2008/09 NHL Thread

Matt Duchene in a Maple Leafs jersey would be awesome.

 

I could actually see them going for Brayden Schenn. Keep the brothers together, plus the kid is every bit offensive that his brother is a bruising defender.

 

I will say one thing, as deep as this draft is supposed to be I don't see many players making the jump to the NHL next year. Tavares for sure -- whether he has a Stamkos season or a Crosby season is up for debate -- but I think even Hedman will need a year to aclimatize to the NA rink. As far as Duchene, Kane and Schenn are concerned as the three forwards listed next, I haven't seen much of Duchene, but Kane and Schenn could definitely benefit from another year in the Dub.

 

I think Huggy would agree with me on this.

Duchene is a good bet to play in the NHL next year. He is astonishingly good.

As I said to one of the billets a couple of games ago, "I could watch Matt play hockey all day".

Fast skater, great hands, great vision, quick release and isn't afraid to muck it up in the corners".

Kid's an artist.

 

JR, you would know better than anyone else. Why wasn't Duchene on the WJC team?

 

I don't disagree. 18-year-olds in the NHL are rare, European 18-year-olds are more rare, and European 18-year-old defensemen are rarer still. There may have been one since Tverdovksy, but I can't think of any.

And if a healthy Matt Duchene gets sent back to Brampton next year, I'll be stunned.

 

JR, in your opinion who has the brighter future, Hodgson or Duchene

 

Saw a commercial for the 10 Greatest Games in Islanders History DVD.

http://shop.nhl.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3441391&cp=3176699&clickid=body_bestsell_txt

Not that they're having problems drawing flies to fecal matter in Uniondale, but two tickets to a home game are included with every purchase of the DVD.

 

Bettman visited The New Yankee Stadium (TM) earlier in the week, as he decides on which venue will host the 2010 Winter Classic.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=409145

 

One of the last cuts. It was a bit of a numbers game. They added an additional d-man so he was sent back.

Also, this tourney, with few exceptions (Crosby, Tavares) is considered a tournament for nineteen year olds.

 

Plus, Duchene had just come back from a two-week layoff with a shoulder injury and might not have been 100% at camp.

 

True.
And Brampton's beating Kingston 2-1 after one