Correct me if I'm wrong, but Kundratek signed a contract with the Rangers, and doesn't that pretty much do away with his right to play where he wants? I can understand why he might be a little unhappy about being sent to junior, since it means that he doesn't get paid (as opposed to what he'd make playing in the AHL or back home in the Czech Republic) and the contract also slides a year so he'd still owe the Rangers 3 years. But he did sign the contract and therefore since the NHL doesn't have any labour issues with the Czech federation, he can't simply skip out on the Rangers' wishes and go play over in Europe. So we'll see how this ends up. I think if they eventually do send him to the Hat, he doesn't really have a lot of choice unless he wants to try playing in Russia. We'll see.
Now some notes after tonight's games....
Lethbridge lost 7-3 to the Tigers and have now given up 15 goals in their first two games. Sure, they're missing a few key players at NHL camps yet but there's still no disguising that this team has some defensive issues - they were 0-6 in the pre-season too and were lit up for 31 goals in those six losses. Are the problems with the defencemen (Mestery is -5; Jackson, Hulit, & Ross are -3)? The goaltenders (Kolpannen: 7.13 GAA, .800sv%; Tadjdeh: 8.37 GAA, .848sv%)? A combination of both, with some blame on the forwards thrown in? I don't know the answer but I think this is a team with too much inexperience at those two key positions. They have two open overage spots and picking up a goaltender and a reliable defenceman to fill those spots is probably a good idea. I said earlier this summer: Lethbridge is a good fit for the Pats' Linden Rowat. He can give them a steady veteran presence back there and mentor whichever one of their young goalies they think could be their starter in 2010-11.
Portland went into Seattle and shut down the Birds, 5-0. Sure, it's only one game, but I don't know what to say to the people I've seen who are still picking Portland for last in the U.S. division. They're not going to be last....try first. Or at least second. I'm still working on my division predictions (look for them next week sometime maybe, I decided to wait this year and see who comes back from the NHL and who doesn't) but I don't envision putting Portland lower than 2nd in that division. There's a lot to like now about the former league doormats.
After two games, Vancouver's Jamie Tucker has a .852 save percentage. Again, it's only two games, but are any of the people who were confident he could replace Sexsmith starting to sweat? Even a bead or two?
After two games played (for most teams), eight players are tied atop the WHL scoring lead with five points apiece. I am fairly confident in saying that five of them are not names that would have come up in anyone's preseason predictions of the league's possible scoring leaders.
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