Running 2007 NHL regular season thread

This guy would call Snow a pussy ...

 

I wonder if I can pull the Johnny Bower haircut off.

 

The high and tight is dreamy but you need the 'tude to pull it off.

 

I could see it, HB. Thing is, I dunno how well it would go with the Sean Avery shirt ...

 

See, I'm trying to combine the past--Bower haircut--with the present--Avery shirt.

I think I can sport the Bower haircut and old school pads (nod to the past) with an Avery sweater and a new--lefty shot--stick. Past and present.

 

It's not the goalie equipment which the NHL has seriously regulated. At least no one's wearing Garth Snow lacrosse shoulder pads

Leg pads can now only be 11" wide which is about an inch smaller than the pads my kid wore playing Midget hockey .

The goalies (well, not Raycroft & Toskala) are far superior to the goalies that played just after the NHL and the WHA merged. Jesus, look at some of the film from those years. Some of those guys couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat.

Back then a save % of say, .890 was pretty much the norm.

These days, that's a trip to the AHL.

 

Any predictions on first Head Coach to be fired?

-- I think Paul Maurice is gone by end of November because there's no way JFJ can allow the Leafs to lose without making a move to appease the media and fans. They have too many holes on defense for my liking and who knows how Raycroft and Toskala will work out in net.

 

I'm still hoping it's Mike Keenan but that won't happen ...

 

JFJ should go long before Maurice.

He signed Raycroft and Toskala.

But since it's the Leafs, they'll probably fire the equipment manager and then do up a press release.

Fuck MLSE

 

Do you think JFJ is the problem or the constant pressure to never go for the true rebuilding effort?

 

I think it's the fact that MLSE, like MSG in the late 1990s, hasn't come to terms with a rebuilding phase.

 

I figure I should announce my triumphant return to SportsJournalists.com with my third annual NHL pre-season predictions

Eastern Conference
Northeast Division
Ottawa *
Buffalo
Toronto
Montreal
Boston

Atlantic Division
Rangers *
Penguins
Flyers
Devils
Islanders

Southeast Division
Carolina *
Tampa Bay
Florida
Washington
Atlanta



Western Conference
Central Division
Detroit *
Nashville
Chicago
St. Louis
Columbus

Northwest Division
Colorado *
Edmonton
Minnesota
Vancouver
Calgary

Pacific Division
San Jose*
Anaheim
Los Angeles
Dallas
Phoenix

* indicates division champion.
---

Playoff teams
Eastern Conference
1 Ottawa
2 Rangers
3 Carolina
4 Penguins
5 Flyers
6 Tampa
7 Buffalo
8 Devils

Western Conference
1 Detroit
2 Colorado
3 San Jose
4 Anaheim
5 Edmonton
6 Nashville
7 Minnesota
8 Vancouver


Stanley Cup Champion
Detroit
---

Award-winners

Hart (MVP): Sidney Crosby
Art Ross (Top Scorer): Sidney Crosby
Maurice Richard (Top Goal Scorer): Heatly
Calder Trophy (Rookie Of The Year): Jonathan Toews
Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman): Chris Pronger
Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender): Henrik Lundquist
Lady Byng Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike): Pavel Datsyuk
Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Jamie Langenbrunner
Jack Adams Award (Coach Of The Year): Barry Trotz
Jennings Trophy (Lowest Goals Against Average): Hasek
Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP): Lindstrom
---

First Team All-Stars
LW) Ovechkin
C) Crosby
RW) Jagr
D) Lidstrom, Chris Pronger
G) Lundquist

Second Team All-Stars
LW) Simon Gagne
C) Jason Spezza
RW) Dany Heatley
D) Sheldon Souray, Wade Redden (big bounce back year for Redden)
G) Hasek

I know I'm goign to catch a lot of fanboyloser shit over my Oilers pick and Calgary's placement. This is the reasoning. Edmonton last year was the top team in the league at Christmas time before succombing to an unreal streak of injures - to the point where they were calling up defencemen from the Q. They bloody well couldn't make an outlet pass to save their life. Thus every aspect of their game suffered, especially offensively, and when Smyth was traded they lost their heart and soul and promptly went into the tank compeltely in all facets. This team right now is a better team in all regards then at Christmas time a year ago. plus they now have organizational depth for the first time in three or four years by gaining their own AHL franchise, so they should be able to withstand another injury slam. They are not the bottom feeders everyone has them pegged for.
The Flames, on the otherhand are so messed up right now. They have absoltutely no identity. They struggle offensively when they think defence first and they can't get it done when they think offence first. Keenan is not going to solve anything, just create more havoc. They have some tremendous players in their lineup, but they need more than just individuals, and competeing in argably the toughest division once again is going to hurt them.

Also, Chicago is my sleeper pick to crack the playoffs, although I know I do have them on the outside right now. Ton of young talent and if Khabibulin (sp?) gets hot, watch out.