Hitting The Links: Cinco De Shanaban Edition

by sarahconnors on Jan 10, 2012 10:20 AM EST in Hitting the Links

So Brad Marchand will be sitting for five games, now. Lame, but it makes sense from a few standpoints. While our own Doug Watson made some cases against the suspension in this really well thought out post on whether this suspension hurts the league, from a player standpoint it hurts.

The Bruins have a contingency plan in place with Marchand out, for sure. That showed against Calgary. Now Marchand will feel the heat, sitting for five games without redemption after his major penalty lead directly to a loss. Not only that, but the five games he will miss include the southeast swing down to Florida. Marchy, you just ruined your chance to get some winter tanning and beach-going in. That's GOT to ruin his day.

After the jump, Marchand writes in his diary, other guys get suspended, Tebowmania has taken the NHL by storm, and more...

Bruins News:

Brad Marchand addresses all of yesterday's shenanigans and more in his diary blog. [ESPN]
Despite this, the Bruins don't intend to change their playing style at all. [ESPN]
Blake Wheeler returns to Boston again as a key player for the Winnipeg Jets. [Canoe]
One thing to watch tonight -- the Jets tend to get in penalty trouble a lot. [Winnipeg Free Press]
Prospect and P-Bruins' forward Tyler Randell was returned to Juniors to get more experience. [The Record]
The Bruins' Marchand-less contingency plan works pretty well, luckily. Yay depth! [Herald News]
Zdeno Chara is among those lending support to injured Minnesota hockey player Jack Jablonski. [NESN]
Bergeron is getting Selke recognition? Where is the apocalypse, it's gotta be coming now, right? [NHL]

NHL News:

As shown in this cartoon, Buffalo fans aren't too pleased with Ryan Miller these days. [Buffalo News]
The Kings' Jack Johnson Tebowed last night. Caps defenseman Karl Alzner was unamused. [Times]
Jaroslav Halak, 2010 Habs playoff hero, is making his return to Montreal tonight with the Blues. [Sun]
Blue Jackets players were actually shocked when Scott Arniel got fired recently. But...how? [Blue Jackets Extra]
The Ducks' J.F. Jacques was suspended too, yesterday. Busy Shanahan is busy. [Puck Daddy]

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Comments

If you think about it, he may have missed some of those games anyways due to the flu he was battling. May be good to force him to rest.

by BobbyOrrsBastard on Jan 10, 2012 10:25 AM EST reply actions

Also gives a chance for the Bruins to further inflate Hamill and Pouliot’s value.

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 10:37 AM EST up reply actions

That Miller cartoon makes it clear as day.

He’s like Samson after Delilah cut his hair. For Miller? It was the Slug. When he played under the Buffaslug, he was the best in the business. No Slug? No love. Embrace the Buffaslug! EMBRACE THE SLUG!

In Memoriam: Dan Wheldon 1978-2011

by Arenacale on Jan 10, 2012 10:29 AM EST reply actions 2 recs

I love that they made his face crooked behind his mask. Classic.

Kick his ass, Seabass!

by phonymahoney on Jan 10, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

hahahaha

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

I knew you’d like that!

Kick his ass, Seabass!

by phonymahoney on Jan 10, 2012 12:58 PM EST up reply actions

http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2012/01/winners-and-losers-at-nhls-midseason.html

Link ninja/occasional writer of useful things at Stanley Cup of Chowder
Coverin' the bb B's at Something's Bruin
Watch me yell about stuff on the twitters
(also: Let's Go Bluuuuuuuues!)

by sarahconnors on Jan 10, 2012 10:34 AM EST reply actions

Winner: Boston Bruins – Thanks to the excellent play of Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask, the team’s goals against average is so ridiculously low that it was recently mistaken for a Brad Marchand body check.

I lol’d.

by dudebro on Jan 10, 2012 10:37 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

the Jets one caused coffee to actually come out of my nose, lol.

Link ninja/occasional writer of useful things at Stanley Cup of Chowder
Coverin' the bb B's at Something's Bruin
Watch me yell about stuff on the twitters
(also: Let's Go Bluuuuuuuues!)

by sarahconnors on Jan 10, 2012 10:39 AM EST up reply actions

The ones about the Leafs/Lupul palindrome and the Blues had me giggling at my desk. I love Down Goes Brown.

Kick his ass, Seabass!

by phonymahoney on Jan 10, 2012 12:59 PM EST up reply actions

The Jets are still trying to figure out how Wheeler, who boarded the plane with the rest of the team, arrived in Boston first.

In Memoriam: Dan Wheldon 1978-2011

by Arenacale on Jan 10, 2012 10:43 AM EST reply actions 2 recs

teehee

by TomServo42 on Jan 10, 2012 10:47 AM EST up reply actions

Scenic Winnipeg:

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 11:40 AM EST reply actions

That tall building on the right is the tallest building in the city. Boston has 24 buildings taller than it.

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 11:47 AM EST up reply actions

It's like Providence.

Except colder and with shorter buildings (the Bank of America Tower in Providence is 2 meters taller).

by dudebro on Jan 10, 2012 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

owned by PROVIDENCE Winnipeg is a shameful city.

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 12:25 PM EST up reply actions

i was going to say it looked like a clean version of Newark

by TomServo42 on Jan 10, 2012 12:29 PM EST up reply actions

...

by TomServo42 on Jan 10, 2012 12:30 PM EST up reply actions

In an 8-team league, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have been unable to win a championship in over 21 years.

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 11:41 AM EST reply actions

Link ninja/occasional writer of useful things at Stanley Cup of Chowder
Coverin' the bb B's at Something's Bruin
Watch me yell about stuff on the twitters
(also: Let's Go Bluuuuuuuues!)

by sarahconnors on Jan 10, 2012 11:44 AM EST reply actions

Wow, why such vitriol towards Winnipeg? Did I miss something?

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 12:27 PM EST reply actions

just getting a nice lather of hate on for the next opponent

by TomServo42 on Jan 10, 2012 12:29 PM EST up reply actions

THEY STOLE OUR TEAMS

Did you see how the USA junior team did this year? Shameful. We need more NHL teams in AMERICA to inspire kids to play hockey.

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

Looks like they tried to steal our bridge too

by TomServo42 on Jan 10, 2012 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

go figure canada half-asses something

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

I did, but I blame that almost entirely on the fact that they wronged Jared Knight.

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

But 14 years from now, some kid growing up around Atlanta is going to end up playing basketball or football instead of hockey because the Thrashers left :(

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 1:03 PM EST up reply actions

We can be sad about that, sure, but if their owners didn’t care, I can’t blame the league for wanting to move them.

That said, I don’t like hoop or football, so obviously I’d prefer that the kiddies play hockey.

Kick his ass, Seabass!

by phonymahoney on Jan 10, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

I remember having this conversation now. The NHL needed to do a better job of growing grassroots hockey in major American cities BEFORE they plunked franchises down there. Work with municipal groups to build rinks, equipment dealers to provide price point gear. Almost like a drug dealer, but in a positive way. Speaking from experience. Playing hockey is addictive. It’s also VERY expensive. If the league went into certain areas (mostly affluent, moderately affluent) and sold it as a contact sport that can be played when football season is over, they could have grown their player base, and had ready made fans when they decided to move teams there.

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

I think you grow it faster – a lot faster – if there’s a local sports team that plays it, too

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

I have so many what if’s in my mind regarding the NHL. Fascinated by expansion and relocation to the new hockey markets in the U.S.

Think they did it too quickly. Wasn’t enough slack to support teams through tough times and less playoff spots to go around.

In 2020, I envision a 32 team league. But when they started to expand in the late 80’s/early 90’s they jumped in like 10 years from 21 to 30 I believe. If over the course of that 30 year period, they expanded by 1 team every say 3 years, they’d have gotten to 32, but they’d have been able to build up fanbases one at a time. Phoenix and Atlanta just turned out to be the “runts” of the expansion litter because they ran into bad ownership and bad luck/results.

Now, to be fair, neither of those cities supports any of their teams well. So there was a risk there from the get go.

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 1:38 PM EST up reply actions

I think if Phoenix or Atlanta came into the league and started doing well they’d be in a much better place.

However…welp.

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions

The Thrashers could strive to be like the Braves and not sell out playoff games.

At the same time, if the Thrashers and Coyotes came in and did well, it probably would have meant that the Ducks and Predators didn’t. or Lightning and .. .

I think the only real safe bets were the Sharks and Wild. After that, expansion was going to be: These teams will have instant-ish success and thrive, These teams will fail to win playoff games and fail.

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 1:49 PM EST up reply actions

uh oh, here we go again…

Kick his ass, Seabass!

by phonymahoney on Jan 10, 2012 1:02 PM EST up reply actions

We have to be ready, Mike. EMBRACE THE HATE!!!! This is how we roll on the Chowdah!

Kick his ass, Seabass!

by phonymahoney on Jan 10, 2012 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

Embrace the Hate is the exact slogan for Vancouver blogs this year

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 1:02 PM EST up reply actions

I’m glad they’re embracing it, because I hate them a great deal. I like that people hate our team, because it means we’re physical, and we’ll respond with a sufficient level of ordinance.

I can imagine embracing the reasons people hate the Canucks. To me, they’re the NHL version of the Colts. Once the league starts heeding their cries, you’ll wake up one day and realize you have a completely different league.

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 1:04 PM EST up reply actions

Who is Peyton Manning in this scenario?

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

Pick your Sedin brother. Maybe both of them since they’re never apart.

by Michael Taylor on Jan 10, 2012 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

I think Luongo gets more scrutiny

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 1:32 PM EST up reply actions

Winnipeg has the highest crime rate of any Canadian NHL city. It’s the 4th-highest in the country overall behind only Regina, Saskatoon, and Abbotsford.

It’s gotten so bad that if you own a car at a high risk for theft you’re mandated to get an ignition immobilizer.

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 10, 2012 12:36 PM EST reply actions