The Thread Where We've All Got Playoff Beards

[Guest mr. potato head]

Watching this Scott Howson presser and one question pops into my mind - Howson says he'd have only traded Nash for a cornerstone that can make Columbus competitive, but how can he possibly expect to acquire such a cornerstone in exchange for a player who has never made Columbus competitive?

[caucasianheat]

Gragnani probably shouldn't be slept on, as he's a slick distributor and someone who can probably quarterback a second PP unit nicely for the Canucks. Buffalo must be very high on Hodgson because they gave up quite a bit to get him - I see Sulzer mostly as a throw in to balance numbers.

I stepped out at 3 frustrated and in need of groceries. Any details on what NYR offered for Nash that wasn't enough?

[SeanDMan]

I don't think Sean would agree.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

Totally forgot about today being the deadline somehow, went to go browse the NHL site and my brain nearly imploded with all the trade headlines before I realized.

AULIEEEE! NOOOOO~!

Surprised to see the Kassian/Hodgson deal. I like Kassian more of the two, though Hodgson is good as well. Decent for both sides. Roloston to Boston is a nice pickup for them too.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Mountainous Cleavage

[TGWL]

I also wasn't aware that Hodgson got less than 13 mins a night.

[Guest mr. potato head]

I think I'm agreeing with Sean. Hodgson is a good player who's going to be a great player. Kassian is a great AHL player who will, at most, be a good NHL player. Great swap for Buffalo, not great for Vancouver. I don't think a lack of size and toughness was what stopped Vancouver from winning last year, and even if it was, I think there had to be far better ways to address it than this one.

[caucasianheat]

Hodgson is almost certainly going to become a great player, but he was trapped on the third line in Vancouver behind better centermen in Henrik and Kesler. Neither of those guys is going anywhere, so Hodgson hit his ceiling in that organization.

Vancouver loses the trade in the sense that they gave up the best asset by far, but it's an asset they weren't using and couldn't have used to full potential. Trade him to a non-contending team across the continent and let the East worry about it.

[Guest mr. potato head]

I get that to an extent, but you don't trade a player in Hodgson's position just because he's too good for the position you're using him in. You see the huge value he has to other teams (compared to Vancouver at least) and use that to acquire something that you need. If there was no better deal to be had for Hodgson today (and if Kassian isn't a pressing need), hold on to him until the summer, when the market is more realistic and less insane, and get something better then.

[SeanDMan]

I dunno what is making me feel more ill, the trade or agreeing with MPH.

[Cactus Drags]

Gladiator's gone

I liked Winnik too. I get why they were moved, Winnik hasn't scored since before Christmas and Galli just doesn't seem to fit. Either he doesn't get on with Sacco or Sacco just doesn't like him. Shame. Don't really know anything about the SJ guys, but apparently there's a fair few fans upset with them moving McGinn.

[Plubby]

I had an awful dream where we traded Giguere back to Toronto. I'm still shaking. Somebody hug me.

[Ruki]

More Down Goes Brown goodness.

My favorite line?

April 7 – As the regular season schedule ends, Robert Luongo magically forgets how to be a decent NHL goaltender according to diehard fans of simplistic narratives.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

10 points to whoever knows where this reference is from.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Mountainous Cleavage

[Guest mr. potato head]

What reference? "The goalie couldn't stop a beachball"?

If so, then the answer is 'many, many places'.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

I meant showing a physical picture of them not stopping a beach ball, taterboy.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Mountainous Cleavage

[SeanDMan]

It's been done a lot.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

[Guest mr. potato head]

Oh.

Then I'm not sure. I'm recalling a Summit Series doc which had Tretiak laughing about how the Canadian scouts thought he couldn't stop a beachball. Then he said "Maybe it was a trick...maybe it was a superb trick..." and laughed maniacally for a while.

But that didn't have a picture so that can't be it.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

It's been done a lot.

God damn, I really didn't even realize just how much it's been done. I was in amazement as to how many pic's there were when I just google'd 'goalie beachball'. Seems every goalie's had a beachball pic made of them. Luongo, Theodore, Khabibulin, Huet, Raycroft, Boucher, Lundqvist, and that's all on the first screen.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and I was referencing the new movie Goon. Funny scene in it where these two Swedish guys are making fun of their goalie team-mate, and pull out a picture of him not stopping a beachball. *insert shitty reference meme here*

EDIT 2: Also, let it be known that I was just poking fun at Reimer for the 2 goals of the first 2 shots. He's played decent despite the team playing crap in front of him at times.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Mountainous Cleavage

[Ruki]

I knew it was Goon! That movie is SOOOOO great.

You know what isn't great? The Leafs. If the Panthers make it to the playoffs, we will be the only team post lock out to not make the playoffs.

So, who's up for some mass suicide?