Official Hockey discussion thread

Onhell said:
I like your rankings. Also, you mentioned earlier that Hasek was a rookie at 26. That isn't rare for goalies. Or at least it wasn't until the recent crop of Fleurys and Prices... Belfour also played until 40 (and is STILL playing somewhere in Europe.) Goalies have shorter careers than forwards, usually. Starting at 24-26 and ending a decade later if not sooner. Forwards start between 18-20 and can potentially play until their late 30s. MOST players regardless of position usually have an 8 year career though.
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Hasek's different though.  You look at that list of great goalies... Brodeur was a starter at 21, Roy at 20, Cujo at 24, Belfour at 25.  Hasek was 29 when he finally became a starting goalie.  It's very rare for a goalie like him to not break through until then, especially considering he spent several years in the NHL previously.  I realize that goalies "bloom" later than forwards (likely because so much of goaltending is mental); just look at players like Thomas, Lundqvist, or Howard.  It also shows that it's never a bad idea to use a late draft pick on a goalie.  Just look at some of the big names playing right now: Miller (138th), Vokoun (226th), Halak (271st), Kiprusoff (119th),  Lundqvist (205th).

However, at the same time no goalie since Bauer has played into old age like Hasek.  At 41 he led the league in SV% and GAA.  He's not like Belfour (playing overseas) or Roloson (a former backup of Hasek's, and still playing solidly at age 40) in that he survived into old age; he excelled.  Hasek's actually still playing in the KHL right now (at age 45).
 
The European schedules and slower pace probably aid older goalies lol. Though to be fair they have to be quicker side to side. But you are absolutely right except for what Jason 2103 mentioned. While Hasek was great playing with OTT at 41... he still got hurt, hurting their chances in the playoffs (the sole reason he was signed). Hasek began having nagging injuries because of his age and style. Then there are players who are just made of glass (Gaborik, Havlat) and when it comes to current goalies Dipietro is a fucking headache. Great goalie... when healthy. He had so much potential, but his window is closing QUICK.
 
A much better fight than his last outing! Good to see he is getting some grit going on now that he's an old coot.
 
I know! That'll show the critics calling him a "prima donna", "pussy," or my favorite "Cindy Crosby" lol, Great fight.
 
Onhell said:
Dipietro is a fucking headache. Great goalie... when healthy. He had so much potential, but his window is closing QUICK.
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So true. I am a life long Isle's fan and his contract is killing us!
 
The combination trades/signings for Yashin and DiPietro are easily the worst things done from a managerial perspective since the Lindros trade.
 
How was the Gretzky trade "bad" from a managerial perspective? EDM still won a Cup in '90 and L.A made the Finals in '93...
 
Sather traded the best player in the history of the game for a paltry return.  That's not good just for the sake of the team, but it's a terrible financial move.

Edmonton still won a cup in '90 because they had depth.  They still had Messier, Anderson, Kurri, etc.  If the Capitals went out and traded Ovechkin today for a couple first-rounders and some OK prospects they'd still be a good team (albeit due to the salary cap, not of the same quality as the Oilers).  That doesn't make it a good trade.

And I amended my post because the Lindros trade was a bit worse.
 
Which Lindros trade? from quebec to philly or from philly to Dallas or from Dallas to Toronto? Because if it's the Quebec to Philly one, he EXPLICITLY said he would NEVER play for Quebec and he had a decent career in Philly, until all the concussions... I file Lindros under the "Tragic stories" of hockey. Massive player, talented, injuries did him in.

P.S

From the little I know, the Gretzky trade WAS about money. EDM was beginning to suffer the financial mismanagement that still plague the club today.
 
From Québec to Philly.  It was an amazing trade for Québec.  There has never been a trade that one-sided in the NHL.  Philly transformed Québec from the worst team in the NHL into a Stanley Cup contender in a single trade.  Then another one-sided trade later and they're Stanley Cup champions.  And that was without Sundin (which was a bad trade for them).

The Gretzky trade made LA into a low-seed playoff team.  The Lindros trade was the single biggest one-year revitalization of a franchise.  Even with Québec being in a bad situation with Lindros, they still managed to get two 1st round picks, Peter Forsberg, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, and $15,000,000.

That's way more than what Edmonton got for Lindros, for a way less dominant player.
 
Quebec was on the upswing. The trade that put them over the top was Roy. Quebec was VERY lucky. There have been plenty of one-sided trades of that magnitude. Keep in mind both Forsberg and Lindros were power forwards and suffered the fate of most power forwards... career cut short due to injuries.

Also let it be noted Philly was nothing to sneeze at during Lindros tenure on the "doom line." They made the finals against Det a season AFTER Col won the Cup.
 
Here is a vague blog on what it takes to be a captain and why in god's name have elite players been getting the captaincy as of late: http://www.fromtherink.com/2010/11/18/1821682/nhl-team-captains-an-honor-a-privilege-and-a-serious-job

I found it interesting as I had noticed the trend myself, but thought little of it until this blog and then this article published later in the day: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=543901 You can find that key word "well-respected" right off the bat.

EDIT: OMFG! I've noticed the goal totals have slightly increased since the lock out but this is Epic! And Stamkos is being a beast this season! http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2010020271&navid=sb:recap
 
It's really too bad that he didn't get in to the Hall before he passed away, that would have been great. But I'm sure he will get in eventually, he deserves it.
 
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