The 2014-2015 NHL Boondoggle

[Unocal]

I'm surprised the Blackhawks haven't retired Ed Belfour's number yet.

[The_Admiral]

He wasn't there for a terribly long time and he left on bad terms. As did Chelios: they tried to honor him a few years ago and he got booed.

I like keeping retired numbers relatively rare for the Hawks. Keith Magnuson is the only marginal player with his number in the rafters, and that's there because he died tragically while being a loyal organizational soldier at a time when so many alumni wouldn't have anything to do with the Hawks. Pat Foley in particular always gets emotional about Magnuson.

[TorinK92]

i) FLA- Maybe Vanbiesbrouck, but you'd think they would've done it by now. Even so, he's borderline.

ii) OTT- Alfredsson

iii) TOR- If I'm not mistaken Sundin has been retired

iv) PIT- Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Jagr

i) Extremely borderline, he had his best years with the Panthers, but it was only 5 seasons.

ii) Good to see it ending well with Alfredsson, he's a sure lock. Karlsson's on his way as well. Although it probably won't happen, quite a few Sens fans would like to see Mike Fisher's number raised to the rafters, more than Spezza's anyway.

iii) The Maple Leafs only retire numbers of players that died while still playing for the leafs (#5 and #6 for Bill Barilko and Ace Bailey respectively.) They've already honoured Sundin's number. (fun fact: Toronto have honoured six different numbers twice.)

iv) Not hard to pick the odd one out on that list. Fleury's not close to up there with the other Penguin's 'legends'.

The shots in the Sens-Isles game after 20 minutes are 5-4. If Ottawa decides to be good on defence, they are forced to give up offence since Maclean is probably playing his favourite line of Greening - Legwand - Neil for 50% of the game.

Also, MSG apparently doesn't have anything to cover their intermission programming so they decided to pick on a fan and how slow he was texting.

[BigBubba]

This is the first time a team has done one of those gimmicky one-day contracts "right", with Alfredsson actually participating in the pre-game warmup.

The obvious missing honoured number for the Leafs is Keon, though him and the team are still on the rocks, so that probably won't happen anytime soon. He attended the ceremony when the team celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Cup-winning team though, so who knows.

[TorinK92]

This is the first time a team has done one of those gimmicky one-day contracts "right", with Alfredsson actually participating in the pre-game warmup.

The Sens actually wanted Alfie to play a shift, but he said no.

[DaRadniz29]

High scoring game in San Jose.

1st Period: Bost scores two in the first 3 minutes of the game. Lead 2-0

2nd Period: Sharks score three goals in 7 and 1/2 minutes to take a 3-2 lead. No worries, about 45 seconds later, Smith scores to tie game at 3-3. 4 and half minutes later Krug unties it, Boston leads 4-3. Well, two minutes after that Pavelski scores to tie it at 4.

Summary: Sharks 4, Bruins 4 - 2nd INT. Sharks outscored Bruins 24-7 in the second. Bruins 4 goals on 17 shots. Though neither goalie looks that bad, it's just like the puck has a magnet to the twine. Fun, but nerve-racking.

[ninersdd]

This the way the Sharks are supposed to be, putting in a bunch of goals. Not some trap based team that hopes to score just a couple.

7 now!

[Kevin W.]

Ducks is Selanne's 8 (Jan. 11), then Niedermayer's 27 and Giguere's 35 for sure. (The team has practically said as much.)

Kariya is a tricky situation, and I've documented it several times here, so I don't feel like doing it again. It seems that the opinions on retiring #9 are turning back to maybe eventually. (He's been put up on a couple new graphic murals in the building, and in the Ducks History videos being shown.) It'd be interesting, because he's the only one that they could ONLY put in Mighty Ducks colors (the other three played, but of course, if the team is given the choice, they'll go black/gold/orange). There's also some opinion that the Ducks have tried to bring Kariya back into the fold (especially in the 20th year last year) but that he's declined to do so. Puck could be in his rink, but I don't know.

Even if he has to be convinced, I'm sure they'll get Kariya's banner up there. I mean, the guy captained them to their first SCF. That alone deserves it.

[Still MIGHTY]

Ducks is Selanne's 8 (Jan. 11), then Niedermayer's 27 and Giguere's 35 for sure. (The team has practically said as much.)

Kariya is a tricky situation, and I've documented it several times here, so I don't feel like doing it again. It seems that the opinions on retiring #9 are turning back to maybe eventually. (He's been put up on a couple new graphic murals in the building, and in the Ducks History videos being shown.) It'd be interesting, because he's the only one that they could ONLY put in Mighty Ducks colors (the other three played, but of course, if the team is given the choice, they'll go black/gold/orange). There's also some opinion that the Ducks have tried to bring Kariya back into the fold (especially in the 20th year last year) but that he's declined to do so. Puck could be in his rink, but I don't know.

Even if he has to be convinced, I'm sure they'll get Kariya's banner up there. I mean, the guy captained them to their first SCF. That alone deserves it.

You're really underestimating the whole leaving immediately after that SCF thing. In a vacuum, sure, retire it. In context, it's not so clear.

[Tigers6884]

I think Martin St. Louis was a lock to have his number retired by the Lightning before he left Tampa Bay in an ugly way.

[NJTank]

Bah the Lighthning and St. Louis will come to an understanding and the number will be retired, it has to be.

[The_Admiral]

Craig MacTavish just called a press conference to not fire anybody. He also looks like he's coming off a bender: no tie, rumpled clothes, messy hair, glasses askew. To be honest, I sort of picture everyone in Edmonton looking kind of like this.

Opens up with "this press conference is not going to satisfy anybody." Edmonton Oilers or Chicago Bears?

[officeglenn]

Craig MacTavish just called a press conference to not fire anybody. He also looks like he's coming off a bender: no tie, rumpled clothes, messy hair, glasses askew. To be honest, I sort of picture everyone in Edmonton looking kind of like this.

Opens up with "this press conference is not going to satisfy anybody." Edmonton Oilers or Chicago Bears?

Hey!

I mean, for the most part, you're not wrong, but still ... Hey!

EDIT: I've got to at least give MacTavish credit for coming out and saying something about the situation, even if he isn't saying much. A lot of GMs would just hide in their offices.

[The_Admiral]

"Now, with Kevin Lowe and Scott Howson--"

"--DON'T LUMP ME IN WITH THEM!"

Oh this is 24-karat gold. Simply fantastic for the world.

[Sport]

The Blue Jackets were outshot by the FLORIDA PANTHERS 55-18 and won the game in a shootout.

I kinda felt bad for the 2,000 Panthers fans in attendance.

[Tigers6884]

The Blue Jackets were outshot by the FLORIDA PANTHERS 55-18 and won the game in a shootout.

I kinda felt bad for the 20 Panthers fans in attendance.

Ftfy.

[Sport]

The Blue Jackets were outshot by the FLORIDA PANTHERS 55-18 and won the game in a shootout.

I kinda felt bad for the 20 Panthers fans in attendance.

Ftfy.

There was a reason I didn't make that hack joke.

[HedleyLamarr]

The Panthers attendance jokes are getting pretty stale, anyway.

[The_Admiral]

I think the pictures say more than we can at this point.

[Sport]

I think most attendance jokes are stale.

And saying there were 2,000 people at that game wasn't a joke. That was a realistic guess.

oh and I got the stats wrong. The Blue Jackets had 24 shots to the Panthers' 55.