Detroit Red Wings & the NHL

[Tony G]

4 divisions of 5 teams, only division winners are in playoffs. 8 wins = Cup

[lineygoblue]

Yep. NO wild cards or runner-up berths.

If a team wants to be in the playoffs, win your division.

Take the division winners, have two rounds of playoffs, and award the Cup.

[WingsFan]

I figure they'll start playing in January and play a shortened season.

Yes they will

[Tom W]

Agree the NHL needs to be contracted. Way too many teams, and in too many warm weather sites.

Tony's suggestion looks good to me. Absolutely no more than 20 teams.

Start the season in mid-October, and play the Stanley Cup finals the first 2 weeks of April.

Hockey finals in June sucks.

The problem with A rational solution like that is that Bettman's arrogance and his obsession over warm places and a "National" league would prevent it from ever happening.

Owners/teams just need to find a way (if possible) to secede from the league.

[Hannibal]

The NHLPA royally fucked up when they turned down the realigment last year. It was ingenius and it would have been great for the league. The league desperately needs that kind of radical change. It certainly could afford to lose at least four or five teams.

[Tony G]

Florida, Tampa Bay, Phoenix, Carolina, LA Kings, Anaheim, Dallas

[lineygoblue]

Tony - I am enjoying your posts more all the time ... especially with that lovely redheaded gal in your user pic. Is she related to you?

[entropy]

interesting... I think Tony's posts have declined in value

[Tony G]

heh, no, this is actually an oldie. Angie Everheart is the redhead. The previous hottie was Lucy Pinder. She's a poor lass who faces a life of future lower back problems

[Optimus Prime]

*ucking shame.

BARRING PROGRESS, NHL SET TO CANCEL WINTER CLASSIC ON FRIDAY

TSN
Barring a substantial move from the National Hockey League or the NHL Players' Association, the NHL is expected to cancel this season's Winter Classic on Friday.

The move has been speculated for some time, as the league's payment plan for use of the Big House at the University of Michigan calls for $250,000 to be paid to the school on Friday. The rest of the payment schedule was to have $1 million paid on Dec. 7 and on Dec. 28 and $650,000 on Jan. 18.

On the negotiation front, NHLPA counsel Steve Fehr and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly talked extensively over the phone on Tuesday about a variety of issues.

Both had planned on meeting face to face, but couldn't make arrangements because of inclement weather.

This year's Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings was billed as the biggest in the event's six-year history. Organizers were expecting a crowd that would eclipse the world record of 104,173 who attended the "Big Chill" NCAA game at the University of Michigan in 2010 and an increased number of secondary events - including alumni, junior, college and American Hockey Leagues games - were slated for a second outdoor venue at Comerica Park in Detroit.

[lineygoblue]

That's the only thing about the loss of the NHL season that would suck. The Winter Classic would have been the best one ever at Michigan Stadium.

Maybe they'll reschedule it for 2014.

[Tony G]

that's been communicated to season ticket holders already.

[Optimus Prime]

The NHL lockout is a tragedy, however there is a "Gold" lining in the current mess, that is for Team Canada at this year's World Jr. Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Remember the 2005 NHL lockout? When a young star-studded lineup that included Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Dion Phaneuf and Shea Weber dominated en route to a gold medal. Obviously these guys who have remained with their NHL teams that year but instead pounded the Russians in Gold Medal game, relentlessly. Malkin & Ovechkin were hammered like Russian bitches and stop playing the puck, cowards.

Anyway, 13 NHLers in addition to Jr Hockey stars have just arrived in Calgary for the Team Canada Selection Camp. Other than less than stellar goaltending, these guys are gonna kick ass.

Although he is only 17 years old, expect phenom Nathan MacKinnon to crack the squad, just might be "The Next One"!

If not, of course there is Connor McDavis, he's only 15 of the Erie Otters, OHL. Just might sign his first Reebok deal.

http://www.goerie.com/article/20121211/HOCKEY01/312119934/McDavid-could-step-into-Reebok-deal

Tournament Schedule, Ufa, Russia.

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/feature/?id=62670

Team Canada

Forwards
Francis Beauvillier 22/10/93 Sorel-Tracy, QC Rimouski (QMJHL) FLA 2012
Anthony Camara 04/09/93 Toronto, ON Barrie (OHL) BOS 2011
Daniel Catenacci 09/03/93 Newmarket, ON Owen Sound (OHL) BUF 2011
Phillip Danault 24/02/93 Victoriaville, QC Victoriaville (QMJHL) CHI 2011
Jonathan Drouin 27/03/95 Ste-Agathe, QC Halifax (QMJHL) 2013
Tyler Graovac 27/04/93 Brampton, ON Ottawa (OHL) MIN 2011
Jonathan Huberdeau* 04/06/93 Prevost, QC Saint John (QMJHL) FLA 2011
Charles Hudon 24/06/94 Boisbriand, QC Chicoutimi (QMJHL) MTL 2012
Boone Jenner* 15/06/93 Dorchester, ON Oshawa (OHL) CBJ 2011
J.C. Lipon 10/07/93 Regina, SK Kamloops (WHL) Undrafted
Nathan MacKinnon 01/09/95 Halifax, NS Halifax (QMJHL) 2013
Mark McNeill 22/02/93 Newmarket, ON Prince Albert (WHL) CHI 2011
Sean Monahan 12/10/94 Brampton, ON Ottawa (OHL) 2013
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 12/04/93 Burnaby, BC Oklahoma City (AHL) EDM 2011
Ty Rattie 05/02/93 Airdrie, AB Portland (WHL) STL 2011
Brett Ritchie 01/07/93 Orangeville, ON Niagara (OHL) DAL 2011
Mark Scheifele* 15/03/93 Kitchener, ON Barrie (OHL) WPG 2011
Hunter Shinkaruk 13/10/94 Calgary, AB Medicine Hat (WHL) 2013
Ryan Strome* 11/07/93 Mississauga, ON Niagara (OHL) NYI 2011
Tom Wilson 29/03/94 Toronto, ON Plymouth (OHL) WSH 2012

Defense
Frank Corrado 26/03/93 Toronto, ON Sudbury (OHL) VAN 2011
Mathew Dumba 25/07/94 Calgary, AB Red Deer (WHL) MIN 2012
Dougie Hamilton* 17/06/93 Toronto, ON Niagara (OHL) BOS 2011
Scott Harrington* 10/03/93 Kingston, ON London (OHL) PIT 2011
Ryan Murphy 31/03/93 Aurora, ON Kitchener (OHL) CAR 2011
Xavier Ouellet 29/07/93 Terrebonne, QC B-Boisbriand (QMJHL) DET 2011
Adam Pelech 18/08/94 Toronto, ON Erie (OHL) NYI 2012
Derrick Pouliot 16/01/94 Weyburn, SK Portland (WHL) PIT 2012
Griffin Reinhart 24/01/94 West Vancouver, BC Edmonton (WHL) NYI 2012
Morgan Rielly 09/03/94 West Vancouver, BC Moose Jaw (WHL) TOR 2012
Ryan Sproul 13/01/93 Mississauga, ON Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) DET 2011
Tyler Wotherspoon 12/03/93 Burnaby, BC Portland (WHL) CGY 2011

Goalies
Jordan Binnington 11/07/93 Richmond Hill, ON Owen Sound (OHL) STL 2011
Laurent Brossoit 23/03/93 Surrey, BC Edmonton (WHL) CGY 2011
Jake Paterson 12/01/93 Mississauga, ON Saginaw (OHL) DET 2012
Malcolm Subban 21/12/93 Toronto, ON Belleville (OHL) BOS 2012

[Tony G]

Tragedy is a bit of an overstatement. Tragedies involve serious harm (usually mortal) to someone in an undeserved manner. The people that make their living off of the playing of the games (zamboni drivers, vendors, local watering holes) are the only ones injured in this exercise in stupidity. The players and owners are getting exactly what they deserve, the diminishment of the very means they are trying to "preserve and protect".

[Optimus Prime]

Team Canada rolls Russia to go 4-0, perfect in World Jr; Championship Tournament play in Ufa, Russia. Canada destroyed the highly-touted Ruskies 4-1, earning a bye to Semi-final, likely against Team USA.

Canada's stifling defense and an overpowering forecheck simply destroyed Russia. Outshooting the former Commies 48-22, it was a total mismatch. Canada's speed and physical play overwhelmed the pinkos bigtime!

Man-for-man still the greatest hockey nation on earth....NHL lockout enabled Canada to skate its 23 best players, remarkable.

Halifax Mooseheads' Jonathan Drouin & Nathan MacKinnon are the only two 17-year olds on the Team and perhaps the fastest two skaters in the world, under 20. Both will get drafted next year, NHL watchout these guys are very special. Speed and skill to BURN.

MEDAL ROUND:


WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2

EVENT TIME ET/PT NETWORK
Quarterfinal 1: United States vs. Czech Republic 4am/1am TSN
Quarterfinal 2: Russia vs. Switzerland 8am/5am TSN


THURSDAY, JANUARY 3

EVENT TIME ET/PT NETWORK
Semifinal 1: Canada vs. TBD 3:30am/12:30am TSN
Semifinal 2: Sweden vs. TBD 8am/5am TSN


SATURDAY, JANUARY 5

EVENT TIME ET/PT NETWORK
Bronze Medal Game 4am/1am TSN
Gold Medal Game 7:30am/4:30am TSN