Left-field commentary with an emphasis on the tech and media aspects of the fantasy hockey universe. Published every second Sunday throughout the season.

So the NHL GameCenter 2011-12 iPhone app is pretty damn special. It crashes often, the video freezes here and there, and every time I change signals I have to log in again. But when it's working, which is most of the time, I'm watching games (dangerously!) IN MY CAR. Or in my in-laws' bathroom during dinner. Or during That Important Meeting at the old day job. Serious genius.

Lean back, relax, and travel back in time with me to Sheldon Souray's 2006-07 bottom line: 26 G, 38 A, 135 PIM, 224 SOG. 48 PPP. Sweet Jesus. I think we can overlook the -28. Through his first seven games this year, Souray is hilariously on pace for 12 G, 47 A, +70, 246 PIM and 211 SOG. I guess he needed that extra year of development in the A. His stock will drop, or more likely he'll hit the IR, but so far so good for the best comeback story of this young season. Sorry Jaromir.

Great piece from Puck Daddy on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' two-and-a-half goal performance last Saturday, and the intense media man-crushes that followed. Ron Wilson's Gretzky backhand "connection" was nothing short of awesomely preposterous. Kudos to PD for calling it out.

After the jump, Pavelec, Mason, and the art of shitting the bed, plus James Reimer, Brian Burke, honey crullers, TSN, Tonys Montoya and Esposito, and much much more.

Tony Esposito holds the modern day NHL record for most shutouts in a season, with fifteen goose eggs in1969-70. Some call it The Winter of Love (not really). Fifteen though! Incredible. In my opinion, only one man has a chance at that record. I won't say exactly who, but his last name ends with undqvist.

Here's the week's best quote from a TSN commentator trying to make a Flames / Rangers game more exciting that it actually was (which was not that exciting at all). Describing a replay of a Henrik Lundqvist goal-line save: "it's right there. Anyone touched it, it woulda gone in". Now that's my kind of cerebral, detailed analysis. Anyone touched it, it woulda gone in. That's some high-level shit right there.

Scott Gomez out at least one week. So this confirms he was actually playing this year. During his first week of recuperation, Gomez will earn $187,272.73. Now that's filthy on several levels. If Gomez is still on your roster, or even your bench, you're either a masochist, a nostalgia buff, or in a 60 team league with five center slots.

Speaking of washed up, JP Dumont will play in Switzerland this year, for chocolate and watches. Only 33 years old, and only a couple of years removed from three consecutive 65+ point seasons. What happened? 

Hey, was that James Reimer I just saw in a Tim Hortons commercial? Does this have anything to do with Burkie's unofficial cruller sponsorship? Connecting the dots, friends - that's why I'm here.

In Vancouver, the Marco Sturm experiment has quickly and mercifully come to an end. Sturm will finish his career having topped 50 points exactly once. He'll fit right in with the Cap Floor All-Stars down in Sunrise FL. Heading back to Vancouver is SOG hog David Booth, who could well become Ryan Kesler's new left-hand man, or photographer or whatever.

Craig Anderson now sports a winning record of 3 and 2. His peripherals are an unspeakable 4.06 and .874. There has to be some kind of record in there.

Scott Hartnell is a great example of how opportunity is everything. Hey Scotty, Wayne Simmonds is throwing a party, and you're not invited. In the last couple of years, I've made a point of owning Hartnell wherever possible, but without 17 mins/game, L2 duties and some PP time, he might as well be Brandon Prust. If Simmonds is here to stay, Hartnell needs a trade to stay fantasy-relevant. 

In my last RN column, I speculated that Michal Neuvirth and Al Montoya were guys who could potentially grab the starter job and run with it. Well, one Neuvirth bruised foot and six Tomas Vokoun wins later, I think I may have to cry uncle as far as Washington is concerned. Montoya is really saving my ass here though...which brings us to the moment you've all been waiting for.....your Montoya Cup update!

Full Montoya Cup rules can be found at the end of my last Random Notes column. A-Mo is on pace for 54GP and 27 wins, with a current 2.01 gaa and .930 sv%. All I need is better than 35GP, 16.5 wins, 2.79 gaa, and.910 sv% to take home the Montoya and spend next summer revelling in Cam's public humiliation. All I have in this world is my balls and my word, and I don't break 'em for no one, do you understand? 

See you in two weeks. Cheers!