-Interesting post from our Morning Links from CSN’s Jeremy Lynn (yeah, that’s pretty funny). While the unwashed at the end of the spectrum continue to bombard our twitter feed and now my facebook decrying why Stan Bowman hasn’t done more than sign Sheldon Brookbank, Lynn points out that just as in soccer sometimes you create space for yourself by just standing still. Because no one else in the division has done anything either. Detroit is still going to trot out that very problematic blue line next season with a forward corps that is just getting older. Oh, and they still have Todd Bertuzzi and will still play him with a straight face. Nashville lost Ryan Suter and just ate up a lot of cash on Shea Weber. The Jackets are the Jackets. And the Blues are pretty much the same as when we last left them, counting on a freakish and frankly unsustainable defensive and goaltending performance to get back where they were. The Blues will still be good, but is anyone really expecting them to duplicate what we saw last term? Shut up Gallagher. You don’t even buy that. And of course there’s the lingering threat of a young team tuning out Ken Hitchcock, because it’s happened before. Oh, and they’re still unquestionably stupid.
So yeah, it doesn’t make you dream of training camp and the winter months, and you’d like to see the Hawks do something to leap forward instead of letting the same roster slowly grow forward. But looking around, they’re in a good position right now.
-How funny is it going to be in January when Rick Nash’s initial enthusiasm for a new setting wanes and he flamingos on a shot from the point? Torts is probably going to turn a color you won’t find in the Crayola box. And Larry Brooks will be there to tell him he told him so, even though he didn’t.
–Jakub Voracek getting 4 million a year is further proof that Viktor Stalberg, unless he completely falls off the map this season, is going to be a rich man next summer. If Saad or Hayes or someone from left field pans out, Stalberg would have to be a midseason trade piece if not one still this summer. Then again, if he’s producing again, it’ll be quite the debate.
-Bravo to Hawks Nation for not getting upset about not signing Alex Semin. What a relief.
-Despite the best efforts of many of our most dedicated readers, you will not make me care about Women’s Olympic soccer. But you guys have fun. If you can get Alex Morgan to a roadwatch one day, then I’ll care.
-Speaking of the Olympics, is there some mass conspiracy where everyone pretends that female gymnasts, while incredible athletes, are not creepy and weird? Because they are.