NHL 2011-2012 Season General Thread

[Derfel]

Go Jets Go.

Also - if anyone is running (rooted) Android and would like to be able to stream games live on their phone, let me know.

[WiseGuy]

Philly K and Lupul will take toronto into playoffs this year.

[SniperGimp]

Hells yeah, finally all my hard work cheering on the boys in blue is going to pay off.

[Mike-KT]

Tons of surprises in the top 16 so far this season. Sens, leafs, oilers, stars?

[BrAy]

Leafs and oilers top of the standing.. it was just a matter of time the oilers got there, ill admit im surprised the leafs are doing so well, i figured playoffs but only squeaking in.

[WiseGuy]

Oilers are the new Penguins.

[Derfel]

Oilers are the new Penguins.

That's the second time I've heard that this week. Buddy of mine predicts Edmonton in the finals next year, actually.

[Mike-KT]

The oilers need a goalie, but they will be a strong team. Teubert has been called up, a lot depends on how good he becomes

[Derfel]

The oilers need a goalie, but they will be a strong team. Teubert has been called up, a lot depends on how good he becomes

Khabibulin is decent when he's on his game?

[gOOCH]

you selected one good night to comment on standings

and i am interested derfel

[fulltarget]

REIMINISTER OF DEFENSE SHOULD BE RETURNING SOON. BLEED BLUE AND WHITE.

Joe Colbourne has played 10 games with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, scored 9 goals and earned 9 assist earning 18 points, with 0 PIMs. He is the top offense leader in the AHL right now with most points and goals. Now tell me that's not a Center you would love to have? and Kessel (this guy is going to end up with an 100pt season soon, right now he is also also the top offense leader in the NHL with most points, goal, p/m and has one assist less then the leader Karlsson in Ottawa)... THANK YOU BOSTON!!!!!

[ugly]

Yeah, it's a pretty weird season so far. Usually you expect some strange teams or players at the top of the standings or stats, but it usually levels off after a couple weeks.

Ottawa is suddenly the ultimate comeback team. Toronto seems like a fairly strong team (although, to temper your enthusiasm they have played a lot of weak teams early in the season). Boston is terrible. Vancouver seems right there with them. Florida is suddenly not terrible.

At least Winnipeg seems like they're starting to get competitive. Kane had a horrible start, but he's starting to bury the puck.

And what happened to Detroit? They start out 5-0. Then they get thumped by Washington on their way to losing 6 straight and only scoring 6 goals in the process.

Edmonton - I think that shows you how important smart players are to a team. Hall and Eberle were pretty good last year. But adding Nugent-Hopkins really made them a threat. Drafts always seem to focus on players that are big goal-scorers, and they especially love anyone who might be a power forward. But smart players are the best players. And, unfortunately, that's probably the most difficult thing to scout for.

But a lot of people seem to think that Edmonton is stacked up front but without defence. They do have a lot of potential on the blueline. They have Smid, Whitney, and Barker - all fairly recent top 10 selections. Defencemen take a longer time to develop. Goaltending might also be an issue, but as Chicago showed, you can win without great goaltending. And I think goaltenders are becoming the oversupplied position. If you think back to the mid-90s, there were only a couple of truly great goalies in the league - Hasek, Roy, Belfour, Brodeur - then there was everyone else. Now it doesn't seem like there is really an elite tier of goalies. You could probably take any of the top 10 or 15 goalies in the league and they'd all be pretty good candidates for the all-star team. A lot of teams even have 2 very capable goalies (Boston has Thomas and Rask, Vancouver has Luongo and Schneider, LA has Quick and Bernier).

[WiseGuy]

Bluejackets have Mason.

[Mike-KT]

As my favourite Sens blog, http://6thsens.com wrote (http://the6thsens.com/2011-articles/october/smokeandmirrors9439193.html)


In the seven games that Ottawa has won, the teams that they have beat have had a combined record of 29-32-12. In the eight games that the Senators have played against these opponents (Toronto x 2, Carolina, Winnipeg, Florida, Minnesota, Columbus and the New York Rangers), Ottawa has outscored the opposition 32-24 and all but one of the games was decided by one goal. Conversely, the five opponents that have beaten Ottawa have a combined record of 32-17-2. In the six games that Ottawa has played against these teams (Toronto x 2, Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit and Colorado), they have been outscored 29-15 and have had three games decided by just one goal.


When I was at the Sens/Leafs game on Sunday both teams looked pretty terrible, especially in their own end. Ottawa was better with puck control and breaking out of their end, but the game left me wondering how either team is succeeding.



Also what's with Kyle Turris and trying to be the worst player to ever hold out for so long?

[Derfel]

you selected one good night to comment on standings

and i am interested derfel

I tried PM - FULL.

[gOOCH]

jimmy howard hasd a baby, thats what happened to detroit

and i cleared some of it, ty

[Mike-KT]

While i think the leafs performance is surprising, Burke did hit a number of home runs in terms of trades last year. It also helps that Lupal went from being a salary dump to a useful player. If only Cheechoo could have done the same

[Derfel]

Okay gooch, PM sent.

The one team I can't seem to get a handle on this year is St. Louis. Beating the Canucks last night, they looked good. But can it last, or will they fizzle yet again?

Oh, and LOL @ Columbus. I feel sorry for them, really.

[ugly]

Yeah, St. Louis is a tough team to gauge. They seem like they have a lot of young talent that should be improving and seemed like they're on the brink of making a big jump for the last season or two. But they haven't really managed to improve.

And I think they may have been burned by Halak. Halak was a hot goalie for one play-off. And he looked even better because he was playing behind a weak Montreal team that really needed to back in defensively and hope for a few lucky bounces to win play-off style hockey. They just backed it in, blocked a lot of shots and cleared out rebounds the best they could and hoped to win some games like that - they insulated Halak a lot. Luckily for Montreal and Halak, they were up against Pittsburgh, who run a terrible offensive system of bitch grinding and taking terrible angle shots and jamming at it in front of the net in close and never taking shots from dangerous areas of the ice. This played right into Montreal's hand. Halak just needed to cover the bottom of the net in close, and Montreal's defence just needed to block the point shots, and Pittsburgh barely even tries to work the puck into the high slot. So Halak's job wasn't that difficult. But, since the Penguins were the defending Cup champions that made Halak look like a hero.

Montreal was smart about it and knew what was going on, and sold Halak while his value was inflated. Meanwhile, the Blues figured they had solved their goaltending issues, but are stuck with a big contract, and getting better results from Ottawa castoff Elliot who is making almost league-minimum. Just look at their stats (http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20112012&gameType=2&team=STL&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=goalsAgainstAverage).

And, yeah, you start to feel sorry for some of these smaller market teams like Columbus that can't seem to build a team. There are teams like Washington, Pittsburgh, or Edmonton who are shitty for a few years, seem to land some really good high draft picks (and are lucky enough to have those draft picks when there are can't-miss prospects like Ovechkin, Malkin, and Crosby), and then are back in the mix a few years later.

Then you get teams like Phoenix and Columbus that just can't build a team even though they draft fairly high year after year.

Look at Phoenix's draft history (http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr00007450.html). People say it isn't a hockey market and nobody shows up to games, but nobody wants to see a loser. From 1996 to to 2003 the only players they drafted that have played a significant number of games in the NHL was Danny Briere, and Fredrik Sjostrom and Trevor Letoski (both 4th line, fringe players). How does that even happen?

Same with Columbus (http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr00005316.html). Leclaire was a very good goalie, but just couldn't stay healthy. Nash is very good. They got burned by highly talented players who just couldn't put it together with Zherdev and Filatov (having a strict coach like Hitchcock isn't great for developing offensively talented players). But it's just year after year of top 10 draft picks that haven't been able to be become more than below average players.

And then they manage to get a rookie of the year goalie in Mason who, for some reason, has barely been able to make a save since.

[Mike-KT]

BLEED BLUE AND WHITE...THANK YOU BOSTON!!!!!
I don't recommend looking at tonight's boxscore

[Derfel]

Wow - Jets are losing defencemen left and right - down 5 already, maybe 6.

Still - 7 out of a possible 10 points on this road trip so far, I can live with that.

[fulltarget]

I don't recommend looking at tonight's boxscore

I saw the stinker tonight. Leafs do not play well against physical teams period. Benching Schenn for Franson wasn't a smart idea either as Gardiner and Franson are both offensive defensemen and they were both paired together on the third pairing. Smart? No not really. This team need to hire a PP/PK specialist to help the team. Ron Wilson has tried it for four years? and it has never worked.

Maple Leafs - Young , Inexperienced, Talented


but my "THANK YOU BOSTON" still doesn't change.


GO LEAFS GO

[SniperGimp]

ouch, that was rough indeed. Kinda gald I wasn't home to watch.

[ugly]

Like I said before, I'd temper your enthusiasm for the Leafs.

The Leafs have won 9 games this year: 5 against teams that didn't make the play-offs last year, 3 against terrible teams (Montreal twice and New York). The only viable threat they beat was Pittsburgh - who were at the end of 13 games in 24 days, without Crosby or Staal, and were playing their back-up goalie. Yeah, you could say that Toronto played their back-up goalie as well, but counting a guy that kind of came out of nowhere with a whole 43 games under his belt as your saviour isn't exactly reassuring. There are a lot of examples of young goalies coming into the league and playing really well, who then sort of fall off the map once teams figure them out.

Also, Toronto has had pretty bad special teams. They have the 3rd most goals in the league right now, but their PP is ranked 20th and their PK is dead last at 70.9% - a full 2.3% worse than any other team in the league.

They're next couple of games are against softer/unproven opponents as well - Florida, St. Louis, and Ottawa. I'd at least wait until after November before making any real judgments. They'll have played some stronger teams like Nashville, Washington, Dallas, and some physical teams like Anaheim and Boston.

[fulltarget]

Bottom line is we lost one game big deal, it was a shit show, you can put Roy in net and it would still of been a shit show, we will bounce back from it. I still believe Big Ben will be the solution for years to come and Gus will be part of a trade package once Reim's is back and 100% healthy.

I know there will be more trades to come in the upcoming months for the Leafs, pretty sure Burke is not 100% yet. They desperately need somebody in the top six who can bring some jam on the forecheck, somebody like a Brendan Morrow or Dustin Brown. Not saying were gonna get those guys, just naming examples of the kind of player we need. With Armstrong out, the entire top 9 is lacking in this area.

[gOOCH]

Bottom line is we lost one game big deal, it was a shit show, you can put Roy in net and it would still of been a shit show
you say this after ugly just outlined their opponents this season and that the havent played any decent teams, they can make the playoffs by playing in a terrible division, but they wont go far at all
komisarik and schenn are trash

[Derfel]

they can make the playoffs by playing in a terrible division, but they wont go far at all


You do realize that when the Leafs make the playoffs, it's like winning the cup for their fans. It's really all they can aspire to.

[WiseGuy]

i think it's kinda funny people have to make excuses for teams that the leafs beat.

[gOOCH]

i think it's kinda funny people have to make excuses for teams that the leafs beat.

what excuses?

[Crayola]

what excuses?

dont you know?

meaningless excuses like no crosby staal or fleury. not like any of those players ever do anything

[gOOCH]

wouldnt even call those excuses

[fulltarget]

you say this after ugly just outlined their opponents this season and that the havent played any decent teams, they can make the playoffs by playing in a terrible division, but they wont go far at all
komisarik and schenn are trash

Wait, who thinks the Leafs will go far in the playoffs? I mean its possible, but very unlikely. The Leafs are in the rebuilding phase if you haven't noticed.. our depth is solid compared to 2-3 years ago.

Sure we haven't faced any 'decent' teams but who gives a shit? Did we not win most of them even with our 'backup' goalies in net?

The purpose of this year is get into the playoffs because we haven't seen the playoffs since when? Pat Quinn? (our first is probably going to be traded, pretty sure draft is going to be weak), we have the players, they are mostly all young but inexperienced though. The whole Toronto Maple Leaf roster has changed drastically over the years. Ever since Kabs left, there is not one player remaining from the team's last playoff season.

And Cray, dont speak, have you seen Eric Staal? -16, Luke Schenn is not playing good hockey either atm, but hello? Its called a slump, players get them. How can you say they are trash? Who knows if Crosby will play like he used to, he should but never know. Plus who knows what will happen to Jordan Staal after Crosby returns, with Neal looking like a top six player, and Crosby finally returning, the Pens are going to have to commit about 26 million to just 4 forwards next year (not including Staal).

[gOOCH]

the thread was made on the night the leafs were top in the league, along with other "surprise teams", that are really just currently over rated in the standings

crosby will pick up his point streak right where he left off

[Crayola]

And Cray, dont speak, have you seen Eric Staal? -16, Luke Schenn is not playing good hockey either atm, but hello? Its called a slump, players get them. How can you say they are trash? Who knows if Crosby will play like he used to, he should but never know. Plus who knows what will happen to Jordan Staal after Crosby returns, with Neal looking like a top six player, and Crosby finally returning, the Pens are going to have to commit about 26 million to just 4 forwards next year (not including Staal).

i guess it didnt come across but i was using sarcasm in reference to peter's post

[WiseGuy]

lol success

[0ptik]

Did anyone catch the tampa philly game? holy fuck, the first period, all about stalling, it was horrible. Spent minutes in their own end just waiting for a forechecker and tampa wouldnt do it. so philly defense would just stand there with the puck. Fans were going crazy

---------- Post added at 10:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 PM ----------


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lpMxc4fZNU

[Derfel]

Sorry - it's part of the game. How the hell are you going to "outlaw" it?

I wish they would stop tinkering with the game, and learn to work around systems like that instead.

[0ptik]

While watching it, i thought it was ridiculous. They just stood there. It wasnt the whole, change it. I just wanted to show what they did.

[FrankTheTank]

they should add a shot clock above the net

[gOOCH]

this is what happens when you have legit coaches

[Lopert]

CAMPING IS THE NEW META

[Xzinum]

Zone defense, which has been part of basketball since forever, was outlawed for decades in the NBA. I don't see why the NHL can't enforce it.

[Lopert]

In my non-hockey watching opinion, I think it's the responsibility of whoever has the puck to keep the game moving.

[Mike-KT]

Legitimate strat. Why should anyone have to play into the other team's defensive system?

[WiseGuy]

i think it's fine.

[Crayola]

they lost anyways...lol

[ugly]

There really isn't a problem with these defensive trap systems. Teams can get around them. The problem is when the refs don't properly call penalties, especially interference. It's one thing to get around some kind of zone defence, but it's another thing to do it when the defending team is able to expand their reach by grabbing at players and impeding them when they don't have the puck or proper body position on them.

Others have said that teams should be allowed to play to their strengths. So if you have a bunch of injured players like Tampa Bay did and can't effectively mount a forecheck and are stuck relying on sitting back and waiting to counter-attack they should be allowed to do that. But they shouldn't be able to shut the other team down by hooking, holding, and interfering with players who don't have the puck.

[Xzinum]

And they wonder why Tampa Bay has some of the lowest attendance in the league.

[SniperGimp]

I think what Tampa Bay did was not wrong, but not 100% right either. Then again the same could be said of the Flyers. If you are not good enough to beat that system of defence, then you are not good enough to beat their team. Forcing teams to commit to one strategy over another is not a good idea IMO.

[0ptik]

Hockey is supposed to be a fast paced game. Fans dont pay good money to watch a team stand around.

[WiseGuy]

how about that Skrimens / how about that improved powerplay

[ugly]

Nice Stefan impression here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_dAYLIG984

[Derfel]

Oops.

Jets dismantled the Caps last night. That was nice to watch!

[ugly]

Caps are suddenly not playing so well. Ovechkin is having another year where his production is down. Rumours say that he's miserable with the new direction the team is taking since it's cutting his ice time.

E. Kane has started to pick things up after a pretty miserable start with Winnipeg. I have him in a keeper league, and he's been one of my better players lately.

[monty slick]

I was offered Kessel for OV in my keeper league about a month ago, I turned it down. :(

[Blarg]

"Filly don't do rebounds" (http://www.senatorsextra.com/main/filly-dont-do-rebounds) :lol:

[Mike-KT]

This helps me understand my Twitter feed a lot better

[ugly]

Wow, what's the deal with Philly and Winnipeg? 5-2 Jets and it's still the second.

[Derfel]

Wow, what's the deal with Philly and Winnipeg? 5-2 Jets and it's still the second.

What - should have been 6-2 like last game between them?

Jets were awesome in the first two periods, and mediocre in the last period. Still pulled it off!

[Blitz Ap0C 552]

A friend took me to the Capitals game this week with seats only 7 rows up. Was such a super awesome time!!

The Jets are playing like a boss right now! Love it!

It would be sweet if they could carry that onto the road.

[WiseGuy]

wow what's up with the caps being super bad, not to put a damper on the jets victory but the caps just got dismantled by the leafs tonight 7-1.

[ugly]

Looks like Crosby will be back on Monday (http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=380912)

I'm not sure it's the wisest move. One of the games late last seasons against the Islanders turned into a bloodbath.

[WiseGuy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqqvj4G4Bbg

[WiseGuy]

hmmmmm that's a lot of toronto on there:
http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=603786&navid=DL|TOR|home

[ugly]

The fan-voting all-star ballot is so stupid. Every year it seems one team's fans stuff the ballot like crazy.

That's not to say that Kessel doesn't deserve to be there this season. You can tell Ottawa fans are stuffing the ballot this year. I remember earlier it was all Ottawa players.

[Derfel]

One Winnipeg player? Bah.

[WiseGuy]

holy what a hit http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=802&id=140031

[ugly]

So, they agreed on re-alignment. It is the 4 conference model that was talked about a bit. So, sort of like how it used to be. Every team will play other divisions in a home-and-home. Doesn't look like they've sorted out how play-offs will go. Possibly the old divisional 1 vs. 4, 2 vs 3, and then a re-seeding for the second round so different teams have a chance at meeting in later rounds.

From TSN the proposed divisions are:

Conference A
Anaheim
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose
Vancouver

Conference B
Chicago
Columbus
Dallas
Detroit
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis
Winnipeg

Conference C
Boston
Buffalo
Florida
Montreal
Ottawa
Tampa Bay
Toronto

Conference D
Carolina
New Jersey
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington

[0ptik]

holy what a hit http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=802&id=140031

i love the approval nod.

[Crayola]

thats kinda dangerous, helmet comes off before head hits boards

[0ptik]

So, they agreed on re-alignment. It is the 4 conference model that was talked about a bit. So, sort of like how it used to be. Every team will play other divisions in a home-and-home. Doesn't look like they've sorted out how play-offs will go. Possibly the old divisional 1 vs. 4, 2 vs 3, and then a re-seeding for the second round so different teams have a chance at meeting in later rounds.

From TSN the proposed divisions are:

Conference A
Anaheim
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose
Vancouver

Conference B
Chicago
Columbus
Dallas
Detroit
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis
Winnipeg

Conference C
Boston
Buffalo
Florida
Montreal
Ottawa
Tampa Bay
Toronto

Conference D
Carolina
New Jersey
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/392770_10150500109096083_640676082_10930649_195381 7048_n.jpg

[Blarg]

Tampa/Florida are in that division due to the snowbirds from Tor/Ott/Mon. It works well for the southern teams

[monty slick]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2011/12/05/sp-boogaard-brain-reports.html

[Derfel]

Yeah, Florida and Tampa actually really liked it this way. Lots of cheap flights back and forth from Toronto?

[SniperGimp]

I always liked the 4 conference system. I'm glad they are going back to it.

Also here is the scheduling plans, including playoffs. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2011/12/05/sp-nhl-realignment-vote.html


Under the format, every team would play every other team outside its conference in a home-and-away series.

In the seven-team conferences, teams will play six times, three home, three away. In the eight-team conferences, teams would play either five or six times in a season on a rotating basis.

This process would reverse each season. An eight-team conference member that plays an opponent six times in one season would play it five times the following season.

The playoff implications from the new format would see the top four teams in each conference qualify for the postseason. The first-place team would play the fourth-place team while the second-place and third-place teams would square off.

The four respective conference champions would meet in the third round, with the two remaining teams playing for the Stanley Cup.

[WiseGuy]

which 2 meet with with which 2 in the semis?

[Xzinum]

wat?

East-West semis are retained.

[Derfel]

I always thought league-wide re-seeding was best - this way you can have ANY matchup in the finals in any given year.

[ugly]

Tampa Bay and Florida are just kind of thrown in there because those are teams that nobody seems to care about. Geographically it would make more sense if they were with Carolina, but then you have 3 fairly shitty, low-draw, low-payroll teams in one division.

I don't know what would work best for a play-off format. I was thinking maybe do a first round of divisional match-ups: 1vs4, 2vs3. Then re-seed from there. Maybe re-seed only in the conference for the 2nd round. Then when you're in the semi-finals they can re-seed again across the whole league, since a lot of people seem to like the idea of the possibility of any two teams being able to meet in the finals.

[WiseGuy]

wat?

East-West semis are retained.


The four respective conference champions would meet in the third round, with the two remaining teams playing for the Stanley Cup.

[WiseGuy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPP7iqMqd74

[Xzinum]

Winner of A vs Winner of B
Winner of C vs Winner of D

I don't know how this is confusing.

[gOOCH]

Winner of A vs Winner of B
Winner of C vs Winner of D

I don't know how this is confusing.

might not be this way, reseeding at third round is still being discussed according to tsn

[Xzinum]

Teams don't usually like to travel across 3 time zones to play a game. I highly doubt Vancouver would be playing Montreal in the semis.

ibmontrealwouldnevermakeithatfar

[SniperGimp]

I think it would make sense to do it by points

Conference A winner Season point total 102
Conference B winner Season point total 94
Conference C winner Season point total 98
Conference D winner Season point total 110

In this method,
A would play C
B would play D

Home advantage goes to A and D due to higher point count. Just an example, feel free to point out flaws.

[ugly]

Winner of A vs Winner of B
Winner of C vs Winner of D

I don't know how this is confusing.
It's not a matter of confusion, it's a matter of play-off match-ups. In the years where the divisions are imbalanced you'll burn out a lot of good play-off match-ups in the first two rounds.

For example, last year Boston would have had a fairly easy way through their division in the proposed Conference C. While in Conference D you have a pile-up of quality teams like Pittsburgh, Washington, and Philadelphia. That's pretty much 2 of your best contenders out after 2 rounds even if there aren't upsets (and those 3 teams are also very marketable teams too).

[Xzinum]

In the years where the divisions are imbalanced you'll burn out a lot of good play-off match-ups in the first two rounds.

The NBA had that problem, they changed the playoff match-ups so that the top two point earners gets #1 and #2 seeds.

One of the main reasons why east and west meet in the finals is travel costs. And again, the NBA adopted the 2-3-2 finals scheme. It would be silly to have 4 teams travel back and forth between the east cost and west coast, just because.

[monty slick]

McCowan just laid it out like he knew what he was talking about. Last 4 match up by season point totals. 1st vs 4th, 2nd vs 3rd.

[gOOCH]

It would be silly to have 4 teams travel back and forth between the east cost and west coast, just because.

EXCEPT UGLY JUST LAID OUT A SOLID REASON WHY

[Xzinum]

EXCEPT UGLY JUST LAID OUT A SOLID REASON WHY

Then why not have a single 30 team conference? Problem solved, travel costs through the roof and awesome* hockey all year long.

You guys will be the first to complain that the Stanley Cup finals was boring because both team are deflated and tired from all the travelling and time zone changes.

*awesome is relative.

[Derfel]

Wow - Jets were awesome last night against the Bruins. What a great game to watch...!

[gOOCH]

Then why not have a single 30 team conference? Problem solved, travel costs through the roof and awesome* hockey all year long.

You guys will be the first to complain that the Stanley Cup finals was boring because both team are deflated and tired from all the travelling and time zone changes.

*awesome is relative.

DONT SASS ME WITH YOUR SHITTY STRAWMAN ARGUMENTS

one more potential inter conference series its a worthwhile tradeoff to see the best two teams in the league in the finals
this has been a complaint in past years as we dont see the best two teams in the finals yet they are consistently in the final 4

the cup finals have never boring due to long distance travel

[Xzinum]

You guys will still complain that the best match-ups happened in the semis.


the cup finals have never boring due to long distance travel
That's because they haven't been crossing 3 time zones every other night for the last two weeks in the semis.

[gOOCH]

DONT TELL ME WHAT I COMPLAIN ABOUT, DONT TELL ME WHAT TO DO, YOUR NOT THE BOSS OF ME

[Crayola]

youre

[gOOCH]

GET OUTA MY HEAD D

[Derfel]

Outta.

[ugly]

I think one potential problem if you don't re-seed is that you're very likely to have a final between a West coast team and an East cost team. That's sort of a problem we have now. I doubt it is good for TV ratings (and won't somebody please think of the children who can't stay up late) when the finals are played 3 hours later because of the time difference. The NHL barely gets prime-time attention as it is - NBC doesn't even carry the first two games of the Cup final. So when the finals are on the west coast, I would think that's bad.

I've never thought that play-off travel of much of an issue. I'm sure it might be to the players, but to fans the play-offs are generally exciting even when the hockey is sort of shitty. The play-offs are all about players playing through pain and giving all they have left whatever the circumstances.

[WiseGuy]

When i was a kid part of the fun of play-offs was staying up late to watch the game.

I stil remember staying up till past like 1AM the year the stars one in triple OT. I was only in gr7.

[ugly]

When I was in early grade-school, I hated when games went to OT in the play-offs and my parents would make me go to bed before it was over.

[0ptik]

I come from a big hockey family so we watch the playoffs every year and i would always be allowed to stay even with the 4 overtimes that comes almost every year now. But as a student, playoffs fall during winter finals, which suck ass.

[ugly]

Yeah, that was always the worst thing about exams. They're always during the first round too, which is the best round. In the last 8 years I basically saw the first round once.

[SniperGimp]

Insert nostalgia about watching games on a tiny B/W TV that I found in our old greenhouse that my parents didn't know I had in my room. (they probably did know, just chose to ignore because I was quiet at night).

[BrAy]

So My Habs Trade Jaroslav Spacek for Kaberle... I have always liked him while he was in Toronto.. but ever since he left hasn't been the same person.. hopefully the spotlight actually helps his game..

Don't mind the trade no idea why Carolina would want a guy on IR but.. meh

[Crayola]

SO HOW BOUT THAT MLSE

[gOOCH]

So My Habs Trade Jaroslav Spacek for Kaberle... I have always liked him while he was in Toronto.. but ever since he left hasn't been the same person.. hopefully the spotlight actually helps his game..

Don't mind the trade no idea why Carolina would want a guy on IR but.. meh
kaberle has no future with carolina
carolina dumped a bit of salary, and got the better player at a lower price

mtl addressed their need for someone to qb their powerplay

[ugly]

Kaberle was a disaster in Carolina (not that the rest of the team isn't). They couldn't wait to get rid of him. Montreal is desperate for help on the PP. But, so was Carolina when they got Kaberle.

[Derfel]

http://thepuckdoctors.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/kaberle-cup-f.jpg

[Sweetlou]

so he was traded twice in three years. when will he return to T.O

[WiseGuy]

still a fantastic picture - but i have lost my love for that man :( getting rid of him was actually a great move. Our D is much better now.

[Mike-KT]

Actually a great move? Has Burke had a better trade while he's been with the leafs? Get rid of an unproductive Offinsive defensemen for Colburn and a 1st rounder? It's a steal. The Leafs were strong on D anyway, they got more than they gave up for sure. I would love for the Sens to get a prospect and a 1st rounder for either Kuba or Gonchar, but even though the two are having great seasons (until Kuba's injury), it's not going to happen

[ugly]

It's nice to see Gonchar playing well again. In his last year in Pittsburgh he really looked like he was done, and he didn't make much of a case for himself in Ottawa last year either.

Speaking of Ottawa, I have to say Karlsson quickly became one of my favourite players in the league. The first time I saw him play I was impressed (I think it was mostly in their play-off series against Pittsburgh). When you see passes he makes, the options he sees, and the plays he creates you can tell he's got something special. And it's good that he has Gonchar on the team with him because, especially when he got to Pittsburgh Gonchar became a very good defenceman, instead of just more of a one-dimensional offensive guy.

[Mike-KT]

Ottawa has a good group of young players, although reports from Sweden seem to say that zibadnijad is having a slow season, and I disagree with constant benching of filatov.

[Derfel]

Oh man - Jets were on fire last night against Carolina.

[Mike-KT]

Yeah, but how about those Oilers?

[Crayola]

against Carolina.

this guyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Mike-KT]

now Ottawa's two necessary pieces of trade bait, Kuba and Gonchar, are on injured. I really hope they get healthy and playing well before the trading deadline so that some stupid team (likely Philly, with Pronger's injury) can over pay for them

[Derfel]

this guyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Let's see how they do against the Wings tonight in a back-to-back.

[ugly]

Kaberle had 2 assists in his Montreal debut.

He has 6 points in the 6 games since I dropped him from my fantasy team. He had 5 points in the 24 games that I had him.

I hate life.

[Crayola]

7-1

[gOOCH]

Let's see how they do against the Wings tonight in a back-to-back.

DARREN SHARPER

[Derfel]

First the Jets beat the Bruins... now the Wild? With some of their top players out with injury?

On fire.

[ugly]

Pronger out possibly for the whole season with concussion (http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=382826)

It's pretty crazy right now. The top producer (Giroux), the top scorer (Michalek), the best player (Crosby), the rookie of the year (Skinner), and the worst contract in the NHL (Pronger) are out with concussions.

[WiseGuy]

yup they've been dropping like flies for some reason... worst part is, I can see the non-hockey people starting to walk in on this issue like the visor incidents a few years back.

[Mike-KT]

I think they should all wear cages

[Derfel]

I think they should all wear cages

You sound like my wife...

Sent from my TC970 (Wi-Fi) using Tapatalk

[Crayola]

your wife is a black man?

[Mike-KT]

Psh you're only half black philsy

[Xzinum]

and half midget.

OH!

[gOOCH]

OH!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4G1L8lV6LQ

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 AM ----------


Pronger out possibly for the whole season with concussion (http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=382826)

It's pretty crazy right now. The top producer (Giroux), the top scorer (Michalek), the best player (Crosby), the rookie of the year (Skinner), and the worst contract in the NHL (Pronger) are out with concussions.


Pronger out possibly for the whole season with concussion (http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=382826)

It's pretty crazy right now. The top producer (Giroux), the top scorer (Michalek), the best player (Crosby), the rookie of the year (Skinner), and the worst contract in the NHL (Pronger) are out with concussions.

love how pretty much NO ONE protests anything, the players and media are sucking the nhls dick as always

you can argue giroux and michaleks hits were with teamates, but im pretty sure giroux aggravated a previous head injury

the nhl doesnt record concussion rates, there are no solid statistics to base decisions off of looking back

there is STILL bs monkeybusiness where injuries have become simply upper or lower body injuries making it difficult to record stats

there is still bs around concussion like symptoms and a concussion that teams fuck around with, for example bryan burke on reimers concussion among others

philly even said prongers concussion was a virus?

the nhl is run like a shitty african country

[WiseGuy]

yea the concussion like symptoms thing is a real joke - i'll agree with you there.

[ugly]

Yeah, the way the NHL publishes injury information is pretty bad. But, at the same time, I can see why teams are hesitant to publish what players are injured with - you know every other team in the league will be gunning for those sore spots.

And it seems like a lot of players don't really know they have concussions. It's hard to comment on that without ever suffering from a concussion. Crosby's case seems sort of typical. He got rocked by Steckel and was visibly shaken, but finished the game, played the next one and was hit again by Hedman on a fairly innocent looking play. Letang gets blasted in the head Pacioretty, comes back out and scores the winning goal in OT and then hasn't played since. That's even with this new 'quiet room' protocol. Same with Pronger - I think the concussion probably stemmed from that stick to the eye. Then he gets hit hard by Hanzal, but again a fairly innocent play and he's done.

Even the doctors don't seem to know what is going on. Remember back in the play-offs there was talk about Crosby possibly coming back and he was skating, but then they said he was having headaches, but it might be a sinus infection?

And I think a lot of the problem is the culture around the league. This whole 'don't be a pussy' culture that especially comes from the top brass of mostly knuckledraggers that run the league. You know: visors are for gays and the French, walk it off, etc.

TSN just did an interview with a concussion specialist and he said that while maybe some of the recent concussions (Michalek and Giroux) might be accidental, unavoidable plays the majority are these brutal headshots and elbows. And, like Gooch said, it accidental collisions might have aggravated a pre-existing injury. Shannahan has been throwing down a lot of suspensions, but most of them are jokes, or else these $2,500 fines. That's pocket change even to a guy making the league minimum. Or else they come up with the bullshit excuses like 'he's trying to get up ice' (that was the excuse for Steckel's and another clear headshot by one of the Capitals that happened a few weeks ago).

[Crayola]

nice edit derfel

[Derfel]

nice edit derfel

It was a misquote.

Sent from my TC970 (Wi-Fi) using Tapatalk

[monty slick]

NHLish - Mike Milbury facing charges in minor hockey incident

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2011/12/16/sp-milbury.html

How does this surface a week after the incident happened? I thought everybody videos everything everywhere now.

[Mike-KT]

Kyle Turris to the Sens for David Runblad and a 2nd round draft pick.

I'm not a fan of this deal, but Ottawa has strength on the blue-line so....

[ugly]

Yeah, that seems like quite a lot for Turris. Turris was supposed to be a pretty good player, but he hasn't done much in his career, and he's now known as an asshole holdout. And I thought Rundblad was quite a highly touted player as well.

But the Sens seem to need forwards a lot more than defencemen, and I think while the whole Turris thing was going on in Phoenix it was well-known that Ottawa wanted him quite a bit.

[gOOCH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjupnYB5vUI
bestest

[Derfel]

Wow - the Jets-Ducks game last night was unreal. The cheering for Teemu was deafening at the beginning of the game, but the funniest part was when all the fans would boo every Anaheim player that touched the puck, but then cheer Selanne when he got it. His assists were cheered louder than the Jets assists, that's for sure. He almost caused a full out riot when he tossed a stick over the boards at the end.

Oh, and Jets looked real good too for most of the game.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMdCkWleXDg

[gOOCH]

wasnt there a blown call on the goalie interference

[Derfel]

wasnt there a blown call on the goalie interference

Yes and no - while there was a collision, it could be argued that it did not interfere with the shot or the goalie's opportunity save it - when I watched the game afterwards at home, the puck is pretty much at the line when the collision takes place.

[gOOCH]

watch it again, he interfered with him when it was tipped way out at the slot, and totally stopped him from being in position to make a very easy save

the puck is NOWHERE near the goal line when the collision takes place

[Derfel]

watch it again, he interfered with him when it was tipped way out at the slot, and totally stopped him from being in position to make a very easy save

the puck is NOWHERE near the goal line when the collision takes place

Yeah - just watched it on Youtube, and you are right - Antropov was pushed into the goalie about a full second before the puck arrives. My bad.

See 2:59 of this video for best view of it:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ_M4ALSoJA

[gOOCH]

thank you for interpreting it correctly this time, it was a fight for position and tough call, i would say antropov and the goalie both moved into each other while watching the puck while antropov was pushed in a bit too, but a cheesy goal lol

[Derfel]

thank you for interpreting it correctly this time, it was a fight for position and tough call, i would say antropov and the goalie both moved into each other while watching the puck while antropov was pushed in a bit too, but a cheesy goal lol

Yeah - I didn't watch the replays the first time, just the actual goal and then skipped forward. It certainly wasn't as nice as Burmistrov's goal earlier in the third, that's for sure!

[Derfel]

Great new pads for Mason...

http://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/Mason2.jpg

[WiseGuy]

wait there are two mason goalies in the NHL?

[Xzinum]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/search.htm?filter=none&q=mason

[ugly]

In the time the boards were down, we've probably had 20 concussions. Weber is the latest big name player out because of one. Gagne is too. So is Armstrong. Liles I think they said has concussion-like symptoms. So does Hanzal.

Here's an interview with an anonymous concussion expert about how sports teams handle concussions (http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Matthew-Barry/Concussions---An-Experts-Point-of-View/125/40859)

[Derfel]

I would assume that we had the same number of concussions 5 seasons ago, but no games missed because of them.

Sent from my HTC Liberty using Tapatalk

[gOOCH]

10th in the east, and ahead of teams better than them?

[Derfel]

GO JETS GO

... but I have a feeling January is going to be a rough month for Winnipeg...

[Crayola]

fuck you san jose, play more games

[gOOCH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-wCWWeE01Y

[WiseGuy]

tonights game really feels like me vs derfel for some reason :( i hope i win.

[Derfel]

tonights game really feels like me vs derfel for some reason :( i hope i win.

If the Jets play like they did last night, Toronto might actually get some points.

We should bet again.

[WiseGuy]

set the stakes

[Derfel]

Okay - if Jets win, you have to put the score in LARGE, COLOURFUL letters in your signature for a week (until January 12th). Nothing else can appear in your signature. Example:

WPG 7 - TOR 0

I will, of course, do the opposite if Leafs win.

[WiseGuy]

I dislike your colour pallate but i agree to those terms.

[Derfel]

I dislike your colour pallate but i agree to those terms.

Yeah, I agree - that was a quick mock-up. How about this?

http://www.straight.com/files/gallery/WpgJetsLogo_2011_SM.png 8 - http://www.sportsfanproshop.com/images/NHL/Logo/Toronto_Maple_Leafs.png 0

[WiseGuy]

make it so

[Crayola]

you both lose cuz u root for TO / WPG

also lol at kessel

[WiseGuy]

leafs are leading - looking good so far

[Derfel]

leafs are leading - looking good so far

Yeah - road trip is going to be a tough one for the Jets, I think...

[WiseGuy]

looking better after 2 :)

[Mike-KT]

I'm surprised about the lack of Leafs fans here crying murder for the All-Star announcements. To hear it from some of my friends, the vote is the greatest injustice in hockey history.

Forwards
Daniel Alfredsson: 897055
Jason Spezza: 817483
Milan Michalek: 743977

Defence
Erik Karlsson: 939591
Dion Phaneuf: 614933

Goaltender
Tim Thomas: 626540

[ugly]

I know fans always stuff the ballot box, and it ends up being a joke, but most of those Sens probably deserve it.

Spezza I think is 11th in scoring. He's been a big part of Ottawa being probably the biggest surprise this season.
Michalek was tied for the lead league in goals before he got his concussion. He's still only 3 goals out of second.
Karlsson is far and away the best offensive defenceman in the league. He's almost a point-per-game over 40 games.

Alfredsson is the only one that's iffy. He's a good ways down the scoring list at 28 points in 34 games. But he does have 12 points in his last 9 games.

[WiseGuy]

*ahem* looking forward to a nice 4-0 signature :)

[Derfel]

*ahem* looking forward to a nice 4-0 signature :)

I'll get to it when the gold medal game is done. That's two games to one now, right?

Sent from my TC970 (Wi-Fi) using Tapatalk

[WiseGuy]

yea i won both bets it seems

[Derfel]

yea i won both bets it seems

Yeah, I didn't bet on the Jets win on NYE.

Sent from my TC970 (Wi-Fi) using Tapatalk

[Mike-KT]

It's not NHL, but Sweden wins the Gold medal in OT against the Russians.

I'm happy because Sens prospect Ziby got the winning goal. Take a look at the fan reaction too, I don't think many Canadian fans were cheering for Russia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDN-Yv_9kro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDN-Yv_9kro)

[ugly]

Yeah, it was a really good tournament.

I didn't really think Zibanejad played all that well. I didn't really notice him all that much until the 3rd period.

One thing I really like about the gold medal game, and it might have to do with the fact that there wasn't a North American team playing, was that there weren't board battles. Those make the game slow to a crawl. You know where one guy pins the puck along the boards with his skate, and the defender pins him against the boards, and then two other guys stand around trying to jab the puck free, and then the forward kicks the puck up two feet and pins it again. That's shit. It was so nice to not have to see that in this game.

Russia really wasn't in the game at all. Maybe a bit midway through the third they picked it up, but then Sweden took over again late in the third and in OT. They must have partied too hard celebrating the win over Canada. Kuznetsov didn't do much, and Yakupov, who is supposed to be the #1 overall pick this season was invisible all game.

Mrazek was a really good goalie on a not very good Czech team. One of the better goalie performances I've seen in a long time at the WJC. And, of course, he's already a Detroit prospect.

The Russian goalie, Vasilevski, was very impressive too. I thought it was a bad move that they didn't use him in the final, but Makarov was solid.

None of the Canadian players really impressed me. They were a solid team thoughout the line-up. But nobody really stood out as someone to keep an eye on when they make it to the NHL.

Pretty crazy that Sweden hasn't won the tournament since 1981, considering how many quality players have come from Sweden.

[Crayola]

i dont understand why people are getting so mad about sens fans voting in their players. does ottawa have a larger fan base than any other team? no, so how is it stuffing the ballot box, its just taking advantage of other people's laziness who are now trying to blame the system.

[WiseGuy]

does ottawa have a larger fan base than any other team?
yea it does, but not as big as toronto, which is also reflected in the votes

[0ptik]

Kessel was first the day before, so each ottawa player had to get 200k votes in one day. There are not that many Sens fans nor are the players that popular. I'll have to agree with Cray that fans of other teams are lazy i guess.

[Xzinum]

yea it does


:lol::lol::lol:

What universe are you from?

Ottawa has some of the worst fans in the league. If the team isn't doing well, the entire city stops caring about the team.

[monty slick]

:lol::lol::lol:

What universe are you from?

Ottawa has some of the worst fans in the league. If the team isn't doing well, the entire city stops caring about the team.

What I've noticed about the Ottawa fans I know of around here is that they're much more interested in rooting against the Leafs than for Ottawa.

[Mike-KT]

If the team isn't doing well, the entire city stops caring about the team.

IMO that's a good thing. Why should the team get my unwavering support just because I live here? I want them to earn it. That 'fan for life' mindset is pushed by team owners, and it hasn't done the Leafs any good since 1967

For those wondering how Michalek got in on the last day, don't forget that there are lots of people around Canada who don't like the Leafs, and would gladly vote for the next best option instead. I'm guessing that's part of the explanation here.

[ugly]

NHLPA rejects proposed re-alignment (http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=384427)


The NHL's planned division re-alignment has been blocked by the players' union.

The plan to change from six divisions to four conferences for next season had been approved pending consent from the NHL Players' Association.

But in a statement the league said the union would not allow the change to be made.

Instead the NHL will maintain its current alignment and playoff format for next season.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league was unable to address the union's unspecified concerns with the change.

Daly added the league would look at its legal options.

[ugly]

After 1161 games, Shane Doan finally scored his first career hat-trick. His third goal tonight came with 0.1 seconds left in the game.

[ugly]

Phaneuf voted most over-rated player in NHL player poll (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=384805)


Sports Illustrated polled 161 NHL players asking them to name the most overrated player in the league and Phaneuf topped the list.

Joining Phaneuf were Alex Ovechkin (second), Scott Gomez (third), Roberto Luongo (fourth) and Dany Heatley (fifth).

Phaneuf wasn't the only Leaf to be named to the unflattering list, as teammate Mike Komisarek came in 10th.


Rounding out the top 10 in the Sports Illustrated poll were Ilya Kovalchuk (sixth), Vincent Lecavalier (seventh), Jay Bouwmeester (eighth), Ryan Kesler (ninth) and Komisarek. In addition to Bouwmeester, the Calgary Flames also had Jarome Iginla and Olli Jokinen on the list at 12th and 14th, respectively.

[WiseGuy]

ppl just jelly of his gf

[0ptik]

Honestly, Phaneuf was better in his early Calgary years and world juniors when he had more confident in destroying people. Now he's afraid. He's not producing hits like he used to.

[WiseGuy]

its funny he won it - i didn't think people regarded of him so highly.

[monty slick]

Honestly, Phaneuf was better in his early Calgary years and world juniors when he had more confident in destroying people. Now he's afraid. He's not producing hits like he used to.

He's given two players concussions in the last month or so... I'd be hesitant too.

[Mike-KT]

http://www.thescore.com/home/articles/213577-where-to

Cammelleri has been traded from Montreal, mid-game. Rumour is, he's off to Calgary.

Makes no sense to me, Calgary doesn't have cap space

"@proteautype If Matt Stajan is headed the other way in the Cammalleri trade, we need to rope off Montreal and let the fire put itself out."

“@DownGoesBrown Oh, we’re losers? I’LL SHOW YOU LOSERS!” – Pierre Gauthier, apparently."

[WiseGuy]

weird.......

[0ptik]

I think its funny that he was pulled mid-game to be traded.

[Blarg]

Calgary has lots of space, moved Regehr in the off season along with Kotalik, Hagman salary split with ANA, Stajan on IR.
Bourque was about $3 mil so Calgary is quite a bit under.
Welcome back Cammalleri! Bye Holland and Bourque.

[Derfel]

Calgary has lots of space, moved Regehr in the off season along with Kotalik, Hagman salary split with ANA, Stajan on IR.
Bourque was about $3 mil so Calgary is quite a bit under.
Welcome back Cammalleri! Bye Holland and Bourque.

Well, Bourque was at least born in a place that SOUNDS like it's in Quebec...

I think Cammalleri will be happier in Calgary... just like I think Iginla will be happier in Winnipeg when we trade for him...

Sent from my TC970 (Wi-Fi) using Tapatalk

[0ptik]

Well, Bourque was at least born in a place that SOUNDS like it's in Quebec...

I think Cammalleri will be happier in Calgary... just like I think Iginla will be happier in Winnipeg when we trade for him...

Sent from my TC970 (Wi-Fi) using Tapatalk

He just took a pay cut to stay in Calgary. I guess you'll have to dream about Crosby.

[Mike-KT]

Canadiens-Flames cap analysis Posted by CapGeek.com Staff on January 13, 2012 at 12:18 a.m. ET ** UPDATED ** A quick update on the Mike Cammalleri/Rene Bourque swap from Thursday night. The move opens up all kinds of cap space for Montreal, as the Canadiens can now add a cap hit of approximately $8.2 million at the deadline without requiring any long-term injury relief. The Flames stayed cap compliant by putting several players on long-term injured reserve, but once their roster returns to full health, they'll need to trim more than $2.5 million in cap hits.




http://capgeek.com/tracker/team.php?team=9&date=2012-01-13

[Blarg]

Ah yes, thanks for pointing that out.
That just means Tanguay is more injured than previously believed, and/or demotions are incoming to some one-way contract players or more trades are on the horizon.

[gOOCH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRHLdAUgyW4&feature=player_embedded#!

[gOOCH]

http://twitpic.com/8977dp

[WiseGuy]

ya dammmm i saw that on a TV while i was at the bar, but i could't get any sound. Looks super brutal.

---------- Post added at 02:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:08 PM ----------

"my face didn't swell up too much"
http://video.oilers.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=4&id=150899

[WiseGuy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE2nXNtEziA&feature=youtube_gdata

[0ptik]

lol rough up? misleading title.

[Derfel]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/suspended-ovechkin-to-skip-all-star-game/article2313130/

Good on Ovie - Shanahan and these suspensions are ruining the game.

[ugly]

I hope I'm just missing the sarcasm there.

That's exactly the type of hit the NHL is trying to get rid of. He jumps when he hits. He's always done it. He jumped and he launched himself at a players head, and Ovechkin is a repeat offender (although I believe the 18 month timeframe has passed for him on repeat offenses). The only thing he didn't do, which I think prevented him from getting a much bigger suspension, is hit with his arms. He did keep his shoulder tucked when he made the hit. Michalek should have been suspended for his hit too.

Ovechkin's heart isn't in the game? You mean like everyone else? He should be suspended for skipping the game too, like Datsyuk and Lidstrom were a couple years ago because they wanted the time off to recover from mild injuries.

It's not the suspensions that are ruining the game. Right now it's concussions. Kane is out with one, Koivu has one, and Horton probably has one. And that's pretty much just from this past week.

And you know who hasn't caused a concussion this season? Matt Cooke. Because he was suspended like 20 games last season. Shanahan's problem is that backing down to the NHL's old boy's club who think that these guys with concussions are just pussies. He should be suspending these players longer so they actually get the message. Cooke did, and he was the biggest idiot in the league. So other players should be able to.

[WiseGuy]

lol


“Yeah, I jumped but he (wasn't) hurt and I (didn't) get two minutes. I don't think it was a three-game suspension.”

So his original quote was


“Yeah, I jumped but he hurt and I get two minutes. I don't think it was a three-game suspension.”

[Xzinum]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/suspended-ovechkin-to-skip-all-star-game/article2313130/

Good on Ovie - Shanahan and these suspensions are ruining the game.

So acting like a self-centered prick is how he should act? The All-Star game is not for the players, it's for the fans. Fans not having the "privilege" of seeing Ovie play at the ASG only hurts his reputation. I think we have a hockey version of LBJ in the making.

:unamused:

[Derfel]

So acting like a self-centered prick is how he should act? The All-Star game is not for the players, it's for the fans. Fans not having the "privilege" of seeing Ovie play at the ASG only hurts his reputation. I think we have a hockey version of LBJ in the making.

:unamused:

Fans like to watch Ovechkin because of how he plays. He gets suspended for how he plays. I don't want to see watered down hockey.

[Crayola]

lol derf.

[Mike-KT]

I don't want to see water-downed hockey either, that's why I don't want all the best players in the hospital with concussions. If hits to the head can be stopped I'm all for it.

[monty slick]

My opinion of OV just went down some more. It went down a bunch after he started scoring the same day I traded him in my keeper league for Cory Perry. Asshole.

Anyway, All Star game is for the fans, he should suck up his pride and take some guff, roll with it... the photoshoot on Kessel last year was good but princess can't deal with this? Bah.

[Derfel]

All Star game is for the fans... that's why so many Ottawa players got voted in, because that's exactly who the rest of the world want to see more of - Ottawa.

[0ptik]

Its in Ottawa....

[Derfel]

Its in Ottawa....

Exactly - no real fans in Ottawa.

[Mike-KT]

Except for the thousands of fans who voted Sens players?

You sound like a Leafs fan, and a 12 year old.

[Derfel]

Except for the thousands of fans who voted Sens players?

You sound like a Leafs fan, and a 12 year old.

:lol:

I'm from Winnipeg now - if you don't think Jets fans are true fans of the game, well... wow.

[0ptik]

Is this what this is about? who is a better fan? "Ottawa doesnt deserve the all star game, winnipeg should have it" Bitter person.

Liking the jets because you are from winnipeg doesnt make you a true fan, like most Sens fans honestly. They are still the Atlanta Thrashers and i bet you didnt like that team. Real fans enjoy hockey no matter which team is playing but one can always prefer one team over others.

[Mike-KT]

The idea of a true fan or real fan or any of that crap, is pushed by the NHL and team owners to keep their fans engaged by a false sense of pride instead of because there is a winning team.

I like hockey and would mostly like any team that I could go see regularly. Since I live in Ottawa I have that chance, so I'm a Sens fan. They're also doing really well this year. Does this make me a real fan or a true fan? I hope not. I like hockey and like my local team, it's nothing to balkanize.

[WiseGuy]

OV ALWAYS JUMPS TO HIT. It's about time they put a stop to it, he could have really hurt someone, i hopethe next time he jumps for a hit they suspend his ass again.

[Derfel]

Is this what this is about? who is a better fan? "Ottawa doesnt deserve the all star game, winnipeg should have it" Bitter person.

Liking the jets because you are from winnipeg doesnt make you a true fan, like most Sens fans honestly. They are still the Atlanta Thrashers and i bet you didnt like that team. Real fans enjoy hockey no matter which team is playing but one can always prefer one team over others.

Well, seeing as my last post was deleted... I'll try again in different words - I wasn't being all that serious about "Ottawa fans" or whatever. I find the fan voting system for the All Star game pretty ridiculous to begin with, but that's another affair entirely.

It was intended to be gentle ribbing from one city to another, as has happened in this thread elsewhere. I'm sorry that you took it so deeply to heart.

[Xzinum]

Hockey on the internets, srs biznss.

[Crayola]

I find the fan voting system for the All Star game pretty ridiculous to begin with


Y?.

[Derfel]

Y?.

It used to be that the league chose players to represent all teams based on skill, and you would see a true display of (some) talent. It was, in fact, an "All-Star" game. This voting system does not allow for that same representation to take place, and you get sub-par players on the ice instead of a representation of the league's finest. The player/captain drafting system is somewhat novel and interesting, but I think allowing fans to vote does not end up with great results.

[Mike-KT]

Who of Michalek, Spezza, Alfredsson, Karlsson Phaneuf and Thomas would you cut?

Michalek - Top 10 in goal scoring and was leading the league before a concussion
Spezza - Legitimate NHL star, tied for 10th in points
Alfredsson - Hometown captain and a great player. I'd give him the boot if I had to pick one
Karlsson - Leads defensemen in scoring
Phaneuf - Huge defensemen
Thomas - Best goalie in the league, even pprt thinks so.

It's not like Pominville got voted in, he was chosen by the all-knowing NHL. If you think the Ottawa fans went nuts, why didn't Craig Anderson get the goalie pick? Because Sens fans correctly stated that he didn't deserve to be close.

[Crayola]

phaneuf shouldnt be there

[ugly]

Crosby diagnosed with a broken neck (http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386336)

Heard somewhere else it's his C1 & C2 vertebrae. Kind of odd how that was missed for so long.

[monty slick]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/01/28/crosby_update_vertebrae_injury_concussion/

They haven't specified broken. That they're calling it C1 and C2 I'm thinking it's more likely disk or nerve trouble, twice as unlikely to break two vertebrae and not have the idiot Pittsburgh docs figure it out. This seriously calls into question the competency of the Penguins' team doctors. Crosby is a player that they cannot be wrong with, and they were.

[ugly]

The Penguins' team doctors have been a running joke for years.

[Derfel]

The Penguins' team doctors have been a running joke for years.

Most team doctors are - but the issue I have is that Crosby had been seeing several specialists and doctors, and only now have they come up with this diagnosis?

In any case - I give him another 10 months off for recovery before we hear about any sort of return now...

[ugly]

Yeah, that is the strangest thing. It wasn't just the usual incompetent team doctors that missed it.

But, either way, the neck injury isn't the big concern. They're saying that's pretty much already healed. They also said he got another concussion. And that is a big deal.

He should shut it down for a good, long while. Keep in shape, and skate as much as he can - I think they said he's already back doing on-ice workouts - but no contact. I know in sports the idea is to have the players back as soon as they are healthy enough to go, but with concussions it's not the same. Crosby should seriously consider sitting out until 2013.

That'll take a lot of self-control too. I know how sitting out for a long time feels. I tore my groin playing hockey this summer. I haven't been able to really do anything lower-body since September. No running, skating, or biking, and it really sucks. I'm in shitty shape, I gained like 20 pounds, and I'm itching to do anything especially now that it's at a point where it feels so close to 100%. But I know that if I try and do too much too soon it'll probably set me back another couple of months. And that's what got me in this mess in the first place.

So a lot of it is on Crosby, but he also needs the support of the people who are advising him to urge him to stay out. Guys who have been through it like Primeau are telling him to stay out, but half the fans in Pittsburgh think he's a pussy and he should be playing. It's ridiculous.

[Mike-KT]

Ugly are you cleared to swim? That is the normal low-impact cardio exercise.

I think he should sit out till 2013, it doesn't matter if he has a vagina or not

[gOOCH]

Most team doctors are - but the issue I have is that Crosby had been seeing several specialists and doctors, and only now have they come up with this diagnosis?

In any case - I give him another 10 months off for recovery before we hear about any sort of return now...
i dont know if they did neck scans previously, but its possible these are the first times because he never had any neck issues and passed any mobility tests so doctors never ordered an mri or ct and all its radiation

[ugly]

Yeah, swimming would have been the best for me. I don't have a pool (and I didn't think the injury was that bad when I got it so finding other cardio wasn't a concern when it was still warm), and going to a public pool is like swimming in a toilet (or will be after I get in there).

Apparently missing these vertebrae fractures is common. Small fractures aren't apparent on standard x-rays, and if there is no obvious break they don't do any other substantial x-rays on the area. But once the bone calcifies a few weeks later a regular x-ray might catch it.

[Derfel]

I know what Don Cherry would say - "He stuck his neck out there too many times with chippy play, no wonder he got in broken!"... or something like that.

Also, I played some pick-up hockey this morning and I took a stick to the back of my knee. It hurt(s).

[WiseGuy]

I know what Don Cherry would say - "He stuck his neck out there too many times with chippy play, no wonder he got in broken!"... or something like that.

Also, I played some pick-up hockey this morning and I took a stick to the back of my knee. It hurt(s).
I used to play pick-up like you....

[Derfel]

I used to play pick-up like you....

:lol: I didn't even think of that one!

[Mike-KT]

lol

Also, anyone watch the All-Star game yesterday? Pretty lame hockey, but it's cool to see the players joking around and having fun. Ottawa has had a festive atmosphere for the last few days, I'm sad that it's over

[WiseGuy]

yea it was boring, i watched bits and pieces, some highlights too i guess. I lol'd pretty good at Lupul doing the game-commentary when Chara broke in over the blue line and he yelled "Here he goes, ONE OH EIGHT POINT EIGHT!"

[Wesley Crusher]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDxZP3fnWhU

[WiseGuy]

lol

[ugly]

There's also a big financial impact to concussions in the NHL: http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/1123883--concussion-coverage-could-soon-become-headache-for-nhl (Concussions could ruin NHL teams if insurers pull coverage)


Crosby has missed much of the year with concussion-related maladies and it’s unclear when he’ll return to the lineup.

But the Penguins have been able to take a small measure of solace in the fact they haven’t had to pay Crosby much of his team-high $9 million salary. Pittsburgh has an insurance policy in place that covers Crosby’s absence when he’s injured and out of the lineup for more than 30 games.


That security blanket is poised to disappear.

Insurance companies specializing in sports say the Penguins and other NHL teams will increasingly have to adopt the risk of million-dollar contracts alone as the number of players sidelined with concussions swells. The prospect threatens to alter the hockey industry.

For players who have suffered serious concussions — there are at least 73 players who have missed games this season with brain injuries, according to player agent Allan Walsh — new contracts will include so-called concussion exclusions.

That will mean teams won’t be able to insure those players against future brain injuries.


If more players continue to be sidelined with concussions, insurers may stop insuring players with brain injuries altogether.

“Right now you’ve got 10 per cent of the league affected by concussions,” Hubbard said. “While I don’t know where the breaking point is, at some point, if it keeps trending this way, companies are not going to be able to insure NHL players for concussions.”

Many teams could be driven into financial ruin if one or more of their top players are sidelined indefinitely and don’t have insurance, Walsh said.

“The entire framework of the NHL is in jeopardy,” he said. “There’s a risk of bringing the house down. And it’s so troubling because no one really knows what to do with concussions. There are so many theories.”


“You’re going to see a lot more contracts with concussion exclusions. It’s a big risk. Teams are going to have more exposure related to concussions that they’re going to have to eat.”

It’s already getting more expensive to insure players.

The NHL requires teams to insure roughly 80 per cent of the value of their top five player contracts through BWD Group, a New York insurance company. Rates have more than doubled from about 2 per cent in 2004 to more than 5 per cent of a contract’s value, Hubbard and others said.

That means it can cost a team about $250,000 to insure a player — one with a blemish-free medical history — with a $5 million contract.

“The disability insurance marketplace absolutely has an impact on what clubs and players are willing or able to agree to in terms of contract structure and length,” said NHL spokesman Gary Meagher. “It’s been the reality for quite some time now. I can’t say it’s a league concern at this point in time.”

Several league sources said Meagher’s comment belies their worries.

Consider the Penguins’ quandary with Crosby.

He has one year left on a contract that will pay him roughly $7.5 million. If he manages to recover and return to the ice, he’ll be in line for a new long-term contract paying him at least $10 million a year.

But no insurance company is likely to insure his contract against concussions.

That means if Crosby is sidelined with yet another brain injury, the Penguins, who now make a modest profit, would be obliged to pay off his entire contract.
That number is pretty crazy. 10% of the players in the league have been affected by concussions this season.

[WiseGuy]

wow 10% i had no idea it was that high...

[MoeB]

you should play more pick-up hockey.

[Wesley Crusher]

Well let's hope Shanahan keeps cleaning things up. Marchand and Ovie suspensions are a good start. Keep punishing the repeat offenders and maybe one day they'll learn to stop.

[ugly]

The Crosby drama continues!

Now it's soft-tissue neck injury (http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=614559&cmpid=pit-twt-pghpenguins)


An independent specialist contacted to review recent medical tests taken on Sidney Crosby found no evidence of a past or present neck fracture but verified that Crosby is suffering from a soft-tissue injury of the neck, that could be causing neurological symptoms.

Dr. Alexander Vaccaro is a spinal trauma expert at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and co-director of the Spinal Cord Center at Thomas Jefferson University. He is past president of the American Spinal Injury Association.

Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson, along with Penguins owner Mario Lemieux and CEO David Morehouse traveled Monday morning to Philadelphia, where Vaccaro reviewed a CAT Scan and MRI taken last week by Dr. Robert S. Bray in Los Angeles. Bray diagnosed a neck injury.

Bray has treated Crosby with an injection to alleviate swelling in the C1-2 joint of the neck and will be overseeing his progression with therapists.

Doctors say the symptoms of a soft-tissue neck injury are similar to concussion symptoms.

Vaccaro, Bray and UPMC doctors all agree that Crosby is safe, the injury is treatable, and he will return to action when he is symptom-free.
If it isn't a second concussion and it's the spinal injury causing the symptoms then this probably is very good news for Crosby. Because the thing that was kind of glossed over in the big neck fracture news this weekend was that they said Crosby had another concussion. And as we know repeat concussions could be career threatening.

[Mike-KT]

I guess I figured he had either a second concussion or his first one flared up, as well as a hurt neck

[monty slick]

McCowan and Kipper were driving me up a fucking wall today talking about this C1 and C2 fracture. OF COURSE it's soft tissue damage, joints don't fracture. Right lou?

[Xzinum]

joints don't fracture. Right lou?

http://www.xtothezracing.com/files/mustnotlaugh.jpg

[Derfel]

Better start handing out suspensions on neck/chest hits now?

[WiseGuy]

can't believe the leafs lost tonight, couldn't catch a break... they deserved the win.

[ugly]

Better start handing out suspensions on neck/chest hits now?
What are you complaining about?

If anything hitting is up in the NHL (last season (http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20112ALLSASALL&sort=hits&viewName=rtssPlayerStats) this season (http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20122ALLSASALL&sort=hits&viewName=rtssPlayerStats)). They game isn't getting less physical.

[gOOCH]

no comments about the retarded clipping calls that aren't called according to the rule?

[WiseGuy]

In a game in which Toronto dominated large stretches, Malkin was held pointless for 59:53. Then, as if he was just waiting for the right instant to drive a stake through the Leafs' heart, Malkin deflected Neal's shot past Jonas Gustavsson (http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8475361) for the game-tying goal -- then won the game in the shootout.

[Crayola]

no one cares