The Hockey Thread

[SeanDMan]

I talk about other teams all the time. I was the one hypothosizing the 82-0 Run for the Avs. It didn't work out that way, but I thought it was worth speculating on (and betting on, goddamn Rick Tocchet).

I also tried to get a hockey league going, but all you fucks are too busy swallowing paste to put together a goddamn numbered list.

Since you just sat there and admitted the only reason you aren't posting here is because your team sucks, why don't you shut up and fuck off until they start winning (maybe next year)?

[NobBe Nobbs]

Speaking of Toronto not winning until next year, I have soured on the Kessel trade now it's looking increasingly likely we just gifted Boston Taylor Hall. Now my only hope is Hall turns out to be a massive bust, because fuck knows we aren't going to get any better.

[Ruki]

Speaking of Toronto not winning until next year, I have soured on the Kessel trade now it's looking increasingly likely we just gifted Boston Taylor Hall. Now my only hope is Hall turns out to be a massive bust, because fuck knows we aren't going to get any better.

This is how I am starting to feel on the deal as well

And SDM, I wasn't busy eating paste! I sent you my list.

[Toe]

The Leafs are a better team then they we have seen so far. They have just failed to perform. They may not make the playoffs (and this slow start would be a big speed bump to pass) but I still think they will find some momentum and get out of the cellar.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Montreal wins a big game for the team. It was I believe our 4th or 5th game in a row allowing 25 shots or less, which is amazing considering last year we routinely gave up 40+ shots a game. I'm starting to dig Martin's system. Our team finally turned on the scoring as well. After the first 7 or so minutes of the game, we dismantled the Islanders... which is to be expected really when you look at the two teams. Someone made a good point the other day. If you exclude Toronto and Long Island, the teams that Montreal has played this year have something stupid like a 25-11 record, while great teams are able to beat other great teams with general consistency, Montreal is not the Wings or the Pens or the Hawks, but I'd like to think that they're a good team. And good teams beat non-playoff teams, so far this year we're 3 for 3 in that category beating the Leafs, Thrashers and Islanders (although the Thrashers are a great team this year so I'm not sure if I can lump them there).

Our defensive efforts have been a lot better. Hal Gill finally found some purpose on the team last night, and the Lapierre experiment on the second line seemed to work as it scored 2 goals. If we can get our secondary scoring going, we'll be set, because our top line has be putting opposing teams defense into fits so far this season.

[Clawson]

KyleWellwoodisfat is a trending topic on Twitter.

Good times. Good times.

[SeanDMan]

Kyle Wellwood is a lot thinner than he was last year, and he's fast, and very aggressive. He's having a good year.

Unlike SOME hockey players I know (IE: The Leafs)

[Clawson]

1 secondary assist in 9 games is a good year? Okaaayyy.

[SeanDMan]

Stats don't tell the whole story. If you were an actual hockey fan you'd know that. He's had tons of shots, and lots of clear cut oppurtunities, but the Canucks have had trouble making things happen offensively. He's the same. Once they start clicking though, Wellwood will start generating stats. He's been a very good player. Again, unlike the Leafs.

[SeanDMan]

Oh, and on the subject of Twitter trends:

How much do the #leafssuck? CBC is considering cutting back on Leafs exposure:

http://www.insidethecbc.com/hnic-thinking-about-pulling-back-on-the-leafs/

[Gabriel]

It's very rare that there's an early game I'd rather watch more than the Leafs game on a Saturday night. I'd rather watch the struggling Leafs than the Habs or Senators every week.

Also, do people forget that the late game is almost always Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton? Same as the early game almost always being the Leafs, Sens or Habs.

I did the research, and there was something like 12 Flames games not on television this season. What channel they are on is irrelevant. That's 70 games televised on a network that a normal cable package supplies. I'm fairly certain that the number is about the same for the other Canadian teams.

I really don't see a reason for anyone to argue about what gets shown, because from what I see, there's a good variety on the three or four channels that broadcast hockey regularly in Canada.

[SeanDMan]

The only issue really is what kind of cable you have. Pretty much every cable package you get has CBC, but TSN and Sportsnet can be, and are, classified at times as premium cable channels. If you just have a basic, 10 channel package, you'll get games on CBC, but that's pretty much it. Most local stations don't carry games anymore because the national carriers have all the rights.

I just looked it up for the Canucks to test Gabe's analysis:

There is a grand total of 1 game that isn't available on any kind of broadcast.

There are 11 games only available on pay per view.

There are 2 games that are on local cable channels.

The rest are all on national networks (Sportsnet, TSN, and CBC).

The most widely available of the three is no doubt CBC, so, to some degree I can understand why people want more, or less, of one team on CBC.

So for the most part Gabe has a point, but saying "What channel they are on is irrelevant" is kind of, uh, incorrect.

[Gabriel]

I guess you're right... even if you're not paying for the usual cable package, you still get CBC... but really, since when did the opinion of the poor matter?

TSN and SportsNet are usually available with the usual cable package... then if you get Digital Cable or a Satellite dish, you can get the NHL Network, which shows quite a few American games. Unfortunately, the other regional Sportsnet channels are blocked out for hockey games. I had them all at one point to watch Leafs games on Sportsnet Ontario, and Canucks games on Sportsnet Pacific, but because I'm regionally Sportsnet West, the hockey games from the other channels were blacked out.

Anyways... between CBC, Sportsnet and TSN, you'll see every team in the league at least once, non-regional teams that are relevant somehow a handful of times, and regional/Canadian teams several times throughout the season. TSN is very good about mixing up who they show... and CBC is as well, except of course they do it regionally. Anyone West of Ontario gets the Leafs games by default if there is one as an early game (barring any weird occurances of Western Canadian teams in that timeslot). Quebec and East gets the Habs games, and some portion in the middle gets stuck with Ottawa games. Of course, that is assuming all three teams play in the early timeslot, and usually at least two of them do.

Anyways... my point really, is that it's not too hard to find your team's games if you spend the time to look and see when they're on. Of course, if you're from BC and your team is the Dallas Stars, well... you'll have to pay for NHL Center Ice, and you should probably be kicked in the nuts for supporting an American team as your team. You can be a Habs fan in Vancouver, or an Oilers fan in Ottawa, but for fuck's sake, keep it in Canada. Or else you deserve the $350 a year fine that is a subscription to Center Ice.

[SeanDMan]

I thought you were Sportsnet Pacific?

[Gabriel]

I thought you were Sportsnet Pacific?

I was up until Summer 08. In July, I moved from BC to Alberta, just outside of Edmonton. So for last season and this season I've been able to watch upwards of 60-70 Flames games each season.

[SeanDMan]

I see I see.

[Plubby]

60 to 70 games a season? (cries)

[Clawson]

CBC is providing lip service. When the Leafs aren't the first game on the CBC the number of people watching drop nearly 24%.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Clawson has a point. Because as much as I hate the fact that the CBC on a national scale caters only to Leafs fans and then they throw in Calgary or Vancouver because there's nothing else on at 10pm, it does make more sense for the Leafs, even if they go 20-62.

The CBC is almost completely shunned in Quebec because of the Bob Cole years which made for watching the Leafs vs any team absolutely nauseating. Also, what with most of the population in Quebec being french and with RDS generally pulling in numbers on their regional network that exceed the national broadcast for the CBC it makes no sense to really put too much effort into catering to the second largest prime time market, because nobody is watching really.

On the other hand, from what I understand (which is very little), While Montreal has RDS (which comes with most cable packages in QC) for all 82 games per season, doesn't Toronto essentially have Leafs TV and then they have to wait for CBC or TSN to pick up games as well?

The point I'm trying to make is that it makes more sense to keep the Leafs on CBC, and to be honest, it's better for the Leafs fans to be able to catch a game on basic cable every week if there's no readily accessable and cheap provider for all the games(which if there is, than just ignore that reasoning).

--

Rangers tonight. Much tougher test than the Isles. Halak attack in nets again. If we can continue to limit opposing teams to 23 shots or less like we've been doing, it'll go a long way into keeping Gaborik and Dubinsky off the score sheet.

[Clawson]

Bob Cole is a Habs fan believe it or not. The problem lied in the fact that Harry Neale was the Leafs broadcaster so it made Cole look more homerific. Greg Millen is also the Leafs colour commentator but he's a retard so people don't notice as much.