The 2005/2006 Hockey Season Thread

[Toe]

I'm going to stop watching hockey, because every game I watch becomes really depressing, like Toronto's huge loss to Ottawa on Saturday.

[SeanDMan]

Clawson = Sore Loser.

And hey, whine all you want Leafs fans, at least your team doesn't regularily choke away games against the St. Louis Blues.

[Clawson]

I didn't see the evidence that the puck came into the bench, but I was mainly watching the election, but still that call completely changed the momenteum of the game but still it was nice to see the Leafs finally show some heart and come back despite the bullshit refing. I've never seen a call called back and it's bollocks to put the guy in the box, announce the penalty then take it back. Pure bullshit.

And it was the Leafs that pointed the puck went off the glass LIKE EVERY FUCKING TEAM DOES when it goes over the glass and it wasn't until Murray cried they called it back.

[prime time]

And it wasn't till Quinn cried that they made the intial call. You lost, get over it.

[Clawson]

Every team in the league points when the puck goes over the glass. I don't see where the crying comes in.

[caucasianheat]

I knew it! I fucking knew it! You fucking cry baby. You're full of shit, completely full of shit. The rule is clear, and it's been called the same way all year, if the puck falls in the benches it's no penalty, the refs didn't know where the puck fell, that's why there was uncertainty. There was no call, then the Leafs bitch, and so they call the penalty, then Murray just clearly tells the ref 'hey, the puck fell in the benches, not into the crowd, that's no penalty' so they took a look and admitted they made a mistake. Seriously, Clawson, just shut the fuck up, your team hasn't played well enough to beat the Sens all year, and tonight they made their best attempt and still fell short. Quit your fucking whining, it's really fucking stupid.

Unnecessary.

[prime time]

Because when the other teams do it, the puck actually does go over the glass, not into the bench. And Quinn is also a little bitch, calling the Varada/Colliacavo play "cheap". It was clearlly and accident.

[Clawson]

I agree about the Colio hit even though I would like to know if Varada swinging the stick around had any impact though on Colio's injury. I think Quinn may have seen the stick swinging around as cheap though I believe it was an accident he still should have more control of his stick.

[prime time]

It wasn't because of his stick, it was because he took a wierd bounce off of Varada and smacked his face on the boards.

[Clawson]

Yes that caused the brunt of the injury no doubt. You know of all the things Quinn chooses to bitch about in a game it was this when I thought the refs were shite.

[Guest Grapehead]

I knew it! I fucking knew it! You fucking cry baby. You're full of shit, completely full of shit. The rule is clear, and it's been called the same way all year, if the puck falls in the benches it's no penalty, the refs didn't know where the puck fell, that's why there was uncertainty. There was no call, then the Leafs bitch, and so they call the penalty, then Murray just clearly tells the ref 'hey, the puck fell in the benches, not into the crowd, that's no penalty' so they took a look and admitted they made a mistake. Seriously, Clawson, just shut the fuck up, your team hasn't played well enough to beat the Sens all year, and tonight they made their best attempt and still fell short. Quit your fucking whining, it's really fucking stupid.

Unnecessary.

[Clawson]

Grapehead all you do in this thread is take shots at the Leafs trying to bait me or Beatnik into taking a bite. I'm sure more than half of your posts in this thread have been about the Leafs even when we don't play you. Your post was unnessecary because at that time I made that post it was only a 2-1 game and I disagreed with the refs call. I said my piece then you come on and flame me about whining and bitching when you're the one usually doing it. I just had a perfectly fine discussion with primetime about Carlo's injury and I had a discussion with CKN when he discussed his points of view on the call but all you did was come on and scream about me bitching about a call that is in the rule book. You didn't even address the call all you did was call me a bitch what I find perplexing because I said nothing to you about it. Came flat out of nowhere and it's fucking annoying. I'm sure your fellow Sens fans feel the same way as you're giving them a bad name.

Edited January 24, 2006 by Clawson

[Guest Grapehead]

Are you even fucking allowed to over-turn a delay of game call? Seriousily what the fuck, Redden shots it over the glass then Murray bitches so they overturn it then Ottawa goes and scores a goal. A complete bullshit move that probably completely gave all the momenteum to Ottawa. And I thought NFL refs were retards, that was just an obvious blowjob of the Sens by the refs.

I knew it! I fucking knew it! You fucking cry baby. You're full of shit, completely full of shit. The rule is clear, and it's been called the same way all year, if the puck falls in the benches it's no penalty, the refs didn't know where the puck fell, that's why there was uncertainty. There was no call, then the Leafs bitch, and so they call the penalty, then Murray just clearly tells the ref 'hey, the puck fell in the benches, not into the crowd, that's no penalty' so they took a look and admitted they made a mistake. Seriously, Clawson, just shut the fuck up, your team hasn't played well enough to beat the Sens all year, and tonight they made their best attempt and still fell short. Quit your fucking whining, it's really fucking stupid.

[caucasianheat]

It's not as though he blamed the loss entirely on one call. In my mind, it was questionable, so the criticism is entirely valid. It doesn't take away from the fact that the Leafs were outplayed, but it's still worth raising an eyebrow at. I called your post unnecessary because it wasn't an issue of Team A vs. Team B. The call was questionable, especially when the ref is vacillating on whether or not he wants to make it.

I don't know, maybe it's the skeptic in me, but after Colliacavo took an admittedly cheap shot at Spezza a while back, it doesn't seem so far fetched that an Ottawa player might want to straighten him out for it. I couldn't tell you if it was intentional or not, but I don't think you can just brush it off immediately as an accident, all things considered.

[Clawson]

I'll take a look at the incident on the PVR tomorrow, but it would be helpful if somebody else could post a video of the incident because honestly I'm too busy watching the election.

I still think that Varada just looked up in time to avoid being another Colio victim. He's going to be a clean version of Scott Stevens. Ain't that right KFC?

[Guest Grapehead]

It's not as though he blamed the loss entirely on one call. In my mind, it was questionable, so the criticism is entirely valid. It doesn't take away from the fact that the Leafs were outplayed, but it's still worth raising an eyebrow at. I called your post unnecessary because it wasn't an issue of Team A vs. Team B. The call was questionable, especially when the ref is vacillating on whether or not he wants to make it.

I don't know, maybe it's the skeptic in me, but after Colliacavo took an admittedly cheap shot at Spezza a while back, it doesn't seem so far fetched that an Ottawa player might want to straighten him out for it. I couldn't tell you if it was intentional or not, but I don't think you can just brush it off immediately as an accident, all things considered.

[SeanDMan]

I wasn't aware caucasianheat liked hockey. Can he get any more awesome?

[prime time]

One of the greatest NHL players in history has called it a career.

Mario Lemieux announced his retirement at a news conference today in Pittsburgh.

''The time is right because I can no longer play the game at the level I'm accustomed to,'' Lemieux said in making the announcement. ''I think the best decision is to retire as a player and turn the game over to the younger guys who are the future of this team and this league. It's a young man's game now.''

Lemieux, 40, has not played since Dec. 16 because of problems caused by an irregular heartbeat. He had been working out regularly and seemed determined to play again this season.

Related Info

Lemieux Announcement

Sidney Crosby reaction

Lemieux's Legacy

Mario Lemieux Retrospective

''If I could still play this game I would be on the ice,'' Lemieux said at a news conference.

Lemieux first retired in 1997 following years of back pain, a rare bone infection and a bout with cancer. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame later that year, when the Hall waived the three-year waiting period.

Lemieux had a message for the younger players in the NHL.

''All I can say to the young players is enjoy every moment of it,'' he said, pausing as he grew emotional. ''Just enjoy every moment of it. Your career goes by very quickly. It's a great game and you guys are all very special to me in the NHL.''

Lemieux assumed ownership of the team when it came out of bankruptcy in 1999. He then unexpectedly came out of retirement on Dec. 27, 2000, and helped the Penguins advance to the Eastern Conference final in the spring of 2001.

He did not play a full, injury-free season upon his return, missing most of two seasons with hip problems and another full season when the NHL shut down last year.

Lemieux recorded seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 26 games this season with the disappointing Penguins.

Penguins' rookie Sidney Crosby had high praise for Lemieux.

''I think the thing that sticks out for me is just the adversity he's faced throughout his career, on and off the ice and how he came through it,'' Crosby told TSN. ''I think it's a lesson that everyone can take.''

Lemieux's retirement is the latest in a string of setbacks in the Penguins' season that began with such high hopes. The team spent a lot of money trying to surround Crosby with a quality cast.

But the team has struggled with a record of 11-29-9 and is second-last in the NHL with 31 points.

Free-agent forward Ziggy Palffy, who the team signed to a $13.5-million US, three-year contract in August, retired last week. The Penguins will save more money now with Lemieux gone, as he was earning $3 million this season on a one-year deal.

Lemieux is considering several offers to sell the team and there is no guarantee the new owners will keep the team in Pittsburgh.

He is seventh on the all-time NHL scoring list with 690 goals and 1,033 assists in 915 career games.

Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy - which is given to the NHL playoff MVP - twice, in 1991 and 1992, the years he lead the Penguins to their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins.

Over his 17-season career, Lemieux won the Art Ross Trophy - which is given to the NHL's scoring leader - six times. He won the Hart Trophy - which is given to the regular season most valuable player - three times. He was also named rookie of the year in 1985, winning the Calder Trophy.

Edited January 24, 2006 by prime time

[SeanDMan]

Move over Hal Gill.

Sidney Crosby: Career Killer.

[NobBe Nobbs]

That's kinda sad for Mario, although he does have that Hall of Fame place to warm his old, tired bones in the long winter nights...