Top Shelf : Islanders Daily 7/19/13
Mandatory Credit: Scott Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Ho-hum…..another day, another dollar. News continues to be non-existent in the National Hockey League these days with contract extensions trickling in and players like Mikhail Grabovski, Damien Brunner, Jaromir Jagr and others still waiting to see where they should report to training camp come September.
With word coming out of the National Hockey League’s head office that the 2013-14 schedule will not be released until details of the players participation in the Sochii Olympic games is decided, it looks we are forced to instead read stories of contract extensions. Which, at the end of the day, is better than nothing when the temperature outside makes it feel like we are living on the sun itself.
Dustin Brown, captain of the Los Angeles Kings, signed an extension yesterday for 8 more years in wine country for an annual salary of 5.75mm. Very fair deal for the man who has led the club to the championship and conference finals in consecutive years. But the chances of him surviving physically, given the style he employs, over that length is sketchy at best.
Matt Duchense, the other guy in the Tavares draft, got a five year extension at 6mm per. It speaks volumes to the lunacy that JT’s contract screams. I am not in any way, shape or form saying Duchense is a bad player, actually quite the contrary. But it does show how out of control salaries have become once again when general managers do not stick to the unwritten ‘Snow bylaws’ and is a good indication of another lockout looming when the current CBA expires in seven years. These guys just cannot get out of the way of themselves.
In Case You Missed It
- Ashley March on the signing of Thomas Hickey (EOI)
- Gary Harding is already counting down to opening night (Isles Talk)
- Kichton was snubbed? That’s a new assumption (Toronto Sun)
- Do away with the instigator rule to solve headshots? (The Hockey Writers)
- Interesting opinion by Aaron Asham on Torts (Rangers Blog)
- Kane and Seguin should have a little chat (Blackhawk Up)
Two Minutes For Tweeting
- Hounds of Justice…..classic. Could be the new cult phenomenon on the Island for 2013-14! I smell a comic book series and maybe even a feature film!
- Hot dogs and nachos? At this time of the morning? Sign me up sir!
- This picture was floating around the web yesterday as A-Mac attended an off-season function. I do not know nor can confirm whether he has already been chosen or not. Maybe he is wearing Kyle’s sweater? ?
- I would as well Billy….extremely cost effective, smart deals is what Snow has certainly built his reputation on.
- I have not heard this rumor at all. The latest I heard was Dion was being looked at by the Oilers. I would think, given what we have seen, the cost would be way more than Snow is willing to spend at this given time.
-AG (@tazman19)