Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

:lol you know what i mean

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I get it - there are times when a down to the wire nail-biter is a much more enjoyable experience than a blow out.

I've got tix to the Pens Rags game on the 20th, but I don't know what I am in store for.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

If your team wins.....

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

yea hopefully you're right

:lol the best

nice that should be a good one

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I have as many fingers as Flyers have wins in a row. Kinda neat.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

all the top teams in the Metro won again except for the Rangers

fuck this division

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Seriously. The Pens are in first. If they ever lose two in a row, they could go from first to the first or second wild card in an instant. But that holds true for any of the teams.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Things will separate when divisional games come into play. But it is pretty crazy how well all the top teams in the metro are playing.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

and all of a sudden the Pens have the best record in the NHL

kind of out of nowhere, especially given how hot the Metro is

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

letang gonna miss a few weeks with a lower body injury.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Things would be a lot better for the Flyers if they could, you know, win a couple divisional games.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Same for the rest of the division...

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I know. Joke from yesterday here ;)

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

That is a tough break for a team leading an extremely competitive division. I have no doubt the Pens can step it up but I think his absence will be notable on special teams.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Pouliot gonna get another shot youd have to think. Ive basically given up on him ever being a regular productive NHL player at this point.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Yeah, that had to be encouraging for any Av's (or Nordiques) fans. They looked damn good at times and had Philly clinging to a one goal lead late in the game with the Avs throwing everything at them. Avs had a bad turnover that ended up costing them the game - or at least a likely OT finish. While I am happy they lost (I usually want western conference teams to loose to eastern conference teams) it was fun to watch them battle - at times it made me think back to when they could just grind opponents into the ground with guys like Sakic, Hejduk, Forsberg, Borgue and Foote - admittedly missing a Patrick Roy in net.

I just cannot figure out why they have been so consistantly bad for well over a decade now. Parity in the NHL has benefited pretty much every team in the league during this time frame but the Avs seem to have missed the bus every year since then - yeah, they have made the playoffs a few times but never made any real noise. Up until Roy took control some of their decisions by the higher ups made no sense - notably trading away Shattenkirk and Elliot. On the plus side though, for the Avs there is really nowhere to go but up considering they sitting dead last in the NHL as I type this.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Agreed but there is no good reason not to give him ice time, a 30 point per year type guy could be useful on the second or third line depending on where McLellan wants to use him.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I was talking about Derrick Pouliot coming in with the Letang injury.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

they are used to playing without Letang for stretches and the Special Teams aren't exactly great right now with him so they should be ok

hopefully

i dunno, coaching staff doesn't like him and i bet we see a lot of Warsofsky

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

He must just be lazy. He has all the talent in the work, but clearly the work ethic isnt there.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

My mistake, without any real context I thought you meant Benoit Pouliot from Edmonton who could be a solid asset. Cannot say I know much about Derrick though other than that he is young and can still grow as a player, I recall Benoit being solid when he was a Ranger.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Yeah, when they are playing the right way they can do some really fun things. I guess the issue is that after all this time, even with as talented a core as they have, something is missing. And it's not talent. A fundamental and philosophical change needs to take place, and that won't happen without a big shake-up.

But man... every time I watch Duchene play I instantly regret ever entertaining the thought of trading him. Heart of a warrior.

Avs have made some questionable moves to be sure. Probably should've traded Stastny before he hit FA. ROR... wasn't really much to be done with him. Kind of backed into a corner. I was ok with the Eilliott trade. I said clear back when they acquired Johnson that they may rue the day they trade Shattenkirk, and yep.

But anyways, yeah. Some fundamental changes need to happen and so far Sakic doesn't seem to be willing to make those changes. You can't keep trying to add complementary pieces to your core if your core isn't working in the first place.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

In my case you are barking up the wrong tree if you are wanting any sympathy for lousy special teams play! :lol

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Pens ST has been getting better the last couple weeks. Especially the PK

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

It actually might be good for the pp. Letang has not been good on the pp and shultz has been awesome offensively this year and is probably better on the pp

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I think a lot of it is mindset at this point. The talent is there but just not getting it done for whatever reason. I think say a 5-10 game win steaks (knocking off a couple top tier teams in the process) would really help them establish a 'Hey, we belong here and plan on winning' frame of mind.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

true but it's still not nearly as good as it should be

i think they'll be ok for the next couple weeks. just don't want Letang to rush back. get healthy, we need him for the home stretch

love what Justin Schultz is doing this year. He's going the route of Lovejoy by betting on himself. he's going to make a boat load of money next offseason

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I have not watched too many Pittsburgh games to be honest, has Letang been shooting much on the PP? His loss will be felt on the PK I think.

Feeling a tad guilty today, got an early Christmas gift from my parents (who don't exactly have money to burn) it is a a fairly expensive '47' Hawks hat my mom probably got from Amazon. Problem is it is busted ass ugly and way too busy with multiple logos and colors. My dad knows nothing about sports and I think my mom as a Rangers fan resents that I picked Chicago over the Rangers when the Whalers moved so it was a great gesture by her - I just wish it was not so ugly that I cannot wear it in public! :lol

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Letang's absence will be felt just by ice time in general

guy plays like 28 minutes a night

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Yeah, gotta consider the trickle-down effect. Sure you slot another guy into the line-up, but he's just filling a roster spot - he's not going to play half the game like Letang does. It's up to the other 5 D-men to play those extra minutes, and that will be an adjustment for them. Some handle it better than others. On a team like the Pens, I don't see it being too much of a problem.