NHL 2011-2012 season

[Canadan]

Soon enough, Edmonton will be solid, although they need to beef up...

I really like Gagner, Paajarvi, Eberle, and Hall... Solid youngsters with really impressive talent, but I don't see them going too far until they fill out their roster with some heavy bulk to offset the skinny, play making guys previously mentioned.

 

[Truetemper]

Fixed!

Sincerely,

A Calgary Flames fan

Does that say Springbank Dinks? I can't make fun of that because I like that course. Calgary Flames fans are just jealous because they know they are screwed when they look up the highway. They are in a terrible place. They have Iginla with no supporting cast. They are so far off from doing a rebuild. Fans can't wait that long. What will trading Iginla bring you at this stage? It is fun to listen to the Team 960 am on the internet and hear those Flames whine. But Calgary does have some beautiful golf courses. It is hard to get a tee time in the spring because they are usually full of Calgary Flames players.

 

[JohnnyT]

Soon enough, Edmonton will be solid, although they need to beef up...

I really like Gagner, Paajarvi, Eberle, and Hall... Solid youngsters with really impressive talent, but I don't see them going too far until they fill out their roster with some heavy bulk to offset the skinny, play making guys previously mentioned.

I think by the time that Edmonton's forwards are developed and Edmonton is ready to make a serious Stanley Cup run, many of their star forwards will not be with the team anymore due to wanting pay raises and Edmonton not being able to give them all one, or their defense and goal tending will not be good enough to make it deep into the playoffs.

Dont get me wrong, Edmonton will be good in a few years, but I think they made a big mistake this year drafting Nugent - Hopkins over Larson.

 

[JohnnyT]

They are in a terrible place.

Not arguing there, they are defiantly very old, the only real hope is that Feaster can keep signing good veterans for cheap (Scott Hannan) and the team can stay at least in playoff contention while they start cleaning up Daryl's mess.

 

[Truetemper]

I think by the time that Edmonton's forwards are developed and Edmonton is ready to make a serious Stanley Cup run, many of their star forwards will not be with the team anymore due to wanting pay raises and Edmonton not being able to give them all one, or their defense and goal tending will not be good enough to make it deep into the playoffs.

Dont get me wrong, Edmonton will be good in a few years, but I think they made a big mistake this year drafting Nugent - Hopkins over Larson.

We will have to see how Larsson develops. I still think they got the "best" player available at the draft in RNH. I dont see Larsson being the Lidstrom. I think he will be more like a Boumeester. Highly touted, overpaid and doesnt live up to the hype.

 

[JohnnyT]

We will have to see how Larsson develops. I still think they got the "best" player available at the draft in RNH. I dont see Larsson being the Lidstrom. I think he will be more like a Boumeester. Highly touted, overpaid and doesnt live up to the hype.

Either way he'll be better than any D-men the Oilers have today

 

[oiler3535]

Big Leafs and Oilers fan here. Think the Oil are still a couple of years away from being very good, but have a ton of potential. And as I bleed blue, I of course think my Leafs have a chance this year. If Reimer and Phaneuf stay healthy we'll be in the playoffs and never know after that. Otherwise, I think it's a game of usual suspects. Great thing about the NHL is that once in the playoffs, a hot goalie and solid D, or a ton of scoring will get you far.

 

[Buckjob]

Three words...

Broad Street Bullies

Who will fill the void left by Carcillo? He's a goof but I like him. Avery (I know different team) on the other hand is... well...

Alex

Talbot/Simmonds will help fill his spot and we still have Jody Shelly who is just a big overpaid punching bag.

 

[Nicklausfan]

Talbot/Simmonds will help fill his spot and we still have Jody Shelly who is just a big overpaid punching bag.

LOL @ Shelley = Punching Bag

You guys got a real nice player in Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn with his upside... nice.

Besides I'm sure the Phantoms have a decent pugilist down in the "A". Reilly Cote?

Alex

 

[Buckjob]

LOL @ Shelley = Punching Bag

You guys got a real nice player in Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn with his upside... nice.

Besides I'm sure the Phantoms have a decent pugilist down in the "A". Reilly Cote?

Alex

i can't wait to see those 2 play. and we have some decent guys on the phantoms i just dunno how NHL ready they are.

 

[Super Tuna]

but I don't see them going too far until they fill out their roster with some heavy bulk to offset the skinny, play making guys previously mentioned.

I'd say Eager, Barker and Hordichuk is a rather good start in that regards.

If they could only get some defensemen now to go with their flashy forwards we'd start seeing something. I agree with others here, it'll be a couple years still until we see these guys really light it up.

 

[TheGasman]

Im ready for this season to start already. Although this Doughty thing seems to getting pretty ugly.

 

[MattyKrack17]

Hopefully flyers can finally go all the way

MattyCaulk Aka Hawk hunter

 

[Buckjob]

Hopefully flyers can finally go all the way

MattyCaulk Aka Hawk hunter

i havn't been this excited to just see how they look and play in quite a long time. im sad that we decided not to renew our season tix this year but i know ill be going to quite a few games.

 

[Canadan]

Im ready for this season to start already. Although this Doughty thing seems to getting pretty ugly.

Oh snap!! Hey Gasman!! How's it going stranger?!

They should send Doughty to Columbus. It's only fair.

 

[TheGasman]

Oh snap!! Hey Gasman!! How's it going stranger?!

They should send Doughty to Columbus. It's only fair.

Hey there, its been a while.

It didnt really bug me all summer that he hadnt signed but physicals are Friday and camp starts Sunday. Im thinking he will hold out a few weeks. As long as he doesnt show up opening night fatter like he did last season, all will be forgotten. For the first time in a long time we have a team that can make some noise, he will be there once the season starts.

 

[Canadan]

I hear Doughty rejected 7 years at 6.8 million and all he wants is 7 years at 7 per..

I guess 1.4 million is big money, but who settles here? No way they can function at the level they want without him.

 

[Buckjob]

I hear Doughty rejected 7 years at 6.8 million and all he wants is 7 years at 7 per..

I guess 1.4 million is big money, but who settles here? No way they can function at the level they want without him.

wow thats surprising. i mean he def is holding all the cards here but still i mean i would wanna play for them this year they are gonna have a great team.

 

[ptb3313]

Redwings... looking for a better playoff run this year

 

[oiler3535]

I hear Doughty rejected 7 years at 6.8 million and all he wants is 7 years at 7 per..

I guess 1.4 million is big money, but who settles here? No way they can function at the level they want without him.

1.4 isn't big money to them, they're standing on principle that Nobody can make more than Kopitar, who is making 6.8. Lots of teams will do that; they pick their true franchise player, and won't pay a FA more than them. Especially a D over a forward.

On a side note, pumped for the first pre-season game tonight! Go Leafs Go!!!

 

[CharlieMoy]

Great win by the buds tonight, nice to see them open up and really do well.

 

[Canadan]

Great win by the buds tonight, nice to see them open up and really do well.

Shame they only beat Ottawa, who is probably going to be absolutely terrible this year haha.

The game was decent though. Some decent goals.

 

[Canadan]

1.4 isn't big money to them, they're standing on principle that Nobody can make more than Kopitar, who is making 6.8. Lots of teams will do that; they pick their true franchise player, and won't pay a FA more than them. Especially a D over a forward.

On a side note, pumped for the first pre-season game tonight! Go Leafs Go!!!

Interesting logic, and fortunately for them, Richards is on an insane home town discount (lol philly..) contract.

I'm still crazy bitter about that dbag GMDM in Columbus forcing his card taking Brule over Kopitar back in the day even though everyone else in the org wanted Kopi... Changed the entire success of that franchise I think.. Kopi/Nash would have been dirty.

 

[CharlieMoy]

I absolutely HATE reading things like this.

Support flows in for Flyers' Simmonds following shootout incident
Friday, 09.23.2011 / 9:19 AM / News
NHL.com

Support for Wayne Simmonds arrived from all corners of the hockey world in the hours after an on-ice incident during the shootout of Thursday's preseason game between Philadelphia and Detroit at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ont.

Simmonds, a forward for the Philadelphia Flyers, had a banana thrown at him from the stands during his shootout attempt.

"I don't know if it had anything to do with the fact I'm black," Simmonds, 23, told reporters. "I certainly hope not. When you're black, you kind of expect (racist) things. You learn to deal with it."

Others, though, were not as understanding.

NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, who played goalie in the NHL, condemned the incident Thursday through his Twitter feed (@KevinWeekes).

"For those that asked: I'm extremely disappointed with what happened to Wayne Simmonds tonight in London Ont," he posted. "We've taken HUGE steps to grow the game of hockey, as I speak Willie O'Reeand I are in D.C. attending the Black Congressional Caucus on behalf of the NHL & ironically this takes place."

O'Ree, the League's first black player, and Weekes are among a contingent of hockey ambassadors attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 41st Annual Legislative Conference, marking the first time the hockey community has had a formal presence at the annual public-policy gathering.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman commented on the incident in a statement released by the League Friday morning: "We have millions of great fans who show tremendous respect for our players and for the game. The obviously stupid and ignorant action by one individual is in no way representative of our fans or the people of London, Ontario."

Current NHL players used Twitter in the hours after the incident to show support for Simmonds, who joined the Flyers in a June trade from the Los Angeles Kings.

"The incident that happened in London tonight involving my best friend Wayne Simmonds was simply disgusting, its 2011 ppl need to grow up," St. Louis Blues forward Chris Stewart (@CStewSTL25) said on his account.

San Jose forward Logan Couture (@Logancouture) grew up just outside of London and also was horrified by the incident.

"Wayne Simmonds is a good friend of mine," he tweeted. "To hear what happened to him in my hometown is awful. No need for this in sports or life."

The preseason game was considered a home game for the Flyers, despite the Red Wings being the closer team geographically to London, and the majority of the crowd of 7,427 was pulling for Detroit. The arena is operated by Global Spectrum, a subsidiary of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast-Spectacor.

“Unfortunately, we weren't able to identify the individual,” Comcast-Spectacor president and COO Peter Luukko said in a statement. "We certainly don't condone such a foolish act (like this) as a player could potentially be seriously injured. This is ninth time we have played here in London and the fans have always been wonderful to us. The Flyers consider this our 'home away from home' and that's because this city, the fans and this spectacular arena have been so supportive of the Philadelphia Flyers.
"

 

[oiler3535]

1) The person throwing the banana is a moron, and hopefully karma will catch up. Sad to see nowadays. I have to admit I had to look up the whole throwing a banana thing and why it's racist; I know a lot of visible minorities, and I'd never heard of that particular kind of racism. I do have to stick up for the city of my alma mater though; I spent 6 years in London, and I never heard or read about much racism. On campus there was a fair amount of religious hatred (and you could likely guess the 2 groups involved), but never anything about colour. I'm sure it was around, but it certainly wasn't rampant on campus on in the city (which is about as diverse as any city in Canada outside TO or Vancouver).

2) I might anger some people, but is anybody else thrilled the NBA isn't going to have much of a season (if at all)? Beyond the fact I'm not much of a hoops watcher (after all, why watch when the only part that matters is the last 3 minutes-though it lasts 45 in real time), I think it could do great things to help spread the NHL down in the USA. Hardcore hoops fans won't suddenly start watching hockey, but a casual watcher might find hockey on the tv, or want a night of sports and go to an arena and give it a try. If the NBA is gone all year, I'll be curious to see if ratings and attendance figures go up.

3) Been hearing rumours that Doughty might hold out for a trade. If LA really won't pay him more than Kopitar at 6.8, why not just redo Kopitar's deal to make it 7.0 like Doughty wants, and shell out the extra 2 million over 5 years?

4) GO LEAFS GO!!!