Winter Classic - Sabres vs. Penguins

[jjreason]

Ooops - gotta check the stats, jj. I thought the Blues were under .500 and that the Blackhawks were doing well - but a quick check of the old standings reveals that's not the case at all.

[Ran]

http://www.spectorshockey.net/index.php ... 9&Itemid=2

EXPANSION INTO CANADA
Wednesday, 23 January 2008 11:21
The NHLPA’s new executive director Paul Kelly recently endeared himself to Canadian hockey fans by suggesting the NHL should look toward Canada rather than the United States for future expansion.

“"The six Canadian franchises do so well, they pack the buildings, get great TV, great revenue streams. If you put another team up there, be it in Nova Scotia or Hamilton, it would be more of the same”, he recently told the Palm Beach Post.

Among the NHL cities that Kelly claimed were “anxious” to get an NHL team were Seattle, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Houston.

“Before we go into places like Kansas City or Las Vegas”, I really think we should be looking at one of these great Canadian cities.”

Of course expanding into a Canadian market would be a great idea. Winnipeg and Quebec City had previously shown they were capable of carrying NHL franchises, and those which once resided there (the Jets and Nordiques respectively) were very popular.

The only reason those two clubs relocated to the United States to become the Phoenix Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche was because the-then owners of those teams were unable to get new arena deals from the cities of Winnipeg and Quebec City.

Sure, it sounds like common sense to bring one or two new franchises back into Canada where they’d be pretty much guaranteed to do well.

It’s popular for Canadian hockey fans to pillory NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman for his seeming unwillingness to put a new team into Canada. Many folks point to his rumored blocking of the sale of the Nashville Predators to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who made no secret of his intention to relocate the Preds to Hamilton, Ontario.

It’s merely conjecture (albeit strong) that Bettman deliberately blocked the sale of the Predators to Balsillie, but if he did so as rumored it wasn’t done out of malice or spite toward Canada or its hockey fans.

Balsillie trod on a lot of toes amongst the NHL board of governors – as well as Bettman’s – with his perceived arrogance and barely disguised intentions to move the Predators instead of giving them a chance to survive in Nashville.

Had Balsillie trod more lightly, and been perhaps more respectful, he might’ve gotten his Preds and within a couple of years might’ve found the excuses needed to whisk them to Hamilton.

Another factor blocking Balsillie’s efforts is the fact that Hamilton is in what the mighty (in terms of franchise value) Toronto Maple Leafs consider their backyard.

Previous owners of the Leafs attempted to block efforts to move franchises to Buffalo in 1970 and Ottawa in 1992, fearful that those teams might siphon off some of their fan support in Southern Ontario.

It’s been long believed every Leafs owner from Harold Ballard to Steve Stavros to Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment have prevented every attempt to put an NHL franchise in Hamilton despite the presence of an NHL caliber arena in the city.

Ironic, isn’t it, that Canada’s richest NHL franchise would block the league’s efforts to bring another franchise to Canada?

The Leafs have fought every attempt to move a team to Hamilton and they’ll fight every attempt again, and since they’re not only Canada’s most financially successful franchise but also the NHL’s most valuable franchise, the opinion of MLSE carries considerable weight.

As for Winnipeg, the MTS Centre largely addresses the issue of an NHL-caliber arena, although it would require boosting it’s current seating capacity up from 15,000.

But what’s really lacking to bring the NHL back to Winnipeg is ownership. Hockey fans, pundits and folks within the NHL have talked about the possibility of returning the Jets to Winnipeg, but there’s yet to be any one person or group willing and able to step up and pay the estimated $180 million expansion fee.

And until someone or some group is willing to do so, the return of the NHL to Winnipeg remains a dream.

Indeed, to bring an NHL franchise to a city not called Hamilton requires deep pocketed ownership and a willingness to spend.

It’s pointless to make noise about expanding back into Canada if there’s no ownership willing to get into the bidding for one.

And quite frankly, there really aren’t many markets in Canada that could support an NHL franchise. Halifax, Nova Scotia? Market’s too small. Quebec City? No potential owners and no NHL arena. Saskatoon? No potential owners willing to spend.

Apart from Hamilton and Winnipeg no other markets are available in Canada for NHL teams.

That’s hardly the fault of Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League.

If the NHL has to expand, I'd hope it would be to Canada.

[Diabolical]

Expansion could kill the NHL right now.
Promotion and relocation is the way to go.

[Ran]

I'd rather not see expansion either. I heard an interview with Gary Bettman recently, and it doesn't sound like the league is talking about expansion. It is more of a media fabrication. The sale of Tampa is in trouble right now. Maybe they could be the first candidate for relocation.

The AHL needs to expand. There are only 29 teams right now, so Buffalo and Florida are sharing the minor league team in Rochester.

[Antropov]

Expansion would work, but I think it would HAVE to be in a Canadian market. Hamilton seems a bit too small, IMO, and too close to Toronto, Detroit and Buffalo, arguably three of the biggest fanbases, to gain a following in the short run.

[Antropov]

Part of Shane Doan's post game interview on FSN Arizona Tuesday night. Its short, but if you want to cut to the chase, fast forward to the 25 second mark.

[Ran]

I'll have to watch it tonight when I get home.

I heard an interview with Don Cherry this morning. The interviewer asked him about the All-Star game and all the injuries to Crosby, Heatly, and the abscence of Loungo and Brodeur. Cherry babbled on for a minute before he slipped in "its a suck game anyway" at the end of his response.

[Antropov]

Cherry babbled on for a minute before he slipped in "its a suck game anyway" at the end of his response.

This year I would have to agree with him. On top of all the stars either too hurt to play or opting to sit out, the initial exclusion of Malkin and the eventual inclusion of Scott "Six games and I make the All Star team?! Sweet!" Niedermayer (over other D-men like Brian "Career Year" Rafalski) put a sour taste in my mouth about the whole thing. I like fan voting for the most part (as it tends to be accurate and inclusive) but these are pretty egregious.

The rookie game this year stands to be a joke. From NHL.com:

the two YoungStars teams "will play two six-minute periods of running time. One faceoff will start each period. If the puck leaves the ice, another will get thrown on. If a team scores, the three players have to retreat to their defensive side of center ice before attacking again. For a team to be declared the victor, it will have to win each period.

And since the rookie goalie pool is so shallow, the regular East and West goalies are getting the "honor" of playing in this game. The Fanhouse hit the nail on the head:

As a Devils fan, the last thing I want to see is an overworked Marty Brodeur stretching to stop Kane/Mueller 2-on-1's

I don't blame Marty or Luongo for sitting it out.

[Ran]

I was wonderign what they were going to do for the Young Stars game. There aren't any young goalies because the league doesn't want to screw them up. Goalies are sensitive, you know.

Another funny thing is that neither of the #2 vote getters for goalies were selected for the game. Rangers fans are pissed Tim Thomas is going instead of Lundquist.

[Ran]

European league bench clearing brawl, anyone?

http://view.break.com/435244

[Diabolical]

Awesome! Looks like a scene from a European Slapshot remake.

[Ran]

I'm not sure what country that is from, but you know what would make that video better? Commentary from the Sweedish Chef.

[jjreason]

The officials had no clue... they're looking around at each other like "I dunno... whata you wanna do?" instead of getting anybody off the fucking ice. What a shit show.

[Antropov]

Did anyone else get a sense of sweet, sweet karma when Jarrko Ruutu put Kovulchuk out the other night? That was pretty much the EXACT same hit Ilya made last month and that bitch was slapped on the wrist for it while the league all but crucified Ruutu.

Still, I thought Kovulchuk got his come-uppance.

BTW, 12 days until I get to see the Wings take on the Blue Jackets!

[Diabolical]

BTW, 12 days until I get to see the Wings take on the Blue Jackets!

You cock sucker.