Post-Holiday Catch Up

Enough cheesy patriotic mumbo-jumbo - we've all had our fill of hamburgers, beer, fireworks and rain...back to the important matters at hand.

- Looks like this Nylander thing is going to work out fine, at least for the Caps. According to Tarik (by way of the Edmonton Journal) there was no binding contract with Edmonton, just a verbal and e-mail exchange between Lowe and Nylander's agent. Lowe apparently called Nylander in Sweden on Monday and was informed that he had signed with the Caps instead. I understand Lowe's reasons for being upset and truthfully Nylander should have kept him apprised of the situation if he was reconsidering - but bottom line, a contract with the Oilers was never signed and until it was Lowe should have continued to pursue other avenues.

It's sometimes hard to remember that all of this wheeling and dealing of players actually involves real people and real lives. This was clearly a change of heart based on Michael's decision to put his family first, ahead of a more lucrative contract with the Oilers, and stay in an area they were familiar with. I feel sorry for Lowe and the Oilers but I applaud Nylander for really putting the concerns of his family before anything else. That's exactly the type of player I want wearing the Caps' jersey.

- Guess what? The Islanders actually signed someone! Ruslan Fedotenko (former Bolt and probable future recipient of another "kiss my [rear]" quote from Tortorella) agreed to a one year deal with the Isles that would pay him $2.9 million. Woo.

- Speaking of that quotable quote by the ever-classy Lightning coach...who out there thinks Eric Perrin is going to play just a little bit harder those 8 times he has to see his former team now that he's with a division rival? Should be fun to watch.

- I'm sure I'm the only one who cares but I'm feeling extremely let down by Bob Gainey's efforts to bolster a Canadiens team that found itself outside the playoffs looking in just a few short months ago. The only good thing he has done is rid himself of dead weight (aka Samsonov and Souray). Hamrlik and Smolinski are good players but are not enough for this team that is lacking in a lot of areas. You've got your captain, Saku Koivu; solid goaltending for years to come with Huet, Halak and Price likely competing for the number one spot, a handful of promising youngsters (Ryder, Higgins, Komisarek) and then...what? Even the Caps at least had Ovechkin to build around. I see a couple of rough years ahead for this storied franchise, my beloved Habs.