Looks like that ticking clock the Rangers paid a ton of money for just went boom. Gaborik left the game in the 3rd period with an undisclosed injury. Normally I'd be giddy about that, but since I got him as a throw in on a trade and he's been carrying my offense in my money league, I'm somewhat concerned...
Just to point out Burke said he would have his own first round pick this year... which is obvious that someone will be moved to get the team in that position, most speculation has revolved around Kaberle (once again) as the one who will get the move near the trade deadline Edit: Leafs finally beat somebody. Too bad for the ducks 6-3 with Hagman getting a hattrick and Kaberle with 5 points
Like the Gordie Howe hat-trick before it (Goal, Assist, and a Fight), I propose the Marian Gaborik Hat Trick - A goal, an assist, and an injury Kessel is likely a better player than any player in the first round this year except potentially Taylor Hall. Means the leafs need to ship up a bit just to avoid that
Kessel had a good year last year, but who on the Leafs is going to feed him the puck like Savard did last year? I'd be shocked if he came close to last years production this season.
I really think people are making a mountain out of a molehill with the need-of-Savard. I really don't think anything will regress him back to being the 20-goal scorer he was in his sophomore not-with-Savard season. Will he score 36? Tough call, but seeing as he's playing for the team that was second in the league in goals last year there's -some- offensive competence, even without Antropov. I mean if the team could generate Jason Blake getting 25 goals...
Did anybody watch that doc on ESPN about the Gretzky trade? Looks like it'd be pretty interesting. My whole TV situation here prevents me from really being able to see it though.
Pocklington needed money for other businesses/debts and sold his most valuable asset. A sad day in my life. I was eleven and remember reading it in the paper. I didn't cry. Much...
I know it's not the NHL, but it's still hockey related. OHL player suspended for remainder of season and playoffs for hit. Video of the hit here He cranked Tavares head-first into the boards a few years back, and apparently has a history of going for one last punch in fights after the other player is down or tied up by the linesman so it's obvious that there was more to take into consideration. Add on top of that he's a 20 year old taking runs like this at a 16 year old, and you can see why the OHL came down hard on him. I still think most people will agree that it was too harsh of a suspension. He definitely needed a fairly harsh suspension, but I think more along the lines of 10 or 20 games or so. Ben Fanelli is still in critical (but stable) condition in the hospital with a fractured skull and orbital bone, but the hit wasn't overly dirty. He didn't leave his feet. It doesn't look like he targeted the head, and more he just caught Fanelli in a vulnerable position. He still needs to be held accountable for his actions, but it again is another one of those "Punish the action, not the result" debates.
Especially considering he didn't get an elbow up - only thing dirty about the hit is how far away he was when he lined him up
I don't think it was too severe at all. I think we're just so used to lining up other leagues with the NHL that, when something like this occurs, we expect the punishment to more reflect Colin Campbell's wheel of morality. If this were any other kid, or maybe type of player is the right phrase, the punishment isn't as stiff. Liambis, in 124 OHL games, has 5 goals, 8 assists, and 357 penalty minutes. I'm sure the kid feels like shit and didn't mean to hurt him THAT bad, but the numbers are the numbers - the kid's a goon. Listening to the interview with Branch, I agree with him in that the OHL, unlike the NHL, is not a place where most of these kids will make their living. The vast majority will go on to do other things with their lives, and shit like this just can not be going on if these guys are going to have a reasonable standard of living. In the NHL the suspensions are a joke. To me a punishment is meant to deter others more than anything else, and while it sucks for Liambis, you better believe all other OHL players will think twice before trying to smash someone as hard as they can when they're in a vulnerable spot like that.
To me it looked more like Liamis was lining him up expecting him to keep coming around the net and up ice while gaining speed, but when he stops to pass to his right it left him very vulnerable. I'd agree that there was any intent to fracture the kid's skull and eye socket, but it would have been a dirty hit regardless the way he was lining him up.
Even if the Bruins win a first round pick via Toronto , and the sign Hall next season, they'll end up trading him away in a few years anyway. Sure, Kessel Might have had the personality of a kid who played too many video games, but the kid could snipe goals. The Bruins have been playing respectable defensive games, but losing 0-1, or 2-1, and lack that finisher. Even if The B's don't get Hall, I think Kirill Kabanov would be a good fit into the bruins system.
This is the fight from last night's Ducks game. It actually occurred after the game and didn't involve any players. You stay classy Ducks fans.
Hahaha I saw that on TSN last night, awesome. I love how the interviewer is trying to get Niederymayer to tell everyone to just calm down and not to fight, but he almost encourages it for taking the stick away from the little girl.
Goaltending was already the weakness of my team in my 16 team keeper league. This won't help me at all, though it's goddamn funny: Vokoun was removed from Monday night's game on a stretcher after teammate Keith Ballard accidentally hit him in the head with his stick following a goal, Ben Wright of the Blueland Blog reports. Recommendation: Ballard was aiming for the post in frustration of giving up the goal, but he missed and knocked his own netminder out of the game with a potentially serious injury. Vokoun suffered a deep laceration to his left ear but was lucid and talking to those around him as he was removed off the ice. (Rotowire.com)
The funny thing about that is that Ballard was always known for his cool head here in Minny when he won the two NCAAs. I don't think I've ever seen him do something like that (swing at the post), granted I haven't seen him play much in a couple of years.
I've got an extra ticket to the Flyers/Canucks game on Thursday in Philly if anyone is interested. Face value is $95, I'll take that OBO. I'm coming down from NYC on either the 2.44 or 4pm train. Buddy I was going to go with bailed (B-school apparently takes priority) but if anyone wants to go to the game let me know. Just be warned - I'm a Canuck's fan and will cheer for them regardless of the Philly fans.