Sleeksays

Anaheim Ducks (14-9-3, 3rd in west) at Chicago Blackhawks (10-6-6, t-7th in west) How much will this post cost me in karma dollars? Instead of talking up this Chicago rematch, I'm going to throw my two rambly cents in on the Avery suspension. I don't like it. Now don't get me wrong; there's a lot to dislike about Avery, including this recent set of inflammatory remarks, but you have to recognize Avery for what he is -- a sensationalist media creation. Over the years, reporters have glorified his personality and encouraged his bad boy behavior (which I can understand -- NHLers are generally too boring for newsstands) . And that's the thing -- I do believe Avery's statements were intended more to feed the hungry media than they were to hurt Dion Phaneuf / Elisha Cuthbert's feelings. He was doing what he was expected to do -- agitate and entertain -- and more or less in the manner that he was trained to do. It wasn't out of line with the media character...

San Jose Sharks vs. Toronto Maple Leafs 7:30 PM, Comcast Sportsnet Sharks fans weren�t particularly nice to Brian Campbell when he returned to HP Pavilion. That�s to be expected, as Campbell came with a lot of potential and promise and he failed to deliver, then he said, �Screw you� to the team before cashing in. So what happens when the guy who came with the most potential and promise returns? Perhaps Ron Wilson himself didn�t embody that potential but his roster � and regular season performance � certainly did, and as the guy who runs the show when it comes to motivating players, the combined lack of inspiration and toughness can fall on Wilson�s shoulders. If only to accentuate the point, Todd McLellan�s got this team doing those things, though it certainly helps that McLellan�s got a better set of defensemen. Does Ron Wilson deserve a harsh greeting when he steps behind the bench as a visitor for the first time since the axe fell? In my opinion, no. In fact, as critical as I was of...

LA Kings (10-9-3) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (8-9-3) 7:30 PST, Fox Sports West Labarbera's in tonight, Boyle's out, hopefully Zeiler's on the bench. The Leafs score more than you'd think but also let in a lot of goals. I've actually liked the Leafs since they moved to the East and I think they'll become good faster than people think. But today I hope the Kings embarrass them in front of their new GM. Prediction: Kings win, 5-4. Goals by Kopitar (x2), Moller, Frolov and Labarbera.

If you recall, this past summer BoC had a brief series called Letters from Switzerland from our generous friend Markus (will it continue? only Markus knows for sure) , where we received some overseas updates about some former NHLers. In that same spirit, I present a guest submission from reader Kyle J., a guy I can only assume hails from Sweden (to be completely honest, I'm not sure about this, but based on a few phrases of broken English I've corrected, I'm comfortable being presumptuous) . Well, I'm never a guy to turn away free artwork, especially if it's potentially from Sweden! I am, however, a guy who (for better or worse) will regularly publish e-mails I get. Dear Earl Sleek. I have been wanting to find a way to mix my passion for graphic arts and hockey together for a long time. I have finally figured out how. A Graphic Novel of Hockey(Comic book). However I would like to showcase them where people could see them. And reading your blog since the Season We W...

Nothing says I Love You like a cold Cujo in a shootout. ( YouTube ) One thing about Ron Wilson -- he's not a guy who forgets his old friends (nor his potential future boss). There is no such thing as a "filthy two points" in this young Ducks season. Positivity!

Anaheim Ducks (1-5-0, 15th in west) at Toronto Maple Leafs (1-2-2, t-11th in east) When's the last time you looked longingly at Toronto's record? (I wasn't asking you, Kings fans.) Yeah, sometimes I'm lazy enough for a good google image search, so sue me (note to Disney: please don't sue me) . Not too much from me today, as I didn't even get to watch the Carolina outing, but I did want to revisit a post I wrote way back in June that explored the notion of Brian Burke taking a Maple Leafs GM job next summer . I really made two points: (1) Brian Burke has gotten lucky at times, in particular with his acquisitions of Niedermayer, Pronger, and Selanne, and (2) I was fine with Burke leaving, as there is a fairly open roster next year for a replacement GM to work with. Of course, that latter point isn't looking so strong these days, as the three biggest contracts Burke has locked the Ducks into are: R. Getzlaf, 6 gp, 0-1-1, -5 � 5 years, $26.625 million C. Perr...