imisssergei

My vote for a new arena name? Steve Yzerman Place.

Blake would be coming over in return. And it is a logjam at the d slot. Just because none of the kids in GR are stud prospects, doesn't mean they can't fill a role. Kronwall is making $3 per, and is supposed to be an offensive defenseman. A large part of his point production is a direct result of his mates, not the other way around. Regardless, I'm not bashing him. I'm just saying, with the all of the factors I mentioned above, I could see the Wings moving him. I also wouldn't be surprised to see more than one dman come to Detroit at the deadline.

With what Kronwall is being paid, his production, injury history, and the Wings logjam at the defense position, I think he is more than expendable.

I still disagree. The particular example you used is a great way to plug in +/- as well as toi. The reason that I don't agree with the 60 minute average is that for a guy like Lids, that's over the course of 2-3 games. With a guy like Ellis, that's a 10-12 game average. In a 10-12 game streak, you could have both a hot and cold streak for a player. The only way, IMO, to compare guys is on the per game, and overall levels.

I'm a fan of the shootout, but I hate how teams get points for not losing in regulation. I think it should be all wins and losses. I don't care if that means a team shuts it down at the end of regulation and in OT to get to the shootout. Wins and losses. That's all that matters to me.

If I'm Ron Wilson, I don't want Nabby to play in any more games than he has to, 82.

Nice job, but I don't think you ca do skaters stats on a per 60 minute averag. I think to get a real idea of how guys are producing, you need to do a per game stat. The reason is no skater will ever come close to 60 minutes of ice time in a sigle game.

There, fixed it.

Rules are changed all the time. Just look at a tape of a game 10 years ago. Changing the rules in a natural progression of sports. Basketball adding the 3-point line. Football institution the roughing the passer rule. Baseball adding a steroid testing policy. This would be nothing different. However, I think you need to make the point system a little more simple for the average fan. No other sport rewards teams for taking the game into extra frames. 2 points for a win. 0 points for a loss. Plain and simple. No ties. Keep the shootout, except in playoff hockey, it draws attention.

Don't get your hopes up, it will be worse now. We will have an up to the second updates about how Crosby's ankle held up during his morning shower, how what he ate for breakfast will help his ankle heal .0954757453543% faster, ect... No doubt the ASG will be dominated with talk about how Crosby is injured, and what he would have done if he were there, blah freakin' blah... I wouldn't be surprised to see the NHL make Sid the honorary captain. I'm not gunna lie to you guys. I laughed when it happened. My buddy worships Crosby. The look on his face when Crosby was helped off the ice was priceless. I'm pretty sure he is going to use a sick day at work tomorrow so he can pray to Sid in hopes of somehow expediting the healing process. Call it what you want to call it, but I'm glad he got injured. I'm so sick of hearing about how wonder Crosby takes a s***, and that no one on earth could possibly do it better. This proves he is human. The perfect player to ***** out on marketing? No. Ovechkin has so much more charisma than Crosby could hope to have. He should be the face of the NHL. If he could speak and understand English better, he would be. He is the type of guy who people want to see because he makes us all laugh. Sid is too dry.

I agree. I never really thought about this, but since there are no longer any ties, what's the reasoning behind giving points for losing in OT? Taking things a step further, the point system could be eliminated all together. Just go by wins and losses. First tie breaker goes to the team with the most regulation wins, from there, the standard tie breakers take over.

You are wrong. A fan of hockey, while he (I use he in the generic sense, no offense to the hockey loving ladies) obviously cares more about the games his team plays in, will watch other games as well. I didn't watch every game, I do have other things to do, I should be so lucky as to just watch hockey. I did watch 3 games in that series. Maybe I'm just old school, but I love playoff hockey. The intensity it brings, the way any play can swing the series. A few buddies of mine and I all get together during the playoffs, every night there is a different game on. Every night we watch. Every night we cheer and jeer. It's playoff hockey. No other sport can match what hockey does in it's playoffs. As for the networks ratings getting hurt by a long overtime game, that doesn't really make sense. There is not really anything on after a game anyhow. Seriously, what starts at 10:30 that so attractive? What hurts the network ratings is the simple fact that it's hockey, and American's don't watch hockey. What the networks want is for the NHL to be the NFL. That isn't going to happen. The problem with hockey is that there is too much going on. The average American doesn't have the attention span to keep up with a hockey game. The only sport that comes close to matching the NHL's speed is the NBA, but that comparison is stark. Americans don't like to focus on what's going on in the field of play the entire game. That's why football does so well. People can watch an entire game and see every single play, while only paying attention to less than half of the broadcast. It takes effort to watch a hockey game for the average American.

Whomever suggested this idea should be banned from ever doing anything associated with the NHL and hockey ever again. Playoff overtime hockey is the best, most pure hockey played. It is an emotional roller coaster, it's so exciting. I still get chills when I think about Stevie stealing the puck from Gretz, walking across the blueline, and putting the puck top titty. What a goal. And people want to change that level of emotion? Come on, be serious. Tell me watching a game that goes into 2, 3...overtimes isn't intense. You want pure drama?

I was at the game tonight. Detroit was not only getting outshot (something like 17-12) when the pulled Ozzie, but they also were getting out played. They looked flat, tired, listless, whatever you want to call it, they didn't look good. Atlanta was taking to to them, pushing them around, and making Detroit take penalties. Simply put, the Thrashers deserved the victory. BTW, in about 28 minutes worth of work, Ozzie faced 17 shots (Detroit only gives up 23 on average) while in about 32 minutes, Dom saw just 8. Ozzie was hung out to dry on every goal. The only one he had a chance on was Hossa's third goal, but I don't any tender makes that save. It was a bullet, right next to the peanut butter.

That's a matter of opinion. Players get drafted all the time and stay in their Euro leagues. Look at both Hank and Pav. But just because a player comes directly over to play in NA after being drafted doesn't mean his development stop by being placed in the AHL. One could argue just as strongly that the players development is actually enhanced by playing in the AHL because he learns how to play NHL style hockey. And the countries do get compensation when they sign a transfer agreement, I'm not sure exactly how it works out, but there is compensation.

A transfer agreement protects any the teams from losing guys for nothing. I'm not sure why Russia refuses to sign one, but nevertheless, they haven't so players can go from the NHL to Russia or visa versa without consequence.

Savard wasn't a suggestion. He is taking Heatley's spot.

He is playing in Russia. That is the out clause. There is no transfer agreement between Russia and the NHL, therefore no out clause is necessary. Markov isn't an overly physical guy. I'd put him in the same category as Kronwall. An above average skater, good puck handleing skills, and slightly above average physical play. You can't put him in the same physical play category as Foote, Blake, Stevens, ect.

Yes, because bringing in an imjured Bert had more potential benefits than a healthy Mac.

You are on the right track. But the real problem with having the home ice in the finals determied by the outcome of the all star games is this. It harms the integrity of the regular season. The president's trophy would be a worthless accomplishment.

He should be a ton faster than any guy in the IHL. Let's wait and see how he does in the AHL.

Since the puck is placed on the center faceoff dot, a goaltender couldn't even touch the puck without being in violation of the rules. He'd have to do it behind the line.

Savard

Seriously, look at the team they have. They have a lot of young talent in their lineup. Semin, Green, AO, and Backstrom. They will be much better in the future without bringing anyone else in. There is no doubt that the Caps will start to attract some higher profile UFA's just because of AO. Once things get on a roll in D.C., look out.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree about the alcohol. However, I never implied that he was drunk. You cannot deny that alcohol was a factor in the accident as it was present in his system at the time of the accident. The only one who knows how much it effected the accident is Dany himself. However, studies have shown that reflexes are reduced with even one beer. If you don't believe me, look it up. Yes, I can say without a doubt that his status did help him out. If for no other reason he had the benifit of the publicity that was brought to the hearings. And yes, the publicity is a good thing, just ask any defense lawyer. Show me where I said he was a huge hockey star in Atlanta. I never said that. I said he was a celeb. And that is true. I believe my exact words were something like 'people may not have known who he was at the time of the accident, but they certainly did after it happened.' It has nothing to do with anything but this incident. Up until this incident, I didn't have much of an opinion about Heatley. Now, hell yes I do. He is a great hockey player. But he should have done time.