VM1138

Unfortunately, no. I use 3G on my phone, don't have internet and streaming would kill my wallet. And I only have over the air TV. Seems like a stupid decision for NBC to make. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

What's the point in owning the rights to the Olympics if they won't show it on their main NBC channel? Instead of a paid commercial program? Really bummed about missing it. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

I can't even process most of these threads anymore. So much ridiculousness. I'm inclined to believe HSJ about Ryan. He has a reputation as not being a big game player. Fair or not. Thus, when he disappeared against us, I would hope Holland would have lost interest. Toews having a bad series against us isn't the same thing. Toews can carry his team when It matters.

I'll take a $4 million dollar goal scorer any day, streaky or with a history of concussions.

Well, as usual in the Olympics, no surprises yet. Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden and Finland. Predictable. Ah well, I just hope USA keeps it going. If Finland beats Russia, they'd be on track to have a respectable streak going, wouldn't they? Someone mentioned them medaling in three of the last four Olympics. Yet they never get much press.

Good to beat Russia, but why is it being hailed as the biggest win for USA since 1980? Team USA is ridiculously stacked, better than Russia on paper, and it's just a round robin game. What's so big about It?

I don't think Alfie came here to win a Cup. He packed up his family and moved to Detroit. He bought a house. He went all in on a long term life change to come here. He's not going to want to be traded. I think he just wanted to play for a solid team with good management where all the pressure isn't on him. I don't think he's retiring this year, either. He still wants to play but recognizes he's not the number one guy anymore. I don't think he wants to be a floating mercenary like Jagr and Iginla.

If Franzen, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are out for even half the remaining NHL games, I begin to doubt our ability to make playoffs... We may put together a decent underdog streak, but you just don't win with your top three scorers out.

He's second...with only a handful of points.

You'd have to package them with a roster player if it's a trade this season, but this summer cap space won't be an issue.

That's exactly why we should trade some prospects. It's up to Kenny to decide who but we have more than will ever see the ice. It sucks but we might as well get something for them.

Not to sound like a broken record, but our offensive corps is shaping up nicely. Sure, you can always use more firepower but barring a power forward acquisition, we should be okay for this year. I would argue that we actually need TWO defenseman to win a Cup. Kronwall is our only offensive defenseman. I know Kindl and Smith and Quincey are considered as such but in performance they aren't. So let's break our corps in half. At the top, we have Kronwall, Ericsson and DeKeyser. One offensive talent, two defensive-minded players. Good enough to play defense but not really help the offense. Here is where an offensive D-man can help. Someone with a good stretch pass and who loves shooting. The mythical right handed point man for the powerplay. It's okay if he is a bit of a defensive liability because he would be paired with Ericsson or DeKeyser. In the bottom half we have Smith, Quincey, Lashoff, Kindl. Lashed is a reliable defensive guy, but nothing more than a #7. Six if we need him. The rest aren't particularly good at anything, and make particularly bad decisions with the puck. Also, their passing is bad, which stems from boneheaded decision making. So our second acquisition needs to be a solid, smart stay at home guy. A #5 or #6. I bet this would be just as valuable an acquisition as a star defender, even if he only had 10 points a year. Find those two guys, don't be shy about using our first or second picks in a weak draft, and this team suddenly operates very differently.

Haha, yeah. Franzen was not only red hot before he was injured, he was consistent for a longer period of time than be has been in years. Maybe since 09? I was ready to believe he finally shook off the ridiculous degree of streakiness.

Do the Olympics actually grow the sport? Is there actual market research to back this up? I've never met a single person who wasn't a fan who watched Olympic hockey and then watched the NHL. When you watch curling you watch it for the novelty. People all over the world are nationalists deep down, and so we watch these obscure sports for national pride or for novelty effect. Big sport events draw viewers. Remember the World Cup of Soccer in 2010? It was pretty big in the US, but three years later soccer isn't any more popular. I'm just not sure the evidence supports the Olympics capacity to grow a sport. I know I never watch curling or snowboarding outside of the Olympics.

This makes me excited for the prospect of Weiss and Franzen's return. Finally, we can roll three, maybe four really good NHL lines. Haven't been able to do that in years.

South Korea is an advanced nation with a high quality of life. What, exactly, Is the issue with the Olympics being held there? And the time zone thing is just silly. The rest of the world can't host because Westerners might have the scores spoiled? I like the idea of amateurs. People love the focus on athletes that they don't know. I don't know why but they love the profiles on unknowns. People root for unknowns--especially kids--in a more meaningful way than for pros.

Played great until the end. Offense looks dangerous and can control the play. Defense, though...man, that defense. Most painful was the empty net goal. Why the hell would you dump the puck deep when you have an empty net? Stupid decision-making. We dump way too often. Holland HAS to get a defenseman. Even if he overpays. We are a playoff team. It's time to commit and invest in a run. Make us stronger, Kenny.

Two games in a row where our offense looked like a top tier NHL team, but our defense looked AHL. We're not as horrifically embarrassing to watch anymore, which is great. But that defense needs a tweak.

Ah, things are getting back to normal now. Age old arguments are re-emerging. Feels good, doesn't it? I still can't choose between them. Miller is of course steady. He's a great 4th liner and has a few big games each year. Eaves has had some injury problems recently which has hampered his play a bit. Eaves, on paper, has more skill, but he doesn't always show up on the score sheet as often as he should. A few years back they were both invaluable. Now, I think Miller might have the edge, but it might only be because Eaves is still getting into the groove of playing with the big club again. Man, it's been a weird year.

I honestly think Cleary will be waived IF it frees up enough cap space. Holland seemed ready to in December.

The bed complaints are ridiculous. Are they supposed to build five star hotels for temporary guests? It makes sense for the athletes to live in dorms. No biggie. Western world problems.

Others have made this point but I'll echo it. Weiss was invisible. He didn't cost us games and he wasn't "bad.". He was a disappointment but he didn't hurt us like Cleary and Sammy and Quincey and others have. Hence, he gets more of a benefit of the doubt. No impact, while not good, is better than a negative impact.

He already said he wants to test free agency. So he has no interest staying with whoever he Is traded to. That should lower his trade value a bit. Still don't think he will come here.

Right. They're a business. Maybe they paid a big chunk at the time but they weren't liable for the accident. I never assumed they ever paid for his care, never crossed my mind. They've done all right by Vladdy, I think. I hope.

Isn't Fetisov a member of the Duma? If so, it's probably a part of the offensive against non-Russian foreigners. I'm never a conspiracy theorist, but Putin is all about cultural battles and any dig at a Canadian or American business, related to hockey, right before the Olympics, is probably part of a concerted effort.