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Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Updates on getaway day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was a pretty entertaining post-practice media session today. First, it was nice to be joined by Carroll Rogers who is working on a couple hockey features for the AJC. She’s doing a Stanley Cup story, so she asked Bob Hartley about his day(s) with the Cup after winning in Colorado. He told some incredible stories, which made the interview session much more entertaining than the usual beat writer stuff (where’s Rucchin? When are we going to see McCarthy? New lines? When is Moose starting - after awhile, it gets just as repetitive asking as it has to answering for Hartley). He was obviously happy to talk about something else, which turned into a long, entertaining conversation. And if you’ve ever read any of Carroll’s features, you know she’s going to piece it all together into an incredible story. I’m looking forward to it, and am definitely not giving any details away on the beat blog.
Then I got to sit down for a few minutes with Jon Sim for a story for Wednesday’s paper. He was really good and forthcoming, so if I don’t mess it up, should be a nice story setting up the Florida game. He’s not making the trip to Florida, even after he begged to let him on the plane. I’m guessing a flight and the pressure wouldn’t be good for a broken orbital bone.
Speaking of hurt, the Steve Rucchin saga continues. He suffered a bit of a setback when he missed some time with shingles, which is basically adult chicken pox (as I understand it), so he wasn’t allowed around the team for awhile. So, according to the team, he’s not close — so there’s your Rucchin update for those who asked.
I got a call from the Hockey News to write a column giving my opinion on why the Thrashers will or will not make a long run in the playoffs. Evidently, the word up in Canada is that this team (if it makes the playoffs, for all you sky is falling dooms-day fans) is primed for a first-round exit. So they asked me, if I agreed, to do a column on how far I thought the team could go. Unfortunately for them, the AJC pays my salary, and part of the deal as a beat writer is I can’t go around giving my opinion to other publications and media outlets. So I had to turn them down, although it was interesting to hear that there might be a growing feeling that expectations might not be high outside Atlanta for the Thrashers.
Practice report: Not much to report, everybody (except Sim and Rucchin) was out there. Looks like the grind line will be Holik with Vigier and Boulton like we thought yesterday.
Around the league: The Islanders were dealt a serious blow when goalie Rick DiPietro suffered post-concussion syndrome. According to TSN.ca, he’ll be out indefinitely, and as we know, that team isn’t the same without him… Tonight is a HUGE night in the Eastern Conference race. Hopefully Jim Allen, the producer for Thrashers television broadcasts has scouted out a good spot tonight in Ft. Lauderdale for all of us to catch the games. Jimbo has an uncanny knack for finding a bar in every city with the Center Ice package. We’ll need it tonight. Thrashers fans need to root for no overtimes…According to Ed Moran at the Philadelphia Daily News, the Flyers signed goalie Martin Biron to a 2-year contract extension. The word was that Biron’s wife loved Buffalo and he had to convince her Philly was the answer. Evidently $3.5 million per year was enough.
Alright, the plane is boarding soon — I’ll check in with some comments when I land.
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