NHL 2003/2004

[Tommi]

Here´s a place to talk everything about NHL.

Trading deadline is today, here are some trades my favourite team Colorado has done today: Barnaby, Gratton, Ossi Väänänen, Tommy Salo.

And here´s one clip about what happened last night Avs vs Canucks match. Damn you Bertuzzi!!!!

 

[Jimmy]

You´re the person whom I found out that Salo was traded.

Florida screwed up big time by trading away a fan-favourite by the name of Marcus Nilson. I´m outraged.

 

[Tommi]

Salo could be a good back-up for Aebi. Anyway, Avs lineup´s looks pretty damn awesome when everyone is available!

Tanguay - Sakic - Hejduk
Kariya - Forsberg - Selänne
Konowalchuk - Gratton - Barnaby
Hinote/Hahl - Nikolishin - Worrell

Blake - Foote
Liles - Väänänen
Boughner - Sauer/Skrastins

Aebischer
Salo

 

[Jimmy]

Backup!

 

[Tommi]

Actually he is a back-up, at least until Aebi screws up in playoff´s.

 

[Antti]

Thanks for updating Tommi. I didn't know at all about any of these trades.

BTW, Is Väänänen really highly rated player in NHL? To me it seems quite unbelieveble that serious Stanley Cup candidate like Colorado signs him in the deadline day because I have always considered Väänänen risky (at least with the puck) defender with average defensive skills.

 

[Tommi]

BTW, Is Väänänen really highly rated player in NHL?

Yeah, he´s rated to be even better than Gonchar. :doh:

 

[Hammoudi]

I can't believe Edmonton traded Salo away. He's the most underrated goalie in the NHL even during his islanders days. He seems like a solid guy both in character and in play and the oilers will regret this. If they are sellers why the heck did they get Nedved to start with?? really bizarre.

About the Bertuzzi incident, everyone here in Canada is outraged and some radio guys are calling for a lifetime ban. I saw the hit and it was pretty bad but not intenional nonetheless. Bertuzzi is a passionate guy and the fact his team were losing like 9-2 made him even more angry. I'm sorry for mouris (spellin??) and i heared he got a broken neck and a concussion and will be out for the season. But this is what you get when you target star players like Naslund. He gave Naslund a concussion and in hockey if you hurt a team star you are a wanted man. A fair suspension for Bertuzzi will be 10 games but no life-time crap whatsoever!!

 

[Antti]

Not until now I realized that Avs traded Morris away. Wasn't he supposed to be very good? That is really getting to confuse me. :s Anyway, it's probably just me.

To me Salo's career is going down. He was at his best in the late of 90s best in my opinion. Like Tommi I think that he will be a back up of Aebischer (the guy who will have great future) who is just better than Salo. Have to say that I haven't seen Salo's games in NHL but I have seen him few times in almost World Championship and also olympics in SLC.

 

[Hammoudi]

Not until now I realized that Avs traded Morris away. Wasn't he supposed to be very good? That is really getting to confuse me. :s Anyway, it's probably just me.

The guy must be devestated and the deal is shocking. To get him the avs had to trade Drury which was and still is a very good player. I thought he was a long-term thing with Foote and Blake getting older. Morris is good and he'll re-surface elsewhere since Phoenix can't keep him. I honestly don't know what the avs see in Gratton, other than his size and potential when he first came he's been less than average.

 

[Tommi]

I saw the hit and it was pretty bad but not intenional nonetheless. Bertuzzi is a passionate guy and the fact his team were losing like 9-2 made him even more angry. I'm sorry for mouris (spellin??) and i heared he got a broken neck and a concussion and will be out for the season.

You just cannot grap a man from behind and just shatter him like that. How is this any different from what McSorley did to Brashear? Here´s the thing, Canucks vowed they were gonna get Moore, they have gotten him. Legally, what´s come into the play now when you say you gonna get someone and someone is injured this this way. Bertuzzi is a sucker who deserves a ban for rest of the season, including playoffs.

But this is what you get when you target star players like Naslund. He gave Naslund a concussion and in hockey if you hurt a team star you are a wanted man. A fair suspension for Bertuzzi will be 10 games but no life-time crap whatsoever!!

Moore didn´t even get a penalty for that. It wasn´t illegal hit, NHL investigate all these matters via video after games are over, but they didn´t see any illegal about it.

Not until now I realized that Avs traded Morris away. Wasn't he supposed to be very good? That is really getting to confuse me. :s Anyway, it's probably just me.

Morris was good player last year and year before that, but this year Liles has taken some of his ice-time/points away. Avs wanted good 3rd line center and they got Gratton. They also got Väänänen who is quite good defensive defender.

To get him the avs had to trade Drury which was and still is a very good player.

Agree, that was a bad deal. Drury was my favourite player and still is and i was so pissed to read when he was traded to Morris.

 

[Hammoudi]

Moore didn´t even get a penalty for that. It wasn´t illegal hit, NHL investigate all these matters via video after games are over, but they didn´t see any illegal about it.

That's what made the matter worse and I think Moore deserved a penalty for what he did. If Naslund fell awkwardly and broke his neck or whatever then Moore would've been in trouble also. What made Bertuzzi's hit worse is that he chased the player around and hit him form behind. But in both cases neither player meant to hurt the other.

In fact, some analysts were saying that had Moore got a penalty or a slight suspension the canucks wouldn't be so pissed. The problem was that the Canucks GM Burke and their coach Crawford were talking in the media night and day about Moore and the canucks players felt they had to do something. Also, Bertuzzi and Naslund are inseparable outside the rink and they are close friends. Bertuzzi just lost it and did stupid thing. In the principle of giving people a second chance i hope people give Bertuzzi a second chance, he is a very passionate player. A suspension till season's end will be enough but above all i hope and pray that Moore will be fine.

Drury was my favourite player and still is and i was so pissed to read when he was traded to Morris.

He is a solid guy and too bad now he plays with a bad team. I was surprised no team made a push for him in the trade deadline. I just hope he becomes a free agent and joins the OTTAWA SENATORS.

 

[Tommi]

In fact, some analysts were saying that had Moore got a penalty or a slight suspension the canucks wouldn't be so pissed.

Still it wasn´t Moore´s fault if referee´s or NHL didn´t give him a penalty or/and suspension. Canucks is entitled to be pissed, but that kind of action isn´t needed in ice-hockey. Moore already confronted Cooke in 2nd period and that should´ve been enough. Maybe Canucks players were evenmore pissed because Moore won Cooke in that fight.

I agree that Bertuzzi didn´t want to break his backbones or what-so-ever, but what he did was extremely stupid and he should be suspended for rest of the season. I dont think NHL will give him a life time ban, he don´t deserve that.

I just hope he becomes a free agent and joins the OTTAWA SENATORS.

You´re a Senators fan? Good choice if you are, they have pretty good team out there. Alfredsson, Hossa, Havlat etc. Good contender for winning at the east.

 

[Hammoudi]

Well, i think he got his punishment and more. Some people are saying if Moore career is over then Bertuzzi might get a lifetime ban. I'm sure the only reason it was that harsh is because this incident got a lot of media attention in the U.S. The NHL always tries and suck up for the US audience and does whatever to please them yet they don't give a crap about hockey that much. The incident was in CNN and all the major news outlet. If it was two Canadian teams against each other it wouldn't have got that much attention. I feel sorry for Bertuzzi who was made an escape lamb. His apology was genuine and emotional and he was the last guy i expected to cry. I wish he comes back better and the same for Moore.

You´re a Senators fan? Good choice if you are, they have pretty good team out there. Alfredsson, Hossa, Havlat etc. Good contender for winning at the east.

Yeah, they've been like that for about 3 years now. Their problem is that they don't have an excellent goalie. I was hoping they'd get Klozig but they elected not to. LaLime plays behind arguably the best defensive duo in Chara and Redden and yet his stats are abysmal. Also their coach is a carbon copy of Cuper. Jacques Martins preaches for defense the whole time and the fans are all over him. Also, like us the sens choke in big games some times.

 

[Tommi]

NHL playoffs starts tonight!!!!!!!

Round 1:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) LIGHTNING vs ISLANDERS (8)
Series begins Thursday

(2) BRUINS vs CANADIENS (7)
Series begins Wednesday

(3) FLYERS vs DEVILS (6)
Series begins Thursday

(4) MAPLE LEAFS vs SENATORS (5)
Series begins Thursday

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) RED WINGS vs PREDATORS (8)
Series begins Wednesday

(2) SHARKS vs BLUES (7)
Series begins Thursday

(3) CANUCKS vs FLAMES (6)
Series begins Wednesday

(4) AVALANCHE vs DALLAS (5)
Series begins Wednesday


Here´s what Canal plus will broadcast (starting times are in Finnish time):

Game 1
Thu 8.4. klo 2.00 Detroit-Nashville
Thu 8.4. klo 5.00 Colorado-Dallas (ZAP)
Fri 9.4. klo 2.00 Toronto-Ottawa (ZAP)

Game 2
Sat 10.4. klo 22.00 Tampa Bay-NY Islanders (ZAP)
Sun 11.4. klo 2.00 Toronto-Ottawa (ZAP)

Game 3
Sun 11.4. klo 23.00 Nashville-Detroit
Mon 12.4. klo 4.30 Calcary-Vancouver (ZAP)
Tus 13.4. klo 2.00 Ottawa-Toronto (ZAP)

Game 4
Thu 15.4. klo 2.00 Ottawa-Toronto

Game 5
Sat 17.4. klo 2.00 Toronto-Ottawa (ZAP)

Game 6
Saturday 17.4. klo 22.00 Nashville-Detroit (ZAP)
Sunday 18.4. klo 22.00 New Jersey-Philadelphia orDallas-Colorado

I can see almost every Ottawa-Toronto match! Too bad that i can only see 1 or 2 Colorado matches and only 1 NJ vs. Phi match.

 

[Baggio]

Since Anaheim didnt make the playoffs this year i will cheer for Toronto all the way to the Stanley Cup final because I think they will be there.

 

[Hammoudi]

Yesssss. The sens beat the leafs 4-2 in game 1 and that should shut all the big-mouthed leafs fans for a while. Game 2 is Saturday and if we win then the leafs are cooked. :fero: :fero:

 

[Tommi]

Hamed, Leafs aren´t cooked. Even if they would´ve lost yesterday, they never cooked. I believe Sens will have a hard time trying to win them. I have seen these two games and many other matches in these playoffs and i must say that this pair have shown the best hockey i´ve seen in a long time long time.

Anyway, here´s my predictions what´s gonna happen...

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) LIGHTNING vs ISLANDERS (8)
Series tied 1-1

Islanders wins 4-3

(2) BRUINS vs CANADIENS (7)
Boston leads series 2-0

Bruins go through 4-1

(3) FLYERS vs DEVILS (6)
Philadelphia leads series 2-0

Unfortunately it looks like Philadelphia gonna win this serie. 4-2 to Flyers.

(4) MAPLE LEAFS vs SENATORS (5)
Series tied 1-1

Again, unfortunately i think Leafs will win this battle. 4-3 to Leafs.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) RED WINGS vs PREDATORS (8)
Detroit leads series 2-0

Detroit 4-1. This sucks!

(2) SHARKS vs BLUES (7)
San Jose leads series 2-0

San Jose wins 4-2

(3) CANUCKS vs FLAMES (6)
Series tied 1-1

Canucks wins 4-2

(4) AVALANCHE vs DALLAS (5)
Colorado leads series 2-0

My favourite team Avalanche wins this serie 4-1!

 

[Hammoudi]

The Sens are a better team than the leafs but they have a mental hurdel against the leafs. Belfour was great against the Sens and the leafs had to win it and they did. I just believe that the sens will win the series this time around. Actually, if they don't win it is widely believed the their coach will be fired despite being the architect of the team's success. He is a carbon copy of Cuper, he has an offensive team but he is unbelievably defensive and is so quiet and so nice. The sens need a bad-ass coach!!!

I agree with most of Tommi's predictions except for the Islanders and Lightning. NY did well yesterday but Tampa is better offensively and since DiPietro isn't an established goalie he'll crack sooner or later.

Finally, i am impressed with the Avalanche's performance. Almost all the analysts here predicted an easy win for the Stars given the avalanche's recent problems but they are proving them wrong. Can't wait for the AVs-Red Wings showdown!!! It's gonna be wild. :fero: :fero: :fero:

 

[Tommi]

The Sens are a better team than the leafs but they have a mental hurdel against the leafs.

Sens are a better team on paper. Not so sure they´re better team on ice tho. We´ll see what happens, but i kinda feel Sens will panic under pressure. Leafs may be a team they can´t handle.

I agree with most of Tommi's predictions except for the Islanders and Lightning. NY did well yesterday but Tampa is better offensively and since DiPietro isn't an established goalie he'll crack sooner or later.

I just pulled that prediction out of the hat. Lightning are way better team than Islanders on paper (again on paper ), but they don´t have much experience about playoffs. Islanders doesn´t either tho. It´s gonna be tough call.

Almost all the analysts here predicted an easy win for the Stars given the avalanche's recent problems but they are proving them wrong. Can't wait for the AVs-Red Wings showdown!!! It's gonna be wild. :fero: :fero: :fero:

I read those analysts predictions as well. 8 out of 10 said Stars gonna go through. I cannot beleive they predict like that. Avs didnt have good period in last 10 or so games in regular season, but they still is a team to beat. They have an awesome team, on paper and on ice as well. Quite unlike Stars have.

Anyway, Predators are leading 2-0 against Detroit.