The center signed with Columbus. Here’s the story.

I’m still in golf mode a little while longer, and then I’ll be back.

…the Rangers have hired Anders Hedberg as Head European scout!

My tenuous link to Anders Hedberg is that when I was in third grade or so, he lived in the house of a girl in my class. This makes us practically family.

I’ll update more when I have it…

I am indeed back from Tulsa and in likely need of a new wardrobe after sweating completely through every one of of my shirts.

For proof, you can find a photo here

That’s me behind Tiger Woods in the blue shirt and blue hat (my prized “USA Hockey” hat, actually) desperately trying to manufacture some ventilation. It also looks like I’m trying to call a 20-second timeout in basketball.

Anyway, this may be of little interest to you Ranger fans who only want to know:

Greetings from the heartland, where the temperatures are again expected to exceed 100 degrees, and where spending the day at a hockey rink sounds nothing short of heavenly.

Anyway, many of you have probably already heard the Rangers may be on the brink of a deal to sign Michael Peca. Should that happen, I or someone else will be sure to pass along.

In other news, the comments section continues to be a disappointment. I don’t have time to check every single post, but I scan enough to see the laws of civility are not always being followed. Furthermore, you can be certain that any posts under my name that don’t at least try follow the basic rules of grammar are coming from an impostor.

I realize the vast majority of you are simply trying to talk hockey in a friendly forum. I apologize for the few misguided souls who are making that increasingly difficult.

Among the reasons I’m looking forward to the start of hockey season is that I can stop providing you reasons why I’ll be out of touch.

Until then, though, here’s another: The PGA Championship is next week in lovely Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I will be there sweating until I’m down to my 9th grade playing weight of 150 pounds.

Naturally if something major arises I’ll try to check in. Otherwise I ask that you continue the debate and try to keep it civil in my absence. Assuming I don’t melt completely, I’ll be back before long.

This is hardly a surprise since the deal was all but official a few weeks ago, but in finally locking in the 19-year-old center, the Rangers now have an early candidate to take Matt Cullen’s place as third-line center.

From what I saw of Anisimov in the late June prospect camp, he is a promising versatile player who already has NHL size. And as much as I didn’t like the Cullen deal, it may be more palatable if this is who gets to take his place.

UPDATE, 1:10 p.m.: Moments after I posted that last part, the Rangers made it official by signing Avery. “We are pleased to have Sean under contract and are looking forward to him returning with the same passion and enthusiasm he brought to our team last year,” stated Glen Sather. “He is a terrific competitor, who we expect to play a significant role in a successful season.”

UPDATE, 1:07 p.m.: The Rangers say they intend to accept the award. Avery will remain a Ranger.

This is only what the arbitrator awarded. The Rangers still have 48 hours to accept. If they decline, Avery goes on the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

More later…