The 2013 NHL Season Thread

[The_Admiral]

"Yes, Mr. Steak, you're right. It would be cruel to give you to a very hungry person. I'll just give you to this feral dog."

[CS85]

Philadelphia wants in on Luongo

[Kevin W.]

Even I don't hate Roberto Luongo enough to wish Philadelphia on him.

Sometimes, you're willing to risk batteries being thrown your way if you can avoid playing in Chicago at least twice a season.

Being laughed at by Vince Vaughn is nothing compared to the abuse Philly fans will inevitably hurl his way.

[Corvus]

Well, TO, you've now got a GM who understands that goaltending isn't something you can ignore, unlike Mr. Burke.

[oddball]

The Leafs are under new ownership and Burke is an atavistic imbecile. What could be "up"?

The collective blood pressure of every Maple Leaf fan.

In excitement yes, this guy took an 9th place team, turned it into a 13th place team, and has left us with Jake Gardiner and Morgan Reilly after 4 years. In that same period the Oilers have Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Justin Schultz and Nail Yakupov. Not expecting that but for the amount of suck we've been put through we don't have a ton of promise.

Two things. #1 Brian Burke has got to be the most over-rated and over-hyped GM in sports, next to well Jerry Jones. It seems every team he touches, he eventually makes worse than when he started. #2 If you're going to sit there and celebrate the Oilers and their "talent", understand that you're talking about a team that had 62, 62, and 64 points and has drafted #1 the past three years and has nothing to show for that "talent". Sure they might have skilled guys, but they are still an extremely poor hockey team. So, ask yourself if you'd rather draft talented skilled players who can't win, or players who have that certain something and have less talent but know how to win. I'm not sure of the hockey culture that they are creating in Edmonton and the players that they have on that team know how to win. If Edmonton doesn't get 80 points this year, you have to start questioning whether they have a roster of talented individual players or they are building a team and a culture. That's the one thing that Dean Lombardi stressed in LA, he was breaking it down and bringing in players who fit a certain mold and would create a winning culture. Obviously it worked. I look at this year in Edmonton as critical to their future success and whether they've made strides towards a winning culture. The talent is there, but what's the culture like?

[NEW.ERA]

80 points would require Edmonton to win 40 games. In a 48 game schedule, they would love another 60 point campaign.

[Punch]

Rumor has it that Minnesota will open up at home against Colorado on January 19th, which as I mentioned earlier is Hockey Day Minnesota. I'm hoping that rumor is true, because I have also heard rumors that they will be opening on the road.

-----

Just release the damn schedule already.

[Cosmic]

I'm subscribed to the Kings' Facebook page, and all their said was that they were "remodeling their banners." Something big is happening...

I hope they don't change all their other banners to match the current identity. I can't stand when teams do that.

Luongo took Vancouved to the finals and won a gold for team Canada. He can handle the pressure. If it wasn't for Cory Schnieders emergence then Luongo wouldn't be going anywhere. Besides, the expectations in Toronto will be much lower which will mean less pressure than In Vancouver.

You know, I always hear people mention winning Gold in 2010 as an argument for how Luongo can handle pressure, but let's not forget that he gave up the game-tying goal with 20-something seconds left. If not for Crosby's heroics, he'd never hear the end of that.

It's been a few years now, but I remember thinking Luongo was going to lose that game for Canada. He was playing terribly and giving up huge rebounds; the Americans just didn't knock enough in.

[HedleyLamarr]

Rumor has it that Minnesota will open up at home against Colorado on January 19th, which as I mentioned earlier is Hockey Day Minnesota. I'm hoping that rumor is true, because I have also heard rumors that they will be opening on the road.

-----

Just release the damn schedule already.

I'd hate to be an NHL traveling secretary right now.

They usually have all the hotels and flights lined up 3 months before the season starts.....not one week. I'm sure we're gonna see some crazy stories involving the travel logistics throughout the season.....

[Sport]

Too lazy to do the math, are we going to get any 3 games in 3 nights like the NBA did last year?

[JayMac]

Even I don't hate Roberto Luongo enough to wish Philadelphia on him.

Sometimes, you're willing to risk batteries being thrown your way if you can avoid playing in Chicago at least twice a season.

Being laughed at by Vince Vaughn is nothing compared to the abuse Philly fans will inevitably hurl his way.

I'm sorry...I have to interject. What would we 'hurl his way'? We aren't savages contrary to popular and IGNORANT belief. With that being said, I want no part of that overrated goalie. Our GM, Paul Holmgren laughed about that rumor.

[Kramerica Industries]

Too lazy to do the math, are we going to get any 3 games in 3 nights like the NBA did last year?

It's extremely unlikely, I'd say. Unlike in basketball, where some of the units can be shifted up game-to-game to make the rare 3 game stint somewhat manageable, hockey is under no such construct. Those skaters would be dead out of energy by the third night.

[NJTank]

Rumor has it that Minnesota will open up at home against Colorado on January 19th, which as I mentioned earlier is Hockey Day Minnesota. I'm hoping that rumor is true, because I have also heard rumors that they will be opening on the road.

-----

Just release the damn schedule already.

I'd hate to be an NHL traveling secretary right now.

They usually have all the hotels and flights lined up 3 months before the season starts.....not one week. I'm sure we're gonna see some crazy stories involving the travel logistics throughout the season.....

Just lay all the work on the assistant to the traveling secretary.

[Kramerica Industries]

Rumor has it that Minnesota will open up at home against Colorado on January 19th, which as I mentioned earlier is Hockey Day Minnesota. I'm hoping that rumor is true, because I have also heard rumors that they will be opening on the road.

-----

Just release the damn schedule already.

I'd hate to be an NHL traveling secretary right now.

They usually have all the hotels and flights lined up 3 months before the season starts.....not one week. I'm sure we're gonna see some crazy stories involving the travel logistics throughout the season.....

Just lay all the work on the assistant to the traveling secretary.

"Are you the guy who put us in that Ramada in Milwaukee?"

[NEW.ERA]

More games seem to be getting released. I'd expect the Schedule later today or tomorrow for sure.

[maz]

Even I don't hate Roberto Luongo enough to wish Philadelphia on him.

Sometimes, you're willing to risk batteries being thrown your way if you can avoid playing in Chicago at least twice a season.

Being laughed at by Vince Vaughn is nothing compared to the abuse Philly fans will inevitably hurl his way.

I'm sorry...I have to interject. What would we 'hurl his way'? We aren't savages contrary to popular and IGNORANT belief. With that being said, I want no part of that overrated goalie. Our GM, Paul Holmgren laughed about that rumor.

It's not ignorant belief if it's a well-known fact.

/Stirring the pot

/AKA half kidding

/Come onnnnnn January 19th

[Still MIGHTY]

Here is the tentative January 19 Opening Night so far:

Blackhawks at Kings (1 p.m. Pacific matinee, because the Clippers play that night. Also helps NBC/NBC Sports for a national timeslot of the banner raising *vomit*)

Ducks at Canucks

Penguins at Flyers (Let the hate flowwwww through you)

Maple Leafs at Canadiens

Red Wings at Blues

Rangers at Bruins

Avalanche at Wild

Panthers at Capitals

Senators at Jets

And

$10 says the CBJ are one of the teams that gets the first day off.

$10 please, Blue Jackets at Predators.

[Sport]

Here is the tentative January 19 Opening Night so far:

Blackhawks at Kings (1 p.m. Pacific matinee, because the Clippers play that night. Also helps NBC/NBC Sports for a national timeslot of the banner raising *vomit*)

Ducks at Canucks

Penguins at Flyers (Let the hate flowwwww through you)

Maple Leafs at Canadiens

Red Wings at Blues

Rangers at Bruins

Avalanche at Wild

Panthers at Capitals

Senators at Jets

And

$10 says the CBJ are one of the teams that gets the first day off.

$10 please, Blue Jackets at Predators.

not surprised the CBJ didn't get to open at home though. Could've thrown us a bone for cancelling our all-star game. (BTW, Columbus 2013 ASG shirts are on sale for $4.95 http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/nhl-columbus-2013-star-shirts-own-piece-depressing-132947451--nhl.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter) I'm going to be in Columbus that night for other reasons. I can't stay until the rumored Monday night opener. MONDAY?

[NEW.ERA]

Calgary @ Edmonton on the 19th as well.

[JayMac]

Even I don't hate Roberto Luongo enough to wish Philadelphia on him.

Sometimes, you're willing to risk batteries being thrown your way if you can avoid playing in Chicago at least twice a season.

Being laughed at by Vince Vaughn is nothing compared to the abuse Philly fans will inevitably hurl his way.

I'm sorry...I have to interject. What would we 'hurl his way'? We aren't savages contrary to popular and IGNORANT belief. With that being said, I want no part of that overrated goalie. Our GM, Paul Holmgren laughed about that rumor.

It's not ignorant belief if it's a well-known fact.

/Stirring the pot

/AKA half kidding

/Come onnnnnn January 19th

Maz, I have nothing to say back. Haha I loved the post. So I will take a part of your post:

/come onnnnnn January 19th

It can't come soon enough!