2009-2010 NHL season thread

[Yoshi]

This is pretty amazing. I especially like the calendar year shutout stat.

[Yoshi]

I am also disappointed that Forsberg saved Sather or some other dumbass GM from himself.

[haohmaru]

Originally Posted by Yoshi

I am also disappointed that Forsberg saved Sather or some other dumbass GM from himself.

Sather has nothing ($) to work with. I'm sure every NHL team was somewhat interested, in theory, but I think we all knew this wasn't going to happen.

You get to watch the game tonight, eh?

[haohmaru]

Since you posted your conveniently timed stat (TM) a few days ago:

Marian Gaborik, 18 Games: 13 G, 12 A 25 Points, 1.388 Points per Game
Patrik Elias, 4 Games, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Point, .0 Points per Game

Gaborik > Elias. Just like I said.

[Cowutopia]

Not a terrible loss. Devs had their chances. Hard to get those loose puck goals on Philly. Had a lot of pucks sit up but the Flyers are quick to collapse and strong on the puck. Emery's glove is solid, couldn't really catch him moving too much.

All 3 Flyers goals were pretty terrible. Marty gave up two d'ohfers and Mottau tipped one in perfectly. Too bad because otherwise Marty had a spectacular game, Flyers could have had two more. Nice to see a goal in the last second.

Clarkson is such a goddamn puck hog, shitty puck mover, but he's in the top three on the team in terms of play in front of the net, his hands and his ability to create space in front and get that loose puck in. Fuck.

[haohmaru]

Clarkson is one of the best values in the NHL. So is Prospal. Marty gave the puck up a couple of times, but he did stand on his head, too. The Flyers should've scored more than 3.

[Cowutopia]

Clarkson is really turning into quite a talent, if he could just learn to fucking pass and use his teamates he'd be great. As it is he's like undercooked.

Yeah by "d'ohfers" I mean he had two puckhandling giveaways that led directly to goals. Shitty. My fav. save was when he gloved one across his body to the corner in a sweep.

[Yoshi]

Originally Posted by haohmaru

Since you posted your conveniently timed stat (TM) a few days ago:

Marian Gaborik, 18 Games: 13 G, 12 A 25 Points, 1.388 Points per Game
Patrik Elias, 4 Games, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Point, .0 Points per Game

Gaborik > Elias. Just like I said.

Let the season play out. And when the Rangers miss the playoffs, Gaborik loses by definition.

[Changeling]

I guess I should thank Anaheim for starting Giggy tonight for a Pens win and also Not getting the loss from Hiller.

Also Cow, I'm ready to trade Kopitar for Malkin straight up lol !

[haohmaru]

Originally Posted by Yoshi

Let the season play out. And when the Rangers miss the playoffs, Gaborik loses by definition.

Apples and Oranges.

[haohmaru]

Every team in the Atlantic has a winning record after 20 games. Someone is going to get screwed.

[Yoshi]

8 wins and 13 losses is not a winning record, Mr. Bettman.

[haohmaru]

Originally Posted by Yoshi

8 wins and 13 losses is not a winning record, Mr. Bettman.

"Overtime Losses" would've been ties, no?

So, really, the Isles are 8-6-7 (3 OT wins and 7 OT Losses - though, I'm not sure how many of those OT wins were shootout victories). But even that's bullshit because teams now play to tie so they can at least get a point.

In any event, in the new or old NHL the Isles have a winning record.

[Yoshi]

Shootout losses would have been ties. OT losses would have been losses. And would haves don't matter. A loss is a loss. The fact that teams get a point they shouldn't doesn't change that. The Isles have lost more than they have won, therefore they do not have a winning record. You could say their point % is better than 50% if you want to be accurate, but even that is goofy, because some games produce 3 points, so the league total would be over 50%.

[haohmaru]

Originally Posted by Yoshi

Shootout losses would have been ties. OT losses would have been losses. And would haves don't matter. A loss is a loss. The fact that teams get a point they shouldn't doesn't change that. The Isles have lost more than they have won, therefore they do not have a winning record. You could say their point % is better than 50% if you want to be accurate, but even that is goofy, because some games produce 3 points, so the league total would be over 50%.

I understand that. But, you also have to take into effect that teams no longer play for ties after regulation - they have less to lose since they're already getting a point and there has to be a winner. Back in the day there were plenty of teams that were entirely content with a tie and played to tie - even in OT.

Besides - a shoot out isn't fucking hockey.

[Cowutopia]

Gaborik is for real though.

[Yoshi]

Originally Posted by haohmaru

I understand that. But, you also have to take into effect that teams no longer play for ties after regulation - they have less to lose since they're already getting a point and there has to be a winner. Back in the day there were plenty of teams that were entirely content with a tie and played to tie - even in OT.

Besides - a shoot out isn't fucking hockey.

All fair points.

But I would like to see shootouts in the playoffs too until Brodeur retires, since the Devils almost always win them.

[haohmaru]

Montreal has led a game after 3 periods TWICE in 21 games this season. They've won 2 games in regulation, 8 in OT/SO and have a record of 10-11. If they split those 8 instead of winning them in skills competition, they'd be in really hot water. What a joke. They're barely better than the Leafs.

[Dyne]

Chicago vs Buffalo.

Click for full size

[Cowutopia]

Buffalo will probably win.

[Cowutopia]

lol Buffalo was down 5-2 after giving up an EN goal and then Miller came back in and gave up another one. Ha.

[Cowutopia]

boy I hope the NHL doesn't screw this call up.

UNBELIEVABLE.
Detroit just got robbed. NHL is going to be eating crow for this call. War Room in Toronto can eat shit.

[Cowutopia]

[haohmaru]

That's the worst call I've ever seen in any sport involving instant replay. Or not. Holy shit.

[Yoshi]

Bettman can't allow teams that scout well and build the right way fuck up his plan to hand pick a bullshit winner, and the refs and now the war room have gotten the message loud and clear. Reviewed goals only count if they are in favor of Pittsburgh, Washington, Vancouver, Montreal, or some other shit franchise that would never win today through true capitalism and competition.

[Changeling]

We would've got that shit, no question

What an absolutely horrible call.

[Cowutopia]

Aaaaand Zubrus is hurt now. But McAmmond is over his sinus infection and is playing. Hooray I guess?

Man this season is fucking weird.

[Cowutopia]

Well I'll take the point, we were outplayed most of the game.

It's a fucked up season when McAmmond is centering your top two wingers.

I'm ready for Rolston to leave now kthx.

[haohmaru]

Surprising stat there - Devils have the most shootout wins since the lockout. Wouldn't have predicted that. Rolston is getting old in an NHL that is getting younger.

[Cowutopia]

You wouldn't have? Yoshi talks about it all the time. Marty has the record for shootout wins too. I mean, he's the best goalie of all time, eh? Ehhh?

We also have been a pretty middling team but have got all these shootout wins to help. I mean we've got several of the better shooters in the league in Parise, Elias, and Langs.

[wEEman33]

Predators are on the rise after a slow start.

4 straight wins including victories over San Jose and New Jersey.

[wEEman33]

Originally Posted by Cowutopia

Gaborik is for real though.

Good player, but I'll always remember him for this bonehead play:

[Cowutopia]

[Cowutopia]

Originally Posted by wEEman33

4 straight wins including victories over San Jose and New Jersey.

how did you like watching Lowell play?

[haohmaru]

Originally Posted by Cowutopia

how did you like watching Lowell play?

Nearly every NHL team has a bunch of serious injuries. Stop it.

[Yoshi]

I challenge you to find another team with its #2 and 3 Cs, its #3 LW, and its #1 and 2 puck carrying D or the equivalent out. I guess losing a #1 goalie for 50 games would be worse, but they've been there and done that.

[Cowutopia]

Originally Posted by haohmaru

Nearly every NHL team has a bunch of serious injuries. Stop it.

Seriously, a lot of teams are hurt, but this is getting ridiculous. 3 of our centers are minor leaguers at the moment. McAmmond is a journeyman, Sestito...? Pelley isn't even playing center, he's playing wing and Sestito is playing center. What? We don't even have another center. It's Elias or Rolston I guess, and Rolston is a piece of shit.

[wEEman33]

Preds' were in the same shape not to long ago, and them getting healthy is a big reason for the current win streak.

At one point, we were missing our two best forwards (Arnott, Dumont) our best defenseman (Weber) and our best second line player (Tootoo), but since all those guys have come back, we've run off 4-straight wins against some top-quality teams.

The amount of injuries this year is definitely crazy:

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/injuries

A lot of teams aren't just missing one or two key guys, but are having entire lines or positions depleted by injuries.

There was talk about maybe increasing the rink size to give guys more time and space to react and protect themselves from big hits, and I think it's definitely something the NHL should consider after this season.

Especially since larger rinks are the standard in most international leagues.

[Cowutopia]

Under ideal conditions Pelley isn't even in the lineup for McAmmond.

[Cowutopia]

Stop changing the fucking game imo. Someone on the Devs board was actually trying to do more analysis into the dropoff in scoring in the NHL, and discovered really two big trends that had nothing to do with clutching, grabbing, or trapping.

1) The talent coming into the NHL wasn't as good as the talent that WAS in the NHL.
2) Goalies got better.

Here's a link.

Zubrus is out 4-6 weeks btw.

and Langs and Elias are playing hurt.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever feel 100 percent this year,” Elias said as the Devils prepared for Thursday night’s meeting with the Nashville Predators at the Sommet Center.

“The best part is I know I can play the next game now after I play. But I still feel just all right, not great. I just play. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it doesn’t. I just have to stay patient.”

“Everybody goes through surgeries and injuries,” Elias said. “It just takes time. I know what I’m capable of and I don’t doubt myself. I know what I’m capable of doing. I feel like I’m going to be fine in time, but I won’t put pressure on myself.

“There is no time frame for me. If it doesn’t feel 100 percent, I just have to play with it. It doesn’t happen immediately. That would be unbelievable.”

Lemaire said that Travis Zajac, Dean McAmmond, Sestito and Pelley would be the team’s four centers Saturday. There are no plans to move Patrik Elias or Brian Rolston to center at this time.

[haohmaru]

Originally Posted by Yoshi

I challenge you to find another team with its #2 and 3 Cs, its #3 LW, and its #1 and 2 puck carrying D or the equivalent out. I guess losing a #1 goalie for 50 games would be worse, but they've been there and done that.

Uh, a few games ago the Rangers had their #1 and #2 Center out and their #1 goalie. That's just as bad.

San Jose just called up 3 AHL'ers today.

Carolina is probably the most fucked - without Ward (and now their #2 goalie, Leighton, is out too), Pitkanen, Walker, Ryan, and Staal. That's 2 Centers, 2 D's, and 2 goalies FYI.

The Oilers have SIX players (FIVE are Centers) on IR and another 4 questionable for 11/21.

The Pens have four of their starting 6 defensemen out.

Washington has 5 players definitely out and another two questionable for their next game.

The Devils are hardly alone.

[Yoshi]

How many of those are 4-6 week injuries? I could give a fuck about a guy missing a couple games.

[Error]

Various Oilers have been battling the flu, swine or other wise, for about 4 weeks now.

Oh and Comrie has Mono.