The best telecasts ever, period. You simply cannot beat it. Hearing him call live games (not the overly repetitive EA NHL series lol) is sorely missed! I don't know why he never jumped ship and went to Versus, and eventually NBC, or even on Sportsnet or TSN up here in Canada. He's too good of a hockey commentator to be calling Orioles games and NCAA stuff lol.
- Flyers_V88

Probably comes down to money...i still don't thin kthere is enough money in NHL accouncing to compete following the lockout a few years back...After ESPN dropped the NHL, I don't think the money came back either...

Olcyk was raving about Grossman and how "he should put film from this game on his Oylmpic resume"

Which is probably why he's a broadcaster now and not working with an NHL hockey team in any real capacity.
- mochoson

Yeah, it wasn't his best game...he made some uncharacteristic mistakes, but he still made alot of those strong, physical plays he typicially does in the D zone to protect the puck and get it up the ice...that's probably what EdzO and those guys were watching.

The best telecasts ever, period. You simply cannot beat it. Hearing him call live games (not the overly repetitive EA NHL series lol) is sorely missed! I don't know why he never jumped ship and went to Versus, and eventually NBC, or even on Sportsnet or TSN up here in Canada. He's too good of a hockey commentator to be calling Orioles games and NCAA stuff lol.
- Flyers_V88

Because he can't say, "Beck beck beck beck beck beck beck GONE!" like Chris Berman. I don't know if that answers your query or not, but I hate Chris Berman.

Probably comes down to money...i still don't thin kthere is enough money in NHL accouncing to compete following the lockout a few years back...After ESPN dropped the NHL, I don't think the money came back either...
- JW98FlyerFan

http://answers.yahoo.com/...qid=20110508120905AA92shN


I found this answer but dont know how accurate or true it is.

The NHLPA had a say in who would work for the NHL Network, and Thorne was vetoed by the players. The guy made way too many mistakes (over 100 documented mistakes in the 2004 Stanley Cup final alone).

1) There's a reason that he is the longest serving broadcaster not in the hockey hall of fame
2) There's a reason that in the November 16, 2010 issue of the Hockey News, Thorne was picked as the worst broadcaster (71,000 people voted) by a wide margin over Bob Cole and didn't appear on the best broadcaster's list (which Bob Cole did).

Yeah, it wasn't his best game...he made some uncharacteristic mistakes, but he still made alot of those strong, physical plays he typicially does in the D zone to protect the puck and get it up the ice...that's probably what EdzO and those guys were watching.
- exlund

Unlike Luke Schenn, he played with only one hand on his stick all game long.

Related: Pierre Mcguire is awful.
- johndewar

Someone posted earlier in the thread about how the Flyers deserved every penalty that was called last night.

The call on Couts in the third burns me up.
The Wings guy grabs Couts stick under his arm and just clamps his arm down on the stick. I hate this call. To me it's just as much a penalty as grabbing the players stick with your glove, like what Downie got called for in the first.
In a way it's embellishment to draw a penalty.

I have hated this call ever since Jordan Staal pulled the same move on Carter late in a playoff game, drew the penalty which of course led to the game winning goal.
I forgot what year that was, but it still pisses me off.
- Marc D

now I can't remember what year that happened... was it 2008

also pretty sure schenn2shine called it that hartnell would have a good game in detroit

now I can't remember what year that happened... was it 2008
- -davies-

Pretty sure that was Game 6 in 2009.

Because he can't say, "Beck beck beck beck beck beck beck GONE!" like Chris Berman. I don't know if that answers your query or not, but I hate Chris Berman.
- jmatchett383

now I can't remember what year that happened... was it 2008
- -davies-

if anything just call a penalty on both guys

Couts got his stick across the body which is usually called, but also call the guy for holding it

I wouldn't give Dowine more then 3yrs. I have a strong feeling that Nic Cousins is going to bring a lot of the same stuff dowine brings to the 3rd line wit more hands and less toughness down the road. Plus wit harts and simmonds signed to longer deals downie wouldn't get top 6 playing time anyways
- AGL_91

Good point about Cousins.
I'm not certain he will make it, but from the little bit I've seen of him, he may have that 'it' factor.

Downie for 3yrs would be just fine with me.

Apart from outstanding goaltending, Mason is also giving us awesome blogging on
www.flyers.nhl.com
- Bearintheforest

"During the actual game I pay attention a lot.

I focus in on the key guys of the opponent, so for last night I was looking at Parise and Koivu's tendencies and things that the opposition would do on their power-play. "

Good point about Cousins.
I'm not certain he will make it, but from the little bit I've seen of him, he may have that 'it' factor.

Downie for 3yrs would be just fine with me.
- Marc D

I'd be okay with Downie for 2-3 years. Even if Cousins does come up, he'll be on his ELC for 2 years and is probably slated for bottom-6 winger status (barring injuries), so I'mnot against keeping Downie if he can keep helping produce.

also pretty sure schenn2shine called it that hartnell would have a good game in detroit
- -davies-

I was happy he got to see a good game, I know he was disappointed by Vinnie being out.

I wonder if he has new opinion on Raffl?
He had a real nice game last night.

"During the actual game I pay attention a lot.

I focus in on the key guys of the opponent, so for last night I was looking at Parise and Koivu's tendencies and things that the opposition would do on their power-play. "




- Tomahawk

Needs more earl grey.
Plus he isn't really sleeping, just pondering big thoughts a la Jack Handy.

With all those legacy students, jocks, celebrities and children of internationally influential parents, how could they get away with not making an A easy to get... how else would Chaz McGillicutty IV and those sons of Saudi Princes have their futures paved for them in gold?
- Tomahawk

I do think this team needs 2 things to move forwards as a "core". They need the puck moving, mobile defenseman and they need a dynamic scorer.

IMO the only 2 dynamic scorers that might be on the market are Yakupov or Gaborik. You would have to take a chance on each. Gaborik is injury prone and streaky and older, Yakupov is young, developing and Russian. IMO Yakupov would fit better into the future core of this team. I also think Buff would be a good get if you can swing it, and this team will be on its way to having a well rounded "core" to build around.
.
- youarewrong

Everytime I see someone wanting Yakupov here I think of these quotes from him:


“I love more playing with the puck. I don’t really like playing without the puck, skate all the time and do forecheck and hit somebody every shift — I don’t think it’s my game. I try to do it some time, but I’m not here to crush everything. I just want to play hockey.”

“I’m not going to change,” adding, “I really don’t like skating all the time, and forechecking, and hitting somebody every shift.”

- Yakupov, in Oct. 2013

Also, there's this:

"From what I see, his team game is really, really poor. He tries to do a lot of things by himself, he has absolutely no defense."

“That’s what really concerns us as scouts.” Igor Kravchuk - Russian Olympic Scout


Not sure if that's the type of player you give up so much to obtain.

if anything just call a penalty on both guys

Couts got his stick across the body which is usually called, but also call the guy for holding it
- Crimsoninja

That would be better then how they call it now.

It's a form of embellishment, clamping your arm down on a stick and not letting go.
I hate seeing that crap rewarded.

They have a lot invested in the Schenn boys, and I hope and think they will show patience. Brayden has an excellent scoring touch which is hard to find. He is going to get stronger with his puck play as he matures, and is no where near the player he may turn into.

With Luke I am disappointed this season as I thought he turned a corner last year. But for a defenseman he still hasn't hit his prime years.
I will admit that Luke's play has me worried this season. I would not sell low in either one of them yet.
- Marc D

B Schenn will be a career 3rd liner whose career is damaged because of the massive expectations of him and the gigantic contract the flyers will offer him based on promise. 10 years 100 million. Hyperbole yes, I know 8 is the max.

Not sure if that's the type of player you give up so much to obtain.
- exlund

The absolute worst is a young player that thinks they've already got the whole thing figured out already and would rather assign blame to others for poor performances than take that long look in the mirror. Absolute worst.

He may well be a hockey savant, but I personally cringe at all of Berube's interviews... there's no charisma or insight... not sure he's ever used a word longer than 2 syllables... I just hope that it's because he's more comfortable with lockeroom vernacular than having a mic jammed into his face and being forced to communicate like a civilian.





Stand by you 100% on everything here, except for cutting the cord on the Schenn Bros.

Next week, after Baby Schenn scores 4 points in a game, and the Elder Schenn sends Jamie Benn into the third-row on a hip check, they'll both return to untouchable status again, like our buddy Couturier.
- Tomahawk

Schenn has never even sniffed my untochables list.

Hell most of the team hasn't.

I'd be okay with Downie for 2-3 years. Even if Cousins does come up, he'll be on his ELC for 2 years and is probably slated for bottom-6 winger status (barring injuries), so I'mnot against keeping Downie if he can keep helping produce.
- jmatchett383

Cousins/Laughton/Raffl would make a nice checking line I think in a year or two.

I think Laughton if he makes it next year to the big club nay have to play wing.
I'm kind of loving Mr Hall's face off skills right now and would like to see another year of it.

I'd be okay with Downie for 2-3 years. Even if Cousins does come up, he'll be on his ELC for 2 years and is probably slated for bottom-6 winger status (barring injuries), so I'mnot against keeping Downie if he can keep helping produce.
- jmatchett383

FWIW: Cousins has 9 pts in 20 AHL games this year. I wonder if he continues to progress at the AHL level (i.e.--stays out of Terry Murray's dog house), if he could contend for a spot in the bottom 6 next year possibly.

3 years for Downie is reasonable, IMO.

The absolute worst is a young player that thinks they've already got the whole thing figured out already and would rather assign blame to others for poor performances than take that long look in the mirror. Absolute worst.
- Tomahawk

But he's sort of a kind of pretty good yet unproven goal scorer. Why aren't we blowing Edmonton away with offers for him?