chrisdetroit

IMO Holland is going to be looking for a VETERAN D-Man with playoff experience. I think that that eliminates many of the guys being discussed. It wouldn't surprise me to see somebody like Jovanoski as the replacement.

I'm with you. But at least we don't have to hear about Crosby or Ovechkin.

I know one thing for sure. Holland will spend up to or nearly up to the Cap. With Ralfalski's $6 mil, he is going to make at least 1 big move or a number of medium size moves. I am expecting a big trade. Hudler, Fil, Mursak are all possible trades.

Fil seams to have reached his plateau. He was expected to get better every year for the past 3 years and it doesn't look like he will improve over what he is now. He's very good but he has peaked. Abby on the other hand has just completed his first full season and was much better than even last year. He has a big upside. There is no comparison between the 2. I can't believe this is still being discussed. Holland said that he won't tend an offer and Nashville has said that if anybody did that they would match it. What more needs to be said?

I think the Nucks are the best team but forget resiliency. They only got by Chicago by blowing a 3 game lead then winning game 7 in OT. They got lucky against Chicago. They could easily have been out in the first round. Then they drew the weakest team left in Nashville and followed that up with a beat-up worn out Sharks team. Much of winning the cup is who you play and when and frankly after Chicago they drew 2 easy oponents.

So the Conn Smyth winner didn't decide the series? Huh? The Wings lost by 1 goal in a seven game series and you think that taking the Conn Smyth winner out of game 6 would not have made the difference. I don't know what to say to that.

If it was the right call then it was the wrong rule. You can't have it both ways. He clearly was trying to send a message and the rule clearly said that it required a mandatory suspension. If you don't like the rule fair enough but we don't need rules that aren't enforced.

So the Sharks have made it to the WCF 2 years in a row and are a combined 1-7 which will be 1-8 after Tuesday. To see them lose because of 5 on 3's. Wow. That was SWEEEEEEEEEEEET. What next for the Sharks. They have already changed their coach, their goaltender and their Captain. I think they need to blow it up because they can't win with the guys that they have. No leadership. 7 straight years of 99 points or more and zero Stanley Cup Finals appearances. SEVEN ZERO wow. and hahahhahahahahahaha Maybe so but he was their best player and it was the finals. The decision affected who won the Cup. Plain and simple.

Unless your name is Malkin of course then it's not so mandatory.

What I would like to see - but I'm not holding my breath. Atlanta to Winnipeg and into the Northwest division Minny to the Central Detroit to the Northeast Boston to the Atlantic Pittsburgh to Central Nashville to the Southeast New divisions Northwest Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Winnepeg Colorado Central Chicago Minnesota St. Louis Columbus Pittsburgh Northeast Montreal Toronto Ottawa Detroit Buffalo Atlantic Boston NY Islanders NY Rangers New Jersey Philadelphia Southeast Nashville Washington Tampa Florida Carolina But like I said, it will never happen...

huh. Gary actually bought the team with the NHL's money. That IMO is going waaaay to far to try and keep the team in Phoenix. This makes zero sense business wise. The whole thing is fishy. If it's not Bettman's ego, what is going on?

The Sharks are never going to win until they get a Captain that can lead the team. Jesus, this gets repeated every year. They have already replaced the coach and the Captain, and the starting Goaltender. What part don't they get? It really makes me appreciate our Captains - Stevie, Lids and Z waiting in the wings.

Which team is more mentally fragile? The one that blew a 3 games to nothing lead in the first round or the one that blew it in the 2nd round? Neither team knows what it takes to win. To bad they both can't lose. I'm thinking that Tampa wins the Cup.

We need more big strong North American guys. I'm tired of these soft Euros. And somebody that can fight please. No team in their right mind would trade for Hudler based on his performance and salary. And that is why he's going to either Toronto or Chicago.

I WILL NOT root for the sharks even if they are the last team in the world. They are a bunch of diving cheap shot artists. Yes they beat us because they got the lucky bounces- does anybody remember the OT winner that went off of the shaft of our guys stick? That was the difference in the series. I will never forget the Joe Thorton dive when Franzen slashed at him for going after Franzen's ankle. That sums it all up...

So I read a lot of the comments coming from the Sharks "we were confidant", we knew we could do it, blah blah blah. Bulls***. You almost blew a 3 game lead. Just think if they had. Wow. Would they be marked for eternity.

We have a secret weapon. Anti Niemi with his .894 save percentage. He was pulled in 2 games last series. I want to see him pulled in game seven. Yes, game 7 not 6.

I don't think I can listen to the Versus idiots anymore. I mean come on. SJ can turn the puck over and they get praised for how well the recovered. The blatant one sided coverage is terrible.

Holland is overrated. Wow. Just Wow. You want to give up draft picks to get Joel Ward? Seriously? Joel Ward?

Ok. My 2 cents. The teams are pretty even as far as skill. Our D-Men are better, the forwards are a wash and the goaltenders are close. Coaching is also close. But skill alone doesn't win playoff games. Determination, health and luck all play a part. Franzen is not 100% and Z is probably not up to speed after sitting for 2 weeks. The Sharks are hungrier. That is obvious. The Sharks have gotten almost all of the breaks. Overtimes are generally a coin flip. Either team can win. No team could possibly play 5 OT games in 2 rounds of playoffs and win all 5. It's just very improbable. But the Sharks have done just that. I'm not bitter about it - it sucks but that is the way it goes. Are the Sharks truely better than us as all the experts are saying. I don't believe so. Last year we were clearly gassed so IMO that doesn't prove anything. This year we lost 2 games in OT and the other in regulation - all by 1 goal. If a bounce had gone our way we could still be very much in the series. I just hope that if we don't advance, either SJ or Vancouver lifts the Cup because that means next year they will not be nearly as hungry... News Flash! What they did in the regular season means nothing. Look at Washington. We have played 3 games and they won 2 in OT so that makes them better? Really?

Yea because it didn't work in 2008 when we won the Cup and it didn't work in 2009 when we lost in game 7 of the finals. And it's been 2 whole years since then so obviously we can't win with Europeans.

The Sharks needed 3 OT wins to get past the Kings. THREE. This could have easily gone the other way. Niemi finished with an .863 save percentage and a 3.99 GAA he allowed 19 goals in 6 games on 120 shots. The Sharks finished as a team: G/G 7th Ga/G 12th 5on5 8th PP 13th PK 8th The only thing they did well was puck possession. 1st in shots and 3rd in shots against. And this was against one of the weaker teams in the playoffs. The series was pretty much a disaster for them. They were fortunate to escape. Before the series, I was concerned about both San Jose and Vancouver. Now. Not so much. The next round cannot start until the previous round is finished. Usually there is 1 full day between when nobody plays. Pittsburgh and Tampa will have to play on Wednesday which means the second round will probably not start until Friday though they may have some teams start on Thursday.

You must not be following the Anaheim-Nashville series. Rinne has an .865 save percentage and a 3.57 GAA against Anaheim. What Rinne did in the regular season means nothing. So far he sucks in the playoffs. In fact only Bryz has a worse save %. Agreed. The Kings don't have the talent to hang with the Kings BUT if Niemi continues to play at the same level, the Kings have a chance.

The Sharks can't win with Niemi. He has an .877 save percentage and a 3.63 GAA. This is against a Kings team with their top goal scorer out. The Wings will light him up. So when does Niemi elevate his play so that he is "on top of his game" because a sub .900 save percentage isn't going to cut it against a Wings team that averaged 4.5 GAA in the first round.

If we play the sharks, we will win because we have a secret weapon - Anti Niemmi. 0.853 save % WORST of all goaltenders in the playoffs. Sorry San Jose, but you can't win with worst goaltender in the playoffs. And this is not a fluke. Last year he gave up almost 4 goals/game in the finals. Currently he is averaging 3.87 which is worse than all other goaltenders not playing for Phoenix. San Jose is fortunate not to be down 3-0. They won 2 OT games.