Why Hockey Is The Best Sport

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Dang I missed it. I am so putting on ESPN.

Woot! Woot! Goalers droppin 'em!

[Kontiki]

Hey, what's the deal with Salo? Has Edmonton officially given the number one job to Conklin? I know Salo was injured earlier, and he sucked before that, but you hardly see him play anymore.

Damn me for picking Salo in my pool!!

[RedFred]

How did I miss this thread?

Some of the proposed rule changes seem good, others silly. I'm all for an equal number of points being exchanged in every game. The stupid system where teams can either split 2 or 3 points that they have now needs to be changed. I don't mind the reduction in goalies' pads but the behind the net thing seems silly.

All these wide bluelines, move the net around, remove the red line ideas come from attempts to avoid doing the right thing and migrate to European-sized rinks. Practically all of the rinks in the NHL are newer than 15 years, so they really blew the opportunity to act back in 1990 but they should still bite the bullet. Now.

My biggest complaint besides the upcoming strike/lockout is the inconsistant refereeing. Some of the refs just aren't good enough, and worse still, when the playoffs come, they use a whole different standard.

Another complaint I have is that with its speed hockey has always been the toughest sport to announce. But with so many teams and so many players it is getting harder still. And a lot of the new arenas put the announcers in seats almost as bad as the nosebleeds.

Going way back to Cherry... I don't feel I can support him anymore. He was always funny and controversial but he used to display more hockey knowledge. His act is getting a bit tired and I don't know if I care if they went so far as to bring in somebody new.

[cinch]

Originally posted by Kontiki
Hey, what's the deal with Salo? Has Edmonton officially given the number one job to Conklin? I know Salo was injured earlier, and he sucked before that, but you hardly see him play anymore.

Damn me for picking Salo in my pool!!

He's still around... I don't want to say, unequivocally, he's a functional backup, but... that's basically what he is.

It's not that he's playing TERRIBLY, it's just that Conklin's playing much, much better. Also, for 4mil per year, Salo should be a frigging Belfour out there... But he ain't.

He's a nice guy, though, so most people cut him some slack... but they'd definitely like to see his salary dumped (preferably to the Rangers) before the tradeline.

I like Salo, but I admit... Conklin's the man this season.

[Brundlefly]

As far as sports fighting is concerned, you can't beat baseball for a good scrap. Who could forget Pedro Martinez v. Don Zimmer last year..

[cinch]

Also, I should note about last night's Oil/Thrash game:

Thrashers D Andy Sutton turtled when Laraque tried to fight him late in the third (before the big brawl)... then Sutton went after Brewer during the big brawl, trying to fight him.

Shows what he's made of, I guess.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Agathon
Who cares, there was a goalie fight! Not as good as Roy vs Osgood, but a goalie fight nonetheless.

Roy vs Osgood was nothing compared to the original Red Wings/Avs goalie throwdown, Roy vs Vernon. Despite giving up several inches in height and reach, and quite a few pounds, Mike Vernon beat Patricia silly.


(See, I may not like the fact that fighting is in hockey, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good fight... especially when total ****** like Roy get their clocks cleaned.)

[Agathon]

For those that missed the fun

http://dmsinger.escaped.net/cftemp003/040211_atlanta_edmonton.wmv

[joncha]

Did anyone else catch Trevor Kidd's take on the proposed rule changes?

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1076541907085&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064

NHL blasts away at Kidd
Leaf goaltender's pad demo draws fire

Work on game, Campbell tells backup


PAUL HUNTER
SPORTS REPORTER

It was a bit of showmanship that triggered some of the best shots Maple Leafs goaltender Trevor Kidd has faced all season. And those blasts came from the NHL's head office.

When Kidd was asked to comment on proposed rule changes that would see his goaltending pads shrink to 10 inches wide from 12 inches, he reached for a prop. Toronto's backup netminder produced a tiny-looking pad, one intended for use in peewee hockey, and noted its 11-inch width.

"That's a 12-year-old's goal pad and that's illegal," said Kidd. "It's tough to comment on these changes. If that pad I showed you is illegal on a 12-year-old where do I start?"

"Honestly, I think if they want to score more goals, they should take away our helmets."

Some 2,700 kilometres away in the Nevada desert, NHL vice-president Colin Campbell was clearly annoyed by Kidd's comments.

"Yeah, Trevor Kidd, he can say that. If I were him I'd work on my game," Campbell said of the netminder who has allowed 12 goals in starting Toronto's last three games.

"The players, ones who are in the same association as Trevor Kidd I think, say they can't see the net any more because the goalies are too big. If I seem aggravated it's because we always get these knee-jerk reactions when we do something. And you can leave the `knee' out of that if you want. We're just trying to do the right thing."

Campbell noted that Kidd "is an individual that got big in a hurry."

When informed that Campbell sniped back at him, Kidd said he didn't intend to get into a fight with the league.

"I was just kidding around. Maybe I went too far," he said last night. "I'm all for anything that makes the game better."

In an attempt to pump up offence, the league's general managers have suggested changes that include shrinking the goalie's pads and taking away his ability to go behind the goal line to play the puck.

That elicited the anticipated angry reaction from Ed Belfour, the Leafs' star netminder who is one of the best in the NHL at handling the puck. The usually reticent Belfour was livid about the proposals

"I think they're a joke. It's embarrassing that someone would even propose something like that," he said. "We measured Bryan Marchment's shin pad this morning. It's eight inches. So, basically, they want us to wear defenceman shin pads. When I played with (Craig) Ludwig, he had nine-inch shin pads ... I don't know what they're thinking."

Pretty funny stuff. I like Colly Campbell's dig the best, though: "If I were him I'd work on my game."

jon.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Atlanta was forced to finish the game with an empty net after Pasi Nurminen was assessed a fighting major for his dance with Ty Conklin.

See wha the idiocy of fighting brings .

----

I seem aggravated it's because we always get these knee-jerk reactions when we do something. And you can leave the `knee' out of that if you want.

Colin Campbel rocks!

And the pads need to get smaller. The best picture of the Stanley Cup Finals last year were when Marty Brodeur and J.S. Giguere were shaking hands after Game 7. Giggy's shoulder pads were, no joke, like 4 inches bigger than Marty's.

[Tingkai]

Campbell's comments are funny, but way out of line. He's a friggen V-P of the NHL and he's taking cheap shots at Kidd just because Kidd dares to criticise the recommendation.

Meanwhile, the NHL owners say they're going to listen to players and other people before making a decision. Yeah, right.

[RedFred]

Originally posted by cinch
...He's a nice guy, though, so most people cut him some slack... but they'd definitely like to see his salary dumped (preferably to the Rangers) before the tradeline.

This seems to be the main function of the Rangers in today's NHL: a place where other teams can dump salary.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Let it not be said that they don't have their place in the NHL .

[Ben Kenobi]

What astonishes me is that Brodeur could pass the shutout record of Terry Sawchuck before he finishes.

[Kontiki]

All right, let's go for some rediculously early (and therefore likely rediculously off base) predictions.

Which teams do you think will:

A) win their respective divisions
B) make the playoffs
C) get to the finals - and who wins?

For the record, these are the current 16 playoff teams:
East:
Philly
Toronto
Tampa Bay
Boston
Ottawa
New Jersey
Montreal
Islanders

West:
Colorado
Detroit
San Jose
Vancouver
Calgary
Dallas
LA
St. Louis

My predictions:
East - The eight that would make it in now are the same eight that actually will. New Jersey makes a late season charge at Philly for the Atlantic title, but Philly hangs on. Ottawa goes on a roll and, coupled with a Toronto slide, takes the Northeast. Tampa is a mortal lock for the Southeast.

New Jersey (dammit!) wins the east, after another close battle with Ottawa

West - Detroit wins the Central with little problem. Colorado and Vancouver battle it out until the last week of the regular season for the Northwest (sound familiar?) but Colorado ends up taking it. Dallas overtakes San Jose and claims the Pacific crown. Calgary and Nashville battle it out for the final playoff spot, with Nashville eventually sneaking in.

Really tough to pick who's coming out of the west. I'd love to say Vancouver, but Cloutier just ain't a playoff goaltender. If Blake doesn't come back, Colorado is going to have a tough go, but will eventually win. Watch out for Dallas as the darkhorse, though.

Unfortunately, it's another cup for New Jersey.