Quick Hits: Back to work Monday... ugh

Duuuude, as much I don't love the "holiday season" and all the nonsense and hullabaloo around it, I do enjoy that everybody's half-assing it at work and I get a few extra days off and some short weeks.

So, today, the day when everyone is back to the grindstone with a new year on the calendar and supposedly a fresh start, is a freakin' drag.

However, to soften the blow, I have lots of hockey to play this week.

Coach Dan has learned to drive the Zamboni so we can play longer and later on Sundays now. Great in one respect, because we get a shit ton of ice time, but tough for telling Mr.C when I'll be home. Thankfully he's cool about these things.

It was pretty fun last night, other than having trouble with some of the goalie skating drills Mikey had us doing because a) I suck b) my skates are dull and c) I had them tied way too loose. If I'd known we were going to be put thru skating drills, I would have taken the time to fix that. Pretty time consuming to have to retie your skates as a goalie once you're dressed, so I just went with it.

Had some good stops and I'm just feeling really comfortable in net right now. No anxiety or angst or second guessing myself or feeling bad about myself. I just play and have fun. If you've read me regularly and seen how much self-flagellation and anxiety and whatnot I've had, you can appreciate what a change it is for me.

Also, I just got invited out to play the SLICE drop-in tonight, so I'm pumped for that. I love that drop-in. Can't wait!

And of course, my Tuesday bunch, which I hope levels out shortly. It's been weird during the holidays with most of our regulars missing, too many goalies, too long ice-time. It hasn't been all that fun, but it's sort of the vegetables of my goaltending week. It may not taste all that good but it's good for me.

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Another fun thing was "getting to" write a post for Justin Bourne's blog today. It was my wager payment for losing to him in fantasy hockey a couple of weeks ago. I just meandered around some stuff I've been mulling over in relation to goalies and goaltending. My favorite part is the Vesa Toskala take and the Vesa Cookie (thanks again, Elise!). Seriously, Vesa's just epic.

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If I had a left nut to give, I'd give it for a really good cheeseburger. Those long ice times leave me ravenous the next day. By Wednesday, I'm going to be gnawing on shoe leather.

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Shot Blockers

Okay, I lied (you knew I was lying right?)

I had to share one of Justin Bourne's latest articles with you, this one on shot blockers.

He's right that guys whose bread and butter is blocking shots are a different breed. From my perspective, they're fascinating, because as much as I was drawn to a job that has pucks hurtling into my body, you couldn't pay me to stand in front of hard shots in player gear.

Goalie gear, heck yeah. I'm padded within an inch of my life. Player gear? No thank you.

One of my all time favorite shot blockers is Paul Albers, who played for the Aeros for a couple of years. I think there was some frustration on his part about not being allowed to play more of an offensive-defenseman role, but oh.my.god. was that guy fearless in front of his own net. If I had a dollar for every time I said, "Ouch!" watching him play, I could take us both to a fancy dinner.

I understand the Wild's Greg Zanon is cut from the same cloth, but these guys don't translate on TV. I hear raves from people who get to watch the Wild in person, but I've rarely noticed him. That's got to account partly for why these guys are under-appreciated.

But I can tell you, the goalies know exactly who they are. There's nothing that will endear a player to me more than watching them put their body between me and the puck while still allowing me to see the puck. It's a beautiful, black-and-blue art and those guys are my heroes.

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Ahhh, what a good day

Don't miss my Goalie-versary post below, but then I'm not the only one having an anniversary of sorts.

My pal Justin Bourne is also taking a look back at his truly crazy year, since a puck to the jaw on his birthday spelled the end of his career as a hockey player and the beginning of his career as a writer.

And while Bourney cranks out great reads daily, this one is off the charts. If you read me and don't read him you're missing out. Though really, I shouldn't share him with you because then you'll figure out I'm not really that funny or knowledgeable.

Hmm. Never mind. Don't click the link. Bourne who?

Kidding. Click it.

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I used to love going to SLICE to skate. Something about playing on the ice where the players (okay, goalies) who inspired me to play in the first place practice each day just puts a little extra jump in my skates.

But with Brusty gone and really nobody else on the Aeros who moooooves me, SLICE has been rather an ordinary rink the last few months.

But, bitches, BRUSTY IS BACK. And with that, SLICE is exciting again. I can't wait to go play tonight with lots and lots of inspiration in my feet (because that's where goalie inspiration lives... did you know that? It's true.)

FMD, I'm so happy. And now Aeros games can't come fast and furious enough for me. It's a great week for that with 3 home games!

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Oh, and just to make sure I'm truly obnoxious in my glee today, the Wild finally got Cal's blog going. Good stuff. And they reward his effort by making him do an autograph signing at WAL-MART. Wal-Mart. Ye gods.

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What's with the goalie love? Justin wants to know...

Always funny and insightful blogger, Justin Bourne, takes on Goalies today. He wants to know: Why do fans love them to a disproportionate degree over other position players? Why on earth would anybody BE one? Are they all nuttier than a bag full of rabid squirrels?

I have kind of a crazy theory on why chicks, at least, like goalies so much: It's a primal thing. Goalies protect the "nest." Everything about goalies says, "This is a man who will sacrifice and suffer, who will carry the burden on his shoulders and thrive under the pressure of responsibility. This is a man I can make babies with."

I'm not saying that's a literal thought process, hence the "primal"... but I think there's something to it. Plus, they're kinda mysterious with all that gear and rumors of wacky instability. Chicks dig a project, even if it's just figuring a guy out.

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I love to hear how goalies became goalies, but it always seems like guys are a little hesitant to answer. I've always thought it was because they've answered it a million times and are sick of the question, but clearly people want to know, because it does seem like a rather illogical thing to do. Especially to decide on it as a kid.

But then I thought maybe they're like me and really the answer is, "I just did." Simple as that. I just realized one day, I have to be a goalie. I don't know that I've ever felt so strongly about something in my life; like my internal compass just points Goalie.

For the longest time, I couldn't fathom why anybody *wouldn't* want to be a goalie. I would sit on the bench when I was first playing as a winger and swallow the jealous pangs I was feeling watching the goalies make saves. I wanted to be out there doing that so bad I could taste it.

Now? Well, now I get not wanting to be a goalie. The highs are WAY higher but the lows are literally breathtakingly low at times. I think at any other position, it's a little more of an even ride, especially as you're learning. I never spent Monday crying over skating out. I also never drove home singing at the top of my lungs skating out.

Sunday nights are sort of like Fight Club for me. It's where I get to see what I'm made of, and no matter what happens, I've at least scraped the doldrums of responsible adulthood off myself for a few days. I get to scream and cheer and battle and feel victorious, shitty, loved, and lonely all in that 90 minutes of ice. And if I don't leave the rink with something hurting, then I'm a little let down. Shoot, boys, and shoot hard. I want to feel it.

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And you know, they say goalies are crazy, yet I'm the most mental one I know. Most are smart and level-headed, at least at the amateur level. Can't speak to the pros all that much, though I can't even imagine how those guys handle the pressure, and I can certainly see where on days where they play, there would be a rigorous routine to ensure the proper state of mind come game time.

They've all been super nice, too. Especially among each other. Generous with time and patience and advice, always. Goalies are good people who have a really difficult job to do, so sometimes they have employ weird measures to get it done right.

Anyway, Justin had questions:

Is it the pretty gear, guys?
That part is nice. Though it sucks as an amateur because it's so MFing expensive. But we do look kinda badass. Except for the ones with bad taste in gear. Talking to you, Drew MacIntyre.

The fact that the position is utterly devoid of skating?
I love to skate, but I have a personal space bubble that I really don't like others in. I hated that part of playing out. As a goalie, I have my own space bubble on the ice that players are wise to steer clear of. As I've mentioned, I don't take to tight screens too well.

The glory of the glove save?
Absofuckinlutely.

Haven’t you whack-jobs ever scored a goal? Don’t you have any idea how good that feels?
Yep. Just the one though. And while I was delighted to finally get a goal, my primary mental picture looking back is of Scott slumped on his knees after it was called a goal and feeling badly for making the goalie sad. Man, I hate a sad goalie more than anything. Sad shooter? Who gives a shit? Shooters get plenty of chances to try again.

What did your parents do to you?
Well, I'm an only-child, which explains an awful lot.

Are you non-goalies out there aware of how hard a frozen hockey puck is? And I can shoot one 80 miles an hour. Which end of that do you wanna be on?
I wanna be the one saying NO! You spent years learning to shoot a puck that hard and I just negated all that work by simply being in the way. Better luck next time.

Brusty says no. Photo by Fred Trask

Goalies: Spend half the game alone. No chance to be the hero of the moment, only consistency bring accolades. 50% odds of being the goat.

• What's wrong with being alone? You have the best seat on the ice to watch hockey. Not a thing wrong with that.
  
• Hero moment? Oh, I got your hero moment, hot shot.
• The goat thing is totally true though.

But you know why it's SO awesome to score a goal? Because there was a goalie trying to stop you. :)

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3 a.m., then 7 a.m.

Woke up before my alarm this morning, so I've got some time to kill before I head to the 4:45 a.m. stick and puck and FINALLY put skate to ice for the first time in almost two weeks. Not sure who will be there since Scott TFCG (as a refresher, that's The Fucking Canadian Goalie) and his family are up in Alberta rolling with their Canadian homies. I'm jealous. Bet it's not 104 outside there, eh?

But I mainly want to work on stuff by myself, maybe see a few shots. I don't feel a huge obligation to be a target for anyone at this particular stick and puck because I'm not paying less than anyone else, so I should get to do whatever I need to do. I'm selfish and I like it, bitches.

The bum knee is feeling better in tiny measures. It's not waking me up when I turn over in bed anymore, so that's a nice thing. I bought a Cho-pat strap to wear and see if it helps. Kinda doubt it but it's worth a shot.

Anyway, thought I'd give a little round up of cool shit:

Justin Bourne, aka Big Tunafish, has new digs at his blog and even offered up some video in honor of the occasion. You know how someone will remind you of someone else but you can't figure out who? I'm having that problem after seeing that video. It will come to me at some really inappropriate time today.
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One of my very favorite times of the off-season is Wild Development Camp week. All the adorable behbehs roll into St. Paul and get run ragged by Constantine, get coaching on stuff like nutrition, strength training, power skating, and dealing with the media, and generally just run around being adorable.

There's always lots of video and "blogging" and whatnot and the boys are so much sillier and funnier when they're younger. I guess guys get bored and jaded by cameras in their faces after a while and they learn all the cliches and how willing the media are to accept them. Anyway, it's just sweet and you want to pinch their cheeks and give them $10 to buy some candy.

And it's even more the case this year with Colton Gillies as sort of the elder statesman and spokesmodel of the bunch. Kid is straight up goofy and completely unaffected. I adore him, and while the shredded wheat side of me very much wants him to stay in the NHL and not experience the disappointment of getting cut from training camp after already having spent a year with the big club... the frosted side of me really wants him in Houston so I can have him for myself. (Update: I'm mean, seriously! Read this!)

Here's Colt and the boys learning to cook. Apparently freshly drafted goalie Darcy Keumper tried to burn the building down. Can't take goalies anyplace nice.


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My girl over at Getting Pucks Deep did her own hot goalie countdown. She even managed to make Flower look hot. I guess flash enough muscles at me and the giant chicklets aren't such an issue.

You can watch it at her site or watch it here and also see the effervescent Wrap Around Curl's disagreement with the ranking. These are important things we debate, people. Screw the economy and world issues. Hot goalie rankings are the new McLaughlin Group.

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Okay, back from stick and puck. There were 6 kids there and several adults. I stopped almost all of the adult shots and almost none of the kid shots. I fucking hate these little kids.

My time in net for them didn't last long. I let them all put a puck in on me 5-hole and then I retreated to the dark end of the ice to work on my own shit.

Can't say I worked hard particularly, but I did make some progress in terms of sort of thinking through why certain things aren't working for me. Like, even just recovering from the butterfly. Nobody ever told me that if I lean forward when I'm getting up and just recover to my stance, it's a lot easier. Maybe I shouldn't have needed to be told that, but being a naturally less athletic person, yes, some things do need to be spelled out in crayon for me.

I tried to slide in the butterfly. I can't do it any better than the first day I got out on the ice after I got my leg pads. I might as well be in sand. What's silly is that I can actually get a pretty good slide in just a knee-shuffle kinda move because my weight is distributed evenly. Somehow I can't seem to get my weight even (this was something I learned watching Brusty's camp) and push off and actually get somewhere.

And I worked on the hybrid/tight to the post save. Even though the rink people were too lazy to put the other net out so I was tight to the air next to the dark spot on the ice where the post sits... but still, I have a better feel for it, so that's good.

I also worked on moving the puck some more. Still suck at that. And I worked on backwards skating quite a lot, which I'm getting MUCH better at.

Most of all, I reassured myself that I can still skate after 2 weeks off the ice. And that it's still fun. As long as those kids aren't shooting on me.

Oh, but I had a Ms.Conduct Moment of OHSHIT Panic. One of the parents out there... I'm standing in the net taking a few shots and I look up at his face and I swear on my Nonnie's grave, it was Benoit Pouliot.

If my skull and mask were see-thru, you'd have seen my gears go into overdrive at that moment. Like, "Oh fuck, he's here to take my head off for all the mean things I've said about him. But, that's stupid. He's in Canada or St. Paul but certainly isn't in Houston paying for stick and puck at the mall rink at 5 a.m. on a Saturday with a little kid. But shit, that sure looks like him. And he's got some crazy European looking sweater on (and it looks appropriate, so I know I'm on target with my notion he should be playing in Europe), but so does the kid he's with, so, no, this can't be him."

And then he shot the puck. Right into my blocker. And again, blocker. And again, blocker. At which point, I decided it wasn't him because Ben would be shooting it right into my belly. :)

Goddamn, I love my blocker side. Even got my glove on a couple, so I think the catch I've been playing with Mr.C is helping. But I love my blocker side. I should take it out for ice cream later.

Anyway, enough of this. I've been promised french toast with fresh strawberries at my favorite breakfast place, Buffalo Grill. Go ahead and be jealous. It's the tastiest breakfast EVER.

Next up: Game tomorrow night. And hopefully redemption for the big bag of suck I left out there two weeks prior.

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Bourne with the good insight again...

Justin got my attention with this observation in his blog today:

Isn’t it interesting how teams seem to take on the personality of their superstars? Take the Penguins. Wouldn’t it be impossible to goof off and not care when you know Sid is gonna commit Hari Kari if he doesn’t win? Or, on the other side of the coin, wouldn’t you slowly get ostracized in the Capitals dressing room if you weren’t able to have fun while playing?

The Cavaliers are fun because Lebron is. The Lakers are as fun algebra because Kobe is, and the Yankees are awkward and unlikeable because Go Away-Rod is. This has to be why teams are putting in more time getting to know the kids they’re about to draft than back in the day.

This naturally gets me thinking about the Wild. Their superstar has been Gaborik, right? No wonder they were so frustrating. Or is it Mikko with all his nasty intensity mixed with Finnish reserve?

Of course, Clutter is the guy you really want driving the personality of a team, right? Hard-working, fun but focused. A healthy Burns isn't a bad guy to be in that position either. Bruno? Backstrom?

What say you, Wild fan?

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Jacking Hammer's Style

Totally ripping this from Schultzie. Sorry girl, but this blog has gotten so boring without Aeros coverage. Also, Mr. C has a bunch of friends over playing video games and I'm looking for ways to basically just avoid that whole scene.

One of them is singing You Oughta Know by Alanis Morrisette (they're playing Rock Band right now). Seriously, I may just have to leave the house.

1) What's (Who's?) your favorite team?
Aeros and Wild

2) What's your least favorite team?
Ducks, Habs, Rockford

3) Who's your favorite player?
Cal Clutterbuck, Barry Brust

4) Who's your least favorite player?
Darcy "Mother" Tucker, Chris Pronger "is a pussy"

5) Favorite American team?
See #1

6) Favorite Canadian team?
Calgary

7) Favorite International team?
Canada

8) Who's your favorite goalie?
Brusty, in the minors. Turco, Thomas, and Brodeur in the NHL.

9) Least favorite goalie?
Kipper, but just because he fucked up my fantasy hockey this season. I really don't have it in me to dislike a goalie.

10) Favorite fighter?
Who else but Mitch Love?

11) Least favorite fighter?
Anybody beating up one of MY boys.

12) Favorite jersey/uniform/outfit/sweater?
Love the Kings new third. Love the Wild red (but hate the uniform all together). Love seeing the Aeros in their darks.

13) Least favorite jersey/uniform/outfit/sweater?

Florida, Atlanta's and Sen's thirds

14) Do you like home, away, or "third" jerseys best?
Tend to like the thirds just because they're different. Though only in the NHL. Alternate sweaters in the AHL are usually pretty fug.

15) Who do you want to win the Cup?
Anybody but the Ducks

17) Which player would you most like to sit and have coffee with?
Any goalie.

18) What about a beer?
Chris Holt!

19) How about just watch the game with?
I've enjoyed JBourne's bloggeration of the playoffs... I suspect he'd be pretty fun to watch a few frames with.

20) Have an in-depth hockey conversation with?
Again, any goalie. Or really, any bum off the street. I just love to talk hockey, but if I can learn something, the more the better.

21) Do you collect hockey cards, memorabilia, etc?
No. More to dust. Just my Legace stick and a few Aeros bobbles.

22) If so, what's your favorite card?
N/a

23) Which is worth the most, and what's it worth?
How much will you give me for the Curtis Murphy bobble I've got? It's a big one! But it's very dusty.

24) Do you live by any hockey players?
Not as far as I know, unless you count Coach Stalin. Now, if I lived in Sugarland...

26) Do you play hockey?
Absofuckinlutely.

27) What do you wear to hockey games?
Gotta go biz-caz for my writing gig, so it's slacks, a nice t-shirt, and my light jacket with lots of pockets for my writerly things.

28) Do you have any "watching hockey rituals" or anything anyone might consider weird?
Not really, no.

29) What's your favorite hockey memory (as a fan?)
The Cal for Calder thing was pretty fun.

30) What's your favorite hockey commercial?


31) Who's the nicest player you've met?
Haven't actually met too many. Hard to say.

32) Rudest/meanest/most annoying, etc?
Same answer. Of course, there are guys I don't like but they're probably pretty nice off the ice.

33) Who's the best looking (AKA 'off ice favourite')
Mikko Koivu. Dane Crowley. Both make me catch my breath a little. Okay, a lot.

34) Other off-handed/off-ice comments?
None that I'm okay with putting here.

35) Why do you really like hockey?
The grace and skill contrasted/combined with the speed and violence. There's just nothing else like it. That these guys who are so easy going off the ice are such warriors on it. It never gets old for me. My happy place is sitting up at the top of 108 watching the boys do their thing. I'd rather be there more than any other place.

But on the flip side, I'm equally amazed that *I* can play this game, in my own assbackward way, a couple of times a week and am ALMOST as happy as when I'm covering a game. I dunno. Hockey has been completely transformative for me. I owe it a lot.

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Mustache Boy

More killer stuff from Justin Bourne, who explains how hockey practices work to us civilians. (We're ALL drill wreckers in novice league, BTW. The coaches should get some white boards. None of us played juniors, so maybe we'll be able to follow along, though some of us DO like shiny things, so maybe not.)

I've mentioned it before, but goddamnit, I hate Mustache Boy. I guess if it's a sign of good team chemistry, I'll grudgingly tolerate it but really... man... I hate it so much. One week, my guys are stone cold foxes and the next, they look like door-to-door vacuum salesmen.

Here's more indepth explanation on Mustache Boy and Juice Boy (the less aesthetically distressing version of the game) from Ben Lovejoy's hilarious, but abandoned, blog. (Now, I'm not wishing him a slapshot to the jaw, but I wish he'd get back to writing.)

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Quick hits: More Bourne; Shoot, you freaking pansy!; Suck it, figure skaters; new PHN article

Yeah, two Justin Bourne posts in a row, but seriously, what an entertaining writer. (I'm not just sucking up because he linked to my blog. Really.) And his next article on THN is out today. It's terrific, natch.

Go check it out.

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Also, in Justin's blog post today, he says, "Today’s coaches preach shoot-shoot-shoot, and the players usually want them to shut-up-shut-up-shut-up."

And I thought, "AH HA! So you guys don't like to shoot!"

I have to ask why this is. Someone please enlighten me.

Of course, it's not the first time I've asked. Every time Butchy crosses the blue line, spins around, slams on the breaks, and gets the puck taken away, I die a little more inside. And I'm a pretty patient fan. I'm not a "SHOOOOOT!" person at all, unless I see a lane and they don't take it.

I recall watching my pal Schultzie's Tri-City Americans (WHL) play a televised game earlier in the season and it was clear that sometime between juniors and the NHL, the fellas decide a) they don't have to go to the net anymore and b) they don't wanna shoot.

Here's the list of things that can happen when you shoot:

1. Goal
2. Rebound
   
3. Freeze
4. High
5. Wide
6. Fall down (maybe get laughed at)
7. Broken stick
8. Bounce off defender resulting in a breakaway
   

Which of these is worse than your coach moaning to the local paper that you won't effin' shoot the puck and it's driving his ass crazy? Maybe #8. That's it. Those are good odds. Play the odds. Shoot the f**king puck.

Unless you're shooting on Ms.Conduct. Then feel free to whiff and fall down. (Oh, I left whiff off.)

9. Whiff (maybe get laughed at... definitely by the goalie)

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Went to Memorial City like I always do mid-week to work on my footwork today. Of course, I forgot it was spring break, so there were lots of kids, but it wasn't so crowded I couldn't do my thing (which, incidentally, gets LOTS of stares at that figure skating-oriented rink).

But dammit if those friggin' figure skaters hadn't put a million holes in the ice with their toe picks. Someone dug the goddamn Grand Canyon in front of one of the creases. Chunks of ice everywhere. Really annoying. Wish it was like golf where you have to fill your divots. Hope those triple lutzes were pretty, bitches.

(Mostly kidding, though the Grand Canyon was totally true. It's actually pretty fun to watch the better skaters there, though their movements around the ice are terribly unpredictable. I spend a lot of time dodging them and vice versa.)

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Forgot to mention, my next PHN article is out today as well. Nothing special particularly. I feel kinda like I'm holding my breath through the rest of the regular season. The photos are pretty good though. Nice tight shots of Beautiful Benny and Krazy Krys.

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Justin Bourne has a blog!

I've posted his articles from THN a couple of times now and ranted and raved about how terrific it is to find a hockey player who is funny and can write like a pro and actually takes the time to DO IT. But as with all great things doled out all too infrequently, the THN articles just left me wanting more.

But then I ran across this (which is awesome) and it had a link to THIS! Huzzah! Fresh, near-daily Bourneiness!

What a gift. I'm a happy little hockey-obsessed writer right now.

The only problem is that I am on a deadline for my own article at the moment and can't indulge in reading the blog start to finish like I really want to.

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While we nap...

So, I woke up this morning to leaking, puffy eyes and a snot-faucet for a nose (stuck in the ON position). Alavert didn't touch it, so I hit the Benedryl. By 9:30, I passed out cold and woke up an hour and 45 minutes later.

As often happens when I turn my back to my laptop for a few minutes, all hell broke lose. Well, kinda good hell, actually, for some guys. Not so much for others.

The big bomb is that the Wild FINALLY got Backstrom re-signed! Four years, 6 mil-ish per. This is excellent news and you could hear the collective sigh of relief in Minnesota all the way from down here in Texas. Or maybe that was all me. But it seems most folks are awfully happy about not only the signing, but also eliminating the prospect of losing ANOTHER guy to free agency for absolutely no return.

As contradictory as this might seem given the brutal netminding I provide my novice team each Sunday night, I'm positively compulsive about my pro teams having good goaltending. After Daum's final season in Houston, with Miro and Swiss as our only goaltending options, I'm scarred for life. Give me good goalies or give me death. Contrast that with be spoiled by our goaltending in Houston last season... well, my expectations are sky high, and it seems Backstrom can come as close as anybody to meeting those.

I guess we'll see tonight how this affects his play. None at all, I would hope. Or he's elated, because it was clear he wanted to be here pretty badly, and will be even better. Nice interview with Backy here.

What is it with these Finnish goalies? I need to find a nice Finnish name to put on the back of my goalie jersey. Maybe I'll suck less?

In addition to this news was a waiver wire that runneth over, including some familiar names like Peter Olvecky. I suspect he'll just clear and return to Houston. There are too many big names on the wire today for him to get much attention. It will be really nice to get him back, especially with this experience under his belt.

Other familiar names... Aaron Voros and Erik Reitz. Doh! I wonder if Sather's still talking to Riser these days. Seems he didn't ultimately find what he was looking for in the Wild's sloppy seconds (really, he could have just asked the fans and saved himself some trouble). And speaking of which, the Rangers DID pick Avery up off the wire. I guess losing AV and Reitz and sending one guy back to the minors was enough to clear cap space for the Mouth.

And now that Avery is back... and Brodeur is back in New Jersey and playing like a MFing beast... how many of you have the only remaining Rangers v. Devils game circled in red on your calendars? March 30. Be there or be square, kids.

Finally, on a totally unrelated note, Justin Bourne, the minor league player/THN blogger gives another divine slice of life. It is a must read, especially if you play or have played hockey for fun. All I'll say is that I'm a little irritated that the boys know they look that good in those suits. Dammit!

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Bourne for hockey

Hat tip to Jordan in Russoville for pointing this excellent article out. It sent chills down my spine. I love this kind of inside look at a hockey player's psyche, his life, even the bad stuff, the inner struggles with loving the game and hating the lifestyle and all that.

What's more... a hockey player who finds catharsis through writing? Someone who appreciates a good penalty kill AND the value of the serial comma? Sign me up.

Anyway, go read it. And best wishes to Justin. Hopefully hockey can breathe in his ear occasionally while still having the day-to-day life he wants.

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