NHL

[Kor Qel Droma]

Iron Mike!! What happened!?!

[Checkpoint]

The timing sure could have been better. He's been building on his team over the summer and suddenly someone else (apparently Martin, though) is going to take over. I can't see how this helps the Panthers short-term, and even from a long-term perspective this should have happened in June.

[Volourn]

Stupid Florida.

[mkreku]

While I would like to say "**** you" to the THN for placing Toronto outside the playoff eight, I'm sorry to say I believe they'll be right. We have an untested new goalie that last season had one of the worst goalie records in the NHL (if not the worst). We have new, slow defensemen that does seem ill-suited for the new, speedy NHL (Gill, I hate you and I haven't even seen you play!!) and we haven't done anything to adress the problems we have up front. Sundin is getting older and they just can't expect him to carry the offensive load year after year without any skilled wingers. I'm going to have to look at this season as a step towards the rebuilding process. Unfortunately the Leafs have (foolishly) traded away a lot of future prospects and picks in the past so the future doesn't look too bright. I'm hoping Steen, Colaiacovo, Wellwood, Stajan, Kronwall, Suglobov, White and Williams get a chance to play and advance to NHL level.

[alanschu]

Hey, my team is getting **** on too.

 

We can wallow together.

[mkreku]

Yeah, but we have a new coach too (Goodbye Quinn, welcome Maurice!). I have more wallow power!!

[Kor Qel Droma]

And let the Malkin era begin in Pittsburgh. Of course some skeptics may say 'big deal, he signed a contract in Russia too'...

[Volourn]

He legally left that deal according to Russian law, IIRC...

[mkreku]

Poor guy hasn't played a single game in the NHL yet and crazed Pittsburgh fans are already calling him MalKing..

 

I like his style though. I've seen him in several international tournaments and the kid has a really mean streak about him, on top of his obvious skill, speed and talent. I really hope he uses that mean streak in the NHL too.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Seeing as how Malkin copied the Oilers' Alexei Mikhnov for an escape clause in his contract, it seems only fitting to hear that the team has signed 'Traktor Boy' to a one year deal. Now sign Lupul before training camp starts next week, Kevin Lowe!

[alanschu]

Mikhnov seems pretty agile for a big guy.

[Kor Qel Droma]

I never watched the one and only video clip they had for him on Youtube. I'll just have to wait until next week to see him at training camp.

 

And the Oil also signed Mathieu Roy as well.

 

Good luck getting tickets this year, Alan.

 

edit: Roy is a Frenchie

Edited September 5, 2006 by Kor Qel Droma

[Checkpoint]

 

Good stride, huge stick, soft hands. I'm excited!

[Kor Qel Droma]

Thanks Schmarthie, now I can see what all the fuss is about.

 

Do any of the other Oiler fans on here think it's going to be tough for our plethora of offensive forwards to get ice time this season?

[Checkpoint]

The depth means that a guy like Torres will spend a lot of time on the third line, but I'm very excited about how he will build on his 27 goals from last year (in a pretty limited role). It'll also be interesting to see how they'll be using Lupul and how many games a guy like Schremp will get. Add to that the intriguing development of people like Mikhnov and Pouliot and this could be a very interesting season!

 

Now let's hope a good D-man becomes available sooner than expected...

[Hurlshort]

Raffi Torres and his game tying goal abilities can go to hell.

[alanschu]

That was a laser beam. Top corner if IIRC. And then the nice play in OT to Horcoff for the win!

[Laozi]

Apparently Mark Bell is involved in some sort of felony hit-and-run deal while driving drunk. Sorry Hurlshot.

Edited September 6, 2006 by Laozi

[Kor Qel Droma]

I read that as well. For some reason I'm getting the old analogy from the nineties about Kevin Stevens and Mario Lemieux on the brain...

Edited September 6, 2006 by Kor Qel Droma

[Laozi]

Yeah not really the way to endear yourself to your new team and its community. I didn't really catch exactly where the incident happened though?

[Hurlshort]

It happened in the San Jose foothills. I'm pretty upset about it, but it doesn't sound like they've released the full story. It's a bit shocking, since Bell is the same guy who got Man of the Year in Chicago.

[Kor Qel Droma]

From what I've read so far this isn't Bells' first foray into the world of legal troubles. He's been arrested twice before this incident. I'm not sure about the other one but he did get charged with assualt after beating up a cab driver back he played in the OHL.

[mkreku]

I wish there was an olympic gold to win before each NHL season:

 

"In the final 25-game sprint after Turin, Sundin registered 37 points. Only San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton enjoyed a better run with 44 points in 26 games."

 

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...ory/Sports/home

[mkreku]

Peter Forsberg has been talking abuot his newly operated on feet. Or foot. Apparently he's been skating without outer tendons in one of his feet since 2000 or 2001. That made the entire foot bend upwards, making his foot resemble a U turned upside down. In the end, before the operation, he was down to skates size 7 (he's usually a 9 or 10 guy) and because of how his foot looked, he had to change to new skates after every game because the skate couldn't take the stress and broke.

 

I've always thought of Forsberg as injury prone (duh) and whiny, but if that's true than maybe I'll remove the whiny title at least. Now let's see if he can play more than 60 games this season..

[Checkpoint]

I've never regarded Forsberg as a whiner. He's one of the most loyal and dedicated superstars around, and I'd rather say that his devotional style of play is what causes him injuries and missed games.