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

[gstommylee]

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.

Seattle is definitely on the top of the list question remains if they rather have a balanced league 16 western based teams and 16 eastern based team over 15 western based team+ Detroit or Columbus and 16 based team including Quebec.

Quebec has a huge disadvantage. Quebec needs the western based teams in order to have get an expansion team. They might prefer Portland over Quebec which leaves coyotes only possibility for quebec in 5 years. It gets more complicated for them if Milwaukee gets the new arena

 

[New User Name]

deserves huh?

espn? who the hell are they?

anonymous? reaLLy we take this serious?

i'm sure gary is tickled pink over this.

seattle over QC, Toronto 2 -- if true, sad but expected.

they did approve the new stupid icing rule, says alot about the nhl

 

[VanIslander]

Datsyuk underrated?

With all the hype of Tavares, Toews and Karlsson.

Yeah, Dats is underrated. He's top-5 in the league. (And I detest the Wings.)

 

[Fugu]

With all the hype of Tavares, Toews and Karlsson.

Yeah, Dats is underrated. He's top-5 in the league. (And I detest the Wings.)

He's one of those players that just garners respect from everyone-- peers, coaches, GMs, opposition fans. The team for which he plays seems to not really matter, talent being so unique it stands on its own. A very engaging personality too. Fans just love him. (Great Facebook page, btw.)

 

[billybudd]

#s 1 and 3 on the dirtiest player look right to me, but what's with Byfuglien? Maybe he doesn't shower or something and that's what 7% of the voters were getting at. In terms of illegal or unsportmanlike play, I'm not sure I've seen anything even marginal from him, ever.

Edit: and Hagelin is overrated? I didn't know anyone thought particularly highly of him.

 

[Wingsfan2965*]

On one hand I want to gloat about how pissed some HFers must be that th players called Datsyuk underrated... But then I see them rank Dan Bylsma as the smartest coach and wonder what the hell they're thinking.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

30 guys -- don't read much into this at all.
Fun read. But ultimately useless information

 

[gstommylee]

30 guys -- don't read much into this at all.
Fun read. But ultimately useless information

Agreed what NHL plans are expansion wise is anyone's guess. it could already be decided that its Seattle and Portland and they are just waiting till Seattle's arena gets the final approval and is able to built t with NHL first.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Seattle is definitely on the top of the list question remains if they rather have a balanced league 16 western based teams and 16 eastern based team over 15 western based team+ Detroit or Columbus and 16 based team including Quebec.

Quebec has a huge disadvantage. Quebec needs the western based teams in order to have get an expansion team. They might prefer Portland over Quebec which leaves coyotes only possibility for quebec in 5 years. It gets more complicated for them if Milwaukee gets the new arena

Milwaukee isn't really a viable option they have conducted studies on it, a lot would have needed to change since the early 90's. Listen I live here and nothing would make me happier, but it isn't in the running right now, the building talk would have to move rapidly and an ownership group that doesn't really exist would have to explode through pretty much out of nowhere. The entertainment dollars really aren't there for both the NBA and NHL, it wouldn't be terrible but there are significant hurdles.

 

[Killion]

Milwaukee isn't really a viable option they have conducted studies on it...

Oh really? Who's they? The NHL?

 

[Jyrki]

Carl Hagelin?

Since 3.3% means only 1 player voted for him, he was in reality T-3rd with 23 other players.

 

[jamiebez]

#s 1 and 3 on the dirtiest player look right to me, but what's with Byfuglien? Maybe he doesn't shower or something and that's what 7% of the voters were getting at. In terms of illegal or unsportmanlike play, I'm not sure I've seen anything even marginal from him, ever.

Edit: and Hagelin is overrated? I didn't know anyone thought particularly highly of him.

30 players and Buff got 7%. So 2 guys voted for him.

Guess they polled Luongo twice

 

[Bullwine85]

Milwaukee isn't really a viable option they have conducted studies on it, a lot would have needed to change since the early 90's. Listen I live here and nothing would make me happier, but it isn't in the running right now, the building talk would have to move rapidly and an ownership group that doesn't really exist would have to explode through pretty much out of nowhere. The entertainment dollars really aren't there for both the NBA and NHL, it wouldn't be terrible but there are significant hurdles.

The main hurdles are a suitable arena and an ownership group IMO. If those two hurdles are cleared, all you need is an Owner/GM that makes the effort to put a winning team on the ice, and market the team as a team that represents the entire state of Wisconsin, and it'll be successful. However, those two hurdles mentioned earlier are easier said than done of course

 

[masa2009]

I'm not sure the average player is really educated on business issues, they seem to go with the trends and that's reflected in their expansion picks at any given time.

I remember a few years ago, Houston was considered a contender and the players who were polled at the time were very supportive of it. Vegas was also popular.
Winnipeg never rated among their very favourites when it was considered a long shot, and its stock mounted as it became more plausible.

 

[MoreOrr]

So let's see, in the opinion of those 30 players...
The new alignment will be more of a negative for...
Detroit
Columbus
Winnipeg
and the whole (I assume former) Eastern Conference, accept perhaps Philadelphia.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

30 guys -- don't read much into this at all.
Fun read. But ultimately useless information

Basically. Sports Illustrated Player Polls always have 300+ respondents. What's the matter, ESPN couldn't afford to poll more than 30?

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I'm more surprised that ESPN even knows 30 NHLers.

 

[DowntownBooster]

Quebec has a huge disadvantage. Quebec needs the western based teams in order to have get an expansion team. They might prefer Portland over Quebec which leaves coyotes only possibility for quebec in 5 years. It gets more complicated for them if Milwaukee gets the new arena

As the Coyotes are no longer league owned, it would be up to the private owners to decide where the team would be relocated to (if the need arises). The ownership group (which includes investors from Calgary) actually want to 'own' a hockey team so it sounds like they would rather move the team themselves and own it in a different market than sell it to someone else who would move it to a market of their choice. Since the ownership group includes Calgarians, if they decide to move the team after 5 years (or whenever, if that becomes necessary), they may choose the GTA area rather than Quebec since their business interests have more in common with Toronto (financial center) than with Quebec City.

 

[HarrisonFord]

Seems like a lot of Red Wings were polled here

 

[Diamondillium]

I'm more surprised that ESPN even knows 30 NHLers.

I was going to criticize it for having a sample size of 30, but I laughed too hard at this and was unable to form a coherent thought.

 

[gstommylee]

As the Coyotes are no longer league owned, it would be up to the private owners to decide where the team would be relocated to (if the need arises). The ownership group (which includes investors from Calgary) actually want to 'own' a hockey team so it sounds like they would rather move the team themselves and own it in a different market than sell it to someone else who would move it to a market of their choice. Since the ownership group includes Calgarians, if they decide to move the team after 5 years (or whenever, if that becomes necessary), they may choose the GTA area rather than Quebec since their business interests have more in common with Toronto (financial center) than with Quebec City.

That's assume they won't sell the team after the opt out clause is invoked. Plus there is no new arena currently being built to NHL specs in the GTA arena

 

[tony d]

No surprise to see Seattle and Quebec City being the 2 teams mentioned most for expansion as I think that's what might happen. Would fool up realigment a bit but those 2 cities make the most sense when it comes to expansion.

 

[gstommylee]

No surprise to see Seattle and Quebec City being the 2 teams mentioned most for expansion as I think that's what might happen. Would fool up realigment a bit but those 2 cities make the most sense when it comes to expansion.

just cause its been mention most doesn't mean quebec will get expansion why mess with realignment again when you don't have to with Seattle and Portland

Players opinion means squat to what the NHL plans to do.

 

[MoreOrr]

just cause its been mention most doesn't mean quebec will get expansion why mess with realignment again when you don't have to with Seattle and Portland

Players opinion means squat to what the NHL plans to do.

And NHL expansion has never been dependent on what fits for alignment (except for maybe the 67 expansion).

 

[gstommylee]

And NHL expansion has never been dependent on what fits for alignment.

The whole point of the recently alignment was to reduce traveling costs. Do you think Detroit or Columbus wants to be forced back into the western conference?

NHL wants the northwest. Portland and Seattle make better sense for the league than one of them and Quebec. Growing the sport is better for league long term.

For any city to get expansion you would need 3/4 (i believe) majority of the owners since the whole Portland talk regards to coyotes I think (IMO) there may be more support from within NHL for a double NW expansion.