Happy Canada Day

Today is one of the best days of the year, Canada day is the one day a year that we can all be proud be Canadian and not look like idiots. It marks the begining of summer parties with BBQs and alcoholic beverages for 19 years+ hahaha. It is also the time to think about the amazing service men and woman risking their lives across the pond. I tell you i am so proud to be Canadian and I feel we have the greatest country in the world, and I am so happy to be living in this great country filled with hockey and Tim Hortons Coffee. But enough about that patriotic stuff. I want to tell you about three of my favourite Canadians in honour af this Great Day.
Wayne Gretzky is considered the greatest hockey player of all time and I will not argue, but he is also considered one of the best Canadian athletes of all time. He goes along with the whole "Canadian Boy" stereotype. He was just a rewally good guy. And what made him so liked in Canada was that he was like a little kid just living the Candian dream. I love Wayne Gretzky and i have since i was a little kid, and i never really understood why but because all my friends liked him and he was just the best. I was around when he was just retiring. During the 80s and 90s he was the face of Canada and everyone loved him, even when he left Edmonton for Los Angeles. I read some books on Gretzky because i was always interested in him and what he has done. Hockey is Canadas game and having Wayne Gretzky makes Canadian hockey that much better.

Bobby Orr is my favourite hockey player of all time. I know you are probably wondering why, because I am only 16 but I was always interested in him because he was old. but not only that he was a Boston Bruin and also a Defenseman. Since I was four years old I was a defenseman and I was also a bruin fan., so Orr was special to me. The biggest part of Orr was that he was from Parry Sound and he grew up only two hours away from me. I thought that was kind of special and that is why he was special to me. For Anyone who watched hockey during the 70s say that Bobby is the greatest and  anyone after say that Gretzky is but I just love Bobby Orr and he was great little small town boy who was signed at the age of 14.

Thirdly I want to talk about one greatest Canadians ever. Terry Fox is worldwide. For those who dont know, well first of all your an idiot but he was diagnosed with Cancer at a young age. Terry Fox was a star basketball player at his local highschool at the time before he had to get his leg amputated. When he got his leg amputated it did not stop him, he was inspired to fight against cancer. He was inspired because he watched others older and younger who also had cancer just give up. He wanted to give people something to fight for and not to give up. He was such a great person he inspired not just people with Cancer but everyone else. He decided to run from Newfoundland to British Columbia on one leg. His goal was to raise at least $1 from every canadian. He started in St. Johns with his buddy from back home who drove a van and that was it. He ran a marathon a day and ran through the maritimes through Quebec, Southern Ontario where he raised the most money but when he got to Thunder Bay, that was when he realized the cancer had spread. He had to stop his run and we went to the Hostpital were he later died. He has changed the face of Canada but also in Canadian sports and for cancer worldwide. To his name he has raised over $500 million since. I personally am inspired but this amazing person who ran on one leg and i think it is apsolutely amazing what he did. I asm very proud that he is a Canadian like me.

By the time I post this it will be July 2nd but hey thats ok too.

Free Agency Day 2011-Alex Sifton

One of the biggest days of the year for diehearts. This year isnt the strongest year, but there is a good depth. No star-power. Closest to star power would be Brad Richards, who is a #1 centre many teams would die for.

1. Philadelphia

Good day so far. Picked up some good role players, but there two notable pickups would have to be Max Talbot, and Jagr. These are two very good players and good signings for Philly. Although Talbot will help, i personally think that 5 years is to long of a deal. I was looking for more of a two year, or 3. Jagr went over to the KHL for 2 years, and is a little bit older, but still proved himself at the World Championships with Czech. I personally think that this is a solid deal for the flyers, and this will help their offensive numbers, especially with the departure of Richards, and Carter. The other player Philly has signed is Lilja. He is a big defencemen. The Flyers are also in pursuit of Brad Richards, and made a pitch to Brad, and his agent in Mississauga. Rating: B+

2. Montreal

has had a good day. Although they have only made 2 signings today, they were two important ones. Alex Auld, who was the back-up for Carey Price last season signed with Ottawa, so they needed to find a replacement. They found Peter Budaj. He played on Colorado last season, and was a good goalie out there who proved himself in the mile high city. This signing will help Carey Price for sure, because Budaj is a bit older, and has a couple more years of experience than Price. Also the Habs have picked up Erik Cole, a power forward who played for Carolina last season, and is a good key to Montreal's line-up. He got 52 points last season, and I think he would produce even more, if Martin put him on a line with Cammalleri and Gionta for example. He was in the shadows this past season because of Eric Staal doing his usual buisness, and Unreal Rookie, Jeff Skinner. The main reason he will help Montreal is the Habs don't really have a big winger, who can drive wide, and will go to the net to get some dirty goals. Rating: A-

3. Florida

They are under Dale Tallon. He is their GM. Most people don't realize that he was also the GM of Chicago, when they won the Cup Last year. Even since Draft week-end, they have been making big splashes, and Dale is acquiring bits of the Chicago team that won the Championship. Such as Brian Campbell, and Kris Versteeg. They are also acquiring veteran leaders such as Ed Jovanovski, and Theodore. These two members have been in the league for a long time and will help out with some of the younger players. I feel that Ed will help Gudbranson out next season , both being defencemen, and Gudbranson will be a rookie. Theodore will do the same with Markstrom, who will most likely be wearing a Panthers uniform. The panthers are going in the right direction because they have Huberdeau, and Grimaldi who are two elite prospects. Some other notable signings are Fleischmann, Upshall, and Goc. Rating B+

Here are my teams that are going in the right directions: Update on Richards: 5 teams have made a pitch to him. These teams are Philly, Toronto, Calgary, TBL, and LA.

Speaking of Tampa, Stammer still hasn't resigned with the Bolts. No doubt that he will resign!!!! No worries to all the lighting fans out there!!!