Chunkylover

I say, screw ESPN. Is football, baseball, or basketball better than hockey? No! There is nothing on that channel worth watching. The correct thing for hockey fans to do is stop complaining about how obscure the channel our national contract is with and actually encourage more people to tune in to the hockey games they broadcast and quit complaining about things because they are different. Sure Doc Emrick has goofy mannerisms, so did Gary Thorne. Just because someone was a fixture for a few years doesn't mean they were all that good. If we are half the fans we think we are we can make Versus a viable competitor (with the help of the UFC fans) of ESPN and make them regret their arrogance. As to the proposition of a neutral site game: I'm against it. It's a stunt and stunts distract from a lack of substance and hockey sure doesn't suffer from that.

They could have taken the players record and the extent of damage into account. If he just bit his glove then there is not real lasting damage, plus this is Ruutu's first suspendible offense. Avery has been a clown since he left Detroit and hasn't shied away from lampooning the league to the media. It does seem silly reading it the way you've written it, I think with all things considered it is fair.

And what kind of precedent it will set around the league. Don't let Franzen see this.... Edit: or Hudler.

I don't agree with the notion that the voting is a joke. Every fan has the same opportunity to vote for their favorite player and clearly the Penguins, Habs, Ducks, and Hawks were more organized in their grassroots efforts to stack the line-up. We could have done it if we'd wanted to. It's not like those starting lines are full of terrible players. And honestly anyone from our team would be boring at the ASG because they don't think "individual" like someone like AO. They think "team" and that makes them boring in things like skills competitions. Kane, Toews, and Getzlaf are great players and will probably have instant chemistry. I also agree with trying to get every team represented. It's responsible PR, and as frustrated as many Wings fans are that Hossa or Zetterberg are missing, imagine how the Kings fans would feel if their highly skilled and exciting captain was shunned. Even with all that pro-establishment rhetoric, I've found the ASG to be pretty boring, but I like the player interaction with the media. I enjoy watching people enjoy themselves I guess.

I was glad to hear this. For a while there the Predators were the junior Red Wings and Sullivan was dynamite. Always expected a big game out of him against the Wings. He may not be able to put up the numbers but, to answer the question in the thread title, yes.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3807681 Ratings are up over last years. Or if you like: Wings>Crosby.

Yeah, I suppose you are correct. Getting 10% of Chicago or whatever the number was definitely helped the overall totals. So one could say it was the revitalization of the Blackhawks that really made this a success and a secondary cause was that the opponent was from Detroit. With that said can I still be annoyed when I walk into the electronics section of Wal-Mart and all their TVs are showing Crosby's first Finals goal as if that was actually the most important goal of the playoffs?

Yeah, I posted this on HFBoards as well but because of the mixed community over there I didn't pander to the anti-Crosbites. Since we don't have to worry about upsetting Penguins fans here I figured I'd play to the lowest common denominator. The one reason I thought this was significant was because most of the hockey community looked at the 2008 Stanley Cup Final as such a ratings success because the Crosby's Penguins were in them. I figured it was significant that the 2008 Final was the highest rated since 2002. And just so you don't think I'm ignoring your post, I don't think it matters what the size of the specific regions represented in the game are because the ratings are taken of the 20 largest cities in the country or something like that. I don't remember exactly but it was in the article. I guess the heart of the matter is that despite the NHL's marketing of one individual as the face of the league, it is the Red Wings that actually drew more viewers. This isn't an anti-Crosby statement, it's more like an indictment of some of the air-headed marketers who work for the NHL.

It would be cool, but incredibly expensive. I'd rather the Joe be updated though.

I thought that was funny too. Then again, maybe Penguins fans are as sick of the Wings as we are of Crosby. Although I'm glad we aren't media darlings. At least it wasn't that ridiculous DirecTV ad of the Crosby fan in Southern California. And I think the Flyers actually got more coverage than Crosby since Verizon likes to feature them in their ads.

Perhaps there are varying degrees of pests. For instance Tootoo and Maltby can talk and talk and talk all game long but usually avoid fisticuffs. Their effectiveness is based on irritation but not physical confrontation because they get rolled, which gives the opponent the advantage. Guys like Ott or Clarkson can actually win a fight so they may allow simple verbal assaults to become four-knuckle conversations. They are effective at both annoying their opponent, or if the situation warrants, pummeling him as well. A guy like Chelios can be an effective defenseman as well as a pest (see his seven hacks to Patrick Kane last season) but not a scrapper. Holmstrom is also very capable at getting under the oppositions skin but can't fight to save his face, but he is no less effective at affecting the other team. If you allow for the existence of a graduated scale of effective pestering then Tootoo performs his role as well as is expected of him by his coach and GM. Just something to consider....

I know you're trying to not be an extreme homer which is fine, but I don't think McGuire's comment about the wind fits your description. I'm sure to some extent the wind was a factor all over the ice, but his was still a dumb comment. And I'm not sure there are any national announcers that suck up to the Wings 24-7.

1 & 2 - You are right, he did jump them unexpectedly. My original point was that the OP video wasn't the best example of dirty, cowardly play. Those other clips show that he likes to take advantages, and even though he gets his butt stomped, I think he deserves some credit (not a lot, just some) for hanging in there. 3 - You're right, I was wrong, although McCarty did blindside Lemieux with a glove while he was unexpectedly skating to the bench. Like I said before: you don't have to like the guy. I don't LOVE him as someone else said, but then I'm so loyal that I'd never trade Maltby or Kopecky either. I don't think we need him on our team, but that doesn't mean I try to justify some irrational emotional response ("Tootoo's a douchebag!") as if it's completely logical that he is indeed a ******. He plays tough minutes and gives his team energy. In that respect he's a good hockey player.

The clips of the fights with Wisniewski and Clowe seem to argue against him being a coward it would seem. Sure he got the crap beat out of him and he took one early swing but it's not like he always runs from a fight. Was McCarty cheap for jumping Lemieux from behind before pummeling him into the ice? All I'm saying is dislike the guy if you want, but don't act like your emotional response is rational.

I think there is a difference between Avery and Tootoo though, too. Avery saves his cheap shots for off the ice. In this clip I don't really see anything wrong with Tootoo trying to hit someone and missing, and then actually hitting someone, and then not fighting someone. I mean, what wasn't cheap about Tucker aiming a cross-check at his face? In this instance he's a fourth liner out against the opponent's fourth line. Aren't they supposed to hit each other? Isn't that good, old-time hockey? You don't have to like the guy, but I don't think this clip epitomizes the dirty, cowardly play of Jordin Tootoo.

Imagine how he feels....

That's an encouraging sign. Big businesses don't enter into agreements like that lightly. When Wal-Mart signs up to be the official grocer of the NHL, we'll know we made it.

I agree with the simple brown leather. But those look neat. I just really like the "D".

KH said that Howard has struggled with inconsistency to this point in the AHL and since Larsson and McCollum are young they'll probably stay where they are. Conklin could ask for more at the end of this contract. Anyone think Legace could make a comeback, if he gets his mind right on being a backup? If we need to get a backup, for whatever reason, I think he might be the front-runner.

Bettman wasn't responsible for the rules changes, that was the competition committee which included Brendan Shanahan. Really, Bettman is like George Bush, just a target for a whole lot of misplaced hate.

The Wings played a good game against San Jose. There was something of a letdown against LA and they were back to not really caring about the game until the last ten minutes of the game. We're all nervous about their ability to play a complete game. Babs called it: "Our guys, when they're excited, they can play pretty good." Essentially they just don't care about the games until they realize they are in jeopardy of losing, which obviously they all hate. Given that they beat up on Nabokov and the Sharks because their opponent "excited" them, do any of you think we might see a completely different team once the post-season starts, one that shuts down their opponent for a full 60 minutes because of the excitement of the post-season? Additionally I think this will make the Winter Classic a real good game because both teams will be "excited" and into the game.

I'm not trying to discount the sloppy play and obviously a team plays the way the practice (with the regular season being practice for the post-season). I just think that it's possible that their intensity would change like night and day once the playoffs start because they'll actually be interested in or excited about the games.

I agree that they look less energetic than last year but I think that speaks to how painful their loss to Anaheim was. They were so close and that drove them last season. As for calling up inexperience for the post-season, I say don't hold your breath. Helm only got called up because McCarty and Maltby were injured. He proved himself, but that doesn't mean everyone will.

Has anyone ever tried to deflect a puck traveling at that kind of speed? It's nearly impossible. The goal was called good. One of the finest ways to score a goal in my opinion is the intentional, sharp-angle deflection.

I don't believe there is any premeditated favoritism in the scheduling. The arena owners all have to plan way in advance and deconflict when possible. Up to this point LA only had ten road games. Last year New Jersey started with like ten road games. That's just the way it is. However, let's imagine there is some huge conspiracy. Let's say the evil Bettman (or Colin Campbell, whoever) did instruct the officials to give Anaheim all the breaks they would need so Burke could get his cup. Then lets say they gave Sidney Crosby's team all the breaks they would need, but gave the Wings just a little bit more so they could make the ultimate matchup in the Finals, would we really want anyone to know about that? It would destroy the credibility of the league and make it more difficult to watch the game. Owners would lock the buildings in a power struggle to supplant Bettman (aka that evil guy). Players like Chelios would go on insane rampages while many big name Europeans would just go back home where they could play without interference. I say, if there is a secret conspiracy, may it live long and prosper.