norrisnick

And it will have exactly nothing to do with Downey and entirely everything to do with giving a full on s***-on-a-stick effort the previous outing where they were embarassed 8-0 by a non-playoff team. This team is predictable. Great effort one night. Refuse to show up the following. Get chewed out, and show up the next. Lather, rinse, repeat.

One would assume, though I haven't read anything official about it.

The purported toughness was a minor, to say the very least, component of those teams. The teams could play and were willing to go the hard areas to win. Has nothing to do with hitting and fighting. Fighting in the playoffs is about as important as beard-growing ability. I'm very interested in entertainment, which is why I said I look towards the ice for it and not the stands. They could play the games in a practice facility with no crowds and I'd watch and be entertained. I don't have to have a "laughtrack" to know when I should laugh or cheer or curse.

Upon further review it would seem as he was run in his last game.

I'm pretty sure Jimmy and Larsson have been alternating starts all season long.

The pairing of Kronwall and Stuart has been a trainwreck all season long. After what they did last spring... They've fallen further than Osgood to put it in terms that most would understand.

A few points. 1. They didn't win a damn thing in that era. 2. Ticket prices have grown exponentially (it's a different class in the crowds). 3. They still didn't sell out back then. It wasn't until the period of time where they started to win when that long string of sellouts started. And they didn't start winning until Bowman started shifting towards a more defensive and disciplined style of game (the game that Grapes wants to call European). Pretty much the same kind of hockey that won last year's Cup. 4. Why does anyone care how loud or boisterous a crowd is? I watch the ice and not the seats. If you're looking to be entertained, I'd recommend the same for Cherry or anyone (last night's game notwithstanding).

Like machine-gunning the crowd?

It was a pretty precise comparison to Arnott's reaction to his goal. Figured the request ought to be similarly precise. Now for the replay you dug up. Does context play any role whatsoever? You have an exchange of questionable incidents (I believe AO checked Briere into an open door and Briere speared him the next meeting) and a crowd booing mercilessly. You don't think a player should be allowed to respond to the boo birds when he scores? It's not like the fans were meekly sitting on their hands. They were letting Ovechkin have it, and he gave it right back as he should. It doesn't seem like you to support turning the other cheek, blue.

Now for the sake of relevancy find a goal AO scored that late in a blowout after which he went "flying into the boards like an assclown."

Almost never. In the last 10 years there have been 33 seven game series. Only 4 had a set of back to backs.

He's ripping into Lidstrom because he didn't hit last playoffs. Did he drink the fact that Nick got handed the cup out of his memory banks?

Z was asked once what he'd be if he weren't a hockey player. He very calmly stated a pro soccer player. Seemed like he had the best touch and control with the ball.

Take a gander at the goalies playing behind Chara and Lidstrom.

You tell me. What would happen if everyone celebrated that way?

You best stfu before your ass gets bann't! And to the OP, the reason Raf doesn't get mentioned for the Norris is because he's spectacularly worthless on defense for a $6M/yr defenseman.

Don't like his celebrations? Stop him from scoring and the problem is solved.

With the exception that regular season or playoffs Fedorov was a force defensively. That's one thing he never eased up on is his defensive responsibilities.

He's Fedorov-lite minus any of the defensive presence.

Only when he wants to be.

2 goals and 2 assists to finish up the rest of the series that saw the 7th seed Habs upset the 2nd seed Bruins.

No one says we have to re-sign Antropov.

Absolutely. Filppula for Antropov and a pick of some sorts. Nik more than adequately replaces Fil now and we free up $3M to spend on our free agents this summer. Think Calder/Williams and Kenny has mentioned that a trade like that (a contract for an expiring one) is one possibility of a move he could make.

The sad part about hockey "nicknames" is that if Draper's name were Drapes he would likely be called Draper...