Hockey 2011-2012
 

I don't want to steal mojo from Shadows or anyone else who by all rights should start this thread, but I'm Jonesin' to talk about the coming season. Got a pile of tickets in the mail. Pre-season start is just a week away!

Who do you like for your division? Out west, strong will be Vancouver, Kings and Sharks.

Gotta say that a couple of the trades were tough (Seto was a favorite), but on balance, Sharks look strong. Better D for sure and more size and speed up front. See you in the cup final! :innocent: :rolleyes: :kiss:

-K

Still no word on when Sid will lace em up and take the ice :frown:
But i still like my Penguins to kick Tampa's butt
:yes: Penguinsfan Jen

The Bruins finally signed Brad Marchand, and they look good in their division. I am still working hard to score a couple of tickets for October 6th, when the Championship Banner will be hoisted to the rafters of the Garden!

You stole my mojo!:eek:

*looks for the ban button*:innocent:

In all seriousness, I am hopeful of the Leaf's chances this season. I think they will be an improved team over last year, and if they can get off to a better start, they should be okay. I don't think they will win the Cup, but I do think they can make the playoffs.:)

Look on the brightside as you started the previous two hockey threads perhaps by someone else starting it this year will break the Leafs funk and help them put the biscuts in the basket this year

But i still say my Penguins will be lighting the red light this season

:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

Colorado looks like they want to make the playoffs this year. Got rid of Peter Budaj and Brian Elliot in goal that imploded Last year and being last in GAA I think it was 3.6 GAA. Signed Varlomov from Washington and Giguire from FA. Last year was Depressing from being in the playoffs to being the 2nd to last team in the west. I think Playoffs for them is Possible with the Avs lineup being young and Milan Hejduk the only one that is couple of years away from Retirement and the only one from the Avalanche Glory Days.

And Detroit. We must beat The Dead Things.

That's a good point. Thanks Jen.;):)

The teams to watch this year will be Montreal and Winnipeg. Can Montreal finally get through a full season playing hockey to their full potential or will they choke again when it comes to the important games? They haven't made any major changes over the off-season. I think that they could have used a good shakeup, even if it was only verbally.

Winnipeg bought a team with a lot of potential. I don't think that they will win the cup this season, but they should make the playoffs. They're stuck in the east division for this season so it should be an interesting race for first place. Watch for Winnipeg to become cup contenders during the next few seasons.

Montreal doesn't need a personnel change so much as it needs an attitude change. It's time for the Habs to concentrate on performing as hockey players and not trying to win Oscar nominations as Best Actors when it comes to trying to milk penalties out of non-penalty "infractions."

I agree the new Jets should be a fun team to watch and should make the playoffs and may be a cup contender in a few years but for now i only see opening playoffs then done but the fans could provide them with extra gusto with there support something they really never had in Altana


:yes: Penguins Cheerleader Jen

I'm hoping for a different result as well this year! :)
Good luck to you all! :respect:

Saw the first game action of the 11/12 preseason last night on the NHL Network the Mapleleafs vs Flyers
While it was nice seeing some new hockey action i'm sorry to say Shadows that the Mapleleafs look the same as last year
While the Flyers won 4-zip i was not that impressed with em and they showed me no reason to come back and root for em
:no: Penguins cheerleader Jen

Sharks won their pre-season opener v. Anaheim 6-1. I didn't see/hear the game, but the stats are pretty dominant.

Clowe and Couture put in a decent appearance, 12-15 minutes, but it was largely young guys playing for both teams. Greiss was in goal for the whole game.

None of the big new trades played, Havlat, Handzus, Burns, etc. New D-men Jim Vandermeer and Colin White played though. Brad Winchester (who I used to "hate") is now with the Sharks, getting an assist and penalty. :-)

I'm looking forward to seeing a pre-season game soon, and seeing how things start shaking out.

K

And then they won their next game 4-2. It's pre-season, so I don't take too much stock in how a team does(lots of players won't even end up cracking the opening day roster). The Leafs had a pretty good pre-season last year, and stunk coming out of the gate. I think they will be better this year.:)

I think the Sharks might be in a little trouble with their goaltending. According to an article at tsn.ca, Niittymaki will be out for 12 weeks due to hip surgery.:eek: Of course, Niemi is their #1, so it might not affect them overly much.

Niemi hasn't practiced yet either this year. He had surgery to remove a cyst from an "undisclosed location". They say he'll be alright for the season, but who knows.

Good thing it's the preseason, we've got seven keepers on the roster. :-)

I think Greiss will be in goal for a while. He was the backup for Nabokov two years ago.

Saw the first two preseason Penguins games on the NHL network
Looks like Malkin is 100 percent and played verywell in game one Staal and Latang looked good
The only thing missing from the Penguins is Sid :frown:
But my Penguins look great
Boston better hang up any dreamers of a repete
11/12 is the season of the Penguins
:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

16500 saw the Sharks improve to 3-0 last night. Unlike the home preseason opener where they spanked Anaheim with 49 shots and won 5-1, it was a goaltending/defensive struggle against Phoenix. Very few shots throughout. Sateri, in goal for the Sharks got the shutout and first star, despite some dangerous rebounds that the Sharks jumped on first. Ferriero got the goal and the second star. LaBarbera got the third star for Phoenix.

Judging from some of the linescores I've seen in the past, Greiss is a very capable goaltender.

Boston's offense has been scary-good so far in preseason. If their goaltending is the same as last year(barring any post-SC lapses by Tim Thomas, it should be) they should be at the top, or near the top, of the Eastern Conference this season.

Crosby participated in a controlled scrimmage, so he has taken another step towards being able to play fully again. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before that happens.

Sharks are now 5-0 in the preseason and 22/24 on the PK. The latter number is more interesting since they're tweaking the approach after last year's mediocre numbers. The last two games were against the Cauncks, but not really since they've been sitting most everyone that's got a locked spot. Nice to see Malhotra back to playing form.

Great start to the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They beat Montreal(sorry ila!) 2-0. Excellent game!:)

It's On!
 

The season is here! :turnon:

Sharks open at home Saturday against Phoenix, with the second game of the season THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY at Phoenix. :turnoff:

I'll be watching your teams play for a while ... :)

Good luck!

Time to strike up the music for my happy dance

http://youtu.be/PIYsdliq4TU

Not only has the 11/12 season started but my Penguins won over the the Canucks but Cook scored twice and recieved no fines :lol:
Hockey fever catch it baby

:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

Can't wait for The Avalanche to start their season tonight. They retire Forsbergs Number and start the season with Varlomov in goal. I think that the Avs made a good move in trading their draft pick to Washington for Varly. Also a nice pick in Giguire as he won in Anahiem in 2007.

Best thing to start the Season. A rivalry renewed from 1996-2002 as we play against Detroit. Man I miss those Days.:(

I feel your pain. Toronto plays against Ottawa Saturday night and then they don't play again until the following Saturday. Needless to say, the scheduling to start the season is kind of screwy.

Darned right it is.:frown: The head office must have taken a thousand monkeys with a thousand computers and let them write the schedule.

I am so sick and tired of this kind of species chauvinism. Anyone who follows hockey knows full well that the NHL is perfectly capable of fucking stuff up without having to use monkeys. Lay the blame where it should lie, my friend!

That is the best response yet to any comment. It gave me the best laugh I've had in a long time.

Happy to be of service.

Whew! Toronto escaped with a 6-5 victory tonight to improve to 2-0 for the season. They had a 5-1 lead at one point, and then seemed to fall asleep at the second half of the third period. Thank goodness they didn't completely fall apart and were able to win the game!

Other games of note:

1. Philadelphia beat New Jersey 3-0. Dauls won't be very happy about this.

2. Boston beat Tampa Bay 4-1 for their first victory of the season. Smc will be very happy about this.

The other games that have TLB fans are still ongoing.

how about a little Shakira music for my happy dance

http://youtu.be/4N7laeCd-aM

Yes my Penguins won tonight and are now 3-1 for the season and there only loose is cause of the annoying BS shoot out rule :eek:
Still no word on when Sid will lace em up and play a game :frown:
:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

"Annoying" ?! That's the best you can do, Jen? How about ASININE ?! ;)

I don't think anyone here likes the shootout. I think it's a waste of time. If anything, just bring back the tie. It's not an ideal solution, but it's certainly better than the fiasco known as the shootout.

Just trying to be a lady
:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

Johnson is the Mesa of hockey
 

The Phillies had a closer named Jose Mesa and everytime he took the mound a feeling of dread came over me cause i knew he'd blow the game ending in a Phillies loss
Well i now get that feeling every time i see Johnson at in the net for the Penguins
just about every loss this year had Johnson in net
And sure enought he was in net tonight and my Penguins lost
:( Penguins cheerleader Jen

To those of you who have asked, I have no explanation for the performance of my Bruins thus far this season. The "hangover" from an off-season of Stanley Cup celebrations is no longer viable as an excuse. I am a very disillusioned (albeit loyal) fan.

One thing that would help right now would be a hug from a Penguins fan, of course in the interest of hockey loving in general. ;)

The hang over from Lord Stanley's cup is very powerfull just ask the Blackhawks

But i don't see how huging a Penguins fan will help but since i'm the Penguins cheerleader here here's your hug :hug:

:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

Thank you, Jen. That's exactly what I was hoping for.;)

I haven't kept up with the current NHL season very much so far this year. I did, however, catch the third period of the Montreal vs. Boston game the other evening. I was happy to see Montreal win. The thing is, I'd of been happy for either team to win (but I tend to lean a bit toward Montreal). I get razzed at work for being a fan of both Montreal and Boston, considering how both teams are such rivals.

The only other hockey that I've caught have been University of Maine games. I got to see an exhibition game versus New Brunswick at the start of the season and I've also seen a few games on television. It's always good to see the Black Bears win.

True but the greatest US hockey team arrived at the start of the 1967 season the Pittsburgh Penguins ;)

:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

This I can state with absolutely certainty: the best thing about the Pittsburgh Penguins is their fans ... ONE IN PARTICULAR. :heart:

My Bruins have looked really good in their last two games. I am hopeful that the team is turning around from its bad start ... permanently.

Yeah Seguin is really coming into his own this year. Glad to see he got his first career hat trick over the weekend. I watched him for 2 years in the OHL and he should be a good one.

You're welcome, remember it was after my hug that they got there heads out of the sand ;)

:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

I dout Shadows shares your joy. if memory surves me right The Leafs gave the pick to Boston in a trade and Boston picked Seguin so he's another bad trade by the Leafs :eek:

:yes: Penguins cheerleader Jen

Yes, Jen, your hug made all the difference ... especially for me. :inlove:

Not to mention that his hat trick was against the Leafs, who lost 7-0!