NHL Thread

[KGB 0]

LEAFS WIN! LEAFS WIN!

 

And what the hell is going on with the Senators tonight? Losing 5-0. From the highlights I've seen, it looks like Emery is less than stellar but the Ottawa defence looks like they're allowing the Bruins to get some golden chances, not putting up much of a fight clearing away rebounds and such.

[mike546 0]

Rangers blow a 2 goal 3rd period lead. Damnit.

 

And lose in OT. FUCK.

 

Terrible, terrible loss.

 

edit: I also realize the Rangers are nothing without Lundquist. He was standing on his head the entire game. He had no shot at that last goal, perfect shot.

[the max 0]

Ottawa got housed, Thomas looked very good at times.

 

Brad Boyes has been playing well as of late as well. The Sturm-Bergeron-Boyes line was excellent tonight.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

When the Senators decide to show up, they're the best team in the league by a fair margin.

 

Nail on the head.

 

No shot at Carolina, I mean, they're first in the East any way you look at it., but Ottawa and Philly have all kindsof playoff experience. Carolina has Martin Gerber. Yikes.

 

Having said that, it didn't matter in 2002. or 2003. Or 2004. Well, you see where I'm headed. Carolina with Weight is only better, and that much scarier, espeically with the Habs in eighth. Anyone recall the end to that semi-final three years ago?

 

Actually, the big rumor around here is Samsonov & Raycroft to Chicago for Arnason & Bell. (which I can't see Chicago doing at all). So maybe Sammy won't be available for LA. But Murray would love to be back West. If the B's fall apart, I wouldn't be surprised to see Muzz back in LA.

 

Since when does Chicago need a goalie? I don't see that happening either.

 

I'm stil not counting the B's out either.

[Guest]

During the Kings-Ducks game, they showed a certain member of our board while they were recapping the State of the Franchise event. Kings lost in OT, but with the stretch of easier games coming up, I'm not so worried about it.

 

Have any of you watched Gerber on a nightly basis? This guy is for real, eerily like Kiprusoff. I don't think they'll get to a Cup final, but it won't be his fault that they don't get there.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

Did you tape it? I need to see myself again. I think I might be the team's good luck charm.

 

Garon did an excellent job today. Well, I should say both goalies were great.

 

Maybe I can dl the game or FSN will show it again because of the milestone.

 

I have pics from Sunday. Maybe I should upload one.

[Guest]

Nah, didn't tape it, and if I did, I would burn it. I'm just glad to stop playing teams that are hot and start playing Phoenix, Columbus, Minnesota and Chicago, teams that are playing well, but that the Kings have handled.

 

On another note, I think Boston found the perfect formula to beating Ottawa tonight. If you don't have a decisive advantage on the break, dump it off the glass and set up the trap. It worked so well, I'd like to see a team with better talent try it.

[Red Baron 0]

So Ed Jovonaski is not going to be at the Olympics and McCabe is.

 

Time to hand (insert country) gold medal

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Jovanovski will not break Canada's gold chances, I'm sorry.

 

Even battered or bruised, this is by FAR the best team playing.

 

Incidentally, will the NHL thread shut down for two eeks next month as well? I imagine there will be an Olympic thread or two, but one exclusive to hockey?

 

Hell, I'm happy either way, lets just not have an OaO Olympic Thread.

[Red Baron 0]

Remember what happened when CuJo was the supposed starter for Canada in '02? I'd imagine Quinn's idiocity is going to cause him to fuck up huge (McCabe on PK)

[Guest]

Jovanovski will not break Canada's gold chances, I'm sorry.

 

Even battered or bruised, this is by FAR the best team playing.

 

Incidentally, will the NHL thread shut down for two eeks next month as well? I imagine there will be an Olympic thread or two, but one exclusive to hockey?

 

Hell, I'm happy either way, lets just not have an OaO Olympic Thread.

I don't think it's that cut and dry. Imagine if the Slovaks found a goalie, or if Naslund and Forsberg play for Sweden or if a Czech gets hurt and Elias plays for them. The Czechs are really, really good. It's not about who has the most star players, but the best team, and I think that it's the Czechs. I'd take Hasek to steal a game anyday, and Marek Zidlicky is one of the best guys on the power play in the entire world. They've got the best player in the world too, can't forget that. Even if Forsberg and Naslund don't play, the Swedes are still really good. They have a goalie that can steal games, pretty good defense and really good forwards. Also, the Canadians should name Bowmeester, Hannan or Phaneuf to the Olympic team now that Jovo is gone.

 

EDIT: And yeah, I forgot about Russia. Malkin, Datsyuk, Ovechkin, Yashin, the Markovs, Kasparaitis, Gonchar, Kovalchuk, Frolov, Volchenkov and Kovalev? That's fucking scary. Imagine if Nabokov actually shows up. Canada's not head and shoulders above any of these teams, it's really even.

[CanadianChris 0]

With Jovo out and potentially Niedermayer and McCabe as well, Canada could be in huge trouble. A big part of their success in SLC was great team defense. They're not going to be able to fill those holes well enough to say they're the favourites again.

[mike546 0]

Jovanovski will not break Canada's gold chances, I'm sorry.

 

Even battered or bruised, this is by FAR the best team playing.

 

Incidentally, will the NHL thread shut down for two eeks next month as well? I imagine there will be an Olympic thread or two, but one exclusive to hockey?

 

Hell, I'm happy either way, lets just not have an OaO Olympic Thread.

 

There's a roster shutdown during the olympics, right? Can't be much to talk about.

[KGB 0]

I might not hate shootouts so much if the Leafs, you know, didn't ABSOLUTELY SUCK ASS at them.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

As a Canadian, the one team I do fear in the olympics would have to be the Russian.

 

Ovechkin and Kovalchuk on the same team! Broduer is gonna have big trouble with those 2.

 

Canada has to go with my man Phanuf, he has been playing great hockey, him and Reigher rip shit together. He's been playing as good as Jovo also. But the one injury that scares me is Niedermayer, he is the best defender for Canada, and if hes out than Canada's chances will decrease.

[Red Baron 0]

Russia has and never had strong defence. If Russia couldn't put up 4+ goals a game their fucked.

 

Czechs and Finns is where the trouble is lying. As much as everyone is writing off the Americans, their gonna be gritty and exciting.

 

This is why Canada should have picked, Hannan, Boyle, Phineuf and the possibility of Aucion (if he's Canadian) and Bowemeister.

[Guest]

As a Canadian, the one team I do fear in the olympics would have to be the Russian.

 

Ovechkin and Kovalchuk on the same team! Broduer is gonna have big trouble with those 2.

 

Canada has to go with my man Phanuf, he has been playing great hockey, him and Reigher rip shit together. He's been playing as good as Jovo also. But the one injury that scares me is Niedermayer, he is the best defender for Canada, and if hes out than Canada's chances will decrease.

If you haven't seen Malkin yet, he's going to wow you. This guy is so good, and so cocky. I think that if JovoCop, Niedermayer and McCabe miss, they'll wind up taking Phaneuf, Hannan and Bowmeester, because Aucoin's hurt too and Dan Boyle is still a little too under the radar.

 

Russia has and never had strong defence. If Russia couldn't put up 4+ goals a game their fucked.

 

Czechs and Finns is where the trouble is lying. As much as everyone is writing off the Americans, their gonna be gritty and exciting.

 

This is why Canada should have picked, Hannan, Boyle, Phineuf and the possibility of Aucion (if he's Canadian) and Bowemeister.

Regarding Russia, this year they actually have enough defense to get to the title game, and they actually have enough offense to score 5 a game. I wouldn't want to go up against a pairing like Volchenkov and Kasparaitis, that's a really tough pair to go against. The Markov's will probably play well together too, Russia's just going to have to keep Zhitnik and Gonchar off unless it's a powerplay.

 

The Finns are going to have Niittymaki and probably Toskala in net, so I'm going to write them off for now. If Niitty gets hot, the Finns have a great chance.

 

Trouble for Canada is going to be with the Czechs, but I really think that Sweden could sneak around the coop with Naslund, Alfredsson, Forsberg, Lidstrom and Zetterberg, either way it's going to be real fun to watch.

 

The U.S. can get a Bronze, but their grinders are going to have to be able to shut down the top lines of each team. That's gonna be tough. I won't talk about this too much, as I want to save most of it for a column I'll do right before the break.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Hannan is pretty good, but I still think if any defenceman gets on it should be Phanuf, I'm of course biased cuz I'm a Flames fan.

[Guest]

They're both going to wind up getting picked, Phaneuf first to please everyone, then Hannan. I don't know which of the 3 that I mentioned will be on the taxi squad, probably J-Bo. If Niedermayer goes to Torino, I think he'll blow his knee out. He shouldn't be out there now, and I think he has a bigger obligation to his club team. I'd rather have all the Kings players get pulled instead of them going to Torino, but it won't happen. This Kings injury stuff that happens every year has me paranoid.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

They're both going to wind up getting picked, Phaneuf first to please everyone, then Hannan. I don't know which of the 3 that I mentioned will be on the taxi squad, probably J-Bo. If Niedermayer goes to Torino, I think he'll blow his knee out. He shouldn't be out there now, and I think he has a bigger obligation to his club team. I'd rather have all the Kings players get pulled instead of them going to Torino, but it won't happen. This Kings injury stuff that happens every year has me paranoid.

 

How big is Hockey in Cali?

 

I go to school with this asian guy that plays for Calgary Hitman, and he's from Anahiem.

[Dogbert 0]

They're both going to wind up getting picked, Phaneuf first to please everyone, then Hannan. I don't know which of the 3 that I mentioned will be on the taxi squad, probably J-Bo. If Niedermayer goes to Torino, I think he'll blow his knee out. He shouldn't be out there now, and I think he has a bigger obligation to his club team. I'd rather have all the Kings players get pulled instead of them going to Torino, but it won't happen. This Kings injury stuff that happens every year has me paranoid.

 

How big is Hockey in Cali?

 

I go to school with this asian guy that plays for Calgary Hitman, and he's from Anahiem.

 

You go to school with Ryan Letts? Which school?

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Double post.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Triple post

[Guest]

Hockey's starting to get big here, Kings sell out nearly every night and the Ducks have some attendance problems, but once one of these teams gets a Cup, it'll be pretty big. In a few more years, there will be players from California coming into the National League level, so that's something that Gretzky's done. Lots of kids play hockey around here too. It's safe to say that the Kings fanbase is the biggest of any Southern based team in the league.

 

The Sharks have a pretty nice fanbase too, but I hate them.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

They're both going to wind up getting picked, Phaneuf first to please everyone, then Hannan. I don't know which of the 3 that I mentioned will be on the taxi squad, probably J-Bo. If Niedermayer goes to Torino, I think he'll blow his knee out. He shouldn't be out there now, and I think he has a bigger obligation to his club team. I'd rather have all the Kings players get pulled instead of them going to Torino, but it won't happen. This Kings injury stuff that happens every year has me paranoid.

 

How big is Hockey in Cali?

 

I go to school with this asian guy that plays for Calgary Hitman, and he's from Anahiem.

 

You go to school with Ryan Letts? Which school?

 

St. Annes, alot of Hitman players go there.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

My first double post....

 

So Carolina really killed the Habs last night. Anaheim is like 5 pts out of the playoffs.

 

Poor Pittsburgh and poor Patrick Lalime.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

San Jose, has for the last few years, high attendances.

Orange/Bandwagon County will only come alive when the Ducks or Angels make it to playoffs. Games vs. The Kings and Red Wings sell out and so do the 1st and last games of the season.

Kings hockey is more established than the above two teams. The Kings play in a larger arena and have a larger fan base.

 

If you want to hear my voice, listen to this during the Ducks State of the Franchise.

 

I believe I'm the in the fifth minute in. I ask the question about jersy retirement.

 

 

http://www.mightyducks.com/multimedia/file.../03QA_Part1.mp3

[KGB 0]

Los Angeles, San Jose, Dallas, Tampa Bay have had pretty good attendance over the past few years (Dallas & San Jose attendance have been rocl solid ever since they their got teams, actually) and Florida's doesn't seem too bad either, for a non-playoff team.

[Red Baron 0]

Florida's fan base is weak, but their attendence figuries is misleading. Whenever Tampa, Montreal, Toronto and other big teams shows up theirs an increase in attendence, but if its Florida vs Phoenix no one is there.

[stahl 0]

I thinks we can start a February edition of this thread now.