Oh the difference a day makes.

[kyyrandi]

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

Comments

[kyyrandi]

Seriously, are all these guys made out of glass or has there been something wrong with their off-season/pre-season workout?
The injury count is a really worrying one, especially when taken into a count that the regular season has lasted for only a week. Somehow I'm having hard time buying that all the teams could mess-up their off-season training this bad. Maybe too many pre-season games taken maybe a bit too seriously?

Well, they sure scored last night :D
That they did. :D Too bad they couldn't keep it up in today's game as well. Have to say, I'd prefer them scoring three goals in two games each than six in one and zero in the next.

Okay, that wasn't fair, since the only point that can be said in their favor night in and out is that they haven't allowed themselves to be shutout so much as one so far. But the point still stands.

Where are you planning on going to see them? Kärpät will be here next Thursday. I'm hoping to go to the game, but there are still some scheduling issues.
I'll go see them play Ilves at Tampere. That is if I can work out everything scheduling wise. Which is in two weeks now that I checked it. #cancount At least with the way Ilves has been playing, it should be a game Kärpät will be able to win. :D

Hopefully you'll be able to get to the game. It should be a good one and most of our injured players are starting to come back to lineup, so we'll be at full force by Thursday. ;)

Teemu will play in the Worlds and announce his retirement soon after the games
While the idea of Teemu at the Worlds, if he doesn't play at for the season, seems like a injury waiting to happen, this would still be the greatest thing ever. Apart from the retirement that is. Guess that would mean that I'd have to drag my ass to see at least one team Finland game even if it'd mean going broke for a month just to pay for the tickets.

I'd prefer it, if he'd get a change to finish his career in the NHL. Mostly just because I'm rooting for him to pass Jagr as the number one European goal scorer.

[kyyrandi]

But anyway, it really is worrying because they've still got over 90% of their regular season games left and there are bound to be injuries as the season progresses.
It really is. I'm wondering how long it'll take for the league to take some actions to try and prevent the injury list from growing. Or if they do at all. At least some of the refs seem to already be on a hair trigger as far as giving out penalties go. There were quite a few borderline calls in the Kärpät-Ässät game at least.

I hope so, too, I haven't seen Blues this season yet. They've started pretty well, only one OT loss. I'm hoping that people will actually come to see the games, because they're not a bad team at all (and even if they were, they still wouldn't deserve to be deserted by their fans). The team's done their part and hopefully the fans will show up to give the team the support they deserve. I wish I could go on Tuesday, too, but I've got someplace else to be that night. I'm definitely excited to see Jussi as well, and I'll be paying special attention to some younger Kärpät players :)
I know very little about Blues, but most everything I hear about them makes me feel sorry for them. They just seem like the team that gets overlooked the most in the league, simply because IFK and Jokerit overshadow them at every turn. So I'd say I hope they do well, except that they are playing against my team so.. I'm curious, who do you cheer for, when IFK and Blues are playing against each other? For me, Tappara is my number one team, so games like today always feel conflicting, because on one hand I'm glad they did good, but I really would've liked for Kärpät to get at least one point.
And yey for watching out for our young guys. Personally, I've really liked what I've seen of Salomäki so far this season, and he seems to have gotten a lot better at not taking stupid penalties. Plus, Pokka played with our Juniors team today, so he's healthy again and will be in the line up from Tuesday onwards.
While on the subject of young players, Barkov was awesome for Tappara today. If he keeps this pace up for the whole season, I wouldn't be surprised if he got drafted in the top five next summer. The kid is good. He might even be better than Granlund in a few years.

If he played even one game, just one game, it would be a dream come true. He could play FIN-FRA or another totally ridiculous game, people would have their chance to see him for one last time and it'd be all kinds of epic if he played as Mikko's RW. They could wipe the ice with the French and then Teemu would get his last standing ovation from the (sold-out) arena. Not a bad way to retire, if you ask me, if having your last game in the NHL after winning the SC finals isn't an option.
I'd swap French for some team less likely to try and stream roll over opposing teams players, but other than that, this situation would work for me. Too bad both Koivus play center, since getting Saku to come to the Worlds as well, and then have a Koivu-Koivu-Selänne line would be the most epic thing ever.

Same here, but I'm not sure if Jagr's planning on retiring after this season, so even if Teemu managed to pass him now, Jagr might play for another year and pass Teemu again.
All the more reason for Teemu to keep playing. :D
And Jagr really needs to piss off and stop messing with Teemu's records.