The NHL Discussion Thread

[FeelTheFORCE]

I was at that game and there were easily, EASILY 10,000 Penguin fans there...probably more. You know it's bad when you're at home and chants such as, "MAAAAAAAAAAASSOOOOOOOOON, MAAAAAAAAASSOOOOOOOOON" and "Go home Jackets!" break out.

[Carnage]

Not to mention that that move Grabovski (I think) made to score in the shootout was illegall, you cannot stop moving, which he did.

 

There was nothing illegal about that move. He didn't stop moving, it was one fluid spin move. There's nothing illegal about changing directions.

 

Besides, I'm sure you'll see that exact move done about a dozen times during the year by various players.

[FeelTheFORCE]

Wow, Caps get blanked by Florida...ouch.

[imawesome1124]

We'll snap out of it. Every team has bad games, including the Penguins, your time is coming.

[FeelTheFORCE]

Is coming? I don't know what you've been watching, but it already came and went.

 

Barring injury, there's no reason the Penguins' play can't continue throughout the rest of the season, considering the new signings are finally accustomed with Bylsma's system, and they have been playing playoff-style hockey since mid-November. I know as a Caps fan you're used to teams coming back down to earth after a while and not finishing the job, but when you're a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, that's not always the case. There's a difference between teams winning games because they're "hot" (Sharks, Capitals), and teams winning games because they're actually contenders (Red Wings, Penguins).

[DarkStitch626]

Welp! the San Jose Sharks won pretty decently tonight.

[BaMiTsPaT]

We....we beat the CAPS?! This is why I love this sport! It is so unpredictable, but I really wish we could keep our two game winning streak afloat in our next game!

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Watching the Caps Rangers game

 

7-0 Rangers

 

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!!!

 

 

 

 

3 years of early playoff exits and 6 game losing streak, Bruce may want to start looking for a new job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Went to the Kings vs Wild game last night.

 

The View of Staples from the Metro Blue Line Station.

 

 

 

View from my seat Section 308, row 7. Not bad for $9.

 

 

 

 

Warm Ups

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pre Game Laser Light Show

 

 

Shot of the arena during intermission. Sellout 18,118.

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately the Kings fell to the Wild in overtime 3-2. Someone for got to tell Quick that he plays Goal and is not a forward. Drew Doughty was horrible. Stupid penalty's and just flat out lazy. Doughty needs to be benched a game. And the Power Play coach needs to be fired. 9 Power Plays one being a double minor= 1 goal, gave up a goal, and not a single shot on net during the double minor. Pathetic.

 

 

 

Clifford, Martinez, Simmonds, Scuderi, Ponikarovsky, Kopitar, and Handzus were excellent.

 

 

7 of 8 points during the home stand, not bad.

 

 

 

 

 

Onto Detriot!

 

Go Kings Go, and Welcome to LA Sturm.

Edited December 13, 2010 by Top Thrill Dragster

[Yamez]

I am absolutely disgusted by the Capitals organization right now. Something is very, very wrong. Something needs to change, NOW. Every level is responsible for this 6 game losing streak (3 of those being shut outs mind you). I don't think I've been so disappointed since the year we got beat game 7 by the Flyers a few years ago.

 

I would really like to insert a shaking head emote here. Sigh.

[FeelTheFORCE]

Watching the Caps Rangers game

 

7-0 Rangers

 

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!!!

 

3 years of early playoff exits and 6 game losing streak, Bruce may want to start looking for a new job.

 

Like I've said, this is probably the best chance, statistically, they are going to have at a Cup for a while. They're shooting themselves in the foot and just don't seem like they want to win at all. At the same time, they aren't really presenting a great case to Semin on why he should stay in Washington. If this keeps up he might start counting down the days until July 1st.

 

Works for me though!

[edh]

The Thrashers are doing some really great marketing right now. It has made news headlines and is on the yahoo main page. Our mascot is "arrested" and wont be free until the Thrashers sell 5000 more tickets. Free Thrash!

 

http://thrashers.nhl.com/

[BeemerBoy]

^ More proof of why NHL expansion in the south is a failure.

[chemical_echo]

The better idea would have been Thrashers follow Edmonton and unveil new dance squad but they won't dance until 5000 tickets are sold.

 

And speaking of dance squads/cheerleaders in the NHL; I'm really surprised the Leafs haven't done this yet as a way to suck even more money from their fan base.

[BeemerBoy]

^ Jesus, don't even get me started about dance squads/cheerleaders. That's even worse. Ugh.

[imawesome1124]

Hockey is not a sport for cheerleaders, end of story.

[phantomfan93]

^ THANK YOU

[Philrad71]

Hockey is not a sport for cheerleaders, end of story.

 

LOL! I agree! If I ever go to a Sabres game and see cheerleaders or dance squads in the stands, I'm gonna barf...and then go get another beer.

[chemical_echo]

You'd think more people would appreciate good looking girls in skimpy clothing at testosterone filled sporting events.

[ajc47]

You'd think more people would appreciate good looking girls in skimpy clothing at testosterone filled sporting events.

 

I would, but as imawesome said, hockey just isn't a "cheerleader" sport.

[chemical_echo]

Great article from Calgary:

43 Reasons the Leafs Stink

Once upon a time, still years removed from their last Stanley Cup victory in 1967, the Toronto Maple Leafs were lovable losers.

 

From the head clown Harold Ballard down to the on-ice product, you could still cheer for a colourful cast of characters, knowing full well they were never going to be a serious contender.

 

Then they got Doug Gilmour. From us. For a whole bunch of stiffs. Game on. Ever since then, they have not been so lovable.

 

It doesn't help that they're from the self-appointed Centre of the Universe.

 

So unless you're one of those annoying blue-bloods polluting the Saddledome every time the Leafs come to town, please join us -- a committee of Anyone But Toronto hockey fans -- in celebrating 43 reasons why the Maple Leafs suck. Just because ...

 

1. Because of Leafs Nation? -- C'mon, at least be original with your catchy little catch-all catch-phrase to describe the foaming-at-the-mouth, rabid, raving fanbase. Insufferable doesn't begin to describe Leafs fans.

 

2. Because of Heist No. 1 -- Flames fans justifiably felt violated after Doug Gilmour, Ric Nattress, Kent Manderville, Jamie Macoun and Rick Wamsley were sent packing by Doug Risebrough for Gary Leeman, Craig Berube, Alexander Godynyuk, Jeff Reese, and Michel Petit. Thanks Doug.

 

3. Because of Heist No. 2 -- Deja boo for Flames fans as Brian Burke bamboozles Darryl Sutter into giving up one of his top three assets for a handful of extras. Dion Phaneuf, Fredrik Sjostrom, Keith Aulie for Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Ian White and Jamal Meyers. Geez, nice one, Darryl.

 

4. Because the Flames have never fleeced them in a trade.

 

5. Because 'he's coming to Toronto!' -- Every single player in the NHL, has at one time or another, been rumoured to be heading to Toronto. Gretzky, Messier, Lindros, and on and on. Haven't you heard? Brad Richards is heading to Toronto.

 

6. Because LEAFS is not even a proper word. It's LEAVES. They can't even get that right.

 

7. Because of Darcy Tucker -- Yes, we know he moved on to Colorado and has since retired. But he'll always be that yappy little diver from the Leafs to us. Ditto Shayne Corson.

 

8. Because, snicker, snicker, they traded two No.-1 picks for Phil Kessell. Almost takes away the bitter taste from the Gilmour/Phaneuf robberies. We said almost.

 

9. Because they inflicted the titanium-skulled knucklehead known as Tie Domi on the rest of Canada. Instead of a bit player anywhere else in the league who could entertain with his fists, we got TIE DOMI THE GREATEST GUY EVER.

 

10. Because Curtis Joseph was always just a great goalie until he became THE GREATEST GOALIE TO EVER LIVE while playing for the Leafs. Oddly enough, Cujo didn't bring Toronto a Stanley Cup. Come to think of it, he didn't bring any city a Stanley Cup. Bad dog!

 

11. Because even their best players end up getting the short end of the stick and leaving the team with a black cloud hanging over them -- Dave Keon, Lanny McDonald, Daryl Sittler, Mats Sundin, etc.

 

12. Because the ongoing Tomas-Kaberle-is-going-to-be-traded soap opera. Nobody outside of Bakczech, Czech Republic, cares about Tomas Kaberle ... and even they are sick of hearing about it.

 

13. Because of three words: Bob 'Freaking' Cole! Watching the game with Punjabi commentators made more sense and kept you better informed ... even if you couldn't understand Punjabi.

 

14. Because, hey, Eric Lindros is going to be a Leaf! Too bad they had to wait until he was more broken than Wendel Clark, another GREATEST GUY EVER built from peanut brittle!

 

15. Because they now get HNIC's top broadcast team for play-by-play, Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson -- who used to be the West tandem.

 

16. Because their fans try to tell everyone how hockey should properly be played. And we know they've all grown up watching how hockey should be played ... if you want to SUCK!

 

17. Because they don't know how to build a team -- neither through the draft, nor through trades. And they top Calgary for dredging the bottom of the discontinued bin.

 

18. Because the first three hours of Hockey Night in Canada should be called Hockey Night in Toronto and it's often borderline unwatchable. Hey, let's go to the iDesk ... and be really unoriginal.

 

19. Because we're sick of being inundated with Brian Burke soundbytes. Yeah, we get it, he makes Darryl Sutter look like Mr. Rogers.

 

20. Because their logo looks too much like our flag and some people still believe they're Canada's team. But why the hell is it blue?

 

21. Because as soon as they draft a teen or sign a free agent, we have to hear about why he's the next coming of Gretzky, Orr or Dryden.

 

22. Because Toronto's golf season is usually longer and Calgarians are jealous the Leafs always get to take full advantage of it.

 

23. Because regardless of who's visiting the Saddledome, at least one idiot in the crowd is always wearing a Leafs jersey.

 

24. Because of the awful hockey scenes in the awful movie The Love Guru. And the man behind that steaming pile of crap, Mike Myers, is a diehard Leafs fan. He also hasn't done anything worth a damn in quite some time. Where are the frickin' lasers when you really need them!

 

25. Because after a couple of victories, they start planning parade routes ... and designing rings ... and gloating.

 

26.Because two of their best all-time players both wore the same number (27) and the Leafs haven't retired either of them.

 

27. Because Doug Gilmour won a Stanley Cup in Calgary. He didn't just drop out of the sky into Toronto. He was known to be a great player in big games long before going to his blue heaven.

 

28. Because of Harold Ballard. All these years later, he's still haunting the team. Wait a minute, that's actually a good thing!

 

29. Because of the non-stop belief every player from Southern Ontario would kill to play in Toronto, or do it for a fraction of the salary they expect elsewhere. Ain't true.

 

30. Because the blind faith of the so-called Leaf Nation. Grab a reality pill. Please.

 

31. Because even when they lose a meaningless game against Florida in mid- November, it's still the story TSN spends its most time on. And those TSN anchors are all ultra-annoying, too.

 

32. Because the fact every other Canadian team has won the Cup, or at least been to the final, at least once since 1967. The Leafs haven't been once, yet are still given credit as Canada's Team.

 

33. Because it's an organization so short-term greedy, it can't think of how another team in the area would benefit the Leafs. Hey, be like the L.A. Lakers with the second-class Clippers in their building.

 

34. Because owning the Leafs is a licence to print money, which you can then toss away on absolute mediocrity.

 

35. Because you traded us Nikolai Borschevsky, who was more at home with the Moscow Ballet.

 

36. Because that guy who did the Leafs' PA announcements for a hundred years -- including EVERY FREAKIN' SATURDAY NIGHT -- sounded like he was droning on in his sleep.

 

37. Because the overly ponderous Ken Dryden once ran the team. He was OK as just a goalie, but then he turned into the pontificating egghead and -- EVEN WORSE -- a Liberal. Tall drink of water but not our cup of tea.

 

38. Because of buffoon Don Cherry. Sure, he's always babbling about the Bruins, but we know he's a Leafs fan at heart. Plus, his act with the unfunny Ron MacLean has worn mighty thin.

 

39. Because they traded Bernie Parent before he became the most awesome goalie ever.

 

40. Because their disgruntled fans throw waffles on the ice. What's with that? Can't they find any bricks?

 

41. Because they actually make Flames fans cheer for Vancouver or Edmonton when they play them.

 

42. Because given the very unlikely chance they ever win the Stanley Cup, we will never hear the end of it.

 

43. Because if people from Toronto hate the Leafs, why shouldn't we? Why, yes we do!

Source

[BeemerBoy]

You'd think more people would appreciate good looking girls in skimpy clothing at testosterone filled sporting events.

There are plenty of them. They're called football fans.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

 

 

 

 

[FeelTheFORCE]

Chris Pronger is out 4-6 weeks with a broken bone in his foot.

[BeemerBoy]

^ Merry Christmas to all!

[djbrcace1234]

I wanted to see Pronger at the upcoming Duck's game, but I guess not anymore.