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The Everything NHL Thread

I dunno man.. I just watched the replay again and the puck is tapped ahead with enough time for Chara to let up had he been watching the puck instead of the man. I'm not saying he intended to knock Pacioretty into that part of the bench but I do think the intent here was to take out the player (ie crush him) instead of keeping up with the play. I get that Chara's job is to take the man but he has to let him go in this situation. Hindsight being 20/20 obviously.
 
Vineon said:
There is history between the two players, Pacioretty taunted Chara after scoring and pissed him quite a lot in the last game between the two teams. Definitely a possibility that he picked this moment to get back at Max.

As for the league's ruling, it is a joke, as always. This league is a joke. They're not even trying to protect their players... including their top stars in fear of "denaturalising the game." This league is run by goons at every level, including the terribly awful players association that refuses to protect its own members. I have no respect for that association.

This league rationalizes injuries coming off cheap shots as 'part of the game' and it pisses me the fuck off.. especially when the reaction is the same as they lose their best players. It isn't as bad as it used to be (see Scott Stevens, a HoF career made off blind hits) but there's a lot of room left for improvement.

Although unrelated to hits, I never understood why players aren't required to wear full plate visors or a grid. Also, fights, while they entertain me, need to go.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of the older players just aren't used to wearing visors. It would probably be a tough adjustment if you've played so many years without it. Maybe they could make it a requirement for all players entering the NHL. It seems like most of the younger players wear visors anyway. I know Hall/Seguin/Skinner/Fowler wear them. I'm too lazy to look up other rookies.
 
I'm 90% sure the OHL (not sure about the other leagues) make wearing visors mandatory, so it's not surprising most new players are wearing 'em in the NHL.

Also I want to chime in to what I think of the Chara hit on Pacioretty. In a way I agree with the NHL because there is no ruling based on what Chara did; I think people are looking more at the result than the actual hit in question. What they really need to do is start protecting the players. The stanchions (along with the doors and top part of the boards) have been death traps for awhile now and only now are people really taking notice of it. Hopefully these things will be fixed by the start of the next season.

Edit: To lighten things up, I found something I wish I found much much earlier:

funny-sports-pictures-too-much-man-he-just-saw-it.jpg
 
West is back to being a 15 team tie for first place again....

Well, i'm just exaggerating...

5th through 8th are tied for 5th place again. Dallas one point ahead.
Anaheim and Nashville are saying hi.

Also, the most hated one got a 5 year contract extension... It still bothers me that while the NFL gets locked out, Bettman passes up a golden opportunity to make the NHL popular again with football out of the way so that HE can resign with Versus....

Third thought, if the Yotes go back to Winnepeg, who gets booted out of the Northwest Division, Colorado or Vancouver?
 
CaptainKishimoto said:
The stanchions (along with the doors and top part of the boards) have been death traps for awhile now and only now are people really taking notice of it. Hopefully these things will be fixed by the start of the next season.

Edit: To lighten things up, I found something I wish I found much much earlier:

funny-sports-pictures-too-much-man-he-just-saw-it.jpg
Click to expand...

I have long since wondered why there are exposed objects like the stanchions on the boards. You'd think that there would be work underway to replace them with something more... yielding, especially given how often they're causing injuries nowadays.

Excellent find on the picture.
 
Rayquaza2233 said:
I have long since wondered why there are exposed objects like the stanchions on the boards. You'd think that there would be work underway to replace them with something more... yielding, especially given how often they're causing injuries nowadays.

Excellent find on the picture.
Click to expand...

I think the stanchion with padding is the best they can do...what else would you suggest for an abrupt end to glass in front of the player bench. I mean...unless the players can step out onto the ice via pod or something, there is no other way to eliminate the player bench opening and if you cant eliminate that there will always be an exposed end to the glass.

Perhaps there could be more padding, however, that doesn't exactly solve the neck snapping and head contact part...it just makes it less....painful at first?
 
Dangledini said:
I think the stanchion with padding is the best they can do...what else would you suggest for an abrupt end to glass in front of the player bench
Click to expand...

An extra piece of glass at an angle would absorb most of the hit and wouldn't halt the player skating forward this abrubtly.

In my opinion.
 
Vineon said:
An extra piece of glass at an angle would absorb most of the hit and wouldn't halt the player skating forward this abrubtly.

In my opinion.
Click to expand...

I think it might also shift the hit to a chest or rib area and potentially puncture a lung because of the angle of the glass. It's really tough to say, but you've got to think that as a league they have some of the top thinkers and scientists potentially working on the problem to come up with the right solution. There are just so few possible solutions for giving the players and bench what they want (i.e being open) and cutting down on the potential injury problem of the exposed stanchion and pad.
 
Anyone else notice the recent popularity of short side top shelf goals on goalies who seem to be cheating a bit to a potential cross crease or wrap attempt? van Riemsdyk, Zetterberg, and probably some more that I've missed come to mind...
 
Well, Vancouver has become the first team to mathematically clinch a playoff spot, and they even clinched the northwest in the process. I still have a hard time believing they're a top Cup contender but it's hard to argue with that kind of a regular season performance (though of course regular season success doesn't necessarily equal to playoff success).

Good to hear that Pacioretty may be able to play in the playoffs, and definitely glad that he should make a full recovery either way. While I have no idea whether Chara meant to take him out like that or not, it was still an illegal play (interference) and when an illegal play does that much damage to someone I think a suspension should be in order just to tell people "hey, don't do this". Even just 1 game would do it. Definitely don't agree with the police investigation though. Also the fact that we're somehow still clawing our way up despite seemingly losing a player a game (yeah it's an exagerration but 9 regulars injured tonight against TB, including 5 defenseman) is pretty cool, would be nice revenge for the hit on Pac to take the division lead away from Boston.
 
Well the little battle for the last spot in the East was interesting for a the past few weeks. Unless Carolina starts winning or Buffalo starts sucking eggs, the top 8 in the East is set.
 
I would love to say "let's see what the Leafs and Devils can do" but it looks like the Rangers figured it out, so it's probably too late.
 
Cooke banned through the first round of the playoffs.

Good riddance, you fucking nuisance.
 
If Philadelphia could lose just a couple more games, we'd have Flyers vs Rangers in the first round. Considering last year, that'd be EPIC.
 
I guess everyone else is having problems with the forum speed, no way this thread should have died.

gg Nucks on clinching the Presidents Trophy. Of course, since about November it never was really in much doubt. Also, gg Daniel on cracking 100. He'll probably be the only player in the league to do it this season, which is fucking depressing.

Also, the playoff races seem to be shaping up. Of course, unless the Rangers figure out how to score, the Canes might overtake them. All I'm hoping for is the Habs to continue their freefall to let the Sabres slip into 6th so we can take on the Bruins first round. We need some payback for last year.
 
I found it hilarious how the Avalanche actually won last night.

3-2 down, and getting outshot 16 to 1 in the 3rd. But tying it up and win in the SO.
Fun to win some games once in a while, just hope we don't do it to much and stay in 2nd last place so they can keep losing for Landeskog ;)
 
This would be an amazing playoffs:

Capitals vs Sabres
(Epic Goaltending Battle)

Flyers vs Rangers
(Grudge Match/Revenge Series from last year)

Bruins vs Canadiens
(All the Chaos that happened in the regular season spills into one playoff series)

Penguins vs Lightning
(Crosby??? vs Stamkos (don't like Crosby, but he plays great hockey...))

---------------------

Canucks vs Flames
(When was the last time to Canadian teams went at it in the post season?)

Sharks vs Blackhawks
(Rematch from WCF)

Red Wings vs Ducks
(The Rivalry Renewed)

Predators vs Coyotes
(Eh... Battle of Cindarellas?)

Just 2 weeks away.
 
I'd post more often but I'm too depressed at how the Canadiens seem to have completely forgotten how to play hockey >.> (the fact that Slowgon just randomly deleted my reply and forced me to retype it doesn't help though)

DM although I'm quite sure the Sabres want revenge for last year between the 7-0 loss and the Chara hit I think (well hope anyway) that we get first dibs :P
 
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