Official 13-14 NHL Regular Season Thread

[philou21]

Varlamov delivered himself to the Denver police because of some domestic violence affair. Things were going too well for him this season.

[Primis]

Varlamov delivered himself to the Denver police because of some domestic violence affair. Things were going too well for him this season.

What a weird, random story out of nowhere.

They're talking kidnapping charges even.

[CJ]

That totally surprised me.

[philou21]

Well I could do a bad joke and saying that Roy is not only teaching hockey to his team.

Batdad you said a while back the Avs would start slowing down in two weeks. That sort of situation could lead to that with a young team like that.

[Primis]

Well I could do a bad joke and saying that Roy is not only teaching hockey to his team.

Batdad you said a while back the Avs would start slowing down in two weeks. That sort of situation could lead to that with a young team like that.

And now they trade Downie for Talbot. I mean, what the heck is going on in Denver...

[philou21]

Good trade for both team IMO. Downie was UFA at the end of the season and he's earning right now 2.6 would have wanted more. Talbot still signed for 2 years but I forgot his salary. Talbot score less than Downie but he is more experienced and his more mature than Downie. I've watched 2-3 games of the Avs this year and Downie hasn't changed much from the past. Still doing weird moves that can cost his team in important moment. I never really liked him so good riddance.....I dont like Talbot that much but he is a hard worker player and in playoffs he is good if the Avs makes them or next year.


At first about Varlamov I was thinking....we'll wait and see more, sometimes medias and social network puts everything bigger than it is but then I've read more earlier and it seems that his girlfriend spent times at the hospital to recover from serious bruises. It seems he kicked her and thrown her to the ground and she even lost counsciousness. He even said something like "If we were in Russia I'll beat you more." That's kinda serious......it's supposed to be the fifth time he beat her. Even though it seems to be serious I'll wait for real proofs or something else because today it's easy to try to look like the victim by doing a tons of stupid things.

[batdad]

I bet that Varlamov kidnapped and beat Downie.


Oops too soon? Maybe Downie beat Varlamov and that convinced Varlamov to turn himself in.

Innocent until proven guilty, but yeah what a jerk if true.

[Primis]

I do know this much: one of my fantasy teams has needed a 3rd goalie and I've been struggling to find one. I scooped up JS Giguere as fast as I could earlier this morning though. I know Dater is reporting Varlamov could play very soon but... even if he does, given some of the things I'm hearing, one has to guess he might not be for long.

What an awful thing though, that we live in a world where something like this comes up and we can't be so horrified as to give benefit of the doubt because yeah, this stuff happens all the time and it's sick...

[philou21]

Not only that it happens often but.....how often people are playing the victim too! A tons of people are willing to injure themselves on purpose just for the sake of making money onthe back of someone else. I really doubt this is the case here though.

[philou21]

The Sedin re-signed for four years today.

Varlamov is in net tonight....I wonder how someone can play with all that happening in the background.

[nino33]

I think this is great, and hope more teams adopt the old school approach to scoring celebrations http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... de9a8.html
I've never been a fan of the excessive celebrations that involve players on the bench

[philou21]

I've never been a fan of the excessive celebrations that involve players on the bench

What's excessive? High fiving your teammates on the bench after scoring is excessive? There's nothing bad there it's not like the players who scored are jumping on their teammates on the bench to hug or whatever. I like what the Blues are doing though it's original.

[CeeBee]

I totally hate the high 5 train past the bench..... give em all 10 minute misconducts and it will end faster than it started.... Heck, it was just a copy cat thing that I have no idea who started....maybe best I don't know

[philou21]

Last time I checked hockey is a team sport so...

[Primis]

I think this is great, and hope more teams adopt the old school approach to scoring celebrations http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... de9a8.html
I've never been a fan of the excessive celebrations that involve players on the bench

I feel dumber having read that, and it somehow doesn't surprise me that it's STL involved in this.

Hockey already has usually the most-subdued celebrations for the most part. The mere idea that guys give high fives on the bench is somehow "out of line" and is absurd.

It's not going to speed anything up, not in an era of TV/radio timeouts during certain break anyways and most every goal being reviewed. It's just kinda'... dumb. Maybe things like this are why STL continues to never win anything. Maybe they should focus on other things.

And I'm saying that as a fan of an organization whose players once gave Tomas Tatar a hard time because he celebrated scoring his first career goal by popping the logo on his jersey.

[Saapas]

How could the refs not see the Sharks goal on overtime against Buffalo If they just had looked it on video replay the game wouln't have gone to shootout

[batdad]

Bah...it was just a charitable donation.

[philou21]

Almost everyone got fired in Florida! Not really a surprise though. Even Ryan Whitney is waived. That guy dropped so much over the years.

[Primis]

The Red Wings are very difficult to figure out right now.

They are 9-5-3, 21 pts, good for 3rd in the East. And yet... they are a -2 on Goal Differential. And giving up goals in the last minute or two of periods at an alarming rate.

They have some players hurt and out but... those players are Weiss (injured last night) and Franzen (neither of whom have scored much), and Ericsson (whom you will have a tough time convincing anyone is any real lynchpin for DET's defense). So the players they are missing aren't what you'd normally call "key".

There aren't even two or three camps of fans right now: there's about 7 or 8. Someone want Babcock and the assistants fired because he's too distracted by the Olympics (same for Holland). Some want Howard run out of town (*shrug* don't ask me, it's insane). Some think it's solely Franzen's fault (this contingent has been around for years now). Some think there's no problem at all and point to the record. Some think all is already lost on the season and to throw in the towel.

Gustav Nyquist can't be called up for even spot duty because after 2 more NHL games his waiver exemption expires, and with the current logjam of forwards there are just way, way too many warm bodies on the roster even with injuries. So instead DET has been calling up Luke Glendening for forward, simply because they can without any waiver risk.

*shakes head*

All of this because Ken Holland just *had* to sign Dan Cleary back...

[philou21]

Oilers traded Smid to Flames for random prospects and will sign Bryzgalov to a one year deal I've read. What the hell?

[batdad]

One of those random prospects--Laurent Brossoit--is going to be one hell of a good goalie. Or at least I think he is. Was amazing in junior, and works and works and works on his gmae. One of the more motivated goalies I have ever met.

The other one--HOrak is a serviceable three-four line centre. Decent player with decent skills.

I am just surprised the Oil gave up one of their better puck moving dmen. That is one of the things they need badly other than size and toughness. If Philly gives them Simmonds (They wont) that would be one heck of an addition for the team. Exactly the type of guy they need up front.

But really...if Bryz can play even half decent for them....they are in good shape. Goaltending has been a massive issue and has been demoralizing the young studs up front. outshoot, outwork and outplay teams for 90% of the game (Florida and TAmpa games) and then have the goalie let in some rubbish ass goals.

Wings--are fine. they are a darn good team. Expectations among Wing fans is high high high. And should be, but when they get that high...yikes...lose a game and uh oh....fire everyone, move the guys not performing, youth movement ...starts getting screamed for.

It is just a natural thing when you are a stud team to have this kind of backlash if lose a game or two. WHen they were in Vancouver thought...that was the WORST game I have ever seen Detoilet play. Horrible hockey. Both teams were disgusting. It has been a long time (Pre Yzerman, Linden, Bure days) that I have seen such a bad Detroit performance vs Vancouver. I think that would likely be back in the Dale McCourt days. GO OGRODNICK!!

[philou21]

Stamkos left this pm game against Boston after hitting the goal post pretty bad while falling. Doesn't look good for him. He had such a great season so far that sucks.

http://www.rds.ca/hockey/lnh/une-chute- ... e-1.684458

Edit: Tibia fracture.

[Primis]

Stamkos left this pm game against Boston after hitting the goal post pretty bad while falling. Doesn't look good for him. He had such a great season so far that sucks.

http://www.rds.ca/hockey/lnh/une-chute- ... e-1.684458

Edit: Tibia fracture.

Long-time Red Wings fans said initially it reminded the of Yzerman's knee injury going into the post. I haven't seen it. I have no intention of doing so either based on some commentary of it, it's apparently pretty bad. Not Kevin Ware bad, but... yeah I'll pass.

Pretty terrible. I like Stamkos. I think in a fair and just league he might be one of the faces. He works really hard, is very well-liked and respected, is a lethal threat to score every time he has the puck.... list goes on and on. He's the big reason why TB felt ok letting Lecavalier go, the franchise is in good hands. Instead the league pretty much ignores him, which is stupid. I can't imagine how much pub he'd get if he played at MSG or in Pittsburgh.

[philou21]

Yeah he is one hell of a player. He's probably my favorite one right now in the NHL. That's just too bad his chances to win the Rocket of even leading the league in points will probably be over because of that.....as well as maybe an olympic medal.

[CJ]

There goas his third Maurice Richard Trophy.