Crusty around the edges

I miss hockey. This is getting bad. Yes, I know the Olympic camps are getting into gear and I know that training camps are right around the corner...

but these are the worst dog days.

Sad day in hockeyville

After 20 years of NHL service, Quoteless Joe is hangin' 'em up. Joe Sakic by all accounts was a really wonderful guy to be around and one hell of a player. He always reminded me of Steve Yzerman with his style and class. Joe, you'll be missed.

In other news, the Iowa Chops have been "involuntarily suspended for the 2009-10 season by the league’s Board of Governors, effective July 6, 2009." I find this more than odd. What will the players do? There isn't a lot of information out there regarding what actually happened other than by laws violations. Hmm...

Lot of signings lately - some don't make a lot of sense and some are just down funny. Pronger for 7 years with the Bullies? He'll fit in nicely. I think he just missed the orange. At least he managed to wear a tie (*coughCartercough*)

From the Puck Daddy files - in talking about NHL 10:

That said, the "after the whistle" function is pretty much the greatest thing to happen to video gaming since the invention of giant apes throwing barrels at Italian plumbers. Face washes, cheap shots, putting the puck on the goalie after the whistle ... so, Claude Lemieux Mode then?

* * *

Still no word on the Patrick Kane mouthpiece ripping feature. Maybe it's hidden ...

I love gamers with a sense of humor. Also watching PKane get his mouth guard swatted from his mouth will never get old.

I know we'll eventually get around to posting the free agent grades, but we probably should talk about them first right?

Until next time,
only a handful of weeks until Olympic training camps!

Happy Canuck Day!

It's the 1st of July and not only is it Free Agent day, but it's the national holiday of the country just to the north of us and home to many of our favorite hockey boys. So, since Lisa already posted about Free Agency, I thought I would post Boy of the Day and one of my very favorite pictures that has both of our very favorite boys as well as a third boy that is also very very popular here at the Puck Chuck.

In their Team Canada togs from what Getty says is the 1996 season are Stevie Yzerman, Trevor Linden and Ronnie Francis.

Free Agent Frenzie

July 1st brings us a holiday to the north and craziness in the league we love. Canada Day and The first day of unrestricted free agency.

The madness has already begun. The Phillies Flyers (bringin' sexy goonery back) went nuts and traded away (I think too much) to get Pronger (apparently his wife approved). Montreal picked up Scottie Gomez for Christopher "don't call me Chris" Higgins and Calgary made a big cannon ball splash with ChuckAPucker favorite Jay Bo. Who is next? [Edit by Amy: Hey Chica? It's the Flyers... Phillies don't have goonery, just a bi-polar bullpen that I feel the need to smack quite often this season. ;D]

Apparently, Dany Heatley isn't one of them. I still don't understand this whole fuster cluck of a situation. Heatley says he wants out but has a no trade clause. This isn't about the no trade clause. If a team is going to offer those, a player should be able to have that kick in. But when you say you want out because it's just been too hard to play for your team, then do you really have the say so to wave that no trade in the team's face? Also at issue is an apparent signing bonus of a nice chunk of change that goes into effect either today or tomorrow (funny, the AGENT isn't really sure when that kicks in). Is Heater holding off to get the payday? If so, not only is that really wormy, I hope there is some sort of karmic payback if he doesn't, say, oh I don't donate to some sort of fund for families of children who are killed by their 'best' friends in a stupid car accident.

In talking with Boss Man Joe, we both agree that if the Wings don't sign Hossa (which is entirely possible), they need to spend the money on a lunking defenseman. They are small on the blue line (Ericksson notwithstanding) and could use a good stay at home sort of guy. Like Rob Scuderi. Just saying. [Edit by Amy: Bite your tongue!]

Got my eye on a few other players today....hopefully it will end soon enough. If you don't hear from Amy for a few days, it's because she's in Mitten Land with me and Friend of the Chuckers, Lisa. Have bail money if we call. [Edit by Amy: Honest officer... we have no idea how that man got in the trunk. Yes, it is amazing how he folded up like that... but not really, he's a goalie. Wait... what?]

Until next time (when we'll probably have a run down of who went where)