“I Might Just Be A Hockey Fan In California” is a feature that will be posted every Saturday here at the View From My Seats. There are plenty of things going on in the hockey world (and even the sports world); and you know everyone has an opinion. This is a place for some quick hits of the week that was.
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I might just be a hockey fan in California, but:
- How long before fans start freaking about about their favorite team trying to reach the salary floor? Let me share a little secret: if your concern is your team hitting the salary floor, there are bigger problems to think about than just acquiring that bad $5 million salary dump.
- Did anyone really need a health department inspection to tell you that a $5 hot dog at a sporting venue might not be ideal for your health?
- Last weekend, I had the pleasure of going to Las Vegas. I asked the sportsbook if I could bet on the chances of an NHL Lockout. He said they had to take it off the board because no one liked the 1/9 odds they were handing out.
- Who knew “Ponikarovsky” was Ukrainian for “Plan C?”
- I wonder if Kevin Bieksa paid someone to tear Sami Salo’s Achilles tendon.
- You know what would be fun? If someone handed Carey Price an offer sheet. You know, just so we could see some Habs fans try to talk themselves into Jose Theodore again.
- The Wild have lost both Derek Boogaard AND John Scott this year? Oh my God! What are they going to do about an enforcer?!
- When I pass away, I want everyone to wear their favorite team’s jersey to my funeral.
- Blake Wheeler wins $2.2m. Andrew Ladd agrees to a $2.35m contract. Clarke MacArthur wins $2.4m. Tell me what’s wrong with this picture.
- Can we just announce Bill Daly as the official owner of the Phoenix Coyotes and get it over with?
- It’s interesting to see that the Blackhawks were quick to sign former-Wild 1st round pick to a contract so quickly. The Wild were reportedly unhappy with his early development and included him in a trade for Cam Barker. Less than 5 months later, the Blackhawks have been wildly impressed with Leddy and signed him. So which organization has it right?
- What’s the bigger story? That Max Talbot called Ovechkin a douche? Or that he had the balls to actually say that to a group of reporters?
Has Kevin Bieksa been seen in Finland lately?
- Let me see if I have this right. The owners shoved through the CBA that they wanted when we went through the lockout. Now, we have the Stanley Cup champs claiming that, even though they won the Cup (and received all the extra playoff money), they lost a significant amount of money. So when there’s another lockout, will it be the players fault again?
- If you ever have any questions about the NHL schedule, I’m pretty sure that On The Forecheck would have the answer.
- I wonder if Michael Ryder has already picked out a place to live in Providence.
- With the news that Matt Greene is to miss 3-4 months, the Kings now currently have 3 NHL defensemen on their roster. Suddenly, Willie Mitchell’s history of concussions doesn’t seem like the worst thing in the world. Wait, what was I saying?
- Tarik El-Bashir’s is no longer the Caps beat writer for the Washington Post; so he can spend more time with his family. Our loss is his gain. Much respect to a man who has his priorities in line.
- Ownership issues. Collective Bargaining Agreements. Contracts and arbitration hearings. Why does it feel like you have to be an attorney to be a hockey fan in the off-season?
- Reason #87309 that I’m glad I’m a hockey fan: Albert Haynesworth isn’t a hockey player.
- Check out the Calgary Flames money situation. They didn’t make the playoffs last year, they re-signed a guy they vilified last year, AND forget adding players to their already weak forward lineup, they have to SHED salary. Ouch.
- What happens first: Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract gets sorted out or Mark Recchi starts growing hair again?
- Gary Bettman is a pompous little person that needs to be fired for the good of the game. (Ahh, back to normal)
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Click here for our archive of past editions of our “I Might Just Be A Hockey Fan In California” feature.
Matt Reitz
Matt Reitz is an NHL Writer for ProHockeyTalk on NBCSports and the Editor-In-Chief here at ViewFromMySeats.com. When he's not shoving a mic in the face of NHLers or explaining why home teams should wear white, he's usually trying to figure out what song to play next on his iPod. It's a never-ending job.
