NHL

[dgreco]

NHL playoffs are beginning, anyone excited?

[dbackjon]

What is this NHL you speak of?







Follow from a distance, Coyotes are out, ho hum

[wideright82]

NHL playoffs are beginning, anyone excited?

YES!! Almost as excited as I am to continue pushing Travis' buttons in that MLB thread

[dgreco]

I was hoping the Panthers came in as the 8 seed so I could see the Bruins. I will root for the Bruins and I am sure once I start watching I will get into it.

[wideright82]

[wideright82]

[youtube][/youtube]

[clenz]

The Red Wings are in, and I'm excited to see the games when I can...or at least the scores

[TwinTownBisonFan]

i miss the real NHL - and the real NHL playoffs (divisional playoffs... great rivalry series)...

seriously... these bankrupt 8,000/game attendance crap teams in the south need to get out of the league...

bring back the Winnipeg Jets... get a team in Hamilton or Seattle, and contract 5 or 6 teams.

florida
carolina
atlanta
phoenix
la or anaheim

move nashville and the islanders (they are broke)

i'd love to see dallas contracted or moved... out of spite, but they and Tampa are both profitable franchises with good fan bases...

The NHL would be better off too if they didnt make some rivalries victims of their stupid realignment (minnesota should be in with chicago/detroit/st.louis... it's just good for business.)

and yes... i'm pissy because the Wild missed the playoffs again... and it's not looking good for next year.

[clenz]

i miss the real NHL - and the real NHL playoffs (divisional playoffs... great rivalry series)...

seriously... these bankrupt 8,000/game attendance crap teams in the south need to get out of the league...

bring back the Winnipeg Jets... get a team in Hamilton or Seattle, and contract 5 or 6 teams.

florida
carolina
atlanta
phoenix
la or anaheim

move nashville and the islanders (they are broke)

i'd love to see dallas contracted or moved... out of spite, but they and Tampa are both profitable franchises with good fan bases...

The NHL would be better off too if they didnt make some rivalries victims of their stupid realignment (minnesota should be in with chicago/detroit/st.louis... it's just good for business.)

and yes... i'm pissy because the Wild missed the playoffs again... and it's not looking good for next year.

Spoiler: show

Real reason your pissed is that the North Stars left the state

[Mountaineer]

I don't see any teams here averaging 8K a game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

Losing the television deal with ESPN and the cancellation of the 04-05 season has been far worse a blow to the NHL than expansion into the South, IMO.

I love hockey. I saw one of San Jose's first home games in the Cow Palace. I sat in the Greensboro Coliseum to see the Hurricanes play.

Over the last few years my main reaction to the NHL has been "meh". So I imagine there's some serious work to be done by the NHL to get the casual fan insterested in the game again. Marketing would help.

[clenz]

8K does seem extremely low, especially considering the USHL team in Waterloo pulls about 4 or 5 K a game.

[dgreco]

considering the 6th lowest in attendance... I think that might not be too wise.

1. NY Islanders
2. Atlanta Thrashers
3. Phoenix Coyotes
4. Nashville Predators
5. Colorado Rockies
6. Columbus Blue Jackets.

I can see 1 or 2 of them being contracted and that is it. The others are major cities with all major sports, storied histories, geographically ideal for "hockey towns" or owned by a former great.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

considering the 6th lowest in attendance... I think that might not be too wise.

1. NY Islanders
2. Atlanta Thrashers
3. Phoenix Coyotes
4. Nashville Predators
5. Colorado Rockies
6. Columbus Blue Jackets.

I can see 1 or 2 of them being contracted and that is it. The others are major cities with all major sports, storied histories, geographically ideal for "hockey towns" or owned by a former great.

there is only one "hockey town" in the lot (denver) and the avs have been run-aground in the last few years.

the Isles were only popular when they were stringing together cup wins in the early 80's and have been a troubled franchise ever since.

the Yotes are losing a TON of money each season... and should never have been put there in the first place.

Just because a city is "a big tv market" doesn't mean it's good for hockey to be there. It hasn't helped with a good national contract for tv... the Gary Betteman philosophy of trying to wedge hockey in to 3 sport towns that don't care really hasn't helped the NHL. Find a market where there is support for hockey, and less competition for fans (think Seattle, Winnipeg, Kansas City) instead of places like Atlanta, Phoenix and Miami... (in the case of Atlanta and Miami... terrible fairweather fans for all sports as it is... and that's for stuff they like)

I think the NHL needs to stop trying to be something it's not... it's not the NFL, it's not MLB... it's a lot closer to the NBA... and their plan of turning an underserved sports market in to their town is what they need to do...

[dbackjon]

Winnipeg couldn't support the Jets - that is why they moved to Phoenix. What makes you think they could support an NHL team now?

[dgreco]

They do not do a great job of supporting the minor league them they have now either.

I just think it is too hard to tell which markets really are good or bad. If the Panthers are breakeven or ahead then who cares if they are fairweather fans. As long as they are profitable. While I think the league would be better if they went to 24 teams, it would hurt them more to do it I think.

The perception would be that the league is failing and they have to get rid of teams for it too work. Especially when major american sports have 30+ teams for the "major leagues".

[TwinTownBisonFan]

They do not do a great job of supporting the minor league them they have now either.

I just think it is too hard to tell which markets really are good or bad. If the Panthers are breakeven or ahead then who cares if they are fairweather fans. As long as they are profitable. While I think the league would be better if they went to 24 teams, it would hurt them more to do it I think.

The perception would be that the league is failing and they have to get rid of teams for it too work. Especially when major american sports have 30+ teams for the "major leagues".

salient point re: contraction

however... the accusation that Winnipeg didn't support the Jets... false. The league wanted them out of Winnipeg - just like they wanted out of Quebec, not for lack of support... but for their broader ambitions

The NHL in the 90's was bent on making the sport "more mainstream" which meant gaining markets in places like Phoenix, Denver, Miami, Tampa, Atlanta, Dallas... Gary Bettman was bent on it... he wanted that no matter what.

The city doesn't support the Moose, just like Minnesota didn't (they played here from 94-97 i think)... 1) it's inferior hockey... i mean it sucks... 2) the fans in that market, much like Minnesota, believe they are a "major league city" 3) why watch pro hockey that isn't for the Stanley Cup? it's a cheap substitute, and they know the difference.

Winnipeg Arena wasn't great, but it was a serviceable arena... and the city/province would have replaced it... but that's not what the league wanted... they wanted out of that market, no matter what. (Similar story in Minnesota... but the Met Center was a better facility... the owner of the team was charged with sexual harassment... and got pissed when he wasn't above the law)

FYI the San Jose Sharks were originally going to be the relocated North Stars until a last second save... that lasted all of 3 years.

[dgreco]

@

Game 1 4-2
Game 2 5-1
Monday, April 20 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS
Wednesday, April 22 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS
*Saturday, April 25 at Boston, 7:00 p.m. CBC, RDS
*Monday, April 27 at Montreal, TBD CBC, RDS
*Wednesday, April 29 at Boston, TBD CBC, RDS

@

Game 1 4-3
Game 2 1-0
Monday, April 20 at New York, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
Wednesday, April 22 at New York, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
*Friday, April 24 at Washington, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN, RDS
*Sunday, April 26 at New York, 2:00 p.m. NBC, TSN, RDS
*Tuesday, April 28 at Washington, TBD VERSUS, TSN, RDS

@

Game 1 4-1
Game 2 2-1
Game 3 3-2
Tuesday, April 21 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. TSN, RIS
Thursday, April 23 at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m. TSN, RIS
*Sunday, April 26 at Carolina, TBD TSN, VERSUS
*Tuesday, April 28 at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m. TSN

@

Game 1 4-1
Game 2 3-2 (OT)
Game 3 6-3
Tuesday, April 21 at Philadelphia, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Thursday, April 23 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Saturday, April 25 at Philadelphia, 3:00 p.m. NBC, CBC
*Monday, April 27 at Pittsburgh, TBD VERSUS, CBC




@

Game 1 2-0
Game 2 3-2
Tuesday, April 21 at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Thursday, April 23 at Anaheim, 10:00 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Saturday, April 25 at San Jose, 10:00 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Monday, April 27 at Anaheim, TBD VERSUS, CBC, RDS
*Wednesday, April 29 at San Jose, TBD VERSUS, CBC, RDS

@

Game 1 4-1
Game 2 4-0
Tuesday, April 21 at Columbus, 7:00 p.m. TSN
Thursday, April 23 at Columbus, 7:00 p.m. TSN
*Saturday, April 25 at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. VERSUS, TSN
*Monday, April 27 at Columbus, TBD TSN
*Wednesday, April 29 at Detroit, TBD VERSUS, TSN

@

Game 1 2-1
Game 2 3-0
Game 3 3-2
Tuesday, April 21 at St. Louis, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
*Friday, April 24 at Vancouver, 10:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS, RDS
*Sunday, April 26 at St. Louis, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS, RDS
*Tuesday, April 28 at Vancouver, TBD CBC, VERSUS, RDS

@
Game 1 3-2 (OT)
Game 2 3-2
Monday, April 20 at Calgary, 9:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS
Wednesday, April 22 at Calgary, TBD TSN, VERSUS
*Saturday, April 25 at Chicago, 10:00 p.m. TSN, RIS
*Monday, April 27 at Calgary, TBD TSN
*Wednesday, April 29 at Chicago, TBD TSN

[dbackjon]

Great update - thanks!!

[BlueHen86]

Great update - thanks!!

Agreed. Nice work dgreco.

[UNHWildCats]

Why the Sharks won't lift the Stanley Cup... http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30125244/

...but the Bruins just might. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29668720/

[BlueHen86]

i miss the real NHL - and the real NHL playoffs (divisional playoffs... great rivalry series)...

seriously... these bankrupt 8,000/game attendance crap teams in the south need to get out of the league...

bring back the Winnipeg Jets... get a team in Hamilton or Seattle, and contract 5 or 6 teams.

florida
carolina
atlanta
phoenix
la or anaheim

move nashville and the islanders (they are broke)

i'd love to see dallas contracted or moved... out of spite, but they and Tampa are both profitable franchises with good fan bases...

The NHL would be better off too if they didnt make some rivalries victims of their stupid realignment (minnesota should be in with chicago/detroit/st.louis... it's just good for business.)

and yes... i'm pissy because the Wild missed the playoffs again... and it's not looking good for next year.

The NHL should reduce the number of teams in the playoffs to 12. Have 4 divisions, each division winner gets a first round bye. First round series should be best of three so that they are over in a week. Shorten the regular season to 72 games and get rid of the shoot out and regular season overtime games (you have to have a PhD in algebra in order to understand the standings).

I know none of the above will never happen, just throwing it out there.

[dgreco]

ty,

I am disappointed by how little coverage the playoffs are getting. I know VERSUS is the main provider, but CCS or some other networks couldn't pick it up? Even ESPN2 or something? I can't believe that many people rather watch NHRA drag racing and repeats of the ESPN midday shows/talkshows.

[UNHWildCats]

im sure ESPN would love to air games, but they felt the price was to high for the broadcast rights.

I dont know what NBC is allowed to broadcast... I believe they had a weekly game during the regular season Its possible they will pick up some coverage in later rounds... and I believe they do the finals.

[dgreco]

it would be nice to see a bruins game. Only one game I can view in the first round and I am not sure what the second round schedule is yet.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

it would be nice to see a bruins game. Only one game I can view in the first round and I am not sure what the second round schedule is yet.

they are "re-seeding" after round one... the lousy dingleberries...

looks like the curse of the President's trophy will continue with the sharks btw... the ducks look like that pesky dirty team that they've been for most of the decade.