Speculation: Interesting scenario

[Le Barron de HF]

I was thinking about a really interesting scenario yesterday. Let's turn our brain off completely here and pretend that Montreal is doing badly financially à la Coyotes/NJD. The owners are in debt and they have no choice but to sell the team (now I'm aware this scenario happened when the Molsons sold the team to Gillett). Now let's say in this scenario the new owner decides to move the Montreal Canadiens to a random market in the United States and get a complete overhaul like the Jets did when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg. Now my question is: would you still be a fan of that team?


Now personally, yes because I've invested too much time on following the hype of our prospect pool and following the development of Pacioretty, Subban, Price, Galchenyuk, etc. It would hurt too much not to see them blossom into what I believe they can become.

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[Cole Caulifield]

I was thinking about a really interesting scenario yesterday. Let's turn our brain off completely here and pretend that Montreal is doing badly financially à la Coyotes/NJD. The owners are in debt and they have no choice but to sell the team (now I'm aware this scenario happened when the Molsons sold the team to Gillett). Now let's say in this scenario the new owner decides to move the Montreal Canadiens to a random market in the United States and get a complete overhaul like the Jets did when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg. Now my question is: would you still be a fan of that team?


Now personally, yes because I've invested too much time on following the hype of our prospect pool and following the development of Pacioretty, Subban, Price, Galchenyuk, etc. It would hurt too much not to see them blossom into what I believe they can become.

No.

I would also stop caring in any way about the NHL. This process has already begun seeing how the game has gotten worse every single year since 1993 when I started watching.

Should the habs move this would be game over for me. The league would need to do something incredible to get me back.

 

[Super Cake]

If i was a fan of the habs, then i would have still followed them even if they moved. The team would still have the same coach and the same players. The only difference is that the team would be in a new location with a new name.

Having said that, i can see how people would stop following the team or stop caring about hockey being that there is so much history in the habs.

 

[uiCk]

i would be curious because of certain players, but would be hard to care as much.

 

[macavoy]

How is a practically impossible scenario that would never happen interesting? The most storied franchise is never getting moved.

Even during our worst periods we were never at risk. Look at how hard Harrold Ballard tried to reck the Leafs and people still supported the team. Some things will just always have support.

 

[dreamingofdrouin*]

The habs are more than just a hockey team to me. There is either a world where the montreal canadiens exist....or they dont.....theres no in between compromise ****....thats ****ing Pejorative Slured...the truth...
I would buy myself a handgun....and I would look at long and hard at it.

 

[Mike Hasselhoffman]

Hockey and the Habs are a very significant part of my life, and I've spent a lot of time following everything Habs related, so yes, I'd still be a fan, as I'm not one of those bandwaggon jumpers.

 

[S Bah]

I was thinking about a really interesting scenario yesterday. Let's turn our brain off completely here and pretend that Montreal is doing badly financially à la Coyotes/NJD. The owners are in debt and they have no choice but to sell the team (now I'm aware this scenario happened when the Molsons sold the team to Gillett). Now let's say in this scenario the new owner decides to move the Montreal Canadiens to a random market in the United States and get a complete overhaul like the Jets did when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg. Now my question is: would you still be a fan of that team?


Now personally, yes because I've invested too much time on following the hype of our prospect pool and following the development of Pacioretty, Subban, Price, Galchenyuk, etc. It would hurt too much not to see them blossom into what I believe they can become.

The Idea of an owner of the Habs that couldn't make money happens, the world is probably gone to hell in a handbag and luckily I wouldn't fit. So time to move and support them in a new league "The Original Six" then the Habs could try for ten straight seasons winning the SC. I will always be a Hab fan no matter where they had to play.

 

[Goldthorpe]

I would probably stop watching the NHL.

But please note that the absolute improbability of such a scenario: the habs are the most popular franchise in the league worldwide, and its history is tightly tied to Montreal. The NHL would never allow it to move. I would even say that the NHL will fold before the Canadiens would.

 

[macavoy]

I would probably stop watching the NHL.

But please note that the absolute improbability of such a scenario: the habs are the most popular franchise in the league worldwide, and its history is tightly tied to Montreal. The NHL would never allow it to move. I would even say that the NHL will fold before the Canadiens would.

Russia would probably bomb the USA before they allowed the Habs to leave Montreal.

 

[Dharvey33]

Nope i root for them because they are in quebec and because i prefer them to the nordique.

If they went to the us just like the nationals in baseball i would stop caring.

But i highly doubt this will ever be the case. If it were i would probably switch to the ottawa senators because of gatineau being a french city.

 

[dkd]

Would completely stop watching hockey.

 

[Miller Time]

No

Connection to the city & community is central to my support for the team.

Like expos leaving, habs leaving would mean the end of my hockey following days (go impact/allouettes go!)

*didnt vote --> wouldn't follow hockey as I do now, but would still watch occasional games/highlights for the pure sporting enjoyment, not the "fan experience"

 

[Price My Man Crush]

I wouldn't stop watching hockey...for those who voted for this option, are you a Habs fan or a hockey fan?

I would still enjoy hockey, I'm a hockey fan first. When the Habs get eliminated in the playoffs, I still watch the other teams and I enjoy it! Sure, not as much as watching my Habs but still... I would probably root for another team because I couldn't stand seeing my team being moved from Montreal. That would be horrible.

 

[coolasprICE]

I would never watch a game if they moved. It's all about the logo, the home town factor, and the tradition.

look, as much as i love some of our players, if bergevin and some other gm make a deal to swap the entire rosters, i won't start cheering for the other team because they have price or subban. We can have 20 komisarek's. I'll still cheer for the habs.

 

[snakeye]

I would just cheer for the new nhl team that would come to Montreal. It would probably be called the Montreal Orange Cones or something.

 

[FrontierPsyCHiatrist*]

It would be a true shame...
I would go through a depression for sure, I would be mad at the guy who didn't manage well the situation.
If it's not all because of the NHL, I will still watch hockey.
If it's not all because of the Habs owner, I will cheer for the team.

 

[buddahsmoka1]

Would stop watching completely.

I am pretty much on the verge anyways.

 

[DAChampion]

I would definitely quit.

 

[Team_Spirit]

How is a practically impossible scenario that would never happen interesting?.

I can think of a few things..

As for the main question.... hell no! i would do what i do now when the Habs are not playing, watch Philly/Pits or Chicago/LA or whatever good game is on.

 

[Strat]

No.

Why? I'm from Montreal and moved to Toronto for love and have since married and have started a life here. Following the Habs is a way for me to remain connected to where I come from. If they were to move, I'd have no emotional connection to the team and would probably simply watch whichever game was on instead, with no specific favorite team.

 

[pezcore]

I would probably concentrate on QMJHL because I would be so pissed off at the NHL

Im a hockey fan and will watch every game that Im able to catch regardless of who's playing but when you actually care for a team well it is not even remoteless close ten feeling you get when you watch a game.

The main reason I cant get into the NFL is that I have no connection to any team. God knows I'd like to be a fan because I got so many friends that watch football relligiously and Id like to be a part of that but I just dont care about who wins, who loses, whats the standing or any other stat.

 

[Ice Poutine]

I was thinking about a really interesting scenario yesterday. Let's turn our brain off completely here ...

...ken i tern my brein bakk on noww?

 

[All-Star]

I haven't watched baseball since the Expos moved, so I'd probably do the same...

 

[overlords]

Hard to be a fan after you've walked off a bridge