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

Quote:

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

Quote:

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 .

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I think Philly first Florida second. Florida IIRC had a better showing.

Philly lost 4 straight. I knew then Lindros was a fraud. I kept telling myself he was the real deal until that series.

And yes I'm too lazy as well.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ah the days of the old Legion of Broom: Lindros, LeClair, and Renberg.

And TO THINK, it could have been Forsberg in the middle of that line .

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe
I think Philly first Florida second. Florida IIRC had a better showing.

Not quite. Philly was first--we swept the favored Flyers, beating them soundly in the first three contests, and edging them 2-1 in the fourth.

Washington was second; they actually managed to take at least one game to OT, but it was also a sweep IIRC.

Carolina was the only team to win a game in the Finals against us following the Devils' sweep.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Man my mind is really going. Thanks Guy.

[joncha]

Vancouver over Jersey in 6.

And... a lock-out does not mean the end of hockey, just a much-needed enema for the NHL. The WHA will jump into the void and a) the lock-out will end pretty damn quick or b) the WHA will be the game to watch. Which leads to my next prediction:

Hartford Whalers over the Minnesota Fighting Saints in 5.

[Agathon]

Last year the Leafs were beaten before the playoffs started. Half the team was smashed up and their #1 playoff man, Roberts, was just back from a long term injury. Add to that the fact that Corson was disrupting the whole team and it doesn't look good. Now Corson and Green are gone, Tucker is back on good terms with the rest of the team. They are a tight bunch and have excellent role players.

Trust me, they are a lot better and a lot deeper this year (how else have they managed to stay near the top despite having a terrible swathe of injuries?). Whoever comes out of the east will win the cup.

Vancouver are a good bet for the West. Detroit are over the hill and have a useless pig of a goalie. It's essentially the same team that the Ducks swept last year. Colorado don't have a goalie, Dallas are crap and the rest are also rans.

Calgary, however, might be the surprise team this year.

[Asher]

Thank god Kiprusoff is back.

McLennan and Turek both suck.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Quote:

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?

With a flukey late goal. That was pure luck - that series could have gone either way and you know it.

[cinch]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Now if those sad-sack oilers can ever get their act together...

TWO in a row, baby!



It ain't over yet!

[Ben Kenobi]

Well get your butt in gear.

Otherwise, you'll be the only Canadian team out of the party.

Who wants to see losers like Nashville get in? No appreciation for the game.

[Kontiki]

I'd love to see all the Canadian team in, but my gut tells me that neither Edmonton nor Calgary are going to make the playoffs.

I'd say it's really hard to call the west this year. Being a huge Vancouver fan, I certainly hope they go all the way, but I just can't see that happening. I'm not too inclined to put my money on either Colorado or Detroit (though more likely Colorado, if I had to). I could see another dark horse coming out of the west this year once more.

As far as I'm concerned, the east is between Jersey and Ottawa. I would much prefer Ottawa, but I have a sinking feeling Jersey will be in the finals again.

[Asher]

Kiprusoff is 12-3. Now that he's back, Calgary's going to make the playoffs. I'm sure of it.

[Imran Siddiqui]

With a flukey late goal. That was pure luck - that series could have gone either way and you know it.

They still got past Ottawa. It's quite a claim saying a team can't get past another team in the playoffs when they did the year before.

Believe it or not, luck is big part of playoff hockey.

[Asher]

Why the hell is Sutter playing TUREK versus Vancouver? ****, we just got our good goalie back and we put him in a throwaway game againstg the Thrashers and put Turek in against the good team? Hello???

[Ben Kenobi]

Why the hell is Sutter playing TUREK versus Vancouver? ****, we just got our good goalie back and we put him in a throwaway game againstg the Thrashers and put Turek in against the good team?

I doesn't matter who you play... It's a hopeless cause against Vancouver. Play your good goalie for the games you can win.