The Honest Thread (Non-biased, equitable hockey observations)

[MCB]

As a ducks fan I thought our rebuild was going great, but then I saw the sharks this off season and am jealous. So far they've been doing all the right things (outside the lottery, which they did great but I mean things they can control)

Not sure if I'm doing this right, but that's about all the niceness I can muster.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

First of all nobody should take this place too seriously. Seems like half the people are solely focused on spreading despair.

If I like a team, player, coach or style the only thing that will turn me off from it will be a significant change on their end. No miserable halfwit packs anywhere enough punch to effect change.

 

[LemonSauceD]

As a Canucks fan here are some non bias opinions I have:

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Agree on McDavid. Complainers gonna complain but I just don't see how as a hockey fan one cannot appreciate that kind of talent regardless of you hate the Oilers or not

Bill Zito is a genius for his swift retool-to-cup-champs job in Florida

I actually respect the Canucks franchise after hating on them for many years, and genuinely rooted for them in the playoffs this year. Miller and Hughes were a big reason for that - leaders by example

 

[Thallis]

Bedard's Michigan goal last year was the coolest thing I've ever seen live

 

[Coffees]

This isnt hard to admit because I am jealous of another team but rather because I am petty and find strange things funny. When the team that "wins the offseason" according to media outlets crashes and burns as per usual I really really enjoy it.

I respect it , honesty with shadow side is important

 

[Esq]

I am a Hawks fan. I hated the Coyotes with a passion, even before the Torres/Hossa hit.

I am really sorry what happened to their team. No one deserves to lose your team, particularly some of the really insightful Coyotes fans on here.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Don't show my obnoxious Pens fan cousin this post but McDavid and Draisaitl struggling to win it all for so long shows that the Pens didn't in fact JUST tank their way to five cups. (This take would have been better before they went to game 7 of the SCF though).

 

[StammerHammer]

About ten years ago I finally had to admit Sid was exceptional. It was liberating.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

About ten years ago I finally had to admit Sid was exceptional. It was liberating.

+1

Huge Ovi fan if it wasn’t obvious from my username, but Sid has exceptional attention to detail in all aspects of the game.

Everything down to body positioning, edge control and stick work is precisely calculated. It’s like a chess player calculating several steps in advance of his opponents.

Doesn’t mean I can’t hate his guts when he plays the Caps. Otherworldly player but screw him and his team!

 

[Xirik]

1. Despite their the Rangers living on easy mode I will say that Kreider is a great homegrown player that felt unstoppable during the 2023 1st round playoffs. It really felt like he was going to single-handedly beat the Devils.

2. The vast majority of Hab's fans on this site are knowledgeable and have good insight on the game of hockey and I enjoy reading and sometimes debating them.

3. the Canes have been a thorn in the Devils side for a long time but they are a well run team through most of their existence and deserve more praise for it. I just wish they would win the rounds after they beat the Devils for once so I could at least say the cup team beat the Devils.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I'm a Penguins fan.

I honestly don't have a bias towards a player, I may joke about them here but I do recognize the good top players for what they are and I am fine with that, I mostly react to fans that annoy me.

 

[WhataKnight]

Edmonton is set for years - “holy shit” level of talent. Eichel’s Cup factors in a lot to any preference for Jack over McDavid & Draisaitl. The Bowman thing makes it easy to dislike the franchise given the choices made by higher-ups, but the talent on the ice deserves nothing but respect.

Avalanche are similar for different reasons. Their “holy shit level” is more spread between MacKinnon & Makar. Again, talent which is hard not to envy.

I hope I can look forward to reasonable rebuilds as a Vegas fan the way other teams can, as I’d hope that the initial aggressiveness doesn’t wind up crippling negotiations with other GMs and players alike, biting them in the ass like a curse.

 

[Devonator]

I hate to say this but I think the Habs are going to be a very good hockey team in the next couple of years....perhaps even a contender.....

 

[Nogatco Rd]

1. I don’t watch reality TV but I would start if the NHL sponsored an ‘Amazing Race’ or ‘Real World’ type show that pits all of the NHL’s crazy, overbearing or otherwise eccentric hockey parents against each other:

Paul Marner and Keith Tkachuk argue over directions as they become hopelessly lost driving a battered Citroen 2CV across the Serengeti. Bonnie Lindros confronts Colleen Howe over who keeps drinking the last of the orange juice and then putting the empty carton back in the fridge. Ratings gold.

2. Adult hockey fans who still make Corey Perry/Connor Bedard mom jokes have demonstrated a level of immaturity that should be grounds to have them disenfranchised and excluded from the democratic process

 

[MoneyManny]

This thread is a Habs hater confessional lol.

 

[LokiDog]

The haggling over “best” this or that just robs everyone of the joy of watching great players.

Draisaitl is a PP merchant and product of McDavid. Matthews doesn’t belong in the top 5 conversation because Leafs lol. Hughes isn’t a good defenseman because smol + bad defense lulz. Ovechkin is a one trick pony whose first 12+ years no longer count.

Shut up and watch the sport. You don’t have to be a Leafs fan to acknowledge how sick of a scorer Matthews is, or that he’s rounded into a pretty great overall player at this point. You don’t have to like Ovie to appreciate the fact that you’re watching the guy who will hold the all time goals record, in person, and that he scored at an insanely consistent rate against the best generation of goaltending the game’s ever seen. McDavid doesn’t HAVE to win a Cup to prove how talented he is. It may impact his career legacy, but he isn’t any less miraculously skilled because of the team he’s played on. All of these petty squabbles are absolutely f***ing stupid.