The official NHL thread

[NeverSurrender]

Yeah Kelly, thanks for breaking Andrew MacDonald's nose on your way out of Ottawa.

[Anne_Thrax]

Here it is folks. Where is Bon Jovi when we need him:



Owner: ‘Sense of urgency' to keep Thrashers from moving


By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Spirit co-owner Michael Gearon said there is now a “sense of urgency” to find additional investors or a buyer willing to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta. If the ownership group does not get additional financial help in the near future the franchise could be sold and moved to another city.

“If we are faced with that as the only alternative, that’s what’s going to happen,” Gearon told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an exclusive interview Tuesday. “I don’t think there is an ability to stomach another $20 million in losses. We just can’t do it.

“The reality is we need fans showing up and we need investors, or a primary investor.”

There is no buyer currently lined up to purchase the Thrashers, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Thrashers have long been the subject of speculation that the franchise would be sold and moved with Canadian cities Winnipeg, Quebec and Hamilton most often mentioned.

Atlanta Spirit has been trying to sell the Thrashers for six years – starting almost immediately after purchasing the team – according to the Jan. 21 lawsuit filed in Fulton County Superior Court against Atlanta law firm King & Spalding.

The group filed a $200 million malpractice lawsuit against the firm saying a “fatally flawed” and “botched” contract written to buyout former partner Steve Belkin prevented any Thrashers sale the nearly five years before that suit was finally settled in December.

Before the current litigation, the Atlanta Spirit stated publicly that it was looking for investors for the past two years for the Thrashers, Hawks or both franchises. According to the lawsuit, ownership reported more than $130 million in operating losses since 2005. The Thrashers value also has dropped by more than $50 million, the document says.

“I want to see this team in Atlanta,” Gearon said. “We are working to keep it in Atlanta. We need others to step in and help and, as of now, no one in the Atlanta community has.”

Reported attendance – which refers to the number of tickets distributed but not actually the amount of people at the game – for the 2009 calendar year was 368,652, a 15 percent drop from the previous year, according to documents from the City of Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority. The Thrashers currently are 29th in the 30-team NHL in attendance.

The seven partners talked with potential buyers while they were entangled in litigation with Belkin, the lawsuit says. Because Belkin still owned 30 percent of the teams, the seven other partners “could not convey free and clear title to the franchise and thus were not in a position to sell,” the lawsuit says.

“We need fan support. We need investors,” Gearon said. “I would love to have other members of the Atlanta community step up and take a lead role in this and I would be glad to stay in. We need support. We’ve put a lot of money into this team.”

Gearon said he is speaking out about the future of the franchise because he does not want potential investors willing to keep the team in Atlanta to step forward after a sale has been completed.

“Long term, it’s important that a message gets out,” Gearon said. “Hopefully, I think it helps having fans show up because it demonstrates that the city is committed to the team. More importantly, I hope one, two or three other wealthy guys say ‘OK, we’ll hop on this raft with you. Even though you are in choppy waters, stage four rapids, we’ll get on this.’”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated the NHL’s stance that there are no plans to expand or relocate when asked about the prospects of Canadian cities Winnipeg and Quebec City getting a franchise at last month’s All-Star game in Raleigh. The commissioner also acknowledged the Atlanta Spirit’s search for investors.

“The last few years have been taxing on ownership from a financial standpoint in respect to the basketball team, the hockey team and the arena,” Bettman said in January. “If people are looking to restructure the economics to bring in more capital, it might not be crazy for them to be seeking to add to the wherewithal to deal with those issues.”

If the Thrashers were to be sold and moved, the Atlanta Spirit would lose a pro-rated portion of the $10 million annual naming rights fee to Philips Arena. It would also lose concession revenue and other income generated by the Thrashers dates in the arena.

The NHL is currently involved in several ownership issues, the biggest being in Phoenix. The city of Glendale, Arizona has been involved in a $100 million bond sale as part of a purchase agreement with a prospective buyer that would keep the team in the city. Phoenix has long been rumored as a franchise that could return hockey to Winnipeg, which lost the Jets to Arizona in 1996.

[Kid-Wicked]

Anyone else think $26 million/5 years for Dustin Byfuglien is beyond nuts! Hats off for a great season, but he's been as cold as ice lately and never put up more than 35 points or so until this year. If this is a contract year anomaly, that contract is going to sting. How the hell is the Nordiques GM supposed to move that?

looks like a move that the islanders would make. is mike milbury giving them advice?

[NeverSurrender]

Mike Milbury's been off the island a long time, dipshit.
Plus, the Islanders never overpay anybody.
I know you're just trying to fuck with me, but please have a clue what you're talking about first. That always helps.

[NeverSurrender]

Anne, do you think they really want to keep the Thrashers in the Atl. I don't think they give a shit, and that whole article is bull.

[Anne_Thrax]

Anne, do you think they really want to keep the Thrashers in the Atl. I don't think they give a shit, and that whole article is bull.

The WHOLE article isn't bs. We are definitely broke lol. Can a hockey team file for bankruptcy? Well i'm sure we would be the first.

[NeverSurrender]

So I'm guessing you don't believe they really want to keep the team in the atl?

[Kid-Wicked]

Mike Milbury's been off the island a long time, dipshit.
Plus, the Islanders never overpay anybody.
I know you're just trying to fuck with me, but please have a clue what you're talking about first. That always helps.

really? i see him on tv making
an ass out of himself every week. no shit he isn't a gm anymore. the reason for that is the way he almost single handedly destroyed your team.

never over paid anyone? does the name alexei yashin ring any bells? how about your franchise player rick dipietro?

http://www.fiveminutesforfighting.com/2 ... lbury.html

and i don't have a clue? dude, i PLAY the game and live in a city that bleeds hockey.

here's one last one for ya....http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=337907682058


k.w.
yeah..i'm the dipshit

[NeverSurrender]

Blaming Garth Snow for Yashin, dipshit? (SIGNING DP was amistake but only because the deal was so long and dp has been hurt. He was a fine goalie until the injuries hit.)

But he just signed Matt Moulson to a 3 year 9.4 million dollar contract, dipshit. Nice and fair for both sides. Grabner is next, and I doubt they pay him what Atlanta paid fugly, even though he might wind up being worth more.
You're right Milbury did wreck my team, but he's gone, dipshit. I'm glad you play hockey and live where? Neither means you know what you're talking about here. Garth hasn't overpaid anybody, and has built a talented young team through the draft and the waiver wire.
But I guess you can keep talking about 10 years ago. That's not the Islanders. That's the Islanders of ten years ago. That's like me making fun of the Sedin twins for losing to the ISLES 4-0 in the cup finals in 1982. That's not the Canucks, that's the Canucks of 30 years ago. Of course they still haven't won shit...ever, but you get the point.

[Royal Dudeness]

The best move the Islanders have made in the last 20 years is getting Grabner off of waivers

[NeverSurrender]

Yes, sir. The Panther's leading goal scorer has 15 goals and Grabner has 25.

[Kid-Wicked]

Blaming Garth Snow for Yashin, dipshit? (SIGNING DP was amistake but only because the deal was so long and dp has been hurt. He was a fine goalie until the injuries hit.)

But he just signed Matt Moulson to a 3 year 9.4 million dollar contract, dipshit. Nice and fair for both sides. Grabner is next, and I doubt they pay him what Atlanta paid fugly, even though he might wind up being worth more.
You're right Milbury did wreck my team, but he's gone, dipshit. I'm glad you play hockey and live where? Neither means you know what you're talking about here. Garth hasn't overpaid anybody, and has built a talented young team through the draft and the waiver wire.
But I guess you can keep talking about 10 years ago. That's not the Islanders. That's the Islanders of ten years ago. That's like me making fun of the Sedin twins for losing to the ISLES 4-0 in the cup finals in 1982. That's not the Canucks, that's the Canucks of 30 years ago. Of course they still haven't won shit...ever, but you get the point.

get the balls out of your face. who said anything about garth snow? you said the islanders never over pay anyone. i showed you 2 examples. yashin was a joke and so is dipietro.

if snow is smart he'll trade grabner before he becomes a free agent next season. he needs 50 games to become unrestricted. i doubt he'll want to sign with them. long island was voted the last place any players wanted to sign. your team is 3rd from the basement in the entire league. that wouldn't be considered a "good young team" by anyone but P13.

you're behind TORONTO! fuck. even FLORIDA!!

at least you'll get another high draft pick. get a goalie.

or maybe nabokov will sign.

yeah right.

feltcher.

[Anne_Thrax]

Fuck I wish I had yall's problems

[NeverSurrender]

Fuck I wish I had yall's problems

You wish you were as retarded as kid wicked?

[NeverSurrender]

Hey John, I do believe the Devils missed the playoffs after 1 of their cups too. Not 100 percent sure.

Islanders extend P.A. Parenteau with 1-year deal -P.A. Parenteau logged 27 NHL games with two teams before the 2010-11 season. His career tally was 3 goals and 6 assists. Now in mid-February, the Hull native has added 56 more games, 14 more goals and 21 more assists to his career ledger. He turned the opportunity the Isles gave him on their top line and powerplay unit into a regular NHL job at age 27. Now he'll have that job with the Islanders for at least another year, as he's agreed to terms with the Isles on a one-year deal, reported by Newsday's Katie Strang as $1.25 million"

Somebody else not overpaid.

[NeverSurrender]

TSN reports Kaberle to Boston, close to being a done deal.

[Facedown]

Yep. Talk is Blake Wheeler and a draft pick.
Also talk about sending Mark Stuart to Chicago for a draft pick and it would be a cap relief move.

[Anne_Thrax]

Fuck I wish I had yall's problems

You wish you were as retarded as kid wicked?

even though vancouver will probably choke in the playoffs like they always do, atleast their team isn't practically up for sale on ebay right now.

[NeverSurrender]

Yep. Talk is Blake Wheeler and a draft pick.
Vancouver chokes? hehe.

Also talk about sending Mark Stuart to Chicago for a draft pick and it would be a cap relief move.

Blake Wheeler? Toronto is dumb as fuck.

[Facedown]

Toronto GM says deal is not in place.

[NeverSurrender]

Why would they want Wheeler? Draft pick yes. Wheeler? No.

[WOLF]

Why would they want Wheeler? Draft pick yes. Wheeler? No.

If they can't move Kaberle, they'll lose him for nothing at the end of the year when he becomes a UFA. The thing is, Kaberle controls everything since he has a no movement clause in his contract. So far he's only said he will accept a trade to Boston, so Burke can pretty much take or leave what the B's offer.

As a Habs fan, I need to lobby the league to ban trades between Boston and Toronto. The damn B's get stronger every time they deal and all I get out of it is a little comedy relief by being able to laugh at the Leafs - which never gets old, but is getting a little tiresome since the Leafs get fleeced so often.

[NeverSurrender]

I wasn't dogging Wheeler, just figured they would wanted a prospect with a draft pick,

[Kid-Wicked]

I wasn't dogging Wheeler, just figured they would wanted a prospect with a draft pick,

hey butternuts, if you knew anything about hockey you'd know about a little thing called a "salary cap".

toronto has a cap space of about $500,000.

kaberle makes aboot 4.3 million and is an ufa next year.

boston has a cap space of aboot $2.3 million

wheeler makes aboot 2 million and is a rfa next year.

boston needs to free up aboot 2 million in order to get kaberle.

that being said, they still could make this a trade for a prospect but that means boston would have to trade wheeler or a defenceman to another team but i don't think they want to add by subtraction. losing one guy is ok but if they take 2 guys off the roster this late in the season it could fuck up the team chemistry.

(mike milbury is an idiot)

kaberle should agree to go anywhere toronto wants him to go to and sign wherever he wants to in the summer.

i don't see boston being able to afford him next year. this is a rental. chara, ryder and stewart are all ufas next year.



k.w.
a real hockey fan would know this.

[NeverSurrender]

Well I only read about 2 sentences, but congrats on not mentioning Milbury.

[Kid-Wicked]

Well I only read about 2 sentences, but congrats on not mentioning Milbury.

keep reading. lol

[NeverSurrender]

You act like I like Milbury, which makes you look like an idiot. But I still found this for you, because I'm just cool like that.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsR5oGJ5YZc

[MurrayFiend]

Go Oilers!

[Kid-Wicked]

You act like I like Milbury, which makes you look like an idiot. But I still found this for you, because I'm just cool like that.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsR5oGJ5YZc

i added that in after you posted shittard. i don't think anyone likes milbury or the owner for that matter.

quit trying to reverse the heat. everyone sees you're slowly losing it.

just like the islanders playoff hopes.

you're just a casual fan. that's cool. there should be more people like you that can at least follow the game.

[Facedown]

i don't think anyone likes milbury

Bruins fans do.