X. Benedict

It has been a few years, but the 1-3-1 was really a counter-attack, once Tampa won possession the system was much closer to Detroit's. Hold possession with lots of movement away from the puck, but not necessarily always towards the net. It was almost like a zone offense in basketball, waiting to find mismatches or number advantages when the defense broke down before attacking, lots of skating in tight circles. It really was fun to watch until teams caught on. Or at least I remember it as high scoring.

There shouldn't be compensation. Detroit at least still wanted to keep Babcock.

He's more than the trap. He had a very creative offensive system. Laviolette exposed his trap in that infamous game, but really what he tried was pretty innovative. I wouldn't dismiss him because of that.

I like Boucher. I would be very happy if he came on board to coach special teams.

I think Merkley is my favorite forward that is likely to fall in that range.

I remember one of Tim Murray's first interviews here with Bulldog. * Bulldog: Will you miss Ottawa? GMTM: Not at all. I really don't think guys in the scouting world get wrapped up in being in a place. They are everyplace almost by definition. *I really don't listen to WGR much. So I could have this wrong.

They will split salary.

Eich like Kariya? http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=768823 link dead. I reposted.

Step aside string-bean.

If Bylsma is pitching trades during an interview, say hello to Luke Richardson.

Where's Cronin? That picture is from, like 1977.

It's go time, baby. It's go time. (That's the Seinfeld guy, right? He'd make an excellent avatar for you PA)

Not sure. But JW had the cooler albums.

It'll be fun, John. :)

Now we get the next 10 years of GODD supporting Tim Murray's decision. :lol:

The are ancient.

I guess what I mean is that Bylsma often likes to have D men take pass, let's the goalie front the shot, and has the D flip the ice Quickly. That is really the opposite of Nolan. More like Ruff. Orpik was on the kill. But my question about Bogo and Gorges is really the emphasis and the quick retrevals and recoveries in 5x5.

Deboer is really underrated IMO ...he will be a nice fit there.

Well he had Orpik.

One thing that always intrigued me about Bylsma is that different lines would play different systems. Bylsma would often have his top 2 lines play a possession game and his bottom two lines play a dump and chase. (which is the big difference with Lindy Ruff, Ruff would play a possession game with all 4 lines and shorten the bench as the game progressed, Bylsma likes to flip the ice quickly too, but his lines are more specialized in approach). It really is a mistake to think that Bylsma plays a simple game, he doesn't. The key difference with Bylsma and Ruff.....(only because Ruff is a useful point of reference here, not because I want him back PA). Bylsma liked to have different lines play different systems, that's why he hated to juggle lines. The roles were more specialized. Ruff had every line playing the same systems and juggled skaters freely to adjust to opponents and who was playing well. The weakness with Bylsma's style in Pitt was if he had a line struggling, or an injury, he had often had to find a player to change systems. Especially inside the game he was often limited. It wasn't unusual to see his Pittsburgh teams go into funks for a few games until the changes got ironed out. I'm not convinced Bylsma would bring the same approach to Buff as he used in Pitt, but he would be a radically different coach than Nolan. Radically. My biggest question would be how Gorges and Bogosian would respond to him.

I wouldn't put this in the Tin Foil category. The corruption in FIFA and also the Olympics has always been well known, but accepted with a manana attitude that it is accepted practice.

For me what always stuck out watching Gil was his elusiveness skating, he was basically untouchable, especially with his ability to move sideways. His peripheral vision was unreal. His strength was really underrated. This is how I seem to remember one game: I remember a game against the Rangers (maybe 78) in the Aud. The team was in the doldrums, the bench was short because half of the team had the flu, and the Rangers were trying to run Gil. He just decided to hold the puck and skate that night to give other shifts a break. He would take the puck to the halfwall in the offensive zone and operated within a 20 ft. radius as everyone flew past him trying to get the puck, or get a body on him. Nobody could touch him. He could just sidestep people and circle. But the most amazing part of it, was Gil would stop moving and stand still until somebody tried to attack the puck. Defenders would come at him with speed. Gil would sidestep. Defender would hit the glass. Rinse, repeat. No wasted motion skating. Perfect economy of motion. sniff. sniff.

Checking the OED......depends on the style and quality of the bag. It's the disparagers discretion.

How about a national law preventing Russia national players from walking out on the Canadian anthem when they lose? That way they stop looking like a land of douchnozzlery. That is one country stuck in a decade long paranoid pout.

I think, for the first time in ......well, ever. I'd like to hug you.