NHL Hockey thread

[Barrister]

They are atrocious - but I can't help myself - I've watched parts of both games now. 

It's SOOOO nice to see the Winnipeg Jets on the ice - even if it is just rookies, even if they are just in practice jerseys.

[PRC]

They are atrocious - but I can't help myself - I've watched parts of both games now. 

It's SOOOO nice to see the Winnipeg Jets on the ice - even if it is just rookies, even if they are just in practice jerseys.

You can't go by these games at all.  Hell take it a step higher into the real NHL preseason.  Last years Flames were 7-0 in the preseason only to lay an egg all year long once the season started.

[Barrister]

Billions and billions of Jets stories in the news right now.  I'm refraining from posting all the day-by-day stuff about the team, since I figure that has zero interest outside of Winnipeg (and to ex-pat Winnipeggers).

But stories about the novelty of it all...

Hockey fever comes early in Winnipeg
ROY MACGREGOR
ROY MacGREGOR WINNIPEG— Globe and Mail Update
Posted on Saturday, September 17, 2011 3:33PM EDT
Sept. 17, 2011 – and Game Seven of the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Final is about to begin.

It is hard to adequately describe this topsy-turvy world of Winnipeg hockey.

Had they only added tailgate parties, it would have to have been breakfast on the grill, as they began filling up the parking lots shortly after dawn.

Puck drop at 9:04 a.m.

There was security on hand, including a van of stand-by police parked slightly off-site.

Cars whistled by, their Winnipeg Jets flags snapping in a brisk fall breeze. Out on the western end of Portage Avenue, the honking has nothing to do with migrating geese.

But everything to do with the return of the Jets, finally, big Nikolai Antropov the first Jet to step back onto Winnipeg ice in 15 years.

The cheer was deafening....for a practice.

They cheered the arrival of every player, they cheered the coaches, they cheered the first goal, they cheered the fancy plays and, in the end, the players gathered at centre ice and raised their sticks in an emotional salute to the more than 1,000 fans who jammed the Iceplex rink.

For a...practice?

But that is the state of hockey hunger in Winnipeg. The fans reacted as if they had, indeed, been sitting in the stands these past 15 years just counting the seconds until they could cheer again.

There was no Teemu Selanne to cheer for now. No Keith Tkachuk. No Thomas Steen. No Dale Hawerchuk.

Some of these players were named Akim Aliu and Zachary Yuen and Austen Brassard and Arturs Kulda – but it mattered not a whit. They were wearing the uniform, however new, of the Winnipeg Jets.

And that was what mattered.

"We're not used to practising in front of a crowd like that," said young defenceman Zach Bogosian, who had to carefully spell out his name to a television reporter who had obviously never heard of the former first-round draft pick.

"It was awesome," said team captain Andrew Ladd.

"Most players don't look forward to training camp – but this was fun."

Sunday the camp will move from the MTS Iceplex in the outskirts of downtown to the MTS Centre where the Jets will play this season.

Monday they will practice and scrimmage again.

Tuesday they will play their first at-home exhibition match against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Given what was on display for a boring first practice, whoever scores that first re-born Jets goal might want to wear a pair of those airplane earplugs under his helmet.

And as for the first real goal of the 2011-2012 season.....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/hockey-fever-comes-early-in-winnipeg/article2170092/

Go Jets Go...

[Barrister]

Okay, so the Jets first pre-season game was tonight.  Split squad games against the Blue Jackets, in both Winnipeg and in Columbus.

The game was not broadcast on national TV.

However, TSN has a 5 minute video clip from the opening of the game in Winnipeg.  Holy Fuck - that crowd is amped up as if it was Game 7 in the playoffs.  And it's a damn split squad pre-season game!!!111  Even better - the majority of the crowd was wearing brand spanking new Jets gear (though with a good representation from old school Jets).



It must be my allergies...

[Barrister]

I am going to be a total wreck on October 9th - the first regular season game.

What's terrible is we're hosting Thanksgiving at our house that day.  I don't know what the tears of joy will do to the turkey.

[viper37]

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving too?  I always tought it was an American thing only.

[Valmy]

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving too?  I always tought it was an American thing only.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(Canada)

[Barrister]

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving too?  I always tought it was an American thing only.

It's a national fucking holiday.  don't pretend you never realized you got a day off in early October every year...

[Valmy]

Thanksgiving is actually a Quebec Provincial Holiday only it seems they call it 'L'Action de grâce'

According to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Canada

[Grey Fox]

Thanksgiving is actually a Quebec Provincial Holiday only it seems they call it 'L'Action de grâce'

According to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Canada

So, samething. 

@BB you need to get Centre Ice or Gamecenter Live for the Computer.

[viper37]

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving too?  I always tought it was an American thing only.

It's a national fucking holiday.  don't pretend you never realized you got a day off in early October every year...

It's not the national fucking holiday, it's the celebration with the turkey and family/friends reunion.

I usually stick in the office for half a day or do some work outside on that day. 

But I'm not aware of any Québécois family gathering together over a turkey on Thanksgiving.  Even in Ontario, I don't think Franco-Ontarians celebrate it the way you do, but I could be wrong.

[Barrister]

Thanksgiving is actually a Quebec Provincial Holiday only it seems they call it 'L'Action de grâce'

According to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Canada

So, samething. 

@BB you need to get Centre Ice or Gamecenter Live for the Computer.

Thing is - I know myself, and I know I won't actually sit down and watch all 82 games even if they are available.  I'd like to have a bunch on in the background, though, so... I dunno...

[Grey Fox]

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving too?  I always tought it was an American thing only.

It's a national fucking holiday.  don't pretend you never realized you got a day off in early October every year...

It's not the national fucking holiday, it's the celebration with the turkey and family/friends reunion.

I usually stick in the office for half a day or do some work outside on that day. 

But I'm not aware of any Québécois family gathering together over a turkey on Thanksgiving.  Even in Ontario, I don't think Franco-Ontarians celebrate it the way you do, but I could be wrong.

Hi. My family always celebrated L'action de grâce. We gather, we have ham & a good time.

[viper37]

Hi. My family always celebrated L'action de grâce. We gather, we have ham & a good time.

Ok, I was wrong, some do celebrate.

[Barrister]

Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays.

No expensive consumerist crap.  Just a big meal and family and friends.  And the Winnipeg Jets.