Equally Obnoxious Hockey Trash Talk Thread, eh?

[sivdrinks]

Congrats LA. They steam rolled their way to cup. Even bigger Dustin Brown fan now.

I lol'd at Gagne almost dropping the cup, Can't be the way he imagined raising the cup, but at least he did get the chance.

Really impressive run.

Brodeur retires now, right? That 6th goal was brutal, i'm sure he just wanted out of there, but that was still pretty bad. Reminded me of Hextall against Detroit.

No, he wants to come back. Puts Lou in a bad position I think, unless he wants him back. Devils were really bad as a team last night but yeah, not his best game.

 

[Homercidal]

Congrats to the Kings. They made one hell of a playoff run. They weren't on very many people's radars to win it all and they steamrolled most opponents.

It's going to be an interesting offseason for the Wings. Lidstrom retires, Stuart moves to Cali, Holmstrom up in the air. With all of the cap space they got they can afford to really go after a free agent or two. And there are some promising young players in the system too.

 

[Hellfish76]

It's going to be an interesting offseason for the Wings. Lidstrom retires, Stuart moves to Cali, Holmstrom up in the air. With all of the cap space they got they can afford to really go after a free agent or two. And there are some promising young players in the system too.

As much as I love Holmstrom, I think it's time for him to retire. He has been relegated to spot 4th line duty and the PP. While he is still probably one of the best in the NHL in front of the net, he just doesn't have the legs to play 5 on 5 hockey anymore.

Hopefully the Wings get both Suter & Parise!

 

[Homercidal]

As much as I love Holmstrom, I think it's time for him to retire. He has been relegated to spot 4th line duty and the PP. While he is still probably one of the best in the NHL in front of the net, he just doesn't have the legs to play 5 on 5 hockey anymore.

Hopefully the Wings get both Suter & Parise!

I love Homer, but I agree. You start to feel old when you remember back when retiring players first joined the league...

 

[schmoe]

I remember some of them. I was 5.

 

[emjay]

Congrats LA. They steam rolled their way to cup. Even bigger Dustin Brown fan now.

Is it wrong that Dustin Brown gives me a boner?

No, he wants to come back. Puts Lou in a bad position I think, unless he wants him back. Devils were really bad as a team last night but yeah, not his best game.

I've seen him interviewed like half a dozen times just in the past week where he's said that he wants to come back regardless of the outcome, but it'll be something he discusses with his family and he'll make the final decision sometime in the summer.

 

[rjwhite41]

I love Homer, but I agree. You start to feel old when you remember back when retiring players first joined the league...

Yes you do and I agree it's time for Homer to retire as sad as it will be to see him go.

 

[Barnzy02]

No, he wants to come back. Puts Lou in a bad position I think, unless he wants him back. Devils were really bad as a team last night but yeah, not his best game.

Yeah, i'd say that's a tough spot. How do they sign Brodeur and actually try to keep Parise? Does Brodeur sign a cap-friendly one year deal to just hang around ?

I mean, you can't let Brodeur go play somewhere else.

Does Parise actually want to stay there?

That Kovalchuk signing is really gonna make things hard on em.

Should be an interesting offseason, I'm looking forward to see what the Flyers plan on doing ... ugh.

 

[emjay]

Speaking of Kovalchuk, that guy was a serious liability in the Finals. He seemed to have no hussle or heart at all. Not an acceptable performance from a guy taking such a big chunk of the cap. As I said before, I'm not sure if he was injured or what, but I still haven't heard anything about it.

 

[Barnzy02]

Speaking of Kovalchuk, that guy was a serious liability in the Finals. The guy seemed to have no hussle or heart at all. Not an acceptable performance from a guy taking such a big chunk of the cap. As I said before, I'm not sure if he was injured or what, but I still haven't heard anything about it.

Pretty sure he has some type of back injury. Definitely wasnt 100%.

 

[sivdrinks]

Pretty sure he has some type of back injury. Definitely wasnt 100%.

Really, c'mon emjay. Of course he's hurt, since the Florida series.

 

[emjay]

Really, c'mon emjay. Of course he's hurt, since the Florida series.

Hey, I allowed for the possibility, didn't I?

But nothing's been said about it, which is unusual... usually it's mentioned as an excuse immediately after losing (a la Gaborik), or even to make oneself look badass after winning, though it's obvious why teams and players don't share that info before then.

And his performance was noticeably worse after game 3, which is what made it look like he just gave up.

 

[sivdrinks]

Hey, I allowed for the possibility, didn't I?

But nothing's been said about it, which is unusual... usually it's mentioned as an excuse immediately after losing (a la Gaborik), or even to make oneself look badass after winning, though it's obvious why teams and players don't share that info before then.

And his performance was noticeably worse after game 3, which is what made it look like he just gave up.

I believe they asked him and responded with something like " it doesn't matter, everyone is hurt". Same with Clarkson, foot problem.

 

[arturo7]

Brown should have received the Conn Smythe. Quick played great, but he didn't steal any games. Without the intensity and leadership of Brown, LA doesn't get the cup.

 

[sivdrinks]

Brown should have received the Conn Smythe. Quick played great, but he didn't steal any games. Without the intensity and leadership of Brown, LA doesn't get the cup.

He set post season records for GA and save %, I think he's worthy.

 

[emjay]

Brown should have received the Conn Smythe. Quick played great, but he didn't steal any games. Without the intensity and leadership of Brown, LA doesn't get the cup.

I totally agree, but two things hurt his case - all the hype around Quick making him the easy, *obvious* choice, and the fact that Brown didn't make nearly as much of an impact in the finals. In the earlier rounds, he was a hitting, scoring, and playmaking MACHINE, and was clearly the heart and soul of the team, but the Conn Smythe tends to weigh the performance in the Finals a bit too heavily.

But yeah, Brown singlehandedly stole more games than Quick did, and comparing a single other player to a goalie isn't even a fair comparison! Hell, the guy scored two shorthanded goals (in a single game) and was DIRECTLY responsible for another 3 goals in two other games... all of which is even more remarkable when you consider the fact that they were the best penalty killers, so it's not like they scored those goals by taking stupid risks. And all the while he was a totally selfless player.

I like Quick, and especially after watching the Finals unfold it was obvious he was going to be picked (for the reasons stated above), but I still think Brown deserved it more, and that he got kind of cheated. The Kings would likely have made it to the Finals with even an average goalie - Quick was barely tested at all in the first three series - but the same cannot be said of a Brown-less Kings team... he was THE reason the Kings rolled through to the Finals so dominantly, there's absolutely no question.

 

[Eman24dx]

Speaking of Kovalchuk, that guy was a serious liability in the Finals. He seemed to have no hussle or heart at all. Not an acceptable performance from a guy taking such a big chunk of the cap. As I said before, I'm not sure if he was injured or what, but I still haven't heard anything about it.

EVERYONE is injured after playing NHL hockey for 10 months. His main problem was he is European. Not from North American and mainly not from Canada.

"I've been trying to tell you for so long about the Russians. What kind of people they are and you just love them in Canada with your multiculturalism."

-Don Cherry

 

[sivdrinks]

EVERYONE is injured after playing NHL hockey for 10 months. His main problem was he is European. Not from North American and mainly not from Canada.

"I've been trying to tell you for so long about the Russians. What kind of people they are and you just love them in Canada with your multiculturalism."

-Don Cherry

Not sure what any of that meant. He's hurt, chose not to disclose it, I haven't heard anything from the Devils yet on anyone's injuries. Russian have a certain reputation but Kovy is well liked on that team. If he was healthy through the playoffs things would've gone differently, think he led in scoring up until the finals anyway.

 

[paulster2626]

Kovy is a pretty tough guy though. He seems to have a pretty strong desire to compete, too. I wouldn't say he's your "typical Euro".

 

[Eman24dx]

Kovy is a pretty tough guy though. He seems to have a pretty strong desire to compete, too. I wouldn't say he's your "typical Euro".

I agree and that was just some Grapes humor for our friends to the north of us.

Fact of the matter is that it is very rare to even make it to the finals with a healthy team. Usually injuries will come to the better players since they get 2,3,5x more playing time as the playoffs go on. Most players have many injuries by the end of the regular season.

That's why 90% of the time its a team with a deeper bench (LA,BOS,CHI,) who are better off than a team with top skill players. Since the 1st round it was very obvious that LA was one of if not the deepest benches in the league.

 

[paulster2626]

^This is also why there is no testing for steroids in the NHL after the regular season has ended. Players use steroids not for personal gain, but most commonly to recover from injuries faster. Makes for better playoff hockey. True story.

I've also said for years that it's not Line 1&2 that will win you a Stanley Cup, rather lines 3&4.

 

[Goofynewfie]

^This is also why there is no testing for steroids in the NHL after the regular season has ended. Players use steroids not for personal gain, but most commonly to recover from injuries faster. Makes for better playoff hockey. True story.

proof? That is a huge accusation that needs to be backed up with examples

 

[paulster2626]

proof? That is a huge accusation that needs to be backed up with examples

How is it a huge accusation?

The NHL does not do any drug testing after the regular season has ended, and does not resume until training camp. Article 47.6 in the CBA:

47.6 Testing Procedures. Every NHL Player who has participated in an orientation session pursuant to Section 47.4 will be subject to up to two (2) no-notice tests during the period from the start of Training Camp through the end of the Regular Season. All such tests will be conducted at the Clubs’ facility on the day of a scheduled practice, as opposed to on a game day.

What other reason would there be to not have players piss in a cup when in the playoffs?

 

[arturo7]

Almost all pro athletes are on the juice, one way or another. The technology to formulate, by it's nature, outpaces the technology to detect.

 

[paulster2626]

For sure. I'm just pointing out how the NHL and NHLPA have come to an agreement that all but ensures athletes are able to take performance enhancing drugs in the playoffs without any fear of retribution.

 

[sivdrinks]

I have no problem with steroids to help with injury recovery. The dispute would be where do you draw the line? Creatine, Prednisone?

 

[Goofynewfie]

How is it a huge accusation?

The NHL does not do any drug testing after the regular season has ended, and does not resume until training camp. Article 47.6 in the CBA:

Ok, so they dont test during playoffs. I still see nothing to back up that the players are using.does your job test? Mine does not, but that doesnt mean I use. If lack of testing was proof of guilt, than almost everybody is guilty of any that isnot tested for. in all of the years the league has tested do you know how many players have tested positive? I do. ONE. Sean Hill.

 

[paulster2626]

Ok, so they dont test during playoffs. I still see nothing to back up that the players are using.does your job test? Mine does not, but that doesnt mean I use. If lack of testing was proof of guilt, than almost everybody is guilty of any that isnot tested for. in all of the years the league has tested do you know how many players have tested positive? I do. ONE. Sean Hill.

Listen, you can believe whatever you want. But please tell me a legitimate reason why they wouldn't test in the playoffs. It doesn't make sense if you want to make sure there's no tomfoolery happening while hockey is being played.

Say you're a player making $3M per year in the final year of your contract. You're in the playoffs, and you just ****ed-up your shoulder. If I told you that you could take something that's banned and be back in 1 week vs. 2 weeks, and could guarantee that you can't be tested for it, would you do it? Keep in mind there is potentially millions of dollars in your own bank account at stake. It's just a weird position to put players in.

If your employer tested for drugs, but said "we will never test in the summer", would that make any sense at all?

 

[Goofynewfie]

Listen, you can believe whatever you want. But please tell me a legitimate reason why they wouldn't test in the playoffs. It doesn't make sense if you want to make sure there's no tomfoolery happening while hockey is being played.

I can not answer that, but I can garuntee you anybody who won the cup on monday snd was tested during the offseason on tuesday would still have it in their system.
You also are free to believe whatever you would like, but the whole basis of the US legal system is innocent until proven guilty, and so far all I see is opportunity but nothing to prove guilt. just because somebody had opportunity to do something doesn't mean they will though. can you name a specific player or instance?
Also they don't take a breathalyzer before they step on the ice but that doesn't mean they're drunk, which would help them get through pain of the injuries as well

 

[paulster2626]

I can not answer that, but I can garuntee you anybody who won the cup on monday snd was tested during the offseason on tuesday would still have it in their system.
You also are free to believe whatever you would like, but the whole basis of the US legal system is innocent until proven guilty, and so far all I see is opportunity but nothing to prove guilt. just because somebody had opportunity to do something doesn't mean they will though. can you name a specific player or instance?
Also they don't take a breathalyzer before they step on the ice but that doesn't mean they're drunk, which would help them get through pain of the injuries as well

You're not reading properly. They can't be tested during the offseason. They can only be tested from the start of training camp until the last day of the regular season. This is mid Sept - mid April.

Your analogies are ridiculous, and are nothing but straw men. I still haven't heard of a good reason to not have testing done during the playoffs. But yeah, let's talk about the legal system and breathalyzers.