Not bad this year. We’re at the “official” half-way point in the season with the All-Star break. My Flyers now have five more victories than they had the entire season last year! They’re also tied for first in the Atlantic with the New Jersey Devils and have a decent spot in the Playoffs (#2), if they were held tomorrow. Still, the Atlantic Division is tight as ever (only five points separate the champs from the chumps). They’ve certainly held up under pressure, or their opposition can’t maintain their momentum.
Same goes for San Jose in the Pacific as they keep bouncing around against Anaheim and Dallas. Roenick is still helping out. Suck it Burnside and Melrose!
In other news, VS signed a new contract for three years with the NHL. I’m not super thrilled but it seems ESPN is never going to come around so maybe this could be the beginning of a new valuable Monopoly piece for the crooks running Comcast. Definitely tugs at my two loyalties: Media Reform and getting the NHL back to a wider audience. However, what puzzles me is this: There’s an NFL network? There will be a MLB network in the near future. The NHL network does exist in Canada, a country with 10 percent of the USA’s population, why isn’t it carried by the major American providers?
Fingers crossed on the upcoming trade deadline. Rumors abound on the Maple Leafs letting Sundin go, finally let him get his name on the Cup because they’re out of the running…again. Jagr’s name comes up yet I’m skeptical on this; the Rangers still have a decent shot to be in the playoffs, even if it’s a lower seed. Poor Nagy, the forward Phoenix bailed on to save money may get tossed off the sinking LA Kings ship. I wonder if Philly can reach a deal to regain Michal Handzus from the Kings, I miss his grit. The one my friend Brian and I aren’t happy about is Peter Forsberg returning to the NHL…wearing a Red Wings jersey. I certainly don’t want the Swedish Eric Lindros back in Philly. I think the feeling is mutual for Brian regarding his team. The center will cost a bundle, he’ll take away a decent roster position and then he’ll be “injured” half the time. Our fingers are crossed he returns to the Avs, aka Quebecarado to Brian. I think it would be even funnier if he’s caught in some contractual loophole forcing him to play for the Nashville Predators.