If you were GOD which team would u eliminate?

[Sotnos]

no, as i've said many times in this thread, i don't WANT any teams to be contracted. I'm just saying...for the high-and-mighty canadian fan that lashes out on the southern teams while ignoring the fact that they're in just as much danger...contraction should be perhaps a more sensitive issue.

You'd think it would be, yet several of these high-and-mighty types seem to have a very cavalier attitude towards it. It shows a real lack of understanding of the issues if people think their teams are immune because of location.

 

[Terrier]

Why is Edmonton constantly being mentioned? Their attendance was close to 100% capacity and yet they are constantly being mentioned. I'm really getting fed up with Edmonton constantly being bashed. Why aren't the southern being mentioned as much as Edmonton. No Canadian teams will be contracted.

As a Bruins fan, I've had my share of heartbreak at the hands of the Oilers. However, if there's a contraction in the near future and we end up with teams in Nashville and Raleigh but not Edmonton, I might swear off the NHL forever. Edmonton has the league's best ice and perhaps its best fans. I frequently request the late HNIC game if I'm in a bar with a dish, and Oilers games are more often than not worth watching. Unfortunately, Bettman The Bozo tried to NBA-ize this league, and look where we are now!

 

[ChrisKreider20]

LONGGGGGGGGG THREADDDDDDDD

 

[ObeySteve]

1. Phoenix
2. Anaheim
3. Florida
4. Carolina
5. Nashville

 

[Hockeyfan02]

My favorite argument is that people mention Florida and So Cal cant maintain two hockey teams yet Alberta with less population (just a rough guess) and less money going around can support two hockey teams. Am I missing something here?

 

[Narnia]

My favorite argument is that people mention Florida and So Cal cant maintain two hockey teams yet Alberta with less population (just a rough guess) and less money going around can support two hockey teams. Am I missing something here?

Yup. You are. Alberta is in Canada and Canada is a hockey-mad country. We all saw how hockey-mad Canada is in the Heritage Classic when close to 60,000 fans watched an outdoor game in something like -20 degree Celcius weather.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

Yup. You are. Alberta is in Canada and Canada is a hockey-mad country. We all saw how hockey-mad Canada is in the Heritage Classic when close to 60,000 fans watched an outdoor game in something like -20 degree Celcius weather.

And yet Michigan drew probably about the same, if not more for an outdoor college game between Michigan and Michigan State. I just find it funny how those states are mentioned as cant support hockey yet Alberta can. If youre going to take out an Anaheim or Florida because they cant support hockey, you might as well take out the Oilers or Flames because there is less population and a worse economy. Really I dont want any teams contracted but I really hate it when people just throw out they cant support hockey when these places can and it will take time.

 

[se7en*]

As a Bruins fan, I've had my share of heartbreak at the hands of the Oilers. However, if there's a contraction in the near future and we end up with teams in Nashville and Raleigh but not Edmonton, I might swear off the NHL forever. Edmonton has the league's best ice and perhaps its best fans. I frequently request the late HNIC game if I'm in a bar with a dish, and Oilers games are more often than not worth watching. Unfortunately, Bettman The Bozo tried to NBA-ize this league, and look where we are now!

This is why Bruins fans are the classiest fans in the league!

And yet Michigan drew probably about the same, if not more for an outdoor college game between Michigan and Michigan State. I just find it funny how those states are mentioned as cant support hockey yet Alberta can. If youre going to take out an Anaheim or Florida because they cant support hockey, you might as well take out the Oilers or Flames because there is less population and a worse economy. Really I dont want any teams contracted but I really hate it when people just throw out they cant support hockey when these places can and it will take time.

If you're trying to deny Alberta isn't a hockey-mad area, don't waste your breath. Per-capita more NHL players come out of Edmonton & area than anywhere else on the planet.

Alberta is a thriving province and Edmonton has the 2nd most diverse economy in Canada. Calgary is the fastest growing city in Canada and Edmonton is not far behind. The issue here isn't that Edm/Cgy have 'worse economies', the fact is the disparity between the American and Canadian dollars cripples them somewhat.

Calgary has the 2nd most head offices in Canada, and I'm not exactly educated on the Flames situation (maybe a Flames fan can come in here and verify this) but thats got to help the team. Edmonton doesn't have that kind of coporate support, we rely on Joe fan, and they profited this year.

The owners of the two teams are tired of losing money due to the fact that over 70% of their revenues are paying salaries. The Cdn $ doesn't help either, and theres nothing they can do about that. In a business an owner is supposed to profit, and it isn't because of bad business decisions. Does this mean that the markets are no longer viable? Not at all. Hockey may be a business, but to take away so much tradition would cheapen the product substantially.

But what the Oilers do have is a strong, deep-rooted tradition and fanatical fan support; that is unarguable. And that is why it is a valid market.

 

[oilers_guy_eddie]

And yet Michigan drew probably about the same, if not more for an outdoor college game between Michigan and Michigan State. I just find it funny how those states are mentioned as cant support hockey yet Alberta can. If youre going to take out an Anaheim or Florida because they cant support hockey, you might as well take out the Oilers or Flames because there is less population and a worse economy. Really I dont want any teams contracted but I really hate it when people just throw out they cant support hockey when these places can and it will take time.

I don't think there's any question that Florida and Southern California *could* support hockey, if the ticket-buying public decided it was a priority. What percentage of the ticket buying public actually cares about hockey, however, is pretty debatable.

 

[nomorekids]

it's silly to argue about "who" if you don't even know if there's an "if."

no one's going anywhere in the foreseeable future, like it or not.

 

[Roughneck]

And yet Michigan drew probably about the same, if not more for an outdoor college game between Michigan and Michigan State. I just find it funny how those states are mentioned as cant support hockey yet Alberta can. If youre going to take out an Anaheim or Florida because they cant support hockey, you might as well take out the Oilers or Flames because there is less population and a worse economy. Really I dont want any teams contracted but I really hate it when people just throw out they cant support hockey when these places can and it will take time.

Alberta has the best economy in Canada, and the population of the state/region isn't what gives a team support, it is fans. Despite having WAY less people (a tenth or so I'd say), Alberta (hell, just one of the cities) has more devoted hockey fans than Florida and California combined. The fact is, Florida and SoCal aren't being able to support these teams as well as teams in Alberta can, the roots just aren't there. LA can survive because they built up a good fan base in the early 90s with Wayne, but supporting 2 teams? That's a bit of a reach, same with Florida.

There aren't many real hockey fans in Florida and California. Yes there are some, but not that many. It is the same reasons that baseball isn't surviving in Montreal. There's loads of people, but it doesn't matter if none of the want to go watch the team. Do you think Anaheim or Florida will be getting 15,000 fans after missing the playoffs for seven straight years? Have a junior team get 10,000? No. For the same reasons Calgary wouldn't be able to support a college football team the same way Florida does.

Calgary and Edmonton have shown they deserve to stay. Despite being in a lousy economic climate, battling with the lousy Canadian dollar as well as playoffless seasons, still manage to fare better than their American counterparts who live in big centres and make the playoffs. If things keep going the way they are going in Florida, Carolina and Anaheim, the Hitmen will be outdrawing them.

 

[Sotnos]

Despite having WAY less people (a tenth or so I'd say), Alberta (hell, just one of the cities) has more devoted hockey fans than Florida and California combined.
...
There aren't many real hockey fans in Florida and California.

You've done a survey and have the numbers to back this up? I assume you do since you're saying these are "facts". Thanks

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

it's silly to argue about "who" if you don't even know if there's an "if."

no one's going anywhere in the foreseeable future, like it or not.

Oh yes, they are. I am as we speak designing a scientific method, based on jersey colors I don't like. Once the method is sufficiently refined, I am sending a letter to Bettman (who ownz and controlz the NHL) of teams that should be contracted.

Some heads are gonna roll.

 

[Sotnos]

it's silly to argue about "who" if you don't even know if there's an "if."

Since when does "silly" stop anyone around here?

This is kind of the "thread that will not die" at this point, but it's kept the number of contraction threads to a minimum for once, which I guess is a good thing.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

This is kind of the "thread that will not die" at this point, but it's kept the number of contraction threads to a minimum for once, which I guess is a good thing.

You know, I wouldn't mind some good contraction discussions. Especially in the current CBA context, there's stuff to discuss.

However, confusion arises because mainly, people do not understand why, when and how teams could/should contract.

Right now, this isn't really all that important. After the CBA, it could really become a hot, legitimate topic depending on how bad the owners get... owned

 

[Roughneck]

You've done a survey and have the numbers to back this up? I assume you do since you're saying these are "facts". Thanks

Well if you want to get all technical about it, the fact was that SoCal and Florida don't have enough fans to support their teams


You'll have to wait for the recount on all the surveys I handed out though. Some people thought they were voting yes when it was for no, you know?

 

[Sotnos]

However, confusion arises because mainly, people do not understand why, when and how teams could/should contract.

Well, that's the thing. People seem to think that contraction is a way of "getting back at" all those recent expansion teams that people don't like so that they can purify the League (or whatever). You do a better imitation of such people than I do, so I won't even try!

These threads become nothing more than an excuse to take potshots at fans of certain teams, and I'd personally like to see more in-depth and mature discussion around here instead of this kind of thing. We're all obviously diehards here if we're even bothering to look at these boards when we have no hope of NHL hockey in the forseeable future, so I don't see the need for all the um...measuring contests about who's a "real fan" and whatnot. But hey, maybe I live in a dreamworld!

 

[Sotnos]

You'll have to wait for the recount on all the surveys I handed out though. Some people thought they were voting yes when it was for no, you know?

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, nice one. A low blow, but I did actually laugh out loud! :lol

There were no hanging chads on MY punch card, I can tell you that!

 

[Bob Clarke Fan Club]

My favorite argument is that people mention Florida and So Cal cant maintain two hockey teams yet Alberta with less population (just a rough guess) and less money going around can support two hockey teams. Am I missing something here?

The difference is....the "money" that's floating around in SoCal probably isn't in the pocket of a guy who's grown up in his local Rink. Heck it's much better spent on a surfboard...not a ton of surfboards in Alta. You see, it's religion here.

 

[MLH]

You'll have to wait for the recount on all the surveys I handed out though. Some people thought they were voting yes when it was for no, you know?

Best post I've read in a while.

 

[Bob Clarke Fan Club]

1.Rangers
2.Philly
3.Colorado
4.Detroit
5.Toronto

That should take care of players being overpaid.

 

[Kravitch]

A thing with Edmonton, the league may not want to contract a team that has one of the most historic dynasties in sports history.

 

[nomorekids]

A thing with Edmonton, the league may not want to contract a team that has one of the most historic dynasties in sports history.

things like that are likely not going to have a lot of bearing, when it comes down to it.

 

[salty justice]

Ive lived in SoCal for a good 2 decades and Id guess about 1 in every 10 people know what NHL means, another 1 in 20 know who the Kings are, another 1 in 100 have ever watch a minute of hockey in their life. It is extremely extremely dismal here.

Ive made about a dozen trips to different parts of Florida as well and Id guess that a good 1 in 10 residents there remember what their name is

 

[ObeySteve]

1.Rangers
2.Philly
3.Colorado
4.Detroit
5.Toronto

That should take care of players being overpaid.

Yeah, because most of the places where fans demand quality hockey players would be gone.