Free Agent Day: Hour 2

12:00  We start the second hour with an announcement that all HBO's will show The Dark Knight 24/7  This won't be much of an adjustment from their current schedule, and I will probably watch every single one.  "WHY... SO... SERIOUS??!!!"

12:03  Eklund reporting Gionta could join Gomez in Montreal, which would move closer to putting them out of the Havlat race (a race my friend Margaret is still determined to win).  But it's Eklund, so Gionta is more likely to end up in Congress.

12:07  Just finished watching Federer carve up Karlovic.  Clearly the reason federer rose to become the greatest of all-time was his fellow players never introduced him to a super-model girlfriend.  The fact that Rog is married to a "6" at best means he was always focused on tennis.  Christ, if Tommy Haas can land Sara Foster, and Roddick Brooklyn Decker, what would Federer have landed?  Helen of Troy?  A rotation of Selma Hayek, Rosario Dawson, Marissa Tomei, and Scarlett Johansson?  All of them at once?  Your tennis thought for the day...

12:10  Kovalev comes in at 8.8 mil for two years.  Gee, you would kind of think that would set a market for Marty, except for maybe age.  McClure breathes huge sigh of relief as now Kovalev won't be brought in to replace JHC, which I would have liked for comedic reasons.

12:14  Toronto's first signing is Colton Orr.  Boy that Burke, he's a fucking genius he is.

12:20  Eklund reporting that Martin Havlat and Mark DeRosa will start up the first Male Escort Service to gross 1 billion dollars, merely servicing clients between Armitage and Montrose Avenues from Ashland East.

12:24 Little talk of what the Hawks plan to do along the blue line, where a steady presence is needed.  Hope there's a phone call to Beauchemin in.

12:30  Pagnotta reports the Hawks have offered Havlat a one-year deal, which we all knew anyway, and really, there's no reason for Marty to take that.  What if he gets hurt, which isn't exactly a remote possibility?  The shame is we'll never know what kind of funky long term deal the Hawks tried, if they even did.

12:33  Eklund reporting on talks between Nash and BJ's.  This is a story worth watching.  If Nash gets into the season without a new deal, they're going to be some itchy bungholes in Ohio.

12:35  If it's true that Montreal has offered deals to Hossa and Havlat, let's for argument's sake say that either one of them takes it.  The Hawks basically have to fight off LA and maybe Minnesota for the services of the other, and how hard can that be?  LA's at least two years away, and Minnesota's staring straight at a rebuilding project.

12:37  Killion says it's poll time!  You know how Kills loves his polls.  So here it is:

12:40  Nuts, only 20 minutes away from TSN coverage and their four tables of five experts.  And McGuire.  Day drinking may be needed.

12:45  Kovalev's agent has denied that there's a deal done, which sends a bunch of other dominoes back to their upright position.

12:48  David Booth has resigned in Florida for 25.5 million over six years.  That's an average of 4.25, worth noting as I think he's an interesting comparison to Bolland.  Booth's first full year in the league netted 22 goals and 18 assists.  His second was last year, which saw totals of 31 and 29.  Can Weapon make a similiar leap?

12:50  Smoke rising that Hossa to the Hawks is done.  Buckle up, folks.

12:51  Mirtle reporting that Hossa is in the Indian Head, which is only 634 times more credible than Eklund.  THis could be happening...

12:53  More reports pouring in.  If this is a one year deal, McClure and I are getting so drunk tonight, even though he'll probably have to buy.

12:57  I'm going to take the plunge and update my Facebook on this.  Also, in a couple minutes we'll be opening a new thread.