Running 2007 NHL regular season thread

I'm not going to go predicting the whole season, but I think this could be a breakout year for Florida. They played really well down the stretch last season, have a top-flight talent in Jokinen and have a goalie in Vokoun who can win games. They're also loaded with young talent on both offense and defense; I think they make the playoffs this season.

If I had to guess right now, I think my Thrashers miss the postseason. Didn't do enough in the offseason to plug up some holes, even if Kozlov coming back is a huge plus. If Atlanta's going to make it again, Lehtonen has to play much better in net.

 

Raffi Torres on the Daily Show.

Pretty funny stuff.

http://mirtle.blogspot.com/2007/09/torres-on-daily-show.html

 

But there are those who realize goalkeepers and their pads have gotten bigger over the years. Is three inches each way really that big of a deal?

 

It is when you have trained all your life on your angles.

 

I notice the Devils are left out here.

Don't count them out.

 

I have the Devils as a playoff team.

 

Big-time relief for me: Dish Network finally reached a deal with the NHL to offer Center Ice.

 

Good. Thing is, won't FSN South continue to offer quite a few Whalercanes games? Not all, of course, but FSN South has done a nice job of bringing the Whalercanes post-lockout.

 

I'm not in the Hurricanes' territory so if I didn't get Center Ice, I'd only see a few Canes games all season.

 

but not as Stanley Cup Champions...

 

And there are those who remember that they've already placed limitations on the size of goalie gear.

 

Why should there be limitations on the pads? Wasn't the sport better when Garth Snow wore pads the size of a brick wall?