Sounds a little bit better than I thought. Do they do a good job of keeping the divisions fairly even? How do they assign talent?
- Sandus

They do their best at keeping the divisions even....Sometimes with more success than others. They will move teams up or down even mid season if it is really out of hand (I know of at least two teams that moved this year about 1/3 of the way in - one had won all its games and the other lost all of its games to that point). The standings might give you a sense.

http://www.hna.com/league...agueID=5766&clientID=2296

Teams are responsible for recruiting their own players but those players then have to go to an evaluation skate to be approved or not based on the team's level or team's anticipated or new level. Teams can also try and pick from open skaters that show up to evaluations which can be people new to town, new to town from other hna leagues, guys who took a lot of time off, etc.

We convinced them to let us take a couple of players last year under the premise that we would move up a division for example.

schedule
http://www.nhl.com/ice/schedulebyweek.htm

They do their best at keeping the divisions even....Sometimes with more success than others. They will move teams up or down even mid season if it is really out of hand (I know of at least two teams that moved this year about 1/3 of the way in - one had won all its games and the other lost all of its games to that point). The standings might give you a sense.

http://www.hna.com/league...agueID=5766&clientID=2296

Teams are responsible for recruiting their own players but those players then have to go to an evaluation skate to be approved or not based on the team's level or team's anticipated or new level. Teams can also try and pick from open skaters that show up to evaluations which can be people new to town, new to town from other hna leagues, guys who took a lot of time off, etc.

We convinced them to let us take a couple of players last year under the premise that we would move up a division for example.
- stljam

Thanks for the info. I'm a free agent for the fall, maybe I'll give them a look.

schedule
http://www.nhl.com/ice/schedulebyweek.htm
- Cup-Bearer

Dear NBC,

Your scheduling sucks. The NHL is not the NBA. Spacing out games will not improve your national numbers. Making games 60 minutes later in the home team's time zones will kill your local numbers. Thanks.

Dear NBC,

Your scheduling sucks. The NHL is not the NBA. Spacing out games will not improve your national numbers. Making games 60 minutes later in the home team's time zones will kill your local numbers. Thanks.
- Sandus

Could be worse, they could schedule the Hawks game at the same time as the NFL draft first round Thursday. Instead the Rangers vs Capitals game 1 will be screwed. Anaheim vs Calgary is late enough to avoid it. I figured they'd avoid having Chicago and New York on Thursday. I was half right.

Decent "playoff" Bickell (well, Anti-Wild Bickell) article.
http://espn.go.com/blog/c...wild-against-wild-in-past

O ya, big time
- 6628

it will never happen though

Dear NBC,

Your scheduling sucks. The NHL is not the NBA. Spacing out games will not improve your national numbers. Making games 60 minutes later in the home team's time zones will kill your local numbers. Thanks.
- Sandus

Yep, more 8:30 games.

Friday's game is not a problem but putting games at 8:30 on school nights leaves my kids missing most of the game. Not a good way to build a fan base.

What's wrong with starting games on the east coast one hour earlier??

Dear NBC,

Your scheduling sucks. The NHL is not the NBA. Spacing out games will not improve your national numbers. Making games 60 minutes later in the home team's time zones will kill your local numbers. Thanks.
- Sandus

did you notice the brilliants at nbc and the nhl didn't really space the games yesterday, forcing one team to only start 30 minutes late, not 90 minutes? Typical east coast bias. Oh well.

We have been invited 2 of the last 3 years and can't get enough guys to go. May have to add another team that is willing to go but dang, it's the most expensive in town.

We lost by a goal in the final in Toronto the last time we went. So maddening and fun at the same time but still left a very bitter ending taste.
- stljam

Hah, know the feeling. We went to Toronto about 5 times, made the finals once and lost in OT to a team from STL. The video of that goal is still lurking on the HNA website....taunting me.

Any news on when the first game's gonna be?

Or are they going to use a "telephone tree" to tell the players to be at the UC in an hour?

I assume game 2 will be Sunday, but afternoon or night?
- StLBravesFan

GM 1 Friday night 930 zest
GM 2 Sun night 830 Est

it will never happen though
- ehawk

That hit was every bit as bad as the hit on Campbell, the guy just hit the boards with his face and not the ice.

The guys I couldn't stand were guys like Derrian Hatcher and Marchment, guys who stuck their knee out when they went to run a guy. Never a place in the game for that.
- 6628

Agreed 66. I hate those hits. its cheap, dirty and can ruin a guy's career. Should be an automatic 10 game suspension for the 1st time.

If you play HNA in Chicago, we might find out in Toronto sometime.
- stljam

My playing days are behind me, Jammer. My knees are shot.

I'll say it... hawks in 5...

It will be a close series... tough ever bit of the way... but Hawks go 3-0 at home and split on the road. That simple. They ARE the "better" team. Better teams win come playoff time. Dubnyk isn't Patrick Roy here...

I'll say it... hawks in 5...

It will be a close series... tough ever bit of the way... but Hawks go 3-0 at home and split on the road. That simple. They ARE the "better" team. Better teams win come playoff time. Dubnyk isn't Patrick Roy here...
- gnosox1986

Get out of here with your optimism.

I'll say it... hawks in 5...

It will be a close series... tough ever bit of the way... but Hawks go 3-0 at home and split on the road. That simple. They ARE the "better" team. Better teams win come playoff time. Dubnyk isn't Patrick Roy here...
- gnosox1986

I hope you are right. I just have a feeling this one could go to the wire and whoever has the most "guts" will win.

Decent "playoff" Bickell (well, Anti-Wild Bickell) article.
http://espn.go.com/blog/c...wild-against-wild-in-past
- MNHawk

If only we played CBJ back in the 2013 Playoffs when Stalberg was on the roster

Does Kronwall finally answer to justice?

Does Kronwall finally answer to justice?


- FourFeathers773

Doubtful. He will be fined.

Decent "playoff" Bickell (well, Anti-Wild Bickell) article.
http://espn.go.com/blog/c...wild-against-wild-in-past
- MNHawk

IF he has a MONSTER series, it goes a long way to being kept next year or getting max return trade value. I can't make up my mind.

IF he has a MONSTER series, it goes a long way to being kept next year or getting max return trade value. I can't make up my mind.
- blackhawk24

Max trade value is what I am hoping for

IF he has a MONSTER series, it goes a long way to being kept next year or getting max return trade value. I can't make up my mind.
- blackhawk24

Gone. I can't take another season of watching him wander around clueless for 65 games anymore.

Gone. I can't take another season of watching him wander around clueless for 65 games anymore.
- Elbows15

If they're going to keep any high dollar wingers not named Kane or Hossa, I'd rather they kept Sharp than Bickell. Probably they will both be gone though, unless Stan shocks everyone and moves C2.

That's talk for anther day though. Three more series to win first.

If they're going to keep any high dollar wingers not named Kane or Hossa, I'd rather they kept Sharp than Bickell. Probably they will both be gone though, unless Stan shocks everyone and moves C2.

That's talk for anther day though. Three more series to win first.
- Ogilthorpe2

Coming from Ogi, now that's really saying something.