NHL lockout ended

[Hellbat]

Hey Tommy, you get to find out if Gaborick, Richards, Nash make a devastating line combo or not now.

[xenophobe]

Ha. All last season the guy at work would say to me "excited about the hockey game tonight?" when I walked into work at 4. He would say that for every night that there was a game. So, this season I say to him. "Excited about the basketball game tonight?" He just shakes his head at me. Needless to say he will be quite happy when play resumes.

Hahaha. That's funny. I usually sit there with a friend who will turn on the game, complain about no hockey and say how he doesn't like basketball while he talks about their stats and how he wants the Warriors to win while I sit in agony and disbelief.

[atomic charvel guy]

Hey Tommy, you get to find out if Gaborick, Richards, Nash make a devastating line combo or not now.

i hope they split them up. need diversity and a little depth instead of shooting your wad. at certain times yes, or with two minutes left, throw the kitchen sink at the enemy.

[xenophobe]

Brad Stuart is back in San Jose! I wonder if they'll push him to be more offensive, like when he was originally in SJ... Hmm... Interesting how we still have Joe Thornton and now we get one of our franchise players we traded for him back in the lineup. Should be good hockey for SJ!

[javert]

Brad Stuart is back in San Jose! I wonder if they'll push him to be more offensive, like when he was originally in SJ... Hmm... Interesting how we still have Joe Thornton and now we get one of our franchise players we traded for him back in the lineup. Should be good hockey for SJ!

Boy, that deal was awful for Boston... trading a franchise player for a decent defenseman, an average forward and a grinder. Lucky that the Sharks managed to get rid of Heatly, somehow.

[Sephiroth]

That's not funny at all. It took that many days for me to reply. Basketball has been on too much lately. Basketball makes me want to suicide....

Whats the matter? People shooting then running to the other end of the court and rinse-and-repeat for too damn long to massive amounts of floor squeak not exciting?

[xenophobe]

Boy, that deal was awful for Boston... trading a franchise player for a decent defenseman, an average forward and a grinder. Lucky that the Sharks managed to get rid of Heatly, somehow.

Yeah, Boston is still aching from that one, guaranteed. Heatley? I didn't particularly care for him... what surprised me was that they didn't offer Winnik a contract but they resigned Gallardo? Winnik looked like a great two way player... and gallardo, gallardi whatever, he seemed like a potential offensive threat, but more prone to making mistakes... Oh well. I just want to watch hockey now.

Whats the matter? People shooting then running to the other end of the court and rinse-and-repeat for too damn long to massive amounts of floor squeak not exciting?

Exactly.

[Sephiroth]

It returns this saturday with the Flyers versus the Penguins

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/13/nhl-on-nbc-penguins-flyers-kings-hawks-highlight-opening-day-broadcast/related/

I love this match-up because both teams truely hate each other, and it makes for great above-average games. Just look at last season's playoffs.


It'll then be followed by the Kings versus Chicago, with Kings banner-raising ceremony

[clifffclaven]

Its tough to get excited about a 48 game season, however, im glad the "season" is back. It will be interesting, a 5-6 game skid in this short of a season could mean you miss the playoffs.

Go hawks!

[goodwood]

Boy, that deal was awful for Boston... trading a franchise player for a decent defenseman, an average forward and a grinder. Lucky that the Sharks managed to get rid of Heatly, somehow.

I don't think it was awful for Boston.

Joe was good on the ice and even better on paper...but not that great in the playoffs and being as big as he is, reluctant to get in the corners. The best measuring stick is that they won the whole thing since getting rid of him and San Jose has been a major favourite numerous times with him yet always came up short. Out with the focus on Joe and in with the focus on Chara in my opinion.

Furthermore, they may have done a lot better if the idiot Thomas would have just decided to go with the flow to The Whitehouse because before that fiasco the Bruins were almost untouchable.

[paulbag]

We were dumping Big Joe, plain and simple. He just can't produce when it matters most. Was I happy at the time of the trade? Of course not...but what's happened since? Am I happy now? Ab-so-fucking-lutely!

[javert]

Yeah, I'm aware why he was traded, and of course you can say that it all worked out fine since the Bruins later won the cup. But there simply aren't many players of that cailber around. The Sharks have done fairly well, IMO, and have been quite consistent, although they haven't won the cup. For a team in a non-traditional market trying to establish and hold a fanbase, it's probably very important to consistently be in the mix, and their attendance record looks good.

Heh, that whole thing with Tim Thomas was just ridiculous. We all know goaltenders (nobody here is/was a goaltender, right? ) are a bit strange, but he took it to a new level!

[modelseriesman]

Jumbo Joe hasn't been the same ever since Lindros put his fist through his head. That was the turning point in his life. He managed to remain the most gifted set-up man in the game, routinely drawing two - even three - opponents to him thereby freeing two shooters to receive his incredibly accurate passes, however, he's different in ways that no longer allow him to be the complete player he was becoming. Alas. 88.

[Sephiroth]

Has Luongo been traded? I heard he was gonna be traded this season, and if true can't say I am surprised as he'll probably be forever hated by Vancouver after being blamed for their loss to the Bruins that led to a little rioting.

[atomic charvel guy]

got my lundqvist jersey on this morning, and what a fine piece of material it is. god damnit i'd be lying if i said
i didn't spray my shorts with hockey starting up. hey, i'll take the season this way as opposed to them playing
half or three quarters of a season and then locking out. or not playing at all.