The 2013 NHL Season Thread

[The Six]

Huge news. I didn't expect it to happen midseason. We knew Fasth wanted to be a #1, so it's great that he's locked up while still essentially being the backup.

[Eye]

Apparently Lindy Ruff was fired.

[Still MIGHTY]

SInce Ruff was hired in Buffalo in 1997, there had been 170 coaching changes.

Pretty remarkable.

[Sport]

and he's only 53.

Make it happen, Jarmo/JD.

I was really pulling for the Sabres in 2006. The Hurricanes winning that Eastern Conference finals series never really felt right.

Of course, it would've meant Buffalo would've won a Stanley Cup in black and red.

[NEW.ERA]

Me thinks we have a Boudreau/Carlyle situation. Next coach that gets canned, they are replaced with Ruff.

He never won, but was never terrible and is very well respected. That was probably the toughest decision that Regier ever had to make.

[ninersdd]

I had a bad feeling he was pretty much gone after blowing the game to the Penguins on Sunday.

[Sodboy13]

and he's only 53.

Make it happen, Jarmo/JD.

I thought you liked the Blue Jackets.

[ninersdd]

and he's only 53.

Make it happen, Jarmo/JD.

I was really pulling for the Sabres in 2006. The

Hurricanes winning that Eastern Conference finals series never really felt right.

Of course, it would've meant Buffalo would've

won a Stanley Cup in black and red.

I didn't really care who won that series, but I really wanted the Sabres to beat the Stars in 1999. The Stars were the first team I hated in the NHL and I still do.

[The_Admiral]

I believe this makes Mike Babcock the longest-tenured person in the NHL coaching ranks. Before you say Barry Trotz, that isn't a person.

[Brendan]

Regier should of been the guy responsible for the Sabres bad play. He overpayed a lot of guys who are seriously underperforming.

[dbadefense1990]

Apparently Lindy Ruff was fired.

During the 1999 Cup Final, I chuckled every time Gary Thorne tried to pronounce his name.

But it's a shame he didn't get a Cup for all his services in Buffalo. Of course there was the "No Goal" scandal, as well as the 2006 East Finals arms race with Carolina. I say his best team was 2007 (but no one in America saw how Game 5 ended vs. the Sens because of NBC cutting into the Preakness).

[dbadefense1990]

I was really pulling for the Sabres in 2006. The Hurricanes winning that Eastern Conference finals series never really felt right.

Of course, it would've meant Buffalo would've won a Stanley Cup in black and red.

Would you've rather see them win as the Buffaslugs?

[Kevin W.]

Hansen gets a one-game Shanaban.

[Cosmic]

Me thinks we have a Boudreau/Carlyle situation. Next coach that gets canned, they are replaced with Ruff.

He never won, but was never terrible and is very well respected. That was probably the toughest decision that Regier ever had to make.

Not that tough. It's been downright depressing in Buffalo lately. It was getting to the point where it was either going to be Ruff or Regier and Ruff gone. Now Regier bought himself at the minimum through the end of next season, probably two or three seasons with the new coach (their story right now is that the interim will coach the rest of this season). I blame him much, much more than Ruff however. We've never gotten great free agents, we haven't really drafted well (lots of prospects that are supposed to be great but never pan out), and he does pretty well on trades but makes them so damn infrequently.

Edit: It should be noted that the scouting department was gutted under the previous owner, leading to the Sabres drafting one European player in five years I think literally because they were only scouting Europeans on video. I still want Regier gone, though.

[The_Admiral]

Hansen gets a one-game Shanaban.

That sounds about right. It wasn't an egregious hit in and of itself, but when you put a hit like that on a guy who just scored two goals on you, and you're the Vancouver Canucks, it adds up. Gotta show that's not okay.

lol at their idiot coach saying it shouldn't have even been a penalty and the league wasn't going to do anything about it. JUST DID. I'm really not one of those "oh heavens to betsy he should be suspended a billion games for what he did" whineroos, and in fact I really don't care much at all about suspension length because it can't unring a bell, but I love that he got caught tugging on Superman's cape. Don't tell the league what they will and won't do, Captain Bitch of the Dive Patrol.

[Kevin W.]

One seems a bit too short, though. I would have given him three.

[Sodboy13]

I was thinking 1 or 2 games. Seems fair for a play that was more reckless and stupid than malicious, from an infrequent offender.

Search "Hansen" on Twitter right now and weep for humanity. The league's blatant anti-Canuck/Blackhawk conspiracy continues!

[dbadefense1990]

I was thinking 1 or 2 games.

Well in this lockout season, a one game suspension does equate to a two gamer in a normal season. Just saying.

[Funky Bunky]

Timely and affordable signing. Hard to find fault with it.

Does Hiller get moved?

The only fault I have with the signing is that it is way too premature.

Luckily, it's not really all that big of a contract. Worse case scenario, the Ducks are paying a couple million more for their backup than usual.

I could have sworn it has already been 9 games for Fasth since he took the "No Decision" in a 3-1 loss to Dallas on February 8?

Hiller gave up the first 2 goals, so Fasth deserved the "No Decision".

I was thinking 1 or 2 games.

Well in this lockout season, a one game suspension does equate to a two gamer in a normal season. Just saying.

Well, technically, it would equate to 1.708 games. Just saying.

[Sodboy13]

What's next, assessing fines in Pounds Sterling?