National Hockey League

[El Dildo]

it's amazing how unpopular the NHL has become lately.

 

literally no one I talk to or interact with on a regular basis has said anything about it.

I forgot the Cup was even happening lol.

[Tokasmoka]

That's what happens when you have the worst commissioner in NA sports history at the helm. Bad enough he sold a franchise to a con artist with a fax machine, but when you ignore cities that would make great franchises like Quebec city, Seattle and instead force hockey in Florida(2teams), Carolina, and Arizona you get a league where 6-10 teams subsidize the rest of the league.

 

On top of that the NHL has the worst officiating in sports. Just look at the last game this year, Nashville's goal being called off is just bush league(and no I am not a preds fan) it makes you wonder if their Cinderella run is moot after their fans got to witness first hand the audacious officiating.

[le shark]

Yeah, hockey seems to lose it's popularity everywhere (popularity of this thread probably shows that, too). In Russia, it loses popularity because we have probably the worst hockey league ever. Furthermore, I was really surprised to find articles that say Canada loses interest in hockey, too. What's happening?

I think that instead of trying to bring hockey to areas where it will never be really popular, commisioners should try reclaiming the popularity that hockey lost over the last decades.

Edited July 9, 2017 by Le Shark

[le shark]

Sorry for double post, but my last post was quite a while ago. Probably nobody cares about this thread anyway.

NHL's attempt to conquer the southern market is probably caused by the success of California teams. During the latest 10 years: Stanley Cups, SC final appearances, etc. They probably think that if California could, then everyone can. But when was the last time a Canadian team won the cup? Yep. Hockey in the world has a lot of problems, and they absolutely need to be solved to preserve this great sport for our children and grandchildren and grandgrand...

[darthYENIK]

Hockey is fine.

 

Speaking of California, here I see as many hockey stickers and license plate frames as baseball or football. That's my car centric California observation of the popularity of things.

[Tokasmoka]

Sucks as a Canucks fan we lost a helluva of a up and coming beast of a defender in Nikita Tryamkin to the KHL. I see a growing trend in teams avoiding drafting Russian players with the fear they'll bolt to the KHL. I swear the Canucks are cursed...

[le shark]

Sucks as a Canucks fan we lost a helluva of a up and coming beast of a defender in Nikita Tryamkin to the KHL. I see a growing trend in teams avoiding drafting Russian players with the fear they'll bolt to the KHL. I swear the Canucks are cursed...

I am sure that all Russian players that returned to the KHL will eventually return to the NHL. Yes, maybe they'll get more money here, and they'll win the KHL trophy if they play for SKA, but sooner or later they will realise that KHL completely sucks (I live in Russia, so I know this). They will realise that they want to achieve something real. Plus, some top-grade Russian players moved to NHL this summer, and the players to return to KHL are mostly second-grade players who are not yet good enough to play in the NHL.

[Tokasmoka]

^Well if you happen to run into Nikita Tryamkin tell him to come back to Vancouver.

[le shark]

Looks like I'm the only one in the entire Forums to care, but still, Happy New Season to whomever it may concern! Let's just hope it won't be 3 in a row...

[Redketman]

Ovechkin had two hat tricks in a row recently. He will score more than 33 goals this season and might even score 50 again. By the seasons end he will proably reach the 600 goals milestone. And he's only 32 years old. Really impressive!

[le shark]

Ovechkin had two hat tricks in a row recently. He will score more than 33 goals this season and might even score 50 again. By the seasons end he will proably reach the 600 goals milestone. And he's only 32 years old. Really impressive!

I won't be surprised if he scores 50. Last season he hardly ever moved, but now that he has lost some weight, he is much faster.

 

I just hope that Ovi&Team will make it past the 2nd round. Somebody needs to beat the Pens.

[Ryancoke66]

Leafs gonna be missing playoffs this year I think defence is horrible

[le shark]

Leafs gonna be missing playoffs this year I think defence is horrible

Their offense is not too bad though. This season is going to be a defining one for this team, and making it to the playoffs is crucial. All these young guns need some playoff experience. They got the biggest potential of all teams, I think, so no worries

[Ryancoke66]

 

Leafs gonna be missing playoffs this year I think defence is horrible

Their offense is not too bad though. This season is going to be a defining one for this team, and making it to the playoffs is crucial. All these young guns need some playoff experience. They got the biggest potential of all teams, I think, so no worries

Yeah they have quite a bit of offensive power but that alone doesn't win cups unfortunately. We made it to the playoffs last year so most of these yougings got some playoff experience but this year is different as the entire league knows who and what components the leafs now have in their team, more importantly teams have been exposing our back end weakness and that may cost us the playoffs this year.

 

Still lots of hockey to go though!

[le shark]

This makes me sooo happy!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sow1NSJ4lJU

[darthYENIK]

Ducks are looking better with more and more players coming off of IR. Got Lindholm and Vatanen back, who will eat up probably a combined full game's worth of TOI. Miller came in off the IR and into the backup goalie role, and did a great job, especially under pressure in the OT/SO. A good backup is something the Ducks need, as Gibson will probably hurt his groin at some point this season.

[Tokasmoka]

Thank you Hockey Gods for giving us Brock Boeser. The kid already has the best release in the game and his playmaking skills are underrated. This makes up for missing out on the draft lottery, which Edmonton will probably win again this year

[GerryM]

Just saw this video on the Habs YT page. In my opinion, for the Habs technical staff to add the Pacioretty trade rumor in the video, it just sends out a message that it could be true.

 

 

 

Also in truth, Pacioretty is only guy from the Habs that can be traded easily since Galchenyuk is still a talent investment and Carey Price has a "can select Trade Team clause" in his contract.

[NumberNineLarge]

Did anyone catch the skills competition? I thought that was pretty cool when Ovechkin cracked triple digits on the hardest shot even after he already won.

[Tokasmoka]

I just wanted to see our guy, Boeser do the accuracy. Really no surprise he won it and broke one of the targets as well. The rest of the league got to see what we've been seeing all year long, that guy is the next 40 goal/yr sniper. He also won allstar MVP and made almost $600k in bonuses, not a bad weekend.

 

Some of the drills went on for too long like the goalie save streak and the passing comp.

[Funktipus]

Rangers fire Vigneault;

 

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/23070458/alain-vigneault-fired-new-york-rangers

[le shark]

If the Pens win the cup this season, I'll stop watching NHL for good.

[NumberNineLarge]

That game between the Kings and Golden Knights just now in double OT was a classic. Even with the loss, Quick was unreal in the net.

 

 

People who didn't watch missed out.

[le shark]

 

Damn these boys are on fire! They look like the main Cup contenders for me.

[GTA3Rockstar]

Las Vegas Knights are in the conference finals.

 

I don't think the NHL will expand anytime soon lol

[le shark]

And r/hockey is not even full of "MUH KNIGHTS ARE THE FIRST TEAM EVER TO whatever". What happened?

 

Either way, Penguins are facing elimination, so I hope that the Caps finish them tonight.

[GTA3Rockstar]

So, the time that the Capitals get past their nemesis; Penguins. They go up 2-0 in the conference finals and now are down 3-2.

 

 

Well, now the Knights better win it all.

[GTA3Rockstar]

The Golden Knights were 500 to 1 to win the Stanley cup at the start of the season.

 

The biggest bet placed on them in Vegas was $60. 3 more wins and that person will walk home with $30k lol

[Zello]

CAPS WIN

 

Not really a hockey fan but feels good to see a local team win

[No Use For A Name]

Bout time the best player on the planet gets to hoist the Cup!