Man, he's gonna look awesome in Florida after they trade him for Kulikov.
- Jsaquella

You love doing this

Man, he's gonna look awesome in Florida after they trade him for Kulikov.
- Jsaquella

Do it, ob, do it!

Oshawa highlights from last night (Laughton scored the 2nd & 3rd goals with an assist on the 4th)

http://www.ontariohockeyl...ec4bcb87bc09947dbe99dd47d
- ob18

Raining teddy bears. Oh yeah.

Agreed. The NHL seems to be doing pretty good, short of those stupid strikes and using 'Metropolitan' as a division name.

You alluded earlier to what you thought the biggest problem in the NHL is, but maybe I missed you say specifically? Over-expansion? Franchises in less than optimal regions?
- wolfhounds

Just general short sightedness, going for the fast cash grab rather than the long term health of the league.

I use the Espo example because it was a case of a guaranteed $50 now without much consideration given to the long term ramifications of a team in Florida.

Look at the last two CBAs. Byy year 4 of the last one the salary floor was above the first year's cap and it looks like it could be the case with the current CBA eventually. There will be some teams that have to add big contracts to secondary players just to reach the floor, or grab dead cap space in trades, like the Isles did with Tim Thomas.

You love doing this
- ob18

Yes. It's actually more enjoyable than Kukkonen bashing

The problem lies more with how inept the NHL is at finding competent owners, and how inept GM's hired by those inept owners are capable of destroying the product in its infancy, than any inherent limitations of the market.

Winnipeg looks fine so far, but it might not even necessarily be a better long-term fit for the league than any of the southern markets. If the exchange rate goes in the US's favor again, or the team continues to stink, there is a high % that the team could fail again. The margins are razor thin for them, even under the best of circumstances.

Meanwhile, you've created essentially zero new hockey fans by going up there... the game isn't growing. You've got some short-run revenue growth, but you've gained very little for the future.
- Tomahawk

Interesting point. I wouldnt put Winnipeg alone in this context, if the league continues to increase its salary cap, even without increasing the salary floor, it will simply be a return of the "have" teams having more of an advantage of the "have not teams". Being able to compete financially allows the smaller market clubs to at least be on more of an equal footing. Once you lose that...

I thought the whole point all along was for more parity. Say what you will, but this trickles down to the community club level. Hockey itself, is quickly becoming a rich man's sport, imo.

I like a league where there is parity, even if the product is maybe a bit too watered down. Instead of 6 teams running the show, which things seem to be moving toward.

Raining teddy bears. Oh yeah.
- wolfhounds

All go to charity, believe they collected over 5,500 last night.....it goes on around all junior hockey.

Yes. It's actually more enjoyable than Kukkonen bashing
- Jsaquella

You really did eat paint chips didn't you.

The interesting thing being, what were the last two lockouts about, especially the last one?

Wasn't it that the player salaries were too high? Now they will rocket more than ever?

The interesting thing being, what were the last two lockouts about, especially the last one?

Wasn't it that the player salaries were too high? Now they will rocket more than ever?
- flyer_nutter

The last three work stoppages have been about one thing-the owners taking a bigger share of the Hockey Related Revenue pool.

Honestly, Nichuskin didn't impress me all that much. He looked very good during the Flyers' meltdown, but otherwise I didn't notice anything but his size. I wouldn't say he looked bad, but he also didn't look like the second coming of Malkin as some had alluded to.
- jmatchett383

You obviously do not have much hockey sense not to recognize a 18 year old kid dominating the boards with his big body, able to fit in nicely with two experienced star players and keep up and not look out of place. The kid is going to be elite, book it. Try watching a few Stars games and you may notice him, instead of being a homer and nothing else exists...

All go to charity, believe they collected over 5,500 last night.....it goes on around all junior hockey.
- ob18

It was awesome looking. I'd really enjoy seeing some OHL level games.

Did you see how much the tickets cost for the Frozen Four in Philly in 2014?

Wait a second.... McGinn was recalled, and Rinaldo is playing tonight after his clown show last game?

It was awesome looking. I'd really enjoy seeing some OHL level games.

Did you see how much the tickets cost for the Frozen Four in Philly in 2014?
- wolfhounds

No but I imagine it's high.

I know you could probably get season tickets to a few junior teams for the cost.

The NHL can't find Compentent Owners in these cities because Compentent Owners arent going to invest in a Market not able to sustain a team, and the NHL will not allow Compentent Owners that want to buy the team to relocate it to an area that will make the owners money.
- youarewrong

Was San Jose/Bay Area a viable hockey market just 20-years go? No. They had a team before (Seals) that couldn't get fans into the building... they lost that team to Cleveland. The NHL could have easily pulled the plug on the Bay Area, but they stuck with that market due to its potential, and the Sharks are now one of the most stable franchises on the West Coast.

The NHL doesnt need to develop new fans. The NHL is growing at a fast enough pace. What wouldnt hurt is putting the NHL into markets where there is already hockey fans, but no local hockey teams... Like Seattle or Portland... That is why Winnipeg is doing well, and will continue to do well. They are on a margin right now because thier arena seats the fewest amount of ppl in the entire league... They need a larger arena.
- youarewrong

Have you been to either of Seattle or Portland? Hockey is very very very far down on the list of things people care about... the Thunderbirds only attract about 4k fans and Winterhawks 6k per game respectively. If the NHL decides to go there, it's for the very same reason why they went to Miami and Phoenix... to grow the footprint and reach new fans.

Also, I wouldnt worry about the CAD picking up its price over the USD anytime soon, at least not in the next 4 years.
- youarewrong

What are you, a currency speculator?

What are you, a currency speculator?
- Tomahawk

No, probably just a republican

Wait a second.... McGinn was recalled, and Rinaldo is playing tonight after his clown show last game?
- PLindbergh31

Ugh

Wait a second.... McGinn was recalled, and Rinaldo is playing tonight after his clown show last game?
- PLindbergh31

Ready for the snooze-fest?

Ottawa being D first and lacking firepower as well.

[quote=Tomahawk]/quote]

Regarding Seattle/PDX, I hear what you are saying, but I think if there was a pro NHL sports franchise in either of those places, it would do very well. It is amazing that PDX, for its size, only has 1 pro team (excluding the Timbers, who themselves are at the forefront of MLS attendance).

Was San Jose/Bay Area a viable hockey market just 20-years go? No. They had a team before (Seals) that couldn't get fans into the building... they lost that team to Cleveland. The NHL could have easily pulled the plug on the Bay Area, but they stuck with that market due to its potential, and the Sharks are now one of the most stable franchises on the West Coast.




Have you been to either of Seattle or Portland? Hockey is very very very far down on the list of things people care about... the Thunderbirds only attract about 4k fans and Winterhawks 6k per game respectively. If the NHL decides to go there, it's for the very same reason why they went to Miami and Phoenix... to grow the footprint and reach new fans.




What are you, a currency speculator?
- Tomahawk

Seattle Thunderbirds are currently at an average of 3,823 per game
Portland Winterhawks are currently at an average of 6,957 per game

http://chlcluster.leagues...-report/daily-report.html

Seattle Thunderbirds are currently at an average of 3,823 per game
Portland Winterhawks are currently at an average of 6,957 per game

http://chlcluster.leagues...-report/daily-report.html
- ob18

That Winterhawks average looks pretty good to me, about 1/3 what the Flyers pull.

That Winterhawks average looks pretty good to me, about 1/3 what the Flyers pull.
- wolfhounds

Tops in the OHL

London 9,000 per game

http://chlcluster.leagues...-report/daily-report.html

QMJHL

Quebec 8,905 per game

http://chlcluster.leagues...-report/daily-report.html

No but I imagine it's high.

I know you could probably get season tickets to a few junior teams for the cost.
- ob18

Each all-session package includes two tickets. One ticket to the two semifinal games on Thursday, April 10 and one ticket to the national championship game on Saturday, April 12.

So not two tickets per game, but rather two tickets total - one for the semis, and one for the finals. So you either go alone or you buy two packages...

Lowest Cost: $205 per package.

So not two tickets per game, but rather two tickets total - one for the semis, and one for the finals. So you either go alone or you buy two packages...

Lowest Cost: $205.
- wolfhounds

Haha season tickets to Erie are $476

Haha season tickets to Erie are $476
- ob18

Yeah, but it involves going to games in Erie.