NDFlyer
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Posts posted by NDFlyer
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Expect the NHL to announce that a new CBA has been reached within the next three weeks.
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I know Robbie's immediate family, at least the ones from Ardoch -- dad, aunts, uncles, grandparents. This person is not one of them. Still, though, he might be a relative.
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Why would Buffalo want him to sign now. In my HMO he isn't even close to playing in the NHL.
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A rather unlikely scenario. There is no CBA, therefore, NHL teams cannot sign anybody.
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Nice job, USA. Blow 2 goal lead in the third. DiPietro did everything he could but received no help from that stellar American defense.
LOL!
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I agree that the Ukraine goalie played well against both the US and Canada....he would have to in order to keep his team that close. Still, though, the only reason Ukraine should come this close to these two teams is that the big boiz are doggin it. Just going through the motions.
An American hockey fan has an absolute right to expect more from USA Hockey in this type of a tournament.
If the idea is to go with a youth movement then get Modano and Weight the hell out of there and make it a complete youth movement.
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I don't know what the stats are regarding shootouts in the American League. Nor do I care. Shootouts are a joke anyway. I do know that in the NHL the goalies stop the majority of penalty shots.
Frankly, I don't care who missed the shot whether it was Parise, Modano or Weight. The real question is, "Why can't the US destroy Ukraine?" There is not one recognizable name on their roster. I know the US played the night before, yada, yada, yada. There is no way this is even close to the best squad the US could have put on the ice. However, from what I hear the hockey as a whole has been sub par throughout the entire tournament.
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This US team needs much more than a player who has never played one minute in the NHL. Have any of you seen the defensive corps? It's a complete joke. Minor league hockey. This may be one of the weakest teams the US has ever assembled for any type of international play.
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One obstacle Big Lou may not be able to overcome is the loss of Daneyoko and Stevens. These guys owned the debbies defensive zone for years. It is no coincidence that they got bounced early from the playoffs without these two guys on the blueline.
Daneyko was steady as a rock for years and never made a mistake. Stevens, as much as I dislike him, just might be the greatest defensive defenseman ever to play the game. There is no way L.L. can replace these guys. No way. Bring in all the forwards you want, but defense has always been the debbies game and they have suffered some serious losses on their blueline.
Book it.
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Totally agree with jk. It all depends upon how the club feels about the development needs of the particular player.
SiouxScore, I am also wondering about the answer to your last question. There will soon be many junior players and college players who will be ready to play at the next level once their junior or college eligibility expires which in some cases will be within the next few days or even weeks.
I am not sure how this works in the case of a player who was drafted while the last CBA was in place but who is now ready to sign a pro contract. I only follow Flyers prospects and I know that Bobby Clarke has said that he will sign Jeff Carter and Mike Richards to AHL deals once their junior seasons are done even though they were drafted in 2003.......way back when we had major league hockey as opposed to these little joke pansy a$$ celebrity tour tournaments sponsored by notorious loudmouths such as Chelios, Roenick and the rest of those greedheads.
Anyway, Clarke said he could sign them to some sort of short term tryout contract which would allow them to play in the AHL playoffs...or something like that.
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SiouxScore,
The NHL draft and CBA are totally, completely and inextricably linked. The draft is one of the offspring of the CBA. If there is no CBA there can be no draft. Even if the NHL and NHLPA reach an agreement in the very near future I have no idea how they would hold a draft. It would have to be some sort of lottery type draft.
Any player who has already been drafted remains property of the NHL team, according the NHL. The length of time they belong to the team depends upon what league they were playing in at the time they were drafted, ie, different time periods for CHL players, US college hockey players and Euros.
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Some of this stuff is rather hilarious.
Look, these guys are athletes. They are being rewarded for their abilities. Some of them will be higly paid professionals in the near future. This is Division I hockey. Fans have an absolute right to expect more from certain players.
It is more than reasonable to criticize a player for making stupid mistakes, especially mental mistakes. Redwing77, what the heck do you think the COACHES say to a player when he screws up? I guarantee you it is far worse than anything posted around here. You should spend some time on certain NHL boards. Some are totally uncensored and it is wide open. I doubt you'd last very long on them if you cannot take some of what is discussed here...which is a very, very tame discussion board.
Shep, I wouldn't expect the NHL to return any time soon; not until the players break ranks, anyway.
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Brian Lee SHOULD have been playing a regular shift. He could not have done worse than Ryan Suter or Jeff Lykens. There were other very young kids playing regular shifts but they were forwards and I know that defense is a very difficult position for a young player at any level when you make the jump up. Still, though, as Shep suggests, this is a team sport. The idea is to put together a team which has the best chance of winning. This tournament should not exist just so some kid gets to skate around with the big boys for a few days and sit on the bench and observe.
Team USA Grades:
Drew Stafford & Phil Kessel A + These guys came to play every night. Skated hard; showed heart, desire and a will to win. Stafford has as hard and accurate shot as anyone. Kessel was all over the ice trying to get something going on every shift. He had more than one good game. Look beyond the stats for one minute. Box scores mean nothing if you don't do the little things which win hockey games.....such as fighting for loose pucks, making simple plays with the puck, and fulfilling your checking assignments.
Other forwards: C
Defensemen: D - Terrible performance when we needed it the most, especially from Lykens and Suter. I don't care what accolades Suter received. He coughed up the puck and missed checks at the most inopportune times. As far as J.L. is concerned, well, his play last night says it all.
Montoya: C In order for USA to win a medal he needed to be outstanding. he wasn't. But I do not blame him. I blame the overall defense.
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Then your roommate must be one intelligent dude.
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Siouxtatoo42,
Yeah, it is a devils avatar...a team I despise almost as much as the rangers and gayple laffs. But that's just me.
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Take it easy, there, Marty. There are many reasons why I am not a GM. Hating Gretzky has little to do with it. You are entirely delusional if you believe I care the slightest about your opinion of me.
Uh, yeah, I have seen Crosby play every game. I have seen all but one game in GF. I have cheered for and followed the Canucks the entire tournament. I also predicted that USA would be very lucky to get a medal and that Brian Lee would contribute nothing except for being a solid bench door opener during this tournament.
This thread was intended to discuss Kessel and Crosby. Tell Wayne I said, "hey" the next time you talk to him.
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Siouxtatoo42 is 100% dead on in spite of the fact that he has one ugly avatar. Belle and Phaneuf are STUDS.
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At this particular moment in time if I am a GM I would take Kessel over Crosby. Remember, this is based solely on performance in this tournament. Kessel has shown that he can do it all. End to end with the puck. Can skate, forecheck like a werewolf and can simply create offense with his instincts.
Crosby is an excellent finisher, but he has also been the recipient of some uber sweet setups from some very talented linemates.
If the same USA Hockey people who picked the forwards for this team could have picked some equally talented defensemen then Team USA might be in a different position. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that this is just a bad year for young American defensemen.
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Suter the best player? No way.
Stafford and Kessle have by far been much better than Suter. In fact, the entire USA defensive corps STINKS.
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I agree. They don't need to do it. They play like men, but act like kids. Russkies just might be able to skate with the Canucks tomorrow night and, as you suggest, things could get very ugly if the russkies taunt the canucks and their fans. I can see them doing it. I doubt they're gonna change in a 48 hour period.
They deserve whatever they get if they continue their taunting activities. They remind me of Theo Fleury.
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Siouxtatoo,
Beating Team USA on the ice in all aspects is precisely what the russkies did. That game was over long before all the empty netters and the amateurish antics began.
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#8 will get it someday in the NHL, but it certainly will not be by Suter as his NHL playing career doesn't look too promising at this point based upon his play in this tournament. As for Schremp, he certainly will make it in the NHL but I don't see him as a payback kind of guy. There are others much more skilled and meaner than #7 & 17 who know how to take care of Ovechkin.
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Everything Canuck has posted in this thread, or in any thread for that matter, is 100% accurate and true. American hockey fans and players have been totally schooled by the Canadian fans and players in this tournament. People around here call themselves "real hockey fans." It is apparent that they would rather laud themselves than prove it by actually going to the games and at least acting the part of a "real fan" whatever that may be.
As for me, I have not missed a game in Grand Forks. However, I am not a fan and have never professed to be one. Hockey for me is a cult thing. I need it to survive, but for all the wrong reasons. Frankly, I love all the chippy, dirty stuff. I am not into this, "OH, I love hockey for the beauty and the skating and the flow" yada, yada, yada. If you love pretty skating go watch Scott Hamilton.
The most fun I have had at these games was during the 3rd period of the Belarus/Slovak exhibition game in Grafton and at the end of last night's game when there was blood and teeth all over the ice. At least the Americans showed a bit of spirit but, of course, it was far too late.
Kessle and Stafford deserve A + grades for showing up and wanting to play hockey. The rest of Team USA, especially Suter and Montoya, had better find a back up job quickly because theya ren't going to cut it in pro hockey.
I have been cheering for Canada the entire time. The only possible reason I would want to see the russkies win would be to watch Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux cry their little eyes out.
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Gee, whiz. I guess you guys told me.
Please show me where I argued that he was NOT the best hockey player of all time. Can't do it, eh? Hmmm, it's probably because I have NEVER denied it, right, children?
I don't like him and all your posts are never gonna change it. Why would any of you cheapskates care if he is in town anyway, judging by the attendance none of you are attending the games anyway.
Come up to the Organ Bar and teach me a little lesson if you want to impart some "hockey knowledge" to me. We'll have a little chat.
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Supretrex,
I agree that the weather must have a little to do with the bad attendance; but I also totally agree with what you say when you compare these games to the Olympics.......it is perhaps the most compelling reason to attend.
People are gonna look back ont his a few months from now and think, "Gee, I wish I would have gone to some of those games."
This could be a once in a liftetime thing. I'd rather spend a little money now, enjoy the games and not have any regrets.
former players
in Men's Hockey
Posted
The Phantoms were a very good team even before Carter and Richards joined them for the playoffs but their addition made them a near lock for the Calder Cup. Earlier in the season the Phantoms set a record for consecutive wins: 17.
Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were factors in each game but perhaps the biggest factor in the Philly sweep was their goaltender, Antero Nittymaki, who outplayed his opponent who, according to some, is the top goalie prospect in the world, Kari Lehtonen.
Nitty shut out the wolfies in Game 1 in Chicago and in Game 2 gave up only one goal in a double overtime win. In the two games played in Philly he gave up a total of three goals. I have this series on DVD.
The Phantoms had it all this year: speed, skill, defense, goaltending and with guys such as Todd Fedoruk, Josh Gratton, Ben Eager and Rile Cote, were quite possible the toughest team in the AHL as well.