NHL '12/'13 Thread
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Washington Capitals win it all
okay, I'm not actually that blind of a Caps fan, but I can realistically see us maybe getting to the Conference Semi-Finals, but with a new coach I just can't see us going a whole lot farther than that.. I'm not expecting a great season, but I just want to watch Ovechkin kill a man and see if Braden Holtby can continue his post season magic.. I'm ready for some hockey
okay, I'm not actually that blind of a Caps fan, but I can realistically see us maybe getting to the Conference Semi-Finals, but with a new coach I just can't see us going a whole lot farther than that.. I'm not expecting a great season, but I just want to watch Ovechkin kill a man and see if Braden Holtby can continue his post season magic.. I'm ready for some hockey
I'm not so much of a hockey fan as I am a die hard Washington Capitals fan, so my picks might not be all that good, but here goes nothing:
New Jersey Devils beat the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals
New Jersey Devils beat the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals
Probably take them a while to work hockey back into the programming. They don't plan at the last minute, and they likely didn't think hockey would be back, so they filled the slots with other programming. Contractual obligations, and all that. Not to mention pulling reporters off other material, and putting them back on hockey.
BAYAMONXXX
Land Of The Snakes
I don't care. Get that shit off the tv. Saturday afternoon speed skating? Ugh.
PlasmaTwa2
The Second-Hottest Man in my Mother's Basement
Woot. Prediction time!
Western Conference:
1. Vancouver Canucks (they might not be the best team in the conference, but they play in the easiest division and so will have the best record. Regarding Luongo, he won't get traded this season I think and there is going to be a stretch of the season where Schneider falters and Luongo takes over the crease, which is exactly what I think the Canucks want)
2. St. Louis Blues (they'll be the best team in the West but are hampered by having to play Detroit/Chicago/Nashville on a regular basis)
3. San Jose Sharks (I think the shorter season will play into their favour. They know this is their last chance and I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out of the gate running and attempt to shore up their roster at the trade deadline)
4. Los Angeles Kings (They're the champions, 'nuff said)
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Crawford will be better this season, but he's going to have his problems and it'll drag the team down to a record that doesn't reflect the quality of the team)
6. Nashville Predators (Weber is going to win the Norris this year. We all know it)
7. Phoenix Coyotes (Smith won't be able to keep up the level of play he showed last year, but he's going to be good enough to get the Coyotes back in the playoffs)
8. Detroit Red Wings (Tough choice between the Wings and Wild. I think there are going to be some growing pains without Lidstrom at the beginning of the season, only for the team to play great down the stretch and pass the Wild right at the end of the season)
9. Minnesota Wild (Just won't have quite enough to make it after looking like a lock the entire season)
10. Dallas Stars (They're always never quite good enough to make it to the playoffs. I'd love to see them do it this year because they always tear it up when they do, but there's just too many other teams ahead of them)
11. Edmonton Oilers (big improvement over the last couple of years, but won't make the playoffs, though with the new draft system they'll probably win the lottery again)
12. Anaheim Ducks (Another good team, brought down by a tough division. There's going to be some big trades coming out of Anaheim after this year)
13. Colorado Avalanche (They're in that perpetual stage, it seems, where they are ready to take the next step and never do)
14. Columbus Blue Jackets (Bobovsky is going to be the number one goaltender; Mason completely sucks. That said, Bobovsky will be good enough to keep them out of the last spot)
15. Calgary Flames (One or both of Kiprusoff and Iginla will be traded this season once it becomes obvious the team's annual strategy of "barely make it into the playoffs and then hope it is 2004" won't work again, and the team is going to completely tank afterwards)
Eastern Conference:
1. New York Rangers (Best team in the league, with the best first line. Nash puts them over the edge)
2. Washington Capitals (I'm praying for a bounce back year for Ovechkin, Backstrom and Green. Hockey is more entertaining when this team is great and its about time there is a legitimate run from them)
3. Boston Bruins (Rask won't be the distraction Thomas was last year)
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (Lose out to the Rangers because of Fleury. He was good last season, but he was showing signs of regression last year, so I don't know how many more years he will be an elite goaltender for. Fortunately, Vokoun is there to carry the team when he stumbles)
5. Buffalo Sabres (Miller will have a bounce-back year and I think the team is finally going to gel)
6. Carolina Hurricanes (Probably the most improved team over next year, the Staals are going to be the second coming of the Sedins and Semin will have a career year knowing he'll be off to Russia if he doesn't play well. Ward will be his same, dependable self)
7. Philadelphia Flyers (I don't have a whole lot of confidence in Bryzgalov, and while he eventually gets going, I think the team's standing is going to suffer while he finds his footing. Plus, I just predict injuries in this team's future)
8. Florida Panthers (they'll regress, but I see no reason why they can't make the playoffs again this year with the same teamwork that got them there last year. No superstars, just dependable, hardworking players)
9. New Jersey Devils (I see them being a point or two behind the Panthers at the seasons end, but they're a hard team to predict. I think the loss of Parise will hurt in a division where every team has seemingly improved. We'll see)
10. Tampa Bay Lighting (Like the Devils, a hard team to predict. Could be out of the playoffs or division champs)
11. Ottawa Senators (I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to this team. They were too good last year and I think they won't be able to repeat it)
12. Winnipeg Jets (they still aren't a playoff team in my opinion, though Pavalec is going to show good improvement. Give it another year)
13. New york Islanders (They're going to improve this year, mark my words. They'll benefit from only playing Eastern teams since the bottom half of the conference is incredibly even-footed, but it'll only be enough to move up one position due to the beatings they'll take from the rest of their division. Tavares is going to be a threat for a few awards this year)
14. Toronto Maple Leafs (With Luongo, they're a playoff team. Without Reimer, they aren't)
15. Montreal Canadiens (Despite Price, they're going to bomb and take Jones/Mackinnon in the draft)
Stanley Cup, like I said earlier, will be the Rangers over the Blackhawks.
lol Detroit
Sam Fisher
Banned
Yes... and, lol the NHL season (what's left of it.)
They managed to salvage a 48 game season. Better than a kick in the head with a frozen boot.
Marlo Manson
Hello Sexy girl how your Toes doing?
Uh, after watching the dismal shit that I had to see tonight I predict the Red Wings will go 0 - 48 this year and miss the playoffs for the 1st time in 21 years, I knew this day would come sooner or later, I think the Red Wings should have made earlier plans for the retirement of Lidstrom and bolstered there back end for the last 2 years, either Via a Trade, or gone after some big-time UFA's before last summer, not that the Red Wings weren't willing to spend Big-time $$$ for a UFA defenseman this past off-season but, shit happens and they go elsewhere, Suter was grossly overpaid YES the Red Wings would have paid that much for his services as well, but he was the cream of the crop that was available this past off-season and Detroit came up empty now there SOL this season. :2 cents:
Either they make a big trade for that stud D-Man this trade deadline, or they aim for the best upcoming UFA defenseman again and make damn sure they land him for the next season.
I think unless tonight's game was just RUST and 1st time playing without Lidstrom, and they go on a terror this season, It will be a long season for Detroit fans to stomach. Not that I am a bandwagon fan, I will always be a Red Wing fan, but there's a time when you just have to look @ reality and deal with it. :hairpull:
Either they make a big trade for that stud D-Man this trade deadline, or they aim for the best upcoming UFA defenseman again and make damn sure they land him for the next season.
I think unless tonight's game was just RUST and 1st time playing without Lidstrom, and they go on a terror this season, It will be a long season for Detroit fans to stomach. Not that I am a bandwagon fan, I will always be a Red Wing fan, but there's a time when you just have to look @ reality and deal with it. :hairpull:
Uh, after watching the dismal shit that I had to see tonight I predict the Red Wings will go 0 - 48 this year and miss the playoffs for the 1st time in 21 years, I knew this day would come sooner or later, I think the Red Wings should have made earlier plans for the retirement of Lidstrom and bolstered there back end for the last 2 years, either Via a Trade, or gone after some big-time UFA's before last summer, not that the Red Wings weren't willing to spend Big-time $$$ for a UFA defenseman this past off-season but, shit happens and they go elsewhere, Suter was grossly overpaid YES the Red Wings would have paid that much for his services as well, but he was the cream of the crop that was available this past off-season and Detroit came up empty now there SOL this season. :2 cents:
Either they make a big trade for that stud D-Man this trade deadline, or they aim for the best upcoming UFA defenseman again and make damn sure they land him for the next season.
I hear Wade Redden's available
I hear Wade Redden's available
He was snatched up by St. Louis.
Now Scott Gomez IS available. Just put him on defense. Can't possibly do any worse then he did with the Canadians
As for the Red Wings. There's a reason they have made the Playoffs for the past 21 years. Yes those players have finally up and retired but the team always finds a way to make themselves a "threat" in the Playoffs whether they are a top seed or not. It would suck if they didn't make it this year but I have a hunch they will get their legs together before the season is out.
Some new d-men would be ideal but I still don't see Howard as "the guy" to help them win a Stanley Cup. Then again Osgood proved himself capable so you never know.
Jagger69
Three lullabies in an ancient tongue
Wow....what a start by the Blues. Totally dominant in either zone. Detroit looks like they have BIG problems on the blueline now that Lidstrom is gone. Tarasenko looks like he's going to be an awesome offensive threat for an already-deep lineup. Looks like the days of Red Wing dominance may be on the wane....an aging team with a leaky defense doesn't bode well for any chance of success. 'Bout damn time I say!!
Marlo Manson
Hello Sexy girl how your Toes doing?
He was snatched up by St. Louis.
Now Scott Gomez IS available. Just put him on defense. Can't possibly do any worse then he did with the Canadians
As for the Red Wings. There's a reason they have made the Playoffs for the past 21 years. Yes those players have finally up and retired but the team always finds a way to make themselves a "threat" in the Playoffs whether they are a top seed or not. It would suck if they didn't make it this year but I have a hunch they will get their legs together before the season is out.
Some new d-men would be ideal but I still don't see Howard as "the guy" to help them win a Stanley Cup. Then again Osgood proved himself capable so you never know.
Your right Detroit is known for finding talent from draft pick others wouldn't trade a bag of pucks for, and Detroit spins them into All-Stars, of course the player is the hidden talent, the Red Wings just have excellent scouting. that and Detroit won't be grounded for very long, if @ all, as for Howard he is an All-Star goalie, he will take the Red Wings to the promised land, they just have to Re-up on there main core and get some depth back. they won't struggle for very long with an owner that demands / fiends winning to the point he'll spend any amount of $$$$ to do what it takes to put a winning product on the ice.
Yes the Blues look to be a great team once again, and they'll be an elite team for many years to come, can they maintain that in the playoffs? that is yet to be seen yet again. Aside from a few left overs, the Red Wings are relatively young, with Lidstrom gone, Draper, Maltby, Holmstom, all gone now, there oldest players are Bertuzzi (37), Samuelson (36), Datsyuk & Cleary (34) Franzen (33), Kronwall & Zetterberg (32).. So aside from Bert & Samulson who only have a couple of years left @ best, the rest of the 30's gang have atleast 5 good years of productivity, and like I mentioned Detroit won't hesitate to make bold moves to rotate Elite talent to the team, some will come homegrown, some will come Via trade, and others will be added by UFA'a etc..
Detroit won't linger in mediocrity for very long, if @ all, so all you Red Wings haters relish it now, cuz Detroit will regroup and be amongst the top teams / the cream of the crop within a couple years @ most, there will NOT be a long stretch of Red Wings suffering, the Detroit fans won't tolerate losing or only being mediocre for an extended period of time, nor will Mr. Ilitch the Red Wings owner who does whatever it takes to get great again, which = spending the $$$$ which he has NO problem doing!! :2 cents:
Jacket mania here in C-Bus!
Cue the Stanley Cup parade. The Oilers are winning it all this year.
Ok, I'm gonna say it now. I'm expecting great things from the Chicago Blackhawks. I don't like to make predictions or "strut around like the cock-o-the-wok" as it were, but I'm expecting them to do great things. Apparently Mike Smith of the Coyotes wasn't expecting it and found himself in a frustrating position. As a Hawks fan, this still makes me laugh.
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