Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I just don't think Carolina, Tampa and FL playing games here every year would generate a lot of excitement about hockey in the city. If they had teams like Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philly coming it attendance would go up

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Attendance won't go up until they get a good team. The league will be thinking more about established rivalries than the Blue Jackets attendance if they shuffle the divisions.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I meant attendance would go up mainly because with those teams there frequently all of those fans would fill the stadium. Likely CBJ is not going to work out here unfortuneatley

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I agree with this. If they keep finishing in the bottom part of the whatever conference it won't matter. That's also kind of why Detroit has a shot at being moved, however small. There is a benefit to moving Detroit (travel for the playoffs mostly), currently there isn't one for Columbus. They both should be in the East. Move FLA to Portland or something to free up another spot out East for both CBJ and the Wings.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

The whole hockey in the South project the NHL tried has really failed miserably. I think the league would actually be in a better position now if they hadn't tried that expansion.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Yes and no. Might not have got as good of a tv deal. Other than the OLN debacle out of the lockout Bettman has gotten the NHL better exposure on big networks. Although FLA, SJ, Anaheim and Tampa were not his doing. Some have worked out at least ok. (Dallas, Carolina and Tampa) ATL and the relocation to PHX have failed greatly. They expanded too fast. Including relocation we had 13 new franchises from 91-2000 and you expect them all to workout when many were not hockey markets?

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I just think more research should have been done on these locations. I mean it should have been pretty obvious ATL and PHX were never going to work out no matter what happened.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I agree 1000% Transplanted northerners and big market does not equal success. There is also little room for error in these markets. The longer you go without success the harder it will be to bring in fans. San Jose has worked because they've had sustained success. It's not Pitt, Chicago or even the Island where you know fans will/would be back.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I wouldn't mind if Atlanta stayed where it was. For some reason, I think they would work a lot better than having a team in Phoenix.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Atlanta doesn't support any of their franchises besides the Falcons. Even the Braves and Hawks are setting all time lows for attendance.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I'm the other way. I think Phoenix has a better shot to succeed. Even though I don't think they will either because of all the bad that has happened over the last 5-7 years.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Here's something somewhat realistic I think we might see from the Blackhawks next season, assuming a $62.2 million cap like is being reported in some places:

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

You only feel Phoenix has a better chance to succeed because they've done better recently. If the Thrashers were any good they would draw more fans, better TV numbers etc.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

No teams do well in Atlanta. Even if they were winning the Thrashers wouldn't draw.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

No they wouldn't. They were good the first half the season and have some young exciting players but no one down there gave a shit.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

I'm talking about a little bit of sustained success - or at least a playoff game

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

The Hawks have had playoff success. They're absolutely desperate to get people in the building, and something tells me there's more basketball fans in Atlanta than hockey fans.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Cole's not leaving the Canes. He works there and seems to like it. He stunk in Edmonton and came back to Carolina and fit back in pretty quickly.
This ^. It's a terrible sports town. The transplant thing hurts. My friends don't care about seeing the Thrashers play anyone except the Wings. Then they'll go downtown to see them. This whole put a winning product on the ice is all well and good but with teams like the Pens, Flyers, Caps, Bruins, Habs and probably TBL now being playoff teams every year the window to be a playoff team is pretty small. To be relevant in that market you need to win and I don't see them getting into the playoffs anytime soon and the longer you go without success the more the people there will not even think about you which makes them less viable. There is no one who wants to own the team there at least not legitimate people. The Ducks were owned by Disney, Huizinga owned the Panthers. Big time people with big money and they eventually backed out. You need owners with big pockets, a passion for the game and passion for the game in that market. This is not an investment like the NBA can be and the NFL is. It's more of a job than that, especially in the south. That's why when I read about Lil Jon and Bruckheimer I laughed cause neither of them would be hands on owners it would just be name recognition which would wear off after a while. The same way the novelty of hockey in Miami and Atlanta did when those teams weren't winning.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

We had a big arguement this weekend in my family about wheter Ruff should be fired. While he's been there a long time and never won he's overachieved for the most part. I think he does a nice job and has had bad injury luck in his career. I want to see him stick around - what does everyone else think?

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Well he did re-sign didn't he? He's a Barry Trotz type. Not given much to work with too often but gets the most and more out of his players usually. If the new owner starts putting money into the team and they don't get past the level they are at now then maybe he'll get fired but it's not his fault the team couldn't or wouldn't re-sign players.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

This is what I thought too... Ruff is a good coach, and with the new owner willing to commit $$$$ Buffalo should be looking good shortly!

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

:lol That one signing was kinda wishful thinking. Everything else seems to be realistic though.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

If you want a good laugh check out the Thrashers facebook page and the comments about the select-a-seat for this weekend. "Will the seats be on the roof so we can use telescopes to watch the game in Winnipeg?"

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

:lol:lol:lol:lol

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

:lol :lol that's hilarious

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Yeah my thoughs exactly. In '06 which was arguably his best team he lost his top 4 D-men in the playoffs. There's only so much a coach can do in that scenario. If the new owner spends the money he's talking about spending and they still don't get results then I'm all for a change but at this point he still deserves the job

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Brad McCrimmon finally being fired by the Wings. Coached the PK and first year was 23rd, second year (last year) not terrible at 10th, and this year 17th and 13 out of 16 in the playoffs. They'll just say his contract was up but if he was good he would have been retained. See ya!

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Crawford signed to 3 year deal with the Hawks.

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

What's the cap hit on that?

Re: NHL 2011/2012 Thread
 

Nik Zherdev apparently attacked his wife last night. Too bad he wasn't as aggressive in the playoffs.