2008-09 NHL Hockey season

[rollinred]

The greatest time of the year is among us, the approaching onslaught of frozen pondwater, vulcanized rubber, and massive dudes with minimal padding being locked into a cagematch that has only previously been met by the roman gladiators themselves. Speed unmatched by any other sport, instant decisionmaking that even Einstien himselve could never fathom, and bone jarring rock'em sock'em hits that will surely leave many on the injured list and other spilling blood. I am so pumped for the first true action sport to get back on my boob tube.

I have to make a prediction that the Red Wings will claim Lord Stanley's cup again. With the introduction of Marian Hossa, and only a loss of Dallas Drake, whom I do love, he is a family friend of ours, the Red wings have gained more than they have lost. I live in Traverse City, where the Red wings have thier training camp every year, so I am partial. But I just have not seen many other teams gain enough to compete with the dreaded wings.

I noticed a few team that do ring a bell of competiveness, the New York Rangers are back. They will again be in the playoffs, but I do believe they will be making an appearance in the cup finals, against the wings of course, but will not match them and the Reds will again make next summer the newest best time of my life.


BTW... another reason to be a Red Wings fan, they have the most Swedes of any team in the NHL, and we all know what Swedes gave us right!

[bigmacemd]

wow what a load of bullshit

Alberta has the only teams with soul, The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames..

The red wings are a "lets buy the cup" team from one of the biggest dumps I've ever seen in my life...Detroit

[holnrew]

I like Ice Hockey in principle, but in practice the pace is a little slow, except for when goals are scored where it's too fast and I never see it happening! I suppose it's much better on a big HD screen.

[rollinred]

wow what a load of bullshit

Alberta has the only teams with soul, The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames..

The red wings are a "lets buy the cup" team from one of the biggest dumps I've ever seen in my life...Detroit

Hah Hah, I know, looks like you are from Canada, the jealousy factor. Now I could be the guy to just get pissed at your comments... but I wont. Because I truely believe hockey is a purist sport, and that means Canada. And I love you country for only one thing, hockey. Played it all my life, and more often than not I wont the games and tournaments I played there. But anyway. Then northern US, or more specifically the 3 M's, Michigan in particular, Minnesota, and Maine are even respected for hockey in your country. Michigan is as much Canadian as Ontario is, the same like for hockey, the same climate, and almost everything. And if I remember reading you sig, you say something about Edmonton, well then I am sorry for you, might as well become a wings fan now . But seriously. I have many friends in Canada that I played hockey with and against and not a single one of them has any disrespect for Michigan hockey, in fact we hated eachother when we played agianst one another but soon realized that there was no differnce between us, not a single thing. In fact two of my teamates moved from Sarnia to come play with me in MI. We have disscused before that if it were not for the Canadian politics, MI may as well join Canada and forget the US, we are pretty much conjoined twins.


And sorry the wings dont buy Stanley cups, why do you think they have the highest number of players that take lower salaries than they would make on the open market? Steve Yzerman anyone... best player ever that in his last years took a huge paycut just to play for the wings. Marian Hossa, taking a cut in pay just to play for the wings. Chris chelios is a 2nd or 3rd line defensman but he wont go anywhere else (not that anyone would want him in the last years of his life ) but the wings are just simply the best run organization in the leauge. They have player drooling over the opprotunity to play for them and taking huge pay cuts to do so.


BTW... Why to the Canadiens own the most Cups then... Are they a sellout team?

I like Ice Hockey in principle, but in practice the pace is a little slow, except for when goals are scored where it's too fast and I never see it happening! I suppose it's much better on a big HD screen.

You see, when I talk to people that say usually say it is to slow, I always ask them again... Is it actually to slow, like the players are moving slow, or is it that you dont like the low scoring games?

And all of them have agreed that they mis-described what they didnt like. Particullarly americans are to impatient to fallow hockey. Many I know actually get dizzy trying to fallow it on a TV screen, it is actually to fast for them. Like American football, that is slow. Take a break for 20 Seconds then run a play for 4 seconds, break for 20 then play for 4. But Americans love that stuff because they dont have to watch the whole game. You dont miss anything in footballl if you step away for 5 minutes, because they only moved 20 yards. And I will be the first to admitt most Americans cant stand to be sitting steady in front of a TV for more than 10 minutes, we are a nation that is on the go at all times.

The unfortunate thing is that hockey seems to be catching on a little more in the nothern market, that means I many see more large corporate influence on my sport. Which would be terrible. Hockey is the last main stream sport in which the players play for the game and not the money.

[bigmacemd]

Hold up the train rollinred, lets not jump to conclusions.

I never said one negative thing about American hockey, I think Americans are great hockey players just like are people from all over the world. I lived in Windsor, ON for a while and many Canadians love the Red Wings so don't pigeon hole my opinion on the assumption I'm an ignorant Canadian.

Getting to your points about the salary cuts, this was all after the CBA and the salary cap, so who gives a shit if Chelios went down from 3M to 2.6? The Red Wings have a lot of money and can sign who ever they feel, Hockey is a career and players know who the good employers are and would rather a pay cut then end up in Nashville..

The Red Wing organization is far from "the best" as your delusions inform you. Boston, Pittsburgh and even San Jose just to name a few are all what can be considered as true Hockey clubs and the Red wings fall in with all the Garry Bettman style teams like the Rangers and Dallas

[rr0]

Re: 2008-09 NHL Hockey season

The greatest time of the year is among us...

Amen! I was a 'Wings fan up until the early 2000s.. The "Red Army" team was really something special (I loved Konstantinov, Larionov, Fetisov.) They have amazing management and a research/farm system that is the gold standard in the league. Love those Swedish players!

These days I'm a huge SJ Sharks fan. Campbell and Guerin were disappointments, but watching Roenick play like it was 1988 during the playoffs was really inspiring to me. Can't wait to see Boyle/Drake/Lukowich and our new coach McLellan (thank you Detroit!) I think the talent, fresh coaching, and addition of more veteran leadership might push them into the Finals this year (vs. Rangers, my prediction.) I'm also looking forward to seeing the Blackhawks... I'd love to see a Hawks vs. Pens game, with all of that amazing young talent.

A couple of years ago I read a local newspaper article about Thornton shortly after he was traded to the Sharks. According to the story, he had a wad of tobacco in his mouth, and was surprised when a young fan came to him and asked for an autograph. Joe was cool, and afterwards, he went to the kid's father and was apologetic for showing a bad example with the tobacco. That's an example of one reason why I love the NHL... even the game's superstars are usually really down to earth. It's the purest major team sport in the world, where so many teams on different leagues (NBA, NFL, international soccer) are full of individuals who put themselves first and showboat their own accomplishments for all to see. Most players in NHL would spill their own blood for their teammates, lose teeth, get stitched up, and get right back on the ice. Absolutely the least selfish, toughest pro athletes, and arguably the most athletic (speed/cardio, strength, eye-hand) in North America.

I wonder if Joe Thornton has ever tried snus!!?? I think he'd probably love some Ettan or Gotlandssnus Gul los!

Go Sharks!!!

[bmwgsa]

Any other questions?

[holnrew]

I think it's the low scoring that frustrates me, and I keep wanting a fight to break out.

I'm terrible watching boxing I always want a knockout and get very frustrated.

[holnrew]

How many Swedes are there in the NHL? It could be a good way to promote snus.

[rr0]

I think it's the low scoring that frustrates me, and I keep wanting a fight to break out.

I'm terrible watching boxing I always want a knockout and get very frustrated.

This is definitely a problem with the NHL, which has gotten better, but the league still needs to do more work with it.

Before the lockout, some teams were very successful by playing a very defensive "trapping" style of game. Defensive players would get away with "clutching and grabbing" some of the fantastic offensive talent, obstructing players, tying them up, and preventing many scoring chances. This tended to dull the game and reduce the score count.

The NHL passed new rules preventing this, and for the most part it has helped (if the games are refereed consistently.) These days it's not uncommon to have 5-6+ goals scored in a game. Scoring naturally seems to drop in the playoffs, but that's partially because the teams play a little more conservatively. Also, the NHL has experimented with reducing the size of goalie pads/equipment, and have done other things like restricting where the goalies can touch the puck to control/slow the play. Still, I'd say that more work needs to be done, but I'm glad they did something, and they're on the right track.

As far as the fighting, I've read that the NHL is trying to cut down on it, but I hope not. It's a part of the North American hockey culture, it's a way of changing a game's dynamic, and it also helps keep order. Most fans love it, but I think it hurts when it comes to broad appeal. Sad to say, but I think it'll eventually become extinct in the NHL, but probably not in other leagues.

I think hockey, soccer, and some of the "flowing" games can be harder to digest vs. a "choppy" type of game like football or basketball or baseball -- or a game where there are repeating series of distinct plays. I also think that the "flowing" games are benefitted by newer wide-screen tech, or seeing the game in person, because it allows a viewer to see and understand more of the mechanics of what goes on outside a narrow viewpoint.

Anyway, I'll shut up now! Glad to know there are other hockey fanatics here!

[holnrew]

I did follow it for a while, staying up late to watch the NHL games broadcast here, but I just got bored I think. When it's good it's very good, but when it isn't it's a snoozefest. I'd take it over soccer any day though.

[rollinred]

I did follow it for a while, staying up late to watch the NHL games broadcast here, but I just got bored I think. When it's good it's very good, but when it isn't it's a snoozefest. I'd take it over soccer any day though.

I would hope you would take it over soccer. It is the right thing to do 8).

But soccer truely is a boring sport on the terms of scoring and such. Soccer rarely even has scoring oprotunities. In the case of hockey, if you follow it close enough or enjoy it enough, you get an adrenalin rush even watching it on TV because of the constant action and scoring opprotunities, and those opprotunities tend to be what excite us more that some of the goals that are scored. In soccer you just sit and watch pass after pass, after pass, and on the freak chance once in five minutes there is an actual shot on the net.

[dmac]

NHL hockey is unreal. Clearly the best sport to watch live, and I can understand how most Americans have trouble watching the game on TV. For those unfamiliar with the game it is difficult to track the puck and anticipate plays. I personally stay up all night long watching as many games as I can throughout the season and post-season. The best time of the year is closing in!

It is going to be hard for teams tobeat the Wings this season. I predict another Presidents Trophy for them, and more than likely another Stanley Cup. But as we all know anything can happen in the playoffs. Watch out for the young Coyotes this year!

All the best,
DMac

[holnrew]

Hockey players are real men, football (soccer) players are all a bunch of overpaid pansies who fall over if somebody so much as blows on them.

[rollinred]

Hockey players are real men, football (soccer) players are all a bunch of overpaid pansies who fall over if somebody so much as blows on them.

I didnt say it, Someone from the UK did, but I must second that.