2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[conscript]

I find it extremely hilarious that the guy who was going to buy the Yotes, Matt Hulsizer, is now apparently going to buy the Blues and the deal could be done fairly soon. Guy spent over a year tryign to buy the Yotes only to be hamstrung by the idiots in Glendale and now he is going to buy a better franchise for similar money with about 2% of the work lol. Phoenix is so fucked. No way are they still in Phoenix after next year unless something miraculous happens. Hulsizer even offered to buy the bonds Glendale was trying to sell and the city couldn't get it done lol. So Glendale has now at one time went from having $25-30 million in cash offered to them by Jim Basillie to move the team to Hamilton, not including what he would pay to the NHL or board of governors for relocation, that is just to terminate the lease agreement to having spent $50 million of tax payer money just to cover team losses for the NHL, and the mall district which the team is supposed to be supporting is about to be foreclosed. Hilarious.

So now there is three weeks until the NHL is potentially going to have a huge, huge problem on its hands. August 1st the voters in Long Island will determine if they want to support a new arena, which will add $50-100 to their tax bill each yer. If not, or if it is still stopped by politicians which is likely as few of the city council members approve of the plan, the Islanders will be moving in two years. With the Yotes likely moving, the Islanders on the move, Columbus and Florida in free fall, the NHL could be possibly facing FOUR teams moving in two-three seasons. Five if you include Atlanta moving. How the hell are they going to do that? Quebec is the only market with a stadium being built and one in place currently that could support an NHL team. Kansas City has an arena but no interested owners as far as I am aware. Seattle has interested ownership groups, according to Bill Daly, but no fit arena for years. Hamilton has a stadium, I think, and certainly has interest and fans. If things all start to go tits up I wonder if contraction of two teams is going to start gaining some real traction.

---------- Post added 2011-07-12 at 08:20 PM ----------

St. Louis Blues sign Jonathan Cheechoo

To an AHL-NHL contract and is expected to only make their AHL squad. Man has that guy really disappeared. Dude scored 56 goals a couple years ago and couldn't even get a roster spot when he tried out for Dallas last year, and Dallas is fucking terrible. Hopefully he can stay healthy and get back in the NHL.

[Irony]

Hamilton, Quebec City and Kansas City are the only places I see the NHL moving to. Apparently a lot of considerations for another team in Toronto, least it will be profitable there.

[Zoma]

It was a few years ago, but I vaguely remember a story where a second team in Toronto was discussed, but the Maple Leaf franchise was against it, since they didn't want the competition, and apparently they had something in their contract that wouldn't allow another team within a certain distance of them.

I'll see if there is something online about it, I'm pretty sure I got something wrong with the above, but the general gist of it is there.

---------- Post added 2011-07-13 at 12:54 AM ----------

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326939

Toronto claims the ability to veto any team within 80 km of downtown Toronto.

[Rennadrel]

It was a few years ago, but I vaguely remember a story where a second team in Toronto was discussed, but the Maple Leaf franchise was against it, since they didn't want the competition, and apparently they had something in their contract that wouldn't allow another team within a certain distance of them.

I'll see if there is something online about it, I'm pretty sure I got something wrong with the above, but the general gist of it is there.

---------- Post added 2011-07-13 at 12:54 AM ----------

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326939

Toronto claims the ability to veto any team within 80 km of downtown Toronto.

Which is funny because Kitchener is just over 80Km away.

[Fuzzzie]

Hamilton, Quebec City and Kansas City are the only places I see the NHL moving to. Apparently a lot of considerations for another team in Toronto, least it will be profitable there.

Another team in Toronto would never happen. The leafs don't want to have to compete for ticket sales. They like being the most expensive game in the league.

[Greeney]

Hamilton, Quebec City and Kansas City are the only places I see the NHL moving to. Apparently a lot of considerations for another team in Toronto, least it will be profitable there.

I think Bettman would at least want an equal amount of U.S. teams as Canadians coming in, if not more U.S. teams.

Another team in Toronto would never happen. The leafs don't want to have to compete for ticket sales. They like being the most expensive game in the league.

I'd just hope that the Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan wouldn't be allowed to have a share.

[Rennadrel]

Unfortunately for Bettman, he won't have it his way. Canadians want more teams in their country, Quebec City has a higher demand for a hockey team then lol Kansas City or Las Vegas do. And the last thing the California area needs is another hockey team with Anaheim, LA and San Jose within reasonable distance, talk about trying to kill their fan bases.

[Irony]

Another team in Toronto would never happen. The leafs don't want to have to compete for ticket sales. They like being the most expensive game in the league.

It wasn't gonna be directly in Toronto, far enough for them not to breech contract, but not so far that they couldn't capture some of the fan base. Mississauga was the city they were considering. Has more people in it than Winnipeg and Vancouver. The fact that there are only 2 teams in Ontario is rather shocking, Hamilton, Brampton and Mississauga could all support a team in theory. Btw, Toronto doesn't actually have the right to Veto, they'd just simply have to be "bought off".

[conscript]

I'd just hope that the Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan wouldn't be allowed to have a share.

The OTPP is trying to sell their chunk of the team or was trying to sell it at least. In March they were starting to look for owners to take over their 66% share of the team. Last I heard they were talking to Rogers Communication about selling it for $1.3 Billion (Canadian dollars). Not sure if that is still going on.

---------- Post added 2011-07-14 at 02:14 PM ----------

Unfortunately for Bettman, he won't have it his way. Canadians want more teams in their country, Quebec City has a higher demand for a hockey team then lol Kansas City or Las Vegas do. And the last thing the California area needs is another hockey team with Anaheim, LA and San Jose within reasonable distance, talk about trying to kill their fan bases.

Vegas won't happen. Vegas has the exact same problem, but far worse, than Miami has. The Panthers are based in part on tourism. The other part of their fan attendance would be made from relocations from the north and new fans, but tourism was always going to play a factor. That would basically be an enormous chunk of a Vegas team and frankly that would be incredibly risky and monumentally stupid to even attempt. One economic downturn and a Las Vegas team would crumble. Look at Vegas right now. Businesses are shuttering, unemployment is rampant, all because of the recession and the immediate impact on tourism. It would just be incredibly stupid to risk a team in Vegas or even in Kansas City when there are incredibly viable markets beginning for a team. But then again Bettman did that when he created Atlanta and Columbus while ignoring actual successful markets like Quebec City and a dozen other Canadian cities in hopes of trying to capture large US tv markets. Unfortunately, which Bettman apparently neglected to take into account, you have to have people in the area that want to watch your product. Few in Atlanta were interested and the team imploded nearly from day 1.

[Xevan]

It wasn't gonna be directly in Toronto, far enough for them not to breech contract, but not so far that they couldn't capture some of the fan base. Mississauga was the city they were considering. Has more people in it than Winnipeg and Vancouver. The fact that there are only 2 teams in Ontario is rather shocking, Hamilton, Brampton and Mississauga could all support a team in theory. Btw, Toronto doesn't actually have the right to Veto, they'd just simply have to be "bought off".

The socio-ecnomic environment has to be taken into consideration. Places like Brampton and Mississauga have larger new/unestablished immigrant populations and the wealth distribution is a lot different than Winnipeg or Vancouver.

[ketzil]

I could see them bringing back the Whalers. I live on cape cod and I don't go a day without seeing the old logo somewhere (could be cuz its just a great logo). I know Bruins fever is at an all time high right now, and I am a diehard b's fan, but it would be cool to have a second option for live hockey.

At the same time hockey failed once in Hartford (iirc the stadium they played in wasn't good/big enough), why put it back there? Especially when the clamoring for the team to return isn't nearly as wild as it was with Winnipeg.

Also Bruins signed Adam "Darth Quaider, Lone Wolf, Mullet" McQuaid to a 3 year deal. Now lock up Marchand dammit!

[Rennadrel]

Actually Ketzil, that's not true. Hartford hosts an AHL team at the moment and they do exceptionally well for tickets sales. The game broadcaster for the team is on Prime Time Sports in Toronto once and a while, and last I remember he said that they sell tickets for all the home games in high volumes, higher then a lot of AHL teams do actually. I think there might eventually be a demand for hockey back in Hartford, but ultimately I think the only chance it ever happens is if they get a new and bigger arena to play in. I personally would like to see the Whalers back in the league even if it means having to move a team from another failing location to do it. Eventually there will be enough demand for the NHL to return to the city.

[Irony]

The socio-ecnomic environment has to be taken into consideration. Places like Brampton and Mississauga have larger new/unestablished immigrant populations and the wealth distribution is a lot different than Winnipeg or Vancouver.

In theory

[Aeriedk]

My question is, When is Stammer going to get signed! Ugh making me nervous :S

[Irony]

My question is, When is Stammer going to get signed! Ugh making me nervous :S

Hes been a RFA for 16 days, and no other team has made him an offer, Tampa will sign him.

[Rennadrel]

In a market like Tampa which has a very inconsistent fan base when it comes to ticket sales, how are you going to logically sign Stamkos to a 10 million dollar contract and pay for it if you can't sell out more then a few playoff games.

[Irony]

In a market like Tampa which has a very inconsistent fan base when it comes to ticket sales, how are you going to logically sign Stamkos to a 10 million dollar contract and pay for it if you can't sell out more then a few playoff games.

Because with Stamkos they have their "Crosby" so they can build their franchise around him, and market him to the Tampa Bay fan base. Worked for Pittsburgh and Washington.

[Rennadrel]

You couldn't market hockey to people in Tampa Bay even when the Lightning last won the Cup. They can't get rid of Lecavalier's horrendous contract because it's an NTC, gotta sign Hedman next year who will probably get a nice raise and even though Kubina is coming off the books next year they might want to keep him and they still need defensive improvements as well as a number 1 goalie. A team building around a guy like Stamkos means that they have to tank in order to get some decent draft picks and there is no way they are going to be doing that in the next several years. St Louis may retire eventually but Vinny isn't going anywhere for another several years unless he is forced into retirement due to injury problems. You can't logically pay Lecavalier 8 million a season and Stamkos 10-12 million with how unreliable their market is, the moment they start losing or Roloson goes down to an injury and there is no one to pick up the ball in net, they are financially screwed. It's not so much about the salary cap as it is preventing damage to the ownerships finances rather quickly. What happens when you don't win? You lose money (in most cases anyway) and the Lightning don't have a surefire future ahead of them in terms of whether or not they can actually remain competitive enough to keep ticket sales high in order to pay not one, but two big salary players.

[MailEnhancement]

My babies (the flyers) made probably some of the worst off season moves I ve ever seen. Im horrified.

[Irony]

You couldn't market hockey to people in Tampa Bay even when the Lightning last won the Cup. They can't get rid of Lecavalier's horrendous contract because it's an NTC, gotta sign Hedman next year who will probably get a nice raise and even though Kubina is coming off the books next year they might want to keep him and they still need defensive improvements as well as a number 1 goalie. A team building around a guy like Stamkos means that they have to tank in order to get some decent draft picks and there is no way they are going to be doing that in the next several years. St Louis may retire eventually but Vinny isn't going anywhere for another several years unless he is forced into retirement due to injury problems. You can't logically pay Lecavalier 8 million a season and Stamkos 10-12 million with how unreliable their market is, the moment they start losing or Roloson goes down to an injury and there is no one to pick up the ball in net, they are financially screwed. It's not so much about the salary cap as it is preventing damage to the ownerships finances rather quickly. What happens when you don't win? You lose money (in most cases anyway) and the Lightning don't have a surefire future ahead of them in terms of whether or not they can actually remain competitive enough to keep ticket sales high in order to pay not one, but two big salary players.

Oh there's no doubt that this team will falter the moment they play a losing season, Yzerman is gonna have to dump Lecavalier and play the market for more conservative and consistent players. Emery is still on the market, or they could try and develop a No.1 goalie through the draft, sadly that takes time, which an inconsistent fan base, doesn't have. Yzerman wasn't left a great situation.

---------- Post added 2011-07-17 at 05:31 PM ----------

My babies (the flyers) made probably some of the worst off season moves I ve ever seen. Im horrified.

Signing a No.1 goalie, bringing in Jagr and some young talent? Flyers basically "traded" two 60 point/30 goal players for a consistent No.1 goalie, a former 120 point player, young talent, and some picks. If Jagr has an 80 point season, the Flyers came out on top.