Early NHL Playoff Picks

[pboily]

Finally the Leafs pull a (half) decent trade...

but it won't be enough for them to keep up with Ottawa, Philadelphia and New Jersey. In my mind, they are right up there with Tampa Bay and Boston: good teams, but not enough talent to make it over the hump.

@DeLorimier: C'est pas Réjean Houle qui aurait fait un échange comme ça...

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

The NY Ranger firesale has begun! Lets see if they can actually make the playoffs now that they are selling their high-priced slackers.

 

[De Lorimier]

There's no way they were going to make the playoffs with the all-star team that they had, they're not making it now.
Kovalev!
Sorry, I just like to say/write/think of this word these days.
@Pboily: Peanut aurait probablement donné Koivu, Ribeiro et Zednik pour une location comme Kovalev!

 

[WildFire]

Anyone see that Ranger vs Capital game? If you did (wtf for?) did you recognize anyone?

 

[pboily]

No but I saw the Sens-Flyers...

a stinker of a game for the first 58 minutes... the only reason I kept on watching was to see if Brashear was going to try to kill Havlat... next thing you know, it turns into another Bloody Friday. (Canadiens-Nordiques in the 80's)

It was unreal. Every time they dropped the puck, another brawl would start.

And the Flyers had a 3:2 edge, I'd say.

Man, Brashear is huge!

Who knew the Sens were gonna be in the record book for the most penalized game in history? Hopefully, the rivalries with Philly and the Leafs (spits on the ground) only get better... What we need is a tough 7 game series against Montréal (with Ottawa victorious, of course)... then we'd have about 15 kick ass games next year.

What are some of the intense rivalries (past / present) with your clubs?

 

[WildFire]

Canadians vs Bruins

'Nough said.

 

[Constantine]

leafs and Habs may be that intesnse of a fighting rivarly but almost all the games between them are exciting quailty hockey.

 

[De Lorimier]

Well I'm eager to see what's going to happen to the Canucks and to Bertuzzi. I hope he gets suspended at least for the end of the regular season, if not more. What he did was one of the stupidest move I've seen on the ice.
Lots of trade today, the Leafs are scarier than ever but they won't win...because they're the freakin' Leafs! 1967 anyone?
Colorado looks a lot better now, so does Ottawa, This year's playoffs are going to be great!

 

[sysyphus]

Originally posted by De Lorimier
Well I'm eager to see what's going to happen to the Canucks and to Bertuzzi. I hope he gets suspended at least for the end of the regular season, if not more. What he did was one of the stupidest move I've seen on the ice.

It's disgusting what hockey has come to. I'm sure Don Cherry will flip out at any action taken against Bertuzzi since he's an anglo-Canadian player. The Vancouver police are thinking of charging him, and they should.

This highlights a real problem in hockey though. The punishment shouldn't end with Bertuzzi because the game of hockey has let it come to this. Anyone who plays the game should have the sense to know the difference between good rugged playing and nonsensical crap like this.

It's about time that all hockey authorities set out to get this crap under control, and really all people who play hockey, pro or ameteur, should do the same.

I play in a "Non-contact" league myself. I put quotes around that because hockey without any contact at all is impossible, but they could call way more than they do in my league. I like checking and mucking about as much as anyone else, but when guys start hitting from behind and using their sticks it's time to get the game under control.

In the very least, players should learn to respect the head, which many don't.

Originally posted by De Lorimier

Lots of trade today, the Leafs are scarier than ever but they won't win...because they're the freakin' Leafs! 1967 anyone?

1967? Oh yes, the year the Leafs beat the HABS!

Never you mind my friend, the Cup is only travelling 1km this year.

 

[pboily]

Well, Francis is a good pick-up... but the blue line is still as porous as a piece of bread that has been soaking over the last 36 (37?) years.

But don't worry, the Cup won't have to leave Ontario.

I don't think Cherry will stand up for Bertuzzi. He will probably go on and on and rant about the instigator rule.

 

[Drewcifer]

I should preface what I say by saying that when the Canucks aren't playing the Wild they are one of my favorite teams. What Bertuzzi did tonight was beyond the boundries of tough nosed physical hockey. If he did it in a Wild uniform I would still be pissed as hell. He should be disqualified for the rest of the season and post-season at the very least. He could of killed the guy. Of course hockey is a physical game but it is sad to see an all-star caliber player resorting to such gutter thug type play. Next time Bertuzzi plays the Avs it could get ugly. I'm not saying it is right but it certainly ain't wrong. If the NHL doesn't take a stand against this type of play it is only a matter of time before someone leaves the ice in a body bag. If you do something on the ice that would be a felony in a bar it should still be a felony on the ice, I don't care if you are an athlete, that does not justify assult with intent to do bodily harm, bodily assult that could potentially kill. Bertuzzi is a marked man, next time he skates someone will try to take him out; I don't care how big he is someone will try to make it happen. Hopefully the cycle will be broken before then and nobody will try to break his neck. Among others, I really feel for the Canucks fans, one of their stars has let them down in a big way.

 

[pboily]

If I was a Canuck player, which I hasten to add I am not, I'd prefer he was suspended if only so that we can avoid the commotion and media circus for the rest of the season and the playoffs.

That being said, Drewcifer is bang on.

Except about rooting for the Wild.

 

[Lumin]

I guess i'm like the only Oiler fan in here. it makes me so sad, but of course if they don't make it to the playoff i'll cheer for the Canucks.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Originally posted by sysyphus
Never you mind my friend, the Cup is only travelling 1km this year.

Travelling 1 km to the airport(or however far it is) so it can fly to Ottawa

 

[De Lorimier]

One thing we know for sure: it's not travelling to Vancouver!
Bertuzzi got what he deserved. I'm glad the league did the right thing and suspended him for the remaining of the regular season and the playoffs. Bertuzzi did the right thing by apologizing last night but what he did was horrible and he shouldn't be playing hockey again this year. What do you guys think of the possible criminal accusations against him? Or the role of Marc Crawford in this incident?

 

[pawpaw]

i'm so tired of him and teammates saying he wasn't trying to "hurt" moore-- is sucker punching and jumping on their back a new way to ask some out for a date? what he's sorry for is he got catch and in trouble!!! just like any criminal their only sorry AFTER the fact. i hope vancover loses in the first round so all his teammates bare his punishment too.

 

[pboily]

I am curious about the NHLPA stance on this: on the one hand, they have to protect a member from League punishment, on the other, they have to protect the health of another.

Are they going to pretend that both are compatible...

 

[De Lorimier]

I guess this will be talked about in the negociations over the next CBA this summer.

The NHLPA and the NHL should definately arrange some sort of new rules to enforce respect between the players.

There's more high sticks call now than ever. There's a huge lack of respect between people in the same union and it's wrong. Players are hurting themselves in ways that could endager their careers and if the NHLPA doesn't do anything we might see somebody getting killed on the ice.

 

[Brewster]

As a Canucks fan, I must say I was diguested by the game against the Avs the other night. Sure there was some intesity and fighting once the game got out of hand (about 15 minuits in the first period), but what Bertuzzi did was totally uncalled for. I'm sure he didn't mean to really hurt Moore the way he did but what happened happened. There is no place for that kind of behavior in the game of hockey and I fully agree with the suspension handed to one of my favorite players.

The Canucks might lose in the first round, but it won't be for a lack of effort.

 

[pboily]

I think he may have (part of) a point...

Source