2013 - 2014 NHL Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Ockeghem]

Scott,You've mentioned Desharnais a couple of times as not being all that good. Is he not a good fit, not a very good center, or something else? Hopefully there will be a Habs game on soon so I can check him out. Looking at the schedule over the next week or so, I don't see a game aired on any of the channels I receive, although you never know. Sometimes I find games on that I had no idea were being aired that night when I'm channel-surfing. I love those kinds of surprises.

Edit: Channel 215-1 often shows games that are not always listed on various sports sites as being scheduled on a particular evening. Maybe the Dallas - Habs game will be aired in my area tonight.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,You've mentioned Desharnais a couple of times as not being all that good. Is he not a good fit, not a very good center, or something else? Hopefully there will be a Habs game on soon so I can check him out. Looking at the schedule over the next week or so, I don't see a game aired on any of the channels I receive, although you never know. Sometimes I find games on that I had no idea were being aired that night when I'm channel-surfing. I love those kinds of surprises.

Edit: Channel 215-1 often shows games that are not always listed on various sports sites as being scheduled on a particular evening. Maybe the Dallas - Habs game will be aired in my area tonight.

Desharnais is very small, and plays that way. It seems like every shift he either gets knocked off the puck or off his skates. He cannot go into the corner without ending up on his backside. He looks like a high school kid who's been thrown into the NHL. Compare that with other small players like Gallagher, Gionta or Briere (pre- injuries), who all play much bigger than their size. Gallagher will fight for pucks in the corner or battle in front of the net for loose puck, scoring numerous so-called "garbage" goals (which afre really another name for hard working goals). Desharnais just doesn't look like he belongs in the NHL.

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,While looking him up today, I did see that he was 5'7" and wondered if that might be some of the problem. And I see that your Habs won again. It's time to cool them off a bit. When do they play Boston?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,While looking him up today, I did see that he was 5'7" and wondered if that might be some of the problem. And I see that your Habs won again. It's time to cool them off a bit. When do they play Boston?

The Habs had Boston's number last season, so be careful what you wish for.

Desharnais plays even smaller than his 5'7" size, if you can believe that! I think the breeze from someone opening a door to the arena can knock him off his skates.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Montreal just signed potential unrestricted free agent defenseman Alexei Emelin to a four year extension. Emelin is due back from a knee injury suffered late last season sometime in November. The Habs have missed his toughness on the blueline this season. This is a solid signing, IMO. Emelin is only 27 years old, and is a solid 1st or 2nd pairing defenseman.

The Canadiens also expect both Parros and Pacioretty to return to action this weekend. Good news all around for Habs fans.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

David Desharnais will be watching tonight's Habs - Blues game from the press box as a healthy scratch. It looks like the coaching staff is finally admitting he's not getting it done. This season DD has gone from centering the top line, to centering the 3rd line, to LW on the 4th line, to the press box. Next stop, Hamilton in the AHL.

Meanwhile, 19-year old Alex Galchenyuk is being moved from LW to center, his natural position, and will be centering the #1 line with Pacioretty and Gallagher on the wings. Emelin is skating in practice wearing a full conact jersey, and Prust and Briere are also skating. We may see the full Canadiens roster on the ice soon.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I watched a little of the Columbus - Boston game last night on NHL Network. While the Jackets blew the game in OT due to a defensive breakdown that allowed a breakaway goal, I was impressed with their rookie defenseman Ryan Murray. This got me to thinking about how Edmonton had used all those #1 overall draft picks the past few years, and how their team would probably be better off had they made a different choice. Consider:

Taylor Hall over Tyler Seguin: Finding a franchise centerman is very difficult, and the Oilers passed on one for a player who was considered a little more NHL ready.

Nugent-Hopkins over Landeskog: both are decent players, but Landeskog seems a little more well rounded

Nail Yakupov over Ryan Murray and Alex Galchenyuk: yet another winger over a franchise defenseman or franchise center.

I know it is all hindsight, but Edmonton could have acquired franchise players at three key positions -- center, winger and defense -- instead of three wingers had they selected Seguin, Landeskog and Murray. The team's main problems are defense, goaltending and leadership. Better drafting would have helped in one of these areas (defense) and possibly a 2nd -- Landeskog is proving to be a nice, young leader for the Avs.

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,

I saw some of the Lightning - Canadiens game on Tuesday. The result was of course a good one.

Last night's game was interesting. The breakaway came so quickly. They're often unexpected, but they sure are exciting to watch. The shootout kind of takes some of the thrill of the breakaway away, unfortunately. I do wish that they would do away with the shootout and go back to ties after regulation (in the regular season, of course).

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,

I've expressed my disdain for both the shootout and the "loser point" here many times. It's time to get rid of both of them, IMO. Shootouts are not hockey, and not only take away the excitement of a breakaway (as you said), but also the excitement that used to happen when a penalty shot was awarded during a game, because it was such a rare occurrence. The novelty has worn off. It's like trying to decide the outcome of a baseball game by a home run hitting contest, a football game by kicking field goals, or a basketball game by shooting free throws.

It never made sense to award a team a point for losing in OT or a shootout, either. Rewarding a team for losing is silly -- this is professional sports, not grade school where you give out participation medals to make all the children feel good.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Yeah, they should play one OT and then call it a tie.

I'd be fine with getting a point for an OT loss if you got three for a regulation win.

Added bonus: if ties are worth 2 points and all other games are worth 3, then teams will *really* play for the win!

 

[Ockeghem]

So tonight I'm watching the Capitals - Red Wings game, and the announcers say that they felt the shootout had lost its luster with the fans. I found that to be quite timely in light of our recent discussion in this thread.

There was a moment in overtime tonight when the teams were playing three-on-three. I don't see that all too often.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Yeah, they should play one OT and then call it a tie.

I'd be fine with getting a point for an OT loss if you got three for a regulation win.

Added bonus: if ties are worth 2 points and all other games are worth 3, then teams will *really* play for the win!

A system of every game being worth 3 points would be a good alternative for the NHL to consider, if the league insists on still rewarding a team with something for losing in OT. A regulation win earns 3 points, an OT win 2 points, and an OT loss 1 point. It certainly makes more sense than the current system, where some games award 2 points while others award 3 points.

I'd still rather just see a team get nothing for losing, though, and games ending in a tie after an OT period. Football, basketball and baseball do not reward teams differently based on how a game is won. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss -- regardless of whether the game is decided in regulation or OT / extra innings.

So tonight I'm watching the Capitals - Red Wings game, and the announcers say that they felt the shootout had lost its luster with the fans. I found that to be quite timely in light of our recent discussion in this thread.

There was a moment in overtime tonight when the teams were playing three-on-three. I don't see that all too often.

I've seen enough shootouts the past couple of weeks to last me a long time. I caught the Canadiens - Blue Jackets shootout last night right after we got home from watching our hometown Plymouth Whalers win in a six round shootout, and the previous two Whalers games also ended in shootouts. Please, end the madness!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Another example showing why the league should get rid of the "loser point" -- the Red Wings are on a 5 game loser point streak. Yes, they have "earned" 5 points by losing their last five games -- all in OT or SO.

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,I couldn't agree more. I liked the way it was when I first followed hockey back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Tie games during the regular season are fine with me.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Max Pacioretty broke out of a scoring slump last night and recorded a rare feat -- the natural hat trick. Max scored three straight goals in the 2nd period for the Habs. It was nice to see some offense out of the Canadiens, as they have not been giving Price much goal support.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Conversely, it was nice to see Lundqvist get little goal support last night.

 

[Ockeghem]

Conversely, it was nice to see Lundqvist get little goal support last night.

LOL. I was thankful that the Bruins - Rangers game was televised last night. It was a good game, and a very good result.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Conversely, it was nice to see Lundqvist get little goal support last night.

I played the wrong goalie in my fantasy hockey league. Left Lundqvist on my bench and played Harding. Both lost, but the Habs chased Harding from the game in the 2nd period. Ouch! At least Halak (my other goalie) won.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Gary Bettman, please take note -- the Green Bay - Minnesota NFL game ended in a tie yesterday, and the world did not come to an end. And there was no field goal kick-off to decide the game, either.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Yeah, but if the Pats and Broncos had ended in a tie also, the universe would've cracked open and swallowed us all up in a vast gullet of oblivion.

We really dodged a bullet!