2013 NHL Official Hockey Thread

[man77777]

You mean in the Montreal area?

I don't like RDS comments, so I never watch sport on this Channel unless I don't have the choice. And I never read the local press, only US or french (from France) one.

Anyway I don't know what you mean by this question, but I don't think that the comments would have been more anti-Bruins in a quebecker Channel. In a City who won 24 Stanley Cup, there is no problem to see a team access to a finale to try to win its 7th.

I would have prefered a Pen-Chi finale, but a Boston-Chi would be fine : The best attack vs the best defense (even if it's quite hard to tell which team has the best defense between LA and Bruins)... This finale will be the answer to those who think you were Lucky.

Pen's have some similarities with Canadiens : Talented offensive game, goalie problem, defense weakness and above all mental issues...

The last Stanley Cup winners have some similarities : defensive, tough, big, good goalie. That's probably why the NHL wants to change some rules to favorize the attack game and the show (like more space behind the goal etc..)

 

[EagerBeaver]

That's probably why the NHL want to change some rules to favorize the attack game and the show (like more space behind the goal etc..)

If they create more space behind the goal it's going to be really tough on goalies because they do not have eyes in the back of their head. The goalie's head would have to be on a swivel, and I don't know how you do that. You may see goalies developing neck injuries if they pass that rule change.

 

[man77777]

Agree, but if the NHL cared about players health and injuries, the game wouldn't be what it is... And make the goalie work more difficult is one of the reasons why they want to make this change...

 

[lgna69xxx]

It is no secret the NHL wants more scoring to help grow the game. More space behind the goal and smaller goalie equipment are being proposed. In recent years other things have been done to try to get scoring up. Personally i think this season was fine across the board as far as a good balance of offense and defense league wide.

 

[anon_vlad]

I think that equipment should be for protection only. Goalie mitts should not be fishing nets, nor the pads so much wider than a goalie's legs. Shoulder and elbow pads should be padded on the outside to lessen injuries during intentional and accidental collisions.

 

[EagerBeaver]

And make the goalie work more difficult is one of the reasons why they want to make this change...

Man77777, I don't know if you have ever watched the sport of Lacrosse, but lot of goals get scored from behind the net. It's a similar principal, the ball gets whipped around fast and the goalie has to watch who is getting position in front of the net to cut off angles, plus he has to watch for the danger behind the net. Watch the move demonstrated in this video, it is not something that is easy to do in hockey, but in lacrosse this basic move from behind the net leads to tons of goals:

http://www.playsportstv.com/boys-lacrosse/lacrosse-moves_beat-defender-behind-goal

This is why there are so many goals in the sport of lacrosse. Game scores are like 13-9, not 2-1 like in the NHL.

 

[Gentle]

Ok well it seems we'll see a 4 times winner instead of a 1 time against a 6 times in finals.

Kinda boring those 4-0 or 4-1 results.

There's too many of them since last year.

Well at least LA just scored while I was writing this one.

 

[EagerBeaver]

I am not sure if you guys realize this but the Boston-Chicago series revives a rivalry that has essentially been dead since the 1960s, when two Hall of Fame brothers, the Esposito boys, played for these teams. Tony was a goalie for Chicago and Phil a center for the Bruins. The rivalry was accentuated by perhaps the worst trade in the history of the NHL, in 1967 when Chicago, which believed that Phil Esposito was "soft", sent him and Kenny Hodge to Boston, after which Esposito boldly predicted that the Bruins would win the Stanley Cup within 3 years. The Bruins did win the Cup exactly within 3 years of Esposito's statement with a core group of players that included Bobby Orr, Espo, Derek Sanderson, and Kenny Hodge, with Gerry Cheevers in goal. Meanwhile, Chicago had great talent with players like Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Tony Espo, yet only won one Stanley Cup during this era when Boston, Montreal, Chicago and to a lesser extent Toronto had the best teams in the NHL.

 

[Gentle]

Not only the rivalry was dead but the teams themselves didn't win any cup since the 60-70s.

Anyway being in different conferences, it will stay dead after this final.

At least this year there is no underdogs per say.

Both teams finished in the top pack of their conference and the league.
No one had predicted Habs or Ducks to be there which left only Pens really who figured it all wrong so...

Since part of my family and friends are for Boston and I like Bergeron as a player I would normally root for them.

But this year it would nice to see Chicago win their 5th since they have been around a long time too and their series were not punctuated by all kinds of flukes here and there which made it looked more stable for the kids.

Also, it would be a pity to see Bruins not win the cup for another 30-40-50 years or so after this one.
Better yet lose this one and break the spell now.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Anyway being in different conferences, it will stay dead after this final.....

Back in the 1970s, teams from different conferences played each other in the playoffs before the finals. For example, in 1972, Boston was the top seed in the East and Chicago was the top seed in the west. But Chicago was upset by the #2 seed in the East, the Rangers, and the Bruins then defeated the Rangers in the finals. In those days the higher seeded team from one conference played the lower seeded team from the other. Although the travel would be difficult with western conference teams now in California, British Columbia and Alberta, I would like to see a return to this format.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Just heard word that P.K. Subban has won the Norris trophy & it'll be announced once the finals begin.

I'm betting he's happy he came back to play for less money. Now imagine how much $$ he'll be making at his next contract. Will the habs be able to afford him?

 

[Special K]

It's a shame they don't take into consideration a players character when handing out these awards!

 

[EagerBeaver]

It's been confirmed Subban has won the Norris Trophy:

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/10/report-subban-wins-norris-trophy/

I thought it was a 2 horse race between him and Kris Letang, but Letang's O benefits from the Penguins' stars and his D was nowhere to be found in the playoffs, especially last year, when the Flyers and Penguins played the worst defense of any NHL playoff series in league history. My opinion is Subban deserved the award. He has a big shot on the PP and played very good cautious D this year. I saw him in person and was impressed with his play. It looks like he is thinking out there and aware of the bad angles and passing lanes. He does need to shut his mouth a bit now that his play is speaking for itself.

 

[G1GBallday]

 

[joelcairo]

It's a shame they don't take into consideration a players character when handing out these awards!

Agreed: That would eliminate Patrick Kane for contention for the Byng.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Letang's O benefits from the Penguins' stars and his D was nowhere to be found in the playoffs.....

The voting was made BEFORE the playoffs.

 

[EagerBeaver]

The voting was made BEFORE the playoffs.

I was referring to the playoffs in 2012 as well as this year. 2012 was the Philadelphia Flyers--Penguins series which was the worst defensive display ever in NHL playoff history and Letang was part of that display. It had to be somewhat held against him. I held it against him so I don't know why voters wouldn't.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I agree with Special K on all counts. I'd take Chara over Subban anytime! Chara is not only one of the league's top & most ferocious defensemen, but he's also a great leader. He wears the 'C' with pride & he's one of the big reasons why his team is still playing & the habs are not.

I was also pulling for P.K. Subban to win the Norris. I will admit that i was pleasantly shocked at his win (which hasn't been officially announced yet), and that one of the main reasons why i wanted him to win was because it just added a few million $$ to his next contract. P.K. winning the Norris has now made him a $8-10 million player. The habs will no longer have a choice but to pay the young lad what he wants them to pay him come a year or two from now. Well done, P.K.!!!! I hope you win the Norris next season also!! :thumb:

 

[Mod 8]

The next time I see posts in this thread that should have been made in the Free For All thread, ALL sports threads will be shut down for an indeterminate length of time.


Thread cleaned and now open for posting.

 

[man77777]

I'd take Chara over Subban anytime!

Chara is 36yo, and Subban 24... So the choice would be easy if you had to take one of these 2 guys in your franchise...

As for the Trophey which only took the regular season in consideration, I would have chosen Letang...