We need more hockey talk on this board! It is by far the greatest and most exciting sport and its sad to see the lack of fan support in the States. I just doesn't make sense to me.

We need more hockey talk on this board! It is by far the greatest and most exciting sport and its sad to see the lack of fan support in the States. I just doesn't make sense to me.

Is there still a hockey league? I haven't seen it in a while.

To talk hockey, I recommend going to another forum. Depending on what forums you go to, there is lots of hockey talk.

I follow hockey, and I have given up posting on this board about it.

Since you want to talk about hockey, I have a question that I hope somebody could answer. This is regarding something that I've observed a few times when watching hockey games on TV, but never while I was at a game.

When a player, especially if it's one from the home team, scores a hat trick, the fans in the stands might throw their own hats on to the ice as a sign of congratulations or appreciation. After the hat trick celebration is over, the cleaning crew comes out and clears the ice of the hats and other possible debris to continue the game.

So my question is, if you throw your hat on to the ice to celebrate a player's hat trick, can you get your hat back afterwards or is it considered lost? If you can retrieve it afterwards, where will that be and how do you prove that it is your hat?

With baseball caps and other hats being so expensive nowadays, I do not want to lose a $40 hat in addition to the high price I already pay for my game ticket, even if it's for the sake of celebrating a player's hat trick.

After throwing your hat on the ice after a hat trick there is no way of getting your hat back. If have even heard that sometimes the player who scored the hat trick is even given the hats thrown on the ice as souvenirs for their accomplishment.

So my question is, if you throw your hat on to the ice to celebrate a player's hat trick, can you get your hat back afterwards or is it considered lost?
The hat is lost and I find the practice now outdated for the NHL considering we're dealing with players who earn enough to buy the entire hat company.

Its a tradition. It happens at pretty much every level of hockey not just the NHL. Its completly up to you whether you want to throw your hat on the ice or not. Nobody's forcing you.

I miss the ocotpus they used to throw on the ice.

I miss the ocotpus they used to throw on the ice.

lol thats's only in Detroit and they still do.

lol thats's only in Detroit and they still do.

I know, but I thought they made them stop.

I know, but I thought they made them stop.

Hmm I dunno. I never heard that. I was under the impression they still did. Not 100% sure though. It happend last time they were in the playoffs.

Hmm I dunno. I never heard that. I was under the impression they still did. Not 100% sure though. It happend last time they were in the playoffs.

Well I'm sure they still get some in, but I guess they are banned now. I had to look it up!

http://www.detnews.com/2002/sports/0204/27/sports-475959.htm
Joe Louis Arena spokeswoman Alana Henderson said security personnel will confiscate at the door any item they feel fans will throw onto the ice. That means the chance of getting an octopus past security guards is slim to none, Henderson said -- especially because of beefed up security following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

There you go. Thanks for the info. I didnt realize that. Im sure they get some past security every now and then. It was a pretty strange tradition anyway lol.

Here's another question that I have that I hope somebody can answer:

As you may all know, at the conclusion of every NHL game, three players are chosen as the stars of the game. As their name is being announced, they make one last skate on the ice. I remember very well that up until the late 1980's, if the game was telecast on TV, then the camera would zoom in on each of the three players as they made their final skate on the ice.

But starting around the early 90's, CBC and other stations no longer show the three stars on TV. Instead, the names of three stars appear on the TV screen during the post-game show and the host talks about them for a while.

Does anybody know:

1. Does any TV station still show the three stars on TV making their final skate?
2. Starting which season did TV stations no longer show the three stars on TV?
3. Why TV stations no longer show them on TV?
4. If one or more of the three stars are from the visiting team, do they always make their final skate on the ice?

A general question for those who attend NHL games: do you always stay and wait for the post-game three star presentation or do you leave the arena before or soon after the game is over?

The reason that many stations including the CBC dont show the three stars skating on the ice after the game is because they choose their own three stars and there are often differences to the three stars choosen when attending a game live. Most networks choose their own three stars although some occasionally dont. Most local TV stations will show the 3 stars skating around the ice when airring their local teams.

If one or more of the three stars are from the visiting team, do they always make their final skate on the ice? Not always.

We need more hockey talk on this board! It is by far the greatest and most exciting sport and its sad to see the lack of fan support in the States. I just doesn't make sense to me.


I think the reason why there isn't a lot of hockey talk on this board is simple. As Solomon likes to point out to me whenever I do my weekly episode guides, in his own unique and ultra-annoying fashion, about 90-95% of the people on here are American and for the average American, hockey is at best 4th on their must see list behind football, baseball, and basketball. It even took a Canadian (thank you Cheers freak!) to start this thread and it will take another one, namely myself, to keep it going. In order to do so, I'd like to know the following from those of you who follow hockey:

1. Who is your favorite team?

2. Who is your favorite player?

3. What have you liked and disliked about the season so far?

4. Who's the better rookie: Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?

5. Who are you picking to win the Stanley Cup?

6. Which of these future Hall Of Famers who recently retired will you miss the most: Mark Messier, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Brett Hull, Ron Francis, Pavel Bure?

7. Who will score the most points this season?

8. Who will win the goal medal in this year's Olympics?


Here are my answers:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs

2. Eric Lindros

3. Likes: more goals, less stoppages in play, the shootouts, most of the new rules, younger players making an impact on the game.

Dislikes: more penalties being called, less bodychecking, less fighting, goalies being penalized for handling the puck.

4. Alexander Ovechkin, but not by much.

5. Dallas Stars

6. Brett Hull

7. Jason Spezza

8. Canada

If you have more questions, don't be afraid to ask me.

GAME ON!

1. Who is your favorite team?
The Habs and the 1990-92 Pens.

2. Who is your favorite player?
The most talented offensive player I ever seen - Mario Lemieux.

3. What have you liked and disliked about the season so far?
I like the fact that the NHL has finally decided to enforce the hooking and obstruction rules. I hate with a fiery passion shootouts, shootouts and shootouts!

4. Who's the better rookie: Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?
Sidney Crosby

5. Who are you picking to win the Stanley Cup?
Sens.

6. Which of these future Hall Of Famers who recently retired will you miss the most: Mark Messier, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Brett Hull, Ron Francis, Pavel Bure?
Brett Hull.

7. Who will score the most points this season?
Jason Spezza.

8. Who will win the goal medal in this year's Olympics?
http://images.bravenet.com/common/images/smilies/canada.gif (men & women)

I think the reason why there isn't a lot of hockey talk on this board is simple. As Solomon likes to point out to me whenever I do my weekly episode guides, in his own unique and ultra-annoying fashion, about 90-95% of the people on here are American and for the average American, hockey is at best 4th on their must see list behind football, baseball, and basketball. It even took a Canadian (thank you Cheers freak!) to start this thread and it will take another one, namely myself, to keep it going. In order to do so, I'd like to know the following from those of you who follow hockey:

1. Who is your favorite team?

2. Who is your favorite player?

3. What have you liked and disliked about the season so far?

4. Who's the better rookie: Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?

5. Who are you picking to win the Stanley Cup?

6. Which of these future Hall Of Famers who recently retired will you miss the most: Mark Messier, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Brett Hull, Ron Francis, Pavel Bure?

7. Who will score the most points this season?

8. Who will win the goal medal in this year's Olympics?


Here are my answers:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs

2. Eric Lindros

3. Likes: more goals, less stoppages in play, the shootouts, most of the new rules, younger players making an impact on the game.

Dislikes: more penalties being called, less bodychecking, less fighting, goalies being penalized for handling the puck.

4. Alexander Ovechkin, but not by much.

5. Dallas Stars

6. Brett Hull

7. Jason Spezza

8. Canada

If you have more questions, don't be afraid to ask me.

GAME ON!


1)New York Rangers

2)Henrik Lundqvist

3)I like that there are no more ties. I hate that the refs are very strict with the hooking

4)Sidney Crosby

5)Senators

6)Scott Stevens

7)Jaromir Jagr

8)Canada

One thing that I don't understand about the NHL is the stigma that is associated with hoisting the semi-final championship trophies - the Campbell Bowl and the Prince of Wales trophy for the western and eastern conference champions, respectively. Apparently, there is a strange mentality that touching these semi-final championship trophies brings about a curse because that is not the trophy that they really want - the Stanley Cup. So the captain of the team usually just stands by the trophy but they leave it on the table. But the semi-final winners in other professional leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB always accept and hoist their semi-final championship trophies with pride.

One thing that I don't understand about the NHL is the stigma that is associated with hoisting the semi-final championship trophies - the Campbell Bowl and the Prince of Wales trophy for the western and eastern conference champions, respectively. Apparently, there is a strange mentality that touching these semi-final championship trophies brings about a curse because that is not the trophy that they really want - the Stanley Cup. So the captain of the team usually just stands by the trophy but they leave it on the table. But the semi-final winners in other professional leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB always accept and hoist their semi-final championship trophies with pride.

This is true, another long standing tradition with NHL players that have not won the Stanley Cup is to NEVER EVER touch it before they actually win it themselves.

Case in point, this summer when the Carolona Hurricane won the cup, each of their players was given a chance to take the Cup back to their own home town for a day or two. Frank Kaberle plays for the 'Canes and his brother Tomas plays for the Leafs and when Frank took the Cup back to the Czech Republic so friends and family can see it and take their picture with it, Tomas wouldn't go near it let alone touch it because of this curse/superstition

btw, the Leafs haven't won the Cup since '67 so I doubt it would have made a difference in Tomas' case :lol: :lol:

1. Who is your favorite team?
New York Islanders

2. Who is your favorite player?
I like Miroslav Satan, Jason Blake, Shawn Bates, and in some ways Rick DiPietro.

3. What have you liked and disliked about the season so far?
I'll go with the 06-07 season. I like that the new rules are still being enforced, since I enjoy the quicker pace. I dislike the huge gaps that have been in between games, at least for my team. I have trouble going 4-5 days without a game :rolleyes: :lol:

4. Who's the better rookie: Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?
That's a tough one. Both are spectacular players. I'm going to say Ovechkin though.

5. Who are you picking to win the Stanley Cup?
Still early in the season, but Buffalo is playing amazingly well. As much as I'd like to say the Isles, I can't see that happening this year.

6. Which of these future Hall Of Famers who recently retired will you miss the most: Mark Messier, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Brett Hull, Ron Francis, Pavel Bure?
Scott Stevens

7. Who will score the most points this season?
Marian Hossa

One thing that I don't understand about the NHL is the stigma that is associated with hoisting the semi-final championship trophies - the Campbell Bowl and the Prince of Wales trophy for the western and eastern conference champions, respectively. Apparently, there is a strange mentality that touching these semi-final championship trophies brings about a curse because that is not the trophy that they really want - the Stanley Cup. So the captain of the team usually just stands by the trophy but they leave it on the table. But the semi-final winners in other professional leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB always accept and hoist their semi-final championship trophies with pride.

This is fairly recent and I think Scotty Bowman started it with the Redwings, it was not superstition at the time but that they did not want to be proud of only getting halfway there. Very similar to the tradition of the center ice picture, it was not until the Oilers did it that everyone else copied it. And also of course the white towels which is the only sports tradition fans of the Vancouver Canucks can hang their hats on.

1. Who is your favorite team?
Sadly the Vancouver Canucks

2. Who is your favorite player?
Right now Joe Thornton prior to that Mario Lemiuex (if only he could have stayed healthy)

3. What have you liked and disliked about the season so far?
I hate watching the divisional games 8 times and not seeing the Eastern teams.
4. Who's the better rookie: Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?
Pure scorer A.O. , overall player S.C.
5. Who are you picking to win the Stanley Cup?
Anahiem or SJ

6. Which of these future Hall Of Famers who recently retired will you miss the most: Mark Messier, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Brett Hull, Ron Francis, Pavel Bure?
Pavel at his prime, Ron Francis overall
7. Who will score the most points this season?
Joe Thornton

1) Toronto Maple Leafs

2) Jerome Iginla, Dion Phaneuf

3) Leafs and their shootout problems and their shootout loses to the Montreal Canadians

4) A.O is more exciting right now he is the better player, but I think overtime Syd the kid will be the better overall player.

5) Buffalo Sabers

6) Mark Messier was a true leader and his wrist shot using the off foot was a thing of beauty

7) Jagr


Go Leafs Go! http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/d/dd/150px-Toronto_Maple_Leafs.gif

We need more hockey talk on this board! It is by far the greatest and most exciting sport and its sad to see the lack of fan support in the States. I just doesn't make sense to me.


I love hockey & will be talking alot about it, but right now most of my talk & thoughts are on football. I am always up for good hockey talk

1. Who is your favorite team?
Montreal Canadiens

2. Who is your favorite player?
Wow! I don't think I have one any more. I do like Ovechkin's style on the ice however,

3. What have you liked and disliked about the season so far?
I still hate all the penalties that are being called. I like the hi-scoring games & I like the shoot-out idea.

4. Who's the better rookie: Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?
No longer rookies, both are amazing players, and I can't pick one over the other. Hopefully, this will turn out like the Bird-Magic showdowns of the 80's in the NBA
5. Who are you picking to win the Stanley Cup?
The Habs. I can't help it. Been a fan since birth.:)

6. Which of these future Hall Of Famers who recently retired will you miss the most:
Brett Hull: The guy was a great goal scorer and he was even better in front of the camera. Always gave his opinion on any subject, no cliche answers from the Golden Brett

7. Who will score the most points this season?
Sid the Kid

8. If you can change one thing in the NHL, what would it be?
Bring teams back to the cities of Winnipeg and Quebec, and have TWO teams playing out of hockey mad Montreal and Toronto. These are the two best hockey markets in the world and they deserve to have two teams. There is no question the fan support will be there.

We need more hockey talk on this board.

Every good TV board needs more hockey talk. The games are on TV, after all.

This is the first time in a while that I won't be paying much attention to the NHL playoffs.

I'm Canadian, but it is NOT because for the first time in 46 years that there will no Canadian teams in the playoffs.

It's because hockey viewing has changed here, it is no longer must see TV. Something is missing. Of course had my team (Ottawa) made it, I would watch at least a bit.

I did notice this thread is a decade old.

I did notice this thread is a decade old.

My attempt to get playoff talk going without starting a new topic. If the Islanders collapse and don't make it, I'm willing to let it die again.

1. Who is your favorite team?
Dallas Stars - closely followed by Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, LA Kings

2. Who is your favorite player?
Alexander Ovechkin

3. What have you liked and disliked about the season so far?
I finally broken down and ordered the NHL network, and they keep pissing me off by only showing games for a few teams - Black Hawks, Rangers, Blues, Detroit, Sharks - and NT showing the teams I want to see (which makes no sense to me because the Caps and the Stars have both been leading the league all this year) - I liked all the outdoor games, and especially the alumni games getting to see all the old-time greats and one of my all-time favorites Dino Ciccarelli played in two of them

4. Who's the better rookie: Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin?
I'm not as sold on SC as everyone else is, to me Ovechkin is a much more exciting player to watch and he seems to more consistently come through for the team

5. Who are you picking to win the Stanley Cup?
I really think this could be Washington's year

6. Which of these future Hall Of Famers who recently retired will you miss the most: Mark Messier, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Brett Hull, Ron Francis, Pavel Bure?
Pavel Bure - extremely exciting player to watch, but like a lot of superstars, he seems like he's kinda a jerk

7. Who will score the most points this season?I'd like it to Be Jamie Benn, but it will probably be that rapist

Islanders clinch a playoff spot tonight. And from 3-1 down midway thru the 3rd at Washington, no less.

I'd go with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but since their season ends before it begins...I'll also follow the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers.

But The Blue Jackets AAA affiliate, The Lake Erie Monsters are playoff-bound!

The Islanders are actually a team I wouldn't mind see do well in the playoffs. They usually (always) play 2nd fiddle to the Rangers.

The teams I route for are the non-favourites of the TV networks.
The Stanley Cup Final I would like to see is whatever matchup would freak out NBC the most.

The Islanders are actually a team I wouldn't mind see do well in the playoffs. They usually (always) play 2nd fiddle to the Rangers.

More like 3rd fiddle if you include the Devils.

I'm sure there are a ton of Quinnipiac college hockey fans at this board, so I don't have to tell anyone they just made Saturdays NCAA hockey championship game.

I know everyone's been waiting, so North Dakota is the other team in the title game.

Your 2016 NCAA hockey champ is North Dakota.