Official Hockey discussion thread

Michalek is the big acquisition for the Sens, he'll get a chance to be a top line winger, and could hit 30 goals and 60 points playing with Alfy or Spezza.
 
I hope Heatley will be happy with San Jose. But I don't think he is the answer for their post season problems. They need a veteran leader who knows post season success, like Messier, Sakic and Yzerman did. They have the size, speed and skill. Maybe if Claude Lemieux was 5 or 6 years younger he could have been alot more valuable to that club last year. But I think like in Ottowa, the window in San Jose has closed. Post season hockey is like a gourmet meal; you can have the best ingredients money can buy, but without the right seasoning it just won't come together.
 
That's why I am EXTREMELY happy Pittsburgh won it when they did. Now it is not a matter of "when?", but of "how many?" and even then, the core group already won one, so I'm happy. Chicago is next. it would be awesome to see a chicago vs. pittsburgh final :)
 
I think Chicago takes a step back this year. Khabibulin won't play as well, they don't have a solid group of veteran leadership and their 2 big signings wont help due to injury (Hossa) and age (Madden). Byfgulien (or however you spell it) is a beast though!
 
Kabby is no longer with Chicago. Huet has taken the reins and Crawford will back him up... so still good news I believe.
 
Totally forgot he ended up in Edmonton. Poor guy. LA is an up and coming team out West to look out for. Anze Kopitar is going to be a household name before long.
 
Really?  I think he may have peaked already.  He's been a centre, had some good wingers to play with, and seems stuck at the 75 point mark.  Sure, the Kings suck, but I don't think he'll ever be better than that.  Which would put him firmly in the "pretty darn good" category, but not the "superstar" category.
 
You have to remember Kopitar just turned 22 less than a month ago, and that team has not been very good. They have a very young core and will make some noise this spring. I'd even wager they finish ahead of St. Louis, which had a nice run last spring to make it into the playoffs.
 
Kopitar has been good since he hit the ice and due to his age there is the possibility of him breaking the point per game barrier. That being said, LA has suffered the same fate Phoenix has. "oh wait a couple of years, they'll be really good. oh wait 5 years they'll be REALLY good." And NOTHING. Absolutely NOTHING. I have more faith in Emry winning the Vez. than in any of those two clubs finally reaching the cup finals any time in the near future.
 
It's just my hockey sense with Kopitar.  LA has been terrible but that doesn't mean that Kopitar can't hit his potential.  He's had a really good line to work with - Dustin Brown and Alex Frolov.  He hasn't been able to make it happen yet, and I don't know if he's going to get much better.  I'll gladly eat my words if he takes the jump to the next level.

Here's why I wonder.  You gotta look at guys in the same age group like Zach Parise.  Zach isn't playing on a much better line in Jersey but he broke 90 points at age 23.  Or Mike Richards, who is playing on a better line but also has much better production.
 
True. Here's a question, say the team gets better, but he stays the same, will his 75 consistant points be enough to make LA a contender? Will he get traded eventually? Frolov is pretty good too, but he too needs to turn it to 11.

L.A's biggest woes, like most clubs has been goaltending. PHX has that issue, PHI has that issue, Col., FLA, etc. Well Florida itself is an issue hahaha. They just suck.
 
Well, if you could have all three of those guys develop into 75 point guys, you're sailin'.  Especially with the developing back end they have (Jack Johnson, Drew Doughty, etc).
 
The Kings have'nt been good since Gretzky was traded to St Louis. And that was a long time ago.

I hope that Jonathan Tavares can help build the Islanders  into the franchise that they used to be before Mike Milbury fucked that franchise all up.
 
Arr, Tavares be a good buildin' block, and all ships be needin' a good keel before they set sail.  But he be one player.  The franchise has little else beyond Tavares.  I'd say that they be bottom-dwellin' for a few years more yet.
 
Yep, but he's a damn good goalie when healthy.  The thing is that all his injuries have been groin, because he never healed properly.  The Isles pushed him back into action before he was ready.  Every year. Now, he's finally said, fuck all y'all, I'm taking the time to heal.  And that time is now 18 months plus, due to the extent of his injuries.

As an aside, Carey Price was garbage last night.
 
Okposo is also very good. If he is okay from that concussion he might breakout this year, especially now that the pressure is on Tavares. Not enough to get to the playoffs mind you.

I live in NY and unless the Islanders can get a new arena built soon (one is planned, but there are zoning issues) they will be moved to Kansas City.
 
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