Abel to Yzerman
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Outside The Lifelines
by IwoCPO on 12/11/07 at 09:47 AM ET
Comments (2)
It’s always a little dangerous to stray into areas external to The Dynasty. Wing talk is easy. We know it. Very secure and warm in the comfort of that level of conversation. But, sometimes, the staffers here at A2Y like to get a little nuts and branch out a bit.
But not quite yet. First? This little ditty. If the playoffs started today, we’d be looking at a Detroit/Dive first rounder. Didn’t we just leave this daydream? Weren’t the Wings just competing for a President’s Trophy while the dinky-doo Dives were fighting for the 8 spot? I guess it’s normal now. Oh well. Nice little run. Looks like Ryan Smyth chose real well.
Ok. We’ll leave the Garcia family alone. But if we can’t pick on the Dive, who can we laugh at today? Man, so many choices. So many options. Ok. I’ve decided we need to institute a set of rules to live by here at A2Y. I’ve also decided I’m way too lazy to come up with them myself. Fortunately, some already exist at a highly reputable site that I can just go ahead and cater to my liking. Ready? Cool.
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8. No threads speculating on the identity of Eklund or any other anonymous blogger
9. Rumors must be given a source unless a poster has been approved by HockeyBuzz
There’s too much going on in the REAL hockey world without other posting fake rumors. If you have a REAL source, email Eklund.
10. No accusations of “Rumor Theft”
Eklund does not “steal” rumors. If he sees a previously unreported rumor elsewhere, he will always credit the writer/blogger in question.
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Is that ok? Think we can live with that? If you want me to change one...30 dollars.
The Battle of Ontario came up with a nifty way to pass the time between Sens’ games this week. Figuring the lines for the 2010 games in Vancouver. Sidney Crosby on a third line? I’m not arguing with it. Only pointing out that, on paper, Canada looks tough.
CasonBlog, a Hurricane blogger who is not paranoid, takes a brief look back at the 2002 Cane lineup...prompted by Toronto waiving Bates Battaglia this week.
My second-fondest memory as a Caniac comes from game two of the first round of the 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs. Canes win in OT on a Bates Battaglia deflection on a shot from the point. Nobody left the ESA a stranger that night. After getting beaten and beat up by the Devils in the first round of the 2001 playoffs, this was the game that made me believe in the Canes. Then, just like yesterday, they ran into the winged-wheel buzz saw in the 2002 Cup finals.
I can say this now. I do recall a few tattered nerves headed into that series. Jeff O’Neill was worrisome. Francis? Not so much.
David Johnson at Hockeyanalysis.com has a cold shower ready for those of us proclaiming the Central as Hockey’s Toughest Division.
After a 7-3-1 start to the season Columbus has gone a much more expected 6-8-4 in their last 18 games.
After a solid 10-7-1 start the Chicago Blackhawks have gone 4-6-2 in their last 12 games and are currently on a 4 game losing streak.
The western conference playoff teams (when ranked by points per game) currently are Detroit, St. Louis, San Jose, Vancouver, Minnesota, Colorado, Dallas and Nashville is close to what many expected. St. Louis and Nashville may be minor surprises most thought they would contend for a playoff spot and with Kiprusoff looking like he might have turned his game around and Niedermayer set to return to Anaheim those two talented teams may be on the verge of entering the playoff picture as many expected.
Want my predicted order of finish in the West? Really? Ok.
1. The Dynasty
2. The Poultry
3. Vancouver
4. Dallas
5. San Jose
6. St. Louis
7. Calgary
8. Chicago
Oh...wait. Did I forget Denver? Let me do that again. Give me a minute. Just sec.
Nah. I like the way that looks as it is.
Bruce MacLeod, the anti-digger, brought us a funny exchange with Chris Osgood after last night’s game.
Quote from Chris Osgood about David Legwand pushing into him on Nashville’s goals ... “He slid into me but he said Nick (Lidstrom) pushed him. I find that hard to believe because Nick never does anything wrong like that. I know that. That happens. He was driving the net and trying to score. He just slid off his stick. He didn’t mean to do it, but still.”
I think I know why I’m finally appreciating Osgood after more than a decade of bashing him. Something about that dry sense of humor that makes the guy tough to dislike.
And finally, because I almost puked when I heard what some of Michael Vick’s former teammates did last night on Monday Night Football, I leave you with Pens Blog...the guys who more often than not say what I happen to be thinking.
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Comments
“I think I know why I’m finally appreciating Osgood after more than a decade of bashing him. Something about that dry sense of humor that makes the guy tough to dislike.”
Nah. You’re “appreciating” him now because, like most Dead Things fans, you’re a band-wagon’er. Watch his GAA rise and your true colors will come shining through again. Enjoy it though - you’ll definitely be able to ride Osbad to the next inevitable post-season meltdown. 
Posted by um no from Detroit on 12/12/07 at 10:18 AM ET
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Head to Hockeytown
Blogs the Chief Likes
In last night’s post-game interview with John Keating, Ozzie joked that he’s always in the team’s top five in conditioning. Oddly, Keating actually got it for once and ended the interview by thanking “Charles Atlas.” Oz responded by saying “You’re welcome, Jack LaLanne.”
Anyway, the really funny part (to me, anyway) is that over on the NHL Network, the guy hosting “On the Fly” took Ozzie’s joke as gospel.
Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 12/11/07 at 12:25 PM ET