If anyone forgot, The puck drops tonight!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:56 am

Head's up: NHL Live, the daily radio show from 10 a.m.-noon (EST) on weekdays at nhl.com, is a very good listen for pucks' fans. I'm really enjoying this show.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:13 am

Rumours have Owen Nolan returning to the NHL perhaps by the end of NOV early DEC and playing for the Coyotes as Wayne's team have some room to play with since the departure of B. Hull.

On another note it's proven that with the new NHL rules, speed kills, how else can you explain teams like Nashville & Minnesota playing on top of their game?

Cheap shot of the day: Atlanta's E. Boultron ,a rookie, nailing Tampa's P. Ranger in the head, with the score already 6-0. After last week's suspension of A. Sutton for nailing D. Tucker, coach B. Hartley is in a hot seat for encouraging his players to take liberty at other players.

Airdog · Post by **Airdog** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:20 am

Damn Leafs blew two 2 goal leads tonight. Klee had to ice it in overtime for the win.

And Lindros keeps rolling along. Even Chad Kilger's playing a good game!

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:32 am

10spro wrote:On another note it's proven that with the new NHL rules, speed kills, how else can you explain teams like Nashville & Minnesota playing on top of their game?

Well Nashville has a pretty good team. I wouldn't exactly call the Red Wings "speedy" and they are 6-1 with a backup goalie and an injured captain. Speed helps but you have to play defense and put the bisquit in the basket.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:04 pm

laurenskye wrote:
10spro wrote:On another note it's proven that with the new NHL rules, speed kills, how else can you explain teams like Nashville & Minnesota playing on top of their game?
Well Nashville has a pretty good team. I wouldn't exactly call the Red Wings "speedy" and they are 6-1 with a backup goalie and an injured captain. Speed helps but you have to play defense and put the bisquit in the basket.

Detroit is a veteran team with some good young players like Datsyuk, Williams, Zetterberg & Fisher on defense. We all know the Shanahan's, Chelios, former 50 goal scorer R. Lang, Lindstrom etc. Injuries?

Every team will go thru them some time during the season but for NAS I think people will recognize only the names of Kariya, Sullivan & Vokoun, ditto with MIN's Gaborik. And they're getting results with 2nd string goaltender 36 year old W. Roloson carrying them so far.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:09 pm

10spro wrote:
laurenskye wrote:
10spro wrote:On another note it's proven that with the new NHL rules, speed kills, how else can you explain teams like Nashville & Minnesota playing on top of their game?
Well Nashville has a pretty good team. I wouldn't exactly call the Red Wings "speedy" and they are 6-1 with a backup goalie and an injured captain. Speed helps but you have to play defense and put the bisquit in the basket.

Detroit is a veteran team with some good young players like Datsyuk, Williams, Zetterberg & Fisher on defense. We all know the Shanahan's, Chelios, former 50 goal scorer R. Lang, Lindstrom etc. Injuries?

Every team will go thru them some time during the season but for NAS I think people will recognize only the names of Kariya, Sullivan & Vokoun, ditto with MIN's Gaborik. And they're getting results with 2nd string goaltender 36 year old W. Roloson carrying them so far.

50 goal scorer Robert Lang? I'm pretty sure his single season high was in the low 30's.
As for Nashville, they've looked impressive, but they've also achieved 3 of those wins via the shootout. It's still too early to judge a team (ask Leebo

). However, I think the Preds will make the playoffs, but they'll be in the 5-8 range.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:24 pm

10spro wrote:On another note it's proven that with the new NHL rules, speed kills, how else can you explain teams like Nashville & Minnesota playing on top of their game?

I think the Wild's speed is overrated. The Sharks out-skated them for most, if not all of Wednesday's game. However, Jacques Lemaire has his team playing great positional offense and defense. It isn't a coincidence that their first road trip, where they went 0-2, coincided with a total breakdown from a patience and positioning perspective.

The rest of the league will probably catch up with them and they don't have a lot of big name talent, but there's nothing like watching a game at the X when the crowd is into it.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:14 pm

Sully wrote:50 goal scorer Robert Lang? I'm pretty sure his single season high was in the low 30's.
As for Nashville, they've looked impressive, but they've also achieved 3 of those wins via the shootout. It's still too early to judge a team (ask Leebo ). However, I think the Preds will make the playoffs, but they'll be in the 5-8 range.

Agreed on all counts Sully. People forget that Nashville made the playoffs last year, so it's not like it's all the 'new NHL' at work. Besides, as you said, they could easily be 3-3 if it weren't for those shootout wins.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:30 pm

Naples39 wrote:
Sully wrote:50 goal scorer Robert Lang? I'm pretty sure his single season high was in the low 30's.
As for Nashville, they've looked impressive, but they've also achieved 3 of those wins via the shootout. It's still too early to judge a team (ask Leebo ). However, I think the Preds will make the playoffs, but they'll be in the 5-8 range.
Agreed on all counts Sully. People forget that Nashville made the playoffs last year, so it's not like it's all the 'new NHL' at work. Besides, as you said, they could easily be 3-3 if it weren't for those shootout wins.

I've always thought that a team like the Preds could benefit most from a salary cap. They were a small market team living on the edge of the playoffs for the past couple years. Plus, they have one of the league's most underrated goalies in Tomas Vokoun.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:42 pm

Sully wrote:I've always thought that a team like the Preds could benefit most from a salary cap. They were a small market team living on the edge of the playoffs for the past couple years. Plus, they have one of the league's most underrated goalies in Tomas Vokoun.

Reads like a perfect description of the Oilers, except for the last sentence. Conklin sucks -- there's no other way to say it -- and Markkanen is average, maybe a bit better than average.

Don't Grant Fuhr or Andy Moog have any kids ready for the NHL?

Take care,
PK

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 6:54 pm

Great matchup tonight between the Sens and Lightning. I'll be tuning in.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:13 pm

Sully wrote:Great matchup tonight between the Sens and Lightning. I'll be tuning in.

Indeed. My DVR will start cranking on that game in about 15 minutes, followed by Oilers-Avalanche. Two hours, 15 minutes of excellent pucks for later tonight!

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:37 pm

pk500 wrote:
Sully wrote:I've always thought that a team like the Preds could benefit most from a salary cap. They were a small market team living on the edge of the playoffs for the past couple years. Plus, they have one of the league's most underrated goalies in Tomas Vokoun.
Reads like a perfect description of the Oilers, except for the last sentence. Conklin sucks -- there's no other way to say it -- and Markkanen is average, maybe a bit better than average.

Don't Grant Fuhr or Andy Moog have any kids ready for the NHL?

Take care,
PK

PK, Oilers are no longer IMO anyways a small market team when you have players like Moreau, Peca, the two Smiths, Pronger and Horcoff. Agree with you with their goalie situation but as they are playing lately it's not just a goalie problem really ,but a lack of chemistry among the new players.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:27 pm

10spro wrote:PK, Oilers are no longer IMO anyways a small market team when you have players like Moreau, Peca, the two Smiths, Pronger and Horcoff. Agree with you with their goalie situation but as they are playing lately it's not just a goalie problem really ,but a lack of chemistry among the new players.

10s:

Good point, but actually the biggest problem during this losing streak is that two-thirds of the Oil's top line has been injured for four of the five losses. Horcoff just returned last night after a strained shoulder, and Smyth is still out with a sprained knee.

But Smytty skated well with a brace yesterday in the morning skate, and his return has been moved up to day to day instead of two to three weeks as feared. Good news!

The Oil's power play also has lacked creativity and zip on its passes during the losing streak. In the first three wins of the season, the puck just snapped around between the wing along the high boards and the defensemen, usually resulting in a Stoll one-time blast from the point. There were some great cross-ice passes from the wing to a pinching Stoll or Pronger for a blast, too.

Teams caught on to that and stopped collapsing the box on the PK, aggressively challenging the wing along the high boards and the defensemen at the point. That has hurt the Oil's PP, as it doesn't look like MacTavish has adjusted for other teams catching on to the Oil's PP tendencies.

Your point about chemistry is valid, though. It takes time for everyone to get accustomed to their new teammates, but it's not like Edmonton is the only team that had big roster changes during the offseason.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:55 pm

Sabres won again last night. I'm excited about this team

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:26 pm

The Penguins f***in suck. As bad as the past seven games have been, this game tonight against the Bruins has to be the most embarassing of all.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 9:09 pm

HipE wrote:The Penguins f***in suck. As bad as the past seven games have been, this game tonight against the Bruins has to be the most embarassing of all.

Yeah, this is the most disappointing start to a season in a long time especially after the high expectations from all of the off season signings.

Jackdog · Post by **Jackdog** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 9:51 pm

Wings 8-1 for the season. Manny had his 2nd shutout tonight aginst the Blue Jackets. Williams had a hat trick with 3+min left in the 1st period.

I really like watching this Wings team skate. They back check and are playing some damn good D. Nice start to the season. The only thing missing now is a healthy Stevie Y.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:03 am

vader29 wrote:
HipE wrote:The Penguins f***in suck. As bad as the past seven games have been, this game tonight against the Bruins has to be the most embarassing of all.
Yeah, this is the most disappointing start to a season in a long time especially after the high expectations from all of the off season signings.

Fellas, it's too early, just ask Leebo!

Seriously, I'm just joking.

Ed Olzyck is not the man for the job!

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:44 am

Sully wrote:Fellas, it's too early, just ask Leebo!

Make fun all you want, but when you start talking playoffs after 2% of any season in any sport is complete, you would be wrong as often as you were right. I don't think I ever heard anyone anywhere talk about someone not looking like a playoff team that early in any sport with 80-162 games. That's all I was pointing out. I'm a lot more alarmed now after 10% of the season has been played.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:22 am

Leebo33 wrote:
Sully wrote:Fellas, it's too early, just ask Leebo!
Make fun all you want, but when you start talking playoffs after 2% of any season in any sport is complete, you would be wrong as often as you were right. I don't think I ever heard anyone anywhere talk about someone not looking like a playoff team that early in any sport with 80-162 games. That's all I was pointing out. I'm a lot more alarmed now after 10% of the season has been played.

Yes, I know Leebo. I was just poking fun.
On a serious note, Olczyk is just not the man for the job. One would think they'd bring in a coach with experience. Someone that's defensive minded. I'd imagine the media is ripping Olczyk apart up in Pittsburgh.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:37 am

Sully wrote:On a serious note, Olczyk is just not the man for the job. One would think they'd bring in a coach with experience. Someone that's defensive minded. I'd imagine the media is ripping Olczyk apart up in Pittsburgh.

Yeah, I don't think Olczyk is going to last much longer.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:20 pm

Leebo33 wrote:
Sully wrote:On a serious note, Olczyk is just not the man for the job. One would think they'd bring in a coach with experience. Someone that's defensive minded. I'd imagine the media is ripping Olczyk apart up in Pittsburgh.
Yeah, I don't think Olczyk is going to last much longer.

If I was the GM, I would judge my coaching staff after the 1st 25 games of the season. When a team like the Pens have so many new faces and rookies, team chemistry takes time, it's the same thing I was telling PK's Oilers. Having said that, you'll always have to point fingers when a team is not doing well & sure Olczyck is an easy scapegoat now. If Steinbrenner was the president of the club he would have been gone, but GM C. Patrick is an experienced man, knows his field of business and we'll do whatever it takes to turn the team around. The problem they have is defense, scoring is not a problem, but they are being scored more often than they do.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:58 pm

Edmonton and Pittsburgh share a common problem -- goaltending. Just as I'm not sure of the NHL caliber of Conklin and Markkanen, I have my doubts about Thibault, Caron and Fleury for Pittsburgh.

John Davidson made a GREAT point on "The Hot Stove" during Hockey Night in Canada last night. JD said that the clutching-and-grabbing style of play in the NHL from the mid-90s through the 2003-04 season really leveled the goaltending field. It made average goalies look almost as good as guys like Marty Brodeur and Roy.

Now that the game has opened up, JD insisted that the great goalies still will be great but that the average-to-mediocre goalies will be shown up and exposed by all of the power plays and odd-man situations that the new rules have created.

I couldn't agree with JD more, as usual. We're really seeing now who's a good goalie in the NHL and who's not.

Take care,
PK

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:59 am

Saw that piece with John Davidson too, and agree 100%. I actually think it's probably the single biggest obstacle to the cup for the Flyers right now as Esche has looked very leaky (871 sv pct. so far).