Well, they are playing hockey here in Finland. I´ll keep focusing on Teräväinen but so far he (and the whole team Jokerit - lost second game straight 3-0) has been a bit disapointment to the exeptations. It´s only two games so far but if he doesn´t play better he will find himself playing and finding his game on juniors or lower levels.
- MjulQvist

Valtteri Filppula is supposed to be joining Jokerit. Is that going to possibly leave Teravainen with less minutes?

Off topic, but here's a list of the top 100 NHL prospects.

http://www.hockeyprospect...rticle.php?articleid=1381

Of note, Teravainen ranked #11. Vancouver's top prospect clocks in at #88.

I understand your premise, but how would that work? Say rockford is the team that gets to move up. What happens when Chicago needs to call up players. They move from 1 team in the league to another? I think you need to think about this a little more.
- powerenforcer

Indeed.

A good number of teams like Rockford operate out of small buildings. Rockford has seating for about 6,250. If they were hypothetically moved up in a soccer type system, how are they supposed to compete financially?

Off topic, but here's a list of the top 100 NHL prospects.

http://www.hockeyprospect...rticle.php?articleid=1381

Of note, Teravainen ranked #11. Vancouver's top prospect clocks in at #88.
- MartiniMan

Go share that in Esplen's thread. That will give Canucks fans something to female dog about.

As I said I'm against this premise, but the only way I could see it working is to leave the AHL alone as a developmental league, and divide the NHL into two seperate leagues. Take last years' bottom 10 teams and make a"B" league. At the end of each season, the winner of the new "B" league moves up, and the last place team from the "A" team moves down.

I still don't see the point though.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yep.

How about teams that miss the play-offs 3 years in a row get turned back to the league with no compensation; the league can then resell those teams, with the proceeds being distributed to the remaining teams, thus increasing revenues for the league and eliminating incompetent owners who couldn't make an 8-team play-off in a 6 team league.
- StLBravesFan

Please tell me you are joking.

I know we we've disagreed a bit on these threads, but this has to be one of the silliest ideas I've ever heard. Stop artificially propping up failing teams with league money, and bad ownership/management/locations will take care of itself. Either you can run with the big dogs, or you can't. It should be sink or swim time for struggling franchises.

Off topic, but here's a list of the top 100 NHL prospects.

http://www.hockeyprospect...rticle.php?articleid=1381

Of note, Teravainen ranked #11. Vancouver's top prospect clocks in at #88.
- MartiniMan

5 prospects in the top 100 and 2 in the top 30, not too bad at all!

1st 2 pre season games cancelled, what are you guys doing with your refunds? lettin it ride or takin the cash back? i'm undecided yet.
probably gonna buy some wolves or rockford games!

5 prospects in the top 100 and 2 in the top 30, not too bad at all!
- DarthKane

I was very surprised to see Pirri ranked at #50
Somewhat surprised to see McNeil at #63 (And no Danault in the top 100...)
And pleasantly surprised to see Morin at #90

Here's hoping at least a few of these kids pan out...

Please tell me you are joking.

I know we we've disagreed a bit on these threads, but this has to be one of the silliest ideas I've ever heard. Stop artificially propping up failing teams with league money, and bad ownership/management/locations will take care of itself. Either you can run with the big dogs, or you can't. It should be sink or swim time for struggling franchises.
- Ogilthorpe2

There's lots of problems with this idea - and I don't think I like it much myself - but it winds up being sink-or-swim for the owners: put a team that has a chance of success out there or let someone else try.

Toronto Maple Leafs - certainly not a struggling franchise - highest revenues, most profitable, most valuable - have missed the play-offs 7 straight years. This franchise should be the face of the league.

Don't Toronto fans deserve a team that is as successful on the ice as the fans are in supporting them?

5 prospects in the top 100 and 2 in the top 30, not too bad at all!
- DarthKane

Here's his list of the top ten Hawk prospects. Notice who's #1 on the list, it's not the winger currently playing in the OHL.

http://www.hockeyprospect...rticle.php?articleid=1371

Off-topic, but I'm bored. Looking at my hockey mags and reading about Detroit with Datsyuk and Zetterberg got me thinking. Which 2 were better in primes: Yzerman and Federov or Datsyuk and Zetterberg? Also, I think it was discussed but where would you rank the Hawk Cup team to other Cup winners of the past 15 years?

Off-topic, but I'm bored. Looking at my hockey mags and reading about Detroit with Datsyuk and Zetterberg got me thinking. Which 2 were better in primes: Yzerman and Federov or Datsyuk and Zetterberg? Also, I think it was discussed but where would you rank the Hawk Cup team to other Cup winners of the past 15 years?
- tomcat24

Id say Yzerman/Federov

and 2010 v. Other Champs If the Hawks had to play them in a series Id say :

WIN vs. 2012 Kings

LOSE vs. 2011 Bruins

WIN vs. 2009 Penguins

WIN vs. 2008 Redwings

WIN vs. 2007 Ducks

WIN vs. 2006 Hurricanes

WIN vs. 2004 Lightning

Lose vs. 2003 Devils

Lose Vs. 2002 Redwings

Lose Vs. 2001 Avalanche

Id say Yzerman/Federov

and 2010 v. Other Champs If the Hawks had to play them in a series Id say :

WIN vs. 2012 Kings

LOSE vs. 2011 Bruins

WIN vs. 2009 Penguins

WIN vs. 2008 Redwings

WIN vs. 2007 Ducks

WIN vs. 2006 Hurricanes

WIN vs. 2004 Lightning

Lose vs. 2003 Devils

Lose Vs. 2002 Redwings

Lose Vs. 2001 Avalanche
- mrpaulish

Wow. Good stuff. The wing. Debate is tough. Alll 4 are so good. Yzerman and Federov finished better. But all 4 are Selke-caliber. Some of those teams were pretty veteran and battle-tested when they won, so I can see an edge. The thing about the Hawks were they were really young and just coming into their own. You could see how once the confidence really came, mixed with being cocky and young they could have been a real dynasty in a non-cap era

There's lots of problems with this idea - and I don't think I like it much myself - but it winds up being sink-or-swim for the owners: put a team that has a chance of success out there or let someone else try.

Toronto Maple Leafs - certainly not a struggling franchise - highest revenues, most profitable, most valuable - have missed the play-offs 7 straight years. This franchise should be the face of the league.

Don't Toronto fans deserve a team that is as successful on the ice as the fans are in supporting them?
- StLBravesFan

How many new owners do you think you could convince to cough up $500,000,000+ to buy a team that they could lose just 3 years later without any compensation? Absolutely ludicrous, I know these owners are wealthy, but no one is dumb enough to make that gamble.

The Leaf fans, like all fan groups, deserve an ownership that has the means and willingness to try to win every year. The league has no business owning the Yotes or any other team. If an owner can't survive without league supplied life support, then he should have three options ...sell, move, or close up shop.

How many new owners do you think you could convince to cough up $500,000,000+ to buy a team that they could lose just 3 years later without any compensation? Absolutely ludicrous, I know these owners are wealthy, but no one is dumb enough to make that gamble.

The Leaf fans, like all fan groups, deserve an ownership that has the means and willingness to try to win every year. The league has no business owning the Yotes or any other team. If an owner can't survive without league supplied life support, then he should have three options ...sell, move, or close up shop.
- Ogilthorpe2

Look, I agree - this is a ludicrous idea - just brought it up to highlight an important problem: what do you do about the incompetent owners of a financially successful franchise.

The Cubs under the Tribune, the Leafs, the Knicks under Dolan - the fans in those cities pay the highest ticket prices in their respective leagues but thru mismanagement - deliberate or not - the fans aren't ever rewarded with the prize - usually they just get bad teams.

Look, I agree - this is a ludicrous idea - just brought it up to highlight an important problem: what do you do about the incompetent owners of a financially successful franchise.

The Cubs under the Tribune, the Leafs, the Knicks under Dolan - the fans in those cities pay the highest ticket prices in their respective leagues but thru mismanagement - deliberate or not - the fans aren't ever rewarded with the prize - usually they just get bad teams.
- StLBravesFan

There is also the other end of the spectrum. Because of revenue sharing, teams like Pitt and KC in baseball and Jacksonville and Cleveland in football for years have made healthy profits by losing cheaply. Obviously, that isn't the case in the current NHL set up, but could be if revenue sharing were increased.

How many new owners do you think you could convince to cough up $500,000,000+ to buy a team that they could lose just 3 years later without any compensation? Absolutely ludicrous, I know these owners are wealthy, but no one is dumb enough to make that gamble.

The Leaf fans, like all fan groups, deserve an ownership that has the means and willingness to try to win every year. The league has no business owning the Yotes or any other team. If an owner can't survive without league supplied life support, then he should have three options ...sell, move, or close up shop.
- Ogilthorpe2

Ogi, sorry to advise that all of your logical, ethical business principles don't apply in the Gary Bettman led NHL.

Let's not forget William "Boots" Del Biaggio; John Spanos; Len Barrie; the trucking magnate / truck driver who ownes the Coyotes. And what about Henry Samueli who plead guilty to securities regulators and then got lucky when the case was dismissed a couple years later.

The real rot in the NHL is concentrated in the head of the fish - Gary Bettman.

Fortunately, at least the Hawks have an owner who legitimately has the resources to own and maintain the team in the upper echelon of the NHL.

Off-topic, but I'm bored. Looking at my hockey mags and reading about Detroit with Datsyuk and Zetterberg got me thinking. Which 2 were better in primes: Yzerman and Federov or Datsyuk and Zetterberg? Also, I think it was discussed but where would you rank the Hawk Cup team to other Cup winners of the past 15 years?
- tomcat24

Yzerman/Federov would be my choice but the other two could be still getting better....

I don't like to compare teams against each other from different times....
But I do have a strong opinion concerning post lockout.

The Hawks were the deepest team and would have beaten everyone since the lockout.

The Bruins were good and had a cinderella playoff but they wouldn't have beaten the Hawks without Savard and Bergeron.

Yzerman/Federov would be my choice but the other two could be still getting better....

I don't like to compare teams against each other from different times....
But I do have a strong opinion concerning post lockout.

The Hawks were the deepest team and would have beaten everyone since the lockout.

The Bruins were good and had a cinderella playoff but they wouldn't have beaten the Hawks without Savard and Bergeron.
- Al

Thats the only reason I said the 2010 Hawks would lose to 2011 Bruins because the Bruins could match the Hawks physically and Tim Thomas has an edge on Niemi. It sure would be fun if we could see that match up.

There is also the other end of the spectrum. Because of revenue sharing, teams like Pitt and KC in baseball and Jacksonville and Cleveland in football for years have made healthy profits by losing cheaply. Obviously, that isn't the case in the current NHL set up, but could be if revenue sharing were increased.
- NewToHockey

True: financial stability does not necessarily lead to product competence.

He is one of the best prospect writers out there. Odd that he has Pirri so high.

Valtteri Filppula is supposed to be joining Jokerit. Is that going to possibly leave Teravainen with less minutes?
- EKolb13

Don´t know how that will affect on Teräväinen. There could be positive side too when Filppula joins Jokerit. He will take some pressure from TT and mentor him. TT might move to wing now. He´s been centering the second line so far but now with both Filppula´s that could change. There are people who think he (TT) is better at wing though.

Thats the only reason I said the 2010 Hawks would lose to 2011 Bruins because the Bruins could match the Hawks physically and Tim Thomas has an edge on Niemi. It sure would be fun if we could see that match up.
- mrpaulish

Pretty much any of the teams from the last 5-6 seasons in each conference would make for an interesting match-up.

'Hawks & 'guins
B's & 'Hawks
Kings & B's
Wings & Devils
'Hawks & Devils
B's & Nux ... oh wait, that did happen.

There is also the other end of the spectrum. Because of revenue sharing, teams like Pitt and KC in baseball and Jacksonville and Cleveland in football for years have made healthy profits by losing cheaply. Obviously, that isn't the case in the current NHL set up, but could be if revenue sharing were increased.
- NewToHockey

That's where the RS plans need to be fixed. Teams getting a given amt of money SHALL spend said monies on their roster to fit into a cap/sill window.

EDIT: As Al put it yesterday or the day before, there is a way socialized sports works for all the teams in all the leagues. They just have to find the sweet spot. But let this be no surprise, the NHL has mutated to MLB-on-ice when it comes to the CBA: Big market vs small market.