Hockey is back

[Gargantua]

@LHoffman:

@Gargantua:

I’ve crushed insects for less…

Oh yeah, I forgot…        :-P

Sometimes I pull them apart first - red wing, by red wing… :P

[LHoffman]

@Gargantua:

Sometimes I pull them apart first - red wing, by red wing… :P

Yeah, well… your mom likes my red wings.

[Young Grasshopper]

@LHoffman:

@Gargantua:

Sometimes I pull them apart first - red wing, by red wing… :P

Yeah, well… your mom likes my red wings.

DUDE!!  YOU HAVE RED WINGS?!!!

[LHoffman]

@Young:

@LHoffman:

@Gargantua:

Sometimes I pull them apart first - red wing, by red wing… :P

Yeah, well… your mom likes my red wings.

DUDE!! � YOU HAVE RED WINGS?!!!

No. I meant that I own the entire fanbase of the team. Hence the singular possessive. Having red wings would be cool though…

[Gargantua]

@LHoffman:

@Gargantua:

Sometimes I pull them apart first - red wing, by red wing… :P

Yeah, well… your mom likes my red wings.

WOW… considering she’s been in the grave for almost 30 years, you must have had quite the… boner? LOL.

[suprise attack]

Sabres beat the Bruins……That makes my day!!!

[LHoffman]

@Gargantua:

Yeah, well… your mom likes my red wings.

WOW… considering she’s been in the grave for almost 30 years, you must have had quite the… boner? LOL.

Awww man… why’d you have to go pull that one. Now I feel bad.

[Young Grasshopper]

Yep…. When someone pulls the dead mom card, it’s all over and everyone calls for a group hug. Back to the NHL… 4 teams are for real, 4 teams are doomed, and the rest are in a blood bath.

[LHoffman]

@Young:

Yep…. When someone pulls the dead mom card, it’s all over and everyone calls for a group hug. Back to the NHL… 4 teams are for real, 4 teams are doomed, and the rest are in a blood bath.

Yes… group hug time.

Please elaborate on your teams… or wait, let me guess.

YG’s For Real:
1.   Boston
2.   San Jose
3.   New York Rangers
4.   Chicago

YG’s DOOMED:
1.   Columbus
2.   Florida
3.   Calgary
4.   Toronto

The rest… bloodbath.

Did I get it right?

[Young Grasshopper]

@LHoffman:

@Young:

Yep…. When someone pulls the dead mom card, it’s all over and everyone calls for a group hug. Back to the NHL… 4 teams are for real, 4 teams are doomed, and the rest are in a blood bath.

Yes… group hug time.

Please elaborate on your teams… or wait, let me guess.

YG’s For Real:
1.  Boston
2.  San Jose
3.  New York Rangers NY Islanders or Montreal
4.  Chicago

YG’s DOOMED:
1.  Columbus
2.  Florida Washington (No defense)
3.  Calgary
4.  Toronto Philadelphia (No goaltending)

The rest… bloodbath.

Did I get it right?

[Young Grasshopper]

Just helped my friend sell his tickets to tonight’s Bruins vs Leafs game at the ACC. Upper bowl for $250 each and the guy who bought them (Bruins fan) never blinked. In contrast, try getting tickets at Fenway for a Red Sox vs. Yankees game.

[LHoffman]

@Young:

@LHoffman:

YG’s For Real:
1. �Boston
2. �San Jose
3. �New York Rangers NY Islanders or Montreal
4. �Chicago

YG’s DOOMED:
1. �Columbus
2. �Florida Washington (No defense)
3. �Calgary
4. �Toronto Philadelphia (No goaltending)

The rest… bloodbath.

Okay… I was over 50% right, however, I have to contest all your corrections.

The Rangers are not the super-team they are on paper… but they are way better than both Montreal and the Islanders. Montreal has the potential to be second best in their division, but only because all of the teams in it (not from Boston) are mediocre at best and get to fight to see who is the best at being mediocre. The Islanders on the other hand are the worst team in perhaps the toughest division. Talk about no defense (for Washington), the Islanders have even less. They have some firepower up front, but none of their defense/goaltending acquisitions even want to report to the team.

As for DOOMED… Washington sucks, but not as much as Florida. The Southeast is mostly abysmal but right now it seems like everyone in it is (or likely will be) better than the Panthers. Last year was an anomaly. Florida has no goaltending, weak up front and thin on defense. IF Ovechkin, Backstrom and Green wake up, the Capitals can be as good as they used to be.

Personally, I don’t think Philadelphia being more doomed than Toronto even makes sense. No, Philadelphia is not playing up to their potential at the moment, but they are loaded with scoring talent, not really hot on defense and their goaltending leaves some to be desired. While in Toronto, we have a team with little success over the past… God only knows how many years, poor offense (worse outlook with Lupul out), okay defense and scattered showers of decent goaltending.

Just not seeing your reasoning here YG. Though perhaps Montreal being in the “for real” is due to your zealousness as a fan, which, while excusable is not at all rational.

[Mallery29]

I’d have to disagree almost completely with the top 4 for real teams…

San Jose needs to prove it can win a game that is NOT in the regular season before I will even recognize them as a for real team.

I still say NYR will be relevant, even though my Pens are now 2-0 on them…

Speaking of those Pens…why are they not on this list?  Standby for revenge for last year.

Boston right now is just an average team.  They have the tools, but are lacking something, like senior leadership as when they had Recchi.

Chicago IS the team to beat in the West right now, and I really don’t think come playoff team there will be much resistance to them.  You are looking at the Campbell Champs, and possibly the Cup winners.

So with NYR, Pitt, and Chicago being the real teams, I don’t really have a fourth.  There are teams that could be a number 4 (STL, TB, Bos, Ott), but I need to see big games from them.

[barney]

so you think the Av’s have a chance?

[LHoffman]

@Mallery29:

I’d have to disagree almost completely with the top 4 for real teams…

San Jose needs to prove it can win a game that is NOT in the regular season before I will even recognize them as a for real team.

I still say NYR will be relevant, even though my Pens are now 2-0 on them…

Speaking of those Pens…why are they not on this list?  Standby for revenge for last year.

Boston right now is just an average team.  They have the tools, but are lacking something, like senior leadership as when they had Recchi.

Chicago IS the team to beat in the West right now, and I really don’t think come playoff team there will be much resistance to them.  You are looking at the Campbell Champs, and possibly the Cup winners.

So with NYR, Pitt, and Chicago being the real teams, I don’t really have a fourth.  There are teams that could be a number 4 (STL, TB, Bos, Ott), but I need to see big games from them.

Just as a disclaimer… none of the above choices were ones that I would necessarily pick. Those were my guesses at what YG was thinking. He corrected me obviously, on exactly what his teams were. I contested based on my opinion. Certainly, that would indicate that his picks are not my own. Not sure why you say Boston is just an average team right now… I mean they aren’t as glamorous perhaps as they were 2 years ago, but they have excellent depth, they are tough and they have been winning. Plus, they are poised to take advantage of a weak division. Seems like a good top four pick at the moment.

[Young Grasshopper]

Let me clarify….

Teams that I think will make the playoffs without any problems…

1. Chicago
All the tools needed to dominate, Leadership (Toews) Skill (Kane, Hossa, Sharp), Defense (Kieth, Seabrook)… and Goaltending has answered the critics.

2. San Jose
They will again make the playoffs without any problems, their past playoff failures are not what I measure as a present indication. If anything, their chances of succeeding are greater because of their awareness of failure, This spot could easily be shared by Vancouver.

3. New York Islanders
The maturity of one of the best (Traveres) and the most underrated forward in the league (Molson), and the most under appreciated defenseman (Striet) with a very proven goalie (Nabokov). This team will easily make the playoffs.

4. Montreal
New Coach, New Philosophy, New management, All star Defenseman (Markov), All star goalie (Price), best mix of youth (Paciretty, Suban, Galager, Galchenyek) and veterans (Cole, Gionta, Georges) in the conference, best goals against vs. goals for ratio, and a top power play. Lethal combination of grit, skill and confidence. With the way they support the puck, and force quick transitions, they will make the playoffs (IMO).

5.  7 way tie…
    Toronto (well coached, despite their defense)
   Pittsburgh (Top end skill despite the lost confidence of Flury)
   Vancouver (Great goaltending despite the trade rummers)
   New York Rangers (the best line in the NHL despite everything else)
   Boston (Could very easily be 4th on this list despite the inexperience in net)
   Ottawa (great Chemistry, and superb goaltending despite losing their best player)
    Minnesota (Everything is there despite the coaching, and Goaltending)

Teams that will miss the playoffs for sure:

Philadelphia
Washington
Columbus
Calgary

Please don’t be offended by my list… it’s all in good fun (and Hell Ya! I’m bias, aren’t we all?).

[axis_roll]

fun reading gents, I am learning allot.

I am a Football fan first (much more knowledgeable about that sport) but hockey is a close second.  I love my team (Blackhawks), and it is good to learn more about the other good teams in the league.

I would agree with the (albeit a homer) view that Chicago should go far this year.  Their goaltending play is much improved.  Emery won the Calgary game himself, something you have not seen in Chicago since Neimi did this in the Stanley Cup winning year.

[LHoffman]

@Young:

Let me clarify….

Teams that I think will make the playoffs without any problems…

1. Chicago
All the tools needed to dominate, Leadership (Toews) Skill (Kane, Hossa, Sharp), Defense (Kieth, Seabrook)… and Goaltending has answered the critics.

2. San Jose
They will again make the playoffs without any problems, their past playoff failures are not what I measure as a present indication. If anything, their chances of succeeding are greater because of their awareness of failure, This spot could easily be shared by Vancouver.

3. New York Islanders
The maturity of one of the best (Traveres) and the most underrated forward in the league (Molson), and the most under appreciated defenseman (Striet) with a very proven goalie (Nabokov). This team will easily make the playoffs.

4. Montreal
New Coach, New Philosophy, New management, All star Defenseman (Markov), All star goalie (Price), best mix of youth (Paciretty, Suban, Galager, Galchenyek) and veterans (Cole, Gionta, Georges) in the conference, best goals against vs. goals for ratio, and a top power play. Lethal combination of grit, skill and confidence. With the way they support the puck, and force quick transitions, they will make the playoffs (IMO).

5.  7 way tie…
    Toronto (well coached, despite their defense)
   Pittsburgh (Top end skill despite the lost confidence of Flury)
   Vancouver (Great goaltending despite the trade rummers)
   New York Rangers (the best line in the NHL despite everything else)
   Boston (Could very easily be 4th on this list despite the inexperience in net)
   Ottawa (great Chemistry, and superb goaltending despite losing their best player)
    Minnesota (Everything is there despite the coaching, and Goaltending)

Teams that will miss the playoffs for sure:

Philadelphia
Washington
Columbus
Calgary

Please don’t be offended by my list… it’s all in good fun (and Hell Ya! I’m bias, aren’t we all?).

A compelling analysis, even if I don’t quite agree with some of the choices in #5.

[General 6 Stars]

Come on. Offense tight first period  back home after 2 weeks. Go Blackhawks.

[tloger]

Been on hiatus from this site but glad to be back, rough one to swallow as a hardcore blackhawks fan last night, but I can’t be too critical with all the success so far.  Go BlackHawks!