Avalanche Country Today (1/26/07) ~ Leopold Returns

[RMH]

Avalanche Country Today
~ Friday, January 26, 2007: Leopold Returns ~
volume 2, number 77 (#198)
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News and Perspectives about Colorado Hockey Welcome to this edition of ACT. Here is today's menu: Daily Snap! Wojtek Wolski, by Bling Avs vs. Coyotes: Random Thoughts Sidebar: January Schedule/Results In the Papers: Articles from the local press. Avalanche vs. Coyotes Game Thread | Gametime Chat It was foreshadowed by Cumiskey's being returned to the minors last Saturday, but now it is official. Jordan Leopold, who so far has played fewer games for the Avs this season than Cody McCormick, will finally be returning to the ice in tonight's matchup against the Phoenix Coyotes. Given the number of groin injuries Leopold had in 2006, I would like to humbly suggest he take up yoga, pronto. Beyond that, I am glad to have him back and hope he can contribute quickly despite the long layoff. Meanwhile, Patrice Brisebois has yet to even begin skating with the team at practice, so his return is aways off. John-Michael Liles is about a week away from returning, slightly ahead of schedule, according to his comments earlier this week on AM 950 The Fan. While talking about his recovery process (when Irv and Joe would let him get a word in edgewise, those two are beyond terrible as interviewers), he said he'd been drinking seven glasses of milk a day, or about a gallon, to help speed things along. The other interesting tidbit from the conversation was that Mike Haynes played at the same youth rink that Ken Klee and Liles used growing up in Carmel, Indiana. Haynes mentioned he's the same age as Klee's older brother, and the two played on the same team. If you ever had any doubt about the depth of class Joe Sakic has, it was quite evident as he braved an attempted interview with Irv and Joe on Thursday. Irv kept trying to talk over him and Joe was busy raiding the vodka aisle at whatever liquor store thought it was a good idea to have them in this week. Sakic did make a point of saying he thought the All Star game this time around had better flow than in years past. When asked about the possibility of Forsberg coming back, Sakic replied: "Who wouldn't want to play here? It's a great organization." Talk about deft jujitsu. The Avs faceoff tonight at 7:05 PM on Altitude. Enjoy the game! Quick Hits Woe Canada: Sadowski's article on schedule sanity in the Rocky Mountain News today is worth a read, particularly concerning the fact that the Northeast and Northwest divisions will not play each other next year! So much for Hockey Night in Canada. The Invisible Men: It is time for Svatos, Mclean, and Laaksonen to get their seasons going. With only 35 games left on the Avs schedule, it is doubtful any of them will improve enough to salvage their weak outings this year. If the Avs do manage to swing a trade of any kind before the Feb. 27th deadline, I expect one of these players to be included before they lose all value. Seeing Double: On days like today, I almost wish the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News would take their "hockey on alternate days" approach to the weekends full-time. The two articles in the Post are practically copies of the same items in the News, down to the quotes. Why bother?	Daily Snap! No "Rookie of the Month" for me... #8 Wojtek "Woolie" Wolski Photo by Bling January Schedule/Results All times Mountain. TV/Radio: Altitude and AM 950 The Fan. If a different station than Altitude or AM 950 The Fan is carrying the game, they are noted. 1/1 - Mon - at Nashville - W, 5-3 1/5 - Fri - Tampa Bay - W, 4-2 1/6 - Sat - at Minnesota - W, 2-1 SO 1/9 - Tue - Detroit - L, 3-4 SO 1/11 - Thu - Calgary - L, 3-7 1/13 - Sat - Anaheim - W 3-2 SO 1/15 - Mon - San Jose - L 3-1 1/17 - Wed - Phoenix W 4-3 1/20 - Sat - Detroit - W 3-1 1/26 - Fri - 7:00 PM Phoenix 1510 AM 1/28 - Sun - 1:30 PM at Detroit NBC 1/30 - Tue - 6:00 PM Nashville VERSUS It's All About Lappy.. for Charity Be a part of the Ian-Crowd! Visit the Website to order your "It's All About Lappy" t-shirt!
In The Papers
From the Rocky Mountain News: Sadowski: Sanity wasn't on the schedule Remember during the lockout how NHL commissioner Gary Bettman kept emphasizing the importance of owners and players forging a "partnership" that would enable everyone to overcome financial problems, grow together and allow the league to gain a bigger foothold in the sports landscape? Leopold's frustration about to end Defenseman Jordan Leopold probably never again will take a game for granted. Forsberg rumor quashed Don Baizley, the agent for Peter Forsberg, and Philadelphia Flyers general manager Paul Hologram denied a report Forsberg wants to return to the Avalanche. NHL Lineup, January 26 NUMBERS GAME Time to focus on NHL playoff chase, credit some old-timers After all the focus on young sensations Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin at the NHL All-Star game, a couple of old-timers have their teams leading the chase to the Stanley Cup playoffs. From the Denver Post: Agent: Nothing to Forsberg trade rumors Peter Forsberg's Winnipeg-based agent, Don Baizley, Thursday said that as far as he knew, there was nothing to Forsberg-returning-to-the-Avalanche trade rumor tossed out last week by a Quebec radio host, Michel Bergeron. Leopold ready to return to ice Jordan Leopold is ready. "Again," the Avalanche defenseman said, smiling after Thursday's practice at Family Sports Center.
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Many thanks to the Mayor for the signature, and to today's contributors!	Avalanche Country Today is brought to you by: RMH ..................... Peanut Gallery Resident Today's Contributors Bling ..................... Stellar Photographer MGISJ ................... ACT Golf Pro If you would like to contribute to ACT please email avalanchecountry@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!

[chiavsfan]

Glad to see Leo back...hopefully it's for a little bit longer of a tenure this time around.

Also in the papers today
- Liles is back skating (but will still be awhile)
- Briesbois has yet to even start skating again

[RMH]

I said that already in the second paragraph chiavsfan.
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[chiavsfan]

Ooops, sorry RMH. Long night last night

[Kels]

I just heard Liles on KBPI, once again he said sometime next week. He also said he will be wearing the the same carbonfiber protector for each skate that Clark wears.
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[Kipruss3]

If you ever had any doubt about the depth of class Joe Sakic has, it was quite evident as he braved an attempted interview with Irv and Joe on Thursday.
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surprized they didn't find some way to manage to turn the entire conversation into a discussion on the "over/unders", and other betting mumbo jumbo.

that, or ask joey if he thinks Melo and Iverson will be good this year.


god the amount they know about hockey, woulnd't fill up a half filled thimbel.
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I laugh at everyone's pain but my own... I'm French! (LeFrog - Flushed Away)