NHL

[Hurlshort]

I like the one where he made Adam Oates and Ray Bourque look like bumbling rookies, and the one where the guy is hacking at Lemieux so hard he loses his stick, and then he grabs onto him, and Lemieux still scores.

[Checkpoint]

Oiler fans *never* liked Pronger. They only liked him because he was playing for the Oilers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've got smoke coming from my brain.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Hey, speaking of Adam Oates...

 

 

edit: anyone else get the giggles watching

Edited November 28, 2006 by Kor Qel Droma

[alanschu]

Hahaha that Oates commercial is one of the lamest things I have seen.

[Deraldin]

Hahaha that Oates commercial is one of the lamest things I have seen.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That was pretty bad. )

 

EDIT: Tellqvist is gone. Traded to Phoenix for a bag of pucks and a pylon. "

Edited November 28, 2006 by Deraldin

[alanschu]

I love watching some of those old videos of hockey highlights. I was too young to really appreciate Gretzky in all of his awesomeness. I knew he was great, but when you're 5 you don't really comprehend that he's absolutely demolishing previous scoring records.

 

 

There's a great game with Russia versus the Finns where Pavel Bure gets 5 goals, and you can really see just how fast he is. A loose puck and he'd be two or three strides away, and by the time he gets to it, he's already at max speed leaving the defenders in the dust.

[Kor Qel Droma]

There's a little more than an hour until the gong show gets underway. Let's hope that Edmonton can rob Anaheim of getting any points tonight.

[Deraldin]

D'OH! Anaheim has at least one point tonight.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Make that two

[Deraldin]

Make that two

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I just checked the TSN website. And you let Pronger get a point! How could you?!

[Kor Qel Droma]

Don't look at me! If we aren't behind I can't wear the rally caps!

[Deraldin]

Don't look at me!  If we aren't behind I can't wear the rally caps!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well can I look at Alan then?

[Kor Qel Droma]

TBH, we were really bitchslapping Anaheim for the first half of the game. Then Salami scores that redirect, and we're battling 'till the end.

 

And maybe it was just the ****ty Oilers PPV equipment, but I thought that the boos for Comrie were louder when he made his first trip back.

 

He-who-shall-not-be-named was clearly shaken for the first period of the game.

[Deraldin]

Well I suppose that there were some good things about this game...

[Kor Qel Droma]

and a couple low ones.

 

We allowed a powerplay goal for the first time in lord-knows-how many games, and Ales Hemsky left after the first with a shoulder injury.

[alanschu]

Jason Gregor commented that he felt the boos were the loudest he had heard, including Mike Comrie's boos.

 

 

I had a chance to hear his full press conference today as well, where Pronger spoke about how he really enjoyed his time with the team. He feels that the Oilers are in good hands with MacTavish and Lowe at the helm, and stated that he feels Edmonton has some of the best and most passionate hockey fans in the world. He loved being a part of the 'Our crowd is loudest' competitions between other teams during the playoffs. He spoke quite highly of the organization and their professionalism.

 

I read a Kevin Lowe comment that states he still doesn't fully understand Pronger's reasoning for his trade request, but qualified the statement by stating the obvious: he isn't Chris Pronger

 

 

 

It's funny, because I think if he had come out publicly stating all that he said yesterday, there would have been less hoopla over the whole ordeal. Oh well.

Edited November 29, 2006 by alanschu

[mkreku]

WE LOST TO BOSTON. AGAIN.

[Deraldin]

Just tossed in my votes for the all-star game. I can't believe that Huet wasn't actually on the ballot for the East team. <_<

[alanschu]

I think by the time it was set up, Aebischer was playing at the time. Didn't Huet have a bit of a dry spell?

[Deraldin]

I think by the time it was set up, Aebischer was playing at the time.  Didn't Huet have a bit of a dry spell?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Huet had a similar start to Kippersof. October wasn't so hot, but he's been great since. He's leading the league in both GAA and Save%. He's still 9-2-2 I believe.

[alanschu]

Aebischer was still getting a fair share of starts to start the season though. 3 of Huet's first 4 games had less than .900 Save Percentage.

 

His lead in the GAA and Save% is a recent phenomenon, as was his most recent shutout. Unfortunately, the ballot doesn't update as players play well, and Huet's push to the top for save percentage and GAA has been his stellar play in the last little bit.

 

Depending on when the ballot was put online, I don't see it as being a giant affront. After October he was a mere 2-1-2, a GAA of 2.92, and a save percentage of .899. Kiprusoff got off to a slow start, but he still played twice as many games, and has the recognition of being one of the elite goaltenders in the league. He gets on the ballot by reputation alone.

 

On the plus side though, you can write in your vote, so it's kind of moot.

Edited November 30, 2006 by alanschu

[Kor Qel Droma]

My votes in the east were Crosby/Jagr/Ovechkin, with Campbell and Kaberle getting the nod with Lundqvist.

 

For the west, I went with Marleau/Rolston/Sykora, since I can't give Smyth a vote because of his giveaway last night in overtime. Then I picked Lidstrom and he-who-shall-not-be-named to go with Roloson.

[Deraldin]

Aebischer was still getting a fair share of starts to start the season though.  3 of Huet's first 4 games had less than .900 Save Percentage.

 

His lead in the GAA and Save% is a recent phenomenon, as was his most recent shutout.  Unfortunately, the ballot doesn't update as players play well, and Huet's push to the top for save percentage and GAA has been his stellar play in the last little bit.

 

Depending on when the ballot was put online, I don't see it as being a giant affront.  After October he was a mere 2-1-2, a GAA of 2.92, and a save percentage of .899.  Kiprusoff got off to a slow start, but he still played twice as many games, and has the recognition of being one of the elite goaltenders in the league.  He gets on the ballot by reputation alone.

 

On the plus side though, you can write in your vote, so it's kind of moot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I do agree that Kipper should be on the ballot. He has had a couple seasons now to show just how good he is so a slow start by him shouldn't disqualify him from being on the all-star ballot. Huet hasn't been a starter for quite as long (not even a full season yet) so of course his reputation wouldn't put him there whatever his record. But how do you justify putting Raycroft on the ballot for the East instead? Raycroft's record through October was even worse than Huet at 5-4-2 with a 3.09 GAA and a .893 save percentage.

 

It's not so much that Huet was left off the ballot, but rather who else they chose to put on instead. Take Ryan Miller for example. His stats aren't so great, but it's because his team can score and score often that he's got so many wins. He has 8 games where he has let in 4 goals!

 

Looking at the people who are on the list for the East and you have:

 

Brodeur, Fleury, Kolzig, Lehtonen, Lundqvist, Miller, Raycraft, Ward

 

Can you honestly say all of those people deserve to be on the ballot? Huet's October numbers are still better than the season numbers of half of the guys on the list.

 

Not that I can do anything but place my write-in vote for Huet, but still. It's the principle of the thing!

 

EDIT: BOOYAH! VINDICATION! :joy:

 

Finally, a minus to the NHL's all-star balloting system which has snubbed one of the best in the league.  Cristobal Huet, who had yet another shutout last night, is now number one in the entire NHL in goals against and save percentage yet, for some inexplicable reason, Huet isn't even listed on this year's All-Star ballot.

Edited November 30, 2006 by Deraldin

[alanschu]

But how do you justify putting Raycroft on the ballot for the East instead? Raycroft's record through October was even worse than Huet at 5-4-2 with a 3.09 GAA and a .893 save percentage.

 

I figured there'd be someone else out there. The big thing I guess for him (assuming some sort of objectivity, which I'm not convinced of. Raycroft does play in Toronto) is that he played more games :\

 

Cam Ward probably shouldn't be on there, but I guess he was the the Conn Smythe award winner.

 

Fleury I'd take.

Brodeur I'd take.

Kolzig I'd probably take.

Lehtonen I'd take.

Lundqvist is probably more being rewarded for his last season than this season. Plus he's in New York.

Miller I'd take.

 

 

It's not a horrible affront that he's not on the list, depending on when it was made (I used the cutoff as the end of October). You could still make an argument for him being on it.

 

Huet's numbers may be "better," but unfortunately for him they were based on only 5 games. I think that that was the biggest thing.

 

It's only really an affront now that he has played really well the past little bit.

 

 

I'd be surprised if he didn't make the All-Star team though.

Edited November 30, 2006 by alanschu

[Hurlshort]

I miss the days where you had an all-star from each team. I know that means a team only gets to send one representative, but I think it's a good system. Why is a Chicago fan going to watch the All-Star game if they won't see any of their own players?