The official NHL 2009-10 thread

[BoylenOver]

The season opens tonight. Caps/Bruins and Sharks/Avs will be on Versus tonight, and I'm sure at least one of the Canadian games (Habs/Leafs and Canucks/Flames) will be on NHL Network.

The Blues open Friday at one in Sweden against the Wings. I've got high hopes for them. Getting Kariya and Erik Johnson back after both missed most of last season is just as good as acquiring two key free agents, Johnson especially. It all hinges on Chris Mason, though. If he plays like he did as the #1 guy in Nashville, we won't make it back to the postseason.

My Stanley Cup pick is Washington/Chicago, with Philadelphia and San Jose (even here I think I'm putting too much faith in them) making the conference finals.

[Hot Lunch]

This thread won't get much attention

[Flystripper]

i wonder if this thread will make it to page 2?

[beefytee]

I have high hopes for both the Flames and the Canadiens.

I'm excited about Calgary's new head coach that seems like he will keep things disciplined. I also am a big fan of the Sutter brothers because the played junior hockey in my home town. Hopefully he will get the defense stronger.

The Canadiens are a bit more of a wild card. There has been a lot of change. I think alot of their sucess will depend on what version of Carey Price we see this season. Hopefully the new goaltender coaches with get the best out of him.

[BoylenOver]

All your base are belong to Ovechkin. A goal and an assist through two periods.

This will quell the calls for Varlamov for at least a few weeks.

[Surfah]

All your base are belong to Ovechkin. A goal and an assist through two periods.

This will quell the calls for Varlamov for at least a few weeks.

C-A-P-S! Caps! Caps! Caps!

[beefytee]

Canadiens win in OT with seconds to go and the flames are taking it to the Canucks.

It is a good night.

[BoylenOver]

Canadiens win in OT with seconds to go and the flames are taking it to the Canucks.

It is a good night.

Markov left the game with an injury. If they lose him, their defense is in trouble. They gave up too many shots tonight.

[beefytee]

Markov left the game with an injury. If they lose him, their defense is in trouble. They gave up too many shots tonight.

Yeah, I hope Markov is alright.

That was the problem with both my teams. The Flames and the Canadiens allowed way too many shots.

Hopefully both defenses can improve and keep winning.

[BoylenOver]

Blues have scored 3 unanswered goals to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead. The 3rd period should be starting here in a minute or two.

[BoylenOver]

Fun game on Versus tonight. Flyers win 6-5 in OT over the Caps. The game was 0-0 after 20 minutes.

[beefytee]

Fun game on Versus tonight. Flyers win 6-5 in OT over the Caps. The game was 0-0 after 20 minutes.

I caught the end of it as well. It was good. I was kind of torn between watching the Gretzky special on ESPN and the Game. I ended up enjoying both. I turned the game on after the Gretzky show.

[BoylenOver]

Turns out Jon Hamm is a native of St. Louis and a huge Blues fan.

And I didn't think I could love the guy more.

http://www.stlouisgametime.com/2009/...hamm-rocking-a

[BoylenOver]

Looks like the Pens-Flyers rivalry got some more bite:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puc...urn=nhl,194967

Also, there were two fantastic finishes last night, as the Devils and Flames both forced OT with goals inside the last five seconds of the game.

[BoylenOver]

Probably the two biggest/most fanatical markets in the league, Toronto and Montreal, will watch some shitty hockey this season.

The Leafs are 0-3-1, the Habs are 2-2, and neither team is particularly fun to watch, unless you're playing them. The Leafs and their desired "toughness" is just undisciplined play, and the goaltending is AHL-quality. Montreal gives up way too many shots, and Carey Price's run to take the Habs to the #1 seed in the East two seasons ago seems like a distant memory.

The season has been great so far.