Why Hockey Is The Best Sport

[Imran Siddiqui]

I hope he doens't come across the blue line with his head down.

Who Scotty? He never does that... he knows what happens .

[Flubber]

THe Leafs -- I don't want them to win for the simple fact that Leaf fans will be insufferable for years. I kinda like the fact that the Leafs have not won a Cup in my lifetime .

Seriously-- The Leafs do have a pretty good team but I just don't see them winning the Cup. For a couple of years now I have been thinking that Ottawa is "due" but I still question whether they have the toughness and goaltending has looked increasingly suspect lately. Out of the East, I still see Brodeur as the best money goaltender there-- The Devil's goals against is so low its almost criminal. Philly-- the knock on them has often been goaltending-- I don't know that Sean Burke will steal a series but I think he provides enough that goaltending will not lose a series for the Flyers.

Montreal-- While I don't see them coming out of the east, I think that Theodore alone is the type of tender that can out-duel anybody. With a better offence this year, I don't think that anyone would welcome facing MOntreal.

But then again, the last couple of years have shown that a team can get hot in either conference and advance to the final BUT in the end, the Stanley cup winner has been one of the favorites. Heck there hasn't been a truly suprising WINNER in about 10 years IIRC

[Pekka]

So there's a new breed of 20 year old guys from here who can hit and hit hard, and there's a new breed of 20 year old players from north america that are fast as lightning and skilled as ever. The tendency is, that you have to have all the sides to your game working, or you can't be in the top.

As European rinks are wider, it's more difficult to play game where you hit all the time and base your game on that. It is possible, and it is becoming more trend now, but it's more difficult than in the smaller NHL sized rink.

So, the hard playing players don't get noticed so much, whereas skilled players do get noticed, as they have the space to move and move the puck. But like I said, the new breed of 20 year olds are tough and skilled, no matter where they come from. There's no such thing as 'he won't hit me, I'm too fast'. Or 'I just take the puck away from him, I'm so skilled'. It's a contact sport, so you need to handle it all.

So when these 20 year olds and the next generation gets more experience in the NHL, I'm excited to see what they game is like in.. let's say 7 to 10 years.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Heck there hasn't been a truly suprising WINNER in about 10 years IIRC

True... the last suprising winner was the Devils in 1995.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Pekka
I'm excited to see what they game is like in.. let's say 7 to 10 years.

I am too except for the furshlerginer protective net in my way. Can't follow the puck with my geriatric eyes.

On a more serious note, I agree the incorporation of Euro's (wimpy as they are ) has improved the game tremendously. I still prefer the all out checking game of North America but do agree the increased skills add excitement. Not as much as a good bench clearing brawl mind you, but excitement.

Og goes off dreaming of goalie fights.

[Pekka]

Anaheim came close though.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Funny that Ogie is talking about 'wimpy' Euros, since you traded one of them (Peter Forsburg) for a 'tough' North American (Eric Lindros). That worked out good .

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Don't get me started on the stupidity of Clarkie.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Pekka
Anaheim came close though.

Yes in recent years there have been a number of suprising teams making it to the finals but none of them managed to win it all.

The Devils in 1995?? I don't recall how big a suprise they were. I do know that the Canadians in 1993 were a shocker

[Brundlefly]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

They'll fall behind Montreal, grab the 7th slot and get pounded by Philly in the first round.

You wish. Philly can't beat Jersey in the playoffs... it's a fact. .

And NJ cant get past Ottawa...

Anyway, if Brodeur plays like he did last night, we'll have no problem with NJ the rest of this year. I believe this is the beginning of the end for Brodeur.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The Devils in 1995?? I don't recall how big a suprise they were.

They were the 5th seed in the East that year and no one thought they'd even get to the finals. Then no one thought they'd win a game against the Red Wings.

And NJ cant get past Ottawa..

What do you call the Conference Finals last year when the Devs beat the Sens 4 games to 3?

Anyway, if Brodeur plays like he did last night, we'll have no problem with NJ the rest of this year. I believe this is the beginning of the end for Brodeur.

If I had a quarter for every time I heard this is the 'end of Brodeur'. He had one bad night and suddenly his 1.97 GAA doesn't register .

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

The Devils in 1995?? I don't recall how big a suprise they were.

They were the 5th seed in the East that year and no one thought they'd even get to the finals. Then no one thought they'd win a game against the Red Wings.

[

The only reason why they thought that was 'cause Philly had such a poor showing 'gainst the Red Wings the year before. Legion of Broom.

No one thought the East was competitive.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The only reason why they thought that was 'cause Philly had such a poor showing 'gainst the Red Wings the year before. Legion of Broom.

Eh? I think you got your years or teams messed up. The year before the Rangers won the Cup, and most people thought the Devils in the Conference Finals was a fluke (Damn Matteau... 4 Cups in 10 years would have been sweet).

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Errp yep. Dang! Alzheimers.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think you are talking '97? or 98? One of those years. IIRC, Detroit beat Florida and Philly in back to back years, but I forget who came first and what exact years they were and I'm too lazy to look it up .