Mikko's 2008 Running MN WILD Thread

Avs can't catch a break. Forsberg is back. Hannan is back and Ryan Smyth is out.

Despite that, despite my excitement, I wouldn't be shocked if the Avs win tonight.

I dub thee unforgivenTHE NIGHT OF 3s!!!! 3-0s all around tonight.

Awesome.

 I know its sorta blasphemy around here, but I've really enjoyed watching the Stars so far this playoff season.  I've found myself rooting for that team every time I've turned on a game.  The youngster, Niskanen, from UMD is pretty impressive for a rookie and Modano is playing like he's 28 again.

 Stars do look like the team that can take down the mighty Wings.

To that point.  I can't stand either of them (no loss, because I have no love for either of their current Western Conf. opponents).

Go Pens!!!

Not trying to look ahead too far (but how can one help it?). I think a Dallas/Wings conf. final would be fun to watch. All things being equal, I think that would be a better series than the cup finals in terms of physical hockey with flashes of scoring. I'd like to see a wings/pens final. That would keep this thread alive into June.

Avery is out for the Rangers. Dude had a heart attack or something. Any chance of NY getting it done is gone. Course, I sorta wrote em off after the last game.

Note to casual fans:

Don't base your picks on what Barry Melrose says. I love seeing him be wrong. Guys a choad.

The NHL brain trust can't really lose in the East. Pens, Rangers, Montreal all wet dreams from a marketing stand point.

Worst case scenario would be a Sharks or Stars/Flyers finals. Bettman would probably consider just not even having the finals

Out of the West it pretty much has to be Detroit, although I agree that at this point the Detroit/Dallas matchup would probably be the most fun.

 Sorry. Avery had a ruptured spleen. Out for the remainder of playoffs (2 more days for them).

 (still can't edit posts. that's too bad. guess I bump up my post count a bit)

This just reported from XM...Thursday could be Jagr's last game in the NHL. A Czech team is already reporting that he will play for them next year.

Also, and this one goes out to Jer:

Maxin Talbot may have a broken foot. That could move Jeff Taffe up a roster spot. I don't know if he has seen any action this playoff season but he could see more (since Roberts will need rest if he's gonna play more).

riddleywalker:

The NHL brain trust can't really lose in the East. Pens, Rangers, Montreal all wet dreams from a marketing stand point.

Well the NY Rangers are done. 

I love the Pens... but would even love it more to see the Habs take it all to rebalance the years of Dallas, Anaheim, and Carolina Cup wins we've seen in recent years.

I don't think Montreal can do it... but I'd be sweet.

word on the street is that Forsberg won't be available for tonight's game.

Jesus. Avs just need to be put out of their misery.

Let's just get the Pens and Wings rested for the next round tonight.

 Wow.  did Chelios make him call Sweden crying to mommy after game one, or what?  What a quitter.....

Remember when Yzerman skated through the entire cup run of 2002 on one leg?  If he ever got knocked down, he had to pry himself up with this stick and one leg.

Can we safely and finally say that for a worldclass superstar, this guy is soft?

J_Taffe:

Remember when Yzerman skated through the entire cup run of 2002 on one leg?  If he ever got knocked down, he had to pry himself up with this stick and one leg.

That was the year Pronger took a run/hip check at Yzerman and ended up tearing his own knee to hell.

Forsberg has always been known as a softy. There's no love lost here. He should have stayed back in the homeland, joined MODO again.

Less than 1000 points and an average injury-plauged career marked with 1 Hart trophy.

EDIT: Not sayin the guy was horrible. Was best euro player for a spell. I'm just sayin that his legacy will include his injuries as well as his successes.

I miss Stevie Y.  World class all the way.

Top 3 favorite all time.

 A friend of mine surprised me with an Yzerman autographed Red Wings puck a couple years ago.  He gave me the choice of Chelios or Yzerman.  Yeah, a Badger?  naw. 

J_Taffe:

 A friend of mine surprised me with an Yzerman autographed Red Wings puck a couple years ago.  He gave me the choice of Chelios or Yzerman.  Yeah, a Badger?  naw. 

Even without your Badger disdain, how could somebody in their right mind choose a Chelios puck over an Yzerman?! haha.

<----Own's a Chelios Blackhawk jersey

What's the deal with Chelios not wearing 7 anymore?

I can't remember anybody on the wings having 7 when he got there. I know he wore 24 when he entered league with Montreal. Did he wear 24 at Wisconsin too?

A blackhawks chelios is ok. At least it's not a Roenick or Belfour jersey. Would be cooler/more obscure if it was a Hasek jersey. Seems everybody I see with a blackhawks jersey has Probert on the back.

daryllh:

What's the deal with Chelios not wearing 7 anymore?

 

I can't remember anybody on the wings having 7 when he got there. I know he wore 24 when he entered league with Montreal. Did he wear 24 at Wisconsin too?

A blackhawks chelios is ok. At least it's not a Roenick or Belfour jersey. Would be cooler/more obscure if it was a Hasek jersey. Seems everybody I see with a blackhawks jersey has Probert on the back.

You'd catch me in a Belfour jersey around the same time as me buying an E.Lindros sweater.

Actually, it would be pretty funny to get a Lindros Nordiques jersey.

Mr. F****n' Hockey:

Actually, it would be pretty funny to get a Lindros Nordiques jersey.

yeah, but it would have to be something from way back then.

tight fitting, light, yellowish hue under the pits. And, you would have to tuck it in.

(aware of the Avs' troubles)

Another Mule hat trick. Unreal.

Wholesome. That's all I can say.

 Nice showing by the DEEP Northwest Division.

daryllh:

Picking games is hard. I'm still gonna do it though. Who knows, I might get lucky and have some prognosticating bragging rights for the month. lol 

MTL/PHI: Flyers: They's tuff. They can score. They's clicking at the right time too. It just seems like they are going to push MTL around. I'd love to see MTL go a step further though. Flyers in 5 * Right down the pipe

 

PIT/NYR:  The thing that gets me about the east is that they have some of the coolest matchups in regards to players. This will be another fun series to watch. Rangers are sure to pull some defensive brainfarts off in this one. One things for sure, it's gonna be a series that has scoring in bunches. (expect 1 team to score like 3 goals in the last period of a game. hell, 3 goals in the last 5 mins). Pens in 6 * I thought Rangers would come up bigger. With Avery out, the writing was on the wall. Shanny played well. Jagr came up huge as captain. Young versus old.

DET/COL: 8 years ago, this would have been a bitchin' series. Today, not so much. Yeah, Theodore scares me a bit but Detroit owned the series this year. Forsberg will be a factor early but I think he'll get smothered. Sakic will be one to watch.  Kronwall is coming up huge in the playoffs for Detroit. I think Detroits D will keep the lanes open for Osgood who will prove he's got something left.  Wings in 5 * If Avs were healthy, I would have expected to be on the money with my prediction (maybe even 4-2 Detroit). Attrition is a horrible thing in the NHL playoffs.

SJ/DAL: Things that make you go hmmmmm. Roenick scores 2. Let the Sharks ride his back into the finals. That's fine. Turco won't flake out til the next series. I expect this to be a bunch of tight games. Stars in 6 * I was expecting Sharks to come out stronger and Stars having to come up big at the end of the series. Not the case. Last game was a mind melter. Turco hasn't answered too many of my questions (afterall, it was the fricken Sharks). I expect him to be tougher than in the past.

4/4 on series. 2/4 on games.

CONFERENCE FINALS:

Phil/Pitt

Best thing about the Conf. Finals is being intrigued by both series. This is going to be fun. Flyers are going to get in the heads of the Pens. So many guys to watch. Malkin will have a big series. This is going to be a bruiser. I bet that Crosby will get into at least 5 shoving matches. lol  Flyers in 6

Det/Dallas

Part of me is nervous. Morrow scares me. Reibero can get under the wings skin. I'm not sure about Brad Richards. What sucks is that Dallas has these guys spread over the first 2 lines. Detroits d will be in a constant shuffle. Both teams are healthy. Not sure if Chelios' legs will maintain and I'm scared about Lilja stepping in for him. Lidstrom and Rafalski will have big games. Franzen will come back down to earth but Zetterberg and Datsyuk will continue to click. Detroit in 7 (yes, 7. Osgood will flounder in a game and I think Morrow will win a game by himself).

 Finally more hockey on tonight!!

Dallas/Detroit - Wings in 6

Philly/Pitt - I'm feeling like Philly is this year's '06 Edmonton or '03 Ducks, but I'm going with Sid in 7.