2007-08 NHL Season Thread

[josh_cat_eyes]

I havn't really been following this thread, but I just want to make a comment about the winner of the Con Smythe Trophy. Personally I think it should have been Marc-Andre Fleury. Zetterberg won, but if you take him off the team, I still think they win, or at least come close. But Fleury, you take him off the team, they get swept in the finals if they even make it there at all. Game 3, Marc-Andre Fleury won that game! For the same reason that J.S. Giguere won it in 2003, I think that Fleury should have won it this year...and if not him, then Osgood!

[-kj]

Well, of course if you take the goalie off the team, the team will lose. Unless neither team has a goalie. Then it's just a goal fest.

[GFB]

I havn't really been following this thread, but I just want to make a comment about the winner of the Con Smythe Trophy. Personally I think it should have been Marc-Andre Fleury. Zetterberg won, but if you take him off the team, I still think they win, or at least come close. But Fleury, you take him off the team, they get swept in the finals if they even make it there at all. Game 3, Marc-Andre Fleury won that game! For the same reason that J.S. Giguere won it in 2003, I think that Fleury should have won it this year...and if not him, then Osgood!

Honestly, you must not have watched the entire series... The only time he played Con Smythe-worthy goaltending was from about 10 minutes into the 3rd period of game 5 through the 3rd OT. The fact is, he was pretty below average for most of the series. Marty Turco outperformed Fluery twice-over. Fluery let in quite a few soft goals (Samuelsson's wrap around in Game 1, Helm's goal in Game 5, Flippula's goal in Game 6, and Hank's clinching goal, just to name a few) and in my mind was an easier goalie to face than Turco and maybe even the Nashville goalie (whose name escapes me right now).

As for Osgood, I wouldn't have had a problem with him winning it, but when you have that defense in front of you and only have to make 18-24 saves per game, it is hard to justify it. Franzen would have been a front-runner if he had not missed 5 or 6 games. That leaves Hank. And his role in shutting down Crosby was definitely worthy of the CST...

Now a few of my thoughts on Game 6:

- The Pens 5 on 3 in the 1st period was an absolute joke. Drake's hit was clean, and while Drapes did smash Gonchar's head into the boards, then why weren't all the shots to Franzen's head in Game 2 penalties?

- I can't believe the whining by all the Pens after Stuart checked Crosby into the boards, saying it was a cheap shot... Gary Roberts would know a thing or two about cheap shots, wouldn't he?

- How often do we get to talk about good officiating? Props to the referee behind the net on Zetterberg's goal...

- I can understand the Pittsburgh fans booing Gary Bettman, but there was no need to boo Hank or Nicky Lidstrom when they got the CST or the Stanley Cup... Your team lost to the better team, why try to ruin their moment?

- Was Thierry sucking sour grapes at the podium or what? I mean, don't be happy about losing, but at least try to say something positive about the team that beat you without looking like you have a lemon in your mouth...

[-kj]

Honestly, you must not have watched the entire series...

I'm in agreement that he wasn't quite worthy, but I just wanted to make the point that the Conn Smythe is awarded to the playoff MVP, not the Cup Final MVP.

[GFB]

Honestly, you must not have watched the entire series...

I'm in agreement that he wasn't quite worthy, but I just wanted to make the point that the Conn Smythe is awarded to the playoff MVP, not the Cup Final MVP.

Yeah, I know that... (I think I mentioned that when I brought up Franzen) But if you want to look at the big picture, then it was the Penguin's offense, not Fluery, that got them to the Finals in the first place. An example of a Conn Smythe-performance of a losing goaltender was Giguere's run a few years ago. He carried that entire Ducks team. In my mind, the Penguins made it this far in spite of Fluery, not because of him...

[maz]

- I can understand the Pittsburgh fans booing Gary Bettman, but there was no need to boo Hank or Nicky Lidstrom when they got the CST or the Stanley Cup... Your team lost to the better team, why try to ruin their moment?

A few classless fans booed, the majority didnt. The only people they really booed were those who didnt even play in the series.

Anyways, after letting it all settle for a day, the overall mood in Pittsburgh is gloomy. Sure, we had an amazing season, but half the team is going to free agency this year. That includes Ruutu, Malone, Hossa, Dupuis, Gonchar and Orpik, I believe. It would also be a good idea it get a deal with Malkin now rather than when his contract expires next year. Hopefully Shero can work some magic and keep enough guys here.

[Wheelhouse]

I can't remember the last time I felt physically ill after the end of a sporting event.

Congratulations to the Red Wings, and while I'm at it, a late congrats to the Flyers. The Red Wings were the better team, and the Flyers had a hell of a run. I meant to say that awhile ago but forgot.

I don't know that the image of Fleury sitting on the edge of that puck will ever be erased from my mind. I know it wasn't his fault and I love the guy, but damn. That was pure heartbreak.

[maz]

I don't know that the image of Fleury sitting on the edge of that puck will ever be erased from my mind. I know it wasn't his fault and I love the guy, but damn. That was pure heartbreak.

Me niether. It happened almost right in front of me. I remeber screaming "BEHIND YOU!!!". After that I just sat there staring at the net thinking "...so this is how it ends."

[Brass]

I don't know that the image of Fleury sitting on the edge of that puck will ever be erased from my mind. I know it wasn't his fault and I love the guy, but damn. That was pure heartbreak.

Me niether. It happened almost right in front of me. I remeber screaming "BEHIND YOU!!!". After that I just sat there staring at the net thinking "...so this is how it ends."

"With thunderous applause..."

[rmackman]

Since my thread on its own was poofed I'll restate my topic here:

I feel that NHL FINALS (plural) is better than NHL Final which is being used now. Does anyone else agree/disagree or even care? Muchas gracias.

[officeglenn]

Since my thread on its own was poofed I'll restate my topic here:

I feel that NHL FINALS (plural) is better than NHL Final which is being used now. Does anyone else agree/disagree or even care? Muchas gracias.

It's one final series, so I prefer "Stanley Cup Final" purely based on grammar.

[rmackman]

Since my thread on its own was poofed I'll restate my topic here:

I feel that NHL FINALS (plural) is better than NHL Final which is being used now. Does anyone else agree/disagree or even care? Muchas gracias.

It's one final series, so I prefer "Stanley Cup Final" purely based on grammar.

But a series implies multiple games, and therefore Finals could be plural.

[Cujo]

Since my thread on its own was poofed I'll restate my topic here:

I feel that NHL FINALS (plural) is better than NHL Final which is being used now. Does anyone else agree/disagree or even care? Muchas gracias.

It's one final series, so I prefer "Stanley Cup Final" purely based on grammar.

But a series implies multiple games, and therefore Finals could be plural.

It believe goes both ways.

It's a FINAL if you are referring to the final series as a whole. It's FINALS when it's making reference to the multiple games that make up a final series.

Does that help?

[TFoA]

Since my thread on its own was poofed I'll restate my topic here:

I feel that NHL FINALS (plural) is better than NHL Final which is being used now. Does anyone else agree/disagree or even care? Muchas gracias.

It's one final series, so I prefer "Stanley Cup Final" purely based on grammar.

But a series implies multiple games, and therefore Finals could be plural.

It believe goes both ways.

It's a FINAL if you are referring to the final series as a whole. It's FINALS when it's making reference to the multiple games that make up a final series.

Does that help?

If I understand correctly, the NHL refers to the Stanley Cup as a tournament like FIFA refers to the World Cup as a tournament. So yeah, them referring to it as the Stanley Cup Final makes sense to me.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

and with that the pens complete the job to the wings.

[rmackman]

Since my thread on its own was poofed I'll restate my topic here:

I feel that NHL FINALS (plural) is better than NHL Final which is being used now. Does anyone else agree/disagree or even care? Muchas gracias.

It's one final series, so I prefer "Stanley Cup Final" purely based on grammar.

But a series implies multiple games, and therefore Finals could be plural.

It believe goes both ways.

It's a FINAL if you are referring to the final series as a whole. It's FINALS when it's making reference to the multiple games that make up a final series.

Does that help?

Well look who's back!?

[Gary]

Since my thread on its own was poofed I'll restate my topic here:

I feel that NHL FINALS (plural) is better than NHL Final which is being used now. Does anyone else agree/disagree or even care? Muchas gracias.

It's one final series, so I prefer "Stanley Cup Final" purely based on grammar.

But a series implies multiple games, and therefore Finals could be plural.

It believe goes both ways.

It's a FINAL if you are referring to the final series as a whole. It's FINALS when it's making reference to the multiple games that make up a final series.

Does that help?

Well look who's back!?

Well Ryan, he's been back for at least a week now. I hope he doesn't go back into exile

[josh_cat_eyes]

Honestly, you must not have watched the entire series...

I'm in agreement that he wasn't quite worthy, but I just wanted to make the point that the Conn Smythe is awarded to the playoff MVP, not the Cup Final MVP.

Yeah, I know that... (I think I mentioned that when I brought up Franzen) But if you want to look at the big picture, then it was the Penguin's offense, not Fluery, that got them to the Finals in the first place. An example of a Conn Smythe-performance of a losing goaltender was Giguere's run a few years ago. He carried that entire Ducks team. In my mind, the Penguins made it this far in spite of Fluery, not because of him...

Fluery:

20 Games Played

14 Wins (Tie)

6 Loses

41 Goals Against

610 Shots Against

3 Shutout (Tie)

1.97 GAA

.933 S%

Osgood:

19 Games Played

14 Wins (Tie)

4 Loses

30 Goals Against

430 Shots Against

3 Shutouts (Tie)

1.55 GAA

.930 S%

I pick Fleury...Just my opinion though.

[charger77]

Fleury wouldn't have won the Conn Smythe. Unfortunately, just like '98 he was Osgoodenough for Detroit to win.

-Dan

[charger77]

I heard Art Regner on the radio just a few minutes ago saying that this was the shortest parade and rally of the three and the crowd was not as into it as years past. What was it like from a fan's perspective?

-Dan