That is just so spectacular.  And if the RS knobs are whinging about it, so very much the better. 

I have a 32 year old neice and a 35 year old nephew.  So yeah, no big. 

But Marisa Tomei?  Yum. 

Don't know if anyone ever bought any Dukes of Hazzard General Lee cards back in the day, but now is the time to sell them.  Prices are waaaaaaaaaay up on eBay thanks to the Confederate flag kerfuffel. 

Jeff, thanks for the explanation on the losses.  I wasn't really worried about the Wild regardless, I'd think they would be one of the far more stable "small" U.S. franchises.  It is interesting, especially since the city lost the North Stars previously, that there isn't more interest in regular season games.  Winnipeg is different, for any number of reasons.  We were without the franchise for longer than you guys were.  We obviously have far less competition from other sports at higher levels, though we really don't watch much high school hockey, but then our amateur sports have never been as well supported by fans as they are in the U.S.  Canada is just weird that way.  But really it's the prevailing feeling that we could actually lose the team again that seems to drive our season ticket sales.  We're coming onto year three of renewals and the first two years were renewal rates @ 97%.  The 3% not renewed were snapped up in no time at all, but that happens with an 8000 person wait list for season tickets. 

Interesting Kessel in Pittsburgh.  Very talented hockey player but wonder how damaged his attitude is. 

Thought the Granlund contract was pretty nice so well done Wild.

We of course let Frolik walk much to my dismay.  Signed Stafford to 8.7 over two years, so great term and ok AAV but I'd have rather had Frolik for the money and term he got from Calgary than from Stafford.  There's got to be something else going on there with Frolik/Chevy that prevented a signing - could be Fro's agent.  He hosed Chevy on Pavelec so that may have played a role.

Also signed Burmistrov back after a two year KHL hiatus.  Be very interesting to see what happens with him.  He's never going to be a 60 point player but he's got real nice possession numbers and assuming he's playing with Lowry as his center, that could be a sneaky dangerous and frustrating line to play against. 

Oh and Chicago extended Anisomov so that makes that Saad trade look better already though I know the Hawks fans don't feel like it. 

Please someone help me make sense of this.

Suggestions are that Saad was looking for a contract in the neighborhood of $6.5 million per season.  There's no confirmation that Saad got an offer sheet, but I suspect like the Dougie Hamilton situation something made its way to Chicago management.  Rather than enter into a protracted contract negotiation that they could never meet the demands of due to cap constraints, they opted to get a return that isn't nearly so bad as those in Chicago think it is.  Anisimov is a hell of a hockey player and Dano will be too.  Dano will be a cost controlled asset for a number of years, Anisimov not so much as he's UFA next year. 

I expect that Chicago is having a hard time moving both Bickell and Sharp.  Bickell because he's overpaid, Sharp because he's 34.  I don't know the details and constraints of either contract beyond their values but both are probably unpalatable to some degree. 

Short version is this is what happens with a roster loaded with allstars and two guys making a whole lot of money.  Of course factor in the sagging Canadian dollar (revenue in the NHL is largely driven by Canadian franchises folks, that's why it matters even though pay is in greenbacks) which resulted in a salary cap probably 5-7 million lower than expected and cap strapped teams like Boston and Chicago do surprising things.  And I'm not being smug about this either.  I'm very concerned we'll sign Byfuglien to a large contract extension and then someone will offer sheet Trouba next summer when he'll likely be looking for Hamilton money (5.75/year with term). 

I did not know that.  Huh.  So the Wild went "off board" for their pick.  Well done.  Perhaps not as extreme as Boston but that's likely not a good model to follow this year.   

Chuckle.  Harkins falls all the way to #47 and Jets say 'yes, please'.  Surreal.  Most were talking of him being a first rounder and many Jets fans would have been happy with him at #25 oa.  Not quite sure about the remainder of the picks, but those first three?  Oh hell yeah.  Chevy likes his 'Mericans. 

I don't think anyone wants to leave Chicago right now, be it Saad or someone else.  But a couple of all-stars and 21 million tied up in two players under a $71 million salary cap says guys are going to have to move, like it or not.  Saad is an RFA, the Hawks don't have to pay him THAT much really.  But if they don't, he's likely to walk once he reaches UFA, winning team or not. 

Loyalty is a dead concept.  The "home town discount" is going to amount to far less than $1 million/year difference.  Rest assured if he gets a bridge deal at $2.5 or so, it'll be harder to sign him after that two beyond his two remaining RFA years.  Every team in the league wants Saad.  While I don't think anyone will offer sheet him with a ridiculous offer because of the compensation associated with high end deals, it still might happen.  But an unsatisfactory deal, economic reality be damned, isn't going to sit well if the Leafs come calling two years down the road offering $6/7 million per.  Chicago just can't afford that. 

Toews+Kane+Hossa+Shaw+Seabrook+Keith+Hjalmarsson+Crawford = nearly $50 million dollars in salary next year.  It's going to be hard to move Bickell, but easy to move Sharp.  But even discounting those two if they're moved, you've got 8 guys on a 23 man roster making $50 million.  Teravainen is a bargain, but if you don't get much for Bickell or Sharp or Oduya (well you won't get anything here because he's UFA but it'll leave a big hole) or Versteeg in return, it won't be quite as pretty.  As it currently shows, Chicago has $7 million in cap space and 10 guys unsigned.  Eep!

Again, great organization right now.  Really run well, some absolute top end talent spread throughout the positions.  Don't think you could find a guy that wouldn't want to go there.  Oh, oh.  Salary Cap.