We do know: Almond, Falk, Gillies, McMillan, Noreau and Scandella are under contract.
If Almond, Falk, Gillies, Noreau will play here, or UP there, is not certain.
We also know that: Earl, Fraser, Irmen, Kalus, Kassian and Khudobin are RFAs.
Of these, my guess who may stay with the Wild: Earl, Khudobin!
I do guess, that most coaches and staff will move on. As will most of the players.
They'll pack up kith and caboodle and head to better pastures, maybe even to Korea, Russia, etc, as have done others.
Wishing ( and that's all there is - wishing) that the following Aeros will get firm contracts:
Buck, Daoust, Rau, Hilbert (a healthy Hilbert, of course), Kuemper, Di Salvatore.
Of other teams, I liked watching and thinking ( :-D ) would some of them be available (again) ?
Grand Rapids Griffins: Doug Janek, Justin Abdelkader, Tomas Tatar;
Hamilton Bulldogs: Brock Trotter, Tom Pryatt;
Lake Eerie Monsters: T.J. Hensick, Darren Haydar;
Manitoba Moose: Marco Rosa, Guillaume Desbiens, Mike Keane;
Milwaukie Admirals: Mark Santorelli, Triston Grant. Dave Scatchard, Mark Dekanich;
Peoria Rivermen: Jonas Junland, Lars Eller, Ben Bishop (;-);
Rampage: David Spina (when healthy), Kyle Turris, MacGregor Sharp, Brett MacLean;
Rockford Icehogs:
Syracuse Crunch: Bates Battaglia, Dan Fritsche;
Texas Stars: Colton Sceviour, Pertu Lindgren, Mathieu Beaudoin (natch-formerly "Soft Spot"),
Travis Morin, Richard Bachman;
Toronto Marlies: Andre Deveaux, Viktor Stalberg.
Some of last year's chosen are surely old enough now to play at the AHL level:
Tyler Cuma, Matthew Hackett, Anthony Hamburg, Sean Lorenz, Erik Haula, Harri Ilvonen, Kyle Medvec, Alexander Fallstrom, Jarod Palmer.
And I seem to recall a couple of others: Leddy, Kaufman, Hickey.
And of course there will be this year's draft in Toronto.
Ticket prices may go up for single ticket sales. But there are always those promotions, that irk STH when seats go for 1/3 less than for what they paid. And then there those give-aways.. hopefully NO more 'squishy' rubber pucks (make them real ones if you have to ;-)
"The Powers That Are" will, of course, 'buy' whomever they want or think they want.
If most of this year's choices are the cause of the 'why and/or how not', let's hope next year's choices will be more astute.
Que Sera Sera...
and with that, readers thank you for visiting..at least I assume you do and did.
And to those that really did and took the time to make comments,
I do like you a lot more ;-).
We all have our opinions and some do differ.
Feel free to post your choices from last season's foes, I like to hear from you!
Vive la difference.. that makes it all exciting!
Soon more about "PIKOVA DAMA" by Tchaikovsky at HGO (Dressrehearsal tonight) .
And "XERXES" by Handel later in April.
And "Tosca" at Miller Theater 5/21 and 22.
As well as, briefly, The Met's HAMLET by Thomas.
which will happen tomorrow - the Encore (taped) broadcast.
