All-purpose hockey thread...

I thought I heard somewhere that Malkin is already skating again and may only miss a game or two. But if they keep Staal up for nine games, I don't think he's getting sent back down if he lights it up like Wolski for the Avs last year. He will likely get as much ice time with the big club this year as he would in Wilkes Barre-Scranton.

 

And if he gets sent down to junior, they can't recall him or send him to the AHL until the end of the junior season.

 

While calling last Wednesday's Rangers pre-season game, Joe Micheletti said that it wasn't advisable for teams to send kids back to juniors because the kids get used to picking their spots when it comes to playing hard. He used Marc Staal as an example. Staal averaged 45 minutes a game last season for his junior team, and Micheletti suggested that Staal could pick-and-choose when to go all out and when not to.

 

Anyone have an idea where the Devils are salary cap wise? Dealing Vladimir Malakhov and a conditional first-round draft pick to San Jose will save the Devils $3.6 million according to AP, but what's next? Is Sergei Brylin a goner for sure? Gionta and others still ned to sign in time for their opener.

 

Canadian Press reports players have sued the union leaders. Ugh.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AvgHjgrtbJM5mNxuun3hdjV7vLYF?slug=cp-nhl_saskin_lawsuit&prov=cp&type=lgns

 

This is going to get very ugly.

 

Devs are now $4 million under the cap. Gionta, Martin, Hale and Clemmenson will all be signed in the next couple of days, and Brylin ain't going anywhere.. If Lou gets cap relief for Mogliny, watch out. He'll have plenty of room to maneuver come the trade deadline.

 

Big rumour I heard today is that the Oilers are trying to pry Martin away for MA Bergeron, Winchester and a second round pick. Apparently if it's going to happen, it's going to happen pretty quick.

 

Thanks for the update hockeybeat and Beef03.

 

I think Joe Micheletti overstated things somewhat when he said that Staal played 45 minutes a game. He was a stud, sure, but not that much of one.

 

Mr Beat,

Staal wouldn't have played 45 minutes a game if he were playing soccer in Peterboro last season. That announcer has never been to a junior game. Check the size of the hat he's talking thru.

If Jr is not the only real apprenticeship, it's still the best one. Another US guy without a freakin clue about jr hockey. Nothing needs to be added.

YHS, etc

 

Maybe they should make a movie out of this.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061002.wleafs03/BNStory/Sports/home

John Pohl, the 255th overall pick (9th round, fourth from last) in the '98 draft makes the final cut for the Maple Leafs.

But you figure, any team that holds on to Nik "Ichabod Crane" Antropov for all these years can make room for a career minor leaguer.

Nice things to say about Leafs coach Maurice:

Playing under [head coach] Paul Maurice with the [Toronto] Marlies [of the American Hockey League] last season was the best thing that happened to me. My game, and if you asked other guys like Brendan Bell, Bates Battaglia and Jay Harrison, they would agree that our games grew leaps and bounds because of [Maurice].”