WAITING FOR THE MONSTER

This morning I offer some thoughts on this “Monster” guy signing with the Leafs instead of the Stars.

Some seem to be under the impression that the Swedish puck purger’s decision to sign in Toronto is Dallas management’s fault. How you can come to that conclusion is a bit foggy to me at best.

Did they miss out on some second tier free agent backups while waiting for the decision? Probably. But don’t you think they could risk that with a goalie of Marty Turco’s caliber as the incumbent number one? And didn’t the Obi Wan Kenobi of NHL G.M.s, Brian Burke risk the exact same thing waiting for this guy’s decision? Now if you’re Colorado and Peter Budaj is your mainstay you fold quicker and grab a guy like Craig Anderson - same goes for the Blues signing Ty Conklin.

The Stars, initially led by Les Jackson, put their best presentation foot forward and impressed the big Swede enough to have it come down to them or Toronto – thirty teams down to two. So tell me, if you had a 50/50 chance of winning the lottery would you corner the market on rabbit feet and wait it out, or would you bow out and take a lesser “sure thing” prize? (If you picked the latter Howie Mandell may have a spot for you on Deal, and you will have to re-attach the twins after the show.)

But lets get back to the unsubstantiated feedback I’ve dug up in regards to the Stars courtship of Mr. Gustavsson. (TMZ has nothing on me)

Word has it that he wanted to come to Dallas. His girlfriend and the Stars Fabian Brunnstrom’s squeeze are best friend’s. The organization, as we all know, is top notch. The goals are championship ones. The city is vibrant. The climate is terrific (except maybe in late July and August). And the opportunity going forward would have been his for the taking.

However, now days the player doesn’t always make the final decision. Agents and “representatives” carry a lot of weight. Many of them have their clients best interests at heart, but also their own. Perhaps his reps saw hockey-mad Toronto as a better location for all involved – including themselves? Perhaps.

So on to Plan B.

Maybe a trade is in the works to land a guy who could take the torch from Turco.

Maybe a still available free agent who has NHL experience will be enough to give the team two viable options in goal this season.

For sure this “loss” should not be an indictment on Joe Nieuwendyk’s six-week-old managerialship.