NHL Thread

Thom Yorke · 12-02-2013, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninetales

Oh yeah same. I always remeber watching playoffs on HNIC and im pretty sure the only reason Sportsnet didnt can it off the bat is because Canadians would riot over that nostalgia. But theyve pretty much been a joke for a while now and I have a hard time watching or caring about them when Healy and Stock doing their usual dumb banter while Elliotte tries to babysit them. It's the same with Ron MacLean and Don Cherry. I avoid watching him now because everything he says just infuriates me haha. His view on hockey is so incredibly dated; he's just not relevant anymore.

From what ive heard McKenzie will likely stay on TSN for those odd nhl games theyll get per year. But guys like Ferraro, Johnson or Duthie could easily move on. Im hoping Sportsnet recognizes what an advantage it would be to pick some of these guys up but i mean they pay Doug MacLean so i have low hopes.

I can't stand Healy. I hope he gets replaced.

I really like Johnson. He hasn't been at it long, but has some good things to say.

Sportsnet guys are so ****ing bad. MacLean and Kypreos are unbelievably annoying, and Millard isn't much better himself.

Paul Smeenus · 12-03-2013, 02:53 AM

Out of curiosity I wiki'ed Gary Thorne, he's calling Baseball games for the Orioles and Nationals. He's a good baseball announcer but I'd like NBC to bring him on board, the man can really call a hockey game. Better than Emrick IMO.

Burning Down · 12-05-2013, 03:45 PM

I'm wondering about your Olympic picks, since we're only two months out. Who is your top line for team Canada/USA/Russia etc? Which underrated players should be given consideration?

Paul Smeenus · 12-05-2013, 03:50 PM

I'm betting my life's savings on Trinidad and Tobago for the gold

Ninetales · 12-05-2013, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Smeenus

I'm betting my life's savings on Trinidad and Tobago for the gold

Mighty Duck reference?

Id have to see the teams first to make a definite call but Canada *should* be the frontrunner. The way hockey Canada is run tho (like seriously making an atrocius world junior team) they could easily screw it all up. How in the hell is Subban not a lock for the team. Easily top 5 dman in the league and theyre considering not taking him. Absolutely ridiculous. Stamkos coming back will be big too and him and Crosby would be a stupid great top line. Maybe stick Perry on the other side of them.

Thom Yorke · 12-05-2013, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Smeenus

I'm betting my life's savings on Trinidad and Tobago for the gold

They were such a disappointment at the Junior Goodwill Games. ****in' Iceland, man.

We talked a bit about the Olympics a couple pages back. Top line for those countries for me would be:

Canada - Couture-Crosby-Stamkos

USA - Parise-Stepan-Kane

Russia - Kovalchuk-Datsyuk-Ovechkin

There are a ton of underrated American defensemen that should get consideration. Looking at all the potential rosters, there isn't a more competitive position than defense for the USA. Some names I'll be interested in seeing if they make it or not are are Faulk, Braun, Greene, and Krug.

Don't know if there really can be a lot of surprises on Canada. Jeff Carter, Jamie Benn and Patrick Sharp could be wildcards to look at, along with Vlasic and Hamhuis for that last D spot. Letang seems to be playing himself off the team, which opens the door for Seabrook again.

Thom Yorke · 12-05-2013, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninetales

Mighty Duck reference?

Id have to see the teams first to make a definite call but Canada *should* be the frontrunner. The way hockey Canada is run tho (like seriously making an atrocius world junior team) they could easily screw it all up. How in the hell is Subban not a lock for the team. Easily top 5 dman in the league and theyre considering not taking him. Absolutely ridiculous. Stamkos coming back will be big too and him and Crosby would be a stupid great top line. Maybe stick Perry on the other side of them.

I think Subban's a lock, although he's definitely not a top 5 d-man. His defensive game isn't nearly good enough for that kind of praise. 6 of the 8 spots look pretty locked in to me, with just the pairings to figure out.

Pietrangelo-Weber
Keith-Doughty
Bouwmeester-Subban
Vlasic/Hamhuis-Seabrook-Letang

I really think Seabrook is going to come back into favour over Letang, who has been awful so far this year. You already have your PP specialist in Subban, along with a bunch of other guys that can handle that role, so he might be unnecessary.

Vlasic vs. Hamhuis looks like a complete toss-up. They provide a lot of the same types of things.

Ninetales · 12-05-2013, 04:22 PM

Subban is a dominant defenseman that turns MTL from an ok team to a really good team just by stepping on the ice. He creates a crazy amount of chances and isnt a liability in his own end. Thats the perfect dman. If by "his defensive game isnt nearly good enough" you mean he barely plays in his own end because whenever he's on the ice his team has the puck, then yes, I agree.

Also a hugely underrated player that wont make team canada but probably should get consideration is Brian Campbell. He is doing an insane job for a terrible team in florida.

Burning Down · 12-05-2013, 05:00 PM

Stamkos is apparently hoping to return to the game in early February, but that's only a projection at the moment. The question is will he actually be healthy enough to play when the Olympics roll around. Hockey Canada is starting to build the team right now and I'd expect that they're hesitant to put Stamkos on the roster right now, knowing that he'll be on injured reserve until February. At best he'd be a last minute pick or a wild card.

Thom Yorke · 12-05-2013, 05:07 PM

If you look at the best of the best for defensemen, they should be elite at both ends of the ice. No, they may not quite be at Subban's level offensively, but their primary job is to play D.

In no particular order:

Chara
Suter
Weber
Pietrangelo
Keith
Doughty
Ekman-Larsson

Those guys can change games at both ends of the ice. Karlsson and Subban may be the most offensively talented d-men, but they can't give you that shutdown ability that all of the guys listed above can, which is ultimately the most important thing for a defenseman.

If McDonagh can keep this offensive pace up for a while, I'd have to move him up into that group as well.

12-05-2013, 03:45 PM	#1553 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	I'm wondering about your Olympic picks, since we're only two months out. Who is your top line for team Canada/USA/Russia etc? Which underrated players should be given consideration?

12-05-2013, 04:22 PM	#1558 (permalink)
Ninetales Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: livin wild Posts: 2,179	Subban is a dominant defenseman that turns MTL from an ok team to a really good team just by stepping on the ice. He creates a crazy amount of chances and isnt a liability in his own end. Thats the perfect dman. If by "his defensive game isnt nearly good enough" you mean he barely plays in his own end because whenever he's on the ice his team has the puck, then yes, I agree. Also a hugely underrated player that wont make team canada but probably should get consideration is Brian Campbell. He is doing an insane job for a terrible team in florida.

12-05-2013, 05:00 PM	#1559 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	Stamkos is apparently hoping to return to the game in early February, but that's only a projection at the moment. The question is will he actually be healthy enough to play when the Olympics roll around. Hockey Canada is starting to build the team right now and I'd expect that they're hesitant to put Stamkos on the roster right now, knowing that he'll be on injured reserve until February. At best he'd be a last minute pick or a wild card.

12-05-2013, 05:07 PM	#1560 (permalink)
Thom Yorke Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,848	If you look at the best of the best for defensemen, they should be elite at both ends of the ice. No, they may not quite be at Subban's level offensively, but their primary job is to play D. In no particular order: Chara Suter Weber Pietrangelo Keith Doughty Ekman-Larsson Those guys can change games at both ends of the ice. Karlsson and Subban may be the most offensively talented d-men, but they can't give you that shutdown ability that all of the guys listed above can, which is ultimately the most important thing for a defenseman. If McDonagh can keep this offensive pace up for a while, I'd have to move him up into that group as well.