NHL should definitely pull out now.  Team Canada should pull out now.  Make the right decision Gary (for once in your life). Or if Gary won't do it, ATTN: Connor McDavid: Now is your time to shine by pulling out of the Olympics. As soon as you do it, the rest of the NHL and Team Canada will follow suit. 

Now it's a legitimate threat.  

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-announces-diplomatic-boycott-of-beijing-olympics-athletes-will-still-compete-1.5698625

Canada announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics, athletes will still compete

OTTAWA -- Canada will proceed with a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, meaning government officials won’t attend but athletes can continue to compete.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement on Wednesday during a press conference alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge.

“We are extremely concerned by the repeated human rights violations by the Chinese government. That is why we are announcing today that we will not be sending any diplomatic representation to the Beijing Olympic, Paralympic Games this winter,” Trudeau said.

...

I think Canada should boycott the games altogether. A diplomatic boycott is taking a tiny bit of a stand against China, but not much of a stand. I'm fully expecting China to retaliate over this. If anything, our athletes are actually in more danger now than ever.

If and when the time comes where Canadian Olympic athletes are "mysteriously" poisoned prior to their event or held captive in a Chinese prison after the games and can't fly home, then you heard it here first. 

On 11/30/2021 at 7:14 AM, SaucyJack said:

Not really.  To their chagrin, the Brits themselves are guilty of coining “soccer” around 1900 or so.  Back then they differentiated between Rugby Football and Association Football.

Oh. My bad.   

On 11/30/2021 at 7:14 AM, SaucyJack said:

Those rascally young Brits liked to add “-er” to words like nicknames.  They also did ‘er here with the sport name, making ‘soccer’ out of the too formal ‘association’.  At some point not too long after, it seems the common parlance in Britain became rugby and football, with ‘soccer’ less used…

 

…then in North America late in the century ‘soccer’ was used as the primary name of the game, as it made its initial major inroads.  That irked many Brits the same way it would have irked North Americans if their native football game (oddly dissociated from the foot with far more emphasis on leg and arm, per its own evolution) was mostly referred to as ‘gridiron’.

Given the widely different versions of football out there, it makes sense to have a different name to describe each of them. To me, they're three completely different sports when you speak of soccer, football, and rugby. (I guess football and rugby are quite similar, but soccer bears no resemblance whatsoever to American-style football.)

On 11/30/2021 at 7:14 AM, SaucyJack said:

Finally, and for reasons too complex to adequately discuss at the necessary lengths here, these titanic events affected sport greatly, with the gradual result that we now enjoy the great sport of Field Hockey across our still-inhabited 22nd century continental regions at World Cup, National Competition, and professional domestic club levels with unprecedented fan support interest.

I think it's too niche to be considered as hockey (at the global level).  It will always be known as field hockey.   

On 11/29/2021 at 2:58 PM, Puck_Pun said:

 

Field hockey is played at the Olympics, Australia regularly medals for it

Just because something appears in the Olympics does not mean that there is a professional league where players can earn a living from doing it. Plus, even if there IS a league, it doesn't mean that it's a major pro sport. (Lacrosse has leagues in Canada, so does the CFL. They're both minor sports or minor pro leagues. They don't compare in any way to the big four.)

Also, shot-put is in the Olympics, but there is no such thing as a professional shot-putter.

Hockey as a professional sport is in Canada, US, Europe, and Russia. It's the same game everywhere you go with only minor differences such as rink size or rule alterations.

It seems that Australia is the outlier here.    

13 hours ago, Puck_Pun said:

 

In Australia hockey refers to field hockey. 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_hockey

 

I guess you would agree with the creators of soccer and only refer to it as football? 

The four major North America pro sports are:

• Football
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Hockey

Since the NHL is based out of North America, and represents the game of hockey at its highest professional level, they get to set the name, and it's hockey. Just hockey. Field hockey is a high school level game (usually played by girls). 

The soccer vs football comparison doesn't hold because you have professional football in Europe and you have professional football in the US, and they're completely different games. The term soccer was created to avoid confusion between the two. 

When you talk about professional level hockey, there is no confusion. When you say hockey you are referring to the NHL game and that's it. There are no other professional hockey leagues playing it wildly different in other parts of the globe.

I imagine it's as irritating as someone referring to the NFL as "American football" every time... to American football fans. (Who probably look over and scowl.) 

On 9/16/2021 at 1:37 AM, Puck_Pun said:

Adelaide To Host Australia’s First Ice Hockey League

On 9/16/2021 at 1:37 AM, Puck_Pun said:

Firstly, ice hockey is niche at best in Australia.

Unless/until the day comes when the game of hockey is played on anything other than ice at its highest level, people (and by people I mean anyone who isn't Canadian) are hereby ordered to stop referring to the game of hockey with the word "ice" in front of it.  NOBODY in Canada calls it that. It's just HOCKEY. 

(End rant.)

3 hours ago, Tomdog said:

Sure but if they an't call it a save, it really is as good as a goal scored.

But for statistical integrity, you can't label two different events in hockey with the same stat.  It would have to be given a separate name because a player who saves 50 goals in a season (by shot blocking) is not an offensive dynamo like Auston Matthews. 

I think you could realistically call it a "save" (as it is with goalies) and that's all there is to it. Simple.  

On 11/14/2021 at 8:37 PM, radoran said:

 

This isn't trivia. it's well known...

I just thought it was hilarious that the Leafs played more games in the playoffs by reaching the conference finals than they did when they last won the Cup lol. 

16 hours ago, Tomdog said:

I like your idea no matter what you call it.

Thanks. 

16 hours ago, Tomdog said:

Is there a way to do this for individual players?

Hmmm. Since it's based on W-L record, I guess you could do it for goalies. Not sure how it could be done for skaters.

If we looked at the "Stanley" rating for a goalie, it would measure which goalies play better in the playoffs than in the regular season. 

16 hours ago, Tomdog said:

Another stat I wish they kept was goals saved by skaters.

You mean when a skater slides down to block the open net and prevents a goal?  

16 hours ago, Tomdog said:

My wild team has Jonas Brodin who generally stops 2-3 goals per year, but it's never added to his goals scored column or registered in any format. 

Why would it be added to his goals scored?  Wouldn't you just want a stat called "SAVES" and credit him with a save for preventing a goal? 

Perhaps a new name is in order?  Instead of calling it "clutch", how about if I called it "Stanley"?   

Since the Stanley Cup is the ultimate objective, it only makes sense that a team statistic called "Stanley" would evaluate how each team did towards achieving that goal, based on the expectations placed upon them going in.

12 hours ago, SaucyJack said:

I too think the whole situation is troubling but I’m undecided on boycotting the Games at this point.

 

The one thing I am sure about is your utter lack of commitment and effort in regards to your ‘Xi Jinping Thought” indoctrinations.  

For one thing, I don't understand why the NHL wants to be in the Olympics instead of hosting their own World Cup. They literally shot themselves in the foot by destroying their own tournament. (I guess the NHL is acknowledging that nobody wants to watch their league outside of Canada and the US so if they sneak it into the Olympics maybe they can sucker unsuspecting viewers into watching it.)  

If the NHL thinks they are going to "grow the game" with this, they're stupid. 

If the NHL thinks the players (or any fans who travel there to watch) are safe in the world's most dangerous and evil communist controlled country, they're stupid.

What fan in their right mind would fly to China to watch these games given what they did to Kovrig and Spavor?

42 minutes ago, Math said:

I'm in favor of folding and dissolving the whole olympic organization, and cover it with 500,000,000,000,000,000 tons of salt, just to be sure that nothing, absolutely nothing will grow from that.

Best comment ever.  

Agreed.

2 hours ago, SaucyJack said:

It would take work but if you spent the time to calculate your stat for the Washington Capitals starting from 1982-83 season until the present, you’ll no doubt confirm, statistically, the truth of Tony Kornheiser’s “choking dogs” accusation.  Maybe they hold the “record”.

 

He made that phrase famous in the DC region while still a WaPo sportswriter (along with his pal Wilbon) before they both left for greener ESPN pastures and ‘Pardon The Interruption”.  It would have been late 80’s since 1990 was their 3rd most successful playoff run (losing to Bruins/Borque in the East Finals) next to 1998 and 2018.

So let it be written. So let it be done.   

--------------------------------------------W--L---T-------------------GP-W

The Clutch stat for the Washington Capitals:

(1/4) / [39 / (80 - 16)] = .410 

(4/8) / [48 / (80 - 5)] = .781

(2/5) / [46 / (80 - 9)] = .617

(5/9) / [50 / (80 - 7)] = .811

(3/7) / [38 / (80 - 10)] = .789

The 1982-83 season was an epic choke job. 

1 hour ago, Brewin Flames said:

Toronto hasn't named many captains in its history. Phaneuf was just the 18th, and one of only five the club has had since 1991.

That's a pretty awesome accomplishment right there. 

I know the "C" is a throw-away item on many of the newer franchises, or treated like a cheap gimmick, and I know many fans don't "get it", but to be captain of a century old franchise like Toronto, Montreal, Detroit, Boston, Chicago, etc.... means something.  It's not a throw-away title when you examine the players who had it before you. 

10 hours ago, Podein25 said:

 

Yeah, I don't have an opinion on any of this really. 

My suggestion would be for the NHL to skip the Olympics in China (maybe indefinitely) and just have the World Cup of Hockey.

That way the NHL can control the location of the tournament and all the content.   

10 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

China is putting its minority Uighur people into concentration camps, slowly conquering Pacific islands from its neighbours, raping its tennis stars by politburo members, subdueing Hong Kong into a part of the dictatorship and threatening Taiwan by an invasion. They do everything Nazi Germany did from 1936 - 1938, but they do it slowly enough for the world to keep on turning a blind eye to it. Definitely there should be no Olympics in a country like that. There should be a world wide embargo against China. (And I also hate the idea of having the NHL pause for the duration of Olympics )

I generally enjoy the NHL teams in the Olympics, but I think it would be an insult to Canadians if we sent our best athletes over to a country to entertain their people when their government held our citizens hostage in jail (solitary confinement) for ~2 years over make-believe crimes as retaliation for arresting a Huawei executive. Meanwhile she stayed on house arrest at her ~$25 million dollar home in Vancouver. 

Just imagine if the NHL was the FIRST pro sports league to take a stand AGAINST China. There's virtually no risk to the NHL. Nobody watches the NHL in China. They couldn't possibly lose any business from doing so. If any league could do it, the NHL could. It would set them apart from the other copycat sports leagues.

10 hours ago, radoran said:

 

If the NHL "shouldn't go" then why is Canada?

 

Seems like the origin of this "decision" is "I don't want the NHL to take a break" more than "China bad."

Well if it were up to me, I'd pull all of Team Canada out of the Olympics citing safety concerns. The fact that China has a track record of holding random Canadians hostage over fictitious crimes, is a security concern. They can't be trusted. China could decide on a whim not to allow the Canadian athletes to return home, and try to use that as leverage to get something from Canada. Nobody else in the international community would come to Canada's aid, just like nobody did anything over the recent cases of hostage taking. It didn't even make the news outside of Canada and Britain. China is considered "too important" of a trading partner that nobody wants to anger them.

10 hours ago, Podein25 said:

 

Now do Russia, the United States, and numerous other countries.

I think you meant "nor". 

1 hour ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

Lol. Dude, he was in new york answering brooksie and telling him off on a daily basis

You know what? I change my answer. I think the Toronto media is soft on everyone. Nothing but softball questions and politeness. It's the fact that you can never get away from the media attention that drives people crazy. Maybe Torts would be in heaven being in Toronto.  He would be outspoken and have the biggest platform in the NHL to shout from.   

1 hour ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

Something tells me the Toronto fan base, upset with their soft lacksidaisal corps wouldn't mind a boot commander in charge for a year or two after that embarassing Montreal loss in the playoffs

I think this is the last kick at the can for the current administration here in Toronto. There are two people who likely won't be in Toronto next season if the Leafs lose in the first round again this season (or miss the playoffs entirely). Mr. Glasses with no glass in them (Dubas) and Mr. Keefe (gone when new GM comes in). 

The problem is, if you bring in Torts, then a player like Matthews or Marner would demand to be traded. 

31 minutes ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

Torts is short term gain pain for long term pain.

 

The leafs should sign him for a year or two to kick their players into shape.

The Toronto media would eat Torts alive. He wouldn't last a month in Toronto.  They would tear him a new a-hole so quick lol.

1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said:

Lets be fair and understand, NO Olofsson, No Middlestadt, and Tuch is on the way and maybe some other young talent like Quinn and Krebs. You sucked out that win with 11 seconds left vs a sack of crap named Dell.  Might well have been the farmer in the Dell.  Things will be different next time pal.

The Leafs usually suck hard against Buffalo. 

1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said:

Your Leafs are not good enough to go all the way, proved by that stinking Montreal team last year.  

They haven't been past the first round since 2002? 2004? 

Here's an interesting bit of trivia:  If the Leafs make the Stanley Cup final, it'll be the farthest they've ever gone and the most games that they've ever played in the playoffs.

Why?  Because the Leafs have never been in a Cup final since the league went to FOUR rounds. They're the ONLY non-expansion team in the NHL not to appear in a 4-round Stanley Cup final.

3 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

Oof

 

https://thehockeywriters.com/tortorella-calls-out-oilers-mcdavid/?utm_source=spotim&utm_medium=spotim_recirculation

Kind of analogous to calling out Wayne Gretzky after his 215 point season. 

(This is the point where people need to stop putting a microphone in front of Torts and just walk away. Let him talk to the wall.)

The time to make a strong political statement against China's human rights abuses and bullying tactics is NOW.  

No other sports league has shown any courage or will to stand up to China. The NHL (a league with NO footprint in China, and a league that will NEVER have a footprint in China) has the opportunity to make a strong statement against China, rather than pander to China like the NBA has.

Here's WHY this is so important to Canadians:

China recently held two innocent Canadian citizens hostage in jail for years over the arrest of a Chinese businesswoman here in Canada.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58687071

Relations between CANADA and China are at ROCK BOTTOM.  I'm not sure how/why the United States manages to ignore them so well. Nothing China does on the world stage seems to penetrate the minds of Americans. America is quite literally "asleep" on the issue of China. While America sleeps, China presses on to greater and greater international abuses of power.  Examples: Routinely violating Canadian waters in the North channel for example. A clear act of war that would get them bombed into oblivion IF they ever did it to the USA. I already mentioned the hostage taking as retaliation.

China is the greatest threat to world peace. They have no respect for human life. No respect for other countries. No respect for international agreements/treaties. No respect for fair trade. No respect for borders. 

I don't think the NHL should be sending its best players over there to compete. There is no guarantee that China wouldn't try to do something to harm the Canadian players.

If the NHL won't withdraw, Team Canada SHOULD withdraw immediately from these Olympics. 

3 hours ago, radoran said:

 

FIFY

 

There is no reason that any team should be holding aside tickets for any specific group. Nor, IMO, should they be allowed to restrict any specific group from buying them.

As evidenced by the number of Habs and Sens fans in attendance when Toronto plays those teams, nobody is being prevented from buying tickets. The only factor is the difficulty in getting them.   

On 11/13/2021 at 4:50 AM, Hockey Junkie said:

I do not mean blue and gold either. How many of you guys are coming over the  bridge tonight?  Hey, I am happy you guys help support the Sabres. But what makes me mad as hell is that I can NEVER IN MY LIFE GET A TICKET TO SEE THEM IN TORONTO.  Is that fair?  The damn games are all sold out I understand. But would you not think one damn time they might set so many tickets aside for the Sabres fans to actually see a game up there?  It will never happen.

Fair or unfair, the Leafs are the most valuable ticket in the NHL.  Why on earth would they reserve tickets for fans of OPPOSING teams when there are 5 million people in Toronto who desperately want to see them play live and can't?  

On 11/13/2021 at 4:50 AM, Hockey Junkie said:

Been to Toronto many times.  Its like driving one big oval circle to get around Toronto.  I like Eaton Center.  And who doesnt know about Young Street.  I went there when I was 16 with a high school buddy.  He picked up two girls and when they did not go along with what he wanted he told them to get out. He was a real arsehole. And a wimp to boot.  But Young st always had some girls hanging out.  Walking over the bums that slept on the curb. Some things never change.  Here is to the Sabres pulling a minor miracle and beating the mighty Leafs with Dell in goal.  I mean, I cant believe it. One of Lindy Ruff's castoffs.  They must have really given up on Luukenen.  What a waster that guy turned out to me.  Miller, Hasek, Edwards and Sauve.  Who will be the next franchise goalie in Buffalo?  I do not think he is with us yet . But hats off to Toharski for last night. 

PS, I see that Riso got an assists last night.

Sabres fought hard but got outgunned by the Leafs last night.    The way you beat a team like Toronto is with stiffling defence and physicality to push the Leafs smaller players around. It's tough to out-skill the Leafs with firewagon style hockey.