GDT: Winnipeg returns to the NHL OFFICIAL

[triggrman]

Edit, I'm going to stay out of it.

Good to see fans gettng a time but I'm sad for the Atlanta fans.

 

[EpochLink]

Anything else besides the Jets is a farce.

Although Higgins and Main isn't a bad idea

 

[end]

New ownership has not traded away any stars.

And are committed to spending what it takes to win.

They've already stated they don't intend to play to the cap "for the first few years". If that sounds ominous about the longterm spending of the team, that's just proves you are a sane, reasoning individual.

I want them to spend, I want them to win. But I'm not buying a sweater with Evander Kane's name on it if he leaves as soon as it's time to pay him.

Either I'm wrong and my home team plays like a hockey club should... Or ...

 

[Oscar Acosta]

Great news. Welcome back Winnipeg!

 

[triggrman]

They've already stated they don't intend to play to the cap "for the first few years". If that sounds ominous about the longterm spending of the team, that's just proves you are a sane, reasoning individual.

I want them to spend, I want them to win. But I'm not buying a sweater with Evander Kane's name on it if he leaves as soon as it's time to pay him.

Either I'm wrong and my home team plays like a hockey club should... Or ...

As a Nashville fan, I understand.

 

[Retail1LO*]

You are saying that arenas draw crowds based on the name of the team and I have a weak argument? Really?...Really? I mean, I would expect that sort of logic from a 7 year old. "Daddy, What's a Ranger? I don't wanna see that! Do they play the Devils?! Devils are cool!"

I do say that. You either need to have a great team, a great name, or a great history. Yes. REALLY. R-E-A-L-L-Y.

If you don't think that a name is important, would you ever date a woman named "****head?" Would you? But she's really hot. C'mon. Would you? People are superficial. There's no way around this. People generally don't want to stand behind, or associate themselves with something that sounds amateurish...especially not when they're spending their hard earned money on it. The funny thing is, the mentality that you're associating with a 7 year old, often permeates people much older. Your team has to be marketable to more than the immediate area in which you play.

 

[tarheelhockey]

For the record, Atlanta, Nashville, Columbus and Minnesota all had to have a season ticket drive before getting the rights to the expansion teams. Now, it has gone up, for Nashville it was 12k season tickets, not the 13, we heard today.

Aside from the comment above that 13k was TSNE's idea, you should also consider that the league's average attendance has risen 1k since the last expansion.

 

[DeathToAllButMetal]

They've already stated they don't intend to play to the cap "for the first few years". If that sounds ominous about the longterm spending of the team, that's just proves you are a sane, reasoning individual.

I want them to spend, I want them to win. But I'm not buying a sweater with Evander Kane's name on it if he leaves as soon as it's time to pay him.

Either I'm wrong and my home team plays like a hockey club should... Or ...

What did you expect? The Thrasher payroll was around $41 million. Barring the New Jets making a couple of idiotic Kovalchuk-style deals, there is no way they can even get to the cap in the next season or two. I wouldn't worry about this right now.

Anyhow, congrats to Winnipeg! Long haul. Very happy to see this today. Now, please make it Jets!

 

[triggrman]

Aside from the comment above that 13k was TSNE's idea, you should also consider that the league's average attendance has risen 1k since the last expansion.

I just wanted to point it out to keep people from saying Bettman was holding them to some never before standard.....

 

[Retail1LO*]

The team I cheer for won with defense this year. I don't want to pay money to watch my team struggle to compete with other teams that will pay the moony for skill. Nashville doesn't play defense because it wins championships, they do it because they have no other option.

I notice you say nothing about trading away your stars.

The fact your team won at all should be reason to be excited. There are several others that do not. Look at Philadelphia, where I live. The team here is LOADED with offensive talent. Yet, they went out the same round as Nashville. Different means, same result. Is one better than the other? Saying Nashville has no other option simply isn't true. They have a strength, and they play to it. Your team's defense and goaltending is beyond enviable. You guys are on the cusp of being a Stanley Cup contender. Maybe one or two players away. That's it. Just be grateful you have the foundation right. Defense...goaltending. The Devils won a few titles with exactly that.

 

[Retail1LO*]

Quebec City waves

Yeah. And the ONLY way they'd allow a team back there, is if they build a new stadium. Will they let you in a bit early if they HAVE to, as long as you're building a new barn? Yes. But to think QC would get a team back to play in that old shed on a permanent basis, is silly.

There was a pretty good crowd at the United Center when the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into town. Not a bad turnout for what I imagine was a traveling rodeo show or something of the sort. All I know is Bulls were involved...

Of course there was. People turn out to watch EVERY game when that team is a contender. The Bulls played well this season. They were going to see the Bulls, not OKC.

 

[saillias]

They've already stated they don't intend to play to the cap "for the first few years". If that sounds ominous about the longterm spending of the team, that's just proves you are a sane, reasoning individual.

I want them to spend, I want them to win. But I'm not buying a sweater with Evander Kane's name on it if he leaves as soon as it's time to pay him.

Either I'm wrong and my home team plays like a hockey club should... Or ...

Salaries and payroll are just an excuse... Flames have to dump regular NHL players in the AHL to stay at the salary cap and haven't made the playoffs in 2 years. Would you like to be in that position? In the words of some rapper, more money = mo problems. It goes both ways. Nashville does fine. There are no instances of them trading away a major star player. They acquired Forsberg at the deadline once.

 

[JackBurton]

They've already stated they don't intend to play to the cap "for the first few years". If that sounds ominous about the longterm spending of the team, that's just proves you are a sane, reasoning individual.

I want them to spend, I want them to win. But I'm not buying a sweater with Evander Kane's name on it if he leaves as soon as it's time to pay him.

Either I'm wrong and my home team plays like a hockey club should... Or ...

Just because a team isn't spending to the cap doesn't mean they aren't competitive, or even contenders. What about Tampa Bay and Buffalo? Both only spend 2-3 million more than Nashville. Not to mention Nashville itself has made the playoffs all but one year since the lockout.

 

[19Yzerman19]

I have a feeling True North is afraid of revealing the name before they get their money....

Real question ... Are the die hard fans who have been screaming they want NHL hockey back in the Peg, are seriously not going to buy tickets if the team isn't called the Jets??

 

[Blitz]

They've already stated they don't intend to play to the cap "for the first few years". If that sounds ominous about the longterm spending of the team, that's just proves you are a sane, reasoning individual.
I want them to spend, I want them to win. But I'm not buying a sweater with Evander Kane's name on it if he leaves as soon as it's time to pay him.

Either I'm wrong and my home team plays like a hockey club should... Or ...

The Sabres have had an internal budget for years and years, and have still managed to ice some very good teams - If we had a GM worth his salt we might even have had a couple championship teams by now.... Smart management is more important than $$$$ - a well built team wins cups, not a well bought one... Just ask the Rags...

 

[Evil Doctor]

This celebration sux. I'm going back to work. There is 1/10th the number of people there should be.

It's not surprising. The premature announcement and subsequent party kind of took the wind out of the sails of the official announcement celebration. Once you've cheered for the ice cream cake, it's kind of hard to cheer for the forks...

 

[end]

Just because a team isn't spending to the cap doesn't mean they aren't competitive, or even contenders. What about Tampa Bay and Buffalo? Both only spend 2-3 million more than Nashville.

They are winning in spite of that fact, not as a result. The ice is slanted against them before they step out to it. And the longterm ability to keep that team together is absolutely questionable. I won't get involved in it again. I won't watch boxers with one arm tied behind their back.

 

[rj]

Technically, no. It was 110 with a 60 relo fee, of which the NHL conceded 20M to ASG. To say 130 sale, and 40 relo, would be incorrect, because the 60M relocation figure is determined by the value of a franchise in WPG, versus one in ATL. The difference is 60M. The sale price is 110M. All they did was divert a portion of the relo fee to ASG.

1. So a team in Winnipeg per the NHL's accountants is worth $60 million more than one in Atlanta?
2. Kinda bizarre don't you think that the NHL is participating in a scheme that lowers the franchise value of one of their teams that just got sold?

 

[Never]

So Thrashers fans get blamed for these factors, but the people of Winnipeg get a pass on the same circumstances that led to the Jets leaving in the first place. Interesting.

Classic example of only seeing what you want to see.

It's a fact Atlanta didn't have enough die-hard fans to attend their games. It makes me feel bad for those that bought tickets to see their team no matter what, but there simply wasn't enough of those, and then there was ownership who wanted out.

Ownership was a big issue in Winnipeg in 1996, as was a run-down arena, and a Canadian dollar that was in the toilet.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I do say that. You either need to have a great team, a great name, or a great history. Yes. REALLY. R-E-A-L-L-Y.

If you don't think that a name is important, would you ever date a woman named "****head?" Would you? But she's really hot. C'mon. Would you? People are superficial. There's no way around this. People generally don't want to stand behind, or associate themselves with something that sounds amateurish...especially not when they're spending their hard earned money on it. The funny thing is, the mentality that you're associating with a 7 year old, often permeates people much older. Your team has to be marketable to more than the immediate area in which you play.

This might sound dumb, but it's true.

Imagine yourself as the average North American sports fan, somewhat aware of hockey but not a huge follower. More interested in football, but willing to take in a hockey game every now and then. You are at the arena box office looking at tickets for an early-season game. (I'm going to arbitrarily use last year's Blues schedule)

Oct 9 - Philadelphia Flyers "Nice, I'd love to see the Flyers. Should be a lot of fights."

Oct 11 - Anaheim Ducks "Aren't they the Mighty Ducks anymore? That movie was awesome. Knucklepuck."

Oct 22 - Chicago Blackhawks "Nice. I saw them on TV a couple times, they're really good."

Oct 23 - Pittsburgh Penguins "OMG Sidney Crosby! Ok, I'm getting this one... might as well check the next date just to be sure..."

Oct 30 - Manitoba Moose "What the **** team is that? Are they serious? Dude, the NHL is so weird."


It might be spoken out of ignorance, it might be childish, but it's true that the majority of non-hockey fans will have a similar reaction to seeing that on the schedule. Winnipeg Falcons or Winnipeg Jets might raise some questions, but Manitoba Moose sounds flat-out ridiculous against the New York Rangers and LA Kings of the league.

 

[pucka lucka]

Real question ... Are the die hard fans who have been screaming they want NHL hockey back in the Peg, are seriously not going to buy tickets if the team isn't called the Jets??

It's a silly game. Overselling things to fit their desired outcome. i can't believe people in Winnipeg are trying to demand anything. For me it's a black mark in the city. Sending a message of, it HAS to be the Jets is petty and implies a sense of entitlement. Let's sell out the 13k tickets before demanding anything from TNSE. They are the only ones who have anything on the line at this point.

 

[pucka lucka]

This might sound dumb, but it's true.

Imagine yourself as the average North American sports fan, somewhat aware of hockey but not a huge follower. More interested in football, but willing to take in a hockey game every now and then. You are at the arena box office looking at tickets for an early-season game. (I'm going to arbitrarily use last year's Blues schedule)

Oct 9 - Philadelphia Flyers "Nice, I'd love to see the Flyers. Should be a lot of fights."

Oct 11 - Anaheim Ducks "Aren't they the Mighty Ducks anymore? That movie was awesome. Knucklepuck."

Oct 22 - Chicago Blackhawks "Nice. I saw them on TV a couple times, they're really good."

Oct 23 - Pittsburgh Penguins "OMG Sidney Crosby! Ok, I'm getting this one... might as well check the next date just to be sure..."

Oct 30 - Manitoba Moose "What the **** team is that? Are they serious? Dude, the NHL is so weird."


It might be spoken out of ignorance, it might be childish, but it's true that the majority of non-hockey fans will have a similar reaction to seeing that on the schedule. Winnipeg Falcons or Winnipeg Jets might raise some questions, but Manitoba Moose sounds flat-out ridiculous against the New York Rangers and LA Kings of the league.

Says the guy he just mentioned the names Penguins, Ducks and Flyers.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

if thats the case if 13k is for STH that only leaves 2,015 for non STH according to Wiki's record of capacity for MTS Centre

 

[end]

Salaries and payroll are just an excuse... Flames have to dump regular NHL players in the AHL to stay at the salary cap and haven't made the playoffs in 2 years. Would you like to be in that position? In the words of some rapper, more money = mo problems. It goes both ways. Nashville does fine. There are no instances of them trading away a major star player. They acquired Forsberg at the deadline once.

Remember an all-star goalie named Vokoun? They could be sitting on Rinne and Vokoun, with Hartnell and Timonen still wearing purple. How many free agents could they have improved the team with that they simply couldn't afford?

 

[Retail1LO*]

Who's mad? I want proof they intend to compete on the same playing field as Vancouver and Detroit, not shackle themselves to a budget and have to compete in spite of it.

I watched the Jets trade away stars they couldn't afford, I watched the Penguins do it... Not again.

Everyone intends to compete. I highly doubt they paid 170M to move a team to Winnipeg, to NOT compete. They need a full house to be successful, and intentionally sucking won't accomplish that. However, where Vancouver and Detroit are concerned, look at their rosters. They're made up largely of homegrown talent...not hired guns. They've drafted well, and made prudent trades. You're hard pressed to find any high dollar players that were signed out of free agency. Just remember, there are few players in the league who are worth such a high salary, that it inhibits you from being able to fill out the rest of your roster with meaningful players.