OFFICIAL HOCKEY THREAD: NHL, KHL, NCAA, IIHL

[ijumpmani]

Man, at least you have one w/ Sid Three altogether.

I just want Ovechkin to get one here in DC. I don't want him to become the Dan Marino of the sport.

They have a fantastic shot this year. Squad is absolutely loaded. Probably the best team (on paper) that's been assembled in Caps history. Just gotta hope for good health and good bounces w/ the puck all season.

I said the same thing to my friend the other day. This team is designed to win a cup in the next 2-3 seasons. If we miss this window, I'm not sure what will happen.

 

[DeadsetAce]

whispers have Patches getting the C...

an American captaining the Habs?!?!? that'll go over well with the masses

 

[rolaholic]

If a Fin can be one of the best C's in our history I'm sure an American would do . He's a big fan favorite too,hoping PK somehow gets it though despite Therrien not being his biggest fan

 

[jjs07]

Man, at least you have one w/ Sid Three altogether.

I just want Ovechkin to get one here in DC. I don't want him to become the Dan Marino of the sport.

They have a fantastic shot this year. Squad is absolutely loaded. Probably the best team (on paper) that's been assembled in Caps history. Just gotta hope for good health and good bounces w/ the puck all season.

I said the same thing to my friend the other day. This team is designed to win a cup in the next 2-3 seasons. If we miss this window, I'm not sure what will happen.

Forward depth...solid defense...elite goaltending...

I mean, there shouldn't be any excuses.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

No non goalie makes enough of a difference to expect a championship.

I mean out of all the sports a great player seems to make the least impact, other than maybe non-qb's in football.

 

[jjs07]

No non goalie makes enough of a difference to expect a championship.

I mean out of all the sports a great player seems to make the least impact, other than maybe non-qb's in football.

For teams to win the Stanley Cup when the playoffs roll around, you need the perfect storm of fortunate bounces and elite goaltending. Nothing more than that.

Hardest trophy, IMO, to win out of the 4 major sports.

 

[madj55]

Ovi turns 30 today, still remember his debut like it was yesterday.

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

PK should get the C patch.

Therrien probably sitting there like

 

[dmxfury]

One name,Therrien

Nice to see some NHL stars doing something productive for a change this offseason...


Ovi's too good not to at least get the chance to play in the finals .

Sid needs to leave Pitt and help guide his childhood squad to the promise land again

Many in Pitt would be ok with this

 

[sosly]

Carcillo retires today

 

[RyGuy45]

Media sharks are circling....

Kane presser a PR disaster for tone-deaf Blackhawks

by Allan Muir, SI.com

Two points were made abundantly clear at the Patrick Kane/Chicago Blackhawks press conference on Thursday. First, Kane is involved in an ongoing legal matter and everyone involved with the team respects the process.

And second? The organization is unwilling or incapable of understanding the cultural realities of 2015.

In an event that seems destined to leave a permanent black mark on many reputations, the Hawks trotted out president John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, coach Joel Quenneville and Kane himself for an accounting of the team’s decision to bring the troubled winger to camp while he remains under investigation for an alleged sexual assault.

“The organization prides itself on trying to make calculated and deliberate decisions based on information we have at the present time,” McDonough said. “We recognize that Patrick Kane is dealing with a very serious situation. Based on our discussions with his legal representatives ... we have decided to have Patrick join us for training camp.”

Kane, looking thoroughly defeated, then read from a prepared statement:

“This has been an incredibly difficult time for many people. I cannot apologize enough for the distraction this has caused my family, my teammates, this incredible organization and of course, our fans. While I have too much respect for the legal process to comment on an ongoing matter I am confident that when all the facts are brought to light, I will be absolved of having done nothing wrong.”

If that was all he was going to say—and honestly, given the circumstances, no one should have expected anything else—Kane probably should have been excused from the dais at that point.

Instead, in an epic PR disaster, he was left up there to take questions, with the stipulation that they be “hockey only.”

Understandably, it did not go well.

Asked if he felt he’d embarrassed the organization, Kane stammered out a scripted apology, repeating the “respect to the legal process” line and saying he appreciated, but could not answer, the question. And so it went with each successive question. Kane asked about being a distraction around his teammates, how Hawks fans might react to him, and even if he’d quit drinking. Each time he did his best Peter Lafleur impression: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.

After a dozen or so questions were deflected, Kane was excused, clearly shaken by the failed exercise. And then the three men remaining on the stage began speaking and turned the event into a total garbage fire.

McDonough actually talked about how the team’s success (he called them “the Camelot Blackhawks”) was based on doing things the right way. There was not a trace of irony in his voice. Bowman reminisced about his days attending Notre Dame. Quenneville gushed about the Fighting Irish football team and about how excited he is to see the prospects from AHL Rockford in camp.

If this had been any other team at any other time, this pep rally pabulum would have been of keen interest to the team’s fans. But no matter how hard they wish it were otherwise, these Hawks don't have the luxury of reveling in last season's successes. They're locked in a here-and-now that is at least partially of their own making. And each cliché about how excited they were to be at Notre Dame and how much work they have ahead of them only served to belittle the nature of the crime that Kane has been accused of committing and underscored the perception problem the team has created for itself by bringing him to camp.

If they didn't get it before, they surely must now. As long as Kane remains under investigation, the black cloud that has been following him will envelop this team. And no matter how many times they politely request that everyone "stick to hockey," it will not go away.

Sadly, the league only doubled down on Chicago’s stance. Shortly after the conference ended, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly issued the following statement to Renaud Lavoie of TVA: “We have been in close contact with the Blackhawks’ organization over the last seven days and given the circumstances as they exist now, we are supportive of the organization’s decision.”

We don’t know if Kane is guilty or innocent, but after today we know this much: The Hawks and the NHL are standing squarely behind Kane.

We’ll see if it is worth it.

 

[dmxfury]

Why would he take questions

 

[RyGuy45]

^ I agree, it was just weird

I don't know what the official script is for something like this but the Blackhawks swung and missed IMO.

"He'll now take hockey-only questions." LMAO come on man this cannot be your first media rodeo.

 

[jjs07]

Max Pacioretty named Habs' captain.

 

[sosly]

Josh HoSang sent down to Juniors for being late to first isles practice lol.

No issue imo, but people sure are butthurt lol

 

[jjs07]

Josh HoSang sent down to Juniors for being late to first isles practice lol.

No issue imo, but people sure are butthurt lol

Not that I agree w/ sending him to the OHL....but Ho-Sang has to be pretty stupid to be late for his first practice.

 

[DeadsetAce]

Josh HoSang sent down to Juniors for being late to first isles practice lol.

No issue imo, but people sure are butthurt lol

Not that I agree w/ sending him to the OHL....but Ho-Sang has to be pretty stupid to be late for his first practice.

seriously. you know it was part of what you were signing up for in drafting him, but still. c'mon ho-sang

 

[rolaholic]

Max Pacioretty named Habs' captain.

Yea this was what most team insiders were saying *shrugs*. Not too mad tbh since Patches is also that dude and he's come a looong way over the last few years. He's a smart man though winning points with the Francophone by starting his press conference in French yesterday . As broken as it was it already sounded better than Gionta's and Koivu's french

Hope PK gets a shot at the C in the future,more surprised that Gallagher is an alternate . He's fiery/feisty but he's about to go into only his 3rd full season .

Wth was Chicago thinking getting Kane up there for questions?? . That was such a predictable turn of events

 

[theenorthstar]

Hockey season is on its way.

Im getting in that mode.
I just re-registered to return as an official. And about to go through the (long) process of getting ready for the season.

My rec league team is starting to get things rolling as well into the new season...

I just NEED TO GET BACK ON THE ICE NOW... GAWD ALMIGHTY ... its been MONTHS... too long

 

[DeadsetAce]

my ice team kicks off the new season tonight...can't wait

 

[theenorthstar]

Good luck this year man.

 

[DeadsetAce]

^ thanks bruh. you would appreciate the jerseys we're making. think we're doing wild colors

 

[theenorthstar]

Post em up when you get em in

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

I'm getting my butt kicked in Fantasy Football

 

[dmxfury]

Playing roller has my legs sore as heck

Ice tonight