NHL 2013

[tim_m]

I just hope Nash haven't gotten a concussion from that Lucic hit. The team won't say anything about it, really weird.

Me too. They refuse to say more then banged up. I haven't heard anything on McDonagh either. At least we are getting Powe, Girardi and Del Zotto back. That will help. We just have to hope and pray Nash comes off IR when elgible after Saturday's game.

[tim_m]

Nash practiced today in full contact jersey. He's not playing tonight. He's still not game shape but he said soon. Girardi and Del Zotto practicing too. No McDonagh still. Also, Staal wasn't out there but he was suffering from the flu last game so that probably has something to do with it.

[AxlsMainMan]

Blackhawks' start even better than realized

If you pay attention to the NHL on a regular basis, you're already well aware of the special season that's brewing in Chicago, but I'm not sure we all realize just how special it is.

After Monday night's 3-2 overtime win against Edmonton, the Blackhawks are now 16-0-3, which is the longest any team has ever gone without a regulation loss to start the season. When you do something that's never been done before in a league that's 96 years old, that's pretty impressive.

Not only has it never happened, but they did it basically without any training camp as a result of the lockout. You also need to remember that, yes, the Blackhawks have been pretty healthy for the most part, but they've also beaten Vancouver a couple of times, they've beaten San Jose a couple of times, they've beaten St. Louis. They've really beaten everybody. This isn't just a case of them beating up on the weakest horses in the field every night.

To play 19 games while using two goaltenders and not have a game where you let up or get tired is amazing.

This is particularly remarkable considering Chicago opened up its season with 10 of 12 games on the road. When you're on the road for that length of time in the NHL, it's not uncommon to have a night where everyone looks at each other and says, "Man, we're beat." That can happen sometimes, and it really looked like it might have on Feb. 5. Chicago was on the fourth stop of a six-game road trip at San Jose and went down 3-1 just 11 minutes in. Sometimes those are the games when you're on the road and players all look at each other in the room and just say, "Well, this isn't our night. We'll get 'em tomorrow." The Blackhawks rallied to win that game 5-3. They did it again to San Jose last Friday night, trailing 1-0 before winning the game on a shorthanded goal by Brandon Saad in the third period.

These types of wins show just how good this team is. Chicago certainly has an unbelievable amount of talent, but there is also an unbelievable amount of character on this team.

Duncan Keith looks like the guy that won the Norris Trophy, Patrick Kane has done something special every night and he's among the leading scorers in the NHL, and Jonathan Toews is having a great start as well, to say nothing of the leadership he showed when he fought Joe Thornton recently, knowing he was probably going to get beat up.

When you look at their weapons, the talent they have up front in Saad, Viktor Stalberg and Michal Frolik, the tough and deep defense with Keith, Brent Seabrook, Nick Leddy and Johnny Oduya, and the size and scoring they've got all over the ice, this team is starting to look better than the one that won the Stanley Cup in 2010.

The only question to me is the goaltending because Ray Emery took a team to a Stanley Cup Final, but it was six years ago, and Corey Crawford has the demons of last year to contend with. Then again, the goaltending has been excellent to this point.

With all that said, though, we have to be realistic. The Blackhawks aren't going to go 48 games without a regulation loss. They're going to lose at some point. Someone will catch them on an off-night somewhere; they simply can't play like this for 48 games with no letdown. The bigger question is whether or not anyone will be able to beat them in the playoffs.

The team with the best start prior to Chicago's this season, the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks, ended their season by engraving their names on the Stanley Cup, so you have to wonder who could stop these Blackhawks from doing the same. I think any team with a chance at it would need superior goaltending and a solid defense. St. Louis could be that team if Jaroslav Halak plays like he did with Montreal in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I think Boston matches up well against Chicago -- the Bruins only have two regulation losses this season, after all.

Whomever it is that faces the Blackhawks with a chance at beating them, though, it's going to be a team with excellent goaltending, much like Phoenix was a year ago when Mike Smith was unbelievable. It will take Mike Smith from last year, Pekka Rinne or Jonathan Quick like he played last postseason. It will need to be a goalie that is playing on that level, because really, if Chicago is playing this well in the postseason, it's not going to be a team that beats it. It's going to be a goaltender.

Right now, the Blackhawks are the best team in the West. They've beaten everybody and they've shown no weaknesses. Their power play isn't great, but it's a lot better than it was last season. Unless this team suffers massive injuries, there's no reason to think it won't win the vast majority of its remaining games. Unless something dramatic happens that none of us can perceive, the Blackhawks will finish first in the West and get home ice for the rest of the playoffs. At that point we'll see if anyone has the goaltending and the defense to beat them four times in seven games.

The most amazing thing about all of this, though, might be that I think the Chicago Blackhawks aren't just the best team in the NHL, but right now they're also the most fun team to watch in the NHL. It's nice to see entertainment and winning go together.

That's good for the NHL, and it's good for hockey.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?id=14522&navid=nhl:topheads

[tim_m]

Report: NHL proposes realignment, new playoff format
Tuesday, 02.26.2013 / 5:24 PM / News
NHL.com

The National Hockey League is proposing a new realignment plan that would see the League go from six divisions to four divisions and introduce a form of divisional playoffs instead of the current conference system in place for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to a report by ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.

The plan was detailed in a memo sent to the League's clubs Tuesday, according to LeBrun.

The plan needs approval from the National Hockey League Players' Association and the League's Board of Governors. If it passes, it would take effect for the 2013-14 regular season.

"We have been in discussions with the Players' Association for the past several weeks on the issue of realignment and we are trying to get to a solution that everybody can live with," Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told NHL.com. "There are no perfect answers here, so we have to do the best we can in trying to adequately address a number of competing concerns. Once we get to a point where we have the Union's go-ahead, we will present it to our Board of Governors for its consideration. We certainly hope to be in a position to announce something in the relatively near term."

Under the new plan, the conferences would be realigned with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings moving from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference. There would be no corresponding moves by Eastern Conference clubs, resulting in unbalanced-conference alignment that would see 16 teams in the Eastern Conference and 14 in the Western Conference.

The schedule matrix would see each team play teams in the other conference both home and away.

In the seven-team divisions, teams would play intraconference foes three times per season and five of the six intradivision foes five times a season. The sixth opponent within the division would be played four times. In the eight-team divisions, teams would play intraconference opponents three times and intradivision opponents either four or five times per season on a rotating basis.

Due to the unbalanced conferences, the League has proposed introducing a wild-card element to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to LeBrun.

Under the proposed system, the top three teams in each of the four divisions would qualify for the postseason. The final four spots would go to the two teams in each conference with the next-best records. So, in theory, five teams from one division and just three from the other division in each respective conference could make the postseason.

CBC's Elliott Friedman first broke many of the details of the potential realignment plan, including the composition of the divisions, Saturday.

The Atlantic and Central divisions would be in the East, while the Midwest and Pacific divisions would be in the West.

According to the memo, the Pacific Division would include the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks, while the Midwest Division would be the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.

The Central Division would be the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs. The reconfigured Atlantic Division would include the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

PROPOSED REALIGNMENT

   
Western Conference                                                                                Eastern Conference
Pacific                            Midwest                      Central                            Atlantic
Anaheim Ducks    Chicago Blackhawks    Boston Bruins      Carolina Hurricanes
Calgary Flames    Colorado Avalanche    Buffalo Sabres     Columbus Blue Jackets
Edmonton Oilers    Dallas Stars                    Detroit Red Wings     New Jersey Devils
Los Angeles Kings    Minnesota Wild            Florida Panthers     New York Islanders
Phoenix Coyotes    Nashville Predators      Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers
San Jose Sharks    St. Louis Blues            Ottawa Senators     Philadelphia Flyers
Vancouver Canucks    Winnipeg Jets                    Tampa Bay Lightning Pittsburgh Penguins
                                                                  Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals

Thoughts on the new realignment proposal? Its really impossible to make it completely even without putting someone in a division that really doesn't make sense. The league really needs to expand by two teams. Maybe move Columbus to Midwest put a new team in Quebec in the Atlantic. I don't know how you'd solve the 7 team Pacific though. Perhaps expand to Seattle?

[tim_m]

Tough loss again tonight for the Rangers but i was mostly encouraged by that third period. Finally i saw some fight in them that i hadn't seen in several games. Still  rough parts letting in that third goal after cutting it 2-1 then the fourth one was all on Lundqvist he should've had that one and admitted it. On the more positive it seems more and more likely Del Zotto and Nash return Thursday against Tampa Bay.

[tim_m]

McDonagh, Nash and likely Del Zotto to return tonight for the rangers. Finally for the first time since the losing streak started with Nash going down we're nearly full strength.

[CheapJon]

Ryan O'Reilly has signed an offer sheet with the Calgary Flames. 2 years, 5 mil cap hit.


Gagn? has been traded back to Philly, scored a goal last night in the first game with his old team.


Michael Ryder is back in Montr?al and Cole went to Dallas as well last night in trades.



Speaking of Montreal, I never would've thought they would lead the Eastern Conference at any point this season. Fuck is up with that, must be the Prust effect.

[CheapJon]

OH, and yes it's awesome having those guys back, especially Nash. However, it's a long way back and I don't think it'll be easy and happen just like that. Would love to be wrong.

[tim_m]

OH, and yes it's awesome having those guys back, especially Nash. However, it's a long way back and I don't think it'll be easy and happen just like that. Would love to be wrong.

I expect it to be a little rough at first. Those guys need to get back in game shape but its no coincidence our downturn happened with Nash going down with injury. I was mostly encouraged by what i saw against the Jets in the third period. We finally showed some character and fight. We just need to find a way to build on that with the Nash, Del Zotto and McDonagh back. We had good sustained forechecking in Winnipeg's zone but we let them come right a back and score. That's what we need to clean up. Having the top pair defensemen back will help for sure.

[tim_m]

Just saw it is now confirmed all 3 of those guys are returning tonight against Tampa Bay leaving only Asham sidelined with back spasms. No more time for excuses now. Time to kick some ass and be the team we were expected to be.

[tim_m]

Rangers getting healthy has an immediate impact as they stomp all over the Lightning 4-1. McDonagh, Nash and Del Zotto have immediate impacts all with points tonight. Nash played like a man possessed. This was our best game of the season period. The forecheck was insane. The defense was great with one small mistake on the goal. You can happily say you were wrong CheapJohn. Nash said after the game he's still getting his timing back. If he is going to get better then tonight. Holy shit!

[CheapJon]

Faaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwkkkkk Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahh

[AxlsMainMan]

Faaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwkkkkk Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahh

Blackhawks

[tim_m]

Faaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwkkkkk Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahh

Now we gotta keep it going Sunday against a very bad Buffalo team.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

I should have titled this the "Talk About Your Favorite Team" thread.

[CheapJon]

I should have titled this the "Talk About Your Favorite Team" thread.

No, you should get involved in the thread and contribute. It's up to everybody to get a conversation going, at least some of us are doing it.

[CheapJon]

Ahh, I went back to the NHL thread of 06-07, back when I first started posting on HTGTH. I was 16 years old, good times. Made a couple of nice predictions for that season. Had a lot of Leaf love as well back then due to Sundin. Those old NHL threads had 20-30 pages!

crosby and ovechkin will be even better, malkin will have the same impact on the league as crosby and ovechkin had last season him in the same line as crosby would be awesome, i think pittsburgh and washington will be great dynastys in the future with crosby and malkin in one team and ovechkin and nicklas b?ckstr?m in washington, b?ckstr?m is one of the most talented swedish players since forsberg but will stay in sweden for one more season before he enters NHL, was drafted by the capitals as number 6 i think this year..

i think lidstr?m will be the new captian for the red wings, him or zetterberg i hope, sundin is my favourite hockeyplayer, and i hope for the best for the leafs, the cup? hmm, i think anaheim has a good shot with both pronger and niedermayer at the blue line..

Lindros in dallas if he can be healthy he can do great there, still got the talent, will be interresting following him.. forsberg the new captain in philly hopefully if he's healthy they have a chance for something, NYR with Jagr and lundquist will make the playoffs again, shanahan isn't in his prime but you never know,

what about that Anze Kopitar in L.A. Kings, he's gonna be something big one day i think.. played in sweden last couple of years, oh yeah

[AxlsMainMan]

Blackhawks

[tim_m]

Blackhawks

You sure have a lot to be proud of with that team for sure. At this point we're all just wondering when will they lose in regulation. I can't remember a team in any league to start off a season this good.

[AxlsMainMan]

Blackhawks

You sure have a lot to be proud of with that team for sure. At this point we're all just wondering when will they lose in regulation. I can't remember a team in any league to start off a season this good.

Thanks, Tim. It's been a magical ride this season, that's for sure