In Ovechkin's 1000 career game the Capitals clinch their Division in a heated battle against rival Crosby. Malkin blew a gasket and got ejected. Would love to see another Caps vs Pens playoff series and finally see Ovi get over the hump. Tom Wilson is a force and Patrick Hornquist does NOT have the typical Swedish temperament...he plays tough and angry hockey in the hard areas. Very underrated player.

Capitals clinch their Division in a heated battle against Crosby. Malkin blew a gasket and got ejected. Would love to see another Caps vs Pens playoff series and finally see Ovi get over the hump.
- EnzoD

I'd love to see the rules applied to Pitt, just as they are applied to other teams. Eveny time I see Malkin skating, and Crow off the ice, I have to laugh at everyone who denies Bettman has a thing for that franchise.

[quote=powerenforcer]I'd love to see the rules applied to Pitt, just as they are applied to other teams. Eveny time I see Malkin skating, and Crow off the ice, I have to laugh at everyone who denies Bettman has a thing for that franchise
It was obvious last year in the playoffs ottawa seris and nashville seris calls went to many times in favor of pitt especially in the ottawa seris. Bettman wants pitt to win because of lemiux .

Hopefully Mackinnon or Hall win the Hart Trophy. They've been the two most outstanding players on teams with huge turnarounds from last year. Peter Chiarelli is the worst GM in the NHL the last 5 years IMO. Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson Yikes

Hopefully Mackinnon or Hall win the Hart Trophy. They've been the two most outstanding players on teams with huge turnarounds from last year. Peter Chiarelli is the worst GM in the NHL the last 5 years IMO. Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson Yikes
- EnzoD

Worse than Bowman?

Worse than Bowman?
- DarthKane

Worst means worst. Stan Bowman is a bad GM, but not the worst. You have to trade Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson, trade Tyler Seguin for scraps, trade Phil Kessell, and trade Eberle for Strome to be worst. Bowman's last 4 years have been slightly better but a similarity between the two is consistently losing talent whenever they make trades.

Worst means worst. Stan Bowman is a bad GM, but not the worst. You have to trade Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson, trade Tyler Seguin for scraps, trade Phil Kessell, and trade Eberle for Strome to be worst. Bowman's last 4 years have been slightly better but a similarity between the two is consistently losing talent whenever they make trades.
- EnzoD

Maybe we can trade Bowman to Edm

Darn it. Anaheim at home comes back to tie, three apiece, after being down by two vs Colorado. Colorado is behind, 93 to 92 in points battle prior to game tonight.

UPDATE
You know who won in OT. They will get in, Colorado maybe not. Will be interesting if Blues can win enough to get in. The Blues and Anaheim are not as good this year. But Anaheim is prime to overachieve. Minny without Suter has to pull together and win a couple to maintain their point lead. I like V Dunn but Blues are missing Bouwmeester (injured). I think it stays the same as it is now; Colorado misses. Dallas already out. In Eastern Conference NJ has opened a lead on Florida. Tallon can golf earlier this off season.

Darn it. Anaheim at home comes back to tie, three apiece, after being down by two vs Colorado. Colorado is behind, 93 to 92 in points battle prior to game tonight.

UPDATE
You know who won in OT. They will get in, Colorado maybe not. Will be interesting if Blues can win enough to get in. The Blues and Anaheim are not as good this year. But Anaheim is prime to overachieve. Minny without Suter has to pull together and win a couple to maintain their point lead. I like V Dunn but Blues are missing Bouwmeester (injured). I think it stays the same as it is now; Colorado misses. Dallas already out. In Eastern Conference NJ has opened a lead on Florida. Tallon can golf earlier this off season.
- jhawk59

The Blackhawks play the Blues twice this week, it would be nice to play the spoiler role and keep the Blues out of the playoffs.

The Blackhawks play the Blues twice this week, it would be nice to play the spoiler role and keep the Blues out of the playoffs.
- DarthKane

Yes that be nice but like see hawks lose the last three and try and improve their draft lottery status. Anyone know when the draft lottery is?

Yes that be nice but like see hawks lose the last three and try and improve their draft lottery status. Anyone know when the draft lottery is?
- Scott1977

April 28

The Blackhawks play the Blues twice this week, it would be nice to play the spoiler role and keep the Blues out of the playoffs.
- DarthKane

Should the Blues miss the playoffs......those sports shows when they return from commercials or to start their programming say KMOX that big station out of St Louis can play a snippet which is the perfect situational song: "I Guess that's Why They Call it The Blues."

The Blackhawks play the Blues twice this week, it would be nice to play the spoiler role and keep the Blues out of the playoffs.
- DarthKane

That would rock......

*NEW* Blog up: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=92056

Yes that be nice but like see hawks lose the last three and try and improve their draft lottery status. Anyone know when the draft lottery is?
- Scott1977

The NHL Draft Lottery is Saturday, April 28 in Toronto. From a quick google search. In the past the draft was around 6-7pm time frame.

I BELIEVE that The NFL draft is also that weekend. Both Bears and Blackhawks are in a position to draft a very good player. A player who conceivably becomes a core piece.

In the NFL and NHL drafts there is a distinct possibility that Chicago teams will find one or two players available with their pick whom should have already been scooped up.

In the NFL there is expected to be a run on as many as three qb before Bears selection. In the NHL i suggest some team possibly ascends from their slot to choose Hughes or another dman.

The top dmen are the new age guys with elite offensive ability. Their skill is greater than what a Forsling or Jokiharju brings. They can do things Samuelson preaches.....but a team needs to support this dman with the correct five man unit employed when this dman is playing. When Q put two absolutely non physical dmen together (Rutta and Forsling) it didn't work out (actually it did for a few games first together they drew praise).

Until one or more dmen prospects makes it in Chicago, there is such a void on their blueline you just have to keep signing your drafts and try to select a dman. Odds are some will make it: the more you draft the more likely one of them turns out sweet.

Or so that seems to be what both Justin and wiz believe. I told wiz how badly i wanted Tzachuck and his response was that he expects them to take a dman. In a few minutes i'll post a quote about dmen prospects from the Columbus GM which wiz sent to me.

YOU SEE ZHAWK3, DARTH KANE, ENZO or whomever rails against Samuelson ....any system you need players whom can execute. We didn't have that or to the extent some could but they did not have proper support from their other half pairing and forwards weren't responsible enough too.
Throughout especially major junior and NHL, too, teams are trying to incorporate more of the style that Samuelson teaches. Speed, playing at speed and making quick decisions at speed, keep moving puck into offensive zone: this is the crux of it. That this is happening is factual.

As described above there can be issues with it. But to deride "dirty Samuelson" is to have one eye closed as to what is actually occuring. You have a point and it is not without merit, but see things actually as they are. You just have a permanent hard on hatred undeservingly toward Samuelson.

Well it's obvious Crawford won't be playing any more this season and who knows about next year. The less I hear about his situation from the Hawks, the more I'm concerned about his return next year. I still remember his locker room interview a couple of months ago when he practiced with the team on a western road trip. He wasn't very coherent when answering questions.

I know the LTIR rules were discussed last summer ad infinitum regarding Hossa, but would there be an cap related benefit for next season to place Crawford on LTIR this season? If so, if he doesn't improve over the off season, then if need be, he would be eligible for LTIR at the beginning of next season and his cap space would be available over the summer?

The puck moving new age offensive style defense the Blackhawks try to play is actuslly not born when Samuelson came aboard. It is an organizational creed. It is Bowman first and Q always leaned that way too. Or at leadt lately he does. When you have a Seabrook and Hjalmarsson you don't stop them from doing what they are good at. With Seabrook, too, he was often the only top four who was willingly going to lay the lumber against hard pressing forwards. But you notice that Q never was totally upset with all the stick checking dmen. He was for advancing the puck. And as years went by his teams started trying to control games through holding onto the puck.

New age dmen is just an extetention of the organizational approach. But i will hold off on saying how hard and fast this applies under Colliton in Rockford since i haven"t seen or read enough about his coaching. Rockford did have a blueline corps adept in puck management this season and as usual plenty of grit and toughness on forward lines.

Well it's obvious Crawford won't be playing any more this season and who knows about next year. The less I hear about his situation from the Hawks, the more I'm concerned about his return next year. I still remember his locker room interview a couple of months ago when he practiced with the team on a western road trip. He wasn't very coherent when answering questions.

I know the LTIR rules were discussed last summer ad infinitum regarding Hossa, but would there be an cap related benefit for next season to place Crawford on LTIR this season? If so, if he doesn't improve over the off season, then if need be, he would be eligible for LTIR at the beginning of next season and his cap space would be available over the summer?
- boilermaker100

If it is true there has been league wide complaint about Hossa long term injury claim and now you might have Crawford in a similar way
And eventually Toews and or Seabrook could be headed that way

I wouldn't be yapping about it. That is probably the case here