The Day After Musings 03.01.11

It’s the day after the Trade Deadline.  Here are my ponderings…

1.  Jason Arnott.  Ever since Arnott said he wanted out back in December, we’ve watched his ice time grow less and less and less.  He was taken off of the most productive line (with Patrik Elias) and left to dwindle into oblivion.

That turnaround that everyone’s talking about in Devils’ territory…Arnott’s role was minimal, at best. 

Scouts from Montreal were watching Arnott for two months…funny, they were unimpressed.  Why?  Because that was two months following Arnott’s words about going to a Cup contender.  That was also the same two months when his play tapered off.  His ice time dropped considerably from one game to the next.

Losing Arnott and gaining David Steckel from the Washington Capitals is a win/win.  Arnott was fantastic when he performed for us…but when there’s a player on the Devils that doesn’t know if he should believe or not…best to cut ties.  The Devils don’t need uncertainty.  They need positivity and a deep-seeded belief that together they will make it…no matter what the end result is…they will make it to that finish line.

My hopes: Capitals bow out before the Devils do.

My true pondering: What do the Devils think about a teammate that wants out?  A teammate that doesn’t completely believe that they’ll make it?  Sure, there’s that need to be with a Cup contender when your years are coming to an end, but I don’t see Martin Brodeur or Patrik Elias abandoning ship.  If they believe…shouldn’t everyone believe?

Then again…if you don’t believe…the team is better off without you.  They don’t need that kind of karma lingering around.

2.  Phoenix/Blue Jackets trade.  Don’t think I couldn’t hear a little snickering coming out of Toronto.  Actually…it came via text message in response to a text I sent saying: “Upshall/Lepisto to Columbus!”

Poor Paul Bissonnette has no so-called single guys to hang out with…he should have asked for a trade to NYC.  Maybe he could teach Sean Avery a thing or two about how to dress…

Good luck to the two former Coyotes in Columbus.  Ohio is really…BORING…  Consider it my midwestern bias.  I say the same thing about my home state of Indiana.  Also watch for bed bugs.  Columbus is #1 worst in the bed bug epidemic in all of America!  State of Ohio ranks right after that.

As for Toronto…she’s still laughing as of this morning…

3.  Michael Yormark.  The Florida Panthers’ president made MSM (mainstream media) pretty mad yesterday after he tweeted this about the Miami Herald’s beat writer:

@PanthersYormark: love george richard’s tweets. He just doesn’t get it He probably spends too much time in the adt club and not enough time doing his homework

Surprising that the Panthers’ President would be so open about his thoughts on a beat reporter?  Just imagine if John Tortorella got on Twitter! 

Torts doesn’t need to tweet his thoughts on beat writers.  He’ll tell them to their face.  I’ve witnessed it a few times.  It’s even up on Youtube.  He remembers exactly what you wrote.  He’ll tell you why he doesn’t want to talk to you.  He’ll even tell you it was because YOU wrote XY&Z. 

Makes you think, because his concerns are about his team.  One time, Torts told a guy that he didn’t like what he wrote because it was hurtful to the guy the writer was talking about in his article.  That’s a coach sticking up for his team.  Reminded me why I don’t read certain publications…

As for Yormark…the tweet was a little mean (like he was calling the guy fat).  He still stands by what he said.