With David on the road, I’m pinch-hitting tonight. Here are tonight’s most interesting stories:
- Here is the latest on the Leafs’ ownership changes from the Globe & Mail. All I know is that anybody who owns a portion of the Maple Leafs knows they are making a boatload of money each season. Owning the Leafs is the surest bet to making money in the National Hockey League.
- The defenseman on Atlanta who has played the most games as a Thrasher is none other than Tobias Enstrom. Well, it’s not like the team’s defense has been anything to write home about over the years, so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
- Don’t count out Team USA in Vancouver, writes Kevin Allen of USA Today. Hockey isn’t like other sports, there are six legitimate teams (Sweden, Finland, USA, Czech Republic, Canada and Russia) that can win this tournament. Certainly some are better than others, but it isn’t a huge gap.
- Versus versus DirecTV is the next off-ice battle for hockey fans to follow. I assume hockey fans are just plain sick of these off-ice issues.
- Die By The Blade isn’t panicking about Drew Stafford not being signed by the Sabres as of yet. Exactly right. While Sabres fans would rather this deal be done, training camp has not even started yet. The Sabres will get him signed in time for the season.
- Eugene Melnyk doesn’t like Jim Balsillie and if you don’t believe me, read this open letter. Does Balsillie ever have a chance of owning an NHL team?
- Dany Heatley is slated to speak to the media on Friday. I wonder what he his lawyer has in store for us.