The Avs have signed Lappy and the Stamps are happy.

Good news from Denver: The Avs have extended Ian Laperriere's contract through '08-'09. It's good to see that guys like him are still appreciated and valued in this league, and particularly with this team.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=217727&hubname=nhl

''Ian has been an instrumental part of this club's success on and off the
ice. As an assistant captain, he provides a strong quality of
leadership
to our team.''

- Francois Giguere, Avalanche GM and Executive VP

Laperierre notched 29 points in the '06-'07 season after coming off a career best 45 point season, including 21 goals. Thankfully, he made up for those lost goals with an extra 17 penalty minutes good for 133 on the season. Despite being on a first-name basis with the penalty box gateman, his fire and aggressiveness on the ice, he displays the kind of leadership and grit that this team needs to succeed.

In other news, the Stamps came out of the gates stumbling on Monday, but turned around their game in the second half to trample over the Eskies handily. The Stamps controlled the game with an aerial attack like no other. Burris tossed for 382 yards, and Ryan Thelwell had the game of the season, if not the game of his career, with 7 catches for 199 yards, good for 2 touchdowns. The fact that he was matched by a rookie cornerback didn't hurt his situation either.

Joffrey Reynolds wasn't utilized as much as I would have liked to see him, but thankfully the Stamps didn't need him to win them the game. On the few carries that he DID get, he made good with them, including a couple runs of terror; barelling over linebackers and linemen like they were pylons. I don't expect him to get many more carries or yards on Friday than he did on Monday's game; I'm sure the Stamps offensive coaching staff don't want to see Burris lose his hot hand.

One play that really stood out for me was the incredible defensive effort and hustle by #27 Brandon Browner, as well as #29 Dwaine Carpenter. You really need to see the play for yourself to know what I mean. So I bring you the video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=yt_bHVs0Cy4
Check out the footage starting at 2:30.

Anyway, the Stamps play again tomorrow, and it should be another exciting match filled with ups and downs. My guess is the Eskies will be sure to prepare their secondary a little better, while the Stamps will have to find another reciever to spring on them. Brett Ralph anybody?

Battle of Alberta!

It's Sunday night (AKA Labour Day Eve), and I couldn't get tickets to the BOA. That makes me very depressed indeed. Oh well, I suppose I'll have to go to Shanks or something.

On a sidenote, it turns out Boerigter got snatched up by the Argos in a matter of days.

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/football/cfl/story.html?id=06cc9e83-e20f-4e0a-a93c-05e841af4e08&k=92530

The contract (though not yet signed) is reported to be for one year plus an option. I'm going to say this right now: I expect the Argos to *not* pick up the option. Bo is no more than a rental to make a final drive for the playoffs. Then again, how can you *not* make the playoffs when 6 of 8 teams make them? Okay, let's re-word the Argos' situation: Bo is no more than a rental to make it look like the Argos are contenders for a Conference Final berth.

Anyway, back on topic.

I think the biggest question for tomorrow's game is "Which Hank will show up?"; The ever-frustrating "Bad Hank" or the ever longed-for "Good Hank"? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm obviously hoping for the Good Hank we all know Burris can be.

Another burning issue is whether the Stamps will utilize Reynolds in their offense. I don't have the stats off the top of my head, but I know that the Stamps' winning percentage is substantially higher when Reynolds is acutally used. Ask anybody in the CFL what the Stamps' biggest issue is on offense, and I know for a fact that they'll say either "Burris" or "Not using Reynolds", but those answers may as well be the same. If Burris isn't working, who are you going to go to? Joffrey.

Anyway, we'll have to wait and see for tomorrow who will come out on top, but I know that it should be a barn burner.

Bo is no mo', and The Eagle has landed...

I think we all saw it coming; Marc Boerigter has been booted out of Cowtown faster than you can say "He's all yours, Wally".

Buono has been quoted as saying he made a pitch for Boerigter during the off-season, but Marc preferred playing in Calgary (and I'm sure it was our beautiful November weather, and not the wheelbarrow full of cash the Stamps lured him with.). I wouldn't be surprised to see another team (most likely the Lions, with their offensive woes as of late) snap up Boerigter; he's still got game, there just isn't enough room for ANOTHER white guy in the Stamps' recieving core (Brett Ralph was getting jealous).

Don't get me wrong, I was just as excited as the next guy about Marc Boerigter making a triumphant comeback with the Stamps; he was one of my favourite players on the '00-'01 team, and I continued to cheer for him when he flew the coop to KC. I expected much the same from Bo, but apparently the bum knee affected him more than what was reasonable (at least in the Stampeders management's eyes).

On the bright side, we now get to see the Gong Show of Lewis, Copeland, Rambo and whoever lines up as the fourth reciever. At least we expect these guys to have off-days.

In NHL news (and if you'll recall from my previous post, the only NHL news comes from washed-up NHL'ers crawling to Europe, so this next bit should be no surprise), Eddie "The Eagle" Belfour has found a home in Sweden (say it like the Swedish would say it, it sounds cooler... Sveedehn, hehe), with the Leksand club.

"I see it as an honor to play in a classic club like Leksand," Belfour said, adding he was lured to Sweden by "the adventure and the challenge."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/7163260

Image courtesy of CBC.ca

The adventure and the challenge? What could be more challenging than playing behind the worst defense in the league in the middle of the Everglades? Oh well, at least he'll feel right at home in Leksand: their '05-'06 record over 50 games? A sparkling 9-11-30.

That's all I've got for today.

Next up on the Euro watch: CuJo!

Take one (1) daily

Aaaaaannnnnnd we're off!

I think it's safe to say that we're in quite the NHL lull right now; the only movement is by washed-up players scampering to Europe to salvage what they can of their careers in hockey by playing in a location where the people can't even pronounce your name. Heck, you could say that for half the players playing here in North America.

Anyway, as the season starts and news picks up, hopefully this space will be filled with insightful little nuggets of journalism.

This just in (for me, anyway)! Linden signs in Van City. Good to see guys like him are still appreciated and utilized in today's NHL, regardless of whether or not this signing was a sympathy signing..."Please coach, put me in! I can do it! We came so close last time!". It's not like he's breaking the bank either; Six hundred grand plus bonuses for a third line grinder and solid penalty killer (not to mention a tremendous locker room presence, I can only presume) is quite a steal if you ask me. Although I'd like to know how Byron Ritchie is making more than Linden this season ($675K versus $600K); I'd take Linden over Ritchie any day.