2009/2010 Official NHL Hockey Thread

[AxlsMainMan]

The unstoppable Blackhawks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIiClfXCXR4

[Malcolm]

Leafs are getting destroyed by Ovechkin,Semin,Backstrom right now, good god pull it together boys

[Alan]

The unstoppable Blackhawks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIiClfXCXR4

that game was amazing

[Alan]

anyone watching the winter classic?

[Malcolm]

Yup watching it right now...the offense needs to open up..btw Reechi was hilarious on the bench at the start of the 2nd asking about the heaters on the bench lol...Coachs Corner was great to

[Alan]

horrible no call on the build up to the flyers goal. but thomas really needs to control his temper

[domi]

Great to see the Sabres winning after two 0:3 deficits in the last two games. So far it seems that they can reach the playoffs this season. Hopefully I can watch some of their games then.

[Loaded NightraiN]

Great to see the Sabres winning after two 0:3 deficits in the last two games. So far it seems that they can reach the playoffs this season. Hopefully I can watch some of their games then.

Cheers Fellow Sabres Fan 


They played horrible for the first 30min and really turned it up after that, just like last game

[Malcolm]

The two defeats over the weekend for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins were just two more examples of the typical way that the Leafs have lost games this season. Toronto directed over 90 shots at goaltenders Ryan Miller and Marc-Andre Fleury on Friday and Saturday night, but only managed three goals. The number of the shots on goal does not correlate to the level of difficulty of the saves these Olympic-bound goaltenders had to make. Toronto's penalty killing, which statistically has the honor of being the worst special teams unit in the NHL in the last 25 years, surrendered all three goals in Buffalo and an additional tally at the ACC last night. The injuries to Mikhail Grabovski and Wayne Primeau and the slumps of Niklas Hagman and Phil Kessel have forced Ron Wilson to try some strange line combinations. On Friday, Hagman played the majority of the night with fourth liners Jamal Mayers and Colton Orr, and Kessel played with rookie Viktor Stalberg and Rickard ?Mr. Zero? Wallin. Goaltenders Vesa Toskala and Jonas Gustavsson played well in both contests, but since Toronto's anemic offense is averaging about two goals a game during this most recent skid, they have to be close to perfect for the team to have any chance at victory.

Leafs president and general manager Brian Burke was his usual combative self last night during a pregame interview with Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman, stating categorically that he did not regret uttering the word ?playoffs? in the same sentence with his team and that is still this team's goal. He stated that the compete level was there but that the desired end result was not and that if he could make a trade that could get his team into the playoffs, he would do that. When Friedman asked a question about the internal and external pressures on the team to make the playoffs, Burke put the onus squarely on the players, saying "if the players that we have here, if that is still not their goal, then they can come and see me after the game and we will do our best to get them out of here. Your goal in this league is to make the playoffs and if it's not, do something else, drive a truck, go somewhere else, be a teacher, but don't do this."

In a radio interview earlier in the day, Burke responded to my question regarding the use of available salary cap room to alleviate the problems of another organization, for the purpose of acquiring draft choices or prospects. He stated that is something that he would do, but that the NHL has stipulations against a strictly ?rent-a-cap? type deal and that any deal that would be made just to effectuate cap relief for another team would have to also be a ?hockey deal?. The deadline deal made last year with Tampa relieved the Lightning of the contracts of Olaf Kolzig and Jamie Heward, to go along with minor leaguer Andy Rogers and a 4th round pick, in exchange Toronto traded a minor prospect, defenseman Richard Petiot. The whole purpose for this deal was for Toronto to acquire the draft choice, the contracts of Kolzig and Heward were expiring and Rogers was an RFA at the end of the season. Less than a month later, Tampa's 4th round pick was taken away by the NHL as a penalty for Toronto signing Jonas Frogren to a non-entry-level deal in 2008. Isn't it ironic that the NHL penalized Toronto the same draft pick that they acquired in a deal that may have set a precedent for ?rent-a-cap? deals? The off-season deal with Calgary involving Wayne Primeau had a lot of cap relief aspects, with Toronto obtaining a second round pick in the deal, but it appeared as more of a "hockey deal" than the deal with Tampa.

One thing is perfectly clear from the comments of the Leafs general manager yesterday, if this team is not within range of a realistic run at the playoffs by the Olympic break, then the exodus of a number of Toronto players will commence.

[domi]

At least one point in the last eleven games for the Sabres. The team is on fire. Also good that Vanek scores again.
I am anxious to see what the further road trip will bring.

[Loaded NightraiN]

At least one point in the last eleven games for the Sabres. The team is on fire. Also good that Vanek scores again.
I am anxious to see what the further road trip will bring.

Good to see them start off on the right foot on this west coast trip... Recent years they have been the ones on the losing side of the 7-2 decisions while out west

[Alan]

well the oilers have been sucking royally recently.

then again 48 games played and 270 man games lost due to injury.

hopefully there will be a full on firesale and the older players will be traded away.

MGL = man games lost

[domi]

Can someone explain this stat to me?
I am looking forward to watch the Washington  - Pittsburgh game tonight.

[Loaded NightraiN]

I think its basically total number of games missed by all players due to injury...

Example 10 players each missed 20 games = 200 "MGL" (10x20)

Its a stat I've never looked at, but it can be useful, and i'm glad the sabres are near the bottom... They have been killed by injures the last few years

[domi]

Now I get, thanks. You Americans are crazy about your statistics.

[Loaded NightraiN]

Now I get, thanks. You Americans are crazy about your statistics.

I don't think Alan is American 


Personally I like regular stats, but DESPISE stupid stats


When playing Feb 1, while is below 20 degrees outside, in a sellout game this team is undefeated 

[Alan]

Now I get, thanks. You Americans are crazy about your statistics.

I don't think Alan is American 


Personally I like regular stats, but DESPISE stupid stats

Yeah I'm English. i was just shocked when i heard about the man games lost stat in the oilers vs pens game. when the game notes from the pens said their season had been decemated by injuries.

[CheapJon]

Maple Leafs nab Phaneuf, Giguere

Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke has seen enough of his underachieving club.

Sunday morning, Burke remade the Maple Leafs with two bold moves, acquiring defenseman Dion Phaneuf and goalie J.S. Giguere in separate trades.

"We are in buying and selling mode," Burke said during his morning press conference to announce a deal for Phaneuf, who come aboard with two other players from the Calgary Flames in exchange for four players.

The complete deal was Phaneuf, right wing Fredrik Sjostrom and prospect Keith Aulie to Toronto for forwards Niklas Hagman, Matt Stajan, Jamal Mayers and defenseman Ian White.

Calgary, which defeated Edmonton Saturday night for its first win in 10 games, had been working with the Leafs on the framework of this deal for more than a week.

Phaneuf is the big, physically dominating defenseman who defines Burke's philosophy. Burke thought he had obtained that player in the summer, signing Montreal's Mike Komisarek to a free-agent deal. But Komisarek's season has been derailed by a slow start and a shoulder injury.

"He is a warrior," Burke said of Phaneuf. "He's got a cannon for a shot. He plays the game hard and I want players who play the game hard because they're hard to play against."

Now, the hard-hitting Phaneuf, drafted by the Flames in the first round, No. 9, in 2003, gets his chance to do that for Burke.

Phaneuf has 10 goals and 12 assists with a plus- 3 rating in 55 games this season. Those numbers are respectable, but he has spent some time in the doghouse of first-year coach Brent Sutter. Plus, Calgary was looking to make a deal after struggling throughout the month of January.

"It was definitely a shock, but I'm very excited about going to Toronto and being a Maple Leaf.  It's part of the business. It's a cliche, if Wayne Gretzky can get traded anyone can get traded. I was very surprised, but on the other hand I'm very excited to be going to the biggest hockey market in the world."
-- Dion Phaneuf

The Maple Leafs have struggled all season and may have hit rock bottom less than 24 hours earlier when they blew a 3-0 lead at home in dropping a 5-3 decision to Vancouver.
Toronto sits in the basement of the Eastern Conference with just 17 wins and 45 points this season and it has allowed an NHL-worse 197 goals.

Burke was back at the podium later in the day to announce the acquisition of Giguere from the Anaheim Ducks, Burke's most recent post before assuming the reigns in Toronto last season. Sent to Anaheim were goalie Vesa Toskala and winger Jason Blake.

Giguere had to waive his no-trade clause in his contract for the move to happen, but, certainly, the chance to be reunited with Burke and goalie coach Francois Allaire made that more palatable.

Giguere, 32, is the winningest goalie in Ducks history and led the franchise to its only Stanley Cup title in 2007, but he and his hefty contract became excess to needs with the emergence of Swiss goalie Jonas Hiller, who not only stole the No. 1 job, but just signed a four-year contract extension this week.

Giguere was the only player left from Anaheim's trip to the 2003 Stanley Cup Final, where he was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy despite being on the losing end of a seven-game decision to New Jersey.

In the Phaneuf deal, the Maple Leafs also get Sjostrom, a veteran winger who has played 46 games with 1 goal and 5 assists for Calgary this season. But it may be Aulie who defines the long-term success of this deal. A fourth-round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft, Aulie is another big, shutdown defenseman. He was used effectively in that role during his World Junior Championship appearance for Team Canada. This season, Aulie (6-foot-6) is with the Abbotsford Heat of the AHL.

Calgary, meanwhile, gets a ton of scoring depth and an underrated offensive defenseman in White, who is a little on the small side. White has 9 goals, 17 assists and a plus-1 rating in 56 games. His 26 points are four more than Phaneuf has put up this season. Hagman has 20 goals and 13 assists, while Stajan has 16 goals and 25 assists this season. Stajan is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Each has played 55 games. Mayers has 2 goals 6 assists and 78 penalty minutes during 44 games. He recently asked to be traded.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=515662

[Skeba]

An amazing Det@Pit tonight! Not a lot of goals, but a great game. And Crosby's and Malkin's shootout moves... Nice.

[Malcolm]

An amazing Det@Pit tonight! Not a lot of goals, but a great game. And Crosby's and Malkin's shootout moves... Nice.

Agreed that was an amazing game...Still in shock the Leafs got Phanuef...what a steal