Habs77

The way I look at it after having some time to digest it is that the playoff format won't change. It'll still be 8 teams per conference, 4-of-7 series. The only thing that will change is that there will be a pre-playoff competition between the 7-10 teams to see who makes it in. I say the more "do-or-die" hockey the better... those are the games that are the most exciting. I have no real problems with it. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aside from my point system, the other thing I wanted to see was eliminating all inter-conference games altogether, which would: - allow for more divisional games - spare players from jetlag, so they can perform better on the ice - save travel costs for teams

Who cares if a few, or even quite a few older europeans decide to stay home for good. No big loss, the younger players who are the future of the league will all be coming back. No more Salo, Dackell, and Jonsson... how will the league survive? *sigh* I've said for some time now that I'd focus on drafting more NAs, because I've always hated the threat of losing an asset just because he wants to move back home. I remember Zednik using that threat during negotiations, and I can see Markov giving us the same trouble... Hossa perhaps if he's unhappy. Why oh why can't Rivet & Breezer be European and missing home!!? Life ain't fair.

Obviously the owners like the idea... so apparently this new format of 20 playoff teams is a done deal. The change I want, and haven't heard much about, is about points earned for wins: - 3 pts for a regulation win - 2 pts for an OT win - 1 pts for a shootout win No points for the losing team in any scenario... no points for an OT loss. The teams would have more of an incentive to attack in the OT because they could and up with nothing from a shootout... and even if they win the shootout they missed out on an extra point. I don't want a shootout win to mean as much in the standings as a regulation win, as it does now in the AHL... to me that makes no sense. I say give us the excitement of a shootout, but don't reward the teams as if it was a real win. Seems simple enough, doesn't reward teams for a loss, and there's a clear incentive for the teams to press hard until the end of regulation, and OT.

I only tuned in just as they tied it up at 2-2 on the first of two soft Danis goals against. It's harder to recover from what I described above when there's 10 min left in the 3rd... consider me impressed by the Dogs character. Not surprising the spark came from Bégin, that's what he's there for.

Instead of getting a 5-on-3 powerplay, the refs apparently miss an obvious cross-checking call... and the Dogs miss a prime chance to retake the lead. Then Danis lets in another weak goal. Talk about a tough break... hard for team to recover when their goalie is letting in soft ones & the refs are screwing them over as well. If we manage to get even a point tonight, I'll be very impressed with their ability to brave through some tough circumstances. As I'm writing this, Bégin ties it up... and NOW PLEKANEC!!! I swear the Dogs keep scoring when I tune into the games... hehe Amazing.

From what I heard on TSN/Sportsnet tonight: - it's pretty much decided that all teams will have a shot at Crosby in the draft: "It will be a weighted lottery. The teams that have missed the playoffs for the last three or four years will have a better chance to get the first pick overall, but all 30 teams will be in the running." We missed the playoffs in '01 & '03, made them in '02 & '04... so we should be about in the middle of the pack as far as our chances. Which is quite better than the ZERO chance of getting the top pick we normally would have had... so good for us. Another fact about the draft: "Whichever team gets the first pick overall won't pick again until No. 60, and the team that gets the 30th pick will pick again at 31. Also, all traded or transferred draft choices will be in effect for the next draft, so if your favourite team traded away its first-round pick in 2005, kiss Sidney goodbye right now -- even if your team wins the lottery." Anybody know where we stand in terms of the picks we have for this draft, any traded to/from other teams? - For a team like the Habs who have been finishing 7-10 in their conference of late, this is another significant development: "the most interesting news coming out of the GMs' meeting in Detroit on Friday is that it is highly likely the number of playoff teams is going to grow from 16 to 20." " The potential new format is being dubbed as a "play in" to the playoffs. The top 10 teams in each conference would make the playoffs. There would be a preliminary "play-in" round in each conference, seeing the 7th seed play the 10th and the 8th play the 9th in a best of three series. The two winners would then join the top six seeds in the "traditional" eight-team conference playoff." --> you'd expect most teams struggling to make it to the playoffs in the 7-10 range to be teams who could need the added revenue from an "extra round" in the playoffs where the player aren't paid and the money goes to the team. --> this also means less teams will be eliminated by the trade deadline, so you'd hope there would be less firesales & rent-a-players available. I'd still like the trade deadline to be moved up.

http://www.tsn.ca/audio_video/ Just go here and check the box for the "highlight of the night" ... then click "play reel". Danis is initially beat by the move, then reaches behind him with the stick to stop the puck on the line. Great save... and talk about clutch during a shootout no less.

At least shoot on the damn net.... ugh Well Komi costs us a point, shit happens. Kostitsyn/Locke 0 for 4 in the shootout... that killed us right there. Too bad... but not catastrophic. RDS missed the chance to carry yet another exciting game, bastards.

Komi's inexperience costing us the lead late with an ill-advised penalty... I'm still optimistic we can get the 2 points in OT or shootout. [Edited on 7-4-05 by Habs77]

I just love tunning in just in time to hear the Bulldogs score... happens to me all the time, again today. Man it really pisses me off that RDS hasn't stepped up and pick the rest of the Bulldogs season now that have gained momentum. Instead they keep showing those damn games from a decade ago... ugh

I noticed Kostitsyn on his ass more just about every time he was hit... he definitely needs to get stronger on his skates and learn to take a hit without falling to the ice so often. That said he's very young, and showed flashes of toughness as well... he just needs to do that on a regular basis. Skill wise no complaints, and he's only gonna get better.

On the same day I learn the Habs have signed Youppi, and the NHL is considering going with odd-shaped oversized nets. If I would have predicted this just a few years ago I would have been led off in a straight jacket. Is this what hockey has come to? Who the hell cares about a damn mascot, fix the damn game... hell PLAY the damn game for starters! This is just sad.

I don't think you can compare Gretzky's records to today's records any more than you could compare them to Crosby if he had bigger nets to shoot at. Look at the goalies #99 had to face, then look at the goalies today's players face... 2 completely different animals. As with anything, you can't compare eras, so don't even try. That would not be an argument that would stop me from using the bigger nets. The odd-shape is the first no-no. I'd say if you really want to increase the size of the nets make the posts thiner, and slant the pipe towards the inside so shots on the post would deflect in most of the time. Do the same with the crossbar, and just raise it a tad if you have to. That's about as far as I'd go... and I'm trying to be very opened minded here. I do agree with the goal of letting the players see as much of the net than during the Gretzky days, before the goalie equipment explosion. I'm just not thrilled with their solution for achieving that goal. And beyond that, as many fans will point out... that will do nothing to solve the problem of boring defensive hockey that is truly plagging this game.

Thks for the clips puck. That end to end rush with the nice deke at the end is the best one... can't wait for more of that youthful skill continue to come in after the emergence of Ribs & Ryder last year. Just sign a couple of big sized vets to play with the kids, and we'll have oursleves a pretty good team. Also loved seeing him celebrate a goal with Jagr, really underlined the fact he's already getting used to playing on the same ice with some of the NHL elite. The AHL suspension ends up being a blessing in disguise. Did we get the Perezhogin pick as part of the Zed/Bulis package in exchange for Linden/Zubrus? I haven't seen hockey in so long I'm starting to forget everything If so, that trade is getting better all the time... credit to Savard for that one.

Well if thats the case then I've got some good news for you, Higgins played tonight http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxsco...l?gameid=140078 well what the hell was the rds site talking about him hopefully coming back soon? Well the news is even better than I thought... I can't see us not passing EDM at this point, given the momentum of both clubs and the nice home sched the Dogs have down the stretch.

Things turned around the second I tuned in... I'm taking credit for the win. Now if only Higgins can return ASAP, we'll be on the right track to making the playoffs... we've got a lot of homes games down the stretch.

I just got here, read Tony's rant about losing his mind... clicked the link to the 990 broadcast, and the second I connect... HE SCORES!! Talk about tuning in at the right time They need a win though... no ties. C'mon guys.

Wow... I thought they were done at 3-1, and without Higgins on top of it. Nice to see the team coming together. And could it be that Hainsey is actually playing better of late?... my my.

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We haven't lost Malveaux yet, although I still don't expect him back.. this is from today's paper: As for what Popp is doing about the secondary, and the rest of the team: I still think we'll be alright, more than alright. They to this club is not that we have the best coach, that helps, but we have the best GM in a league where massive player movement is the norm. Popp is king.

I said "could decide".... I don't believe there is a chance in hell that the players could start their own league here. As you said, for staters in what arenas would they play? But that idea has been circulating... so I mentionned it even if it's more of an empty threat. Worse comes worse, and I mean if things get as ugly as they can get which I doubt... the best players would probably opt to play where the money is: in Europe as they're doing now. Hell for the European players it would almost be a welcomed change. As for the rest who can't find a gig in Europe, well things wouldn't be as rosy... they could sign with WHA or AHL teams I guess but I can't see how that would be preferable to playing in the NHL with a cap. At the end of the day if both sides decide to take it to the very end... the owners win. I'm more worried about what will be left after they have. If you want to be the ultimate optimist... the lockout could turn out to be the best thing that could happen to the league even if it gets really ugly: - there is no 04-05 season - in 05-06 they declare an impasse and use replacement players - NHLPA is dissolved, owners establish the system they want to fix their financial woes - Players eventually come back with their tails between their legs - The long lockout kills a few of the weakest franchises, good riddance - the league is so desperate to win back it's fans it really goes all out to improve the game and it's entertainment value... take radical steps to curtail trapping (like enforcing the rulebook for real finally) and adopting the shootout during the regular season - The players playing in Europe during the lockout sets a precedent for an NHL presence in Europe... which could eventually be expanded to the implementation of a "european conference" in the NHL. - By doing so the NHL finds the TV money it's been so desperate for... and hockey finally goes to cities where there is actually fan interest for the sport. Everyone lives happily ever after. It could happen... you never know. [Edited on 12-12-04 by Habs77]

No you're right it's not nothing... but if it's not accompanied by systemic changes that will prevent the salaries from coming right back up, then this whole lockout will have been for nothing. The NHL has said that nothing short of a long-term solution will lead to an agreement... and the NHLPA fell well short of that. That said... the NHL has to abandon this hard cap or nothing stance, get those other concessions I mentionned in exchange for forgetting the hard cap and you have yourself something both sides can live with. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't think people realize just how important Tuesday will be... it's the most important day in hockey that will affect it for years to come. If the NHL decides to forget the hard cap and negotiate off of the latest NHLPA offer.... an agreement can be made and we'll have a season. If the NHL decides they still need cost certainty, then there will be no season, next year the league will declare an impasse.... enter scab players and eventually a dissolution of the NHLPA. The NHLPA and their players could decide to try and start a new rival league... things could get ugly for quite some time. The NHL can't forget cost-certainty, negotiate... not come to a final agreement, and THEN try to declare an impasse. It wouldn't fly. That's why Tuesday is the turning point, it'll tell us what we can expect for the NHL in the coming years.

Here's a reply I made to someone on another board... regarding what system the NHL should adopt: Along with that luxury tax system the league would have to obtain other concessions from the NHLPA. Goodenow is willing to give up token roll-back offers, but when it comes to systemic measures that would reign in salaries... he balks every time. One key systemic measure the NHL would need is an ability to make qualifying offers lower than what the player is making without losing his rights. That would be one of those systemic measures Goody wouldn't be keen to give up... in fact I think it would be one of the hardest to get. The hardest would be getting him to give up guaranteed contracts... but the NHL doesn't need that to make things work. The easier ones would be upping the luxury tax penalty & lowering the level at which it kicks in, moving towards 2-way arbitration, entry-level limits, lowering the cost of buyouts... [Edited on 11-12-04 by Habs77]

The 24% rollback is not as impressive as it sounds. Not only is it a one-time occurence that does nothing to solve the systemic problems... but it's not even a true 24% in savings for the teams. I say this because the NHLPA proposal includes, if I'm not mistaken, a reduction of the number of games from 82 to 70. That's 14.6% less games, so 14.6% less gate revenues for the teams.... so a 14.6% in salary reduction is needed just to maintain the status quo. The NHLPA is offering 24%... in effect only 10% in actually savings for the teams. Which is what the NHLPA had been rumored to be willing to give up in the first place. Classic PR the whole way around. In the end the level of the luxury tax & at what level it kicks in is the key... and on that point the NHLPA's latest offer is ridiculously inadequate.

It isn't the subject of this thread... but look at that list of D men again. If there had been a season, Komisarek still wouldn't have been ready to play (ditto Koivu btw... as usual, but that's another issue for another thread) As it stands now, we know Breezer had to stop playing in Europe due to his always chronic back pain.. it would have happened here as well had we had a season. With Komi & Breezer out, and no worthy #7... we would have been in a world of hurt. Even Markov is currently out with a serious injury suffered in Russia, could have happened here too... he's had his share of injuries in his very young career. Rivet & Souray are always a wrist injury waiting to happen. That leaves Bouillon as the only durable guy we have in there. Ouch. That makes us losing Beauchemin needlessly on waivers hurt a little more than some may have thought... not to mention the Dogs could use him right now. Add Koivu out and a potential Ryder holdout, this lockout certainly has a sense of good timing for the Habs. Not to mention 1 contract year of ugly contracts like Breezer, Rivet, Dykhuis, will slip by without us having to pay them. And our crop of youngsters get an extra year to mature, and get closer to NHL ready. Pretty good timing indeed.