NHL (ice) Hockey

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

At least we're all Flyers or Nucks fans in here. It's as if this thread is where we come to cry.

But the pain of this season will soon be on hiatus with the Olympic break. Starting to get a bit excited for this tournament, some odd selections from Canada & USA, could be a very open competition. I could honestly see either of the aforementioned nations, Russia or Sweden taking gold.

I'll be adopting Finland as my Winter Olympics nation, hoping that they nip away at the heels of the bigger nations. Always seem to have a knack for getting the odd memorable upset here & there. Doesn't hurt that Kimmo is the captain either.

Usually I don't cheer against any one team in particular, but F Canada this time around. How do you not select Giroux? Sure he's got a poor relationship with Crosby but who doesn't?

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

Bloody hell! Nucks with 4 wins from last....18 or 19 games! what a clusterfudge.

So many injuries we had to trade weiss for a habs defenceman, diaz....who then turns into our only goal scorer!!!

Agreed, Giroux should've been picked. As should've Martin St Louis. Now stamkos is out....St Louis should be a shoe in for sure! (But they'll prob go with hall)

I've a soft spot for Finland as well through family/friends connections but since shacking up with a Canadian.....options are kinda limited!

Finland just won the juniors though......

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

Finland have been playing great so far, despite how unlucky they've been with injuries. Canada & Russia both a little shaky. Wouldn't suprise me to see any of the top teams take the gold now, very open tournament.

Anyone see Teemu Selanne giving Crosby a spray in the Finland - Canada game? Didn't let up in the post-match interviews either. You know someone's an absolute tosser when Teemu goes out of his way to bad mouth them.

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

lol, yup. Must admit, haven't watched too many of the pool games.

Suomi have been unlucky. Teemu said he was just letting the refs know that they shouldn't penalise people for touching crosby when they wouldn't rule interference against other non-stars.

And he's probably spot on!

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

Phwoar! Finland upset Russia to earn a spot in the semis against Sweden. Must have been heartbreaking for the Ruskies to lose against rivals in their home town Olympics but they just haven't looked right all tournament. It's a shame, that team had some amazing top 6 talent.

Canada almost got upset by Latvia but squeaked through, going to play the US. Tavares is out with a leg injury, wonder how much it'll effect him post-Olympics. Wouldn't be suprised to see the US get them here, Canada have looked very, very shaky. Need to be scoring more goals with the team they have.

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

well......it's always better in hindsight but everyone was upping canada for not scoring goals, yet they had only let in 3 all series! A bit like the czechs a few Olympics ago. (thanks to hasek the awesome goalie).

The final canada against sweden was a bit of an anti-climax compared to 2010 but I'll take it for sure!

Very happy to see finland thump the usa 5- blot in the bronze medal game.

Goodness Martin St louis is small but he should've been there in the first place.

Leaving subban out game after game is a load of ****e for a norris trophy winner.

Guess the coach thought it's be all WHITE on the night.

Luongo got a bit screwed as well.

But gold to canada so the in depth analysis wont go too deep.

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

Canada's possession stats were incredible all tournament. Still think that they should have scored more goals but when you can keep the puck away from your opponents that much I guess it doesn't matter (that Carey Price guy isn't too shabby either).

It was a shame about the gold medal match being a bit of a let down. Sweden didn't seem up to it - maybe the Backstrom deal effected them - but can't take it away from Canada. Well deserved gold. The bronze medal game was fantastic as well, very happy to see some true champions like Timonen & Selanne pick up another medal.

Win or not I do think that there needs to be an in-depth look at some of the personnel decisions made by Team Canada. Yzerman is gone now so maybe that will make a difference (if we even see NHL'ers at Olympics again) butt there was just far too many snubs & head scratchers.

Guys like Giroux, Thornton, MSL (at least initially), Letang & Couture being left out was just wrong. When players with that much experience .& talent are playing that well you find a spot for them. Especially over scrubs like Chris freakin Kunitz. For me part of the problem was that the Canadian braintrust seemed to want to assemble the team like an actual NHL team rather than an all-star lineup. Screw that. If you have to play Giroux on the 4th line, do it, he'll be the best damn 4th liner ever. If Sidney Crysby has a whinge that his favourite buddy didn't make the team then you put MSL on his wing & tell him to shut up & play.

At least now we can both go back to the horribly depressing NHL season. Seems that normal service has resumed with the Flyers going all Jekyl & Hyde & the Canucks restarting the goalie turntable & crushing Luongo's dreams again.

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

LUONGO traded to florida!

I saw your post but the nucks were losing yet again so didn't immediately reply.

What a terrible year. Agree with your olympic thoughts for sure.

But today, Lu finally been punted. He's gotta be right up there for the trophy of worst treatment of a player by an organisation.

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

GOODNESS GRACIOUS THE CANUCKS SUCK!

nyi, so far a 6 goal third period to go from 3-0 down to a 6-4 lead.

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

It was coming after the attempted dumping of their top tier talent during the deadline rush. It's an interesting discussion as to whether it was worthwhile for the Nucks to try & start rebuilding as they have. For me it's far too early for them to go with it; sure it's an old team but the Sedins' are still producing when on the ice & they've just brought in Torts, very strange move by the front office IMO.

In the meantime, maybe the Flyers don't suck quite as hard as we've previously thought. Doing the double over the Pens (albeit an injury ravaged Pens) was a thing of beauty. I'd go on about it but BSH says it better as always;

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/20...enguins-crosby-couturier-magical-beard-powers

tldr; Big ol' hairy Cooter owns Crosby

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

Most of the vancouver media says that although, as you said, there's still the sedins, kesler, etc.... the feeling from the supporters is that it's time to rebuild...and it's been over a decade that fans would be happy for short term pain.

Mainly...I think gillis can go away. Torts has changed the way all the players like to play....but maybe they'll adapt given a bit more time.

Either way....tough to watch.

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

Would have been interesting to see what they got in return for Kesler had any one of the multiple trades they apparently had lined up for him at the deadline actually went through. Philly media were reporting that the Flyers were one of the teams in for Kes, which seems bizarre given we've got G, Schenn & the almighty Cooter.

I can definitely relate with the feelings of wanting a GM to leave, Holmgren has been making some incredibly odd decisions as of late (if you ever feel like laughing at Philly go & look up how much we're paying Lecavalier & Streit).

In other news, Pittsburgh (& specifically in this example, James Neeeaaaaaal) are still utter d-bags. Die soon pls;

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

Well, with the canucks failing at even tanking properly....better half and I are on the flyers bandwagon for the playoffs.


(assuming the nucks don't make the playoffs - assuming??!! ba hahahahahaha!!!)

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

Flyers are actually starting to look really good, gotta give lots of credit to Craig Berube for turning things around. Look a completely different team to how they were under Laviolette. He's even got Lecavalier playing well!

Looks like we'll end up playing the Rags first up though (assuming we make it! It's tight out east as well) which isn't a fantastic match up. Have a pretty abysmal record at the Garden. Would much prefer drawing Pitt again but that seems like it's off the cards now.

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

Canucks outta playoffs (go flyers) and Gillis fired (hooray).


Anyone that can do we he did, not once but twice with our goalies....should be driven out of hockey, or get hired at the leafs.

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

Oh wow, the Leafs plus Gillis? I'm not sure the world is ready for that. I'm not sure it'll ever be ready for that much choke. As funny as it'd be, lets hope it never happens - that combination might produce so much failure that it'd bring down the entire NHL.

Big question is where do the Nucks go from here? The team is old but still competitive in a strong division, but now you've got no clear #1 goalie. I know that Eddie Lack is always talked up plenty but even if he does become a top goalie you'd think that it's a couple of years off at least. Don't exactly have a lot of good prospects coming through the pipelines either.

Flyers clinched a berth in the playoffs just now, walked it in against Florida. Claude Giroux is still showing why he deserves to be a Hart finalist. Last year I thought that Timonen should have been named captain over him but G has really shown that he's the leader of the franchise. Not many players in the league will tell the press that they're going to make the playoffs after a 1-7-0 start & then actually follow through on it as well.

I can't see our blue-line being good enough to take us any deeper than the second round but this season has been a tonne of fun.

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

canuck hero trevor linden named new president (after repeatedly denying it).


Gee, I hope he's ready to be hated by the nucks fans in 4 years!

Lack will need a couple of years. That was such a stuff up of inter galactic proportions.

I re-read yesterday that early interview from...Giroux, who said that they would make the playoffs. Everyone laughed as you guys were something like 1-7-0 at the time.

Now he looks like a genius, a playoff bound genius!!

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

Daniel Sedin stretchered off after a gutless hit in the last game of the season which meant nothing.

All reports are that he is going to be ok and we don't have another Alex mckinnon on our hands.

I hate that calgary coach and wish torts got his hands on him earlier this year.

Where's patrick Roy (pronounced war) when you need him?

 

[Wolfpack]

RE: NHL 2013

I saw the Sedin hit, thought there might be something in this thread about it. Terrible shot, Calgary really area turning into a dirty team. Maybe their coach is trying to become Bylsma Jr.?

Flyers got walkes over in game 1. Good first period but fell away badly in the second & then a poor double minor by Akeson let the Rags kill us off. I'd be very surprised if we can actually win this series given how poor they look but we'll maintain the faith.

Habs are looking fantastic so far, much better than I thought they would & rooting for Detroit to get the upset over Boston as well.

 

[globaleagle]

RE: NHL 2013

I saw the Sedin hit, thought there might be something in this thread about it. Terrible shot, Calgary really area turning into a dirty team. Maybe their coach is trying to become Bylsma Jr.?

Flyers got walkes over in game 1. Good first period but fell away badly in the second & then a poor double minor by Akeson let the Rags kill us off. I'd be very surprised if we can actually win this series given how poor they look but we'll maintain the faith.

Habs are looking fantastic so far, much better than I thought they would & rooting for Detroit to get the upset over Boston as well.

for you and @Dan

Get some playoff laughs.

http://www.nhlwheelofjustice.com/

Go Philly!