NHL 2011/2012 - Now "The Lockout" Thread

[Dou You]

And if they do move the 'Yotes, maybe we'll finally see the Cup come back to Canada (after it comes to DC though)

Nah, the first place you'll see a Cup in Canada will be in Edmonton...you heard it here first folks!

The Oilers' solid young talent will help them blossom into a Pittsburgh Penguins-esque team soon (minus a "crybaby captain" obviously  >).

 

[bridges]

Nah, the first place you'll see a Cup in Canada will be in Edmonton...you heard it here first folks!

The Oilers' solid young talent will help them blossom into a Pittsburgh Penguins-esque team soon (minus a "crybaby captain" obviously  >).

I would love to see that (AFTER Winnipeg wins it), but we've heard this before.  The Oilers have been talking about their solid young talent for YEARS - but when any one of them gets to 'star' level - i.e. too expensive? -  he is traded for another bright future prospect, and tomorrow never comes.    :not-again:  Meanwhile it'd be nice if their veterans got back on their game.  It's good to see Captain Canada back where he belongs. 

 

[Scott]

I thought Smyth was an UFA tho summer? He should be cheap(er) though, he's 36. And I am sure he wants to stay in Edmonton.

 

[PuckChaser]

I thought Smyth was an UFA tho summer? He should be cheap(er) though, he's 36. And I am sure he wants to stay in Edmonton.

Yep, UFA: http://www.capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=551 He's already down to 4.5 million, probably would take a salary hit to stay in Edmonton to retire.

 

[Scott]

I think he's definitely going to take a hit in order to stay, possibly a big one. I can also see him, of all people, being the one to do so - based on what little I know, which is a little more than I do with most, based on some mutual friend's observations. I hope that's the case, it would be nice to see, and a good example to set. I have a feeling that his agent and the PA have different ideas though.

 

[PuckChaser]

We have to see what happens with the CBA first, it expires in September and there hasn't been much in the way of talk so far. Which may be a good thing that nobody is beating the war drums yet. Hopefully if they don't get an agreement they will just continue to play with the current one. I have a feeling player injuries are going to be a big topic. The NHL is doing a poor job of suspending headhunters, they need to let the players police themselves. No one is gonna throw an elbow if they have to eat a few punches or if their team's enforcer has to fight to defend an idiot.

 

[Scott]

That's what angers me so much about THN. They are full of articles about how the "knuckle draggers" need to be thrown out of the game yet they fail to recognize when ratings go up due to physicality or a survey that says that the vast majority of players like seeing fighting in the game. I do not condone the violence whatsoever, but this chippy shit and a lot of the more serious stuff would fast come to a halt with some players policing one another. It doesn't remove the need for extra punishment, it just ensures that dude will go to see Shanny with a couple of black eyes thus ensuring "two dimensional learning" ;D

I, for one, believe that both sides of the debate can be satisfied.

 

[OldSolduer]

Question:

The role of the "agitator"? You know the kind.....starts crap by sticking, hacking, spouting off then runs like hell when confronted.

Scott Stevens had a solution for that....ask Dino Ciccarelli, who while a skilled player, was an "agitator". Dino was yipping from the bench (safe distance, after all big bad Scott could have smacked Dino around all night) and Stevens told him to "tighten his chinstrap up ..you're next" or words to that effect.

Scott ran  over Dino like a cement truck over a bug next shift.

;D

 

[Scott]

If a hit is clean and not directly targeted to injure someone then I have zero issue with it - on anyone, star or not.

The agitator role is a necessary evil of the game and when they are on "your" team no one has an issue with it, most of the time. Like how I rarely see Bruins fans getting riled about Marchand, to name but one example. All teams have "those" players.

I don't think there is a clear cut solution to the agitator. Someone, usually the team the pest is bugging, is going to end up on the losing end of the call. But occasionally we see the refs call for embellishment on the agitator when someone gives them a face wash and they hit the deck like they've been shot. Some more coincidental minors and a few well placed 10's would slow the agitating after the whistle and give those coaches a moment of pause.

I think the line is blurry.

 

[OldSolduer]

If a hit is clean and not directly targeted to injure someone then I have zero issue with it - on anyone, star or not.

The agitator role is a necessary evil of the game and when they are on "your" team no one has an issue with it, most of the time. Like how I rarely see Bruins fans getting riled about Marchand, to name but one example. All teams have "those" players.

I don't think there is a clear cut solution to the agitator. Someone, usually the team the pest is bugging, is going to end up on the losing end of the call. But occasionally we see the refs call for embellishment on the agitator when someone gives them a face wash and they hit the deck like they've been shot. Some more coincidental minors and a few well placed 10's would slow the agitating after the whistle and give those coaches a moment of pause.

I think the line is blurry.

I agree. Agitators are fine...to a point. They need to know when to back off.

Refs should start handing out unsportsmanlikes to the mouth pieces IMO.

:2c:

 

[cupper]

So.....

Who would have guessed that the LA Kings would be one game away form sweeping in the Stanley Cup Finals?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Just get it over with FFS. It's June already.

 

[cupper]

Just get it over with FFS. It's June already.

I can't let it go.  I'd have to wait until the season starts in October.  k:

 

[bridges]

I'm just glad the analysts are back to talking about hockey skills like passing, puck-handling, clearing the defensive zone, amazing saves, solid PK, etc.  The endless analysis of hits and concussions toward the end of  the regular season was getting tedious.

A friend of mine is in a playoff pool where one of the participants paid an extra fee to register his parrot just for fun, and the guy loaded up on LA Kings for the bird's roster.  Now the bird is winning the pool.  Who's laughing now!

 

[Zartan]

A friend of mine is in a playoff pool where one of the participants paid an extra fee to register his parrot just for fun, and the guy loaded up on LA Kings for the bird's roster.  Now the bird is winning the pool.  Who's laughing now!

Somewhere there's a journalist wanting to write a story about a parrot-hockey-prophet.

 

[c.jacob]

So not one person voted for the Kings.

 

[Scott]

It's not like that's a huge deal, many teams got zero.

 

[cupper]

Well, it's official.

NHL released the 2012 / 2013 schedule today.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/schedulebyseason.htm

So we will be having a lockout as of September 15 when the CBA expires.

 

[bridges]

It's not like that's a huge deal, many teams got zero.

Only one of them won the Cup, making that a point of interest.

Meanwhile, anyone following MLB this season?  Enough for a thread? 

 

[Infanteer]

Dustin Brown was the Captain every fan wants leading their team and led the Kings on a tear through the Finals.  Turns out he is a classy guy off the ice too.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=638834