Kira

Bench Osgood for a few games and let Ty Conklin do the job. As for bashing those whose English skills may not be perfect, I've seen some people who profess to speak and write English, and have worse skills than the person they are bashing. Maybe it's because I grew up in a time where being able to write and spell were emphasized, but those who don't have the skills themselves have no business bashing another person who doesn't naturally write or speak the language. Give them credit for trying to express themselves.

How many Stanley Cup banners hang in Dallas? One, under very questionable circumstances. How many hang in the Joe? 11. Case closed.

1) We have an owner who gives a s*** about his players...treats them with respect...makes sure they are happy. 2) Our management is top notch...and clever when it comes to negotiating with players and agents for new contracts. 3) Our scouts can find diamonds in the rough before anyone else even knows they're out there. 4) Players are begging to come here to play, and once they get here they don't want to leave. 5) Somehow, the concept of winning 4 Stanley Cups in 11 years has an effect on the jealousy factor of other teams/players/fans. Face it, they hate us 'cause we're damned good.

First of all, get rid of Bettman, who has ruined the whole concept of the game. I like the Fastest Skater, the Hardest Shot and the Accuracy. I'd keep them. The three players shooting/passing against the goalie is okay. How about a penalty shot competition instead of the showing off? Use a move that you would use in a game, not some weird showoff stunt that you would never even dream of using in practice.

It helps when you have an owner who respects his employees, and will make damned sure that those employees are happy. It's why players beg to come here and play, and once they get here, they don't want to leave. And will also take a hometown discount to stay. It's why you see players like Nick, Homer, Pasha, Steve Yzerman, and Henrik stay here their whole careers and never regret the decision. It's why someone like Aaron Downey will change his mind about retiring and go play in Grand Rapids, helping out the younger players coming up, and when he does get the chance to come up and play with the parent club, he's grateful that he didn't leave the game.

You would almost have to put Nick and Pasha as kind of 1 and 1A...their value to the team is almost interchangeable and negligible in difference. Running a close second to them would be Henrik. Beyond that, it would be hard for me to put a value on any of the others...they are, individually, blocks of the quilt, but sewn together, they are the quilt that makes us up. How do you put a value on any one block of the whole thing? As to who would be the most expendable, I'd have to say McCarty and maybe Tomas Kopecky, though Kopi has his worth. And if Marian walked, it wouldn't break my heart. Don't get me wrong, I love what he's added to the mix, but he's not as crucial as someone like Pasha or Henrik or Nick are.

YAY! I'm tickled pink to see Aaron tonight...and hopefully he'll still be up with the team next Wednesday night when we go to the game against Phoenix. Way cool!

The boys handled it with class and dignity...like we would expect anything else out of them. Now, it's onward and upwards...to the final trophy...the one that means the most.

Oh, most definitely...sometimes it's more like three a week. I love to read. TPBM is freezing their butt off.

Ah yes, welcome to another episode of "Faerie Tale Theatre"...

The way it will be right and proper will be when Bettmutt has to hand the Cup to Captain Nick and the Conn Smythe to Pasha, smiling through his gritted teeth...and every fan in the Joe will be booing his sorry ass. It's only what he deserves. Then, and only then, will it be right and proper. Of course, if you really want to cement the procedure as right and proper, fire that little rat bastard and find someone else to be Commissioner. Say, Brendan Shanahan???

First of all, the boys handled it with dignity and class...as we knew they would. As to whether this will hurt their chances, I don't think they really care. Their concern and their eyes are on the more important prize at the end - the Cup. That means more to them than individual awards. If Bettmutt has to give the Cup to Captain Nick and the Conn Smythe to Pasha, that will be the best revenge, and will mean more to them than individual awards ever could.

What would be even more ironic would be to have to hand the Cup to Nick and the Conn Smythe to Pasha... wouldn't that piss him off?????

I'd go along with that. Hell, Pasha would make a better Commissioner than the one we have! TPBM is having hockey withdrawal.

Apologies for the double post.

I'm not in favor of the slush sluts...it's bad enough we have Karen Newman.

When the other players found out they were not going to have to go to the game, they all made plans to be with family or friends and enjoy some time off...whether it was going home to be with family that you don't get to see throughout the season (Brad Stuart), spending time with family on a vacation (Homer in Vegas, Maltby in the Carribean), or just staying home to recuperate from injuries (Nick and Pasha). No one wanted to change their plans at the last minute...and I don't blame them.

Good man. I like your thinking. Make it big, bright and highly visible. It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, if you know what I mean.

Children, children, children...

Yes, I do...my two beloved doggies, Kira and Loki. Both service animals, both loved and cherished. TPBM hates Mondays.

Okay, that is acceptable to me. I believe them, and I know they are both honest in their feelings about it. Take all the time you need, guys... Micah, I respect your right to your opinion, but I think you are dead wrong in saying that these two are not honorable, and won't stand up for their teammates in a fight. This is not the way they play the game...we are not talking about two bully boys here...these two men play the game the way it should be played...with integrity. They do not need to go around beating up on the opposition just to prove themselves. If that is the kind of player you like, then fine, but these two are not that type. They have more respect for the game than that.

Someone needs to step in and make Buttman's life as miserable as he makes ours.

I'm with you. I've met Nick and Pasha before as well, and neither of them strike me as the type who would fake an injury just to get out of this. I believe them when they say they hurt. They are not the type who fake it...they give everything they have out there every night. I believe them, and if they sit out tomorrow night, oh well. It's the way this whole thing was handled that bothers the hell out of me.

It's just a personal thing, I never liked him. I never liked Gretzky or Roy either. I also hate Claude Lemieux and Chris Pronger. It's just a personal thing, don't take it so seriously. It's not like I said I hated you, you know?

What if they were under the express orders of their physicians to not travel...were they supposed to defy those orders and go to Montreal anyway??? Hockeytown RN you bring up a good point. Repetitive stress injuries are extremely painful. I have experienced that first hand, and when I went to the doctor for it, he put me on a synthetic form of morphine for the pain. I was given orders not to go anywhere while I was on the med. Now I'm not saying that what Nick has is a repetitive stress injury, but were that the case, then it would have been a possibility that he may not have been able to travel, and in that case, what do you do? And before you bust my chops over this, keep in mind that I ask this as a hypothetical situation.