NHL is back

[Toilet Rocker]

Ahhhh. That wind you all felt last night was my exhale, for the NHL is back. It was great to smell the Garden ice once again. I should thank the Red Wings for not offering a competitive contract to Shanny; he lit up the ice last night. Great game, though the Caps looked really weak (despite Ovechkin)...

LET'S GO RANGERS!

 

[Flyin' Lion]

I only follow one sport at a time and despite the Lion's record, they take precedence with me. I do watch hockey though, but haven't been following it lately (trades and all). By Shany, do you mean Shanahan? He was one of my favorite players and if Detroit let him go that is disappointing.

I'm going to have to look up and see who still plays for the Redwings.

 

[todd_k]

Shannahan was ours first! GO DEVILS! :rockin:

 

[Flyin' Lion]

How many Stanley Cups did he win with the Devils?

 

[Wolf]

And with the NHL comes AHL Hockey. Saturday night is opening night for the Western Conf. champion Milwaukee Admirals (and their horrible new logo). Saturday night, Hockey, and beer at the Bradley Center...does it get any better? Okay, maybe at NHL stadiums, but my half-season package for 1 row off the glass probably costs as much as 3 games in the same seats at an NHL arena. You just can't beat that.

 

[todd_k]

0.....how many have they won since he left? I've lost count.

 

[Flyin' Lion]

0.....how many have they won since he left? I've lost count.

You pose an interesting question, one I had to know the answer to. After looking at the Stanley cup champs at NHL.com I figured I'd post the link because it's pretty interesting (and the Canadiens were monsters).

http://www.nhl.com/cup/champs.html

 

[Boston]

I can't find my reading glasses, can somebody tell me who won the Cup in '05-06?

 

[todd_k]

Interesting. There was a hockey season last year?

 

[Dude]

I am in a fantasy hockey league this year--first time since the year before the strike. I'm making an effort to get back into the sport.

It will always be my first love, but damn it was hard to follow those spoiled brats after that strike.

And plus I'm a Hawks fan, so imagine the misery.

 

[Toilet Rocker]

I don't believe the Stanley Cup was awarded for either of the last two years.

 

[andre the giant]

I used to be a die hard Blues fan. But then came the strike/lockout, then last season where the Blues just turned into the LUES, as in lose all their games. For a team that has made the playoffs practically every year for the past couple decades, they sure went from "great" to "Totally SUCK" in a hurry.

It's going to take years for me to get back into it, or the Blues making a run for the Stanley Cup.

 

[Boston]

I can't find my reading glasses, can somebody tell me who won the Cup in '05-06?

Oops, never mind, I found it....the Cup's in Raleigh!

 

[user 4295]

Did you guys hear about the leper hockey game?




























There was a face off in the corner! Sorry if that was gay, but I couldn't resist.

John

 

[the_bird]

You know why they had to shut down the leper's poker game?

Someone threw his hand in.

 

[Boston]

I guess it's OK (since I am one) to call you 2 guys MASSHOLES. Color this TEAL.

 

[Toilet Rocker]

So, we've seen our teams play 2 or 3 games already this season (less than 80 regular season games to go already)...any expectations/predictions/surprises?

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Canucks all the way. Eastern Conferance..pwheh!

 

[Toilet Rocker]

Awesome! Let the trash talking begin, mister 2-1-1.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Just warming up. 40% of the team is new. Gunna take a few weeks to mesh.

 

[Hippie]

Hopefully the team will gel into something nice this year. It is still too early to tell with the wholesale reconstruction job that took place, but I'm excited!! Hopefully everything comes together. BostonBrewin', make sure your boys do a good job polishing our Cup

 

[MrSaLTy]

Arn't they in last place? Anyways.... the Blackhawks are way better then I can remember in the last like 6 years. It is nice to see them be able to actually handle the puck for a change. If their defence turns out any good at all they may turn out decent this year for the first time in seemingly ages.

 

[Hippie]

I was suprised you guys let Mark Bell go. Did you get anything besides Havlat? and how was his (Bell) development? Your goaltending should be good, which is one of our questions to be answered (toivonen needs to improve). Good luck this year, you've had a tough couple of years... (same here though)

 

[Boston]

Hopefully the team will gel into something nice this year. It is still too early to tell with the wholesale reconstruction job that took place, but I'm excited!! Hopefully everything comes together. BostonBrewin', make sure your boys do a good job polishing our Cup

I hate to say this (because their fans were such a$$holes while visiting Raleigh last spring) but, in my opinion, the Buffalo Sabres will be lifting the Cup in '07.

 

[MrSaLTy]

I was suprised you guys let Mark Bell go. Did you get anything besides Havlat? and how was his (Bell) development? Your goaltending should be good, which is one of our questions to be answered (toivonen needs to improve). Good luck this year, you've had a tough couple of years... (same here though)

We can cry in each others beer.... You and I have, hands down, the two cheapest bastards as owners in any league in any sport in my opinion. Bell was our leading scorer I think last year but thats not saying too much as we could barley score on a peewee team last year. There was someone else I think in that Havlat deal but I can't remember who. But after what we have seen here the last few seasons (and non-seasons), Havlat looks like a hockey god. He can handle the puck better then anyone we have had in a LONG time.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Canucks play St. Louis today. Maybe if they can actually score on the powerplay we may have good game tonight.

I personally think that they smoke to much dope when they are in Vancouver thus the up a down stats.

 

[Hippie]

I was on probably my favorite website www.hockeysfuture.com/ (no offense, guys) when I found a great post about NHLCI online. I am not sure what the thread was right now, but it was on the Canadiens message board under then heading "OT: Free Center Ice" or something similar... I'll try looking it up & I'll edit this post

Here's the shortcut... http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=299932

I haven't done anything yet myself as I'm using a friends computer before I move, but will check it out when I set myself back up...

 

[Toilet Rocker]

Finally, Bobby's out!

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=181589&hubname=nhl

 

[Dude]

Did anyone see the Stars-Preds game the other night? Stephan Robidas got knocked flat out--I mean OUT before he hit the ice. One of the scariest hits I've ever seen, I though for sure is neck was broken. I'm not squeamish about stuff like that but that hit looked horrible.

End result: Day-to-day with a concussion. WOW.

 

[kornkob]

People still watch hockey? Thought it went the way of the television with no remotes, writing checks and full service gas pumps (new jersey's bassackwards laws notwithstanding).

 

[Wolf]

Did anyone see the Stars-Preds game the other night? Stephan Robidas got knocked flat out--I mean OUT before he hit the ice. One of the scariest hits I've ever seen, I though for sure is neck was broken. I'm not squeamish about stuff like that but that hit looked horrible.

End result: Day-to-day with a concussion. WOW.

Tootoo is a fun, exciting player, but he sometimes shows bad judgement in these situations. In this case he says he knew he was going to have someone come after him, so he saw the charging player and swung ( and Robidas WAS given a charging call), but I'm not sure that qualifies as self defense.
He's a favorite of mine after his time in Milwaukee, but he's going to be trying to live down that one for a while. Hell, he already has the dirty player tag from some.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

People still watch hockey? Thought it went the way of the television with no remotes, writing checks and full service gas pumps (new jersey's bassackwards laws notwithstanding).

Uh.. sure you don't mean baseball?

And in the Great White North, eh, saying bad things about hockey can get you killed, eh. Hey hoser, pass me a beer, eh.

 

[kornkob]

Uh.. sure you don't mean baseball?

And in the Great White North, eh, saying bad things about hockey can get you killed, eh. Hey hoser, pass me a beer, eh.

Baseball? That's that game that kids play at the park, right? I mean, USED to play--- before they all started playing basketball.

 

[knipknup]

Hoops sux - go AVS!

 

[Fiery Sword]

Just to tag in on the sports-popularity points (hopefuly it's not too off topic!!) I think that basketball is much more popular in the US than hockey. The 'most popular' sports (not just pro levels considered) in America vary regionaly from baseball to football to racing. After that, even golf outnumbers both hockey and basketball on some realms but the NHL is second from the bottom (of the major sports) to soccer. I'm sure that is different in Canada (and other countries) due to many factors. Hockey and lacrosse are big up there, no (in fact, didn't Canada invent lacrosse?)? The NBA here is struggling but the sport itself is still huge in urban areas because of the ease of building courts, the small space required and the simplicity/cost of equipment needed to play.

The NHL as a league, though, seems to be broken. I am no hockey or basketball pro, but commercially speaking both have majoy problems in the US.

....Just my thoughts!!!!

 

[Dude]

Well, the NHL didn't do itself any favors by missing an entire season over a stupid strike.

I know I gave up on it ofr a full year--and I was a hockey NUT. I played in high school, had a college scholarship, and followed it over any other sports. Up until the strike.

I've recently been getting more into it--I'll say the NHL product right now is as good as it has been since I've been a fan. Their are some great young players ready to take the NHL to a new level. They just need a decent TV contract to get the exposure.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

And they need to fire that jackass Gary Bettman.

In Canada Hockey is the #1 sport, no matter how hard Bettman has been trying to make it a kids game.

Does he not realise that a lot of the same people that take there kids to a hockey game in the US, will also take their kids to pro wrestling?

 

[Toilet Rocker]

Considering the product the NHL presents each night, I am completely ok with having sacrificed a season. The incredible level of competition and the playoff races we see are insane. No other sport can present intensity at this level.

 

[Dude]

Considering the product the NHL presents each night, I am completely ok with having sacrificed a season. The incredible level of competition and the playoff races we see are insane. No other sport can present intensity at this level.

You hit it there--playoff hockey is absolutely the most intense sport in the world.

 

[Toilet Rocker]

You hit it there--playoff hockey is absolutely the most intense sport in the world.

Even the race to get in it. One win and you can jump a spot, one loss and you might be 2 spots lower.