Hockey Season!!

[Samuraiflip05]

Fox Sports Power Rankings

 

ESPN Power Rankings

 

Interesting bit of difference between the two, although the FS one is 24 hours old, and the ESPN one is from Nov 1.

 

I do like the one constant though...lol. Blues on top. I must say that picking up Halak was the best move they have made in a long while. Factor in the kid line, and the fact that they are giving up fewer SOG's than anybody else......one could hope......perhaps.....just maybe.....something magical might happen. (*Refuses to speak of such things for the fear of jinxing it.....rubs rabbit foot, protects all mirrors, keeps baby dressed in the same blues outfit for every game, etc, etc*)

[Samuraiflip05]

Yeah, so what the F happened. A wonderful slew of injuries pretty much decimated the Blues. Injuries to Polak, and Jackman, concussions for Perron, McDonald and Jannsen, and Oshie's broken ankle. And with Oshie's return last night, that means only Perron and McDonald are out. Perron's injury happened in mid November and he is still out.

[Silver]

These are good days to be a Canucks fan. :D

[Rufae]

This Western Division Race is crazy! You can go from 4th to 10th and back again in a blink.

[Samuraiflip05]

I stopped watching again. The Blues have gone on a fire sale for Draft picks.

[Mulk]

Sam's right, the west is wild. I've followed the Stars since...I think it was two years before they moved down from Minnesota. They are hanging around and play really good O, but their defense bothers me. I see them in a lot of games where 4-5 points are scored by them or by their opponent.

[Mongoose]

Looks like the Canucks have all but locked up the President's Trophy.

I've been hoping for a Vancouver.Monstreal Cup Final for a few years now, maybe this will be the year.

[Basel Gill]

It's starting to seem like my Sabres will be the 8th seed in the East. I'm not holding out much hope of them pulling off a first-round upset. Every time you think this team is on the right track, they have a clunker that makes me roll my eyes. There's been a lot of talk about how having new ownership has reinvigorated the team and instilled a winning spirit, but the same old Sabres keep showing their inconsistency when they really need to win.

[Silver]

WOOT! Canucks clinched regular season Western Conference! First time they've done that. And if they win 2 more games, they'll clinch the President's Trophy as well!

[Rufae]

That was a good game last night with the Canucks. But at least the Predators are in good position to make the playoffs in this wild Western Division.

[Samuraiflip05]

Haha, looks like the Blues finally remembered they were a hockey team in their 10-3 rout of the Red Wings. Too bad it is a couple months too late.

[Silver]

WOOO!!! President's Trophy! First time ever for Canucks! And in the same game, Daniel Sedin hits the 100 points mark. :D

[Mongoose]

The Preds are a good team.

I often take them in my NHL Dynasty mode and Be a Player seasons.

 

The Sabres are in kind of a tough position. Vanek is a really good player, but not really the kind of superstar you can build a team around, IMO. Miller is an elite goalie, but he needs a strong backup.

I really like Pominville, but the Sabres need more scoring, a really good backup and maybe some help on D. They need to do a lot of restructuring in the offseason if they want to go back to deep playoff runs.

[Basel Gill]

The Preds are a good team.

I often take them in my NHL Dynasty mode and Be a Player seasons.

 

The Sabres are in kind of a tough position. Vanek is a really good player, but not really the kind of superstar you can build a team around, IMO. Miller is an elite goalie, but he needs a strong backup.

I really like Pominville, but the Sabres need more scoring, a really good backup and maybe some help on D. They need to do a lot of restructuring in the offseason if they want to go back to deep playoff runs.

 

That might actually happen this offseason. GM Regier is rumored to have the handcuffs off to make the moves he wants without meddling by those above him, now that new ownership is in place. As for a good goalie backup, I'm liking what I have seen out of Jhonas Enroth this season.

[Basel Gill]

Wooot! Playoff spot CLINCHED!

[Silver]

Playoffs! Who do you guys think will win Eastern and Western conference? Stanley Cup winners?

 

Personally, I'm going for a Canucks vs Capitals finals with 'Nucks taking home the Cup!

[Mongoose]

TSN did their round of predictions. I didn't catch all the Eastern Conference winners, but they predicted the Canucks, Sharks, Red Wings and Ducks to advance to the second round in the west, and they predicted a Canucks/Bruins Cup final with the Canucks taking it home.

 

I could see the 'Nucks playing the Bruins or Caps in the final, but I'd really really like to see the Canucks and Habs. My friend thinks it would be bad for the league, as Americans would lose interest and he American Networks would blow it off, but no Canadian team has won it since '93, and we haven't had two Canadian Teams in the final in ages. If it's gonna happen, I think this will be the year, and I'd really love to see it, so that's what I'm going with.

[Troilen]

Let's go Pens!

[Basel Gill]

AMAZING SABRES OVERTIME WIN!

[Rufae]

Congratz Basel!

 

Awesome Predators overtime win in Anaheim! Preds lead the series 3-2 now.... take that TSN!

[Basel Gill]

Well, Jason Pominville is out for tomorrow's game after he got cut in the lower leg by a skate last night. This sounds bad, since it was after he left the game last night that the Flyers had their comeback. Him going out was the weakness they needed. I think he might be out for more than one game.

[Basel Gill]

GOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!! GOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!! GOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!

[Troilen]

Can the Blackhawks win 4 in a row? Great OT game last night!

[Rufae]

Can the Blackhawks win 4 in a row? Great OT game last night!

 

 

That looks like a negative.

 

Predators vs. Canucks in Round 2 Go Predators !

 

Ps. - Go Pekka Rinne, who is a finalist for the Venzia Trophy. Also, Shea Weber is a finalist for the Norris Trophy.

[Silver]

Man, Canucks made that series way harder on themselves than it should've been.

 

But WOOT! Don't see any more major hurdles for Canucks to get to the Finals. Gonna go all the way baby!!!