When was the last Stanley cup series a 6-5 or 5-4 game? The regular season is time for the stars to shine but the cup is about grinders and heart, reason why most stars are invisible come crunch time. Always the goalie and who has the better 3rd or 4th line team. Has anyone on this site watched the playoffs in the last 20 years wow. Don cherry has been in every area of the game but a Gm I think he knows alittle more than someone that's happy its spring break. You re not going to win this conversation so go back to talking about who can fill the 3rd and 4th line for Edmonton your not bad at that.
- time2produce

most stars are invisible come crunch time??? lets just take a second and think about this statement

you're by far the dumbest poster on these boards
- Reveen

Nah, the kid's all right. Has his opinions and takes minimal amount of bullpoop. I'd rather shoot the poop him over Newmy or half the TO or Van trolls on here.

- AdamFrench

Of course theres afew and the ones that are pictured are great. In the big picture though 30 of 40 players in the final are Canadian always not by chance. Wish ppl would focus more on hockey than criticizing grammar and lame arguments to get a rise out of ppl. That's why a lot of ppl don't say things on here cause everyone gets blasted for every comment unless it says oilers win cup in 2014 lol For the ppl trying to talk hockey whether right or wrong good on yeah for the rest geez get a GF or something. Gets real ackward when you guys get flirting and wreck it for the rest of us.

The Europeans hate him cause hes right, the Europeans are good in the regular season and goaltending.
- time2produce

Kurri,Federov and Jagr all sucked in the playoffs.Just look at their poopty stats.

Kurri,Federov and Jagr all sucked in the playoffs.Just look at their poopty stats.
- Jeropotato

Read above, plus Kurri is my favorite player of all time. Most do disappear come playoff time though when the tough get going. Jagr has how many goals this year? Hasn't been to the playoffs in 20 years.

Read above, plus Kurri is my favorite player of all time. Most do disappear come playoff time though when the tough get going. Jagr has how many goals this year? Hasn't been to the playoffs in 20 years.
- time2produce

So he racked up about 200 playoff points 20 years ago.


Impressive

Read above, plus Kurri is my favorite player of all time. Most do disappear come playoff time though when the tough get going. Jagr has how many goals this year? Hasn't been to the playoffs in 20 years.
- time2produce

Please explain why Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau disappear during the playoffs?

I believe that Ovechkin went back on the steroids... Some of you may call that an unfair accusation, but I don't give a sh1t. With every ounce of my being, I truly feel that he is taking steroids. What's the penalty if he gets caught? Suspended for a while, and maybe get canned from the NHL... Oh no!!! Please don't send me back to my home country, where I can make just as much money and sleep with Russian models every day... Oh no!!!

And that's BS, RC... Don't just limit it to hockey fans being stupid -- when it comes to sports, everyone is an idiot... Hockey analysts/writers/GMs all fail in their predictions FAR more than they succeed. Nobody really knows anything.
- laughs2907

1. lol.
2. He's married.
3. lol.

I agree wholeheartedly. He only showed up for half a season. There are certainly many players more deserving than him.
- TML60

He did not "show up" for half the season. Ovechkin did not deserve MVP, but it has nothing to do with the fact that he absolutely tore up the second half of the season. He played the same way in the first half and the second half, they just finally started to go in. I love these empty statements like he only showed up for half the season.

Ugh

There's no reason the team needs to be brutal again in year 4 of a rebuild. If they concentrate on draft picks, unknown russians and giving huge minutes to rookies, then yes it's almost guaranteed. Predicting this doesnt make you some sort of seer. It's inevitable.

But that's not what's gonna happen imo.. Forever losing isn't the only way to build a team. and probably isn't great for the development of our kids either. at least in a prolonged manner like you've suggested.
And we dont only need superstar signings to become competitive either. We need solid pieces and the right role players put in the right positions to succeed. Look at bostons 4th line. dominant.

In fact, financially speaking, outside of throwing some assets at a quality top 4 dman, we probably shouldnt be going after superstar players.

It's about depth. Which we dont have. But are certainly capable of acquiring whether the free agent list this year has a ton of superstar names or not. because what it does have is some quality pieces that can fit well into our needs and could absolutely get us to the next level along with the further maturation of our core.
- hugefemale dog77

Thank you. I really think the Oilers better push for a playoff spot next year. Wouldnt mind them trading their 2014 1st to send a message they are ready to compete. Completely agree with their need to get some good depth and role players. If Horcoff isnt casuing a cap issue, keep him. He plays a lot of tough minutes to protect the kids. Also one of the fewer defensive players on that team.

Of course theres afew and the ones that are pictured are great. In the big picture though 30 of 40 players in the final are Canadian always not by chance. Wish ppl would focus more on hockey than criticizing grammar and lame arguments to get a rise out of ppl. That's why a lot of ppl don't say things on here cause everyone gets blasted for every comment unless it says oilers win cup in 2014 lol For the ppl trying to talk hockey whether right or wrong good on yeah for the rest geez get a GF or something. Gets real ackward when you guys get flirting and wreck it for the rest of us.
- time2produce

Are you (frank)ing serious? What percent of the league is Canadian? Then you will understand why there are more Canadians...you know...in the finals.... Of course it's not by chance, it's by the fact most of the league is Canadian.

Read above, plus Kurri is my favorite player of all time. Most do disappear come playoff time though when the tough get going. Jagr has how many goals this year? Hasn't been to the playoffs in 20 years.
- time2produce

Ummm Jager is a 57 year old man...and what?4th all time in playoff goals? You seem to be forgetting that this years points leader from the Czech Republic, there is Finn in net who hasn't exactly dissapeared in the playoffs,and a Slovak who is by far been the best Defencemen all spring.
But you do make a point about the grinders, most of them are Canadian.One thing your not considering is the sheer number of Canadian hockey players.Although the ratio has dropped down to about 55% from 75% in the last 25 years, Canadians still make up the majority of evrysingle hockey team,whether they have playoff success or not. One thing about European grinders.Most of them are like the Canadian plugs.Bubble players with very little security. Why would you toil in some poophole redneck town in the AHL, not knowing if your going to make $75oK or $75 from one year to the next,when you can go home to Europe and make $500K or more and live the lifestyle you are more accustomed to?
That's not to say Euro players have no heart in grinding roles either. Sami Phalsson was huge for Anaheim.
You want to talk hockey, then cut out the ignorant Anti-Euro malarkey and talk hockey.

Are you (frank)ing serious? What percent of the league is Canadian? Then you will understand why there are more Canadians...you know...in the finals.... Of course it's not by chance, it's by the fact most of the league is Canadian.
- Blackstrom2

Simple math.

the LEAGUE and money arguments have no validity in a hart debate whatsoever.

crosbys team remained elite without him for long stretches and for over more than one season too. tough to say he deserved the most valuable to his team award. he won the ted Lindsay though which makes perfect sense.

an using the word BY FAR doesn't drive your point home further either, its still just your opinion.

I have read the definition. not sure you have though. most valuable to team success. those three imo would be ovechkin, Tavares and bobrovsky. but bobs team didn't make the playoffs which is generally a parameter for nomination
- hugefemale dog77

You're on a roll today.

I like this....

http://www.edmontonjourna...+skill/8533403/story.html

If the logic is no tavares no playoffs, that's why he's a hart nominee. Explain to me how crosby is a nominee? They made it without him last year? no crosby no problem.

Hall was equally, if not more valuable to EDM than Tavares was to NYI. He didn't carry NYI anywhere. He was about as influential as any 1C is. Tavares was absolutely not the MVP
- TheNugeIsHuge

I'm a big fan of Hall, but disagree with him being equal or more valuable to the oilers than Tavares. I do see that he is really the life of the oilers, and drive the team with his passion, but unfortunately they still didnt really go anywhere. I really think if you took Hall from the oilers and tavares from the isles, you would see a more negative effect on the isles.

U hate pj too? Thank god. I thought I was the only one. I feel like will ferrel in zoo lander when I watch him on CBC.
- unkydav

Wrong. Glenn Healy is the worst "analyst" on TV. Such an idiot and says everything with some an arrogance it drives me nuts

I like this....

http://www.edmontonjourna...+skill/8533403/story.html
- Reveen

Exactly the kind of smart move Mac T needs to make. Probably get good value for a rookie on a 2 way deal. Whats the worst that could happen?

I'm a big fan of Hall, but disagree with him being equal or more valuable to the oilers than Tavares. I do see that he is really the life of the oilers, and drive the team with his passion, but unfortunately they still didnt really go anywhere. I really think if you took Hall from the oilers and tavares from the isles, you would see a more negative effect on the isles.
- pbrsimps

Maybe, but the Isles also have further to drop.

Wrong. Glenn Healy is the worst "analyst" on TV. Such an idiot and says everything with some an arrogance it drives me nuts
- pbrsimps

Durring the Boston series he continued to refer to the Leaf's as "we". Real unbiased Journalism. Never once heard that from Simpson when called an Oilers game.

1. lol.
2. He's married.
3. lol.
- Blackstrom2

1. Ovechkin is a machine
2. Doctor who treats numerous Washington Capitals is caught selling steroids, and gets thrown in prison.
3. Ovechkin instantly becomes half the player he used to be.
4. Goes to Russia during the lockout, and raves about how much he likes it there... B1tches about the NHL.
5. Goes back to the NHL, and sucks for half the season...
6. Decides to go back on the steroids, because he'll either a) tear it up and nobody will know why and he'll go back to being the man or b) Get caught/suspended/kicked out of the league, and go back to his homeland where he can make just as much money, and he and his WIFE can have orgies with Russian supermodels.

You're on a roll today.
- pbrsimps

1. Ovechkin is a machine
2. Doctor who treats numerous Washington Capitals is caught selling steroids, and gets thrown in prison.
3. Ovechkin instantly becomes half the player he used to be.
4. Goes to Russia during the lockout, and raves about how much he likes it there... B1tches about the NHL.
5. Goes back to the NHL, and sucks for half the season...
6. Decides to go back on the steroids, because he'll either a) tear it up and nobody will know why and he'll go back to being the man or b) Get caught/suspended/kicked out of the league, and go back to his homeland where he can make just as much money, and he and his WIFE can have orgies with Russian supermodels.
- laughs2907

I'll go with option B. There's thousands of boring guys in the HOF based on what they did in the NHL.Only a handful of them had orgies with Russian Supermodels.

I'll go with option B. There's thousands of boring guys in the HOF based on what they did in the NHL.Only a handful of them had orgies with Russian Supermodels.
- Jeropotato

Yeah, if I were Ovechkin, I wouldn't be in the NHL

I like this....

http://www.edmontonjourna...+skill/8533403/story.html
- Reveen

yea I saw that. He seems to love Eberle, and he's from AB. Only thing that worries me is that he was on a stacked NoDak squad. Like Vandevelde was