http://nhl.nbcsports.com/...g-d-man-prospect-butcher/
- Sabresfan-365

What is wrong with them?

Yet you accuse him of the same thing as Couture. The reality is he gets no special treatment. Nearly every analyst said there was no cheating on the draws. Every Center in the league looks for an edge on draws. That is the true reality of it. That also includes Couture. But hey, why should I try to stop you from spreading nonsense not based on facts.
- PittsPens

He'd easily win gold in Rio with his diving repertoire.

What is wrong with them?
- sbroads24

What isn't wrong with them

What is wrong with them?
- sbroads24

They get a easy 2nd round pick right ... The NHL better not reward them

They get a easy 2nd round pick right ... The NHL better not reward them
- GERBE!!!75PTS

College guy though he can just walk right?

Radulov wants 2 years. 7.5 M per


I like radulov but not that much wow

College guy though he can just walk right?
- Sabresfan-365

Looks like your right ..http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/rules/

Colorado can have him

If they would put the (frank)ing games on NBC I bet the ratings would be at least double what they are. Still horrendous for a professional sport championship series, but at least try something. They said on GR the other day that game 1 was watched by ~1/3 of the people that watched American Ninja Warrior in the 9pm? time slot on NBC. That is absolutely pathetic.

For the regular season start airing games on NBC on Friday or Saturday nights. There aren't any good shows on those days anyway. You'd get the people who will watch no matter what and a chit ton of people just flipping around and maybe settle on the game because nothing else is on, and there's probably not much to do in Minneapolis on a Saturday night in February when it's -27 degrees outside.
- Wetbandit1

Preach, brother!
Of course "Larry Butt-man" will get in front of the camera, smulgy smile and say the game is greater than ever and everyone is happy.
Basically, the NHL sold out its fans for ad revenue. The ironic thing is, the advertisers arent going to come running to spend their money on a product that had a 60% drop in viewership. When you have poor or invisible product, why would someone pay to advertise with it?

Preach, brother!
Of course "Larry Butt-man" will get in front of the camera, smulgy smile and say the game is greater than ever and everyone is happy.
Basically, the NHL sold out its fans for ad revenue. The ironic thing is, the advertisers arent going to come running to spend their money on a product that had a 60% drop in viewership. When you have poor or invisible product, why would someone pay to advertise with it?
- seedy

It's not the NHL'S call. It's NBC's. The network paid the league $2 billion to put the games on whatever network it pleases. NBC doesn't put the games on its main network because the ratings just aren't there.

Radulov wants 2 years. 7.5 M per


I like radulov but not that much wow
- GERBE!!!75PTS

How much is he making over in the motherland?

It's not the NHL'S call. It's NBC's. The network paid the league $2 billion to put the games on whatever network it pleases. NBC doesn't put the games on its main network because the ratings just aren't there.
- buffalofan19

It was the NHL's call to contract with "may be we'll show your games" NBC in the first place.
Dont go for the money, billionaires, go for the airtime to show your product.
You're already rich.

What is wrong with them?
- sbroads24

small like barrie

It was the NHL's call to contract with "may be we'll show your games" NBC in the first place.
Dont go for the money, billionaires, go for the airtime to show your product.
You're already rich.
- seedy

nhl is the worst sport at marketing

golf, nascar and ufc do a much better job and a reason why they have leaped the nhl in the last 15 years

nhl is the worst sport at marketing

golf, nascar and ufc do a much better job and a reason why they have leaped the nhl in the last 15 years
- homiedclown

Thats why ESPN chose the world series of poker over the NHL.
NHL got too big for their britches. Now their ratings are plummeting which is going to directly effect their next broadcast contract.
Great plan. Put money in the owners pockets but black everyone out. Makes perfect sense from an entertainment standpoint.

Thats why ESPN chose the world series of poker over the NHL.
NHL got too big for their britches. Now their ratings are plummeting which is going to directly effect their next broadcast contract.
Great plan. Put money in the owners pockets but black everyone out. Makes perfect sense from an entertainment standpoint.


- seedy

putting the winter classic on new years day was big bonehead move

college bowl games have run that day my entire life


should have played it on x mas day

putting the winter classic on new years day was big bonehead move

college bowl games have run that day my entire life


should have played it on x mas day
- homiedclown

They just cant compete with other sports in America and Bettman and the owners refuse to believe it.

They just cant compete with other sports in America and Bettman and the owners refuse to believe it.
- seedy

if the ratings suck with crosby in the finals, you know they are in more trouble than they will admit

if the ratings suck with crosby in the finals, you know they are in more trouble than they will admit
- homiedclown

Exactly.

First Stanley Cup game in SF/Santa Clara/San Jose history got absolutely crushed by the Warriors thunder game 7. A Warriors team that was all but assured to repeat. And both games were on cable, so you can't say "oh well, the NBA game was on ABC." I don't remember the exact ratings, but it was like a mid season rerun episode of "Rules of Engagement" against the "M*A*S*H" finale.

If they're willing to trade there pick for a player I don't see why they'd be willing to move up and lose a player.
- bluengold12

Because the player they value will be selected higher than their pick.
I'm not saying a player they want will be there at 8, but that would be the reason.

First Stanley Cup game in SF/Santa Clara/San Jose history got absolutely crushed by the Warriors thunder game 7. A Warriors team that was all but assured to repeat. And both games were on cable, so you can't say "oh well, the NBA game was on ABC." I don't remember the exact ratings, but it was like a mid season rerun episode of "Rules of Engagement" against the "M*A*S*H" finale.
- Wetbandit1

According to Dreger, Wings will make Jurco or pulkkinen available for the team that takes on the last year of Datsyuks contract.

It would be very very nice to have Stamkos, but do we know if he would come even if we throw the boatload at him? And do we really know he's worth the boatload?

Stamkos is clearly the "get wet" play, but as a "safe" play, Jurco is a hell of a return for agreeing to carry Datsyuk for a year, even knowing it will mean you're out on Stamkos.

According to Dreger, Wings will make Jurco or pulkkinen available for the team that takes on the last year of Datsyuks contract.

It would be very very nice to have Stamkos, but do we know if he would come even if we throw the boatload at him? And do we really know he's worth the boatload?

Stamkos is clearly the "get wet" play, but as a "safe" play, Jurco is a hell of a return for agreeing to carry Datsyuk for a year, even knowing it will mean you're out on Stamkos.
- Der Kaiser

I think the shine wore off of Jurco this past year. 23 years old, only 4 goals in 40 something games.

He's a year older than Joel Armia. Worth a roster spot, but I wouldn't take on 7.5 mil to get him

putting the winter classic on new years day was big bonehead move

college bowl games have run that day my entire life


should have played it on x mas day
- homiedclown

And yet, despite the fact that it was on New Year's Day, the first Winter Classic was the highest rates regular season game in the US the league had. Poor ratings for the Winter Classic aren't because of the day it's on. It's because the novelty of the event has worn off. The poor ratings of the Stadium Series debunk the myth that New Year's Day kills them. Also, the NBA has a quadruple header every Christmas Day. The NHL would still have a big ratings competition it wouldn't be able to win.

First Stanley Cup game in SF/Santa Clara/San Jose history got absolutely crushed by the Warriors thunder game 7. A Warriors team that was all but assured to repeat. And both games were on cable, so you can't say "oh well, the NBA game was on ABC." I don't remember the exact ratings, but it was like a mid season rerun episode of "Rules of Engagement" against the "M*A*S*H" finale.
- Wetbandit1

The Warriors Thunder game was on TNT, not ABC. Only the Finals are on ABC. The NHL has always put 2 games on NBCSN and the rest on NBC since it took over the TV rights back in 2005. This is nothing new.
Cleveland is not out of this series, not by a long shot. Even game 1 showed that the Warriors are goingto have match up problem with Irving and Kevin Love, let alone LeBron.

The NBA has always been more popular than the NHL and will continue to kill the league in ratings, no matter how much marketing or strategic placement of games the NHL does.