# NHL: March 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 3, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637 "2012-03-03T13:20:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/1 "2012-03-03T13:20:22Z")
Well, the only way to open this thread is with [Leafs fire Wilson](http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2012/03/02/19453426.html). So Burke fires a coach who couldn’t take the uber-talented Sharks anywhere and replaces him with another friend who couldn’t get anything out of a more talented Ducks team. I imagine that this will stretch out the false hope of Leaf fans for another 2 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/2 "2012-03-03T16:01:57Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Well, the only way to open this thread is with [Leafs fire Wilson](http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2012/03/02/19453426.html). So Burke fires a coach who couldn’t take the uber-talented Sharks anywhere and replaces him with another friend **who couldn’t get anything out of a more talented Ducks team.** > > I imagine that this will stretch out the false hope of Leaf fans for another 2 years or so. Bolding is mine. If we’re talking historical analogies, Carlyle did kinda sorta win a Stanley Cup…:rolleyes: That having been said, I agree with the sentiment. Brian Burke has been actively trying to rebuild the 2007 cup winning Ducks, which is all well and good, but without Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Pronger, and Teemu Selanne, good luck with that! My Sens bias is shining right through, but the Leafs fan base is the one I detest the most, even more than Habs fans. The fact that they’re both toilet dwellers right now makes me so happy. And I hope the Leafs have got another 2-3 years before they make the playoffs again. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/3 "2012-03-03T17:46:06Z")
I’m a Sens fan too, but I’m also a hockey fan and the way Burke is actively mismanaging the team is irritating just on principle. The decision to hire Carlyle - and, apparently, they immediately gave him a 3-year contract - just screams “I Am Out Of Ideas.” Almost every intelligent hockey analyst in Canada felt the job should be given to Dallas Eakins, who by all accounts is a major rising start in the coaching ranks, and if nothing else would be cheaper and easily let go if things didn’t work out. Instead Burke couldn’t come up with any better an idea than “a guy who coached for me a few years ago.” I don’t think Carlye is a bad coach, but then there’s no evidence he’s a great one either. He did win a Cup with Anaheim but he was handed an excellent team from the outset and their overall record was no better than you would expect given the talent he had on hand, and they’ve improved this year since dumping Carlyle. I guess my point is that I don’t see any reason to hire Carlyle beyond the fact that Brian Burke knows him. There was obviously no selection process here based on any sort of long term plan or objective criteria; it was just “the coach is doing a bad job so I’ll hire my last coach” and that was the end of it. Carlyle, of course, will also certainly look good in his Leafs stint because there’s no possible way they can do any worse. They’re 1-10 or something going into tonight, so almost any result Carlyle gets will appear to be an improvement. Whether it helps them in 2012-2013 and beyond, though, is the question, and to be honest I think it was a huge mistake. ETA: I would also point that the Burke implied in the press conferecne that the reason he fired Wilson was to spare him having to hear the fans chant “Fire Wilson.” Even in the openly bullshitty world of sports press conferences that is so stupid, and so insulting to so many people in so many ways, including Wilson, that I cannot believe a grown man could say it with a straight face. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/4 "2012-03-03T20:11:59Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > Bolding is mine. If we’re talking historical analogies, Carlyle did kinda sorta win a Stanley Cup…:rolleyes: Yeah five years ago. Then the team needed late season pushes to get into the playoffs since then. Oh yeah, and he was fired 3 months ago. The NHL is in need of new blood. For the Ducks to hire the previously fired coach, and now the leafs hire the previously fired coach tells me that something is stagnant. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/5 "2012-03-03T23:23:16Z")
And of course this effectively guarantees Dallas Eakins is lost to the Maple Leafs; he’ll be hired away before they’re rid of Carlyle. Brian Burke keeps saying he’s not interested in scraping into the playoffs to finish eighth and get hammered in the first round, which I agree with… but the hiring and contract extension of Carlyle is exactly that. If you want to build for the future you appoint an interim coach to play out the 2012 string and then give the job to the dynamic young guy who’s, you know, worked with these players. Now that opportunity is gone. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/6 "2012-03-03T23:50:44Z")
I’m glad Wilson is gone; something clearly was missing in his ability to motivate. Randy Carlyle was a very good defenceman, with even some Leaf experience. Anything’s better than Wilson at this point. In order to hire someone, they also must want to take on the job. Is there any indication that Dallas Eakins even wanted the job? Anyway, it’s easy to be armchair GMs isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/7 "2012-03-04T00:38:48Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Anyway, it’s easy to be armchair GMs isn’t it? Fun, too! I would have won 10 Stanley Cups by now if we go by Fantasy Hockey stats. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/8 "2012-03-04T02:26:32Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > In order to hire someone, they also must want to take on the job. Is there any indication that Dallas Eakins even wanted the job? He certainly expressed disappointment at not getting it. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/9 "2012-03-07T13:25:50Z")
Stars are on an amazing tear right now. 7-1-2 in their last 10 games, they outplayed the Canucks last night and for the most part looked really good doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/10 "2012-03-08T05:20:34Z")
If any hockey player deserves a statue of his likeness in a city, it’s [Mario in Pittsburgh](http://m.torontosun.com/2012/03/07/penguins-unveil-lemieux-statue). ---
**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:** [March 8, 2012, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/11 "2012-03-08T06:41:14Z")
I wish I could have gone to the dedication today – supposedly the temperature was close to 66 degrees! Seriously, the Penguins would not be here at all if it weren’t for Mario. They weren’t kidding when they said he saved the franchise. In my view, he really is the best there ever was. (“Lemieux” in French actually means “the best”.) If he had been fully healthy, imagine what his numbers could have been. On the news, they said there were people who got down there at 5am to save a spot! (My uncle went to the game tonight – he posted a picture of himself in front of “Le Magnifique”.) ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/12 "2012-03-08T06:49:41Z")
Well **Guin** , your team is in trouble now. They didn’t do anything significant at the trade deadline, so how are they going to improve for the playoffs? As if bringing in the best player in hockey is going to help!! Look out for the fucking Penguins! ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/13 "2012-03-08T06:55:46Z")
Oh, and one more thing- Mario’s numbers clearly put him in the conversation of the best ever. Coming back from cancer seals the deal in my opinion. There will only ever be one Mario. ---
**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:** [March 8, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/14 "2012-03-08T18:13:19Z")
> [@Quint](#): > > Oh, and one more thing- Mario’s numbers clearly put him in the conversation of the best ever. Coming back from cancer seals the deal in my opinion. There will only ever be one Mario. Not only that, but on the last day of radiation treatment, he flew into Philadelphia (where FLYERS fans gave him a standing ovation!), and scored a goal and an assist. He also dealt with back pain so severe he couldn’t even bend over and had to have someone tie his skates for him. And yet…he was still out there on the ice. Mario is badass. (I remember back in 7th grade and watching him holding up the Cup – it was all over the media around here. And then when the Pens did AGAIN, it was just like the whole town went insane. Mario is a freaking god in this city.) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/15 "2012-03-08T19:31:43Z")
It’s been one year since Max Pacioretty got injured by Zdeno Chara. As of today, he has 28 goals, 23 assists for 51 points and is -3 on the best line of what is, admittedly, a terrible team (tied for points as team leader with David Desharnais; Desharnais and Cole are +9 and +7). A 30 goal season the year after such a devastating injury is impressive. He has also started a foundation at the Montreal General hospital to raise money for a functional MRI to aid in diagnosis and research for brain trauma. If he isn’t in the running for the [Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Masterton_Memorial_Trophy), then I don’t know who is. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/16 "2012-03-10T19:56:50Z")
Andrei Markov has been activated and is available to play as early as tonight. No official word on whether he’ll play yet or not. We have tickets for the Habs game against the Sens on Wednesday. I WANT TO SEE MARKOV PLAY!!! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/17 "2012-03-10T21:59:06Z")
Are the Bruins going to give Turco a start tomorrow? Thomas didn’t have the greatest game today and in the second game of a back to back series, the backup goalie usually gets a start. If Rask were available I’m sure it would be a no brainer to have him make one of the starts. But, do the B’s really trust Turco against the Pens? ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/18 "2012-03-11T03:17:14Z")
Markov!!! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/19 "2012-03-11T04:56:11Z")
Made the Sens-Sabres game tonight, and I even had a date! Section 106 golds, right on center ice. We had a fantastic time. They lost in the shootout but it was a strange and entertaining game. I will tell you this: Ben Bishop can play some goalie. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637/20 "2012-03-13T18:09:38Z")
Crosby returns Thursday versus the Rangers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-march-2012/614637.md?page=2)