Ron MacLean is a BAMF & other things

by Anne

• First and foremost, we all must pay homage to one Mr. Ron MacLean of Hockey Night in Canada who saved a man from taking his own life by diving into the Delaware River to save him. Read a bit about it here. What a dude. 

• So the Flyers won last night. I dislike both of these teams in the Final so I appreciate that these three games have been exciting and close. Chris Pronger makes things more entertaining, as always, even if it's because he's a royal d-bag.

• Zack Kassian saddens me. I know he has a mean-streak on the ice, but being arrested and charged with assault is not exactly going to endear him to Sabres fans. Darcy Regier had expressed interest in signing him to a pro-contract soon. That will likely be put off until later into the summer, if it happens this summer at all, while he deals with this situation. Idiot. Win the Memorial Cup and get arrested. Well done, Kash.

• I'm reading this book:

• I'm a big fan of the Roosevelts and I like biographies and I like biographies written by David McCullough, so this should be a good read. Thusfar I've read the first chapter, which focuses on TR's Pops, also named Theodore. He sounds like he was the kind of father any kid would want. Next chapter is about his Mama, Mittie.

• It's hard to find things hockey to look forward to. I'm not all that pumped about the draft this year. Neither the Kings nor Sabres have high draft picks, and there's no possibility of going to the draft in LA :( 

• The Sabres signed Jacob Lagace. This seriously ups the pretty factor in the prospects pool, which is always a plus for development camp. By the by, when is Dev Camp this summer? I love going up there for the scrimmages.

• Tumblr is rife with sudden pangs of lust for Dan Carcillo. Ladies, I can get behind loving even the grossest of the gross, but just not Dan Carcillo. I suppose I could understand a latent desire for Sean Avery or Chris Pronger, maybe even Dion Phaneuf, but NOT Dan Carcillo. Gross me out in all ways possible.

• Let's Go 'Hawks? I might pay attention to the NBA. The week off before the SCF started had a lot of us on Twitter watching the NBA. I suppose I'll pull for the Lakers? I don't know. I feel like the Celtics and Lakers are ALWAYS in the Final. I know that's not true but  they HAVE met 11 times in the Final.

Draft in Review

by Anne

I was at rehearsal, where I've been a lot for the last few days and will continue to be for the rest of the summer.

I wasn't able to learn anything about any of the prospects until I returned home last night.

Here are my pithy insights:

HOLY CRAP! Everyone we drafted was at least 6'0" tall!

Round 1:

Zack Kassian -Windsor, ON. 6'3", 210 lbs, RW.

He seems adorably dim and he started out as a figure skater. Amazing. He said his favorite team was Toronto growing up but when asked about this situation now he said: "Now its the Buffalo Sabres...Toronto, I don't like them at all." Well done, Mr. Kassian. He's big, he hits a lot, he scores a lot. Buffalo will like him. He already works out with and knows Mike Weber and knows of Patty Kaleta

ETA: Love for Mr. Kassian from Maine Hockey Blog: “My brother really stepped in there to be a father figure,” Kassian said to the NHL.com. “I have to give a lot of credit to my mom and my brother. They drove me everywhere, got me where I needed and made me the man I am today. They deserve a lot of credit and I thank them a lot.”

Round 2: Nothing doin'

Round 3:

Brayden McNabb - Sasktatoon, SK. 6'4" 200lbs, D

Well we got a Brayden from Saskatoon. Granted, the Brayden I would've hoped for was Schenn, but McNabb works as well. There wasn't much to report from him at the draft, I don't think he was there, so there were no interviews. He's a defenseman. He was tied for the team lead in goals scored by a defenseman this year.

Round 4:

Marcus Foligno - Buffalo, NY - 6'2" 200lbs - LW

Son of Mike. Born in Buffalo when his dad played here. The better looking but perhaps less talented brother of Nick. He had better do the leap if/when he scores his first NHL goal. Do it for Dad, and for the fans, Marky Mark.

Round 5:

Mark Adams - Massachusetts (?) 6'2" 187 lbs

I can't find much of anything out about this kid other than he plays high school hockey and he's committed to play college hockey in Providence. He played for Malden Catholic high school in Massachusetts. He was taken #134 but was not ranked among the 210 North American skaters. Ho-kay?

Round 6:

Connor Knapp - Harrell, NY. 6'5" 215 lbs - G

He's super tall. Built like Millsy but bigger. Plays for Miami of Ohio. Played for Boston of the EJHL. Uhh, he was hella good when he played there. He posted a record of 22-1-0 in 2006-07 with three shutouts and a 1.66 goals-against average. Yeesh.

Round 7:

Maxime Legault - Mont Tremblant, QC. 6'2" 195 lbs - RW

Um, he has the same birthday as my sister, so I'm down.

In other team news: The Kings took Brayden Schenn 5th over all, the Pens took Simon Despres. I'd seen a few mock drafts that had the Sabres taking Despres but, if he fell to 30th overall, I wonder the validity of those drafts. The Canucks got Jordan Schroeder who most people feel was a steal at #22 and most analysts thought he'd go at least in the top 20.

All in all, yet another exciting(?) draft.

Also, Chris Pronger as a Phlyer? Barf.

The Flames acquiring Bouwmeester (or his negotiating rights anyway) is pretty sweet and helps keep them in the running to be a team I enjoy next season. However, if JBo walks away from the Flames, they'll be back to square 1. The Kings traded Brian Boyle to the Rangers. I'm not losing sleep over this.

Free Agency on Wednesday!

If any of you who read this blog cheer for the team that Jaroslav Spacek signs with (sob) on Wednesday... treat him well!! :'(

I've been unfaithful to the Sabres

by Anne
Ok, so I have to admit, I've been stepping out on the Sabres. Not to the same magnitude as the All-Star weekend where I was like a 45 year old divorcee at a singles' mingle. But, I have been peeking a little more frequently at my #2 and #3.

So, inspired by Katebits recent rundown of her feelings on the Eastern Conference, I thought I'd enlighten our readers as to which teams are distant 2nd and 3rd in my heart and why.

#2 The Pittsburgh Penguins

I grew up in a football household. My uncle and cousins played football in high school and college and now coach it, same with my grandfathers.

My mom grew up an avid football fan, my dad the same, although his was more of a baseball household.

Both my parents were raised Pittsburgh Steelers fans despite my mother's close proximity to the Washington Redskins.

No one in my family before me was really a hockey fan. So, why, might you ask, do I give a hoot about the Pittsburgh Penguins? They were mostly terrible when my parents were tots, so no one in Pittsburgh even cared about them. My parents were married and lived in the city during the dreadful declaring of bankruptcy 1974-1975 season, so, city-wide morale for hockey was at an all time low.

So, why, might you ask, do I cheer for them?

This man

Mario Lemieux.

Until recently, I was anti-superstar. I can't stand Wayne Gretzky. I fully acknowledge that he was one of the greatest hockey players of all time, and many of his records will probably stand forever, in spite of Sid the Kid's attempts to break them. However, as he was considered #1, by most of the NHL, Mr. Lemieux was considered #2. I found this offensive, and therefore like him better. Nevermind that Gretzky has said nothing but great things about Lemieux and how he admired him. Phooey.

Lemieux was the Ovechkin to Gretzky's Crosby. Still widely regarded as one of the greatest, but could never quite break fully from his shadow, didn't create the media frenzy of his more highly publicized rival. Most people outside of hockey don't know who Sidney Crosby is, NONE of them know who Alexander Ovechkin is.

Only Lemieux, Gordie Howe and Gretzky have won the Art Ross 6+ times. Lemieux even beat out Pat Lalalalalalalafontaine for the award in 1993. However, Lemieux was coming back from being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, and you can't help but be impressed. He missed 24 games that season while battling the disease, and STILL won the Art Ross. Bitchin'.

I think its this way I feel about Lemieux that makes me an Ovechkin fan instead of Crosby, inspite of the fact that Sid the Kid is a Penguin. I still like him but I'll take Ovechkin.

When the Pens won yesterday, I was super stoked because it was good for them and better for us that the Pens beat the Caps. Sorry Ovie.

#3 The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Ducks

I like them for very few reasons:

1. They realized their name was totally LAME and dropped the word "Mighty".

2. They have Ryan Getzlaf.

3. They were featured in one of the funniest reality show moments of all time: Snoop Dogg ice skating.

3.5 They also have Drew Miller

4. In every interview with them, they all seem like a really fun group of players, so on top of being on the ice good, they're off the ice likeable.

Is it just me, or does Chris Pronger's wife appear to be about 6'1"?

5. They embarrassed the Ottawa Senators in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. WA-HOO!

Getzy and Giggy hug it out after winning the Cup

I managed to get 3 pictures of Ryan Getzlaf in one post. SWEET.

Of course, above all other teams, I couldn't even cheer as hard for a hockey team as I do for my hometown boys:

It was after this goal that I started calling him The Soviet Bomber

(does anyone else get why the ref is keeping Kalinin away from Max?

I will never forget where I was when he scored that goal. I skipped out on the beginning of Act 2 of a show I was seeing to stand in a disgusting dive bar in North Tonawanda, because the game was on. When he scored it, I was so excited I jumped up and down and everything flew out of my purse but I could not have cared less.

I miss that feeling, but I'm sure one day we'll have it again. Maybe not this year, but soon.