Some great news re Gordie Howe from Bob Duff in the Red Wings thread:

Howe has made a remarkable recovery from the stroke he suffered late last October since undergoing experimental stem cell treatments last month in Mexico.

“We were just completely blown away by his response (to the treatments),” said Howe's youngest son Murray, himself a doctor. “I’m still astonished.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in medicine.”

Ever since the Dec. 8 treatments, Gordie isn’t just getting better, his condition is improving by leaps and bounds.

AWESOME!!

- BiggE

Sounds like Mr. Hockey elbowed Death in the jaw, grabbed a loose puck and beat the goalie 5-hole

Man that Syvret video was some Dude Perfect poop!

I sort of like the idea of the young guns team.

However, the misc team is a huge no go for me. Ouch.

I'm in the middle on the Gustafsson debate. I think he can come in and be a decent third pair NHL defenseman, but not much more. I definitely think MDZ is better-and by a good margin.

That said, I also agree that Gustafsson didn't really get much of a shot here. Laviolette seemed more interested in playing him than Berube, and the fact that Berube tagged Hal Gill for a playoff game ahead of Gustafsson shows that to be true.

Unfortunately it's still a league where size and grit sometimes trump skill. There's a reason Claude Giroux lasted until the 22nd pick. There's a reason Johnny Gaudreau was a 4th rounder.

But the two leading NHL scorers over the past 5 years are both under 6 foot tall-Giroux and St Louis.

1) Gus would be an underdog to crack any NHL top six. The pro scouts I've talked to, although none this season, were all lukewarm on him. For example, this was the assessment last spring from a longtime NHL pro scout who was also a long-tenured NHL defenseman: " I think Gus is a #7 dman on most NHL teams. I like his try and he has some offense, but lack of size and average skills will limit his upside. As long as his salary remains on the low side, he is an asset. He is replaceable if he wants too much money for me.
- bmeltzer

Again, not gonna dispute what Gus is. I do think there was another level to his game that we never got to see because he was never truly given a REAL shot on this team IMO.

As "limited" as this scout describes him, one player I always come back to is Francis Bouillon - a guy that made a decent NHL career as a bottom pairing dman based basically on his strength alone. Not above average in any of his intangibles other then his strength and physicality, and barely average in most other areas including his natural skill set. Despite being a very, very small player, he played almost 800 NHL games.

I come back to that playoff game where Gus was absolutely schooling Malkin. If you can get defensive play out of a guy like that more often then not, he's worthy of a roster spot somewhere. I'd love to see Gus return to the NHL and see if he is improved at all after getting the ice time he wasn't going to get here under Lava or Berube. Just my opinion.

2) Neither one does any one thing quite well enough to be an NHL specialist nor are they more than average across-the-board where there are bigger-framed players who can do the same things. Both have a little bit of offensive game and make a good first pass. Gus is a bit better defensively, Larsen has a little more speed. Neither one is going to overpower anyone with his shot. Gus has a little more physicality but that's a relative term because Larsen pretty much has none.

I see the bolded as far bigger differences in there games than I guess everyone else does. They are similar players for sure. These bolded differences just stick out way more to me when watching games, hence why I said a "lazy comparison". But, to each his own.

I'm in the middle on the Gustafsson debate. I think he can come in and be a decent third pair NHL defenseman, but not much more. I definitely think MDZ is better-and by a good margin.

That said, I also agree that Gustafsson didn't really get much of a shot here. Laviolette seemed more interested in playing him than Berube, and the fact that Berube tagged Hal Gill for a playoff game ahead of Gustafsson shows that to be true.

Unfortunately it's still a league where size and grit sometimes trump skill. There's a reason Claude Giroux lasted until the 22nd pick. There's a reason Johnny Gaudreau was a 4th rounder.

But the two leading NHL scorers over the past 5 years are both under 6 foot tall-Giroux and St Louis.
- Jsaquella

Bolded points are a culmination of how I feel towards Gus.....

He is what he is, but he was never given a fair crack at the NHL. From 11-12 to 13-14 he only played 155 games of pro hockey, and only 58 at the NHL level. In those 58 games, he was almost always used in a limited role.

That's atrocious player development IMO, varrying contributing factors aside (lock-out, injuries, etc). No matter what way you spin it, Gus never got a fair shot. I think he's a more than capable NHL player and because we have his rights, there's no reason we shouldnt be moderately interested.

I'm in the middle on the Gustafsson debate. I think he can come in and be a decent third pair NHL defenseman, but not much more. I definitely think MDZ is better-and by a good margin.

That said, I also agree that Gustafsson didn't really get much of a shot here. Laviolette seemed more interested in playing him than Berube, and the fact that Berube tagged Hal Gill for a playoff game ahead of Gustafsson shows that to be true.

Unfortunately it's still a league where size and grit sometimes trump skill. There's a reason Claude Giroux lasted until the 22nd pick. There's a reason Johnny Gaudreau was a 4th rounder.

But the two leading NHL scorers over the past 5 years are both under 6 foot tall-Giroux and St Louis.
- Jsaquella

playing hal gill over gusty means you have no grip on reality

playing hal gill over gusty means you have no grip on reality

- 2Real

Either that or Berube wanted an experienced (1,108 RS games, 111 PO) shot-blocker with size after Grossmann went down and Gus didn't fit that niche. Thngs didn't work out well in the one game Gill dressed, but there was reasoning behind it beforehand.

I'm sorry to have brought up Gus. I'll see myself out I'm a Swede so I'm obviously biased.

I'm sorry to have brought up Gus. I'll see myself out I'm a Swede so I'm obviously biased.
- PhillySteen

It's quite alright. Flyers need to bring Gus back, the more Swedes, the better.

I mean, we want to make Mr. Babcock feel right at home next year, right?

Either that or Berube wanted an experienced (1,108 RS games, 111 PO) shot-blocker with size after Grossmann went down and Gus didn't fit that niche. Thngs didn't work out well in the one game Gill dressed, but there was reasoning behind it beforehand.
- bmeltzer

Gil was over his head and done in the NHL at that point. Gusty could have used that experience for his own development/benefit

Um Gustafsson, really?

Good on Mr. Hockey!

Jake had me cracking up with his Gaudreau move.

Um Gustafsson, really?

Good on Mr. Hockey!

Jake had me cracking up with his Gaudreau move.
- Pixote Andolini

i thought that move was silly and exactly why i don't give a poop about the all star game

Another dumb idea comes out of the NHL front office... color me shocked.

(I really, really, really want to see Team Misc Europe win it now.)
- Tomahawk

I don't like the format either, probably won't watch it because of it.

Joke of a format.

NHL is going to be a laughing stock next time a real tournament like the Olympics happen. Especially if it gets ideas of telling its players they cannot go compete.

First player shown on the broadcast: Giroux
First player commentators talk about: Jake

If you didn't know any better you'd think they play for a good team.

Tough day for McDavid (1 goal & 4 assists) & Strome (1 goal & 3 assists)

My god. Worst sound mix ever. My guitar just committed suicide.

Jake gets cheered. Nash gets boo'd.

someone on another forum made a good point about team Misc. Euro...

good luck getting any of those guys to agree to play. what happens if all those players feel offended and decide to skip the games?

someone on another forum made a good point about team Misc. Euro...

good luck getting any of those guys to agree to play. what happens if all those players feel offended and decide to skip the games?
- black_francis

I just really want to hear the anthem and see the jersey. Personally, and obviously I am far from it but if I was to play on that team I'd be offended.

NHL thinking it and NA are the king of the hockey world. Which they may be, but the arrogance is off-putting.

Jo Dee

Jo Dee
- MBFlyerfan

That got brutal real quick.

That got brutal real quick.
- hereticpride

Is it me or are they half assing it more than usual?

Is it me or are they half assing it more than usual?
- MBFlyerfan

Saving the energy for the NHL World Cup, brought to you by _____.