conundrumed

Murray for the SHUTOUT

Oh god. We're so alike. My family has this whole other thing going on. They hate the Leafs. Yet, any gathering when we watch the Leafs they end up cheering for them. I call them out constantly. I honestly can't tell if they're doing this reverse osmosis thing. Most have other teams, yet watch the Leafs religiously. By the 2nd period, it's, "c'mon ref, that was a hook on Kase". But they hate the Leafs. I wish I was kidding. It's painful.

Filthy hobbitses...

It's prolly time to start talking about this (ex) cat again. ELC on the horizon. Looking fwd to Canada, because we are the Scandinavia of North America. I think he'll transition quickly. Excellent skater with a motor like Mangia, but bigger and a more complete 200' player. Likes to score (who doesn't?). The Bennett trade isn't close to over. I'm really excited that we'll be getting Heineman next year. He seems very cool with it too.

2004 peeps. That team had zero reason to be in a cup final. They just went world beater at the right times. And Yzerman got injured of course. There isn't a formula, and if there is, Sutter understands it far better than me. Vladar back-to-back? That's sparing Markstrom. Dube incessantly at LW? Strengthening his weak side. Kyl getting huge opportunity? Valimaki getting nurtured? Sutter sees things we can't. He's doing Satoshi Nakamoto we don't agree with, but it's his team. We're in really good hands. I have faith that we'll be a contender. Roster-watching is meh. I think he got the result he may have wanted through the last 3. He's playing possum, is what I think. *edit The whole love-in he had with the last 3 games. That's an act if ever I've seen one. He's downplaying us right now, imho. It looks a lot like a set-up to me.

I think Sutter's manipulating things. Always feel like he's got things up his sleeve, but he never gives a read on it. I feel like he's slowly building his chess game. Lines are always a little scattered outside of the first line, which I think he'll change up as we get closer to the playoffs. I always feel like he's building something and messing around with the pieces. On the whole, I think he's taking most guys out of their comfort level and making them better for it. I know and get his history, so I honestly think he's crazy like a fox. He's building something, and a good start has him experimenting more imo. He holds his cards very close to his chest, but he's building something, and doesn't care about W's and L's.

It's advised.😀

Just learned that tonight?

I don't think it has anything to do with linemates. He was playing fired up to start the year. Some would say he was taking bad penalties, but not me. I recall a game thread saying, "that guy, right there, that's our captain". But he's fallen back to the things I never liked in him. Not getting engaged, almost to the point of disinterest. He's gotta snap out of it. Stop trying to win a Masterson. He's gotta let the dog run. His intensity level can be zero. Hohum, there's blueline, shoot to goalie. Get faceoff for 1st line. Is he saving himself for the right girl?lol as we used to say. Show some intensity. Damn.

I'd agree with that. We need a 2nd line that's more threatening. Backlund at 2C is zero threat. Coleman's the only threat on that line. Backlund's O instincts are bleeding in the gutter. Skate over blueline, shoot puck to the goalie.

Easier said than done. Both have great vision and are hard to catch. Can someone wake Backlund up? He was feisty earlier in the year. Now he's ho-hum lahdeedah Backlund again. I can't stand this Backlund.

So what did we learn tonight?

Not sure what Maroon said at the draw, but probably wishes Gudbranson didn't hear it.

Can't believe Vas has a shutout

Ahhh, Kucherov's back.

It would appear SportsNet can go Blockchain themselves. My despise is complete. They're showing Minny vs Boston outside of the blocked, out of region SNWest. I'm cancelling. Go Blockchain yourself SportsNet, cold, no lube. Go Blockchain yourself.

Without question. I spent a couple of years in England and lots of time in the US. We can smoke the jazz cabbage out in the open, but can't have a beer under any circumstances.

It IS creative, for Canada, to be able to get your jag on at the arena before a game. If you try to tailgate with alcohol, the police come and you get fined. Canada is the only 1st world country with no open alcohol in public laws. Like, not even a picnic in the park with a bottle of wine. It's pretty sad.

Who would you start in net? I think Vladar, but it's a real toss-up.

Thanks as always RD. Tbay and Carolina don't frighten me like the Cats do. Well, Vasilevsky scares the Satoshi Nakamoto out of me, but hope he still has a bit of rust. Rest of the team not so much if we STAY OUT OF THE SIN BIN. Kucherov very close to return. Hopefully not yet.

He left Detroit in ashes with horrible filler contracts needing buyouts or 1/2 retained. Green, Nielson, Abdelkader, still stuck with DeKeyser. The nightmare that was Ken Holland is almost over. Stevie is god-level for D fans. Simply by being pragmatic, honestly. Still drafting extremely well without Holland. Go figure. The trades are now epic, rather than outright disasters. Gave a good price for Leddy, he's been really good. The Isles couldn't protect him. Even Marc Staal has been a good add to stabilize the kids. But Holland's leftover way overpaid DeKeyser's gotta go. Brings nothing for $5mil. Final year thankfully. Staal year to year, Leddy likely to get a good term deal, he's been really good. Great D prospects, Leddy will be the vet.

Not really. His contracts are debilitating to reach a rebuild. Untradeable contracts.

There's a ton of great features. From going there lots to Edmonton's a few times, the Pizza Palace wins in a landslide. The biggest thing for me is Edmonton built up and Detroit dug down. I've been in the nose-bleeds at both. Edmonton almost gives you vertigo being so high up, Detroit isn't noticeable at all. The Ilitch's spared no expense and claimed to have scoured the league's arenas for the best features. Mission accomplished. Edmonton is generally a giant hockey stadium that doesn't really offer much in non-event/off-peak hours. The Pizza Palace blends in with a bunch of pub/restaurant frontage. Comerica Park, Ford Field, Fox Theatre and the Fillmore are all right there, so way too easy keeping busy. With Calgary's location, they need to make it a hub, a reason to go, outside of hockey. It's an LRT stop, close enough to downtown business. The stampede grounds have lots of events outside of stampede, but it's a pita to get food & drink. You have to wander down 17th Ave. It shouldn't be that way. It's kinda dumb for thousands of people to have to go for a walk for an actual restaurant or pub.

It was amazing how quickly Yzerman was announced GM, Holland an "advisor" and he bolted to Edmonton. Running scared before Yzerman could fully grasp how badly Holland was managing the D into hell.

I'm not expecting 6-2 this time. I believe that these next 2 are winnable. I don't think TBay is FLA (outside of Vas), and I think we're close to Carolina tbh. Puck Luck be with us!