DraperFan MN

Just sent you a PM!

Just checked the Pens GM into a Rosetta Stone kiosk in Terminal G.

Do I need to start driving around the Twin Cities to get the scoop?

Most teams are in the east = a majority of players voting against it. It absolutely upped the travel of those teams, spreading it out more evenly across the league. As it is now, the EC teams travel minimally compared to WC teams, especially those WC teams in the eastern and central time zones. However, I do agree this might not have been that big of a deal had Bettman and the league approached this with the league instead of appearing to force it down their throats.

Eh, I doubt it was the ribs. To me, the way he was bent over, I think it's his collar bone.

As great as Fedorov was, his complete game has never held a candle to Datsyuk.

Crosby is a great hockey player, there is no doubt. As such, I do respect his skills as a hockey player. With that said, I do not respect him as a person, because there is also no doubt that he is an *******. His interview just proved it when asked about their victory post-game and part of his response included "we certainly didn't expect it to be that close." He might as well have said "I honestly thought we were going to run away with it, didn't expect them to be that good" or something to that effect. Damnit! All I think most hockey fans want from Crosby, probably the greatest player of his generation, is to show some f'n respect. Your team was loaded with superstars and you were on home ice and you BARELY beat the youngest team in the tourney, who had just beat you a week ago. His quote should have been "we knew it was gonna be close" or something to that effect.

Should Stevie Y have chosen Mike Green? Or another younger, faster defenseman to compliment one of the older guys with diminished skills and speed? I'm not talking just for last night either. I think their lack of speed on the blue line was exposed during the Swiss game as well. Interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this!

I am of the opinion that Green would have been a better choice defensively, as opposed to Pronger. Not neccessarily Nieds. With that said, with the games on Canadian soil, I think that would have raised A LOT of eyebrows leaving Pronger off the team, something Stevie Y and the Canadian brass didn't want to have coming into the games.

Not sure about Kulfan's claims just like everyone else here. Seems to be a stretch assumption based on nothing. With that said, I have ALWAYS maintained that I never liked how Holland handled this, I thought Cujo got screwed and the blame was inappropriately laid at his feet.

I completely agree, it was a tough decision all around. He deserved the money, no doubt, and he could have made it in Edmonton, but there were just factors that kept that decision from being made.

1. Fixed 2. I've never seen a pass come off two sticks at the same time 3. My point was I don't typically bash, but I think last night was pretty tough evidence that he is struggling.

My perception of this trade, particularly Gretzky, changed after watching this. Gretzky flat out said in the beginning he wanted to be "the highest paid player in hockey" and that "I think I deserved it". While no one can discount that he should have been the highest paid player in hockey and that he did deserve it, becoming that individual and stating that was what he wanted before his contract was up put Pocklington in a very bad position, because it would require one of two things: 1. Wayne signing elsewhere or 2. Wayne signs a monster contract with Edmonton at a time when the Canadian dollar was super weak against the American dollar, thus forcing Pocklington to dismantle the rest of the pieces around Gretzky. The other fascinating piece to the story was that Wayne had an opportunity to call it off. He had the opportunity to say no, lets keep it here, lets work it out. Which leads me to believe that for him money won out, but he justified that to himself because it allowed Pocklington to keep the rest of the team together for a bit longer. As others have pointed out, they won another cup without Wayne. Also, I think the public's perception of this trade has changed over the years and films like this help us understand the business side of the game much more so than we used to. We would also be naive to think that there were a lot of forces at work behind the scenes that were not even outlined in this movie. Ultimately, I don't think I can disagree that what ultimately ended up happening was the best thing for all sides at the time, as heartbreaking as it was, and there is no doubt that this event launched professional hockey into a new era.

I am not one to come on here and bash on a player. Unless it was Lang, because he's lazy and he sucks HOWEVER.....It was impossible to not notice the worst shift by an individual player in the tilt last night. That is not the Homer I know. Iced the puck because he didn't see the defenseman outskate his teammate into the offensive zone, and after the face off, proceeded to turn the puck over twice with a lazy clear and pass in his own zone, with an end result being the biscuit in the basket. I have never yelled at Homer through my television....until last night. I do not want to believe he has lost it, and I won't buy into the hype I read here calling for his head, but damn Homer, people don't need that type of ammunition!

Agreed. Congrats cprice, it looks like the Blues under Davidson's control are going to be a real player in the division again. Good, maybe this will light a fire under Hollands ass to get younger.

Here's a good read on the subject, and I don't think we DirecTV subscribers will have much to worry about. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ...irectv.dispute/

My opinion... ...but I'd like to see what Bert can do for an entire season with this much talent on both sides of the blue line around him. He is big, only 34, and had a respectable NHL season for Calgary last year, a team that did not exactly have all their ducks in a row. I think this will be a much better showing this time around, and I think we might be mildly surprised. Also, for all of those people asking for grit, this should make us happy with Big Rig and Bert in the lineup....two guys who can and will drop the gloves should make more room for the skill guys out there, and as others have stated, he should be motivated. It could backfire, but I doubt it will.

I disagree, Holland came out and said they couldn't spend money they had set aside for Hudler. An extra 2.5 million per would have easily kept Hossa in the fold and Sammy would have been let go for sure. If Holland at the end of this sees the possibility that Hudler might bolt for Russia because of a lucrative deal there, Sammy becomes expendable and Hossa is his primary target. Maybe we still don't keep Hossa, but if all is known by management, it could have changed their approach. Regardless of how you feel about any of these players, this is a ton of goal production to lose, and no way did Holland forsee losing all three of them.

Wow....wish we would have known he was going to do that. Missed out on the F.A. market, and maybe, just maybe, we could have kept Hossa. He really put the screws to the Wings brass. He may play in the NHL again someday, but it won't be as a Red Wing.

It was one thing when the Wings were going through all their s*&t with Fedorov...he was a Hart Trophy winner for crying out loud.... ...don't get me wrong, I've liked Jiri, but this is BS. This is not how Red Wings behave, especially Red Wings who know they are role players and not stars. Let this little f'er walk. Call his bluff Kenny, bring up another youngin' and save money for the trade deadline and/or next July.

If I was obsessed, you would see multiple posts by me on this board on this subject, it was going to remain the only one, but you decided to chime in. My congrats was sincere, let me be clear on that. If you want to debate what happened, lets do that. Like I said, I think Crosby made a mistake, and he just won't own up to it, and the NHL is partly responsible for it. Celebrate, get in line, get the cup. It ain't that hard.

Let me preface what I am about to say with this: The Penguins as an organization, and as a team, deserved this championship, so congratulations to all Pens fans for the team's hard fought victory. It was extraordinary. On to the subject of Crosby's snub. I don't care what he says his intentions were after the fact. What would you expect him to say? It wasn't his intention to shake hands? Why can't this little f&*k ever just own up to making a mistake? Listen, it was his responsibility as the team captain to celebrate in the scrum, and at the very least, join his other teammates who had the wherewithal amidst the celebration to get in line and shake the hands of the team they just vanquished. He should have been front and center, but he's a young punk who wasn't even the third best player for his team during this series, and he is supposed to be the league's savior? Give me an f'n break. If reports are true, the NHL is also to blame for the PR circus they helped create at the end of the game, and this proves they put marketing above the traditions of the game. F*&k you Bettman, d&*khead.

I agree with this completely. While I'm sure some are anticipating a party in Detroit, I would give up that party tonight in exchange for a win in game six. I just don't think my ticker can handle it. Allowing Pittsburgh the opportunity, and that is all any team needs, is just that slight opening, is not what I hoped for. We know the Wings are capable of winning tonight, much is in their favor. However, what has become scary is that Pitt is also very capable of putting this thing away, and they have already won a game 7 on the road this year. Yikes. I'm certain I will have a coronary tonight.

He has been a playoff wild card for us the last couple of years. I imagine a roster spot is his next year. The crowd at the Joe loves him, I love him, and the LGW boards love him. It would be a crime if we can't see what this kid can do over the course of an entire season.