MCKEE OUT, SABRES DOOMED

Stuff that distracted you from getting your hockey gear together as you waited for Lindy Ruff to call and ask, "Can you play defence tonight?"

• Bad news, Buffalo fans: Jay McKee is out with a staph infection in his ankle. The absence of Amherstview's favourite son leaves the Sabres with two able-bodied regular D-men for Game 7, Brian Campbell and Toni Lydman. It's a rotten shame, since Buffalo fans are so desperate for a winner. If Buffalo can pull this off, Ruff is a genius. Disclaimer: Lindy Ruff is probably not a genius.'
• Whither Shea Hillenbrand? The Toronto Star's Geoff Baker weighs in on what the Jays should do about moving either of their extra hitters -- Hillenbrand and Eric Hinske -- to obtain pitching help. Baker likens it to the Shannon Stewart situation in 2003: "One thing the Jays don’t want to risk doing here is upsetting the chemistry of an offence that can’t do anything wrong."
• Here I thought I was nuts for writing in Alex Rios on 100 All-Star ballots: this guy has dedicated his life to getting Vernon Wells elected as to start in the All-Star Game. It says here this is some publicity stunt cooked up by the Blue Jays, but no matter.
• Scott Carefoot was first to suggest that Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo should shop around Charlie Villanueva and look to trade down from the No. 1 spot in the NBA draft. Now ESPN.com's Chad Ford has written about the possibility the Raptors are shopping the top pick and Charlie V. (It's Insider content, so be prepared to pay for it.)
• Another Deadspin gem: You can rule out the Colorado Rockies trading for Adam Stern or Shawn Green any time soon, since apparently only God-squadders need apply. From yesterday's USA Today: Rockies CEO Charlie Montfort "says that after years of partying, including 18 months' probation for driving while impaired, he became a Christian three years ago. It influenced how he wanted to run the club, he says." As Deadspin commenter Chamomiles Davis put it: "Nothing is more annoying than someone who becomes a born-again Christian because they can't handle their booze."
  
  So, if the Rockies' faith is inspiring their success, does that mean the Kansas City Royals are a bunch of Satanists?
• This was pointed out on The Jim Rome Show about an hour ago: The National Spelling Bee will be broadcast in high-def. The Indy 500 wasn't.
• Go Monarchs! Old Dominion is reviving football. There goes my plan to market a sweatshirt: "Old Dominion Football: Unbeaten Since 1940."
  
  Hey, if Old Dominion can have a football team, can the University of Toronto get one too?