As Kobe is to Joe “Jellybean” Bryant?

Posted by shanetx on 07/14/09 at 04:25 PM ET

I decided to wiki Joe Jellybean Bryant:
“Bryant spent the 2007-08 season coaching the Tokyo Apache in Japan’s professional basketball league the Japanese BJ League”

hmm, im not exactly sure what that is, but perhaps they should hire Bettman to be their commisioner. I imagine he’d be able to lend a rather intimate knowledge of the league’s workings.

zing.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Nyc by way of A2 on 07/14/09 at 06:01 PM ET

Lets just say Hossa is a curse, he was a curse to us, now hes messin up the hawks future with his contract, cant wait to watch’em crumble!!

LETS GO DETROIT!!!

Posted by zettersyuk4 on 07/14/09 at 11:58 PM ET

When Ozzy had a bad season, and everyone, I mean EVERYONE, including you Chief, had your doubts about his upcoming play in the playoffs, I never did.

I don’t think you want to include me in that EVERYONE catagory. I am the gigantic Osgood supporter bar none. The term Silver Lining comes to mind and, yes, I do wear my Ozzie on my sleeve for everyone to see.

As far as Howard goes I just do not like him.I don’t know if he can carry the weight.  I don’t know why but, that is only an opinion so who cares. I will trust in Tick-Tock and let the chips fall where they may.

Just once in my lifetime I’d like to see a total, complete,spectacular, franchise, goaltender come up from within the ranks. The kind of goaltender that you could throw a handful of rice at but, not one grain would get by him. Ala’ Terry Sawchuk.

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 07/15/09 at 07:13 AM ET

Sully, without, um…sullying…your good name, I have to agree with Kate here—even since before last year’s Cup run, she was the most vocal supporter of Ozzie on here, even when that support was unpopular and going against the gigantic, nearly overwhelming current of opinion here and pretty much everywhere from the press to the talking heads on sports television to the internet to our own little corner here on A2Y…her faith in Ozzie never wavered and she never let us forget her unshakeable belief that he would step up.  The Cup was vindication, these playoffs just past further reason to be smug.  When we all doubted he could change that .898 save percentage and turn it around in the playoffs, she was the sole voice that said, not softly, but loudly and to all, “SHUT THE F*CK UP…”  A sentiment echoed by all on the team, but loudest of all by Ozzie, this past postseason.

She’s The Conscience of A2Y, boys.  Don’t you forget it.

And Kate, while I reserve my judgment on Howard (I don’t think he’ll be a homegrown genius that dominates and steals games, but I think he could be the steady consistent netminder that this kind of team needs), developing those outrageously spectacular highlight-reel goalies is something this franchise has never been good at.  The last one, really, was Uke himself—after Sawchuk, there really was nothing.  Crozier might have been, but he was never quite the same after his bouts with cancer, and he was pretty worn down toward the end of his career.  We’ve never been good at developing goalies—it’s the Achilles heel of an otherwise superb development program.  I’m hoping McCollum can buck that trend, but he’s still at least two seasons from seriously challenging for a gig in the NHL.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/15/09 at 08:57 AM ET

Why does everyone pin their hopes on McCollum and value him so much?  Isn’t Daniel Larsson a better bet, at this point?

Posted by shanetx on 07/15/09 at 01:42 PM ET

Isn’t Daniel Larsson a better bet, at this point?
Posted by shanetx on 07/15/09 at 02:42 PM ET

I keep telling you guys that he did make the AHL All-Star Game this year (yeah I actually watched it on TV).  And he looked solid the times I went and watched him play in Grand Rapids.  I’d like to see him get a few looks this year with the big club.  If McGollum(!) is ready for the Griffs, then I say we go for it.  Ozzie/Jimmy in DET and Larsson/McCollum in GR.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/15/09 at 02:06 PM ET

We’ve never been good at developing goalies—it’s the Achilles heel of an otherwise superb development program.

First thanks for the kind words Andrew. Second,that pretty much sums it up. I have seen so many goalies play for the Wings and it has never worked out.
I’m just happy that Osgood is on a mission. As long as he feels he has something to prove to himself and the guys in the locker room, I think he is up for another Cup run.

I guess it’s sink or swim time for Howard and I will trust Tick-Tock on that call. If he let Conks go he had his reasons. We’ll see. Anything can happen in training camp.

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 07/15/09 at 02:15 PM ET

C’mon, guys.  Let’s give Justin Pearce a shot, too.

Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 07/15/09 at 03:10 PM ET

Er…

*Justin = Jordan

Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 07/15/09 at 03:11 PM ET

Shane, I’m not pinning my hopes on McCollum—just hoping that he can turn out to be a pretty good franchise goalie for a franchise that has difficulty with goalies.  I don’t think him to be or want him to be the Great White Hope—just a solid goalie that can keep our crease clean for a decade or so.  We really haven’t had anything like that for my entire lifetime, and longer than that.  My father, who saw Terry Sawchuk take pucks to his unprotected face many moons ago, agrees.  The position of goaltender has been a revolving door for the Wings.  Is it too much to ask for some stability there?

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/15/09 at 03:40 PM ET

So here it is, 19.  I’ve been doing way too much reading up on our draftees this year, and I have a proposition for you all.  Our seventh-round pick, second to last overall of the draft, is a guy named Adam Almqvist.  He’s a defenseman with little ability to defend because of his size and stature, or lack thereof.  He’s way undersized for a defenseman (5’10’‘, 169 lbs.).  Here’s what I’m thinking…Defenseman-turned-forward?

Bear with me.  We picked him because of his hockey sense.  Hakan Andersson himself says it’s as good as he’s seen in years.  Get a snootful of his strengths, via the best resource online for Wings prospect, RedWingsCentral:

“Off-the-charts hockey sense, which Hakan Andersson calls ‘as good as I’ve seen in years’ ... Blessed with natural hockey gifts starting with a sensational mind and the hands to match it ... Outstanding on the power play, with a hard point shot and terrific vision ... Makes crisp, fast, tape-to-tape breakout passes and leads the breakout ... Makes smart decisions ... Not afraid to take a hit.”

Talk about skill…I’m salivating, yeah.  He’s got all the things you’d want in a skilled offensive forward.  He’s undersized for a defenseman, but not too bad for a forward.  To make a good forward, he’d have to work on his skating and get a bit more size (though not as much as if he were to stay a blueliner), and maybe learn a bit about faceoffs.  That’s not a big ask.  He’d have the defensive awareness we want in our forwards.  And defensemen playing swingman usually have an easier time of it than vice-versa, as they’re not as raw on offense as forwards often are on the play of defensemen.  Besides, do I really need to remind anyone what happened to the last final-round pick of ours who switched positions at a certain scout’s behest in Sweden’s lower leagues after being drafted?  (Incidentally, I hear he’s spending his summer wrestling grizzly bears in Montana for fun & profit.)

Come on Hakan, get on it.

What does the rest of The 19 think?

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/15/09 at 03:53 PM ET

What does the rest of The 19 think?

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/15/09 at 04:53 PM ET

Since the last guy has some years to develop, you’re talking about Lidstrom and Rafalski not being on our blue line by the time he’s ready to step up and play for us.  By then, Ericsson and Kronwall should be our top defensive line.  Stuart and Kindl will hopefully be our second pair and, if everything else remains unchanged (ha!), he could be ready for a season on the third pairing. The size issue may be big enough to warrant a move up front, but guys with unbelievable hockey sense like he supposedly possesses always find ways to overcome little things like size disadvantages.  I wouldn’t mind him converting to forward, but I prefer to build a team blueliners first and I think we’ll have a greater need for them four years down the line.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/15/09 at 04:42 PM ET

I’m certainly intrigued, Andrew!

No offense meant on the McCollum thing- I just see him and Howard talked about a lot more than Larsson, who isn’t mentioned much at all.  Howard, obviously, has been “the dude in the system” for a while so it’s understandable.  I saw him play a start in Dallas during the 07-08 season and he was pretty good then, looked like he had the tools but not the brashness, which hopefully will come later.

McCollum, though, hasn’t really came across as being mentally right for the position.  He’s struck me as being a bit immature and soft, emotionally, and that’s probably not the best set of traits for a goalkeeper.  I think he’s young enough there’s a very good chance these traits are gone before he gets a sniff of the ice at the JLA, though, so there’s hope.

Larsson, on the other hand, seems like a guy that’s probably going to be ready by the end of this season.  He’s played well at a higher level of hockey than Howard and has been compared favorably to Henrik Lundqvist in terms of where he is at developmentally at the same age.  That fills me with a lot more hope than Howard, to be sure.  My gut says he’ll be ready 2-3 years sooner than Howard, and has every bit as much potential with fewer red flags.

Posted by shanetx on 07/15/09 at 04:44 PM ET

The more I think about Almqvist, the more I hope he spends this year with HV71 as planned and gets over to GR next year about 15 pounds heavier.  If he’s going to stay on defense it’d be pretty amazing to have him near enough he can watch every single shift Rafalski and Lidstrom take in the twilight of their careers since the knocks on him are size and ease of being physically overwhelmed.  Rafalski is probably the poster child for how to do it without height, and Lidstrom is the master of using smarts to defuse physical play.

For that matter, just sit the kid down and make him watch tapes of Lidstrom/Murphy shutting down Lindross in 97 over and over and over again.

Posted by shanetx on 07/15/09 at 04:49 PM ET

I don’t think him to be or want him to be the Great White Hope—just a solid goalie that can keep our crease clean for a decade or so.

It is plain foolish to pin your hopes on a young goalie.
In the Crease, the difference between AAA and the NHL is monumental.
The Wings failure in the past, developing netminders has been that same foolish move.
Anyone notice Price.  Montreal bet the farm on him….and they are still waiting.
He is one of the most talented youngsters to come along in a long time, and still
not ready for primetime.  Kenny is right, waiting for his youngsters to ripen.

Howard on the other hand is like a banana that was green on Tuesday, but black on Wednesday.

I have been wrong before, and it would be nice if I was wrong about this…
But,
You don’t get this old without lernin’ sumpin’ about sumpin’.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 07/15/09 at 05:14 PM ET

WTF is the NHL doing to us on the weekend games with this new schedule?  And lord, I wish I could be there opening night at the Joe.  I’ll settle for Ken Daniels saying “LOOKOUT!” when Hossa skates across center and forgets 55 in Red doesn’t have anything nice to say.  Furthermore, think Kopecky’s face will be reconstructed by then?

Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 07/15/09 at 06:25 PM ET

So…I just got the license tag renewal form today for my North Carolina “12Cups” vanity plate that I have on my old pickup.

You know, the “just in case, since we just won the Cup and signed Hossa” plate I bought last summer…... I already renewed the “11Cups” plate that is on my daily ride.

Damn thing is $60. That would help cover my yearly membership dues for Mensa.

Given our post season developments, should I keep it or let it go, and attempt to buy it back later?

Posted by dougie on 07/15/09 at 06:46 PM ET

Damn thing is $60. That would help cover my yearly membership dues for Mensa.

Given our post season developments, should I keep it or let it go, and attempt to buy it back later?

The mensa costs are superfluous, A2Y doesn’t charge.  The 19 is just as awesome, right?  Anyway, that damn 12 CUPS plate sounds like a curse.  It’s like when an athlete guarantees a win.  I am not a fan of that.

Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 07/15/09 at 08:00 PM ET

No offense meant on the McCollum thing

No offense taken, Shane.  Larsson is impressive, and since you brought it up, mentally it appears he’s light-years ahead of McCollum.  He’s got something of an advantage being one of those northern Swedes that are so far north they’re practically Finnish, rather than a hotheaded upstate New Yorker (heh).  Seriously though, one of his greatest strengths supposedly is his unflappability, and that bodes well.  George says his rebound control is unbelievable, and he has multiple seasons in the Elitserien under his belt (plus a Honken Trophy), so he’s got great experience.  He looks very good.  My only issues are that he eventually lost the starter’s job in GR to Howard, and will have stiff competition for the job this year in McCollum.  Further, I worry about his conditioning—not athletic conditioning, but ability to withstand a long season as the starting goalie.  He’s had trouble with dehydration and fatigue before, and with a long NHL season, that’s not the best to see.  Still, he’s got at least another year to get used to it, and speaking realistically, I expect he’ll be the starter for the Griffs this year.

It is plain foolish to pin your hopes on a young goalie.

Well, thanks Gramps, I guess I’m an idiot.  Just answer me this: Just how foolish is it to be so set in your old ways that you’re blinded to what people actually say, and reading what you think they’re saying?

Where exactly did I say I was pinning my hopes on McCollum (or Howard, for that matter)?  What I AM saying is that unlike a lot of you, I’m not judging anyone until I have a chance to see them play consistently in the NHL.  If Howard or McCollum suck, then we’ll have to look elsewhere.  Ken Holland has made that clear.  And if they do, well, I’ll be despairing with the rest of you, demanding a solution.  BUT…If either of them are the steady consistent goalie that we need to come from our own system sooner or later, then a lot of you will be looking back at your snap judgments, wondering who exactly was being foolish.

That’s what withholding judgment is all about.  It’s not about betting the farm or gambling anything, or ‘foolishly’ pinning your hopes.  It’s about hoping that at some point one of them, or someone else in the system, be that Larsson or Pearce, can stop the parade of different goalie masks on the team.

I hope he spends this year with HV71 as planned

I was under the impression he was going to spend the majority of the season in the Allsvenskan with maybe a few looks at the SEL?  If he can play the whole season in the Elitserien, that’d be great and count toward first-rate development.  It’d be even greater if he could develop physically and put on about fifteen to twenty pounds and two inches, but I’m not counting on that.  Physical strength and size is such a crapshoot, but in Almqvist’s case, it’s his biggest hurdle to overcome, which is unfortunate (but also the reason we were able to pick him up in the last round).

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/16/09 at 02:22 AM ET

One last, overlooked by me but fairly important, point about Almqvist, especially if we think he’ll stay at his current position on defense—with no IIHF transfer agreement between the NHL/AHL and the Swedish federation, we have all the time in the world to watch him develop.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/16/09 at 04:46 AM ET

Scotty Nichol signed with San Jose, so if he’s still on anybody’s list, now would be a good time to scratch him off. 

Not sure how much impact he’ll have, but seeing the Sharks sign character guys makes me a bit nervous.  One of these years, my preseason prediction that they’ll overcome their playoff choker label will come true.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/16/09 at 08:16 AM ET

Not sure how much impact he’ll have, but seeing the Sharks sign character guys makes me a bit nervous.

Ditto

I lost a little sleep over Koivu going to Anaheim, too.

It is almost like those teams are trying to get on Versus.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 07/16/09 at 08:24 AM ET

So I was browsing the FA list. 

Anybody know anything about Ville Peltonen beyond what’s in his stats? FA made $1.1M last year, 30 point kinda guy, with 15-16 minutes for FLA. Problem is, he’s 36 and only played 382 games in the NHL scattered over 8 seasons.

Just tossin a name out there. And how cool would it be to have 2 eVille players?

And hey, if Howard/Larsson/McCollum don’t work out, Cujo is still available.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 07/16/09 at 08:36 AM ET

Eh.  If Roenick, Rob Blake, Brad Lukowich, and yeah, even F*ckface LePuke…sigh…didn’t provide enough character to avoid a first-round exit, I don’t think Scott Nichol will help them.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/16/09 at 08:44 AM ET

yeah rumor had it Eddie the Eagle was working out in hopes of a return to the nhl.  We could get him.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Nyc by way of A2 on 07/16/09 at 09:35 AM ET

F*ckface LePuke

He re-retired last week me thinks Andrew….

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 07/16/09 at 10:34 AM ET

Hell, who’s in favor of Dominator IV: Ritch’s Revenge?  Show of hands, please.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/16/09 at 10:35 AM ET

He re-retired last week me thinks Andrew….

Off to the glue factory with him then.

So they replaced the character of one douchebag with another.  Doesn’t matter.  If they couldn’t get it done with the heart they had in the room last year, Nichol isn’t going to help them, because it would take a lionheart the size of The Captain to make them into contenders instead of pretenders.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/16/09 at 10:39 AM ET

Happy may not be gone just yet. The KHL is awaiting the arbitration results before it registers Happy’s contract. Story on the KK frontpage

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/khl_responds_to_hudler_situation/

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Warm and sunny SoCal on 07/16/09 at 02:35 PM ET

Yeesh.  Maybe he should give Kenny a kiss—I hear that’s the thing to do when you’re jerking someone.

If I wanted smoke blown up my ass, I’d be at home with a pack of cigarettes and a short length of hose.  Thanks, Medvedev.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/16/09 at 04:05 PM ET

If I wanted smoke blown up my ass, I’d be at home with a pack of cigarettes and a short length of hose.

I hope you’re going to the Valley Vista Try ‘N Save, cuz you don’t wanna come to my store.  Cat feesh?

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/16/09 at 06:41 PM ET

Anybody see the Kopy / Hoss presser todady? Stan Bowman’s comments prove that there is no team in the league more hung up about the Greatest Team In Sports than the Blackhawks. Holy hell is it fun watching them implode.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from The Winged Wheel, stuck in Chicago on 07/16/09 at 10:30 PM ET

Anybody see the Kopy / Hoss presser todady? Stan Bowman’s comments prove that there is no team in the league more hung up about the Greatest Team In Sports than the Blackhawks. Holy hell is it fun watching them implode.

Posted by CaptNorris5 on 07/16/09 at 11:30 PM ET

Do you have a linky for that?  I want to watch the dumbdom unfold.

Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 07/17/09 at 01:41 AM ET

This is a monumental day for me, b!tches.  This comment here marks number 1,000 total for this guy on the 1 year anniversary of my official membership on Kukla’s Korner.

Thanks for one hellacious year, 19.  You guys are all nuts, but so I am I…that’s why we all get along (most of the time).

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/17/09 at 06:16 AM ET

Congratulations on your 1000th comment/1yr anniversary!

This is my .. uh… 549th comment. Anniversary date was months ago, though.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 07/17/09 at 08:49 AM ET

Happy may not be gone just yet. The KHL is awaiting the arbitration results before it registers Happy’s contract. Story on the KK frontpage

Yeah after reading that article and a few others on the “gentleman’s agreement” between the two leagues I think hudler may be staying IF the wings accept the aribitors deal, or if the arbitor rules in favor huds.  I believe hudler wants 4 mil and the wings case was for 3. So i think if the ruling is for anything less than 4 mill, we’ll take it.  That said there are two fairly big factors. One, would we want to keep hudler if he doesnt want to be here. I mean,  that doesnt seem like a way to good team chemistry.  And more importantly, I don’t trust for a second anything the KHL says.  I really don’t believe them when they say they’ll respect anyone’s decision and not try to poach players.  Shadiest league ever.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Nyc by way of A2 on 07/17/09 at 08:51 AM ET

One, would we want to keep hudler if he doesnt want to be here.

He always has the option to sign the contract.  If Holland knows he doesn’t want to play here (even though he said he didn’t want to play for any other NHL club), then we’ll let him walk into unrestricted free agency and he heads to Dynamo.  In the end we MAY lose Hudler, but we HAVE lost valuable time to get other things done while being handcuffed by this situation. Thanks Gary.Ass.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/17/09 at 09:16 AM ET

Link to Kopy / Hossa Presser

Sorry that took me a bit. Should have included it above. It’s interesting to watch how a team that is not used to winning (at all) reacts to potentially good news. I like all of the open comments that hawks management has said regarding having a one year window to go for the cup. That and to see people going apeshit over Kopecky… that’s just strange. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good role player (most of the time), but he’s certainly not the marquis superstar that the buffoons in the United Center are making him out to be. Also intriguing is how much Stan Bowman et al. talks about US at the press conference on why THEY are going to be the best in the league… just amusing.

...is it October yet?

Posted by CaptNorris5 from The Winged Wheel, stuck in Chicago on 07/17/09 at 09:24 AM ET

“It’s great to be in a hockey town,” said Hossa, who had 40 goals and 31 assists for the Wings last season. “This is a sports town, a great town. The city is great and the fans are great. There’s not much not to like about this city.

“Chicago is a young, enthusiastic team with lots of energy and ... we’re going to be going slowly step-by-step up the hill. We believe we can reach our goal.”

Marian Hossa’s comments from the presser yesterday. I knew he was a one year mercenary when he joined us last year. I guess I should have realized when he made his comments back then that he never met a fire that he didn’t want to throw gasoline on.

I did not begrudge him moving on. I did not begrudge him for moving on for more money. I did not begrudge him moving on to the Chickenhawks. I wished him well. But the hate is on now.

On opening night, I want to see Hossa meet Nick Jr…..

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Warm and sunny SoCal on 07/17/09 at 11:03 AM ET

to see people going apeshit over Kopecky… that’s just strange. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good role player (most of the time), but he’s certainly not the marquis superstar that the buffoons in the United Center are making him out to be.

My friends in Chicago are nervous about 12 years for Hossa.  They said that the only definite upside to getting Hossa and Kopecky is that they took them away from Detroit. That is why they are going apeshit over him.  They are like little kids who just took their friend’s cool toy, only to find out later that it isn’t really all that great.

March 7 is circled in red on the calendar as our family rivalry game.  Wings better bring their A game because if they lose in Chicago while I am there, it will get ugly. G-d, I hate the Hawks.

Posted by Aimee in Austin on 07/17/09 at 11:23 AM ET

I did not begrudge him moving on. I did not begrudge him for moving on for more money. I did not begrudge him moving on to the Chickenhawks. I wished him well. But the hate is on now.

Right there with ya, Cap’n. On Monday I happened to walk past the Hawks gift store on Michigan Avenue and threw up in my mouth a little when I saw the #81 sweater in the window. I’m still too much of a fan of Hoss to hate him as an individual. But the Hawks as a team and their fans? Nothing would make me happier than seeing their dreams crushed by the Winged Wheel yet again. If Kronner and Stuie do some of that crushing, all the better.

Posted by Bella on 07/17/09 at 11:43 AM ET

I did not begrudge him moving on. I did not begrudge him for moving on for more money. I did not begrudge him moving on to the Chickenhawks. I wished him well. But the hate is on now.

On opening night, I want to see Hossa meet Nick Jr…..

http://animaldrew.blogspot.com/2009/07/and-on-menu-for-home-opener-hate.html

I’m with you, in fact I was already there a few days ago.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/17/09 at 11:52 AM ET

Sounds like there’s a healthy amount of the 19 displaced to Chicago. I’m thinking maybe we try and wrangle up a table at the Tin Lizzie for the JLA home opener v Chicago. Lord knows we can walk all up and down the streets in Wings apparel with no trouble whatsoever from the “great fans” of this “hockey town.” Jokes are funny.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from The Winged Wheel, stuck in Chicago on 07/17/09 at 11:59 AM ET

Sup peoples. Nothing of note to say except “hi.” So, umm, yea the off season sucks except for the beautiful weather.

Posted by Osrt on 07/17/09 at 12:07 PM ET

I’m with you, in fact I was already there a few days ago.

Many of the 19 have been there since Hossa signed with Chicago. I didn’t start to hate him until he opened up his pie hole yesterday. I may be late to the party, but the hate is on now.

Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Warm and sunny SoCal on 07/17/09 at 12:16 PM ET

Lord knows we can walk all up and down the streets in Wings apparel with no trouble whatsoever from the “great fans” of this “hockey town.” Jokes are funny.
Posted by CaptNorris5 on 07/17/09 at 12:59 PM ET

I scoffed at the Western Conference Championship apparrel that I’ve seen (too upset about losing in the SCF), but to wear Conference Championship gear in Chicago (or at the home opener)  might actually be worth the purchase.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/17/09 at 12:18 PM ET

And more importantly, I don’t trust for a second anything the KHL says.  I really don’t believe them when they say they’ll respect anyone’s decision and not try to poach players.  Shadiest league ever.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Ann Arbor

The last time I read anything about the KHL—several months ago, I believe—they seemed to be in pretty dire shape. And given their ambition to become one of, if not the, foremost hockey league in the world, I fully expect them to play hardball and to grab what they can whenever possible and worry about the IIHF’s reaction later.

I wonder what the league would do if (if) it turned out that the salary cap held steady or fell, to the point where it jeopardized teams’ ability to prevent talent from signing abroad. There have already been isolated cases where it’s happened—certainly, I have to think Hudler (to say nothing of Hossa) would still be a Wing if not for the cap. Jagr would probably still be in North America and possibly Radulov as well.

Posted by Bio on 07/17/09 at 12:18 PM ET

Happy may not be gone just yet. The KHL is awaiting the arbitration results before it registers Happy’s contract.

It’s the song that never ends,
It goes on and on my friends.

Is it freaking October yet?

Posted by Aphaea from Pennsylvania on 07/17/09 at 12:31 PM ET

Frigate.  By this time next weekend, I’ll be fishing with my father-in-law and cooking the completely un-Irish (but completely Irish-American) dish of corned beef & cabbage for my sister, and trying to avoid the toe-chewing ways of my in-laws’ ten week-old kittens and the stealthy tongue of their rescued greyhound.  Whatever incendiary things soft-as-butter Hossa, lazy Kopecky, or hardcore fans of the Chickenhawks who were in Bulls country four years ago, have to say can wait until I get back.  Good luck adjusting to the Western Conference buddy (as you said it was so different to the East), ‘cuz you’re going to be there a long long time.

(Unless, of course, the Hawks signed him just to trade him next summer for a big mess of prospects and picks so they can re-sign their prize RFAs, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/17/09 at 01:32 PM ET