NHL Hockey thread

[Barrister]

• Phoenix - Will soon be the Jets again, unless Bettman decides to try getting into the untapped hockey market in Mexico City.  Given the quality of decisionmaking this guy has shown, would we be surprised?  On the ice, it's nice to see these guys not being futile, although I don't think they're quite there yet.  Beeb could be cheering for a team hoisting the cup in a few years, if they make the right moves.

Maybe.

With the Yotes playing a bunch of games against Canadian teams recently I've had a chance to follow them a bit.  Some nice young players - they could be good.

Or the team could fall apart if it moves. Bryzgalov is a UFA and apparently unlikely to re-sign in a cold weather city.  Shane Doan, although he spent his rookie season in the 'Peg, has spent 15 years in the desert and might very well retire rather than move his family.  Those two would be major, major losses.

I'm still shocked they're in fourth place though.

[Neil]

Sorry, but you shouldn't have blamed your goalies for not being Patrick Roy back in the days when your gays were playing 4 forwards against the trap.

Not all fans did that. Example: Me. Some Vancouver fans are actually hockey fans first. When Vancouver is fielding a sucky team, I'm always the first to say so. part of being a fan is whinging about (what you think are) bad decisions/players etc. Every team in the league has fansof the type you ascribe to Vancouver, all the teams also have fans who understand the game and know when their team is for real or not.

Will Vancouver do better in the playoffs? My gut says yes, but my brain says it's as likely as San Jose choking, that Vancouver could also.

My desire is however for them to win.

I just remember how bad it got back when the Canucks were scoring at will, but giving up 3-on-1s every few minutes.  Poor Dan Cloutier.

[Neil]

• Phoenix - Will soon be the Jets again, unless Bettman decides to try getting into the untapped hockey market in Mexico City.  Given the quality of decisionmaking this guy has shown, would we be surprised?  On the ice, it's nice to see these guys not being futile, although I don't think they're quite there yet.  Beeb could be cheering for a team hoisting the cup in a few years, if they make the right moves.

Maybe.

With the Yotes playing a bunch of games against Canadian teams recently I've had a chance to follow them a bit.  Some nice young players - they could be good.

Or the team could fall apart if it moves. Bryzgalov is a UFA and apparently unlikely to re-sign in a cold weather city.  Shane Doan, although he spent his rookie season in the 'Peg, has spent 15 years in the desert and might very well retire rather than move his family.  Those two would be major, major losses.

I'm still shocked they're in fourth place though.

That's true.  Quality goaltenders and experienced veterans are hard to replace.

They were in fourth last year, weren't they?

[Barrister]

• Phoenix - Will soon be the Jets again, unless Bettman decides to try getting into the untapped hockey market in Mexico City.  Given the quality of decisionmaking this guy has shown, would we be surprised?  On the ice, it's nice to see these guys not being futile, although I don't think they're quite there yet.  Beeb could be cheering for a team hoisting the cup in a few years, if they make the right moves.

Maybe.

With the Yotes playing a bunch of games against Canadian teams recently I've had a chance to follow them a bit.  Some nice young players - they could be good.

Or the team could fall apart if it moves. Bryzgalov is a UFA and apparently unlikely to re-sign in a cold weather city.  Shane Doan, although he spent his rookie season in the 'Peg, has spent 15 years in the desert and might very well retire rather than move his family.  Those two would be major, major losses.

I'm still shocked they're in fourth place though.

That's true.  Quality goaltenders and experienced veterans are hard to replace.

They were in fourth last year, weren't they?

I thought they snuck in.

Nope, you're right.  4th place last year.

[Ed Anger]

Somebody needs to pulverize Matt Cooke. Maybe Milan Lucic can send him through the glass.

like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEs86l5rk74

[Neil]

Well, Montreal looked awesome today.  Calgary is basically done.

[Zoupa]

Well, Montreal looked awesome today.  Calgary is basically done.

It's the Theodore curse. Poor dude cannot stop a beach ball against us.

[Barrister]

And if you had some actual news report it, not quoting a line from a writers blog about "hey something may or may not happen this weekend in regards to sale"  How about you comment on you know the actual teams playing for playoff positions.

Okay, so during the Chicago - Phoenix game. Hulsizer comes on during intermission (this is all second hand from web reports).  He says something about how of the $100 mil bond offering, he will re-pay $25 mil, and 'guarantee' the remaining $75 mil.

Then, nobody less than John McCain comes on to say that the Goldwater Institute has done a public service, the bond is now legal, and they should step aside having done their good deed for the day.

No idea what any of this meaning, other than it's yet another twist in this saga.

[Barrister]

Oh, and by the way, it means that something did indeed happen this weekend.

Edit: here's a link to a story confirming same (except for McCain).

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Hulsizer-to-guarantee-75-million-of-bond-proceeds-for-Coyotes-118340234.html

The $75 million dollar question - what does he mean by "guarantee"?  Who guarantees - the Coyotes?  Peak6 (his investment co.)?  Hulsizer personally?  Guarantee against what?

[Barrister]

Hulsizer video.

http://video.coyotes.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=104025

[viper37]

Jets-o-Meter should be down tomorrow morning...

[viper37]

The $75 million dollar question - what does he mean by "guarantee"?  Who guarantees - the Coyotes?  Peak6 (his investment co.)?  Hulsizer personally?  Guarantee against what?

EDIT:
ah, i listened to the video.

Step 1 :
So, he's giving back 25 million$ to the city immediatly, so they pay their part of the loss for this year.

Step 2:
If the city doesn't make 75 million$ in parking revenue and other revenues (selling the arena in 20 years for an estimated value of 40 million$), he's giving back the city up to 75 million$, if their revenues where of 0$.  If they make 70 million$ over 20 years, including the sale of the arena, he's paying back 5 million$ in 20 years.

It will depend on the wording of the contract, but it could be a very good deal for Hullsizer or for Glendale, but I don't think it will be good for both.

What it really  means, is that from the original deal, he needs to pay 25 million$ more than he had too.
the tax payers face less risks, though they still have to pay 100 million$ to the guy (well, his company) and assume the interests of this.

I doubt the price of the bonds will change, so they are still liable for something like 9% over a principal of 116 000 000$, if the numbers are accurate.  Hullsizer is still getting the team on the cheap, but really, is the team really worth more than that?  He'll need to be a creative genius to sell hockey down there and turn a profit on these operations.

[Barrister]

The thought that occurs to me about the 'guarantee'.

What if it's a guarantee by the Coyotes (or whatever his holding Co. is).  That's still a guarantee.  But it's tied to the exact same asset as the bonds are.  So if the parking revenue doesn't generate enough $$$, then neither are the Coyotes, and they can always go bankrupt and get out of any such guarantee.

Just a thought though.  Maybe more details will come on Monday.

We're certainly VERY late in the day to be making changes to the deal.  Very real deadlines are rapidly approaching.  If the deal does not get done, and the team is not sold, it is the NHL that is left holding the bag.

Interesting times my friends... and this is way more interesting than anything happening on the ice.

[Zoupa]

Interesting times my friends... and this is way more interesting than anything happening on the ice.

[Sophie Scholl]

The Sabres are giving me an ulcer.