AlaskaFlyerFan

OK, last picture of my vintage gear. The shin pads are 1950's or 60's circa. Youth shoulder pads are not that old.

Various Vintage gear. Top right is a 2 piece (youth, 1950's circa I think) goalie chest protector and shoulder/arm protector. The hockey pants have a series of wood dowels (8-10) as the thigh pads and cotton batting for other padding. Elbow pads are leather with cotton batting as the padding.

Vintage Cooper goalie gear

1940's circa CCM 87 youth helmet

I have some vintage gear adorning the walls of my Man Cave. I'll get some pictures and post them.

Brendan ShanahanVerified account‏@NHLShanahan 16m Downey/Josi: Part 1 Downey's skates are on ice at impact. He does not launch up at Josi. Josi is low & attempting... Part 2 ...to avoid the hit. Downey's elevation comes AFTER contact, as a result of impact & rolling over him.

@hf101, I agree with you. The league will look at it because of Downie's history. I don't think it should have even been a charge as Downie only took 2 strides before the hit. Downie's skates are on the ice through the hit as Josi's skates are lifted after he braced for the hit. Clean hit.

@Irishjim, Welcome back, Jim!!! How have you been? Did you go to Waffle House or something??

It may have been a result of who was in the lineup, but Read was playing the point on the #1 PP in the preseason game I watched. He may get that needed time.

Zach Kassian suspended for the remainder of the preseason (3 games) and the first 5 games of the regular season. http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=446793&navid=DL|NHL|home Dale Weise suspended for the remainder of the preseason (3 games) http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=446794&navid=DL|NHL|home

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=683214&navid=DL|NHL|home Kasperi Kapanen set to take family name to next level For Kasperi Kapanen, getting into the family business was a no-brainer. Kapanen, 17, has emerged as a third-generation star in SM-liiga, Finland's top professional league. His grandfather, Hannu Kapanen, was a forward for five seasons with Jokerit and HIFK, and also played for Finland at the 1976 Canada Cup and 1976 Olympics. His father, Sami Kapanen, was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the fourth round (No. 87) of the 1995 NHL Draft, and had 458 points in 831 games in 12 seasons with the Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. He left the NHL after the 2007-08 season, but has played five of the past six seasons with Kalpa in SM-liiga. Kapanen also is the majority owner of the team. And for the second straight season, one of Sami's teammates will be his oldest son, Kasperi. It also likely will be the final season they're together -- Sami turned 40 in June -- so Kasperi said he's going to appreciate it as much as he can. "He's playing this year and then he's probably retiring," Kasperi told NHL.com. "It's pretty incredible. I can't describe what it feels like to see him every day on the ice and be on the ice with him. But when we're on the ice I see him as a teammate, but when we go home and eat dinner I see him as a father." After scoring 20 goals five straight seasons early in his career with the Hurricanes, Sami Kapanen reinvented himself as a tenacious checker and penalty killer in his five seasons with the Flyers. Kasperi is trying to combine both those qualities. "I try to do the stuff he's done and told me," he said. "I try to compete out there and try to get every puck. That's what I try to do. I try to be like him, but just a little bit better." While the name on the back of his jersey gives him big skates to fill, Kapanen said he wears it as a badge of honor. "It's a big thing," he said. "It's special. … It's like an honor thing for me. I try to be my best on the ice and show that I'm a Kapanen and be the best one of the three." He certainly is the one with the best chance to be a first-round NHL draft pick. "Kasperi Kapanen is one of the top European prospects for the draft in 2014," NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb told NHL.com. "Good skater, excellent, smart moves around the net. Has a very good selection of shots -- a real sniper. He will be regular on Kalpa in the Finnish league this season." The 5-foot-11, 172-pound right wing made his SM-liiga debut with Kalpa last season, scoring four goals in 13 regular-season games and adding one assist and a plus-1 rating in four playoff games. Where he really shined, however, was on the international stage. He led the team with three goals and nine points in five games at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and then at the 2013 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Sochi, Russia, he was second among all players with five goals, including the game-winner in the bronze-medal game against Russia. "It was a big thing," Kapanen said of the World U-18s. "We had a good run in Sochi and I think we played good and got the bronze medal, so it was a good experience for me for [this] year." He's already showing how much last season has helped, with a goal in his first three games. "I know what it takes and what I have to do, and I have to be a really good player on the team this year," he said. "Probably got some high expectations, but I like that, I like the pressure. I just have to try my best." In addition to a strong season in SM-liiga, he's also hoping to earn a spot on Finland's team for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship. He had one goal in five games at an August evaluation camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., and made a positive impression on coach Karri Kivi. "He's the youngest guy on our team, the only guy born in 1996," Kivi told NHL.com. "I already last year saw him … I like his attitude. He's a talented player, good scorer, but I like his head. He's competitive, he likes to compete. That's what I like. His father still plays and his grandfather played in the top league. It goes in the family." Kasperi said there never was a doubt he'd follow his grandfather and father into hockey. Born in Finland in the summer following Sami's first NHL season, he began skating at age 4 after the Whalers relocated to North Carolina. "As soon as I got some skates and a stick and a puck or a ball, I started playing," he said. "My mom's got bruises on her legs from when I played as a little kid. I loved it from the beginning." He's also grown up around locker rooms and heard all sorts of stories; whether it was from his father's teammates -- he mentioned Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Kimmo Timonen from Sami's time in Philadelphia as his favorite players -- or his grandfather about his playing days, he's loved all of it. "It's fun to listen to some of the stories," he said. "They get pretty crazy sometimes. Back in the day it was a little bit different. It's good you got grandpa and dad to tell you stuff about hockey. At times it can get pretty tough and you always want to hear the things they tell you. In the long run, it'll be good for me." They've also certainly talked about the draft, and a return to Philadelphia, where the 2014 draft will be held. However, Kapanen is doing his best to focus on the season coming up. "It's a big season for me [but] it's a long way there," he said. "I don't think it's really that smart to think about it right now. There's going to be mock drafts and things like that, but I'm not going to pay attention to that. Just play my game and have a good season and see what happens with the draft."

I say 5 regular season games. 2 games for each two handed slash and one game for the subsequent spear.

@Polaris922, We can only assume it was the previous fight. Toronto's 6'5", 217 lb. Jamie Devane fought 6'0", 185 lb. forward Corey Tropp of the Sabres. Tropp got knocked out, if not by a punch, then definitely by getting his head driven into the ice.

Ahhh, so you're 68!

Reports are Raffl and Vandevelde are in a battle for the last roster spot with Laughton having an outside chance. I think Vandevelde will take the opening night spot based on his (limited) NHL experience. He and Raffle will alternate throughout the year. Laughton will be sent back to junior.

Brandon Bollig's response to Patrick Kane... http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/brandon-bollig-discovers-not-patrick-kane-hilarious-bauer-171509969--nhl.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

http://thehockeywriters.com/montreal-canadiens-the-most-overrated-franchise-in-nhl-history/?utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=bufferb6ace Montreal Canadiens: The Most Overrated Franchise In NHL History? The Montreal Canadiens. Le Habitants. Le Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge. Le Grand Club. Le Saint- Flanelle. No matter the name, Montreal’s team sits atop the hockey world – and for good reason. They’ve been in existence over a century and still their fan base remains loyal to the CH crest. Montreal has 24 very good reasons why their club is the pinnacle of hockey royalty. Through their doors have walked some of hockey’s elite players to ever touch skate to ice. The names are staggering: Jean Beliveau, Maurice and Henri Richard, Howie Morenz, Yvan Cournoyer, Jacques Plante, Guy Lafleur, Patrick Roy, Serge Savard (the list goes on and on). But are they really the greatest team ever or just a tad bit overrated? Twenty-four Stanley Cups certainly speaks volumes in a case against the argument I’m about to make, however there is more to their cup wins than just having been dealt a swell hand for the better part of 104 years. 16.67% Chance The Original Six teams carries with them an aura. The Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, and Detroit Red Wings all did battle against each other for 40 years. They were the only teams duking it out for hockey supremacy until the NHL expanded in 1967. In a six-team league, the Montreal Canadiens – along with the other five teams – had a 16.67% chance at winning the Stanley Cup when the season began. That’s a far greater chance at winning than the current 3% chance in today’s NHL. During the years 1927-1967, the Montreal Canadiens won a total of 12 Stanley Cups. They were able to snag half of their Stanley Cups by dominating a six team league. I can hear some of you already, “But Shawn, each other team had the same chance at winning the cup. Isn’t winning a Stanley Cup 30% of the time over 40 years impressive?” No question it’s impressive. What’s not impressive is dominating a 6-team league. I should probably explain my argument further. The Quebec Aces jbeliveau18After 1946, the Canadiens hit a bit of a dry spell with Stanley Cups. It had been a 7-year drought for the city that was so used to winning. That was until the Quebec Aces caught the attention of Frank Selke. The Aces were a team part of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL). They had a budding star who, not only had tremendous skills, but was a big, 6’3″, 205 lb center with gamebreaking potential. His name was Jean Beliveau, the leading scorer in the entire QSHL. The Canadiens owned his rights and could call him up at any point. Problem was, Beliveau did not want to play for Montreal and chose to stick with the Aces. In his biography on Legends of Hockey: “The Canadiens owned the rights to Beliveau, so he couldn’t play for another pro team unless Montreal traded him. Since the Aces were an amateur team, there was no conflict with his staying there. Finally, Montreal purchased the entire Quebec Senior Hockey League, turned it pro and added Jean Beliveau to their roster. Without much choice in the matter, Beliveau signed on with the Canadiens in 1953 for a then unheard-of $100,000 contract over five years.” Sounds fair… With Beliveau now a lock to play in the NHL, Montreal would go on to win five straight Stanley Cups from 1956 to 1960. He was a cornerstone of their franchise for the better part of the 18 seasons and helped lead the team to 10 total cup wins. “Come on, Reznik! Just because the Canadiens had the cash and wherewithal to do so, you’re going to hate on them for using their resources to their advantage?” I’m in school for business. I know what it means to get the best return on investment, even if you have to shell out some cash for a greater payout. But that isn’t the only thing Montreal had in their favor. First Come, First Served During the 1950s and early 1960s, teams had no way of drafting prospects so Montreal began scouting and stashing teenagers to add to their minor teams and Quebec league teams, creating arguably the greatest farm system any NHL team had to offer. Then there was the infamous C form. The C form was contract given out by 18-year old amateur players during the Original Six Era for sole negotiating rights to that player – an NHL contract I.O.U of sorts. The Canadiens’ scouting staff would scour North America for the best young talent around. If they found a player they liked, more often than not, a C form would be awarded. To boot, Montreal had the upper hand with the 50-mile rule. According to A Thinking Man’s Guide to Pro Hockey by Gerry Eskenazi it was said: “…each NHL franchise had exclusive rights to players within its 50-mile territorial limits. So the Leafs and Canadiens could browse the neighbourhood rinks near Toronto and Montreal at their leisure, while the Rangers had a lock on the next great goalie from Hoboken.” At that time, Quebec was churning out talent left and right and was a hockey mecca for development. The team was able to essentially get first pick of the litter in regards to top French Canadian-born players, housed those players in their farm system, and signed those players to C forms at the ripe age of 18. Swell, isn’t it? In 1963, the NHL Draft was implemented to diminish the effect of C forms and allowed all teams a chance at Canadian talent without the 50-mile radius. However, it wasn’t until the 1969 NHL Draft that the C form issue was completely eradicated: “However, this process could not be changed overnight. In each of the drafts from 1963 to 1968 there were very few quality players available. This problem developed because most of the best young players had already signed the C form. This meant that the only players eligible for the draft were players who had not signed a C form. It wasn’t until 1969 that the draft became a true amateur draft as the C form faded into history.” Overrated? The Stanley Cup is the hardest championship to win in all of professional sports. Players give tooth and nail (most of the times literally) to win the 35 pound trophy at all costs. In order to win the most recognizable hardware in all of sports 24 times, you’re going to need a team made up of dynamic talents paired with grinders who take care of the dirty work. Montreal had every aspect covered during the 60s and 70s. They iced some of the greatest teams ever assembled and came away victorious on a consistent basis. Their province cranked out excellent young players. Their general managers were ahead of their time in building a farm system before any other team could catch up. They made shrewd business decisions to bring in an eventual superstar and a great ambassador of the sport. Is the Montreal Canadiens franchise the most overrated in NHL history? No. However, they did have a slight unfair advantage.

@jammer2, You are correct. You are up.

"I tried to defuse the situation by putting Kessel, Bozak, and Ashton on the ice (against Scott's line), feeling that there was no threat to something and more carrying on, but obviously I was wrong," said Carlyle. LOL...Brilliant move, Randy!

I would rather see him get away from Scott without the slashing or man up and drop the gloves. It didn't take any time at all for Kessel's teammates to jump in to keep Scott away from Kessel. Had Kessel dropped the gloves, he would have gained a lot of respect from his teammates, other players, and hockey fans in general. Instead, he lost respect. I understand your point, I just disagree. The 1st slash I could probably give him a pass on even though it was a 2 hander. But the 2nd slash is inexcusable. It was at the back of Scott's legs when Scott was tied up with 2 other Sabres. That, IMHO, was worse than the Crosby coin purse punch. Completely agree with this. Carlyle had last change as the home team. He should have put out a tougher/bigger line. And Rolston should have kept Scott on the bench.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=432569 UFA MORROW SIGNS ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH BLUES {eot} The St. Louis Blues have added some depth at forward, signing veteran winger Brenden Morrow to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. Morrow scored 12 goals and 13 assists in 44 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Dallas Stars in 2012-13. Morrow was traded to Pittsburgh prior to the trade deadline along with a third-round pick, in exchange for Joe Morrow and a fifth-round pick in 2013. Originally selected 25th overall by the Stars at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Morrow has scored 249 goals and 293 assists in 850 career games. Morrow was also a part of Canada's gold medal winning team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. More to follow.

I completely and totally disagree with this. The stick swinging was extremely dirty and dangerous. Then for Kessel to go back and spear (even though it wasn't much of one) Scott when the linesman had Scott tied up shows how much of a p u s s y Kessel really is. It looked like Tropp dropped the gloves first and got the 1st punch in against Devane. I don't think Devane intentionally drove Tropp's head into the ice. I'm not sure why the Sabres were so pissed off about that fight?!? I don't agree with Scott being on the ice after that, let alone going after Kessel. Both Coaches were stupid for who they had on the ice. My opinion on what the suspensions should be: Clarkson - Automatic 10 games for leaving the bench Kessel - 5 games for the stick work (2 games for each slash and 1 for the spear) Scott - 2 games for instigating the brawl (no previous discipline history) Ron Rolston (Sabres coach) - $25K fine for sending Scott out to start the brawl

I couldn't view the TSN video but I found this one on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaD7dH16JMc

Happens at about the :30 second mark in the lower left of the video. Very wreckless.

No jumping ahead. The mask that NRH posted hasn't been guessed yet.