NHL open thread (lets go ahead & throw international hockey in here too)

[star seed 7]

game last night was tons of fun.  go sharks, ducks suck.

in pre-game they played a like 3 minute slow motion video of a shark ripping apart another fish, and it was set to "sail" and all i could think of was 33's sams video

[Diamond Dave]

Pics? I'm headed to the Honda Center shortly to see if we can steal one on the road. Ducks have been ridiculously tough at home though.

[star seed 7]

Pics? I'm headed to the Honda Center shortly to see if we can steal one on the road. Ducks have been ridiculously tough at home though.

What an ass whipping.

[Diamond Dave]

That was not my idea of a good time.

[Brock Landers]

Winter Classic is about to start guys! Love these games.

[star seed 7]

Winter Classic is about to start guys! Love these games.

is it snowing?  it was snowing yesterday during the practices.... i hope it snows 

[Brock Landers]

Winter Classic is about to start guys! Love these games.

is it snowing?  it was snowing yesterday during the practices.... i hope it snows 

Yes! They showed a crew sweeping a layer of snow off the ice right before player warmups began. Forecast is for snow to continue all game.

[nicname]

Hockey at the Big House in the snow.  Very cool.

[kso_FAN]

Hockey at the Big House in the snow.  Very cool.

Yeah, I kind of enjoy these outdoor hockey game things, especially when it snows. The only time I watch hockey (while channel turning between bowl games).

[star seed 7]

Been a really good game so far too. Hope we get a shootout.

[star seed 7]

 

[The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep]

pretty cool to watch on TV. if I were in the first like 30 rows at the game id be like wtf I cant see crap.

[Winters]

[joda]

Is this where we talk about the Olympic roster? Other than Stepan and Howard I'm pretty happy with the roster. Would've liked Bobby Ryan too but I can see why he was left off.

[MakeItRain]

Is this where we talk about the Olympic roster? Other than Stepan and Howard I'm pretty happy with the roster. Would've liked Bobby Ryan too but I can see why he was left off.

Keith Yandle was royally mumped. The highest scoring American defenseman the last 5 years. Brooks Orpik, wtf? The Penguins GM and head coach a part of the process and two penguins defenders were seleted who habe spent the better part of the winter hurt. Also eff Brian Burke

http://espn.go.com/olympics/hockey/story/_/id/10195703/how-us-hockey-team-bound-sochi-olympics-was-named

I sincerely hope the Americans lose and give up a ton of goals doing so, what a horrific way to compose a team. I will be cheering for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and team Sweeden.

[star seed 7]

Is this where we talk about the Olympic roster? Other than Stepan and Howard I'm pretty happy with the roster. Would've liked Bobby Ryan too but I can see why he was left off.

Keith Yandle was royally mumped. The highest scoring American defenseman the last 5 years. Brooks Orpik, wtf? The Penguins GM and head coach a part of the process and two penguins defenders were seleted who habe spent the better part of the winter hurt. Also eff Brian Burke

http://espn.go.com/olympics/hockey/story/_/id/10195703/how-us-hockey-team-bound-sochi-olympics-was-named

I sincerely hope the Americans lose and give up a ton of goals doing so, what a horrific way to compose a team. I will be cheering for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and team Sweeden.

such a mir post.

[The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep]

Is this where we talk about the Olympic roster? Other than Stepan and Howard I'm pretty happy with the roster. Would've liked Bobby Ryan too but I can see why he was left off.

Keith Yandle was royally mumped. The highest scoring American defenseman the last 5 years. Brooks Orpik, wtf? The Penguins GM and head coach a part of the process and two penguins defenders were seleted who habe spent the better part of the winter hurt. Also eff Brian Burke

http://espn.go.com/olympics/hockey/story/_/id/10195703/how-us-hockey-team-bound-sochi-olympics-was-named

I sincerely hope the Americans lose and give up a ton of goals doing so, what a horrific way to compose a team. I will be cheering for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and team Sweeden.

Jack Johnson was the biggest snub in my opinion. and yeah, the penguins thing is very wtf. ill still root for team USA.

[MakeItRain]

Is this where we talk about the Olympic roster? Other than Stepan and Howard I'm pretty happy with the roster. Would've liked Bobby Ryan too but I can see why he was left off.

Keith Yandle was royally mumped. The highest scoring American defenseman the last 5 years. Brooks Orpik, wtf? The Penguins GM and head coach a part of the process and two penguins defenders were seleted who habe spent the better part of the winter hurt. Also eff Brian Burke

http://espn.go.com/olympics/hockey/story/_/id/10195703/how-us-hockey-team-bound-sochi-olympics-was-named

I sincerely hope the Americans lose and give up a ton of goals doing so, what a horrific way to compose a team. I will be cheering for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and team Sweeden.

Jack Johnson was the biggest snub in my opinion. and yeah, the penguins thing is very wtf. ill still root for team USA.

Jack Johnson only has 11 points and a +/- of -12. If they were looking for stay home defensemen they could do and did better than Jack Johnson. Keith Yandle is without a doubt the best American scoring defender. We don't have the most skilled forwards one would guess they would pick the most skilled defenseman available.

[MakeItRain]

Grats to Suomi for having the best hockey sweaters and for winning the world juniors gold. What a game! They played stand up for the champions when Finland got their medals

[joda]

Is this where we talk about the Olympic roster? Other than Stepan and Howard I'm pretty happy with the roster. Would've liked Bobby Ryan too but I can see why he was left off.

Keith Yandle was royally mumped. The highest scoring American defenseman the last 5 years. Brooks Orpik, wtf? The Penguins GM and head coach a part of the process and two penguins defenders were seleted who habe spent the better part of the winter hurt. Also eff Brian Burke

http://espn.go.com/olympics/hockey/story/_/id/10195703/how-us-hockey-team-bound-sochi-olympics-was-named

I sincerely hope the Americans lose and give up a ton of goals doing so, what a horrific way to compose a team. I will be cheering for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and team Sweeden.

Jack Johnson was the biggest snub in my opinion. and yeah, the penguins thing is very wtf. ill still root for team USA.

Jack Johnson only has 11 points and a +/- of -12. If they were looking for stay home defensemen they could do and did better than Jack Johnson. Keith Yandle is without a doubt the best American scoring defender. We don't have the most skilled forwards one would guess they would pick the most skilled defenseman available.

I'm assuming you're implying most skilled offensively because Yandle's actual defense is pretty weak. I still would have put him on the team if I was choosing, but for all around skill most if the others they choose are better. If they where going to try and build a team that could just out score everyone Yandle and Ryan are must haves. But it's pretty evident that the committee believed (and I agree) that the current group of American players can't hang with Canada and most of the top European teams in a shoot out style. They needed to build a team that can control the puck and grind out low scoring wins. Just like with Ryan I would like Yandle on the team, but neither really meshes with that style of play and I understand why they where left off. My hope would be if (when) Martin or Orpik is ruled out with an injury Yandle is next up, but my gut says it will be Johnson.

[MakeItRain]

Yes, obviously I meant skilled with the puck, but I do take exception to him being weak defensively. He's an average defender that doesn't get credit for even that because of his offensive skill and creativity. I do agree that they will call Johnson up if necessary, he was after all the last cut. However, I think both of the Pittsburgh defensemen will play considering they still have over a month.

My biggest problem with excluding Ryan & Yandle is that they spewed some bs about needing playmakers. All of this being said we've yet to discuss their worst decision and it was including Jimmy Howard. He has been absolutely horrific,  Ben Bishop and a dozen other guys should be furious.

Cheering for Sweden is easy for me, I spend the entire season cheering for OEL so why would I stop now? I have no rooting ties to team USA, fact is there are a lot of players on that roster I don't like. I'd cheer for Canada if Shane Doan didn't get rocky mountain spotted fever. I'm pretty sure they will pick Mike Smith but I'm equally sure he won't play.

[star seed 7]

USA 1 (pavelski and murica )
Canada 2 (couture marleau vlasic  )
Finland 3 (niemi  )

[joda]

Yes, obviously I meant skilled with the puck, but I do take exception to him being weak defensively. He's an average defender that doesn't get credit for even that because of his offensive skill and creativity. I do agree that they will call Johnson up if necessary, he was after all the last cut. However, I think both of the Pittsburgh defensemen will play considering they still have over a month.

My biggest problem with excluding Ryan & Yandle is that they spewed some bs about needing playmakers. All of this being said we've yet to discuss their worst decision and it was including Jimmy Howard. He has been absolutely horrific,  Ben Bishop and a dozen other guys should be furious.

Cheering for Sweden is easy for me, I spend the entire season cheering for OEL so why would I stop now? I have no rooting ties to team USA, fact is there are a lot of players on that roster I don't like. I'd cheer for Canada if Shane Doan didn't get rocky mountain spotted fever. I'm pretty sure they will pick Mike Smith but I'm equally sure he won't play.

He's average defensively for all of hockey, but when discussing elite, Olympic caliber hockey he's bad. I would be extremely scared to see him have to play regular defensive shifts against Canada or Russia.

I also wouldn't say not including Ryan shows they weren't looking for playmakers. He's a quality finisher but I'll take most of the guys that made roster if I want a play made.

Completely agree on Howard. I really hope he doesn't have play.

I've got a big rooting interest in team USA with Backes, Oshie, and Shattenkirk all making it but there's a pretty good chance there could be 5+ more Blues in the Olympics. Pietrangelo, Bouwmeester, Steen, Berglung, Sobotka, Polak, Halak, and Tarasenko are all possibilities so I'm going to have someone to cheer for about every game of the tournament.

[Dub]

Going to my first NHL game next month, 5th row!     What's initiation protocol?  Kill a beer and slug the guy sitting next to you?

[star seed 7]

Going to my first NHL game next month, 5th row!     What's initiation protocol?  Kill a beer and slug the guy sitting next to you?

It's not the NFL