Nhl

[james_gsx]

First off, thanks to Soultrader for starting the Sports Talk.

Who here follows the NHL? Personally it's my favorite sport to watch and I wish I played it when I was little (I played every sport but hockey). I love the teamwork and the fast pace action. My dad and I go to a Colorado Avalanche game at least 2-4 times a month. We have a 14 game package plus we buy tickets to other games quite regularly. We decided that next year we'll just buy season tickets.

So who do you like, who do you follow? Any young guys you like that are just coming up?

[Sparrow]

Hi James,

I've followed the Canucks for more than 10 years, although I became a fan for the most shallow reasons. I love the same things about hockey as you do, a team sport can hardly be more exciting. Unfortunately I don't follow the action a lot less than I did some years ago, mainly because there are tons of other things to do, just watching the highlights on nhl.com, which is about all I can get here. The shootouts are really fun to watch.

With the current standings, things should stay interesting in the northwest division .

Good luck to the Avs, hope though that the Canucks will take the division title sorry.

[james_gsx]

Yeah, it has been a great season so far for the northwest. Unfortunately with Sakic and Smyth out I don't think the Avs will make it this year. We have some great new players that are new to the league, but unfortunately we lack that leadership that the older players like Smyth and Sakic bring to the team.

Oh well, I can still watch Parker pick fights and beat up everyone

[Sparrow]

The Avs are sure holding up well for an injury ridden team. The season is still long and who knows what will happen, as competitive as the northwest is I wouldn't be able to make any predictions. I just hope for some great entertaining hockey.

One thing I keep wondering about is how the Red Wings manage to be first in the western conference almost every year. Is their management/coaching/scouting so much better than all the others? Funny though how placing first gives only a limited advantage on winning the cup.

[james_gsx]

I hate the Red Wings... with a passion. With that said, I still think the Avs vs Red Wings games are the most fun to watch and be at. There is so much more energy at those games compared to a Broncos vs Raiders game. Not sure about a Yankees vs Red Sox game though. I've been told that the hatred is now for the Canucks because of the Bertuzzi incident, but IMO it's more of a hatred for Bertuzzi and not the Canucks. You can't blame an entire team years later for something one guy did. I'm sure that guy got a lot of lip from his teammates after his hit on Moore. Canucks and Avs games are still a blast to watch though

But yes, they have great scouting. You also have to remember a lot of those players have been playing with eachother for a very long time. You can always tell by watching them that they know eachother very well. Their passing is incredible, they are very precise and it's rare to see them make a mistake.

[Sparrow]

Rivalries are fun, I'm not certain if the players take them as serious as the fans though.
The Avs and the Wings met a lot of times in the playoffs and usually the team that is more eager to win and does everything it takes will move on. The Claude Lemieux hit on Draper is one example. The Moore incident wasn't pretty and Bertruzzi deserved what he got, it was a bit of a retaliation for the hit on Naslund earlier but way out of proportion.

Unfortunately I don't know any of the details of what happened over the last years, times is limited and as much as I love hockey, I don't have the time to follow it closely.
Gotta be focused to achieve something .

[james_gsx]

Wow, I almost went to tonights Avs game since I had nothing going on and it wasn't sold out. Turns out nearly half the team is out! Stastny had an appendectomy, and a few players have flu symptoms.

The northwest conference will definitely get interesting this year!

[james_gsx]

Footer and Foppa are back to the Avs!!

[james_gsx]