2013 NHL Thread

[It's Damn Real!]

With pre-season in swing, the regular season is right around the corner!

Use this thread to discuss specific games, pre-season, opening night for your club, free agency, trades, playoffs, player news, team news and anything NHL related!

Drop the puck!

Oh, and Let's Go Rangers!

 

[This Is My Name Thank You]

I can't wait for this season to begin this year. The only thing that sucks is I wont be able to watch Bruins games on TV due to living in Florida now. I am stuck with Florida teams in which I can't stand. I hope the Bruins pick up a few good drafts this year along with giving Tuka Rask (idk how to spell his name) some legit playing time. As I see this guy has major talent. I hope they take it this year but can't say to much though as its a waiting game to see who ends up traded and who signs who.

Btw used to be a huge Rangers fan back in the day and told everyone if the Bruins lost last year I would swtich back to Rangers being number 1. They have a great team year in an out they just need to pull it together.

Go BRUINS!!!!!

 

[hatehabsforever]

With pre-season in swing, the regular season is right around the corner!

Use this thread to discuss specific games, pre-season, opening night for your club, free agency, trades, playoffs, player news, team news and anything NHL related!

Drop the puck!

Oh, and Let's Go Rangers!

This would seem to be an appropriate year for a defending champion to raise the cup for a second consecutive year. Let's see a little more development of Rask, without forgetting who won the Conn Smythe and the Vezina last year. The Bruins lost very little, although I was sad to see Ryder go to Dallas. They should be strong cup contenders again this season.

Never realized you were a baseball fan, IDR. I assume you are cheering for Texas this post season, as that's the only post season activity any Rangers team is going to see anytime soon. I mean, your tastes in pro wrestling seem to indicate a love of the underdog, and that's fine, but at least TNA shows glimpses of promise every now and then

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Canucks Mostly Rookie Preseason Line up went toe-to-toe againts a mostly regular season dressed Oilers. If this isn't a good sign ... I dont know what is.

Prediction: Canucks get their redemption and win the cup againts The Penguins

Whose with me on this?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

This would seem to be an appropriate year for a defending champion to raise the cup for a second consecutive year. Let's see a little more development of Rask, without forgetting who won the Conn Smythe and the Vezina last year. The Bruins lost very little, although I was sad to see Ryder go to Dallas. They should be strong cup contenders again this season.

Never realized you were a baseball fan, IDR. I assume you are cheering for Texas this post season, as that's the only post season activity any Rangers team is going to see anytime soon. I mean, your tastes in pro wrestling seem to indicate a love of the underdog, and that's fine, but at least TNA shows glimpses of promise every now and then

Cute rhetorical argument... if only it was based in reality, or modern day reality...

1. The New York Rangers currently have 8 players on the team who were drafted by the club – Henrik Lundqvist, Michael Sauer, Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Artem Anisimov.

2. The New York Rangers currently have 20 players on the team who are under the age of 30, negating the outdated rhetoric so many fans in the league who don't actually watch them still think is the case of them still trying to buy their way to a championship by signing every aging and/or washed up veteran superstar in the league. On a related note, the average age of the team as a result of this is 26.

3. The New York Rangers currently have 8 first-round picks on the club, most of which are south of 30, which would indicate that their "better days" are still ahead of them — also negating the outdated rhetoric you continue to use as a means to try to perpetuate the stereotype of the 1990's New York Rangers clubs who tried to buy their way to a championship.

Funny though… a guy who's a fan of a club who's goaltender is 37 and very nearing retirement, who's captain and best defenseman is 34 and rapidly approaching the downside of his career, who's 2nd, 3rd and 4th highest scoring forwards last season all have a history of major injury and who's 5th highest scoring forward in the regular season and 4th highest scoring forward in the playoffs is now retired — yet it's my club who isn't showing any glimpses of promise?

Back to Southie, Matt Damon. You have a few more equations to work on before you come back for another beating.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Cute rhetorical argument... if only it was based in reality, or modern day reality...

1. The New York Rangers currently have 8 players on the team who were drafted by the club – Henrik Lundqvist, Michael Sauer, Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Artem Anisimov.

2. The New York Rangers currently have 20 players on the team who are under the age of 30, negating the outdated rhetoric so many fans in the league who don't actually watch them still think is the case of them still trying to buy their way to a championship by signing every aging and/or washed up veteran superstar in the league. On a related note, the average age of the team as a result of this is 26.

3. The New York Rangers currently have 8 first-round picks on the club, most of which are south of 30, which would indicate that their "better days" are still ahead of them — also negating the outdated rhetoric you continue to use as a means to try to perpetuate the stereotype of the 1990's New York Rangers clubs who tried to buy their way to a championship.

Funny though… a guy who's a fan of a club who's goaltender is 37 and very nearing retirement, who's captain and best defenseman is 34 and rapidly approaching the downside of his career, who's 2nd, 3rd and 4th highest scoring forwards last season all have a history of major injury and who's 5th highest scoring forward in the regular season and 4th highest scoring forward in the playoffs is now retired — yet it's my club who isn't showing any glimpses of promise?

Back to Southie, Matt Damon. You have a few more equations to work on before you come back for another beating.

Wow, you're even more ornery tonight than normal! I don't recall saying anything about the Rangers not drafting well, or being too old, or paying too much money to build a contender. Not all of my arguments about things you like center around excessive spending or being too old. All I am saying is that I don't see them reaching the post season this year.

Matt Damon Maybe you can explain the "Southie" comment to me, I don't get it.

Heading to Beantown to see Bruins/Lightning tomorrow night and Pats/Jets on Sunday. Cannot wait, so I won't let your negativity get me down . It will nice to catch a glimpse of the Superbowl Champions and the repeat Stanley Cup Champions in the same weekend.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Wow, you're even more ornery tonight than normal! I don't recall saying anything about the Rangers not drafting well, or being too old, or paying too much money to build a contender. Not all of my arguments about things you like center around excessive spending or being too old. All I am saying is that I don't see them reaching the post season this year.

Yes, in a way that lays credence to the rhetoric of old, in that the Rangers spend too much for too little, bring in washed up superstars and always try to "buy" championships.

I'm curious though… this team made the post-season last season with a club who's leading scorer scored 54 points (just 8 points shy of David Krejci's team-leading 64 for the Bruins), based largely off the often messianic performances of a superstar goaltender… sounds kinda familiar, no? Yet they add a superstar play-making center to the mix and bring back roughly 85% of the same roster and you don't see them making the playoffs again? I'm curious… if they aren't making it, which non-playoff team from last season is? Carolina? Toronto? New Jersey? Atlanta/Winnipeg? Ottawa? The Islanders? Florida? Sorry, but I don't see a team there who's roster is any better than ours.

Funny too… you don't see the Rangers in the post-season, yet you see your similarly structured club who struggles to score goals and relies heavily on a superstar goaltender to get them wins because you happened to bypass the Penguins last year due to the massive injuries they suffered making it? Trust me, bro, if the Bruins went up against the Penguins with Crosby and Malkin in the line-up, you're out on your ass in five, max.

Matt Damon Maybe you can explain the "Southie" comment to me, I don't get it.

Good Will Hunting. Give it a watch. Really great flick.

Heading to Beantown to see Bruins/Lightning tomorrow night and Pats/Jets on Sunday. Cannot wait, so I won't let your negativity get me down . It will nice to catch a glimpse of the Superbowl Champions and the repeat Stanley Cup Champions in the same weekend.

Enjoy the game, but I'm curious… how can the Lightning repeat if they didn't win last season?

 

[WT3IS]

How about that game last night!!!


Did any of you watch the Winnipeg Jets first game back. That game was absolutely electric!!! You can no doubt tell how much of a hockey town they really are. I'm happy for that city, you gotta love them for their respect of the game. It had to be the most energized I've seen a regular season crowd in ages!

 

[It's Damn Real!]

How about that game last night!!!


Did any of you watch the Winnipeg Jets first game back. That game was absolutely electric!!! You can no doubt tell how much of a hockey town they really are. I'm happy for that city, you gotta love them for their respect of the game. It had to be the most energized I've seen a regular season crowd in ages!

Not to rain on the parade here, but that energy is matched every night in the Bell Centre by the Montréal Canadiens fans who are far and away the most vocal crowd in all of the NHL.

That said, it was great to see the support in Winnipeg again, especially because the reasons for losing their team to begin with were so far out of their control (value of the Canadian dollar v. US dollar).

 

[WT3IS]

Not to rain on the parade here, but that energy is matched every night in the Bell Centre by the Montréal Canadiens fans who are far and away the most vocal crowd in all of the NHL.

That said, it was great to see the support in Winnipeg again, especially because the reasons for losing their team to begin with were so far out of their control (value of the Canadian dollar v. US dollar).

I know every bit how vocal those hockey fans are in Quebec. I've learned first hand how they are up there, but your obviously missing the boat on what I was saying with that "Raining on the Parade" comment you made...

Winnipeg's crowd opening night really had something magical in the air, there's no way you can say it's like that in Montreal every night... Winnipeg's opener fan's electricity was something you may never see again! They still had an standing ovation, even though the Jets lost 5-1...

Not dissing The Canadian's fans, and not saying Winnipeg's fans are the best... but on that particular night nothing can compare to that environment anywhere in the NHL in years

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Come on, hockey fans! Post some here. Let's get this thread to a respectable level of activity. I know there are a number of you.

Few Rangers' updates:

• Rumors are rampant that Staal announcement could be made in the next day or so. Some say he's shut down for the season or a significant amount of time, others that he'll be returning in two weeks or even ready for the home opener against the Leafs on the 27th. Either way the roller coaster appears to be nearing the end of the track. Cross your fingers for good news.

• Team still lacks a top-line left wing, but Stepan has filled in nicely since getting the nod. Interesting notes? Brad Richards has registered a point in every game he's played and has assisted on every one of Gáborík's team-leading 3 goals thus far.

 

[mjdm]

Im a little bit down that the Sens are sending back Zibanejad to Sweden. The kid definatly has a lot of potential to be something great. I'm hoping Ottawa gives Filatov another chance to breakthrough the roster the guy has a ton of talent and has a chance to be a great goal scorer in the National Hockey League. He deserves another chance more then anyone else on the B-Sens.

It is nice to see Montreal get a win tonight, especially over the talented Flyers. With the injury to Max Pacioretty, it's nice to see a team bounce back from misfortunes.

Hopefully Luongo with redeem himself next time he gets a chance to start. If Schnieder pulls off a good win tonight, they may keep going with him for the near future.

Also, so far the Dallas Stars are way under-rated. They've been doing an outstanding job so far this season. Especially considering they have minimal star power.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Im a little bit down that the Sens are sending back Zibanejad to Sweden. The kid definatly has a lot of potential to be something great. I'm hoping Ottawa gives Filatov another chance to breakthrough the roster the guy has a ton of talent and has a chance to be a great goal scorer in the National Hockey League. He deserves another chance more then anyone else on the B-Sens.

Why? He's 18. Let him develop. What sense does it make to throw him to the fire this soon? The Senators are in a full rebuild. It's going to be years before they ice a team where all the young talent they are acquiring/drafting will actually be of age to make an impact — Zibanejad included. Let him develop.

Prospects who are thrown to the fire too soon often burn up and burn out — see Alexander Daigle, Patrik Stefan, etc.

Also, so far the Dallas Stars are way under-rated. They've been doing an outstanding job so far this season. Especially considering they have minimal star power.

Overachieving. They'll come back to earth.

 

[mjdm]

Why? He's 18. Let him develop. What sense does it make to throw him to the fire this soon? The Senators are in a full rebuild. It's going to be years before they ice a team where all the young talent they are acquiring/drafting will actually be of age to make an impact — Zibanejad included. Let him develop.

Prospects who are thrown to the fire too soon often burn up and burn out — see Alexander Daigle, Patrik Stefan, etc.



Overachieving. They'll come back to earth.

I'll give you that haha. I agree with you now though. I definatly do not want to see him end up like Stefan or Daigle. Or even Chris Phillips for that matter. I mean people are criticizing Ottawa for not taking Cotourier, but I think he's overrated and not NHL ready, at least for the elite type of player they want him to be. And I just read that Alfredsson agreed with the decision of the sens management, so it's definatly the right call!

Man what did you think of the Flyers/Jets game. I don't think i've seen that many goals in a game before, or ever for that manner. It was a complete feeding frenzy. Bugger nets could have made that a Football Game kind of score.

And Plekanec's own goal was pretty funny. Price looked like Sebastian Caron on that one.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/home_wreckers_HO1ekOg3ihTVLaHKcSFFUN#ixzz1c5XCIIeV

“We Want Avery,” many in the crowd chanted loudly with eight minutes remaining in the third with the Rangers down 3-1, the reference of course to Sean Avery, exiled to the AHL Whale. Earlier, a huge banner hung from the southeast corner of the balcony in the first period that read, “16 Avery. Send Torts [coach John Tortorella] To The Whale.”

“Sean is one of a kind when he plays his game,” said Lundqvist, when asked about the Peoples’ Choice. “He brings a lot to the table.

“But management thinks this is the best team possible, so we have to go with that.”

--

Read between the lines, or don't. Your choice, but that comment looks a lot more like a bit of a veiled shot/displeasure at the decision to send a guy that injected a ton of personality and swagger into this otherwise relatively lifeless and dull group to the AHL than it does a generic comment about going with the flow.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

And just as soon as I type that up, the Rangers have placed Sean Avery on re-entry waivers this morning at noon.

He's fully expected to clear by tomorrow at noon which would make him eligible to play Thursday against the Ducks!

Frankly, the Rangers could use him. The team is devoid of any life or personality right now and if there's on thing Sean Avery can do it's inject life and personality into anything.

Sean Avery v3.0 comin' at ya!

 

[hatehabsforever]

Hey, IDR, just wondering what your thoughts are, if any, about the Raffi Torres/Jay Z "controversy"? Personally, i think it is the most ridiculous load of bullshit that I have heard in quite a long time.

For those who may not know, the guy went to a team Halloween party dressed up as rapper Jay Z, while his wife went as Beyonce. As part of their costumes, they painted themselves black, but once pictures of them became public after being tweeted by a teammate, all of a sudden the guy is being called a racist by some, suggesting his costume was racially derogatory and inappropriate.

Come on, for Christ sake, it's Halloween, it's a costume, nothing more, nothing less. The act that anyone was offended by this is preposterous, and the fact that a personal or team apology might be expected is equally ludicrous. There was no racial insensitivity here, and no disrespect to Jay Z or black people in general. This was one of the most ridiculous piece of "reporting" that I've seen in quite some time.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Hey, IDR, just wondering what your thoughts are, if any, about the Raffi Torres/Jay Z "controversy"? Personally, i think it is the most ridiculous load of bullshit that I have heard in quite a long time.

For those who may not know, the guy went to a team Halloween party dressed up as rapper Jay Z, while his wife went as Beyonce. As part of their costumes, they painted themselves black, but once pictures of them became public after being tweeted by a teammate, all of a sudden the guy is being called a racist by some, suggesting his costume was racially derogatory and inappropriate.

Come on, for Christ sake, it's Halloween, it's a costume, nothing more, nothing less. The act that anyone was offended by this is preposterous, and the fact that a personal or team apology might be expected is equally ludicrous. There was no racial insensitivity here, and no disrespect to Jay Z or black people in general. This was one of the most ridiculous piece of "reporting" that I've seen in quite some time.

Agree on it being and issue being a load of horse shit.

Dwayne Wade was Justin Timberlake last year and painted himself white. Was that racist?

Andrei Agassi was Mr. T this year and painted himself black. Was that racist?

I honestly don't think people actually understand what the term "racism" really means.

If Torres' "blackface" (which by the way this is not, it's simply tone darkening) is racist, so too is every non-Asian who dresses like a ninja (stereotype), and so too is every non-Asian who dresses like a Geisha girl every year (often using eye-liner to give themselves "cat" eyes).

 

[It's Damn Real!]

In case you haven't noticed yet, that'd be six in a row for the Rangers who are coming into tonight's match-up (likely a let-down) against the rival Islanders who've been dropping like a stone of late.

The team is far from perfect, but wins are wins and any team that can regularly beat the teams they are "supposed" to beat, split with the teams that are similar to them and steal a few from the upper echelon teams they're not quite on par with yet, will end up in the middle of the playoff picture instead of the fringe, and that's a step forward we need to take if we're going to win a Cup in the foreseeable future.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

In case you haven't noticed yet, that'd be six in a row for the Rangers who are coming into tonight's match-up (likely a let-down) against the rival Islanders who've been dropping like a stone of late.

The team is far from perfect, but wins are wins and any team that can regularly beat the teams they are "supposed" to beat, split with the teams that are similar to them and steal a few from the upper echelon teams they're not quite on par with yet, will end up in the middle of the playoff picture instead of the fringe, and that's a step forward we need to take if we're going to win a Cup in the foreseeable future.

I don't follow the East at all since I'm a Wings fan but every once in awhile I'll look at the East standings and I did notice that the Rangers are doing really well. Consistency is definitely the key though. The Wings won their first 5 then lost 6 in a row now have won 4 in a row so it's been up and down for us so far this year.


Maybe I should start paying attention to the East as we may end up there next year if there's re-alignment.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I don't follow the East at all since I'm a Wings fan but every once in awhile I'll look at the East standings and I did notice that the Rangers are doing really well. Consistency is definitely the key though. The Wings won their first 5 then lost 6 in a row now have won 4 in a row so it's been up and down for us so far this year.

Maybe I should start paying attention to the East as we may end up there next year if there's re-alignment.

When there is re-alignment, though it all depends on what the NHL decides to do with regard to their divisions.

If the divisions remain intact, nothing makes more sense (from a travel perspective) than moving Nashville into the South East to take the spot of Winnipeg (this season), moving Minnesota into the Central, and Winnipeg into the North West.

 

[hatehabsforever]

So who blinks first, IDR, the Rangers or the Bruins, both of whom are in action tonight?

Personally I think they both win tonight. Rangers buoyed by the addition of Avery, while the Bruins will be lead by the ever physical Lucic

Of course, I predict that eventually the Rangers will lose first, what say you?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

So who blinks first, IDR, the Rangers or the Bruins, both of whom are in action tonight?

Personally I think they both win tonight. Rangers buoyed by the addition of Avery, while the Bruins will be lead by the ever physical Lucic

Of course, I predict that eventually the Rangers will lose first, what say you?

Rangers lose first. Tonight, I think.

I hate to say it because I hate the fucking Islanders, but the Rangers always struggle playing the Isles, especially at home where they're 47-62-8-1 all-time and went just 1-2-0 there last season.

The Rangers actually bounced into this streak with the increased play of Stepan, Gáborík and Anisimov which ended up becoming our first line over these last six games. Avery as a factor in only two of them, and never played more than 10:00 in any of those games until the game against the Hurricanes where he seemed to have broken out. He played so well there he ended up finishing the game with Richards and Fedotenko which is a line that'll carry over into tonight's game.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Well, scratch that — make it seven in a row, then.

Really thought we'd have lost last night, honestly, but that doesn't make me any less happy about the win, though again I have reservations about beating the Canadiens in Montréal this coming Saturday night.

We have an awful record playing the Canadiens in Montréal, and though I don't have the stats on hand, I doubt Saturday night games aid us any there either. Then again, we also have a pretty miserable record at the Coliseum and we managed to snake a win out of the Islanders, so 8 is certainly not impossible, but I'm not holding my breathe here. Montréal will be a lot tougher to beat at home than any of the previous 7 match ups were IMO.

 

[Megatron]

Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Illitch reiterated his belief Monday night that his club will likely be taken care of in the NHL's realignment for next season.

"Gary (Bettman) said that there would be a change in the alignment and that Detroit would be in that," Illitch told ESPN.com after arriving at the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night. "I know they're working hard at it."

Realignment will be among the topics Tuesday when NHL GMs convene here for one day, but it is ultimately a board of governors matter and the owners will vote on it Dec. 5-6.

Philadelphia Flyers chairman Ed Snider believes total realignment is necessary.

"There has to be," Snider said before the HHOF induction gala. "But I think our traditional rivals will always be with us no matter how it's realigned. You can be confident in that."

In other words, Snider doesn't see Pittsburgh and Philadelphia split up.

"No, we'll be together, without question," Snider said. "We'll have all of our traditional rivals, even under a four-conference set-up."

Well that's nice to hear, since I won't have to stay up at 10 or 11 to watch playoff games now.

And I'm coming to the conclusion that we are a very streaky team. Won first 5, then lost 6, then won 4, and just lost to the Blues. I know sometimes teams just have bad games, but the Wings had quite a few PP opportunites that they didn't take advantage of then fucked themselves over in the last 5 minutes or so with penalties when they needed a goal. Datsyuk and Zetteberg need to wake the fuck up too because their scoring would be greatly appreciated. Jimmy Howards been beasting it up lately but it's tough to win on the road when you score a total of 3 goals in your last 4 road games.