2009 NHL Playoff Thread

Yes he did.
The guy was a complete douche about the entire process, essentially giving a big FU to the NHL and the other owners.

Like most sports, the NHL is an old boys network. You don't endear yourself to future partners by stickng it to them or thinking you're the smartest guy in the room

 

Oz,

I've been a Leafs fan since the days of b&w TV, no rink advertising, no goalie masks and wooden sticks. If a new franchise started up, I'd seriously think about season tickets.

 

I can't imagine the Leafs ever allowing another team in that market. They raised all hell when there was talk of a team in Hamilton a couple of years ago. I think Hamilton is as close to Toronto as anyone would dare come.

As for the realignment, I dunno. We already have division teams playing one another six times each.Had this conversation last year with someone when teams played one another 8 times each and then 5 of the 8 first-round matchups were intra-division matchups.

 

As for ESPN, everything changed when they got the NBA rights as part of the ABC deal in 2002-03. Once that happened, the NHL became almost a non-entity to them. That's why they didn't lift a finger to bid on it after the lockout.

The NHL doesn't need ESPN. Not if it is going to be treated as a second-class product. People who want to watch will find a way to watch and those who don't care won't. Honestly, I'd rather see them go to MSNBC or USA or TNT or FSN over ESPN. At ESPN, it would no better than fifth or sixth on the priority list. Ever seen how MLS gets treated?

The NHL needs NBC far more, because no other broadcast network would touch it with a 10-foot pole. CBS has college basketball and golf. ABC has the NBA and college football. Fox has beaseball and auto racing. Where else would NHL games go?

 

Commissioner Mark here:
Listen up, NHLPA. I have some good news for you. Most of you will be home for Mother's Day. Oh, by the way, all of you making $1 million ... you're only gonna make $750,000 next season. You guys making $4 million ... you get $3 million next season.
Step up hockey fans, here's some news for you. I know how excited you all are in Boston and Detroit and Calgary and Washington that your teams all won their divisions. The playoffs are going to be awesome. Oh, by the way, your teams won't be playing for 2 weeks.

 

Cammalleri untouchable? Hardly. He's a UFA.

Flames now are saying Phaneuf was injured from Day 1 of the season and I can't imagine a team saying anything dumber. Why would you let a player go through the regular season injured and be at less than par for playoffs?

Moronic. Buffoonery. Almost like thinking Cammalleri is untouchable.

There's a story circulating that Phaneuf was left behind for a Vancouver trip to deal with a bad lower back. He made the trip to Vancouver himself, showed up at the rink, and demanded to play.

So young to think he's bigger than the team and the game.

GTFO, Dion. Maybe you'll be happier somewhere in California where you can be closer to Sloppy Seconds.

 

Ouch, AMac, that was brutal.

Phaneuf has definitely declined in the last couple of seasons and might be living off the reputation he made with a few big hits. But, then again, maybe he was legitimately injured, too.

 

Exactly right.

If you're looking at a second team in southern Ontario, don't go by the population of Toronto or even of the GTA. Go by the population of the Golden Horseshoe, which stretches all the way around Lake Ontario to St. Catharines-Niagara and includes Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Barrie and Peterborough. Boom - now you've got a population of more than 8 million and climbing fast.

As for the Leafs, if you put the new team far enough outside downtown Toronto - say, Kitchener - there's a good chance it'll be outside the Leafs' 50-mile territory or whatever the limit is. Screw the Leafs....don't give them any indemnification money if you don't have to. Like they need the coin. And maybe.....big maybe here.....some more competition in the southern Ontario market will actually inspire them to, you know, get better.

 

I could live just fine on $750,000 per year, thank you. I expect the salary cap to decrease this season, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Far too many journeymen are grossly overpaid. (Not just hockey, but all sports, baseball being the worst offender.)

And, yeah, the season should be over, or winding down, by Mother's Day. Didn't the Bruins win the Cup on like May 10 or something close to that? Dragging the season into June is absolutely ridiculous. In 2006, the CFL season started before Carolina won Game 7 on June 21.

ALL pro sports seasons are too long now and it's really served to decrease, rather than increase, my interest.

 

Rick, I love most of your post but you are wrong on this. There is a reason that the PA wants a second team in the horseshoe. Who would generate more revenue Hamilton, Kitchner or Nashville. Since the players get a percentage of revenue where do you think they want a team.

Mark, just another post that makes you look like you take the short bus.

AMac, a realistic look at your favourite team, refreshing. I love the Canucks but after listening to local talk radio I almost hope they lose. Why can't people be fans and have a realistic conversation about their team.

JR, Cody Hodgson will be the next captain of the Canucks, people here are actually following the Battallion. He will be a Canuck next year and the captain in 3 or 4

Edit: again Double J beats me to it

 

I think I'm going to concede on this one. You guys make excellent points.

If nothing else, I don't want records of this coming back to haunt me when I apply for Canadian citizenship someday.

 

Mark, you honestly don't have a fucking clue when it comes to TV and the NHL. I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and believe you had contacts in the industry, now I know you don't