03-04 Interesting Year????

[bigm16]

This up coming N.H.L. hockey season is shaping up to be a pretty interesting one indeed. With the additions of Selanne & Kariya in Colorado, Hasek & Hatcher with Detroit. What are your thoughts of the 03-04 season.

[GrasValley]

Hate to be pessimistic, but I think next season will be quite the opposite of interesting. I think it's going to be one hell of a boring season. The same stupid dominating teams will once again dominate the League. Although Colorado has not yet fixed the goaltending issue, I look for that to be resolved in the near future. Maybe a deal with Detroit for Cujo or something. Detroit and Colorado will annihiliate everybody in the West other than Dallas maybe, possibly Vancouver in the mix. In the East, things might be slightly more interesting. If the Rangers can figure out how to play hockey and not just have a bunch of stars on the team, they could jump into the race. Ottawa will do well in the regular season and the wheels will come off the wagon in the 2nd or 3rd round of the playoffs. Philly and Toronto will be strong as always and of course the Devils will be the top Cup contender. Once again, the Southeast Conference (although gaining respect) will once again be a joke. However, it is still too early to tell, there are still some solid players available in free agency and who knows what trades will be made. I don't have high expectations, but hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised.

[goaliefan]

Enjoy the the 2003-04 N.H.L season it might be the last for
awhile, the players will go on strike in 2004.

Both Bettman and Goodenow have togo they are hurting the
great game of Hockey.

N.H.L hockey could be the best game in the world to watch
but with the great expansion over the last ten years, they now
have to many teams and to many bad players who are less
skilled and over paid.

I hope the one good thing that the strike brings is that the
N.H.L becomes a 18 team league.

[TDHarvey9]

When it comes to "Judgement Day" remember that there are several teams that are close to folding, they haven't folded yet because they are desperately holding on for this next agreement, and what it includes.

There is alot riding on it, teams like the Oilers, and Flames are holding on in hope that Bettman does something for the non-toronto canadian teams. Others are hoping for a salary-cap to hold salaries and so they have a chance at a profit sometime.

Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Carolina, Chicago and Tampa Bay for example are low or losing a fortune. There will be all kinds of teams dropping if something isn't done, and if something isn't done, then we will have what 'goaliefan' mentioned, a 18-team league.

Like Gras, I am not impressed, but hoping to have my perspective changed, seeing Marchment in Maple Leaf Blue might prove to be interesting.

But, this looks like almost every year we've had with Bettman in control... that is, the same teams winning every single year

[GrasValley]

I think Marchment is the missing key for the Leafs. Marchment will be the guy to take them all the way. The energy that took San Jose into game 7 with Colorado last was provided by 6 guys, Ricci, Nolan, Marchment, Harvey, Thornton and Coach Sutter. The Leafs now have 2 of them. I have never seen a defenseman transfer a game's momentum with a big hit than Bryan Marchment and I've never seen a guy love his job more than Bryan Marchment. He's cleaned up his act a lot and bring heart and hitting to a team. I do have much more confidence in the next season due to his signing alone. The Sharks have no interest in improving themselves for next season, but at least my two favorite former Sharks will be drawing blood on a strong team next season. GO LEAFS! (And Sharks if they pull off another '94 Cinderella).

[TDHarvey9]

and remember one other thing gras... Marchment wants to be here, he grew up a leafs fan, he has always wanted to be a leaf. So you know his heart will be in it 100%

[GrasValley]

His heart has almost always been 100% in it, it's scary thinking what a force he'll be living out a dream.

[Unregistered]

Leafs fans kill me...How can you possibly think Marchment is the missing key to the Leafs finally winning the cup ??? GIVE ME A BREAK. Watch some hockey other than the Leafs and you will quickly realize that the leafs are more than a Bryan Marchment or (insert half-decent d-man's name here) from winning the Cup...

Thats it thats all...

[GrasValley]

I watch a lot of hockey other than Leaf's hockey, in fact, I rarely get to watch the Leafs play other than playoff time. Before you completely rip on Marchment and the Leafs; give some reasons. What would you suggest they do MR. Unregistered. If you're as smart as you think you are, please inspire my inferior Leafs Fan mind with you're unbelievable genius insight.

[TDHarvey9]

Anti-Leafs fans kill me...No matter what we do, leaf fans are either wrong, misguided, or stupid. There is no pleasing them. I live in BC, I've been a Leafs fan all my life, and the anti-leaf sentimate seems to linger from some stupid "toronto is evil" attitude. The thing is that the locals here seem to think there is a rivalry between the canucks and leafs... when infact TORONTO LIKES VANCOUVER! (I have friends in the s.ontario region, who say that the canucks are 'a good old canadian team doing us proud').

Get that Vancouver hates Toronto, but Toronto respects Vancouver.