2011-12 NHL Regular Season Thread

[Dr. Sak]

I was behind the goal the Rangers shot at twice. 2nd row in the 200 level. When I get a chance I'll post my view. Great seats, I didn't have to look at the jumbotron at all.

[Draft Dodger]

genius, ML. genius
Down Goes Brown: Inside Gary Bettman's New Year's Eve party

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

genius, ML. genius
Down Goes Brown: Inside Gary Bettman's New Year's Eve party

Agreed! I loved the Cunneyworth stuff.

[Dr. Sak]

Attached is a pic from my seat

[Grover]

Very jealous, Sak! Although I was at the Fenway Winter Classic, my seats were nowhere as good as yours.

[DeToxRox]

The concussions are out of control now; a linesman in the Wings/Stars game is out after a concussion.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Hell of a fun WJC game between Russia and Canada tonight. It was a lot of work to flip around between the Sugar Bowl, the Wings game and the WJC, but I think I did a good job.

Canada was down 6-1 in the 3rd and stormed back to get within 6-5 with a few minutes left. In the end, Canada couldn't tie it. They out shot Russia something like 50-25 or so. Wild end to the game.

Russia faces Sweden in the final.

Kuznetsov, a Washington prospect, had a hat trick. He was great in last year's tournament too.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Some great WJC tweets after the Russia - Canada game:

Originally Posted by Evgeni Malkin's Twitter account

Thanks boys)))) #87, 11, 29, 45 - $100 tomorrow please

Originally Posted by Evgeni Malkin's Twitter account

@jneal_18 $100 lazy

[Suburban Rhythm]

Fun tool for seeing what players get TOI together

NHL Starting Goalies & NHL Line Combinations | LEFT WING LOCK | Line Combos

[DaddyTorgo]

Dese Bruins are refriggingdiculous. Seriously.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Dese Bruins are refriggingdiculous. Seriously.

From December 1 through tonights game, they have outscored teams 62-14. (14 games)

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Dese Bruins are refriggingdiculous. Seriously.

Was barely born for it, but I assume this is what it was like watching the Habs in the 70's. The question wasn't if they'd win, but by how much.

[MikeVic]

Boston Bruins at Winnipeg Jets Box Score, December 6, 2011 | Hockey-Reference.com

[bhlloy]

Unbelievable WJC final. Sweden basically has a 70 minute powerplay, outshoots Russia 55-15 but can't get a goal until Zibenajababoobie shows his quality and scores a ridiculous goal. That's up there with some of the best hockey games I have ever seen.

[Sublime 2]

I realize that this run for the bruins doesn't mean shit come NHL playoffs, but I am ecstatic that Chia and co. have put together one hell of core. They look like they should be a threat for years to come.

[MizzouRah]

The Blues - Oilers game was a fantastic game to watch tonight!

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Unbelievable WJC final. Sweden basically has a 70 minute powerplay, outshoots Russia 55-15 but can't get a goal until Zibenajababoobie shows his quality and scores a ridiculous goal. That's up there with some of the best hockey games I have ever seen.

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

The Blues - Oilers game was a fantastic game to watch tonight!

Awesome, glad I recorded both of them.

Oh wait, my wife cancelled the recordings for some unknown reason.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Unbelievable WJC final. Sweden basically has a 70 minute powerplay, outshoots Russia 55-15 but can't get a goal until Zibenajababoobie shows his quality and scores a ridiculous goal. That's up there with some of the best hockey games I have ever seen.

I love the elimination rounds of the WJC. The games are so filled with emotion, and because they are kids it is just more wide-open than most NHL or Olympic games. I'm also glad Sweden won; I can't believe it has been 30 years, they are such a talented hockey nation! Good for them.

[rowech]

NHLPA rejects realignment.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Awesome, glad I recorded both of them.

Oh wait, my wife cancelled the recordings for some unknown reason.

Kill mode!

[Dr. Sak]

NHL94.com Provides Roster Updates, Online Leagues, PC Editing Platform - Operation Sports

[Doug5984]

Originally Posted by rowech

NHLPA rejects realignment.

Dammit. NHLPA already trying to get some leverage in the CBA negotiations?

To me the realignment was a great idea.

[DeToxRox]

Bruins/Canucks already brawling.

[bhlloy]

Unless you were a fan of a west coast based team, in which case your team would have a smaller chance of making the playoffs every single year. But fuck the west coast, right?

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Unless you were a fan of a west coast based team, in which case your team would have a smaller chance of making the playoffs every single year. But fuck the west coast, right?

But then when the Coyotes move to Quebec it gets fixed.

I think it's pretty clear the NHLPA killed this strictly to try to make it a negotiating item for the CBA. Now they can add "we'll allow you to realign" on their list of 'concessions' while they try to avoid losing an item they really care about.

Stupid Donald Fehr, I think we're heading for another work stoppage

[sterlingice]

Oh geez. I didn't realize Fehr was in that sort of position in the NHL. That sucks. Bud Selig is certainly an idiot but I would argue that Donald Fehr was the primary reason for a lot of the MLB labor acrimony of the 90s.

SI

[bronconick]

With San Jose's 5-2 win over Washington last night, the Caps' losing streak in San Jose still stretches back to 1993.

[Grover]

I wonder how easy the NHL will go on Marchand for this low-bridge.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Grover

I wonder how easy the NHL will go on Marchand for this low-bridge.

Strong hockey play!!!

[Grover]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Strong hockey play!!!

Ahaha. I have a number of Bruins fan friends who were claiming he was "protecting himself from being hit"

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

But then when the Coyotes move to Quebec it gets fixed.

While that might make it less of a west coast/east coast thing, it still doesn't change the fact that you have 2 divisions that have a greater chance of making the playoffs than the other 2 divisions. It's a completely flawed concept.

As for the work stoppage, I hope nobody is that stupid but I'm afraid you are right. To have a work stoppage a year after the NBA, where you were actually gaining momentum for once would be devastating.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Jordan Staal out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury, and James Neal out indefinitely with a broken foot.

Pens healthy forwards now look like this-

Kunitz - Malkin - Kennedy
Cooke - Dupuis - Sullivan
Eric Tangradi - Richard Park - Colin McDonald
Steve McIntyre - Joe Vitale - Jason Williams



It's been like 7 years, we are due for a tank job

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Unless you were a fan of a west coast based team, in which case your team would have a smaller chance of making the playoffs every single year. But fuck the west coast, right?

Simple solution - contract two teams. Bet the NHLPA would love that.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Unless you were a fan of a west coast based team, in which case your team would have a smaller chance of making the playoffs every single year. But fuck the west coast, right?

For years there were divisions with more teams than others when the top 4 in each division made the playoffs (some had 5 and some had 6) but there wasn't any crying about it then.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

For years there were divisions with more teams than others when the top 4 in each division made the playoffs (some had 5 and some had 6) but there wasn't any crying about it then.

IIRC one divison had 6 for most of the 80's. And you are damn right I would have been crying about it if I had been a fan of a team who had got screwed by it. Now there will be two, so the chances of somebody getting screwed every year is greater.

FWIW, I'd love to contract two teams. Just get rid of the Coyotes and one other team from the Southeast and be done with it.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

For years there were divisions with more teams than others when the top 4 in each division made the playoffs (some had 5 and some had 6) but there wasn't any crying about it then.

There wasn't much crying because 16 of 21 teams made the playoffs. Half a dozen teams were already unworthy and playing.

The realignment setup is stupid. Following the Sharks, I tend to have only a cursory idea of what's happening in the Eastern Conference because they play almost no role in what happens in the West. Most people I know are much the same, regardless of conference. The new setup cuts the # of teams that do so in half yet again.

Makes it like baseball, where if the Tigers or another Central division team aren't on the national telecast, I don't watch or care.

[Suburban Rhythm]

When do two wrongs make a right? When it's NHL officiating.

Pens-Devils last night, Pittsburgh leading 1-0. Adam Henrique SH breakaway. Fleury stops first shot, puck resting on his pad.

Whistle blows as Henrique scoops puck off Fleury's pad and tucks it behind him.

The whistle was a bad call...never should have been blown. But everyone has seen a play blown dead. Except this this time, it's called a goal after the fact. I've heard the explanation of "meant to blow the whistle earlier"... but not meant to blow it later.

[TurnerONU22]

CBJ fire Scott Arniel......about 25 games too late. Todd Richards is the interim coach.

The CBJ have had EIGHT regulation wins in their last 63 games. That's embarrassing with the talent that they have.

Chief, bhlloy and other Ducks fans, what's your opinion of Randy Carlyle? He's the first name that came to mind.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by TurnerONU22

The CBJ have had EIGHT regulation wins in their last 63 games.

/puts them on his contraction list with the Panthers, slides Phoenix to Quebec

[TurnerONU22]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

/puts them on his contraction list with the Panthers, slides Phoenix to Quebec

Not so fast. For all the crappy hockey that this city has put up with, when the team has had success (2008-2009), this town showed up in droves to see them play. Game 4 of the 2009 playoffs is in my top 3 games of all time that I've attended (Super Bowl XL and the OSU-Mich 1vs2 game being the others).

Now, if we had a good team and didn't support it, then that would be another story.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by TurnerONU22

CBJ fire Scott Arniel......about 25 games too late. Todd Richards is the interim coach.

The CBJ have had EIGHT regulation wins in their last 63 games. That's embarrassing with the talent that they have.

Chief, bhlloy and other Ducks fans, what's your opinion of Randy Carlyle? He's the first name that came to mind.

Good coach if your GM can get him his kind of players... He likes a big shutdown line and a strong defense, if you can't get him that you will have what happened in Anaheim this year. He's not one to adapt his style to the players he has, put it that way.

Of course he will be reunited with Pahlsson, really the ultimate Carlyle player. So there is that.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by TurnerONU22

Chief, bhlloy and other Ducks fans, what's your opinion of Randy Carlyle? He's the first name that came to mind.

To a team that hasn't tuned out his message, Carlyle can be very good. He is a tough-minded disciplinarian in type, which is no surprise since he was a tough defensman when he played. He will instill discipline and help the blue line/quality wise.

The concerns are many, but not ones you have to worry about right now or with the current team. As I mention above, he was clearly tuned out by the Ducks who had been hearing his tough-minded speeches for years. But that could be fresh for CBJ players. He'll juggle lines at the drop of a hat, trying to get things to work on offense, so if you like line consistency, you won't see that. He seems to do a very poor job prepping the team for the season because the Ducks nearly always got off to a bad start--but the other side of the coin is that he was constantly engineering terrific second halves. I think he's better with a veteran team than a young team.

I think he would be a good hire for CBJ. He is a Stanley Cup winning coach, after all. Some of that was veteran leadership from Niedermayer, Pronger and Selanne, and a little of Burke influencing from the front office, but Carlyle was the man at the top. And the Ducks' continued struggles afetr Carlyle was let go speaks better of him with respect to this season (although I was ready for Carlyle to go myself after yet another dismal first two months of the season).

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Strong hockey play!!!

Cheap play gong after the guy's knees.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Cheap play gong after the guy's knees.

Sorry, should have put

[Claude Julien] Strong hockey play!!! [/Claude Julien]

[bronconick]

Marchand gets 5. Shanahan doesn't buy the "I was afraid of Salo hitting me" defense.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/con...d=60&id=148388

[Grover]

Good length. Salo's not a hitter, never was, never will be. He was no threat to Marchand.

[Suburban Rhythm]

The best part of this suspension? The next time, it should be 10+.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Babcock really likes the Isles timeout with 56 seconds left and a 5-1 lead.

[Suburban Rhythm]

The original



Side by side

[Suburban Rhythm]

Holy shit I got an embed to work!