![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Not that I'm happy about lockout or anything, but thanks to it, I'm once again exited for the SM-Liiga season and have hopes for my team actually even winning some games.
Because on Saturday, it sure didn't look like it. At that point, we had lost two of our top defensemen, before the season even started. One to "mild" concussion, and the official word has been that he'll return next week, for two weeks now, so in other words, who the hell knows when. The other needed leg surgery, and will be gone for four to six months. And then at the season opener our first line center got slashed on the wrist and will likely need surgery too, so no word yet on how long he'll be gone.
And then there's of course our goaltending which can be described as not good at best, and our coaching blows, and there aren't many good words that can be said about our management. Oh and lest I forget, there's the absolute horror show that is our power play. The season opener started with a five minute major, during which Kärpät managed a grand total of THREE SHOTS ON GOAL (!!) none of which had even a change of going past an actual competent goalie. In the second game of the season total of 23 power play minutes resulted in not a single goal.
Which, is kind of where we get to the root of the problem. Because Kärpät don't score. And then they don't score some more. In the two games played so far (both of which they've lost) they've totaled for three goals. And when you add all those problems on the ice to the ever growing injury list and the fact that our coach prefers keeping his head in the sand pretending nothing's wrong and our guys are battling great, then well. It sure looked like this will be a really bleak year for Kärppä fans.
And then the lockout happened, and as much as I hate that it did, I will grab any positive side effect it has on SM-Liiga and especially my team and run with them. Because the first SM-Liiga related news about the NHL player exodus was that Jussi Jokinen was coming to play for Kärpät starting Wednesday. I might've squealed when I first heard about that. Top six forward, who can play center? Why yes, that was exactly what we were in a desperate need of. And then it was reported that Jason Demers might be coming over to play for us as well, and what you know, our injury plagued defense got bolstered as well.
And suddenly I'm exited for hockey again. Also, I should have a chance to see them play live in three weeks, meaning that I'm pretty much like a kid on the day before christmas. Living 500 kilometers away from the team you support really sucks.
As for other lockout side effects, there's been talk that Selänne might come to play for Jokerit, should the lockout become a long one. I'm some what pessimistic about this happening, and somewhat hoping that it doesn't mostly because the sooner the lockout ends the better. But the latest What We've Learned on Puck Daddy changed my mind somewhat.
Reading about Northern American hockey fans lamenting about maybe not getting to see him play for one more time, made me think about the other side of that particular coin. How many finnish hockey fans have grown up hearing about how Selänne is the greatest finnish hockey player ever born? And just for how many seeing him play live if only just once in their life would be the greatest thing ever? North America has had him for nineteen years, would it really be such a great tragedy to give him back for a month?
Besides, Getzlaf still has some hair left so Selänne will be able to use those as a voodoo sacrifice next spring, meaning that he'll be back for the 2013-14 season.
Because on Saturday, it sure didn't look like it. At that point, we had lost two of our top defensemen, before the season even started. One to "mild" concussion, and the official word has been that he'll return next week, for two weeks now, so in other words, who the hell knows when. The other needed leg surgery, and will be gone for four to six months. And then at the season opener our first line center got slashed on the wrist and will likely need surgery too, so no word yet on how long he'll be gone.
And then there's of course our goaltending which can be described as not good at best, and our coaching blows, and there aren't many good words that can be said about our management. Oh and lest I forget, there's the absolute horror show that is our power play. The season opener started with a five minute major, during which Kärpät managed a grand total of THREE SHOTS ON GOAL (!!) none of which had even a change of going past an actual competent goalie. In the second game of the season total of 23 power play minutes resulted in not a single goal.
Which, is kind of where we get to the root of the problem. Because Kärpät don't score. And then they don't score some more. In the two games played so far (both of which they've lost) they've totaled for three goals. And when you add all those problems on the ice to the ever growing injury list and the fact that our coach prefers keeping his head in the sand pretending nothing's wrong and our guys are battling great, then well. It sure looked like this will be a really bleak year for Kärppä fans.
And then the lockout happened, and as much as I hate that it did, I will grab any positive side effect it has on SM-Liiga and especially my team and run with them. Because the first SM-Liiga related news about the NHL player exodus was that Jussi Jokinen was coming to play for Kärpät starting Wednesday. I might've squealed when I first heard about that. Top six forward, who can play center? Why yes, that was exactly what we were in a desperate need of. And then it was reported that Jason Demers might be coming over to play for us as well, and what you know, our injury plagued defense got bolstered as well.
And suddenly I'm exited for hockey again. Also, I should have a chance to see them play live in three weeks, meaning that I'm pretty much like a kid on the day before christmas. Living 500 kilometers away from the team you support really sucks.
As for other lockout side effects, there's been talk that Selänne might come to play for Jokerit, should the lockout become a long one. I'm some what pessimistic about this happening, and somewhat hoping that it doesn't mostly because the sooner the lockout ends the better. But the latest What We've Learned on Puck Daddy changed my mind somewhat.
Reading about Northern American hockey fans lamenting about maybe not getting to see him play for one more time, made me think about the other side of that particular coin. How many finnish hockey fans have grown up hearing about how Selänne is the greatest finnish hockey player ever born? And just for how many seeing him play live if only just once in their life would be the greatest thing ever? North America has had him for nineteen years, would it really be such a great tragedy to give him back for a month?
Besides, Getzlaf still has some hair left so Selänne will be able to use those as a voodoo sacrifice next spring, meaning that he'll be back for the 2013-14 season.
Tags:
no subject
Your team really has the worst luck. And the worst PP. Hopefully Jokinen might be able to do some good. (I may have adopted Kärpät as my team in SM-liiga, so now I feel kind of invested. Damn you!)
Sucks that you live so far away though. Are there any good train/bus connections of some sort, or do you have to get a hold of a car to be able to go see them play?
My personal belief is that Selänne isn't retiring until after Sochi, but that's just pure speculation. I just can't see him opting out of one more chance to get the gold. (Not going to lie here; if Selänne is on the team and Sweden gets knocked out, I might actually end up rooting for Finland in 2014 just because Selänne deserves that damn gold medal.)
no subject
Your team really has the worst luck. And the worst PP. Hopefully Jokinen might be able to do some good. (I may have adopted Kärpät as my team in SM-liiga, so now I feel kind of invested. Damn you!)
Hopefully we just went through all the bad luck for the season all ready, and the rest of it will be better. As for the PP, idek. It hasn't really seemed like they are trying, most of the time. I'm not really holding my breath on there being that much improvement on it anytime soon either, since it has been a problem for some time already, but if we can get other areas working better, and start to score at some point, it shouldn't bother quite as much. Thankfully, Jokinen has trained with the team during the summer, so he should fit in well enough and start doing some good right from the first game. He'll be in the line up tomorrow already, so no need to even wait for all that long to see.
Besides, Kärpät is a great team to adopt, and I'll happily take on any blame for your investment. :D Sure, they can be a little fail at times, but once they get everything working, they're not just good, they're fraking awesome. Did I mention the eight years in row they spent being third or better? Four of those being championship years?
If it helps, here's some highlights from the last ten years. :D
Are there any good train/bus connections of some sort, or do you have to get a hold of a car to be able to go see them play?
The fastest straight train connection would be just shy of three and a half hours, so not impossible as such, but as a two way trip would cost more than 50 euros, in just the travel expenses, seeing home games is kind of out of the question for a student budget. Luckily, the nearest hockey town is just a little over hour away via train, and I visit there often enough for other reasons too, since my sister plus a lot of my friends life there, so at least I get to go watch their away games at times.
My personal belief is that Selänne isn't retiring until after Sochi, but that's just pure speculation.
There was an interview this summer with him, one of those "are you continuing or not" type of things, and at that point, his answer was, that the only thing he can say for a complete certainty about his career is that he won't be playing in Sochi.
Then again, he also said at one point that he wouldn't be playing for team Finland after Turin, and he retired for the first time in 2007 (not that it took, but anyway) and every fall since then he's said that this will be his last year playing, so yeah, he'll play in Sochi.
And if he does play, at this point, how could anyone cheer against him getting the bloody gold, for real? I'd say that's reason enough for even Swedes to be excused for cheering for Finland, just this once. :D
no subject
This is probably a really healthy way of looking at it. I think I'll do the same, just focus on the positive, regardless of what the scenario is.
He'll be in the line up tomorrow already, so no need to even wait for all that long to see.
So, if I have the right reports, Kärpät won yesterdays game with 6-0? Soooo... Did the other team all get the flu, did the PP finally start working, was Jokinen that big of a difference, or was there magic involved? Or am I just checking the wrong sites?
If it helps, here's some highlights from the last ten years. :D
Those are some really awesome highlights. I'm feeling a lot better about adopting them all of a sudden ^_^
Then again, he also said at one point that he wouldn't be playing for team Finland after Turin, and he retired for the first time in 2007 (not that it took, but anyway) and every fall since then he's said that this will be his last year playing, so yeah, he'll play in Sochi.
He is the player who will never, ever quit. Ever. (Is it weird that I don't know if I find him awesome or intimidating?)
And if he does play, at this point, how could anyone cheer against him getting the bloody gold, for real?
Yeah, it's starting to feel like, if anyone can be said to deserve a gold, it's Selänne. By pure, stubborn desire to win, if nothing else.
no subject
Yes, those are indeed the right reports. :D Wednesday's game was just pure awesomeness, and by all accounts the team that was on the ice was completely different one to say a week ago. I'm sure some of it had to do with Jokinen coming and giving the team a much needed boost in confidence, but a lot of it was just everything clicking in place at the right time, finally. The PP did in fact finally produce results (and the way the ref was giving out penalties like candy, I'd been really worried if it hadn't) and also the goaltending showed not only signs of life, but remarkable improvement.
Although, now that has sparked some speculation amongst the fans about who our number one goalie this year will end up being, as Karhunen (who's been the backup so far) played on wednesday, which was his second game in a row, and now that I just checked, will be playing today also, meaning that after tonight "the backup" will have played three out of the four regular season games so far. On Wednesday the official word for Backlund not playing was still something about back soreness and trying to avoid causing any injuries, but that's not going to fly indefinitely.
But like I said, a different team, just compare and contrast: All the goals from Wednesday's game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nFTumSDnrs to game highlights from the shipwreck of a season opener last week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhrmcSXlNFk&feature=relmfu
He is the player who will never, ever quit. Ever. (Is it weird that I don't know if I find him awesome or intimidating?)
As I'm convinced that his ability to keep on playing has been gained by some supernatural means, I'd say the intimidation factor is an understandable one. :D