What do you guys think?
- Thread starter Wildman
- Start date
PasiK
Registered User
Ohio Jones
Game on...
I think we'll see another surge of trade activity after the next cap measuring point... but that doesn't mean the talks aren't happening behind the scenes. 
As for a topic of controversy, the obvious ones that spring to mind are:
1) Do you want to see contraction/relocation in the NHL?
2) Where do people stand on fighting in hockey?
As for a topic of controversy, the obvious ones that spring to mind are:
1) Do you want to see contraction/relocation in the NHL?
2) Where do people stand on fighting in hockey?
I'll bite...
1) After the lockout, I was hugely in favor of contracting the league back down to 26-28 teams. At the time, I simply thought the league would be better off selling its product in concentrated form to markets that had already demonstrated a taste for the game.
How I feel now? About the same. Atlanta's a crap sports market to begin with, let alone for hockey. I guess what it comes down to is this...one on hand, you have a market like Kansas City, who built an arena without even having an NHL (or NBA) team to play in it. You have to admire that dedication at least a little bit. On the other hand, you have to wonder when setting up shop in these questionable markets if you're just going to have to tear down and do it all over again in 10 years.
It'll be interesting to see what happens with the Coyotes. I'm surprised that Seattle's name never comes up for an NHL team, but then again they did just lose their NBA team to Oklahoma City, of all places.
2) On fighting in hockey - I watched the whole Garrett Klotz incident unfold, and obviously there's no accounting for the onset of seizures.
Whenever this issue comes up, a guy like Brian Burke will always step forward and say something to effect of: "Fighting makes hockey safer." Yet it's so easy to argue that some of the best hockey to watch happens in the Olympics and in the playoffs, when fighting never occurs.
I guess what it comes down to is that the perceived consequence during the regular season isn't great enough. You're losing a guy (particularly a goon) for five minutes of one game out of eighty-two. Big deal.
I'm fine with fighting when it comes to heat of the moment retaliation for a teammate getting boarded or something like that. The Klotz incident, though, happened right off the opening faceoff - it was two goons settling a score from 10 WEEKS PRIOR. In an orchestrated incident like that, I'm in favor of an automatic game misconduct for the player AND tossing the coach.
I've always wondered, why does the NHL insist on trying to cultivate non-hockey markets when existing hockey markets already exist... Befor you see any retraction they will definitly put another team in canada and if they're really creative they might try and get something in europe going...
I wonder how the HNFHL would handle it if the KHL really took off and droves of top-end players started leaving to play in Europe.
I wonder how the HNFHL would handle it if the KHL really took off and droves of top-end players started leaving to play in Europe.
Here is something I have in mind and would like to discuss with the rest of the group. It is great that we have quite a number of active GM's but as an agent I find it really a pain when team keep on signing no name players for minimum contract...I mean players who have zero probability of making the NHL.
I propose that we bring $100,000 processing fees for any UFA signed in the middle of the season. This will eliminate lot of work for the agents and will minimize work for SIM Manager as well.
What do you guys think?
I propose that we bring $100,000 processing fees for any UFA signed in the middle of the season. This will eliminate lot of work for the agents and will minimize work for SIM Manager as well.
What do you guys think?
SensGod
Registered User
Well...Paul Kelly (NHLPA Grand PooBaaah!!!) wants another team in the TO area.
Why?
Very simple. That area makes money.
Reason for him becoming vocal lately? The NHLPA's escrow payments just hit 25%. Players were shocked and are screaming. As you can imagine, the NHLPA wants teams in markets that actually make money and don't need to buy up their own season's tickets to make the minimum to qualify for revenue sharing.
The NHLPA is starting to freak now because the next set of UFA's and RFA's aren't going to get the kind of money they have traditionally gotten because there are financial sinkholes in the likes of (not in the HFNHL obviously) Phoenix, Tampa, Florida, Columbus, etc....
Time for the game to go to markets that actually care about hockey. The experiment in the "Suthern States" is over Gary...bring the game back where it belongs.
I agree with all that but don't see any of it happening as long as Gary is around.
Has anyone heard this guy talk about these issues lately? He can't admitt that there are any problems at all in the NHL, or any of those markets, it's kinda sad. He sure can talk the talk, but I'm a little scared as to what's going to happen eventually if the powers that be can't even see that there are markets that just don't work. It's time to do the right thing, move or pull the plug on some teams and get the league into a better place.
Vagrant
The Czech Condor
As a fan in one of those "Suthern States", I see it in another light. These areas have shown that they can support much larger teams than NHL hockey teams. College basketball in particular in North Carolina is about as crazy as hockey is in Canada. It's just a matter of finding your market and sticking with it. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was any good hockey market. It is going to take more than 10-15 years for a team to really take hold in the community and become part of the social landscape because people are still under the impression that the league just parked a big foreign object in their back yard.
Hockey in the south needs what every market needs. They need a winner. When O6 markets like Boston and Chicago go a decade without filling their building they're being "savvy". When Southern markets do it, hockey just doesn't belong there. When we get to the point where the fans won't even come out to support a winning hockey club then that is when we'll have a problem. Owners know that the challenge to making money in the South is to put a winning product on the ice. I think that pressure is a good pressure. None of the Southern teams have had two consecutive seasons where they were among the best in the league. That inconsistancy has bred inconsistant gate results.
I'm pretty sure Bettman knows the problems he'll just never admit it...
I think Southern Ontario has always been Bettman's fallback plan...
step 1: He set's up a bunch of teams in southern markets
step 2: fights like hell to keep them profitable,
step 3: the one's that fail get relocated to another US city (ie. Vegas or maybe Kansas)
step 4: if that doesn't work he has good old Balsili in his back pocket...
Bettman's keeping that ace up his sleeve at all costs until he needs him... you'll see a team in Vegas befor you see it in southern ontario.
I'm against contracting the league. for a few reasons, one obviously because i would be one of the front runners for contraction. And honestly if i lost my team i would probably give up on the league, i've spent so many hours working on rebuilding and fixing this team it's alittle embarassing so for all that work to be thrown away for nothing when i'm a season or two away from turning this franchise around, i'd probably lose all faith in the HFNHL, which i have a high amount of respect for it's activity, depth and commitment.
Secondly the NHL has 30 teams, i've been in a few other leagues that has at times had a rough time holding down 26 decent GM's let alone 30 and i really believe we have 30 ppl here that want to be here, and if they don't i think posts on the board has shown that there are more than enough people that would do what they could to get into this league if there was ever an opening, so why knock a league that could probably have 40-45 people that would be willing and dedicated GM's and knock the league from 30 to 26-28?
I don't mean to blow my own horn here, but i've been one of the more active and dedicated GM's in the league, obviously there are several that have contributed more, but i've put alot of work into my team, and also offered help in other areas, and I currently have the intention to be in this league indefinately as long as it exists. So I sincerely hope this league doesn't get contracted.
For those not in the position of contraction, just put yourself in my position, especially those that put alot of work into their team.. all the time you've put in the last 3 years, just to have it taken away just to stir the pot alittle or whatever reason it may be? I'm sure you'd all understand how i'd feel with the meantion of us going down to 26-28 GM's and knowing i'd be close to the front of the line.
Secondly the NHL has 30 teams, i've been in a few other leagues that has at times had a rough time holding down 26 decent GM's let alone 30 and i really believe we have 30 ppl here that want to be here, and if they don't i think posts on the board has shown that there are more than enough people that would do what they could to get into this league if there was ever an opening, so why knock a league that could probably have 40-45 people that would be willing and dedicated GM's and knock the league from 30 to 26-28?
I don't mean to blow my own horn here, but i've been one of the more active and dedicated GM's in the league, obviously there are several that have contributed more, but i've put alot of work into my team, and also offered help in other areas, and I currently have the intention to be in this league indefinately as long as it exists. So I sincerely hope this league doesn't get contracted.
For those not in the position of contraction, just put yourself in my position, especially those that put alot of work into their team.. all the time you've put in the last 3 years, just to have it taken away just to stir the pot alittle or whatever reason it may be? I'm sure you'd all understand how i'd feel with the meantion of us going down to 26-28 GM's and knowing i'd be close to the front of the line.
Last edited by a moderator:
Ohio Jones
Game on...
Just to be clear, Ryan, I wasn't talking about contraction in the HFNHL, but contraction in the NHL. Of course, if the NHL contracts, we will have some difficult questions to answer about what happens in the HFNHL, since our rosters are dependent on the availability of pro players in the NHL. People think it's hard to fill their roster now; how much harder would it be if there were 15% fewer NHL players to choose from?
Alright, I was actually responding to the post that refered to the fact that the league was already considering contracting itself despite the NHL's contraction.
As for a solution to that problem, i know i may sound biased with this resolution becasue I am one of few teams that may get contracted. Say the NHL contracts Atlanta and Phoenix. Our ratings are always one year behind so we could play one season with the ratings and it won't affect their status. And every 12 months we usually see 2 or 3 GM spots open up. Lets say for example Montreal and San Jose GM's quit ( I know both and I have a hard time seeing any of them quit anytime soon, but i'm just using them as an example) Instead of filling the team we would move Phoenix, and all it's picks players, and prospects to San Jose, and we'd move Atlanta and all it's picks, prospects and players to Montreal franchises. All the players that were on the previous Montreal/San Jose team become free agents/re-enter the draft depending on their status. That way we wouldn't lose any active GM's and we'd stay in line with the NHL.
I know this is jumping the gun but this would be my personal solution. I'm following the situation in Phoenix more than i would be.. Phoenix isn't my favorite NHL team, but it is one of the half dozen secondary teams i cheer for, and the latest is there might be a group of 30 or so local groups willing to team up to help keep the Phoenix Coyotes in Phoenix which is really suprising that there are actually 30 corporations in Arizona that's heard of hockey
lol but it sounds like Phoenix is starting to sound like between everything there may be a solution out there to keep the franchise in the desert, so the way everyone is talking about the economic structure this idea may still apply to other teams.
Ohio Jones
Game on...
I do hope the Coyotes get to stick around. I don't like it when fan sin a city lose their team because of corproate decisions.
But if it came to it, I think your suggestion makes sense. The folded team's existing assets would go into a dispersal draft, rather than just free agency, so everyone would get something, and the teams that are struggling most would get the better assets. Otherwise, makes sense to me.
But if it came to it, I think your suggestion makes sense. The folded team's existing assets would go into a dispersal draft, rather than just free agency, so everyone would get something, and the teams that are struggling most would get the better assets. Otherwise, makes sense to me.
Well what i was refering to, is if Phoenix' NHL team folded, the Phoenix team in HFNHL's assets wouldn't fold, we would continue playing untill another team such as for example San Jose's GM resigns/fired/quits and then the assets on San Jose would be either be re-entered into the draft, or available in free agency, and Phoenix' assets would move to San Jose.
Just making sure we're on the same page
My concern in the NHL is the New York Islanders. Growing up in Long Island and Connecticut, they were my #1 sports team. With Nassau County and the town of Hempstead dragging their feet to get the Lighthouse Project moving, the time is ticking for hockey on Long Island.
Then as a real kick in the teeth, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who I used to cover for the HFNHL, would also probably move or be another team's affliate, so not only would I be loosing my first love the Islanders, but also the Sound Tigers, who are a big part of my hockey experience. What can I fall back on? Now that I live in Western Mass. I would have to root for the Bruins, I guess, since the Rangers are never a possiblity and what else do I have.
What is worse is that all of this circus has evolved while both Denver and Atlanta have gotten a second franchise, while Quebec, Hartford, Winnigpeg all lost their teams.
Gary Bettman is Mike Milbury in a Count from Sesame Street Costume: neither elevate the quality they are in control of but both survive better than a New York City cockaroach.
Then as a real kick in the teeth, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who I used to cover for the HFNHL, would also probably move or be another team's affliate, so not only would I be loosing my first love the Islanders, but also the Sound Tigers, who are a big part of my hockey experience. What can I fall back on? Now that I live in Western Mass. I would have to root for the Bruins, I guess, since the Rangers are never a possiblity and what else do I have.
What is worse is that all of this circus has evolved while both Denver and Atlanta have gotten a second franchise, while Quebec, Hartford, Winnigpeg all lost their teams.
Gary Bettman is Mike Milbury in a Count from Sesame Street Costume: neither elevate the quality they are in control of but both survive better than a New York City cockaroach.
Ohio Jones
Game on...
I'm told there's a not half-bad chance that Hartford may once again be an NHL city. It's grown substantially over the past decade, and (at least until this recent financial meltdown) has had a lot of money coming in. The city still supports hockey quite well - the Wolf Pack are one of the better draws in the AHL.
Who knows? If it were to happen at all, the league might choose to relocate the Isles somewhere farther away, but it would be interesting to see them try and introduce "someone else's team" to the market.
And be honest: wouldn't a little drive to Connecticut be better than cheering for the Bruins?
I think it's too bad they won't do a whole makeover, i think 30 and maybe even 32 teams would be ideal for the NHL, and there are so many markets that if they were to make a deal where a new arena was going to be built (assuming one wasn't done already) they could bring suffering franchises to the cities that would support them. Imagine a division with Toronto/Hamilton/Ottawa/Buffalo/Montreal Cities like Seattle, Kansas City, Winnipeg, Quebec, another in the state of Minnesota. There's plenty of options out there. I would just like them to either resolve this or find a new city for them, i was thinking of buying a coyotes jersey, but i figured I'd wait and see what happens since there's no point in buying a jersey for a team that doesn't exist anymore 
Ohio Jones
Game on...
i was thinking of buying a coyotes jersey, but i figured I'd wait and see what happens since there's no point in buying a jersey for a team that doesn't exist anymore
There isn't? I get more comments about my Nordiques/Clark jersey than any of my Leafs jerseys, including my signed Sundin. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.
SPG
Registered User
Absolutely. And one of the things the 'yotes do have going for them are some pretty sharp unis.
Ad
Upcoming events
-
-
Gold Medal PICK ONLY ONE TEAM - 2024 IIHF World Championship - ChampionWagers: 2Staked: $150.00Event closes- Updated:
-
-
-
