Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I believe these players can do it. Just just have to want to do it. It's up to them now.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

They can absolutely do it, if - like you said - they want to. There are few teams with as much natural talent as the Capitals - particularly from Ovechkin, Semin, and Backstrom. They've just shown time and time again that they prefer to wallow in mediocrity instead of deciding to take it to the next level. They can do it, they just won't. Hopefully Hunter will be as hard ass of a coach as he was as a player. It's what the team needs.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Canes fired Maurice.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I saw Steve Yzerman go from a 100+ point scorer to one of the best two way players in the game. Also saw Fedorov sacrifice to get it done. Bowman made them believe in it.

Also with Maurice getting fired not much of a surprise. They were really struggling. How many guys have gotten fired. Then hired back a few years later and then fired again? A little odd.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Carolina is a mess right now. Staal has been awful and the Kaberle signing has been a huge bust thus far. I believe Kaberle was a healthy scratch their last game. I'm so glad the Bruins let him walk and picked up Corvo from them for a 4th rounder.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I really think Kaberle needs to go back to TO. He was good there. He's bombed everywhere since so far.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Toronto won't take him back with that contract. Liles has been very good for them so far this year so I doubt they'd have much interest in bringing him back.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Dale Hunter FTW!!!

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I don't think so either. Just saying that's probably where he belongs.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Yea definitely. He just can't seem to get comfortable anywhere else.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

What a great day to be a Caps fan. Great move.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

:lol

Ridiculous. Caps fans love to put the blame on Boudreau, because God forbid the players catch any blame for playing the same gutless hockey that gets them booted from the playoffs every year. As if Hunter is now going to get Semin to play like a real hockey player.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Bruins have a point in the last, what, 12 games or so???:bounce 11 out of 12 with 1 s/o loss in 3 weeks? Can you say---B - peat????

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Well bruce thanks for the memories hopefully I will see your drunk ass out at the bars again.

Good move by the caps. In leonsis I trust!

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Sometimes a coaching change can be the catalyst for team-wide change, but in the end it's the players that have to decide they want to go to the next level, i.e. playing as a team. Yes, I'm talking to you, Ovechkin and Semin. Two of the most purely talented players in the whole league, with absolute shit for attitudes.

EDIT: If Hunter as a coach is anything like he was as a player, he'll be the complete opposite of Boudreau. Will be interesting to see how the players respond.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Exactly..so hopefully a hard-nosed, gritty coach will change that.

Bruce preached playing aggressive and being tough for 3 years now...the team very rarely responds. When there are players talking about BB needing to institute more discipline...it's time for him to go. He lost the team.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

This. It's obvious guys like Semin and Ovechkin had given up on him. Kind of an inmates running the prison situation, but that's often how it goes in sports.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Prust has always been one of the grittiest players on our team, always fighting guys of every size, even with Avery in the roster.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

ESPECIALLY in hockey. It's amazing how short-term the life of an NHL coach is with teams.

I'm hoping this really invigorates the team...like it did when Boudreau first came up.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Pronger out 4 weeks with knee surgery

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Sorry to combine a couple of different conversations here but you guys know who gave Prust a chance in junior and turned him into the player he now is?

Dale Hunter.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Posts like this are why I almost never post in this thread. It was more than clear that Bruce had lost the team. When a coach says in the Washington Post he doesn't know what to say to get the team to play tough, that's an issue. Boudreau allowed the team to play like shit with his superstar coddling and his consistent line juggling. It was time for him to go. And while I don't think Hunter will fix Semin in particular, Boudreau had lost EVERYONE, not just Semin and Ovechkin, and I think Hunter will have success with almost everyone on that roster. I think we will see a reenergized Ovechkin who won't just skate in circles anymore. I think Hunter will immediately have everyone's undivided attention in that room and he will make it clear he IS in charge. And I think it was a brilliant move. I never thought Ted and George had it in them.

So again I say, what a great day to be a Caps fan. Dale Hunter for the motherfucking win.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Pronger to have knee surgery tomorrow and will be out four weeks: http://flyers.thecheckingline.com/bl...g-knee-surgery

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Ovechkin has been skating in circles since Day 1 of his NHL career.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Guess you were asleep from 2005 to 2009

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I think very few of us are saying Boudreau shouldn't have been fired. I believe he should have, and I'm excited to see what Hunter brings. My only disagreement is with the people who place the blame completely on Brucey. Sure, he couldn't get the attention of his team. That's partly his fault, but it's partly the players' who decided they'd rather be an underachieving team than suck it up and play real hockey.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Go count your President's Trophies.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Milan Hejduk gets the "C" in Colorado. This surprised me, as I imagined them going with a youngster like Stastny or Johnson. Nevertheless, Hejduk, while the quieter type, has a history of hard work and winning and is one of the few seasoned veterans on the roster. Not a bad move, just not one I expected.

I know, I know, who cares right? ;)

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Didn't this happen like two weeks ago? :lol:lol:lol

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

As the lone Av fan here, I felt obligated to say something, however late. :o