Steven Stamkos
Now that we're in the TRUE off-season (in which nothing usually happens until September) I came across a little rumor not started by Eklund that raised an eyebrow, so I decided to pass it on. Keep in mind, I don't even know the people personally who brought this up so it's definitely peculation as of right now, but still interesting to say the least. It involves the Leafs, Lightning and Blues.
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For the second year in a row, Team Canada fell 2-1 to the Russians in yesterday's gold medal game at the 2009 World Hockey Championships in Switzerland. Ilya Bryzgalov made 37 saves and the Russian defense managed for the most part to keep a prolific Canadian offense in check. [more…]
I've read a lot of comments and feedback on everyone's take for this pick but this is what has been making the rounds in the rumor mill - yes, rumors are still circulating through the playoffs. Keep in mind that this is pure speculation and isn't exactly a mainstream rumor, but it is interesting and perhaps logical.
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There's the notion that signing Christian Hanson and Tyler Bozak and other College Free Agents allows the Buds to trade off other picks, perhaps even to move up in the draft.
The justification is having signed these free agent Collegians fills roster spots allowing them to maneuver around the draft, possibly even moving up to land a Hedman or Tavares at the number one or two spot.
(My take is forgetting either of them and draft Brampton Battalion forward, Matt Duchene, but that’s a blog for another day.)
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With Files from Gil Brown
Brian Burke doesn't take credit for the Maple Leafs drafting Luke Schenn 5th overall in 2008, but he's sure glad they did. Under different circumstances, which we'll get into over a series of posts, Burke's Ducks would have been in the mix for the Saskatoon native at the 2008 draft.
Fortune shined on the blue and white allowing them to trade up to 5th overall pick. There was an associated cost from their original seventh spot, but the end result is a potential future Maple Leafs captain of the Scott Stevens mold.
Unbelievable as it seems; perhaps, even laughable, Schenn, could have been wearing Ducks colors.
The story doesn't begin in Anaheim, however. It starts in Edmonton.
It's Draft Day 2009. Your Brian Burke. It's the First Round and it is just announced that you are now on the clock.
Tavares, Hedman, Kane, MSP, Duchene, Cowen, Kadri have all been selected. The name Brayden Schenn is still up there and is who you plan on selecting, when all the sudden the phone rings....
The league has announced a 3 game suspension for Maple Leafs rookie Mikhail Grabovski after the “abuse of an official†during last night’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens. The game got heated, and former Canadien, Grabovski, tried to go after the encouraging Sergei Kostitsyn, but were both held by the officials – Grabovski was pinned to the ice. The “intervention†(which no one ever likes) caused both to become quite upset and, ultimately, Grabovski got up off the ice, used some choice words (which are assumed to have translated into English as “I don’t like your faceâ€) then bumped into the official who pinned him and used the same words on the linesman. Near the end of Grabovski’s speech, he kicked ice at the official (oooo) and skated off the ice giving the audience a double peace-sign – very political.
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