Finally,

The NHL regular season begins tomorrow night with some really sweet games.

Boston v Washington - I can't wait to see Tim Thomas give up a goal and flip out.
Montreal v Toronto - I imagine that the Canadiens will have about 10 power plays to the Leafs 2
San Jose v Colorado - I probably would turn this off right after the Sakic ceremony, but now I want to see if Heatley will get a hat trick with Thornton having all of the primary assists. Does anyone know who is wearing the C, for both of these teams?
Vancouver v Calgary - I'll be staying up to watch this one.

Friday's schedule is a little strange. All the teams that are opening the season in Europe are playing. That means the start times on the east coast are noon and 3pm. Why? Why aren't they playing on Saturday and Sunday. Why does the NHL have no games scheduled for Sunday?

Here are more questions I have about the upcoming season (and my guesses):

Will Marion Gaborik play more than 51 games? No

Who will be the first coach to get fired? Randy Carlyle

What D-man will have a huge regular season and then falter in the play-offs? Bouwmeester, I'm not saying the Green will be good in the play-offs, I just don't think he will have a huge regular season.

What team will get the 1st overall pick? Islanders, but not because they were the worst team, they'll just win the lottery. The Avalanche will be the worst team in the League this year.

Who will hit 50 goals first? Heatley first, then Nash, then Ovechkin, but somehow Ovechkin will still win the Rockey Richard Trophy.


Nemmy (I think), has finally finished his team preview series. I won't go into any detail, but below are my play-off teams for each conference(in no particular order), what I think the conference finals will be, and then the stanley cup finals.

East:
Penguins
Capitals
Bruins
Hurricanes
Flyers
Devils
Rangers
Canadiens

West:
Canucks
Flames
Stars
Sharks
BJs
Red Wings
Hawks
Kings


Conference Finals:
Penguins v Devils
Flames v Canucks

Stanley Cup Finals
Penguins over Flames in 7

Crib Notes - Calgary Flames

Calgary Flames
Finished 2nd in the Northwest. Lost to Chicago in 6 games in first round of the playoffs.
Traded Jordan Leopold and change for Jay Bouwmeester
Acquired former Ranger forwards Nigel Dawes and Freddy Sjostrom
Lost Mike Cammalleri and Tito Bertuzzi to free agency
Let Adrian Aucoin fly to Phoenix

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Remember when Mikka Kiprusoff was a monster?
Can Kiprusoff get back on track and dominate?
Will the addition of Jay Bouw on D make up for losing Mike Cammalleri's goal scoring?
How successful will Brent Sutter be in his first season?
Which Canadien athlete will Elisha Cuthbert shack up with next?

Players who need to step up now that Mike Cammalleri is a Canadien:
Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla

Watch this guy have a resurgence out of nowhere just because:
Craig Conroy. Who knows.

If you had to buy one Calgary sweater:
I have a red Dougie Gilmour in my closet somewhere. It's as bright as the new throwback 3rds the team will be wearing this season.

Sneaky fantasy LW:
Rene Bourque when healthy was great value

Old guys:
Craig Conroy is 38

Young guys:
John Armstrong is the youngest guy on the roster at 21

Tough guys:
Phaneuf already KO'd Kyle Okposo. (KOed Kyle Okposo, ladies and gentleman. I'm so talented.)
Brian McGrattan is the heavyweight and Brandon Prust is going for the middleweight title.

Favorite old Flamer:
(Tie) Joel Otto and Charles Nelson Reilly

Nostalgia:
Theo Fluery was invited to training camp. He was recently released from the team.

A rare miss:



Goaltending coach:
Jamie McLennan is an assistant so I assume he's coaching the tenders.

Best thing about watching Flames games on tv:
The Saddledome has (in my opinion) the best camera angles on tv and the best collection of talent in the stands. There's always really hot chicks in cowboy hats and red sweaters.

Interesting?:
I see that they have an application to be a part of the Big Country Ice Crew on the team website. I think that's new because the ice girls were called the Fire and Ice chicks or something like that.

NHL 94 players:
Theoren Fleury, Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk up front.
Gary Suter and Al MacInnis on D with Mike Vernon in net.
Gary Suter was ranked higher than Al MacInnis thart season.

Prediction?:
I don't know if there's enough secondary scoring for this team to really make noise. There's a big drop off after the second line.

YouTube:
You've seen this before and don't even try to watch this again because the song will get stuck in your head for week.


- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks
Finished 1st in the Northwest. Lost to Chicago in 6 games in the semis.
Signed former Red Wing Mikael Samuelsson via free agency
Signed Dman Brad Lukowish, Matthieu Schneider and Christian Ehrhoff
For some reason signed backup goalie Andrew Raycroft
Lost D Mattias Ohlund to Tampa via free agency
Let goalies Curtis Sanford and Jason LaBarbera go unsigned
Resigned both Sedins and Roberto Luongo
Did not resign Mats Sundin

Questions going into 2009-2010:
If Henrik blocks a shot to the ankle does Daniel fall over in pain just like Tomax and Xamot in G.I. Joe?
Have any of the Sedins ever blocked a shot?
How will Pavol Demitra bounce back after shoulder surgery?
Will the loss of Mattias Ohlund further expose a defense that got run out of Chicago last postseason?
If Luongo plays as well as he has in the past does anything else matter and won't the Canuck repeat as winner of the Northwest?

Poised for big season:
Whichever forward gets to play with the Sedun bros. If Alex Burrows sticks then he will top the 50 points he had last season.

If you had to buy one Vancouver sweater:
I saw a guy rocking a black Bure at a concert a few years back. It was 150 degrees in the club that night. I reacted like I had just seen a unicorn.

Sometimes Y:
Stan Smyl, Dana Murzyn, Jyrki Lumme and Dave Babych.

Old guys:
Sami Salo is 35
Pretty much all these guys are sub-30 except Salo, Mitchell, Ryan Johnson and Brad Lukowich.

Young guys:
2008 first rounder Cody Hogson is 19.

Tough guys:
Darcy Hordichuk fights everyone. Collectively the Canucks (ex Demitra & the Sedins) are badass.

Favorite old school Canuck:
For me there were so many iconic (I'm not sure if iconic is the right word) Canucks throughout the years I would have a hard time picking one. I'm sure the consensus choice is Trevor Linden who was a God in Vancouver and really an NHL beast but I may go with Sergio Momesso. It's a tough one here.

Nostalgia:
Some of those battles and playoff series with Calgary. Growing up in the NE it was a treat to get to watch a Vancouver/Calgary game or series and see Gino Odjick battle Ronnie Stern or Tim Hunter. It was like I knew that Boston and Buffalo don't like each other but the times Vancouver played Calgary it was truly nasty. Watching how vicious those games were made me love hockey.

Jersey that I'm buying Tony Shalhoub for Christmas:



Goaltending coach:
Ian Clark

Chicks?:
Vancouver has an "Ice Team" that shovels the crease. For some reason they have guys on this team and the girls don't wear bikinis. What a waste.

Interesting?:
The Tony Tanti story. 2:45 mark



NHL 94 players:
Pavel Bure, Cliff Ronning, and Geoff Courtnall up front.
Jyrki Lumme, Doug Lidster on D with Kirk McLean in net.

How much did Doug Lidster look like Jerry Seinfeld?




Prediction?:
Playoffs for sure. With another defenseman on board this team could make a strong run at Detroit.

YouTube:
No butterfly bullshit here.


- Nemmy

One week to go: A short wrap up

Real, meaningful, hockey games start in less than a week. I've been barely keeping up with whatever pre-season games are shown on TV.

Did anyone catch the Leafs/Sabres game the other night on the NHL Network. It was in Buffalo at HSBC Arena, but I couldn't figure that out for a bit, because the boards had no ads. They were stark white. Also, Miller and a Sabres skater were wearing helmet cams. Of course, I didn't see one replay from those vantage points.

I watched John Tavares' debut on Long Island, versus the Devils. He didn't unimpress me. He actually made nicer plays on the defensive end, instead of showing off his offensive hops. Maybe he's saving that for the regular season.

Last night after the U2 concert, I caught the replay of the Capitals/Rangers game. Brashear and Sugden had 2 fights, but round 2 was solid.



Also, Brandon Dubinsky made a great play to set up the eventual game winner. Smart move by both sides to end that stand-off.


Gretzky stepped down and Dave Tippet got the job. Great trade off for the Coyotes. Gretzky was a great name and a not-so-great coach. Tippet is a proven winner. He's just go to teach the kids and get an everyone is against us attitude in the locker room.

Crib Notes - Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators
Finished 5th in the Central. Did not make the playoffs
Almost didn't sign any free agents despite trying to grab Phil Kessel from Boston.
Resigned forwards Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward.
Bar the doors - Forwards Scott Nichol, Ville Koistinen, Radek Bonk and Ds Greg DeVries and Greg Zanon jumped ship.

Questions going into 2009-2010:
How do you go through an entire offseason with addressing any of your team's needs through free agency?

Poised for another comeback season:
If Steve Sullivan can play at least 80 games he will be dangerous. It would be in Nashville's best interest if David Legwand steps way up as well.

One of the biggest mistakes in recent jersey memory:
This logo and color and flashy stripes makes me want to vomit in my diarrhea. I'd buy a unitard made of Serena Williams tampons before buying this thing.



Fantasy pickup that I was completely wrong about.:
I owe Scotty an apology. I goofed on him after he picked up Pekka Rinne last season after a strong start the night before and said that he'd drop him in 2 days. Rinne is beast. I was wrong. Sorry, Scotty.

Old guys:
Steve Sullivan is 35
Jason Arnott is 34

Young guys:
2008 draft pick Colin Wilson is 19 and has a good shot of making the club

Tough guys:
Wade Belak is one of the coolest guys on the planet. After watching this guy play hockey and do interviews I wouldn't be surprised if the amount of children named "Wade" jumped by 1000% in Tennessee.

Favorite old school Predator:
The Barbary Lion



Nostalgia:
In the 2003 draft the Predators picked Ryan Suter (awesome) in the first then went miss, Kevin Klein (ok) and hit a homer with Shea Weber. Nice first 4 rounds.

Jersey that I'm buying Bressler for Hanukkah:
In all seriousness this uni is sick. I'm not freaking out about the cartoon cat because it reminds me of my Thundercats toys but the color and original Vans striping make me want to be a Predator fan.



Notice it doesn't say "Preds" down the front. So strong.

Goaltending coach:
Per the company website: Mitch Korn is in his 12th season as the goaltending coach for the Nashville Predators. The Preds have been around for 12 seasons?

Chicks:
There's nothing like a few chubby girls shovelling ice

Interesting?:
Even though the front office thought this team was good to go in the offseason that doesn't mean the Predators Dancers didn't retool. The girl in the ugly Predators yellow = 1,000

NHL 94 players:
I guess Jason Arnott didn't make the roster cut for the Oilers this season. Arnott lit it up for the Oilers his rookie year.

Prediction as delivered by your new prime-time comedy host, Jay Leno:
Jay Leno: Ladies and gentle the Predators are starting the season on October 3rd. Too bad most of the league will be preying on them.

Kevin Eubanks: Haw haw haw. Predators become pray. Allllright.

YouTube:
Love this video about instant karma at the hockey rink.



- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets
Finished 4th in the Central. Swept by the Wings in round 1.
Signed F Sam Pahlsson
Signed backup G Mathieu Garon
Let F Jason Williams, G Dubi, D O-K Tollesfsen, F Manny Malhotra and backup goalie Freddy Norrena walk out the door.
Resigned F Derek Dorsett, Alex Picard and Derick Brassard.
Let Sergei Fedorov walk.
Gave Rick Nash an extension.

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Is this going to be Nash's 50 goal year?
Does Steve Mason struggle in his sophomore season?
Does it concern anyone that Mason was shaky in last year's postseason?
Wouldn't the Wings make any goaltender look terrible?
Does Nash have enough help?
Does Nikita Filatov make the leap this season?
Does Derick Brassard pick up where he left off after shoulder surgery?
Freddie Modin, Antoine Vermette, Kris Huselius, Jason Chimera and RJ Umberger - sneaky, right?
The entire defense is a question mark

Question for NYU 2002-03 hockey players:
Does Jason Chimera look like Matt Archer?

Poised for a huge season:
Bressler thinks that Nash goes heavy bike this season. I too would like to see him go gonzo after getting a new contract.

If you had to buy one BJ sweater:
I'd throw Nash on the back for the hell of it. But really I'm disappointed that a team with the colors red, white and blue couldn't come up with anything better as far as logo and style. At least the team got rid of that neon bug. Cartoony shit doesn't work well on hockey jerseys.

Most annoying/aggravating new wrinkle about the NHL today:
How Russian players threaten to run to the KHL if they are unhappy with playing time etc.

Old guys:
Only 3 guys on the roster are over 30

Young guys:
Nikita Filatov is 19

Tough guys:
Middleweight Derek Dorsett fought 12 times last season,
Light heavyweight Jared Boll fought 2x as much.

Favorite old school BJ:
David Vyborny was the answer to pretty much every Blue Jacket trivia question before he was put out to stud in some Euro league.

Nostalgia:
First ever draft pick Rostislav Klesla (#4 overall in 2000) is still plugging away with the team.

Jersey that I'm buying Bressler for Hanukkah:
How insensitive is it that the NHL won't let me put "Hung" on the back of a Blue Jackets sweater? What about all the Korean fans?

Goaltending coach:
Dave Rook

Um, Alicia, Ursula, Megan, Jackie and Casey, I'd like to see you in my office please:
Everyone else better luck next year.

Interesting?:
Per Wikipedia: The name "Blue Jackets" was chosen to celebrate "patriotism, pride, and the rich Civil War history in the state of Ohio and city of Columbus." When President Abraham Lincoln requested that Ohio raise ten regiments at the outbreak of the Civil War, the state responded by raising a total of 23 volunteer infantry regiments for three months of service.

NHL 94 players:
I don't think anyone on the current BJ roster was on an NHL roster in 1993-94.

Prediction?
Same thing as last year. Mason holds down the fort, team sneaks into the playoffs and gets blown out by Detroit.

YouTube:
This hit got Oshie a spot on Burke's Olympic roster. BTW Worst in-game announcers on the planet.



- Nemmy

Crib Notes - St. Louis Blues

St. Louis Blues
Finished 3rd in the Central. Swept by the Canucks in the 1st round of the playoffs.
Invited veteran D Darryl Sydor to training camp
Signed backup goalie Ty Conklin
Resigned Keith Tkachuk for another season.
Lost G Manny Legace, and shot-blocking D Jay McKee
Everyone else got healthy

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Will full seasons from Andy McDonald, Paul Kariya, Erik Johnson and Eric Brewer make this team a serious contender in the West?
Can Chris Mason keep up the pace from last season?
Are Backes, Berglund and Oshie the most exciting young trio in the league?
Will Erik Johnson rebound and start living up to his potential/hype?
Does anyone object to me leaving out DJ King's name from the first question?

Poised for a huge season:
For some reason I think Paul Kariya will have a huge year if healthy.

If you had to buy one Blues sweater:
It would give folks a quick cheap laugh to show up to the rink in a size 10XL Tkachuk.
Better yet check out the hat that Erik Johnson is rocking this season. He has no idea but if he showed up to the McCarren Pool in Brooklyn wearing this and some facial hair and he will have bedded 4 hipster chicks by the time Mission of Burma finishes its set.

Player whose has proved to me that I know nothing about judging NHL talent:
Brad Boyes keeps scoring goals.

Reason why Brad Winchester is the mayor:
We met an ex girlfriend of his at last year's Winter Classic. Artem has some film of her answering dopey hockey questions somewhere and I sneaky think that Artem loops that footage and plays with himself.

Old guys:
Tkachuk is 37
Derek Armstrong in 36
Paul Kariya is 34

Young guys:
2008 top pick Alex Pietrangelo is 19
Patrik Berglund, David Perron and Erik Johnson are 21

Tough guys:
DJ King is the heavyweight but Cam Janssen is the more physical presence.

Favorite old school Blue:
Brett Hull is Bressler's favorite player and an obvious choice as Hull is a top 10 human being but I'm going to say it's a tie between Kelly Chase and Rick Zombo.

Nostalgia:
The 3rd jersey unveiled last season is tits. I don't remember this uniform.

Jersey that I'm buying Bressler for Hanukkah:
For the no. 1 Savage Garden fan in the world.



Goaltending coach:
Ed Belfour

Best looking St. Louis Blues Ice Girl:
-1000

Interesting?:
Tony Twist used to sit on the floor of his apartment banging his knuckles against the floor. His hands would swell and his knuckles would get harder each time they healed.

NHL 94 players:
Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Craig Janney up front - WOW
Jeff Brown and Garth Butcher on D with Cujo in net.

Prediction?
If this team stays healthy this is a beast. Put this roster in another division and it's a different story.

YouTube:
Take a few steps back and think about the fact that Craig MacT was playing without a helmet until he retired. You get fined in the NFL if you don't have your pants below the kneecap and this guy was helmet less. Unreal.



- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks
Finished 2nd in the Central. Lost in the conf. finals to Detroit in 5 games.
Signed Marian Hossa to a 12 year deal
Signed defensive center John Madden via free agency
Resigned young forward Dave Bolland and was forced into signing Kris Versteeg
Let G Nikolai Khabibulin walk to Edmonton

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Why do people still think that the team that lands Marian Hossa is automatically the team to beat?
How will Hossa's shoulder injury affect his play? (At least he has 11 more years to heal)
Is anyone worried about salary cap restrictions when the Toews contract comes due?
Are Blackhawk fans kicking themselves for the money shelled out to Brian Campbell?
Is Cristobal Huet the answer here?
Will the team miss Adam Burish?
All jokes aside: How ridiculous was the Pat Kane/cabbie incident?

Poised for a breakout season:
I'm not sure if this guy even makes the squad but hopefully Danny Bois pronounces his name Danny Boy and lights up the league.

If you had to buy one Hawks sweater:
The Blackhawks jersey is one of the sickest in all of sports. You can't go wrong with any name on the back unless you wear a 46. Byfuglien won't fit on a 46.
If someone bought you a captain Dirk Graham would you not wear it everyday?

Player whose game you like but you could do without all the other stuff:
Adam Burish plays a nice salty game but his trash talk in last year's playoffs was a little much.

Reason why the Blackhawks are a class organization:
They resisted the dopey calls to make third jerseys with "Hawks" on the front like the Senators and Lightning have done. They know better to mess with an iconic patch.

Old guys:
John Madden is 36

Young guys:
Kane is 20
Toews is 21

Tough guys:
Ben Eager and Adam Burish fight but not very well.

Favorite old school Blackhawk:
Jeremy Roenick. Pencils down. We would have also accepted Chris Chelios but not without a fight.

Nostalgia:
Seeing guys get tossed from the old Chicago stadium and have to take the stairs off the ice.

Jersey that I'm buying Bressler for Hannukah:
Because he thought "Missundaztood" was one of the best albums of the decade along.



One time Bress actually told me that Aerosmith's "Honkin' on Bobo" was one of the best albums of all time. He was dead serious.

Goaltending coach:
Stephane Waite

Memories:
The 2006-07 Ice Girls Crew. If you have been following the Chicago Ice Girls Crew you know that 06-07 was a banner year for the organization.



Interesting?:
Jonathan Toews's wikipedia page notes that he is "fluently bilingual in both of Canada's official languages."
Why not just say that he also speaks French?

NHL 94 players:
Jeremy Roenick, Steve Larmer, Christian Ruutu up front.
Chris Chelios and Steve Smith on D with Ed Belfour in net.
Really strong team here. Christian Ruutu blew my mind.

Prediction?:
This team is young and exciting and it's great for hockey having strong teams in Chicago and Boston again but I think people are over rating how successful the Hawks will be this season.

YouTube:
One of my all-time favorite youtubes that doesn't involve a 17 year old girl dancing to her web cam.



- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings
Finished 1st in the Central. Lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to Pitt in 7 games.
Signed F Jason Williams
Picked up Patrick Eaves from the scrap heap
Signed lazy/injured F Todd Bertuzzi
Marian Hossa took his act to rival Chicago
Steady F Mikael Samuelsson signed with Vancouver.
Lost Backup G Ty Conklin

Questions going into 2009-2010:
I think the biggest question going into this season is about goaltending. The rest of the team is pretty stacked even without Hossa.
Can Todd Bertuzzi keep up with this lineup?
Can this team top 51 wins?
Was Hossa the jinx keeping Detroit from repeating last year?
Which unheralded Euro will be the next great Red Wing?
Again, Chris Osgood?

Poised for a breakout season:
Mattias Ritola. I randomly picked a young Swede from this lineup because I'm pretty sure with some playing time any one of them will have a strong year.

If you had to buy one Red Wing sweater:
Talk about a timeless, classic logo and jersey. I used to own an Yzerman when I was younger. I think I ruined it when our basement flooded. I'd go with a Draper jersey now but would really like to have my Yzerman back. it had a fight strap and everything.

Player whose game you like and you can't figure out why he isn't considered a superstar:
Okay, maybe not a superstar per se but Rafalski is quietly one of the best defensemen in the league. The trouble is that he's not the best defensemen on his team.

Player who reminds me of Brian Rafalski:
Larry Murphy

Member of the Red Wings tv broadcast team whose fat neck refuses to fit in the confines of a collared dress shirt:
Larry Murphy

Old guys:
Lidstrom is 39
Draper is 38
Osgood, Maltby and Holmstrom are 36
Rafalski is 35
This team is like the older squad in your mens league that doesn't waste energy, moves the puck really well and beats your ass despite having 2 guys on the bench.

Young guys:
Helm and Abdelkader are 22

Tough guys:
This team proves to people who are anti fighting that you can be successful without having a cop in the lineup.

Favorite old school Red Wing:
(tie) Bob Probert and Joey Kocur.
How cool is it that Paul Ysebaert and Steve Yzerman were in the same lineup?

Custom jersey that I may buy Bressler for Hannukah:



Goaltending coach:
Jim Bedard with his 17-40-13 NHL record with a 3.94 GAA. Sick.

Nostalgia:
47 year old Chris Chelios refuses to age and is looking to jump on with the Predators.

Interesting?:
Is the line of Franzen /Datsyuk/Holmstrom one of the scariest in the league?

NHL 94 players:
Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov and Dino Ciccarelli up front. DIRTY
Paul Coffey and Steve Chiasson (over Nik Lidstrom!) on D with Tim Cheveldae in net.
Tim Cheveldae - what a name.

Prediction?
Osgood proves me wrong again and has a solid season in net. The Wings lift another Cup.

YouTube:
This is one of the coolest highlights in the history of sport. What a pure slapshot. Goosebumps 1,000. Listen to the Gary Thorne call, "Yzerman moving. Blueline. Chance. SCORE!". So simple and powerful.


- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa bay Lightning
Finished last in the Southeast. Did not make the playoffs
Signed crafty F Alex Tanguay via free agency after it appeared every other team in the league passed on this guy.
Signed D Kurtis Foster and F Stephane Veilleux, both formerly of the Wild
Signed tough guy Todd Fedoruk
Made a sneaky splash signing D Mattias Ohlund.
Signed backup G Antero Nittymaki
Bought out Vinny Prospal who was signed by the Rangers
Radim Vrbata was traded back to Pheonix for David Hale.

Questions going into 2009-2010:
What is going on with the ownership?
Will we hear Vinny Lecavalier's name on the trading block again?
Will the team regret not moving Vinny to Montreal last season?
How is Mike Smith's concussion issues? (So far he's played well in 2 preseason games)
How much of an impact will Alex Tanguay have?

Poised for a breakout season:
Steve Stamkos had a strong 2nd half last season. I bet he blows up this year.

If you had to buy one Lightning sweater:
1) Do not buy a some ridiculous "Bolts" jersey
2) Try to spell Lecavalier correctly

Customized jersey I will buy Bressler for Hannukah:
Because NHL.com wouldn't let me put "Anal Beads" on the back.


Player whose game you like but are not sure why:
I am a Brandon Bochenski fan. For some reason I think he could be a legit player.

Rumor that I read on some website:
That Martin St. Louis was hung like a donkey. I can't find the source and I can't search for "Martin St. Louis cock" at work.

Old guys:
Marty St. Louis is 34
Jeff Halpern is 33

Young guys:
Last year's #2 pick Victor Hedman is 18
2008's #1 pick Steven Stamkos is 19

Tough guys:
Todd Fedoruk found a home in Tampa. Steve Downie is a thug and Ryan Malone is a salty irish guy.

Favorite old school Lightning:
Rob Zamuner

Favorite Lightning ice Girl:
Crystal is a 1st grade teacher. Imagine going to meet your kid's teacher and seeing this chick.

Goaltending coach:
Former Clarkson coach Cap Raeder

Nostalgia:
Look at the garbage Tampa bay drafted in 1992.
Roman Hamrlik, Drew Bannister, Brent Gretzky, Aaron Gavey, Brantt Myhres, Martin Tanguay, Derek Wilkinson, Dennis Maxwell, Andrew Kemper, Marc Tardif and Tom MacDonald.
Way to hit the ground running.

Interesting?:
Co-owners Len Barrie and Oren Koules can't get along and are both trying to buy each other out. Ridiculous situation in Tampa Bay.

NHL 94 players:
Brian Bradley, Chris Kontos and Mikael Andersson up front.
Bob Beers and Roman Hamrlik on D with Webdell Young in net.
Easily the worst roster in the league.

Prediction?
Another ugly season.

YouTube:
Scotty describes St. Louis's skating as "water bugging". It's perfect.


- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Atlanta Thrashers

Atlanta Thrashers
Finished 4th in the Southeast. Did not make the playoffs
Added Pavel Kubina and Nik Antropov
Word is that Kik Zherdev is in talks with the team.
Many Legace is getting a shot at camp as well.

Questions going into 2009-2010:
The main question I have about the Thrashers is how far can Kovy take this team?
What happens to Kovalchuk's contract after this season?
Does he get traded? Resigned?
Who is the #1 goalie: Hedberg or Lehtonen? Does Manny Legace bounce back with the Thrashers?
How come Angelo Esposito - Pitt's 1st round pick in 2007 who came over with the Hossa trade - can't make this lineup?
Will Maxim Afinogenov make the team? Is there any upside here? Is it all upside now?

Poised for a breakout season:
I'm not sure the term breakout applies but Pavel Kubina will make this defense 400x better.

If you had to buy one Thrasher sweater:
I like the blue jerseys except for the fact that they are not symmetrical. The right sleeve craziness doesn't work for me. The colors are a little odd at first but it works with dark blue breezers and helmets. The dark red 3rd unis are garbage.



Player whose game you like:
I think Zach Bogosian is a defensive beast. In a few years when he fills into his frame and has a shitload of confidence he will be running things.

Ilya Kovalchuk:
When I lay in bed and dream about playing hockey I like to imagine that I have his snapshot.

Old guys:
Slava Kozlov is 37
Johan Hedberg is 36
Todd White is 34
This team is sneaky ripe

Young guys:
Zach Bogosian is 19
Last year's #4 overall draft pick Evander Kane is 18 and has a good shot of making the team

Tough guys:
Eric Boulton handles most of the heavy lifting.
Chris Thorburn scrapped last season.
Former Coyotes tough guy Josh Gratton could make the team.
Didn't Kovy complain in the past that this team gets pushed around too much?

Favorite old school Thrasher:
Is there one? My favorite Atlanta Flame is Bill Clement.

Goaltending coach:
Steve Weeks



Nostalgia:
The Thrashers first ever draft pick was Pat Stefan who blew that famous empty netter.

Interesting?:
According to Wikipedia: The Atlanta Flames name originated from the burning of Atlanta led by U.S. Army general William Sherman during the American Civil War.
Why would you name a team after something like that? Could you imagine the San Fran Quakes? The New York 9/11s?

NHL 94 players:
Since the Thrashers came into our lives post 1994 here's a question: Would you have sex with Kate Gosselin?

Prediction?
Kovy gets resigned after mgmt. promises to get a new netmindef next season.

YouTube:


- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers
Finished 3rd in the Southeast. Did not make the playoffs
Let Nick Boyton and Karlis Skrastins go unsigned.
Signed D Ville Koistinen as a free agent.
Richard Zednik signed with a KHL team.

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Looking back, was it a good idea to trade Jay Bouwmeester and not resign him?
Does this team have enough depth for a playoff run?
Can Jordan Leopold do enough to make the team forget about Bouwmeester?
Can Booth, Weiss, Frolik and Greg Campbell top last season's results?
Why did the creators of Seinfeld make Larry David's character an Italian?
Did you know that the Panther is an endangered species in the state of Florida?

Poised for a breakout season:
The Panthers had a couple of players last season that raised some eyebrows.
David Booth had over 30 goals. Stephen Weiss had over 60 points. Michael Frolik was great out of nowhere.
If Vokoun stays healthy this whole team has a breakout season.

If you had to buy one Panther sweater:
I am a fan of the dark blue jerseys. If I was an 8 year old in Sunrise I'd ask for a David Booth (with the new "A") for Christmas. If I came across a Scott Mellanby for cheap on eBay I would be pumped.

Player whose game you like:
Nate Horton is a 30 goal scorer who hits, fights and plays in traffic. There's alot to like here.

Player whose game has abandoned them:
Bryan McCabe. He's still got the hammer from the point and is a bear on the power play but that's really it now. Remember how much of a beast he was the first few years in Toronto?

Old guys:
Cory Stillman is 35
Bryan McCabe is 34
Steve Reinprecht and Tomas Vokoun are 33

Young guys:
Michael Frolik is 21
David Booth is only 24

Tough guys:
Ballard and McCabe still bruise shit up.
Nathan Horton is a wrecking ball.

Favorite old school Panther:
Paul Laus was our generation's Lyle Odelein. I don't know what that means.



Goaltending coach:
Former Bruin Rob Tallas

Nostalgia:
Florida fans chucking rats on the ice after Scott Mellanby killed one in the locker room. I used to think it was dopey but now I sneaky like the idea of it.




Interesting?:
You can buy a Panther Ice Dancer swimsuit calendar! Seriously, check out Judy.

NHL 94 players:
Brian Skrudland, Andrei Lomakin and Scott Mellanby up front.
Gord Murphy and Joe Cirella on D with John Vanbiesbrouck in net.
I don't think I have ever heard of Andrei Lomakin - honestly.

Prediction?
The Panthers make the playoffs. And this chick has sex with a dolphin.

YouTube:
Lefty goalies freak me out so it's nice to see a guy go back hand over the glove side on a shoothout attempt.



- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina Hurricanes
Finished 2nd in the Southeast. Beat NJ and BOS in 7 games a piece. Swept by PIT in the conference finals.
Signed F Tom Kostopoulos and D Andrew Alberts via free agency
Signed veteran C Stephane Yelle vie free agency
Traded Pat Eaves for steady D and all-around great person Aaron Ward
Resigned Chad LaRose and Erik Cole
Bought out Frank Kaberle, let Anton Babchuk and Dennis Sidenberg go unsigned

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Isn't this the same team from last season?
If Cam Ward is healthy should we pencil them into the conference finals again?
What happens is Cam Ward goes down? (You can say the same for every team losing a starting G but there is almost nothing behind Ward in the lineup)
Will Eric Staal get to 50 this season?
Does anyone care that Versus won't show a Hurricanes game on tv this season?
Will any fantasy owners get fooled into giving Serg Samsonov a roster spot after his 32 helpers last season?

Poised for a breakout season:
Matt Cullen was solid last season. I'm not sure he has a "breakout" season this year but he'll make a case for himself.

If you had to buy one Canes sweater:
A Brind'Amour jersey would be the way to go but I can't advocate anyone going out to buy a Hurricane sweater. This might be the worst jersey in the league.

Player whose game you like:
You have to respect Cam Ward's game. Big time goalie, great playoff beard and he gives you a chance to win games every time he's out.

Player whose game you despise:
Scott Walker. He can suck my ass.

Best thing about last night:
Tie: Larry Tynes and his GW field goal and Blake Lively's breasts

Old guys:
Rod the Bod is 39
Ray Whitney is 37
Aaron Ward is 36

Young guys:
Eric Staal is 24. Hasn't he been in the league for 10 years?

Tough guys:
Tim Gleason isn't the greatest fighter but is willing.
Scott Walker punches people in the face but isn't necessarily a fighter.

Favorite old school Hurricane:
Let's go all the way back to Whaler legend Kevin Dineen.
Cue the music!

Good idea for a goalie pads design from a member of the Hurricane Storm Squad:

Ashley - I think I would design a lovely plexiglass box that had holes for my arms and legs to poke out of, kind of like Sponge Bob Square Pants. I would also have a snorkel-like contraption so I could breathe. This design would keep me safe from the pucks, and I think the fans would enjoy the new look. The only flaw in my design would be if I fall over, someone would have to come pick me up, like when a turtle gets stuck on its back.

Better answer:

Maggie - Pads are for wimps.

Interesting thought from a Storm Crew member:
The Hurricanes just got a new alternative jersey. If you had the opportunity to design an alternative jersey for the Eye Care Associates Storm Squad, what would it look like?

Anna - If I could design an alternative jersey I would definitely put our nicknames on the uniform. That way all the fans could get an idea of everyone’s personality!

Maybe too XFL for purists but this could work.


Goaltending coach:
Tom Barrasso

The case for Sean Burke being wildly underrated:
324 career wins, over .900 save percentage on some really terrible teams during his 22 year career.

Nostalgia:
Former Cane Bret Hedican recently hung up his skates.

Interesting?:
Ray Whitney was an Edmonton Oiler stick boy along with his brother Dean and Ryan Smyth.

NHL 94 players:
Pat Verbeek Geoff Sanderson and Andrew Cassels up front.
Zarley Zalapski and Eric Weinrich on D with Sean Burke
Remember Robert Kron?

Prediction?
Ron Francis gets names head coach halfway through the season during a rough patch.

YouTube:
One of my most painful recent memories. Why couldn't this have been anyone but Scott Walker?



- Nemmy

Everybody just relax!

Take a look at this hit:






Legal hit, lofty hit. Unfortunately Kyle Okposo left the game on a stretcher and has been diagnosed with a concussion.

This is hockey, these hits happen. Don't try to slow it down and look to see if Dion left his feet (probably, but after contact) or led with his elbow (Okposo was stumbling downwards). Its a hockey hit. Is it kind of stupid that this happens in preseason? Yea, but Dion had an awful year last year and probably needs a confidence booster. So I guess the preseason big hit is kind of the equivalent of taking the fat chick home from the bar the week before a big wedding weekend. You don't want to do it, but in you need to in order get ready for the real deal.

Hopefully Kyle will be AOK, and that will be that. If the NHL got serious about "headshots" then this might be a different post, but its not. Lets get ready for the real season to start!

Crib Notes - Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals
Finished First in the Southeast. Lost in the 2nd round of the playoffs to Pittsburgh in 7 games
Acquired all-time quarterback Mike Knuble via free agency
Acquired Brendan Morrison via free agency
Let Donald Brashear, Victor Kozlov and Sergei Federov go as UFAs
Resigned Boyd Gordon, Shaone Morissonn, Jeff Shultz, Milan Jurcina and Chris Bourque.
Shaone Morissonn broke my spell check

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Who's the day 1 starter: Semyon Varlamov or Jose Theodore?
Can Ovy score 70?
Is there enough secondary scoring on this team?
If Ovk throws up 130 points will the Caps need secondary scoring?
Can Mike Green top last season's totals?
Will Chris Clark play a full season?
Who is the SABR mathmetician who signed Michael Nylander to a $5.5MM/year contract?
Do the Canes have enough to outpace the Capitals?
Or are the Caps a lock to win the division again?

Poised for a breakout season:
Nicklas Backstrom has already broke through but if all goes right for this team he will flirt with 100 points.

If you had to buy one Caps sweater:
Our buddy wears a white Brooks Laich because he claims Laich's game "speaks to him".

Player whose game you need to like:
I've posted about my love of Mike Knuble before.

Reason to get behind this team:
There may not be a ceiling to Ovechkin's game.

Reason to hate this team:
Green's website.
Either that pic is in the insert for the latest Crazy Town record or a photo from Mike

Random thought:
Fergie's body is sick but your buddies would still goof on you if you took her home.

Old guys:
Mike Knuble is 37
Michael Nylander is 36
Brendan Morrison is 34

Young guys:
Karl Alzner is 20
Backstrom is 21
Ovy and Mike Green are 23

Tough guys:
Brashear is gone so John Erskine will look to handle the thug load.

Favorite old school Capital:
Alan May or Mike Liut

Reason why I am writing this so late:
I have a men's league game tonight and I am going to the beach tomorrow and I don't want to break my streak of doing 30 teams in 30 (business) days.

Goaltending coach:
Arturs Irbe
Our Head Political Correspondent and Washington, DC Bureau Chief, confirmed that Irbe wears his goalie skates when going through drills in camp.

Nostalgia:
How hasn't this team retired Peter Bondra's uni yet?

Interesting?:
The last time we went down to a game in DC our buddy got thrown out for passing out while riding down an escalator on his back.

NHL 94 players:
Peter Bondra, Dimitri Khristich and Mike Ridley up front.
Al Iafrate and Kevin Hatcher on D with Don Beaupre in net.
Rod Langway was rated a 44. A bigger injustice this blogger knows not.

YouTube:
Bondra was just plain nasty. He sneaky dominated the 1990's


- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs
Finished Last in the Northeast. Did not make the playoffs
Signed Brian Burke familiar D Francois Beauchemin
Signed physical D Mike Komisarek via free agency
Signed backup G Joey MacDonald
Signed enforcer Colton Orr via free agency
Resigned albino Jason Blake and speedy Mikhail Grabovski
Let Cujo, Brad May, Ryan Hollweg and Olaf Kolzig among others become UFAs
Traded for Wayne Primeau
Traded Pavel Kubina and change for Garnet Exelby and change

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Is Toronto that desperate for offense that they'd invite Jason Allison to camp?
Have you seen this roster's offensmen lately?
Is Toronto that desperate for offense that Brian Burke would go against his word and throw an offer sheet to Phil Kessel?
The defense has improved by leaps and bounds but is Vesa Toskala the goalie to lead this team to a playoff berth?
How long before Jonas Gustavsson gets a shot in net this season?
Is it still OK to make Jiri Tlusty jokes?
How come they aren't the Toronto Maple Leaves?

Poised for a breakout season:
Luke Schenn definitely tears shit up this season. I'm sure of it.

If you had to buy one Leaf sweater:
I think the blue Maple Leaf jersey is top 5. My only issue with the new Reebok ones is that there's not bottom stripe so it looks like a shirt that my girlfriend wears to bed.
I wouldn't be ashamed to rock a blue Komisarek. An away Gilmour or Clark would make a sick Christmas gift.

Player whose game you sneaky like:
If Jamal Mayers is on your 4th line your in good shape. If he's on your second line you may have issues.

Best quote from Full Metal Jacket:
"Private Joker. I admire your honesty. Hell, I like you, you can come over to my house and fuck my sister!"

Old guys:
Jason Blake is 36
Jamal Mayers is 34

Young guys:
Luke Schenn is 19
Jiri Tlusty is 21

Tough guys:
New edition Colton Orr learned how to skate last season and will get $1MM/year to hunt down Chara.
Jamal Mayers hits and has some quick hands for a hockey player.
Mike Komisarek and Garnet Exelby are Mike Komisarek and Garnet Exelby.

Favorite old school Leaf:
Jaime Sifers

NHL network commercial that I never want to see again:
The one about Darryl Sittler's 10 point game

Goaltending coach:
The godfather of the butterfly style and former coach of Patrick Roy, Francois Allaire

Nostalgia:
Tim Hunter - the guy with the worst nose in the NHL a few years back - is one of Ron Wilson's assistant coaches



Interesting?:
Jonas Gustavsson recently had a catheter ablation to correct an abnormal heart rhythm.
I'd try to tie this into a pedestrian House joke but here's a pic of Olivia Wilde instead.



NHL 94 players:
Doug Gilmour, Dave Andreychuk and Nikolai Borschevsky up front.
Dave Ellett and Todd Gill on D with Felix Potvin in net.
Glenn Anderson was rated a 71 but his Playoff OT goalscoring rating was 165.

YouTube:
Jody Shelley had no idea what to do with this stick because Jody Shelley has no idea what to do with any stick.


- Nemmy

Crib Notes - Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators
Finished 4th in the Northeast. Did not make the playoffs
Signed Alexei Kovalev via free agency
Signed Martin St. Pierre - the guy who uses the Chara-sized stick
Resigned Brian Elliott and muscle Chris Neil
Traded unhappy Dany Heatley and a 5th round pick to San Jose for Jonathan Cheechoo, Milan Michalek and a 2nd rounder.
Grizzled dman Jason Smith retired before training camp

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Did the team do enough to replace Heatley's 50 goal potential?
How much will an unhappy teammate's absence help team spirit?
Can Pascal Leclaire regain that 2007-08 mojo?
Is his ankle healed?
Is he even good enough to be a #1 goaltender?
Did anyone else look at this roster and see goaltender M. Broudeur and do a double take?
Can the Senators rely on 36 year old Alex Kovalev to carry a big offensive burden?
When your top Dmen are Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov are your team in huge trouble?
Is a change of scenery and some time with Jason Spezza enough to make Cheecho start scoring again?
Is it unrealistic to expect him to get near 56 goals again? 37 goals again?
Has Cory Clouston lost the lockerroom already?

Poised for a breakout season:
Tough call here. I'm not sure any player will really breakout this season but I'm rooting for Chris Campoli to make the leap.



If you had to buy one Senators sweater:
If are reading this crib note, for this team, on this blog then you are a big enough steakhead to pull off wearing a Chris Neil in public.
Just make sure it's not the terrible "Sens" 3rd jersey.

Player whose game you sneaky like:
Jarkko Ruutu, like many annoying players, would be a fan favorite on any team.

I'll look for any excuse to show this video:
The time we crashed Ryan Shannon's Cup party.

Old guys:
Daniel Alfredsson and Alex Kovalev are 36
Shean Donovan and Jarkko Ruutu are 34

Young guys:
Nick Foligno is 21
Brian Lee is 22
Erik Karlsson (last year's 1st Round pick) is 19

Tough guys:
Chris Neil and Cody Bass provide the muscle. That's pretty much it.

Favorite old school Senator:
Tie: Bob Kudelski and Robert Byrd



Goaltending coach:
Eli Wilson

What I had for lunch today:
Italian Combo on white bread

Nostalgia:
A picture of Alexei Yashin wearing the turtle neck off the ice.


Interesting?:
Assistant GM Tim Murray is the nephew of GM Bryan Murray.

NHL 94 players:
Bob Kudelski, Sylvain Turgeon, Jamie Baker up front.
Norm Maciver, Brad Shaw on D with Peter Sidorkiewicz in net - warm up the bus.

YouTube:
There was no way I was getting through this preview without a Carrie Underwood mention.


- Nemmy

What you missed last night: Preseason version

Canucks beat the Islanders, 2-1: So last night after watching Roger Federers dissapointing wife, and then going to the gym and then watching some MNF, I finally could watch the Islanders first pre-season game. It was west coast in some super small west-coast canadian city.
As expected, it wasn't the most skilled of games and there were a few scraps.

Guys who stood out:

Corey Schnieder - the former goalie of the future for the Canucks who is now trade bait impressed in his half of play. The Islanders peppered him and he pitched the half-shut out with some great saves

Jeremy Reich - the guy wants to be the Islanders tough guy and he had 3 fights last night. He probably went 1-1-1. With the tinyness and youngness of the Islanders, he should probably get used to dropping the gloves often.

Sergei Shirokov - he had both Canuck goals. Both were off rebounds. Its nice to see a young russain go to the net hard.

Jon Sim - he scored the Isles goal with a sweet backhand in front. He also finished every hit and leads by example for the young guys.


Guys who stood out but for the wrong reason:


Andy Sutton - he's the worst big man fighter I've ever seen. When clearing out the front of the net or putting a shot on at the point he's stellar. He dropped the gloves with 5'11'' Rick Rypien and got dropped. Sutton is 6'7''

Crib Notes - Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres
Finished 3rd in the Northeast. Did not make the playoffs
Signed rugged D Steve Montador via free agency
Signed D Joe DiPenta via free agency
Signed young scrap Cody McCormick via free agency
Signed older scrap Mike Grier via free agency
Lost D Jaroslav Spacek (UFA) to Montreal
Resigned local boy does good Patrick Kaleta
Resigned D Andrej Sekera and RW Drew Stafford
Let Max Afinogenov fade away and Teppo Numminen retire

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Can Tim Connolly put together a full season?
Can we call Derek Roy underrated when he makes $3.5MM/year?
Is the top D paring on Craig Rivet and Toni Lydman/Henrik Tallinder enough?
Is Thomas Vanek a 50 goal guy?
Has Ryan Miller's ankle healed? How about Adam Mair's hip?
Can the team go back to the Blue and Gold sweaters?
Is Pat LaFontaine the best US-born NHLer?
How weird was it that a bar on Chippewa wouldn't let Artem in with Timbs? It's December in Buffalo. Who's wearing dress shoes?
Will anyone watch Jay Leno's show competing directly with MNF?

Poised for a breakout season:
Drew Stafford. I think he could be a points per game player. Won't get there this year but could sniff the 30 goal mark.

If you had to buy one Sabres sweater:
Grab a blue and gold McCormick. You're taking a chance he doesn't crack the roster but I think his work ethic and scrap plays well up in Buffalo.
If I had to go retro: #31 Puppa.

Player whose game you sneaky like:
Tim Connolly has unreal talent. It's a shame that concussion problems took away so much of his game.

Unfounded rumor we've heard over the weekend about a former Sabre:
That Dominic Moore has never had sex with his wife.

Old guys:
Rivet and Lalime are 35
Grier is 34
Hecht is 32

Young guys:
Drew Stafford and Patrick Kaleta are 23
Thomas Vanek is 25
Collectively this team hovers around the mid 20s

Tough guys:
No real heavyweight.
Kaleta is annoying. Montador and Rivet will police.
Matthew Barnaby is roughing guys up in the lunch line in Bristol.

Old school Dman who is now a Sabre asst coach:
James Patrick - guy played 22 years in the NHL. Show some respect.


Goaltending coach:
Jim Corsi



Nostalgia:
If I told you that Teppo has a brother named Teemu would it surpise you at all?

Interesting?:
Jason Pominville has dual citizenship because his mom is American so he chooses to play internationally under the US flag. Probably has more do with the fact that the Canadian team is too stacked than any American patriotism.

NHL 94 players:
Alexander Mogilny, Pat Lafontaine and Dale Hawerchuk up front - Ri-diculous
Petr Svoboda and Doug Bodger on D with Grant Fuhr in net.

YouTube:
Rick Jeanneret calls


- Nemmy

Summer of Couch

Its been a tumultuous summer for me. I won't bore you with the details. Here we are about 2 weeks before the season is about to start. This post will not be a preview or a prediction, but a bunch of things (some crazy) that have been swirling around my head the past few months.

When hockey season ended, my broken leg did not heal magically. I was still all movement-inhibited, except there wasn't much on TV ... except for baseball. This was before the Mets epic injury mammoth (bug doesn't do it justice). Anyway, so I'm watching baseball a lot and just kept thinking, what if NHL players could only use wood bats..er sticks.
Stay with me for a sec - The reason that pro baseball only uses wood bats is a safety issue (they don't want pitchers getting killed by line drives). Granted, that logic doesn't work for the NHL. The only thing getting harmed by the one-piece wonder sticks are goalie GAAs. But wouldn't it be nice to see players battle for a puck and not see a stick break and then not see the expected slashing call? If the NHL went to wood sticks only, would we see a huge decline in scoring? Probably not, Jason Spezza does alright. I guess the trade off would be that no curve would be illegal. How about that? What if players could use either a wood stick or a composite, but the wood stick would have no limitations? Chara would have a 7 foot tall piece of lumber. Kovy might have a Sherwood Original that looked like a spoon. Its not logical and its unnecessary, but this is what you think about when you are couch-ridden with a broken leg for most of the summer.

Are you still reading? Ok, here's more

There will probably be another work stoppage/strike/lockout in 2012. Its not just because of the Paul Kelly firing. But once the Hossa deal was "investigated" by the NHL, you had to know something was up. Here's the thing: The NHL owners "won" the last CBA. They got their salary cap. They got players to roll back salaries (remember that 24%) and put 55% of their pay in escrow. The owners got a lot of stuff. They players didn't fare too badly. They still get paid damn well. And that should be enough. But owners are still losing money (I'm not going to comment on the Coyotes or the Islanders) and so the system still isn't good enough. Some GMs (with their owners blessing, I'm sure) found "loopholes" in cap system. Remember, a loophole is still legal. So, teams are locking up players for a longer deals in order to have a lower cap hit. I fail to see the problem. Its a good thing that fans get their favorite players on their team for long periods of time. Its something that fans can look forward to. It gives their team an identity. I get that front-loading contracts gives cash-heavy teams an advantage, but there will always be some advantage. In a nutshell, the reason there will be a work stoppage is because the players don't like the CBA because of the cap and the escrow and the owners don't like it because it wasn't airtight enough. Have fun watching the KHL in 2012. I know Ovy is sneaky happy.

There's more, but its only Monday. I need to spread myself out. I'm still on the DL, so I'm sure more crazy thoughts will come to me.

-Bress

Crib Notes - Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens
Last season - Finished 2nd in the Northeast, Swept in round 1 of the playoffs by Boston
Lost hard-nosed D Mike Komisarek to Toronto via free agency
Lost sick W Alex Kovalev to Ottawa via free agency
Lost captain Saku Koivu to Anaheim via free agency
Lost Tom Kostopoulos to Carolina vie free agency
Lost grizzled D Matt Schneider to Vancouver via free agency
Lost W Alex Tanguay to Tampa Bay via free agency
Signed Diarrhea as a free agent
Signed D Jaroslav Spacek and Paul Mara as free agents
Signed Mike Cammalleri Brian Gionta and Travis Moen.
Signed 3rd string G Curtis Sanford
Traded Chris Higgins and change for Scott Gomez in a multi player deal
Resigned Kyle Chipchura, Guillaume Latendresse, Tom Plekanec and Gregory Stewart

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Does Gionta, Cammalleri, Moen and Gomez = Kovalev, Koivu, Lang and Tanguay?
Does Mara, Spacek and Diarrhea = Komisarek and Schneider?
Can Carey Price stay focused for a full season?
Is it a concern that the top talent is relatively undersized?
How can Matt Dandenault, Patrice Brisebois and Francis Bouillon NOT be on the roster this season?
Isn't it written in Patrice Brisebois's birth certificate that he has to be a Montreal Canadien?
Will this team regret not landing Vinny Lecavalier?
How will all the moving parts affect team chemistry?

Poised for a breakout season:
Matt D'Agostini. I don't know why but I feel like this kid could start playing big dog hockey this season.

If you had to buy one Canadiens sweater:
I think a Kirk Muller jersey would fit. Might be too early to get your P.K. Subban sweater.

Player whose game you sneaky like:
No one.

Most annoying thing about the team:
Other than the disproportionate amount of Cups and the way the home crowd boos our national anthem? How about the ridiculous media in Montreal that wants the team to have more French Canadians on the roster and flies off the handle when Shane Doan does anything.

Old guys:
Roman Hamrlik is 35
Glen Metropolit is 35
Jaro Spacek is 35
Diarrhea is 34

Young guys:
Latendresse, Price, Sergei Kostitsyn and Matt D'Agostini are 22

Tough guys:
Is Laraque is still on the roster? Scariest fighter in the league.

Something that you already know but need to read again to confirm:
Scott Gomez makes $8MM this season. More than David Wright and all but 9 NHLers.

Goaltending coach:
Pierre Groulx replaces Rollie Melanson this season.


Nostalgia:
Last season was the big 100-year anniversary. It was still no excuse for this garbage:

Interesting?:
Patrice Brisebois is now racing cars in NASCAR Canada.

NHL 94 players:
Kirk Muller, Brian Bellows and Vincent Damphousse up front.
Eric Desjardins and Mathieu Schneider on D. Pat Roy in net.
Rob Ramage was rated a 52 - close to his blood alcohol level when he killed Keith Magnuson.

YouTube:
A compilation of the greatest Pat Roy moments in French. We've been through this argument 1,000 times but I still say that right now he was the greatest goalie to play the game.


- Nemmy