jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Jan 2, 2010 17:22:24 GMT -5
Here are two articles on posiblities for next year: www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2010-01-01-winter-classic-options_N.htmnhl.fanhouse.com/2010/01/01/d-c-ny-nj-canada-among-next-nhl-winter-classic-options/I think that the NHL has kind of set themselves up poorly for the future by shooting almost the entire wad of big market teams, only the Rangers, NJ, and maybe Colorado are left. Of course the Caps are not consiered a big market team but Ovie changes it from a marketing stand point. My feelings on it are that yes the Caps have to be in it either next year or the year after. But there has only been one Western conference WC and maybe they should try say Colorado and Minn or one of those and an LA team. It would be risky but the ratings from that game would really give a indication of how well the WC has been able to take viewers away from bowl games. If they want to go eastern conference again (and include the caps) the Rangers in the new Meadowlands are the best bet (and decide now so that the NFL can help schedule around it). But Rangers/Caps, although a good game destroys the posibility for a grear NJ/Rangers game or Rangers/LI game that make more sense from a rivarlry stand point. I think they should have, once set on a WC, laid out every rivalry they wanted to have: Det/Chi, Det/Col., Flyers/Pens, Rangers/Devs, Ragers/Isle, Caps/Pens, etc. then just went down that list. But now they have only done one of those natural rivalries (det/chi) and have used most of the other teams against a less natural rival. It is difficult to say the NHL should use the Flyers or pen again for example before many more deserving teams like Colorado or Minn or San Jose, just so that you can repeat Sid/Ovie. If you wanted Sid/Ovie you should have done it two years ago or waited to include the pens. My pick for next year would be Caps-Wild in Lambeau. The place will fill up because its (near)Minn and Ovie will pull the TV Audience. Or if not that, Caps-Rangers in Meadowlands. But you cant ignore the west for very long and San Jose should be marketed better nationally as a successful California franchise (more consistent than Anaheim in my opinion) would be key to bringing in more new viewers. Any way enough of that rant. What about the olympics? I think its going to be Sweden or Russia. I dont like Canada's "let's find chemestry" approach. And yes i am bitter about Green Being snubbed, but come on Drew Dourghty? Over Green or Bouwmeester? No St. Louis or Lecavlier? Russia's offensive power is too awesome and their goalies are nothing to laugh at. Im predicting a Russia over Canada final, with lots of shots of crying Canadians when they blow it in front of the home town crowd. As a side note, if Bettman really doesnt want to play in the Olympics he should say "yes Sochi and no after that" now, before they 2020 games are announced so it doesnt look like he is favoring on one country over others.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jan 2, 2010 21:38:11 GMT -5
Russia and Canada clearly have the most talented rosters, but I don't expect it to be a Russia-Canada final. Since the NHL players showed up, the Olympic hockey tournament never goes to plan.
Example:
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jan 7, 2010 22:21:21 GMT -5
Hmm, so yeah. Thea Blackhawks are pretty good.
Go down 0-2 to the Bruins?
No biggie. Just own the rest of the game, score seemingly at will and win 5-2.
Be ascared, Western Conference. Be very ascared.
The only caveat I have is that it's January of course. Boston was pretty much playing this lights out last year too and they didn't get to the Finals.
But....DAMN!
(this isn't even accounting for the fact that, until a late game goal, Chicago was doing it all without any scoring or points from Kane, Hossa or Toews...that's some pretty good depth)
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Jan 7, 2010 23:27:53 GMT -5
They could also use the new Twins stadium, which makes a ton more sense than Lambeau, which is 5 hrs from the Twin Cities and closer to Chicago than it is to Minneapolis. I don't think there are many Wild fans in Milwaukee.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jan 17, 2010 17:50:41 GMT -5
That Wings-Hawks game on NBC was a doozy. It's exactly the kind of game the NHL needs to have on national TV, although sadly it was up against the NFL playoffs.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jan 20, 2010 0:12:36 GMT -5
Really fun game tonight between the Wings and the Caps. There was a real playoff atmosphere at Verizon, and the Wings played like the Wings of old and dominated. But Theodore stood on his head and kept it close, and the Caps scored twice in a minute late in the 3rd to win it.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Jan 20, 2010 9:51:27 GMT -5
Yeah, but it would be getting more attention today had the terrible people in western pen. not gone and beat up on a crappy team. Tomorrow cant come soon enough. beating the last two Cup champions back to back will be fun.
Also i dont really want to get into it because a lot has been said on the issue, but that Ron McLean Hit piece on Burrows was just asinine. It was like watching fox news talk about nancy pelosi
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jan 31, 2010 23:29:25 GMT -5
Man, the Flames just got desperate - trading Phaneuf and one of their top prospects to the Leafs for 4 mid-level players.
The odd thing is that it's a bad move for the Leafs too, just like the Kessel move earlier this year was a bad move for both teams. The Leafs are trading for top players like they're a playoff contender, but they're in last place.
The Giguere move is a better trade for both sides. The Ducks dump salary and get a good veteran D-man in Blake for their playoff push. The Leafs finally get a decent goalie to replace the walking sieve that is Toskala. Giguere is still one of the better goalies in the league, and he's still got some good years ahead of him.
Caps 10 in a row!
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Feb 1, 2010 17:51:19 GMT -5
Those trades yesterday were kind of weird. and now there is talk about moving Jokinen. I dont see the point in blowing up the team unless they want to try to get a better draft spot, but then it would make more sense to trade these guys away for picks and prospects not over paid under performing players.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Feb 5, 2010 11:05:49 GMT -5
Kovalchuk to the Devils for Oduya, Bergfors, a prospect, and a first round pick.
I think this one is a great trade for both teams, although I'm absolutely shocked that New Jersey pulled it off. They strive on building up internal talent and won 3 Cups without a top goal scorer, and all of a sudden they're trading 3 good young players and a first round pick for one of the most explosive players in the league.
That said, even though it goes against their very successful formula, I tip my hat to them for pulling it off. Brodeur is still going strong, but how many top years does he have left in him? This might be one of their last years to contend for the Cup, and I don't think they can do that without more scoring. Kovalchuk is obviously the best solution to that problem.
As far as the Thrashers are concerned, I think this is the best they could have done. Bergfors and Oduya are both solid young players, and the prospect they get in the deal (Cormier) was the captain of Canada's World Junior team, so he's got to have some talent. The deal also frees up cap space for them, so they can try to bring somebody else onboard to help them with their playoff push.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Feb 5, 2010 15:38:17 GMT -5
It was the best Atlanta could have done. But there is no way NJ re signs Kovy after the season, i just cant see them getting the cap space or the money (despite a strong fan base people just arent going to the Rock).
The real question is whether the caps can continue to win up until the break. That would be 16 straight, one short of the NHL record held by some terrible teams that doesnt matter anymore. With three weeks of rest i can easily see the caps winning the first two out of the break
but this is all moot if they dont beat Atlanta tonight. Better watch out for Kovy... oh wait.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Feb 7, 2010 16:44:35 GMT -5
YES! Great comeback for the Caps against the Pens! 14 in a row! Ovechkin plays hurt and still gets a hat trick, and it looks like Mike Knuble was the last person in the entire arena to know he'd scored the OT winner.
Yet another great game for the NHL on NBC. The league has to put its best foot forward for these national TV games, and so far they've done a great job of that. I really hope people are watching, because games like these are exactly the kind that will convert people into hockey fans.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Feb 8, 2010 15:28:59 GMT -5
I dont know how someone could watch yesterdays game and not fall in love with hockey. That game had everything you could want and a great finish. That game was 1000x better that SB but watched by 1000x few people, just a shame
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Feb 8, 2010 15:49:32 GMT -5
I dont know how someone could watch yesterdays game and not fall in love with hockey. That game had everything you could want and a great finish. That game was 1000x better that SB but watched by 1000x few people, just a shame I agree. The Bruins totally dominated the Canadiens! ;D Great game by the Caps -- by the Pens too to be fair. I thought the OT penalty was a little bit of a cheapie, but the Pens deserve it for letting it get to that point. Ovechkin has officially achieved "No Editeding Way!!" status. Except that I'm never surprised when he does it.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Feb 11, 2010 14:13:19 GMT -5
All ill say about last nights games is that it sucked. The goal called off is annoying. But its not necessarily annoying because it was called off incorrectly, but that (like the play off series against Philly two years ago) the loss doesnt feel legitimate. It would almost be better if the caps had lost like 4-1 because MTL played a great game, but that is not how it feels.
Oh well, got the point, take the anger out on Ottawa tonight
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Feb 11, 2010 17:55:43 GMT -5
Yeah, that was a tough game to lose, especially after that comeback. The Philly playoff series is a good comparison.
As far as the non-goal, I agree with Boudreau's comment. If they had called it a no-goal on the ice, I wouldn't be upset. Gill was pushed (bulldozed) into Price by Ovechkin, and that may have impeded Price's ability to stop the puck. But the ref closest to the play had a great view of it all, and immediately and emphatically called it a goal. If the other ref clearly saw interference, he should have overruled his partner immediately. To me, the supposed interference wasn't blatant enough to overrule after the fact, especially without looking at replay.
But the worst thing of all is that the call washed out what would have been one of the most awesome goals of all time!
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Feb 11, 2010 20:12:59 GMT -5
But the worst thing of all is that the call washed out what would have been one of the most awesome goals of all time! The NHL seems to agree with you in that they are pimping the highlight on the front page of their site as a goal
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CTHoya08
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Post by CTHoya08 on Feb 17, 2010 17:24:43 GMT -5
During the Finland-Belarus game the announcers were discussing the scoring system for the Olympic tournament, which awards 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an overtime win, and 1 for an overtime loss, and whether such a system would be a good idea for the NHL. Thoughts?
I personally like the idea of every game being worth the same number of points, rather than some counting for two and some for three, depending on the outcome. As a middle ground solution, I think awarding a point for a shootout loss, but not an old fashioned overtime loss, might be a good idea, although it could push more games into shootouts due to really defensive hockey in OT.
Finally, do we need an Olympic hockey thread? Doesn't really fit in here, and the other Olympic thread is generally about how they "suck."
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Feb 17, 2010 19:29:10 GMT -5
During the Finland-Belarus game the announcers were discussing the scoring system for the Olympic tournament, which awards 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an overtime win, and 1 for an overtime loss, and whether such a system would be a good idea for the NHL. Thoughts? I personally like the idea of every game being worth the same number of points, rather than some counting for two and some for three, depending on the outcome. As a middle ground solution, I think awarding a point for a shootout loss, but not an old fashioned overtime loss, might be a good idea, although it could push more games into shootouts due to really defensive hockey in OT. I wouldnt be against it, but then again im not strongly against the current system, though i dont like the shoot out and think they should at least switch to a 10 minute OT then an SO, but for points i havent come to a decision yet just because i havent seen the current system do anything "terrible" yet, like leave out a team that clearly deserves to be in but gets beaten out by a team that has a huge amount of points from OT losses (if im wrong please let me know) Hmm, maybe when the US and Canada play this weekend we could start one. Not much has happened yet, but i wouldnt be against it and would post in it.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Feb 17, 2010 19:58:18 GMT -5
I'm fine with posting Olympic hockey in this thread.
Let's be honest, there's only about 5-10 of us paying attention anyway; I think we all know where to find it.
But if you want to start a new thread, I'll join that one too.
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