Running 2008 NHL Playoffs Thread

I think sometimes coach's reputations precede them.

Everyone said that Pat Quinn could only coach a team of veterans, couldn't teach young kids, didn't have the patience, etc.

This summer he coached Canada's Under 18 to a Gold Medal.

During the medal presentation he looked like the proudest grandfather in the world.

 

Fly,

Thanks.

Finally figured it out this morning.

I think it would give the Bulls great pleasure to beat the Rangers twice. And I bet Kitchener is a little worried after the OHL Championship.

You got any extra tickets? I'm only a 45 minute drive.

And I'll buy the beer.

 

Just ducats for me and Mrs. Fly unfortunately. And I'm sure you're a gem, but I'll stick with her for now.

I'd expect tonight's contest, even without huge implications, to be a hard-fought game with both teams looking to put the hammer down onto the other. Both Pete DeBoer and George Burnett, Kitchener and Belleville coaches respectively, are very intense and have extremely high expectations of their teams. It could well be a knockdown-dragout (rock and roll party in the streets).

 

That was great moment. It shows that great coaches are adaptable to different situations.

 

What? Free Beer doesn't seal the deal?

Enjoy. I'm sure the place will be jumpin'

 

Farber on the rebirth of the Penguins.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/michael_farber/05/20/penguins0526/

 

Kitchener has a serious killer-instinct problem. They've been up 3-0 in two different games this week, losing tonight to Belleville after giving up four unanswered goals. Heck, they were up 3-0 on Belleville in the OHL finals before the Bulls came back to tie the series, and I believe Belleville scored three unanswered to win Game 6.

Did NHL Central Scouting overlook Belleville G Mike Murphy?

Okay, I'll stop now. This is beginning to look like one of Larry King's USA Today pieces.

 

2 Much.

Kitchener was also up 3-0 in the third period of game four of the OHL Championship and Bulls came back.

Murphy was the back-up goalie last year in Belleville. That was his draft year.

He's not even listed as a top prospect for North American goalies in this year's draft.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=21809

This is weird because he was #1 in both GAA and Save % in the OHL this year.

Maybe Huggy knows

 

It appears Murphy went undrafted last year, for reasons we've already discussed. Size might also be an issue — he's listed 5-11, 161. That said, the NHL seems to be moving toward smaller goalies.

(Just wondering ... is Kitchener the Starkville of the OHL? Town's like the poster child for "More Cowbell!")

 

Gents ... the word on Murphy is quick, smart, good puckhandler but small ... a team may take a flyer on him in the later rounds next month but, by and large, he will remain unranked.

 

Ah the Cowbell. There was nary a game of my minor hockey career - well at least peewee through midget - that was not accompanied by a bag of them. These were my years of playing in small town Eastern Alberta

 

Murphy has unreal quickness and can make unbelievable, spectacular saves. But the main reason is because his technical game is awful and he's constantly out of position and needs to bail himself out with the huge stops. He's rarely square to the shooter. NHL scouts recognize this, and know with better shooters at each level up the ladder those types of flaws will be magnified. I think he gets drafted late, but I question whether he'll ever be anything more than a decent ECHL-level goalie. Throw in the fact he weighs a buck and a half soaking wet at about 5-10.5, it's not exactly a recipe for NHL success.