Maybe if he can score and be a physical presence. I'm just concerned about his age- 36. It pained me to watch Jagr in the playoffs like he had cement blocks for legs. Speed kills in this league. The two fastest Bruins (Seguin & Peverley) are gone and the fastest guy we have now is Paille. Veterans are needed of course but ever since they won the cup with Recchi the Bruins feel like they need the one really old guy on the team to do it. Chara maybe has 2-3 years left tops. I mean I'm glad we got someone after missing out on Clarkson, Ryan etc....

I can't say I am too shocked over this news about Kovalchuk's 'retirement' [from the NHL that is...]. I really don't understand how many cases of these stupidly long contracts backfiring on teams we need before owners finally smarten up. It looks like the same unlearnable lesson as putting hockey in the desert.

It just makes it all that much worse because the original 17-year, 102$ million contract was so ridiculous in the first place, and in their desperation to get him signing Kovalchuk cost the Devils extra draft picks and even more money for circumventing the cap.

For what it's worth, Kovalchuk's remaining yearly contract salary:

2013-14: $11,300,000
2014-15: $11,300,000
2015-16: $11,600,000
2016-17: $11,800,000
2017-18: $10,000,000
2018-19: $7,000,000
2019-20: $4,000,000
2020-21: $1,000,000
2021-22: $1,000,000
2022-23: $1,000,000
2023-24: $3,000,000
2024-25: $4,000,000
Total: $77,000,000

That KHL must be pretty damn lucrative.

I know it might be mainly a Canadian thing, but is anyone else geared up for the Olympic hockey? I always love it, but think we've been resting on our laurels far too often in international tournaments, and it has come close to (and has) bitten us. Anyways, most teams released their rosters today. A lot of it is expected, though I question some guys, like Lucic, who, while he is a machine, has trouble with NHL ice, nevermind the full size; the physicality he brings is just largely redundant at an Olympic level, but I hope I am wrong. I am at least a little optimistic that Hockey Canada might have learned the lesson of simply relying on veterans and players with int'l. experience to win us tournaments, though there is still plenty of that too with the list (46/47 players, but some were at the World Juniors, thankfully).

I am definitely not looking forward to being grouped with Finland in the initial stages. We are weak on defence (Phaneuf? come on), and our goaltending is, well, who knows. Meanwhile, they have Niemi, Rask, Rinne, Lehtonen, and Backstrom - now that is depth in nets.

I love international hockey. I wish there was more coverage on TV for it. I cheer for Finland. I think it is more because the school colors I grew up with (till I moved to the US) was blue and white...and it seems a lot of my favorite players are Finnish (and a couple of Swedes). I have a friend that goes back to Finland for the summer and I'm hoping the next time I see her, she will have a jersey from her home town.

So...what do you guys think of the new Olympic jerseys. So far it's just the USA and Russia jerseys that have been revealed.





unlike a lot of my friends, I kind of like the USA jersey...except for the stars and "laces" that are printed on. Those look awful. The logo is a throw back to the 1930's logo. One other thing...it would have been nice to add a bit more color like a stripe on the bottom cause they're looking a bit like soccer jerseys.

I'm getting that feeling again. I just peeped the Bruins schedule and iCal'd about 30 games. We only play the Habs four times? WTF NHL!:

Dec 5th
Jan 30th
Mar 12th
Mar 24th

New rivalries: Toronto, the fucking dumb ass Blackhawks with stupid douchebag Kane, Columbus (Horton you traitor!), Dallas (just because I want to see what Seguin does)

Wow really? If that is accurate, it is totally messed up. The NHL really knows how to tinker with something to death to try and squeeze more money out of it while sucking every last bit of fun out as well.

EDIT: Yep, just checked, the new schedule thanks to doofuses and whatever the higher ups are, is complete shit. Sure it is nice that we see more western conference teams, but ask any fan and they will tell you that is not what they care about most. Destroying rivalries, playing completely random teams, not to mention all the added travel on both sides; I really don't see how this is a smart move.

Well the Olympics are this year so I'm thinking that might have something to do with it.

Ughhhh I'm being forced to watch football today, as there is a Bills opener party we're attending in a few. I really think football is super over- rated! At least I'll be drinking.

Olympic jerseys are awful. The Olympics team couldn't afford actual laces?

I'm trying so hard to go to Chicago to see the Blackhawks vs the Pens at Soldier field.

I would love to see my Stanley Cup Champs there.

Speaking of jerseys, my second favorite team the Redwings have the best looking Winter Classic jerseys I've seen ever. Maybe even better than the Flyers (when they played the Rangers). Leafs are pretty cool too.

That (hilarious) moment at 2:27 embodies what the Leafs are all about.

I'd say moments 25 and 30 seconds as well. Who does that? Use the stick as a weapon? Straight up pussies! Leafs are in for a rough season, oh wait it will just be a continuation of their meltdown in the playoffs.

I just saw that too. I think the swinging the stick like that earns you a one way ticket out if the league. That was pathetic, plus he was running away the whole time. I bet it was all over a "your mamma" joke.

Yeah Kessel is a major coward in general, but honestly if 6'8" John Scott lined up next to me with the intent of rearranging my face I'd skate away as fast as I could also!

Well, First and last game in Montreal for Parros

^ T'was an unnecessary fight. Mapledouche Orr wanted a rematch is all. Fuck TO.

The same blackhawks who beat you in the stanley cup

We'll see who's there in the end this year. I guarantee it won't be the Blackhawks.

the russian jerseys are awesome!

How do you figure. You have a goalie who has never played a complete season? THe hawks have a solid D and a great offense.

Don't make me laugh. No one played a full season last year. Rask was one of the best goaltenders, especially in the playoffs! The Bruins have a complete D with some of the best two way forwards in the league. The only reason the Hawks won was half the Bruins were hurt.

How about Roy as a coach last night? I love that his craziness is back in the NHL. He almost pushed the bench partition down (in reaction to a knee to knee hit late in the game on the Colorado rookie):



People want to take fighting out of the NHL and I say bollocks to that! Go watch ice capades then. I love fights, I love confrontation. It's a highly competitive contact sport, what do you expect to happen once in awhile?!

I bet every team adds extra support to the dividers nows

Ugh. For those of you following this sort of thing, the Team Canada Olympic jerseys were released today, and are indeed the same terrible ones that were 'leaked' last month. Honestly, just awful in my opinion. I don't know what Hockey Canada/COC were thinking. And Nike should also be ashamed of itself in my opinion. These jersey show absolutely no creativity and are just an insult to anyone with design training or aesthetic taste. FFS, they are completely plain, look like an advertisement for Petro Canada, are bad basic practice jersey in appearance, and have that same terrible printed on "lacing" that the USA ones have. WTH people?!

I don't know whether to be pissed or just disgusted at this point. Really, who in the hell thought this was a good design to go with? I imagine they must hire professionals or at least sort through hundreds, if not thousands of submissions. (and if not, why not?) It honestly seems like these were made based on easy construction and mass producibility according to a 'standard' model, e.g. like the Team USA ones, making few changes to the line and easily popping them out for big $$$$. Fuck you Nike. But oh wait, they say CANADA on them - it is a good thing, I might have mistaken it for someone else, one of those other national teams with the giant red and white maple leaf.

B.A.R.F.
(bad ass reject failure)