Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

I will not be a believer in San Jose until I see them actually do something in the playoffs. They remind me of Ottawa a few years ago -- impressive regular seasons, but disappointing in the playoffs.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Yeah, but those Ottawa teams were really, really soft; great talent, but no grit. And when they chose to let Chara go, they became complete marshmallows. That is not something you want in the playoffs.

On the other hand, these Sharks played physical against what many consider a very physical team in the Bruins. They outhit them for 2 periods, and basically only had to outhit Lucic to do it. Faceoffs were brutal (they won like 75%), and Yelle and Bergeron are great faceoff men. Sure two of the goals were flukes, but they were flukes due to outworking the B's. Hey, either team could get picked off before the final, you never know, but right now I'm not scared of anything but them. Honestly, I'd rather face Detroit.

 

[Randy_Sh]

Well that started well and ended badly....Pens up 2-0 and then let up 6 straight...Michel Therrien gets canned and the Pens bring in Dan Bylsma from the Baby Pens...38 years old and in his first year as coach of the farm club...

We'll see how it goes. Don't know if this was the right move or not. Was more concerned about lack of leadership being displayed by players and the fact that there aren't any first line Wingers on the squad and the injuries that hampered the D all year.

Push for the last 25 games...make the playoffs...we'll see.

Game Flash: Pens tied 2-2 in the third with the lowly Islanders. So much for a huge push as a result of the firing...

Game End: Pens lose in OT SO...yikes.

 

[Joe Fisher]

No team in the East scares you?

Then I have 3 words for you.................New Jersey Devils.

Beat Boston 1-0 on Friday.

Beat San Jose 6-5 on Sunday.

Beat the best of the East & West.

13-2 in their last 15 games. None of those wins shootout/OT wins either!!!

Running away with the Atlantic Division.

All this done without Martin Brodeur since November 1, 2008. (We get him back Feb 26th.)

Brent Sutter for Coach of the Year.

Ok. I'll leave for now. Us lowly Devils fans (All 8 of us) have to get back to our quest for another Stanley Cup.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Big difference between these two statements. I never said I'm not scared of any team in the East, the Sharks just scare me more. As far as the Devils are concerned . . . we'll see when the playoffs get here. I never predict any sporting event, afterall . . . I am a Red Sox fan.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

I was not a huge fan of Therrien's but I am not sure this is the right move at this time for the Pens. For one, I am surprised they waited this long. If they were going to go ahead and get rid of him, the time to have done it would have been back in late January. Now it just might be too little, too late and smacks of desperation. And if Bylsma can't turn things around fast, no one is really going to be able to blame him, given the lack of prep time he had. It's not much of a vote of confidence to hire him on an interim basis, I wonder who is really waiting in the wings for them.

 

[Randy_Sh]

Mario is coming down to the bench from the Owner's suite! Hah. Hah. Hah.

If that wouldn't be a recipe for disaster, I don't know what would be...we see how well the Great One has worked out as coach in Phoenix.

I tend to agree - they should have pulled the trigger sooner than know to allow for some more adjustment time - it's not like the Pens have just found themselves in the 10th spot in the East. It's been that way for a while now....

Interesting column in the PG about the continued slide of some teams ahead of the Pens and how that really needs to continue. Rangers for one. Lose 8-3 to the Flyers and give up a short handed 5 on 3 goal as well.

We'll see how the Pens fair after the next 3 games. Tough stretch ahead with the Canadians, Flyers and Caps - Back to back for the last two.

Randy

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Super talented stars almost never make it as coaches. They are just too elite in their outlook to relate to the muck and grinders who are necessary elements of any team. When your hockey mind works in the ethereal space of a Gretzky, you really can't be relied on to know how to bash bodies at the front of the net, or how to beat a more talented team with guts and guile.

Bobby Orr once said he could never be a coach because he never really understood how he did the things he did. He said sometimes he was in back of his own net with the puck, and then next next thing he knows, the puck is in the net at the other end. Everything in between was sheer instinct.

 

[Ockeghem]

Jeff,

Astonishing, really. But having seen him play for many years, I don't a doubt a word about what he said with regard to his play and instinct above.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

Pens beat the Habs! Who'd have thunk it? That third period was one of the most exciting periods of hockey I have seen in a long time. Malkin's shot as he was falling was amazing, and Gonchar getting that slap shot right down the middle was the icing on the cake. I don't know if this is the "Bylsma effect" yet but it seemed they were playing with some life last night. Just hope they can learn to better protect leads, that was a nail-biter.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Wow, I wonder if the Habs had one of these:

Inside The Canadiens Closed Door Meeting

Definitely one of the funniest hockey related spoofs ever.

"You know not to throw it glove side. Just throw that into his chest, build up his confidence!"

 

[Randy_Sh]

Pens so far 3-1-1 with Bylsma...

Beginning a 5 in a row on the road against the Blackhawks and end with the Caps on March 8 - game I will be at.

Hopefully it is the beginning of a solid road trip and Pens can work their way up in the Eastern standings.

Oh yeah. Traded Whitney to Anaheim. Not too familar with Winger that they picked up in addition to a pretty decent prospect.

Whitney can be a good Offensive D-man but was pretty dreadful since he came back. -15 with a single goal. Gonchar has been spot on since his return.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Sigh. . .went to the Bruins/ Panthers game on Saturday with my dad and the B's got shut out (on 41 shots!). In the 3 games since, they have 15 goals. . .

When I get around to it I'll post my photos on Shutterfly or something.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Great SI article on the greatest that I ever saw turning 60:

At 60 he's been a player agent for longer than he ruled - 03.02.09 - SI Vault

A couple excerpts:

His immense talent, so pure it was recognized by all . . .

 

[Ockeghem]

I'm pleased the Sharks have lost a few games recently. I was actually not rooting against the Canadiens when they played San Jose the other night....

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

Trade deadline is today at 3:00. Do you think we're going to see any bold moves?

 

[Ockeghem]

Jeff,

That was a fun read. I remember that hit of Quinn's. I don't recall the revenge very well, however. No. 4 was such an amazing player.

One of the images I have of Orr was how fast he got up the ice from behind his own net. Astonishing, actually.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

I was a little young in '69, but I've seen the clips of the Garden faithful chanting "Get Quinn!! Get Quinn!!" and Quinn needing a police escort out of the building (police which probably would not have stopped too many if challenged). I do remember hearing from my Dad about Bobby finally getting his due; on his terms, not Quinn's. But alas, even in 1970, I was still only allowed to watch the first period before bed. But you can bet if the game was on, I was either watching it, or listening to it from under my covers.

And yes, he had the fastest first 3 strides in hockey . . . ever. Acceleration like a Top Fuel dragster going downhill.

 

[Ockeghem]

Jeff,

Some of my most fond memories are of listening to Bruins, Celtics, and Red Sox games in my room on a transistor radio, late at night. Those are indeed cherished memories.

I loved what Ken Dryden had to say about Orr in the article. And the stat regarding the +124 ("... the Bruins scored 124 more even-strength or shorthanded goals than they gave up when Orr was on the ice") is quite telling.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Orr completely changed the way a defenseman was thought of. It's so rare that a player can completely redefine a position. I remember watching Larry Robinson make some end-to-end rushes during those great late '70's Stanley Cup years and thinking "Bobby Orr made that possible".

Just think of the numbers Orr could have put up with modern medicine. I'm sure his knee problems could have been corrected with today's technology.