Random Notes and thoughts

If you haven't read or heard already, one of the old time Whalers is gone to retirement. Sean Burke announced his retirement yesterday. He is the only goalie that I remember wearing the old Green, Blue and White of the Whalers - this because I didn't get into hockey until late into my teen years, some 13 or 14 years ago. While it is always sad to see a player hang'em up, if the player can go out on their own terms then there is nothing that fans can or should do other than appluade their careers and I do that of Burke. He hangs'em up after twenty years of backstopping in the NHL.

It looks like the NHL is starting to listen to its fans even if they state that "it is just time to look at changing the way scheduling is done". I for one am not a fan of being able to see teams like Dallas, Chicago, Detroit or even the "Used" Oil just once every two years or so. There are numerous ways that a schedule can be done. If I had it my way, I would schedule 30 games against the West - 15 games on the road and 15 of those games at your respective teams venue. I know that sounds like a long road trip, but that:

a.) can be split up into 3 trips
b.) can accompany the road trips that are already scheduled for teams in your respective teams division
c.) can be scheduled for when there are other events - circus, college basketball, fair - are scheduled at your respective teams venue. (note: some teams don't have to worry about this kind of venue sharing)

Not being at the scrimmage yesterday, I am not going to be able to comment on it. I have read the notes/story from the News and Observer and if there were only 5 penalites called in a scrimmage, one would think that the Canes should stay out of the penalty box. Again, this comes off the heals of the Canes having to kill off a couple of 5 on 3 penalties this past Sunday. So either the coaches/refs at the scimmage aren't calling it tight or the refs from Sunday's exhibition were calling it a little to close to the vest. We shall have to see!