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NHL 03-04 season!!!
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| w00h00 |
Well it's officially underway with the first days of preseason play already by. Going to be an interesting season to say the least. If I were to put any prediction down right now, I'd say Avs vs Sens for the finals, but this is, after-all hockey, and stacked teams don't always mean a Championship run. (where were the Rangers last post-season?)
If you're not keeping up with the big moves, let me recap quickly. Selanne and Kariya playing together in Colorado, Roy's retired though.. will it be enough? Hatcher's up in Detroit now, I don't see that locking them as a finalist, but I also see it hurting Dallas's chances somewhat. Vancouver let quite a few quality players go, but in a move that just leaves my jaw dropping picked up Arvedson from the Sens. I like both teams a lot, am I happier that 'couver added a quality player or more bummed that Ottawa lost one? Detroit lost one great player and one decent one, Federov went to Anaheim and Luc went back home to the Kings. That's all I can think of off the top of my head, there's a lot more big moves out there but these were highlights of importance. As you can tell I follow the west a lot more closely than the east.. heh
Other big happenings to notice Gretzky WILL play in the Hockey Heritage Classic as Captain of Edmonton all stars, Guy Lafleur for Montreal. Not too shabby. ;)
Phoenix has the new arena coming, that should be pretty sweet. Also I assume some sort of memorial sometime during the season to Herb Brooks. And well deserved I might add.
Wrapup : well we all know that being a return champion is about the hardest thing to do nowadays, not like 20 years ago. I don't see devs in finals.. hell I don't see them even in conference finals. We saw some cusp teams make it over the brink last year (Wild, Lightning, and oh yeah, those guys from California with some stellar goalie work.) I wouldn't be too surprised to see some similar happenings.. maybe Atlanta, Phoenix could get back in, Colombus or Nashville.. who knows? The bottom 3 or 4 teams struggling to make it in may in fact be more exciting than the top 3 or 4.
Thanks to anyone who actually stayed to read all of this, call me crazy on my views if you wish, or throw in some points of your own, just let me add one thing. GODDAMN it's good to get back to wearing jerseys
:D |
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| Magnetonium |
In the Western conference the Red Wings will not finish too well but will surprise everyone and make it to the finals. In the east, I'd say Ottawa Senators this time will not let the Confenrence finals slip away and will make it to the finals.
Red Wings will win the finals in 6 games.
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| w00h00 |
hehe I like that attitude. I have a lot of teams I like a lot and most I like a little but wings have got to be my #1 fave. As such I'm obligated to hate Dallas, St. Louis, and Colorado simply by them being nearly perennial usurpers to the rightful place of the Wings, at the top of the standings (besides two years ago when dallas missed the playoffs). St. Louis though is not a big concern. They do well in regular season but they're just playoff chokers. Colorado is my big fear this year, and second behind that is Vancouver. A 'couver upset though is fine by me as I really love to watch that team. I keep hoping for Edmonton to really produce but alas, they also just can't do much when they DO make playoffs. I have to say I really enjoy watching Sens play too. As with Vancouver and Edmonton I just think Sens have a great skating team. All three teams have guys that can just fly. Add Lalime as maybe the most underrated goalie of last year and I don't see why they can't make finals this year, unless losing arvedson affects them that much...
All that being said, I still stand beside my wings every year. As long as their age doesn't catch up with them (chelios is STILL PLAYING?!!?!?) they have the skill and experience to take them all the way. Age is a double edged sword. experience vs. age be it bad joints, quicker fatigue, more injuries through the career... We'll see come spring which is more important to them. |
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| BlAcKNoVa |
| I'm rooting for the Capitals and Flames baby!!! It's going to be an exciting season! |
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| PhloTron |
Already all pumped up...I hate to make early predictions but one for sure is the Yotes new jerseys....uhm...Yuck. Logo is nice, but the plain red and white...seriously. Honestly I didn't care for their first jerseys for about 6 months, then I grew on them (hell I have 5 of them now) and then they go off switching them...damn marketing...but I don't see liking these...
Anyway enough of that topic, besides they traded away their last Jet (Numinnen) so I don't have any real ties to them anymore and can pull for a more local team to my location now...Vancouver...I dunno how good they will be...all depends on goaltending.
More later...as I shuffle through depth charts...whooohooo :D :D :D |
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| w00h00 |
heh yeah.. I just don't know what "inspired" them to go with red and white. Just what the league needs, more red and white jerseys to keep straight. Only thing more original than that would be black and white. (yes that's sarcasm) Still want to see the new arena though.
Cloutier's good but inconsistent. Isn't that the trademark of your mid-line goalies? Great one game.. like scary good, so so or downright bad the next. I hope he keeps it on the positive side, if he does they are a tough team to beat this year. As I said, I think Arvedson will fit in well, but how much to the detriment of the Sens? |
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| CraveTheRave |
| I was prolly the biggest Colorado out there, but I really don't care when Roy retired. Colorado can score 9 goals a game but Aebischer will let in 10. I hope they do win the cup as I want Kariya to get a ring, but I doubt it. I don't know who to pick this year... I frankly don't even know if I'll watch hockey anymore. |
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| jonnycarcinogen |
It's too early to be making predictions (for me, anyway) so I'll just say this:
GO PENGUINS AND GO DEVILS!! |
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