Around the Seawall: NHL Hockey Headlines for July 16, 2012

*As hockey’s slowest summer continues to troll along, some people did some things of minor consequence today…

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After it was reported that Mike Green had turned down a one-year/$5 million offer from the Washington Capitals, it was almost immediately then reported that Greeny had signed a three-year/$18.25 million contract with the Caps. That means Green was looking for term and bank, which isn’t surprising, I guess. Still, $6 mill a year is a lot to pay a defenceman who can’t play defence.

Meanwhile, actual functioning blueliner John Carlson remains unsigned.

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If Dominik Hasek is returning to the NHL at the age of 47, it won’t be with the Buffalo Sabres, who have finally shown something they lacked in signing Christian Ehrhoff to a 10-year contract and in letting Derek Roy walk: common sense.

Hasek can certainly play in the NHL, but it’ll be interesting to see which franchise is so worried about its goaltending situation that it actually mortgages it future and spurns its current netminder for Dom’s services, because Mr. English Jibberish won’t return as a backup.

(Hey, Long Island. We meant you, yes.)

Of note is Logan Couture’s admission that he loved Hasek and Sabres and that he could certainly come back, and that it will be fun to play against him. So, yes, even Hasek’s fans don’t want him right now.

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Cool. The NHL may be heading to Las Vegas. And, Seattle. And, Quebec City. And, Markham. And, Kansas City? It’s heading everywhere isn’t it?

So, by 2015, you may be able to watch the NHL everywhere. Except your TV.

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Oh, crap. The NHL is heading to Brooklyn, too?

Oh, nevermind. That was reported by Grantland, which means it’s just a rumour or an opinion that Bill Simmons cooked up while watching and writing about some 80′s flick that reminded him of Brad Park.

And, that’s only a proposal for if the Islanders die, which isn’t a rumour, but a pretty good reality. Oh, NHL… you’re so much better when games aren’t being played and the Kings aren’t winning Canada’s trophies…

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If you wanted to time travel back eight years, then don’t worry… you’re almost there.

“NHL labour talks shaping up to be a heavyweight battle,” National Post (July 16, 2012)

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The Hockey Writers ranked Martin Broduer as the best player in the NHL older than 35, which makes a little bit of sense but not that much.

Teemu Selanne, at age 42, is the most impressive, but what’s “over 35″ supposed to mean, anyway? That’s not ancient, and if you’re going by Selanne’s timing that means you still have seven or eight years left.

(Zdeno Chara, for example, is 35 and awesome. Miikka Kiprusoff, is 35 and incredible. He’s better than Brodeur, actually. Far better.)

This seems like one of those columns/posts that author Eric Roberts (no relation to Eric Roberts, who is also over 35 and awesome) started with “best players over 40″ and then realized the sample size was too small, so they downgraded it to an age where it means nothing.

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Sportsnet reports that the NHL is seeing success south of the border, which sounds like a perfectly timed press release from The Boss Bettman, considering the little thing about labour talks above.

On that note, though, tell me where the Los Angeles Kings and their suddenly present fan base will be in five years.

Take this line from Sportsnet‘s Patrick Hoffman:

“The Nashville Predators are a great example. The Predators have made the postseason every season but one (2008-09) since the lockout and have posted impressive point totals of 106 (2005-06), 110 (2006-07), and 104 (2011-12).

“The Predators’ success on the ice has helped hockey grow immensely throughout Nashville, as well as throughout other southern states. In an article for the Huntsville Times, Predators’ VP and Chief of Marketing Chris Parker spoke about the Predators’ role in the growth of hockey in other southern states.”

Okay. Now, take this into consideration, because the one-ice product might slow down a little bit, and then the Predators will have to provide answers to its fleeing fans:

“Suter apologizes to Nashville Predators,” Sportsnet (July 12, 2012)