A Week Of Holidays

Today is the official first day of my week off from work. I truly need this to recharge the old batteries, and to get a pile of stuff done that wouldn't get done had I not had the time off. My car is in at the mechanics being fixed, I got to take a nap mid-afternoon, and I did some major cleaning. While it's not lying on a beach somewhere warm, it's stuff that needs to be done. And to be honest, freezing rain and drizzle made the streets like skating rinks today, so I'm thoroughly happy I didn't have to drive anywhere today. That video is absolutely real, by the way. Speaking of rinks, there have been some hockey stories from this weekend while I was out playing hockey, so I need to get caught up with some of them. Most of them are fairly well-known, but a couple need some serious examination.

• Sean Avery cleared waivers, thus setting up his expected debut with the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack sometime this week. With that in mind, it's expected that the New York Rangers will have scouting staff in Hartford to watch Avery's progress before working a deal out with the Stars to have him placed on re-entry waivers. Chris Drury would treat him like a recovering drunk or drug user, but without Shanahan there to muzzle him, do the Rangers have the respected veteran leadership necessary to control Avery from relapsing into Avery? After all, isn't that the complaint with the Rangers right now - not enough veteran leadership?
• In one of the best news stories of the year in hockey, last night's AHL game between the Houston Aeros and Chicago Wolves saw the return of Kurtis Foster to the ice. As you may remember, Foster broke his leg racing for a puck on an icing call against the San Jose Sharks. The Wild made a classy move in re-signing the big defenceman, and he's finally back on the ice, nearly a year after suffering his horrific injury. Good luck to Foster in his comeback, and here's hoping that we'll see him in a Wild uniform before season's end!
• Liz Mullen breaks down the resignation letter that Eric Lindros submitted to the NHLPA before he went silent-treatment with the media. In reading Dreger's report on TSN's website a few days ago, he alluded to a possible rift between Executive Director Paul Kelly and Ombudsman Eric Lindros from a September meeting in Chicago. While I get that Lindros feels his hands were tied by the position, you can't just start questioning everything publicly. Again, this fight looks like it might be far from over if anyone ever decided to go on-the-record with anything.

Because I haven't really paid attention to anything else today, that's all I've got thus far. Devils lead the Rangers, so nothing is new in the Atlantic Division. I heard a slightly crazy rumour while out this weekend: Marian Gaborik to the Penguins. While this would solve the problem of finding Crosby a winger, you'd be faced with the Marian Hossa paradox again - you can't sign him, so how much do you pay to get him? Personally, I'd pass on Gaborik with his injury problems. One hangnail in the playoffs, and he'd be out until Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!