Hockey Night In DSP

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 7:43 pm

pk500 wrote:Very good column. Spot-on with every point about Bettman, who is a f*cking stooge.

Take care,
PK

agreed.

the history of the NHL is fading under Charlie Brown Head.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 7:58 pm

Latest news on the Penguins is that a new arena deal will be announced before the end of this week.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:58 pm

With less than a month until trade deadline, this is the time of the year for rumors. I think they'll wait another two weeks to see where they find themselves in the standings but if things don't improve for the Leafs this would be the right thing to do.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/s ... id=2749290

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:21 am

vader29 wrote:Latest news on the Penguins is that a new arena deal will be announced before the end of this week.

Heard it is "delayed"

Airdog · Post by **Airdog** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:31 pm

I would still be very surprised if Sundin is moved at the trade deadline.

C'mon folks, the Leafs are surging at this very moment. (Yes, a few games in a row counts as surging to Maple Leafs fans).

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:07 pm

Airdog wrote:I would still be very surprised if Sundin is moved at the trade deadline.

C'mon folks, the Leafs are surging at this very moment. (Yes, a few games in a row counts as surging to Maple Leafs fans).

He won't be moved if they're in the hunt for the final playoffs spot. But if not, wouldn't you make that move?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:32 pm

Ferguson needs to ask himself this question: Can we win with Sundin and Tucker? If the answer is no, neither player will be worth more than right now.

And clearly, the answer is no. Both should be dealt, although they won't because of Leaf Nation's fantasy that it will grab the final playoff spot and march to the Finals like the Oilers last spring.

Fat chance.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:05 pm

Important win for your Oils last night PK. Too bad I'll be missing the game tonight again, but boy all these points are important now.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:06 pm

What Brendan Shanahan says here about the refs and Jagr could equally be said about the refs and Forsberg, apart from the complaining bit.

Brendan Shanahan isn't the captain of the New York Rangers, he's just the guy who sticks up for him.

Shanahan ripped NHL officials last night after the Rangers' 2-1 home loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs because of what he feels is prejudiced officiating against captain Jaromir Jagr.

"I don't know what the deal is," said an angry Shanahan, who scored the Rangers' lone goal. "Guys hit him late, guys hit him high, guys hook his hands. He doesn't complain. He just goes out and plays and plays and plays. The referees just seem to have a different set of rules about the way people get to play against him.

"Not since [Slava] Fetisov came over from Russia have I ever seen a star player get ignored by the referees, and I know the reason why they were ignoring him back then."

Airdog · Post by **Airdog** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:27 pm

If the Leafs can get a player of similar calibre to that of Sundin, then I would definitely look at moving him.

I don't think that more of a youth movement is going to help the Leafs though, as players such as Wellwood, Steen, and their other young quality players will begin to demand large yearly salaries right around the same time as a first round pick or top prospect would start to develop. The Leafs will need a #1 centre to take over the reins from Mats, and for that they will probably have to pay around the same amount of money to land that type of player anyway.

Tucker I think will definitley be moved, unless his salary demands are scaled back dramatically from the rumoured numbers his agent is floating around now. I definitely like him as a player (only because he's on my team) but I can't see him having too many 20+ goal seasons left in the tank. Sure, he was a phenom in juniors but I don't think he's about to have that rebirth in the pros, especially at this point in his career.

Signing Kubina, Gill, and McCabe to such large salaries has been a fairly glaring mistake thus far, especially McCabe and Kubina. Gill has some quality moments on the PK, but Kubina isn't producing much offensively like he's supposed to be, and McCabe has made some fairly pathetic defensive mistakes. He always seems to not be able to catch up to an opposing forward and then makes a desperate dive in order to make it look like he was trying his hardest all along. How about you at least skate with the player to the net, or pick up trailing forwards who are looking to put in a rebound?

Raycroft has been pretty average and with the defence the Leafs have, average simply cannot cut it. If you've got a solid D contingent in front of your goalie, an average goalie can start to look above average. If you have a poor defensive corps in front of your goalie, an average goalie starts to look horrible, especially from a statistical point of view. Raycroft seemingly does not have the ability to steal the amount of games for the Leafs that is neccessary to win four games out of seven.

I do think that the Leafs will make the playoffs, but they won't go anywhere after making them.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:05 pm

Airdog, if Sundin gets traded I doubt the Leafs will get an equal quality centerman in return with a similar salary. Instead, get a couple of prospects and 1st round picks next year and start building from there. As you mentioned the D has been a liabilty and Raycroft had more downs than ups. B. McCabe has been a liabity since his days in Vancouver and the reason he was traded here. But at 31 or so, you would think he would be more solid at this juncture of his career and responsable defensively other than just being a good point man on the PK.

I think Leafs management will wait a couple of more weeks before they force their hand, but if they keep their streak going, they may keep Sundin & Tucker and try their run for the final playoffs spot. Personally, I think they'll miss it again this year. It'll be close though. If they miss the playoffs again, J. Ferguson Jr will have his days numbered in the offseason.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 7:18 pm

Big win Saturday afternoon for my Oil against Colorado in a game in which they didn't really deserve to win.

I've been flat on my ass for the last three days with a sinus infection and the flu, so thank God for NHL Center Ice! A few observations:

1. The Oilers might be the worst team in the NHL at breaking from their zone. Simply horrible. I've seen no team do it worse. F*ck you, Yoko Pronger!

2. I'm going to watch Pittsburgh and Montreal play every chance I can for the rest of this season. Two exciting, up-tempo teams. Their matchup this afternoon was a furious, fast-paced, entertaining game. One of the best I've seen this season.

3. The worm definitely has turned in the NHL: The Eastern Conference plays much more exciting hockey than the West these days, with the notable exception of the most dull team on the planet, the New Jersey Devils.

4. Pull Bob Cole away from Harry Neale, and he's not half as bad as I thought he was. Neale is an albatross who drags down any play-by-play man. I felt bad for Mark Lee in the Oil-Avs' game Saturday. And Greg Millen is pretty useless when he's not paired with Jim Hughson. Some guys just have a certain chemistry.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:03 pm

Another Alberta clash in our hands tomorrow and we seem to have their number lately so no problem PK, we'll bury your Oils again

.

Some good news for you, E. Moreau is skating again, the doctor is part of the grit EDM missed and needs for the stretch run. However you poster boy J. Stoll seemed to have suffered a concussion.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:13 pm

10spro wrote:Another Alberta clash in our hands tomorrow and we seem to have their number lately so no problem PK, we'll bury your Oils again .

Some good news for you, E. Moreau is skating again, the doctor is part of the grit EDM missed and needs for the stretch run. However you poster boy J. Stoll seemed to have suffered a concussion.

Second concussion in three weeks for Stollie, too. Hope we're not seeing the start of a LaFontaine-Connolly-B. Lindros-Primeau pattern here.

I'm PISSED about tomorrow night's game: For some reason, NHL Center Ice isn't showing it. It's only the second game all year that hasn't been shown. The other was an Oilers' pay-per-view game, and for some reason, the visiting team's feed wasn't picked up.

That's what makes tomorrow night's scheduling so odd. It's a Sportsnet game for both teams.

Guess I'll have to listen to Rod and Morley on CHED on the Net.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:30 pm

LA Kings continue to dismantle some key players as they trade NHL's super pest S. Avery to the NYR. Maybe J. Jagr won't be cheap shot as much as B. Shanahan has been complaining.

T. Bertuzzi who hasn't even played 10 games this season is an UFA at the end of the season and FLO is willing to let him go.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:37 am

10spro wrote:T. Bertuzzi who hasn't even played 10 games this season is an UFA at the end of the season and FLO is willing to let him go.

Somewhere Steve Moore is laughing. At least I hope so. It's justice for Bertuzzi, whose career hopefully is over.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:18 am

Bucci would get my vote for Commish.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/s ... id=2754999

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:43 am

I always read his column, and I completely agree with the quote below. Scoring 50 goals in a season shouldn't be something one or two players do every season, there should be at least a dozen with the top goal scorer being in the 60s or 70s.

"With equipment only getting better, the philosophy of collapsing on the goalie will continue to send scoring down. I wouldn't be surprised if we do not have a 50-goal scorer this season.

During the 1981-82 season, 16 NHL teams scored more than 300 goals. This season, we will probably have just one. Do you think hockey was more entertaining in the early 1980s, or today?"

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:09 am

Bucci is great. Arguably the best writer at ESPN.com, including the overrated Bill Simmons, who has gone from writing good stuff to writing pap to impress himself, his buddies and his legion of head-bobbing disciples. Bucci's writing reveals a passion for hockey; Simmons' writing reveals a passion for Simmons.

OK, rant over!

Bucci is one of the most wasted talents at ESPN, as it's criminal that this guy doesn't have a "2Night" show anymore.

Bucci also is very considerate toward his readers. I've sent a few entries for the weekly photo captions and also e-mailed Bucci earlier this year with thanks for his tips about building a home rink. He sent a short, personalized e-mail thanking me for my submissions/note each time.

Take care,
PK

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:32 am

One thing I disagree with him on is the schedule change he proposed. I think a shorter season is fine, but I'd like to see it finish earlier rather than start later. The Stanley Cup Finals should be over before Memorial Day, not dragging on into June.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:41 am

Agree, Feanor. The Stanley Cup Finals must finish before the NBA Finals begin. That will improve the chance of prominent play that the Stanley Cup Finals will get in U.S. media. Won't make a huge difference, but every bit helps.

Some American sports fans are just drawn to the championship rounds in team sports, even if they're not big fans of the sport. And if the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals are happening simultaneously, nine out of 10 American sports fans are going to choose hoops, sadly.

Take care,
PK

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:46 am

one of my former players had her email published in one of his mailbags...

and haken loob was awesome.

i like borje salming better...ever see his scar? like 178 stitches. scary

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:25 am

Props to Karlis Skrastins, who will set the NHL iron-man record for defensemen this week:

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/stor ... sptreview5

Pretty amazing to play that many consecutive games, especially as a shot-blocking, defensive defenseman.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:48 pm

At 3.5 million per, he's struggling to say the least, and now S. Samsonov is on waivers. Which team will pick that salary before he heads down to Hamilton?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:11 pm

Cool videos of kids playing ice hockey in ... ARGENTINA!

http://video.google.es/videoplay?docid= ... 9698&hl=es

http://video.google.es/videoplay?docid= ... 8108950473

Take care,
PK