Fantasy Hockey, '07-'08

[naum]

Yeah, Whitney has had a tough season. Sometimes it takes a few years for young D men to blossom. He's had a setback but he's got potential, still.

Before the playoffs, would argue with you about Gonchar — but he's really made me a believer, but I would not put him in top 5 defensemen… …he's 1-2 blueliner for certain, but there are lots of top line puck carriers D that I'd rather have…

Inside rumor mill has it that Malone might be headed to Arizona.

Y, I understand that Gill is slow as molasses. However, he fits Pens well as they need a guy like him to stand up and handle PK duties. Though I've been surprised at Orpik's play, whom I had written off as a bum…

Letang? Maybe.

But I will have to concede that they'll have to be smart on how they allocate salaries to those other than Malkin, Crosby…

Probably true about Malone vs. Hossa. ONLY because Malone is two wingers. Malone and another for 4-5m.

However, Malone has been a 20 goal man his whole career without Malkin and Sykora. We're about to pay a 20 goal man$3-4 million. That's ridiculous, frankly. He might even get more from stupid organizations like Toronto and such.

Ultimately, it's potentially smarter to keep Hossa.. because if you look at the UFA wingers this year, Hossa is truly the cream of the crop. The rest are trash.

Do not let Gonchar go instead of Whitney. Gonchar is a top 5 NHL defenseman. Whitney blows. Hard. Cocks. His defensive game is ATROCIOUS, and his offensive game isn't THAT great. He's the WORST defenseman on the team, hands down. To the point where he was moved to wing instead of benched this season, purely because he makes too much money to sit. MOVE HIM AND HIS RIDICULOUS SALARY WHILE HE HAS SOME VALUE. Another season like this one and he's worth NOTHING. But other teams are still over rating him right now. You could get a quality return.

Gonchar is older, but Letang will take over for him as the powerplay quarterback in a few years.

Gill is nothing. He's overpaid, he's slow, he's not that good. He's decent.. but that's situational. Ask a Toronto fan if Hal Gill is anyone's best defensive defenseman. Pittsburgh has specific systems in place to cover up for his lack of speed. He gets paid TOO MUCH for what he's worth. He's one of Toronto's many bad contracts.

[naum]

An Open Letter to Vs.
http://www.postgameheroes.com/?p=2329

…

I didn’t mind that original set you used, even though it looked like something that could’ve been broadcast out of my basement. I looked past those early broadcasts marred with jumpy camera shots, poor play-by-play coverage and intrusive graphics and interfaces. I chalked it all up to a network just learning how to broadcast a game, and I figured it would get better.

Unfortunately, guys, it hasn’t. In fact, it’s worse than ever.

Your camerawork is terrible – bad angles, inconsistent shots, shots that don’t mesh with the flow of the game. Would it kill your producers to stick with the same camera for more than five seconds? I don’t need behind-the-net shots as the play is going on. I don’t want the camera zoomed in on a particular player, especially when the play is going on and he’s not involved (sense a theme here?). I sure as hell don’t need to see the goalie going to the bench as his team in lieu of a pending powerplay or a shot at a late game-tying goal. Just tell me he’s left the net and keep the camera on the action, m’K?

I don’t care what Bill Patrick has on tap in the studio, especially when there’s a post-whistle fight going on. And speaking of in-game interruptions, can we save Christine Simpson’s 10-minute interviews for the intermissions? I really don’t care what Tom Glavine or the Umberger family has to say while the game is going on, and it didn’t seem like they were too thrilled with being interrupted either.

Now let’s talk about your announcers for a second. Mike Emrick is fine. He gets so excited, he could probably jumpstart a car from the booth. And he gets loud enough sometimes to challenge the decibel level of your average Metallica concert. But Emrick typically has a sense fot the game flow. Ed Olczyk usually provides color for Mike’s play-by-play and that’s all good now that Edzo finally seems to be taking fewer veiled shots at Craig Patrick for firing him.

It’s the OTHER crew that’s causing the problems. I don’t know what Pens fans did to Versus to merit this kind of torture, but Joe Beninati and Darren Eliot make Eric Dickerson and Beasley Reece look like broadcasting Hall of Famers.

Beninati’s tendency to get cute with his commentary and replace common hockey jargon with cute little terms of his own is bad enough. It’s a “powerplay”, not a “manpower advantage.” I hear him say “manpower advantage” and I think of a bad Village People video. And unless we’re getting play-by-play of a drug bust, those things the goalie wears on his legs aren’t “paraphernalia”, they’re just goalie pads.

Darren Eliot is a whole other ball of wax. Is this the BEST you could get for a color guy? He’s there to provide color commentary – not turn every semi-routine play into a Shakespearean act. When he and Beninati get together for a broadcast, it’s like an acute overdose of hyperbole.

But this Eastern Conf. Finals series has been the kicker for me. I can deal with bad commentary and stuff from time to time. But I have to wonder if “V-E-R-S-U-S” is some sort of goofy acronym for “Flyers Broadcast Network” or something. I’ve never heard a national broadcast tilted in favor of one team the way Beninati and Eliot have done in favor of the Flyers with this one.

…

[Phildo]

 

[Azaroth]

 

[Azaroth]

Whitney is a certified purse-swinging pussy and always has been. He got hot with the backdoor pass from Crosby at the second half of last season and racked up a bunch of goals before it stopped working. Suddenly he was an elite young defenseman.

Except the motherfucker can't play defense. He's also getting paid 4.5 million a season, which we can't fucking afford.

No salary cap? Kewl, sup Whits.

Salary cap = cu dude.



That being said...


WOOT STANLEY CUP FINALS.

[Azaroth]

Oh, and Gonchar is absolutely top 5. You just have to watch him. He's elite defensively, and has been for quite some time now (although, for most of his career... not so much). On top of that, he's the highest scoring defenseman since 2000, and consistently 1 or 2 in defeseman scoring each season. He's a beast.

[naum]

Philly got nothing to hang their heads about… …from 30th to one series away… …and they have a nucleus of a squad that's going to be good (the entire division is going to be murder) for a few years, though I don't think Biron is Cup quality goalie…

[Strazos]

Yeah, he certainly had a drop in the PIT series. Though, I really don't think you can underestimate the loss of your top defensive pair for practically the whole series.

And that letter? You could have fooled me; I thought they were more on the Pens side, if anything. I guess they're just THAT terrible.

Also, how many pages ago did I harp on "manpower advantage"? FFS they're terrible.

[naum]

Yeah, he certainly had a drop in the PIT series. Though, I really don't think you can underestimate the loss of your top defensive pair for practically the whole series.

Hatcher and Smith were solid, problem was that facing 3 bonafide (perahaps 3.5 even) scoring lines means, especially when in visitor barn, matchup exploits on #5-#6 D-pair…

[Strazos]

Which is fine when you you're going with: Timmonen-Coburn, Hatcher-Jones, Smith-Modry/Kukkonen

Kind of a problem when your pairings look more like Hatcher-Jones, Smith-Parent, Kukkonen-Modry.

No wonder they got taken apart.

[Azaroth]

Pittsburgh vs. Detroit.

Should be a great series. Probably the best two teams in the league, heaps and heaps of offensive talent on the ice.

Pittsburgh hasn't seen a team as strong as Detroit yet, not by far. Detroit hasn't seen a team with as much offensive depth as Pittsburgh.

Smart money is probably on Detroit, but I got burned the one time I bet against the Penguins so far.

[WayAbvPar]

Should be fun to watch. I am leaning toward Pittsburgh in 7, but really could go either way.

[cmlancas]

Pit in 6. Sorry Wings, but you are the kings of the choke.

[Strazos]

I still think the Pens D isn't up to snuff, so I'm leaning DET. I really wish there was a way for neither team to win. 

[Paelos]

Wings sweep the Pens in 4.

Because the gnashing of teeth would be awesome.

[murdoc]

Wings in 7, because Western Conference >> Eastern Conference.

[naum]

PIT in 6

Will be close series, difference is going to be 3rd / 4th lines assuming PIT D can hold up. DET can match firepower and goaltending, but their 3rd and 4th lines guys are like all over 35. For Gates sake, McCarty and Draper still get significant chunks of ice time. Granted, they still perform well, but I'll take Maxine Talbot and Jordan Staal over them any day...

[murdoc]

The Detroit D is vastly better than the Pittsburg D, and that'll make a huge difference imo

Either way, it should be a pretty good final.

[Azaroth]

Should be, but Detroit is the favourite hands down. I dont' think anyone is going to dispute that.

[El Gallo]

The Pens (especially Malkin) are really going to have to cut down on those lateral passes just after crossing the blue line. It's gotten predictable, I though giving up the solo breakaway and the shortie would wisen him up but it hasn't. The Wings skilled blueliners will make those kind of turnovers hurt real bad.  Either carry it in or dump and chase.

I'd take Hossa over Malone + mid-tier winger any day. Though I don't know that they could keep Hossa and lock up the other key players long-term and still have enough to field a decent overall team even if Malone was let go.

Hopefully, the time off has given Sidney a little explosiveness back, but that's pretty dubious given the kind of injury.

[naum]

The Pens (especially Malkin) are really going to have to cut down on those lateral passes just after crossing the blue line. It's gotten predictable, I though giving up the solo breakaway and the shortie would wisen him up but it hasn't. The Wings skilled blueliners will make those kind of turnovers hurt real bad.  Either carry it in or dump and chase.

Detroit has best D unit in league - they are solid, especially #1-4 would be #1 on just about any other team, though Chelios has been looking more like a 46 year old this season…

[Azaroth]

though Chelios has been looking more like a 46 year old this season…

Quickly! More HGH!

[El Gallo]

Detroit has best D unit in league - they are solid, especially #1-4 would be #1 on just about any other team, though Chelios has been looking more like a 46 year old this season…

I know, hence my discomfort at the thought of 5 Pens skating speedily to the offensive blue like as Malkin makes a no-look drop pass right to one of those Detroit D-man with a head of steam and nobody but Fleury between him and a calamari bath. 

[Azaroth]

Paaaaaaaaathetic.

[Phildo]

My friend who I was supposed to watch the game with called me and told me his satellite TV doesn't get reception in the rain.  He lives in Orlando.

So I didn't watch it, but the box score is embarrassing.

[naum]

My friend who I was supposed to watch the game with called me and told me his satellite TV doesn't get reception in the rain.  He lives in Orlando.

So I didn't watch it, but the box score is embarrassing.

Eh, it was closer than boxscore would indicate… …the difference in the game, before the late 2 goal flurry after the affair was already decided, were two unassisted goals by Samuelsson that put them up 2-0 (goals 3 and 4 came with just a few minutes left, #4 with 12 seconds I think…), both the result of brain dead Pen acts  — one by not getting puck deep enough for line change and the other a Fleury/Malkin giveaway. Still Pens had chances and Crosby clanged the post on one and there were other missed opportunities...

That said, Pens need to make some adjustments… …I think they were taken aback by how aggressive Detroit is playing them — they skate right to the puck. And I didn't realize (even from watching previous series) how physical they are, despite being outsized. It somewhat pushes the envelope — fists to the back and the pushing with the gloves… …but it's quite evident it's a speedier and much more capable D unit they're facing. Pens seemed to stand around a lot and a few plays they are watching instead of skating… …it will be a short series if that is not corrected pronto…

…and it looks like Fleury rattled as he should have stopped goals #3 and #4, though he's being tested at a higher level than the previous 3 series.

Osgood played good but I think the Pens can have his number.

Multiple Pen scoring lines are going to give Red Wings problems. Pens have to finish chances they get, and they wasted the 1st period tonight…

Oh and Letang sucks…

[Azaroth]

Penguins were dominated start to finish man. End of story.

But I saw this coming, so I wasn't terribly surprised. Just frustrated.

[murdoc]

And I didn't realize (even from watching previous series) how physical they are, despite being outsized. It somewhat pushes the envelope — fists to the back and the pushing with the gloves… …but it's quite evident it's a speedier and much more capable D unit they're facing.

…and it looks like Fleury rattled as he should have stopped goals #3 and #4, though he's being tested at a higher level than the previous 3 series.

The Western conference teams have to play a more physical style, that does tend to straddle the line between clean and dirty.

Maybe that  faceplant to start the game rattled Fleury 

[Azaroth]

Fuck, Fluery was one of the only Penguins to even show up.

[cmlancas]

Well, it doesn't help when Epic Fail Guy suits up on every line for the Penguins.

Except Fleury.

The Pens, last game, couldn't have beaten anyone. Sloppy, sloppy game.

[Azaroth]

They've gotten lazy and fat.

If they want to beat Detroit, they're going to have to scratch and claw like they've never been forced to in these playoffs.

That being said.. they're not beating Detroit.

Fuck, Therrien has already panicked and juggled the lines all up. One bad loss after all of that success, lines totally shaken up. Stop with the fucking panic. Make REAL adjustments that inspire confidence in your abilities as a coach, not panic adjustments like line shakeups. You know, maybe notice that Detroit was coached to counter your breakout after the first period and maybe alter something about your cookie cutter plays and systems instead of getting horribly fucking outcoached?

Although putting Roberts back in is probably a good idea. He should have been in there game one to light a fucking fire.l Because the Pens had none. Crosby looked like he wanted it at times, but that's about it.

[naum]

They're down 1-0, not 3-0… …even as badly as they were outplayed, they had chances and could have won game #1…

Roberts should be in the lineup. In fact, I'd drop another forward and activate Sydor for fresher D wheels. Double line duty for Malkin, Hossa, Crosby in spurts to compensate for odd F slot out.

Where is Sykora? He's been virtually invisible. And Ruutu needs to step it up and refrain from boneheadedness.

Fleury played well in game #1 until goals #3 and #4 which he should have nabbed. And #2 was due to his misplaying the puck. But I don't think he makes that mistake again this series (at least I hope not).

They've gotten lazy and fat.

If they want to beat Detroit, they're going to have to scratch and claw like they've never been forced to in these playoffs.

That being said.. they're not beating Detroit.

Fuck, Therrien has already panicked and juggled the lines all up. One bad loss after all of that success, lines totally shaken up. Stop with the fucking panic. Make REAL adjustments that inspire confidence in your abilities as a coach, not panic adjustments like line shakeups. You know, maybe notice that Detroit was coached to counter your breakout after the first period and maybe alter something about your cookie cutter plays and systems instead of getting horribly fucking outcoached?

Although putting Roberts back in is probably a good idea. He should have been in there game one to light a fucking fire.l Because the Pens had none. Crosby looked like he wanted it at times, but that's about it.

[cmlancas]

I thought Crosby looked good until he got crushed in the second. I really didn't see him skating with the same flare that he usually does. Anyone else notice that?

[Azaroth]

I thought Crosby looked good until he got crushed in the second. I really didn't see him skating with the same flare that he usually does. Anyone else notice that?

Crosby hasn't really looked the same since the injury. He looks alright, but high ankle sprains bother guys for years.

[Fordel]

Although putting Roberts back in is probably a good idea. He should have been in there game one to light a fucking fire.l Because the Pens had none. Crosby looked like he wanted it at times, but that's about it.

Seriously, what was the rationale of not having Roberts in the first game? That fucker can dig and dig like no tomorrow!