Linky Links

Hope everyone had a great long holiday weekend, but back to reality. I'm in a link mood so click on one or all to get caught up on all the fun times being had in the world of sports.

PyeongChang won the rights to the 2018 Winter Olympics. This is great on so many learning levels for me. I got to use my Wikipedia app to figure out where the hell this city is located (South Korea) and also how to pronounce it (apparently just as you read it). Sure, no problem. I also then had the chance to sit back and realize that 2018 is 7 years away. 7. It seems like it should be like 15 years away, but we are in 2011 (how?!). Since the host nation automatically qualifies for events, I wondered if they even had an ice hockey team. Turns out they due, thanks to this gem on PuckDaddy. Absolutely brilliant.

The Rangers took a day off from crunching numbers (they still have 4 guys to deal with who have filed for arbitration, notably among them is Ryan Callahan whom many believe will be donning the "C" next season) and announced some new jersey numbers. Brad Richards will revert back to his old 19 from when he was with the Lightening, while Ruslan Fedotenko who was number 19 will steal 26 off Erik Christensen's back. Christensen will now switch to number 40 which was vacant. Also newly acquired Mike Rupp has chosen the number 71 after not asking for his old Penguins number 27 from Ryan McDonagh, but taking a cue from ex-teammate Evgeni Maklin who dons the 71 in Black and Gold. Guess Rupp didn't know in hockey you don't have to bribe guys for a number as they do in football and other sports. Max Talbot meanwhile took his former teammate Rupp's number as his own in Philly since he was probably too scared to get beat up by fans if he asked Matt Carle for his old Pens number 25. We could play this number game all day. It's kind of fun. The real question is which country or planet would need to be gifted to acquire the number 87 from Crosby?

Winnipeg had a to-do list a mile and they keep on crossing things off of it. They wanted a hockey team- check. They needed to name the team- check. They needed to get at least one player on board about playing and living in the frozen tundra that is Winnipeg- checkmate. Not only did they get a player 200% on board, he's their Captain who just inked a 5 year $22 million dollar, and who has the best last name for writers to use in every way possible. Personally I can't take the corniness of playing on his last name, but read this article. Now if they could just get this logo thing figured out.

The AHL has made some changes to their season and post season. Even an realignment. More proof the NHL will be realigning sooner than later. Here's a list of the affiliations to the big clubs for the upcoming season and its in pretty pictures. My favorite pictures are the Jets and St. John's who currently are each boasting their league logos. It's July people. When will we have a logo!?

The Dallas Stars have cancelled an exhibition game that was to be held in the Texans' stadium versus the Coyotes in September. Apparently the cost of making the ice was too great. I guess the fact that it's still rather warm in the south in early fall was never on their radar.

Steven Stamkos still hasn't resigned with the Lightening. The Kings still haven't signed Drew Doughty. They are really 2 of the last big names left out there. I really wish I could be a fly on the wall to better understand why. Of course to me anything over a million sounds like a good deal so what do I really know.

Lastly, hate him or love him, Derek Jeter is on the cusp of 3,000 hits in midst of his 17th season. This is big. He's a future first ballot Hall of Famer who is in some great company on the lists and he's not even done. Jayson Stark of ESPN.com has a wonderful article talking more about his accomplishments and where is fits in books currently. Just as I won't root for the Bruins, I gave Tim Thomas massive props for what he did this season (he deserved both the Conn Symthe and Vezina) and everyone should realize the enormity of what Jeter is on the verge of doing.

Till next time...