NHL '12/'13 Thread

[STDiva]

A first round matchup with Montreal is favourable. Toronto has had their number and Carey Price has seemingly forgot how to goaltend. I don't think they want to play Boston.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Thanks for the kind sympathies, Scott. If anyone can relate to how this makes me feel, it's a North Star fan.

I don't think the NHL is coming to Houston anytime soon unless the new potential owner wants to build a second world-class venue like Toyota Center. Les Alexander conned the city into building this playpen for him and his cronies at CCS&E and he wants all the money to end up in his pockets. He ran the Aeros out of town and doesn't give a rat's ass about hockey, the Aeros or hockey fans in Houston. If a potential owner stepped up, it would take a couple of years to build a new arena and I don't see the NHL waiting that long for a solution to the league imbalance that currently exists. We're pretty much fucked from my perspective.

Here is a list of towns in Texas with some sort of professional ice hockey franchise (NHL, AHL or CHL)....Dallas, Cedar Park, San Antonio, Austin, Allen, North Richland Hills, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Amarillo, Odessa and Hidalgo. Yet, here in the largest city in the state and the 4th largest city in the nation, we are relegated to watching rec leagues, high school or weekend-warrior roller hockey leagues.

I'll take your word for it. My family member that was playing pro down there really did love it - as did his spouse - coming from Canuckistan. I reckon quite a few other NHlers like living down there in that thur death penalty capital of the world.

This here will give you a tad optimism at least, perhaps:

Houston scores high for the NHL, but Canada is way down the list

I was hoping they'd meet Montreal in the playoff at some point. I think that would be a great series. Plus, I'm a Leafs fan, my wife a Habs fan. It makes for good angry sex when they meet.


There was a time that I would have said the Leafs were a good playoff team; that they picked up their game in the post season. I can make no claims of the sort, now, as it has been so long since they were in the playoffs, I'm willing to bet there are very few players from that era.



A series of crazy things:
Toronto clinched a playoff spot while Detroit is one point out
Detroit is behind Columbus
Winnipeg is only one point out
Edmonton isn't dead last

This half season has made for a while playoff possibility!

And the Isles and Tavares. Don't forget them. Acutally, I'll be pulling for the Isles this post season no doubt. Would be fucking awesome if they, a low seed, could make another Kings type of postseason run this year like last.

 

[StormRuller]

I'm from Brazil and I really like the Islanders... nice to see that they will make the playoffs... I really hope they get through first round and maybe win the Cup!!

 

[Jagger69]

I'll take your word for it. My family member that was playing pro down there really did love it - as did his spouse - coming from Canuckistan. I reckon quite a few other NHlers like living down there in that thur death penalty capital of the world.

This here will give you a tad optimism at least, perhaps:

Houston scores high for the NHL, but Canada is way down the list

I appreciate your tone of optimism Scott and, economically, you couldn't find a more lucrative market than Houston but, unless Les Alexander is the potential owner of an NHL franchise moving here (or, as a longshot, an expansion team), it won't happen. There's no chatter about that on any local hockey blogs so I don't have a lot of hope that it will come to fruition. I hope I'm wrong.

In the meantime, the Aeros' latest marketing ploy, after finishing as the #6 seed in the Western Conference, is "One Last Mission". I love the gallows-humor theme to that and I will be at Toyota Center at least 2 more times for our series against Grand Rapids. Granlund is back so maybe our power play production will step up a bit. I hope other fans feel like I do this one last time....we need to show everyone that Houston truly is a hockey town after all.

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

Oilers clinched the first overall pick tonight. Poor Calgary.

 

[Johnny289#2]

I hope the playoff streak isn't over for my Red Wings.

Aren't all of the California teams; Sharks, Kings, and Ducks in a playoff spot for the West? This is the second or third time that has happened in the past 5 years or so.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

I appreciate your tone of optimism Scott and, economically, you couldn't find a more lucrative market than Houston but, unless Les Alexander is the potential owner of an NHL franchise moving here (or, as a longshot, an expansion team), it won't happen. There's no chatter about that on any local hockey blogs so I don't have a lot of hope that it will come to fruition. I hope I'm wrong.

In the meantime, the Aeros' latest marketing ploy, after finishing as the #6 seed in the Western Conference, is "One Last Mission". I love the gallows-humor theme to that and I will be at Toyota Center at least 2 more times for our series against Grand Rapids. Granlund is back so maybe our power play production will step up a bit. I hope other fans feel like I do this one last time....we need to show everyone that Houston truly is a hockey town after all.

I've never been crazy about franchises too far south of the Mason Dixon, personally, but some of the Sun Belt and other Southern franchises have proved me wrong when it comes to loyalty and picking up a game that has for the majority been a foreign concept. Certainly Houston being as big as it is (as you point out, fourth biggest) it would certainly have to be at the top of the list.

Personally I think Houston should have kept at least an IHL/AHL franchise. Texas is so damn big. Best of luck though with whatever franchise you have down there in the future to support.

 

[Jagger69]

Zucker, Granlund and Kuemper all sent back down to H-town. What is that all about, Scott? With Heatly done, you guys need all the scoring punch you can get. I understand about Kuemper with Harding coming back but, otherwise, your forward line options just got weaker in my opinion.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Zucker, Granlund and Kuemper all sent back down to H-town. What is that all about, Scott? With Heatly done, you guys need all the scoring punch you can get. I understand about Kuemper with Harding coming back but, otherwise, your forward line options just got weaker in my opinion.

We're a problematic post season.. We'll be not much of a factor - but then again the Kings were last year, lol - who knows in NHL playoffss)
I'd like to meet you some time (I know you're a great fan), but I suspect that that wouldn't go over well.

 

[wottle]

I've been too depressed to post about the Wings last seven games or so. Then I get see them on Tee-Vee on Mon. and they actually
played like they cared. Raise my hopes just to prolong my agony?, or 23 straight years in the play offs.

Who the fuck knows? I'm not going to put my infamous "reverse double Ju-Ju" curse on them by posting anything. They are on Tee-Vee
tonight against the Kings.

Should be a barn burner.

 

[Jagger69]

We're a problematic post season.. We'll be not much of a factor - but then again the Kings were last year, lol - who knows in NHL playoffss)
I'd like to meet you some time (I know you're a great fan), but I suspect that that wouldn't go over well.

Much appreciated and the sentiment is mutual. However, I fear you are correct since I am unemployed and still living in my mom's basement.

 

[STDiva]

Wings and Bluejackets both win today. Wings stay 1 point up with 1 game to play. Beat Dallas and we're in.

 

[whalers90]

i honestly hate all nyr fans, first when they eliminated my devils last sunday they are all overjoyed like they won something....when they haven't.
then last night after getting into the postseason- barely- cause that team tried their hardest to choke that game away and let their season ride on a season ending showdown with NJD on saturday- the nyr fans are all happy again. do they realize after they won the winter classic last year over philly everyone was crowning them the Cup Champs...didn't happen NJD dumped em in 6. then this year they are an 8th seed team barely making the playoffs. last year was a fluke and now they get steamrolled by pittsburgh in 5...although i think it may be a sweep!

 

[STDiva]

Detroit, Minnesota and Columbus all fighting for that last spot, on the last day of the regular season. Detroit and Minnesota both hold tiebreaker over Columbus.

Detroit at Dallas
Minnesota at Colorado
Nashvilla at Columbus

Detroit needs a point or a Columbus loss. Where's Marlo at?

 

[Marlo Manson]

Detroit, Minnesota and Columbus all fighting for that last spot, on the last day of the regular season. Detroit and Minnesota both hold tiebreaker over Columbus.

Detroit at Dallas
Minnesota at Colorado
Nashvilla at Columbus

Detroit needs a point or a Columbus loss. Where's Marlo at?

I'm sweatin this whole situation, not that I think Detroit can't win in Dallas, but like they say anything can happen, Detroit, ohio, and Minny could all lose and Detroit would still get in, if we lose and 1 of the other 2 lose we still make it, if we earn just 1 point we are in regardless of what the other 2 do.

I'm just a little mad that its all come down to this. Detroit has played very well against the teams with playoff records, and they sucked against the teams that were considered not good teams, like Columbus earlier in the year, Calgary etc.. If we played better against those type of teams we'd be IN the playoffs for sure already. :hairpull:

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

I'm upset that Columbus lost the tiebreaker, but on the other hand it might be better for them. They probably would have been swept again and that would have set them back further than they are now in terms of fan support. Would just have shown everyone that the playoffs were a fluke.

Oh, and Vancouver got blown out right before the playoffs. Go Vancouver.

 

[whalers90]

i honestly hate all nyr fans, first when they eliminated my devils last sunday they are all overjoyed like they won something....when they haven't.
then last night after getting into the postseason- barely- cause that team tried their hardest to choke that game away and let their season ride on a season ending showdown with NJD on saturday- the nyr fans are all happy again. do they realize after they won the winter classic last year over philly everyone was crowning them the Cup Champs...didn't happen NJD dumped em in 6. then this year they are an 8th seed team barely making the playoffs. last year was a fluke and now they get steamrolled by pittsburgh in 5...although i think it may be a sweep!

the Rangers,Tortorella and Staher must have sold their souls to the devil to NOT be the 8th seed and play Pittsburgh. hopefully washington will realize they are a way better team and not make this series a 7 gamer.

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

the Rangers,Tortorella and Staher must have sold their souls to the devil to NOT be the 8th seed and play Pittsburgh. hopefully washington will realize they are a way better team and not make this series a 7 gamer.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers win the series. The Caps have always been underachievers.

 

[STDiva]

Islanders in 7
Senators in 6
Caps in 6
Bruins in 6

Hawks in 5
Wings in 6
Canucks in 6
Blues in 7

 

[Marlo Manson]

Islanders in 7
Senators in 6
Caps in 6
Bruins in 6

Hawks in 5
Wings in 6
Canucks in 6
Blues in 7

Western Conference
Hawks in 5
Wings in 6
Canucks in 6
Kings in 6

Eastern Conference
Penguins in 5
Senators in 6
Capitals in 7
Bruins in 6