EHM The Blue Line

All NHL 09-10 regular season discussion can go here!

So, Tavares and Hedman have started good in NHL. Tavares have already done a point and Hedman have been fighting Tell me, What do you think about the start for these two guys ?


( sorry for my english )

I hope that Tavares gonna develop such as good like Crosby. (Yea Crosby is cat fighter, but anyway, he has eye to create plays) Tavares gonna be next big one on Canada's centers.

Hedman is follower of Lindstrom with more physical effects. Hedman is going to be also big one on Swedish defenders in future.


I hope that Finland would also get some decent juniors. Teemu Pulkkinen is worth of watching.

Yeah, and Sami Vatanen (next Kimmo Timonen), Teemu Hartikainen (next ... hmm.. i don't know Finnish NHL-player to compare) and Mikael Granlund (next Saku Koivu) too, but they're not playin in NHL this season, so this is off topic.

P.S. I'm listening Jyp's SM-leaguegame, Jyp have scored 3 goals, HPK zero. (Sami Vatanen has scored 1+1 and there's just 5 minutes time remaining).

Ronc wrote:I hope that Tavares gonna develop such as good like Crosby. (Yea Crosby is cat fighter, but anyway, he has eye to create plays) Tavares gonna be next big one on Canada's centers.

Hedman is follower of Lindstrom with more physical effects. Hedman is going to be also big one on Swedish defenders in future.


I hope that Finland would also get some decent juniors. Teemu Pulkkinen is worth of watching.

Do you mean Lidström ? not lindström ?

Peter Forsberg is doing a comeback (again)

He has signed a 1-week (!) contract with MODO Hockey. The reason for it being so short is because he wants to keep a door open for NHL - NHL teams can sign him until Oct 1st.

This week will mean 3 games with MODO - first game tomorrow, it will be interesting to see what happens after that, although I suspect it will be the same old story.

Link HERE (in Swedish).

Some guys just have a hard time leaving the game behind.

Might as well sticky this bad boy

When I move into my new flat next week, it looks like I'll be getting ESPN so I'll be watching some NHL this season to make up for the fact I won't be able to watch any EIHL/EPL

bruins72 wrote:Some guys just have a hard time leaving the game behind.

Yeah, just ask Claude Lemieux.

I actually finished up watching Game 2 of the 86 Finals between the Flames and Habs and did he ever flop like a fish when he got hit.

As for Tavares and Hedman, I think that Hedman will have the better rookie season. You look at Tampa, they have some offensive depth and some solid goaltending, which will help Hedman's offensive numbers and his +/-, respectively. I also believe that he'll get a fair amount of special teams play, seeing that Tocchet isn't afraid to put the youngsters out in any situation. As for Tavares, while he's by far a better gifted offensive player, I'm still not convinced that he a great skater for the NHL. Now, he'll score, 20-25 goals, but defensively they'll struggle and the depth up front doesn't convince me that he'll have a lot of help some nights. I'm thinking 2, maybe 3 years down the road, they'll have the players to start a push for the playoffs, but right now, with the Isles in a tougher division, Hedman will be better. Now, over the career, I'll say Tavares will be slightly better, although both are and will be excellent players.

Laker2415 wrote:

bruins72 wrote:Some guys just have a hard time leaving the game behind.

Yeah, just ask Claude Lemieux.

I actually finished up watching Game 2 of the 86 Finals between the Flames and Habs and did he ever flop like a fish when he got hit.

As for Tavares and Hedman, I think that Hedman will have the better rookie season. You look at Tampa, they have some offensive depth and some solid goaltending, which will help Hedman's offensive numbers and his +/-, respectively. I also believe that he'll get a fair amount of special teams play, seeing that Tocchet isn't afraid to put the youngsters out in any situation. As for Tavares, while he's by far a better gifted offensive player, I'm still not convinced that he a great skater for the NHL. Now, he'll score, 20-25 goals, but defensively they'll struggle and the depth up front doesn't convince me that he'll have a lot of help some nights. I'm thinking 2, maybe 3 years down the road, they'll have the players to start a push for the playoffs, but right now, with the Isles in a tougher division, Hedman will be better. Now, over the career, I'll say Tavares will be slightly better, although both are and will be excellent players.

In the off season Hedman had most ice time of all players in tampa :O

Laker2415 wrote: As for Tavares and Hedman, I think that Hedman will have the better rookie season. You look at Tampa, they have some offensive depth and some solid goaltending, which will help Hedman's offensive numbers and his +/-, respectively. I also believe that he'll get a fair amount of special teams play, seeing that Tocchet isn't afraid to put the youngsters out in any situation. As for Tavares, while he's by far a better gifted offensive player, I'm still not convinced that he a great skater for the NHL. Now, he'll score, 20-25 goals, but defensively they'll struggle and the depth up front doesn't convince me that he'll have a lot of help some nights. I'm thinking 2, maybe 3 years down the road, they'll have the players to start a push for the playoffs, but right now, with the Isles in a tougher division, Hedman will be better. Now, over the career, I'll say Tavares will be slightly better, although both are and will be excellent players.

I think Hedman's development (and rookie season play) will be helped quite a bit by Ohlund being there. Hedman will learn a lot from him. Any idea if they've been paired up in the preseason?

Lidas wrote:Peter Forsberg is doing a comeback (again)

He has signed a 1-week (!) contract with MODO Hockey. The reason for it being so short is because he wants to keep a door open for NHL - NHL teams can sign him until Oct 1st.

This week will mean 3 games with MODO - first game tomorrow, it will be interesting to see what happens after that, although I suspect it will be the same old story.

Link HERE (in Swedish).

If i remember right, he said somewhere that he still tries to get place in Sweden olympic team. I think that his not good choice to olympics, there's lots of better (especially healthier) Swedish centers.

I got no doubt that he could maybe play on the fourth line, nothing too much like 10 min per game, i don't know if he will do it though, maybe he search for a second or even first liner, but is health is more important so i prefer to see him on the fourth line. I'm happy he gonna play a couple of game with Modo too. Some young players will get the chance of playing and learning from him.

Olaf Kölzig retires.

You know, I couldn't even think of who Kolzig played for last year (I looked it up. He played 8 games for the Lightning). I'm thinking he probably should have retired after his last season with the Caps and then he would've been a player with one team for his entire career.

bruins72 wrote:You know, I couldn't even think of who Kolzig played for last year (I looked it up. He played 8 games for the Lightning). I'm thinking he probably should have retired after his last season with the Caps and then he would've been a player with one team for his entire career.

Plus at the trade deadline you remember he's been trade to the Leafs? At the deadline th Leafs aquire like 2 goalie lol I've heard that if they get Kolzig is to help Tampa getting rid of is salary because of their financial problem.

I had totally forgotten about the trade to Toronto. That was purely financial though. He didn't even play a game for them.

No he didn't play a game that's a fact, but for a guy who spend all his years with 1 team, i think it sucks a little bit to ended it up like this, to be trade just because the financial problem of the team who just sign you the last summer......he derserve more than this.

Yeah but he wouldn't have been in that situation if he had just retired when he wasn't re-signed by Washington. Did he really think he had that much left in the tank? Wasn't he injured for a good portion of the season?

Yes i think he was injured, that's why he didn't play at Toronto and played only 8 game with Tampa. Maybe your right, he was thinking he could help another team, but it was a total failure.

Kölzig is a part-owner of the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. Maybe he will become a goalie coach for them

That sounds like a good way for him to stay connected to the game.

philou21 wrote:No he didn't play a game that's a fact, but for a guy who spend all his years with 1 team, i think it sucks a little bit to ended it up like this, to be trade just because the financial problem of the team who just sign you the last summer......he derserve more than this.

Yeah, he deserves more... he was underrated in his last years, few finnish reporters said that he can't catch even beachball. I'm not sure is he worth of number retiring, but something still. He is best and first African-born hockeyplayer ever.

He was the Caps starting goalie for 9 years and in the organization for even longer. I think that's worthy of them retiring his number. You don't see one goalie stay with a team that long anymore.

Tri city hired someone just recently who is a name goalie coach I think. May have been Spokane though...always mix em up.

Hedman--Will have a good year, but not as good as Tavares as someone mentioned up top. It is a bigger transition for a rookie dman to the show than it is for a forward. Regardless of who they play with.

Johnny T will not have much help on Long Island though...but Trent Hunter and Dougie Weight will teach him some stuff too.

Hedman will get too much ice time initially for his development curve in Tampa. He will do well...but not as good as Johnny T.