News and Notes 07.24.06

Nothing completely big has happened....yet...but here's what did happen and what it could mean to you.

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Good news for Predator fans, as Tomas Vokoun has been taken off medication and is cleared to compete. Vokoun's '05-'06 campaign was cut short due to blot clots found in his abdomen and pelvic reason. Vokoun was a big part of why the Predators were able to get the fourth seed in the West, though they could have used him in the first round of the playoffs.

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Mark Recchi is reportedly heading back to Pittsburgh. Both the NHLPA website and TSN have the forward returning to the team after a trade which sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes. Of course, there were murmurs that Recchi wanted a trade because of turmoil in the Pens lockerroom, but what goes on in the room often stays in the room...unless you want to write a book about it.

Also, the Penguins rejected the bid from Mark Cuban and Dan Marion, both Western PA natives, while the new front runner, Sam Fingold, is said to have made a bid only $5M more than the group with Cuban and Marino. If there's a gap of $5M that is really the issue, then that's a BS move by the Pens. With Cuban and Marino's group, they have said they want the team to stay in Pittsburgh. With Fingold, he has mentioned that he may want to go to Kansas City if something cannot be worked out in Pittsburgh. Fingold has also put up a front saying it could work in Pittsburgh, but he didn't seem over-eager to many of the Pens fans.

Larry Gottesdiener, a Massachusetts developer who has said he would want to move a team back to Hartford, is also still in the running.

Fingold could sign a letter of intent any day this week, in which he'll have 30 days to make a deal.

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The Canadiens have rewarded Bob Gainey by extending his contract as GM through the '09-'10 season. Gainey joined the team in 2003 and really hasn't looked back since. With a great hockey mind, Gainey would be my choice to be the next commissioner of the NHL when the day comes. Not only because of his ties to both players and management, but he looks like Sam the Eagle, which would replace Gary Bettman's Count von Count.

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Sean Avery is back in LA. The disgruntled forward was re-signed by GM Dean Lombari who almost sounded like Dean Vernon Wormer saying Avery was on "double-secret probation." Avery is a shrill guy who can get under some guys skin and make an ass of himself. Also, he tries too hard to be like Jeremy Roenick, but if he'll help out your team, you know you'd want him on the team.

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That was the big highlights for the day. Don't be surprised if some moves go down this week. Rumors have been circulating about Daniel Briere and Scott Gomez being traded due to their salaries and the arbitration process. For all your rumors, check out Spector's Hockey and tune in Wednesday for Spector himself on Face Off Hockey Show. There, cheap plugs, you happy??