We. Have. HOCKEY!

[HisIceness]

"DRRIIVVVVE SCCORREEE!!!!"

We'll be hearing this again very soon.

 

[ChuckW]

We won the Stanley Cup right after a lockout...ergo....

 

[Novacane]

I was pondering this today. Based on the TV coverage of last year (67 games), can we expect to get max coverage of all games this year? I would assume so, but travel/back-to-backs/3-in-4-nighters might even be an issue for John and Tripp. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[sctvman]

Well, since the Hurricanes season will be conflicting with the Braves, we might have some games on different channels. With the NBA, NHL and MLB all going on at the same time in April and perhaps early May there will be lots of jostling for channel space.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Look for opening night to be on the 21st.

19th - Rodeo
20th - Basketball game
21st - Previously scheduled home date

It's not certain, but it would be the earliest feasible date unless they start on the road.

 

[DaleCooper]

They'll almost certainly start on the road on the 19th or 20th.

 

[tarheelhockey]

They'll almost certainly start on the road on the 19th or 20th.

Without seeing the entire 30-arena matrix, the common sense thing seems to be a road game on the 19th* followed by a home game on the 21st.

* assuming the 19th is the real starting date

 

[caniac247]

It sounds like they are going to keep most of the home games the same since the arenas are already booked for hockey. I'm thinking we open in Buffalo on the 19th and our home opener is the 21st.

Has anyone else heard the season being extended to April 25th or 26th with playoffs starting in May?

 

[Swag Surf Aho]

It sounds like they are going to keep most of the home games the same since the arenas are already booked for hockey. I'm thinking we open in Buffalo on the 19th and our home opener is the 21st.

Has anyone else heard the season being extended to April 25th or 26th with playoffs starting in May?

Can't wait for the season to start. They better put a 50% discount on center ice since its only half a season.

 

[DaveG]

I hope they will, but the NHL doesn't have all that much control over the prices. The Comcasts, Direct TVs, etc. of the world still have to get their cut. If the NHL was smart they'd find a way to do it for free, but nobody would carry it. MIGHT be able to pull that off with Gamecenter, but that's doubtful as well as I'm pretty sure that's not through the NHL itself but through a company licensed by the NHL to provide it for them. Might be off base with that one.

Come to think of it, half price with the NHL sucking it up on their cut MIGHT be doable.

 

[Mr America]

Center Ice is always slashed to half price this time of year anyways?

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I'm checking NHL.com every day to see when GameCenter finally comes out haha... I hope they slash it but let's be honest, I'm gonna buy it either way...

 

[Lazyking]

I'm checking NHL.com every day to see when GameCenter finally comes out haha... I hope they slash it but let's be honest, I'm gonna buy it either way...

Depends on how how much they reduce it but I might get it.. I'm low fund type of guy but I have $80 bucks I could spend on the package..

If only I had MSG, then the blackouts wouldn't matter for me.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

We've got Fox Sports South down here, so any game that FSC is doing but FSS isn't showing because of a Braves game or some **** I'm still gonna get blacked out...

Sketchy feeds FTW!

 

[Swag Surf Aho]

Center Ice is always slashed to half price this time of year anyways?

That's good enough news.

 

[tomdundo]

We've got Fox Sports South down here, so any game that FSC is doing but FSS isn't showing because of a Braves game or some **** I'm still gonna get blacked out...

Sketchy feeds FTW!

Good luck with that. Sketchy feeds are your friend...

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm kind of hoping Luongo gets traded to the Leafs just for the entertainment value. Either Leafs fans will complain about how much they gave up for Luongo and that contract, or Canucks fans will go non-linear because of how little they got in return for Luongo.

Either way, should be fun.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm kind of hoping Luongo gets traded to the Leafs just for the entertainment value. Either Leafs fans will complain about how much they gave up for Luongo and that contract, or Canucks fans will go non-linear because of how little they got in return for Luongo.

Either way, should be fun.

It honestly wouldn't surprise me at all to see Luongo land in Toronto at the exact moment that they become a playoff-capable team, then kill it in a big playoff run since he doesn't have to face the Hawks anymore, and end up with a Niedermayer-esque career finish that makes him a massive superstar in the Toronto spotlight.

 

[What the Faulk]

I believe I read somewhere (maybe a month ago) that the NHL is going to offer Center Ice for free this year if they solved the lockout. Might have been just a rumor though, since I've heard nothing since.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I believe I read somewhere (maybe a month ago) that the NHL is going to offer Center Ice for free this year if they solved the lockout. Might have been just a rumor though, since I've heard nothing since.

That was what many in the media said they SHOULD do. They won't do it primarily because most will still pay for it, because if you were getting it in the first place you probably are a die hard who will never leave.

 

[tarheelhockey]

That was what many in the media said they SHOULD do. They won't do it primarily because most will still pay for it, because if you were getting it in the first place you probably are a die hard who will never leave.

As I understand it, the NHL doesn't control whether Center Ice is offered for free. That's up to the cable companies.

 

[Joe McGrath]

As I understand it, the NHL doesn't control whether Center Ice is offered for free. That's up to the cable companies.

I assume they have some influence, since it is their product and the cable providers have to pay the NHL carriage fees for it like any other network would. But they could already have a long term contract for all I know.

 

[DaveG]

It honestly wouldn't surprise me at all to see Luongo land in Toronto at the exact moment that they become a playoff-capable team, then kill it in a big playoff run since he doesn't have to face the Hawks anymore, and end up with a Niedermayer-esque career finish that makes him a massive superstar in the Toronto spotlight.

After the Burke firing I get the feeling that a Luongo deal is imminent. Burke and Rutherford have been the two GMs most adamant against these long term cap circumventing deals. There's no way Burke wanted to acquire a contract like that in Luongo, hell his poison pill rule that was added to the CBA was frigin directed AT the Luongo contract. Nonis I don't see having the same issues, and he'll be more of a yes-man for MLSE.

I mean really, the 7/8 year max falls exactly in line with the contracts that Burke and JR have given out, minus the Jordan Staal contract which Pittsburgh basically negotiated for us before the trade to begin with.

 

[Zombie Mike Murphy]

Just started the ball rolling on getting my season ticket back. Luckily my seat was still available (Endcap seat in the $45 LLS zone)