Boz
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Post by Boz on May 31, 2011 17:38:54 GMT -5
Dear Atlanta:
No more chances for you.
Sincerely, - Every single NHL fan ever.
PS - Don't blow it this time, Winnipeg.
I think there is definitely a point to be made that Atlanta's ownership group was horrible, failing to build anything resembling a winning franchise in a dozen years. On the other hand, I refuse to exonerate the fans in the city, as ESPN seems to want to do.
Side note: Lotsa' long road trips for the Caps next season, with a divisional opponent 1250 miles away.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on May 31, 2011 17:41:51 GMT -5
I don't understand why they don't just plug Nashville into the Southeast and put Winnipeg into the Central. It's the most sensible quick fix out there.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on May 31, 2011 18:21:12 GMT -5
I don't understand why they don't just plug Nashville into the Southeast and put Winnipeg into the Central. It's the most sensible quick fix out there. I think one reason is they're not 100% sure how long Nashville might be in Nashville. If there are no other franchise moves, I think they will adjust the divisions as you indicate, but it won't happen next season.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 1, 2011 22:40:48 GMT -5
Boychuck is apparently Canadian for turnstile.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Jun 2, 2011 1:12:15 GMT -5
Move 'em all back to Canada or Baja Canada seems to be the current zeitgeist.
Hockey attendance figures and historical franchise locations:
1. Chicago Blackhawks (Original Six) 2. Montreal Canadiens (Original Six) 3. Philadelphia Flyers (1967 expansion) 4. Detroit Red Wings (Original Six) 5. Toronto Maple Leafs (Original Six) 6. Calgary Flames (Atlanta Flames, moved to Calgary in 1980) 7. St. Louis Blues (1967 expansion) 8. Vancouver Canucks (1970 expansion) 9. Buffalo Sabres (1970 expansion) 10. Washington Capitals (1974 expansion) 11. Ottawa Senators (1992 expansion) 12. Pittsburgh Penguins (1967 expansion) 13. New York Rangers (Original Six) 14. Los Angeles Kings (1967 expansion) 15. Minnesota Wild (2000 expansion) 16. Boston Bruins (Original Six) 17. San Jose Sharks (1991 expansion) 18. Tampa Bay Lightning (1992 expansion) 19. Edmonton Oilers (WHA merger) 20. Carolina Hurricanes (WHA merger as Hartford Whalers, moved to Carolina in 1998) 21. Nashville Predators (1998 expansion) 22. Florida Panthers (1993 expansion) 23. Dallas Stars (Minnesota North Stars (1967 expansion), which absorbed the Cleveland Barons, formerly known as the Oakland Seals, moved to Dallas in 1993, Norm Sucks) 24. Colorado Avalanche (Quebec Nordiques (WHA merger), moved to Colorado in 1995) 25. New Jersey Devils (Kansas City Scouts (1974 expansion), Colorado Rockies, moved to New Jersey in 1982) 26. Anaheim Ducks (1993 expansion) 27. Columbus Blue Jackets (2000 expansion) 28. Atlanta Thrashers (1999 expansion, moving to Winnipeg) 29. Phoenix Coyotes (Winnipeg Jets (WHA merger), moved to Phoenix in 1996) 30. New York Islanders (1972 expansion)
Seven of the NHL's bottom 10 teams in terms of attendance are located in the American South or west of the Mississippi River. So what is the guy who pushed the NHL's movement south and west doing these days? Still running the league, you say? I never would have guessed that. What channel are NHL games on again?
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theexorcist
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Post by theexorcist on Jun 2, 2011 9:39:10 GMT -5
The Avalanche and Stars drew very well when they were good. Their lack of ability to draw is a reflection of the team (as opposed to the nitwits in Toronto who spend money to see that failure) rather than the market.
Also of note, San Jose and Tampa Bay are chugging along in the middle of the league, just next to the Bruins.
South and west was a good idea to grow the game - it just was done too much, too soon (cough, cough, Columbus Blue Jackets). Like it or not, Winnipeg is almost required to sell out their building to make money - they have little corporate sponsorship there. If they're mired in 11th three years from now and no fans show up (and there's little chance of attracting free agents to a place so bitterly cold), Winnipeg is in a lot of trouble. Atlanta's bungling is a travesty - such a massive market and they couldn't draw flies because management was a bunch of boneheads. But markets like Atlanta are more competitive for professional sports than markets like Winnipeg.
Of course, none of this obviates the fact that Bettman is a moron.
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theexorcist
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Post by theexorcist on Jun 2, 2011 9:40:54 GMT -5
Oh, one other thing. I've been to Quebec City. Take all my comments about Winnipeg and magnify them - the economy is growing, but it may not be enough to sustain a hockey team.
The best and most probable location is either a second Toronto team or some part of Ontario. There's more money and more demand there.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jun 2, 2011 9:43:35 GMT -5
Boychuck is apparently Canadian for turnstile. Does that make Kesler American for offsides? ;D It was a close play. I thought he was off, but I won't gripe about it, other than my little joke. And even if he was off, doesn't excuse everyone forgetting their assignments. I thought is was a bad game all around for the Bruins D from top to bottom, except for Dennis Seidenberg. Thomas bailed them out many, many times. But overall, I thought it was a fairly even game. Vancouver definitely had the edge, but it was Game 1 and they were at home, so I expected that. Boston had their chances, just couldn't cash in. Credit Luongo, who made some beautiful saves himself.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jun 3, 2011 18:50:54 GMT -5
The best and most probable location is either a second Toronto team or some part of Ontario. There's more money and more demand there. The Leafs will NEVER let that happen. The Leafs rake in huge amounts of money even though they suck because Toronto fans have nobody else to cheer for. If another team moves into the area, the Leafs are going to be in a world of pain. The Toronto market is easily enough to sustain two teams, but not if one of them is a franchise as dreadful as the Leafs. I think the success/failure of a team depends more on the ownership than the market. Carolina has proven that you can succeed in a small, non-traditional market if the ownership is willing to do what it takes. On the flip side, the old North Stars proved that a team can fail in a big, hockey-mad market if the ownership is bad enough.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jun 4, 2011 16:14:47 GMT -5
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jun 6, 2011 21:42:29 GMT -5
This 3rd period has been one of the delightfully nastiest periods of hockey that I've ever seen, and there's still over 8 minutes to go. These teams really don't like each other.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 6, 2011 22:07:30 GMT -5
It's sad since Vancouver is talented enough to not muck around in goonery... but they awoke the sleeping bear. Not a good idea. If Rome is not suspended there will be rioting here in Boston - clearly a head shot from the side against a defenseless player with his head down. No place in hockey for that. None.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jun 6, 2011 22:08:05 GMT -5
Wow. 18 penalties, including 7 misconducts in the 3rd period of a Stanley Cup Finals game. 125 penalty minutes overall for the game.
The Bruins were actually out-shot that game, but Vancouver just looked like a broken team at the end. It'll be interesting to see if that carries over into Game 4.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 6, 2011 22:10:26 GMT -5
Unfortunately Vancouver will benefit from deliberately injuring Nathan Horton - a major loss for Boston as a result of a gutless, dangerous play. I'd be shocked if he was able to play the rest of the series as he clearly had a concussion. Boston local TV reporter spoke with one of the guys taking care of Horton on the ice and he thought he was in Vancouver.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 7, 2011 10:11:07 GMT -5
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jun 7, 2011 11:14:16 GMT -5
If the NHL truly wants to get control of this series, because they don't have it right now, Rome will be suspended for the duration.
If that does not happen, there will be more ugliness. Count on it.
It's insane they didn't give Burrows a one-game suspension after Game 1. And a lot of what is happening in this series is stemming from that. They have a chance to make up for it now. Hope Murphy does not blow it.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 7, 2011 12:11:57 GMT -5
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Post by HometownHoya on Jun 7, 2011 12:29:15 GMT -5
Enough about dirty hits...how about that hit by Timmy Thomas!! ;D
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jun 7, 2011 18:57:23 GMT -5
I don't think Rome's play was exceptionally dirty. It was very late, it was over the line, and it deserved a suspension, but it's not in the same category as Cooke on Savard.
For one thing, it shouldn't have been a blindside hit. If Horton had been looking where he was going, Rome would have hit him head-on. The only reason Horton didn't see it and react to defend himself was that he was looking away at the puck, which is basically the equivalent of having your head down (and guys with their heads down are fair game).
Second, it wasn't delivered as a hit to the head. The injury came appears to have come from Horton's head hitting the ice, not from Rome hitting Horton's head. Rome did end up coming up a bit too high (and Horton brought his body down at the last second), but it wasn't a case of the player deliberately targeting the head.
Given the fact that it was a late, unnecessary hit that was clearly supposed to send a message (although not supposed to injure the player) that caused a severe head injury in a time when head injuries are under the microscope, I think a 4 game suspension is about right. On its own the hit probably deserved a 1-2 game suspension (since Rome has no history of this sort of stuff), but given the need to send a message a bigger suspension was needed.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 8, 2011 23:38:29 GMT -5
Enough about dirty hits...how about that hit by Timmy Thomas!! ;D He followed it up tonight with the "love tap" behind Burrows' knee after the cannibal knocked Thomas' stick out of his hands for the 3rd time.
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