Would the NHL benefit if Crosby was the real deal

and the Rangers got him?

Here we would have the next great NHL player playing on the biggest stage in the league?

So the question is, assuming Crosby is the next great player, does the NHL benefit by him playing for the Rangers or would the benefit be there if he were to land in Pitt or CBS or some other relatively small market.

I personally would love to see him in a Rangers uniform and believe that the League as a whole would benefit due to a much broader exposure and further reaching marketing capabilities.

Please, this is not a city bashing thread just a thread for opinions

 

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Yeah, that would be GREAT for the NHL. Though I think the Rangers (and Blackhawks and Kings) being a powerhouse with or without Crosby would also help.

 

Rangers
BlackHawks
Canadiens
Leafs
Philadelphia
Detroit

are the teams where hockey goes really crazy when you have a star and he's really like known around the league..Put a guy like St-Louis in Toronto and thinks change even though he's still very well known and popular in Tampa.

 

I would rather see him in a small-market team. You saw what Gretzky did for LA. Crosby has that kind of attitude and ability that he could single-handedly bring more popularity to the game in that region. I hope he does.

 

LA is no small market. Its a gigantic city with a lot of media. They just didnt have a good team. So basically your making the point he'd be better off in NY and 'do what Gretzy did for LA'.

 

I want him in Philly, NY, Boston, Chicago, or LA. Maybe Dallas.

Big cities. Big media. Big hockey.

New York preferably. And I'm a huge Devils fan. Its gonna hurt

 

It would be absolutely terrible if he ended up in any of those cities as far as hockey is concerned.

Its better if he ends up in a small market team for hockey.

We all know its bettmans dream to get him to those places though, so that'll probably end up happening.

 

What the NHL needs would be an US superstar.

Of course it would be good for the league if Crosby is the real deal.

 

ahhhh robbie to the rescue!!!!

 

Bah, doesn't matter if he's from Canada or the US.

Most americans probably doesn't even know Canada is a foreign nation, they just think it's another state.

 

The NHL would benefit if Crosby lived up to his hype regardless of where he plays.

 

I thought we annexed it already?

 

The NHL needs a true superstar, period. Not necessarily one from America or in a big market, but one that people can look to and recognize.

Right now, the NHL is lacking a "face" of the game. Jagr was maybe the last person to really hold this mantle, but he obviously has dropped it. Thorton could become the NHL's premier player, but poor playoff showings and his legal trouble don't help. Kovalchuk can't or doesn't speak English enough. Forsberg, hmm, perhaps he already is. The NHL had Gretzky, Lemeiux, Jagr, and now really no one.

Crosby could potentially fill this role and make the game more popular, but even he would not be able to overcome the larger problems the NHL faces.

 

I disagree. I think being european definitely is a stumbling block if you want to truly be the biggest star in the league. An american superstar would definitely be preferable to the marketing people in the NHL.

 

It is a stumbling block, but one that can be overcome. Jagr was able to do so, and, given more time, I would not be surprised see Kovalchuk do the same.

 

Yeah, everyone know Americans are stupid.

I should really, really tell you how I feel about Canadians some day...

 

Whoa! Take it easy on the Canucks. I love Canada. What I really like is going to a fast food restaurant and thinking what part of Pakistan am I in?

Another favorite is the once yearly Playmate they contribute to the male kingdom.

I also loved it when I was playing juniors and had to wait two months for shoulder surgery due to socialized medicine. That ruled!

Celine Dion (although I REALLY have to thank them for Shania Twain).

My favorite though was when my Canadian buddy and I were looking out the window of our bus and saw two tanks rolling down the road. "There goes our military. Our ENTIRE military" I believe he said.

I'm joking of course, just trying to bring some levity to the board.

 

It would have to be a joke to think the Canadian military could fill two entire tanks

 

If detroit somehow got Crosby the kid would be probably the next generation for a redwing captain. He would be the wings new look and the redwings new face. Yes no one can replace yzerman's face, or Howe's face obviously but Crosby in detroit would definitly be a hit for sure IMHO.

Other markets i think that Crosby could definitly help the league a lot on:

-Colorado (god i hope now)
-Los Angeles
-Chicago
-Montreal
-Toronto
-Philadelphia

IMHO all those are good markets to some extent and i believe that crosby could definitly be a huge hit there. Say if kovalchuk was on a more world-known team like say any origional 6 team, colorado, la or even philly i believe that he'd definitly be more well-known then he is, but then again all those big name cities had to start somewhere right?

 

The NHL could use a transendant star...not necessarily a marketable personality. Gretzky and Lemieux weren't magnetic personalities but they were marketable because of the skills. If Iginla played in Detroit, New York, Philadelphia or Los Angeles, maybe he'd be a bigger star than he is now...or atleast be known more in professional sports circles. Not enough people that don't follow hockey really know who are the stars in hockey anymore. Gretzky was someone everyone knew and most know about Lemieux. Other than that...no one knows who Martin St. Louis is eventhough he was the league MVP or Brad Richards, the playoff MVP. There just isn't a player that captures non-hockey fans' imaginations anymore. Gretzky was fascinating because he was a record-breaking player. I think he was more famous when he was in Los Angeles after he put up his biggest totals in Edmonton and won titles there but he became a very marketable superstar.

Right now, no one really outside of hockey's inner circle knows who Sidney Crosby is. If he comes into the league and scores 100 points his rookie year, that might raise an eyebrow or two but unless he threatens a record of some kind...primarily one of Gretzky's, he'll just be another good hockey player. In Canada, they appreciate star hockey players because this is their sport. Knowledgeable American hockey fans will know and appreciate Crosby if he is as advertise. He's basically the Canadian version of LeBron James. I haven't seen the guy play being in the States...I want to see him before I pass any judgement. I'm sure not many non-hockey fan really gives a crap about a guy who might be a great hockey player...they just want to see someone put up gaudy numbers or do something extraordinary. If Crosby is a record-breaking player, he could become transendant among sports fans regardless of where he plays. I doubt he'll be any more marketable than Gretzky or Lemieux but atleast hockey will have a figure that draws non-fans' attention. They just don't have that guy right now.

 

We need him more than you other guys

 

You want Crosby to be famous among average non-hockey fans? Put him in New York. The New York media is a monster. Crosby will be on the cover of half a dozen big newspapers, on the Today Show, etc. All he needs to do is succeed (and the Rangers succeed with him).


If theres going to be another superstar, he's going to have to come out of New York. A New York playoff team at that.

 

Exactly. Right now would be the absolute perfect time for Crosby to land, and New York is the perfect place.

Think about how they could market him. "Crosby brings Rangers to playoffs after a 9 season drought!"
It could be just like Messier the "Messiah" when he brought us to a cup. And when you think about it, it was AFTER Messier came to New York when he became a huge star amongst Americans.


It would be awful if Crosby was stuck in someplace like the Carolinas, St. Louis or Dallas.
There wouldn't be enough coverage, no exposure, ect...

It would also suck if Crosby was in Detroit and Colorado. (Wait a second. How the hell do the even draft him?) YAY!! Crosby leads the #1 team from last year to #1 again!

For Crosby to succeed Media-wise, he has to lead a crappy team to greatness. And it should be a crappy team without many other stars (Rangers, we don't really have anyone). The Caps have Ovechekin, it could steal attention from each other.

 

No doubt Crosby with NYR would garner the greatest publicity for the NHL as a whole ---BUT it would not lead to any U.S. national t.v. contract,NOR put a single extra person into the seats at an already sold -out MSG ....however---Crosby in Chicago would re-vitalize the now morose hockey market in the uSA's 3rd largest city...the UC holds over 22,000 but most nights now when the Hawks play they are lucky to get 14,000 (it actually looks less than half full and is about as noisy as a funeral parlour...of course it will never happen--the hockey gods simply will not let Chicago get so lucky (ie. no hockey this year,but CBA settled before June 2005 draft,reversion to last draft's pre-looto slots,and then a lotto win for the Hawks--not gonna happen that all this goes CHI's way). However--even if it did,coach B.S. would find a way to ruin Crosby -turn him to a grinder or threaten to punch hm out if he doesn't comply...it would not be the right fit...