P manning will win the MVP this year.
- drewski

I hope so, but I think Brady is about one monster game away from it.

You could also make a real good argument for Peterson.

... kill yourself.

even sean avery's gimmick has some substance. yours leaves a person feeling guility. they either feel like they're getting the same dull dribble from a child, or someone who is seriously challenged. there's no fun in that.
- joel878

he's not a marketing dream, yet he generated interest in the game. he did it by playing a high tempo physical game, that usually ended with multiple pucks in the back of the net. ovechkin put backsides in the seats by becoming an exciting player. he didn't become famous because he pulled a washington capital's jersey.

same with crosby, stamkos, malkin.. they all have their draws and star power as players.

i don't get it? your stance is purely hypothetical. i'm expected to buy into the idea that given the platform, guys like zigomanis could have the same drawing power as guys like ovie? no. it's the persona these people have built as players that puts backsides in the seats, and creates fans out of people who typically wouldn't watch the game.
- joel878

If there was no Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, or Malkin, it wouldn't make one iota of a difference.

I hope so, but I think Brady is about one monster game away from it.

You could also make a real good argument for Peterson.
- Aetherial

Maybe even Calvin Johnson too. He could break the single season record.

- Aetherial

If there was no Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, or Malkin, it wouldn't make one iota of a difference.
- prock

and that sir, is your opinion. nothing more, nothing less. you're more than entitled to it. high 5.

and that sir, is your opinion. nothing more, nothing less. you're more than entitled to it. high 5.
- joel878

it's true. We'd just be sitting here using different names.

it's true. We'd just be sitting here using different names.
- prock

If the NHL didn't have the best players we wouldn't be talking about the league

If there was no Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, or Malkin, it wouldn't make one iota of a difference.
- prock

Tell that to Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa Bay and all of Russia.

- Aetherial

^.. a picture! a completely original, even more unexpected, shocking move. just when i had become completely lost wondering what your next move would be.

congratulations sir, you are officially the coolest poster in the hockey forum. subsequently, your real world every day life suddenly has more merit. no more getting talked about at the water cooler as the sheltered wierd guy who surely rubs it out at his desk for you! operation compensate, win.

i'm suddenly overwhelmed with this sheer level of coolness you bring to the hockey forum. so much so, i'm considering googling a picture of a dreamy man crush for my avatar picture. you are redefining how cool it is to be cool.

Manning lol try Rodgers
- Cheeseballin

Rogers has not proven himself to be Manning caliber quite yet...

Anyone feel the blood pressure drop now that MJL is gone, maybe.

Things feel calm now, hope it stays this way, I'm running low on bourbon.

it's true. We'd just be sitting here using different names.
- prock

You're touched.

If the owners did not pay for the NHL to have the best players we wouldn't be talking about the league
- Canada Cup

fixed

fixed
- Aetherial

Did you see Jacob's carry forward on his capital possess. (frank)ing brilliant! Let's watch that one in slow motion.

it's true. We'd just be sitting here using different names.
- prock

it's an opinion dude, one you'll certainly never have the opportunity to back up.

i disagree, respectfully. your average every day hockey fan that doesn't spend hours discussing the sport on a website, will not be pvr'ing games when he doesn't have his crosby to root for. there is a big chunk of hockey fans who do not love the game because it's the game, and go watch major junior games, and everything else just for the sake of watching hockey. they watch the sport because they were half snapped at a bar and noticed someone like ovie mashing himself against the glass after a highlight reel goal. the players have drawing power on their own. that's the reality of it

Anyone feel the blood pressure drop now that MJL is gone, maybe.

Things feel calm now, hope it stays this way, I'm running low on bourbon.
- sloppyseconds2

Im with you. He just needs to be ignored. He is like a little puppy that needs attention.

^.. a picture! a completely original, even more unexpected, shocking move. just when i had become completely lost wondering what your next move would be.

congratulations sir, you are officially the coolest poster in the hockey forum. subsequently, your real world every day life suddenly has more merit. no more getting talked about at the water cooler as the sheltered wierd guy who surely rubs it out at his desk for you! operation compensate, win.

i'm suddenly overwhelmed with this sheer level of coolness you bring to the hockey forum. so much so, i'm considering googling a picture of a dreamy man crush for my avatar picture. you are redefining how cool it is to be cool.


- joel878

By chance, did you just put your head through your monitor?

it's true. We'd just be sitting here using different names.
- prock

Maurice Richard, Marcel Dionne, MIke Bossy, Guy Lafleur, Pavel Bure etc
SOMEBODY will be the best player.
I wonder if the NHL will collapse the day after Ovi and Sid retire.

^.. a picture! a completely original, even more unexpected, shocking move. just when i had become completely lost wondering what your next move would be.

congratulations sir, you are officially the coolest poster in the hockey forum. subsequently, your real world every day life suddenly has more merit. no more getting talked about at the water cooler as the sheltered wierd guy who surely rubs it out at his desk for you! operation compensate, win.

i'm suddenly overwhelmed with this sheer level of coolness you bring to the hockey forum. so much so, i'm considering googling a picture of a dreamy man crush for my avatar picture. you are redefining how cool it is to be cool.


- joel878

Absolutely my argument hold water. I didn't say that the NHL wouldn't be the best hockey in North America if Malkin and Ovechkin were still in Russia. Only that Malkin, Ovechkin, and other star players contribute greatly to making the NHL the best hockey in North America.

Why is the NHL better Hockey then the AHL? Because there are better players in the NHL versus the AHL.

Again, I wasn't arguing that not having Ovechkin and Malkin in the NHL makes the NHL the second best League in NA. I was arguing that Malkin and Ovechkin contribute to the NHL being the best Hockey in NA. And I was not arguing that those two players were the sole reason why the NHL is the best hockey in NA. Pretty simple.
- MJL

You are arguing that the current crop of stars are what makes the NHL the best league and that without those stars the NHL be second rate to a league like the AHL. The only relevant point that you made is what is bolded. The absolutely only thing that matters is that the NHL have better talent than the AHL. If Ovechkin and Malkin were not in NA then the 2 empty roster spots would be taken by taken (potentially) 2 of the top AHL players. The lower league would lose talent and the upper league would gain talent. Balance would be retained. The same thing would happen to any and all stars that want to play overseas. Lower talent would move up and the lower leagues would suffer proportionally. If the NHL had to take more talent from the AHL and the AHL had to take talent from the ECHL (for instance) how does that close the gap between the two leagues? It doesn't.

The overall quality of hockey will suffer but comparatively, nothing will change between the two leagues.

If you want to argue that having Malkin and Ovechkin help make the NHL the best league in the world, no argument. There's no argument to be made about the AHL being a threat to the NHL in terms of talent with or without the superstar players of today.

I'm just getting sick with these guys being so pro NHLPA, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but when they disregard the beliefs and opinions of others as being wrong, they have lost all respect.
IMO, the NHLPA is in the wrong, being greedy, thats my opinion.
I don't need MJL questioning me and providing his one sided opinion to try and convince everyone he has all the answers.
I'm not responding to any more of his posts.
Hope everyone else will do the same.
- sloppyseconds2

Your opinion is fair, but I find this site is drastically pro-NHL. I just find it funny that when some of us give the PA at least some credit, we are cast ablaze as PA jock sniffers and we need to get our heads out of their idiot asses.

There's a lot A LOT of aspects in every bit of these negotiations and they affect different people differently. Personally, I could care less that players make millions, in fact I think they should. Other people, won't even watch the sport at the disgust of them making so much money. You are never going to convince the other to change there stance.

But I don't understand why people are so one sided on this. Both are to blame yet you are chastised should you dare point something out criminalizing to a persons favored side. This poll is ridiculous by EK, what a completely redundant question, neither care about hockey. Everyone knows that. It's not even relevant to the situation, it's just ammo to attack the other side. But it got this poster to post, so good job ek *slow clap*

Maurice Richard, Marcel Dionne, MIke Bossy, Guy Lafleur, Pavel Bure etc
SOMEBODY will be the best player.
I wonder if the NHL will collapse the day after Ovi and Sid retire.
- braidan

LOL, a couple weeks ago, in the same debate with you know who, I was lamenting about whatever were we going to do when the current crop of stars retire.

Maurice Richard, Marcel Dionne, MIke Bossy, Guy Lafleur, Pavel Bure etc
SOMEBODY will be the best player.
I wonder if the NHL will collapse the day after Ovi and Sid retire.
- braidan

You're missing the point. Names change. The fact that the best in the world play in the NHL doesn't.

Maurice Richard, Marcel Dionne, MIke Bossy, Guy Lafleur, Pavel Bure etc
SOMEBODY will be the best player.
I wonder if the NHL will collapse the day after Ovi and Sid retire.
- braidan

Nope. We'll just start talking about someone else. The names are irrelevant. It sounds a little cliché, but it's not about who it is, it's what they do with the current set of names they have.

You take these names out of the equation, it wouldn't have made one lick of a difference. People wouldn't stop watching the NHL, because the NHL would still have the best players in the world. It would just be someone else.