swamprat

Barclay Goodrow to the Rangers for a 7th round pick.

Andrei Vasilevskiy won Vezina Trophy, given for the best goalie in the NHL, in 2019. If I remember right, they signed him to an extension after that season. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy on Wednesday night, which is awarded to the MVP of the Stanley Cup Finals and was a finalist for the Vezina again this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsmuewEFYWE

It is like this everywhere. Like it or not the events of the last year have rocked the sports world. It may take a while for it to recover. A lot of people discovered they could live without college football and liked it enough to not crave college football anymore. College football needs a Mark McGuire / Sammy Sosa type of happening to bring the fans back. What they need is another 2007 season. That was one of the most remarkable seasons I can remember in my lifetime.

They were, but, as you indicated, GM Julien BriseBois did a masterful job of maneuvering within the rules. With Kuch out all year, he had to do something or the Bolts may have not even made the playoffs. Tyler Johnson is from Spokane, Washington. The Bolts were close to trading him after last season and the Seattle Kraken join the league next year. The Lightning will probably not protect him in the expansion draft, so I expect him to be with that franchise next season. Steven Stamkos has a no-trade clause in his contract. Other than that, I have no idea who will still be here. Remember Steve Yzerman built this team and he is running the Detroit Red Wings, now. I suspect he will raid the Bolt roster, combine that with other draft picks, and shrewd transactions to build the Wings back to prominence in the league.

The last franchise to 3 peat in the NHL was the New York Islanders as part of a 4 peat, 1980, 81, 82, and 83. The Bolts have some salary cap issues that, I think, will prevent them from winning a 3rd in a row. Unless they can get some key players to restructure their contracts, TB will look much different this coming October.

It has now been 28 years since Montreal or any other Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup. Vancouver was the last Canadian team, prior to this year, to play in the finals and that was 10 years ago. This year's Montreal appearance in the finals marked only the 6th time a Canadian franchise has played in the finals over the last 28 year period.

Seems as such. When I was a kid, Kool-Aide was a treat. Of my two kids, one prefer's Pepsi, the other Coke. My youngest grandchild (9) prefer's Sprite over either of them, but the other 2 (13 & 14) would rather have a power drink (Gator Aide or Power Aide) or flavored water over any soft drink.

Water. I can't stand either.

The boat parade is on Monday. We'll see if Steven Stamkos can Tom Brady Lord Stanley's Cup between boats. Free beer at Busch Gardens the rest of the month.

Another day in Champa Bay!!!

Downgraded to a tropical storm again. It hasn't moved all that much since 11 PM last night. Blowing wind and rain, right now. I saw a lot of tree trash on the ground as I came into work this morning. However, no major damage that I know of. Neither my home nor my workplace experienced any power outages.

I read where Hollywood is trying to make the first book into a movie. Hollywood generally screws every book up, so I am wary. They'll probably gloss over the 1st half of the book, just to get to Skippy. That background stuff is important, IMHO, to the relationship between Joe Bishop and "The Beer Can". However, Skippy makes the series what it is.

This bad boy has a twist I ran into shortly after posting this. I wasn't expecting that. Nice.

When I was 5, all I wanted to be was my father. He was a tough old bird, but I miss the Sgt. Major greatly.

First ever region championship for the Colonels.

It broke through the wall. Visitors are being evacuated due to gas and magma movement.

A few businesses still ask you to wear masks, but that is getting fewer and fewer. I still wear one when in Publix or BJ's, the only brick and mortar places I actually shop at. I am only required to wear a mask at work in conference room meetings, now.

I am about 3/4 through this one and I highly recommend it.