Monday Morning Roundup…

Vancouverites can officially start using the phrase, ‘I went to a Rick Rypien fight, and a hockey game broke out…’ The Rippers latest bout with Stortini, a noted ‘goon’ for the Edmonton Oilers had fans in GM Place on their feet more than for any goal. The cult status this guy is achieving is getting pretty huge. We’re talking way past the levels of Cowan the Brabarian and Rory ‘Vote For’ Fitzpatrick.

Another year, another Boxing Day of people walking aimlessly around stores and malls, looking for ‘deals’. It’s not really a deal, if you’re getting it just because you’re there. I’d say it’s fair to say that 80% of the purchases made on Boxing Day are impulse. Most stores now take the ‘club’ approach. Keep a lineup outside, and the shelves half empty. Aside from door crashers, it’s probably a safe bet to get any ‘deal’ on any day with some haggling.

Mikael Samuellson’s reaction to not being selected to the Swedish national side is pretty Canadian. Sure, we can’t see Ryan Smyth necessarily telling Steve Yzerman to ‘go f!ck himself’, but you gotta love a guy who gets a little riled up at being looked over. Samuellson after all did play a part in Swedens most recent gold medal victory.We’re thinking he should’ve been included as well, we hate to be forced to eat our own words, but Sweden looks like they’ve made the same mistakes in selecting the team as Canada did in the last Olympics. On a side note, if we even came close to spelling the Canucks forward, we deserve a gold medal.

Whoever pulled out the party horns when the Canucks signed Mathieu Schneider can quietly put them away. Sportsnet is reporting that he defenseman has left the team disgruntled regarding ice time and his role on the team. Mike Gillis apparently, has been working the phones to trade the d-man. The 40 year old should understand that on this team, under this coach, you’ve gotta earn your ice time, game to game, not season to season.