NHL 2014-2015

[Speedy Cerviche]

lately? 2012 playoffs?

[Phildo]

Which the Flyers won 4-2, further illustrating the point?

[WayAbvPar]

I like Calgary tonight.

Tonight is as good a night as any to bet on the Flames., they shouldn't be outworked by Carolina and have better goaltending.

Having said that I apologize in advance of them getting blown out because I voiced a sports opinion which seems to be the norm for me lately.

Nah they won 5-0 so it was a good pick. Tonight I like Vancouver.

Dunno. Vancouver played decently last night (more that the Blues were asleep),  but the 2nd at altitude in a back to back? I wouldn't count on them.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Which the Flyers won 4-2, further illustrating the point?

Exactly. I was just pointing out it seems to have been a trend even a few years ago. The Pens just get unhinged playing the Flyers, like Boston does against Montreal.

[Paelos]

Dunno. Vancouver played decently last night (more that the Blues were asleep),  but the 2nd at altitude in a back to back? I wouldn't count on them.

Fair enough, I'll go with my backup. Tampa Bay over Winnipeg.

[Paelos]

Good call Way, Vancouver tanked and my change to Tampa netted a win! Thanks for the tip.

Today I like three games. If yall have thoughts let me know.

Canadiens to beat the Rangers
Sharks to beat the Sabres
Red Wings to upset the Flyers (PHL favored)

[Strazos]

How the heck is PHL favored in that game? I'd pick DET too, as PHL's defense is absolutely decimated right now.

[WayAbvPar]

Good call Way, Vancouver tanked and my change to Tampa netted a win! Thanks for the tip.

Today I like three games. If yall have thoughts let me know.

Canadiens to beat the Rangers
Sharks to beat the Sabres
Red Wings to upset the Flyers (PHL favored)

They looked great for the first 10 seconds! 

[Ginaz]

Gordie Howe just had a serious stroke.  I hope he's alright.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/News/2014/10/28/22036606.html

[WayAbvPar]

Ugh I hate to hear that. I didn't realize he was suffering from dementia as well. No wonder I haven't seen him for a couple of years. Old age fucking sucks.

[Ginaz]

Even though its early, barring major injuries, I think the Flames aren't going to be in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes.  I don't think they're a playoff team (maybe in the east, not in the west) but they have a really solid group of players.  Johnny Hockey looks like he might be the real deal, the goal tending has been pretty solid, the work ethic is still there and Giordano and Brodie are becoming one of the best defensive pairings in the league.

[Paelos]

The Ducks look pretty good.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Even though its early, barring major injuries, I think the Flames aren't going to be in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes.  I don't think they're a playoff team (maybe in the east, not in the west) but they have a really solid group of players.  Johnny Hockey looks like he might be the real deal, the goal tending has been pretty solid, the work ethic is still there and Giordano and Brodie are becoming one of the best defensive pairings in the league.

Yeah I don't see them being bottom 5 either. Their top 4 on D is too good although their production pace might fall off a bit. Gudreau looks great which is good news tho... Hiller is a question mark, he is putting up Vezina quality #s right now after 3 mediocre seasons where he couldn't keep a position on the Ducks, will he regress back to this play? It's a long season and that could be what sinks the Flames.

Also not to be a party pooper but they have been beating up on the Canadiens who are not in a good place. First the road ambush game Thursday, now last night they looked like they went out hard saturday night, had no legs. The indiscipline is getting ridiculous, 6 PP to 1 in Calgary's favour. Typical Dave Jackson in Montreal, always overcompensates, a lot of chinzty stuff like "slashing" the guy's stick out of his hand, behind the play (it didn't even break). The missed calls were an extra kick on a down team (Galchenyuk stick in the teeth, cutting his mouth, elbow to Emelin's head).

I am glad to see the Flames still have that hard charging attitude playstyle though, it's always given Montreal fits, they are much better against more passive teams. It's funny the way some teams retain certain "cultural" traits good & bad over the years, through many roster & coach changes.

[Strazos]

I am glad to see the Flames still have that hard charging attitude playstyle though, it's always given Montreal fits, they are much better against more passive teams. It's funny the way some teams retain certain "cultural" traits good & bad over the years, through many roster & coach changes.

This has always surprised me - through coaching and personnel changes, and through generations of fans, some teams just don't change their style much.

To be fair, that may be due to GMs - I don't think most teams change them very often. For instance, the Flyers had Clarke and Holmgren for what seems like the better part of 20 years, and what do you get? Hard-hitting, bruising teams with decent power forwards and hulking defensemen. Maybe that will change with Hextall, but he cut his GM teeth in LA, which doesn't  come from a drastically different mold. Perhaps its even more systemic - how often are teams cleaning house in their scouting departments? Most scouts probably tend towards certain kinds of players, which has the downstream effect of only feeding certain kinds of players into your farm system.

For instance, the Flyers again - they mostly draft players out of North America, with a smattering of guys out of the northern European leagues, while other teams may have a more pronounced Russian/Central European flavor. It's an interesting phenomenon.

[Speedy Cerviche]

It seems like there's just a soul in some teams that seems hard to get rid of, even when it's kind of a negative that a GM doesn't like and comes in preaching the fad of the moment style of hockey. The aforementioned Flames blue collar hockey, teams like Philly & Boston always seem to have that rough edged aura no what the roster. The Leafs play gritty and highly offensive, can never seem to learn proper D, that Capitals too, firewagon hocker was always something for their club and still is (now desperately trying to stamp it out with Trotz). The Canadiens have had this skilled counter-attack offence, defensively tight style since the 80s, NJ very tight defensively. I think the players that come in just absorb that, and it lingers through roster turnover that "this is  x team hockey".

[Fordel]

I want to say it comes down to the farm/scouting teams build up. Coaches, GM's, Owners, all that shit changes, but how often and regularly does the scouting and farm system get revamped?

Probably not very much.

[Strazos]

You probably need a pretty visionary GM to come in and change those sorts of things if they're not giving you the results you need.

[El Gallo]

Jesus fuck that Fleury extension.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Whelp...All I can say is you have to admire their loyalty to the guy.

[Phildo]

Are we complaining about the cost or the length?  I don't love the guy, but he's still a pretty solid #1.

[WayAbvPar]

He is at best middle of the pack. If he played on a team that didn't score like the Penguins do he would be under .500. Crazy extension.

[Speedy Cerviche]

He is a workhorse #1 in the regular season but the Pens are supposed to be cup contender with their superstars and he has posted brutal playoff #s for years now.

I'm not going to lay all the blame on him for the Pens' lack of recent success, they had other issues like on defence, and mental issues (especially vs Philly lol), but generally cup teams have a goalie that doesn't let in many softies, which are backbreakers given how tough it is to score in the playoffs, and can take a couple games all by themselves each series along the way so Fleury seemed to be part of the problem since those things are not his recent profile.

I guess they are hoping he can figure it out as he further matures. He is only 29, goalies tend to have a longer career arc, their position is so mental that you often see goalies getting better well into their 30s as they gain experience in handling their nerves, in their positioning, and approach to shooters/situations, matter more than raw athleticism. The Pens management must also figure that trying to pull off a trade, or find a UFA goalie would be just as much as a gamble as re-signing Fleury.

[Ginaz]

Thought I'd share this to reinforce my disdain for the Bruins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbShxQyu1gM

[Strazos]

As mediocre as Fleury is...he HAS won a Cup. And besides, what other options are out there for them, Bryz?

Also, love that Boston video - what a bunch of shits on that team.

[Azaroth]

Apparently the dressing room loves Fleury, and on top of that there weren't really any options in the offseason. No real choice to make. Rutherford had to pay him and hope for the best.

[Ginaz]

Apparently the dressing room loves Fleury, and on top of that there weren't really any options in the offseason. No real choice to make. Rutherford had to pay him and hope for the best.

I've heard that, too.  The deal isn't that far of stretch, IMO.  Apparently, Fleury and his side wanted 5 or 6 years, the Pens wanted 2 or 3, so they compromised and went with 4.  The money isn't too out there when compared to other starting goalies and Fleury's body of work, I think its just the length of the contract that's a little controversial to some.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Thought I'd share this to reinforce my disdain for the Bruins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbShxQyu1gM

There is an obsessed Canucks fan who has made about 5 of these videos over the past few years. Good stuff, I like that daily show edit, that's new.

[Ginaz]

Thought I'd share this to reinforce my disdain for the Bruins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbShxQyu1gM

There is an obsessed Canucks fan who has made about 5 of these videos over the past few years. Good stuff, I like that daily show edit, that's new.

I'm sure you could make a video like that of any team, inc. the Canucks.  It's just funny that the Bruins TV guy, who seems like a complete idiot, was mocking the Canadiens for diving and then the video shows numerous examples of Bruins doing it.

[Strazos]

The Bruins have one of the absolute worst TV crews. Did you catch the bit of him laughing after a guy got drilled?

[WayAbvPar]

The Bruins have one of the absolute worst TV crews. Did you catch the bit of him laughing after a guy got drilled?

Jack Edwards is a seat-sniffing creep and the blockhead color guy is pure Boston idiot. They are horrible.

In other news, the Kings still completely own the Canucks. Sigh. Wonder if Bieksa will decapitate Kesler tonight? 

[Shannow]

Thought I'd share this to reinforce my disdain for the Bruins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbShxQyu1gM

There is an obsessed Canucks fan who has made about 5 of these videos over the past few years. Good stuff, I like that daily show edit, that's new.

I think its Ginaz. 

Andy Brickley is not an idiot.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Anything to say for yourself Shannow?

[Ginaz]

Anything to say for yourself Shannow?

Loved it.  I'm not a Habs fan, but I could watch the Bruins shit the bed like that all day.  Its what happens when the refs actually make calls on them.  They're not the same team when they're not allowed to play "Bruin's hockey".

Oh, and Lucic backing down from Subban was a classic Lucic puss out.  The Sedin twins are tougher than Lucic.

[Shannow]

It's worth checking in just to see how far we are still in Ginaz's head, endless amusement.

Bruins are just not good when on the road vs quality teams. We miss Z and Krecji quite obviously but I'm not sure if it's all that.

Still, shit talking over a early November home win? Come on...wake me up in March!

[murdoc]

Bruins are just not good when on the road vs quality teams