NHL 2010/2011 season....

[DeafPoet]

Well, the Leafs refuse to die. They're probably still screwed but they do miraculously have something resembling a chance. Couple of shaky games last week but they continue to win the ones they absolutely have to, like Saturday against Buffalo and again tonight in Carolina. Also, it looks like Dion Phaneuf has woken up. Which is good news, I had kind of written off the notion that that might ever happen!

Also, quote from Dutchyshen on SportsCentre regarding a James Reimer save: "Better call Reim Stoppers, he just got robbed!" What a bunch of goofy motherfuckers they employ at TSN

 

[AdmiralGarak]

So... Pacioretty could return by the playoffs. The circle of ridiculous over-reaction is complete.

 

[DeafPoet]

So... Pacioretty could return by the playoffs. The circle of ridiculous over-reaction is complete.

But... but... I'm not done with my righteous indignation yet!

 

[DeafPoet]

Well, total crap effort by the Leafs in Florida tonight. That almost officially seals their fate. James Reimer better have been hobbling around on crutches to justify Ron Wilson not even dressing him and starting Giguere instead.

Then again, the final was 4-0. I guess they could have bricked up the net Cask-of-Amontillado-style and still lost this fucker considering the offense was just nowhere tonight. Ugh.

Anyway, hopefully some deals can get done over the summer to lessen the frequency of games like this. They've shown that they have the capability to play at a really high level, it's just that you never quite know which team is going to show up on any given night. That oughta improve over time, hopefully.

 

[Canadave]

^ The guy needed a break. Reimer's played in every game since mid-February... at some point, you gotta let him rest.

And frankly, the Leafs have been out of it for a week or two, now. It's only a few key wins that have kept up the illusion.

 

[DeafPoet]

^ The guy needed a break. Reimer's played in every game since mid-February... at some point, you gotta let him rest.

And frankly, the Leafs have been out of it for a week or two, now. It's only a few key wins that have kept up the illusion.

Yeah I know. And they still aren't mathematically out of it. But before tonight the most blatant homer in me could see it as a slim possibility.

Also, I can imagine Reimer needed a break. I sure as hell would after doing what he's done. But Wilson maintained before the game that he's not tired he's just getting a break... because. That's pretty obviously spin, but I still woulda played him. It's a lot of work, but it's not like goalies haven't played 20 games in a row before and he wasn't even at that mark yet.

 

[Garak]

Matt Cooke is solidifying his position as the dirtiest player in perhaps the history of the NHL - got a BLATANT elbow up on a Ranger last night, having his in person hearing right now with the useless entity otherwise known as Colin Campbell.

You gotta think even his teammates are sick of his antics by now.

Can't wait for Mario to come out and speak against this.....

 

[DeafPoet]

Can't wait for Mario to come out and speak against this.....

He almost has to at this point.

Can't be shooting your mouth off about discipline when you've got this fuckstick running around your locker room.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Matt Cooke is solidifying his position as the dirtiest player in perhaps the history of the NHL

Not even close, though that's not saying much about Cooke or the NHL.


Cooke single-handedly cost the team a very important game and continues to embarrass the franchise. He's a fantastic 3rd liner and leads the league in short-handed points, so he's still got a handful of defenders left in Pittsburgh. Personally, I hope he gets bought out or dumped down to Wilkes-Barre next season. I'm sick of him.

 

[BigFoot]

Malhotra is out for the rest of the season (and the playoffs).

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Can't wait for Mario to come out and speak against this.....

He almost has to at this point.

Can't be shooting your mouth off about discipline when you've got this fuckstick running around your locker room.

Per Kypreos on Twitter

I'm told #Pens Mario/Cooke had spoken at great length yesterday and was basically told to change the way he plays or leave.

 

[Garak]

Malhotra is out for the rest of the season (and the playoffs).

HUGE loss, but the pickups we made at the trade deadline are looking to be genius moves - either Laperiere or Higgins can fill that 3rd line centre, and if neither works out there's always Cody Hodgson - so it's not the end of the world. We rallied huge without 4 of our top defensemen all year, I think we can rally hard here too.


Matt Cooke has been suspended the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.

 

[Winterwind]

I certainly wouldn't weep of Pittsburgh tossed Cooke to the curb this summer.

As for the Leafs, I've no expectations of them pulling off a miracle (though I'd do a happy dance if they did) still it's nice to see another win for Reimer, that coming with the third shutout in his young NHL career. Damn if only we'd had this kid up earlier in the season and not thought Gigeure and Gustavsson were our goalies. I feel bad for Gustavsson but the simple reality is Reimer is better.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

Matt Cooke is solidifying his position as the dirtiest player in perhaps the history of the NHL

I think Bertuzzi might have something to say about that. Or did you mean "most chicken-shit" player?

What goes through a player's mind before he elbows someone in the head.

Matt Cooke has been suspended the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.

Good.

I still think if you injure someone on a dirty hit, you're out as long as they are. Would go a long way to cutting down on dirty/ late hits that cause injuries.

 

[Garak]

Matt Cooke is solidifying his position as the dirtiest player in perhaps the history of the NHL

I think Bertuzzi might have something to say about that. Or did you mean "most chicken-shit" player?

Bertuzzi was really just one awful incident, whereas Cooke has a pattern spread out over years of cheap shots and always intends to injure his opponent. Perhaps not the dirtiest player in the history of the NHL but he's really making a case for the dirtiest player of the modern era. But yeah, Bertuzzi is chicken shit, I was so glad when we traded that douchebag.

I still think if you injure someone on a dirty hit, you're out as long as they are. Would go a long way to cutting down on dirty/ late hits that cause injuries.

The argument against that is that a team could potentially hold a player from playing once he's healthy on purpose, just to stick it to another team. Say Jarome Iginla lays down a dirty hit on someone from a team they are competing with for a playoff spot. It really makes sense for that team to keep their player from playing if it means Calgary's best player isn't going to be playing for Calgary, especially if Iginla injures a 3rd or 4th line guy - that's a pretty great trade off.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

Matt Cooke is solidifying his position as the dirtiest player in perhaps the history of the NHL

I think Bertuzzi might have something to say about that. Or did you mean "most chicken-shit" player?

But yeah, Bertuzzi is chicken shit, I was so glad when we traded that douchebag.

I wish nothing but failure on him. Even after all these years, he still gets booed every time he touches the puck in Denver. I love hockey fans.

I still think if you injure someone on a dirty hit, you're out as long as they are. Would go a long way to cutting down on dirty/ late hits that cause injuries.

The argument against that is that a team could potentially hold a player from playing once he's healthy on purpose, just to stick it to another team. Say Jarome Iginla lays down a dirty hit on someone from a team they are competing with for a playoff spot. It really makes sense for that team to keep their player from playing if it means Calgary's best player isn't going to be playing for Calgary, especially if Iginla injures a 3rd or 4th line guy - that's a pretty great trade off.

The league has to have its own medical staff/ evaluation, if the player's cleared by the league the suspension is over regardless if the player gets back on the ice.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Even so, it's not reasonable. A normally clean player could end his own season with a single questionable hit on an injury-magnet, while a goon can lay a far worse hit on an iron man and be back a few games later. Unacceptable in my opinion.

 

[DeafPoet]

Even so, it's not reasonable. A normally clean player could end his own season with a single questionable hit on an injury-magnet, while a goon can lay a far worse hit on an iron man and be back a few games later. Unacceptable in my opinion.

I agree. I think the current system is fine. Only because there isn't a way to do it more fairly. You punish the repeat offenders, but you punish the stars too. And the punishment fits the crime. And it might fit it a little more if you're a proven asshole.

Hence we have a season where Alexander Ovechkin gets a couple games for slew-footing (or was that last year?) and Matt Cook gets his reign of terror punished with the stiffest suspension this side of McSorley or Bertuzzi.

It's not totally fair but I think it's the best you can do.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I think Matt Cook type suspensions should be closer to the norm than the exception, though. Deliberate hits should not be tolerated.

 

[Garak]

How about Teemu Selanne - 5 points last night, 75pts in 67 games good for 10th in the league in scoring. All at 41 years old.

Call me crazy but the Anaheim Ducks are the one team I do not want to face in the first round. Their top line might be the best in hockey right now, their #1 goalie is back and they've got a hell of a coach.