It's no secret Kansas City, Mo., is looking to get a professional hockey team for its new downtown arena. The Pittsburgh Penguins are the most likely to go, although many think Super Mario and Co. are going to get a deal done and stay put.
So that could mean KC is out looking (scouting? Get it? K.C. Scouts?) for another team.
Well, Kansas City was home to an NHL team at least for a little while on Monday. Few, however, know about it.
Not to stir anything up, but the Panthers were in Kansas City on Monday, stopping over on their way to Edmonton. Of course that was just to refuel their charter plane (the one with Miami Heat painted on the side) so they could continue on their way.
Just thought everyone should know this.
PS: Hey KC folks, the Panthers plan to be back in your area for about another 30 minutes next Monday. Same deal: splash of fuel, two new tires.
PPS: Took a picture of the Heat plane sitting on the tarmac at Edmonton airport with plans to post it right here! But, we were too far away and the picture is blurrier than the one of Olesz making a snowman from a few days ago.
I do have a picture of all the snow here in Edmonton. This is the view from outside the window of the hotel: 
And here is one of all the banners inside the Coliseum:
OK, enough pics. On to...
THE NEWS: No big surprise, but Ed Belfour is back in net tonight against the Oilers. He's been very successful here over the years and is playing well. That's a one-two punch JM can't ignore.
-- Juraj Kolnik didn't look too comfortable during the stretch, like he couldn't loosen up. Kolnik has already missed almost a month because of a groin pull.
-- Jay Bouwmeester and Martin Gelinas were the two most popular Panthers at the skate this morning for obvious reasons. Bo is an Edmonton native and very popular here.
So too is Gelinas, part of Edmonton's last Stanley Cup championship -- you know, the one won without Gretzky. Gelinas was in the stands last year for Game 6 of the Finals and was mobbed; every time they showed his face on the big screen folks went nuts. That's a pretty big feat considering the dude spent a few years in Calgary.
-- Edmonton seems to like Florida; during its video montage played during the Star Spangled Banner, a shot of the Miami skyline is shown alongside such U.S. landmarks as the White House, St. Louis Arch and the Grand Canyon.
