thedisappearer

Or wait more than 11 minutes for an answer.

That helps none. The post above you helps the conversation, you just prove we had *really* s***ty back-ups that year.

What you are missing is that HOCKEY wouldn't starve, the NHL would. And 98% of all Canadians would find some other way to get their hockey fix, primarily through local play (which most Americans don't have...), while 98% of Americans would forget the sport existed. We may fund the NHL, but the sport ain't our.

Just Colorado.

This works for me, if the minutes are dispersed more evenly than most team's 1-2-3 lines. Stuart getting third line is horrible. If they all got between 16 and 22... WIN.

Kronner had plenty of growing pains, plus injuries. I just don't think Ericcson is as good as Kronner, but I think he can still be a solid second line guy. I'd say his issue is the Wings have no defensive depth, no offensive depth, and aren't playing their system very well. He struggling at times, clearly... but I think he's doing well, all things considered.

All I can think of is they mean 'back and playing by Christmas'. If it's not by Dec 25, they view it as next year. But yeah. WTF?

I heard we could trade Lids and the Chicago's rights to Kopey for a 37th round pick and 3 free dollar dogs. Larry told me. He tells me about dollar dogs alot though.

This contract would handcuff worse than what he's signed to right now. Also, you are probably an idiot.

We've declined in to 3 straight conference finals and back to back SCF berths? Huh?

Yzerman is scouting Eric Stall? What else do you want?

It's not as much about him (though it's clearly a factor) as it is they pulled a Penguins, bulked up with a bunch of high drafts picks, and got better. When they started winning, people came back. This isn't a s light on the fans, it's liek this everywhere. You win, and people show up.

LOL, yeah, making the finals SUCKS. And we clearly have a chance to get back there, especially if we play your team again. Get bounced in 5 recently?

Hockey is the thread that holds Canada's culture together. Go into any Canadian town and ask "did you see the last game?" They will immediately discuss the last game that happened closest to them. NHL, IHL, pee wee, whatever. Hockey is what they do. Go to an American town and ask that question. You're lucky if a hockey game gets mentioned. Do Americans, Russians, Finns, Swedes, (insert your country here) love the sport? HELL YES. But we aren't the sport. Canada is. They just are. To debate that is, sadly, being an ugly American. "Well, we have more money and impact the NHL more." So? The NHL isn't HOCKEY, and we don't care about money. We care about hockey. And per capita, Canada cares more.

My thoughts exactly.

That is a simply disrespectful thing to say. I'm glad Canada shared their game with us.

On the flip side, America contributes well over half the $ that keeps the league rolling. Canada has the middle management, America has the supervisors. But really... Canada. There's no debate.

Regular season, Howard, but this could change in one period. Post season, Ozzie. Unlikely to change.

[Little Jon] WHAT!?!?!?!?! {/Little Jon]

I never, ever said Maltby, and yes, I don't see a problem with giving a younger, hungrier player a few games there. Either it works out, or it makes Bert hungrier, or we are right we started. None of those is *bad*.

(we're about to go back to shooting percentage) His horrid shooting percentage shows he's doing worse than not finishing, it shows he's taking bad shots. He needs over 20 shots to get a single goal. I really think we could throw one of the younger, less experienced players out there with Dats and the PP and get soemthing better than this. And saying he has less turnover than Dats is misleading. He doesn't handle the puck nearly as much as him. Point guards have more turnovers than power forwards. Works in basketball, works in hockey, too.)

See above. We do have options... ones that could actually let us develop players who may not be stop gaps. I agree Bert isn't *the* issues, but he is clearly one of them. But yes, our s***ty PK and generally poor defense are more pressing issues. Then again, Howard should be getting more love around here.

I guess the place where you and I disagree is, then, that I'd much prefer to try some of those 3rd and 4th line guys in his spot for a game or two. Miller has looked great since he got here. Eaves shows potential. Bert is third line, all the way.

I don't care about the salary, I care about the line he plays on and the PP time her gets. If Kopey got the ice time Bert did, I would have howled bloody murder. Please note, Kopey was a 3/4th liner with damn near zero PP time. Compare that with Bert. Exactly.