Official NHL 2005-2006 Season Thread

[Mama Kin]

The 3-0 win over the Sens tonight with Sturm and Stuart getting points make it seem wiser.

[Mal Brossard]

Wait for a goalie to trade Thornton?  WHY?  You have two good ones in Raycroft and Toivonen.

Leetch is more of an offensive D-man, AND aging, AND has already been injured once this season.  He's on his last legs.  Stuart is a good pickup for a weak defensive corps.

In addition, the B's biggest problem has been their depth.  Once you get past those first two lines, there's nothing.  Samsonov-Thornton-Murray is great, of course.  Isbister-Bergeron-McEachern was alright.  The problem there was no one really pairs well with Patrice's speed in the middle.  The third and fourth lines had an extreme drop-off to some penalty killers and roleplayers-- Axelsson-Zhamnov-Fitzgerald, and Scatchard-Green-Orr.  And once injuries came about, the team had to turn to stiffs like Pat Leahy, Brad Boyes, Eric Nickulas, Zdenek Blatny, Eric Healey, and Jay Leach.  WHO?!?!?!

So now, you have Samsonov-Bergeron-Murray on the first line.  Patrice finally has a winger with some speed to go along with him.  Line 2 has Sturm-Zhamnov-Isbister together.  I like the addition of Sturm, especially over McEachern.  Axelsson-Primeau-Fitzgerald make line 3-- a VERY good penalty killing combo.  Fourth line is Boyes-Green-Lacouture.  So despite losing one of the top power forwards in the game (and I use that term VERY loosely), the Bruins added depth, which they desperately need.

Just for the hell of it, let's look at the D.

BEFORE
Slegr, Boynton, Leetch, Gill, Dallman, Alberts, Moran, Jurcina

AFTER
Slegr, Stuart, Boynton, Leetch, Tanabe, Gill, Dallman, Alberts, Moran, Jurcina

The key to the trade is depth.  And also, a source of mine tells me this wasn't a trade because of Thornton's performance ON the ice, but rather his attitude OFF the ice.

As an autograph collector, all I have to say is-- Joe, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.  Good riddance.

[Rob]

Damn, you people talk about the Penguins a lot around here.  I guess I'll talk about them too.  How bout them Rangers beating the Penguins?  The win-streak continues.

[Skeba]

And the Penguins losing streak.. yahoo.. God damnit..

It's like, when they have Fleury in goal, they only allow 2-3 goals a game, but the forwards get nothing done. Damn!

[Neemo]

Wait for a goalie to trade Thornton?? WHY?? You have two good ones in Raycroft and Toivonen.

Raycroft's play has been mediocre at best and Toivonen is a rookie, I was talking about picking up a proven veteran goaltender.

Thorton is a franchise player, and he's only 25. whatever.

One thing I totally forgot about till seeing the Box Score this morning was Zhamnov, cuz he's been a ghost so far this year with his injury and all.

Of course it all looks good after Sturm's 2 pt night but can he keep up the pace like Joe? we'll see. I also wonder how good Murray will be without Thorton feeding him.

I agree Stuart is a good pick up, you can't have too much 'D' but for Thorton? come on.

Well if both teams wanted a shakeup they got one, that's for sure, If i was on Boston i'd be like "Holy fuck!!! if they can trade him then nobody here is safe"

[sandman]

i think boston management has been frustrated with thorton for years. they pay him all that money and

- he's not a leader off the ice.
- he's been terrible in the playoffs
- the team has been awful in the playoffs with him as their leader
- he doesn't play physical and use his size as he should

i don't want to say he doesn't have the heart to be a winner, but he's certainly not as gritty as he should be.

BUT, the W vs. ottawa aside, my initial reaction is that it wasn't a great trade for boston. time will tell. 
 

[Skeba]

Another L for Penguins. Again, with a one goal margin. 3rd time in a row! And this time they allowed a goal for Calgary that wasn't even a goal?! What the fuck is up with that? And they didn't even consult the video referee in Toronto, which yhey appearently should've.  Like these teams need to be helped to get a win over Pittsburgh?? Fuck!! 

[sandman]

rough season for the pens.

recchi has 1 goal in his last 13 games, and is a minus 15 during that span.

leclair has 1 goal in his last 10 games, and is a minus 4 during that span.

[KeVoRkIaN]

Not to mention Lemieux's health...

[KeVoRkIaN]

A Leafs Carol:

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, six useless d-men, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, seven forwards slumping, six useless d-men, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, eight shootout losses, seven forwards slumping, six useless d-men, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine better Marlies, eight shootout losses, seven forwards slumping, six useless d-men, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, ten scoreless shifts, nine better Marlies, eight shootout losses, seven forwards slumping, six useless d-men, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, eleven home ice losses, ten scoreless shifts, nine better Marlies, eight shootout losses, seven forwards slumping, six useless d-men, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve rounds of golf, eleven home ice losses, ten scoreless shifts, nine better Marlies, eight shootout losses, seven forwards slumping, six useless d-men, FIVE FLYERS GOALS, four decades losing, three coaches bungling, two lucky goals and an overpayed Swede who wears the C.

Yes - I wrote that - merry Christmas Leafers - Should be 8 Ottawa goals though - lol

[sandman]

no spezza on the olympic team?

what the hell is up with that?

[Neemo]

no spezza on the olympic team?

what the hell is up with that?

or Staal who is #1 in goals scored, or McCabe highest scoring defenseman and Turco is a 3rd stringer?!!! best goalie stats of the 3

Heatley is playing Spezza should to, they just know each other

Oh well we'll still kick ass, and Nash and Gagne are both far under 100% so maybe they'll get in anyway

[sandman]

no spezza on the olympic team?

what the hell is up with that?

or Staal who is #1 in goals scored, or McCabe highest scoring defenseman and Turco is a 3rd stringer?!!! best goalie stats of the 3

Heatley is playing Spezza should to, they just know each other

Oh well we'll still kick ass, and Nash and Gagne are both far under 100% so maybe they'll get in anyway

i agree....why would you not have heatley and spezza on a line together? and maybe the top line at that.

gagne returns for the huge game tonight vs. ottawa.

i am actually going to the game. kicking my long holiday weekend off with some live hockey action!

[Neemo]

i agree....why would you not have heatley and spezza on a line together? and maybe the top line at that.

No doubt, they have proven they have chemistry together. alfy/spez/heat are ranked #3, 4 & 5 in overall points.

gagne returns for the huge game tonight vs. ottawa.

i am actually going to the game. kicking my long holiday weekend off with some live hockey action!

BASTARD!!!! I'm jealous. Have a good time.

I haven't been to an NHL game in 10 years, I've seen tonnes of AHL and OHL but no NHL, I'm not willing to dish out tonnes of cash to see the Leafs, I might try to get tickets to Buffalo later this year or next year, maybe, we'll see, but that Philly/Ottawa game sounds like it'll be a good one. I'd love to see Forsberg live, and the Alfredsson/Spezza/Heatly line is killer

[sandman]

the game was awesome. the flyers played their best period of the year in the first. they were physical and had a ton of scoring chances. and gagne didn't miss a beat. he looks the same as he did before his injury.

it was a little disappointing having the sens score 3 straight and make a game of it. but still, the flyers are 2-0 vs. the sens this season. which is big considering the sens only have 6 regulation losses and 2 are vs. the flyers. 

the flyers start an 11-game road trip tonight in pittsburgh. i think they play 11 road games in 22 days.

[Skeba]

Well, they'll propably want to start it off strong.. That's bad news for the Pens. Hopefully the one week off has done the trick for Pittsburgh and that they'll be able to challenge the Flyers tonight. Although I do think that with the attacking material they have, and with Fleury in goal you should be able to do more than to just 'challenge' other teams.

We'll see.

[Skeba]

Well, we were able to challenge... but again (for the 11th time 12 games actually) we lost.. too bad.

[Rob]

I don't know who to back in the Olympics.  I'm American, but the Czech Republic team has 5 Rangers on it.

[sandman]

Well, we were able to challenge... but again (for the 11th time 12 games actually) we lost.. too bad.

yes, it was a great game. crosby stepped up and i thought the pens would win. but this flyers team continues to win games. almost all of their games have been close (several 1 goal games) and they find a way to win most of them.

last night was another example. florida outplayed us, forsberg had a bad game, and luongo looked awesome. but we fought back and tied it in the third. it goes to a shootout and none of the first 6 scored. then handzus comes down and calmy goes top-shelf with a backhander. so the flyers won another one, and we've finally taken over first in the division from the rangers. 2-0 so far on this 11-game road trip.

[Skeba]

Another defeat... but in OT.. First point in.. I don't know how many games. Fleury was excellent. From what I saw from the highlights that is.

Hopefully they'll start getting some W's as well...