Fantasy Hockey - Running Out of Title Ideas

[notyoueither]

As for

you're trading away your most offensively productive d-man on a team with pathetic defense

True, but Bergy had lost MacT's confidence. He was playing second PP unit lately with even Petersen tipped to play 1st unit blue line on the PP ahead of him. There's where coaching and system have hurt Bergy.

When it comes to the pathetic defence part, many would say that Bergeron was a large part of the problem in the Oilers own zone. Too small to win a majority of battles on the boards or in front of the net and too many very bad giveaways. As I said when the story broke, he just wasn't getting better fast enough (at least given the personnel the Oilers have). I'd rather have had a more experienced partner for him and kept him for the 6 D-man and PP, but that's not how the Oilers worked out this year and it looks like the shortage of good D-men will continue next season.

Overall, I'm less negative about the trade now, but I'm still sorry to see Marc-Andre go. I'd be sorry to see him go even if Phaneuf was coming the other way, although I'd be happier with what the Oilers were getting back (much),

[notyoueither]

On to more important topics.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=196834&hubname=nhl

Instigator major focus at GM meetings

Canadian Press
2/19/2007 10:19:26 PM

NAPLES, Fla. (CP) - The instigator penalty was a major focus on the first day of the NHL's GM meetings.

It's become an issue again this season in large part because of the abuse superstar centre Sidney Crosby has taken this season.

Currently the rules stipulate that a player who picks up three instigator penalties warrants a two-game suspension. Some GMs believe that makes it too difficult for tough guys to protect their star teammates.

"That's an agenda item that I requested," Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke said after the first day wrapped up at a posh resort hotel. "I think we need to raise the number of instigator penalties a player can take before getting suspended. I do not favour the elimination of the penalty but I think we've got to get to five or six (instigator penalties) before a player gets suspended so they can do their jobs and protect their teammates."

Through Feb. 15. there were 47 instigator penalties handed out this season, up from 39 through the same number of games last season.

Ben Eager of the Philadelphia Flyers is the only player to have earned the two-game suspension so far this season for earning three instigators, but the issue with some GMs is that some players get two instigators and are hesitant to drop the gloves.

"So the question is, when a guy is at two instigator penalties, does it affect him to say, `I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to protect my guy. I'm not going to protect my goalie because I'm going to be suspended.' That was really the debate today," said Columbus Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean.

If the GMs vote to loosen up the rule Wednesday, it would then have to be discussed by the NHL competition committee (players and GMs) and then finally get the approval of the board of governors (owners).

Not all GMs are in favour of changing the instigator.

"I'm not against the way it is right now," said Ottawa Senators GM John Muckler.

"I do think there's enough time in the game to play tough and deliver that message appropriately," echoed Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Ferguson. "I do think it would be hard to go backwards in terms of vigilance against it."

Even Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero, who sees Crosby having to defend himself game in and game out, didn't sound terribly troubled by the current rule.

"I don't think it's that big an issue for us," said Shero. "Sidney would be the first person to say that. He's the guy who plays the game as hard as he does."

Ferguson worries about the bad optics for the NHL if the instigator penalty was loosened, the perception that the league was encouraging more fighting.

"And you don't get to control that end of it. because perception comes from the person who's viewing it and I do think it'd be tough," he said. "We'd potentially be leaving ourselves open to that type of criticism."

But the bottom line, said Dallas Stars GM Doug Armstrong, is allowing the stars to shine.

"You want to make sure that the star players have the ability to do their jobs," said Armstrong. "You look back in the late 80s and early 1990s with players like (Wayne) Gretzky and Pierre Turgeon and they were getting 150, 160 points on a regular basis there was probably a little more freedom a little more room there and we want to make sure that next generation of players always can have that ability too."

Glen Sather was the GM of the Edmonton Oilers when he had tough guys Dave Semenko and later Marty McSorley protect the likes of Gretzky and Jari Kurri when the league didn't have an instigator penalty.

"I think you can't protect as well as you used to be able to," Sather, now the Rangers GM, said after Monday's meetings. "There are a lot of guys who, I think, have come full-circle on (the instigator). I always liked the idea of being able to protect Wayne, and Mark, and Paul, and all those guys. And we always had somebody in a position to do it."

The 30 GMs split up into breakout groups Monday and discussed other issues as well:

- Goalies freezing the puck too often;

- Player development in the AHL, with a AHL president Dave Andrews on hand;

- The length of pre-game ceremonies;

- The standard of enforcement on obstruction;

- The idea of going to one-minute penalties in overtime, an idea also brought forward by Burke.

"I don't know how far that one's going to get," said Burke. "The logic of it, obviously, if you take a tripping penalty in the first period it's 10 per cent of the period and it's a 5-on-4 power play.

"That same foul in overtime is 40 per cent of the period and it's a 4-on-3 power play which has a dramatically higher conversion rate. So to me it makes sense. But I'm not sure my logic will carry the day here."

I for one would like to see a little more latitude for the tough guy. There are way too many cheap shots at skilled players with no response for my liking.

If it keeps going this way, it'll become a matter of 'you goon our guy, we'll run your goalie or goon your guy.'

Either way, teams are going to come up with a regular response for situations like Crosby being speared. I'd rather it be an immediate physical response to the dirty hackers than retaliation on the oppo's better players.

[notyoueither]

Oh, and Ming, this is why fighting needs to be part of the NHL.

Crosby gets speared by a no-talent goon from another team. What happens? Crosby was given a diving penalty.

Hemsky gets destroyed by Minny's goon with the puck nowhere near him. No call.

We need a league where Stortini could jump on Boogaard without fear of costing his team too much. What we don't need is Torres and Stortini going head-hunting for Gaborik as the only response to deter cheap shots.

[Asher]

We need a league where Stortini could jump on Boogaard without fear of costing his team too much. What we don't need is Torres and Stortini going head-hunting for Gaborik as the only response to deter cheap shots.

That didn't stop Godard from setting the record straight...

Not all teams have guys with balls, Oil gotta deal with it.

[notyoueither]

Godard got lucky with not taking an instigator. Take 3 of them and you're out for 2 games.

Cam Neely was on OTR today. He said the day they passed that rule it changed the way he played the game. Neely wasn't a goon.

All Burke wants is it be 5 or 7 instigators before a suspension. Give the tough guys a little more latitude. I think it's a good idea.

[Asher]

Can we now evaluate the Nedved pickup and conclude I was right?

[Asher]

Found this gem of a fake-interview that should've been asked of Lowe regarding Peterson "replacing" Bergeron on the PP.

Q. The Oilers have 45 PP goals this year?
A. Yes.

Q. MAB has been on the ice for 24 of them?

A. Yes.

Q. Toby Petersen has been on the ice for 1 PP goal?

A. Yes.

Q. MAB has played 222:28 on the PP?

A. Yes.

Q. Toby Petersen has played 55:25 on the PP?

A. Yes.

Q. MAB scored 16 points on the PP?

A. Yes.

Q. Petersen has none?

A. Yes.

Q. So when MAB is on the ice for the PP, the Oilers have scored 6.47 PPG/60 and he’s scored 4.32 PPP/60?

A. Yes.

Q. And when Petersen is on the ice, the Oilers have scored 1.08 PPG/60 and he’s scored 0.00 PPP/60?

A. Yes.

Q. Toby Petersen is 28 years old, correct?

A. Yes.

Q. And over the course of his career, he’s scored 3 points on the power play in 170.30 minutes of PP TOI, which works out to 1.06 PPP/60, correct?

A. Yes.

Q. MAB has scored 1.02 even strength points per 60 minutes of even strength ice time over the course of his career, hasn’t he?

A. Yes.

Q. In fact, it’s fair to say that MAB, over the course of his NHL career has been almost as good offensively at even strength as Toby Petersen has been on the PP?

A. Yes.

Q. Are you people crazy or stupid?

[Flubber]

The climb in the West has become very very tough for the Avs, Oil and anyone else that might still think they can catch up.

While the 95 point threshold will probably be what is actually needed to get in, look at how tough it is even with a lower standard. Lets assume that eigth place Minnesota plays exactly .500 hockey the rest of the way (1 Point per game clip) and finishes with 91 points. That alone is a big assumption as Minnesota is playing at a better clip than that so far.

Edmonton has 23 games left and would need 30 points so their needed record would be things like

15-8-0
13-6-4
11-4-8
9-2-12 etc etc

just to tie with a .500 Minny team. Colorado is a point worse.

Its gotten to the point that it is beyond the reasonable expectation that Colorado or Edmonton will make the playoffs UNLESS someone collapses. Because as it stands, they would need to play at quite a clip to make it if the teams ahead of them perform.

Heck as it stands, the western playoff race could be over by the end of the week ( to the extent it isn't over already)

[Kontiki]

Were it not for Luongo, I'd say Vancouver is quite capable of a collapse.

[Flubber]

THe east meanwhile could go to the wire. You have Atlanta and Montreal flailing after seeming so secure even just a month ago . . . Meanwhile the Leafs, Pens, Lightning and Sens have soared. Throw in Carolina and the Isles, a Rangers team that is just 3 back and a Boston team that won't go away despite being a "seller"(6 points out with a game in hand and a 6-4 record in the last 10) and you have a real mess.

Tonight

Bruins Maple Leafs 7:00 PM ET

Thrashers Hurricanes 7:00 PM ET

Capitals Canadiens 7:30 PM ET

Oilers Senators 7:30 PM ET

Rangers Devils 7:30 PM ET

Panthers Lightning 7:30 PM ET



Thu Feb 22, 2007

Devils Rangers 7:00 PM ET

Flyers Hurricanes 7:00 PM ET

Lightning Thrashers 7:00 PM ET


Maple Leafs Islanders 7:30 PM ET

Penguins Panthers 7:30 PM ET

Canadiens Predators 8:00 PM ET


FRiday

Bruins Lightning 8:00 PM ET


SAT


Canadiens Islanders 1:00 PM ET

Sabres Senators 7:00 PM ET

Blue Jackets Rangers 7:00 PM ET

Maple Leafs Flyers 7:00 PM ET

Hurricanes Thrashers 7:00 PM ET

Bruins Panthers 7:30 PM ET



Those are just the more key eastern matchups. I wonder will it be even more confusing by Sunday




-- NYR have a tough road with the Devils twice
-- The Isles have both the Habs and Leafs in a key series for them
-- Lightening have Panthers, Thrashers and Bruins

etc etc etc -- what a wild wild ride!!

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Kontiki
Were it not for Luongo, I'd say Vancouver is quite capable of a collapse.

Quite possible since they seem to get out-shot and outchanced in the vast majority of their games. The problem for an EDmonton is that Vancouver sits another full 3 points ahead of Minnesota AND has a game in hand on them. So a "collapse" by Vancouver of say 7-11-5 would net the Nucks with the 91 points I used to calculate the needed records for the OIL. So a collapse by Vancouver would have to be even greater than that to be any appreciable help.

It ain't over yet but the fat lady is definitely warming up

[joncha]

Vancouver is always capable of a collapse.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Flubber


Quite possible since they seem to get out-shot and outchanced in the vast majority of their games. The problem for an EDmonton is that Vancouver sits another full 3 points ahead of Minnesota AND has a game in hand on them. So a "collapse" by Vancouver of say 7-11-5 would net the Nucks with the 91 points I used to calculate the needed records for the OIL. So a collapse by Vancouver would have to be even greater than that to be any appreciable help.

It ain't over yet but the fat lady is definitely warming up

Your numbers are petty well what I posted yesterday.

I can hear her warming up from where I sit.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by notyoueither


Your numbers are petty well what I posted yesterday.

and really just updated from what I have posted a few times before or what many others have posted. Its all just different ways to say the same thing which is . .. .

Originally posted by notyoueither

I can hear her warming up from where I sit.

and tonight doesn't help-- a gutsy comeback against a good team earns a point but since Minny got two points things get worse for the Oilers mathematically regardless of how Calgary and Vancouver do tonight-- they will be 10 out at the end of tonight with 22 games left

[Ninot]

Habs win 2nd in a row. Offense came out. I didn't see most of the game, but it was against the Caps, so I can't get TOO excited.