The 2013 NHL Season Thread

[The_Admiral]

C'mon guys. Stevie-Y did build a Gold Medal Winning Hockey team, with barely any talent

You're joking, right.

[NEW.ERA]

C'mon guys. Stevie-Y did build a Gold Medal Winning Hockey team, with barely any talent

You're joking, right.

Of course.

[The Six]

Hey, where the are all the Ducks fans? 3rd-best team in the league and this game looks like a neutral-site affair in Glendale.

Come on, it's not even close to being that bad

Wednesday night games are always tough as far as getting there on time. It's usually a late crowd. And for whatever reason, Dallas has always been a tough draw. Couldn't tell you why. Building has filled in a bit more in the second period, as it usually is. Attendance is fine, and has been good all season.

Let's not kid ourselves. The building looked half empty. It looked bad. Ducks fans always want to give excuses for their poor attendance, but there's really no defending it at this point in the season.

[Kramerica Industries]

C'mon guys. Stevie-Y did build a Gold Medal Winning Hockey team, with barely any talent

You're joking, right.

Of course.

I like to think that an English major like Mr. admiral was playing a long with the joke by not actually asking a question there.

[infrared41]

C'mon guys. Stevie-Y did build a Gold Medal Winning Hockey team, with barely any talent

You're joking, right.

Of course.

I like to think that an English major like Mr. admiral was playing a long with the joke by not actually asking a question there.

He'd also probably tell you that it's along not "a long."

[Lee.]

Jets claim The Great One Mike Santorelli off waivers from the Panthers.

Also announce they're moving Byfuglien up to the wing with Ladd and Little.

[Sodboy13]

It's like the Jets never left, really.

[The_Admiral]

Byfuglien really should be at forward, though. He was horrid at defense for the Hawks. I have no idea why the Thrashers insisted on moving him back when his greatest skill is being up front.

[Kramerica Industries]

Some obligatory standings bitching:

8) New Jersey: 15-12-9

---------------------------------

9) NY Islanders: 18-16-3

10) Washington: 17-17-2

11) Philadelphia: 16-17-3

12) Carolina: 16-17-2

13) Buffalo: 14-17-6

14) Tampa Bay: 15-18-2

15) Florida: 12-19-6

New Jersey is tied for the 3rd-fewest wins in the Eastern Conference (and they lost two of three H2H vs. Tampa Bay), yet they sit in the top-8 right now.

This is not an argument that any of those 9-15 teams are very good. The best of them is probably NYI, and there's still a lot to be desired there. But the Devils 15-21 record is fricken' terrible, and should not be in the position it's in right now. Loser points FTW.

[Funky Bunky]

Hey, where the are all the Ducks fans? 3rd-best team in the league and this game looks like a neutral-site affair in Glendale.

Come on, it's not even close to being that bad

Wednesday night games are always tough as far as getting there on time. It's usually a late crowd. And for whatever reason, Dallas has always been a tough draw. Couldn't tell you why. Building has filled in a bit more in the second period, as it usually is. Attendance is fine, and has been good all season.

Let's not kid ourselves. The building looked half empty. It looked bad. Ducks fans always want to give excuses for their poor attendance, but there's really no defending it at this point in the season.

Outside of the first 10 minutes, it looked pretty filled up.

[Magnus]

Some obligatory standings bitching:

8) New Jersey: 15-12-9

---------------------------------

9) NY Islanders: 18-16-3

10) Washington: 17-17-2

11) Philadelphia: 16-17-3

12) Carolina: 16-17-2

13) Buffalo: 14-17-6

14) Tampa Bay: 15-18-2

15) Florida: 12-19-6

New Jersey is tied for the 3rd-fewest wins in the Eastern Conference (and they lost two of three H2H vs. Tampa Bay), yet they sit in the top-8 right now.

This is not an argument that any of those 9-15 teams are very good. The best of them is probably NYI, and there's still a lot to be desired there. But the Devils 15-21 record is fricken' terrible, and should not be in the position it's in right now. Loser points FTW.

Agreed. Straight wins and losses (with the additive of ROW) should be the formula, period, and we should not reward division winners automatically with one of the top seeds.

[Cosmic]

Can I also say that Bishop for Conacher was a terrible, terrible trade? If this hasn't shaken off the swingers from Steve Yzerman's sack, I don't know what will. Your own recent crease woes be damned, goaltenders are largely fungible. You do not EVER give up a cost-controlled player IN CONSIDERATION FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR just to get a goaltender -- especially a 26-year-old project player who has barely had a chance to catch on. Awful, just awful. The Senators really got lucky, getting Turris and Conacher the way they did.

Hockey Genius™!

Shame it had to be Ottawa who fleeced him though.

Just speaking in generalities about any random team... if there were one player that you WOULDN'T trade, wouldn't it be your rookie of the year candidate?

[Lee.]

Byfuglien really should be at forward, though. He was horrid at defense for the Hawks. I have no idea why the Thrashers insisted on moving him back when his greatest skill is being up front.

"Dusty, we want you to crash the net like it's a motorboat on Lake of the Woods."

[BigEd76]

FWIW since it's Eskin, who's about as reliable as a broken clock:

howardeskin

I'm not hearing good news bout #penguins Sidney Crosby. Being told he is likely out for rest of season with concussion symptoms

[The_Admiral]

I'm really underwhelmed by what the Devils are doing, but they'll probably make the playoffs anyway because they're a Championship Organization with a Championship Pedigree that Always Wins The Big Games When It Counts (except, of course, for all the times they haven't, but then they were in a position to play the big games they lost because of previous big games they won). They'll probably lose quietly in the first round unless they draw the NASCAR Division again.

[ninersdd]

The bizarre thing is that they came dangerously close to losing the Florida Panthers from the NASCAR division in the first round last year, then went 8-3 against the Flyers and Rangers.

[spartacat_12]

Okay. All fair points. I'm just a noted Gaboiskeptic and I'll die on that hill if necessary.

Can I also say that Bishop for Conacher was a terrible, terrible trade? If this hasn't shaken off the swingers from Steve Yzerman's sack, I don't know what will. Your own recent crease woes be damned, goaltenders are largely fungible. You do not EVER give up a cost-controlled player IN CONSIDERATION FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR just to get a goaltender -- especially a 26-year-old project player who has barely had a chance to catch on. Awful, just awful. The Senators really got lucky, getting Turris and Conacher the way they did.

I definitely think that the Sens won the trade, but I'm not calling it highway robbery just yet. Conacher may already be the team's leading scorer, but he has cooled off since his hot start, during which he was playing with 2 of the league's top 6 scorers. Bishop definitely has the size, skill, and poise to be an effective starting goalie in the NHL, and if it weren't for Lehner I'd be just as happy having him as the franchise goalie going forward. Bryan Murray just continues to impress me with his moves. He has been building up the depth at every position which allows him to pull the trigger on trades like this (and the Turris trade), without disrupting the core of the team. Hopefully McLean's magic mustache powers can shake Conacher out of his slump.

[habsfan1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIKynOvCePs

[The_Admiral]

Luongo is kind of a chill dude now that he has been vanquished as a legitimate threat to the Hawks.

[habsfan1]

During the intermissions, I'm checking out the Blue Jackets and Preds game. I want to see if the Blue Jackets can pull this off.

Currently scoreless during the 2nd.