The Great Canadian 2011-2012 NHL season discussion thread

[mr.John]

Classic Gauthier trades for a french player who can't speak french. How does this man keep his job? I'm sure he has photos of Molson doing some nasty things with a beer bottle stashed away someplace

[feepa]

Calgary now has the 3rd highest salary in the NHL, but yet, at best they are a 8-10th place team. This move doesn't make Calgary a cup contender, it doesn't help start a rebuild.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by feepa

Calgary now has the 3rd highest salary in the NHL, but yet, at best they are a 8-10th place team. This move doesn't make Calgary a cup contender, it doesn't help start a rebuild.

It's not intended to, I don't think anyone's stupid enough to claim either of those things. At BEST, and I'm being very generous here, it gives the Flames an outside chance of sneaking into an 8th place finish. At WORST it leaves us where we were yesterday morning, except with a contract that runs out in 2 years as opposed to 4.

Calgary's rebuild started the moment we let Regher go (in exchange for dumping Kotalik). But with the mess of contracts on the books, it's literally impossible to really get the process moving for another season or two. No one wants what we have other than a few key players, and I don't blame them. And if anyone thinks "rebuild with a bunch of draft picks (that we get for trading Iggy/Kipper) and Stajan/JBo/Jokinen/etc as the core of the team" is a viable plan for the future.. well, you might just be a Leaves fan.

[MrOilers]

The move the Flames made gets rid of Bourque, who was complacent underachiever, and replaced him with a player they had a good experience with a few years ago.

It's a good deal from that perspective. Otherwise, I don't know if Calgary's management has actually decided what direction they are going to take this year or next.

[Flamesrule]

Welcome back Cammy!

Definitely excited.

Romo is killing it in the KHL, let's hope he brings it back to the NHL.

[suburbanite]

Ottawa has really picked up their game lately. This year could be the first time that both Ottawa and Toronto make the playoffs in over 6 years.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

Ottawa has really picked up their game lately. This year could be the first time that both Ottawa and Toronto make the playoffs in over 6 years.

It's such a distant memory that I can't even be sure it happened, but I recall some good Ottawa vs. Toronto playoff action.

Actually, turns out Ottawa is 0 - 4 in series against Toronto.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It's such a distant memory that I can't even be sure it happened, but I recall some good Ottawa vs. Toronto playoff action.

Actually, turns out Ottawa is 0 - 4 in series against Toronto.

As a closet Sens fan, this is yet another reason I'm crossing my fingers that Toronto doesn't make the playoffs. Although the odds of either of them being 4th or higher are almost non-existent, so at least Ottawa has a chance in the 1st round.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by MrOilers

The move the Flames made gets rid of Bourque, who was complacent underachiever, and replaced him with a player they had a good experience with a few years ago.

It's a good deal from that perspective. Otherwise, I don't know if Calgary's management has actually decided what direction they are going to take this year or next.

I think that's exactly it, Feaster hasn't given up on them just yet, they still have a shot at the playoffs, and as the Oilers proved in '06, once you are in, all bets are off.

[suburbanite]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It's such a distant memory that I can't even be sure it happened, but I recall some good Ottawa vs. Toronto playoff action.

Actually, turns out Ottawa is 0 - 4 in series against Toronto.

I remember watching those series when I was 10-12, even got to see a few of the games at the ACC. For three years in a row, Toronto would beat Ottawa in the first round and lose to New Jersey in the second.

[Yume-sama]

Rick DiPietro out for the season. This is not a repeat from the last 8 seasons.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=611640

Why doesn't he just retire?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Rick DiPietro out for the season. This is not a repeat from the last 8 seasons.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=611640

Why doesn't he just retire?

It's a repeat of the last 3 or 4 though.

This, kids, is karma coming back to bite NYI. Hard. EVERYONE told them a 15 year contract was fucking insane. I mean complete batshit bonkers. And here's why. You never, ever, EVER bet the farm on one guy, even if he's Sidney Crosby. *cough*

[Nicko999]

How is this trade a lose-lose one??? I'm not a big fan of it but it is OK from both perspectives.

Calgary get a player that had success over there while Montreal add more size up front.

We also get a second rounder so there is a good chance we'll add another prospect in the system.

Rene Bourque becomes the 2nd best goal scorer on the team with 13 goals only behind the beast in the avatar.

With this trade, our top 5 goal scorers are 6"0+ and 200 lbs+... damn we're getting big.
Cole: 6"2
Bourque: 6"2
Pacioretty: 6"2
Kostitsyn: 6"0
Moen: 6"2

[MrOilers]

Go Oilers go.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by feepa

Calgary now has the 3rd highest salary in the NHL, but yet, at best they are a 8-10th place team. This move doesn't make Calgary a cup contender, it doesn't help start a rebuild.

Calgary already was in a high salary position, this trade only bumps it up marginally, and Cammy has less years on his contract so it actually is better for the Flames from a salary point of view.

A team making a trade doesn't automatically mean they're trying to contend for the cup! The bottom line is that Bourque didn't appear too happy and a trade is probably good for him. Likewise a trade is probably good for Cammy. There's no other way to look at this but a win-win.

[yaletown_fella]

Originally Posted by freeweed

As a closet Sens fan, this is yet another reason I'm crossing my fingers that Toronto doesn't make the playoffs. Although the odds of either of them being 4th or higher are almost non-existent, so at least Ottawa has a chance in the 1st round.

Hey, no worries.
As a bandwagon leafs fan I would be cool if we loose for the rest of the year and get sick draft picks to tighten up the D

Then next year the leafs would be very dangerous.

I'm not saying the Sens wont make the playoffs but if Miller makes a comeback there's no way Ottawa will finish ahead of Buffalo.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by yaletown_fella

I'm not saying the Sens wont make the playoffs but if Miller makes a comeback there's no way Ottawa will finish ahead of Buffalo.

Ottawa is now 9 games above .500. 9 games, Mrs. Bueller. Buffalo is at .500.

With fewer than 40 games left either Ottawa will have to tank or Buffalo will have to go on a miracle run to catch up. I'll be honest, I have a hard time seeing Buffalo even making the playoffs this year - hell, the Flames are "ahead" of them in that sense.

[reidjr]

yaletown_fella
Ottawa has a 10 point lead over Buffalo as of today if Ottawa keeps playing like they have been and Buffalo plays like they have been even if Miller can pick it up its going to be hard for them to catch up.

[yaletown_fella]

I don't mean to be a pessimist but that's if Ottawa can keep it up.

People were making fun of my beginning of the season prediction that the Jets would finish with a substantially better record than the Habs.

[yaletown_fella]

D/p