Oilers forward Joffrey Lupul can't bear to watch as his former team sits just two wins away from a Stanley Cup championship

By TERRY JONES June 1, 2007

NEWPORT BEACH, California -- Joffrey Lupul sat in the stands in Anaheim for Game 2. The baseball stands. Four blocks away.

Where the Angels play.

"I haven't gone to a game. It hurts a little bit to watch it," he said of Anaheim Ducks games on their march to the Stanley Cup.

"I don't have any interest in going to a game and putting myself through that. I've watched a few on TV. Mostly I tape them and decide whether or not to watch them later.

"It's human nature to be jealous, a little bit," he said.

It's bad enough that Lupul was traded from the two-wins-away from the Stanley Cup Ducks. He's also been kicked out of house and home.

Dustin Penner not only moved up to take over his right wing spot in the lineup, but the native of Winkler, Man., also moved into his house here two blocks from the beach made famous by the Beach Boys song Surf City.

"Dustin said he'd pay me at the end of the season," he said, thinking maybe sometime in May, not June. "I hope he doesn't skip out."

The two played together in the AHL during the lockout.

"I have a good friendship with him," said Penner. "I'm sure right now he wishes he was still with the Ducks.

"He's been a good landlord. And I've been a good tenant."

OFF-SEASON IN L.A.

Lupul, who spends his off-season here, is back in his half of a duplex for the next few days while Penner and the Ducks are in Ottawa for Game 3-4 with Anaheim leading the series two games to none.

Lupul, the Fort Saskatchewan product, has tried to keep out of Penner's way, staying in his place only a couple of times between rounds.

"I work out every day in Los Angeles doing weight training with Ethan Moreau's brother Chad and guys like Jarret Stoll," he said of his Edmonton Oilers teammate.

He's stayed with them when the Ducks are at home.

"I haven't been around that much," he said.

"But I've been out for dinner with Dustin a few times. Having gone to the third round of the playoffs last year, I know you talk hockey the whole day and it's the last thing you want to talk about when you go out for dinner, so we haven't talked about hockey much."

TALK IS TOUGH

Besides, what do you say?

"When I was traded, it created more opportunity for Dustin and Corey Perry. Those two, along with Ryan Getzlaf, have done really well with it. They've had such a good playoffs. Any time you're on a team and know the guys, you have to be really happy for them. I'm especially happy for the young guys. They've really responded."

You could make the case, of course, that the Ducks wouldn't be two wins away from the Stanley Cup if it wasn't for them getting Chris Pronger.

"Absolutely," said Lupul, who came to Edmonton with Ladislav Smid in the deal which provided the Oilers with a first round draft choice this year and both a first and second round pick next year.

"I'm mature enough to look at it and say he's a big reason they're here."

Lupul, who had a terrible time of it in his first season with the Oilers, scoring 16 goals with 12 assists for 28 points and a minus 29, says he's not in any stage of denial.

"It doesn't look very good for me personally, but I hope it might look a little better four or five years from now when he's out of the league and I'm in the prime of my career."

Lupul, who other than going back to Edmonton for a week in late June to move into a new house he's purchased, plans to spend his entire summer in L.A.

"It's a great place to be for young single guys like myself."

And he wouldn't say no if some of the Ducks asked him to join them in celebration if they win the Stanley Cup.

"That could be a lot of fun."


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Poor "Dreamy eyes" Lupul; I guess we OILERS FANS should feel sorry for him. * Rolling of the eyes and a mock snort/laugh inserted here*.

Oh, to be able to live the NHL dream when your summers involve working out in the morning, hanging out at the beach in the afternoon, trolling for the hotties at night. But no Stanley Cup. Boo-fuckin-hoo.

Let's hope he cuts back on his rumored cocaine habit though and doesn't get a STD (or two) hey?
Or a sunburn. Sunburns hurt like a mofo.