2013/2014 Official NHL Thread

[EagerBeaver]

In general, the choices are good

You are comfortable with the goaltending of Luongo and Price? If I may be so bold as to ask, which of these two has won anything?

That was Luongo that was manning the nets in the Stanley Cup Finals against Boston in 2011, correct? Do you recall that performance?

 

[joelcairo]

Canada: Solid team. Some great players: Crosby, Stamkos (although he's obviously a question mark after the serious injury), Toews, Bergeron. Solid defense. Topnotch management with Stevie Y. and topnotch coaching with Mike Babcock. Goaltending is the big question mark.

USA: Decent team, but not a favorite to win.

Sweden: Super-stacked team with 6 Red Wings, plus Backstrom and Karlsson, no obvious weaknesses, great leadership in Zetterberg and Alfie.

Russia: 4 forwards who are as good as or better than the top 4 forwards on any other team: Datsyuk, Ovi, Malkin, Kovalchuk. The rest of the team is not close to that level.

Prediction: Gold Sweden, Silver Canada, Bronze Russia - but I won't be shocked to be wrong on any of those.

 

[joelcairo]

You are comfortable with the goaltending of Luongo and Price? If I may be so bold as to ask, which of these two has won anything?

That was Luongo that was manning the nets in the Stanley Cup Finals against Boston in 2011, correct? Do you recall that performance?

I said "in general, the choices are good." That doesn't mean I'm "comfortable with the goaltending." See my previous post! (Re: goaltending: you make the most of what you've got, and Canada doesn't HAVE the best goaltenders anymore.)

 

[joelcairo]

Who would you have deleted ?

Rick Nash and Jeff Carter.

 

[EagerBeaver]

I don't think Nash should have been picked either. Leaving Giroux off the team, who clearly has more pride and guts in his pinky than Nash does all over his body, is not justified. Who is going to supply the guts that would have been bottled and exported to Russia n the body of Giroux?

 

[smuler]

Prediction: Gold Sweden, Silver Canada, Bronze Russia

I too agree

Best Regards

Smuler

 

[lgna69xxx]

I would hope that Luongo is 100% because Price, even tho a decent goalie who i like, has never proven anything in the playoffs (meaning on the big game stage since becoming a pro in the NHL) As far as Nash, i agree with EB, Giroux anyday over Nash because Nash has played so few games. I suppose Nash has time to get his game together in the next month but still.

The Americans with Quick in goal and a very solid team from top to bottom will be a force and should medal, maybe even take it all. Gonna be great games!

 

[smuler]

Gonna be great games

The gold medal game is Sunday February 23..a reason for a party ? :whoo:

Best Regards

Smuler

 

[Special K]

I was a little surprised Joe Thornton didn't get a spot either, he's one of the best set up men in the game. Definitely would have taken Thornton over Jeff Carter but I'm sure they have their reasons. While totally deserving St. Louis doesn't really find a spot on wing with the current selections. Sucks because I would have liked to see him get a gold if Canada were to win.

 

[smuler]

I was a little surprised Joe Thornton didn't get a spot either, he's one of the best set up men in the game

I am surprised as well

I am sure the selection committee's had a very hard time picking the squads


Best Regards

Smuler

 

[EagerBeaver]

Usually in picking Olympic or national teams you pick guys who will match up with each other well and compliment each other's games, which means you cannot take the 25 best guys statistically.

The USA Olympic men's's basketball team 1992-2000 had been picking a bunch of great NBA all stars and they got away with it and won Gold medals a few straight Olympics. But then the European teams started getting much better at basketball and suddenly you needed guys on the team who could defend, and make, the 3 point shot. And it took a succession of bad losses in international play before the USA Olympic basketball program took steps to change that.

In hockey, I think you need guys who will go into the offensive zone and to use Mike Babcock's terminology, engage in some "O zone grind time." This is something your pampered all star players are not all asked to do. So if you pick a bunch of these pampered guys who have others on their team that do the dirty work, then all of a sudden you have a team of guys who don't have anyone to play those important roles.

I was again watching the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team on youtube and that was a team that really was at a talent deficit in most of their games yet they kicked some serious ass. They beat Sweden and Czechoslavakia very badly, and then the USSR/Russians in the semis and Finland in the gold medal game. Their pattern throughout the Olympics was to fall behind early and then dominate in the 3rd period. If you watch some of those games, you see that they won not on talent but conditioning, and the teams that played them were exhausted at the end. They were in much better condition than the USSR team, and yes it helped to have home ice and also for the Russian coach to panic and bench Tretiak, who was then the best goalie in the world. But the Soviets were outplayed and deserved to lose.

 

[Special K]

Especially with Team Canada Smuler. There's no shortage of incredibly talented and deserving players from Canada!

 

[gohabsgo]

I would hope that Luongo is 100% because Price, even tho a decent goalie who i like, has never proven anything in the playoffs

A Leafs fan talking about the playoffs?

2005–06 Did not qualify
2006–07 Did not qualify
2007–08 Did not qualify
2008–09 Did not qualify
2009–10 Did not qualify
2010–11 Did not qualify
2011–12 Did not qualify


btw, even if Canada was sending two teams, Phaneuf would still not make it. I have these d-men ranked higher:

Bouwmeester
Boyle
Doughty
Green
Hamhuis
Keith
Letang
Pietrangelo
Seabrook
M Staal
Subban
Vlasic
Weber

 

[gohabsgo]

My apologies, i've been busy. So here's the most recent update:

NHL standings as of November 17

Maple Leafs are tied for 2nd place in the conference with the Bruins. Surprising to see Detroit losing 6 in a row, currently the worse losing streak in hockey!

I haven't had the opportunity to check the standings lately - could you please provide an update ...

 

[joelcairo]

I haven't had the opportunity to check the standings lately - could you please provide an update ...

Yes, this was an excellent service Doc was providing to the community for the first month or so of the season. Perhaps he's been busy lately, as I haven't seen him posting in the hockey threads for the last week or so, even though his team has played several games in that time frame.

 

[smuler]

I sat behind the Dallas bench for the Devils game the other night, and made sure I kept a keen eye on Tyler Seguin throughout the night

Without a doubt, he was the best player on the ice

But what bothered me was his facial expressions going to the bench when things didn't go his way..

Not very team mate like IMHO


Best Regards

Smuler

 

[joelcairo]

Yes, Smuler - Seguin is loaded with talent but has always had a very immature attitude - to the detriment of his career and popularity. He's still young, so maybe he'll smarten up but if not he'll hurt himself more than anyone else.

 

[joelcairo]

Inspirational Win by the Detroit Red Wings


On Saturday the Wings beat the LA Kings 3-1 in LA.

The Wings were without: Datsyuk, Alfie, the Mule, the Monster, Helm, and Ericsson!

Jimmy Howard, who has had a bad season and who had a bad previous game, played like the Jimmy Howard of LAST season, stopping 44 of 45 shots for a .978 save percentage and outplaying his LA counterpart and fellow U.S. Olympian Jonathan Quick.

MOST impressive, however, was Tomas Tatar, whose father had died a day earlier. Tatar scored the winning goal and added an assist.

Depth. Heart. Class.

 

[joelcairo]

Well done Anaheim! Sunday's 1-0 win continues a very impressive streak by the team and by Hiller.

 

[smuler]

Jesus

How many goaltenders do they have to trade this year ?


Also , Yakupov is a minus 30 ??

Best Regards

Smuler