Official NHL thread?

[r'aggro]

Who did your guys get back when they shipped Eric Cole back to carolina, btw?

Lupul, Smith--> Pitkanen --> Cole --> ?

I can understand why Oiler fans are so disenchanted with management, but that's a tough pair of teams EDM sits between. Maybe they should merge with the Nucks. They might be able to compete with Calgary with Luongo and Vancouver's nasty blueliners.

[Spank_Me_Hard]

Who did your guys get back when they shipped Eric Cole back to carolina, btw?

Lupul, Smith--> Pitkanen --> Cole --> ?

I can understand why Oiler fans are so disenchanted with management, but that's a tough pair of teams EDM sits between. Maybe they should merge with the Nucks. They might be able to compete with Calgary with Luongo and Vancouver's nasty blueliners.

Three way trade that ended up being Cole for O'Sullivan. I'm actually ok with that.

I have no idea why Cole didn't work out with Edm. I think the world of the guy. FWIW, every game that I saw, Cole looked a threat. For whatever reason, he just couldn't finish.

I don't know if O'Sullivan is a better player than Cole at this moment in time. But I do know that he's a lot younger (24 vs. 31 I think) and that he has a lot of potential growing room ahead of him still.

I think that the talent level on the team is fine. I think that for whatever reason that they are not getting the most of the players that they have. That maybe it's time for MacTavish to be replaced.

[Spank_Me_Hard]

What a great time of the year!

Finally got to see the Calgary-Chicago game last night... WHAT A GAME!

So intense! The hits were crazy! The two teams REALLY disliked one another.

Phaneuf just about killed Toews with that one hit. Looked like a shoulder to the jaw. Was surprised that Toews popped up as quickly as he did.

The Philly-Pitt series looks pretty rough as well.

[Recon]

the wings look damn near unbeatable...if they keep the intensity up that is

[Spank_Me_Hard]

Winds got lucky with who they played in the 1st round.

I don't think much of Columbus.

I mean, they earned their spot through hard work... but they have little talent. Surely not enough talent to keep up with a team like Detroit with all their talent. If Detroit matches Columbus's work ethic... they blow them away.

This is what is happening now.

By sheer happenstance... San Jose got the worst deal. They play Anaheim who is loaded with talent but whom simply underchieved this year. Anaheim got it together and put together a good end of the season to squeak in. Anaheim is a much more talented team than their record indicated. They are good enough to beat San Jose.

This too is what is happening right now.

The teams that don't have the talent to be in the big show... like Columbus... should get knocked out quickly in the 1st round. The teams like Anaheim who have the talent and whom found their stride at the end of the year have a shot at a 1st round upset.

In a way... it's almost better to see a more talented team who underachived make the playoffs than a team with less talent whom worked hard. Because when a talented team starts working hard, it makes for better series usually.

Detroit will have a much harder matchup with Chicago, Vancouver, Calgary, San Jose, or Anaheim. Columbus is just roadkill for a team like Detroit.

[JDC]

*sigh*

[r'aggro]

*sigh*

Saw a hilarious thread title at hfboards:

"I want the Sharks to be pallbearers at my funeral...
...so they can let me down one last time."


The ducks are a physically tough team and well built for the playoffs. But the real story with them may be how good Hiller has turned out between the pipes.

[Spank_Me_Hard]

Saw a hilarious thread title at hfboards:

"I want the Sharks to be pallbearers at my funeral...
...so they can let me down one last time."

The ducks are a physically tough team and well built for the playoffs. But the real story with them may be how good Hiller has turned out between the pipes.

That is too funny!

Every playoffs, it seems like there is some goalie who nobody expects anything from who takes his team far. Goalie was probably what I thought Anaheim's biggest weakness was going in. Not looking that way right now.

This is why I think a team like Vancouver can be dangerous (plus, this Vancouver team looks like it can actually score and play D). I think that Luongo may be the best goalie in the league.

[JDC]

That is too funny!

Every playoffs, it seems like there is some goalie who nobody expects anything from who takes his team far. Goalie was probably what I thought Anaheim's biggest weakness was going in. Not looking that way right now.

This is why I think a team like Vancouver can be dangerous (plus, this Vancouver team looks like it can actually score and play D). I think that Luongo may be the best goalie in the league.

I was hoping Steve Mason would be that goalie and upset the Wings but... The Ducks were probably the worst possible 1st round draw for the Sharks and the Sharks aren't helping themselves by going 0-12 on the power play so far.

[r'aggro]

Fleury has been great, too. Philly was all over him tonight and he only let in one stinkin' goal.

[Recon]

I dont expect the cup again this year...back to backs are almost unheard of..

but just to see the wings sweep their first round opponent gives me hope because cupcake teams like the BJ's are the ones that give the wings the most trouble typically because they get lazy and dont show up to play till its too late

[Spank_Me_Hard]

A few teams like the BJs just proved to me that they never really belonged there in the firstplace. The BJs in particular benefitted from a good coach, hard work, and a style of play that was designed to do well in the regular season but is utterly useless in the playoffs (Minnesota's style comes to mind here as well).

All other things being equal and talent being the only other factor in the equation, the BJs never stood a chance.

I feel bad for SJ because they win the conference and then face a talented team in Anaheim where Detroit finishes second and gets a joke of a team in the BJs. No justice. I almost wonder if the top tier teams should be able to pick their opponents instead?

Other series like Chicago-Calgary have all the makings of a historic 7 game series. Great matchup!

There will be no easy team for Detroit in the second round. The pretenders should all be gone. They will have their work cut out for them now.

[Recon]

They have their work cut out for them because betman is an a$$

I mean seriously the type of travel the wings are forced to do shouldnt have to be made untill the final..

Plus i hate my team having 10pm starts...I mean really who can stay up till 12 watchign hockey on a monday or tuesday?

stupid betman putting the wings in the west just to prop up a crappy division

[Spank_Me_Hard]

The teams that are considered "West" and the teams that are considered "East" makes no sense at times.

But I don't know what can be done about it?

I mean, geographically speaking there simply aren't enough cities on the western portion of the continent. Somebody from the "east" has to be in the Western Conference...

[JDC]

*sigh*x2