stevkrause

For the millionth time - this solution is so simple it's ridiculous - Two conferences - North and South - EVERYONE travels equally... especially since the current east coast teams have majority of the most viable franchises anyway and can afford it... and to those who will say "there are too many teams in the north" you separate it the same as how Detroit and Chicago are in the "West" now...

The only reason I could see making this move, is that Rafalski isn't exactly a young buck himself either and we have a logjam at D... if we trade him and it allows us to keep Hossa and Franzen, then I'm ALL for it... if we can't make that kind of step, then no... I also say we deal Lebda for anything.... think about it, even if we let him go... next year: Lidstrom-Lilja Kronwall-Stuart Meech-Ericsson Chelios (if he comes back) or another free agent vetern who's willing to take a reduced role I have no prob with that if our O looks like this after the deal next year... (also in my perfect scenario, Maltby retires and we let Samuelsson walk) Hossa-Zetterberg-Cleary Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Franzen Leino-Helm-Hudler Kopecky-Draper-Abdelkader

Couldn't agree more

I hear Vincent Riendeau is available

It's very simple, have the AHL and NHL work with Bauer, CCM, Reebok, etc... to produce shields with locks/hinges that can be raised up to expose the face, make all shields have a mandatory latch that can be lifted when unlocked... everyone wins, fighters can fight, helmets stay on to protect against head to ice injuries... then make rule adjustments as appropriate - Additional penalties/suspensions for removing helmets, removing each others helmets during fights and additional penalties for unsecured chip straps (like the jersey tie down rule) HOWEVER All fighters that square off HAVE to unlatch their shield or receive an additional unsportsmanlike penalty... This way, cowards cannot hide behind their shields and take cheap shots without retribution and if they do have to fight, protect their faces while the fighter demolishes his hand on the shield and lands no real shots... It would be easy as hell and easy to implement... obviously judgment calls would be needed as to additional penalties as well

what a surprise, all people have offered were "leave it as it is" or any variation of the "fail" comment... original... yet again - I think it is an over-reaction and a stupid rule in the first place, but the AHL HAS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED IT and the further this goes, the closer we come to losing fighting all together... instead of just saying how stupid the rule is, I was trying to offer a solution to work with the system... the rules ARE there and are going to continue to get added any time a freak occurrence happens, so rather than ***** about how stupid the new rules are (which aren't going to go away) why not try and find a way around them?!?!?! What's your solution, other than "let's keep it the way it is" - because that is NOT going to happen... Also... I don't think visors should be mandatory by any means, but this simply is a way around the cowards that hide behind them... i.e Tootoo

want to tell me how?!??! I think it is an over-reaction and a stupid rule in the first place, but the AHL has already implimented it and the further this goes, the closer we come to losing fighting all together... instead of just saying how stupid the rule is, I was trying to offer a solution to work with the system... the rules ARE there and are going to continue to get added any time a freak occurrence happens, so rather than ***** about how stupid the new rules are (which aren't going to go away) why not try and find a way around them?!?!?! What's your solution, other than "let's keep it the way it is" - because that is NOT going to happen...

my thoughts exactly, I actually just posted a topic about that, haha

nice takedown by the ref!

I hate to be a broken record, but it just shows the amount of disrespect there is for each other and for the game in today's NHL, they need to remove the instigator and allow players to police themselves... there's no fear of retribution anymore and therefore, no respect

you took the words right out of my mouth... all the Lilja haters need to step back and look at the way he has played this year, I still can't believe how well he's played... hands down the best of his career, why would you sit him?!?! I'd sit Raffi before Lilja at this point

Almost 3 weeks ago it was reported on thefourthperiod.com that he should be signing to a new club within the next couple of days... fast forward almost a month and still nothing... I got to imagine the only reason no one has signed him yet was because all the teams(basically) in the running for him, also got involved in the Sundin sweepstakes... on any note, I hope he finds a team soon, too good of a player to not end his career properly...

It's really kinda a shame too, because he has so much pride and is not likely to "return home" so to speak, as it would have to mean he was admitting that he made a mistake when he left (and no, I am NOT referring to Detroit) - I could DEFINITELY see him fitting in great with St. Louis or New Jersey and both of those teams could use him... just kinda boggles my mind why it hasn't happened yet

having 100 point teams in a 2 point system is where I have the problem... if it were a 3 point system, the actual amount of points is irrelevant, as opposed to having that many teams "equal" to 50 or more wins worth of points due to all the tie BS I also would like to see it upped to 10 minutes in OT I just don't think the shootout should get the same worth, but I don't think an OT win should be valued any less. Win as a team, lose as a team.

it's gotta be the best looking championship ring in sports history to date... I challenge anyone to show me a better looking, more "wow" ring...

wha?!? 3 letters. NBA.

I don't see our roster looking like that at all - for starters, if Sammy wants ANYTHING over 1.75, he's gone... I also think we're gonna see Hudler and/or Kopecky and Lebda/Meech shipped by the deadline (Hudler/Koppa due to free agency status and high trade value and Lebda/Meech due to logjam at D) I also think Maltby will hang them up at the end of the year, as will Cheli after we do not tender an offer and he doesn't want to retest the waters.... there WILL be casualties and Hossa is here on a short term stay... Franzen around 4 a year, Hank at team max of around 7-7.5 and then bring up Abs and Helm... If Sammy walks, Leino back Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Cleary Franzen-Zetterberg-Samuelsson or Hudler/Kopecky if Sammy is gone Hudler/Kopecky-Filpulla-Helm Abdelkader-Draper-Downey Lidstrom-Rafalski Stuart-Kronwall Lilja-Lebda/Meech Osgood Howard

He's playing OK for the Isles right now, but he'll still never be anything better than a career backup - at this point and time I would ride Jimmy Howard full time over Joey Mac - nothing against him, he's serviceable, but lets not get ahead of ourselves just because we've let up as many goals as we have (a good part of which is our D's fault - not our goalies) all and all, I'd gladly take what we have - keep in mind also, the West is a more offensive packed conference Ozzie will get back on track and has looked stellar his last 2 starts (minus one bad hop from center ice) and got hosed on the loss to Vancouver All and all, and this EXACT point in time: Osgood>Conklin>Howard>MacDonald I'll take what we have.

thanks for the post, great read! I was always a fan of Potvin... not the greatest goalie, but made some spectacular saves and was always pretty laid back

no, it actually would be 200% - if they score, 2 on 1 and that was it, they'd be 2 for one on the night, 3, 3 for 1, etc... It counts towards the broad picture and a team can really crank up their PP stats on major penalties Say a team has 3 PP in a game, one is a majpr and they score three goals, but the other 2 are minors and they score none - they are still 3 for 3 on the night, because they scored 3 goals, for 3 PP attempts....

For anyone who watched it, they had a text in poll for best line combo of all time, and the production line Howe-Abel-Lindsay took majority of the votes, which I agree with... but I thought the other options were a little peculiar... 1. Howe-Abel-Lindsay 2. Howe-Delvecchio-Lindsay 3. Ogrodnick-Yzerman-Gallant 4. Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom My question is - How do you leave the 97 Stanley Cup champion line of Fedorov-Yzerman-McCarty off of the list? Every other combo on that list had right around 200 pts and this line put up 197 that year... plus a cup... I was just surprised out of all the Yzerman lines, that they chose that one... I would've understood the Gallant-Yzerman-MacLean even more, as they put up an OBSCENE 319 pts in 89 (although MacLean was only there for one season) and Yzerman had 155 that year... I still agree that the production line gets the win, just thought the choices were a little odd...

I personally think Babs should switch up the lines a bit... both Pavel and Hossa are natural playmakers and there is no one on the line really that can just bury it - they look great with all the fancy passes, but we need someone who can put it away. With this being said, we actually have very few natural scorers on the team, but a lot of playmakers - Z has said he wants to break the 50 goal plateau and has been firing a lot this year, Huds is a natural shooter and Franzen is a more natural goal scoring Holmstrom.... Flip is also a bonafied playmaker... with all that said here's what I think the lines should be, to mix it up and add some chemistry, and before you guys even get on me about Huds being top 2 line, give it a chance... Hossa-Zetterberg-Franzen Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Hudler Cleary-Filpulla-Kopecky Malby-Draper-Samuelsson I think these lines really capitalize on every players strengths and would make for some great chemistry... I REALLY think Huds would blossom on a line with Dats setting him up and Holmstrom out front screening/deflecting that shot...

lame in every capacity. All it ever did was distract from the game, a real hockey fan (or someone even learning the game) should learn how to follow the play, not the puck... you miss SOOO much (developing plays, special moves, the little extras, etc....) when you're forced to look at the puck by that damn thing. hate it.

I'm calling it now - this will be the lineup on starting day. Hossa-Datsyuk-Homlstrom Franzen-Zetterberg-Hudler Cleary-Filpulla-Samuelsson (ugh) Kopecky-Draper-Malby Reserves: Leino Downey Lidstrom-Rafalski Kronwall-Stuart Lebda-Lilja Reserve: ONE of the remaining Meech/Quincy Osgood Conklin Quincy or Meech will be moved I would guess... either way, I'd bet that one of the d-men will be moved and we will carry 14 forwards and 7 D, then send one of the forwards down when Cheli returns

haha, oops... I meant Hudler... I fixed this and yes, once Chelli is back and someone is sent back down, we will be salary cap compliant