2011-12 NHL Season

[Cosmic]

Unless you're at Yankee Stadium where can you buy a banana (or any fruit for that matter) at any stadium/arena?

I suppose many sporting venues actually sell fresh fruit, but I've never said to folks, "I'm going to a ballgame today. You know what goes great at a ballgame? A banana!"....

... and once at the gate, the security guard would ask, "Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

What kind of security do you think they have at 9,000 seat arenas for an NHL preseason game?

[HedleyLamarr]

I went to the Jets-Predators game last night. A couple things stood out:

1. Both teams' sweaters look better in person than they do on a computer screen. Still not a fan of those excess blue stripes on Nashville's home jeseys, but I guess it's there to add some dark color to an otherwise white-logo-on-yellow-jersey.

2. This Bodie guy for Winnipeg had the highlight of the night....a nice 2-point takedown bodyslam of some Predators player.

[Still MIGHTY]

It's really not the money that the Doughty camp cares about, they (his agent) want fewer years something like 5 years and the Kings want 7. Why don't the Kings want give Doughty a shorter deal? Simple. They don't want to deal with having Doughty and Kopitar be free agents in the same year. Honestly the money is not the issue and never has been. The issues are years and how much of a cap hit that will create. So it's really not about how much to pay Doughty, but how much paying him will create a cap hit and handicap the team from making moves during the season. Dean Lombardi has a number in his head, and in the end he will win. It's going to be Doughty who's going to cave and come to camp. It'll probably be a 6 year deal at less money than what the Doughty camp (the agent) wanted. I'm starting to get the feeling that Don Meehan is the Scott Boras of hockey and a 100% complete greedy ass who cares more about how much money he can get and not about the players.

So then this is actually really similar to Bobby Ryan and the Ducks last year. Because the other part of the Ducks deal, besides Bobby wanting to have one more contract before becoming a UFA, the Ducks were avoiding having Bobby, Getzlaf, Perry (along with Hiller and Visnovsky) having their contracts end on the same year.

And I agree to that it's either going to be the Kings way or no way on that. It was like that with the Ducks, Bobby went with the Ducks numbers and years, because he just wanted a deal done. And like I said before, Bobby had to go around Meehan and talk directly to the Ducsk for that to be done. Meehan isn't going to back down, so it looks like its all up to Doughty, and he doesnt seem like he's budging either.

[BigEd76]

Because until they prove otherwise that they can play in the postseason, people will always have their doubts about the Flyers. How many times over the last decade have experts and analysts put all their eggs in the Flyers basket, many times. Maybe this massive roster change will help, but with such a lack of carry over from last year, most think it'll be tough for them.

Hey I agree that the Flyers (like the Eagles) are in the playoffs every year and fall flat on their faces, but I didn't understand why people were ranking them 10th to 12th-best in the Eastern Conference...

[The_Admiral]

Because they lost their top two centers, did not get immediate commensurate value in return, Pronger and Briere are aging rapidly, and Bryzgalov has never played in a high-scrutiny environment. Personally, all that is only enough for me to slot them 6th to 8th, but some people believe in the Maple Leafs, Jets, and Devils more than I do.

[RyanMcD29]

Because they lost their top two centers, did not get immediate commensurate value in return, Pronger and Briere are aging rapidly, and Bryzgalov has never played in a high-scrutiny environment. Personally, all that is only enough for me to slot them 6th to 8th, but some people believe in the Maple Leafs, Jets, and Devils more than I do.

That's why I mainly have the Flyers just missing in 9th. I think there's too much changeover from last years team with all these trades that were made so it's gonna take a while to get clicking plus the fact there's a lot of points-scoring that needs to be replaced with the departure of Carter and Richards. Oh, and Jagr's not gonna produce as much as some are thinking. Don't get me wrong, the Flyers will be in the hunt. I just don't think they'll be able to get in. Think of the Chicago Blackhawks last season had the Stars won the last game of the season as an example.

[Sodboy13]

Canadiens pick up Chris Campoli for 1 year at $1.75M.

[GO2HELL]

If the flyers continue playing musical goalies, they won't make the playoffs.

[The_Admiral]

Canadiens pick up Chris Campoli for 1 year at $1.75M.

What did he want from Chicago, 3? Oops. Suck it, extortionist.

[Still MIGHTY]

Yikes. Shanahan and the league aren't joking around anymore.

James Wisniewski is suspended for the rest of the preseason and the first eight games of the regular season. Wisniewski is a repeat offender, so I guess they took that into consideration as well.

[BigEd76]

If the flyers continue playing musical goalies, they won't make the playoffs.

Barring injury, Bryz will start at least 65 games.

Speaking of which, he got his first win tonight. Jagr had 2 goals and an assist...

[pmoehrin]

Talk the pot calling the kettle black.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/7024659/new-york-rangers-sean-avery-says-wayne-simmonds-called-homophobic-slur

Anyone else I might say there's something to it, but Sean Avery is a terrible human being and should be reminded of that every single day for the rest of his life. That's about all I have to say about Sean Avery.

And yes I am all for using a double standard when it comes to Sean Avery and completely taking away his right to complain about anything a player or person says about him, simply because he's Sean Avery.

[Magnus]

I wouldn't be surprised if Avery was gay (or bi). He's kinda big into women's fashion, isn't he?

[IceCap]

Talk the pot calling the kettle black.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/7024659/new-york-rangers-sean-avery-says-wayne-simmonds-called-homophobic-slur

Anyone else I might say there's something to it, but Sean Avery is a terrible human being and should be reminded of that every single day for the rest of his life. That's about all I have to say about Sean Avery.

And yes I am all for using a double standard when it comes to Sean Avery and completely taking away his right to complain about anything a player or person says about him, simply because he's Sean Avery.

This seems fair.

[Lee.]

I wouldn't be surprised if Avery was gay (or bi). He's kinda big into women's fashion, isn't he?

I don't see what this has to do with anything. Wendel Clark had a handlebar mustache and liked leather jackets, that doesn't mean he's wait what?

[NJTank]

Talk the pot calling the kettle black.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/7024659/new-york-rangers-sean-avery-says-wayne-simmonds-called-homophobic-slur

Anyone else I might say there's something to it, but Sean Avery is a terrible human being and should be reminded of that every single day for the rest of his life. That's about all I have to say about Sean Avery.

And yes I am all for using a double standard when it comes to Sean Avery and completely taking away his right to complain about anything a player or person says about him, simply because he's Sean Avery.

This seems fair.

I agree, besides I bet Simmonds has got called much worse things last week he had a banana thrown at him in Detroit.

[Milo Meningocele]

Talk the pot calling the kettle black.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/7024659/new-york-rangers-sean-avery-says-wayne-simmonds-called-homophobic-slur

Anyone else I might say there's something to it, but Sean Avery is a terrible human being and should be reminded of that every single day for the rest of his life. That's about all I have to say about Sean Avery.

And yes I am all for using a double standard when it comes to Sean Avery and completely taking away his right to complain about anything a player or person says about him, simply because he's Sean Avery.

This seems fair.

I agree, besides I bet Simmonds has got called much worse things last week he had a banana thrown at him in Detroit.

First of all, both you and pmoehrin are ridiculous. Tank, because Simmonds has been called worse, it gives him license to hurl slurs at others? Really?!? Second, the banana incident wasn't in Detroit, it was in London, Ontario.

[Seadragon76]

Actually, that game was in London, Ontario. They were playing the Red Wings there.

What I get from what Avery said about Simmonds is that the last guy to say anything about anyone is Sean Avery. The guy singlehandily forced the NHL to change it's rules on the fly when he did his stupid little puppet dance a few years ago in the playoffs... Something tells me that the NHL is probably just going to ignore Avery because... Well, Avery isn't exactly one of their favorite people to deal with. That's just me though.

Oh, and what the heck, time for some predictions.

Eastern Conference

1. Boston

2. Philadelphia

3. Washington

4. Pittsburgh

5. Buffalo

6. Tampa Bay

7. Montreal

8. Winnipeg

Western Conference

1. San Jose

2. Vancouver

3. Detroit

4. Nashville

5. Chicago

6. Phoenix

7. Anaheim

8. Calgary

Eastern Conference Finals: Washington def. Boston

Western Conference Finals: San Jose def. Vancouver

Stanley Cup Finals: Washington def. San Jose in 7 games

[Sport]

8 games for the Wisniewski hit is absurd. I get that he's a repeat offender, I get that it was to Clutterbuck's head, I get that it was after the horn, I get that they're trying to send a message, but that play wasn't worth 8 games.

Clutterbuck could've skated away from Wisniewski and not directly at him and Wisniewski, who was watching the end of the play, reacted. He didn't seek Clutterbuck out, and he didn't line him up. It was a reactionary play. Was it dirty? Yeah, but 8 games is ridiculous.

Further, Jody Shelley, also a repeat offender, delivered a from-behind check that is far more dangerous and only recieved 5 regular season games. I already don't like Shanahan in his new role. Now let's see if he stays consistent throughout the season.

[The_Admiral]

- hit after whistle

- hit to the head

- Wisniewski is a noted douchebag

- it's well-known that people are demanding a crackdown on dirty hits to the head

I'm not sure what you thought was going to happen.