Stanley Cup Final & Lidström calls it a career

[ptrthgr8]

Hi, folks.

Okay... who else is watching the Stanley Cup Final? I thought Game 1 against LA and New Jersey was a tad... apprehensive? Seems like both teams are feeling themselves out still. I'm hoping the hate starts building up soon, though, so Game 2 gets interesting.

I'm not entirely certain who I'm rooting for this time around. Being a Wings fan, I'm partial to the Western Conference. But I pretty much hate the city of LA. But I like how the Kings play hockey. I've never really been a Devils fan (again, Wings fan), but Parise and Zajak are former Fighting Sioux (UND is in my town). Of course, LA has Matt Greene, who's also a former Sioux. Hmm... this might actually be the first Cup final in a very long time where I don't really care who wins. Crazy. I hope it goes to 7 games, though.

Nick Lidström retired yesterday, too. Makes me sad. 20 years in the league, all on Detroit, never missed the playoffs, and has a ton - a ton! - of awards and achievements. First ballot inductee, for sure. Yzerman is still the Red Wing in my book, but Lidström is right on his heels. I'm hugely thankful that I was able to take my wife to Minneapolis back in October to see the Wings play the Wild. I have seen the Wings play a half dozen times (grew up in Seattle, so went to Vancouver as often as I could to catch Detroit), but it was her first-ever NHL game, so I'm not only glad she finally got to see the Wings in person (she's also a Wings fan - it's partially how we met) but I'm also super-happy that she got to see Lidström up close an personal. Here are some pics from that game:

I wish I had gotten a few more pics of Lidström. But I'm just so very glad I got to see him play live and in person one last time.

Thanks for 20 years of bad-assness, Nicky!

[Puros Y Vino]

Lidstrom was an awesome player. Solid all around. Great +/- stats too. As for hockey in general. Growing up with the Leafs has made me sick of hockey. Between their pathetic play, management and ignorant fans I can't say I've watched a full game in over five years other than the one I attended in Montreal. LA and NJ in the finals does nothing for me.

[ptrthgr8]

Yeah, I imagine I'd have a hard time loving the sport if my team was the Leafs. Definitely a lot easier to love the game when you have the likes of Yzerman, Lidström, Shanahan, Fedorov, Holmström, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, etc. and they win the Cup every few years. I like the Leafs for their history, but sure wish they'd be more competitive. I'd love to see a Wings/Leafs final. The Winter Classic should be fun this year since those two teams will be playing. I hope it snows.

~ Greg ~

[Puros Y Vino]

Yeah, I imagine I'd have a hard time loving the sport if my team was the Leafs. Definitely a lot easier to love the game when you have the likes of Yzerman, Lidström, Shanahan, Fedorov, Holmström, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, etc. and they win the Cup every few years. I like the Leafs for their history, but sure wish they'd be more competitive. I'd love to see a Wings/Leafs final. The Winter Classic should be fun this year since those two teams will be playing. I hope it snows.

~ Greg ~

The Wings have always had a determined management and owner behind it. Their goal was to be competitive every single year. The Leafs' goal has been to be profitable every single year. On ice performance be damned. The Leafs were too cheap to go for Gretzky after his St Louis stint, too cheap to hire a real coach, Scotty Bowman and hand over the reins to him. I've grown up a Leafs fan all my life. But the pattern they're in is abusive to their fan base. The Montreal fans had the right formula years ago. Perform well on the ice and we'll support you financially. Don't and we won't put $'s in your coffers. The only thing that would snap Toronto out of it's funk is if the fans stopped going to the games, stopped buying their crappy merchandise and stop watching the games on TV until some real change occurs. When confronted with financial Armageddon only then will they pluck the driftwood in their management ranks and toss them into the fire. Too many freeloaders in MLSE collecting sweet dividends and profits. Burke is not the answer either. I'm all for a complete rebuild and using younger players but when managment decides its not cool to "tank" a season after pretty much "tanking" the season to get top rated picks then they're really not committed to winning. There's a good reason the Penguins have been successful. Tank when all hope is lost, build a solid team from top picks, then go on to rule for 3-4 years.

OK enough rant. That felt good.

[ptrthgr8]

But how do you really feel?

[Puros Y Vino]

But how do you really feel?

I feel like supporting the Jays more these days. At least they're competitive. It's not their fault the Sox and Yanks can outspend them. The Rays surge doesn't help either though. The Jays' two World Series wins are something that I experienced firsthand at the very least. 1967 was a couple of years prior to my existence.

[khomeinist]

As a Sabres fan, I LOVE the Leafs ownership.

To be honest, Toronto should have two teams. That would help things a lot. As would a fan boycott.

[Puros Y Vino]

As a Sabres fan, I LOVE the Leafs ownership.

To be honest, Toronto should have two teams. That would help things a lot. As would a fan boycott.

Two teams would help. But it seems that the Leafs, Sabres and Detroit will veto that. Look at what happened in Hamilton. There was a billionaire owner lined up and the NHL did a nipple twist on him.

Detroit and Buffalo depend on the Windsor crowd to boost attendance. Toronto votes with them to prevent another team getting too close to their territory. The Leafs have thousands of people on their seasons tickets waiting lists that would dwindle if another team took root. And IMO. A second team would not survive. There's a saying going around in the NHL these days. Toronto is a Leafs town. Not a hockey town.

[357]

I feel for you Leaf fans. Well, not really. I'm a huge Wings fan and I miss the days of seeing the Leafs in the old Norris division. The Wings need to move to the east, or the league needs to go to that three 10 team conferences option they were exploring. Seeing the original 6 teams once every 3-4 years is crap. At least they're trying to get back to a home and away against everyone. I swear Bettman is the worst commish in sports, including my son's local TeeBall league.

[KB24]

Here we go Kings! Los Angeles is a buzz over what is going on with our home team. Exciting to say the least.

[ChanceSchmerr]

Since I'm a diehard New York Rangers fan, I could give less than a Rat's Posterior about the SCF, aside from assuming that Maaaaaaaaaaaarty Brodeur gets exposed as the old-timer's league goalie he is, and the Devils go down to crushing defeat in fitting flames. The Kings have this anyway, they are unstoppable at this point.

Lindstrom was one of the Greats, no question!

[Ken Gargett]

only ever seen one ice hockey game. went to la kings v washington when i lived in DC. great fun. went because i wanted to see gretsky. and even to someone with bugger all knowledge of the game, the way he glided so effortlessly and seemed always in position and always seemed to have vision that others did not. of course, i could be completely wrong. but it reminded me of watching a great batsman who has more time than others around him. or wally lewis or michael jordan or michael lynagh - guys with a greater understanding, more vision and more time.

terrific game as well. kings up 3-0 with about four minutes to go. 3/4s of the crowd walked out. then washington came back and leveled. then extra time and on and on and they could not separate them.