[Tournament] 06-07 NHL Discussion Thread

Hartford won't happen, goofball. (I wish...)

I was speaking idiomatically.

I think the NHL is hard against going back to towns that had teams that moved (though, the irony is that most of them ones that have moved recently ended up winning Cups...ex: Nords and Whalers). I'd love the Penguins to move closer to me than further (MUCH further, as it would be with Houston, KC or Vegas), but I'd prefer them stay in Pittsburgh.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I wouldn't make THAT leap. Maybe as far as the difference between the best and the worst is the amongst the widest of all time, but there are no ultra-dominant scorers in the league.

How ya doing, buddy?

Apparently there will be an end to the story, one way or another, tomorrow, when Bettman steps in (again).

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Or not. Talks drove things in a positive direction, apparently, but they will continue talking next week.

In other NHL news, the Penguins lost to the Devils, but in a shootout. And...

YouTube Video

Chris Simon gets drilled into the boards by Ryan Hollweg, and, in response, gives him a check swing to the face with his stick. ESPN's Barry Melrose suggests Simon should be suspended for at least the rest of the season. I agree.

Apparently Marian Hossa got mugged by Francois Bouillon (who then got thugged by Keith Tkachuk), but, as they say, YouTube or it didn't happen.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Chris Simon has been indefinitely suspended by the NHL. Good call.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Fiddlegoof

This is a strange coincidence.... Simon's stick swing happened on the three year anniversary of Bertuzzi's cheap shot on Moore.

It also happened on the 42nd anniversary of the first US combat forces arriving in Vietnam!!!!!

(Moral of the story: anniversaries happen all the time)

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

25-43 games for Simon, depending on how deep the Islanders go in the playoffs.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2006-07 Stanley Cup Champion New York Gorton's Fishermen!

I was speaking idiomatically.

Ahh, the Hartford Whalers. Their mascot was probably the greatest in history.



What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

What are we fighting about exactly?

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

I don't think we're fighting, I think we're agreeing that the return of the Whale is a necessity.

I will accept this. Just not at the expense of my PITTSBURGH Penguins.

Additional Spam:
SPEAKING OF WHICH YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_071223515.html

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2796552

The Penguins are staying in Pittsburgh, finally and officially (even if it hasn't been confirmed), and will spend two more seasons in the Civic Arena while they await the building of a new arena.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Watch out Eastern Conference: the Pittsburgh Penguins are a team to worry about. After squeaking past the Sabres last night in the shootout, they easily beat the Devils, moving within 4 points of the division lead with 12 games to play (including one more against the Devils). Realistically, the Penguins could move up to second in the conference, should they supplant the Devils and maintain their lead over the Southeast leader. (Of course, they could always land in first, but I'm not gonna hope for greed. Home ice advantage would be a sweet deal for the Penguins though.)

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Pens got Scruderi-ed tonight.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

So I pretty much gave up on the Gamingforce Fantasy Hockey League once I realized there was no playoffs. Whine. At least I'm in the final four and looking good for the finals in my other hockey league.

Anyway, there's two weeks left to the season and the Penguins are playing 8 games of 9 that have some manner of playoff importance to someone. They just need to keep getting points (preferably by winning) and they should be able to get that home-ice they would like to get. April 5 against the hosting Senators will probably determine whether the Penguins are in the bottom 4 or the top 4 of the East. Of course, if the Devils keep losing (and April 3 they play the Senators...who to root for?), they'll end up with the division lead and they'll be top 3 no matter what.

Optimistically, they could still conceivably land in the #1 seed in the East, but let's shoot for 4th first.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Penguins lost. Senators won. Devils lost. Fine with me.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by GhaleonQ

An aside: when will those crippled Canadian cities receive NHL teams again? I've looked at the most recently available financial figures for the league, but I'm unsure what sort of profit is needed to expand the league.

One rumor is that future expansion will include at least one Canadian team.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Well, we won't take the division lead tonight, probably. The Devils are playing the Islanders, sans Rick DiPietro.

Additional Spam:
Pens clinch a playoff spot!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I like how there's still no one team that is a mortal lock for, say, ANYTHING, aside from a playoff berth. Even the friggin' Bruins could still make the playoffs...it's just really improbable.

I can't imagine the Penguins getting into second in the East. The Devils have a game in hand on them, and they play 3 teams who are sub-.500, while the Pens play 5 games, only 1 (tomorrow, against the Bruins) which is against a sub-.500 team. It's still likely (about 30% so thanks to some guy's simulations)...hell, they could get into first still...but right now I'm hoping for fourth at the best.

(New Jersey's schedule includes two games against the Flyers, who have nothing better to do right now than play the spoiler. So, here's hoping!)

FELIPE NO

Yeah, no. 6-1 w/ 7:55 left. Not happening.

Additional Spam:
Well it's raining penalties for the Sens late, and it's 6-2. Not happening.

Additional Spam:
Crosby scores on the power play with 49 secs left. Not happening.

Additional Spam:
Ottawa wins, 6-3. Up in series 1-0.

Penguins WILL win game 2.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Scott Hartnell kneed Jonathan Cheechoo in the second, got 5 minutes for that and got an ejection. And will probably miss a game or two.

Additional Spam:
Ahaha, Brian Engblom. Saying Ristmiller (San Jose) won't sleep well tonight after giving the puck away that led to the game-tying goal.

Oops. Ristmiller JUST scored the game-winner.

How ya doing, buddy?

Epic overtime games are great...if you don't have to work the day after.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Proof that there is no god:



How ya doing, buddy?

NHL.com. He has a blog.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

The Penguins team we all know and love showed up yesterday: late victories when hope is fading has been this team's M.O. all season.

I was speaking idiomatically.