TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Jan 20, 2013 12:05:06 GMT -5
No thread for the NHL this year? Have y'all already come to terms with the fact that the Cup will end up in Minnesota this year, where it belongs?
Also, Granlund is going to be fun this year. Not to mention the Koivu-Heatley-Parise line
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IDenj
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Post by IDenj on Jan 24, 2013 15:25:12 GMT -5
Parise is one of the best. Heatley can rot in his bottle. Minn still need an upgrade on D.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jan 24, 2013 17:31:19 GMT -5
Going to Caps game tonight. Hopefully Oatsie will get his first win and the Habs will get humiliated. Which is what I hope happens to the Habs every night.
Love Adam Oates. I'm still Bruins first all the way, but I really hope he's successful.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jan 24, 2013 17:42:46 GMT -5
I mean I'm assuming the Caps are going to struggle at first since they're trying to implement a new system with a new coach with out a true offseason. Hopefully they can win enough games to make the play offs and have put it together by then to make a run.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Jan 24, 2013 20:17:17 GMT -5
Well as Boz can likely confirm, the ticketing system has been just as bad for Caps games as it was for Gtown games.
Im pretty down on the Caps this year, and their performances (its 0-2 as i type this) thus far arent making me feel any better. I think this team has missed its window. All the moves that GMGM made to perserve assets over the past few seasons were a waste of time and talent. He should have gone for some bigger pieces a few seasons ago when the caps had the talent to win a cup and were only a piece or two away. Now all those assets are gone, and the team has a top line and 3 third lines and cant kill penalties.
Are they adjusting to a new system? Sure, but teams that are good enough to win cups dont need a system to win. It was really pointless to fire Bruce. Sure they werent winning at the time, but it wasnt his fault. Then bringing in Hunter basically killed the rest of last season and now adjusting to Oates' new system is going to take way too much time in a shortened season.
They may very well make the playoffs, but they are not an elite team any longer. Ovi lost something after he was suspended for the first time a few years ago. Lost his edge or something. Has a much harder time taking over games.
And now its 0-3.
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CTHoya08
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Post by CTHoya08 on Jan 25, 2013 9:33:40 GMT -5
The Rangers' power play is pathetic.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jan 25, 2013 9:42:15 GMT -5
I get tickets for Hoyas and Caps games through my company, so I can't comment on digital ticketing. Haven't had to deal with that as of yet.
But you are spot on about the Caps, jgalt. What I have noticed in two games on TV and one live:
1. This is an awful defensive team. They make way too many mistakes in their own end that lead to easy chances for the opponent.
2. This team does not communicate very well (at all?) on the ice. Countless broken plays/turnovers due to passes going to where a player WAS instead of where he will be and similar issues. And I can't tell you how many times I've seen two Caps run into each other.
3. Ovie looks completely lost and often even disinterested out there. He is not in the flow of the offense at all, and the only defense he plays is to look for a big hit. What's worse, he is not looking to create.
4. Goaltending is average at best, though as I mentioned, the defense isn't helping out very much on that front.
5. They have no true grinders and no one willing to take the tough punishment in front of the net to create better chances.
You guys all know I love the Bruins, but I am not bitter about last season's playoff series and it gives me no schadenfreude at all to point these things out (it would if I was talking about the Rangers, Flyers or Canadiens).
I really wanted the Caps to do well this year, mainly because of Oates, but also because it's a lot more fun around here when the Caps are playing great.
This is not an "we're adjusting to a new coach/offense" problem, at its heart. The team is fundamentally flawed right now. I do think many of the problems are correctable, even with the current roster (though they could definitely use a Knuble-like forward back on the team), but even if they do turn things around, I don't think they are serious contenders this year.
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IDenj
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Post by IDenj on Jan 25, 2013 11:48:37 GMT -5
Never bet on a Russian player. Bad move. Ovi's out of shape and doesn't seem to care. Wonder if the Caps are looking to split from him...
Caps drafted too many soft players over the years.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Jan 25, 2013 12:22:54 GMT -5
Im not sure what the right move is. It would almost be okay if they got a top 5 pick this year, then you can at least draft someone who in 2 years can be a star. Kuznetzov (who is a great offensive player) says he is going to play in russia until after the olympics. By that time the Caps need to have a changing of the guard. Ovi can still be captain, but he has to move away form being THE offensive force.
Its going to be very interesting to see what the fan response is to a crap team. I am used to watching this team be terrible, but many fans arent. Will they still come out? Probably not, but how soon do they start to not show up? What impact does this have on the area? Even more so if the Wiz are actually good next year?
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Jan 25, 2013 12:23:39 GMT -5
Kings are 0-3. La di da, who cares, we still have the Cup. ;D
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jan 25, 2013 12:35:15 GMT -5
Its going to be very interesting to see what the fan response is to a crap team. I am used to watching this team be terrible, but many fans arent. Will they still come out? Probably not, but how soon do they start to not show up? What impact does this have on the area? Even more so if the Wiz are actually good next year? As I said to my friend last night: "The only good news here is, if they keep playing like this, I can go to pretty much any game I want to for free!" I think the Caps have a strong, but relatively small core in this area. Outside of that, come on....You know DC. We love our frontrunners.
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CTHoya08
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Bring back Izzo!
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Post by CTHoya08 on Jan 26, 2013 19:59:58 GMT -5
Is anyone else bothered by the power trips linesmen seem to be on? It seems like they're intentionally pump-faking on faceoffs so they can toss centers out of the circle. Is that a new point of emphasis?
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IDenj
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Post by IDenj on Jan 27, 2013 12:42:42 GMT -5
I hate linesman almost as much as refs. I don't see an orange band there stripes. So shut the hell up.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jan 30, 2013 12:44:08 GMT -5
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jan 30, 2013 13:42:38 GMT -5
I was watching that live last night. Pretty funny. Of course, the question needs to be asked, who would be stupid enough to do something like that while their guy is shooting? Ladies and gentlemen: Boston fans!! (yeah, it's possible it could have come from a Devils fan, but I doubt it; it was almost certainly Smitty)
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Jan 30, 2013 22:56:09 GMT -5
No Wild fans threw any lutefisk on the ice, thankfully, so they were able to hand the Blackhawks their first loss. Fun game. Chicago is a scary, scary team
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IDenj
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Post by IDenj on Jan 31, 2013 8:20:24 GMT -5
Spezza out with back surgery.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Mar 14, 2013 13:36:58 GMT -5
I really don't understand putting both Florida teams in Division C, but other than that, I like this realignment and revised schedule structure for next year. www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=660138&navid=nhl:topheads(I get the logic of putting both Tampa and Florida in the same division, and not split them up, but why Division C and not Division D doesn't make sense to me.)
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whatmaroon
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Post by whatmaroon on Mar 14, 2013 13:56:26 GMT -5
Killing off Blackhawks-Red Wings makes me hate the NHL even more than I already do, and they've been an eminently hateable entity at the league level for a long time.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Mar 14, 2013 21:13:41 GMT -5
I really don't understand putting both Florida teams in Division C, but other than that, I like this realignment and revised schedule structure for next year. www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=660138&navid=nhl:topheads(I get the logic of putting both Tampa and Florida in the same division, and not split them up, but why Division C and not Division D doesn't make sense to me.) Best avatar ever.
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