2009-10 NHL Thread

[Absolutely Virtue]

Crosby is a Canadian American hero, you shut your mouth.

A part of me has died inside knowing this year's trophy will spend it's lifetime in Cindy's bedroom in Mario's basement, instead of in some filthy Russian whorehouse covered in god know's what. What is the league coming to?

[vagus]

LOL. Epic way to end the season.

Quick won't be quick.

[Ratatapa]

Was just about to post the same thing, lol.

BRING IT ON HABS!

calling Caps in 5

[Richybear]

Stamkos and Crosby each have 51, Ovalchicken got skunked today, so he'll finish 3rd for goals.
Though there's still time in the 3rd / OT in the Pitt/NYI game for Sidney to get his 52nd.

Montreal vs Washington... fuck.
Here's hoping it isn't a sweep at least. >.<

[Callisto]

Kind of a heart-breaker for the last game vs. Detroit, but it was a damn good game. Looks like the Hawks draw Nashville for the opening round. Phoenix/Detroit isn't as interesting as Vancouver/Detroit would have been, but I guess we get to find out pretty damn quick if the Coyotes are for real or not.

Rough draw for Ottowa too, Kovalev out for 4 months and they get Penguins first round.

I'll make a playoff thread Wednesday morning, btw.

[bluefan]

Go Habs! As long as Halak stays on his head, it'll be a good series.

[Callisto]

idk lol, I have to admit that none of the Eastern series really look remotely fair on paper.

edit: part of that may be because the entire bottom half of the Eastern bracket would not have even qualified for the playoffs in the Western.

[Sepukku]

Crosby was on fucking acid today - 5 points in the first 2 periods, I was starting to actually believe he might pull 8 points out of his ass to win the Art Ross with the way the game was going and him triple shifting and every Penguin trying to hook him up. He admitted someone told him on the bench about Stamkos's ENG with about 15 minutes left in the third and during the final 2 minutes he went 1 on 5 with the other team in the offensive end - I'm sure replay will be on Youtube within 24 hours - and if he woulda finished that long ass play deking and shouldering his way through 2 complete circular laps around the net on his backhand (and he came pretty close), it wouldve been the goal of the century.

For the record, Stamkos and AO both had more ENG's than Crosby this season (AO 5, Stamkos 3, Crosby 1).

--------------------------------------------------

Anyways, playoff predictions:
First off, I would like to say I LOVE the playoff matchups:

Washington-Montreal: Would've preferred WSH-Philly, but this should be Washington in 5.

New Jersey - Philly: Brutal series. Philly in 7. Too much momentum from their big win today (although the ludicrousy of a skills contest deciding playoff seeding is a point we can debate), they can play physical and they have fast, talented skill players.

Buffalo - Boston: Buffalo in 6.

Pittsburgh - Ottawa: Pittsburgh in 5. I don't see how if they couldn't beat us two years ago they're supposed to beat us without Heatley now and with Kovalev out.

-------------------------------------------

San Jose - Colorado: The fact that its an overachieving Colorado relying on streaky goaltending leads me to believe that San Jose will ACTUALLY MAKE IT PAST THE FIRST ROUND. Sharks in 4.

Chicago - Nashville: Chicago in 6. Nashville is gonna be pumped for their playoff appearance and they play good D, but Chicago is too much.

Vancouver - Los Angeles: Its such a shame one of these teams has to be eliminated in the first round. From a neutral standpoint, you wish they'd meet later. From the standpoint of the Western teams, I'm sure they're happy one has to eliminate much in the same way USA was pumped Russia and Canada had to eliminate one of themselves. Canucks in 7.

Phoenix - Detroit: Phoenix has to win both their opening home games, otherwise Detroit's experience will win it. Detroit in 6.

BEST DEVELOPMENT OF THE DAY THOUGH:
Alexander Ovechkin goes Art Ross-less and Rocket Richard-less!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! !!!!!!

[Callisto]

If I'm not mistaken, the Predators have made the playoffs for 6 years straight now, just extremely quietly and without doing anything once they were there.

[Callisto]

also when do the awards actually go out? I know that Tippet's pretty much guaranteed the COTY, and rightly so, but I think Toews has a pretty reasonable shot at the Selke and Keith at the Norris obviously.

[Callisto]

and other minor tidbit before I head out: The only person within the top 11 in +/- that isn't from either Washington or Vancouver is Mark Fistric from Dallas, lol.

[Jememy]

Cheers to Henrik Sedin!!! The first ever Canuck to take home the Art Ross Trophy! Greater sign Bure, greater sign all NHL players 09-10 regular season. Amazing and lucky I'm alive to see this happen. May this be the first of many trophies the Canucks win this playoff run.

[Sepukku]

also when do the awards actually go out? I know that Tippet's pretty much guaranteed the COTY, and rightly so, but I think Toews has a pretty reasonable shot at the Selke and Keith at the Norris obviously.

Whispers of Jordan Staal as a darkhorse for the Selke - I know both Pittsburgh voting media will be all over that and one of the two ESPN writers, Scott Burnside or Pierre Lebrun, can't remember which, recently said they intend to vote for him.

[Absolutely Virtue]

BEST DEVELOPMENT OF THE DAY THOUGH:
Alexander Ovechkin goes Art Ross-less and Rocket Richard-less!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! !!!!!!

You do realize OV played in 9 fewer games than your boyfriend, right? .69 g/g to Cindy's .63. OV had more ENG because the Caps won 17 more games than the Pens, lol.

[Sepukku]

Not my fault he can't follow the rules

Also, for what its worth (aka MVP debate) Crosby also lead the league this year in shootouts (tied with 3 others with 8 goals but had the best shooting % with an ASTOUNDING 80%).

[Ishido]

You do realize OV played in 9 fewer games than your boyfriend, right? .69 g/g to Cindy's .63. OV had more ENG because the Caps won 17 more games than the Pens, lol.

There is no logic in hockey.

Awards are presented in early June I believe, after the Cup finals are over. Voting takes place right around now I believe, finalists are announced trophy-by-trophy some time during the playoffs.

Nashville did not make the playoffs last year, the Blues bumped them near the end of the season.

Jordan Stall, Selke

lol

Canucks, postseason trophies

LOL

edit:

Argument for MVP, cite shootout stats

ROFL

[NynJa]

Go Habs! As long as Halak stays on his head, it'll be a good series.

Unless the 5 days off give Halak a chance to get his shit together, it would be a bad move. I was against him starting against Toronto, and look what happened: the first goal was fucking fail, he was beaten on numerous shots that hit posts, he looked completely weak. He had two previous chances to clinch playoffs, against two of the weaker teams in the league, and he failed to deliver in style:
3 goals on 42 shots (though still a respectable .928), and 0/2 in shootout against isles
4 goals on 32 shots (.875) against canes
not to forget the latest:
4 goals on 28 shots (.857) against leafs, with 1 SH goal given and beaten on another but posted

I did a full number crunch at work, going over teams seeded 1-4, I'll do it again:
Goaltender breakdowns are as follows
Name Record GamesPlayed GoalsFor* GoalsAgainst
*Theres a stigma that the habs play better offensively with Halak in nets
Shootout goals do not count, obviously

November 20 Montreal 3 @ Washington 2 (W-Price)
November 28 Montreal 3 Washington 4 (SO) (L-Price)
January 5 Montreal 2 @ Washington 4 (L-Price)
February 10 Montreal 6 Washington 5 (OT) (W-Price)
Price 2-1-1 4 14 14
Halak N/A

December 16 Montreal 1 @ New Jersey 2 (L-Price)
January 9 Montreal 1 New Jersey 2 (OT) (L-Halak)
January 22 Montreal 3 @ New Jersey 1 (W-Halak)
March 27 Montreal 2 New Jersey 4 (L-Halak)
Price 0-1-0 1 1 2
Halak 1-1-1 3 6 7

October 28 Montreal 1 @ Pittsburgh 6 (L-Halak)
November 25 Montreal 1 @ Pittsburgh 3 (L-Price)
December 10 Montreal 2 Pittsbugh 3 (L-Price)
February 6 Montreal 5 Pittsburgh 3 (W-Halak)
Price 0-2-0 2 3 6
Halak 1-1-0 2 6 9

October 3 Montreal 2 @ Buffalo 1 (OT) (W-Price)
December 3 Montreal 2 @ Buffalo 6 (L-Halak)
December 14 Montreal 3 Buffalo 4 (L-Halak)
January 3 Montreal 0 Buffalo 1 (L-Price)
March 24 Montreal 2 @ Buffalo 3 (SO) (L-Price)
April 3 Montreal 3 Buffalo 0 (W-Halak)
Price 1-1-1 3 4 4
Halak 1-2-0 3 8 10

Overall

Name   Record GP GF GA GFG* GAG*
Price  3-5-2  10 22 26 2.2  2.6
Halak  3-4-1  8  20 26 2.5  3.25
*Goals For/Against per Game

Overall stats on the year:

Goaltending  	 W   	 L   	 OTL   	 EGA   	 GA   	 GAA   	 SV%   	 SO
Jaroslav Halak 	26 	13 	5 	3 	105 	2.40 	.920 	5
Carey Price 	13 	20 	5 	1 	109 	2.77 	.910 	0

Price has had his share of "WTF" games, but I'd just like to point out that a couple standouts:
Oct 7 vs Van where he wasnt pulled till the 7th goal.
There were 4 games Carey played where the habs were shut out, compared to Halak's 3.
There were 8 games Carey played where the habs scored only 1 goal, compared to Halak's 5 (one was OT loss)
Looking at these numbers, who IS the better goaltender?

Some games may have shared stats though due to goalie being replaced.


But first:
Empty net goals dont count to your tally unless your name is Crosby.

[Alderaan]

I absolutely love all the Crosby haters on every article/blog i read. Say what you will about him but he steps up in the biggest situations. That's the sign of greatness, not some meaningless regular season accomplishment. I expect the Pens to step it up now and we'll see what happens in the second round.

[Mytiwar]

For the few people watching hockey on the RDS channel in Quebec, is Benoit Brunet as retarded as he sounds or he's just putting up a show?

[Ivaden]

Absolutely love the Philly vs. Jersey match up. Philly has been able to do to the Devils what the Penguins were unable to do all season. Gonna feel weird rooting for the orange, but I'd rather see the Flyers be goons in the playoffs than a trap game snorefest beyond round 1.