2011-2012 NHL Regular Season Thread

If that's the case, they're missing out on opportunities and rivalries. TB and Boston will be in the same conference starting next year, so after a few more years, if a rivalry develops from the playoffs last year and being in the same conference, perhaps a Tampa-Boston Classic. Or invite Dallas up to Minnesota for a North Stars v Wild Classic. Or let Canada get into the mix by having the Yotes in Winnipeg before Shane Doan retires. That Winter Classic would blow the sky off the Earth, the fans would be so loud...
 
one problem i have with the Classic is that a couple years ago they came out and made it clear that it would only ever involve certain northern teams. I know it unrealistic to want to see Tampa play in the classic but my point is, acording to the NHL, it will never happen. i would love to see it in Toronto though, maybe Toronto vs Buffalo. That would be great.

Seeing the same 6, 8, 10 teams every few years will keep other teams' fans from tuning in, and the casual fan will grow tired of the same sweaters done up in that god-awful old-timey cream-white. And 24/7 can only do so much, assuming it's still around.
 
I'm really digging Bryzgalov's new pads:

67189299.jpg


His play, however, is still not quite up to snuff...
 
I bet he has an original set in that style. :p
 
Was going to catch the Nashville v Carolina match here in Nash, but jetlag completely murdered me so I went to bed.. Too bad I missed it, Carolina got completely trashed. I also couldn't find it on TV too?
 
Probably wasn't a televised game. Or if it was, it would have been on Fox Sports South, which isn't always an easy channel to find.

And at least they don't count the sellout by the bodies in the seats, as tonight's game was a sellout. :p
 
Took a look at the standings because I couldn't believe St. Louis is atop the central, when I noticed this.

St Louis 53
Chicago 52
Detroit 51
Nashville 48
Columbus 27

I knew they were bad, but damn.

Numbers are team points to this point in the season.
 
Last edited:
re: St. Louis, 22nd in the league in goals scored, 3rd in the league in goals against. Their position in the standings is what can happen when you have 2 fantastic goalies (Elliott with a 1.62 gaa and a .940 sv%, and Halak with a 2.29 gaa and .911 sv%). I don't forsee them holding this position, since their top scorer only has 29 points in 41 games. Balanced scoring is good, balanced scoring supporting a couple of point-per-game players is better.
 
Detroit beat Chcago in OT last night, so it is a three way tie for the top spot in the central.
 

only way they will ever get a 'fair' playoff is do what European football (soccer) leagues do; scrap conferences and play everyone twice (once at home and once away). Then the top 8 will be the best 8 teams that season. Of course, that would mean a shorter season and the finals wouldn't be played when summer is a few days away so they'll never go for that :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Actually, the only way to get a fair playoff is to know the rules before the season starts. Which is sort of what every team does. It doesn't matter how many times Team A plays Teams B-Z, the best teams will win more than they lose.
 
Damn, I was going to post that.

I think the league is going to use this to their advantage. 110,000 fans in a freezing cold stadium makes a strong statement for a bigger TV paycheck.
 
This is hockey at the Big House.

Big-Chill-Michigan-St-Michigan-Hockey-JPEG-1.jpg
 
Actually, the only way to get a fair playoff is to know the rules before the season starts. Which is sort of what every team does. It doesn't matter how many times Team A plays Teams B-Z, the best teams will win more than they lose.

a sport that actually knows their rules before the season starts....I don't believe any exist :p

and yes, the best teams will win more than they lose, but eliminating conferences is the only way to avoid the whole "if we were in the east/west instead, we'd have beaten out team x for the final playoff spot, but we finished 12th here, wah wah wah" :lol:
 
Top