All-purpose hockey thread...

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

Right after the Flyers anyways...


I think Fleury may still pan out. He has the raw ability to be that NHL #1 goalie. However he needs some semblence of a defence.If they can some how end up with Jack Johnson in this years draft the nucleus of that team for the next 10 years scares the shit out of me.
Fleury, Big Baby Jesus, Malkin and then maybe Johnson. If they can keep it together where ever they end up they have some of the best potential in the league.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

The only way they're going to get Jack Johnson is by trading for him, since Carolina got him with the No. 3 pick in last year's NHL draft.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

My apologies, I meant Erik Johnson. To many fricken Johnsons

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

Another Staal about ready to join the NHL:

Sudbury Wolves' defenceman Marc Staal, who signed a contract with the New York Rangers after being drafted in the first round of the 2005 draft, will join the Rangers in the next few days, once immigration paper work is cleared up.

The Wolves were eliminated from the OHL playoffs earlier this week. The Rangers had hoped to have Staal in their lineup tonight, but immigration hurdles prevented that.

If all goes well, Staal could be in the Rangers’ lineup as early as Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

vancouver gags worse than edmonton; the canucks give up three in the third period and lose 5-3 to san jose. they are out, edmonton gets in. the west is set, with matchups still to be determined. it will be interesting what a meddling pair of new owners (who have 50-50 control over the canucks) do with that team this summer. bertuzzi -- one year left on his deal -- will undoubtedly be shopped and jovanovski is a free agent. will they fire crawford? or keep him and blow up a team that had something wrong inside of it all year. no one is even sure if nonis is safe.

meanwhile, in the east, the maple leafs are back in it -- three down to tampa with three to go. games remaining:

tampa bay (89 points):
friday @ carolina
saturday vs carolina
tuesday vs washington

atlanta (87 points)
saturday vs boston
monday @ washington
tuesday @ florida

toronto (86 points)
saturday vs ottawa
sunday @ buffalo
tuesday vs pittsburgh

of course, now that the toronto games are starting to matter, the leafs will probably get killed. they are 0-7 this year versus the senators and 2-5 against the sabres. (3-0 over the penguins.)

the lightning are 4-2 against the hurricanes, who can still finish first in the east, and 4-3 against the capitals. it would appear that the thrashers have the easiest schedule. they are 5-2 versus both the panthers and capitals, but 1-2 against the bruins.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

Amazingly, the Avs could still pull off 5th place. They need to sweep Edmonton and Vancouver (doable), have Anaheim beat San Jose (doable) and then lose to Calgary (doable, but the Flames will have nothing to play for.) That might be Nashville's best prayer of escaping the first round.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

Before Vancouver sinks the ship, they should at least give it one go-around with a real goaltender. Dan Cloutier was never going to get it done and neither was Alex Auld.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

martin st louis scored on an overtime breakaway to eliminate the toronto maple leafs. if i knew any of you, id buy the next round.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

Furthermore, Tampa Bay needs only to tie Washington on Tuesday (or have Atlanta lose 1 of 2) to clinch.

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

And the Leafs are officially dead:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...017&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

Did't win when they had to against Monteal.

Nice to see you guys played well when it didn't matter

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

Nice profile yesterday on Jonathan Cheechoo. He's now the leading contender for the Rocket Richard Trophy with 56 goals.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060415.wxcheechoo0415/BNStory/Sports/

 

Re: All-purpose hockey (NHL and Olympics) thread...

It looks like Thornton will win the Art Ross, as he's got a three-point lead on Mario's sister with one game left for both of them (Jagr would take the trophy should they tie as he has more goals than Thornton).

Are the Boston Bruins going to be the first team in history to trade away the Art Ross Trophy winner mid-season? I can't remember if it's happened before.