well the swedes just got their free ticket into the gold medal round. it's a freaking joke.
- Q...argh

What do you mean by "free ticket"?

What do you mean by "free ticket"?
- mohel

How many top teams did they have to play to get there? Can you say ZERO???

We had to play Russia, now freaking Canada. whatever metal Sweden winds up with be it the gold or the silver it has no validity.

Toews PPG .84 MacKinnon PPG .75. That's close? You want to argue Jonathan Toews is regressing then talk about +-? Slippery slope
- rollpards19

Toews is everything you want in a player.


Mackinnon is a HUGE talent, with great speed and short area quickness and over-attack skills and is destinen to be a superstar and will lead Colorado THIS season in points before the seaosn ends.

I don't know why you all would get panties knotted over and imaginary trader scenario that is never clsose to happening...the rook wa having fun, got schooled here,

...and then you guys start in on each other, taking mack-tazer sides.

Re: Toews ceiling

That's the thing about this is, he I think he just can win a Cup and lead to Cup(s), so I don't see a ceiling.

If abilities are what the ceiling pertains to, the big difference when you compare a younger up n comer, is they have to really do the work to improve, get around all the walls that MacKinnon hasn't hit yet.

Look at Toews and what he ahas overcome, it's gotta count in his favor.

I always think back in my younger years were I spent far too much time with trade scenarios that sent established players one way and hugely promising youngsters the other...looking back, most were embarrassingly dumb because the youngsters never attained the promise, the billing, and delivered the goods NHL wise, with production and dominance that teams worried about.
The pro stars I was trading the other way didn't need to grow in terms of production and ability...they continued on the already solid high level of excellence.

That to me is what makes all this moot, and a fill of extra time during the day.

The same was said if the World Junior Tournament once upon a time. That was Canada's tournament in the past but now it's wide open.

Women's hockey will get there too, it will just take some time.
- DarthKane

Sweden has a population of less than 10MM - their men's team has been to the finals 3 times now in the last 5 Olympiads, I think. Certainly they should be able to build a contending women's hockey team.

Certainly Russia, Finland, and other hockey-first countries, too.

Not sure why it hasn't happened by now.

Huh?
- EKolb13

my happy bday vm?

How many top teams did they have to play to get there? Can you say ZERO???

We had to play Russia, now freaking Canada. whatever metal Sweden winds up with be it the gold or the silver it has no validity.
- Q...argh

You play who you're scheduled to play - can't play anyone else.

They beat Finland - who beat Russia handily.

They're there encase they DESERVE to be there because they beat who they had to beat to get there.

Toews is regressing. His last 3 playoffs have been average at best. He has 2 goals in the last 30 games. He isn't any better today than he was 3 years ago.
- Elbows15

this is your brain on drugs.......

You play who you're scheduled to play - can't play anyone else.

They great Finland - who beat Russia handily.

They're there encase they DESERVE to be there because they beat who they had to beat to get there.
- StLBravesFan

if you think that those groupings were fair, you're entitled to your opinion.

How many top teams did they have to play to get there? Can you say ZERO???

We had to play Russia, now freaking Canada. whatever metal Sweden winds up with be it the gold or the silver it has no validity.
- Q...argh

Neither does your argument. The Hawks didn't beat the Blues, Ducks or Penguins; was their Cup "valid"? They handled the Finns, who beat the Russians and played the Canadians very well. The Finns beat the Russians in regulation, while the US needed a skills competition. The Swedes beat those Finns. Try again.

Hjalmarsson said that Karlsson "is probably the most skilled defensemen I've played with".

First Kane, now Hjalmarsson - why are our guys praising other team's guys at the expense of OUR other guys?

this is your brain on drugs.......
- UnnamedSource

LMAO!!!

Completely agree. The topic around here that is "not worth discussing" concern any comments about trading Toews because of his perceived lack of whatever... He's the Captain, two Cups in four years. End of argument.

He is tougher. Count how many times Toews picks himself off the ice tomorrow. Joe Sakic did in the draft last year. And if he was there so would have Poile and Tallon.
- Elbows15

bows, Toews is pretty much really tough, in all definitions.

I have seem much more of MacKinnon in junior than you have and I think you are entitled to an opinion but he is not some skilled bad ass, nor does he play scared, but again it is all about all those past instances we all KNOW toews fought through adversity...

Neither does your argument. The Hawks didn't beat the Blues, Ducks or Penguins; was their Cup "valid"? They handled the Finns, who beat the Russians and played the Canadians very well. The Finns beat the Russians in regulation, while the US needed a skills competition. The Swedes beat those Finns. Try again.
- mohel

This is a short international tournament. I could post that the sky is blue and you'd jump on with a contrary assertipn and an irrelevant argument to back it up. Whatever.

if you think that those groupings were fair, you're entitled to your opinion.
- Q...argh

Five top teams in the tournament - US, Russia, Canada, Finland, Sweden.

Three divisions.

The math says: two divisions with two top teams, one division with one top team.

Luck of the draw.

Not very complicated.

Where is the conspiracy?

How many top teams did they have to play to get there? Can you say ZERO???

We had to play Russia, now freaking Canada. whatever metal Sweden winds up with be it the gold or the silver it has no validity.
- Q...argh

B.S.. Even if you grant that the seedings were "unfair" (which I don't), then if Sweden wins Gold they will have to beat the team that played in the so-called "hard" quarter & semifinals, so it will most certainly have validity.

You can only beat the teams that you play, which is always true in all competitive tournaments at all times.

Interesting that Rask is out sick and that Finland chose Lehtonen over Niemi.
- prd797

he is a MUCH better goalie up top than Niemi and the Swedish defense has the quick sticks and blocking ability to handle what niemi's pads do.

Lehtonen is better.

Five top teams in the tournament - US, Russia, Canada, Finland, Sweden.

Three divisions.

The math says: two divisions with two top teams, one division with one top team.

Luck of the draw.

Not very complicated.

Where is the conspiracy?
- StLBravesFan

Who the hell said there was a conspiracy??? I said the groupings weren't fair -- and they WEREN'T. Stop putting words in my mouth.

if you think that those groupings were fair, you're entitled to your opinion.
- Q...argh

Do you mean the original groupings - the ones a bunch of guys in a room put together to screw the Canadians and Americans? Oh, wait, that's not how it is done? Well then they must have fixed the games so the Swedes would get the first seed and the Americans and Canadians second and third. And then they made sure the Russians lost to the Finns, just so the Swedes didn't have to play them, too. As you say, you are entitled to your own opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts. Try again.

Hawks trade rumors...

CSNCHICAGO.COM: Tracey Myers reports not to expect the Blackhawks to make a big move by the trade deadline.

http://spectorshockey.net...or-mill-february-21-2014/
- EKolb13

200,000 Cap space ..what a surprise!

but a major blow to the fantasy trade folk here on this board....

This is a short international tournament. I could post that the sky is blue and you'd jump on with a contrary assertipn and an irrelevant argument to back it up. Whatever.
- Q...argh

Just state one or two facts that support your opinion, eh?

Do you mean the original groupings - the ones a bunch of guys in a room put together to screw the Canadians and Americans? Oh, wait, that's not how it is done? Well then they must have fixed the games so the Swedes would get the first seed and the Americans and Canadians second and third. And then they made sure the Russians lost to the Finns, just so the Swedes didn't have to play them, too. As you say, you are entitled to your own opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts. Try again.
- mohel

Not going to dignify your shyster tactics with reason. Toodle-loo.

Is it really a "rumor" if the "rumor" is "nothing is going to happen"?
- StLBravesFan

Kyle the owner of the site does a nice job every morning of scouring EVERY credital newspaper and hockey site to place all new speculatiosn on his board.

It is my first stop every day.

The section is tabbed Rumours because it reports what people think might be happpening or nOT happening, thus name...

Not going to dignify your shyster tactics with reason. Toodle-loo.
- Q...argh

I'll be waiting for a fact or two, whenever you can dig one up...

Who the hell said there was a conspiracy??? I said the groupings weren't fair -- and they WEREN'T. Stop putting words in my mouth.
- Q...argh

Ok - forget the conspiracy - I apologies.

As for unfair - maybe - but do the math: five doesn't divide by three evenly - one team gets lucky - so what - you play who you're scheduled to play.

Don't demean their (possible - hasn't happened yet) championship - that's as bad as blaming the refs for a loss.

well the swedes just got their free ticket into the gold medal round. it's a freaking joke.
- Q...argh

Yeah it is the first thing I thought too, that the two other teams were maybe entitled, but aren't the Olympic groupings supposed to be set up based on PAST Olympics?

Then the two groups USA and Canada were in SHOULD have provided a CHANCE to a return final match RIGHT???????