2009/2010 Official NHL Hockey Thread

[Alan]

that was an awesome game, watching oilers vs stars now 

[Malcolm]

Quebec City mayor speaks with Gary Bettman about return of Nordiques to NHL

QUEBEC CITY, Que. - The return of the Quebec Nordiques to the NHL may be one step closer to reality.

Quebec City mayor Regis Labeaume confirmed Saturday that he met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman along with former Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut.

The mayor said the talks between him, Aubut and Bettman in New York on Friday were "fruitful."

"It was very welcoming, very profitable, very worthwhile," Labeaume told the media.

"But we'll get back to you in a few days - we still have work to do."

Several Quebec City media outlets are also reporting that a new arena for the city will be announced next week.

Bettman said earlier this month he would consider Quebec City as a possible home to an NHL team if it went through with plans to build a cutting-edge arena and if a team were up for sale.

The Nordiques were sold in 1995 and moved to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche.

[tim_m]

That would be good i think. I always thought the nords should've stayed there.

[AxlsMainMan]

A great start to the season for your Leafs, Malcolm

[Malcolm]

A great start to the season for your Leafs, Malcolm

Even worse after getting blown out 7-2 by the Rangers...Whos your team? and im not too worried theyll pull it together

[AxlsMainMan]

I'm an avid Blackhawks fan. Another nailbiter of a shootout win for them last night.

[Alan]

your hawks vs my oilers tonight.

should be a good game, hopefully i'll get home from work in time to watch it.

i'm thinking high scoring and OT.

[AxlsMainMan]

I have class till 8:30, so I'm hoping I'll get home just as O' Canada is ending

[AxlsMainMan]

The Leafs have 4 hard games coming up, their playoff chances are slipping away already.

[tim_m]

The Leafs have 4 hard games coming up, their playoff chances are slipping away already.

Yeah they have another game with the rangers coming up and they're on fire.

[Alan]

i think the kings are looking suprisingly good this year, watched a few of their games on espn360, they've played really well.

the wings look dire, and the sharks don't seem to be starting off too well either

[AxlsMainMan]

Yeah, it's a really interesting year to say the least.

[Alan]

if the hawks can manage their cap problems properly then i think you've got a very good shot at the cup, unless hossa fails in the final again

[AxlsMainMan]

It's not just one shot at the cup they've built this team around either. If most are able to stay healthy and with the team, the 'Hawks look to be a serious Cup contender for the next several years.

The thing is their strategy isn't brain surgery either. They've simply signed almost exclusively young studs in their very young 20s instead of old washed up fossils like the Leafs.

How the Hossa experiment plays out will be interesting to see. The thing is the 'Hawks have so much offensive power already, to add Hossa almost seems overkill, but hey, if it gets us a couple Cups, I'm all for it.

Sharp is having perhaps his best season yet, and Kane is definately playing with a major chip on his shoulder from the Taxi debacle this off-season.

Good hockey is still to come, that much is for certain

[Malcolm]

wow...Leafs need Gustavsson back badly

[Alan]

It's not just one shot at the cup they've built this team around either. If most are able to stay healthy and with the team, the 'Hawks look to be a serious Cup contender for the next several years.

The thing is their strategy isn't brain surgery either. They've simply signed almost exclusively young studs in their very young 20s instead of old washed up fossils like the Leafs.

How the Hossa experiment plays out will be interesting to see. The thing is the 'Hawks have so much offensive power already, to add Hossa almost seems overkill, but hey, if it gets us a couple Cups, I'm all for it.

Sharp is having perhaps his best season yet, and Kane is definately playing with a major chip on his shoulder from the Taxi debacle this off-season.

Good hockey is still to come, that much is for certain

you hit HUGE cap trouble next season. so many to resign and with the cap dropping, not a good situation to be in.

[Malcolm]

Leafs finally pull off a win last night over Washington...thank god...and Hawks apparently are very close to signing kane and toews to 5 year deals and keiths contract alot longer

[AxlsMainMan]

Leafs finally pull off a win last night over Washington...thank god...and Hawks apparently are very close to signing kane and toews to 5 year deals and keiths contract alot longer

Why bother? So your Leafs can crush 'em in the playoffs?

Hossa might debut this week, should be interesting

[Malcolm]

FLYERS FIRE COACH STEVENS, NAME LAVIOLETTE AS REPLACEMENT

The Philadelphia Flyers, losers of three straight games and six of their last seven, fired head coach John Stevens on Friday.

Peter Laviolette was later introduced as the team's next head coach.

The 45-year-old will make his debut behind the Flyers' bench on Saturday when the Flyers host the Washington Capitals.

"Obviously this is a great opportunity. I am really excited," said Laviolette. ?The Flyers are an organization that has a lot of tradition and a lot of history. This is just an exciting time for me and my family and we are really looking forward to it."

"Peter Laviolette brings experience along with a different approach to the game," said Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. "We look forward to him putting his stamp on the team quickly and getting our team headed in the right direction."

This will be Laviolette's third stint as an NHL head coach, having previously been behind the bench of the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes.

During Laviolette's tenure in New York from 2001-03, the Islanders lost in the first round of the playoffs in both years. In Carolina, he took over for current Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice, who was fired 30 games into the 2003-04 season.

Over four-plus seasons, the Hurricanes made the playoffs just once under his direction but it resulted in a Stanley Cup championship in 2005-06, the first year after the lock-out.

He has compiled winning regular season records for every NHL team he has coached, including a .683 winning percentage in 2005-06.

The Flyers were considered Stanley Cup contenders in October but have lost six of their last seven games to fall to 10th place in Eastern Conference with a record of 13-11-1.

After six years as head coach of the AHL's Philadephia Phantoms, Stevens was named head coach of the Flyers early in 2006-07, taking over for Ken Hitchcock early in the season.

The Flyers missed the playoffs that first year but the following season, they advanced to the Eastern Conference Final, losing out to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Last year, the Flyers were eliminated by the Penguins in the first round, putting more pressure on Stevens and his team to produce entering this season.

"This was a very difficult decision for me to make given my relationship with John. I want to thank him for his service to the Flyers organization over the years. However, in watching the team over the past few weeks I felt a new voice was needed in order to get us out of this and in the direction we expect," said Holmgren.

"I know this was a very difficult decision for Paul to make. And, I really feel bad for John because he's been a terrific long-time member of our organization," said Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider. "I was hoping that the team would play better and that this could have been avoided, but after last night's game, I think Paul felt he had to make this change. I make it a policy never to overrule my general manager, because once I do, it means I've lost confidence in him. I really want to wish John the best."

Laviolette is the 17th coach in Flyers history.

[Alan]

all or nothing this year for the hawks?

Hossa 5.275
Sharp 3.9
Kane 6.3
Bolland 3.375
Versteeg 3.066
Byfuglien 3
Toews 6.3
Kopecky 1.2
Brouwer 1.025
Bertram .85

Campbell 7.142
Seabrook 3.5
Barker 3.083
Sopell 2.333
Keith 5.5

Huet 5.625

61.484m for 10 forwards 5 D and a starting goalie. with the cap being 56.8m leaves them with at least 6 roster spots to fill.

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

amazingly this years oilers have now broken 2 franchise records. fastest consecutive goals, and most straight road wins.