The 2013 NHL Season Thread

[The_Admiral]

They used up all their goals on losing 6-5 to the Capitals. Props to Enroth; he couldn't stonewall a trickle of piss for like two years.

[CS85]

It's hard to believe the Bolts used to be one of the more dynamic teams in the league this season before injuries, bad luck, and trades bled them down the path to Suck Town.

[The_Admiral]

They still are dynamic. They just keep giving up goals by the metric ton. Good thing they traded a ROTY candidate for another goalie project who will ultimately be too big and unwieldy to field his position and blow his groin up on his way out of the league. You hear that, Jacob Markstrom?

[IceCap]

What I was talking about is the people who freak out if anyone mentions changing an original six team's look,

Just my opinion, but I don't think it's possible to improve the look of any Original 6 team. I can see why fans of those teams freak out when someone mentions it.

FWIW, Boston and Toronto have changed a few times with each one being a lateral move at worst, save for Toronto going "lets abandon waist stripes because Reebok said it looks cool".

If the Rangers darkened their colors a bit (specifically to these shades) they'd be tied with Chicago for the best look of the Original Six, IMO.

The Leafs' experiments with custom number fonts, new logos, and silver trim were all pretty bad.

[Lee.]

Yeah, the Leafs change things up every 4 or 5 years, it seems. Boston is forever tweaking their stuff too.

[The_Admiral]

Not counting ugly thirds and such, the Blackhawks have held steady on their home and away designs since 1977. The only change has been tweaking the primary logo, and not for the better. The Wings haven't done a thing since they went to vertically arched nameplates and block numbers, which was what, '82?

[Kramerica Industries]

With today's loss, the Lightning have now clinched a losing record for the 14th time in their 20 year franchise history.

They've only finished above .500 once in the past six seasons, and that's also the same number of times they've made the playoffs in that span.

They are 9-24 this season against the Eastern Conference teams not based in Sunrise and Raleigh. And they are 11-24 since their sizzling 6-1 start to the season.

Yay. Another year of hockey right down the drain.

[The_Admiral]

They should consider firing Dr. Detroit and hiring a general manager who doesn't strike out on minor league coaches and doesn't trade high-producing cost-controlled scorers for replaceable assets. I mean seriously what the hell did he learn in Detroit? how to make pizza in a square pan?

[CS85]

Stamkos is still a reliable source of points, despite his mind-boggling slump to end the season. St. Louis and LeCavalier are old. Trading Conacher for Bishop is curious, considering they were hoping to showcase Lindback this season. How many of those people wearing 89 sweaters feel absolutely screwed?

[ninersdd]

The Lightning should try to add Hal Gill and Zdeno Chara to make the Pierre McGuire 4 with them and the 2 goalies(Lindback and Bishop). Yup guys with long sticks.

[The_Admiral]

"Making the Pierre McGuire 4" sounds like an unspeakable sex act.

[Kramerica Industries]

They should consider firing Dr. Detroit and hiring a general manager who doesn't strike out on minor league coaches and doesn't trade high-producing cost-controlled scorers for replaceable assets. I mean seriously what the hell did he learn in Detroit? how to make pizza in a square pan?

Considering Detroit had one of the best front offices during the latter portion of the oughts (and, to an extent, still does), and Yzerman had been in the organization for over 25 years, I was legitimately hopeful that he had learned a few tricks that would be useful. I supported his side over Boucher in the firing debate.

And then he bends me over backwards with that ridiculous Conacher/Bishop trade. I wasn't just disappointed; it pissed me off to be made to look like a fool that quickly. Jeffrey Vinik has done a fine job revitalizing the fan base, but the Forum sellouts will dry up very quickly if the on-ice product continues to suck, which it has for the past two seasons. This is the same market that can't sell out baseball games with a team that has won 84+ games every season since 2008 and made three playoff appearances. It's very easy for us to not go to games around here.

[The_Admiral]

The forehead-slapping beauty of it is that Conacher for Bishop is the precise opposite of what any Scotty Bowman/Ken Holland disciple would do. "This Zetterberg kid can go; God knows we have forwards to spare, and he's already kinda old for a rookie. What we really gotta do is get in on this Mike Smith thing. He's tall and stuff!"

[dbadefense1990]

They should consider firing Dr. Detroit and hiring a general manager who doesn't strike out on minor league coaches and doesn't trade high-producing cost-controlled scorers for replaceable assets. I mean seriously; what the hell did he learn in Detroit? How to make pizza in a square pan?

Well, Detroit is home to Little Caesars, so...

[Kramerica Industries]

The forehead-slapping beauty of it is that Conacher for Bishop is the precise opposite of what any Scotty Bowman/Ken Holland disciple would do. "This Zetterberg kid can go; God knows we have forwards to spare, and he's already kinda old for a rookie. What we really gotta do is get in on this Mike Smith thing. He's tall and stuff!"

Well, Detroit is home to Little Caesars, so...

Somehow, I think a snarky jackass like Mr. admiral knows this.

[crashcarson15]

They should consider firing Dr. Detroit and hiring a general manager who doesn't strike out on minor league coaches and doesn't trade high-producing cost-controlled scorers for replaceable assets. I mean seriously; what the hell did he learn in Detroit? How to make pizza in a square pan?

Well, Detroit is home to Little Caesars, so...

The response you were looking for was "that 's not pizza."

[dbadefense1990]

With today's loss, the Lightning have now clinched a losing record for the 14th time in their 20 year franchise history.

They've only finished above .500 once in the past six seasons, and that's also the same number of times they've made the playoffs in that span.

They are 9-24 this season against the Eastern Conference teams not based in Sunrise and Raleigh. And they are 11-24 since their sizzling 6-1 start to the season.

Yay. Another year of hockey right down the drain.

Unbelievable. They've sucked for nearly 3/4 of their entire franchise history...and yet Tampa generally gets relocation immunity because of one good year (2004) and another really lucky playoff run now seen in retrospect as a fluke (2011).

To use a common acronym in these boards...OITGDNHL.

[crashcarson15]

With today's loss, the Lightning have now clinched a losing record for the 14th time in their 20 year franchise history.

They've only finished above .500 once in the past six seasons, and that's also the same number of times they've made the playoffs in that span.

They are 9-24 this season against the Eastern Conference teams not based in Sunrise and Raleigh. And they are 11-24 since their sizzling 6-1 start to the season.

Yay. Another year of hockey right down the drain.

Unbelievable. They've sucked for nearly 3/4 of their entire franchise history...and yet Tampa generally gets relocation immunity because of one good year (2004) and another really lucky playoff run now seen in retrospect as a fluke (2011).

To use a common acronym in these boards...OITGDNHL.

They get relocation immunity because they're playing to 99.2% capacity.

OIAGDDBADP. (Only In A God-Damned dbadefense1990 Post)

[Kramerica Industries]

What is asinine is to have two markets in Florida, but not in Quebec. I don't think anyone's ever questioned otherwise.

Furthermore, with the two turds who ran the Lightning between 2008 and 2010, they very well could've been in danger of relocation. But, at the same time, Tampa has generally had much better fan support and profitability than other fledgling markets. I'm not about to hear any argument that says the Lightning don't deserve to be where they are in the league.

[dbadefense1990]

With today's loss, the Lightning have now clinched a losing record for the 14th time in their 20 year franchise history.

They've only finished above .500 once in the past six seasons, and that's also the same number of times they've made the playoffs in that span.

They are 9-24 this season against the Eastern Conference teams not based in Sunrise and Raleigh. And they are 11-24 since their sizzling 6-1 start to the season.

Yay. Another year of hockey right down the drain.

Unbelievable. They've sucked for nearly 3/4 of their entire franchise history...and yet Tampa generally gets relocation immunity because of one good year (2004) and another really lucky playoff run now seen in retrospect as a fluke (2011).

To use a common acronym in these boards...OITGDNHL.

They get relocation immunity because they're playing to 99.2% capacity.

OIAGDDBADP. (Only In A God-Damned dbadefense1990 Post)

I don't think it really matters what the seating capacity is. In today's sports economics, there are leagues who are ready to ship franchises to other cities despite full capacity attendances (NFL, NBA), and there are leagues where sucky franchises are given crutch after crutch after crutch to stay afloat with no fan support (NHL). Besides, seating capacity figures only tally the number of tickets sold; I have not heard of a league, or team, or technology which can accurately track the actual attendance at a game (how many of those tickets sold were actually scanned and used).

And what the hell is OIAGDDBADP?