The OFFICIAL 2008-09 NHL Thread

[Pyser]

devils trade d brookbank to the ducks for a prospect.

not bad, picked him up on waivers last year, has been our 8th/9th d-man depending on which season you look at, but always stayed with the big club. from the outside the devils d sucks, but in reality, we havea very good top 7 d set...just no one youd say is obviously a top 4 (maybe martin, maybe salvadore, but both could be argued against). but a solid, solid d, no disrespect to brookbank for not playing

only played 15 games this year, and id say half of those were at right wing. big boy, not great skills wise, but serviceable. enjoy him, anaheim.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I won't miss Brookbank too much. I mean, he's fine on the third pairing, but I agree that there was just no space for him. I hope he gets a little more playing time with the Ducks.

Just to talk about the Devils a little more, I'm surprised that Jay Pandolfo is still a healthy scratch every night. I mean, I can see how Shanahan's arrival would push Pandolfo out for a game or two, but I expected Rupp or even Clarkson to end up getting scratched occasionally. Nope. Just Pandolfo. With the way New Jersey's been playing, I can't complain, but I feel kinda bad that a longtime solid player could spend essentially the rest of the season on the bench.

[samifan24]

Aren't Rupp and Clarkson now the same player? Clarkson used to fight and can't play. Rupp used to play and now fights. Am I missing something?

[Pyser]

rupp is bigger and always runs into the goalie for no reason

clarkson only knows how to toe drag and miss wrap arounds.

hope that clears everything up

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by samifan24

Aren't Rupp and Clarkson now the same player? Clarkson used to fight and can't play. Rupp used to play and now fights. Am I missing something?

That's a pretty accurate assessment. Clarkson does have some skills on offense, but I really don't see the need to have both of those guys in the lineup every night. Throw Bobby Holik's name in there, and now you have three guys who you could really rotate with Pandolfo. None of these players are indispensible every night. Hell, I'd almost want Pandolfo in there a little more often because at least he'll stay out of the penalty box.

Anyway, I'm not the coach, and I'm not at practice or in the dressing room, so I don't claim to know the reasons. From the outside, it just seems a little sad that Pandolfo's the guy who's lost his job, especially considering that Clarkson, Rupp, and Holik don't really bring much to the table individually.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Pyser

rupp is bigger and always runs into the goalie for no reason

clarkson only knows how to toe drag and miss wrap arounds.

hope that clears everything up

LOL

[Pyser]

by the way, pumpy...have you noticed parise is the best offensive player uh, maybe ever, for the devils? he's unreal this season.

he even makes fancypants elias look good, and they arent even on the same line.

and zajac exploded too. quite nice.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Yeah, Parise is on fire. I absolutely love him. It's been a long time since a Devils player was that exciting on offense. I guess Gionta that one year he blew up, but that was a fluke. Parise is no fluke.

Zajac has been a surprise. I was really starting to think that he'd be a Brylin-type player. Solid, not stupid, but not going to score a bunch for you. He's turning out to be better than that.

[bbor]

Lucky you don;t have to blog this shit tonight ML.What a horrid game.

[Wolfpack]

"Breakfasts come and go, Renee, but Hartford...the Whale...they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

Unfortunately, there is some truth to this quote as the ex-Whale still can't beat Vancouver in Vancouver (hasn't happened in 10 years--granted the scheduling since the lockout has made this even harder to do, but even so).

Seriously, how else to explain giving up a shorty with just 82 seconds to go last night after battling back to tie it up at 3-all and getting a power play in the dying moments?

Right now I'm trying to decide if I want them to become cannon fodder for the Bruins in the first round or whether I'd rather them continue their historic streak of not making the playoffs after winning the Cup (now at two seasons and counting). Neither seems very appealing at the moment, but given the suckage that is NC State basketball and the spectacular implosion by the Panthers in the NFC playoffs, it's about all I've got to look forward to.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by bbor

Lucky you don;t have to blog this shit tonight ML.What a horrid game.

Yeah. But I am doing Habs/Leafs on Saturday, which might be worse.

P.S. Where were you last week? No FOFC love at all during that blog.

[NoSkillz]

I'm hoping for Leafs fans sake that wasn't Luke Schenn's normal game. He looked as green as grass out there tonight.

Although, to be fair, it's not like anyone other than Pogge showed up for Toronto...

Considering the long trip out west, quite the dominating performance by Buffalo tonight.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Yeah. But I am doing Habs/Leafs on Saturday, which might be worse.

P.S. Where were you last week? No FOFC love at all during that blog.

I read the blog the next day...does that count?

I think if the wife is workin on Saturday night i should be able to drop a few lines on you

[Galaxy]

Just a horrible effort by Toronto. And talk about being stupid. They just kept taking penalty after penalty (I think they got 4 or 5 penalties right after the Leafs would go on a power play).

Buffalo played impressive, but it's hard to judge due to Toronto playing as poorly as they did. They just stood around all night.

[bbor]

Even allowing 5 goals,Pogge could have been the star of the game.

I would'nt be surprised if Wilson has them bag skating tommorrow morning even after playing back to back games.

[bhlloy]

Well, CR it looks like you were right and I was wrong. Watching the last couple of games Ducks are absolute shit. This is nowhere near a playoff team... very disappointing. And the Brookbank and Brown pickups make no sense whatsoever. Not sure which direction we are trying to go in right now. Ugh.

[Logan]

Posting this here as well as the Avery thread since I'm guessing it will result in actual hockey-related discussion:

RANGERS TRYING TO BRING FORWARD BACK - New York Post

I love the potential move. Love it. This team is dead as currently assembled and needs life added to it. When I was at the game Tuesday night there was an Avery chant going, the fans know he's needed too.

[Dr. Sak]

Hey Logan, what was the Crosby story you had to tell me?

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by Logan

Posting this here as well as the Avery thread since I'm guessing it will result in actual hockey-related discussion:

RANGERS TRYING TO BRING FORWARD BACK - New York Post

I love the potential move. Love it. This team is dead as currently assembled and needs life added to it. When I was at the game Tuesday night there was an Avery chant going, the fans know he's needed too.

Hahaha. I love the possibility of seeing Sean Avery in Hartford.

[Logan]

Good memory man...

So I'm at the game Tuesday night and the team is playing like complete shit once the initial juice from the Graves ceremony left the building. I'm there with a buddy who has season tix and in the row directly in front of me are two guys around my age and sitting to the right of them are two guys probably around 30. Being that I've sat in these seats before, I know these two are pretty hardcore fans and know their shit (like 95% of hockey fans).

So one of the younger guys decides he's going to spend his night complaining about Tom Renney. Every few minutes he would try and get a "Fire Renney" chant going. Guys next to him give him a "WTF?" look. He continues chanting...guys next to him start dropping facts on him...is it Renney's fault none of our guys can score?...is it Renney's fault our guys can't even put the puck on net? The kid is clearly annoying them so they are getting louder and more animated.

Now during the whole game the kid was on his Blackberry every now and then, and since I'm right in between him and his buddy, I have a perfect view of his phone so I notice something on it.

I believe it was early in the 3rd, and Paul Mara made a horrible misplay...just gave the puck away. "Fire Renney!" Guy next to him flips, "Stop being a jackass!" They start yelling back and forth at each other. This is when I feel like it's time for me to step in. I tap the guy on the shoulder, "Hey man, don't bother with this clown...he claims to be a Ranger fan but (turning to kid) HE HAS A FUCKIN PICTURE OF SIDNEY CROSBY AS THE BACKGROUND OF HIS PHONE!" Everyone starts cracking up and people started the "asshole" chant at him. Kid didn't say a word the rest of the game and then left a few minutes before Naslund tied it up.

Tool.

[sterlingice]

Great story

SI

[Dr. Sak]

People like that annoy the crap out me at games. They are the same ones that yell "SHOOT" the entire time during a power play. Even though there is no clear shot to the net, they still want them to just fire it into a defenders leg.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

People like that annoy the crap out me at games. They are the same ones that yell "SHOOT" the entire time during a power play. Even though there is no clear shot to the net, they still want them to just fire it into a defenders leg.

Let's not generalize all fans that yell "shoot" during a power play. Some were scarred by years of Hartford Whaler "power plays" which involved a lot of passing and far too little shooting.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

People like that annoy the crap out me at games. They are the same ones that yell "SHOOT" the entire time during a power play. Even though there is no clear shot to the net, they still want them to just fire it into a defenders leg.

This is one reason why I don't go to as many games as I do. I can't recall the last time I went to a Red Wings game and there wasn't some Red Wings fan in my immediate proximity who annoyed the living shit out of me. Back in the day it was guys who just whined and whined about how much they hated the Russians and how they should trade all 5 of them for Keith Tkachuck and someone else. There was the woman who just never stopped shouting at players and kept using their "nicknames" over and over "Come on, Drapes! Come on, Drapes! Skate, Mac! Move, Malts! Pass it, Stevie! Pass it!" And then there was the woman who everytime the puck got anywhere near the Wings' net she would scream at the goalie (Mike Vernon at the time) "Get back in the net! Get back in the net! Don't leave the net!"

I have said this before, but (present company excluded of course) I tend to find the majority of Red Wings' fans deeply fucking irritating.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

This is one reason why I don't go to as many games as I do. I can't recall the last time I went to a Red Wings game and there wasn't some Red Wings fan in my immediate proximity who annoyed the living shit out of me. Back in the day it was guys who just whined and whined about how much they hated the Russians and how they should trade all 5 of them for Keith Tkachuck and someone else. There was the woman who just never stopped shouting at players and kept using their "nicknames" over and over "Come on, Drapes! Come on, Drapes! Skate, Mac! Move, Malts! Pass it, Stevie! Pass it!" And then there was the woman who everytime the puck got anywhere near the Wings' net she would scream at the goalie (Mike Vernon at the time) "Get back in the net! Get back in the net! Don't leave the net!"

I have said this before, but (present company excluded of course) I tend to find the majority of Red Wings' fans deeply fucking irritating.

I've long since learned that a Wings fans IQ is directley related to if they are wearing a Wings Nut hat or not.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I tend to find the ALL of Red Wings' fans deeply fucking irritating.

I wholeheartedly agree

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by bbor

I wholeheartedly agree

Go eat a chalupa and STFU!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Does anyone wear his heart on his sleeve more than Manny Legace? Once again, poor ole Manny is back at it.

The Blues placed goaltender Manny Legace on waivers this morning, the Post-Dispatch has learned.

The team will know this weekend whether Legace has been claimed by another team.

If he is not, Legace will be sent to Peoria.

"It's extremely tough," Legace said this morning. "You play your heart out for a team, and the minute you hit a little bit of a rough patch, they dump on you.

"It was very hard to hear."


Poor Manny.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by samifan24

Let's not generalize all fans that yell "shoot" during a power play. Some were scarred by years of Hartford Whaler "power plays" which involved a lot of passing and far too little shooting.

The Sabres tend to do this. You need to find a balance.

[Pyser]

fucking rangers. watch a guy sign a 4 year deal and then about 9 months later get him back for free....at only $6m or so total. god i hate that team.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by samifan24

Let's not generalize all fans that yell "shoot" during a power play. Some were scarred by years of Hartford Whaler "power plays" which involved a lot of passing and far too little shooting.

The Hurricanes have almost got this figured out finally. Almost.

[MikeVic]

ESPN.com NHL Player Survey: Who tops players' lists - ESPN

Go Kerry Fraser!

[Dr. Sak]

Haha the answer to question #4

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

People like that annoy the crap out me at games. They are the same ones that yell "SHOOT" the entire time during a power play. Even though there is no clear shot to the net, they still want them to just fire it into a defenders leg.

You've been spending lots of time at the Mellon Arena?

People will yell shoot when Fleury is setting up a dump in behind the net.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

ESPN.com NHL Player Survey: Who tops players' lists - ESPN

Go Kerry Fraser!

Oh man...ML is gonna spin.

He might quit hockey after this.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by bbor

Oh man...ML is gonna spin.

Of course the players like Fraser. He lets them high-stick each other in the face without calling a penalty. He's like the awesome high school teacher who lets you smoke in class.

[DeToxRox]

Oof. Sorry Oil. 4-0 Wings in the first.

[DeToxRox]

5-0. Awful play by the Oilers at center ice, Z swipes it and feeds it to Dats for goal.

[DeToxRox]

First period stats:

Wings Goals: 5
Oilers shots: 5

[bbor]

LOL.you sure it's not the Leafs?

[Travis]

I normally don't cheer against my favorite teams, but combine MacT making a few more ridiculous roster decisions, Roli slashing Cleary in the groin and the Oilers needing a shakeup, I don't mind seeing Roli getting lit up today.

There's a lot of potential on this team, so sad that the coach is more concerned about playing favorites than putting the team in the best chance to succeed and the odds of actually firing him is just about 0.

But I mean hey, when you're looking for somebody to play at Hemsky's level, obviously the season long 4th line center is the answer.

[DeToxRox]

Travis, how did you not put your fist through a wall on that 5th goal? WTF was Brodz doing?

[Travis]

I like Brodziak, he's a good 3/4 liner, pretty good on the dot, but there he's trying to do too much. He's been thrown on the first line when all the talk is about how they need somebody to compliment Hemsky. He's not playing his game at that point because of a) being plugged in on the first line and b) the score of the game. Instead of making his usual play in that situation, he was looking to create and did, just not for the right team.

Not totally absolving him of the mistake, but that's on MacT as much as it is Brodziak.

The one I wanted to put my fist through the wall on was the first goal that set the tone for the game. Roli with a selfish penalty then can't stop an open look at Rafalski's shot.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Hopefully the Wings used up their goal supply for the weekend there. Although I wouldn't mind seeing the Pens win 7-6 again tomorrow.

[Neuqua]

The Detroit Red Wings foreign scout flies to Baghdad to watch a
young Iraqi play hockey in the new American sponsored league, and is
suitably impressed and arranges for him to come over to the US.

Ken Holland signs him to a one year contract and the kid joins the
team for the preseason.

Two weeks later the Wings are down 4-0 to the Blackhawks with only
10 minutes left. Mike Babcock gives the young Iraqi the nod and he goes in.
The kid is a sensation - scores 5 goals in 10 minutes and wins the game for
the Wings! The fans are delighted, the players and coaches are delighted,
and the media love the new star.

When the player comes off the ice he phones his mom to tell her
about his first day of NHL hockey. "Hello mom, guess what?" he says in an
Iraqi accent. " I played for 10 minutes today, we were 4-0 down, but I
scored 5 goals and we won. Everybody loves me, the fans, the media, they all
love me."

"Wonderful," says his mom, "Let me tell you about my day. Your
father got shot in the street and robbed, your sister and I were ambushed,
raped and beaten, and your brother has joined a gang of looters, and all
while you were having such great time."

The young Iraqi is very upset. "What can I say mom, but I'm so
sorry."

"Sorry? You're sorry? !!" says his mom, "It's your fault we moved
to Detroit in the first place!"

[sterlingice]

I LOL'd

SI

[Wolfpack]

Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in. After giving up the shorthanded game winner in Vancouver on Tuesday, Carolina manages somehow to win both their remaining games on the road trip out west, including a rather surprising SO win over San Jose even though it looked like they kinda-sorta waved the white flag for a bit by sending out backup goalie Michael Leighton for that one and then followed that with a whipping of the Coyotes over the last half of last night's game that turned a 2-2 game into a 7-2 rout. Kudos to the team for not rolling over after that horrid end to the first game of the trip. I still say they're not much more than a first-round victim for the Bruins right now, but at least they're going to try to do something with this year it looks like.

Carolina's now in eighth in the East and it looks like it'll be a three-horse race between them, Pittsburgh, and Florida for the last spot. With Pittsburgh getting dumped by Detroit today, Carolina has two points on the Pens and a game in hand, while Florida has a couple of games in hand on Carolina and lie a point back in ninth. Carolina's off until Thursday when they'll get to play the Panthers in Raleigh.

[samifan24]

I have to hand it to San Jose, they completely outplayed the Bruins in the 3rd period. It seems like Boston's forwards are all hitting a wall at the same time, Krejci and Wheeler especially. I think it's time the Bruins make a move and infuse the club with some new blood. I've heard Erik Cole's name floated and I like the deal as long as the Bruins don't move Hunwick in the deal.

[Maple Leafs]

Fun stat find from another forum:

Total career points:
Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky = 2,857 (regular) + 382 (playoffs) = 3,239
Every player who has dressed for the Coyotes this season = 2,995 points (regular) + 74 (playoffs) = 3,069

[Pyser]

devils get the bruins and sharks this weekend. pretty good test to see where they are really at right now, minus brodeur.