NHL Storylines You Should Know

Soft Grapes

Here’s three things we learned based on last Saturday’s Coach’s Corner:

1) They eat seal meat in Newfoundland, Labrador and Canada’s First Nations communities.

2) They don’t have a sense of humor about it.

3) Don Cherry is a bleeding heart seal-hugger.

The entire scandal, quickly dubbed Flippergate by the Canadian media, started when Ron MacLean divulged to Cherry that he had recently eaten a seal burger while in Newfoundland. Of course, Grapes being Grapes – he had to say something. However, instead of the red-blooded caveman comment we were all expecting, Grapes said he was outraged that MacLean would eat “a baby seal” and called his co-host a barbarian.

Needless to say, a shitstorm ensued, with some even accusing Cherry of being racist toward Native Canadians. The CBC icon issued an apology over Twitter and all’s well that ends well.

Tank Talk Spreads

I’ve been aggressively against tank talk here on A Thousand Cuts, but it seems like I’m becoming more and more in the minority on that one. No I’m not talking about my fellow Sabres fans. I’m referring to Toronto and Ottawa media that are already throwing in the towel in the hopes of landing the next Great White North Hope.

On Sunday, the Toronto Sun reported that Maple Leafs assistant general manager Kyle Dubas was in Erie, Pa., on Friday night to see you-know-who.

“While official comment from the top of the organization has been muted… it would appear that the decision-makers recognize the need to dismantle the current roster before whatever form of rebuild begins,” wrote the Sun’s Rob Longley.

On Monday, the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reported that the Sens want to avoid “playing out the string,” meaning they’re thinking about playing out the string.

Karma is a Bitch, Tim Peel

Known for handing out a phantom diving call and waving off agoal that could clearly be seen via his own helmet cam, Tim Peel has a well-deserved reputation for being a horrible, horrible referee.

Like the kitchen manager who also happens to be restaurant owner’s son-in-law, this type of incompetence typically just bumps along to everyone’s chagrin. Not so with Tim Peel.

The NHL ref met with Yahoo Sports hockey writer Greg Wyshynski, aka Puck Daddy, last week to clear the air and while a ref meeting with a reporter might seems a little weird – doing shots with said writer is even weirder.

Not sure which offense is greater the drinking or talking to the press, but the NHL promptly suspended him. Definitely the most bizarre referee-food related development since Don Koharski was invited to have another donut.