NHL 2013

[westofyou]

Limiting shots is the key, hence why the Wings look down and the Blues look up at this point, the Wings lost some horses.

But this is a different season this time, shorter, more intense I expect a lot of blown leads all around, less disciplined play and more heartbreaks and false hopes for all the contending teams.

Nothing is a for sure this time

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Limiting shots is the key, hence why the Wings look down and the Blues look up at this point, the Wings lost some horses.

But this is a different season this time, shorter, more intense I expect a lot of blown leads all around, less disciplined play and more heartbreaks and false hopes for all the contending teams.

Nothing is a for sure this time

I agree with that.

Pierre LeBrun, from ESPN, made an interesting point in an interview I heard yesterday. The teams that have less turnover will more than likely be the teams that have success in a short season. He mentioned teams like the Kings and Blues. They have essentially everyone on the roster coming back from last year and the chemistry is there. I'm wondering Patrick, do the Hawks have a lot of turnover in the offseason or is much of the team coming back?

Another point he brought up is that the Kings will not have the Stanley Cup hangover either.

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by Patrick Bateman

Nashville probably the weakest without Weber, but it seems like they always find a way....

The Predators have some stuff going for them -- stable coaching, goaltending, and they're relatively young and deep, all of which will help in a compressed season with a short training camp. But they'll miss Suter (he was the one they lost, not Weber) and, as always, they probably don't have enough firepower to get deep into the playoffs. A 6 or 7 seed and first-round exit sounds about right.

[Joseph]

Vancouver just signed Cam Barker. I don't think they end up winning that division.

I'm with Patrick, one of us Central Division teams isn't going to make it, well one plus Columbus. Nashville or Detroit either one could be in for a big let down. Nashville lost Sutter to Minny, Detroit has some of the old guard retiring. One of them is in for a letdown.

[Gallen5862]

What does anyone think of the Carolina Hurricanes? I think the Hurricanes improved alot between getting Jordan Staal plus their trades on the first day of training camp.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/...-carolina.html

A busy first day for the Carolina Hurricanes

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/...#storylink=cpy

RALEIGH -- Talk about having a busy first day.
The Carolina Hurricanes packed a lot into Sunday. They made an early trade, sending goalie Brian Boucher and defensive prospect Mark Alt to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Luke Pither. They signed goalie Dan Ellis to a one-year contract. They dealt forward Anthony Stewart to the Los Angeles Kings for forward Kevin Westgarth.
Westgarth, the son-in-law of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, lives in Raleigh in the offseason. He’s a big guy at 6-4 and 234 pounds who should give the Canes that added grit in the lineup that general manager Jim Rutherford has been seeking.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/...#storylink=cpy

[Revering4Blue]

Originally Posted by Gallen5862

What does anyone think of the Carolina Hurricanes? I think the Hurricanes improved alot between getting Jordan Staal plus their trades on the first day of training camp.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/...-carolina.html

A busy first day for the Carolina Hurricanes

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/...#storylink=cpy

RALEIGH -- Talk about having a busy first day.
The Carolina Hurricanes packed a lot into Sunday. They made an early trade, sending goalie Brian Boucher and defensive prospect Mark Alt to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Luke Pither. They signed goalie Dan Ellis to a one-year contract. They dealt forward Anthony Stewart to the Los Angeles Kings for forward Kevin Westgarth.
Westgarth, the son-in-law of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, lives in Raleigh in the offseason. He’s a big guy at 6-4 and 234 pounds who should give the Canes that added grit in the lineup that general manager Jim Rutherford has been seeking.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/...#storylink=cpy

Fellow Canes fan here, also a Sabres fan from the French Connection days,

Sound moves by Rutherford, at least on the surface. Hopefully, they can overcome the long odds to not only qualify for the playoffs, but also advance. It's happened before.

[Gallen5862]

Originally Posted by Revering4Blue

Fellow Canes fan here, also a Sabres fan from the French Connection days,

Sound moves by Rutherford, at least on the surface. Hopefully, they can overcome the long odds to not only qualify for the playoffs, but also advance. It's happened before.

Thanks. I am hopeful they can make another run at the Stanley Cup. I think they have a good mixture of youth and vets. It helps to have players with championships on the roster.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by IslandRed

The Predators have some stuff going for them -- stable coaching, goaltending, and they're relatively young and deep, all of which will help in a compressed season with a short training camp. But they'll miss Suter (he was the one they lost, not Weber) and, as always, they probably don't have enough firepower to get deep into the playoffs. A 6 or 7 seed and first-round exit sounds about right.

I agree with you about Nashville. I think Barry Trotz is a top 5 coach in the NHL and he always seems to do a lot with less. If anyone can get their players going in a shortened schedule, it's Trotz.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by Gallen5862

Thanks. I am hopeful they can make another run at the Stanley Cup. I think they have a good mixture of youth and vets. It helps to have players with championships on the roster.

The one huge thing that Carolina has going for it is how weak the Southeast division is. That division is probably more "in flux", so to speak, than most divisions. I like their moves they made so they could be a factor and nobody should be surprised if they are.


I have a question for all the puck heads here. Do you see the fans coming back as if nothing happened? I'm looking at places like St. Louis where they drew 5000+ to see a practice or places like Winnipeg who practically had a full arena just to watch practice. I really think that the fans will be back in markets that traditionally have great support for their teams. However, do you see places like Columbus suffer due to this lockout?

[Revering4Blue]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

The one huge thing that Carolina has going for it is how weak the Southeast division is. That division is probably more "in flux", so to speak, than most divisions. I like their moves they made so they could be a factor and nobody should be surprised if they are.


I have a question for all the puck heads here. Do you see the fans coming back as if nothing happened? I'm looking at places like St. Louis where they drew 5000+ to see a practice or places like Winnipeg who practically had a full arena just to watch practice. I really think that the fans will be back in markets that traditionally have great support for their teams. However, do you see places like Columbus suffer due to this lockout?

That's a good question.

My first inclination is to believe that a shortened season will, if anything, create enthusiasm in non-traditional markets, with the thinking that in a short season "our" team may be in playoff contention until the end, provided they don't start off the season too slowly or sustain a lengthy (relatively speaking) losing streak.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by Revering4Blue

That's a good question.

My first inclination is to believe that a shortened season will, if anything, create enthusiasm in non-traditional markets, with the thinking that in a short season "our" team may be in playoff contention until the end, provided they don't start off the season too slowly or sustain a lengthy (relatively speaking) losing streak.

Good thinking on that. You're probably right, though as Ken Hitchcock pointed out, losing streaks will be magnified. He pointed out, rightfully so, that a prolonged losing streak will almost all but eliminate one's chances to make the playoffs.

Teams will be playing natural divisional rivals more so that should alleviate some of the fallout from a lockout. Obviously, if the Red Wings are coming into town to play the Blue Jackets, I would assume turnout would be greater than most matchups. I'm kind of wondering what the long term effects will be.

[Patrick Bateman]

Originally Posted by IslandRed

The Predators have some stuff going for them -- stable coaching, goaltending, and they're relatively young and deep, all of which will help in a compressed season with a short training camp. But they'll miss Suter (he was the one they lost, not Weber) and, as always, they probably don't have enough firepower to get deep into the playoffs. A 6 or 7 seed and first-round exit sounds about right.

Sorry the Weber item was a slip of the tongue!

Preds do have some young talent, and a potential replacement for the big minutes (Josi), but they are always one of those teams that scrapes by with marginal talent up front.

If they go through any kind of scoring drought like the Kings did last year in the first half, they wont win many games no matter how strong their normal goal prevention is.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by Patrick Bateman

Sorry the Weber item was a slip of the tongue!

Preds do have some young talent, and a potential replacement for the big minutes (Josi), but they are always one of those teams that scrapes by with marginal talent up front.

If they go through any kind of scoring drought like the Kings did last year in the first half, they wont win many games no matter how strong their normal goal prevention is.

It helps that they the god like Pekka Rinne in net.

[IslandRed]

Mike, good point on how losing streaks will be magnified, and that's something Nashville will have to watch out for. They have a seven-game road trip starting with game three, I think. This stretch would normally be in the middle of the season (it's pretty much an annual thing) but if they have a bad trip, they'll have to play their butts off the rest of the way to make up the ground.

[westofyou]

60 bucks for the NHL package on DTV this year

Nice price