The official NHL thread

[krazeebaybee]

It's a rumour and nothing more.The league and more specifically,NBC, are opposed to any Canadian based entries in the Winter Classic.There is talk of the league holding another outdoor game per year in Canada between two Canadian based clubs,but at the moment that's all it is - talk. The league has already veteod a request from Mass. State Legislature to hold the/a Winter classic in Boston every year.A request made days after this year's classic.(Thank you Anne Allred for keeping me informed every morning!) The league doesn't want a whole bunch of outdoor games going on, because it detracts from the uniqueness of The Winter Classic. While a game at Foxboro would be a huge money maker, it's not going to happen.

What bugs me about the whole situation is an entity,NBC, who pays NOTHING to broadcast NHL games,is dictating who/where The Classic is played,meanwhile if not for the fanbase of Canadian teams,and the revenue they generate, the League as a whole would be in a bigger financial mess than they are.

This is interesting, thanks for the info.

Maybe I'm biased, but most US networks (that I've seen), well, their broadcasts of hockey games suck. ABC & Fox being the worst. (Remember following the blue dot on Fox? )
It's almost as if they - the networks - are dummying the game down for some viewers.

[chungasrevenge]

I don't understand why the league doesn't have more outside games besides the Classic. It seems like a no brainer. People want to go to these games. There were 300K ticket applications for Fenway. It turns regular games into events that can generate millions, loads of press and expand interest in the sport. The games could be aired on the NHL Network.

They could do something like this:

Dec 10th - Detroit/Minnesota - (NHL Network)
Jan 1- Classic- Rangers/Capitals - Yankee Stadium (NBC)
Jan 20 - Calgary/Vancouver - (NHL Network)
Feb 8 - Montreal/Boston - Gillette Stadium (NHL Network)
Feb 20 - Penguins/Flyers - Heinz Field (NHL Network)

Then rotate the teams the following year.

[doctordestructo]

While I was at NAMM this weekend I ran into Neil Peart's NHL themed drum kit which was pretty damned cool...

[pieceofme]

The Oilers in a bad way. Just lost 3-2 to the Canucks tonight.

Off too the Canucks vs Stars game tomorrow.

[chungasrevenge]

Just got my Patrice Bergeron jersey in the mail! First player's jersey I've bought since Cam Neely.

[Tommy]

I don't understand why the league doesn't have more outside games besides the Classic. It seems like a no brainer. People want to go to these games. There were 300K ticket applications for Fenway. It turns regular games into events that can generate millions, loads of press and expand interest in the sport. The games could be aired on the NHL Network.

They could do something like this:

Dec 10th - Detroit/Minnesota - (NHL Network)
Jan 1- Classic- Rangers/Capitals - Yankee Stadium (NBC)
Jan 20 - Calgary/Vancouver - (NHL Network)
Feb 8 - Montreal/Boston - Gillette Stadium (NHL Network)
Feb 20 - Penguins/Flyers - Heinz Field (NHL Network)

Then rotate the teams the following year.

I've thought about this; having more than one game a year outside.

While I DO like it, I think having that many games would "saturate" the market with Canadian and northern teams, and then we'd have some melee like the lockout when southern teams in small markets were dying. They would want some compensation. Even recently good teams like Dallas and Anaheim probably couldn't host something like that. I see their beef.

I also see a beef from the teams that COULD host these games. Who wants to be locked in to that each year? It's an event, and a distraction, and unless you do something like the NFL and Thanksgiving, I don't think more than 2 games a year is reasonable, for anyone involved.

Maybe pick 2 decent NHL towns that can host it each year. The Original 6 cities I'm sure could do something/...Maybe Minnesota with the new Twins place (?)


Yeah, anyway. Done ranting.

[chungasrevenge]

Will Quebec City, Winnipeg and maybe London get one of these floundering teams from the south? At least there would be full houses and interest in the teams.

[krazeebaybee]

Will Quebec City, Winnipeg and maybe London get one of these floundering teams from the south? At least there would be full houses and interest in the teams.

Winnipeg's been on the rumour mill for ages now.

[WOLF]

Will Quebec City, Winnipeg and maybe London get one of these floundering teams from the south? At least there would be full houses and interest in the teams.

Winnipeg's been on the rumour mill for ages now.

Winnipeg and Quebec had full houses in the past, they just couldn't generate enough revenue to survive as salaries escalated in the 90's. They didn't own their own arenas, reaped nothing from concessions, parking, luxury boxes (as there weren't any), and didn't have the big business support to move forward.

Now, with an arena in Winnipeg, one being built in Quebec, a salary cap (with a pretty high salary floor mind you), and governments willing to subsidize the teams to some extent, a return to those markets is possible. However, I personally think Gary Bettman is using those cities as pawns and I question if there's enough corporate support in those cities to boost the teams' prospects.

We'll see. I'd love to see a renewal of the Habs/Nordiques rivalry, as well as the return of the Jets.

[chungasrevenge]

I was looking at the attendance averages for this year and the NHL site lists Atlanta's average attendance as 13K? On the Bruins broadcast the other night, they were interviewing one of the ESPN guys about Kovalchuk, and he mentioned how Atlanta only draws 5K per night and Kovalchuk wants to go to a team with a fanbase. Phoenix's average is 10K. Are they increasing these numbers for advertisers, or are they accurate? Both teams would be good candidates for Winnipeg and Quebec.

[WOLF]

I was looking at the attendance averages for this year and the NHL site lists Atlanta's average attendance as 13K? On the Bruins broadcast the other night, they were interviewing one of the ESPN guys about Kovalchuk, and he mentioned how Atlanta only draws 5K per night and Kovalchuk wants to go to a team with a fanbase. Phoenix's average is 10K. Are they increasing these numbers for advertisers, or are they accurate? Both teams would be good candidates for Winnipeg and Quebec.

The numbers in those, and a lot of cities, are totally bogus. In some cases it's seats sold - and not asses in the seats. In other cases they are total fabrications. The other question to ask - in cities that do sell a half decent amount of tickets (say Nashville) - is: how much are people paying for said tickets. In some US cities you can get 4 seats in the lower bowl for $100 or less. Those tickets go for upwards of $150 each in Canada.

Gary Bettman will never admit this, but with the dollars at par, and Canadian teams selling most tickets to their games, the 6 Canadian franchises generate an inordinate amount of the leagues revenues. Then add in the traditional US hockey markets: Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York, Philly, Minnesota, Detroit - and they generate the rest of the leagues gate revenue. The other cities are a blip on the radar and only exist so Gary Bettman can point out "how much interest there is across North America". I guess if you lie to yourself long enough, you start to believe yourself, huh Gary?

[Lardbucket]

When the Blackhawks were suffering in the mid-00's, they'd list the attendance at just over 10,000 and there'd be MAYBE half that in the place.
"Official" attendance numbers are fiction.

[vanny]

attendance for Los Angeles Kings games a pretty low too.

[chungasrevenge]

Bruins have made inquiries on Whitney, Selanne, Kovalchuk and Phaneuf over the last 2 days. ESPN reports that B's and Kings are in the lead for Kovalchuk. B's radio network said that a deal will be announced soon. It looks like the Leafs #1 in 2011 is available, but not the 2010 #1.

The natives are getting restless around here.

[WOLF]

Leafs just got Dion Phaneuf from Calgary. Haven't heard for who/what yet.

Nice player a couple of years ago, but he's been asleep for the better part of two year now. I don't know what exactly he does for the Leafs at this point, but I guess he's a nice buidling block for next year and beyond...

[krazeebaybee]

Leafs just got Dion Phaneuf from Calgary. Haven't heard for who/what yet.

Nice player a couple of years ago, but he's been asleep for the better part of two year now. I don't know what exactly he does for the Leafs at this point, but I guess he's a nice buidling block for next year and beyond...

My brother just called and told me - I thought he was full of shit! (he wasn't)

FLAMES TRADE DEFENCEMAN PHANEUF TO MAPLE LEAFS

Two teams in dire need of a shakeup have done just that.

The Calgary Flames have traded defenceman Dion Phaneuf, forward Fredrik Sjostrom, and prospect defenceman Keith Aulie to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forwards Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers and defenceman Ian White.

The Maple Leafs and Flames have been working on the components of this blockbuster for a week to ten days, but sources say the details of the deal didn't fall into place until late last night.

"[Phaneuf] is a warrior. He's got a cannon for a shot," explained Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke on Sunday. "He plays the game hard and I want players who play the game hard because they're hard to play against."

Phaneuf has two goals over his last three games and is signed through the 2013-14 season ($6.5 million per). He had 18:49 TOI last night, only the third time this month he's been under 20 minutes in a game. The big defenceman has 10 goals and 12 assists to go with a minus-3 rating over his 55 games.

Sjostrom has played 46 games with one goal and five assists for Calgary this season. Aulie was drafted in the fourth round, 116th overall of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He had spent this season with the Abbotsford Heat of the AHL.

Hagman has 20 goals and 13 assists, while Stajan has 16 goals and 25 assists, each over 55 games this season. Both players have a minus-3 rating. Mayers had expressed interest in being traded earlier in January. He had two goals, six assists and 78 penalty minutes over his 44 games with the Maple Leafs this season. White had nine goals, 17 assists and a plus-1 rating over his 56 games.

The Flames were mired in its worst slump (0-6-3) since an 11-game losing streak in 1986 before getting on the winning side of the tracks on Saturday night with a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the Battle of Alberta.

The Maple Leafs are coming off a dramatic loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday evening, giving up a three-goal first period lead before falling 5-3. With the loss, coupled with Carolina's 4-2 victory over Chicago, Toronto now sits 29th in the NHL standings. The Hurricanes and Leafs are tied in points with 45 but Carolina is ahead because of more wins.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=308469

[doctordestructo]

[alecjonsludge]

Great,now Phaneuf and Komisarek can compare Cuthbert stories.

[krazeebaybee]

Bye bye Vesa. Damn...I really like Blake.

MAPLE LEAFS ACQUIRE GIGUERE; SHIP TOSKALA, BLAKE TO DUCKS

The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired veteran goaltender Jean-Sebastien from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for netminder Vesa Toskala and veteran forward Jason Blake.

The deal reunites Giguere with his long-time goaltending coach Francois Allaire, as well as former GM Brian Burke.

The most valuable player of the 2003 Stanley Cup playoffs, Giguere needed to waive his no-trade clause in order for the deal to go through.

The Montreal native recently lost his starting job to netminder Jonas Hiller, who inked a four-year, $18-million extension on Saturday, clearing the way for the trade.

Giguere, 32, has a one year, $7 million contract remaining while the 32-year old Toskala is making $4 million this season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Blake, 36, has struggled playing for the blue and white this season, posting just 10 goals and 26 points in 55 games. The Moorhead, MN native signed with the Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent in 2007 and has 50 goals and 141 points in that span.

Earlier in the day, the Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames were involved in a seven player swap that saw former all-star defenceman Dion Phaneuf heading to Toronto. The Leafs also acquired six-foot-six defenceman Keith Aulie and winger Fredrik Sjostrom.

In exchange, Toronto gave up defenceman Ian White and forwards Matt Stajan, Nick Hagman and Jamal Mayers.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=308472

[Kid-Wicked]

start planning the parade route in toronto.

[WOLF]

I'll never get Burke. Giguere is over-rated, and over paid - a shadow of his former self. Phaneuf has enormous potential, but like I said, has done nothing for a couple of years now. Yes, he and Schenn could be a hell of a pairing, but I think the Leafs gave up a lot of goal scoring and grit today for a lot of ?????'s. Ian White's a very underated player. Matt Stajan too.

[Tommy]

I'll never get Burke. Giguere is over-rated, and over paid - a shadow of his former self. Phaneuf has enormous potential, but like I said, has done nothing for a couple of years now. Yes, he and Schenn could be a hell of a pairing, but I think the Leafs gave up a lot of goal scoring and grit today for a lot of ?????'s. Ian White's a very underated player. Matt Stajan too.

Didn't TO move a lot of expiring contracts though?




I'm w/ ya on Dion though. Bunch of Ranger fans I post with are screaming bloody murder since Sather wasn't in on this deal. I'm fine w/ it personally. Besides, the Rangers have to mortgage their future on Kovalchuk soon anyway.

[alecjonsludge]

I'll never get Burke. Giguere is over-rated, and over paid - a shadow of his former self. Phaneuf has enormous potential, but like I said, has done nothing for a couple of years now. Yes, he and Schenn could be a hell of a pairing, but I think the Leafs gave up a lot of goal scoring and grit today for a lot of ?????'s. Ian White's a very underated player. Matt Stajan too.

Didn't TO move a lot of expiring contracts though?




I'm w/ ya on Dion though. Bunch of Ranger fans I post with are screaming bloody murder since Sather wasn't in on this deal. I'm fine w/ it personally. Besides, the Rangers have to mortgage their future on Kovalchuk soon anyway.

Gigure is a FA after this season,look for him to sign with Montreal in the summer.He'll take reduced $$$ to play at home and tutor Halak,(I'm assuming after the Markov dust up in the dressing room that Price is outta here!).

So then why would Burke make this deal ? Gigure makes more $$$,thus hurting your cap.True,the season is 1/2 over, but there is still enough of a gap in Giggy's and Vesa's salaries that it'll effect someone's playing chances. Then,when Gigure signs elsewhere,you've got no one to take "The Monster" under their wing.(Joey Macdonald doesn't count).Just ask Carey Price how well that's worked out for him.

Dion Phaneuf is making 6.5 million a year for the next 3-4 years.Like has been previously stated,he is not earning those dollars the past two years.Perhaps a fresh start will help him,but if he's a minus 3 on a team with Kipersoff in net,he's a minus 16 on this Toronto team.Phaneuf's a good player,who could be great, but ultimately will not move Toronto from the basement to 8th spot.

T

[Anne_Thrax]

[WOLF]

Giguere still has one year left on his contract. He'll earn $7 million next year, for tutoring the not so scary "Monster". IMO the Leafs moved sideways at best, but changed the dynamic in their room. More and more this is becoming Burke's team and less John Ferguson Jr's.

Re the Habs, I don't think they'll deal Price. He's 21 - people need to remember that. Where were Fleury, Miller, Luongo, and DiPietro at 21? I love Halak, would love to keep him around, but if he's not the starter next year he's going to the KHL as a RFA, so I think he'll be gone (unfortunately for a lesser return than what Price would fetch).

[Tommy]

So apparently the Rangers get Jokinen and Prust from the Flames for Kotalik and Higgins. Waiting on Kotalik to give the approval (no trade clause)

[WOLF]

So apparently the Rangers get Jokinen and Prust from the Flames for Kotalik and Higgins. Waiting on Kotalik to give the approval (no trade clause)

Man, Higgins and Jokinen did NOT work out in NY and Calgary - big time.

[alecjonsludge]

Giguere still has one year left on his contract. He'll earn $7 million next year, for tutoring the not so scary "Monster". IMO the Leafs moved sideways at best, but changed the dynamic in their room. More and more this is becoming Burke's team and less John Ferguson Jr's.

Re the Habs, I don't think they'll deal Price. He's 21 - people need to remember that. Where were Fleury, Miller, Luongo, and DiPietro at 21? I love Halak, would love to keep him around, but if he's not the starter next year he's going to the KHL as a RFA, so I think he'll be gone (unfortunately for a lesser return than what Price would fetch).

-Yeah,my bad on the Giguere contract,don't know why I thought it was up this year.Like you,I don't see this as an improvement,sideways describes it perfectly.

As for Price, I realize his upside potential is great, but I really think he's on borrowed time in Montreal.Halak has outplayed him, and he seems to be the fans and the media's choice.True,they don't get to make those decisions,but sometimes they can influence a GM's decision.The fact that Halak could be gone for next to nothing is also another reason why I think Price will be gone.Someone out there will gladly overpay for Price,netting the Habs a nice return(draft picks, a winger over 5'2",155 lbs),and thus allowing them to secure Halak.The room is divided right now thanks to the Markov dust up and trading away Price might be the tonic to correct things.This is all speculation on my part,naturally.But I just don't see Price sticking around.

[chungasrevenge]

Looks like Chirelli finally made a move:

[Tommy]

So apparently the Rangers get Jokinen and Prust from the Flames for Kotalik and Higgins. Waiting on Kotalik to give the approval (no trade clause)

Man, Higgins and Jokinen did NOT work out in NY and Calgary - big time.

As a Ranger fan though I must say while Higgins has SUCKED this year, he has been trying.

That impostor who wears the "C" though, ugh. He can't get out of here soon enough. And Slats (most overrated exec in sports) went and signed him to a deal w/ a no movement clause. Which means we can't even ship his ass to Hartford (which is what should happen to Redden and Rozsival)