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Rootsies Baby Muks- Re-purposed leather and fabric toddler footwear that is durable with barefoot like comfort.
Prairie Pickers – Antiques and rustic home decor are just some of the unique treasures that you will find and be able to add to your collections.
Dadirri Naturals- All natural alternatives for health and beauty at your finger tips. Quality ingredients and hand crafted products that are great for body and your world.
Barnboard & Pallet Creations- A rural Manitoba business specializing in Rustic, Repurposed, and Vintage decor.
As you can see, this line-up of artisans and vintage collections is going to be fantastic. We are so excited to host and create a special Christmas shopping experience for all of you. See you at the first annual, Thistle Lane “Christmas in the Country”!
Follow us on social media @Thistle Lane Bed & Breakfast for directions, special sneak peeks and more!
Anna Rispoli is an artist, she carries out plastic and performative work on the issues of shared property, town planning, collective identity and civic engagement. Her projects come about as a result of field observations and, in particular, zones of urban conflict where she meets inhabitants to draw on their experiences and stories. These encounters aren’t as straightforward as all that, they involve a reflection on the ways we approach strangeness but also, sometimes, associating with adversity. How can we speak with what we have identified as the language of the enemy? How can we cross the border between apparently opposing positions, not to reconcile them in the fantasised about myth of the consensual community, but to enrich the ways we apprehend adversity and our methods of conflictual interaction which, don’t forget, are the basis of all democracy. Anna Rispoli invents a mechanism which enables us to make these questions, often repressed by our contemporary societies, something which can be experienced by everyone.
I hope you, your kitties, family, friends and loved ones have plenty of blessings to share this holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my family to yours!
If you follow us on Facebook or if you have followed us for years, then chances are you have already seen this photo. It is my all time favorite cat Christmas photo, so I share it yearly.
Poinsettias are poisonous if cats eat them, so it’s not the best photo to share because of that. However, my mom has never had a cat bother a poinsettia – so she always left them out. My sister took this photo of my Rags when he was 18 years old.
Christmas ALWAYS reminds me of my childhood and of Rags. We were gifted with Rags as a Christmas present (I am holding him in the photo below and my brother, Marsh, is holding Cosby who passed at 10 months from FIP).
The day we got rags. I am holding Rags. My older brother, Marsh, is holding Cosby, my little brother, Spencer, is in the box and Snickers is the GSD.
Christmas also reminds me of Rags because I always had him help me unwrap my presents – even his last Christmas at 19 years old, I lugged him over to my parents’ house to help me undo my stocking. He laid on the couch as an old man and just bitchy meowed at me, while we undid the stocking.
My fondest memories are of him playing in all the wrapping paper before my mom would scoop it up and put it in the garbage bag. Or how he would help me play with new toys or set up new doll houses. Murphy, my parents’ 14-year old Ragdoll, still loves to play with wrapping paper – and he’s a sucker for curling ribbon – gotta be careful with that (Murphy had surgery at 18 months old from eating and swallowing curling ribbon).
Yeowww! Catnip bananas also always remind me of Christmas and Rags because Santa left one in Rags stocking when he was 15 years old – and he went nutzo for it….not only that, but continued to play with it over and over again – something he had never done with a toy.
Do you have any cats and Christmas stories to share?
so true – that’s true in life too – special days usually don’t fall on special holidays!
HOW do we explain why 5.5m French voters in the first round of the presidential elections voted for far-right parties that are xenophobic, anti-semitic, racist and ultra-nationalist? Sounding off about the wrongness of the vote will not help understand the reasons underlying their choice. Everybody in politics needs to begin an urgent, thorough and much-needed self-criticism.
The vote may have been a valuable wake-up call for France if it opens the eyes of party leaders and revives the debate on how to build a nation based on justice and solidarity. What vanished in April was the comforting thought that although everything was changing in the world outside, in French politics everything could stay the same; that two ageing parties, the Gaullists and the Socialists, could share power as they had done for 30 years.
People have sensed for some time that these two political forces are worn out. Their historic mission seems to have ended. Each in its own way gives the impression of an organisation going nowhere, with crumbling infrastructures, no organisation or programme, no ideology, no identity and no compass for the journey ahead.
Previous elections had already shown that neither party was capable of addressing the needs of millions of people who are genuinely frightened by the new realities of the post-industrial world that has emerged after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the cold war. The disposable workers, the underclasses of the banlieues, the long-term unemployed, the excluded, the many people pushed into early retirement, the young people in precarious jobs, the families on the brink of poverty. For all these, the recent past has brought years of fear and anxiety, with many familiar landmarks apparently gone forever.
The Socialist party in particular, with almost no working-class people in its local organisations and several leaders in the supertax bracket, gives the impression that it lives on another planet, light years from the experiences of ordinary people. It has shown itself remarkably insensitive to what Daniel Mermet describes as “the sufferings of under-France”.
What about the right? Some conservative politicians see the far right as untouchable, but others have been happy to do electoral deals with it. The former liberal leader, Michel Poniatowski, recently wondered in public whether it was “any more immoral to accept the votes of communists, who murdered millions of people in Europe, than those of the National Front” (1). This perverse logic allowed Christian Democrat leaders of the Union pour la démocratie française (UDF) to accept National Front votes in 1998 to be elected to the presidency of five French regions.
While this plague infected the inner workings of France’s political institutions, was it reasonable to imagine that France would remain immune to the upsurge of far-right politics in its immediate neighbours (see Fascism isn’t what it used to be, by Jean-Yves Camus, in this issue)? Or likely that France would be the exception when, like other European countries, its social fabric has been violently rent in the name of modernity: by liberalism and globalisation, European unification, the decline in national sovereignty, the abandonment of the franc, the disappearance of national borders, the hegemony of the United States, multiculturalism, loss of identity and the crisis of the welfare state?
All this happened in the context of the end of the industrial era and technological transformations that led to widespread economic insecurity and terrible social malaise. In such a context, with competition raised to the status of a natural imperative, an increase in violence and criminality was inevitable. The abruptness and brutality of these changes meant that uncertainties are accumulating as horizons have been lost, the world seems less clear, and history appears to defy logic and understanding. Ordinary people have felt abandoned by governments of both right and left; unsurprisingly, since the press describes them as corrupt, as liars and cheats.
Many people feel lost and panicky; as Tocqueville put it,"since the past no longer illuminates the present, the human spirit walks in darkness". Old magicians have returned to conjure with this new obscurantism, this breeding-ground of fear, confusion and resentment. Their rhetoric is demagogic, authoritarian and racist; they talk of a return to the old values (work, family, motherland) and blame foreigners, Arabs and Jews for all the disorders, social problems and insecurities. Immigrants are an easy target, always available, because they symbolise social upheavals, and among the lowest-income earners they are seen as unwanted competition.
Although it is absurd, hateful and even criminal, the rhetoric of the National Front has long appealed to more than one in four French people according to the opinion polls (2). On 21 April it gained the electoral approval of millions (30% of the unemployed, 24% of workers, 20% of young people and 17% of employers).
The Republican awakening expressed in street demonstrations all over France translated into anti-Le Pen votes on 5 May. Neo-fascism will not be voted in during the parliamentary elections in June either. But once the moment of fear has passed, if the parties carry on as before, with privatisation, dismantling public services, creating pension funds and accepting sackings to keep shareholders happy, if they continue to deny people’s desires for a society that is fairer, more fraternal, more based on solidarity — then there is no guarantee that fascism, in alliance with the usual collaborators, will not win next time.
(1) Libération, 20 March 1998.
(2) Le Monde, 13 April 1996.
I love the summer bounty! The fresh vegetables and fruit are so colorful and succulent, who can resist eating these vibrant beauties? Our bodies thrive on raw plant-based foods. I think this is why our creator made fruits and vegetables look soo enticing! Asking yourself “How can I get this more of these beauties into my diet?” Then follow me over the next few weeks because I will be preparing raw plant-based recipes. Summer is the best time to set started – you’ll beat the heat (in and out of the kitchen) and eat seasonally at the same time!
This beautiful summer salad will brighten up any meal. Great with peaches or try cherries, nectarines or plums!
Over the years, I have been trying to incorporate more raw foods into my diet and here’s why: I want to stay feeling and looking young, and free of disease. Plant-based foods are the best sources of disease-fighting antioxidants, inflammation-fighting polyphenols, and a host of nourishing vitamins and minerals and I want to load my body up with that protective goodness!
But a completely raw diet can be complicated and expensive. And I am a busy, working mom who’s a foodie, to boot. My goal is to find ways to easily prepare and enjoy more live raw food as a way of adding more healing nourishment into my diet. You don’t have to eat 100% raw to feel the energizing benefits. But it does take a shift in how and what foods you prepare. All you need is a little know-how to get started. Here are the steps that I took to get started.
It’s tempting to make a drastic dietary change because we just want to feel better NOW. I commend your enthusiasm but remember, it is better to start small and follow through, then go big and get overwhelmed and give up. Choose one thing and stick with it. Try adding a green smoothie to your morning routine or swapping out your regular lunch for a big, raw salad. Once you’ve made this first step a part of your routine, add something else. These little steps will lead to big health changes over time.
When starting a new way of eating, it’s common to focus on what you are losing. Instead, concentrate on what power foods you can add to enhance the nutritional value of each meal. Eating more plant-based foods may encourage you to experiment with different cuisines, along with new herbs and spices. Yum, yum! Don’t worry about what you’ll need to give up. Focus on what you’re gaining: flavor, nutrition and energy.
No need to over-complicate and feel stressed out! Start by sticking to the basics: smoothies, soups, salads, slaws. Over time, you will expand your collection of delicious, healthful, amazing raw plant-based recipes.
Find a day that works for you and take 30-40 minutes to prepare your fruits and veggies for the week ahead. Grate veggies (carrots, radishes, zucchini) for salads. Cut and freeze fruit for smoothies. Make staples to keep on hand (salad dressings, hummus, cooked grains). A little work today will help you make healthier choices all week long!
Ideally, every Sunday you have all of your meals planned and veggies prepped. Sound too hard? Start by planning two or three recipes for the week. I like to keep a folder of “recipes to try” in my kitchen for inspiration. Save time with leftovers and always keep raw snacks like nuts and apples with you. A little planning does the trick!
Here is a salad to get you started: it can be used for a side at dinner or bring it the next day for lunch by adding it to a wrap with hummus. It will keep nicely and actually tastes better the next day!
So try adding some raw, plant-based dishes to your meal plan this week! I’ll be back next week with some more ideas and delicious recipes to help you moving forward towards a healthier, plant-based, deliciously raw table!
This dog brooch pin is made with polymer clay, painted, and sealed with varnish for protection. It is made and painted by hand so each pin has some variation and is unique in its own way!
The pin is 1.5" x 1.5" with rubber clutch backing and comes with a backing card.
Road map for PM Modi's complete road-show. Watch complete video for complete details.
PM Modi's road show to be 7 km long. Watch complete video to know more.
When it comes to divorce in Salt Lake City, each party has a lot to lose–especially if you have children or significant assets. One of the most complex issues is the division of assets and property. Utah law requires the distribution to be equitable. In many divorce cases, both parties are unable to agree how to divide property and assets. It can often create an acrimonious situation. An experienced and knowledgeable Salt Lake City divorce lawyer can often make the difference between getting the settlement you deserve to losing everything you have rightfully earned.
In most Utah divorces, there are three major assets that are usually involved–the home, personal property and retirement plans/investments. Here is a brief rundown on how Utah courts determine equitable asset and property division.
Home & Property: Many of the most heated divorce cases in Salt Lake City involve which party is entitled to receive the home. The court can use several different methods of determination. Here are the most common depending on the circumstances of each case. First, the court may order the house to be sold and equity divided among the two parties. The court may also allow one party to buy out the other person’s interest in the real property. Another common ruling is to have the property awarded to one party and the remaining assets of equal value given to the other.
Personal Property: Personal property is classified as the ownership of any material possessions that can be moved. It includes cars, furniture, and clothing. While most people do not share clothes, the determination of vehicles and furniture can sometimes become complex–especially if they are co-owned by each party. Utah courts place a priority on dividing personal property equitably.
Retirement Plans & Investments: The division of retirement and investment accounts can sometimes get complicated under Utah family law. If only one party has a pension or retirement plan, in most cases the other party is entitled to half of the amount earned during the time of the marriage. Any money earned before the marriage will not be divided. If both parties have their names on investment or retirement plans, the court can rule either two ways. Both individuals can retain the full value of their own plans or the court will order an equitable distribution of all accounts.
In a perfect world, divorcing couples can agree to divide assets and property on their own. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. But there are some solutions to come up with a reasonable agreement. One viable option is mediation. Many Salt Lake City divorce attorneys offer mediation services to help couples find common ground on some of the most difficult family law issues. Under Utah family law, both parties are required to undergo at least one mediation session to attempt to resolve their differences. A mediator is an independent arbitrator who can listen to both sides explain their issues and concerns. It is often a less stressful alternative to court is also far less expensive than going through the conventional divorce process.
To learn more about your options concerning the division of assets and property, contact Salt Lake City divorce attorney Emy A. Cordano for a consultation today.
Bridging science and policy decision-making.
Toyin Ajayi, MD, MPhil, is Chief Health Officer at Cityblock Health, a New York–based health and social services company focused on providing integrated health and social care for low-income urban populations with complex health and social needs.
Prior to this, Dr. Ajayi served as Chief Medical Officer at Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), a Massachusetts nonprofit health plan and integrated care delivery system created to provide high-quality care to people with complex health needs. In this role, she directed clinical programs and oversaw clinical care delivery, care management, and clinical operations.
Dr. Ajayi is a board-certified family physician and maintains an active clinical practice. Prior to joining CCA in 2013, Dr. Ajayi was an attending physician at Boston Medical Center’s Department of Family Medicine, where she was awarded the Department’s Faculty Teaching Award in 2013, and a clinical instructor at Boston University’s School of Public Health.
Dr. Ajayi received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University; an MPhil from the University of Cambridge; and her medical degree, with Distinction in Clinical Practice, from King’s College London School of Medicine.
October is breast cancer awareness month. What can you do to keep from needing to wear the pink ribbon? Dr. Patrick and Ross talk about changing your thinking from being treated at the bottom of the cliff or stopping before you fall off. You’ll have to watch to get it.
Short Sales in Newtown, CT - as of 10/22/10. Back in September 2008, we posted a blog titled "Short Sale - What is It?". We think this is useful information as we frequently explain what a short sale is to both buyers and sellers. Our intention is to update you every 2 months about the short sale activity in Newtown, CT.
The price range of the actively listed short sales in Newtown range from $159,000 to $875,000. As you can see, short sales in Newtown, CT have been selling, despite being difficult transactions.
If you would like a list of the short sales in Newtown, CT, just email us and we'll forward it to you ASAP.
If you would like to sell your home and feel it might be a short sale, please contact us. WE CAN HELP YOU. We are experienced with short sales and we are also SFR Certified. Anything you tell us will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone else.
Currently, Brown Bag consists of Dave Waterman (Vocals/Guitar), Mike Ellis (Keys/Vocals), Jack Pieroth (Bass), Dan Cantone (Guitar/Vocals), and Matt Rezetko (Drums).
Brown Bag has played shows at The Beverly Arts Center, Whippersnap Music Fest 2012, ShoeFest 2012, Martyr’s, Tonic Room, Ace Bar, Reggie’s, Harte’s and host their own annual festival, “Oink Fest” plus numerous more.
The Bag has shared the stage with acts such as The funky Meters, Keller Williams, Johnny Winter, Greensky Bluegrass, Railroad Earth, Particle, Digital Tape Machine, Zmick, Strange Arrangement, Henhouse Powlers, Leadfoot, Family Groove Company,Old Shoe, The Delta Saints, Leadfoot, Shapes & Colors, and many other excellent bands.
The Eastern Playoff race has been decided. The Carolina Hurricanes have drawn the first wildcard spot and will face the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs. The New York Islanders will be the second seed in the Metro and will have to square off against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the Atlantic Division, the Columbus Blue Jackets end up with a tough match-up as they will face the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs will meet once again, as everyone has known about for quite some time. The final results of the night will determine how the Western Conference Shakes out.
The Colorado Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen was spotted on the ice Saturday in San Jose wearing a non-contact jersey, according to The Athletic’s Ryan S. Clark. The injured forward, who hasn’t seen action since March 21st with an undisclosed injury, traveled with the team but will sit out once again. While that doesn’t sound like great news, considering the playoffs are right around the corner it is better to have him skating than not. If Colorado has any chance of advancing out of the first round, they will need their young scorer. The 22-year-old will have played eight less games than last year, but has a career high 31 goals and 87 points in his sophomore season. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said later today that he is hopeful that Rantanen will be available for the playoffs, according to BSN’s Adrian Dater.
Speaking of injuries, the Pittsburgh Penguins got some good news as defenseman Brian Dumoulin skated on his own after missing the past three games with a lower-body injury, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dumoulin, who normally skates alongside Kris Letang, would make a big impact on a lineup that is preparing for the playoffs and could use the player tied for fifth in the NHL with a +31 rating. “The fact that Dumo is on the ice is really encouraging from our standpoint,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. He added that the injury isn’t considered major and Doumolin remains day-to-day.
The St. Louis Blues expect to get back defenseman Colton Parayko, who has sat out the past two games with an undisclosed injury. The 25-year-old defender is expected to play in the playoffs, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas. Thomas added that Tyler Bozak was just held out for precautionary reasons Saturday after he was in a car accident getting to the game. The veteran center was rear-ended, but wasn’t seriously hurt. He too is expected back for the playoff opener.
As the Blackhawks pass through another disappointing season, the team must continue to focus on development. The team has a nice group of prospects coming up the pipeline, but there are many that are starting to worry about whether the Blackhawks are doing the right thing with defenseman Henri Jokiharju, their 2017 first-rounder.
The Blackhawks, not known for developing defensemen recently, loaned Jokiharju out to Finland for the World Junior Championships, against the youngster’s wishes even though they eventually won the gold medal. Since his return, the team has changed course in his development, moving him over to the left side, his off-side which will help make room next season for right-hand shot Adam Boqvist, and has had his ice-time cut, according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required). He even was a healthy scratch recently.
Head coach Jeremy Colliton said the changes are being made to make sure the youngster won’t burn out like many rookies do during their first season.
The Colorado Avalanche suffered a key loss Saturday as the team will be without defenseman Erik Johnson, who suffered a concussion during their game against Los Angeles. The veteran defenseman is expected to be out for the next two games and head coach Jared Bednar hopes he’ll be back after the All-Star break, according to The Athletic’s Ryan S. Clark. The defensive-minded blueliner averages 21:42 of ATOI and is a key figure on the team’s defense.
The Avalanche also had good news in practice as defensive prospect Conor Timmins, who has missed all of the 2018-19 season so far with a concussion, practiced today with the team even if it was in a non-contact jersey, according to BSN’s AJ Haefele. Bednar said after the practice that Timmins will begin ramping up activities over the next couple of weeks and they will see if he’s ready to go when the team returns after the All-Star break. Timmins, the team’s second-round pick in 2017, could help the team down the stretch if he’s deemed ready.
Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun looks back at the first half of the season now that the team hits their bye and All-Star week, suggesting that while many things have gone right for the Jets, perhaps the most disappointing part of the season has been the play of star forward Patrik Laine. The scribe writes that the third-year winger is having a miserable season despite having 25 goals at this point. Despite an 18-goal November, Laine has tallied just seven goals combined in the other three months and often looks like a rookie on the ice. Of course, he’s only 20 years old still, so patience is needed.
After struggling for much of the season and recently seeing his ice time dwindle, Tyson Jost is headed back to the AHL. The Colorado Avalanche today assigned Jost and Ryan Graves to the Colorado Eagles, giving them just 21 players on the roster.
Jost, 20, was the tenth overall pick in 2016 but has yet to really establish himself in the NHL. After a great freshmen season at the University of North Dakota, the offensive center signed his entry-level contract and made his debut down the stretch for the Avalanche. Last year he returned to the lineup full-time and recorded 22 points in 65 games, but has failed to really take a step forward in 2018-19. Jost hasn’t been asked to play center on a regular basis this season given his struggles in the faceoff circle, and it’s not clear exactly where he fits into the lineup in a perfect scenario.
That fit will have to be determined through his play in the minor leagues, as the young forward was clearly not progressing in the NHL. In 43 games he has just 15 points, despite being given ample opportunities on the powerplay for much of the year. Given that he does not penalty kill and is seeing fewer than ten minutes of even-strength ice time in recent weeks, playing in a top-six role for the Eagles is probably the best for his development. Jost can obviously be recalled at a moment’s notice given the proximity of the AHL team, and currently does not require waivers.
Graves meanwhile could be back up before the Avalanche hit the ice on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings, but he too had been used extremely sparingly by head coach Jared Bednar during his time in the NHL. The 23-year old defenseman has logged fewer than 12 minutes of ice time in each of his eight appearances, though he does have two goals already to show for his short NHL career.
Poll: Should Colorado Move Semyon Varlamov?
The Colorado Avalanche returned third-string goalie Pavel Francouz to the AHL today. Yet, at this point in their season, it is fair to ask whether that move actually makes the team better. The Avs finally snapped a six-game win-less streak on Friday night against the New York Rangers and have fallen out of the once-competitive Central Division race over the past month. Colorado’s struggles are not singular in nature – a lack of secondary scoring and a struggling penalty kill have played a part – but poor performance in net has been the most pressing issue facing the team. After a hot start to the season, Semyon Varlamov has regressed to a .912 save percentage and 2.80 GAA and has missed the team’s past two games with a lower-body injury. Off-season acquisition Philipp Grubauer has yet to settle in with Colorado, holding a career-worst .902 save percentage and 3.13 GAA thus far.
Considering that Varlamov’s play is not currently winning games for the Avalanche, the team could opt to move on from the veteran keeper. Despite Varlamov’s recent slump, the impending unrestricted free agent would still be a valued name on the trade market as the NHL Trade Deadline grows closer. Several teams will be looking for a rental for the stretch run and postseason and Varlamov could potentially be the closest thing to a bona fide starter that could hit the market. Why then would the playoff-bound Avalanche want to move Varlamov if he’s still a top NHL option? The return would be substantial and could – either directly or by flipping part of the return – result in Colorado adding the forward depth they so desperately need. It was recently reported that the Avs are hesitant to move their top prospects and young roster players for help, which could force them to move an established veteran like Varlamov.
The Avalanche could benefit from some addition by subtraction when it comes to Varlamov as well. The aforementioned Francouz, in his first season in North America after an illustrious European career, has made the transition look easy this season. Recently named an AHL All-Star, Francouz, 28, has a .919 save percentage and 2.65 GAA through 23 games with the Colorado Eagles. Perhaps more impressively, Francouz has made two NHL relief appearances and has saved 33 of the 35 shots that he faced (.943 SV%). The Denver Post’s Sean Keeler writes that head coach Jared Bednar considered making Francouz the starter over Grubauer last night and opined that the current third-string could be the X-factor for the Avs this season. Francouz is also an impending UFA and the team should take a longer look at him this season to determine if he could be a long-term option alongside Gruabauer. An extended stay in Denver this season would certainly help convince Francouz to stick around as well.
Of course, if the Avalanche were to trade Varlamov this season, it would very likely hurt their chances at a Stanley Cup title. Despite his struggles, Varlamov has outplayed Grubauer and has years of success to fall back on, as opposed to his young backup and Francouz, an unproven import. Colorado would likely have to turn around and add another option in net if they were to trade Varlamov. However, given that the Avs face a probable playoff route through the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets this season, it could be that they favor improving the team for the future rather than clinging to slim title chances. The team could also feel that addressing their needs at forward is a priority compared to maintaining depth in net.
What do you think? Should the Avalanche change things up by trading Varlamov for young pieces or forward help and hand the reins to Grubauer and Francouz? Or should they hold on to their established starter in hopes that it is their best chance at a Cup run this season?
The Colorado Avalanche announced they have recalled goaltender Pavel Francouz from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL. Head coach Jared Bednar said that Semyon Varlamov was a little banged up and Francouz was recalled as a precaution. The 28-year-old was up earlier this month and was impressive in a relief stint on Dec. 22 when he saved 21 of 22 shots against Arizona in 29 minutes of work. Francouz, who signed as a free agent with Colorado in the offseason out of the KHL has performed well in the AHL as well, posting a 13-7-1 record and a .919 save percentage. With Varlamov expected to hit free agency at the end of the season, Francouz could be a strong candidate to fill the backup role next season.
The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned forward Janne Kuokkanen to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. The 20-year-old prospect has had trouble finding a positive role with the Hurricanes, despite being dominant in the AHL. Kuokkanen has yet to score in seven games and has seen his playing time dwindle to under 10 minutes in the past three games. He will return to Charlotte where he has already equaled his goal output from last year and can continue working on his game. The team followed that up announcing the promotion of Saku Maenalanen from Charlotte to fill Kuokkanen’s shoes. Maenalanen has appeared in just one game for the Hurricanes, but has scored seven goals and 14 points in 31 games for the Checkers.
While it’s already been reported that the Chicago Blackhawks’ recent trade acquisition Jason Garrison cleared waivers earlier today, NBC Sports Charlie Roumeliotis reports that Blackhawks’ general manager Stan Bowman said Garrison will be assigned to the Rockford Ice Hogs of the AHL. Garrison, picked up in Sunday’s trade with Drake Caggulia for Brandon Manning, has played in 17 games with the Oilers this year. He did play 58 games with the Chicago Wolves last season when playing for the Vegas franchise.
After two years in the Swiss League, former NHLer Bobby Sanguinetti has returned to North America, as the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL announced they have signed the 30-year-old veteran to an AHL deal. The defenseman, who played 45 games with the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, played with the Checkers for three years before spending the last two years in Switzerland. Sanguinetti, a former first-round pick in 2006, will hope to resurrect his career there.
The Nashville Predators announced they have assigned Nicholas Baptiste to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. The team recalled him Monday to serve as an emergency player for their game against Washington, but now have returned the 23-year-old without getting him into a game. Baptiste has played 34 games for Milwaukee and has six goals and 14 points.
The Minnesota Wild have recalled defenseman Ryan Murphy from AHL Iowa per a team release. This will be the 25-year-old’s first stint in the NHL this season but he has 172 games of NHL experience between Carolina and Minnesota over the past six seasons. Murphy has played in 27 games in the minors this season with three goals and 10 assists.
The Colorado Avalanche went out of its way to bring in goaltender Philipp Grubauer via trade during the offseason to be their heir apparent in goal, but with Semyon Varlamov playing well throughout this season, Grubauer hasn’t had much of a chance to claim that role. However, that might be changing.
With the team having lost five of their last seven games and Varlamov struggling, the team got a brilliant performance from Grubauer on Tuesday as he saved 35 shots in a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. After that performance, The Athletic’s Ryan S. Clark (subscription required) wonders if this is the turning point where Grubauer takes over as the team’s No. 1 goaltender. With Varlamov slated to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, the team needs for Grubauer to take that next step and that looks to be the case. In the last six starts (not including Friday’s 2-1 loss to Chicago), the 27-year-old is 5-0-1 with a 2.29 GAA and a .936 save percentage.
“(Grubauer) gives us a chance. He gives us a real good chance,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “He keeps it at 1-0 and guys are saying the right things on the bench. … I just felt like he looked really solid in the net. Like he was in control tonight. I haven’t felt that way about our goaltending for the last little bit and that’s what we need.
The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) writes that when winger Brendan Perlini was traded from the Arizona Coyotes to Chicago Blackhawks, he had high hopes that a change of scenery would jumpstart his career as he has struggled to put up points. However, while the Blackhawks liked what they have seen from center Dylan Strome, Perlini quickly found himself on the team’s fourth line and even found himself a healthy scratch early on. “To be honest, you never like to sit, but it’s good because I can watch the game and say, OK, here’s certain spots where maybe I can get the puck or things like that or realize watching I can settle down there, there’s a lot more time than I actually think. Like I said, you never like watching, but you can take good things from it. I think I’ve done that and just try to build off it and learn every day.” Perlini since then has looked much more comfortable and has picked up a couple of goals in the past four games. The hope is he continues to make adjustments in Chicago’s lineup.
Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun writes that with the impressive play shown by Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Laurent Brossoit can be attributed back to last year when the back-up lost his job in Edmonton to Al Montoya and he found himself in the AHL for the remainder of the season. That experience made him work harder to get back to the NHL. “Now I’m more aware of who I am as a goalie and as a professional, if that makes any sense,” said Brossoit. “It was unfortunate I had to go through those growing pains during my biggest opportunity with that club. I wouldn’t say that I performed at the level I normally do.” Brossoit was offered to return to Edmonton, but instead opted to start fresh in Winnipeg.
The NHL has issued a $2,000 fine to Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen, citing two instances in which he broke Rule 64 for Diving/Embellishment this season. Fines will increase for Rantanen for any subsequent instances, and eventually include financial punishment to head coach Jared Bednar as well. The first incident, which garnered just a warning, was on October 16th against the New York Rangers, while the latest was during a November 14th game against the Boston Bruins.
Rantanen has been one of the league’s brightest stars this season and still leads the entire NHL in scoring with 32 points. His play alongside Nathan MacKinnon has been a revelation, and has the Avalanche poised to become one of the league’s most dangerous offensive teams. Unfortunately with this history, he’ll now be watched even more closely by the officials and may not get the benefit of the doubt on close calls. He also could very well draw the ire of his coaching staff if he causes them to be fined, or costs his team with an ill-timed penalty.
With a dominant top line that includes Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, the Colorado Avalanche can’t be happier as they have combined for 75 points so far this season. However, the biggest concern for the team has been their secondary scoring, which most recently seems to have improved when the team re-inserted center Tyson Jost together with wingers Alex Kerfoot and Colin Wilson, according to Kyle Newman of the Denver Post.
Jost had spent some time with that line earlier this year, but between a demotion to the team’s fourth line and an injury that kept him out for four games, Jost finally got a chance to center the two wingers and has made the most of his opportunity with a pair of goals in the past week as well as improved play from both Wilson and Kerfoot.