The 2005/2006 Hockey Season Thread

[Clawson]

Now I know you Leaf fans out there may not like my Sens, but you have to be going for them tonight due to the fact that if they lose, we will never hear the end of it from Jerichoholic.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I do hope so. Signing Chara for the Leafs in EHM helped us to beat LA 4-0 in the Stanley Cup final.

No real significance to anything, I just wanted to brag that hey, I didn't do it with Buffalo. In fact, I think Buffalo and Ottawa were fourth and fifth in the division.

In summary: The Stanley Cup. SERIOUS BUSINESS.

[Jerichoholic23]

Anyone else think having saturday afternoon games is a bad idea. Hockey should be played at night. Another thing to try and sell the game to the americans.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Well, considering that were the Americans NOT interested in hockey, it certainly wouldn't exist the way it does now, I'd say that getting more American fans interested in hockey is a good thing. And not only Americans - the earlier games are, the more likely it is English fans, like myself, can listen to their team's games, like when the Toronto Maple Leafs of TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANA-DAH~ get their waiter uniforms on and start serving up hot bowls of smackdown soup all over New Joiseh's collective ass! Or like when the MON-TREY-ALL CA-NAY-DEE-ENS made like the badass Canadians of legend and BLANKED~ out the Bruins of Boston! Or like when OOOOOOOOOOOOOHA-TTAWA break out Zdeno Chara and stick him on the Pain Train, destination Buffalo and he pimp-slaps the rest of your sorry-ass Sabres INTO the ICE~!

Because ladies and gentlemen, in the whole scheme of hockey over the HUNDREDS and THOUSANDS of YEARS, CANADIANS HAVE ALWAYS WON, AND WILL ALWAYS WIN!

Edited February 5, 2006 by Ze

[naiwf]

Americans suck at sports we don't like or create, see hockey, football/soccer, and almost all of the Winter Olympic games except figure skating and the X-Games type shit we invented.

Fuck the Rangers up their asses again for choking against the Flyers. They led 2-0 with 5 minutes left in the 2nd and blew the lead in about 15 1/2 minutes of game time. I'm sure they'll allow another goal or two before it's over just to make the gag job complete.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Additional: New Jersey 0 - 1 Toronto, as another of my 2005 Stanley Cup winners Alexei Ponikarovsky scores in the first minute. Fucking eh.

[Clawson]

I do hope so. Signing Chara for the Leafs in EHM helped us to beat LA 4-0 in the Stanley Cup final.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I made a load of trades early on and almost betrayed the 'spirit' of the Leafs. Jeff O'Neill went to Montreal for Alex Kovalev (who sat on the second line and scored 41 goals in the regular season, behind Tie Domi of all people), Tucker got injured badly early on in the pre-season so I sent him and a minor league prospect, it may have been Pogge, to Washington for Ovechkin (who, first season, broke the most points for a rookie with 71, and was then sent back to Moscow for the season I'm currently in to improve). Still, some of the team I kept were fucking awesome - Ponikarovsky came second in the scoring charts, behind Marleau at San Jose, I think he scored something like 55 or 60 goals, and ten in the playoffs, and Stajan's come back from a season with some junior team to be an absolute monster.

A couple of questions I wanted to ask of you - firstly, what's the deal with sending a player to the juniors? I gather that they improve over time, but how much of an improvement can I expect to see?

And second, is there a way to find out which team has the first, second, third and so on overall picks in the Draft? I want to know so I can pick up the first rounders from said teams and steal me some rookies.

Edited February 5, 2006 by Ze

[Jerichoholic23]

How about them Sabres. They beat the mighty Sens. They are now within 4 pts. of them. 5 wins in a row now. After tuesday it should be 6. They are playing the lowly habs.

[NobBe Nobbs]

How about them Sabres. It took them sixty-five minutes and a shoot-out to beat the mighty Sens.

FOR CHRIST'S SAKES MAN, STOP TALKING. You're the first user I've ever ignored - congratulations.

Edited February 5, 2006 by Ze

[prime time]

Tis a sad day in the hockey thread with these bragging rights that he gets. But I still have those games at the the begining of the year where your boys got spanked. And afternoon games are a great idea. the game needs to get popular in America and at least NBC seems to be trying unlike ABC did the last time there was hockey.

And naiwf, you're completely right about Americans and sports. You did however forget to mention basketball being invented by a Canadian, not really relavent, but I just love bringing it up.

Now Clawson, I know you made a comment about not wanting people to talk so much about your Leafs, but I think this needs to be said (don't worry, not gonna bash em). Tonight was a huge win for them as they beat and actually decent team for the first time in what seems like forever. The win tonight could allow them to get some confidence back which could be huge for your club in the playoff race.

[Jerichoholic23]

It still counts as a win. How many times have Toronto beat them this year. None. Why does everyone hate the fact I talk about the sabres. I have put up with all of you talking about the Laffs, Sens and sometimes Habs. Its a shame that only the Sens are making the playoffs of the three. Blow Laffs BLow.

[CKN]

Since I don't know who is in charge of the Sports Bar, one of you hockey peeps should challenge Jerichoholic to a battle of some sort with the loser being banned from this thread until the season is over. You'd NEVER have to hear about the Sabres again, which makes it win/win for everyone involved. Just a suggestion

Edited February 5, 2006 by CKN

[The Sultan of Swank]

I'm starting to severely dislike Jerichoholic.

The 8th spot race is getting tight. There's 4 teams in serious competition of 8th with Toronto leading the pack.

What I would love to see is Montreal make it in, as well as Toronto. I wouldn't mind too much if Toronto took 7th place and the Habs 8th. All the Canadian teams in the playoffs would be great. Would bring up the chances of bringing a cup back up north.

Huet, is a monster. 79 saves in his last 3 games, giving up 5 goals, and 67 saves out of 69 shots in the 2 games against Boston. That's good goaltending.

The Habs only really picked it up in the last 15 of the third yesterday. When they were on they were playing tremendously, but it took a real kick in the ass to get going.

And the Superman dive by Huet to shut down Sturm was an incredible stick save. Lucky like a mother fucker, but still was nice.

Habs vs Flyers in 3 hours, Huet with another start, hopefully we can build on yesterday and pull within 1 point of Toronto.

[Clawson]

Since I don't know who is in charge of the Sports Bar, one of you hockey peeps should challenge Jerichoholic to a battle of some sort with the loser being banned from this thread until the season is over. You'd NEVER have to hear about the Sabres again, which makes it win/win for everyone involved. Just a suggestion

Okay I am actually now open to this and vote for Jerichoholic vs. Grapehead... win freakin win

[gunnar hendershow]

I'm calling it now. Dallas Stars: 2006 Stanley Cup Champions.

[Jerichoholic23]

I have brought up points why the Leafs blow. They are old, slow and don't have very good goaltending. There defense really sucks. Most nights they give up around 30 shots a game. I would love a canadian team to win the cup. Preferably a team from western canada. It wouldn't bother me too much if the Sens won it. But the Leafs and the Habs have won enough cups. Neither team needs another one. Its going to be a long time before the Leafs ever win one. Until the ownership decides winning is more important than profit they will never win one.

[NobBe Nobbs]

THAT'S your reasoning for not wanting the Leafs or the Habs to win? They've won enough cups already?

Old: Among others, Matty, Carlo and Alex collectively say hi. Besides, does such a concept of veteran-cy escape you?

Slow: Who honestly gives a flying fuck about speed? I'd much rather have a slow bastard who dishes out hits like a homeless shelter does gruel than someone who skates at the speed of light but can't hit for shit.

Goaltending: I subscribe to the Brazilian school of thought, which says 'You score three goals? Fuck you, we'll put four past you'.

Now, just like a chance encounter with some cuntish Manchester United fans has predjudiced me against United for life, you are giving Buffalo a very bad name; it's almost enough to counter the greatness that Buffalo gained by giving the world Jim Carrey.

[grind your soul]

In reference to Jerichoholic calling the Leafs "old":

Granted, our goalie is fucking ancient, and Domi is getting up there, but otherwise, everyone is 34 or under, with Steen, Stajan, Wellwood under 22, and Tucker, Kaberle, Berg, Belak, Kilger, Wilm, Tellqvist, Pilar, Ponikarovsky, Antropov, O'Neill all under 30, and Allison at 30.

Sundin [34], Domi [36], Czerkawski [35], Belfour [40], Lindros [32], Klee [34] are our only guys 31 or more.

Edited February 5, 2006 by grind your soul

[SeanDMan]

And giving up thirty shots a game is by no means bad. Facing over forty or fifty is a bad game. Holding a team under twenty is a good game. Betwen is about league average. Guys like Auld and Morrison out west regularily face 35-45 shots because of injuries or transitions on the back end. The Leafs, in case you didn't notice, have injuries on the back end.