The Real 2011 Winter Classic

[Grizalltheway]

14*, 0* wind chill at puck drop. Anyone else watching?

[93henfan]

Huh? Hockey season starts in April.

[Grizalltheway]

And baseball starts in October.

[Wedgebuster]

Gawd baseball sucks, bad.

[89Hen]

The Real 2011 Winter Classic

Worse ice conditions, worse teams, smaller stadium...

[Grizalltheway]

The Real 2011 Winter Classic

Worse ice conditions, worse teams, smaller stadium...

I guess if you like swamp hockey...

Plus, can you even see the puck from the nose-bleeds at Heinz?

[TwinTownBisonFan]

The Real 2011 Winter Classic

Worse ice conditions, worse teams, smaller stadium...

better fans.

[89Hen]

Worse ice conditions, worse teams, smaller stadium...

I guess if you like swamp hockey...

Plus, can you even see the puck from the nose-bleeds at Heinz?

The ice yesterday was far worse than Jan 1 in Pittsburgh.

[89Hen]

Worse ice conditions, worse teams, smaller stadium...

better fans.

Why's that?

[Grizalltheway]

I guess if you like swamp hockey...

Plus, can you even see the puck from the nose-bleeds at Heinz?

The ice yesterday was far worse than Jan 1 in Pittsburgh.

I didn't hear any players bitching about it.

[89Hen]

The ice yesterday was far worse than Jan 1 in Pittsburgh.

I didn't hear any players bitching about it.

You are correct. None of the players from the Jan 1 game bitched about it.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/put ... story.html

The Montreal Canadiens came short of calling it a diabolical ploy.

But they did note -over and over -that the crummy ice conditions at McMahon Stadium ended up favouring the Calgary Flames.

"They had the right game plan," James Wisniewski said Sunday after the Flames' 4-0 victory in the Heritage Classic. "The ice wasn't up to par. You could see it out there -(the puck) was like a tennis ball. We just kept trying to make plays and it wasn't happening.

"I don't think I've ever been so frustrated in my life playing hockey. With the type of team we have -a puck-moving, skill team -and without the quality of ice surface that we need to make plays . . . we just didn't have another game plan."

[Grizalltheway]

I didn't hear any players bitching about it.

You are correct. None of the players from the Jan 1 game bitched about it.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/put ... story.html

The Montreal Canadiens came short of calling it a diabolical ploy.

But they did note -over and over -that the crummy ice conditions at McMahon Stadium ended up favouring the Calgary Flames.

"They had the right game plan," James Wisniewski said Sunday after the Flames' 4-0 victory in the Heritage Classic. "The ice wasn't up to par. You could see it out there -(the puck) was like a tennis ball. We just kept trying to make plays and it wasn't happening.

"I don't think I've ever been so frustrated in my life playing hockey. With the type of team we have -a puck-moving, skill team -and without the quality of ice surface that we need to make plays . . . we just didn't have another game plan."

Okay, I'll concede that they were less than ideal, but how exactly is Calgary not a "puck-moving, skill team"? Whining about the playing surface is the lamest excuse in the book...

[89Hen]

Okay, I'll concede that they were less than ideal, but how exactly is Calgary not a "puck-moving, skill team"? Whining about the playing surface is the lamest excuse in the book...

I don't know enough about Calgary's team to comment, but that's really irrelevant. I played outdoors last week when they couldn't use the zamboni and the ice absolutely sucked bawls. They couldn't use the zam in Calgary for fear the ice would crack. Outdoor rinks really have a narrow window for premium conditions. Ideally it would be 22-32 with no sun and no wind. Above that, or with sun, the ice gets soft. Below that and the ice starts to contract and crack. I've played on an outdoor rink for the past three years and have played in 15 degrees with wind, 30 and cloudy, rain, snow, sun... it's often not great for high speed play. Played last night at 38ish degrees and there were some wet, bumpy spots that you had to watch out for.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

better fans.

Why's that?

they show up when the team ISN'T in first place.

i can't name more than 5 American franchises I can say that about

(Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and...?)

[89Hen]

Why's that?

they show up when the team ISN'T in first place.

i can't name more than 5 American franchises I can say that about

(Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and...?)

Philly, Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh...

Poor support is generally limited to the southern teams.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

they show up when the team ISN'T in first place.

i can't name more than 5 American franchises I can say that about

(Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and...?)

Philly, Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh...

Poor support is generally limited to the southern teams.

looking at the records - those are fair points - all have had issues in down years - but still over 14k/game.

however - fuck the south... time to bring hockey back where it belongs...

[89Hen]

Philly, Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh...

Poor support is generally limited to the southern teams.

looking at the records - those are fair points - all have had issues in down years - but still over 14k/game.

however - fuck the south... time to bring hockey back where it belongs...

Islanders need to go too. What a pitiful excuse for a franchise.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

looking at the records - those are fair points - all have had issues in down years - but still over 14k/game.

however - fuck the south... time to bring hockey back where it belongs...

Islanders need to go too. What a pitiful excuse for a franchise.

growing up in the 80's this makes me sad... the Trottier/Gillies Isles were so good...

but the Coliseum is a dump... and the organization has devolved in to the Charlestown Chiefs

I'd like to see contraction in the NHL of at least two teams - and at least two relocations.
Cut Columbus and Florida - and move Phoenix back to Winnipeg and move Atlanta to Kansas City (and if QC can get an arena in place, move the Isles to Quebec)

then, do away with the six division format and go back to four divisions of seven teams - and bring back the Smyth, Norris, Adams and Patrick Divisions... and have DIVISIONAL playoffs again... made for GREAT rivalries (Blackhawks/North Stars was one of the best)

[89Hen]

Cut Columbus...

North Stars

Does Columbus not draw well? It would seem one team in Ohio should be able to thrive.

As a side, I think team names in pro sports should stick with the city. The leagues could easily agree to this and say, if you want to move your team, you give up the name. Just like Modell with the Browns. Would love to see these back in action...

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Current bottom rungs for attendance

Hurricanes 15,941
Predators 15,909
Panthers 15,275
Stars 14,916
Avalanche 14,854
Ducks 14,603
Devils 14,152
Jackets 13,415
Thrashers 13,056
Coyotes 11,285
Islanders 10,214

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Columbus has OSU to compete with... it's a college town - first and foremost.

the NHL tried it... it was, at the time, the largest tv market without a pro team...

[89Hen]

Jackets 13,415

Columbus has OSU to compete with... it's a college town - first and foremost.

the NHL tried it... it was, at the time, the largest tv market without a pro team...

That's too bad. Ohio should have hockey.

[Grizalltheway]

Current bottom rungs for attendance

Hurricanes 15,941
Predators 15,909
Panthers 15,275
Stars 14,916
Avalanche 14,854
Ducks 14,603
Devils 14,152
Jackets 13,415
Thrashers 13,056
Coyotes 11,285
Islanders 10,214

Yeah, I think if your MLS team is averaging more than your NHL team, is just isn't meant to be.

http://mls.theoffside.com/attendance/an ... s-are.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SuperHornet]

I wonder if the NHL Office would have a cow if a team proposed to play ALL of their games outside.

[JayJ79]

outdoor games are pretty much guaranteed to have less-than-ideal ice conditions.
that's just physics.