Habs77

They were being polite Don't be bitter like that, Giguère lost Game7 3-0 and still won.. as it was obvious that he would. And most writters are morons anyway, how the hell they get to decide is beyond me... anyone who reads the Gazette understands what I mean. Brodeur was good but not nearly as great as Giguère in the 4 rounds. Giguère beat Brodeur in GGA (1.62 to 1.65), save % (.945 to .936), win/loss record (15-6 to 16-8). Giguère faced 697 shots compared to 622 for Brodeur... and he played 3 less games!! And the numbers don't even do it justice, this guy single handedly won his teams 2 series... Brodeur did none of that, he didn't need to because he had a better team and faced lesser competition. Giguère was the only choice for MVP... "deal with it" as you would say. P.S. If there was a rule saying the Conn Smythe had to be chosen from the winning team I wouldn't even have chosen Brodeur, my pick would have been Niedermayer... because he was not only a key to NJ's defensive prowess but also finished tied for the lead in playoff points & 2nd in +/-. To me he was NJ's MVP in the playoffs, then there's a tie for 2nd between Brodeur, Langenbrunner, Madden & Friesen. For Anaheim there's Jiggy... and then is there even a 2nd? If I had to name one maybe Carney, but I as I struggled to find even one other name... it just underlines the fact that Giguère was really alone out there: which is what makes him the "most valuable player to his team".

Man, I officially suck at award pools... damn. :nono: How does a guy playing with one eye NOT win over someone who had a knee injury and barely played all year, and his team got swept in the playoffs? It's bullshit. Pearson award = who has more friends = who cares I'm glad Jackman got it... although I was sure they'd ignore the D man and go with Zetterberg. Turco had the best GGA in history or something, Brodeur had the consecutive 30+ and 40+ wins record... I guess the playoffs made it easier. (or are the votes before the playoffs?.. don't know) I flipped a coin and took Turco... Brodeur is the better of the two, glad he won. Byng = the award no self-respecting player should ever covet... thinking Al would get the nod at Norris, figured they'd give Lidstrom this consolation prize. I hate him, but Madden is 10 times the player Lehtinen is... ah well. Lemaire... duh Norris: Al deserved it for having such a huge year while Pronger was out, especially for a guy his age... really disagree with this pick. Hart: At least they got that one right, very easy pick. [Edited on 13-6-03 by Habs77]

I only got back in time to see the 3rd... they managed to apply good sustained pressure about 2-3 times in the whole period. There was a lot of panicking, looked lost at times... really disorganized. With the 2-0 lead the Aeros were rightfully trapping and Geoff Ward seemed to make no adjustments... simply watched them run the clock out. Solution was easy, D man needed to carry the puck out to break down the defense... Hainsey did it once and it lead to one of our few chances. Komi kept just chucking the puck off the glass to the opposing D... really pointless, tell Dykhuis to stay away from him.. he's rubbing off on him And when they did get the chances, they didn't take advantage... to be outshot and outplayed like that at home in Game 7 of the Finals is really disappointing. If Holmquist had stolen the game then ok, but we just plain lost this one. Hossa was invisible - as always - for the period I saw anyways. This series was lost by Conklin in games 4 & 5... didn't see the games bu I heard he was very weak. Series went from up 2-1 to down 3-2... then the team didn't manage to bail him out by sweeping the last two. Still... what a great year nonetheless. Three forgotten prospects have come back into the fold (Ward, Ryder, Beauchemin).... 3 graduations (Komisarek, Hossa and Garon). Plekanec did well, Balej's year was a wash, Hainsey came back from his knee injury and played well down the stretch. Gratton, great year and would have been ever better if an injury didn't take him out of the lineup for a while... but whether he'll ever make it back to Montreal is still unknown. The present overload situation in Mtl certainly doesn't help him. Ward wins prospect of the year easily... nobody exceeded expectations more than him. I love the leadership skills that have emerged as his game has picked up, man do we need more of that in Montreal. [Edited on 13-6-03 by Habs77]

Funny thing is... Forsberg seems like the type that would say "I'll sign for half what I'm worth" to make it happen. He took a year off, forfeiting 10M, because he felt he needed a break. There are rumors he might cut his career short and head back to Europe at some point, maybe he'll decide to play one year with Naslund for the hell of it before he leaves. But you're right... if he gets paid what he's worth there's now way Vancouver can afford him, it's already a challenge for them to keep the nucleus they have assembled. And with the CBA on the way...

Booooo!! Already 0 for 1... Naslund got the Pearson, I had Forsberg. Just great. :mad:

Given how we're presently overloaded with contracts we can't get rid of, and we're having enough trouble as it is finding ice-time for our kids... I don't see why we'd bother bringing these guys over unless they're really good. Or unless we're only bringing them over to play in Hamilton, because between half the team going to the Oilers' new farm and those who are graduating to Montreal there are definitely some holes to fill. Since we are so bare at the farm because of our unique situation this year, I'd guess AS might use his last picks (7-8) to grab over-agers who could immediately play in Hamilton. (as he did with Jarventie a few years back)

Not if they can't hold or hook. If the rules were called as they are written in the rulebook I disagree with your statement. If they aren't applied.. then yes slower/bigger players will still manage to bring the game down to their level. I think it would help too, but like I said earlier no point coming up with solution that have no chance of happening. Most NHL cities have recently constructed new buildings, the opportunity to increase the ice-size has come and gone. We have to find a solution with the means available. It's like a guy who washes up on a deserted island and has to figure out a way to start a fire... and all he can think of is "I need a lighter". He's not wrong, but he's no closer to starting that fire. I know that's not the way you meant it, but reducing the number of teams would accomplish this... that could happen. So true... smaller equipment will not change how the game is played, just the result on the scoreboard. And yet it might attract more fans, and that can't be ignored. If they stay at their blue line instead, that means they gave you the red line... from which point you can now shoot it in and avoid the trap altogether. (People don't realize how much of a key difference that is, between a trap at the red line and one at the blue line) Combine that with no longer allowing the goalies to leave the net to play the shoot ins... and you've just solved the trap. If they put 4 guys on the line your forwards will get to the dump ins first... eventually the teams will understand that they have to have 2 guys back to avoid this, and now you can carry it in too. Can't dispute that... and I say that if you call the rules to the letter, a lot of 3rd-4th liners would lose their jobs... replaced with smaller players who have the talent but couldn't make it because of their size. The more we expand the practice of the sport in other countries the larger pool of players the NHL will have to choose from, increasing quality in the process. If a few teams who can't make it financially are contracted quality will increase there too. There a lot of ways the game can be improved, I disagree a slightly larger ice surface would solve everything (although it would help), and I disagree it's the ONLY way to effectively improve the game. [Edited on 12-6-03 by Habs77]

Aussie, I found it funny you could write these two in succession: You say the first deal makes no sense, then in the very next line you want to trade the mistake-prone with an awful rep and overpaid Breezy for Modin, a high pick, or Svitov/Alexeev? As you would say, maybe they'll throw in Lecavalier As for the rest: 1) I haven't seen any of the prospects play, I cannot say if trading up for Zherdev would be worth... especially if I don't know what it would cost us to move up. And the risk of taking the 17th in return is Bernier might be gone by then, you never know. I'd only trade down if had at least 2-3 guys I liked in that range... so I was pretty sure one of them would still be available. 2) Tverdovsky is not worth one 2nd rounder, let alone two. He was benched pretty often than in the playoffs, that would make him NJ's 7th D man... who makes 3.6M. And we have a surplus of Dmen as it is, I don't see the nedd to bring in another one... especially if we're not dumping Breezer in the process. 3) We have Markov, Souray, Hainsey, Beauchemin (forget Bouillon, Dykhuis, Traverse). If Matvichuk comes in Hainsey has nowhere to go anymore. Only if Souray's career is over, or you plan to trade him the second Hainsey is ready... is it a good move to sign Matvichuk. Or if they plan to trade Hainsey of course, I hope not... then Beauchemin is screwed too btw, although that's a lesser concern. 4) Only if Carbo comes in, or CJ approves... I don't like assistants being imposed by the GM on a coach. The coach should always the last word on who will assist him. Bringing in Jarvis does seem like a natural move to make, on that I completely agree. 5) I'd make that trade, but I doubt the Oilers would. Then again they traded Carter for Dvorak, so... 6) Answered above 7) I doubt we'd get much of a pick for Breezer, I'm not even sure someone would take him if we put him on waivers. 8) We would have to to give a pick for someone to take Audette, dido Czerk... they passed through waivers remember? the only way to get rid of them is to buy them out, most likely. [Edited on 11-6-03 by Habs77]

Hey... that's my line, you got mixed up reading the cue cards I guess. I simply stated NJ wasn't the best team... that's it. You're the one who's been in a rage ever since, so who needs to get over what again? Koz insulted anyone who disagreed with him, which is what you often do as well... while I try to reserve my insults for people that have insulted me first. You should try my shrink's advice, jerk off before posting... it uses up some of the pent up aggressive energy, then you can post in a more pleasant, relaxed frame of mind. :contract: And since we both agree this thread has run it's course... it is now closed.

NBC lost the NFL years ago... then lost the NBA last year... they tried the failed XFL and now the Arena Football league. The NHL? a possibility... but I think ESPN is a better partner in that the can show more games. I can't see NBC showing many games.... they don't have a specialty sports channel. I'll be curious to see if the Ducks' success encourages ABC/ESPN (disney owned) to pick up hockey again.

Did you even watch that game?... total Ottawa domination except on the scoreboard... dictated the play all night long. Yes NJ got real lucky... and it takes that kind of luck when you're not the best but win the cup anyway. The best team often doesn't win the Cup... deal with it. And on the pathetic NJ fans, they can't have their parade because they need the parking lot it was schedule to be held in for the basketball game... it doesn't get any lamer than that. And I don't hate the Devils, I like Stevens, Neidermayer, their coach, GM, Stevenson, Langenbruner, Rafalski, Brodeur (even if his numbers are inflated because of the team in front of him, ultra defensive team). I just happen to have no respect for trash-talking bums like Madden/Friesen... I put them in the same bin with Thornton, Guerin, Tucker in the "players I hate" category.

I don't remember a damn thing apart from Cournoyer being coach at one point wasn't he? I wouldn't mind playing rollerhockey but never in my lifetime would I ever waste my time watching it on TV, even less going to see a game. It's boring as hell... I remember watching one game and that was enough to last a lifetime. Football (CFL/NFL) will carry me through the NHL off-season, as it always does. That's all I need. [Edited on 11-6-03 by Habs77]

He has his faults... but if some should get booed it Goodenow. And about other commishes getting booed, Bud Selig... hello?!?! Tagliabue for the NFL does a great job, but then again he has a much easier job. He doesn't have a strong union to face off with as in MLB & NHL, and the revenue sharing aspect is easy in the NFL because most of the revenues are from TV money which is easy to re-distribute. The NHL ain't so lucky, it's a gate driven league and that kind of money is NOT easy to redistribute. Also no struggling Canadian teams to support because of the weaker dollar/higher taxes. Running the NFL is a walk in the park... as Pierre Rinfret would say The NBA has it pretty easy too... although they've had to move a few teams recently. The MLB is a corrupt mess. THe NHL is the only major league who NEEDS Canadian teams to survive and aren't that popular in the States, and hence are in a much weaker position. We can blame Bettman if we want, but he has the toughest job in sports... I'm not sure someone else coming in could do much better. [Edited on 10-6-03 by Habs77]

I've heard that argument made a million times, I just don't buy it. Sure the talent is more watered down, there might be more icings because of it... but that will be off-set by all the "two-line" whistles we will no longer have to endure. Point is the trap will have to spread from blue line to blue line instead of blue line to red line... effectively doubling the room for the offense. If teams don't want to spread their trap and decide to move it back instead from the red line to their own blue line... then that gives the offense a clear shot at making the red line and dumping the puck in the offensive zone, thereby avoiding the trap altogether. Either way, a form of trap will still exist but the offense will have more of a chance to overcome it. I also like how it'll make the rule uniform with rules in Europe... as that fan base is likely key to the future of the league that's a good thing too. You'd have the Dman behind his net waiting start the play and a forward already in front of the opposing net hoping for a tic-tac play via a player at the red line.... would make for a totally disjointed game, players at all ends of the ice all game long... ugh, no thanks. ... and realistically it's just not anything the league will ever consider so why even go there. Moving the nets back will at least bring the dull cycling plays closer to the net... equipment everyone can agree on but the details of the regulation will be the cumbersome part, as well as enforcement. Makes as much sense to me than giving a point for an OT loss... and again too creative, will simply never happen so why bother. Hockey is a game of tradition... instead of inventing new creative rules I rather focus on getting back to the old hockey the way it used to be. There's more chance of gaining a concensus among GMs by taking that approach as well, we have to be realistic here. - get the equipment back to normal like the 80s - move the net back like the 80s - the only innovation would be no more red line, because sadly we can't go back to the coaching of the 80s, the trap is here and we have to deal with it. And no red line is hardly science fiction, it's already the norm in the international game, and has been tried in the minor leagues. We have more teams than in the 80s, but we have many more Europeans than in the 80s... so although contracting a few teams wouldn't hurt I think we can do well despite 30 teams if the other measures are taken. And goalies didn't leave the net like they do today, something has to be done about that... either outlaw them going being the red line to play the puck or make them truly fair game if they leave their crease.

Eliminating the red line accomplishes the same outcome and is much easier for refs to enforce, and fans to understand. Plus the precedence for removing the red line is already there. And you could still have guys waiting at the other end of the ice late in games... and a D man can try to shoot the puck towards an opponent's skate hoping it'll go to the end of the ice and provide his teammate with a breakaway late in games they are behind. The offside rule is just so fundamental you can't just remove it like that. I wouldn't be for that at all. Why not make it the red line as in regular play to simplify things, why the blue line? And as I said many GMs feel teams will often clear the puck anyway... resulting in more play stoppages, which the league wants to cut down & not increase. I think everyone agrees with that one, but should a 6'4'' goalie be restricted to the same size equipment than a 5'8'' goalie?.. I'm thinking pads here. For gloves they should be vastly reduced in size, those things are ridiculous nowadays. Then there is the enforcement issue... but anyway, some type of control on equipment seems necessary. For goalies to increase scoring, for players to decrease injuries. As I said, on paper I like the full time served because it should increase scoring and the league has a precedent for it.... but refs would be even more scared to call penalties in big games. And you could potentially see a bad call cost a team 2 goals... ugh The more I think of it, the more I'm convinced we shouldn't change it... simply start calling all the penalties for a change would do more good. And if a team scores short-handed it's penalty is over too?... what?!? :guru: Moving the nets back seems logical... again that's how it used to be. If it can help get rid of the stupid & boring cycling... amen. It should be plain automatic. If subjective you'll end up with situations where the ref figured there was no shot when there was near the end of a game... a few extra seconds were saved and the game is tied late. The less the refs can be subjective about the better. There's already been a move towards focusing on developping rivalries... I agree that should be emphasized. You can't have a precise schedule because the playoffs schedule depend on how long each series goes. If anything I'd have the league start a week or two earlier... so they'd have time to play the World Championships during a 2 week break with the best players there... would garner more interest for the sport. Or if that's not important to the league, then starting a week or 2 earlier would allow to ease the scheduling a little... fresher players make for better games. That plus focusing on division play would reduce travel, another way players to remain fresher during the season grind... makes for better games and might cut down on injuries too. Whao now, you're getting way too creative here... seriously That really doesn't address the question of thread which is how to improve the game on the ice. Btw a per player cap will never fly with the NHLPA... I prefer trying to find solutions that actually have a chance at happening. The most interesting idea in terms of increasing player accountability is that the NHL is planning to ask the non-guaranteed contracts after the first 2 years of the contract. You can sign a guy to a 10-year deal but release him after the 2nd year if he hasn't delivered... like the NHL/CFL does. That would mean UFAs won't be able to cash in with ridiculous 5-6 year deals that pay them way too much for the last years of their careers when they're past their prime and no longer worth the $$... they'll simply be dropped. Mistakes like Jagr, Yashin could also be dumped and not haunt a franshise for a decade... Audette comes to mind. And the NHL brass is a conservative bunch, I doubt they'll make more than 1 or 2 changes at once... so if you could only change only 2 which would they be? I'd say move the nets back and remove the red line. That would cut down on cycling & help break the trap in the neutral zone. Both will bring more flow to the game, like the old days. Regulating equipment is not a "rule change" per say, that should obviously be done. And call the damn penalties, just apply the damn rule book.... that's not a rule change but it would help a lot. One more rule I'd like to consider is no longer allowing the goalies to leave go behind the goal line to stop a clear in... it prevents the offense from applying pressure on the D, leads to less offense. Let the players play, and the goalies stop pucks. Or if they do leave the net, at least make them fair game... they'll stop going on their own pretty quick. For them to have immunity in the corners and behind the net is silly...

I like HIM (Conan) but his show blows... the skits & other things he does to kill time are REALLY unfunny 90% of the time. There are exceptions... the insulting dog, Clinton & friends on the TV. Good interviewer, definitely has his own style, self-depricating and all Works well with his time slot but I'm not sure he'd be as goofy in the 11:35 timeslot... look at Letterman, he's pretty conservative compared to his days on the Late Late Show. Gets on my nerves big-time with his annoying "we have a GREAT show tonight"... god is that getting old since about year 2? Kilbourne is such a smug, full of himself snob he talks down to many guests and I want to beat him to a pulp every time. Also VERY unfunny skits 99% of the time. Sucks on interviews... has no strong point. Leno is the better stand-up... awful interviewer. Love headlines & hidden cam with Howie, the rest sucks. Letterman the worst stand-up... great interviewer. Has always found normal & some cast people to do skits, some were really funny a few years back. Besides that "will it float", top 10 list, etc... al really weak. The interviews are his bread & butter. Finally, don't know why the play bands at the end... never listen to 'em. Much prefer when they have a stand-up comedian at the end, it's a comedy show after all. Surprisingly like the interviews on Later with Carson Daly... very good interviews, more talk less prepared bits & dumb questions. I miss Snyder who was in Kilbourne's slot before, great in-depth interviews... very interesting. Really got to know the guests, finally. I miss Bill Maher... funny and yet dealt with serious issues without pulling any punches. To cancel his show to replace it with the biggest joke of a late night show in hte history of television with that doofus Kimble, no wonder ABC is a laughing stock. I remember when SNL used to be good... has it been more than decade since then already? wow. MADtv... better then SNL, that's not saying much. And why is there nothing on TV Sunday nights?...

Games 5-6-7 of the OTT-NJ were good, but the first 4 had OTT sleeping out there... can't vote it for best series, not even close. Don't see how COL being a favorite makes the COL-MIN series any less exciting... you got me there. To me the most intense series was EDM-DAL... they have such a great playoff rivalry going. The Edmonton crowd was something else too. STL-VAN was intense as well... very physical. MIN-VAN was the best crowd matchup, both arenas were nuts... and a genuine dislike between the 2 teams is always nice. PHI-TOR was also a good one... last game was disappointing though. The ANH-DET, ANH-DAL, ANH-MIN were all interesting because that's where the Conn Smythe was won. I don't think I have ONE favorite, but I'm glad I started this thread because it helped me realize how good these playoffs have been on a whole. More good series than most years.

There are a million of them: - no red line - bigger nets - remove the larger ice behind the net back to what it was before - make penalties a full 2:00 like the old days - reduce goalie equipment - reduce teams from 4 lines 6 D to 3 lines 4 D - reduce # of teams - no longer allowed to ice puck on PK -... many more Personally: - I agree with removing the red line, removing the extra space behing the net to what it was before - reduce the goalie equipment in a major way - don't touch the nets - full 2 minutes penalty I don't mind either but I'm afraid refs will be even more scared to call penalties... I prefer them finally just calling the damn penalties *sigh* - reducing players is a nice idea, Guy Lafleur's idea, but the NHLPA will never accept it so we can forget it. - reducing # of teams would be nice but that won't happen either. - if icing is no longer allowed on PK there will just be a bunch of icings... we want to give some flow to the game not take it away. What are your opinions?... and I know I forgot some possible changes, please add on. One of my personal suggestions that the NHL is not even considering would be penalizing players for delay of game automatically if they shoot it in the stands... just like the goalies. This would penalize teams that just keep banking the pucks mindlessly off the glass, and reward those who carry it out and move the puck out effectively. Encourages the players to keep the puck on the ice, and play hockey. If it's off a deflection then no penalty of course. And if a guy shoots a rolling puck over the net & in the stands then too bad, learn to aim.

Anaheim SWEPT Detroit... how is that in any way similar to the Devils barely escaping with a steal Game 7? If you brain has an "on" button, now would be the time to press it. :eyes: As for the Dallas series... both teams went at it from Game 1, Anaheim won. (Although if Dallas was healthy I'm not sure that even Giguère could have carried his team past them) As for the NJ-OTT series... OTT sleepwalked 'til they were down 3-1. Then a dying Neilson made speach woke them up from their coma, and once they did NJ was not match... it got to Game 7, Ottawa totally dominated, but NJ managed to steal it. So NJ was lucky in that OTT spotted them a 3-1 lead before starting to play, then lucky they managed to steal a Game 7 they had no business winning. It happens... sometimes you win games you should have lost... series you should have lost... that doesn't make you better, it makes you lucky. They beat the struggling Bruins, the so-so Lightning, barely got throught the sleeping Senators, and then the Ducks... not exactly the toughest road to the Cup I've ever seen. Ducks had a much tougher road, defending champions Detroit, Dallas, ok Minnesota, then NJ. Despite that the Ducks finish the playoffs with a 15-5 (.750) record... NJ a 16-8 (.666) NJ IS one of the better teams in the league, but not THE best. They got lucky this year, yes luck does play it's part in every playoffs, some years more than others. And yet they have the Cup and that's all that matters... The thing I like, and respect, about NJ is the way the organization is run... they don't spend as much as they could, they prefer to rely on good management. They have an experienced & competent GM, an experienced & competent coach. Why has it been so hard for Montreal to do that, after all it's so damn simple. [Edited on 10-6-03 by Habs77]

Can only list 10 here... if you liked another one just tell us which one:

Ward's goal was awesome, even more impressive is the great leadership skills that have emerged this year... I've got a feeling we're gonna be mighty relieved we were patient in his case, he's gonna be better than most people realize. Plekanec?... how the hell did he score from there?.. hehe The guy has skills, I like him, and yet I really can't see where he can fit in Montreal. Conklin was back on again, hopefully he has one more solid game in him... Bulldogs seem very strong at home, so I'm confident. Games are much more open, and the games are hence much more entertaining. They're dirty too, more passion out there than most of the NHL playoffs.

NJ is a better team than Anaheim, I never said anything to the contrary... they are not a better team than Ottawa, there they got lucky. As for your little insult... didn't I tell you already that Koz type posting doesn't impress me in the least? Get your own act, this wannabe act is just sad.

If you watched the games and couldn't tell, I can't help you.... it was that obvious. Again tonight, a ho hum game... pretty boring, only thing that made this game a little better than most boring games was that we knew it was the last of the season... and even then... Madden is a poor man's Tucker in terms of being a jackass on the ice, Friesen is another one. I respect Stevens, Niedermayer.. and do the job and just shut up. Brodeur is that way too, low key and just does his job out there. Sadly all of us had to watch, and we got the game we expected... nothing much. Hamilton's game playing at the same time was great for comparison purposes, it was so much more intense & exciting... and that was only Game 6 But the better the team won, and the best player won the MVP... so in that sense all happened as it should have. I don't remember home-ice being such an advantage since the old days back in the old buildings... what's that about? Is it familiarity with the rink, being in your hometown before the game, having the last change that is suddenly such an advantage? (for NJ it certainly wasn't the crowd ) I really don't know, but whatever it was you could just feel it from the drop of the puck... can't remember the last time I've seen that. Sorry for Stumpy, Oates... happy for Daneyko, and Burns. The key to the series IMO was the fact that the Ducks were completely incapable of getting sustained pressure in the Devils' zone... thanks to the combination of Brodeur being so comfortable leaving his net especially on home ice, and Niedermayer/Rafalski carrying the puck out with ease. But the Ducks managed to beat Dallas with Turco who is another goalie great at leaving his net... so the difference was the players did a better job of getting the puck out for NJ (the Dmen, plus the wingers on the boards at the point). Not pretty, but effective. If you want to find something good that'll come out of this year's playoffs... the fact 3 of the 4 last teams relied almost stricly on the trap and were successful just might provide enough motivation among the NHL brass to make serious changes to the game to make it exciting again. (I'll start a different thread on that subject) And now... can't wait for the draft

Brodeur didn't have a prayer... as I told you. Most of his shutouts were team shutouts... Giguère's were mostly one-man shows. Numbers mean nothing... anybody who watched the games know who was the MVP of these playoffs, and thankfully those who had a vote WERE watching, unlike you Markov. Even on NJ alone, I'd have given it to Niedermayer before Brodeur... he barely had to break a sweat tonight, and many other nights.

Agreed... the NHL would really need a good exciting game tonight. A new TV deal needs to be worked out, they need all the positive arguments they can get right now. Problem is the crowd is a large component of what makes the playoffs exciting... and it just happens tonight's Game 7 is being played in front of the worst fans in the league, bad break for the NHL. Think of the Boston series in Montreal, the crowds in Edmonton, Vancouver, Minnesota this year... before the game even starts you have goose bumps. Anaheim was doing a good job in that respect, it's no coincidence the most exciting games were played there. Let's hope Game 7 of the Finals will be enough to get even the worst hockey fans going. I'm also hoping for as little "bad bounce" goals, and kicked in goals as possible. But the puck & boards in NJ are awful, as we saw in Game 5 the puck was bouncing everywhere.... ok the hell with with, just as long as it's close 'til the end, please. Nothing worse than a 1st period blowout, for either team. OT would be awesome. Play ball, or hockey .. whatever [Edited on 9-6-03 by Habs77]