Trophy Season

For starters, here's a Sean Avery update. He was at something that calls itself the Fifi Awards a couple of weeks ago, and he arrived with Vera Wang, who, as I understand it, is kind of a big deal.

As for the people who are still playing, we'll see if the Wings can do any better a job closing out the Penguins than they did with the Stars. I've been keeping an eye on the last couple of games from the office, and I've got a feeling that the Pens aren't done just yet. I think Detroit will win the series, I'm just not convinced that it's happening tonight.

Meanwhile, I ducked into the NHL Store yesterday - where I know I can see the NHL Network - to look in on the Calder Cup final between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Chicago Wolves. I could be happy with whoever wins, since both teams have Dartmouth alums on them - Ben Lovejoy and Nick Johnson on the Baby Pens, Grant Lewis on the Wolves - but since Lewis hasn't been playing lately (anyone who follows the Thrashers or the A know what's up with that?), I've been pulling more for WBS (especially with all-time All-Rink Rat goaltender John Curry in the nets). I was there to see the Baby Pens' two goals, but I had to get to work not too long after that. The Wolves won, winning the first two games at home. We'll see if Curry, Lovejoy, Johnson and the rest of the Baby Pens are any better at bouncing back after losing the first two than the parent club.

Meanwhile, back in the college ranks, the biggest surprise of late would be UMass recruit John Carlson opting to go to London of the OHL. Why is it always London?

Of course, one of the reasons a player goes major junior is when he's very close to being ready for the NHL, so even if the player went to college, he'd be a likely "one and done," and the value of that kind of player to a program like UMass - which is trying to build a consistently strong program over time - is limited.

Still, I'd like to know why it is that when a college player opts for the OHL instead, it's almost always London. I tried to ask them about that when I was at CSTV, but they really didn't want to talk. Just saying...

Finally, on a much more important note, I'm walking this Saturday in the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention's "Out of the Darkness" walk in New York City, where I'll be walking 20 miles overnight. I'm also responsible for raising $1000, which I haven't quite done yet. If you can donate, any donation you make is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and you can donate online. Here's the link:

http://www.theovernight.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=10009276

Thanks for any help you folks can give.