Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Toews and Kane will probably be similar, which isn't a big deal because they're already at $6.3

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

It is a lot and while I'm criticizing him a bit, you can't replace him. The dude is 26 years old and scores you 30-40 goals. Let him walk and now you don't have Seguin, Hamilton or Kessel? Yeah right.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Toews/Kane will be looking at $9m/yr each.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

which is no problem considering the cap is going up to 72, I think, right?

Seriously, resigning Kane and Toews is not an issue of money it's an issue of desire for them to resign. And they will

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Tis opening night!

LET'S GO FLYERS! (manana.)

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

The NHL is projecting up to $80 in a couple years, and yeah I think $72 next year.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Predictions? I'm just going to do the top 4 in each division since that's all that really matters other than maybe a wild card.

Atlantic:
Boston
Detroit
Toronto
Ottawa

Metro:
Pit
Caps
Rangers
Isles

Central:
Chicago
St Louis
Minnesota
Winnipeg

Pacific:
Anaheim
LA
SJ
Vancouver

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Blasphemy.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

The Caps?

lollolol no

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Coming from a Flyers fan that's kinda funny. But that team finished 15-2-2 I think last year and while I surely don't expect them to keep that pace, I think we'll see that team more than the first half team. The Rangers need to prove me wrong before I move them up.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Jackets are better than the Caps, Rangers and Isles.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

:lol Buccigross has CBJ in the eastern conference finals against Detroit :lol

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

caps for sure.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Playing the "Top 4" Game

Atlantic:
Boston
Detroit
Ottawa
Montreal

Metro:
Pittsburgh
Rangers
Carolina
Islanders

Central:
Chicago
St. Louis
Minnesota
Nashville

Pacific:
Los Angeles
San Jose
Phoenix
Edmonton

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Oilers have named Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nick Schultz and Ryan Smyth Assistant Captains (on a rotational basis, of course)

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

...and the Sabres have names Ott and Vanek......co-captains..?...?

Turns out this is against the rules (really) and as such Vanek is the "home" captain, and Ott is the "away" captain.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Ott?...Ott?

And that's against the rules? I guess I never really paid attention the few times teams do this.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

ott was the only person playing with heart last year. why not?

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Ott makes more sense than Vanek IMO

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did we just become best friends?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

It's against the rules in the sense that you can't have more than one player on a team wearing the "C" for a game. You can change the captain on a game-by-game basis if you want, but only one guy can wear it at a time.

What they're doing is similar to what BUF did with Drury/Briere back in the day. One wore it for home games, the other for away games. When one had the "C" the other wore an "A".

I had a feeling it would be Ott. Huge douchebag, but no one can deny he's an emotional leader. Vanek actually surprises me more than Ott does.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

No not even close.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Change every game I get. I guess I read the first post as it had to be home and away and that it wasn't a game by game change. Just a misread on my part. The 2 in one game thing totally makes sense though. I do remember when Briere was captain along with the guy the Avs stupidly traded away back in 2002. :)

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

You love to rub that crap in. That trade still bugs the hell outta me... why not trade away the guy that is playing at a high level, and more importantly, gives 110% every shift. There are few players that played or still play with the attitude Drury did, and the Avs trade him away in his prime.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Yes, yes I do. But I bring it up so much cause even I remember sitting there thinking...huh? I HATED him. Always scored a big goal when it was needed. Game 4 of 2000 vs the Wings bugs me the worst cause Wings should have had that game and who wins it in OT? Drury.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

He was every coach's dream come true. Worked hard, great attitude, very present in the clutch situations (like you mentioned). People were so focused on Forsberg and Sakic back in those days, so Drury could just slip in and do his thing. He was never quite the offensive force once he became more of the number 1 guy, but he still worked his ass off every game. He probably could have had a longer career if he would've just calmed down his play a little bit, but "calm down" just wasn't in his vocabulary - and that's what I love about him. To this day, one of my all time faves.

Brandon Bollig in for Ben Smith. The coach Q train off and kicking, first stop, fuck this.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Pens showing interest in Bryzgalov whaaaaaat?!

https://mobile.twitter.com/LisaHilla...=LisaHillaryTV

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

...oh you mean the same guy who has won 2 Cups with the Hawks and has the most wins (playoffs and regular season) of any active coach?

Yeah I'm gonna just go ahead and guess that Q is better at evaluating players than bonzo.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I grew up watching Drury at BU. He was basically the reason I started playing hockey. One of my favorite players in any sport.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Must have been due to his awesome stick handling video

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Hawks so good. Cant wait to beat caps tonight!

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I don't even....

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

It took Daniel Carcillo getting hurt ON THE SECOND LINE in the first game last season to get BRANDON SAAD on the ice and out of the press box....

John Scott actually dressed for this team on a regular basis....

ok.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

So lets set this straight now. You are a Blackhawks fan? I thought you were a caps can or because the Blackhawks won you are jumping allegiances?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

always been a hawks fan floob

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Even back before the Toews/Kaner days?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

:lol :lol

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Nope. Wasnt a fan till wirtz died

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Ricky still mad :lol :lol

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Can't wait to not watch an important game with you, my man. We're going back to back this year!

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Wish I didn't have to wait until Thursday to watch Nashville's first game but I'm very excited about everything starting back up tonight.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

You being hilarious makes me happy.

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Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

A new start is good.


For the Blackhawks. And no one else.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Just switched over to Toronto/Montreal game to see Parros go down. Hope he is ok, stretcher coming.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Chances that the team the Hawks face in the Finals this year is the Bruins again?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

And it's ironic that he had his helmet on during a fight yet still hit is head and is seriously injured.

I actually like the Hawks and think it would be fun for this to happen again. Hopefully the Hawks don't hit a wall and crap out at the end of the season like Bruins did in 11-12.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

bet you a million dollars that Parros comes out and says it was his fault and that fighting should remain in the game.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Just get rid of fighting once and for all. It really is completely unnecessary. The playoffs prove it.

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No other sport tolerates it. Why is hockey different? Seriously, I am not a hockey player and have never played ice hockey. Someone can try to explain it but it is utterly stupid to me.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

:lol:lol you'd think you were the female of this thread!

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

:lol sigged

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Yet nobody can really provide an argument for it. What a surprise.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

It's a fundamental part of the game and creates momentum. Hockey is like no other sport, period. So why compare aspects of it that other sports lack?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Well, first off there shouldn't even be an argument for it if you actually understand the game of hockey, but I will give it a go and others can add along.

Fighting is important in the game of hockey for a few key reasons. The first of which is protection. If you had no fighting allowed then you would have teams fill up with goons lining up to take out the Toews, Crosbys, and Ovechkins of the hockey world (They wouldn't dare go after Giroux because he would punch them all in the dick). However, if they do go after one of those star players you better believe the enforcer from that team will come at them for retaliation.

Secondly, it provides as a motivation tactic. Have you ever seen benches after a good fight? Teams that seemed listless and out for the count become rejuvenated after someone on their team goes out and fights. It helps send a message to the team.

Third, it provides a sort of self governance to the game, which I really like. If someone on a team does something you do not like (I.E go after one of your players or does something cheap or dirty) you can let them know that you won't be having any of that shit.

The most important thing when it comes to hockey fights, especially on the NHL level, there is rarely ever a time a fight happens for no good reason. There is almost always some sort of justification that can be found for a fight. It is not like all hockey players are all goons on skates looking to fight every time the puck drops.

I know that my argument is not the most eloquent nor is the most thought provoking, but you can deal with that. I am sure some of the few in here that have actually had the privilege of playing more that I have can do a better job arguing.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I'm too drunk to make that big of a post, but, yes, what you said!

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

This is a ludicrous argument because there is no incentive for teams to ice squads of goons because, of course, they would lose. A lot. Nice try, though.

So what? Why don't they gain momentum by, say, playing better?

This is basically the same argument as your first point. When players do things that are against the rules, often they get called for penalties. Those are what govern the game, not players taking things into their own hands when they perceive that they or their teammates have been wronged.

Except we still have plenty of seemingly staged fights between enforcers. And if there is "good reason" during the regular season, why is there never "good reason" during the playoffs?

Look I am willing to hear folks out on this. I realize that this idea of players governing themselves has been around for a long, long time. But inertia is not a valid reason to keep something. For a long time everyone thought the world was flat, too. Doesn't make them right.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

LOL refs.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Disagree with Bron Bron

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

agree with bron bron. but i also liked mr. girouxs post as well.

in the end if fighting were truly necesarry it would happen in the playoffs more than it does.

Let's not forget that fighting is also good for ratings and butts in seats for casual hockey fans. Fighting = more money for the game.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Yes there are many folks who still love fighting.

But unfortunately the players who truly generate new fans and put asses in the seats are guys with skill, like Kane, Crosby, Toews, Ovechkin, etc. Those guys don't fight and the new fans of the NHL care more about skill than fighting.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I've found that if someone decides they don't want fighting in the game, no argument I can make will change their mind. Just like no one will change mine (I'm pro-fighting). Maybe tomorrow I'll feel like going on a diatribe, but for now, no offense, but it's just not worth it to me

Also, great to see St. Louis get the C in TB. Fantastic leader.

Edit: huge lol at JRS's comment about omgcg dick punching.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Look, the Leafs/Canadiens had, what, 3 fights tonight? So I guess that 1st fight really did a lot to "govern" that game? Apparently not. Even after Parros went off in a stretcher they decided to keep it going. Why again?

We hear about former enforcers committing suicide and yet.....we must preserve fighting? It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Matty I respect your opinion obviously so I would love it if you would address some of my points if you ever have some spare time.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I making up this number but it seems like 80% of the fights are 2 "enforcers" pounding on each other for a few seconds, nothing to do with policing others. I think fighting should go and the league should penalize players harshly for the dirty things that they don't want in the game.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I am agreeing with the Canucks fan.

Also I can't wait for Chris to come in here and destroy me for this and my other offenses to the game of hockey. But that's what discussion boards are for right?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Will do tomorrow :thumbsup

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Hey! I'm like 90-10 oilers Canucks!

My basic thought if it something would get you thrown in jail if you did it on the streets, it probably shouldn't be in sports.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Like Matty said, you aren't going to be swayed (most likely, and nor will I) so I am not going to spend my time arguing. I respect your opinion, even if it is wrong (I keed). And yes there are some fights that have no reason to them, that's why I said almost always. And for the playoff bits let me painfully show you this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDsK5HH-K3c

This fight galvanized the Penguins into overcoming a 3-0 deficit. It was absolutely the wrong time to fight if you were Carcillo and absolutely the right time if you are Talbot. He (Talbot) did not back down from a fight that he had no shot at winning and his teammates respected that and it shifted the momentum in that game. You can not argue against that fight being the key reason for the Penguins winning that game.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Bye bye Boxing, wrestling, karate, and all forms of fighting in the olympics.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Yeah, got me there actually, ha.
I still think its dumb and should go, notwithstanding .

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

On a totally different topic, is anyone watching the oilers game? What the hell is that pulsing noise?
Ok, the announcers had no clue either, and it's stopped.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Fighting is an integral part of all of those sports. In fact, it is the objective.

In hockey, the objective is to score goals. Fighting has what part in that?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Look you can certainly argue for fighting. I'm not going to disagree with anyone who simply likes the fighting element of hockey on a very elemental level. I just think, practically, it will be rendered rather pointless soon. Fighting in the NHL is on the decline and yet ratings are very high, despite an era of low goal-scoring.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

This wasn't really an argument that those sports should go, just calling out MikeD on his post and he accepted and we are moving on. I understand the difference between the two groups as does Mike, I am just poking fun at his over generalization

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Well yeah, given a league without goons, guys like parros are selling volvos or scrubbing floors or doing your taxes or something.

I actually don't feel that strongly about the issue and I'm reasonably entertained by a good fight but think its a silly part of the game.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

It was the fire alarm - I think.


What a disappointing finish last night. Went to bed after the 2nd (damn you late starts :devil ) and the Oilers were leading 4-3. Woke up to see they give up two, and start the season where they left off.

Dear Devin Dubnyk,

If you want to be a #1 goalie in the NHL, that's great and we'd love to have you but for fuck's sake if you have a 4-2 lead half way through the game, you need to find a way to win that game. That's what #1 goalies do.

Sincerely,
Everyone


Edit; Fantastic goal by Hemsky last night. If I see a video link, I'll post it.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

This is actually somewhat of a fair point. Often you see the two goons/enforcers go at it and most of the time that is unnecessary. Again I'm all for fighting but there are the exceptions where it just isn't necessary or you get guys like Scott who says he's gonna jump Kessel. Obviously since I watch the all the time I look at the Wings. No enforcer on the team. The guys who tend to fight are Abdelkader, Bertuzzi and sometimes Ericsson. But when they fight it's because someone was dicking with them or their teammates and that's totally cool. Two enforcers going at it in a staged, or somewhat staged, fight doesn't do anything except get rid of them for at least 5 minutes so you can see good hockey players actually play.

Just watched the Parros video, that's scary.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Wow just saw the Parros fight, that does not look good.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Completely agree with Bron on the fighting.


First time I've agreed with Bron on something in over a year.

Almost all of the people who actually play the game want to keep fighting as well. People are just determined to fix things that aren't broken.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I just don't understand why people are discussing this. It was just an unfortunate play. Parros is an expert when it comes to fighting, it wasn't like he got knocked out by a punch. Orr lost his footing and brought Parros down with him. Parros had his eyes closed and didn't see it until the last second.

It's no different than someone getting a heavy hit because their eyes were at their feet.

Agree completely

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

http://deadspin.com/fighting-in-hock...oes-1440089360

Like it or not this post is dead-on.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Inertia is not a very strong argument for keeping something around.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I think it's a fine reason. It's part of the history of the game. It's been in the game since it's inception and the players and the fans want to keep it around. That sounds like a perfectly legitimate reason to me.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Alright here goes, read at your own peril. I’ve made little comments here and there about my support of fighting, but this is my first foray into fully explaining myself, so I feel I need to be thorough. I decided to split my posts up to not make it seem so tedious to read through, so here is part one. Just to be clear: I make this argument fully expecting not to sway anyone. As I stated yesterday, people either hate fighting or love it, and few arguments will make someone switch sides.But you asked my opinion, so here it is.

First off, we pro-fighters need to be clear and honest with ourselves about a couple things:

- Hockey would survive without fighting. While I view it as an important part of the game, it is simply not integral in the same sense as the red line, goal nets, shooting and passing the puck, etc. Growing up in youth, high school, college hockey, all the way up to the big - I mean beer - leagues, fighting is punishable in most cases by an automatic game misconduct and suspension the following game – and yet hockey survives and thrives at these levels. The fact is, there is little hard evidence that supports fighting being an integral part of the game. People like myself certainly see its benefit, but on more of a theoretical level. Having played the game (and I hate to throw that phrase out there because I know there are others who haven’t played and feel the same way… but I have to draw from experience that I have or I wouldn’t be being genuine with you), I see how fighting has benefited myself and teams I’ve played for, but the fact is, there are no hard facts/numbers, etc. that point to how fighting is necessary to the survival of hockey.

-The true “enforcer” is now an endangered species. It used to be that every team had a dedicated goon – the guy who played 3-5 minutes a night and was there solely to protect his teammates via intimidation and his fists. We’ll talk later about that role, but for now suffice to say I can count on a hand and a half the amount of pure enforcers that still regularly suit up for their team… and I may be using the term “regularly” loosely. Guys like Parros, Orr, and Bissonnette are still on a team’s roster, but often as a healthy scratch or benchwarmer. The fact is, with the skill level of today’s NHL, most teams are looking for whatever advantage they can get, and they need to ice the maximum amount of talent possible to fit their team dynamic. There’s simply no room for one-dimensional enforcers. Is there room for tough guys? Yes, but they need to be able to play quality minutes and contribute in more ways than just scrapping.

Thus, we are literally seeing the evolution of the fighter in the NHL. A prime example is Shawn Thornton. A tough, mean guy to play against, but one who can also contribute and log quality 4th line minutes. Now, by “contribute” I don’t mean to say he’ll challenge David Krejci for minutes, but he can still help his team in other ways besides pounding and being pounded. Cody McLeod of the Avs is another great example.

Becoming more common among teams is the idea of not having a dedicated “enforcer”, but fighting by committee – teammates sticking up for each other regardless of their role on the team. This is usually determined by weight class: If a smaller guy is causing trouble, a smaller guy on the other team will take him on; middle weights fight middle weights, etc. Spreading the fighting around still allows for players to stick up for each other, but without having to waste a roster spot on a talentless goon. In fact, this willingness for all (or at least “most”) players on a team to occasionally take one in the jaw for their teammate can serve to foster a deeper sense of unity.

Now, I now that doesn't address your question, but I'm just setting the stage with this one. God help us. Next, we’ll look at the role of fighting in today’s NHL.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

To be fair though, how often does the league do what anyone but the league wants?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

A lot of folks wanted to keep slavery around, too.

Also, a lot of fans do not care to keep it around because it is an unnecessary and potentially dangerous vestige of a bygone era.

Yes a lot of people want to keep it around. But why? The only reason is because it has been institutionalized. Yes there are vague explanations involving self-governance but to me those arguments are all based on hypotheticals. "If we don't have fighting then players will be free to take cheap shots." Nevermind the fact that the enforcers are often the same guys taking liberties with opposing players in the first place.

What is the point in having this lumbering oafs roam the ice just so that they may fight another enforcer once every so often when they feel it is necessary to "take things into their own hands?"

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Very well written. The goon pretty much is gone, and I'm ok with that. That's why I think it's dumb that Parros and Orr are there and fight. What else do they do? But I'm not against fighting, not even close. I think fighting to stick up for yourself or your teammate is a good part of the game. Fighting just to fight is dumb to me. But again I've grown up watching the Wings best years and they rarely had a true enforcer. McCarty and Kocur were big parts in the late 90's but both played regular 3rd or 4th line minutes crashing and banging and sometimes scoring.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Wild comparisons between fighting in hockey and slavery are not necessary.

I understand what you're saying but that's ridiculous.

It's a part of the game that most everyone likes. It's no more dangerous than any other aspect of the game. People aren't being severely injured in fights on a regular basis. Why are you so adamant about changing it?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Just interesting discussion. I don't think "most everyone" really cares. And yes many people may say they like it, but I"m also guessing that the majority wouldn't miss it if it was gone.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

McCarty is a fantastic example. :thumbsup

Working on Part 2. Will post in a minute.

Honest question, have you ever been to a game where a fight has broken out? It's insane how energetic the crowd is after someone drops the gloves. Saying the majority wouldn't miss it is wrong IMO.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

It's 100% necessary. Ask guys like Gretzky, Kane, St. Louis, etc.

Every team has their skill guys that never get involved in fights, and they stay protected by guys "defending" them.

In an ideal world, everyone just plays the game without taking cheap shots like it's done in the Olympics, but that's just a fantasy world and not reality. You need enforcers to keep everyone in check.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

:lol You seriously are comparing fighting in hockey to SLAVERY?! How dense are you?