OFFICIAL: BOSTON BRUINS 2011 STANLEY CUP CHAMPS!!!

[doublejs07]

Originally Posted by Winged Wheel

Originally Posted by Proshares

I'm a HUGE Ovechkin fan, but you look at other cup winners in the past who had the "C" on their sweater (Messier, Yzerman, Brind'Amour, Stevens, *whispers* Crosby, etc..), they ALL led by example. I'm not talking about trying to do things on your own, because things don't work that way in the NHL. All of those guys on the road to their championships in NY, Det, Car, NJ, & Pit, each had a moment where their leadership came through in one way or another. I think we're still waiting for that "moment" with Ovechkin.

Remember, they used to say the same things about Yzerman back in his first couple seasons.  But, I do agree that he needs to become more of a vocal leader.

It's true, they did say that about Stevie. When Lidstrom hangs it up word is Hank is next in line to wear the "C", which is a crime. Datsyuk should be Captain. Not only is he better than Z, but he leads by example and makes everyone who's on his line better.

It just sucks cause Ovechkin is the heart/soul of the team and the dude leaves it all on the ice.  He's gonna get a @%@+ load of criticism because he's got the "C" on his sweater.  That captain "moment" in the playoffs will come.  We saw a glimpse of it when he dropped the gloves w. Dubinsky in the regular season during the losing streak.  Ovechkin is more of a lead-by-example type of player, but it seems like the majority of the rah-rah stuff in the locker room came from Knuble, Laich, and Arnott.  I don't, and never will question Ovechkin wearing the "C," because it's HIS team, but like you said, Pro....he needs to get more vocal.  That's gotta start next season. 
  

 

[doublejs07]

Originally Posted by Winged Wheel

Originally Posted by Proshares

I'm a HUGE Ovechkin fan, but you look at other cup winners in the past who had the "C" on their sweater (Messier, Yzerman, Brind'Amour, Stevens, *whispers* Crosby, etc..), they ALL led by example. I'm not talking about trying to do things on your own, because things don't work that way in the NHL. All of those guys on the road to their championships in NY, Det, Car, NJ, & Pit, each had a moment where their leadership came through in one way or another. I think we're still waiting for that "moment" with Ovechkin.

Remember, they used to say the same things about Yzerman back in his first couple seasons.  But, I do agree that he needs to become more of a vocal leader.

It's true, they did say that about Stevie. When Lidstrom hangs it up word is Hank is next in line to wear the "C", which is a crime. Datsyuk should be Captain. Not only is he better than Z, but he leads by example and makes everyone who's on his line better.

It just sucks cause Ovechkin is the heart/soul of the team and the dude leaves it all on the ice.  He's gonna get a @%@+ load of criticism because he's got the "C" on his sweater.  That captain "moment" in the playoffs will come.  We saw a glimpse of it when he dropped the gloves w. Dubinsky in the regular season during the losing streak.  Ovechkin is more of a lead-by-example type of player, but it seems like the majority of the rah-rah stuff in the locker room came from Knuble, Laich, and Arnott.  I don't, and never will question Ovechkin wearing the "C," because it's HIS team, but like you said, Pro....he needs to get more vocal.  That's gotta start next season. 
  

 

[proshares]

I forgot to mention this before but there's another side to him being vocal but you also have to look at the players around him as well. Meaning that when you have a good amount of weak minded players and you start berading them like a captain should, you probably won't get the reaction you were hoping for. If that makes any sense.

Look at the Devils team that won the Cups. Stevens was be able to be a captain for the ages because he had guys who were just as hungry as he was to win and very eager to learn. He could be the man to call them out in the locker room because they would listen and remember than the team wins, stats don't. And guys like Elias, Sykora, Rolston, Madden, Holik, Niedermayer, Rafalski and Arnott listened to that.

Just my two cents on it.

 

[proshares]

I forgot to mention this before but there's another side to him being vocal but you also have to look at the players around him as well. Meaning that when you have a good amount of weak minded players and you start berading them like a captain should, you probably won't get the reaction you were hoping for. If that makes any sense.

Look at the Devils team that won the Cups. Stevens was be able to be a captain for the ages because he had guys who were just as hungry as he was to win and very eager to learn. He could be the man to call them out in the locker room because they would listen and remember than the team wins, stats don't. And guys like Elias, Sykora, Rolston, Madden, Holik, Niedermayer, Rafalski and Arnott listened to that.

Just my two cents on it.

 

[stillin729]

Originally Posted by Solemate96

Originally Posted by True Blues

Originally Posted by DeadsetAce

3-0 lead again...yet i'm uneasy

My thoughts exactly.

As for the Caps, I don't think it was a personnel issue so much as it was a coaching one. I love Bruce, but he did not make any substantial adjustments in the series to try and break the 1-3-1. Boucher's done a tremendous job in Tampa with that team.

I'm with you DA. After what I saw last year, I don't take anything for granted. People on the radio were like "we are going to kill The Flyers"! "Just give the W to the Bruins"!

TB:

I kind of felt a similarity to what Julien did for The Bruins during the season and the first round. Bruce wanted to play all four lines it felt like and didn't want to change anything. Maybe he was just too stubborn or something.
  

as a Flyers fan, you guys have nothing to worry about this year...this team is so talented but they are Jekyll and Hyde and no way the good team shows up 4 straight games, it showed up once in 3 games and Tim Thomas proved why he is one of the best goalies in the world.  

 

[stillin729]

Originally Posted by Solemate96

Originally Posted by True Blues

Originally Posted by DeadsetAce

3-0 lead again...yet i'm uneasy

My thoughts exactly.

As for the Caps, I don't think it was a personnel issue so much as it was a coaching one. I love Bruce, but he did not make any substantial adjustments in the series to try and break the 1-3-1. Boucher's done a tremendous job in Tampa with that team.

I'm with you DA. After what I saw last year, I don't take anything for granted. People on the radio were like "we are going to kill The Flyers"! "Just give the W to the Bruins"!

TB:

I kind of felt a similarity to what Julien did for The Bruins during the season and the first round. Bruce wanted to play all four lines it felt like and didn't want to change anything. Maybe he was just too stubborn or something.
  

as a Flyers fan, you guys have nothing to worry about this year...this team is so talented but they are Jekyll and Hyde and no way the good team shows up 4 straight games, it showed up once in 3 games and Tim Thomas proved why he is one of the best goalies in the world.  

 

[DownByLaw]

Originally Posted by GregOdensBedpan

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

I am a man of my word, the new avy and sig make me nauseous 

. I know I will have to keep this at least until the next round because the Predators are a complete joke and are nothing more than a doormat for the Canucks. 

way to be a good sport

Of course, nothing worse than an individual who can't own up to their side of a bet. Didn't think Nashville would be giving you guys this much of a fight. I agree with Proshares & Winged Wheel, refs gave you guys game 3 with that horse $*** call.
  

 

[DownByLaw]

Originally Posted by GregOdensBedpan

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

I am a man of my word, the new avy and sig make me nauseous 

. I know I will have to keep this at least until the next round because the Predators are a complete joke and are nothing more than a doormat for the Canucks. 

way to be a good sport

Of course, nothing worse than an individual who can't own up to their side of a bet. Didn't think Nashville would be giving you guys this much of a fight. I agree with Proshares & Winged Wheel, refs gave you guys game 3 with that horse $*** call.
  

 

[fraij da 5 11]

Avy looks kinda cool though.

 

[fraij da 5 11]

Avy looks kinda cool though.

 

[proshares]

I just looked at the avy and thought it was TPOB. When I read "gave YOU guys Game 3" I had to double check

 

[proshares]

I just looked at the avy and thought it was TPOB. When I read "gave YOU guys Game 3" I had to double check

 

[DownByLaw]

Originally Posted by fraij da 5 11

Avy looks kinda cool though.

  

 

[DownByLaw]

Originally Posted by fraij da 5 11

Avy looks kinda cool though.

  

 

[cquan05]

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

Originally Posted by fraij da 5 11

Avy looks kinda cool though.

  

Duquan

 

[cquan05]

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

Originally Posted by fraij da 5 11

Avy looks kinda cool though.

  

Duquan

 

[hymen man]

Canucks strike first!

 

[hymen man]

Canucks strike first!

 

[cquan05]

Nice article on Skinner.

KOSICE, Slovakia — Jeff Skinner's breakthrough season is continuing at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
The 18-year-old forward scored 31 goals for the Carolina Hurricanes, earning a nomination for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. And after three games here, playing with John Tavares of the New York Islanders and Chris Stewart of the St. Louis Blues, he leads Canada with three goals and five points.

While Skinner has been delivering on the ice, he has coaches and teammates looking out for him on and off it.

Ottawa forward Jason Spezza has taken Skinner under his wing.

No stranger to the pressure that can be placed on a young player, Spezza is rooming with Skinner and has made a point of ensuring he feels part of the team.

"He's played great," said Spezza. "He's been opportunistic on his chances, he's scored some really nice goals for us and just has a nose for the net. The guys have tried to do as good a job as possible to make him feel comfortable.

"He had such a great season we just want to keep him rolling."

Skinner is virtually impossible to knock off the puck, possessing a nice combination of balance and power that complement his hands in the offensive zone.

His youth -- he turns 19 on May 16, the day after the gold medal game -- and success have drawn attention from both foreign journalists and new teammates.

Canadian defenceman Marc Methot says the majority of email and text messages he's received from friends and family have involved a question about the Toronto teenager.

At first he didn't have much information to share. That's started to change.

"He's extremely quiet, but he's got a really dry sense of humour and I think he's really starting to come out of his shell right now," said Methot. "We all love the kid and he's really impressed a lot of people so far."

Canadian coach Ken Hitchcock likes what he sees, but still scaled back Skinner's ice time considerably late in Tuesday's tight 4-3 overtime victory over Switzerland.

"That's really the first time we've done that and I'm not sure if it worked or didn't work," said Hitchcock. "You want to give the older players a chance to shut the game down. We've tried to play very much on our toes, but when it was time to try to protect something we wanted to get the veteran guys out there."

Canada takes a 3-0 record into Friday's game with the 2-1 Americans.

Both countries have brought extremely young lineups to this event -- although the Americans have less experience and are being led in scoring by University of Wisconsin forward Craig Smith. Toronto GM Brian Burke, part of the U.S. management team, believes the key for his squad against Canada is believing in itself.

"I think the main thing is you can't be intimidated," said Burke. "These are guys you might have watched play, you might have idolized, but now you've got to take the puck off them and hit him. The No. 1 thing is not to get mesmerized or hypnotized or paralyzed by the presence of players that you've admired and that have played in the NHL."

In making the jump from the OHL's Kitchener Rangers to the Hurricanes and now to a Canadian national team over the last year, Skinner has looked anything but intimidated.

The truest sign for teammates that he's getting comfortable is his willingness to get involved in dressing room banter.

"He gives it to me and (Dion Phaneuf)," said Methot. "We're the two guys that kind of tease him a little bit -- but in a good way -- and he gives it right back to us. We try to rile him up as much as we can but he's pretty strong mentally so that's been impressive."

Just as impressive has been his ability to skip right to the senior level of international hockey. Skinner is actually available for the next world junior championship, but he'll be playing too important of a role with the Hurricanes to represent the country there.

After spending the past two weeks around Skinner, Hitchcock can see beyond the player's baby face.

"He's young but he's a throwback," said Hitchcock. "The respect he has for the game, the respect he has for the hierarchy of leadership, his body language, his mannerisms at team meals, the respect he has for the veteran players -- that's maturity.

"That's a really well brought-up kid."

 

[cquan05]

Nice article on Skinner.

KOSICE, Slovakia — Jeff Skinner's breakthrough season is continuing at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
The 18-year-old forward scored 31 goals for the Carolina Hurricanes, earning a nomination for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. And after three games here, playing with John Tavares of the New York Islanders and Chris Stewart of the St. Louis Blues, he leads Canada with three goals and five points.

While Skinner has been delivering on the ice, he has coaches and teammates looking out for him on and off it.

Ottawa forward Jason Spezza has taken Skinner under his wing.

No stranger to the pressure that can be placed on a young player, Spezza is rooming with Skinner and has made a point of ensuring he feels part of the team.

"He's played great," said Spezza. "He's been opportunistic on his chances, he's scored some really nice goals for us and just has a nose for the net. The guys have tried to do as good a job as possible to make him feel comfortable.

"He had such a great season we just want to keep him rolling."

Skinner is virtually impossible to knock off the puck, possessing a nice combination of balance and power that complement his hands in the offensive zone.

His youth -- he turns 19 on May 16, the day after the gold medal game -- and success have drawn attention from both foreign journalists and new teammates.

Canadian defenceman Marc Methot says the majority of email and text messages he's received from friends and family have involved a question about the Toronto teenager.

At first he didn't have much information to share. That's started to change.

"He's extremely quiet, but he's got a really dry sense of humour and I think he's really starting to come out of his shell right now," said Methot. "We all love the kid and he's really impressed a lot of people so far."

Canadian coach Ken Hitchcock likes what he sees, but still scaled back Skinner's ice time considerably late in Tuesday's tight 4-3 overtime victory over Switzerland.

"That's really the first time we've done that and I'm not sure if it worked or didn't work," said Hitchcock. "You want to give the older players a chance to shut the game down. We've tried to play very much on our toes, but when it was time to try to protect something we wanted to get the veteran guys out there."

Canada takes a 3-0 record into Friday's game with the 2-1 Americans.

Both countries have brought extremely young lineups to this event -- although the Americans have less experience and are being led in scoring by University of Wisconsin forward Craig Smith. Toronto GM Brian Burke, part of the U.S. management team, believes the key for his squad against Canada is believing in itself.

"I think the main thing is you can't be intimidated," said Burke. "These are guys you might have watched play, you might have idolized, but now you've got to take the puck off them and hit him. The No. 1 thing is not to get mesmerized or hypnotized or paralyzed by the presence of players that you've admired and that have played in the NHL."

In making the jump from the OHL's Kitchener Rangers to the Hurricanes and now to a Canadian national team over the last year, Skinner has looked anything but intimidated.

The truest sign for teammates that he's getting comfortable is his willingness to get involved in dressing room banter.

"He gives it to me and (Dion Phaneuf)," said Methot. "We're the two guys that kind of tease him a little bit -- but in a good way -- and he gives it right back to us. We try to rile him up as much as we can but he's pretty strong mentally so that's been impressive."

Just as impressive has been his ability to skip right to the senior level of international hockey. Skinner is actually available for the next world junior championship, but he'll be playing too important of a role with the Hurricanes to represent the country there.

After spending the past two weeks around Skinner, Hitchcock can see beyond the player's baby face.

"He's young but he's a throwback," said Hitchcock. "The respect he has for the game, the respect he has for the hierarchy of leadership, his body language, his mannerisms at team meals, the respect he has for the veteran players -- that's maturity.

"That's a really well brought-up kid."

 

[proshares]

Great article, kid has a bright future

BTW, if Hitchcock isn't coaching the Devils in the fall I may lose it

 

[proshares]

Great article, kid has a bright future

BTW, if Hitchcock isn't coaching the Devils in the fall I may lose it

 

[jewseejay]

Originally Posted by JewSeeJay

Keslers the %++#... that deke/shot

 

[jewseejay]

Originally Posted by JewSeeJay

Keslers the %++#... that deke/shot

 

[gregodensbedpan]

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

Originally Posted by GregOdensBedpan

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

I am a man of my word, the new avy and sig make me nauseous 

. I know I will have to keep this at least until the next round because the Predators are a complete joke and are nothing more than a doormat for the Canucks. 

way to be a good sport

Of course, nothing worse than an individual who can't own up to their side of a bet. Didn't think Nashville would be giving you guys this much of a fight. I agree with Proshares & Winged Wheel, refs gave you guys game 3 with that horse $*** call.
  

yeah, he sold it pretty well. i think the announcers were saying how that call was a make-up call for a previous uncalled penalty. officiating throughout the playoffs have been a joke so far, but i'll take the W.

kesler's goal tonight..