NHL Season 2011-2012

[Koz]

I don't think it will be Chicago because they already did that three years ago (four next year). I doubt they'll want a rematch that early. I think it will either be Toronto or St. Louis, with an outside chance of a western team, maybe San Jose. I don't think you can go wrong with any of those.

[gellar]

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2011/12/red_wings_in_talks_with_nhl_to.html

Old article, but Detroit should get to host one of the next two WC's.  Question is, do they do it in Comerica Park in Detroit or go for the big #'s at the Big House?  Also, who do they play?

HBO must be unhappy with this.  Detroit (while a very good hockey team) is just not an interesting group of people, from what I can tell.

That being said, they obviously deserve to host a Winter Classic if you ignore the HBO aspect.  I think the obvious opponent is Chicago.  St. Louis may also be a good call if they continue on their upward trajectory.

Another interesting choice is Colorado.  They can play the old school animosity angle.

I agree that Chicago would be obvious choice, but I wouldn't be surprised if Toronto was the opponent. Certainly I'd pick them before St. Louis, even though they aren't in the same conference. Original 6 team + upward tracking (somewhat) + guaranteed MASSIVE crowd. Put it in the Big House and I bet Leaf fans will ensure the place is sold out. Their fans are bonkers.

That's a good point.  I don't know that a St. Louis fanbase would travel to Michigan to make the game.

I believe that is an unfair criticism.  It's not like a bunch of new york fans bothered to travel that tiny distance to philly, but that didn't stop the nhl from scheduling that one.
St louis at least would draw a hell of a lot better tv rating in st louis than the new yorkers generated in NY.

Yeah but others went to Philly to be part of the spectacle in that Philly is actually not a bad city to visit for any sort of hockey fan/vacationer.

Detroit... yeah, not so much.  You'd have to be a local or a really dedicated Blues fan to get up there on Jan 1.

[ScubaV]

I've seen a lot of Wings fans who want to play Toronto, but the thought is that NBC isn't going to want to lose out on a second city's ratings with a Canadian team.

[Koz]

Hoping to stay within 6 goals tonight.

Congratulations?

At least you didn't have to listen to Jack Edwards. I like Doc Emrick a lot more when he isn't pandering to the general audience on NBC.

[Canuck]

A Canadian team playing in the Winter Classic? LOL tell me another one.

[Devil]

Hoping to stay within 6 goals tonight.

Congratulations?

At least you didn't have to listen to Jack Edwards. I like Doc Emrick a lot more when he isn't pandering to the general audience on NBC.

I'll take it!

Scott Stevens isn't walking through that door!

I actually got to watch a Devils/Bruins game because of NBC, so that was good. I agree with you on Doc, he's a bit watered down now.

Honestly, I think the Devils forwards can hang with the Bruins, but the defense is sooooooooo far behind that it's silly. They can't break out and play scared.

Kinda thinking it might not be a bad if Parise was moved at the deadline if they could get Suter.

[gellar]

Hoping to stay within 6 goals tonight.

Congratulations?

At least you didn't have to listen to Jack Edwards. I like Doc Emrick a lot more when he isn't pandering to the general audience on NBC.

I'll take it!

Scott Stevens isn't walking through that door!

I actually got to watch a Devils/Bruins game because of NBC, so that was good. I agree with you on Doc, he's a bit watered down now.

Honestly, I think the Devils forwards can hang with the Bruins, but the defense is sooooooooo far behind that it's silly. They can't break out and play scared.

Kinda thinking it might not be a bad if Parise was moved at the deadline if they could get Suter.

That wouldn't be a bad idea at all for New Jersey.

[Devil]

Need to guarantee Suter comes back though.

[gellar]

Need to guarantee Suter comes back though.

Yeah it's a move you make if you don't think Parise is coming back.  I'm just thinking Suter > Parise for New Jersey in terms of value at this point.

[El-Producto]

Canucks in first, Leafs out of a playoff spot.

Seems right to me.

Can't wait for Saturday Canucks/Bruins.

[theohall]

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2011/12/red_wings_in_talks_with_nhl_to.html

Old article, but Detroit should get to host one of the next two WC's.  Question is, do they do it in Comerica Park in Detroit or go for the big #'s at the Big House?  Also, who do they play?

HBO must be unhappy with this.  Detroit (while a very good hockey team) is just not an interesting group of people, from what I can tell.

That being said, they obviously deserve to host a Winter Classic if you ignore the HBO aspect.  I think the obvious opponent is Chicago.  St. Louis may also be a good call if they continue on their upward trajectory.

Another interesting choice is Colorado.  They can play the old school animosity angle.

I agree that Chicago would be obvious choice, but I wouldn't be surprised if Toronto was the opponent. Certainly I'd pick them before St. Louis, even though they aren't in the same conference. Original 6 team + upward tracking (somewhat) + guaranteed MASSIVE crowd. Put it in the Big House and I bet Leaf fans will ensure the place is sold out. Their fans are bonkers.

That's a good point.  I don't know that a St. Louis fanbase would travel to Michigan to make the game.

I believe that is an unfair criticism.  It's not like a bunch of new york fans bothered to travel that tiny distance to philly, but that didn't stop the nhl from scheduling that one.
St louis at least would draw a hell of a lot better tv rating in st louis than the new yorkers generated in NY.

Yeah but others went to Philly to be part of the spectacle in that Philly is actually not a bad city to visit for any sort of hockey fan/vacationer.

Just don't wear your own team's non-Flyers's gear. 

[gellar]

Holy sweet jesus... Boston is really good and Calgary is really not, but 9-0?

[Devil]

Makes my Devils look great at 6-1!

[pr0ner]

Holy sweet jesus... Boston is really good and Calgary is really not, but 9-0?

Calgary has issues right now, but Boston did go into Philly and win 6-0 and beat Florida in Boston 8-0 recently, and Philly and Florida are good teams.

It's more "Boston is really good" than "Calgary is really not".  "Calgary is really mediocre" is much more accurate.

[gellar]

Holy sweet jesus... Boston is really good and Calgary is really not, but 9-0?

Calgary has issues right now, but Boston did go into Philly and win 6-0 and beat Florida in Boston 8-0 recently, and Philly and Florida are good teams.

It's more "Boston is really good" than "Calgary is really not".  "Calgary is really mediocre" is much more accurate.

I dunno... being in bottom six in goal differential in the league sort of speaks to the whole 'Not' part.

[Koz]

I actually thought Calgary should have scored a goal or two. Their offense looked pretty sharp at times. The defense, however, yoiks. More than a couple of those Boston goals were scored by players cruising through the slot wide open.

Also, Boston's goal differential is absurd. They lead the league in goals for and goals against, having scored twice as many as they've allowed at almost the halfway point in the season.

[leo8877]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

Realignment postponed as NHLPA refuses to agree.

[Devil]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

Realignment postponed as NHLPA refuses to agree.

Fehr

[Koz]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

Realignment postponed as NHLPA refuses to agree.

Fehr

Yep. Not a good omen.

[pr0ner]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

Realignment postponed as NHLPA refuses to agree.

Fehr

Yep. Not a good omen.

+1

[Koz]

Such a shame the VAN/BOS game isn't on national TV. It's been tremendously entertaining so far.

Dale Weise just got an unsportsmanlike penalty for not fighting.

[gellar]

This game is pretty awesome.

[El-Producto]

Fuck ya.  SO happy the Nucks won that won.

Wish I could have watched it!

[Koz]

Fuck ya.  SO happy the Nucks won that won.

Wish I could have watched it!

Aw man, you missed a great one. Too bad the bad guys won (), but it was very entertaining. It sucks this may be the only time these teams play this year.

[gellar]

The Kings' ineptitude on the Powerplay is fairly epic to behold.

[pr0ner]

The Kings' ineptitude on the Powerplay is fairly epic to behold.

Did you expect more from a Darryl Sutter coached team?

[gellar]

The Kings' ineptitude on the Powerplay is fairly epic to behold.

Did you expect more from a Darryl Sutter coached team?

The powerplay has been terrible from pre-Sutter.  I am pretty sure it was terrible last season as well.

Edit: yup, 16.5% last season.

[kronovan]

Fuck ya.  SO happy the Nucks won that won.

Wish I could have watched it!

Aw man, you missed a great one. Too bad the bad guys won (), but it was very entertaining. It sucks this may be the only time these teams play this year.

Even if it was televised in Vancouver, I'd have missed it anyways since I had to work. I haven't checked, but I thought TSN was carrying it and they were possibly going to do a repeat broadcast this evening PST. I caught the highlights and it looked like a heckuva game. 2 points from Hodgson in such a big game warms my heart that's about 24 points for hism on the season now. Not too shabby for a rookie.

[gellar]

Fuck ya.  SO happy the Nucks won that won.

Wish I could have watched it!

Aw man, you missed a great one. Too bad the bad guys won (), but it was very entertaining. It sucks this may be the only time these teams play this year.

Even if it was televised in Vancouver, I would have missed it anyways since I had to work. I haven't checked, but I thought TSN was carrying it and they were possibly going to do a repeat broadcast this evening PST. I caught the highlights and it looked like a heckuva game. 2 points from Hodgson in such a big game warms my heart that's about 24 points for hism on the season now. Not too shabby for a rookie

His goal was a beauty.  Perfect shot.

[pr0ner]

It should be interesting to see how many games Marchand gets for clipping Salo in that Bruins/Canucks game.

[pr0ner]

Iggy!  500!

[Canuck]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

Realignment postponed as NHLPA refuses to agree.

Fehr

As in, FEHR FOOK SAKES!
?

[theohall]

Reading the articles, it looks like the NHL was trying to pull a "power move" on the NHLPA.  NHLPA asked for stuff - like what travel would look like and the impact it would have on players being in playoff games due to the unbalanced conferences - and the NHL basically sent them crap in return. 

Bettman even mentioned back when this was announced that it still required NHLPA approval and established the deadline.  I blame the NHL for not actually negotiating, as in never once offering to get together with the NHLPA do discuss it, and letting the deadline pass.  The NHL than has the gall to blame the NHLPA for not approving something in which they had zero say?

While the re-alignment will reduce travel for the current Western conference teams, it will increase travel for all of the Eastern Conference teams (except Winnipeg) due to the home and home requirements they proposed. 

Then there is the issue of players having an equal opportunity to reach the playoffs.  With two seven team conferences and two six team conferences, this is not "fair" to those players in the 7 team conferences.

It's not as open and shut as the league would have us believe.

Heck, I don't like having conferences with different numbers of teams, either.  The baseball Cardinals, and all the other teams in the NL Central, have dealt with this for years, being the only 6 team division in MLB.  At least that is finally getting fixed with the Astros moving to the AL.

[kronovan]

Iggy!  500!

I watched that game it was awesome! Kind of ironic the goal that he got the 500th on, but hey it just proves you can never be wong by putting the puck on net. Either of his shots that hit the crossbar would have been spectacular goals.

Loved Bouma getting his 1st - always great to see  a Vancouver Giants alumni starting to make some noise in the NHL. Hope he keeps it up and starts to getting more ice time.

[Koz]

Salo has a concussion as a result from that hit by Marchand. Methinks Brad may be sitting for a time.

[El-Producto]

Good, can't stand that little rat.

[kronovan]

Salo has a concussion as a result from that hit by Marchand. Methinks Brad may be sitting for a time.

Aaagghhh! Salo is so proned to injury as it is - we're talking about the player that couldn't make a Canucks' training camp 1 year because he injuried himself in the offseason roller skiing!   Too bad because he was having 1 of his best seasons in recent times. If this puts him out for the season and postseason, I won't be surprised if its a career ender - he is after all already in his mid 30's.

[pr0ner]

Marchand's disciplinary hearing is tomorrow via phone.  He won't get more than 5 games.

[Kagath]

Bleh, the Wings need to try to get away from always going for the cute passes. I know puck possession and all is their style but man, shoot the puck more.

[kronovan]

Bleh, the Wings need to try to get away from always going for the cute passes. I know puck possession and all is their style but man, shoot the puck more.

I often have the same criticism of the Canucks. However, there is a good statistical parallel between total % puck possession and winning games. Why comment on it now though - they're +40, 6-4 in their last 10, 1st in their division, 2nd in the west and 4th in the league. Are you thinking this isn't working for them or something?