NHL - January 2009

[bob_barron 0]

Of course I'm ecstatic to get Luongo back, but many of the games that the Nucks lost without him were because they just played flat. So hopefully they get their shit together in time for his comeback.

 

Their inability to get the puck out of their own zone is going to give me an ulcer.

[Matt Young 0]

I only saw the last period of the Flyers/Leafs game, but based on that and seeing them in person, I must say that the Flyers are fun to watch.

 

Sharks and Canucks next, though I'll be flipping back and forth due to football and the Kings game.

[bob_barron 0]

Yea, that was a pretty fun game even though we lost. The Leafs played well though, and dare I may say it, Vesa Toskala looked competent

[the max 0]

Bruins win. Kessel has cooled off, but Krejci has heated up. He's 9th in the NHL in assists.

 

They lost two in a row but seem to be headed in the right direction. Scabs on tuesday. Lucic may not be back, I wonder who Laraque will follow around.

[bob_barron 0]

Sundin with his first goal as a Canuck!

[Red Baron 0]

Bruins win. Kessel has cooled off, but Krejci has heated up. He's 9th in the NHL in assists.

 

They lost two in a row but seem to be headed in the right direction. Scabs on tuesday. Lucic may not be back, I wonder who Laraque will follow around.

 

The bench.

[the max 0]

He probably should have been doing that last game. Will he look to avenge Komisarek's sound thrashing? Or can Komisarek handle himself? I mean, I know this is 2009 All-Star team. I'm not sure how things work.

[bob_barron 0]

Two games, two losses, two GWG scored while Mats Sundin is in the box.

 

They finally replaced Bertuzzi!

[treble 0]

Oh man, the Canucks missing the playoffs because of Sundin would be even better than when Naslund sat out the Olympics to rest up for the playoffs (that Vancouver missed) and Sweden won Gold.

[bob_barron 0]

That reminds me: Can Marc Crawford be banned from calling Canucks games? It's just unfair that Canuck fans had to suffer through his coaching, and now we have to hear him talk and analyse games. Go away crappy coach.

 

Canucks are still 5 up on 9th place, so I'm not pushing the panic button yet, especially since Luongo is coming back sooner rather than later. They played well tonight, were just the victims of two unlucky bounces. That St. Louis game was a disgrace though.

 

Rumours have the Leafs looking to trade Kaberle and Antroprov. I understanding wanting to rebuild and start over, but you can't just trade all your good players. Antroprov has finally come around after what 8 seasons of people waiting for him, and Kaberle is just awesome. Try to trade Blake for a dinner, it worked for Dave Winfield in 94.

[bob_barron 0]

Also, it's time to see what Justin Pogge has.

 

There's no point in playing Toskala anymore. He played well tonight, but the guy's horrible and won't be brought back next year, so just unload him at the trading deadline and let's see what Pogge can bring to the table. If he's not good, no big loss, they suck anyway.

[the max 0]

And if Pogge doesn't work out, at least the Leafs have Tuukka Rask...oops.

 

Well, at least they still have Rayc--oh, right.

[Matt Young 0]

Well, the Kings got rocked by the Devils, and the Sharks won their game, which was infinitely more entertaining than the Kings game. Boo.

[bob_barron 0]

And if Pogge doesn't work out, at least the Leafs have Tuukka Rask...oops.

 

Well, at least they still have Rayc--oh, right.

 

Raycroft had to go. He made Vesa Toskala seem competent.

 

[Red Baron 0]

They have Cujo still.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

And if Pogge doesn't work out, at least the Leafs have Tuukka Rask...oops.

 

Well, at least they still have Rayc--oh, right.

 

Raycroft had to go. He made Vesa Toskala seem competent.

 

He fucked me on ProLine last week too. 6-1 lifetime (at that point) against the Jackets. Only game I got wrong that night. That's what I get for hinging my finances on Raycroft.

 

He really Barret Jackmaned his Calder, didn't he?

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

They have Cujo still.

 

For how long? Maybe, maybe one year after this?

 

Antropov and Ponikarovsky are going to be enigmas come trade time - they're both bargains (2.5 mil, give or take, for 20-goal guys), but they wouldn't score 20 goals anywhere else - who else would stubbornly give them twenty minutes a night for six years?

 

[bob_barron 0]

Cujo should retire. It's obvious he really doesn't have it anymore.

[garfieldsnose 0]

I only saw the last period of the Flyers/Leafs game, but based on that and seeing them in person, I must say that the Flyers are fun to watch.

 

I appreciate that comment, and Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, along with Gagne are some of the most exciting players to watch this year. They just do it all: PK, PP, 5 on 5, offense, defense, etc. Best trio we've had since the LOD line.

 

[Red Baron 0]

Wayne Gretzky has been crying about getting revenge since the Hawks beat them 7-1 last month. So the Hawks hang 6 on them tonight, and then Fedoruk railroads Huet to start a big scrum accomplishing nothing. Also, Ed Jovanovski got busted open, so that was pretty cool. What a bitch team.

 

Kris Versteeg had another goal, and I think he leads rookies in goals and points now, but he's not going to be rookie of the year. First of all, it's unlikely he maintains those leads, which he would need, and convincing leads at that. Second of all, he's not a true juniors-->NHL rookie, having bounced around Providence and Rockford before catching on with the Blackhawks. Third, related to second, I don't think he's really viewed as future hockey royalty the way other recent Calder winners--Ovechkin, Malkin, Kane--are, rather just an overachieving late bloomer. Fourth, they're not going to give it to the Blackhawks twice.

 

At first when I clicked the link, I thought some guy added Only Women Bleed by Alice Cooper, but it was my Ares playing over top of the youtube video. I thought it was funny.

 

The lyrics sync well to the video surprisingly

[ZGangsta 0]

Canucks are still 5 up on 9th place, so I'm not pushing the panic button yet, especially since Luongo is coming back sooner rather than later. They played well tonight, were just the victims of two unlucky bounces. That St. Louis game was a disgrace though.

I was at the Sharks game and the Canucks actually looked good despite the loss, especially compared to recent games. That St Louis game was just atrocious.

The thing that worries me is that if they keep playing the way they do, Luongo coming back isn't going to make a difference. Everyone seems to be assuming that things will get better when he returns since they were kicking ass right up until he got injured and then started sucking it, but if they can't get the fucking puck out of their own end and having pathetic giveaways then having a great goalie isn't going to fix it.

 

Oh and I don't know if it was shown on TV, but Sundin got like a 3 minute standing ovation after his first goal.

[bob_barron 0]

Canucks are still 5 up on 9th place, so I'm not pushing the panic button yet, especially since Luongo is coming back sooner rather than later. They played well tonight, were just the victims of two unlucky bounces. That St. Louis game was a disgrace though.

I was at the Sharks game and the Canucks actually looked good despite the loss, especially compared to recent games. That St Louis game was just atrocious.

The thing that worries me is that if they keep playing the way they do, Luongo coming back isn't going to make a difference. Everyone seems to be assuming that things will get better when he returns since they were kicking ass right up until he got injured and then started sucking it, but if they can't get the fucking puck out of their own end and having pathetic giveaways then having a great goalie isn't going to fix it.

 

Oh and I don't know if it was shown on TV, but Sundin got like a 3 minute standing ovation after his first goal.

 

Awesome, another Nucks fan.

 

I've been saying the same thing- Luongo coming back is great, but he can't stand on his head every game when the team just comes out flat. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who has noticed their pathetic attempts at clearing the puck.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

According to TSN.ca's home page, there seems to be lots of talk about Montreal getting Lecavalier from Tampa.

[Matt Young 0]

Speaking of Tampa, tonight is the first ever matchup between Stamkos and Drew Doughty, and I will be there live.

 

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

According to TSN.ca's home page, there seems to be lots of talk about Montreal getting Lecavalier from Tampa.

 

I just finished reading McKenzie's piece on it. A simple "Don't trade me" from Vinny would wrap up this story pretty quickly, but I'm getting awfully excited about this possiblity. I like the alleged package for him, as well: Suppan, a few picks, Plekanec and Higgins. I remember the potential offer last year being one (or both) Kostitsyns, Higgins, and a first-rounder.

 

What's his contract like? Is it even, or is it front (or back) loaded in any way? The idea of paying a player 11 million a season, in an era where the cap will decrease, shortly before Koivu and Kovalev become UFA's......that sits poorly with me.

 

Know what? Fuck it. I said it five weeks ago, but fuck it. Do whatever the hell you want or need to to in order to win the Cup this year. Don't care how.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

I believe that Vinny's contract is front loaded.

 

Here are the details I've found on his contract:

 

According to TSN television in Canada, the deal will pay Lecavalier $10 million per season in salary and bonuses for the first six seasons, before dropping to $8.5 million in 2016-2017, $4 million in 2017-2018, $1.5 million in 2018-2019 and $1 million in 2019-2020.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I believe that Vinny's contract is front loaded.

 

Here are the details I've found on his contract:

 

According to TSN television in Canada, the deal will pay Lecavalier $10 million per season in salary and bonuses for the first six seasons, before dropping to $8.5 million in 2016-2017, $4 million in 2017-2018, $1.5 million in 2018-2019 and $1 million in 2019-2020.

 

So, let's say 3ish million dollars in wiggle room - some combination of Plekanec, Higgins, Gorges gives them the space to do it. With ten UFA's (Koivu and Kovalev among them), there's going to be an awful lot of Hamilton Bulldogs on the Habs next year.

 

Don't care how. Win the Cup this year. Whatever it takes. Don't care how.

[the max 0]

The cap hit is the average amount on the contract. Lecavalier signed an 11/85 contract. This means that no matter what he's being paid per season, his cap hit always remains 7.727272.

 

And if the Bolts trade Lecavalier for that half-assed Montreal package, they might as well just fold. Subban, a few picks, Plekanec and Higgins? For one of the top 10 players in the league? Holy shit.

[the max 0]

And it's a good thing that Kessel wasn't named to the All-Star team as he has mononucleosis and will be out for probably about a month. He was placed on IR.

 

...

 

 

What the fuck.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

I believe that Vinny's contract is front loaded.

 

Here are the details I've found on his contract:

 

According to TSN television in Canada, the deal will pay Lecavalier $10 million per season in salary and bonuses for the first six seasons, before dropping to $8.5 million in 2016-2017, $4 million in 2017-2018, $1.5 million in 2018-2019 and $1 million in 2019-2020.

 

So, let's say 3ish million dollars in wiggle room - some combination of Plekanec, Higgins, Gorges gives them the space to do it. With ten UFA's (Koivu and Kovalev among them), there's going to be an awful lot of Hamilton Bulldogs on the Habs next year.

 

Don't care how. Win the Cup this year. Whatever it takes. Don't care how.

 

I'll agree with you there. There is only so much planning for the future you can do. Go for broke and take a run at the cup.