Chirps from Center Ice

Bombulie dropped a bombshell on his loyal readers about an hour ago:

Just got off the phone with Pittsburgh assistant general manager Jason Botterill and you guys aren’t going to like this one.

Nick Johnson, Eric Tangradi and Chris Conner were on the NHL roster as of 3 p.m. yesterday, so they will not be eligible for the Calder Cup playoffs.

Johnson and Tangradi are both out with concussions and the CBA states that an injured player cannot be sent down. When it comes to clear day rosters, there is no loophole or exception for injured players. If a player is on the NHL roster at the trade deadline, he can’t be on the AHL clear day roster. Period.

Well that is unfortunate. Totally unfair and just plain wrong. Johnson / Tangradi are victims of circumstance. Rules are rules and everyone has to abide by them.

I’m also reading a lot of Chicken Littles out there, thinking that Wilkes-Barre’s chances of a Calder Cup are completely out the window. To those who think the sky is falling I say this: Defense and goaltending are intact. Dustin Jeffrey is still available should Pittsburgh lose in the playoffs and Wilkes-Barre is still alive. Brett Sterling brings Calder Cup Championship winning experience, we have maintained an eight to twelve point lead over Hershey with a patchwork ECHL unit. To say that with this news we are completely done is totally misguided.

Oh, by the way, Brad Thiessen was named goaltender of the month for the second time this season.

Am bringing out a phrase I used for last year’s playoffs which I feel is apropos to the situation: If you don’t believe, you don’t belong.

Please be sure to check out my third quarter Penguin grades and my third quarter East Division grades.

Go Penguins.