2008/2009 Hockey Thread v2.0

[SeanDMan]

Vancouver is choking like a Thai hooker right now.

[Gabriel]

Vancouver is choking like a Thai hooker right now.

I honestly believe that Luongo rushed himself back because the team was performing poorly of late... and I think it was an unwise decision. For both parties.

Vancouver needs to get out of this slump on their own. Roberto Luongo is a stellar goaltender, but no one man is the answer to any team's prayers.

Jason LaBarbera was playing good hockey in his Vancouver games, and there was absolutely no need to bring Luongo back right away.

I only saw the highlights, but Luongo didn't look comfortable in there to me on those goals. At least two of them were shots that, two months ago, wouldn't have even been a blip on the radar. So, even if he is healthy, he seemed to me to be uncomfortable or just lacking confidence at the present time.

I always hope to see all six Canadian teams do well... but for the sake of a Northwest Division title... I see the Canucks falling apart despite three events that should have revitalized the team (Sundin's acquisition... LaBarbera's acquisition and subsequent above-average play... and Luongo's return), and I can't help but smile a little bit.

[SeanDMan]

Luongo is pain free, but he's not in game shape right now. The only way to get his timing back is in games. So he's not rushing back too early, he's back in order to get back in time to make a difference.

[Toe]

Luongo is pain free, but he's not in game shape right now. The only way to get his timing back is in games. So he's not rushing back too early, he's back in order to get back in time to make a difference.

We all know his primary concern is the All Star Game!

[Gabriel]

Luongo is pain free, but he's not in game shape right now. The only way to get his timing back is in games. So he's not rushing back too early, he's back in order to get back in time to make a difference.

I see the point there, and concede to its' correctness.

I still feel though, that it's a shitty situation. The team is struggling, and Luongo is back. He's not in game shape, so he will likely struggle for awhile, and that's not going to put either side in an enviable situation. Whereas, LaBarbera was playing well enough to give the team the opportunity to win every night. He proved to be a stable goalie, for an unstable team... and I think, even at this point of the season, relying nightly on an unstable goalie behind an unstable team, is going to do far more damage than good.

How long is it going to take Luongo to get back to where he was? Five games? That's 10 points. The Canucks are already almost 10 points back of the Flames, and assume Calgary stays hot and gets say 8 points out of their possible next 10, that puts Vancouver more than 15 points back of 1st in the division heading down the stretch.

In recent history, if you're not 1st in the Northwest Division, you're in a battle just to get 8th in the Western Conference.

Bad timing and bad luck has put the Canucks in a position that I am so very glad my Flames have avoided.

[SeanDMan]

Is it safe to say that I watch more Canucks games than you, Gabe?

As such, trust me when I say that LaBarbera was not "playing well". He was okay, but he shit the bed a few times and was inconsistent at the very best. Sure, Luongo is struggling with his timing and mental game right now, but he's not going to get any better through practice alone.

And yeah, the team hasn't been terribly consistent either, but Luongo can be when he's at the top of his game. In their careers, neither Sanford nor Schneider nor LaBarbera have shown themselves to be consistent NHL starters, or they wouldn't be where they are.

Luongo couldn't come back any sooner and putting off his return any later is counterproductive.

[Gabriel]

Again, I concede. You do watch more 'Nucks games than I do.

It's all about location. Last year, all I got were Vancouver games, CBC and TSN stuff.

This year, having moved, I think I've seen about 85% of the Flames games this season so far. Vancouver games are less this year for me. I get the occasional one on TSN, a few Saturday night late games on CBC, and the Vancouver games against Calgary or Edmonton.

Even if LaBarbera wasn't playing great, Vancouver's in a bad way right now... and realistically, they'll probably be fighting for the 7/8 spots in the West with 4 or 5 teams come March, and the slide can be attributed to the poor timing of Luongo's injury and the Canucks slump as a team. If the team were playing better, I wouldn't be worried about them slipping... but with him needing time to re-establish himself and get game-ready, and the team playing poorly at the same time, it could possibly spell disaster for the season.

It is likely just going to be a scare, and they'll make the playoffs... but if they miss the post-season this year, I wouldn't be surprised. They just haven't had good luck with injuries and streakiness.

[SeanDMan]

The more time you rely on a backup goaltender the less likely you are to contend, unless he turns out to be the backup Jesus like Scott Clemmenson.

Luongo needs to get back and get game ready ASAP. The more they put it off the less time they'll have to regain footing. It's not like they can go back and prevent him from getting injured. Timing is timing, they need to do the best they can with what they have.

[Plubby]

I told you people Labarbera was inconsistent

It was funny to hear nucks radio basically saying that the nucks will turn around because "Bobby-Lou is going to crack some skulls in the locker room tonight" (paraphrased a wee bit)

[Clawson]

Holy fuck, does Toskala suck ass or what?

Nice to see Schenn show a little offense and some big hits tonight though. Including putting that little cunt Armstrong on his ass.

[Toe]

Holy blown lead, Batman!

[Reddaye]

Soooooooo I didn't call of last night's game. Saw the first period and probably half of the second. Kind of glad now that I missed it.

Judging by the clips I saw; Toskala has totally lost his game this year. We play against Nashville and Toskala plays a fucking great game...but no one can score. When we finally start getting some scoring; he can't stop a fucking beach ball! It seems like he plays focused hockey when we're trying to catch up, and takes a fucking nap whenever we're behind.

I say we chain his fucking ankle to the goal post so he'll stop wandering so fucking far out of position.

[Gabriel]

After months of trying to juggle a three-headed goaltending situation, the Oilers finally pulled the trigger.

Mathieu Garon is the odd man out, like I figured he would be earlier this season, as he's been sent to Pittsburgh for Dany Sabourin and Ryan Stone.

Yes, they acquired a goalie, but I'm pretty sure that Sabourin's contract allows him to come and go from the AHL freely. So, Sabourin goes to Springfield, and the Oilers now have a Roloson/Deslauriers combo in net.

This took far too long though. When was the last time Deslauriers played a game? Roloson and Garon have been carrying the weight, and that poor kid is probably cold as ice. How this season has been anything but a hinderance on his development is beyond me.

On the other end of the deal, this trade should really push Marc-Andre Fleury, and I expect we'll see a 60/40 split of the games from here-on out.

[RoyWill Rumble]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=263480&amp...s=headlines_nhl

Awesome. All sorts of it.

[Gabriel]

So, that article was cool and everything, but I clicked onto the main NHL page and had myself a huge laugh.

The New York Islanders, last season, counted on Wade Dubieliwicz to carry the bulk of the load, and he did a tremendous job. At the end of the season, they let him walk, and no other team in the NHL offered him a contract, so he went to Russia.

With the Islanders woes in net, DiPietro being hurt, and now MacDonald also out... they signed him to a new deal, but because he was being let out of his Russian deal, he first had to clear waivers.

Columbus picked him up.

Now the Islanders have to find themselves another goalie.

[Clawson]

That's kind of a dick move. I can see it coming back to bite Columbus in the ass.

[Gabriel]

That's kind of a dick move. I can see it coming back to bite Columbus in the ass.

Well, with Norrena being flat out released awhile back, that leaves Leclaire and Mason in Columbus. I'm not sure if either of them are injured, but at least one of them must be. Dan Lacosta was sent back down to the AHL to make room for Dubielewicz.

The Jackets needed a netminder as much as the Islanders did.

Long Island just doesn't have good management. Garth Snow and Charles Wang are not running the team very well. Not only did they fire Ted Nolan over the summer, but Rick DiPietro is their number one guy for 15 years, and he's only healthy about 30% of the time.

Last season, Dubie took the ball and ran with it, which along with Nolan's excellent coaching, kept the Isles competitive. Snow did not reward either man for their efforts last year, and that came back to bite him in the ass. Not only is the team far less competitive this season than last, but a repeat of last year happened when DiPietro got hurt. Joey MacDonald stepped up to the plate and carried the team on his back. Unfortunately, he got hurt, and Garth Snow was forced to admit that he made a mistake over the summer by signing Dubielewicz.

Columbus, who are also experiencing goaltending woes, saw a stable and proven commodity on the waiver-wire, and they picked him up. I can't blame them for doing that.

[Enter Blue Guy]

Vesa, you drive me nuts. I want another Pogge game, just another peek. Everybody always says Vesa needs something to push him to play his best, give Pogge a shot in Minnesota or Colorado. Of course if he gets bum rushed, all that does is further cement Vesa as the only goalie in T.O. for real, but my heart aches for at least one Pogge-manned game soon.

EDIT: Fuck Minny or Colorado, I just remembered the Leafs are playing the Canes tomorrow. Play Pogge at home TOMORROW! STATEMENT GAME FOR THE FUTURE!

Edited January 18, 2009 by Enter Blue Guy

[Toe]

Vesa, you drive me nuts. I want another Pogge game, just another peek. Everybody always says Vesa needs something to push him to play his best, give Pogge a shot in Minnesota or Colorado. Of course if he gets bum rushed, all that does is further cement Vesa as the only goalie in T.O. for real, but my heart aches for at least one Pogge-manned game soon.

EDIT: Fuck Minny or Colorado, I just remembered the Leafs are playing the Canes tomorrow. Play Pogge at home TOMORROW! STATEMENT GAME FOR THE FUTURE!

I concur. If he loses, it doesn't hurt anything. If he wins or at least plays well, it will show that he his developing well and give Toskala a little bit of a push to keep his starting spot. At 6-3, Pogge doesn't have to be as good in his positioning as Toskala does. And Pogge is great at getting across the crease.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP5Iomo_sr0...re=channel_page

The TSN set I remember from my youth, Bob McKenzie with brown hair, and Gord Miller looking about 12 years old.

EDIT: Apparently this was from a show called 'Inside NHL', but that doesn't sound the least bit familiar. I know before That's Hockey started, Dave Hodge hosted 'Inside Sports' in the same timeslot, but this seems like something completely different.

Edited January 19, 2009 by Mr. Potato Head