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Official NHL Off Season Thread

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Manics said:
I didn't see your wager until now. Your initial response was it was "too early" to start making hockey bets so I figured you were too scared to get in.

I'm in the for bet.

Leafs finish higher then the Habs, you are permabanned.
Habs finish higher then the Leafs, I'm permabanned.


I just recently put my account on the line for Italy who hadn't won a World Cup in 24 years..you think this bet scares me? :lol


:lol


bishoptl said:
You folks are ****ing rocksmokers if you think I'm going to enforce these bets. We need every NHL fan on the boards that we can get. Scale the stakes back, please.

:lol :lol
 

Wolf

GO HABS GO
bishoptl said:
You folks are ****ing rocksmokers if you think I'm going to enforce these bets. We need every NHL fan on the boards that we can get. Scale the stakes back, please.


Like I already said this morning, I will take the bet down a notch, for the reasons many people already posted. Try to stay up to date with the posts manics.

So unless you have anything left to say, then the bet is on. Loser is banned for the playoffs. (and bish please don't tell me a two month ban is too much.)


and Kabuki and Dopey, seeing as how "high stakes" gambling seems to be out of the question since there are so few hockey fans around here...mabey seeing you guys with Hab avs wouldn't be so bad. So if you guys want to do the avatar bet, then say the word and it's on.


al-pacino-scarface-celebrity-photo.jpg


"I'll take you all on!"
 
Wolf said:
Like I already said this morning, I will take the bet down a notch, for the reasons many people already posted. Try to stay up to date with the posts manics.

So unless you have anything left to say, then the bet is on. Loser is banned for the playoffs. (and bish please don't tell me a two month ban is too much.)


and Kabuki and Dopey, seeing as how "high stakes" gambling seems to be out of the question since there are so few hockey fans around here...mabey seeing you guys with Hab avs wouldn't be so bad. So if you guys want to do the avatar bet, then say the word and it's on.


al-pacino-scarface-celebrity-photo.jpg


"I'll take you all on!"


Dopey will take the AV bet for you. I want to take on Malakov. You in Malakov?
 

Malakhov

Banned
Kabuki Waq said:
Dopey will take the AV bet for you. I want to take on Malakov. You in Malakov?
I'm in if it's for avatars, I don't want anyone to get banned or the NHL thread won't be as fun.
 
You guys are too much. :lol
Only thing I can bet on is my Bolts not making the post season.
*Shakes fist at Feaster*
Oh well, we could have Garth Snow as a friggin GM. :D
 

ShutEye

Member
Can I bet that both the Leafs and Canadians finish with 89 points and are tied for 10th in the East?

Both these teams are mediocre and both refuse to accept that rebuilding involves finishing last.
 
Malakhov said:
I'm in if it's for avatars, I don't want anyone to get banned or the NHL thread won't be as fun.

cool so if leafs have more points than the habs at the end of the season you will have to put up the avatar of my choice and have it on till the new season starts. Or for a whole year whichever you prefer.
 

Malakhov

Banned
Kabuki Waq said:
cool so if leafs have more points than the habs at the end of the season you will have to put up the avatar of my choice and have it on till the new season starts. Or for a whole year whichever you prefer.
Alright, whoever's team who finishes with the most points gets to pick an avatar for the other to use until the next season starts.

Deal!
 

Malakhov

Banned
ShutEye said:
Both these teams are mediocre and both refuse to accept that rebuilding involves finishing last.

Michael Ryder
Chris Higgins
Mike Komisarek
Alexander Perezhogin
Tomas Plekanec
Andrei Markov

Carey Price
Andrei Kostitsyn
Guillaume Latendresse
Kyle Chipchura
Mikhail Grabovsky
Alexei Emelin
Matthew D'Agostini
Mathieu Aubin
David Fisher
Yann Danis
Benjamin Maxwell
Juraj Mikus
Mathieu Carle
Ryan White
Sergei Kostitsyn

I think the Habs are rebuilding fine, they know what they're doing, but thanks for your concerns.
 

R_GILL

I'm tanking for Kabanov!
ShutEye said:
Can I bet that both the Leafs and Canadians finish with 89 points and are tied for 10th in the East?

Both these teams are mediocre and both refuse to accept that rebuilding involves finishing last.

Did you miss all of the 80's, the Leafs had a ton of high 1st round picks and that did nothing for them, of course we had awesome GMs like Gord Stellick and that douche Ballard was running the show.

You don't have to finish last to draft well, the Leafs problem over the last few years is not drafting well it is more trading good prospects for older more established players who usually don't deliver.
 
Malakhov said:
Carey Price
Andrei Kostitsyn
Guillaume Latendresse
Kyle Chipchura
Mikhail Grabovsky
Alexei Emelin
Matthew D'Agostini
Mathieu Aubin
David Fisher
Yann Danis
Benjamin Maxwell
Juraj Mikus
Mathieu Carle
Ryan White
Sergei Kostitsyn


Seriously, who the **** are those scrubs?
 

Malakhov

Banned
ForzaItalia said:
No. I know that roughly 90% of "prospects" turn out being mediocre to average players.
No, that's what Leafs fans are used to, though.

That and trading them for old and underachieving players.
 
Malakhov said:
No, that's what Leafs fans are used to, though.

That and trading them for old and underachieving players.


No, in Toronto there have never been prospects. You made it seem as if Montreal has 14-15 Ovechkin and Crosby clones waiting in the wings...which makes you as bad if not worse than the very Leafs fans you make fun of...
 

Malakhov

Banned
ForzaItalia said:
No, in Toronto there have never been prospects. You made it seem as if Montreal has 14-15 Ovechkin and Crosby clones waiting in the wings...which makes you as bad if not worse than the very Leafs fans you make fun of...
Yeah because a good prospect will only end up like the Ovechkins and Crosbys of this world, nevermind homebrown players like Chris Higgins, Michael Ryder, Mike Komisarek, Andrei Markov, Tomas Plekanec, Alexander Perezhogin etc..

God I sure wish the Habs would of traded them when they were prospects since they aren't as good as Ovechkin and Crosby :(




God you're a moron, oh wait, you're a leafs fan... My bad.
 

DopeyFish

Not bitter, just unsweetened
ok i have a question

i have GOOGLED this FOR HOURS

is there any hockey leagues I can join in the GTA as a senior (20+)? Are any of those leagues scouted? This is starting to bother me big time! Is the only way to become a semi-pro / pro player is if you start from pee-wee? (because that would be completely retarded. so much talent out there) I can hold my own against AHLers and ex no name NHLers so I've been looking for a way that isn't a contest to see if i could go pro. I'm starting to get sick of this "pay $140 an hour for ice time" BS
 

ShutEye

Member
Which of those Montreal players you named are elite level prospects? The type of player that wins playoff games?

Every team thats won the Stanley Cup over the last ten years has had at least one elite player that they aquired in the top 5 in the draft and everyone of those teams did so by being the equivalent to the Pittsburg Penguins. Tampa was awful, Carolina was pathetic, New Jersey, Detroit and Colorado were brutal, brutal teams 10 to 20 years ago. The CUP WINNING cores of those organizations were top 5 pick heavy.

Toronto may have totally screwed themselves in the 1980s, but the team's ownership and management problems are well documented. Obivously, in addition to top 5 picks you need people with brains given the authority to shape the team.

Its not impossible to organize a team with that level of access to top talent, but its very, very difficult. You also need to be incredibly lucky in the draft or straight rob some idiot (see NYI, Boston) in trades.

You guys can go back to dreaming that Montreal and/or Toronto are going to become Cup winners without top picks (finishing close to last), meanwhile teams like Pittsburg will pass you by.
 

Sandman42

Member
Actually Montreal has a pretty deep prospect pool. Kostitsyn(x2), Latendresse, and Chipchura are all solid prospects and will most likely make the NHL. Grabovsky and Emelin are both skilled russians who could make an impact with Montreal. Price and Danis are pretty good goalie prospects as well. I wouldn't expect them all to pan out, but the future of Montreal looks very good.

BTW Toronto's prospect pool isn't as bad as many of you think.

-F Jiri Tlusty is a fantastic skater with great hands and a solid frame. He will most likely play in the OHL this year but could make the Marlies if he has a good training camp.

-F Robbie Earl was the MVP of the frozen four tournament, he should be on the Marlies all year next year.

-F Alexsander Suglobov is a highly skilled offensive winger who has a chance to play for the Leafs this season.

-F Nikolai Kulemein is not your typical russian player. He is a great big guy who goes into the corners and can lay a big hit any time. He also has great hands and played with Malkin last year earning the rookie of the year in the Russian Super League.
 

Malakhov

Banned
ShutEye said:
Which of those Montreal players you named are elite level prospects? The type of player that wins playoff games?

Every team thats won the Stanley Cup over the last ten years has had at least one elite player that they aquired in the top 5 in the draft and everyone of those teams did so by being the equivalent to the Pittsburg Penguins. Tampa was awful, Carolina was pathetic, New Jersey, Detroit and Colorado were brutal, brutal teams 10 to 20 years ago. The CUP WINNING cores of those organizations were top 5 pick heavy.
Absolutely false, teams that won the Stanley cup over the last ten years haven't won the cup because they had drafted a top 5 pick prospect, they won the Stanley cup because they had a good prospect pool and made the good trades to acquire the players that brought them to the stanley cup.

Tampa Bay only has one player that was picked in the top 5 pool in the last 10 years that helped them win the stanley cup and it's Lecavalier, that's it. What made them win the stanley cup? By stealing players at the draft like Brad Richards who was picked in the third round, signing a player like Martin St-Louis who had never been drafted, with Fredrik Modin who was drafted in the third round, acquiring Fedotenko for a good prospect (Pitkanen) and acquiring Dave Andreychuk for Veteran presence.

You don't have to pick in the top 5 to get a good prospect pool, you just have to have a good scouting, look at the Sens.

Marian Hossa was drafted 12th
Martin Havlat was drafted 26th
Andrej Mezsaros was drafted 23rd
Anton Volchenkov was drafted 21th
Antoine Vermette was drafted 55th
Mike Fischer was drafted 44th
Chris Neil was drafted 161th
Patrick Eaves was drafted 29th

That's how you build a contender, not by finishing last and drafting top 5 picks every year.
 

sefskillz

shitting in the alley outside your window
Malakhov said:
That's how you build a contender, not by finishing last and drafting top 5 picks every year.
Unless you're the Penguins and then bring in a new GM (who isn't your backup goalie) who then kicks things into overdrive.
 

ShutEye

Member
Malakhov said:
Tampa Bay only has one player that was picked in the top 5 pool in the last 10 years that helped them win the stanley cup and it's Lecavalier, that's it. What made them win the stanley cup? By stealing players at the draft like Brad Richards who was picked in the third round, signing a player like Martin St-Louis who had never been drafted, with Fredrik Modin who was drafted in the third round, acquiring Fedotenko for a good prospect (Pitkanen) and acquiring Dave Andreychuk for Veteran presence.

I'm not debating that you need a deep talent pool. But Tampa also had Lecavalier, who was the first overall pick and who was as insturmental in that Cup win as Richards or St. Louis. Discounting Lecavalier (who could only be aquired by a top pick) isn't an accurate evaluation.

Top 5 picks remain the best way to aquire the front-line talent that propels elite teams. We'll see if teams without those picks can build themselves up under new dynamics with the cap, etc...

I still think that re-building the team while trying to keep it in the playoffs year-in, year-out is fundamentally flawed. Rebuilding from zero doesn't always work either, but it has a hell of a better track record than other strategies.
 

Kingpen

Member
sefskillz said:
Unless you're the Penguins and then bring in a new GM (who isn't your backup goalie) who then kicks things into overdrive.


I think Shero is doing a fabulous job as well.... So glad he learned so many things in the Preds organization.
 

R_GILL

I'm tanking for Kabanov!
You don't need to draft in the top 5 to acquire good talent in the draft you just have to draft well. Plus if you draft well and stock pile good talent you can probably get a very good player in return. Montreal has a pretty deep system I am sure if they continue to stock pile they can turn around and deal some of them for a top level young player. Plus you have to trade well, look at Buffalo, sure they have drafted high in recent years but most of their impact players have come from trades and later draft choices.

The Leafs problem is more related to the fact that Fletcher and Smith sucked at drafting and when Quinn drafted well but he traded a lot of good young players for more established players and it usually backfired long term.
 

Manics

Banned
bishoptl said:
You folks are ****ing rocksmokers if you think I'm going to enforce these bets. We need every NHL fan on the boards that we can get. Scale the stakes back, please.


Alright, banned for the duration of the NHL playoffs?
 

Manics

Banned
Malakhov said:
Yeah because a good prospect will only end up like the Ovechkins and Crosbys of this world, nevermind homebrown players like Chris Higgins, Michael Ryder, Mike Komisarek, Andrei Markov, Tomas Plekanec, Alexander Perezhogin etc..

Exactly what Forza said -- mediocre to average players. Really, with the exeption of Ryder and his 30 goals, what the hell have the other guys on that list done? :lol

I can bring up a similar list of mediocre to average Leaf draft picks with stats just as good or better then the guys on your list. What's your point?
 

FightyF

Banned
Manics said:
Alright, banned for the duration of the NHL playoffs?

How about you wear the other team's jersey and a sign that says, "Habs rule and you all know it" while walking around town. Take a few pics, make a vid...that's better than just banning someone.
 

pops619

Member
The national press is only getting most of the story half right. The tone of all the reports suggest that the groups left in the bidding only want to move the team out of Pittsburgh. That's not true. Both groups said to be the front runners at this point are willing to stay there. In fact, the group that supposedly in the lead has said that they'll only move the Pens as a last resort. There are two plans for a new arena to be built here, with the back-up plan having seen quite a bit of progress. The main plan, of course, has the Penguins partnered up with the Isle of Capri casino company, who will pay fully for the arena if they get a slots license that will be awarded to Pittsburgh.

In short, the chances of the Penguins moving are still pretty slim. Reports came out here that said a group from Canada that was close to signing a letter of intent to buy the team withdrew their bid because the NHL would not ok relocation as long as progress is made towards the construction of a new arena. It would pretty much take a disaster in the negotiations for the new arena for the Pens to leave.
 
A recent Bob Probert interview:


So how has it been going, clean and sober?

It's going good. I go to the meetings, probably not as much as I should, but I go. I've been through that stuff (rehab) before; it's not like I don't know what to do.

Why is this time going to work?

Well, you never know, right? But you get to a point where you just get tired of, you know, beating your head. I think, too, it's the responsibility of having kids. They're smart, they're busy, I've got to move 'em around. It's a lot easier when you're not sleeping in, know what I mean?

Why did things get as crazy as they got? Celebrity? Too much money too fast?

I'm sure all of those things are factors. Some people just like to drink more than others and, when you add a little bit of money to that, a little bit of fame, things can get pretty crazy pretty fast.

What do you like music-wise?

I was at a Pearl Jam concert in Toronto. Stuff like that, older rock and roll.

Television?

My wife's into Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, stuff like that. I'll watch but ... like the Discovery Channel. I like the forensic science detectives, not so much the CSI stuff but more the true stories like Cold Case Files.

The best present you ever got?

Probably my children. My oldest is Brogan, who's 12. Then there's my 9-year-old Tierney, then the twins, Jack and Declyn. They're 6. We tried for three and got four.

Interesting names, too.

Well, actually, Dudley Moore was married to a Brogan Lane and my wife saw that in a National Enquirer, so that's where she got that one. Jack was my grandfather's name and the other two were just, you know, out of a baby name book. My wife likes the Welsh names.

Are you worried what your kids might think about your past?

My wife and I have been totally honest and open with them and explained all the situations and stuff that have happened. You can't really get around it so you might as well be as honest and open as you can. They've been pretty good about it.

Do you think you could play in the new, improved NHL?

I think I could. ... (Georges) Laraque's still playing, he's a big guy, 250. It'd be nice standing in front of the net on a power play and not being touched.

Where would you like to take an all-expenses-paid vacation?

Funny, but I just got back from England. I went there for a week with that Hockey Stars for Hope, which raises money for kids who don't have the money to buy hockey equipment. We played five games in seven nights and it was an awesome time. It was also my first time ever in Europe and now I'd love to go and experience something else, something different. Maybe Germany, maybe France. I'm going to say Paris, France.

Do you collect things?

I do. When I was younger, coins, stamps. I've got some old football coins that my neighbour gave me. I've got some memorabilia — not as much as I wish I would've collected, but some sticks, pictures, stuff like that. I collect old cars, too. I've got a '70 (see photo) and a '71 Chevelle, both ragtops, and a '70 and a '72 Monte Carlo. We've built a house with a garage big enough that I can have a workshop in there. I putt around. I still love riding motorcycles, too. I've got a '98 Roadglider, a '98 Springer, a '90 Fat Boy, a '93 Nostalgia and a cool-looking custom with a wild paint job.

And you've still got the puck from Feb. 13, 1999, the last goal scored at Maple Leaf Gardens?

Yep, got it at home. My son will probably get that one. I was playing on (Chicago's) fourth line with Reid Simpson and, I can't remember, (Mark) Janssens maybe. We didn't play much, but every time we went out we scored. Simpson got two. We won 5-3, I believe (6-2, actually) and since everybody knew it was the last game, soon as anyone scored you got the puck. I scored with about 11 minutes left and all of a sudden it's like five minutes left, four minutes, and I'm thinking, "Geez, I could actually get the last goal at the Gardens." So it came down to the last minute and a half and they called a penalty on us and now I'm thinking, "A--hole refs don't want me getting the last goal." So the Leafs get a power play for the last minute and a half, but they never scored. It was awesome.

What was your most memorable fight?

I think the second (Tie) Domi fight, the rematch in New York, because it was so hyped up.

Was there a certain honour among enforcers?

For the guys in that role, there was always a certain type of respect for one another. You knew you might have to go fight a guy that night but you still had the utmost respect for him because it's probably the toughest job in hockey to live that day in, day out and wondering who you're going to fight the next night, or if you're going to win or lose, or if you're going to be embarrassed.

What was the low point in your career?

Probably when I was arrested back in '89, when I got caught at the border and suspended for a while. That was pretty low.

And you were busted for bringing cocaine into Detroit?

Yeah, but actually I brought it into Canada and then brought it back. They charged me for importing but it was already imported. I just went over to Canada and partied a little bit so I'd actually exported it and was bringing it back.

A good friend of yours, Sheldon Kennedy, apparently has this story about you and the boys and some nude waterskiing.

Well, I don't know if it was nude but I lived on a lake in Michigan and we used to go out at night, like midnight, pitch dark. There'd be three or four of us and a big spotlight, sometimes just a flashlight. We'd just ski off the moonlight. There'd be ducks and birds flying around and I'm almost hitting them. What an awesome experience because the water was glass and it was so quiet. Of course, you know, we're half-jacked.

What was Delray Beach, Fla., all about two summers ago? All charges were eventually dropped, but the story was four cops, you resisting arrest, Taser guns.

Just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some guys were getting mouthy and I was getting mouthy and then the police arrived.

And what does a Taser feel like?

Yeah, wuffff, wow. The first one really didn't hurt, but the second and third one, you know — nnnnggggg! nnnngggg! You're glad that's over.


Given all the craziness, given that a guy like John Kordic died at 27, that Bryan Fogarty was dead at 32, do you ever stop to consider you're lucky to be alive?

Absolutely. It's amazing. A car accident, a bike accident, just crazy stuff and I'm still here. I didn't think I'd make it to 40. I didn't think I'd make it to 30. I'm a firm believer that the big guy up there has a plan for every one of us and, you know, obviously there's a plan for me and that's why I'm still here.






:lol at some of his replies....
 

calder

Member
ForzaItalia said:
And what does a Taser feel like?

Yeah, wuffff, wow. The first one really didn't hurt, but the second and third one, you know — nnnnggggg! nnnngggg! You're glad that's over.

*bows down*
 

Manics

Banned
Fight for Freeform said:
How about you wear the other team's jersey and a sign that says, "Habs rule and you all know it" while walking around town. Take a few pics, make a vid...that's better than just banning someone.


I don't post my pics on the internet.
 

Jason

Member
hmmm

Briere scores big deal; trade may follow

Sources tell TSN Buffalo Sabres star Daniel Briere has been awarded a one year, $5 million settlement through arbitration.

The two sides had been trying to work out a long term deal, but were unable to reach an accord before the arbitrator's ruling. The contracts signed by Martin Havlat, Marian Gaborik and Alex Tanguay were apparently used as benchmarks in this case.

The Sabres now have 48 hours to accept the settlement or reject it and allow Briere to become an unrestricted free agent. Even if the Sabres accept the one-year deal, Briere will be eligible for free agency after the season. For that reason, the Sabres were rumoured to be quietly shopping Briere throughout the arbitration process.

In fact, Briere could be involved in a "sign-and-trade" within the next couple of days. The two sides are working on a 5-year, $25 million deal that would then see Briere dealt immediately. Montreal, Los Angeles and Atlanta are among the teams in the mix.

Briere only played 48 games last season due an abdominal injury that required surgery. Before getting hurt, Briere was on his way to a career-year, scoring 25 goals and 33 assists for 58 points.



Briere returned in time to put up 8 goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 18 playoff games as Buffalo came within one win of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.

In 2003-04, Briere had his best NHL season, scoring 28 goals and 37 assists for 65 points in 82 games.

Briere has played 402 NHL games, scoring 130 goals and 151 assists for 281 points.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=172126&hubname=
 

aceface

Member
That TSN article is a load of crap, the Sabres and any other team can't sign a long term deal with Briere until January 1st now that the arbitration award went down, so a 5 year sign and trade is out of the question. The only options are, sign him for 1yr/5mil and trade him with that contract or walk away and then Briere becomes a UFA. I say they have to sign him although that probably means a few other forwards are gone. Anyone want JP Dumont or Ales Kotalik?
 

Wolf

GO HABS GO
I've heard " Montreal is in the mix" so much this summer that the words have lost all meaning.


I'll believe it when I see it.
 

dem

Member
How the HELLLLLLLLLLL does Dan ****ing Briere get 5 mil???? Thats got to be the most insane arbitration number ive ever heard.
 

Wolf

GO HABS GO
Carolina vs Montreal - Game 6 is on NHL Network right now.


I didn't think I'd want to re-watch Montreal getting eliminated....but it was such a great series, and this game was awesome. The tension, the fans, the hits, the saves, and to top it off Hughson calling the play.

Huet and Ward really put on a show, one of the best goaltender showdowns of the playoffs.
 

Socreges

Banned
dem said:
How the HELLLLLLLLLLL does Dan ****ing Briere get 5 mil???? Thats got to be the most insane arbitration number ive ever heard.
58 points in 48 games (among the best for PPG)
19 points in 18 playoff games (3rd)
Captaining his team to the conf finals

I think the price is a little much, but it's not so ridiculous.
 

dem

Member
Socreges said:
58 points in 48 games (among the best for PPG)
19 points in 18 playoff games (3rd)
Captaining his team to the conf finals

I think the price is a little much, but it's not so ridiculous.


points be game shmoints per game. His career high is 65 friggin points.
 

Socreges

Banned
dem said:
points be game shmoints per game. His career high is 65 friggin points.
And he improved significantly last year. That being his only exceptional season, even if it is the most recent, is the one reason why I'd argue that 5 mill is too much. He did maintain his performance in the playoffs, though, and that certainly helped.
 

Malakhov

Banned
Manics said:
Exactly what Forza said -- mediocre to average players. Really, with the exeption of Ryder and his 30 goals, what the hell have the other guys on that list done? :lol

I can bring up a similar list of mediocre to average Leaf draft picks with stats just as good or better then the guys on your list. What's your point?
Higgins was one of the top goal scorers in the NHL last season post olympics and Markov, wow, calling Markov an average to mediocre player just confirms me how you are totally ****ing clueless... goddamn...
 

FightyF

Banned
dem: From what I understand is that arbitration has a lot to do with last season's performance. I don't think it goes indepth into the player's history and such.
 
rumor (czech newspaper) has it the canucks have acquired Jan Bulis (1 year for around 1.3 million).. bulis plays center/left wing, so unless he suddenly plays right wing with the sedins (or daniel switches sides), this should spurn more rumors of matt cooke getting traded which would just be ****ing dandy considering i have three canuck jerseys- todd bertuzzi, ed jovanovski, and matt cooke- the tri-****ing-fecta.
 
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