Halfway through the off-season & all is suddenly quiet in both the Western & Eastern conferences. Parise/Suter sweepstakes, where will Doan land & the Weber offer sheet drama have kept people running around the rumor mills. Things have gotten eerily quiet as the arbitration period looms before us, almost as though something big is coming, the calm before the storm. All the GM’s are quietly biding their time to make that one move that will make their teams legitimate contenders, to find that one missing piece to complete the puzzle. Each team has the same goal, but ultimately when all is said and done, only ONE team can accomplish that ONE goal. I can never decide if I hate or enjoy the off-season of the NHL. Ultimately its exciting to see what new players will be joining the team & who stays, but then there’s also the losing of some players to other teams. This year so far the Canucks re-signed, Ebbett, Pinnizotto, Raymond & newly signed Garrison(SO much potential!!). However the Canucks lost Sami Salo to Tampa Bay, I always hoped he would finish out his career as a Canuck. I’m happy he got a great contract with Tampa, but I do think the price was slightly high at Salo’s age & his proneness to injury(however that last 1 1/2 years he was especially incredible for the Canucks). I am sad to see him go, but very glad the Canucks only have face his slapshot one time next year. As for this Weber drama, it would have been nice to see him finally don Canuck colors next year especially since he’s from BC and he’s a great defenseman, BUT the price was set by Philly & unfortunately for the Canucks and everyone else that bar is TOO high. Nearly 3 days have gone by with no reply from the Nashville camp….meaning they are edging ever closer to losing the 2nd half of their strongest defense pair, having already lost Suter. Nashville could still match the offer, but will they and should they? I think no. I mean yes it would help them immensely to have Weber on their team BUT it would also cripple the team financially making it nearly impossible to build a team around him. Philly possibly made this insane offer to insure that should Pronger not be available to play or forced to retire due to his concussion then they would have a guaranteed top notch defensive powerhouse in their pocket. Like I said things have gotten oddly quiet today with all 3o teams, not just the ones involved in any off-season drama, at least for  now. Until the drama ensues again, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.