Additonal roster photos have been released throughout the league. I will not, of course, be posting the 600+ photos that have been released.... OR WILL I?!
No, I won't.
I will, however, post those of my WCBs and Vice-WCBs (maybe) as they are revealed to me.
The Good (sorry about the watermarks):
Big Bear, looking all chizzled and ready to go
SO'B ready to charm his way into a roster spot Fierce roster photo: check.
The Bad:
Thank goodness there's photoshop He looks like he's 5'3" You can see the bottom of the "canvas" hahahaha
The WTF:
I appreciate growing the hair back I appreciate the smile I do NOT appreciate that gross landing strip of facial hair you have on your chin Please remedy this situation posthaste
The Totally unrelated:
I came across this picture of the Schenn brothers at the draft I take every oppotunity to see Luke Schenn in a suit Brayden is not yet old enough for me to ogle him But give it time.
I absolutely love roster photo day. Who shines? Who smiles with their eyes? Who suffers from that dreaded disease Roster Photo Panic, more commonly known as RPP?
Unfortunately, most of these boys seem to be better prepared for these photos. No one looks like they slept in the car last night, there's the standard "cut by a weed whacker" hockey hair, vacant stares and odd lighting. However, let's check out some high (and low) lights:
Oh Sir Christopher You could use a trim, but I'll forgive you
Aww Pie's all growed up. He got himself hitched this summer. Awwwww.
Awwww, Little Foot always mixes up his photos. This is tiny because there's no watermark
Felix has a remarkably thick neck And a remarkably vacant facial expression
Ha. Hahahha Jacob Lagace looks like he took a puck to the head, someone pulled a jersey on him and pushed him in the direction of the stool and he almost missed.
The photographer told all the Kings to put their hands on their lap and lean slightly forward Dewey complied
Greener did too
All the Oilers roster photos look like they were taken in a bathroom
Aww, Matt Duchene's first NHL roster photo
I could not come across rosters for many other teams, so many of my other WCBs don't have roster photos up yet or they're not hilarious or adorable.
Wooooo. Hockey is almost here! Fo' Reals. The Canucks beat the Islanders 2-1 in the Hockeyville game last night. Hooray!
Well, with training camp upon us and the start of the season fast approaching (!!), I've realized that it is time for me to re-evaluate my Western Conference Boyfriend (WCB) list.
I started this list last year because I discovered that the way for me to get into a team was to develop an interest in one particular player. This endeavor proved quite successful. In fact, through my Los Angeles Kings WCB (Matt Greene) I became a legitimate Kings fan. Therefore, I've decided to re-vamp my list because, in my woeful ignorance at the time, I made some very poor decisions over whom to give my heart to.
I know that its a little early, but I want to get my selections in place before the kickoff of the regular season.
So here we go:
Anaheim Ducks
2008 - 2009
I never really committed to any particular player, I think I bandied back and forth between Ryan Getzlaf and a poorly chosen J.S. Giguere. I paid zero attention to the Ducks when they weren't playing one of my four teams. Meaning, I was watching the game when Bobby Ryan did this:
Let me just say, I watched this game in my bed, half-awake, on my laptop Its really cool to watch something and know instantly that it was something really rare.
2009 - 2010 The Ducks didn't do much in the off-season to make me like them. They sent Pronger to the Eastern Conference and traded Drew Miller to the Lightning. Ugh, gross me out. However, it was their in-season actions that gave them a ray of hope:
Mr. Wiz Wear himself, James Wisniewski (Also, people like to look for shirtless hockey players and find this blog and I never miss an opportunity, so: James Wisniewski shirtless, you're welcome)
It is not difficult at all to accept Mr. W as my Ducks WCB. Welcome to the club, Wiz. First Runner-Up is, of course Mr. Ryan Getzlaf, should Mr. Wiz Wear be traded or start being a douchekebab.
Calgary Flames
2008 - 2009 Jarome Iginla
2009-2010 There can be no other choice. He's my favorite NHL player. Duh. Although Jay Bouwmeester is 15 kinds of dweeby and adorable, he will only ever be playing Michelle to Iggy's Beyonce. Its just the way it is.
Those are my heartstrings he's pulling on :)
Runner-Up: There's really no reason to need a back-up when your starter is Iggy, but I'll pick Jay Bouwmeester just because.
Chicago Blackhawks
2008 - 2009 Patrick Sharp. He's kind of pretty. But about as interesting as dry toast.
2009 - 2010 I discovered the Blackhawks are one of the more inherently annoying teams in the NHL.
I cannot deny I had quite a few chuckles over their debacle of an off-season and I feel that they've received their come-uppance for their irritating habit of finding themselves FASCINATING and HILARIOUS. Nothing is more annoying than someone who laughs at their own jokes.
That being said, I have no idea whom to choose. I can tell you it won't be Toews, Keith, Kane, Burish, Eager, Byfuglien, Versteeg, Huet, Campbell, Hossa, Bolland, Sharp, Barker, Sopel, Brouwer or Seabrook. That leaves only like 5 players. I think I'll pick Fraser because he hasn't done anything to irritate me... yet.
When I first saw this image in thumbnail form, I thought the horror on that little girl's face was brought on by looking at that creepy bastard, Dave Bolland Alas, it is not Dave Bolland, but newly-crowned Blackhawk runner-up, Andrew Ladd And still, Dave Bolland remains a creepy bastard.
Colorado Avalanche
2008 - 2009 JM Liles. I only picked JM because I don't give a HOOT about the Colorado Avalanche and I know he and Ryan Miller are BFFs or something like that. He's pretty but the team was pretty underwhelming.
2009 - 2010 I was all set to select JM again until some random person on Twitter reminded me about Matt Duchene. The more interviews I watch with this guy and the more I learn about him, the more I like him, so I'm down.
I'll refrain from nicknaming him "The Duch"
Runner Up: JM Liles
Columbus Blue Jackets
2008 - 2009 Rick Nash.
2009 - 2010 Rick Nash. I adore Rick Nash. He's probably my 2nd favorite NHL player. Possibly 3rd, but definitely top three.
Nasher at a benefit for this little boy's foundation; He has Cerebral Palsy
Nasher giving Luke an autograph Awwww.
Runner-up: Derek Brassard, because James Neal punched his face in. Speaking of James Neal:
Dallas Stars
2008 - 2009 Marty Turco... then Fabian Brunnstrom... then I stopped caring.
2009 - 2010 This request was put out on Twitter (one of a few). I was suggested many players but I was most drawn to James Neal. He's young and feisty and he'll be interesting to watch on what will be a season of ??? for the Dallas Stars.
Tres chic
I enjoy how he lets up in this (his only) fight when Brassard cries uncle. Yet he still tosses away his opponent all authoritative-like:
Runner-Up: Brad Richards
Detroit Red Wings
2008 - 2009 Brett Lebda. He was demoted and then replaced by Nick Lidstrom. I wasn't too thrilled about any of my prospects.
2009 - 2010 Valtteri Filppula. Mostly because of his bogus, fake-looking hair:
So European it hurts
Here he and Matt Ellis read part of How the Grinch Stole Christmas:
Noise, noise, noise...noise
Runner-Up: Nick Lidstrom because he's pretty badass.
Edmonton Oilers
2008 - 2009 Cap'n Ethan. Ethan Moreau.
2009 - 2010 Cap'n Ethan played most of the season and he managed to shrug off what could've been a pretty serious eye injury. He shall remain.
Ethan Moreau will Pump. You Up.
Runner-Up: Shawn Horcoff because he has two different-colored eyes.
Los Angeles Kings
2008 - 2009 Matt Greene
2009 - 2010 Teddy Purcell....
Juuuuust kidding.
Ha.
Runner-Up But Not really because I love him almost as much: Drew Doughty
Minnesota Wild
2008 - 2009 I don't remember, I have to look this up... HOW COULD I FORGET OWEN NOLAN?! Cuz heeeee didn't play too much last year, only 59 games. I love him and his grumpy Irish ways.
2009 - 2010 Owen Nolan it shall remain.
Don't let the smile fool you, he's delightfully grumpy
Runner-Up: Brent Burns, because his picture is so jolly.
Nashville Predators
2008 - 2009 JP Dumont. I just picked him because I didn't want to investigate too heavily and Jason Arnott is kinda boring.
2009 - 2010 Shea Weber.
Why? I'm not really sure. I just like the guy. He's good and is forced to play in Nashville. I feel for him.
Something these dudes use every day, yet they usually look so awkward holding one off the ice
Runner-Up: Wade Belak because he's funny
Phoenix Coyotes
2008 - 2009 Peter Mueller. He's cute but he's kind of a snoozefest
2009 - 2010 Uhhh, I don't really plan on committing to anyone in Phoenix. Just like everyone. Else.
San Jose Sharks
2008 - 2009 March-Edouard "Pickles" Vlasic
2009 - 2010 The Sharks are kind of in a tizzy so I'm going to stick with safe, reliable Pickles.
Keep hydrated, Pickles
Runner-Up: Kent Huskins, for no particular reason.
St. Louis Blues
2008 - 2009 Jay McKee :( At least he's a Pittsburgh Penguin now
2009 - 2010 This has been a source of great debate. Berglund v Backes. Blonde v Brunette. American v Swede. It wasn't easy, but I ultimately chose:
I enjoy the looks of pure terror
Runner-Up: Clearly, Patrik Berglund:
Ahhhh...
Vancouver Canucks
2008 - 2009 Big Bear, duh.
2009 - 2010 Big Bear, duh.
This off-season saw Mr. Bernier drop some weight and look even foxier than previously, if that is possible.
Here's a scruffier, um, "softer" Big Bear in January
Here's the newly re-foxified Big Bear I adore him pudge or not.
Runner Up: Shane O'Brien, or SO'B.
Any questions?
That took freakin' forever. Last season I was saved from the certain DOOM of loving multiple players that I did not realize at the time where douchebags. If I have inadvertently selected a d-bag, PLEASE save me.
Yesterday it was announced that Steve Bernier was offered a contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks! The deal is reportedly for 2 years at about $2 million per season, which is actually a pay cut for Big Bear. He made $2.5 million this season because of an offer sheet from St. Louis. Yay! Hoooray for job security! Hooray for Vancouver! Hooray for Big Bear!
Big Bear's Big Hair: Playoff Edition whoa.
I can't believe that the Conference Finals are just now starting. The friggin' semifinals were so intense, it was exhausting. It seems like someone should be hoisting something over their head any day now.
I will, of course, be cheering for the Pens and Blackhawks in their respective Conference finals. Also, for the record, I have been informed/decided that Niklas Hjalmarsson is apparently my Blackhawks man even though I really wanted it to be Seabs; I was told he has already been claimed by a Buffalo blogger. Alas. The Hammer will quickly become my new favorite Blackhawk once I get around to learning anything about him. I don't generally go for the Europeans so this is a whole new world for me. A brief overview seems to indicate he might be one of those big shut-down defensemen I'm so fond of. This could go well for Hammer.
I'm attempting to re-vamp "Anne's Westcern Conference Boyfriends" for 2009-2010. I made some very misguided choices last year. Brett Lebda?! What was I thinking? I was so young and foolish back then. It will be difficult to nail down this list prior to July 1 but I, of course, am getting started on it anyway.
Also, I'm figuring out all the things that must happen for James Wisniewski to become a Sabre next season. What does Anaheim need that we have...? Perchance a three team deal? I'll call Darcy and see what he says.
WCB Ethan Moreau, captain of the Edmonton Oilers, took a nasty blow to the eye via a high stick in the dying seconds of the Oilers' game v. the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
Fortunately, after the swelling went down they were able to fully explore the damage and its *just* a bruised retina and scratched cornea. No surgery required and so far it appears there won't be any permanent damage. However, a visor likely would've prevented even this relatively minor injury.
Hooray! The poor boy has had so many injuries over the last few seasons, hopefully this won't turn into anything more serious later on.
I would really like the Bandits to score fewer goals, please. I'm glad that the Bandits are so successful and I hope they continue to be, but after a while the sound of the goal horn gives me a headache. And that friggin' announcer dude is so annoying and there are so many cheers and drums and I have to yell a lot and AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
I was just trying to figure out if the Bandits have lost this season and yes, once. Never at home. They have 105 goals on the season, the next closest team has 85. So yes, they do score lots.
They also have a player named Brett Bucktooth. Words cannot describe what an awesome name that is.
I'm about 99% sure Chris Butler was at the game tonight, wandering about the 200 level. All I could think was "Aw, Buts, don't you have a lady to spend Valentine's Day with?" He probably does but I just felt sad at the possibility that he was just like alone in Buffalo where he probably doesn't know anyone. My mother of course was like "Why didn't you talk to him?" I had a hard time explaining that we're not supposed to bother players regardless of the event going on at the Arena.
I worked on the 200 level and I've never been there before but it was cool. I set up near where they film the post-game show. I can definitely see the perks to sitting in the 200 level. Except for the major perk that I'm on the 300 level. Speaking of which, I saw Kim on Friday! Hooray!
Around the league tonight, the only thing that interested me was I saw that WCBs Matt Greene and Ethan Moreau got five minute majors for fighting each other. Former teammates dropping the gloves. Ok, it wasn't really that much of a fight but if you had to pick a winner, I suppose Greener would have been it.
Sergei Gonchar is finally back for Pittsburgh!! Yay! So many people were hoping he was the shot in the arm the Pens needed ............... he was a -1 and the Pens lost 6-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ok, it was just his first game back, it'll take a few for him to get up to speed. I guess a Pens loss is good for us, but they're five points back so they become less of a threat all the time.
I saw The Reader today. It was quite good, recommend it. So far Slumdog is still my pick for winner, but The Reader is a very close 2nd. If you want to see a lot of Kate Winslet's boobs and a lot of love scenes and lots to do with Nazi war crimes, The Reader is for you.
I got a call from my boss today at the arena telling me that I don't have to come in tonight! Woooooooooo! Its just because I'm the lowest ranked vendor and I made like $0.52 last night (figures estimated).
Whatevs, I don't care. After my bad night last night I really needed a pick me up. My BFF Adam and I have resolved to see all of the movies nominated for the Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards so we're going to see Milk tonight. We feel lame picking a winner having only seen one or two of the movies nominated. We've already seen Slumdog Millionaire and will probably see The Reader next, in spite of my irrational dislike of Ralph Fiennes. We're not sure when or where to see Frost/Nixon. Adam's friend's Dad votes as a member of the Academy so he gets the DVDs of all the nominated films and performances, so we're probably going to watch Frost/Nixon on his DVD because its not playing in Buffalo at the moment. We also might see The Wrestler, just to see what all the Mickey Rourke fuss is about.
Hockey: Sidney Crosby is not playing in the All-Star Game after getting a record setting 1.7 million votes in the ridiculous joke of a voting process. He has some concerns about lingering injuries to his knee and forearm and wants to take the time to rest. This is probably a good idea considering the poor situation the Pens find themselves in at the moment. Marty St. Louis will be taking his place on the roster. I'm not sure how I feel about the selection of St. Louis (17-29-46) over players like Phil Kessel (24-17-41) or Derek Roy (18-26-44) who have similar numbers on more successful teams, and Roy averages more ice time than either of the other two players. Whatevs, I just love Royzie. Also, who moves up to the starting line-up? The player who came in fourth in voting? I don't know who that is and I can't find the voting totals past the top three forwards.
Mirtle has released a list of the top defensive defensemen in the league up to this point in the season and WCBs M-E "Pickles" Vlasic (9) Nicklas Lidstrom (11) and Matthew Greene (20) have all made the cut. Woooooooooo! Normally I am all about flashy offense and captains and the like, but this season has gotten me appreciating defensive hockey more and more. I know I was SHOCKED that no Sabres defensemen made the cut.
Speaking of Sabres defensemen... we are royally effed. Trade? MATT GREENE? Let me live this pipe dream, people. But for serious, everyone is hurt. I'm suspicious that Craig Rivet may be playing with a wooden leg and Toni Lydman might actually be seriously concussed, but they can skate backwards, so they're still in. Just point Toni in the right direction and tell him to shoot and we'll be fine.
Danny Briere has "nerve entrapment" and will miss ANOTHER four weeks of the season. Poor Danny. I just tried to look up a little bit about nerve entrapment and it appears that obturator nerve entrapment is a cause of chronic groin pain in athletes and athletes with successful surgery often become symptom free after recovery. Apparently this is a fairly new development in the study of the causes of groin pain and groin injuries which could spell good things for players with chronic injuries. Oh Hasek, if only... if only...
Martin Gerber was put on waivers. That sound you hear is every hockey fan rolling their eyes as the Senators goaltending woes soldier on, this time with Alex Auld and newcomer Brian Elliot. The Senators sound more and more like the LA Kings with each passing day.
While working on our All-Star Roster post (almost finished, I SWEAR) I discovered something.
When did David Backes get so pretty? Or Why have I never noticed how pretty David Backes is?
S(h)ara and I have broken the curse of curses. If memory serves, we watched 2 games together in '07 that the Sabres won, 1 a playoff game the other just the shootout part of a win. However, stretching from all of last season into this season the Sabres have lost every game we've watched together. every. single. one. Actually, come to think of it, most of the losses we've sat through together have been shoot out losses.
Anyway, we watched the game tonight at Tully's and they won so WOO!
I was bitching and moaning and carrying on in rage over Drew Stafford's blunder last night and then he went and scored and had teh presence of mind to call for the puck from the ref to get the puck for Gerbe's 1st NHL point :) Good boy, Drew, my mis-spent rage should not have been aimed at you and your righteous mustache.
Patty came through with some big scrambly saves and Teppo saved a goal on an early wraparound. There were only 2 power plays in the whole game, they were both ours and we capitalized on both. WHAT?
Also, uhhhhhh??:
No way you slice it is this a 4th straight anything
Other pictures:
Its only fitting that he scored it love.
Britney: YAAAAA!! I'M WICKED SWEEEET Royzie: YAAAAA!! YOU ARE!!
Kotalik wins the funny face game:
With an honorable mention to this guy:
In other news:
Woooo! I watched this game and I really thought Greener scored the goal he assisted on. He was on the PP! He's NEVER on the PP! Greeeeeenerrr!!!
Almost all pictures are borrowed from other sources. If they're yours and you don't want me to use them, just shoot me an email and I'll take them down.
The Los Angeles Kings logo and Buffalo Sabres logo used in the title bar are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League; no copyright infringement is intended. If anyone is offended by anything I've written, get over it, it's a personal blog, not an accredited news source.
anniebeeswax [at] gmail [dot] com
Glossary... Sort of
"Ryan Miller Shutout" - A 58 minute, multi-goal shutout lead that is blown when Miller allows one meaningless goal
Britney or SabreBritney - Thomas Vanek
Butter Snaps - Carolina Hurricanes. Because Butter Snap pretzels, like the Carolina Hurricanes, are disgusting
Greener - MATT Greene (LAK)
JBG - Jolly Blonde Giant - Tyler Myers
Little Foot - Drew Stafford
MK - Anne's sister; often leaves nonsensical comments under her Twitter name Mmmkizzle
