The Canadian National Fantasy Hockey League

Rattlers place some high quality players on the market in hopes of landing some quality young players for next season...including One of the top centers in the league in Rosey LaRose

98 Rosey LaRose C R OK 95 85 76 86 88 64 90 97 87 79 92 48 99 92 37 1 2,700,000
C 98 Rosey LaRose Rat 57 25 42 67 -11 51
44 Denis Willies LW L OK 87 87 76 95 96 65 84 74 90 71 91 33 47 86 32 1 3,360,000
L 44 Denis Willies Rat 57 21 33 54 -16 33

Once again the Rattlers find themselves as sellers as the trade deadline approaches...and the cuts could go deep if there is any interest...along with some league leaders they have several players who have been having off years and are probably victims of not having enough talent to play with...

Tired of losing year after year GM MacDermid stated that he was looking for young players that could play next season more so than futures...tops on his wish list is a decent young goalie..a scoring winger and a shutdown defender...

The North River Rattlers have announced a 300 seat addition to their arena to go along with a $2 ticket increase to help fund the expansion. The team announced that they will not be removing any concession stands for the renovations after the outrage that greeted the removal of the North End Hot Dogs last season.

Thats the message from disgruntled fans as the Rattlers fell out of a playoff spot last night. And management is listening as they announced that everyone over aged 24 is available for trade. They are looking for pro ready young players and especially a #1 goalie and shut down defender. NOT looking for old expensive players, PIM hounds, or "maybe if they really develop well" players. MacDermid has the rep of being a yes or no type trader and rarely gets involved in long trade talks.

The Rattlers find themselves in unfamiliar territory so far this season, that is to say above .500 and first in their division. And they owe it all to the Thunder as they are 3-0 against their division rivals. It's not like they have dominated the Thunder, in fact all 3 games have been tight affairs with the outcome in doubt till the end. Witness the 16-11 goal totals for the 3 games. Its not like the Thunder as a weak team as they have a better record than the Rattlers without those 3 games. So blame it on karma, blame it on different styles, blame it on luck or blame it on the rain.

The North River Rattlers stopped the Tigers perfect season in its track as they handed the Tigers their first defeat by a 4-3 score. Frankie Feeble was the star of the game as he stopped 31 shots while the Rattlers got their goals with only 25 SOG. Down 3-1 after a Tigers goal at the 19:20 mark of the 2nd, the Rattlers came back thanks in part to Claude Levi-Brull's goal with 6 seconds left in the frame. Benjamin Biel tied it and Tommy Zinetti's 5th of the campain proved the winner. Guy LaRue's 4th in the 1st was the other marker.

The Rattlers have gotten of to a decent start, with a win and a tie, in their first two games but the topic of conversation, around the Nest, has been the schedule. "Every damn season its the same damn thing", said an irate Alexander Lowe, "the whole league starts and then they stick us in later. Hell, even the preseason is the same way. Its like the shedule makers don't want us here or something. Almost like we are an afterthought. I wish I knew where he lived, I'd show him afterthought."

Several Rattlers fans expressed displeasure as the team announced they would remove the north end hot dog stand in favor of 50 new seats. "Now I gotta walk half way round the rink to get my dogs and they'll be cold by the time I get back to my seat," said long time Rattlers season ticket holder Joe Black, "and besides, everyone knows that the North End dogs are the best in the building!!""

A lack of cap room has forced the Rattlers to place the following players on the trade block...

Tony Iommi27C
Tero Virtanen27LW
Dwayne Bastien28LW
Dragan Stoiastanovich29D
Darren Gravel27D
David Mills28D
Blaine Weiss24C
David Caldwell24D

In exchange we are looking for youth, picks and buckets of cash...

The North River Rattlers are pleased to announce the appointment of a new press agent, Gabby McMouth. "Gabby's job is to make the Rattlers the most talked about team in the league," MacDermid told reporters, " and in no way is this announcement designed to take the heat of the recent reports of the Presidents disappearence."