BJBlue

Went to the Mooseheads game on Saturday, beyond any hockey experience iv had in England. 9,000 people at the game, great atmosphere, lots going on and even though its juniors it's so far beyond the top level back home. Probably sounds obvious but it hits you when you experience it. Really hope the lockout ends sooner rather than later because I want to get to some NHL games!!

That putt from Rose on the 17th was amazing and signaled the turn of the tide. Watched it all in a sports bar, it was epic television

Not all hope is lost. There's supposedly division amongst the owners because the 7 or 8 richer owners are driving the lockout and not nessasarily caring what the rest say. Also you have to think that when players start missing pay cheques in October the majority who don't earn as much will be putting pressure on the PA to get a deal done

Well the word is that Bettman is thinking of canceling the winter classic so that the players can't use it as leverage. And that will lead to him canceling the season before Christmas. Not looking good

Voted in. I am starting to have serious doubts abouts Dickovs ability to manage the game but I'm not ready to give up on him just yet. I'd give him until Christmas, if things havnt shown signs of improvement and we're still hovering above the drop zone I'd have to seriously consider his position. It won't be easy though, who could we being in that would be an improvement and who we could afford/would come here?

Oh ok I didn't know we had done already, thanks

Will be be following Man Utd's example by wearing black arm bands on Saturday? It would be fitting since Nicola was from Oldham

Nicola was from Delph. She was a really nice girl

Was going to go to the Mooseheads last preseason game last night and finally get to see some hockey in Canada and it was called off because they all have flu! The hockey gods really are conspiring against me!!

Not happy about this. It had better be a short lock out. I'l have to satisfy myself with some chl when the season starts. Il get to some Moosehead games while I'm in Halifax

He is always part of my latics promotion sides when I start a new game. Always pray they don't reduce his stats

As it's early days i'l give it time before I get annoyed but it's horrible trying to get on the site with my phone. It used to redirect me to a mobile version but that doesn't appear to be up yet for the new site.

Will do on both counts thanks! I'l be on a plane this time tomorrow.I'l try and get the obligatory CN tower shot with me in my latics top.

Free agency frenzy!

Well that's Ribeiro gone. If you didn't see it we traded him to the Caps for Cody Eakin and a second rounder this year. It's had a mixed reaction from Stars fans but personally i'm happy with it. Ribeiro is 32 and only has 1 year left on his current deal, whilst he can produce sublime magic moments ala his goal against Calgary he is in the main an incredibly frustrating player. He is a pure playmaker but he is just so indecisive with the puck, he wore down most of our PP time this season looking for the perfect pass and rarely finding it. His defensive play is non existent and frankly he is a liability at times. Eakin will probably go straight in as 2nd line centre, it's a risk but he's only 21 and we are building around youth, plus there is another day of drafting and then free agency so the team isn't complete yet. On a side note, i got a 12 month Canadian working holdiay visa last week so on July 3rd i will be flying out to Toronto, i'l be watching as much hockey as i can come October!

So the second signing of the off season is the second teenager without a single competitive game under his belt? Well we'v had some terrible experienced players so lets hope the inexperienced lads can get it done. It's just unfortunate that we'l be throwing young lads in at the deep end but i suppose we don't really have much choice.

I like tangerine but i don't like this particular shirt. £40 is the going price for a shirt now, same price in non league. £30 for a kids one is too much though, 3 times the amount their season ticket would cost

Thanks, found it in the end on the BBC site. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/european-championship/2012/groups-schedule

To be fair after the season you had last year you couldn't have expected this, it's a great achievement to get to the finals. I hope you can win a couple, even if it's just for pride. Can't believe LA are going to win it. We were fighting them for the last playoff spot aswell, it could have been us! (it really couldn't have been us)

Who is covering them? Is it split between BBC,ITV and Sky? Or is it just BBC and ITV? I can't find a full tv schedule online. All i know is ITV have a game on Friday evening.

Great club with a great community of fans. I think i actually went to more Whitby (mainly away) games than Latics games this season. Not by design though, just through circumstance and finances

I don't mean due to his coaching there, i meant that clubs of that stature tend to rise back up fairly swiftly. They tend to get stuck in the evo stick premier league which will be a nice derby game for my second team (whitby) but i think they'l be in blue square north within 6 or 7 seasons

Has apparently joined Martin Gray's back room staff at Darlo as a defensive coach. Thought he'd be able to start higher than that but i doubt it will take them long to rise through the leagues a bit.

i like blue and tangerine and to me it does say latics. i had the last tangerine shirt and even though i don't think this one is as nice i should think i'l be buying it at some point. i do still have my one from 08 though

Didn't know he lives in Delph, poor lad