Reason #7 – Free Agent Frenzy / Trade Deadline Day
The hockey season has its fair share of ups and downs, of thrilling moments that can happen at any given time. But there is no time more exciting and intriguing as a fan than noon on July 1 or the hours leading up to 5:00 on trade deadline day.
It’s at that point where we see the GMs go to work, where they are the most visible and most scrutinized. There are huge numbers thrown around and big names on the move. There are rumors and whispers and leads that never quite pan out – a veritable feast for the rumor-mongers (see Eklund, the Idiot Known As) and rumor-addicts alike. It is in the hours prior to these two specific dates that we hear the most insane, laughable things…some of which turn out to be true. (more…)
The next twenty-four hours should be quite interesting to watch, as we head into a free agent season rife with uncertainty and speculation – not just for the Caps but for every team in the league. With the salary cap rising to nearly $60 million, teams have a bit more leg room to not only lock up those big name free agents but also to steal those who could become vulnerable as restricted free agents. (more…)
Think the Lightning were unhappy with their dead last finish to the 07-08 season? The new ownership group that took the reins of the club mere weeks ago is wasting no time in making a splash and sending a message that last year was not okay.
It seems like we can’t go a day without hearing something new coming out of “Hockey Bay”. It all started with the drafting of unanimous #1 pick Steve Stamkos. Then it was the rumored and eventually confirmed hiring of Barry “the Mullet” Melrose to take over for fired coach John Tortorella. And lately GM Jay Feaster has been working overtime lately with contracts and signings and deals – and it’s not even July 1. (more…)
It’s getting awfully close to that terrifying July 1 and everyone’s going a little stir crazy, I’m sure. So what better way to relieve the stress and tension of the pending free agent frenzy than with a little frivolity?
Today’s diversion involves me taking some major risks with my “semi-serious blogger” cred…but I’m sorry, this just had to be done. After seeing the video over at Puck Daddy that claimed to have the 25 hottest hockey players – and yet included Evgeni Malkin and Brooks Orpik among them – I decided to tap into my inner fangirl and come up with my own ultimate list of the sexiest NHLers.
And none of this “top 25″ stuff…any red-blooded female (or sexually ambivalent male) knows that there are far more than just twenty-five delicious man types in the NHL and they all deserve to be showcased.
There are admittedly an abundance of current and former Caps in there, but let’s face it – this team is not hard on the eyes right now and there’s no shame in admitting that. There may also be a few selections in general that people will take issue with, so keep in mind that hotness or sexiness or whatever is in the eye of beholder. This video was a collaborative effort with a number of other fangirls who each had their own opinions about what constituted hot – just another reason why it’s not limited to 25.
Oh, and there may be some gentle ribbing directed at a few Penguins. Because it’s fun.
(By the way, boys, the first one to utter the word “puckbunny” gets a computer shoved somewhere not pretty…especially if you are among those who drool over Lisa Hillary or Carrie Milbanks on a daily basis. Understood?)
We’re still a few days away from what has become affectionately – or unaffectionately – known as the “silly season” in the NHL. When July 1 hits there’ll be a scramble for agents both restricted and unrestricted as teams try to build up their team next year through the most expensive method available. The hope is that they will uncover some hidden gem who, even at a high price tag, will eventually be seen as a bargain.
But does it seem to anyone else like a different type of silly season has already begun? It just feels as though a few teams have jumpstarted the crazy in the last few weeks, each attempting to look more foolish than the next before the first overpriced UFA even hits the streets. (more…)
The good people at the NHL Network followed Ovechkin around on June 12, the day now known as “Alex Ovechkin Day” here in the District, and got some great footage of our superstar as he makes the rounds – from a Capitals staff party in Arlington to his key ceremony on the steps of city hall to the second party of the day at swanky DC eatery Teatro Goldoni.
