Fantasy Hockey '09-'10

[Azaroth]

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.

[Fordel]

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!  



-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.

[Azaroth]

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

Fuck.

[WayAbvPar]

This was a thing of terrible beauty.

[HaemishM]

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

Fuck.

Yep, he's mine now, bitch.

[murdoc]

This was a thing of terrible beauty.

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.

[WayAbvPar]

This was a thing of terrible beauty.

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  ). 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 

[Fordel]

This was a thing of terrible beauty.

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"

[Fordel]

It's a Christmas miracle!

The Leafs won a game!

[HaemishM]

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.

[Azaroth]

Trapping = wins when your team sucks.

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

[Azaroth]

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.

[Azaroth]

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.

[WayAbvPar]

I think I drafted him and then shrewdly traded him.

[Azaroth]

I think the Pens rebounded from that loss.

[Azaroth]

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.

[Stewie]

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.

[Bunk]

Hey guyse, can we redraft?

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

Anyone want to trade for Brian Gionta?

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).

[Azaroth]

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


Who would have seen that coming.

[naum]

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.

[Fordel]

God we (Leafs) suck.


So damn much.


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

[Azaroth]

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.

[Fordel]

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! 

[Ashamanchill]

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.

[Fordel]

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

[naum]

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…

[Azaroth]

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.

[Fordel]

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.

[WayAbvPar]

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

[Azaroth]

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

[Bunk]

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


Who would have seen that coming.

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.

[Azaroth]

Need a 'tender?

I got lots. You got Nash and Getzlaf.

I want lots of Nash and Getzlaf.

[Azaroth]

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

Not enough roster spots.

[WayAbvPar]

I need less roster spots and more IR spots. 

[Azaroth]

That too.