Tracking the European's off-season - fun with Google Translator

There's only so much that us hockey fanatics can find in the doldrums of summer to feed our fixes. Will he or won't he sign in X location? Will they or won't they trade X player? Well I'm to the point where exploring other platforms to get my pucky news is going on.

While I didn't necessarily find any surprising, up-to-date news on any of our Swedes, Russians or Finns - I did find a few gems to share with you.

Last March, Tuomo Ruutu was apparently voted as the top sexy single in Finland but he's not just a hockey player. No, he's a "puck lion":
"Iltalehti.fi's readers have chosen the Finnish sexy sinkuiksi puck lion Tuomo screen, and the singer Jenni Vartiainen. Vastaajia viehättää Tuomo Ruudussa muun muassa hänen komeutensa ja hymynsä. Respondents attracts Tuomo screen, including his komeutensa and hymynsä. Urosleijonaa äänesti 29 prosenttia lukijoista. The male lion has voted 29 per cent readers. - Aggressiivisuus ja intohimo jäällä saavat tämän naisen pauloihinsa. - Aggression and passion on the ice to this woman pauloihinsa. Vapaalla Tuomo taas on todella rento ja hyvin pukeutuva mies, yksi äänestäjistä perusteli valintaansa. Free Tuomo again is really cool and well dress male, one for the voters to justify their choice. " - Google Translation of some Finn celebrity site

Yeah, I have the same problem all the time with women being drawn to mykomeutensa and hymynsa. I feel your pain, Tuomo. Pimpin' ain't easy.

Next up I found a blog from some Swedes about Nic Wallin and their adventures in Raleigh going to the games at the RBC Center:

"In the parking lot were several groups that proposed the grill and enjoyed a cold Pilsner in the spring sun. It also has different sheets contests where you could measure its kind shoots or shoot dot on a paper canvas. There is also a live band to entertain the audience while waiting for OFF. Hockey is a stunt here and I do not see why not Elitserien clubs do not follow the concept." - Kuriren blog from Sweden

Yes you see - it's not so much - "C'mon boys, let's throw some brats on the grill and toss back a few brew-hahas before the game" - it's better described as "proposing" the grill. Is the contest he's talking about cornhole? I haven't the slightest.

Is it October yet? Crap.

Would you like some catch-up with your maple syrup?

OK then, back at it.

The Canes are extremely fortunate to have a 7-3-2 record through 12 games considering they way they've been playing. We've yet to see a "complete" game. It's kick the crap out of them a period at a time, then just "hang out" and watch the other team come back to life. Or vice versa. How good could this team be if they could string three periods a game together?

Toronto is better than anyone expected. Grabs is on point as well as Niklas Hagman. Toskala is a legit #1 and Ian White has quite the porn-stache underway. Good on Ron Wilson for (so far) over-achieving with this Maple Leaf team. They're still gonna need quite a few therapy sessions this season however:
My prediction that Samsonov would score 89 goals this season? Doh. He'll get it kicked back up soon enough. My guess is that once Brind'amour gets back to playing at a + rate, Sergei will be right behind him.

Nic Wallin is a pimp. It's no secret.

Scotty Walker is back but needs to be paired with Ryan Bayda to get their cycle-game on. Any chance he can just use Pronger-style elbows if needed since he can't punch anybody?

The fact that we haven't heard any updates on Brandon Sutter is unnerving. WTF is going on with him? Can he walk? Drive? Skate? See straight?

Seeing Dwight Helminen skate so fast in a #63 jersey just doesn't look right. Quite used to seeing a big slow Czech wearing that number for the red & white.

Big game Thursday night at the Verizon Center. Its the most important game of the season so far. Here's a juicy reason why:

"I would expect the Capitals to begin to pull away from the crowd soon and leave their divisional opponents in the dust. Their collection of talent eclipses that of any other teams in this division." - Ted Montgomery @ USA Today

Not so fast, Ted. The Caps do have the collection of talent, but who has led this division for the majority of the previous three seasons? The game will be a great early test for both squads. Ovechkin is primed for a breakout game. He's got 29 points in 24 games vs. Carolina. Washington is 9-0-1 in their last 10 at home. Something's gotta give. It is beyond obvious that the Hurricane squad that can kick ass for an entire game will need to show.

Bring the noise, son.

TIM TIM TIM TIMAAAAAY!

While bloggers are on the subject of who needs to step up for the Hurricanes this year - IMHO, the man who the Canes need to see the most improvement from this season will be the one and only Tim Gleason.

Yes, Jack Johnson would have stayed at Michigan through his 4 years in order to keep from having to play in Raleigh. So, essentially, it was a good trade to send him to LA for Gleason and Be-lawn-jay. But considering how much potential the team gave up to get Tim - we really need to see him develop into the real-deal defenseman that he was so highly touted to be from his junior/minor league play.

What seems to have been already forgotten among Caniac Nation is the pairing of Gleason and Wallin that provided a rock of a defensive core for a few weeks. What happened there? Part of it was injury - but most of it was Gleasons inconsistency.

Sure, Tim looks like he is ready to kick your ass at any point (and he has/will) and having an enforcer around other than Scott Walker helps, but he's here to play D above all things. Look for him to re-paired with Nicky Wallin this year and sweet Jesus let's keep him healthy.

Hurricanes History: The Molson Miracle

Stumbled upon this YouTubeage of the '02 Playoff Run. Good stuff.

Featuring:

• A young Bates Battaglia doing his thing
• The emergence of Nicky Wallin as "The Secret Weapon"
• Ronnie Franchise assisting, assisting, then assisting some more
  
• Brind'amour kicking ass, as usual
• A pre-roid rage Sean Hill
• Sami Kapanen (one of my favorite ex-Canes, classy guy)

I was a senior in college watching this game and can remember vividly almost jumping through my apartment window when each of these goals were scored. Enjoy!

The Molson Miracle