Well well, the rich certainly get richer today in the 2nd day of the NHL free agency period.

Reigning Stanley Cup champions the Detroit Red Wings signed perhaps the most coveted free agent, winger Marian Hossa.

Hossa, fresh off a run to the finals with the Pittsburgh Penguins was a big question mark to return for another run, as it would have been difficult to retain both him and superstar Evgeni Malkin. If you’re the Penguins, this has to be a huge blow seeing as how you couldn’t win it all with Hossa and now have to somehow compensate for his departure.

As for the Wings, can anyone say repeat? They also resigned Brad Stuart, so all their pieces are still in place.

With any hope, Hossa’s ginger playoff beard can mature and darken being on a more experienced, grizzled team like Detroit.

I can haz one-year contract? Plz let me prove myselfs.

Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi mentioned a potential bridge goaltender being brought in whilst awaiting the arrival of franchise savior prospect Jonathan Bernier. Could Ray Emery be the choice? His expression would suggest so…

Wow. It actually happened. Barry Melrose shall coach once more.

I jokingly mentioned Melrose as a candidate for the Los Angeles Kings coaching vacancy, but definitely didn’t expect him to leave the broadcasting booth that has housed him for 12 years.

You could draw a parallel from my Coach Bombay article to the recent actions of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Seemingly just as ridiculous of a hiring, especially given their unique situation of being the handlers of one Steven Stamkos.

Stamkos is a rare type who could well cement a perennial contender in Tampa Bay, and they’re letting him be guided by hockey’s equivalent of Charles Barkley or Kenny Smith?

Did anyone inform them of the other possible candidates? Or are the Lightning just going for broke and locking up as many familiar names and faces as possible?

Either way, you probably can’t corrupt Stamkos THAT much. I mean, could he really turn out as bad a #1 overall pick as say, Kwame Brown?

Thanks for dealing with my apples-to-oranges inter-sports comparisons. I’m out.