24. "Slovenia looked solid" In response to Reply # 9
they might have a solid team in 4 years. For a bunch of no buddies they held their own with Russia for most of the game. Russia was sloppy but Slovenia was good enough to capitalize on those mistakes. Pleasantly surprised.
November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!
25. "USA looked REALLY good" In response to Reply # 1
all the lines clicked every thing went well. Quick barely had to work back there. Wonder if they are going to stick with him versus Russia or go with Price. If Russia plays as sloppy as they did today against us. We could score a lot of goals. Whoever is in net is going to need to come up with big saves. They got 4 lines that can score.
November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!
40. "LOL, if you got a gun, shoot it. OSHIEEEEEE!" In response to Reply # 39
Russia maybe kinda got boned in this one but fuck em. That shootout was a classic. I have never seen that kind of success with slow moves like that, let alone a few in a row. Hell he missed one where he had Bob dead to rights (second shot he took). Nastiest goal was that one by Kovalchuk where he slipped it to the forehand and nailed the far side. Gatdamn.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
Kane definitely should've won it in OT on that breakaway...but then we wouldn't have had that shootout... WoW @ him and Pavs! They looked good working together!
Of course, we might not be talking about missed chances in OT or the classic shootout if Dustin Brown could just stop "accidentally" making knee to knee contact with his opponents...
_____________________________________________________________ Everyone here hates pop music, but loves Michael Jackson... Okay Player...
their dmen looked solid. But that was it. One of the bottom 2 lines was clicking okay. But that was it. They made Norway look way better than they were. I hope they keep playing like this.
November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!
34. "That's cause Pierre is an asshole." In response to Reply # 33
I have to work with that douche bag. He should be ashamed of himself. His counterpart, Gord, used to be a great guy til Pierre somehow convinced him that they're REALLY important.
The guy knows hockey inside and out....hate to admit it but it's true. He's extremely knowledgeable and should probably be a coach. But honestly, I've seen alot of egos in the tv industry but this guy's the worst.
5. "i still think they are going to win this thing, injuries though" In response to Reply # 4
missing a sedin, tight schedule for zetterberg and his back, lundqvist stringing together a dominant run ... those are some question marks but i still like their balance and familiarity with the big surface to win gold.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
14. "yeah but the wings have a good staff" In response to Reply # 6
i remember a couple years ago they came in and thumped the kings. dats had a pretty big game. he was put together with chewing gum and scotch tape. i get the feeling like zetterberg is a tmac/steve nash type situation now, constant maintenance.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
15. "i keep telling you guys they are weak" In response to Reply # 7
just look at their team, where is the defense and goaltending? they are kind of like the slovak teams before chara came into his own, only i'd argue that the czechs dont have as strong of a forward group as those teams did. no brainer as a weak link among the big seven to me. i think we could see switzerland upset them even, though i wouldnt bet on it. that switzerland-latvia game looked pretty boring
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
17. "you need really good puck moving from the back end here" In response to Reply # 16
i think that will be part of their problem, plus extended time in their own zone and also a lot of their forwards are pretty similar. lot of setup guys who like their time with the puck, but not many finishers. they'll need jagr and elias to be aggressive shooting the puck.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
20. "Elias is all beat up" In response to Reply # 19
He has had to do a lot for the Devils this year and play through a lot, too. He missed a couple weeks with "overall body soreness." He is still one of the smartest and most skilled players in the world, but he definitely has nights where his mind knows what to do and his body doesn't follow.
Jagr is in incredible physical shape, I think he could outlast a lot of guys like Elias who are a few years younger and still playing well.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
29. "ouch, but i cant say i didnt see it coming" In response to Reply # 26
hurts sweden's chances. definitely opens the door for team USA. i am thinking maybe we can pull this off, canada does not terrify me and i think the u.s. matches up well against russia.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
32. "well dont think his going to russia had anything to do with it" In response to Reply # 30
i remember seeing a game recently where he kept going back and forth to the room (had two goals and an assist just the same). this is another reason why i thought the uberlong deal was a bad idea. of all those grotesquely long deals, his, franzen's and hossa's made the least sense. in hossa's case it has kinda paid off though, they have needed every cent seemingly every offseason. i dont see that with detroit.
anyway whatever, that's all long term shit. hopefully taking the break to rest is good for him and the evaluation isnt so severe. i obviously dont care for the wings but to have him and datsyuk out or seriously limited is a crime against the sport.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
I'm not a REd Wing fan neither but I love the way that team plays. Definitely the most sportsmanlike team in the league...plus they're style is the most aesthetically pleasing. They're the best representation of how hockey should be played imo.
37. "Mike Babcock is a smart hockey coach." In response to Reply # 0 Sat Feb-15-14 03:08 AM by denny
Tavares and Crosby....honestly don't think any other coach would do the obvious. Watch....when things get serious (pulled goalie) you'll see Cros, Tav, Toews and Nash on the ice. Doughty fer sherrrr. But I'm taking off Suban from my original forecast and putting in Weber so he can stand in front of the net. Toews will play point with Doughty.
And like we were saying above....Detroit Red Wings are the best 'HOCKEY' team in the whole league. They play right. Babcock thinks right. He knows the beauty of the game. I always kinda thought it was because of the european influence combined with Scotty Bowman's groundwork.....but I'm starting to think I've never given Babcock enough credit. Playing Crosby with Tavares is one of those things that make so much sense that Pat Quinn would never do it. I see the genuis in Ken Hitchcock's coaching. The best system guy in the game. But Babcock just sees the game in a way that is less quantifiable. I remember the greatest hockey moment in my childhood when Canada played Lemieux and Gretzky on the same line. There was debate about that too and it turned out pretty good. 6-5 6-5 6-5.
Cros and Tav. Toews and Nash.
Fill out those lines in a situational manner with all them guys. IMO.....St Louis, Benn, Duchene, Perry and Carter should get the most burn. Kunitz/Crosby is something that needs to be let go of.
Brooks Orpick looking ass'ed murican's better dig in deep for that.
As I post this...another 9 and a half hours til US v Russia. I gotta work til 4/5 in the morning saturday so I can't watch that shit live. Hopefully will watch my teevoe before I go to work so I can enjoy it without knowing the outcome. Yep yep....hockey doesn't get better than this shit. First game with the big dogs going face to face. Unbelievable matchup. Blood on the ice and all that....so hard to commit but I'll call the US on this one. I still got Russia as the favorite when elimination starts though.
Makes you think about it...would've been Crosby, Tavarez, Stamkos. Truly wish that Zetterberg and Sedin were a-go. Hoping Datsyuk is just vying for time. This is real hockey coming up for the next week.
38. "Subban and Doughty is their look with the goalie pulled" In response to Reply # 37 Sat Feb-15-14 10:04 AM by ConcreteCharlie
Best range going back for pucks, guarding the net, etc. More about speed and range than body strength/position. I'd look at Keith and Petro as their second unit. Weber will get the most minutes overall though.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
49. "he is criminally overlooked, wish we could see him in a freer flowing" In response to Reply # 47
system. IMO he is the most gifted defenseman in the league.
he is really a man of contrasts. on one hand, he is not the most dedicated guy, although he's coming a long way on that front. on the other, he competes like hell for sixty+ minutes. kind of has an iverson-esque quality to him. he even had a rant about practice once that was funny, but only willie mitchell and i heard it, i think.
he is also not the most studious player, all the guys fuck with him about being dumb and one veteran writer once told me he thought doughty might be the dumbest player in the league. but on the ice he is really a quick thinker who reacts strongly, battles hard and can get creative.
i feel like he is constrained more and more playing in l.a.
last year it was injuries, this year their defense is just a lot weaker if you ask me. scuderi's departure hurt them, regehr is a fine player but not as good in really any area of the game. mitchell is pretty much a shell of his former self, injuries have taken a toll on him. after that what do they really have? matt greene and a handful of offensive minded guys who dont actually score. that means huge responsibility for doughty and way less opportunities to get offense.
if he played on pittsburgh or chicago, he'd be a 50-60 point player.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
51. "eh, personally i dont think he is dumb, just a little, uh, unrefined" In response to Reply # 50 Mon Feb-17-14 12:40 AM by ConcreteCharlie
and he's cool because he likes to get quoted, total antithesis of quick. doughty will always make a bold statement, even where it's not warranted. i cant remember the last game that was not a "must-win" according to him. he's kind of a dude-man-bro type of guy in real life, but cool enough all things considered. he is still maturing but i think sutter has been perfect for him. he gives him a little rope but keeps him focused.
the guy's natural talent is just off the charts, such a fluid skater. that's the crazy thing is that in many ways he has gotten better and is getting better, despite the chagrin of fantasy owners at his point totals. i think he is the one player who most gets buried in the pacific time zone. kopitar leads the team in scoring and is at least known by reputation. people have at least some idea of how good like couture and pavelski are. getzlaf and perry have been award winners and otherwise gotten some shine. but you dont get a feel for how good doughty is unless you really watch him.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
52. "this is Doughty's coming out party" In response to Reply # 47
just like the 2012 Stanley Cup run was one for Quick and Kopitar. Its ridiculous that he gets no love outside of LA and maybe the Pacific Division opponents. But he is good. Really fucking good. Throw him in a big hockey market and he is a superstar. After our Stanley Cup run Kopi jumped from wow who is this guy to being thought of as a top 15 player in the league. I think this is the same thing for Drew. If Duncan Keith wasnt having the year he was having the Norris trophy would be his. I'm sure he will have a couple before his career is done.
November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!
53. "i mean 2010 was his coming out party, i dont get how ..." In response to Reply # 52
he keeps getting overlooked. how many kings fans were like "NO WAY HE SHOULD EARN MORE THAN KOPI!" and "ZOMG HE'S HOLDING OUT, FUCKING TRADE HIM."
there are a lot of people that i think go to games to complain about the refs and just "be different."
but even outside of that kind of stupidity, i feel like doughty somehow gets overlooked. he was one of canada's better players in 2010 and obviously had a real productive season in the nhl, too.
people just want him to score a lot of points and dont get to see him play much is all i can really offer. you look at it and maybe only shea weber is clearly a better player. i think keith will win the norris again this year but if you switched the two of them i think keith would thrive in doughty's role but not produce anymore, doughty would certainly thrive in keith's role and maybe put up better numbers, too.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
54. "Pools have effed up sports appreciation." In response to Reply # 53
So many people don't know shit about the actual game....don't even watch the games....just check the score sheets.
I won the only pool I ever participated in against a bunch of real analysts too. Everyone laughed at me when i took Kopitar and Doughty with my first two picks and that was the year they made their run. But anyways....pool guys are annoying as hell. Especially in basketball where it's really a matter of point distribution....people have placed way too much emphasis on stats and forgot about the actual game.
Apparently Doughty was a really competitive soccer player as a kid. I've heard that a couple times....soccer experience can be really valuable in crossing over to other sports cause it teaches you to play with your head up....emphasizes vision. I'd argue it's probably the most cerebral sport...so it makes sense that playing it can help out for a hockey player.
55. "yeah dewey claims he was a better footballer than a hockey player" In response to Reply # 54 Mon Feb-17-14 11:16 AM by ConcreteCharlie
he said it got to the point when he was about 14 that he had to choose and given the money and culture around hockey in canada he went that route. that's one of those things that is always easy to say after the fact but it wouldnt surprise me. he has crazy natural endurance, great coordination and can change speeds really well.
datsyuk was also a very good soccer player in his youth and i know elias has some skills on the pitch. datsyuk definitely speaks to your point, he definitely developed a lot of the vision and imagination we see today playing soccer.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
but like you I dont understand how he gets overlooked. Recently been spending a lot more time on reddit talking hockey. Mostly posting in game day threads and talking the games with fans of both teams playing. Every single time we play against teams on the east coast its always HOLY SHIT Doughty is amazing. HOLY SHIT Kopi is amazing. It's still a surprise to a lot of them. Then you see half of the fans leaving after the 2nd period because they have work in the morning. I mean there is an east coast bias for all sports. But at least the other major sports have ESPN covering them offering up highlights of the games 100 times a day. You would think after winning the cup the Kings wouldn't surprise people anymore.
2010 should have been his coming out party. He had an amazing year. He was insane during the Olympics. Maybe because it was only his second season? Who knows. I think this time people are taking note. He is just dominating out there. He keeps playing like this he could win MVP of the tournament.
November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!
58. "I wish Kopitar would shoot the puck more though" In response to Reply # 56 Mon Feb-17-14 07:28 PM by ConcreteCharlie
Marcel Dionne was talking about that early in Kopi's career and I still see it as a question mark. Is this guy going to be a good offensive player or a dominant offensive player? I am losing hope for his being dominant. Honestly he doesn't quite have the skill and certainly not the skating of Malkin, but he has everything else, he could be that level of scorer IMO. Look at Getzlaf, it really took him until this year to get aggressive shooting the puck and he's fucking exploded. He doesn't have to cheat for his offense or play selfish, he just has to do what he's capable of doing.
Doughty I think is pretty opportunistic. It's no coincidence though that his numbers have dipped without Johnson though. They throw the kitchen sink at him on the power play and dare one of these other offensively inept doads on the blue line to beat them. They really don't have another capable guy outside of Voynov and they don't play them together. When they had Jack, he kept teams honest and opened up a lot of space for Dewey up top. Teams have figured out Muzzin and his wimpy little snap shot, that shit gets blocked all day.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
59. "RE: I wish Kopitar would shoot the puck more though" In response to Reply # 58
everyone wishes Kopi shot more. Except Kopi. I dont even let it bother me anymore. He is good for 70 points a year. What I like most about his game is he is so strong on the puck. He picks the puck off the boards and slows the game down. He just carries it as long as he wants and there isnt a thing defenders can do about it. He is shooting a bit more this year. But still not nearly enough.
I like Doughty and MItchell pairing that Sutter has rolled with the week before the break. Muzzin/Doughty makes absolutely no sense to me. Muzzin makes a shit load of mistakes still. Fuck I dont know how he is playing and Martinez is getting scratched. Martinez makes far lass mistakes. But with Muzzin Doughty had to play really conservative. If he pinched or decided to jump in on the offense you cant count on Muzzin as your last line of defense. It seemed every time he left the blue line Muzzin would make a mistake. Miss a pass that was kicked back out to him. Or even better instead of dumping a puck in he would shoot it into someone's shin guards and cause a 2 on 1. Voynov has looked like shit this year. So inconsistant. Mitchell isnt what he was. But he is still playing well. Greene is injured a lot. But you know what you get with him. Muzzin is a fucking mess. Martinez is decent at best. Regehr is well Regehr. But even with these guys being a shell of their former selves we still have the best defense in the league. I dont doubt Voynov will improve to what he was last season. Doughty will continue to be Doughty. I think we got a year or two left max on Greene and Mitchell. So we are in good shape to either get the youngsters up to par or bring in new talent.
November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!
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