TretiakCCCP20

All this talk I've been hearing from Hockey Analysts saying the Blackhawks are going to repeat has got me thinking. Everybody knows the last team to repeat was the Red Wings in 97-98. The last true dynasty of course was the Edmonton Oilers lead by the almost god-like Wayne Gretzky during the 80's. The thing is I really think that dynasties are becoming more and more rare. Here is a few reasons why. During the 80's when teams like the Islanders and Oilers dominated everybody the game was so much more focused on offense than it is today. Teams like New York and Edmonton who had completely stacked offensive lines took control because that's how the game was played. The team with the best offense was usually going to win, defense wasn't exactly prioritized and goaltending wasn't as perfected into an art as it is today. The game was just played so much more different then than it was now. On top of all of that, there are more teams in the NHL than there were in the 80's and 70's. The game now is much more perfected and the gap between putting emphasis on Offense vs. Defense vs. Goaltending is much, much narrower today than it use to be. I would love to hear everybody's thoughts on this. Personally, I think the Blackhawks have a decent chance at a repeat but I wouldn't go as far as to say it's already in the bag like some people have said. They have 81 games left in the season and a lot could change. Not to mention teams like the Penguins, Rangers, Kings, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, and Bruins will be gunning to hoist the cup over their heads.

That's why the call it a simulation. Most of the time is complete bs hahaha.

Wow, that arena looks like as big of a mess as the actual team is...

@yave1964 What an animal...

@yave1964 Better that he's a Coyotes fan than a stinking Flyers fan right?

@jammer2 That's exactly why I miss CCM making jerseys. Those jerseys at least were made well, had decent designs, and they didn't look like the they were thought up by a kindergartner high on acid...

Woah, Nike needs to stop making jerseys I miss when CCM use to make jerseys.

Wow, what a joke. Keep a team there that nobody appreciates or wants to see because of a couple of reasons... 1. Florida isn't exactly hockey crazy... 2. The Panthers don't have the talent to draw in people to come watch them play, they are near the bottom every year 3. Tampa Bay is way more popular of a team than Florida The least time the Panthers ever saw anything spectacular was when John Vanbiesbrouck was between the pipes. The Panthers are a giant dud. Take hockey back to Quebec at least there was a team there that people actually wanted to see.

@Rusty Yeah, I figured the link didn't work. My first stick I used was a Christian stick I believe and I still have it in my room.

@radoran Yes, the opposite is certainly true as well.

@Leach27 No kidding. But that's an entirely different topic. A team can be successful on the ice but have terrible financial trouble. Doesn't really tie in as much as one might think.

Like I said, neither argument is perfect. Each has their flaws.

We aren't talking about financial success, that's a whole different form of success.

Number of Cups won is the most important factor in determining a successful franchise. Cups are what every team strive to win, not things like Conference Championships or Division titles. Granted those are nice but they don't mean much if you can't take home the cup. The Cup is what the fans want, the coaches want, the players want, and the organizations want. The most second, third, fourth, fifth place finishes can't stack up to the number of cups won.

This is nothing compared to the Senators-Canadiens series in the last last year's playoffs. Man, that was looking like some 1970's and 1980's hockey there! By the end of one game I saw they had like 4 Sens players on the bench and like 5 Habs players because the rest had been given game misconducts!.

Oh wow!

I seem to do better against the right handed shooters than lefties hahaha.

I have a hand written note from "Terrible Ted" Lindsey adressed to my dad. I have a typed letter from Wayne Gretzky as well. When my brother and I were kids along with my dad we use to send these custom frames to famous NHL players. Basically we take a thing of cardboard and glue different kinds of hockey cards of that player on the cardboard and basically make a collage. Afterwards, we would frame it and send it to the players. Sometimes we would get responses back. We got a response back from Gretzky. We got hand signed photos back from John Leclair, Valeri Bure, Roman Turek, Mike Modano, Bill Guerin, Mark Recchi, Pierre Turgeon, Mike Vernon, Luc Robitaille, Peter Bondra, Joe Sakic, Kevin Dineen, Marty McSorely, Jean Beliveau, Ted Kennedy, Glenn Hall, Bobby Orr, Kim Johansson, Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, Keith Tkachuk. I also got autographed photos from David Legwand, he sent some autographed wooden mini sticks as well. Tommy Salo also sent us back an auto picture and a typed letter telling us that he would hang the frame in his restaurant in Sweden. Was definitely a pretty cool hobby but it got very expensive.

@jammer2 I am so jealous. My dad use to own that very same mask and is kind of kicking himself for ever selling it.

Yeah, such a strange thing I just felt I had to mention it.

@yave1964 Yeah I knew that was active just didn't know if the Sharks one was.

@Polaris922 You're right Vokoun caught right. And yeah its a bit tricky dealing with a goalie that catches right. Very uncommon.

@WingNut722 Wow, is the Sharks still an active record or no?

@JR Ewing Really? I had never heard that before. Not sure why they would have an advantage exactly.

A little different topic. Pretty rare that you see a goalie that catches right handed. I'd say about 95% catch left (myself included). Just would like to get your guys' take on it. I think its a little weird. I could never catch right, it would just be too awkward. Here's a few famous goalies that caught right handed. Grant Fuhr Tony Esposito Bill Durnan (Caught with both) Tom Barasso Steve Mason Roger Crozier Jose Theodore Rick Dipietro That's just a few I can think of. Think of anymore post them