It’s the Friday before a three-day holiday weekend, friends. When we reconvene on September 2nd the hockey season is going to look pretty gosh darned close, if you’ll pardon my french. We’ll pat ourselves on the back, having made it through one of the more anticipatory stretches in DBD’s history then.
For now there’s very simply a few links to read, then go get that weekend started.
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- Stars second-round pick Brett Pollock will be watched by admirers here in Texas for the first time- but will also have the added test of being a player expected to step up in the absence of more veteran presences now removed from the Oil Kings.
“Opportunity does a lot for a player,” Pollock said. “With guys like (Henrik) Samuelsson gone, and maybe Lazar, too, there obviously is some holes in the offence (this year).”
With the loss of Lazar, Samuelsson, Mitch Moroz, Cody Corbett, Reid Petryk, and possibly Edgars Kulda, the Oil Kings could be without their six leading scorers from their national championship season.
Lazar believes that Pollock, along with the help of his teammates, is capable of keeping the Oil Kings among the top teams in the WHL. [Edmonton Journal]
- The Prince Albert Raiders have signed Stars prospect Matej Stransky’s younger brother Simon to a WHL standard contract. [Prince Albert Herald]
- Stephane Robidas. Will he ever stop being near and dear to my heart? Certainly not any time soon. Here some generic Maple Leaf blog talks about his acquisition, speculating he could be paired with Jake Gardiner. Here’s hoping he’s able to see the ice for an extended period at all after two breaks of the same leg. [“Editor in Leaf”]
- Fans tried Goose Gosselin on about hockey, for whatever reason, and he weighed in rather generically on their chances at re-signing Jason Spezza by opining on the usual- no state income tax, the weather, etc. And winning. That’s the key, as he says, and that will ultimately determine what’s done in that area, provided he’s a good fit in the room and on the ice. [DMN]
- I’m not familiar with the existence of this particular online publication, but my google alert says they’re talking Dallas Stars, particularly that Jamie Benn is on about.com’s list of top-50 NHL players at… #32. Seems he has a few heads more to turn this season. [about.com]
- Mike Heika muses on Ales Hemsky as the season approaches- Notably that he is injured, and fairly often. [DMN]
- The “ten most fascinating teams in the NHL” from Puck Daddy- I clicked. I scrolled. I grew more and more perplexed by the second. No Stars. Until an interesting edit/update at the end, which actually ends up being pretty flattering for Dallas. Check it out. [Puck Daddy]
- Interesting initiative going on here- Painting a kind of “warning track” yellow line around the outside of a rink to raise awareness and prevent career-ending injuries/hits along the boards. A “look-up line”. Sounds like there’s little downside outside of the inevitable and un-quantifiable effect it would have on officiating. Though, as someone who plays the game several times a week…granted, not at the pace most do (oh, not anywhere near it…), I do wonder at the awareness part. I know when I am near the boards. They’re right there. They’re painful. You only have to be become acquainted with them a time or two before you’re rather mindful. [Puck Daddy]