Fantasy Hockey '08-'09

[Azaroth]

Speaking of players who aren't work the contracts they'll get:

Gaborik.

WTF.

6 games this season? Really?

[HaemishM]

Hey, when Gaborik plays, he's fantastic. The problem is he'll probably never fucking play a full season again, at least not in the NHL. As much as I wish my team would resign him, if they choose not to pay top dollar for him I will completely understand. For a team that just doesn't pay big dollars, he's going to ask too much for a player as fragile as he is.

[Azaroth]

The dude is Mario Lemieux during his comeback, just not as good.

I always remember, year after year.. I was totally looking forward to watching Lemieux play. Ten or fifteen games in, he was done for the season.

The year he first came back was awesome, though. 76 points in 43 games wut?!?


Oh, and also speaking of talented, injury prone hockey players:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6DjNKAAmPA

[Strazos]

pure lolz

[Azaroth]

Haha yeah, I still laugh watching it. Listening to the announcers totally unable to control their laughter is hilarious too.

[Phildo]

I still chuckle just reading his name.  I'm 12.

[HaemishM]

Holy fuck. He needs to start wearing pigtails after a performance like that.

[murdoc]

OMFG that was awesome. I hadn't seen that before.

[Special J]

He looks like someone's three year old brother who snaps from being tormented by the older sibling.

Changing leagues for a moment:

5 straight gold at the World Juniors.  Oh yeah.

Was at the Canada/US game New Years Eve.  Just awesome.  Wasn't sure they could beat the U.S. a second time until they got knocked out in a fluke.

If you're a hockey fan, you need to be watching this tournament.  The NHL is dead to me while this is going on.  Now it's back to seeing the Senators lay a few more stinkers.

[naum]

…

Changing leagues for a moment:

5 straight gold at the World Juniors.  Oh yeah.

Was at the Canada/US game New Years Eve.  Just awesome.  Wasn't sure they could beat the U.S. a second time until they got knocked out in a fluke.

If you're a hockey fan, you need to be watching this tournament.  The NHL is dead to me while this is going on.  Now it's back to seeing the Senators lay a few more stinkers.

Caught some of the early round games and the bronze medal game between Slovakia-Russia and the disappointing U.S. loss to Slovakia previous to that…

[Azaroth]

If you're a hockey fan, you need to be watching this tournament.  The NHL is dead to me while this is going on.  Now it's back to seeing the Senators lay a few more stinkers.

I agree intensely. I have NO desire to tune into NHL games while this tournament is on.

[Strazos]

Good luck finding it on TV in the US.

Also, heard VanRiemsdike (spelling?) was a monster in the tourney.

[Azaroth]

He was pretty good. I wouldn't say he was top 5 or anything.

[WayAbvPar]

Good luck finding it on TV in the US.

Also, heard VanRiemsdike (spelling?) was a monster in the tourney.

I saw a few games on NHL network.

[Mandrel]

Good luck finding it on TV in the US.

Also, heard VanRiemsdike (spelling?) was a monster in the tourney.

See: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=n5mDd62aS20.

[naum]

Good luck finding it on TV in the US.

Also, heard VanRiemsdike (spelling?) was a monster in the tourney.

Uh, NHL Channel carried all (or most of the games, all of the Canada / US matchups plus others)…

Any rabid hockey fan has DirecTV Center Ice package… …HD games, NHL channel…

[WayAbvPar]

I can't get DirectTV (satellite technology is still baffled by trees)....no HD for me with Comcast's package 

[Strazos]

Upgrading my package to even basic digital would be $100/month, before counting the cost of a NHL package, which I would get almost zero use out of.

I just have trouble watching a game where I don't care too much about either team.

[WayAbvPar]

Well you probably get plenty of games on local tv in your area, don't you? I would imagine that you are inundated with Flyers/Devils/Pens/Rangers/Islanders games. I don't have a choice about Center Ice- I don't get any games on local tv. At least I didn't until this year- Comcast recently started a regional sports channel that is playing Blazers games and some Western Conference NHL games (including Canucks). I think they are trying to cash in on the gaping hole the Sonics left in the winter sports calendar up here. Hell, Fox Sports Network is even broadcasting 6 WHL games this winter! I was sorry to see the Sonics go, but if it means more hockey on local TV, it is a fair trade 

[Azaroth]

I had no idea the Sonics had left Seattle.

This is how much I care about the NBA.

If the Raptors can field a halfway decent team (rare), I'll watch. Oh, and I liked watching the Lakers in the late 90s there or whatnot. Hell, watching Shaq take socially akward jabs at reporters was amusing. Garnett screaming "ANYTHING'S POSSIBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" like he just took Germany with a ragtag band of malnourished jewish grandmothers was stupid. You won the NBA championship with the most stacked team in the league. Odds were 2:1 going into the playoffs. Calm down, bro.

But honestly, you can't possibly interest me less with a fucking Trailblazers/Bucks game or something. Just no.

[Strazos]

Well you probably get plenty of games on local tv in your area, don't you? I would imagine that you are inundated with Flyers/Devils/Pens/Rangers/Islanders games. I don't have a choice about Center Ice- I don't get any games on local tv. At least I didn't until this year- Comcast recently started a regional sports channel that is playing Blazers games and some Western Conference NHL games (including Canucks). I think they are trying to cash in on the gaping hole the Sonics left in the winter sports calendar up here. Hell, Fox Sports Network is even broadcasting 6 WHL games this winter! I was sorry to see the Sonics go, but if it means more hockey on local TV, it is a fair trade 

We get Flyers coverage. That is all. You have to get the Center Ice package to get anything else with regularity. I sometimes catch a glance of some random western conference games, but that's it. Comcast RARELY shows a Phantoms' game, but that's all.

This area is actually really shitty if you're looking for broadcasts of non-local games. It use to be better years ago with the ESPN contract, but with Versus...god damn, they are terrible.

[Azaroth]

Ah, living in Canada.

CBC, TSN, Sportsnet. In fact, my cable package includes all four Sportsnet channels, which, before all this blackout bullshit started, would have entitled me to four different magical regions of hockey coverage.

But I have Centre Ice anyway.

[Strazos]

Total aside - Anyone want Randy Jones? FFS, can someone please take him from this Flyers squad please? 2nd or 3rd round pick. I cannot stand watching him anymore.



Also...Jagr...total bullshit if he comes back, and plays for League Fucking Minimum. Way to try to stack a team, spoiled jerks.  I hope he comes back, gets hurt, and PIT still misses the playoffs.

This bullshit with players not deciding what to do until after Christmas has got to fucking stop...fucking stupid drama.

[Azaroth]

Go to hell faggot.

Come back, Jaromir!

Jagr/Crosby/Malkin as a forward line thx. Welcome to GOALTOWN.



Population GOALS.


Edit: I also welcome our new coach, Pat Quinn.

[Special J]

I really don't see Jagr happening.  Anything I read didn't look like he was about to walk out on his deal with Omsk.

Quinn? Very much so.  He'd be good for them.

[Azaroth]

Nah, but pending the KHL folds or starts forcing paycuts on players, there's the possibility.

Quinn would be great, I agree. People think he's going to end up in Ottawa, but I call shit. I think they're going to sell, tank, and go for a high pick.

[Special J]

Well they're already in lottery territory so you don't need to change much. 

Yeah there's been some Quinn to Ottawa talk, but if I'm him, I'd rather go to the Pens.

[Azaroth]

Unless the Sens are willing to attempt an improvement over the second half and bite the bullet with a #19 pick and a failure of a season, it'd be ridiculous for Quinn to go there.

The Penguins, on the other hand, simply need a fresh voice and a new perspective. They don't need to actually go 30-7-3 over the second half to make the playoffs. They're just a good team who has a coach that's lost the locker room.

And, IMO, it's time for another Mario comeback.

K, Mario?

GOGOGO!

[Azaroth]

PS:

Trade for a winger (I dunno, something reasonable... like Tkachuck)

Lemieux/Crosby/Tkachuck
Sykora/Malkin/Jagr


Seriously. Fucking gogogo. Bring cups.

Lemieux, start working out. Shoot some steroids if need be.

Lemieux at 43 playing beside Crosby could still net 90 points I bet.

[WayAbvPar]

Jesus fucking tapdancing Christ, the Canucks are going to be the death of me. I expected them to be terrible, so when they started out non-terrible my expectations rose. Now they are just overtly trying to lose games it seems. 2 goals last directly from the goddamned goalie trying to dick around behind the net instead of STAYING IN HIS FUCKING CREASE WHERE HE BELONGS. If I was coaching the next goalie who did that would be on a fucking bus to Manitoba with no return ticket. Just handed the Devils an easy win last night.

[Azaroth]

Pittsburgh/Washington tonight is gonna be the shit.

Ovechkin hits Malkin viciously from behind, guaranteed.

I mean, not just because Ovechkin ALWAYS hits people from behind.

[Phildo]

Welp.

[Azaroth]

Well, son of a bitch.

Irregardless of HOW long Crosby is out, that's the season.

[naum]

Pittsburgh/Washington tonight is gonna be the shit.

Ovechkin hits Malkin viciously from behind, guaranteed.

I mean, not just because Ovechkin ALWAYS hits people from behind.

People cry about how Crosby/Malkin get benefit of official calls, but Good Gates, Ovechkin really takes the prize here. Ovechkin drew a penalty by hitting and taunting Matt Cooke, where Cooke backed down and still drew a penalty. Ridiculous. Then there was a call in the game where Hal Gill got called for slashing when all he slashed was stick, yet the Capital player sticked him in the face in return. No call for the Capitals skater. Penguins had another goal waved off because clueless official lost sight of the puck. Still, they were peppered with shots and Fleury just wasn't up to the task last night (as he has been mediocre at best all season, as his ~ .900 save %).

Pens looked like world beaters early on, but they really look like bottom tier team of late, even with Crosby.

* Their 3rd / 4th lines are AHL caliber.

* Satan has been a bust. Fedotenko been OK.

* Whitney has been awful since returning, and he's really hurting the team, plus sucking up ice time of Letang and Gogoloski, who've been surprisingly decent. Philipe Boucher sucks, Mark Eaton — a mystery why he's on an NHL roster. Scuderi hasn't been bad, but Orpik game is not what it was during their Cup runner-up campaign last season.

* While I agree that they should not have signed Malone, they need to fill that spot, as not only are they lacking there, they just lack toughness in general. They miss Laraque — while he did not play/perform much in post-season, he was big part of their regular season success last season.

* 1st thing I would do if I were Penguin GM would be to dump Fleury. That would free up money so they could nab a Malone replacement. Trade some draft picks for young goalie prospects and let them compete for 1 (or 1a and 1b).

[Azaroth]

* The third and fourth lines were strong last season. They cycled down low and chipped in goals. They are AHL players this season, accomplishing nothing when they're on the ice.

* Miro has a nose for the net and can pot a goal here and there. That's all, though. He's softer than tissue paper, has no speed, etc. Fedotenko has been okay, but he's not Ryan Malone.

* Whitney is awful. But none of our defense are what they were in the playoffs. They ARE what they were during the season, though. Remember - people always said our achilles heal was our AWFUL defense. Then they all got hyped up and big contracts after a good playoff run.

* The biggest thing Laraque did was provide two things: Swagger, and the ability to not get knocked off the puck cycling down low. Goddard fights more, and not always just phony pre-arranged shit. But he doesn't provide the "He's the best, lawl" swagger.

* If you dump Fleury, you need a goalie. Sabourin doesn't cut it bros. Are you gonna get something at Fleury's price with his potential? Remember that he's 23.

I don't disagree that he looks like SHIT most of the time. But in the playoffs last year, he was one of the best.. and he nearly started the All-Star game based solely on that run of good play.