Tuesday links: Rating jerseys, a peek at Consol Energy Center, Sid's new linemates and more!

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 25, 2009 6:00 AM EDT in News

NHL.com lists Sidney Crosby as the #1 Canadian player in the game today, which is hard to argue. He won the Cup. Marc-Andre Fleury checks in at #4, so get ready for people to whine that's too high. [NHL]
A pic of the Consol Energy Center, that baby's really coming together now. [DUchemist]
In what can only be good news for Marc-Andre Fleury, Cam Ward was held out of Team Canada's practice today. With five goalies fighting for practice time now looks like four. [Chris Johnston's twitter]
Also from the same twitter, as you read yesterday on Pensburgh Sidney Crosby did end up practicing with Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash at practice. Sid's sure come a far way from playing with guys like Andy Hilbert and Colby Armstrong, huh? [Chris Johnston]
Today in tormenting Capital fans: Some Washington fans find a good natured Crosby-centric surprise of new decorations in their second home in the Canadian maritimes. Alex Ovechkin themed vandalism on Penguin fan houses in Siberia reportedly much more rare. [On Frozen Blog]
THN ranks some minor league jerseys...Quad City Mallards probably are #1 or last for most folks. (Last here). [The Hockey News]
Detroit, San Jose and Ottawa remain over the upper limit for the salary cap and still need to do a little wrangling to get under it by October. [From the Rink]
Dominik at Lighthouse Hockey is ready to move forward when it comes to relying on Rick DiPietro's shaky health. Can't say I blame him, it is sad that DiPietro's career has basically ground to a halt though.
Alex Tanguay, probably the best available free agent, may be close to returning to Colorado. [Bleacher Report]
The were rumors that the Montreal Canadiens might host their Nov 28th game against the Washington Capitals, but there's a CFL game too soon to make an ice rink outside. Bummer. [TSN]
Finally, if you've procrastinated on buying the cornucopia of 2009 Stanley Cup championship gear, NHL.com is 15% site-wide and offering free shipping if you buy enough! [NHL.com]

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Woooooooo Flower!!!

by Max Powers on Aug 25, 2009 7:54 AM EDT reply actions

Just don’t…get…hurt….

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by FrankD on Aug 25, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s the whole motto of the NHL fan.

As an American fan, I hope the win regardless of the price of injuries (so long as Orpik’s OK if he makes it). Because none of them are Penguins.

But it would suck if anyone got hurt really. I have a feeling the owners (who get no money for the players involvement) are just looking for an excuse to pull back in the next CBA.

Next time Olympics are in Russia, which is a big deal to Russian players like Ovechkin and Malkin who love their country and want to play in such a historic event for themselves. Trouble’s a -brewin.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 25, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Obviously I’m rooting for Team USA too, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to seeing Russia and Canada play. Some big names on both of those teams.

And the Olympics in Russia? As long as Tretiak stays retired.

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by FrankD on Aug 25, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

The Russians are going to be fun to watch. They have so much skill to burn I bet you they’d be worth the price of game admission just to watch them practice. (You know if the schedule wasn’t so compressed and they actually had time to practice).

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 25, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Who’s the rumored netminder for Russia? Nabakov? I know he was born in Kazakhstan (along with Nik Antropov) but I wonder if he’s going to play for the Kazakh national team or Russia.

I know seeing Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk, Gonchar on a line together is ludicrous.

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by FrankD on Aug 25, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Nabokov is considered a Russian for the purposes on international play and is there expected #1. They also have Bryzgalov and Varlamov in their camp.

On the blueline is where Russia has to be weakest: after Gonchar and Markov there’s a drop to Volchenkov, what’s left of Zubov, Tyutin, Grebshkov and suddenly it’s not looking so hot in terms of depth compared to the Canadians, who have guys like Dion Phaneuf and Mike Green supposedly on the bubble.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 25, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Which is kinda funny when you consider the long-lasting style of the Russians ever since the 70s and 80s was defense first. If this year’s team went up against any of the Russian teams in the 80s, this year’s team would likely pull off a few wins. The old style was pass the puck and draw people out of position for the perfect shot, not just A shot. I’ve seen some old videos of the Russians from back then and it’s just amazing how they dominated the other team in practically all aspects of the game.

I’m reading a book called Go to the Net right now by Al Strachan. In the first chapter he mentions VO2 testing (how much oxygen a player can take in. The higher the number, the better). The Russians were all in the mid to upper 70s. The best NHLer at the time was Bob Gainey with 73. Guy Lafleur was a 72 and the worst was Pete Mahovlich with 35. According to Scotty Bowman the average NHLer considered “good” had a VO2 score of 53.

And that was your random installment of useless hockey knowledge for the day…

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by FrankD on Aug 25, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not going to whine that Fleury is too high, but in a straight-up swap, I would take Luongo, Nash, Getzlaf and Lecavalier over him without batting an eye. Granted that the Pens situation is a little bit different with Malkin and Crosby as the top two centers, but I can’t see taking Fleury over Luongo in a scenario like the one over at Cycle Like the Sedins.

by Knee high to a duck on Aug 25, 2009 8:47 PM EDT reply actions

By scenario you mean the mock draft at Cycle Like the Sedins? I agree it was odd to see him go that high in the mock draft, but I’m also reminded of my fantasy league last year where someone took Brodeur first overall. There will always be someone who really, really wants a player on their team for some reason other than statistics or “taking the best player available,” as they say constantly at the real NHL Draft.

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by FrankD on Aug 25, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Being masochistic tonight

I’d taped the end of game 7 of the SCF, hoping to come back to a Wings victory, but it wasn’t to be. Maybe in an attempt to block out bad memories, I managed to totally forget that I’d done so, until I pressed the play button on my old skool combo TV/VCR’s remote.

Tonight was the first time I’d ever seen the end of that game 7, that I ever watched Sid and the gang celebrate. That was….painful….

Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!

by ahtrap on Aug 25, 2009 11:11 PM EDT reply actions

Really? I thought it was among the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. Since I’m not just a girl, I’m a Pisces girl, I cried tears of joy. Seriously, it was the first time I did that for any sporting event that didn’t involve cars.

Of course, that couple at the vacation house had no taste, either. Someone spent a lot of time and trouble (probably money, too) to class that place up—pro bono, even!—and they were so ungrateful!

"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007

by GreenEyedLilo on Aug 26, 2009 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions

vacation house came outta the left field bullpen....care to explain?

Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!

by ahtrap on Aug 26, 2009 11:43 AM EDT reply actions

Read the link above labeled “On Frozen Blog.” (Fifth bullet point down.) A pair of Capitals fans with a vacation house in Nova Scotia had it, um, redecorated in time for their arrival. I forwarded that URL to my beloved’s best friend with the subject line “I’m not as evil as you think!” He loves the Red Wings, and I gave his Pens fan daughter a T-shirt and the DVD this summer. Well, he shouldn’t have implied that I’m stupid ‘cause I can’t play chess…

"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007

by GreenEyedLilo on Aug 26, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions