2013 NHL Season Thread

[Pyro]

Starts today at 3 on NBC.

[CavsinFL]

Guys, I've never followed hockey because Cleveland doesn't have an NHL team and no one in my family follows it. I'm an avid sports fan and I can see how hockey is exciting. I want to pick up a team.

I'm looking for a young an upcoming team, much like OKC a few years back in basketball. A team that isn't favored to win in the next year or two but certainly has tons of potential. Any suggestions?

[Pyro]

Why, the Buffalo Sabres, of course.

[CavsinFL]

Why, the Buffalo Sabres, of course.

Ok, that's your team. Now convince me why they should be mine

[Pyro]

Well, they have everything you asked for in the original post, and new owners, refreshed and ready to make the team compete. Good goalies, etc.

[CavsinFL]

Well, they have everything you asked for in the original post, and new owners, refreshed and ready to make the team compete. Good goalies, etc.

I've heard that from you and my buddy who's a die heard Red Wings fan says St. Louis so Buffalo and Louie are my 2 front runners

[Pyro]

Sabres beat Philadelphia 5-2.

[SRStark20]

I'm sticking loyal in Ohio with the league-worst Jackets.

1-1 right now, so eh.

[Pyro]

I'm sticking loyal in Ohio with the league-worst Jackets.

1-1 right now, so eh.

They aren't 1-1.

Yet.

[SRStark20]

ESPN.com lied to me then.

I know they beat Nashville.

[gnu16]

Columbus is 1-0-1 (Win, Loss, Shootout loss), good enough for 3 points.

Hockey 101 (from someone who's originally from hockey crazy Buffalo)

Win= 2 points
Shootout or OT Loss= 1 point
Loss= 0 pts.

2 conferences (East, West), 3 divisions in each conference, playoff seeding like NBA (division winners seeded 1,2,3, next 5 teams point wise make playoffs)

Due to the lockout this year, teams will play 48 games, all within their own conference. Teams will play 18 x in their own division and 3 x against the other 10 teams in their conference).

Most whistles will be due to icing (puck goes from defensive zone all the way past the last red line where the other team touches it first) or offsides (player in offensive zone (past blue line) before puck).

Hockey is a much better game to see live, if you get a chance, go. Lake Erie Monster games are a blast. I suggest sitting higher (not on the glass) so you can see the play develop. The glass can sometimes distort the view and not give a clear picture of what's happening.

Buffalo has good goaltending and decent talent but seems to disappoint come playoff time. St. Louis is a very good up and coming team which brought a lot of excitement to the playoffs last year. Nashville and Minnesota are going to be good. The Ottawa Senators (my team) were predicted to be the worst team in hockey last year and made the playoffs. (That is another good young team goaltending and defense wise). A lot of times, the hottest team ends up winning the cup (last year the LA Kings won as an 8 seed, playing the NJ Devils, who were a 6 seed). Basically, pay attention to whoever gets hot starting April 1st.

The Minnesota Wild (West) and the New York Rangers(East) are the favorites this season.

I'm hoping to make the trip to Nationwide this year.

[Huber.]

Another year with Columbus being terrible. I think at this point they are doomed to move to Quebec, Seattle or Hamilton.

[Pyro]

Quebec needs a team first, over the other two cities.

[Huber.]

Quebec needs a team first, over the other two cities.

I see Phoenix moving to Quebec first then Columbus to another city shortly after.

[Pyro]

Today was not a good day for Sabres hockey. Oh well.