Well, things get kicked off Wednesday night, so I figured this thread should get going. Pretty gloomy start to the season with the Atlanta tradgedy and the looming threat of the CBA. Thoughts and prayers with the Snyder family. I'm still baffled that the Sabres let Begin AND Bouchard go out through waivers. I was really looking foward to a Boulton-Mair-Begin fourth line. Well, at least we get Satan back. (I'm salivating at the thought of seeing Kotalik-Drury-Satan). I think our biggest pickup this offseason would definitley have to be Delmore. He's brought so much to our awful powerplay, and he's already rubbing off on Zhitnik who's had a fantastic camp. I'm really excited to see what we can do. That said, Buffalo makes it back to the postseason in 6th place this year. Please share your thoughts on your team this season.
Rangers get things started on Friday against Minnesota. I'm pretty excited for the start of the season. They haven't made any of their typical monster offseason moves. However they have acquired Greg DeVries who should prove to be a solid defenseman on a questionable blueline. They addressed their left wing shortage and got former Rangers Jan Hlavac and Martin Rucinsky. Hlavac had his best seasons with the Rangers. Rucinsky spent his half a season on a potent line with Lindros and Bure as a Ranger. Rucinsky has had a pretty good preseason so I'm looking for him to do well. Bure will be out indefinitely so I'm just assume he's in the Rangers plans this season. Leetch is still hurt which is a big problem. He was the MVP last season in my opinion. Mike Dunham had a shaky preseason but hopefully that won't show once the season starts considering he was standing on his head for this team down the stretch. I'm looking for Lindros to have a rebound year or he could be shipped out. I pray to GOD Messier is reduced to a minimal role but I doubt it. However, him and Lundmark seem to be a pretty good duo. I hated to see Sandy McCarthy go to Boston. He always brought his game to the table and it was especially tough on him last season being on the fourth line most of the season. Also lost Petrovicky to the Thrashers in the waiver draft. Petrovicky was a scrappy player and gave his best out on the ice. He wasn't afraid to drop the gloves either. Barnaby is another question mark which I forgot to mention. I love the heart and emotion he brings, but I hope he gets a chance to play. Lots of questions of course on this unpredictable Rangers team. However, if their special teams, especially their power play, don't kick in, the Blueshirts will be battling for the 8th spot yet again. On that note, LET'S GO RANGERS!
Sharkies... Sharks go nowhere near the playoffs, but are ultraviolent as usual and win most of their fights thanks to the return of Scott Thornton and their new fourth line that includes Scott Parker and Wayne Primeau. They kept three goalies on the roster, so one will be traded, likely soon according to new GM Dougie Wilson. The impetus is on the mid-20s guys out here. It's time for Marleau, Sturm, McCauley, Stuart (hurt again), Nabokov, Korolyuk and Hannan to start playing like vets instead of wide-eyed youngsters. Mostly because there will be other wide-eyed youngsters who need to be led. The #1 pick, Milan Michalek, and young German defenseman Christian Ehrhoff both made the team in their first real tries. Michalek played for Budejovice in the Czech league and Ehrhoff for Krefeld in the DEL the past couple years. Swedish league vet and perpetual minor leaguer Nils Ekman (acquired from NYR) also made the side. Todd Harvey sent to minors yesterday (about a year too late IMHO). He was exposed in the waiver draft last Friday but no one wanted him. Lines: Thornton - Marleau - Korolyuk Sturm - Damphousse - Michalek (r) Cheechoo - Ricci - McCauley Ekman - Primeau - Parker Defense: McLaren, Stuart (hurt), Rathje, Fahey, Hannan, Davison, Ehrhoff (r) (r) - rookie Haven't heard if captains were named yet (none had been named since Nolan was traded). But I'd guess Ricci, Damphousse and McLaren wind up in those roles.
my boys of winter start this season with the same question mark: can the goaltending play keep up with the excellence of the 18 skaters night in and night out? for now, osgood gets the #1 nod, but i am one who wishes they'd stop jerkin' brent johnson around... the guy is basically a fine keeper who has the odd problem with softies - he's only 24(?) and i think we should still view him as our guy for the future if i was making the lines tkachuk...demitra...mellanby drake......weight....sejna rycroft....cajanek...mayers danton....johnson...low bogiunicki moves onto weight's line when he comes back, sejna down to where mayers is, mayers for low or danton jackman-macinnis pronger-baron khavanov-salvador kids to watch: petr sejna, last year's hobey baker winner has made the team and could settle on one of the top 2 lines... mark rycroft has had an outstanding camp and quenville loves himso he should get some good ice time... mike danton will probably fill tyson nash's role as the guy who annoys everyone... before too long, christian backman will be up permanantly and is the heir apparent to al macinnis' quartback role others to watch - before he got hurt last season, jamal mayers showed real signs of offensive improvement - he is already a tough mofo, his ic time should be up... keith tzachuk is bent on staying healthy and having a monster season, he was very unhappy with his playoffs and sees himself as having something to prove - not exactly good news for those who have to check the baby bull... chris pronger is also determined to return to his norris form, another guy not to be trifled with when he is in that frame of mind... barret jackman and just because he freakin' SAYS SO!!! what a stud and he can only get better - seemed a little tired by the playoffs and that shouldn't be an issue this time as always, the blues will be among the top handful of NHL clubs but the question remains... when will they finally get their cup? i've certainly said this before, but this season seems as good as any -detroit and colorado also have goaltending concerns and the outstanding nucleus (demitra, pronger, macinnis, weight, tkachuk) has had 2 or 3 years to gel - the organization is obssessed with winning a title and they'd better hurry - blues fans are as devoted and rabid as cardinals fans (which truly is saying something) and they are growing impatient so this season's drop in ticket prices is only seen as a nice gesture... they want a cup - the blues hold the record for consecutive postseasons made across ALL 4 major sports, they have the second best record in the NHL over the past 10 and 3rd best over 20 years (can't find the link, sorry), they have been ousted by the ventual champs in 5 of the last 7 seasons... all of which is meaningless without a championship - can they finally do it? i'd love to think so, but i've been waiting for a cup my entire life and i'm from missouri... they have to show me
i know it's late notice and some of you are already in the other BS league, but the cats on the netherlands board wanted a yahoo NHL league to play - anybody else who wants in is welcome: go to yahoo.com (DUH!) go to sports in the news box go to fantasy on top right sign up for yahoo ID (if necessary) go to fantasy hockey hit sign up button join custom league league #73801 password=bigsoccer max 12 teams 20 man rosters starters: 2 GK 4 D 3 C 3 LW 3 RW 1 utility head to head weekly "games" with 11 scoring categories goals assists +/- penalty minutes shots on goal power play points game winners GK wins goals against average save percentage shutouts (note-minimum of 3 GK appearances required to score) 1 pt. for each category at the end of the week autodraft so HURRY TO SET YOUR PLAYER RANKINGS!!! feel free to ask any questions, good luck and HURRY! the sooner we get filled up, the sooner we draft, the sooner we play - NHL starts on the 9th IIRC, so we may have to miss a few real games, but no biggie, we carry on - i will post a warning when the draft is imminent
Buffalo Fowards- Kotalik-Drury-Satan Hecht-Briere-Afinigenov Pyatt-Connolly-Dumont Boulton-Mair-Peters Defense- Zhitnik-Delmore Patrick-Tallinder Campbell-Kalinin Goalies- Biron Miller
Is DeVries hurt? Also, how long will Bougenicki be out for the Blues. Here's the deal on two teams: Bruins: horrific defense makes them a 7-8 seed at best Avs: the best top 6 forwards since the 80s Oilers, including Super Mario and the 90-92 Penguins. Defensive depth and goaltending? We'll see.
Capitals: Youthful lineup, with 4 first round picks from the last two years on the opening day roster. Efforts to move Lang and Jagr failed which hopefully could turn into a blessing in disguise. The team still has the roster and goaltending to make it into the playoffs. Though, like usual, they're not putting any fright into the NHL's elite.
let's go jackets... they made some decent off-season pickups <center todd marchant, defenseman darryl sydor, backup goalie freddy brathwaite> and should challenge for a playoff spot this year, anything less will be a disappoint for a team that is being coached this year <and gm'ed> by doug maclean. he won't accept anything less than a playoff birth. look for second-year player rick nash to have a pretty big year as long as the rest of the team <geoff sanderson is already on the IR for the beginning of the season> stays healthy to help him score some goals.
Don't forget Doug is also the President of the team. The Blue Jackets are Doug McLein's personnal kingdom, and it shows. From what I saw in the pre-season this team isn't much better then last years last place team. Still I don't see McConnell firing Mclein, unless attendennce drops. But this team won't get anywhere nere the playoffs. As for my Penguins, well, Mario is playing this season and they signed thier rookie goalie, not much else to talk about and they won't get close to the playoffs in a still weak Eastern Conference.
Avs: Colorado games will be the most entertaining in the league this year for people who like goals. Look for the yearly blockbuster-trade-deadline move to pick up a vet goalie. Washington: Only the Caps would spend this year building for the future when the future is so unknown because of the CBA. Too many youngsters means the team will be horribly inconsistent. Will Jagr lay everything on the line for a team that's tried to get rid of him for the last five months? RS
I'm in (the season starts tonight, BTW). Come on and join up people, you know you wanna see me pull off 2 late season collapses instead of my usual 1 - and this time to a bunch of Gouda eating Dutchmen.
Thanks for the update. If either Johnson or Osgood emerges, the Blues will be tough. Anyone know who's going to be the primary backup to Biron in Buffalo? They've got three Gs and one really should be in Rochester getting the bulk of time down there.
Hey... Has soccer influenced the NHL? I understand the Leafs will be wearing their "road" unis at home from now on. I'm watching the Bruins Devils tilt and Boston's wearring their road jerseys at the Fleet Center. It's a great move if it's done league wide.
Well, we can't send Noronen to Rochester, his contract doesn't allow it. We'd have to put him on waivers, and then if no one picks him up, we can send him down. Don't be surprised to see any one of our goalies to be traded soon. Biron is not an exception, he could be good trade bait for some more scoring power. Tanguay for Biron sounds good to me.
Re: Hey... I personally think it's dumb. But I won't be happy until Buffalo goes back to Blue and Gold. LET'S GO BUFFALO!
Wow, Caps win 6-1. Though it seems like just about every bounce was going their way. Seeing as a rookie assists to Jagr on the first shift of the game, and some 33-year-old career minor league defenseman gets his first NHL goal. Not to mention Halpern somehow scoring with a looooong range deflection. If DC has this ridiculous amount of good fortune over the course of the season, the cup is theirs....
*sigh* Well, we were beaten by a better team, in their house. Both goals came from shorthanded situations, so I'm not that dejected. Miller was awesome, considering the defense was horrible. It's only one game and the Islanders just got torn limb from limb by the caps. Here's looking forward to Saturday.
Sharks opened up at Edmonton last night. Lost 5-2. Oilers look like they're for real this year, because they had amazing flow all night. Their top line with Smyth and Dvorak is flatout scary, and their checking line with Torres and Horcoff was on fire and doing their job as pests. All of their defensemen seemed to move the puck well, too. If they keep this up, and Salo stays solid, Edmonton could be as good this year as Vancouver was last year. For San Jose, rookie D Christian Ehrhoff looked like he might be a revelation. All through the preseason and in last night's opener, he's looked like the second coming of Lidstrom. They showed Grant Fuhr's (lengthy) number retirement ceremony last night before the game. He was presented a copy of the banner by Oilers goalie alumni including Bill Ranford, Pokey Reddick and a couple more. Fuhr's #31 joins Gretzky, Kurri and Hamilton in the rafters, and soon will join 'em in the Hall of Fame, too. Way to go, Grant.