View Poll Results: Is your team in cap hell?
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Don't care
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Go Nordiques!
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Hockey: News and Discussion Thread
What a change up!!
I take back what I said about NJ in the East.
Senior Moderator
Nice...well, maybe he can give the Oilers some needed boosted down the road. Cuz, that team SUCKS.
Senior Moderator
Captain Toews rises to the challenge
Great article on Chicago's Captain Serious, who really does not get enough worship...
Toews rocks.
From CNNSI...
Toews rocks.
From CNNSI...
When Jonathan Toews was mired in the midst of the slowest start since a Fred Thompson presidential campaign -- in terms of goals, Toews was 0-for-October -- he kept saying the new weight of the Chicago Blackhawks captaincy was not contributing to his scoring drought.
He now admits he was fibbing. At least a little.
"Not that I was saying it at the time, but I was frustrated," Toews said. "I was trying to do too much. I thought about everything except my own game. Maybe (once you) keep your mouth shut for a few nights, keep it simple and start worrying about your own game, everything becomes a little more natural."
When the interminable season stopped being a snapshot and became a flowing video, Toews came into focus as one of the NHL's most dependable forwards. Helped by what coach Joel Quenneville says was a change in Chicago's down-low defensive coverage, Toews eventually found a rhythm and now figures to wind up the regular season just about where he should be: a near point-a-game player who does exemplary work on both sides of the puck.
Although he had just six points the first month of the season and did not score a goal until his 13th game (Nov. 9), Toews, who won't turn 21 for another four weeks or so, began the week with 30 goals and 33 assists. He also was a plus-6, ranked 11th in the league with a 55.1 faceoff percentage, and was playing with a level of maturity that should capture the rapt attention of Hockey Canada executives, who might have to figure out a way to shoehorn both Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards and Toews onto a rich-in-natural-centers Olympic team.
Richards and Toews are the NHL's two best young captains -- remarkably disciplined and responsible. Richards is the better defensive player because of his strength and ornery nature, but Toews, in his second season, is one of the NHL's top 10 two-way players and has a bit more offensive polish. Linemate Patrick Kane remains the shiny bauble that dazzles fans. He was minus-8 while having just one more point than his center and might win a scoring title one year, but there is a better chance that Toews, the third player taken in the 2007 draft, will win the Hart Trophy before Kane captures an Art Ross.
"Pretty focused," Chicago winger Patrick Sharp said of Toews, who last July became the third youngest captain in NHL history behind Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby. "He leads by example. Rarely takes a game or practice off. He's held a few meetings this year. He's spoken well, said all the right things.
"I don't want to say he cares more than anybody else, but every little detail is the end of the world to him. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Last year there were times when he'd kinda go off the deep end with the little things that were bothering him, or after a tough loss. This year you can see it still bothers him, but he's got the ability to file it and go on. He realizes it's not the end of the world."
Toews played two seasons of college hockey -- he helped North Dakota to two Frozen Four appearances -- in a subset of the sport in which every game really can seem like the end of the world. The weekends are packed, the season is short, the playoffs are brisk. . . the pressure builds exponentially, unlike in Chicago, which essentially secured a Western Conference playoff spot weeks ago and now is just trying to get home-ice advantage for the first series. Toews, whose rookie season was reduced to 64 games because of a strained left knee, simply needed to adjust the idle on the motor that he always keeps revving.
"There's extra motivation," he said of the captaincy. "You can't take one night off. All the guys will be responding. The way you play definitely reflects the way the team plays. There are going to be those nights where you're down a couple of goals, things aren't going right and you pick up your play and the team kinda jumps on board. I always wanted to be a player like that. I just never expected to be there so early.
"I've learned to do a better job of just staying loose and enjoying the game. Keep the mood light. You don't think about the game until it comes. I think my skin is getting thicker. I've been learning not to be so serious and not worrying about the game before I have to."
He now admits he was fibbing. At least a little.
"Not that I was saying it at the time, but I was frustrated," Toews said. "I was trying to do too much. I thought about everything except my own game. Maybe (once you) keep your mouth shut for a few nights, keep it simple and start worrying about your own game, everything becomes a little more natural."
When the interminable season stopped being a snapshot and became a flowing video, Toews came into focus as one of the NHL's most dependable forwards. Helped by what coach Joel Quenneville says was a change in Chicago's down-low defensive coverage, Toews eventually found a rhythm and now figures to wind up the regular season just about where he should be: a near point-a-game player who does exemplary work on both sides of the puck.
Although he had just six points the first month of the season and did not score a goal until his 13th game (Nov. 9), Toews, who won't turn 21 for another four weeks or so, began the week with 30 goals and 33 assists. He also was a plus-6, ranked 11th in the league with a 55.1 faceoff percentage, and was playing with a level of maturity that should capture the rapt attention of Hockey Canada executives, who might have to figure out a way to shoehorn both Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards and Toews onto a rich-in-natural-centers Olympic team.
Richards and Toews are the NHL's two best young captains -- remarkably disciplined and responsible. Richards is the better defensive player because of his strength and ornery nature, but Toews, in his second season, is one of the NHL's top 10 two-way players and has a bit more offensive polish. Linemate Patrick Kane remains the shiny bauble that dazzles fans. He was minus-8 while having just one more point than his center and might win a scoring title one year, but there is a better chance that Toews, the third player taken in the 2007 draft, will win the Hart Trophy before Kane captures an Art Ross.
"Pretty focused," Chicago winger Patrick Sharp said of Toews, who last July became the third youngest captain in NHL history behind Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby. "He leads by example. Rarely takes a game or practice off. He's held a few meetings this year. He's spoken well, said all the right things.
"I don't want to say he cares more than anybody else, but every little detail is the end of the world to him. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Last year there were times when he'd kinda go off the deep end with the little things that were bothering him, or after a tough loss. This year you can see it still bothers him, but he's got the ability to file it and go on. He realizes it's not the end of the world."
Toews played two seasons of college hockey -- he helped North Dakota to two Frozen Four appearances -- in a subset of the sport in which every game really can seem like the end of the world. The weekends are packed, the season is short, the playoffs are brisk. . . the pressure builds exponentially, unlike in Chicago, which essentially secured a Western Conference playoff spot weeks ago and now is just trying to get home-ice advantage for the first series. Toews, whose rookie season was reduced to 64 games because of a strained left knee, simply needed to adjust the idle on the motor that he always keeps revving.
"There's extra motivation," he said of the captaincy. "You can't take one night off. All the guys will be responding. The way you play definitely reflects the way the team plays. There are going to be those nights where you're down a couple of goals, things aren't going right and you pick up your play and the team kinda jumps on board. I always wanted to be a player like that. I just never expected to be there so early.
"I've learned to do a better job of just staying loose and enjoying the game. Keep the mood light. You don't think about the game until it comes. I think my skin is getting thicker. I've been learning not to be so serious and not worrying about the game before I have to."
Senior Moderator
What a nice goal by Captain Serious...
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Unofficial Goat
iTrader: (1)
My dad asked me tonight at Dinner when the next time the hawks play the wings, I promptly looked it up and sure enough it was a saturday afternoon, PERFECT!
I shout from the living room, it's on the 11th, he shouts back perfect get tickets, I'm thinking
Then the fun buster chirps in from the other room. Honey, we're having easter dinner that day here and so and so is coming over, you guys can't go to Detroit.
I shout from the living room, it's on the 11th, he shouts back perfect get tickets, I'm thinking
Then the fun buster chirps in from the other room. Honey, we're having easter dinner that day here and so and so is coming over, you guys can't go to Detroit.
Senior Moderator
^ Hawks will win against the Dings, dammit!
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The Blackhawks FINALLY looked good last night and beat the Blues.
Senior Moderator
2008 Acura TL
Richards and Toews are the NHL's two best young captains -- remarkably disciplined and responsible. Richards is the better defensive player because of his strength and ornery nature
The sizzle in the Steak
This is cheeky.
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The sizzle in the Steak
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Very true...it's all good though.
Hey, the Blues are playing very well as of late. They're in the playoff hunt and winning when it counts. Don't downplay the Blues or count them out just yet.
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Well, it's official: I can't beat wstevens...he's had my number all season. And at this rate, I don't think I'll catch the guy.
Ribiero, Ryan, and Selanne have been absolute beasts for him...nice pick up on the former.
Ribiero, Ryan, and Selanne have been absolute beasts for him...nice pick up on the former.
Senior Moderator
Yummy I don't understand your points.. I mean it was your style this year.. Claim it and except it.. Some weeks it helped some it didn't, nature of the beast. I just think if you own up to it instead of the whole denial thing people might accept it better
The sizzle in the Steak
Oh joy of joys....too see that little "e" next to the Kings in the standings.
4th or 5th from the bottom finish
4th or 5th from the bottom finish
Senior Moderator
I didn't deny it, man. I'm just wondering why everyone was getting so riled up about it or that it was my only way of beating them...? Face it, I didn't employ the tactics on everyone and when it worked, it helped, when it didn't, it has done nothing...like this week against stevens.
Senior Moderator
I didn't deny it, man. I'm just wondering why everyone was getting so riled up about it or that it was my only way of beating them...? Face it, I didn't employ the tactics on everyone and when it worked, it helped, when it didn't, it has done nothing...like this week against stevens.
I'm just messing with you.. I think it's because for everyone else it takes the fun out of the game..
Unofficial Goat
iTrader: (1)
For me it's annoying because of all the time you have to put it watching who's on hot streaks etc, Fantasy is fun and all, and I don't really want to put that much time in, also in the interests of realism, how many NHL teams make 100 moves per year?
Senior Moderator
I'm all for limiting the number of roster moves next time then, folks.
But, please no whining if I decide to maximize out my moves on one week or whatever.
But, please no whining if I decide to maximize out my moves on one week or whatever.
Interesting. Interesting.
I'm with these guys. It takes the fun out of it. I'm doing it now because I know Yummy's gonna do it and I need to keep up with him. Yummy, if you take it down a notch, I will too.
Senior Moderator
I'm 20 points down from you right now...What taking down a notch do you want? I didn't even start off the week with this strategy. You added Ribiero and etc. starting the week and that was when I started being behind. So, I had no choice but to abandon people like Langenbrunner and Guerin to try to get something to catch you.
So, not sure what you're talking about since you started it.
Senior Moderator
Interesting. Interesting.
Senior Moderator
Interesting. Interesting.
The sizzle in the Steak
Stupid Leafs.....start winning!!!!!