2012-2013 General NHL Hockey Thread

[bronco militia]

Originally Posted by 24champ

Its an annual thing with the Sharks.

They have the talent and makeup to win a cup (I picked them to win the cup several times in the last few years), but they can never get it done. They just lack the IT factor.

Yeah...joe thornton and patrick marlaeu always seem disappear against the good teams.

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by bronco militia

Yeah...joe thornton and patrick marlaeu always seem disappear against the good teams.

Thorton should dominate the game each and every night he plays. yet for some reason he plays like he's 5-11 175 instead of 6-4 235.
i love to see big physical players on the ice but i can't stand it when they have the skill and ability to impose their will and play like small ass little wimps.

[SoCalBronco]

Oh Captain....my Captain!

I haven't watched the tape yet since I left for work at 6:45 am and just got home right now at 11...so I'm tired but I'm going to watch it anyway. Go Pens!

[gyldenlove]

If the Red Wings have another 11 games in them like this one, they will take the cup back to Hockeytown.

[gyldenlove]

Originally Posted by Lestat

Thorton should dominate the game each and every night he plays. yet for some reason he plays like he's 5-11 175 instead of 6-4 235.
i love to see big physical players on the ice but i can't stand it when they have the skill and ability to impose their will and play like small ass little wimps.

Thornton's biggest problem is his speed, he is getting slower and slower and he was no Paul Kariya to begin with. He needs his size to protect the puck, if he goes in high traffic areas too much he can't protect the puck with just his size and because he is too slow defenders and backcheckers can get in there and neutralize his stick.

The biggest strength Thornton has is when he can protect the puck along the halfboards or behind the goal in 1 on 1 situations then and throw a pass to a guy in the slot for a quick finish. In the playoffs you just don't get those 1 on 1s as much you do in the regular season, people check more aggressively and subsequently Thornton has never produced in the playoffs the way he should.

[SoCalBronco]

Originally Posted by gyldenlove

If the Red Wings have another 11 games in them like this one, they will take the cup back to Hockeytown.

You guys are playing well and are coached extremely well but I'd be shocked if you can beat Chicago 4 times.

I have serious doubts as to whether we could beat them 4 times either.

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by gyldenlove

If the Red Wings have another 11 games in them like this one, they will take the cup back to Hockeytown.

the Wings don't have the talent to sustain that type of level of intensity for 3 more games, much less 11.

[gyldenlove]

Originally Posted by SoCalBronco

You guys are playing well and are coached extremely well but I'd be shocked if you can beat Chicago 4 times.

I have serious doubts as to whether we could beat them 4 times either.

I doubt the Wings can beat the Hawks, but I doubt that anyone can take on the Hawks in a 7 game series right now - they are so deep and so scary. They have Viktor Stalberg who scored 23 points and went +16 in the regular season in the press box because they can't fit him in the top 12.

I can't judge anything based on the 2 games, in game 1 the Toews line was controlling the puck and the Patrick line was dangerous. In game 2 Datsyuk and Zetterberg really imposed their will on Kane and Toews so bad that Kane got moved to the 3rd line just to try and get him away from the matchup against Zetterberg and Datsyuk. On average, the Hawks are making fewer mistakes than the Wings over both games and I think that could be the key to the series.

[Smiling Assassin27]

Originally Posted by gyldenlove

If the Red Wings have another 11 games in them like this one, they will take the cup back to Hockeytown.

The kids are gaining confidence with every ensuing game. Guys like Andersson are realizing they have a role and can play at this level, along with Smith, Brunner, et al. The guy that has really impressed me in the first two games is Kindl.

The odds are still remote that they win this series, but if the leaders (Z, Dats, Kronwall) lead and the kids just focus on doing their jobs, it will be a lot more interesting than anyone thought. At least the Wings shut up that douchebag Dan McNeil who said they dont belong in the same rink with the Hawks.

[Smiling Assassin27]

[gyldenlove]

Originally Posted by Smiling Assassin27

The kids are gaining confidence with every ensuing game. Guys like Andersson are realizing they have a role and can play at this level, along with Smith, Brunner, et al. The guy that has really impressed me in the first two games is Kindl.

The odds are still remote that they win this series, but if the leaders (Z, Dats, Kronwall) lead and the kids just focus on doing their jobs, it will be a lot more interesting than anyone thought. At least the Wings shut up that douchebag Dan McNeil who said they dont belong in the same rink with the Hawks.

Kindl has grown by leaps and bounds this season, even Babcock has been raving about him. His progression was pretty non existant the previous 2 seasons and he was in real danger of riding the pine but now he is keeping Ian White in the press box - who would have guessed that.

The Nyquist, Anderson, Brunner line is really playing well, they have a lot of energy and speed and seem to really be doing well together. I still question having Cleary playing top 6 minutes in 5 on 5, but I guess with a narrow roster you just can't get everything.

It will be interesting in the offseason. Ian White becomes a free agent and I see no reason they would resign him, with Kronwall, Ericsson, Quincey, Coliaiaaiacovo, Dekeyser, Smith and Kindl they have a decent top 7. Up front Cleary, Flip and Brunner are free agents. I don't see any way they let Brunner walk unless he gets an outrageous deal somewhere else (we are talking Ville Leino outrageous). I do hope they let Cleary go, with Samuelson and Bertuzzi under contract for another year I just don't think we can afford to tie up more money in slow old players. Flip should be resigned at a reasonable price if he is willing to accept something like the deal he has currently, I think he is a 50 point player on a 2nd line and about 3 mill per year is good.

Next season I guess we will see Nyquist up full time (he will still be eligible for Calder trophy consideration).

[Beantown Bronco]

Bruins on fire and they're playing with Chara and a bunch of AHL guys on defense. The Rangers have been getting every call possible and it still hasn't helped them. Their power play might actually be worse than Boston's.

This doesn't bode well for NY.

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by Beantown Bronco

Bruins on fire and they're playing with Chara and a bunch of AHL guys on defense. The Rangers have been getting every call possible and it still hasn't helped them. Their power play might actually be worse than Boston's.

This doesn't bode well for NY.

They've been bad....not having Clowe on the power play has killed them.

[maher_tyler]

wow!

[SoCalBronco]

Lol....Ottawa wins just as I get to the restaurant with the game on after working a 10 hour Sunday lol.

Props to Anderson.

[Al Wilson]

The refs and Bettman want the Pens to win. They've been getting all the calls, what a piece of **** league. You may try to rob a game out of us but you can't rob the team's heart !

[bronco militia]

[gyldenlove]

Originally Posted by bronco militia

So they are saying Chicago has a size advantage?