What would it take for the Wild to get Vanek?

@gilesferrell #cantbeserious pic.twitter.com/njUiXrbVYg
— Graeme Erik Young (@Guashoe) July 10, 2013

Someone I follow on twitter posted this last night, I think this trade would prove to be too costly for the Minnesota Wild. I don't think the Wild would give up an number one pick and two first round  draft choices/prospects to get Thomas Vanek, who will become a UFA soon.

Hump day Links

The summer is really winding down… If my math is correct there are roughly 45 days until UND plays it’s first exhibition game on October 6th, 2012. There are also roughly 23 left for the NHL and the NHLPA to come to an agreement on the CBA without delaying the start of the NHL preseason. If there is no agreement between the NHL owners and the NHL, the league will go from being the National Hockey League to the No Hockey League.

From the Penn State front : Lawyers for Graham Spanier, former Penn State president ousted after Jerry Sandusky scandal, plan to rebut Freeh report

Former KFAN PA and Dubay host Jeff Dubay has resurfaced on the radio this past week. Jeff was on KTWINS for the last two days. [Pioneer Press]

Former Fighting Sioux and two-time all-Western Collegiate Hockey Association goaltender Brad Eidsness has decided to fore go the professional hockey route and go to law school in British Columbia. Here are two articles on this story ‘He’s not your typical kid’ and Eidsness Exercises His Option

The NHL is looking at obstruction – I think this is a bit over-due, especially, after watching all of the obstruction, hooking and holding that has been allowed during the past two NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. There seems to be two different standards – there seems to be stricter standard during the regular season and then a more relaxed standard for the playoffs.

THE CANADIAN PRESS --- There should be a healthy exchange of ideas with five general managers (Darcy Regier, Lou Lamoriello, Ray Shero, Steve Yzerman, Mike Gillis) and four head coaches (Joel Quenneville, Barry Trotz, Dave Tippett, Adam Oates) in a room with players, referees and members of the league's hockey operations department.

Campbell labelled it a "think-tank for hockey."

The idea came out of the GM meetings in March, when a number of managers expressed frustration with what they believed to be a slip in standard for the way penalties were called. Campbell invited them to submit video of specific incidents, which will be looked at this week.

"Personally, I don't think the hooking and holding has slipped," said Campbell. "I think we have to find out what we want with intereference on the forechecking and interference off the faceoff."

The league's former disciplinarian thinks the discussion might branch off to other rules like slashing.

"Anything that stops a player from scoring," he said.

This will be the first exercise of its kind since the NHL held a major crackdown on obstruction coming out of the 2004-05 lockout. However, Campbell doesn't expect it to have nearly the same impact on the sport in terms of the number of penalties called.

I know this about 12 days old, but according to Shooter from the Pioneer Press, former North Stars radio voice Doug McLeod is a strong candidate for the Gophers men's hockey play-by-play TV job on FSN. I personally, would like to see Kevin Gorg from FSN fill that role.

Former Wisconsin Badgers and current Minnesota Wild forward Dany Heatley has sued his former agent for $11 million dollars. [TSN.CA]

Here is some interesting news. Current ECAC Hockey Director of Officiating and former National Hockey League (NHL) referee Paul Stewart is going to join the Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as a consultant, where he will be an advisor to KHL president Alexander Medvedev on judicial matters. According to Ken Schott he will also continue working for the ECAC.

Chris Peters from the United States of Hockey, has a good story on Georges Laraque and “it appears” that he is going to be the new head of the CHLPA. [United States of Hockey]

So how long are the Sabres going to whine about the Lucic hit.

We should have called the Lucic hit on Miller shot heard round the world. Every since Milan Lucic ran into or over Ryan Miller ("potato potato" right) the hockey pundits are gnashing their teeth over what should've happened to Milan Lucic.   

Now you can expect the next player that has a major collision with a goalie to get the book thrown at them. While I am not suggesting that we run goalies; collisions between players and goalies are going to happen, one might say that it goes with the territory, being a goalie is hazardous duty. I might even call it collateral damage. 

If a goaltenders comes that far out of their crease to play a puck, their stepping into the kitchen, to borrow a football term. I think Miller is in a way part culpable for his injury. Does it make things right, not at all, there is going to be some hurt feelings, you can count on it. I think the rematch of this game is going to be a must see and there will be a lot of DVR set just in case something happens and there will, because the "hockey code" demands it.

Dan Rosen - NHL.com --- Buffalo GM Darcy Regier suggested that a majority of the general managers have told him that Lucic should have been suspended.

"Well, based on our conversations in the room, I personally believe it would be," Regier said. "It is not just my feeling, it is the feelings of my counterparts."

Shero suggested that at the very least a major penalty could have been called on Lucic.

Rule 42.3 on charging allows for a major penalty to be called at the discretion of the official "based on the degree of violence of the check." There is a similar stipulation associated with Rule 69.2 on interference with a goalkeeper.

Shanahan confirmed to NHL.com that he did have a discussion with the League's Director of Officiating, Terry Gregson. The conclusion was that a major penalty may have been an appropriate call in that case, but again it is up to the discretion of the on-ice officials.

Right on cue you could have predicted the response. Post decision from Shanahan, all of the arm chair disciplinarians wanted blood and when they got none they went off. Much to their dismay, NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan failed to give a suspension or even a fine to Milan Lucic. They felt like they had been cheated, they wanted their pound of flesh. Almost on cue, you could hear the howling from Montreal, Buffalo and points elsewhere. The Big Bad Bruins had beaten the wrap again.

Then the tin foil hats came out and suggested as long as Greg Campbell is a member of the Boston Bruins nothing is going to happen to any of the Bruins players. They claim its because Colin Campbell is part of the front office stat. I am not lying, I saw something along those line from a beat writer of a major metro newspaper say that. 

Today we see Ryan Miller still rehashing the non-punishment with the media. My question is, how long are the Sabres and Ryan Miller going to complain about this. They would be better off to challenge Lucic to a fight and be done with it. Now they have this hanging over their head. Think about this, with one collision the Lucic and the Boston Bruins are in the Sabres heads. 

Drew Stafford to get paid...

Image by bridgetds via FlickrDrew Stafford gets fat contract, Stafford is going to make 4 million dollars a year. With that pay increase Stafford is going to have add pressure to perform from the Buffalo fan base.

Buffalo Sabres; NHL.COM --- Drew Stafford Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have agreed to terms with forward Drew Stafford, who was set to become a Restricted Free Agent on July 1 on a multi-year contract.

“It was important for us to get Drew locked up,” said Regier. “What we saw from Drew this season is exactly what we envisioned when we drafted him. Drew will continue to be an important part of our team in the coming years.”

Stafford (10/30/1985, 6’2”, 214 lbs.) is coming off a 2010-11 season that saw him finish second on the team with a career-high 31 goals in 62 games, including a league-best four hat tricks. The 25-year-old also posted career-highs in both points (52) and power play goals (11). In five seasons with Buffalo, Stafford has 196 points (94+102) in 317 career games.

Stafford was Buffalo’s first-round selection (13th overall) in the 2004 Entry Draft, and played three years at the University of North Dakota.

Related articles

• Buffalo Sabres, Drew Stafford agree on new deal (aol.sportingnews.com)
• Buffalo re-sign Drew Stafford to multi-year contract (cbc.ca)
• Buffalo re-sign RW Stafford, securing him before the start of free agency (thehockeynews.com)
• Sabres re-sign F Stafford to multiyear contract (sports.espn.go.com)