|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 20, 2020 6:33:49 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 20, 2020 6:35:49 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 20, 2020 6:37:14 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 20, 2020 9:19:39 GMT -5
I think Fluto has lost some of his marbles. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had always wondered, pre-coronavirus, why hockey players shared their water bottles. Granted, amid the spitting and sweating and panting that takes place on the bench, perhaps designating a water bottle for every player would make little difference.
Now, whenever the NHL reopens, maybe that should become the new normal.
This is a dreadful time for the league and for everyone else. But this unexpected and unwanted downtime is an opportunity for everyone to think critically and creatively about the game. Short term, executives are modeling scenarios for what could happen if a resumption of the season gets the green light. Long term, it’s a chance to ponder big-picture issues.
Here’s what I would consider if granted the privilege to introduce improvement, some more panoramic than personal hydration:
• Go back to the old playoff format. I do not believe the 1-8 conference seeding was broken. It makes regular-season achievement meaningful.
This year, for example, it would have been possible for the Blue Jackets, Islanders and Rangers to pull ahead of the Maple Leafs and finish an 82-game regular season with more points. But because of the divisional bracket format, Toronto would have been practically locked into the No. 3 seed.
• Instruct the referees to be aggressive on penalizing coaches and players for complaining. You see it after almost every call — screaming and whining and crying during the skate to the penalty box. It is downright jarring, on the other hand, to see a player make his way off the ice with his mouth shut.
This is a rapid sport overseen by referees trying to stay out of harm’s way. It is impossible for them to get every call right. The league promotes a rotten culture by allowing disagreement, often nasty, to fester. People are watching, from coaches to young players to fans.
According to Rule 39, a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed to any player who challenges or disputes the ruling of an official. As for those on the bench, an unsportsmanlike minor is also due for a coach who uses obscene, profane or abusive language or gesture directed at an official.
The league would set a good example by enforcing what is already in place.
• Encourage more regular-season division play. This is what promotes rivalries: six or more showdowns, some of them back-to-back. Hate initiates conflict, which leads to mayhem. That’s what everyone wants to see, not home-and-away guarantees of the Bruins playing the Coyotes, for example.
• Have coaches and players wear microphones during games and air the sound on broadcasts. This is the stuff that makes all-access television crackle: the insults, swears and wisecracks.
All of us know the naughty words. The rink is not exactly a library. Let the viewer experience the sounds that make the game come alive on the ice and bench.
• Change the draft age to 19 and older. It is hard enough to project whether an AHL player will become a full-timer in the NHL. Trying to do the same with an 18-year-old is throwing darts with a blindfold.
NHL scouts are accumulating viewings on 16-year-olds. It’s a waste of time. Physical and emotional maturity vary wildly between a junior without a driver’s license and a man dealing with a mortgage. From a player’s point of view, performing for a scout in the stands adds to the pressure and takes away some of the fun of competition.
These are teenagers. Let them be kids.
• Scrap the offside challenge. See ya later. Good riddance. We won’t miss you.
• Introduce the north-south camera angle on TV. Think of video games like EA Sports’ NHL series. This could allow viewers to see patterns unfold, like on the power play. This is hard to discern on the traditional east-west view.
• Give the green light to advertisements on uniforms. Let’s face it: Hockey-related revenue will continue to take a beating. Perhaps this could be one way to put some cash back in the drawer.
Granted, not many corporations will have spending money on hand. Aside from the makers of Purell and Charmin, of course.
• Let the teams conduct the year’s NHL Draft from their respective cities. Yes, social distancing is on my mind. But there’s now really no need to have everyone in the sport congregate in one location. That’s why the NHL postponed the draft that was scheduled to happen in Montreal in late June.
The league hasn’t settled on a new date or platform for the draft, as it scrambles to decide whether it can even finish the suspended season. But the NFL Draft that will take place later this week virtually — with team officials participating from their homes — offers a blueprint for how it can be done.
The NHL has done something similar before, too, in 2005 after the lost lockout season. Sidney Crosby, the No. 1 pick, has probably gotten over being drafted at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa instead of at the rink.
|
|
|
Post by KSJ08 on Apr 20, 2020 13:47:45 GMT -5
I think Fluto has lost some of his marbles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had always wondered, pre-coronavirus, why hockey players shared their water bottles. Granted, amid the spitting and sweating and panting that takes place on the bench, perhaps designating a water bottle for every player would make little difference. Now, whenever the NHL reopens, maybe that should become the new normal. This is a dreadful time for the league and for everyone else. But this unexpected and unwanted downtime is an opportunity for everyone to think critically and creatively about the game. Short term, executives are modeling scenarios for what could happen if a resumption of the season gets the green light. Long term, it’s a chance to ponder big-picture issues. Here’s what I would consider if granted the privilege to introduce improvement, some more panoramic than personal hydration: • Go back to the old playoff format. I do not believe the 1-8 conference seeding was broken. It makes regular-season achievement meaningful. This year, for example, it would have been possible for the Blue Jackets, Islanders and Rangers to pull ahead of the Maple Leafs and finish an 82-game regular season with more points. But because of the divisional bracket format, Toronto would have been practically locked into the No. 3 seed. • Instruct the referees to be aggressive on penalizing coaches and players for complaining. You see it after almost every call — screaming and whining and crying during the skate to the penalty box. It is downright jarring, on the other hand, to see a player make his way off the ice with his mouth shut. This is a rapid sport overseen by referees trying to stay out of harm’s way. It is impossible for them to get every call right. The league promotes a rotten culture by allowing disagreement, often nasty, to fester. People are watching, from coaches to young players to fans. According to Rule 39, a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed to any player who challenges or disputes the ruling of an official. As for those on the bench, an unsportsmanlike minor is also due for a coach who uses obscene, profane or abusive language or gesture directed at an official. The league would set a good example by enforcing what is already in place. • Encourage more regular-season division play. This is what promotes rivalries: six or more showdowns, some of them back-to-back. Hate initiates conflict, which leads to mayhem. That’s what everyone wants to see, not home-and-away guarantees of the Bruins playing the Coyotes, for example. • Have coaches and players wear microphones during games and air the sound on broadcasts. This is the stuff that makes all-access television crackle: the insults, swears and wisecracks. All of us know the naughty words. The rink is not exactly a library. Let the viewer experience the sounds that make the game come alive on the ice and bench. • Change the draft age to 19 and older. It is hard enough to project whether an AHL player will become a full-timer in the NHL. Trying to do the same with an 18-year-old is throwing darts with a blindfold. NHL scouts are accumulating viewings on 16-year-olds. It’s a waste of time. Physical and emotional maturity vary wildly between a junior without a driver’s license and a man dealing with a mortgage. From a player’s point of view, performing for a scout in the stands adds to the pressure and takes away some of the fun of competition. These are teenagers. Let them be kids. • Scrap the offside challenge. See ya later. Good riddance. We won’t miss you. • Introduce the north-south camera angle on TV. Think of video games like EA Sports’ NHL series. This could allow viewers to see patterns unfold, like on the power play. This is hard to discern on the traditional east-west view. • Give the green light to advertisements on uniforms. Let’s face it: Hockey-related revenue will continue to take a beating. Perhaps this could be one way to put some cash back in the drawer. Granted, not many corporations will have spending money on hand. Aside from the makers of Purell and Charmin, of course. • Let the teams conduct the year’s NHL Draft from their respective cities. Yes, social distancing is on my mind. But there’s now really no need to have everyone in the sport congregate in one location. That’s why the NHL postponed the draft that was scheduled to happen in Montreal in late June. The league hasn’t settled on a new date or platform for the draft, as it scrambles to decide whether it can even finish the suspended season. But the NFL Draft that will take place later this week virtually — with team officials participating from their homes — offers a blueprint for how it can be done. The NHL has done something similar before, too, in 2005 after the lost lockout season. Sidney Crosby, the No. 1 pick, has probably gotten over being drafted at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa instead of at the rink. I don't ever remember players sharing water bottles? YES go back to the Div 1-8 Playoff & Scrap Buttman's current Bull shit playoff format. Don't care that the draft age is 18, really 1 year isn't going to make that big of a difference for his reasoning. What the kid NOW @ 19 has a mortgage to worry about??SMH Yes Scrap Off side challenge especially after the team that got scored on has had Multiple times to get the puck & clear it!!! NO advertising on Uniforms .This ISN'T Soccer!!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by bruinsnorth on Apr 20, 2020 15:30:14 GMT -5
I would love to hear the feed from the ice rather than announcers. I remember a number of years ago when CBC had hockey and the Union on the French broadcasts were on strike so there were no announcements. I started watching the games on CBC french because you could here the players on the ice, skates carving up the ice. It was almost like you were at the game. Draft age should be 20 in my opinion. Yes, scrap the offside challenge.
|
|
|
Post by kjc2 on Apr 21, 2020 5:22:21 GMT -5
The draft age being moved to 19 has been floated around for a few years now. I like the idea, gives scouts a better chance of getting it right.
Offside review needs to go. I’d be okay with the war room calling in on something when it’s a foot or more offside.
The playoff format sucks, 1-8 would be better.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 21, 2020 6:31:00 GMT -5
Ha ha ha
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 21, 2020 6:31:57 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 21, 2020 7:08:43 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by KSJ08 on Apr 21, 2020 10:11:27 GMT -5
I would love to hear the feed from the ice rather than announcers. I remember a number of years ago when CBC had hockey and the Union on the French broadcasts were on strike so there were no announcements. I started watching the games on CBC french because you could here the players on the ice, skates carving up the ice. It was almost like you were at the game. Draft age should be 20 in my opinion. Yes, scrap the offside challenge. You wantta hear on ice comments? Watch Panthers home games, no crowd let alone excess noise. The announcers HAVE to keep talking or you'll hear the players dropping the F bomb all game long. I've said that for years to friends.
|
|
|
Post by orym on Apr 21, 2020 13:43:02 GMT -5
Not an article but the Bruins hate in full swing on SportsNet. They are airing "NHL Classics" Some notable Bruins games being re-run: Philly @ Boston - Game 7 - Round 2 - 2010 Chicago @ Boston - Game 6 SCF - 2013 They do redeem themselves though a little bit with: Habs @ Bruins - Game 7 - First Round - 2011
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Apr 21, 2020 14:48:07 GMT -5
Not an article but the Bruins hate in full swing on SportsNet. They are airing "NHL Classics" Some notable Bruins games being re-run: Philly @ Boston - Game 7 - Round 2 - 2010 Chicago @ Boston - Game 6 SCF - 2013 They do redeem themselves though a little bit with: Habs @ Bruins - Game 7 - First Round - 2011 No kidding ..I watched the 2013 final the other day tough to watch ..
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 21, 2020 15:02:54 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by orym on Apr 21, 2020 16:49:39 GMT -5
Not an article but the Bruins hate in full swing on SportsNet. They are airing "NHL Classics" Some notable Bruins games being re-run: Philly @ Boston - Game 7 - Round 2 - 2010 Chicago @ Boston - Game 6 SCF - 2013 They do redeem themselves though a little bit with: Habs @ Bruins - Game 7 - First Round - 2011 No kidding ..I watched the 2013 final the other day tough to watch .. I set PVR to record the Habs/Bruins Game 7 from 2011 but will skip the rest! Too painful to relive!
|
|
|
Post by kjc2 on Apr 21, 2020 18:22:21 GMT -5
Not an article but the Bruins hate in full swing on SportsNet. They are airing "NHL Classics" Some notable Bruins games being re-run: Philly @ Boston - Game 7 - Round 2 - 2010 Chicago @ Boston - Game 6 SCF - 2013 They do redeem themselves though a little bit with: Habs @ Bruins - Game 7 - First Round - 2011 No kidding ..I watched the 2013 final the other day tough to watch .. Tough to watch that series because we were the better team in game 1, 4 and 6 and we let them slip away.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 22, 2020 6:14:49 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 22, 2020 6:17:09 GMT -5
This was from last night. Even TT was there.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 22, 2020 6:21:51 GMT -5
This was from last night. Even TT was there. That picture is a reaction to Tuukka telling everyone he just had his 3rd girl. Ryder said he had 3 boys the same age....maybe they could trade. There was a lot of chirping going on. Gregory Campbell to Brad Marchand on his business: "Buddy, you're worth $60 million. Do you really need to do this? Like have some respect for yourself" Boychuck to Marchand: His nose has gotten longer Marchand: Johnny you dress like a picnic table The Bruins talking about how you used to be able to hit goalies a bit more* Lucic: "I wonder what happened for them to be so sensitive about it" Campbell on playing with Jagr: "He told me I was the best center he ever played with." Didn't they have to politely ask you to leave the city?" -Kels Marchy and Segs nod. "They couldn't find their shirts, that's why."
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 22, 2020 9:19:18 GMT -5
Kelly said to Marshy "When Bergy retires your career is trash".
|
|
|
Post by orym on Apr 22, 2020 9:22:11 GMT -5
This was from last night. Even TT was there. That picture is a reaction to Tuukka telling everyone he just had his 3rd girl. Ryder said he had 3 boys the same age....maybe they could trade. There was a lot of chirping going on. Gregory Campbell to Brad Marchand on his business: "Buddy, you're worth $60 million. Do you really need to do this? Like have some respect for yourself" Boychuck to Marchand: His nose has gotten longer Marchand: Johnny you dress like a picnic table The Bruins talking about how you used to be able to hit goalies a bit more* Lucic: "I wonder what happened for them to be so sensitive about it" Campbell on playing with Jagr: "He told me I was the best center he ever played with." Didn't they have to politely ask you to leave the city?" -Kels Marchy and Segs nod. "They couldn't find their shirts, that's why." Man that was hilarious! I watched all the way to the end! Campbell was really funny. When he was ripping into Marchand about March and Mill Co. it was pure gold. Horton unfortunately couldn't make it but I think he was basically the only one that didn't join. Lucic really misses that group of guys, you can really tell. I was surprised to see TT to be honest but was really happy he was there. What a cool thing to watch!
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Apr 22, 2020 9:36:04 GMT -5
This was from last night. Even TT was there. That picture is a reaction to Tuukka telling everyone he just had his 3rd girl. Ryder said he had 3 boys the same age....maybe they could trade. There was a lot of chirping going on. Gregory Campbell to Brad Marchand on his business: "Buddy, you're worth $60 million. Do you really need to do this? Like have some respect for yourself" Boychuck to Marchand: His nose has gotten longer Marchand: Johnny you dress like a picnic table The Bruins talking about how you used to be able to hit goalies a bit more* Lucic: "I wonder what happened for them to be so sensitive about it" Campbell on playing with Jagr: "He told me I was the best center he ever played with." Didn't they have to politely ask you to leave the city?" -Kels Marchy and Segs nod. "They couldn't find their shirts, that's why." Leaky Lou on last nights Bruins This is precisely what my nightmares have looked like
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 22, 2020 10:19:09 GMT -5
That picture is a reaction to Tuukka telling everyone he just had his 3rd girl. Ryder said he had 3 boys the same age....maybe they could trade. There was a lot of chirping going on. Gregory Campbell to Brad Marchand on his business: "Buddy, you're worth $60 million. Do you really need to do this? Like have some respect for yourself" Boychuck to Marchand: His nose has gotten longer Marchand: Johnny you dress like a picnic table The Bruins talking about how you used to be able to hit goalies a bit more* Lucic: "I wonder what happened for them to be so sensitive about it" Campbell on playing with Jagr: "He told me I was the best center he ever played with." Didn't they have to politely ask you to leave the city?" -Kels Marchy and Segs nod. "They couldn't find their shirts, that's why." Leaky Lou on last nights Bruins This is precisely what my nightmares have looked like
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Apr 22, 2020 15:38:12 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by crafar01 on Apr 23, 2020 6:33:06 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 23, 2020 6:43:35 GMT -5
Here is the whole game.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 23, 2020 6:47:06 GMT -5
He was right up there as a top douchebag. Every opening face-off against Bergy he would have some sort of cheap shot.
|
|
|
Post by crafar01 on Apr 23, 2020 7:38:22 GMT -5
He was right up there as a top douchebag. Every opening face-off against Bergy he would have some sort of cheap shot. Him and Burrows made it easy to hate them.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 23, 2020 8:33:14 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Apr 23, 2020 8:37:32 GMT -5
The NFL draft starts tonight, and as a hockey writer, it’s hard not to feel a little bit jealous of my football colleagues. They’ve got lots to write about these days, with actual news and transactions to report on.
And more importantly, as every sportswriter knows, fans love prospect talk. They can’t get enough of it. And if you cover an NFL team, you now get to spend weeks profiling and projecting and ranking all of these new prospects.
Well, I want in on that action. So today, I’m presenting my breakdown of the top 10 prospects of your favorite hockey team.
That’s right, your team. No, I don’t know which one that is. And no, I’m not going to let that stop me. I’m pretty sure I can accurately break down your top 10. How hard can it be? Move over Pronman and Wheeler, I’ve got the prospect beat covered today.
1. The first-round pick from the most recent draft
This guy is a sure thing. No, first-round picks don’t always turn out, and you never really know how a player will develop. But this guy is a virtual lock. From the moment the team announced his name, you’ve seen nothing but praise for his well-rounded game, not to mention his pedigree and character. Also, the team’s GM said he couldn’t believe he was still available when their pick came, and it’s illegal to lie about that sort of thing.
This prospect has already been penciled in as a regular in the lineup for the coming season, and honestly, that’s probably being conservative. He’s pretty much a sure-thing for the top six and will probably be driving the first line by November. Calder Trophy? You won’t guarantee anything, but yeah, it’s more likely than not. That’s the beauty of a first-round pick. They’re locks.
2. The first-round pick from a few years ago who should really be here by now but it’s fine
Sometimes it just takes a little while longer, right? There’s no need to worry. Who’s panicking? Not you. Certainly not you.
Would it be nice if this prospect was already producing in the NHL, like the guy taken one pick ahead of him and also one pick behind him and also the three other picks after that and somehow several guys from later rounds? Yes. In a perfect world, that would be happening. But that is not happening, and you’re fine with this.
Remember, it’s not unusual for prospects to need a few years before they can stick in the NHL and still go on to become legitimate superstars. It happened with Mark Scheifele and also … uh … look, Scheifele’s good, OK? This guy will be too. Everybody just stop panicking.
3. The mid-round sleeper pick you’re a little too invested in
This guy didn’t get much attention when he was drafted, and everyone just kind of forgot about him almost immediately. But then he went back to junior and put up better than expected numbers, and fans started paying attention.
And you were at the front of the line, jumping on the bandwagon before anyone else. Sure, it was like seven minutes before everyone else, but that still counts. You have appointed yourself president and founder of this fan club, and you will personally fight anyone who says anything bad about this prospect.
Bottom line: This kid is going to be good. He has to be. Because if he isn’t, you’re going to feel like you’ve wasted a big chunk of your sports-fan life.
4. The defenseman
He’s… good? You think he’s good. That’s what you’ve heard, at least. But the thing with defensemen is that you can’t just look at the point totals and instantly know how they’re doing the way you can for forwards. OK, maybe you’re not supposed to do that with forwards either, but it helps. If a winger has lots of goals, he’s probably playing well. Defensemen? Who knows.
And that matters, because if you’re being really honest, you barely ever actually see any of these prospects play. You’ll check out a highlight every now and then, and you keep telling yourself that you’re going to find a way to watch junior and AHL games. But mostly, you’re just going by the stats, and that means you really have no idea which defensive prospects are any good.
Last game, this prospect played 22 minutes, blocked two shots, took a minor penalty and had a 52 percent Corsi according to the high school kid who was tracking stats for a minor league game while getting distracted by his phone. Sure, fourth on this list seems about right, let’s just go with that.
5. The guy who came over in a recent trade
Oh man, you love this guy. Sure, it was sad to see a veteran head out the door. But you have to give something to get something and when that trade went down you got a prospect who’s going to be a big part of the future.
The more you think about it, the more you can’t believe the other team ever gave him up. I mean, they were the team that drafted him, and developed him and watched every minute of every game he played. They have all the inside information about his conditioning and work habits and character. They know more about this kid than anyone else ever possibly could, and they still gave up on him … in a trade … where come to think of it they didn’t even get that much in return.
You know what, don’t dwell too much on this. Top five prospect!
6. The goalie who was drafted like nine years ago and is apparently still on this list?
Is … is this guy still a prospect? You remember being pretty excited when he was drafted, but that was three jobs and two apartments ago. Ever since then, he shows up on every annual prospect list with a note about how he’s developing well but is still a few years away. That’s normal for goalies, right? Sure it is. Goalies are weird and they just take longer.
Still, you recently watched an interview with him and he’s very clearly going bald. It feels like a bad sign that he missed time this season with an injury that was listed as “upper-body arthritis”. You remember him looking really good in the world juniors once, but now that you think about it the clips of that tournament are in standard definition and you’re pretty sure that at one point you saw him make a save on Jaromir Jagr.
This guy will rank either sixth or seventh on this list every year until he retires.
7. The guy who’s stuck in the KHL
Yep, any year now. Good things come to those who wait, and sometimes that means navigating the complicated KHL-to-NHL pathway. You don’t fully understand how that works, but once a year your team’s GM travels to Belarus for what will be described as “a productive meeting” with the player’s representatives. That’s progress, right? He’s on his way.
(Checks ticker, sees this guy just signed a seven-year extension with a team whose name is all consonants.)
Yep, any year now.
8. The guy whose dad played in the NHL
OK, technically this could probably apply to half the guys on the list. But for some of them, having a dad who used to play in the NHL is just one line on their resume. With this guy, it’s pretty much his main claim to fame.
Seriously, it’s going to get a little weird. This guy’s dad will be mentioned in every profile. He’ll be quoted in every story. You will see dozens of grainy clips and photos of this prospect when they were 3 years old, being held by famous hockey players and taking wobbly slap shots on Hall of Fame goaltenders before falling over. Isn’t that adorable? It sure is. Should you be concerned that they’re now 20 years old and they still fall over after every wobbly slap shot? Um, yeah, maybe. But it’s still adorable.
There is a roughly 90 percent chance that this guy’s dad was your current GM’s roommate in the minors.
9. The guy they drafted with a pick they acquired from the Maple Leafs
Congratulations, this guy is going to the Hall of Fame.
10. The guy who isn’t very good and is clearly only being included because this list is supposed to have 10 names on it and oh no …
He was a sixth-round pick, he’s still in junior even though you’re pretty sure he’s 26, his stats are awful and the only time you’ve ever seen him show up in a highlight package was when TSN did a “Top 10 times someone tried to take a shift with his skate guards still on” video and he was six of them.
Uh, why is this guy in our top 10? Oh no, are our prospects bad? Are we that team? I think we might be. This guy should definitely not be on any kind of respectable list but here he is.
But that can’t be right. The GM swears we have a strong pipeline. One of the local media guys is always writing that. You can distinctly remember getting into a screaming social media fight with fans from other teams whenever they suggested the future wasn’t bright.
But now you’ve made it all the way to the end of this list, and you’re feeling underwhelmed. Shouldn’t your team have more guys than this? You could swear there used to be more. OK, I guess some of those guys have graduated to the NHL. There were a few who got traded. That one guy never signed and went back into the draft. Those other guys who got hurt. And most of the rest just kind of disappeared. And now you’re left with … this.
This is all Pronman’s fault. Let’s go yell at him on Twitter.
Honorable mentions: The college free agent you were really excited about last year and have already given up on; the guy you never mention because his name is impossible to spell; the guy you only remember because he had that super awkward draft day photo; the guy who’s already been called up a dozen times but is still somehow a prospect I guess; the guy everyone loves a little too much because he’s short; the guy you have literally never heard of until just now.
|
|