Phightins

Most Lightning fans I have encountered on the internet are thrilled that Meszaros is gone. Hmm. At least he is young and will be on our 3rd pair, but still a very risky move.

AJ Hinch fired by the Diamondbacks. Matter of time I guess. I did have higher expectations for them this year, but it must be hard to win with a bullpen as horrendous as theirs.

Brian Schneider leaves the game with a thumb injury of his own. Who is next?? Catching tandem of Dane Sardinha and Paul Hoover FTW.

Not trying to take a jab at the Rangers or anything here, honest...but when I saw that Boogaard contract, it made me feel a lot better about the deal the Shelley contract.

Well, they are kind of different players I suppose. Shelley seems to be an enforcer while Carcillo is an agitator. Shelley is a better fighter, but I don't think they could throw him on one of the top two lines as they did with Carcillo at points this past season. Carcillo will fight almost anybody, but most importantly he has some skill. I don't really see a spot for a guy that's strictly an enforcer (didn't want to use the "G" word) in today's NHL. Hopefully Shelley proves me wrong. And I guess there's nothing ruling out a return for Carcillo, it just doesn't seem all that likely right now. Not sure where he fits in.

Well, signing him (and for that much) likely means Dan Carcillo will not be back. Shelley is not half the player Carcillo is. But yeah, we need to wait for the other shoe to drop before judging. Something else has to be coming.

Chase Utley out at least 8 weeks, Placido Polanco out at least 4 weeks. [expletive] me.

Chris Mason to the Thrashers. That leaves Evgeni Nabokov and Marty Turco, and the Flyers as seemingly the only team potentially needing a starter-caliber goalie. Should be interesting. It will be interesting to see what happens with Ondrej Pavelec now. Speaking of the Thrashers, sounds like they are about to trade for Andrew Ladd.

Happy the Flyers passed on Hamhuis after seeing that contract. Also, everyone seems to think that he had it in his head that he'd be a Canuck from the start. Sounds like Anton Volchenkov is going to the Devils for 6 years as well.

Ray Whitney to Phoenix.

Penguins sign Paul Martin. Bleh.

Jody Shelley, 3 years $1.1 mil per year. This one I do not get at all. Trade is definitely coming though.

Looks like Dan Ellis is going to Tampa Bay. And Manny Malhotra signed 3 year deal with Vancouver.

Flyers sign Sean O'Donnell. Depth I guess.

Antero Niittymaki to San Jose. Maybe the most interesting signing of the day. Is he their starter now? I thought they'd go the Marty Turco route.

Marty B is awesome. Great contract for the Rangers. He can be super effective when he isn't the main guy. Really cool dude too. He went to my church when he was a Flyer.

-Colby Armstrong to Toronto -Alex Auld to Montreal. Seems to be conflicting reports on Twitter about Dan Ellis possibly coming to the Flyers. Lol.....which one of these do I believe? Hopefully Eklund is right, but that's probably asking for too much.

-Martin St. Louis signs a 4 year extension with Tampa -Zbynek Michalek signs five year deal with Penguins

Stuff so far... -Sergei Gonchar to Ottawa -Alex Tanguay to Calgary -Marty Biron to Rangers -Andrej Meszaros traded to Flyers -Braydon Coburn resigns with Flyers

Braydon Coburn signs! 2 years, cap hit of $3.2 mil per year. I think there has to be a trade coming.

Chase Utley needs surgery. Probably out until late August-early September, maybe the entire season. [expletive].

Wow. Hefty contract. I've always liked him but that's a lot.

Lol, who did you bet?

Phillies looking at Dan Haren apparently. Yes, please. Ruben, you want to win some fans back? Here is a good place to start.

Assuming Dan Ellis gets to the market (which it sounds like he will), the Flyers are apparently making him an offer.