2011-2012 NHL discussion

[HotCorner]

And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive,
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive,
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive

[Joseph]

I love reading articles out of Canada that have all those extra 'u's in wourds, errr words.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Stanley Cup finals: LA Kings vs. New Jersey Devils

I'll take the Kings in six. They seem practically unbeatable right now and Quick is in the zone. It'll be hard for Jersey to score.

[westofyou]

Kings in six

Word on the street is lindstrom is retiring, big bummer

[Joseph]

Great player, but it might well be time.

The cup getting underway tonight though is great. Nothing quite like the Cup.

[MikeThierry]

Wow, check out these Lidstrom facts. If this doesn't tell you he should be a lock 1st ballot HOFer, I don't know what else will.


http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/i...lidstrom-facts

As much as I hate the Wings, I always respected Lidstrom. He will be missed.

[Spitball]

Great player, but it might well be time.

I have never understood how hockey players last as long as they do. The game is rough and the surfaces are hard.

The cup getting underway tonight though is great. Nothing quite like the Cup.

Hockey is exciting already. Add the championship element, and it is hard to beat.

[MikeThierry]

I have never understood how hockey players last as long as they do. The game is rough and the surfaces are hard.

Hockey is exciting already. Add the championship element, and it is hard to beat.

I think a huge part of why hockey players tend to last is that the legs aren't going to be destroyed as much as in other sports. Hockey, in my opinion, is a rougher sport than football; but with football the way they tackle in the game tends to blow knees out more than what happens in hockey. When a football players knees and legs go out, their pretty much done for. Hockey players can get away with not having great speed to be successful in the game unlike in football (see Chara). Plus, with skates, you don't need to have great knees to be successful. A lot with skating has to do with muscles that are completely different than those of running sports.

[MikeThierry]

It's official, the Russian Tank is coming to the Blues next season:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...160042007.html

Many scouts say this is the best Russian prospect since Malkin. This is a significant offensive upgrade for the Blues and makes their team even better.

[Spitball]

I think a huge part of why hockey players tend to last is that the legs aren't going to be destroyed as much as in other sports. Hockey, in my opinion, is a rougher sport than football; but with football the way they tackle in the game tends to blow knees out more than what happens in hockey. When a football players knees and legs go out, their pretty much done for. Hockey players can get away with not having great speed to be successful in the game unlike in football (see Chara). Plus, with skates, you don't need to have great knees to be successful. A lot with skating has to do with muscles that are completely different than those of running sports.

I don't disagree with everything you say here, but I do with some of it.

First, I think Chara is a faster skater than you think. His large frame and stride may make him appear to be slow, but defenders have to have speed.

The British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit determined that at least 31 percent of all hockey-related injuries occur to the lower body. The knee makes up a large percentage of those injuries.

[MikeThierry]

I don't disagree with everything you say here, but I do with some of it.

First, I think Chara is a faster skater than you think. His large frame and stride may make him appear to be slow, but defenders have to have speed.

The British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit determined that at least 31 percent of all hockey-related injuries occur to the lower body. The knee makes up a large percentage of those injuries.

Well, maybe Chara was a bad example because he has a stick that's over 10 feet long right?

Do you think the turf has a lot to do with football injuries? I know running can take a lot out of people and it seems there is less impact on the lower body with the skating motion rather than running hard.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Not very impressive TV ratings for the Stanley Cup finals so far, despite the two teams coming from Los Angeles and the NYC metro.

Adrian Dater, the Colorado Avalanche beat writer for the Denver Post, thinks that people aren't intrigued because there are no storylines and the players are "too nice."

http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/...ig-crowds-till

[Spitball]

Well, maybe Chara was a bad example because he has a stick that's over 10 feet long right?

Do you think the turf has a lot to do with football injuries? I know running can take a lot out of people and it seems there is less impact on the lower body with the skating motion rather than running hard.

I am a lifelong Bruins fan and find Chara an amazingly gifted player.

Here is a Nova on the great Bobby Orr and his six knee operations. As a Blues fan, you might find the 1:10 mark interesting. It may be one of the most famous scenes in Boston sport lore. : )

Bobby Orr on NOVA - YouTube

[MikeThierry]

Not very impressive TV ratings for the Stanley Cup finals so far, despite the two teams coming from Los Angeles and the NYC metro.

Adrian Dater, the Colorado Avalanche beat writer for the Denver Post, thinks that people aren't intrigued because there are no storylines and the players are "too nice."

http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/...ig-crowds-till

For me, the Kings have taken the wind out of the sail as far as my excitement for the series. I was never truely impressed by the Devils and the Kings might be one of the most dominating NHL playoff teams I have ever seen. I felt that the Devils had no chance in this series and I just wasn't excited over it as I would be a Kings/Pittsburgh or Kings/Boston matchup. Thats a possibility as to why the ratings haven't been that high.

Spitball, that was a great moment. Even though it was against the Blues, it showed the kind of player Orr was. Him and Gretzky are the two best players ever.

[Outrider]

I think a huge part of why hockey players tend to last is that the legs aren't going to be destroyed as much as in other sports. Hockey, in my opinion, is a rougher sport than football; but with football the way they tackle in the game tends to blow knees out more than what happens in hockey. When a football players knees and legs go out, their pretty much done for. Hockey players can get away with not having great speed to be successful in the game unlike in football (see Chara). Plus, with skates, you don't need to have great knees to be successful. A lot with skating has to do with muscles that are completely different than those of running sports.

I have a friend who started playing in an adult league two years ago, and he was telling me the game is not as rough as it appears to people watching. You're right, it is easier on the legs. The speed and skates make it look like it's rougher than it is.