The NHL awards are happening in Vegas baby!  I'm mailing this one in, and hitting the road.  As the South West PPP contingent, it's my understanding that I have a press pass for the show, an all expenses paid suite at the Luxor and $5000 spending money.  At least, I'm assuming that's the limit on this card of Chemmy's I found...

Las_vegas_skyline_medium

via www.gpsmagazine.com

In honor of the awards, all links today have nothing to do with them (and no, I'm not going to the awards.  Something about the gulag's plumbing backing up...)

  • Down Goes Brown takes us on a nostalgic trip to a kinder, gentler time in the NHL. Did I say gentler? I meant not gentle. And not kind. Quite frankly, it's freaking AWESOME!
  • Initially, I thought Steve was finally getting around to an analysis of Dean Youngbloods career. Turns out, he's talking Leaf rookies...
  • TSM catches wind of an Al Strachan trade rumor. It smells of cabbage and rotten cheese.
  • Norman James hid in Mario Lemieux's bushes all day to get some shots of the Stanley Cup victory party. No, I don't think that's creepy at all.
  • MYFO is giving out high fives. Here's one for head coaches!

  • Hockey's Future takes us on a tour of the Leafs prospect cupboards. Let's just say, we haven't been buying bulk at Costco.

  • The Monster visits Dallas, and the Swedish contingent pulls out all the stops.

From The Branches