The Official 2008/2009 NHL Thread

[AxlsMainMan]

After they won games 3 and 4, I was cautiously optimistic

[Eazy E]

So... Who saw this series going seven games after the total fail of the first two?

I didn't see it going seven games after the total fail of the 5th game either.

Can the Pens WIN in Detroit?  They just need one good game now.

[D]

I was in DC when everybody thought they couldn't and they torched the Caps.

so its possible.

[chineseblues]

It would have been over last night for the penguins if it wasn't for all the no calls from the refs....

[Mal Brossard]

It would have been over last night for the penguins if it wasn't for all the no calls from the refs....

Considering the refs missed two calls that should have been penalty shots in games 1 and 2, you have no place to complain.

[chineseblues]

It would have been over last night for the penguins if it wasn't for all the no calls from the refs....

Considering the refs missed two calls that should have been penalty shots in games 1 and 2, you have no place to complain.

Wasn't complaining, just pointing out a fact....

[Mal Brossard]

That's opinion.  Not fact.  Big difference.

[AxlsMainMan]

I bet Hossa is looking for a time machine right about now

[Mal Brossard]

I bet Hossa is looking for a time machine right about now

You mean in between bouts of crying like the little bitch that he is, right?

[D]

WOW that Wings show that hit the crossbar at the top! DAMN!!!!!!


what an amazing game.

[Yesterday]

I wasn't sure we could come back from being down 0-2.  But we did and what a game.  Crosby is only 21, Malkin is only 22.  Dynasty perhaps?

Let's go Pens!!!!!

I am so happy for Mario!!! What a couple of years the Pens have been through, almost being moved, etc.  And Detroit, is a great team.  But Hossa, um, since you only signed for 1 year with the Wings, you coming back to the 'burgh?

[Alan]

the playoff's this year seemed to be plauged by "missed calls" from the officials. kinda took away from it for me.

congrats to the pens for winning.

and congrats to bettman for getting the finals he wanted, get tough on dangerous hits and fighting with the instigator penalty, and the game suspension for starting a fight in the last 5 minutes of a game

unless you're kronwall in the conference finals, or malkin the the cup final.


also don cherry is unreal, his head is so far up crosby's ass it's insane. gets if ovi celebrates scoring, but commends crosby for slashing other players when he's losing.



-------------

however on a positive note, heatley to the oilers seems like quite a good possibility, finally we'd have someone to finish hemsky's passes

[AxlsMainMan]

WOW that Wings show that hit the crossbar at the top! DAMN!!!!!!


what an amazing game.

Lidstrom had 2 good chances with like 5 seconds left in the game too.

[D]

On that second pittsburgh goal, What was Osgood thinking?

Why didn't he cut off the net on the side of the shot and force that guy to take a more difficult shot?

its like he stood in the middle of the net and allowed a shot to go to the near part of the goal

if he cheats over and blocks that side off, there is no way he makes that goal.

[Mal Brossard]

[Malcolm]

Flyers acquire Pronger

MONTREAL -- The Philadelphia Flyers made the biggest early splash at the NHL draft -- and they were nowhere near the podium.

The Flyers acquired towering defenceman Chris Pronger and prospect Ryan Dingle from the Anaheim Ducks for forward Joffrey Lupul, defenceman Luca Sbisa, first-round picks in 2009 and 2010 and a conditional third-round pick in 2010 or 2011.

Pronger, who had 11 goals and 37 assists in 82 games last season, is going into the final year of a deal that will pay him US$6.25 million next season.

[Alan]

overpayment for pronger?

draft day was a bit dull this year, i'm suprised MPS dropped down to 10th happy the oilers got him though

I wasn't sure we could come back from being down 0-2.  But we did and what a game.  Crosby is only 21, Malkin is only 22.  Dynasty perhaps?

Let's go Pens!!!!!

I am so happy for Mario!!! What a couple of years the Pens have been through, almost being moved, etc.  And Detroit, is a great team.  But Hossa, um, since you only signed for 1 year with the Wings, you coming back to the 'burgh?

you'll have a dynasty if the NHL keep bending the rules to let sid win.

malkin not having his jersey tied down (hossa was suspended for this)
malkin hitting the ref (carcillo suspended for this in round 1)
malkin instigating a fight in the last 5 minutes (automatic 1 game suspension)

without malkin the pens would only have 2 guys playing C, since they roll crosby and malkin on 4th line duty

[Malcolm]

Few Headlines

NIEDERMAYER TO RETURN NEXT SEASON

Sources tell TSN Scott Niedermayer has informed the Anaheim Ducks he intends to play next season. It's likely Niedermayer will re-sign with the Ducks, however the veteran defenceman has to negotiate a contract. Sources say both Ducks GM Bob Murray and Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson spoke with Niedermayer this week on whether he would return. The Ducks should be considered the frontrunner to sign him, although San Jose, Vancouver and Calgary are also believed to have strong interest.

VETERAN SELANNE TO RETURN FOR ANOTHER SEASON WITH DUCKS

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Ten-time all-star Teemu Selanne has decided to play another season with the Anaheim Ducks. Selanne's decision, announced by the Ducks on Saturday, came a day after defenceman Scott Niedermayer, who turns 36 in August, told the team he's coming back. Selanne turns 39 next week. "Teemu is still playing at a high level, brings passion and energy to the locker room and is a loyal member of this franchise," general manager Bob Murray said in a statement. The Finnish-born Selanne has played 10 of his 17 NHL seasons with Anaheim and was signed for the 2009-2010 season.

NHL, NHLPA SET CAP AT $56.8M FOR NEXT SEASON

The National Hockey League Players' Association and the National Hockey League announced Friday that the team payroll range established for the 2009-10 season will be $56.8 million with a salary floor of $48.8 million. The move represents an increase of $100,000 from last year's ceiling total.

PANTHERS TRADE BOUWMEESTER'S RIGHTS TO FLAMES

Jay Bouwmeester's days in Florida are over.

The Panthers have traded the 25-year-old star defenceman's rights to the Calgary Flames for the rights to blueliner Jordan Leopold and a third round pick (67th overall), which the Panthers used to select right winger Josh Birkholz. The trade gives Calgary a window of exclusivity in negotiating a new contract with Bouwmeester and his agent. Bouwmeester can become a free agent on Wednesday.

TSN's NHL Insider Bob McKenzie spoke about the possible money issues for the two sides in making a potential deal. "There are salary cap considerations that need to be addressed for the deal to get done, and I don't mean the cap that the Flames need to live with, I mean the one that Bouwmeester has to live with - the Dion Phaneuf cap," McKenzie said.  "Bouwmeester won't be offered more than the $6.5 million a season on a multi-year deal, that Phaneuf is making."

PENGUINS AGREE TO TERMS WITH GUERIN

The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with veteran forward Bill Guerin on a one-year, $2 million contract. The 38-year old Guerin was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday. ''We are excited to agree to terms with Billy on this one-year deal,'' general manager Ray Shero said. ''He made a tremendous impact on this team with his scoring ability, physical play and outstanding leadership and was a key factor in our drive to the Cup. I know our players, coaches and fans will be happy to have him back in Pittsburgh.''

DEFENCEMAN BLAKE SIGNS ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH SHARKS

Rob Blake won't be testing the free agent waters on Wednesday, as the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the 39-year-old defenceman has signed a one-year contract with the San Jose Sharks worth approximately $3.5 million. He spent last year with the San Jose Sharks, putting up 10 goals and 35 assists in 73 games.

[Malcolm]

HABS GET GOMEZ FROM RANGERS

Getting a jump on the free agent market, the Montreal Canadiens moved to secure their centre ice position via trade, making a deal with the New York Rangers Tuesday and taking on a whole lot of salary in the process.

The Canadiens acquired centre Scott Gomez, winger Tom Pyatt and defenceman Mike Busto from the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Chris Higgins and defencemen Doug Janik, Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko.

Gomez, 29, is coming off a down season for the Rangers, finishing with 58 points, his lowest total since 2002-2003.

"We are extremely pleased to have acquired a player of the caliber of Scott Gomez. He is an outstanding playmaker and an excellent skater. Having won the Stanley Cup twice with the New Jersey Devils, he brings to our team a lot of playoff experience. Scott is an elite player who will certainly contribute to the success of our team for years to come" said Canadiens GM Bob Gainey.

A two-time Stanley Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils, Gomez was a blockbuster free agent signing for the Rangers in the summer of 2007.  Gomez is signed through 2013-2014, at a salary cap hit of more than $7.35-million, so he represents a significant investment.

In 706 career games, Gomez has 148 goals, 430 assists and 578 points, adding 81 points in 114 career playoff games.

Higgins, a 26-year-old restricted free agent winger, also struggled in 2008-2009, scoring a career-low 23 points in 57 games as he missed a combined 25 games with hand and groin injuries.

Prior to last season, however, Higgins recorded three straight seasons of at least 20 goals and he'll be a more economical option for the Rangers as he earned $1.7-million last season.

McDonagh, 20, was Montreal's first-round pick in 2007 and recorded 16 points in 36 games as a 6-foot-1, 212-pound sophomore at the University of Wisconsin in 2008-2009.

Valentenko, 22, has good size at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, but left the Canadiens' farm team in Hamilton early last season to play for Moscow Dynamo in the KHL, where he finished with one assist in eight games.

Janik, a 29-year-old journeyman acquired from Dallas last season, will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The minor leaguers coming to Montreal aren't considered elite prospects.  A six-foot, 185-pound forward, Tom Pyatt is a 22-year-old who put up 37 points in 73 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL last season and was a fourth-round pick in 2005.

23-year-old Busto is 6-foot-1, 210 pounds and registered 11 points and a minus-7 rating in 54 games with Charlotte of the ECHL.

[Mal Brossard]

you'll have a dynasty if the NHL keep bending the rules to let sid win.

malkin not having his jersey tied down (hossa was suspended for this)
malkin hitting the ref (carcillo suspended for this in round 1)
malkin instigating a fight in the last 5 minutes (automatic 1 game suspension)

without malkin the pens would only have 2 guys playing C, since they roll crosby and malkin on 4th line duty

Whine much?

Zettergerg's jersey wasn't tied down either.  Carcillo wasn't suspended for hitting the ref but rather for butt-ending Max Talbot in the head.  Accidental hits of linesmen come with the territory of their job of breaking up fights, there was no intent on Malkin's part.  And the NHL pretty much showed in other rounds of the playoffs that it planned to ignore the instigator in the final five minutes rule (see Scott Walker in the Carolina-Boston series).

Get over it.  No one is bending any rules for Pittsburgh to win.  If anything, they tried to throw it Detroit's way by letting Zetterberg get away with covering the puck in the crease twice.  Should be a penalty shot, or at least a delay of game minor.  Neither was called.

God damn, you Detroit fans are bitter.  And have the thinnest skin of any team's fans in any leagu.