2006/2007 Hockey Season Thread

[Toe]

I think the best thing for the NHL right now would be some coach somewhere coming up with a system that annihilates the trap while being quick and focusing on the attack.

[Toe]

Forsberg to Nashville for Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent and a 1st and 3rd round pick. That was just announced during the 1st period of the game.

My two cents is that the cost for Forsberg was too high, and I don't even know if the Preds need him that much.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Forsberg to Nashville for Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent and a 1st and 3rd round pick. That was just announced during the 1st period of the game.

My two cents is that the cost for Forsberg was too high, and I don't even know if the Preds need him that much.

[Toe]

Actually, I think I get it now. They need to win now, for the health of the franchise. They need a deep playoff run, a finals appearance maybe, to bring in a bigger crowd and to help the franchise stay aloft.

[Hajjhowe]

FUCK.

I heard he was thinking of going to Anaheim...

[SeanDMan]

This trade makes a lot of sense, actually.

Consider this; Nashville is tearing it up right now. They're definitely a playoff team and definitely have a chance to go deep. Assuming they win the first or second seeds, they'll play a hanger on such as Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota, or Vancouver, none of which are bad matchups for them. The WORST possible scenario for them is to drop into spot five, in which case they'd play seed four, which is Anaheim or San Jose. Both teams have the speed and offensive firepower to match or better the Preds up front, have a decent defense (though neither is anywhere near as good as Nashvilles), and I think both teams match up better in net, so Nashville's best bet is to win the division and get one of the top two seeds. Consider this; Ryan Suter, 23, Shea Weber, 21, Dan Hamhuis, 24, Vitaly Vishnevski, 26, Marek Zidliky, 30, Kimmon Timmonen, 31. This is one of the youngest and best defenses in the league, and it's only going to get better. Cody Franson, Kevin Klein, Teemu Laasko... they do not need another a-grade prospect defensemen to play in the AHL. Consider this; Scottie Upshall has been scratched for a ton of games this year, and Ryan Parent is in the OHL. So they've traded two players who aren't playing anyway for a former Hart Trophy Candidate. Consider this; Nashville has always been a great team when it comes to scouting, drafting, and devloping, granted. So that first round pick is very valuable. But when you look at their system... holy shit, do they really NEED another prospect? I mean, just look at their NHL roster, see how many guys they have under 30 just tearing the NHL a new asshole. The Milwaukee Admirals are STACKED and will continue to have NHL ready players on their roster for a few years to come, and the Preds have players stagnating in the SEL because there is no room for them in North America. The only thing Nashville needs is veteran leadership for the playoff run. Forsberg has been good lately, including in that shitkicking over Detroit which you know the Preds watched with interest. If he can come in and help Nashville secure the number 1 or number 2 seeds, and then stay healthy in the playoffs, then this team has the guns up front, the big pass from the back, and just enough in net that they can win it all. And no amount of draft picks and prospects can sell a hockey team in a Nascar market like winning the league's top title can.

Sure, Foppa leaves in summer as a UFA, but even so. This is a short term move for a team that is already set up for long term success. They are essentially losing nothing. I mean they didn't win this deal by any stretch of the imagination, this is overpayment for sure and Bobby Clarke is rolling over in his grave, but even losing this deal, Nashville wins.

...if they win the cup.

[Clawson]

Looking at Nashville makes me question why they suck in EHM again.

[Toe]

This trade makes a lot of sense, actually.

Consider this; Nashville is tearing it up right now. They're definitely a playoff team and definitely have a chance to go deep. Assuming they win the first or second seeds, they'll play a hanger on such as Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota, or Vancouver, none of which are bad matchups for them. The WORST possible scenario for them is to drop into spot five, in which case they'd play seed four, which is Anaheim or San Jose. Both teams have the speed and offensive firepower to match or better the Preds up front, have a decent defense (though neither is anywhere near as good as Nashvilles), and I think both teams match up better in net, so Nashville's best bet is to win the division and get one of the top two seeds. Consider this; Ryan Suter, 23, Shea Weber, 21, Dan Hamhuis, 24, Vitaly Vishnevski, 26, Marek Zidliky, 30, Kimmon Timmonen, 31. This is one of the youngest and best defenses in the league, and it's only going to get better. Cody Franson, Kevin Klein, Teemu Laasko... they do not need another a-grade prospect defensemen to play in the AHL. Consider this; Scottie Upshall has been scratched for a ton of games this year, and Ryan Parent is in the OHL. So they've traded two players who aren't playing anyway for a former Hart Trophy Candidate. Consider this; Nashville has always been a great team when it comes to scouting, drafting, and devloping, granted. So that first round pick is very valuable. But when you look at their system... holy shit, do they really NEED another prospect? I mean, just look at their NHL roster, see how many guys they have under 30 just tearing the NHL a new asshole. The Milwaukee Admirals are STACKED and will continue to have NHL ready players on their roster for a few years to come, and the Preds have players stagnating in the SEL because there is no room for them in North America. The only thing Nashville needs is veteran leadership for the playoff run. Forsberg has been good lately, including in that shitkicking over Detroit which you know the Preds watched with interest. If he can come in and help Nashville secure the number 1 or number 2 seeds, and then stay healthy in the playoffs, then this team has the guns up front, the big pass from the back, and just enough in net that they can win it all. And no amount of draft picks and prospects can sell a hockey team in a Nascar market like winning the league's top title can.

Sure, Foppa leaves in summer as a UFA, but even so. This is a short term move for a team that is already set up for long term success. They are essentially losing nothing. I mean they didn't win this deal by any stretch of the imagination, this is overpayment for sure and Bobby Clarke is rolling over in his grave, but even losing this deal, Nashville wins.

...if they win the cup.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Sean - Truly the smartest hockey fan on these boards (it helps he's Canadian).

[CKN]

Sean - Truly the smartest hockey fan on these boards (it helps he's Canadian).

[Guest Grapehead]

The reason the point structure should be different, is because you should be rewarded for putting a team away in regulation, it makes you fight for that win. Ottawa would be well within striking distance of Buffalo right now, and it's because they don't let games get to OT. Carolina would be in complete opposite spots with Atlanta if they were rewarded for winning games within the regulated time. When a game goes to OT now, suddenly there are 3 points available, 2 for win 1 for loss, so where is that extra point coming from? It should be coming out of the pocket of the team that couldn't hang on and pull out a regulation win. Last night Ottawa busts up Florida 4-0... Pittsburgh is up 3-2 going into the third, blow that and fall behind, have to tie the game, and then pull it out in the shootout... somehow that earns them as many points? That... to me, makes no sense. It may be how it's always been, and you may just like things the way they are, but how can you not agree you should be adding incentive to finish games in regulation. There shouldn't be some magical point created when a game goes to OT, it should be three points available all the way through. I would even accept maybe going back to W L T system, and scrap OT all together, but that's a little too drastic. I like OT and I like the shootout, I like getting a resolution to every game, but I would promise you'd see a lot fewer games depend on a shootout if teams needed all 3 of those points and had to fight extremely hard to pull it out in regulation. THAT would be exciting to me, especially in those last 2 playoff spots, the last stretch of games would see so many teams just pulling out all the stops in regulation. No more sitting back and not risking it before OT, now you have a reason to take some risks, do something a little more exciting in those last 2 or 3 minutes.

[lari]

One more reason to hate the Sexual Predators.

I thought it was a horrible trade at first, too, unless of course the Preds win the Cup. But thinking about it, Upshall won't be more than a third liner, if that, the first rounder is going to be low, very likely #30 overall and chances are that won't turn into a top two line player. Third rounder is a crapshoot. Parent is the only real good thing here, but even he is a question mark and probably wouldn't be helping the Preds that much in the near future. Forsberg can help them win the cup and at this point in team building, that's what you should aim for. You can fill your roster with third and fourth liners with ease any offseason anyway. And of course the Predators didn't want Forsberg to go to Anaheim or Detroit. It helps they don't have to carry Forsberg's contract into next season.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Toronto pulls even with Montreal but fortunately, for now, Montreal grasps onto an oily 8th place playoff spot. Montreal plays another set of back to back games(what is that like 3 in a row now?) against Carolina and Columbus. That SHOULD be 4 points easy for Montreal... I somehow don't see that happening.

[Clawson]

NHL.com Standings:

8 TORONTO 58 28 22 8 64 187 189 11-12-5 17-10-3 6-2-2

9 NY ISLANDERS 58 28 22 8 64 171 163 14-9-4 14-13-4 6-1-3

10 MONTREAL 59 29 24 6 64 167 174 17-11-3 12-13-3 2-7-1

Ummm......oily 8th spot for Montreal? More like oily 10th.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Doesn't Montreal have 8th spot on account of having more wins? I could be wrong but I believe that's the way it works.

Even with Montreal's poor month and a half of playing, I can still laugh at a good Toronto joke... Toronto is starting their construction season much to the frustration of many drivers. Toronto has unveiled an ambitious plan to repair over 300 roads. None of which lead to the Stanley Cup.

[Plubby]

I think they're in 10th because they have more losses.

[Clawson]

They're in 10th because NHL.com says so.....and Toronto has more points in games against them and the Islanders. Which is the real reason.

[Toe]

I thought Toronto was in ninth, and Montreal was in 8th because they had more wins. Everytime TSN shows the graphic, it shows that. But if NHL.com says that Toronto is in 8th, I guess that is correct.

It doesn't really matter right now, though. With 24 more games for the Leafs, that will most likely change after one or two. So the way the standings are now are good only in the sense that Toronto and Montreal remain right in the thick of the playoff hunt. I hope both Montreal and Toronto make it in, I really want to see a Toronto - Montreal playoff series.

[SeanDMan]

Montreal and Toronto are (or were) tied in points. Toronto, though, has a game in hand, so is ranked ahead. But if Toronto lost that game, then Montreal would be ranked ahead because they have more wins.

Anyway, the following is a letter to Patrick Lalime.

Dear Patrick Lalime,

Please Fuck Off.

Sincerely,

Everyone.

[Toe]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, Sean.

Toronto is going to face the Oilers, another team that really needs to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Leafs will be looking to turn around their fortunes at the Air Canada Centre, while the Oilers are really desperate for two points.