2014 NHL Offseason Thread

[Guest]

i don't mind that the masses aren't into hockey. actually, i kind of like it.

[Banedon]

:(

 

@DarrenRovell

 

2.5 million more people watched this year's preseason HOF NFL game than the clinching Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

 

lol, yes very sad that the difference in viewership between these two things was less than one percent of the population of the us

 

nevermind that ratings numbers are flawed at best and arguably entirely useless

 

Come on...that's not how advertisers look at ratings. And yes, they're probably flawed, but do you really find it that hard to believe that people in the US are that much more into the NFL than hockey?

[kujay]

First, Rovell is a gaping [expletive].

 

Second, those ratings aren't surprising at all and aren't really ever likely to change unless a transcendent (Tiger, MJ) player comes along in the right market and has the right appeal. And even then, there are too many barriers to most kids playing hockey as young kids.

[seanimal]

:(

 

@DarrenRovell

 

2.5 million more people watched this year's preseason HOF NFL game than the clinching Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

 

lol, yes very sad that the difference in viewership between these two things was less than one percent of the population of the us

 

nevermind that ratings numbers are flawed at best and arguably entirely useless

 

Come on...that's not how advertisers look at ratings. And yes, they're probably flawed, but do you really find it that hard to believe that people in the US are that much more into the NFL than hockey?

 

in no way was i debating the relative popularity of the two sports. that said, even if we're pretending that ratings numbers are ample support for that claim, there are two problems here:

 

1) the hall of fame game comes after a scarcity of live nfl action and football fans are likely to tune in just to see something after seeing nothing for months. compare that with game 5 of the scf, which comes after 93% or so of nhl fans have their rooting interests eliminated

 

2) the hof game was on a sunday night; game 5 of the scf on a friday night. sunday is the day of the week with the most viewership, friday is the day of the week with the lowest

 

so not only does that comparison rely on statistically suspect rating numbers, it ignores context entirely

[Illini Iceman]

:(

 

@DarrenRovell

 

2.5 million more people watched this year's preseason HOF NFL game than the clinching Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

 

lol, yes very sad that the difference in viewership between these two things was less than one percent of the population of the us

 

nevermind that ratings numbers are flawed at best and arguably entirely useless

 

Come on...that's not how advertisers look at ratings. And yes, they're probably flawed, but do you really find it that hard to believe that people in the US are that much more into the NFL than hockey?

 

in no way was i debating the relative popularity of the two sports. that said, even if we're pretending that ratings numbers are ample support for that claim, there are two problems here:

 

1) the hall of fame game comes after a scarcity of live nfl action and football fans are likely to tune in just to see something after seeing nothing for months. compare that with game 5 of the scf, which comes after 93% or so of nhl fans have their rooting interests eliminated

 

2) the hof game was on a sunday night; game 5 of the scf on a friday night. sunday is the day of the week with the most viewership, friday is the day of the week with the lowest

 

so not only does that comparison rely on statistically suspect rating numbers, it ignores context entirely

 

Do they have a way measure how many of the people watching the HOF game actually fell asleep on their couch half way through the first quarter?

[Banedon]

http://giant.gfycat.com/UnhappyLikableKid.gif

[biittner77]

:(

 

@DarrenRovell

 

2.5 million more people watched this year's preseason HOF NFL game than the clinching Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

 

lol, yes very sad that the difference in viewership between these two things was less than one percent of the population of the us

 

nevermind that ratings numbers are flawed at best and arguably entirely useless

 

Come on...that's not how advertisers look at ratings. And yes, they're probably flawed, but do you really find it that hard to believe that people in the US are that much more into the NFL than hockey?

 

in no way was i debating the relative popularity of the two sports. that said, even if we're pretending that ratings numbers are ample support for that claim, there are two problems here:

 

1) the hall of fame game comes after a scarcity of live nfl action and football fans are likely to tune in just to see something after seeing nothing for months. compare that with game 5 of the scf, which comes after 93% or so of nhl fans have their rooting interests eliminated

 

2) the hof game was on a sunday night; game 5 of the scf on a friday night. sunday is the day of the week with the most viewership, friday is the day of the week with the lowest

 

so not only does that comparison rely on statistically suspect rating numbers, it ignores context entirely

 

Do they have a way measure how many of the people watching the HOF game actually fell asleep on their couch half way through the first quarter?

 

Wouldn't it be easier to count the 3 people that didn't?

[UMFan83]

http://deadspin.com/reports-nhl-plans-expansion-and-soon-1627363386

 

Jesus, the last thing the NHL needs is 4 freaking new teams. Look I like the NHL a lot....but its still a sport that doesn't have a lot of attraction and demand in much of the US. And now you want to give it 34 teams, 2 more than any other Big 4 sport? That's insane. All that said, if the 4 teams were Las Vegas, Seattle, Quebec and a 2nd Toronto team, I don't mind all 4 of those markets. Seattle has room for a 3rd sports team (sorry Sounders, 4 then), Quebec and Toronto are Canadian so I have to assume they will be supported at least decently, and Las Vegas I think would be a really interesting experiment. Yes there are 30 million things to do in Vegas, but you know that fans of the other 33 (jesus) teams are going to plan to come to Vegas en masse when their team comes to Vegas....the stadium gets filled, Vegas gets even more tourism, its a win win I think.

 

That said, they really should just move 4 teams. Carolina, Phoenix and one or both of the Florida teams would be a good start.

[RynoRules]

Yeah, I'd understand if they were moving Florida (Miami), Tampa Bay, Phoenix, and Nashville to those four cities. There's no way they will move one FL team without the other, and it creates a problem in terms of the recently realigned divisions and conferences.

 

EDIT: I take that back. Moving those four teams to Toronto, QC, Vegas and Seattle would in-fact make sense even in terms of the newly realigned conferences / divisions.

[Brian707]

Yeah, I'd understand if they were moving Florida (Miami), Tampa Bay, Phoenix, and Nashville to those four cities. There's no way they will move one FL team without the other, and it creates a problem in terms of the recently realigned divisions and conferences.

 

EDIT: I take that back. Moving those four teams to Toronto, QC, Vegas and Seattle would in-fact make sense even in terms of the newly realigned conferences / divisions.

 

 

If they add two teams (Vegas, Seattle) the conferences would be 16/16 but if they add Toronto and QC they are 16/18 unless they move back either Detroit or Columbus. I believe this realignment plan is only a 2 or 3 year deal anyway so they might redo it again or tweak it.

[Banedon]

NHL denying the expansion...

 

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2014/08/27/second_nhl_team_could_be_on_its_way_to_toronto_report.html

[biittner77]

A roumor that they are considering 4 teams for expansion doesn't mean that all 4 would get new teams. 2 more teams with 2 teams maybe relocating is more plausible and makes more sense. 32 teams means 4, divisions of 8 teams and 2 16 team conferences. It also allows, perhaps the possibility of 8, 4 team dvisions and a schedule more like the NFL with each team having X number of divion games, Y number of conference games and then play all 4 teams in a non conference division.

[seanimal]

roumor

 

take your quebecois elsewhere sir

[biittner77]

roumor

 

take your quebecois elsewhere sir

 

that would be rumour. More channeling HCCF

[Illini Iceman]

Yeah, I'd understand if they were moving Florida (Miami), Tampa Bay, Phoenix, and Nashville to those four cities. There's no way they will move one FL team without the other, and it creates a problem in terms of the recently realigned divisions and conferences.

 

EDIT: I take that back. Moving those four teams to Toronto, QC, Vegas and Seattle would in-fact make sense even in terms of the newly realigned conferences / divisions.

 

The reason they would be expanding to Seattle and Vegas would be to increase geographic coverage and they aren't going to do that and then at the same time completely abandon the southeastern USA.

[kujay]

Yeah I've warmed up to Vegas, though still the concept of putting a team there for tourists is goofy. I know there are a lot of people that have moved to Vegas for hockey markets, but not enough to sustain a team.

[jersey cubs fan]

Kevin McGran ‏@kevin_mcgran · 26s

Arrests have been made in connection with the overdose death of @NYRangers player Derek Boogaard. Story to come.

[Banedon]

http://giant.gfycat.com/AnyFrankBarnowl.gif

[Derwood]

http://giant.gfycat.com/AnyFrankBarnowl.gif

 

That guy is at every home game, and they "feature" him on the jumbotron being all Chris Farley-ish

[sneakypower]

[kujay]

I'm not supposed to be laughing at that I don't think.

 

Anyway, rough preseason night for Staal and Stepan. Just get us through these meaningless games without injuries please.

[apete6]

http://giant.gfycat.com/AnyFrankBarnowl.gif

 

That guy is at every home game, and they "feature" him on the jumbotron being all Chris Farley-ish

 

Glad to see you're alive. Thought that dude from the .GIF might have eaten you (though I don't think you're in C-Bus anymore).

[Banedon]

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/9/26/6848443/nbc-nhl-commercial-loving-you

[Derwood]

One week away from the start of the season.

 

Best memory of last year:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWrkoHqPq2I

 

followed by

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfwQ5dOjRW8

[Banedon]

The Wild release Bryzgalov