2008/2009 Hockey Thread v2.0

[SeanDMan]

I know. Frankly, it's disgusting. Just clean up when you're done. I don't want to step in it.

[RoyWill Rumble]

HFBoards. Lawl.

I played atom hockey with Mike Murphy. He was a cock.

And sticking with Pogge, the guy is going to be great but don't you think you're overrating him a TAD bit? I mean, before the World Juniors I can nearly guarantee you that most hockey fans unless they were incredibly die-hard juniors fans knew much of Pogge. He'll be really good, but I think you may be overrating him a little bit. And his development hasn't been killed. You have to walk a fine line with goalies. For example, look at Marc-Andre Fleury. The guy was thrown under the bus early on and there was a very good chance he could have been a massive bust. He looked like he would be, in fact. He was just an experiment that luckily enough went right. How about a guy like Maxime Oulette? He was brilliant in the Juniors, got dicked around, then floundered.

I know it's old news by now, but I think the Leafs made a huge mistake in trading away Rask for Andrew Raycroft. I don't know if Rask will be better than Pogge, but I think the Leafs are risking a lot by leaning so heavily on Pogge for the future and not giving him some time in the NHL. In that sense I will agree with Toe. As I said, it's a damned fine line and the window is small to give Pogge a chance to develop while in the NHL. If he isn't starting goalie within the next two years, or at least part of a 1A, 1B situation than they might as well give up on Pogge as NHL starter material. This will be quite the trying year for the Leafs. I'll be interested to see how willing they are to get rid of Toskala to give Pogge a chance come next year or the year after that.

[SeanDMan]

post

...where the hell did you come from?

[Toe]

HFBoards. Lawl.

I played atom hockey with Mike Murphy. He was a cock.

And sticking with Pogge, the guy is going to be great but don't you think you're overrating him a TAD bit? I mean, before the World Juniors I can nearly guarantee you that most hockey fans unless they were incredibly die-hard juniors fans knew much of Pogge. He'll be really good, but I think you may be overrating him a little bit. And his development hasn't been killed. You have to walk a fine line with goalies. For example, look at Marc-Andre Fleury. The guy was thrown under the bus early on and there was a very good chance he could have been a massive bust. He looked like he would be, in fact. He was just an experiment that luckily enough went right. How about a guy like Maxime Oulette? He was brilliant in the Juniors, got dicked around, then floundered.

I know it's old news by now, but I think the Leafs made a huge mistake in trading away Rask for Andrew Raycroft. I don't know if Rask will be better than Pogge, but I think the Leafs are risking a lot by leaning so heavily on Pogge for the future and not giving him some time in the NHL. In that sense I will agree with Toe. As I said, it's a damned fine line and the window is small to give Pogge a chance to develop while in the NHL. If he isn't starting goalie within the next two years, or at least part of a 1A, 1B situation than they might as well give up on Pogge as NHL starter material. This will be quite the trying year for the Leafs. I'll be interested to see how willing they are to get rid of Toskala to give Pogge a chance come next year or the year after that.

I know the Raycroft for Rask trade was awful. Tuuka Rask is already pushing hard to get time with the Bruins. He had some starts last year, including a win against the Leafs. The Leafs didn't get anything positive out of that trade at all. In fact, you can argue that because Raycroft was the back-up last year and not someone else, the Leafs missed the post season because of that trade.

I think the deal Toskala signed when he was brought in from San Jose was for 3 years, so next season could be his last and then the Leafs could look hard at Justin Pogge as the starter. We aren't overrating him here, we are just saying that he needs to be given a shot. He needs to play 70 or more games in the AHL to really prove himself to be capable of doing anything in the NHL.

[Clawson]

1 hour 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour.

[Clawson]

Alright, who are you guys and what have you done with my Leafs?

[Toe]

That was a great way for Toronto to start the season. Even if they are expected to do poorly in the standings, they need to compete. I am sure Wilson keeps things positive in practice and in the dressing room, and the Leafs looked good on the ice. They played the system well, and scored when they had the chance to.

Luke Schenn looked good. He was a bit spun around on the second goal when he was sandwiched between Hossa and Holmstrom, but he was steady and strong in his own zone. I liked the line of Tlusty - Grabovski - Hagman. They created a good number of scoring chances. And Toskala was fantastic. Really, with the trap in place and Toskala in goal, Toronto could do better then people think. I have always thought they were out of the bottom 5 lottery pick area. They could finish that way, or they could find themselves scratching and clawing towards a playoff spot. I don't know, I think it all depends on how committed to Wilson's gameplan they are.

Montreal on Saturday. I don't think it matters how good or bad either team is in these games. It is almost always close and always hard fought. Does Montreal play tomorrow, or do they open the season against Toronto?

Edited October 10, 2008 by Toe

[Clawson]

Montreal opens against Buffalo tomorrow, so if Toronto shows the speed they have tonight they might be able to cause huge problems against Montreal.

[SeanDMan]

As is Canucks tradition, at the last home game for the team, the players give the jerseys off of their backs to the fans. In memory of Luc Bourdon, the person who got his jersey is donating it, the last jersey he ever wore in an NHL game, to his family. Classyness.

[Toe]

I liked the tribute to Bourdon. I had a few tears in my eyes while watching that.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

The choices for the new HNIC anthem are the one by the 13-year-old and the one with bagpipes. Ugh.

[SeanDMan]

Canucks are looking good tonight. Burrows is on pace for 82 goals.

[Guest Grapehead]

I actually have alex burrows in a fantasy league, w00t. Also Dany Heatley is on pace for 123 goals... so there!

[Gabriel]

Mixed night for me...

I'm a supporter of what Toronto is doing, and I see a lot of potential with the group they have...plus, I'm a Toskala fan... so I loved watching them defeat the defending Champions. They competed throughout the entire game, and there wasn't a single point in the game where Detroit outclassed them.

Then the Flames hit the ice... awesome first period, classic Flames style hockey. Down 1-0, but that's okay. Then their balls dropped off and we got slaughtered.

The Sedin's both have this confused look that they get after they get clobbered. Henrik looked like he had no idea what the hell was going on after the big (CLEAN) Phaneuf hit in the third period.

Poor Ryan Kesler... ate the butt end of his own stick in the first period, and then almost had a Richard Zednik moment in the second... I'm glad to see he made it out of the game in one piece.

[SeanDMan]

The Sedins have worked on adding size and muscle to better prepare them for the gruel of an NHL season, but they will never be Dion Phanuef.

[Gabriel]

The Sedins have worked on adding size and muscle to better prepare them for the gruel of an NHL season, but they will never be Dion Phanuef.

Haha, yeah... but I mean, they've been around how long now? They still look surprised as hell when they get hit.

Calgary's defense was just shit in periods two and three tonight. Even the forwards didn't do a very good job of backchecking... hopefully between Keenan's likely tirade, and a returning Robyn Regehr, we can make Saturday night a totally different affair.

[SeanDMan]

Yeah. Regehr is huge for you. If he's playing today that's not a 6-0 game.

Probably just 4-0.

[Toe]

Alfredsson to undergo surgery!

Uh-oh for the Senators! I wonder how long he will be out?

EDIT - It sounds like it might be just 2 weeks.

Edited October 10, 2008 by Toe

[wCwCreator]

Then the Flames hit the ice... awesome first period, classic Flames style hockey. Down 1-0, but that's okay. Then their balls dropped off and we got slaughtered.

So true. How am I supposed to cheer for suck?

[NobBe Nobbs]

Well, I've been doing it for a while. The key is to stop loving yourself.