Readers take note--this is George rambling, not Paul: I had to smirk when reading the Toronto Star's Damien Cox's open growl at the supposedly shameful tactics of the NHLPA in demanding that contracts be "made whole" in light of the Lecavalier buy-out and the fact that he got stupid money from the Flyers.

Over the past two days, I've been ill, and the boss has been putting in 18-hour days mostly following GM's and player agents dropping significant hints as to which teams have been "wining and dining" players under the new courtship period (if you will), and while the salary cap is indeed dropping from $70.2 million to $64.3 million this season...

Does anybody believe that Nathan Horton won't get $6 million for at least 5 years today, that David Clarkson won't find a $5 million payday three seasons removed from being a "shift disturber" and little else, or that, as is customary at this time of year, defensemen who can do little consistently other than skate in a straight line will sign anything less than $4+ million-per-season deals?

Calling out the PA on this business is silly given the amount of money that's already been paid to Lecavalier, Briere, the players who've been bought out and/or given contract extensions, and things are about to get "sillier" today, as Yahoo Sports' Nicholas J. Cotsonika suggests (and sometimes the end of an article is a perfect place to start):