Official NHL 2005-2006 Season Thread

[sandman]

i agree as well.

but why don't you like him. he's one of the toughest guys in the league, he's a great enforcer. and he can hold his own as far as skill goes.

i've met him several times and he's such a nice guy. mad cool.

[Communist China]

Anyone see Pat LaFontaine have his jersey retired in Buffalo? That was cool, he is often forgotten in discussions about the all-time greats but he is clearly the best American forward to ever play. Shame some asshole hit him in the head like a baseball swing. Right now the Leafs are showing why they're 11th in the East at Buffalo.

[sandman]

RUMOR: flyers trade - esche and brashear for todd bertuzzi.

just a rumor.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060304/SPORTS04/603040366/1017

with the trade deadline coming up this week, there's gonna be all kinds of rumors. if anyone knows of any, i'd love to hear them.

[Mal Brossard]

In regards to why I don't like Brashear, I give you a three-fold answer.

1. He's a spot-picker.  He will only fight on his terms when he feels like fighting.  A true enforcer will fight when the team needs him to fight, not just when he wants to.  If an opponent takes a run at a star player, the enforcer goes after him.  I have seen far too many times where Brashear declines to do so.  I've seen him blatantly duck fights several times-- Marty McSorley just before the slash to the head for one, and a fake glove-drop on Scott Parker for another (Parker did it right back to him later in that game).

2. His fighting style.  We've seen he can give a hell of a punch and take some good ones.  So why do all the huggy-bear crap that he does?  Hug the guy to death, punch, punch, punch, back to a bear-hug, then a few more punches.  Last time I saw him truly open up and go toe-to-toe in a good battle (other than the fight vs. Eric Godard early on this year), willing to receive a few in order to give a few huge ones back was in 1998, I believe, as a Vancouver Canuck, when he fought Dan Kordic, with Kordic getting the edge in a good fight.

3. His ethics in fighting.  I've seen a few times where he'll be winning a fight, but then the opponent starts to come back and he just decides to bail out, similar to spot-picking.  The main one coming to mind there is the Tie Domi fight in the 2004 playoffs.  Brash is winning, Domi comes back, and Brashear bails out.

He's a hell of a fighter.  If he would just open up and go toe to toe more often, he could be the best ever, or at least a top 10 all-time.

I've also met Brashear a few times.  He's basically a good guy-- signed a card, got a picture with him.  As with most players, I can name plenty of nicer guys in the league and plenty who are bigger assholes.

More on this thing with Kasparaitis, "Brashear, whose one-day salary of $8,918.37 will go to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund, did not return a phone message.  He said after Thursday night's game that Kasparaitis has not seen the last of him.  'Maybe next time,' Brashear said, 'if he keeps playing like that, maybe it will be worse.' Kasparaitis seemed amused by Brashear's threats after the game when he quipped, 'I have a big head, it doesn't hurt.'"

However, they did cut out the part where Kasparaitis said "I also have a hairless vagina" but I guess thats the media for you.

Forgot to add I've also heard rumors of Brash being sent to Detroit, Carolina, or possibly even the Rangers.

[Malcolm]

TORONTO (AP) - Maple Leafs forward Eric Lindros will undergo surgery after tearing a ligament in his right wrist Saturday against the Ottawa Senators.

Lindros hurt the wrist earlier this season and recently returned after missing 26 games. He aggravated the injury when he took a slap shot in the second period Saturday, and didn't return in the third.

"I tore it," Lindros said. "I'm going to need surgery this week."

Lindros declined to have surgery when he first got hurt in December.

The Toronto native might have played his last game in a Maple Leafs uniform if the surgery forces him to miss the rest of the season.

"It's been a frustrating time for him and us as well. We had hoped to have him healthy," coach Pat Quinn said.

Lindros signed a one-year, $1.55 million contract last summer, fulfilling a lifelong dream to play for the Leafs.

His career has been plagued by concussions.

"His history has been to miss some games. With his history, you wouldn't think it would be something like a wrist," Quinn said.

[Neemo]

In regards to why I don't like Brashear, I give you a three-fold answer.

I agree with all of them but you didn't mention the most important reason why I don't like him

He's a fucking asshole

He can dish out he punches, that's for sure, but when it comes time for him to take a few, he's a fucking crybaby, he's a bully in short. Cocksucker ended McSorely's carreer, over basically a nothing incident

McSorely, Probert, Ray among others...those were the real tough-guys, dishing it out or taking shots to the head, they never said shit, just went out and played their game. Brashear thinks he's some kinda pioneering fucking hero. I hope Detroit doesn't get him they never shoulda gotten gid of Darren McCarty in the first place (I'm still pissed about that move )

[Communist China]

I don't like the idea of a "pure" enforcer. I like guys who are tough and will fight if needed but can also forecheck pass and skate (ex. Grier, and I would include Bertuzzi but he's an asshole and I hate him for what he's done to some of the greats).

Who's the best enforcer ever?

[Neemo]

I don't like the idea of a "pure" enforcer. I like guys who are tough and will fight if needed but can also forecheck pass and skate (ex. Grier, and I would include Bertuzzi but he's an asshole and I hate him for what he's done to some of the greats).

Who's the best enforcer ever?

Wendle Clark or Bobby Probert

and who are "some of the greats" ? I hope your not implying Steve moore is/was a great player

[Mal Brossard]

Best enforcer ever has to go to Probert.  No one had his longevity as a top 10 guy every year from 1987 well into the late 1990's.  He fought everyone, most of them multiple times.  There are only a handful that he fought and never beat (Chris Simon and Sandy McCarthy are the big ones coming to mind).  Additionally, he skated on Steve Yzerman's line for a while, putting up a 29-goal season with a spot in the All-Star Game.

Others who should be on this list of tough guys who could also play well are Clark Gillies, Bob Nystrom, Gordie Howe, John Ferguson, and any of the "original" group of power forwards-- Cam Neely, Rick Tocchet, Wendel Clark, and Shayne Corson.  The current term "power forward" pisses me off.  These original guys could score, check, forecheck, backcheck, and fight.  The current breed of "power forwards" (e.g. Bertuzzi, Iginla, LeClair, Thornton, etc.) are NOTHING compared to these guys.  Now all you have to do to be called a power forward is have a good shot and occasionally throw your weight around in front of the net.  I hate it.  Out of that group, I'd say Iginla is by FAR the best, followed by Thornton in a close second.

As for 10 best fighters ever, I've been through this many a time.  Bob Probert, Nick Fotiu, Dave Brown, Behn Wilson, Clark Gillies, Marty McSorley, Joe Kocur, Glen Cochrane, John Kordic, Bob Nystrom.  I already know what the next responses I get will be-- "You forgot Dave Schultz and Tony Twist."

I could go on and on for weeks/months/years on how overrated these guys are as fighters.  Just ask the question and I'll give my 98 cents on it.  But before anyone asks, just remember, it could be very long.

[Neemo]

I could go on and on for weeks/months/years on how overrated these guys are as fighters.? Just ask the question and I'll give my 98 cents on it.? But before anyone asks, just remember, it could be very long.

overrated who? Twist and Shultz?

My only beef is you forgot Rob Ray, but a good list And don't forget Ron Hextall back in the day He was a fucking Nutcase Belfour's hacks look like love taps compared to some of Hextall's shit.

One time at a Hockey card show in Detroit, there was this guy with a tape of hockey fights (6 full hours) I finally talked him into selling it, $10 it's a fucking sweet tape man, lotsa Probert scraps on there

[Mal Brossard]

Yes, I am calling Twist and Schultz overrated by many.

Ray is a great fighter, but I wouldn't call him a top 10 guy at all.  Top 20 maybe, top 25 certainly.  And Hextall is certainly one of the best goalie fighters ever, along with Jim Pettie, Billy Smith, Gerry Cheevers, and Dan Cloutier.

I have an assload of fight tapes-- probably over 150 hours worth-- on various VHS tapes that I want to convert to DVD as soon as I can get them down here to Texas from Ohio, where they're currently taking up space in my Dad's house.  That's how I and many other serious hockey fight fans compile rankings.  I know there's another member here (Philly Riot) who's also a member at the hockey fight board I post at.

[Communist China]

Rob Ray will always be my favorite. Anyone who causes the NHL to add a new rule is pretty baddass. He was an emotional leader and was loyal to his team and community, and was an enforcer but seemed to not take as many cheap shots on star players. I really liked that about him. He comments on the Sabres Post game show now, and it looks like he took a few too many shots to the head at times.

[sandman]

RUMOR: mark rhecchi for rj umberger

[Acquiesce]

RUMOR: mark rhecchi for rj umberger

Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope it doesn't happen but I have a feeling it will. 

[sandman]

RUMOR: mark rhecchi for rj umberger

Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope it doesn't happen but I have a feeling it will.?

i agree with you. i am not a big rhecchi fan anymore.

i'd be shocked if the flyers do not make a trade, and both sides are very interested in this deal.

it's almost guaranteed rhecchi is getting traded. if not to the flyers, very likely to the flames.

[Acquiesce]

i agree with you. i am not a big rhecchi fan anymore.

i'd be shocked if the flyers do not make a trade, and both sides are very interested in this deal.

it's almost guaranteed rhecchi is getting traded. if not to the flyers, very likely to the flames.

I am not a big fan of Recchi anymore, either. Plus, I think RJ is too much to give up for him. It looks like the Recchi rumors have cooled off a bit. The Sens are supposedly interested in him now. Now there are rumors of JR returning instead. I am going crazy until the deadline!

[Skeba]

Well.. Being a Pens fan... I really don't care if Pens trade Recchi away.. If they do, it's an investment to the future. If they don't. Well.. He's made a pretty good amount of points this season, and hopefully it'll continue.

I don't know. It's kinda hard to be a Pens fan right now. We have Crosby, Fleury... About a line worth of good solid players. Malkin's coming next year. But we should get a lot more if we wanted to start winning games on a constant basis.

[Malcolm]

Heres some of the big moves around the NHL


The Minnesota Wild traded veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson to the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday for a first-round pick in the 2006 Entry Draft and a conditional draft pick. That will be a third-round pick in 2006 if the Oilers are able to sign Roloson to a contract for the 2006-07 NHL season.

The Boston Bruins have claimed veteran forward Mariusz Czerkawski off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS-Traded D Luke Richardson to Toronto for a conditional draft pick.

NEW YORK RANGERS-Traded F Ville Nieminen to San Jose for a 2006 thrid-round draft pick.

[Communist China]

Rolie the Goalie's always been overrated...

[Malcolm]

The Colorado Avalanche announced today that the club has acquired goaltender Jose Theodore from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for goaltender David Aebischer.