The NHL Thread

Brodeur-

What teams are playing right now? There are only two left, so that's what I'm talking about. I look forward to talking about the awards, the draft, training camp, etc. but for now I'm just dealing with what's current. I'm certainly not alone in my point of view, btw, although I seem to be in this forum.

Yes, I hate the Penguins, I'm not fond of Penguins fans as a group, but I never singled anyone out or attacked anyone here personally.

Interesting that nobody has ever seen you around here before the Finals started. Then you get here and start crying about how the Pens get every call and the league wants them to win. In not one of your posts have you ever given the Pens any type of credit. You have an agenda and after a few posts it gets boring. You are not impartial or rational.

I found this little gem that you recently posted: Penguins attendance before Crosby was drafted? I'll say again: DEAD FUCKING LAST in the NHL. Your superstars left and your fanbase disappeared. And people call DC fans fickle, but what does this say about Pittsburgh fans?? I thought you guys were supposed to be a sports town?? Nah, guess not. Just a bunch of mullet-wearing, towel-waving bandwagoners.

It's clear that you are here to stir up trouble and act as an irritant. The funny thing is that there is really only 1 Pens fan on this thread. I'm not sure who you think you are upsetting.

I also believe that you are the guy that said Brashear's hit on Betts wasn't dirty. That hit was a joke and that's coming from a Devils fan. It was an interference and Betts didn't see it coming at all. It hurt him very bad, including a broken eye socket which might've ended his career.

I can't wait until the summer when you break down the draft and free agency.

...Which was in direct response to someone calling Washington fans bandwagoners.

Honestly, it amazes me that almost no one here agrees about the obvious favoritism going on in these playoffs. Most fans I've talked to seem to agree with me, and even the mainstream hockey media seem to be picking up on it. But no one here seems to give a shit that this league is turning into the WWF.

Ha ha ha try being there wrus! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was pretty impressed with the crowd noise last night. As far as the 6 men on the ice for 30 seconds dont blame the Pens blame the 4 officials who did not see it. I think the NHL really needs to review the tapes of this series when its all said and done because the officiating has been terrible all around. I have seen botched calls everywhere on both sides. I took some pics from last nights game I will attempt to post them later today.

Vinny Lecavalier is very much available in a trade, according to the Toronto Sun.

While Lightning GM Brian Lawton publicly denies this, he is privately listening to offers. Lecavalier's 11-year, $85 million contract extension kicks in July 1, and with it a no-trade clause. Montreal remains very interested in the superstar, but Los Angeles has reportedly become a big player as well. It should be an interesting month leading up to July 1.

Ugh, I can't take it anymore, all the bitching about the reffing. There's always going to be bad calls. The non-call on the too many men was insane, but don't insinuate that the league has some conspiracy to have the Pens win. I notice there wasn't much chatter about the non-calls in game 2. Hossa should have gotten a hooking penalty on a play, and 3 seconds later it's a Franzen goal. Zetterberg covers the puck in the crease and it should have been a penalty shot. They're blown calls, happens every game. We all know the stars get the calls in their favor. I don't see Wings fans on here saying that blown calls cost them game 3 and I really don't see Pens fans saying the non calls in game 2 cost them. And I also like how some people here were outraged when Malkin wasn't suspended, but when Scott Walker wasn't suspended, nobody really said anything, and then he scores the series winner.

For anyone that's interested, CBC had a pretty good Hotstove segment last night. It was just Ron MacLean and Gary Bettman. It's kind of funny to watch how Bettman evades some questions.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hockeynightincanada/hotstove/

From TSN

BRUINS SIGN KREJCI TO MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION

The Boston Bruins signed forward David Krejci to a multi-year contract extension on Tuesday.

The contract is a three year deal at $3.5, $3.75 and $4 million per year, respectively.

Krejci established a career high in goals with 22 and points with 73 in 82 games this season. His 51 assists ranked him second on the team behind Marc Savard and he led the league with a +36 rating.

He also received the Bruins Seventh Player Award, given to the player who performs above and beyond expectations.

The 23-year-old was originally drafted by the Bruins in the second round (63rd overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Bruins on January 30, 2007 against the Buffalo Sabres.

In his three-year NHL career, Krejci has recorded 100 points in 144 regular season games. He appeared in all 11 playoff games for the Bruins this season, contributing two goals and six assists.

Phil Kessel may be on the trading block now that Boston signed David Krejci.

The Bruins are dealing with cap issues for next season already, and Kessel likely will command a $4 million annual salary, similar to what Krejci received from the Bruins yesterday. With veteran Marco Sturm returning from injury, he's owed $3.5 million, which didn't go towards the cap much of the season because he was on the long term injury exemption. One rumor making the rounds, via the Boston Herald, has the Bruins trading Kessel to Colorado for their third overall pick in this year's draft. Stay tuned.

The Avalanche have fired head coach Tony Granato.

Colorado cleaned house Wednesday morning with the ax falling on assistant coaches Jacques Cloutier and Dave Barr, goaltending coach Jeff Hackett, assistant to the general manager Michel Goulet and video coordinator P.J. DeLuca. GM Francois Giguere was fired shortly after the season ended. Team President and former GM Pierre Lacroix is overseeing the changes. Patrick Roy, whom the team was courting to be their head coach last week, declined the job offer. Perhaps this shakeup was meant to sweeten the pot to lure St. Patrick back to Colorado as a general manager. Stay tuned.

Canadian media are a bunch of fuckheads. Tavares wants to be an Islander.

http://http://www.islanderspointblank.com/2009/06/jt/

I think the isles should take Hedman

There is one very clear reason why the referees didn't see 6 penguins players on the ice: They didn't want to see them. This was bound to happen with the refs at some point in this series and the NHL didn't want to see Wonder girl Crosby's team get their ass beat in 4 games. They got game 3 but this series will be over in 5.

Kessel for the third overall pick? There are some pretty impressive players other than Tavares and Hedman in this draft that could make an immediate impact. I personally don't think Kessel is worth that type of trade. Colorado would be better served to take a young stud player in the draft than have Kessel for one year and then have to pay him 3 to 4+ million a year.

I think it's bigger than that....I believe that Bettman instructed the refs to allow the Pens to play with 6 skaters for 30 seconds in each game. Look for it game 4 as well.

I think the refs are human and they just missed it. It happens. Stop being a whiney cunt, Busches, you're team is probably gonna win the Cup anyway.

It's funny that when a fan's team loses a game in the playoffs his true colors come out. Busches is a whiner, just like the guy he loves to bash....Sidney Crosby.

Lets put the shitty, Toronto media in its place....Tavaras called Chris Botta and said "I want to be an Islander"..

Awesome post right here: http://www.islanderspointblank.com/2009/06/jt/#comments

Heres a small excerpt;
"I don’t know. From the very beginning, I consistently said that I would sign with the team that drafted me. When the Islanders won the lottery, there’s been so much garbage out there. It’s really bothered me. Even before I visited with the Islanders and got to know the owner and the GM, there was never an issue. Now that I’ve gotten to know what the franchise is about, I feel even stronger about it. I want to be part of them rebuilding into a contender. I want to be part of a Stanley Cup team there. I want to be an Islander. Can you please make that clear in your article?"


Tavaras went out of his way and told Chris Botts, who does an awesome blog for islander fans, he used to be a writer for the Isles and now he does an independent blog for die hards Isles fans and hockey fans...I am going top proud to have him in Orange & Blue!

Lets Go Islanders!!!

Tavaras actually spent 2 nights @ Garth Snows place and played a round of golf together..

Dougie Weight, such a classy and positive guy and a fellow center man, took Tavaras out for breakfast...

that's what he will be doing during the playoffs if he is drafted by the isles

And a week after that the Rangers can join him.

don't forget about the devils

I never do. As a matter of fact I'm watching the 2000 Stanley Cup DVD as we speak. I'm sorry I'm watching the 2003 DVD, I always get them mixed up. You should watch your 1994 Rangers VHS tape and relive the glory days.

sorry i am watching this

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGovDkf6JHs"]YouTube - Colorado Avalanche 2001 Stanley Cup Final Game 7[/ame]

I remember it well. It was after the Devils won their 2nd Cup and 2 years before they won their 3rd. How did the Rangers do that year?

It's too bad we can't watch highlights of the Rangers 2nd Cup because they didn't have video back then. The 3 cups the Rags won before 1994 are just a rumor at this point.

read between the lines:

TAVARES: I want to be drafted first overall more than anything......... even though I played sub-par after the World Juniors and average playoff because I was way too soft.


Alexandre Daigle, anyone?

Leading up to the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Alexandre Daigle was considered a "can't miss" prospect and NHL superstar in waiting. The Senators were even accused of deliberately losing games late in the 1992-93 season in order to guarantee the first overall selection and the right to draft him, which prompted an investigation by the league.

looks like you are 100% spot on