Your favorite "What if?" contemplation?

[Hasbro]

What if WHA2 could play a game?

The original WHA is loaded with questions. Salaries? How big would the leagues be? When would the influx of europeans taken place? Would Bobby Hull have the NHL goals record?

WHA franchises are loaded with questions. The Cincinnati Stingers looked like a viable franchise with a modern arena, what if they merged?

What if the Birmingham Bulls merged? Would hockey in the south have more respect? Would Alabama-Huntsville be a national power?

What if the Denver Spurs made it through one season in the WHA? Would the Scouts have moved to Denver? would NHL hockeyt have come to Denver before the Avs?

 

[norrisnick]

What if the limo driver were sober?

Was the loss of Konstantinov a necessary part for the '98 repeat or would a healthy Vlad the Impaler also have led to the win?
Would Lidstrom have won his Norris trophies, seeing as Konstantinov was the runner up the year before Nick started his string of Runner ups that later turned to wins.
Chelios wouldn't have become a Wing.

 

[Hasbro]

What if Kerry Fraser went bald?

I'm not so much interested in the hockey ramifications (he might be more worried about the game) as I'm just in a vindictive mood towards him.

 

[Ogopogo*]

Could you provide a link or anything to back that up? I have looked for anything to back up what you state but so far there is nothing. Seems to be a common theme.

I assure you that it did happen. I watched the sportscast twice to make sure I heard Linden correctly. I actually liked Linden until that interview. Since then, I have hated him with a passion. It is very real.

I have spoken to Brook Ward about that incident so, if you want to verify this, contact him.

You may contact Brook Ward at Team1040 radio in Vancouver. He hosts a show in the 12:00-2:00pm time slot on weekdays. His contact info:

Call In #'s
604-280-TEAM (8326)
*TEAM (8326)
1-866-266-TEAM (8326)

Email the hosts at [email protected]


BCTV probably has the interview in their archives so, you may contact them if you wish:

GLOBAL BC
Main number: 604-420-2288
FAX number: 604-422-6427
[email protected]

 

[Paxon]

What if Gretzky had been caught highsticking Gilmour in 93
What if Wendel Clark, Mario Lemieux and Cam Neely were healthy.
What if Wendel played with Lemieux...
What if the russians were allowed into leave Russia earlier...
What if the leafs drafted Sakic instead of Richardson
What if Ballard never owned the leafs
What if the original six didn't have territory rights when drafting.

What if Lindros stayed in Quebec and Jersey drafted Lemieux

That is the best one... what is the Russians were allowed into America say 30 years earlier. Imagine all those players...

Of course you have to also wonder how the Russian system would be as a result and whether or not it would continue producing such talents in the 70's, 80's with so much talent having left.

But it is still the best of these.

Injuries of course are the most common, from Orr to Mario to Wayne to Neely, etc, etc. Lindros staying in Quebec is a big one because of how enormous it ended up changing the hockey landscape. Wayne in Edmonton is a good one. What if today's goalies played in the 50's or what if an all-50's Detroit Red Wings team played today?

 

[Paxon]

what if all fans were leaf fans

There'd be a whole lot less hockey fans.

 

[Hasbro]

Of course you have to also wonder how the Russian system would be as a result and whether or not it would continue producing such talents in the 70's, 80's with so much talent having left.

You also have to wonder if the US system would have been any good without The Miracle on Ice to spur developement.

 

[Paxon]

You sure about that?


During a BCTV interview about the 1994 lockout, a reporter asked Linden his thoughts on rapidly rising player salaries driving ticket prices so high that average families could no longer afford to go to games. Linden's response:

"Let them go to the carnival, then"


Very classy.

Somewhat amusing. Sure it makes him seem like a dick, but that doesn't change that he was a key player for the Nucks. He has a lot of heart and was a very good player for a while. I think you're making him out to be a bum when he wasn't.

As far as retiring his number, I don't think that really matters. To me that isn't about the greatest players to play for an organization, it is to honor those who gave the most to the organization while also being fan favorites.

The more I think about it, the funnier that quote is. Haha. Good stuff. I can imagine it being the new "catch attitude". "Mr. Levi, what of concerns that the rising prices for your jeans will make it impossible for average families to afford them." "Let them go to the Salvation Army, then." The possibilities are limitless.

 

[Paxon]

You also have to wonder if the US system would have been any good without The Miracle on Ice to spur developement.

Good point. Miracle Fever definitely sped up U.S. hockey development.

 

[BChockeyfan]

I see Orr's knees mentioned here several times; what if Alan Eagleson had given Bobby the true details of the Bruin's last contract offer, supposedly including 10% ownership of the team. The face of Bruins hockey could have been so different up to this day, with Orr eventually as GM/President.


Also, what if Ken Dryden decided to play for the Bruins (who originally drafted him) instead of going to Cornell and eventually ending up with the Habs?

 

[CanadianPantherFan]

What if....

Uwe Krupp hit the post in the 4th o.t. in 96 finals,would we still be deadlocked???

 

[Diaboli]

What would happen if the players were greedy millionaires who only cared about money?

I thought this had already happened

 

[Heat McManus]

What if the Canucks don't find out that Bure is elligible in '89 and he waits till the 1990 entry draft?

Possible options 1990 Draft goes like this:
a) Quebec picks the first ever Russian #1, Nolan goes to the 'Nucks
b) Vancouver takes Bure anyway with #2 instead of Nedved
c) Detroit grabs him and gets 2/3 of one of the most dominant jr lines ever to take the ice.

These are all hypothetical. He probably would never have been drafted that high due to the difficulty in bringing players over, but it's worth a gander.

Also, what if Lindros never slept with Brind A'mour's wife?

 

[loudi94]

OK, since I doubt anyone will even think about the Whalers example, here's another one. Tretiak was drafted by the Habs in 1983, but was never, to his extreme frustration, allowed by the Soviet government to play in NA, causing him to retire with a good 5 or 6 years left in his career.

What if he was allowed to cross the pond and play for the HAbs in '83? Let's assume he retired in 1988. A BUNCH of interesting implications here: Do the Habs have a shot at beating the teams they lost to in the playoffs between 1984 and 1988 (1986 not included), and upsetting the last year of the Islander dynasty and a few years of the Oilers run?

Even more interesting, does a young Patrick Roy even get a shot? I mean, how would the Canadiens management justify giving a second rounder with a junior GAA that was through the roof a shot at anything other than the backup job when you have Tretiak? Or would the situation have made Roy even better? Correct me if I'm wrong here, but wasn't one of the greatest sources of Roy's motivation early on being cut from one of his teams? Plus, as a backup, he'd have had Tretiak AND Allaire as tutors. Would it have made him that much better? Would it have even worked?

Ooh, and here's the million dollar question; would it have caused Roy to never reach his potential and forced him to remain a journeyman at best, instead of going to become the best ever?





Poor Pelle. He was going to be a great one.

Roy, if drafted by Montreal would have had his development delayed by a few years at most. He did lead the Baby Habs to the Calder Cup in his first year so he would be pegged by management as a winner. He would have backed up Tretiak instead of Soetaert and Penney his first year playing 30 games. In subsequent years he would play 30-35 games until taking over in 1988. He would have ended up with probably 50-60 less wins than he has now. Montreal as a team probably would have one less cup as 1986 probably doesn't happen.

 

[Ogopogo*]

One of the least remembered but greatest what ifs:

What if the California Golden Seals had not traded their #1 pick in 1971 to Montreal?

Guy Lafleur would have been a Seal!!!!

Would Guy have been the savior, leading the Seals to greatness and a string of Stanley Cups in the late 70s?

Probably not.

I think the Seals would have grown impatient and dealt him to the Canadiens anyway. Guy did not become a star until 1974-75, in the fragile Oakland market, I don't think they would have waited for that.

 

[mcphee]

Ogo, I bet he would've become a star sooner. Being the go to guy on bad team, he would've exceeded the approx. 180 points he got in his first 3 seasons. Trouble is, staying in Oakland, he wouldn't have gone from star to superstar, at least not the player we know he was.

 

[Ogopogo*]

Ogo, I bet he would've become a star sooner. Being the go to guy on bad team, he would've exceeded the approx. 180 points he got in his first 3 seasons. Trouble is, staying in Oakland, he wouldn't have gone from star to superstar, at least not the player we know he was.

I don't know about that. Many greats have excelled on bad teams. Gretzky's first two years in Edmonton, Marcel Dionne in Detroit and LA, Andy Bathgate with Rangers and Peter Stastny with Quebec.

I think Lafleur would have been a superstar no matter where he played. JMHO.

 

[mcphee]

I don't know about that. Many greats have excelled on bad teams. Gretzky's first two years in Edmonton, Marcel Dionne in Detroit and LA, Andy Bathgate with Rangers and Peter Stastny with Quebec.

I think Lafleur would have been a superstar no matter where he player. JMHO.

Yeah, what I should have said was superstar/legend rather than star/superstar. You need the main stage to become legendary.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

A Leafs vs Habs series in 93 woulda been just what the doctor ordered.

Frankly, what would have happened if Ozolinsh didn't hesitate on an open net and then later/what if Garpenlov hadn't hit the post against the Leafs in OT of Game 6 in the Semi's? Sharks-Vancouver in the Conference Finals.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Keeping on the Sharks theme, what if Teemu didn't miss a WIDE-OPEN net against the Avs in Game 7 in 2002?

Ugh....Teemu...what a waste.

 

[McDonald19]

What if Anaheim had brought in a premiere center to play with Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne?

and.. What if Paul Kariya never got crosschecked in the face by Gary f'ing Suter?

 

[Hasbro]

Keeping on the Sharks theme, what if Teemu didn't miss a WIDE-OPEN net against the Avs in Game 7 in 2002?

Ugh....Teemu...what a waste.

Speaking of the Sharks, what if they went with Tangerine? Would we been spared a decade of uniform redesigns using Teal?

 

[Zetterberg4Captain*]

Or "what if Bertuzzi hadn't punched Moore..." ... well.... Moore would be one more locked out player and Bertuzzi would probably be playing in Europe..... whats so intriuging about that?
QUOTE]

Its not really that simple. Calgary defeated the Canucks in seven games do you think they still would have won if Bertuzzi was there, I dont.

 

[Ogopogo*]

Or "what if Bertuzzi hadn't punched Moore..." ... well.... Moore would be one more locked out player and Bertuzzi would probably be playing in Europe..... whats so intriuging about that?
QUOTE]

Its not really that simple. Calgary defeated the Canucks in seven games do you think they still would have won if Bertuzzi was there, I dont.

The Canucks would have went on to lose in round 2, if they had Bertuzzi. Why do I say that? The Canucks ALWAYS lose, that is their trademark.

You really think Nealon is better than Burris?

 

[Hasbro]

Were due for 29 what if scenarios involving Crosby.