Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

So Phoenix should be blamed on him and not Bettman? lol

You're right, we don't have teams in certain markets without him. Which, for the growth of the game to a national sport, was great. We bitch about things but this league health-wise is so much better than it was in 1988. It makes so much money, the players make so much more money, the tv is good, attendance is good, etc. Bettman might make some dumb moves, and the lockouts suck, but he's improved the quality of the league a lot.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Philly's next 12 games are absolute hell schedule wise.

Pittsburgh x2
Boston x2
St. Louis x2
Chicago
LA
Columbus
Rangers
Dallas
Toronto

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

nice of the habs to show up last night

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

where's barbiegast? need him to tell me why the caps went with halak on back-to-back nights against the penguins? seems dumb to me

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Don't remind me. I looked at that after we got jobbed on Tuesday night and determined there's no way this team can make the playoffs. Jackets, Rangers, and I think Caps schedules are all "easier". Hope I'm wrong.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

That, and scoring depth. Especially when guys are healthy.

Speaking of which, I've always been an Andrew Shaw fan, but he seems to do particularly well against the Avs. I'm always worried when he is on the ice.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

:lol I was trying to make it sound nice.

Hawks to retire Handzus. #CONFIRMED

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Regarding the jersey retirement thing:

It seems it comes down to two types of players: NHL legends and team legends. Guys like Howe, Gretzky, Orr, etc. who are obvious choices. In other words, HOF guys. But then there's the team legends - guys who were immensely popular on the teams they played for. They were generally with the team for a long period of time and made significant contributions on and off the ice.

Both of these hold true with the Avs, for example:
Roy
Bourque
Sakic
Forsberg
Foote

Roy and Sakic were obvious choices because of the legendary status they hold throughout the NHL. HOF-ers with multiple personal awards and records.

Foote was more of a team legend. No way he'll ever get into the HOF or anything like that, but the impact he had on the team during his playing days cannot be understated. Immensely popular in the locker room and among fans.

Forsberg kind of straddles the line between the two... His career unfortunately wasn't long enough to probably achieve NHL legend status, but you can only imagine where he would be if he was able to play longer and with less injuries.

Then there's Bourque... I thought it was funny the Avs retired his number after only a season and a half, but why not? One of the most legendary defensemen to ever play the game (top 3 IMO with Orr and Lidstrom). Kind of a PR move by the Avs? Sure. But, his status as an NHL legend is unquestioned, and he singlehandedly provided the inspiration for their Cup run. He instantly becomes a team legend because of that, even in such a short amount of time.

There's talk that Hejduk's sweater will go up, which I'm kind of on the fence over. Yes, he spent his whole career with the Avs which is a thing mostly unheard of in the NHL, and he was an all-star in his younger days. But has he achieved that "legendary" status - whether NHL or team - that would make his name and number fit with the others hanging in the Pepsi Center rafters? I wouldn't be opposed to it, but I also worry about retiring too many numbers... starts to lose its significance if you do too many.

I also think it's important to note that different teams will have different qualifications depending on team history. The Blue Jackets and Predators, for example, will make decisions differently than the Canadiens, Red Wings, and Bruins. You have to be truly an NHL legend, I think, to get your number retired on an original six team. Whereas a smaller-market club might go more with a team legend.

Thanks to Tuukka for showing up in the first period lol

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I know it's Lebrun but this was a nice read on the jackets:
http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/10...ight-direction

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I like Pierre a lot.

edit: I also think we can both say good Panthers in regulation tonight.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

BUT I also say go Sharks and go Kings and heck go Wild just to help me out a little.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

absolutely :thumbsup

i'd love to see the wings keep the streak alive, especially at the expense of a philly or tampa.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Nice article.

I too love Pierre. One of the better "hockey insiders" out there, even if he does work for ESPN.
Love it.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

The problem with Chicago is Michael Handzus's consistently shitty performance. Chicago never should have traded Brandon Perri; he complimented Kane a helluva lot better that fucking Handzus. Quenneville should play Patrick Sharp as the team's #2 center. In 2010 they won the cup with Sharp in the middle. I have no idea what Quenneville and Bowman are thinking when it comes to personnel and line decision this year. Why is Bollig getting a new deal and playing every night while better players like Morin and Perri are exiled to Rockford? Why is Quenneville so reluctant to put Kane with Toews when it's obvious that Kane's production is significantly better with Toews? Why was Versteeg playing on the second line instead of Brandon Saad earliar this year?

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Great Post. :thumbsup

Totally agree on the newer teams having different criteria compared to original six though Rangers retired Graves Jersey, though he was clearly only a team legend. Of course, they didn't win a cup for 54 years and the rafters were lacking. And Rangers' fans, this is not a dig at Graves as I had made respect for him, especially for all the work he did off the ice in the community. Not many in the NHL or anywhere did more.

It was what I alluded to with the Islanders. They have the NHL legends in the top 4 of Bossy, Potvin, Smith and Trottier and then Gillies and Nystrom, who are more team legends despite Gillies being in the HOF. He is borderline to me, not to take anything away from him. I'm sure the chins of O'Reilly and co. from Boston and Holmgren and co. from Philly think his fist belongs in the HOF. He was the perfect player for that line to complement Bossy and Trottier.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Flyers will get at least 6 wins in that brutal 12 game stretch. Count it

Who do you guys think are the front runners for the Vezina? Has to be Bishop and Rask IMO

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

1) Brandon Pirri wasn't the answer, as much as even I wanted him to be. The

2) When will people give up the Sharp at 2C idea? It's dead. It's not happening. Yes, they won in 2010 with him there, but that's not where he wants to be, and not where Q wants him to be, and not where Bowman wants him to be. He's more effective at LW. He likes being a sniper on the off-wing, not a center. Teuvo should be the answer there, hopefully. That's what everyone is banking on. That's why Pirri got dealt and never got a fair shot. He was never the guy. That's been Teuvo's spot.

3) Bollig serves his purpose, and serves it well. He's not the right scapegoat. Pirri would never replace Bollig. That's like asking why a starting pitcher is still in the minors while some Tyler Flowers is still getting starts at catcher. Two very different things. Now Brookbank at wing over Morin? I don't get that.

4) I hope 88 gets back with 19 when Teuvo gets here. 20-19-88 and 10-Teuvo (86?)-81 makes too much sense. But God knows he'll be subject to Q's line blender as well. I don't know. As much as I like watching 88 and 19 on the same line, Q thinks the team is more dangerous with them split up. He's found that teams just stack the deck against that line and force the rest of the team to step up, which has lead to lots of scoring draughts before. Honestly, a true 2C answers so many of this teams "issues". In Teuvo we trust.

5) There's nothing wrong with Steeger playing on the 2nd line. Not sure what the problem is there.

Tough this year, honestly. Not as clear as usual. Varlamov has to be in the discussion.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Agree with Chris. His stats aren't pristine, but when you consider what he's done for the team, Varly at least deserves consideration. He'll, he could be looked at for the Hart with what he does for the Avs.

Bishop and Rask for sure. Perhaps Miller and Fleury.

But yeah, no clear cut guys like normal.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

To me, Varlamov is going to have to play like Mike Smith did in 2012 for the Avs to win a 7-game series. If that happens, hats off to him. But he's basically already done that in 5 games against the Hawks this season, and he may have to do it again. Don't see him continuing to have a .960 sv% against Chicago in a playoff series, where dirty goals tend to be the great equalizer.

That said, the Avs' opportunistic scoring is looking more and more like a skill they have (well with guys like Duchene & Mackinnon & O'Reilly & Landeskog one can see why) but who really knows.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I guess they figured his record looked too good compared to the rest of the team, so they wanted to get him a few more L's

Not that either loss was really his fault

And barbiegast. I like that. We should shorten to just barbie. I hate my user name

Bruins are playing crazy good hockey lately and Rask has been superb since the Olympics. I just hope they aren't peaking too early for a playoff run.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

If I had to choose I'd say Rask, but it's not clear and there's a handful of good choices. All of which have been mentioned

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

never thought Iggy would have a chance for 25 goals two months ago. Now he has a chance.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Agree with all this.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Varly plays much better under a heavy workload a has said it helps him not think as much and get into a groove. 40-ish shots a game? His comfort zone.

Maybe what the Hawks need to try is laying off a bit. Worth a shot, right? ;)

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Let's go Sharks.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Bruins just leapfrogged Pittsburgh with 93 points total. Toronto is now in 2nd place in Atlantic, passing Montreal.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Bernier vs Quick tonight. Going to be a great match up!