I've often wondered how a hockey mad city, that would be any Canadian city loses their team. Did ticket prices in Quebec, Winnipeg and such just outpace the economies? I don't know what good paying jobs are, in Canada.
- R4Z0R

It was in an era that saw wages for players leap up by a significant amount for starters.

Then you had the fact that the canadian dollar was at an all-time low. Money at the gates was in canadian dollars but player salaries were in american. I don't think there was revenue sharing either at that time. Winnipeg and Quebec had old ass arenas (Quebec still does) and it was too hard to muster up money to break ground on a new arena.

It was in an era that saw wages for players leap up by a significant amount for starters.

Then you had the fact that the canadian dollar was at an all-time low. Money at the gates was in canadian dollars but player salaries were in american. I don't think there was revenue sharing either at that time. Winnipeg and Quebec had old ass arenas (Quebec still does) and it was too hard to muster up money to break ground on a new arena.
- Morris

I was hoping someone up there would get Phoenix. Not knocking their town but I think they've shown there isn't enough interest for a team to flourish and stay that way. Don't think new ownership changes that. I bet there is no city in Canada that would let a team slip away again.

It's fairly prosperous, close to nature, Edmonton and Calgary have more culture and diversity than you'd expect and - shocker - some people like the season of winter.

This coming from a guy who doesn't live in Edmonton, and never has: stop being so damn arrogant.
- Morris

You are farther away and know less about Edmonton than I do. Saying the city has some culture, is fairly prosperous and some people like winter is the worst supporting argument ever for a city. I hope their team does improve someday. They need something to keep the suicide rate down when the 6 hours of daylight and -30 C days start.

Thank God for the Quebec Jr league, there was a question for a long time if Halifax would ever support hockey after the AHL kept leaving.

Not being arrogant, our city and team is slammed much worse everyday in your blogs.

You are farther away and know less about Edmonton than I do. Saying the city has some culture, is fairly prosperous and some people like winter is the worst supporting argument ever for a city. I hope their team does improve someday. They need something to keep the suicide rate down when the 6 hours of daylight and -30 C days start.

Thank God for the Quebec Jr league, there was a question for a long time if Halifax would ever support hockey after the AHL kept leaving.

Not being arrogant, our city and team is slammed much worse everyday in your blogs.
- VopatsRash

I know plenty about the city of Edmonton.

So you see how this works? Richard Cloutier, who doesn't live in Edmonton any more than I do and doesn't speak for anyone else, slams Nasvhille and than you come in with your misplaced aggression and pick fights with whomever you can for what? To show that you're not intimidated by some blogger who - guess what - has checked out of these comments 12 pages ago.

Just tone it down a little bit.

You are farther away and know less about Edmonton than I do. Saying the city has some culture, is fairly prosperous and some people like winter is the worst supporting argument ever for a city. I hope their team does improve someday. They need something to keep the suicide rate down when the 6 hours of daylight and -30 C days start.

Thank God for the Quebec Jr league, there was a question for a long time if Halifax would ever support hockey after the AHL kept leaving.

Not being arrogant, our city and team is slammed much worse everyday in your blogs.
- VopatsRash

What is the unemployment rate in Nashville? What is the average salary? (excluding entertainers)

Most Tim Hortons in Edmonton/area have to bring in foreign workers because locals won't work for that low of a wage. Stony Plain Tim's pays ~$18/hour.

Drouin is our only prospect ? Lightning have one of the best if not the best prospect pools in the league ...

Holy duck man get a clue, this is why you don't blog about teams you know nothing about : you come across as an idiot
- RileyB77

yeah he really does. I know he said its just his biased opinion, but still when you are trying to provide facts that back up your opinions, you look like a total moron because you don't know what you are talking about. Many consider us having the best prospect pool in all the NHL, and we finished top 10 in attendance. but this guy knows what hes talking about, right?

Ok Mr Cloutier...going to pick apart your ignorant comments regarding the Lightning. First off attendance and whether the building will be "half empty or half full".

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/year/2013

That's an average of over 19k people watching a bad hockey team and top 10 average across the entire NHL, but yeah you're right. They only care about oranges and pensions

Next, "prospect-wise, there is Drouin and no one else"

http://www.hockeyprospect...rticle.php?articleid=1553

So a respected site believes the Bolts system is #1 OVERALL yet according to your ill-informed opinion after Drouin we have nothing????

For future reference, if you're going to write something like that at least back up your statements with something of substance, otherwise you make yourself to look like you have a problem with substance abuse
- uf1910

couldn't have said it better myself even though I just said it ^^^^

Things are def looking up for Tampa, but they still arent quite there. You might be a true fan, but you have to agree finding true passionate lightning fans in Tampa is pretty tough, its mostly families with free tickets from work that show up, or companies that bring their clients to close a sale, its not for the love of the game. You also didnt mention how many of those fans in those percentages are road team fans? Every time I went to a flyers game down there it was 3/4 Flyers to 1/4 Lightning fans. This is still recent too, I went to both games last season, and a Rangers game, same thing....
- GOA88

lol shut up you moron. I was at the Lightning/Flyers game at the end of last year and you have your percentages mixed up. Don't try and lie to sound cool.