newfy

I'm definitely not saying Ovechkin won't be a force, I'm just trying to say that russia has like 5 superstars and then a pretty weak bottom 6 forwards and next to nothing on defence especially defensive defenseman. I know Ovechkin wins awards but its a team game and Canada has a much deeper team and its been proven by teh Canadians once that Ovi can be taken off his game.

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think Oulahen has been resigned yet has he? I'm pretty sure I saw him listed as a free agent on nhl.com could be wrong though

You make it seem like just because he doesnt get points or score goals he's not good enough for a 4th line role which wouldn't be true. I'm not sure if thats what youre trying to say but thats what its coming across as. I said the 12 points thing to compare him to Kopecky whose role on the team he would be replacing and to show there isnt much difference at all.

Youre making it seem like 12 points in 55 games for a 4th liner is a terrible thing. I'm in a pissy mood right now thats why it came across a little harsh. And no he wasn't given a qualifying offer by the Avs so he became unrestricted.

I'm not sure where youre getting arrogant from maybe it came across as that but I would like to think of it more as proud. If that one little comment hurt your feelings that much I guess i can tone it down for you. If I pissed anyone off with my "arrogant comment" then I'm sorry. And if that makes me the most arrogant little s*** on these boards in a long time then I guess this is a pretty soft board if that little remark makes me worthy of that title

I'm not saying Ovi isn't amazing at hockey but I just don't like how people make it seem like he's going to single handedly bring a gold medal to russia. I'm also not saying Canada playing goon hockey is gonna scare him til he can't play anymore. I'm saying Canada has the ability to play shut down defence on him. Those russian super stars are absolutely amazing at hockey but Ovi hasn't faced a defence stocked top to bottom with capable shut down defenders.

Oh I didn't realize that a team has to be stocked with goal scorers from top to bottom. Sorry about that I thought good team were well rounded but I guess not their 4th line should be stocked with goal scorers. My bad. Oh and yeah i guess youre right we do need to replace that 4th line scoring of Kopecky cause that 19 points in 79 games is huge comapred to Mccormicks 12 points in 55.

I don't blame you for disliking Canada I mean I would be jealous too if i wasn't from here. The health care, nicer people, better beer, and of course by far the best hockey players in the world without a doubt.

I dunno you might wanna go review your tapes. Ovi was taking runs at all the Canadian players because yeah youre right he loves playing physical. The amount of physical play that Canada brings is what ovi can't take, he got completely thrown off his gamebecause he was trying to play physical. Watch some tape, if Canada makes him concentrate on physical play instead of scoring which they can do Russia will be in trouble. They did it to him once they can do it again.

yeah I'm more worried about the states then russia. Canada has proven plenty of times that big names like Ovechkin and Kovalchuk can be shut down and if anyone has the defence to do it its Canada. The states just seem to have a more well rounded group of players. Less skill but more physical then the russians. Kinda like a poor man's Canada without the good beer and poutines.

I hope you were joking when you said that. They can put up points ya, but so can the Canadian defenceman. The difference is Canada's defence will pound the russians and play stellar defensively too. The russian defence aren't fit to tie the Canadian defender's skates. As for Ovechkin, does anyone remember the World Juniors he was supposed to dominate and did nothing in the championship? Oh yeah thats cause he left the game cause the canadian defence were smashing him every chance they got.

I dunno if that meat head Mike Brown is still out there head hunting then I guess i can still hate them. Plus Perry is just the type of guy I wanna hit in the head with a brick.. OK yeah i still hate them

He kind of sounds like Drake to me. Not scared to scrap or hit, decent wheels, and gets under people's skin

Are you sure he drops the mitts? He's 5'11" and plays in Sweden I doubt he could fight very well in the nhl. Do they even fight often in sweden?

Love to hear that he can skate. Even if he can't score if he has the speed for the nhl game he can play since he won't be in a scorers role anyways. He'll just be running defenceman, if this guy pans out in teh future detroit will have the opposition d looking over their shoulder with speedy guys like helm, abs, callahan and ferraro all coming in on the forecheck full speed not scared to lay the body

They do seem to have some players that could have potential as fighters its too bad the wings wouldnt actually consider doing somethnig like that.

I wish that was all it took to get a call up too bad its not though.. thats why I was wondering if maybe he'll ever be a decent 3rd or 4th liner for the wings with the skill to play a regular shift

yeah I just don't see the wings bringing him up for games next year really. It just doesn't seem like them to call up a guy who hasnt plyed next to anything in the AHL. Maybe if he completely rips it up down there with the griffs but I think Newbury or Williams will get the call before he does. And whats the deal with Tardiff, does anyone think he'll ever be capable of playing in the NHL?

I like the way the wings prospects seem to be going. They seem to have alot more guys who can play and handle themselves instead of undersized euros with skill like a few years back. Guys like abs, ferraro, callahan might show something in teh skill department, Kolosov has a mean streak somewhat and NIcastro is a physical guy too. Perhaps seeing a shift in what the wings are looking for in their players?

i was just checking some stats and i saw that he had 5 fights last year in the ahl and he was also one of the better players on the team. Its not really a question of will he fight because last season he showed he did but i was wondering if he's actually good at it?

Yeah Kindl almost made the team out of camp a few years back but I think now its clear he wasnt quite ready for the NHL yet. A good training camp won't get him call ups over players who have shown they can play in and score in the NHL. They'll take a good look at him while he plays the year in grand rapids and maybe if he's lucky comes up with the black aces at years end

Ryno has barely played at all on this side of the pond how do you figure he'll be the best for a call up? I think Newbury will be called up before him

whats wrong with having a stellar top 6 group of forwards and on your 4th line which sucks anyways having one guy that can fight? or having a 3rd liner that can pk, block shots and drop the gloves everynow and then? People on this board talk about how people on here want toughness and blah blah blah but with a guy like kopecky who does literally nothing out there on teh 4th line why not just put a fighter in his place? At least the fighter has a role on the team

I was thinking to take a break from all this free agent talk we can talk about something a little different. How about which of the wings prospects will make their cuntry's world junior team this coming year. I know Tatar will be playing for the slovaks again but what I'm wondering is if Ferraro will have a chance to make the canadian team?

It came down to smith and ryan ellis for who would get to be the pp qb and ellis got picked they didn't think they needed 2 of the same player