[whistle]The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly[/whistle]

[al?]

whaaaa wha whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa



The Anaheim Ducks- Lots of hype....and we know nothing ever lives up to the hype.....EXCEPT, the artists formerly known as the Mighty Ducks. An NHL record for undefeated starts without a loss. As some long time inhabitants of this clique would say..... They'll be trouble come April .

Hossa and Kovalchyuk- Even though Canada loves the Spezza/Heatley combination, and rightfully so, Hossa's performance so far has shown that, when making a trade you most certainly have to give something to get something. I would still take Spezza/Heatley over Kovalchyuk/Hossa in the playoffs, but the Thrashers definately have this years Dynamic Duo thus far.

The Detroit Red Wings - A ship without a Captain, this team is stating to find itself and is playing ridiculously solid hockey from the centreman to the crease. Mike Babcock is a hell of a coach. They will also be formidable come April.

wha wha whaaaaaaaaaaaa



Ottawa *Senators........paging the Senators.......call on line 1......The 06/07 season has started.....call on line 1, Senators*

Mr. McGeough One blind mouse

The Calgary Flames Still trying to jam that square peg that is the old NHL into the round hole that is the new NHL.

wha wha wha whaaaaaaaaaaaaa



Tie Domi Somebody get this home-wreckee off my tv

The Red Wing PP Never thought you'd miss that old Shanny guy this much, eh?

The Broadstreet Bullies disgraceful, with that line-up

wha whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[JD]

The Calgary Flames Still trying to jam that square peg that is the old NHL into the round hole that is the new NHL.

Yup. Ottawa has a slow start, it's cause of goaltending and lack of effort.

Calgary starts poorly, it's cause they play the wrong style.

Everyone's an expert, I guess.

You even watch any games lately, P?

[Shoalzie]

Can't disagree with the goods...I'd also like the throw some love towards former Wolverine Marty Turco. He's making a strong case early on for the Hart Trophy as well as the Vezina. I've never been too impressed with their lineup but Tippett works magic in Dallas as well as the guy in the crease gives them a chance to win every night.

Bads...can't argue there either. Ottawa is a total mystery but as Blitz said in his takes in his thread, were Chara and Hasek that good or is Gerber this bad? There was a reason why the Canes didn't take Gerber back and not taking the opportunity to re-sign Hasek for a cheap deal is something I'm sure they'd like to do over. Granted, Dom is a risk because of his age and injuries but look at what he's doing in Detroit right now...the Sens would be a complete different team right now with him in the front of their goal.

Ugly...it goes without saying that the Flyers are disaster. Do they look to move guys like Forsberg and Gagne and just start over? Not just power play but the PK is very shaky as well for the Wings...playing well on 5-on-5 and 4-on-4 makes up for that though. The Wings right now are 29th in combined special teams (PP%+PK%)...only team worse is Phoenix. It's quite a transformation from being strictly a special teams driven club last year to being much better at even strength. I can see them looking for a goal scorer at some point to hopefully help the slumbering power play back to respectability. Maybe the Wings could snag Gagne away from the Flyers or maybe bring back an old face, Mike Knuble?

[al?]

You even watch any games lately, P?

Surely you jest, division cellar dweller.

[Screw_Michigan]

turco is a regular season wonder and an absolute playoff failure. he could have a 0.84 gaa all season and melt in the first round of the playoffs. it's amazing someone with the postseason success that he had at michigan could be so fucking awful in the nhl postseason.

[Mustang]

Tell me about it. Damn Stars jerk my chain all season long, especially that guy in net, only to fail miserably in the playoffs. In his defense, a few of those goals he let in during the playoffs were flukey, off the skate, misdirected kind of things. But still, you gotta' stop those things. Belfour, with all his warts, was money in the playoffs. You could count on Ed giving up maybe two, at the most, a game. Think the other guys loved playing in front of that? Turco's a great guy, but you know what they say about nice guys.

[JD]

So looks like the Flames are managing to get that square peg in after all.

And they're a middle-of-the-pack offensive team to boot!!

What do you know? Maybe the Flames CAN score!!

Never make conclusions about any team until at least the 20 game mark, al. We should all know that by now.

[See You Next Wednesday]

Good - Buffalo on the road

[Joey Moss]

Never make conclusions about any team until at least the 20 game mark, al. We should all know that by now.

Except Calgary... Because we all know Calgary SUCKS!

[Joey Moss]

I think that Calgary is lucky to be in the NW. As seen from Kippers slow start, they go as Kipper goes. Iggy, Tanguay, Phaneuf, it doesn't matter, when Kipper is on his game, he can't be beat.

Edmonton hasn't looked good. At the start of the season they won games that they had no buisness winning but their poor play has caught up to them and they have hit the skids. All the offensive fire power that was talked about this pre-season is useless when the D can't get the puck to the fowards or hold the puck in the offesive zone.

Vancouver on the other hand isn't playing badly. The Sedin's are likely the best two players in the league at cycling the puck, but Taylor Pyatt isn't the trigger man they need. Naslund can't burry his chances, but I think that will change. On the other hand, their savior, Roberto Luongo, is looking like he is posessed by the the ghost of Ty Conklin. He seems to allow one bad goal per game.

Minnesota had a hot October. They beat the Ducks twice and Sharks once, but most of their points came from sub-500 teams. I think they will be greatly improved over last year, but they are only 6 points out of last in the divison and have won only 1 of their last 5 games. I think that this team has a fragil physcie and if the rest of the NW teams catches up, they will fold.

Colorado. I can't say I have a good read on this team. Sakic is a God, but in teh few games I've watched, their D was confused and their forwards seem to be transitioning from the old guard to the new... I just don't think the new guys are good enough yet.

[Hobbes]

Colorado. I can't say I have a good read on this team. Sakic is a God, but in teh few games I've watched, their D was confused and their forwards seem to be transitioning from the old guard to the new... I just don't think the new guys are good enough yet.

I think you've got a pretty good bead on the division. I'm having a tough time reading Colorado as well, and I see every game. Sakic is the model of consistency and fortunately, they've been able to hang on to him throughout the years, but it kind of drops off from there. The D is confused and disorganized; they're feeling the loss of Rob Blake and Adam Foote about now, and realizing that John-Michael Liles isn't going to fill those holes. They need Leopold in the lineup desperately, but it doesn't change that fact that they don't have a good defensive leader. Skrastins is a stud, but not really a leader. I think they'll be OK in the forward department, but guys like Wolski and Stastny are still finding their legs. The one I can't figure out is Hejduk. With his hands, he ought to be lighting up the league, but he's wildly inconsistent. And goaltending....oy. JD said something about Tanguay being the worst, most expensive trade ever. I'm not so sure that Theodore doesn't take that prize. How did this guy win a Vezina???

[JD]

Heh... Hobbes, you might have a point there with Theodore. That's a pretty brutal pickup. Almost a lateral move talent-wise when swapping Aebischer with Theodore, and then you take into account the salaries, and OUCH!

As for Calgary being lucky they're in the NW, what on earth does that have to do with anything? On their recent streak, they've beaten only one team from the NW. Being in the NW only helps if they are actually IN first. Being in the NW only means that they're in striking distance of that spot, I guess.

Kiprusoff wasn't playing badly in the first dozen games, the whole team was. Their feet weren't moving at all. Kiprusoff is an amazing goalie, but when that defense isn't holding the shooters to the outside, he gets overwhelmed and lets goals in. The Flames have come forward as a team, Kiprusoff included, but not nearly as far as the rest of 'em.

I'm starting to warm up to Tanguay, btw. He's finally started to move his feet, and it's resulted in some usefulness.

[Hobbes]

Heh... Hobbes, you might have a point there with Theodore. That's a pretty brutal pickup. Almost a lateral move talent-wise when swapping Aebischer with Theodore, and then you take into account the salaries, and OUCH!

My point exactly. Too bad Lacroix didn't see it that way.

I'm starting to warm up to Tanguay, btw. He's finally started to move his feet, and it's resulted in some usefulness.

While I don't get to see many Calgary games, judging by his stats, he's starting to move the puck a little better too. He may not be catapulting the Flames to the top of the league in goals for, but he's dishing the puck to his linemates; he's had the first assist on quite a few of the most recent goals.

He is a natural centreman, but didn't get to play that role much in Colorado (hey, if you've got Sakic and Forsberg, you think you're going to put Tanguay at centre?) and he always said he wanted to play centre more. I know Calgary's not exactly starved there, but they're not exactly stacked either. I wonder if Playfair ever gives him the chance that Hartley, et al. never gave him......

[JD]

To start with, the plan was to put Tanguay at centre, but with Langkow basically forcing his way onto Iginla's line with his strong play, Tanguay has to play wing if he's gonna play on the top line.

For a stretch, Tanguay was relegated to the 2nd line with Kobasew and Lombardi, and that's where he learned to move his feet, playing with those two speedsters. Once his play improved, Playfair promoted him.

Now Huselius is the other LW on the top two lines, and his strong play recently is giving the Flames a nice problem to have.

[al?]

Never make conclusions about any team until at least the 20 game mark, al. We should all know that by now.

I don't know about that, but what I do know is that there is no easier fish than flamefan. Try to leave me the leader next time.

GOOD

The Detroit Red Wings.......going for a franchise record 10.....count 'em, 10 straight wins tonight.

and I hate to say it........Darcy Tucker. Showing maybe this gutless piece of crap is not securely hitched to the Sundin gravytrain.

BAD

Pheonix. Wayne.....do something. PLEASE!!!!!

UGLY

Ottawa. I'd like to quote the Red, Hot, Cheelee Paypers.....How long, how looooooong will I slide.


GO BLUE!!!!!!!
HAIL TO THE VICTORS
hail, hail

[JD]

Never make conclusions about any team until at least the 20 game mark, al. We should all know that by now.

I don't know about that, but what I do know is that there is no easier fish than flamefan. Try to leave me the leader next time.

Well someone's gotta bite on something to keep this place from being the ghost town that it normally is!

[al?]

I hear ya, brah.


I'd wish you good luck tonight but, you know..........

[al?]

........you won't need it.

Pretty sound thrashing the boys took there last night (friday). Gonna have to file that one under 'ugly'. Deliverance, ugly.....yikes.

[Joey Moss]

As for Calgary being lucky they're in the NW, what on earth does that have to do with anything? Being in the NW only means that they're in striking distance of that spot, I guess.

That's all I was trying to get at. I don't think the NW is easier, I just thought that even with their brutal start, 1st place is still within sight.