NHL Season 2011-2012

[Arkon]

Good lord, could the Penguins manage to loose any more stars???

They are now going to be without Staal for months with MCL damage, and James Neal for multiple weeks with a broken foot.

[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.

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?  

Very frustrating to watch them play sometimes. Always have to go for that one last extra pass. They have guys that can shoot pretty well and move around the net but they don't have any real pure shooters like in earlier years. More of just the playmakers.

[Koz]

Five games for Marchand

I think Marchand's history and Salo's injury, and the injury being a concussion, were probably the major factors in that sentence.

[pr0ner]

Hey Devil, I wonder if the Flames and Devils will play a shitty game tonight like they did last year!

[El-Producto]

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/bruins/post/_/id/8545/marchand-diary-on-canucks-vigneault-critics

Lol.. this guy does not disappoint.  I will laugh if he gets fined for criticizing the Shan-Hammer!

I've watched the replay a few times.. it was nasty.  The best part was the 2 or 3 shots to the back of Salo's head prior to the hit.

I love the canned Bruins fan response "Who has the cup?"  They fail to remember the series went 7 games.  I really hope it's a Canucks/Bruins final again this year.. oh man.

[gellar]

I love the canned Bruins fan response "Who has the cup?"  They fail to remember the series went 7 games.  I really hope it's a Canucks/Bruins final again this year.. oh man.

I'm pretty sure you don't get a prize for getting to 7 games and losing, so their statement is still accurate.

A Canucks/Bruins rematch would be pretty great though.  I'd also like to see a Winter Classic, though that would absolutely never happen.

Five games was the right suspension, in my opinion.

And how about the Kings hopefully breaking out of their slumber of goal scoring suck by hanging five on the Caps.  I believe they are 6-1-3 under Sutter and he's finally gotten some production out of the 3rd/4th lines and the D.  I still contend they won't make the playoffs until they get the PP actually going at a reasonable pace, but if that happens... I think they've got a chance to make a good run.

[Devil]

Hey Devil, I wonder if the Flames and Devils will play a shitty game tonight like they did last year!

I would guess they will! I think you'll grab a 2 goal win tonight.

[pr0ner]

Hey Devil, I wonder if the Flames and Devils will play a shitty game tonight like they did last year!

I would guess they will! I think you'll grab a 2 goal win tonight.

The Flames are so much better at home than on the road this year, so it's entirely possible your prediction will be accurate.  We'll see!

[pr0ner]

That's one hell of a quick hook for Marty.

[Devil]

Just sat down and it's over!

Yeah - No sense in messing around. I didn't see the goals, but they play tomorrow night. Might as well go with Moose for the rest of this one.

[Devil]

Iggy picking on the Calder winner, tsk tsk. 

[theohall]

And the Blues shutout Montreal in Montreal to move into first place in the Central with a matchup against Vancouver on Thursday night and a chance to match the Canucks Western Conference leading 55 points.

[Devil]

Ha!

Want them to get to 10!

[kronovan]

And how about the Kings hopefully breaking out of their slumber of goal scoring suck by hanging five on the Caps.  I believe they are 6-1-3 under Sutter and he's finally gotten some production out of the 3rd/4th lines and the D.  I still contend they won't make the playoffs until they get the PP actually going at a reasonable pace, but if that happens... I think they've got a chance to make a good run.

They're like a reborn team under Sutter. In the recent game in which they beat the Canucks they were terrific. I had no doubt they'd make the playoffs the moment Sutter took control.

And the Blues shutout Montreal in Montreal to move into first place in the Central with a matchup against Vancouver on Thursday night and a chance to match the Canucks Western Conference leading 55 points.

I'd personally put my money on the Blues for Thursdays game. Despite beating the Lightning tonight the Canucks have played poorly in their last 2 games. Particularly the Sedins who's alround play has just sucked and the defence which is really missing Salo. Not having him in means Ballard has been bumped up to a top 4 D-man, and I'm not convinced he's up for the challenge..

[Koz]

Apparently Mike Cammalleri got traded during Montreal's game on Thursday. They pulled him off the ice, put him in a cab and was sent to the team hotel. Ouch.

He had recently made some rather scathing comments (and accurate, FWIW) about his team.

Edit: Reportedly heading back to Calgary.

[Devil]

That's rough.

Hopefully they broke the news in French.

Bourque going back.

[kronovan]

I think its a good trade to get Cammalerri back. If he can get back to even being close to the pace he previously had with the Flames, their chances of playing in the post season just got a heckuval lot better.

I don't know how the Canucks managed to beat the best-at-home-record Blues in their own rink, but somehow they did. I'd make the comment that Luongo won the game, but he did put the 2nd goal in his own net.  Still, considering he made 2 saves on short-handed break aways,  he certaintly deserves a lot of the credit for the win.

[pr0ner]

That's rough.

Hopefully they broke the news in French.

Bourque going back.

I'm glad Cammalleri's coming back to Calgary.  From all reports, he's thrilled to be coming back, too.

[theohall]

I think its a good trade to get Cammalerri back. If he can get back to even being close to the pace he previously had with the Flames, their chances of playing in the post season just got a heckuval lot better.

I don't know how the Canucks managed to beat the best-at-home-record Blues in their own rink, but somehow they did. I'd make the comment that Luongo won the game, but he did put the 2nd goal in his own net.  Still, considering he made 2 saves on short-handed break aways,  he certaintly deserves a lot of the credit for the win.

Fortunate break, literally, in OT.  Blues coaches tell players if they break a stick on a PK, go to the bench and get a new one, or have someone jump in your place.  4-on-3 in OT, Oshie's stick breaks, he goes to the bench for a twig, so it is not 4-on-2, the Canucks score through the lane Oshie vacated.  Blues coaches apologized to the players after the game for not adjusting that philosophy in a 4-on-3 situation.  Great game, though.  Backes was crushing Burrows for most of the game, but took a late boarding penalty simply because Burrows was weak on his doggone skates and Burrows had been bitching to the refs the whole game, because he didn't like getting hit.  It worked for the Canucks getting them that late power play - called at 19:40 of the 3rd period in a tie game.

[El-Producto]

I think its a good trade to get Cammalerri back. If he can get back to even being close to the pace he previously had with the Flames, their chances of playing in the post season just got a heckuval lot better.

I don't know how the Canucks managed to beat the best-at-home-record Blues in their own rink, but somehow they did. I'd make the comment that Luongo won the game, but he did put the 2nd goal in his own net.   Still, considering he made 2 saves on short-handed break aways,  he certaintly deserves a lot of the credit for the win.

Fortunate break, literally, in OT.  Blues coaches tell players if they break a stick on a PK, go to the bench and get a new one, or have someone jump in your place.  4-on-3 in OT, Oshie's stick breaks, he goes to the bench for a twig, so it is not 4-on-2, the Canucks score through the lane Oshie vacated.  Blues coaches apologized to the players after the game for not adjusting that philosophy in a 4-on-3 situation.  Great game, though.  Backes was crushing Burrows for most of the game, but took a late boarding penalty simply because Burrows was weak on his doggone skates and Burrows had been bitching to the refs the whole game, because he didn't like getting hit.  It worked for the Canucks getting them that late power play - called at 19:40 of the 3rd period in a tie game.

T  Nice game by the Blues.. they sure are tough this year.. man I can't wait for playoffs, it's going to be GREAT!

Great roadtrip by the nucks, back on top.  Classy move by Weise giving his stick to a fan in enemy territory.

[gellar]

Ruh Rohs New Jersey:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/new-jersey-devils-looking-for-financial-miracle-011312

[El-Producto]

I hear Quebec City is looking for a team

[Devil]

Ruh Rohs New Jersey:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/new-jersey-devils-looking-for-financial-miracle-011312

That's AWESOME!! It will be my 3rd city with that team! Would love to see Vegas!

[theohall]

Ruh Rohs New Jersey:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/new-jersey-devils-looking-for-financial-miracle-011312

That's AWESOME!! It will be my 3rd city with that team! Would love to see Vegas!

Put a team in Vegas and then try to set up balanced conferences for travel reasons.   

[pr0ner]

As per ESPN, the 2013 Winter Classic will be Toronto at Detroit at the Big House.

[kronovan]

80 million is a big chunk of cash and I guess anythings possible, but I can't see a multiple cup winner moving out of it's home city. To date no cup winning team has ever been moved to another city. I could see the league taking them over until they're sold to a new owner, but moving them - nope. As to going to Quebec city - without a  bilingual head coach that would be real fun.  That's a big of enough issue in Montreal, but no where near the extent it is in Quebec-nationalism friendly QC. They'd have to rely on good old Larry for interviews - ouch! 

[Kagath]

Man, the Sabres just left Miller swinging in the breeze tonight. Pulled in the second with 13:30 left to go. Not even giving him any support. And I'm a Wings fan.

[kronovan]

Man, the Sabres just left Miller swinging in the breeze tonight. Pulled in the second with 13:30 left to go. Not even giving him any support. And I'm a Wings fan.

Heh. The Canucks did the same thing to Luongo last night against the Ducks. Terrible, shameful peformance by the Canucks D.

[Clanwolfer]

80 million is a big chunk of cash and I guess anythings possible, but I can't see a multiple cup winner moving out of it's home city. To date no cup winning team has ever been moved to another city. I could see the league taking them over until they're sold to a new owner, but moving them - nope. As to going to Quebec city - without a  bilingual head coach that would be real fun.  That's a big of enough issue in Montreal, but no where near the extent it is in Quebec-nationalism friendly QC. They'd have to rely on good old Larry for interviews - ouch! 

The problem is that I really do think the business model there is broken. I was a season ticket holder last season, and to be honest, I was mostly sharing games with a few other die-hard fanatics and a whole host of empty seats (with a LOT of the high-revenue seats being empty for most games). They're just not competing effectively for people's dollars, and I don't know what they can do to fix it - they had a ton of college and cheap ticket nights, cross-promotions with NJTransit and other orgs, they have a nice facility (though given, in a really bad city), and a competitive team most years - but they're not filling seats night in and night out, and no amount of money from securitizing the TV deal is going to fix that.

On the one hand, they -finally- last year hired somebody to be a "fan experience coordinator" or something like that - essentially fan outreach, which was much appreciated from such a closed organization. On the other hand, might be too little too late, and maybe the team can only be saved by a front office that embraces change rather than puts on a show to have to avoid it.

Tough to say whether it's the market or the ownership that's broken, really - but I'm just absolutely not shocked that they're on the brink.

[Devil]

Has anyone really ever cared about the team down there? Even when they were winning Cups?

Doesn't seem like it.

To me, it looks like they can't really compete in that area for hockey fans with Philly and the Rangers owning most of the loyalty, and the 'boring-ness' of the way they won probably didn't help.

Then again - I'm up here and not tuned in to that area.

[Arkon]

Thankfully the Pens broke their loosing streak and are back on the winning side for a few games.  I am really starting to think that Crosby won't be back again this season, which is a shame.

Anyways, my primary reason for posting was to share a wonderful picture I found.

[kronovan]

Anyways, my primary reason for posting was to share a wonderful picture I found.

Meh, that one's so old its boring now. Fans hurled that same criicism at the Sedins in Vancouver for seasons until one of them managed to win the Hart. One things for sure right now, past 4 games they haven't being playing the hockey they're capable of playing.

[El-Producto]

Man, after that road trip the Canucks sure have gone into "relax" mode.. yikes.

[Arkon]

Anyways, my primary reason for posting was to share a wonderful picture I found.

Meh, that one's so old its boring now. Fans hurled that same criicism at the Sedins in Vancouver for seasons until one of them managed to win the Hart. One things for sure right now, past 4 games they haven't being playing the hockey they're capable of playing.

Hey, let me revel in my late to the party find.  If I have to constantly hear all of the dumb names people have for Crosby, I need to be able to make fun of stars as well!

[Koz]

I love to make fun of Crosby, but the game needs him back. I just read today that Marc Savard just did his first light workout (rode a bike), more than a year after he was concussed (again). I hope Crosby doesn't turn into a Savard.

[theohall]

David Perron missed 92 games, but did not make the mistake of trying to return to early, which is what it looks like Crosby did.

[ScubaV]

Post-game handshake fight in college hockey:
http://www.totalprosports.com/2012/01/16/fight-breaks-out-during-post-game-handshake-between-north-dakota-and-minnesota-video/

[Devil]

Played well for the most part tonight. Just not that good.

[Koz]

Played well for the most part tonight. Just not that good.

Yeah that was a bizarre game. Bruins played like crap except for 4 minutes when they scored 3 times.

[Devil]

Ponikarovsky.

All set now.