The Hockey Thread '11-'12

[Markous]

Finally! The preseason has begun!!! It's been a long summer if your an Oilers fan but here's hoping it won't be 30th for the third year in a row.

It's good to have Captain Canada back in an Oilers jersey he just didn't look right in any other IMO i wonder if that trade might have cost the Oilers a draft pick? if LA wins it's grievance against the Oilers for trading an injured player it could. The new guy Nugent-Hopkins will have his work cut out for him to be able to crack the lineup. Up here or another year in Red Deer with Rebels is fine either way with me, i'm just glad he's part of the organization. Taylor Hall hasn't had this much time off (7 months i do believe) in 2 1/2 - 3 years so here's hoping the ankle is better and he can continue and improve his game.

FUCK I AM EXCITED FOR THE YEAR!!!!

Who else is with me?

[P. McKinley]

Pooh Bears, for the repeat...... '11-'12!!

[RNST]

Way too early for hockey again.

We only got the riot carnage cleaned up in August and zero arrests so far.

I will chime in when the Canucks get on another roll.

[P. McKinley]

I will chime in when the Canucks get on another roll.

We'll look for your chimes in another decade or so.

[AJD1]

possibley another century...

[tubtar]

I am liking most of what I see from Mr. Shanahan at the new discipline czar.
I am worried that a lot of guys will be turning their back to try and draw hits from behind though.
I watched the Wild in an inter squad scrimmage last Sunday and the only thing that really stood out was the clear line between who is making the big club and who 's ticket to Houston is already reserved.
Zidlicky schooled one youngster on the blue line and I bit on the fake from fifteen rows up.
The Heatly , Koivu , Setoguchi line shows some promise........but doesn't have an Andrew Brunette to feed the front of the net figured out yet.
Koivu could maybe fill the role , but I don't see Heatly working behind the net and Setoguchi is more of a shooter too.
We are worse defensively by a tiny bit after giving up Burns.
He could be a liability in our end at times , but was great for generating offense from the blue line because of the threats he posed in both carrying the puck and finding the right pass.
I am also a little worried about the team depth.........there is a much larger drop off from the 1 line to the rest than we have seen in the past and I prefer balance to stacking one unit and working the shit out of them for 30 minutes a game.
We have improved from last year..........but no one else has sat on their rosters either so it may be more of the same , but with more points in hand come March.

[Matt Cohen]

Well, it would seem logical that everyone here should be a fan of the New Jersey Devils!!!

[RNST]

I am liking most of what I see from Mr. Shanahan at the new discipline czar.
I am worried that a lot of guys will be turning their back to try and draw hits from behind though.
I watched the Wild in an inter squad scrimmage last Sunday and the only thing that really stood out was the clear line between who is making the big club and who 's ticket to Houston is already reserved.
Zidlicky schooled one youngster on the blue line and I bit on the fake from fifteen rows up.
The Heatly , Koivu , Setoguchi line shows some promise........but doesn't have an Andrew Brunette to feed the front of the net figured out yet.
Koivu could maybe fill the role , but I don't see Heatly working behind the net and Setoguchi is more of a shooter too.
We are worse defensively by a tiny bit after giving up Burns.
He could be a liability in our end at times , but was great for generating offense from the blue line because of the threats he posed in both carrying the puck and finding the right pass.
I am also a little worried about the team depth.........there is a much larger drop off from the 1 line to the rest than we have seen in the past and I prefer balance to stacking one unit and working the shit out of them for 30 minutes a game.
We have improved from last year..........but no one else has sat on their rosters either so it may be more of the same , but with more points in hand come March.

Seems we have only been playing players who are destined for our affiliate Chicago Wolves. None of the first or second line players have been on the ice during exhibition so far. Most of the D men are the third or fourth pairings too.

Got a few players still banged up from the playoffs who underwent surgery during the summer too.

[RNST]

Finally! The preseason has begun!!! It's been a long summer if your an Oilers fan but here's hoping it won't be 30th for the third year in a row.

It's good to have Captain Canada back in an Oilers jersey he just didn't look right in any other IMO i wonder if that trade might have cost the Oilers a draft pick? if LA wins it's grievance against the Oilers for trading an injured player it could. The new guy Nugent-Hopkins will have his work cut out for him to be able to crack the lineup. Up here or another year in Red Deer with Rebels is fine either way with me, i'm just glad he's part of the organization. Taylor Hall hasn't had this much time off (7 months i do believe) in 2 1/2 - 3 years so here's hoping the ankle is better and he can continue and improve his game.

FUCK I AM EXCITED FOR THE YEAR!!!!

Who else is with me?

Markous

You should be excited. That young Oiler team is gonna be great one day if they can keep them together. Think about the last Black Hawk team to win the Cup. They started out young and last place. They then turned it around and are/were a force to be taken seriously. CBC showed the ages of all of the Oilers. IIRC there were two players older than 28. The rest are averaging around 24/25.

Nugent-Hopkins with a hat trick last Saturday night too

[tubtar]

Here is a nugget for you all to digest.
Colorado ( and I am not a fan of theirs ) has something like 17 players who will either be UFA's or RFA's at season's end.
Think they might want to be playing for contracts ?
It is madness , but I like the concept.

[Markous]

It will be tough to send the kid back to Red Deer after nine but i think he just got himself a ticket for the full season with his performance in the last couple of games.

I am surprised they gave RNH the hat trick, with that last goal play seemed to go on for a couple of seconds after he touched it, Hall seemed to be the last person who touched it IMO after seeing the overhead but good for him regardless

Hemsky is out with a sore (hopefully thats all) shoulder should be back in two weeks tops, Ryan Whitney's foot/ankle seems to be mending nicely should see him in a few games too Sam Gagner is listed as out week to week

Oh hell yes i am excited for this and the next few seasons of the ice hockey game the intersting part will be keeping it together long enough to win the grail again.

Battle of Alberta tonight these are always good games

[Markous]

Luongo Sucks!

[tubtar]

Luongo Sucks!

Still............or again ?

[RNST]

Sigh, afraid I have to agree. Three goals in 5 minutes, chased him out and he broke his stick when leaving. First goal was a great goal but IMHO the last two were stoppable.

I am thinking Schneider will get some more time in net until Luongo solves his problems.

[tubtar]

No rush.........he's got another .....what .....eight years before he becomes a UFA ?
Sorry Richard.........there's just something about him that I don't like.