A Case of the Mondays: Crickets

We're now pressing into the second week of August, and Flames news, much like any NHL-related happenings whatsoever, has been scarce, to say the least. Between Ian White's signing, the fact that the Flames are still $2,349,995M over the cap, and Steve Staios' leadership exploding all over McMahon Stadium during the Heritage Classic press conference, nothing of interest has happened regarding the club. Crickets. Prospect camp has ended and we are a little over a month away from pre-season, this is when the going really gets tough, my friends. United through deprivation as well as complete and utter boredom, we shall slog it out together. 

In site news, however, I see everyone has welcomed our new writer Ryan and we're all looking forward to reading his work. I should also probably mention that I'm on vacation (again, I know) in Europe. I'm in London right now, but I'll be heading to Berlin, Prague, and Moscow over the course of the next three weeks, and I'm planning to incorporate into my travels a series of hockey-related posts and pit stops, which I'm really looking forward to. But enough about me, onto the links! 

Walkinvisible lays out her choices for the Flames edition of Puck Daddy's Mount Puckmore series [Hit The Post]

Arik details his plans for the season ahead–including fantasy hockey tips, perspective personal hygiene routines, and his new gig covering the Lightning's AHL squad [4th Line Blog]

Kent theorizes on former enforcer Riley Cote's coaching style, now that he has retired from a the life of a goon at age 28 in order to instill the values of the game in potential future Flyers [FlamesNation] And has Vesa Toskala finally found a home?

The arbitrator in the Kovalchuk case has sided with the NHL and their rejection of the winger's 17-year contract [NHL] [The Sporting News] [The Globe & Mail] However, the Devils have reportedly already began negotiating a new deal with Kovy [Kukla's Korner] 

This off season's winners and losers on the free agent market, in the comedic stylings of Down Goes Brown 

The story of Flames' Asst. GM Jay Feaster's ascension to the NHL [Calgary Herald] 

The Canadian Women's Hockey League is set to hold its first ever draft this Thursday at Toronto's Hockey Hall of Fame [TSN] 

Scott Reynolds evaluates the NHLE for forwards of 2008's draft class, and Mitch Wahl and Greg Nemisz rank 20th and 29th, respectively. The worst Flames prospect of the bunch is Ryley Grantham–who comes in at 143 [Copper & Blue] 

That's all for today folks, enjoy what remains of your Monday evening and the week ahead!

by Hayley Mutch