy Lake Ontario has been proven many times to be an urban legend. That fish was caught somewhere in Europe, where pike grow larger).

Who the hell am I to question the size of your daughter's fish. But a 38 pound pike caught in Canada any time over the last 40 years is only slightly more likely than spotting Bigfoot.
- Cmonalready

Fishermen stories being what they are along with the fact it was weighed by the Natives and I was skeptical as well. She is 5' 1" tall and weighs about 110 and told me the Pike was nearly as big as her which I again figureed was another fishermen's story. She said that the Natives wound up getting it into the boat for her. I am only going by what she told me and not having much experiences with fishing. If you say 38 lbs is too big class it as a big fishing tale.

This has probably been answered on this blog at some point but I hope someone can confirm for me. Will Teravainen be in Rockford at any point this year or is he staying in Europe for another season?
- hockbomb

If I'm not mistaken, I think I've read somewhere that Teravainen will stay in Finland for this coming season.

If I'm not mistaken, I think I've read somewhere that Teravainen will stay in Finland for this coming season.
- EKolb13

Yes! Didn´t Stan himself said that TT will be centering Jokerit´s first line next year. I do not know if Teemu Lämsä (head coach of Jokerit) was listening?

If I'm not mistaken, I think I've read somewhere that Teravainen will stay in Finland for this coming season.
- EKolb13

I can't remember if it is for this coming year or the year after that, but I read his Finnish team is going to be playing in the KHL. Just his team.

I can't remember if it is for this coming year or the year after that, but I read his Finnish team is going to be playing in the KHL. Just his team.
- tomcat24

It's not this coming year, that I do know.

I can't remember if it is for this coming year or the year after that, but I read his Finnish team is going to be playing in the KHL. Just his team.
- tomcat24

It´s year after.

It´s year after.
- MjulQvist

So I guess it won't affect TT then. I don't know if it would be better to be playing KHL teams or not. Travel would suck, though.

So I guess it won't affect TT then. I don't know if it would be better to be playing KHL teams or not. Travel would suck, though.
- tomcat24

The teams in the KHL log some miles, that's for sure.

http://www.ontheforecheck...-travel-miles-vladivostok

There is a rumour the Leafs have Cody Franson on the market. He is very good on the powerplay both moving the puck and getting shots through traffic on the net. He skates pretty well, is solid defensively, passes the puck well and is huge. The down side is he isn't very physical which some fans can't deal with when the player is so big. He'd improve the hawks powerplay.

There is a rumour the Leafs have Cody Franson on the market. He is very good on the powerplay both moving the puck and getting shots through traffic on the net. He skates pretty well, is solid defensively, passes the puck well and is huge. The down side is he isn't very physical which some fans can't deal with when the player is so big. He'd improve the hawks powerplay.
- paulr

He probably improves their Power Play, but not their cap situation.