Sources say: you just got scammed. #CONFIRMED

Chances are that if you have a Twitter and follow hockey, you've probably heard a rumor started by @HockeyyInsiderr, you just may or may not know.  For some reason, many people continue to follow him and believe his idiotic rumors.  In fact, the mysterious character that "HockeyyInsiderr" is has amassed over 21,000 Twitter followers.

Anyway, I usually ignore people like him.  I've never followed him, and I never will.  While I disagree with what he does, which is essentially trying to create rumors (like Brodeur for Semin two years ago and Parise for Malkin last summer) and inflate reports to boost his follower count, he doesn't force anyone to follow him.  If people follow him, that's their problem.

There was a little extra buzz surrounding him recently.  Why?  Well, usually when he's wrong about something, he's able to cover up and pretend that never happened.  He was unable to do that this past week.  On July 3rd, the night before Zach Parise and Ryan Suter signed with the Minnesota Wild, "HockeyyInsiderr" boldly tweeted that there was a 95% chance that Parise was heading to the Penguins and Suter had pretty much agreed to go to Detroit.  He was the laughing stock of Twitter the following day.  His sources must have misguided him.  Eventually, he got into some kind of Twitter dispute with some members of the media, including TSN analyst Darren Dreger.

Devils' 2012 off-season spotlight: Alexander Semin

Well, the dust has cleared.  Zach Parise is in the past, as far as Devils fans are concerned, and it's time to move on.  Unfortunately, timing was awful for the Devils this summer.  Their star captain hit the free agent market, and the free agent market itself was extremely thin, thus inflating the demand for those players and driving their prices up.  Add to that the Devils' financial problems and the potential for a lockout in the fall and this was a disaster waiting to happen.  There really aren't any high-end players who can make a difference in the NHL next season left on the free agent market...except for one: Alexander Semin.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of bringing Alexander Semin to New Jersey (not that it's my call, but you get the point).  First of all, there are two alternatives if the Devils don't sign him: do nothing and hope for the best next season before hoping to cash in on the 2013 free agent group or make a trade for Bobby Ryan or Rick Nash, which would cost the Devils trade assets that they really don't have, such as young forwards (which is already a scarcity) and first round draft picks (the Devils will have to give theirs up in 2013 or 2014).

So that leaves the Devils with two realistic choices: Semin or nobody.  Now, Semin is always associated with two things: awful jokes regarding his last name and lackadaisical on-ice play.  There's not much anyone can do about the first one, but hopefully a few facts will change your mind about the second part.

NHL Player's Free Agent Survey

Every year, the NHL surveys the summer’s free agents and asks the players who have either re-signed with their previous team or signed with a new team a series of questions to better understand why players chose the teams that they did.  I have obtained a copy of the survey and will share it with you.

 (Superstars Brad Richards only) Why did you sign with the team that you did?

a)      I wanted to win, and I feel that I have that chance in New York

b)      I wasn’t going to Los Angeles!

c)      Honestly, I was able to cash in big-time

d)      It was the right decision for me and my family

If you selected “A,” tell us why you really signed with the team that you did.

a)      I wasn’t going to Los Angeles!

b)      Honestly, I was able to cash in big-time

c)      It was the right decision for me and my family

(All players) What are you looking forward to most next season?

a)      Meeting my new teammates and coaches

b)      Finding the new hot spots in my new team’s city

c)      Getting May and June off perennially (Toronto, Florida, NY Islanders and Edmonton players only)

d)      Opening night!

Seriously, do you actually intend to play out the entire length of your contract?

a)      Of course, I would never participate in salary cap circumvention…whatever that means

b)      I signed with an Atlantic division team, so of course!

c)      Not really, in fact, I’m playing for a year and then leaving the NHL

What would be the biggest achievement for you with your new team?

a)      Winning a Stanley Cup, obviously

b)      Winning a major award (i.e. Hart, Rocket Richard, Art Ross, Norris, Vezina, etc.)

c)      Surviving the cold winters (Does not apply to players of teams south of Winnipeg, unless you’re Dany Heatley)

d)      Being the player’s representative at the team’s annual 1^st Overall Draft Pick party (Edmonton players only)

What is your top personal goal for yourself next season?

a)      Outscore Marian Gaborik

b)      Not get hit by flying waffles all season

c)      Not getting made fun of by the Green Men all season

d)      Not miss players’ meetings and become a healthy scratch that night

What’s your favorite part of your pre-game ritual?

a)      The locker room pep-talk

b)      Shooting pucks into the Canucks’ goal during warm-ups

c)      Facing the media (Anyone who actually selects this will be subject to suspension)

d)      Free food from the waiters in the press box!

How do you spend your off-days?

a)      Sleeping

b)      Making public appearances and community service work to improve my public image

c)      At the rink, working with the coaching staff

d)      Wondering who has the best public viewing parties for the NHL playoffs

Was the team you signed with your first choice?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Aside from the Maple Leafs, Rangers, Red Wings, Capitals, Penguins, Sharks, pretty much

d)      No, but man, their General Manager had a very deep checkbook

Finally, where are you taking this survey?

a)      At a computer at my team’s arena

b)      On my Smart Phone while driving down the freeway

c)      From my home

d)      From my parents’ basement

Thank you for participating in our survey.  We are always trying to learn from our players to improve the experience for future players, so basically, you don’t benefit from this at all…but thanks anyway.

Guide for NHL General Managers for Free Agency 2011

It’s July 1^st.  In a few brief hours, NHL Free Agency 2011 will begin.  You probably know who the big prizes are, and you probably know who many of the teams are with open checkbooks today.  Let’s take a look at a Free Agency spending guide that each General Manager should look at before making a plunge today.

Brian Burke – Today is actually Burke’s second favorite day of the year, right behind trade deadline day.  It’s also the day that waffle sales tend to spike in much of eastern Canada.

Player to watch: Burke has obviously made some noise on the Brad Richards front, but he’s not American.  Watch for Burke to pursue Chris Drury and Andy Greene.

Glen Sather – Unlike Burke, today is Sather’s favorite day of the year.  Unfortunately for him, the league doesn’t believe his annual “I got too excited so I added an extra “0” to that guy’s contract” speech when he tries to cut players’ salaries.

Player to watch: Sather wants Brad Richards.  I’d be curious to see where Richards would fall amongst Rangers greats such as Wade Redden, Chris Drury and Marian Gaborik.

Darcy Regier – Darcy has had the green light with the team’s checkbook already the off-season.  Strangely, a book titled “How to Spend the Most Money on July 1st” was spotted on his desk.  It was written by Glen Sather.

Player to watch: So far, Regier has brought in a defenseman whose name sounds like his and a former Canuck.  Basically, it’s time to cash in big today.

Stan Bowman – Chicago has over $11 million of cap space, so they might quietly make a big move today, which will most likely end up in Pierre McGuire explaining why that player will get along with Brian Campbell.

Player to watch: The Hawks don’t have one primary target, but they could be involved with just about anyone. 

Peter Chiarelli – Despite having an unlisted number, Peter is a bit upset that Mike Milbury found his number, since Milbury has left him dozens of messages of signings he wants to make today.

Player to watch: Although Tomas Kaberle wants to test the market, he might want to stay in Boston to avoid being overpaid, something players absolutely hate.

Kevin Cheveldayoff – Look for Winnipeg to sign a big name today as the first big move made with the team in Winnipeg.  Look for that player to use his entire salary to find a jacket heavy enough for this winter.

Player to watch: Ed Jovanovski.  One way or another, he probably figured he was going to Winnipeg this summer.

Dale Tallon – Tallon might have the biggest budget today.  He needs to spend $22 million just to get to the cap floor today.  Dale Tallon might have the most desired job in hockey.  Well, at least for today.

Player to watch: Steven Stamkos and Brad Richards.  Once he signs those two, he can throw a party for every Panthers fan with the money remaining.

Lou Lamoriello – While it’s never easy to figure out what Lou’s up to, Gary Bettman already promised to approve every contract Lou sends him today…barring it doesn’t include an NHL player.

Player to watch: Any retired player, because he might be coaching the Devils next year.

Ray Shero – Shero has some big decisions to make today, including Max Talbot and Mike Rupp.  It’s a good thing studs like Craig Adams and Arron Asham are already re-signed.

Player to watch: Jaromir Jagr, because whenever he feels like it, he could deke by an opposing player better than Bobby Ryan.

Pierre Gauthier – The Habs could lose Roman Hamrlik and Andrei Markov, in addition to James Wisniewski, but they do still have Hal Gill.

Player to watch: Forget Jagr, it would be far more amusing to see Alex Kovalev back in Montreal, assuming he still remembers how to get there.

Ken Holland – All of a sudden, Ken Holland looks like the overspending general manager, but it’s okay because the Red Wings are invincible to bad contracts.

Player to watch: Any defenseman.  They’ll look to replace Brian Rafalski, a smaller, undrafted free agent out of New Jersey.  Hey, we have one of those this summer!

Paul Holmgren – I can’t imagine what Holmgren has left to do other than trading Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk and Scott Hartnell for draft picks.

Player to watch: Ville Leino and Simon Gagne.  Both need to be re-signed by the Flyers.

Garth Snow – Today is the first day that Alexei Yashin is just a distant memory.  The Islanders must celebrate by wasting their money on another player.

Player to watch: Tomas Vokoun.  He’s reportedly looking for a 15-year contract.  Perfect.

Mike Gillis – Vancouver lost Christian Ehrhoff got a 10-year deal with Buffalo, and Gillis also faces losing Sami Salo and Chris Higgins to free agency.

Player to watch: Tomas Kaberle.  If Gillis signed Kaberle and he turned out to be a bust, Canuck fans could say he had “Ballard-syndrome.”

Steve Yzerman – Sean Bergenheim and Simon Gagne highlight Yzerman’s priorities today during free agency, as the media has kindly reminded him that no other impact player needs a new contract.

Player to watch: Steven Stamkos.  You’d never know it, but Stamkos is a restricted free agent.

Dean Lombardi – The LA Kings will continue to try to sign a big name, high-scoring forward.  They will likely continue to fail once Sather signs Brad Richards.

Player to watch: Drew Doughty, as he could quietly be the player that slips away if Lombardi isn’t careful.