The official 2007-08 NHL Season discussion thread.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:03 pm

What worries me is the Canucks owner--Acquilini--is a hockey fan. Even more so a CANUCKS FAN. Kind of like richard peddie in Toronto. This is a huge issue for me. Fans react emotionally to results. Every shot, goal, hit, penalty etc.

Owners-not supposed to do that. So...when you do, it becomes an issue. Honestly, I think this "fan" thing is the reason the Loafs have sucked for so long. Emotional Reactions to results. Not a good thing for an owner or GM to have. Coaches, players they have to be riled up and emotional. GM's and owners..cannot be. Especially owners.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:44 pm

Man..the rumors are flying.

1. Burke--No way..he is friends with Gagliardi and Beadie the two guys who lost the lawsuit to Acquilini. Plus why would he come here again? Oh yeah, his wife works here...so what.

2. Quinn--wants back in desperately to the NHL. Again, why go back and especially to someone who only has had COACHING success not GM success.

3. Jim Nill, Ken Holland, Scott Bowman--Wait til after playoffs to go after the best guys in the best org in the league.

4. Steve Yzerman--ha! Yeah right.

5. Steve Tambellini-is interim GM, but why hire the guy who would give you the same plan Nonis did when you do not like him?

6. Mike Gillis--Who you ask? Markus Naslund's current player agent. This is making the rounds including back east.

7. Not a hiring rumour--but that Linguini or whatever his name is ... was in Nonis and Vigneault's office every single day of the year...in their faces constantly. IF this is true..we are getting a puppet for a GM in this city. Because we will have that owner who really wants/thinks he can do the job..but wants someone to blame. So.....guess what...Mike GIllis is the only one of the above that fits this area.

Others who would fit then: Mike Milbury, Neil Smith, Doug Maclean JFJ, CatchUp, Systemfel, And of course Curtis Sanford.

Other more likeable rumors:

1. Bob Murray (Anaheim assistant)
2. Steve Tambellini
3. Trevor Linden (would that be cool?)

Post by **Danny** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:11 am

Need Milbury on TV. Who else is gonna call the Caps the C*aps on air ?

Post by **batdad** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:35 am

That one whole line starting with Milbury is a great big bloody joke. If the Canucks hire any of those guys (save Systemfel) I will be so widdled. If they hire Systemfel I will think about suicide and if they hire CatchUp...I will commit suicide.

And what was it he called the Flyers? Something almost as bad, and no one cared.

Post by **Danny** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:39 am

Boooo. Habs win 1-0 in Boston. So many chances. No scorer on the team, no killer instinct. Habs are very lucky to lead this series 3-1. Price gives Murray nightmares boooo

Post by **timmy_t** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:44 am

How can the Flyers mug Huet the whole night and never get penalized? Horrible officiating in my opinion ...

Post by **batdad** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:48 am

Not lucky..they have Carey Price. Possibly the scariest bloody playoff performer since Ken Dryden, Steve Penney, Patrick Roy.

Hex...hex...hex on Carey.

No, not really I like the boy from Anahim BC. Talk about a small town kid. Population is like 10.

And timmy t: APparently for 60 minutes. Well, 58 1/2 minutes (they pulled him)

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:54 am

I missed the game again tonight (got home in time to see the last few minutes this time). Was Price THAT GOOD or was it the Bruins lack of scoring talent? Did they dress Kessel tonight or did they keep Reich (or whoever) in there?

Post by **B. Stinson** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:54 am

Another win for the Flyers tonight, bringing us to a series of:

Flyers: 2

Caps / referees: 1

Two teams at once, and we still come out on top.

Post by **Danny** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:08 am

bruins72 wrote:I missed the game again tonight (got home in time to see the last few minutes this time). Was Price THAT GOOD or was it the Bruins lack of scoring talent? Did they dress Kessel tonight or did they keep Reich (or whoever) in there?

Reich played.
Price was good, not great, but he got the job done. He didn't have to stand on his head to get this shutout. Definitely more an issue of a lack of scoring talent, composure in front of the net and all that rubbish.
Sturm missed a completely wide open net right at the beginning, Price pulled a Hasek and found himself just a few feet away from the blueline...without the puck...with Sturm to the right of him with the puck on his stick...but Sturmy missed. Bad angle and all, I agree, but there is no excuse for missing that one. So, that tells you the story of this game. Another story is, Bruins had better chances shorthanded than on the powerplay, missed open nets as well. So actually two stories of the game.

Don't believe the hype batdad is trying to build up

Post by **batdad** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:38 am

Hype? I hate the Habs. Almost more than the Flemmes and Oilers. But not quite.

Price as I have been saying scares the rubbish out of me. The boy is VERY VERY good. I have been saying that since I first saw him play when he was 16. He just ... has something. And now he is a Hab rookie goalie in the playoffs. Which is even more bloody scary.

I love Milan, but I think short of Milan decapitating Carey...that every team in the NHL is going to have a hard time beating him. I just ... I dunno. he scares me.

Post by **Danny** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:47 am

Yes he's darn good. But what he has done so far is what I would expect a number one goalie to do, it is not more than what a lot of goalies have done before him. He has been their best player in this series, which just goes to show how close this series actually is. He's probably gonna be even better in 5 years or so. Still, wouldn't call him great yet. You're easily scared.

Bet you'd be more scared if Glen Murray was traded to Vancouver. Switch to Oilers or Flames ?

Post by **batdad** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:54 am

Who is Glen Murray?

Sbufkle · Post by **Sbufkle** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:43 pm

Ill have to disagree with so many people brushing Price off as playing 'ok' but not great.

His style of play is not flashy, so to the layman who doenst see him play alot, they may consider him lucky.

The fact is the kid has unbelievable skills. Perhaps the best being his rebound cotnrols, he doesnt give up many.. as an old goalie and someone who is very crititcal of them (I do some goalie coaching for our association as well) I cant stress that how he sucks the puck up is amazing. He doenst just stop shots, he very importantly prevents shots. His positioning and stick handling are also amazing.

When you see him play alot, as some Habs fans may back me up in this forum, you see him do this every night and realize he has the skill of dictating how another team will go about thier offence. because of his skill. Traditionally when a team is havign scorign issues, one of the most, id say MOST common thing is to crash the net looking for rebounds, when you cant get any rebounds.. well... there you go!

You cant crash the net looking for rebounds, you cant shoot it int hte zone hoping to catch him misplaying the puck, and he is rarely out of position. These are, in contrast the opposite of his series coutnerpart Thomas who has the tendavncy to give up rebounds, is a poor puck handler and his semi-flopping style (A style I PLAY in goal!! lol!) leaves the Habs with options how to get to him. Dotn get me wrong, I think Thomas is a really good goalie, (In fact one of the goaleis I like the most) Im just trying to reiterate that with Price you dont have a real plan of attack to get goals on him.

His style is.. well probably best said is BORING.... but its not luck or a fluke. Its just an opinion after all, but when you see him play alot... you realize the ends justifies the means.

Hes also 20 and will get even better.

Hey, I think Patrick Roy was way overrated.. Im a Habs fan, but like to think Im not a homer, more a realist. Theodore was figured out, rode out a good string while the players coudlnt figure him out and had limited clutch ability. Huet was good here, but also choked in clutch... ask a Caps fan now after 3 poor games vs Flyers. I think Price is the real deal.

Yes, the Bruins cant score, but they would have scored alot more after 4 games if Huet was still between the Habs pipes. (IMHO!

)

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:33 pm

batdad wrote:Who is Glen Murray?

An old guy that wishes he was still riding Joe Thornton's wing.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:20 pm

sbufkle--I hope you did not think I was bashing Price. Only one I saw not agreeing he was playing AWESOME is a Bruins fan.

Price is an unbelieveable talent. This guy could go very very far.

Sbufkle · Post by **Sbufkle** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:53 pm

batdad wrote:sbufkle--I hope you did not think I was bashing Price. Only one I saw not agreeing he was playing AWESOME is a Bruins fan.

Price is an unbelieveable talent. This guy could go very very far.

Oh jeez! I didnt see it as Price bashing at all!!

I know we have forum members from all around the world in this forum so its fair to assume some may not have the luxury I do of watching the kid play so often!

Hey.. all I know about many goalies in the western conference is what I see on Sports Center unless I actually watch a rare game were a western team actually plays in the Bell Center! even then, I wont be an expert after one game!

So how are Richard Brodeur and Glen Hanlon handling the duties in goal for the Canucks??

inspector84 · Post by **inspector84** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:43 pm

B. Stinson wrote:Another win for the Flyers tonight, bringing us to a series of:

Flyers: 2

Caps / referees: 1

Two teams at once, and we still come out on top.

hmm yea,agree...i saw the match also...but still 2-1 so

Post by **CatchUp** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:49 pm

batdad wrote:Price is an unbelieveable talent. This guy could go very very far.

It's his composure. That's what sets him apart. Sure, he's technically very skilled - but I get the feeling that it is next to impossible to get into Price's head. He just seems totally unshakable.

Oh and batdad, the Canucks just called my agent - I'm interviewing with Aqua-linguine tomorrow afternoon.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:55 pm

Hah!

He is unflappable. Which is interesting because in Tri Cities he was considered to be flappable. He has learned a ton in the last 2 years. Who is the Habs goalie guru? Too lazy to look. Cause clearly someone has done a good job working with Carey.

Post by **CatchUp** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:28 pm

batdad wrote:Who is the Habs goalie guru? Too lazy to look. Cause clearly someone has done a good job working with Carey.

Roland Melanson

I think I would have to agree - he's doing a fine job.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:02 pm

Oh my lord...he must have another goalie coach other than him. Jeez,....you may as well have Red light Racicot teaching the kids.

Rollie the goalie? My god...my god...I guess it is the old adage of: IF you can't do, teach."

Sbufkle · Post by **Sbufkle** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:06 pm

batdad wrote:Oh my lord...he must have another goalie coach other than him. Jeez,....you may as well have Red light Racicot teaching the kids.

Rollie the goalie? My god...my god...I guess it is the old adage of: IF you can't do, teach."

It is kind of funny... hes maybe a better goalie coach than he was actual NHL goalie!! lol!

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:50 pm

Isn't that often the case? The best players don't always know how to teach the skill to others well while a guy that may not have the tools to be a great player could be a student of the game and really know how to coach it and teach it.

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:53 am

My theory about that is that skilled players don't really know how things work. I mean, they are naturally skilled to do things right, so it's mostly natural to them. On the other hand, less skilled guys have to work really hard to get a decent level, and therefore learn a lot about how things work. Then they can transmit this knowledge via coaching.

Back on the playoffs, no surprise to see the Pens sweep the Sens. Good for me in the prediction league

But i guess everyone seen it coming. On the other hand, i'm pretty surprised to see the Preds tie the series with Detroit. I know Detroit is not as good as what their standing position may suggest, but i thought they'd have an easier edge on the Preds...