Author Topic: NHL open thread (lets go ahead & throw international hockey in here too) (Read 178479 times)

Shacks · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2013, 04:53:17 PM »

Finally, would've sucked only having basketball after football and before baseball

TheHamburglar · « **Reply #2 on:** January 06, 2013, 11:09:35 PM »

I always enjoy taking weekend trips to Dallas that include a Stars game. I'm going to try to follow them closer this year. For some reason I've never been able to make them "my team", but I'm going to try this year. I say that every year, but end up rooting for some Canadian team like the Oilers or Canucks in the playoffs. Their fans/crowds always suck me in.

bones129 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2013, 11:14:44 PM »

Quote from: Shacks on January 06, 2013, 04:53:17 PM

Finally, would've sucked only having basketball after football and before baseball

You obviously are not a fan of NASCAR or the PGA, or don't consider either to be sports. NASCAR starts in February, PGA starts in January. Of course, opinions vary on the status of NASCAR, at least. Me? I'm OK with it.

SliceOfLime · « **Reply #4 on:** January 06, 2013, 11:18:33 PM »

I finally think the Avalanche can make it this year since they finally can't go on a slide at the end of the season!

ben ji · « **Reply #5 on:** January 06, 2013, 11:30:09 PM »

I feel like hockey is a sport I could really get into.

I dont have any idea whats going on but when I stumble upon a game while channel surfing I'll watch it for a while. The main thing that confuses me is the 2 blue lines and "Icing" if someone can explain that to me I would greatly appreciate it.

Also I am looking for a team to start rooting for. I'm leaning towards the penguins due to having NHL Faceoff 96 and powning my little bro with Lemuix and jagr...also they have sidney crosby who is apparently really good when he is not spaghetti brained.

Would like suggestions though

SliceOfLime · « **Reply #6 on:** January 06, 2013, 11:52:10 PM »

Quote from: ben ji on January 06, 2013, 11:30:09 PM

I feel like hockey is a sport I could really get into.

I dont have any idea whats going on but when I stumble upon a game while channel surfing I'll watch it for a while. The main thing that confuses me is the 2 blue lines and "Icing" if someone can explain that to me I would greatly appreciate it.

Also I am looking for a team to start rooting for. I'm leaning towards the penguins due to having NHL Faceoff 96 and powning my little bro with Lemuix and jagr...also they have sidney crosby who is apparently really good when he is not spaghetti brained.

Would like suggestions though

blue lines are for offsides. The puck has to cross the blue line before any player on the offensive team can. that's the funtion of the blue line at its basic. watching hockey will get you more familiar with the importance of it.

Icing: A player can't shoot the puck to the other side if he is behind the center line (a picture would really help describing this). but if the puck is shot from beyond the center line over the goal line, it is considered icing. the icing can be called off if the team on offense touches it before the defending team.

being from denver i grew up with hockey (Go Avs) and played for 8 years. I tried to explain it as best i could. Let me know if this is confsing

MooseTheDog · « **Reply #7 on:** January 06, 2013, 11:53:44 PM »

IMHO 50 games a season is STILL too many in any sport. 38 (EPL) is the maximum amount to keep fans truly invested in every game. NBA, NHL, and MLB should all shorten their respective seasons to gain more ratings, popularity and respect. It would work for me.

bones129 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2013, 12:00:51 AM »

I like the fights. Gloves off. Nothing like a few high sticks, also.

SliceOfLime · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2013, 12:05:03 AM »

MTD told me it sucked IRL here's part two of icing.

Team A is playing Team B. the puck is on the side of Team B. If team B shoots the puck down to the side of Team A past the goal line it is considered icing. If team A touches the puck before team B the icing is called. If team B touches it first the icing is not called.

MooseTheDog · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2013, 12:13:56 AM »

Better SOL. However would still prefer to block all of your posts (help me out mods)

DQ12 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 07, 2013, 12:17:52 AM »

Oh man, IT'S ON.

I was really afraid I wasn't going to be able to sport my new Alfredsson jersey this season.

scottwildcat · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2013, 12:20:44 AM »

Not a huge hockey fan, also know the least about said ice sport than any other sport. Please explain it beyond scoring the puck fighting and power plays. Also who should I cheer for? Please exclude any Canadian teams! Tia! GO HOCKEY!!!?!

MakeItRain · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2013, 12:51:08 AM »

Quote from: TheHamburglar on January 06, 2013, 11:09:35 PM

I always enjoy taking weekend trips to Dallas that include a Stars game. I'm going to try to follow them closer this year. For some reason I've never been able to make them "my team", but I'm going to try this year. I say that every year, but end up rooting for some Canadian team like the Oilers or Canucks in the playoffs. Their fans/crowds always suck me in.

The Stars are going to blow this season, not saying that with any animus at all, their roster is old and trash.

MakeItRain · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2013, 01:16:10 AM »

1. If you want to get into hockey but dont understand the rules I'd advise either downloading the NHL '13 free demo and play it or buy a cheap used copy of an older version. There are about 4 rules.

2. I find it odd that people are taking suggestions on what their favorite team should be. Is that how it works in other sports too? I'd suggest just watching some games impartially and then pick, whether you like the jerseys, city, goal horn, star player, whatever, just pick & go.

My team is the Coyotes. I liked them when they played in Winnipeg because they had the playoff white out, they invented it in the 70s with a juniors team there and it used to be fresh. They also had good young players I liked. They weren't my favorite though, Vancouver was until I went to Phoenix the first year they relocated to see Vancouver play Phoenix. Vancouver won but Phoenix became my favorite team.

Whomever mentioned Pittsburgh, don't pick them. Sure they have talent and have the best alternate jerseys in the game

But Sidney Crosby is an unsufferable crybaby

ben ji · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2013, 08:30:09 AM »

Quote from: MakeItRain on January 07, 2013, 01:16:10 AM

1. If you want to get into hockey but dont understand the rules I'd advise either downloading the NHL '13 free demo and play it or buy a cheap used copy of an older version. There are about 4 rules.
2. I find it odd that people are taking suggestions on what their favorite team should be. Is that how it works in other sports too? I'd suggest just watching some games impartially and then pick, whether you like the jerseys, city, goal horn, star player, whatever, just pick & go.

My team is the Coyotes. I liked them when they played in Winnipeg because they had the playoff white out, they invented it in the 70s with a juniors team there and it used to be fresh. They also had good young players I liked. They weren't my favorite though, Vancouver was until I went to Phoenix the first year they relocated to see Vancouver play Phoenix. Vancouver won but Phoenix became my favorite team.

Whomever mentioned Pittsburgh, don't pick them. Sure they have talent and have the best alternate jerseys in the game

But Sidney Crosby is an unsufferable crybaby

Already a step ahead, I picked up NHL 2012 for $10 at best buy the other day, played a couple games online but would get frustrated with random icing and offsides calls. Now that Slice of Lime has broke it down for me I should be good.

When I play online I usually play with the Canucks because they have the best goalie rating. Are they a good team to pull for or would I be shunned if I told an american hockey fan my favorite team resided in Canada?

3maw · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2013, 10:12:11 AM »

does the NHL coming back hurt the image of the Frozen Four??

but really, i was worried i'd have to settle for some pud denver team versus some elite new england team in the natty champ.

if the nucks can't win the west then IDGAF about the NHL anymore.

8manpick · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2013, 12:46:01 PM »

I'm a big Oilers fan because I used them for my franchise back in NHL 2000 and then ran it back last year using them for NHL '12. Pretty sure I originally chose them because of the Houston Oilers.

DQ12 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2013, 01:00:17 PM »

i think Americans having a canadian team (NOT THE CANUCKS) be their favorite team is hilarious.

8manpick · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2013, 01:07:22 PM »

Quote from: Dlew12 on January 07, 2013, 01:00:17 PM

i think Americans having a canadian team (NOT THE CANUCKS) be their favorite team is hilarious.

I'm not very patriotic. I think you know this.

SliceOfLime · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2013, 01:29:42 PM »

Quote from: 3maw on January 07, 2013, 10:12:11 AM

does the NHL coming back hurt the image of the Frozen Four??

but really, i was worried i'd have to settle for some pud denver team versus some elite new england team in the natty champ.

if the nucks can't win the west then IDGAF about the NHL anymore.

Reason to like the Avalanche over the Canucks.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kFVvLQU_cMo

EllRobersonisInnocent · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2013, 02:17:24 PM »

I enjoy these guys

Shacks · « **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2013, 02:46:07 PM »

Quote from: ben ji on January 07, 2013, 08:30:09 AM

Quote from: MakeItRain on January 07, 2013, 01:16:10 AM
1. If you want to get into hockey but dont understand the rules I'd advise either downloading the NHL '13 free demo and play it or buy a cheap used copy of an older version. There are about 4 rules.
2. I find it odd that people are taking suggestions on what their favorite team should be. Is that how it works in other sports too? I'd suggest just watching some games impartially and then pick, whether you like the jerseys, city, goal horn, star player, whatever, just pick & go.

My team is the Coyotes. I liked them when they played in Winnipeg because they had the playoff white out, they invented it in the 70s with a juniors team there and it used to be fresh. They also had good young players I liked. They weren't my favorite though, Vancouver was until I went to Phoenix the first year they relocated to see Vancouver play Phoenix. Vancouver won but Phoenix became my favorite team.

Whomever mentioned Pittsburgh, don't pick them. Sure they have talent and have the best alternate jerseys in the game

But Sidney Crosby is an unsufferable crybaby

Already a step ahead, I picked up NHL 2012 for $10 at best buy the other day, played a couple games online but would get frustrated with random icing and offsides calls. Now that Slice of Lime has broke it down for me I should be good.

When I play online I usually play with the Canucks because they have the best goalie rating. Are they a good team to pull for or would I be shunned if I told an american hockey fan my favorite team resided in Canada?

It would be weird to be an American whose favorite team is a Canadian team. The Canucks always have the best goalie rating in NHL games because their goalie (Roberto Luongo) is criminally overrated by EA, plus their backup is pretty good for a backup too. You could try picking a favorite player and then adopt his team.

If you're playing online, play with whoever. I stick with my team (Anaheim Ducks) but they weren't very good in NHL 12 (refused to buy 13 because of the lockout). Whenever I buy another NHL game, I'm going to strictly do online games with one of the top three teams in the game. I win about 80% of my online versus games and once you get ranked high enough, everyone uses the same handful of elite teams. I almost cracked the top 100 leaderboards with a bad team, I know I could do it with a good team. I hate losing because my goaltender isn't as good as theirs, has nothing to do with skill.

MakeItRain · « **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2013, 06:30:33 PM »

The Canucks have overtaken the Red Wings as the most hated team in the league. I mean you are only hated if you win so there's that. The Canucks are so hated that other Canadian hockey fans cheered for Boston in the Stanley Cup.

As for their goalie rating, its going to take a big hit when NHL '13 does a roster update around the 19th. Luongo is likely to be traded. The backup Cory Schneider is an American goalie & I think he's better than Luongo.

MakeItRain · « **Reply #24 on:** January 07, 2013, 06:35:51 PM »

Another thing to lookout for is the 2013 draft this summer. The likely #1 pick is Seth Jones, he's a defenseman & the son of fromer NBA power forward Popeye Jones.

Our Junior national team led by Jones just won the World Championships.