It started, simply enough, with Derek Ryan being signed to a new contract.
Ryan, a center with the Carolina Hurricanes, agreed to a one-year contract Monday with the Canes and soon tweeted "Thanks for the opportunity" along with a tweetpic of his jersey _ No. 33.
Before long, Scott Darling chimed in.
The goalie, acquired by the Canes two months ago from the Chicago Blackhawks, offered up this tweet: "I'll trade you 3 dinners, 2 dog walks and 1 night of babysitting for that number (Hashtag)ThinkAboutIt."
Darling, you see, wore No. 33 for the Blackhawks.
Ryan, clearly in the spirit of things, quickly tweeted: "Oh this could get interesting! Make it 2 dinners, 1 whole foods gift card, and at least 2 goals allowed in every practice and we have a deal."
That's a high asking price. But Darling thought about it.
His tweet: "The best I can do is 1 dinner, 1 Whole Foods gift card and 3 goals per practice (pending league approval)."
That was enough, it seems.
Ryan: "Deal! 33 is yours. I'll draw up the paperwork and have my people call your people."
As of Monday night, the Hurricanes' roster still listed Derek Ryan as No. 33 _ maybe the trade didn't make it to Toronto in time to be official.
But the dialogue continued.
Darling: "Pleasure to do business with you! But what number are you going to wear now?"
Ryan: "Good question! We can make a dramatic reveal on Twitter once I pick one."
