His positioning was second to none (except Lidstrom). He wasn't the greatest skater but was never out of position. Combine that with his puck skills and tenacity and you have a generational talent
- Gunner Staal

But no one ever remembers who was drafted #2 right?

But no one ever remembers who was drafted #2 right?
- Ben37

I think the greatest part is that he is probably the last Hartford Whaler who is technically active.

I think the greatest part is that he is probably the last Hartford Whaler who is technically active.
- Gunner Staal

I think that you are correct on that.

So, should we all have a prediction of when we think the season will start? Akane is out of the prediction because he is to pessimistic.
- kgrpitt

December 1. (how's that for optimism?)

I'm not confident they can bridge the gulf in 2 weeks so no hockey until at least December.

no way. i love this team but there is no grit and suspect goaltending. need a wing a d-man.

I think the greatest part is that he is probably the last Hartford Whaler who is technically active.
- Gunner Staal

Exciting game between the Skins and Bills last night I bailed after RGIII exited, the Nats are "can't miss" these days.

I think the greatest part is that he is probably the last Hartford Whaler who is technically active.
- Gunner Staal

Giguere is the only other one still active. As of 2009, it was Pronger, Giguere, and Marek Malik(retired after 09 season, best known for his shootout goal against Kolzig).

no way. i love this team but there is no grit and suspect goaltending. need a wing a d-man.
- i'mjustafan

Tanner Glass, Tyler Kennedy, Joe Vitale, Matt Cooke, Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis....no grit? I think we have plenty of grit, we just don't have a lot of size. Suspect goaltending? Maybe tired goaltending. Fleury played entirely too many games, but we got Vokoun now, so they will split a bit better than Fluery did with Johnson.

But no one ever remembers who was drafted #2 right?
- Ben37

Bobby Ryan 2005. BOOM

To bad. He was a hell of a player. Great vision defensively. Hated his elbows though.
- powerhouse

I really wish we got to see more of him in Philly. Argh.

Bobby Ryan 2005. BOOM
- HopintheCordoba

When the Sens drafted Alexandre Daigle first overall in the 1993 draft he said something along the lines of "I'm glad I went first, because no one remembers who went second overall". The only problem with that is that he turned into a bust and the guy taken second overall was none other Chris Pronger.

Besides how could you point out Bobby Ryan when you could have went with Evgeni Malkin in 2004.

Tanner Glass, Tyler Kennedy, Joe Vitale, Matt Cooke, Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis....no grit? I think we have plenty of grit, we just don't have a lot of size. Suspect goaltending? Maybe tired goaltending. Fleury played entirely too many games, but we got Vokoun now, so they will split a bit better than Fluery did with Johnson.
- HopintheCordoba

I was trying to figure out how getting a wing and a dman would fix our suspect goaltending but I was just going to let it go.

We're screwed. Vegas will crumble.

I'm not a basketball fan- at all. But now that the Lakers got Nash and Howard is there any potential finals match up other than Lakers/Heat? It's like the league has 2 all star teams and a bunch of other teams. Very exciting.

When the Sens drafted Alexandre Daigle first overall in the 1993 draft he said something along the lines of "I'm glad I went first, because no one remembers who went second overall". The only problem with that is that he turned into a bust and the guy taken second overall was none other Chris Pronger.

Besides how could you point out Bobby Ryan when you could have went with Evgeni Malkin in 2004.
- Ben37

Of course, Geno is interesting because as talented as Ovi is Geno is a far superior player. I may get some hate for that, but its not really anything someone could argue with me. He does it all and every player in the league respects him. He's not just a sniper or a one-trick dangler. He's a K-aptain

When the Sens drafted Alexandre Daigle first overall in the 1993 draft he said something along the lines of "I'm glad I went first, because no one remembers who went second overall". The only problem with that is that he turned into a bust and the guy taken second overall was none other Chris Pronger.

Besides how could you point out Bobby Ryan when you could have went with Evgeni Malkin in 2004.
- Ben37

...I'm not saying Ovi can't hang with him, or maybe show more than he has, but its unlikely. You could see that when he started mouthing off about being an offensive team after they made a run in the playoffs they don't make if they are the same team they were earlier in the year. Dale Hunter and Braden Holtby saved that teams face.

I was trying to figure out how getting a wing and a dman would fix our suspect goaltending but I was just going to let it go.

We're screwed. Vegas will crumble.
- canadianpenfan

I hate the 'favorite' tag. The players and coaches all know its stupid, and it just adds a lot of extra uneccessary attention. Bylsma should pull a Torts and blow up at the first person who mentions it. He won't because he is more conservative than that, but he has voiced his displeasure. Unforunately, noone got blown back by it.

Of course, Geno is interesting because as talented as Ovi is Geno is a far superior player. I may get some hate for that, but its not really anything someone could argue with me. He does it all and every player in the league respects him. He's not just a sniper or a one-trick dangler. He's a K-aptain
- HopintheCordoba

Malkin had a superior year last year, no arguing that -- it's also difficult to get around the fact that Ovechkin has 2 MVP's/3 Pearson-Lindsay Awards (unless you prefer to ignore the first 5 years of Ovechkin's career, which you probably do).

...I'm not saying Ovi can't hang with him, or maybe show more than he has, but its unlikely. You could see that when he started mouthing off about being an offensive team after they made a run in the playoffs they don't make if they are the same team they were earlier in the year. Dale Hunter and Braden Holtby saved that teams face.
- HopintheCordoba

The Caps barely made the playoffs playing the style that they did. I give Hunter credit for seemingly getting the team to play harder than they appeared to sometimes in past seasons, but the lack of offensive creativity/imagination ultimately cost them in the playoffs. Hopefully Oates can move forward with some of the principles that Hunter instilled while allowing offensively talented guys like Ovechkin to be creative in the offensive zone.

The Caps barely made the playoffs playing the style that they did. I give Hunter credit for seemingly getting the team to play harder than they appeared to sometimes in past seasons, but the lack of offensive creativity/imagination ultimately cost them in the playoffs. Hopefully Oates can move forward with some of the principles that Hunter instilled while allowing offensively talented guys like Ovechkin to be creative in the offensive zone.
- MadCap2008

As I live in DC, I tend to wacth a fair amount of Caps hockey and I have to say that the loss of Backstrom last year was just absolutely crushing. Ovechkin might be the most offensively talented player on the Caps roster, but in my opinion only Backstrom is the only one who is irreplaceable. The guy does everything and he does it well.

As I live in DC, I tend to wacth a fair amount of Caps hockey and I have to say that the loss of Backstrom last year was just absolutely crushing. Ovechkin might be the most offensively talented player on the Caps roster, but in my opinion only Backstrom is the only one who is irreplaceable. The guy does everything and he does it well.
- s0rcerer1984

No doubt, Backstrom is at the moment their best player.