Bugsy Makes A Deal

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday because at 1:00pm I was picking up the newest member of our pack - another Greyhound we named Connor - and last night I was at my parents' home celebrating my mom's birthday. Here's a picture I took a few hours ago of our boys all being lazy lumps:

Clockwise from the top - Logan, Baylee (he's a Golden Retriever - the Greyhound rescue we work with has dubbed him an honorary Greyhound because he's now got 3 Greyhound brothers), Connor (the new guy - isn't his coat beautiful?!), and Link

My parents live in an area where their cable provider has Pittsburgh news channels. We were watching KDKA news at 11pm when I found out that Ryan Malone had signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. I couldn't believe it when I heard the reported terms of Bugsy's deal (from The Sporting News):

Ryan Malone has signed a $31.5 million, seven-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The 28-year-old will reportedly earn between $7 million and $8 million in each of the first two years of the contract.

The Lightning traded a third-round pick in the 2009 draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins for exclusive negotiating rights with Malone and forward Gary Roberts on Saturday. According to reports late Sunday, Roberts had signed a one-year contract with the Lightning that could be worth as much as $2 million.


Last week the Lightning hired Greg Malone, Ryan's father, as their head pro scout.

WHAT?! The deal Gary Roberts scored was in line with what I figured he'd be getting, but Ryan Malone's deal is insane. I'm not hating on Malone now that he's no longer a Penguin, but the only explanation for this deal is that Tampa Bay must have more money than they know what to do with. Think about this - the Lightning are paying him almost as much as the Penguins are paying the league's best player for the next two years. MISTAKE.

No wonder Ray Shero didn't really try to stop Bugsy from leaving - Shero would much rather spend that money on a player who is actually worth $7 million next season. I have to admit that I'm quite shocked that Tampa Bay is willing to pay Malone so much money. Only time will tell if it turns out to be a sound investment on Oren Koules's part. For some perspective, check out Illegal Curve's analysis of the deal here.

I'd love to hear what you all think of Bugsy's deal. Do you disagree with me? Is Bugsy worth the big bucks? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Oren Koules Is Awesome

Long time no post, eh? ;) On Sunday I spent the day watching movies with my husband, and yesterday it felt like I didn't even get a minute to breathe because we're working hard to meet deadlines this week to get ready for shutdown next week. (I'm really sorry about that - I wouldn't have skipped posting on Sunday if I'd known how crazy Monday was going to be.) Anyhoo, I've been thinking about what the Tampa Bay Lightning did on Saturday at the draft and thought it was cool enough to mention here on The Show.

In the seventh round, the Lightning selected 18 year old defenseman from the University of Denver named David Carle, who was attending the college on a hockey scholarship and is the younger brother of Matt Carle of the San Jose Sharks. Big whoop, right? Wrong. It turns out that during the pre-draft physical examinations, doctors found out that Carle has a potentially fatal heart condition (from College Hockey News):

Denver recruit David Carle has retired from competitive hockey after doctors discovered a heart abnormality. The condition, known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — or thickening of the heart — can cause sudden cardiac death if there is too much exertion.

[...]

Carle got an EKG at the NHL's scouting combine, which is where an abnormality was first detected. He went to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for more tests.


Carle said a nurse was the first to inform him that the news wasn't good. "...I just lost it and had a good cry. ...The doctor came in, and I was pretty shell-shocked at first. After a few hours passed, you can step back and evaluate it, and move forward.

"I'm really quite fortunate they were able to find it. I've still got a long life ahead of me. I have a lot to look forward to and a lot of opportunities ahead of me."

Because of the severity of the disease, he withdrew his name for consideration once the diagnosis was confirmed. But that's when this happened (from The Denver Post):

On Saturday, however, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected Carle in the seventh round (203rd overall).

Incoming Lightning owner Oren Koules pushed for the team to select Carle.


"The kid worked his whole life to be drafted in the NHL, and I didn't see a reason he shouldn't be," Koules said on the club's website.

It's only symbolic, since even slight physical exertion could lead to sudden cardiac death. But what a gesture! This kid's entire life changed through no fault of his own, and Koules used the draft to pay tribute to Carle's lifetime of commitment to the game of hockey. Carle still plans to attend the University of Denver, and Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky told Carle that, despite the fact that he now cannot play on the team, his scholarship would be honored.

It's a bittersweet ending to a career that never had a chance to get started.