[Bigboy]

canucker canucker:

canucker canucker:

Ovechkin informed the Capitals today that he is, in fact, escaping his commitment to Omsk and wants to play for the Capitals in the NHL this season.

He'd be stupid not to play in the NHL. He could make a whole lot more money in the NHL in the long run. But if he wants to play in the NHL, he better change that attitude. He's a diver and a showboating hotdog. I look forward to the first match-up between Sidney Crosby and him. Should produce a great Calder race.

Yeah in Canada atleast people will remember the way he played, he keeps that up he will be hated, NHL players will teach him a lesson though. Accouple of the dives he made were dangerous. Cant believe what a fag he is hes big enough that taking a hit should be no problem

[canucker]

And he has to get rid of that stupid visor....

[Tman1]

canucker canucker:

And he has to get rid of that stupid visor....

Yah but that visor is pretty snazzy. I think I read somewhere that it was distracting for the Goalies or something.

[Regina]

Skated with one of the "NHLPA" members today and he thinks it'll be 99% in favour of taking the offer. He says it would be 100% but there's still a few out there that think there's a better deal or that it's just principle. He never wanted to go out in the first place.....he needs one more game to reach 400 and qualifies for the pension.

[dennis_is_canadian]

I am so unbelievably looking forward to this season. The new roster changes will be emense and the new rule changes might open up the game abit, I don't mind the game the way it was, I don't want to see my team give up 5 goals a game every night, but I can live with some more scoring.

I always get the NHL network so I can watch every Leafs game and alot of the Canucks games, since my brother is a Nucks fan. But I also watch the other Canadian teams aswell (except Ottawa) I hate the Sens. The player I'm looking forward to seeing most in the NHL has to be Dion Phaneuf. That Calgary Flames Defensmen is gonna improve the Flames Defense and with a goaltender like Kipper, they are gonna be a hard team to score on.

Hopefully the Leafs will sign some players who are not over 36 and get a new goalie cause Belfour is too old to be a starter. But, knowing them, they will just keep signing oldies to make the play-offs but not make the cup. I wish they would rebuild.

Also, NHL 2006 is comming out in Mid August, early this season. Roster changes will be downloadable but I usually set the rosters manually.

Not to forget, Olympic's this year. And Canada won't get beat by the Czecks (like the world cup) cause we'll have our A team this time.

Wooo! Hockey is gonna be great this year, so glad it's back.

Dennis

[Tman1]

$1:

The new roster changes will be emense and the new rule changes might open up the game abit,

Uhh I thought they weren't making any changes this year but only speculating and testing out new things....I could be wrong.

[Bigboy]

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great:

$1:

The new roster changes will be emense and the new rule changes might open up the game abit,

Uhh I thought they weren't making any changes this year but only speculating and testing out new things....I could be wrong.

I'm sure your wrong, they want the NHL to be different when it comes back. Hire scoring, the goaltender changes are set, i cant remember the rest i was trying not to get into the NHL but how can you not

[Tman1]

Bigboy Bigboy:

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great:

$1:

The new roster changes will be emense and the new rule changes might open up the game abit,

Uhh I thought they weren't making any changes this year but only speculating and testing out new things....I could be wrong.

I'm sure your wrong, they want the NHL to be different when it comes back. Hire scoring, the goaltender changes are set, i cant remember the rest i was trying not to get into the NHL but how can you not

Ok, then tell me this. A year without the NHL and all of a sudden they expect people to accept these changes? I think fans are pretty pissed off as it is but making these changes mandatory already is a touch much don't you think? Wouldn't make sense to all of a sudden force these changes down fans throats. Just my thoughts, I'm not disagreeing with you as I have no evidence myself but just a thought or two. I think Canucker already posted some "thought" out changes but not implemented some time ago.

[Bigboy]

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great:

Bigboy Bigboy:

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great:

$1:

The new roster changes will be emense and the new rule changes might open up the game abit,

Uhh I thought they weren't making any changes this year but only speculating and testing out new things....I could be wrong.

I'm sure your wrong, they want the NHL to be different when it comes back. Hire scoring, the goaltender changes are set, i cant remember the rest i was trying not to get into the NHL but how can you not

Ok, then tell me this. A year without the NHL and all of a sudden they expect people to accept these changes? I think fans are pretty pissed off as it is but making these changes mandatory already is a touch much don't you think? Wouldn't make sense to all of a sudden force these changes down fans throats. Just my thoughts, I'm not disagreeing with you as I have no evidence myself but just a thought or two. I think Canucker already posted some "thought" out changes but not implemented some time ago.

For me i like it, i'm a canuck fan I wish the goalie couldnt play the puck the last played season Hedberg would have done better. Basically with the Goalie its no crazy oversized pants. Inch or so smaller pads. That gets more skilled goalies not 7 foot 280 pound guys that just stand in front of the net

[canucker]

As long as they don't "highlight" the player who has the puck like in the video games but for TV. They are apparently "talking" about it, maybe they should ask the viewers? We're not THAT stupid.

[canucker]

NHLPA begins road to ratification vote

[canucker]

NHLPA ratifies new CBA

TORONTO - The NHL is one step closer to resuming play next season.

On Thursday, the NHLPA put the labour dispute with the league behind them ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement.

"I'm pleased to announce that NHLPA members voted today and ratified the new collective bargaingin agreement. If the board of governors do the same on Friday, the hockey world will soon be able to celebrate the return of NHL hockey", announced NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow at Thursday's news conference.

The union boss said 87 to 88 per cent of players who voted approved the new deal. "We're fully committed to the new deal and we anticipate great success for the game as we go forward."

"I have great confidence in our game, I have great confidence in the people associated with our game and most importantly I have great faith and confidence in our fans," said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

"We will come back strongly and I believe you will see that this agreement will have been a very effective and important catalyst in bringing us forward in ways we couldn't have without the right structure."

The action shifts to New York on Friday, when the league's board of governors has its say at a 1 pm et meeting. That will be followed by a 3 pm et news conference with Bettman outlining proposed rule changes and then the draft lottery live on TSN at 4 pm et/1 pm pt.

There were approximately 225 players were in Toronto Thursday for the vote, with the other 500 or so casting their ballots electronically.

"Everyone wants to play hockey, that's the bottom line," said Toronto defenceman Bryan McCabe. "Coming out of this a lot of damage has been done and both sides have to start repairing it."

"It's the best deal we're going to get now," said Ottawa Senators forward Mike Fisher. "There's no point sitting out any longer and hoping it would get better.

"There were some guys that were upset and disappointed about how this happened in terms of the (salary) cap, but that's going to happen with 700 players. A lot of other guys were happy with the deal and just happy that it's over and that we're playing hockey again. We were in a tough battle with owners who held all the cards."

The NHLPA meeting started Wednesday with players getting their first look at the document. Talks went well into the night, with players still milling about with each other well past 1 a.m. Thursday.

"It was healthy," said Kevyn Adams, Carolina's player representative. "I was excited to see guys ask questions. I didn't leave the room until 2 a.m. last night. There was great banter, a real good dialogue. People got their questions answered."

Added Tampa's Martin St. Louis: "It was nice to see the details of the real deal instead of just what we've been reading in the papers."

That included reducing salaries in existing contracts by 24 per cent.

"I don't like the rollback, no question," said Columbus player rep Todd Marchant, whose salary will be $2.47 million US next season instead of $3.25 million. "No one's happy about that but it's something we had to do."

Things got heated at times during the meeting Wednesday night. Veteran Toronto tough guy Tie Domi, for one, confronted Sean Avery of the Kings for being critical of the union leadership earlier this month. Domi was also angry with Detroit Red Wings goalie Manny Legace, who slammed the union negotiators last month.

"This deal is going to benefit guys like Sean Avery and Manny Legace - who wasn't here," Domi said before leaving Thursday. "It's easy to knock things, especially when things are getting settled, and that's the only thing I had an issue with.

"Speak your mind but don't do it when you haven't even played 100 games in the league. It just wasn't the time for any of those guys to speak up. If Manny Legace had some issues, where was he last night to speak about it? I give Sean Avery credit for being here.

"Manny Legace? I didn't know him, the only thing I knew about him was that he played 10 games when Dominik Hasek played 72 and they won a Stanley Cup. All of a sudden (Legace) is in the headlines for something he said."

There were also some tough questions for Goodenow but nothing got out of hand.

"To say it wasn't heated at times would be a misnomer but it was professional," said Marchant. "People asked questions and got answers."

Several players agreed that it was time to move on with the entire labour issue.

"People can look back and say `Why didn't we offer this in December?"' said McCabe. "But this probably wasn't available in December or even February. It is what it is and we have to move on.

"Will this deal get better down the road if we turn this down?" he asked. "We've burned a season so is it really worth burning a second one? You really have to wonder."





FINALLY!!! We are almost there!

[Ripcat]

NHL draft lottery primer

The lottery will be held Friday in New York and the draft will be held July 30 in Ottawa.

Edit: Just a reminder for those that missed page 1

[canucker]

GMs busy on eve of NHL draft


Draft Saturday morning at 9:00AM!!! Maybe the nucks will trade Ohlund and Federov for the second first round pick and ??, pick up Brule, and sign Neidermeyer who wants to play here.

[canucker]

2005 First Round Draft Tracker

1
PIT Sidney Crosby, C, Rimouski (QMJHL)
2
ANA Bobby Ryan, RW, Owen Sound (OHL)
3
CAR Jack Johnson, D, U.S. U-18
4
MIN Benoit Pouliot, LW, Sudbury (OHL)
5
MON Carey Price, G, Tri-City (WHL)
6
CBJ Gilbert Brule, C, Vancouver (WHL)
7
CHI Jack Skille, RW, U.S. U-18
8
SAN (1) Devin Setoguchi, RW, Saskatoon (WHL)
9
OTT Brian Lee, D, Moorhead HS, MN
10
VAN Luc Bourdon, D, Val-d'Or (QMJHL)
11
LOS Anze Kopitar, C, Sodertalje Jr. (Swe)
12
NYR (2) Marc Staal, D, Sudbury (OHL)
13
BUF Marek Zagrapan, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
14
WAS Sasha Pokulok, D, Cornell (ECAC)
15
NYI Ryan O'Marra, C, Erie (OHL)
16
ATL Alex Bourret, RW, Lewiston (QMJHL)
17
PHO Martin Hanzal, C, Budejovice Jr. (Cze)
18
NAS Ryan Parent, D, Guelph (OHL)
19
DET Jakub Kindl, D, Kitchener (OHL)
20
FLA (3) Kenndal McArdle, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL)
21
TOR Tuukka Rask, G, Ilves Jr. (Fin)
22
BOS Matt Lashoff, D, Kitchener (OHL)
23
NJD Nicklas Bergfors, W, Sodertalje Jr. (Swe)
24
STL T.J. Oshie, C, Warroad HS, MN
25
EDM Andrew Cogliano, C, St. Michael's (OPJHL)
26
CAL Matt Pelech, D, Sarnia (OHL)
27
WAS (4) Joe Finley, D, Sioux Falls (USHL)
28
DAL Matt Niskanen, D, Virginia HS, MN
29
PHI Steve Downie, RW, Windsor (OHL)
30
TAM Vladimir Mihalik, D, Presov II (Svk)

(1) San Jose traded picks 12, 49, 207 to Atlanta for pick 8.
(2) New York Rangers traded picks 16, 41 to Atlanta for pick 12.
(3) Florida traded pick 29 and a 2006 2nd rounder to Philadelphia for pick 20.
(4) Washington traded picks 47 and 52 to Colorado for pick 27.


Link to page and other rounds.