NHL 2015-16 Season Thread

Merrith_sl said:

Do you mean he meant to throw a hit, but was woozy and didn't realize it was a linesman he was hitting? I can buy that.

Click to expand...

Something along those lines. Like maybe his vision was fucked up and he didn't notice him, or he mistook him for a Predator, or he was just not all there in one way or another. Thing is, Wideman himself didn't go down that road really. He just claims he didn't see him until it was too late to avoid the collision. However in the replays I've seen he's looking directly at the linesman as far as I could tell, there's no way he didn't see him. The only other explanation is that he intended on going "inside" between the linesman and the boards and didn't realize that the zebra was going to stick close to the boards. But I don't really buy that. And even if I did, that still doesn't explain why he outright cross checked or shoved the linesman, instead of trying to bear hug him or otherwise minimize the blow. That wasn't just putting arms up for self defense. That was intentionally increasing the physical force of the collision.

I expect the asg to be a joke, but this John Scott shit every two seconds is infuriating... On another note, I don't think Kane will be doing this again, hah!

Nice to see Mac blow it for another team for a change. Kuz was good, but too bad ovie is a lil weenie, Metro needed him.

StoiCynic_sl said:

I expect the asg to be a joke, but this John Scott shit every two seconds is infuriating... On another note, I don't think Kane will be doing this again, hah!

Nice to see Mac blow it for another team for a change. Kuz was good, but too bad ovie is a lil weenie, Metro needed him.

Click to expand...

Ovie a weenie, I bet it took the entire coaching staff and organization to convince him not to go. Honestly it's much cooler to see Kuz get to go too, he deserves it.

Also Scott burying 2 goals and winning MVP was perfect. Dude looked so excited to be a part of it and contribute. The game is meaningless and not that great anyways, was fun to see him get a moment like that.

Merrith_sl said:

Ovie a weenie, I bet it took the entire coaching staff and organization to convince him not to go. Honestly it's much cooler to see Kuz get to go too, he deserves it.

Click to expand...

I'm sure you have the right of it. So it's the entire staff that are weenies! Don't get me wrong, it's a smart move. It's just also kinda a bitch move and i'm never gonna buy the explanation. Kuz should of been in over Backstrom this year anyway though.

StoiCynic_sl said:

I'm sure you have the right of it. So it's the entire staff that are weenies! Don't get me wrong, it's a smart move. It's just also kinda a bitch move and i'm never gonna buy the explanation. Kuz should of been in over Backstrom this year anyway though.

Click to expand...

Well, Backstrom I think should be in first simply because he's been snubbed at least 5+ times at this point. Kuz going in Ovechkin's place is a meant to be situation, them two and Holtby all get to go together and have a good time, while Ovechkin rests up.

Again, funny how Toews skipping gets basically no mention, or the times Sid has skipped it as well.

Well I only singled Ovie out because it was relevant to my statement about the metro team, but I personally haven't read any bias in any event. They have gotten equal flak as far as I have been reading.

Ranger fans calling to get John Scott back. Happy he actually earned the attention in the end, but they need to stfu... that's the EXACT kind of lame brain move the Rangers staff would make! Stop giving them ideas!

Edit: I could of sworn Backstrom was in either last year or the one before?

Nope. This was Backstrom's first All Star game. Only been top 10 in points for the year like 4 or 5 times, and top 15 another season too. No All Star appearances for any of those though.

Merrith_sl said:

the times Sid has skipped it as well.

Click to expand...

Has he skipped it without legit reasons? I seriously have no idea, which kind of goes with the point you are making=P

But Sid is made of glass and Ovie is made of granite, so it's not a 1:1 comparison. Every time Sid sneezes it's a potential career ending injury.

What in the Cup's name has the nhl done to their website. All right it's not a complete mess to enable with scripts but yeck.

Grimmlokk_sl said:

Has he skipped it without legit reasons? I seriously have no idea, which kind of goes with the point you are making=P

But Sid is made of glass and Ovie is made of granite, so it's not a 1:1 comparison. Every time Sid sneezes it's a potential career ending injury.

Click to expand...

I don't believe he has. Point being he seems to get the benefit of the doubt no matter what, Ovechkin has a injury that's been bugging him for months and he gets some criticism for missing the All Star game when he usually always goes. Toews skipped this one as well, and I heard not even 1/10th the same level of coverage about that as I did with Ovechkin passing on it.

Sid's been mostly healthy this year right? Just not as good as usual?

Malakriss_sl said:

What in the Cup's name has the nhl done to their website. All right it's not a complete mess to enable with scripts but yeck.

Click to expand...

Didn't they virtually copy espn.com's layout?

Yeah, he hasclearlybeen playing with a nagging injury breaking those records and reaching those milestones! One quick google search had his dad throwing him under the bus haha. Seems more likely the caps' favorable early schedule started catching up to them, coupled with cup desperation, and they saw an opportunity to rest their key player. It's a smart move, just don't feed everyone that bs. He has looked better than ever all season, you can't have it both ways. Beside's I assure you he hasn't been sitting on the couch with his leg up all week. One practice probably takes more out of him than the asg.

Oct: 8-2
Nov: 9-3-1
Dec: 11-2-1
Jan: 7-1-2

Or did you mean us having not played as many games? I mean hell with the blizzard postponing two straight games they just had 7-8 days between their 2nd to last game before the AS break and their last game before it. Hasn't caught up to us yet, it probably will in the next few months. They have to play the game man, they have to feed some bs. League would bitch up a storm otherwise. He has to sit out the Florida game coming out of the break too. Honestly Ovechkin should have more goals this year, he has been a little off. Thing is it's been pretty accepted that Ovechkin plays through a lot of nagging stuff and never takes games off unless he absolutely couldn't go...this is the smart move. Dude is a monster, but at 30 gotta be smart and get what rest you can. I don't think he's looked better than ever all year, maybe his all around game has been better (smarter probably a better word for it)...but his goal scoring honestly is down a notch from where he'd normally be. He's left 5-10 more goals out there that I've seen.

I'm sure he hasn't been sitting with the leg up either, but it all works out in the end, lets Kuzy go to the ASG, get the confidence and experience from that, while Ovechkin can focus on the important thing. He is very aware they have a team this year that is Cup capable, without the glaring weaknesses that previous teams have had that him and Backstrom simply would score enough to mask during the regular season. Guy plays through a lot every year, he just doesn't talk about it, and neither does the team. If the knock on him is always going to be about whether he wins a Cup or not, shouldn't matter if he rests for a meaningless ASG.

Yeah I was talking about the late start/games in hand most of the first half. I don't know when the makeup game's are for those 2 blizzard games, but they make more of a case to rest than not. I mean, they are gonna get crammed into the schedule at some point, it didn't help them at all.

Idk i'm just a cynical fuck, i'm not bashing your team Homer McHomerson! =p


....i'll save that for the playoffs

Hope you're around for the playoffs. Zing!

It's been weird how many games in hand we've had for pretty much the whole year. Chicago is closest to us for President's Trophy (only 4 points back), but we have SIX games in hand on them right now, whereas we've played the same number as the Isles and Flyers (and Ducks). Just very odd scheduling, although obviously we were supposed to have played 2 other games, and I think the Flyers had one of theirs cancelled as well?

Merrith_sl said:

I don't believe he has. Point being he seems to get the benefit of the doubt no matter what, Ovechkin has a injury that's been bugging him for months and he gets some criticism for missing the All Star game when he usually always goes. Toews skipped this one as well, and I heard not even 1/10th the same level of coverage about that as I did with Ovechkin passing on it.

Sid's been mostly healthy this year right? Just not as good as usual?

Click to expand...

I haven't heard any outrage at all over either. No one gives a shit. Everyone understands why guys with nagging injuries (or even guys who just want a rest) would want to skip the game, and no one much cares. On the other hand, it's understandable that the NHL frowns upon that, so no one much cares that they got suspended a game. This supposed "outrage" is all in your head. TSN, The Score, and Sportsnet all ran brief, small stories about the suspensions and that was about it. I dunno if there was shit all over ESPN or something, but I seriously doubt it given that ESPN doesn't give one fuck about hockey.

Eomer_sl said:

I haven't heard any outrage at all over either. No one gives a shit. Everyone understands why guys with nagging injuries (or even guys who just want a rest) would want to skip the game, and no one much cares. On the other hand, it's understandable that the NHL frowns upon that, so no one much cares that they got suspended a game. This supposed "outrage" is all in your head. TSN, The Score, and Sportsnet all ran brief, small stories about the suspensions and that was about it. I dunno if there was shit all over ESPN or something, but I seriously doubt it given that ESPN doesn't give one fuck about hockey.

Click to expand...

Outrage is a strong word. I've heard a few interviews/podcasts with guys questioning it (no not espn, it's a miracle if you hear any hockey news at all from them as you note they don't give a fuck about hockey). Small but vocal. Although a good bit of it is part of larger discussions about the league's policy to suspend guys a game who miss the ASG. Which is another discussion, and one I don't have a good answer for. Fully understand guys wanting to rest, but I get it if the league wants to have something in place so everyone doesn't just dip out like you see with the Pro Bowl in the NFL.

Caps making Ovechkin/Holtby seem like the most valuable players in the league the way the rest of the team is going tonight.

This McDavid kid is not half bad.