Hockey Strike

[Guest]

What do you fellas think of this hockey strike?

I gotta side with the owners on this one. Player salaries in hockey are out of control, teams are going bankrupt. Somethings wrong when hockey players are making more then NFL players.

Players made a big mistake not agreeing to the 42.5 million dollar cap, next time around the best deal they'll get is a 39 million dollar cap. Owners have nothing to lose, some teams would actually be losing more money if they were playing. NHL isn't getting any money from TV revenues. NBC isn't paying the NHL to televise there games this year. Players need to realize, if theres no TV revenue, then theres really no money....

NHL needs to change alot of things to become more appealing. They should switch to olympic rules, make the rink bigger (they won't, because rows of seats would have to be removed, which would mean losing money). Getting rid of a few teams wouldn't hurt either. League is a little watered down.

 

[Irishjohn]

Olympic rules sound good. As far as I am concerned they should just say screw you to the existing hockey players, let them go to Europe. Start off with the next generation of players and basically start a new league. NHL is too damned expensive to go to. I'd much rather go to a minor league game and its a bargain to go to them.

 

[Rip Rap]

I would rather college games be televised. It would also be nice if college hockey games were played on Thursday nights, since Friday classes are apparently a thing of the past.

I like the relative purity of college hockey, and have been to both of the last two Frozen Four competitions in Minneapolis and Boston. That the tournament can happen in the course of a week is rather enjoyable when compared to the NHL tournament (which is laborious if you don't care for the teams involved, like Florida or Anaheim...). Unfortunately, I think I will miss this year's tournament.

 

[Guest]

The owners say there will be a season next year, even if its with replacement players

 

[guff]

It's over - it will probably be a sham of a season but atleast the they'll drop the puck
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1994750

 

[Guest]

Thats great news, although why are the owners agreeing to a 45 million dollar cap, if they wait the season out, they'll have the players at a 39 million cap.

 

[the_voidoid]

Thats great news, although why are the owners agreeing to a 45 million dollar cap, if they wait the season out, they'll have the players at a 39 million cap.

the owners have to stick to their guns if the league is going to survive, even though they brought about these problems themselves with the bloated contracts they've been doling out... the players make WAY TOO MUCH money in comparison to league revenues, and they need to take their pay cuts and accept the cap and deal with the fact that they won't make as much money as baseball or basketball players.

i don't like the idea of rules changes, either... i like the smaller rink, i like the races to ice the puck, and if they call the interference penalties as liberally as they should the scoring will increase.

furthermore, the current NHL playoff format should stick. it is a long process, but basketball's takes several weeks longer (those ladies need 2 days off between games), and winning the stanley cup, the greatest trophy in all of sports, should be one of the most difficult, grueling tasks imaginable.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Being from Canada, I'll tell you we need Hockey back in some form this season. Many people from up here including myself wouldn't accept replacement players. I agree the players do make abit too much and some rules should be changed. Not a larger ice surface but rather no 2-Line Off side, no tag-up icing, restrictions on the monsterous goalie equipment and a shootout after the overtime in REGULAR season games.

Its nice to hear some intelligent talk about the situation from Americans like you guys rather than the crap I hear most of the time like " who cares about hockey!? AFL and Nascar rules!"

 

[Irish Envy]

Who cares about hockey? AFL and Nascar rules!

 

[NDLyght37]

Are there that many arena football fans besides myself? (Hunkie Cooper > You)

As far as hockey goes...all sides are at fault. If/when the NHL comes back, 6 teams should be contracted (just have four 6-team divisions). The game should be opened up more like Olympic-style hockey. Keep the playoffs as they are now. And Bettman & Goodnough should be canned. Hire Wayne Gretsky or Mario Lemieux as Commissioner and really market the sport.

 

[Guest]

the owners love Bettman....Goodnough is done, players are already questioning him why didn't he just make this deal earlier.

 

[the_voidoid]

the owners love Bettman....Goodnough is done, players are already questioning him why didn't he just make this deal earlier.

bob goodenow is a pompous ass.

luckotheirish - where are you from in canada? i'm a big leafs fan, since they're the team i always used in NHL 94 on sega genesis... coming from southern california, you have to start somewhere, and it was certainly NOT going to be the kings, sharks, or (god forbid) the mighty ducks of anaheim. that leafs team with gilmour, potvin, wendel clark, etc were a great bunch...

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

bob goodenow is a pompous ass.

luckotheirish - where are you from in canada? i'm a big leafs fan, since they're the team i always used in NHL 94 on sega genesis... coming from southern california, you have to start somewhere, and it was certainly NOT going to be the kings, sharks, or (god forbid) the mighty ducks of anaheim. that leafs team with gilmour, potvin, wendel clark, etc were a great bunch...

I live an hour away from Toronto, right in Leaf country. Im a Canucks fan though. Yeah, the League probably did expand a little too quickly, Do we really need 3 Teams from California?

NHL 94 kicked ass but not as much as Blades of Steel for Nintendo

 

[jiggafini19]

Who cares about hockey? AFL and Nascar rules!

I have to agree. I can only get into the NHL come playoff time. Even then I usually wait until the last four teams are left. Plus, living in Chicago, we don't have much of a team that allows the casual fan to get interested. The Blackhawks also have the worst owner in hockey and one of the worst in sports period for that matter. He's alienated everyone to the point that even the die hard Hawk fans in Chicago are staying away.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

the owners love Bettman....Goodnough is done, players are already questioning him why didn't he just make this deal earlier.

Nobody loves Gary Bettman...not even his mother.

I dont understand how someone can find a car driving around in a circle 500 times entertaining? but maybe thats just me?

 

[the_voidoid]

NHL 94 kicked ass but not as much as Blades of Steel for Nintendo

blades of steel was incredible, especially the fighting - the loser went to the box, and the winner stayed on the ice!

and i agree that there should be contraction, especially in california and the south. get rid of the ducks, sharks, coyotes, panthers, hurricanes, and thrashers. hockey in phoenix? seriously?

 

[irishtexan]

afl is great. saw a game for the first time live and i am hooked. i plan on going to a few more home games here in austin.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

afl is great. saw a game for the first time live and i am hooked. i plan on going to a few more home games here in austin.

yeah its allright, I get my football fix from the NFL and the NCAA

 

[NDLyght37]

hockey in phoenix? seriously?

On face-value I would tend to agree, but anything Gretzky touches turns to gold. I wouldn't be surprised if they turned into the new LA Kings (in the way that the Kings re-energized US hockey for that 4-5 year stretch).

 

[the_voidoid]

On face-value I would tend to agree, but anything Gretzky touches turns to gold. I wouldn't be surprised if they turned into the new LA Kings (in the way that the Kings re-energized US hockey for that 4-5 year stretch).

i don't know, you're talking about the guy signed brett hull and mike ricci this offseason. i realize hull scored that "goal" that "won" the stanley cup for dallas, but he couldn't lift the cup on a stacked detroit team and he'll turn 41 this summer. and ricci?? sweet mercy. gretzky was the finest player ever, but i'm withholding judgement on his abilities as an administrator until i see some results.

 

[Aerosmith777]

i don't know, you're talking about the guy signed brett hull and mike ricci this offseason. i realize hull scored that "goal" that "won" the stanley cup for dallas, but he couldn't lift the cup on a stacked detroit team and he'll turn 41 this summer. and ricci?? sweet mercy. gretzky was the finest player ever, but i'm withholding judgement on his abilities as an administrator until i see some results.

At the moment I see Gretzky to hockey as what Jordan was to basketball. Great player, greatest ever, but he has yet to show me any ability in the front office.

And to be honest, I kind of laugh at seeing the guy who once called my Devils a "Mickey Mouse organization" consistently fail to put a serious cup contender on the ice.

 

[NDLyght37]

i don't know, you're talking about the guy signed brett hull and mike ricci this offseason. i realize hull scored that "goal" that "won" the stanley cup for dallas, but he couldn't lift the cup on a stacked detroit team and he'll turn 41 this summer. and ricci?? sweet mercy. gretzky was the finest player ever, but i'm withholding judgement on his abilities as an administrator until i see some results.

True, but I think Hull has value off the ice that exceeds his on-ice worth. he's one of the few NHL players that non-hockey fans would recognize (he was recently on SNL), he's a great interview, and he still has "star power". Ricci is a less understandable move, unless he's playing the "veteran leadership" card.

As for the Gretzky/Jordan comparrison, I think that Jordan really hasn't gotten a realistic shot at running a team yet. He basically made the Wizards relevant again, but Polin was not going to share the power with MJ. I think Gretzky's being allowed to actually run things in Pheonix, and I think eventually we'll see the results.

 

[Rip Rap]

True, but I think Hull has value off the ice that exceeds his on-ice worth. he's one of the few NHL players that non-hockey fans would recognize (he was recently on SNL), he's a great interview, and he still has "star power". Ricci is a less understandable move, unless he's playing the "veteran leadership" card.

Hull is an arrogant loud-mouth. Nobody is as good for hockey as a grinning Mark Messier.

 

[NDLyght37]

Hull is an arrogant loud-mouth.

True, but he's like the Charles Barkley of the NHL. And he's still capable of generating money & fan interest, even though his skills have diminished.

 

[the_voidoid]

True, but I think Hull has value off the ice that exceeds his on-ice worth.

hull has zero value off the ice. he's self-centered to the point that he's actually referred to himself as the best player in hockey, which he has NEVER been, and it's even less true now that he's an old fart. he needs to shut the hell up and retire before he makes comments that'll get him run out of phoenix.

 

[the_voidoid]

Hull is an arrogant loud-mouth. Nobody is as good for hockey as a grinning Mark Messier.

i agree, a grinning mark messier is great for hockey. and, as a leafs follower, i think tie domi pulling a fan into the penalty box and pummeling him is also great for hockey.

 

[Aerosmith777]

i agree, a grinning mark messier is great for hockey. and, as a leafs follower, i think tie domi pulling a fan into the penalty box and pummeling him is also great for hockey.

I friggin hate that loser Tie Domi. I would love hockey to come back just so I can see that guy get layed out by Scott Stevens one time before he retires.