Country music superstar Carrie Underwood, aka Mrs. Mike Fisher, doesn’t like what she sees in Glendale Monday night as her husband’s Nashville Predators are eliminated from the playoffs by the Phoenix Coyotes.
Christian Petersen, Getty Images
• AUDIO: Erik Cole’s fearless forecast, April 9, 2012
Well, it’s last call, so to speak, for thirsty Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn (and former Habs Francis Bouillon, Hal Gill and Sergei Kostitsyn) and the rest of the Nashville Predators, the Phoenix Coyotes’ 2-1 win Monday sending the surprising Yotes into the Western Conference final against the Los Angeles Kings.
Good timing that the Coyotes’ latest stay-in-Glendale ownership group was introduced pregame by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman?
• In New York, a late double-minor for high sticking to first-round Game 7 overtime hero Joel Ward proved the undoing of the Washington Capitals. The Rangers tied the game with 6.6 seconds left in regulation, then won it, still on the power-play, 1:35 into OT to beat the visiting Caps 3-2 and take a 3-2 series lead back to Washington.
• Tuesday night: the New Jersey Devils can eliminate the Claude Giroux-less Flyers with a win in Philadelphia.
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L”Actualite link. I could be wrong but the way I read it was Dudley said he does not have to wait until after the Draft to move . Burke put the out clause in as a favour. So ,he can go anytime.In other words……..
Rumours,Rumours!Sometimes where there’s smoke there’s ….well you know the rest. Aint it a Hoot!
Sometimes when there’s smoke…. there’s The Dude!
You are on a roll here today Grand Master!
Coming in late today? Or would that have been me?
How went the slow pitch last night? It wasn’t raining there?
Avoided the rains and we mercied the other team! And then Radulov and I went to the bar until late into the early morning.
You’re a bad influence Gerry. You’re going to get him into trouble.
And before the Dude there was the Dopematic Duo…Cheech et Chong.
Smoke is their middle names. Yes, both of them. True story!
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
Wow! Looks like Dudley just told Burkey to take this job and shove it!! Someone please explain to me how does Burke do it?(Keep his job,I mean)
where did you see this..???
oops if true that could mean Bergevin officially has a team that won’t trade with him now.
Frontenac, where’s your link?
I remember last year when we were talking about Pacioretty’s injury, and I put in two cents that those type of injuries take 6-8 weeks to heal. Someone found a quote from his agent, which supposedly sealed it in stone that he was done for the year. In the end it turned out that He could have played in the 2nd round.
Seriously people, having things said and reported, doesn’t make them set in stone like an all too expensive brick bought by force at the bell centre.
In 1978 it was reported that as a Junior Larry Bird would be the 1st pick of the 1979 draft. So Red Auerbauch drafted him 6th in the 1978 draft … A couple years ago it was reported that Kobe Bryant demanded a trade from the Lakers, and they certainly pretended to try a little. Not too long ago it was reported that Patrick Roy was named the GM and Coach of the Canadiens …
If our new General Manager is deterred by such minor obstacles, than I would be highly disappointed in him. If he really wants Quenville, then seeing as how there is an obvious opening, go and get him. If he really wants him, a good GM would and could make it happen.
If Quenneville is available and can be gotten, I think thats the best candidate for the job and the habs should make it happen.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
That’s right kempie.The Quenneville rumours have been spinning out from various sources.Although he is under contract ,if there is a rift in Chicago,the contract should not be a huge issue.Interesting times eh?
Stan Bowman says that Quenneville isn’t going anywhere!
Yeah, and Obama promised under 8% unemployment. If their lips move…
I’d still take Obama over any of the neanderthal Republican candidates just like I’d take Quenneville over Crawford or Hartley.
Well, when you think about it, at the rate that the unemployed are de-listed, sooner or later, it’ll happen. And I’m with 24 on the Republican yahoos.
It is an interesting plot for sure but still seems like an awfully long shot. Not only would MB have to pull off a pretty slick move, he’d also have to install an anglo coach as one of his first moves. Personally, I’d welcome Quenneville in a heartbeat.
…it was not long ago I was hopeful this unique summer will include a run at both Zach Parise and Radulov as free-agent signings
…dependent whether We can find a viable solution to the Gomer fiasco, I would sign Parise in a heartbeat if a reasonable contract
…Radulov ? …I wouldn’t care if he was the second-coming of Alex Ovechkin, I wouldn’t touch him with a 10 foot pole
_________________________________________________________
HIS’ Official Habs’ Fan Theme Song; Morrissey ‘There is a light that never goes out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjObvIQtsLk&feature=related
_________________________________________________________
What I WANT ! is an aircraft carrier at centre and nuclear destroyers on each wing going to the net like bats out of Hell !, …NO MORE rubber duckies !!!
_________________________________________________________
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
I’m starting to think that Parise might end up staying in NJ. One of his criteria for a new team is Stanley Cup contender and if NJ moves on to the conference finals he might choose to stick around. They have enough cap room to fit him in.
They always say that, and always go to the best contract offer.
Are you sure about the cap roomLizzard? I remember the Devils in a mess the last two years. I hope cap issues are an issue.
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If you look at there situation on capgeek it really doesn’t look too bad. Marty probably won’t be making 5+ mil next year either if you ask me. If they get him around a 7 mil cap hit I think they can fit him in.
They easily have the cap room if both sides want it.
Could not agree with you more HIS. Zack has become the heart and soul of this Devilish team and would fit nicely in the “new” attitude Habs ream. Radulov, just the opposite, huh? I’d pass on him also.
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YES! Parise…definitely!
I had no idea how good he was, or how much heart and drive he had until this series.
I’ve seen him play the Habs, but you know how it is. Your team is on, you focus primarily on your team.
But this kid…he’s smaller than I thought, but wow, what a player.
By the way Chris, I was reading your earlier post regarding China.
You offer touring through China? Is this business related?
I’m looking for contacts in China for food processing and packaging equipment. But I’ve been “taken” three times so far….you’d think I’d learn.
…Asia is all about ‘risk/reward’ Brian …You are dealing with very ‘cunning/shrewd’ partners, and should not go into partnerships or technology transfers with naivety
…yes, My business was as a specialist in the markets of Asia and the Pacific region for 30 + years, which I could describe better in private …semi-retired now as My Kids needed/need Me at Home …but let Me know Your objectives and maybe there may be a fit to provide some professional assistance
_________________________________________________________
HIS’ Official Habs’ Fan Theme Song; Morrissey ‘There is a light that never goes out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjObvIQtsLk&feature=related
_________________________________________________________
What I WANT ! is an aircraft carrier at centre and nuclear destroyers on each wing going to the net like bats out of Hell !, …NO MORE rubber duckies !!!
_________________________________________________________
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
That’s an impressive portfolio, you have…
From what I see, you’re still in said position.
I’ve linked Ian to get in contact with you.
It will definitely be interesting to pick your brain on how to properly expand our business in Asia.
Thanks for that.
Rick Dudley :
« Ce n’est pas vrai que je dois attendre au repêchage pour partir, a dit Dudley au quotidien montréalais. Au moment de négocier mon contrat avec les Leafs, (le directeur général) Brian Burke s’est assuré d’y faire inclure une clause qui allait me permettre de me trouver un nouveau poste ailleurs. Il l’a fait pour me faire une
http://fr-ca.actualites.yahoo.com/lnh-canadien-dudley-sapproche-montr%C3%A9al-173407834–spt.html
He says he does not have to wait after the draft to join another team. As a favor, Burke included the clause that allows Dudley to change job.
…I think My only reservation on Roy is His ‘commitment’ as ‘a Hab’ …are the Habs a second-choice ?
…if I was Bergevin, that would be a prime determination in the interview process …and, whether Patrick includes any unreasonable demands for autonomy coexisting with senior Management
…that’s the only thing that would prevent Me from signing Patrick Roy …other than that, Patrick is just what Our Franchise needs
…all the arguments He has yet to have NHL coaching experience is shortsighted …Dale Hunter has taken the Caps quite a bit further than than their previous ‘very experienced’ NHL coach Boudreau You may have noticed
…the difference between ‘experienced’ and ‘no experience’ is often ‘opportunity’
…Roy, like any hire, is ‘a risk’ …in Roy’s case, a risk worth taking
…My first alternative to Patrick (hopefully complete with Robinson and Carbonneau), is Alain Vigneault …though Gillis may have undermined that possibility
…Quenneville and Crawford would be destined as stop-gap type coaches for Our Team …I want Our next Coach to be as exciting and passionate as Our Team …and, that means the 3 former Habs with the Royal Jelly
_________________________________________________________
HIS’ Official Habs’ Fan Theme Song; Morrissey ‘There is a light that never goes out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjObvIQtsLk&feature=related
_________________________________________________________
What I WANT ! is an aircraft carrier at centre and nuclear destroyers on each wing going to the net like bats out of Hell !, …NO MORE rubber duckies !!!
_________________________________________________________
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
I agree with some of your points.
Look at Crawford’s record. He never even makes the playoffs. It’s not good. Quenville’s is on the other hand quite good.
You’re burnt man.Crawford made the playoffs 8 times and won a Stanley Cup.He missed 7 times while guiding some pretty weak teams. Crawford is a winning coach.
2006 – Vancouver 92 pts – missed playoffs
2007 – Los Angeles 68 pts – missed playoffs
2008 – Los Angeles 71 pts – missed playoffs
2010 – Dallas 88 pts – missed playoffs
2011 – Dallas 95 pts – missed playoffs
None of these three teams think he was good enough. I guess for you these are Canadiens worthy numbers?
Yeah,as I said,missed 7 times,got to the playoffs 8 times. Why are you showing me 5 of the missed years only?
Just saw PK Subban while going out to lunch, he was near the Bell Center, and with I think his mother.
Looked relaxed and did not seem to be injured.
Hey, you should be inviting me out to lunch with you next time. Good news.
You didn’t invite them to lunch with you? You could have offered many of the HIO observations you’ve learned here.
With all the GMs on this site, I’m sure he would have come away the wiser.
I was in a hurry getting a sandwich from Subway, I’m not sure he’ have accepted my offer. Plus he was with people whom I assumed were his family.
That’s the best opportunity you can have!
You charm the mother???? You’re in!!!
I also heard Quenneville has a “working knowledge” of French.So with some immersion and lessons he should be good to go with the Franco press.Bergevin also knows what he is getting. Hmmm……
Is Quenneville not employed by Chicago? Why is everybody talking like hes available?
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
At this point, anyone with a Francophone name appears to be grist for the rumour mill, whether they are currently employed or not – expect more of the same until an official announcement is made.
Because they are messing with his coaching staff in Chicago, and there is an obvious rift. Because a good GM playing his cards right might be able to get him. Because it would be a case of the Habs not settling for anything but the best.
It was discussed on the Hot Stove the other night that Bowman is not a fan of Quenneville and that the Chicago organization is somewhat divided with Bowman on one side and Bergevin and Quenneville on the other. The feeling was that Quenneville has lost his last major supporter in Bergevin and, well there ya go
That explains it – Thanks.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman told the Chicago Tribune on Monday that while he doesn’t like to address rumours, Quenneville – who is under contract through the 2013-14 seaosn – would be returning to the club next season.
Throughout the year, we all heard that teams that are on the playoff bubble should avoid giving up assets to make a push to get into the playoffs, because it simply isn’t worth it. Those teams should strongly consider being sellers, as working to get into the 7th or 8th seed to serve as cannon fodder for the top seeds isn’t worth the opportunity to turn your assets into prospects.
In 2006, the Edmonton Oilers ignored this sage advice, adding 37 year old goaltender Dwayne Roloson and winger Sergei Samsonov to the mix despite sitting in 8th, 16 points out of first and in a dogfight with Anaheim, Colorado, Calgary, San Jose, Vancouver and Los Angeles for the final few playoff spots. They then went on a run to the Stanley Cup finals, losing in Game 7.
In 2010, the Philadelphia Flyers bucked convention, making no deals at the deadline while sitting in a perilous 6th place with a team racked by injuries and relying on Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton for its goaltending. They struggled to even make the playoffs, requiring a last-game shootout win over the Rangers to sneak in, but then rode some hot play to throttle the upstart Montreal Canadiens (the 8th seed who knocked off the #1 and #3 teams) and earn a Stanley Cup finals berth.
This year, the Cinderella run thus far has been the Los Angeles Kings. At the trade deadline on February 27th, the Kings were sitting tied for 9th in the Western Conference. They were fighting with a number of teams for the last couple of playoff positions. The Anaheim Ducks were charging up the standings. The Kings featured an anemic offence, and they were to play 12 of their final 20 games on the road. Nonetheless, they grabbed the final spot and have now knocked off the #1 (Vancouver) and #2 (St. Louis) teams in the West, winning 8 of 9 games.
While so many like to point out that is is crazy to think this way, making it into the playoffs does give a team a chance to succeed.
+Infinity
My thoughts exactly!
I think the LA example is misguided, that roster was grossly underachieving. I would trade our roster for theirs in a heartbeat, as much as I love Price, Subban, Patches, Cole etc.
Nobody was picking the habs to win the east this year (other than maybe some overly optimistic people here) but many people were picking LA at the start of the year as the team to beat in the West.
And remember Kopitar’s broken leg last year, this year it was adding him, not to mention Richards and Carter. Penner was a dud, but seemed to wake up in the playoffs. My point is LA is quite a more stacked team this year than last, and they sure seem to like Suter, which none of the Canadians I know down here can believe. Apparently he’s going around hugging people…
Maybe it’s the heat…
Kopitar has been healthy all year and the Kings were treading water at the deadline. Their lethargy cost them a coach, and almost cost them the captain that has helped carry the team (along with Jonathan Quick and Drew Doughty).
Gross underachievement is a common thread for many teams outside the playoffs. Look no further than the 2009-10 Montreal Canadiens, who Bob Gainey was largely blasted for keeping together.
The Kings got hot after the deadline, largely keyed by the guy they deemed disposable after picking up Jeff Carter. Carter scored 6 goals and 9 points in 16 regular season games with the Kings and has 1 goal and 4 points in 9 playoff games.
Think Dean Lombardi is thanking his lucky stars that Dustin Brown has been the consummate professional despite having his name dangled as trade bait? Over the same time period, Brown posted 8 goals and 23 points in 21 games and has added a team leading 6 goals and 11 points in 9 playoff games.
I dont know if 6th place is perilous, Id say thats the best starting point, given youre going against the winner of the weakest division usually.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
6th was perilous in that case because it was just a few points out of 10th and they had injury issues out the wazoo, as evidenced by their struggle to actually make the playoffs.
If you’re in 6th and 10 points up on 9th, it isn’t perilous. But if you are only 3 or 4 points up, then you could be in trouble very easily.
Beware free draft advice from a scout of an NHL team.
7 weeks til the draft. This is a poker game now.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
Great Point!
Mackasey says Grigorenko is a floater, and Galchenyuk is a better bet.
@Habsolutely re: your link ‘Learning From The Canadiens’ Mistakes’
…I remember leading a 25 member business group of Quebecois MBAs and business executives for three weeks through China shortly following the Tiananmen Square student uprising in 1989 and the ‘opening up’ under Deng Xiaoping
…they included Jacques Parizeau’s President of his family’s well known insurance company and brother of union firebrand Louis Laberge
…I didn’t speak French much better than the Impact’s Coach Marsch …Franglais to the extreme
…prior to leaving for China I had been quite concerned how some of the more nationalistic members of My group would accept My ‘squareheadedness’ …the first few days in China it was quite tense …yet, China is like being on the moon if a ‘first-timer’, therefore quickly We, Anglo and Francophones, whom usually back-home were often at each other’s throats competitively culturally and linguistically, became bonded through our commonalities in China’s then alien environment
…good for Marsch, an American ironically, being able to see the forest through the trees
_________________________________________________________
HIS’ Official Habs’ Fan Theme Song; Morrissey ‘There is a light that never goes out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjObvIQtsLk&feature=related
_________________________________________________________
What I WANT ! is an aircraft carrier at centre and nuclear destroyers on each wing going to the net like bats out of Hell !, …NO MORE rubber duckies !!!
_________________________________________________________
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
A good buddy of mine has been a die hard Hawks fan all of his life.He even does the 11hour drive to Chicago a couple of times a year. He says Quenneville is good coach and that was not their problem this year.He believes things started to decline when Tallon left.Obviously Cap.issues and stable goal tending was a problem also.The more I think about it the more I am warming to the idea of Quenneville.He did win the cup with less than stellar goaltending.(Niemi)
Makes the playoffs every year, always has high point total teams …
blackhawks finished with 101 points, 45 wins, I wish habs had the blackhawk “problems”!!
last year, the “disaster” year, hawks finished with 97 points and 44 wins.
year before 112 points, 52 wins, and the Cup.
year before 104 points, 46 wins
4 excellent seasons, 4 playoff seasons, and won the Cup!
Quenneville can coach my team any day!
I’d go after Radulov with an RFA offer sheet in a heart beat. Nashville is bleeding with Suter/Weber, this might be a good time to buy an asset. He made a bad goof, Trotz made an even worse one not dressing him the game after his punishment. But he is a top 6 guy with huge upside, add another top 6 guy in the draft, and we’ve got something to complement Cole and MaxPac.
Let’s all forget about Patrick. He’s yesterday’s hero. Let him burn another team, and if he proves to be a reasonably successful John Torts type somewhere else for a while, all good, he’ll be back on the market in 5 years and will have made his rookie NHL mistakes somewhere else. We can’t afford another damn rookie coach.
Loving the Habs since 1965
Might as well try for Semin, if that does not work try for Rads I guess.
Semin is of course very skilled, but a floater par excellence, makes Scott Gomez look committed. My Caps fan friends hate him with a passion.
While I dont like to stigmatize someone ‘for life’ because of an incident or two, I think Radulov’s maturization is still a work in progress. There are other better options.
Well said.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Didn’t we just have a drunken selfish lazy (Bela)Russian just fall off our wagon, now we want another?
I wouldn’t give up my 2013 draft pick. There are some really nice prospects there and you don’t want to pull a burke/kessel here.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
Radulov hasn’t proved jack, except when it comes to being irresponsible he’s a number 1 clown. Being a star in the KHL doesn’t mean much; it’s the AHL with a few stars thrown in.
It’s been an interesting week in the NHL.
If Phoenix is really sold at some point, does that mean that Markham and Quebec City will eventually be prime locations for expansion? I can’t see Florida or Jersey moving so it could be a windfall for the owners to expand. What about the watered down player market, you ask? Who cares, this is the NHL.
Nashville is in a world of hurt right now. I can’t remember the last time a team lost so many assets in such a short period of time. Their 15 minutes of fame just ended. Sadly, it’s back to the dark ages for the Preds.
If New Jersey wins the Cup, does that make Martin Brodeur the greatest goalie of all time? The only thing that Patrick Roy would have over him would be his Conn Smythe trophies. Terry Sawchuk rounds out the top three.
Who would be better at developing young players, Crawford or Quenneville? Are there any other viable Hab candidates now that Vigneault is in all likelihood off the market?
Not one person on HI/O could have foreseen a Phoenix-LA western final. So let’s not even go there. Having said that, is there a smarter man in the NHL than Dave Tippett?
Islanders might move, but I think they still have a long term lease, so that won’t be for a while.
With the proposed divisions they set out, you have to believe they are thinking of expanding, I don’t like this idea much.
Nashville gambled, and lost.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Nashville franchise. Great city, hard working management team and a small but loyal fan base. They’re kind of like the Buffalo Sabres of the south.
The Forsberg trade was foolish and now they are set to lose some building blocks as well as picks and rentals.
They might be in for a worst rebuilt than the Habs depeding on who moves or stays.
Leases definitely have outs, they are made to be broken.
Dryden must be included in that Top 3 goalies argument. 6 Cups in 8 seasons along with the Calder and Vezinas? Should be #2 on the list.
Make Dryden first. The stats will support him, at the very least.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
If Jersey wins the cup, Brodeur will still probably not win the Conn Smythe, and thus, no, he remains not even close to the best goalie of all time. Jacques Plante, Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden and Terry Sawchuk were better. It’s important to remember that for many years, Brodeur had far-and-away the easiest gig in goaltending history. He’s never won a Conn Smythe, though he probably should have the year Giguere stole it.
So when is Roy stepping up ….hope it’s soon!
Hope he isnt unless it is at the head of a team comprised of Carbonneau and Robinson.. or similar.
Why would Bergevin want the aggravation of having to deal with Roy on a daily basis ? Who would ?
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
I would
I think that whole Radulov return thing was a joke! No respect. Mix in a little AK and Que Blamo Gusto!
It was in the end a very negative move to insert him into the line-up at his ‘whim’ it seemed. But if one comes to that conclusion, how does one see the principal role played by Weber in encouraging the move. And in the light of all the examples being played out in this year’s playoffs, are we seeing a lesson of ‘diminished reliance on supposed offensive stars’ and maybe, imperceptibly, a dampening effect on the UFA dollars that these stars might command in the next few years.
One basketball pundit recently wrote about the days of the ‘go to star’ in basketball giving way to a more team oriented basketball. Could these playoffs herald the same in NHL, understanding that the ‘go to player’ was never as singularly depended upon in the NHL.
I think this season is a bit of a fluke. I still believe that teams will be stepping up big time to sign Parise and Suter. Even Semin might get some big coin. Same goes for Weber in 2013. GMs in the NHL can’t resist getting a big name player for “free”.
After watching the Montreal-Quebec series on TVA, Ive become a fan of Bob Hartley. The man deserves to coach in the NHL, and hes a great people person.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
My vote is no to Vigneault.I just feel like seeing someone who hasn’t been here before. Maybe I’m wrong,I dunno.
Didn’t we try that with Martin?
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
Learning from the Canadiens mistakes?
At the risk of drawing your usual ire I thank you for this link. I read a bit of this story last night but had not realized the broadness of the effort being made by the IMPACT.
This is exactly how to deal with thorny issues so you put the onus of understanding and accomodation on the supposedly ‘aggrieved party.’
Quite a clever and open step taken by the team and its coach. Our new GM appears to have the knack for similar social skilfulness. On too many occasions, and not only under Pierre Gauthier, the Canadiens have tried to quell concerns either by hoping it goes away or putting on blinders so as not to politically infuriate one side or another. It is surely more difficult for the HABS because of the satus they hold in the community, but they could really learn from this approach.
Glad you liked it. No hard feelings here. Cheers.
…I remember leading a 25 member business group of Quebecois MBAs and business executives for three weeks through China shortly following the Tiananmen Square student uprising in 1989 and the ‘opening up’ under Deng Xiaoping
…they included Jacques Parizeau’s President of his family’s well known insurance company and brother of union firebrand Louis Laberge
…I didn’t speak French much better than the Impact’s Coach Marsch …Franglais to the extreme
…prior to leaving for China I had been quite concerned how some of the more nationalistic members of My group would accept My ‘squareheadedness’
…the first few days in China it was quite tense …yet, China is like being on the moon if a ‘first-timer’, therefore quickly We, Anglo and Francophones, whom usually back-home were often at each other’s throats competitively culturally and linguistically, became bonded through our commonalities in China’s then alien environment
…good for Marsch being able to see the forest through the trees
_________________________________________________________
HIS’ Official Habs’ Fan Theme Song; Morrissey ‘There is a light that never goes out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjObvIQtsLk&feature=related
_________________________________________________________
What I WANT ! is an aircraft carrier at centre and nuclear destroyers on each wing going to the net like bats out of Hell !, …NO MORE rubber duckies !!!
_________________________________________________________
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Where is commentariat on Alain Vigneault coming back? Not will he, but would we want him?
Mike Gillis has received an extension in Vancouver, and is on record as saying he wants AV to stay put, so it’s a non-starter.
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
Thanks for the update, I hadnt heard about his AV endorsement. I say this is a blessing in disguise for the habs. Hope the AV talk dies down as the Roy talk certainly has lost some steam. All good with me.
Ottawa rink is a good ,roomy,place to watch a game.Nice polite fans,but really quiet.They keep putting up signs too make noise and it just fizzles out. Now The Bell Centre,that’s Atmosphere!!!
Don’t think that it was a good idea to bring in Radulov so late in the season. Didn’t give him enough time to fit in with the group. Maybe the Preds should try and sign him.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
If Quenneville and Vigneault are kept by their current teams, the Coaching crop is underwhelming.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
zzzz
AK and Radulov will be on their way back to KHL for next season…I can not see how there bad act in the playoffs helps them get big contracts inthe NHL…
But every Free agent season GM’s demonstrate just how stupid and greedy they are by throwing huge money at suspect players and then come to regret it later…
I think with the meager free agent crop this summer, you might be surprised with AK and Radulov.
Or this one;”Going to trial with a lawyer who considers your whole lifesyle a Crime In Progress,is not a happy prospect” Hunter S.Thompson. A true renegade journalist.
I’d laugh if the Habs sign AK46 over the summer.
Why not? Like a Mogwai from the movie Gremlins, at least you know what you get. Don’t feed him after midnight and don’t let him get wet.
O that would be a great move. Does he miss the night life here. he really helped the Preds.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
I’d cry if the Habs re-sign AK
AK46 – Gomez- Bourque = The most feared line in the AHL
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
It will not happen.
I wonder how many ex-Habs played their final game with the Predators last night?
Ak, SK, Gill and Bouillon, I’m thinking only SK and maybe Bouillon sticks.
I’d take Cube back in a heartbeat…the rest, not so much.
If we could get Gill for cheap I’d sign him for 1 year.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Same Gill, I’d take back.
I suppose I’d take him back for 1 yr. as a 5 or 6th shut down defenseman, but I’d prefer a more long term solution…
@ HabFanSince72
I want a GM who can get a first rounder for Paul Gaustad.
37 year old Hal Gill for a second-rounder was pretty good too.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Hey Cardiac,how about this one;”When the going gets weird, the weird turn Pro”…Hunter S.Thompson
+1
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
This prompted me to do image search on Carrie Underwood… HIO is good for something sometime
It’s a rare thing to have no one complain about the picture of the day, enjoy it I say.
Because work sucks and it’s blocked I can’t post the link to the actual video, but Carey Price and Shea Weber have teamed up to do a You Can Play ad which you may or may not be able to watch right now because you may or may not be at work too: http://youcanplayproject.org/videos/entry/you-can-play-all-stars-weber-and-price
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GO HABS GO! Maybe 2012-13 will be our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Cool link! I also noticed as I was watching that video that there’s another one by the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds that are the first OHL team to join the You Can Play initiative!
Take THAT Sudbury! Who’s from the redneck backwater town now?!
Let’s Go Hounds!
I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until some troll pipes up noting that Price should spend less time making videos promoting a great cause, and more working on his techniques.
———————–
GO HABS GO! Maybe 2012-13 will be our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Hmmm … maybe I came on too late, but I am not reading any comments on Quenville as a possibility. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a GM artful enough to pull exactly what he wants out of his hat. A guy that is actually wanted, as opposed to the list we are normally fed, for a coach. I would be happy with Patrick, but I think I would also be happy with Quenville. He has a cup, made the playoffs 13 out of 14 seasons …
Any thoughts on Quenville for me to consider?
To be fair I think Gainey did some really good moves as GM (and one really bad one), but I would like someone who with some panache who gets what he wants, hi quality, and at the right price. So just by pulling that off I would be impressed by Bergevin.
He was discussed this morning earlier, Chicago’s GM seems to indicate he will keep Quenneville though.
I figured it might of been. Thanks for cluing me in.
It’s shrewd to say you will keep him, then it adds value to what has to be offered to get him. If I am throwing something away, people will just wait by my trash bin to pick it up for free. I think they have to use this approach.
There seems to be a huge rift there. With coaching interference.
But there is no rules for compensation if a coah switches team.
They don’t have to let him go though, isn’t he under contract? To get him out of his current contract I would think they would expect something in return.
Unless he has an “out” clause in his contract, but I don’t know the details of this.
What kind of compensation would you think the Habs could send? Not a player or a pick for sure.
I would think it would be a pick or a prospect. Given our past history it will be Frederic St. Denis who will turn out to be a stalwart for the Blackhawks for years to come.
I don’t think it works that way.
Why not send them JM ?
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
I’d be absolutely thrilled to have Quenneville as coach!
a Rangers vs Kings Final is a “dream” match up for Bettman
Absolutely Ed, could easily become best ratings for a Cup Final in the states.
I went to HI/O and Comic-Con broke out.
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
As long as they do not bring back the Guardian Project.
Ouughhh…
…so poorly advised…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
It’s a nice mix this morning Chuck, and little teeth gnashing.
Man oh man! Booked today of work to get outside jobs finished and its pouring rain. Oh well….”Throw me another Sweet Cap Rosie!”
Hey Mable! Black Label!
Paul Gaustad for a first rounder was really bone-headed.
2 points and a -1 in ten games. Mean time on ice: 11:35/game.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
At least they still have their first rounder for 2013.
But Poile is still a genuis
Yep, they don’t have a pick in the first two rounds in this year’s draft and no second rounder in next year’s.
And all this to say that Gill, Gaustad and AK46 were complete non-factors during the playoffs and most likely won’t be resigned next season.
And people thought WE piss draft picks away!
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
Have to give PG some credit, when he used his 2nd rounders to get the Wiz and Domenic Moore, they helped the team. While those deals hurt us today, they were effective for the team at the time of trade.
Agreed, although I’m still at a loss as to why we didn’t resign Moore. That guy performed some playoff magic and was a great third-liner.
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
‘cuz he wanted top $ for a role player. You can’t pay checkers 3million+.
It’s not like he was begging to stay in Montreal… Just like Wiz. Discussions are had and if thenumbers are similar, they keep going. When one guy goes $AB and the other guys goes $ HUH? you move on.
“When one guy goes $AB and the other guys goes $ HUH? you move on”
I have no idea what you are trying to say, but Dominic Moore was never paid $3 million… ever…
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
A second is a pretty important potential given up for a patch. Like a first for Tanguay you can look pretty stupid down the road after going nowhere with Wiz or Moore unless your goal is to increase profit during that fiscal year by bagging a few playoff games. It makes for a bit of a disconnect. On the one hand you tout Timmins and his ability to draft late well. Then on the other hand you claim no one in the system can “break in” while others step up. So you overpay to rent a player for a couple months and throw them away after the season keeping your original 50. Eventually it has to catch up. Glad to see PG get an opportunity to stretch his wings with another organization, or the Antichambre.
Habsinburlington,my feelings exactly!When you put all those things together,Markham does start to make more sense than Quebec City.Although I would love
the Diques back ,there appears to be problems developing with that sweetheart deal the mayor of Quebec made with Peladeau.
Enthusiasm often wanes when a “concept” starts serious cost planning. Dollars talk which is why Quebec lost the first team.
To bring the Ottawa attendance argument up here…I live 30 minutes east of Ottawa.
I can say for 100% certainty that even last year the sens were not selling out their regular season games. I have not been to playoff games here, but their fan base is not all that strong. For many, many years now, I have questioned why tickets are still easy to get on game day. The games that are hardest to get tickets to are the ones against the Habs & laffs. It is also true that a few short years ago, they came close to moving, like other Canadian teams, but not all by any stretch.
These are the facts, and they are undisputed.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
Well they were horrible last year, so that’s to be expected.
———————–
GO HABS GO! Maybe 2012-13 will be our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
But it was that way even when they were good. Just because it’s better than other teams, it doesn’t mean it’s good. I think all Canadian teams should sell out every game, but I guess that’s asking quite a bit, actually. It’s a great place to watch a game, and I’ll be organizing a group to catch the Habs there next season.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
I don’t think anyone would expect a relatively small market team like Ottawa to sell out their barn during a regular season in which they sucked as badly as the Sens did last year. Still, they managed 11th in the NHL in attendance that year (better than the Rangers, Bruins, Kings and Penguins). This season, they were sixth.
Bottom line: If attendance is an issue for the Senators, it’s an issue for the vast majority of the NHL.
That is the issue still Gerry, it remains primarily a gate driven league. Despite the new TV deal in the states, NHL owners heavily rely on Gate, thus the reason Montreal, Toronto and New York are so wealthy. High ticket prices which are paid for not given away.
I wonder how that compares with other professional sports leagues, HiB.
The NFL is unparalleled in its TV revenue streams, Baseball between revenue sharing and TV contract provides most of its small market teams with nearly 60Million per year. NBA I don’t know the numbers but TV contract is very good per team.
I guess that’s why Bettman keeps trying to develop the U.S. market.
The guy to the right of Carrie is really quite photogenic.
Everything is bigger in The South.
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
One other interesting speculation I read somewhere,was in reference to MLSE. Since the Teachers sold their stake to Rogers and Bell,could they then waive exclusion zone and divide up the broadcast rights?Like I said,interesting.
I have long held the belief that the Teachers group had a little lawyer birdie tell them that it was inevitable that a 2nd team would eventually be in the GTA. Therefore selling now makes sense in order to gain maximum return on investment. I also believe that the reason the two dark forces in cable/satellite tv get together is because they can then do a coin flip to see who keeps the Leafs and who gets the new team. A very dumbed down explanation. I am too tired (played the role of AK last night) to provide my detailed explanation.
This summer Bergervin keeps Max-Pac, Cole, Deharnais, Pleks other than that lots of improvement needed up front and maybe a Defenceman or two if he wants a chance at winning a cup. Phoenix and LA is a fine example. one of those two should win the cup….
Can anyone point to a single pretty goal from this year’s playoffs?
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Maybe just a bunch from the Pens-Flyers series, but those are downgraded due to low degree of difficulty (weak goaltending).
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
Anisimov had a nice one the other night.
And Joel Ward’s game 7 winner was beautiful to me.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
AK game 2 vs the Yotes, did it while hungover!
I was going to mention that one as well. It was very smooth like a nice cold Grey Goose.
I wonder if he got the Wiser’s slow-clap from Radulov when he got back to the bench.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
LOL!
Something tells me they were drinking Russian standard vodka
Thats the way the cookie crumbles
In the eye of this beholder, Ward’s OT winner against the B’s was a thing of beauty.
Oh my god… we have Cthulhu cropping up below, and now a Beholder has drifted into the forum.
There is no safe haven…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I’ll protect the lot of you, I just gained a level.
I’ll use my masterwork mythril mace.
I say onto you: “there is no need to worry. you are safe here.”
Truly, The Thing That Should Not Be!
———————–
GO HABS GO! Maybe 2012-13 will be our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Klein’s (nash) goal in the first round vs the Wings was a beauty. Semin’s wrister over Floppy’s glove comes to mind , but you’re right, a lot of garbage
“man, I love winnin’; you know, it’s like better than losin’?”-
Ebby Calvin “Nuke” Laloosh
semin’s 71 mph wrister in the short side top shelf
I think Backstrom just missed a backhand last night. It glanced off Lundquist’s sleeve and sailed over the net. Would have made the score 3-1. Too bad.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Anybody else been eating crow over the Kings hiring Sutter? Did not think that was the right call at all.
He’s a terrific coach. He just happens to be an abomination as a General Manager.
See Quinn, Pat
Bingo
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
I just thought he was too similar to what they had. But like I said, eating crow.
The arena in Kanata is great for us down here in Kingston but I do hear some whining from friends in Ottawa Their fan support is great. I try to catch a Hab game up there once a year.What really has me intrigued,is the moves and progress of the city of Markham and the Roulston Group.He is CEO of Bauer Sports and a real hockey guy who once tried to buy the Habs and now is developing that NHL size arena complex in Markham.That is interesting!
Commitment is the name of the game that’s why Phoenix is doing well. no stars on the team just workers that’s why they are winning and if they keep doing what they are doing the cup could be theirs. but I think LA and NJ will have something to say about that.
Commitment is huge. But you need commitment and Talent.
Look at Darche, guy works his ass off, is the most committed guy in the room, and will do anything for his coach, but he just isn’t very good.
The Coyotes have some talent… Ray Whitney is still great at 40, Doan, Vrbata, Hanzal, Legwand, Boedker, have skill, on defence they have Yandle and the Ekmund-Larsson kid. The team has some players.
When you get both things to come together, you can go far in the playoffs.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
So what is AK going to get if he indeed resigns in the NHL, can there be a price cheap enough to lure him back to the bars in Montreal?
Edit: Can the price be cheap enough that we would want him back?
I don’t think his recent playoffs results will help him much, even considering he was one of Nashville’s better point producer in the series.
I think he could want back in MTL, but I doubt it happens.
Before playoffs I would say he could have gotten 5 millions per, but now, maybe more around the 3.5 millions he’s been getting for a while now.
There’s always the KHL, but I think he would prefer to stay in the NHL.
No.
I’ll compare him to the situation where you have a girlfriend who had a couple of things going for her but overall it never clicked, and you manage to break things off relatively clean. You count your blessings and move on, you don’t want to get your fingers caught in the gearbox again.
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
Your girlfriend analogy is a good one, but for another reason:
When you dump a problem girlfriend, there are always plenty of other guys who think that the problem was you, and are willing to take the chance with said girl, thinking that they can be the one to get her to realize her true girlfriend potential.
Will AK finally find his soul-team? Tune in next week for another episode of As The Puck Turns.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
We can stretch it further: sometimes it is just a question of two people who don’t get along, but they move on to the next relationship and they’ve grown and learned and are successful. So there’s always a new boyfriend around the corner who might make things work where the previous one couldn’t.
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
There IS something to be said for dirty make-up sex…
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
Following up on the analogy, this is how David Poile feels this morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5vlco4yvSc
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
This is how he felt at the trade deadline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
Reposted from yesterday:
There should be a case study of how to set up for a contract year, with Zach Parisé as one extreme and our friend Andrei Kostitsyn on the other.
I think, especially after the contract Mikhail Grabovski got from the Leafs, that Andrei’s upper limit for his contract could have been five years, $25 million. Barring a miraculous return during this series and another very strong series after that, he’s looking at a max of 3 years, $10 million. The KHL is more probable than even that.
Amazing how dumb players can be with their careers sometimes. If he had kept his nose clean and just played for the Preds at the mediocre level he’s performed at in Montreal before this year, he’d be a rich(er) man having his pick of situations come July 1. He may now be spending next season white-knuckling it on an Illyuchin 100 times a winter.
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
I agree 100%, I just wonder how bad his attempts at getting a contract will get, and if he ends up begging the Habs to resign him on the cheap.
$500,000 and free Vodka from Russian Mafia Bars all season long.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
fair assessment, but I have question, I’ve heard the Kostitsyn family are quite wealthy, anyone have any info on this? If it is so, salary would not be so much of an issue for Brother Andrei.
Apparently the Kostitsyn family are in the oil business
Parity in this league is now!
With this Cap system in play now, teamwork and coaching is by far and away the two most important elements in arriving at the CUP today.!
Luck too.
Don’t forget dumb luck.
When you remove talent, things that make no sense, like the Bruins winning the cup, start to happen.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Yes certainly luck. Its becoming a little like the NFL where the team who stays the healthiest seems to have the most success. NJ is an example of that I think.
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Paul! When DUMB is in play, just Boston arrives on the scene!
I heard gregory campell is pretty good
Thats the way the cookie crumbles
Depth is most important.
Excellent, excellent article by a Seattle Sonics staffer about the decline of the franchise under Howard Schultz of Starbucks fame, which led to them being sold under false pretense to owners from Oklahoma who promised to keep the team in Seattle. For at least a year. As a B.C. resident who lived through the NBA-Grizzlies hype, only to see carpetbagger Michael Heisley abscond with them to Memphis, it’s eerily familiar.
http://deadspin.com/5907371/howard-schultz-gave-out-350-starbucks-gift-cards-an-insiders-notes-on-the-shabby-death-of-the-seattle-supersonics
All those Geoff Molson naysayers who accused him of being a silver spoon kid who only cared about beer sales (these people are thankfully quiet these days), please compare and contrast, and feel lucky that he owns our team.
As someone who was always skeptical of George Gillett and was ever awaiting the other shoe to drop, and now feel that we just dodged a bullet with him, I have to admit that the old rascal did it with smoke and mirrors but wasn’t all that bad. He was at worst an unindicted Bruce McNall.
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“One story of Schultz’s cheapness is famous among his former staff. The Sonics’ previous owner, Barry Ackerley, had bought holiday gifts each year for the folks in the front office. When Schultz’s group took over, the custom died. Rightly or wrongly, some of the employees groused that no gesture had been made to them. According to an employee at the time, another of the team’s new owners, Richard Tait, the co-creator of Cranium, heard about the complaints and subsequently gave out copies of his popular board game. Not to be outdone, Schultz followed suit. He gave each employee a Starbucks gift card. One member of the staff—who wasn’t a Starbucks regular—decided to use his card to get some snacks. When he went to pay for his roughly five dollars’ worth of food, he asked how much money remained on the card.
“Well, you owe me money,” the cashier said.
The Sonics employee asked how much had been on the card to begin with.
“$3.50,” the barista replied.
At the time, we would later learn, ordinary customers couldn’t buy a Starbucks card with a value of less than $5. These were custom $3.50 gift cards.”
Love the behind the scenes stuff.
I always wondered what happened to that team. I don’t care about basketball or the NBA, but Seattle people certainly were passionate about their team. Some of them vacationing here would get upset and demand that the Sonics game be played on TV at the bar or restaurant where everyone would be watching hockey. We’d have these basketball concentration camps, with a dozen fans huddled around one TV in a corner of the bar, while everyone else was cheering on Pavel Bure and Trevor Linden.
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
Belleville would be perfect for a NHL franchise! 1 million fans between Peterborough and Kingston, 30 minutes. We have a building that has 4 ice rinks, one is Olympic size.
I could be the owner!
lol…i totally agree Ian..
Quit your day job and be my coach David!
send me a contract ..will start asap.
Didn’t know you were from Belleville Ian…. I moved to Trenton from Belleville not too long ago.
You will have to come to our HIO back yard B-B-Q & pool party this summer! Keep in touch!
How about a luxury outdoors/indoors barbeque à la Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet)?
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
As long as they build a new NHL size stadium, not that Yardman stadium. LOL
I will put one up next week!
I disagree. I don’t think there would be enough corporate interest. It is not like Peterborough or Kingston or couburg or trenton or port hope etc. are major hubs for business. A team cannot survive without the corporate sponsors.
Ian, if you are keeping a list of potential season ticket holders, please put me on it. I’d like a pair just behind the home team bench please.
Roger Dat Bill!
Each season ticket holder gets to vote on each signing and draft pick as well Bill!
This idea that there are statistics that ‘prove’ that top-finishing teams are more likely to win the Cup is fallacious.
For a statistic to prove anything, the conditions have to be the same, and in this instance they are not. Any team in the league can beat any other team in the league on any given night, and the result of the game can depend on a million factors from the players’ home lives, to whether they had an extra beer the night before, to what kind of mood they woke up in.
Talking about probability in situations like this is not useful; there are too many uncertainties.
What I have said, therefore, PROVES that once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Anything?
“Cthulhu scores the Stanley Cup goal for the Harftford Whalers!”
I don’t see why not.
He could spend his day with the Cup in Unknown Kadath.
Or Yuggoth.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Talk about intimidation factor.
Nerdiest Stanley Cup prediction ever.
Does that net me enough Xp to gain a level?
You’re the new Dungeon Master.
Yes. You are now the Miskatonic Library Curator.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
My head is hurting trying to follow this one boys. But I will continue to try and learn new things!
Mixing RPG tropes with Lovecraft lore, Burley.
Don’t worry Burl, even I had trouble at first and I’m 67% Nerd, 31% Jock, 11% Mathematical Genius, and 1% Hockey Cliche.
What’s happened so far isn’t exactly a head scratcher.
The Coyotes and Capitals are in their situations because of great goaltending and commitment to team defense. The Rangers, Kings and Flyers are there because of the depth that they have in their lineups.
For sure.
I was actually thinking the other day that it is probably best to finish around #8 or #7, because you haven’t burnt yourself out focusing on winning a meaningless season, and you get to play the ‘top’ team in your conference when you are fresh.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
But what about the mythical home ice advantage? I guess it works in your favor if your coach is great.
I wouldn’t go that far but in my opinion the reason the playoffs have unfolded the way that they have has been because the powerhouses peaked too early.
Boston started terrible and had a phenomenal December/January.
St. Louis had a ridiculous early record under Hitchcock and came back to earth a little bit in the Spring.
Vancouver is more a result of the Sedins not knowing how to play without each other, something that should have been rectified a long time ago(people crucified Martin for his line juggling, I’d bet that if the Canucks had committed years ago to separating the Sedins fairly regularly that they’d be playing today).
Detroit had their 22 or 23 home winning streak back around the All-Star break.
Pittsburgh came flying out of the gates to open the season.
Parity in this league is now!
Another important factor is the NHL’s lack of will to officiate the game as the rules are written. The ‘let the muggers play’ faction is in power and this has the effect of cancelling out talent and skill, and putting a premium on toughness and strength. Teams that are consistently better during the regular season see their advantage dissipate during the playoffs. What ensues is a haphazard cluster of grinding, goonery and ‘cycle game’, and the outcome is tantamount to a coin flip.
———————————
How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
This is exactly right.
Beauty has been expunged from the game.
An outcome that was always likely once lawyers started running the show.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
What a great word Paul! expunged.
Another for me to add to my literary genius vocabulary.!
Too much ‘cycling’ makes me dizzy.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
The anything can happen in the playoffs is more true today than it ever has been. This league has more and more parity than ever before. We’ll never see teams like the 70s Habs or the 80s Oilers who would just dominate teams ever again, IMO.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
I hope the Nordiques come back so that all the phony Habs fans that jumped to the team after the Nords left the first time can go back and take their attitude with them. The Bertrand Raymonds of the world can do whatever they want with the Nordiques and the Habs will be left alone to construct a winning team without so many ridiculous distractions like language imbroglios over temporary hirings.
———————–
GO HABS GO! Maybe 2012-13 will be our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Although I agree that it will be a welcome diversion for fairweather fans, I disagree that it will lift the language issue. I would be seriously disappointed if it did.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I don’t think it would lift it entirely, but it would be lessened to the extent that these pundits can’t just Crtl+F and replace names and cities and expect to move copy.
———————–
GO HABS GO! Maybe 2012-13 will be our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
I have been waiting a long time for that to happen as well richard
Gratifying to see that AK was as much an influence on Nashville’s success as he was with ours. The clip on TSN this morning showing him laughing it up in the dressing room no longer has me wondering about his drinking, it’s his level of maturity that has to be questioned. I don’t think he’s mentally old enough to drink. Clown. I think dumping his a$$ was Gauthier’s finest moment.
In fairness, he said publicly that he didn’t want to go to Nashville. I don’t ever recall seeing him laughing it up after the Habs had been eliminated.
Ak was flip flopping on every interview, he said he did not want to go there, but once there said he was happy to be there.
I suppose it was more of a “I don’t want to leave” when he was in Montreal and a “It’s nice to be playing in the playoffs” when he got to Nashville.
Either way, the problem with adding players at the deadline is that it’s difficult to acquire an emotionally invested player. Rental.
Preds also crippled their drafts in acquiring all those rentals that were not really great chemistry wise for their team.
Not really flip-flopping that is it?
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Well what term should I have used then?
Foot-thonging.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Making the best of a bad situation? Seeing the glass as half-full?
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I don’t think he deserves fairness. He deserves a one way ticket back to Minsk. On a raft.
He simply said that he didn’t want to leave, because he didn’t want to start all over again, ex new city, new teammates, etc. And I actually believed him when he said that he would take less money than his market value to stay in MTL. And you know what, I think he would rather re-sign with the Preds, than start all over again with a new team, expect the Preds won’t want him.
I bet you that AK46 and AR47 will bolt to KHL this fall.
I would also love to see the Diques back! Man, I remember those bench clearing brawls and absolute wars ! But, I just don’t know about viability today. Small population,questionable deal by city for Quebecor. I realize Winnepeg is working but different circumstances.Don’t get me wrong,it might work,but the GTA with the millions of hockey fans and vast corporate sponsors just seem to make much more business sense.
I just love the notion that NHL teams can thrive in certain cities, more specifically small markets just because a few members of the media and a guy with deep pockets say so.
The Hamilton argument is a joke. Hamilton supporters often cite the Buffalo Sabres as an example of the secondary market outside of Toronto. What these people often forget is that the Sabres were in financial ruins for twenty years prior to Terry Pegula purchasing the team. If he were to lose interest or pass away the team would be back in the hole in a heartbeat.
London/Kitchener area. College towns with no media market and average corporate dollars at best. No chance in hell. The Knights sell out every game so an NHL team would. Haha, nope. Add 12,000 seats to the arena in London and then we’ll talk about an NHL team having the ability to sell out in that area. Even then there’s little media exposure as I said and the team would almost certainly have zero chance of developing a following outside of their geographical niche.
Regina. Absolute joke. 200,000 population. Limited media market, short on big business and a placement nightmare for the NHL.
Las Vegas. Another fail. Tourist city where the media exposure would have to come from California. The Ducks, Kings and Sharks already have that market covered. Dallas and Phoenix are nearby and neither are doing well.
Pre-requisites for a team.
1. Wealthy and willing ownership.
2. Media exposure.
3. Corporate dollars.
4. Fan desire.
In that order.
Tom, I will partially disagree with your Hamilton comment. With traffic getting worse in the GTA, Hamilton now begins to serve Burlington, Oakville and into Mississauga as well as the whole Niagara region. There would also be some spill over into the Kitchener/Waterloo region. Location of a new arena would be key, unless they can do a massive facelift on the current Copps Coliseum.
But Hamilton itself will not be what makes the NHL work, it is the large population base around it.
I now hate going into Toronto for various events as the time involved to get in and out is brutal. I can be at Copps in 5mins, add 10 mins for the people in Oakville.
And with the cost of living in your area being what it is. What are the chances that an arena in or around Hamilton could be filled by 22,000 people 41 nights out of the year, sell enough merchandise and generate enough of a following to steal fans from the Leafs and Sabres?
In addition, if the success or failure of a Hamilton franchise is to be determined by the secondary market in Toronto, what guarantees a potential franchise in Hamilton that people will continue to commute with a below average product on the ice?
Sorry, ain’t gonna happen.
The Leafs are the most profitable franchise in hockey, despite being by some measure the least successful on the ice.
There is a lot of pent-up demand in the GTA.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Hamilton is far enough removed from Toronto that success in that city is a longshot.
Limited public transit(like Ottawa), isolated location by NHL standards(like Ottawa).
Fan interest isn’t a question, fan commitment is.
Hamilton is now a bedroom community of Toronto; the number of people that make the commute between the two cities is staggering. Hamilton is not an island unto itself.
Hamilton has decent local transit (the HSR) and is extensively served by one of the largest transit systems in North America, Go Transit. Getting to Hamilton isn’t a problem.
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
Considering that the arena seats 18,000 for hockey, there’s absolutely no chance that it would be filled by 22,000.
They put hockey in the Civic Centre in Ottawa (less than 10,000 seats) while a new home was built. Considering the massive renos currently going on at MSG, it’s feasible to think that the same could be done to Copps should it be desired to keep the team at Copps.
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Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
I don’t disagree with that. But if that franchise is going to rely heavily on seats being filled by people from the city of Toronto and the Kitchener/London/Waterloo area it’s doomed from the start.
There are over 1,000,000 people within a 20-minute drive from the arena.
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
How big is Hamilton, Burlington, and Oakville?
Irrelevant.
If the surrounding areas determined the success of teams the Senators would be among the most financially strong in the league.
I’m having trouble following that one. The Ottawa area has a population of roughly a million people within the city limits of Ottawa and Gatineau. The surrounding area (unless you’re including Montreal, nyuk, nyuk) is pretty sparsely populated.
The Bank is damn near full every night (as is the Civic Centre, where the 67′s play). Corporate sponsirship is decent, though not spectacular. The team is doing ok financially.
Gerry, the arena is in Kanata. That team only started filling the building late this season. In their most recent playoff series prior to this year, against the Penguins they didn’t sell out any of their three home games with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as the opposing team draw.
They couldn’t afford to pay the players a short time ago.
My point wasn’t that people in the surrounding areas keep the Senators alive, it was that with the location of the arena and people having to commute to get to the games, it holds the team back.
A better arena location for the Senators would make them among the league’s most popular franchises.
Kanata is within the city limits of Ottawa, Tom. It’s a much shorter drive than most undertake to get to the Molson Centre.
I’m not sure where you’re coming from on attendance. Ottawa ranked sixth in the NHL in 2011-12. That’s higher than the Canucks, Rangers and Pittsburgh, just to name a few. There hasn’t been a playoff game that failed to sell out in the franchise’s history.
I’m a die hard Habs fan, but I live in Ottawa.
And the location of the Bank has nothing to do with attendance (which is not a problem). It was located in Kanata to spark the development of adjacent land the original owners had in their portfolio.
Funnily enough, I don’t recall any payroll crisis. Are you sure about that one?
Your research is unbelievably flawed Gerry. The Senators weren’t able to meet financial obligations nine short years ago.
A sellout is a sellout if all tickets are sold I suppose. But when a few thousand seats are empty for a playoff game, you have problems.
I attended two of the three home playoff games that the Senators had against Pittsburgh and the arena was three quarters full at best. The reason I got the tickets for two of the three games? $70.00 per ticket in the lower bowl. FOR A PLAYOFF GAME.
The resurgence in their ticket sales is largely because of the prices that they charge. Much like the Habs of 2002.
Talk about flawed research! Nine years ago was when the Loonie was at 65 cents U.S. and the Sens owner was nearly bankrupt due to failing business interests outside the NHL. The current ownership has never had any such problems. ALL Canadian NHL teams were struggling in those days.
And, I’m sorry, but you give me no choice but to call BS on empty seats at the Bank during any of the Pittsburgh series (I attended several of those as well) or in any playoff game. Simply hasn’t happened and I am sure there are other HIO posters who will be able to vouch for that. The ticket price you cite is also BS. My Section 115 tickets are $169 during the regular season and jumped substantially during the playoffs.
I don’t like to get into peeing contests, but I have little tolerance for dishonesty, Tom.
Hamilton is 500,000, and add just under another 300,000 for Burlington and Oakville. On the other side of Hamilton is Brantford, with another 130,000. Add Milton to the mix, which is the fastest-growing city in all of Canada; another 100,000.
That’s over 1,000,000 people within a 20-minute drive from Copps Coliseum.
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
And then consider how many of them are already devout Leaf fans, then consider how many hold season tickets for the Sabres.
Then figure out a suitable location for an NHL arena that allows for adequate parking to fill that arena. Then factor in how many people in those surrounding areas will need public transit to get to a game.
A second team in the actual city of Toronto is far more desirable for the NHL and has a much higher probability of sustaining success in my opinion.
Leaf fans, and Hab fans, and Sabre fans, and Penguin fans, and Canuck fans, and Flyer fans, etc… plenty to go around to help sell out the building when their favourite team visits.
One thing that you can’t discount: Hamilton pride. There’s a large segment of the population in Hamilton that HATES anything to do with Toronto, and are thus a ready-made fan base for an NHL franchise, especially one with that built-in rivalry. If you’ve ever experienced a Labour Day Classic at Ivor Wynne Stadium, you’ll know what I mean.
The city is also server by the HSR and Go Transit, with large numbers moving in and out of the city every day. Getting people to the arena definitely wouldn’t be a problem.
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Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
Actually there are about 2 millions people in Waterloo, Flamborough, London and Niagara areas so it is enough good to support NHL team. Copps Stadium is not suitable for NHL team so I think it is the best to build a new stadium in Kitchener which is within an hour driving of cities and large towns in those areas.
@Chuck
Good point about the rivalry.
Toronto and Hamilton are markets that could support an additional team in the GTA, but it’s the rivalry that would make a move to Hamilton more intriguing, from a fan’s perspective.
Put a team in Regina, name it the Sask. Rough Riders. And I guarantee you sell out…..but Corporate support would be close to nil
I love Barry Manilow .
-Scotty Bowman
Quebec City has what corporate support other than Videotron and the provincial government?
Corporate head offices in QC???
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What does the Commissioner of the NHL do?
In short, a league commissioner is the action man for the Board of Governors.
They tell him what they want done and he works to make it happen through his subordinates while making sure that individual franchises play by the rules.
******** Translated if you haven’t won the Stanley Cup in 40 years your NHL team is becoming irrelevant in a sports mad city long behind MLB, NFL and NBA teams, you just tell the commissioner(who you gave a new contract at 7 plus million per) to make it happen and the rules are bent sufficiently to action the command.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/12385124-419/are-the-canadiens-interested-in-blackhawks-coach-joel-quenneville.html
Quenneville would be a dream hire, but I don’t see it happening. I think he’ll stay in Chicago.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
Keeping Quenneville is the smart thing to do and Stan Bowman has proven early and often that the smart thing rarely enters his mind as a possibility.
It’s also a matter of whether or not Quenneville wants to stay and it’s been speculated that his coaching was undermined this season by Bowman.
Advancing in playoffs=Hot and Steady goaltending. Always has been,Always will be. Go Smitty!Go Yotes!
I’m predicting an LA-New Jersey Final, with LA winning.
My predictions for the west were right. I didn’t think St. Louis were as good as they had looked all year; I thought that if the Kings really pressured their defence, there would be mistakes and turnovers, and the Kings would solve either Elliott or Halak. And I thought the trade deadline additions to the Predators might be problematic in terms of team chemistry. But the main reason the Predators lost is that they were not opportunistic enough. They hit two posts last night, as well as missing a few other glorious opportunities.
Phoenix-LA should be a great series. Both teams have outstanding goaltending.
As for the East, the one I was dead wrong about was Philly-N.J. I thought that Philly would handle the Devils easily unless Bryzgalov were awful. But that Devils team is very impressive. They’ll dispatch the Flyers either tonight or next game; and I think they’ll beat either the Rangers or Caps because those two teams will likely wear each other out. That series will almost certainly go seven games, and both teams played a seven-game first series. The winner won’t have much left in the tank for the ECF.
Do you realize it is virtually impossible to ever disagree with you? As usual a very good post.
Thanks! Actually lots of people disagree with me, although no one has ever said anything insulting or abusive, as happens to a lot of posters on this board.
So you don’t feel left out: Bleepity bleep bleep bleep. With extra expletives on that.
Class and kindness is usually reciprocated my friend.
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Which is kind of bizarre since you are one of my staunchest defenders here and lord knows I get people insulting me even when they agree with me.
And always remember, how people judge your posts on an internet forum must be indicitive of how you are in real life. Well at least according to some here.
LA and Rangers final for me. 2 very big markets . Bettman would be so happy.
The Rangers and Caps didn’t look like they had much gas left in the tank last night.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
With Mike Gillis given a contract extension, I can’t see Vigneault being fired by the Canucks.
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Willes+Aquilini+shows+confidence+Gillis+with+contract+extension/6581866/story.html
I wasn’t that excited about Vigneault coaching the Habs in any case.
More desirable than Hartley, Crawford or Therrien, but still not that thrilling a choice.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I don’t want to see a do over with one of our ex coaches, perhaps I could accept Lemaire, but that just re-ignites my fire on the whole Lafleur / Lemaire scenario…
Would like to see Bergevin find a way to pry Quenneville, but that appears to be more pipe dream on my part now it seems.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-08/sports/ct-spt-0508-blackhawks-chicago–20120508_1_gm-bowman-stan-bowman-hawks-senior-adviser
Bummer.
Ferrari with a nice tribute to my favourite driver of all time, Gilles Villeneuve.
http://www.thestar.com/sports/autoracing/article/1174786–ferrari-marks-30th-anniversary-of-gilles-villeneuve-s-death-with-son-jacques-driving-his-old-car
I was hugely disappointed by the Phoenix news.
Nordiques vs Habs rivalry should make for fantastic entertainment.
The good people of the Quebec City region are absolutely nuts about hockey, and they were filling the Collisee to the rafters when the Nordiques were sold.
It was not a lack of fan support, but rather a small building, a lack of corporate support, and a very weak Canadian dollar that sent the Nords packing.
During the rivalry days my bitterness towards Dale Hunter and Michel Bergeron in particular, was off the charts.
We used to call Bergeron the “anti Christ” – and we meant it.
So I say bring em back home!!
Nothing would make me happier than watching Habs vs Nords again!
Isn’t great entertainment the reason we are fans??
It will happen Ed, no question.
The NHL opened that can of worms by bringing a team back to Winnipeg instead of going in a different direction like Kansas City or Seattle.
Now they must go back to Quebec City when an arena and ownership group are solidified.
Peladeau should pay for a Quebec City team out of his own pocket. I’m not interested in subsidizing his empire with citizens’ tax dollars. The government keeps telling us that they’re broke, but somehow have enough money to build an arena.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
I have only one concern about the Nordiques coming back, and that is any potential financial impact on my Habs. I don’t live in Montreal or the province of Quebec, perhaps some of you can provide me the answers to my questions.
But wouldn’t another team in the province take some fans, some corporate support etc…. away from the Habs?
I want the Habs to have every potential competitve advantage possible in order to be a better team. Being able to offer a Dudley more money as an example (I know there is more to it), being able to afford a deep and skilled scouting team, the best medical trainers and staff etc….
I admit, I am selfish, and would rather the Habs be better off financially than have another team in Quebec. If indeed the Nordiques would not have much of an impact, then I am all for another team, I just can’t believe there won’t be a financial impact.
I don’t think financial support is the biggest factor in the Habs icing a good team. It is poor management.
We need the Nordiques! We need a rival to hate, like the B’s. I’m sorry, but I just can’t get the hate on for the Sabres or Sens, like I can for the Nords.
I agree it isn’t the most important, but we are currently a wealthy team with great fan support etc…. I hate to hear one day that scouting is reduced due to financial restraints. Clearly the biggest factor is the Canadian Dollar, if the dollar ever drops again significantly everything is much more difficult.
You’re 100% right Burl.
There won’t be one extra hockey fan in the province of Quebec, and not a single extra RDS subscriber, if the ‘Diques rise from the Phoenix’s ashes.
The pie will be the same size, but it will now be shared.
Add to that that what Bettman and cronies really want is to suckle at the taxpayer’s teat, and it’s a lose/lose proposition for us.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Thanks Paul, your line “The pie will be the same size, but it will now be shared” is exactly the concern I have.
I think adding a team in the GTA market makes more financial sense to the league, as there are many hockey starved fans that just can’t get access to Leaf games without begging or paying a fortune.
I understand the rivalry of the Nordiques, but that was a much less expensive league when the rivalry was at its peak.
There are more than enough fans and corporate sponsorships to go around. Same pie? Hardly. I know many Nordique fans who contribute zilch to the Habs coffers because they absolutely HATE
the Habs.
Many Nordiques fans think of the Canadiens as Quebec’s English team. They’re wrong, the Montreal Canadiens are known and revered internationally.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
The Habs are wealthy enough to have the best management team, scouting team, player development team, etc., in the NHL. They just haven’t done it. For example, as J.T. pointed out in a terrific piece a couple of weeks ago, they have no one at all whose job is player development. They should have a whole team, following each player from the time he’s drafted and providing advice and help along every step of his journey to the NHL.
I’m hoping Marc Bergevin will oversee renewal and rebuilding at every level of the organization. He did say that the Habs were under-staffed, so I’m sure he has ideas about where we need more people. And he said for a start that there would be more scouts in Quebec.
the laffs have the biggest management group and look what they have done..
Habs would lose few fans- Nords fans only watch Habs because of proximity, but they don’t have any passion for the team. Corporate sponsoships? Too many want to be affiliated with the Habs for ownership to lose any sleep over that.
Getting the Nordiques back would be excellent for hockey in La Belle Province.
It’s to my understanding, knowing a lot of people from Quebec City, that the Remparts are a bigger deal than the Habs.
A Quebec team will happen; but it is in the NHL’s best (read: financial) interest to award Quebec City with an expansion team rather than a relocation. Now that the arena is being built…
_______________________________
Opinions are like kittens, I’m giving them away.
Coyotes move to QC was never going to happen!
No arena in place and Peladeau’s slight of hand business dealings will make the only franchise he is granted an expansion team for 300 million plus!
Why because he has the ability to pay and it will demonstrate his desire to be an NHL owner!
Geoff Molson is no ally on the BOG after Peladeau ran the price of the Habs up!
———————————————————————-
What does the Commissioner of the NHL do?
In short, a league commissioner is the action man for the Board of Governors.
They tell him what they want done and he works to make it happen through his subordinates while making sure that individual franchises play by the rules.
******** Translated if you haven’t won the Stanley Cup in 40 years your NHL team is becoming irrelevant in a sports mad city long behind MLB, NFL and NBA teams, you just tell the commissioner(who you gave a new contract at 7 plus million per) to make it happen and the rules are bent sufficiently to action the command.
Why all the dislike or hostility for a Quebec City based team? You rather watch teams like Tampa Bay and Florida and the Coyotes sucking up our fan dollars because they are in hockey markets?
Canada should have 10 teams- this country actually likes hockey from coast to coast, unlike the US, where it is a regional thing.
Far more than fan support goes into deciding where a team is located. Media markets and corporate dollars are the lifeblood of any organization. Exposure and repeat business.
Seattle is a dream for the NHL. Quebec City isn’t short on media exposure so they should also get strong consideration. Toronto is a prime candidate for another team.
Regina? Not so much. Hamilton? Doubtful.
Southern Ontario could easily handle two more teams. Hamilton and London.
tony-mclean.blogspot.com
There is nothing to indicate long term viability for a Hamilton NHL franchise. London has zero media exposure nationally, not gonna happen.
Certainly not ahead of substantially bigger markets.
London has two thirds the population of Winnipeg, and Winnipeg is the smallest market in the NHL.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Glendale is a population of 250,000 and apparantly people struggle to drive from Scottsdale to Glendale
My understanding is that many residents of Phoenix struggle to walk from their house to their car.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
And they have to give tickets away to fill the building.
Before Toronto gets a team (couldn’t help myself) and Seattle -proximity to Vancouver will have the Canucks balking- Quebec should definitely have a team we’d all love to hate. Boston-Montreal is a great rivalry, but it pales besides the Nordiques-Habs rivalry of the recent past.
Seattle is outside the Canucks’ exclusion zone, so they couldn’t object. In fact, they’d probably welcome the regional rival, it would decrease travel for them, for one.
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
Throw in Portland, Oregon while we’re at it. NHL teams up and down the Pacific Coast. Move the Ducks to Seattle or Portland.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
I don’t know if there’s hostility towards a Quebec team, it’s more like we want them back so we can hate ‘em again with a passion.
_______________________________________
Calling it like it is:
Jack Edwards is a clam.
Boston Bruins, gutless diving weasel pukes.
exactly!
Fearless prediction, Phoenix beats Los Angeles in very slushy ice conditions game 7, in the 6thOT period Mike Smith breaks A 0-0 tie with a high flip shot from his crease that Jonathan Quick loses in the sun.
Topps and Upper deck receive request for first box of Hockey cards ever as A Glendale 7/11 jumps on bandwagon.
New York falls apart after taking 2-0 lead in series vs New Jersey, it is believed John Tortorella is whacked by Tony Soprano, New York then Succumbs to intimidation and New jersey win’s in 6
The east does not have a team that can beat L.A or the Yotes.
So the cup goes to the west this year!
Oh I disagree Mr. Cobb.
Phoenix has been a mirror image of what the Habs were two short years ago. I like a Darryl Sutter coached team in the playoffs but the West is by no means unbeatable.
The Rangers have serious depth at every position and the goaltending to get it done. The Devils also have some excellent depth at forward and are playing very close to the level Los Angeles is right now.
Going to be very interesting.
Tom that young finnish player you have been talking about is continuing his hot streak for London. Edit Game winning shot which was tipped last night. My buddy is going to the next game in the series, told him to keep his eye on Tinordi and Maatta for me.
I thought Chris Tierney scored the goal.
Scoring change?
Yes you are correct, sorry Maatta had the big shot which was tipped. nonetheless he continues to soar through these playoffs.
Hey no worries. He assisted on it I believe.
Filing that one.
tony-mclean.blogspot.com
Today we look at Stefan Matteau
http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/05/08/nhl-draft-prospect-profile-33-stefan-matteau/
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
Another prediction bites the dust…
So much for the Nashville-St.Louis WCF I saw in my dollar-store crystal ball.
And NYR-Phi for the other one looks less likely all the time.
What were those ‘stats’ about top teams winning the Cup again?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
It could very well be that this year will be an anomaly. Unless the Rangers take it.
Ahem. The Devils had 45 wins sir!
Ah yes. The 45 wins theory. *one eyebrow raises in Mr. Spockian fashion*
The Devils had 48 wins. They also placed 9th over-all. If LA wins though the exception to the rule will be in full effect.
You can justify the change in production with the coaching change, additions and Jonathan Quick if that happens.
But I doubt it will.
How desperate does Bettman and the league look when they have a media gathering to announce that they might have a deal to maybe keep the Yotes in Glendale?
http://espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/7903207/finish-line-sight-deal-sell-phoenix-coyotes
probably as bad as I would look if I announced I may, possibly get a hole in one while golfing this week.
Mission Accomplished
Seems to me this was more of an infomercial the league was helping produce so Jamison could find some more “sharp investors” or help convince his current investors to pony up some much needed cash.
No Nordiques for Quebec City
GREAT!
Well with the 524 reporters in PHX from TSN/RDS/SNet… they were going to be asked a thousand questions about it everyday, plus the talking heads all speculating about it non-stop, so why not just have a one shot press conference and get it done with?
It’s my understanding the NHL planned on an official press conference and then dumbed it down. This thing is still a long way from done and there are still fleas over the pile of dung that is the Coyotes ownership situation.
Full marks to Tippett, Maloney and the players for playing great in a Coyote Ugly situation.
Makes one wonder whether the games are fixed south of the border…..
I feel bad for Carrie Underwood. Not!
You damn right not feel bad for Mrs. Mike Fisher. She hates Montreal:
http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110107/mtl_underwood_110107/20110107?hub=MontrealHome
She shouldn’t show her sorry ass face again here in this city too.
That would leave a bad taste in my mouth too
_______________________________________
Calling it like it is:
Jack Edwards is a clam.
Boston Bruins, gutless diving weasel pukes.
London Knights defeat Niagara Ice Dogs
http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/juniorhockey/article/1174731–london-knights-beat-niagara-ice-dogs-3-2-lead-ohl-final-2-1
Olli Maatta with another big night in the playoffs for London.
boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. etc…
Washington just blew the series, there’s no recovering from that collapse. The Devils will finish off the Flyer mess tonight. Yep, another NYR-NJ playoff classic is just what we need to spark up these post-1st round playoff blahs.
Nashville was beaten by the Coyotes, not themselves, the PartyBoys weren’t to blame but make excellent scapegoats. In the end, the Preds upset their chemistry with all the deadline moves, the worst being Radulov’s return. I don’t buy any of this Phoenix ownership crap, same old song & dance and soon enough it’ll be back to the limbo it’s been in since 2008, Stanley Cup success or not.
I still like L.A.’s Cup chances the best although Mike Smith is trying his best to outQuick Jonathan Quick (deserving 2012 Vezina winner that nobody knows except me thanks to my hockey pool).
Just sayin’…
_______________________________________
Calling it like it is:
Jack Edwards is a clam.
Boston Bruins, gutless diving weasel pukes.
Ditto – Wash is not going to recover from this.. that win by the Rangers was a last second upper cut that caught the Caps right on the chin. In Game 6 NY will be energized and Wash will still be thinking about the one that got away.
NY & NJ it is… I can’t pick a favorite between the two… Torts is annoying and I can’t help shake the feeling Gainey gave NY this team. Taking Gomez freed up cap space for Richards and handed them a stud defenceman for free… and enough of NJ in the playoffs already.. oh well – I just hope its LA winning it all.
I wonder if that was an honest prediction by Erik Cole, or if he was just saying crap to get rid of some pesky reporter.
————————
“Can we lose the parade float?…..Thank you!”
-This Old House, GMC commercial-
Erik Cole was still disgusted his summer had begun when we scrummed him in the Canadiens’ Brossard dressing room on April 9. TV reporter Yvan Martineau asked him if he had a Stanley Cup favourite and Cole replied with the now-famous Coyotes line. We all figured he was ribbing us. And yet…
Dave Stubbs
Hockey Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
• Email: dstubbs@montrealgazette.com
Thank you for the insight. I don’t know for a fact, but it seems to me that Erik Cole is not very comfortable giving interviews.
————————
“Can we lose the parade float?…..Thank you!”
-This Old House, GMC commercial-
I would say slightly annoyed more than uncomfortable. The man must answer the same questions thousands of times.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Erik can be a terrific interview alone or in very small groups. But I can think of places he’d rather be than in typically zany Montreal scrums. For some players, interviews are a necessary evil; Erik can be one of those guys some days.
Dave Stubbs
Hockey Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
• Email: dstubbs@montrealgazette.com
He’s my Captain.
tony-mclean.blogspot.com
the devils look unbeatable. Everybody on the team is focused. And Brodeur isn’t terribly overworked.
the devils have won the cup 3 times (’95, 2000, and 2003) since our boys did it ONCE back in the stone age of ’93.
Why is this the case?
Is it Brodeur ?
Is it a winning game strategy?
Is it a smart management group?
i think the devils have the smartest management in the league. I remember when everyone (including me) thought Lou L was nuts for paying $10 mil for Kovalchuck. Well, he’s looking pretty smart now, isn’t he ?
Fast easy answer is the habs and devils play similar, the habs dont have enough hard noses to play that style and win it all.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
LA my pick from the beginning to win it all something about the teams with the best goalies at the moment
LA looks so very good in every aspect.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Lou is one of the best general managers in the NHL. Better management = strategic vision = better personnel decisions = better results.
Hopefully, the Canadiens will develop the same best practice.
That deal was negotiated and pushed for entirely by ownership.
Lamoriello is the next closest thing to Sam Pollock.
tony-mclean.blogspot.com
Let Tippet prepare for the Kings…”Phoenix in six”.