Lovin' Life

Some days, life just seems really good and all the I Can Has Cheezeburger cats seem LOL-funny and even Deadspin throws a morsel your way that just tickles your heart.

Like today, it is revealed that the knocked-up daughter of GOP VP candidate, Hockey Mom, was knocked up by a "a superhunky bad-boy ice hockey player." Oh SWEET! I mean, if you're gonna get knocked up at 17, for the love of God, at least do it with a ripping young hockey player. But, come on, don't marry the hoser, sugar. More here.

More delightful news, I was looking in my THN Yearbook at the list of the top 30 scorers in the AHL last season, grumbling to myself about how there were absolutely no Aeros on that list, and then I saw "Kolanos"... and then I saw "Schultz"... and then "Locke" and realized that Lynn did about as good a job as he could have getting us some offense. And they weren't even #s 28, 29, and 30!

11. Corey Locke
20. Jesse Schultz
25. Krys Kolanos

The prospect of all those goals is utterly squee-worthy. Though I wonder how our wundergoalies will respond to possibly having less pressure to pretty much stop everything. Ah, I'm sure it will be fine. *knock on wood*

Oh, and there are some exciting events on the horizon:

1. Russoville Fantasy Football draft on Friday evening
2. Our last 2-hour game of the year on Sunday (novice league)
3. Traverse City Prospect Tourney Sept. 13-17
4. Wild training camp opens Sept. 20
5. Aeros training camp opens ???
   
6. Playa del Carmen in early October (ahhh, vacation!!!)
7. Novice league game at Toyota Center Oct. 11
8. Opening Wild and Aeros games also on Oct. 11 (yes, I get to play hockey on Aeros ice and probably see them practicing a bit, AND go to the opening game against Chicago that night... Could a day be any better??)
9. Cool weather arrives - Late October
   

More on each as the time comes but I just had to squee a little about all the exciting things on the landscape of the next couple of months.

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Fresh Meat Friday!

Well, the Wild are certainly making a statement about how things are gonna go next year in Houston. Within the span of a week, they've signed/traded for 3 big time scorers from around the AHL. This is really exciting stuff.

First was Jesse Schultz (Nick's cousin) from the Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves. Then today, they traded away d-man Shawn Belle for Hamilton center Corey Locke. I think that's a win-win for everyone. Belle will get out of this system in which he just doesn't fit, and we get offensive firepower. And they signed center Krys Kolanos, a former Phoenix Coyote (I expect a report, Hip!), who played with the much maligned Kris Chucko in Quad Cities last season. He had noggin issues a few years ago, but played quite well for QC last year.

I'm very happy with these moves. Would be nice to have a chance offensively and not just have to pray for the D and goalies to keep goals against down to 0 or 1. But speaking of D... we're now a bit thin on that front. I'll hope for more news in the coming weeks on that front.

ETA: So, it's since been unearthed that while Schultz and Locke are character guys, Kolanos is apparently a bit of a jerk. This is coming from fans in several of the cities he's played for, so it's not just one loud mouthed fan's smear campaign. Word is he gives about 15% on the ice and won't play both ends, he's dismissive of fans, and a poor teammate. I can't fathom why he'd choose to come here unless it was the only offer on the table. Constantine is gonna crucify a guy like that. Could be a bumpy ride for Krys, and I'm not too excited anymore about his signing. I don't care how many goals you score, you never earn the right to be a jerk.

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