Tuesday Rumours....

There aren't that many rumours floating around now as rosters begin to settle, but there are still a few items of news to get your teeth into...

Giants release Neumeier: Belfast have solved their import surplus by releasing defenceman Troy Neumeier, after deciding that he was the d-man surplus to requirements. To almost nobody's surprise, after he was generally viewed by the opposition as the weak link in a shaky Belfast defence during their nightmare start, and was even nicknamed "Nightmare" by many of his own fans. However, he may not have played his last in British hockey....

That sound you hear is two thousand Blaze fans swallowing their own tongues in amazement. At the same time:...because good old (at 37, he really is in hockey terms) Troy is coming to...Coventry. That is, if you believe the rumours of the Blaze bringing in another d-man for this weekend. On the plus side, he actually is a d-man, which makes him more suited to the position than KC Timmons (who to be fair did score three on Sunday as a forward), and he used to be very good. On the minus side, he isn't good any more, and on the evidence of this season can be left behind by continental drift in a skating race. Blaze fans have already been worried about the signing of Matty Soderstrom (proved to be groundless as the little Swede has played out of his skin and regained folk-hero status at his favourite club), KC Timmons (in this corner at least, the jury's still out) and now we sign a player who was the target of roughly 30 million pensioner jokes and offers of Zimmer frame hire the last time he came to the Dome. Merry flipping Christmas, Coventry...

Please, is there really no way we can just plant a Christmas tree on the blueline instead? At least it would be more mobile...

(you may be thinking that I'm not happy about this rumour. You'd be wrong. I'm way beyond unhappy...grief-stricken is nearer the mark)...

Still, we shall see. I have been proved wrong before, and, for the sake of my blood pressure and that of everyone else in the Skydome, I hope I am again...

That is your lot for now...more to come later in the week...