NHL 2005-2006 Season

[MCincy]

IMHO, you over-estimate Pittsburgh, ForbiddenPalace. pittsburgh, altough they are greatly ameliorated, aren't going to beast the Devils. Pittsburgh hasn't a great goalie.

Stanley cup: Devils

But it is a little early to judge, isn't it? Especially this year.

New Jersey?!

The Devils reign is over. The new rules hurt their defensive strategy, losing key players (IE Stevens) who they havn't replaced, over the cap, and the atlantic has gotten better ( Philly improves, Pittsburg improves). Seems to me that all these factors leed to the Devils losing ground.

As for Toronto, if they can stay healthy they should make the playoffs.

On the rule changes, the many penalties problem will solve itself as players get use to the rules and things become settled after the long off season, I'm not that concerned.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

The penalties will drop dramatically in number after a while because the refs won't bother enforcing them to the letter anymore. No ref worth his skin will call absolutely every single violation of the rules, told to or not. This is only temporary, we won't have to worry about it. In a couple of months, players will be battling with each other again and we won't be spending half the game on powerplays.

 

[downtown]

The division with Detroit, St.Louis, Nashville, Chicago and Columbus will be the most exciting in the NHL I think. Nashville, Chicago and Columbus got A LOT better. I wouldnt be surprised if the Blue Jackets made their first playoff birth this year.

 

[mastertyguy]

@ Cincy: The Devils still have Brodeur. The goalie is certainly the most important player on the ice. You don't need anybody else than a goalie (think about Buffalo, in '99)

 

[De Lorimier]

The division with Detroit, St.Louis, Nashville, Chicago and Columbus will be the most exciting in the NHL I think. Nashville, Chicago and Columbus got A LOT better. I wouldnt be surprised if the Blue Jackets made their first playoff birth this year.

The best division out there remains the Northeast division, righfully so.

Ottawa is probably the best team in the league, Boston is great, Montréal is on the rise and has a very good team, Buffalo is full of youn players and could surprize a lot of people and Toronto is not dead as many of you seem to think.

The second best one would be the Northwest division. Curious how Canadian teams look so good this year...

 

[mastertyguy]

I agree with De Lorimier. Northeast will be a great division this year. But I think Northwest can be even more interresting. We'll see! IMHO, this year, no division has a clear winner.

May we win the cup!

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Yesterdays scores:

NY Islanders 2 Boston 1
Ottawa 3 Pittsburgh 0
Columbus 2 Nashville 3
St. Louis 5 Chicago 4
Florida 1 Minnesota 2
Detroit 3 Dallas 2
Edmonton 0 Calgary 3
San Jose 3 Vancouver 2 (SO)
Phoenix 3 Anaheim 5

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Scores - September 28, 2005

Ottawa 5 Buffalo 2
Columbus 0 Detroit 9
Boston 2 Montreal 5
St. Louis 4 Dallas 5 (OT)
Edmonton 0 Calgary 5
San Jose 1 Phoenix 0
Vancouver 3 Anaheim 1

 

[Grisu]

hope you don't mind me crashing in, but I have some questions about the NHL and haven't been following it in the last few years, so I'm a bit out of touch..... (hell I haven't really paid attention to it since about '96)...

1) Why are the Habs called Habs?
2) Pasi said something in the other thread about rule-changes that should have improved goalscoring but didn't really. What were these changes?

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

These rule changes were implemented in the AHL, a minor hockey league just below the NHL, and included some "European" rules: no-touch icing, no redline, tag up offsides, etc. It didn't increase scoring significantly in that league, it won't work in the NHL.

They also added shootouts and other such nonsense.

 

[mastertyguy]

@ KaeptnOvi: "Habs" comes, IIRC, from "habitant"

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Scores - September 29, 2005

New Jersey 2 Philadelphia 3
NY Islanders 3 NY Rangers 2 (OT)
Carolina 2 Florida 1 (OT)
Pittsburgh 1 Ottawa 4
Atlanta 5 Nashville 2
Los Angeles 4 Colorado 3 (OT)

 

[Rhymes]

East:
1 Ottawa
2 Tampa Bay
3 Philadelphia
4 Boston
5 Pittsburg
6 Atlanta
7 Montreal
8 Ny islanders

West:
1 Vancouver
2 Detroit
3 Dallas
4 San Jose
5 Edmonton
6 Colorado
7 Nashville
8 Anaheim

Eastern Winner: ottawa Western : Vancouver

Stanley Cup : ottawa

No chance in Hell Toronto wins the Cup, I'de even be suprised if they'r in the playoffs.

This is Ottawa's year, And I predict Spezza ends up in the top 5 score leaders.

 

[Rhymes]

Stanley cup: Devils

But it is a little early to judge, isn't it? Especially this year.

Without Niedermeyer and Stevens, brodeur's job is not gonna be as easy as it was.

New Jersey never had a terrific offense, and thats exactly why they failed last year. I dont see why you would think they'd do better this year without the essence of the team on the ice.

 

[Rhymes]

Score leader board predictions:

1- Marcus Naslund
2- Martin St-Louis
3- Zigmund Palfy (if healthy)
4- Jason Spezza
5- Pavel Datsyyuk
6- Joe Thornton
7- Todd bertuzzi
8- Danny Heatley
9- Ilya Kovalchuk
10- Vincent Lecavalier

Crosby ending up in the 20's

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Is that points or goals?

 

[Rhymes]

Is that points or goals?

Points...........

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

TSN's Power Rankings to start the season:

1)Ottawa Senators
2)Boston Bruins
3)Vancouver Canucks
4)Philadelphia Flyers
5)Tampa Bay Lightning
6)Calgary Flames
7)San Jose Sharks
8)New Jersey Devils
9)Detroit Red Wings
10)Dallas Stars
11)Edmonton Oilers
12)Montreal Canadiens
13)Colorado Avalanche
14)New York Islanders
15)Los Angeles Kings
16)Toronto Maple Leafs
17)Florida Panthers
18)Pittsburgh Penguins
19)Nashville Predators
20)Atlanta Thrashers
21)Phoenix Coyotes
22)Carolina Hurricanes
23)Buffalo Sabres
24)Anaheim Mighty Ducks
25)Minnesota Wild
26)Chicago Blackhawks
27)New York Rangers
28)St. Louis Blues
29)Columbus Blue Jackets
30)Washington Capitals

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=548

 

[pawpaw]

TSN's Power Rankings to start the season:


8)New Jersey Devils
9)Detroit Red Wings
10)Dallas Stars
13)Colorado Avalanche

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=548

So used to that being # 1,2 3 & 4

 

[mastertyguy]

Without Niedermeyer and Stevens, brodeur's job is not gonna be as easy as it was.

New Jersey never had a terrific offense, and thats exactly why they failed last year. I dont see why you would think they'd do better this year without the essence of the team on the ice.

Who cares? Brodeur is all they need! He can stop the pucks. Certainly, Stanley cup winner maybe be too high for them, but the having Brodeur behind the net is all you need. Think about Buffalo, in '99. Did they ahve a powerful offense?