NHL season 2007-2008

[sneakypower]

The added probability for players injury makes it an unlikelihood that they'll do this more than a couple times in a season. The NHL director of ice maintenance was at that game to ensure there weren't any divets the players would get caught on.

[Banedon]

The added probability for players injury makes it an unlikelihood that they'll do this more than a couple times in a season. The NHL director of ice maintenance was at that game to ensure there weren't any divets the players would get caught on.

 

So the sport that has hard checks into the boards, highsticking, and regularly has fighting is concerned that players might be injured because it's a little windy and snowy? These guys are getting paid plenty for injury risk.

[jersey cubs fan]

The added probability for players injury makes it an unlikelihood that they'll do this more than a couple times in a season. The NHL director of ice maintenance was at that game to ensure there weren't any divets the players would get caught on.

 

So the sport that has hard checks into the boards, highsticking, and regularly has fighting is concerned that players might be injured because it's a little windy and snowy? These guys are getting paid plenty for injury risk.

 

That's all part of the game. The horrible ice conditions that can come about as a result of outdoor playing, generally are not. Football players wouldn't be all that excited about playing a game a year on the beach.

[Banedon]

The added probability for players injury makes it an unlikelihood that they'll do this more than a couple times in a season. The NHL director of ice maintenance was at that game to ensure there weren't any divets the players would get caught on.

 

So the sport that has hard checks into the boards, highsticking, and regularly has fighting is concerned that players might be injured because it's a little windy and snowy? These guys are getting paid plenty for injury risk.

 

That's all part of the game. The horrible ice conditions that can come about as a result of outdoor playing, generally are not. Football players wouldn't be all that excited about playing a game a year on the beach.

 

But they do play on bad field conditions...snow...mud. The hockey players are still playing on the same kind of surface...ice...it's just that outdoors isn't ideal, pristine ice. Just like fooball players don't always get to play on ideal pristine turf. The beach analogy would be more like hockey players playing on a completely different kind of surface.

 

Hockey players are used to playing in controlled conditions. I'm sure it's more about the hesitancy to change to uncontrolled conditions than anything else.

[Drew Doughty]

The added probability for players injury makes it an unlikelihood that they'll do this more than a couple times in a season. The NHL director of ice maintenance was at that game to ensure there weren't any divets the players would get caught on.

 

So the sport that has hard checks into the boards, highsticking, and regularly has fighting is concerned that players might be injured because it's a little windy and snowy? These guys are getting paid plenty for injury risk.

 

the difference is that these guys are prepared to be hit and whatnot, they aren't ready for a divot in the ice. i think you underestimate how much bad ice affects a game.

 

in the echl, fresno is notorious for horrible ice. here's a brief recap of some of the injuries caused by bad ice.

 

I don't think I need to answer that question, but I will. Perhaps a SMG employee might get a chance to read this blog posting. BROKEN LEGS. Plain english spoken here folks. Ask Clint Cabana, Cory Murphy, and Scott Borders. All three were maimed, directly caused by the lousy ice conditions at the Save Mart Center. Were these injuries avoidable, yes, in all three cases. Cabana lost his edge on bad ice and careened out of control into the dasher boards. His Joe Theisman like injuries moved many a persons stomach to convulse the Bobby Salazars Rice bowl that was consumed earlier. Cory Murphy's skate became lodged between the dasherboards and the ice. The ice dam around the boards had become degraded after the arena was converted back to a hockey format. Cory's skate stuck as he glided past. The body moved, but the leg didn't. Scotty Borders injury also dislodged a few more uneasy rumblings in the gut after a deja-vue like injury ala Cory Murphy.

 

http://falconsmusings.blogspot.com/2007_02_18_archive.html

[Banedon]

the difference is that these guys are prepared to be hit and whatnot, they aren't ready for a divot in the ice. i think you underestimate how much bad ice affects a game.

 

You're right. I was thinking more like muscle pulls, ligament strains and the like.

[TruffleShuffle]

i'm pretty fired up about my new mike richards jersey and two tickets to a flyers-pens game at the igloo in february.

[Flames24Rulz]

Toews is back in Chicago and getting an MRI on his knee. I've heard that it's only an MCL sprain. Hopefully that's the case.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Blackhawks season, much like this thread, is coming dangerously close to ending early. 6 points out of a playoff spot, 13th place in the west (closer to last than 8th). They may be in the middle of a free-fall, losing 5 straight, and 11 of their previous 16. The Blackhawks are now sub .500 on the road, and the toughest part of the road schedule is yet to come, with 16 road games in their next 23, through the end of February.

 

While I understand that this organization may feel pressured to do all it can to capitalize on the renewed fan interest, I hope Tallon doesn't do anything stupid by giving up promising youth to acquire some fringe veterans in hopes of fighting for that 8th spot. The playoffs would be nice, but the Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal. I just don't see a likely first round knockout being all that beneficial in the long run. Sure, it might be nice to give the kids playoff experience, but I don't see fan interest in 2009 and beyond being the least bit affected by whether or not they qualify in 2008. Other than the money they'd make from a few home playoff games, it's just not all that important to the future.

 

This isn't to say I don't want them to make the playoffs, or make any deals. I just don't want to see the hockey equivalent of Garland for Karchner because the GM is desperate. Hopefully they can start to tread water and not lose anymore ground, then get back their injured stars and make a last minute run.

[sneakypower]

While I understand that this organization may feel pressured to do all it can to capitalize on the renewed fan interest, I hope Tallon doesn't do anything stupid by giving up promising youth to acquire some fringe veterans in hopes of fighting for that 8th spot. The playoffs would be nice, but the Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal. I just don't see a likely first round knockout being all that beneficial in the long run. Sure, it might be nice to give the kids playoff experience, but I don't see fan interest in 2009 and beyond being the least bit affected by whether or not they qualify in 2008. Other than the money they'd make from a few home playoff games, it's just not all that important to the future.

 

Like who? I can't see where Toews, Kane, Byfuglien, Barker, Sharp would be available.

 

Ruutu's the only one I can see being traded. Or maybe Havlat, but I don't know what they'd expect to get for him.

[Balsa]

A poor stretch of games indeed... #-o

[TruffleShuffle]

5-1 in the last 6 for the fly guys. hartnell has finally decided to show up, and the young guys (richards, carter, umberger) are playing some of the best hockey of anyone on the team. the game the other night against toronto was another horrendously-officiated game - HNIC games hosted in canada tend to be that way. braydon coburn got boarded by a maple leaf and lost some teeth and required dental surgery:

 

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/rpv7482/coburnboard.jpg

 

but the ref somehow "missed" the call, even though it a blatant boarding infraction. here's a video of it:

 

http://broadband.tsn.ca/tsn/?vid=25786

 

 

by the way, enjoy the commentary by the TSN guy. He accuses derian hatcher of going "airborne with the elbow" which is completely untrue. then the boarding on coburn is described as a "big hit" - despite being completely illegal. And the downie penalty is described as a cheap shot - which it was, and it was penalized, but the reason that downie took that shot is that the leafs ran our goalie half a dozen times without any call of goalie interference. The NHL officiating has been a joke this year and i guess with them being influenced by garbage stations like TSN, it's not going to change.

[ZFan38]

Ovechkin resigns for 13 years/124 million, the biggest contract in NHL history.

 

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=226952&hubname=

 

TruffleSuffle, did you get your sig off hfboards?

[TruffleShuffle]

Ovechkin resigns for 13 years/124 million, the biggest contract in NHL history.

 

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=226952&hubname=

 

TruffleSuffle, did you get your sig off hfboards?

 

not the image, but the "Mike Richards is Cannon." thread has become legendary on the flyers HF page.

 

Ovechkin is outstanding, one of the best in the world, but I don't know that in today's NHL, it's cost-effective to have a huge-scoring forward. The $9-10M per year it takes to sign them eats up so much cap space. Still, if you're a team like Washington you just can't let a player that good walk. He's amazing.

 

anyway, flyers 6 rangers 2 tonight. we got simon gagne back tonight, which is huge, and scott hartnell potted a hat trick and is finally playing like the $5m man that we signed him to be. marty biron has been stellar this year, but antero niittymaki has been tremendous in the last three games, stopping 120 of 125 shots. he was the mvp of the 2006 olympics and i have always been big on him. his numbers were poor last yaer, but he had a torn labrum and a horrendous defense in front of him. we've now won 6 of our last 7, and nitty has started the last three - tonight's divisional opponent being the most important - so i guess this is the obligatory flyers' goaltender annual controversy.

[TruffleShuffle]

It may be a kinder, gentler NHL, but a good shot to the noggin is still a necessary evil from time-to-time, says Senators head coach John Paddock.

 

"I think there's real good elbowing penalties. If you're playing in the playoffs and the other team's best player happens to get an elbow in the head, I think it's a good penalty," Paddock told the Ottawa Sun.

 

Imagine the ****storm if Flyers' coach John Stevens or GM Paul Holmgren had said this? But of course it's the head coach of a Canadian team, so the trash media up there won't make a big deal about it.

[jersey cubs fan]

Ovechkin resigns for 13 years/124 million, the biggest contract in NHL history.

 

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=226952&hubname=

 

TruffleSuffle, did you get your sig off hfboards?

 

Something is up with these absurdly long contracts. It can't just be about showing fans you're committed for the long haul. The owners must know they have a lot more cash coming their way, or that they are going bankrupt soon and don't care.

[Post Count Padder]

Woo, Pronger and Getzlaf are all stars.

 

 

Holy crap at Ovechkin's contract. Boy's gettin paid big time.

[rickrolled]

A poor stretch of games indeed... #-o

 

it's unbelievable the injuries they have gone through, I don't think any team in the league could lose key players like the ones the Hawks have lost and still win.

[Post Count Padder]

Devils win

[TruffleShuffle]

Devils win

 

devils in another boring low-scoring game that's decided in a shootout, which is an idiotic way to decide the outcome of a hockey game? shocking.

[karenmac]

wow, I got lucky. I turned off the XM when Buffalo was up 2-0 (I had started Brodeur and Osgood on my fantasy league and sat Ryan Miller). In the end, that seems to have worked out, in that Osgood didn't play for DET and Brodeur came back and won. It was definitely interesting seeing Detroit get a challenge from Ottawa.

[TruffleShuffle]

flyers up 4-1 after a period against florida. ok, i know florida isn't very good, but the flyers are playing very well right now. timonen is turning it on and has a goal and 2 assists already in the game; hartnell has a goal and has finally found his scoring touch after only being able to score empty-netters earlier this year, and downie (a.k.a. satan) looks like a great fit on the richards line.

 

if lupul gets healthy, we can throw this lineup out there:

 

gagne-briere-lupul

downie-richards-hartnell

knuble-carter-upshall

tolpeko-umberger-kapanen

 

which may not be the best lineup in the league, but certainly one of the deepest.

 

plus, i <3 my sig

[TruffleShuffle]

If anyone wants to see a ridiculous save, go to:

 

http://flyers.nhl.com/

 

then go to multimedia > flyersTV. Jump forward to about 5:00 into the highlights if you don't care to watch the whole game highlight.

[sneakypower]

I saw that on Sportscenter last night, that's one of the best saves of the season so far. DiPietro had a terrific glove save too yesterday.

 

I've been considering adding Nittymaki in my fantasy hockey league. I finally dropped Backstrom (Min) and haven't decided if I want to carry 3 or 4 goalies. Conklin, Gerber and Garon is what I have now. I might opt for Harding over Antero if I do, still.

[ZFan38]

If the Hart was awarded today, who would you give your vote to? I'd have to vote for Iginla with Luongo in second.

 

Oh and Patrick Sharp signed an extension 4/$15.6. http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=227546&hubname=