NHL 2013 regular season thread!

[Lazarus.Bird]

Lemieux whined about player safety and concussions while employing Matt Cooke, Murray whined about goons when he's got Chris Neil, and Julien made himself look like an absolute idiot by complaining about diving. I think these guys really need to focus more on running their teams, and recognize that there is a time and place for voicing these types of concerns that don't make you look like a jackass.

 

[Strat-Mangler]

Double-standards. Coaches & GMs seem to have them in abundance.

 

[dangnewt]

The video compilations were funny and how he worked it onto Daily Show video is pretty cool.

However, I read Julien's rant a little differently. By walking into that particular glass house he is inviting the rest of the league to scrutinize the B's and he is putting his players under a microscope so they better not embarrass their coach or the organization. Let me know when the Montreal coach or GM does the same thing.

Also let me know when you see a Bruin embellish this year. I haven't watched every minute of every game, but I've watched maybe half of the games and it looks like they have been playing it straight. Which makes sense - I think that Julien went out on this particular limb because he and his staff have been successful in reducing the embellishment on the B's this year.

 

[netface]

are you guys saying the canadiens don't lead the league in diving?

 

[mkandolf]

Grantland article featuring the NHL's biggest dirtbags of all-time:

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...9/who-is-the-nhls-biggest-dirtbag-of-all-time

Lots of links to some great classic videos!

 

[dangnewt]

You probably saw this but it was an entertaining end to an entertaining game that saw the Senators jump out to a 2 goal lead and the B's creep back in with an initial goal from Thornton, our 4th line enforcer, (who has more skill than the average enforcer), some huge saves from Rask to stop the bleeding, and another goal from the 4rd line (although with the 1st line center getting an assist as the lines were juggled because of the injury to Kelly).

Ottawa plays a similar style to Boston and did a good job shutting down the top two lines. The craziest thing about Daugavin's attempt is that it almost went in!



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[Lazarus.Bird]

Grantland article featuring the NHL's biggest dirtbags of all-time:

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...9/who-is-the-nhls-biggest-dirtbag-of-all-time

Lots of links to some great classic videos!

Thanks for that, kept me entertaining off and on for about an hour at work. That was a very well done compilation/article.

 

[fokof]

You probably saw this but it was an entertaining end to an entertaining game that saw the Senators jump out to a 2 goal lead and the B's creep back in with an initial goal from Thornton, our 4th line enforcer, (who has more skill than the average enforcer), some huge saves from Rask to stop the bleeding, and another goal from the 4rd line (although with the 1st line center getting an assist as the lines were juggled because of the injury to Kelly).

Ottawa plays a similar style to Boston and did a good job shutting down the top two lines. The craziest thing about Daugavin's attempt is that it almost went in!



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Got to love the Sens , with all their top players down with injury , what they are achieving is great !
I really hope they make it to the playoff

 

[Strat-Mangler]

However, I read Julien's rant a little differently. By walking into that particular glass house he is inviting the rest of the league to scrutinize the B's and he is putting his players under a microscope so they better not embarrass their coach or the organization. Let me know when the Montreal coach or GM does the same thing.

Montreal coaches don't taunt or call out other organizations when they lose. I've seen some players being referenced, but not an organization such as it would be by essentially saying that a whole team's full of divers or embellishing players.

When Montreal would win a game in past seasons, Subban & Price would perform a "low-five" gesture 3x. This has since been banned by the team as it was deemed to be classless and a sign of disrespect to the other team.

Yes, Bruins players embellish too. Seguin's reaction to the slight check in mid-ice looked as if Seguin had been shot. There's also a nice video of Thornton embellishing too. Most players do it to an extent. For example, if the puck carrier feels an opponent's stick on his side, a move that is used very very often is to close down the elbow so the stick is trapped, thus potentially getting that player a hooking penalty. That happens about a dozen times in any NHL game.

Painting the Bruins as being collectively full of honest individuals who play with integrity is a laughable thing to read. A majority of the players on that team are known throughout the league for playing dirty, taking cheapshots, etc. They are a tough team to play against, if only because of that. Then, you factor in the balanced level of skills they have on their first 3 lines, along with Hamilton & Chara and you essentially get a very very tough opponent.

 

[warwick.hoy]

The craziest thing about Daugavin's attempt is that it almost went in!



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Wait; I thought the ASG was cancelled this year.

 

[dangnewt]

Montreal coaches don't taunt or call out other organizations when they lose. I've seen some players being referenced, but not an organization such as it would be by essentially saying that a whole team's full of divers or embellishing players.

When Montreal would win a game in past seasons, Subban & Price would perform a "low-five" gesture 3x. This has since been banned by the team as it was deemed to be classless and a sign of disrespect to the other team.

Yes, Bruins players embellish too. Seguin's reaction to the slight check in mid-ice looked as if Seguin had been shot. There's also a nice video of Thornton embellishing too. Most players do it to an extent. For example, if the puck carrier feels an opponent's stick on his side, a move that is used very very often is to close down the elbow so the stick is trapped, thus potentially getting that player a hooking penalty. That happens about a dozen times in any NHL game.

Painting the Bruins as being collectively full of honest individuals who play with integrity is a laughable thing to read. A majority of the players on that team are known throughout the league for playing dirty, taking cheapshots, etc. They are a tough team to play against, if only because of that. Then, you factor in the balanced level of skills they have on their first 3 lines, along with Hamilton & Chara and you essentially get a very very tough opponent.

We'll have to agree to disagree on much of this, but you raise good points that deserve a response.

Regarding Montreal and diving - that is exactly what Claude is saying and he didn't back down. If the shoe fits........

That is great news that the organization was able to change Subban and Price's celebratory behavior. I look forward to seeing the reduction in Subban's embellishing over the second half of the season after the coach and GM announce that it will no longer be tolerated (or if implausible deniability is in fashion up north, perhaps the announcement can say that Montreal continues to have a zero-tolerance policy in regard to embellishment).

Are you referring to checks in this year? And are you referring to incidents that have drawn penalty calls? Or diving penalties?

I did not paint the Bruins organization nor their players as honest and full of integrity. I said that they embellish much less than the average team and that their coach has put them on notice, in a very public way, that it will not be tolerated. I made an observation that Seguin and Marchand have reduced their embellishing this year. I'll add that Marchand is playing less dirty as evidenced by the lack of supplemental discipline for him or any Bruin this year ( I hope I'm not jinxing the B's) I understand that a Hab has been called in but cleared - thats cool. If Subban and Price can mature, and I take your word that they are, kindly consider the possibility that Seguin and Marchand can as well.

If you want to believe that the Bruins success is based on dirty play with 3 balanced lines and a great veteran defenseman and a promising rookie defenseman - that is OK by me. I see a little more, but I follow them closer - better than average goaltending from both goalies, a well-structured defensive system that the players have fully bought into and a penalty kill that is world-class. It is not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it.

 

[MJ5150]

You'll need more than two goals if you want to beat the Penguins. Especially when you start your backup goalie.

-Mike

 

[dangnewt]

You'll need more than two goals if you want to beat the Penguins. Especially when you start your backup goalie.

-Mike

I agree with your first statement, the Pens can score in bunches and they are relentless. The B's got a power play goal which is encouraging, but the third goal proved elusive.

But I thought Khudobin was just as good as Rask and kept them in the game in the second.

 

[Lazarus.Bird]

Go Pens Sutter has been good but I've been waiting for him to have a game like this. Really pleased with how well he has fit in. Hope he's a Pen for a long time.

 

[MJ5150]

"We sucked, and we sucked at a time that you can't suck."

Quote of the year so far. Hahaha.

-Mike

 

[MJ5150]

But I thought Khudobin was just as good as Rask and kept them in the game in the second.

I don't think the guy is terrible, but Julien has him as a backup for a reason. The Penguins didn't make a serious charge until the third, so the guy looked great for two periods. It's not all on him though. The Bruins defense made some mistakes in the third they didn't make earlier in the game. It looked to me like they eased up a bit, which has been a problem for Boston the last few games.

-Mike

 

[Lazarus.Bird]

Definitely can't put that GWG on the goalie when you make a horrible turnover in your own zone, then have to expect a rocket shot from a 3rd line center when Crosby is on the other side.

 

[Broadstbully22]

I just want to chime in here.


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.........



Ok. I feel better.

 

[Strat-Mangler]

Regarding Montreal and diving - that is exactly what Claude is saying and he didn't back down. If the shoe fits........

Think you'll need a lot more evidence than the homer glasses through which you're obviously looking through.

Your whole post was laughable, to be honest. I was hoping for a discussion based on something else than over-the-top fanboyism, but I don't think that'll be possible considering what you wrote.

You basically accused the Habs of being divers, collectively formed of players who embellished, that the organization encourages this, that it might even be acceptable as a nation up in Canada to play without integrity, and more. Rather strange way to initiate a dialogue, in my opinion.

Meanwhile, you paint the Bruins' coach as being some kind of moralistic individual who openly stated that this sort of behavior will be unacceptable by his own players when nothing of any kind was ever even hinted to. The players and the coach were sore losers, plain and simple. This was reflected in the post-game interviews. Julien and Tortorrella are the same, in that respect. The Bruins (that night) were outplayed in every single aspect of the game, period. They came out flat and tried to intimidate. The Habs used their speed and stuck to hockey. We know what the end result was.

Sorry but unless you can view things objectively, we'll have to terminate the potential for an enlightening or entertaining discussion on the Bruins and obviously any Canadian player or team, as your negative bias is nothing I feel like investing any effort into work against. It'd be an uphill battle and a tremendous waste of time.

If you want to discuss anything related to the other 22 teams and non-Canadian players in the NHL, I'm up for it. And if I embellished things, you'll have to excuse me... it's the Canadian way.

 

[FretlessMainly]

You'll need more than two goals if you want to beat the Penguins. Especially when you start your backup goalie.

-Mike

Putting any blame on Khudobin for that loss is like blaming the chemist who discovered hydrogen for the Hindenburg disaster.

The B's were gassed by the mid-second period. Blame the back-to-back? Well, sort of, but a team's got to be better than that in these tough situations or this sort of crap that I lose sleep over happens.