NHL HOCKEY

OT! Josh Jorges, so hot.

Yes. I love hockey.

Goddamn

Marty closes!

Still bitter about the Penguins

Blackhawks talk about roommates (in a prior year unfortunately).

Would someone please bump the latest active NHL thread? I've searched but can't seem to find it.

Yes I am!

Me! So happy the Panthers are still in the running for the playoffs, however marginally. Usually their season is over by now.

So, is this the new/official thread now?

Here is the other thread, with a link to a previous, larger thread.

I can't believe Mike Richards got called up. Apparently they had him doing a 'conditioning stint' two weeks ago in LA.

They're panicking they might not make the playoffs.

That link "thread not found." Threads are disappearing left & right lately. Let's just make this the new one.

r9 I want them in for Luongo alone, since he's been through so much shit. I don't think he'd keep them in it though.

That's odd about the threads. I did a google search and the NHL thread came up, but when I linked it here, it disappeared.

bump

just because...

Disappointing season for the Flyers.

r17 never mind the season, his whole fucking career is going to be wasted by the time Hextall gets his shit in order.

Unless Snider dies and a new dynamic ownership group comes in.

Holy fuck was that a good game in Nashville.

Not quite playoff level intensity, but good.

I still think if Price gets lit up early in the first round by a hard charging team, he might come down to earth. Either that or he'll pull a Roy and just stop everything. I don't see an in between.

The team isn't plagued by internal strife like Chicago, either.

For those who come for the pix, Brendan Gallagher for your viewing pleasure. Sorry for the grain.

Well those non existent Hawk locker room issues are biting them in the ass again tonight. Total fucking disaster, really bad unit play.

Giroux has one goal-deflection from a Voracek pass.

Avs were getting pasted. I never thought I'd say this, but Roy is way, way too soft on his players.

Obligatory hot player pic.

[quote]Disappointing season for the Flyers.

Not for those of us who can't stand Philthy sports teams...

R20, Demers is ok in pictures but I think he really shines in videos/interviews. Great personality, I can see him doing on-air things after he stops playing.

Grantland had an article today about Aaron Ekblad living with Willie Mitchell and his wife this season. They seem like sweet people, and Ekblad isn't hard on the eyes at all.

r21 I'm a fan of some of their players, and their GM is hot. So there's that.

Really, it's Snider that's the problem-he's been their only owner, so he set the tone. I haven't forgiven him for Pronger.

Is the NHL rigged? I think it is. I think it's fake. In each the playoffs and they always go to game 7 just to milk every last dime out of the cities. The scores are erratic: one day the Wings will crush Chicago with 5-2. The next day Chicago crushes Detroit. Just seems so fake. Even in the regular season are the scores erratic. They just don't make sense.

It should be the NHE, like the WWE.

r24 they do if you follow the game. Not to be a dick, but you have to follow pretty closely, and the season is ridiculously long.

People also don't appreciate the energy it takes to skate at that level and be physical.

I watch every Detroit game and I can predict now when the Wings will lose and win now. I could make a killing gambling in hockey. It seems like a pattern. Win one, lose one, win, win, win, lose, lose, win. It's like a pattern I can figure out because it's just so fake.

Here's a debate the says hockey is fake:

I believe the NHL is the fakest of all of the legitimate professional sports. I believe this because it's the least watched sport in the US.

r22 I fucking love Mitchell. Old school NHLer the league could use a lot more of these days.

Jumbo Joe, too.

His GM is trying to goad him into waiving his NTC by publically humiliating him and Joe told him to shut the fuck up. Literally.

.

Panthers got eliminated tonight. Their point total was vastly improved over last season though, so I'm happier. Barkov is going to have a monstrous season next year. How are your teams doing?

r30 I haven't seen them a lot but I'm excited for Ekblad. You guys need a goalie, too. Love Lu, but he's fading.

I'm a floating on a sea of don't give a shit despair. Our F/O is fucked and our owners are corporate twats. Yes-I'm a Leafs fan.

Well, R30, my team was done months ago but I am overjoyed that they beat the Penguins yesterday. Unfortunately, R31's sentiments could also be applied to the Flyers.

The Caps clinched a play-off spot, that's relief. Let's hope they do well. So tired of seeing them beaten.

This calls for an obligatory picture of the smoking hot Tom Wilson, but I'm too lazy to google him...

R33, he's a cutie, for sure. Very scary to see the puck hit him the way it did.

r32, you don't like Hextall? He seems to be saying the right things. It's Snider who always wants the UFA fix. Hextall knows he has several job offers if Snider meddles with him.

Sather is at the end of his shelf life in NYC, and we (TO) are looking for a GM.

I also think it's interesting how Lombardi has faltered since Hextall went to Philly.

Hextall in younger years. Hot as Fuck.

R35 Hextall and his son Brent are right-wingers.

r36 Brent, yes. One of his sisters, too.

Ron, I'm not sure. He seems like a Red Tory* to me. I also get a closeted vibe from him.

*fiscal conservative, social liberal

Don't even get me started on Ed Snider, R35.

Hmm..R37, Brent and his sister weren't raised to be that way? I usually think that's the case, but I could be wrong.

r38 count your blessings. Seriously. At least Snider isn't a(n alleged) drunken pedophile whose exploits still haunt team culture.

r39, I think they were raised in the US private school, conservative environment. That could've made them worse than Hextall was. They are Christians, too.

They are. Brent is way into snipers.

Another hard-core right-wing hockey player is Chris Brown, he played at Michigan. He tweets his love for Chic Fil A, his hate for Obama and love for George W. Bush.

I don't get a conservative vibe from Andy Miele. He's very outsooken about LGBT rights.

A Griffin (AHL), Mitch Callhan, favored an anti-Michael Sam tweet.

Do you know anything about U of Mich hockey players that are in the NHL?

Any goss re Gabe Landeskog w/ the CoAvs?

R42, Has a girlfriend. Seems nice. Pro-LGBT.

Any gossip in TJ Galiardi? No girlfriend...ever.

r44 heard gay rumours of Galiardi-just him being seen in gay clubs, nothing specific.

r42 Gabe the Babe has main chick, and a string of sides. He juggles the sides and apparently has them thinking they are the only ones.

I never heard any gay rumours about him. Pro LGBT and generally liberal. Promotes a lot of causes on twitter.

Any gossip on Brayden Schenn?

Winnipeg just gutted it out in Minnesota-without Buff.

LA over Van by one. I do NOT want the Kings in the playoffs. If they're desperate enough to call up Richards, they probably won't make it.

I don't know anything about Schenn's personal life but there is talk about him being traded.

r48 him and Couturier, which pisses me off. Whenever I've seen Couturier, he's been good. I don't think he's that old, either.

All for cap room because the owner's crony laden fiefdom included an over emotional, recovering alcoholic who was in way over his head.

Trevor Van Riemsdyk, the better Van Riemsdyk.

Would someone please make a 2015 playoffs thread?

r51 ooh, I second that.

I want those beantown pricks out.

Those teeth R50...ugh.

So is Babcock Detroit history after this season?

Darling we're queer here. We don't watch testosterone-laden sports like hockey. Oh please Mary.

Sorry miss.

r55, your loss.

r54 a few weeks ago, rumour was he'd probably re-sign. Now the rumour mill seems to be swinging the other way.

He wants a deal like Roy has. Nonis being a lame duck in TO has fueled speculation he'll move.

I keep hearing Dallas.

This thread would be more fun if we had new info on these guys. Otherwise we just keep rehashing the same old suspects: Crosby, Seguin etc. I'm hoping the off-season and the draft will give us more to talk about.

By the way, is anyone watching Hockey Wives?

I haven't been watching Hockey Wives, R59. I've seen a few clips and Noureen Dewulf seems funny, but not enough to make me watch a whole episode.

Which playoff matchups are you all excited for? Capitals-Islanders should be good, and I think Preds-Blackhawks will be a classic. I'm honestly glad the Kings and Bruins are out, I can't stand either of them. I hope Calgary can make some noise, they've really impressed me.

R60 Noureen is a fucking spoilt, shallow gold-digger. I don't know how people around her tolerate her. She's an imbecile.

I'm really looking forward to Caps-Islanders. Not getting my hopes up, but I would love it if the Caps came out on top. Hate the Bruins, so good riddance.

r61 I feel sorry for Ryan Miller, not least because he spent his best years in Buffalo.

He seems actually in love with her, and the baby.

Most NHL guys dont' want kids.

I think a lot of these guys get married to have someone to take care of the house and babysit them. A lot of the guys with gay rumours (Carey Price) marry women who run their charities and do what they want.

Interesting video from Cabbie Richards, whom I normally can't stand. Eberle and Lupul were honest.

Red Wings out in the first round?

Babcock to Toronto?

Well?

no

r63 the only thing that gives me pause with that is Babcock wanting a front office role, either AGM or VP like Patrick Roy.

He also has issues with bringing up younger players, and plays favourites.

Personally, I don't want him here. I think he's the wrong fit, and he's used to a single owner who controls the team with an iron grip.

He's been coddled in Detroit, and it shows. He even brings his family into interviews for his assistant coaches. I'm not kidding.

Corporate ownership might be a shock. He also won't be able to control the media; Detroit's are all access lackeys.

Brendan Smith...done with Detroit?

[quote]I think a lot of these guys get married to have someone to take care of the house and babysit them.

That's one of those famous heterosexual male privileges, R62.

As far as marriage goes, most men don't marry until their 30s these days anyway (if ever). When you add in the transient life of being an athlete and being on the road most of the time it's little wonder many of them are commitment-shy during their playing career.

They're young, rich and fit - and puck bunnies are plentiful.

r60 I haven't watched Calgary a lot this year, but I'm a Leaf fan, so I hope they implode only because I hate Brian Burke with the heat of a thousand suns.

Chicago dodged a bullet not getting the Blues. The Preds will rise and fall on Rinne. I also think that all the HGH in the world shouldn't have put Kane back in the first round, let alone the first game.

Their locker room issues are still there, and if they don't come to Jesus, they will be out early. Too many foot passes and bad communication.

Chicago is kind of a mess right now.

But the good news is they have time to make the naked charity calendar.

r69 they'd better hurry before they lose all the hot guys to the cap.

Sharp in particular. Allegedly, the body is good, but the stick is short.

I can work with a short stick if the body is good.

Ummm...yeah, r53 you're right. Those teeth just ruin everything.

This thread is populated almost entirely by fat, unattractive twentysomething frau fans.

r73 Hush. Don't ruin it for the rest of us. We might get some decent gossip and actual hockey talk if people don't scan the thread.

In fairness, this whole site is populated by 20 something fucking fanfraus now.

Henrik

r75 Brother Joel.

.

Playoffs tonight! Some great games tonight. As for gossip, I know nothing and have nothing but maybe as the off-season for the knocked out teams progresses, hopefully we get some stories.

R78 haha, keep an eye on Seguin!

Holy shit that Chi/Nash game was amazing.

Darling rocked. That's Crawford's December Karma coming back to bite him in the ass.

I don't know how they expect Sharp to score on a plug line-but I'll take the goal.

Brendan Gallagher being hot as hell in last night's win over Ottawa.

Wings in how many?

Well!

No. TBL should win.

I'd like Detroit to advance only because it will help kill the Babcock to TO rumours.

Brendan Smith: Done with Detroit?

LA Kings player Jarret Stoll just arrested in Las Vegas for cocaine and ecstasy possession. Is his sportscaster girlfriend, Erin Andrews, also a druggie?

Holy fuck. Source?

Nevermind. Just found it.

Was Andrews with him?

God, how out of control do you have to be to be arrested at the MGM for drugs? There must be another story here.

Good news for the Kings is he's an FA this year. Unrestricted, I think.

Stoll link.

Interesting about the seizure.

Let's go Red Wings! (And Luke Glendenning!! )

Erin Andrews was close friends with Aaron Rodgers and Kevin Lanflisi. She dumped KL like a bad habit and kept quiet about the Rodgers is gay rumors.

I get a Britt McHenrie vibe from her...any truth to that?

r90, total career obsessed user and jersey chaser. Known to date athletes and dump them as their star fades (Brad Richards, etc.)

Didn't hear she was a bitch at that level, just phony and on the make (more so than similar presenters).

Makes sense R91. I watched TMZ years back and one of the women on there talked about how she couldn't stand Erin Andrews.

r82 TBL just woke up this afternoon.

I didn't know Stamkos was physical. The only games I watched he was passing and scoring. He was riding people into the boards all game today and it knocked Det back on their heels.

R93, do you believe the NHL is rigged? I mean look at the erratic scores. The Lightening could take the Wings in four no problem. But, they'll go to game 7.

Wow!!

Oilers got McDavid. Did NOT see that one coming.

Buffalo will get Eichel, so that's really not that bad.

Jarrett Stoll dated and was engaged to Rachel Hunter, who was also with Sean Avery. She said the relationship ship didn't go anywhere with Avery. I wonder why? Stoll called off their engagement in 2009. Now he's with Erin Andrews, who seems to love gay men. She'd date Andy Cohen.

He's a two-time Stanley Cup champion. I wonder why a straight guy like himself is having such a hard time. Now he does coke and ecstasy. Do straight guys do either of those?

Poor Erin can't catch a break. A a perv voyeur took photos of through a peephole. She went under the radar and came back from that. She lands a steady paying gig on DWTS and now her bf is arrested for drugs.

Which coach is next on the chopping block?

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Maybe he doesn't know Chic-FilA is anti-gay?

This is getting very, very suspicious. The more I uncover, the gayer this gets. Erin Andrews dated Chace Crawford before Jarett. This has to be a bearding arrangement. It's looking more and more like it.

Erin Andrews dating history.

Stoll is not gay, but the fat fraufans on this thread prefer that fantasy. It's easier than coming to grips with the fact that these players wouldn't so much as look their way. Better they be gay.

Sadly, Scott Darling is not as fuckable as Corey Crawford (left below with Bollig) was.

Bollig boating

His dating history says otherwise, R103 but you can believe whatever your little heart desires.

are we watching under the duvet cover?

Erin Andrews definitely seems like a Taylor Swift type. All of those men she's dated have gay rumors attached to them.

NHL hockey player Jarrett Stoll is looking more and more like it...it looks to me like a bearding arrangement with Erin Andrews.

More at the link.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Michael Strahan set-up Stoll and Erin Andrews.

Stoll is into fashion.

Stoll is a neat freak.

Rumors that Paulina Gretzki and Jarett Stoll were false. Paulina sets record straight.

*were dating are false.

While researching gay hockey players I found this:

He's not gay.

So there's that.

I was disappointed when I realized that hockey players generally are not as big and buff as they appear in their pads and uniforms. In fact, some are rather thin and non muscular. There are some big and buff ones, but many are not. Sigh.

Not that much since the Kings became one of the few teams to win the Stanley Cup one year and not even miss the playoffs the next.

Stoll is not gay.

Avery is annoying and I wish we could stop hearing about him.

Avery is bisexual.

Stoll I've never heard as gay. Doughty I've heard rumours about-oral only.

Andrews is a known jersey chaser who's fucked straight guys like Brad Richards. She is also very ambitious and would no doubt agree to any arrangement that would advance her career. It doesn't mean Stoll is gay/bi.

Doughty and Brown are both horse hung, for those here who like to know these things.

This thread is full of fat girl fantasies.

Erin Andrews looks like a professional beard. She "dated" Aaron Rodgers and Chase Crawford

The people claming Stoll is not gay, care to back up as to why? Or you just trolls.

Since when is Brad Richards straight?

Erin Andrews and Chace Crawford.

How laughable.

Reports claim they never dated to begin with. That's more believable.

Brad Richards dated Olivia Munn.

It seems there is a bearding service for these women. The same women are connected to so many closeted or rumored to be gay celebrities and athletes.

OK, which one of you bitches was this?

r125 ambitious women will beard for athletes without being gay themselves. That means not all of their relationships/hookups are with gay men.

Olivia Munn has been linked with a lot of men in Hollywood, but she also beards.

This is a bearding situation with Jarett Stoll. Let's see how long he lasts with Erin Andrews after this coke issue.

Erin Andrews dating history proves she has an affinity for assumed gay men.

And, Michael Strahan set them up. Another rumored to be gay man.

The level of delusion being displayed on this thread is both shocking and laughable.

How could any reasonable person be expected to take the 'gay community' seriously when you rage on about such spurious rumors?

What's great about the ignore button on the beta site is that R131 is gone forever.

R131 This thread isn't populated by members of the 'gay community'. It, like the rest of the DL, has been overtaken by straight women who come to this site via Google.

There are some of us left, but r133 is basically right.

what is inherently "gay" about making up lies about peoples' sexual orientation. As a gay dude, I am no more prone to make up untruths about who is gay or who is not than everyone else.

3.3 grams of cocaine found on Stoll.

Marshall Henderson, college basketball who homophobicly reacted to Michael Sam's kiss to his partner on draft day, mocks Erin Andrews for Stoll's arrest.

*basketball player

...anyway, let's talk playoffs.

r139, they are broken hearted in the Peg tonight, but you could see it coming.

I soon as I saw Byflugien take that roughing penalty, I knew they were fucked. I hope they at least win there tomorrow.

Go Caps!

Did Erin Andrews just take a shot at Jarret Stoll?

Video of Andrews making the pointed comment:

So, no more Jets and no more Penguins. Anyone shedding tears for them?

Nope. Do Penguins fans even exist outside Pittsburgh?

I feel bad for the fans in the Peg, but I am fucking disgusted with Buff. He can be a game changer; he folded and got bitchy about it.

The Pens' front office is fucked and don't deserve to win--hopefully, there will be a real fallout over this. Their medical staff are also a joke. No one will call them out over Letang, but it's ridiculous.

Eddie O had a candid interview last year about how the f/o fucked the team over. I take it with a grain of salt, but I think he's right.

R145, you lucky soul. Many Yinzers moved away in the 70s and 80s and waited until the Penguins got good again to declare their lifelong fandom in their new hometowns. They're fairly irritating about the Steelers as well. They stayed quiet about the Pirates but when they turned a corner all of a sudden they acknowledged that team existed as well.

r147 in fairness, you can only take so much.

I'm a Leaf fan, so I have a pathological tolerance for losing, but still.

I finally followed a second team (Blackhawks) because I couldn't take it anymore. Not the losing per se, but the lack of giving a shit.

R148, I totally understand about only being able to take so much, I'm a fan of a perennially poor team as well. What gets me is that, in this specific area, they like to lecture us about how we should be moved without realizing how close they were to being in Kansas City. The lack of self-awareness grinds my gears.

The Predators and the Canucks have been eliminated tonight. Sad to see the Preds go, but losing Weber was a big blow. Super happy for the Flames, I hope they can take this as far as they can.

Go Blackhawks!! The defensemen did it!!! They sent the sneaky, cheating, dirty little Predators home in a doggie bag! "Predators", yeah right!

r150, I'm not sold on the fancy stats, so I'm happy. OTOH, Brian Burke is a sodden, bullheaded prick who put our team back a decade. I hope he rots in a sulphurous hell pit.

r151, I hope this gives Q the hint he needed to bump Sharp off the loser line. He's being punished for bullshit. Versteeg can be bumped.

10 91 88 would be interesting.

I feel sorry for Darling-totally not his fault. The fact the D came through at the 11th hour doesn't negate their BS play in the first half.

Keith is a sexy-ass redneck. Unfortunately straight.

And it looks like Teuvo is in, and Versteeg is out-at least at practice.

Go Hawks!

What do we think about the Red Wings? Advancing or heading to game 7? Might as well milk that money out of Detroit for one more game because Hockey Town spends money.

r154 I haven't seen them a lot this year, but the core is too old. Goalie situation is still shaky. Mrazek is also a hothead.

Howard is an FOD and has confidence issues. Whenever I've watched him, that's been the problem more than anything.

I prefer TBL and I'd like to see Stamkos get past the first round.

Thanks R155. So, you're taking TB for both game 6 and 7? I can see that.

Norris nominees:

Doughty, Subban, Karlsson

I can't believe how slight Karlsson is off the ice. Like, Gaudreau slight. Also creepy.

I was surprised he was nominated this year, although I have a bias against offensive defensemen.

I'm surprised Doughty got on there, but to be totally honest I'm on the east coast so my knowledge of the teams who start to play at 9:30/10:30 isn't all that. I'm also guessing Weber and Josi split votes.

There was no reason that TB could not have taken Detroit in 4 games. I'm convinced the NHL is rigged.

Why not rig the Ottawa-Montreal series as well?

It's all rigged. It's all about getting more money to a struggling sport. I can see why it's just not popular.

r158 me too on location.

I think it's the classic MVP argument-best league defenseman or defenseman at a certain level who's most important to his team.

r154, Babcock now said to be going to Edmonton to follow McDavid and coach a young team.

He might be able have more of a say in the front office, too.

As long as it keeps him out of TO, I don't care.

playoff bump

Hockey is so fucking boring. How can you fraus watch it?

I don't follow any sports, really, but my older sister lives in Minneapolis and tells me people are going fucking crazy there for the MN Wild.

R165 I'm not a frau and I love hockey! How anyone can watch something as boring as golf or baseball is beyond me.

r166 that is going to be crazy on Tuesday.

The Hawks are holding on by their bootstraps, despite the scoring.

r166 it's a strong hockey state at college level, too.

Anyone else scared of the Ducks yet? As a Hawks fan, I think we're going to appreciate having Shaw in the line up if we take the Wild series.

He'll be good to draw a few penalties against their top line.

I'd love to see Corey Perry laid out after all the dirty shit he pulls.

Is Canada going to win the Cup this year? First time in 20 years?

Is Mike Babcock headed to Toronto?

Well?

Babcock to Edmonton. McDavid is hockey Jesus.

WTF? So Keith Seabrook decided he didn't want to be gay anymore?

Anyone know what went down-is he still with his "business partner"?

Correcting link.

Another poster in a previous thread claimed Dane was his boyfriend, not just business partner.

I wonder if they're still together.

R173 From this article nothing really jumps out. But then again, giving up a guaranteed paycheck with hockey for a business he know nothing about and with a friend? Who knows.

r174 that part struck me as extremely odd, especially as it was addressed in the article.

I wish the poster on the other thread would come back.

Latest on Babcock Watch: DRW gave him permission to speak to other teams. Some say to test the market and counteroffer the team, others because they won't pay him $5 million/year.

The league is concerned about how raising the ceiling on coaches' salaries will impact the teams' bottom lines.

Illitch may have his faults, but he is known to keep a loose wallet if his execs make a good case for personnel.

Recent interview with Seabrook below.

Kinda sorta cute in a fit fat way.

Is Keith single or has a girlfriend? It looks like he's had two girlfriends on his social media. He became me up with one, did he breakup with other?

Broke up with one.

R177 Wow, he's hot! Way better looking than his brother.

He has a purty mouth

No r171. Latest is McLellan is heading to EDM. God help him. I don't like Chiarelli, but anything's better than the Dynasty Cronies they had for decades.

Elliotte Friedman had Philly as the top contender for him. Friedman can be a lackey, but he's not a fanboy and is usually reliable.

Snider certainly has the money. The question there will be his relationship with Hextall.

I'm not sure if they know or have worked with each other in any capacity.

Babcock also met with the Pegulas. Writers and fans track teams' corporate jets now, and they got pics of Babcock with them after the tracked the plane's flights.

Tampa Bay up 3-0 going into the third.

Poor Carey Price. He must be beyond pissed at his team right now.

Putin to join the NHL as new scorer?

Vladimir Putin plays hockey with ex-NHL stars – and scores eight goals

- Russia defence minister also scores three in exhibition game

- President, 62, scores on assists from Bure and Kamensky

Very cute Jonathan Towes video:

He has a great personality. He has to be the sexiest hockey player in my opinion.

Middle of the third OT in the second Ducks-Hawks game...East Coasters are suffering right now.

Jesus Fucking Christ

First Shanahan, now this.

Another goddamn magpie hire by the Leafs. They are getting worse than Snider for going after the shiny, showy image hires.

$50 million dollars on a coach. Sorry, no coach is worth that much. He gets personnel say, too, which I think was the deal breaker.

At least we might get Boucher as an assistant.

r185 the one that surprised me was Duncan Keith's.

He's an over-rated dick, but I thought he did really well here. It was well shot, too.

Nice on R188. Very nice.

Jesus Seguin looks trashy. Like PnP meth trashy.

The naked ginger in the back right is Claude Giroux, LEO assgrabber.

bump

I have read a lot about drug use on social media for years, R190. I don't think you're just making an observation. I think you're telling the truth about Seguin.

r192 I've heard he's a coke fiend-not uncommon in the league. Meth would genuinely surprise me, but I see your point.

Philadelphia Flyers @NHLFlyers · 5h 5 hours ago

Breaking: The #Flyers have signed free-agent right wing Aaron Palushaj

They don't need a fucking rWing they need a defense core. I watched a few games this year and they were atrocious.

They also need a good coach. Apparently Hakstol is known to goon it up.

Love how Giroux immediately stripped down while everyone else is at least partially clothed.

I'm with you R195, mixed feelings about Hakstol.

.

Have you heard about Seguin and meth specifically, R192?

Cocaine R198.

Tyler Seguin and his male live-in roommate (far left, pic with bald guy in the middle).

r200 awww...Freddy needs to let his hair out-he looks much better that way.

Seguin is coke and alcohol, as far as I hear.

The Rangers-Lightning series has been very interesting so far. I hope Lightning pull it off so Callahan and Boyle can rub it in NYR's faces.

They did not look good tonight. Stamkos was too aggressive and woke them up.

He needs to clean up the hits and only hit to make the play, not send a message. The hitting from behind only pisses other guys off. He's lucky he didn't get a coincidental minor.

Chicago needs to have a 'come to Jesus' meeting re: their locker room. Sharp has always been treated like shit by that team, and they're paying for it now. He should be on the 91-88 line instead of Bickell. It's obvious now 88 doesn't need the muscle; his injury is stable.

The headcase in that lockerroom is Crawford, not Sharp.

bump

What's the deal with Crawford, R203?

Jason Garrison and Henrik Lundqvist. Hell yeah I'm watching.

r206 don't forget Keith and Sharp on Chicago.

Hmm...

NHL hockey player grooming tips.

I'm sorry, but these guys are fug. I don't get the appeal.

Blackhawks leading 2-0 in game 7.

Hawks leading 4-1 in Third Period

Chicago v Tampa Bay for the Stanley Cup

I was watching the game tonight and thinking about how hockey seems to have more dadbods than most sports. Locker room footage tells no lies, though they all look chunky in their padding.

The NHL playoff tradition of growing a beard is one of the worst traditions in all of professional sports.

The Stanley Cup finals is the only time alot of people (maybe 10K since the NHL airs some of the final games on NBCSN) get to see these players. And they make it worse with wearing those damn beards.

With that being said, both Chicago and Tampa Bay are loaded with hotties.

I so agree R214.

Except there are some hockey players who look better with beards. Very few.

Hockey players are so hot.

I like the match-up for the finals. It should be a good series.

Go Tampa!

Who are the hottest players?

r218 Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith--Blackhawks

r217 The traditional wisdom is whoever wins the West, wins the cup. I think the Hawks better watch that their country club attitude doesn't bite them in the ass. The Ducks were apathetic after the first goal tonight. Tampa will not be-they are young, with a great coach.

Do you have a type, R218? I think Carey Price is very easy on the eyes.

What a horrible game 7 that was. Ducks are such a mentally weak team. This was their best chance at a cup. Kings, Bruins, Canucks, Dallas and San Jose nowhere to be seen and the first two rounds against teams only the Canadian Market thought were tough. What a blown chance, you know the Kings, Bruins and San Jose will eventually be back as soon as next season.

I didn't think the Blackhawks deserved this series on their performance alone - team wise. They had some luck on their side and the Ducks breaking mentally. Kesler looked pissed by the middle of the 2nd and I knew he was going to try and take the team on by himself. Besides Anderson, Kesler was the only one that really showed up. Captain was a no show.

r221 I always wonder what the injury toll is after a game like that. I agree they choke mentally, but Getzlaf looked injured. We'll probably find out in the next few days.

The Rangers are another example of a mentally weak team. Torts got a lot of the blame for their previous failures, but this year is a great example of how it's not the coach or the system per se-it's the attitude. (He wasn't good at adjustments, though.)

Does anyone have the real gossip about Patrick Sharp? He is the handsomest player, no doubt. I read that he cheated on his wife with some weather lady.

Hot or not-Steven Stamkos. I can't decide.

Hockey-wise, I was impressed with him burying his ego and changing his role for the Rangers series. I didn't even know he could hit like that. It's dangerous, if I were Cooper I wouldn't encourage it, but it was effective.

Actually, r202, if anything was rubbed in anyone's face it should be this. hehehe

Allegedly, he pulled a Pronger and demanded a trade for the same reason.

Heard a lot of stories about how entitled he is-like Roy level with his young sons (who play hockey).

Duncan Keith front, Patrick Sharp back

Go Bolts!

Life must be really awesome if you're a Blackhawks fan.

r227 rookie mistake--they let up offensively in a one goal game. OK against the East, not so much the West. Surprised Cooper did that.

Good first game otherwise, though.

r228 not really. The team's been a trainwreck this year.

Why are they a trainwreck? They're favored to win the cup again, even if their regular season was subpar.

Crawford has (allegedly) a drug/alcohol problem, he broke his foot in a drunken stupor at a concert (he refused to comment/deny alcohol was involved; witnesses saw him off his face). This was after their equipment manager committed suicide-rumours were swirling around the team (and Crawford) over that one.

Sharp, allegedly of course, had a wife, main chick and about 100 mistresses & wasn't subtle about it; that caused a team rift because all the gossip/sightings got back to the WAGs, who then questioned their SOs about what they all were doing on 'team bonding' nights. This resulted in one divorce (Duncan Keith) and that affected team chemistry and Keith's play in particular.

Management doubled down and called a press conference to deny rumours (what rumours no one would say). It was ridiculous. Things have quieted down now, but by doubling down, the team took the risk that they could control the press and keep a lid on it. Sharp was put on the block, but he has a NMC, so does Crawford I believe. McDonagh wanted them both gone before the deadline, according to hockey sources. That's why a lot of prominent hockey journalists are insisting Sharp will be gone in the summer. They cite cap concerns, but that's not the real reason. They better pray no scorned party gets Harvey Levin's number or the shit will really hit the fan, especially between the pipes.

Awww... kind of makes you long for the days when their biggest problem was drunk Pat Kane! Good gossip, though. I'm a semi-hockey fan just because my dad was, but I don't really follow any gossip except when it ends up on deadspin or ESPN proper. Also I'm kind of an anomaly here because I think most of the players look like troglodytes with passable bodies.

This is my favorite comment about Malkin from the Deadspin article on his possible trade: "I hope he does get traded, he is overrated and tends to disappear for long stretches. Also, he looks depressing, like the type of guy who only talks about his problems but never addresses them. "

r233 I love Malkin. He's got that deadpan Russian sense of humour like Ovi. I wish he was traded. That org is a clusterfuck of epic proportions. I cut Russians more slack; even the ones who are well off have to deal with way more shit coming from a totalitarian state.

We could use him. We'd probably have to give up too much though, and Shanahan isn't mining the international leagues like Chicago is.

If every player who looked "depressing" was traded, it would be a free for all! I wonder why Geno is allegedly unhappy in Pittsburgh? I mean besides the obvious not winning thing.

Anyone watching? Tyler Johnson just scored! Go Bolts!

Poor Sharp. It was a stupid move last night, but Kane and even Toews aren't scoring, either.

That first penalty should've been 4 on 4, the guy sold it too hard. The second one is on him. He should know better as a vet. I think the trade talk got to him. The team treats him like shit, too. He needs to be with scorers to score. 10 91 88 would be an interesting line.

I want Andrew Shaw deep inside of me and to fuck me rough.

Am I wrong for that?

Andrew Shaw? He looks like a ferret!

Tazer.

No r238. Not at all. Personally, I'd make him take a shower first. Duncan Keith is the ultimate redneck fuck. Sharp is too pretty and allegedly has a short stick. Team has a rep for skanks, though. A couple are (allegedly) human petri dishes.

Why do you feel sorry for Sharp? He seems like a douche. I hope he does get traded.

No- why should we feel sorry for Sharp?

Patrick Sharp never got the credit he deserved for his performance--he's a solid scorer and a decent leader. He also does a lot of little things that don't garner points, but are still valuable. The guys are jealous of him because he's one of the few players who would get the time of day from women if he wasn't a rich athlete. If you watch any BTS shows, you can see the passive-aggressiveness.

He has been one of the key pieces other than Toews and Kane for many years, but he's also been overshadowed by them.

Off ice, he doesn't do anything the others don't do. The WAGs accept it for obvious rea$on$. He was overboard at one point, but at the end of the day, if the women aren't willing, it doesn't happen. Allegedly, he has a good rep for treating everyone well. Crawford, the real rot in that room, does not.

Sharp has always been the odd man out, and it's starting to wear on him. Too bad, because he'll be out of a Hawks uniform in a few games. He has a limited NMC, so it will be interesting for Bowman.

I wonder if Patrick Kane sleeps around on his girlfriend.

Blackhawks are mostly ugly, it's true. Sharpy is the only cute one. Toews has some weird-ass serial killer eye action going on, Kane looks dirty and drunk even when he's not (though that's probably some people's fetish) plus he's losing his already ugly hair, Shaw is horrifying - looks like he's missing a few chromosomes. The Finnish one has definite gay face.

r246 you don't like Duncan Keith?

Duncan is HAWT!!!!!

Are Duncan Keith and his wife really getting a divorce? I'll comfort his toothlessness. That would make for some weird blowjobs.

I was under the impression that Kane and Sharp were really good friends; that could be just media bullshit though. Also Toews and Seabrook defended Sharp when those rumors came up about him causing team drama. So I just wonder where this "Patrick Sharp is just good-looking and misunderstood!" stuff is coming from. Seems like they have his back even though he most likely will be traded because of the cap.

r250 they defended him because John McDonagh (sp) ordered everybody to circle the wagons when they couldn't trade him during the season (before the deadline). Allegedly, he wanted Crawford and Sharp gone.

r249 already a done deal. His ex has disappeared from the WAGs and whenever his son is at the rink, there is a nanny or his family. She hasn't been seen at any charity events she normally goes to either (like Bickell's pit bull one). There are pics of Keith with a monster-titted blonde all over him for that one.

Do you think Crawford will still be traded?

It depends IMO on what they're offered for Sharp. As much as his off ice issues sealed his fate, they are tight to the cap. It also depends on his contract.--teams that might want him might not be on his go to list.

Since they've basically replaced Sharp with Panarin for skill, and Hartman for marketing (Hartman looks like his little brother), they can concentrate on defense/goal positions instead of needing to replace Sharp at forward. They'll get decent return to the right team.

I also believe staying in Chicago does Crawford no favours, on or off the ice. He is known as a head case, even for a goalie, which is saying a lot. I think the F/O knows this, and will trade him in the offseason.

Hawks aren't playing well! Should we blame internecine drama or something else? Losing a home game with Tampa playing an injured goalie?! That's crazy.

Has Aaron Rodgers been linked to any of these people?

r254 the drama is a big part. If you watch them, they aren't responding as a unit, particularly to TBL's neutral zone play. Sharp is trying to gain the zone by himself, which he can't do anymore and is not working against this team anyway. All of them are trying too hard. They need a major, blowout team meeting where everything is on the table. IMO, Sharp needs to call it and be completely honest about how he feels (he's publicly mentioned feeling disrespected before) and listen to everyone else. Get all of the greasy stuff out and move on to working as a team.

Interestingly, the one guy who is excelling in his role is Shaw. He hasn't taken any chirping penalties, and he's been a constant netfront presence. He's screened on a few goals. As a fourth liner, he's not in the middle of the pressure, and he's also not in the middle of the drama. He's allegedly had a few of the pass arounds (not as much as Crawford) but nothing causing problems with teammates.

They are also not taking advantage of the other team's weaknesses because they are too focused on themselves. That happens in country club teams--Rangers are another example. Cooper adjusts his team better, and the 11-7 player count is a good example.

R255 Aaron Rodgers and Sidney Crosby should make creepy babies together.

I genuinely don't think Crosby is gay or closeted or anything like that. I can't imagine him having sex. Maybe he's a virgin.

It's interesting that all of the 'next ones' are rumoured gay or bisexual: Lemieux, Lindros and Crosby. I've even heard whisperings on Gretzky.

A lot of 'second tier' stars past and present, like Brendan Shanahan, Wendel Clark and Tyler Seguin, Jonathan Toews have had rumours (not just fangirl bullshit) around them as well.

I wonder about McDavid. They've had the poor kid on lockdown for so long that he might just be shy. For his sake, I hope he's not gay/bi and doesn't have to go through all the bullshit everyone else did. TPTB have had him on lockdown for so long he looks like a drugged hamster in interviews.

The junior hockey frat boy culture is so toxic it's derailed a lot of talent. I think the G/Bis had risen to the top because they aren't a part of it, and likely not to be affected by the partying. That whole system needs to be reformed.

Speaking of Toews.....

Toews needs to step up his game and get his team together, not worry about his ass-ets. Plus he would never win in a butt-off with Crosby, and that's just fact.

True, R261.

Well, look who got off his gorgeous ass and had a good game tonight. Only one assist to show for it, but he hit two posts and didn't float all night. It's amazing what can happen when you put a shooter on the top line; the 10 19 81 combo worked.

Also, Brandon Saad rocks and is going to get serious bank this summer.

R256 are you a gay guy? Your analysis is hot!

Damon Boobs. What do you think his cup size is?

[quote] Well, look who got off his gorgeous ass and had a good game tonight.

Who?

Coupla things. Has Wayne Gretzky had plastic surgery or has he always looked like that? He was just on the news. His skin looks really tight and weird. You wouldn't think hockey players would be vain since they're always missing teeth and getting their noses broken.

Next, R256, you mention that Sharp feels disrespected. By his teammates or ownership? And just because he's prettier than all of them and they're jealous, or for legitimate reasons?

I decided I'm going to be a Rangers fan next season because Lundqvist is HAWT.

The Sharpie defender anon should be happy tonight! That goal was pretty much a giveaway though. I also can't believe how great Vermette is playing this playoff season. I thought he was sort of a throwaway. In fact I don't really remember even thinking about him before ever. ANYWAY, I don't think Crawford will be traded. I'm also loving Keith - whatever's going on in the locker room, it doesn't seem to be affecting his play.

Here are some of the ugliest hockey players, so you can get your jones for getting uglyfucked out of your system:

#1 Ovie

Tyler Kennedy

Phil Kessel

Malkin. Sometimes he looks kind of cute, but then his nose goes and screws it up.

r269 Keith's play was affected more during the year when he was (allegedly) going through the divorce. He's stabilized since, although he had a few bad turnovers last game. The Lightning aren't physical enough in finishing checks with the 4 & 2 defenders.

Sharp had a good first period, then regressed. It's ice,not water--he needs to stop floating. He waits for the pass instead of carrying it through with another forward.

Yevgeni Malkin is horse hung though, so the face is not as important. He needs out of Pitt before it's too late to get a good deal. We'd love to have him up here, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone (Leafs fan).

Is Malkin friends with people on other teams? I'm just trying to think where he might want to go if he really does want out of Pittsburgh. It would certainly make things interesting if he was traded. And I would laugh at the Penguins.

I've seen a couple of behind the scenes docs with him, and he seems to have a circle of friends around him who aren't NHL players. He's still very Russian, even more so than Ovi, I think. If he does request a trade, I think he will decide solely based on hockey.

But what team could honestly afford him, or be willing to trade the amount of guys that would be necessary? And would he want to go to a team that would be willing to trade away a bunch of guys for him? Because that kind of trade would not be attractive to any but those on the bottom rung. I mean, what would his cup chances be then? It just doesn't make sense to me if the only reason he wants a trade is to increase his cup chances. But for what other reason would he be unhappy? He's tired of living in Crosby's shadow? He wants to be the star? He can barely speak English. It just doesn't seem likely to me, but I don't follow him closely so I don't really know.

I wonder if it was just a rumor floated by ownership to possibly increase interest in a sale of the team. That's kind of shitty of them to do to him if it was.

r277 that team has been under a cloud since they got into financial trouble during Lemieux's playing days. Having two high profile players with blood clots, including one who had a stroke, doesn't help their reputation either.

Honestly, I think he's unhappy with the way both he and Sid have been managed. He regards himself, Sid and Flower as the core of the team and has said so in interviews. The team they built around them has been lacking to say the least, especially the defence core. I don't know the ins and out of the trade landscape in the cap era, but there are teams like CBJ and Nashville who are middle of the pack and not cap tight who want to contend.

The Predators are actually a perfect choice! I would really like to see that trade happen. He would be back playing with Neal, and people have said Neal needs Malkin. I don't know if they could afford him, however. We'll see. Poor Crosby and Flower, unless something dramatic happens, Sid is losing his prime playing years to a subpar team. of course he hasn't stayed healthy, so who knows what the future holds for him anyway.

It's over. Guess I have to watch baseball now. I'm kind of sad that the Hawks won; their fans will be even more insufferable after this. Also I don't like Toews, he's lame. Although I do enjoy a good PKane is an alchie story, so hopefully he got really wasted last night and he'll have a fun summer.

r280 I'm waiting on Giroux (LEO assgrabber) for that. He's more entertaining. Seguin, too. He was out of control towards the end of the season, but he's back in TO now. I have a feeling he's going to get caught out.

I'm interested in the draft this year. I normally don't really follow it, but it's so deep and I think there will be a few surprises. Poor McDavid. I'd love him here (TO), and he wanted to come here.

I think Sharp will be an Islander, but we'll see. He's definitely gone. The F/O totally mishandled the team this year but no one cares because they won.

Towed looks like he's sneaky or a serial killer. Or both!

He's got psycho eyes for sure.

Even as a Hawks fan, I was pissed with the refs. I didn't think the league was rigged, but now I wonder. The bolts leading scorer gets a broken wrist from a slash that wasn't even called, and their goalie is constantly run all playoffs, with no calls.

I think they were outcoached, but I'd be pissed if I were a bolts fan.

I have really enjoyed the games this year. I was pulling for Tampa Bay.

I forgot Giroux assgrabbed that cop! I hope he has a gay scandal this summer. Otherwise he's completely unlikable.

Anyone going to the Draft? I'm going and I'm just wondering if I'd run into any of you.

Why are you going r286?

That would be kind of interesting, but I'm not well versed enough in the 'new' hockey to appreciate it. I left in the early aughts, then came back a couple of years ago. The game is totally different.

Toews with the cup. I don't normally find him attractive, but this is hot as fuck.

His eyes are closed so you can't see his blank stare of serial killer creepiness.

R287, I live in South Florida and the tickets are free, so it's not a big trip/expenditure. Whenever I watched the first round on TV I always wondered how it looked like in person, so I might as well find out.

What are the best hockey gossip blogs to follow?

Larry Brooks thinks Sharp might go to the Penguins. I doubt it; he's probably too expensive for them.

If Sharp had any fucking sense, he'd stay the hell away. That franchise is a compete trainwreck in many ways, not least of which has been their medical staff. I would not want to be on that team as a 34 yr old winger with a previous season's knee injury.

I see him with the Isles before the Pens. He would be good for the Isles because, as much as I love watching Tavares, I don't think he's letter material. Same with Ovi-a case of giving the C for on ice talent, not in the room leadership.

Washington was interested when they wanted to trade him before the deadline. I'd love to know if his limited NMC was the reason the deal fell through.

I wouldn't mind this up here, either. Leafs can't afford him though.

Maybe the Leafs will work a deal with Phil Kessel! Ha ha just kidding. Don't get your hopes up.

Saw Jarret Stoll finally got charged with possession. That guy seems like a total mess. What other hockey players are drugged out messes? I know there's lots of gossip about Tyler Seguin.

r295 I read that the possession was the coke, meanwhile it was the ecstasy he had a shit ton of...WTF? On the pills alone they had an intent to distribute charge. I wonder if he's agreed to rat on where he got it? It seems odd.

Mike Richards is a poster boy for drugged out messes right now, as is Patrick Kane, but the Hawks have had a minder for him for a few years, hence the "He's really matured" talk.

I read that the Leafs are going to retain salary on him. If so, he will be gone in a flash. I'm thinking around $2M retained will do it.

Mike Richards's painkiller issues ruined his career. It wouldn't surprise me if he ODs in the next few years. Sad.

The Flyers aided and abetted him, AFAIC. I never, ever heard of them forcing him into rehab. Instead, Snider panicked and shipped him out. Pronger's constant bitching and agitating didn't help either.

I've always wondered if it contributed to him getting all those concussions, which also accelerated his decline. Poor guy.

I'm sure tons of them are cokeheads (Carey Price, et al.) and I'm sure a lot of them abuse opiates because of injuries. But I wonder how many of them are on adderall, or some other prescribed speed. I'm pretty sure drug testing in the NHL is a joke.

I never read any fun Kane gossip anymore. But it wouldn't surprise me to find out he still uses.

Three Stanley Cups in 6 years. I guess that counts as a dynasty. It's so odd that little femme Rocky Wirtz was able to pull this off. I mean it's not like he's really loaded.

Patrick Kane uses drugs? Which ones?

R299, I wonder a lot about Adderall and drugs like that as well, given the sleep cycle they have.

r302 I think they are on a lot of different PED regimens that help with their fatigue levels. These may or may not include amphetamine derivatives.

They also are on musician time, i.e. work in evening, sleep from 5 am to noon. They are up for practices, but sleep on flights and have afternoon naps (seriously).

Carey Price with his hardware from tonight's NHL Awards.

Rumoured to be family. Any Montrealers here know?

I think it's naive to think that there isn't some doping going on, but I really don't think it's as prevalent as it is in basketball/baseball/football. Whenever the NHL has a drug drama it's gossip about coke (in Theo Fleury's book, Playing with Fire, he talks about playing while high on coke), prescription painkiller abuse, and sleeping pill abuse. I think adderall abuse is probably highly likely, though I've never really heard it discussed seriously. Btw, Theo Fleury's book is really good if you haven't read it.

r305 the painkiller abuse is probably more serious than in other leagues. The alcohol, however, is off the charts.

From what I've read following the game, the coke isn't as serious; players go through a heavy phase, then usually pull back. Some do get addicted, but I've heard that teams are very good at quietly packing guys off to rehab. Often they claim injury, or use an existing injury as an excuse. One team sent a couple of their guys to a large facility that had a substance abuse rehab (inpatient) as well as a physical rehab centre. It was a large medical complex, so they flew under the radar.

[R306], was this Winnipeg sending Bogosian and Trouba off to rehab?

Yes, r307. It's done a lot though.

Are you from there? (God help you)

Trade talk really heating up for Phil Kessel; I've read conflicting reports about whether they will or won't eat any of his salary on the Leafs end. Stupid Penguins in the discussion, like they could afford him. Unless they trade Malkin for him, which they won't.

McDavid and Eichel look like such babies; like pimply teenaged fast food employees. Hard to believe they'll be millionaires after this weekend.

Toews at the NHL Awards

More NHL Awards...

Lucic off to LA for Jones, Miller and a pick and Hamilton to Calgary for picks. I don't know too much about the first trade but Hamilton seems like a big loss. Good for Calgary though.

r312 he was a prime candidate for an offer sheet. Twitter is pissed at Sweeney, but he probably got more than he would have knowing the Bruins couldn't match. They are also trying for Hanafin, which would effectively be Arizona's 3 pick. If they can get enough mid 1st picks, they might be able to do it.

Lucic has been on the block for a while now. Getting a goalie means they can get another one back, or use it as part of a deal for a team like Van or Tor that needs one.

Well, Van will be needing one. Lack and/or Markstrom are available.

Super excited Lucic is coming to LA. That's my home team! He'll be a really good fit here.

In other news, I decided I have a crush on Aaron Ekblad now, winner of the Calder. He's too young for me, but he's very mature! He said in a Yahoo sports interview, that if he couldn't win the Stanley Cup, he'd want to win a Nobel Prize. Dreamy sigh.

I love Ekblad. Here's an article about him and Willie Mitchell. It's a bit of a puff piece, but I thought it was cute.

Lucic coming to a party team is not necessarily a good idea. On the plus side, I don't think Daryl Sutter will tolerate too much on-ice weasel bullshit. Sutter escaped a lot of the blame for their season, so he probably has enough power to keep Looch grounded. As much as I dislike him, he's quite effective when he settles down.

JFC Eddie Lack got traded to Carolina for a 3rd round this year and 7th next year.

WTF??? I would have wanted a 2 & 4 this year at least. Poor guy. Rumoured to be light in the loafers, and he'll have to play in that Dixie shithole.

I don't think Lucic is known as a partier particularly, just not quite right in the head.

So what could this "material breach" consist of, hmm?

r319 this is a HUGE clusterfuck for the league because Lombardi fucked up in not using a compliance buyout.

Allegedly, it's a 'border issue' that happened on Friday an hour into the draft. He was trying to trade Richards' contract when he learned of it and he physically walked over to Chiarelli (EDM GM) and nixed the trade talks.

You have to think drugs, but in order for it to be a 'material breach' and void the contract, it has to be particularly egregious. If the Kings didn't put him into rehab, and/or knew he had drug issues (he did) and didn't concern themselves with it until they had a financial problem with his contract, it's not considered a breach.

It's interesting that Stoll was caught with enough X for an ITD charge, but that magically disappeared about a week before this issue with Richards.

There is another rumour floating around that might also impact the case, but if so, Lombardi should not be handling the case.

What is the other rumor???? You've got to think they've done their prior due diligence by sending him to rehab(s); his problem has been rumored and semi-openly discussed for some time. I'm just assuming they have, I don't know anything specific. Like everyone else in the world, I'm guessing the breach involved drugs and related personal issues. Just failing a drug test would definitely not result in a breach of contract, since there's already disciplinary measures in place to handle that kind of stuff.

If they're getting him on a morals clause, they have to be very, very careful. They already have Voynov, who was dealt with by the NHL, not the team. That begs the question about who enforces the CBA, and why.

If it was drugs, why aren't the media saying? Not all of them are access lackeys and water carriers. A general morals clause is weird to me.

According to the TSN sports lawyer who commented on the case, it was a 'systemic issue with the team [Kings]'. That implies he isn't the only one involved-just dropping Stoll isn't enough to make their alleged party reputation go away.

If they knew other players were violating, why did they only nail Richards? It's cap circumvention, plain and simple.

This is the twitter of the sports lawyer commenting. Interesting comment re: Richards and 'other players with border issues'. This is probably a reference to drugs at the border. I'm thinking it's either a dodgy pill bottle or no drugs at all, i.e. sex.

The fact he related it to other players on the team yesterday would make sense, too.

How pissed are the Chicago fans today?? Ha ha! I'm so vindictive. I guess they will keep Sharp after all? Who knows.

Macramalla's Forbes article is interesting; I'm sort of over the whole thing. The guy's a mess and it's probably better that he doesn't retire with guaranteed millions to support his pill habit. It's hard to be on anyone's side in this one.

It is saad, though. Ha.

r324 if you're a fan of the game at all, the Richards issue has HUGE implications for the entire league. Seriously. There's a lot at stake. Richards was caught at the border with percocets, but the larger issue is where did he get them, and did he have a fraudulent scrip. According to a border agent, if it was just simple possession, even trafficking, he would've been arrested and charged then and there. Richards' fiancee was a training to be a doctor. Her father was an NHL team doctor, I believe with Winnipeg, at team with its own addiction issue (maybe not scrip drugs, though).

Lombardi is a former labour lawyer, so I can't believe he didn't cover his ass on this one. Interesting what Macramalla said though re: the contract. Presumably he had all the info that's now coming out. If he knows hockey, he'll know of the NHL connection through the fiancee, too.

Sharp will still go, just not when and with the return the team wants. If they would've traded him and Crawford when McDonough wanted, they would have had cap relief now. They didn't really put Crow's name out there like they did Sharp's.

Of course, if they would've handled the off-ice stuff according to the old code, they would've had less turmoil, Sharp probably would've had a better season and they'd get a better return.

I really think it's only interesting if there's something deeper going on from management's POV. My guess is that he had multiple prescriptions for multitudinous opiates from a variety of doctors, team and otherwise. I'm also guessing that when they kept him last year, they sent him to a rehab or maybe they had already done so previously. Like, I think they have to have at least made the appearance of attempting to help the guy to have any leg to stand on, since drug abuse is usually treated as more of a disciplinary issue rather than a contract breach.

In the end, though, I think after the players' assoc. mediation they'll end up paying out most of what is owed; unless there's something interesting going on at a management level that we're not privy to. It appears to be an attempt to dodge a contract payout and that's probably what it is, occam's razor and all that.

To my mind, the deeper issue is league-wide use/abuse of opiates and the role management plays in initially setting these guys up to fall into that hole. I don't think the other issue about players not getting paid on management's inconsistent enforcement of a morals clause wrt drug use/abuse will ever really come to a head. Because they probably will be forced to pay.

Which is kind of a shame in this case b/c the guy's an addict and obviously throwing more money at him isn't going to help that.

r327 the contract issue goes deeper. This is part of a pattern of cap circumvention by the owners that could also conceivably end up in court.

If they have anything from a team doctor without an addict protocol in place, they are probably also in additional deep shit if it goes into litigation. This is especially true if he ODs, ends up hurting someone else, etc. There are other teams in the league who have had issues with their medical staff, and they might come under scrutiny if the scope widens.

Richards' ex is the daughter of a team doctor and his either newly minted, or in training to be a doctor herself. They were engaged until recently. That may/may not be relevant here.

Dealing with NHL owners is like herding cats into a lake. They are used to doing whatever they want business-wise. To be dealing that closely with labour issues I think is foreign to most of them. Some of the legacy owners might be exceptions. I think their instinct is to rely on Lombardi, who used to be a labour lawyer, and dig in their heels.

I wonder how involved Phil Anshutz is in all this. Dealing with AEG over the years he must appreciate the value of containment. Unless he's trying to break the cap deliberately.

There already has been a lot of scrutiny, though, with previous teams like the Rangers, the Wild, The Flyers, and the medical staffs' propensity for overprescribing. Nothing ever came of it. Why would this be different. And the NHLPA I'm sure stipulates treatment protocol, progressive disciplinary steps, etc. in all player contracts. It's got to be part of the union contract rather than coming from the team to ensure some sort of universality of enforcement (choke, wheeze). I think the point is that management/team doctors get them started down a path (over reliance on opiates) that they then don't have the skills to successfully negotiate (they end up buying illegally once they've exhausted their team doctor/dentist resources rather than actually dealing with their addiction) and they end up overdosing or washing out like Richards did. I don't believe there's, like, a league-wide conspiracy to cover up their medical treatment practices, because I do think they attempt to mitigate it once a player has a known problem, but they can't mentally deny some complicity, though they obviously will deny it legally.

Anyone else kind of excited about the Phil Kessel trade? Even if it blows up in their faces, it'll make for some interesting hockey with Malkin, Crosby, and Kessel all on the same team.

I'm a Leafs fan who always liked Kessel and thought he was being mismanaged. I think he has legit anxiety issues that weren't addressed (not just 'socially awkward'), and we were a dumpster fire this year.

I'm excited for him, but I don't like the Pens medical staff, so I hope he doesn't get hurt. They don't have good D though, so if they ask him to check, it might get interesting.

I never in a million years thought they would bring on another player with a cap hit like that! Guess I'm stupid. It'll be interesting to watch their games, at any rate. It's exciting to see 3 players at that level play on the same team, regardless of what it means for them long term. And I'm not a real Penguins fan, so I'm not terribly emotionally invested if Kessel ends up shitting the bed. I never followed the Leafs closely so I don't really understand why he's so hated. Cause he's kind of lazy and maybe ill tempered?

[quote]There already has been a lot of scrutiny, though, with previous teams like the Rangers, the Wild, The Flyers, and the medical staffs' propensity for overprescribing. Nothing ever came of it. Why would this be different.

The problem of blood clots has complicated the issue. They've been linked to PEDs, and long term painkiller use. In principle, that's a similar issue to concussions afa protocol is concerned. Now, it might not be just a case of stringing players along and tossing them (although that needs addressing), there could easily be an active player who suffers a serious stroke or even dies. Does the league want a Len Bias moment?

The deafening silence about Letang's stroke is ridiculous, and the blood clot issue became prominent last year with Dupuis and Timonen. Pain killers have been implicated in blood clots, but so have PEDs.

Ron Hextall, who's an evil genius, interestingly made a point of saying that Timonen's blood clots were genetic. Who knows if that's true, but I think it was a tacit acknowledgment of the situation.

The problem is actually that the NHL has inter-related medical ethics issues. If you investigate one, you have to consider the others. Ironically, that's why Bettman says that the evidence is inconclusive on CTE. He's right, but he can't say why: it's partially because they never controlled for mitigating substances, legal or otherwise. There's no way he'll go back on his statements about PEDs not being a league problem; hence, the CTE science will always be in limbo.

r332 Leafs are retaining salary-15%. That totally pisses me off, as I thought a contract dump coming our way would be enough. We really got fucked over here.

The Green trade was kinda unexpected. Didn't see it coming.

I'm lazy and ill-tempered. Maybe I could make a lot of money playing Hockey!

Slava Voinov is going to jail for 3 months.

No he's not. I'd be surprised if he sees more than a month. The Cali DoC is totally overwhelmed. Voynov's issue is deportation, not jail time.

In Kessel's defense, he does what he's hired to do. The problem is putting a team together around him, because that's what you have to do in order to make him effective. Either that or parachute him into an ideal fit. That's a hard sell when he's like he is temperament wise.

Many newer F/O personnel are either number sodden geeks who view hockey as game theory or entertainment executives who are selling narratives and popcorn (or beer). Neither give a shit about the real game, especially the old Code that still would work if used. As a result, anyone who is nonconforming or has a different game has a hard time fitting into the modern NHL-it's not just Kessel.

Jeez louise. At least Seguin has the honor of "best NHL body issue feature".

no r340 I think that honour went to Joffery Lupul.

*Joffrey Could at least spell his name right.

Brad Richards looked like a creepy uncle who carries roofies in his wallet.

damn papi

I miss you, hockey. Not you, Tyler Seguin. You can go away.

Baseball just isn't cutting it for me. Not nearly enough fighting.

I feel you R344. Player development camp just didn't cut it for me, and my team has been quiet on the off-season. I'd really appreciate something happening, with any team.

And Patrick Sharp to the Stars for two crappy players, especially Garbutt. We sent Johns, one of our decent D prospects over, too.

They made a point of calling Sharp "a class act" saying it's all about the money.

They double down on everything. The money is a factor, though, but they would've moved the pieces differently had he not been sampling everything in a skirt in a 10 mile radius.

And now he gets to join up with Seguin in Dallas. Let's hope the girls in Dallas keep the STIs to a minimum.

Seguin is trashier and hangs around a young, rich crew in Dallas. Allegedly, he's also bi, which widens the STD pool. I've never heard of Sharp being anything but straight, and he goes for older, less skanky women as well as younger ones.

trollololol Chicago.

Ryan O'Reilly was busted for driving his vintage truck into a Tim Horton's in Ontario. He fled the scene, too. He was charged with impaired and care and control over .08, plus leaving the scene.

Apparently, he's a party guy, but this is stupid, even for him.

Tim Horton's sucks.

Yes it does. I can't believe I actually drank that shit at one point in my life. Ironically, Horton was killed in a DUI while fleeing from the cops.

O'Reilly is really talented, but he's hard for the front office to control. Apparently, he clashed with Roy more than once. Roy is a hothead behind the scenes, though. The fact that he got north of 6.5 on his current contract bears out his position.

He cleans up well, too.

the coffee is rubbish but timbits were well worth the hype, imo. good thing no one was injured. at least he has enough time for a 30 day dry out and pleading forgiveness.

Here's a pic of the damage, not too bad. It doesn't look like anyone inside would've been hurt. Not that that excuses it.

Thought this was a good article on the Mike Richards situation. I do think Lombardi had a personal affection for Richards based on his previous unwillingness to cut him loose. So either something really changed btw them or something more egregious happened at the border that we haven't heard of. I'm assuming Richards went through the treatment program at least once and Lombardi reached a point where he realized Richards was unhelpable.

r357 apparently according to the CBA, there is still a process regardless of whether or not a person is a repeat offender. According to a TSN sports law analyst, even trafficking wouldn't be enough to terminate, especially if he was determined to be using as well. The analyst's theory was the Kings and Richards' agent will negotiate an exit that would be less that the full amount of the contract, but will take care of the cap hit.

I'd love to know what's happening behind the scenes. Our hockey media are elitists and/or spineless access lackeys, so I doubt we'll hear anything.

And in off-season hockey news, Jamie Benn apparently doesn't know how to DM. Demers is getting so fucked after this.

All the offended tumblr bitches losing their shit over this is hilarious. That's such a common badge of honour in sport, I can't believe they're shocked.

Here is the actual twitter exchange. The other link fucked it up.

Keith finally confirmed his divorce in the Chi Trib today after letting Sharp and his ex get shit for a year for him getting caught with a side piece.

Seguin & Michael Del Zotto are filming the 'Goon' sequel.

R363 Wow, loved that film! Didn't know they were making a sequel. I wonder if Seguin and MDZ know they are posing with a gay man?

Guys, Nate McKinnon is getting megafat. What the hell? Is it steroids? Too many donuts? Pregnant with Sid's baby?

(Ignore the poor girl in the middle I'm not trying to make fun of her.)

Patrick Kane investigated by his hometown PD for an incident allegedly involving a woman that started at a bar.

Interesting comment in the in comment section. If his handler is paid for by the BHs, this could get very interesting.

I hope the woman gets fair treatment, regardless of whether or not she's lying.

Twitter from a local reporter. He is reliable and not a tabloid type.

Ugh, guess he's an even bigger asshole than previously suspected. Yeah, I know he's innocent until proven guilty and all that, but c'mon. It's pretty believable given his other off-ice issues. Just gross. Douche.

I don't care too much about drug/drink incidents but Voynov, Ribeiro, and now Kane just make my skin crawl.

R365, Nate has bulked up, I'm pretty sure it's mostly muscle, but it's definitely not an attractive look on him. Something about that guy's face creeps me out, too, besides the increased bulk.

On the other hand, here we have Crosby and MacKinnon being non-assholes, visiting kids with cancer, being stand up guys using their hockey fame/money for good. Kind of warms my heart after this Kane business.

I remember the first time I googled "is Sidney Crosby gay," aside from all the Flyers fans calling him such, I found this very weird conspiracy theory website that implied Crosby was a rapist/prostitute murderer and it had been covered up because he was Canada's fortunate son. Anyway, my point is that it basically is impossible to believe, even for a wackadoo. I haven't been a Crosby fan necessarily, but he seems like a genuinely good person. MacKinnon too. And hockey needs more dudes like that.

The whole Blackhawks team is pretty sketchy, imho. Not a lot of upstanding citizens there. Obviously Kane is the worst and I fully believe that he did this crime. Anyone who wants to complain about him being convicted in the court of public opinion vs. an actual trial should just look at his past behavior. He just has not been a good guy. And, ironically, being judged on past behavior is what usually happens to rape victims! HA.

Also, for their remaining fans of the Blackhawks, welcome to a shitty next season! Thank your pal Kaner as he's on the way out the door.

In all honesty, every team on the league probably has 3-4 rapists on it at any given time, though. The real shock is this Kane case getting far enough to make headlines before some coverup.

This is what the Hawks get for doubling down on the denial and not dealing with him sooner. It will be interesting to find out if his minder was there. The team knows he gets in trouble in the off season. I understand he is a bit of a douchebag himself, and he's on the Hawks' payroll.

Too bad that Sharp is gone. Kind of ironic that he was portrayed as a problem. I have never, ever heard of him being a douchebag, let alone an alleged rapist.

So where is Kane's gf in all of this?

She's the wild card here. Early posts on SM had him having a fight with her earlier in the night. She is a showpiece TPTB insisted he take up with in order to polish his image. He basically does whatever he wants after hours, but brings her to public functions. She's like Toews' escort beard.

Apparently, the family has money, so I wonder if she'll support Kane through this if there is something to it and she knows something.

R365, I wish McKinnon was cuter, so I could imagine that all the time that Sid and Nate spend together involves fucking. Unfortunately I'm shallow, so it's not an appealing image. Instead, I'm imagining that they've spent too much time at their local Tim Horton's. Sid just drinks coffee, but Nate goes full Donut implosion.

Here's that weird conspiracy theory blog about Sidney Crosby being a prostitute murdering rapist. Definitely seems like a crackpot. It's the very first result if you google "Is Sidney Crosby gay?" lol.

I don't believe that specific info., but he's so image conscious that it wouldn't surprise me if he had some skeletons in his closet. Not necessarily gay ones either, ha. He kind of reminds me of a politician.

This Kane stuff makes me wonder about who else is getting their raping ways covered up. I'm thinking fondly of Mike Richards and Jarret Stoll and their drug problems. Believe me, I'd much rather that be the biggest summer NHL scandal.

Sidney Crosby is suspicious only in the sense that he manages to keep his private life so private. It's just plain weird since he's definitely the most famous player. He does seem a little bit like a politician, going around kissing babies and so on.

On the other hand, I don't suspect him of being a serial killer or anything! Good job on not being a rapist unlike scum bucket Kane.

Thanks, r365, for that pic. Sidney has amazing thighs.

R371, not sure where you get your gossip, but I've heard a lot of negative rumors about Sharp. He'll probably fit right in with Seguin unless this Kane thing scares him from his wandering peen ways. I think Sharp was Kane's closest friend on the Hawks which should tell you something.

What did you hear, r378. I've heard he'll fuck anything that moves, and he's not fussy about who it is, but not that he's a violent douchebag like Kane.

He also was arrogant about flaunting it. It put people in awkward situations, and that was not cool, but I never heard he was one of those "I'm a millionaire athlete, you should be honoured to suck my dick" types.

Kane and Sharp were put together on the team because both were severely disliked. The "hey, we're team bros!" was largely PR.

Should add anything female. I never heard any bi rumours around him.

How are the Blackhawks handling the Kane scandal?

r381 they're not, at least publicly. They allowed Kane to have a private party with the Cup on his previously scheduled day, but they cancelled all public appearances.

BTS, they're no doubt trying to find out a)what actually happened, and b)whether or not the DA will charge him. They'd also want to know the timeline for any potential prosecution.

Jarrett Stoll was just signed by the Rangers-1 yr, $800, 000.

In possibly related news, Mike Richards' contract termination is being grieved by the NHLPA. No clear timetable yet, but the union wants it expedited.

Mike Richards was charged with possession of a controlled substance (presumably oxys without a scrip). No word yet on whether it's a summary or indictable charge (misdemeanor or felony). Court date 10 Sept.

The season has not started. How could we be watching? In a month - yes

Flyer fans are trying to buy the Penguins.

9 days

....

Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner could be out at least two months after he sustained a lower-body injury in the season opener Thursday

Sean Avery, Former NHL Star, and Model Hilary Rhoda Are Married!

R390 if he's bearding, I don't see the point. No one knows who he is.

Give me some Evander Kane

Is anyone else's team as pitiful as the Flyers?

[quote]Right now, Philadelphia is the saddest pro sports city in America

ty domi's son is so sexy.

Caps won fifth straight

Any new juicy gossip on the Caps?

The Avs are as bad as the Flyers. Makes me chortle merrily.

is it true that tyler hall and tyler seguin flip-fucked each other on the night of their nhl draft?

Doubtful, but dare to dream!

You mean Taylor Hall? Both are, allegedly of course, bisexual so it wouldn't shock me. Hall is ugly though, and way more arrogant than he is talented.

apparently the went to see Twilight together

old school beef. i wanted to be the middle part of that sandwich

How is your team looking now, at the close of 2015?

Who are these two? I forget

R404 are you serious? The one on the right is Lindros, the hot piece on the left is Chris Pronger--piece of shit who shouldn't be in the Hall, but hot nevertheless.

Only one is allegedly gay. Too bad.

Yes I am.

r402 so did I, and I'm a Maple Leafs fan (god help me). Shanny was known to be not too fussy re: his partners. Yzerman was very, very protected during his playing days, but I've heard they were wild as fuck. I was surprised to hear he was on the management track; he really must've gotten his shit together. Shanny was always an ass kissing opportunist.

My favourite Red Wing from that era. RIP

Better pic

I'm surprised the Stars haven't regressed yet. I haven't found anything from the stats inclined writers about their record. They're not going to be winning turkey shoots in the playoffs.

They obviously need defensemen, but I don't know where the hell they are going to get them. I'm not familiar with their prospect pool, but I never hear any standout names around them, like I do with Philly, or even the Leafs.

One of their better models, Jason Demers.

Da Leafs.

Today's hot player is Antoine Vermette

Anyone watching the Road to the Winter Classic? I'm watching it for PK Subban. Love how passionate he is about fashion and doesn't give a fuck about what people might think. His red fur coat was something else!

Oh god I hate him. Self promoting asshole. It's a *team* game. What ever happened to quietly visiting and donating to charity? Say what you want about Phil Kessel, but he did a lot for Toronto under the radar.

I also think PK is closeted, which pisses me off.

R412, I love him too. Genuinely easy on the eyes and a standout personality in a sport filled with some of the most boring media figures around. I can see where R413 would dislike him but we just prioritize different things. Anyway, rough for the Bruins to lose so badly in front of the home crowd but it must've been thrilling for Condon.

I like PK. His donation is too large to be motivated solely by self-promotion, so I don't mind if he gets some attention.

I'm not one of those "every guy is gay" types, but I really wouldn't be surprised if he was gay.

Yes, PK is flashy and a pest, but at least he's not boring. Has he ever been linked to any girl? I can't remember any stories about him.

No stories. Whenever he's asked if he's dating, he always says he's single. No gender references at all. His dad is Jamaican, so maybe that's an issue, but he also seems like a decent guy. I've seen both parents interviewed several times and they really don't seem like they'd care. Carey Price allegedly bearded up about the same time he cleaned up (alcohol). I'll give PK that, he never faked a marriage and had kid(s).

Interesting

You can't ask if somebody is gay but you can ask these questions at R418. And, these guys have absolutely no trouble answering.

His answers give nothing away in terms of gender.

What do you mean R420. He mentions "girl". In the video.

R421 I mean, you can substitute a guy in there and it would be exactly the same: foodie, intelligent, etc. He kept it vague in the looks department and he also uses 'they' a lot.

Drouin's agent going public about asking for a trade....wonder how this will shake out. I'd like to know which teams are interested in him.

Yzerman had a petulant streak when he played. I think it's in evidence here. This has been an issue for a while now; the player finally had enough. He has attitude and off ice issues (allegedly) around him, but he's right about not being able to score on the plug line.

He should have been traded last year.

I want Stamkos. I know it's not sound business, we don't have cap room, his PPG is down since his injury, it's not in the rebuild, etc....but he's meant to be a Leaf. He has just enough flair and confidence, is an elite player, and is used to being a captain. Our captain is a neanderthal pylon who's just a front office lapdog.

Failing that, Wayne Simmonds is a cheaper, less talented but decent option. He takes no shit on the ice, against himself or any teammate, goes in the corners and screens the net. I don't think he's that old, either. He struck me as Wendel Clark Lite.

WTF???

Trade explosion, one opened the floodgates. Vinny to LA is bullshit, even if he retires next year. It was a good compromise for a proud player though. I don't know about Weal. Schenn is like Phaneuf, in that he has to be very carefully played and coached, or he's a complete disaster. As it is, he's probably 3-4 line material.

I think Johansen had to go, and I've always loved Jones. I think he'll be very good with Torts.

Mike Richards is a fucking disgrace on every level. It looks like they wheedled the charges down to simple possession. He's already been in rehab this last little while, but the fact that the NHLPA let Anshutz and Lombardi get away with circumvention pissed me off.

Interesting. All are party/drug trades to different extents.

RJ was rumoured to have a coke problem, and he had that mysterious 'heart condition' this summer. If they put him in 2nd level rehab, I believe they have to disclose it at that point. Mike Richards they paid off with a probable sentence reduction and another shot so he wouldn't reveal how the NHL really treats its players with concussions and substance issues. I heard darker rumours re: him, too. Vinny was a second tier partier on the Flyers, like Lupul who never got caught publically. He also had a concussion that many Philly fans thought was the main reason he declined.

I feel sorry for the collateral damage like Seth Jones. At least Tortorella is a defensive coach.

Coke is a very fem addiction for a guy.

Wow, Florida just got their 12th win in a row. Fairly ugly (Oilers limited their shots), but I'm glad for both Luongo and Montoya (who saved their skin tonight), I always liked them and I'm glad they're behind a good team now.

Still no openly gay professional hockey player -- why is that?

R430, just my speculation, but hockey seems to value conformity more than other sports. Some people complain if players celebrate too hard after a goal, I can see if someone brought up in that environment wouldn't want to bring more attention to themselves.

Right now, hockey is in the process of being turned into a live video game. The 1% have taken over it at every level. It truly is part of the entertainment industry now, so the same rules apply. To grow the game in the US, they have to go straight down the middle of the road. No PoCs, no gays, no controversy, etc. They are trying to appeal to UMC fans in non traditional markets like Dallas.

The celebration thing is about respecting opponents more than anything. I agree with that; I'm pretty old school. It's interesting that the players are starting to get chippy again because the reffing is so bad. The game is too fast, even for two officials, and there is more pressure to increase scoring and turn it into a video game so fans who don't know the game can enjoy it. That results in the refs being inconsistent and calling marginal plays.

They especially want conformity because they are dealing with a concussion lawsuit, and a PED, pain killer and speed problem. There's a big mystery around one of their players who was let back in the league against it's own rules. He got caught at the border with oxycodone. See upthread.

So, anything that interferes with the promotion plan, like an openly gay player talking about homophobia, and maybe predator coaches throughout the ranks, would not be welcome. Ironically, the few guys with strong gay rumours like Eddie Lack and Carey Price, are excellent game ambassadors.

That's not the reason R431. That's also not a good reason to censure a gay person.

If they want conformity -- then they need to keep all racial minoriries about the game because having a person of color is way too distracting in that sea of white.

Out of the game -- not "about the game".

A racial minority is too "individualistic".

They are doing a piss poor job of tapping the huge Hispanic market in Florida. They have a Cuban American in net on the Panthers, a great personality in Luongo and they broadcast the games in Spanish, but according to a lot of hockey forum posters who live there, there's not a lot of local development and promotion. They also have a 20 hot year old stud who isn't even promoted in the league, let alone the state.

I'm really starting to think they do this on purpose. Then again, they've always put cronyism and surface appearances above good business sense.

Can someone explain to me why the Caps who are on top of the world (for a change) would acquire such a liability as Mike Richards?

The league approved answer is that the Caps are looking for 'intangibles' in the locker room as they go for the Cup. This fills a roster hole at good value and low risk. Richards knows this is his last chance, and he is a multi-millionaire from his Philly contract, so he's not a cap issue. Your basic vague redemption story.

The other, more likely scenario is that his return is part of a secret, negotiated settlement with the league, Richards and his lawyers, and the Kings (and maybe the Flyers). Richards is a ticking time bomb for the league because he is allegedly an oxy addict, has also had concussions, and his arrest at the border didn't follow the usual pattern for oxy possession. Both the league and the Kings & Flyers had a lot of dirty laundry issues that all came to a head in Richards. There was also the issue of the CBA that should have been grieved by the union.

As to why the Caps, they are Cup contenders and at this point he would want to go to a competitive team. Barry Trotz is in recovery himself (he's talked about it before, as have a few reporters) and he's known to be tough but fair. He's also allegedly seeing Brit McHenry, who is based in DC.

R437, this used to be very true but the new owners are making an effort to appeal to Latinos, which I appreciate. Certain nights are Latino nights and they'll have the announcements in English and Spanish (their in-arena host is bilingual) and they picked up Spanish language radio announcers again. They had Montoya do the rounds on some Spanish language TV but it was apparent the guy isn't as fluent to do it comfortably. Their presence in the Spanish language media isn't anywhere near as strong as it is for the Heat or Marlins of course (or even the Dolphins), but they're essentially starting from nothing while the others either have success (Heat) or familiarity (baseball) or history (Dolphins) going for them.

Is Sidney Crosby Latino?

No, but he has a culo all of us can admire.

Why don't you think he's Latino, R442? He looks it.

R443 He's Irish, you idiot.

I'm on the road for work and got to see the Hawks wreck the Preds tonight. It was awesome. I wonder if people still feel weird cheering for Patty Kane or if his awesome play overcomes his potential grossness for the most part? They are not even my team, but I can't help rooting for them.

Why the fuck does NASHVILLE have a hockey team? It's always felt wrong to me.

Patrick Kane was set up by yet another false rape accuser, in the year of false rape accusations.

He's a star, and I have no problem rooting for him at all.

R446, the arena was not very full, so you are not alone in your assessment.

R439, I can't believe Mike Richards is dating Britt McHenry. That does not seem like a good life decision. For either of them.

When do they start figure skating? At intermission?

Just gonna leave this one here.

R450 SHIT i would dick this slut good

r447 read the DA's statement again, carefully. The woman went for the rape charge and the DA investigated that. The incident itself is reminiscent of the Tupac Shakur case. It's still murky as hell.

r439 they aren't really dating, just hooking up. Richards' people are all over the web, deleting anything that casts him in a bad light. No one in the corporate media will investigate his case. They should. If I were Anshutz, I'd fire Lombardi.

R452, I'm not R447, but I watched the full DA interview that he did with a Buffalo tv station, and the DA did not seem to think he was guilty. He was pretty emphatic about not believing the girl, actually. If the DA is willing to go on record as having considered charging her with filing a false report, but didn't because he didn't want to dissuade future rape victims from coming forward, I don't think she had much of a case.

I believe he may be an alcoholic/pill popper and/or just a general dipshit who is fully fucking stupid. On the other hand he plays beautiful hockey and it is kind of a joy to watch him. However, I wouldn't mistake talent for him being any sort of "good" person. He and Panarin have been so amazing, it is hard not to cheer for him, even if you don't like him as a person and suspect him of sketchy behavior - rape related or not.

I don't cheer for him R453. It's easy.

In other non-rapey news, my newest hockey crush is Kopitar. I was at a home game sitting near the glass and he was just hanging out, which was awesome. He seems so large and dominating and I want him to just lay on top of me. For some reason I always fall for the ugly hot ones. My earlier crush on Malkin is mostly gone since he stopped playing as well. What can I say, I am fickle.

R453 reminds me of those people who "forgave" Michael Vick claming "people make mistakes". Kane is an asshole and has a long record of being an asshole. That girl probably was violated in some way, but not enough to consider it "rape".

If you want to get into it, Michael Vick made way more of an attempt at restitution and image recovery than Kane ever did; he was also charged, found guilty, and served time, none of which happened to Kane. I'm not a fan of either of them as people, but that doesn't mean I don't find their talents admirable, and worth rooting for in the context of their respective sports. Miles Davis was also a huge asshole and woman beater, but that doesn't mean I don't listen to and enjoy Bitches Brew.

You're gross R457.

Well how rude! I find you quite fun and a joy to have a conversation with!

Ryan Kessler needs to FUCK ME NOW.

Alright, you're blocked because, R459. You look past these assholes' deplorable and disgusting behavior because they're talented? There's something wromg with that and there is no conversing with that. It's like conversing with Sarah Palin -- it makes no sense.

MARY!

I can't be bothered to sift through the entire thread. Do any of them fuck with guys? Could someone kindly summarise the gay/bi players for us?

R463, there aren't even any credible rumors. No out players, even in the AHL. Some people think Sidney Crosby is gay, Jonathan Toews is bi, but I think it's wishful thinking. However, Crosby doesn't have a girlfriend that we know of and seems to have a male trainer/roommate a la Aaron Rodgers. That might be just gossip I read on DL tho.

R464, he has a girlfriend and she's been getting just the slightest bit more public- it was her birthday a few weeks back and she had a party with the other penguins affiliated women, which is a first. Crosby plays his personal life very close to his chest, which is understandable given his public stature. Richards and McHenry sounds messy as hell but I guess it's still a step up from rehab.

Anyway, the Drouin situation took a dramatic turn today. I wonder what pushed Walsh to make that statement and which teams want to deal with him after that.

And re: Kane, people still cheer for Bobby Hull; I was at the UC recently when he was cheered like crazy! I don't personally wear my Kane sweater anymore, but I don't really think he raped that girl.

We should talk about the real issues of the NHL: who here voted for John Scott? (Not me!) What do you think about the Drouin situation? And, sadly, Anze Kopitar is ugly.

R465, Good for him, I guess. I'm not invested in Crosby being gay since I'm not attracted to him, but I do wish someone visible in the sport would come out. I remember reading an interview with the You Can Play guy saying that he knew of a couple gay players. so they are out there. Some people upthread speculated about Subban, and I'm not a big fan of his, but someone fun and charming like that could really make a difference.

The article I link before is a good read and I really like what he says: "It remains to be seen if the pearl-clutchers of hockey will follow [Subban's] lead and figure out that fans want to cheer for real, three-dimensional human beings who sometimes say interesting things. But if they keep trying to force Subban to be like the other 699 guys who just want to take it one day at a time and stick to the agreed-upon script—well, good luck to them." So many in hockey are so fucking boring and stick to the party line: Toews, Crosby are among the worst. At least Subban and Ovi have personalities.

U betcha!

Crosby does not have a girlfriend. The girl he is pictured is Kathy and ahe has a boyfriend. And, it's not wishful thinking. There has been great gossip about Toews and Seguin specifically.

Sarah Palin seems like she'd be a hockey fan. There are enough mullets and missing teeth to make her family look semi-normal.

Drouin was absolutely right not to report. He's on an ELC, so if he gets injured, he's fucked. Stevie Y is being a hard ass because he wants to get the most trade value, but also because he doesn't want to set a precedent. The league and other teams are very petty and provincial. Any player who fucks with the status quo will have a hard ride, see: Ho Sang, Joshua.

r467 there's a difference between being a personality and being bigger than the game. Ovi and Malkin are wonderful personalities because they are both so Russian. I see Subban as way too "look at me" in a Broadway Joe kind of way, which I hate in hockey.

[quote]I see Subban as way too "look at me" in a Broadway Joe kind of way, which I hate in hockey.

I thought the hockey world frowned upon individuality?

R470 u betcha she is

R463 Crosby and Subban are two high-profile players who never had/been linked to a possible girlfriend. So the rumors largely stem from that. Then again, Seguin and Toews are seen as womanizers, but they have rumors too, although of a bi variety.

Tyler Seguin has never been connected to a female in a serious relationship. He pings and pongs regardless of the "womanizer" rumors. I like him a lot. He reminds of Gus that Olympic skier.

r475 I don't expect him to be at 23. He's a millionaire male athlete--I'd worry about him if he was in a serious relationship.

I did feel sorry for him at the Stars Casino night. He was apparently hounded by females all night, and he had to duck into a room to escape a few times. I can't even imagine how awful it would be to have drunken women grabbing me and talking shit. I've heard he can be a dick at bars, but now I see why. If he's bi/closeted, it would be even worse. He has a few dedicated stalkers who follow the team around for him, too. One of them has a dad who is a STH, so she was there.

He doesn't ping to you R476?

Oh god yes. High maintenance bottom bitch. I can't tell whether or not he's actually bi, or gay and drunkenly plowing through women to keep up appearances.

I got the impression that Seguin gets lumped into the same category as Biznasty - straight slut.

tyler seguin and taylor hall fucked each other silly during their draft cycle.

R479, have you ever seen him interviewed?

r479 Biz has had more than a few gay rumours around him. Another one I think is bi.

Why are you girls so obsessed with these meatheads? You don't stand a chance either way.

Gay, straight, bi.....it doesn't matter. Pro athletes don't mess around with fatties.

R481 who? Biz or Seguin? What am I supposed to be looking out for? Seguin can be quite camp actually, which I find endearing.

R482 never heard anything gay-related on Biz. Please do tell.

....

Yes, Paul has had gay rumors attached to him since his minor league hockey days.

John Scott, AllStar MVP

Suck it, NHL!

And yes, Colin Campbell, his family is proud of him.

Pretty boy William Nylander

NHL = nothing but closet cases and homophobic russians...

I don't get it. Canada is so advanced on gay rights, how can hockey be so backwards?

because they're fake "progressives" who actually elect the likes of Rob Ford and Harper

Totally homophobic, yes.

But, it gets a pass. My guess is because it's white where as the NFL or NBA is not. It's the least supportive of gay rights despite that you dan play thing, which nobody in the NHL wants to associate with.

They have a problem with sexual abuse in the minor ranks that needs to be addressed. The whole junior hockey culture in Canada is toxic, and it's put the country way behind Europe and the US in player development. None of the old guard will get their heads out of their asses and fix it. Of course, a lot of them aided and abetted it, too. The Leafs f/O is full of them.

That dominant toxicity is partially why the homophobia has gone unchecked, although the younger players are better than in the past.

Ding dong, the pylon's gone!!

Finally, Phaneuf is gone. Basically for a 2nd rounder and a bag of pucks.

What TO fans really want is this. Unfortunately, he's probably too old, and hasn't been the same since the injury. Easy on the eyes, though.

That's Phaneuf at R495?

That's Steven Stamkos, the Tampa Bay captain the fanbase would like with Phaneuf's cap hit gone. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season. He pings to high heaven, but so did Wendel Clark, who is one of the most beloved captains in franchise history.

How does Stamkos ping, R497? I haven't kept up with him enough to have an opinion on it.

....

Loooove hockey.

Playoff bump. Should we have a separate playoff thread?

AAR, the injuries to key players are ridiculous. DL fave Tyler Seguin is still recovering from his Achilles cut. And does anyone think Stamkos got a blood clot from too many flights? No? Didn't think so.

And for those who like these things, Ryan Kesler-Anaheim forward.

I think we should stay in this thread. Too many hockey threads get started and then abandoned.

Fair enough.

Well, we are almost guaranteed 30th spot. A year too late. Had we tanked last year we could've had this sass queen.

R503 Who is that?

R504, Jack Eichel, number 2 pick who plays for the Buffalo Sabres. Anyone here going to a playoff game?

I'm a Leafs fan, so...no. Plus I'm too poor.

Jonathan Drouin got a goal tonight, and more importantly was being defensively solid. He apparently toed the line in the minors, but I think he still wants to be traded.

I worry about Stamkos. I hope he's not the NHL's Chris Bosh.

No, I live in Michigan. I find hockey to be rigged. The Wings are awful yet they're making to the playoffs because the NHL makes big money from Detroit during playoff season. I'm not paying that kind of money for rigged games ala WWE.

The Wings will be lose game 7 of the second series. You watch. All fake. It's all about making as much money as possible.

The Wings will beat the Rangers tomorrow 4/9.

I have to start gambling on hockey.

Crosby's interview on gay hockey players:

ESPN.com: Have you ever suspected or known that a teammate was gay? Would a player who publicly came out as gay present any problems in the NHL?

Crosby: No. I haven't been in that situation, No. 1, but I don't think it would be an issue. That's something that we talk about much more openly now, and I think that you look at football, Michael Sam, seeing that situation and the opportunity he had to speak out and see how accepted everything was, I think that was a good example. I don't see that being an issue in hockey.

It is an issue in hockey. Patrick O'Sullivan even said it was an issue when asked on twitter. Being gay is looked at as a weakness, exactly how was treated due to his depression. He was traded to Phoenix from Edmonton immediately after requesting to see a psychologist. He said the culture is very old school and abusive and things like depression or homosexuality are loned down upon. I believe him because there are no gay players in the NHL retired or otherwise. The NHL is the least supportive of LGBT rights behind the NFL.

Sidney Crosby may have self interest in the matter.

The Red Wings will win today in OT -- you watch. One of the worst teams in the NHL and lowest scoring teams in the NHL will beat the Rangers in OT.

The media is pushing 25 years of making it to the playoffs for the Wings and that's a lot of money the NHL will make in that narrative. It would be foolish, from a business stand point, for the NHL to not allow the Wings to advance to the playoffs, somthe Rangers will throw today's game.

If the Wings lose, which would be shocking, then I stand corrected and the NHL is not as scripted as I originally thought.

But, I take the Wings over the Rangers in OT (OT for dramatic effect).

The Wings are in the playoffs.

Completely scripted. Vince McMahon owns the NHL.

No conspiracy, just all the other teams resting their stars. That's what got Philly in.

Someone asked Zetterberg how he thought they'd do in the playoffs this time, and he said, "I don't know, we don't do much beyond this [clinching a spot]."

I love it when players don't give a tenth of a fuck.

R515, there's something scripted. Billion dollar sports can't rest on chance. Detroit is a major organization within the franchise and makes it a ton of money.

Plus, Detroit is not playoff worthy.

Neither are Philly and Minny, but there we are.

They make a lot of money for the NHL, of course they're in.

R.I.P., Mr. Snider

r520 I love reading the tweets trying to dance around what an asshole he was. It was the same when Pat Quinn died, although he was more accomplished.

In fairness, they all mention the children's charities. I always think they're a tax dodge or worse, but even his detractors, like some beat reporters, have mentioned it as a legacy. He apparently knew they'd made the playoffs, so at least he died in hope.

Is this also a hockey player appreciation thread? Because Petr Mrazek...his eyes are hypnotizing.

He has such nice style. Those eyes.

Let's just take a moment and appreciate him.

Newest SJ Sharks goalie signing. King Lundqvist is handing over the crown. Lituanian-Swedish 23 year old. Decent stats, but not elite level.

Well that was a bullshit playoff start. Lunqvist gets his eye taken out by his own guy (Marc Staal, of course), officiating is pure shite (Tim Peel is in the playoffs--WTF?) and the NHL shut down the best GIF maker so she wouldn't show anything controversial (like said shite reffing), and their site and cameras suck.

On the plus side, Det v Tampa was fucking amazing. Refs don't want to do their jobs--fine. Players will handle it. Chi v Stl into OT with a one goal shut out.

Who are your teams?

My team is Washington. I'm cautiosly optimistic, but I'm tired of them sucking in the PO every year. Hope they don't get too arrogant or complacent.

I'm pretty much in love with Reilly Smith at this point.

Jeremy Roenick's fangirling over Seguin is so embarrassing. He calls it a man crush, but it's just awkward.

r529 No, it's probably a man crush. Both are/were ridiculous partiers with bi rumours--JR probably just sees himself at that age.

I forgot how good Tyler Johnson is. Drouin looks good, too. And everyone, me included, forgets about Killorn. That doesn't bode well for Stamkos.

Interesting how the camera/tech advances haven't stopped the shitty calls. The players are taking the game into their own hands again, and the ratings (US) are up as a result.

The Red Wings got crushed on Friday and lost the first two, but win tonight? Makes no sense. The goal is to make it game 7. The Wings will lose game 7.

I don't know how anybody gets into this fake sport. At least with the WWE you know it's fake.

Very sad about the weekend's results. My local team was eliminated. Now all I want is for Chicago to get eliminated and for the Sharks to continue their great showing.

I live in Philadelphia for the time being but my home team is the Capitals so I'm still happy and will be pleased when the Penguins are eliminated.

I love hockey!

I guess all the hockey fans left DL after last season.

Anyone still watching hockey?

I love JT Brown