# NHL: February 2013 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 2, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152 "2013-02-02T22:10:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/21 "2013-02-09T20:33:32Z")
Refs are handing the Devils this game at the end here…very one sided penalty calling. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/22 "2013-02-09T20:53:36Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Aren’t most goalies “quirky”? That’s puting it mildly. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/23 "2013-02-10T04:31:51Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Aren’t most goalies “quirky”? > > BTW, How many games is this schedule? 48, all in conference. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/24 "2013-02-10T05:07:28Z")
Found the #, didn’t know about no interconference games. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/25 "2013-02-10T14:49:15Z")
Boy, the Sens miss Jason Spezza more than I thought they would. I didn’t think it was THAT big a deal, but it really is. His absence has a cascading effect down the lines that really exposes the team’s weaknesses. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/26 "2013-02-10T16:05:23Z")
Yup. The biggest problem that I see is that Ottawa has no stars at forward beyond Spezza (Alfredsson at 40 really can’t carry the team anymore). We have some nice complimentary pieces like Turris and Michalek but they’re all faltering when they’re the focus of the opposition’s checking. And Zach Smith has got to be one of the stupidest player to ever get significant minutes in a Senators uniform. The guy has absolutely no conception of how to play defence in this league. It doesn’t help that the blueline is an absolute horror show beyond the first pairing. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/27 "2013-02-10T16:40:40Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > Yup. The biggest problem that I see is that Ottawa has no stars at forward beyond Spezza (Alfredsson at 40 really can’t carry the team anymore). We have some nice complimentary pieces like Turris and Michalek but they’re all faltering when they’re the focus of the opposition’s checking. And Zach Smith has got to be one of the stupidest player to ever get significant minutes in a Senators uniform. The guy has absolutely no conception of how to play defence in this league. Alfredsson just isn’t an elite player anymore. I love the guy but he’s really a third line forward at this point. Paul MacLean’s ability to turn lemons into lemonade is unmatched in professional sport, as far as I’m concerned, but there’s a limit as to what you can do with a very talent-thin roster. With the exception of Spezza, Anderson and Erik Karlsson, who is some kind of superhuman hockey android, there’s not a player on the team who wouldn’t likely be one line/pairing lower on the depth chart on most other teams. They have lots of young guys who could be awesome in a year or two but they aren’t there yet, and are surrounded by guys like Zack Smith and Peter Regin who are filling jerseys basically because the rules say you need twenty guys suited up for a game. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/28 "2013-02-10T20:10:01Z")
Sweet ending for the Wings/Kings game 😉 Wings gave up a 6 on 5 goal with 40 seconds left. But managed a go ahead squeaker with 3 seconds left. Looking at he replay they got away with a little bump on the goalie, but the Kings defensemen shoved his leg pretty good right as the puck slipped under it. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/29 "2013-02-10T22:23:19Z")
> [@Fred\_Garvin](#): > > Guin > You’d be hard pressed to name an arena where this wouldn’t happen. A perceived bad guy on the visiting team getting hurt would have any home crowd cheering. Just imagine Hartnell taking the shot that Sid took, the Pittsburgh crowd would be going nuts. Does any really think of Crosby as a bad guy? He’s the second best thing to come out of Nova Scotia - the singer Cookie Rankin is tops IMHO. I want to see the Caps beat the Pens with a healthy Crosby and Malkin, not with them injured. Two former Caps started for the Panthers. People looked at me like I was An idiot for applauding when they were introduced. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/30 "2013-02-10T23:07:26Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > My take is that the Coyotes will move to either Seattle or Quebec and the NHL will eventually expand to 4 eight team conferences. As to this, I find it a fascinating idea. The NHL will almost certainly go to their 4-conference idea, which is flawed but a bit better than the current system. I can’t see expansion coming, though, because you just don’t have the markets for it. There are, realistically, room for 3 more teams in Canada right now; two more in the Toronto area, and Quebec. But the NHL won’t put two more teams in the Toronto area; it will be like pulling teeth to add just one, and will only happen if the arena is built, as apparently will probably happen in Markham. If you assume that those are placeholders for Phoenix and Florida, then you’d struggle pretty hard to come up with where you’re going to put two more teams. Seattle is a possibility I guess, but I know of no interested ownership group there. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/31 "2013-02-11T03:37:25Z")
The Blackhawks just finished a 6 game road trip going 4-0-2. Barring major injuries (or jackass cheap shots), this team looks like a Cup winner. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/32 "2013-02-11T04:22:20Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > As to this, I find it a fascinating idea. > > The NHL will almost certainly go to their 4-conference idea, which is flawed but a bit better than the current system. I can’t see expansion coming, though, because you just don’t have the markets for it. > > There are, realistically, room for 3 more teams in Canada right now; two more in the Toronto area, and Quebec. But the NHL won’t put two more teams in the Toronto area; it will be like pulling teeth to add just one, and will only happen if the arena is built, as apparently will probably happen in Markham. If you assume that those are placeholders for Phoenix and Florida, then you’d struggle pretty hard to come up with where you’re going to put two more teams. Seattle is a possibility I guess, but I know of no interested ownership group there. I think Quebec City, Markham, Seattle, and Kansas City will end up with teams, 2 by relocation, 2 by expansion. After that, I think they’ll hopefully close the door to expansion for a long time, although I think they’ll inevitably try a return to Phoenix and Atlanta way down the road. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/33 "2013-02-11T04:26:00Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > Refs are handing the Devils this game at the end here…very one sided penalty calling. Hogwash. The Devils were carrying the play for the majority of the game, and the Pens got frustrated and took legit penalties. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/34 "2013-02-11T04:35:08Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I think Quebec City, Markham, Seattle, and Kansas City will end up with teams, 2 by relocation, 2 by expansion. > > After that, I think they’ll hopefully close the door to expansion for a long time, although I think they’ll inevitably try a return to Phoenix and Atlanta way down the road. I mean no disrespect to the good people of Kansas City, but I cannot imagine why it would be seen as a viable expansion market. I’d much rather see them put a team in Saskatoon, London, or a second team in Montreal. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/35 "2013-02-11T05:24:32Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I mean no disrespect to the good people of Kansas City, but I cannot imagine why it would be seen as a viable expansion market. I’d much rather see them put a team in Saskatoon, London, or a second team in Montreal. I like the London idea. Very interesting… ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/36 "2013-02-11T15:31:05Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The Blackhawks just finished a 6 game road trip going 4-0-2. Barring major injuries (or jackass cheap shots), this team looks like a Cup winner. The cream is definitely rising to the top…already you can see the contenders. Boston, New Jersey and Pittsburgh in the East and Chicago, San Jose, Anaheim and Vancouver in the West. Chicago definitely looks the best right now, though. We’ll see if they are just as strong when the playoff starts, but they are really clicking. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/37 "2013-02-12T00:32:55Z")
Sidney Crosby’s hated BECAUSE he’s the best out there. It’s jealousy. 😉 That and he’s on the opposite team – he’s the enemy. > [@soulmurk](#): > > Hogwash. The Devils were carrying the play for the majority of the game, and the Pens got frustrated and took legit penalties. Stupid penalties, that we should have avoided. If we’re going to win, we need to keep focused, not act out once things turn against us. Geno especially tends to get rattled. And while it didn’t affect us in the long run, I still don’t know why the refs didn’t call interference when Fleury’s helmet was knocked off in the Caps game on Thursday. That was ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/38 "2013-02-12T16:42:52Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Sidney Crosby’s hated BECAUSE he’s the best out there. It’s jealousy. 😉 That and he’s on the opposite team – he’s the enemy. Perhaps for some, but for most of us he’s hated because he does [crap like this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4vBWIu8AyNU). > [@](#): > > Stupid penalties, that we should have avoided. If we’re going to win, we need to keep focused, not act out once things turn against us. Geno especially tends to get rattled. That does seem to be the book on them: stifle them, frustrate them and hope none of them kills one of your players while they start a parade to the penalty box. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/39 "2013-02-14T01:54:21Z")
Matt Cooke goes for the slewfoot, misses, and instead slices Karlsson’s achilles. Awesome. At least it’s a deep draft this year. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152/40 "2013-02-14T01:56:06Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > Matt Cooke goes for the slewfoot, misses, and instead slices Karlsson’s achilles. Awesome. > > At least it’s a deep draft this year. ☹ Whoa. I’m not watching it on TV. Really! That’s fucked. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-february-2013/649152.md?page=3)