my one gripe with this whole thing is that malkin was by no means held off of the scoresheet in that series.
- stayinthefnnet

Well I'm certainly not gonna disagree, but I think we can both say, for whatever reason, Coots has Malkin's number. Shrek just doesn't ever seem like he plays the way he normally can/the way he's capable of when he's matched up against Coots.

It's something I haven't seen before, honestly. It's night and day.

Obviously not 100% of the time but it's definitely nice if you're a Flyers fan

Agreed. Maybe the Flyers can use a poor performance vs Finland to pry Fowler or Faulk off their teams
- Jsaquella

Fowler's always been a pipe dream of mine. He seems like he's gonna be a really good player.

Almost like a Ryan Suter type with a better goal scoring touch. I've always liked him.

Agreed, wholeheartedly. If the Olympics were held in August or September, I'd watch them and enjoy them more. I felt zero passion watching the games this time around. Hell, even in 2010, I wasn't that fired up.

The 1996 World Cup and the 1987 Canada Cup remain the best all around international tournaments I have seen.
- Jsaquella

oh, come on! rendezvous '87 was even better.

Yep. I knew that about 76'. Interesting debate. I mean Latvia's best dman is Oskars Bartulis. Wasn't Latvia the only team in the tourney without a single active NHL player?
- PLindbergh31

Sandis Ozoliņšh!

He's only 41, Flyers should sign him up

Sandis Ozoliņšh!

He's only 41, Flyers should sign him up
- Marc D

No way! He's my signing!

/Ruben Amaro Jr.

Well I'm certainly not gonna disagree, but I think we can both say, for whatever reason, Coots has Malkin's number. Shrek just doesn't ever seem like he plays the way he normally can/the way he's capable of when he's matched up against Coots.

It's something I haven't seen before, honestly. It's night and day.

Obviously not 100% of the time but it's definitely nice if you're a Flyers fan
- Giroux_Is_God

that he does.

No way! He's my signing!

/Ruben Amaro Jr.
- johndewar

he played like a stud for that latvia team, bunch of scrappers and he was their clear leader

he played like a stud for that latvia team, bunch of scrappers and he was their clear leader
- Marc D

What he did over a short tourney was pretty remarkable, but not sure it translates over a full NHL season.

What he did over a short tourney was pretty remarkable, but not sure it translates over a full NHL season.
- johndewar

oh I know

still I was impressed... for 2 weeks (like you said)

This message approved by Steven Starr.
- PhillySportsGuy

(frank) t h at guy

oh I know

still I was impressed... for 2 weeks (like you said)
- Marc D

Me too. Always thought he was a helluva player in North America.

What he did over a short tourney was pretty remarkable, but not sure it translates over a full NHL season.
- johndewar

He had some personal issues, including a pretty serious drinking problem. Seems that he's sorted things out and is enjoying a great twilight to his career.

He had some personal issues, including a pretty serious drinking problem. Seems that he's sorted things out and is enjoying a great twilight to his career.
- Jsaquella

Totally happy for him if he's sorted it out. Dude had all sorts of skills.

Hey Farva, what's your favorite restaurant...the one with all that poop hanging on the walls?
- Jsaquella

PLind sticks his head around the corner and says "shenanigans"?

I agree with Al Morganti on this: Shutting the league down means you think the Stanley Cup is NOT as important as a Gold Medal.

And I disagree with that notion, on every level. The Stanley Cup is the greatest trophy in hockey.
- johndewar

The most indelible moments in North American hockey history have come during international competition... Lake Placid Miracle for the USA and Paul Henderson's Summit Series goal in 72... ironically, neither involved the Stanley Cup.

The most indelible moments in North American hockey history have come during international competition... Lake Placid Miracle for the USA and Paul Henderson's Summit Series goal in 72... ironically, neither involved the Stanley Cup.
- Tomahawk

Yeah, but those also had a common denominator: the USSR.

More than hockey at that point. That's a little bit....uncommon.

oh, come on! rendezvous '87 was even better.
- hammarby31

Could Fuhr have been any deeper in his net? [/img]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N1BL0L1WkD8

Yeah, but those also had a common denominator: the USSR.

More than hockey at that point. That's a little bit....uncommon.
- Giroux_Is_God

Not really. US is the only country that seems to have stopped caring about international competition, maybe because as the lone super power, we have no need to compete via proxy.

Other countries, including Canada, seem to relish the opportunity to go country vs country. Finland vs Sweden is always a big deal. Finland vs Russia as well. Any of the former Soviet republics vs Russia is always huge. Imagine how significant a miracle win for Ukraine over Russia would be today, given current events. And the WJC is probably bigger than the SCF every year in Canada.

Not really. US is the only country that seems to have stopped caring about international competition, maybe because as the lone super power, we have no need to compete via proxy.

Other countries, including Canada, seem to relish the opportunity to go country vs country. Finland vs Sweden is always a big deal. Finland vs Russia as well. Any of the former Soviet republics vs Russia is always huge. Imagine how significant a miracle win for Ukraine over Russia would be today, given current events. And the WJC is probably bigger than the SCF every year in Canada.
- Tomahawk

a few notes....its a shame if the US has indeed stopped caring.....It is a rather large country, with a boat load of diversity, people in certain area's just dont care about certain sports.....as for the WJC being bigger then the stanley cup, In Canada, that remains true....that would change if a Canadian team such as Toronto ever made the cup.....its goofy when their in the playoffs....I even have trouble watching when games are being played in June.
they were saying theis morning that 90 % of TVs that were on at 7am Sunday morning were tuned into Canada-Sweeden. all though not official, it really is our national past time.....throw in our patriotic feelings it's bedlam when Canada plays.....heck even the bars opened and served drinks Sunday morning to watch the game.

So what's the fun topic today?

Grossmann sucks?
Tear apart team/future for one player?
Holmgren must go?
Giroux didn't deserve the extension?
Trade all of our vets (ignore NTCs) and throw the season for a better pick?

So what's the fun topic today?

Grossmann sucks?
Tear apart team/future for one player?
Holmgren must go?
Giroux didn't deserve the extension?
Trade all of our vets (ignore NTCs) and throw the season for a better pick?
- jmatchett383

Boy, all of these look so good. I don't know where to start.

Boy, all of these look so good. I don't know where to start.
- PhillySportsGuy

Maybe we can go for the sampler, just a little bit of them all.

Not really. US is the only country that seems to have stopped caring about international competition, maybe because as the lone super power, we have no need to compete via proxy.

Other countries, including Canada, seem to relish the opportunity to go country vs country. Finland vs Sweden is always a big deal. Finland vs Russia as well. Any of the former Soviet republics vs Russia is always huge. Imagine how significant a miracle win for Ukraine over Russia would be today, given current events. And the WJC is probably bigger than the SCF every year in Canada.
- Tomahawk

WJC is bigger in Canada than the SCF because they have an entire league of kids that compete on a regular basis in junior hockey leagues, so it's in their faces all the time.

There is also no more big baddie for the US citizenry to get up for.

WJC is bigger in Canada than the SCF because they have an entire league of kids that compete on a regular basis in junior hockey leagues, so it's in their faces all the time.

There is also no more big baddie for the US citizenry to get up for.
- johndewar

I still despise Russia. I was more excited that they got knocked out than I was that the US advanced. I wasn't alive during most of the Cold War, so I don't know what 1980 was like except from stories, Hollywood movies, and documentaries. But I still don't like Russia at all.

I still despise Russia. I was more excited that they got knocked out than I was that the US advanced. I wasn't alive during most of the Cold War, so I don't know what 1980 was like except from stories, Hollywood movies, and documentaries. But I still don't like Russia at all.
- jmatchett383

Russia is practically just a run of the mill criminal empire at this point.

If you grew up in the late '70's and early '80's, you really thought that the USSR and US would bomb each other back to the stone ages.

The perceived stakes were a little different back then.