The Ditch part deux

Kawhi in town, everybody stalking him and wanting to him to sign. They keep following his SUV all over the city. When it finally stops and he's ready to get out. Surprise to everyone, it's the horsehead fanoof who's the one in the SUV and announces his return.

*All fiction

 

Calgary

 

I believe it. Stupidity doesn’t care what time zone he’s in.

 

Top #6 US lineup as voted by 11 writers from nhl.com.

G Ben Bishop
D Seth Jones
D John Carlson
C Auston Matthews
W Patrick Kane
W Johnny Gaudreau

 

This morning at Tim Hortons there was a table full of seniors from Bahstan, they were in town to watch the red sox and jays.

 

Greg Johnson, former NHL center, dies at 48
Was captain of Predators from 2002-06, also played for Red Wings, Penguins, Blackhawks...

I don't remember much about him when he was in Detroit except he could fly on skates... RIP

 

Cullen announces retirement after 21 NHL seasons
Forward won Stanley Cup three times, played in 1,516 games for eight teams



Matt Cullen retired from the NHL on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old forward played 21 seasons in the League, including last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins when he had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 71 regular-season games and no points in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"It was an emotional time, but I knew it was coming," Cullen told the Penguins website. "It just felt right and I was really at peace with everything when it was over.

"I felt like it was only right to retire in Pittsburgh with everything that the organization had given me and done for me. I'm so happy I came back and finished my last year in Pittsburgh. I wouldn't trade that last year for anything."

Cullen, who was the oldest player in the NHL last season, is 19th in NHL history in games with 1,516, second-most among United States-born players to Chris Chelios (1,651). Cullen won the Stanley Cup three times, with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

"I'll always have the Cups and those memories. But when I think back on those times, what really stands out is watching my boys with those guys," Cullen said. "That, for me, was the coolest thing ever to watch. It was like the boys were part of the family. ... Those are the memories I'll treasure probably more than anything. Just seeing them around the room every day. I know the boys will remember it forever."

Selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round (No. 35) in the 1996 NHL Draft, Cullen had 731 points (266 goals, 465 assists) with the Ducks, Florida Panthers, Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators and Penguins. He had 58 points (19 goals, 39 assists) in 132 playoff games.

"As I take this time to retire, I look back over the last 42 years of my life and the one thing I want to say the most is thank you," Cullen said. "Thank you to everyone who made my dreams possible. I'm grateful for every game, every moment, everything this game has given me. ... It's hard to believe that this is the end, but here I am.

"I may have skated my last shift, but I'm not hanging up my skates just yet. For me to be able to take [my sons] to the rink and play with them on the ice, as a dad, that's as good as it gets. I couldn't ask for more. That's what I had as a kid and to be able to share it with my kids is my greatest joy."

(NHL.com)

 

Chars now the oldest in the league. Thornton and Marleau not too far behind.

 

Every time I see one of those I flash-back to my glory days of childhood when I had one of those... lots of fun and for hours on end too.

Looks like a classic battle between the Red Wings and the Maple Leafs.

 

Chara, a true HOFer, is a freak of nature on multiple levels.

 

i had a different versions of this game and the players were flat on both sides. haha. i sent away $6 for more stickers so i could have more teams.

 

Canadiens couldn't snag Aho, but did land a few that can help their cause...

The Canadiens, who finished two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference last season, did sign goalie Keith Kinkaid to a one-year contract July 1, defenseman Ben Chiarot to a three-year contract July 4, and forward Nick Cousins to a one-year contract July 5.

 

New twist on "rat trick".

Ages ago, boys and girls, the Florida Panthers played in the SCF. That season got started with a rat romping across the players' dressing room and it morphed into a cause celebre (that's French but without the silly accent marks).

They had to create a whole rule to prevent fans from throwing (plastic) rats on the ice to celebrate goals. Once they got to the SCF the rule was either forgotten or ignored. There's a famous picture of Patrick, The Douche, Roy in goal surrounded by rats. That was during the previous millennium.

In 2019 we have reports that the rodents have returned to the Florida practice facility. These are not the innocuous plastic toys of yore. They're of the living and shitting variety. Multiple rodent droppings have been found throughout the facility.

Is this a deja vu harbinger of good luck for this season? Or, is it just a shitty rat problem?

 

Scott Mellenby killed one of them with his stick, so he was called the "Rat King" after that. haha.

 

Interesting question, Dan. Could be both.

For some reason, the Irish Rovers are stuck in my head... "Cats and rats and elephants, as sure as your born, but I just don't see no Unicorn"

 

The Panthers homer in me sees the universe sending us a message of success and glory.
The realist in me says that it's a practice facility that probably hasn't been well-maintained, and that no players are even there during the summer.

But I like the former more than the latter.

 

dline-im sure you're very happy you got Bob, although pricey this off-season. are you bummed you guys didn't \land Panarin too ? I thought the Panthers were getting both to be honest.