Hockey in the 21th century: Canadian Pro League

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puckhead103*

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news to fans....the nhl doesn't care about you....especially passionate canadian fans.

do you think the nhl in a couple of years decides to expand, will they think of placing a hockey franchise in canada?

the answer is obvious.....even with the salary cap and meager revenue sharing, calgary, ottawa and edmonton will relocate in 6 years.

bettman will still continue in his blind vision of getting that big US TV contract.....

i think its time for a canadian pro league similar to the CFL.

imagine a league having affordable ticket prices to allow your family to see quality hockey...compared to the corporate, stuffy persona of going to a nhl game..

canadian cities such as regina, saskatoon and others will be first line in getting teams...those canadian cities, in the past, would've been overlooked or never given any thought in the US-based corporate nhl...

also having an extra canadian franchise would set them back in terms of getting US tv money...

remember the nhl is a strictly american based league and needs american dollars more so than catering passionate, knowledgeable canadian hockey fans.

anyone with me? its time for a new movement for a canadian superleague of hockey and ditch the NHL
 
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kdb209

Registered User
Jan 26, 2005
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puckhead103 said:
news to fans....the nhl doesn't care about you....especially passionate canadian fans.

do you think the nhl in a couple of years decides to expand, will they think of placing a hockey franchise in canada?

the answer is obvious.....even with the salary cap and meager revenue sharing, calgary, ottawa and edmonton will relocate in 6 years.

bettman will still continue in his blind vision of getting that big US TV contract.....

i think its time for a canadian pro league similar to the CFL.

imagine a league having affordable ticket prices to allow your family to see quality hockey...compared to the corporate, stuffy persona of going to a nhl game..

canadian cities such as regina, saskatoon and others will be first line in getting teams...those canadian cities, in the past, would've been overlooked or never given any thought in the US-based corporate nhl...

also having an extra canadian franchise would set them back in terms of getting US tv money...

remember the nhl is a strictly american based league and needs american dollars more so than catering passionate, knowledgeable canadian hockey fans.

anyone with me? its time for a new movement for a canadian superleague of hockey and ditch the NHL

A Canadian Super League - No.

A Canadian AHL with AHL quality players at AHL level salaries and AHL level prices - Maybe.
 

rwilson99

Registered User
puckhead103 said:
remember the nhl is a strictly american based league and needs american dollars more so than catering passionate, knowledgeable canadian hockey fans.

anyone with me? its time for a new movement for a canadian superleague of hockey and ditch the NHL

Thanks so much for your not so subtle America bashing, which is clearly exceeded by a lack of understanding of population growth, economics and practicality.
 

puckhead103*

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kdb209 said:
A Canadian Super League - No.

A Canadian AHL with AHL quality players at AHL level salaries and AHL level prices - Maybe.

i don't understand the duplicity of some fans...

during the lockout, the fans cried why today's hockey players don't play "for the love of the game" but for the paycheck.....

you have a solution right in front you: a canadian pro league having players playing for the same ol' tired cliche'.

a league that looks out for canadian interests instead of US interests...

you guys are crazy....
 

kdb209

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Jan 26, 2005
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puckhead103 said:
Originally Posted by kdb209
A Canadian Super League - No.

A Canadian AHL with AHL quality players at AHL level salaries and AHL level prices - Maybe.
i don't understand the duplicity of some fans...

during the lockout, the fans cried why today's hockey players don't play "for the love of the game" but for the paycheck.....

you have a solution right in front you: a canadian pro league having players playing for the same ol' tired cliche'.

a league that looks out for canadian interests instead of US interests...

you guys are crazy....

I hate to break it to you, but hockey players (and every other professional athlete) may love the game, but they're in it for the paycheck. Always has been the case, always will be. The only difference between now and the good old days is more leverage for the players to get a piece of the pie. Players don't look out for Canadian interests, or US interests - they look out after their own interests.

If you want a league with teams in Regina and Saskatoon as well as the ex (or soon to be ex in your opinion) NHL cities of Winnepeg, Quebec, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton, you are talking about AHL level markets that may generate AHL levels of revenues and can afford AHL level of salaries and thus will attract AHL level of players.

You already imply that Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary cannot compete and survive in the NHL even with the new CBA (I disagree), so how is a new league where they suddenly will be the "big market" teams going to possibly compete with the NHL for talent. The answer is, of course, they won't.

You will get an AHL caliber talent league that will have to fight for attention in the not-the-NHL market with the established junior leagues and the small number of existing Canadian AHL teams.
 

Resolute

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Mar 4, 2005
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We already have a Canadian league: The CHL. And Major Junior is a higher calibre than what you are proposing.

Quite frankly, I believe you have no clue what you are talking about.
 

puckhead103*

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kdb209 said:
I hate to break it to you, but hockey players (and every other professional athlete) may love the game, but they're in it for the paycheck. Always has been the case, always will be. The only difference between now and the good old days is more leverage for the players to get a piece of the pie. Players don't look out for Canadian interests, or US interests - they look out after their own interests.

If you want a league with teams in Regina and Saskatoon as well as the ex (or soon to be ex in your opinion) NHL cities of Winnepeg, Quebec, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton, you are talking about AHL level markets that may generate AHL levels of revenues and can afford AHL level of salaries and thus will attract AHL level of players.

You already imply that Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary cannot compete and survive in the NHL even with the new CBA (I disagree), so how is a new league where they suddenly will be the "big market" teams going to possibly compete with the NHL for talent. The answer is, of course, they won't.

You will get an AHL caliber talent league that will have to fight for attention in the not-the-NHL market with the established junior leagues and the small number of existing Canadian AHL teams.

well if thats the case, i can say the CFL is a minor league for the NFL.......

so a canadian pro league is at the same level as the AHL? i disagree whole heartedly....
 

salzy

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Mar 3, 2005
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I'm with you, puckhead! And how's this:

We could use a red, white and blue puck. And instead of a faceoff, teams lineup at their blueline and on cue, everyone races for the puck at center ice. Man, imagine the collisions. Oh, and hey, how about making clotheslines and checks from behind completely legal. And the goalies can use lacrosse sticks instead of a trapper. And cameras in the cheerleaders locker rooms! We'll call it the XHL! The X is for X-citement... CANADIAN STYLE! :yo: :hockey:
 

kdb209

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Jan 26, 2005
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puckhead103 said:
well if thats the case, i can say the CFL is a minor league for the NFL.......

so a canadian pro league is at the same level as the AHL? i disagree whole heartedly....
Well if a CFL player thought he could make an NFL team and earn more money there, he sure as hell would try, so you could say that yes the CFL is a minor league for the NFL, just a far cry in talent below it.

A new canadian pro league may be a notch above the AHL, due only to the fact that it would be less of a developmental league and attract some older (ex-nhl veterans maybe) players - kind of like what the IHL was before it imploded.

In any case, the top 700 players in the world will still be in the NHL with the next tier of players playing in Europe or in the AHL (NHL draftees and prospects). What's left over after that will play in your new Canadian Pro League.
 

Duff

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Jul 21, 2005
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puckhead103 said:
well if thats the case, i can say the CFL is a minor league for the NFL.......

I hate to break it to you captain canuck, but it basically is...Any player in the CFL will go to the NFL when they come calling.

Also, with the way oil prices are going, and with Calgary over a million people now, along with booming more than any other major Canadian city. (mabe in all of North America) and the city with the biggest coperate presence after Toronto, I'm not to concerned about the future of the Flames in Calgary with this new CBA.
 

SerbianEagle

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the answer is obvious.....even with the salary cap and meager revenue sharing, calgary, ottawa and edmonton will relocate in 6 years.

hate to break it to you nostradamus, but they won't. If they wanted to move they would have done it 1997-2004, now they have a CBA that actually works.

btw, what else happens 6 years from now, you've got me interested so please do tell.

or better yet, bugger off.
 

thinkwild

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Jul 29, 2003
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"I have for some time been thinking that it would be a good thing if there were a challenge cup which should be held from year to year by the champion hockey team in the Dominion (of Canada).â€

- message delivered on behalf of Lord Stanley, the Earl of Preston and
Governor General of Canada (March 1892)


Well I guess the dream of a new CANHL as beautifully conceived at this link will die. He put some thought into it. I really liked his vision of how it might come about. Fan frustration building until Peter Mansbridge hosts a CBC town hall with Gary Bettman and Don Cherry. Its a funny story here

Commissioner Bettman appeared via satellite to assure Canadians that the NHL had a plan to regain its lost ground in the US while still staying true to the Canadian roots. Bettman also spent considerable effort denouncing the business foundations of a Canada-only solution, and reminded the Mansbridge and the viewers at home that the NHL would defend itself with any and all legal tools at its disposal.

The usually-irascible and much-loved Cherry had stayed silent through much of the debate

As Bettman wrapped up, the commissioner couldn’t help but take a little shot, “And with all due respect, Don, too many Canadian markets are only minor league markets, if that.â€

Cherry’s face turned red, but there was no emotional outburst. Instead, perhaps sensing the historical importance of the moment, the Sage of Shinny looked almost statesman-like, waiting through the crowd’s muffled gasps.

“And with all due respect to you, Gary, we Canadians gave birth to the game of hockey, raised it until it was strong and healthy, and then handed it over to you to look after it. And look what you did with it. Well Mr. Bettman, I think its time we Canadians took back the game of hockey and form a league of our own – and if you want to try and stop me and 30 million of my closest friends, bring it on!â€

That was it – the tipping point.

The relationship between Canadian hockey fan and the National Hockey League was irreparably damaged, and the Canadians wanted a divorce.

Gary and Bob, you can keep Nashville, Miami and Atlanta. We’ll just take a few of our things: the Stanley Cup, our six current NHL teams, the majority of the talent (both on the ice and off), the only revenue-generating broadcast deals, most of the sponsors and almost all of the most-dedicated fan base and start a league of our own. Good luck in Anaheim, though

Guess this goes to the backburner again. Thankfully.
 

Default101

Guest
this CBA if anything is canadian frendly, and i agree if they weren't gone when they were competing with 70 MIL salary teams, with superstars, then i'm sure they can survive were the highest team has half of that, and it's not like in carolina where the nhl won't recover, this is canada, people are gonna go see more affordable games, and better players nhl will be just fine in canada, i'd be more worried about Carolina, Florida and Nashville before you worry about Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton
 

Deleted member 3032

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puckhead103 said:
news to fans....the nhl doesn't care about you....especially passionate canadian fans.

do you think the nhl in a couple of years decides to expand, will they think of placing a hockey franchise in canada?

the answer is obvious.....even with the salary cap and meager revenue sharing, calgary, ottawa and edmonton will relocate in 6 years.

I'm not going to touch the first part. I think it's rediculous to think the NHL doesn't care at all about it's fans.

Of course Canada would have trouble finding another suitable place for a franchise. They simply don't have that many cities with millions of people in them to fund an NHL team. It doesn't mean something is wrong with Canada, it just a smaller country compared to the US (population wise more so than land mass).

puckhead103 said:
bettman will still continue in his blind vision of getting that big US TV contract.....

I don't like Bettman really, but it's starting to get annoying to me how people blame EVERYTHING on him. It's as if people thinks he owns the NHL. Bettman is an employee. He has a lot of say in his company, but he's still just an employee. The team owners are ultimately the one's who make the decisions. The big US TV contract is the owner's dream. Bettman is persuing it because, ultimately, he works for the owners of all the teams.

puckhead103 said:
i think its time for a canadian pro league similar to the CFL.

imagine a league having affordable ticket prices to allow your family to see quality hockey...compared to the corporate, stuffy persona of going to a nhl game..

canadian cities such as regina, saskatoon and others will be first line in getting teams...those canadian cities, in the past, would've been overlooked or never given any thought in the US-based corporate nhl...

It sounds like to me you were just talking about the CHL. If you expect Lecavalier, Thornton, or even Morrow to play for Windsor or Saskatoon you're really out of touch with what these players are playing for. Yes they are playing for the love of the game, but they are also playing for their livelihood. You may say they don't need millions of dollars, but they aren't playing for JUST themselves, but for their family too. All the money they make in the NHL doesn't just go to living some insanely lavish life for themselves, but also for their wife, parents, children, grand children, possibly siblings, etc to be able to live a good life, too. I know I wouldn't turn down millions of dollars so that I could give my children a chance to make the most of their life, too.

puckhead103 said:
also having an extra canadian franchise would set them back in terms of getting US tv money...

I find this a extremely rediculous. How in the world would another Canadian team set them back in getting a US TV deal? If anything a truly successful Canadian team would bring more money into the NHL than take out. If there was a market that could support an NHL team in Canada, it would very quickly receive a team. Don't try and say Quebec or Winnipeg, also. They were tried and failed. Not because the fans don't love their team there, but because they simply cannot generate enough revenue to survive against other Canadian teams, even.

From how things are right now, if Canada wants more teams they need to make their government give NHL teams tax breaks so they can make a competitive team without losing millions upon millions of dollars. US teams receive a huge amount of tax breaks, especially compared to Canada.

puckhead103 said:
remember the nhl is a strictly american based league and needs american dollars more so than catering passionate, knowledgeable canadian hockey fans.

anyone with me? its time for a new movement for a canadian superleague of hockey and ditch the NHL

Do you actually think the NHL is strictly an American based league? The game has grown as much as it can right now in Canada, for the most part. There really isn't much the NHL can do for Canada. Canadians, as a whole, love the NHL and hockey. When the entire country loves a sport, what need is there to do more for them? They did as much as they could in the new CBA, which was done more for Canadian teams than for US teams.

A Canadian Superleague wouldn't go so well, even if they could somehow legally claim the Stanley Cup. I find it very hard to believe they could somehow acquire the Cup from the NHL, though. Also, why would a Canadian player want to play for less money against weaker competition (unless they didn't want the challenges faced in the NHL)? Kids dream of winning the Stanley Cup not only because it is the Stanley Cup, but also because it represents having beat the best players in the world, and therefore being the best. If some AHL-like Canadian league controlled the Cup, the interest in it would gradually fizzle out over many years. It wouldn't be viewed as the achievement it once was.

If a Canadian team looked to actually be able to support a competitive NHL team I have no doubt that they'd be awarded a franchise quite quickly. Much more quickly than a comparable American city would, imo.
 

Drrocket9

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Sep 29, 2004
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Federal League

you dont seem to realize that this was already attempted over a year ago.

there was a website for The Federal League. it was going to consist of 6 teams from major cities throughout Canada.

thought it was going to be in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal. they had the site up for months, then it disappeared, much like the WHA website.

i havent looked at this CANHL site, but the front page looks an awful lot like the Federal League did. wonder if there is any connection.
 

Tiki

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Resolute said:
We already have a Canadian league: The CHL. And Major Junior is a higher calibre than what you are proposing.

Quite frankly, I believe you have no clue what you are talking about.

Better watch out. We "Evil Americans" already have CHL teams in Erie, Detroit, Saganiaw (sp), Maine, and perhaps a few other cities I can not remember. Soon we will steal the rest of your small market CHL teams Mwahahahah!

All your Team are belong to us!

:propeller
 

Resolute

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Mar 4, 2005
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Everett, Seattle, Spokane, Kenniwick and Portland as well.

However, We do outnumber you 52-7 at the moment, so the American invasion isnt a great concern yet. ;)
 

Montrealer

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Dec 12, 2002
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puckhead103 said:
anyone with me? its time for a new movement for a canadian superleague of hockey and ditch the NHL

No thanks. Now I'll go listen to the crazy guy on the opposite corner yelling about the end of civilization.
 

Resolute

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Mar 4, 2005
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pacde said:
I seriously question this post... :dunno:

Please clarify?

Probably the fact that there is no way a rival pro league could even gain a foothold in Canada. Every market is already filled.

All of the major centres have either the NHL or AHL, while all of the mid level centres are in the WHL, OHL and Q.

Simply put, a new, rival league cannot compete vs the Canucks/Giants, Flames/Hitmen, Moose, Leafs/Marlies, Canadiens, etc.

Hell, Edmonton folded the Roadrunners knowing they couldnt even compete with themselves.

Though, of course, the OP went with the assumption that the Flames, Oilers and Sens are doomed anyway, despite the fact that Flames owner and chairman of the board, Harley Hotchkiss, was a major player in negotiations, and that all three teams have stated they love this deal.
 

Jack Canuck

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puckhead103 said:
news to fans....the nhl doesn't care about you....especially passionate canadian fans.

do you think the nhl in a couple of years decides to expand, will they think of placing a hockey franchise in canada?

the answer is obvious.....even with the salary cap and meager revenue sharing, calgary, ottawa and edmonton will relocate in 6 years.

bettman will still continue in his blind vision of getting that big US TV contract.....

i think its time for a canadian pro league similar to the CFL.

imagine a league having affordable ticket prices to allow your family to see quality hockey...compared to the corporate, stuffy persona of going to a nhl game..

canadian cities such as regina, saskatoon and others will be first line in getting teams...those canadian cities, in the past, would've been overlooked or never given any thought in the US-based corporate nhl...

also having an extra canadian franchise would set them back in terms of getting US tv money...

remember the nhl is a strictly american based league and needs american dollars more so than catering passionate, knowledgeable canadian hockey fans.

anyone with me? its time for a new movement for a canadian superleague of hockey and ditch the NHL


If it was possible I would be all for it, but where do you think that the canadian stars will opt to play? In Canada or in the U.S. where they can get paid. The U.S. would still have the name of NHL and the Stanley cup and they would still attract the best players in the world.

At least now we get a peice of the action.
 
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