Early July Rumblings

1) The Free agent frenzy has come and essentially gone. As there are still some decent players out there, and more moves to be made we will hold back on issuing the obligatory 'winners/losers' post until later this month when more of the dust settles. From the first week some interesting stories have occurred/are developing:

2) Nylander-gate:

• The alluded to name all the more appropriate since the Swede center is going to Washington, the site of the famed Watergate hotel. No, deep throat on this one. LOL Apparently Nylander and his agent came to terms with Edmonton late Sunday night, but according to Kevin Lowe his agent told the Oiler GM his client was too tired to sign the papers that would make it binding. Lowe awakens to find that Nylander had subsequently signed with the Caps the next morning.
• So who is at fault here? If Lowe's story is accurate, and we haven't heard otherwise as of this writing, then it appears that either Nylander, his agent or both played a bit of a slimy business move here. Our legal council tell us that unless Nylander actually signed a binding contract any verbal agreements will NOT hold up in any court. Moreover, as it appears the Caps were innocent participants, and did not have knowledge of the shenanigans that Nylander/his agent pulled on the Oilers they can NOT be held liable, so compensation can not be expected. At most the NHL can sanction the agent and or Nylander, but his contract with the Caps will stand, and he will be a Cap on opening night 2007-2008

3) Isles/Snow blame arena:

• Our first reaction was give us a F'ing break. Our second reaction was the same as our first! Snow must really be feeling the heat and or that line was spoon fed from Charles Wang who has been trying to build a new NVMC since he purchased the team 7 years ago. In fact, it is the reason he bought the team; As part of a broader real estate venture. Building a complex of office buildings/shops in the immediate vicinity to go along with the new arena. Local officials have been dragging their feet, and this is probably just a bit of a tantrum by Wang(through Snow) to get the project moving faster.
• The main reason the Isles failed in retaining Smyth has been documented here numerous times. It seems only Snow/Wang didn't know they never had a chance of keeping him! Even if the Isles played in the Taj Mahal Smyth would not be their captain next season. To say otherwise is disingenuous to their dwindling fan base. Which is another factor. Ownership instability has plagued this franchise from day 1. At least in the first 20 years of the team the absentee owner didn't try to influence lower management's player decisions.
• Since1995 the team has had a (sad) story book of: bad trades/cost cutting moves, coaching changes, GM's fired after a months service, and silly 10-15 year contracts, etc. To an outsider the Isles look like a circus. Who would come/stay willingly? Adjunct to that, how many new fans would all this nonsense attract? Few! How many old fans has it disillusioned? Too many to count! Its not the arena Garth/Charles, its what has been coming from your and your predecessors offices that has damaged your team's credibility!