I sided with the losing team again. Let’s just say for the second time in a row because I really didn’t have any vested interest either way with the Flames-Lightning Cup in 2004: one was a NASCAR team and the other played the clutch-n-grab game. The ESPN.com story will be posted any minute now about this being the lowest rated Stanley Cup in the US because Canada doesn’t count to them or any Americans. Barry “Captain Mullet” Melrose will pat himself on the back about how his prediction was right all along too. He can’t help it. He has ESPN’s California bias as they demonstrated in UT’s alleged upset over USC in the Rose Bowl. I suppose he considers Anaheim’s victory a proxy Cup for him as he coached the Kings over a decade ago and they couldn’t stop the Canadiens, the last Canadian team to win.
Now the whole season is officially over and I can get on with my life until training camp in the Fall. The draft is soon yet Philly didn’t get first pick despite being dreadful. I hope they land some defensemen and break with tradition by not going crazy in the upcoming Free Agency period. They ditched the disappointing Matt Ellison to Nashville. What a waste too. Patrick Sharp was traded to Chicago for this loser. Ellison played two games for the Flyers, did nothing and went on to be in the Phantoms. Meanwhile, Sharp appeared to be a regular for the Blackhawks. The better news was the shuffling of the assistant coaches, namely Joe Mullen joining the bench on the Flyers. Until Mike Modano, Mullen had the most goals (502) of all US-born players. Maybe he’ll prove to be better at coaching than Gretzky has been.
Other than the Flyers, the NHL has allegedly approved the sale of the Nashville Predators to Jim Balsillie of Blackberry fame yet he cannot move the team. Course the Predators have some expensive loopholes and this billionaire wants his own private franchise in Ontario pretty badly, his original intention with the Penguins.
The Islanders took it on the entire face with an $18 million buyout of Alexi Yashin. Maybe he’ll take the money and the hint and sulk back to Europe.
That’s it for a while. I’m sure many of you are probably relieved. I know I am. I’m treating this Cup result the same way I did with Revenge of the Sith, it’s over and I’m done with hockey (for now). Gary Bettman is driving a great sport into the crapper as badly as George Lucas did with a well-loved franchise.