Gratuitous Dog Love

Wait, somehow that sounds wrong...

Anyway, as there is still no news fit to print in the hockey world, I've decided to take this opportunity to repost my favorite Red Wings photo ever:

Total thanks to NOHS for finding it first! Aren't they just the cutest couple?!

Those (3) of you who actually pay attention to my Tweets might recall that I am shamelessly a big dog person, as evidenced by my home, currently occupied by a coonhound mix (a paltry 85 lbs), a Bernese Mountain Dog (87 lbs and needing at least 5-7 more), and a mastiff (140 lbs FTW!). So naturally, when I first read about Reuben, I knew he and I were soul mates, but now that I've seen his photo I can totally confirm that he's even better looking than his owner. I wonder how he is on the ice?

Reuben, I love you!!! Call me!!!




**Ed.s Note: You see what happens to this blog during the off season? It sucks in non-hockey ways as well as in its normal hockey-related ways. Tragic. Is it October yet?

Abby-Dabby-Doooooooooooooo!

Abdelkader had been officially re-signed for 2 years at a price low enough to make for many happy pants in the Red Wings Nation. I myself am not above a little tingle. However, this officially marks the absolute last bit of interesting news of the off-season. Now, all we can do is wait until training camp and pray to the gods that boredom and desperation don't kill us before we get a chance to see ice again.


Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!!!

Is it October yet?

Seriously. October? Anyone? Anyone?

So I posted, then immediately got wrapped up again in that life thing. What a nuisance. Especially considering the damned thing took me to Orlando, FL and Chattanooga, TN in July and August. It was about as pleasurable as having a facial performed with a belt sander, but I finally got back home last night (no thanks to a certain un-named airline) just in time for today's news:

• Helm re-signed. Yeah, I know this technically happened earlier this week, but this was the first opportunity I had to put it in print, so deal. I love me a Helmer. Actually I love any player who learns at the knee of Kris Draper and plays every single shift like Mike Babcock is holding a gun to the back of his head and threatening to shoot him and then drop him from the team if he doesn't work his ass off every second on the ice. Thanks, Kenny.
• Modano finally decided to toe the line and sign on the bottom one. It was announced earlier in the week as well, but today was the actual presser and the live photos of Mikey in his #90 red-and-whites. I saw parts of the press conference, but the damned feed kept cutting out on me, so I finally gave up and decided to just assume that Mo expressed the correct degree of awe and gratitude about coming home to Hockeytown. If I'm wrong, there will be plenty of time to grow to hate him over the next few months. I was firmly in the neutral camp about Mike (or maybe firmly in the waffling about Mike camp), so this one was more of just a relief. At least now, we can all stop reading, thinking, and hearing about it.
• Chris Chelios has officially announced his retirement and accepted a job in the Red Wings' front office. That news brought a huge smile to my face. I love Cheli, and I'm delighted to have him back in the organ-i-zation. I think he'll be a great influence for the whipper-snappers and a fantastic role model for the prospects. I mean, how can you not love a guy who loved the game so much, he played it until most hockey players his age were on their 3rd set of knees? Welcome back, Cheli. I'm very happy to see you.

But with all that said, it's still only August (*gack*) and I'm jonesin' for my sport. I need to see me some ice soon, before things get desperate. Oh, hell, who am I kidding? I'm already desperate. So hurry up, September. Training camp might just keep me alive until October.

Training camp and the news of Abdelkader's new deal. C'mon, Kenny. I'm waiting.