The hockey thread

I'm really happy with the Hawks this year. They rolled over the Sharks this week, but may have phoned in today's game. Regardless, a 4-1-0 start to a road trip is nothing to cry about. Since Toews came back from his concussion the team is on a roll. The cap situation sucks, because half the teams don't/can't spend, and the Hawks can't sign all their home-grown players because they have three big money free agents (Huet, Campbell, Hossa). I wish the rules made it easier to retain home talent.

Hockey is a great sport, but it doesn't do the bad franchises too many favors, which really alienates fair-weather towns.

I think the NHL should move the fair-weather teams to colder citys.
 
I think the NHL should move the fair-weather teams to colder citys.

Yeah...teams like Pheonix, Nashville are the 2 I think should be in a Canadian City, but it probably won't happen for a while, now that Pheonix is winning games...but Nashville is another story.
 
I guess that Pheonix won't happen but still how many hockey fans are there in Pheonix?

Not a whole lot, but considering where they rank in the standings now, which is way better than what they had last year...they will definitely get more fans...they just need to keep winning for that to happen.
 
Not a whole lot, but considering where they rank in the standings now, which is way better than what they had last year...they will definitely get more fans...they just need to keep winning for that to happen.

When they keep wining they will get more bandwagon fans but when they keep losing it close to empty.The teams with the best fanbase would be the original six teams.
 
When they keep wining they will get more bandwagon fans but when they keep losing it close to empty.The teams with the best fanbase would be the original six teams.

Hands down Montreal & Toronto has the most die hard fans...yeah we get like restless sometimes, but it's only because fans, want the team to win...If the team does not succeed we get frustrated...
 
Hawks fan here as well. Sounds like they got there big 3 signed, (Toews,Kane,Keith) so that's a plus! But still need to get rid of some $,$$$,$$$'s. I may be dreaming, but I'd love to see them get rid of Campbell (no-trade clause) and Huet (as good as his #'s look) to clear up some cap space for next season. The rumor is Barker, Skille, and prospect to Carolina for Cullen, Corvo, and prospect. The Kings/Hawks game is on in an hour...GO HAWKS!
 
Yeah...teams like Pheonix, Nashville are the 2 I think should be in a Canadian City, but it probably won't happen for a while, now that Pheonix is winning games...but Nashville is another story.

Pheonix ain't going back north...already been there done that anyway as formerly the Winnapeg Jets. Plus Pheonix is a golf mecca and we know how much the Hockey players love to play golf...cushy place to be. Nashville may be another story-but I don't see a relocation. Canada will probably lose another team before it gets any team(s) back? Not that I think its the way it should be...but its reality?
 
Pheonix ain't going back north...already been there done that anyway as formerly the Winnapeg Jets. Plus Pheonix is a golf mecca and we know how much the Hockey players love to play golf...cushy place to be. Nashville may be another story-but I don't see a relocation. Canada will probably lose another team before it gets any team(s) back? Not that I think its the way it should be...but its reality?

Nah...the only Canadian team I see going would be Ottawa...I mean when you got Toronto like what 2 hours away from Ottawa, and Montreal pretty much right next to it? Why have Ottawa.
 
Hell yeah, got Peter Forsberg and Markus Näslund in the same line, three points in between them last night. Forsberg's got 14 points in 7 games. He's definitely in the Olympic team.
 
Hell yeah, got Peter Forsberg and Markus Näslund in the same line, three points in between them last night. Forsberg's got 14 points in 7 games. He's definitely in the Olympic team.

Whoa now...don't get me wrong, but There are a fuckload better swedish players currently in the NHL that will take that spot...I mean sure it's great to have skilled players, but don't forget you need good 3rd 4th line players, and IMO Forsberg isn't in those ranks...Holmstrom, the Sedin twins, Zetterberg, Viktor Stalberg, Backstrom for your like top lines, I don't know them all by heart, but tkere are alot of swedish players who really are excelling right now in the NHL.

I mean seriously...Forsberg is playing in the Elite League am I right? He hasn't played fully in the NHL in a long time. The pace of the game has changed immensly...I'm sort of doubting that he would be good on the competitive level the game is at now.
 
I know how you're thinking, but Forsberg is definitely still a world class player. His passing skills are as good as ever and he has a supernatural eye for the game. I know of course that the NHL is a better league, but in the 06 olympics for example Kenny Jönsson was appointed the tournaments best defenceman-title, and he stopped playing in the NHL two years before in 04. In fact he even played in the second division in Sweden. I think for some players of a certain caliber, relatively small differences between leagues doesn't impact on their skill, as long as they keep in shape.
 
I know how you're thinking, but Forsberg is definitely still a world class player. His passing skills are as good as ever and he has a supernatural eye for the game. I know of course that the NHL is a better league, but in the 06 olympics for example Kenny Jönsson was appointed the tournaments best defenceman-title, and he stopped playing in the NHL two years before in 04. In fact he even played in the second division in Sweden. I think for some players of a certain caliber, relatively small differences between leagues doesn't impact on their skill, as long as they keep in shape.

I suppose your right, we'll just have to wait and see. I think most teams will have younger players, other than experienced ones, I mean sure the occasional veteran will be in there somewhere.

I think Canada is going to be the favorite this time around, which they should have been last time...Though If they give Crosby captaincy...I'll kill myself...he's great and all but seriously this is a whole other level here...your not just playing for a team, your representing an entire nation. Not that I'm doubting his leadership capabilities but, he's not ready to take that throne just yet.

Yzermnan was at the Habs/Caps game last night, definitely scouting Mike Green, but I seriously hope he took a look at Michael Cammalleri because that guy is on absolute fire since he got to Montreal...Everyone is like oh he doesn't have Iginla to feed him the puck. Well he's got 12 goals so yeah lol.

As for Russia, definitely another favorite, but I have a bad feeling about there Defense, with Andrei Markov out till February...Which is the pretty much one of the best all-around defenseman in the game right now.

My top 4 teams to hit the semi's will definitely be this:

Canada
Russia
Sweden
Czech Republic (Ondrej Pavelec will definitely backstop the team and get them somewhere if he plays great)
USA (I put them in there because I have no idea on how there team is gonna turn out.)
 
I don't get why so many Canadians seem to dislike Crosby, I think he's awesome, though still a bit young to be captain of the national team maybe. I think the final will be between Canada and Russia, both teams have an amazing lineup on paper. I agree about Russia's defence, maybe their Achilles heel? Offensively though, wow, Ovechkin, Malkin, Datsyuk, Kovalchuk, Semin...

In addition to your five countries I think Slovakia could provide a pretty decent team, at least they'll have Chara, Hossa, Gaborik, Satan and Dmitra. I don't know much about them apart from that though, maybe it gets much thinner.
 
I don't get why so many Canadians seem to dislike Crosby, I think he's awesome, though still a bit young to be captain of the national team maybe.

He's a crybaby...if he gets hit hard...he goes after the guy and like mouth's off at him, Tomas Plekanec hit him pretty hard the other day in the corner...he didn't do anything, but when it went to our corner a minute later and the play stops he cross checks him. Like it's part of the game getting hit...if you can't take it just shut the fuck up.