What I was saying is how do you tell a team that's just spent 200 million dollars to try to compete in the NHL that not only are they out of the league but also their contracts are void?
- Morris

How much of that money Carolina spent is going to be paid by the rest of the league?

That song used to make me kind of angry but a lot of nights it's kinda like that.
- Morris

I know. My buddy was working at the Lower Deck when BNL got into so much trouble. He said he's never seen a crowd turn on a band like that, especially at the Lower Deck where most people are too drunk to even notice the music.
At the time BNL were just a goofy street/busker band from Toronto. They obviously hadn't released Gordon yet so nobody knew who they were. Considering what happened to them it's not a surprise they hate the town.

How much of that money Carolina spent is going to be paid by the rest of the league?
- Bieksa#3

That's a good point. And in a lot of ways I wish that the NHL had not rapidly expanded from 21 to 30 teams in less than a decade. I think in a certain way it's hurt both new franchises in stabilizing and certainly old ones, who now have to support them.

However, I don't know if the solution is lopping off half the league. That cutoff would be quite contentious, and one of the contentions would be that "on the bubble" teams have some of the best players in the league on their rosters.

That's a good point. And in a lot of ways I wish that the NHL had not rapidly expanded from 21 to 30 teams in less than a decade. I think in a certain way it's hurt both new franchises in stabilizing and certainly old ones, who now have to support them.

However, I don't know if the solution is lopping off half the league. That cutoff would be quite contentious, and one of the contentions would be that "on the bubble" teams have some of the best players in the league on their rosters.
- Morris

Personally, why not turn the NHL into something like the Premiership in England. Have the top 16 playoff teams play in a top-tier super league and the other 14 in a slightly lower-tier league with the top team of that league playing the last place team of the super league for the right to move up. How about making an actual World Cup of Hockey that is as big as FIFAs? Do that and you'll be able to put a franchise in every city in North America that will be financially stable. The idea is to grow the game, because right now the NHL will always be fourth fiddle to the NFL, MLB and NBA in the US unless they can capture the imagination. I think if you make hockey more like soccer, you'll end up being able to capitalize on what makes hockey so great.

Way too hot outside! Couldn't even go for my morning run(late morning.. )

All joking aside they have a better shot getting the 1st overall playing out the season with their current roster
- Bieksa#3

You crack me up

I think coaching and system is their wilcard. Their forwards basically to a man don't Bach check. Defense is bad in their end(see Dion and Liles)First off Carlyle has to get them to buy into a system. 2nd how much will the forwards stats suffer.
- Bieksa#3

Daryylll Daryylll Daryylll

You crack me up
- VANTEL

I'm serious, you disagree?

Personally, why not turn the NHL into something like the Premiership in England. Have the top 16 playoff teams play in a top-tier super league and the other 14 in a slightly lower-tier league with the top team of that league playing the last place team of the super league for the right to move up. How about making an actual World Cup of Hockey that is as big as FIFAs? Do that and you'll be able to put a franchise in every city in North America that will be financially stable. The idea is to grow the game, because right now the NHL will always be fourth fiddle to the NFL, MLB and NBA in the US unless they can capture the imagination. I think if you make hockey more like soccer, you'll end up being able to capitalize on what makes hockey so great.
- DariusKnight

Well, you'd have to have an accompanying World Cup of Hockey to grow the game because my suspicion is that if people don't tune in to watch Phoenix compete for the Stanley cup, they certainly won't tune in to watch Phoenix try to compete for the premiership.

And in practice (unless you abolished the salary cap) you'd have Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Winnipeg, Montreal and possibly even Ottawa in that bottom-tiered league. I don't know if Canadians want to watch a league where their team doesn't have a shot at the Stanley Cup.

That being said, I think the concept of a club world cup like they do in soccer is kind of neat.

Maybe if you had a North American Premiership competing for the Stanley cup, with the bottom 14 competing and sending representatives to a world cup that had clubs from the KHL, SEL and SM-Liiga and Czech Extraliga.

This is all pretty much abstract thinking though because Gary Bettman wants the NHL to be just like its three older/bigger brothers: everything is about the status quo.

You crack me up
- VANTEL

How happy will Bell/Rogers be when thier first season as the new owners is shortened by a lockout.

I don't know how you'd narrow it down.

First, all 7 Canadian teams
Then, Boston, Detroit, New York Rangers, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington (very likely).

Then, how do you justify booting the Stanley cup champions? Los Angeles is in.
Then, Carolina just handed out 102 million this summer in contract money. Minnesota just gave close to 200 million. Nasvhille has shelled out 172 million. It'd be tough to shut the door on a lot of teams, at this point.
- Morris

Minny is a hockey town.

East

TOR
MTL
BOS
NYR
PHI
PITT

Central

DET
CHI
MINNY
STL
HAMILTON
WPG


West

VAN
LA
CGY
EDM
SJ
SEATTLE


Top two from each division make the playoffs and 2 wildcard teams
Four first round playoffs series.

2nd round in order of finish

3 rd round for trophy.

Second round and every round after

I'm serious, you disagree?
- Bieksa#3

They would be in the mix for sure . CBJ will be the worse team but Tor will be close.

Unless they had a superstar goalie for the going rate of Gardiner.

Well, you'd have to have an accompanying World Cup of Hockey to grow the game because my suspicion is that if people don't tune in to watch Phoenix compete for the Stanley cup, they certainly won't tune in to watch Phoenix try to compete for the premiership.

And in practice (unless you abolished the salary cap) you'd have Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Winnipeg, Montreal and possibly even Ottawa in that bottom-tiered league. I don't know if Canadians want to watch a league where their team doesn't have a shot at the Stanley Cup.

That being said, I think the concept of a club world cup like they do in soccer is kind of neat.

Maybe if you had a North American Premiership competing for the Stanley cup, with the bottom 14 competing and sending representatives to a world cup that had clubs from the KHL, SEL and SM-Liiga and Czech Extraliga.

This is all pretty much abstract thinking though because Gary Bettman wants the NHL to be just like its three older/bigger brothers: everything is about the status quo.
- Morris

Well, I think it would get fans of teams not in the Premiership forcing GMs to actually build teams properly and not rely on only high draft picks to get better. It would weed out the Feasters, Tambellinis, Burkes et. al, who don't have a clue how to develop talent or surround them with pieces to win. Detroit's shown that you don't have to have a player like Crosby to build a team around, just someone with high-end talent and then surround that player with pieces that complement their skill sets and can supply whatever they lack. I think that my idea of making the last place team of a league playing the first place team of a lower tier for relegation would make the usual strategy of sucking to get the 1st overall pick no longer a palatable option. It would make hockey overall better because now every team on the bubble would be fighting for their lives not to have to play in a relegation game with the very real possibility of dropping a tier. I'd also change the point system to the soccer style of 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an OT win, 1 point for a SO win and 0 for any loss (Regulation or otherwise).

Minny is a hockey town.

East

TOR
MTL
BOS
NYR
PHI
PITT

Central

DET
CHI
MINNY
STL
HAMILTON
WPG


West

VAN
LA
CGY
EDM
SJ
SEATTLE


Top two from each division make the playoffs and 2 wildcard teams
Four first round playoffs series.

2nd round in order of finish

3 rd round for trophy.

Second round and every round after
- VANTEL

I'm not saying I might not prefer an alternate reality where these were the starting blocks to a new NHL, but it'd be unprecedented/ridiculously bad press/probably tied up in litigation for years to say, "get (frank)ed Columbus, Nashville, New Jersey, Long Island, Buffalo, Ottawa, Colorado, Anaheim, Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay, Phoenix and Dallas! P.S. We're taking back Tavares, Weber, Rinne, Duchene, Stastny, Landeskog, Myers, Miller, Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Fowler, Hiller, Benn, Eriksson, Yandle, Ekman-Larsson, Smith, Campbell, Weiss, Staal, Staal, Semin, Skinner, Ward, Karlsson, and Stamkos and giving them to cities that REALLY care about hockey."

Pass it to Bulis‏@passittobulis

According to EA Sports, Dan Hamhuis is equal to Ryan Suter and better than Drew Doughty. Hooray! #Canucks

They would be in the mix for sure . CBJ will be the worse team byt Tor will be close.

Unless they had a superstar goalie for the going rate of Gardiner.
- VANTEL

Exactly. Right now if there was no season the leafs would have 3 of 49 balls I think. That's just a smidge over 6% chance of winning. If they finish in the bottom 3 then they have what a 10% chance. Not to mention they could pick 30th if there is no season.

Well, I think it would get fans of teams not in the Premiership forcing GMs to actually build teams properly and not rely on only high draft picks to get better. It would weed out the Feasters, Tambellinis, Burkes et. al, who don't have a clue how to develop talent or surround them with pieces to win. Detroit's shown that you don't have to have a player like Crosby to build a team around, just someone with high-end talent and then surround that player with pieces that complement their skill sets and can supply whatever they lack. I think that my idea of making the last place team of a league playing the first place team of a lower tier for relegation would make the usual strategy of sucking to get the 1st overall pick no longer a palatable option. It would make hockey overall better because now every team on the bubble would be fighting for their lives not to have to play in a relegation game with the very real possibility of dropping a tier. I'd also change the point system to the soccer style of 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an OT win, 1 point for a SO win and 0 for any loss (Regulation or otherwise).
- DariusKnight

That's fine in theory. All I'm saying is that teams that are struggling financially would fold rather than compete to stay up. The allure of winning the Stanley cup might be the only thing that keeps a lot of hockey markets going, and rather than being cool competing in a lower tier, I'd bet they'd cease operations altogether.

Pass it to Bulis‏@passittobulis

According to EA Sports, Dan Hamhuis is equal to Ryan Suter and better than Drew Doughty. Hooray! #Canucks
- VANTEL

Isn't the game made in vancouver

I'm not saying I might not prefer an alternate reality where these were the starting blocks to a new NHL, but it'd be unprecedented/ridiculously bad press/probably tied up in litigation for years to say, "get (frank)ed Columbus, Nashville, New Jersey, Long Island, Buffalo, Ottawa, Colorado, Anaheim, Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay, Phoenix and Dallas! P.S. We're taking back Tavares, Weber, Rinne, Duchene, Stastny, Landeskog, Myers, Miller, Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Fowler, Hiller, Benn, Eriksson, Yandle, Ekman-Larsson, Smith, Campbell, Weiss, Staal, Staal, Semin, Skinner, Ward, Karlsson, and Stamkos and giving them to cities that REALLY care about hockey."
- Morris

Three lockouts under one presidency is stupid.

I think those teams mentioned can be a B league or you can have a South league and bring it up to 24.

Isn't the game made in vancouver
- Bieksa#3

No Burnaby


According to Edmonton Fans Vancouver and Burnaby are different. Ask RNH.

Three lockouts under one presidency is stupid.

I think those teams mentioned can be a B league or you can have a South league and bring it up to 24.
- VANTEL

I agree. I think the league is bloated too. But I'd rather see a resolution to freeze expansion, relocate only to cities with more short term stability than long term potential, and no more bailouts. I think you'd find that the league would pare itself down to about 26 naturally. The idea of of severing teams from the NHL - while leaving a good chunk of committed cities - raises too many complications.

And as I responded to the other guy, I don't think you'd get much support for a professional B league in practice.

I agree. I think the league is bloated too. But I'd rather see a resolution to freeze expansion, relocate only to cities with more short term stability than long term potential, and no more bailouts. I think you'd find that the league would pare itself down to about 26 naturally. The idea of of severing teams from the NHL - while leaving a good chunk of committed cities - raises too many complications.

And as I responded to the other guy, I don't think you'd get much support for a professional B league in practice.
- Morris

The owners that are asking for the delay are the poor ones. So in the meantime the rich owners pay for Doan to play there and Semin to play in Carolina and Stamkos to play in TB but we get Mason Raymond. Does not seem fair. I would rather see them pay 20 mil for their team and let us spend as much as we want with a luxury tax . Time to remove the anchors .

If an owner wanted to pay 20 mil for his roster good luck getting fans to the bldg.

In Gary Bettmans world we should all be driving Porches.

Well, I think it would get fans of teams not in the Premiership forcing GMs to actually build teams properly and not rely on only high draft picks to get better. It would weed out the Feasters, Tambellinis, Burkes et. al, who don't have a clue how to develop talent or surround them with pieces to win. Detroit's shown that you don't have to have a player like Crosby to build a team around, just someone with high-end talent and then surround that player with pieces that complement their skill sets and can supply whatever they lack.
- DariusKnight

BTW, i'll stick Tambellni to the side of the other two, as I would call his strategies far different that Burke's or Feaster's.

How are the Burke's or Feaster's being rewarded under the current system? They're two GMs that rely the LEAST on drafting.

I also don't get this "building teams properly" nonsense. To me, being a good GM seems like a pretty consequential game doesn't it? In fact, just as it's frustrating for other fans to hear Edmonton constantly compared to Chicago and Pittsburgh, it's just as frustrating to learn that drafting and developing is no way to build a team. There are tons of ways to build a good team. And any particular strategy has a list of successes and failures.

And what has Detroit shown that can be used as a template? Pick players with flaws in their game at their draft age and hope to your darndest they pollish them out to become Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Franzen? They've got good scouting and development for sure, but there's not too many teams that could replicate, or diagnose how to replicate, that success.

OMG Facts SEX‏@OMGFactsSex

Kawasaki, Japan hosts a penis festival on the first Sunday of every April



Just booked my tickets ...Confirmed.

The owners that are asking for the delay are the poor ones. So in the meantime the rich owners pay for Doan to play there and Semin to play in Carolina and Stamkos to play in TB but we get Mason Raymond. Does not seem fair. I would rather see them pay 20 mil for their team and let us spend as much as we want with a luxury tax . Time to remove the anchors .

If an owner wanted to pay 20 mil for his roster good luck getting fans to the bldg.

In Gary Bettmans world we should all be driving Porches.
- VANTEL

Any salary cap will eventually lead to a luxury tax. I think this CBA will eventually be more about the have and have not owners disagreeing, than the owners and the players disagreeing.