Acting on the assumption of no NHL staff available, Hockey Canada has selected Sean Burke to be General Manager of Team Canada for the Olympic Games in 2018. He faces a daunting task of assembling a team to compete against the rest of the world’s hockey powers, without any of Canada’s best players.

Hockey Canada names Burke as GM, Desjardins as coach for Olympics - G&M
No. Not that Burke.

Yes, the NHL is still claiming the players will not go to the Olympics in 2018, and that the decision is final because the deadline has passed; the real real deadline, not like the last dozen real deadlines. The players have yet to make a counter move in this longest and most pathetic ever game of chicken.

Oh well. No matter what happens, we’ll still have Canada’s best hockey players to watch in Pyeongchang.

Other News

Summer Seventeen Part Two: Free Agency - Centre of Leafs Nation
“The sacrifices that will need to be made moving forward to keep the core  of these young Maple Leafs together could include veterans like James  Van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov, Matt Martin or any veteran on a  big ticket contract. Cheaper options could be found within the Maple  Leafs prospect pool.”

Belleville Senators Unveil Logo - Silver Seven
[Species: BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!]

Andrew Walker’s tenure as Vancouver sports talk radio host off to rocky start - Vancouver Courier via @yyzsportsmedia
[Species: Apparently putting a guy with a long Twitter history openly mocking the Canucks and Vancouver in a prime slot on your brand new Vancouver station was not a good idea, Rogers.]

Preds say update on Fisher's future coming soon - TSN
General manager David Poile says he hopes to speak to Fisher this week with an update possibly coming next week.

Scorching Hot Takes

Canes Country has a nice summer series going on. Get in on the comments.

Hot Take-a-Thon: It’s Kessel’s Destiny To Wear a Hurricanes’ Sweater - Canes Country
Two time Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel will don a Carolina Hurricanes sweater by the trade deadline.

Hot Take-a-Thon: The Hurricanes Have the Pieces to Land Draisaitl - Canes Country
With no contract extension in sight, Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli could be willing to move Leon Draisaitl, and the Canes can pull it off.

Ultra-Tropical Piña Colada Recipe - Serious Eats
[Species: After those scorching hot takes, chill out with a nice cold drink with a little umbrella in it.]

Which scorching hot take do you think is most likely?

Phil Kessel should retire and replace Lou as the Maple Leafs GM.37
JvR will be extended eight years so the MLSE Board of Directors will be released unharmed.22
The Canadian Tire Centre should play goal songs for Leafs goals.106
Auston Matthews should trade the Maple Leafs for Connor McDavid. Oh, wait. This one actually doesn’t make any sense.22
The Avalanche are planning to move to the GTA. The groundwork is already being laid for it.93
From The Branches