Post-Game Talk: Avs @ Blues | Saturday, April 5th, 12pm MT | Avs win 4-0 | Part 2

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=82864165&postcount=25

2 things that still astound me from this post:

1) That people are still clinging to the "The Avs are going to fall back to earth"

2) "Still got a long way to go to challenge for Top 3 in the Central..." Umm...we're already 2nd in the Division and I think we're positioned to keep up our strong play with our strong Core of players.

Some people just can't handle the fact that the Avs have done a good job on their rebuild.

The guy is an idiot just look at his avatar.

 

[backesoff]

I know Backes got a lot of attention after the game for hitting the kid, but you all have to admit, this division setup for the playoffs is outstanding. The Central Division has the opportunity to be a beast for years to come with fans from all teams getting their feelings hurt because of foul play. It takes me back to my youth wanting to kill all things not Blues. I love this stuff. I certainly hope my Blues make it out of the first round to play the Avs. This would be true reality T.V. Roy seems to be in touch with his players and is a great motivator. The Blues have the savvy pro behind the bench that can make other teams shake their heads. Seriously, A Blues-Avs 2nd round would be awesome. Good luck this last week and in the playoffs. Should be fun eh?

 

[5280]

I know Backes got a lot of attention after the game for hitting the kid, but you all have to admit, this division setup for the playoffs is outstanding. The Central Division has the opportunity to be a beast for years to come with fans from all teams getting their feelings hurt because of foul play. It takes me back to my youth wanting to kill all things not Blues. I love this stuff. I certainly hope my Blues make it out of the first round to play the Avs. This would be true reality T.V. Roy seems to be in touch with his players and is a great motivator. The Blues have the savvy pro behind the bench that can make other teams shake their heads. Seriously, A Blues-Avs 2nd round would be awesome. Good luck this last week and in the playoffs. Should be fun eh?

You need this guy as your avatar.

 

[Pokecheque]

I see why the league went to the division-heavy playoff format (trying to cut down on travel time any way they can). It's way better than the last time they tried to be more division-heavy by increasing the inter-divisional games during the regular season, which fans AND players came out against.

I'll withhold judgment of the format until I see it played out. But I'm not a fan of the fact that we have teams now coasting to the finish line. Not entirely certain that would be avoided in the old format, but it sure looks like the new format has increased the "meaninglessness" of these last few games.

 

[Aves Fren]

Behold the Bordangles.

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Thanks! Sweet avi, btw.

 

[member 116861]

Beautiful!

 

[Some Random Guy]

Red Wings fan here, I've mostly lurked for the past couple years. Kind of ironic that my first post is in the Avs forums. My friend was a Nordiques fan which made for a fun friendship back in the day after they relocated.

First off, congratulations to your team and Roy on basically being a deadlock for the Adams. I love that he defends your players and (for the most part) calls things as they are.

I'm glad you guys snagged MacKinnon (I told my friend they'd take him over Jones) and that he's having a great (let's be real, Calder-winning) rookie year. What happened with the Blues infuriates me to no end, and I'm not really a fan of the Avs by any means. That was a total bush league showing by the Blues. MacKinnon overpowered Backes and Backes jumps him? Come on. Even watching the pressers and videos of what happened makes my blood boil.

My biggest concern is the final game for both the Blues and Wings are against each other. I doubt Detroit will have the Wild Card on lock and be able to afford to sit Datsyuk/Nyquist or both.

I don't want to see any skilled players from any team taken out by bush league antics. Especially with Hitchcock's statements post-game. That was a complete joke. The NHL either needs to drop the "Player Safety" schtick altogether or actually enforce it. This laissez-faire attitude about it is pathetic at best.

Any news on the suspensions/fines front for Blues players?

 

[freeboy]

Looks like nothing
Pretty poor by NHL, agree with you 100%

 

[Avs]

I wasn't expecting Hitchcock to get fined for what he said.

Roy is right, the Old Boys Club can do whatever they want, and I love that he is stepping on all their toes.

 

[henchman21]

I wasn't expecting Hitchcock to get fined for what he said.

Roy is right, the Old Boys Club can do whatever they want, and I love that he is stepping on all their toes.

Roy did it in the Q as well... he ruffled more than a few feathers down there.

 

[Avs]

Roy did it in the Q as well... he ruffled more than a few feathers down there.

I think it just shows that they are scared.

 

[Foppa2118]

I wasn't expecting Hitchcock to get fined for what he said.

Roy is right, the Old Boys Club can do whatever they want, and I love that he is stepping on all their toes.

If they were smart they would have. Hitchcock basically said what Crawford said after the Naslund hit, and said they'd go after Av players. They should have made a big deal out of it and smacked him with a fine to make absolutely sure something stupid doesn't happen again. As unlikely as it is, it was unlikely someone would do something that stupid after Crawford's comments but it did.

But being part of the old guard, Hitchcock gets a pass. The NHL is gonna look pretty stupid if the Blues go after an Av star player like Hitchcock said they would the next game.

 

[RockLobster]

If they were smart they would have. Hitchcock basically said what Crawford said after the Naslund hit, and said they'd go after Av players. They should have made a big deal out of it and smacked him with a fine to make absolutely sure something stupid doesn't happen again. As unlikely as it is, it was unlikely someone would do something that stupid after Crawford's comments but it did.

But being part of the old guard, Hitchcock gets a pass. The NHL is gonna look pretty stupid if the Blues go after an Av star player like Hitchcock said they would the next game.

The only way they can have that opportunity is if both clubs advance in the Playoffs...so by all means, bring it on if that's what they want to do. We have Bordeleau and McLeod and even Malone who isn't afraid to mix it up.

Playoff hockey will always be more physical and more chippy, so part of me is a little glad the Blues played the way they did on Saturday, it can help the Avs mentally prepare for the PO's where everything is a lot more tough than the regular season.

 

[Foppa2118]

The only way they can have that opportunity is if both clubs advance in the Playoffs...so by all means, bring it on if that's what they want to do. We have Bordeleau and McLeod and even Malone who isn't afraid to mix it up.

Playoff hockey will always be more physical and more chippy, so part of me is a little glad the Blues played the way they did on Saturday, it can help the Avs mentally prepare for the PO's where everything is a lot more tough than the regular season.

I don't think anything major will happen aside from a little bad blood, but the NHL shouldn't just let this roll off their backs. Not if they're as sincere as they claim about the image of the NHL. Especially not when it involves the same team involved in the Bertuzzi incident that gave the league such a black eye the last time.

If the Avs do play the Blues in the playoffs and blow them out in a game in St Louis, all it takes is for one dumb player to have Hitchcock's comments in the back of his mind and get carried away in a scrum and do something stupid. The Blues have already proven they're capable of stupid reactionary hockey with that cross check to Mitchell's face and Backes jumping and trying to fight an unwilling 18 year old MacKinnon for no reason.

The NHL acts like they have a low tolerance for coaches promoting revenge hockey, but apparently they don't.

 

[Pokecheque]

The NHL acts like they have a low tolerance for coaches promoting revenge hockey, but apparently they don't.

They're still straddling that line between "cleaning up the game" and catering to meatheads who still watch only for the fights. Some of the promotional materials on TV still hype these sorts of things--if Bettman were serious he'd never allow that.

 

[Avs]

Like I said, it was okay for Hitchcock to say it because he is apart of the Old Boys Club.

If Roy said the same exact thing, you bet he would be fined.

 

[TheStranger]

They're still straddling that line between "cleaning up the game" and catering to meatheads who still watch only for the fights. Some of the promotional materials on TV still hype these sorts of things--if Bettman were serious he'd never allow that.

Has anyone ever watched hockey "just for the fights"? They must be pretty dedicated to those fights, which I assume is about 0.5per game.

Do you mean, people who aren't against fighting?

 

[Pokecheque]

Has anyone ever watched hockey "just for the fights"? They must be pretty dedicated to those fights, which I assume is about 0.5per game.

Do you mean, people who aren't against fighting?

I'm just making a gross over-generalization for effect--I don't think there have EVER been fans who watch only for the fights, but you'd think the way Bettman and his cronies *****foot around issues like this, they sure seem to think those fans exist.

 

[Foppa2118]

They're still straddling that line between "cleaning up the game" and catering to meatheads who still watch only for the fights. Some of the promotional materials on TV still hype these sorts of things--if Bettman were serious he'd never allow that.

The scrums, tenacity, and fighting will always have a place in the game. What doesn't is a coach promoting revenge and that they're going to go after the Avs defenseman because Bordy made a clean hit on their defenseman.

 

[Pokecheque]

The scrums, tenacity, and fighting will always have a place in the game. What doesn't is a coach promoting revenge and that they're going to go after the Avs defenseman because Bordy made a clean hit on their defenseman.

But those narratives are still blatantly marketed on ads and what not. The whole "revenge" factor and people craning their necks, looking for blood. It's like the League WANTS another Bertuzzi/Moore incident.

 

[Avs For Life]

Did anything ever happen to Hitch for his comments?

I haven't been able to really stay up to date due to this stupid Project Management class Im in

 

[5280]

Did anything ever happen to Hitch for his comments?

I haven't been able to really stay up to date due to this stupid Project Management class Im in

Nope

 

[Foppa2118]

But those narratives are still blatantly marketed on ads and what not. The whole "revenge" factor and people craning their necks, looking for blood. It's like the League WANTS another Bertuzzi/Moore incident.

I haven't seen those ads, but in general I don't mind the league promoting the intensity, and bad blood that comes with hockey. That's part of the game, and what makes it so emotionally investing IMO.

It's the coach coming out and putting it into words that makes signals it's pre meditated that crosses the line. Everything else is just reactionary emotion, and that's been how hockey is since the beginning pretty much. When a coach literally advocates targeting guys with the implication to hurt them, there's just no good outcome for that.

Even if he isn't doing it in the locker room, if something does happen to a player, that's what the media, and all the non hockey fans are going to look at, and there will be more pressure to take the regular intensity and fighting out of the game, just because some meathead coach wanted to act tough in front of the media.

Coach's need to be the voice of reason, and set examples for their players, not act as if they're ok with their players crossing the line. The league dropped the ball IMO.

 

[Pokecheque]

I haven't seen those ads, but in general I don't mind the league promoting the intensity, and bad blood that comes with hockey. That's part of the game, and what makes it so emotionally investing IMO.

It's the coach coming out and putting it into words that makes signals it's pre meditated that crosses the line. Everything else is just reactionary emotion, and that's been how hockey is since the beginning pretty much. When a coach literally advocates targeting guys with the implication to hurt them, there's just no good outcome for that.

Even if he isn't doing it in the locker room, if something does happen to a player, that's what the media, and all the non hockey fans are going to look at, and there will be more pressure to take the regular intensity and fighting out of the game, just because some meathead coach wanted to act tough in front of the media.

Coach's need to be the voice of reason, and set examples for their players, not act as if they're ok with their players crossing the line. The league dropped the ball IMO.

Agreed.