Goal:thecup

Hates Leafs; picks them as Number 1..

T. Harding on Line 3.

You're right! Maybe they got his birthdate wrong (1981 not 2001). Anyway, here's the link to Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/297677/radek-kucerik Radek Kucerik Plays for the WHL Blades. Big guy; looks way older than he is in several photos online.

There will be retaliation. With playing the same teams so many times, and back-to-backs, the guys get a chance to deal out their own version of justice. That is when the real trouble starts. Before I read your post above Jimmy, I was already thinking Tkachuk was going to need to learn a lesson, either from proper mentors, or from frontier justice, as we used to say.

Who is Brad Pitt?

There just may be too much 'rivalry' for today's grandmother culture; the violence can become way too much. That was the way it was back then, when Conn Smythe's famous adage was born: You can't beat 'em on the ice if you can’t beat ’em in the alley. Fights on the ice often spewed into the stands and even outside the building where angry people would accumulate outside, around the exits, and still does (to some extent up north). I actually no longer pine for a return to the Slapshot era; if remembered without drunken nostalgia, I recall being very nervous before some games as players were hospitalized, arrested, and jailed for criminal behavior on the ice. You didn't want to lose your stars, but cheered like hell when the other guys got it. Ugly time really. No helmets; sticks used like rapiers; one guy had his scalp taken off. Ogie Oglethorpe was a real hockey player (Goldie Goldthorpe) of the era, and he got immortalized in Slapshot. Goldie: You want a piece of me? See also (for a 'funny' story about Bob Costas and Goldie): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldie_Goldthorpe Senior men's hockey took their cue (or perhaps provided it in the first place) and the violence even went up into the stands. Going to away games in Vanderhoof, Quesnel, and Williams Lake following the Prince George Cougars in the late sixties was like going looking for a fight. People would just stand up, turn around, and start wailing over some nasty cheering we might or might not have done, and don't ever forget about the fans behind you. Sounds like fun but really it was just frickin ugly. The Mohawks used to beat up anybody that was a threat to outskate them, show some dangles, or dare to score and celebrate. They had talent, but tough talent; and that talent was surrounded by thugs. And, outside the arena, well, anything could happen. Smythe's line was not at all quaint at that time; it was a succinct truism in a much more raw time. I am not looking forward to a return of that side of increased rivalries; give me some good, fast, hard hockey, my big screen HDTV, and I'm good. This schedule is bound to create some chaos, not just rivalries. I just hope they can keep it reined in so it doesn't get too out of hand.

Just another request for that 'puke' emoji Mods..

Very interesting stuff, thanks. Mittelstadt failed the infamous pull-up test, which has been a major source of high school ridicule for decades. As soon as I saw that, I just hoped like heck we wouldn't draft a guy who is predicted to be a pro athlete, but couldn't even match the 'wimps' from school who could only do one. (Would have loved to see his rope climb.)

Mods: Quick! Where's that 'puke' emoji? I think I'm gonna lose it... too late. You owe me a new desktop.

This is beautiful. Thanks Man. This is what the game is supposed to look like. IMO, the league and owners not being able to pay their employees is on them. Using employees as an excuse to slut out some more ruinous crap is BS. What did they say? $15 million? Not worth it. $15m divided by about 30 teams is a half-mil per team. Which is much less than the minimum salary for one NHL player. And most of the value will be for the Laffs, Ranjerks, etc., i.e. the rich teams. As if the Ontario Teachers Fund needs $500,000 so they can keep TML employees employed. It is just another camel's nose inside the tent. Give them an inch and they'll cover everything in advertising. These billionaires need to step up and do the right thing for their employees. They should not be leveraging false concern to rake in more money.

Is today's 3:00 pm game (Swz v Aus) still on? 2:00 Pacific Time (?) If so, I assume the 6:30 pm game (Fin v USA) is also on. 5:30(?) Pacific Time (?) Is someone going to do a GDT? I haven't ever done one, so I wouldn't know what I was doing. But somebody else could, and it could be a warm-up for tomorrow's GDT. Which includes Podz v Canada tomorrow afternoon.

I think you're right. In addition, I think the Canadian Division will be split: West: Vcr/Cgy/Edm and, East: Wnp/Tor/Ott/Mont. So I think Vancouver's 'makeup' games will be against Edm and Cgy (and Calgary's: Edm & Vcr; and Edmonton's: Vcr & Cgy). (The east can go play with themselves; bunch of wankers, pajama and underwear freaks anyway.) After the 'regular' season, we only have to be ahead of one Alberta team, and we are In. Beat the other Alberta team and the Eastern champion and we will be the only Canadian team to play an American team this season and playoffs. All this assumes we have a 3 team Western Canadian Conference. Lots of good news today with Canucks coming back to Vancouver etc.

Yeah, well before Roger jumped in, I was thinking the same as he was, but I kept my powder dry, and held my fire for a while to see if somebody else was gonna figure it out. You can bet Calgary is gonna be one of the ones we play 10 times! Yikes! Weird. Plus Marky and Tan Man.

Ok, I'm going to give it a shot: In the States, all 8 teams play 56 games = versus 7 opponents, 8 times = 7 x 8 = 56. In the Canadian division, all 7 teams play 6 opponents, 9 times = 6 x 9 = 54, so the task is to add 2 games to all 7 Canadian team (I think). Considerations for scheduling 2 more games per team: For 7 teams that = 14 more games to add. Aim for fair competition (one could hope) and equal home and away games for each team. Ability to decide in advance (last week) which way to name/number teams to book arenas. (i.e. not wait for divisional standings for example) Does this work? Name the teams T1 to T7: T1 v T2 T3 v T4 T5 v T6 T7 v T1 T2 v T3 T4 v T5 T6 v T7 Each team gets 2 more games = 56 games per team in the Canadian Division. Downside is we play each other team at least 9 times, and 2 of them 10 times. For the Canucks, this means 'we' play 6 (crap-ass) opponents, 4 of them 9 times and 2 of them 10 times = (4 x 9) + (2 x 10) = 36 + 20 = 56. Oh yeah, we're gonna build up some rivalries alright. And that just leads up to the playoffs. Against the best of the same c.a. opponents! It will take 2 rounds of up to 7 games each = 14 more games to become the only Canadian team to face an American team this season and playoffs. We won't play an American team until the third round of the playoffs, which could be up to 70 games before we reach the Semi-Finals. Weird year coming up.

(Must remember anger management training. Must remember anger management training. Must remember anger management training. Must remember anger management training.)

EXHIBITION GAMES 22 Dec. 16:00 Switzerland - Austria 22 Dec. 19:30 Finland - USA 23 Dec. 16:00 Canada - Russia 23 Dec. 19:30 Slovakia - Czech Republic

Seasons Greetings All! Thanks Jan, and Deb, and everyone for making this forum so much better than TV, or newspapers, or pretty much anything else that dares to report on our Canucks. I hope you all have a safe and gracious holiday, relax and reflect on the good in the world, enjoy the World Juniors, and absolutely tear apart everything hockey on CDC until the Canucks can win the first faceoff of the 2020(?)-2021 season! (Go Bo Go!) Then it's, sit back and watch your Ps & Qs (Peteys and Quintons) lift The Cup and take us to the Promised Land. (Obviously somewhere west of Tarrana.) Wouldn't it be great if the Canucks win The Cup this year, beating everyone in the Canadian Division, and then the American teams? I have been on CDC since before it was CDC and I'm old enough not to worry about what the previous incarnation was even called. I think it is almost 30 years now, and it has been the best thing for a Canuck fan that I have ever come across. Again, thanks to all who have made it possible. Merry Christmas and a Much Happier New Year!

Mods: Can we please have a 'puke' emoji?

Oh, that would be something! Maybe we could leave the old Canuck Curse in their barn...

Where dem edibulls?

From Spector's Hockey by Lyle Richardson | Dec 18, 2020 | News, NHL The seven Canadian teams could play all their games this season in the US. TSN: Frank Seravalli reports the NHL and the seven Canadian franchises have been trying to work out protocols with the provincial health authorities but the latter has not yet signed off on them. The league’s preference is for its 31 teams to play their game in their own arenas. If that’s not possible, the Canadian teams could play in one hub city or play all their games this season in the United States. Seravalli said the league remains optimistic this can be sorted out. Pierre LeBrun believes this information being revealed to the public could work to the NHL’s advantage, putting a little public pressure upon the provincial governments. If the seven Canadian franchise must play this season in the United States it would mean the end of the proposed Canadian division, forcing another temporary divisional realignment. Seravalli also revealed the NHLPA wants to ensure the players decide whether they’ll receive COVID-19 vaccinations. He said it will be their choice. SPORTSNET: Chris Johnston reports the provincial authorities must be comfortable with the league’s health protocols, which are still being negotiated with the NHLPA. Future talks are expected with the health authorities at the provincial and federal levels. Johnston indicates moving the seven Canadian franchise this season to the US would follow the precedent set by MLB and the NBA. The Toronto Blue Jays played their 2020 season in the US while the Toronto Raptors will begin this season in Tampa. TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran reports the plan for an all-Canadian division this season remains very much alive. League and PA sources indicate moving the Canadian clubs to the United States this season is one of the last options. One source indicated the Canadian COVID restrictions “aren’t the sticking points,” adding they expected that “everything will be resolved to mutual satisfaction. Another said the topic was mentioned but hasn’t received much discussion. McGran said the Toronto Maple Leafs met with Ontario officials Wednesday and have another on Friday. MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey reports the Canadiens are close to an agreement with Quebec officials allowing them to hold training camp at their practice facility in Brossard. Paul Wilson, the Canadiens vice president for public relations, said he was encouraged by Premier Francois Legault’s “enthusiastic” for an NHL return to action in mid-January. SPECTOR’S NOTE: The initial reports of the Canadian clubs possibly playing all their games in the US this season generated quite a stir on social media, creating the impression an all-Canadian division was doomed. However, this doesn’t appear to be a fait accompli. The league and the PA very much want to play their games in their home arenas. The difficulty seems to be coming up with protocols that will satisfy provincial officials. While this could still go off the rails, the league seems confident this can be worked out.

Oh, those pesky Canadians, trying to stay safe while being kind and considerate of others..

This is short-sighted. These are not the only 2 options.

It is a slippery slope. I doubt we will ever be able to get them to remove them. So, it is not worth it, in my opinion, to use as an excuse, as a temporary fix to current financial woes. I do understand (so you can all quit pointing it out to me) that NHL revenue is in serious trouble. But this bit of revenue is chump change in the big picture; they need to find much greater revenue elsewhere. And they need to play the games to earn the revenue. Making the product on the ice and on the TV worse for a few coins is a bit like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, imo. Just imagine your favorite uniform in one of the other majors, all tarted up with loud advertising. Oh well, us old farts don't like much about this new world anyway. Just get the product on the ice and we'll all buck up as we always do. I am not sure these billionaire owners don't deserve a bit of a wake up call anyway. If they can afford an NHL franchise, they can afford to do without uniform revenue for a few more months.

Soccer is not hockey! Some sports have enough class to keep the crass advertisers at bay, e.g. MLB unies don't have advertising on them, do they? What about NFL, and NBA?