Avalanche Weekly

Another week of the summer is gone. Here's a look at Avalanche-related stories from the last 7 days or so.

Joe Sakic continues to dominate the news the way he used to dominate on the ice. He got on one of them old-fangled radio thingies the other day and said stuff. His offseason intentions still aren't exactly clear. After listening, Terry Fri thinks Sakic's final decision is either due in weeks...or just really soon. Adrian Dater is pretty sure he's coming back. Shane's too polite to say so, but I think even his patience is wearing thin. I could go on - all the hockey sites started picking the DP's articles, but everything seems to be just variations of the above.

The second-hottest stuff is all the Mats Sundin baloney. Since Sundin once played for the Nordiques, the rumor du jour is that Sundin is just chomping at the bit to come to denver and reunite with Joe Sakic and Adam Foote. This one's been thrown out as a lazy "what if" by bloggers all summer long, which means at some point Eklund is going to hear about it. Sigh. I don't enjoy wasting my time debunking Eklund's lame rumors, so I'll leave this one to a Canuck blogger, Sean Zandberg. Tom Benjamin gives a nice take on the Sundin Saga as well, while Spector had a decent little article on Sakic, Sundin and Teemu Selanne the other day.

In a hurclean effort, Mile High Joe released not one but TWO Top Avalanche articles. #13 is...#13, Valeri Kamensky. And #12 is Sandis Ozolinsh. I've enjoyed reading these almost as much as I've enjoyed ribbing Joe for drawing them out ALL FUCKING SUMMER.

There was a bit of news in the prospect front. Jori reports that the under 20 Summer Camp has wrapped. The lone Avalanche there was Kevin Shattenkirk. Meanwhile, the Avs have signed Tom Fritsche and Nigel Williams. I don't profess to be an expert on the youngsters, but it sure seems like Williams has been generating a bit of buzz lately.

The Avalanche National TV schedule was announced today. I don't like the Vs games, because when there's an early game and a late game, the Avs end up getting joined in process. I was going to rant about it, but Shane beat me to it. Seriously, how hard would it be to move the Avs back a half hour? Is the midnight bullriding crowd (all 3 of them) going to be up in arms?

Cammi Granato never played for the Avalanche, but since her brother is the coach and her husband does color commentary for the Oilers, I guess it's pertinent that she's going to the Hall of Fame. Seriously, that's pretty cool. [EDIT: I guess Ray Ferraro is no longer doing color for Sportsnet]

Jibblescribbits has a great rant about the Avs' notorious Iron Curtain. Puck Daddy (does one put that on a business card?) tapped Dater to fix the mess we like to call the NHL.

The Burgundy and White game is September 22nd. Be there or be elsewhere.

Around the NW, the Oilers will be retiring the #9 of Glenn Anderson. And Black Dog Hates Skunks looks at the (surprisingly) nice job Kevin Lowe did this summer before getting promoted. Former Oiler (and Avalanche prospect) Jaret Stoll is engaged...to Rachel Hunter. If only hockey bloggers had the same pull with the ladies that hockey players do...

Yankee Canuck has started speculating on who will be the first new captain in Vancouver in 8 years. I voted for the current leader, Willie Mitchell.

I haven't had a chance to read all these yet, but Five Hole Fanatics has a series of write-ups on the Flames - all about new guys and guys with some questions marks. They also make a good argument against drafting goalies. Oh, and it looks like the Flames are in a bit of cap trouble. So, does that mean they can't sign Mats Sundin?

Have a good week, folks.