Tragic Irony

The date: July 1, 2008.

The scene: a luxurious hotel room in St. Tropez or a luxurious condo bedroom in St. Petersburg or Moscow.

A twentysomething Russian couple are turning in for the night. The man takes off his slippers, which happen to be made from the fur of Siberian tigers he's killed with his bare hands:

Dude: Tonight is good night, Nicole. I go to sleep and dream pleasant, then wake to find magnificent team in morning. Thrashers will have good solid defense. I finally have #1 center so I can conquer the world. I can hardly wait for season to start.

(why the Russian man speaks slightly awkward English in Russia or France is anybody's guess)

Chick: Quiet, Ilya! I am watching Grey's Anatomy dubbed in Russian.

Dude: Just don't turn it up too loud. I need Czar-recharging rest. I'm so excited about tomorrow!

Chick: Go to sleep, Ilya!

Dude: Yes, yes, to sleep. Good night Nicole!

Chick: Good night Ilya.

...here the script breaks off...

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Whatever the Czar may be feeling today, he shouldn't fall into too much despair that we didn't get Brian Campbell. I was heartbroken, of course, but only because I'd gotten my hopes up in the last few days after having given up on him months ago. Ah well. I agree with Shooter: we do need to sign Jason Smith and Brooks Orpik, which would be a massive improvement over our current defense. They're both forward-decking D-men with a mean streak, a type this team has always lacked.

Meanwhile, I'm dead serious when I say the Thrashers ought to sign Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund. I think Morrison really could be the center the Czar has been waiting for since the Savard days. He's not too old, only 32, and on his own he has a few good seasons left in him, I think. With the Czar he'd be a true force.

And Naslund, while not the beast he used to be, would probably flourish as a deputy goal-scorer to someone like Kovalchuk.

I won't say "Make it happen DW," as that seems to get us nowhere everytime. I'll just say "drive the team over a cliff, DW."