Official 13-14 NHL Regular Season Thread

[CJ]

Well the Sabres are the team that is down right now. All teams has their ups and downs. Dallas, Colorado, New Jersey 15 years ago, they were the best. They're pretty bad right now. (Colorado not at this point this season, but just wait...). Chicago were 15 years ago a very bad team. What now, Stanley cups... Same might go for the Sabres!?

[Danny]

Another 3 pts for Crosby. darn I hope he stays healthy this year to see where he can go.

This is ridiculous. He's just so much better than everyone else.
Funnily enoiugh, actually he dropped to 4th in our fantasy draft because people were concerned with his health. I picked Geno over him at 3. Yeah I'm too pretty curious what he can do in a full season, insane production.

[philou21]

Even though he got injured the past two seasons he was already dominating so much everyone else! I think right now he really reached his peak.

[batdad]

Well the Sabres are the team that is down right now. All teams has their ups and downs. Dallas, Colorado, New Jersey 15 years ago, they were the best. They're pretty bad right now. (Colorado not at this point this season, but just wait...). Chicago were 15 years ago a very bad team. What now, Stanley cups... Same might go for the Sabres!?

Ups and downs are not the point. The point is...they are HORRIBLE this year. Really really bad. And they have an all star in net and are still...REALLY BAD. Like AHL bad. Teams that have been bad in the past 15 years....were not this BAD. I mean it is believable from the 3 times I have seen the Sabres on TV this year that they could be just above 500 in the AHL. Even the New York Islanders at their worst could barely see that happening.

(Yeah I exaggerated a bit to make the point). Canucks fans...just because you shut out Buffalo is no reason to get your hopes up. The 1976 Washington CApitals could have beat them.

New Jersey is only bad because their superstar quit on them at the last minute....AFTER their other really good player left in Free Agency. Colorado...one of the most exciting young teams in the league right now...up and coming.

Dallas---is Dallas. Other than a couple of seasons....Dallas is Dallas.

And in none of those cases did the teams hire a coach that was so far out of his league in understanding and ability....as the Sabres have. Well, maybe in COlorado with Sacco---who of course is an assistant in Buffalo. LOL.

[CJ]

Teams that have been bad in the past 15 years....were not this BAD.

Tampa Bay 15 years ago...?!

[mike_B]

Ups and downs are not the point. The point is...they are HORRIBLE this year. Really really bad. And they have an all star in net and are still...REALLY BAD. Like AHL bad. Teams that have been bad in the past 15 years....were not this BAD. I mean it is believable from the 3 times I have seen the Sabres on TV this year that they could be just above 500 in the AHL. Even the New York Islanders at their worst could barely see that happening.

(Yeah I exaggerated a bit to make the point). Canucks fans...just because you shut out Buffalo is no reason to get your hopes up. The 1976 Washington CApitals could have beat them.

And in none of those cases did the teams hire a coach that was so far out of his league in understanding and ability....as the Sabres have. Well, maybe in COlorado with Sacco---who of course is an assistant in Buffalo. LOL.

I've seen a couple of Sabres games and they are a really lousy team. It's very descriptive, that they keep playing a guy like Rasmus Ristolainen. He is constantly (at least) one step behind opponent's forwards and seems somehow lost on the ice. And this is coming from a Finnish guy, that would like to see him do well. And on top of that, Tyler Myers seems to be even worse. And I don't even know what to say about Mike Weber. Let's check the statistics... nine games played and -10. I don't know if he's doing anything on the ice, at least not the right things. Hodgson is good, but not good enough to fill in the 1st line center spot. What has happened to Drew Stafford?

It's unbelievable, that they have managed to win a game this season.

[philou21]

Nashville has been average too this year and today a news came out that Rinne will miss the next month due to an injury.

[Primis]

Just because poking batdad is fun:

Vancouver Canucks have called up Darren Archibald.

EDIT: And he played, I didn't know they played tonight. ~8:00 TOI.

[CeeBee]

And to top it off Archibald played a pretty good game on the 4th line. Will wonders never cease

[CJ]

Vancouver Canucks have called up Darren Archibald.

You mean Archibalduk?

[batdad]

Who is Archibald?

[philou21]

Yeah the team looks pretty bad right now. They've traded too much of their core IMO. There's only Miller and Vanek left.

Vanek got traded to the NY Islanders for Moulson, their 2014 first pick and a second round pick of 2015. Poor Moulson seriously.....the Sabres now have absolutely no offence left. They will finish the season with 15 victories at best. I don't understand that trade.

[CeeBee]

Islanders got screwed bigtime.

[philou21]

Vanek's 7 millions seems ok to me......

[batdad]

Sabres cleaned up on that deal. Moulson has more goals, more points and a better plus minus over the last 3 years than VAnek. Both are eligible UFAs at the end of the season. LOL....A first and a second and the better overall player for VAnek.

YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING GARTH SNOW.


See what I did there?

[Manimal]

Moulson wouldn't have near those stats if he didn't play with Tavares.

[batdad]

Nope and Vanek stats are still not that good. Oh and how many goals did Moulson get last night?

But..the point was not really he is going to score more than Vanek...it was the BETTER ALL ROUND PLAYER part. I feel that Moulson is one of the most underrated guys out there. Does everything quite well. And is the prototypical power forward.

Both he and Vanek rely on others to get the job done. Sure Vanek has more flash....and more speed....but really what does he do well other than that? And really he has not scored that well either. Sure he will get some points with Tavares....but so did Moulson...and will VAnek do that much more than what Moulson did to make up for the picks?

Especially....when Buffalo does not sign Moulson and turns around and trades him for a pick or two or prospect or two or whatever at the deadline, and the Islanders lose VAnek for nothing to a team like Minny so he can go play with his buddy Pomminville.

Moulson will do very well wherever he goes. He may not get the points he did, but he is right now...the poor man's Scott Hartnell (Again when Hartnell was doing what he is capable of)

To sum...Vanek has always been overrated because of his flair and speed. Moulson undderated because of his lack of elite speed and flair.

[CJ]

Calgary Flames unveil new third uniform.

Link ---> http://news.sportslogos.net/2013/10/28/ ... d-uniform/

[philou21]

Without the C under the Calgary it would've looked better.

[CJ]

Without the C under the Calgary it would've looked better.

Quickly looking at it, it reminds me of New Jersey somehow!?

[typicaljs]

Nope and Vanek stats are still not that good. Oh and how many goals did Moulson get last night?

But..the point was not really he is going to score more than Vanek...it was the BETTER ALL ROUND PLAYER part. I feel that Moulson is one of the most underrated guys out there. Does everything quite well. And is the prototypical power forward.

Both he and Vanek rely on others to get the job done. Sure Vanek has more flash....and more speed....but really what does he do well other than that? And really he has not scored that well either. Sure he will get some points with Tavares....but so did Moulson...and will VAnek do that much more than what Moulson did to make up for the picks?

Especially....when Buffalo does not sign Moulson and turns around and trades him for a pick or two or prospect or two or whatever at the deadline, and the Islanders lose VAnek for nothing to a team like Minny so he can go play with his buddy Pomminville.

Moulson will do very well wherever he goes. He may not get the points he did, but he is right now...the poor man's Scott Hartnell (Again when Hartnell was doing what he is capable of)

To sum...Vanek has always been overrated because of his flair and speed. Moulson undderated because of his lack of elite speed and flair.

I completely disagree. Being a huge Kings fan I've seen a significant amount of Moulson. Tavares is just that good, he made Moulson into an all star. Moulson thinks the game well enough to play with good players and can shoot the puck, Yes. A poor man's Scott Hartnell? I 100% disagree. The guy has zero aggression, rarely hits, and will never be that "straw that stirs the drink", he will always be the passenger on any line imo and is only as good as the chances the line he is on generates for him.

Vanek just scores. Vanek is a better all-around scorer than Moulson. He has more flair, I believe he's faster. He's bigger and willing to battle in the corners a bit more. As long as he can think the game at a high enough level, he's going to absolutely kill it with Tavares as his center. Vanek creates offense on his own, adding the chances.

In summary, Vanek has continued to score and put up points as essentially a one man show in Buffalo where Moulson needed a player like Tavares feeding him pucks in order to score goals. Moulson is not physical and to be honest comes off to me as whipped, has anyone else seen interviews with him? The guy mentions "my wife and I" every chance he gets, I don't believe I've ever heard another player reference their wife unprompted as often as that guy does.

But realy, I think it was a good trade for both sides. Buffalo gets a huge haul for a player they were undoubtedly going to trade, and NYI finally gets a great sniper to play with Tavares. Interesting to see a trade like that happen so early in the season...but I guess that's why it was a LW for LW swap.

[batdad]

You are entitled to your opinion. But 29 games as a King is hardly a ton to have seen. Over his career I have seen Moulson a ton. I like Matt Moulson much more as a complete player than Vanek. And certainly....Vanek is not worth Moulson, a 1st AND ANOTHER Pick.

Vanek--I agree more flair and better skater, just what I said. And Vanek battling? LOL. Never.

Vanek continue to put up points? Really? $7 mill worth? LOL. In his ENTIRE NHL career he has achieved a point per game or better EXACTLY 2 times. 2006-07 and last year.

Matt Moulson is a better player over all. ISLES ABSOLUTELY GOT RIPPED OFF IN THIS DEAL....Vanek may be a slightly better player than Moulson...but not that much better. Isles got totally hosed.

Unless they win the Cup this year...the Isles that is....the deal is so ridiculously bad it looks like Mike Milbury made it. Except....no goalies involved so he could not have.

Vanek wants the puck, Tavares wants the puck...they will not do that well together. I bet only equal to how Moulson and Tavares were...which means....ISLES HOSED AGAIN.

[Manimal]

....the deal is so ridiculously bad it looks like Mike Milbury made it. Except....no goalies involved so he could not have.

Not true. Garth Snow was a goalie

[Primis]

I'm in "Moulson's Overrated" camp. Tavares made him. I really don't think people appreciate/understand how *good* Tavares actually is.

batdad, "Tavares wants the puck" isn't accurate. He's not Adam Oates or Joe Thornton, but Tavares gets plenty of assists. If Tavares just wants the puck, please do explain Moulson's numbers playing with him then?

[CJ]

They had a good chemistry and that's why the scored goals!?