NHL 2012-2013 thread

[Nicko999]

It was a long run... Sabres fire Lindy Ruff

[topdog]

Normally I would have the Leafs jump all over picking up Ruff, but Carlyle looks to be doing a pretty good job.

[Fortunate4Now]

Originally Posted by topdog

Normally I would have the Leafs jump all over picking up Ruff, but Carlyle looks to be doing a pretty good job.

I'm fairly certain Ruff wouldn't even consider coaching in Toronto. Anyways, here's to hoping this leads to a much needed turn around. Too much $$ and talent being wasted on this team right now.

[Calgarian]

Ruff wont stay available for long, wonder who will take him.

[Nicko999]

Crazy game between Philly and Pittsburgh...

We keep our first place with now a game in hand on the Pens (and a pt ahead).

Crazy stat: The Habs are 2-4-1 vs the Northeast but 9-0-0 against the 2 other divisions.

[MrOilers]

Once again, the Flames get to play against a backup goalie after the Oilers had to try and score on the Vezina-quality starter the night before.

What the hell.

[mintzilla]

flames and oilers, bottom two teams in the west this year? looking so.

[ZeDgE]

Originally Posted by MrOilers

Once again, the Flames get to play against a backup goalie after the Oilers had to try and score on the Vezina-quality starter the night before.

What the hell.

Not like it helped any..

Ugh this team.

[Nicko999]

Originally Posted by ZeDgE

Not like it helped any..

Ugh this team.

Keep losing Calgary... I would like the 31st overall pick (in a draft that is said to be deep).

It's going to be good having 4 picks in the first 2 rounds this year in a deep draft.

[roccerfeller]

i think the jets will wind up getting a top 10 draft pick this year - maybe even top 5....unless they play well like they did against the sabres


its nice to see montréal at the top, personally

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Nicko999

Keep losing Calgary... I would like the 31st overall pick (in a draft that is said to be deep).

It's going to be good having 4 picks in the first 2 rounds this year in a deep draft.

Montreal will likely get their pick somewhere between 34th and 40th spot. I don't think Calgary will finish dead last, but they will be in the bottom 10.

Keep in mind that unless you're pricing in the top few picks, the draft is mostly a 🞵🞵🞵🞵 shoot.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by ZeDgE

Not like it helped any..

Ugh this team.

They generated almost zero offense. I thought they looked terrible against Phoenix, but they looked just as bad, maybe worse tonight.

If you go by the experts predictions that a team in the west will need around 57 points to make the playoffs.....it means the Flames will have to have a record of 22-11 for the remainder of the season......

[Nicko999]

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

Montreal will likely get their pick somewhere between 34th and 40th spot. I don't think Calgary will finish dead last, but they will be in the bottom 10.

Keep in mind that unless you're pricing in the top few picks, the draft is mostly a 🞵🞵🞵🞵 shoot.

PK Subban was a second round pick.

Generally speaking, Timmins is good at finding late round gems. Gallagher (5th round), Sergei Kostitsyn (7th round), Mikhail Grabovski (5th round), Mark Streit (9th round), Jaroslav Halak (9th round) are just a few examples.

We'll see how it goes though, those 4 picks in the top 60 can also be used to trade up the draft.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

They generated almost zero offense. I thought they looked terrible against Phoenix, but they looked just as bad, maybe worse tonight.

I can't decide what's going on. Phoenix and LA are too very defensive teams, so if we're simply trying to play to their style, that explains the ZZZZZzzzzzz and 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 performance. However, my fear is that Hartley's style isn't "good enough" for management. And they've told him that the Flames need to "tighten up defensively". So this isn't just a blip, this is what we get to see for the rest of the season.

I'll be rooting for a #1 pick if that's the case. The last 2 games were completely worthless from an entertainment perspective (and from a winning perspective).

Obviously I'd love to have a Pittsburgh here, but failing that: I can handle a team that's entertaining but terrible (Oilers in recent years), or boring but successful (Phoenix, Flames immediately post-2004 lockout). Having boring and unsuccessful is the straw with me. Destroy this team if that's what we're doing.

And by god, SOMEONE has to figure out a way to end D-first hockey once and for all. It's completely ruining the game.

[The_Architect]

Originally Posted by Fortunate4Now

I'm fairly certain Ruff wouldn't even consider coaching in Toronto.

I personally disagree, but there's no chance of that happening anyway.

I think Carlyle doing "well" is more due to actually getting above average goaltending for the first time in years, and less to do with him. Looking at some of his baffling coaching decisions (13 mins for Colton 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 Orr???, less than 15 for Grabovski??? 27 minutes for Mike Kostka???), I'm really starting to not like him as a coach quick.

In fact, if Wilson was getting this kind of goaltending I doubt he would have been torn up as much as he was.

[The_Architect]

And for the love of God give Dion a non-AHL defense partner! Holzer was terrible last night.

Anyway, I'm going to the game tonight vs. Buffalo so I hope I get to see a win again.

[suburbanite]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

I personally disagree, but there's no chance of that happening anyway.

I think Carlyle doing "well" is more due to actually getting above average goaltending for the first time in years, and less to do with him. Looking at some of his baffling coaching decisions (13 mins for Colton 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 Orr???, less than 15 for Grabovski??? 27 minutes for Mike Kostka???), I'm really starting to not like him as a coach quick.

In fact, if Wilson was getting this kind of goaltending I doubt he would have been torn up as much as he was.

Having good goaltending is nice, but the fact is the players never really bought into Wilson'a system the same way that have with Carlyle. We knew Carlyle would want a tough physical team that will drop the gloves multiple times a game and that's what we're seeing. The team is reaping the benefits of having everyone on the same page.

[MrOilers]

Originally Posted by freeweed

SOMEONE has to figure out a way to end D-first hockey once and for all. It's completely ruining the game.

I think the abundance of defense-first hockey is a symptom of expansion. There are just too many teams, and the star players who would fill the net if they were able to play together, are all dispersed too thinly across the 30 teams. So instead of teams being able to score 3 lines deep, we have teams only able to score 1-2 lines deep.

[freeweed]

As someone who openly despises the Leafs (for various reasons I've articulated in the past and aren't really relevant here) ... Toronto fans should be ECSTATIC about Carlyle. He's probably the best thing to happen to the franchise in over a decade and it actually looks possible that they may make the post-season this year as a result.

Much to my complete and utter disgust, of course. But I have to give the man tremendous credit for what he's done and may well do come May. I'll die a little inside, but I can't question his results so far. This Leafs team is actually... not horrible. Which is about as close to grudging respect as you'll get from me ... for the moment.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by mintzilla

flames and oilers, bottom two teams in the west this year? looking so.

I still think the Oilers might go on a win streak and make it into the playoffs. Heck on paper Edmonton has had a better offense than my team Vancouver for at least two years now surely this is the year?