Differences between NHL'ers and possible replacements

I know alot of people here think there's not alot of difference between possible minor league replacements and NHL players. Granted this is the UHL, but the numbers are pretty telling. Ignore them, dismiss them, or pretend they don't exist, I don't care.

The Motor City Mechanics have 4 NHL players on their roster-a 42 year old defensemen(Chelios), a defensemen still recovering from a torn ACL(Hatcher), a marginal 4th liner(Avery) and a solid 2nd liner(Smolinski). Before Hatcher joined them on February 5, they had compiled a 9-37 record, including an 0-12 November. Since they joined, they have a 22-7 record, including an 11-2 March, with a few games left.

 

The numbers can say all they want, but AHL games are far from boring.

15,000-16,000 people showing up for a junior game leads me to believe that people can still enjoy hockey with replacement players just fine once they get by the myth that it is boring as hell.

 

Where did I say anything about it being boring? I enjoyed watching the Mechanics before the NHL'era signed.

 

If you think replacement players would mostly come from the UHL, you're deeply mistaken.

 

i miss watching the canucks on hockey night in canada.

i don't miss watching chubarov digging in the corners for a loose puck.

 

The problem is your initial assumption. Most knowledgable people think that there's not a lot of difference between the QUALITY OF HOCKEY from junior/minor leaguers, not that there's not much of a difference between the players themselves (though the degree of difference between an AHLer and a low end NHLer isn't much).

In fact, because of the proliferation of defensive systems in the NHL, lower level hockey is quite frequently HIGHER quality in terms of how entertaining it is.

Sure you miss those players who are something special, like Yzerman or others, but the hockey itself is still good.

 

So I suppose you won't care if Naslund retires and it replaced by Jason King or Fedor Fedorov? After all, it's still the Canucks right?

 

OK. So where will they come from?

 

Naslund is going to retire someday and then what do we do ... shut down the NHL and start up a national ringette league starring Naslunds sister.

 

Can you post their individual stats please?

 

Part NHL, Part AHL, Part Europe and maybe some ECHL players. If there are UHL players, it will be a handful.

 

oh boy - can't wait

 

OK. If more than a majority are NHL, AHL, and ECHL players under contract to NHL teams, there will be no replacement players. Under those circumstances the NHLPA couldn't get the 51% needed for a strike vote. So the majority of players will be those not under contract to the NHL meaning the ECHL and UHL will be well represented.

 

i'd still like to think it won't happen - i also agree - it would be the lower rung of the minor's and guy's in the bohono's - hirsch mold - i guess the money would be better than european money so they may get some from there -

 

The main difference between NHLers and replacements is that while most NHLers own fantastic farrah-fawcett haired giant pampered poodles, whilst fringe minor leaguers settle for run of the mill "animal shelter" style pets.

 

while it's true i'd miss naslund, i know that the process to recovery will be a long one.

the beginning will take some time, but eventually through the draft and other players crossing the line, the league will be fine.

and again, other than pavel bure, bryan berard, and vincent lecavalier, i've never really been too concerned with individual players.

 

I agree ..

The NHL is not also going to destroy the AHL at the same time during this dispute ..

It also depends which option of replacements the NHL uses ..

1) Simply keep the lockup going and sign only non-NHLPA connected players, no court challenges by the NHLPA simply starving them out a second year in hopes of a favourable CBA deal ..

or

2) IMPASSE and IMPLEMENTATION in a strike situation where NHLers and AHLers could cross. Certainly going to be fought tooth and nail in the courts and in front of the NLRB and full of obstacles.

The next BOG meeting is supposed to determine which method is coming as Bettman gave the owners HOMEWORK from the last one to come back and make a decision as to which option is viable and would work better ..

 

i'm guessing a lot of talented europeans will make the jump if it comes to impasse (non NHLers of course... and really I don't think theres as big as a talent gap as we thought after some NHLers got embarassed in Europe this year)

 

Like I said, I know this is only the UHL so it may be an extreme. But if four guys at the level of Hatcher and below can make such a big difference, anybody who thinks there isn't a massive dropoff to any minor league is only fooling themselves.

You also have to remeber that immigration law would necessitate the use of a good number of UHL players.

 

Brian McCabe.

 

Not everyone that has an NHL contract votes on the strike vote. Only those designated as being as being on the "NHL lineup". Teams can have up to 50 contracts but only 23 of those players can vote.

Even if there's a strike vote, there can be a significant portion of players who decide to cross the line. Players who think it's their chance to show what they can (because they'll receive more ice-time), players who might not have many more seasons, players who want to play and could care less about Bob's money stack. How many 25ish year old players have something to prove? This will be their perfect opportunity to secure an NHL job.

As to the AHL, there are teams like the Roadrunners that have voted in a huge majority to play as replacement players (75%?).

Add the European players that wouldn't have wanted to play in the AHL (because they wouldn't be sure to have a spot directly moving to NA) for not much but will grasp the opportunity to try the NHL directly for significant bucks

The big problem as I see it is that there will be teams that have several NHLers and others that have none. On the overall though, the NHL with replacement players will still be the best league around the world (due to the concentration of talent, while other leagues also only have a few NHLers each + other players will be lower talent than the NHL replacement).

 

Don't know why you can't look it up yourself, but here ya go. They don't play every game(usually skip road trips), and Smolinski and Avery joined a week or so later. Avery and Hatcher have also both benn suspended.

Chelios:
20 GP 4G 16A 25PIM +11

Hatcher:
21 GP 5G 11A 27PIM +5

Smolinski:
18GP, 8G 21A 16PIM +16

Avery:
14GP 14G 9A 149PIM +16

 

of course there's a difference between the NHL and the UHL

it's the MLB and single A or independant leagues

the difference between the AHL isn't that big....

 

Hey mr gib you're still here. Didn't you say you were done with the NHL? I guess not.

 

that was a bit of sarcasm actually - i'm still holding out a deal will be done -

thanks for the love