Rest of NHL Playoffs / Offseason

[Banedon]

Sounds like they are going to stay in the Southeast Division for this upcoming year. That's going to suck for travel for all four of those teams. But it's only temporary.

 

I wonder if the Hawks would even play up there next year. Sounds like a reason to make a road trip (well, plane trip) north.

 

Technically the move still has to be approved by the Board of Governors, right?

[Wilson A2000]

The Thrashers needed to go. Atlanta is just not a hockey city. Never will be. I don't think you can totally blame the ownership group. They have hemorrhaged $130 million the last five years. They made some good moves last offseason and they offered the biggest contract in NHL history to Kovalchuck, but he turned them down.

[kujay]

Sounds like they are going to stay in the Southeast Division for this upcoming year. That's going to suck for travel for all four of those teams. But it's only temporary.

 

I wonder if the Hawks would even play up there next year. Sounds like a reason to make a road trip (well, plane trip) north.

 

Technically the move still has to be approved by the Board of Governors, right?

 

I'm not sure if its the BoG or the owners (or if that's the same thing), but whatever the requisite vote is, it will occur on June 21.

 

So now Winnipeg is doing a season ticket drive, what they are calling a market test. Which clearly won't fail, since the team has no option now but to move.

[kujay]

The Thrashers needed to go. Atlanta is just not a hockey city. Never will be. I don't think you can totally blame the ownership group. They have hemorrhaged $130 million the last five years. They made some good moves last offseason and they offered the biggest contract in NHL history to Kovalchuck, but he turned them down.

 

Exactly. Atlanta is a crappy sports town first, and then a much worse hockey town. Atlanta only wanted that team to appeal to northern conventioners and to "feel" like a first-class city with all four major sports. Problem is it's a transient city and the hockey fans who live there probably already had their allegiances.

[apete6]

I still don't understand how a 15,500 seat stadium is going to lead to increased revenues. ATL averaged 14,000 fans last season and was 28th in the NHL, so even if Winnipeg sells out every game, they'll still be in the bottom 1/3rd of the league. Hope their TV ratings/sponsorships/higher ticket prices help them out.

[Wilson A2000]

I still don't understand how a 15,500 seat stadium is going to lead to increased revenues. ATL averaged 14,000 fans last season and was 28th in the NHL, so even if Winnipeg sells out every game, they'll still be in the bottom 1/3rd of the league. Hope their TV ratings/sponsorships/higher ticket prices help them out.

 

I don't think this is about increased revenues. If True North didn't buy the Thrashers, the team might have gone bankrupt and the NHL would have been forced to buy them out. If they were sold for $150 million and the Atlanta Spirit were losing $30 million a year, why keep pouring more money into the team. Bettman and the NHL just didn't want to have to buy out the team.

[apete6]

I still don't understand how a 15,500 seat stadium is going to lead to increased revenues. ATL averaged 14,000 fans last season and was 28th in the NHL, so even if Winnipeg sells out every game, they'll still be in the bottom 1/3rd of the league. Hope their TV ratings/sponsorships/higher ticket prices help them out.

 

I don't think this is about increased revenues. If True North didn't buy the Thrashers, the team might have gone bankrupt and the NHL would have been forced to buy them out. If they were sold for $150 million and the Atlanta Spirit were losing $30 million a year, why keep pouring more money into the team. Bettman and the NHL just didn't want to have to buy out the team.

 

That makes more sense. Still, though, not a good sign for the old NHL. Any more of this and they might want to just start contracting.

[NewUserName]

I still don't understand how a 15,500 seat stadium is going to lead to increased revenues. ATL averaged 14,000 fans last season and was 28th in the NHL, so even if Winnipeg sells out every game, they'll still be in the bottom 1/3rd of the league. Hope their TV ratings/sponsorships/higher ticket prices help them out.

 

I don't think this is about increased revenues. If True North didn't buy the Thrashers, the team might have gone bankrupt and the NHL would have been forced to buy them out. If they were sold for $150 million and the Atlanta Spirit were losing $30 million a year, why keep pouring more money into the team. Bettman and the NHL just didn't want to have to buy out the team.

 

That makes more sense. Still, though, not a good sign for the old NHL. Any more of this and they might want to just start contracting.

 

 

They should start contracting.

[Wilson A2000]

I still don't understand how a 15,500 seat stadium is going to lead to increased revenues. ATL averaged 14,000 fans last season and was 28th in the NHL, so even if Winnipeg sells out every game, they'll still be in the bottom 1/3rd of the league. Hope their TV ratings/sponsorships/higher ticket prices help them out.

 

I don't think this is about increased revenues. If True North didn't buy the Thrashers, the team might have gone bankrupt and the NHL would have been forced to buy them out. If they were sold for $150 million and the Atlanta Spirit were losing $30 million a year, why keep pouring more money into the team. Bettman and the NHL just didn't want to have to buy out the team.

 

That makes more sense. Still, though, not a good sign for the old NHL. Any more of this and they might want to just start contracting.

 

 

They should start contracting.

 

Not until Bettman and the NHL stop getting $60 million each time a team moves will they think about it. In the mean time, Bettman might want to try to get a real TV deal. When the Hawks sell out every game, sell tons of clothing and other paraphernalia, and are still forced to pull money from Wirtz's business, you know you have a problem and it's not with the Hawks.

[Exile on Waveland]

I still don't understand how a 15,500 seat stadium is going to lead to increased revenues. ATL averaged 14,000 fans last season and was 28th in the NHL, so even if Winnipeg sells out every game, they'll still be in the bottom 1/3rd of the league. Hope their TV ratings/sponsorships/higher ticket prices help them out.

 

What does "attendance" mean? Is it tickets sold or actual fans in the seat? Because if it's the latter, then Winnipeg offers substantial revenue increases (where the 15,000 people "in attendance" will actually be there buying food, beer, parking, etc.).

[kujay]

Just got home and saw highlights of the first two periods. What a disgusting dive one of the sisters pulled. Some things never change. That's it. Go Boston.

[TruffleShuffle]

Just got home and saw highlights of the first two periods. What a disgusting dive one of the sisters pulled. Some things never change. That's it. Go Boston.

 

yeah seriously, why have a diving rule if you're not going to call garbage like that?

 

between that and the burrows bite, vancouver is making themselves very unlikeable.

[NewUserName]

I still don't understand how a 15,500 seat stadium is going to lead to increased revenues. ATL averaged 14,000 fans last season and was 28th in the NHL, so even if Winnipeg sells out every game, they'll still be in the bottom 1/3rd of the league. Hope their TV ratings/sponsorships/higher ticket prices help them out.

 

I don't think this is about increased revenues. If True North didn't buy the Thrashers, the team might have gone bankrupt and the NHL would have been forced to buy them out. If they were sold for $150 million and the Atlanta Spirit were losing $30 million a year, why keep pouring more money into the team. Bettman and the NHL just didn't want to have to buy out the team.

 

That makes more sense. Still, though, not a good sign for the old NHL. Any more of this and they might want to just start contracting.

 

 

They should start contracting.

 

Not until Bettman and the NHL stop getting $60 million each time a team moves will they think about it. In the mean time, Bettman might want to try to get a real TV deal. When the Hawks sell out every game, sell tons of clothing and other paraphernalia, and are still forced to pull money from Wirtz's business, you know you have a problem and it's not with the Hawks.

 

Their new tv deal is much better.

[kujay]

Just got home and saw highlights of the first two periods. What a disgusting dive one of the sisters pulled. Some things never change. That's it. Go Boston.

 

yeah seriously, why have a diving rule if you're not going to call garbage like that?

 

between that and the burrows bite, vancouver is making themselves very unlikeable.

 

I hadn't even seen Burrows' latest [expletive] move. But I guess once a hair-puller, always a bitch.

[Guest]

Nice job on the scheduling by the NHL.

 

Two days off between Games 1 and 2 but only one day off between Games 2 and 3 despite the fact that the teams have to fly from Vancouver to Boston. At least the NBA is only taking two days off for the travel days.

[NewUserName]

Nice job on the scheduling by the NHL.

 

Two days off between Games 1 and 2 but only one day off between Games 2 and 3 despite the fact that the teams have to fly from Vancouver to Boston. At least the NBA is only taking two days off for the travel days.

 

I think Vancouver had several other events scheduled at their arena which caused this issue. Or at least that is what I heard. I wish there was a game tonight because I have little going on and really am not that excited to watch the Cubs.

[cardslesson101]

Well, the writer does bring up a good point about Phoenix. Why the hell do they still have a team?

 

I know you made this post a few days ago, but the reason why Phoenix has a team is because the City of Glendale is paying $25 mil. to the NHL and Jobing.com Arena is a relatively new arena. The Coyotes are the only professional sports franchise there(the Suns play in a different arena). The Thrashers, on the other hand, played in Phillips Arena, which is also home to the Hawks.

[17 Seconds]

embarrassing sequence for chara on that ot goal

[UMFan83]

Man, if only Sharp was able to get that puck into the halfway open net in OT of game 7.

 

It's amazing how something like Sharp shooting it right into Lu might completely change the course of a "cursed" franchise and give them a Stanley Cup.

[TruffleShuffle]

Nice job on the scheduling by the NHL.

 

Two days off between Games 1 and 2 but only one day off between Games 2 and 3 despite the fact that the teams have to fly from Vancouver to Boston. At least the NBA is only taking two days off for the travel days.

 

there was a supertramp concert on friday night (lol)

[kujay]

Man, if only Sharp was able to get that puck into the halfway open net in OT of game 7.

 

It's amazing how something like Sharp shooting it right into Lu might completely change the course of a "cursed" franchise and give them a Stanley Cup.

 

No joke. The Hawks presented the best challenge to the 'Nucks, flawed as the Hawks were this year. Hard to believe looking back.

[kujay]

Watching Vancouver get pummeled tonight is a beautiful thing, no matter what happens from here.

 

Disgusting hit by Rome on Horton tonight too. Vancouver doesn't deserve to win.

[Sosa21MVP]

Hahaha Vancouver left Luongo in there to give up 8 goals. Awesome.

[chuckywang]

DId Luongo just give up or something? That was embarrassing. That does not belong in the NHL.

[17 Seconds]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPqT5OJaoDQ