The OAO NHL 2003-2004 Season Thread

[the max 0]

I'm loving Sens 4, Devs 0.

[treble 0]

Don't make up any ground on Toronto, though.

 

Leafs 4, Calgary 1

[CanadianChris 0]

Not worried...Sens still have two games in hand. Plus, I would expect the Leafs to beat Calgary at home...beating the Devils on the road is a different proposition (as the Leafs themselves just found out).

[Red Baron 0]

Montreal defeats St. Louis 5-2.

 

Garon played good when he had too, and Ryder with another goal, making it 12.

[the max 0]

Plus, after Redden fucked up in a previous game, it shows that Ottawa has confidence in dealing with New Jersey, and I have a sneaking suspicion that it'll be Ottawa v. Jersey in an ECF rematch.

[the max 0]

Michael Ryder will probably win the Calder this year.

[treble 0]

Hell, it could even be Ottawa/Jersey in the first round, while a lesser team like Boston or Montreal will luck out and get to play whoever wins the Southeast, which looks even weaker this year than before.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Wow Philadelphia has really got hot after that brilliant Mike Comrie trade.

 

2-4-2-2 with Comrie in the lineup (as opposed to 18-6-8-3 without).

 

Those 4 losses:

 

6-1 against T-Bay

3-0 against the Oil

2-1 against the Pitiful Pens

6-2 against the Sabres

 

Nice work. (and no one better spout back with the no Primeau defence. If Comrie is as good as everyone claims his presence should more than make up for the lack of Primeau)

 

 

As for the Calder trophy Ryder is probably the front runner right now because it is a writers award and not a GM's one. Trent Hunter of the Isles has been superior to Ryder in almost every way (include being 4th in the league in even strength goals and 2nd in GW's) and would likely win if the GM's voted. If Hunter played in a better market his name would be getting thrown around up there more. The final candidate is probably Pitkanen whose been a rock, although his play has declined recently as Philly has struggled. Nik Zherdev would probably be the dark horse but could jump into the race if he gets hot. Raycroft's numbers will continue to decline as Boston tails off like the do at the end of every season.

[the pinjockey 0]

If it wasn't for Comrie, their record would be even worse. He has been one of their only decent players.

 

But the defense has gone all to hell, no one else can score, and Jeff Hackett is terrible. I enjoyed last night though. That was the type of embarrasing loss that can make a GM realize he needs to make changes.

[CanadianChris 0]

If it wasn't for Comrie, their record would be even worse. He has been one of their only decent players.

 

But the defense has gone all to hell, no one else can score, and Jeff Hackett is terrible. I enjoyed last night though. That was the type of embarrasing loss that can make a GM realize he needs to make changes.

Or make an owner realize he needs to change GMs.

[the max 0]

Jeremy Roenick suspended:

 

http://tsn.ca/news_story.asp?ID=68024&hubName=main

 

He got suspended following what he did to the referee after a non-call.

 

He has a great hockey face right now too.

 

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm amazed he only got one game. I can see where they'd think one game because of the Sundin stick throwing incident, but there's a huge difference between flinging your stick up in the stands and intentionally throwing something at an official.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Methinks that a lot of JR's frustrations are due to the losing streak more than anything else. Yes, the zebra missed an obvious call, but sorry, Roenick, it happens all the time. If you guys were undefeated in 6, would you be so wah-wah-wah?

[the max 0]

Oh, he's definitely pissed about the fact that they are losing. I think he's probably more pissed about getting a stick in the face that drew blood, having it happen right in front of an official and having it not get called.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I watched the Flyers/Sabres game.

 

It was 2-2 after the first, then the Flyers just dominated the second but Noronen shut them out and Buffalo caught a goal on a 3 on 2 the other way.

 

Then the third period came and the Flyers took penalty after penalty after penalty after penalty (literally) 2 minors, 2 majors and a game miscunduct. The Sabres put 2 in during the power plays and it was over.

 

Fun game...but the Flyers just stopped playing disciplined in the third.

[the max 0]

That's their style, bps.

 

Much like other clubs that shall remain nameless, it's a great call when it goes for you, but any call against you is inexcusable.

[treble 0]

You pretty much just described 90% of the teams in the NHL.

[nl5xsk1 0]

I'm going to laugh my ass off when Philly loses in the postseason again due to shoddy goaltending. Hackett and Esche are NOT a Cup-caliber tandem, and that makes Philly, for all their imported talent, as unlikely to win the Cup as teams like the Bruins or Thrashers. You need a goalie that can get hot enough to carry you through the playoffs, and I can't see Hackett/Esche doing that.

[the max 0]

Unless they somehow get a quality goalie in a trade.

 

With Comrie, they are deep up the middle, and could trade a veteran (Roenick?) for some goaltending help.

 

Only problem is, where do they trade him? Washington for Kolzig?

 

Of course, knowing Clarke, he won't do anything and then blame Hackett/Esche for them bowing out early again.

[CanadianChris 0]

Unless they somehow get a quality goalie in a trade.

 

With Comrie, they are deep up the middle, and could trade a veteran (Roenick?) for some goaltending help.

 

Only problem is, where do they trade him? Washington for Kolzig?

 

Of course, knowing Clarke, he won't do anything and then blame Hackett/Esche for them bowing out early again.

I think Kolzig is the one player Washington wouldn't be willing to give up, especially for another overpriced veteran. The goalies are going to be the only players teams will want to hang onto going into the lockout.

 

The only other goalie who might even remotely fit the bill would be Byron Dafoe, but I don't think he'd be much of an upgrade either.

[treble 0]

Roman Turek would probably be available, too, especially if Kiprusoff keeps up his solid play once he comes back.

[CanadianChris 0]

I put him in about the same category as Dafoe.

 

In any event, I don't think Philly has near enough to beat Ottawa or New Jersey, and probably not even Toronto, in the playoffs, regardless of who they get in goal.

[the max 0]

They have a good enough offense and powerplay, but their defense is still either too young or aging.

 

Offensively, they have depth, but once the playoffs start, their defense and more specifically goaltending will be spotlighted.

 

They'll still make the playoffs, they'll just be bounced in the first round.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Too bad Philly doesn't have a blue chip defenceman prospect and a couple of high draft picks that they can ship off for a goalie.

[the max 0]

Even so, they're prepared for the future with Comrie and can try to sign someone in the off-season.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

If it wasn't for Comrie, their record would be even worse. He has been one of their only decent players.

 

But the defense has gone all to hell, no one else can score, and Jeff Hackett is terrible. I enjoyed last night though. That was the type of embarrasing loss that can make a GM realize he needs to make changes.

If by decent you mean one goal and one assist in Philly's last six games, then yeah, he's been fanfuckintastic.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

One thing I'd like to thank the Flyers for is figuring out what it takes to make Satan play hard up and down the ice.

 

...now if only we could spear him in the crotch every game.

[the pinjockey 0]

Wow, I said he was fantastic. Funny I don't see that. And he was responsible for 2 goals in a 2-1 victory. So there is at least one win he has by himself.

[the pinjockey 0]

In 10 games with the Flyers he has 7 points, is a +3, and is only getting 12 minutes of ice time a game. To be a plus in the last 10 Flyers games he has to be doing something right.

[CanadianChris 0]

They have a good enough offense and powerplay, but their defense is still either too young or aging.

 

Offensively, they have depth, but once the playoffs start, their defense and more specifically goaltending will be spotlighted.

 

They'll still make the playoffs, they'll just be bounced in the first round.

Oh, of course they'll make the playoffs. The East isn't that deep. But Jersey is almost certainly going to pass them for the lead in the Atlantic, which means they're going to play Toronto, Ottawa, or maybe Boston in round 1, and they can't beat any of them.

 

This is looking prophetic...

 

Atlantic

1. (2) Philadelphia - Hopefully, another playoff flop will finally get Bob Clarke canned.