Official 2009/2010 Canucks Thread

[Wongtouski]

Originally Posted by Ronin

I don't think Ovie's suspension is justified. He went hard. Penalty maybe...but not a suspension.

Personally, I think suspensions should be given out on the basis of intent to injure rather than the result of hits. The Downie thing is only not a suspension because Crosby isn't injured.

I sorta agree with you here.

The main thing is that NHL just needs to sort out the physical stuff now. There's way too much ambiguity in terms of penalties and suspensions. Just get all the GMs (or relevant reps from each team or just hockey experts) to come together and basically rewrite the rule book pertaining to the physical parts of the game. They just have to sort it out for the new NHL (one where guys can skate full speed without being touched/hooked....)

[quasi]

Originally Posted by Ronin

I don't think Ovie's suspension is justified. He went hard. Penalty maybe...but not a suspension.

Personally, I think suspensions should be given out on the basis of intent to injure rather than the result of hits. The Downie thing is only not a suspension because Crosby isn't injured.

I don't know, if you play on the edge that's the risk you run IMO. The risk I'm talking about is getting suspended for questionable hits, kids are taught from the very beginning not to push/hit other players in the back which is why there is a stop sign on the back of every kids jersey. Just because a player is a bull in a china shop and may not have the intent you still have to be held accountable for your actions. If I got in a fist fight with someone and they died by some flukey punch I'd go to jail for manslaughter the results have to be weighed regardless of intent.

[fliptuner]

Originally Posted by Ronin

Personally, I think suspensions should be given out on the basis of intent to injure rather than the result of hits. The Downie thing is only not a suspension because Crosby isn't injured.

You're saying suspensions should be given on attempt to injure, followed by they're not suspendable if the player doesn't subsequently get injured. So essentially, a player must show an attempt to injure AND the player has to be injured? It can't be that way.

That Downie "hit" could've easily resulted in serious knee injury and wasn't even really a hit to begin with - the intent to injure was definately there. IMO suspendable.

Ovie's hit was hard and a little wreckless but the intent to injure wasn't there. Because it resulted in an injury, IMO 5 minutes and a misconduct, maybe a fine too.

Cooke should've got 5 games, automatic. Intent, injury, history, blindside.

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by fliptuner

So essentially, a player must show an attempt to injure AND the player has to be injured? It can't be that way.

You need to read better. That's not what I said.

[fliptuner]

Maybe I just misinterpreted what you wrote. If that's not what you meant, my bad.

Either way, the guys handing out the obviously dirty hits are getting off and Ovie's hit (which can be looked at as just a hard hit, a bit reckless, but resulting in injury) gets a suspension, doesn't seem right.

I don't know what they're going to come up with as far as future calls go. Even all the players, coachs and analysts have views on opposing ends of the spectrum.

[7seven]

Jagr to return to NHL next season?

Czech star Jaromir Jagr will not renew the contract with Omsk Avangard. After the defeat of his incompetent team in the 1 / 8 Cup Gagarin, 38-year-old striker has decided to leave Siberia.

- Jagr is very upset flight teams from the playoffs - a source told Life Sports. - After that he finally decided to leave the "Vanguard". Jaromir wants to play a year or two in the NHL, yet he still has offers from there.

http://www.lifesports.ru/news/17009

[7seven]

I don't think Ovechkin intended to hurt Campbell or is a dirty player. The way Ovechkin plays, he just goes full bore and plays hard all the time that sometimes he gets too caught up in it. He's also so much stronger than most realize, he weighs in at close to 230lbs and with the speed he moves at and his physical style, unfortunately, people will get hurt.

IMO, I don't think Ovie goes out intentionally to hurt people like Downie or Cooke does.

AV on Ovie

Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault said he didn't think Ovechkin should have been suspended.

"It's just one player being stronger than the other," Vigneault said. "If there's no injury there's probably no suspension."

Beauchemin on Ovie

"I wouldn't say (he's) dirty, he just plays the game hard," said Maple Leafs defenceman Francois Beauchemin. "It's too bad that it happened but what's bothering me is there's nothing Campbell could have done to protect himself at all."

Foligno on Ovie

"I think he just plays the game on the edge, and plays a pretty physical style of game for the type of player he is," added Sens forward Nick Foligno. "And I think he sometimes maybe gets caught up in the moment and does things that maybe he shouldn't do, but you know what? It's not surprising anyone. He works hard, he hits hard, he plays the game on the edge and sometimes when you do that you cross it and we've seen that a few times."

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=314246

Cory Stillman on Ovie

"You know what, he plays hard," Stillman said, when asked if Ovechkin's style is different this season. "Has it changed? Maybe as players you think he gets away with a little bit more. You know, he has stuck his knee out on Tim Gleason, and they've been easy on him. On one side he plays hard, he takes hits, and on [the other] side a lot of guys would love to run him over, it's just it's hard to do. He's so strong, he's so fast, and if someone gets a chance they're gonna run at him too, but he usually has his head up on that...."

"He's trying to be the difference in the game, he wants to be the star, and he's gonna do whatever he can, whether it's hitting or scoring. You look at his stats, you look at his hits, his shots, everything, he's doing that."

I asked what Stillman meant by saying Ovechkin gets away with more.

"Sometimes it seems like he runs, you know?" Stillman said. "But he's a big guy, he's moving all the time and he plays the same way night in night out. Obviously sometimes you want to question, you question a lot of hits on guys, with the Gleason [hit and] incidents like that. He doesn't mean to do it, it's just his reaction. He plays hard. You know what, he's coming out and he is the star of the game.

He plays hard, and if you have a young kid growing up who wants to be a hockey player, you want him to be Alex Ovechkin: you know, compete, hit, skate. Besides the North American style of fighting, which he doesn't have to do, he's the whole package. He does it."

I asked if he'd want his son to play like Ovechkin.

"Yeah, you do," Stillman said. "He scores goals, he makes plays, he's exciting to watch, he's got a smile on his face, he's excited when his teammates score, and that's being the whole package of a hockey player."

And I asked if he'd like to see Ovechkin take some of the questionable hits out of his game.

"You know what, you cut that out of the game, it changes his game," Stillman said. "You tell a guy who's a checker not to run around, not to hit, they're not gonna be in the league long. If you tell him he can't do that, does he score? Is he as intense? Maybe he's not. He's got one game, and if you check the 61 games, he plays the same way every night."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcs..._ovechkin.html

[TRD Rs200]

hopefully Detroit will kick chicago's ass in the playoffs again

[AzNightmare]

Playing on an edge and aggressive hitting is one thing. Pushing a guy from behind into the boards is another thing. It doesn't matter if Ovie was the bigger player. Those kinds of hits from behind shouldn't be happening at all.

Ovie's suspension is questionable when compared to all the other "more lethal" incidents that have been occuring lately. But if Downie and Cooke were (and should have been) suspended (like they were supposed to)... I would have no problem calling this a dangerous hit as well that deserved the suspension. Even if there was no intent, the potential is always there. Maybe in a way, it might even protect Ovie and players alike from feeling like crap after he seriously injures someone by accident. Although since the other two incidents had no suspension, I don't understand why Ovie's hit was taken so seriously.

All I want is consistency throughout the league, and that's for dangerous hits to lead to suspensions. Period. Regardless who are the players involved, and the outcome (injury or not). Hitting from behind should always be a "no no", and it shouldn't be part of a player's reaction, even in the heat of a game.

Repeat offenders should face hard consequences, and it's pretty easy to tell intent of injure vs accidental. Elbow to heads, knee on knee, stupid slew "kneeing" (Downie move), etc. are obvious intent of injure actions in my opinon.

[mickz]

Originally Posted by 7seven

Jagr to return to NHL next season?



http://www.lifesports.ru/news/17009

Wonder if Jagr actually has what it takes to make it back to the NHL. He's near the end of his career and was practically invisible during the Olympics. Personally I think he's just going to get buried in the AHL at best if he returns to North America.

[invader]

I want to see Ovie destroy Jagr in the NHL

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by invader

I want to see Ovie destroy Jagr in the NHL

Did you not see his hit on Jagr in the Olympics? Can't have a bigger stage than that...

[raygunpk]

Originally Posted by mickz

Wonder if Jagr actually has what it takes to make it back to the NHL. He's near the end of his career and was practically invisible during the Olympics. Personally I think he's just going to get buried in the AHL at best if he returns to North America.

he still has the strength down low and is still incredibly hard to check. he'd be a solid player if he decides to sign somewhere, and it won't be with a team that he has no chance of cracking the top 6.

[Harvey Specter]

I wonder if the Oilers will try to land Jagr.

[raygunpk]

he needs to go to pitts and relive the DREAM

[Hondaracer]

Who the fuck with any sort of choice would go to Edmonton?

Straight up the way the NHL is right now I doubt Edmonton will ever win a cup again because what is their draw?

They will have to continue to overpay to get/keep players and in a salary cap world that just doesn't work
Posted via RS Mobile

[MR_BIGGS]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Who the fuck with any sort of choice would go to Edmonton?

Straight up the way the NHL is right now I doubt Edmonton will ever win a cup again because what is their draw?

They will have to continue to overpay to get/keep players and in a salary cap world that just doesn't work
Posted via RS Mobile

Jaromir Jagr says Edmonton would be his first choice for return to NHL

2009-04-30 19:40:00
KLOTEN, Switzerland - Jaromir Jagr can see himself in an Edmonton Oilers jersey someday.

While the 37-year-old plans to play out the final year of his contract with Avangard Omsk of the Continental Hockey League next season, he hasn't ruled out a return to the NHL in the future.

And if he does decide to go back to North America, he'd love to play for the team that offered him a free-agent contract last summer and made inquiries about his services during the season.

"I was pretty excited when I heard that Edmonton pushed pretty hard for me to get (there)," Jagr said Thursday at the IIHF World Hockey Championship. "I really appreciate it.

"If I ever go to (the NHL), they would be my No. 1 pick because they showed the interest first. I never forget that and I respect that. They would be my first pick."

When Jagr was last seen in the NHL, he was 15 pounds heavier and carrying around the burden that comes with being among the top players in the league year after year.

Some time away in Russia seems to have served him well.

Jagr signed a lucrative deal with Omsk after the New York Rangers let him walk away last summer and no other NHL team stepped up with more than a one-year contract offer. At that time, he was eager to shed some of the weight brought on by high expectations.

"Day-by-day it's so much pressure," said Jagr. "I don't know how to describe it. If I would be on the third or fourth line, I would probably be in the NHL because you don't have to produce every night.

"After a while, you just need a rest. You know, clear your head."

It was something he first got to experience while splitting his time between the Czech and Russian leagues during the NHL lockout in 2004-05.

He had 54 goals and 123 points the following season for the Rangers.

"I think when I came back I was playing the best hockey in awhile," said Jagr. "I almost won the MVP, I finished second, even the scoring (title). Mentally, it's tough in the NHL - you have to produce on a high level and everybody expects you to because you make a lot of money.

"I never minded it, I always wanted to be that guy. But it's not easy to play in the NHL for 82 games plus playoffs in such pressure."

Jagr was almost a point-per-game player for Omsk this season, finishing with 25 goals and 53 points in 55 games. He's also been the top Czech player at the world championship even though he's more than three years older than any of his teammates.

All and all, he doesn't look or sound like a guy that is ready to pack it in.

"I love the game, this is no problem," said Jagr. "I work harder than I ever did in my life, this is no problem."

After facing Canada at the world championship on Thursday night, Jagr crossed paths with Steve Yzerman in the bowels of Kloten Arena. Yzerman shook his hand and told him he looked good.

It's something the guys who shared the ice with him thought too.

"He's still a great player," said Canadian defenceman Chris Phillips.

Jagr was coy when asked about the possibility of representing his country at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, but he's said before that he'd like to be there. With goalie Dominik Hasek planning a comeback in the Czech Republic next season, they could make a quite a duo next February.

Barring a change to his current contract status, Jagr wouldn't be eligible to return to the NHL before the 2010-11 season.

He won five scoring titles and a Hart Trophy during an NHL career that saw him amass 1,599 career points. Jagr was also a three-time winner of the Lester B. Pearson Trophy as league MVP according to the players.

The most memorable experiences of his career were the two Stanley Cups he won in Pittsburgh.

Jagr wore one of his championship rings while speaking to a group of reporters on Thursday night.

"I've still got it for luck," he said of the ring.

It sounds like one of the few things that could keep him from trying to make a return to the NHL is an injury.

"I'll be ready if I stay healthy," said Jagr. "I've got no problem with it because I'm practising a lot harder than I ever did in my life."

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The way the Oilers are going now though, not like much was different when this article was written, they would not go after him. They need to rebuild and suck for some years...do it the Hawks, Pens way.

[Harvey Specter]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Who the fuck with any sort of choice would go to Edmonton?

Straight up the way the NHL is right now I doubt Edmonton will ever win a cup again because what is their draw?

They will have to continue to overpay to get/keep players and in a salary cap world that just doesn't work
Posted via RS Mobile

Well Jagr did confirm the rumors about coming to Edm last year but I agree, only way for the Oil to land big names is to overpay them.

[Greenstoner]

Here we go boys !!!
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[dL]

Not a good start.

dL

[keitaro]

What was the ceremony that the Canucks held before game time? I caught just a few seconds before the singing of the national anthems.

[spoon.ek9]

damn i hope this isn't a goal

[spoon.ek9]

sweet, no goal!

[dL]

GG. Yay 1st career goal. We love giving those.

dL

[spoon.ek9]

shit 0-1