On The Eve of the New Season: North of the Border Editio

[vansmack]

oh my god I want the rangers to lose so badly

Hawks/Bolts would be a great series.

The NHL pretty much needs either the Rangers or the Hawks in the final. 

Good thing for them, the Ducks are managed by Boudreau.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Isn't this the farthest the Boodge has made it? I can't hate him. He'll always have a little bbq sauce on his cheek... in my heart.

Just.... Just anyone but the Rags.

[vansmack]

Isn't this the farthest the Boodge has made it? I can't hate him. He'll always have a little bbq sauce on his cheek... in my heart.

Yes, first time in the Conference Finals.  Great regular season manager - 7 Division Titles in 8 years, and the one year he didn't win, DC fired him midseason and Anaheim hired him 2 days later.  Thanks? 

And he always seems just minutes away from turning the corner, then the bottom falls out, usually in the last 5 minutes of the third period in a pivotal game.  I thought we were seeing that when Toews scored two goals in the last 2 mins of game 5, but then Anaheim went on to win in OT.     

He's 1-5 in Game 7's and the all of those Game 7 losses were at home.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

Bruce Boudreau: compensated hockey coach. Jesus.

[DeathFromAbove1979]

Poor, Bruce. Was really pulling for him. Those Blackhawks, man. Gah. Go Bolts?

[vansmack]

As long as Bruce Boudreau remains in charge, I have to temper expectations for the playoffs.

I kept this rule until the Game 5 OT win.  Then I forgot, got excited and paid the price Saturday night.  Or, to be honest, my liver and my head paid the price.

I really don't know what you do if you're Anaheim.  They made all their off season moves with that series in mind, and it still didn't work, blowing a lot of leads to have to play a game 7.  Can you really fire Boudreau right now?  I don't think they can.   

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

To be fair, Chicago is about to implode salary cap-wise. With the Toews/Kane deals going into effect next season, they're going to be at the cap with only 13 guys signed. And then they have to go out and actually keep guys like Andrew Shaw who are RFAs/UFAs. They're going to be cutting directly from the bone.

I'd say Anaheim could just stay pat and move ahead of Chicago by default but then again I have the strongest confidence in Boudreau's ability to get the absolute least out of his team as possible as we have dicsussed before.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/is-marian-hossa-a-hall-of-famer/

Thoughts on this? I say definitely yes, he's quite underrated.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

The Bruins firesale is in full effect. Hamilton and Lucic both already gone.

Weird side note: as of this moment, the Bruins hold the #13, 14, and 15 picks in the draft.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

?The Los Angeles Kings today have exercised the team's right to terminate the contract of Mike Richards for a material breach of the requirements of his Standard Player's Contract. We are not prepared to provide any more detail or to discuss the underlying grounds for the contract termination at this time.?

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

HoF announcements in a few minutes. Lidstrom a lock, probably Federov and Pronger (who isn't even technically retired and continues to get paid as a player on LTIR). The NHL basically just makes rules up in the moment as it regards Pronger. Fuck that dangerous loon.

Edit: It'll be the above-mentioned three plus Phil Housley.

[vansmack]

?The Los Angeles Kings today have exercised the team's right to terminate the contract of Mike Richards for a material breach of the requirements of his Standard Player's Contract. We are not prepared to provide any more detail or to discuss the underlying grounds for the contract termination at this time.?

I'm on it.  Will get back to you....

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

?The Los Angeles Kings today have exercised the team's right to terminate the contract of Mike Richards for a material breach of the requirements of his Standard Player's Contract. We are not prepared to provide any more detail or to discuss the underlying grounds for the contract termination at this time.?

I'm on it.  Will get back to you....

Lots of hockey insiders twitter accounts implying Richards messed up with some criminal violation (possibly drugs from the way its getting worded.)

Better be air-tight or the NHLPA is going to have a field day with the obvious fact that no team in the NHL wants anything as badly as the Kings want to dump Richard's salary.

[vansmack]

"He's a drunk."

That's all I got in return.

[vansmack]

The Kesler trade was a stone-cold steal

The Ducks have signed center Ryan Kesler to a six-year contract extension: http://bit.ly/Kesler_071515