Majuub

Well, it's a bit late to make a topic about the current NHL season but, I wanted to know, who are your favorite teams, players and who do you favor to win the stanley cup. Let's discuss hockey for all the interested, one of the greatest sports of our world.

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Crayne

Anaheim, been a fan ever since I started following hockey in '95, with Finland winning the WC. Also Detroit Red Wings, now even more so since they got Filppula. Ah what the heck, any team with a Finnish player.

As for my favorite players? Teemu Selänne, Sami Kapanen and Saku Koivu, not forgetting Olli Jokinen and Ville Peltonen from offense, Petteri Nummelin and the Timonen brothers from defense, Miikka Kiprusoff, Nicklas Bäckström and Kari Lehtonen from goalies.

Who I'd prefer to win the Stanley Cup? Any Finnish team, really. If I had to choose one team, it would definately be Philadelphia. I'd like Philadelphia or Montreal from Eastern Conference against Detroit, Dallas or Anaheim from the Western Conference. If miracles were possible, then Florida would be a lovely choice as well.

(I know, I'm all for Finland. And I'm proud. Sue me.)

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Majuub

Well, all Finnish players for you, what about Mikko Koivu, he'll be excellent when he'll get older.

Strangely enough, I don't like the Anaheim Ducks too much, the only reason I can somewhat like them is Teemu Selanne and maybe Ryan Getzlaf, I hate Pronger, I hate the two Niedermeyer and god I hated Penner when he was with them. They just thrashed the Senators with great ease, I was shocked, Ottawa was the strongest team at that time and the lost unbelievably, Alfredsson was doing a fine job, but he hadn't linemates Heately and Spezza to back him up.

Florida won't make it to the playoffs, unless a miracle happens they are doomed. Philadelphia lacks a player that really has impact on the team, sure they have Gagné, Mike Richards and Brière but I doubt it's enough.

My favorite team are the Montreal Canadians, Kovalev, Plekanec and Kostytsin or my favorite in the team and Koivu is starting to get a little old. With their awful season last year, they messed up all the predections that placed them 13th at the end of the season. Most likely, the'll finish 4th or maybe 1st if Ottawa doesn't find a goalie quickly.

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ANB

Yeah, I can remember going to at least two Hockey games. One was for a High-school and the other was pro. It just doesn't suit my interest. On the surface it just seems to be football with skates and a stick.

If I played it as a kid I might like it more.

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Majuub

Maybe you should try and watch at least another game, in which city do you live. If you watch another game of the NHL and you support a team, I can almost garantee you you'll fall in love with hockey.

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Crayne

Mikko Koivu's overtime goal at last year's WC against Russia in the semi-finals was awesome. He needs still some time to reach his full potential, but I agree that he is already at top level.

Saku, even if getting old, much like Selänne and Kapanen, is still one of my favorite players. The fact that such young players won the WC in '95 is still fresh to me, that being one reason for me liking Koivu. The second reason being that I admire him being able overcome cancer and return to playing hockey.

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Majuub

Well, Koivu is definitely a fan favorite in Montreal, even if he gets a lot and I mean a lot of critisme. It's like that in MTL, you score a goal, everyone loves you, you take 2 min of penality, they'll say you'll cost the game. Seriously, they need to chill out, the fans around here are impossible.

Quite frankly, I'm impressed by how much people watch hockey in America, it's much funnier to watch than Baseball which is the second most popular sport just behind gridiron football(NFL). To be honest, I think hockey is by far the most intense and impressive sport to watch.

It's the only game that can make me breathless, for exemple, just imagine you're in a game and your favorite team is winning, let's say Anaheim and there is 3 minutes left to the timer and the score is 4-3 for Anaheim, then, Niederymer gets a 2 minutes, it's a 5 on 4 for the opposite team, then imagine Selanne also gets a 2 minutes, it's now a 5 on 3 for the opposite team. They'll probably pull away the goalie when there will be 1:30 min left and it will be an incredible 6 on 3 with an empty net, you'll just hope Anaheim won't get scored and go to overtime. This sort of sitation only happens in hockey and no other sport.

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Empathy

my favorite team is the Tampa Bay Lightning. not sure why they're sucking their entire season up this year, but we had the glory a few years back, so we've already proved ourselves.

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Majuub

Yeah, Tampa won back in 2003-2004 if I remind correctly, St Louis had 94 points and it was then the record for the franchise, until Lecavalier killed it with his massive 108 points, he scored 52 goals which is again the highest for a Lightning player.

They suck this season, they won't make it to the playoffs, that's what happens when you play a decent player like Richards 7,8 million dollars/year, I mean, he's okay but that's way to much for him. Lecavalier is the best player in Tampa now, followed by St Louis, Prospal is pretty good, Boyle is probably your best defenceman and...that's about it.

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Empathy

for a Montreal fan, you apparently know a lot about the Lightning players, too. Brad Richards is only decent. Lecavalier rules and so does St. Louis, but for some reason they're not playing to their fullest potential. but it's hockey, so I can't say I care too much.

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Inu

richards is better defensively tho. lots of trade rumors heading into the deadline...