12/23/24
October 07, 2010
Hockey! Hockey! Hockey!: Why aren't we talking about this? No pool this year, but let's chat. Hopes, dreams, ludicrous predictions - let's have 'em.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey to navel gazing at 09:18 PM - 14 comments
Brandon Sutter will be the *man* this season. I love this kid.
posted by NoMich at 10:24 PM on October 07, 2010
It's interesting that neither of last season's Cup finals goalies are playing for their respective teams today.
posted by NoMich at 10:31 PM on October 07, 2010
Those young Oilers are going to be fun to watch. They are super fast. Probably some bumps on the road, but were I a fan, I'd be pumped at that talent. Jordan Eberle already with a crazy highlight goal. Out of Hall, Eberle and Pavvrikikkiania (approx.) I'm not sure who's the best or even going to be the best.
I assume no league because no one set it up and the season's started. To be honest, it's so consuming I don't mind taking the year off.
That I'm in two NFL pools for the first time. Dear god, I should have just burned my money.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:12 AM on October 08, 2010
Those young Oilers are going to be fun to watch ... Jordan Eberle already with a crazy highlight goal.
Agreed. The goal.
Re: no hockey pool. That's why NHL playoff pools are so good. Timing is everything. Right now, NFL picks each week, CFL picks (albeit only 8 teams), NBA kicking off, MLB winding down, and hockey season just underway ... in the words of the immortal Nestor Pistor, "I so busy 'round dis place, I barely have time to wipe myself!"
posted by Spitztengle at 02:18 PM on October 08, 2010
Speaking of youth, Bruins might be carrying 4 rookies on the squad to start the season. Tyler Seguin and Jordan Caron appear to have made the team, along with Brad Marchand and and Adam McQuaid also qualify as rookies, although they played in 20 and 19 games, respectively, last season. Seguin will skate the center position, aince the Bruins are down a man here with Savard still suffering from post-concussion syndrome. Marchand and Caron will likely split duty initially, but both may wind up on a wing before too long. McQuaid might find himself on the I-95 shuttle between Providence and Boston, but for now he's tabbed for blue line duty with the big club.
I'm really looking forward to this year, since I have the NHL Network and Versus as part of the DirecTV package, and the Bruins will be all over NESN. By the way, Weedy, remind me to say "thank you" for every Seguin goal and assist, and you may say the same for every Phil Kessel point.
posted by Howard_T at 05:07 PM on October 08, 2010
Howard, I think in the long run, I'm going to be receiving a lot more "thank yous" than you will.
Agreed, Spitz. Let's promise to do a playoff pool.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:23 PM on October 08, 2010
I was gonna set up a league, but a flurry of personal stuff prevented that. Barring catastrophe in April, I'll be doing the pickem again, though. Count on it...
posted by MeatSaber at 08:56 PM on October 08, 2010
Yesterday (Friday), Bruins announced a 3-year extension for Patrice Bergeron. When asked what influenced the move, GM Peter Chiarelli blamed it on Czech beer. Today, Bruins announced a 7-year deal for Chara. My guess is that Chiarelli might have had a bit more of Staropramen's finest lagers than he should have.
posted by Howard_T at 02:21 PM on October 09, 2010
Both of those contracts strike me as utterly unnecessary. Maybe Chara gets 7 years out there, but the three year deal for Concussion Lad is a bit over anxious, no?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:57 PM on October 09, 2010
I was going to post a reminder about the pool, but I'll be off-the-grid for months in the Spring (back just in time to see Bettman hand Daniel the cup by mistake), so no chance anyway to repeat my moral victory of last year.
The Oilers will be entertaining for sure, if Khabidrulin stands on his they might be ok, but its hard to imagine them having a really disciplined, mistake-free, defensively sound team this year.
it's hard not to see Pens and Caps dominance out east this year, with maybe the Flyers in the mix but I see Bruins, Habs, Sabres, Sens, Devils all falling back some and Leaves and Isles as surprises, and TB as a not-surprise surprise.
posted by rumple at 04:43 PM on October 09, 2010
Break up the Leafs!
It took them 14 games to get this many wins last year...
posted by grum@work at 10:24 AM on October 10, 2010
Thank you, Toronto. Tyler Seguin #1 of his career today, in alone after a great lob feed from Michael Ryder. Nice deke of the goalie. Mr. Seguin is the real deal.
posted by Howard_T at 01:17 PM on October 10, 2010
Here's my ludicrous predictions:
- Edmonton becomes the best team in Alberta until Khabby has to serve time for DUI
- The Leafs win 3 in a row to open the season and have more points in October than they did at the end of Dec 2009 .. still miss the playoffs by 16 points
- Canucks realize that their backup 'tender is better than Luongo, but still play him sparingly
- Matt Cooke goons another unsuspecting opponent, this time resulting in permanent injury and ending a career (not Cooke's, as the NHL is spineless)
- Bettman finally comes clean and proclaims he never really had a clue about business or Hockey, and that he's simply been riding on family legacy since he was a youth ....
- No team approaches Darcy Tucker with a sweet deal to get him to reconsider his retirement decision
posted by cixelsyd at 01:26 AM on October 13, 2010
No fantasy league!?