As a Devils fan I know this is wrong but....

I kinda like the Philadelphia Flyers. I guess you could say that I have a crush.

The Flyers have recently done something smart and inked Moncton Wildcats Goalie and their 2009 5th round draft pick Nicola Riopel to a contract. Because some girls like to listen to french boys talk, because west coasters are not familiar with Riopel, and because everybody else hates the Flyers and would never dare to visit their web page - I am including Riopel's draft day video here as a final goodbye.



It appears as if Riopel will not be back with the Wildcats and that the goaltending reigns will be handed over to behbeh LBD, goaltender for Canada's under 18 team and hot list hottie for the hockey news. That is a list of young hotties, right?

So while everybody in Halifax was doing a Stanley Cup /Sidney Crosby birthday celebration pee-dance of excitement yesterday, I was sitting around sighing for goalies and the Flyers. This was followed by soulful Flamenco...the expressive dance of my own personal suffering at the hands of heart breaking goalies.

To get my mind off of goalies today I watched this video of former Gatineau Olympique star forward Claude Giroux, who now also plays for the Flyers. Enjoy, and please don't forget his name. I suspect he won't let you! If you don't know him now you will know him soon enough.




Now my mind is wandering. Why does he have a giant inflatable dinosaur in his back seat? Sometimes it takes the BIG questions to get goalies out of my head.

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Riopel Image from Courrier de St-Hyacinthe via RDS

Damn you Penguins

From the Truro Daily news:

"Zach Sill is one step closer to achieving his, and almost every other Canadian boy’s dream, of becoming a professional hockey player.

The 21-year-old Birch Hill resident has inked a one-year contract with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the top farm club of the Pittsburgh Penguins and a team Sill had a 25-game amateur tryout with last spring during its playoff run."

...and yes, he was invited to Penguins development camp. I don't care about penguins but I would like to see his waddle.

Damn, I hate the Penguins

...and the stupid fuckers keep pulling moves to try to make me like them. Moves like LeTang, Grant, Veilleux and NOW ZACH SILL.

According to an article published this morning in the Times and Transcript, Sill, a Nova Scotia native and sexy, sexy, overage MONSTER* for the Moncton Wildcats has signed a 25 game try out contract with the Wilkes Barr Scranton Penguins. I was hoping he would go the university route (just for me).

Maybe the Dirty Penguins decided that they needed him after they saw the way he could shut down Veilleux.

"He's coming off two tremendous seasons with us and I certainly think he's ready to play in the AHL. It will give him a chance to show Pittsburgh and other organizations where he fits in terms of pro hockey. For my money, he's certainly good enough to be a regular in the AHL next season.''

Sill was selected in the eighth round of the 2005 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft and he played two seasons for Moncton. He had 24 points, including nine goals, in 58 games this season and led the club with 224 hits.

MEOW

The native of Truro, N.S. is a two-way centre who's a fan favourite for his physical style of play. He's an energy player who excels in a checking role, kills penalties and chips in offensively.

Sill, who left for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Penn. on Sunday, will be a free agent after this season.

"He's an eighth-round draft pick who came into our league and progressed to the point where he's now a free agent who's drawing considerable NHL interest,'' said Flynn. "You have to give him lots of credit because he's worked hard for it.

Unsung Hero? What are your secret skills?

I am very serious about my Sill. I mean- have you seen his tongue? Ummmmmm I mean game... have you seen his game, yeah game!!!

Sill picture from the Moncton Wildcats website
* playoffs = too much Pierre McGuire

A perfect opportunity for sexual harassment

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Monday Updates: Hey Slaney....

...is that a big fat paycheck from the Toronto Maple Leafs in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? According to reports in the Cape Breton Post, 21 year old Eagles winger, my Screaming Eagles boyfriend, all around smart guy with a kicky Newf accent, and sometimes Dustin Tokarski look-alike Robert Slaney has signed a three year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In your face Carolina!!!

“It’s been in discussion for the past two weeks and we got her done,” said Slaney

Ummmm did he just say "we got her done"? What they meant to write there was "we got 'er done". Sports writer Greg MacVicar is clearly not a proud Caper (or a Newf).

The Screaming Eagles are currently faceing the Quebec Remparts in the second round of the QMJHL playoffs and are leading the series 3-2. Slaney has been out of the Eagles line-up for this series due to an undisclosed upper body injury, possibly a broken jaw.

All of my hopes and dreams rest with the Eagles. They are the only Eastern Division team left in the playoffs and despite the fact that they are the Mooseheads sworn enemy, I am a Caper and, as such, the Eagles and I used to date. I still have a bit of a soft spot in my heart for them. Ahhhhhh young love.

Also, if they stay in the game I may be able to make a quick romp (it will only take 5 hours) down to CB to squeeze in some playoff hockey. All we need to do to make that happen is to pray to Olivier Roy, last week's ADT CHL goaltender of the week. Blessed be Roy.

Detroit hearts Pare

Matthew Wuest has written a piece on former Chicoutimi Sagueneens forward Francis Pare for Red Wings Central. Apparently the Detroit Red Wings may be thinking about popping the question. How romantic.

Keepin' up with goaltenders

Ryan Mior (Gatineau Olympiques) has signed with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, the CHL affiliate of the Rochester Americans*. Ryan is not currently eligible to play while he waits for immigration approval. OK, that is clear right? He has indeed left the University of Waterloo.

Ondrej Pavelec (Screaming Eagles) had made threats earlier in the season to not report to the Atlanta Thrashers AHL affiliate the Chicago Wolves...but he is indeed back with the Wolves and has played three games so far this season.

The IHL's Port Huron Icehawks have added former Quebec Remparts goaltender Kevin Desfosses, who had recently been released by the Ottawa Senator's ECHL affiliate Elmira Jackals.

AUS Hockey's regular season has begun. Last night PEI faced- off against UNB and Jhase Sniderman was in nets for UPEI. I have no idea how to keep track of this university team stuff. These teams have to update their webpages and their rosters already. Anyway, my imaginary lover Travis Fullerton was in nets for UNB, and unfortunately UNB took a rare loss (in overtime). "We" blame the defense. Why am I writing about this you ask? You know how I LOVE Fullerton - I can't help myself.

* I like to make mistakes when it comes to affiliates

I heart you - hooray for you

Pier-Olivier Pelletier is back on da ice. According to a recent blog post by Wuest, Pelletier has landed a gig with the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL. Ohhhh Augusta Georgia. I don't think I will be making it down there anytime soon.

Tonights game was horrible, but sweet Pier always has this way of kickstarting my happy feelings. I am sooooooo happy for Pier. Soooo happy. No you don't get my levels of happy! They are indescribable. We did not have a love/hate relationship. It was a love, and more obsessively scary kind of love relationship. He smells so pretty.

If he signed with the Augusta Lynx yesterday why did I not see this in my 'the hockey news' updates that I check on a daily basis while obsessively looking for his name?

COOOOOOOOO my sweet Pier. Congrats on not having to be an accountant or a firefighter.

_______________________________________

EDIT: there it is - more news of signings - hooray *hugs*.

I totes told Pier to go back and work with Marco Marciano and it totes worked. He picked up on my mental vibes. Some goalie coaches don't have cooties. According to an article by Jonathan Habashi in the Drummondville L'Express:

"(This is a google translation) Pelletier, who spent last season in the uniform of the Halifax Mooseheads, just agree with the Augusta Lynx, in the Hockey League's east coast. The 21-year netminder wanted to train one last time in the company of Marciano before taking the path of Georgia, where he will participate in training camp Lynx.

Marciano, who left the Voltigeurs during the summer to join the coaching staff of the Canadian senior women's team, was able to reconnect with some of his former protected.

"It was the first time I saw guys. I have not seen everybody, because we were busy on the ice, but I had the opportunity to speak with Guy Boucher, Antoine Tardif, Nathan Dunnet and a few others. It is always "fun" to review guys, especially after a bit. I will try to find some time to come and see the guys play in Drummond this season, "said Marciano."

Guy Guy Guy

Despite releasing Guillaume Monast back to play with the Quebec Remparts for the 2008-2009 season it turns out that the Stars have indeed signed my boy to an entry level contract.

HA. Guy and I say "IN YOUR FACE" to everyone who dissed on him last season - "IN YOUR FACE". He better not be fucking with my heart the way PJ Corsi did (except this time with a team I like - mmmmmmdefence + Marty #3). I do not want to have to retract this post tomorrow. Since the Dallas Stars are telling me this themselves (via their very own webpage) I am going to assume it is true.

See the look on Guillaume's face - it reads "well fuck you too"

Robert Mayer and Carey Price up in a Sexy Tree

In a move I don't think anyone was expecting the Montreal Canadiens have signed 19 year old free agent Robert Mayer, goaltender for the Saint John Sea Dogs, to a three year contract. Yes, that was the sound of 1000 squee filled gasps from the Maritimes you just heard in your eastwardly directed ear.


According to the Hockey News:

The 19-year-old goaltender agreed to a three-year deal with the Habs on Thursday after attending training camp on a tryout. He's a member of the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs. Mayer is 1-1 in two games this season after posting a 16-11-0 record last year.

The Czech-born goalie has dual citizenship with Switzerland and represented that country at last year's world junior championship.

Mayer attended Montreal's development camp in July before earning an invitation to rookie camp and training camp.

PJ Corsi is now officially signed ( I hope)

According to an article from Drummondville's L'Express, former Moosehead and newly appointed Voltigeur PJ Corsi has finally come to terms in with the NY rangers organization. Let's hope he is not pulling our leg again. The QMJHL website has already changed their Volts page - now Dany Masse is the Volt's feature player .

According to L'express:
The contract stipulates that Corsi attend training camp with the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack as of August 25, but his name will also be among the first ranks on the list of replacements for the next New York Rangers training camp, should invited players become injured or are not able to attend.

Just imagine if both PJ and Guillaume Monast (who has an invite to the delightfully glittering Dallas Stars training camp) end up with pro contracts. We now owe the Volts a 3th and a 7th (I assume this is for the 2009 draft). I wonder if we will owe Quebec compensation too.

Excuse me while I go weep for my team's future.

PJ Corsi Checking Again

Former Halifax Mooseheads centreman PJ Corsi has come to terms with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL. PJ came to Halifax from Val d'Or in the Winter of 2006 and was traded to Drummondville at the draft, it was here that he was expected to finish out his QMJHL career.

According to the ECHLwebsite
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Charlotte Checkers announced that they have agreed to terms with rookie forward Peter-James Corsi.

The Checkers are the ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League and the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.

Corsi, who will turn 20 years old on Sunday, has played the last four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League where he had 170 points (72g-98a) and 296 penalty minutes in 253 regular season games and 26 points (11g-15a) and 53 penalty minutes in 32 playoff games for Halifax and Val d’Or.

There is another report about PJ signing with the ECHL en Francais in l'express.

While I think it is totally awesome that PJ has gotten a contract, why did he have to get a contract with a poopy rangers affiliate? I guess this means he will not be with the Volts next season. I hope our trade was not conditional....that would be even more poopy.

I like PJ, he can build things, he wears glasses, is brilliantly stylish, and although he might only be 5'10, he hits an awful lot for a short guy. Also, he had a bajillion hat tricks this season (bajillion now = 3), he was 4th on the team in points with 70 (31G, 39A) and he had a delicious 14.3 shot percentage. Not only that but he was the QMJHL offensive player of the week from 2007-11-05 to 2007-11-11.

He does have his downsides. Once, during the "10 questions" session in the first period intermission, Shannon Slaughter asked him what three things he couldn't live without, PJ responded with "my girlfriend". What a squishy squishy head! He probably likes to watch rom-coms.

Everything is coming up Timo

Timo Pielmeier has received two good pieces of news today
#1) he is leading in the poll for choosing my new #1 QMJHL boyfriend with 46 % of the vote.
#2) he has been signed to a three year entry level contract with the San Jose Sharks.

I suspect that people are trying to make Timo my new boyfriend because he is pretty and not because of his skills (as reflected by having the best Save% in the league for the 2007-2008 season). If the Sharks take Timo this season, and he leaves the Q at the tender age of 19, whomever receives the second highest number of votes will be my new boyfriend by default.

For more info on why I need a new Q boyfriend, and details about why I have selected the top 8 candidates for my next #1 QMJHL boyfriend, see the following blog posts -

Picking a new boyfriend
Getting to know my boyfriends

- then vote. Maybe you, much like me, cannot make up your mind! That is OK because the poll is such that you can select more than one boy at a time. I get about 60 hits a day, and the poll has been up for over 10 days (in the sidebar to your right), and yet I only have 13 votes. What is up with that?

I know it is silly, but no one is watching you vote so no one will judge you if you do vote! Not Mats Sundin's indecision, not Brian Burke or Sean Avery's big mouth, not Kyle Wellwood's tubby belly, not Martin Brodeur's moobs, not Carlo Colaiacovo's fragile bones, not Pierre McGuire's douchebaggery, not even the hockey gods!!! No, these things will not judge you.

and...you know you want to.

Toby Lafrance: From Tigre to Falcon

Toby Lafrance has signed a two way AHL contract with the Springfield falcons, affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers.

Tiny Toby played last season with the Victoriaville Tigres, and had 41 goals and 48 assists for 89 points in 68 games. But who cares about stats when you look like this.


Mmmm hairy. OK, I admit it, the eyebrows need some serious grooming, and I think they get bigger every year, so that by the time he is 50 you will not be able to see his lips for eyebrows...but other than that, there are totally a thousand reasons to say RAWR at this Tigre.


Speaking of Tigres, 2008 Islanders draftpick and Victoriaville goaltender Kevin Poulin has been interviewed for LaNouvelle l'Union. Guess what - it is 'en Francais'. He basically says that:

• development camp went well,
• that the Isles are not deep in goaltending (but they have pretty Ricky tied up for eternity)
• that the coaches liked his play and positioning
• that he will be going to Toronto soon to work with the Islanders' goaltending coach
• after the Tigres training camp closes he will be going to Moncton for Isles training camp (because for some reason, possibly due to Nolan, the Isles and Moncton are up in a tree)

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Lafrance team photo from http://www.tigresvictoriaville.com/

Flying with Kevin Marshall

Former Lewiston MAINEiacs defenceman Kevin Marshall has been signed to an entry level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. He was a member of the 2006-2007 President's cup winning Maineiacs team, and last season with the club netted 11 goals and had 24 assists in 66 regular season games. Kevin was traded to the Quebec Remparts this summer just prior to the QMJHL entry draft.

Following his stint at Flyers development camp he will be headed off to Ottawa to participate in summer training camp for Canada's 2009 IIHF under 20 team.

You can hear Kevin discuss becoming the newest member of the Flyers family in the "Flyers TV" video posted below, or read more about it at the Flyers homepage.

More little things

The Atlanta Thrashers have signed Angelo Esposito, formerly of the Quebec Remparts but currently assigned to play with the Jr de Montreal. Within minutes of the signing all pharmacies and beauty supply stores in Atlanta ran out of hair gel.

Hockey's Future has a Q&A with Colorado Avalanche prospect and Lewiston Maineiacs goaltender Peter Delmas.


The voting for the hottest Centreman in the NHL has begun. Check out the Hottie Hockey Dreamy Team at Wrap around Curl and I mean, We got guys... and vote. While you are there add some write in votes for Mike Fisher, who was sadly enough left off of their list. What? Is the world coming to an end? I think maybe it must be. Either that or Jenn and Heather have had their eyes gouged out with mellonballers. Now they have to wear eye patches - sexy.

Eating Duck would be sacrilegious

Newly minted Anaheim Duck Logan MacMillan was interviewed by Matthew Wuest for today's edition of the Metro. He doesn't discuss where we will be going to dinner, or what luxurious gifts he will be buying me with that $262,500 signing bonus , but we have both decided that eating Duck would be a tad bit sacrilegious. Here is what the boy had to say:

Logan MacMillan received a handsome signing bonus and an equally generous vote of confidence yesterday.

Coming off an up-and-down season he would rather forget, the Halifax Mooseheads forward signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks.

The Orange County Register reports the contract is valued at more than $2.3 million if he plays all three seasons in the NHL, plus a guaranteed signing bonus of $262,500.

“It’s a big relief and it’s exciting for me at the same time to get that part over with,” MacMillan told Metro Halifax last night. “I was looking to get a deal done and it just kind of came together. It’s another step. The work starts from here.”

...“It feels good they still believe in me and they liked what I’ve been doing,” the 19-year-old said. “It’s a vote of confidence from them to put that faith in me after an up-and-down year.”

...“He was great,” Ducks senior vice president of hockey operations Bob Murray told the Orange County Register. “His attitude and his liveliness were so much different at this camp (than last year). He’s feeling a whole lot better about himself.”

Because MacMillan is 19, he must either make the Ducks’ NHL roster next season — an unlikely scenario — or return to the Mooseheads. He cannot play in the minors.

One Moose in and one Moose out. The Ducks have some seriously mad chi balancing skills.

MacMillan gets his Money

Logan MacMillan has signed a three year deal with the Ducks. I know this must be true because Wuest told me so and even the Ducks told me so. Finally, Logan news that I am not 3 weeks late in reporting on.

This makes Logan 1000x smarter than teammate Bryce Swan, oops I mean :<[), who would not sign with the Ducks, did not get re-drafted, and has not been invited to any NHL development camps.

Dear Logan,
Do you remember when I said I loved you? Of all the 'stars' on our team you were the scrappiest, not the yappiest. This is good because being all yap and no scrap will get you nowhere, and yap alone will most certainly not get you a date with Q girl. Furthermore, you did all the things I like, like fight and be excellently defencey. I salivate in the very presence of a good two-way forward.

When you take me on a date, because you feel the need to spend some of your hard earned moola in celebration, may I suggest you not show up in makeup (ugh those draft pics). I don't care if you have pimples as long as you are sporting a nice, well tailored suit.

I am a classy lady, none of that East Side Mario's or Applebees for me. No really, I am dead serious. Who in this town serves wild game besides Halliburton House? Maybe we can make it a meal at Onyx, something with truffle shavings, maybe a little duck or lamb, and one of those pricey wines recommended by Brad Richards. You know Brad right, he is that other guy from PEI. Oh yeah, and if you can finagle it, bring Brad too. You know I'm down like that.

Anyway darling, if Onyx is not your thing, I hear the steaks at Cut are good and they serve Foie Gras (with port reduction). Port reduction on my foie gras!!! Yeah, I think Cut is totally the place to go.

Love and "signing bonus fueled kisses with tongue"
Q-girl

signings, signings.......uh, we are missing a signing

The Calgary Flames have signed their 2006 4th round draft pick Hugo Carpentier of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. In addition, the Florida Panthers have signed their 1st round - 10th overall pick for 2006, Michael Frolik of the Rimouski Oceanic, to an entry level contract. There has still been no official word on the Ducks having signed the Mooseheads' own Bryce Swan. All signings from the 2006 draft must be complete by the June 1st deadline. What up Swany?


Update -
Also, the NJ Devils do not look like they are going to be signing 2006 (round 3) draft pick Kirill Tulupov, an import Russian defenseman who plays for the Victoriaville Tigres. They have recently signed young Finnish free agent Anssi Salmela, who was the leading goal scorer among defensemen for the Finnish league in the 2007-2008 season.

Pittsburgh signs Keven Veilleux

Yeah you read me right. After joining the baby Penguins for their Calder cup run, the growed-up Penguins have finally decided to sign 18 year old Rimouski Oceanic forward Keven Veilleux (formerly of the Victoriaville Tigre) to a 3 year contract with the big club. I think that while he is on the Baby Penguin's roster, he has not actually been playing any games (since no playoff stats are available).

Oh secret lover Keven Veilleux WHY? WHY? Does this mean we will have to break up now? I do not want to break up, I love secretly loving you. Ugh, It all feels so dirty.

Check out the W-B Scranton Penguins homepage
I can't think of Scranton without thinking of "The Office".