Official Hockey discussion thread

Not to mention it's the last time without PROFESSIONALS, period. Many of the players making up the current line-ups play in pro leagues like the AHL, KHL, SM Liga, etc. So while not NHL caliber players, still a step up from complete amateurs. The Olympics used to be like the WJC pt. 2
 
LooseCannon said:
Your Forsbergs play in the NHL this time!!
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Yes. The swedish team in 1994 were also fortunate to have some great former NHL players who retired early from the league: Mats Näslund, Håkan Loob and Bengt-Åke Gustafsson.
Loob scored 50 goals for Calgary in 87/88 and retired from the NHL after winning the cup in 1989, at the age of 28.
 
I've never been the biggest Ovechkin fan, but over the years I must admit he's grown on me. Last night he reached yet more milestones. 30th goal to become the third player to have 30 in his first 13 seasons behind Gartner and Gretzky. He's also 12 goals away from 600 (20th player to do so). Did I mention he also got his 500th assist to be 1 of 4 active players with 500 goals and 500 assists? Literally all he is missing is a Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold.

Now for my usual critics of the guy. He practically has 2,000 more shots than Crosby, but a smaller shot percentage. Crosby is at 14, Ovi at 12. Can you imagine how many goals he'd actually have if he was scoring at the same rate as Crosby? Well, you don't have to imagine, just do the math :p. Crosby has 399, doesn't sound like a lot for an elite player, but he missed A LOT of hockey due to his concussions and his most productive season was cut short. Ovi BARELY edges out Crosby in points, 1088 v. 1082 and he has 37 more games played.

It has been a thrill to see these guys go at it over the years and while Ovi is on track to potentially end up 2nd overall in goals and I think the same article mentioned points, can't remember, It's amazing what both have done in the league considering the days of AT LEAST 5 players having 60 goals and 100 points are long gone. Good for Ovi, hope he gets his cup one day.

How much longer do you guys think they have? I seriously can't see either of their careers going 20 years with kids like Matthews and McDavid cropping up.
 
I think both men will be productive players into their mid 30s, with ppg until then, and then a decline after 35. I think Crosby outlasts Ovechkin as a useful player.
 
LooseCannon said:
I think both men will be productive players into their mid 30s, with ppg until then, and then a decline after 35. I think Crosby outlasts Ovechkin as a useful player.
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Agreed, playmakers tend to survive longer than snipers. Also, he's WAY better defensively, so that's always useful. I was about to say we could see a similar transformation like that of Yzerman or Sakic, but honestly, Crosby already is a great 2-way player.
 
His time in Washington, while productive, did not meet expectations, he did better on the Rangers numbers-wise and was a key mentor in Florida... Sooo.... not Washington, that's for sure lol
 
I would guess if any other team retired his number it would be Florida ... really Pitt is the only one he had the numbers for, but I could see Florida do it
 
Crosby FINALLY nets his 400th (and 401st) of his career in a win against Buffalo. He has 19 for the season, but maybe he strings together a nice streak in the remaining games. While he didn't score in 10 games, he kept putting up a bunch of assists, so he is still in the running for the Art Ross along with Kessel and Malkin.

He is second on the Pens (behind Lemieux, duh) in points, which I found interesting considering Jagr played in Pittsburgh for a decade and had way more productive seasons (MULTIPLE 100 plus points seasons) than Crosby. I'll check the stats later, but Jagr shouldn't be too far behind for team stats. Good stuff though.
 
Brassard off to the Pens and the Bruins get Nash.... If he was under 30 I'd be exited, but he hasn't been producing lately like in his earlier years. As for the Pens, they just got the 3rd line center they were missing... three-peat? dun dun dun.
 
The Pens have gotten hot recently and they're loading up smart. I can see them three-peating, and I'd like to see it to an extent, but they're low on my priority list, which goes like this:
1. Winnipeg
2. Calgary (if they make it, they go to #1 if they sign Iginla)
3. Nashville
4. Vegas
5. (sigh) Toronto
6. Pittsburgh
 
Your list is much better balanced than mine. Out west I only have the Knights and the Preds. The rest are out east with the Pens, the Bruins and the Lightning.
 
Any particular reason why? My hate towards them extends from disliking teams in non-traditional markets in general (aka BOTH florida teams, Arizona, Hurricanes etc.) That hate has lowered into mild dislike over the years, but I still can't stomach them for the most part. I do, however, like several of their players. For the Lightning, I like Hedman, Stralman, and Stamkos.
 
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