NHL '09/'10 Season Thread
- Thread starter STDiva
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You guys havent even beat Russia for most of the olympics. You should focus on them. The fact you beat us 2002 is funny
PlasmaTwa2
The Second-Hottest Man in my Mother's Basement
Seems like there were no real blockbusters on this years trade deadline. I guess Wolski/Mueller and Visnovsky/Whitney trades were the biggest ones. :dunno:
So Bolts loose another one tonight 5-4... I have to say 2 things ,
1.Mike Smith Sucks
2.NHL refs are the worst in the world.
1.Mike Smith Sucks
2.NHL refs are the worst in the world.
Haven't we been saying that all along??
My Wings are shitting the bed too.
We gotta keep that playoff streak going.
You guys want Khabibulin back?
The Soviet Union had a monopoly on the Olympic gold medal from 1956 to 1988, winning 7 out of 9 Olympic gold medals, and then the Unified Team also won in 1992. What you fail to mention is that during all that time NHL players were not permitted to compete in the Olympics. Considering that close to 100% of the elite Canadian players were in the NHL at that time (notably, Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur, Doug Harvey, Phil Esposito, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux in their prime, etc., I could go on forever) were in the NHL, it made for a pretty easy tournament for the Soviets. All of the best Soviet players would play for the Soviet national team, while Canada was forced to field amateurs for the Olympic tournament. Additionally, Canada didn't even field a team in 1972 or 1976 in protest of the Soviets use of professional players in the tournament. It wasn't an even playing field.
When Canada and the Soviet Union did play each other in a best-on-best tournament it was pretty unbelievable hockey and the Soviets by no means dominated Canada. In the '72 Summit Series, Canada bested the Soviets 4-3-1. Then in the '74 Summit Series, the Soviets struck back and bested Canada 4-1-3.
Then the Canada Cup was created. The first true best-on-best format involving all six of the major hockey powers (Canada, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Finland, and the United States). Canada won four out of five of them ('76,'84,'87,'91), with the Soviets taking the other one ('81). Then the Canada Cup became the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 (US gold) and occurring once more in 2004 (Canada gold).
NHL players were first permitted into the Olympics in 1998 (Czech Republic gold) and every tournament since. Canada has won 2 out of those 4 (Sweden won in '06). Russia has never won gold since NHL players were permitted at the Olympics and Canada and the Soviet Union/Unified Team/Russia are now even, each with 8 Olympic gold medals.
When you look at it in terms of best-on-best results, Canada clearly, yet again, comes out on top: Canada: '72 Summit Series, '76,'84,'87,'91 Canada Cups, 2004 World Cup, 2002 and 2010 Olympic gold vs. USSR/Russia: '74 Summit Series and '81 Canada Cup. 8-2, at final count.
A little history lesson for you. And what was funny about beating the US 5-2 in 2002? I don't know what you mean when you say that.
PlasmaTwa2
The Second-Hottest Man in my Mother's Basement
The Summit Series is a bit of a poor example for this (especially '74, which by no stretch was a "best-on-best"). The Summit Series was actually what proved that Canada wasn't as good as we thought we were and that other teams in the world could match up against us. What's forgotten about the series is that Canada played Sweden between the games in Canada and the games in Moscow. Sweden actually managed to make a game out of it, which apparently was a surprise.
Of course, Canada won the Summit Series, but I don't believe that proved that we were a better team than the Soviets; after all, a lot of people say that we only won because we intentionally injured their best player. All it really did was prove that the Soviets were just as good as we were.
It would be a poor example if it were the only one that I used. I never said that Canada proved they were better or had better results solely because of the '72 Summit Series, I listed a lot more best-on-bests than that. I think Canada proved then and in subsequent years that if we were allowed to field our best that we were the superior team. '72 alone didn't prove anything, but when you look at all those results I listed in terms of all the best-on-best competitions that have been held since then it becomes pretty clear and definitive who's been the most successful.
The Soviets were definitely just as good in '72. They went toe-to-toe with Canada and barely lost the series. It was a bit of a shock to see how good they really were, but then again, they were the unbeatable Soviets who had won gold after gold after gold at the Olympics and were a dominant force on the international hockey stage.
Haven't we been saying that all along??
My Wings are shitting the bed too.
Last year he was great untill he got injured and it seems as though his concussion hasl left him unable to play at the same level he did before.
that's what it looks like to me. maybe Tokarski is our goaltending answer? :dunno:
I don't think Tokarski will be ready to be the main guy in Tampa for another 2 years or so but he is definitely the best prospect in front of the net for the Lightning.
One guy that has had succes this year in the KHL and that they should try to bring back is Karri Ramo , he may be closer to being ready to assume the starting role than any other young goalie in the organization.
I told you so
You told who , what ?
Big win tonight , the only negative is Martin ST.Louis who had to leave the game and it looked like a possible concussion on that dirty hit by Chris Thorburn.
He had a tough time skating and fell behind the atlanta net. I liked that Matt Walker fought Thorburn right after he came out the penalty box , he gave him a good beating. I really really hope that Marty is ok. Vincent Lecavalier has played much better in the last two games but still we need Marty to make the playoffs.