haroldsnepsts

Avery has in no way been banned from the league. He's been suspended, will serve the suspension, and be eligible to play. If he is "blackballed" in that no team wants him, do you really think that has anything to do with Bettman giving him a 6 game suspension?

I only caught the 2nd half of the game, but looked kinda like par for the course. This team making up for defensive lapses with its tremendous offensive firepower. Seriously, a one or two goal lead against the Wings is almost scarier than being tied, because when they're down a couple, they usually decide to start playing.

Avery isn't being banished from the league. There's just the chance that teams across the league may feel that the good qualities he does have as a hockey player are still not worth risking such a jackass. Who knows though. I can't see the Kings or Wings taking him back. Dallas is trying to get rid of him. And I don't think the Rangers want him back. There's still 26 teams that haven't had a firsthand experience of Sean Avery's antics? Maybe one will sign him and see if this time he'll really change. Players in the past have had problems on and off the ice and were given second chances. In Avery's case, never has someone that's done so little within the game been talked about so damn much outside of it.

For what it's worth, Buccigross's take on Avery. At the end, I think he sums up Avery pretty well. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=3758465

And it's too early to say yet, but if Ericsson lives up to his potential he would be a huge find, as he was the last player drafted in 2002 at 291st overall.

For those who haven't seen it: At first I thought it was a Kronwall special, where most of the air is after the hit. But he clearly leaves his feet, and has his elbows up in the face. Dirty hit. How did this not get a penalty??

He's been cursed ever since he overtook Steve Yzerman on the all-time playoff points list. Maybe the hockey gods are trying to prevent him from passing Stevie on any more of the scoring records.

I agree with what you're saying, but have to think that if Avery doesn't get signed after this, then what we've seen and heard about has to be just the tip of the iceberg. The guy's a douchebag, but he's got some pretty good hockey qualities. For the entire league to pass on that would show just how giant of an *sshole he must be that he's not worth the trouble. As I said before, I don't think the suspension or the backlash was just about this comment. It was more a cumulative "when will this idiot ever learn" type deal. Call it Avery fatigue. Edit: and it probably means something that since he left LA he's on pace of roughly a new team per season or season and a half.

It's hard to tell on the youtube video, but where exactly was the puck? That play seemed awful close to interference because it looked like Chara cut him off from getting to the puck, not hit him while he was playing it. anyway, it's great that Dats is actually seeking out hits more and more. Most of the time he used to just surprise guys when they tried to hit him, but he seems to have figured out he's good enough at it to knock guys around.

Totally off topic, but is your avatar someone giving an arm-bar to Michelangelo's Hand of God??

I agree. This thread should have nothing to do with Crosby. I thought it was a thread posting a video about some nice hits. But aren't you the one who put the little quotes over Crosby in the video? and brought up the "nasty two-hander?" It became about Crosby because you made it about Crosby. I came in this thread because I thought it actually was about good hits, which are a great part of the game. Instead it was really some nice hits and some more Crosby bashing, which you pretty much started. Seriously, people complain about how he whines, but you guys do nothing but whine about him.

It's a good thing a super-talented Red Wings player would never get frustrated from all the extra harassment he got. Red Wings players always take hits like men. He didn't complain like Crosby, but even Yzerman throughout his career wouldn't hesitate to use a good old B.C. two-hander on someone if they got the stick up around his face or if he just got sick of being knocked around.

Ahh, another Crosby-hate circle jerk started by Crossover. Sweet.

Agreed. Though when Lebda's playing soft in the corner, turning the puck over, and generally stinking it up back there, sometimes it's hard not to think of what could've been if Quincey could've cracked this lineup. It'd be great in a season or two to have a couple defenseman Quincey and Ericsson's size in the lineup, especially because they use it a lot more than someone like Lillypads.

Totally agree. There's been a lot of skating near the player along the board and trying to pull the puck out with their stick instead of taking the body to seal them off along the boards and really digging in and fighting for the puck. And I don't think it's limited to just the defenseman. Some of the forwards have been guilty of it as well, though Lebda is the master of it.

Or at least be man enough to stick around and eat crow after talking trash and your team loses.

Conk Blocked! Great job by Conklin.

puck started skipping off Hank's stick.

Franzen was great throwing his weight around the other night (trying to remember which game). But then he doesn't seem to do it for several games.

Hossa was the best player on the team tonight. Hussling every shift. Man I hate the shootout. I wish they'd extend the OT by 5 mins instead.

I don't have anything against the guy. He's a good player. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love to see someone on the Wings crush him with a great hit.

Awesome play by Dats!

I'd love to see someone put Kane through the glass.

Great play by Hossa to knock him on his butt there.

Man is the ice hacked up. the pucks bouncing all over the place.