Detroit Will Not Win The President's Trophy: The NHL Thread 2007/2008

PS. Hockey fans, I hope you don't mind that I stole the Premiership-style thread title

I have other problems with it unrelated to stealing. :) Shouldn't it be "Buffalo" anyway? They won it last year, and I doubt they're going to be repeating (sorry, Molly).

I believe more than one of those will occur!

Oh, I just wanted to pick on Detroit, sorry :)

(They use "Liverpool Will Not Win The Premiership," but they haven't won it for... 10 years?)

<i>Free agent flops: Jason Blake</i>

so bold!

This is true. No worries, everyone hates my team and it's okay. Makes winning much sweeter.

Looks like former Wing/NMU Wildcat Dallas Drake is coming back to the D.

Also, the season opener is in London? http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=332506

Gomez is my flop pick.

i don't think gomez is going to flop, exactly. but the rangers could have gotten about as much out of nylander for a lot less than $7M a year.

someone should have signed lundquist to an offer sheet and completely fucked the rangers.

wait, i guess that is a flop.

I'm pretty sure that Blake won't score 40 again, but he's a natural 20-25 goal man, and that's what Toronto has been needing for a while on that first line. He and Sunding could make some noise.

Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and Toronto make the playoffs - that's 4.

Harsh

Also from the other thread, Souray gets a bad rap. Yeah -28 is -28, and sure he looks bad in front of Spezza and Patrice Bergeron (not exactly plumbers here either), but he played his heart out, which is not something you can say about every current player in a Habs uniform. And his dumb penalties are mostly as a result of defending his teammates as opposed to a lazy Kovalev hooking call.

So fine, dude's not a complete player. He has a big shot, leadership skills and plays physical, and never gives up. He can't pass or rush, or beat Spezza when the latter is coming down the ice one-on-one (of course, I've got issues with Carbo's lack of adaptability coaching-wise, so I do think that there are times when Habs defensemen get the short end). Montreal's gonna miss him way more than they realize and all this "yeah 26 goals but he's fuckin' -28" talk is just trying to justify the impact of his loss.

Toronto will not make PO's. You fucking regionalists.

Hey dudes. Yeah, Buffalo will not win it again this year, since Briere AND Drury have peaced the hell out. ;_; It's okay, though! I'm used to my teams not winning! It's comfortable and familiar.

I did go to the Predator's rally at the Sommet Center (Formerly GAYLORD Entertainment Complex). The governor showed up. You can see my head in a photo from the Tennessean. Plz to not go to Kansas City.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1414/859644891_1c58cd4dc4.jpg

Related:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2943692

Bettman doesn't want the league to expand in Canada? GET RID OF THE FUCKER

If the Kansas City Wizards' attendance (MLS) is any indication of what 2nd and 3rd tier sports (#1 being the NFL) can bring, it is best to leave the team in Nashville.

/end Nashvillian rant

drury will not be a flop, and i think that was the rangers first smart free-agent signing since they got messier

living in minnesota, the sentiment here is anything less than the conference finals is a dismal failure... but there's no reason they can't pull that off

Where do baseball and basketball fall on that tier list?

I would put them above hockey and MLS, that's for sure. Does KC even have an NBA team?

Nah, the closest is Denver, I think.

I've never been in downtown Hamilton. Does such a thing even exist? I've driven through it hundreds of times. From the QE, it looks like massive sprawl. Keep in mind, I've just been to the IKEA there.

I've driven through downtown Hamilton, such a thing does exist. Mind, it was probably 10 years ago, so things have probably changed. It wasn't your typical city downtown... kind of sprawly, like you said.

I've been sort of out of it lately, but I assume Hamilton was deemed outside the Sabres' and Leafs' jurisdiction, right?

lol @ Rangers and LOL @ Flames, enjoy Mike "embrace change" Keenan

What the fuck is going on in Edmonton? Have they lost their minds? Is Dustin Penner worth $4.5m/y?

url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2950342&campaign=rss&source=NHLHeadlines

hey, he had more than twice as many goals as scott gomez last year

"Toronto will not make PO's. You fucking regionalists."

Jimmy Mod, I usually agree with a lot of what you have to say, but you're wrong here. The Leafs missed the playoffs by 1 point in each of the last two seasons. Any one of a hundred things could have happened in each case which would have let them slip in. Keep in mind as well, that they lost more man games to injury than any other team in the league. With the addition of Blake and Toskala, they are arguably a better team than they were in April. Nobody else in the division has improved that much over the summer, and Buffalo has definitely been weakened.

I have no idea how they will do once they're in, but they will make the playoffs this year.

WOOHOO.

PREDS, PLZ TO NOT LEAVE

A team in Nashville still makes no sense. It's not a part of the culture, and there's very little grassroots interest. What is the league's obsession with trying to force the game on cities that just don't care while Winnipeg, Hamilton and Halifax would love nothing more than to have a team?

I beg to differ with you, j-rock. A team in Nashville does make sense. It's a rapidly growing city, with plenty of transplants, especially from Detroit, due to our almost-sizable car industry here (Nissan and Saturn). Sure, it's not an inherent part of the culture. If we follow your "Sunbelt sucks" mentality, what's that doing for the sport in general? What's wrong with getting a city involved, that has far more people in that Winnipeg, Hamilton and Halifax, possibly combined?

As for the fan base, I can tell you, as being a Nashville resident (and transplant from the rust belt), that your comment about "very little grassroots interest" is uninformed, and essentially untrue. We're not Toronto, nor are we the Islanders. We may never be. But I can assure you, there is a strong interest here, which can be seen by the 7,000+ people that came out to the "Save The Preds" rally, which I also attended. Also, a town about 45 minutes outside of Nashville has been churning out some great hockey players as of late (one just got drafted, but I can't remember to whom), so please don't give me the "there's no interest" line. No, we're never going to be Buffalo, in terms of hockey support, but believe you me, we do deserve a team.

If you're going on attendance, why don't the Islanders move? Oh wait, is that because they're in a region that deserves a hockey?

Blake Geoffrion, the grandson of "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, and great-grandson of Howie Morenz. And there are three more Nashville players who will likely be going in the next couple entry drafts.

J-Rock, I appreciate that you want more hockey in Canada, but you don't know what you're talking about wrt Nashville.

Victoria Blackhawks

Regina Islanders

Chilliwack Capitals

I think it sucks that Phoenix and Colorado took beloved Canadian teams, even if they were money-losers. I think it sucks that the Whale moved to Carolina. Note, however, that the Predators were an expansion team, were run very smartly and built a team with good player development. They're as organic an entity as any other. Go lurk around some other team, you vulture.

"If you're going on attendance, why don't the Islanders move? Oh wait, is that because they're in a region that deserves a hockey?"

You'll never find me defending the Islanders' right to exist. The New York market is pretty saturated and losing the Isles would hardly be the end of the world. My point is that a team as good as Nashville shouldn't have attendance figures in the bottom third of the league. That's just ridiculous. It's like when Tampa Bay went all the way a few years ago, ARENA FOOTBALL got higher TV ratings than the Stanley Cup finals. Kids in Nashville don't wake up Saturday mornings, strap on the pads and play street hockey until it's time to go to their real game later, come home eat lunch, and go back outside until it's time to watch their team play on TV at 7pm. It just doesn't matter. The Preds are just marking time.

All regions deserve a hockey!

That's right. Just close off hockey to those who aren't fortunate to live in an area with a long standing hockey history.

This mentality is what is putting hockey ratings in the shitter.

Kids in Nashville don't wake up Saturday mornings, strap on the pads and play street hockey until it's time to go to their real game later, come home eat lunch, and go back outside until it's time to watch their team play on TV at 7pm.

Can you speak for the kids in Nashville?

J-rock, the NHL has enormous problems staying afloat, and Nashville is not even close to the worst of its problems. Chicago and Boston, original six teams, are enormous money losers. The television revenue, which, like it or not, relies on US audiences, is a disaster. Older local television contracts are expiring, and some teams that are barely surviving are going to be way in the red. For God's sake, MLS outdraws the NHL in TV ratings by a fur piece.

Yet a market with one of the largest season ticket bases in the league, with great demographics, lots of transplants from established hockey towns, and one that has had the NHL for less than a decade, is in your sights? What's the matter with you? Did you lose your season ticket deposit for the Hamilton Predators in Balsillie's absurd scam?

Are you really cheering for the NHL to FAIL? Little Canada, indeed.

Root for expansion. Promotion and relegation, if need be. Cheering for the NHL to fail to gratify some ill-informed romantic ideal you harbor of kids on iced-over ponds puts you in as low a place as the guys who bought the Nords from Marcel Aubut.

"The Preds are just marking time."

I love this part. Say hello to our new local owners.

Chicago and Boston are losing money because they're poorly managed, and their teams suck. The Preds were among the top teams in the league last year, so why can't they draw more than 14 000 fans a game? They've also lost $27 million since the lockout, and $70 million since they started up. It's fair to say that Bettman's experiment hasn't been a massive success to date

I'm well aware that the league has much bigger problems than the Nashville Predators. They are not "in my sights". I just think that a first place team should be able to fill their own building, and if not, then maybe it points to some deeper issues. That's all. Hamilton would sell-out Copps Coliseum every night. Every night.

Furthermore, I am not cheering for the NHL to fail, the league seems intent on doing that all by themselves.

You're correct in that I can't speak for the children of Nashville, but I bet I'm right.

The television revenue, which, like it or not, relies on US audiences, is a disaster.

well maybe no longer praying for u.s. television markets to some day come around might be a smart idea!

What's the matter with you? Did you lose your season ticket deposit for the Hamilton Predators in Balsillie's absurd scam?

ya j-rock! how could you not see this was clearly a scam. YOU FOOL! Not only is Jim Balsillie not actually Canadian - he's not even human. He travels the universe duping unsuspecting sports fans with "failed" team franchise bids. living off the money left behind by people who can't be bothered to have ticketmaster give them their money back omg i cannot believe you fell for it!

Are you really cheering for the NHL to FAIL?

because failure in a buncha US markets = GLOBAL FAILURE - no more nhl in canada evah! ha ha - that is so ridiculous!

Little Canada, indeed.

WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN?

Root for expansion. Promotion and relegation, if need be. Cheering for the NHL to fail to gratify some ill-informed romantic ideal you harbor of kids on iced-over ponds puts you in as low a place as the guys who bought the Nords from Marcel Aubut.

again. having a team or two fail in a few cities /= deal to nhl! i think it's safe to say the recent expansion experiment with the nhl has not been the smashing success some had hoped and i fail to see how, in any way, more expansion will help. i'm honestly interested to hear your theory on how this will help things.

i'm glad you guys like the preds and all but there's a shitload of people here that were ecstatic at the idea of having a team for the rest of ontario.

I'm a Leafs fan and I think that a team in Hamilton would be a great thing.

I'm almost ready to buy partial-season Blackhawks tickets. This would, of course, make me a bit of a pariah among real Hawks fans. People really hate the current management, but I just want to see some games.

Relegation would be a novel tactic, however. Bring on the AHL teams!

well maybe no longer praying for u.s. television markets to some day come around might be a smart idea!

HOCKEY, NOT JUST A CANADIAN GAME. NEWS AT TEN. Do you actually think the league would survive without its US teams and money from US markets?

Dudes, The Preds are a year old team. Cut them some fucking slack, for chrissake. I know they're not your revered Leafs, with their hallowed history. Stop being such fucking elitists.

i'm glad you guys like the preds and all but there's a shitload of people here that were ecstatic at the idea of having a team for the rest of ontario.

Thanks, but don't be vultures and take our team. Christ, they're just my *adopted* team and it took me a while to warm up to them, but after going to a few Preds games, and seeing the screaming fans, and being surrounded by that awesome hockey environment while watching a good game, well, that's what it's all about, isn't it? So in short, there is support here. I know it's not in Halifax, gents, or Hamilton, but as hockey grows IN THE SOUTH (THE HORRORS), it will continue to be absorbed by our booming population.

The Preds are aTEN year old team

oops. not enough coffee.

"The Preds were among the top teams in the league last year, so why can't they draw more than 14 000 fans a game?"

When they were the worst team in the league, they drew 13000 fans.

A Carolina-style playoff run would have done wonders for the final crowd numbers (all playoff games were sold out, though we did get tickets in the rafters), but alas it was not to be. Another early collapse. Now the Predators' roster has been gutted, but season ticket sales are better than they were last year. The trend line is solid.

Of course, Carolina was a relocation, and had an established roster and good players coming up through their system. San Jose, another Sun Belt success, is eight years older than the Preds, but started making money in the last five years.

The Predators are doing just fine, making great inroads into a market where hockey has been on the fringes (despite the Dixie Flyers, who had Marv Edwards in goal and Ted McCaskill scoring goals; the South Stars; the Knights, etc.). It'll take a while, and they'll lose money, but they'll ultimately do fine. Nashville's a fairly big city, and while the Titans could probably sell out a stadium twice as big as LP Field, there's plenty of room for the Preds.

As for Balsillie: he could have bought the team. He wanted impossible assurances from Bettman-- that he could relocate the Predators in violation of their lease and their other agreements with Metro government. The ticket deposit was a particularly clumsy attempt to muscle the league.

And about more teams: of course I think the NHL should expand to Canada, and moreover, I'd love to see NHL1 and NHL2, with, say, 20 teams each and promotion and relegation, and four playoff teams, instead of the "everyone's a winner" 16 team Stanley Cup playoffs. But leave my team alone.

Doesn't really matter how many more Canadian teams are added, CBC will still force Leafs games on us most Saturday nights.

This continues to amaze me, though it probably shouldn't:

The six Canadian teams -- Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver -- currently generate one-third of the 30-team league's revenues.

<i>HOCKEY, NOT JUST A CANADIAN GAME. NEWS AT TEN. Do you actually think the league would survive without its US teams and money from US markets?</i>

The Leafs and the Habs would, and in the end that's all that matters.

Do, I forgot,

ILX 2.0

Um, Go Leafs Go?!?!

Kronwall to teammates: "MY BAD YO"

Oh thanks Will. I can see see how Chiller font would be pretty effin' scary.

They will win. I'm going to make sure of that.

She's going to make sure of that.

fuck a 6 AM call time :-\

JESUS the last 6 min of the 2nd O_O

Was it Malone who took the puck to the face? Ow.

Yeah "Ow" isn't enough.

WOOOO NICE ONE STEVE TALBOT

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

the crowd singing Don't Stop Believin' a capella made the song not gay again, however.

JtM what's yr day job - you got van call in the morning or what?

yeah basically. :(

omg O_O

i should be asleep right now

are you driving tomorrow y/n I don't want to read abt Jimmy the Mod's tragic demise

i wonder if Fleury is like "a little help here?!?" in the locker room.

not driving. interviewing k1551ng3r

oh man no sweat! you know that dude is glued to the set right now

bnw otm btw. "you guys see those things Detroit's taking? they're called shots on goal."

i blame felicity's niece

Christ.

holy shit right

I like all the bandwagoners in this thread.

nothing new about my hatred for the red wings

xpost yeah it's totally weird how people get more excited during that finals that the reg season, who'd've thunk it

lol that was some messier shit

w0000000000000000000000000000000000000000t

sigh

i was honestly thinking "how have they (da wings) not won yet" for the whole 3rd ot.

I mean, it was one of the best games I've seen in 22 years of watching the Wings but still... sigh.

xp yeah that was me in the first

wau called shot is beyond messier.

Great game. Getting three hours of sleep after watching both the Red Wings and the Tigers lose by one: not so great.

It is obvious I just started paying attention to hockey last night because that was when I first posted on this message board in this thread.

best game I've watched since that multi-OT Flyers/Penguins game in I think '02

2000, you old coot

guys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW8o65kzVdw

bettman has parkinsons' or MS or something.

Oh and congratulations to Detroit -- that team is fantastic. And the last 20 seconds of the season were like o_o

well

bummed, obviously, but i think the better team won. proud of the pens for fighting back time after time. imagine if that hossa tip had gone in only to be ruled after the horn? anyway, congrats dan m. + wings fans

also, everyone needs to check that youtube link ^^^^

I never doubted them for a second tonight until Datsyuk lost the puck at center ice right at the end. Then my dad called me and said "it's like it's a movie".

I hope I would be able to say this even if the Wings hadn't won, but this final restored some of my faith in the playoffs after what seemed like a few years of lopsided or lame matchups. Two top teams from good hockey cities was really cool, and tons of credit is due to the Penguins for sure.

That song is awesome, who says Detroit's music scene is all garage rock, techno, and ICP?

Also Osgood's interview (on NBC) was incredibly heartfelt and kind of awkward.

i think datsyuk got tripped on that play, but hey who's counting

thank god, at least, that the cup is finally out of the fuckin sunbelt

happy for Dallas Drake, that's about it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEoU8GdSisg&feature=related

It's not too hard to imagine Mickey Redmond choking a dude out in this situation.

what am i supposed to do in the evenings now

lol my parents asked the same question. I told them to watch Euro 2008 and/or MLS.

Good news for Sens fans... Redden's done in Ottawa. Huzzah!

Is there an off season thread yet?

Dont think so, last year the offseason stuff ended the thread, and once it was in "preview next year" mode we sarted a new thread.

tanguay to mtl
jokkinen from florida to phoenix (who cares)
umberger to columbus

as stanley cup champion, dan m should start a new thread

Jimmy Mod took care of it already

YOUR NHL 2008-2009 THREAD (INCLUDING DETROIT CUP HANGOVER OFFSEASON SHENANIGANS. HOCKEY IS THE BEST)