The OAO NHL 2003-2004 Season Thread

[CanadianChris 0]

Whose avatar is bringing up a password window?

 

Anyway...the Rangers have to win their next two games (Panthers and Capitals) if Sather wants to keep any hope of keeping his job this year. I heard the score of the Sens game and thought I was hallucinating.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Minnesota realizes they aren't New Jersey, and can't play the trap well therefore need to score more goals

Evidently raiding the Devils' closets and taking their 1980s Christmas sweaters just isn't enough.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Anyway...the Rangers have to win their next two games (Panthers and Capitals) if Sather wants to keep any hope of keeping his job this year.  I heard the score of the Sens game and thought I was hallucinating.

They're halfway there, and beating the Caps shouldn't be too difficult. I think that the Rangers would be better off without Slats regardless of how the rest of the season pans out. He was great at making magic happen with small-town, small-bucks Edmonton, but he's just not working it as the guy in NY. I don't see how the Rangers, with all their skill players, have gone so long without making at least a Bruins-esque cameo appearance in the post-season, and the last few years can be attributed to Slats. I'd say that the Rangers should find a good, young GM and stick with him for a few years, and hire Ted Nolan as their coach. It won't be an overnight turnaround, but will get them back to respectability.

 

Of course, having said all that, fuck the Rangers. I love to watch them lose.

[CanadianChris 0]

Of course, having said all that, fuck the Rangers. I love to watch them lose.

Well spoken, sir.

 

Anyone up here seen the TSN ad for tonight's Hurricanes/Leafs game? I'll bet they wouldn't be referring to the 'Canes as just "a light spring shower" if they were playing the Canucks or Senators. The Leaf bias on TSN is rather appalling for a national network -- way moreso than CBC has ever been.

[lomasmoney 0]

Of course, having said all that, fuck the Rangers.  I love to watch them lose.

Well spoken, sir.

 

Anyone up here seen the TSN ad for tonight's Hurricanes/Leafs game? I'll bet they wouldn't be referring to the 'Canes as just "a light spring shower" if they were playing the Canucks or Senators. The Leaf bias on TSN is rather appalling for a national network -- way moreso than CBC has ever been.

It will be funny when they lose to Ottawa in the conference finals or better yet, Montreal

[Guest Italian Stallion]

Anybody happen to catch the ceremony for Brian Bocher before the Coyotes/Flames game? The mayor of Glendale read something out loud to the fans. After hearing her read, its easy to acknoledge that she has probably never read anything in her life. She sounded like the biggest dumbass reading.

[treble 0]

Of course, having said all that, fuck the Rangers.  I love to watch them lose.

Well spoken, sir.

 

Anyone up here seen the TSN ad for tonight's Hurricanes/Leafs game? I'll bet they wouldn't be referring to the 'Canes as just "a light spring shower" if they were playing the Canucks or Senators. The Leaf bias on TSN is rather appalling for a national network -- way moreso than CBC has ever been.

Was it only a regional broadcast, though? And the Leafs' bias on CBC is blown out of proportion, anyway.

[Urban Warfare 0]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=69817

 

Heatley scheduled to play Wednesday for the first time this season.

[Red Baron 0]

Habs shit the bed again.

 

 

Time to joggle the lines Julien

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Vancouver beat Chicago tonight. Not much of an achievement I know but still...go 'nucks.

[Red Baron 0]

Vancouver beat Chicago tonight. Not much of an achievement I know but still...go 'nucks.

Vancouver hoped they beat Chicago

[DerangedHermit 0]

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/gamecenter/r...0040128_WAS@NYR

 

Two unsurprising things:

 

1) Rangers lose

2) Lindros gets a concussion

[nl5xsk1 0]

So, did Lindros hurt his brain in the hit by Doig, or the fight afterwards? Reading the article it sounded as if it happened in the hit against the boards, but if he was already shaken up, why the FUCK did Slats let him go back out there, let alone go out there and fight?

 

While I really don't like to see any athlete get hurt, it'd be hard not to laugh if he had to miss significant playing time because he got hurt in a fight after he'd already suffered another concussion. Maybe this is karma for him KOing Thornton in last week's fight.

 

EDITED: I just did some more reading on this, and the folks at the hockeyfights pages seem to think that the hit is what caused the damage, as the punches in the fight weren't anything more than glancing blows. People are also acting like this might be it for Lindros, b/c even though this is a "minor" concussion, it is #8.

[CanadianChris 0]

Of course, having said all that, fuck the Rangers.  I love to watch them lose.

Well spoken, sir.

 

Anyone up here seen the TSN ad for tonight's Hurricanes/Leafs game? I'll bet they wouldn't be referring to the 'Canes as just "a light spring shower" if they were playing the Canucks or Senators. The Leaf bias on TSN is rather appalling for a national network -- way moreso than CBC has ever been.

Was it only a regional broadcast, though? And the Leafs' bias on CBC is blown out of proportion, anyway.

They were showing the ads here in Ottawa, and we don't normally get Leaf games on TSN. It might have been regional, but I don't think so.

 

And agreed on the CBC thing. I was actually embarrassed when that stupid thing made the front page of the Sun during the 2002 playoffs. I can't stand Cole and Neale, but not because I think they're Leaf boosters.

[DerangedHermit 0]

So, did Lindros hurt his brain in the hit by Doig, or the fight afterwards? Reading the article it sounded as if it happened in the hit against the boards, but if he was already shaken up, why the FUCK did Slats let him go back out there, let alone go out there and fight?

 

While I really don't like to see any athlete get hurt, it'd be hard not to laugh if he had to miss significant playing time because he got hurt in a fight after he'd already suffered another concussion. Maybe this is karma for him KOing Thornton in last week's fight.

 

EDITED: I just did some more reading on this, and the folks at the hockeyfights pages seem to think that the hit is what caused the damage, as the punches in the fight weren't anything more than glancing blows. People are also acting like this might be it for Lindros, b/c even though this is a "minor" concussion, it is #8.

I've seen faberge eggs that could take more of a blow than Lindros.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Would it be wrong to take a minute to laugh at the Rangers expense? They finally pull the trigger on the Jagr trade, and then watch as one of their hotter players goes down with an injury? As much as I hate all 3 of them, the Lindros/Barnaby/Simon line was playing pretty well lately.

 

And the Rangers better pray that there's not a salary cap next year; they have $70-million tied up in 14 players, and the guesstimate around the league has the cap at somewhere around $35-million. Looks like they'll either be paying a huge ass luxury tax or just GIVING players away.

[CanadianChris 0]

Would it be wrong to take a minute to laugh at the Rangers expense?

Certainly not. I take a minute each and every morning to laugh at the Rangers.

[the max 0]

I take more than a minute.

[treble 0]

Vancouver's getting the 2006 World Juniors. I'm not sure which arena, but I'm going to guess it's the Pacific Coliseum, where the Canucks used to play (I think there's a WHL team that plays there now). I was hoping they'd go to Ottawa or London, but it should be a good event, anyway.

 

EDIT: Apparently, it's at both the Pacific Coliseum and GM Place, plus games in Kelowna and Kamloops.

[treble 0]

And the Penguins send Fleury back down to the Q.

 

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - The cash-strapped Pittsburgh Penguins, apparently unwilling to pay a $3 million bonus, on Thursday returned rookie goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to his junior team.

 

The top overall pick in last year's draft, Fleury would have made an additional $3 million if he played at least 20 minutes in 25 NHL games. Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning was Fleury's 21st game, although he has logged 20 minutes in just 19 of them.

 

Fleury, 19, spent two weeks with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships, where he surrendered a two-goal lead in the third period and lost the gold medal game to the United States, 4-3.

 

The Penguins traded up to select Fleury with the top pick last June after he starred at last year's World Junior tournament, earning top goalie honors after backstopping Canada to the silver medal with a 1.57 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.

 

Fleury was a lone bright spot early this season on the NHL's worst team, going 3-2-2 in his first seven decisions. But he has lost 12 of his last 13, falling to 4-14-2 with one shutout, a 3.64 GAA and .896 save percentage.

 

With owner-captain Mario Lemieux out for the season following hip surgery, Pittsburgh is 11-32-5-3 for 30 points. The Penguins have lost seven in a row and set a team record Wednesday with their eighth consecutive home defeat.

So, there's now 0 reasons to go watch the Penguins play.

[Guest Bottled Black]

I'm a Ranger fan and I laugh at them myself.. However I'll be there next Wednesday when they raise Number 35 to the rafters.

[razazteca 0]

How serious is Sergei Gonchar's injury?

[Brush with Greatness 0]

In regards to the Salary Cap, IF there is one, I'm sure the teams will be given a few years in getting their salaries down. A grace period so to speak.

[the max 0]

That'd be their best solution, as if they made it a rule effective immediately, NYR would be fucked beyond belief and we'd see a fire sale like no other.

[CanadianChris 0]

You KNEW I had to post this...

 

STANDINGS AS OF JANUARY 30, 2004

EASTERN CONFERENCE

x1. Ottawa (66, 28-13-7-3)

x2. Philadelphia (66, 25-11-11-5)

3. Toronto (65, 27-13-8-3)

4. New Jersey (63, 26-13-10-1)

5. Boston (61, 23-14-11-4)

x6. Tampa Bay (59, 25-16-6-3)

7. Montreal (58, 25-19-6-2)

8. N.Y. Islanders (55, 24-20-5-2)

[Guest atari_junkie]

And the Penguins send Fleury back down to the Q.

 

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - The cash-strapped Pittsburgh Penguins, apparently unwilling to pay a $3 million bonus, on Thursday returned rookie goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to his junior team.

 

The top overall pick in last year's draft, Fleury would have made an additional $3 million if he played at least 20 minutes in 25 NHL games. Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning was Fleury's 21st game, although he has logged 20 minutes in just 19 of them.

 

Fleury, 19, spent two weeks with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships, where he surrendered a two-goal lead in the third period and lost the gold medal game to the United States, 4-3.

 

The Penguins traded up to select Fleury with the top pick last June after he starred at last year's World Junior tournament, earning top goalie honors after backstopping Canada to the silver medal with a 1.57 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.

 

Fleury was a lone bright spot early this season on the NHL's worst team, going 3-2-2 in his first seven decisions. But he has lost 12 of his last 13, falling to 4-14-2 with one shutout, a 3.64 GAA and .896 save percentage.

 

With owner-captain Mario Lemieux out for the season following hip surgery, Pittsburgh is 11-32-5-3 for 30 points. The Penguins have lost seven in a row and set a team record Wednesday with their eighth consecutive home defeat.

So, there's now 0 reasons to go watch the Penguins play.

Why the hell would you do something stupid like that ? Especially when you're a team that needs all the help you can get.

 

Unless they've given up on this season...

 

Either way, Fleury really wasn't the same since playing for the Pens.

[starvenger 0]

You KNEW I had to post this...

 

STANDINGS AS OF JANUARY 30, 2004

EASTERN CONFERENCE

x1. Ottawa (66, 28-13-7-3)

x2. Philadelphia (66, 25-11-11-5)

3. Toronto (65, 27-13-8-3)

4. New Jersey (63, 26-13-10-1)

5. Boston (61, 23-14-11-4)

x6. Tampa Bay (59, 25-16-6-3)

7. Montreal (58, 25-19-6-2)

8. N.Y. Islanders (55, 24-20-5-2)

I believe it's been said before, but it needs to be said again - If you're Philly, Jersey, Toronto or Ottawa you MUST finish first in your division or you're in for a rough ride in the playoffs.

 

Oh, and how great would it be to see the Rangers miss the playoffs AGAIN?

[The Czech Republic 0]

You KNEW I had to post this...

 

STANDINGS AS OF JANUARY 30, 2004

EASTERN CONFERENCE

x1.  Ottawa (66, 28-13-7-3)

x2.  Philadelphia (66, 25-11-11-5)

3.  Toronto (65, 27-13-8-3)

4.  New Jersey (63, 26-13-10-1)

5.  Boston (61, 23-14-11-4)

x6.  Tampa Bay (59, 25-16-6-3)

7.  Montreal (58, 25-19-6-2)

8.  N.Y. Islanders (55, 24-20-5-2)

I believe it's been said before, but it needs to be said again - If you're Philly, Jersey, Toronto or Ottawa you MUST finish first in your division or you're in for a rough ride in the playoffs.

 

Oh, and how great would it be to see the Rangers miss the playoffs AGAIN?

Finally, the Sens make it to the top. Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be fun if the Southleast only brings one team, which is the situation right now. I don't see New Jersey getting a top 3 slot this year, and I'm predicting Montreal gets 6th and bumps off a #3 Lightning. Long Island will bea non-factor as always.

[the max 0]

Why the hell would you do something stupid like that ? Especially when you're a team that needs all the help you can get.

 

Unless they've given up on this season...

 

Either way, Fleury really wasn't the same since playing for the Pens.

They can't afford him.

 

He has a clause in his contract that stipulates that if he plays a certain amount of games, minutes, has a GAA below a certain point, etc., that he gets bonus money.

 

Just for playing 25 games, he gets a 3 million dollar bonus.

[treble 0]

I would have kept him, anyway. I mean, you're losing money hand over fist with him, so it's not like sending him down is going to make a huge difference to your bottom line.

 

And the Sens stay in first place lasted about 24 hours. 4-1 Leafs over Atlanta, and tomorrow night's game vs. Ottawa is HUGE. Win and you're 3 points up, lose and you're back down in 4th place in the East. These last few months of the season are looking to be exciting, especially with the Leafs playing most of those games at home while the Sens are on the road a lot. The Leafs getting back some of their injured guys rested should help, too. If you're winning without Alex Mogilny and Owen Nolan and then adding them into the line-up for the stretch drive, that's better than making a big trade.