Official Hockey Thread

[dorian gray]

Eastern Conference? haha

 

[skeptik]

I was going to say [/typical New Jersey hockey fan] but decided not to.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

OH MY FUCKING GOD WE JUST PICKED UP PETER FORSBERG

holy fuck!

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

finally! woo, go Blues! finally beat the damn Predators!
Awesome game, Billy Guerin had an awesome goal!

 

[dorian gray]

Shitz! Yeah, I was listening to it and one of my dumb friends called and talked to me for the rest of the game. I was like, "dude. Can I get back to the game?"

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

whooooooooo!!!! eat shit nashville boy!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2922984

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues signed free agent left wing Paul Kariya to a three-year contract on Sunday night, adding scoring punch to a rebuilding franchise.


Kariya, 32, was the leading scorer the past two seasons for the Nashville Predators, electing to test free agency with that franchise for sale. He's a seven-time All-Star, including five straight berths from 1999-2003.

"We are excited to announce we have signed a world class hockey player as well as a first-class person," Blues president John Davidson said. "Paul gives us instant scoring up front as well as bringing an entertaining brand of hockey."

Kariya scored 76 points last season on 24 goals and 52 assists and had 85 points in 2005-06. The Predators also have lost goaltender Tomas Vokoun, defenseman Kimmo Timonen and forward Scott Hartnell.

The Blues missed the playoffs for the second straight season but surged under new ownership that added coach Andy Murray in mid-December.

Kariya played his first nine seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, helping that franchise reach the Stanley Cup finals in 2003. He has seven 30-plus goal seasons, is a two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner, and represented Canada in two Olympics.

Kariya is the second offseason acquisition in two days for the Blues, who signed center Keith Tkachuk to a two-year contract on Saturday. The Blues traded Tkachuk, a four-time All-Star, to the Atlanta Thrashers in February and reacquired his rights last week.

Kariya has 366 goals and 500 assists in 821 games. He was originally the fourth overall pick of the 1993 draft by the Ducks.

 

[dorian gray]

Ugh, of all the places to learn of this. I had been checking NHL.com all day.
"Royal Carnage - the only website you need"

Anyway, fuck. At least we still have...uhm...some...other...players. Honestly, I was never impressed with Kariya. Obviously he produced a good amount of points but he's completely one-dimensional - no defence at all. And he's useless in the playoffs. Sucks to lose him to a rival though - why couldnt he go to the East?

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

Kariya is a badass, no question about it.
I think Nashville lost a couple other good players, like their goalie and a Dman

Blues might actually get ahead of them this year *fingers crossed*

 

[Dark One]

I think Nashville lost a couple other good players, like their goalie and a Dman

Yep, Kimmo Timonen & Scott Hartnell came to my Flyers & Thomas Vokoun went to the Panthers.

Flyers also got Daniel Briere yesterday!

 

[dorian gray]

Flyers went from shit to good.

Nashville did lose a bunch of good players but they still got some decent depth. JP Dumont, Shea Weber, Jason Arnott, etc. Chris Mason was second in the league in save percentage last year. Too bad the whole team is going to move to Kansas City

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

yeah that sucks. thats why Kariya wanted out.

 

[AsModEe]

Yep, Kimmo Timonen & Scott Hartnell came to my Flyers & Thomas Vokoun went to the Panthers.

Flyers also got Daniel Briere yesterday!

ahah, Canadians fans are so pissed that Briere went to Philadelphie instead of Montreal. Amateurs would like a team with more Quebecers, but the managers are too busy picking their nose.

 

[dorian gray]

You probably think this is silly but I've always hated trades. I've always been a huge sports fan but trades have always made me feel lost. Teams should build through draft picks and farm squads. The damage a big trade does to a fanbase takes years to repair. It's hard to buy season tickets when most of the players I followed are gone - to nothing more than bigger paychecks. I mean, the Blues, Flyers, and Panthers? These teams completely SUCK.

 

[Dark One]

I mean, the Blues, Flyers, and Panthers? These teams completely SUCK.

Not anymore.

 

[dorian gray]

What I was getting at is it frustrates me when players just follow paychecks. Hartnell, Kariya, Timonen, Vokoun and others all went to teams that probably won't even make the playoffs. Kariya is making $18 million in 3 years. The Panthers are one of the worst teams of all-time (except for last years Flyers ). Briere left Buffalo for goat's sake

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

Kariya left becase the team might be moving
Briere got an 8 year deal. 8 years! thats insane!

 

[Dark One]

What I was getting at is it frustrates me when players just follow paychecks. Hartnell, Kariya, Timonen, Vokoun and others all went to teams that probably won't even make the playoffs. Kariya is making $18 million in 3 years. The Panthers are one of the worst teams of all-time (except for last years Flyers ). Briere left Buffalo for goat's sake

Yeah, I know where you're coming from there. It's basically true in all pro sports these days. Just an unfortunate reality of the business.

While there's no question last years' Flyers were downright deplorable last year (worst season in team history), I will say that the Flyers will very likely make the playoffs this year with all their additions (Timonen, Briere, Biron, Hartnell, Jason Smith, Joffrey Lupul, Scottie Upshall) - with even more to come when Ryan Parent's ready for action (1st round defenseman acquired late last season in the Forsberg trade).

These moves are absolutely huge and they made replacements in key areas. Let alone their skill, they gained 3 players who were captains of their respective teams last year (Timonen, Briere, Jason Smith - instant leadership instead of the lifeless and quiet locker room from last year - honestly that kind of leadership in hockey cannot be understated). A goalie who's worlds better than Esche and a regressed Nittymaki (who still has potential as the backup). Hartnell is an extremely solid power forward coming off two straight 20 plus goal seasons, Lupul is a great young talent who scored 28 goals with Anaheim two years ago and was buried in Edmonton last year, Upshall is a rapidly developing high first round draft pick who had 13 points in 18 games with the Flyers coming in from the Forsberg trade last year.

In the process, they only got rid of Pitkanen (turnover machine who was lost on the ice), Sanderson (goodbye dead weight), Esche (more dead weight) and Forsberg (their only real loss who was barely on the ice last year anyway). And in return for a late seson run with Nashville, the Flyers ended up getting Timonen, Hartnell, Upshall and Parent for him (they initially got Upshall, Parent and first & third round picks for Forsberg, then turned around and gave that first round pick back to Nashville for the rights to Timonen and Hartnell). Now THAT's a deal.

Their new GM has done an incredible job in turning things around in a short period of time.

They are playoff bound.

 

[dorian gray]

The Predators are somewhere-else-bound.

oh, beware Hartnell, he's had career season because of who he's been playing with - Kariya, Forsberg, Dumont, Sullivan. He's a bad-penalty machine. I remember several times when he'd single-handedly lose a game by slashing or charging someone. Timonen is really good.....on offense. Upshall never develped for Nashville, I have no idea about him. He's very small. So whatever happened to Robert Esche? Just never regained his composure or what?

 

[Dark One]

The Predators are somewhere-else-bound.

Yeah, that has to suck - tough market to crack outside of football I imagine.

oh, beware Hartnell, he's had career season because of who he's been playing with - Kariya, Forsberg, Dumont, Sullivan. He's a bad-penalty machine. I remember several times when he'd single-handedly lose a game by slashing or charging someone.

It does look like he takes his fair share of dumb penalties, but only being 25 I'd say his best years are ahead of him, as will hopefully be some discipline. Based on back to back 20+ goal seasons, he's hopefully a nice grab. We'll see on that one.

Timonen is really good.....on offense.

Being a team captain as a defenseman speaks volumes to me, plus they really needed a gifted offensive minded defenseman, a powerplay quarterback, and someone who doesn't make stupid mistakes the way. As long as he's not a turnover machine in his own end, I couldn't care less about not being a crease clearing, body checking force. They have other defensemen that can play that role (the newly acquired Jason Smith & Rathje can be paired with him for that very reason).

Upshall never develped for Nashville, I have no idea about him. He's very small.

I like the fact that he's smaller. For too long the Flyers have emphasized size and snarl over speed and skill. This kid's a 6th overall draft choice from 5 years ago which makes now the perfect time for him to realize his skills. He came over and played a more prominent role after the trade last year accumulating 13 points in 18 games and registering a plus 4 rating on a horrible team. He may not have developed in Nashville, but he barely played any games save for one season (48 games) and obviously had a minor role. I'm excited about him. BTW, he's listed at 6 feet, 200 pounds, hardly that small a frame. By way of comparison, Briere is at 5 feet 9 inches and 177 pounds. In today's game I look at skill much moreso than I do size.

So whatever happened to Robert Esche? Just never regained his composure or what?

Absolutely, a total confidence failure that was never regained. He was threatened by Nittymaki and was constantly looking over his shoulder leading to poor play. He had an unbelievable late season and playoff run in 2003 -2004 but never quite regained that form ever again. He's a free agent now as far as I know and hasn't been picked up yet. Will probably end up as a backup somewhere next season.

Jason

 

[dorian gray]

As long as he's not a turnover machine in his own end

He's not.

Upshall's size stats are inflated. Nevertheless, it's the discrepancy between his size and the role he was intended to play, which was something of a power forward, agitator-type a la Jordin Tootoo. In Nashville, it never worked out because A) they already had Jordin Tootoo and B) he's just not big enough. Perhaps the Flyers will exploit his skills differently. I know he played well the short time he was there. Forsberg meanwhile