Random Assortment

Got a muffin basket of delight for y'all today:

First off, it looks like our favorite big, blond, Southern defenseman, Jon Awe, is doing just fine over in Korea. NHL.com reports he has 5 goals and 11 points for the Anyang Halla.

Next, thanks to my homeboys over at Hockey Wilderness for the bitchin' shout-out. Check 'em out. There's good stuff going on there.

Also, I just got notification from the Canadian postal service that my goalie mask was shipped yesterday. It's currently in Mississauga, ON. I don't know where that is or how you might pronounce it, but it sounds like a good place for a Canadian-made goalie mask to spend a few hours. How do you suppose it feels about coming to Texas? Suppose its little mask friends are laughing at it? Those smug Montreal-bound masks especially... les batards.

Also, if you don't think I'll spend at least one day wearing that thing around the house and hitting myself in the head as often as possible, you just don't know me very well.

Help me out though... my mask needs a name. Drop a suggestion in the comments. It's like the one pictured but solid black. Six months ago, I would have named it Marty. But, um, not now! Thanks for ruining my perfect mask name, Turco, Biron, and Brodeur!

(ETA: Also just got notification that my Goalie Monkey order has shipped! But it won't be here until next Monday, so no goalie for me this week.)

Lastly, Tomas Mojzis cleared waivers but according to the Russoblog the team has 48 hours to decide what to do about it. Sounds like it's riding on the "lower body" evaluation of Josh Harding today. I'm guessing his lower body is quite fine.

ETA: Oh! Another nugget from Ryan Stanzel's blog:

I got Erik Reitz and Derek Boogaard to record quick clips for the Houston Aeros, who are honoring the duo by including them in their Aeros Legends Bobblehead Series. Both have bobbleheads coming up soon, and they’ll both get a few for friends and family.

Sweet! I took a pass on the Obama/McCain bobbles but these? Oh hell yeah! The Boogie ones, especially, I would expect to be a hot commodity. And no, you can't have mine.

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What the deuce... Awe to Korea; Rosa in Houston for 08-09?

So, ya know, being a minor league team we get some guys who are sort of destined to be minor league journeymen. One of those guys for the Aeros, who I ended up really liking by the end of last season, was Jon Awe.

He's a big defenseman (see left for a demonstration of his big defensemanness) with a bone-shattering slap shot AND he's from MEMPHIS! I love that, though he's kind of an amped up dude.

So, I'm having my usual bout of insomnia, just bumming around on the net and I decide to Google him and see if there's any news of his plans for next season. What does Wiki tell me? Wiki tells me that Jon Awe now plays for the Anyang Halla in South Korea! (Annyong!)

Check it out! Even the NHL is aware of this!

Anyway, I'll miss his huge slapper, but I hope it's a great, rewarding opportunity for him. I'll have to keep an eye on him over there.

Next thing you know, I'll find out Marco Rosa is playing hockey on the goddamn moon...

ETA: Well, now that I've done some digging on Marco, this agency's site says he's signed with the Aeros for 08-09. Wouldn't that be great? (The answer is Yes.)

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Aeros Roster Shaping up for 08-09 Season

A flush of RFA signings came through today and the new roster is looking good (minus my reservations about Kolanos).

Here's how it's looking with guys who for sure have contracts:

Forwards:
Cal Clutterbuck (R)
Corey Locke (C)
Jesse Schultz(R)
Krys Kolanos (C)
Ryan Hamilton (L)
Petr Kalus (R)
Morten Madsen (C)
Peter Olvecky (L)
Danny Irmen (R)
Bryan Lundbohm (C)
Matt Kassian (L) (I'm just going to assume he'll be in the AHL this season)

Defensemen:
Clayton Stoner
Tomas Mojzis
Brandon Rogers
Maxim Noreau
Paul Albers
John Scott

Goaltenders:
Nolan Schaefer
Barry Brust
Dimples (Anton Khudobin)


So, assuming we roll with only 2 goalies on the roster due to a trade or Khudobin going down to the ECHL or something... that's 19 players. With a 23 man limit, that's 4 spots left for pure minor-league contracts from the Aeros.

Two guys I'd definitely want back are Marco Rosa (C) and Jon Awe (D). But Rosa is a center and we seem to be pretty well set for centers unless we intend to carry an extra or play someone on the wing. Awe just has a wicked slapper and is a big fella who can hit hard. Plus, he's a southern boy, and I can't help but cheer for a southern-raised hockey player!

Troy Riddle also filled in nicely when we called him up from the E and might get a shot. I really expected Adrian Foster to have gotten a serious look. He was a first round draft pick of the Devils several years ago and just got blasted by injuries, but he had some real bright moments last season and played nearly every game, so he certainly isn't finished. But I've heard nothing about him, so I'm assuming they're not retaining his services.

Edited to add Jesse Schultz, who I forgot when I put this together originally. I knew I was forgetting someone.

Edited again to update for Stoner's signing.

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