Pens - like it, but they played it safe - 7/10
Hawks - same - played it safe - 7/10
Rangers - pretty safe also - 7/10
Devils - went retro, meh - 6/10
Isles - hate it; does any team have a worse history with jersey designs - 5/10
Ducks - not bad if you like orange - 6/10
Kings - my favorite of the bunch - 9/10
Sellouts be damned, opposing teams' brass hated the travel as did the Jets own brass,who found it difficult to go check out a prospect.As well, it was difficult to call a guy up for a game on short notice.
St.Johns blew it when they didn't support Major Junior. Williams can blow hot air about getting another affiliation and he just might, but they'll leave within 5 years as well.
1.) Jeffery Loria wasn't going to move the Expos either, but he found a way to pull a fast one and wind up with a team in Florida, with most of the Expos front office and farm system, while MLB wound up owning the Expos.
2.) There isn't enough fan interest for two teams in Florida, and Tampa is clearly the more successful franchise.
Maybe not two years, maybe 5, but the Florida Panthers will cease to exist at some point in the foreseeable future. It's as painfully obvious as it was in Atlanta.
1.) Jeffery Loria wasn't going to move the Expos either, but he found a way to pull a fast one and wind up with a team in Florida, with most of the Expos front office and farm system, while MLB wound up owning the Expos.
2.) There isn't enough fan interest for two teams in Florida, and Tampa is clearly the more successful franchise.
Maybe not two years, maybe 5, but the Florida Panthers will cease to exist at some point in the foreseeable future. It's as painfully obvious as it was in Atlanta.
You do realise the Florida Panthers have a lease with the arena until 2028. So another 14 years. After that maybe. So no, not two years, five year, or ten years.
GrayAntiMatter wrote:EVH
Zappa is pure cult status shit. He is to music what Bruce fucking Campbell is to acting....
pieceofme wrote:
You do realise the Florida Panthers have a lease with the arena until 2028. So another 14 years. After that maybe. So no, not two years, five year, or ten years.
“There is no truth to it,” Waddell said. “We are not a movable franchise. I have talked to our owners, and no one has had contact with any group. I’ve been through this so many times, but the truth is there are too many obstacles.”
""I have spoken to our owners again today on this subject," Waddell added. "The Atlanta Thrashers hockey club is a vital part of the Atlanta area. We also own the Atlanta Hawks and have controlling interest in a 99-year lease with Philips Arena. Our franchise is not available to be moved, we will continue to be part of this community for many, many years."
pieceofme wrote:
You do realise the Florida Panthers have a lease with the arena until 2028. So another 14 years. After that maybe. So no, not two years, five year, or ten years.
“There is no truth to it,” Waddell said. “We are not a movable franchise. I have talked to our owners, and no one has had contact with any group. I’ve been through this so many times, but the truth is there are too many obstacles.”
""I have spoken to our owners again today on this subject," Waddell added. "The Atlanta Thrashers hockey club is a vital part of the Atlanta area. We also own the Atlanta Hawks and have controlling interest in a 99-year lease with Philips Arena. Our franchise is not available to be moved, we will continue to be part of this community for many, many years."
Exactly - everything is negotiable; every contract is breakable.
The Panthers have NO fan base. The empty seats are embarrassing to a pro sports league. They lobby the league, year after year, to make sure Montreal, Toronto, Boston, New York, Detroit games are played at times of year when northerners are in Florida so they can sell some tickets.
Trust me, I know the pain of losing a beloved franchise. The death of the Expos killed me. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. However, I couldn't imagine the Panthers existing in a decade, especially as the salary cap, and floor, rises. Far more revenue can be generated elsewhere.
pieceofme wrote:
You do realise the Florida Panthers have a lease with the arena until 2028. So another 14 years. After that maybe. So no, not two years, five year, or ten years.
“There is no truth to it,” Waddell said. “We are not a movable franchise. I have talked to our owners, and no one has had contact with any group. I’ve been through this so many times, but the truth is there are too many obstacles.”
""I have spoken to our owners again today on this subject," Waddell added. "The Atlanta Thrashers hockey club is a vital part of the Atlanta area. We also own the Atlanta Hawks and have controlling interest in a 99-year lease with Philips Arena. Our franchise is not available to be moved, we will continue to be part of this community for many, many years."
Exactly - everything is negotiable; every contract is breakable.
The Panthers have NO fan base. The empty seats are embarrassing to a pro sports league. They lobby the league, year after year, to make sure Montreal, Toronto, Boston, New York, Detroit games are played at times of year when northerners are in Florida so they can sell some tickets.
Trust me, I know the pain of losing a beloved franchise. The death of the Expos killed me. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. However, I couldn't imagine the Panthers existing in a decade, especially as the salary cap, and floor, rises. Far more revenue can be generated elsewhere.
Also, the Panthers might not be profitable, but the parent company is. And they don't have the lowest attendance in the league! The game that the other poster linked to was the Ottawa game which was embarrassing. But thats not every game. When they put a winning product on the ice hopefully things will improve. Surely you can remember the issues Penguins and the Blackhawks had. Christ the Blackhawks are an original 6 team and they were struggling for years.
And we've got a new owner who is going to spend. Of course until it happens I will be skeptical!
The Panthers are moving nowhere in the near future.
GrayAntiMatter wrote:EVH
Zappa is pure cult status shit. He is to music what Bruce fucking Campbell is to acting....
Pieceofme, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're from the UK and now you live in my neck of the woods Vancouver. Why would you even give a shit if Florida moved? If they did move, why not just support them where they went?
Royal Dudeness wrote:Pieceofme, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're from the UK and now you live in my neck of the woods Vancouver. Why would you even give a shit if Florida moved? If they did move, why not just support them where they went?
Florida family connection. And I like supporting the underdog (It's a British thing). And I followed the team the Nottingham Panthers when i lived there.
If they moved they would be dead to me. Hockey would be dead to me. Which considering what the team puts me through it maybe wouldn't be the worst thing.
GrayAntiMatter wrote:EVH
Zappa is pure cult status shit. He is to music what Bruce fucking Campbell is to acting....
The Panthers' owner is committed to spending money to making the team better,the problem is he wants to spend Florida taxpayers money instead of his own.
Gibsonite wrote:The Panthers' owner is committed to spending money to making the team better,the problem is he wants to spend Florida taxpayers money instead of his own.
Taking my dad and son to see some kickass Junior Hockey tonight:
Halifax Mooseheads vs. Blainville/Boisbriand Armada
Two of the best teams in "the Q". I'm almost as psyched to see Jonathan Drouin live for the first time as my son is, not to mention Zach Fucale, who will be Carey Price's heir apparent in Montreal in a few years.
WOLF wrote:Taking my dad and son to see some kickass Junior Hockey tonight:
Halifax Mooseheads vs. Blainville/Boisbriand Armada
Two of the best teams in "the Q". I'm almost as psyched to see Jonathan Drouin live for the first time as my son is, not to mention Zach Fucale, who will be Carey Price's heir apparent in Montreal in a few years.
Good times!
Go Mooseheads!
GrayAntiMatter wrote:EVH
Zappa is pure cult status shit. He is to music what Bruce fucking Campbell is to acting....
WOLF wrote:Taking my dad and son to see some kickass Junior Hockey tonight:
Halifax Mooseheads vs. Blainville/Boisbriand Armada
Two of the best teams in "the Q". I'm almost as psyched to see Jonathan Drouin live for the first time as my son is, not to mention Zach Fucale, who will be Carey Price's heir apparent in Montreal in a few years.
Good times!
Go Mooseheads!
4-3 win for the Armada in a 8 round/16 shooter shootout! Both goalies were excellent, and Drouin is a magician with the puck.