2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[VanillaO]

The overall standings are based on rankings in eight categories: affordability, coaching, fan relations, ownership (honesty and loyalty), players (effort and likability), stadium experience, bang for the buck (wins per fan dollars) and title track (championships won or expected).

Affordability - Yup, the Leafs have to be near the absolute basement.

Coaching - This is really hard to argue across sports, but I would argue they're probably in the bottom 25% and have been for a decade.

Fan Relations - This is kind of a dumb category. Most every team has similar fan relations among each league... so... meh.

Ownership (honesty and loyalty) - Let's not beat around the bush. The ownership of MLSE are fucking money-grubbing assholes. That being said.... if there were no cap in place, I guarantee MLSE would be spending like they used to... not saying it'd help, but they'd be a playoff team every year.

Players (effort and likability) - Effort? I would argue there are plenty of teams who put up a worse effort. I don't watch basketball except the last 2 rounds or so of the playoffs, but there has to be some teams in there. I can point out at least 5 in every other league. Likability? Are you kidding? If there's one thing Leafs' players seem good at, it's being likeable... and not just by Toronto fans. Sure plenty hate, but... who doesn't have some hate for other teams and their players.

Stadium Experience - Shit is expensive at the ACC. Not gonna mince words on that one. Fans are decent, but not really good. Definitely not great. This ties into the affordability. Were it more affordable for the average fan, that place would be a madhouse every night. Instead the Platinums are empty until 5 minutes into a period because all the suits are busy shmoozing their clients with sushi and imported beer. Thaaaaat being said. There are dozens of teams around the NBA/MLB/NHL who draw shit amounts of fans that would be below the Leafs IMO in this regard. Empty stadiums cannot have better experiences than full ones... even if the crowd isn't super pumped.

Bang for the Buck - Definitely near the very basement. Right down there I bet with the Cowboys fans.

Title Track - How the fuck do they measure this...? Ya, the Leafs are probably on no one's radar to win a Cup before 2017... but beyond that, how can anyone honestly guess? That's not even 15 titles over 4 leagues by then... There should be probably like 90 teams 'on track to win zero titles' by then. Maybe even 100.

I get it... Leafs and their fans are easy to rip. There's no debating that. These things go in cycles. But the worst franchise in North America? That is honestly laughable. You guys know me. I'm incredibly cynical about the Leafs. I am the first to point out the bad. ESPN and their writing/broadcasting are becoming more of a joke every day that passes it seems. Example? Oakland Raiders ranked 56 in Title Track. Give me a fucking break. THAT is one of the worst-run organizations in sports. Redskins 54. Cowboys 48. Marlins 38. The FUCKING PISTONS are 31? Phillies 29. How the hell do you come up with this shit? If it's titles won or expected during the lifetime of fans, how are the Leafs not getting SOME love there? Do you stop being a fan when you turn 55? Fuck... Goddamn piece of shit attention-grabbing whore writers.

I'm done being mad now.

[Epuration]

snip

there was no chance they would put a nfl team near the bottom and risk alienation that fan base, that said I don't know why the leafs were all the way down, doesn't make too much sense.

[Rennadrel]

All I can say to ESPN is Tampa Bay Rays. Shit team and have been for years in a shit stadium with almost zero fan support. They are the Coyotes of pro baseball in other words. The only problem with Leafs games in Toronto is the location of the arena and the cost of tickets and concessions. The suits can be ignored, though they should be egged like every other rich corporate buffoon.

- - - Updated - - -

don't blame me for that shit. I had nothing to do with that poll, that justly put toronto in its rightful place
.

My point is that Toronto fans aren't bad and well, the Leafs aren't exactly the Chicago Cubs. Despite not having a team again until 1970, Vancouver has never had a Stanley Cup win in 100 years.

[Puupi]

Hmm wtf, do the NHL match tickets cost like 300-400 dollars for one game?

[Garbles]

My point is that Toronto fans aren't bad and well, the Leafs aren't exactly the Chicago Cubs. Despite not having a team again until 1970, Vancouver has never had a Stanley Cup win in 100 years.

Why bring the cubs into this? We still have a ton of fans in a good baseball market just a bad team. This is about a likable fan base not how good the team is.

I only know a few Toronto fans and you're one of them....and you've always kind of been a dick.

[draynay]

I only know a few Toronto fans and you're one of them....and you've always kind of been a dick.

About as politely as it can be put.

[Epuration]

Hmm wtf, do the NHL match tickets cost like 300-400 dollars for one game?

for good tickets

[Rennadrel]

Why bring the cubs into this? We still have a ton of fans in a good baseball market just a bad team. This is about a likable fan base not how good the team is.

I only know a few Toronto fans and you're one of them....and you've always kind of been a dick.

I am a dick regardless of the topic of discussion :P

- - - Updated - - -

Hmm wtf, do the NHL match tickets cost like 300-400 dollars for one game?

No idea. I got two pre season tickets for Tuesday night in Toronto and the regular rate was $60 and got them for $50 each through my dad's friend. And they are decent seats too, regular season would probably be about $150 a head. Either way, ticket prices are horse crap in most markets. Don't be surprised that ticket prices are overinflated though, it happens a lot.

[Nazrark]

Hmmm, two regular season Jets tickets had cost me $95 for the lower bowl. Hell, the company box suites are only $18 a seat. We have the highest low end price for tickets, but we have the lowest high price for tickets as well.

Which compares to me buying two tickets to a game at the Bell Centre, basically like $200 at the minimum.

[Zeoni]

Nobody lives in Winnipeg though!

[Tradewind]

The away game of the cgy/edm split squad looked sad as shit...15 shots? Though it was equally bad for edmonton in the home game here, only 16 shots heh.

Moral of the story, split squads mean jack. But yay hockey!

[Stommped]

All I can say to ESPN is Tampa Bay Rays. Shit team and have been for years in a shit stadium with almost zero fan support. They are the Coyotes of pro baseball in other words.

The Rays only came into existence in 1998, building up an expansion team is always rough during those early years. Still over the past 6 years they have 4 playoff berths including 2 division championships (in arguable the toughest division) and 1 World Series appearance. Versus the Leafs over that span have 1 playoff appearance (In a sport where it's about twice as easy to make the playoffs vs. MLB), 0 division wins, and a couple dead last finishes in the conference. The Rays were really a bad example to pick.

The Coyotes of baseball are more like the Marlins, but even they have 2 championships over the past 20 years so yeah.

[Masqerader]

Who cares what ESPN thinks.

Every year they and sport illustrated come out with some stupid poll on some irrelevant subject to get the masses juices flowing.


I mean in my opinion the worst run franchise in all of North American sports teams easily belongs to the Marlins. Their owner is pretty much the biggest douche in sports, now that Donald Sterling is gone.

[Nazrark]

Oh how I miss the announcer shouting, "Are you ready?!". Let the hockey begin.

[Zeoni]

http://gfycat.com/RightPositiveCalf

fuckin beauty, I like that kid

[Tradewind]

http://gfycat.com/RightPositiveCalf

fuckin beauty, I like that kid

rofl get your shit together Nick Schultz, the season starts soon!

[Rennadrel]

I can tell already that it's going to be a long season for Flyers fans.

Toronto looked alright last night, they were trying to cycle more but the puck passing control was obviously an issue at times due to rust. Santorelli was all over the place and made some dumb plays, so I am reserving judgment on him. Roman Polak is an idiot who took 3 checking related penalties in one game. You'd think after the first infraction that he would get it. Still on the fence about Nylander, he looked OK.

[Gheld]

I really feel like the Jets have it this year.

[Tradewind]

I really feel like the Jets have it this year.

Just wait until Kane starts whining about something or posts something inappropriate on twitter again and it'll all go to shit as usual!

[Gheld]

Just wait until Kane starts whining about something or posts something inappropriate on twitter again and it'll all go to shit as usual!

Until then the Oilers are getting greased tonight boy.