2009-10 NHL Thread

[Oxyminus]

Caps don't need Ovechkin to be a leader? Then why is there an A on his sweater? As he goes, so goes the Caps.

[Thoronas]

Can someone sum up the nylander vs caps management issue? Is he pulling a yashin?

[Bregor]

Cliff notes: He's a huge salary cap hit, and he's either underperformed or been hurt his entire time in DC. They signed him before Boudreau took over and he never really fit his system I guess. They wanted to move him but he hasn't waived his no-trade clause. Best case scenario was selling off his contract to a European club but that never panned out either. So he's been a healthy scratch every game so far and now he's on a "conditioning assignment" with Detroit's AHL affiliate.

[Ishido]

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

Don't buddy pass.

[Thoronas]

theyoutubes

Don't buddy pass.

Nice, beat me to it. Such a monstrous hit, turned the tide of the game. Canucks really turned it on after that and chicago got crazy undisciplined. Hope Toews isn't injured.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Wow that guy got his entire world rocked!

[Brill Weave]

Let me clarify a little bit about my prior Ovechkin comment. Ovie leads by his play on the ice. I do not believe that he leads in the locker room or on the bench just yet. I have no doubt that he will in the future be the Capitals captain. But right now they don't need him to step into that role just yet. They slapped the A on him as almost an afterthought. I don't think the Caps want to burden him with all the crap that goes along with being a captain. Not yet. For now they are content with letting him be a kid who has a blast playing the game. The Caps have a ton of older, experienced players(Nylander for example) who are able to fill the role while he grows into it. I'm not a big fan of teams slapping the big C on a young kid's sweater. I didn't like it when they did it to Crosby. I didn't like it when they did it to Toews. Let these kids grow up and mature while older veteran players fill that role.

[Abraxas]

yes, OV should not be wearing an "A"

and holy shit at Toews getting rocked. almost as devastating as Campbell/Umberger

[Sepukku]

You know what the highlight of that video was for me?

Bob Errey doing analyst work for NHL Network's On The Fly.

[Absolutely Virtue]

A bit more on the Nylander thing- almost everyone expected him to just fuck off over the summer. McPhee (Caps GM) sounded like he was surprised he even showed up in camp this year. It has been awkward all season, to say the least. But it's also been going on for so long, I don't think it even phases the club anymore.

[Brill Weave]

How is it we're still talking about Michael Nylander lol. I am sorry I mentioned his name

[Arnwulf]

Michael Nylander....kinda sounds like Ned Nederlander. That's what the Caps need, Little Neddy goes to Washington!

[Absolutely Virtue]

How is it we're still talking about Michael Nylander lol. I am sorry I mentioned his name

Believe me, we are too!

[Byrd]

I know shit about hockey, but I'm playing ESPN's Streak for the Cash and have a nice streak going. The Sharks @ Lightning game (straight up) is an option tonight, and it seems too easy a pick. Am I missing something, or should the Sharks be an overwhelming favorite, like it appears? I'm looking for some information from someone who knows more about hockey than I do. Which is probably everyone in this thread.

[Absolutely Virtue]

Straight up should be a no-brainer for the Sharks, but they've been a little inconsistent lately. They were shutout by PHO last Monday, then lost to the Caps. Then they beat the Islanders (everyone beats the Islanders) then crushed the Rangers. So it's a good pick, but not a total lock, if that helps.

They're also on game 4 of a 6 game East Coast road trip.

They're probably the second best pick tonight. Ottawa at home over Nashville (lost 6 straight) looks pretty solid, too.

[Brill Weave]

San Jose over Tampa is pretty close to a no brainer. What are your other options?

[Byrd]

San Jose over Tampa is pretty close to a no brainer. What are your other options?

There's a variety of them, including not picking anything at all, which I do all the time, particularly as my streak gets longer. Other options for tonight: Red Wings @ Coyotes, Capitals @ Thrashers, an over/under of 1.5 total goals scored in the third period of the Stars-Kings game. There's also the Yankees @ Angels, Florida State @ NC, and some MLS soccer matchup. They try not to give easy options, the goal is to build the longest streak you possibly can in picking relatively competetive matchups.

[Oxyminus]

Nylander played well for the Rangers =p

[Sepukku]

Penguins got shutout by the Coyotes too... its nothing to be ashamed of, they're playing suprisingly well this year.

[Absolutely Virtue]

Don't listen to Sep, his MNK is only level 53.