Valetenko is just a family guy

Hmm. I'm sort of torn on this. Apparently, Pavel Valetenko supports his entire family on his hockey salary. His Hamilton salary just wasn't cutting it, so he had to go home to make more in the KHL. I can appreciate someone who just wants to do right by his family.

Here are some money quotes about the situation:

- His goal was to play in the NHL, but financially, playing in the AHL wasn't cutting it.
- He came over here to make the NHL. He didn't just run home. He had to do it. He knows he shouldn't have done what he did contractually, but he had to. It's not a Radulov situation.

Those quotes are courtesy of Rolland Hedges, Valetenko's agent. Most agents are lawyers, and most lawyers are full of shit. So those quotes may be suspect, and that's why I'm torn.

Bye Bye Sheldon

If there was any question whether "Boomer" Souray would return to the Habs fold despite the allure of joining his smoking hot wife (are they divorced or not?) and little children in Cali, was answered when Kimo Timonen (or Kimo-Timo to his friends) pulled out pictures of Paul Holmgren drunk in the company of several strippers and blackmailed the Flyers for $6.3/year for 6 (!) years.

OK, I have no evidence for blackmail, but $6.3 (!) over 6 years?? That puts Souray's ballpark at $6M minimum - and there is no way Gainey can pay his number 2 (or three) D-man (Souray) more than his number 1 (Markov).

Besides, as much as I love Souray and his point shot, I don't love Souray and his, um, lack of defensive accumen (see Spezza, Jason). And what are the chances of a repeat of last year's stats? Or is it more likely that someone shells out big bucks a la $6M per year on a long term contract and he returns to his pre-2006/07 stats, meaning he is trade bait (or a buy-out candidate) within 2 years.

Wouldn't it be more productive to sign a second tier UFA like Tom Pressing, or maybe go after Scott Hannan or Brad Stuart (although that may cost as much as Souray)?

NEXT: To Draft Angelo Or NOT To Draft Angelo

Souray or not Souray? That is The Question

The age old debate that has raged over the last season hovered around the pending Markov Souray UFA dilemma. Who would the Habs keep if they had the chance to sign one? Would they be able to sign them both?

Everyone with any pull in the matter has said the right things. Souray favored Montreal. Gainey wanted them both. Markov wanted to stay and after several seasons with the Habs issued a statement through a translator stating: "I like Montreal, Montreal is good". This astounding vote of Shakespearean confidence prompted Gainey to offer his Russian roubleback the largest contract in Canadiens history. Yes. Andrei Markov is the beneficiary of the richest contract ever offered to a Montreal Canadien. Why that irks me, I don't know. Maybe because it makes no sense whatsoever, yes that would be a good start.

Sheldon, my love, you one trick pony you, St-Laurent will never be the same. I will miss the frequent attempts to LOCATE the puck on the REPLAY of your bombs. I never could. You said you wanted to stay, but of course while you could have broken the bank here, you will certainly raise a Chase Manhattan roof elsewhere.

Did the Habs do the right thing? If you like the glitz, then the answer is Nyet. If you like the elegance of certainty and grace, then all I can say is добро пожаловать домой, Andrei. (Gonna have to work for that one.)