f13.net

Are we gonna do this?  Do I have to start the league?

Go for it. I've just been in denial that summer is over.

Sharks really stole Heatley there. With Jumbo Joe I expect some big regular season points (and jack in the playoffs).

Also I still think that in a CBC contest of like 50,000 people, getting sub-200 should win you a fucking car.

Note: When you start the league, note that I'm putting up $100 to the winner's favourite charity. If you want me to do the league, just let me know.

You should probably start it, I've never run one before and have no idea how to actually set up the scoring system.

It's going to be the Leafs year!!! Eighth place and a first round exit (yuk it up, Toronto would kill for that. Our first glance at playoff sports in...well a while).

Which is worth throwing away the chance to rebuild properly and come out gunning ala Pit, Chi, Was, etc in a few years.

I feel so bad for Leafs fans. Their (mis)management constantly screws you all, and you're so true blue that you keep lapping it up happily. What an abusive relationship.

Toronto suits will kill motherfuckers to prevent Hamilton getting a team. They'd actually have to ice a decent team to get the seats filled. Maybe.

(Have I gotten this thread rolling yet?)

League info for top post:

http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/f13

League Name: Bat Country 2009
League ID: 172394
pass: nohomers

Rules are the same as last year. I don't believe there were any complaints. If you want something changed, just mention it in this thread and we'll vote it down and you can feel ashamed. So on and so forth.

IMPORTANT! Live draft on Sept. 26th at 10:00pm EST! IMPORTANT!

What's the league ID?

Fixed.

Also, draft order?

Random, snaking as usual?

Or some sort of system when I get to pick Crosby, Malkin and Fleury straight up.

The Kilt Wavers live again!

For now.

Most religions don't have followers as zealous and blind  :grin:

Hasn't Burke already said that the next few years will be "shit" or whatever?

-edit-

kan't engrish goodur

Operation Slapshot 2: Now with none of the original cast and 100% more Gary Busey.

Any chance of making that on the 28th or 29th, or bumping it back 90 minutes? No chance I can make it at that time- 5pm PDT is commuting  :heartbreak:

Seconding WAP's request...5pm PDT is commuting hell.

Also, in for another season of fantasy fail.

I'll give some more people time to chime in on that before I change it.

At the moment I'm thinking to maybe bump it back to Sunday the 27th?

I'll set it for Sunday so everyone is hopefully off work and can participate by making huge mistakes such as picking Miro Satan like I did last year, hoping he'd return to his Buffalo form playing alongside Crosby. Obviously I'm very smart as he was in the minors at the end of the season.

Edit: I don't know why I can't make it later than 8:45 EST, but whatever.

Please tell me that is PM and not AM? Otherwise I will miss this one too. No way in hell I am getting up that early on a Sunday  :uhrr:

Buffaloed Wings are back to defend their title!

Sunday is definitely better.

Leafs rebuild: Officially over.

Phil Kessel (Career high 60 pts last year) for 2010 1st, 2010 2nd, 2011 1st.

So instead of rebuilding, you grabbed Kessel and some mediocre free agent signings on defense...

But hey, if Kessel develops into as good a player as, say, Kovalchuk... you might be the next Atlanta Thrashers!


Oh wait.




Kessel will never be anywhere near that good.


It's funny, because I've traditionally hated the Leafs. But lately I had really been cheering for them to get better. When they announced a major rebuild and started ditching assets for picks, I was really hoping they'd stockpile picks and come out with the next awesome team in a few years with a lot of great, exciting rookies.

But there's just no way to put a positive spin on this shit.

The Leafs pretty much did what they always did - go out and grab a bunch of mediocre free agents and hope it wins them a Cup.

It'll work one day, you'll see! You'll all see!

mwhahaha!  :why_so_serious:

I don't know. I guess I should stop being pissed off and insulted FOR Leafs fans. They fall in love with whatever their organization does pretty quickly, so I tend to be the only one who is upset about it.

It's just that they have this huge GM search and front office turnover with the big new promise of change, trumpet from the castle walls about how they're going to rebuild properly and bring in Brian Burke who starts talking about rebuilds and how hard the next few years will be, etc.

Then they sign a bunch of free agents like always and will proceed to either miss the playoffs or get knocked out in the first round. Like always.

I'd be pissed. But for some reason, being a Leafs fan requires a fucking lobotomy or something. They love it. The cup is theirs, etc.

I think you missed the green text in my post lol. Well, a little green, like teal font, or something. Normally, no one is more cynical towards them than my, after all the burnt hand.... but this year is a little different. Not we're going to win the cup different, just I think they have a shot at the playyoffs different. Nothing higher than seventh place, and 100 to 1 odds on a first round exit, but that is so much more than they have delivered in the last five years that it is worth something.

And what did it cost.

Considering what the Leafs had before, not much. They gave away a first round pick, but they recived a player who was picked in the first round, and they didn't have to develop him.

Actually they gave two firsts and a second.

For a guy who got 60pts last year playing top line minutes alongside Marc Savard, one of the league's best centres. He's not getting that kind of support in Toronto, I can tell you that right now.

The question wasn't really about that though. What this summer has COST you, in return for a small chance at maybe a first round exit, is your entire rebuild. You sacrificed everything you could have done by developing youth and picking top 5 over the next 3-5 years. Your entire future was thrown away for the sake of being mediocre immediately. And well into the future. Which is a pattern with the Leafs that I'd be getting awful fed up with personally.

I just realized that Sunday is the Seahawks-Bears game I am attending, so I am going to miss the draft. Fuck.

Pretty sure trotski is going too.

Look, I wanted the Leafs to be patient and rebuild too, but they have never ever been able to do that. Their rebuilding plans always have the wheels fall off, half due to poor management, half due to pandering to a very impatient fanbase.

I never said that this was a team going places in years to come, I said finally we might get a playoff appearance this year, so lets enjoy it. The worst spot it could lead us is, yup, right where we are now.

Not sure how many times I can change it before nobody knows what's going on, but how is the Saturday?

Odds are good that I'll be working overtime whatever day you do it, so I'm indifferent.

Be nice if there was a draft by mail option.

I THINK Saturday will work  :oh_i_see:

Changes from now on cost $15.99.

It's all well and good and say that a team should tank a few years to rebuild BECAUSE IT WORKED FOR PIT, but remember that THAT franchise nearly died doing that (by coincidence or intent).

I mean, who the fuck would want to go see a team that has no intention of going anywhere? They MIGHT be good 5 years down the line, but I'm watching the games Now, and if my team was doing that sort of thing, I don't know how I could watch games.

Don't forget the other part of that plan: wipe out a season and get the first pick from a league-wide lottery.  Hooray for dumb luck!

Our Philly fanatic gallery pipes in.

Calm down boys, Pittsburgh isn't the only team in the league that's built through the draft. Additionally, high draft picks are done through a lottery. Yeah, getting the best ones is luck. That's how it works. Get over it.

Geez, Philly? That makes me sad.

There's nothing wrong with how the Pens put their team together, but at least acknowledge that Crosby was landed by pure blind luck and not part of some genius master plan.

GL on draft all.  I'd join in but there's no way I'll make any of those times this weekend.

Yeah, Pittsburgh sure did have bad luck that year they got Malkin instead of Ovechkin.

Not a bad consolation prize. I remember being pissed off at the time.

I'll get called a crazy homer because I'm a Penguins fan and the media is all over Ovechkin's balls for the past couple years, but I think Malkin is the best player in the league.

The suck for a season to rebuild would work BETTER in Toronto than in Pitt because let's face it, those fans would go see the Leafs play no matter what. While they may not sell out every night, Toronto fans are like Chicago Cubs fans - they like the fucking team so much, they are happy to take the abuse.

Half the fun with being a Leaf fan is being able to know the team is going no where and still plan the parade with total sincerity!



/just need to get Domi out of retirement amirite?  :awesome_for_real:

Favourite Leafs moment:

1993 Norris Division championship rings and parade.

I'm still emotionally scarred from that let down, I'll have you know. That was going to be THE storybook seasons for the Leafs. It was SUPPOSED to be an epic all Canadian Leafs vs. Habs cup final (I think it would've been the last chance for this to happen too, before they changed the divisions?). The build up from the previous rounds, the way Gilmour was tearing it up, Potvin was being amazing and Wendel Clark could do no wrong.

I grew up on that season, was the first one where I really understood what I was watching and could talk about it at school the next day. Where all my friends and I would pretend we were players and all that.

So much  :heartbreak:  :cry2:



This dude sums it up pretty well. ( http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2008/09/toronto-maple-leafs-history-2.html )

Actually, that year was supposed to be Kings vs. Pens. Gretzky vs. Lemieux.

Would have worked out fine, too, until the Penguins choked in the first round after two straight cups, dominating all regular season and putting together a league record 17 game winning streak.

Edit: Okay, second round. I don't even know my own team.

Kerry Fraser. It's all his fault. Kerry, fucking, Fraser.

edit: Why did ya'll have to get me thinking about 93 again?!?! Had the Leafs won that year (and that would have been a big if), it would have been their cup and Joe Carter's (Ashamanchill makes the sign of the cross at the name of St. Joe) Home Run. Sigh.....

You just hate him because his hair is perfect.

I might not even make the draft now.

If I do, it'll be a photo finish.

With hair like that, who needs a helmet?

Pretty sure those online should get the top picks. Now that I'm here, anyway.

I'm trying to get in and the damn thing keeps hanging loading the draft app.

Players I want currently:


Crosby
Malkin
Heatley

Edit: Kovalchuk too, if the price isn't ridiculous. I have jack on LW, but Kovalchuck has even less to play with this year.


Peruse my team and propose a trade if you'd like.

Did I draft all by myself or something?

.

That is just sick. Goalies are meh, but the rest of the team is unreal.

I'll complete your set of Sedins for only the low low price of one Ovechkin.

Haha. This made me laugh all day. It's like playing monopoly with you're little brother, and getting him to trade you park place for one of the utilities because you phrased it nice. Serioulsy Wav, I would recommend that trade.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3969368232_27307463eb.jpg) (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/3969367796_10b60d28d0.jpg) (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3969367500_569ab79a7c.jpg)

(http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs255.snc1/10218_172985148764_13732078764_3743770_5151274_n.jpg)

(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/Kinguin/RING2.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3466/3967331059_f330a28f31.jpg)


Just sayin'.

Imagine I posted a giant NSFW vagina here in response.

Just sayin'.

That post owned all of your faces. Admit it.

Did we always have goals worth 5 points and assists worth 3?

Wow. I picked Hossa and he's on the fucking IR until late November.

That was fucking smart.

WTF?

Versus not on DirecTV (http://directv.com/versus) this season.

And DirecTV only showing 2 games tonight in NOT hi-def.

Thanks, NHL + DirecTV and Versus.

Well, fuck. Guess I won't see much fucking hockey at all this season. Way to sign up with a winner there, NHL. How fucking bad could that ESPN deal have been after the strike that you would suck up to VERSUS?

STEIGERWALD IS THE WORST.

Gaborik looked good tonight. He'll do 40+ if he can stay healthy, probably.

Yes. He sucks.

Even worse knowing that Mike Lange is calling the games on radio…

He singlehandedly nearly ruined that EPIC banner celebration.

Oh just flub the shootout and leave the poor Islanders alone.

That made me feel kind of bad. They finally get some hope for their sorry ass team and we ruin everything on opening night with a shootout win.

So Luongo sucks, Brodeur sucks, and Cam Ward sucks.

Keep it up, boys. I'd LOVE to see Fleury in net for the Olympics. <3

Luongo has been terrifyingly ordinary, and the rest of his team is even worse. Also- can someone explain to me how a team that has to go on the road for a fucking month because of the Olympics has to start the season on a two game road trip? Apparently every game from February on is at home or something.

That might get you into the playoffs down the stretch if the zamboni driver puts a pile of snow infront of your net before each period.

The scheduling is a mess.  The Sabres opened on Saturday, yet they don't play again until Thursday?  And then they have around 20 stretches of three games in four nights later in the season.

I actually have to keep Luongo on the bench until further notice.

Luon...goal?

He looks like a trauma victim. I hope Game 6 didn't break his head.

I'm not worried about him, he's notoriously ordinary in October. He'll be better in November and hopefully reel off another string of club-record shutouts....I hope.

Either that or pull his groin again.  :oh_i_see:

It's a good thing that games in October don't actually count towards the playoff race, then!

Yeah, I don't think we can count on Calgary crapping all over themselves down the stretch this year. Unless Kipper or Iginla gets hurt.

So... anyone watching this PIT/PHX game on TSN?

I think Furio had a talk with the refs before the game.]

Edit: With Carey Price, too.

Phoenix shutting out Pittsburgh?  Terrible.  Vancouver winning 7-1?  Maybe they read f13 and didn't want to let us down!

Vancouver was cruising so well I turned it off after 2 to play NHL 10. I had it Tivoing in the bedroom, so I was going to watch the 3rd in bed. Got in bed all excited to watch it and discovered that my fucking retarded TiVo didn't change the channel so I got some random shit instead. :arrgh:

That would be 1ST PLACE PHOENIX COYOTES!

I reckon teams are taking a bankruptcy tottering team in disarray lightly.

But OTOH they actually have a coach now.

Yes, they actually have a coach. That'd be the major change.

With Philly tonight, I also suspect Pittsburgh may have been guilty of looking beyond Phoenix.

That, and the refs are crooked. It's Gary trying to get Phoenix into the playoffs so ticket sales improve, I think.

(I just want to say I started it incase Phoenix does have a good season. That's all people will be saying on hockey forums.)

Stay classy, Philly.  :awesome_for_real:

Where is Crosby's edge, by the way? His work down low and his ability to be the best grinder that ever played the game is what put him on par with Malkin and Ovechkin. He's playing without that and he's not even close to those two at the moment.

Was there finger biting? (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09282/1004205-61.stm?cmpid=news.xml)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UneRznYJTcI&feature=player_embedded

I'm getting known as the anti-Philly guy around here I think, so I decided I'm not saying shit.

What happened pretty much speaks for itself, though.

coughbunchoffuckingclownsandalwayshavebeencough

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/jakehk/hartnell2.jpg)

:eat: :eat: :eat:

:roffle: :roffle: :roffle:

Can the Pens handle the DEFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT that is Toronto?!?  :why_so_serious:



Fuck making the playoffs, I don't think we are going to win a game this season.  :cry2:

Well after two they're getting utterly schooled.  Monday they draw the Rangers so chances are they'll be 0-5.

Planning to be meaner and tougher is fine; but they might have wanted to think of about what will happen when they keep handing Crosby and Malkin power plays.

They're not even succeeding in the toughness department.  My Sens go to ACC, play poorly, and still win as they jam their gloves in the Leafs faces all night.

If their 1st rounder ends up a lottery pick... :ye_gods:

Not seeing why it wouldn't be at this point.

I said from day one that Burke was an idiot, they wouldn't make the playoffs, etc. I won't rub it in when the season is over and Leafs fans are REALLY upset, but I sure will right now.

Funniest hockey moment of the season: Leafs 2010 first rounder ends up being 1st overall.

Brian Burke calls up the Bruins asking if he could "Seriously pretty please" have it back.

I'm pretty sure the Leafs had more Fights and Penalties then shots for the first period. Which wouldn't be hard, since they had a grand total of two shots after the 1st.



Who the fuck is supposed to be our goal scorers on this team? Shit who is our Captain even, I honestly don't know.



One of the announcers had a decent comment, the Leafs seem to be stuck in Slow-Mo replay while the Pens are Fast-Forwarding through the game.

This game really highlighted how absolute shit the Leafs are currently. The Washington game was bad for the Leafs, but this one just sucked what very little life was left. "2-0, woo goal 2-1 we are back in! *15 seconds go by* wait nvm, 3-1. Sorry no, 4-1, maybe we can beat the traffic... oh hay 4-2 woo Go Leafs g... 5-2, rite... so should we take the Gardiner or try Lakeshore?*" There was at no point that the Pens were even mildly concerned of the outcome.


/usually takes the subway!

Mats Sundin.

Sorry, but the problem is management. I'd say it's Brian Burke, but it's the management. Certainly that includes Burke to a large degree, but it's everything that's gone on with the Leafs for the last decade. It's letting Burke do what he's doing right now.

The Leafs remind me of the Penguins of five or six years ago. Problem? Constantly fucking up management is worse than having no management at all. Burke's ego doen't help. In fact, it'd also be better to have no GM at all than it would be to have Brian Burke.

The system is set up so that if you suck, you are provided golden opportunities to get better. Big BB traded those opportunities for a team that still sucks, and now you're just screwed. I say "I told you so" a lot for a guy that professes to hate doing it, but since when does adding a bunch of fighters and some hitters substitute for skill?

Boy, we're gonna lose - but hopefully we're gonna hurt some people doin' it!

"Awesome!" the fans cried.

Look, he got lucky with a pre-assembled team of skill and added toughness, then won a cup. Guess what, dude - the Leafs aren't in such a fortunate position as to provide you with a winner by default that really only needs supplemental toughness to compete. You actually need to be good at your job -- and you're just not. Period.

Trading two (very) potentially Top-5 picks and a second rounder to boot (a LOT of good players in the league were second round picks) for fucking Phillip J. Kessel, a guy who scored a career high 69 points alongside one of the BEST centremen in the league last year on a stellar Boston club was one of the stupidest fucking things I've ever seen anyone do in hockey.

Choke on it for making the most loyal fans in hockey endure more of this shit, Burke.

There are a couple of feuding owners in the MLSE or whatever, that constantly stick their noses into shit. I don't even know their names, but I know they've been "helping" the Leafs along for years now.


I still have my parade party ready though!  :grin:

Oh what an epic it is.  There's a lot to cover over 40 years so I'll just touch on the current junta:

Their mess really started when the CEO Richard Peddie, who made his name in the business world selling canned beans, fancied himself a hockey exec and started sticking his nose in.  He ended up underming and forcing out Pat Quinn, and replacing him with Ferguson Jr., claiming they would mould him into some sort of super GM.  This of course failed.

Another exec, Larry Tanenbaum started to get involved as well.  And his friendship with Tie Domi interfered with Paul Maurice's influence over the room.

Then they castrate their own choice for GM, who was totally in over his head, by claiming they were going to hire a 'mentor' for him (why just make them the new GM?).

So now Burke is in and has at least managed to keep those clowns at bay (for now), but his moves may form a new chapter.

Whoops! 7-2 Rangers over Leafs.  :ye_gods:

What is the longest losing streak in NHL history? I predict the Leafs will get within 1 game of it, then actually win.


They suck so bad they will fail at failure.

God I hope none of you picked any Leaf players.


Unless your pool awards points for penalty minutes, then you better grab Komisarek.

Well, I always admit when I'm wrong, and this certainly warrants it. I called for the Leafs to squeek into the playoffs this year, but last I checked a team needed to be on the plus side of the ledger in goals at the end of at least one game. Oh well, wrong again.

I know it's awfully early to tell, but 0-6, come on. You're killing us here.

Oh, and btw, there is no current captain this year  :awesome_for_real:, and it shows.

Jason Blake killed his own goalie, pro!  :awesome_for_real:

Yeah, but it was Vesa Toskala, so he may have actually helped his team.

Best player on the Leafs payroll:  Darcy Tucker.

 :rimshot: Hayo.

I still stand by what I said earlier in the thread though. It's all Kerry Fraser's fault. His missed call on Wayne Gretzky in 93 has reverberated through the space time continum and created the Leafs in their current state. Or maybe I'be been watchin too much TNG lately, who knows.

Hey guyse, can we redraft?

I really want Crosby, Malkin, Gaborik, Nash, Kovalchuk, and maybe OV.

Anyone want to trade for Brian Gionta?

Fun Leaf Fact for the day!


The total number of minutes the Leafs have held a lead across all their games played this season? Six!  :why_so_serious:

I'm just going to shut up about the Leafs. I can't imagine how painful it'd be to see the first overall go to Boston this year.

They almost looked like a hockey team tonight, for like 30 whole minutes even!


I don't think things will get really dire until they fuck up this up and coming road trip. When they lose 5 straight on the road, then I don't know what will happen. It's silly since it's still freaking October and everything, but I don't see how this team will suddenly improve and compete, at all. The only game this season that wasn't decided before the 3rd period was the opener.

I also don't remember the crowd being this bad before, sure they've been quiet for years, but I've never seen them out right hostile. Then again, I wasn't around for the Ballard years. Did see some bags on heads though!  :oh_i_see:



-edit-

Of course, this could all be part of the master plan! You see, by purposefully miss-coaching the Leafs, they could be turning everyone against them, so that the Leaf players can only rely on each other. Broken down into mounds of shapeless clay, they can then be forged into the Hockey Warriors of lore that will lead the team to a 10 year cup dynasty!

That or we step up that human cloning program and replace them all with Wendel Clark Troopers.

So, with Gonchar out I was going to pick up Goligoski this morning.

Fuck.

This (http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/10/willie_mitchell_levels_blackha.html) was a thing of terrible beauty.

Yep, he's mine now, bitch.

I cannot stand how no matter if the hit was clean or not, players go after the guy leveling the boom. If it was dirty, sure, stand up for your team mate. But this fighting after a clean hit is dumb.

Just finished watching a Rick Rypien tear up Storini, Prust and Hall Gill on hockeyfights.com. That little bastard can THROW.

I think the team just feels that they have to respond to someone laying out their superstar, clean hit or not. I was appalled that the refs STOPPED THE GAME on a fucking breakaway and then cleaned it up afterwards by giving Mitchell a roughing minor and whoever went after him a double minor. That is fucking bullshit- if a team wants to ignore the puck in order to settle something, they need to live with the consequences. Between that and the playoffs last year, I think it is safe to say we have a damned good rivalry now.

As for Rypien- he is a fucking beast. He is maybe 170 pounds and under 6 feet tall and will fight literally anyone (Vigneault even said he has given up trying to convince Rypien to pick his battles  :awesome_for_real: ). And beat just about everyone too. His dad was a GG boxer when he was a kid, so he comes by it honestly. He is a centerman too, so he has some limited value beyond fisticuffs. He is playing and fighting Darcy Hordichuk right out of a job. I like Hordy, but if someone wants to give up something of value for him, I wouldn't mind if they traded him. The only reason I bring up a trade is that he was the player I got the most offers for in NHL 10  :awesome_for_real:

While you don't want to see anyone hurt, I always crack up at the after effects of such a hit. That "I'm OK, I can move just fine! *splat* maybe I'll just crawl instead"

It's a Christmas miracle!

The Leafs won a game!

Holy shit do the Wild suck it this year. 6 points? Where is this vaunted new open style of play that will get them more offense? I guess Lemaire's trap first mentality really did count for something.

But at least they ain't the Leafs.

Trapping = wins when your team sucks.

I assume that's pretty much what was going on.

Since it's impossible to make a trade in this league, I'll put a post up here.

On The Block:

Emery - Stock will only rise as Philly comes into their own throughout the season. Philly is pegged universally as a cup contender this year. I *hate* wanting Philly to win.

H. Sedin - Hot at he's ever been this year, especially since his brother went down. Not so much the last few games, however. Daniel will be back in a couple weeks, and while he's the goal scorer, Henrik is worth more points in this league due to faceoff wins and equal point production.

Luongo - Stock is currently rising from a slow early season start. Bobby Lou's stock only ever goes in one direction. Willing to trade for top flight forward if I think his stock is going to be rising as well (I lack AAA forwards). Keep in mind I'll only trade one goalie.


Will Not Trade:

Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Lecavalier.

This are AAA players currently at the very bottom of their career worth. Their stock can only go in one direction. Selling low is always a bad idea.

WILL trade if you see these players as ones that are very capable of being top players by the end of the year and are willing to offer fair value.


Stop Laughing At Me:

Dustin Penner: May be a waiver player, but just because I grabbed him first doesn't mean he's not fifth in the league in scoring.

I was also curious as to who had the horseshoes up their ass and got Kopitar in the draft.

Surprise, surprise. Mr. Fucking All-Star Team.

I think I drafted him and then shrewdly traded him.

I think the Pens rebounded from that loss.

Nevermind. Malkin out 2-3 weeks.

Also - Backstrom. I knew this was going to happen when I saw him come into his own last year in the playoffs. But damn, I have Ovechkin and he's really going to benefit from Backstrom.

I'm not in your guy's league but I would just like to point out that in 16 team league I have Malkin, Kopitar, Penner, St. Louis, Richards, Belanger and Vanek just to name a few. Needless to say I am stomping :)

Each team has 17 roster spots total  (have to have a goalie. I have 2)
The thing that blows me away is that at least 3/4 of the people in the league are very knowledgeable hockey fans.

I'll cross trade you my Gionta from my work league! Currently I have two guys on IR, including my first round pick. Oh, and I have Cam fucking Ward. But I'm not in last, damnit! (by seven whole points).

Yeah. I'll trade you for anyone but Cam Ward.


Who would have seen that coming.

A report from the hockey in the desert front.

Was in attendance at the Coyotes v. Kings game last evening. A friend copped a suite pass — with parking pass in exclusive garage next door and catered food and TV in suite tuned to world series game. The announced attendance was 5K but it appeared to me less people in attendance than at some of my recreation league championship games. I believe AZcentral.com reported 3K "actual" attendance. Just absolutely embarrassing for an NHL franchise, especially one that's actually playing decent hockey, especially now that they actually have a coach.

Doesn't bode well for future prospects but consider that the team has had ZERO marketing during the offseason and new season start. To add insult to injury, with 3 sports radio stations in the market, getting to hear the Coyotes on the radio is a dicey proposition as they're not even on the radio some nights — preempted by world series, football, college sports, auto racing, etc.…

And now time for a DirecTV rant.

Last year I was delighted with the Center Ice package — a new NHL channel, dual broadcasts with each team's announcers, lots of games in HD, plus Versus coverage. It finally looked like NHL entered the 21st century (as far back as 95-96, they had capability for HD broadcast). This year, they've taken some backward strides…

• …no Versus on DirecTV, meaning those games are just not available to watch, usually good contests (PIT, WAS, etc.…) and it will really suck come playoff time, as their exclusives mean I pay lots of money for a season pass for games I am unable to watch…

• …majority of games this year are not in HD. WTF? Even worse, last week, first night I wasn't working or in engagements, got to sit down to watch — only 2 games in HD and for some reason DirecTV was giving me black screen and not authorized. I had to call and they corrected it, but out of these 2 games, the DET game in HD really wasn't in HD — vertical barred (at least had proper resolution)  though the TV indicated HD broadcast. I asked why not many games in HD and the CSR rep said quite a few teams (NYI, NJD, NYR) were no longer transmitting HD broadcasts to DirecTV.

• …getting rare to even get a Canadian broadcast and most of the early season telecasts, unless on the NHL channel, are not in HD.

• …WTF is the NHL "on the fly" highlight show not in HD? All of the NFL channel and football games are in HD. Same with baseball (though I don't do that package) from what I've seen. If any sport profits from HD, it's hockey.

• …finally, this is a local thing and may be associated with the economic malaise of Coyotes — a good number of their games not in HD, and worse, on a local channel that looks like it's being broadcast from a Sports Illustrated sneaker phone camera.

God we (Leafs) suck.


So damn much.


Kessel, Stajan, Blake. That is our go-to line.

But according to people in Ontario, Kessel is the next Gretzky.

..


I think they're just looking at what they paid for him and are assuming he is, actually.

There's this new delusion about Gustavinsoning (The Monster) is going to be the new savior. This is the EXACT same delusion that we had about Toskala last year or the year before.

The only guy on the Leafs that is even remotely redeemable at this point is Kaberle, but I don't think we can trade him due to the no-trade clause.


We are the best at overpaying for under preforming players!  :awesome_for_real:

I was listening to the radio today and they were interviewing one of the Leafs. He said something about them having points in their last four games. Yeah, only because of a generous NHL policy towards loses you fuck! Any other sport would have you flat on your ass at 1-12! When Tomas Kaberle is your biggest star (no offence to the guy, he seems really nice), your team is borked.

Hey, if they lose all their games in OT, that isn't THAT terrible of a season point wise!  :why_so_serious:

WTF happened to Pens?

Since taking a 2-1 lead into 3rd period of game against Kings Thursday night, they've been outscored 9-0 in their last 4 periods of play…

Malkin, Gonchar, Talbot, Kennedy, and Letang are hurt, sure. But the rest of the team have been playing like shit. Namely Guerin, Crosby and Fleury.

Fedotenko has been invisible, Skoula sucks, and Staal has been very mediocre.

To me, it looks like Crosby is happy with hitting about 80 points this year. Fatigue from the playoff run, maybe? I don't know. He doesn't have the fire.

It has been two really long Seasons for most Pens. Plus I'm sure there is a huge weight off his shoulders and all that now.

My squad is imitating the Pens and Canucks- I have 4 guys on IR, including Ovechkin  :heartbreak:

Rumour has it that Crosby also has a shoulder injury that he's playing through.

So, I dropped my second goalie and figured I'd just ride Ward through Carolina's issues...

Yea, I'm gonna put Krejci in net I think.

Need a 'tender?

I got lots. You got Nash and Getzlaf.

I want lots of Nash and Getzlaf.

I've figured out the problem with trades in this kind of league.

Not enough roster spots.

I need less roster spots and more IR spots.  :oh_i_see:

That too.

This, or too few teams, so there are few "mid- tier" players on teams.  I considered a couple of your offers for Crosby, but to accept them, I'd have to drop a player I wanted to hang on to.

Exactly. In the end, because of not having enough spots/too few teams, trades that aren't 1 for 1 have to be lopsided somehow. Trades that ARE 1 for 1 are nearly impossible. Trading just doesn't work - and not for a lack of trying. I've been trying to make trades happen (I assume just about everyone has like five offers or more from me), but it's not going to work out.

A pool with about twice the roster space would be much more entertaining.

Okay, so:

Taking a break from UO data entry, I set up a secondary league for us hockey fellas.

The Rules Are As Such:

- Each team is a full team. That means four lines, seven defense, and two goaltenders. Four bench spots and two IR spots. Full team.

- Goals are five points and assists are three points. Just like before.

- Plus/Minus is now worth TWO POINTS. That's twice as much. That means good +/- guys matter, and bad ones can hurt you a bit.

- Penalty Minutes are one point. That's up from 0.1. Fighters and shit disturbers are actually valuable players now. A fight is worth as much as a goal. Instigating, fighting, and a game misconduct? It's the new Hat Trick, baby!

- Powerplay points add one extra point (nerfed, since we're going with bigger rosters and more roleplayers).

- Shorthanded points were worth +3 before. Now goals are worth +5, and assists +3. I felt this should be bumped to make penalty killing players more valuable. Again, gogo defensive-type players and roleplayers!

- GWG is changed from 1 point to 2. Gogo clutch players!

- Faceoffs, goaltender points and the rest I feel were just fine.


Draft Day is the 20th. Only draft available is autodraft (no move Live Draft) -- so set up your rankings if you're interested.

League ID#:  341853
League Name: batcountryxtra
Password:    nohomers
Custom League URL: http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/batcountryxtra (http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/batcountryxtra)




(Obviously if people generally roll their eyes at the thought of more hockey, I'll take votes on doing next year's pool something like this)

Sounds interesting. In.

Is this just a response to my total domination? :hello_thar:

Sounds awesome, I'm in.

Yes.

61 Shots on net, Sixty-One!


They lose 4-3 in OT.



 :awesome_for_real:



I need a awesome for real emoticon with a Blue Maple on it's face.

I think my Penguin-love got me bamboozled on that trade.

Crosby is absolutely fucking awful this year.

Clearly he should sign with Toronto then.

Well, if Kessel is worth two top 5/lottery picks and a second round pick... I might actually take a trade for Crosby. What's he get, eight top fives? Ten?

Sounds like a deal.

I feel bad for Kessel, he's a pretty darn good player really, but he isn't the Magic Bullet his price tag would suggest and it's going to ruin him once the fans turn.

Well, I'm surprised how we'll he's doing so far. Problem is that he's their only actual player outside of Kaberle. Even if Kaberle and Kessel were Ovechkin and Malkin they wouldn't be able to carry that team.

I just can't fathom how painful it'll be for Leafs Nation if these picks end up being a couple of #1 overalls.

Oops, *that* close. Almost had a bright future for once.

Sure, but their first round picks are spoken for until 2021.

Yea, easily the biggest "Problem" with Kessel, is you see him play and you go "oh hey, this guys is a legitimate 1st liner" and then you see the stark and terrible contrast between him and say, every other forward on the Leafs.

Here's hoping those top draft picks turn out to be lemons  :awesome_for_real:

I'm surprised there isn't more Brian Burke hate.

When did the guy become an infallible genius, exactly?

He didn't even fucking build that Anaheim team. He made a few moves and the team that was largely already in place won a cup. It's like saying Shero is a genius because Pittsburgh won a cup when they already had all of their major pieces in place and were just waiting for them to hit their stride.

I don't know when the Burke worship exactly started, but the lack of hate is coming from people not really comprehending the situation I think. On the radio shows, I hear a lot of people call in with comments like "don't worry, this team is a work in progress, you need a few years to build something", which seems to really just gloss over the fact we will be missing those key rebuilding tools, like draft picks.  :oh_i_see:

It's also still early'ish in the season, so those Leafs are going to kick it into gear any day now and win the next 60 straight, you'll see! :why_so_serious:

To be fair, there ARE a fair number of people who call in and are like "Burke didn't Build that Anaheim team, he just put some frosting on the finished cake" or "what did we get ourselves into this time?". There are also a fair number of people wondering where all those players we saw in the pre-season went, or trying to figure out what the hell are we paying all these glorified 3rd liners. The people who would usually be all for the Leafs sucking so they could get picks have already committed suicide I think.

I should have watched more Canucks games before trading Henrik, I think.

So Tortellini is a dick. Eight goals and he's hanging his backup goalie out to dry. Still in the net.

The Leafs are going to run out of Goalies at this rate.

My pool at work, since the start:

Sedin - IR
Setiguchi - IR
Gionta - IR
Corvo - IR
Kreicji - IR
Weber - IR

Oh, and I spent an early pick on Cam Ward, did I mention that?

They could have a lifesized cardboard Terry Sawchuck in net and it wouldn't leave them that much worse off.


Or they could pick one from the crowd!

Aren't the Leafs (while still in 14th) like 2 or 3 points out of 8th or something now?

I understand that this type of parity is a product of the loser point, but credit where credit is due... they've turned it around lately, at least temporarily.

Interesting article on loser points:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=lebrun_pierre&id=4706309


Currently, my biggest problem with loser points isn't REALLY that 8-14 in the East is separated by 2 points. That's fine ultimately, because everyone gets the hope of their team being in the playoffs. My problem is when you have SERIOUSLY out of whack situations like Dallas and Vancouver at the moment wherein Vancouver is in 10th and Dallas in 9th, both tied with 38 points.

Problem? Dallas is 14-8-10, and Vancouver is 19-14-0. Really, Dallas is 14-18 and Dallas is 19-14, yet they're tied and if Detroit had one less point and the playoffs started today, Dallas would be in and Vancouver out. That's complete fucking bullshit, period.

Everyone but the Hurricanes(who are beyond terrible  :ye_gods: ) are 2 points out of the 8th spot in the East. The East is fucking weird and shitty like that.  :awesome_for_real:


Montreal currently has 8th, with 33pts

Florida is 9th, also with 33pts (I assume some kind of tie breaking is going on)

Philly, Tampa, NYR, NYI and Toronto all have 31pts, so yea it's still wide open and any of these basement dwellers still has a very legitimate chance of making the playoffs at this rate.


Yea, Toronto has actually picked up their game, still a long way to go, but you can actually see some daylight these days! A loooong way from their terrible start.

I realize that they're still 12-21 or whatever (fuck loser points), but that's a far cry from 1-15 or whatever the flying shit they were a while ago.

Also the log jam in the standings is purely by design. That's the point of the overtime loss column. Bad teams are still bad, the parity is artificial.

As of last night, Vancouver would go from 10th to 7th if they went to a 3 point system.

Now just imagine there were no more games left to play this season.

I'm a Penguins fan and I'd be pissed off for them. I can't imagine Canucks fans.

Of course I like the Canucks as a team. If it was a team like the Flyers or... hell, just the Flyers... I'd be all "Tehee, them's the breaks... l2rules".

I have no stats to back this up, but I want to say the West basically farms the East for points as well, whenever they have cross-conference games.

I've noticed that for the past...I dunno, 10 years?

It's the time difference, I tell ya. Starting a game at 10pm is a lot tougher than starting at 4pm.

I'm also pretty certain it hasn't been the case for the last couple years.

Strange, since the exact opposite holds true in the NFL. West Coast teams get abused in early East Coast games.

You know what the funny thing about Toronto being so close, but yet so far away from the playoffs is? You don't hear about them anymore. Back when they were 1-8 or whatever, the whole city was abuzz talking about them. Sure they were getting ready to lynch mob them, but buzz is buzz.

Oh give it another week, if they win a few more games "THIS IS OUR YEAR" will start up again!  :why_so_serious:

If it does they'll sink right to the bottom again. I give credit to their recent (kinda) surge to the fact that they're not being constanly hounded.

Just letting everyone know that I'm very proud of myself for getting into first place.

So Brodeur needs to stop with the fucking shutouts.

do I have to wait for the end of the season to be able to play fantasy hockey with you guys?
I'm not very familiar with it but I'd be interested to give a try.

So uh, Canucks fans? John Scott > Alexandre Bolduc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1cvOiKuxH8)  :drill: :drill: :drill:

That fight was all kinds of awesome. The game wasn't bad either, though it looked like the Wild wanted to sleep through the 2nd.

I have no earthly idea what Bolduc was thinking. My only theory is that Rypien is still nursing some stitches on his nose from his two wars with Prust over the weekend and thus wasn't able to drop 'em, and that led Bolduc (who normally skates with him on the 4th line, although Rypien was skating on a different line last night) to try to fill in for him. Obviously a horrible choice  :oh_i_see:

I'm sure his face was sore from more than just the stitches. I don't know how these dudes fight so much, to be honest.

Burke Considers Considering Rebuild....

Now that, you know, he can't.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/30760-Brian-Burke-says-hell-keep-Ron-Wilson-will-not-ask-Kaberle-to-waive-notrade.html


There's also a lot of rumours about the Leafs trading away Poni, Stajan, some defense and so on. The Toronto sports media is all over talking about how a rebuild is a great idea at this point as well.

Which is good, I think. Because you want to tank and give Boston the #1 overall selection in the draft. Maybe then Burkie will cry manly tears as he loads up his service revolver and quietly takes his own life in his office at 3am. It'll be the most brains that place will have seen in years.

How many picks did we trade away again exactly? I never keep track of this kind of stuff.

I came into this thread and I could have sworn I decided against posting that. I've been all over the Leafs in this thread, and Lord knows their fans don't need it rubbed in.

I hope the Boston GM gets a big fat bonus this year.

(http://i.imgur.com/jfkfD.gif)

That's really creepy.

Since when are they the best players in the league?

Don't give me any shit about development or knowing they were this or that. Vancouver fans complained about their contract and said they were second line players. A lot of people didn't want to give them the money.

Is this just a special year? What the piss is going on?

They were point-per-game guys to this point. This is akin to Havlat going on a tear for 120. How's it happen?

Sure, anyone who does 80+ or so has the potential... but come on. These guys are dominant. Especially Henrik. I traded him for Crosby fully expecting he'd tail off at some point - not get stronger.

It's funny watching Brian Burke watch the game tonight. You just know he's thinking that if he could have only gotten the Sedins in the summer like he wanted to, shit in Toronto would be entirely different. The Kessel trade wouldn't have ENTIRELY exposed him as a complete fool, anyway. Sedin-Sedin-Kessel?

Suddenly Kessel looks like he's worth those...

er, one of those...

Nevermind.

Burke's a moron no matter how you slice the pie.

The Sedins just pwn.

Wow. Calgary just got hosed.

A bunch of UFAs and trash for Phaneuf.

I just... wow.

Good deal for the Leafs though.

I like the trade for Giguere too, he might discover new life in Leaf land.

But who's going to put pucks in the net on offense?

Alex Burrows.

Don't know what secret sauce he's been tapping either, but he's really bust out this season.

They make a really scary line together.

Though no Canuck fan should be confident about a team that gives so much ice time to Willie Mitchell…

Nobody. But now they have a young all-star defenseman and an Conn Smythe winning goalie, bought on the cheap, who can find himself again with his old goalie coach and GM in Toronto (maybe).

Fantastic deals, both of them.

No, they have no offense left. But they were in last place with those guys - they can be in last place without them, too.

If Burke can pull Kovalchuk out of his ass in the summer somehow, they're actually on their way.

With Blake gone, who will we have to burn down the boards, skate past the net and fire it into the goalies chest from a impossible angle?  :awesome_for_real:



They need to keep going though, this was just a grenade, the Leafs need a fucking mortar dropped into the dressing room.



-edit- The only guy I'm kinda bummed to see go, is White. He was decent enough.

Well, depends right. If White signs in the summer, Hagman continues to score at a decent clip, etc... it's not the worst trade of all time. Calgary is possibly a better team RIGHT NOW because of it. Maybe (but not after the Jokinen trade... WTF was that??).

It's just that all of the potential is on Toronto's side... and Calgary got a bunch of mediocre UFAs.

Calgary going full board into dismantle mode, shedding some more skaters…

http://www.hockeyfights.com/news/136087


Maybe Oilers have hope to catch and pass Flames in standings…

I'm just happy that there's a trade in NHL. ANY TRADE.  :awesome_for_real:


Phaneuf could end up at stud for the next decade, or he's a more expensive Bryan McCabe.  Giguere's still got some years left in him and they finally have a legit starter since Ed Belfour.  As for goal scoring, for this year who cares?

I don't think they can land Kovalchuk.  I'm betting by the deadline he's traded and signed to an extension with the team that picked him up.  If he never hits the market then I don't see the Leafs having anything to offer Atlanta.


Calgary's moves show just how badly Sutter wanted Phaneuf and Jokinen out of the dressing room.  Phaneuf isn't too bad since they add some badly needed depth up front.  White keeps their D strong.  But they still don't have a center.

Jokinen has been a terrible failure for Sutter.  He gives up a lot to get him, loses his chance to keep Mike Cammaleri and has to send him off for Ales Kotalik whom he'll be paying for another 2 years.  Obviously he wanted him out bad if he's willing to eat that rather than let him walk as a UFA.

EDIT: So the 'Toronto Four' make their debut as the Flames get shut out 3-0 to a chorus of boos.  Looks like they'll feel right at home!  :why_so_serious:

Was astonished when initially discovering Flames obtained Jokinen. A gifted scorer, but definitely not a fit for a Sutter coached team IMV.

I love Phaneuf but sometimes I think I have a big bias there since his style of play mirrored that of my own when I played… …definitely a talent, but I've seen him commit some of the same defensive lapses I faltered… …but playing defense is most mental position and a few years of experience mean everything, he definitely has ability and potential up the wazoo…

I think Calgary is going to get boned when they figure out all their new forwards only got as many goals as they did because of sheer persistence and playtime.

Well, that much SHOULD be obvious to an NHL GM.

Leafs win 3-0 and the 3 stars are Giguere, Phaneuf and Sjostrom.

I don't know what the fuck Sutter is doing. The deal with the Leafs potentially could have gotten them a little bit better up front, but Jokinen for Kotalik is trading under-achiever for under-achiever.

Hate both of these trades, especially considering they look to be purely shakeup sort of deals.

You do realize that they just went on a seven game win streak without Mitchel, Salo, or Bieksa in the lineup.

Jokinen put up 91 points in 06-07.

Kotalik has only been over 43 points once in his career - 62 in 05-06.

They're the same age.

It's my feeling that Phaneuf and Jokinen must have been HUGE problems in the dressing room and it must have been very well known around the league.

Either that, or Sutter is a fucking moron.

That being said, I'm happy for Toronto fans here. Ultimately guys like Stajan and Hagman mean shit all. They're replaceable. White was going to leave in the summer, because I don't think the Leafs are giving him 3.5m... something he'll probably get on the open market. Problem is that the Leafs know he's playing to his absolute maximum potential this year and has nowhere to go but downward.

If Phaneuf can get going to his potential again (and it's not like he's 34 and 7 years removed from it), Leafs win big time and have a pretty nice looking defense in place.

I wonder if hockey will work out in Atlanta?

 :drill:

Damnit, of COURSE Kovi enters the Atlantic Division...and I don't think the Devils gave up a whole lot to get him, though it could be a lot if they don't resign him.

Atlantic Division - Most ridiculous in the league, no arguments now.

 :awesome_for_real: directed at Tonight's Leaf vs. Devil game.



"Why yes, we can blow a 3-1 lead in less then 5 minutes, why do you ask?"

I cheered for NJ for the first time in my life. Except maybe during their first cup run.

Although really... that was just a colossal breakdown by the Leafs.

Yea, I don't know what the fuck is going on anymore. I don't get how the team can suck so terribly one game, then dominate the next like that.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10060/1039477-100.stm?cmpid=penguins.xml


Hope it's true.

Now all the Pens need is another winger and they're set.

If Fleury somehow manages to find his game again.

People keep talking Leopold up, but I've never really heard that much about him except a flash across the ticker when he gets traded 4 times a year.

Haven't seem the Panthers play much season.

Must admit, still biased by how well he played in Flames Stanley Cup run (losing to TB in final) a few years ago.

And he wasn't bad for Colorado past few seasons.

But, yeah, being swapped around so much might be indicative of some flaws not obvious.

Well they have Alexei Ponikarovsky now.  That's not a bad pick-up depending how attached you were to Luca Caputi.

Caputi? Looked alright in his short stints, but didn't get much ice time and got lost in shuffle, might be good trade for Leafs as he might have more potential and end up 25-30 goal scorer. Or maybe not. But Pens need a skilled winger (maybe another if somebody in the present crew doesn't step up) — when your best scoring winger is a ~40 year old, and especially when blessed with 3 extremely gifted centermen…