At 7/29/09 06:44 PM, EternitySpent wrote: Also, I think Dipietro is terribly overrated. He's not a bad goaltender, but at the same time I don't think he is extraordinary. Particularly considering that he is a former 1st overall pick, with an enormously lucrative contract; I just don't see him as the super franchise making goalie he was touted to be.

I think he's solid foundation block - come one you could have had Patrick Roy or Marty Brodeur playing for the Isles in net and they still wouldn't have gotten much further. With goaltending taken care of (hopefully with the size of the band aid players that they brought in, so as not to rush RDP back), the Isles can concentrate on rebuilding the franchise around players like RDP and Tavares

At 7/31/09 02:48 PM, Tluck-Person wrote: My main ploy with that contract is that he played about 2-3 mediocre seasons when he got that contract. He had a few good games here and there, but for the Isles, he was never anything special.

Well, you're not going to play the best hockey of your life with a team that isn't up to the task themselves. They let too many shots on goal through, he's bound to let in a few soft goals, he's just a kid.

Now he's just taking up space on a roster that desperately needs more experience and talent

So, you're saying that they should release him? That would go down in New York like the incident at 3 mile island.

At 8/2/09 04:33 AM, Gooch wrote:

At 8/1/09 08:20 AM, Coop83 wrote:

So, you're saying that they should release him? That would go down in New York like the incident at 3 mile island.

Most definitely. I wouldn't release him, because he may be able to provide something for a couple of years while the Islanders get some young talent on that roster. Maybe if he's still not working out after that time, just try and trade him and see what you can get out of him. You'd probably be able to shell another prospect goalie in a trade for him, or just try and pick up one on the free agent market.

To release him though just wouldn't make much sense right now. I do agree that he's a bit overrated, but at least he's somewhat of a working cog in the New York Islanders' system.

I never said he should be released, I'm saying that at any viewpoint, no matter what the circumstance, a 15-year contract is absolutely retarded unless you know that this guy already has the skills to live up to a lifetime deal, like Henrik Zetterburg, for instance. He played for years in Detroit before they finally decided that they wanted him for the rest of his career. Vinny Lecavelier also played for a while before new management came into Tampa Bay and realized he should be there for the rest of his career. Rick DiPietro barely got out of the starting gate when NYI decided that he would shoulder the load for the next 15 years.

Certainly, there are some cases where it's unavoidable. Thomas Vanek, for example, was slapped with a nice 7-year $50 million offer sheet that he couldn't refuse by that idiot Kevin Lowe. The Sabres got stuck with matching that offer sheet due to the front office being absolutely God awful, letting go of Briere and Drury (yes, I'm still a bit bitter that we lost both of them) because of a stupid FO policy that there was to be no contract negotiating mid-season. For a player that had only gotten 2 NHL seasons under his belt, that contract was absurd, but since the Blades had already lost 2 key pieces, they couldn't afford to lose another one, no matter what the price. Luckily for the Sabres, he's panning out OK.

What I'm saying is that the RDP was a totally avoidable situation that did not have to result in 15 years of what could be serious skill, mediocrity, or failure. There was way too much uncertainty with that deal.

At 8/2/09 04:33 AM, Gooch wrote: Most definitely. I wouldn't release him, because he may be able to provide something for a couple of years while the Islanders get some young talent on that roster. Maybe if he's still not working out after that time, just try and trade him and see what you can get out of him. You'd probably be able to shell another prospect goalie in a trade for him, or just try and pick up one on the free agent market.

Well, with that 15-year yoke around his neck, no-one is going to want to touch him. Maybe the 1990s Rangers would have, but now they've got Lundqvist, they won't need him, so won't thow cash at the problem.

If only the Avs could get him...

At 8/3/09 03:35 AM, Tluck-Person wrote: Certainly, there are some cases where it's unavoidable. Thomas Vanek, for example, was slapped with a nice 7-year $50 million offer sheet that he couldn't refuse by that idiot Kevin Lowe. The Sabres got stuck with matching that offer sheet due to the front office being absolutely God awful, letting go of Briere and Drury (yes, I'm still a bit bitter that we lost both of them) because of a stupid FO policy that there was to be no contract negotiating mid-season. For a player that had only gotten 2 NHL seasons under his belt, that contract was absurd, but since the Blades had already lost 2 key pieces, they couldn't afford to lose another one, no matter what the price. Luckily for the Sabres, he's panning out OK.

Yeah, that's the issue with the small market team - you can't afford to make all of the stars stay in the market for you, so you will lose some of them. I still think that Drury is one of the best players to come out of the Avs farm system in recent years. Better than Tanguay and certainly on a par with Hejduk.

At 8/3/09 09:19 AM, Coop83 wrote:

At 8/3/09 03:35 AM, Tluck-Person wrote: Certainly, there are some cases where it's unavoidable. Thomas Vanek, for example, was slapped with a nice 7-year $50 million offer sheet that he couldn't refuse by that idiot Kevin Lowe. The Sabres got stuck with matching that offer sheet due to the front office being absolutely God awful, letting go of Briere and Drury (yes, I'm still a bit bitter that we lost both of them) because of a stupid FO policy that there was to be no contract negotiating mid-season. For a player that had only gotten 2 NHL seasons under his belt, that contract was absurd, but since the Blades had already lost 2 key pieces, they couldn't afford to lose another one, no matter what the price. Luckily for the Sabres, he's panning out OK.

Yeah, that's the issue with the small market team - you can't afford to make all of the stars stay in the market for you, so you will lose some of them. I still think that Drury is one of the best players to come out of the Avs farm system in recent years. Better than Tanguay and certainly on a par with Hejduk.

Small market wasn't even the problem for keeping those two. Going in to the offseason, everybody knew that we were definitely going to try to keep one of the. Personally, I would have just kept Briere over Drury. He was the PPG guy, and had great chemistry with guys like Hecht and Pominville. However, we knew that they were going to keep Drury. We pretty much told Briere to his face that we were not going to inquire for his services any longer.

So then Drury comes around, screws us because his beloved Rangers offer him so much money. Of course, we try to match the offer, but it's pretty much off the table. We go back to Briere, saying that we want him now, and he laughs in our faces.

That's not the impact of a small market. That's the impact of just a poorly run front office by the Sabres.

And then Darcy wonders why he can never lure free agents.

The hockey world turns in awe, as one of the better American born players, Jeremy Roenick, is about to retire.

Roenick was one of my favorite players growing up, and would be a recurring figure as I would announce his name in floor hockey and street hockey alike.

Belonging to five different team, I hate him most when he was with the Flyers, but I loved him best when he played for the Sharks, not because those were his greatest years, but because he proved he could still be a great vet after disappointing showings in Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Roenick will surely be missed by many hockey fans across the country and teammates around the NHL. Roenick finished with 1,215 points in his career, collecting 513 goals and 703 assists. He was the 3rd American born player to reach 500 goals, and the 6th to reach 700 assists.

It is likely Roenick will announce his retirement on Thursday.

At 8/3/09 03:35 AM, Tluck-Person wrote: I never said he should be released, I'm saying that at any viewpoint, no matter what the circumstance, a 15-year contract is absolutely retarded unless you know that this guy already has the skills to live up to a lifetime deal, like Henrik Zetterburg, for instance.

Funny that you would mention another player with a fairly lengthy history of the injury gimp.

Either way, what's done is done. It's tiring to listen to people poke at Rick as our main flaw. His contract is an albatross, yes, but it also is really not all that expensive. Lengthy, but as the deal progresses he'll be making less and less in comparison to other goalies. $4.5 mil yearly, meh.

Shit, we're paying Yashin a little more than half that per year until 2014-15 anyway.

But it's cool now. We have some nice building blocks from which to begin our climb back on top. Tavares, Okposo, Bergenheim, Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen, maybe Nate Thompson, maybe Jesse Joensuu...we just need to work on D prospects now, imho.

also, pat kane.

At 8/12/09 03:54 AM, Gooch wrote: Haha, what an odd situation. I would have liked to be there when that incident went down.

I watched a TSN video interview with Kane's lawyer and apparently there was a lot more to it than just Patty K beating the shit out of a taxicab driver over twenty cents or however much it was.

Apparently the guy didn't even have a valid license and he locked them in the cab when they asked to get out so his friend could reach in his back pocket and get his wallet. Weird shit.

DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I'M PATRICK KANE BITCH.

But yeah, pretty weird shit. "The cab driver who is the alleged victim of a beating by NHL star Patrick Kane and his cousin on Sunday didn't have a valid driver's license at the time of the incident, the Buffalo News reported Tuesday... Jan Radecki, 62, also has two drunk driving convictions."

Dude looks like a pretty greasy prick but "The Kanes paid $15 for a $13.80 fare, and got $1 change. The alleged beating and robbery took place when the cabbie said he did not have a further 20 cents for the two."; beating anyone down for twenty cents is pretty fucked.

Basically the cabbie picked them up at 4 in the morning at the club, thought they were drunk college kids and locked them in so they didn't take off without paying and the wrangle ensued. Both sides seem in the wrong, but at least Kane was probably plastered, the cabbie is just a shit disturber.

I'm more excited to see what comes of Theo Fleury's comeback attempt.

At 8/14/09 01:50 AM, EternitySpent wrote: DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I'M PATRICK KANE BITCH.

But yeah, pretty weird shit. "The cab driver who is the alleged victim of a beating by NHL star Patrick Kane and his cousin on Sunday didn't have a valid driver's license at the time of the incident, the Buffalo News reported Tuesday... Jan Radecki, 62, also has two drunk driving convictions."

Dude looks like a pretty greasy prick but "The Kanes paid $15 for a $13.80 fare, and got $1 change. The alleged beating and robbery took place when the cabbie said he did not have a further 20 cents for the two." beating anyone down for twenty cents is pretty fucked.

Especially if you're an NHL star, who's earning plenty enough to afford a small tip on a cab ride.

Basically the cabbie picked them up at 4 in the morning at the club, thought they were drunk college kids and locked them in so they didn't take off without paying and the wrangle ensued. Both sides seem in the wrong, but at least Kane was probably plastered, the cabbie is just a shit disturber.

It sounds like six on one side, half a dozen on the other. The cabbie sounds like a prick, but equally so are the Kanes for issuing the beating over 20 cents.

I'm more excited to see what comes of Theo Fleury's comeback attempt.

Definitely - this little man is one angry piece. Not quite like Pat "The Little Ball of Hate" Verbeek, but certainly an interesting character on the ice.

At 8/12/09 01:08 AM, Buddhist wrote:

also, pat kane.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha .

Oh wait, for serious?

But back to reality, yea. Johnny Tavares is gonna tear it up in the NHL. Just look what his uncle, John Tavares (yep, named after him), did in the National Lacrosse League with the Buffalo Bandits. He holds pretty much every single record, offensively, in that league. Granted, he's been around since the league started, but still, to be the "Wayne Gretzky" of any sport speaks volumes about an athlete. The Isles John Tavares has it in his blood to succeed.

Also, this. I'm so sorry.

At 8/14/09 02:42 PM, Tluck-Person wrote: But back to reality, yea. Johnny Tavares is gonna tear it up in the NHL. Just look what his uncle, John Tavares (yep, named after him), did in the National Lacrosse League with the Buffalo Bandits. He holds pretty much every single record, offensively, in that league. Granted, he's been around since the league started, but still, to be the "Wayne Gretzky" of any sport speaks volumes about an athlete. The Isles John Tavares has it in his blood to succeed.

The NHL is not the NLL, and athleticism does not always translate into success. I will temper my expectations for him, especially as a rookie. If he can outdo what Stamkos did this year, I will be more than pleased, and will go from there.

Also, this. I'm so sorry.

Hey, I wouldn't mind him back, as long as it's at a very low, cut-rate salary. a potential 20-30 goal guy on a low pay is not a troubling issue to me, especially given he would skate likely on the 3rd line. If we end up with him, no biggie.

At 9/2/09 03:32 AM, Dobio wrote: Fantasy Hockey is up, who is all interested in playing this year? :)

Sure, why the hell not?

I've got to start paying attention to the whole fantasy Hockey thing again. Lesson 1, don't draft Avs players...

At 9/2/09 03:32 AM, Dobio wrote: Fantasy Hockey is up, who is all interested in playing this year? :)

No doubt.

I think the fantasy question of the year is; how early does one gamble on Tavares?

At 9/2/09 04:51 PM, EternitySpent wrote: I think the fantasy question of the year is; how early does one gamble on Tavares?

PUT IT ALL ON BLACK!

At 9/3/09 02:33 AM, Dobio wrote: Yeah, I'll probably make the league in the next few days...invite most of the usual suspects, although I think Bryce has vanished off the face of the earth after conceding his title to me.

He'll be about. I'll just bet that he's sulking somewhere.

At 9/3/09 02:33 AM, Dobio wrote: Yeah, I'll probably make the league in the next few days...invite most of the usual suspects, although I think Bryce has vanished off the face of the earth after conceding his title to me.

Sup.

Is there any avs fans here, or am I a black man walking into a KKK meeting? We finally lost sakic, and last season was the worst I've ever seen them do. It's really sad. Usually the avs are the one team in sports that I like. that I can depend on to do well.

At 9/3/09 09:08 PM, Dobio wrote: Please identify yourself once you join, thanks. :)

I'm in.

At 9/3/09 10:15 PM, michelinman wrote: Is there any avs fans here, or am I a black man walking into a KKK meeting?

Well, I'm an Avs fan, right here. Guilty as charged, one might say.

We finally lost sakic, and last season was the worst I've ever seen them do.

It's sad to see Super Joe hang up his skates, but we all knew it was inevitable. He might have come back for another year if we were a competitive team.

It's really sad. Usually the avs are the one team in sports that I like. that I can depend on to do well.

Well, we've sucked ass for about the past 4 seasons, so it's no real big surprise. The good thing that we've done is get some decent draft picks out of sucking so badly. I wish we'd have sucked like this when Malkin was available to draft >:(

Anyone see that big hit Phaneuf gave? Pretty awesome for a pre-season match.

Also is the fantasy closed already?

This should be an interesting Battle of Alberta. Edmonton might actually have a chance, with the Habibulin Wall. Flurry is back, and the Winter games are right around the corner. I anticipate an exciting series of BOAs, no Dark soldier?

Does anybody know the fate of the Undead Chelios? Flurey is getting up there in age too isn't he?

At 9/18/09 12:39 AM, o0-0o wrote: Anyone see that big hit Phaneuf gave? Pretty awesome for a pre-season match.

Nice, just stood up into the guy's jaw and knocked him [Kyle Okposo] down. Mild concussion is the diagnosis so far. Pascal Morencey gets an indefinate suspension for jumping onto the ice to go after Dion.

At 9/18/09 01:11 AM, hongkongexpress wrote: This should be an interesting Battle of Alberta. Edmonton might actually have a chance, with the Habibulin Wall. Flurry is back,

Well, the Northwest is going to be tight, except for the Avs, I think. Theo isn't as quick as he used to be and the Bulin Wall is getting a little old. The Berlin Wall lasted for 45 years (metaphorically - physically only 28 years, but the metaphor falls apart here...) so he might have some years left in him at 36, plus he's coming off a good year - 30-8; .919 sv%; 2.33 GAA, for the Hawks.

The Oilers are a very different team from last year - it'll be interesting, to say the least.

At 9/18/09 05:35 PM, hongkongexpress wrote: Does anybody know the fate of the Undead Chelios? Flurey is getting up there in age too isn't he?

No contract with anyone yet - if he can't get a team, he'll probably do a Barry Bonds and retire by proxy - No-one wants him, he won't play.

At 9/22/09 12:31 AM, Canas wrote: Nope. Draft is the coming Sunday. Hurry hurry

I'm there

Also

Fleury for Hart Trophy folks

Darcy Tucker for Lady Byng this year as well :)

Looks like Craig Anderson is settling into the starter's role at Pepsi Centre. Putting on a clinc to shut out the Canucks 3-0. A couple of fights to finish the game off as well - suspensions pending?

At 10/3/09 05:38 PM, Coop83 wrote: Looks like Craig Anderson is settling into the starter's role at Pepsi Centre. Putting on a clinc to shut out the Canucks 3-0. A couple of fights to finish the game off as well - suspensions pending?

First 2-0 start since 2001. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come. I don't know if I can take another bad year from them. They're usually my guys I can count on in sports because all the other teams I like suck ass. Not much of a fair weather fan. :P

At 10/3/09 05:46 PM, michelinman wrote: First 2-0 start since 2001. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come. I don't know if I can take another bad year from them. They're usually my guys I can count on in sports because all the other teams I like suck ass. Not much of a fair weather fan. :P

Well, the Avs are now another in a long line of teams from various sports that I've stuck with through thick and thin. Sure, I'd like to see it get thick again soon, but we'll see, as the season is still young. Avs goalies managed a combined 32-45 record with 2 shutouts (both for Budaj) Small steps, but with 80 games left, Anderson has half of the shutouts that the whole team managed.

I'll be happy with improved mediocrity this year, as our guys cut their teeth in the NHL. I dare not dream of what might be just yet.

its all because of a rejuvenated darcy tucker. he will score 35 goals.

At 10/6/09 04:32 PM, Canas wrote: NHL 10
-------
I've played and bought every single EA sports NHL game ever made.

Long ass, but great review.

You should send this in an email to EA Games. I agree about 95% with your review. They definitely need to reconfigure the realism in their NHL Games. It's ridiculous that they just keep crapping out the same game over and over every year with almost no changes. Same with Madden....

Anyways. How bout them AVS! I'm finally ecstatic about a start of a season. Hopefully we don't plant on our face on this seven game road trip... Let's keep the offense going, and hopefully Anderson can finally be the answer to St. Patrick being gone.

At 10/4/09 01:11 PM, cheesebizkit wrote: its all because of a rejuvenated darcy tucker. he will score 35 goals.

Doesn't 'rejuvenated' presuppose that Tucker was actually once good in the first place?

At 10/6/09 04:32 PM, Canas wrote: Bring back Jim Hughson already, there's something magically about hearing GREAT SAVE LUONGO in his silky smooth voice that makes hockey just feel right

He was awesome. I love that he is the prominent announcer on HNIC now though; society has suffered Bob Cole and Harry Neale long enough.

It tripped me out though, when I was watching the Leafs/Canadians game and I heard WHAT A SAVE BY PRICE.

if you're a hockey fanatic and you've played as many NHL games as I have you'll be incredibly, incredibly let down.

EA Sports games have been increasingly disappointing me. Particularly in the NHL series, it feels like the exact same game every year with a few new gimmicks thrown in year in, year out; but they never seem to let the game evolve. Scrapping the gimmicks and features that were actually cool and then trying new ones that are becoming increasingly lame. First person fighting, I admit looks cool - but it will probably be gone by NHL 11 or 12, in favour of the new and riveting REFEREE CAREER MODE. Design his mustache, select the size of his gut and degree of bias in favour of the home team.

Also, Leafs :( ... Only 2 and 2/3 games into the season and a frowny face emoticon is really all I have to say - at least I feel vindicated that the Canucks have also looked abysmal so far.

At 10/4/09 01:11 PM, cheesebizkit wrote: its all because of a rejuvenated darcy tucker. he will score 35 goals.

If he does, I'll be surprised. Pleasantly, but surprised, nonetheless.

At 10/6/09 04:32 PM, Canas wrote: NHL 10
Buy it. It's awesome.

Played a demo last night on the PS3 - controls are a little difficult, but I think I'll survive with them

Avs just gave up 2 goals in 2 minutes. We went from up 2-1 to down 3-2. FUUUU-