OffThePost.org

Yikes.

In Hartley's defense, remember that Westgarth was Burke's first acquisition as interim GM in Calgary. It's been insinuated that since Burke fired Feaster and took over he's ordered Hartley to go from a smaller, speedier team to a glorified goon squad. Westgarth has featured pretty prominently in the Flames lineup ever since he was brought aboard. Mind you, Hartley has never been one to shy away from gooning it up in the past, but I question just how much of this bullshit is really Hartley's doing? How much of this is Burke telling Hartley that he will use Westgarth and use him often, or he's out of a job? How much is Brian Burke doing to ensure Bob Hartley never gets an NHL gig ever again?

I've made no secret that I'm a big, big fan of Hartley's, so I'm obviously biased. But keep in mind that before this the Flames were actually a pretty smallish team that got it done by way of speed. Now this team looks like a glorified goon squad that scores once every new moon. Obviously the bloom was off the rose long before Feaster and Weisbrod were handed their walking papers, but I refuse to believe this is all Hartley's idea. He's being told to do this.

That grab of the stick and dive by Giordano was beyond shameful. For once I don't blame Kassian for flipping his lid.

And for that matter how in the HELL is Kassian still in this game!?

Okay, postgame presser. Someone PLEAAASE post the link to the video later.

Here we go...live stream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z23ji7Ng ... ture=share

Torts is doing his best to contain himself. Doing okay given the circumstances.

Poor Lain. His parents even flew in to watch his first NHL game.

I've thought about the whole Hartley Burke issue as well. I was actually wondering if Hartley did it purposely not to cover his ass with Burke but to make a point about how embarrassing Burke's attitude and approach is. He would have known Henrik is injured and that Torts would be forced to counter with a different line quite probably the 4th.

And it is embarrassing to both teams and especially the league and that may have been the point Hartley wanted... or not.

Man poor Lain, family flew in from Ontario to watch his first NHL game........pretty expensive 2 seconds but I guess they'll all laugh about it for years.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Interesting theory. If indeed he is falling on his sword to make Burke look like an idiot then my admiration for the man would go through the roof.

Whoever the guy who runs @67sound was calling Hartley trash. I meekly came to Bob's defense. He retorted that Hartley's teams in ATL were pretty heavy on the thuggery, which is true. I countered that both Calgary and Atlanta were just plain awful hockey teams though, and awful hockey teams tend to be a little heavy on awful hockey players. And goons are almost always awful hockey players. Look at Buffalo right now--they already had a pretty sucky player in John Scott, and then went out and got another one in Zenon Konopka.

Aparenty Burke was in the builiding last night but I would say that Hartely has the final lineup choice here and is more culpable. Knowning Henrik is injured and that Torts would be forced to counter with a different line quite probably the 4th says it all.

Agreed. I'll admit I'm reaching here when I'm theorizing that Burke is forcing choices like this down Hartley's throat. But, again, the Flames were actually (to me at least) a pretty small, speedy team before Burke ditched Feaster and Weisbrod. Burke's answer to everything is "get bigger, get slower, get tougher."

Then again with guys like Cammalleri out Hartley may have thought this was his only way of subduing a team he really had no chance against. And unfortunately, it worked to a certain extent.

Also: Peter Gammons is a complete tool.

Kellan Lain makes history,

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Frigging hell, I looked over at the TV at my friends and saw the start. Westgarth and Bieksa lined up as the draw? If Bieksa did that for his rookie teammate, that's a great move.

What happened with the second sequence? Did a Vancouver player just start wailing away on Bouma before he got his gloves off? His face was all bloody.

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

Kerry Fraser with his take on how the line brawl should have been prevented.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=441637

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

I love Torts.

Hartley is fucking bush league.

And I love Burrows, even the haters have to admit that he has a flair for originality seldom seen in hockey, his taunting of SOB and his predilection for the old bent elbow was absolutely classic using his glove to mock SOB's chugging

http://vansunsportsblogs.com/2014/01/19/alex-burrows-chugs-his-glove-to-chirp-shane-obrien-retains-chirping-title-video/

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Good read in Canucks Army by former NHLer turned blogger Brian Sutherby. Figures based on history in NHL Tort's definitely did the right thing so FU PJ Stock

http://canucksarmy.com/2014/1/20/player-selection

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Brooksie on team 1040 now - pretty much laying blame on Hartley except for the corridor incident which is all Torts - though he questions why there was no one there to protect Torts from himself (which always happend at MSG).

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GO CANUCKS GO!

Hartley is one of those 'rabid dog' guys with enforcers. He expects them to be violent, and keeps them on the bench until such moment is required. It's an awful strategy on so many levels. He generally doesn't have the respect of his enforcers. He doesn't care, either.

That being said, Vancouver's recent actions have to be considered here. This is the type of violence they've displayed in recent games, so teams that have that at their disposal are going to challenge them.

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb

I remember him being a shithead at times with his enforcers in Atlanta.

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

To beat the Flames? Really? Respectfully, I don't think that washes as something to be considered.

I put more credence in the theory that Hartley wanted to prove team toughness to Burkie.

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GO CANUCKS GO!