June 27

NHL Draft
NYI did the right thing and drafted Tavares no.1, it is the right pick and fit for them. Same goes for Tampa getting a defenceman to go with Stamkos. Matt Duchene seemed like a good pick at 3, liked the kids interview just after he was drafted. Next two picks Kane and Schenn, both get talked up big by all the "experts" but there was mention of Schenn being like Mike Richards, but in the midst of all good it was quietly mentioned that his skating might not be that great. That sounds more like his brother than Richards. In watching Luke play last year it would be the one glaring weakness in his game, but as a "shutdown" defenceman he can make up for it with positioning. That is not as easy to do as a forward. Seems like Evander Kane may take a while to develop into the type of player that he is projected to be. Tough to physically dominate against NHLers after playing in the WHL. He going to need to fill out and learn how to adapt to the pros.

Gotta give Brian Burke lots of credit for knowing how to make doing nothing into looking like he is doing tons. Last I checked he makes a boatload of cash to manage a hockey team. A job millions of Canadians would die for by the way. But for two months he talked a big game about how he would do this and that to go after the number one pick. In the days leading up to the draft there started to become talk of maybe moving down if he couldn't go up. To be clear you can eitherkeep your pick or trade it. If you make a trade, you can go up or down or swap it for a player. That's it!!! Nothing more, it is not brain surgery. There are obviously different scenarios involving number of picks etc. but again it is just managing a hockey team. 29 other GM's were doing the same things, looking to make a good trade, get the best possible player at their position its just that they don't work for the Leafs and get the same coverage (nor do many crave it the same way) as Burke. Before we go off about what a great GM he is lets grade him on the things he does not so much on what he says. The two college free agents help the depth and maybe one will pan out. If he gets the big Swedish goalie then it has to be a seen as a plus for him. Nobody has a clue if Gustavson will be good in the NHL, but he looks like one of, if not, the top goalies outside the league so beating out a few other teams to get him is good work. Kaberle trade and free agency still to come so we can revisit that if and when. But as far as the draft went the Leafs had the 7th overall pick when the draft lottery was done and last night in Montreal they picked 7th and took the guy they thought was the best player at that point which is what anybody else would have done. Much ado about nothing.

Chris Pronger would seem like he was born to play for Philly. Just another reason to dislike the Flyers.

MLB
How bout them Blue Jays. Ricky Romero pitches a gem over series mvp Hamels. I think Cito has gone beyond the traditional smoke and mirrors and is on to some other sorcery.

Halladay looks to be good for Monday.

Bettors Corner
4-3 last night to drop me to 14-4 . Two of the losses come in games that I was a little iffy on. Serves me right. NYY. BOS LAA and TEX all win. Det losses by 1 and Stl also goes down in a tight one. Cin was a complete miss.

Mil Mclung starts. Good numbers at home ffor Seth and Zito is all or nothing. My guess is nothing tonight.
Bal over Was, nuf said.
Pitt, Maholm been real good at home.
NYY for same reason as yesterday, Yanks are hitting and the Mets are hurting.