NDFlyer

If Hale is elected to the Hall of Fame he will become the first skater to ever be elected without ever having scored a goal at the NHL level.

LOL! redwing77!!! You are lumping David Hale in with THAT group of NHL defenseman??? Can this possibly be justified? LOL!

Your assumption is correct, Driscoll (wherever you are); and, yes, it has been known to happen but gentlemen do not discuss such things.

Keep the love coming!

Listen up. I agree that size and age are NOT the only factors used in picking players for teams such as these in international competition. Understand? I am sure the powers that be look at all the usual qualities in a player: hockey sense, skating, shooting, passing, yada, yada, yada. Sometimes they might even play a hunch. My point, for those of you who failed to grasp it, is that Lee is an unkown quantity AT THIS LEVEL......emphasis on the AT THIS LEVEL part. Got it? Thus, USA appears to be engaging in a bit of a gambit here. Time will soon solve the eternal mystery. Remember, the whole point of this tournament is to win it, is it not? In my posts I have stated that as a general rule 19 year olds dominate this tournament. If you have historical evidence to the contrary please offer it up. However, as with every rule there are exceptions. Hence, some of the examples which have been posted here. Just remember, those are the exceptions and NOT the rule. Finally, I would be interested in knowing your responses to the following proposition: Isn't it somewhat inconsistent to argue that Zajac deserves to be on Team Canada solely because he was a first rounder.....and then in the next breath delight in the fact that Brian Lee was chosen ahead of Jack Johnson who, according the latest Hockey News, is at this point in time projected to go # 2 behind Sidney Crosby in next year's draft? Or, is it better policy to see how a player is performing this season rather than look solely at draft status?

We're not talking about last year, Einstein. You children will find out in a few weeks what's up.

DamStrait, What is the point in picking Lee if he is never ging to see the ice? Merely practicing with these guys for a couple of weeks is not going to have any significant impact on his development. Does his ego need a little stroking? At his age you want the guy to PLAY in game situations. If your gonna pick him you had better play him. The USA hockey talent pool is rather shallow if we have to rely on 17 year old defensemen to shut down 19 years old forwards who are very close to making it in the NHL. Lotsa luck, USA.

No need to apologize. I am not selling anything; merely stating my opinion. BTW, what "certain winger" are you speaking of?

Re: Ryan Potulny signing with the Flyers The Flyers are very, very deep at the center position right now, although Roenick's career is most likely over. Primeau and Handzus have some good years left. They have Patrick Sharp in the system; he played in most of the playoff games last year and showed promise. They also signed R.J. Umberger who is having a nice AHL season. Further, they drafted Mike Richards and Jeff Carter---who have had outstanding junior careers and starred in last year's WJT and will most likely star in it again this year. We need young defensemen and wingers. However, a team cannot ignore the leading goal scorer in college hockey. If Flyers scouts believe he cannot add anything to his game at the college level after this season they most certainly will make him an offer. Remember, though, this is really his first full season so we need to see how he continues to play and the rate at which he develops.

Shep, I find it ironic that some on this board complain about a perceived "bias" against college players by the Canadian Powers That Be. The facts show that 21 of the 32 players invited to the final Canuck evaluation camp are from the WHL. I don't see many Canadian fans complaining. They just want the best possible players out there. This season the west is the best. Finally, unless your name is Gretzky, Lemieux or Lindros you have little business being named to these squads as a 17 year old. Traditionally, 19 year olds dominate this tournament. Brian Lee is going to experience a baptism by fire---if he sees any ice time. Oh yeah, it might be good for the kid, his family and friends and for the school which recruited him, but don't expect him to have any positive impact on the games.

If Team USA does not win a medal it will not be because of the coaches; it will be because of a general lack of American talent. Do any of you, besides Canuck, have even the slightest idea as to how talented and deep the Canuck roster is this year? For those of you who argue that there is a bias, you are correct. There is a bias toward TALENTED players. They are looking to win this year. They don't care what league the player is currently playing in or what part of Canada they are from, they assembled the best possible team and let me tell you it IT IS IMPRESSIVE. Americans will be lucky to get a medal.

redwing, It sounds as if you know very little about Keith Primeau. I suggest you watch him in person or throughout the course of a season. He is anything BUT a cheap player. You want cheap? How about that bearded little crybaby midget, Mary SanLouis intentionally slashing at Alex Zhamnov's bare hand. If this happened to someone int he green/white you guys would be going nuts.

Sami Kapanen is unquestionably the toughest kid in the playoffs. A career forward he has played defense against both Toronto and Tampa Bay. He went up against Toronto's biggest, toughest forwards and took everything they had to offer. In Game 6 against Toronto he takes a hit which would have ended the playoff run for many players yet he comes back to shine against Tampa Bay. One tough, tough mofo.

As one who loves the Flyers more than life itself I am happy to see that Minnesota North Star has picked TB. BTW, who are the hockey Einsteins around here who picked the gay-ple-laffs to win the Cup in this thread? The laffs and Belfour are our B*I*T*C*H*E*S.

Damn good question, Ruffian. Antropov is a whiny P.O.S. who deserves to be throttled. If I remember correctly he hit J.R. TWICE, not just once while the dumb assss linseman had J.R. tied up. All because the big p*u*s*s could not take a hit.

Apparently the incompetent referees in the NHL do not seem to care whether or not a hit, legal or otherwise, occurs after the whistle has been blown. Case in point: Game 5 laffs/Flyers. Jeremy Roenick is cross checked in the back of the head by Nik Antropov. Antropov's stick even touches the face of a linesman. This occurred probably 15 seconds after the whistle had been blown. Antropov receives a minor penalty even though it is beyond dispute that he intended to injure another player. No major penalty. No misconduct. No suspension. No do you realize why some players take matters into their own hands when the League fails?

DaveK, Check out a Rangers discussion board and see what their feelings are about Kovy's two stints over there. They consider him to be a selfish, gutless bum - a tradition he seems to have maintained in Habtown.

Kerry Fraser is easily the best referee in the NHL. The rest of them are not qualified to to officiate a no-checking, no slap-shot, beer league in western Walsh County. This, however, should not surprise anyone when one considers the fact that we have morons such as Gary Bettman as commissioner and even less competent people such as Andy Van Hellemond and the worst of the worst, Leon Stickle, in charge of officiating.

Not sure who Richard Brodeur is, but I bet Melanie Brodeur knows him. nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Roenick threw one water bottle in the general direction of an ignorant and totally incompetent NHL official......a guy who is not qualified to officiate a game of checkers between some senile drunks on the front porch steps. If you had seen that game, which I doubt, you would have noticed that Roenick was on the receiving end of a high stick to the chops right in front of the referee and no call was made. Many who are familiar with the game would say he had a legitimate gripe. Those who are ignorant might call it "whining."

I deserve a Cup much more than Dave *******Andreychuk. Isn't he missed at the Old Folks Home?

For the record, Patrick Elias has been playing left wing, not center, all season. Their other centers, Brylin, Hrdnina, Larionov can hardly be considered dangerous playmakers. John Madden poses more of an offensive threat on the pk than on 5x5 as his 12 goals and 23 assists suggest. Erik Rasmussen is also playing on the wing. Thus, NJD has the centers, it's just that they're no good. Shut down the EGG line and you have an excellent chance of beating the debbys.

There are about 2 billion of us hoping they will lose in four.

North Star, You should cheer for the logo, not the name on the back of the sweater. Indeed, it would be advisable for you to consult with me before posting. Nothing worse than a bandwagon fan.

If they do win it all it will not be because of the two players you just mentioned. It will be because of #30.