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Pretty sure it stands for *******.

I understand that a lot of their core is out with injuries, but even Kovalev would have been a better choice than Cooke. Stay classy, Pittsburgh.

Oh Pit, can you make me hate you more?

You don't mind a blatant elbow to the head? Stepan could have easily gotten retribution with a clean hit, the elbow to the head was over the top.

That's the most retarded thing I've read in a while. Crosby and Ovechkin represent the exception, not the norm. Of the first 30 guys selected each year maybe 2 or 3 will never play a game in the AHL, CHL or another minor league*. Add in all the other rounds and you can safely say more than 95% of the players drafted will play in the minors (both pro and amateur). It's not uncommon to see top 5 picks play in the AHL for a time... it all depends on what their team's status is (garbage or loaded with talent) and how physically ready they are for the NHL. So in summary-- the AHL is hardly a holder pen for fringe prospects. Most of the young NHL players who enter the league cut their teeth in the AHL. Edit: *Condsider that some guys who start on their team's NHL roster at 18 end up playing in the AHL for a time at some point (see: Edmonton this season)

Green's hit is the sort of thing you see in nearly every board battle. Stepan just didn't protect himself. Shouldn't battle with your face to the boards if you don't have the upper body strength to absorb all the pushing and cross checking you're gonna get. His retaliation was stupid. He's gonna get suspended. Rightly so.

Draper's youngest was born right before the 2008 Cup and it made for a really cute pic. Just sayin'.

On Monday the TSN ticker shall read...RED WINGS ACQUIRE MIKE MODANO, VALTTERI FILPPULA AND CHRIS OSGOOD FROM THEMSELVES FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS.

We seem to have a "No douchebag" policy that seems to be working out.

I thought Mules were infertile? Its a miracle! Congrats to the Franzens, hopefully years from now the Mule can tell his kid "and then RIGHT after you were born, I went on the biggest scoring streak in the history of hockey!"

It's certainly possible. Being a first time father would definitely weigh on my thoughts.

Wait a minute, Commodore lifts weights? esteef

Going out there and smashing bodies is exactly what Babs wants from Abby. Hell-- he lead the forward in hits last season by a mile before being sent back down to GR. Babcock demands that his players forecheck hard and grind down other teams by hitting and pressuring their defensemen. Nothing about the Babcock system can be described as 'non physical' outside of the lack of fighters. If Abby can't be a physical presense there's no reason to keep him in Detroit. He's not a bonefide NHL scorer. Abbs needs to play like a 3rd/4th line forward or refind his scoring touch.

Here is what I think would happen in some trade calls with Brian Burke... Burke: Hi Bryan. How are you today? I drove myself to the airport. Bryan Murray: That's nicethhhh. Why are you calling meeeetthhh....(spitting all over the place) Burke: I'd do the Phil Kessel trade all over again. He's only 22 years old and is already a 50 goal scorer and Tyler Seguin is a bust. Murray: Thatsssttthhh noootthhhh truuutthhh...(hack tueeeyy all over his secretary) Burke: I want Chris Neil and Chris Phillips Bryan. Can either of them read the tea leaves? Neil and Phillips are not canadian for punch me, whack me and sodomize me in swedish. Murray: Whattttthhh in the helltthhh are you talkingttthhh abouttthh Burkettthhh? (ACK!) Burke: Look I want my team to be truculent, belligerant and...what was the other one? Uh never mind I forgot. I can't give up much. I need to trade for Dustin Penner. So he can join Loops and Richards when I trade for him. I'll only give up a 3rd round pick for Phillips and a 4th rounder for Neil. Deal? Murray: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Burke: Bryan? Are you awake? You did a great job of building the Ducks and I was so happy to take all the credit for it when I won the Cup all by myself in 2007. But you've run your Sens team into the ground. How do you keep your job? Murray: F OFF Burke. Thuffrin Thucotath I got a goalie now! Andersontthhh rulestthhh! Burke: For Christ sakes Bryan quit talking like Hannibal Lector. Murray: I oncetthhh hadtthhh an oldtthh friendtthhh for dinnerrrtthh and I ate him with a can of favatthh beans and a nicetthhh kiantiii.. FFFFFfTTHHHH.... No deal Burke. I wanntthhh 2 1sttthhh roundersssthhhh for Phillipssstthhh and Neillltthhh... Burke: CLICK. Burke: Hello is that you Tallon? Dale Tallon: Yeah it's me, is that you Burke? Stop calling me ok? I need to talk to GM's who actually are serious in their trade offers. Don't you have an interview on TSN to do? Burke: I have them on speed dial. They can wait. I"m doing a Deadline Day promo from my bathroom. Howard Berger is offering to flush the toilet. I have him on retainer. Uh I'd like Weiss. Tallon: So do about 12 other teams Burke, What will you give me? Burke: A 1st and a 2nd. Tallon: Not enough. I want 2 1sts. Burke: What the hell is that? Weiss is not in the same league as the Sedins. Tallon: Yes he is. They all play in the NHL. 2 1sts or shove it where the sun don't shine. Burke: CLICK. Burke: Hey Tambs. It's your good friend Burkey here. How's my buddy Kevin Lowe doing? Steve Tambellini: He's doing well Burke. Calling about Hemsky or Penner? Burke: Both. I'll give you my 2 1st round picks. Tambs: No. I need more. Throw in Colby Armstrong and Luke Schenn and you have a deal. Burke: F OFF TAMBS! That's bulls***! CLICK. Burke: Hey Holland... Kenny Holland: Hi Burke. You still have a job? Burke: Very funny Holland. Just wanted to let you know that Brett Lebda is making you look pretty stupid these days... Kenny: Oh how's that? Burke: He scored last night. It was a goal which no other player in the league could score. Kenny: Hey you want to trade me your 2 1st round picks for my best prospect? Burke: I'm not falling for that Holland. Who is it anyway? Kenny: Well his name is Joe Neely. He is Cam Neely's son. He plays just like his dad did. Big, mean, tough with goal scorer's hands. Burke: Cam Neely is not that old Holland. He doesn't have a son who is 18. Kenny: No he is actually 20. You see Cam got one past the goalie when he was very young. I'm telling you, he is playing for Grand Rapids and is tearing up the AHL. Burke (flipping through his AHL stats on his computer): I don't see anyone named Joe Neely! Kenny (sending Burke a phony email): Look Burke. Here are his stats... Burke (opening his email from Kenny): Wow! 65 goals and 21 assists! 406 penalty minutes! He's a plus 113! Holy crap why do you want to give him up Holland? Kenny: Well we have Tatar and Mursak and we just don't have enough Cap space for next season to call them up. I risk losing Joe Neely for nothing. Burke: Yeah Holland you really F'D things up with your Cap. I always told everyone how overrated you are as a GM. It was Bowman who built those Cup teams. Kenny: Yeah well the secret is out. I've been riding on Scotty's coat tails for a long time now. Anyway, do we have a deal? 3 1st rounders for Joe Neely? Burke: Deal! It was MY idea! I am telling the media it was MY IDEA! CLICK... Burke calls a media conference in his bathroom. Howard Berger flushes the toilet to begin... Burke: Hello and welcome to the Toronto Maple Leafs trade deadline. It is now 11 AM and we have made our first trade of the day. We have acquired Joe Neely who is 18 years old from the Detroit Red Wings for 3 1st round draft picks. We feel that Neely can step in and contribute to our team. He possesses all the qualities we want and we feel that he can be a Toronto Maple Leaf for the next 10 years. I've already called his dad and left a message on his voice mail. I expect to hear from both Joe and his dad Cam very soon... Nick Kypreos: Who is Joe Neely? The Red Wings don't have anyone named Joe Neely on their roster or in their organization. (Berger flushes the toilet again) Burke: Well yes that is correct. But those stats are not there because Joe Neely is now a Toronto Maple Leaf. There is no record of his stats yet. But look here folks. This kid could be the next great hockey player of our time. I always build my teams the same way. Skilled top 6, tough bottom 6. Joe Neely will play on the same line as Kessel and Grabovski and it will form the best #1 line in the league. I don't know why the Red WIngs gave up on a young 60 goal scorer. I think he could score 80 next year and eventually 100. That is how much I believe in this kid....Next question... Gary Bettman: Brian you have made a monumentally stupid move and given up 3 1st round draft picks for a player who does not even exist. Cam Neely doesn't have an 18 year old son named Joe. Due to the absolute gregarious stupidity displayed by yourself, your 3 1st round picks will remain with the Detroit Red Wings. You are now removed as Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager and have been replaced with Howard Berger...(TOILET FLUSH) THE END

Sadly yes.

When blood is drawn from a punk, an angel gets his wings.

Not only that but despite the Wings having a terrible night he was the one guy battling the hardest out there. Even when playing with Miller and Abdelkader he was creating space and battling for the puck. Even ignoring the goal, any one posting in this thread that can't acknowledge what he did last night is blind. If you're going to say 'well, it's only one game', then you're just dumb because he plays that hard all the time. His value was on full display last night.

Shoreline's link is kind of a good one. ...End thread?

No, dear. A girl's favourite thing in the world is yambags. We don't like douchebags. Would that I had a hundred zillion plusses for Shoreline's post.

His attitude. His dives. His lack of respect for his teammates (See: Yzerman comment). Take your pick.

So did Maltby for many years. Would rather have good guys like him and not ass clowns like Avery.

Rudy also played with a lot of heart. Maybe we should get him on the team too.

Pffttt a whole thread dedicated to that one brother. Take it elsewhere...

Negatory.

They would have to move a player to make room. That said, if they moved Osgood, I approve also. Rather keep Osgood, let him retire and replace him next year.