NHL Thread - December

[CanadianChris 0]

So I guess the Bruins are back from the dead, eh? Must be something in the water in Boston.

[the max 0]

Chiarelli's been trying to make a deep team since he got the job almost three years ago. He now has four lines that can score, play defense and hit everything in the opposing sweater. Their depth on defense has been great this year. Losing Ference, who was playing very well before his injury, would have crippled them years ago. This season it's different. Plug in Hunwick and don't miss a beat. Everyone keeps waiting for the Thomas/Fernandez duo to falter but Thomas has been spectacular and Fernandez continues to get comfortable. That they are where they are without that true #2 defenseman is absolutely remarkable. Julien has done a great job with motivating guys. I've said it a few times but his benching of Kessel in the playoffs may have turned Kessel from bust to boom. The benching seemed to motivate Kessel, who now plays like he has a rocket up his ass. With Bergeron and Ryder slow going in the goal department, they have the well balanced scoring that a true contender needs. They just need to keep it up.

[Cartman 0]

It's only a matter of time before Bergeron ramps up the scoring too. Ryder hopefully as well but Bergeron should be a sure thing.

[treble 0]

Anyone been to David Frost's new website, Hockey God Online?

 

My favourite part is "Danton's Den", with Mike Danton pictures and a fight video. For some reason, he has comments turned off.

[Red Baron 0]

I think the one true success of Boston this season is that they are healthy. A healthy Bruins team is scary and if they continue to be healthy it's only going to get worse for the Eastern Conference teams.

[the max 0]

Kind of healthy. Kobasew missed some time, Sturm has missed a few in a row with a possible concussion, Ference has been out for a little while now, Ward hurt himself against Detroit. You could argue that Bergeron is still feeling the effects of the hit last year.

 

Bruins are doing well because of their depth and goaltending.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I remember saying in the pre-season they had the components in place to succeed (returns of Bergeron and Kessel), as well as the likely rebounding of Ryder, and the rise to stardom of Savard. I never envisioned the B's playing this well; their defence has been solid from what I've seen, Thomas (though cooling off a little) has been out-of-this-world, and as Max said Saturday, Fernandez has been a perfect backup.

 

 

[Zetterberg is God 0]

Even if the Ducks were dead tired, the Wings still put forth a quality all around effort (for once).

[Zetterberg is God 0]

That wacky Sean Avery:

 

The NHL has suspended Dallas Stars' forward Sean Avery indefinitely, pending a hearing with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, and Avery will not be playing in tonight's game against the Calgary Flames.

 

Avery is being suspended for disparaging remarks he made this morning in reference to Calgary player Dion Phaneuf and Phaneuf's girl friend Elisha Cuthbert, who previously had a relationship with Avery.

 

"I am really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada," Avery said on camera this morning in Calgary. "I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight."

[the pinjockey 0]

I can't believe they suspended him for that "indefinitely, pending a hearing". What the fuck?!? I thought it was hilarious. Let Iginla and Phanuef beat some sense into him.

 

Granted I am fired up because of the most bullshit boarding call I have ever seen on Upshall, but what a pussy league this is turning into.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I'd normally agree except I hope Sean Avery gets Ebola tomorrow, then cured the next day and then as he's walking out of the hospital somebody runs him down with a monster truck that has spiked wheels. God I hate that assfuck.

[Guest]

I liked Sean Avery until I heard that Scott Thornton broke his wrist punching Avery in the face, during a lockerroom fight which occurred when Avery made fun of Dustin Brown's lisp. Now I only kind of like him.

 

And that's a great thing he said.

[treble 0]

I think they had to suspend him, probably just so he didn't get killed. I think he could have been Steve Moore-ed.

[bob_barron 0]

What the fuck? He got suspended for that? That's awesome that he said that, the NHL needs more players like that.

[the pinjockey 0]

If the Stars wanted to suspend him for a game I could understand it, going back to earlier in the season it is clear at least Modano is not a fan of him. So for "conduct detrimental to the team" I can buy a slap on the wrist. But for the league to suspend him and require him to kneel at the alter of Bettman is ridiculous.

 

Also, thank god Jeff Carter will still be a RFA instead of a UFA at the end of his deal.

[garfieldsnose 0]

what happened to daniel briere now? I missed the injury.

[treble 0]

They just didn't want to deal with all the bullshit that probably would have come out of him being on the ice with Phaneuf tonight. They don't need another Bertuzzi incident.

[garfieldsnose 0]

What a joke. Habs lead in all six positions for the All-Star voting.

 

NEW YORK -- Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby is closing in on a trio of Montreal Canadiens in voting for the NHL All-Star Game.

 

Montreal players lead all six starting spots on the Eastern Conference team as of Tuesday, and Crosby is within 65,000 votes of third-place forward Alex Tanguay (385,297).

 

Alex Kovalev (393,303) and Saku Koivu (390,026) lead the voting for the position. Crosby is followed by Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin (264,914).

 

The Canadiens may become the first team to send six starters to the all-star game. Crosby was the leading vote-getter the last two years. The game is Jan. 25 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

 

Habs defensemen Andrei Markov (440,292) and Mike Komisarek (396,754) have more than twice as many votes as Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara.

 

Montreal's Carey Price appears to be a good bet to start in goal. He has 429,087 votes so far -- well ahead of Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at 204,308.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3739533

 

 

Beyond retarded.

[garfieldsnose 0]

Gotta love Scottie Hartnell.

[garfieldsnose 0]

Big manlove to Mike Richards ever since 2004.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I love that Avery line. It's funny because it's true. How can he be suspended for telling the truth? Really, that's what Phaneuf gets for banging Avery's ex.

[CanadianChris 0]

The Stars are just pissed at Avery because they're losing. If they were winning, they'd just laugh it off.

 

I'm getting annoyed at all the sports leagues starting to cross over the line themselves and start suspending guys for basically being colourful. That was nothing to get worked up about, it was pretty funny.

[garfieldsnose 0]

It's a professional sport, and players need to be professional. I can't think of anyone else who has been more unprofessional in his pro career than Avery. He's lucky to still be in the NHL. Doesn't matter if it's the truth or whathaveyou, the context in which it was done was poor and badly misjudged by him.

[Guest Czecherbear]

Wait, some guy just had a gun shoot off in his pants and Sean Avery trash-talking is the most unprofessional thing in pro sports?

[Red Baron 0]

It was a shitty comment made by a shitty player. Besides its not like he is going to be with Dallas anymore and well, you can say his career is pretty much done in the NHL.

[cd213 0]

What the fuck? He got suspended for that? That's awesome that he said that, the NHL needs more players like that.

 

On E:60, Avery pretty much said the same thing. He bashed the league for not pushing people like him, people with a personality, to the forefront. He's got a point. People might be interested if they had a "villian" to root against, as he stated.

 

When I first heard about his suspension, I thought he said something horrible, and then I heard the comment this morning. There was nothing bad about it. It was funny, and true. It's not like he said a racial comment to anyone and then walked away. He made a snide comment, smilied and walked away. Stop being a pussy Bettman.

 

The comment that this would not be an issue if the Stars were playing well, is right. He got away with a lot in NY because they won with him.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Avery's quip was a bit on the misogynistic side (well, maybe not misogyny, but definitely derogatory towards a woman). The NHL seems like it has a lot of female fans, and I can see Bettman not wanting to give tacit approval to 1 of his players talking about women like that. It's not like he was out at a bar & someone overheard it, he specifically made sure to pull over reporters to make the comment.

[BruiserKC 0]

Wait, some guy just had a gun shoot off in his pants and Sean Avery trash-talking is the most unprofessional thing in pro sports?

 

Amen to that. When I saw the comment, I admitted I laughed. It's not the first time we've heard it in a locker room or its been said in any forum. The only reason it was that huge a deal is the fact that he called reporters over to hear it. To be honest, it's another reason I stopped caring about the NHL. I love hockey, but Bettman would have been better served letting this be settled on the ice.

 

[Zetterberg is God 0]

Sources tell TSN the Carolina Hurricanes have fired head coach Peter Laviolette and in a unique about face, have replaced him with former Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

everyone seems to talk about this avery crap like phaneuf is some man-oaf that has no sense of humor and would immediately scream HULLLLLLLLLLK SMAAAAAAAAAASHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH en route to bertuzzi-ing avery for having the gall to insult his puck bunny girlfriend. seriously? he got suspended because he's sean avery. the comment was hardly even offensive. if you think he hasn't said worse crap on the ice to a guy like phaneuf, you're delusional, and phaneuf hasn't broken his face in to this point. it's a stretch to think he was in any danger stepping on the ice against the guy.