McGahee
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Post by McGahee on Feb 17, 2007 23:28:54 GMT -5
And the injury bug for the Sabres strikes again. Ales Kotalik left the game with an unknown injury. Yikes.. Christ... that's great to hear after Tim Thomas rapes us in a marathon shootout... |
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JackTheRipper
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Post by JackTheRipper on Feb 17, 2007 23:48:51 GMT -5
And the injury bug for the Sabres strikes again. Ales Kotalik left the game with an unknown injury. Yikes.. Christ... that's great to hear after Tim Thomas rapes us in a marathon shootout... Both guys were pretty incredible during the shootout. |
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Post by Freak93 on Feb 18, 2007 18:02:06 GMT -5
 He looks so happy. |
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JackTheRipper
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Post by JackTheRipper on Feb 20, 2007 11:50:42 GMT -5
Kotalik is done 4-6 weeks. We're starting to get in a bit of trouble here. Rumors have us looking to deal Biron for less than the previous asking price (a 1st, a prospect and a player) just because we don't have enough quality depth. Smolinski has been one of the names mentioned, as well as Gary Roberts but he says he's only interested in Ottawa or Toronto.
Montreal is also rumored to be one of the lone teams offering up defensive help. Craig Rivet and Janne Niinimaa are both rumored to be on the block and potentially Sheldon Souray, but that seems less likely than the other two.
Things could get real interesting before the 27th.
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sprew8
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Post by sprew8 on Feb 20, 2007 12:30:26 GMT -5
Here in Montreal theres like 500 new rumors per day, and im not exagerating.
We still dont know yet if we are buyers or sellers for the rest of the year.
blah
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McGahee
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Post by McGahee on Feb 20, 2007 16:38:14 GMT -5
You mean Janne Ninnima isn't dead yet? I found i hilarious when I saw Zubrus still plays for the Caps, but Ninnima... wow...
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JackTheRipper
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Post by JackTheRipper on Feb 20, 2007 20:25:30 GMT -5
Yeah and Washington actually wants to re-sign Zubrus. Is it just me or isn't he one of those guys who could be 36 and we'd still be waiting for a breakout season from him?
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sprew8
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Post by sprew8 on Feb 20, 2007 20:35:50 GMT -5
well hes having a pretty good season playing with ovechkin
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JackTheRipper
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Post by JackTheRipper on Feb 20, 2007 20:43:49 GMT -5
Yeah but take him away from Ovechkin and what would he be?
Which gets me thinking: why do hockey insiders have a hard-on for Mike Knuble? The guy is merely a product of playing with Joe Thornton for a few years. Then he went to Philly and played with Forsberg and Gagne. I mean, does no one else see the corrolation here?
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TJFOR3
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Post by TJFOR3 on Feb 20, 2007 22:16:24 GMT -5
Yeah but take him away from Ovechkin and what would he be? Which gets me thinking: why do hockey insiders have a hard-on for Mike Knuble? The guy is merely a product of playing with Joe Thornton for a few years. Then he went to Philly and played with Forsberg and Gagne. I mean, does no one else see the corrolation here? But that's part of the thing with hockey. I don't think you can really say that "It's because he played with this guy". Fact is, those guys got him the puck and he finished, that's why he's good. He's not a playmaker, he's a scorer. You put scorers with your skill guys and let them score. BTW, the Bruins got a 43 save shutout from Tim Thomas and moved up in the playoff race. I hate to say it because I've been a Flyers fan since I can remember, but I'm becoming a pretty big Bruins fan. It helps when you get all the games and highlights on a local network... |
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Post by Freak93 on Feb 20, 2007 22:34:49 GMT -5
I do think Knuble has grown in Philadelphia. He does seem to make some plays without Forseberg in the lineup.
Also, I am really hoping the Flyers find a suitor for Esche. Nittymaki should be the top man in the pipes.
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Post by PrimadonnaPictures on Feb 20, 2007 23:05:45 GMT -5
I do think Knuble has grown in Philadelphia. He does seem to make some plays without Forseberg in the lineup. Also, I am really hoping the Flyers find a suitor for Esche. Nittymaki should be the top man in the pipes. yeah man knubles good until he runs into shanahan... |
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JackTheRipper
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Post by JackTheRipper on Feb 21, 2007 7:30:42 GMT -5
Maybe I remember him sucking for all that time more than I do him actually being a productive player without an elite centerman.
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McGahee
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Post by McGahee on Feb 21, 2007 15:19:18 GMT -5
Knuble this season:
52 GP | 22 Goals | 21 Assists | 43 Points
With Forsberg:
34 GP | 15 Goals | 18 Assists | 33 Points
Without Forsberg:
18 GP | 7 Goals | 3 Assists | 10 Points
So almost a point a game with Forsberg and a little more than a point every other game without him. He scores goals at almost the same rate with Forsberg than with him out (although a somewhat noticable decline is evident) but the assists are what stick out.
Forsberg's value came in more than just points for himself. He kept the offense flowing and didn't have bad breakups on good opportunites like what the Flyers are having now. Forsberg could make great passes that, if it didn't set up a Gagne/Knuble goal, would allow the other to get open and get the first an assist. Mike Richards now has to fill in and try and set that up, and last night against Buffalo was the first time he really started to get in that rhythm. Sure he has 30 goal potential all over him, but with Gagne and Knuble on his line, he just has to keep being the set-up guy for that line to function properly.
By the way, some of those over-achievers on the Flyers you just have to love. Upshall is playing phenomenally since getting traded. The new environment is exactly what he needed. Sami Kapanen has probably the strongest worth ethic I've ever seen put on a Flyers uniform without a doubt. He's not only been helping out the offense, but his backchecking continues to get better. He's personally my favorite player on that team because of it. He just does it all. Umberger has become extremely versitale and can be put in any type of role and succeed, Fedoruk and Eager regardless of the score are hitting hard, and Sanderson (despite not getting a chance by the coaching staff to find a niche) has been consistent all year through all the moving around he's done.
The goaltending is perfectly fine for the moment. Sure the goalies have had a tough road, but that's the price you play with some of the worst defensemen in the league. Hatcher isn't set up the for this kind of NHL, although he does have his moments. Pitkanen has no defensive prowl in him and always looks lost. Even at the blueline this year he's been looking off. If Parent turns out to be something special, in a couple of years Picard and Parent could be the #1 line...
END FLYERS RANT
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Post by Freak93 on Feb 21, 2007 19:47:25 GMT -5
I agree with almost everything you say except the goaltending. I do, however agree with the statement on the defensemen. I just think they should trade one. Three on the roster won't last too long. The Flyers have said they will not put Leighton down to the minors because they know he won't clear waivers. They are confident in him. That leaves Esche and Nittymaki. John Stevens is very confident in Nittymaki since he coached him in the minors with success. That leaves Esche as the odd man out. He can be a decent goaltender. I just hope the Flyers trade him before the deadline when someone will overpay for him.
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sprew8
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Post by sprew8 on Feb 21, 2007 20:44:08 GMT -5
Habs will trade Souray that's for sure.
It's funny everyone thinks he's a superstar. He sucks ass defensively, yeah he has a big slap shot but what else ? nothing. He's like McCabe, he made a lot of goals in his last contract year and will make the big buck out of that. Like McCabe he'll have a sucky year next year...
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JackTheRipper
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Post by JackTheRipper on Feb 21, 2007 20:56:54 GMT -5
Habs will trade Souray that's for sure. It's funny everyone thinks he's a superstar. He sucks ass defensively, yeah he has a big slap shot but what else ? nothing. He's like McCabe, he made a lot of goals in his last contract year and will make the big buck out of that. Like McCabe he'll have a sucky year next year... I do see the similarities between McCabe and Souray, although I think Souray at least is a shade better defensively and a touch more physical. But Souray is valuable because he's a big shot from the point and he can be a power play quarterback. If Montreal doesn't fall of the face of the earth in terms of play in the next few days, i'd expect him to stay a Hab. |
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JackTheRipper
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Post by JackTheRipper on Feb 22, 2007 9:27:22 GMT -5
And the injuries keep coming. Daniel Paille is out 2-3 weeks with a broken finger. Will we even have enough players to finish the season? Jeez.
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sprew8
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Post by sprew8 on Feb 22, 2007 12:48:09 GMT -5
Habs injury list is also getting big:
Begin
Huet
Higgins
Kovalev
Rivet
...
"I think Souray at least is a shade better defensively and a touch more physical."
sorry I dont think that's true, he's one of the worst defenseman in the league ,seriously, have you seen the move Spezza put on him last year, people have been doing that occasionly this season, it's unbelievable... If we can get a good prospect for him it would be great. He really stinks on defense and he breaks like 20 sticks a game. He got lucky this year with all these goals but its a fluke...
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McGahee
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Post by McGahee on Feb 22, 2007 15:06:01 GMT -5
Esche should be a hot target around the league, but for some reason isn't. Maybe Holmgren is purposely not attempting to shop him around or he wasn't "showcased" enough by getting some starts. I originally thought that was their plan for Nittimaki to just be the featured guy to spark interest and trade him away, but clearly that isn't their intention. I think a team like Montreal, who can rent Esche for the year until Huet gets back, seeing how Aebischer isn't shutting anyone down too hard or Toronto, who could give Raycroft some rest seeing how his stats have been iffy as of late and Aubin, their backup is fairly poor. The only team in the West I could see him going to is San Jose, even though Esche has had rumors to go there since October or MAYBE Colorado hoping for a late push, but then again, Esche I don't think would be a strong enough asset to do so.
If the Rangers don't get back on things, I think Shanahan will go, seeing how he's a FA. And Gary Roberts and Todd Bertuzzi are both strong offensive assets that are FAs at the end of the year who could bolster a team's playoff position.
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