NHL: 2008 - 2009 season is upon us

[RICHARD]

No... sloppy seconds are what guys call it when someone gets with their old girlfriend or someone they slept with

It is one thing to play the game and be a hard a$$ but you don't be a pr!ck and you don't disrespect other players like that.

So, Sloppy Joes are guy version?

What is a Groupie then?

No one ever talks about the idiot athletes that do and say stuff that's 10 times worse than what he said. The comment had nothing to do with hawkey and was, at the most, locker room BS.

Isn't beating the crap outta each other on the ice a little disrespectful?

[Shelteez2]

So, Sloppy Joes are guy version?

What is a Groupie then?

No one ever talks about the idiot athletes that do and say stuff that's 10 times worse than what he said. The comment had nothing to do with hawkey and was, at the most, locker room BS.

Isn't beating the crap outta each other on the ice a little disrespectful?

You know, if he had just mouthed off to Phaneuf during the game then fine. I wouldn't have had a problem with what he said. I think it was wrong for him to specifically call a camera crew out just to say it. It made no sense for him to even comment on that to a camera crew.
I think his career is done now. There's talk of the Stars buying him out, and I doubt any team will want to pick him up.

[RICHARD]

You know, if he had just mouthed off to Phaneuf during the game then fine. I wouldn't have had a problem with what he said. I think it was wrong for him to specifically call a camera crew out just to say it. It made no sense for him to even comment on that to a camera crew.
I think his career is done now. There's talk of the Stars buying him out, and I doubt any team will want to pick him up.

Does "former Lost Angeles King" mean anything?

It's all sports and in the grand scheme of things, don't mean anything.

I have to say that when athletes get shot, shoot people, beat the crap outta people/SOs or get involved with drugs or kill someone when they are DUI-that might be a little more serious than calling out a player over his squeeze.

I have sat rink/courtside for games and the stuff I have heard players scream at each other is really funny when compared to this.


hHe did make it a point to tell everyone to enjoy the game........

Wins and losses are the only thing that count?

[Grace]

I think his career is done now. There's talk of the Stars buying him out, and I doubt any team will want to pick him up.

Think again; it appears the Rangers might have him back eek:

The Rangers have conducted thorough internal discussions regarding the feasibility of bringing Sean Avery back to Broadway and appear to be on the verge of allowing Dallas to send Hockey's Public Enemy No. 1 to Hartford in what would be the first step of the process, The Post has learned.

The organizational meetings included management personnel, coaches and players. They yielded a consensus that Avery's return to the Rangers New York Rangers is very much worth pursuing and that his injection into the lineup this season would be a constructive move.

[Shelteez2]

Think again; it appears the Rangers might have him back eek:

Huh. Well good for him. Hopefully he can make the best of it and stop being an arse to everyone.

[Grace]

The owners of the Red Wings continue to amaze me -

Ilitches give Wings' alums, including Pronovost, Stanley Cup rings
Posted by George James Malik February 10, 2009 11:32AM

The Windsor Star's Dave Waddell spoke to New Jersey Devils scout and former Red Wings defenceman Marcel Pronovost about the tremendous gift from Mike and Marian Ilitch recently:

February 10, Windsor Star: As he worked his way through the packaging, Marcel Pronovost couldn't remember being this curious about a gift since he was a child.

When he reached the bottom and opened another tiny box, he felt like a kid again too. Staring back at him was a glittering version of the 2008 Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup ring with his name on one side with four extra diamonds symbolizing the quartet of cups he won with Detroit in the 1950s.

"My reaction was instantly to flashback to those teams," said the 78-year-old Pronovost, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978 after a 21-year playing career and five cups with the Wings and Toronto.

Pronovost was one of 20 to 30 retired Red Wings to receive a gift last week. The team sent rings to every living Wings' players that won a cup in Detroit prior to their 1997 championship.

"It was Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch's idea," Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "They're special owners. They wanted to remember our great past. Players from the past didn't receive rings. They wanted to honour them.
...
"When UPS called to see if they could deliver it, they wanted to know if I was a jewelry dealer because of the value of it," said Pronovost, who also got a personal note from the Wings owners along with the ring. "I was really shocked by this. It was a grand gesture and I called Mr. Ilitch to thank him. I was so proud I took it (to the OHL All-Star Game) and showed it to everyone."

Is that classy or what? I'm floored by this myself.

[Grace]

The Wings are going to open their 2009-2010 season in Stockholm in October. They will be playing the Blues.

The tickets sold out in less than one hour. If you didn't get yours, you are out of luck!

[Grace]

From Wednesday night - another amazing goal by Zetterberg.

[sparks19]

So, Sloppy Joes are guy version?

What is a Groupie then?

No one ever talks about the idiot athletes that do and say stuff that's 10 times worse than what he said. The comment had nothing to do with hawkey and was, at the most, locker room BS.

Isn't beating the crap outta each other on the ice a little disrespectful?

Well... that would probably be the case if this was an isolated incident...

however he has said A LOT of inappropriate things in the past and has been suspended before for unsportsmen like conduct on the ice.

And no... beating the crap out of each other on the ice is not disrespectful... CHEAP sucker punches are disrespectful. If two players agree to fight there is no disrespect there and (for the most part) they probably end up having a beer together at the end of the night.

HOWEVER, the things Avery does and says ARE disrespectful. I do wish other sports took that kind of cr@p seriously and didn't allow players to get away with saying stuff like that. not only is it disrespectful to a fellow hockey player... but there is NO need to say such a disgusting thing on national television about a girl you once dated just because she dumped you and you have a hard on about it.

I do not... and never will condone the things Avery has done.

he was ordered to take anger management classes and I think they are much needed.

it is one thing to jabber at each other on the ice, have a man to man face to face fight, etc. But cheapshots, baiting, and inappropriate comments about someone's partner is NOT part of the game... sorry.

an isolated incident... I might let it go... but this is NOT an isolated incident and he has pushed the envelope more and more.

You know why they really took him out of that game? because he probably would have suffered a career ending injury. You can't just let them run wild because "it's sports and it's guys". saying something on the ice when the only people that can hear you are within 10 feet of you and you are in a heated game is one thing... a premeditated offensive comment like THAT on national television... you can't just let that go. especially when it is not the first time or the second.

He got traded because the rangers didn't want to put up with his nonsense anymore... he's not a team player at all and there is no room for that. I would be very surprised if dallas keeps him around especially since his teammates already have a hate on for him.

And for the record... I think you know I am not a PC type person. But at some point you have to put a stop to this stuff and hope he takes it seriously... or someone ELSE will and he will suffer for it.

[RICHARD]

Poor Sean, I hope he hooks up with at team.


---------

What is the purpose of playing a game in a baseball stadium on NYD?

Really?

Come on Gary, get the 'twists' out of the game and make it watchable again!

The LA Kinks play out in Lost Vegas-outdoors- in the preseason and they have a very intimate rink setup- This put a rink at second base and let the people TRY to watch the game is really dumb.

The game last year was so poorly set up I watched about 5 minutes of it and then changed the channel.

[RICHARD]

Hey Gary B!

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/373445.htm

I watched this game and found it WAY more enjoyable that your Winter-where-is-the-puck? Near-the-shortstop! debacle.

Good camera shots and they were outdoors. Again, the Russkies know how to do good hockey!

[Grace]

Sharks recall recall Claude Lemieux
Monday, 01.19.2009 / 12:03 PM / News

San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the club has reassigned forwards Brad Staubitz and Tom Cavanagh to the Worcester Sharks, the team’s top development affiliate in the American Hockey League and recalled forward Claude Lemieux.

Lemieux has played in 23 games with Worcester, posting 11 points (3-8=11), 24 penalty minutes and a +2 rating. He was originally signed by San Jose as a free agent on Dec. 29, 2007.

I wonder if the Red Wings can fit a 1 or 2 game Bob Probert contract under their salary cap. I'd like to see this nonsense ended with one punch.

[aki]

the wings play the coyotes tonight! woot!

HEY HEY HOCKEY TOWN!

[Grace]

Henrik Zetterberg has been given a new contract - 12 years, 72 million. He's 28 now, so this ensures he will be with us until retirement.

"I've never seen any reason to go anywhere else," Zetterberg said. "I really like it on the ice and off the ice. I have great teammates, a great coaching staff, owners who we know will have a good team every year. I don't see any reason why I shouldn't stay. I love it here, and I want to be here forever."

This is the longest contract ever by the Wings. How refreshing to see an athlete more concerned about where he is, than how much he will rake in. Not that 6 million a year is chicken feed. Just compare him with Manny and A-Rod; actually there is no comparison.