NHL 2008-09

[DaveC]

Ahh, the Isles' fire sale continues. Guerin gets exiled to Pittsburgh. Another shitty year for the boys in orange and blue.

I wouldn't be so PO'd about it, I mean Guerin is a good player sure but he's 38 years old so he can't have much left in the tank. It was either this or keep him and lose him to retirement and get nothing in return. I think this was a smart move by the Isles with an eye on their future.

I wish I could have been here for all the "excitement" (or as TSN seems to think, the greatest day of the year in sports - they don't even have this much coverage for the Stanley Cup Final ) but I was working until half an hour past deadline time.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

You didn't miss much - worst trade deadline day ever

That last "trade" by the Leafs perplexes me:

G Olaf Kolzig
D Jamie Heward
D Andy Rogers
2009 4th Rd. Pick

for

D Richard Petiot

I've never heard of this Petoit guy we traded, was he good? Also Kolzig has an injury and is out for the rest of his season - then his contract expires and Heward is sidelined indefinitely with a concussion, I don't get it...

 

[BoMac]

You didn't miss much - worst trade deadline day ever

That last "trade" by the Leafs perplexes me:

G Olaf Kolzig
D Jamie Heward
D Andy Rogers
2009 4th Rd. Pick

for

D Richard Petiot

I've never heard of this Petoit guy we traded, was he good? Also Kolzig has an injury and is out for the rest of his season - then his contract expires and Heward is sidelined indefinitely with a concussion, I don't get it...

The only way I can rationalize it, is that NHL GMs are starting to make trades the same way that the NBA does.

With the salary cap most definitely going down next year, Tampa Bay needed to get players off their books. So Toronto acquired an expiring contract, along with other players to help Tampa out. The Leafs can now put Kolzig on long term disability and have it not count against the cap. In the meantime, Burke stockpiles another draft pick.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

hmm, that makes sense I guess

 

[BoMac]

Wouldn't it be amazing if the Red Wings meet the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final? Then April and I could get married in June, as planned, and we could hold the reception at the Joe or maybe at the Bell Centre.

Details to follow...

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Wouldn't it be amazing if the Red Wings meet the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final? Then April and I could get married in June, as planned, and we could hold the reception at the Joe or maybe at the Bell Centre.

Details to follow...

and here I thought being a Leafs fan was sad...

 

[BoMac]

and here I thought being a Leafs fan was sad...

I was going to make you an usher, but not anymore!

How does that make you feel? Maybe next time you'll think twice about trying to crush other people's hopes and dreams.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Wouldn't it be amazing if the Red Wings meet the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final? Then April and I could get married in June, as planned, and we could hold the reception at the Joe or maybe at the Bell Centre.

Details to follow...

Omg, baby, that would be AWESOME!!!!!!!

You're so good to me, I swear it. Even though we've never met or anything and you gaveme a hard time about sending me your picture and all.

We could totally have a red, white and blue theme - it'd be so perfect, Canadiens colours (hehe, look what I did there!) and because I'm American and all. Omg!!!

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

what, I'm not Best Man material?

You guys should really make this OFFICIAL if you get my meaning *winkwink*

 

[MrPryck2U]

I wouldn't be so PO'd about it, I mean Guerin is a good player sure but he's 38 years old so he can't have much left in the tank. It was either this or keep him and lose him to retirement and get nothing in return. I think this was a smart move by the Isles with an eye on their future.

I'm not pissed off about the trade, I'm just pissed off because every year it seems that the Isles get a bunch of new faces and then by the end of the season they trade a lot of them away. Its been rumored that Coach Gordon has been having some trouble with the vets, so I wonder what his status will be after the season.

 

[DaveC]

Omg, baby, that would be AWESOME!!!!!!!

You're so good to me, I swear it. Even though we've never met or anything and you gaveme a hard time about sending me your picture and all.

We could totally have a red, white and blue theme - it'd be so perfect, Canadiens colours (hehe, look what I did there!) and because I'm American and all. Omg!!!

What is it with you and Canadians?

 

[BoMac]

Canadiens fired Guy Carbonneau. I'm surprised by the timing.

 

[senrab]

Wow, didn't see that coming

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

I'm beyond shocked - thought it would happen in the summer if they fared poorly in the remaining weeks.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I will miss Carbo drawing lines from a hat full of players' names on idex cards

RIP Guy, never forget

 

[CTU2fan]

I don't get it. When they were playing like dead dogturds and Guy was dead coach walking Gainey didn't pull the trigger. Now when they seemed to have somewhat righted the ship out comes the axe?

 

[BoMac]

I don't get it. When they were playing like dead dogturds and Guy was dead coach walking Gainey didn't pull the trigger. Now when they seemed to have somewhat righted the ship out comes the axe?

How did they right the ship? Let's look at their last seven games: They went on a four game winning streak at the end of February but were lucky to win most of them, and only won due to some stellar goaltending from Halak. There were some poor performances all around.

Then, they lost two games last week in brutal fashion, 5-1 to Buffalo and 2-0 to Atlanta. In Sunday's win over Dallas, they played a horrible first half, and picked it up towards the second half.

Something was wrong and needed to be done.

 

[CTU2fan]

I hadn't seen the games, just the scores. I agree the move should have been made, I just expected it a bit sooner when the L's were piling up.

I think part of it is that it was probably a hard thing for Gainey to do. I assume they're pretty close, being old teammates (and linemates)...I hope it works out, I generally cheer for the Habs, unless they're playing the Flyers of course.

 

[senrab]

I bet it came down from Gillett and the others higher up. It would be a PR disaster if they missed the playoffs in their 100th anniversary.

 

[Chizip]

go blues bitches!

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

4-1 loss to Tampa

 

[zonelistener]

I generally cheer for the Habs, unless they're playing the Flyers of course.

If the season ended today, this would be your playoff match up.

I really do not want to see the two play in the playoffs.

 

[DaveC]

Tonight is one of the few times I will ever root for the New Jersey Devils. I'd love to see Brodeur tie Roy's record in Montreal on Hockey Night in Canada

 

[DaveC]

After the Devils win, the Montreal fans gave Brodeur a standing ovation - really classy

Is he the greatest goalie of all time?

 

[CTU2fan]

After the Devils win, the Montreal fans gave Brodeur a standing ovation - really classy

Is he the greatest goalie of all time?

Of course they'd spent the last 10 minutes booing But it was pretty cool.

I wouldn't call Brodeur the best ever. He's obviously very good and he deserves credit for winning those games, but W/L is a bit deceiving with a guy like him because he's been fortunate to have played on very good clubs for almost his entire career. So has Roy, for the most part. The thing with Marty is that you almost have a "perfect storm" with his career - great player, playing for a great defensive team, in hockey's version of the dead ball era (lots of teams trapping, huge goalie gear etc). Looking only at guys I've seen play I'd go:

1. Roy
2. Brodeur

3. Fuhr

...and then a bunch of other guys on the next level down, guys like Belfour, Hextall, Barrasso, VanBiesbrouck, maybe Richter. The guy I'm having a hard time with is Dominik Hasek. He had kind of a short peak because he didn't become a full-time starter until he got to Buffalo at ~30 years old. But 6 (!) Vezina Trophies says something, and the "eye test" tells me he's the best ever.

 

[BoMac]

After the Devils win, the Montreal fans gave Brodeur a standing ovation - really classy

Is he the greatest goalie of all time?

Despite the loss, I felt a great sense of pride at being a Montrealer after that ovation.

Of course they'd spent the last 10 minutes booing But it was pretty cool.

They weren't booing Brodeur, but the home team.

 

[DaveC]

So there's this French goalie that's been getting a lot of press lately...Martin something...plays for New Jersey I think...anybody know about him? Is he any good?

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Yeah, he just passed St. Patrick...on St. Patrick's!

 

[DaveC]

I think he'll break 600 next season.

 

[Canadiens1131]

So there's this French goalie that's been getting a lot of press lately...Martin something...plays for New Jersey I think...anybody know about him? Is he any good?

Kind of nice how the NHL marketing office finally remembered him after year after year in the league. Nice of them considering they instituted the "trapezoid" behind the net pretty much so Brodeur couldn't stickhandle out of the crease and score some goals.