Take a never-ending well of hockey fans. Add 5 questions that almost everyone will have an opinion on. What do you get? Well, take a look….
If you’re interested in jumping in next time, we’ll be hosting #PuckChat on Twitter every Thursday. You can get an idea of what to expect here. We’ll have a morning session—and then an evening session for those who prefer to participate when they’re a little more awake. We’ll take the tweets from both sessions and put all the responses here.
So without further ado, here’s what the masses think!
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Question #1: Give us the best nickname in the league… (past or present):
ana_marai: Jonathan “Tazer” Toews. Because it helped me learn how to pronounce his name.
Baroque97: “Pocket Rocket.”
bluejacketsbabe: The Russian Rocket Pavel Bure!
Bytor2112: Marty “Floppin like a Flounder” Havlat
bzarcher: “Clitter”
CanuckKayli13: For a player? #Jockstrapjesus. Only #Canucks fans will get that one. Hah!
damnitjason: Easy – Chris Pronger used to called Jaromir Jagr “Puffnuts.”
Devsfan55: John “Murdersaurus” Scott
dmoody46: As Jeremy Roenick called him on NHL Live last week, Roman “The King of Quit” Cechmanek.
EliseMichelle: Still a fan of “The Bulin Wall” – Nikolai Khabibulin
FightNightatJoe: Goldie “The Cinnamon Bearcat” Prodger
FTFsTCY: Niclas Wallin = Hamburgers
Hawgs38: Rocket Richard, Johnny “Pieface/Pie” McKenzie, Terry “Taz”(Tasmanian Devil) O’Reilly
Hockette: WAIVABLE © for Miettinen.
icebaby20: “The Dominator” (Hasek)
Jeremy1026: Moose! (Johan Hedberg)
JimNeveau: Jonathan “Captain Serious” Toews
kevinmfay: The Finnish Flash
latoya12: Doug Gilmour’s nickname “killer”because he looked like charles manson haha
LetThereBeLH: no nickname was ever better than an old-time awful goaltender – Steve Buzinski, The Puck Goes Inski
mlse: Optimus Reim for James Reimer
NonAmericanHero: James Reimer: Optimus Reim
OhMySwed3: I’m going so going with my player, Crankshaft
OhMySwed3: New one – Jack “Mother F*cking” Johnson
opiatedsherpa: Dave “the Hammer” Schultz.
patriceleonard: Dave Brown/Darryl Stanley—Bruise Brothers
patty_in_dallas: Minnie (Brenden Morrow), because Mo was taken so Verbeek called him Mini-Mo.
puckjim: Ed “Boxcar” Hospodar
QueenCrash: MURDERSAURUS FOR JOHN SCOTT!
ReinaDeLaIsla: Captain Serious, of course.
RENYAtini: HalakNess Monster
rjoconnell: The Russian Rocket
SCrociata: Cody “Highlander” McLeod
shmermel: Sharky!
SpeakoftheDevs: Phil “Last” Kessel
talkendo: Pat Verbeek “The Little Ball of Hate”
Tapeleg: Chicoutimi Cucumber
Texas_Gal: Well since I just learned about Joffrey Zoolander, I gotta go with that.
Toby98: “Chief” always works , as in Berube
toddsjeep4x420: Andre “Red Light” Raciot
UndeRadar: I always enjoyed Chris “Knuckles” Nilan & of course as a #NYRangers fan, “The Messiah” Mark Messier
WvadsaDicfoure: Clarence “Screaming Buffalo” Swamptown
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Question 2: What’s the toughest Division in the NHL this year?
atanguaypass: Pacific! Crazy tight this year
betterthanadee: Pacific. No questions asked. All playoff-caliber teams. Throw them in the East, and they’ll be even more dangerous.
bluejacketsbabe: Pacific!
CanuckKayli13: I’m saying the Pacific. It’s really close in terms of points
CouchTarts: Pacific
damnitjason: Which one is your mom in, cause it’s impossible to score on her.
dmoody46: Pacific. Not the best division, but definitely the most competitive. Only 6 pts separating first and last place.
EliseMichelle: If we’re defining toughest by evenly matched, good competition, Pacific.
explodingsnapzz: Northeast and Atlantic, obviously, thats where all the goalie fights are at
FightNightatJoe: Pacific 321 points total. Most in the league
gimmeapuck: The Pacific Division gives me anxiety on a nightly basis now!
hellohappyworld: Pacific Division
holly_holl: Pacific. So stressful. #StarsFan
howie9416: thats a good one, maybe the pacific this year
icebaby20: Definitely the Pacific Div-close race!
Jeremy1026: For awhile it was Southern. But now I’d say Pacific is the toughest.
kevinmfay: Toughest to win: Pacific
lilziggy3399: Easy…Pacific
Mikey_Lombardi: Pacific Division
One4theDagger: Western: Central — Eastern: Atlantic
opiatedsherpa: Central Division has five tough buildings to visit.
palindrome713: Considering that the top & bottom teams of the Pacific are separated by only 6 points I’ll go with the Pacific.
PredsOnTheGlass: Pacific – no question
QueenCrash: The one that has to put up with Matt Cooke the most…
reinadelaisla: I wanna say ours (Atlantic Div) because of Pitt and Philly- two of the top four- there. And the Rangers are picking up speed.
RENYAtini: The clusterf$#k known as the Pacific Division
rjoconnell: the Division formerly known as Norris, Central division!
ryansrowdies: pacific division is crazy
SCrociata: Easily Pacific
SensDew19: Pacific or Atlantic (minus NYI)
shmermel: Pacific for sure
SpeakoftheDevs: Same as every other year – Atlantic.
stars_gal: Pacfic, definitely. Wicked tight.
starsfan10_91: The Pacific Division cause they have to deal with a diving Dustin Brown
talkendo: Gotta go with Pacific.
Texas_Gal: Joy Division.
Toby98: Without a doubt Pacific Division , 3 teams all battling for # 1 in division 66,66,65 , and playoff spots
txstarsgirl: Pacific Division for sure..standings so close!!
UndeRadar: Pacific Division, standings wise, with only 6 points separating top & bottom…
ViewFromMySeats: Two nights ago, all 5 Pacific Division teams were in a playoff spot.
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Question 3: Related for the haters: What’s the weakest division this year?
atanguaypass: Northwest…sadly
Baroque97: Atlantic has the worst anchor at the bottom.
CanuckKayli13: Northeast.
crazygirlemy: Northwest
Devsfan55: Northwest
DownGoesSpezza: Atlantic: Philly’s gonna run away with it due to the injuries in PIT
EliseMichelle: Northwest. Womp womp.
explodingsnapzz: Can I say Northeast or will Colin Campbell come after me
FightNightatJoe: The Northeast, though the Atlantic is bad at the bottom too
Hockey_Dad23: northwest Canucks are the only true exception
Hockey_girl75: Weakest division is the northeast, although based on the BOS/MTL game last night, it’s the most fun to watch!
kevinmfay: Northeast or Northwest (other than VAN)
NonAmericanHero: The Northwest, Vancouver’s been dominant and Colorado falling off the face of the earth doesn’t help
OhMySwed3: I’m gonna get crap for this but Northeast. Standings-wise.
One4theDagger: Northeast … I didn’t cheat or skim this time!
opiatedsherpa: I’d say the Northeast, #Bruins are overachieving IMO.
patriceleonard: northeast seems 2 have the most weak teams in it.
PredsOnTheGlass: Close btwn NE and NW
reinadelaisla: ….idek. seems like every division has a team dwelling at the bottom. #copout #iknow
rockarts: The easy answer is the Northwest division but the Wild and Flames have been on hot streaks lately.
sarah_connors: the NORTH LEAST. i love that my team is owning it
SCrociata: Atlantic…Pens without the stars Rangers are so so NYI/NJD have struggled most year
SensDew19: northeast
shmermel: northeast because NJ started playing well in the Atlantic
SpeakoftheDevs: Northwest
stars_gal: I’m going with the Northwest.
starsfan10_91: the Northeast Division
talkendo: Hard to say. Southeast? Maybe Northeast. Dont’ get the northwest hate. Yah, VANs class of the division, but we KNEW that. MIN and CGYs runs have to count for something?
Toby98: Northeast and Central, outside of #flyers and #pens in Atlantic I’m not impressed either ..throw Northwest in there too lol
txstarsgirl: Canucks running away w/ Northwest
UndeRadar: Northwest Division…talk about parity…39! points separating the top to bottom and it’s not even that close.
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Question 4: No ones surprised by the way the NHL handles business/discipline anymore.What change WOULD surprise you?
bluejacketsbabe: If they somehow came up with a dicipline system that made sense!
Bytor2112: Gary Bettman being relevant…
Devsfan55: if they suspended idiots like Avery and Cooke for life
explodingsnapzz: Actual consistency would surprise the crap out of me.
FightNightatJoe: I’d be shocked if they ever showed consistency and/or integrity or stopped making a joke of the sport
goaliemom31: Consistency would surprise me.
habsgirl4life: Consistent reffing.
Hawgs38: Bruins/Habs Winter Classic;NHL moving teams OUT of struggling hockey markets; Uncle Gary w/o Napolean Complex
Hockey_Dad23: fair and even disciplinary action across the board. Not based on popularity/stature.
JustDuncan: Cooke winning lady byng
kevinmfay: Some sort of discipline structure, no more Wheel-O-Justice
mishey22: The refs held accountable for anything
NCCaniac42: if the NHL would call something on Chris ‘The Punk’ Pronger once in awhile. THAT would SURPRISE ME. He got away with 3 2nite.
NonAmericanHero: More structure and consistency w/ Discipline
OhMySwed3: Matt Cooke being suspended for more than 4 games.
opiatedsherpa: Televised discipline hearings… Colie’s Court!
patriceleonard: NHL being concerned 4 its players’ safety & eliminating scum like Cooke/Bertuzzi THAT wld surprise me.
QueenCrash: If they actually ever grew the balls to say “Hey Cooke, GTFO.
reinadelaisla: If they actually decided to take care of blindside hits. Or, if they scrapped the instigator rule.
ryansrowdies: Colie retiring
sarah_connors: Matt Cooke life suspension. The Coyotes moving to Winnipeg/Hamilton instead of constant talk about it.
SCrociata: If the discipline rule became similar to MLB sterioids rules.
SensDew19: Greg Campbell suspension
shmermel: using common sense
stars_gal: Consistency would be swell.
starsfan10_91: the hits to the head
talkendo: Transparency in supplemental discipline. This Star Chamber nonsense has to stop. Take Cooke. Please explain to me what went into that 4 game
suspension. Lay it out for me.
UndeRadar: Surprise me…if the Guardian Project was a success.
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Question 5: SURPRISE! Give us 1 word to describe Matt Cooke:
AFierro21: Douchenozzle
ana_marai: TurdBlossom. (Thanks George W.!)
Baroque97: Repugnantlyloathsome
betterthanadee: Useless-piece-of-garbage.. One very long word.
bluejacketsbabe: Douchebag
Bytor2112: Murdersaurusmeat #Blackhawks
camio87: misunderstood.
CanuckKayli13: Douchey.
damnitjason: I don’t have a word, but I have a gesture or two that could describe him.
dan_offerdahl: 1 word to describe Cooke? inexcusable.
Devsfan55: SCUMBAG
DownGoesSpezza: Dirty
explodingsnapzz: One word to describe Cooke? Post-concussion syndrome. Oh sorry that was two.
happygirl1029: giving you a word to describe Cooke is more than he’s worth
hawknut: No.
Hockette: GreatRoleModelForHisSon that count?
Hockey_Dad23: avery-ish
kevinmfay: Dumb
kstatik “suspended”… =D
MePronger: MEPRONGER, MINI-ME
NCCaniac42: DirtyAsF*ck Matt Cooke.
ODurkin: MARKED.
OhMySwed3: ClasslessPunkWhoDoesntDeserveToBeInTheNHL that count?
opiatedsherpa: Effective. He’s under everyone’s skin.
patriceleonard: #SoonToWishHeHadNeverBeenBornBecausesHeIsAScumSuckingDirtbag
phoch00: McDouchebagsalot
PredsOnTheGlass: Douche
QueenCrash: DirtyAsF*ck
reinadelaisla: ….no.
rinkrebel: I don’t think it would be appropriate for print.
Roose1327: Asshole
ryansrowdies: needstomanup
SensDew19: SUSPENDED!!
shadowfactory: AVERY
sirjordandodge: Varmint.
stars_gal: ASSHAT.
starsfan10_91: how about dirtylittlesh*t
StrictlyRandy: Bertuzzi
talkendo: Thoughtless.
Tapeleg: Disgrace.
tawnilescher: Rotten
Texas_Gal: Doucherocket.
Toby98: AbsoluteScumbag is 1 word, or douchenozzle, I’m indecisive
lol
UndeRadar: Cooke…at times totally EFFECTIVE…at times utterly STUPID.

