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Digityman

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    Jagr Skeptics

    in Philadelphia Flyers

    Posted

    who knew jagr could step in and be comfortable in a supporting role? the way he's playing now, he skates like his job is to help giroux become a superstar.

    That's the way I see it too. Jäger had a choice and i really think that he picked the flyers because of Giroux. Obviously not strictly but it was a factor.

    With the tutelage of jagr along with his work ethic, giroux's ceiling just went up a notch.

    His maturity in the nhl will be fun to watch

    Ron Wilson Throws A Hissy Fit

    in Toronto Maple Leafs

    Posted

    Wilson.jpgBreaking news: Ron Wilson is upset with a member of the media.

    You just rolled your eyes didn’t you? I know I did when I first saw the news.

    We’ve heard it before and we will hear it again. Funny thing is the Leafs are making it really hard for guys like me to make fun of them this year. They are tied for top spot in the East and Phil Kessel leads all players in the goals and points departments. Enter good old Ron to make us remember the joys of picking apart this organization.

    The Leafs have refused to say much about the injury to James Reimer. First it was “whiplash”, then is was “concussion like symptoms”, but the fact remains that he has missed 9 games. Fans wanted answers, and Feschuck went to the person who might have some of them, Reimer’s mom.

    I thought the article was a good read and the idea to call Mrs. Reimer was a great one. It was also entertaining because it gave us a look at what it’s like to be a concerned parent of an injured NHL’er. Ron Wilson didn’t agree:

    “You call wives, parents … you don’t talk to the player? I don’t think that’s proper to be honest with you.”

    Translation:

    How dare you do research for an interesting article Mr Feschuck??

    Why didn’t you go and get the same response from James and the team that you have received over the last 2 weeks????

    After last nights game, Wilson was asked what goalie would start on Saturday, his response:

    “Maybe I’ll call the goalies’ mom’s and decide that way”

    There is a huge difference between a coach challenging the media, and a coach who is acting like an immature child, Wilson is the latter.

    I’ve never coached a game in the NHL and I guarantee I never will, but I’m pretty sure having skin that is thicker than tissue paper is a job prerequisite. Like I said, this is not the first time Wilson has pulled the cry-baby act.

    (by Rob Pizzo under Pizzo's Points on Nov 11, 2011 - http://bleacherreport.com/tb/bc0YA)

    The Richard's Trade: The Kings View

    in Los Angeles Kings

    Posted

    Heard that Richards created a coalition in the locker room to surround himself with allies. You can guess who those guys were... He had a total disregard for authority, including older players. The collapse at the end of the season and against the Bruins - when we were all trying to figure out what exactly happened - was attributable exactly to that division.

    Richards and Carter were asked to stop partying and drinking, and flat out refused. Richards went as far as telling Laviolette to go screw himself. He also protected Carter all along while that was happening trying to shield him from any criticism.

    Finally, he refused to be involved in any charities, and Snider absolutely despises that in players.

    All in all, when trying to paint a picture of Richards - and to a lesser degree Carter - it ain't pretty. It really sounds like he is a first-class jerk who only cares about himself...

    Again, this is just what’s been discussed on the radio by someone who is supposedly very close to the Flyers.

    One day I hope we hear the whole complete story. It's kind of fascinating to me. This kid comes in and is looked at as Clarke jr and given the keys to the kingdom. In a few short years, he falls from grace and is gone. To me it's amazing.

    Superstitious Hockey Players

    in General Hockey

    Posted

    Everyone is superstitious in one way or another. Whether you believe that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day or that an apple a day will keep the doctor away or if you never walk under ladders, there are superstitions all around us. Some of the most superstitious people around are hockey players. Here’s my top 10 list of the most superstitious men to ever play in the National Hockey League:

    10. Stephan Lebeau

    Stephan Lebeau would chew between 20-25 sticks of gum in his team’s locker room. He would then throw the gum out exactly two minutes before the game’s opening face-off. Chewing all that gum must have revved his entire body up, because in 373 NHL regular season games between the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks, he totaled 277 points. He also helped the Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1992-93.

    9. Stephane Quintal

    Stephane Quintal wouldn’t talk to anyone past 1:30 PM on game days. He wouldn’t reply to conversations or answer any phone calls. I guess you can’t call him motor mouth. Despite being quiet, he had a pretty rowdy career with 1,320 penalty minutes in 1,037 NHL regular season games.

    8. Karl Alzner

    Born in Burnaby, British Columbia, it’s no wonder that Karl Alzner is a fan of the Canadian National Anthem. But what he does during the anthem is a bit odd. While the Canadian National Anthem is playing, he taps his hockey stick 88 times. He also traces the outline of the Canadian maple leaf while the music is playing. He was drafted fifth overall in 2007 by Washington and has spent the first three seasons of his NHL career with the Capitals. And considering Washington is located in the United States, Alzner’s Canadian Anthem ritual doesn’t happen every night. Maybe he should consider a more routine superstition.

    7. Glenn Hall

    Glenn Hall’s nickname was “Mr. Goalie”, but I think a more suitable name would have been Mr. Sick. Hall would make himself throw up before every game because he thought it would make him play better. I guess the superstition worked pretty well, as his record was 407 wins, 326 losses, 163 ties and 84 shutouts in 906 NHL regular season games. Coincidentally, another NHL goaltender, Darren Pang, also vomited before each game, saying that it made him more agile in the net.

    6. Joe Nieuwendyk

    Known as one of the greatest face-off men in NHL history, Joe Nieuwendyk also had a couple of superstitions he followed regularly. Prior to every NHL game he played, he would eat exactly two pieces of toast with peanut butter on them. Even more bizarre, he would sprinkle baby powder on the blade of his hockey stick. He believed the baby powder had some magical powers that helped him score goals. Perhaps it worked, as Nieuwendyk totaled 564 goals and 1,126 points in 1,257 NHL regular season games.

    5. Pelle Lindbergh

    Former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender, Pelle Lindbergh, use to wear the same orange t-shirt under his equipment during each hockey game. The t-shirt was never washed and when it would start falling apart, he would have it sewn up. During intermissions, he would drink a Swedish beverage called ‘Pripps’. He would only accept the drink if it had two ice cubes, was delivered by a certain team trainer and as long as it was in his right hand. Lindbergh’s quirky habits helped him on the ice with a record of 87 wins, 49 losses and 15 ties in 157 NHL regular season games. Unfortunately, Lindbergh died as a result of a devastating car crash at just 26 years of age.

    4. Brendan Shanahan

    Known as a great power forward, Brendan Shanahan had some pretty quirky superstitions during his NHL career. He would wear old shoulder pads that dated back to his days in junior hockey. He would also listen to Madonna on game days. Obviously the ‘Material Girl’ and ancient shoulder pads worked in Shanahan’s favor, as he recorded 1,354 points in 1,524 NHL regular season games.

    3. Sidney Crosby

    Sidney Crosby could very well be the most superstitious player currently in the NHL. He will not call his mother on game days, as some of his past injuries occurred after he was talking to her. If he’s travelling with his team on a bus, he will lift his feet and touch the glass when they go over railroad tracks. If his team is playing on the road, he’ll only use tape that’s provided by the home team for his sticks. And when he’s done taping his sticks, nobody is allowed to touch them or else he’ll have to re-tape them. Crosby must be doing something right, as he’s one of the best hockey players to ever play the game. He has won numerous awards, including the Stanley Cup in just his fourth NHL season.

    2. Patrick Roy

    Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy had a long list of superstitions. He would never talk to reporters on game days before he played. During pre-game warm-ups, he would skate to the blue line, stare at his net and picture it shrinking. He would also never step on the blue or red lines. Prior to the games, he would lay out his goalie equipment on the locker room floor and dress himself in a certain order. Then during intermissions, he would juggle with a puck and bounce it off the ground. And if those weren’t bad enough, he would quite often talk to his goal posts, claiming “they are my friends”. Apparently, his goal posts were extremely loyal friends, as he holds numerous NHL records and won many trophies during his incredible career, including four Stanley Cups.

    1. Wayne Gretzky

    Wayne Gretzky is one of the most superstitious players in NHL history. He wouldn’t get his hair cut while his team was on the road because one time when he did, his team suffered a major loss. During practice, he would start off by shooting a puck to the right of the net. He would then drink a Diet Coke, a glass of iced water, a Gatorade and another Diet Coke in that exact order. As for his uniform, he would always put the left side on first and he would always tuck in the right side of his jersey. Also, he would put baby powder on the blade of his hockey stick. He most definitely lived up to his nickname “The Great One”, as he holds a large amount of NHL records, won many trophies and averaged almost two points a game during his illustrious career (2,857 points in 1,487 games).

    Hartnell Is Rejuvenated

    in Philadelphia Flyers

    Posted

    By his own admission, Flyers winger Scott Hartnell played miserably in the season's first two weeks.

    Maybe it was because some of his good friends, including Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and Ville Leino, were no longer here and he felt alienated.

    Scott Hartnell struggled in the Flyers' first six games but is now thriving with new linemates Jaromir Jagr and Claude Giroux.

    Maybe it was because his highly productive line - with Danny Briere and Leino - had been broken up and he felt lost.

    Maybe it was because he was having problems developing chemistry with his new linemates.

    Whatever the reason, Hartnell struggled in the first six games, going goalless and managing a total of six shots. He was averaging about 11 1/2 minutes a game.

    In short, the Flyers were not getting a good return on Hartnell's $4.2 million cap hit.

    On Twitter, fans made him the team's early-season scapegoat. Some wanted him demoted to the fourth line. Others wanted the Flyers to ask him to drop his no-trade clause.

    Ah, but a lot has changed since two weeks ago. That is precisely when Hartnell was moved onto a line with the irrepressible Claude Giroux and the ageless Czech, Jaromir Jagr, a future Hall of Famer.

    Entering Saturday night's matchup against Columbus, Hartnell had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his last six games. He had been on the Giroux-Jagr line for seven games, averaging almost 18 minutes a contest.

    No longer does he look lost. (Though he still falls down a lot.) No longer are fans clamoring for him to go elsewhere.

    Hartnell, 29, is playing the game with zest again and is starting to resemble the wild-haired guy who put up a career-best 30 goals in 2008-09.

    "It seems he's winning a lot more battles. He was struggling a little bit early in the year," Briere said Friday. "I think he's a lot more upbeat - his personality and when he gets on the ice, he just has that edge to him that in the beginning of the year maybe wasn't quite there. It's good to see. We need a Scott Hartnell to perform for us to be a successful team."

    At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Hartnell gives the Flyers a big body in front of the net. He and the 6-3, 240-pound Jagr have been a perfect fit with the smooth-skating Giroux, giving the coming-of-age superstar - whom Jagr calls "Little Mario" - lots of room to maneuver and work his stickhandling magic.

    "He's a space-maker," said general manager Paul Holmgren, describing Hartnell.

    Briere knows all about Hartnell's value, having centered him for most of the previous two seasons.

    "He does a lot of little stuff that doesn't show up on the scoreboard or stat sheet - taking a beating in front of the net, five on five and on the power play," Briere said. "That's a tough job. He's an agitator; he gets under the other teams' skin. Those are little things that you might take for granted. It doesn't show on the stat sheet, but we all know how valuable he is to our team."

    In the season's first five games, Hartnell was on a line with rookies Sean Couturier and Matt Read. He then played one game with Brayden Schenn, another rookie, and Jakub Voracek before coach Peter Laviolette put him with Giroux and Jagr.

    The line has been, by far, the Flyers' most productive unit. It has gotten various nicknames: the Hairline, the Little Mario Line, and CzechMates are a few of them.

    Hartnell was asked if he felt rejuvenated playing with his new linemates.

    "I had a tough training camp. I didn't really feel good and my body didn't feel good," said Hartnell, whose line produced 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in their first seven games together. "And mentally, you start gripping the stick a little tighter. It's amazing what one game does, and when the coach puts some confidence in you and starts playing you a little bit more, you have to take advantage of the opportunity."

    Earlier in the season, Hartnell admitted, he was beginning to doubt himself.

    "You start reading your guys' columns or people around the city tell you to pick it up," he said with a smile. "When you're good, everything is good. When you struggle or you're hurt, they start riding you and all that kind of stuff. You try to keep an even keel. You can't worry about what you guys say and all your [trade] rumors. You just have to play your game."

    With Carter and Richards traded in the offseason, the Flyers needed some of their young players to pick up the scoring slack. They also needed veterans like Hartnell, Jagr, and Briere to show there was still some tread on their rather worn tires.

    One month into the season, the tires don't need any repairs.

    by Sam Carchidi

    Read more: http://www.philly.co...l#ixzz1d2L0gTS6

    Sean Couturier

    in Philadelphia Flyers

    Posted

    From Sam Carchidi on philly.com

    Even though he has been used primarily as a penalty-killer and third- or fourth-line center, Sean Couturier has climbed among the rookie leaders in several offensive categories - and has probably made several teams second-guess themselves for bypassing him in last June's draft.

    Couturier slipped to No. 8 - the first-round pick the Flyers acquired as part of the deal that sent Jeff Carter to Columbus - but in the season's first month he has looked like a future star.

    In 13 games, Couturier has five goals, which, entering Sunday, was second among NHL rookies. It was one fewer goal than another 18-year-old center, Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the No. 1 overall draft pick in June. Couturier topped all rookies with a plus-9 rating.

    "He continues to play solid hockey at both ends of the ice," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said after Couturier's first two-goal game aided Saturday's 9-2 romp over the hapless Blue Jackets. "Defensively, penalty kill, he does the right things. Offensively, he got some opportunities and cashed them in. He's been really strong."

    The Flyers have never had a Calder Trophy winner, but Couturier is a rookie-of-the-year candidate, along with teammate Matt Read (three goals, four assists), who is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday against host Tampa Bay after being sidelined for three games because of an injury.

    Defenseman Erik Gustafsson, another Flyers rookie, raised some eyebrows with a plus-6 rating in the spanking of Columbus.

    "He was on the ice for a lot of positive things," Laviolette said. "He's played really well since he's been called up. He moves the puck so well. I think over the summer he picked up a step in speed, picked up some added muscle, and he looks really strong on the ice."

    Gustafsson is playing like he deserves to remain as the Flyers' sixth defenseman - even after Chris Pronger returns from an eye injury.

    In just his fifth NHL game of the season and eighth of his career, Gustafsson had the highest plus rating for a Flyers rookie since 1984, when Thomas Eriksson was plus-8. He also had an assist, his first career point.

    "It's a great feeling, obviously, but the most important thing is for the team to win, and it was a really great team effort. I think everyone showed up," Gustafsson said.

    The Flyers (8-4-2) took just a 3-3-2 home record into Saturday's game at the Wells Fargo Center.

    "We were real fired, up and we wanted to have a good game in front of our fans," said Gustafsson, 22. "I think we've been playing a little bit, maybe, soft and not hard enough the last couple of games, and we wanted to come out strong and it carried over to the second.

    With each game, Gustafsson - who played a team-high 23 minutes, 9 seconds on Saturday - seems to be getting more confident.

    "Absolutely. You come up here and you play with these big guys you've been watching on TV all of your life," he said. "I think it's normal to get nervous, so the more you get to be around here and the more you play, the more comfortable you get."

    It wouldn't be surprising if Gustafsson stayed in the defensive rotation when Pronger returned and 36-year-old Andreas Lilja became the odd man out. Lilja had four hits and was plus-1 on Saturday.

    Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20111107_Flyers_Couturier__Gustafsson_spur_youth_movement.html#ixzz1d2GMfFdN

    Gamecenter Live Working For Anyone!?

    in General Hockey

    Posted

    @DAXflyer

    Really? I switched to gamecenter this summer from center ice and I'm loving it. Home feeds for almost all the games as compared to 3-4 a year with center ice. I haven't had a problem streaming it either. No choppiness at all. I'm even streaming on the iPad while my wife is streaming something else on the big screen via Roku or Apple Tv.

    Have you testing your internet speed recently?

    http://speedtest.net/

    I'm at a 11 mbps download and about an 8.4mbps upload.

    The Richard's Trade: The Kings View

    in Los Angeles Kings

    Posted

    Even sitting at 8th in the Western Conference and Richard's at a .77 ppg average, looking through the King's brass' eyes they must still be happy with this trade.

    On the other side you have Simmonds doing average. Has flashes of skill here and there. Overall he's a -1 and a .43 ppg. Schenn is out for a good 2 months and even though hurt through the preseason, didn't show to much to get excited about just yet. For as highly as he was touted you have to think that within 2-3 years he should be near Mike Richard' level.

    Just on a ppg level, the Kings gain.33 ppg through the first part of the season

    On a mental and team unity level, maybe that difference shrinks up a bit.

    We'll see what the end of the season brings but my thought is having someone like Richards (can be) for the playoffs is going to be great for the Kings.

    One or two years from now the tables might be turned.

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