FUNHL News and Notes

- The Leafs deal Steen and Colaiocovo to the Blues for Stempniak. Whoopee Ding Dong.

Three years ago the Leafs bailed on a deal for Chris Pronger because the GM (Ferguson) didn't want to include Steen in the deal.

My how times have changed.

Instead of dealing the useful third line center for an all-star defenseman they wait a few years and trade him for an undersized speed winger - it's Jason Blake, the sequel!

- There was an excellent analysis of how far the Senators have fallen in the Globe, here's the money quote;

"Chara, Redden, Havlat, Corvo, Eaves. For these players, the Senators have nothing to show today. No team so mismanaged can remain competitive. Coming up empty for these five, coupled with indifferent draft picks, plus those end-of-season Muckler trades, meant that past mistakes suddenly caught up with the Senators."

Couple this with the Bob Clarkeian way they have handled their goaltending situation and it's just a mess.

I don't see the solution being Steve Yzerman, but Muckler has probably run out of time.

- The Brian Burke watch is in full swing now, and I have to admit, he's probably the best guy for the job. If nothing else he and Wilson will have a field day with the rabid cool-aid drinking Leafs Nation reporters.

- Edge fans have probably noticed that Ovechkin seems to have gotten over his early season funk as he has averaged over 2ppg the last 11. Can a Thornton renaissance be far behind?

- No doubt that Finheads have noticed the corresponding decline in scoring by Alexander Semin.

- Last year Evgeni Nabokov and Sergei Gonchar played huge roles for the Severed Heads cup victory. Both were subsequently first round picks (to the Edge and Bladerunners respectively) and both have been almost total duds.

Which just goes to prove that past performance predicts future performance ...until it doesn't.

- For the record; Ty Conklin is making Heads mgt very, very angry. He sucks up all the 'easy' starts as the Red Wings backup ensuring that Osgood has both plenty of rest and the toughest competition. Hate isn't a strong enough word. Heads mgt thought for sure we were over this kind of drama with the departure of the Dominator for Czech pastures.

- Immediately following the 'year of the goaltender'; Nabokov, Luongo, Brodeur, inflated stats, etc., we see something of a market correction taking place. None of last years top three franchise netminders is currently in the top 10, and only Lundqvist of the FP goaltenders is having a followup season worthy of last years numbers.

So who is the 'new guard'? Tim Thomas, Nik Backstrom, Alex Auld and Erik Ersberg are currently producing WAY above normal numbers (actually Backstrom is probably not a surprise). All of which leads me to think another market correction is probably coming that will restore Luongo etc. back to their rightful place in the netminder firmament.

- In 2003 Calgary used the 9th pick to select Dion Phaneuf, and then in the 2nd round selected Swiss league defender Tim Ramholt (now since traded to Philly for bubble gum and a box of pucks). But what if we had grabbed this guy instead?

- 'O Brother, where art thou'? The Wolves picked both the Sedins to play key roles for them, and the Shadowmen drafted both the Kostitsyn boys for their squads. Neither team is enjoying the results all that much. The Shadowmen are in 8th and the Wolves are five points out of last place.

- The comparison of Johan Franzen to Thomas Holmstrom is apt. Both have identical point values so far this season. Also they are both so slow they couldn't beat each other in a foot race.

- Speaking of the Red Wings, Jiri Hudler has one of the best nicknames - 'The Hobbit'.

I for one, will always remember Hudler thusly, in which Phaneuf says 'hello' to the Hobbit;



Every year there are players who despite our advanced scouting systems nevertheless manage to slip through the fingers of crack GMs. Here are five rooks we blew it on this year;

Kris Versteeg-D Chi, leads all rookies in scoring!
Mikhal Grabovsky-L Tor, #3 in rookie scoring!
Janik Hansen-L Vcr
Oscar Moller-R LA
Nikolai Kulemin-L Tor

Grabovsky has the most upside in terms of talent(+ potential PIM as he is an irritating SOB on the ice). Of the five only Kulemin was on my list as a possible prospect draft candidate, while Moller had made the list as a deep, deep, deep long shot.

Unfortunately, Versteeg was nowhere in my scouting report.

- Last but not least, the trade rumours involving Marian Gaborik are everywhere. Personally, I like one of two options; to Pittsburgh for Whitney, picks and prospects, or to Vancouver for....?

The key problem is that unless you rework his contract upon arrival all you get is a rental.