Stanley Cup Final

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by Sbufkle

Okay... although I am a huge Habs fan, and I own a Hawks red jersey with my name on it (Only because its the nicest jersey int he league IMHO)

SACRALIEGE!

I feel for Hawks fans.. I cant stand the Leafs, and when a player crosses to the dark side form Motnreal... well I can relate!!

Thankfully they're easier to hate since not many are any good (what was the last good one, Frank Mahovilich?)

Steve Yzerman... okay this will start trouble.. POSSIBLY one of the most overrated players in NHL history. I wouldnt put this guy in the top 100 players in NHL history.. (OKAY if I actually did make this list... he MIGHT sneak in 85-100.. but probably not.)

Ya have to disagree there. Even with the plethora of talent over the last century, Yzermen gets better then the low end of the 100's. Maybe top 50.

Racked up alot of his points when the Norris division was filled with crappy goaltenders.

Washington got to play against a decent Carolina and three teams full of choad for their division rivals. Should Ove's scoring totals be put into question too? Does it help? A bit, but if you dont' have the talent to do something with the puck it won't matter whose manning the pipes.

A good captain? Okay, but when soem peopel I have heard say he might be the best captain ever in the NHL.. hes not even close.

Some people can't walk and talk at the same time either....

An All Star, yes, Hall of Famer.. yes (But then again Bill Barber is a hall of famer) But one of the best ever... NO WAY.

Agreed. Technically ihe's not even the best Wing ever (then again when you're competing with Gordie Howe, you'll lose every time. It's a hard bar to meet)

I believe Kane is too small a player to be effective. Hell have highlight reel moments in the regular season but when push comes to shove and the hitting gets harder in playoffs on every play.. his what... 160-170 lb frame just cant do it.

Didnt' they say that about Theron Fleury too?

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Should Ove's scoring totals be put into question too? Does it help? A bit, but if you dont' have the talent to do something with the puck it won't matter whose manning the pipes.

Were talking points here, not intangibles.. thats my disclaimer!

But Ovetchkins numbers, goals of course in particular are alot higher than average compared to the others in the individual seasons. When Yzerman scored the most points in his career, (155 in 88/89) In ranked only 3rd in the league and his career high goals of 65 th same year was third to Lemieuxs 85 and Nichols 70. Come on Nichols got 70 that year!!) 9 players topped 100 points that year, including Rob Brown, Joe Mullen and Jimmy Carson... UGH!!

Ove (And Im not a huge fan of his but repsect his ability and talent) was the only player to top 50 this year scoring and 65 two seasons ago was the one of three guys, with Kovalchuk getitng 52 and Iginla 50 in comparason. Ove is far ahead of competition in goals and he missed scoring title by one 3 points this year, playing 3 games less than the eventual winner.

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Didnt' they say that about Theron Fleury too?

If Kane can gian some weight and get an edge like Fluery (But not become a nutjob like Fluery id) Then he will pan better.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by Sbufkle

They need to unload Campbell who was brutal in this series and was a major dissapointment this year, consider the issues with salary cap with thier 2 goalies and that down the line both Kane & Toews will end entry level deals the same time.. they need to shed some bucks...

They just shed $6.75M - Khabibulin is an UFA. If they are smart, they'll try to move Huet and resign Khabibulin. Then sign a back-up for less $$$ or bring up someone from Rockford.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by BruceM

They just shed $6.75M - Khabibulin is an UFA. If they are smart, they'll try to move Huet and resign Khabibulin. Then sign a back-up for less $$$ or bring up someone from Rockford.

I agree.

The question is however would anyone take Huet?

I know at the beginning of the year they did everything they could to lose Khabibulin, including waivers .. but in the end he played better than Huet when the season was all done.

Unless one believes 44 saves by Huet in the last game means anything... but that the fact is he folded in most other pressure opportunities this year.

The fact is the team will be rid of at least one of thier goalies salary, I just believe its the goalie they should keep thats likely gone.

Im wondering what type of money Khab would get on the market? Both Theodore and Huet were signed to.... well STUPID contracts last year, so while I think as a starter he shoudl bet maybe 3 or 4 million.. it there anyone willing to grab him for crazy money?

[canadiancreed]

As long as the Rangers are in the league, there will always bee at least one team that will pay crazy money for 30-something players.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

As long as the Rangers are in the league, there will always bee at least one team that will pay crazy money for 30-something players.

AGREED!!

However:

You forgot the eveil empire that is the Toronto Mapel Leafs..

*cough* Tucker contract...

*cough* Raaaaayyycroft contract...

*cough8 Finger contract...

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by Sbufkle

AGREED!!

However:

You forgot the eveil empire that is the Toronto Mapel Leafs..

*cough* Tucker contract...

*cough* Raaaaayyycroft contract...

*cough8 Finger contract...

Nah the Laffs just pay too much money for 4th liners and minor leagues. (see Tie Domi making two mil plus). You only earn the moniker of Evil Empire if you both pay tons of cash and win.

That and I think the head office has been cutting back on oversized contracts after the first half of the 00's. No more golden paracuttes for guys like Joe Nieuendyk and Eric Lindros.

[johnnybourbon]

Originally Posted by Sbufkle

If Kane can gian some weight and get an edge like Fluery (But not become a nutjob like Fluery id) Then he will pan better.

I thought the same thing when Kane first played...but also had the unfortunate experience of seeing Fluery wear the indian head. Of all the games I watched during his tenure, the only great thing that I saw fleury do was bank a shot off a goalie's ELBOW from behind the net. Kane has a much different skill set than fluery and extra pounds wont make him infinitely better. He needs BALLS. In open ice, he's golden and can skate around people with his skill. He wont skate through the crease to the corner to go after a puck, he lets big buff or johnny toes (its what i call him) go get it. Once he grows some balls and learns that even he can screen the goalie, he can easily eclipse what fleury was able to do in his prime.

and the havlat hit...it was an open ice type hit even though it happened to be close to the boards. the elbow to the face and the fact that kromwell left his feet were definitely not cool.
it really was chilling to see the gathering above havlat, the skates chopping around him and on top of him and he wasn't defending himself or anything. lights out, marty.

[johnnybourbon]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

pay too much money for 4th liners and minor leagues. (see Tie Domi making two mil plus).

This is gonna be a BIG thing with the hawks. Sure, they're young & talented...but when their 3rd & 4th liners come due, they're gonna already be on the hook for big money on huet, soupy, johnny toes and kane. they'll need rockford & the draft to churn out cheap replacements. kinda sucks that daddy wirtz was the one fighting for the hard salary cap, and the hawks are gonna get stuck having all their young talent holding out their hands in a couple years.

campbell...he's dead to me.

havlat, did he help or hurt his salary value with this playoff run (and getting conked out)?

[phenom]

Originally Posted by johnnybourbon

and the havlat hit...it was an open ice type hit even though it happened to be close to the boards. the elbow to the face and the fact that kromwell left his feet were definitely not cool.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by johnnybourbon

This is gonna be a BIG thing with the hawks. Sure, they're young & talented...but when their 3rd & 4th liners come due, they're gonna already be on the hook for big money on huet, soupy, johnny toes and kane. they'll need rockford & the draft to churn out cheap replacements. kinda sucks that daddy wirtz was the one fighting for the hard salary cap, and the hawks are gonna get stuck having all their young talent holding out their hands in a couple years.

campbell...he's dead to me.

havlat, did he help or hurt his salary value with this playoff run (and getting conked out)?

Ummm, it wasn't just Wirtz who fought for the cap, that would be all owners.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by phenom

Was waiting for that one.

Originally Posted by BruceM

Ummm, it wasn't just Wirtz who fought for the cap, that would be all owners.

Well there were exceptions (Toronto, Rangers, I think Detroit as well....)

[johnnybourbon]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Was waiting for that one.



Well there were exceptions (Toronto, Rangers, I think Detroit as well....)

1st off...wow on the havlat clip...just a couple things about the comments on the pic...i never suggested it was interference (that was an earlier post where i was suggesting that detroit's "d" commits interference penalties in general) or that the puck wasnt in the vicinity...i never suggested that his skates were off the ice at the time of impact, i did say he left his feet. The time that his skates left the ice (and they did) wasn't in question. If he left the ice and barrelled havlat superman style, that would have been spearing or something methinks.

...and i know daddy wirtz wasnt the only owner fighting. he was fighting loud enough for the 40k or so fans here in chicagoland to hear

[Long_Long_Name]

Martin Havlat is one of my favourite NHL players. If he wasn't injured all damn time, I'd be pushing hard for the Canadien to go after him (and Havlat spends his free time in Montréal, so I think he'd be down for that).

That said, it was a clean hit. If you want hitting to be allowed in the NHL, it's excessively hard to get rid of clean hits that catch opponents off guard.

[johnnybourbon]

Originally Posted by Long_Long_Name

Martin Havlat is one of my favourite NHL players. If he wasn't injured all damn time

yeah, it figures that he set career highs in games played and points. he practically carried the team at times and has shown how valuable he is as a very solid 2nd line winger....in a free agent year. healthy the whole season and proved that he was such an integral (sp?) part of the team that folded in half after he went down.

[mgom27]

Bob Ryan and Michael Wilbon were talking about it today.
The reason why Games 1 and 2 are being played back to back is NBC doesn't want to show Games on Weekday Evenings. Know if ABC had it they would show it on Weekday Evenings like it will for the NBA Finals.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by mgom27

The reason why Games 1 and 2 are being played back to back is NBC doesn't want to show Games on Weekday Evenings. Know if ABC had it they would show it on Weekday Evenings like it will for the NBA Finals.

?????

Four of the 7 games, if it goes 7, are on weekday evenings.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by BruceM

?????

It's a mgon post.

[marc]

Don't like either team but I'd rather see Detroit get their millionth cup in the last 12 years than watch Cindy Crosby get her first.

[phenom]

Originally Posted by BruceM

?????

Four of the 7 games, if it goes 7, are on weekday evenings.

but they're not all on NBC.

NBC has sweeps week this coming week, and they didn't want to put the Stanley Cup Finals up during sweeps week. That's why they're playing tonight and tomorrow night.