The Official 2011/2012 NHL Thread
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toheeb27
Members Posts: 10,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
I know Hockey is not that popular around this parts, but i am aware there are a few fans around.
Storylines going into the season
- Crosby’s head
- How will the Canucks’ rebound - The last time we saw the Canucks on the ice they were finishing off a truly epic collapse in the Stanly Cup finals -- the kind that crushes the souls of players and fans. That kind of situation -- and the flaws that were exposed -- can have a serious lasting impact on the psyche of a team.
- Edmonton’s youth movement - The Oilers have an incredible collection of young players -- by far the best group of under-25 youngsters in the league. They are absolutely a team of the future.
- Washington is getting serious - The Capitals have the most explosive offensive player in the league, and a whole lot of talent around him. They always find a way to disappoint in the playoffs, though. More than ever before they have shown signs that they are tired of losing and plan not to do it this year.
They have been aggressive in the offseason, and the attitudes of the stars match the hunger of the front office. If Washington can finally get on track they are going to be tough to beat. Is this finally the year that the Caps reach their potential?
- Philadelphia’s bold moves - Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were the two offensive stars that the Flyers were built around, and they were expected to be the foundation of the team for years to come. After a bizarre offseason, though, Carter now plays for Columbus and Richards is with the Kings.
It’s all but impossible to think of another time when a good team blew apart their core like this when the players were in their prime. There were obvious chemistry issues with this team last year, and rumors have long circulated that these two players were at the center of the issues. Not only are they gone, but the team has signed Maxime Talbot form the Penguins and, in a blast form the past, Jaromir Jagr has been brought back from the KHL.
Should be a fun season, which starts this Thursday, October 6.
Storylines going into the season
- Crosby’s head
- How will the Canucks’ rebound - The last time we saw the Canucks on the ice they were finishing off a truly epic collapse in the Stanly Cup finals -- the kind that crushes the souls of players and fans. That kind of situation -- and the flaws that were exposed -- can have a serious lasting impact on the psyche of a team.
- Edmonton’s youth movement - The Oilers have an incredible collection of young players -- by far the best group of under-25 youngsters in the league. They are absolutely a team of the future.
- Washington is getting serious - The Capitals have the most explosive offensive player in the league, and a whole lot of talent around him. They always find a way to disappoint in the playoffs, though. More than ever before they have shown signs that they are tired of losing and plan not to do it this year.
They have been aggressive in the offseason, and the attitudes of the stars match the hunger of the front office. If Washington can finally get on track they are going to be tough to beat. Is this finally the year that the Caps reach their potential?
- Philadelphia’s bold moves - Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were the two offensive stars that the Flyers were built around, and they were expected to be the foundation of the team for years to come. After a bizarre offseason, though, Carter now plays for Columbus and Richards is with the Kings.
It’s all but impossible to think of another time when a good team blew apart their core like this when the players were in their prime. There were obvious chemistry issues with this team last year, and rumors have long circulated that these two players were at the center of the issues. Not only are they gone, but the team has signed Maxime Talbot form the Penguins and, in a blast form the past, Jaromir Jagr has been brought back from the KHL.
Should be a fun season, which starts this Thursday, October 6.
Comments
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damn i forgot crosby was still out...oh well
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I never seen somebody take this long to get over a concussion, didnt that happen to Crosby in January and he still affected by it
Hope my Blackhawks can get back to the finals this year -
damn i forgot crosby was still out...oh well
Has your fragile Goalie learned how to play the position yet?GIFSoup
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Has your fragile Goalie learned how to play the position yet?
ayo ? you ? ....we still gave them ? problems lol -
ayo ? you ? ....we still gave them ? problems lol
LMAO, all jokes aside, like your squad this season. If u guys stay healthy, u are definitely one of the favs, especially if Michael Frolik lives up to his potential. -
lets go!
cant wait
Giroux bout to take that next step now
and cant wait to see JVR after the playoffs he had last year -
rice n gravy wrote: »lets go!
cant wait
Giroux bout to take that next step now
and cant wait to see JVR after the playoffs he had last year
U guys made some bold bold moves. Not sure the gamble will pay off. -
only thing i ever liked about hockey is that 24/7 ? on the penguins and capitals
and the alex ovechkin the gr8 documentary , both those were dope to me ... -
Pens.............
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Do we really have dueling NHL threads, LMAO...........
Come on brocktonpatriot -
Yo, Dbrazil, nice win by your squad. What is the ETA on Crosby?
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The Florida Panthers have been irrelevant down here for over a decade
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Crosby OK’d for contact, timetable still uncertain
By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer 8 hours, 20 minutes ago
PITTSBURGH (AP)—Sidney Crosby has traded in his white helmet. There’s still no telling when the Pittsburgh Penguins star will be able to do the same with his practice jersey.
The former MVP’s comeback from concussion-like symptoms took a major step forward Thursday when he was cleared for contact by team doctors for the first time since being injured last January.
Crosby wore a black helmet like the rest of his teammates during a morning skate prior to Thursday night’s showdown with Washington. The 24-year-old had been wearing a white helmet during workouts to indicate he wasn’t to be touched.
While there were no major collisions, the simple change in headgear is another positive sign that the sport’s biggest star is close to returning.
“This is a good step in the right direction and we’ll see how it goes the next little bit,” he said.
How long that “next little bit” will last remains unclear. Crosby, as he’s done for the last 10 months, refused to put a timetable on when he’ll be ready to play.
Part of the problem is Pittsburgh’s cramped early season schedule. Thursday’s game is the team’s fifth in eight days and the next three weeks are nearly as busy, leaving little time for full-contact drills.
“I have to get hit at some point during practice but we’re playing so much it’s hard to get that right now,” Crosby said.
Coach Dan Bylsma says he may try to find some extra practice time for Crosby to help get him acclimated but added Crosby’s participation in nearly every drill during training camp means Crosby might not have that much further to go.
“He’s been with the line, he’s been in drills, he’s covered some drills that have contacted,” Bylsma said. “He was wearing a different color helmet but he’s been in those situations.”
While his teammates have done their best to protect their captain during practice, Crosby has admitted to some jostling at times with no recurrence of the symptoms that have sidelined him since take head shots in consecutive games in early January.
“Everything has gone really smooth,” Crosby said.
The question becomes who will be the first player to take it to the game’s best player. Bylsma said it will be up to Crosby to mix it up, but doesn’t think it will take long for the seven-year veteran to get a teammate’s attention.
“Sid’s the type of player that he instigates contact,” Bylsma said. “He’ll do something that will warrant that from a player. He’ll go out and do something. … I think every training camp when Sid’s been healthy he’s always ended up in some kind of jostling where the ire’s gotten up on both guys and that’ll happen again because of the way Sidney competes.”
The team is in no rush to hurry him back. The Penguins are off to their best start since 1994-95, going 3-0-1 in their first four games.
Their play has taken some of the pressure off Crosby, who insists he’s not frustrated or anxious even as his return inches closer to reality.
“When you’ve waited this long, you just want to make sure you do everything right and it’s exciting if anything,” he said. “I don’t think it’s hard to be patient at this point. We’re getting closer and we just want to make sure I respond to everything well in the however next long it is.”
Calm down Dbrazil -
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LMAO, Asham on his Frankie Edgar ? . LMAO at the commentator basically saying, "i love Jay Beagle, but u dont ? with Asham. Dude dont play"
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i never seen someone just drop like that in a fight...but good ? from asham, you cant let a dude named beagle beat your ass
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Crosby to return on Monday against Islanders
By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer 15 minutes ago
PITTSBURGH (AP)—Sid the Kid is back.
Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby will make his season debut on Monday against the New York Islanders, his first game in nearly a year since being sidelined with concussion-like symptoms.
Crosby hasn’t played since taking head shots in consecutive games in January against Washington and Tampa Bay.
The 2007 NHL MVP spent the last 10 months undergoing a painstakingly thorough rehabilitation that left him wondering when—or even if—he’d play again and forced the league to take a harsher stance when it comes to policing head hits.
His return ends weeks of speculation that appeared to put the ever-polite Crosby on edge but hardly bothered his teammates. The 24-year-old declined repeated interview requests in recent weeks as the speculation about a possible return date reached a fever pitch.
Crosby missed the remainder of the 2010-11 season after taking a hit from Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman on Jan. 5. The expected brief absence turned into an extended one that rendered him a spectator for Pittsburgh’s loss to the Lightning in the opening round of the playoffs.
He vowed to be ready for training camp but spent much of the summer in seclusion in his native Canada, his silence fueling speculation his career may be in jeopardy.
Crosby came forward in September and—flanked by the two doctors who have overseen his recovery—said it was “likely” he would be back this season.
He began training camp wearing a white helmet to signify he wasn’t to be hit, working feverishly for a month before switching to a black helmet after being cleared for contact on Oct. 13.
Coach Dan Bylsma preached caution, though his teammates did their best to accommodate their captain, jostling with him in practice when given the opportunity.
Crosby only missed one skate since camp began in September, skipping a practice in Los Angeles on Nov. 5 so he could travel back east to visit with his medical team.
His teammates stressed there was no need for Crosby to rush, and the Penguins have been one of the league’s top teams through the season’s first six weeks.
Pittsburgh entered Friday atop the Eastern Conference behind the crisp goaltending of Marc-Andre Fleury and a dynamic offense led by Evgeni Malkin and James Neal.
Yet the Penguins understand they’re not the same without Crosby.
“We know what he means to this team, this city,” defenseman Kris Letang said. “He’s a special player.”
One that spent months dealing with “fogginess” that at times made it difficult for him to drive or watch television. He also endured painful migraines and likened the recovery process to a roller coaster.
The ride appears to be finally pulling into the station, sending Crosby out into the great unknown.
For all the steps he’s taken during his recovery, the real test will come when he gets hit for the first time at full speed. Though the nature of the game may be changing thanks in part to Crosby’s ordeal.
New discipline czar Brendan Shanahan, only three years removed from his playing days, has been suspending players for taking unnecessary head shots at opponents. It’s a movement Crosby embraces.
“A guy’s got to be responsible with his stick, why shouldn’t he be responsible with the rest of his body when he’s going to hit someone?” Crosby said. “Whether it’s accidental or not accidental, you’ve got to be responsible out there.”
He hasn’t backed down during practice, often being one of the last to leave the ice before heading to the dressing room.
The Penguins have raved about Crosby’s intensity during even the more informal skates. While he’s looked perfectly fine to the naked eye, Crosby wouldn’t allow himself to come back until he was at full strength.
“Maybe I can get by with 90 percent, maybe I couldn’t but I’m not going to roll the dice with that,” Crosby said in September.
When he finally glides onto the ice in his No. 87 jersey, Crosby will put to rest speculation his career was over. His teammates, who did their best to give Crosby distance over the summer, never doubted he would return.
“I figured he was getting enough of it from everywhere else,” teammate Jordan Staal said. “All that matters to us really is that he’s healthy. All that stuff you thought you heard, I didn’t pay any attention to it.”
How quickly it takes Crosby to get back to his pre-injury level is uncertain.
He was playing arguably the best hockey of his brilliant career before getting hurt, leading the league in goals and points as the Penguins steamrolled through the first three months of the season.
The team soldiered to a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference despite missing Crosby, Malkin and Staal. The magic disappeared in the playoffs as the Penguins lost in seven games.
Crosby’s comeback pushes a team considered a Stanley Cup contender into a Stanley Cup favorite. Yet after months and months of rumors and worry, Crosby’s return is cause enough for celebration.
“We know how badly he wants to play,” teammate Matt Cooke said. “We want it too, because it means that he’s healthy, and that’s all you ever really want for him.”
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pu21QCxcWg