Hockey Rambling

How do you feel about all this outdoor hockey? My opinion - it's nice once a year. Maybe twice. Let's not saturate the idea. Myself, I'd like to go to one. But after going to one, I could care less. In fact, if I've been to an outdoor NHL game and I was offered a [...]

Sean Monahan has signed his ELC with the Flames. That must be the easiest contract to give in hockey. A first round pick? Okay, here's the max. Done. Makes me wonder why it takes three weeks sometimes, as it did here. Anyway, I have Monahan in my Fantasy Guide playing nine games. But he has [...]

The Oilers and Sam Gagner have avoided arbitration. He signed a three-year deal worth $14.4 million - and it has a no-move clause. * After careful thought and a lot of back and forth, I've settled on the following draft order in fantasy leagues (keeper) for the 2013 draftees: 1. MacKinnon 2. Drouin 3. Barkov [...]

*   The hockey news isn't exactly pouring in at a fast and furious rate at this point in the summer, though Friday's NHL news mega-day provided us with some quality happenings and relief. The schedule, the Olympic news and schedule, and the NHL's new division names (Glen Metropolit jokes!) - why it just doesn't [...]

The NHL released the 2013-14 schedule on Friday.   The biggest bit of news is that there is a scheduled break for the Olympics despite there not being a firm deal to send NHL players to Sochi as of yet.   Also included was the long-awaited naming of the four new Divisions created through re-alignment. [...]

    *   Matt Duchene signed a five year extension worth $30 million yesterday. He had/has one year left on his current contract.   Duchene will be a $6 million player very soon (if he isn't already). I wouldn't be surprised to see him score 40+ this year playing alongside Parenteau. It will be [...]

  *   Dustin Brown is a King for eight more years (well, technically nine, as he has one year left on his current deal). He signed a huge contract extension today. Not really a surprise. Brown's real life value probably outweighs his fantasy value (unless you are in leagues that count hits), but he [...]

Re-launched DobberFootball last night! Optimized for multiple platforms and the Fantasy Football Guide is released on July 23. Buy it before July 23rd you get 20% off. You may have noticed how awesome DobberBaseball has been since January thanks a new staff and new management - well the same thing has been done to football. [...]

Regarding the note below on Markstrom, I just confirmed here that the first year of his deal is a two-way agreement. So if the Panthers sign a short-term goalie, Markstrom could begin the year in the AHL... * My favorite free agent skaters who yet remain: 1. Mikhail Grabovski 2. Damien Brunner 3. Jaromir Jagr [...]