Honestly the most frustrating thing is watch Dats get saddled with stiffs. I really hope when Fil gets back they just move him to play wing with Dats. He needs someone out there who can skate with him.

Actually, I think a line of Zetterberg/Datsyuk/Cleary works very well. However, with all the injuries Babcock has to keep Zets and Dats on separate lines.

At this point I think the Leafs should just give the Bruins their 2012 first rounder too. Sort of like tipping the waiter after a great meal.

So, the Flyers fire John Stevens?

I guess expectations were pretty high going into this year.

What's the issue in Philly? I figured it be goaltending, but I haven't seen enough Flyers' games to know whether that's really the problem.

Yeah, I hear ya. The parallels between the Wings and the Ducks are oddly similar, although you guys are holding up better than we are, IMO, and I think you'll be fine in the long run.

Meanwhile, in related news, Teemu broke his hand last night. $#@!&!!

Effort... accountability...any sort of offensive scheme...the inability to adjust during the game. They are still making the same mistakes as in previous years.

Peter Laviolette is the new coach.

Kevin McCarthy leaving Carolina to assist Laviolette in Philly.

Bruins-Canadiens on right now. Honestly I'm more excited about tomorrow night's Bruins-Leafs game with Kessel and Komisarek. Should be a good game, too bad Lucic can't renew his rivalry with Komisarek this time out.

Even though he's essentially been retired since the end of last year, Darren McCarty has officially called it quits today.

It was definitely time -- it was probably time a few years ago -- but, as far as role players go, he was a huge part of the Wings' success in the late 90's and early '00's.

Obviously, his role in the whole Claude Lemieux affair is legendary. He also scored a number of big goals in that time, including the OT in that March 26th game (a game he should have been kicked out of) and, of course, his Cup clinching goal in 1997. The radio call of that goal was on my answer machine for a few months thereafter.

Is it normal for a currently employed coach to switch teams mid-season? I don't recall seeing that in the NHL.

At long last, Carolina gets their first road win of the season, a 3-2 win over...Pittsburgh? Wait, what?

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

No idea. I do know the Flyers have been after him for some time though (McCarthy). He was a first round pick of the Flyers in the 70s.

I've always liked Brendan Witt. Sure, he's a bit off, but that's part of why I like him. This story does nothing to change that:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=301565

ISLANDERS DEFENCEMAN WITT HIT BY CAR; WILL STILL PLAY TONIGHT

Go ahead, make his day.

New York Islanders defenceman Brendan Witt was hit by a car in Philadelphia on Tuesday, according to Newsday. But Witt reportedly picked himself up off the road and, after a few profanities, assured everyone he was all right before continuing on his way, prompting one witness to say, "it was like seeing Clint Eastwood, but in hockey."

Witt was crossing Arch Street to get a cup of coffee when a gold Yukon truck made an illegal turn and hit the 34-year-old. Newsday says Witt tried to jump on the hood of the vehicle before being thrown to the ground as he was struck.

"I'm okay," Witt told the crowd as he dusted himself off, according to Newsday. "I've got to go play some hockey. I'm a hockey player. I'm okay. No big deal."

The onlooker was impressed.

"Boy that guy is tough," he said.

The 6'2, 219-pound blueliner downplayed the incident.

"I just got lucky," said Witt, who oddly enough had declined an offer for a drive to Wachovia Center from the team's medical staff just prior to the accident. "Fortunately nothing bad happened. I'm just a little sore."

The Humboldt, Saskatchewan native chose not to call police or get medical care, and was at the Isles' morning skate just a few hours later. He will play tonight against the Flyers.

Witt has two goals, one assist and 35 penalty minutes in 26 games for the Isles this season, and has no plans to star in any action films in the immediate future.

Ok, that's cool and kindof scary all at once

SI

Carcillo should know better than to violate his suspension like this.

Emory out 6 weeks...ouch.....

My question in all of this-- who the hell is Carolina hiring when they fire Maurice now? Doesn't Laviolette know how this is supposed to work?

Yeah, that was....sad.

Maybe it was me, but I swear I saw a few guys jumping near the Canes bench. I know guys will hop over the boards, etc...but these guys seemed really happy to get that win.

Dola

Does Neckbeard have an out clause with the KHL Sak?

I don't think. It doesn't really matter who is in net right now with the way the team is playing.

On the first point, the expectation is it's either Ron Francis (I hope not) or Jeff Daniels, the current coach down at Albany.

As to the celebration, well, you'll have to forgive them since it was their first road win period and just the seventh win this year. They're still having to crane their necks back some to look up at Toronto in the standings.

Bloge Salming: A Look Into The Future.

Lol, got this link from DGB. Funny stuff.

That whole site is gold.

Epic. "You're the reason I hate Novia Scotia" :lol:

The Wings get shutout 1-0 at home against Conklin and the Blues (their 3rd shutout at home this year) and... they lose Dan Cleary with separated shoulder for a month.

So, between free agency and injury the Wings are down:

Hossa, Hulder, Samuelsson, Franzen, Cleary, Filppula and Williams. Taking Williams out of the equation, that's 6 of the Wings' top 9 forwards last year.

Good times!

Bring back Petr!!!!

I watched part of the game. Didn't realize Cleary's injury was that serious. Geesh, if it wasn't for bad luck they would have no luck at all.

Fuck Yeah!!!!!!

I that the X-mas card he sent you?:D

Sabres get themselves together by holding off the Caps 3-0. Miller is without question the best goalie in the league right now.

http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=300811

Didn't notice anything on this, but another stupid 13 year extension earlier this week. I guess the Blackhawks aren't worried at all about that cap situation next year because I think they think there won't be any cap. Or something...

SI

Speaking of the Caps a couple of post before, I'll be going to my first NHL game tomorrow night (Caps-Canes), as odd as that is to say. I've never lived remotely near anywhere that had a team (Houston/Kansas City) so I never had a chance to see anything more than an exhibition and thought it too expensive to go for a preseason game.

(As sad as this is- my little quandary is what to wear as I have no jersey from either team and none of the ones I have would really be appropriate. I have no qualms about wearing, say, my Royals gear into any other stadium as I could hold my own in any baseball conversation but I'm just not that good about hockey so I would feel a little odd about wearing my Blackhawks jersey there...)

SI

Just wear a red or black tee-shirt.

The Blackhawks have some pieces they can move. I don't see how they trade Campbell or Huet, but they might just put 'em on waivers and bannish them to the AHL. They also may look to move one or more of Sharp, Barker, Byfuglien, Bolland etc.

Just bring your blackberry or whatever and whenever someone asks you a question post it here and we'll respond for you. It will be just like Cyrano De Bergerac, except we're a lot more pretty. Well, some of us at least. :)

Based on NHLNUMBERS.COM numbers, the Blackhawks have 9 forwards, 5 defensemen and 1 goalie under contract for 2010-11 and their cap hit is already $60 million (above the current cap).

Pieces will have to be moved, but they hit the salary cap sweet spot like the Wings did last year. It's best just to try and ride it out and hope for the best.

Blackhawks will need to free up cap space - NHL News - FOX Sports on MSN


What is the projected cap for next year?

Last I heard about the same as last year... which I think is around $55MM.

Wow. So I went to stubhub and checked out what seats are going for with the game we're going to tomorrow night. Glad I got them in advance- they were $20 apiece for, admittedly, pretty crappy tickets but it got us in the door. Said crappy nearby tickets are going for $65 each. Glad I got these back in October.

SI

Hope si had a good time at the game. Somewhat of a microcosm of Carolina's season again. We get guys hurt, we make bafflingly idiotic plays, we play hard, we lose.

I am still trying to figure out Cam Ward's line of thinking on the goal he surrendered with less than a second left in the second period. The Caps got a late breakaway and a shot off the wing that Ward stopped, but instead of smothering or making a strong effort to clear, he got himself stuck awkwardly on the ice and could only muster a weak paddle that went straight to Alexander Semin, who only had to lift it over Ward and back into the goal to tie the game. If he makes a better play, the Canes may have won in regulation (then again it's Carolina in 2009-10...they probably would have found another way to lose).

At any rate, the "Tim Gleason for Next Captain" bandwagon picked up a fair number of passengers tonight. Gleason took a puck to the face deflecting an Ovechkin shot early in the game. He took a humongous number of stitches (estimates have reached 30), got a fully shielded helmet, went back out and played. He then got a bit of karmic justice by bagging a surprising short-hander that tied the game in the third period. Regardless, a real gutsy performance, especially considering it would have been easy to pack it in for the night for him since the Hurricanes aren't going anywhere this year. More and more, I'm really glad we traded Jack Johnson for him.

In addition, our prospect-for-prospect trade with Toronto panned for a night as Tlusty got called up from Albany due to injuries to Cole and LaRose and potted a goal.

Should have been better, but not the worst night, I suppose. Frankly, they've done well on this rather rugged road trip, with three points from games against the Pens, NJ, and the Caps. One more tomorrow in Ottawa.

More importantly, did he try and run Ovechkin?

Nah. Didn't seem to be any long-term animus over what happened. Of course, getting a puck to the face early in the game probably took away much of any chance for that to happen.

At any rate, I must say that whatever deal with the Devil that Karmanos, Rutherford, and Maurice made last spring must have missed a few repayments because the interest rate is getting out of hand. Carolina gamely fought hard in Ottawa and had it tied 2-2 with a few minutes left before Joni Pitkanen commits a spectacularly assinine holding penalty. Ottawa capitalized as Jay Harrison collapsed towards the goal to stop a pass to a wide open senator and wound up kicking it in. The Sens would ice it with an empty-netter later on.

I know the season is gone and that there's no hope for now other than seeing if they can win the lottery and in the meantime get the Albany kids up for some experience. Doesn't make these kinds of losses hurt much less. :banghead:

Jonathan Ericsson just left the Wings game after a knee to knee hit. Unreal.

Yeah he looked really hurt too. Just what we need, another injury. Geesh.

Well, Kindl will get a long look now cause E looks like he is missing a lot of time.

Why are'nt they calling up Tatar.The kid is playing well in GR.

He's still only 18 and he's heading out to play for the Slovakian team at the World Juniors. It certainly may come to that if things keep going as they have.

Kris Newberry scored a goal in his first game with the Wings. Thanks, Toronto!

I almost suspect he'll get a call up at some point. Potentially after the Olympics where I suspect he'll have a shot at making the Slovak roster.

Sabres pull out a 4-3 win in Montreal.