ESPN The Magazine: 30 players polled on realignment, PEDs, expansion, etc.

[LadyStanley]

ESPN_NHL 1:49pm via ESPN News NHL players speak anonymously on realignment, PEDs and goalie pads - ESPN The Magazine es.pn/1g8djGM


Players voicing their opinions

Click to read more...

 

[Fugu]

Interesting to note that the most 'deserving' city for expansion was Seattle, followed by Quebec City.


Also-- intriguing to see that Detroit would be the Most Helped and Most Hurt by the new realignment.

It's only 30 players, anonymous results, but a peek into what they're thinking nevertheless.

20% believe teammates may be using PEDs, while an overwhelming 80% believe there is no usage.

 

[Mightygoose]

Ah, Phaneuf is voted most over rated again! Let's get that next big contact signed and his 'peers' will keep him up there forever

 

[danishh]

13% for 'any canadian city'.

really? So 13% would be fine with a new franchise in sudbury?

 

[Fugu]

13% for 'any canadian city'.

really? So 13% would be fine with a new franchise in sudbury?

13% of the respondents were Canadian?



Also like how Datsyuk is considered underrated-- which I think he is since some people still won't accept that he's the greatest player in the world.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Bylsma smartest coach? Yikes.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Always interesting reads. Good that so many seem to like Seattle and Quebec as potential landing spots, given that they're two of the three obvious front runners.

 

[Oscar Acosta]

Who is overrating Carl Hagelin?

 

[Riptide]

Also like how Datsyuk is considered underrated-- which I think he is since some people still won't accept that he's the greatest player in the world.

Because he's not. :p

Bylsma smartest coach? Yikes.

No kidding! Most of the Pens fans were begging for him to get canned this summer.

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

Datsyuk underrated?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Bylsma smartest coach? Yikes.

But he wears glasses!

The 24/7 effect...smart guys typically are able to make one single adjustment mid-game.

Interesting to see Datsyuk pick up multiple 'most underrated' votes considering how much praise is heaped upon him constantly. Less of a surprise to see Detroit pick up the most votes in team to be most helped (far less travel) and most hurt (more competition) by re-alignment.

 

[Hanji]

Carl Hagelin?

 

[Fugu]

Because he's not. :p


No kidding! Most of the Pens fans were begging for him to get canned this summer.

Datsyuk underrated?

Yes. He should get even more praise and recognition. Simply the greatest. Don't mind the Pens fans in here. (Looks like I'm surrounded now though.)

But he wears glasses!

The 24/7 effect...smart guys typically are able to make one single adjustment mid-game.

Interesting to see Datsyuk pick up multiple 'most underrated' votes considering how much praise is heaped upon him constantly. Less of a surprise to see Detroit pick up the most votes in team to be most helped (far less travel) and most hurt (more competition) by re-alignment.

Why do you feel the competition would be greater for them in the Atlantic and East in general? They were in the same division with the reigning Cup champion, while the West has been considered stronger for much of the time since the 2005-06 lockout, perhaps earlier as well if you consider the former powerhouses that were Colorado, Dallas, St Louis and Vancouver for stretches.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Interesting to note that the most 'deserving' city for expansion was Seattle, followed by Quebec City.


Also-- intriguing to see that Detroit would be the Most Helped and Most Hurt by the new realignment.

It's only 30 players, anonymous results, but a peek into what they're thinking nevertheless.

20% believe teammates may be using PEDs, while an overwhelming 80% believe there is no usage.

80% believe that guys in their own locker room aren't taking them which helps that number. In fact having 20% answer yes is probably something the NHL won't like one bit and considering how tight some rooms are might be viewed as inside knowledge of at least some use going on.

I think we all except some guys are doing it, find it interesting it even reached that number honestly.

The Detroit one is pretty easy in terms of most benefit and least benefit. Pretty much comes down to me as conference lines in terms of player thinking. Not unlike these boards, most Western teams seem to think the big bad physical east isn't going to bother them and they are going to a worse conference, while Eastern fans think they are going to be a punching bag. Probably more important to lean with the guys that played them more often, but we will see, could be different, we already heard one of the Hawks players leak through the media good luck playing them and thinking intimidation will get you where you want and that is a hated rival.

 

[Hire Sather]

Carl Hagelin on that list is so random.

Lundqvist on there is just absurd but haters will hate.. Hagelin? really? who says anything about Hagelin?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Carl Hagelin on that list is so random.

Lundqvist on there is just absurd but haters will hate.. Hagelin? really? who says anything about Hagelin?

You guys are getting really bent out of shape on this, Hagelin is just listed as the player that received one vote, why they did that I don't know. But the percentage next to his name and the amount of players we know polled, mean 1 guy, yup that is it said Carl Hagelin is overrated.

So there were probably other guys that could have been listed in the same spot.

But again 3.3% in a 30 player poll literally means 1 person voted him, just keep that in mind.

 

[Hire Sather]

You guys are getting really bent out of shape on this, Hagelin is just listed as the player that received one vote, why they did that I don't know. But the percentage next to his name and the amount of players we know polled, mean 1 guy, yup that is it said Carl Hagelin is overrated.

Its just so random to me. I mean.. all the players answered for all those questions.. pretty well-known guys and what not

then Carl Hagelin.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Its just so random to me. I mean.. all the players answered for all those questions.. pretty well-known guys and what not

then Carl Hagelin.

Well I guess the polled some Finnish guys from the looks of things or Gaborik.

 

[Brodie]

Tells me Seattle has been the subject of a lot of chatter at the PA

 

[Riptide]

80% believe that guys in their own locker room aren't taking them which helps that number. In fact having 20% answer yes is probably something the NHL won't like one bit and considering how tight some rooms are might be viewed as inside knowledge of at least some use going on.

I think we all except some guys are doing it, find it interesting it even reached that number honestly.

If there were only 30 players polled, then that 20% is 6 guys.

 

[cutchemist42]

Tells me Seattle has been the subject of a lot of chatter at the PA

BINGO.

I dont think they were saying this even a few years ago, it was likely Winnipeg and Quebec. I think the last lockout had alot of expansion talk between the NHL and PA.

 

[Bullwine85]

Good to see Milwaukee is at least mentioned among players as a city deserving of a team. If it weren't for Seattle or Quebec City (both of whom are far more likely to get a team IMO), we'd be frontrunners

This is also removing the "any Canadian city" option as well

 

[Kitsune]

Its interesting ... Quebec is at 44% and Toronto is at 24%. So a second Toronto team is actually third. And as for Sudbury ... well they did steal the players from a NHL team in the '20s... so I doubt the NHL wants to touch it with a 30 foot pool...

 

[gstommylee]

Good to see Milwaukee is at least mentioned among players as a city deserving of a team. If it weren't for Seattle or Quebec City (both of whom are far more likely to get a team IMO), we'd be frontrunners

This is also removing the "any Canadian city" option as well

Milwaukee needs a new arena before that happens. There is a general agreement between NHL and the players that took that poll a regards to seattle but NHL may disagree with poll in regards to quebec city

 

[Mightygoose]

Milwaukee needs a new arena before that happens. There is a general agreement between NHL and the players that took that poll a regards to seattle but NHL may disagree with poll in regards to quebec city

Highly doubt the NHL's expansion plans to any location has anything to do with the PA let alone any anonymous poll by 30 players.

But still believe the top 2 in the poll are the likely places if/when expansion happens.