Jared Crozier: Game Day: Philadelphia @ Ottawa - this should be interesting

I asked before but no one answered. Can the league force EM to sell? In if you franchise a business and don't do a good job the company can force you out. I wonder if the NHL is the same?

At this point there is no way EM can win fans back unless he shuts his mouth, spends to the cap and resigns Karlsson, Stone, Duchene and Hoffman over the next few years and even then I think it's a long shot that fans would forgive him.

I asked before but no one answered. Can the league force EM to sell? In if you franchise a business and don't do a good job the company can force you out. I wonder if the NHL is the same?

At this point there is no way EM can win fans back unless he shuts his mouth, spends to the cap and resigns Karlsson, Stone, Duchene and Hoffman over the next few years and even then I think it's a long shot that fans would forgive him.
- Maverick1818

kick him out for what? not being popular? unless he does something illegal, breaks a league policy or goes broke and cant pay players or run his team he can do what he wants.

I asked before but no one answered. Can the league force EM to sell? In if you franchise a business and don't do a good job the company can force you out. I wonder if the NHL is the same?

At this point there is no way EM can win fans back unless he shuts his mouth, spends to the cap and resigns Karlsson, Stone, Duchene and Hoffman over the next few years and even then I think it's a long shot that fans would forgive him.
- Maverick1818

You would have to think there would be some provision to force a sale, but I don't think it would be related to any of the stuff Melnyk did. It is probably only for criminal activity, damaging the image of the league, and that sort of thing.

I asked before but no one answered. Can the league force EM to sell? In if you franchise a business and don't do a good job the company can force you out. I wonder if the NHL is the same?

At this point there is no way EM can win fans back unless he shuts his mouth, spends to the cap and resigns Karlsson, Stone, Duchene and Hoffman over the next few years and even then I think it's a long shot that fans would forgive him.
- Maverick1818

No. The league can't force an owner to sell.

They can force him to sell right now if they wanted to, and they may when the season tickets count comes in in the next few months, he IS currently damaging and destroying the brand in ottawa and that is hurting the bottom line and the image of the league.

They can force him to sell right now if they wanted to, and they may when the season tickets count comes in in the next few months, he IS currently damaging and destroying the brand in ottawa and that is hurting the bottom line and the image of the league.
- Athrin

the city also isnt showing enough support. his team went to the ecf last season and there were empty seats. he isnt the only owner in the league who operates under a budget, nor the only owner who sells when the team poops the bed. the league isnt being hurt by this at all. dont be silly. they can suggest he stay out of the media and spotlight...but sell....why? hes hurting his own reputation and brand. not the nhl. the nhl wont interfere with how he runs his team/roster but im sure theyll want him to shut his yap.

This is a tough position where as a fan I am at a loss.

Go flyers!!

https://mobile.twitter.co...html%23967117728875237378

Holy poop

If fans stop going to games, the team will head for bankruptcy very fast. That's on EM 100%.

He compared us to a Macdonald's franchise. Macdonald's can pull a franchise from an owner and sell it to someone else if it's not being run to their level of expectations.

As sports team is a franchise on behalf of the NHL. How is that any different?

To me there is one way to solve this problem, sign Karlsson, sign Duchene, stick to making minor tweaks as planned and start spending to the cap... that would shut everyone up and maybe win a few fans back and get this team back on track.

I asked before but no one answered. Can the league force EM to sell? In if you franchise a business and don't do a good job the company can force you out. I wonder if the NHL is the same?

At this point there is no way EM can win fans back unless he shuts his mouth, spends to the cap and resigns Karlsson, Stone, Duchene and Hoffman over the next few years and even then I think it's a long shot that fans would forgive him.
- Maverick1818

How long did Ballard own the Leafs for?

Although admittedly, this might be worse.

If Melnyk's actions cause a severe drop in ticket sales and revenue, does that not affect the NHL image/revenue?

I get he is the owner and it's his way or the highway, but having actions where star players are driven out, staff stepping down and not being replaces, and causing fans to reconsider purchasing tickets, you have to think the NHL would want to get involved?

I don't know. Just seems like the guy is causing an unnecessary headache for a league that doesn't need it.

More wishful thinking that he could be forced out than anything, but here we are. The story about bursting into the dressing room mid-game and ranting about Uber fares seems far fetched, but honestly, I believe it.

the city also isnt showing enough support. his team went to the ecf last season and there were empty seats. he isnt the only owner in the league who operates under a budget, nor the only owner who sells when the team poops the bed. the league isnt being hurt by this at all. dont be silly. they can suggest he stay out of the media and spotlight...but sell....why? hes hurting his own reputation and brand. not the nhl. the nhl wont interfere with how he runs his team/roster but im sure theyll want him to shut his yap.
- systemtool

The thing everyone seems to forget about that is the Pens didn't sell out every game in the ECF either.

Fans are done supporting EM all together. What happens when ticket sales drop to almost nothing? EM isn't going to keep throwing money at a losing business venture. It is absolutely hurting the NHL branding in Ottawa and Canada

The thing everyone seems to forget about that is the Pens didn't sell out every game in the ECF either.

Fans are done supporting EM all together. What happens when ticket sales drop to almost nothing? EM isn't going to keep throwing money at a losing business venture. It is absolutely hurting the NHL branding in Ottawa and Canada
- Maverick1818

He’s going to hike up the prices for Leafs and Habs sell out games, and use that to get by with a league minimum roster.

Book it.

If Melnyk's actions cause a severe drop in ticket sales and revenue, does that not affect the NHL image/revenue?

I get he is the owner and it's his way or the highway, but having actions where star players are driven out, staff stepping down and not being replaces, and causing fans to reconsider purchasing tickets, you have to think the NHL would want to get involved?

I don't know. Just seems like the guy is causing an unnecessary headache for a league that doesn't need it.

More wishful thinking that he could be forced out than anything, but here we are. The story about bursting into the dressing room mid-game and ranting about Uber fares seems far fetched, but honestly, I believe it.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

It seems far fetched, but that kinda makes it sound more real.
(the timing though is pretty suspicious)

I had the same thought you did, if a guy is incompetent enough and clearly cares more about cash that the team does that not damage the league image? I guess there's a few owners in that category though.

The thing everyone seems to forget about that is the Pens didn't sell out every game in the ECF either.

Fans are done supporting EM all together. What happens when ticket sales drop to almost nothing? EM isn't going to keep throwing money at a losing business venture. It is absolutely hurting the NHL branding in Ottawa and Canada
- Maverick1818

It's an interesting thought...

I wonder if the fans could organize and boycott, basically forcing a sale.

It would be a miserable painful experience for everyone, but the Sens really need a new owner.

If fans stop going to games, the team will head for bankruptcy very fast. That's on EM 100%.

He compared us to a Macdonald's franchise. Macdonald's can pull a franchise from an owner and sell it to someone else if it's not being run to their level of expectations.

As sports team is a franchise on behalf of the NHL. How is that any different?

To me there is one way to solve this problem, sign Karlsson, sign Duchene, stick to making minor tweaks as planned and start spending to the cap... that would shut everyone up and maybe win a few fans back and get this team back on track.
- Maverick1818

you really think duchene and karlsson want to stay? guess thats why you think Melnyk can easily be rid of.

I asked before but no one answered. Can the league force EM to sell? In if you franchise a business and don't do a good job the company can force you out. I wonder if the NHL is the same?
- Maverick1818

And your evidence for this is going to be what... spending millions of dollars and trusting his GM enough to add the likes of Phaneuf, Brassard, and Duchene and re-sign the likes of Hoffman, Ryan, Smith, Pageau, and Anderson over the past 3 seasons? Plundering the team in the standings so much that they haven't made a decent playoff run since last season? Now sound it out in a sentence... "a few of us internet posters (who may or may not regularly purchase live tickets to support the team) really don't like Eugene Melnyk, so please engage in the legal nightmare of forcing him out of the position of team owner and replace him with a new billionaire owner who won't worry about things like whether or not the team is losing money in one of the smallest markets in the league".

Melnyk would certainly be better off just staying out of the media entirely, and people are welcome to their opinions... but at the end of the day he's the one with 9 digits of skin in the game and having to deal with the financial reality of fans not paying to support the team. I'm pretty sure Bettman will care a whole lot more about that than the polarizing he-said/she-said nonsense that's increasingly surrounding this whole $hit-show of a season. The even more bizarre thing is that the Phaneuf/Brassard deals are exactly the kinds of moves that would be needed to support long-term extensions for all of Stone, Duchene, and Karlsson... so maybe people need to just see where the path leads before breaking out the torches.

you really think duchene and karlsson want to stay? guess thats why you think Melnyk can easily be rid of.
- systemtool

Again all of this is rumor. But for all we know they could have Karlsson booked to sign... we have no idea what goes on behind closed door.

Last year everyone was 100% sure Stamkos was signing in Toronto. Bob Mackenzie said it was 99% done. but ten he resigned in Tampa.

Duchene has also said public he wants to stay here because Ottawa is as close to a home town and he'll get.

All I'm saying is that is EM is planning on keeping the team, he's gotta make fans happy and that is the only way to do that.

And your evidence for this is going to be what... spending millions of dollars and trusting his GM enough to add the likes of Phaneuf, Brassard, and Duchene and re-sign the likes of Hoffman, Ryan, Smith, Pageau, and Anderson over the past 3 seasons? Plundering the team in the standings so much that they haven't made a decent playoff run since last season? Now sound it out in a sentence... "a few of us internet posters (who may or may not regularly purchase live tickets to support the team) really don't like Eugene Melnyk, so please engage in the legal nightmare of forcing him out of the position of team owner and replace him with a new billionaire owner who won't worry about things like whether or not the team is losing money in one of the smallest markets in the league".

Melnyk would certainly be better off just staying out of the media entirely, and people are welcome to their opinions... but at the end of the day he's the one with 9 digits of skin in the game and having to deal with the financial reality of fans not paying to support the team. I'm pretty sure Bettman will care a whole lot more about that than the polarizing he-said/she-said nonsense that's increasingly surrounding this whole $hit-show of a season.
- khawk

Any business can force any owner out. If a GM dealership is being ran into the ground, GM is going to some in and kick out that dealer Principle (who has millions of his own money into it) and find someone new.

Bettman has already stated publicly that Ottawa isn't moving cities and if there was a formal request to move cities that they would look at selling to another group in Ottawa.

So why not just force that to happen? having EM as an owner clearly is hurting the NHL brand in Ottawa, Ontario and Canada. Not selling out games and low season ticket holders looks bad for Ottawa but it also brings down the NHL averages which again makes the NHL look bad.

Wow... what a goat (frank). Feel bad for the fans. One goal away from playing for the cup to this insanity. Just unreal.

Was the $350 one UBER ride, because how does that happen? But still how do you piss off your franchise player over this?!

Any business can force any owner out. If a GM dealership is being ran into the ground, GM is going to some in and kick out that dealer Principle (who has millions of his own money into it) and find someone new.

Bettman has already stated publicly that Ottawa isn't moving cities and if there was a formal request to move cities that they would look at selling to another group in Ottawa.

So why not just force that to happen? having EM as an owner clearly is hurting the NHL brand in Ottawa, Ontario and Canada. Not selling out games and low season ticket holders looks bad for Ottawa but it also brings down the NHL averages which again makes the NHL look bad.
- Maverick1818

they went to the ecf and couldn't sell out consistently. how is that into the ground? the team tanked this season theyre choosing to rebuild or retool. same as the rangers are doing. you dont kick owners out for that.

flames have made comments of moving the team too over arena issues. nobody got tossed for that

Wow... what a goat (frank). Feel bad for the fans. One goal away from playing for the cup to this insanity. Just unreal.

Was the $350 one UBER ride, because how does that happen? But still how do you piss off your franchise player over this?!
- Queenie_5_hole

Wait, that was a fake story... right?!

RIGHT?!!

they went to the ecf and couldn't sell out consistently. how is that into the ground? the team tanked this season theyre choosing to rebuild or retool. same as the rangers are doing. you dont kick owners out for that.
- systemtool

You kick owners out for alienating their franchise players and making a fool of himself and the organization.