Comments for January 31, 2012 at http://hockey.dobbersports.com , comment 1 to 17 out of 17 comments http://hockey.dobbersports.com Tue, 21 May 2013 03:36:39 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19195 Totally agree that the ASG should be on a Saturday night. Keyword: night. I'd probably have watched it if it had been on in the evening on Sunday (I live on the West coast). I'm not killing my day watching a joke hockey game from 1pm-4pm. Throw it on at 4pm (7PM EST) and they'd get way more viewers from the West (hell, probably form everywhere!) - Chris Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:50:57 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19193 I think the Kings, Sharks and Rangers can all be shut down and I could see each team struggling to get a goal when they absolutely need one. These are team-wide problems that are unlikely to be remedied by a mere tweak of the lineup. On the other hand, the Hawks don't have the goaltending, but that could possibly be addressed by adding just one player (not sure who that goalie would be but it is possible). The Wings are a bit like the Hawks in that their goaltending doesn't inspire much confidence. The Pens will go nowhere without Crosby and there's no way Crosby plays again this season (hopefully he's back in October). The longer he plays in the league, the less likely it seem that Luongo will ever win a Cup and I'm not sure the Canucks will take the step of benching their 100-million dollar goalie and handing the keys over to Schneider. The Flyers (not mentioned) may have a similar dilemma with their goalie and also, like the Pens, won't win it without their best player (Pronger). So who does that leave? The big, bad Bruins. Usually, I'm not a big believer in defending champs winning it again, but the Bruins are just deeper and tougher than anyone else. - Isle B. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:39:06 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19192 Thanks, much appreciated. - shaun b Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:07:14 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19191 Nick - agreed, I already addressed this in an earlier comment. Pengwin - agreed. The shootout has to stay. But loser point should go, and OT should be longer. Shootouts may lose their luster if they appear in one out of every eight games. But reduce that to one in 20 games and the excitement increases IMO - Dobber Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:06:31 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19190 I'm with other wondering how you can possibly consider SJ a legit contender. The epitome of perennial disappointment. As for not "feeling" the Hawks, they are as much a contender as Vancouver without a doubt. Were it not for Luongo having one of his 4 great games last year in game 7 vs the Hawks, the Canucks would likely be your afterthought this year. The fact is the Canucks play in the West's weakest division, and that inflates popular opinion about how good they actually are. And Pittsburgh over NYR? The Rangers have a team BUILT for playoff success - top to bottom - player 1 through 20 - just like the Bruins last year. The Lightning showed just how ordinary Pittsburgh is in a 7-game series without Crosby last year. They lack far too much depth with Crosby out and the departure of Talbot to be considered a legitimate contender. - Nick Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:20:59 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19188 Rangers are 19th in the league in terms of average age. Their defense is the youngest in the league by average age. Nice thing is age doesn't matter cus they're all mature defensemen. Can't wait till they go all they way and everyone says 'wow, how did they do it with such young players?' maybe it's just because theyre good young players. Not young players with hype all around them that don't do anything (I'm looking at you Jakub Voracek and Mike Frolik). - James Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:12:38 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19187 I'm not a fan of the shootout. Don't like it. I'm OK with ties. But that doesn't matter... I'm a hockey fan, I'm here, keeping inline with my preferences doesn't grow the game. 1) Non-hockey purists find the shootout exciting. 2) It ends the game with a definitive winner. 3) For parents (& kids), the 5 minute OT feels "short"... the game will be over soon... we can see the ending and still get home to bed. The shootout stays for exactly these three reasons. ***Finding a way to draw new fans increases the hockey-base. More fans = more viewership = more lucrative TV contract. I've stated this a billion times, I'm happy Versus/NBCSN has the hockey TV contract. I get to watch hockey 3-4 nights a week as part of my regular cable package. I can accept this type of game-ending if it means I get more hockey games on TV - and you've left the playoff game-ending in tact. As a hockey fan, nothing beats this. I'm always in the minority when I saw this... but I'm very fond of Bettman and what he has done for the game of hockey. - Pengwin7 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:04:39 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19186 Mario's goal should be #1. I saw it live then... I still have goosebumps when I watch it! Just unreal. - Jerome Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:27:22 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19185 I think the Rangers could surprise in the playoffs. Had Callahan not been injured last Spring, I think they would have had a very good chance of advancing beyond the Caps and possibly further. The way I see it, Boston is the team to beat (duh) but if there is one club that may be able to do it, it is the NY Rangers (I don't see any other team in the East having as good a shot, unless Crosby is back strong by then of course). - CBerg Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:20:06 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19184 Ooops, should have read the comments haha - Marc Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:56:07 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19183 The reason I'm questioning whether Chicago can go all the way is the goaltending. I just don't know if Crawford can carry them. I definitely have enough faith in the F and D on that team. I think the Kings have a fairly complete team, but they haven't been able to put things together this season. Kopitar needs to take the next step. The Rangers have a good young team, and I could see them surprising this spring. I am very surprised that you would list San Jose as one of those teams that you consider as "successful." If success is winning the Cup, San Jose is pretty much the last team that I would have faith in. They've had chances year after year and until Thornton and folk get their heads in the right place, I don't see them doing it. I have a more faith in all the teams listed than the Sharks...although the more players like Pavelski and Couture start leading the team, the more they will be successful in the playoffs I believe - Marc Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:55:29 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19182 Thanks for the ramblings, Dobber! - David Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:44:35 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19181 committedtotheindian - that was just bad wording on my part. I owned Mark Bell before, and he's from my hometown, in other words I know his history ;), I added the word "player" after rookie. Steve - more bad wording. I think SJ is a Final 4 likely, but then their usual semi-final failure. I mean to say "go deep", not "win Cup". - Dobber Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:35:40 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19180 Did you think Boston was a legit Cup contender at this time last year? What about at the start of the playoffs? I'm not sure you can totally peg a team as a contender based on the regular season. Not when there are deadline moves to be made, injuries to occur, hot/cold streaks to weather and the sheer coming together of a team in the playoffs. Also I cannot believe you'd back San Jose after all their failures. If ever there was a contender to not buy in on it was them. If the Sharks won it all it would be akin to Dallas finally breaking through and winning the NBA title last year. Completely unexpected. - steve laidlaw Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:02:45 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19179 That was the reason the Hawks weren't going to win the Cup in 2010 as well, and that worked out for them pretty well. Goaltending is incredibly important, but it's a bit overrated. Crawford still has 30 games to round into shape and Emery has shown the ability to be absolutely dominant at times in his career....I definitely put Chicago right near the top of Cup contenders. - Seth Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:02:27 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19178 Bettman is a buffoon so don't expect anything other than maintaining franchise value. If that means changing nothing, then that is exactly what GB will do. As an American I love watching HNIC on a Saturday night, but I think many US fans don't know what it is. Perhaps the All star game is better on Sat but that would require the NHL and GB to change a revenue model which means its highly unlikely. At least in this fans opinion - paul Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:53:57 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/home-mainmenu-1/24-rambling/4340-january-31-2012#comment-19177 He may have been among the players sent to the AHL and then recalled, but he's not one of the rookies. Had a couple of pretty good points/PIMs seasons with Chicago but hasn't been the same since a DUI/hit-and-run in September 2006, shortly after the Hawks traded him to San Jose. Also, Chicago doesn't look like a Cup contender because of goaltending: 20th-ranked 2.82 GAA, only team in the league without a shutout. - CommittedToTheIndian Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:54:27 +0100