kipwinger

Who needs a Vezina Trophy winner starting for them anyway?

This is the first time I've tried live streaming at work and none of my videos will load. Apparently there's some sort of block or something. Things are going to get pretty interesting for that USA v. Czech game if this continues.

Wow, just got off the train and into my office and pulled up the score...this got out of hand pretty badly eh?

Personally, I think you're way overpaying for Bogo. He's never really lived up to all his potential. He was supposed to be like Shea Weber, a guy who does it all. And while they're stylistically similar, Bogo doesn't score nearly as much and drops coverage more than he should. He's certainly not bad, pretty good even, but Tatar will score 30 goals in one of the next two years, I don't trade him for any d-man that doesn't produce any more than Bogo does.

I once saw Thomas Vanek score a goal from the moon. Conversely, I once saw Johan Franzen throw a banana at a baby and yell "here's your banana...monkey". I think we all know who the better player is.

Bogo's a good player, but he's not a superstar by any stretch. I'd rather have Trouba.

Does Finland count as an upset since they're the higher seed?

For some reason I think that the Czech team will be a tough game for the Americans. I can see them looking past the Czechs toward Canada and sleep walking through the first period or so. Hopefully, the bring the intensity like they should.

Two whole points? Thems Crosby numbers.

Does Ovechkin even have a point in the tourney so far?

Imagine a line of Ville Leino and Linus Omark. Buffalo just can't help stock piling all the talent.

Here's two things, 1) That interference on Crosby was an interference, and that's coming from an American; 2) What makes Team USA exciting is Team USA...this year, how we're playing. I don't blame Canadian fans for drawing on their rich history, why wouldn't you? But, objectively looking at both teams, ours has played better. That's why we're excited. It always rings a bit untrue when I hear "we'll win because we've always been good" vs. "We'll win because we're playing good right now". It's just a different perspective, and I'm not foolish enough to think that most Americans wouldn't be acting the exact same way if we had the history Canada has. We don't, which is why we rely on how our team is currently playing...and currently we've playing VERY well against better teams than Canada has played.

Well here's hoping this time around they award the gold based on past achievement. If not, this time next week you boys will be watching curling, waving your little Canadian flags, and endlessly repeating "four years ago we were the best in the world".

That's my point. Helm in that kind of a package I'm ok with. Helm in a package for a Vanek or Moulson type...no thanks.

One of my favorite things about the Olympics is how all the NHL animosities you build up for players, and all the free rides you give players in the NHL, go right out the window. Which is why Ryan Kesler can be totally rehabilitated in the minds of American fans for blocking a shot, while half of Canada's forward can go from being superstars to bums in a close game. Everything is topsy turvy.

Fair enough, I was wrong. All the better for us. I definitely want to go through Canada for the Gold.

Getting carried away boys. Datsyuk for Doughty...no. All around good defenseman...no. Doughty is an offensive defenseman who's decent defensively and above average offensively. While he's got the potential to round out his game and play above average two ways in the years to come, so far he's a young guy who's had one 50 pt. season and a lot of growing to do defensively. Either you, or the announcers during the game were wrong. They stated during the Canada game that the US would not have to play Canada or Russia again unless it was in the gold medal game. I was basing my info off that. If they're wrong, then so am I.

A few years ago I'd say it's close. But neither are particularly good defensively (ok at best for both) and they both score about as much as each other, but Kronner will only get worse moving forward while Doughty will only get better.

Well sure, hypothetically anyone could be had for the right price (minus Dats and Z). But since teams aren't likely to trade away goal scoring wingers or top pairing d-men for checkers I'd say it doesn't matter. Helm wouldn't bring you a piece like that as the centerpiece of a package. To get a top four d-man or top six winger you've got to give the same thing. Look at the trades for Nash, Carter, Gaborik, Heatley, (all proven 30 goal scorers). All of them went for other top sixers or top pairing d-men straight up or as center pieces of packages. If I'm giving up a top sixer or a top four d-man I'm not ALSO giving up my best bottom sixer unless I'm getting a total stud. So...Helm + Nyquist +1st (2014) + 1st (2015) for Ovechkin...sure. Helm + Nyquist + 1st for Vanek...no thanks. (And Helm + 1st doesn't land you a proven goal scorer in this league).

Yeah, maybe the mentality will rub off on them.

I wouldn't count on playing teams who's best defenseman is Sami Salo in the Medal rounds either, so maybe you should worry about your own team. They can't seem to skate, score, or play up to their potential and you're talking smack about Team USA? Haha, good try. Also, have fun against Russia. You'll see how little they play defense in a few days. By that time most of Team Canada should juuuuuuust about be catching their breath. It might not be today, or tomorrow, or this week, but sooner or later you're going to realize that this ain't Vancouver, and the big ice is doing your boys no favors.

I didn't realize that Norway, Austria, and Finland were such defensive stalwarts. Smells like sour grapes to me. You mean like that time against Russia when Phil Kessel lifted Kovalchuk's stick and saved a goal. Yeah, that guy never plays defense. What other lame ass cliches do you want to repeat?

Well I hope for your sake you're right. Because of that s***ty, half assed performance, they now have to go through Russia to get to the Gold Medal game and I can promise you those guys can skate just as well as Finland AND score on their chances. Good luck with that.

Last thing they need is another big guy that can't skate. Add Phil Kessel or Patrick Kane to Finland's team and that game isn't even close. Finland just doesn't have any scorers, otherwise, I thought they outplayed Canada. Thornton's a great passer, and he's awesome on the NHL ice, but in big ice I think he struggles just as much as the rest of them.

Well they won. I think that's about all the positives you could take from that game.