2010-11 NHL Season Thread

[Sport]

Isn't this impressive? Last year, Henrik gets a scoring title. This year, it could very well be the twin brother. Wouldn't that be something?

Cue a rant by somebody, possibly oddball, calling them the Sedin sisters, and how something something something that ain't hockey.

Sorry, but I'm not impressed at all. The only reason the Sedin SISTERS score so many goals is because they have such a crappy goaltender in Roberto Luongo that they have to score goals just to win games. It's just like how people thought Grant Fuhr put up big numbers but he wasn't that good a goalie because he had Wayne Gretzky score so many goals for him, but, the opposite. If the Sedin SISTERS were real players with a real goalie, they'd be able to focus on playing everything in hockey and not just bailing themselves out with goals, they'd be real complete hockey players. Hockey is not about scoring goals and assists. Hockey is about digging the puck out of the corners, laying down hard checks, making everyone around you better with inspirational talk on the bench, and making incredible blocker saves against odd-man rushes. Do the Sedins do any of those things? NO! Then how can they win a scoring title? Scoring is more than what shows up on the score sheet. And look how many defensemen are injured. Why you ask? Because when your best players aren't real hockey players, the defensemen have to be held accountable for physical play and they all get hurt. Sami Salo is out for the year because Daniel Sedin scored a lot of tap-ins. There, I said it. Everyone knows it. And how can you have one twin be the captain and not both? If they're twins, how come one is better than the other than huh? Hockey is about everyone contributing equally. If both twins aren't equal, then nobody is equal. Mark my words, the Canucks will get swept in the first round ebcause the Sedin SISTERS aren't real hockey players!

The only way this gets better is if you start arguing with people about why their favorite teams are struggling. It's very important in an Oddball impression to let others know that you know more about their team than they do. Also, very well done. If I had read that without seeing a username attached I definitely would've thought it his.

[OMMF]

You know what pisses me off, the fact that Canucks tickets are so goddamn expensive. 80 bucks each for nosebleeds. How much does it cost to go to games in other cities?

Not that StubHub is ever a good indicator of realistic prices but I think I got a couple good deals in Dallas. $40/ea (yes, over face value but still not too bad) for first row of the upper deck on the blue line that Dallas shoots at twice for a game against LA. Then, two nights later, $140 total for two seats 4 rows behind the net the Sharks shoot at twice in the American Airlines Center.

[NEW.ERA]

Jarome Iginla joined a very elite club with his 30th goal tonight. He became only the 10th player ever to score 30 goals in ten straight seasons.

Another big two points in the bank and very big week ahead. Dallas on Wednesday, Phoenix on Thursday and Vancouver on Saturday.

[Brass]

What an awful captain Andrew Ladd is. Not only did the Thrashers not have a game today, but they don't have one until Wednesday. WEDNESDAY! This falls entirely on the captain.

Yeah, move that franchise already, before Andrew Ladd accidentally kicks over a lantern and turns Atlanta into the second coming of General Sherman. Besides, I hear the team only plays 82 games a year!

Only 82?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! Next, you're going to tell me they only play HALF of them at home, right?

[Don]

What an awful captain Andrew Ladd is. Not only did the Thrashers not have a game today, but they don't have one until Wednesday. WEDNESDAY! This falls entirely on the captain.

Yeah, move that franchise already, before Andrew Ladd accidentally kicks over a lantern and turns Atlanta into the second coming of General Sherman. Besides, I hear the team only plays 82 games a year!

Only 82?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! Next, you're going to tell me they only play HALF of them at home, right?

Only 6 of those within the division. I know, move them to Moosejaw right NOW.

[JQK]

Devils won again.

^{(albeit in a shootout, which sucks... but i'll take the two points...)}

[epper]

Sabres in sole possession of 8th! (with 3 games in hand on 7th)

What a comeback these guys have made. The Boyes trade seems to have energized the offense.

[HedleyLamarr]

Andrew Ladd has quietly cobbled together a pretty good career befitting a 4th overall draft pick. Two championships and a captaincy already. Guess he went high for a reason.

Don't know if it's 100% accurate, but I heard something about Ladd being the youngest player in the NHL with two Cup wins.

And those Cups were won on teams that weren't known for being perennial Cup contenders.

[NEW.ERA]

I loved watching Andrew Ladd along with Getzlaf here in Calgary with the Hitmen, I knew he was going to be a good leader one day.

[pollux]

Andrew Ladd has quietly cobbled together a pretty good career befitting a 4th overall draft pick. Two championships and a captaincy already. Guess he went high for a reason.

Don't know if it's 100% accurate, but I heard something about Ladd being the youngest player in the NHL with two Cup wins.

And those Cups were won on teams that weren't known for being perennial Cup contenders.

Maybe currently playing in the NHL, but there's no way that statement is true if you include all players that have won a Stanley Cup.

[oddball]

Don't care about records or rankings. The Thrashers are the worst team in the league right now. They have been stinking up the joint since the All-Star break & there's no signs of things improving. Can't score for (they've been getting tons of shots, but it literally takes a miracle for it to get past whoever's in net), every mistake they make on defense results in a goal, they don't get any of those lucky bounces, & just fold under adversity for the most part. It's like fan repellent.

After the performances they had before the All-Star break, they really had me going when it came to hopes of the playoffs. Then the failboat anchored in Blueland once more, & it's been a wrap ever since.

I just have to ask, "How's that new Captain of your doing?" I said when it happened that I didn't think it amounted to a hill of beans, heck it didn't even amount to a bean, and now where's this new captain lead your team? To the crapper! Great significant move by the Thrashers. Oh and what is up with the fan base? Seriously? Hell, can we move that team to Winnipeg or Quebec. I've seen more people in a pick up game at a local arena than I saw in highlights from the Thrashers game last night. Pathetic organization and pathetic fan base.

Another A+ post from oddball! Let's analyze this gem!

1) Ladd has 23 goals, 24 assists. Leads the team in goals, assists, and points. But of course, he's the one led them into the crapper. Not the coaching or the actual crap players on the team, but the captain who's actually playing well in the midst of all this crap. Brilliant analysis, TSN should sign you.

2) The team's signed NDA's with prospective owners that are probably gonna keep the team in Atlanta, and buy the Hawks and Philips Arena as well. You totally nailed that one! The Thrashers will most definitely be in Winnipeg or Quebec, hell maybe by next week! Solid!

3) Oh, an attendance joke. So original, so witty, so fresh! The Thrashers can't draw, who would've thought! Novel insight there! Which leads to "Pathetic organization & fan base" - The owners suck, true. But yeah, there was a time when the Thrashers were outdrawing teams like the Blackhawks & Caps, Bruins, & Blues among others. BUT, the Thrashers have no fans. Right.

So yeah, all three points of your post were solid, as always! Fantastic, brilliant post...for me to poop on.

Oh yeah and your captain has led them straight to the toilet, so he can take those 23 goals and 24 assists and enjoy watching all the playoffs from the comfort of his seat. I'm not impressed. Numbers mean nothing, as a captain you need to lead your team to make them better and obviously he hasn't done that. Stats mean nothing, it's what you do in the locker and how you make the players around you better. The team tanked with him as captain and you want to defend their tanking by giving some individual stat about how good he is. A captain's job is to lead them into the playoffs and to the Championship, not to be the worst team in the league. You can score as many goals as you want, but that's not why you were named captain, you were named captain to lead this team and make everyone in the locker room better on the ice. This is a bad franchise and always has been a bad franchise and you can't cover up a bad franchise. It's like someone trying to make a case for the Clippers or the Pittsburgh Pirates of the last 15 or so years. Bad franchises always make bad decisions, and there's no way around it, Atlanta is a bad franchise. And I don't care what kind of lease they've signed, the city of Atlanta is a pathetic fan base period. They don't support their teams, win or lose.

Wait, wait, wait. How about we talk about how awful of a captain Dustin Brown is? Look at the Kings roster and notice how they're not the #1 team in the league. I blame that solely on the lack of leadership by Dustin Brown.

When did I EVER say Dustin Brown is a good captain? Please, tell me that! Oh wait, because I've never said that! I don't think Dustin Brown is a good captain at all. It's why the Kings are struggling. The lack of leadership in the locker room. Maybe for a veteran team he'e be good, but honestly, he's too quiet of a person to be a leader. For as much as I love Dustin Brown, he's just not good captain material. He doesn't make players around him better, and he just doesn't have that off ice or on ice persona that makes you willing to be better for him. Sure he was the one who organized the off-season workout a couple years ago, but that's the off-season. What are you doing during the regular season. The Kings have struggled way too much with their captain and assistant captains (Koptiar and Greene), and I firmly expect not only a coaching change in the off season but a leadership change in the room.

[The_Admiral]

If we wanted to keep seeing Jack Skille, we wouldn't have sent him to you.

[Sodboy13]

The Florida Panthers' entire marketing strategy seems to emulate that of one of those "road teams" in indie-league baseball that gets cobbled together to make sure the league has an even number of teams. At this point, just come out and say what's being slyly hinted at, and what many of us already know: There's no such thing as a Florida Panthers fan.

[Lee.]

FLORIDA PANTHERS HOCKEY: NO ONE WANTS TO BUY US DURING THE OFFSEASON

Coming soon: FLORIDA PANTHERS HOCKEY: AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NO CHILDREN ARE RAPED IN OUR ARENA

[BrySmalls]

With the lone exception being the female fan who flashed the crowd a few seasons ago.

[Brass]

No Florida Panthers fans? How selfish of Andrew Ladd. Some captain.

[Sodboy13]

With the lone exception being the female fan who flashed the crowd a few seasons ago.

Man-made or God-given, that girl had more quality talent than 10 ordinary fans.

[The_Admiral]

And if the Jack Skille/Michael Frolik trade is any indication, Dale Tallon's blueprint for success is still "put good players on the Blackhawks."

[friarcanuck]

Coming soon: FLORIDA PANTHERS HOCKEY: AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NO CHILDREN ARE RAPED IN OUR ARENA

Not even Toronto can say that.

[TFoA]

that , $20 to see the Blackhawks? Awwwwwwww yeeeeaaaaaaah. Too bad I don't live in Miami/Sunrise/Wherever the hell it is.