#TheCheckingLine

TCL Habs Blogging Contest: Sign Up Here!As announced in my latest blog, TCL is looking to add Habs bloggers to its staff! I

nstead of just picking from a group of great bloggers from Twitter, etc, we're going to make it interesting with a contest. A week from now, after entrants have signed up by replying to this thread and sending me an e-mail at prax@thecheckingline.com, the prospective writers will be assigned a game to cover for the site, either a pre-game or a post game. Once everyone has taken their turn writing a sample/guest blog for the site, the TCL staff, using input from the readers, will pick one or two of the entrants to join the team full time in a blogging capacity!

Your candidacy will be judged on, of course, writing style and proficiency, as well as hits, comments on your blogs and the ability to create a buzz on twitter, facebook, and any other forums and social media.

The contest will begin the second week of March, and will run as long as it takes to have all the entrants (including late entrants) participate.

The winners will be expected to blog at least twice weekly on the site, covering game (pre and/or post game) at first, as well as opinion and news blogs depending on the happenings around the team. They will become a full fledged volunteer member of the team going forward.

So if you're interested, please post in the comments below and retweet this post and share with your friends on facebook!

For more on the contest, click here.

If you have any questions, e-mail me at prax@thecheckingline.com
#TheCheckingLine

Fake News: George Prax gives vote of confidence to Pat Storto, Micheal AldredMONTREAL - After both general manager Micheal Aldred and featured blogger Patrick Storto were given a vote of confidence by The Checking Line's Managing Editor George Prax over the weekend, the question that now presents itself is the following: 'What do they do now?'

Well according to Storto, it's business as usual.

"My job doesn't change," Storto told reported.. "I'm going to do everything I possibly can to write tomorrow night's blog and prepare our bloggers."

Storto said that he didn't have any plans to alter his writing style, and neither should any of the other bloggers.

"Our jobs shouldn't change," Storto added. "It shouldn't take that comment or statement from our editor to make us write better."

It was a sentiment that was echoed by GM Micheal Aldred when he had his opportunity to address the assembled media.

"We are going to try and write some hockey blogs down the stretch," Aldred told reporters on Monday. "I've had some discussions with George based on that. I think that it's the same as always, we are just trying to write. I know that there's some people that think otherwise, in terms of being competitive down the stretch, I think for all of our guys it's going to be very important."

Change seemed inevitable following back-to-back crappy blogs last week. However it appears as though both the blogger and general manager will remain employed by The Checking Line until at least the end of the season.

"They are stuck with us, like it or not, for the balance," Aldred told reporters. "They can listen and perform, or they can sit on the sidelines."

While Aldred refused to name names, what he did make clear is the fact that he believes every blogger on the roster will be under a microscope for the remainder of the year as they compete for jobs next season.

"We are what we are," said Aldred. "We think that we have a lot of good, young kids coming that are waiting for some jobs here so guys better show what they can do down the stretch."

While neither the blogger or general manager would admit that they feel better with ownership's approval, associate blogger Ron Guillet said that it should help ease the tension in the staff lounge.

"It's a good thing, because it would have been our fault if something had happened," said Guillet. "I think we can all just try to relax and play and worry about doing the best job we can moving forward."

Although Hockeybuzz reported that Prax is on the lookout for a new general manager who he intends to hire at season's end, with Aldred being moved upstairs in an advisory role, Aldred says he is unaware of those plans.

"As a normal general manager, I hope to retain my job," said Aldred. "I'm not sure why everybody is in such a hurry to get me out of here, but if that's the way that it is, that's the way that it is."

He also denied that he had any agreement with Prax beyond his current contract.

"I talk to George somewhat regularly," said Aldred. "We've talked about where we are and how disappointed we are in the year and how we'll try to do some things positive going forward. If (Hockeybuzz Columnist) Roy (Eklund) knows something more than that, then you'd better ask him."

Storto's future does not appear so secure as his current contract will be up once the season is over.

So if both the blogger and the GM appear to be lame ducks, what is the strategy for the remainder of the season?

"You have to have a core of bloggers who you keep, there is no question about that," Aldred said. "We have nine players that will be very close to TCL-ready next year. Somehow or other, I've got to open the door for these people."

The identities of the potential players moving on is lengthy as veterans such as Mark Trible, Scott Lowe, Glen Miller and Newman could all be on the move at or before the TCL Trade Deadline on February 28th.

The light at the end of the tunnel appears to be a high draft choice coming to The Checking Line this summer in reward for their lacklustre play thus far this season. With TCL currently 27th overall in the standings, the organization could have a chance to secure a top-level talent such as Drummondville blogger Sean Couturier, Red Deer analyst Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or one of two Swedish uber-prospects in writer Adam Larsson or rumor guy Gabriel Landeskog.

In addition, TCL management should get the opportunity to see exactly what they have on hand in term of prospects. Bloggers such as Daniel Wooldridge, Mitch Heimpel and Randy Holt will likely be given every opportunity to impress management at the TCL level.

Murray said that prospect Kyle Busch will likely see a few starts down the stretch, however he would not sacrifice the young Swede's confidence just to see how TCL-ready he truly is.

"We want to protect him, we don't want to subject him to a point where he comes in here, loses a couple of games and feels terrible about it and maybe goes back down and does not play as well as he should."

Aldred also stated that he expects the team's top prospects, Larry D'Angelo and Waffle Guy to be ready to step in next season.

Aldred stated that he remains optimistic that TCL will be able to turn things around sooner rather than later.

"I don't think that we are very far away from being a good blogging team but I think that obviously you have to make some changes when you perform like we have," said Aldred. "I think it's one year. I think we can be back to being a really competitive team really quickly." #TheCheckingLine

Better With Popcorn Now Up!

As many of you know, we've been working on a new website, Better With Popcorn, a TCL-like site for entertainment news, reviews and discussion, and as of December 1st it's been up and running! We hope to bring you coverage of movies, TV, gaming and music as well as we do on TCL, but of course we're going to need your support.

So check out the site, and post lots of comments and forum topics (your login info is the same as TCL!)

www.betterwithpopcorn.com

Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter for even more coverage!

#TheCheckingLine