NHL Season 08-09

[Norelco]

Still not earth shattering, just exposes his true character.

Yes, he was exposed for being an over-joyous 21 year old kid who just won the Stanley Cup, got swept up in excitement and didn't shake an old fogey's hand.

Listen, I think Crosby is a douche just as much as the next guy. If he does it again then he's a dick, but I'm sure he learned his "lesson". It's not like he pulled a LeBron James.

He didn't do this intentionally.

[Ivaden]

Saddest thing of all is the Crosby haters who can't think for themselves seem to think he didn't shake anyone's hand at all.


http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/893/lidstrom.jpg
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8393/crosbycoach.jpg


Look at the timestamp. Old man Lidstrom halfway to the locker room just a second before Crosby shook hands with Babcock, someone who obviously wanted to shake hands with Crosby since the coach stuck around and waited until he was done with the interviews -- pretty indicative considering Babcock left the ice right after shaking his hand. Seems like Lidstrom didn't really "wait and wait," hm? Being a sore loser leads to giving people another reason to mindlessly bash Crosby, perfect.

Also, by the look on Crosby's face, I'd venture to say Babcock has bad breath.

[Selamis]

Yeah, Crosby was in line and shaking hands, but a few Wings players left early instead of waiting for him, when he waited last year until they were done celebrating. It's quite outrageous to think he wouldn't shake hands at all after winning, that's an easy thing to do. It's going to shake hands after you lose that is the tougher of the two to do, and I think we should be focusing more attention on the Wings players that left the ice early instead of waiting for him.

[Ishido]

Being a sore loser leads to giving people another reason to mindlessly bash Crosby, perfect.

Sore loser? I hope you're referring to the interviews from Draper or Zetterberg, and even then I'm not really sure that fits. Also Lidstrom was the first in the handshake line, and Babcock last, which is why Nick is heading off when Babcock is shaking Crosby's hand. Lidstrom didn't wait an exceptional amount of time for him, but then again the rest of the team is heading into the locker room.

old fogey

And old fogey that is still the best defenseman in the league and one of the classiest players in the league.

I think we should be focusing more attention on the Wings players that left the ice early instead of waiting for him.

The Wings were all in the handshake line, all of the Pens except Crosby were in their line, saying everyone should wait for him because he was giving an interview is somewhat off.

Bottom line, people that hate Crosby will use this as ammo against him, people that love him will blame the Wings for skating off too fast. People that look at it rationally will see that Crosby didn't intentionally slight anyone and that Draper said it to get under people's skin.

edit: Also why isn't the media being at fault brought more into this? They are the ones who "have to" get an interview before he shakes hands or celebrates with his team, they are the ones that "need" comments out of the locker room of both teams. It's ridiculous how in all sports now there seem to be so many media manufactured feuds just because athletes have cameras in their faces 24/7.

[Xenophobe]

1) he played great in Atlanta, which is a tiny market, and nobody cares what you do. He played well in Ottawa where he was surrounded by world class talent. Can he do it in NYC where he needs to be "the man"?

He plays great anywhere else but in Ottawa. Look at his play on team Canada, during the years he is in Ottawa, its like night and day.

[Ivaden]

Sore loser? I hope you're referring to the interviews from Draper or Zetterberg, and even then I'm not really sure that fits. Also Lidstrom was the first in the handshake line, and Babcock last, which is why Nick is heading off when Babcock is shaking Crosby's hand. Lidstrom didn't wait an exceptional amount of time for him, but then again the rest of the team is heading into the locker room.

Referring to Draper. Considering I haven't seen anything straight from Lidstrom himself, I don't think he's at fault. Zetterberg was just giving his opinion to the situation but Draper is the one who made sure he blew it out of proportion and called out Crosby's captaincy because of it, which is ridiculous.

[Sepukku]

He plays great anywhere else but in Ottawa. Look at his play on team Canada, during the years he is in Ottawa, its like night and day.

Yes, but can he drive............................................. .?

[Oxyminus]

Yes, he was exposed for being an over-joyous 21 year old kid who just won the Stanley Cup, got swept up in excitement and didn't shake an old fogey's hand.

Listen, I think Crosby is a douche just as much as the next guy. If he does it again then he's a dick, but I'm sure he learned his "lesson". It's not like he pulled a LeBron James.

He didn't do this intentionally.

Whoaaaa, I'm sorry, I never meant to imply he did it intentionally! But if it did happen, and he is the "golden boy" of the NHL.

I also think it's great, because over the next decade he's going to win probably 3-4 more cups, but this was the first, the one that begins and legitimizes his legacy, and he stumbled on one of the simplest things to do, shake somebody's hand!

Is this being blown out of proportion? Of course! But when he gets handed so much by the league/refs/bettman I don't feel bad for criticizing him for it. I think it's funny more than anything else.

[Oxyminus]

He plays great anywhere else but in Ottawa. Look at his play on team Canada, during the years he is in Ottawa, its like night and day.

GP G A PT +/- PIM SOG SHO%
2008-09 Ottawa NHL 82 39 33 72 -11 88 258 15.12
2007-08 Ottawa NHL 71 41 41 82 +33 76 224 18.30
2006-07 Ottawa NHL 82 50 55 105 +31 74 310 16.13
2005-06 Ottawa NHL 82 50 53 103 +29 86 300 16.67

That's back to back 50G/100PT seasons, a season where he would have probably ended up with 90-95? PTs if he didn't miss 11 games, and a clearly off year on a team that didn't play too well to begin with.

Granted I don't watch Heatley on a nightly basis, so I don't know how he does in the "little" aspects of the game, "shows up" every night, or whatever.

But you can't deny that production (at least over the first 3 years) this seasons totals is what sparks my concerns. His numbers took a significant tank. If I knew he could give the Rangers 90-100 PTs a season, bring him in. I just don't think it would happen

[Brill Weave]

Here's my take on the entire thing. And thank you Ivaden for posting the pictures to verify it. Detroit hightailed it to the locker room. Which is fine. I can understand how they were feeling. We felt the same way last year. The difference is that all of the Penguins players waited until Detroit had calmed down and then went to shake their hands. They didn't start an early line. They understood it was Detroit's time and they let the spotlight shine down on them. It was the hardest thing for the team to do, but they did it out of respect for the Redwings and the tradition. Detroit clearly showed they would not do the same. Which, once again, is fine. But don't start bitching because Crosby was celebrating. It would have been nice to see the Redwings return the same courtesy that we gave them last year. It's easy to be magnanimous when you're on the winning side.

Now on to the Redwings fans who are maintaining they booed Bettman and not Crosby or the Stanley Cup. All I can say is the following. Throughout the series the crowds chanted derogatory comments towards Crosby. In game seven the crowd cheered as though they had scored a goal when they saw Crosby get hurt. Throughout the entire playoffs we've had to sit here and listen to all of the conspiracy theories about the Penguins winning. So from my side of the fence it's a bit difficult to say that I think they were booing Bettman, strictly based off of prior experiences.

To put it bluntly, and meaning no disrespect to the Detroit fans here, the Redwings players displayed an alarming lack of dignity after losing. What should be a time where people should be celebrating a fantastic Stanley Cup final has degraded into Redwings players bitching about a sleight that was as much their fault as Crosby's.

All this does is give more people reason to hate Crosby. He's a whiner, a diver, a crybaby. I'm pretty sure he drowned a bag of kittens last weekend and lit a box of puppies on fire too. Hate the kid if you want. But don't think for one second that Detroit is acting honorable. I guess it takes losing to show what kind of class you have. Or the complete lack thereof.



(This isn't really directed at anyone here btw. I think everyone on this board with the exception of psychonaut Sepukku is fairly evenkeeled It's more of a generalized rant.)

[Norelco]

And old fogey that is still the best defenseman in the league and one of the classiest players in the league.

Not arguing that, but apparently his classiness is overpowered by his impatience.

[Sepukku]

(This isn't really directed at anyone here btw. I think everyone on this board with the exception of psychonaut Sepukku is fairly evenkeeled It's more of a generalized rant.)

I do love an intense rambling ^^

[Arnwulf]

So here's the real question, will Detroit be able to re-sign Hossa and stay under the cap? Or will Hossa be looking for a new team? Hossa says that he is looking for a long term deal this time around, not sure Detroit can offer him that for the money that he's worth. I read that Detroit has an offer on the table to him for 4mil/10years, which isn't a bad deal for most players, but I think Hossa is worth more than that.

[Norelco]

So here's the real question, will Detroit be able to re-sign Hossa and stay under the cap? Or will Hossa be looking for a new team? Hossa says that he is looking for a long term deal this time around, not sure Detroit can offer him that for the money that he's worth. I read that Detroit has an offer on the table to him for 4mil/10years, which isn't a bad deal for most players, but I think Hossa is worth more than that.

Yeah, he's probably worth more than 40 mil total, but 10 years is money guaranteed and security.

It's a decision he'll have to weigh...does he want to take a pay cut to play on a team that is a perennial contender or he want to take his chances with another team while making a shit ton of money?

[Brill Weave]

I read that Detroit was offering four million a year. Talk about getting hit hard in the wallet. He gets a one year deal at over seven million. Now after pulling a complete and total vanishing act in the playoffs, watching his former team hoist the cup, he gets slammed with a three million dollar paycut.

[Arnwulf]

Well, I think Detroit's trying to get a steal here to be honest, he didn't vanish in the playoffs, he vanished in the finals. He had quite a few big games in the playoffs leading up to his injury against the Blackhawks. I don't expect him to take the deal with the Wings, I'm sure my Bluejackets would give him 4.5mil/10years hehe.

[Brill Weave]

I agree but I think that any playoff team is going to take that very seriously into consideration when negotiating a contract with him. In his career he's had one good postseason run(last year with the Penguins) and two pretty decent runs(this year with Detroit and back with the Senators in 2002-03.) The rest of the time he's been in the playoffs he's greatly underachieved. I think that any intelligent GM is going to spin that to his advantage and Hossa is most definitely going to take a sizable paycut. Unless New York does what New York does and offer him eight million a year just to get him on the roster. Which, let's be honest, is always possible when it comes to the Rangers.

[Abraxas]

mark my words, im not saying it will be this year or the next 5 years, or the next 12. but at some point in his career, Rick Nash will be a NY Ranger

[Brill Weave]

You could say that about every player in the league Abraxas

[Ishido]

The Wings at the moment can't even afford to pay him 4 mil as far as the salary cap goes, that is why that price has been stated. I'd be extremely surprised to see him go for under 6 to anywhere except Detroit or Pittsburgh (the latter I think has even less room for him, since they have more to re-sign).

Many people disappear in the playoffs, he was still a 40 goal, 70 point scorer in the season, with prior years that have been even better than that. I don't think he will be lowballed because he didn't show up in the boxscore for one series.