At least two Canadian-based clubs could complete key trades before or during the NHL draft in Ottawa this weekend.
The Senators are offering Ray Emery and the St. Louis Blues, for one, are willing to take the goaltender, his $3-million U.S. salary and his tarnished reputation.
The Calgary Flames, meanwhile, are chatting with Florida about the Panthers’ captain, Olli Jokinen, who has been embroiled in a cold war with general manager Jacques Martin. Jokinen, 30, is multi-talented but Martin privately questions his desire.
Jokinen has two years and $10.75-million remaining on a contract he signed in 2006, when Flames coach Mike Keenan was the Panthers’ GM.
• That U.S. Open playoff yesterday was a treat for those of us whose jobs allowed us the freedom to watch Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate compete.
It’s absurd, though, to settle a major golf championship on a Monday afternoon, when most fans are at work. Imagine if a Stanley Cup game were tied after regulation and the NHL elected to start the overtime the next afternoon. Idiotic, eh?
Golf needs to smarten up.
• So the manager of my financial institution is female, and I mention this because here’s her explanation of why Euro Cup games are being showcased on a TV in her bank:
“The players’ faces are visible — and they’re gorgeous. They don’t wear helmets, like in hockey, baseball or football. It seems like every guy in soccer is good-looking. Even the referees.”
• Only in the CFL: Quarterback Chris Leak, who led the Florida Gators to a national championship in the NCAA in 2006, bolted the other day from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who claimed he was jumping to the Arena Football League. Now, Leak has joined the Montreal Alouettes. And the consensus is that he has all the prerequisites needed to become a CFL superstar. . .Then there was receiver Charles Rogers, a former No. 1 draft choice in the NFL. He told the Als he’d join them in camp. Verbally agreed to a deal. Never showed. Now set to join the Minnesota Vikings. . .From former linebacker A.J. Gass, on the transition to assistant coach for the Edmonton Eskimos: “Really uncomfortable. I was on the outside looking in (during the Esks’ first exhibition game last week). I didn’t know what I was doing or how to prepare myself.”. . .And the Toronto Argonauts are leaning toward starting the regular season with Michael Bishop at QB instead of league MVP Kerry Joseph. Believe it.
• And regarding the Blue Jays’ A.J. Burnett: Who cares?
