betterREDthandead

QFT. I guess I can see the need to manufacture a little drama since wrapping up the division is pretty much a matter of formality but it's really pretty meaningless. I don't see how anyone can get that excited over them having one less game in hand with fifteen to go. If they even manage to lose to one of the crummiest teams in the conference.

Provided they win the BTT, MSU looks good for a #1 seed now. If they don't I think it's back to the status quo ante bellum.

Friday: Columbus @ Chicago Los Angeles @ Vancouver Saturday: NY Islanders @ Boston NY Rangers @ Philadelphia Detroit @ St Louis Ottawa @ Pittsburgh Atlanta @ Buffalo Calgary @ Toronto New Jersey @ Montreal Carolina @ Washington Tampa Bay @ Florida Minnesota @ Dallas Colorado @ Edmonton Nashville @ Phoenix Los Angeles @ San Jose Sunday: Philadelphia @ NY Rangers Boston @ Pittsburgh NY Islanders @ Chicago Detroit @ Columbus Minnesota @ St Louis San Jose @ Anaheim Colorado @ Vancouver

Turn your sarcasm radar on.

No sirree. You heard the criteria. We're gonna have to get the Kings and Ducks out of NASCAR country, actually, there's a track down there too. We still haven't given teams to Sherbrooke or Kelowna. People around this site have proven time and again with actual serious proposals to put teams in places like Saskatoon or Maine that they don't care how many people are in a place, they just care that those people live in the ice and snow.

If you put them in Iqaluit, Tootoo's family could go see him play. What a nice story that would be. And they wouldn't even have to build an arena. Outdoor hockey every day.

Yeah. The Blackhawks and Bruins, too. The Predators have shown everyone that NASCAR and hockey can't coexist, so how does this sound: Medicine Hat Blackhawks, and Charlottetown Bruins. Canada needs more teams.

No, you also can't be within a hundred miles of a NASCAR track, and there's one in KCK. Because southerners (which includes Kansas City, because hockey has failed in Kansas City before) are all drawling, inbred, Dale-Junior-loving rednecks and NASCAR fans. And you can't like both NASCAR and hockey, everyone knows this. I'm surprised, by the way, that there isn't a conflict of interest question or two that's being raised by this: Can a guy own one team and lease an arena to another? That sounds like a big gray area to me.

IMO the #1 seeds should be UNC, Pitt, L'ville, and whoever wins the Big 12 tourney as long as it's OU or KU. Depending on how the Big East tourney shakes out - if UConn wins it makes things interesting. I think the Big Ten is just like the ACC in football this year, only with that one team that's actually really good. Otherwise, the 2 through 9 seeds are capable of beating or losing to just about anyone, much like the ACC football season. I'm not convinced that rolling through a schedule like that is worth a 1 seed for MSU. MSU's a solid 2 seed along with UConn, Duke, and the Big 12 runner-up, although you could make a case for Memphis. I think Memphis is hurt by being king of the mud. PS - you don't honestly think Michigan has to win two games in the BTT to make the NCAAs? Really? Given the number of other bubble teams that honked it up lately (Maryland, VT, Davidson, Creighton, St. Mary's, URI, etc. etc.) I think Michigan's at least a 75% chance of getting in even with a loss to Iowa, and beating Iowa makes them a stone-cold lock. That'd give U-M 20 wins including Duke and neutral-court UCLA. As it stands now I think Michigan's an 11 seed - 10 if they win two in the BTT.

I like the idea. I was under the impression that it was the players and the NHLPA who kept us on the edge about whether or not they were going to go to the Olympics every time around because they didn't care for playing the compressed schedule. Interesting that they've changed their tune on this. I'm all for anything that allows NHLers to stay in the Olympics because that's some of the best, most competitive hockey there is. I don't know if we really need the World Cup of Hockey - I'm not against it, but perhaps an alternative is convincing the IIHF to move the World Championships to that two-week break.

The only reason I put any stock into this is because it's been mentioned elsewhere. Otherwise the source would probably lead me to believe ESPN is in fact secretly planning to burn down all 30 hockey arenas.

:rotflmao: Nice catch, man. And what a complete shocker.

Actually if you're going to correct someone you should probably know the phrase yourself. It's "pastime." One word only. Just sayin'. Blak.....

I had planned on watching the game, honest Injun I did, but a coworker offered up free tix to the BC-GT game today, so I went up and watched a terrific ACC game instead. Man...1998. That was the year five Michigan teams represented at the tourney.

Friday: Calgary @ Carolina Phoenix @ Buffalo Montreal @ Atlanta St Louis @ Tampa Bay Dallas @ Anaheim Saturday: Chicago @ Boston New Jersey @ NY Islanders Minnesota @ Los Angeles Edmonton @ Toronto Buffalo @ Ottawa Nashville @ Philadelphia St Louis @ Florida Columbus @ Detroit Carolina @ Tampa Bay San Jose @ Vancouver Sunday: Boston @ NY Rangers Phoenix @ NY Islanders Pittsburgh @ Washington Calgary @ Atlanta Colorado @ Chicago Montreal @ Dallas Minnesota @ Anaheim

All pundits who don't bow at the altar of the Red Wings and call them the favorites are clearly worthless.

Not to steal MSU's thunder, just making a point: I thought playoffs/tournaments were the only thing that could truly crown a legitimate championship. Which is why I don't understand the media hype over teams that "win" the conference championship before the tournament is held.

Yeah, I was just about to mention the Pacific. Not too long ago you could count on it being the big 3 and little 2 - Anaheim, San Jose, and Dallas could all be counted on to make the playoffs. Now the Pacific is Pathetic - though to be honest, it's too soon to count the chickens because everyone all the way from 5th to 15th could be in or out by season's end. The only teams I'd pencil into a playoff spot right now are the Wings, Sharks, Flames, and Hawks.

Cake? OK, I'm sold. The cake had better not be a lie

@Ozzie30: again - what $&%#ing good does that do us?

No crow here. I've never joined in the Kopecky bashing, which given another season would probably give Boyd Devereaux a run for his money. On the flip side, one good game and a short string of decent ones don't all of a sudden make his season just that awesome. I think Kopecky can become a quality fourth-liner but I'm not gonna say he's arrived just because he had a good week.

Um, San Jose will have three games in hand after tonight. Being up by a point - not too exciting. Colorado at the bottom of the standings? Now that is exciting. What I'd really like to see is for us to take their division championships streak record. Only a couple more years to go for that.

I can't wait for Ericsson to take a major role with the team. Guy knows how to use his size. Don't see him being an offensive dynamo but chipping in 20-25 or so points a year seems within his reach.

I'm hoping for and expecting a HUGE ovation for Chauncey. Detroit sports fans are the best in the world when it comes to showing appreciation for the guys that worked hard for the team and showed their loyalty.

Toyota faces serious engine issue HA HA