Hockey Talk

[Vern Gagne 0]

Not a hockey fan. But, figured with College, minors, international, juniors all going on. May has well start a thread.

 

The #1. Gophers just split with #3. Colorado College at C.C. Winning 7-2. This is pretty young but very deep and talented team. With what looks like the best goalie the teams had in a long time.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Well Ottawa is not having that great of a year and currently stand 4th in their division, only ahead of the dreadful Generals, after being crushed today by Belleville 5-2. They play an odd game tomorrow at the Corel Centre against Toronto with the Majors being the home team. Even better news is that Toronto is the worst team in the conference.

 

It looks like nobody is going to stop the London Knights. The beat Erie today to go to 28-0-1 on the season.

[Vern Gagne 0]

What level of hockey are you talking about?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

What level of hockey are you talking about?

OHL. Juniors.

 

EDIT: Actually come to think of it, I think tomorrow's game might be on one of the national channels. I'll have to check.

 

EDIT: Nope. Just Sportsnet Ontario. Which is still better than the local Ottawa TV that its normally on.

[Red Baron 0]

No one is going to stop the Knights.

 

Though the team I follow, the Barrie Colts aren't doing bad, but not as good as last year. My cousin scored his first OHL goal on Thursday, that was a good thing.

 

BTW, Is this the year that Canada is going to win the Juniors this year?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I hope so. I don't want to lose to the Americans again.

[packwingfn 0]

huge AHL fan here.

go to the providence bruins games all the time.

 

Patrice Beregron, Andy Hilbert, Brad Boyes, Hannu Toiovon, all future Boston Bruins players once the NHL starts up.

 

Its funny, the other day, we played the Lowell Lock Monsters and former Flame, last year's stanley cup player .....Mike Commodore......is now in the minors. Not cus he sucks or anything, just to get some playin time, its just funny tho.

[the max 0]

I saw on TSN's site that Horton and Burns won't be on the team for Canada. Is this front page news up there or what?

[CanadianChris 0]

I saw on TSN's site that Horton and Burns won't be on the team for Canada. Is this front page news up there or what?

Not really. The camp is so deep that they won't be missed.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

I want to play roller hockey again.

 

Is anybody keeping up with G4 TechTV's simulation of the 04-05 season?

[the max 0]

I saw on TSN's site that Horton and Burns won't be on the team for Canada. Is this front page news up there or what?

Not really. The camp is so deep that they won't be missed.

I guess it was a slow news day for TSN then, as it was the main story on their website all day.

 

I think they'll miss Burns more than Horton though.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Comcast has purchased the exclusive national rights to the Igor Larianov retirement game on December 13, which is also available online through CN8.

 

Team Russia Roster

G: Khabibulin, Nabokov.

D: Fetisov, Malakhov, Markov, Gonchar, Khavanov, Mironov, Tverdovsky, Kuznetsov.

F: Larionov, P.Bure, V.Bure, Fedorov, Mogilny, Kamensky, Samsonov, Zhamnov, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Brylin, Slava Kozlov, Morozov, Nemchinov, Nikolishin.

Head Coach: Sergei Makarov, Asst: Vladimir Krutov.

 

Team World Roster

G: Brodeur, Legace,Osgood.

D: Chelios, Lidstrom, Dandenault, Duschen, Fischer, Scott Niedermayer, Ozolinsh, A.Ward

F: Shanahan, Draper, Maltby,Holmstrom, Darren McCarty, Whitney, Zetterberg, Pandolfo, Elias, Gomes, Hull, Luc Robitaille, Roenick, Martin Lapointe.

Head Coach: S. Bowman.

[Guest Rrrsh]

The Canadian Juniors is being coached by a Suter. And Suter hockey means only one Quebec-born player. Crosby. Other than that, not one of them. Its gotta be the first time a Quebec born Goalie has been left off in at LEAST 10 years.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

I saw on TSN's site that Horton and Burns won't be on the team for Canada. Is this front page news up there or what?

Not really. The camp is so deep that they won't be missed.

I guess it was a slow news day for TSN then, as it was the main story on their website all day.

 

I think they'll miss Burns more than Horton though.

No chance that they will miss Burns more than Horton. I would think this year Burns would only have an outside chance at making the team.

 

If you put Burns on D (where Minnesota has him playing this year and would want him to play if they released him to the junior nats) then he would not make the team. The big 4 returning (Belle, Coburn, Seabrook, Phaneuf) combined with the likes of Cam Barker and Mike Green (who in all likelihood will round out the top 6) and potentially Shea Weber, there is not a spot for Burns on the point.

 

Up front there is a little better possibility, but when you consider that you bring back the top line of Dawes-Stewart-Richards as well as the Getzlaf-Carter pair and add in Sydney Crosby and Stephen Dixon (who is another returning guy that could be in tough) you've got a good nucleus of forwards. That isn't even counting Patrice Bergeron. Now if Nathan Horton (who is a much better player than Burns) was to be released, then there would only be a few spots open for Burns.

 

But Canada will miss Horton.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

The Canadian Juniors is being coached by a Suter. And Suter hockey means only one Quebec-born player. Crosby. Other than that, not one of them. Its gotta be the first time a Quebec born Goalie has been left off in at LEAST 10 years.

Rsshh, once again makes himself look like an idiot by talking out of his ass.

 

A few things...

 

Sutter. Being coached by a Sutter. Totally different than being coached by a Suter.

 

Also, Crosby is not a Quebec born player. You're probably right in saying that there will be only one Quebecer on the team (that being of course Patrice Bergeron) but that's not solely because Brent Sutter is coaching the team. The team is picked by all three coaches (one representing each league) as well as head scout Blair MacKasey (who is primarily, along with Sutter, responsible for the selection camp roster). Fact is that there has been very little talent coming out of Quebec lately.

 

If you were referencing the fact that Crosby would be the lone QMJHL player, then you're likely incorrect again as Stephen Dixon has a decent shot at returning in a checking role.

 

In all likelihood, the only Quebecer's getting invited to camp (on top of Bergeron) are Steve Bernier and Alexandre Picard up front (unless the concussion scares people off Picard) and possibly Alex Picard (different guy) on the point.

 

Again, I don't know where the assumption that Sutter's involvement has anything to do with a lack of Quebec players comes from. Last year Mario Durocher (a Quebecer and QMJHL coach) was head coach of the junior team and the team only included 2 Quebec born players, one of which was Marc-Andre Fleury. The team itself only had 3 QMJHL'ers, Maxime Talbot and the aformentioned Crosby and Dixon.

 

As for the goaltending situation, it is indeed the first time since 1995, when Storr and Cloutier split the duties, that there has been no Quebec league goaltender. Considering we haven't won gold since 1996 I'm not certain that this is a terrible thing. The so called clutch goaltending that the QMJHL goalies are supposed to provide hasn't been there. Sure, Luongo in 99 and Fleury in 03 where both superb, but weak performances by Fleury last year as well as Maxime Ouellet and Pascal Leclaire in the past has diminished by confidence in the Q goalies.

 

Either way I will be there live at the final game (first time since '99 - stupid Russians) and Canada damn well better be in it. I'm hoping to either get the Yanks or Ruskies in the final. Should be one hell of a time.

[Guest Rrrsh]

I was talking about the QMJHL, sorry for the lack of clarity. Many experts have said that Dixon looks ot be on the outside looking in. And even tho there are more than just Sutter picking, he has the most say in it and is not at fan at all of the QMJHL style of hockey

[Brush with Greatness 0]

No way would I say Dixon is on the outside looking in. Is he a lock? No. However, Sutter and Co. are not going to simply take the best offensive 13 forwards (in which case guys like Brule, Perry and Fehr would be on the team without a doubt) but rather take a mixture of different skill sets. Dixon is very strong in a checking role and should fill that again this year. Especially now that Kyle Chipchura is likely out (which really sucks because he would have been one of Canada's best defensive forwards) the list of guys to fill those roles is shorter. Jeremy Colliton will probably be back in one of those roles and any combination of Ryan Stone, Clarke MacCarthur and Colin Fraser for the other two spots (assuming the 13th forward spot goes to a utility guy). However, there is potential to pair Stone and Fehr together.

 

Here's my mock team as of right now, which I admit is heavily biased to the guys I've seen more of, primarily the WHLer's (will probably change a bit after the selection camp roster has been released and I've had a chance to watch a bit of the selection camp)

 

G (the toughest and most debatable position)

Kevin Nastiuk

Rejean Beachium

 

D

Dion Phaneuf - Mike Green

Shawn Belle- Braydon Coburn

Brent Seabrook - Cam Barker

Shea Weber

 

F

Richards-Dawes-Stewart

Getzlaf-Carter-Bergeron

Stone-Crosby-Fehr

Dixon-Colliton-Fraser

Brule

 

Damn would that group of fowards look good with Horton and Chipchura

[CanadianChris 0]

London beat Kitchener tonight to tie the all-time CHL record of 29 straight games unbeaten.

 

The standings in that division are funny...the second and third place teams both have fewer losses than anyone else in the OHL, but they're miles behind London in the standings.

[treble 0]

The Knights tied Guelph tonight to pass Brandon and take the record. Then, all the fans threw teddy bears onto the ice.

 

Maybe they can do that at the Memorial Cup, too.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

I contend that the Knights will not win both the OHL and the Memorial Cup. Now if it was a regular year I would say simply that they would just not win the OHL thus not qualifying for the Cup. However, since they're hosting they get two cracks at it.

 

As it is, my prediction is that they lose out in the OHL semi-finals, only to be real rested for the Memorial Cup on home ice, which they will win (as is often the case with the host).

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I think they will take the OHL Championship, but will probably lose out after that.

 

In better news, Ottawa (while still in 4th) are now only 5 points back of the first place Petes in the East. It is still up for grabs, aside from the terrible Generals.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Once again a reminder: on Monday at 8:00 pm EST the Igor Larianov Farewell Game is on, pitting a team of Russian stars against a world team of Larianov's teammates from Detroit and New Jersey and other friends of his. TSN is supposed to be carrying it in Canada, while in the US it will be on CN8 (the Comcast Network), Comcast digital cable's "On Demand" service, and available online at www.cn8.tv

[Dogbert 0]

Well, Chipchura won't be playing. Out for the season with a gruesome Achilles tendon injury.

[the max 0]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=107912

 

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (CP) - Bananas were thrown by spectators when Worldstars forward Anson Carter was on the ice Sunday.

 

Twice during a 5-4 win over a Russian all-star team, the game officials had to retrieve a banana or a banana peel from the ice.

 

''It's no big deal,'' said Carter, who is black. ''I'm not surprised - look around.''

 

Carter, 30, who is from Toronto, is under contract to the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.

 

The incidents occurred on a day when the English-language St. Petersburg Times had a front page story about attacks on ethnic minorities in the city.

 

Such racial taunts have plagued European soccer in recent months.

 

In Spain, an anti-violence commission has asked the country's soccer federation to begin urgent disciplinary proceedings against national coach Luis Aragones, who made a racist comment about Arsenal's French striker Thierry Henry in October.

 

There was also racist abuse by Spanish fans at a Champions League game between Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen in late November, and black English players were jeered by Spanish fans in a friendly between the two countries in Madrid on Nov. 17.

 

In England, three men appeared in court last Thursday accused of racially taunting black soccer star Dwight Yorke during a Blackburn-Birmingham game last month.

 

Also last month, a man was fined 1,000 pounds ($2,220 Cdn) and banned from soccer grounds for the maximum five years for also racially taunting Yorke.

[Red Baron 0]

http://www.tsn.ca/World_jrs/feature.asp?fid=10075

 

Here's the roster for the 2005 Canadian World Juniors Team.

 

I'm fairly happy on who's playing, and looks like a very solid team for a gold championship.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

No real surprises. After taking in much of the camp, including the intersquad and the first U of M v. Canada game...

 

G

 

Beauchemin deserves to be there as does Glass. Dubnyk had a few good games but the big guy just can't handle the puck. Nastiuk played his way off the team with some weak goals. Only dissapointing part was that neither of these goalies really played their way onto the team, but rather that the other two simply cut themselves.

 

D

 

Mike Green/Shea Weber/Danny Syvret was pretty much a crap shoot for me as far as 6 and 7 D were concerned. Green really struggled in the intersquad (him and Quincy were the worst two D-men by far that game) and just couldn't recover. His performance the next night was miles better but his fate was set.

 

The only real surprise on D was Kyle Quincy. I would argue that he was the worst D man in camp from everything I saw. People whom I talked to that watched the Wednesday game agreed. No idea why he is there. Of course, I figure he will be gone yet before the tournament once Seabrook gets healthy but only time will tell.

 

F

 

You knew going in that Eric Fehr and Corey Perry were pretty much fighting for a spot and that the team wasn't going to take both guys and despite Fehr being the better skater, Perry's numbers in this camp were better. The top 9 forwards and Sutter's boy Fraser were no surprise. That just left the three spots, including the aformentioned designated Perry/Fehr spot.

 

I can't really argue with MacCurther selection. Having not seen much of him before, I was really impressed. MacCarthur is one of those guys that could potentially go from a scorer with his team to a solid checker at the WJC. Was sort of hoping they would keep Stone around as the MacCarthur-Stone-Getzlaf line on Tuesday was dominant. Andrew Ladd didn't show anything that a 4th overall pick should but he blended in and no one else stood out so I guess he got his number pulled.

 

Was dissapointed that Brule did not even receive an invite as I contend that his style would have made for a great 13th forward, but Sutter really wanted his 85's.

 

As for the games, Jeff Carter was clearly the best player on the ice the first game I saw, with Crosby showing flashes of brilliance, while Ryan Getzlaf to me dominated on night two, despite not scoring any goals.

 

My re-adjusted line predictions.

 

G

Jeff Glass

Rejean Beauchemin

-I believe Glass has been declared the starter but I could definetly see these two splitting round robin duty and Sutter simply going with the hot hand in the elimination rounds

 

D

Phaneuf - Weber

Syvret - Coburn

Seabrook - Belle

Barker

-this is assuming Seabrook comes back healthy. I took this opportunity to cut Quincy. Barker and Syvret are some what interchangeable and I could see Syvret falling back to 7th and being used as a P.P. specialist circa Ian White in 2003.

 

F

Stewart-Richards-Dawes

Crosby-Bergeron-Perry

Getzlaf - Carter - Ladd (although I would suggest MacCarthur, I see them sticking Ladd here, only other possibility is Colliton)

Dixon - Colliton - MacCarthur/Fraser

 

I'll predict that Mike Richards gets the "C" with Phaneuf and Carter getting the "A"'s.

 

Anyways, just over two week 'til I make the trip to Grand Forks for the finals (naturally I'm banking on Canada being there).

[Guest Rrrsh]

Told ya Sutter wouldnt take anyone other than Crosby from the Quebec league. I wasn't talking out of my ass, numerous experts were saying the same.

 

Why you must try to create confrontation BWG, I will never know.

[Dogbert 0]

He took Stephen Dixon.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

The Knights finally got beat. 5-2 by Sudbury yesterday.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Told ya Sutter wouldnt take anyone other than Crosby from the Quebec league. I wasn't talking out of my ass, numerous experts were saying the same.

 

Why you must try to create confrontation BWG, I will never know.

 

What the fuck are you talking about? Are these numerous experts the same ones that you said were predicting that Stephen Dixon would not make the team, because if they are that marks two times they (and you) are wrong.

 

Stephen Dixon is on the team again and (like I correctly predicted earlier) there are two QMJHL'ers on the team.

 

I don't see how it's creating confrontation by telling you that you don't know shit, and then being proven correct. You said he wouldn't take anyone but Crosby, I said he would take Crosby and Dixon. You were wrong, I was right. Give it up.

 

And again I don't know what this has to do with Sutter. Is the team more tailored to his coaching style? Certainly. However, the quality coming out of Quebec was much less talented and no matter who the coach, I don't think there would have been any more Quebecer's.

 

Again, if you would actually take the time to read my post's, you would see me referencing last year were Quebec resident Mario Durocher was the coach. He took Crosby, Dixon, NHLer (at the time) Marc - Andre Fleury and Maxime Talbot. Four Quebec/QMJHL guys.

 

This year Sutter took Crosby, Dixon, and NHL/AHLer Bergeron. Three QMJHL/Quebec guys. Not a big difference especially considering the quality elsewhere this year.