NHL 2011/2012 Season

[Danny99]

I have never liked Sidney Crosby. I never agreed that he was given the mantle of this great hockey superstar before he played a game, remember how well that turned out for Alexandre Daigle. Sure he's won a Cup and a Gold Medal, but we saw the true Sidney on Sunday when he poked the glove away in a gutless move and then cried "Why me!" when Timonen came and slashed his stick away. If you want a young Canadian superstar that clearly embodies the Canadian way of hockey, watch Steven Stamkos between Crosby shilling for Spotchek, Dempster's Bread, Gatorade, and anyone else that throws money at him.

The Canucks are toast, finished. Someone with show Schneider the money this summer and with the money wrapped in the Sedins, Kesler, Booth, and half the defense core, not to mention Luongo's disaster of a contract, they won't be able to match it. I'd love to have him in Toronto...just saying.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Keith Primeau wants NHL to come down hard on Penguins

Today, NHL safety czar Brendan Shanahan will decide what punishments to administer for the hits by Asham and Neal. Asham, a marginal, fourth-liner whose primary purpose is the rough stuff, is almost definitely headed for a suspension. But the announcement Monday that Neal would face separate hearings for those blows administered on the same shift suggests Shanahan and/or the league is looking for a way to separate the two hits, and thus only fine the Pens forward, who has five points in this series.

"I think that's a very dangerous precedent if you don't hand down a suspension there," Primeau said. "Because guys will continue to be willing to make that sacrifice if they think it's for a just cause. But if you start taking away their opportunity as to what they are trying to accomplish, they'll have second thoughts."

Of course, the team most associated with this style of play historically was the Philadelphia Flyers, so I will avoid saying anything here (although I did hold my breath when I saw Claude Girioux get hit in the head). Still, this does seem like the kind of thing Hockey is trying to move away from.

 

[Winterwind]

I have never liked Sidney Crosby. I never agreed that he was given the mantle of this great hockey superstar before he played a game, remember how well that turned out for Alexandre Daigle. Sure he's won a Cup and a Gold Medal, but we saw the true Sidney on Sunday when he poked the glove away in a gutless move and then cried "Why me!" when Timonen came and slashed his stick away. If you want a young Canadian superstar that clearly embodies the Canadian way of hockey, watch Steven Stamkos between Crosby shilling for Spotchek, Dempster's Bread, Gatorade, and anyone else that throws money at him.

The Canucks are toast, finished. Someone with show Schneider the money this summer and with the money wrapped in the Sedins, Kesler, Booth, and half the defense core, not to mention Luongo's disaster of a contract, they won't be able to match it. I'd love to have him in Toronto...just saying.

You've summed up my thoughts on Crosby quite nicely. Never could stand that kid. Can't stand Don Cherry either but laughed when he "called out" Crosby.

As for Schneider in the Leafs net, yeah. I'd like that too.

I do indeed think Vancouver is done. Wonder if the fans will riot after a first round sweep?

 

[Danny99]

So Detroit is the first team gone. I don't know if it is Nashville's dominance or Detroit's lack thereof that helped the outcome, but I'm excited to see Detroit out and Nashville moving on.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

And Raffi Torres gets a 25 game suspension for his hit on Hossa.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Flyers in 6

FTFY

 

[TheSeeker]

Guess who's going to game six of the New York / Ottawa series.

 

[Danny99]

I'm glad to see Pittsburgh gone. I can now go back to cheering against the Flyers and the world will feel right again.

I'm surprised as anyone that Ottawa is still alive. My Leafs blood is boiling at that one.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Now that's one way to win a playoff series.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

Guess who's going to game six of the New York / Ottawa series.

Have fun, eh?

I thought Dan Bylsma's comment at the post game presser was kind of funny.

He congratulated the Flyers on the series win and said " I should wish them good luck, but I just can't."

 

[Derishton]

Aren't a good chunk of Crosby's ads done on behalf of the league? That's not to say he doesn't benefit financially, but much of that stuff provides profile for the NHL.

 

[Winterwind]

I'm glad to see Pittsburgh gone. I can now go back to cheering against the Flyers and the world will feel right again.

I'm surprised as anyone that Ottawa is still alive. My Leafs blood is boiling at that one.

Hehehe. That about sums up my thoughts. And with Vancouver being upset by the Kings (honestly didn't see that one coming) Ottawa is now the only Canadian representation left in the playoffs. That sucks.

I'm really curious to see how Vancouver's goaltending situation will play out now. I'm sure Schneider is going to have more than a few offers.

As for the rest of the playoffs, I really don't have anything invested. I think I'd like to see the Blues get the Cup.

 

[Derishton]

I think I'm rooting for the Predators in the west; they seem like the most complete package these days, and the Blues are a Hitchcock team. Not that ... exciting ... to watch. I wouldn't mind if Willie Mitchell got a Cup with LA; Van should never have let him go.

At the moment, however, I'm rooting for the Senators overall (not bandwagoning, as I support them in the east during the regular season).

 

[Danny99]

I'm always a big fan of having an underdog get it (with the exception of Ottawa). So I'll be with the Kings, Blues, Predators, Panthers, and the winner of the Coyotes/Hawks.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Flyers were technically an underdog last series

 

[Chaos Descending]

Congrats to the Coyotes for winning for their first playoff series since moving to Phoenix.

They've been scrapping for the last few years. Nice to see it go their way for once.

 

[Derishton]

Would the Hawks have qualified as an underdog this year?

 

[Winterwind]

If we go by the absurd format for playoff seeding then yes, they were 6th vs 3rd (Phoenix). If we go by actual points then no, they were 5th and Phoenix was 6th.

And big news on the sports sites today... Luongo came out and said he'd waive his NTC if asked so panellists are already speculating where he'll go.

 

[Danny99]

He's got to get out of Vancouver. The only championship he won on home ice was with an all-star team during the Olympics. I don't know where he could go, but Vancouver and him is just a poisoned relationship.

 

[Winterwind]

The teams most often mentioned are Tampa and Toronto. There's some talk now about Chicago and New Jersey. I do wonder how much longer Brodeur is going to be around.

Luongo's contract isn't as bad as it seems at first. Sure, he's signed until he's 43 but it's one of those BS contracts that basically pays nothing in the final years and comes of the books if he retires.

I'd rather see Schneider in Toronto than Luongo but I have a feeling Vancouver would rather part with Luongo.

And back to the playoffs... I hope Washington takes it tonight. I just don't like the Boston.