Monday, October 14, 2002
Um, the "CFL?"
Attention Texas hockey fans: please report to the first possible Stars-Flames game to boo the hell out of Jordan Leopold. (But not Blake Sloan. He's still cool.)
Every player suspension story I've seen lately seems to involve former WPHL or CHL players. On the bright side, not all of our alums get drummed out of the East Coast league, so congratulations to Josh Maser and Kory Baker.
Those in San Antonio who weren't interested in the AHL because they thought the team would feature nothing but marginal performers (never mind that a marginal NHL prospect or AHL journeyman is still better than most CHLers) ought to take an honest gander at the Rampage roster. You've got four legit (if tarnished) NHLers in Ulanov, Toms, Flaherty, and Campbell, two highly touted European defensemen in Filip Novakand Vladimir Sapozhnikov, an intriguing, still unproven talent in Pierre Dagenais and a first-round pick in Kyle Rossiter. I just hope about-to-be-announced Ice Bats/Houston Aeros signing Shawn Legault gets called up November 3 to take on Jeremy Thompson's brother in the first game at the SBC.
I was lucky enough to be in a part of the U.S. (Detroit) where they have the CBC this past weekend (if you have a dish and NHL Center Ice you saw it too). Why do I get such a kick out of hearing the HNIC announcers casually say things like, "Marty Murray, former Brandon Wheat King?"... I don't know if "Home of the Blazers" is unpatriotic. I do know it's not as natural as Dallas "STARS!," nor as clever as "Plouffe through the night."
While pondering the mystery of Tim Findlay, who got a long look in the "A" (on the last Panthers' affiliate) two years ago but just cleared waivers in the UHL, I suddenly wondered, where the hell is Jean LaForest? Then I found out... There's been a Mike Tilson sighting. By the time you read this, he could be signed... And finally, it's not every week a guy gets to buy into a second hockey team, have the local paper bring up your bad memories and get voted off the CHL island. Well done!
