NHL and other ice hockey discussion

[samarchepas]

Look at what happened here in Denver....we got a very good team when the Nordiques came and they then became a great team with the Roy trade. The team was great for years and years and won 2 Stanley Cups (the first one was the first pro championship for the city of Denver even) and now that the team has been bad for a few years, NOBODY goes to the games. The Avalanche are 27th in attendance this year, 23rd last year, 24th the year before, and 27th the year before that. And that's with some good young talent and 2 Stanley Cups.

An expansion team would fail within 2 years.

COULD be different in Canada, because there is less alternatives AND because its the national sport (Not saying that it wouldn't fail...but saying it would in just 2 years is way too fast to say...make that 5 years.)
I'll take a Canadian exemple here, Winnipeg that got their team back, attendance is great now and its the 2nd season in Winnipeg even if the team ain't doing great...will it be the same in 5 years if the team ain't winning then? All we can do to judge that is wait and see. About the Avs, its one of the teams that REALLY got hurt by the 2004-2005 lockout. (And the last one didn't help)

[Teh One Who Knocks]

You're 100% right about the Avs being hurt by the last lockout before this years....they haven't been the same team ever since.

Plus there have been some bad personnel moves in the front office that hasn't really helped a whole lot either.

[RBP]

Best start in NHL history. Like Ever.

[samarchepas]

Best start in NHL history. Like Ever.

While this is an amazing record right there, just like the Pats when they did 16-0...if you don't win the championship at the end of the year...its not worth shit

[RBP]

28 save whitewash baby. 15-0-3. Amazing.

[Godfather]

While this is an amazing record right there, just like the Pats when they did 16-0...if you don't win the championship at the end of the year...its not worth shit

At least the stats are in the Hawks favor here (not that hockey stats ever amount to shit). The teams with the now 2nd & 3rd best starts both won the cup.

[Godfather]

They don't have a long term vision (The NHL)...will most likely look at expansions more than moving teams to make profit now (They kept the Coyotes in Phoenix because of the POTENTIAL money they could make at some point...while losing 20M$ every year)

It's so idiotic it hurts. The plans for a new organization with 4 Conferences, two with 8 teams and two with 7, is an obvious sign the league is setting up to expand to 32 teams. Time to get current NHL & NHLPA management out before the league starts to go into decline. Just look at the caliber of the worst NHL teams and the worst NHL markets. The league would benefit financially and in terms of the 'product' if there were only 26 teams.

At very least, I hope the NHL stays the same size, and Columbus and Phoenix are moved to better markets (Seattle, Quebec, Hamilton... anywhere north really)

[RBP]

In OT.. streak continues

[Godfather]

Unbelievable They're going to clinch a playoff spot like halfway through the season

[RBP]

And they win!

[samarchepas]

Now that I think of it...Habs GM Marc Bergevin was assistant GM of the Hawks last year so both his former team and his current team are 1st in their respective conference...wow

[samarchepas]

Flyers announced that they have acquired Simon Gagne from LA in a trade for a 4th round pick

[DemonGeminiX]

Welcome home, Simon.

[samarchepas]

!!!! The Montreal Canadiens have traded forward Erik Cole to the Dallas Stars in exchange for forward Michael Ryder and a 3rd round pick in 2013. (WTF IS GOING ON TODAY?!?! )

[DemonGeminiX]

!!!! The Montreal Canadiens have traded forward Erik Cole to the Dallas Stars in exchange for forward Michael Ryder and a 3rd round pick in 2013. (WTF IS GOING ON TODAY?!?! )

Is that a good trade?