I apologize for my unannounced absence the last couple of days.  I thought I would be able to find the time to post but I was very wrong.  It was our last family vacation of the summer and now we get back to waiting for hockey season.

Sabres Links

STREET HOCKEYFEST 2009 RECAP - Buffalo Sabres - Community
More than 180 teams competed Sunday in the Buffalo Sabres Street HockeyFest, sponsored by Dick?s Sporting Goods and HSBC Bank.

SabresProspects.com - The #1 Source On the Future Blue & Gold: Pistol sounds as CHL camps begin
Bakes gets us filled in on the Sabres prospects that started camp last week. He also reminds us that others will get going this week.

Are the Sabres returning to a bygone era? | Sabre Noise | A Buffalo Sabres Blog
Sabres Noise is wondering if the Sabres could work out a trade for Chris Drury. Two words - NOT HAPPENING!

NHL Links

DirecTV says it will no longer carry Versus network -- latimes.com
For the last couple of days, DirecTV satellite television subscribers have been seeing a crawl if they've watched any Versus network programming telling them that as of Aug. 31, DirecTV will no longer carry Versus.

The Hockey News: Headlines: Spezza not worried if Heatley turns up at Senators training camp
Spezza says all the right things but he hints that he would like to see Heatley moved for the good of the team.

Oilers' Smid on being traded for Heatley: 'It sucked' | Hockey | Sports | Edmonton Sun
I don't normally feel sorry for a professinal hockey player but this is a tough situation for these guys. It has to be tough to not know where you will be working because another player holds your future in his hands.

Hockey Canada Steps Up in N.H.L.’s Absence on Insurance Coverage - Slap Shot Blog - NYTimes.com
Hockey Canada extends full insurance coverage for players participating at its pre-Olympic orientation camp in Calgary next week.

Big O a no-go for Habs - The Globe and Mail
Canadiens put on ice idea of hosting Capitals at Olympic Stadium in November