There were several moves around the NHL this weekend. I don't really care a lick about pretty much all of them. But, it's June and I have a hockey blog - what the hell else am I going to do?
Sergei Samsonov traded to Blackhawks. Not all that earth-shattering, except that I've always liked Samsonov and feel he could rebound into a decent season. Not $3.5 million decent, but decent nonetheless. I did have to chuckle at the little dig TSN took at Bob Gainey when reporting on the trade: "It is the second time Gainey has succeeded in finding a taker for a player he signed to large contract and then didn't want." If you don't know who the first player was, you might want to check out the Avs bench this fall - he'll be the hot guy wearing the baseball cap.
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Senators fire John Muckler. To me, the Senators are the hockey version of the state of Iowa - I know they are there, but never think about them unless someone brings them up. Or, for example, if they make the Stanley Cup Finals. I don't know much about Muckler, except that when I've seen him interviewed my first, second and third thoughts usually are along the lines of "damn, that guy seems old." He's being replaced by Ottawa coach Andy Murray, who just won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks. Well, he won a Cup for the Ducks - he's the guy that built the team and made Brian Burke look like a good GM.
Bruins fire coach Hitler. I don't know anything about Dave Lewis' private life, but surely there is someone in his circle of friends who could sit him down and tell him that the 'stache just ain't happening. Dave, it's not coming back, and isn't coming back anytime soon. Oh, and while we are touching on the Bruins...man, what a disaster of a franchise they have going on there. I feel bad for Boston fans, I really do. They deserve way better than this, and, unfortunately, there aren't many signs of intelligent life in that front office. Maybe Bob Gainey should put the B's on speed dial.
Antti Laaksonen signs with Swiss team. Or maybe Sweden, I get them confused. In happier news, I have probably had to look up the correct spelling for Antti Laaksonen (those double T's get me confused) today for the last time.
Flyers land Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen. In what I think is a bit of a "Lamorielloish" move, the Flyers traded a first round pick to the Predators for the ability to negotiate with two choice free agents before the July 1st period beings. Amazingly, both signed just minutes after the trade, in what had to have been the fastest contract negotiations in history. Hartnell and Timonen get large, six-year contracts ($4.2 million for the former, $6.3 million for the latter). It's a lot of money, although just the first in what will likely be a boatload of overpriced signings this summer. And, if Hartnell and Timonen had waited just two more weeks, they probably would have gotten even more money. Enjoy the city of brotherly love, boys.