Hockey Night In DSP

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:47 pm

pk500 wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:I believe it was a Porsche 944 that he crashed.
Tim, you're absolutely right. I remember now because Rangers' fans up in the blue seats at MSG used to chant this to Hextall after Lindbergh's death:

"BUY A PORSCHE, HEXTALL, BUY A PORSCHE ... "

Pure class.

tjung0831 wrote:Extra credit - Name the Hartford Whaler in that picture.
Ron Francis?

Take care,
PK

Nope not Ron Francis. One more clue in case anybody else wants to guess. There is kind of a link between that player and Pelle Lindbergh.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:55 pm

Are you sure, Tim? If you right-click on the image, part of the image name is francis-cooperall.

Sure looks like Ronnie Francis. But if not, I give up.

Who is it?

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:03 pm

pk500 wrote:Are you sure, Tim? If you right-click on the image, part of the image name is francis-cooperall.

Sure looks like Ronnie Francis. But if not, I give up.

Who is it?

Take care,
PK

I'm pretty sure the player in that pic is former 1980 Olympian Mark Johnson and not Ron Francis.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:24 pm

I don't believe Mark Johnson ever wore a visor during his Whale tenure:

Ronnie Francis did:

I wouldn't bet my first-born or mortgage on it, but I would put a 10-spot on it that's Ron Francis in the shot, not Mark Johnson.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:34 pm

pk500 wrote:I don't believe Mark Johnson ever wore a visor during his Whale tenure:

Ronnie Francis did:

I wouldn't bet my first-born or mortgage on it, but I would put a 10-spot on it that's Ron Francis in the shot, not Mark Johnson.

Take care,
PK

I'm still pretty sure it's Johnson but I could be wrong. Johnson was king of the visor as his pics at legends of hockey will attest.
Anyway...time to get back to discussing the crap that is the current NHL! Mid 80's NHL...those were the days...

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:09 am

Maybe Ovechkin's cool blue visor was on his way as A. McDonald from the Ducks won the fastest skater competition. He also had a beauty in the SO.

Big guy Z. Chara just edges S. Souray for the hardest slapshot. Amazing how the composite sticks are bending.

A fun night, East beats West 15-11 in the superskills.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:27 am

The "In the Zone" part of the super skills was really lame... didn't the three skaters used to skate into the zone with speed for that segment?

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:18 am

how about malkin floating during the youngstars game? he was the ONLY player to not have a point...goalies included.

and that in the zone....i did that drill the week before in practice....

i wish they did the relay breakaway drill...

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:22 pm

How the the game has not moved forward especially in the US under G. Bettman:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/stor ... 17&k=23097

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:24 am

Interesting stat from Tom Benjamin's hockey blog about the results of interconference play so far this year:

West v. East: 58-31-8 (63.9% point percentage)
East v. West: 39-45-13 (46.1% point percentage)

The West is best, baby. No wonder the Eastern Conference owners want to keep the schedule unbalanced.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:35 am

Very interesting blog post from Mike Chen. Hockey's ratings' decline is on par, percentage-wise, with that of Major League Baseball:

http://www.mikechenwriting.com/blog/index.html

I never would have thought that. I think it's the bottom line U.S. viewership number -- not much higher than a test pattern -- that's most disturbing.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:19 am

Cal Nichols chairman of the Oilers was one of the more vocal owners critizicing the status quo schedule for another season as it seems. As he says: ''The politics seem to always enter into it. I think we should be more concerned about the future of the game than specific interests or, 'It's going to cost me a few more thousand dollars to travel a few extra miles.' This shouldn't be about that. It's about the game.''

Truer words couldn't be spoken out, the Eastern teams seem to be more interested in penny pinching for their travels, their longest plane ride is an hour to Pitts, maybe if that, while the rest are bus rides.

Heck, even I can get a free trip to Mexico with my airmiles in no time, how difficult or costly would it be for any NY franchise?

Speaking of NY, D. Kasparitis is available on waivers.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:24 am

So gang, what did you think of the new unis? I must say I like them and more importantly, they are comfortable too according to the players.
Not that there was any defense last night, but the veteran line of Perrault, Guerin and Rolston did a great job in containing the Ovechkin-Crosby line.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:35 am

The unis ended up being much ado about nothing. They don't look that much different than the old sweaters, pants and socks.

If the NHL is going to focus on streamlining equipment, it should look first between the pipes instead of commissioning Reebok to conduct a f*cking hockey fashion show.

Take care,
PK

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 5:19 pm

Entertaining survey from NHL players:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/stor ... ayersurvey

Flyers retain rank as most intimidating fans, beating out the canadien teams.

Ken Hitchcock is also tabbed as the NHL coach's cage-match winner.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:35 pm

The trouble is they intimidate their own players as much as they intimidate the other team.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:10 am

The latest rumour on P. Forsberg is that the Swede would be willing to waive his no-trade clause and head back to COL. In return, in order to have the cap room, AVS would give away J.Theodore and another player to be named.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:48 am

Good Duhatschek column on the Predators:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... wsptduha25

I know everyone heaps justifiable praise on Buffalo's Lindy Ruff, but I think Trotz is the best coach in the NHL. He is the only coach that franchise ever has known, and his imprint has built it from an expansion team to an NHL powerhouse.

Plus Trotz looks more like a 1930s gangster than a hockey coach.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:56 am

I can't believe Ron MacLean ambushed Messier like this. From the Globe and Mail:

>>>>>>>>>>

Eating Sid alive

If there's a more opinionated sports host than Ron MacLean of Hockey Night, we don't know who he is.

MacLean, on most nights, is determined to impose his opinions on anyone from Don Cherry to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

On Tuesday, MacLean resumed his continuing criticism of the new NHL. But this time he attempted to use Mark Messier as an agent to advance his argument that the league's crackdown on restraining fouls has changed the game for the worse.

Messier, who had joined MacLean, Kelly Hrudey and Brett Hull on a panel, gave a glowing review of the obstruction-free NHL. He also noted that veteran defensive players can no longer shut down young offensive stars.

It seemed like a straightforward assessment, but, astonishingly, MacLean took Messier's words and turned them into tacit praise for the old game and a putdown of Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby.

MacLean said: "Before we get too carried away with the new rules — and, I know what you're saying Mark. That's a great point about [Bryan] Trottier would have eaten [Sidney Crosby] alive and [Laurie] Boschman and guys like that."

But Messier hadn't mentioned Trottier, or Boschman or even Crosby. He immediately started shaking his head.

"What's that?" MacLean asked.

"Nobody would eat this kid alive," Messier said.

"No, right," MacLean said quickly.

"This guy is as good and competitive and talented as I've seen in a long time," Messier continued. "He could have played in any era at any time and been a great player."

MacLean moved on.

<<<<<<<<<<

MacLean is everything a host shouldn't be. A host is the guy who moves things along, creating story lines and appropriate drama, and then handing it off to his anchors and color men.

Instead, MacLean tries to be the star of the show. I'm not Canadian, but I get the impression from watching "Hockey Night" the last two seasons that Ron is VERY impressed with Ron.

I'm really, really tired of MacLean's constant whining about the "new NHL."

Take care,
PK

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:07 am

10spro wrote:The latest rumour on P. Forsberg is that the Swede would be willing to waive his no-trade clause and head back to COL. In return, in order to have the cap room, AVS would give away J.Theodore and another player to be named.

I can only assume the Theodore giveaway is to another team. The Flyers are trying to clear cap space for free agent signings next season and no way in hell they'll take his 6 million contract for next year.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:27 am

Naples39 wrote:
10spro wrote:The latest rumour on P. Forsberg is that the Swede would be willing to waive his no-trade clause and head back to COL. In return, in order to have the cap room, AVS would give away J.Theodore and another player to be named.
I can only assume the Theodore giveaway is to another team. The Flyers are trying to clear cap space for free agent signings next season and no way in hell they'll take his 6 million contract for next year.

It'd have to be. There's no way Theodore is coming to Philly with that contract.

Rumors I've seen put Montreal as the frontrunner, offering a mid-level player and a first round draft pick. I'm not sure what good the first would do us when this year's draft lacks stud prospects.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:33 am

I don't think this year's draft is supposed to be bad, there's just no real blue chip players. Apparently there won't be much of a difference between pick #2 and pick #10. Kills the big benefit of picking number 1, but having multiple picks in the first round could be good.

EDIT: And Panaccio is reporting that the Colorado rumors were totally bogus.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:00 pm

Who would want Theodore at $2 million per season, let alone $6 million?

Take care,
PK

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:12 pm

the uni thing was WEAK...look the same but with a different cut at the bottom.

and theodore....his career has gone south.... jim carrey?

at least he wasn't baline lacher...

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:58 pm

Here's the problem in Nashville. They have a great coach in B. Trotz, they lead the league in total points, they have a young group of players that are mobile, can play good D and are dangerous in offense as they rank second in goals, they have a solid Keeper in T. Vokoun, a fitting player by the name of "Fiddle"

yet only an average of 14.000 paying fans show up in country music. Something is wrong with this picture, right?

About P. Forsberg. Despite Floppa's string of physical woes, Comcast-Spectacor president Peter Luukko has said the Flyers want to resign the Swede before his contract expires at the end of the season. This was Peter's answer to his desire: "I wouldn't want to re-sign myself [if I was management]." I still think he'll be moved.

PK, about R. Maclean on HNIC, he's the main voice, the anchor of the show. I've seen him and Grapes go at it in front of the TV audience when they disagree on a certain topic. I didn't see the show with Messier on tuesday so I can't comment, the only complain I have for the show is that they may be all Leafs's fan since they are based in Toronto, and they tend to be a bit bias at times.