Ritter's Rant: A Look Into the NHL

Fleury comeback is sobering, indeed.

He says he’s been sober for over four years, he says he’s ready to resume his NHL career and late Thursday the NHL said he could play again as former NHL All-Star Theo Fleury was reinstated to play by the NHL and the NHL Players' Association.

Fleury has not played in the NHL since the 2003-04 season as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 54 games that season, scoring 12 goals and 21 assists, good enough for a less than spectacular 33 points.

Since that tumultuous 2003-04 season Fleury, who is 41-years old, has bounced around  some unimpressive Leagues. Fleury played in the North Peace Hockey League with the Horse Lake Thunder in 2004-05, the Elite Ice Hockey League with the Belfast Giants in 2005-06 and Hockey Manitoba in 2008-09 with the Steinbach North Stars.

It’s a long shot that Fleury will make the NHL, in fact, he is yet to receive an invitation from an NHL team to attend training camp, but stranger things have happened. Recently, the Toronto Maple Leafs extended an offer to Jason Alisson, if the Leafs can do that I guess Theo may get a look from someone...Good luck Theo, you’re going to need it.


And the winner is...

The battle of the Desert continued Thursday with absolutely nothing being decided. That said, Judge T. Baum did throw a wrench into the debacle as he suggested that both the NHL’s and the Balsillie bid may be ignored and a third option of not selling the Coyotes to either party may be the end result.

Really? After all this B.S., do you really want the Phoenix franchise to go on “Status quo?” Losing millions of dollars and leaving the creditors in the red? Sounds like a bad idea to me, one that is both unrealistic and certainly not the decision either party wants.

Friday marks "D-day" for both the NHL and Balsillie. Nobody appears to have the inside track just yet, but with the NHL bid coming in at $140 million and the Balsillie bid sitting at $242.5 million one has to believe if it comes down to satisfying the creditors, Balsillie will win the vote of the courts in a landslide.

Personally, I can’t see this situation being resolved on Friday. Regardless of Judge T. Baum’s decision, the matter is bound to end up in the courts for the foreseeable future.

If Balsillie does win the auction the NHL will appeal the decision, which does not bode well for the Coyote’s players, Balsillie, the City of Hamilton, the Coyote's fans (all 20 of them) or the NHL for that matter.


“Phil” out the offer sheet already...

Boston Bruins forward Phil Kessel has stated that he will no longer negotiate a contract extension with the Bruins. In fact, Kessel has taken it a step further and suggested that he will seek to accept an offer sheet from another team.

Last week Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke acquired a 2010 second round draft pick from the Chicago Blackhawks, giving him the final piece of the puzzle in what is required to make an offer on an RFA and leading many to speculate that Burke was positioning himself to make an offer on Kessel.

In fact, Burke has stated that he has kept Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli informed of his moves every step of the way. For those of you who think Burke will be labelled a hypocrite if he signs Kessel to an offer sheet, he has been anything but.

It is my belief that Chiarelli is very aware of the Leafs intentions and, while not thrilled about it, is looking at losing Kessel as a way to find the salary cap room he so badly needs.

Make no mistake about it, this is not a “Blindsiding” by Burke, he has been very transparent about his intentions and there has been nothing out of Boston that would suggest they are upset with Burke.

If you ask me, Burke signing Kessel is the worst kept secret in the entire NHL, expect the expected, Phil Kessel will be in Blue and White when the 2009-10 season commences.


Show me the way to San Jose...

ESPN's John Buccigross is reporting that Dany “Love me or I’ll leave you” Heatley, may be on his way to San Jose to join Joe Thornton and the Sharks. The rumored deal would see current Shark Patrick Marleau heading to the Los Angeles Kings, while Jarret Stoll and Alexander Frolov would move to the Senators.

If he can pull it off, it’s a solid trade for Senators GM Bryan Murray, not only does he get rid of the headache that is Dany Heatley, he also picks up two very solid players.

There has been no confirmation from any of the three teams involved, for Murray’s sake, I hope it’s true.


He ain’t pretty, he just looks that way...

Mike Comrie is back in Edmonton. It’s a far cry from bringing in Dany Heatley, Marian Gaborik or Marian Hossa, but I guess it’s a start.


Parting words...

Good luck Mr. Balsillie, they can say what they want about you, in the end, nobody has shown the desire and passion to own an NHL team that you have. You deserve to win the auction and, although they will never admit it, the NHL needs you and your tremendous vision...

Until next time,

Peace!