haroldsnepsts

I honestly wonder exactly how bad and how often his back hurts. He's been playing great, but his skating does look more labored this season and last than it ever did before. and aren't his number of faceoffs way down? He had gotten his percentage up, but then it seems like they started using other guys. I thought maybe that was a wrist thing with him, but maybe that's the back too.

Honestly this sounds more like sour grapes over the league fining Hanta Yo for his $600 handout. Not surprising that a blogger from THN would be fixating on some great injustice perpetrated against the beloved Leafs. Yes the league is wildly inconsistent in enforcing pretty much any of its rules, but to me consistency in punishment for cheapshots is a much greater concern than consistency regarding $600 handouts and the all-star game. And, no, I didn't really care last year when Dats and Lids were suspended a game and Bettman called Crosby personally to tell him to come.

I haven't seen much of the Caps play this season, but it sounds like it's more a team struggling than it is some new commitment to defense. As for Ovie, you can bet he'll be back. I wouldn't say the same for Boudreau though.

Here's what Hall had to say about the hit: Much respect to the kid for being honest about the hit. Full article from Edmonton Journal.

Rarely. People have tried to make it sound like that's the way it's always been, but it's just not true. Sure, if Steve Yzerman gets run at, there's a good chance Bob Probert would come over and say hi sometime during that game. But the entire team didn't immediately jump that player from behind and come in swinging. It used to be more acceptable for a player to get rocked and his entire team didnt immediately need to come to his rescue. It was just part of the game and everyone gets caught once in a while. Like I said, I get that there's gonna be scrums sometimes. But it's gotten way out of hand. Someone in that video went Bertuzzi style on the back of a Kings player. Doughty throws a great hipcheck, and they lose Simmonds for the game because he's injured in the scrum. It's ridiculous.

Agreed. The announcers talk about it being a head shot, but it was a friggin hip check. If you get hit in the head with someone's ass, you probably had your head down. I'm glad Penner got the extra two. The guys jumping players after a clean hit should definitely get the extra penalties. I wouldn't mind some misconducts either. Once in a while I get that it's gonna happen after a big hit, but it's gotten ridiculous. EDIT: Honestly watching the video again, there should've been match penalties to at least one Oiler. Not sure if it was Penner. A clean hit is a hockey play. Grabbing a guy from behind who's already on his knees and punching him in the back of the head is not.

that was about an unListrom like play as you can get.

I hate Rick Nash and his big fat face.

was that as big of a dive as it looked?

Mmmmm.... burger.

It's baffling. Over at hfboards there was a thread on the signing, and when I brought up the overpayment a few Leafs fans were saying it's because he would obviously fulfill a larger role on Toronto than he did on Detroit. My response was basically, "for your sake, you better hope not."

Throw that on the pile of reasons why that guy has no idea what he's talking about. I love how on hfboards Wings fans have a reputation for thinking their players are the best at everything. It's not totally unfounded, but that should be a red flag when we all rip on Lebda. Honestly I feel bad looking at that stuff because it seems to cross the line into personal hate. I've got nothing against the guy, I'm just glad he's no longer playing on the Wings. In a thread on hfboards, they'd started calling him Lebad. Not just signing him, but signing him for $1.45 million.

I can't remember if that was the play that led up to it, but there was definitely a moment where Hudler was in prime scoring position, and in a moment of Franzen-like decision making decided to pass the puck and turned it over. And this was after he got his first goal. you'd think that would've gotten him in a shoot the puck mentality.

I feel like Flip does all these little things right, but is still that one play off from converting a lot of times. As for Mule, he should get fined every time he tries to make a pass from a shooting position. I don't care if he's playing center or wing, with a shot like his, when he's around the net SHOOT!

shoot the damn puck Hudlum. Homer with a pass clear across his own blueline. Stuff like that must drive Babcock (and drove Bowman) crazy.

meh. I don't have a problem with Z taking that penalty. Want to run at me? Get ready to eat an elbow.

Did I just see Hudler run someone over AND score a goal?!

Does Lidstrom ever actually have to look down at the puck?

With Helmer, I'll take the power play over the penalty shot.

What a move by Miller! Shorty!

Why did that faceoff not come out of the zone? Even with the Wings not touching it, the Blue JAckets didn't either. It still should come out.

weak call. He had his free hand on the boards, not the player.

I'm actually a little surprised he said Z. In post game interviews in the past I've felt like Crosby rarely credits his opponent for beating them, instead making it sound as if they lost. I guess given the wars with Zetterberg he had two playoffs in a row, he has some respect underneath those crosscheck's to Z's back.

To me it depends on what exactly you consider a two-way player. Dats is going to make more plays and get you more points, while still being great defensively. Zetterberg won't make quite as many plays or score as many points, but he's the better shutdown guy of the two.

Which part didn't you understand? Whether he's on a talent-laden team or the only star on a team of scrubs shouldn't matter. Obviously any defenseman who legitimately warrants consideration for the Norris will be valuable to the team. But relative value to their team shouldn't have anything to do with deciding who deserves the Norris. Who cares how valuable Fugly is to Atlanta? Has he demonstrated through the course of the season the best all around ability as a defenseman? Because that's what the award is actually is for. And even more than Mike Green, it's glaringly obvious he has not. Yes he's had a great offensive season, but he is not in the Paul Coffey level of offensive production that would overshadow his defensive deficiencies.