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Officially started yesterday. You guys know the Drill.

I've got tickets to the Hurricanes opener tonight. Anyone else going to see their teams opening game?

I'd be headed for the Joe and the start of another glorious Red Wings season, but yesterday I came down with some sinus issue or cold or something and just in general feel beat the hell up. So it's television tonight.

Plus it's a 3pm game, and if it's not baseball (or football on a Saturday/Sunday) I won't ever be going to an afternoon game of anything.

I'm curious to see this year's Wings. A lot of players gone without the usual smart, solid pick-ups to fill those holes. Though good riddance to Hossa, hope you rot in hell, and I can't wait for his no-backboned fairyboy style of play to bite Chicago in the ass; which he has already done thanks to their salary cap situation.

Honestly, if there's a team I want to win that isn't Detroit, it's Washington. Ovechkin's got to get a Cup otherwise the media blowjobs for Cindy Crosby are just going to be extra sloppy and without check.

Qonas said:

I'd be headed for the Joe and the start of another glorious Red Wings season, but yesterday I came down with some sinus issue or cold or something and just in general feel beat the hell up. So it's television tonight.

Plus it's a 3pm game, and if it's not baseball (or football on a Saturday/Sunday) I won't ever be going to an afternoon game of anything.

I'm curious to see this year's Wings. A lot of players gone without the usual smart, solid pick-ups to fill those holes. Though good riddance to Hossa, hope you rot in hell, and I can't wait for his no-backboned fairyboy style of play to bite Chicago in the ass; which he has already done thanks to their salary cap situation.

Honestly, if there's a team I want to win that isn't Detroit, it's Washington. Ovechkin's got to get a Cup otherwise the media blowjobs for Cindy Crosby are just going to be extra sloppy and without check.

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Grape Ape isn't going to win the cup this year I'm afraid. A single talent isn't going to make up for Washington's lack of depth.

Pens will round out another cup victory. Just wait and see. I'm hoping that Bourque snatched off waivers from DC is going to help the Pens out even more so. Honestly, not one line on Pittsburgh doesn't have an all star player on it. It's going to be a great season.

Oh, it's going to be hilarious watching the Flyers choke again this season despite having a solid setup.

Chazwozel said:

Grape Ape isn't going to win the cup this year I'm afraid. A single talent isn't going to make up for Washington's lack of depth.

Pens will round out another cup victory. Just wait and see.

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As much as I love the Canes and should hate Washington, I can't help but like Ovechkin. That man is just so damn charismatic.

Covar;267724][quote=Chazwozel said:

Grape Ape isn't going to win the cup this year I'm afraid. A single talent isn't going to make up for Washington's lack of depth.

Pens will round out another cup victory. Just wait and see.

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As much as I love the Canes and should hate Washington, I can't help but like Ovechkin. That man is just so damn charismatic.[/QUOTE]

Really? You think he's charismatic? I think he's an egotistical son of a bitch if I ever saw one. I don't dig his little after goal dances at all. I guess the thing I dislike most is the constant comparisons between Ovie and Crosby. They have two completely different play styles. The comparison should be made between Malkin and Ovechkin. Where I think Malkin works out to be the better player mainly because of the depth of his team.

And guys, if you're going to make fun of Sid do it right: Cindy Crysby.

I wonder if Philly's going to silence their retarded Crosby Sucks chant this year.

Anyway, in spirit of the thread, I am going on Oct 8th to Wach-off-ia Center for Flyers-Pens game. I guess I'll find out there.

Definitely agree the comparison should be Malkin/Ovechkin....play-style wise. But with the NHL and every media outlet falling over themselves to coronate Cindy Crosby as the next coming of Gretzmeuix, Ovechkin gets measured up against that because Ovechkin is BETTER.

Qonas said:

Definitely agree the comparison should be Malkin/Ovechkin....play-style wise. But with the NHL and every media outlet falling over themselves to coronate Cindy Crosby as the next coming of Gretzmeuix, Ovechkin gets measured up against that because Ovechkin is BETTER.

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I wish the media would get it right.

Ovechkin = new Mario Lemieux

Crosby = new Gretzky

etc...

They never get their comparisons down right. I think the Crosby hype is correct now anyways. The guy did lead his team to a cup victory. Crosby's more an all around player where Ovie's great for racking up individual stats. In the end, to get the cup, you gotta learn to play with your teammates.

Nothing against Crosby, he suffers a lot from what I like to call Hot Wide Reciever syndrome. Malkin is a thug out there. Ovechkin might be a little arrogant with his style, but he has a lot of energy when he plays and it comes off that he really loves getting to play the game.

Covar said:

Nothing against Crosby, he suffers a lot from what I like to call Hot Wide Reciever syndrome. Malkin is a thug out there. Ovechkin might be a little arrogant with his style, but he has a lot of energy when he plays and it comes off that he really loves getting to play the game.

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You think Malkin's the thug?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1_pXeR-6Zw[/ame]

My ass just got called in for my first day of work... going in right at face-off time for the 'Canes.

Ross said:

My ass just got called in for my first day of work... going in right at face-off time for the 'Canes.

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Ouch. Where are you working?

Covar;267817][quote=Ross said:

My ass just got called in for my first day of work... going in right at face-off time for the 'Canes.

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Ouch. Where are you working?[/QUOTE]
Blockbuster I quit there last June because I had a full-time summer research job that sometimes had odd hours with short notice (see: taking a pontoon boat out to different lakes on good measurement days), so I could not work at both due to my large amount of scheduling conflicts.

Now that that job's done, and I have no source of income, it's back to Blockbuster I go!

I don't have a lot of hope for the RedWings, but they still have my axe.

Chazwozel said:

[Oh, it's going to be hilarious watching the Flyers choke again this season despite having a solid setup.

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I can't consider a team starting Ray Emery to have a "solid setup."
Anyways, I don't have tickets to the sabres tomorrow, but I'll definitely watch on tv. Not too optimistic about this season, but I'm still gonna watch.

blotsfan;267929][quote=Chazwozel said:

[Oh, it's going to be hilarious watching the Flyers choke again this season despite having a solid setup.

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I can't consider a team starting Ray Emery to have a "solid setup."
Anyways, I don't have tickets to the sabres tomorrow, but I'll definitely watch on tv. Not too optimistic about this season, but I'm still gonna watch.[/QUOTE]

I agree. They should have held on to Marty Biron

This just in...

Ross said:

My ass just got called in for my first day of work... going in right at face-off time for the 'Canes.

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So...you're not even supposed to be there today?

I haven't missed a Wild opening night since they started up, and this coming Tuesday will be no different.

BErt;267998][quote=Ross said:

My ass just got called in for my first day of work... going in right at face-off time for the 'Canes.

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So...you're not even supposed to be there today?[/QUOTE]
LOL I totally missed that.

I wasn't even supposed to BE there today!

As a Canadian, I'm obligated to post here even though my only meaningful contribution will be 'Go Flames' even though I know we'll choke right at the start of the playoffs just like every year since we lost to Tampa.

The red wings lost yesterday. It was a good day.

Charlie Dont Surf said:

The red wings lost yesterday. It was a good day.

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It may be a little early to say, but I don't think the Big Red Machine is going to make it as far as they did last season. Especially with Kris Draper still being all butthurt over the exaggerated great Crosby snub of 2009.

Sabres lost in painful fashion. We outplayed them so much, but just couldn't close it up...

Whoooooooo Predators are undefeated

Enjoy it while it lasts, Chuck, because it won't for long.

The Wings do look a bit off so far, though. It's early and it's the Red Wings so I'm not panicking at all and fully expect them to win the division and be a top-3 seed in the playoffs. I'm just mentioning what I'm noticing in play, that's all.

Really, I could live with the on-ice play so long as Ozzie could just be consistent. He'll have flashes of brilliance and then stretches of below-mediocrity. Decide who you are Chris!!! Wings fans are tired of always constantly worrying about the goalie position.

Ok, Tuesday is our night. I feel it.

Tuesday was our night! A Shootout win, but a win none the less. Glad I decided to go, since the it wasn't televised and turned out to be an exciting game.

Thought this thread should be resurrected.

I'm a Canucks fan. Crazy season so far. Injuries have been rampant. They are basically playing their farm team right now but are still somehow a couple games over 500.

How's everybody else feel about their team's season thus far?

If the Pens win tonight they beat the NHL record for most away win streak!

The Predators are looking mighty good

Of course they do, they haven't played the Wings yet.

I was mighty impressed with the Bruins-Wings game. I still want Bettman to suffer the slowest, most painful death in all creation for what he has done to my beloved NHL and to the Red Wings (really, we only play the non-Chicago Original Six ONCE?!) but at least his nonsense means when the Wings get an Original Six opponent my eyes are glued. Sort of like Osgood's to the puck, he was on fire that night. He continues to be an enigma in Detroit, as he'll crap the bed one night (needing Jimmy Howard to come in and save the day) and then turn around and post a shut-out another. He's closing in on 400 wins, but is that a longevity thing like all of Favre's records or is he that good? Big debate here.

Original Six is overrated.

Habs have generally sucked a dick... still better than Toronto though.

Timmus said:

Thought this thread should be resurrected.

I'm a Canucks fan. Crazy season so far. Injuries have been rampant. They are basically playing their farm team right now but are still somehow a couple games over 500.

How's everybody else feel about their team's season thus far?

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I'll feel better about it once my Wild get done kicking the bejeezus out of your merry band of dipshits tonight.

Hurricanes season so far:

:aaahhh: :doh: :tear: :frusty: rly:

the mighty FUCKS of anaheim are goin' down tonight

Charlie Dont Surf said:

the mighty FUCKS of anaheim are goin' down tonight

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Start up a Quack chant. Or yell "Flying V" everytime they setup behind their net.

Oh shiiiiit, the Mighty Fucks are called out. But they're not 'Mighty' now, remember, they're just Fucks.

DarkAudit said:

Original Six is overrated.

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No, the Original Six is hockey. As a hockey fan, I don't want to watch my Red Wings in a game against friggin' Columbus or a arena-half-filled no-enthusiasm Atlanta or Phoenix team. That does absolutely nothing for the game, as those teams have no history, no passion, and no real meaning other than filler so Bettman can say the NHL is "expanded". Detroit/Toronto was THE hockey rivalry for this town, along with Detroit/Chicago. That's now been killed and long dead thanks to this over-expanding nonsense, and we only just got Chicago back because the cheap-ass owner died. I don't want energy-less, tradition-less, going-through-the-motions hockey. I want the teams of Howe, Orr, Esposito, Sawchuk, Stanley, Hull, Mikita to battle it out as the banners above them reflect the triumphs of seasons past. In the mid-90s, the NHL was poised to surpass the NBA in popularity. The game was right there. Instead Bettman waffled on cracking down on the Devils' game-killing trap and then expanded, diluting the product through spreading out talent and giving television viewers the absolutely thrilling draw of a Florida vs Atlanta. Ugh.

Hell, Carolina and Nashville shouldn't even have a team right now and their fans are awesome!

Hell, Carolina and Nashville shouldn't even have a team right now and their fans are awesome!

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FUCK YEA...wait what?

I don't know what to respond to that :[

GO PREDATORS

Armadillo said:

I'll feel better about it once my Wild get done kicking the bejeezus out of your merry band of dipshits tonight.

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I just checked the standings. Looks like you guys could use a win. Have fun losing to the moose tonight.

---------- Post added at 01:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 AM ----------

Haha

Wild just let Darcy Hordichuk score.

Spezza, GW goal. Phaneuf, GW goal. Excuse me while I go take a bath in the day's fantasy points.

We've secretly replaced Qonas' bathwater with battery acid. Let's see if he notices.

I'm going to go watch the Hurricanes play Toronto tonight. I'm saddened that I'm looking forward to a close, exciting game.

WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS *sob*

Hurray, Leafs win!

Oh, did they find Kessel's consciousness after that hellacious hit laid upon him?

Covar said:

I'm going to go watch the Hurricanes play Toronto tonight. I'm saddened that I'm looking forward to a close, exciting game.

WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS *sob*

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Just console yourself with the fact that you have won a Stanley cup in the years since 1967.

Timmus;293141][quote=Covar said:

I'm going to go watch the Hurricanes play Toronto tonight. I'm saddened that I'm looking forward to a close, exciting game.

WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS *sob*

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Just console yourself with the fact that you have won a Stanley cup in the years since 1967.[/QUOTE]

Detroit -1
Toronto - 5

and also

Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Osgood!!! Pulled 5 minutes into the first period one night for giving up 4 goals, come back with a shutout, then give up 5 more!

Qonas said:

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Dang they just retired his number this season. Thought that happened ages ago.

My nuckleheads take on the blues tonight. Still playing with a skeleton crew so It will be interesting if nothing else.

Timmus said:

Dang they just retired his number this season. Thought that happened ages ago.

My nuckleheads take on the blues tonight. Still playing with a skeleton crew so It will be interesting if nothing else.

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Canucks 1
Blues 6

Glad I was working instead of watching this. It's official my week can't get any worse.

The Habs are working on a 99-year losing streak in their red and green jerseys. The last win with that sweater was Feb. 28, 1911.

The Wild beat the Leafs 5-2. Beating the Leafs isn't too much to be excited about, though.

Armadillo said:

The Wild beat the Leafs 5-2. Beating the Leafs isn't too much to be excited about, though.

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Fuck you, some of us would have been very happy to beat the Leafs last night :hurt:

Covar;296748][quote=Armadillo said:

The Wild beat the Leafs 5-2. Beating the Leafs isn't too much to be excited about, though.

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Fuck you, some of us would have been very happy to beat the Leafs last night :hurt:[/QUOTE]

So right now, we're discussing the worst, 2nd worst, and 3rd worst teams in the league. Goddamn NHL.

EDIT: The Wild have surged to FOURTH worst in the league! YEE-HAA!!!

Heading to the Kings @ Hurricanes game tonight. Eric Staal out for 2-4 weeks, Cam Ward out for 3-4 weeks minimum, and one of our top defensemen is sitting out tonight due to illness.

What a season.

Ugh. The Preds lost a heartbreaker last night to the STUPID JERK KNOCKING US OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS EVERY YEAR Sharks

Funny, some of us have absolutely no trouble beating....nay, HUMILIATING...every hockey pundit's favorite team in the San Jose Sharks.




















I'm talking about the Red Wings.

















The Red Wings consistently beat the Sharks.

Qonas said:

The Red Wings consistently beat the Sharks.

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Then they should have won the season series against the Predators last season, right? they did didn't th-


oh



oh they didn't. oh. well then.

Some good news out of the OHL, Ben Fanelli is out of the hospital. He was with the rest of his family doing an interview for HNIC this evening.

YES!!!!!

Hurricanes just one their first road game of the season. Against the PENS!

the Predators' march to the Stanley Cup is still going fairly well.

The Wings' march to the injured reserve is still right on pace. Ugh.

Damn you Juri Hudler! :angryfist: Oh and damn Kenny Holland, the greatest GM in all of sports. We should've made a play for Bouwmeester, our defense is wretched.

It`s Ok, Habs at one point had 29M of salary cap on IR.

Everyone's getting hurt.

Charlie Dont Surf said:

the Predators' march to the Stanley Cup is still going fairly well.

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---------- Post added at 01:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:57 PM ----------

Covar said:

YES!!!!!

Hurricanes just one their first road game of the season. Against the PENS!

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I'll tell you Billy Guerin is probably the greatest mid-season deadline purchase in NHL history though. He really stuck it out.

SeriousJay said:

It`s Ok, Habs at one point had 29M of salary cap on IR.

Everyone's getting hurt.

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Everyone's getting hurt is right. I'm just waiting for the "Zetterberg injures knee, Detroiters kill themselves" bit'o'news.

And what the hell has happened to the Habs?? Last game I watched the Leafs just moidered (not murdered, this was moider) them. Good lord.

They then murdered the next 2 opponents. Habs were playing with 6 minor league players at a point and all their "subs". It was ridiculous.

SeriousJay said:

Everyone's getting hurt.

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The reality of non-interference is injuries. =sigh=

Sweeeeeeet I'm gonna see the Predators beat the shit out of the Red Wings in person this Saturday night

Sounds like the Sabres kicked ass tonight, too bad I missed it...

Fucking Oilers are missing half of their first two lines and they're doing better than when everyone was healthy. God I miss the Oil's glory days.

OHHHHHHHHHHHH PAT QUINN'S GONNA BE AWESOME, FUCK CRAIG MCTAVISH, HE'S THE WORST EVER!

I just want to punch all the people that seemed to think the blame was soley McTavish's.

Cam Ward was back in the net for Carolina last night. Gave up 3 goals, but still looked pretty good all things considered. Still didn't stop a 4-2 loss. Freaking Brodeur, we would have faced better if they just put a brick wall up against the net.

Chazwozel said:

I'll tell you Billy Guerin is probably the greatest mid-season deadline purchase in NHL history though. He really stuck it out.

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from http://twitter.com/evgeninabokov

# I is feeling most bad for whomever team get Billy Guerin. We have Guerin problem two years back. Lucky, Ehrhoff kill him with slapshot! 2:37 PM Mar 2nd from web

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klew;313512][quote=Chazwozel said:

I'll tell you Billy Guerin is probably the greatest mid-season deadline purchase in NHL history though. He really stuck it out.

Click to expand...

from http://twitter.com/evgeninabokov

# I is feeling most bad for whomever team get Billy Guerin. We have Guerin problem two years back. Lucky, Ehrhoff kill him with slapshot! 2:37 PM Mar 2nd from web

Click to expand...

[/QUOTE]
That's not the real Evgeni Nabokov, and the Sharks suck dick regardless of who they blame for sucking dick.

of course it isn't the real one, and the Sharks are like the Buffalo Bills of the late 80s and early 90s, with the exception of making it to the Finals.

Chris Lee sucks a dick.

klew said:

of course it isn't the real one, and the Sharks are like the Buffalo Bills of the late 80s and early 90s, with the exception of making it to the Finals.

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So they're the Houston Oilers.

The Blackhawks are fun to watch this year, win or lose. Mostly win, though.

Never before has the death of an owner been such a good thing for a franchise.

I sure enjoyed being at tonights Blackhawks game.

Piotyr said:

The Blackhawks are fun to watch this year, win or lose. Mostly win, though.

Never before has the death of an owner been such a good thing for a franchise.

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I am going to laugh if the Blackhawks get to the Stanley Cup finals, only to lose and trade off the bad luck charm that is Marian Hossa.

Chazwozel;313980][quote=Piotyr said:

The Blackhawks are fun to watch this year, win or lose. Mostly win, though.

Never before has the death of an owner been such a good thing for a franchise.

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I am going to laugh if the Blackhawks get to the Stanley Cup finals, only to lose and trade off the bad luck charm that is Marian Hossa.[/QUOTE]

If that happens I hope someone is able to film the exact moment he realizes it and makes his "it's all happening again!" face.

Charlie Dont Surf said:

Sweeeeeeet I'm gonna see the Predators beat the shit out of the Red Wings in person this Saturday night

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Hey?

Hey Charlie?

:caked:



Hey, Hey, Hockeytown!!! :whoo:

oh look the red wings won another game because of a hired gun free agent they could sign only because they are the detroit red wings


fuck detroit forever

Charlie Dont Surf said:

oh look the red wings won another game because of a hired gun free agent they could sign only because they are the detroit red wings


fuck detroit forever

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Yankees of the NHL...

Sabres won last night! Thats 3 in a row.

Charlie Dont Surf said:

oh look the red wings won another game because of a hired gun free agent they could sign only because they are the detroit red wings

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Bertuzzi? He's a shadow of a echo of a shell of the player he once was, anyone could have signed him this year.

And the more I see of Ovechin, the more and more he convinces me that he is a terrible hockey player.

HCGLNS;314517][quote=Charlie Dont Surf said:

oh look the red wings won another game because of a hired gun free agent they could sign only because they are the detroit red wings

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Bertuzzi? He's a shadow of a echo of a shell of the player he once was, anyone could have signed him this year.

And the more I see of Ovechin, the more and more he convinces me that he is a terrible hockey player.[/QUOTE]

Ovechin's thought process:

I skate fast to net.

I pretend to almost crash goalie.

I score. I hot shit.

His game isn't at all about finesse, it's about having a laser precision cannon slapshot, which is why I fucking hate how Versus and NBC cover Caps vs. Pens games and ALWAYS compare Crosby to Ovechin. They have completely (and I mean completely) different styles of play.

Yes, Crosby is a whiny bitch while Ovechkin is the best in the game right now.

Also it's awesome how the Red Wings are somehow the Yankees, when there's a salary cap. Also where did Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson go again? I somehow forgot. Clearly it must be to the throwing money around, buy everyone up Yankee Wings!

Qonas said:

Yes, Crosby is a whiny bitch while Ovechkin is the best in the game right now.

Also it's awesome how the Red Wings are somehow the Yankees, when there's a salary cap. Also where did Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson go again? I somehow forgot. Clearly it must be to the throwing money around, buy everyone up Yankee Wings!

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Well there are team rivalries and then there are the Red Wings. Everyone but Red Wings fans hate the Red Wings.

There's a salary cap, but all the loser free agents try to squeeze out a Stanley Cup with the Dead Wings.

Grape Ape is hardly the best in the game. If anything I'd rank John Traveres and Mike Richards as the top contenders with Crosby.

Chazwozel;314506][quote=Charlie Dont Surf said:

oh look the red wings won another game because of a hired gun free agent they could sign only because they are the detroit red wings


fuck detroit forever

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Yankees of the NHL...[/QUOTE]

Which is fine with me. I like the Yankees too!

...Don't hate me.

Hossa's goal tonight is just ridiculously ridiculously good.

And Hossa being the proverbial bad luck charm for his team is ridiculously, ridiculously annoying.



So Chuck. Chaz. What you're telling me is that, in a SALARY CAP LEAGUE, there is a team that acts like the Yankees? That poaches the best and brightest from every team to win championship after championship? And that team is the Red Wings?

Why, of course!!! It makes so much sense!! After all, the Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cups of any team in NHL history!!! And their payroll is absolutely ginormous and towers over the second-highest spending team!!!! They don't draft and develop players at all, they just wait for a player to be good on another team and then sign them in free agency!!!!














Yeah, no. This is a blue collar team for a blue collar town. Detroit is almost unique among sports towns, equalled only by Pittsburgh and Green Bay and Seattle (regarding basketball). Their sports teams reflect the character of their citizens. Detroit is not rich. Detroit is not glamorous. Detroit is not master of anything, or dominating over anyone. Any marginal success the city or its citizens achieve, they get through their own hard work and perserverance. Yet you want to throw all these Yankee qualities on to the signature Detroit team? You want to claim Detroit spends money like water? That Detroit poaches everyone else? That in doing so, Detroit dominates championships and makes things uneven in the league?

HARDLY. Look at the facts and the stats. Montreal has hoisted the Cup the most, not Detroit. The NHL has entered a salary cap era, meaning NO TEAM can outspend another. And the star players for Detroit are not poached, high-priced free agents; they are DRAFTED or picked-up-after-being-cut developmental players who have come up through the Red Wing developmental system: Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Kronwall, Cleary, Franzen, and so on. NONE of them are your Johnny Damons or A-Rods. Oh, wait, the amazing Todd Bertuzzi!!!!!! Who after scoring 4 goals in two games, has a total of 6 goals for the season!! Signed for a paltry one-year contract and if he's your glitzy free agency signing, obviously your team has no pretenses toward Hollywood.

So, Red Wings equalling the Yankees? Not even. Get over yourselves and your perception of this team.

The Red Wings are like the Yankees in that veteran/experienced players sign with them in the hopes of winning championships. The Yankees have the advantage of being able to offer top level players obscene amounts of money with the chance at a championship, the Red Wings lure players with reputation. The Red Wings don't spend loads to bring in players, the players are willing to take pay cuts to play for them. I say that shows more about the character of hockey players. Baseball does have a luxury tax, the Yankees (and Red Sox) bring in enough revenue they can afford to pay the fines. According to wikipedia, the Detroit Tigers and LA Angels are the only other teams to pay the luxury tax.

klew said:

The Red Wings are like the Yankees in that veteran/experienced players sign with them in the hopes of winning championships. The Yankees have the advantage of being able to offer top level players obscene amounts of money with the chance at a championship, the Red Wings lure players with reputation. The Red Wings don't spend loads to bring in players, the players are willing to take pay cuts to play for them. I say that shows more about the character of hockey players. Baseball does have a luxury tax, the Yankees (and Red Sox) bring in enough revenue they can afford to pay the fines. According to wikipedia, the Detroit Tigers and LA Angels are the only other teams to pay the luxury tax.

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Now, these are arguments that make some kind of sense. Meaning, they aren't generic neanderthal "hurrrf-a-durffff Wings = Yankees BOOOO" nonsense.

1) Can't argue the veteran players signing for less based on reputation. That's in fact one of the reasons that Kenny Holland is looked at as one of the best general managers of all of sports; he's able to negotiate that kind of thing, where 95% of other teams aren't. The question after this, however, becomes just how good are those veteran players? Hossa racked up the points during the regular season, but where was he during the Stanley Cup Finals last year when the Wings needed him? And lets not talk about the Bertuzzi thing; he may have score 4 goals in 2 games back-to-back, but he's still Todd friggin' Bertuzzi. Now Rafalski, Stuart, decent veteran free agent signings. But they aren't blockbuster Yankee-esque signings.

2) The Tigers have paid over on the luxury tax, yes, but poorly. This reflects upon the character of Mike Illitch, the owner, and the fans of the city of Detroit. Lemme explain.

We, in Detroit? We have nothing. The auto industry has crashed and burned; that was the one bright spot we HAD. Outside of it, the city is an urban cesspool of crime, underperforming public schools, and corruption. And as the city of Detroit goes, the state of Michigan goes. So everyone, regardless of geographical location within the state, is affected by the malaise and underperformance of the city. All we have is our sports. We obsess about them, probably way too much. Nonetheless that emotion, that feeling is still present. We've vaccinated ourselves against the Lions, thanks to near-centuries of frustration, but not so with the other sports. We count upon the Red Wings, the Tigers, Michigan Wolverines football, and Michigan State basketball. Most of all those Red Wings, as we are Hockeytown. We're an Original Six city, a founding city of North American hockey. Our general mood rises and falls as the fortunes of the Red Wings rise and fall. Second to that, however, is our Detroit Tigers. Mike Illitch owns them both. And where he has found success with the Red Wings, he has seen nothing but failure with the Tigers. You may count 2006 as a success, considering the Tigers made the playoffs, but look at their performance in that series. It was ABYSMAL. But Illitch? He, as much as any other blue collar Detroiter, wants to see championships in Detroit. He has the money, so he was willing to play the game in baseball in order to create a contending team. For that one year, he had the formula. But his general manager failed him. It wasn't spending the money that was the issue; it was giving the money to the wrong players. An 18 million dollar option to Magglio Ordonez, long-term big-money contracts to Brandon Inge, Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, and Dontrelle Willis. All of those contracts haunt the Tigers. So now? The Tigers are an utter shell of their former selves. They have had to trade their star developmental player, Curtis Granderson, as well as two of their three big free agent signings (Placido Polanco, Edwin Jackson) to the haves. Rendering the Tigers once again a have-not team.

Keep in mind the money spending was a new thing. Bolstered by the Red Wings' success, Illitch thought the same could happen for our Tigers. It didn't thanks to a less than intelligent general manager. But the reason money was spent wasn't out of arrogance, or a sense of entitlement. It was to bring some kind of accolades, of hope, of pride to a city that has literally nothing else to hang its hat upon. And that is why no Detroit team can ever be compared to those New York Yankees.

Qonas;314374][quote=Charlie Dont Surf said:

Sweeeeeeet I'm gonna see the Predators beat the shit out of the Red Wings in person this Saturday night

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Hey?

Hey Charlie?

:caked:



Hey, Hey, Hockeytown!!! :whoo:[/QUOTE]

Maybe he'll almost murder someone else. Sort of makes him a good fit for Detroit, no?

I know it's a salary cap league, I'm referring to the whole great players signing there JUST because they're the Red Wings. MOST of my hate is irrational rage/little brother syndrome/jealousy. Also, there's a sizable amount of people from Detroit in middle TN because a couple auto plants from up there moved into the area. So a good 10-20% of the crowd are Red Wings fans, which pisses me off.

I would have said the rangers were the Yankees of NHL except that they are terrible.

I like to think that All-American, blue collar, Detroit-ians are pinning their hopes of sports success on Russians and Swedes.

Great win by the Sabres tonight! Montreal's timekeeper tried to steal it away from us though.

klew said:

I like to think that All-American, blue collar, Detroit-ians are pinning their hopes of sports success on Russians and Swedes.

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But mostly Canadians....like every NHL team.

Today in Ottawa, the Minnesota Wild's equipment van got into an accident and caught fire, destroying most if not all of the team's equipment: skates, pads, helmets, sticks, and so on. Assistant equipment managers are flying back to Minnesota in an attempt to get enough backup gear for Saturday night's game against the Senators.

They're going to have to break in all-new gear in the middle of the season. That fucking sucks. At least nobody was hurt.

A bunch of Sabres got food poisoning in Ottawa before we played them on thursday.
Stay out of that city.

blotsfan said:

A bunch of Sabres got food poisoning in Ottawa before we played them on thursday.
Stay out of that city.

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You're going down tonight, friend!

2nd game of a back to back against the Penguins? Unfortunately, you're most likely right.
Oh, and it looks like Lalime is gonna start. The over/under for Penguins hat tricks is 2.5.

blotsfan said:

2nd game of a back to back against the Penguins? Unfortunately, you're most likely right.
Oh, and it looks like Lalime is gonna start. The over/under for Penguins hat tricks is 2.5.

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Pretty good game thus far. I must admit, I am a closet Sabres fan.

Well we lost, but that was about as good of a loss as possible.
Unfortunately, we still lost.