The official 2007-08 NHL Season discussion thread.

Post by **batdad** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:23 pm

Time to get this going.

With the preseason under way, what are the interesting things happening on your squad? What do you think your team will look like?
Can't wait for the real thing to start. But first we have to play 82 games. Oh well, I can deal with the regular season.

All discussion about the NHL and NHL minor league teams goes here.

Vancouver Canucks update

1. All the young guys have made an impression. Ryan Shannon leading the way, with Grabner, Hansen, Raymond, Edler, McIver, and Schneider all putting up numbers along the way. This is the first time in 10 years Vancouver has been excited about their youngsters, plural. The Canucks always have one guy they talk about in preseason as "The next big thing". Dan Woodley, Jason Herter, Brad Moran, Shawn Antoski, Petr Nedved and Luc Bourdon all come to mind.

This year...We have tons of guys the media is going on and on about: Mason Raymond, Alex Edler, Ryan Shannon, Micahel Grabner, Jannik Hansen and Nathan McIver have all made impressions. Note: You will see Bourdon is not listed here. He has not made an impression at all so far.

2. Injuries: Linden, Morrison, Mitchell, Rypien, and one other whose name I forget all out with "minor" groin injuries. Yeah right...minor. Ugh

3. Aaron Miller (abdominal surgery), Sami Salo (broken wrist), Jannik Hansen (broken thumb) out with more major injuries that could cost some time.

4. Dan McGillis brought in on try out, since the defense core is already depleted. Sign that Salo and Miller may be out longer than expected?

5. Predicted Opening Day lineup. In spite of all the impressive youngsters the Canucks will line up like this (provdied all back from injury):

D. Sedin-H.Sedin-Pyatt
Isbister-Kesler-Naslund
Cooke-Morrison-Shannon
Cowan-Ritchie-Linden
Burrows

Mitchell-Bieksa
Ohlund-Salo
Krajicek-Miller
McGillis

Luongo
Sanford

Notice...only Shannon makes the squad of all the exciting youngsters. I can see McGillis signing as the 7th D-man letting Edler and Bourdon work out in the minors and battle for first call up. They both need to play a ton, and they won't be here if the Cancuks are healthy. Talk all you want about the "next big thing" but they won't beat out the big guys. They just need to play...Manitoba is the place for them.

However, it is nice to actually have decent prospects in the system for once. Hmm...

Forsberg · Post by **Forsberg** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:26 am

Batdad you note that Jannik Hansen has made an impression, but how far is he from regular playing time in the nhl in your opinion?.

Post by **batdad** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:34 am

Well right now..1-3 years. It all depends on what the Nucks want in someone to play in the top 6. Hansen in the bottom 6 is not going to work..he needs important ice time.

Oh...and he has to not break his thumb. Silly Jannik.

He looked pretty good in the playoffs last year, and I Know the nucks like him. But there are alot of people in this organization (Grabner, Raymond, Shannon, even Matt Cooke, Isbister, and Ritchie...) who are at a similar level to him right now in terms of ability...so it is hard to say really.

I like Jannik, but he has yet to show me he can score at this level. Maybe this preseason had he reamined injury free was the time...but now...he goes to Manitoba.

Forsberg · Post by **Forsberg** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 2:45 pm

batdad wrote:Well right now..1-3 years. It all depends on what the Nucks want in someone to play in the top 6. Hansen in the bottom 6 is not going to work..he needs important ice time.

Oh...and he has to not break his thumb. Silly Jannik.

He looked pretty good in the playoffs last year, and I Know the nucks like him. But there are alot of people in this organization (Grabner, Raymond, Shannon, even Matt Cooke, Isbister, and Ritchie...) who are at a similar level to him right now in terms of ability...so it is hard to say really.

I like Jannik, but he has yet to show me he can score at this level. Maybe this preseason had he reamined injury free was the time...but now...he goes to Manitoba.

Ok thx alot very exciting to follow all the danish prospects these years

.

jackknife77 · Post by **jackknife77** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:48 am

montreal made 29 cuts today. Prospects remaining at the camp : Andrei Kostitsyn, Carey Price, Mikhail Grabovski,Ryan O'Byrne and Kyle Chipchura.

Kostisyn will make the team and will probably play on the 2nd line with Kovalev and Plekanec.

Carey Price is fighing with Halak.. but the question is that you cant keep a prospect goalie on the bench.. he has to share almost half of the game with Huet.. or back to Hamilton.

Grabovski is very fast.. prepare good plays.. but is missing a bit of experience that might be costly and made him cut.

O'Byrne has developt very fast last year.. as a 6'5 mobile and physical defense.. he will stay with the team and might be a surprise in the league.

Chipchura is Chipchura.. very mature for his age.. very good defensivly.. I'm sure he will make the team and he wil the next Carbo-Gainey for montreal.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:18 pm

Note to Bruins fans: Lucic is awesome I know, but tell your guys to cut him already. the Giants need him back as their leader. AND I want to see him in the World Juniors. There are only 28 guys left in Boston, and Lucic is one of them! WOW! Awesome.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:17 pm

LOL! Yeah, he's making it hard for them to cut him. They really love his attitude. He's not the greatest skater but he's ok once he gets moving (that's what I hear from reports at camp, I haven't seen him myself). He's going to have a killer year with the Giants this year. I'm sure this camp is going to be a huge confidence boost to him and he's probably learned a few things too.

Saranis · Post by **Saranis** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:46 pm

I'm really looking forward to this years crop of young guns. I think the race for Calder is going to be pretty tight (for the first time since lockout) even if a few players stay in the Jrs. Also going to the Vancouver game when they play the caps this year, It will be the first time I've seen them since they wore the Skate Logo. Wish the league would change the schedule so every team plays each other twice (one home, one away) and remainder of games are divisional. I hate conference play and wish they would be rid of it. Divide the teams into 6 divisions based on location then take the top 16 teams in the league to play in the playoffs. Have the Allstar game as the AHL has it (Planet USA vs Canada)

I know this will never happen

travel expenses would be too high (according to owners, most of which already own their team jet) and Bettboy just would never implement any kind of idea I thought was good.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:16 pm

Yep ..not the travel expenses...it is the time zone issue and the time on the road issue out in the west.

For example...

This season..reg season only:

Washington...3 games in the Central Time Zone and 79 in their own nice comfy Eastern Time Zone. Same for all in their division.

Rangers--1 pacific, 3 mountain, 1 central, 77 EASTERN. Same for all in division.

Ottawa--3 Pacific, 1 mountain, 1 centra, 77 EASTERN. SAme for all in division.

St Louis8 Pacific, 8 Mountain, 53 Central, 13 Eastern. Not the same for a team like Detroit who is 8P,8M,16C,50 Eastern

Los Angeles51 Pacific, 10 mountain, 12 Central, 9 eastern

VancouverToughest in league, because no divisional team in same conference...47 Pacific (Van time zone), 14 mountain, 12 central, 9 Eastern. So almost half the games out of own time zone, and travel is a nitemare...I believe there are 37 or 38 games where the Canucks do not sleep in their own beds after. For a team like the Rangers, Washington it is about 12.

Yes I know geography sucks and that this is the way it is. But to make playoff competition fair..no way will go back to 1-16.

Cause then you have Van-Flo, just as likely as Van-LA...and NYR-NYI just as likely as NYR-Det. Not fair to the Western teams that way, especially one like Vancouver.

EVen if go 4 against all and 6 in division..Vancouver would have a hell of a go come playoff time if it was possible for them to get all EAST TIME ZONE TEams in playoffs.

Bad enough it could be Det-Nas-Chi-Was to win the cup already. No wonder they never win the darn thing.

82--Cal, LA, Chi,NYI...loss
94-Cal, Dal, Tor, NYR ... loss.

That is a hell of alot of travel...

whereas the Rangers in 94 had

NYI,Was, NJ, Van hmm. How many nites did the Rangers players sleep in a hotel just in those four playoff rounds? Answer: 2.

How many did Vancouver: Answer 12 or 14 I believe.

jackknife77 · Post by **jackknife77** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:18 pm

Players in the NHL have more comfort in the plane than me in my living room.. not sure its a big issue as it use to be in the past.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:25 pm

Is not as big an issue for sure. However, when you spend 1/2 of your work life on the road living in hotel rooms as West Coast NHLers do...it is still real hard on the body. Even for professional athletes, it really takes its toll.

This is why a teams like Vancouver, LA, etc really do not want to see the 1-16 playoff format. They are willing to do the extra travel to have reg season games at home against all teams, but do not want the playoff format to change, unless it goes back to the divisional format for playoffs.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:02 pm

Steve Downie? Argh..you idjit. What the heck was that flying leap. Smarten up...and NHL..suspend at least 10 games. Get a brain

Brian McGrattan--Shut up conehead. Remember Steve Moore? Todd Bertuzzi? Brad May? Um..you may not have used the word "bounty" but...NHL..suspend him too.

Chris Simon--How the hell is this guy playing an exhibition game like he did the other nite? Thought he had a massive suspension? Um...So yeah Downie and McGrattan will get nothing.

This league is just as idiotic as ever. Too bad.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:39 pm

I'm really looking forward to see what the Wings do this season after what they did last season. They finally got rid of Bobby Lang, and now they have their young guys playing more important roles. So far in the exhibition, Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been on their own seperate lines, and both lines look great. Hopefully they can be split up and have more balanced scoring lines this year.

flea · Post by **flea** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:03 pm

bruins72 wrote:LOL! Yeah, he's making it hard for them to cut him. They really love his attitude. He's not the greatest skater but he's ok once he gets moving (that's what I hear from reports at camp, I haven't seen him myself). He's going to have a killer year with the Giants this year. I'm sure this camp is going to be a huge confidence boost to him and he's probably learned a few things too.

Talking about the B's camp...

Can somebody tell me if Glen Metropolit is still at the B's camp??

I have read somewhere that he was invited, but then I havent read if he left or if he could convince the staff to stay with the team...

Would he be a good addition for the B's??

Post by **batdad** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:04 pm

Yes he is still there. Not sure if he would be the right choice. The Bruins need to get the young guys going and going hard. I suppose he could be a filler player, but I think most B fans will agree...BOSTON needs to get back to their old mean ways...and this guy is not gonna help that.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:47 pm

Some folks think that the Bruins shipping out Mowers means that they might offer Metro a contract to be their 4th line center. I'm not so sure. It's looking like Krejci is sticking with the team. Unless they're moving Kessel to wing and cutting Bochenski, I'd say Krejci is the 4th line center.

Post by **getzlaf15** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:46 pm

Kings take season opener 4-1, the Ducks outshot the kings but it wasnt too good on the Ducks behalf, i can see a struggle for us this year, we have too many power forwards and not enough guys that can actually score the goals. Bobby Ryan has started off really well and i think hes gonna have a big year with us, playing with Getz and Perry should be good for him too

wooo 300th post

Post by **timmy_t** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:05 pm

They play again tomorrow, so let's hope the Ducks can bring a little 'more' to the next game. (I thought they looked flat most of the game)

On a side note, how about the kid: Jonathon Bernier? Not a bad start for a 19 year old...

Post by **getzlaf15** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:12 pm

timmy_t wrote:They play again tomorrow, so let's hope the Ducks can bring a little 'more' to the next game. (I thought they looked flat most of the game)

On a side note, how about the kid: Jonathon Bernier? Not a bad start for a 19 year old...

Lets hope that too, the Ducks just need someone to step up as a sniper, as we have the playmakers, but not the scorers.
Bernier had an awesome game in the net and was soo close to the shut out he possibly deserved, 26 saves, for his debut, beat his nerves, well done to him

Post by **batdad** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:37 pm

Bernier looked solid positionally. The Ducks got traffic through, but the Kings D did a great shot blocking job today. If they can do it again tomorrow, this game could be more of the same.

The Ducks looked disinterested until there were about 7-10 minutes left. Pretty much coincided with the time that Crow put the Kings into the trap system and the forwards barely crossed the Ducks line.

Someday...Marc will learn that this is not an effective ploy. Everyone knows it is coming from him once he gets a couple goal lead, and it works about 25-30% of the time. As long as his team is up by 2 or more. When up by 1...the team ususally loses in OT.

Plus it is so darn horrid to watch.

Post by **B. Stinson** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:04 pm

I'd like to pitch in my opinion on the game, but the geniuses at Versus apparently don't think the NHL season opener is something NHL fans want to see.

Post by **batdad** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:16 pm

Shocking news! Versus sucks

Post by **B. Stinson** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:28 pm

And it's not like they had anything more important to show, either. A bunch of guys out on the ocean(yet still wearing full woodland camo) duck hunting was shown instead of the game.

At least they're giving us game 2, tomorrow... better late than never.

Post by **Tasku** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:42 pm

Just wondering how much spectators an NHL game in London can bring in. Was it full house, how many people came? How was the atmosphere?

Post by **batdad** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:44 pm

Well..you know some people love the duck hunting! The ratings were prolly through the roof.

Tasku--It sold out for both games over 17K. Calv can tell you about the atmosphere. But it was not loud save for some "GO DUCKS GO" chants towards the end when the Ducks were coming on in the play.