Did we get Boychuck or McQuaid yet?

Tank for McDavid
- VANTEL

If I were a owner I'd be telling everyone to tank for McDavid haha

If I were a owner I'd be telling everyone to tank for McDavid haha
- Gullzy

Did Ottawa do that for Daigle?

If I were a owner I'd be telling everyone to tank for McDavid haha
- Gullzy

There is your franchise player

Horvat and McDavid look good together

Bettman is doing a great job, getting sued by players, now getting sued by fans.

Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott.

Bettman is doing a great job, getting sued by players, now getting sued by fans.

Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott.
- A_SteamingLombardi

The NHL would be nowhere near what it is today if it wasn't for Bettman.

The NHL would be nowhere near what it is today if it wasn't for Bettman.
- Yeti1181

Yeah the league would be nothing without Arizona.

The NHL would be nowhere near what it is today if it wasn't for Bettman.
- Yeti1181

Watching the little weasel get mercilessly booed at the Draft (and Stanley Cup/Conference Final trophy presentation) is the price of admission alone

Watching the little weasel get mercilessly booed at the Draft (and Stanley Cup/Conference Final trophy presentation) is the price of admission alone
- Zogg

I think he has grown into a cartoon character now. I find him actually amusing .

I think he has grown into a cartoon character now. I find him actually amusing .
- VANTEL

Quite true - he's really become a caricature of himself

The NHL would be nowhere near what it is today if it wasn't for Bettman.
- Yeti1181

Pshhh that's BS (unless you're kidding - who the (frank) knows these days when everyone's a (frank)ing troll ). What has he accomplished? Multiple lockouts without getting rid of guaranteed contracts (which would improve the product), TV deal fails, market fails. He's useless as a leader and as a negotiator. The owners should've kicked him to the curb a loooooong time ago.

Pshhh that's BS (unless you're kidding - who the (frank) knows these days when everyone's a (frank)ing troll ). What has he accomplished? Multiple lockouts without getting rid of guaranteed contracts (which would improve the product), TV deal fails, market fails. He's useless as a leader and as a negotiator. The owners should've kicked him to the curb a loooooong time ago.
- DrChristianTroy

Do you actually think the players would have given up guaranteed contracts (probably one of THE critical do or die issues of the NHLPA). If you want to see a lockout, and 3, 4, or 5 years or more of no hockey, then make that stand on guaranteed contracts and see what happens. Yes, I'm sure the one set of millionaires would eventually beat/break the other set of milllionaires but at what cost? You would lose a massive amount of revenue, significant fan base (if ANY fan base would be left at all), a lot of hockey, and of course not to mention having a severe impact on the league which would be impossible to correct/mitigate etc. I don't think the league could handle another stoppage, let alone one that would go on any length of time.

P.S. please note, I do agree with you that the product would be much better if we did in fact get rid of guaranteed contracts (and the rest of your comments about Bettman are pretty much on the money)

I again agree with your choice, must be the age thing.

And they said to many drugs would affect the memory, ha....or was that short term memory, I can't remember
- Makita

I think it's the short term thing but I can't remember what we were talking about.

I think it's the short term thing but I can't remember what we were talking about.
- Marwood

I'd like to order a Big Mac combo please no wait, is this the line-up for Bieber tickets? Wait, what precisely is a Marwood or Zogg? *insert premature senility icon here*

Do you actually think the players would have given up guaranteed contracts (probably one of THE critical do or die issues of the NHLPA). If you want to see a lockout, and 3, 4, or 5 years or more of no hockey, then make that stand on guaranteed contracts and see what happens. Yes, I'm sure the one set of millionaires would eventually beat/break the other set of milllionaires but at what cost? You would lose a massive amount of revenue, significant fan base (if ANY fan base would be left at all), a lot of hockey, and of course not to mention having a severe impact on the league which would be impossible to correct/mitigate etc. I don't think the league could handle another stoppage, let alone one that would go on any length of time.

P.S. please note, I do agree with you that the product would be much better if we did in fact get rid of guaranteed contracts (and the rest of your comments about Bettman are pretty much on the money)
- Zogg

.... and 4 to 6 teams.

I'd like to order a Big Mac combo please no wait, is this the line-up for Bieber tickets? Wait, what precisely is a Marwood or Zogg?
- Zogg

Do you want that super-sized?

Do you want that super-sized?
- Marwood

Yes, thank you. I'd also like to add two Zoggs (no pickles), a diet Marwood, and a curly straw that vibrates*

Oh wait, that is NOT a curly straw

Pshhh that's BS (unless you're kidding - who the (frank) knows these days when everyone's a (frank)ing troll ). What has he accomplished? Multiple lockouts without getting rid of guaranteed contracts (which would improve the product), TV deal fails, market fails. He's useless as a leader and as a negotiator. The owners should've kicked him to the curb a loooooong time ago.
- DrChristianTroy

TROLL

Do you actually think the players would have given up guaranteed contracts (probably one of THE critical do or die issues of the NHLPA). If you want to see a lockout, and 3, 4, or 5 years or more of no hockey, then make that stand on guaranteed contracts and see what happens. Yes, I'm sure the one set of millionaires would eventually beat/break the other set of milllionaires but at what cost? You would lose a massive amount of revenue, significant fan base (if ANY fan base would be left at all), a lot of hockey, and of course not to mention having a severe impact on the league which would be impossible to correct/mitigate etc. I don't think the league could handle another stoppage, let alone one that would go on any length of time.

P.S. please note, I do agree with you that the product would be much better if we did in fact get rid of guaranteed contracts (and the rest of your comments about Bettman are pretty much on the money)
- Zogg

What if all contracts signed after a certain date are not guaranteed, grandfather in all current contracts.

I'd like to order a Big Mac combo please no wait, is this the line-up for Bieber tickets? Wait, what precisely is a Marwood or Zogg? *insert premature senility icon here*
- Zogg

Marwood was an executioner in England.

The NHL would be nowhere near what it is today if it wasn't for Bettman.
- Yeti1181

Who in their right mind thinks Betteman is the only one in in the business world who could have made the NHL what it is today. For all we know a different commissioner could have done better.

Marwood was an executioner in England.


- A_SteamingLombardi

ahhhh the classics interesting background on said lad (funnily enough there is also a Anthony Marwood, who is a very prolific violinst/cross-over performer/writer - perhaps it's a 6 degrees of separation dynamic? (trying to see if Anthony possibly did some studio work with Zep or other bands of the day, and whether or not he was perhaps related to the former).

Same sort of thing as Ozzy possibly being related to Alistair Crowley

p.s. on a related note, I got a chance to see Ozzy here in Vancouver a number of years back. Still gave an outstanding performance and his vocals were spot on (I believe he was in his late 40's or even fifty)

There is your franchise player

Horvat and McDavid look good together
- VANTEL

Canucks would be stacked down the middle if this were to happen.

Sedin
Bonino
Vey
McDavid
Horvat
Matthias
Richardson
Cassels
McCann
Gaunce

Am I missing anyone?

Who in their right mind thinks Betteman is the only one in in the business world who could have made the NHL what it is today. For all we know a different commissioner could have done better.
- boonerbuck

For 8 Schmill a year the NHL could most definitely land a better executive.

For 8 Schmill a year the NHL could most definitely land a better executive.
- Gullzy

I think it's more about having found someone the owners feel they can manipulate (willingly) as needed. I don't believe it was a matter of finding the best individual for the job. Bettman is the lightning rod that takes the heat for all of the owner's stupidity and malfeasance, a role that he obviously enjoys, and a role which usually allows the owners to avoid any in-depth scrutiny by fans/media. There's 8 milllion reasons that tend to ease the 'pain', though, of acting as the league villain .

I think it's more about having found someone the owners feel they can manipulate (willingly) as needed. I don't believe it was a matter of finding the best individual for the job. Bettman is the lightning rod that takes the heat for all of the owner's stupidity and malfeasance, a role that he obviously enjoys, and a role which usually allows the owners to avoid any in-depth scrutiny by fans/media.
- Zogg

I could believe that tbh.

The discipline system in the NHL sucks, the current OT format is horrible, and the refs are inconsistent. These issues fall under the supervision of Bettman, but he hasn't done nearly enough to improve the game in respect to these aspects.

One thing I do find interesting though is this new green initiative the NHL is taking. I believe its the first of its kind in pro sports.