You want to stop hits from behind and headshots? Fine a team $1M if a player on their team is guilty of those infractions. These hits would end the minute the rule was in place.
- paulr

I don't think assessing a fine like that to a team is going to matter, at least to some teams. Especially the teams that would spend infinitely if there wasn't a salary cap.

How about fining the Head Coach of a given team $125,00 to $250,000 a pop for poop like this?

You want to stop hits from behind and headshots? Fine a team $1M if a player on their team is guilty of those infractions. These hits would end the minute the rule was in place.
- paulr

Yep

Thanks for posting Beav.

You know when I first saw Jonathan Ericsson, I was convinced he would always be a third pair guy, but he certainly has grown up quick, and his size showed in the tape, in the way Stanton backed off him.

And Crawford's new pads didn't stop him from looking pretty solid down low.
- wiz1901

Your welcome.

Good to be back at the UC last night. Just a few notes from last night..


- waitforawhistle[quote=waitforawhistle]- they announced 21k as the attendance but it was more like 16k

How is this any different than the Chiacgo stadium policy? Sometimes they count sold not heads to boost counts. So you had more air to brether...and not time for me or us to start a negative campaign against the market side of the company.

- LOTS of Detroit fans
- waitforawhistle

No different than the lean years decades when all of you didn't come to each game.
I think we should make a three game policy so they are forced to buy three exhibition games to get to see the Red Wings.
No...better yet you do what I did countless of frustrationg years: Locate & Punch the throws the octopus and go to jail. Or pre-game dree and bit better than usual and quickly flash fake police iDs (you don't need them if you opoen an dclose the wallte quickly and talk fast.) Say you got a report they had an Octopus and make them turn around (better done in one of the walkways caverns form inside the rink to concessiosn b/c the cameras are less likely to pick it up.) and pat them down, and thank them afterward. Always ALWAYS pat the guy down FIRST,not the gal. Oh, and since my wife told me in 1989, she was not "coming to get me out, it is good to have 150 bail $ in your wallet.

- Very sloppy first period by both teams
- waitforawhistle

That is why they have preseason and remember a lot of these gusy won't be on the parent clubs and don't help the attack becaus ethey are unfamilar with linemates and dee.

- first major penalty was very bad and is worthy of a suspension
- waitforawhistle

To me it was more like a piling on penalty. Teemu PUKElknen will never be accused of having great speed and his only chance of contact is when a guy is slowed. He should have let up after the initial hit, but acted dumb or too excited. NOT evil.

-power play still sucks!
- waitforawhistle

Every team before each game has a small set of planned "plays" with which they are going to attack then goalie. The Hawks are guilty of always stubborn and go outside the presented ideas, relying on their familarity with each other and are stylish as opposed to baiting. PP seems to get the pK team to go in one direction and try and slip in they way they are not looking. The hawks spend so much time much of their attack game gets seen when there is no PK, so I think it is discipline AND finish. It is almost like they feel that trying to push it in from the front is more likely to have the puk cgiven up, while "stylin" around maintains puck possession. Philosophically different appraoch than the coaches might like.

I don't think assessing a fine like that to a team is going to matter, at least to some teams. Especially the teams that would spend infinitely if there wasn't a salary cap.

How about fining the Head Coach of a given team $125,00 to $250,000 a pop for poop like this?
- EKolb13

Do you really believe any owner is willing to pay a Million Dollar fine??? No chance! If this rule were in place there would be a directive, from the owner, that these hits will not be tolerated. And while these hits may not end completely I guarantee you could count on one finger the number of times they do occur.

Looking for unbiased fantasy advice here.

In a keeper league (points only) who would you keep and why...

Dougie Hamilton or Jake Gardiner?

Looking for unbiased fantasy advice here.

In a keeper league (points only) who would you keep and why...

Dougie Hamilton or Jake Gardiner?
- As_I_See_It

Neither is a lock to make their respective teams. But from what I have seen Gardiner has adapted to the NHL more quickly then Hamilton. However would Carlyle hold him back offensively to play a safer game?

Neither is a lock to make their respective teams. But from what I have seen Gardiner has adapted to the NHL more quickly then Hamilton. However would Carlyle hold him back offensively to play a safer game?
- paulr

Good points.

I do think that Carlyle will make Gardiner accountable for the D side of his game, but at the same time will let Gardiner play to his strength which is skating, playmaking and offense. The trick is to find the balance.

Thanks for the feedback!

No different than the lean years decades when all of you didn't come to each game.
I think we should make a three game policy so they are forced to buy three exhibition games to get to see the Red Wings.



.
- wiz1901

Oh I was there in the lean years. My seats were in 322 row two and there was only one other guy in the section for most games except against Detroit. The whole section was filled with Detroit fans. Not complaining about them announcing 21k fans, just stating a fact since it wasnt televised and I don't want people to fall into the propaganda machine and really think it was a full house.

I would hope such a penalty would force the coaches to have more control over a player's on ice actions.
- StLBravesFan

The game is so fast it just happens. No way a coach can control that. When I play in my D-League it is fast, i could only imagine how it is in the NHL.

I don't disagree with you JJ.

Just spitballing here, but what about just taking the instigator and pounding the crap out of some of these guys (COUGH Backes COUGH Torres COUGH)? Wouldn't that send a message to players around the league who like to take cheap shots at players?
- EKolb13

While, generally, I like the preemptive strike as a means of policing. The problem is that, nowadays, players STILL run guys even if they know they're gonna get the crap beat out of them.

I remember when James wizniewski took an 8 game suspension for an illegal elbow or something. He didn't complain about missing 8 games as much he complained about missing 8 PAY CHECKS! Hit them in the wallet. Shorter suspensions. Bigger fines. Remember dunc's elbow on the sedin twin? Well, I didn't like the elbow, but I didn't like my best dman missing "x" amount of games, but I wouldn't have any problem with whatever fine he had to pay.

Another way to look at it. If you penalize them on the ice, they're coaches will get involved. But if you penalize them in they're wallet, they're wives will get involved.

It was nice to see Frolik score for the Jets last night. Maybe Q should have tried Fro on our power play last year.

I expect Frolik will have a much bigger role with the Jets, 3rd line for sure and maybe some 2nd line time.

I don't disagree with you JJ.

Just spitballing here, but what about just taking the instigator and pounding the crap out of some of these guys (COUGH Backes COUGH Torres COUGH)? Wouldn't that send a message to players around the league who like to take cheap shots at players?
- EKolb13

While, generally, I like the preemptive strike as a means of policing. The problem is that, nowadays, players STILL run guys even if they know they're gonna get the crap beat out of them.

I remember when James wizniewski took an 8 game suspension for an illegal elbow or something. He didn't complain about missing 8 games as much he complained about missing 8 PAY CHECKS! Hit them in the wallet. Shorter suspensions. Bigger fines. Remember dunc's elbow on the sedin twin? Well, I didn't like the elbow, but I didn't like my best dman missing "x" amount of games, but I wouldn't have any problem with whatever fine he had to pay.

Another way to look at it. If you penalize them on the ice, they're coaches will get involved. But if you penalize them in they're wallet, they're wives will get involved.

Good to be back at the UC last night. Just a few notes from last night..

- they announced 21k as the attendance but it was more like 16k
- LOTS of Detroit fans
- Very sloppy first period by both teams
- first major penalty was very bad and is worthy of a suspension
-power play still sucks!
- waitforawhistle

I was there last night too, and all of this is spot on.

Thanks for posting Beav.

You know when I first saw Jonathan Ericsson, I was convinced he would always be a third pair guy, but he certainly has grown up quick, and his size showed in the tape, in the way Stanton backed off him.

And Crawford's new pads didn't stop him from looking pretty solid down low.
- wiz1901

Good observation on Crawford. From my vantage point at the time I knew Crawford to be a lot more athletic when he first was drafted. But he is over 6' tall so between Tretiak and Waite they thought they were going to make him the next Patrick Roy. Give Crawford credit for taking the direction and working with it, but a strict butterfly with over sized pads does not play to the strengths of Corey Crawford. I believe it contributed to a lot of the posters here thinking Crawford was not athletic. I think the evolution of the larger pads and strict butterfly made him clumsy. There has been spirited debate about CC and it's legit. We know he won the cup, good but not great with a lot of help. I think the reduction in the pad size is going to help CC become more agile like he was when drafted. Should make the stick a little easier to manipulate as well.

Unrelated, but if I was running USA Hockey there would be a place for Leddy at least in the camps for the olympics. On that sized rink he could wheel and nobody would touch him.

Good observation on Crawford. From my vantage point at the time I knew Crawford to be a lot more athletic when he first was drafted. But he is over 6' tall so between Tretiak and Waite they thought they were going to make him the next Patrick Roy. Give Crawford credit for taking the direction and working with it, but a strict butterfly with over sized pads does not play to the strengths of Corey Crawford. I believe it contributed to a lot of the posters here thinking Crawford was not athletic. I think the evolution of the larger pads and strict butterfly made him clumsy. There has been spirited debate about CC and it's legit. We know he won the cup, good but not great with a lot of help. I think the reduction in the pad size is going to help CC become more agile like he was when drafted. Should make the stick a little easier to manipulate as well.

Unrelated, but if I was running USA Hockey there would be a place for Leddy at least in the camps for the olympics. On that sized rink he could wheel and nobody would touch him.
- 6628

There are probably strong cases for other players, too, but I agree here and I think USA Hockey's selection process is about as political as Canada's. I still say leaving Byfuglien off the team (for guys like Callahan) after having him in Camp in 2010 might have cost the US GOld.

There are probably strong cases for other players, too, but I agree here and I think USA Hockey's selection process is about as political as Canada's. I still say leaving Byfuglien off the team (for guys like Callahan) after having him in Camp in 2010 might have cost the US GOld.
- John Jaeckel

Or he could have cost him the silver they won.

I don't want people to fall into the propaganda machine and really think it was a full house.

Does it matter? In the end, if they SELL every seat and folks don't show, its not like anyone is getting a refund. Its all about PAID attendance, not people in the seats. Further, Im not sure the organization needs a "propaganda machine" to sell seats right now, 2 cups in 4 years seems to be enough.

There are probably strong cases for other players, too, but I agree here and I think USA Hockey's selection process is about as political as Canada's. I still say leaving Byfuglien off the team (for guys like Callahan) after having him in Camp in 2010 might have cost the US GOld.
- John Jaeckel

10-4 on the politics. Would have been interesting to see Buff on that stage last time. Dialed in on an NHL sized rink who can stop him (other than himself)? As history suggests, I think he steps up. We'll never know. Olympic rink does not support his game.

I understand the way you are looking at it as a viable punishment, but what if two of your dee-men get suspended?

I don't think the NHL would ever let that happen, and let's face it, the bottom clubs whoa re actually trying to find good tough skileld replacements on defense would be more likely to have these dumb mistakes to happen...
- wiz1901

It's supposed to be a punishment right? So what if two of your D-get suspended? Deal with it, and play smarter next time.

Put in some sort of maximum number of roster spots lost due to suspensions (1 or 2) and force the whole team to suffer the consequences of these meathead's wreckless actions. I think this is the best soloution I've heard yet.

Suspended players can't be replaced in the lineup. Do it. Do it now.

10-4 on the politics. Would have been interesting to see Buff on that stage last time. Dialed in on an NHL sized rink who can stop him (other than himself)? As history suggests, I think he steps up. We'll never know. Olympic rink does not support his game.
- 6628

Why? Speed is no issue, conditioning? Maybe. I think he'd be fine, especially if he's really in as good of shape this year as the reports out of Manitoba say he is.

10-4 on the politics. Would have been interesting to see Buff on that stage last time. Dialed in on an NHL sized rink who can stop him (other than himself)? As history suggests, I think he steps up. We'll never know. Olympic rink does not support his game.
- 6628

Buff has the speed to play on the Olympic sized rink. However I would want him as a winger rather than a defenseman because of his questionable decision making.

I don't want people to fall into the propaganda machine and really think it was a full house.

Does it matter? In the end, if they SELL every seat and folks don't show, its not like anyone is getting a refund. Its all about PAID attendance, not people in the seats. Further, Im not sure the organization needs a "propaganda machine" to sell seats right now, 2 cups in 4 years seems to be enough.
- Htppr

People don't pay for parking, concessions, merchandise if the don't show up.

You want to stop hits from behind and headshots? Fine a team $1M if a player on their team is guilty of those infractions. These hits would end the minute the rule was in place.
- paulr

I know alot of people don't agree with me, but if you really think about it, the helmet rule has really lead to the cheap-shot artistry in the nhl. If players were not protected, they would respect each other. The issue now is there is no respect for other players. I still say that if I know I could seriously hurt someone, I will not progress to that action. Let players decide if they want to wear helmets.

Suspended players can't be replaced in the lineup. Do it. Do it now.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yep, play a man short on the game day roster for the duration of any Kronwalling suspension. Suspending the coach too would be a deterent......

Liked the way TT looked last night. Not only are his skill, vision and hands noticeable but his awareness might have been his best attribute last night.

Nordstom too was as advertised. An aware player making smart plays and doing so in all 3 zones.

Smith looked determined. Think this guy makes the team.

Q had Hayes on a PK!!!

Stanton will step up and hit people in the nuetral zone. Couple nice ones.

Bickell hustling 100 feet to save icing with 25 seconds left made me think we have a great chance of not having a cup hangover. May have been the thing that exited me most last night.

Seemed to me the Hawks have implemented their system at the AHL level where guys are stepping in without much learning being needed, other than to the speed and skill of a higher level........They are really close to having complete cohesion and teaching throughout the system.

As has been mentioned, great to be back at the UC but man traffic was worse than a Finals game. This 7:00 start is gonna be bruuuuutal.