NHL Hot Stove

[LucVanLierde]

Parkhead,
Canucks are presently FIRST in the nhl. Logic tells you to change the lineup, make some trades, pick up a new goalie. Are u kidding me. Why compare our team to Detroits or Colorados? It seems totally irrelevant.

 

[Regs]

How can the Nucks be presently in first? Didn't the Avalanche win tonight?

~Regs.

 

[LucVanLierde]

the were in 1st for 2 hrs.......my mistake

 

[Jinky]

Parkhead,
Canucks are presently FIRST in the nhl. Logic tells you to change the lineup, make some trades, pick up a new goalie. Are u kidding me. Why compare our team to Detroits or Colorados? It seems totally irrelevant.

Because good teams improve themselves when they are still at the top.

 

[Fastshow]

Re: simple answers.......

All the Canucks need do is go out and get someone with whom they can rely on for perpetuating (sic) displays of striking dominance and goal scoring supremecy (sic).

Someone like Ronaldo.

We get the internet over here, Fastshow.

 

[LucVanLierde]

Fastshow,
That was creative and original as usual. As good as Ronaldo is, I feel maybe this overweight, balding, gay man would fair equally impressive on skates. We could even bribe the gm place dj to play the energy fueled "Poor Leno" during warm up.

too easy

 

[sensei_hanson]

From espn.com's Page 2....

Our guide to better hockey
By Graham Hays
Page 2 staff

As the hockey world gathers in Minnesota for this weekend's All-Star Game festivities, here are 10 things Page 2 would change about the sport:

10. Gloves must stay on during fights

Hockey fights are fun -- but wouldn't you love a punch-counter?
Now don't go thinking we're a bunch of pacifists. This has nothing to do with softening the impact of the blows that pugilistic players rain down on each other. We're all for fighting in hockey. After all, even dentists have kids who need college tuition. But it's about time for hockey fights to move out of the 19th century. Requiring players to keep their gloves firmly attached to their hands during a brawl allows for the implementation of punch-counter sensors in their gladiatorial mitts. Not sure if the hometown kid is really doing any damage with that flurry of haymakers? Now the Jumbotron shows exactly where each blow landed and with what force, and even the fans in the "cheap" seats can see. Plus, here's a whole new set of stats for the math geeks.


9. Settle overtime ties with Zamboni races

It seems like the NHL is constantly investigating the possibility of ending regular season ties with shootouts. Mostly, that's because American fans think ties are akin to kissing your sister -- and hockey hasn't caught on yet in the parts of the country where that's encouraged. But if you're going to play 60-plus minutes only to decide winners and losers by the equivalent of a free-throw shooting contest, why not go all the way for the entertainment value? And what's more fun than watching the Zamboni circle the rink between periods? How about making it competitive? Each team selects one player to pilot the behemoth on a complete resurfacing trip, with the home team having the option to go first or second. Quickest time -- after adding in penalties for missed spots -- gets the extra point in the standings. Note: Any players with suspended licenses are excluded from consideration.


8. Or this ...

If Zamboni races aren't your style, we've got another suggestion for overtime during the regular season. (Hey, even we're not dumb enough to mess with playoff overtimes.) Keep overtime periods at five minutes, but remove one skater from each side for each passing minute. So after the first minute of the extra session, it's four-on-four. This continues on until you've got two guys playing one-on-one for the final minute. Even if this change doesn't lead to an increase in goals, who wouldn't root for 64 minutes of even scores if it means watching Paul Kariya battle Sergei Fedorov mano a mano. Conversely, we're not opposed to adding a skater for each minute of overtime, leaving the final minute as a frenzied rumble of royal proportions.


7. Bring back the USSR

We know, we know, the Russians are our allies now. They're capitalists and they've got Anna Kournikova. Heck, they've even got a good imitation of our mafia. But you've seen the movie, and you know the story. Everyone wants a slice of Lake Placid in 1980. And you know what? Put all the Russians on one team -- we'll give them Pittsburgh -- and it will still be fun to root against them.


6. No carpets for award presentations

Seriously, if you're going to run the planet's best professional hockey league, you damn well better know how to put on a pair of skates without severing a jugular -- yours or anyone else's. What's stranger than seeing the ice at a Stanley Cup game turned into the sidewalk outside the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, just minutes after guys with month-old beards have been spitting blood and sucking wind? Call it a pet peeve, but we want the red carpets out of the picture. You don't see anyone rolling out the rug when Eric Lindros is laid out on the ice with another concussion. And if the trainers can get out there on their own, the commissioner and his minions can put away their penny loafers for an evening.


5. National Anthem medley

Tired of standing through the same old anthems every night? Look, we all love our respective homelands, but that doesn't mean we need to hear the local high school prom queen handle the high "C" in "glare" like Roman Cechmanek handles the puck. The NHL already recognizes the international nature of the game by playing both the American and Canadian anthems. We say take it a step further. Take the anthems of every nation represented by a player in the game and condense them into one catchy medley. As an alternative for games in New York, let a different cab driver sing the national anthem of his or her native country every night. There's no reason going to a hockey game can't be both educational and expensive.


4. Make the goal bigger

Did you ever go to Toronto's old Maple Leaf Garden? Can you still walk? Let's just say the knee and back injuries sustained by the poor folks sitting in those cramped seats might have been the greatest threat to the viability of socialized medicine. It's a simple truth, but people used to be smaller -- and not just in the pre-McDonald's, pre-Atkins kind of way. And yet, as athletes have grown bigger and goalie equipment has started to morph into giant sumo costumes, the NHL has steadfastly refused to make the goal bigger. Circus carneys give people more chance to hit a shot than the NHL powers-that-be do. Don't think of this change as pandering to a mostly-American audience that isn't excited until announcers are yelling about goals every four minutes. (All right, think of it that way if you must; but at least think of the size of those bored Americans.) Big people need bigger goals.


3. Jersey modifications

Forget the glowing puck and give us some spotlights on the names. To paraphrase Ferris Bueller, hockey players move pretty fast sometimes. If you can't read the names or numbers, you might miss them. Hockey players aren't offensive linemen in football. These guys are fluid, graceful and individually skilled ... so we want to know which ones we're watching! If I can catch the broadcast from Buenos Aires by hitting the SAP button on my remote, surely we've got the technology to flip a little computer-generated nametag up under each player while they come on and off the ice every 30 seconds.


2. More Canadian beer

This is not negotiable. If you want people of legal drinking age to show up for a game between Nashville and Phoenix when it's warm enough outside for the golf course to be taking reservations, you can't serve them beer that tastes like it skipped a few steps on that journey from the mountain spring. Put a nice Kokanee tap at the concession stand, and it's going to be a lot easier to settle in for an evening of watching David Legwand battle Ossi Vaananen. While we're at it, let's get some poutine (fries, gravy and cheese), ketchup-flavored chips, "true" Smarties and Tim Horton's donuts down here, eh?

1. More "Hockey Night in Canada"

Come to think of it, we need more than Canadian delicacies. We love the work our ESPN comrades do with NHL games; but no matter how well you paint your ceiling, it's never going to be the Sistine Chapel. And since ESPN doesn't show games on Saturday night, we don't feel traitorous asking for the CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" broadcasts to be beamed south of the border. Hockey is never going to be a national obsession in the United States, but "Hockey Night in Canada" offers a weekly perspective on what life is like where it is. From the understated graphics to the "Satellite Hot Stove" feature, it's hockey in the game's pure form. And we need more of it.

But you can leave Don Cherry at the border.

I'm not sure what to say about any of this.

 

[LucVanLierde]

10 - horseshit
9 - pauly shore type funny
8 - bob sagit type comedy
7 - whats up gilbert godfrey
6 - maybe if under the age of 65
5 - eat shite
4 - fukc that
3 - u sure these arent fastshows ideas
2 - great
1 - excellent

 

[Keeper]

1. More "Hockey Night in Canada"

That is, until they realize it's just Hockey Night in Toronto.

 

[TheRob]

Burke deal getting done

TSN.ca Staff

2/9/2004

The long-awaited Sean Burke trade to the Philadelphia Flyers is happening.

The Phoenix Coyotes have agreed to send the veteran netminder, plus prospect Ben Eager of the Oshawa Generals and Coyotes forward Branko Radivojevic, to the Flyers in exchange for centre Mike Comrie.

The deal is not yet offical, and won't be until the two teams finalize the transaction with the official trade call with the National Hockey League head office. That call is in the process of happening.

Related Info

Flyers' Hackett announces retirementWeinrich dealt to BluesThe Burke deal resulted in Flyers goalie Jeff Hackett announcing his retirement. Hackett, 35, has been suffering from vertigo this season.

Burke has appeared in 32 games with Phoenix this season and has a goals-against average of 2.81.

This will be Burke's second stint with the Flyers. The team acquired him at the trade deadline in 1998 for Garth Snow.

Comrie has nine points in 21 games with the Flyers since coming to Philadelphia from Edmonton in a trade last December, after being unable to work out a contract with the Edmonton Oilers.

Radivojevic, 23, has 9 goals and 23 points in 52 games with Phoenix this year.

Eager, 20, was the Coyotes first round pick, 23rd overall, in 2002.

Guess they must have really liked Comrie.

 

[hammerhead]

Rob Blake Out Indefinitely

DENVER (AP) -- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Rob Blake broke his left leg and will be out indefinitely.

He had been playing in pain the past couple of weeks and tests Monday revealed the fracture.

``I'm a little surprised just because I was playing on it and getting some things done on it,'' he said Tuesday before Colorado's game against the New York Islanders. ``It wasn't getting any better. It was getting worse and worse, so it was time to get it looked at.''

Blake said he remembered getting hit with a shot in a game against Pittsburgh on Jan. 24 and ``there's been a couple since then.'' Trainer Pat Karns said Blake will be out until the leg is completely healed.

The All-Star ranks second among NHL defensemen with 40 points, behind only Washington's Sergei Gonchar, and is tied for third with 11 goals. He is considered a leading candidate for the Norris Trophy given to the league's top defenseman.

``He's definitely having a Norris-type season,'' teammate Adam Foote said. ``He's doing it all. He's getting points. He's coming up with big hits, big plays at the right time. He's been there every night for us.''

With Blake out, the Avalanche called up defenseman Brett Clark from the minors. Clark has eight goals and 16 assists in 50 games with the Hershey Bears.

 

[Regs]

That's a pretty big blow for the Avalanche... not to mention those in the TTP Hockey Pool. Maybe Morris will get some PP time now

Was their an article in the Sun today concerning a huge rift in the 'Nucks organisation? Pratt and Taylor are current going off about something written by a 'ghost' writer and are surmising it was Mason or even Burke himself.

Details?

Cheers,

~Regs.

 

[Yoda]

Hasek Done

Red Wings' Hasek out for season

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Detroit Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek will miss the rest of the NHL season due to a groin injury.
Dominik Hasek played in just 14 games for the Red Wings this season.
"That's it for the season," Hasek said Tuesday. "I cannot handle anymore. My groin, it cannot handle it. I hoped for two months it would get better every day. But it didn't get better, it got even worse last week"

The six-time Vezina Trophy winner as the league's top goaltender has played in just 14 games this season. He posted an 8-3-2 record, 2.20 goals-against average and two shutouts.

Hasek made just two appearances in December before Detroit placed him on the injured list.

Hasek hopes to return to the Wings next year.

 

[hammerhead]

Just read some of the article on the front of the Sun Sports. Gist of it seemed to be that there was some bad blood in the Nucks head office and that Burke will not be getting another contract. Apparently he stepped on a few toes making the Canucks into a contender and some people are annoyed with him. I guess the Bertuzzi deal caused some bad blood.

He will do good things for the Bruins next year.

 

[hammerhead]

Hasek

Good riddance to Hasek ! Never liked the bum since he left Buffalo

 

[Keeper]

I haven't read that article, but after hearing about it, me think's it all bunk.

Heard Burke on NW with McRae this morning and I believe what he's sayin'. If there's a problem, he doesn't know about it. I mean, think seriously: he's put in 6 quality years in a city that appreciates his results, his wife just signed a new contract with NW, and furthermore is expecting a new baby. Why on Earth would he want to leave?

And with everything he's done for the 'Nucks in the last half dozen, why on Earth would the owners want to be rid of him? He'd have to step on more than toes to screw himself in this town.

More importantly, however, did anyone else hear about the new rule changes/additions? 2 minutes for goalies handling the puck behind the red line ( ); smaller pads (good); penalty shots for tripping someone going for lose puck that could've led to a breakaway (good); and more. Some of them are even being implemented immediately -- as in, tomorrow vs. Calgary.

 

[hammerhead]

also heard that goals scored with the net marginally off will now count. Not sure how marginally is defined however.

Its a long time coming in my mind. Goalies have no fear anymore. They can basically interfere with impunity and draw a penalty any time they want with a theatrical dive.
I remember the good old days when a playoff series against the flyers began with someone running Hextall, just to get the blood pumping

 

[Yoda]

Sooner or later

I knew someone would do this sooner or later.

Cherry's Claims do add up

 

[Keeper]

This is about right.

 

[zenga]

I dont agree with the rule changes...If the GMs agree to make the pads smaller then why not make wooden sticks for the players manditory. With theses new sicks the shots are harder so the goalie needs all the protection he can get.

As for the goalie handling the puck that is taking a skill away from the goalie, allow the goalie to play the puck but know he is fair game once outside the crease this would make the goalie think twice about coming out if he sees a player like Bertuzzi coming at in at full speed.

The 3 point for a win would be good. 3 for a win, 2 for an ot win, 1 for an ot loss and 0 for a loss.

Bring back the tag up offside.