Red Deer gives players the finger

[Hoss]

How well was this advertised, I wonder? The scheduling of the event (immediately following an Old Timers charity event) was poor, also Red Deer packed them in for the Rebels game on Saturday. All you married folks..how many times a week (non playoffs) is your spouse going to let you hang around the rink?

My point being, I will support the local boys 1st, I might go for the nostalgia and few kicks to watch the likes of Granny MacDonald but convince my wife I need to watch more hockey...good luck.

Of course some "fans" will stay away because of the lock out, but to proclaim that's the reason so few showed up is speculation.

 

[ColoradoHockeyFan]

And then what is the end hope by your support for Fake players ??

Do you want to keep your Fake players forever or you can't get rid of them fast enough to get Iggy and Red Deer's own Phaneuf and Kiprosoff back in the team Jersey's ..

By not supporting Fake players you might even get your Real ones back faster ..

You don't think the NHLPA would be much more likely to capitulate if the league's arenas were full? (I'm not speculating that they would be full, but since we're dealing in hypotheticals here, you don't think that's the case?)

 

[oil slick]

Of course some "fans" will stay away because of the lock out, but to proclaim that's the reason so few showed up is speculation.

That is fair enough, although I personally think your reasons are a little far fetched to cause only 800 to turn up.

 

[Mess]

You don't think the NHLPA would be much more likely to capitulate if the league's arenas were full? (I'm not speculating that they would be full, but since we're dealing in hypotheticals here, you don't think that's the case?)

You're right that could go either way ..

but by fans supporting and showing up to watch FAKE players in force, they are also helping the NHLPA out at the Same time ..

Bettman is claiming that NHL Revenue is going to go way down and therefore the players have to keep receiving lower and lower Hard Cap offers .. Mass fan support for Fake players would dispute that theory, because there would be no reason to expect a drop off..

Also .. If replacement players are a successful option and fans show up in mass force and owners are making lots of money as a result .. what makes you believe they will not continue to use Fake players???

If fans are happy supporting them and the Team jerseys and its all about money then what is motivating owners to bring back Joe Sakic if Joe Smith is just fine with the fans ???

 

[Scoogs]

What message did it send???

Well.. You can look at it this way. I don't think the people in Red Deer thought

"This is for charity? No nevermind, I'm not going.."

They thought...

"NHLPA? No thanks..."

They are sending the message that they want to see NHL hockey. More of this certain message would show them that we won't go see them if they were to start their own league, or something along the lines of that.

 

[mooseOAK*]

You're right that could go either way ..

but by fans supporting and showing up to watch FAKE players in force, they are also helping the NHLPA out at the Same time ..

Bettman is claiming that NHL Revenue is going to go way down and therefore the players have to keep receiving lower and lower Hard Cap offers .. Mass fan support for Fake players would dispute that theory, because there would be no reason to expect a drop off..

Also .. If replacement players are a successful option and fans show up in mass force and owners are making lots of money as a result .. what makes you believe they will not continue to use Fake players???

If fans are happy supporting them and the Team jerseys and its all about money then what is motivating owners to bring back Joe Sakic if Joe Smith is just fine with the fans ???

I think that should be more troubling to Joe Sakic than anyone else involved in that scenario.

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

And then what is the end hope by your support for Fake players ??

Do you want to keep your Fake players forever or you can't get rid of them fast enough to get Iggy and Red Deer's own Phaneuf and Kiprosoff back in the team Jersey's ..

By not supporting Fake players you might even get your Real ones back faster ..

Fake players? You mean like those playing in Europe this past winter? Fake players is all just a question of semantics and where you are sitting now, isn't it?

Having said that, the fans will support the teams. No, not to the same extent they did in the past, but they will still lineup to get into the building to see their team play. And as we have seen the players in the jerseys really don't matter much. Since a team sees 80-90% of the roster roll completely over a four year period it is extremely likely that the fans will just take the loss of the players in question in stride. Especially when you are going to have a percentage of the NHL players cross to collect a pay check anyways, or will they be fake players as well?

Something that is completely lost on the NHLPA, and the fanboys who follow them around like puppy dogs, is the fact that the fans make the players what they are. Without the support and admiration of the fans they are nothing. Were Ryan Smyth and Friends "big time stars" last night in Red Deer? Nope. They were a bunch of well known personalities playing shinny. The "fans" wanted nothing to do with them, which takes them down to a level of being a nobody again. The fact of the matter is that when the NHL opens up the doors again the fans will decide who the stars of the game are and who is to be admired. Only through a natural affiliation with effort for the jersey the player wears will he become a fan favorite and then a star player. Without the jersey he is a nothing but a curiosity.

IMO the doors will open up and the fans will come back and the difference will not be that great. All you have to do is look at the way the NHL players did not dominate in each and every league they were playing in to see that the difference in skill level is not as great as some would think. The NHL players have been stars only because the NHL and the fans have made them so. A new group of stars is just on the horizon and will be annointed by the fans that show up and support the team. That's the way it has always been and will always be.

 

[Mess]

Well.. You can look at it this way. I don't think the people in Red Deer thought

"This is for charity? No nevermind, I'm not going.."

They thought...

"NHLPA? No thanks..."

They are sending the message that they want to see NHL hockey. More of this certain message would show them that we won't go see them if they were to start their own league, or something along the lines of that.

When Ryan Smyth is raising money for Charity outside of the NHL regardless if there is a work stoppage or not ... He is not a NHLPA person, he is acting as a Good Samaritan and raising money by using his fame to help others ... This event had nothing to do with supporting NHLers during a lockout .. If this was a Touring Stars thing I could see your point .. but this had nothing to due with that ..

 

[Mess]

I think that should be more troubling to Joe Sakic than anyone else involved in that scenario.

Joe Sakic will always be well paid Cap or No Cap, should he return to the NHL again ..

The Stars will always get their money as they are the ones the Fans pay to see ..

If Joe Sakic became an UFA in a Hard Cap world the bidding war for his services would still be fierce IMO ..

The end result will be the rest of the team around him will be weaker as the level of support players and money available by the Hard Cap limit will force teams to fill out rosters with less then BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE .....

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

When Ryan Smyth is raising money for Charity outside of the NHL regardless if there is a work stoppage or not ... He is not a NHLPA person, he is acting as a Good Samaritan and raising money by using his fame to help others ... This event had nothing to do with supporting NHLers during a lockout .. If this was a Touring Stars thing I could see your point .. but this had nothing to due with that ..

Care to comment on the fact that the players were handing out NHLPA hats and shirts to the "throng" of fans? Seems like NHLPA representation to me?

 

[Cawz]

When Ryan Smyth is raising money for Charity outside of the NHL regardless if there is a work stoppage or not ... He is not a NHLPA person, he is acting as a Good Samaritan and raising money by using his fame to help others ... This event had nothing to do with supporting NHLers during a lockout .. If this was a Touring Stars thing I could see your point .. but this had nothing to due with that ..

I think this has more to do with tuning up for the World Championships (which Smyth is a veteran at). The charity is probably more of a positive side effect.

I dont think this has anything to do with the NHL or the PA. Its just a way to try to get into game shape, and do a good deed at the same time.

Edit: Just saw that comment on the PA hats. Thats kinda bunk-ass.

 

[Mess]

Care to comment on the fact that the players were handing out NHLPA hats and shirts to the "throng" of fans? Seems like NHLPA representation to me?

Ever see anyone wearing a CANCER RESEARCH T-Shirt ??

 

[Hawker14]

they were giving out free shirts and hats ?

those dirty, greedy players !!!

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

Ever see anyone wearing a CANCER RESEARCH T-Shirt ??

Yes. Many. Especially those that were involved in real charitable events (meaning not FAKE) like walk-runs, softball and golf tournaments. The Cancer Society should have been front and center, not the NHLPA. Again, care to spin that one doctor?

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Ever see anyone wearing a CANCER RESEARCH T-Shirt ??

why not make a few hundred "Ryan Smyth Charity tour" t-shirts...they're rich enough!!

what would u rather get, an Oilers shirt or an NHLPA shirt

 

[Hawker14]

i can't wait until the nhl starts with replacement players.

i'm certain the nhl owners will be handing out free shirts and hats to the throngs of fans.

at least they better, because i don't know how else they'll get fans in.

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

i can't wait until the nhl starts with replacement players.

i'm certain the nhl owners will be handing out free shirts and hats to the throngs of fans.

at least they better, because i don't know how else they'll get fans in.

Is that the best you got? The Messenger openly challenges that this was not an NHLPA event and I prove him wrong by piinting out the fact that Smyth and Friends were handing out NHLPA hats and shirts. Had nothing to do with the charity, but about promotion of the NHLPA. That appears as an NHLPA event.

Now if the NHL hands out team shirts and hats at an NHL game, that's okay and it their choice. They will not be hiding behind a charity and attempting to sway public opinion by putting on a "charity" game for "cancer research". Smyth and Friends turned a charitable event into a NHLPA promotional opportunity. Doesn't seem kosher to me.

BTW... got your ticket to Smyth and Friends yet? You've said all along that you would support the players, here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

i can't wait until the nhl starts with replacement players.

i'm certain the nhl owners will be handing out free shirts and hats to the throngs of fans.

at least they better, because i don't know how else they'll get fans in.

playing meaningful games in the NHL will bring fans in, not to mention seeing your favorite team in action may also attract fans

Smytty handed those t-shirts out to tell fans "don't forgot about the PA!"

 

[mooseOAK*]

Joe Sakic will always be well paid Cap or No Cap, should he return to the NHL again ..

The Stars will always get their money as they are the ones the Fans pay to see ..

If Joe Sakic became an UFA in a Hard Cap world the bidding war for his services would still be fierce IMO ..

The end result will be the rest of the team around him will be weaker as the level of support players and money available by the Hard Cap limit will force teams to fill out rosters with less then BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE .....

No, it will mean that BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE will have to settle for playing for less money than he was used to. If all teams aren't signing BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE to save money then where is BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE going to play?

 

[Hawker14]

Is that the best you got? The Messenger openly challenges that this was not an NHLPA event and I prove him wrong by piinting out the fact that Smyth and Friends were handing out NHLPA hats and shirts. Had nothing to do with the charity, but about promotion of the NHLPA. That appears as an NHLPA event.

Now if the NHL hands out team shirts and hats at an NHL game, that's okay and it their choice. They will not be hiding behind a charity and attempting to sway public opinion by putting on a "charity" game for "cancer research". Smyth and Friends turned a charitable event into a NHLPA promotional opportunity. Doesn't seem kosher to me.

BTW... got your ticket to Smyth and Friends yet? You've said all along that you would support the players, here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is.

you believe what you want to believe. a player who ties his shoes is doing an anti-owner/anti-fan/anti-hockey act in the view of many of these boards.

smyth is a class act and people who get on him and the players for donating their time so a charity can benefit are the ones doing a disservice.

 

[mooseOAK*]

you believe what you want to believe. a player who ties his shoes is doing an anti-owner/anti-fan/anti-hockey act in the view of many of these boards.

smyth is a class act and people who get on him and the players for donating their time so a charity can benefit are the ones doing a disservice.

They have plenty of time, days and days and weeks and months of time. This is hardly going to Africa to take care of the sick and dying.

 

[Hawker14]

They have plenty of time, days and days and weeks and months of time. This is hardly going to Africa to take care of the sick and dying.

lol, thanks for making my point for me.

 

[Mess]

No, it will mean that BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE will have to settle for playing for less money than he was used to. If all teams aren't signing BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE to save money then where is BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE going to play?

Why do you think we have no new CBA and the NHLPA if fighting against a CAP??...

Your concerns are exactly what the NHLPA means when it says a market for its players ... The lower the Cap number becomes the more of the middle players are forced out of the game or take minimum wage ..

For every Joe Sakic a team signs for 5 - 6 mil it will have to have 3 or 4 players making 350-500k to offset that ... DO YOU SEE established NHLers playing for that or glorified AHLers ?? .. Even 1st round rookies will be making 850 max.

 

[SENSible1*]

Why do you think we have no new CBA and the NHLPA if fighting against a CAP??...

Your concerns are exactly what the NHLPA means when it says a market for its players ... The lower the Cap number becomes the more of the middle players are forced out of the game or take minimum wage ..

For every Joe Sakic a team signs for 5 - 6 mil it will have to have 3 or 4 players making 350-500k to offset that ... DO YOU SEE established NHLers playing for that or glorified AHLers ?? .. Even 1st round rookies will be making 850 max.

If that is the most money those "established NHLers" can make playing hockey, then they will take it. If they can make more elsewhere then they'll do so. Established NHL superstars made far less than 3rd/4th liners will for decades but stayed in the NHL because it was the most lucrative league in which to ply their trade. Those easily replaced "established NHLers" would be no different in their decision making process; they'd follow the money.

 

[Marconius]

When Ryan Smyth is raising money for Charity outside of the NHL regardless if there is a work stoppage or not ... He is not a NHLPA person, he is acting as a Good Samaritan and raising money by using his fame to help others ... This event had nothing to do with supporting NHLers during a lockout .. If this was a Touring Stars thing I could see your point .. but this had nothing to due with that ..

You honestly can't see how low attendenace at a game played by locked out players is a statement aginst the NHLPA?