We could always bring back Pro Beach Hockey.
- jmatchett383

I used to play in the mens leagues with a great local player who ended up playing in the pro beach roller hockey league-Ray Matz. Of course I have never seen a womans pro beach roller hockey team, but we can dream. From the era of leg warmers and music from the Cars

I thought Downie was pretty good when he didn't have that look of utter confusion on his face. I'm glad they let him walk though.
- BulliesPhan87

I was rooting for Downie to work out here, but it just didn't. Was real comfortable with the decision to move on.

Yeah, Shannon Szabados won the Alberta Junior A league equivalent of the Vezina way back when... she played a couple of games in a minor pro league too recently... didn't fare too badly.

But against NHL'ers? 5'9 150... ain't happening.
- Tomahawk

I know Manon "God damn you are hot" Rheaume played a preseason game or two for TB, but that was more a publicity stunt than anything.

I was rooting for Downie to work out here, but it just didn't. Was real comfortable with the decision to move on.
- johndewar

He played a great 10 games or so, then realized he was Steve Downie.

We could always bring back Pro Beach Hockey.
- jmatchett383

Never heard of it, but my brain conjures visions of some kind of 90s MTV program.

We could always bring back Pro Beach Hockey.
- jmatchett383

The ramps, lol.

I have a question for you. How do you feel about "boys" and "girls" or "men" and "women" segregated teams? If a woman was ever good enough to play on a "men's" team, shouldn't men be allowed to play on a "woman's" team?

My solution would be to not have gender assigned, and the best players make the team.
- jmatchett383

We had a few good women hockey players who would play with the OT/C players. of course if they were tall and willowy, like one in particular, she could skate , pass and shoot at a high level, but her center of gravity undid her,as just leaning on her she would occasionally topple over. Shorter is better for this game for stability

LEINO!
- JAKEw1234

IT'S ALL HAPPENING!

http://observer.theguardi...m/story/0,,543962,00.html
- Tomahawk

That's a nice article.

If a woman had the opportunity to grow and play in men's leagues her entire career, she would have a better chance. I think the physical sports like hockey would be more difficult.

I could see a woman being able to keep up with a smaller mens college basketball team. Women are routinely better shooters than men.

Never heard of it, but my brain conjures visions of some kind of 90s MTV program.
- BulliesPhan87

It was the late 90's on ESPN. It was a 4- or 6-team league. It was a rink built on a beach. There were ramps behind both nets and there was a 3-point line. It was pretty bad.

Yeah, Shannon Szabados won the Alberta Junior A league equivalent of the Vezina way back when... she played a couple of games in a minor pro league too recently... didn't fare too badly.

But against NHL'ers? 5'9 150... ain't happening.
- Tomahawk

5'9 150.....You'd need, like, two of her to be one Anders Lindback.

It was the late 90's on ESPN. It was a 4- or 6-team league. It was a rink built on a beach. There were ramps behind both nets and there was a 3-point line. It was pretty bad.
- jmatchett383

Not worse than the garbage MLB at Citizens Bank Park they offer up these days?

The ramps, lol.


- Tomahawk

Oh, I do remember that.

Please NO Leino.
I hope Hextall does something!
I did not imagine going into this year with the same team as last year, minus Hartnell!
- 3flyerkids

With Hayes, Mueller, Winnik, and Booth gone, I don't think there's anyone left on the market that I would want them to pursue. We are the same team minus Hartnell and Gill. But we also added Umberger, Shultz, and Bellemare. They will help give us depth, discipline, speed, and defensive soundness. Overall I would say we lost a tiny bit of scoring depth but added to other very important aspects of the team.

Not worse than the garbage MLB at Citizens Bank Park they offer up these days?
- Steelmanpa

That franchise is like, a month away from going back to the days of offering cheap seats to the games in packs of hot dogs.

That's a nice article.

If a woman had the opportunity to grow and play in men's leagues her entire career, she would have a better chance. I think the physical sports like hockey would be more difficult.

I could see a woman being able to keep up with a smaller mens college basketball team. Women are routinely better shooters than men.
- PhillySportsGuy

I cant. They just dont have the same physical skills.

Any good high school boys basketball team would demolish the WNBA champs. Good shooter or not, her shots would be blocked more often than not. Nor could she out rebound or out quick any of them.

That franchise is like, a month away from going back to the days of offering cheap seats to the games in packs of hot dogs.
- johndewar

Those concession/franchise owners with the high priced rents and overpriced food are going to be pretty unhappy soon. They stand a better chance of making things change there than the fans not showing up.

That's a nice article.

If a woman had the opportunity to grow and play in men's leagues her entire career, she would have a better chance. I think the physical sports like hockey would be more difficult.

I could see a woman being able to keep up with a smaller mens college basketball team. Women are routinely better shooters than men.
- PhillySportsGuy

Basketball, tennis, figure skating, ping pong, go on down the line... it's just really tough for 99.9% of women to compete against dudes on a level playing field professionally.

With that said, though... I'd love to see some 6'4 amazon hockey prodigy blaze a trail to the NHL and become a star... if only to see Milbury and Cherry's faces when it happens.

IT'S ALL HAPPENING!
- johndewar

Please NO Leino.
I hope Hextall does something!
I did not imagine going into this year with the same team as last year, minus Hartnell!
- 3flyerkids

I liked last season's team. I think we would have benefited greatly by heading into next season with the same roster, plus having MacDonald for a full season. Had I known Downie could be signed for one million for one year, that's a deal I would have absolutely considered. I thought Downie was that good with Couturier and Read. Of course health is an issue with him now but one year for one million seems like a small price to pay if he could have repeated his play with Couturier and Read.

That franchise is like, a month away from going back to the days of offering cheap seats to the games in packs of hot dogs.
- johndewar

They had a short-term bandaid to keep people coming in droves for an extra year or two, but they're going to suffer more losses in the long-run since they have no viable prospects to play when the veterans move on/retire.

Basketball, tennis, figure skating, ping pong, go on down the line... it's just really tough for 99.9% of women to compete against dudes on a level playing field professionally.

With that said, though... I'd love to see some 6'4 amazon hockey prodigy blaze a trail to the NHL and become a star... if only to see Milbury and Cherry's faces when it happens.
- Tomahawk

I liked last season's team. I think we would have benefited greatly by heading into next season with the same roster, plus having MacDonald for a full season. Had I known Downie could be signed for one million for one year, that's a deal I would have absolutely considered. I thought Downie was that good with Couturier and Read. Of course health is an issue with him now but one year for one million seems like a small price to pay if he could have repeated his play with Couturier and Read.
- SuperSchennBros

Again, outside of a 10-game stretch, what over the last 4 months of the season showed you that Downie was anything but an anchor holding back that 3rd line? He was a net negative. If he was really injured to the extent that it affected his play that badly, it would have been in the best interest of both himself and the team to sit out and get healthy. He was nothing but completely atrocious last season.

I cant. They just dont have the same physical skills.

Any good high school boys basketball team would demolish the WNBA champs. Good shooter or not, her shots would be blocked more often than not. Nor could she out rebound or out quick any of them.
- MBFlyerfan

I wouldn't go that far. Any D1 college team would probably beat them though.

I was rooting for Downie to work out here, but it just didn't. Was real comfortable with the decision to move on.
- johndewar

I actually believe the team missed Downie down he stretch. He had his good and bad games but I feel nobody played better with Read and Couturer then Steve Downie. Keep in mind the poor guy took a number of head shots this season, this should be considered. There really shouldn't be much of a knock against his play before these injuries.