July 11, 201312 yr Bad week to be a new jersey fan boys. Best player retires and they have to forfeit their first round pick next year. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti
July 11, 201312 yr I can't say I'm all that surprised, really. He almost didn't come back from the lockout, either. Still, 12 years left on his contract and he retired?
July 19, 201312 yr "Metropolitan Division," teams nowhere near the ocean in the Atlantic Division, uneven home/away games against division and conference rivals, and the possibility of the 20th overall team making the playoffs. Excellent work as always, Gary. :thumbup: Player since 2004. All skills 1M+ XP."If it were possible to cure evils by lamentation..., then gold would be a less valuable thing than weeping." - Sophocles"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." - Plato
July 19, 201312 yr It's been possible for 20th overall to make the playoffs for years, though. Agreed that the new setup is... not very good. I really don't understand Florida/Tampa being grouped in with the Eastern Canadian teams, at least geographically. Same with Western Canada and California.
July 22, 201312 yr I think it mainly had to do with time zones which I can understand. For example like Detroit playing LA was a nightmare, I think that's a 3 hour difference? And they were both in the same conference. For the most part it makes sense. And with regards to Florida and Tampa, I have a sinking suspicion it's for the teams to the north actually getting to travel to the south. If they didn't have the Florida teams in there, they wouldn't go past Detroit except for the odd game while every other division gets some sun. It would be nice to get a break and go to the southern states in the middle of January, that's for sure.
July 22, 201312 yr After looking at the map, I understand the Western Conference (apart from being 2 teams less than the East...) but why does Pittsburgh's division get to be so closely grouped? I still don't really understand their decision-making here. I honestly think they should have left it as it was, and just switched Detroit or Columbus with Winnipeg if this was their best new plan. Also, Jagr to New Jersey. I don't think it is confirmed yet, but it seems to be accurate. Then again, I thought the same thing about Iginla/Boston at the deadline.
July 24, 201312 yr Yeah, should be interesting to see what else NJ does this off season since the whole Ilya thing. Couple of rumours going around here about shipping Hemsky to NJ, him and Jagr are good friends and Hemsky's stay in Edmonton is pretty much up with the addition of Perron.
September 18, 201312 yr With the pre-season in progress, I'm curious as to opinions on the new rules (or those they're trying out). Hybrid Icing, 2 minute minor for removing your helmet before a fight, visors being mandatory for all new players, etc.
September 18, 201312 yr I am in favour of hybrid icing. I always found the touch up rule to be so dangerous. The 2-minute minor for removing your helmet is silly. If one guy removes his brain bucket - the other one should too, and usually does. All you end up with is off-setting minors in addition to 5 for fighting. And it's about time for visors IMO ...
September 19, 201312 yr I am in favour of hybrid icing. I always found the touch up rule to be so dangerous. The 2-minute minor for removing your helmet is silly. If one guy removes his brain bucket - the other one should too, and usually does. All you end up with is off-setting minors in addition to 5 for fighting. And it's about time for visors IMO ... Agreed with all. The original "hybrid icing" rule I was hearing I didn't like, but I like the way the nhl has implemented it now. Makes sense, and still avoids injuries. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti
September 19, 201312 yr The only one I'm fully in support of is the hybrid icing. The new penalty is pointless, I agree. I'm on the fence about visors, though. The only reason I'm not against them is that players already in the league, who don't wear them, still don't have to and new players coming into the league will already be used to them. I can't really support them with the new penalty in place, though, because that means people are now expected to punch visors during fights. Of course, then there are the new nets and the smaller goalie pads. I don't have a problem with either of those.
September 19, 201312 yr Interesting article on TSN - I didn't know about the fashion-rule. :lol: http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/darren_dreger/?id=432255 Dreger seems to think they will 'can the hybrid icing rule ... :unsure:
September 19, 201312 yr I was unaware of that, as well. I can't see any real reason to penalize it. Besides that, they've missed quite a few of those calls this pre-season. As for canning the hybrid icing, I hope he's wrong. I can't think of a better way to make it safer without going right down to no-touch. I hate no-touch icing. It's too easy to exploit. At least with hybrid, you have a chance to beat it out.
September 19, 201312 yr No-touch would be bad. I heard on twitter that the "no-tuck" rule is a precursor to putting ads on the jerseys. Yuck. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti
September 20, 201312 yr I heard on twitter that the "no-tuck" rule is a precursor to putting ads on the jerseys. Yuck. Yeesh! Please no ... Oh and - http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=432323 - :lol:
September 20, 201312 yr Yeah that's my fear. Although I don't think NA hockey fans would tolerate it getting that bad. If they actually put ads on the jersey I'll send bettman an email telling him I'll never buy another jersey as long as it has ads on it. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti
September 20, 201312 yr I might cry if the jerseys ever got that bad. I can't even watch Spengler Cup because of them. Oh and - http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=432323 - :lol:I came here to post that very thing. I had a feeling we'd see that soon. I love the spirit of it.
September 20, 201312 yr Lol. Never underestimate the ingenuity of the players to find loopholes in the rules. Check out my blog to read the Adventures of a Big Damn (F2P) Hero. THE place for all free players to connect, hang out and talk about how awesome it is to be F2P. So, Kaida is the real version of every fictional science-badass? That explains a lot, actually...
September 23, 201312 yr I'd like to see the no touch icing brought in personally. Too much risk involved with players moving at such high speeds into the boards. Annnnnd Edmontons problems at Centre just got a whole lot worse. Gagner is out with a broken jaw due to an arrant high stick last night from Zack Kassian. And Nuge is gone rehabing his shoulder from off seasons surgery.
September 23, 201312 yr No touch is not the way to go. The hybrid rule is better, and I've heard more players are starting to support it. Also, line brawl in the Leafs and Sabres game. 14 Fighting majors handed out halfway through the third.
September 23, 201312 yr I'm pro fighting to some extent but a situation like that is why dedicated enforcers like scott (and mclaren/orr) should not be in the league.. "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti
September 23, 201312 yr Speaking of enforcers, the Oilers claimed Steve MacIntyre off waivers today, lol. Our 4th line could be pretty hilarious with Mac, Mike Brown and Ben Eager. Quite the goon squad.
September 24, 201312 yr Speaking of enforcers, the Oilers claimed Steve MacIntyre off waivers today, lol. Our 4th line could be pretty hilarious with Mac, Mike Brown and Ben Eager. Quite the goon squad. Sucks they lost gagner to a broken jaw.
September 25, 201312 yr Good to see them clamp down on Kessel over his stick work. That boy's gotta learn to stop swinging his lumber before he hurts someone.
September 25, 201312 yr I was shocked it was only for the pre-season, to be honest. As a Leafs fan, I'm happy about it. As a hockey fan, I'm not convinced it was enough. As for enforcers, I think they need to stay for now. However, they also need to remember their job.
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