The official NHL thread

[chungasrevenge]

Jan 19 seems to be the start date or at least the date that Gary is shooting for. Fehr will probably push it for a few more days. So deal sealed by 1/10 with camp opening on 1/12.

Rumor that Winnipeg and Columbus will be switching conferences starting this season and the league wants all non-playoff teams to be eligible for the #1 pick.

[RATTdrools]

Agree with Earl. Most people don't care about hockey. There was a point in the early to mid 90s during the Lemieux/Gretzky era where hockey was on a major upsurge. Then the first lockout happened then the Devils and their stupid trap ruined the game!

Hockey has been going down ever since! With all the other distractions we have these days I don't see a great future for the NHL.

[NeverSurrender]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4951188540578

[chungasrevenge]

US organized professional sports grosses as of 2010/11 average:

NFL $11B
MLB $7B
NBA $4.3B
NHL $3.3B
MLS $0.28B



World Wide grosses ranking from 5 years ago:

1) The National Football League - $6.3 Billion

2) Major League Baseball - $6.0 Billion

3) The National Basketball Association - $4.0 Billion -

4)The Premier League - $3.05 Billion

5) National Hockey League - $2.56 Billion

6) Indian premier league grossing $1.8 billion per year.

We'll see what the lockout does short term on grosses, but the fact of the matter is the league has never been more popular and increases revenue every year since the last lockout. Certain regions don't care like people in this region don't care about Nascar and people in Mobile think a skate is used to cut wood.

I only follow the NHL and NFL. I can't watch baseball or basketball and couldn't tell you most of the players.

The NHL is the Rush of professional sport leagues.

[RATTdrools]

I'll never get how baseball is the 2nd biggest league on earth with MLB. Watching paint dry is MORE exciting! Ball....strike....foul....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

At least many agree with me because baseball has lost a ton of popularity since its peak in the 70s. It's mostly a regional sport now. Most don't care about the World Series unless their team is in. Remember Monday Night Baseball? Low ratings killed it!

[Tymaster]

I'll never get how baseball is the 2nd biggest league on earth with MLB. Watching paint dry is MORE exciting! Ball....strike....foul....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

At least many agree with me because baseball has lost a ton of popularity since its peak in the 70s. It's mostly a regional sport now. Most don't care about the World Series unless their team is in. Remember Monday Night Baseball? Low ratings killed it!

Old school family traditions and a reputation as "the thinking man's sport" and the "businessman's sport" keep baseball alive. A lot of people are clueless about who is who on their local MLB team, but next to the golf course, more business deals are struck at baseball games than anywhere. My grandparents never missed a Reds game on WLW radio. I never got into them, but my sister, to this day doesn't miss a Reds game either in person, via radio or on tv and it's nostalgia for her. Whether or not she wants to admit it. Personally, baseball bores me to tears but I'll gladly go watch the minor league Columbus Clippers, eat 10 cent hot dogs, drink $2 beers, and stay for a few innings.

[Earl Skakel]

Agree with Earl. Most people don't care about hockey. There was a point in the early to mid 90s during the Lemieux/Gretzky era where hockey was on a major upsurge. Then the first lockout happened then the Devils and their stupid trap ruined the game!

Hockey has been going down ever since! With all the other distractions we have these days I don't see a great future for the NHL.

The NHL has ALWAYS dropped the ball when it comes to promotion. I mean think about the mid 80's/early 90's when Gretzky/Lemieux were in their prime/arguably the 2 greatest individual players of a team sport and for the most part outside whatever city they played in visually were virtually unknown in the rest of the US. Same could be said today with Ovechkin/Crosby as outside of Pittsburgh/Washington they could walk down naked in most strees in US cities and nobody would know who they are? You can't tell me that Ovechkin wouldn't be great on say a Jiffy Lube commercial that would go like this:
-You wanna a tough motor oil/show one of his hits
-You wanna slick motor oil/show one of his goals
.....

I go back to my Nascar point where the sport is very popular because they market the individual drivers so people care about the races. Same thing could be done in hockey but if they are not doing it now they probably won't do it tomorrow.

Earl

[RATTdrools]

Actually Earl, Gretzky got a good amount of name recognition back then since he got all those 200 point seasons. Lemieux was not as popular but fairly well known since no one has come as close to Gretzky's single season records as Lemieux. Gretzky is still the only hockey player who is a household name all over America.

But that highlights everything that's wrong with hockey. They don't score jack compared to what they used to! Players like Yzerman and Savard even got 150+ points yet now NO ONE can do that much less get Lemieux or Gretzky like numbers! Ovechkin and Crosby can't compare to those 2!

[Earl Skakel]

Actually Earl, Gretzky got a good amount of name recognition back then since he got all those 200 point seasons. Lemieux was not as popular but fairly well known since no one has come as close to Gretzky's single season records as Lemieux. Gretzky is still the only hockey player who is a household name all over America.

But that highlights everything that's wrong with hockey. They don't score jack compared to what they used to! Players like Yzerman and Savard even got 150+ points yet now NO ONE can do that much less get Lemieux or Gretzky like numbers! Ovechkin and Crosby can't compare to those 2!

Gretzky did get a fair amount of recognition but even then on the highlight shows hockey was 3rd or worse in the pecking order. You never saw him in very many commercials, think he might have been in a 7UP one if I remember correctly but with the numbers he was putting up he should have been more well known in the States by the casual fan. That changed a bit when he came to LA as I think he was on the cover of SI with Magic but given his historical significance not just in hockey but team sports in general I think the league could have done a better job of marketing he and the other star players like Lemieux,Messier....

Earl

[Kid-Wicked]

I go back to my Nascar point where the sport is very popular because they market the individual drivers so people care about the races. Same thing could be done in hockey but if they are not doing it now they probably won't do it tomorrow.

Earl

dude. it's regional. same as hockey. no one in seattle knows who carl edwards is but i bet they know sid the kid. and more people outdide of north america know him too. tony stewart isn't a household name in sweden but they know who the sedin twins are.

[RATTdrools]

Actually Earl, Gretzky got a good amount of name recognition back then since he got all those 200 point seasons. Lemieux was not as popular but fairly well known since no one has come as close to Gretzky's single season records as Lemieux. Gretzky is still the only hockey player who is a household name all over America.But that highlights everything that's wrong with hockey. They don't score jack compared to what they used to! Players like Yzerman and Savard even got 150+ points yet now NO ONE can do that much less get Lemieux or Gretzky like numbers! Ovechkin and Crosby can't compare to those 2!

Gretzky did get a fair amount of recognition but even then on the highlight shows has putting up he should have been more well known in the States by the casual fan. That changed a bit when he came to LA as I think he was on the cover of SI with Magic but given his historical significance not just in hockey but team sports in general I think the league could have done a better job of marketing he and the other star players likeLemieux,Messier....

Earl

Gretzky did get a few major endorsement deals after he came to LA like he did the "Bo knows" commercials with Bo Jackson and some shaving cream.

It's always amazed me how such a runt like Gretz made it so big. He admits in his book that he always came in last on strength and endurance test on the Oilers! Here's a guy who couldn't even bench 180 lbs.!

Magic must've been thinkin "What am I doin next to this wimp?".

[pieceofme]

It's funny because in Canada most people think Gretzky has sold out due to the amount of advertisements he has been on.

Plus I've seen him in quite a few commercials and films in the states. Most notably the Mighty Ducks 2 when he is supporting the USA.

[Earl Skakel]

I go back to my Nascar point where the sport is very popular because they market the individual drivers so people care about the races. Same thing could be done in hockey but if they are not doing it now they probably won't do it tomorrow.

Earl

dude. it's regional. same as hockey. no one in seattle knows who carl edwards is but i bet they know sid the kid. and more people outdide of north america know him too. tony stewart isn't a household name in sweden but they know who the sedin twins are.

dude, I know both sports are regional but my point is that Nascar which started out as a pretty much southern only sport carried over into other areas because of the marketing job they do. I'm not saying I expect LA to be a hockey town like Toronto but for Godssakes and I'm not kidding all 3 local stations when first reporting the Kings Cup Victory showed the Sacramento Kings logo!! In terms of Seattle I bet and I'm obviously guessing but if you put Edwards and Crosby's picture in the main Seattle paper most people would think they were prospects on the Mariners farm team! Happy New Years To Everyone!

Earl

[Kid-Wicked]

I go back to my Nascar point where the sport is very popular because they market the individual drivers so people care about the races. Same thing could be done in hockey but if they are not doing it now they probably won't do it tomorrow.

Earl

dude. it's regional. same as hockey. no one in seattle knows who carl edwards is but i bet they know sid the kid. and more people outdide of north america know him too. tony stewart isn't a household name in sweden but they know who the sedin twins are.

dude, I know both sports are regional but my point is that Nascar which started out as a pretty much southern only sport carried over into other areas because of the marketing job they do. I'm not saying I expect LA to be a hockey town like Toronto but for Godssakes and I'm not kidding all 3 local stations when first reporting the Kings Cup Victory showed the Sacramento Kings logo!! In terms of Seattle I bet and I'm obviously guessing but if you put Edwards and Crosby's picture in the main Seattle paper most people would think they were prospects on the Mariners farm team! Happy New Years To Everyone!

Earl

for the most part nascar is still a southern thing.
seattle is a good hockey market. they're on the short list of cities for relocation or expansion.

[RATTdrools]

I'm shocked at how big MLS is in Seattle! They average around 40,000 a game! For soccer! If it's a World Cup game I get it but MLS is horribly boring!

[Earl Skakel]

dude. it's regional. same as hockey. no one in seattle knows who carl edwards is but i bet they know sid the kid. and more people outdide of north america know him too. tony stewart isn't a household name in sweden but they know who the sedin twins are.[/quote]

dude, I know both sports are regional but my point is that Nascar which started out as a pretty much southern only sport carried over into other areas because of the marketing job they do. I'm not saying I expect LA to be a hockey town like Toronto but for Godssakes and I'm not kidding all 3 local stations when first reporting the Kings Cup Victory showed the Sacramento Kings logo!! In terms of Seattle I bet and I'm obviously guessing but if you put Edwards and Crosby's picture in the main Seattle paper most people would think they were prospects on the Mariners farm team! Happy New Years To Everyone!

Earl[/quote]
for the most part nascar is still a southern thing.
seattle is a good hockey market. they're on the short list of cities for relocation or expansion. [/quote]

Probably doesn't hurt either to have Paul Allen's money floating around up there either!

Earl

[RATTdrools]

Soccer will never be big in America but neither will hockey. The NFL is the only league that has a stranglehold while all other leagues have fallen.

Even college football and basketball are bigger than MLB and NBA!

[Earl Skakel]

Soccer will never be big in America but neither will hockey. The NFL is the only league that has a stranglehold while all other leagues have fallen.

Even college football and basketball are bigger than MLB and NBA!

i agree but I do think hockey could be a very very strong niche sport if marketed a little better. I'm in LA and for a team that just won the Stanley Cup in pretty dominating fashion you'd think there would at least be one billboard on Sunset saying CONGRATS or something along those lines.

Earl

[RATTdrools]

Soccer will never be big in America but neither will hockey. The NFL is the only league that has a stranglehold while all other leagues have fallen.

Even college football and basketball are bigger than MLB and NBA!

i agree but I do think hockey could be a very very strong niche sport if marketed a little better. I'm in LA and for a team that just won the Stanley Cup in pretty dominating fashion you'd think there would at least be one billboard on Sunset saying CONGRATS or something along those lines.

Earl

LOL...you heard that joke that most people in LA didn't even know they had a hockey team till Gretz got there? Not sure if it's a joke since I bet many in the LA area didn't know till Gretzky got there!

Lockout update: Bettman says a deal MUST be made by Jan.11 or the season is DONE! Will they do it or is the season dead?

[Earl Skakel]

Soccer will never be big in America but neither will hockey. The NFL is the only league that has a stranglehold while all other leagues have fallen.

Even college football and basketball are bigger than MLB and NBA!

i agree but I do think hockey could be a very very strong niche sport if marketed a little better. I'm in LA and for a team that just won the Stanley Cup in pretty dominating fashion you'd think there would at least be one billboard on Sunset saying CONGRATS or something along those lines.

Earl

LOL...you heard that joke that most people in LA didn't even know they had a hockey team till Gretz got there? Not sure if it's a joke since I bet many in the LA area didn't know till Gretzky got there!

Lockout update: Bettman says a deal MUST be made by Jan.11 or the season is DONE! Will they do it or is the season dead?

I'd like to think there not that stupid to burn a season for the 2nd time in 10 years but it's getting to the point where they have to play at least 50 games to make the season legit in my opinion. If they do come back which I'm starting to think they will, they better tweak the game and make it fan friendly to win people back. I know diehards like you and I will come back pretty fast but it's getting the casual fan reinvested that might be tough.

Earl

[RATTdrools]

I'm no longer a diehard. I was in the Lemieux/Gretzky days.

Brett Hull has predicted big things for the Caps now that Oates is coach. Ovie has slipped recently. If he comes back strong and the Caps go deep in the playoffs I'll watch. I was a fan of Bondra, Oates, Lang, and Jagr when they were on the Caps.

[chungasrevenge]

NHL action in two weeks. Thankfully this bullshit is down to the final hours.

[RATTdrools]

NHL action in two weeks. Thankfully this bullshit is down to the final hours.

How can you be so sure? They've been fools for 4 months so what's 2 more weeks?

[EatTheGlass]

NHL action in two weeks. Thankfully this bullshit is down to the final hours.

How can you be so sure? They've been fools for 4 months so what's 2 more weeks?

Bettman has said that a deal must be in place by Jan 11th, for a season start of 1/19.

[EatTheGlass]

Soccer will never be big in America but neither will hockey. The NFL is the only league that has a stranglehold while all other leagues have fallen.

Even college football and basketball are bigger than MLB and NBA!

i agree but I do think hockey could be a very very strong niche sport if marketed a little better. I'm in LA and for a team that just won the Stanley Cup in pretty dominating fashion you'd think there would at least be one billboard on Sunset saying CONGRATS or something along those lines.

Earl

But you are forgetting the fact that before this year, the KINGS have sucked ass for basically the past 20 years. You get a few seasons of consistently being a contender, it will be a different story.

Thought this was interesting, the KINGS cup run was chosen as the #1 story of 2012 by ABC7.... Not just sports stories, but overall....

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/gallery?sec ... 76&photo=1

[Earl Skakel]

Soccer will never be big in America but neither will hockey. The NFL is the only league that has a stranglehold while all other leagues have fallen.

Even college football and basketball are bigger than MLB and NBA!

i agree but I do think hockey could be a very very strong niche sport if marketed a little better. I'm in LA and for a team that just won the Stanley Cup in pretty dominating fashion you'd think there would at least be one billboard on Sunset saying CONGRATS or something along those lines.

Earl

But you are forgetting the fact that before this year, the KINGS have sucked ass for basically the past 20 years. You get a few seasons of consistently being a contender, it will be a different story.

Thought this was interesting, the KINGS cup run was chosen as the #1 story of 2012 by ABC7.... Not just sports stories, but overall....

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/gallery?sec ... 76&photo=1

Oh I agree that you have to win consistently for a few years before you get traction but if you win your first Stanley Cup in 44 years and probably the only championship that this city will see in the next few years due to the Lakers being dysfunctional,the Dodgers and Angels trying to buy their way to a trophy which usually never works and the Clippers probably being 1-2 seasons away from a title run(did I just say that?!!). I would think the Cup would merit a little more marketing be it by the Kings themselves,the city of LA or the NHL realizing LA is the #2 city population wise behind NYC.

Earl

[EatTheGlass]

Oh I agree that you have to win consistently for a few years before you get traction but if you win your first Stanley Cup in 44 years and probably the only championship that this city will see in the next few years due to the Lakers being dysfunctional,the Dodgers and Angels trying to buy their way to a trophy which usually never works and the Clippers probably being 1-2 seasons away from a title run(did I just say that?!!). I would think the Cup would merit a little more marketing be it by the Kings themselves,the city of LA or the NHL realizing LA is the #2 city population wise behind NYC.

Earl

I don't know, I've been following the Kings for a long time and was quite surprised with all the attention they got. Hell, the LA TIMES ran it as their cover story, and they are notorious for not giving the Kings or hockey any pub.

Regarding LA not seeing any championships in the near future, don't discount the chances of the KINGS repeating.....the exact same team coming back, fully rested....and they show half the dominance they did in last seasons playoffs, they have as good of a chance as any.

[pieceofme]

Oh I agree that you have to win consistently for a few years before you get traction but if you win your first Stanley Cup in 44 years and probably the only championship that this city will see in the next few years due to the Lakers being dysfunctional,the Dodgers and Angels trying to buy their way to a trophy which usually never works and the Clippers probably being 1-2 seasons away from a title run(did I just say that?!!). I would think the Cup would merit a little more marketing be it by the Kings themselves,the city of LA or the NHL realizing LA is the #2 city population wise behind NYC.

Earl

I don't know, I've been following the Kings for a long time and was quite surprised with all the attention they got. Hell, the LA TIMES ran it as their cover story, and they are notorious for not giving the Kings or hockey any pub.

Regarding LA not seeing any championships in the near future, don't discount the chances of the KINGS repeating.....the exact same team coming back, fully rested....and they show half the dominance they did in last seasons playoffs, they have as good of a chance as any.

Quick was scary good in the playoffs. He carried the team at the beginning of the season and once the forwards started scoring they found their balance. Definitely could win it again.

[Earl Skakel]

Oh I agree that you have to win consistently for a few years before you get traction but if you win your first Stanley Cup in 44 years and probably the only championship that this city will see in the next few years due to the Lakers being dysfunctional,the Dodgers and Angels trying to buy their way to a trophy which usually never works and the Clippers probably being 1-2 seasons away from a title run(did I just say that?!!). I would think the Cup would merit a little more marketing be it by the Kings themselves,the city of LA or the NHL realizing LA is the #2 city population wise behind NYC.

Earl

I don't know, I've been following the Kings for a long time and was quite surprised with all the attention they got. Hell, the LA TIMES ran it as their cover story, and they are notorious for not giving the Kings or hockey any pub.

Regarding LA not seeing any championships in the near future, don't discount the chances of the KINGS repeating.....the exact same team coming back, fully rested....and they show half the dominance they did in last seasons playoffs, they have as good of a chance as any.

Quick was scary good in the playoffs. He carried the team at the beginning of the season and once the forwards started scoring they found their balance. Definitely could win it again.

Oh, I think the Kings have the best shot for sure at repeating and the lockout bummed me out as for once the table was set for the Kings to rule the city with the above mentioned teams and their problems in the immediate future. I mean the Lakers have no moves left outside of trading Gasol and with his knees now ailing what are they gonna get for him? I think the Kings will repeat if there is a season as like you said their whole team is coming back which is so rare as usually the Cup champs lose at least 1-2 key pieces.

Earl

[chungasrevenge]

Rumor B's will open at Montreal on 1/19. Pitt at Philly in the afternoon. Blackhawks at Kings. All teams will open against their biggest rivals for the most part.