ICYMI SLGT:
- Here's the Free Agency day story stream. [SLGT]
- David Backes wrote a farewell letter to StL. [SLGT]
- Buffa82 on Backes: "A tough guy worth saluting". [SLGT]
- The offseason isn't as bad as you think. [SLGT]
- The offseason also makes the next Blues season unpredictable. [SLGT]
- But the new look Blues may not be a bad thing. Or a great thing. So, a thing? [SLGT]
- STEVE OTT SIGNS WITH THE RED WINGS!!! [SLGT]
- Is there a youth movement coming to the St. Louis Blues? [SLGT]
LINKS WE MISSED:
- There are a few down there, though they're mostly from this week. [SLGT]
FREE AGENCY:
- David Backes has gone to the Bruins for 5 years and $30 million. [Blues]
- David Perron is back in a Bluenote for 2 years and $7.5 million. [Blues]
- Goalie Carter Hutton is now Jake Allen's backup. (2 years $2.25 million) [Blues]
- Troy Brouwer is now with the Flames, 4 years and $18 million) [Flames]
- Steve Ott signed with the Detroit Red Wings for 1 year and $800,000. [Red Wings]
- A "Top Ten" on why the Wings signed Ott. (S/T to Donut King) [Winging It In Motown]
- Ten unheralded depth signings from July 1st that could exceed expectations. Two Blues on here. (S/T to John A.) [The Hockey News]
- TSN Free Agent Tracker. [TSN]
OTHER BLUES NEWS:
- Jake Allen signs a 4 year $17.4 million contract extension. [Blues]
HOCKEY NEWS:
- Some Puck Lists. First, ranking every July 1st signing. The Blues came off okay here. [Puck Daddy]
- And in honor of Independence Day, the 13 best American NHLers of all time. [Puck Daddy]
- Some terrible free agency-themed jersey fouls. [Puck Daddy]
- Some folks were bought out before free agency started. Our old friend Barret Jackman was one of them. [CBS Sports Eye on Hockey]
- Free agency day one winners and losers. [CBS Sports Eye on Hockey]
- Then there were trades, like the one that sent Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban to the Predators for defenseman Shea Weber, straight-up. [USA Today]
- And the one that sent Oilers forward Taylor Hall to the Devils for defenseman Adam Larsson, also straight-up. [USA Today]
OTHER STUFF:
- July 1st was not only Canada day, but Memorial Day in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel, a battle that completely decimated the Royal Newfoundland Regiment (from 801 able bodied men to just 68, able to keep fighting, in one day). I watched a good part of the ceremony online. [CBC Newfoundland & Labrador]
- Take a look at this amazing memorial at the battlefield (1 of 6 Caribou memorials - one in Newfoundland and 5 more in France and Belgium on the "Trail of the Caribou") . The Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial was unveiled in 1925. [Wikipedia ; First World War]
VIDEOS:
"The Banks of Newfoundland" performed by Great Big Sea:
HISTORY PEOPLE!!!:
A song for Ott, Brouwer, and Backes:
And because it's the Fourth:
THE CLOSER:
Donut King has next Monday's links. You know how it works:
- slgtlinks AT gmail DOT com
- @KingDonutI
- Or post them in the comments and we'll link to the comments next week.