2008/2009 Hockey Thread v2.0

[Reddaye]

Nope. I think we can do more with our own top pick and the other picks plus Kaberle, whether that means moving Kaberle for more picks or not. That would be too much to move for just one prospect when we need to fill a ton of holes on our roster.

THANK YOU!

I was starting to think I was crazy when I said it would be a bad move. This guy seems to think that drafting Tavares will make everything better. We got into the mess we're in now because we kept throwing away draft picks for that quick fix.

[TGWL]

- Tomas Kaberle

- 1st Round Pick

- 2nd Round Pick

- 3rd Round Pick

To the Islanders, for their first round pick this year?

Please tell me whoever said that was joking? That's a bad move, and something that should never be considered.

[Toe]

Hanson scored his first goal tonight. Hopefully he can be a useful player for us in the future. He has the size and the tools, he just needs to learn how to use them properly.

[Gabriel]

The 4-1 score tonight was definitely not indicative of the way the game went.

It sucks that we lost, but we did everything right tonight, and Luongo just happened to show up for the game. Lucky for Vancouver he did, otherwise it would have been a total blowout.

If the Flames play this way throughout the post-season, we're going to go pretty far. No goalie in the league will be able to perform that well, enough times, to put us away if that's how we're playing.

[SeanDMan]

You guys didn't play that well. Most of your scoring chances were from our mistakes, like the Iginla breakaway. We were off our game and played you guys way too soft. Fortunately, your goalie decided to take a nap and let in 2 shots from 45 feet.

[Plubby]

Gabriel: You posted the same way after the recent loss to an undermanned and underperforming San Jose team...I think you might be in for a bit of a shock..

[Gabriel]

You guys didn't play that well. Most of your scoring chances were from our mistakes, like the Iginla breakaway. We were off our game and played you guys way too soft. Fortunately, your goalie decided to take a nap and let in 2 shots from 45 feet.

One of which changed direction twice, and the other of which saw Steve Bernier expertly interfere with Phaneuf, sending him right into Kiprusoff at the most opportune moment.

I'm not saying that's bad...I'd love to have had my guys with a net presence like that. What I am saying though, is that the goals that went in, aside from that last one, were not Kipper's fault. They were deflections, or rough screens. He played tremendously well, and we didn't pressure Luongo enough at the other end. Shots don't equal pressure... I'm talking, net presence, playing rough in front of him, and driving to the net.

Because of the lack of production, our top guys seem a bit hesitant to drive to the net, and instead have been looking for passes, or just sending it back to our d-men. We have to stop doing that. Get the puck to the net, and drive hard. That's what works for us. That's what we should be doing.

Plubby: We are undermanned and snake-bitten. They're working hard, and as long as that's happening, I'm happy. We could lose 4 straight in the first round, but if they work hard every game, I will be pleased.

Edited April 8, 2009 by Gabriel

[SeanDMan]

You guys didn't play that well. Most of your scoring chances were from our mistakes, like the Iginla breakaway. We were off our game and played you guys way too soft. Fortunately, your goalie decided to take a nap and let in 2 shots from 45 feet.

One of which changed direction twice, and the other of which saw Steve Bernier expertly interfere with Phaneuf, sending him right into Kiprusoff at the most opportune moment.

I'm not saying that's bad...I'd love to have had my guys with a net presence like that. What I am saying though, is that the goals that went in, aside from that last one, were not Kipper's fault. They were deflections, or rough screens. He played tremendously well, and we didn't pressure Luongo enough at the other end. Shots don't equal pressure... I'm talking, net presence, playing rough in front of him, and driving to the net.

Because of the lack of production, our top guys seem a bit hesitant to drive to the net, and instead have been looking for passes, or just sending it back to our d-men. We have to stop doing that. Get the puck to the net, and drive hard. That's what works for us. That's what we should be doing.

...were you and I watching the same game?

The first Ohlund goal was tipped by Phanuef, but only once, and from the circle. The D-Man screening in front probably blocked his view, but it was still a single deflection from well out. It was not exactly a knuckle ball that changed directions eight times. The second shot was clean, and if you saw interference you must have been seeing Kipper react to wind resistance, because he was just beaten plain and simple, no one touched him.

The last goal was pretty soft, and in my mind is good evidence of him just wearing down, as I said he would.

In terms of net presence, I would agree that ours was good, but would disagree that yours was bad. Luongo spent a lot of time on his back, and Jokinen had that golden chance that he fired off of the net twice. When you were on the top of your game, you guys pressed hard, you pressed real hard. The key difference in this game was the goalies, but I don't think you guys had a terrible game. Not good, but not awful either.

Most of your shots were from the outside though, which is why you probably say "the score did not indicate the level of play". I'd say scoring chances the Canucks and Flames were probably even, or around a 7-5 margin or so, the difference is is that your goalie didn't play all that well on certain shots, and ours did. The game was pretty even, from where I was watching.

[Gabriel]

I think, more than anything, I'm just happy to see the team playing well and working hard, even if they're not necessarily being rewarded for it. We had that period after the deadline where the effort just wasn't there, so I'm much more concerned with the effort level.

I don't think the Canucks played a bad game at all... but they definitely need to tighten up on the defensive end. Bobby Lou won't save them every night, and that Jokinen chance you talked about. If that had gone in, we would have witnessed a completely different game.

Kipper's had some issues with soft goals this year, but when it comes down to it, he makes the really big saves on a consistent basis, and always gives the team an opportunity to win.

I'm not happy with the Power Play, or the fact that the team just can't seem to buy goals on a regular basis right now... but I'm not going to complain about this and that. They're working hard, and they lost. It sucks, but it happens.

Regehr and Sarich are both supposed to be back for the playoffs though, so our defensive work will be better than it was tonight.

I will say this... it was a hell of a game to watch. I'm looking forward to Friday and Saturday as well. Games between the western Canadian teams are always fun.

[Reddaye]

- Tomas Kaberle

- 1st Round Pick

- 2nd Round Pick

- 3rd Round Pick

To the Islanders, for their first round pick this year?

Please tell me whoever said that was joking? That's a bad move, and something that should never be considered.

No sir, this person was quite serious. In fact I was practically called an idiot for not agreeing it was a fantastic deal, and that we'd be stupid not to take it. John Tavares will fix all our problems, don't you know?

Two things to say about the game last night:

1. Who is this fucking alien that replaced Martin Gerber? And where did they hide the real one's body? He had a pretty fantastic game last night, making some incredible stops that were almost superhuman (well, almost superhuman ). He robbed Shanahan on the PK, fucking ROBBED him.

2. This was Chris Hanson's best game yet, even if you don't take into account his very nice goal. The two games prior he was obviously adjusting, and often times almost seemed to stand still. Last night he was moving around the ice, showing some good skating, and getting into positions to support his team mates, and get/set up scoring chances.

Also, John Mitchell has some real potential. He stick handled into the zone once last night and looked very impressive.

Edited April 8, 2009 by Drifter_2000

[JStarr]

We interrupt the Canucks/Flames/Leafs/Habs civil war for a brief announcement.

Alex Ovechkin made a little history last night. 200 goals and 200 assists in his first four seasons...only Gretzky and Lemieux have done that.

I'd love to see the Caps making a deep playoff run behind Ovechkin and Mike Green, but I'd trust Jose Theodore about as far as I could throw him. And with my bad knees, I shouldn't be throwing anyone.

Okay, carry on.

[Gabriel]

What I really want to see is Washington and Pittsburgh meet in the playoffs. I think that would be a highlight series of this post-season, if it were to happen.

[Plubby]

Starr: If you can find Theo highlights from his quaterfinal playoff series last season with Colorado, that should help your fears, he was sensational.

[Gabriel]

I think of Theodore and Cristobal Huet as very similar goaltenders. Huet really stepped it up last season for the playoffs. Theodore will do the same.

[Plubby]

Speaking of Goaltenders, where was this Peter Budaj BEFORE we were eliminated from Playoff contention?

[Gabriel]

Speaking of Goaltenders, where was this Peter Budaj BEFORE we were eliminated from Playoff contention?

This seems to be a growing issue with a lot of goaltenders... they play great when the games don't mean anything... but as soon as the pressure's on, they crumble.

It's like reverse-Theodore syndrome. Instead of stepping up when they need to, they play better when no one gives a shit.

[Reddaye]

So the current rumor swirling is about Swedish goaltender Jonas Gustavsson coming to the NHL next season following Farjestad BK's SEL-gold victory. The best part of that rumor is that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the club he's heavily rumored to be interested in; Dallas being the only other. Sixteen total want him, but those are supposedly the only two he's interested in joining.

He's 24 years old, six feet tall, and one hundred seventy eight pounds. Considered to be an elite goaltending prospect, with some phenomenal playoff stats from this season. The numbers break down like this:

12 Wins

1 Loss

5 Shut Outs

.961 Save %

1.08 GAA

His awards this year include: Best GAA, Best Save Percentage, and of course SEL Champion. He's broken practically every record in the league that Henrik Lundqvist set (which is practically all of them).

If Brian Burke can land this guy, we'd have a VERY interesting goalie prospect between the pipes. Swedish Elite League hockey isn't exactly a cake walk, so he obviously has quite a degree of skill.

Edited April 9, 2009 by Drifter_2000

[TGWL]

The east side now has their final 8 teams in the playoffs.

[Clawson]

The east side now has their final 8 teams in the playoffs.

No they don't. Maybe in half an hour they will but it's still up in the air.

[Pizza]

Except that they only have 7. Montreal clinches if the game tonight goes to overtime, and it's tied with ten minutes left, but it's not over yet.