2008/2009 Hockey Thread v2.0

[Toe]

My early pick for the Hart Trophy is Thomas Vanek. 24 goals already and he does everything, including killing penalties, for the Sabres.

[Toe]

My heart will be broken when Mats Sundin signs with another team.

[Plubby]

Today's game proves beyond any doubt that Raycroft's last season was Toronto's fault. He was absolutely phenomenal - watch the highlights!

OK, so it was probably a fluke. But I don't care. We beat the Wings!

[Gabriel]

My heart will be broken when Mats Sundin signs with another team.

There really needs to be a deadline for players to be committed to playing for the season.

With the rules as they are, I can't fault Mats Sundin for taking his sweet time in deciding what's what... but that doesn't make it any less agitating and stupid.

I feel like if a player isn't signed to a pro contract in one league or another by November 1st, they should become ineligible to play in the NHL for the rest of that season.

So, Mats Sundin would have had to decide already... and a guy like Brendan Shanahan (who should already be on a team, for fuck's sake) would have had to sign a contract either with a minor league team or a foreign team, in order to even be eligible to play in the NHL at all during this season.

What that means is, players who have minor league contracts or foreign contracts would still be eligible to play in the NHL, but they would have to work out a way to get out of their current deal to sign a new one. Meaning, if Mats Sundin still hadn't decided where he wanted to play by November 1st, he would have been forced to either concede to not playing at all this year, or sign a deal with say, Modo. Then, when he decided which NHL team he wanted to play for, he would have to work out a deal with Modo to let him out of his contract so he can sign an NHL deal.

I really just think it's a stupid, unneccessary, circus act, when we've got a handful of players holding up a lot of clubs because they haven't decided what's going on. How many teams have said this year that they're waiting to see what happens with Mats before they make a move? How many teams haven't said that, but have popular commodities that otherwise would have been moved by now? Too many.

Do everyone a favor and make a deadline.

[Toe]

I just don't want to see my favourite player wear a uniform that doesn't have the Maple Leafs logo on the front.

[Gabriel]

I just don't want to see my favourite player wear a uniform that doesn't have the Maple Leafs logo on the front.

I really hope he goes to New York.

We've got our shit mostly together in Calgary, but not enough that I'm comfortable with the idea of Vancouver adding another big time player to their lineup.

Really, what I'm hoping for is Luongo's injury to keep him out, the rookie goalies to start having a hard time because of the pressure, and the Olsen Twins to get worn down by the physical play that they still don't seem to be used to.

If the Canucks don't get Bobby Lu back by February, it'll be Calgary and Minnesota battling to determine who gets 3rd and who gets 6th or 7th in the conference. If the Canucks' fortune turns though, it'll be a three way dance, and there really is, probably only room for two Northwest Division teams in the top 8.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I just don't want to see my favourite player wear a uniform that doesn't have the Maple Leafs logo on the front.

[Clawson]

Honestly, I love him and everything but he almost deserves to get booed when he returns to Toronto. Not because he didn't return to Toronto but because he lied to every single Leaf fan last year with his "I believe to win a Stanley Cup it needs to be a journey from the beginning of training camp" or his "I want to end my career as a Maple Leaf". Well know it's bullshit, thanks for 13 wonderful years Mats tainted with some nice bullshit lies at the end.

[Cactus Drags]

Suck it hockeytown. That is all.

[Toe]

I enjoyed tonights game against New Jersey. The annoying trend of giving up the first goal early continues, but whatever. We got the two points, Jeremy Williams is looking like he belongs in the NHL, and Toskala actually won a shootout in the ACC for the first time!

[Gabriel]

Toskala seems to be getting a lot of heat on him from a lot of people in the press. Admittedly, he gives up a few soft ones early on... but when it comes down to it, he always gives the team a chance to be in the game.

It's also interesting to note that this year's team is pretty much where last year's team was with all those "star players".

Flames keep looking good tonight... and Edmonton bit the pillow as Chicago slipped it in dry. Good night.

[The Sultan of Swank]

I didn't know there was a new rule in the NHL where if a player falls upon his own accord next to another player, a penalty is called.

Montreal took 11 penalties in a row and 13 or 14 in the game, Carolina had one. What upset me was that Montreal deserved maybe 5 of those penalties, and Carolina was getting away with a lot of the clutching, grabbing and hooking that is supposed to be called.

Regardless the positives are that Montreal scored twice on 6 shots, Held Carolina to something like 16 shots through 2 periods despite playing the first two periods mostly on the penalty kill.

It was a dissappointing game to watch only because anytime it was 5 on 5 Montreal was clearly the better time, but evertime a Hurricane player got hit there was a penalty call.

Oh well, Philly thursday and Komisarek could be back, which would be great considering Price, Koivu, Higgins, Laraque, Dandenault and Komisarek have all been out and everyone there except Price is expected to be long term.

After the Habs game I switched to see the Devils play, that was a nice move by Blake at the end of the shootout.

Edited December 17, 2008 by The Sultan of Swank

[SeanDMan]

Blasts from the past:

Amazing watching those and thinking back "Man, they must have been constantly blowing their whistles, huh?"

[Toe]

Minnesota was lucky to get a point from Calgary tonight. The Flames were playing near perfect defensively. They look like one of the better teams in the Western Conference again.

[Gabriel]

Minnesota was lucky to get a point from Calgary tonight. The Flames were playing near perfect defensively. They look like one of the better teams in the Western Conference again.

Why, thank you.

Watching the Vancouver/Edmonton game, I had some serious thoughts. Hitting from behind is not something we like to see. There's no doubt about that. Sami Salo looked hurt real bad, and that sucks a lot... but at the same time, I don't think that should have been a penalty.

They need to work out something to prevent guys from not protecting themselves and turning their backs on a guy who is clearly looking for a bodycheck.

I don't know how to do it, but off the top of my head... maybe get together with the refs and make a decision that you can stop the play on a hit like that, but if the guy turned into the hit, it shouldn't be penalized.

Or maybe you penalize both men. 2 minutes for boarding to the aggressor, and 2 minutes for being an idiot to the other guy.

I know those ideas aren't great, but something needs to be done. These guys either just aren't protecting themselves anymore, or they're purposely putting themselves in those situations to draw penalties. It's ridiculous, and it needs to stop.

[Gabriel]

It's all over.

The Rangers couldn't clear the cap room, and Mats Sundin has signed an absolutely ridiculous contract to become a member of the Vancouver Canucks for the remainder of this year and the entirety of next.

Looks like Mary Kate and Ashley might not be on their way out, if Sundin wants them around... which means, for you Canucks fans out there, no Gaborik... no Hossa... because there's no space.

[Toe]

And here is the TSN article...

At least this way limits the amount of times Mats comes back to Toronto. I dunno. I am still unhappy about this. Maybe when I see Mats playing I will get over it, but right now I am sad that Mats Sundin will likely not end his career with the Leafs.

[Gabriel]

And here is the TSN article...

At least this way limits the amount of times Mats comes back to Toronto. I dunno. I am still unhappy about this. Maybe when I see Mats playing I will get over it, but right now I am sad that Mats Sundin will likely not end his career with the Leafs.

I could honestly see him returning for one final season as a Maple Leaf. 2010-2011 could be the year Mats Sundin plays his last NHL season. I just can't see him hanging up the skates with the Vancouver Canucks.

If there's room on the team in that season, and Mats Sundin wants one last hurrah as a Leaf, the team should be vastly improved by then, and if he's willing to be a second line center, he could enjoy one final and probably fairly successful year, as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That is, if he makes it that far. The Northwest Division is not where you want to be if you're having doubts about your physical condition... because it only gets worse when you play there.

[TGWL]

I'm so happy that Sundin isn't a ranger. His asking price is insane, and I wouldn't get rid of Drury, or Gomez for him, this late in his career.

However, i'd gladly accept mara or redden leaving.

[Gabriel]

I'm so happy that Sundin isn't a ranger. His asking price is insane, and I wouldn't get rid of Drury, or Gomez for him, this late in his career.

However, i'd gladly accept mara or redden leaving.

Sundin would not have been paid $10 million a year by the Rangers. Nobody but Vancouver was insane enough to offer him that, and he's a smart enough man to know that it is an insane offer.

The word that's been going around is that if the Rangers could have moved Michael Roszival somewhere for little to nothing in return (cap-wise), they would have had enough room for Mats Sundin. They weren't going to give up anybody from the frontline.

Which is something I'd like to touch on. All that firepower in New York... being paid all that money... and they're delivering bottom third of the league numbers as an offensive unit. If I was running the team and they told me we needed to make room for Sundin, I'd trade 2 or 3 of those "superstar" forwards who are eating cheques but producing very little... I'd add a solid defenseman, and I'd sign Mats Sundin, no doubt about it.