NHL Hockey thread

[Barrister]

If you're in Montreal and want to watch hockey, it's cheaper to bord a plane in Plattsburgh, go to Tampa, sleep one night, board the plane back to Plattsburgh.

Why is that?

I don't know that that is necessarily true.

On the Habs official resale site the cheapest ticket for Wednesdays game against the hated Bruins is $72 for the upper nosebleeds.  I could buy tickets equivalent to what I sat in last night for $200 / seat (which seems cheap, actually).

The cheapest seats for Tamps' game next Thursday against the Senators is $14.  Roughly equivalent seats would be $71.

So I don't think Viper's statement is literally true.  But when you look at the price differences you see why a number of Canadian fans will make a weekend of it to go see their favourite team on the road...

[viper37]

If you're in Montreal and want to watch hockey, it's cheaper to bord a plane in Plattsburgh, go to Tampa, sleep one night, board the plane back to Plattsburgh.

Why is that? 

The tickets are way cheaper in Florida than in Montreal, no sales tax, no airport taxes in Plattsburgh, no tax on hotel.
But as BB said, it's not literraly true, and not always the case.

In Ottawa, you can get decent tickets for 55-70$, no such luck in Montreal.  In Tampay Bay, the same tickets are sold for 10-15$US.

Of course, the drop in CAN$ value has hurt that scheme, but at some point, I'm gonna visit some southern US city just to watch a hockey game.

[Admiral Yi]

Are there any other factors besides supply and demand at work?  Smaller venues?  Private vs. public arenas?  Crazy taxes?

[viper37]

Are there any other factors besides supply and demand at work?  Smaller venues?  Private vs. public arenas?  Crazy taxes?

People are willing to pay top $ to see the old Canadian teams, like the Habs and Toronto.
Taxes don't do much in the equation, the crazy taxes are mostly for individuals, not corporations who are more mobiles.  Private vs public arenas, I don't really know the status of all NHL arenas, but Montreal is 100% private, with a municipal tax break while Tampa got money from the city.  To make a complete answer, I'd need to compare all variables, something I don't really have time to dig for.

[Barrister]

Are there any other factors besides supply and demand at work?  Smaller venues?  Private vs. public arenas?  Crazy taxes?

Pretty sure it's just supply and demand.  Hockey is the #1 sport around here, and by a lot.  No particular tax incentives I can think of that don't also apply in the US.  Venues are all generally quite large (exception for Winnipeg, but it's small in a small market).  Mix of public and private arenas.

[Valmy]

Actually the answer is the new Jets Saviour - rookie goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.  He's undefeated in three starts, with a 0.97 GAA and .962Sv%.   

Jets fans have been clamoring to see this kid since he was first drafted and put up fantastic numbers in the NCAA, and really strong numbers in front of the IceCaps / Moose with pretty poor teams in front of him.  Oh, and he was the starting goalie for the US World Championship team last year (despite zero NHL experience) and took them to a bronze.  And so far he has not disappointed.

Like I said. Canadian perfidy. At least the Caps still got a point.

[Barrister]

Actually the answer is the new Jets Saviour - rookie goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.  He's undefeated in three starts, with a 0.97 GAA and .962Sv%.   

Jets fans have been clamoring to see this kid since he was first drafted and put up fantastic numbers in the NCAA, and really strong numbers in front of the IceCaps / Moose with pretty poor teams in front of him.  Oh, and he was the starting goalie for the US World Championship team last year (despite zero NHL experience) and took them to a bronze.  And so far he has not disappointed.

Like I said. Canadian perfidy. At least the Caps still got a point.

But Hellebuyck is American. 

[Alcibiades]

Kane's streak up to 25 



Was reading an article about scoring in the NHL, how come teams were averaging 5+ goals a game before the 90s, what changed?

[PRC]

Lots of factors.  Goalies g

Was reading an article about scoring in the NHL, how come teams were averaging 5+ goals a game before the 90s, what changed?

Lot's of factors. 

Goalies getting better, getting bigger equipment is probably at the top of the list. 

The mid-nineties to 2004 also was known as the "clutch & grab" era... when referees weren't calling interference penalties and players were able to literally clutch & grab puck holders holding them up. 

Coaches also got much better at defensive hockey, slowing games down with the neutral zone trap, lead by the Devils but duplicated by a lot of other teams.

After the 2004 lockout one of the main rule changes was focusing on calling interference penalties so the clutch & grab largely went away, but the other two factors still contribute to the drop in scoring since. 

Like I said, goalies are probably the number one factor.  Go look at some images of goalies in the eighties like Grant Fuhr or Mike Liut and then compare them with what goalies look like today.  Back then they look like normal players with small-ish pads on their legs, you can see a lot of net behind them.  These days there are only a handful of goalies under 6 feet tall, the equipment they wear is big and you don't see much net behind them at all. 

Goalies also used to play a stand-up style and Patrick Roy helped bring a butterfly style into vogue in the mid to late eighties, most goals are scored at the bottom of the net and his style focused on defending the bottom of the net.  Hasek was the master of blocking the net down low, though he didn't really have a style others could emulate easily.

[Jaron]

Write it down y'all.

Today the Sharks downed the Maple Leafs - one time Stanley Cup champions, 7-0. 

[Admiral Yi]

I've always thought the Mormonism was more believable than becoming a hockey fan.

[Barrister]

Write it down y'all.

Today the Sharks downed the Maple Leafs - one time Stanley Cup champions, 7-0. 

Defeating the Leafs is supposed to be an accomplishment worthy of note?

[Jaron]

Write it down y'all.

Today the Sharks downed the Maple Leafs - one time Stanley Cup champions, 7-0. 

Defeating the Leafs is supposed to be an accomplishment worthy of note?

The way the Sharks have played lately, yes.

[Jaron]

I've always thought the Mormonism was more believable than becoming a hockey fan.

Son, I've watched hockey since I was 13. It's kind of the family sport of choice.

[Barrister]

Evander Kane is coming back to the MTS Centre today.