Rather than write a post about the Toronto Maple Leaf’s idiocy insanity strangeness awkwardness of “honoring” numbers as opposed to retiring them, we thought we could help reinforce the rumor that Mr. Khabibulin’s days in Chi-town are numbered.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Blackhawks have signed rookie goaltender Corey Crawford to a one-year deal. Crawford played in a handful of games (1-2 record with a shutout against the Ducks!) and is poised to begin his tutelage as a backup netminder. Only one problem: the Hawks already have two netminders…. but for how long?

“It’s a pretty big thing to sign another contract after your entry level,” Crawford said. “For me right now it’s just waiting for my chance.”

Barring a trade or injury involving veterans Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet, Crawford is expected to return to Rockford of the AHL and eventually battle another free-agent signee, Antti Niemi, as the team’s future goalie.

No way this is going to happen. We see Khabibulin getting traded sooner rather than later. Even before signing Crawford, the Hawks were $2.5 million over the cap.

You may recall that a couple of weeks or months ago – I don’t honestly remember, crystal meth has a way of doing that – a story about Scott Niedermayer being given a heavy fine by the NHL for being a douche missing training camp. Well after all the “facts” came out, the NHL has decided to lift the fine and pay Scott back his half-million or so dollars.

Reports Brooksie:

Scott Niedermayer is getting his money back … all of it … every single cent of the $490,909.08 he was improperly fined by the NHL for missing Anaheim’s training camp last season, The Post has learned…

“For each day a Player does not report to Training Camp without his club’s permission, his pay will be reduced by 1/275th … of his annual … salary,” the CBA article in question reads.

But the NHL, which ordered Burke and the Ducks to withhold the nearly half-million dollars of Niedermayer’s $6.75M salary, acted in error. Rather than file a grievance, Niedermayer and the NHLPA negotiated a settlement with the league.

“Negotiated a settlement”?? Since he ended up with all his money back I’m guessing that “negotiation” went something like, “Ok, how about you give me all my money back and in exchange my lawyers won’t cornhole you so bad your grandkids will have trouble sitting?”

I guess there’s no hard feelings from the Niedermeister since he’s re-uped for the 08/09 season, which is great… Only because the Sundin debacle is providing all the “will he/won’t he sign” crap I can take.

Looks like indecision and a spare tire are conspiring to keep Danny Markov out of the NHL. The last time we saw Markov on this side of the ocean he was playing with the Detroit Red Wings. A UFA pick up from the Nashville Predators (who got him in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers), Markov is was is may still be a talented defenseman, but injuries have plagued him much of his career.

At the start of the 2007-08 season, he decided to head back to Russia and play for his hometown Moscow Dynamo. After a very lackluster year, rumor has it that he started sniffing around the NHL again, and the Los Angeles Kings were game… until they asked him to submit to a physical.

Reports Rich “Screw You Sentence Structure” Hammond:

There was a report that the Kings might sign defenseman Danny Markov out of Russia. A Kings source said the team talked to Markov but that Markov declined to take a physical in advance and Markov declined. So it seems that unless Markov has a change of heart, he won’t be coming to the Kings.

I’m with Markov on this - Screw the physical!! Only bad things happen when you get medical tests back. Like when my ex-girlfriend got back from the doctor all “whiney/teary” and shrieked at me, “What am I supposed to do with these hepatitis test results!!??” Now, I don’t “do” confrontation very well, but in hind site I can now see that “Why don’cha use’m to teach that bastard kid of yours the alphabet?!!” was probably not what she needed to hear right then. Of course when she tells the story it kinda makes me out to be the bad guy. She knew I had a penchant for the hookers before we started going out. In fact – cute story – it’s kinda how we met.

This story is a little old, but surprisingly never got mentioned.

One of the much-touted stories early last season was how the New Jersey Devils were moving into new digs. Their new facility, The Prudential Center, was opened to plenty of oohs and ahhs and everyone proclaimed it was the best building in the NHL. Until now.

From NJ.com:

Newark city officials shut down the Prudential Center today [July 11] because of code violations related to its smoke evacuation system…

Around 7:30 a.m., a group of people walked in to the building, including New Jersey Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek. Asked what was going on, Vanderbeek said: “I don’t know. I’m here to find out.”

The arena opened Oct. 27, 2007, and is still operating under a temporary certificate of occupancy. One of the issues keeping it from gaining a final certificate of occupancy has been the stairwell smoke evacuation system.

As a result, the Prudential Center has had to pay for city firefighters to stand at stairwells during events.

Hold on a second… Danger in the arena… Hallways patrolled by a firefighter… Why does this sound so familiar?… Oh SHIT!! Look at this!!
Honestly, I don’t see this working with James Vanderbeek in the lead role. I mean, I’ve never even seen an episode of Dawson’s Creek but this dude is no Jean-Claude Van-Freakin’-Damme.

What’s that? It’s JEFF Vanderbeek?… So would he be playing the hero or the villain?

UPDATE: Looks like the place has reopened…

“It’s safe. It’s just technicalities, paperwork, bureaucracy and miscommunication,” Devils co-owner Michael Gilfillan said Friday afternoon as he was leaving negotiations between the city and the Devils management.

Thanks for the tip, Wolf-man! 

This weekend, the Where Will Mats Go? sweepstakes either had a whole lot of development or none at all depending on who you ask.

A Swedish newspaper reported that Mats Sundin had turned down a contract to play in the KHL (that new Russian leagues that’s gots lotsa money) because Sundin had already signed with Vancouver. The shockwaves crossed the Atlantic and everyone on this side of the ocean went apeshit. Really apeshit.

Sundin’s rep in Sweden has deemed the story “completely false.”

The bottom line on this is that Mats is going to do exactly what he wants to when he wants to. He doesn’t need to sign anywhere so why rush it? If he does sing with Vancouver or Montreal or Moose Jaw at least he knows when he moves to the city his furniture will be trendy and easy to assemble.

OK, that was admittedly crap but this story is boring as shit. And that’s “completely true”.

Note: Please accept today’s Rumor of the Day pic with extra ummm, stripes as an apology for missing Friday’s RoTD.