Well, I guess it always will be east coast teams if you define “east coast team” to include teams that aren’t on the East Coast. Chicago isn’t even in the Eastern time zone.
If Sidney Crosby played for Phoenix and had won them a Stanley Cup, you don’t thin kthey’d put the Coyotes in the Winter Classic? Damn straight they would.
I think that’s the most offensive thing to me about it (using the word “offensive” loosely). While I understand that the NHL feels that having “the star” will bring the league back to prominence, hockey is at it’s heart a team game and not star driven like the NBA. That and you already cannot watch a hockey game without seeing Sidney Crosby on every commercial for anything related to the NHL. The dude is way overexposed. In my opinion, the Winter Classic shouldn’t just be about bringing the big star to the masses. That’s been done. Those that don’t follow hockey know who Crosby is and those that do are probably a little tired of seeing him everywhere. That or open it up and let the teams arrange something. Mike Babcock had the good idea of the Wings playing Montreal in U of M stadium when they had it set up for the Michigan/MSU game. I’m sure the various Canadian teams can work something out. God knows a Minnesota Wild/Dallas Stars tilt would be fun. With all the rich history, they could do so much more than they are.
Yeah, I love Sid, but no doubt he’s overexposed, and it’s not fair to him. Sidney’s not one for hogging the spotlight, either. Speaking of, he’s out tonight – upper body injury.
(And I’m not going to say that Washington isn’t one of our rivals. But the whole Sid vs. Ovie! bullshit is getting old)
Looks like the Devils are going to move Langenbrunner. He’s a healthy scratch tonight and of course I didn’t have time to bench him from a fantasy team today.
Love to see him in Dallas although I’m not sure that is going to happen. I think he would be a good fit in Nashville or Los Angeles.
First the Canes lose in OT for the second time this week, then I watch that game. 
It’s official. Devils trade Langenbrunner to Dallas for a conditional 3rd round pick.
The bigger question is, why the heck do you have Langenbrunner on your fantasy hockey team?!
I’m still in mourning.
Then to add insult to injury…or injury to insult, rather, the Habs announced yesterday that Josh Gorges needs knee surgery and is out for the rest of the season. I adore Gorges and I’m rather sad about it! Someone said last night that Gorges might have been playing with a damaged ACL for a couple of seasons already…this ended his Iron Man streak of 150 consecutive games played. All heart. Il a le bleu, blanc, rouge tatoué sur le coeur… he has the blue, white, red tattooed on his heart. You can’t replace a guy like that, just as you can’t replace Markov.
Seven years, it seems. Gorges has had a torn ACL for seven years. Insane.
Is 150 consecutive games really an “Iron Man” streak? I mean, that’s not even two full seasons.
I guess by strictest definition it is, but it seems to me like there should be a minimum amount of games played before that term gets used because I’d venture to say there are gobs of players on similar streaks.
Well, he was the team’s iron man, with everyone else missing games here and there throughout the past few seasons,which have had a LOT of serious long-term injuries to multiple players at a time. I think he also leads (or is close) in blocked shots, so his risk of injury was pretty high given the amount of rubber hitting him (see Gill, Gionta, broken foot).
I can see your point about needing a minimum number of games, and 150 is far from the record, but it’s still nothing to frown at. Until now, I think Gorges has only missed a handful of games in his career. He’s tough.
If I could afford a real jersey with a nameplate on it, I’d seriously consider number 26. I just love this player.
I only play in very deep leagues where at least 70 percent or more of NHL players are owned.
It’s an NHL rule…concussion = one week minimum, no matter what the player says about how he’s feeling.
So the women’s U-18 worlds are also happening right now, in Sweden, and TSN isn’t even airing the finals (which is, of course, Canada vs USA). Shameful. Men’s U-17 at least got a midnight replay, why not the women’s?!?!
And the Canes come back from 2-0 to defeat the Panthers 5-3. Skinner and Cole net 2, Staal gets one, and Peters wins another. Canes are closing in on 8th place. 
It sucks that he HAS a concussion. Mild or not. 
Oh well, at least Staal’s back.
Are you sure Staal isn’t related to Leclaire? Because if he is, expect another injury within the next week! 
Also, if you have the means to tell him to get a hair cut, please do, because the wings sticking out of his helmet make him look like an idiot. Thank you.
Ah.
Well, on the plus side, you should actually start to get some production out of him now. Sounds like he’s going to be getting third line time and some special teams duties.
Looks like Stars fans are happy to have him back (fittingly displayed at a game against the NY Rangers).
Aw, I like his lion look. (If I may get a bit “puck-bunnyish” for a moment, the one with the best hair is of course, Kris Letang)
soulmark – I saw that before, and it never fails to crack me up – wasn’t he actually kicked off the Stars for his antics? Or was that the Wings?
Oh, and best hockey website? Melt Your Face Off.
The Stars, yeah. I think it was a combination of things, not the least of which was his redundancy on the team (they already had a very effective pest in Steve Ott) and his performance not meeting his lofty contract, but his suspension for the “sloppy seconds” comment appears to have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.
Well I’m looking forward to the big showdown in Vancouver tonight. A nice little king of the hill battle at season midpoint. AT least as much as you can in an 82 game year where no game really matters that much once you know you are on top.
Of course if the Wings lose it’s because they are hurt… and playing on back to back nights in a different time zone
I love Ken Holland and his drafting/developmental staff more and more everyday. Last year the pulled a whole line up (Abdelkader, Eaves, Helm)who stepped right in and made thing happen. This year they just picked the new crop and Tatar and Mursak popped up wreaking havok.
