Hockey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[esp2000]

Blackhawks.. reminds me of this:

That is awesome. Also Blackhawks are 6-0 so far!

 

[Ryan Routon]

yeah both Chi and SJ are on a streak =\

 

[grashopper]

Det is off to a slow start too
I don't know what happened to their offense. Their pp is terrible, they seem determined to try the same thing that hasn't worked the last few years. I don't get why they can't manage any goals with the line up of forwards they have.
All the D they had left managed to get injured.

What a messy start

Starting to miss the lockout

 

[Tabe]

Det is off to a slow start too
I don't know what happened to their offense. Their pp is terrible, they seem determined to try the same thing that hasn't worked the last few years. I don't get why they can't manage any goals with the line up of forwards they have.
All the D they had left managed to get injured.

What a messy start

Starting to miss the lockout

Their offense is the same one they've had for the last couple years - incredibly soft. They have no goal scorers on their roster. None. They haven't had one since Marian Hossa. Franzen is the closest thing they've got and he disappears for long stretches. You're right about their power play - what they do simply doesn't work. Hell, what they do with their regular offense simply doesn't work.

Basically what's happened is that the years and years of drafting late in the game has caught up with them. All they've drafted for years is 3rd and 4th line guys and overrated Europeans that haven't been able to score once they get to the NHL. In the past, they were able to trade for guys or sign free agents but that seems to have disappeared as well. Meanwhile, Datsyuk is 35 and Z, Franzen, Kronwall, and pretty much every other decent player on the roster, are all over 30.

I wouldn't be surprised if Detroit missed the playoffs. Which, quite frankly, might not be a bad thing.

Tabe

 

[grashopper]

They haven't had that one goal scorer, but they always have managed decent production from most of the team.
I quickly grabbed the roster of forwards from the cup win in 08. I would say if anything their current is a improvement over that bunch. I think the only useful one missing is Holmstrom.


8 Justin Abdelkader
11 Daniel Cleary
13 Pavel Datsyuk
17 Dallas Drake
18 Kirk Maltby
20 Aaron Downey
25 Darren McCarty
26 Jiri Hudler
33 Kris Draper
37 Mikael Samuelsson
40 Henrik Zetterberg
42 Mattias Ritola
43 Darren Helm
44 Mark Hartigan
51 Valtteri Filppula
82 Tomas Kopecky
93 Johan Franzen
96 Tomas Holmstrom

Also NHL GameCenter app for the PS3 finally updated to the new season.

 

[superballs]

Thanks for reply. I did a little research. Last years package included playoffs, but came at a high price of 159 USD. Lockout season package seems to have playoffs as well and costs 49.99 USD.

How much do you have to pay in .....uuhh.. where are you ... cbc version.. Canada?

I have to say as a Habs fan, a Windsorite (across a river from Detroit) and a Detroit hater (due to O-6 rivalry hate...you know that respectful kind...but still burns deep). I will be the first to say that the Red Wings are a shining example on how to run a hockey team especially post '05 lockout. With a steadily good team and quite a few cup runs, and a great ability to maintain their roster that you don't often see in a salary capped NHL.

They don't stack themselves with superstars and have a great overall team production, normally. A couple bad years shouldn't reflect poorly on them, every team needs to restructure and i'm sure that they will do so quickly if the need arises.

Red Wings fans are deservedly proud of their team.

Wow that was painful to say...

Um...go habs?
We got Subban back at least

They haven't had that one goal scorer, but they always have managed decent production from most of the team.
I quickly grabbed the roster of forwards from the cup win in 08. I would say if anything their current is a improvement over that bunch. I think the only useful one missing is Holmstrom.


8 Justin Abdelkader
11 Daniel Cleary
13 Pavel Datsyuk
17 Dallas Drake
18 Kirk Maltby
20 Aaron Downey
25 Darren McCarty
26 Jiri Hudler
33 Kris Draper
37 Mikael Samuelsson
40 Henrik Zetterberg
42 Mattias Ritola
43 Darren Helm
44 Mark Hartigan
51 Valtteri Filppula
82 Tomas Kopecky
93 Johan Franzen
96 Tomas Holmstrom

Also NHL GameCenter app for the PS3 finally updated to the new season.

 

[DarthVonDoom]

As another Habs fan I must say I have not been this excited about the club in a long time. If Markov can stay healthy, we will be a lot more dangerous than people tought. The Jets winning streak ends tonight!

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

GO SHARKS! Is it me or do some teams look like they wernt practicing during the strike.

 

[Master of Trolls]

Too many habs fans here. Are there any brother Leafs around? They should make an NHL pin no?

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

Bobby Orr
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1858
If there was a way to have a puck instead of a ball that might be cool, but if it got on edge it might get stuck.

 

[Master of Trolls]

Canada vs. the Black Hawks? What's up with that?

 

[grashopper]

@superballs: Thanks man. Don't hear stuff like too often, I'm sure that was quite painful.
Congrats on the win tonight.

 

[Tabe]

They haven't had that one goal scorer, but they always have managed decent production from most of the team.
I quickly grabbed the roster of forwards from the cup win in 08. I would say if anything their current is a improvement over that bunch. I think the only useful one missing is Holmstrom.


8 Justin Abdelkader
11 Daniel Cleary
13 Pavel Datsyuk
17 Dallas Drake
18 Kirk Maltby
20 Aaron Downey
25 Darren McCarty
26 Jiri Hudler
33 Kris Draper
37 Mikael Samuelsson
40 Henrik Zetterberg
42 Mattias Ritola
43 Darren Helm
44 Mark Hartigan
51 Valtteri Filppula
82 Tomas Kopecky
93 Johan Franzen
96 Tomas Holmstrom

Also NHL GameCenter app for the PS3 finally updated to the new season.

Problem with this list is that the guys appearing on both - Z, Datsyuk, Franzen, Samuelsson, etc - are all massive downgrades compared to their 2008 selves.

Tabe

 

[Tabe]

@superballs: Thanks man. Don't hear stuff like too often, I'm sure that was quite painful.
Congrats on the win tonight.

I agree - thanks for the kind words.

Quite frankly, I think the Red Wings are the best franchise in all of North American sports - Yankees included - over the last 20 years. They've had a run of sustained excellence that's simply unparalleled. I'm (un)fortunate enough to remember the bad old days of the mid-80s when they were finishing with just 40 pts and drafting Joe Murphy #1 overall. And I've been blessed enough to see this incredible run since the arrival of Vladdy, Fedorov and Lidstrom in the early 90s. So, while I will be sorely disappointed if there's a big dropoff this year (or next), I certainly will be very, very forgiving

Tabe

 

[superballs]

Bobby Orr
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1858
If there was a way to have a puck instead of a ball that might be cool, but if it got on edge it might get stuck.

There was this game called Rebound that was basically like shuffleboard with elastics. Had these ball bearing puck things (metal balls with plastic rings around them).

Not as smooth as a pinball but worth a try maybe (if the rings were a soft plastic maybe help reduce mainenance too).

@superballs: Thanks man. Don't hear stuff like too often, I'm sure that was quite painful.
Congrats on the win tonight.

Honesty is difficult but i grew up in an all Wings family and i remember living through the drought (I even bet my dad 50$ in the NJ Vs Detroit cup and he reneged on paying me after they got swept). I remember in the late 80s and early 90s though Montreal and Detroit always finished at the top of their respective conferences, I've dreamt almost all my life of seeing a Habs vs Wings final (would be the most epic in history) as the two teams seem to bring the best out in each other when they play (much like a Habs/Leafs, Habs/Bruins, Canucks/Flames/Oilers, etc game). But alas...after my Habs took the 92/93 championship they just decided to stop being a historic franchise and became one of the NHL's funniest jokes. Hell, when Roy jumped ship to the Avs I went with them (i needed an honorary favorite and as I've been a goalie in all my hockey play and having started following hockey in 86, he was my hero), unless of course they were playing the Habs .

To be continued...

I agree - thanks for the kind words.

Quite frankly, I think the Red Wings are the best franchise in all of North American sports - Yankees included - over the last 20 years. They've had a run of sustained excellence that's simply unparalleled. I'm (un)fortunate enough to remember the bad old days of the mid-80s when they were finishing with just 40 pts and drafting Joe Murphy #1 overall. And I've been blessed enough to see this incredible run since the arrival of Vladdy, Fedorov and Lidstrom in the early 90s. So, while I will be sorely disappointed if there's a big dropoff this year (or next), I certainly will be very, very forgiving

Tabe

...continued.

Even I shed a tear watching Stevie-Y hoist that cup, seriously, that was a great moment in Hockey. The only athlete I thought deserved a championship more than him was Barry Sanders. In fact, Yzerman stuck with the wings through the end of their rough patch and when they always seemed to have so much promise and tank in the playoffs (swept first round by a 3 year old San Jose Shark for example).

I think respect for Rival teams is paramount though, i mean theres a difference between fans and fanboys. While i won't think twice about ripping on another team (cause, I mean...that's the way it's done right?), respect should always be there.

I'm also glad Winnipeg is back...I know I'm a year late but that was the most interesting NHL storey to me for the past 3 years.

 

[ravager]

I live in DC so follow the Capitals, even though I am a B's fan from way back. Looking like Adam Oates is going to find the sleeping defensemen on his team troublesome. They must have the worst PK in the NHL right now. Dale Hunter must be: a.) groaning in displeasure, or b.) cackling with amusement.

 

[grashopper]

@superballs: Man that Wings Avs rivalry was a good one for a few years eh? Those games were some of the best hockey I have ever seen. Always really intense games, even in the regular season, each game felt like it was a game 7.

Also, I have really been dying to see a original 6 matchup in the finals for years.
That said I'm looking forward to next years Winter Classic. Shame the lockout delayed it, should be a good one though.

 

[Ryan Routon]

Did anyone catch the Kings Canucks game on Monday? Wow

 

[grashopper]

Did anyone catch the Kings Canucks game on Monday? Wow

I caught the end of the 3rd until it went off. Was Hoping you stuck in there until the end on that one.
Can't remember the player on the Canucks but that was one of the crazier shootout attempts I have seen.

 

[Tabe]

Even I shed a tear watching Stevie-Y hoist that cup, seriously, that was a great moment in Hockey. The only athlete I thought deserved a championship more than him was Barry Sanders.

I don't have heroes - but Yzerman is one for me. To me, he was the epitome of the perfect athlete. A rugged warrior (remember his scrap with Kevin Maguire???), an elite skill player (155 pts and player of the year in 1989), a fearless leader (longest-running captain in NHL history), a guy who sacrificed health and individual results for team wins, and a guy who stayed with one franchise for his entire career. I loved Barry Sanders and would have loved to see him win a title but he bailed on the Lions (intentionally screwing them by retiring at the start of training camp) and it took me years to forgive him.

I actually got to meet Wayne Gretzky last year at a baseball game here in Spokane. I was like a kid in a candy store, just an incredible thrill for me. And that's nothing compared to what it would be like for me to meet Yzerman.

All that said, the memory of that first Cup is tarnished for me. The limo crash afterward that crippled Konstantinov takes a lot of the shine off that Cup. The three that came after are much sweeter.

Tabe