[darthYENIK]

THE TIME HAS COME!

After what seemed to me, to be a really short summer, of rubbing my Stanley Cup Championship shirts, and other memorabilia in the faces of Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks fans, it's a little over one week's time to pick your sticks back up.

My extremely biased opinions have the Ducks creating the first west coast dynasty, even if two of their three best players retire.

I'll brag just one more time before the season starts, so I figure I'll show you what happened during the off season...





Ok, ok. Lets get down to it. Lets hear your guys' thoughts on trades, outdoor games, games in London, and who do you want for the cup.

[darthYENIK]

Come on. Not one hockey fan in here, besides me? I'd expect the Europeans not to care, but Canadians not caring?

Whatever, I'll just ramble on then.

For the first time ever, there is going to be not one, but two regular season games played on the other side of the Atlantic.

Some say it's a terrible idea, and that whatever team goes, is probably going to suck when they come back, thanks to the time differences. These people have a point. The games will be played at 4pm London time, making that 9am PST (the time zone the teams are from). Not only that, but one of the teams still has what is called, a championship hangover, which I'm sure will be hard to over come at home, but especially in London. One game may have been bad, but two games, on consecutive days, at the beginning of the season, is going to be really tough.

Some others are saying, it's a cheap publicity stunt, to get European fan bases up, so the NHL can expand to include a European conference to contend with the East and West here in America. While I don't think this is a bad idea on paper, I don't believe it'll ever fly in the real world.

By the way, new jerseys

[leper73]

Haven't been here in a while, but enjoy your celebration. It will be short-lived. This year the Sharks take the Cup north to San Jose.

[Torcidas]

Hockey's alright.

As a Torontonian, I'm expected to cheer for the ever so disgraceful Toronto Maple Leafs. Of course I don't, and I'd much rather see any other team win than them. In fact, I hope they don't even make it to the playoffs. I just hate them that much. No cup since 67', and barely made any progress in any other years.

Guess I'm just gonna go for the Devils, I always did, Martin Brodeur was one of my favorite goalies. I wonder if he even still plays for New Jersey..

[Attorney General]

Speaking of Marty Brodeur...across the Hudson, his counterpart Mike Richter was my favorite player back in the day. I know I still have the ol number 35 jersey lying around somewhere.

I can still recall, pretty vividly, how Richter rose to the occasion in the 94 playoffs and came up huge against the Islanders and Capitals with a bunch of shutouts. Then the Rangers pulled out tough game sevens against New Jersey and then Vancouver in the Stanley Cup Finals. That was one hell of a team...Mark Messier, Sergei Zubov, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves and Alexei Kovalev. I think Petr Nedved was on the squad too. That...was one sweet season.

[darthYENIK]

Oh my god.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.

Opening day is tomorrow.

[johnson.]

Pfft, Leafs blow.

Habs ftw!

[GTA3Rockstar]

Is nayone interested in FNHL? I will set it up if enough people are willing to part take in it.

[bigmamatuna]

Well the Flyers open up Thursday. Lot of promise this year let's see what comes out of it.

Met Bobby Ryan at a party over the summer cause he was back home before camp started, long story short, a little bit of a Ducks fan now as well. Saw he scored that only goal against the Kings in the opener.

[darthYENIK]

Yeah, the kid looks good.

@GTA3Rockstar, I'm guessing that's a no.

[Runey]

I'm gonna be attending some Hurricanes games this year.

They're looking good so far.

[jking]

Marty, Marty, Marty....i hope the devils win but i dont think so so hopefully Ottawa.

[darthYENIK]

In the east, I'd have to go with either Pittsburgh or the Rangers. Carolina does look nice though.

[Pancho the great]

Id love to see a much more professional league in Europe...The current teams are rubbish..I mean the only pro team in scotland folded about 5 years ago!!!

I have to say tho..interest is on the up...when I started playing Ice hockey about 9 years ago in my home town there was only one team where I live, and about 12 in the country...Thrre is now 3 teams in my town and apparentley 50+ teams around the country which is always a good thing.


Phili Flyers fan here btw!

[darthYENIK]

Ducks have their home opener tonight, as well as the official banner raising for the Western Conference Championship, and the Stanley Cup Championship. Pictures at 10.

[Runey]

The Hurricanes handed the Senators their first loss of the year.

[johnson.]

Yeahhhhhh the Habs won it last night, 3-2.

Not bad for Carey Price's first major league game in nets. This Saturday, Montreal vs Carolina. Who's else is gonna watch it?

[darthYENIK]

Anyone see the massacre Buffalo gave Atlanta. 6-0.

I'm happy for them. They've had a rough start.

[Torcidas]

QUOTE (darthYENIK @ Oct 12 2007, 00:19)

Anyone see the massacre Buffalo gave Atlanta. 6-0. I'm happy for them. They've had a rough start.

Good on them, I hate Atlanta.

Might look into Montreal and Carolina for a few minutes, I don't mind the Habs much.

[XN22]

Maybe my Flyers won't come in last place this season.