2016-2017 NHL Thread

[Bullfrog]

My feelings on this hit are muddy, as others have mentioned. There's no debate it was a clean hit by the rules. But, I have troubles with hits like this that have such a high potential for injury. Hits on unsuspecting players are dangerous and don't really address the point of hitting, which is to gain possession of the puck. On the other hand, I don't know how McCabe eases up on that hit other than to completely avoid it, which would also be contrary to his job of trying to gain possession of the puck.

 

[Bullfrog]

Congrats to Ovechkin, indeed. Sometimes I shrug off the accomplishment of 500 goals, but really, it's rather incredible how difficult of an accomplishment it is. Only 40+ players in the history of the league have hit that mark. It's so rare that anyone even hits 50 goals in a season.......you'd have to do it 10 times to hit 500! Or have 17 30-goal seasons! Nuts.

 

[Bender]

My feelings on this hit are muddy, as others have mentioned. There's no debate it was a clean hit by the rules. But, I have troubles with hits like this that have such a high potential for injury. Hits on unsuspecting players are dangerous and don't really address the point of hitting, which is to gain possession of the puck. On the other hand, I don't know how McCabe eases up on that hit other than to completely avoid it, which would also be contrary to his job of trying to gain possession of the puck.

Yeah I mean it's not like he charged him. Laine almost skated into him. If he's not paying attention right in front it's his own fault.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

 

[McGarnagle]

Nobody has ever made the argument that just the presence of a relatively big and strong player on the ice is a deterrent. It's about that player and their willingness/likelihood to then do something about it either on that shift or the next one.

We're not talking about dave andreychuk here. Byfuglien more than qualifies as a deterrent, if such a thing was effective.

 

[Kin]

We're not talking about dave andreychuk here. Byfuglien more than qualifies as a deterrent, if such a thing was effective.

We're not talking about Bob Probert either. Byfuglien has 5 fights over the last 3 years and is his team's #1 defenseman. He's not exactly a natural choice for someone to take a misconduct and possibly lengthy suspension just for revenge.

However, like I said, it really doesn't matter who it is. Even a small, by NHL standards, player can really hurt someone if they're determined to. The issue is that these guys aren't going to smash someone the way Bertuzzi did because of the consequences that the Bertuzzi incident led to. It could be Zdeno Chara crossed with Bob Probert and if he's not going to just start throwing it doesn't really matter.

 

[L K]

When Columbus waived McInhinney, and then Bobrovsky got sick they had to go with their 3rd string/AHL goaltender and Columbus has now lost 3 of 4 since their win streak.  A few more losses, a little regression to the mean and Torts should be ready to snap.

 

[hockeyfan1]

When Columbus waived McInhinney, and then Bobrovsky got sick they had to go with their 3rd string/AHL goaltender and Columbus has now lost 3 of 4 since their win streak.  A few more losses, a little regression to the mean and Torts should be ready to snap.

In other words, they placed more faith in their third stringer after waiving McElhinney.  Logic dictates that one goes with a decent, not a question mark.  Strange as it may seem, the Blue Jackets are paying the price for this lack of practicality, particularly noting Bobrovsky's health issues over time.  McElhinney would continue to have made a decent backup in spite of some below average performances.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

When Columbus waived McInhinney, and then Bobrovsky got sick they had to go with their 3rd string/AHL goaltender and Columbus has now lost 3 of 4 since their win streak.  A few more losses, a little regression to the mean and Torts should be ready to snap.

In other words, they placed more faith in their third stringer after waiving McElhinney.  Logic dictates that one goes with a decent, not a question mark.  Strange as it may seem, the Blue Jackets are paying the price for this lack of practicality, particularly noting Bobrovsky's health issues over time.  McElhinney would continue to have made a decent backup in spite of some below average performances.

Maybe it's as simple as Columbus wanting to see what they have in Forsberg.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Bolts retire Martin St.Louis' #26 jersey in tribute ceremony before their game last night against the Blue Jackets.  It was the first and only jersey number retired in the team's history.

More:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/martin-st-louis-number-retired-heartfelt-ceremony/

 

[Frank E]

So which teams surprised you in the first half?

For me, Anaheim, Columbus, Minnesota, and Carolina are surprises on the positive side...and obviously the Leafs.

NYI, Tampa, Dallas, and Buffalo are disapointments.

 

[Kin]

I thought Calgary would be better than they are. Ditto for Nashville. I know the Preds have dealt with some injuries but I really figured them to be the class of the league.

Vancouver has been better than I thought. Not much but I really thought they'd be at the bottom of the barrel.

 

[Andy007]

I thought NJ was going to be really good. Loved the addition of Hall. Schneider's play is really hurting them, looks like.

As for overachieving I pick Ottawa. I would have pegged them to finish in the bottom 5. Goaltending seems to be saving them yet again.

 

[bustaheims]

Must have been 80s night in Pittsburgh tonight, with the Caps in town. 8-7 Pens in OT.

 

[Kin]

Tough times in Brooklyn. Capuano has been fired, apparently.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Tough times in Brooklyn. Capuano has been fired, apparently.

From what I understand that was long, long overdue.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Arizona just beat Florida and Tampa back to back. And the Lightning are now in LAST PLACE in the East.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Adam Vingan ‏@AdamVingan  10 hours ago
The Avalanche's .311 points percentage is the worst of any NHL team ? since the 2000-01 season (480 teams). That's something.

I really didn't think we'd see another team tank as badly as Buffalo/Arizona/Edmonton did in the McDavid year, but here we are. Those 3 teams finished with 54, 56, and 62 points respectively. Colorado is on pace for 51 points. And they aren't even TRYING to tank like those teams were.

 

[Deebo]

Adam Vingan ‏@AdamVingan  10 hours ago
The Avalanche's .311 points percentage is the worst of any NHL team ? since the 2000-01 season (480 teams). That's something.

I really didn't think we'd see another team tank as badly as Buffalo/Arizona/Edmonton did in the McDavid year, but here we are. Those 3 teams finished with 54, 56, and 62 points respectively. Colorado is on pace for 51 points. And they aren't even TRYING to tank like those teams were.

2.02 GF/G -62 Goal differential.

They are BAD.

 

[Frank E]

Columbus coming back down to earth, 5-5 in their last 10 games.

 

[herman]

In a calculated effort to be less Toronto Sports Network and more The Sports Network,

http://www.tsn.ca/meet-carey-boom-boom-price-1.658438