And away we go NHL thread!!!!

[atomic charvel guy]

What a wonderful time of the year to be alive. We have the NFL in high gear, the MLB playoffs, and to top it off, the NHL starts tomorrow night!
Rangers-Penguins!!! Drop the puck, and swallow the whistle and let them kill each other for Godsakes.
Sometimes there is so much joy in the world, I feel as though my heart can't take it all at once and I will keel over at any moment.

Lots of new faces on the Rangers this year. I think they will be a decent team. I said decent, not a true contender past the first or 2nd round of the playoffs tops.

I heard Joe Thornton was stripped of his assistant captain patch in San Jose. They got heatley but gave up Cheechoo.
Why did the Blackhawks not keep Havlat???? What the fukk???

The East is stacked- Caps, Bruins, Pens, Flyers, after that it's a toss up.

the West will be the least unchanged in my opinion after last year with the exception of the St. Looey Blues, I think they bust out big this year.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're back in business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hellbat]

I have to actually keep track of the whole league this season since I'm in a pool. It's sooo much easier just being a diehard homer.

I'm both excited and also dreading the season with the olympic break in the middle. I think either Canada or Sweden will probably take home the gold in the olympics.

[atomic charvel guy]

the Olympic break is a travesty, and detrimental to all the teams mental state of mind and my own which is hanging by my fingernails as it is. It's wrong any way you slice it.

[clifffclaven]

What a wonderful time of the year to be alive. We have the NFL in high gear, the MLB playoffs, and to top it off, the NHL starts tomorrow night!
Rangers-Penguins!!! Drop the puck, and swallow the whistle and let them kill each other for Godsakes.
Sometimes there is so much joy in the world, I feel as though my heart can't take it all at once and I will keel over at any moment.

Lots of new faces on the Rangers this year. I think they will be a decent team. I said decent, not a true contender past the first or 2nd round of the playoffs tops.

I heard Joe Thornton was stripped of his assistant captain patch in San Jose. They got heatley but gave up Cheechoo.
Why did the Blackhawks not keep Havlat???? What the fukk???

The East is stacked- Caps, Bruins, Pens, Flyers, after that it's a toss up.

the West will be the least unchanged in my opinion after last year with the exception of the St. Looey Blues, I think they bust out big this year.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're back in business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

swallow the whistles? bwahahahahahahahahaa.. I picture that first game (rangers/pens) to have at LEAST 15 penalties, most of the bullshit variety- interference, holding, hooking, etc. Anymore, you sneeze on someone, its a freakin powerplay. But yes, im looking forward to the season.

Blackhawks didnt keep havlat bc of the cap. They got hossa, but paid waaaay too much, and his contract length is ridiculous- 10 years, i think. They should be good for a second round exit, at least.

I wouldnt have given up cheechoo for heatley. thornton (mr no-show in the playoffs) is the guy they shouldve traded.

[Jayster]

GO SABRES
(currently undefeated).




I'll prolly be kind of quite in this thread, 39 years no cup.(1 really cool fogged out aud tho)

[Shawn Lutz]

Its on!

Bummer about DirecTV and Versus. I get the Center Ice package but I wont get to see the Red Wings tomorrow because its on VERSUS. I was ready to ditch it and go to cable until they said they dont offer the Center Ice package in my area. If they dont resolve the dispute I may have to go to DISH Network...I'll miss 9 Wings games and all the playoff games exlcusive to VERSUS. I give too much coin per month and to NOT get every game is fukkin bullshit. I dont want to go to DISH because I know several people who hate it and I dont need anything else to piss me off any more than I already am lol

[Hellbat]

Blackhawks didnt keep havlat bc of the cap. They got hossa, but paid waaaay too much, and his contract length is ridiculous- 10 years, i think. They should be good for a second round exit, at least.

Well, the Hossa deal is 10 years for the salary cap. It's like the one Luongo just signed. They are front loaded so the dude gets like 8-10 million a year for the first couple of years, then low pay for the last chunk. It ends up being a lower cap hit and the team is off the hook if they retire. The Luongo deal also contains clauses that kick in after 5 years. He can demand a trade at that time and the team is obligated to provide destination options for him. Also the team has a clause that lets them get out of it early.

[Grandturk]

Do they still play hockey? I thought the whole thing was cancelled?

[atomic charvel guy]

Caps smoked the bruins in Boston.
East-
1-Caps
2-Flyers
3-Pens
4-Bruins
5-Devils
not sure after that first 5
Ovechkin is gonna pour in 70 goals this year.

[jk2171]

Go 'Hawks!

[atomic charvel guy]

"paging Joe Elliot of Def Leppard. Joe Elliot of Def Leppard, please report to Pittsburgh
and place the Stanley Cup upside down on the Penguins ceremony in order that you jinx them too. Paging Joe Elliot"

[jk2171]

"paging Joe Elliot of Def Leppard. Joe Elliot of Def Leppard, please report to Pittsburgh
and place the Stanley Cup upside down on the Penguins ceremony in order that you jinx them too. Paging Joe Elliot"

lol...Hawks in Finland to start the season today. Any of you Finnish guys want to drop off a nice Jackson one of the Hawks will bring it back to Chicago for me.

[atomic charvel guy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WITMbNF16a4

[Hellbat]

Well after the first day of the season I'm in first place in my office pool. I am taking a screen shot since I'm not likely to stay there.

[clifffclaven]

Its on!

Bummer about DirecTV and Versus. I get the Center Ice package but I wont get to see the Red Wings tomorrow because its on VERSUS. I was ready to ditch it and go to cable until they said they dont offer the Center Ice package in my area. If they dont resolve the dispute I may have to go to DISH Network...I'll miss 9 Wings games and all the playoff games exlcusive to VERSUS. I give too much coin per month and to NOT get every game is fukkin bullshit. I dont want to go to DISH because I know several people who hate it and I dont need anything else to piss me off any more than I already am lol

I know, this whole thing has got me pissed off. If they dont resolve this, the playoffs are gonna be a joke, tv-wise. I believe vs. also has the first two games of the finals.