Good morning Leaf fans, some of you may know me from my blog bitter leaf fan, and some of you may know me for my legendary community work. I'm going to be your host here at PPP this morning.
I've just come back from two weeks traveling the west coast from Seattle to Tofino. Usually I return from my annual vacation refreshed, full of new insights, and ready to take on the world. But not this year.
I have no idea why, but I've come back from holidays feeling soft and out of game shape. To put things in a larger context - as I sit here typing this I'm actually contemplating ordering the shamwow.
That thing looks ridiculously good. And it's German...
My new found love for super-absorbent shammies aside, here's a quick look at the White Noise in Leafs Nation:
- Steve at Hockey Analysis provides some nice insight into the trio of UFAs signed by the Leafs
- Raking Leafs (welcome back Ninja!) puts up a post speculating on Sundin's future
- Down Goes Brown is not down with the Finger contract
- Over at Sports and the City, Navin posts his UFA wish list
- Former Little Lebowski Urban Achiever MF37 (hey, I know that guy!) offers his thoughts on the Leafs UFA signings (and unlike your other co-hosts here, likes what the Leafs have done).
- Cliff Fletcher tells Bill Watters that Bryan McCabe is not in the Leafs' plans for next year (and Watters responds with a powerful, insightful monosyllable: "Oh.")
- Working Class Howard chats with the Silver Fox and finds out the Leafs will be signing a D-man from Europe who hasn't played in the NHL yet and acquiring a centre via free-agency or trade. Anyone have any guesses as to who this might be?
- Adrian Dater of the Denver Post thinks the Jeff Finger signing is so crazy that it merits the rarely used "crazy-crazy" tag. Speaking of crazy, I'd like Dater to explain how a guy logs an average of 20 minutes a night gets "gassed" 20 seconds into a shift (other than by playing 60 shifts a game...)
- In the "write-your-own-punch line" category the Avalanche have signed Andrew "exploding glove" Raycroft to a one-year deal. I can only conclude they can't get Centre Ice TV, the Internet, radio or newspapers in Denver.
- Avalanche blog In the Cheap Seats gets input from Down Goes Brown on the Raycroft deal and DGB was very diplomatic.
- The Avalanche also signed Darcy Tucker to a two-year deal. No word yet on how feistiness, heart and agitation compare to god-awful GA60 and a declining ability to play at ES and PP.
- **UPDATE** Die Hard Blue and White puts the Finger deal into context by looking at some other zany UFA signings (and compares the Raycroft deal to rancid Salmon. I think he's being too kind as that Salmon was once a palatable option)