Hype the 2011-12 NHL Season

and your team looool.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Ok so Toronto signed July 2nd Tim Connolly so now they have a proper centre to play on the first line with Kessel. Some people are Q_Q that they didn't get Brad Richards to which I say SHUT UP. Who cares if Brian Burke was in Afghanistan, this isn't the 1800s, it's pretty easy to communicate. Richards wouldn't have signed with Toronto anyways if Burke was there. And while sticking to his morals (Burke) about not doing front loaded contracts can kind of hurt the team in someways, I like that he doesn't and hope the league penalizes teams if they sign a front loaded contract and the player doesn't play the final years of it.
So anyways with Connolly that probably makes the line Lupul - Connolly - Kessel for the first line which is pretty cool having Connolly and then Lupul for the full year. Not an amazing first line but lets hope for a 40+ goal season from Kessel and not a terrible +/- from the line.
And second line of MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin did good things last year so cool they resigned MacArthur.
I'd think Bozak would be a good 3rd line centre after playing with Kessel last year assuming he can get the spot but after stealing Cody Franson with injured Matthew Lombardi from Nashville for Lebda and Slaney people are saying if Lombardi recovers he might be able to challenge Connolly for the no.1 centre spot. I wouldn't go that far but if he could, he can definitely knock Bozak to the 4th line. Which then after signing Phillipe Dupuis as a free agent, he might not even get the 4th line but I don't know anything about Dupuis besides that he's a centre. But if Bozak is sent to the Marlies that kind of sucks. XD And besides Lombardi and Dupuis, what if someone like Joe Colborne can get his foot in the door hahah.
But playing Nazem Kadri as a winger rather than a centre sounds kickass to me, dunno why though. Maybe because in NHL11, good luck winning a faceoff with him LOL.

Lol but defence is so set. Phaneuf, Aulie, Liles, Franson, Gunnarson, Schenn, Komisarek, Lashoff, some one else probably... SO MANY DEFENCEMEN. Some trade bait at least.

I am so optimistic I really think they are going to make playoffs this year. But so many people are so doubtful which I guess a good point I read was that Kessel is a one groin pull away or something from putting them out of the race. XD Or even like an injury to Grabovski would be devastating. They also say they're facing improved teams in the EC after free agent signings which I dunno... seemed teams were going on spending sprees signing players who wont even help their roster XD

BUT MY BIGGEST EXCITEMENT

(or if Iron Maiden/Batman is reading and wants to watch this one lololol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_nxExpdyII )
So hoping he wasn't a half season wonder. But if Gustavson can be just as good this year, well I won't be complaining.

Oh yeah they drafted Tyler Biggs and Stuart Percy in the first round. Cool picks. Too bad Biggs is going to university.
And on the Kessel deal way back when, they got someone who has had two 30+ goal seasons with them and leads the team in goal scoring. I dunno why people don't like it, yeah two first rounds and a 2nd round pick was a high price, and in 5 years I'd rather have Seguin, Hamilton, and Knight. But right now I want Kessel. If you want to look at it as the Boston deal with the Kessel + Kaberle trade, Toronto got so much for Kaberle so it evens it out. I dunno why you'd complain.


Lol 2nd in the league after the all-star break [edit: ok it was 4th best in the EC, my cousin lied to me haha], which I think it was something similar the previous season SO I hope they get off to a great start like last season, but keep it up, and not do another do poorly 1st half of the season and then good the second half.
SOOOO my optimism for the Leafs to the playoffs 2012 I'll leave with this remix (which I never even bothered listened to the original before but I like it except when he goes into the Habs, why bring up Montréal XD)



Oh yeah and Jets are back. QUÉBEC IS NEXT.

I think this season might be the first one i actually watch properly. Problem is hockey here is a minority sport. So i can see it live for like 7 pounds so why bother watching it on TV when i can watch it (admittedly at a much lower standard) live in with the crowd. So i do. And the season and play offs here usually end right as the NHL play offs are getting into the semis so i usually catch a few games then and root for whatever team happens to be left that i like. Boston won me over last time.

Anyway as i said usually cause i watch it live i don't bother but it's like £8 a month subscription and i can get every NHL game which seems really cheap. And probably is. That or I wont bother depends how busy things get come sept.

I'll stick with Boston though just cause i like Mr thomas and i like the teams that grind out wins and play it a bit rough. Netminding has always been my favourite position anyway. As for signings, who will be a likely winner n such i have no idea. Cause if I'm honest I've had people explain the draft and how NHL teams work and the wage cap and all that crap to me over and over. And it has to be the most complicated thing ever to be brought into a sport ever. No **** idea how it works.

Also while I'm here seriously is the NHL sponsored by this song or what?