Monday Moaning

Wow!  Seriously, how else do you respond to walking into this bedroom...Or for that matter what other way do you react after the Boston Bruins spent draft weekend destroying their franchise even more then former GM Peter Chiarelli did...

This weekend was the NHL Draft but most of the talk leading up to it, and during, was all about trades...Many expected the Toronto Maple Leafs to be active, trying to move asshole Phil Kessel and whatever other dead-weight Mike Babcock want to be rid of...But no, it was other teams that were busy...

We'll start with Buffalo since they got things rolling Friday morning...Buffalo traded the #21 overall pick to Ottawa for goalie Robin Lehner and center David Legwand...Then Buffalo traded D- Nikita Zadorov, F- Mikhail Grigorenk (who has not lived up to the potential and hopes he came with), F- J.T. Compher and pick #31 for C- Ryan O'Reilly and F- Jamie McGinn...O'Reilly is good, a solid two-way center but the offensive numbers aren't up to where his agents has his sights set money wise...Colorado didn't want to deal with those negotiations again next year...But it could work out in Buffalo...Mix those additions with 2nd overall pick C- Jack Eichel, and last years 1st roand pick C- Sam Reinhart, the Sabres are suddenly stacked at Center, and Lehner will get his chance at finally being "the man" between the pipes...The Sabres got better this weekend...

Then we come to Boston...Thursday they traded Carl Soderberg to Colorado for a 6th round pick...Considering the Avalance then Signed Soderberg to a 5 year $23.75 million deal, the Bruins should have gotten more then a 6th rond pick...Then he Bruins, again traded away an elite, you player, this time D- Dougie Hamilton...He was sent to Calgary for the 15th, 45th, and 52nd overall picks...Next, they traded LW- Milan Lucic to the Kings for the 13th overall pick, backup goalie Martin Jones and a prospect...So the Bruins opened the draft with 3 first round picks...You can do some serious rebuilding on the fly with that...Instead they drafted 3 guys that most teams didn't have going in the first round...Our friend Sully is very pissed folks...Very pissed...

My Rangers needed to get some cap space, because they have some key guys to resign...The biggest name being talked about was backup goalie Cam Talbot...Thursday there was an offer of two 2nd round picks for Talbot...Overrated GM Glen Sather said no...He wanted more...He wanted at least a first rounder plus...For a 27 year old backup, with limited experience...Well, that pipe-dream got squashed when late Friday night/early Friday Morning the Vancouver Canucks traded proven goalie, Eddie Lack to Carolina for a third round pick and a seventh round pick....Fucked up Glen!

Following on twitter it read as if Sather was in a panic talking to everyone Saturday...Then it broke, the Rangers traded F- Carl Hagelin the 59th and 179th overall picks to Anaheim for Emerson Etem and the 41st overall pick...Hate seeing Hags go...Etem is a similar player style wise...A bit younger, and will cost a good deal less...Some dickhead Rangers fans dogged Hagelin trying to justify the move, blasting his offensive numbers...Yeah, he never score 30-40 goals, because he played in a defensive system, played on the penalty kill and not the power play, and was stuck on a line with old man Martin St. Louis most of this year...It was a money move, and they got a body back...It is what it is...

Then the Rangers traded Ryan Haggerty to Chicago for backup goalie Antti Raanta...Good deal, Raanta is solid...So then you knew Talbot was gone...He was moved to Edmonton along with 7th round pick, for a 2nd, 3rd, and 7th...Idiots could have had two 2nds!

There were a lot of draft picks moved around the board, and some other players here and there, but nothing major...Well, there was a somewhat odd one with Arizona...They traded Sam Gagner and a couple picks for a solid defenseman, Nicklas Grossmann and Hall of Fame candidate, Chris Pronger....Huh!

While Pronger is not an active player, his contract is active...This move frees up cap space for Philly, but it also helps the Coyotes...His contract will give them the boost to take them to the salary floor...Another odd thing about Pronger's contract being active, is that he has been working for the NHL in their Player Safety Department...Definitely the oddest draft weekend trade...

-Moving  on to a different topic after B.O.B. posted THIS Q-O-T-D about Russell Wilson...Rumor floating around is that Wilson wants to be the highest paid QB in the NFL...I actually got to learn all about this via my phone while walking my dog...We were away this weekend at my in-laws assisted living home, and my two sister-in-laws came in from Massachusetts as well...I walked the dog a lot to get away from people...So here is the scoop...

Technically he’s not asking to be the highest paid QB in the NFL...His agent is asking for at least 80% of his contract to be guaranteed which never happens in the NFL…Wilson's agent is a Baseball agent, where contracts are guaranteed…he’s trying to change the game in the NFL where career ending injuries are more likely...And I'll tell ya what...With how fucked up ex-football players are, I don't blame him at all!

-Now, the last thing you NEED to checkout is Charlotte McKinney...

When faced with question about how "ugly girls" have to be the funny ones, and good at giving blowjobs, Charlotte responded with this...

"Oh my God, I actually was thinking about this the other day–there are girls that I know that won’t even give blowjobs, and I guess it’s because they think they’re too hot, or something? It’s such bullshit."

I don't think there is anything else we need to know about her...She's a goer!

Have a week...

Maple Leafs Make the Big Off-Season Splash

Thursday the Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced the signing of head coach, Mike Babcock...After 10 years at the helm of the Detroit Red Wings, Babcock wanted to test the waters...Most of the talk was of him staying in Detroit, or going to Buffalo for 10 year deal and rebuilding on the shoulders of Jack Eichel and other young prospects...

Then seemingly out of nowhere...Babcock inked a 8 year $50 million deal with the Leafs...Detroit didn't want to go over 4-5 years and said it wasn't about money for them, just years...Not sure that I believe that but it doesn't matter, because they have their man waiting in the wings already...

Jeff Blashill head coach of the Wings AHL affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins...Blashill is eyeing his second Calder Cup, and Detroit GM Ken Holland says he's the leading candidate to replace Babcock...Blashill has also served time as an assistant under Babcock, so the transition should smooth and easy without the Wings missing a beat...

The team/fan-base most upset is Buffalo, who feel hurt saying "Babcock used their 10 year offer as leverage" in his negotiations...Umm, grow up Buffalo that's the way the game of business is played...

Babcock also visited with and studied St. Louis and San Jose...

Babcock also made it clear that he wasn't going to walk into Toronto and turn that steaming pile of shit into a winner day one..."There's pain coming." Nice to see a new coach not bullshitting people.

Monday Moaning

 

Well that looks tasty!

It's a beautiful Monday...Today I start a week of vacation from work...No real plans, just getting stuff done that needs to get done, and I had to use the time before I lost it...Also, today is Mrs. Beeze and my 14 year anniversary...We've made it 14 years and she hasn't killed me yet...I most be doing something right! I know she hasn't stuck around for all my riches, because I'm fucking broke!

-As I predicted two weeks ago, the NCAA Hockey Championship came down to an all New England showdown, as Providence took on Boston University at the TD Garden in Boston...A month ago I wrote about talented BU freshman, Jack Eichel, who won the Hobey Baker, (Hockey Heisman) and how he'll be the number two player taken in the NHL draft this year...and how no one should be upset about landing this kid...In every game of the tourney, the 18 year old Eichel was the best player on the ice...

But Saturday night, as the championship game moved through the third period, BU leading 3-2, it became the tale of two goalies...Boston U.'s Matt O'Connor, and Providence's John Gillies...Gillies the top U.S. Goaltending prospect, drafted by the Calgary Flames has been college hockey's elite goalie...O'Connor has been solid, and a workhorse for BU, but it was seen more then once in the tourney that O'Connor had issues when handling the puck...He let in a fluke goal in the semifinal after mishandling the puck behind the goal...And Saturday, another fluke play turned the tide in the championship...

O'Connor had caught a shot in his glove, and was looking to drop it at the side of the goal for a defenseman, and lost it too soon, and the puck bounced between his legs, and into the goal...3-3 tie...And the kid was visibly shaken...

Barry Melrose sat in the booth suggesting the Friars just keep throwing the puck on net, or dumping it in, and make the shaken goalie handle it...It didn't take long for Providence long to ride the momentum, and go ahead 4-3...From there, the Friars kept grinding and gaining confidence, as Gillies made save after save...BU had a huge advantage winning face-offs, but late in the third period, Providence took control of that as well...And Gillies and his 49 saves bested O'Connor and his 39 saves leading the Providence Friars to the NCAA title...

Talent-wise, I would take BU any day, but a little momentum and a great goalie go a long way...I felt terrible for O'Connor...I hope the kid can get past this...Fucking nightmares!

Now I'm wondering will Eichel stick around with his young, talented Terrier teammates, or will he dash for the NHL?


-In NHL news, the Buffalo Sabres who have a great shot at landing Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel, fired head coach Ted Nolan...AGAIN...Yes, they have fired Nolan before...The first time it was an unjust firing, and while they sucked this year, and actually looked like they were tanking late in the year, I can't blame that all on the coach...Maybe look at the GM who gave him a pile of shit for a team...Some bad contracts, traded away their franchise goalie last year, and brought in 4 different teams backups to try and be the guy...3rd liners and a couple 20 year olds who you haven't even let  hit their full potential yet, aren't going to get it done...If you're rebuilding, rebuild...Give the guy time to get them there...If you're rebuilding, keeping a consistent coaching staff should be a key starting point...The Buffalo Sabres, are the Cleveland Browns of Hockey!

-Since its all been hockey so far, I thought I'd share this funny bit Jimmy Fallon did this week...





-Baseball season has started...And Friday was the Home Opener here in Cleveland...It's become an unofficial holiday here, just like I'm sure it is in many other cities...With every opening day comes in Cleveland comes a handful of protesters...LITERALLY  a  HANDFUL...Protesting the partially the Indians name, but mostly, the Chief Wahoo logo...Now while the organization says they won't get rid of the Chief, (because they know how many fans will be pissed) they have been slowly scaling him back...First with a script I and now the block C...Chief Wahoo is awesome...If they cave I'll be pissed...My wife is one of the most liberal human beings alive, and she doesn't get why this handful of people have an issue with the Chief...

But if it's that big of deal, feel free to not offend me by making a smiling white guy the new logo...The Cleveland Caucasians!

Go White Boys!


Have a week!

Did Buffalo pull a Fast One on the Islanders?

 

 

So Hockey already has it's first big trade of the season...The Buffalo Sabres traded star goal scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders for Matt Moulson, a 2014 1st round pick and a 2015 2nd round pick...

Sure, Vanek has the label of sniper...Yes, he has had two 40 goal seasons and two 30 goal seasons...But guess what, Moulson has three 30 goal seasons under his belt...Moulson, just like Vanek is 29 years old, and both are slated to be free agents at the end of the season...

So the Islanders negotiations with Moulson weren't going well...So they trade him instead of losing any value they could get for him...But they traded him for a guy also on an expiring contract....And tonight Vanek's agent made it clear the deal was done without a contract extension in place....Vanek's agent Stephen Bartlett also hinted at the strong possibility of his client waiting until Summer for a new deal....

"We'll take it day by day and focus on the short term for now and see where we are at season's end."

That my friends is agent's speak for, 'We'll see if playing with John Tavares can put a big post in Vanek's stats, so then we can land a monster contract from the highest bidder!'

So the Islanders get that...Buffalo get s Moulson, a 30 goal scorer...A 1st round pick and a 2nd round pick...Similar player...Free agent at the end of the year, and two high picks...Darcy Regier and the Sabres win...Shit, if Regier can't lock down Moulson to a contract by the trade deadline, he'll trade him then for a couple of prospects...If there is one thing Regier knows how to do, it's rebuild and snatch good prospects....

If the Islanders were smart, they would have gone after a more important need, and gone after Buffalo goalie, Ryan Miller...Yes, the Sabres will move him this year...They have two strong, young goalies behind him...

What do you thing...Did Islanders GM Garth Snow shit the bed again?  I do!

The Beeze.

Chris Drury: Good Bye and Good Luck

After having his contract bought out a few weeks ago, Chris Drury officially retired today...As a Hockey fan, I always loved the guy...Of course I love to see American born players do well...But it was his Awesome play in the playoffs that really got me fired up...

After putting together strong runs in Colorado, he landed in Buffalo, where his leadership skills shined...Then he signed the monster contract with my New york Rangers...While he was still a great leader, and one of the best defensive players around, he never lived up to the contract...Especially once injuries started taking a toll on his body the last couple of seasons...

I hope he won't be just remembered as a bust with the Rangers...I hope he isn't just remembered for his little league world series performance, oh so many years ago...I hope people will remember the drive...The leadership...The clutch play...The face-offs won...The shot blocking, penalty killing, do whatever it takes kind of guy he was...

Best of luck to Chris Drury!

Later, The Beeze.