NHL 2009 Official Thread

[Delirium]

What with all the controversy surrounding the move from Toronto I think this was his chance to win a Stanley Cup. He'll probably be considered too expensive by most teams compared to what he can offer at this stage in his career. One alternative is to move down a bit and hope for a late surge, like Fedorov or Roenick, but I would rather see him step out honourably than just fade out. I wish Forsberg would have given up two years ago.

[PRC]

Sundin had 2 good games in the playoffs, one of them being last night in my opinion, and in the rest he was invisible.  It was the same during his time in the regular season.  He is a shadow of his former self, less than half the player he used to be.  Messier was more effective when he came to the Canucks than Sundin was.  He should retire.

[crazy canuck]

Looks like the refs couldn't buy Vancouver a 7th.

Where did that comment come from?  They called a very weak hooking penalty on Obrian that led to the Hawks rally.  They didnt call the slash on Luongo, didnt call the slash to Wellwoods face, didnt call the charge on Burrows but then called the charge on Eager.... etc etc. 

However, the refs didnt decide this, no matter how many penalties they could have called on the Hawks.  I thought for sure Vancouver had this when they went up 5-4.  Thought for sure the Hawks would start looking forward to game 7.  But the hit another gear.

Hawks were full value for that win.

[crazy canuck]

Sundin had 2 good games in the playoffs, one of them being last night in my opinion, and in the rest he was invisible.  It was the same during his time in the regular season.  He is a shadow of his former self, less than half the player he used to be.  Messier was more effective when he came to the Canucks than Sundin was.  He should retire.

Agreed.  He is long past his prime.  Gillis took a chance that he might get some magic and lost the bet.  Time to use all that money to get a young gun.

[Neil]

Time for the Canucks to spend a few years in the wilderness of rebuilding.

[saskganesh]

Time for the Canucks to spend a few years in the wilderness of rebuilding.

no. they finished first in their division and made the second round of the playoffs (top 8 of 30 teams). they do need to retool though. choices include 1) Sundin (sign or not)  2) Sedins (resign or not) and 3) Luongo (NTC but possibly good tradebait).

if they resign the sedins to $5 million each, keep Luongo, and win the Bouwmeester FA derby (this year's silly season version of Hossa) with cap room left from not having Sundin, they will be as dangerous as anyone.

now, Calgary hasn't won a playoff series in 5 years. I think they are more in need of an overhaul.

[crazy canuck]

Time for the Canucks to spend a few years in the wilderness of rebuilding.

If by wilderness you mean the off season and by rebuilding you mean adding to their core of talent then I agree.

[PRC]

The Canucks could start next season without:

C - Mats Sundin
LW - Daniel Sedin
C - Henrik Sedin
RW - Taylor Pyatt
D - Mattias Ohlund
G - Jason Labarbera

Losing the Sedins and Ohlund would hurt them.  If Cory Hodgson makes the team he looks like he can step right into the NHL and be a good player but still, losing the Sedins would be a big blow to the offense.

[Neil]

If by wilderness you mean the off season and by rebuilding you mean adding to their core of talent then I agree.

By wilderness I mean hanging out with the Wild at the bottom of the division, where they will stay until the middle of the next decade.

As for their core talent, Bieksa, Wellwood, Bernier, Hordichuk and Kessler will go back to being the worthless bums that they always were.  The Sedins will go play hockey in another town, one where they can win the Cup.  Luongo will be forever broken by this defeat, and will never be the same.

[crazy canuck]

The Canucks could start next season without:

C - Mats Sundin
LW - Daniel Sedin
C - Henrik Sedin
RW - Taylor Pyatt
D - Mattias Ohlund
G - Jason Labarbera

Losing the Sedins and Ohlund would hurt them.  If Cory Hodgson makes the team he looks like he can step right into the NHL and be a good player but still, losing the Sedins would be a big blow to the offense.

The only one on that list I would really miss is Ohlund.  He is a solid defenceman.  But he has grown roots here and I doubt the he will get much more elsewhere then what the Canucks would be willing to give him.

Whenever I think about the Twins I always think about the cap room we are wasting to keep the good one.  I would be happy to have the Canucks bring in young talent with the cap room left by the Sedins and Sundin leaving.

[crazy canuck]

The Sedins will go play hockey in another town, one where they can win the Cup.  Luongo will be forever broken by this defeat, and will never be the same.

The Sedins wont win unless someone already has enough talent and a big enough pocket book to put them on a second line.  That isnt going to happen because they will be very expensive. 

Luongo came from Florida.  If that didnt break him nothing will.  Having said that his hype is probably greater then his results and the Canucks could trade him for another franchise player.  He certainly did himself no favours trying to play himself onto the Olympic squad.

[Neil]

now, Calgary hasn't won a playoff series in 5 years. I think they are more in need of an overhaul.

Calgary needs to overhaul themselves a defence and a backup goalie.

[saskganesh]

...yeoman Ohlund is old and slow. he's probably gone.

... Calgary has serious cap issues, while Vancouver does not, since Sundin was a short term mercenary.

... I think the Luongo myth has been shattered. He is not: the best goalie on the planet, the inevitable Olympic starter, an ice man among slush boys, a titanic immortal who has been tragically cursed to shoulder the burden of weak teams.

He's just a very very good NHL goalie who can steal games for you when he is on top. He has bad games sometimes. And he won a World Cup ... once. That's about it.

[Grey Fox]

Lots of keepers are available for Canada's 2010 team. Hopefully Luongo won't have to be the starter.

Canadian NHL Goalies :

Martin Brodeur
Stephen Valiquette
Yann Danis
Joey MacDonald
Martin Biron
Mathieu Garon
Marc-Andre Fleury
Manny Fernandez
Patrick Lalime
Carey Price
Alex Auld
Pascal Leclaire
Brian Elliot
Cam Ward
Leighton, Michael
Mike Smith
José Theodore
Wade Dubielewicz
Steve "Franchise" Mason
Dan Ellis
Chris Mason
Curtis McElhinney
Andrew Raycroft
Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers
Dwayne Roloson
Roberto Luongo
Jean-Sébastien Giguere
Marty Turco


I left some out. My choices in bold. Fuck Brodeur.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

well... that was a heartbreaker of a game... but I'm happy for the Hawks actually. they had some real gut checks as well. They played fearless. If they can keep that shit up they could make the final.... but wimp out against either of their possible next opponents, and they won't last. Fearless, it's their only choice.

Re: Luongo, I've always had reseravations about him. he's weak. the whole thing with his pregnant wife last year showed his true colours. He's a very good goalie, but over-rated. low #1 not high #1.

I'll be annoyed if Sundin sticks around. Sedins should. They learned to play defence this year and were awesome at both ends. I went from disbeliever, to believer with these guys this year.

Keep Burrows, Kessler, Mitchell, Salo, Wellwood, Sedins

ditch Ohlund (retire?) Sundin, Demitra (olde slowe) possibly Luongo if he gets all pissy.

everyone else has a level of they may be trade bait, maybe not depending on the trade.