The OFFICIAL 2008-09 NHL Thread

[Chief Rum]

Thanks for showing up against the Preds, Wings.

Nothing really solved tonight. The teams behind (Anaheim, Minnesota, St. Louis) won, the teams ahead lost (Edmonton, Nashville, Columbus).

Just gets tighter and tighter.

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Nice to see the Hurricanes charging into the playoffs rather than rolling over like they did the last few years. Looks like Cole brought some intensity back to this club that they've been missing.

La-la-la! I'm not listening! I'm not listening!

Dammit, I wanna really enjoy this recent stretch, but I can't totally do so. I keep waiting for that other shoe to drop. I'd feel a heckuva lot more confident if we didn't have to finish with the Rangers, Penguins, Sabres, Islanders, and Devils (the last on the road). I think I'm still a bit traumatized by what happened last year and by the various ugly losing streaks they've had this year.

[Maple Leafs]

Brian Burke just told the Toronto Star that he's going to sue my ass:
The Spin

[Dr. Sak]

I hope Cox tells him the person doing it is Mr Brown.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Brian Burke just told the Toronto Star that he's going to sue my ass:
The Spin

"Web pollution" versus "all fun."

I vote: All fun.

Maybe it's time to insure your ass just like J-Lo.

If he decides to sue you in America (which is unlikely), I'm a lawyer and would gladly take your case on Pro Bono.

If he sues you in Canada (more likely), I know some Canadian lawyers.

You're in good hands.

[DeToxRox]

LOL Amazing, ML.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

LOL Amazing, ML.

Wow, agreed. This is just fantastic. Most successful non-celebrity twitter evah!

[johnnyshaka]

Great stuff, ML...keep it up, Burke is a douchebag and he continues to prove it over and over again.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Sick shootout goal by Oilers prospect Linus Omark

hmmm...embed not working...at least for me

YouTube - Linus Omark - Straffmål i träningsmatchen mellan Sverige - Schweiz 2009-03-31

[Travis]

Bah, MacT will have that sort of skill coached out of him inside of two years so enjoy it now

[Fidatelo]

We've all seen where cool shootout goals get Oiler prospects... *cough*schremp*cough*

[Chief Rum]

Ping: UMichigan Frozen fans

The Ducks just signed D Mark Mitera, their 2006 1st round pick, to a three-year entry level contract. He was at the time of being drafted one of the best defenseman prospects in his class, but needed to develop some.

So I thought I would get your impressions on what the Ducks have here. Also, is he a step into the NHL guy or still a year or two away. Thanks.

[bhlloy]

Did anyone else catch the end of the Ducks - Oilers game. Oilers come and score 2 in the last 3 minutes to be only one goal down, and then McTavish tries to get a stick measurement against Selanne, loses it and puts Penner in the box for the delay of game penalty - basically ending their chances of winning. Doubly strange as Penner was a real force out there towards the end and is surely the guy you want parked in front of the net in the last minute. Not a good coaching move at all.

Still good win for the Ducks even if they did fall asleep at the end.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Ping: UMichigan Frozen fans

The Ducks just signed D Mark Mitera, their 2006 1st round pick, to a three-year entry level contract. He was at the time of being drafted one of the best defenseman prospects in his class, but needed to develop some.

So I thought I would get your impressions on what the Ducks have here. Also, is he a step into the NHL guy or still a year or two away. Thanks.

Kid tore his ACL in September or October and was back in February. Was rusty obviously. Nice physical game but still has to develope on the offensive end. Will be a solid player.

[DeToxRox]

Logan is a bitch.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

cmp smoked me a lot to a little. was a lot closer then the final score would indicate but I made awful decisions. I had 4 possessions inside the 10 and didn't score on any of them. Two fumbles, one pick six. Was just too careless but my freshman QB definetly played a part in it.

gg cmp.

Were you beat so badly that you couldn't find the right thread to put this in?

[TurnerONU22]

Raffi Torres is clutch. And Mexican.

That is all.

[Dr. Sak]

I hope Columbus makes the playoffs, I still have a soft spot for RJ Umberger.

[TurnerONU22]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

I hope Columbus makes the playoffs, I still have a soft spot for RJ Umberger.

Umberger has been a great fit with this team, and since the Vermette trade, those two have developed some great chemistry together. Both have 10 points in 12 games (Vermette 6g4a, Umberger 5g5a). He just has a knack for scoring goals in front of the net, he had a great one last night to make it a 1-1 game, knocking in his own rebound.

What a great trade by Howson, turning Adam Foote into RJ Umberger and a 4th round pick.

[Dr. Sak]

RJ isn't flashy but he plays tough and you can play him on the PP and PK. I loved him as a Flyer and was sad to see him go, but it was a Cap casulity. However, I do like the guy (Sisba) they got for him from Columbus when the Blue Jackets shipped over their first rounder for RJ's rights in last year's draft.

[TurnerONU22]

While that trade by Howson has worked out excellent, this might be the best move of all:

Blue Jackets Xtra : Cancer patient's 1-day pact with Jackets priceless

This is the reason I'm proud to be a hockey and a Blue Jackets fan

Even better, he's in the team picture, right behind Steve Mason on the left:

[Draft Dodger]

JVR has signed with the Flyers, and is joining the Phantoms now

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by TurnerONU22

While that trade by Howson has worked out excellent, this might be the best move of all:

Blue Jackets Xtra : Cancer patient's 1-day pact with Jackets priceless

This is the reason I'm proud to be a hockey and a Blue Jackets fan

Even better, he's in the team picture, right behind Steve Mason on the left:

I really, really like that story

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

JVR has signed with the Flyers, and is joining the Phantoms now

Yeah he has a tryout offer with the Phantoms...his entry level deal doesn't start until next year.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Did anyone else catch the end of the Ducks - Oilers game. Oilers come and score 2 in the last 3 minutes to be only one goal down, and then McTavish tries to get a stick measurement against Selanne, loses it and puts Penner in the box for the delay of game penalty - basically ending their chances of winning. Doubly strange as Penner was a real force out there towards the end and is surely the guy you want parked in front of the net in the last minute. Not a good coaching move at all.

lots of words

Originally Posted by bhlloy

McTavish tries to get a stick measurement against Selanne, loses it and puts Penner in the box for the delay of game penalty - basically ending their chances of winning. Doubly strange as Penner was a real force out there towards the end and is surely the guy you want parked in front of the net in the last minute. Not a good coaching move at all.

still a lot of words

Originally Posted by bhlloy

McTavish tries to get a stick measurement against Selanne, loses it and puts Penner in the box for the delay of game penalty - basically ending their chances of winning. Not a good coaching move at all.

so many words

Originally Posted by bhlloy

McTavish. Not a good coaching move at all.

Agreed.

[samifan24]

I feel sick.

[Logan]

Oh shi

[Pumpy Tudors]

worst ever

[Wolfpack]

Ick. It just doesn't work at all. Red, white, grey, and black tend to work. Green, blue, and grey work. Red, white, black, green, blue, and grey don't.

Is that for real, even? It looks photoshopped to me. I hope so, anyway. April Fool's, maybe? *shudder*

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by samifan24

I feel sick.

What is that?

No, seriously, what in the hell is that?

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

What is that?

No, seriously, what in the hell is that?

I think it's a real jersey. They were talking about it in the Puck Daddy Yahoo Sports hockey blog.

[Fidatelo]

That looks very photoshopped to me, and given the date on the post above I'm giving it a 1% chance of being real.

[Draft Dodger]

the Avs are so decimated by injuries (real, or Hedman induced) that last night the Avalanche defenseman with the 3rd most NHL seniority was Michael Vernace. He has all of 7 games under his belt. 4 of the Avs 6 D in the game had made their NHL debut in the last couple of weeks.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

the Avs are so decimated by injuries (real, or Hedman induced) that last night the Avalanche defenseman with the 3rd most NHL seniority was Michael Vernace. He has all of 7 games under his belt. 4 of the Avs 6 D in the game had made their NHL debut in the last couple of weeks.

What's going on with Colorado? This injury thing has been an epidemic over the last few years. It's really been out of control. Is it just a collection of incredibly fragile players, bad luck, poor conditioning?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

What's going on with Colorado? This injury thing has been an epidemic over the last few years. It's really been out of control. Is it just a collection of incredibly fragile players, bad luck, poor conditioning?

I do think some of the recent injuries probably have more to do with where the team is in the standings (I bet there's 4 or 5 guys who would be playing right now if the games actually counted). but yeah, lots and lots of really bad luck in the last few years.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Pumpy...I almost feel bad for what happened at Mellon Arena Wednesday night. Almost.

[Wolfpack]

Canes win their seventh in a row, beating the Rangers 4-2 at home...and that is all I have to say about that. Nope. Not gonna acknowledge the standings or anything. (Just once in my life, I'd like to experience utter confidence that things will go right for my teams, but I've felt so snakebit and jaded over the past two decades that it's nearly impossible to do it.)

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Canes win their seventh in a row, beating the Rangers 4-2 at home...and that is all I have to say about that. Nope. Not gonna acknowledge the standings or anything. (Just once in my life, I'd like to experience utter confidence that things will go right for my teams, but I've felt so snakebit and jaded over the past two decades that it's nearly impossible to do it.)

Glad to see Maurice doing well......he really got the short end of the stick in Toronto.

[bhlloy]

I really think that the West is wide open this year. Don't think the Wings can be 100% confident with the way they are heading into the playoffs and I'll believe the Sharks are a playoff force when I see it... I can see the Flames or 'Nucks stealing a series from them and making it to the finals.

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by bbor

Glad to see Maurice doing well......he really got the short end of the stick in Toronto.

The interesting part is that much of the fanbase here was very much unhappy he was brought back. Lots of words like "crony" thrown about. Maurice really had to win the fans back and he's obviously done so, though winning a ton of games certainly helps.

The one unfair thing I suppose about how Carolina fans treated his return was that in his prior stint before the lockout, Carolina was probably much more talent-poor than they are now (no Staal or Ward, for example) and so had to resort to a rather ugly style of hockey that relied on keeping things close and hoping to pull out a win, which work fabulously well right up to Game 2 of the '02 Finals, but the bottom fell out over the next couple of years when the lack of talent became glaring. Certainly, while this team isn't on a level talent-wise of Pittsburgh, Washington, or Boston, I think they'd blow the doors off the 2002 team. With the rules changes that have unclogged the game a bit and the salary cap spreading the talent around a little more, it's given Maurice I think a bit more latitude in playing offensive hockey while still retaining a strong defensive mindset. Granted, the offense has diminished a bit as Carolina's really been in a meat-grinder of a schedule recently and just about everyone fighting for a playoff spot is playing what amounts to playoff hockey, but it's hard to argue with a seven-game win streak and a team record 10 in a row at home. They also manfully battled back from that ugly stretch of games after the break where they got outscored something like 15-3 at home. It's hard to believe that this is the same team sometimes.

Regardless, I'm not going to celebrate anything until they get that spot nailed down. That collapse last year.... *sigh*

[bhlloy]

Crazy game going on in Vancouver tonight. Luongo and Hiller are getting shelled and it's 5-5 after 2 periods. Would be a huge point for the Ducks, never mind 2 if they can get the win.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

... I've felt so snakebit and jaded over the past two decades that it's nearly impossible to do it.)

What? The 'Canes won the cup, what, 3 years ago? Good grief man, how can you be jaded? Let your team win 1 playoff series in 20 years and lose several after being up 3 games to 1, then come talk to me about jaded. Oh ya, and then your team has to leave for a place where no one cares about them, but they still manage to get the greatest player of all time to somehow coach them, and yet still no one cares.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Pumpy...I almost feel bad for what happened at Mellon Arena Wednesday night. Almost.

The Devils are in the tank. Hopefully, they get all this crappy play out of their system now, and then they can go back to their regular winning ways when the playoffs begin.

I'm grasping for any straws I can reach right now.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Crazy game going on in Vancouver tonight. Luongo and Hiller are getting shelled and it's 5-5 after 2 periods. Would be a huge point for the Ducks, never mind 2 if they can get the win.

How odd. Both teams knuckle down and shut each other out in the third and in OT, so after 10 goals in the first 40 mins, this one ended up going to a shootout. Perry scores a huge five hole shot in the shootout, and Hiller is huge stopping all three 'Nucks to get us another critical two points, and back into #7 (we lost it momentarily when the Blues won earlier tonight).

Now a showdown with the Sharks at the Tank on Saturday. We have four of a max four so far on this trip; if we can get anything out of the meet with the Sharks, that would be one heck of a terrific and clutch road trip.

[Sublime 2]

Bruins lock up Thomas for 4 yrs $20 million. Not a bad deal for the B's, but he is 35 and I'm now a little worried about keeping Kessel and Krejci (not to mention Lucic and Wheeler afterwards).

Hopefully Rask doesn't get pissed off either and demand a trade. My guess is they'll start to slowly work Tuuka into the rotation with Thomas next season.

But overall it's good news for an awesome guy! One of the top goalies in the league signs for a relatively cheap deal.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Sublime 2

Hopefully Rask doesn't get pissed off either and demand a trade.

You'd have to be a total idiot to trade a guy like that.

[Sublime 2]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

You'd have to be a total idiot to trade a guy like that.

Completely agree, but how willing is he to backup Timmay for another 4 years.

Granted I imagine by the 3rd year it will be more of a platoon, but if I'm a stud like Rask I want to be in that crease the majority of the time.

[Dr. Sak]

Trade him to the Flyers because after tonight I think Biron might get shot.

But with the way he is playing he'll dodge the bullet.

[samifan24]

I like Thomas but am also worried about his age. Apparently the Bruins included several clauses by which they can minimize the damage his contract does if his play deteriorates quickly over the next few seasons. Obviously they're not counting on that happening, though.

I agree that Rask will take over for Fernandez next season and still see a lot of action. The Bruins know he is the future and can't afford to trade him.

Since you mentioned Kessel and Krejci, I too am wondering which one the Bruins will keep. I don't know that they can afford both in the long term.

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

What? The 'Canes won the cup, what, 3 years ago? Good grief man, how can you be jaded? Let your team win 1 playoff series in 20 years and lose several after being up 3 games to 1, then come talk to me about jaded. Oh ya, and then your team has to leave for a place where no one cares about them, but they still manage to get the greatest player of all time to somehow coach them, and yet still no one cares.

Well, I didn't say that anyone else couldn't be jaded or even more jaded than me, just that I was jaded.

And yes, I probably shouldn't feel that way given what happened in 2006, but that's a very bright blip in an otherwise dismal sporting landscape for me in quite some time. I think I didn't make clear that I was referencing the overall picture of all my sports teams, which leads to my doubts about any of them doing well at any one time. Let's see....

*2006 Stanley Cup win and 2002 Finals appearance for Carolina, but otherwise, nothing much to speak of including horrid teams in the pre-lockout years after 2002
*2003 Super Bowl appearance and 1996 and 2005 NFC championship appearances for the Panthers, but otherwise blah since 1995 including a 1-15 season
*2007 NL championship for Colorado, but otherwise a losing franchise that has only one other playoff appearance since 1993
*The Hornets got good, then the owner got stupid, moved the team, and now we have the Bobcats...at least they seem to be trying this year
*Then we come to NC State. The high points: 1983 NCAA basketball championship (now 26 years ago tomorrow), demolition of (in hindsight an overrated) Notre Dame in the 2002 Gator Bowl. Otherwise, no ACC championships in basketball since 1987, no ACC championships in football since 1979. An utterly disastrous decade in the 1990s in both sports and neither sport has really threatened to do anything special since the 1980s except for 2002 in football.

Yes, it'd be so much easier for me to root for the Red Wings, Yankees, Patriots, Lakers, and Tar Heels, but I like a hard life, I suppose.