3 Canadian Game 7s in the finals, 3 losses. It's like a merri-go-round, every team gets a shot before losing. Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton. Ottawa or the Habs are next.

Canada sucks.

That's massive, Magnus. It won't fit. You'll have to make it smaller. Or, actually, don't bother, 'cause you won't win the bet. I'll have to find something for you to wear if I win now...

As for the game, well... they played badly. They played as sloppily as all of their losses in this final. rtms said it best, they're terribly inconsistent. I think the problem is the Oilers were just so thrilled to get to game 7, that they forgot to win it. They didn't really play like they wanted to win. It's too bad; this city would have gone nuts had they won.

It's too bad Carolina had to win it though. Had it been a team like Ottawa, or Buffalo, or even Hartford, I wouldn't have minded as much, but Carolina? The great hockey city of Raleigh? Give me a break.

This final is a mirror image of last season: a team from Alberta loses to the Southeast Division-winning team, who has a veteran captain who hasn't won a cup in their long career. Oh well. At least both Edmonton and Calgary are great teams now: it'll just be like the 80s again. I think it'll be between us and the Flames for the division next year.

Can't wait for next season...

Don't speak too soon...

And I know what your avatar is gonna be... a picture of Wade holding the NBA Finals trophy (whatever it's called). Cause you just know the Heat are gonna win.

Who won the Conn Smythe?

It was Cam Ward

Well deserved, I must say. That guy, I still don't know if he can maintain himself and become a leading goalie for the team (or any team), but boy did he prove himself during the playoffs at least. He made a lot of spectacular saves.

PEACE, Mike.

I concur.

PEACE, Mike.

Look out 2010 Winter Olympic Games! If he maintains this sort of play for the next 4 yrs, Canada could be unstoppable, with Crosby etc on the ice and Ward backstopping them.

Im not sure Cam Ward will ever be this good again. The past few seasons there have quite a few goalies who carried their teams far in to the playoffs but have never played as well again. I could be wrong though.

No, I definately know what you mean. That is why it is sometimes a risky decision when it comes to deciding what goalies to continue paying to play for the team. If you give a new guy a big salary all of a sudden, and then their level of play isn't maintained, you are wasting all of this cash and are stuck with a sucky goalie.

Of course, I also think that a goalie is heavily influenced by their team as well. A good team will help their goalie not only physically on the ice, but mentally as well. That is why sometimes a goalie is amazing one year on a team, and then moves to another team and is crappy (take Khab's move from Tampa Bay to Chicago, which had other factors influencing the change too).

PEACE, Mike.

I think Cam Ward will be strong, you can't be THAT good off of a magic playoff run out of nowhere, especially as a rookie. It may take 3-4 years to really find his stride, but I'd bet he'll be one of the big ones eventually.

Two rookie goalies to instantley come in to win the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe: Ken Dryden, and Patrick Roy.

Big footsteps to fill, and I think he can do it...

I tired of goalies winning the Conn Smythe unless they are AMAZING..

I was hardly impressed by Ward...

WAY TO GO, JOE!!!!!!

Thornton won the Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL Most Valuable Player!!! Much deserved!! Way to go buddy!!

PEACE, Mike.

There was a massive trade in the NHL today:

Vancouver has sent Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen and Alexander Auld to Florida in exchange for Roberto Luongo and Lukas Krajicek.

This is a blockbuster deal. Luongo is one of the top goalies in the league and Bertuzzi is one of the top forwards. Hopefully, this will help him get his game back. Now all the Canucks have to do is sign Luongo.

In related news, Chris Pronger apparently requested a trade out of Edmonton...



I hope this is just a rumour.

No both edmonton papers have been speculating that Pronger and Peca would be leaving. It seems pretty certian given their salaries etc. I think both want to go east.

It's official: Pronger wants out.

He says it's for 'personal reasons', but I bet he just wants more money.

At least the Oilers will be able to get some good players for him.

Sweet. I personally think Vancouver got a great deal, because they needed to get a good goalie to headline the team. Luongo is a fantastic goalie. The loss of Bertuzzi is a loss, but one that I think can be overcome. Bertuzzi also still brings boo's to the team. I know people who hate the entire team (Vancouver Canucks) simply because Todd Bertuzzi is still on the team (and the old coaching staff was also a reason several people I know hated the team).

Now there is a new coaching staff, new (great) goalie, and no bad press Bertuzzi. This will bring a stronger, well-liked Vancouver team for the next season, I think. They needed the big change after this season, I think. I love it when any Canadian team looks better.

PEACE, Mike.

The Boston Bruins today signed defensemen Zdeno Chara to a five year 37 million dollar contract. They followed that up by signing center, Marc Savard to a four year deal.

Now if they had only kept Joe Thornton, they might have had a very good team next year. They have a decent team right now with these two guys, but far away from a Stanley Cup champion.

Great move by the Bruins, but yeah I agree they're still chalk full of holes. Savard got mostly assists last year, so he needs a big scorer to dish to. Also, with Raycroft gone they need a more solid goalie. I don't think they'll be formidable for a couple years, but they've started off on a good foot to rebuilding. I've always liked the Bruins, so I'm happy.