Sure they're a good team, loaded with quality players, but they have weaknesses too. Cujo is not the goalie he once was and Stevie Y will miss a good chunk of the season (and I doubt he'll have the remarkable return that Forsberg had last year). Also, and I know its cliche to say it, the team is getting older and that'll eventually catch up to it.
I like the Avs to come out of the West this year. Look for Forsberg to win the scoring title and for Drury and Tanguay (and, to a lesser extent, Hejduk) to bounce back from poor years. If things don't go as planned in Denver, Pierre Lacroix has no compunctions about pulling the trigger on a major deal and adding payroll for a shot at the Cup.
However, I hate both the Wings and the Avs and would love nothing more than for my beloved Canucks to go to the Finals.
"Emotional feedback on timeless wavelengths, bearing a gift beyond price- almost free" -- Rush
Canucks? What are Canucks? There's a team called the Canucks? Boy, they haven't done anything noteworthy... ;D
Heh, anyway, you are right on pretty much your points against the Wings. Minus the Cujo one, you could also have said that for them LAST year. Now, granted, with Yzie out for a good chunk there'll be a pretty rocky road but that's what's good about the Red Wings. They're not a one-star team, they're an ensemble. They'll make, then Yzie'll have a better-than-Forsberg return and the Cup stays home.
you're joking right? The Leafs have next to no chance of winning the Cup despite what the Eastern Canada-based media would have you think. The Leafs haven't won a Cup in my lifetime (and probably not in yours either) and don't look likely to break that streak in the near future. Heck, they haven't even made it to the Finals in the last 20 years. Even the Canucks have managed that twice.
Boromir, I know that every year people say that the Wings are too old, but some time that prediction will come true. If they can slowly bring along some of their young talent, though, they may be able to stave off time for a while yet. Zetterberg could be rookie of the year if he gets playing time on a top line, and Datsyuk has simply fabulous potential.
Perhaps this year, though, the Canucks will do more than just throw a scare into the eventual Stanley Cup champs (as they've donme the last two years).
"Emotional feedback on timeless wavelengths, bearing a gift beyond price- almost free" -- Rush
Fact: The Calgary Flames lost only 2 of their first 21 games. SUCK ON THAT, WINGS!
Fact: The Calgary Flames were the ONLY NHL TEAM to have a winning record (3 wins, 1 loss) in their season series with the Red Wings.
Fact: If the Flames hadn't fallen off in the second half, [because of Turek being over-played because Mike Vernon SUCKED, and defensive injuries] they would have made the playoffs in 8th place...AND BEATEN THE WINGS.
Fact: Jarome Iginla is a steak of a man, and can play a MEAN game of hockey.
We got better, stronger and younger players than last year. THE FLAMES WILL WIN THE CUP THIS YEAR.
I am a sheep! Baa! Baaa! Baaaaaaa! [Subtitle: "Pl*as* b*li*v* it"]
Flames: 0-0-0-0 [Training Camp opens Sunday] Stampeders: 3-8-0-2 [Last place in CFL West Division]
It'll be interesting to see if the "no interference" rule will be really administered strongly this season. The officials seem to think so. If that's the case, a team like Calgary can do better.
The Leafs-not a chance. Two new psychotic goalies, some retired guy from Europe, Roberts out until 2003, and no Yuskevich all spell disaster. Hey, I hope I'm wrong. But I don't think they'll do well this year.
The East will be a lot more competitive, though. I can see improvements from the Rangers, Islanders, and Canadiens, so hopefully we'll see a lot more parity in the league.
In the West, I just don't see Detroit doing it again, for a lot of the reasons above. I wouldn't put the blame on Cujo "not winning the big one" though, he's won so many games for the Leafs over the year. I'd go with Colorado as well, even though I don't really like Roy.
You can all eat in, nut-burgers. The Wings are a dynasty and will win the Cup (our Cup) again this year. They have the best young talent in the NHL right now. Stacey Roost is back. Pavel Datsyuk is amazing. Devereaux is gonna be a gamer. The whole damn grind line is still young. Cujo is locked up for quite a while (which is good, because he may be the best goaltender in the whole NHL now that Dom is gone). Cujo was the only reason Toronto had any success whatsoever last year, as the Leafs couldn't play defense against the St. Mary's School for Wayward Deaf, Dumb and Blind Catholic girls third line.
Nobody is as good as the Wings and nobody is as good in the GM position as Ken Holland. The Wings have been slowly developing a young all-star core that will be able to take over when the older, established leaders are ready to retire or become too expensive to keep. Dynasty, people, dynasty. Get used to it. People in Detroit love it and don't care if people outside of Detroit don't. The only thing stopping Detroit would be a salary cap.
You whiney bitches who complain about Detroit buying a cup can suck the Rangers nut too. It's not what you spend but how it's spent. Dave Lewis (Davey-Loo is da house) will (with Barry Smith) be remembered as a great coach who did an awesome job of taking over where Scotty Legend left off.
Man, it rules to be so much better than everyone else. Nanner-nanner boo-boo. Phhhhbt.
$60 million: That's the Red Wings payroll. The fact that a team whose payroll is nearly THREE TIMES as much as the Flames' is can't beat 'em is freakin' SAD.
Flames: 0-0-0-0 [Training Camp opens Sunday] Stampeders: 3-8-0-2 [Last place in CFL West Division]
Detroit is that damn good but that doesn't mean they cannot be beaten. The Avs will want revenge, ow fuck, the whole league will want revenge! Someone will get it and might be able to stop them...
The only person who is capable of carrying a broom to a five star outing is none other than.... Torri Welles
Originally posted by ToddYou can all eat in, nut-burgers. The Wings are a dynasty and will win the Cup (our Cup) again this year. They have the best young talent in the NHL right now. Stacey Roost is back. Pavel Datsyuk is amazing. Devereaux is gonna be a gamer. The whole damn grind line is still young. Cujo is locked up for quite a while (which is good, because he may be the best goaltender in the whole NHL now that Dom is gone). Cujo was the only reason Toronto had any success whatsoever last year, as the Leafs couldn't play defense against the St. Mary's School for Wayward Deaf, Dumb and Blind Catholic girls third line.
Nobody is as good as the Wings and nobody is as good in the GM position as Ken Holland. The Wings have been slowly developing a young all-star core that will be able to take over when the older, established leaders are ready to retire or become too expensive to keep. Dynasty, people, dynasty. Get used to it. People in Detroit love it and don't care if people outside of Detroit don't. The only thing stopping Detroit would be a salary cap.
You whiney bitches who complain about Detroit buying a cup can suck the Rangers nut too. It's not what you spend but how it's spent. Dave Lewis (Davey-Loo is da house) will (with Barry Smith) be remembered as a great coach who did an awesome job of taking over where Scotty Legend left off.
Man, it rules to be so much better than everyone else. Nanner-nanner boo-boo. Phhhhbt.
Just because you can spend money and lose didn't mean the Wings didn't just spend money to win. The Rangers deserve to lose because of poor management. But the Wings don't deserve to win because they have an open checkbook.
Its what I'll call the Yankee sindrome. If you have an open checkbook (and a brain, this is why the Mets and Rangers lose), you can always compete. If not, then you can only compete until you can't sign your top-flight talent.
I'd also like some evidence that Ken Holland is the best GM. A really good GM could get all the championship elements together WITHOUT opening his pocketbook all the way. There are lots of managers who have done it. (Here I toot my own horn.) Craig Patrick (Penguins) did it very succesfully in the early nineties, making good trades and picking up the right people. Result: at least one cup due to excellent management (and some big French guy, you know the one.) Small budget, good team. I'm sure there are lots of other examples, but thats the one I'm most familiar with.
In colclusion, I'd like to say, go Leafs, Flames, Oilers, Canucks, Sabres, Hurricanes, and of course, Penguins. :)
Its just one. Better now than when it really matters. Really. Pens camp on Thursday.
The best part of all of this is that we're all enthusiastic, passionate hockey fans. Hey, if the Wings do go down this year, they'll do so swinging. Besides, we give the rest of the league something very important, something every league wants (I won't say needs, too strong)and that's someone to hate. Go on and hate the Wings and their fans. We love it.
I thought everybody hated us! Damn. I will give you the passion, though. The thing that drives Leaf fans nuts is that the good seats always go to corporate losers, wearing ties, who aren't even in their seats! It's so disappointing. In Toronto, the real fans are in the bars.
Actually, the teams I've always cheered for historically have been the Leafs, Isles, Flames, Canadiens, and Wings...all for different reasons. If the Flames had made the playoffs last year I would have been so happy.
With the Wings, I'm such a huge fan of Shanahan and Yzerman, it's just a joy to watch those two guys play.
Don't worry Goon, you're right....we all do hate the Leafs(at least those of us in Canada do). Myself, I blame the hate on HNIC, and especially Bob Cole.
"Emotional feedback on timeless wavelengths, bearing a gift beyond price- almost free" -- Rush
My favourite Bob Cole moment was from the playoffs four or five years ago. Deciding game between Toronto/New Jersey. Emotional third period, late in the game.
Bob (paraphrase): "Gary Roberts picks up the puck and clears it from the front of OUR net." Yes, he actually said OUR net. I rewound and listened to it three or four times.
This kind of homerism doesn't bother me too much on bush-league local broadcasts. But on national TV, when my tax dollars pay for a (miniscule) portion of Bob's salary, and when I was actually cheering for New Jersey to win that game, it steamed me up no end.
Time has long past to put Bobbo out to pasture.
I can't go away with you on a rock-climbing weekend. What if something's on TV and it's never shown again?
Did I hear the word dynasty? When some team wins 5 Cups in a row, then a decade later wins another 4 please let me know.
Freeway420 has some great points about the Flames and why they'll be going places this year (I happen to agree Freeway, they're going to do well). But now I must point out some facts about another Canadian hockey team, The Habs;
Fact: Great coaching staff. Fact: Shrewd management. Fact: Hungry players. Fact: Koivu is back, cancer free, and looking like he'll be a ~PLAYA. Fact: Tradition. Fact: Solid support system around the star players. Fact: Know they only need to score two goals a game and can probably make it to overtime or win most games with that. Fact: Jose. Theodore.
Habs all the way this year, with the Sens close behind.
To quote DJ FrostyFreeze: "Rest assured that the preceeding commentary has been guaranteed to be contradictory to any previous falsehoods you may or may not have been subjected to". Unquote.
(edited by El Nastio on 14.9.02 1957) Habs: 0-0-0-0 (Camp has started!) Renegades: 2-9-0 (Last place in the CFL East) Man of the Week: Saku Koivu for being cancer free. Goat of the Week: Richard Zednik for not showing up to camp.
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Someone will get it and might be able to stop them...
