Around the NHL - 2013-2014

[JJFIVEOH]

Why does there always need to be rules changes and/or disciplinary actions for situations like the Canucks-Flames game last night? The fans loved it, they got the media attention............. just let it go.

Edited January 19, 2014 by JJFIVEOH

[Weave]

Okay Petey. You cover baseball. Let's cover some bullet points:

-Most of the good players in baseball are on PEDs.

-Hockey players aren't.

 

 

I don't buy this. Not for a minute. The hockey players part, not the baseball players part.

[Hoss]

 

 

I don't buy this. Not for a minute. The hockey players part, not the baseball players part.

 

No proof to the contrary. I'm sure there are issues with it, but we have no evidence nor is there a pretentious and inconsistent battle with it in hockey.

[SwampD]

I don't buy this. Not for a minute. The hockey players part, not the baseball players part.

Me either.

[ubkev]

 

 

I don't buy this. Not for a minute. The hockey players part, not the baseball players part.

 

I'm with weave on this. Everyone in every sport is juiced up.

[TrueBlueGED]

No proof to the contrary. I'm sure there are issues with it, but we have no evidence nor is there a pretentious and inconsistent battle with it in hockey.

 

There's also no proof that most of the good baseball players are using PEDs, be it now or in the 90s. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if 80%+ of professional athletes across all sports use PEDs in some form.

[Weave]

No proof to the contrary. I'm sure there are issues with it, but we have no evidence nor is there a pretentious and inconsistent battle with it in hockey.

 

 

It is hard to find evidence when you aren't trying very hard.

[SwampD]

It is hard to find evidence when you aren't trying very hard.

And for that I'm glad. I've said it before, but personally, I want all my professional athletes on PEDs. I get more for my entertainment dollar that way.

[Weave]

And for that I'm glad. I've said it before, but personally, I want all my professional athletes on PEDs. I get more for my entertainment dollar that way.

 

I don't *want* them on PED's for my entertainment benefit. But it is their body. I don't give a rat's ass if they decide they are going to ruin it to make a few million bucks.

[carpandean]

Towes with a 10 minute misconduct for throwing half of his stick into the stands after it broke. He was actually starting to skate away from the boards and toss it back toward where the blue line meets the boards. Only he tossed it a little to high and a little to hard; right over the boards. Automatic 10. Don't see that much.

Edited January 19, 2014 by carpandean

[inkman]

@pgammo: Calgary and Vancouver last night reiterated why the NHL is a minor sport

MMA is 10x more brutal and it rivals the NHL in popularity. The fighting has nothing to do with its lack of mass appeal. I think hockey is just a niche sport. It's passed from generation to generation. I don't think it's very accessible to those who aren't in the culture. It's weird and Canadian. Most stupid Amercians can't be bothered to figure it out.

[Hoss]

There's also no proof that most of the good baseball players are using PEDs, be it now or in the 90s. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if 80%+ of professional athletes across all sports use PEDs in some form.

 

There's pretty solid proof. Most good players right now have been connected to PEDs one way or the other. Recent reports have said that players who are viewed as "god-like" in Boston last year are frequent users (would likely mean Ortiz and Napoli, but we all already knew Ortiz used). And then when players are constantly going down for using in the clubhouse, that would lead you to believe that nobody ratted on them because they had their own things to hide. PED use is rampant in baseball.

 

 

 

EDIT: I should be clear that I also believe that there is heavy PED use in every sport. Heavy PED and hard drug (like cocaine) use are likely found in every sport. The unfortunate thing about MLB is that they're trying to act like they actually care, and are being so pretentious and inconsistent about their battle with it. If you really want PEDs out of your sport then impose an instant lifetime ban for anybody who has a 100% positive test. Or you could just find a player who you want to single out because the entire country already hates him anyways and make an example out of him (no, I'm not a Yankee fan).

Edited January 19, 2014 by Tankalicious

[Eleven]

NHL teams don't start their fourth lines. If your fourth line is rolling out for the opening faceoff every person in that building knows what is coming next. There's no reading between the lines on this one.

 

I've seen the Sabres do it without a fight resulting. Maybe Hartley wanted to get the puck deep and then get a better matchup out there. It's a perfectly legitimate tactic.

 

Wasn't Kassian one of the shooters in the SO? Edit:he wasn't but he was in the OT and looked really good.

 

Torts is full of chit. When he was the coach of the Rags, they had more fights in the first minute of games than any other team in the league. It's a tool he himself used often.

 

Goons fought goons,… and for those that cry about wanting that out of the game, did you watch the rest of that game? It was awesome. That energy would not have been there without that dust-up at the beginning.

 

Yes he was, and he did not score.

 

And right on w/ Tortorella, too.

[JJFIVEOH]

:D

 

Kevin Bieksa ‏@kbieksa3 11h

Thanks to all for the congrats/warm messages for my 1st NHL face off win! Took a lot of hard work but it was well worth it. #straightback

[deluca67]

Whether or not there is a place in the game for it, you just cannot fine and/or suspend a coach for player selection. How is the league going to keep enforcing this from now on to make it fair and non-judgmental, give every player a 'goon rating' and each line cannot exceed a total 'goon score'? By penalizing coaches for player selection you're getting into an ugly world of discrimination and judgment calls.

We need to stop ignoring the obvious. The Flames didn't put a 6' 4" winger who barely plays and had previously only taken 2 face-offs at center ice to start the game because they were looking for energy. No need for "goon ratings", you simply need to acknowledge the obvious and act accordingly. Not only was what Hartley did embarrassing for the NHL and his own franchise, it was also cowardly.

[rickshaw]

Mcgratton pasted Alberts in the game two weeks earlier. Hartley made up some bs comment about rewarding his fourth line. Crap!

Torts had to start that lineup. Teams are constantly pushing the Canucks around and he's changing that. Also henrik is hurt so he can't take draws and why risk it? Hartley is a punk and clearly torts knew that would happen and he was pissed.

But the rookie Lain in his first game ever got 2 seconds. That was too bad.

I have no issue with torts answering back. The hallway stuff was dumb but that's passion. I love torts and his passion. I believe if he were the coach in the Finals the Canucks would've beaten Boston.

 

 

 

[JJFIVEOH]

We need to stop ignoring the obvious. The Flames didn't put a 6' 4" winger who barely plays and had previously only taken 2 face-offs at center ice to start the game because they were looking for energy. No need for "goon ratings", you simply need to acknowledge the obvious and act accordingly. Not only was what Hartley did embarrassing for the NHL and his own franchise, it was also cowardly.

 

Torts is just as much at fault. Do you honestly think there would have been any fighting if the Sedins had started the game against the 4th line? Granted Torts made the right call, I still highly doubt there would have been any fighting of the Twins. If there are actions to be taken as a result of this, where do you draw the line? Once the ball gets rolling, it rarely stops. Before you know it they will be regulating EVERYTHING. There will be more Rolston fines, there will be more unsportmanlikes handed out 'just in case' and it will be another step in the direction of removing hiting and fighting in hockey. It would be silly for the NHL, or the officials on the ice, to do anything because a rarely used 6'4" winger was on the ice to start the game. Should the NHL hand out 2 minute unsportsmanlike penalties for every starter the league doesn't approve?

Edited January 20, 2014 by JJFIVEOH

[LaLaLaFontaine]

 

 

I've seen the Sabres do it without a fight resulting. Maybe Hartley wanted to get the puck deep and then get a better matchup out there. It's a perfectly legitimate tactic.

 

 

 

Yes he was, and he did not score.

 

And right on w/ Tortorella, too.

 

Just to be fair.

 

Currently the Sabres start every game with a 4th line

[Wyldnwoody44]

 

 

Just to be fair.

 

Currently the Sabres start every game with a 4th line

 

No they start with a 3rd line

Followed by another 3rd line

Then a mix of 2 4th lines

[Jsixspd]

But the rookie Lain in his first game ever got 2 seconds. That was too bad.

 

 

Torts expressed regrets over putting Lain in that situation - apparently his parents had flown there to watch their son in his first NHL start too. But Torts may not have figured Calgary was going to drop all the gloves in the first 2 seconds either. They clearly started the whole brawl.

 

Just found a short clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT5PfCWgIG8

 

I love how McGrattan roughly grabs his own assistant coach by the head and face to try to keep him out of trouble- LOL

Edited January 20, 2014 by Jsixspd

[LGR4GM]

 

MMA is 10x more brutal and it rivals the NHL in popularity. The fighting has nothing to do with its lack of mass appeal. I think hockey is just a niche sport. It's passed from generation to generation. I don't think it's very accessible to those who aren't in the culture. It's weird and Canadian. Most stupid Amercians can't be bothered to figure it out.

This is true I think. Maybe over time it will change but baseball, football, basketball are all cheaper sports for kids to play. If kids play sports they tend to follow that sport. Hockey is expensive and a lot of kids never play it so they never learn about it or follow it and that cycle continues.

 

Side note, last night my gf asked me what a zamboni was... After some dirty jokes I finally told her.

[26CornerBlitz]

@DarrenDreger

Gary Bettman and Bill Daly also attending this mornings discipline hearing for John Tortorella.

[SwampD]

@DarrenDreger

Gary Bettman and Bill Daly also attending this mornings discipline hearing for John Tortorella.

Why is only Torts having a hearing?

 

EDIT: Nevermind, the hallway thingy.

[Campy]

 

I love how McGrattan roughly grabs his own assistant coach by the head and face to try to keep him out of trouble- LOL

 

That assistant coach is Clint Malarchuk. It struck me as odd that he'd be going after Torts that way since they know each other from their time with the Sabres.

[Eleven]

It caught on!

Wheres Lloyd ‏@whereslloyd 1h

Monday STOPS! 11:30a-1:30p Women's Suburban Health (3620 Sheridan Dr.) & F'N Center