The NHL

iloveteemu8 · Post by **iloveteemu8** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 7:43 pm

Well I am glad to see this conversation has picked up a bit

We've got another fan of an NHL team here! That's three now

It's true what nehia_qom said about being committed to a team. Hey it's hard for me too, I never get to see the games. Who can afford "Center Ice"? Not me!

But I still always try to listen, and I use to not even be able to do that. So then I would visit all the sites, NHL.com, the team site coloradoavalanche.com as well as the local news paper sites... the Denver Post, and Rocky Mountain News. Plus you can always see lots of pictures from the games on the internet, even video highlights.

But I would image it's hard to start, how do you choose a team? For me I fell in love with Teemu, so I follow the Avalanche since it's his team. But I also follow the whole NHL, I'm so familiar with the teams and players, because I love the game. I've heard of Antti Laaksonen he is a good player, and he still gets better.
But a place to start is hard, especially when you can't see the games.

Oh and the Avalanche are still doing very well without Patrick Roy, they have David Aebischer primarily in net now... and he has done very well this season. Hopefully he will continue to do so

**Sponsor:**

Stacey · Post by **Stacey** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 3:12 pm

I watch NHL sometimes but it is on too late-about 1am-4am.

Its a bit mad to put it on at that time so I can't really follow any teams as such; anyway I don't uderstand the rules. :undecided:
They always seem to have fights with each other though. They probably do that to get the crowd excited!

Stacey

BAT · Post by **BAT** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 12:24 am

I don't mind a little bit of rough stuff on the ice when trying to stop someone from getting the puck, but when players get into full out brawls - utterly stupid! A little too much testosterone methinks. I'd rather the players focus on skating, puck-handling, and creating good plays rather than the meathead behaviour. Perhaps I have too female a view of hockey

Stacey · Post by **Stacey** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 2:37 pm

I find its a bit awkward when you don't know the rules.

I found this with NFL as well. I found a rule book for that though.

The presenters always assume that you know all of the rules; which of course many do, but I get confused!!!

I don't mind the fights too much though, It kinda breaks up the confusion a little!

Stacey

iloveteemu8 · Post by **iloveteemu8** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 10:45 pm

Yes Hockey can be hard to follow if you are unclear about the terms and rules. It takes a bit of getting used to I guess. And IMO I like the fights most of the time, and I love the roughness.

Here is a great link that can help you out with the rules and such.
http://www.newyorkislanders.com/a_z/isl ... 01a_z.html
I think they have every single term and rule used in hockey listed on here. It's very informative!

Francis · Post by **Francis** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:19 am

I used to be a fan of the Quebec Nordiques and I must say the overall quality of NHL hockey these days is really bad. There are too many teams in the league and that has diluted the talent to a few good players per team, salaries make it difficult for many teams to field the few good players available, officiating is at an all-time worse and defensive-style hockey totally kills the show...

I was living in Ottawa before coming here so I guess I'd have to say they are my favorite team these days, although I still dearly miss the days of the Quebec-Montreal rivalry. Those were the days...

My only hope is that a few of the southern US-based teams go bankrupt and a couple move to Canada. Less teams and a better fan-base would help the league, assuming they get a salary cap in the next CBA.

iloveteemu8 · Post by **iloveteemu8** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 9:07 am

Yes, I know about the Nordiques... after all Colorado is where they ended up. And I do have to agree with you Francis, they do need to do something to make a change. The game has changed so much in even the last 10 years. And they do need a salary cap, and they most likely will end up with one after the CBA is dealt with over the summer.

And you are also right about the officiating, they must start calling things or the there will be no respect on the ice. Some guys think they can just do anything out there, especially these new young guys. They never played back in the day when you had to have respect for each other on the ice, or one of you would end up hurt or dead. Now players are so protected with all this gear, that they think they can't hurt someone any more. And the defensive trap is also killing the game, it's sad really. I hope they can make some changes.

I suppose the way the game is today, it would be hard for someone to just start to care for it. Maybe only the people who know hockey as it should be can still love it.

And also your hope may come true. Have you heard that they are seriously working on moving a team back to Winnipeg? It's not final, but a US team has contacted Winnipeg asking them if they really have the means for a team again. We'll see...

Francis · Post by **Francis** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 10:03 am

Yes, I've been following the Winnipeg thing (even though I'd prefer if it was Quebec City

) I hope it does happen, that's for sure.

Another thing the NHL could do is get rid of Bettman and put a canadian there (Wayne Gretzky maybe?). Bettman is an american businessman and obviously doesn't grasp that hockey needs more than a "big market" to succeed. Winnipeg, Quebec City, Hamilton and maybe Halifax would have more support for their NHL team than many US cities 10 times bigger. Nashville??? 2 teams in Florida??? Carolina? Wassup with that?

They would also do well to sit down with the IIHF and come up with a universal set of hockey rules that would be played in both the NHL and at the international level.

Stacey · Post by **Stacey** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:19 pm

Hey thanks for listing the link-Very useful!

Now my next 'problem' is choosing a team to support.....!

Stacey

Ace · Post by **Ace** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:22 pm

Stacey wrote:Hey thanks for listing the link-Very useful!
Now my next 'problem' is choosing a team to support.....!
Stacey

Easy pick the one that always wins

PeterF · Post by **PeterF** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:32 pm

There have been several reference int he Finnish press recently about Teemu's form not being too good..injury problems ...and the strong suggestion that he needs to sort himself out if he want to put a hand on the Stanley Cup..One headline put it simply..Teemu .. on Nyt tai ei koskaan...It is Now or Never..is it never?

BAT · Post by **BAT** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 2:44 pm

Stacey, you could just pick at team that has the best uniform

Guess I'm partial to the Toronto Maple Leafs since they were my local team back home. Used to see a lot of Buffalo Sabres games too.

Francis · Post by **Francis** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 2:54 pm

I agree with BAT but I'd restrict the choice to picking the canadian team with the best uniform...

Stacey · Post by **Stacey** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 3:25 pm

Thanks for your ideas guys! I think I'm going to choose a team that wins a lot AND has a good uniform!!!

Well there aren't any English teams are there?! So I'll have a think!!!

Thanks!

Stacey

iloveteemu8 · Post by **iloveteemu8** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 12:13 am

Peter Floyd wrote:There have been several reference int he Finnish press recently about Teemu's form not being too good..injury problems ...and the strong suggestion that he needs to sort himself out if he want to put a hand on the Stanley Cup..One headline put it simply..Teemu .. on Nyt tai ei koskaan...It is Now or Never..is it never?

Yes Teemu has been in a slump recently, but it's not all his fault. Despite what some people think, I believe that Tony Granato isn't such a great coach. I know that the Avalanche have a good record right now, but I've listened to every game this season... and they have been so lucky to have won some of these games. Plus he (Granato) has so much talent to coach that it makes him seem better, even the rookies have been playing pretty well for the Avs. But Granato has done nothing at all to help Teemu get out of this slump he is in... and it is a coaches job to do what he needs to in order to get some one scoring again.

I say, play Teemu with Kariya for one... they have a great history together and have played only a few minutes in each game together. Two, maybe play them with Peter Forsberg. Forsberg makes every player around him better. Three, give him the same amount of ice time he would be getting if he were scoring. I'm sure nothing breaks a hockey players confidence like when his ice time is cut in half... from one game to the next.

Well what has Granato done, for those of you might ask...

Play Teemu on the third and fourth lines with the grinders rather then scorers. Cut his ice time down to 9 minutes a game at times! He doesn't play Teemu on the special teams, even though the majority of his goals this season came on the them. He doesn't play him with Kariya, but for a second.. oh wait I mean 2 seconds. In one of the last games he had the nerve to put Kariya, Sakic, and Selänne out with literally seconds left in the period... and I believe that was the only time they were on the ice together... accept during a line change.
And he has said to the media multiple times, "It's his job to score, no matter who his line mates are, and if he can't do that then he has to at least to the little things to help us win." Sounds to me like he is saying that Teemu isn't doing his job, in any area. But that's not true, Teemu has been great defensively all season. He hasn't turned the puck oever any more then the next guy, and he has been the one to get in and dig it out when no one else wants to. His mistakes never lead to goal against, which is more then I can say about a lot of guys.

Sorry about the rant, this is a sensitive topic. I've just been hearing so many people have nothing but negative things to say about Teemu, and I'm sick of it. I'm glad I got that all out, I feel relieved.

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