NHL Hockey thread

[viper37]

Apparently, there are 2 buyers in line to invest in the Thrashers.

And I heard this morning, coming from an unnamed source, but very high placed in the NHL, that Quebec city and Winnipeg will get their teams, but via an expansion in a few years from now.  Priority #1 for the league is to stabilize the owner's issues, where some want out of the game and are trying to sell their shares.

They don't want to move any team, and they will do everything they can to keep them in place.  Only if it becomes absolutely necessary, as a last resort before the team simply ceases to exists or it's moving will the NHL agree.

[Barrister]

Apparently, there are 2 buyers in line to invest in the Thrashers.

And I heard this morning, coming from an unnamed source, but very high placed in the NHL, that Quebec city and Winnipeg will get their teams, but via an expansion in a few years from now.  Priority #1 for the league is to stabilize the owner's issues, where some want out of the game and are trying to sell their shares.

They don't want to move any team, and they will do everything they can to keep them in place.  Only if it becomes absolutely necessary, as a last resort before the team simply ceases to exists or it's moving will the NHL agree.

Meh - I read so many rumours from "unnamed sources".  If the person with the rumour isn't a professional journalist I just skip them entirely.

The Thrashers have to move.  Atlanta Spirit doesn't want them any more.  They own the arena.  Any NHL team can not survive without getting ancillary revenue from the arena.  If the Hawks have to pay rent to use their arena there is no way they'll ever survive.

Too many teams have struggling ownership, too many teams for sale.  Moving a team or two to Canada is a fairly easy fix to a troubled ownership group.  Remember the Islanders are still also out there - while Phoenix and Atlanta are 28th and 29th in attendance, Long Island is still 30th.

*if* expansion happens, it would be to southern Ontario.

[Valmy]

And I heard this morning, coming from an unnamed source, but very high placed in the NHL, that Quebec city and Winnipeg will get their teams, but via an expansion in a few years from now.

Expand?  The NHL?  Not even Bettman is that stupid.

[Grey Fox]

And I heard this morning, coming from an unnamed source, but very high placed in the NHL, that Quebec city and Winnipeg will get their teams, but via an expansion in a few years from now.

Expand?  The NHL?  Not even Bettman is that stupid.

Oh. It'll expand. It's 250-500mil right there in cold hard cash.

[viper37]

Meh - I read so many rumours from "unnamed sources".  If the person with the rumour isn't a professional journalist I just skip them entirely.

He's a professional journalist, but his source will not speak publicly about this.

The Thrashers have to move.  Atlanta Spirit doesn't want them any more.  They own the arena.  Any NHL team can not survive without getting ancillary revenue from the arena.  If the Hawks have to pay rent to use their arena there is no way they'll ever survive.

Honestly, it's the first I heard about this.

Too many teams have struggling ownership, too many teams for sale.  Moving a team or two to Canada is a fairly easy fix to a troubled ownership group.  Remember the Islanders are still also out there - while Phoenix and Atlanta are 28th and 29th in attendance, Long Island is still 30th.

*if* expansion happens, it would be to southern Ontario.

You are delusional, my friend
The Islanders will never move.  Even the owner doesn't really want to sell or relocate.
An expansion in Southern Ontario is out of the question.  The first news I remember hearing about the Nordiques were their relocation in Hamilton, more than once.  It never happenned.

Any expansion or more to Southern Ontario will see the opposition of Buffalo, Toronto and Detroit.

[viper37]

Expand?  The NHL?  Not even Bettman is that stupid.

Kansas City and Las Vegas want hockey teams.  So first, they'll expand to Canada by 2015, than come 2020 they'll move our teams to these US cities

[Barrister]

Too many teams have struggling ownership, too many teams for sale.  Moving a team or two to Canada is a fairly easy fix to a troubled ownership group.  Remember the Islanders are still also out there - while Phoenix and Atlanta are 28th and 29th in attendance, Long Island is still 30th.

*if* expansion happens, it would be to southern Ontario.

You are delusional, my friend
The Islanders will never move.  Even the owner doesn't really want to sell or relocate.
An expansion in Southern Ontario is out of the question.  The first news I remember hearing about the Nordiques were their relocation in Hamilton, more than once.  It never happenned.

Any expansion or more to Southern Ontario will see the opposition of Buffalo, Toronto and Detroit.

I'm not sure what will happen, but the Islanders are in the worst shape of any NHL franchise.  Something has to change there.

You outline why S Ontario would be an expansion, not relocation.  If you demand some ridiculous expansion fee like $300 mil, then give $80 mil each to Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit in compensation, a lot of opposition will dry up.  But you can't demand that kind of money on a relocation.

Notice I said "if" expansion happens.  I'm not convinced it will.

[viper37]

I'm not sure what will happen, but the Islanders are in the worst shape of any NHL franchise.  Something has to change there.

The owner is at odds (to say the least) with the local authorities, mainly the State, IIRC.
He doesn't get what he wants, so he let the team fall.  He wanted his precious real estate development around the arena, didn't get it, now he sulks.  And the fans suffer from a mediocre product, and many are now disinterested, wich I understand.  If you're a sports fan in Montreal, there's pretty much just the Habs you can see.  But in New York, you have what, 1 NFL team, 2 baseball teams, 1 basketball team and another hockey team, not counting minor sports.  I say there's a lot of opportunities there.

You outline why S Ontario would be an expansion, not relocation.  If you demand some ridiculous expansion fee like $300 mil, then give $80 mil each to Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit in compensation, a lot of opposition will dry up.  But you can't demand that kind of money on a relocation.

If the cost of an expansion is too high, you won't have it, the NHL just can't charge as much as they want.

I'd like to see the Maple Leafs move, though.  Maybe to Laval

[Grey Fox]

I'm not sure what will happen, but the Islanders are in the worst shape of any NHL franchise.  Something has to change there.

The owner is at odds (to say the least) with the local authorities, mainly the State, IIRC.
He doesn't get what he wants, so he let the team fall.  He wanted his precious real estate development around the arena, didn't get it, now he sulks.  And the fans suffer from a mediocre product, and many are now disinterested, wich I understand.  If you're a sports fan in Montreal, there's pretty much just the Habs you can see.  But in New York, you have what, 1 NFL team, 2 baseball teams, 1 basketball team and another hockey team, not counting minor sports.  I say there's a lot of opportunities there.

You outline why S Ontario would be an expansion, not relocation.  If you demand some ridiculous expansion fee like $300 mil, then give $80 mil each to Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit in compensation, a lot of opposition will dry up.  But you can't demand that kind of money on a relocation.

If the cost of an expansion is too high, you won't have it, the NHL just can't charge as much as they want.

I'd like to see the Maple Leafs move, though.  Maybe to Laval

Eh! Je te souhaite pas de malheur moi!

[Valmy]

Las Vegas

Ah yes.  Where professional sports goes to die.

[viper37]

Ah yes.  Where professional sports goes to die.

didn't stop the NHL before

[PRC]

Wow Montreal... way to "do it for Max".

[Grey Fox]

It's all Gomez's fault.

[viper37]

It's all Gomez's fault.

did it finish 7-0 or more?  I hardly think it's the fault of only one player.  Didn't see the game though.

[Ed Anger]

I laughed at the Canadiens taking it in the ass from the Bruins.