Yumcha

So, we're entering a 3rd into the season and I'm still marvelling at how well the Coyotes and Avs are doing.

Anyone see this coming?



My biggest shock is how poorly Anaheim is doing. Toronto too. I never thought the Leafs would be that bad. I had them at 7th or 8th overall in the East. But, they seem to have gotten their act together in the last 10.

Moog-Type-S

Happy to see the sucks in the toilet....although on paper they should be way better.

Toronto What else is new.

The Avs are a mind-bender.

Tippet is a fantastic coach...hence why Phoenix is doing so well.

Kings vs Coyotes tonight!

Lets Go Kings!

Yumcha

Is your hatred of the Ducks as deep as mine for the Pink Things (who deserve a for being out of a playoff spot right now and lost again last night)...?

Moog-Type-S

It's the same and different.....the Ducks have and always will be a joke of a franchise.....Mickey Mouse owned them...they were named after a horrible bunch of films....the mascot is a Disney creation......OC fans are pathetic morons that know nothing of the sport.

Your hatred of the Wings (unless I am incorrect) is that they are your closest rivals...and they have won soooooooooo much....and you hate them for it.....and they are loaded with bandwagon fans which is the worst.



















...and I forgot to mention that I am very bitter that the Sucks won a Stanley Cup so early in their franchise history....and the Kings have yet to win one.

Yumcha

Ah. Thanks for explaining things...Do you dislike the Sharks as much as the Ducks or are they more bareable because they were not owned by Mickey Mouse and etc. etc...?



And yes, you are right on the $$ about my dislike for the Wings.

That being said, as successful as they are, my dislike for them is on the same level as the Vikings and Packers for football. And well, those latter franchises are not nearly as successful.

But, yeah...any sign of success for any of those clubs is just suckage.

dom

Fawkin B's really know how to rub it in. Not only will they pick in the top 3 thank's to Toronto. But they beat us twice in a week using the golaie we drafted and gave up for Andrew Raycroft (I mean seriously WTF)

wstevens

The Redskins of hockey!

dom

Fixed.

And yet, they're raking in millions and fill every seat in the building. Besides Green Bay, what other city's residents are this dumb? Even the Habs had empty seats a few years ago when they were terrible.

Yumcha

^ The fanbase is probably hockey's equivalent of the Cubs fans...?

Moog-Type-S

Kings beat the Yotes after 8 rounds of shoot-out

Moog-Type-S

Kings fans don't like the Sharks either...but not as much as we hate the Sucks!

Guppie fans think there is some sort of rivalry...SoCal v NoCal.....SoCal Hockey fans don't care as much about it as the NoCal fans do.

Yumcha

Kings are 2nd overall in the League.

Moog-Type-S

^^ Don't jinx 'em

Moog-Type-S

First in the West!!!!
Go Kings!

Quick with the second most wins in the league

herbalist

Kings are a huge surprise this year. Too bad they don't hand out the Stanley Cup in December though.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

^^^Jonathan Quick looks pretty good between the pipes! Hey, it's the Blackhawks at home against Tampa tonight.

Yumcha

Niemi pitches a shutout again!

Yumcha

CNNSI picks its all-decade team: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...eam/index.html



Really, Giguere...?

herbalist

He was unbelievable the year he won the Conn Smythe with the illegal equipment.

jupitersolo

Caps are on a West Coast trip this week, sucks, games won't start until 10pm local.

Moog-Type-S

@ Floppa making the list

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

I saw the Toronto/Ottawa highlights this morning. The Leafs are almost back to .500-slowly climbing back to "respectability".

Yumcha

And the beat the Caps the other day too...

SG81

iTrader: (1)

can't be leaf the leafs are only 2 points out of a playoff spot

Yumcha

^ Toldja cranky Torontonians that the Leafs are within striking distance of the last playoff spot.

Moog-Type-S

8th spot playoffs for the Leafs...or the black hole between a top pick and meh pick.

Yumcha

They don't have a pick, Waldorf...

dom

Fixed.

Yumcha

I rarely swear.

dom

2 factors on why the Leafs are only 2 points out.

1. Philly and the Rangers are playing terrible. That won't last forever.
2. Leafs are playing good hockey. Disciplined and hard working. While that may not change, they simply don't have enough good players to make that last.

They still lack skill and the horses to get them into the playoffs. And the franchise's so called future shut down D-Man has been a healthy scratch the last 2 games.

Somewhere in this thread is my post where I said Scheen looks closer to being the next Luke Richardson than he does Scott Stevens.

Yumcha

^ Disagree. Please look at teams like the Predators and Coyotes...two franchises clearly contending but playing with ALOT less. And to make it even more amazing, they are doing it in the Western Conference.

Your Leafs are arguably significantly better on paper than either of those two teams. If they continue this play, there is no reason why they can't hold on to a spot.

Philly looks beyond lost right now and apparently have a huge rift in the locker room...and the Rangers are the Rangers -- a one-line team that can't do much outside of Gaborik.

Leafs have a shot.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

fixed

Yumcha

Fook you!

dom

I'm not familiar with the rosters of those teams but ALOT less? The Leafs have exactly 2 forwards that would be considered top 6 on any other team in the league and sub par goal tending. I'll grant that their defense corps may be better. But ALOT? I don't think so.

Yumcha

Here's the Preds forwards:

Jason Arnott
Wade Belak
J P Dumont
Martin Erat
Marcel Goc
Patric Hornqvist
Ryan Jones
David Legwand
Dave Scatchard
Jerred Smithson
Steve Sullivan
Jordin Tootoo
Joel Ward

The Leafs:

Jason Blake
Mikhail Grabovski
Niklas Hagman
Christian Hanson
Phil Kessel
Nikolai Kulemin
Jamal Mayers
John Mitchell
Colton Orr
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Wayne Primeau
Matt Stajan
Lee Stempniak
Rickard Wallin


Personally, I think the Leafs look alot better up front.
On D...here's the Preds:

Francis Bouillon
Dan Hamhuis
Kevin Klein
Alexander Sulzer
Ryan Suter
Shea Weber

...versus Toronto's:

Francois Beauchemin
Garnet Exelby
Jeff Finger
Carl Gunnarsson
Tomas Kaberle
Mike Komisarek
Luke Schenn
Mike Van Ryn
Ian White

Again, sure...Suter and Weber are studs...but, the rest? Toronto also has arguable studs too in Komisarek, Kaberle, and Beauchemin.

Yumcha

As for Phoenix...outside of Bryzgalov and Doan...not sure who else they have.

Moog-Type-S

Oof!....then again not too surprising.

Rounder

lol?

Mueller
Boedker
Tikhonov (RUS)
Hanzal
Korpikoski

are their good young guys.

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/roster.htm?type=roster

not a horrid group...

dom

We shall see Yummy, we shall see.

Yumcha

Never said they were...just pointing out to dom that I think the Leafs have a shot. They have a roster that seems as competitive as any and I thought the Coyotes had less to work with.

Mueller is apparently in the coach's doghouse and rumored to be "available" for the right price.