NHL Comings and Goings and uh...Pedicures

So we're approaching the time of year that NHL players and coaches move faster than a pair of Jimmy Choos at the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale! Of course I'm talking about the upcoming NHL draft and free agency where team GMs wheel and deal to make sure they have the best line up for the upcoming season and future talent for years to come! July 1st is when the free agency period begins, meaning that players whose contracts have expired are up for grabs by another team or can renogiate to be resigned by their current team. In my opinion, they should ALL get a big fat raise - they play a longer season than most other North American pro sports and a hell of a lot tougher too! Sorry Mr. Bettman, I know no one asked me but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

So there have already been a few moves to talk about. Of course, big news is the announcement that one of the league's most outstanding goalies, Dominik Hasek (AKA the Dominator) is hanging up his skates in retirement as a Detroit Red Wing. He will go down in NHL history as a true sportsman and tremendous competitor. Dom won 6 Vezina trophies (for the new fans, that's the award given to the league's best goalie of the year) and will surely be considered for a future spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So best of luck to Dominik Hasek - we'll miss seeing you between the pipes! There's also pending news that Vancouver Canuck's Trevor Linden will be retiring after 21 seasons in the NHL. I know that true Canucks fan Lisa Ovens of Hockey & High Heels fame will be sad with that news...

The news from behind the bench is that former Caps and most recently, San Jose Sharks, coach Ron Wilson is the new head man for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I love that guy - he has an amazing sense of humor! And I have to say that Toronto has some fabulous, die-hard hockey fans! Good luck to you all this year - will be interesting to see if Mats Sundin stays in Toronto...

So to the pedicure reference. This weekend I was having a relaxing full spa pedicure (ladies you know the one - exfoliation, parrafin foot wax, to-die-for leg massage) when three large men invaded the peaceful inner sanctum of the salon to get their own pedicures. So as my mind is often focused on hockey, I was thinking how NHL players should somehow negotiate several spa pedicures into their contracts, especially after a playoff run like the Pens and Wings just had! I can't even imagine how funky their feet must look after almost 8 months of being confined to stinky skates. And they can even have their toes painted in the team colors...in the Capitals' case - rock those red piggies! Okay, just a thought...

So stay tuned as next time I'll be talking about the NHL Awards which will be broadcast this Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on Versus. Best of luck to all the fantastic nominees...