The Hockey Thread

I love the thought of going to larger rinks, but is it feasable to change up the existing rinks? As far as the clutch and grab goes, everytime the league tries to do something about it (calling more penalties in hopes the players will get the message) people piss and moan about it. While I won't defend some of Bettman's changes, remember in the end the OWNERS are the ones that mandated the changes and they are making much more money now then BB. I would think Ottawa and Toronto wouldn't want a 3rd team in Ontario. Wouldn't mind getting the failing teams into new locations, but I'm not sure Hamilton would work. The Devils still have trouble selling out in a beautiful new building, and multiple Stanley Cups later. The Flyer and Ranger fan base is still just that.

jhuntin1 wrote:

Didn't Hamilton have one of the first NHL franchises back in the 1920's?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Tigers

Damn Pittsburgh. Alex Ovechkin has gotten me excited about hockey again after a long drought in Washington. Re-alignment over the years hasn't been very nice to Washington. Over the years we've been bounced from division to division. In 1970's we were with the NY Islanders. In the 80's and 90's we were with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and now we're with Carolina and Tampa. Now they're talking about putting the hated Penguins out west. I personally miss the late 80's and early 90's when we played Philadelphia in playoffs every year. Good rivalries are great for any sport.

Juniper wrote:

jhuntin1 wrote:

Didn't Hamilton have one of the first NHL franchises back in the 1920's?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Tigers

Juni, what do you think? What is the CBC saying? I haven't surfed over there yet. As the VOICE of Candada (as far as F:AT is concerned) what's up?

vandemonium wrote:

Juniper wrote:

jhuntin1 wrote:

Didn't Hamilton have one of the first NHL franchises back in the 1920's?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Tigers

Juni, what do you think? What is the CBC saying? I haven't surfed over there yet. As the VOICE of Candada (as far as F:AT is concerned) what's up?

The popular consensus around here is that Bettman hates Jim Balsillie and Canada.

The Hamilton Spectator had an interesting piece on Saturday, saying that Bettman would do whatever he could to keep Balsillie from getting a team, so maybe he'd let the Atlanta Thrashers move to Hamilton instead of Balsillie's Coyotes.

vandemonium wrote:

Olympic rinks, glowing pucks, cheerleaders, or sissy white skates *cough*cough*Federov*cough*cough* won't change that.

I would not put Olympic rinks in the same category as glowing pucks or cheerleaders. The wider surface produces fundamental changes to the way the game is played.

A few years back they were toying around with only playing five on each side to open up the ice a bit more. Less players means less salary, less ice means more seats. Financially that was a possible option. Expanding rink size eats seats, not popular.

Sag.

vandemonium wrote:
Well, the Original six were, Toronto, Montreal, New York Rangers, Boston, Detroit, and Chicago. Hamilton probably did have a team earlier than the O6 I think that was in the 40s or thereabouts.

I'm off to walk the dogs so I don't have time to look it up just now.[/quote]
There was an Original Six before those teams......And there weren't any American teams.

Sagrilarus wrote:

vandemonium wrote:

Olympic rinks, glowing pucks, cheerleaders, or sissy white skates *cough*cough*Federov*cough*cough* won't change that.

I would not put Olympic rinks in the same category as glowing pucks or cheerleaders. The wider surface produces fundamental changes to the way the game is played.

A few years back they were toying around with only playing five on each side to open up the ice a bit more. Less players means less salary, less ice means more seats. Financially that was a possible option. Expanding rink size eats seats, not popular.

Didn't they toy with 5-on-5 in OT as well? I think that's still a wise move.

Can someone explain how the Bruins CRUSHED the 'Canes all season long and find themselves struggling in the postseason? It's one thing to have played some tight ones and come out ahead, but they just obliterated them time and again. Now it's a wash. I'm a little peeved.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCANUUUUUUUCKKKKKSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Heard everyone whooping and hollering when I was out walking the dogs, so I assumed they had it well in hand. Guess I was wrong.

jeb wrote:

Sagrilarus wrote:

vandemonium wrote:

Can someone explain how the Bruins CRUSHED the 'Canes all season long and find themselves struggling in the postseason? It's one thing to have played some tight ones and come out ahead, but they just obliterated them time and again. Now it's a wash. I'm a little peeved.

Cam Ward for the Canes has gotten hot at the right time. That's hockey playoffs. Meanwhile... The Caps finally win an overtime game over Pittsburgh to force game 7. When Pittsburgh tied the game at 4-4 I was so pissed off I had to pause the game and walk out of the room for half an hour before I could come back to watch the end of the game. But I'm hooked on hockey again after watching the desperation by both teams at the end of regulation and in overtime.

I'm trying to figure out what messed up rule will come up tonight so that Bettman doesn't have the horror of an original 6 match up in the playoffs.

Dr_Mabuse wrote:

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCANUUUUUUUCKKKKKSSSSSSS!!!!!!

seconded

I'm hoping that the goon squad was enough to fire up the Wings for tonight's game. Way to show some class Anaheim. I hope that Neidermayer's elbow to Datsyuk will prompt a hat trick from Datsyuk tonight. I hope this will be like a game Seven a few years ago where the Avs were done in the first 4 minutes of the game and a certain Goalie was sitting all dejected on the Bench at the end of the 1st Period....

Despite the best efforts of Anaheim's 7~10 players, the Red Wings ended up winning. When did they stop calling elbows to the face anyway? Was that spooge I saw on Pronger's face after the intermissions?

Is this the conversation between the 2nd and 3rd periods:
Selanne: Look, Pronger gave you a blow job.....Make sure we win this one...
Ref: He didn't swallow....
Selanne: That was never a part of the bargain....