NHL 2009-2010 Season

[The Ringer]

The 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally here!

 

[risingstar]

We were here last year, go check for the thread

Oh, I can't wait to read it all...
I may even print it all and keep it in a special folder.

This gets so old, and is essentially the only things Habs fans have to hold on to for their falling hockey dynasty

It's ironic to see that the people who are most likely to dimiss history are the ones who don't really have it.

Moving forward, I'd be among the first to say that any team with Crosby has a good chance at the cup. He's that good. However, having Crosby can also be a double edged sword in the sense that it may at times allow other players to call some nights in because they may naturally assume he'll be there to save their behinds (again).

 

[risingstar]

The 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally here!

The stars on both teams have something to prove in this series.
There are great leaders here. I am so hoping the goaltenders make it interesting.

 

[Eli26]

The stars on both teams have something to prove in this series.
There are great leaders here. I am so hoping the goaltenders make it interesting.

Last year if you would have told me that Niemi and Leighton would be the starters in the Cup Final I would have laughed at you... and then I would look foolish.

 

[risingstar]

Last year if you would have told me that Niemi and Leighton would be the starters in the Cup Final I would have laughed at you... and then I would look foolish.

If you would have told me at the start of the season that the Habs would make it to the conference finals, especially after all those new player signings, my eyebrow would have been raised as well... yet here we are.

What's especially great about sports (especially hockey) is the general unpredictability and the character driven nature of it all. Hockey truly is the greatest sport on Earth. It baffles me how it isn't a far more popular sport.

 

[Eli26]

If you would have told me at the start of the season that the Habs would make it to the conference finals, especially after all those new player signings, my eyebrow would have been raised as well... yet here we are.

What's especially great about sports (especially hockey) is the general unpredictability and the character driven nature of it all. Hockey truly is the greatest sport on Earth. It baffles me how it isn't a far more popular sport.

No kidding, not like baseball where teams buy their championships.. ala the Yankees. Then again, the Rangers tried that post lockout and that didn't work out so hot for them.

 

[Grenouille]

No kidding, not like baseball where teams buy their championships.. ala the Yankees. Then again, the Rangers tried that post lockout and that didn't work out so hot for them.

It's still astounding that such an assemblage of talent couldn't pull it together.

I've been reading an old book about Pavel Bure lately, it's too bad his last year in the league was spent with the Rags.

 

[risingstar]

No kidding, not like baseball where teams buy their championships.. ala the Yankees. Then again, the Rangers tried that post lockout and that didn't work out so hot for them.

Nine million a year for five years to Bobby Holik, only to have his contract bought out two years later. Sather was out of his mind pre-lockout. It was moves like that which nearly ruined the NHL. Around that time (2002-2003), Sather had around 90 million dollars on the ice and they didn't even make the playoffs. In fact, between 1998-2005, the Rangers were nowhere to be found during the second season. While I'm not necessarily a huge fan of the cap, it's a better option than the wild west contracts that were bring handed out by the likes of Milbury, Sather, and so on...

 

[Grenouille]

The pre-lockout salaries were all over the place and it was a real crap-shoot.

'93 Canadiens won the Cup with a salary of 10.3m. LA had the highest at 14.1m.

'96 Avalanche won with 20.6m. Rangers highest at 31.8m.

'99 Stars win with 39.8m. Detroit highest with 48.3m.

'00 Devils win with 31.3m. Rangers highest 59.4m.

'01 Avs win with 50.5m. Rangers with 55.5m.

'02 Wings win with 64.4m, highest in the league.

'03 Devils win with 52.4m. Rangers highest with 69.2m.

'04 Bolts win with 33.5m. Wings highest with 77.8m

 

[BadMoon]

Looking good so far. This is going to be a good series.

 

[risingstar]

Stellar goaltending by NHL's finest.
It's like watching Roy vs Brodeur.

 

[ebor]

Stellar goaltending--5/5 in the third, I think not, looks like a couple-o-rookies with the gitters to me.

 

[Valfar]

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hockeynightincanada/allaccess/

This is kind of neat, first time taking a look at this.

 

[BadMoon]

Fantastic game tonight. Leighton needs to be better then that.

 

[risingstar]

Fantastic game tonight. Leighton needs to be better then that.

Perhaps it's too early to say but I think Leighton is done. He might get one more start, and if he doesn't really impress, it's over for him. This guy is middle relief at best. I realize some Flyers fans think he's the next Bernie Parent, however, it's time to be realistic. He practically let in one of three shots tonight. The pressure and inexperience might be catching up to him.

 

[Deeznutz6]

Dont think he had much of a chance on at least three of them, Boucher starts game 2, that didnt take long

 

[risingstar]

Dont think he had much of a chance on at least three of them, Boucher starts game 2, that didnt take long

I wouldn' be surprised if Leighton starts game two, however, he'll be on a very short leash.

 

[Voorhees27]

Wow 11 goals in a stanley cup final game? I missed most of the 3rd period and see many of you praising the goaltending .............. for the first two periods I thought Niemi looked horrid.

 

[risingstar]

see many of you praising the goaltending

We were being sarcastic.
Apparently, it's a thread requirement.

 

[The Ringer]

I wans't up until last night.