Something Squirrelly this Way Comes

I'm heartbroken. My Canes didn't make the playoffs. One game. One lousy game. Personally, I believe we could have beaten the caps had we not put Williams, Whitney and Cullen in that night. A player's salary should not outweigh what's best for the team.

The Rats stepped up when we needed them. They are the reason we were in contention. Why punish them and f*ck with team dynamics to put in a player who'd miss half the season? Or one who was inconsistent at best the other times he returned? Or one who had been in and out more times than I can remember because of post concussive syndrome?

Management should have let the guys who got us this far play in that game. Then, after we won and sealed our fate as the SE Division champs, put the returning players in. Let them have a couple of games to get their skates back under them, before the playoffs began. To me that's common sense. Then again, the decision seemed to be based on dollars and cents. Ridiculous.

So now I get to suffer from an abruptly ended hockey season. I don't have the heart right now to watch any of the other games. Seeing the players, hearing the slap of sticks and skates on ice, makes me want to weep. A part of me has died and I must mourn.

Farewell 2008 Canes hockey season. It was lovely to have known you. I will miss you dearly. I look forward to meeting your 2009 sibling.