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Congrats Hawks!

Thanks for the kind words Jeremy! That's very gracious of you. I was always taught to win (or lose) with class. Sure, I'm happy when my team wins and I'm devastated when they lose but in the end it's only a game and games are supposed to be fun. Even when I played sports (I still compete in frisbee golf!) I would always congratulate the other side no matter the outcome.

Sports to me are like a bridge. I can strike up a conversation with just about anybody, someone who otherwise would have nothing in common with me, and talk about sports. When I worked in restaurants I got to know the delivery guys who were mostly Mexican or Central American by talking about soccer.

There's no need to rub anything in anybody's face (except for Cowboys fans ), heck I could be in the reverse position next!

Good luck to your Preds next year. My brother married a Tennessee girl and they have lived in Nashville for several years and are season ticket holders so hopefully I will get to come down for a game at some point.

As far as cheering during the National Anthem goes I can tell you that I am uncomfortable with it. I've never been to a game in Chicago and was unaware that that happened. It was explained to me that it started after 9/11 maybe? That's one "tradition" that I wouldn't mind seeing retired. We used to have a minor league hockey team here in Richmond and when the line "O, say can you see?" was sung about half of the fans shouted "OH!" which I thought was completely inappropriate and disrespectful although some thought it was "cute".

Anyways, thanks to all for contributing to this thread. It is the longest one I have started (15 pages!). Who knew that there were so many pucks fans among the comic book nerds!

Good luck to all of your teams next year (with the exception of the Red Wings! ). Seriously though, that would be one heck of a Stanley Cup Finals.

Someone will have to start a College Football thread this Fall. Go Virginia Cavaliers! Wa-Hoo-Wah!!

So it turned out that Patrice Bergeron played Game 6 with a separated shoulder, broken rib and punctured lung. And all this time I thought it was something serious!

Are you kidding me? I just had a conversation the other day with someone and we were discussing who is tougher: football or hockey players. Hey, I love football, and they're tough, but it's no contest. Hockey players are BAD-@$$!

It kind of reminded me of a headline in The Onion a couple years ago that went something like, "Roberto Luongo suffers collapsed lung, misses two periods".

Some of the injuries that these guys sustain would put you or me in a hospital bed for an extended period of time but they just shrug it off and go back out there. How many times was Andrew Shaw forced off the ice for stitches?

Mad props. Can't wait for next season!

Odd draft last night. I didn't think that Seth Jones would fall to the Preds at number four. Though they needed some offence, hopefully Jones develops into the guy that all the "experts" say he is and helps to fill the void left when Suter left for Minnesota.

Preds then selected another defenceman with their second pick. Jonathan Diaby is huge at 6'5" 223 lbs but I am not sure about not addressing the lack of scoring concerns, hopefully they get someone in free agency that can help them there. They also went after two goalies and a third defenceman. Overall, 3-D, 2-C, 2-RW, 1-LW, 2-G. The NHL draft, as with the MLB draft is one of those things that you have to wait a few years to see if how successful your draft truly was, so we just have to wait and see. The Preds have been pretty good in the past in developing talent and finding gems in late rounds (Pekka was 248th overall in 2004 and Hornqvist was 230th in 2005).

You Nashville guys were lucky as hell Jones was still available at #4 spot...

Paired with Weber, he'll be awesome!

Also, Nashville drafted a very nice fourth round pick in Félix Girard. He used to play for my hometown team in the QMJHL and he's a pretty decent center!

Everyone here in Vancouver is shocked that Schneider was traded. Luongo's bags were packed, but he's staying. However, it makes sense if you do the math.

Personally, I like Lu. The problem with the Canucks isn't the goal tending. If anything the rest of the team depended too much on Schneider and Luongo to save their bacon. Trading Schneider for a first round centre man is a smart move.

Hey there! Good to see more pucks fans on the site. We love to welcome new members from Canada!

Canucks had a good year, just faltered at the end. I love the Sedin brothers!

There have been some curious moves lately. Why did Chicago trade Bolland!?

Had to do this. Make free cap room to sign Bickell and to make place for young guns who are NHL ready. See Pirri, LeBlanc or Danault. Also, it's imperative that Chicago sign Nick Leddy ASAP.

It's sad to see Bolland go, but he wasn't a #2C and his salary made him impossible to be a #3C. Sad, but he had to go. His contract was horrible. I loved the guy, he gave us a second Cup in four years, but he didn't deserve a 3.375mil AAV for 5 years.

I'm disapointed in Frolik's departure more than Bolland's. Fro was a PK beast, he knew his role and accepted it a while ago. However, 2.5mil for a 4th line guy is a bit too much.

I'm also glad Emery should resign with Chicago! Antti Raanta will be ready pretty soon... one season in the AHL and he's fine!

I think this was a great deal for both sides - Canucks got a high draft pick to use for a player they needed. Devils needed someone to support and replace Brodeur after one or two more years. Schneider can do that. I'm still amazed that it was just a pick for Schneider.

You're kidding right??

Gillis got f*****d really hard by Lamoriello to trade a NHL ready goaltender, younger, and wayyyyy better than Luongo. Also, Luongo wanted out of Vancouver, why the hell did they keep him?

LA got a way better deal when they traded Bernier - a non-proven NHL goaltender by the way. Gillis waited way too long to deal Schneider and he got raped... badly.

He could have got much more by trading him, at the deadline for example.

Also, he fired Vigneault to sign... Tortorella? Are you f*****g kidding me?

Vancouver need to fire his ass... he's messing up the Canucks (and I don't care 'cause I hate the Canucks and Sedins sisters).

Preds have been very active today in the free agency market. So far they have signed Viktor Stalberg, Eric Nystrom, Matt Hendricks, and Matt Cullen. Poile said he wanted to get some forwards and that's four so far. Not sure if these are exactly what he was looking for but hopefully they will help. The Preds offense was hard to watch for a large portion of the season and hopefully with these additions will be much better this fall.

No, I'm not kidding.

Yes, Gillis could have probably gotten more at the deadline - but he didn't. So that was no longer an option. No one - not even the Flyers who are goalie desperate - want to touch Luongo's contract, so Gillis is backed even further into the corner. He's got two goalies and can't move one - kinda has no choice since a buyout would've been an absolute killer.

He had no choice but to move Schneider and make the best of it. A 9th overall pick in a solid draft AND send him to an Eastern Conference team so Schneider can't really hurt the Canucks? Probably the best he could've done. Moving him to a Western Conf team? Not going to happen.

It solved problems for both teams - and both got something they needed out of the deal. So, yeah, I think it was a good deal. Was it the best for Canucks fans? Nope - but Gillis put himself and the team in that position with RoLo's contract.

Jeremy, you have got to be pleased with what the Predators have been doing so far. I hate losing Stalberg, especially to a Division rival. And Seth Jones at pick number 4 is an absolute steal!

If you remember, six years ago the Blackhawks were arguably the worst team in the NHL. Now, after a series of solid drafts and some shrewd trades and free agent pickups, they have won two Stanley Cups in four years.

With the Red Wings no longer in the Division, and the Conference, there will be more opportunities for other teams. I'm definitely looking forward to next season. FULL season!

I am very exicted with what the Predators have done so far with the draft and free agent signings. The Preds seem to have caught whatever bug it was that caused the Titans to make so many signings in the offseason. I don't remember a time that the Predators, or Titans, have been so active in the free agent market. Things are looking up for professional sports in Nashville.

Why are you mad at Stalberg's departure?

It's okay with him leaving. We still have Kruger who can be signed for less money, and he's a PK beast.

Also, there are many prospects in the farm system who are NHL ready, like Drew LeBlanc and Jeremy Morin! (Danault and Pirri too.)

Stalberg was invisible in the POs anyway.

The biggest lost in my opinion is Michael Frolik. Bolland had to go and Stalberg, meh, I don't care at all.

You know way more about the farm system then I do, my friend! I liked Stalberg but you are right, losing Frolik was definitely worse.

Stalberg was good, but not THAT good. He had some speed, he was big but he could not make his presence felt in front of the net. He complained about his playtime very often... he was right about it but, he's not worth it.

I prefer free some cap to make room for young guns! I absolutely hated to see Frolik's departure... I really liked him! PK beast, knew his role and accepted it! He was just too expensive.

Bolland, Frolik and Stalberg out made a Bickell re-sign possible, Roszival & Leddy too!

We will have a very nice 2013-2014 season my friend... and a full one!!