Not much to say about it, really. I think the 'Nucks problems started with Orca Bay management's decision to let Brian Burke go. It's debatable how effective Burke is as a GM, but he's definitely the kind of guy that puts the fear of god into his players. Without the threat of Burke walking into the dressing room to help an underperforming player pack his gear for a sudden trip straight outta town, there was nothing to push the players out of their comfort zone. Unfortunately, that comfort zone was a 9th place team.

Crawford's a good coach, and in this case he's obviously the scapegoat for a whole team's indifference. But locally, everybody is calling for more blood. Fans want Bertuzzi and Morrison ridden out of town on a rail. They want Cloutier gone. They want to buy out Naslund's no-trade clause and send him to St. Louis. The only players safely out of the fans' line of fire right now are Anson Carter, Jovonovski, and the Sedins.

I think Crawford would make a good fit with L.A. He favors the same uptempo sorta game that the Kings have been built on - and he's a hot-headed shouter too, which might be exactly the tonic the Kings need right now.

btw - the front runner for the Canucks head coaching position seems to be Alain Vigneault.

Yeah, if Tippett is let go by Dallas, they should have their collective heads examined. I really expected the Stars to be a mid-pack team this year, I think Tippett got all he could from them, and he's my pick from the West for coach of the year. Has there been any Ted Nolan talk for the Kings job? I think there's already talk out of Vancouver regarding Nolan, but I think every time a Canadian team has a coaching vacancy the Nolan-talk heats up.

It's too bad Andy Murray got fired, I thought he did a good job, but injuries always seemed to be their down fall. I've seen Murray do some colour on HNIC broadcasts late in the season and he was pretty good at that too.

Is there anyone in the Kings system who deserves the job? Or maybe Lombardi will poach someone from the Sharks org.

I can't wait for the Habs/Canes game tonight, the building in is going to be insane, especially if the Habs get an early lead.

I can't see a GM hiring Nolan after what happened in Buffalo. The only way I could see him back in the NHL is if an owner or president makes the hire & then hires a GM. And that to me doesn't sound likely. Nolan deserves better than racist QMJHL fans, but I can see why an NHL GM won't go after him.

Murray seemed like a great coach (and I think with a few adjustments could still be) but now that he's gone things are coming out. For one his game day skates were apparently extremly hard. Parrish was shocked when he joined them how intense they were & Avery told him "oh this one was easy". So it's no mystery why the team seemed to melt down the last 2 months of the season a few times. And I guess every time a player made a mistake on the ice he'd tell them the second the made it back to the bench & he left motivational notes under thier doors while on the road. Both of those moves just wore mentally on the players. They probably felt as if they were being treated like the high schoolers Murray used to coach. I think his style fits perfectly if you're hiring a guy to coach Canada at the WJC, but as an NHL head I think some internal changes have to be made.

Lombardi has said he wants to concentrate the draft before worrying about a coach. Which tells me he might have an eye on an assistant someplace who's still in the playoffs or maybe he was waiting for some guys (Crawford) to get fired. There's no one in the system. The Manchester coach has only been there for a year. I don't know much about him. Torchetti is promised an interview but Taylor passed him over for the Manchester job last Summer after interviewing him. So how legit a candidate can he be?

BTW - what the hell did happen in Buffalo? Nolan appears to have been blacklisted over something, but I've seriously got no clue what it was.

I always wondered exactly what happened to result in his being exiled from the NHL. Can anyone elaborate for this uninformed hockey fan?

He went behind the GM's back to the owner & tried to have the GM ousted. But if I'm not mistaken both the GM & Nolan were fired. Then Ruff came in & took virtually the same roster to the Finals. So Nolan is looked upon as a backstabber & his stock as a coach drops considering how much more Ruff got out of the team.

But I think Ruff had a real advantage since something like 13 of the players on the roster were entering a team option year or free agency so it was a motivated bunch.

Anybody watching this Habs/Carolina game? GREAT game. I hope Koivu returns.

BRIND'AMOUR!!! Goal & asst

'Canes still have hope

Rod's now got 41 goals & 93 points in 119 playoff games.

And Saku Koivu took a stick in the eye and has what looks like a serious eye injury. Don't think he'll be back in the series, and I wouldn't be surprised if his career is in jeopardy. How do the morons...errr refs miss that and they call Komisarek for 4-minute high sticking with 4 mins left in regulation. I hate to say it but I think the Canes are going to win the series.

I would love to see the refs in the post game press conference..The Flyers have done some "illegal" stuff, but these calls have been ridiculous.

The Flyers have taken a ton of bad penalties - hooks/grabs/interferences - exactly the stuff they've called all season. The Sabres were one of the least penalized - if not THE least - teams this season, so that the Flyers have been called for more penalties is pretty much on par.

As for the misconducts, etc. in game 2, it was pretty clear the Flyers were headhunting and things easily could have gotten way out of hand had they not made some of those calls.

I really hope this thing is over in 5, just so I don't have to hear any more of Jim Jackson's constant whining.

Yeah the Flyers have taken some stupid penalties, but the refs are never consistent. If it's a penalty for player x it should be a penalty for player y. There is no doubt that reputation plays a lot in to it.


I can see maybe 6 games for this series, I hope..Buffalo is a fast team and the flyers just can't keep up, I just don't want my squad's season ending so quickly..

All you Tippett apologists need to rethink your stance. If you really still want to take him off our hands, PLEASE DO! And while you're at it, TAKE TURDCO!!!

np; The Band - "Stage Fright" (how APPROPRIATE, given the aforementioned "goalie"'s playoff performances)

The NY Rangers are about to be swept by the Devils, and the Oilers are a few minutes from taking a 3-1 lead over the top seed.

The Wings always tank in the post-season.

i couldnt' be happier about. a few weeks ago i was in the main lobby of the louvre and there was some shmuck with a rangers jersey. who wears that shit in paris? so i go up to the asswipe and yell in his face "RANGERS SUCK!"

8)

Not that it is a surprise to anyone, but it looks like Ottawa will successfully eliminate the defending Stanley Cup winners.

The Stars are down 2-1 after the 2nd Period.
Buffalo leads the Flyers 2-0 after the 2nd.

Dallas has tied it up 2-2, Buffalo is now up 3-0

i'm learning waaaaaaay too much about hockey this year. my roommate's a psychotic fan of the sabres and cornell's hockey team (i think they're done playing, though). he tivos every f'ing game and watches it before work and after work. he hasn't left the couch since 11am today and he's working my nerves by screaming at the tv.

i curse your nhl thread. i want my television back.

Buffalo wins 3-0, takes a 3-1 lead in the series.
Dallas and Colorado are now in OT.

Colorado eliminated Dallas with a 3-2 win in OT

Detroit-Edmonton: All I'm saying is, That was one hell of a game. Edmonton coming back in the 3rd like that..Great to see an 8 eliminate a 1. Looks like all that bounty paid for Roloson may have been worth it..

Embrace it, and learn to love it. Just pray you live in a city that doesn't do "Score-O" during intermission.

i wish i had seen that wings-oilers game. sounds sick. 4 goals in the third, 2 in the last four mintes. that's what hockey's about.