Kutcher

I love all these comparision's to the horrible hockey that was the 80's. I mean everyone talks about it as if there were more than a handful of talented guys. The only reason guys dominated so much was because most of their opposition was of AHL caliber. Like imagine every team having defense like McCabe, they would get lit up and guys would score like crazy. Maybe thats what the NHL should do , make it a rule that a team has to employ half their roster with AHL or ECHL caliber guys ? Scoring would go up wouldn't it.

The problem isn't the equipment. The thing is , goalies are just that much better than they were, they have much better conditioning and they are more athletic. Also they mostly play a hybrid system of stand-up/butterfly and play shots based on percentages. That and the defensive systems is the blame for the lack of scoring not this bogus reason that equipment is too big.

Friday: Toronto @ New Jersey Philadelphia @ Washington Florida @ Buffalo Phoenix @ Dallas Nashville @ Edmonton Los Angeles @ San Jose Saturday: Toronto @ Montreal Boston @ Ottawa Pittsburgh @ NY Islanders New Jersey @ NY Rangers Florida @ Carolina Atlanta @ Tampa Bay Calgary @ Minnesota Chicago @ St Louis Anaheim @ Phoenix Vancouver @ Colorado San Jose @ Los Angeles Sunday: St Louis @ Columbus Nashville @ Chicago Ottawa @ Boston

So putting one of the most dynamic players in the game in the spot of plugs like hudler, filpula ( anyone thats not dats or zetts) hurts the team ? The young guys can battle for the ice time with each other, thus making them play harder for minutes that won't be handed over to them easily, thus making them build skills faster and not be so useless. Even if we pay him 1-2 mill for 10 reg season games + playoffs it would be worth it. It's not like we have to trade away anything to get him, just some money that we would waste on a less talented higher paid player at the deadline.

Yeah, if I were to bet on him winning anything it'd be the Selke, no one else is more deserving.

Because, zetts is leading now but he won't be in a month or 2 months. I like him as much as the next guy but I know that Crosby is the best offensive player in the NHL and will be for years to come. And the hype is due, the kid has beat Gretzky's records. He is 20 years old and is getting better, why wouldn't you take him over Zetts? His offensive ability more than makes up for his small lack of defensiveness.

I'd love it if foppa came here. But we will need another top 6 forward for him to play with, time to trade away the 3rd line plugs playing on the 2nd line. Honestly I can't see how people are against him playing in Detroit, he is one of the most dynamic players to ever play, especially in the playoffs. Who cares if he gets signed and only plays the playoffs, he'll still end up with more points then the 2nd line.

Crosby's -4 is more of a reflect on how brutal his team is. Put any all-star player on Detroit and they will score alot and be a plus. Yeah Zetterberg is a great 2 way forward , but I'd take Crosby over him any day of the week.

But you need guys that work hard with skill. I'm not trying to knock the guy. I just dont think we need to develop ANOTHER 3rd liner. We have like 8 of them right now, we need a skilled hard worker who is a 2nd liner.

Since he's an RFA I hope he lights up the RSL and Lowe sends him and offer sheet for a ridiculous amount so we can get some really high draft picks for a bum like him.

I'm not hating the fact that he is scoring, I'm just stating that he isn't that talented, and IMO we have more talented guys in GR than him. I never said he wasn't a hard worker, but a hard worker with no talent is just a hard worker.

Sorry not NHL calibre skill, and 3rd liner AHL skill. Did you not see the goals, one was a random backhand from that half boards, the other was being in front of the net and reaching behind him to tap it in. So yeah, I think luck has more than something to do with it.

I was one of the Ellis bashers earlier on, and will say yeah the guy works hard but that doesnt change the fact that he has no skill. His goals were lucky, he is fast and defensive but hardly any more offensive talent than Downey (or any other prospect we have). I think he is like Malts and the only way he will keep up his grinder like style is if he is playing with a tough guy. I will say I don't think he brings more to the team than Downey, not even close, and when Drake comes back I hope him or Kopecky or Hudler (who is pretty useless, since Ellis learned to skate) get shipped to GR and not Downey.

Friday: Vancouver @ Washington Montreal @ Carolina Buffalo @ Florida San Jose @ Detroit Colorado @ Calgary Saturday: Philadelphia @ Boston San Jose @ Columbus Ottawa @ New Jersey Carolina @ NY Islanders Toronto @ NY Rangers Montreal @ Pittsburgh Buffalo @ Tampa Bay Florida @ Nashville Atlanta @ Chicago Washington @ St Louis Dallas @ Phoenix Edmonton @ Los Angeles Sunday: Minnesota @ Colorado Edmonton @ Anaheim Detroit @ Vancouver

agreed

100 pt club St. Louis Savard Crosby Thornton Zetterberg 50 goal club St. Louis Heatly Cammalleri

I caught the highlights of the King Parros fight and King dominated him.

Because i feel that the team needs the grit now. If they can develop, hey I'm all for that, but there's a time when you need the help before you can develop it. And I feel that we need some grit, I don't think Downey is the best solution, but he is A solution. I just get really irritated when I see a guy with Kopecky's size being out played (in a gritty sense) by a guy Drake's size or Hudler's size. Maybe having them sit and giving those minutes to Downey a few times they will get the hint to use their size and not be pussie's.

I'm saying that from what I've watched both Kopecky and Ellis won't be more than 3rd liners. But since Downey is what we have why not use him. He can't turn the puck over or be more less defensively sound than Kopecky. If Kopecky would learn to play the body and not be such a puss, then I could deal with his other inabilities. I'm just saying that the team needs grit and scoring, a player who can bring both would be ideal, but since we don't have someone like that, might as well meet one of our needs. Ellis and/or Kopecky aren't gritty or offensive, maybe they will be in the future but Kopecky certainly hasn't shown any signs of either on a regular basis which is why I find it pointless to have them out there when they are just hurting the team. Atleast Downey would do something no one else would. And he may not be the best fighter in the league but hes a pretty decent one.

I'm not sure if it will. Markov wants $3M the Bruins have $2M and change to spend. He likely won't lower his price so they will need to dump off some salary first. But if it doesn't get done there's always hope he'll return for a discount.

I think it will. But the Bruins need to dump some salary first. Markov wants $3M per year and the Bruins have about $2.5M or something similar. And I don't see Markov lowering his price for the Bruins since he wouldn't for us.

Because we need grit and like it or not Downey is the grittiest guy on our roster, and he provides lots of energy to bring momentum. I'd much rather have a 4th liner on my 4th line rather than a plug who may turn out to be a career 3rd liner. Like neither of kopecky or ellis have that much offensive talent to warrent a roster spot based on that. Neither are all that defensive or physical either. Which is why I can't see why they are up with the big club when they offer nothing that the team needs. Theres guys waiting in GR who know their role and play it well ( helm) for one. Why not give a guy a 3rd line spot and develop him into a 3rd line guy when that is where he is comfortable being. Ellis , if he is lucky will be a 3rd liner some where in the league one day, but I doubt that its with Detroit. And Kopecky , well what else is there to say , the guy is Robert Lang with out the talent, it's funny watching him play and thinking "how the hell did this kid make the NHL" .

Surpirsed they fired him. A 2 player team with one of their 2 guys out is never going to do well.

Its fine that Ellis works hard but he has no talent. he plays on the 3rd and 4th lines usually and can't do anything, dump him and give his spot to Downey he will actually play that role, same goes for Kopecky. Hell even call up Helm, who is a great defensive forward, and give him a shot. I'm sure he will play the 3rd and 4th line role 100 times better than Kopecky and Ellis Combined. Kopecky is about as effective as a one legged man in an ass kicking contast. He is probably our worst player, with Ellis not far behind him. You can put anyone on the ice with Hank right now and they'd probably get an assist. I just don't see what the team sees in these two bums. I mean Kopecky is 6'4 200lbs, and I'm pretty sure my 5 year old cousin can hit harder than him. Ellis got an assist playing with Hank, I believe Grigs got one to, not that i think grigs is any better than those other two bums.