Before he left for his European vacation (or fishing trip with Burke?) PPP mentioned a desire to sign free agent, former Oiler playoff hero, Fernando Pisani. Now, there's the fact that he's 33, has ulcerative colitis, his -1.9 GVT rating, and previous salary of $2.5 million which all make him look like a bad choice. Let's look at what he actually can bring to the Leafs!
- How great would it be to have a player whose name is the title of an Abba song? We had Abba jokes to make for so long back when we had Mats, Fernando would fill this void that has been missing for the past 2 years.
- He's good in the playoffs. Well, I guess this is debatable, he probably could have been playing way above his head in 2005/2006. But as far as our forwards go, there is a dearth of playoff experience, and his will certainly come in handy this year on our march towards the cup.
- He's not from Toronto. We're all sick of signing Torontonian players who sign here in the twilight of their careers simply because they always wanted to don the blue and white. Pisani would break that pattern, since he's actually from Edmonton, and we would be stealing him away from his home town.
- Let's not forget intangibles - he wore an A for the Oilers. That counts for something, right?
- Finally, the guys at Copper and Blue love him. Here's a quote: "If I somehow got super powers and became a professional athlete, that's the sort of athlete I like to think I'd be."
So, what do you think???
Oh yeah, here's your links!
- Maple Leafs prospect Jerry D'Amigo making strides towards NHL
A video from the Hockey News on D'Amigo! - Octopuses, Beef & Other Items Hockey Fans Throw on the Ice
From Mental Floss - #3 is the best. - Jeff Finger's Off Ice Adventures!
Loser Domi brings us Finger's off ice adventure with Kaberle. - Leafs, Sweatt Remain Apart On New Deal
MLHS reports that there may be some bad news about Sweatt - especially since his agent felt the Leafs' offer was generous. - What Chicago's Decision to match Hjalmarsson's Offer Means for San Jose
There's nothing directly Leafs related in this article, but Fear the Fin looks at the Sharks' defense and is concerned about their ability to find both a stay at home defenseman and a puck moving defenseman. Interestingly, he includes Ryan Clowe as a trade chip. - Talking Hockey with Greg McKegg
LeafsWire brings us an interview with Greg McKegg. - Winds Of Change
xterratu grades some teams that have been pretty down in the dumps lately, and their chances for improvement - and how the Leafs stack up. - Leafs, Sweatt Remain Apart On New Deal
MLHS reports that there may be some bad news about Sweatt - especially since his agent felt the Leafs' offer was generous. - My 5 Plans for the NHL Season
Yakov Mironov brainstorms as to how he can see some live hockey this year. I like his #2, I may do that as well. - Kaberle Clock Winding Down, Beauchemin a Potential Target
maple stir-up looks at Kaberle's situation and maybe trading Beauchemin (yes please!)