2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Armourboy]

Those moves were wildly overblown in the media for sure. Gill is decent, but he is also 37, injury prone, and hasn't been a substantial defenseman in awhile. AK brought mad baggage. A lot of people criticized that move when it was made. Trying to get Radulov re-initiated into the NHL after playing in the KHL for the last couple years was going to be incredibly tough. The NHL is far better than the KHL so there was no way he was going to just be plugged in and be dominant. He never seemed like the most mature guy with his whole handling of his contract with the Preds and his move to the KHL.

---------- Post added 2012-05-02 at 08:44 AM ----------

Oh his maturity has been his biggest issue from day one, he may be the single most selfish pro athlete I have ever seen. We had hoped a few years in Russia growing up would help him, but apparently it hasn't. I understand we all did stupid stuff at his age, but then again I didn't have what he has riding on it either. You would of thought he would of come back doing everything he could to show he was awesome, if for no other reason than to get a big contract somewhere else. He may get one somewhere else but it ain't gonna be very big lol.

I honestly think the AK move would of been fine without Rads coming back, they seem to be two peas in a pod, and in this case thats not a good thing. I still don't know what possess you to go out drinking til 4-5am knowing you have game 2 that night. The other part of me wonders wtf the player ops guys were doing, you think someone would of been trying to find them after a certain point.

Oh well, hopefully the guys come out and play well in front of the home team. I think its probably already over, but if we lose tonight its definately over.

[Darthvendor]

I was reading something yesterday about the options for the coyotes. It listed the two "more probable" options as 1. They stay in Phoenix, or 2. They fold up, and whoever "buys" the team pays an expansion fee and moves them to Quebec or where ever they want. Cant remember where it was I saw that, and dont remember all the details.

[conscript]

I was reading something yesterday about the options for the coyotes. It listed the two "more probable" options as 1. They stay in Phoenix, or 2. They fold up, and whoever "buys" the team pays an expansion fee and moves them to Quebec or where ever they want. Cant remember where it was I saw that, and dont remember all the details.

Probably Puck Daddy like I did lol. The second option just seems stupidly complicated. Why not just have it as part of the expansion that the fee is higher in the range of the expansion fee and that the new owner abandons all claims to the Coyotes trademark, with that staying with the NHL (like Hartford may have done with the Whalers trademark), and all records are abadoned so no retired jerseys, team records, etc. carry over.

[Zeoni]

Seattle would be an ideal market, since Vancouver really doesn't have a true rival besides the two bad Alberta teams in their division, Chicago because they like to knock them out of the post season, and Boston because of last year.

There is definitely a rival feel between Vancouver and Seattle city wise.

Whatever man, Flames dunked on the Canucks this year. Vancouver/Calgary games are always intense.

[Rennadrel]

Last I heard there were half a dozen buyers or more interested in purchasing the team, paying a fat relocation cost, and moving the franchise to Seattle, Quebec, Hamilton, and other Ontario locations. Six guys or more just sitting there trying to give him a briefcase filled with money and he won't take it for two reasons:
1) Phoenix is a big US market for TV money (which is such a misnomer since they are never, ever, ever high in the tv ratings for the finals)
2) Expansion fees are far larger than relocation fees. Why move the Yotes to Quebec or Seattle when they can expand to 32 in 3-4 years and make roughly $600-800 million off two expansion fees?
Bonus) The Glendale City Council keeps handing the NHL checks for $25 million per year to keep that team there which covers a healthy portion of their losses making it worthwhile for the NHL to drag its feet to keep expansion fees possible from Seattle, Quebec, and Ontario.

This week you have two conflicting stories about Phoenix. Firstly, according to the Phoenix Business Journal, the NHL and Jamison are in the final stages of working out a deal and it could be voted on as soon as May 8th. Secondly, you have a report from CBC that it is a done deal that the Coyotes are going to be elsewhere next season either as a relocation or they would literally fold the franchise and expand to Quebec therefore charging the new owners in Quebec a full expansion fee rather than simply relocating the Yotes.

So in short, no one knows what the hell is going on, not even the guys who put on the Yotes jersey and go out and give it their all every night. Fucking pathetic.

Well the problem is that the league won't sell the team to anyone who wants to move it because those buyers aren't willing to cover the cost to repay the city for keeping the team there. The league is expecting whoever buys the team to pony up the bill to cover all the losses and expenses that the owners owe the league as well as the city. The league won't budge on a sale price either, otherwise Jim Balsillie would have bought the team when he wanted to move them to Hamilton.

It's unfortunate that the league wants to pussy foot around with this issue rather then just getting the best value they can for the club and moving it to a more financially viable market with hockey fans.

[Darthvendor]

For those who enjoy what Bryzgalov says to the media:

CSN Philly After Practice Interview

[Zoma]

Whatever man, Flames dunked on the Canucks this year. Vancouver/Calgary games are always intense.

Maybe in Calgary. To us (well, me at least, I won't speak for other Canuck's fans), losing a game to Calgary wasn't "Oh no, we lost a game to a divisional rival," it was more "Oh no, we lost a game, we're falling behind in points to <insert Central team>". I briefly thought we'd have a divisional rivalry with Minnesota halfway through the season, but then they dropped off after the midway point.

I do remember the intensity of the rivalry back when our division was in a similar situation as the Pacific, where the winner takes 3rd, the others take 6 or lower. I specifically remember one season where the first two games was a home and an away against the Flames, with 'Nucks winning both, followed by another back to back home and away later in the season which the Flames both won. I also remember gaining a lot of respect for the Flames (and Iginla specifically) at the end of Trevor Linden's final match.

[Zeoni]

The overtime games this year were very entertaining between the two teams. Maybe the rivalry isn't as heated but the games are as intense as any.

[Asera]

Calgary/Vancouver doesn't have the same type of intensity as, say, Penguins/Flyers or Canadiens/Maple Leafs does. Not saying their games aren't intense, though (they certainly are).

Also, I see the Nashville Partiers are actually leading Phoenix tonight.

[Scubasteve0078]

what a game by the preds played great defense and rinne was insane deserved the shutout

[Masqerader]

all old rivals seem to have died down.. well minus mtl/boston.. but that was because of Chara taking care of pats.


1-1 3ot nyr/wsh

[Ostrichsized]

And Marian Gaborik shows up to the party!

[AceofHarts]

And Marian Gaborik shows up to the party!

oh look, the overrated dude did his job...for once...

[Ostrichsized]

oh look, the overrated dude did his job...for once...

He's been doing it all season Mr. Smartypants. Just not in the post-season.

[BicycleMafioso]

Lundqvist/Malkin/Stamkos nominated for Ted Lindsay.

[Armourboy]

Calgary/Vancouver doesn't have the same type of intensity as, say, Penguins/Flyers or Canadiens/Maple Leafs does. Not saying their games aren't intense, though (they certainly are).

Also, I see the Nashville Partiers are actually leading Phoenix tonight.

Yeah we actually played our style of hockey tonight, get ahead and make you take the thing. If what Trotz was saying holds true, Rads and AK will sit for another game.

[Reg]

I mean it's not MSG's fault, NBCS bought the playoff contract out after round 1.

I know it's not MSG's fault, but for the first round even if a game was on NBCSN, they also aired it on MSG. But now they decide to put the Knicks on two channels lol

[Irony]

Yeah we actually played our style of hockey tonight, get ahead and make you take the thing. If what Trotz was saying holds true, Rads and AK will sit for another game.

If you're Trotz, you have to sit AK and AR. Sitting them worked and allowed you to shut down the stellar Phoenix offense. Wave goodbye to the selfish players, who can't play a complete game. In today's NHL it's soon going to be expected to play both sides of the ice well, to earn a roster spot, otherwise they'll end up like Afinogenov.

[conscript]

I know it's not MSG's fault, but for the first round even if a game was on NBCSN, they also aired it on MSG. But now they decide to put the Knicks on two channels lol

Can't blame them. The ratings for the Heat/Knicks series are absolutely obliterating the Rangers lol. Game 1 of both teams were on the same night. The Knicks were getting blown out and still managed to bring in a 7.2 local rating compared to the Rangers 3.5. The Rangers/Caps 3OT game brought in 1.9 million viewers nationally, and a 3.99 rating in New York, making it by far the best viewed game of the playoffs, and still doesn't compare to the Knicks/Heat.

[Ostrichsized]

Yeah, but MSG doesn't have a choice. NBCSN has sole rights now. All MSG can do is show the Knicks on two channels.