dlbalr

Ex-NFL'er Cleo Lemon signed with the Argos today. You know your career is nearing the end when you go from being a short term NFL starter (Miami, 2007) to having a chance to crack the worst team in the CFL. In Als news, they wound up coming to terms with Gavin Walls eventually, though the process is still likely to be grieved (the bonus issue).

Projected Ranger lines: Prospal - Jokinen - Gaborik Dubinsky - Anisimov - Callahan Avery - Christensen - Drury Prust - Boyle - Shelley Lisin, Voros as scratches though these aren't confirmed lines. Staal - Rozsival Del Zotto - Girardi Redden - Gilroy Lundqvist (probable but not confirmed)

In a word, yes. Plekanec is listed as a game-time decision for this one. In a word, yes. Pyatt and Maxwell are the only ones up that are on the Clear Day roster.

I agree. I originally thought Lapierre should've got 2 games and I think his was worse. I'd have been content with 1 game. When you consider he essentially missed a full game vs the Blackhawks, this is for all intents and purposes a 3 game suspension. I can't find too much wrong with this; 1 game less than what, in my opinion, was a worse hit - works for me.

Left practice early today, that's all I know.

As much as I hate burning cap space, it's a risk they needed to take in case Plekanec's health regresses overnight. From the sounds of things, it's just as a precaution; if Plekanec is good to go in the game day skate, watch for Maxwell to be sent back before the daily 5 PM roster deadline.

So if you were the GM, what would you be willing to pay him, knowing full well that his ceiling may be where he is now, as a 3rd pairing d-man? There's a huge risk in giving this type of player a long term deal (mind you if he pans out, there's a good reward).

What is one of the issues that a lot of people harp about when it comes to the inept cap management by the Habs this year? Paying depth defencemen too much money. We currently have a $1.625 M healthy scratch and most would agree that Gill, the #5/6 d-man, makes too much at $2.25 M. In order to entice O'Byrne to sign an extension that's 5 years long, that's the type of money we'd be talking at the very least. Can he be more than realistically a 3rd pairing d-man in the future? I like him, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for him to take the next step to really become a cog to build around. He has an arbitration eligible offseason coming in 2011, I could see the Habs maybe giving him a 2, max 3 year deal and hope to keep it around $1.75 M; otherwise, he may be gone quickly. Heck, given the recent tradition of players who wear the #20, he'll probably be gone this offseason.

Sure, at the right price. With arguably the team's top 3 young d-men (Subban, Weber, Carle) all being RH shots, the organization doesn't have to rush to do so though. He's got one more year left (talks on an extension couldn't even start until July 1), lots could change between now and then.

Update on the situation, though nothing overly new: http://espn.go.com/nhl/blog/_/name/lebrun_...l-star-facelift

He was 2nd star in HW's 3 Stars (gotta get the shameless plug in there). I liked the effort for the first 50 minutes but once again, sitting back was somewhat costly (we did allow a goal and lost the momentum). I think to some degree the coaches should be responsible for this but I think the players are tensing up too much down the stretch. The more they struggle late in games, the more it probably creeps into the players' heads, planting a seed of doubt. It's tough watching games knowing the inevitable letting up is coming. But enough about the negative, a pretty good game all around and the winning streak continues.

Didn't even get a chance to catch any of this one as I had to write the HW 3 Stars for tonight, but the Bulldogs got their revenge, winning 4-3 in a shootout. Subban, Desharnais, and Masse (1st career AHL goal) scored in regulation, while Trotter, Maxwell, and Russell scored in the shootout. Sanford gets the win in goal. Scoresheet: http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1007020

Boston lines: Sturm - Bergeron - Recchi Wheeler - Krejci - Ryder Lucic - Sobotka - Marchand/Satan* Paille - Begin - Thornton Chara - Seidenberg Stuart - Wideman Hunwick - Boychuk Rask Satan is a game-time decision.

Should be noted that although Hamilton lost, they clinched a playoff spot last night because of Lake Erie losing in a shootout. They're 18 points ahead of 2nd place Rochester in the division, which means the magic number to clinch 1st in their division is 11 points.

Russell scores to make it 3-2! Palushaj and St. Denis the assists. 11 points in 15 games for Russell now. 10:45 left in regulation.

Bulldogs are doubling up Grand Rapids in shots but now trail 3-1 in the 3rd. Desjardins is having another off night evidently. Derek once again mentions how Subban is struggling big time (-3 tonight), Trotter "missing his mojo."

Stevenson scores a shorty to tie it at 1! Glumac, St. Denis the assists. St. Denis having quite an end to the season, wonder if he'll get an NHL two-way deal in the offseason... 2 minutes later: 2-1 Grand Rapids, Armstrong scores for the Griffs.

Still 1-0 in the 2nd, some banter about how Subban's struggled a bit as of late, trying to do way too much himself.

Grand Rapids takes an early 1-0 lead. To note tonight, with a point, the Bulldogs will clinch a playoff spot. Looks like Anderson's being used as a forward tonight, that could be ugly.

Game just underway, Hamilton using the ever popular 8 D, 10 F lineup tonight. Guess Fortier isn't quite ready just yet; otherwise you'd figure he'd be in the lineup.

Press conference at 7:10 to announce a 3 year lease extension, good news all around before the game starts! Surprised to see HECFI sticking around though, I thought they'd be long gone. http://www.thespec.com/article/735889

Replying to the same post a second time but I forgot that David Fischer will be eligible to join the team fairly soon as well. For those who are saying don't sign him and take the 2nd round pick as compensation, note that the Habs actually have to make him a bonafide contract offer in order for that to happen. If management wants to keep Fischer, they may want him skating with Hamilton in the playoffs, even if he isn't playing.

My sentiments exactly, I thought the Habs were notably the better team last night (and it's not very often I think that even when most do). It was sloppy, yes, but I got the sense that when Montreal needed to turn it up, they could do so fairly quickly. Halak struggled, but we still won, that's what matters most. It's a good time to give Price a start; Halak looked a little tired and we may as well make use of the 2-goalie system while we still have that luxury (probably won't much longer).

Yeah, I would say so (coincidence). He was released by the Habs in the offseason, they have no intention of bringing him back. I'm actually somewhat surprised he caught on with an ECHL team (Bakersfield early on), last I heard he was still looking for a contract.

He'd have to clear waivers either way; once he played his 11th game with the Habs his fate was sealed. Sergei Kostitsyn also isn't on as he'll soon need waivers as well.