Its' Here! NHL 2007-2008 Regular Season Thread

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

So with Bowl of Rice getting 25 games, who here can name at least five of the eight other 20-plus game suspensions handed down by the NHL for violence on the ice?

Tom Lysiak for taking out a ref on a face off.The suspension basically ended his career as he was never the same player again after he came back.

[MikeVic]

Didn't Bertuzzi get suspended for a while after his rabbit punch?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Perhaps they will rename the Gemini Awards, the MONSTER Awards.

TSN's esteemed NHL on TSN broadcasts won two trophies Monday night at the 22nd Annual Gemini Awards celebrating excellence in English Language television, including Pierre McGuire, who was named Best Game Analyst.


This marks the first Gemini Award for McGuire, who was previously nominated in 2004. One of the game's most passionate and knowledgeable analysts, McGuire, who joined TSN in 1999, has been selected numerous times by The Hockey News as one of the game's 100 most powerful and influential people. A former NHL coach and scout, McGuire won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins.


The NHL on TSN was honoured with a second Gemini Award for Best Sports Analysis or Commentary Program, Series or Segment. Mark Milliere, Vice-President, News & NHL on TSN, accepted the award on behalf of the NHL on TSN team. This marks the second consecutive award for Milliere, who last year won for Best Live Sporting Event for TSN's coverage of the 2006 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal game.


TSN is nominated for three additional Gemini Awards. Brian Williams and James Duthie are nominated as Best Host or Interviewer in a Sports Program or Sportscast. Williams is being recognized for his work on the six-part amateur sports series Bell Spirit of the Game, while Duthie, a five-time nominee, got the nod for his role as host of the NHL on TSN.



The winner will be announced on October 28 in a televised ceremony from Regina. TSN.ca, Canada's leading sports website, is also nominated for Best Cross Platform Project, with the winner being announced at tonight's ceremonies.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

TSN's esteemed NHL on TSN broadcasts won two trophies Monday night at the 22nd Annual Gemini Awards celebrating excellence in English Language television, including Pierre McGuire, who was named Best Game Analyst.

The voters had to be deaf and had no knowledge of the game of hockey.

[Simms]

I've debated doing this on and off for probably the last two years of reading these threads, but I'm going to come clean and confess that I don't get the hate for Pierre Maguire.

He's not my *favorite* announcer by any means -- he looks like a weasel and he talks more than he should (or needs to), but in terms of analysis, he's very very good. I don't know if NBC dumbs him down a bit for the American audience (I haven't done a side-by-side comparison), but I generally enjoyed him on TSN and even at his worst down here, he's no worse than "tolerable" to me.

Your mileage may (obviously) vary.

[Maple Leafs]

Maguire has been a regular on Ottawa radio for several years, going back to before hsi NBC stint. From this, I know two things about him:

- He's a shameless self-promoter who will tell the audience whatever it wants to hear. He'll go on Ottawa radio and badmouth the Leafs, then hang up and go on Toronto radio and talk them up. He does this, apparently, because he's still desperate to get back into the NHL in a coaching or front office position, and wants to be a popular choice of the local fans when jobs open up.

- He doesn't sound anything like he does on TV. It's pretty apparent that, at least early in his TV career, he had people yelling in his ear "Be more animated! Be louder! Let's see some personality!" When he first started on Canadian TV it was really obvious how uncomfortable he was with all the yelling, not sure if that still comes across in the US.

[Draft Dodger]

I'm with ML. the self-promoting crap drives me insane.

I don't think his analysis is a spot on as you might think, either. I feel he tends to have some stuff prepared in his mind, and then try to fit what happens on the ice to match that. I think he's got a decent hockey mind, but really has crafted himself into much more talented than he is.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Thrashers lose again, 4-0 to Philly. Still don't have a single point, much less a win.

[Draft Dodger]

Meanwhile, HUGE win for the Avs tonight. The Flames go up 4-0 early in the 2nd period. Budaj gets yanked, Theo goes in, and the team has looked pretty lousy up until then. This one is clearly over.

And then, the Avs get a quick goal from Marek Svatos. Scott Parker and Eric Godard fight. Godard is visibly afraid to fight, and Parker drops him easily, and it seems to rally the Avs. Before long, Andres Eriksson scores an own goal to make it 4-2. Brunette makes it 4-3 and then Kurt Sauer ties it before the end of the 2nd period. Sauer had no goals last year, was a healthy scratch for most of the first part of the season, and now he's getting loads of ice time and scores the first goal for the Avs defense this year (only TB and SJ still have no goals from their D). The Avs go on to win in the shootout.

Smyth ties a franchise record with 11 shots. Theodore stops all 17 shots, plus 2 of the 3 shootout shots to get the win. Huge.

[johnnyshaka]

Always love to see the Flamers lose...and when they lose ugly, it's even sweeter. I wonder when the Red Mile will start calling for Keenan's head?

As for Pierre...I'm in the "I hit the mute button when I see his face" camp. There is only one Don Cherry and that's Don Cherry. I wish he'd stop trying too hard to be edgy and "in your face" about the most insignificant detail. And whoever came up with the idea of sticking him between the benches is an assclown to the nth degree. Why not have him lace up the skates and coast around the ice during the game instead? Pffft. Let the players be while they're playing and get the commentators back up in the press box where they belong.

[Dr. Sak]

The Flyers are 4-1 so far this season, they did not win their fourth game last season until November 15. So the Flyers are almost a month a head of last year's pace.

The KGB line (Knuble, Gagne, and Briere) line looks really good but Jeff Carter and Mike Richards have stepped up their play. Lulpul last night made some great passes and along with Jason Smith the Flyers are not missing Pikannen at all.

Biron has been solid and finally I can watch a game without holding my breath everytime a shot is taken.

[Tekneek]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=220818&hubname=

Bob Hartley fired...

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Simms

I've debated doing this on and off for probably the last two years of reading these threads, but I'm going to come clean and confess that I don't get the hate for Pierre Maguire.

He's not my *favorite* announcer by any means -- he looks like a weasel and he talks more than he should (or needs to), but in terms of analysis, he's very very good. I don't know if NBC dumbs him down a bit for the American audience (I haven't done a side-by-side comparison), but I generally enjoyed him on TSN and even at his worst down here, he's no worse than "tolerable" to me.

Your mileage may (obviously) vary.

I'm with my man Simms on this one.I rather enjoy his insight into the game.

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Thrashers lose again, 4-0 to Philly. Still don't have a single point, much less a win.

Geez, that's nucking futs. You guys have scored a goal this season, right?

I also just saw the Hartley post. Any idea what it'll take to fix things there? I'd have a hard time believing the season is unsalvagable just a half-dozen games in.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

I also just saw the Hartley post. Any idea what it'll take to fix things there? I'd have a hard time believing the season is unsalvagable just a half-dozen games in.

First thing that has to happen (short of winning 20 straight) if they want to get the fans back to being at least hopeful is that the moron who is going behind the bench needs to be on the first plane out of town. Don Waddell has done very little right in his tenure here and he's managed to get us into year eight of a five year plan without a single playoff win. The fact that he's going to coach while they look for a coach tells me he isn't going anywhere soon and I believe that means neither are the Thrashers. And that makes me both sad and angry.

As much as it pains me to say it (because I was really a big Hartley backer upon arrival) this does feel like perhaps it is the right move. I think he had lost the team. There have been rumblings occasionally through this awful start that captain Bobby Holik hadn't so much lost the team as that he never had them in the first place. Basically, I'm not sure anybody was running the show and it seemed like most of the players were just going through the motions (ironically, Kovy seemed like an exception this year, and he's often seemed like the most unmotivated guy on the team).

They've got a "goalie of the future" who is looking like the future may never come. They have very little in the way of NHL quality defensemen, they've got a collection of role players who can't seem to find their role beyond posing as major league caliber players, and they've got a pair of outstanding forwards. The minors are borderline okay but we have little in the way of historical success in coaching anybody up.

Damn if I know how to fix them short of going empty cupboard as quickly as possible. And the franchise probably wouldn't survive in Atlanta if they have to sell us on another five year plan.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

First thing that has to happen (short of winning 20 straight) if they want to get the fans back to being at least hopeful is that the moron who is going behind the bench needs to be on the first plane out of town. Don Waddell has done very little right in his tenure here and he's managed to get us into year eight of a five year plan without a single playoff win. The fact that he's going to coach while they look for a coach tells me he isn't going anywhere soon and I believe that means neither are the Thrashers. And that makes me both sad and angry.

As much as it pains me to say it (because I was really a big Hartley backer upon arrival) this does feel like perhaps it is the right move. I think he had lost the team. There have been rumblings occasionally through this awful start that captain Bobby Holik hadn't so much lost the team as that he never had them in the first place. Basically, I'm not sure anybody was running the show and it seemed like most of the players were just going through the motions (ironically, Kovy seemed like an exception this year, and he's often seemed like the most unmotivated guy on the team).

They've got a "goalie of the future" who is looking like the future may never come. They have very little in the way of NHL quality defensemen, they've got a collection of role players who can't seem to find their role beyond posing as major league caliber players, and they've got a pair of outstanding forwards. The minors are borderline okay but we have little in the way of historical success in coaching anybody up.

Damn if I know how to fix them short of going empty cupboard as quickly as possible. And the franchise probably wouldn't survive in Atlanta if they have to sell us on another five year plan.

Sounds like a job for Pat Quinn

[Draft Dodger]

that's Hartley's 2nd quick firing. The Avs canned him 31 games into the 2002-2003 season. Whispers then were that he was let go because he'd lost the team...

[Pyser]

he did win the division last year, right?

then again, they were swept, so thats 0-10 in their last 10...

bummer for him

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

Whispers then were that he was let go because he'd lost the team...

Honestly DD, I don't know that I ever had a feeling he really had this team in the first place. Not in the beginning, not now, not even during the stretch run last year.

He tried, I'm pretty convinced of that. One of the problems (in my mind at least) was that there wasn't much success from the players brought in that apepared meant to be "his guys". DeVries & Holik come to mind off the top of my head. Not stars, but guys that were on board with his system. Fans were ready to give DeVries away for a bag of pucks, and I'm not sure that we wouldn't throw in some pucks & a couple of powder blue jerseys just to rid ourselves of Holik.

His handling of goalies was downright bizarre at times and although I'm to the point where I think Kari Let-one-in is going to be ultimately be a flop (being too fragile physically & mentally), Hartley found nothing that ever seemed to help him either. Maybe that's not the coach's fault, but it is perceived at being part of his job nonetheless.

Throughout the off-season, we kept hearing how this year's team would be smaller but quicker. Instead, the only thing that appears quick about them is how fast they tanked.

[JonInMiddleGA]

ESPN's Scott Burnside sums up the sorry state in Atlanta pretty well
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/column...ott&id=3068340

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Damn if I know how to fix them short of going empty cupboard as quickly as possible. And the franchise probably wouldn't survive in Atlanta if they have to sell us on another five year plan.

That's a shame, really. Even as a rival, I feel like Carolina in some respects needs Atlanta to be successful because Atlanta is the big city of the South (Miami notwithstanding as culturally, it's nothing like the rest of the South). Theoretically, Atlanta should get a lot more media attention, but if the media's talking about a failing Atlanta team destined to relocate, it'll dredge up the SOS about hockey not being viable in the region regardless of how well Carolina or Tampa do at the gate. (Nashville to some extent already has this ball rolling with that fiasco in the sale of the team going on.)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

That's a shame, really. Even as a rival, I feel like Carolina in some respects needs Atlanta to be successful because Atlanta is the big city of the South (Miami notwithstanding as culturally, it's nothing like the rest of the South). Theoretically, Atlanta should get a lot more media attention, but if the media's talking about a failing Atlanta team destined to relocate, it'll dredge up the SOS about hockey not being viable in the region regardless of how well Carolina or Tampa do at the gate. (Nashville to some extent already has this ball rolling with that fiasco in the sale of the team going on.)

I think it's probably a realistic possiblity. Hell, I like hockey quite a bit, have for a lot longer than the Thrashers have been around, but damned if I can justify paying their prices for decent seats, going through the hassle of a downtown arena that I don't really like, etc. to see a team that might not even be a top contender in the AHL (or at least doesn't look like one).

I have significantly more fun for a lot less money (although not as much less as it used to be) going to ECHL games at a better venue closer & more convenient to me, and see a team that's very competitive for it's level. And I say all of that as somebody who actually likes the sport. I can only imagine what it'll be like trying to convince anyone to actually come to games if they go through some sort of rebuilding phase with a team that never really accomplished anything in the initial construction.

[johnnyshaka]

Awesome...Souray's out with a separated shoulder.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=220828&hubname=

[Pyser]

devils won their last 2 games 6-5 and 5-4

i dont even recognize this as hockey. its madness for the devils.

whens the last time brodeur gave up 9 goals in 2 games and won both?!

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

that's Hartley's 2nd quick firing. The Avs canned him 31 games into the 2002-2003 season. Whispers then were that he was let go because he'd lost the team...

So they are what, 6 games in?
So Ivan Hlinka still holds the record for quickest firing after beginning a season, at 4 games?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Awesome...Souray's out with a separated shoulder.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=220828&hubname=

that's rough. who's going to take bad penalties for the Oilers in his place?

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Awesome...Souray's out with a separated shoulder.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=220828&hubname=

DAMNIT. There goes my flier on him in the hockey pool I'm in. And we can only drop one player for another once a month. Damnit.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

that's rough. who's going to take bad penalties for the Oilers in his place?

Don't worry, Torres is still in the lineup.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Pyser

devils won their last 2 games 6-5 and 5-4

i dont even recognize this as hockey. its madness for the devils.

whens the last time brodeur gave up 9 goals in 2 games and won both?!

I wished I could've seen the game last night against the Penguins. I only managed to catch the final five minutes. It's great that the Devils are actually scoring goals, but it's unsettling to see them give up so many. If they have to count on John Madden to keep scoring goals, or if Parise's assists start to dry up, I wonder if the Devils will be able to compete. Also, where is Sergei Brylin's ice time?

They need a real defenseman out there, too. From what I know of Vishnevski, he's OK, but I'm not sold on the others except maybe Oduya. Who is Mike Mottau?!?

I can't complain too much, as the Devils have scored tons of goals in the past two games. It's just that I'd like to see them be even better.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

that's rough. who's going to take bad penalties for the Oilers in his place?

Oh don't you worry, Torres and Horcoff can fill that role without a hitch.

[Draft Dodger]

two votes for Torres. nice!

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Who is Mike Mottau?!?

Mike "Pow Pow" Mottau.

[Maple Leafs]

So wait, the Oilers have a sudden need for a defenceman who can play a lot of minutes, score power play goals, and take bad penalties?

I think we may be able to work something out...

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

So wait, the Oilers have a sudden need for a defenceman who can play a lot of minutes, score power play goals, and take bad penalties?

I think we may be able to work something out...

Does he make at least $5 mil/year?? If so, I'll get Lowe on the horn ASAP!!!!

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Does he make at least $5 mil/year?? If so, I'll get Lowe on the horn ASAP!!!!

Does he ever!

Only problem is he has a no-trade clause. Players are cool with going to Edmonton, right?

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Does he ever!

Only problem is he has a no-trade clause. Players are cool with going to Edmonton, right?

As long as they're single

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

As long as they're single

...and have already signed an offer sheet from another team.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Thrashers beat the Rangers 5-3 for their first points of the year.

Of course, them being them, Lehtonen left in the first period with a groin injury, and Hedberg allowed 3 PP goals in the final 10 1/2 minutes.

[Maple Leafs]

Crazy final minute in the Toronto/Florida game. With the score tied 2-2, the folliwng happens:

- Ian White carries the puck into the Florida zone and gets driven into the boards from behind by Jozef Stumpel, a pretty obvious boarding call. The ref's arm stays down.

- White gets up, drops his gloves (for the first time in his career, I think) and grabs Stumpel, who does nothing. Not really a turtle, but he just doesn't react at all. White doesn't throw a punch, let's him go, and skates away. Again, no call from the ref.

- While all this is going on (and remember, White is a defenceman), Jay Bouwmeester dekes out the rest of the Leafs team, goes in alone on Toskala, and misses an open net when Toskala just barely brushes the puck with his stick.

- The Leafs come back up the ice and score the winner with 30 seconds left.

Good times, good times.

[DeToxRox]

Henrik Zetterberg is the most under the radar star in the NHL. Just scored to retake the scoring lead in the NHL and has a point in every game so far this year.

[Wolfpack]

Sounds like a bizarre night in the NHL based on those two posts. At least the Thrashers are on the board. And of course any losses by Florida, Tampa, or Washington are good ones and all three happened tonight.

Canes have a pivotal back-to-back starting tomorrow in Pittsburgh and then Saturday in Philly. Then it's home for three next week against Vancouver, Buffalo, and Montreal. Might try to make that Montreal game as a birthday present to myself.

[Pyser]

the devils defense is atrocious.

i cant imagine lou is happy with sutter right now.

at all.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Pyser

the devils defense is atrocious.

i cant imagine lou is happy with sutter right now.

at all.

Can you imagine how much worse it would look with a different goalie in the net?

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Henrik Zetterberg is the most under the radar star in the NHL. Just scored to retake the scoring lead in the NHL and has a point in every game so far this year.

You're joking, right? The best player for a Stanley Cup favorite year in and year out is not somebody I'd consider "under the radar" by any means.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

You're joking, right? The best player for a Stanley Cup favorite year in and year out is not somebody I'd consider "under the radar" by any means.

I hardly ever hear anyone talk about him. Maybe it's just here but I hear Datsyuk mentioned 10 times as much in the media here then Z.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

You're joking, right? The best player for a Stanley Cup favorite year in and year out is not somebody I'd consider "under the radar" by any means.

Depends upon the radar perhaps.

I'd bet he has less than half the name recognition in the U.S. as, just picking somebody at random, Ilya Kovalchuk. Considering how low that number would be, half of it would be pretty far under the radar.

[johnnyshaka]

If you've seen the Red Wings play you know exactly who Z is because when he's on the ice he's the most exciting player out there.

[Maple Leafs]

Please, Red Wings fans, don't go all Pats-fan on us and start talking about how your star players don't get respect, everyone underestimates you, "haters blah blah blah", etc.

[Pumpy Tudors]

NOBODY APPRECIATES JAY PANDOLFO

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Pyser

the devils defense is atrocious.

Brodeur is'nt playing well?