[Flacolaco]

Sports...

http://stars.hockeyanalysis.com/

Stars fans don’t have much to look forward to tonight for the (televised even?) first round on Versus. They traded their first round pick to L.A. for the now retired, possibly carpentering Norstrum. Oh well, oh well. If this core of (very) young defenders can get the job done then maybe a couple of seasons of Norstrum helping them out will have been worth the pick.

Plus, don’t forget that the Stars somehow convinced the much hyped Fabian Brunnstrom to sign with them and that is essentially their first round pick. Be he Junior Lessard (fail) or Loui Eriksson (OK-ish) who knows? They hope he can be a top 6 guy and play with Richards perhaps, but that seems a lofty goal.

July 1st approaches fast and we haven’t even heard a peep from the Stars about Miettinen, Hagman, Eriksson, or Stu Barnes. If Hullie can drag his ass off the golf course I’d love to hear what the freaking plan is. I’m sure Hagman will be gone, but it would be nice to get some of these other deals done.

And don’t forget Stars fans, a full season of Brad Richards awaits you. I know it’s a (trade) losers cry, but maybe a full training camp with him will be good for the team. Not that he wasn’t great last year in the playoffs, I just think we can expect even more in the future.

Mike Heika at the Dallas Morning news wonders if Boucher could be on the table for a potential deal to move up in the draft. I’d hope not. The Stars are thin in the area of veteran defense, and no one knows how Zubov’s body is going to do next year…or Boucher’s for that matter. The Stars need options on defense. Injuries have plagued them the last 2 years and I would hope that’s a lesson they’ve learned well by now.

The story I’m most interested in today is what Chietermayer will do in Anaheim. Retire, Grey Beard. You are just too damn smooth.