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2014 - 2015 NHL Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

Scott Merryfield

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With the new NHL season almost upon us, it's time for a new thread.

I have not followed much of what has happened in the Western Conference, but the East should be a pretty wide open battle this season. Pittsburgh and Boston have both lost a few players (and the Penguins still have the very inconsistent Marc Andre Fluery in net), Tampa made some significant additions to an already strong team, and the Red Wings did basically nothing in the offseason, instead counting on some youth to develop and their veterans to get healthy.

Meanwhile, my Habs have made some changes, getting rid of some dead weight from last year (Gionta, Briere, Murray, and probably Boullon), along with shedding some salary cap in the overpaid Josh Gorges. The other loss was rental player Vanek, who signed with Minnesota as everyone expected.

Replacing those players are winger PA Parenteau (traded Briere for him), defenseman Tom Gilbert, winger Jiri Sekac, and center Manny Malhottra. Gilbert gives the team another puck moving defenseman and allows for better left/right balance on the blue line (Emelin played on his off side last year), Malhottra gives the team a legitimate 4th line center who can win faceoffs, and Sekac is a very promising 22 year old who has been playing professionally in Europe. Parenteau is coming off a disappointing season in Colorado, but getting him in exchange for Briere was still a roster improvement.

I think the Habs are moving in the right direction. It will be interesting to see how the team adjusts to the loss of all the veterans in the locker room, though, and how well some of the younger players like Subban and Pacioretty assume a leadership role.

Probably the only remaining roster decisions are with the backup goaltender -- Tokarski or Budaj (I'd go with Tokarski) -- and what to do with Travis Moen, who really doesn't have a place on the roster.
 

Scott Merryfield

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The Canadiens resolved their backup goalie situation by sending to Budaj to Winnepeg for a bag of peanuts. The Habs get salary cap relief and do not have to expose Tokarski to waivers, so it's a good deal for them.
 

Ockeghem

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Thank goodness for Boston acquiring another enforcer. At least now the Bruins (who play fairly, I might add) may be able to keep up with those goons from up North. Scott Merryfield has heard of that team, I believe. ;) I see also that Pastrnak wasn't on the team very long.

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/10/07/meet-the-32-year-old-bloggerenforcer-that-just-made-the-bruins/?utm_network=facebook&utm_post=3065685&utm_source=FB%20-%20NHL%20on%20NBC%20Sports&utm_tags=

cd0ymzcznguwzdbhnduynddiytjhm2yyzthlmtjjotqwyyznpwq3mtfmy2nkotjlmdnlmmzmyzy1ymfkotlkodc3nzji.jpeg
 

Scott Merryfield

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Those sissy-boys Lucic and Marchand do need someone to protect them. ;)

I love this quote from the article, Scott:
At the risk of writing off Robins as strictly a fighter, it’s worth noting he’s coming off his most productive AHL campaign ever with Providence last year, scoring five goals and 14 points in 68 games. That said, this is the same guy that put up 316 PIM in 74 games during the 2012-13 campaign, and has fought a remarkable 80 times over the last three American League seasons.
Yeah, five goals makes this guy the next coming of Gretzky. :rolleyes: I see Robins spending most of his time in the press box, like Parros did with the Habs last season. He will probably get in the lineup against the Leafs. Interestingly, Montreal did not sign a goon for this year's team. I'm surprised the Bruins wasted a roster spot on this guy.
 

Scott Merryfield

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Ockeghem said:
Let the games begin! Let's go Boston and Toronto!

-- Scott Merryfield
'Dem's fightin' words! :angry:

Habs vs. Leafs tonight. We have the NHL Center Ice package free for the first couple of weeks, so I'm hoping to watch the game. The Canadiens always seem to lose the opener to these guys - hopefully tonight is different.

Meanwhile, the local Wings fans can renew their new-found Bruins hate from last season's playoffs in their opener tomorrow. I understand the Detroit players are wearing extra-thick cups in honor of Lucic. :D

BTW, Scott, we have a fantasy hockey league at work, and just do an auto draft, as nobdy wants to take the time for a live draft like we do for football. Anyway, the auto draft software was brilliant this year - it gave me two Habs (Price and Pacioretty) and no Bruins! :lol:
 

Ockeghem

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Scott,

Let's hope that there is a curse in your NHL fantasy league similar to what you've mentioned in the past with some of your NFL fantasy players. ;)

Go Boston and Toronto! (Yeah, I know there are two other games tonight but I'm focusing on the East right now.)
 

Ockeghem

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Scott Merryfield

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It was a wacky ending in Toronto. First, Lars Eller knocks a bouncing puck into his own net to allow the Leafs to tie it up with less than two minutes remaining. Then, with under a minute left Plekanec throws the puck at the Leafs net from a sharp angle and it gets deflected by a Toronto defenseman into his own net. For the Leafs, the hockey gods giveth and the hockey gods taketh away.

The Habs had lost four straight openers to the Leafs, so it was nice to end that horrible streak. Toronto fans do not even get their October parade this year!

Those standing were obviously written by the biased East Coast press, Scott. :lol:
 

Ockeghem

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Scott,

October parade -- LOL. I think the L. A. Kings are still celebrating their Championship. Did they forget that there was a hockey game to be played (and at home!) last night?
 

Scott Merryfield

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These standings look much better than the one you posted, Scott. ;)

The Habs played like crap in the first period last night, but Tokarski kept them in the game long enough for the team to wake up. The Canadiens played much better in the 2nd half of the game, tying it up and having two more goals disallowed (both good calls). Montreal gets two points from sports stupidest way to decide the outcome of a game... the dreaded shootout.

And don't blink, but Plekanec currently leads the league in goals with 3! It will not last, of course, but he should be a better offensive threat this year. The addition of Malhotra as fourth line center has removed some of Plekanec's defensive responsibilities -- specifically taking important defensive zone faceoffs. Also, the wingers on his line this year are a huge improvement -- Galchenyuk and Gallagher instead of Gionta and Bourque.

And so much for getting tougher on the diving calls this year. Both Ovechkin and Plekanec performed obvious embellishments, yet neither were called -- but both drew penalties from the opposition. I guess Marchand doesn't have to worry this season. :D
 

Ockeghem

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Scott,

LOL. I was almost certain you were going to post the 'updated' standings after last night's results.

Incidentally, I have Montreal at three points (not four). The tie still exists (and works) for me. :)

So you like that new kid, Tony Marchand? I do too. Because we both know you cannot be talking about Brad Marchand above.

brad-marchand.jpeg


Scott Merryfield -- you talkin' to me? Huh? You talkin' to me? ;)
 

Scott Merryfield

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I read somewhere that Chris Pronger has been appointed to a position in the NHL offices having to do with player security. I wonder how that can be allowed, since he is also still officially on Philadelphia's roster under the long-term injured reserve designation. I know that is for salary cap reasons, but it seems like a conflict of interest to me -- holdong a disciplinary position with the league while also being on a team's roster. He should be forced to retire and be removed from the IR slot on the Flyers roster before being allowed to take any job with the NHL.
 

Ockeghem

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Scott,A good win for the Habs, eh? While I was checking scores during the games tonight, I am certain that I saw a score of 4-0 (and not 3-0) for the Flyers during the second period! I looked a few times, because I noted how Boston was down 3-0 and the Canadiens were down even worse than the Bruins at that time. So when I saw that the Habs had won 4-3 in a shootout, I was understandably curious ... and a bit confused. It must have been a momentary error on the part of the scorers at ESPN.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/scoreboard
 

Scott Merryfield

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Scott, I was pleasantly surprised to see the final of the game. We were not home, and I checked my phone in the early 3rd period and the score was still 3-0 Flyers. I was shocked, but very happy, to see the final when I checked late last night. I still haven't had time to read about the game yet.
 

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I thought that game was basically over, after 2 periods. But then the 3rd period happened, as the Flyers basically sleepwalked through it. I think they had only a couple shots, as the Habs seemed to be in the Flyers zone for the most of the period. When the Canadiens got within 3-2, I dreaded that they would somehow win the game in regulation.

With the switchover of cable providers, I can finally watch all the Flyers games on TV, and not have to settle for listening to them on the radio. And record the games as well, if I am not home.
 

Ockeghem

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TonyD

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Walter C said:
I thought that game was basically over, after 2 periods. But then the 3rd period happened, as the Flyers basically sleepwalked through it. I think they had only a couple shots, as the Habs seemed to be in the Flyers zone for the most of the period. When the Canadiens got within 3-2, I dreaded that they would somehow win the game in regulation.

With the switchover of cable providers, I can finally watch all the Flyers games on TV, and not have to settle for listening to them on the radio. And record the games as well, if I am not home.
Who did you have that didn't offer CSN?

Anyway looks like the Flyers are going to be bottom rung this year. They had a decent run the second half last season too. Oh well.Also the Pronger front office job, I really doubt still being on the Flyers roster is going to factor into any decisions.
It's really just a semantics thing.

Due to cap rules they cant officially take him off the roster but he really isn't a Flyer anymore.
 

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