Author Topic: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice  (Read 93574 times)

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Online mikeyd23

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #245 on: January 23, 2018, 12:09:48 PM »
^ add Colorado and Montreal/Ottawa to that list of 'surprises'.  Philly too.... considering they went winless in 10 games back in Nov/Dec.

Yup! No doubt, there are honestly a ton of surprises, I just typed the ones that came to mind right away.

The Oil this year are like the Avs from the first 2 seasons under Roy. They went from near last to a playoff team back to near last over 3 seasons. At first I was hoping they were just slow to start, but as the season has gone on it's been clear that they just don't have the horses this year. Also, Talbot is playing like Talbot from year 1, which is to say poorly.

This is all of Pittsburgh right now. The Pens had a crazy difficult schedule for the first 6 weeks of the season, so everyone just wrote it off as a slow start and have been waiting for the team to go on a run. In all honestly, I don't know if there is enough fuel in the tank of this team to put together a run. It's a combination of a LOT of factors that I could write about till the season ends, but in short, where they stand today I give the 2 time, back to back, defending champs (who I have loved since I was young) a 50/50 shot to even make the playoffs. Weird season.

Offline pg1067

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #246 on: January 23, 2018, 12:24:00 PM »
I'll generally watch other games when I can, but haven't much this year and regret that I actually haven't seen the Knights play at all this year so far. That said we do have tickets for when they come to Philly in March.

Are y'all in Philly hearing talk of a Wayne Simmonds for Tanner Pearson trade between the Flyers and Kings?  A fairly well-connected blogger for the Kings posted about the possibility a couple days ago, and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Simmonds is the one guy that the Kings have let go in the past 5-10 whom I really miss, but the trade paved the way for the Kings to win their first Cup.  He's better now and in the prime of his career, so I'd love to have him back, but I'm not sure giving up Pearson is a great thing.
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Offline Nick

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #247 on: January 23, 2018, 12:32:34 PM »
I'll generally watch other games when I can, but haven't much this year and regret that I actually haven't seen the Knights play at all this year so far. That said we do have tickets for when they come to Philly in March.

Are y'all in Philly hearing talk of a Wayne Simmonds for Tanner Pearson trade between the Flyers and Kings?  A fairly well-connected blogger for the Kings posted about the possibility a couple days ago, and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Simmonds is the one guy that the Kings have let go in the past 5-10 whom I really miss, but the trade paved the way for the Kings to win their first Cup.  He's better now and in the prime of his career, so I'd love to have him back, but I'm not sure giving up Pearson is a great thing.

I haven't heard about it, but I would be open to that trade. Simmonds is a physical net front presence, but a smaller person for that role. While he has excelled in that capacity and especially on the power play I don't find him to be a driving presence at 5v5 and he is not overly great defensively either. Considering his age and the way he has played his game he'll be commanding way too much after next season when it comes time for a new contract. I see a sharp decline for him at some point, and while I think he will rebound from this poor season a bit, we could already be seeing it.

I'll happily chip in Lehtera is that helps at all. :p

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Offline TAC

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #248 on: January 23, 2018, 01:19:27 PM »
We’ll take Simmonds!!
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Online SchecterShredder

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #249 on: January 23, 2018, 02:11:34 PM »
^ add Colorado and Montreal/Ottawa to that list of 'surprises'.  Philly too.... considering they went winless in 10 games back in Nov/Dec.

Yup! No doubt, there are honestly a ton of surprises, I just typed the ones that came to mind right away.

The Oil this year are like the Avs from the first 2 seasons under Roy. They went from near last to a playoff team back to near last over 3 seasons. At first I was hoping they were just slow to start, but as the season has gone on it's been clear that they just don't have the horses this year. Also, Talbot is playing like Talbot from year 1, which is to say poorly.

This is all of Pittsburgh right now. The Pens had a crazy difficult schedule for the first 6 weeks of the season, so everyone just wrote it off as a slow start and have been waiting for the team to go on a run. In all honestly, I don't know if there is enough fuel in the tank of this team to put together a run. It's a combination of a LOT of factors that I could write about till the season ends, but in short, where they stand today I give the 2 time, back to back, defending champs (who I have loved since I was young) a 50/50 shot to even make the playoffs. Weird season.

At least the Pens have an excuse. They barely turned over their roster during the off season, so those guys have played a lot of puck the past 2 seasons.

Online mikeyd23

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #250 on: January 23, 2018, 02:39:00 PM »
At least the Pens have an excuse. They barely turned over their roster during the off season, so those guys have played a lot of puck the past 2 seasons.

I hate to make excuses for teams I root for, but, yeah. There are several specific examples of simple fatigue showing itself, especially with our core players. The amount of hockey those guys have played over the last 2+ years is insane, two Stanley Cup runs plus the World Cup of Hockey.

That said, there are several more practical reasons they are not as good this year. Role players are not playing as well as role players did the last two years. The young call ups aren't contributing as much as our call ups have the last couple years. The goal tending has not been great, it mostly had been over the last few years, etc...etc...

Offline gmillerdrake

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #251 on: January 23, 2018, 03:34:47 PM »

I'll happily chip in Lehtera is that helps at all. :p

I’m still baffled and utterly delighted that the Blues found a team to take him AND give us a player who has fit in well.
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Offline Nick

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #252 on: January 23, 2018, 04:11:37 PM »
We’ll take Simmonds!!

Yeah, everyone would for free, you offering up something better than Tanner Pearson?
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #253 on: January 23, 2018, 04:54:20 PM »


It'll be another solid swift kick in the nuts to Blues fans as yet another expansion team wins a Cup before they do.

My hockey balls feel no pain anymore. Too many swift kicks have numbed them.

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #254 on: January 23, 2018, 07:24:28 PM »
We’ll take Simmonds!!

Yeah, everyone would for free, you offering up something better than Tanner Pearson?

would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #255 on: January 25, 2018, 08:51:20 AM »
Leafs nearly got hosed last night.

On Monday (vs the Avalanche), Matthews had a goal called back after review because he impeded the goaltender's stick while (mildly) in the crease.  Now, there was about a 4% chance that a save could've been made without the interference, but by the letter of the rule, it was interference.  Bummer call, but it is what it is.  Goal was initially allowed, then called back.

Last night... Chicago has a virtually identical play... Hawks player has his foot fully in the crease, and while Andersen is sprawled out reaching to make a save, the Hawks player is 100% impeding Andersen's ability to use his stick.  Again, very small chance he would've been able to make the save, but it was upheld on review.

I don't believe I'm being a homer here, the plays were far too similar - player impedes goalie's stick; wouldn't have made a difference to their ability to make the save - one is a good goal; one is called back.  I'm also not calling 'conspiracy', just 'inconsistency'.

Thankfully, they got the win in OT, but a regular time victory would've been nicer - the Leafs haven't had one of those in over a month.

Also... I hate it when sportscasters call out some statistical streak, because invariably it's a jinx.  Last night, it's highlighted that Chicago is 0-32 on the PP at home over their last 10 home games.  Not 30 seconds later what happens.... Chicago goes up 1-0 with a PPG.  :zeltar:  This happens so often.  I remember an NFL game, and Jim Nance announces that the FG kicker has hit 49 straight FGs under 30 yards (or something like that).  What happens... SHANK!
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Offline Nick

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #256 on: January 25, 2018, 09:00:58 AM »
Leafs nearly got hosed last night.

On Monday (vs the Avalanche), Matthews had a goal called back after review because he impeded the goaltender's stick while (mildly) in the crease.  Now, there was about a 4% chance that a save could've been made without the interference, but by the letter of the rule, it was interference.  Bummer call, but it is what it is.  Goal was initially allowed, then called back.

Last night... Chicago has a virtually identical play... Hawks player has his foot fully in the crease, and while Andersen is sprawled out reaching to make a save, the Hawks player is 100% impeding Andersen's ability to use his stick.  Again, very small chance he would've been able to make the save, but it was upheld on review.

I don't believe I'm being a homer here, the plays were far too similar - player impedes goalie's stick; wouldn't have made a difference to their ability to make the save - one is a good goal; one is called back.  I'm also not calling 'conspiracy', just 'inconsistency'.

Thankfully, they got the win in OT, but a regular time victory would've been nicer - the Leafs haven't had one of those in over a month.

Also... I hate it when sportscasters call out some statistical streak, because invariably it's a jinx.  Last night, it's highlighted that Chicago is 0-32 on the PP at home over their last 10 home games.  Not 30 seconds later what happens.... Chicago goes up 1-0 with a PPG.  :zeltar:  This happens so often.  I remember an NFL game, and Jim Nance announces that the FG kicker has hit 49 straight FGs under 30 yards (or something like that).  What happens... SHANK!

Yet another clear indicator that this league is fixed for the Patriots.
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Offline gmillerdrake

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #257 on: January 25, 2018, 09:12:28 AM »
I'm also not calling 'conspiracy', just 'inconsistency'.

This is my issue. When Refs allow everything and the kitchen sink to be done in after play scrums or what not for two periods but then end up calling your team for something that was far less worse than was going on for 40 minutes thus far, or not call an obvious hook or interference on one end of the ice but then three minutes later call it??

I get these guys are human and they won't see everything and what not....but there are countless times where the inconsistency places 'your' team in a bad spot or maybe even causes a loss. I'm looking at you Game Three of the Blues/Preds in last years playoffs. A loss for the Blues directly influenced by horrid...inconsistent officiating that changed the tide of the series.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #258 on: January 25, 2018, 01:44:29 PM »
What's the deal with Jake Allen lately? Seems like he barely starts anymore, which is not helpful for my fantasy team :lol
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #259 on: January 25, 2018, 01:59:06 PM »
What's the deal with Jake Allen lately? Seems like he barely starts anymore, which is not helpful for my fantasy team :lol

The team went through a patch where their D sucked and we weren’t scoring and he was like 1-7. No offensive support. He took it hard and head cased out to where he couldn’t stop a beach ball.....Hutton got some starts and has been really good. Allen will be fine but Hutton is playing so well you can’t take the guy out.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #260 on: January 25, 2018, 02:17:45 PM »
Leafs nearly got hosed last night.

On Monday (vs the Avalanche), Matthews had a goal called back after review because he impeded the goaltender's stick while (mildly) in the crease.  Now, there was about a 4% chance that a save could've been made without the interference, but by the letter of the rule, it was interference.  Bummer call, but it is what it is.  Goal was initially allowed, then called back.

Last night... Chicago has a virtually identical play... Hawks player has his foot fully in the crease, and while Andersen is sprawled out reaching to make a save, the Hawks player is 100% impeding Andersen's ability to use his stick.  Again, very small chance he would've been able to make the save, but it was upheld on review.

I don't believe I'm being a homer here, the plays were far too similar - player impedes goalie's stick; wouldn't have made a difference to their ability to make the save - one is a good goal; one is called back.  I'm also not calling 'conspiracy', just 'inconsistency'.

Thankfully, they got the win in OT, but a regular time victory would've been nicer - the Leafs haven't had one of those in over a month.

Also... I hate it when sportscasters call out some statistical streak, because invariably it's a jinx.  Last night, it's highlighted that Chicago is 0-32 on the PP at home over their last 10 home games.  Not 30 seconds later what happens.... Chicago goes up 1-0 with a PPG.  :zeltar:  This happens so often.  I remember an NFL game, and Jim Nance announces that the FG kicker has hit 49 straight FGs under 30 yards (or something like that).  What happens... SHANK!

Yet another clear indicator that this league is fixed for the Patriots.

That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
I fear for the day when something happens on the right that is SO nuts that even Stadler says "That's crazy".
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #261 on: January 26, 2018, 04:00:05 PM »
 :lol

No comment.
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Offline pg1067

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #262 on: January 29, 2018, 12:21:34 PM »
I have to hand it to the NHL for its All-Star weekend.  REALLY entertaining.

For starters, I love how much screen time they gave to the women's Olympic hockey team.  The tournament starting in a couple weeks should be very good, and I hope the U.S. can pull out a gold medal over Canada.  Also, Hilary Knight is not only a badass hockey player, but also my not-so-secret crush (notwithstanding that she was born 4 years after I graduated high school).

The skills competition is just plain fun.  MLB has home run derby, which just gets boring after a while because it's the same thing over and over and over for 8 hours or however long it is.  The NBA has the slam dunk competition, which is just silly nowadays and doesn't attract top players anymore, and the 3-point competition, which is ok, but only really interesting if you're rooting for one of the competitors or someone is knocking down nearly every shot.  And I don't even know what the NFL does for a skills competition.  The NHL has a little bit of everything.  Like fast skaters?  Got it.  Like 100+ mph slap shots?  Got it.  Like one-on-one skaters against goalies?  Got it.  And about six other events.  Watching those guys putting pucks into tiny little nets and hitting targets from 50 feet is pretty amazing.

But the game itself is where the NHL really deserves credit.  Up until a couple years ago, the game wasn't much better than the NFL Pro Bowl.  Of course, it's understandable.  You can't really play a legitimate all star hockey or football game under normal rules.  You COULD play a legit all star basketball game, but the players simply refuse to play anything resembling defense.  That's why the MLB always has had the best all star game -- especially back before interleague play and the players really cared about winning and losing (which is not a dig against interleague play).  The advent of the 3-on-3 overtime int he NHL and the use of that format in the all star game really makes it fun.  You get 3 mini-games that are fast-paced and pretty indicative of how the 3-on-3 format plays out in an actual game.  Of course, it's way more high scoring than regular 5-on-5 hockey, but like I said, that's not a viable format for an all-star game.

Gary Bettman gets a lot of grief, and most of it is well-deserved, but he and the rest of the NHL's brass should get a lot of credit for what the all star weekend has become.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #263 on: January 29, 2018, 12:34:10 PM »
I agree... the NHL has really evolved the skills competition, and all-star game over the past few years.  Still some strides that can be made - that last stage of the puck-handling gauntlet was dumb.  Putting up $25k for individual winners, and $1M for the winning team probably helped push the effort forward.  Still a few too many instances of standing around and not playing defense, but man there were a lot of good defensive plays, and stellar saves too.  How many of the goals were off the post?  at least 5-6.  Shows how good you've got to be to beat these netminders.

Overall, the most entertaining of the all the all-star games for sure, and the skills competition really shows how skilled they are.  When Boeser can hit the targets in 11 seconds, and Kopitar takes 50 seconds ( :omg:), shows that there is a tremendous amount of skill.  Same with Pieterangelo (46 seconds) vs Kucherov (1:40) in the passing challenge.  Mad skills.  It'd probably take me 46 minutes to get thru that challenge.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #264 on: January 29, 2018, 12:49:12 PM »
Funny to see Marchand embrace the "bad guy" role.
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Offline axeman90210

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #265 on: January 29, 2018, 12:53:23 PM »
Funny to see Marchand embrace the "bad guy" role.

Not amused  :censored
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #266 on: January 29, 2018, 01:31:01 PM »
I know but be did embrace it at the all star game.
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Offline pg1067

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #267 on: January 29, 2018, 01:33:17 PM »
When Boeser can hit the targets in 11 seconds, and Kopitar takes 50 seconds ( :omg:), shows that there is a tremendous amount of skill.  Same with Pieterangelo (46 seconds) vs Kucherov (1:40) in the passing challenge.  Mad skills.  It'd probably take me 46 minutes to get thru that challenge.

LOL!  It was amazing how the times went down on the passing challenge with each player for the first half dozen guys, and thing of it is that, if they all had to do it over, the results would probably turn out completely different.  I had to laugh when my guy Doughty just started firing the puck after he had some trouble and knew he wasn't going to win.

Funny to see Marchand embrace the "bad guy" role.

Ehh....it was basically, "if they think I'm a douchebag, I'll be a douchebag," which is pretty much exactly what he is.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #268 on: January 29, 2018, 01:38:44 PM »
A 40 goal scoring douchebag.  As Bill knows, he can't continue to do the cheap stuff.  Be a pest but don't injure others.
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Offline TAC

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #269 on: January 29, 2018, 04:16:44 PM »
I have a big NHL All Star weekend post tomorrow...

Gary Bettman gets a lot of grief, and most of it is well-deserved, but he and the rest of the NHL's brass should get a lot of credit for what the all star weekend has become.

How is most of it well deserved?
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Offline pg1067

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #270 on: January 29, 2018, 05:02:18 PM »
I have a big NHL All Star weekend post tomorrow...

Gary Bettman gets a lot of grief, and most of it is well-deserved, but he and the rest of the NHL's brass should get a lot of credit for what the all star weekend has become.

How is most of it well deserved?

Mostly because he has presided over three separate lockouts that resulted in the League losing a full season and two nearly half seasons.  If you want to take the position that the blame for that falls on the owner and not Bettman, that's fine, but I don't agree.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #271 on: January 29, 2018, 06:54:56 PM »
Do you really feel that Bettman is against the players? I don't. I think Bettman has worked pretty hard to get a system that works. I actually feel that Bettman wasn't necessarily acting solely as an agent of the owners, but more as saying, "Everyone, we are not going any further until we come to an agreement."

I don't think the players have it all that bad at all in the NHL.


pg1067, are you in an NHL city, and if so, may I ask which one?
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #272 on: January 29, 2018, 07:58:04 PM »
Do you really feel that Bettman is against the players? I don't. I think Bettman has worked pretty hard to get a system that works. I actually feel that Bettman wasn't necessarily acting solely as an agent of the owners, but more as saying, "Everyone, we are not going any further until we come to an agreement."

Bettman is FOR the owners - he was hired (and is paid for) by them after all.  He cares about the players insomuch as they are the product his customer sells.  I think he's a douche that has done plenty of good, and plenty of bad for the game - all on behalf of the owners.  He's an incredibly intelligent individual, but I still hate him.  Whether he deserves the hate or not, he's the captain of the owner's ship, and the captain takes responsibility.  Other than the Illitch family, or your hometown owners, name me another owner of a hockey franchise.  I can't.  He is the face of the ownership.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #273 on: January 29, 2018, 08:16:02 PM »
What has he done that's bad for the game?

would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #274 on: January 29, 2018, 08:20:04 PM »
Just like Goodell.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #275 on: January 30, 2018, 06:11:33 AM »
What has he done that's bad for the game?

3 lockouts in 20 years - only major sport to cancel and entire season
The toughest salary cap of the big-4 NA sports
Relocating both the Jets and Nordiques state-side - and still no expansion back into Quebec
Atlanta Thrashers
He started out hated, and never got out of the hole for a lot of people - American, never a 'hockey guy' and lock out just 2 years into his reign.
It's easier to hate one guy than 31 owners

By no means is he all bad, but those are the reasons I can't stand the guy.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #276 on: January 30, 2018, 07:06:56 AM »
What has he done that's bad for the game?

3 lockouts in 20 years - only major sport to cancel and entire season
The toughest salary cap of the big-4 NA sports
Relocating both the Jets and Nordiques state-side - and still no expansion back into Quebec
Atlanta Thrashers
He started out hated, and never got out of the hole for a lot of people - American, never a 'hockey guy' and lock out just 2 years into his reign.
It's easier to hate one guy than 31 owners

By no means is he all bad, but those are the reasons I can't stand the guy.

For the record, I agree with most of what you said here. Just wanted to focus in on the bolded. Honest question - do Canadians really hold it against Bettman that he's American? Like is that really a factor? I've kinda gotten the vibe it was, and since you mentioned it, I thought I'd ask.

Largely, that's an interesting dynamic the NHL has to deal with that the other big NA leagues don't. Their game is largely a game rooted in the tradition of one country, run (basically) from one country, but the vast majority of the teams are not in that country.

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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #277 on: January 30, 2018, 07:21:41 AM »
What has he done that's bad for the game?

3 lockouts in 20 years - only major sport to cancel and entire season
The toughest salary cap of the big-4 NA sports
Relocating both the Jets and Nordiques state-side - and still no expansion back into Quebec
Atlanta Thrashers
He started out hated, and never got out of the hole for a lot of people - American, never a 'hockey guy' and lock out just 2 years into his reign.
It's easier to hate one guy than 31 owners

By no means is he all bad, but those are the reasons I can't stand the guy.

For the record, I agree with most of what you said here. Just wanted to focus in on the bolded. Honest question - do Canadians really hold it against Bettman that he's American? Like is that really a factor? I've kinda gotten the vibe it was, and since you mentioned it, I thought I'd ask.

Largely, that's an interesting dynamic the NHL has to deal with that the other big NA leagues don't. Their game is largely a game rooted in the tradition of one country, run (basically) from one country, but the vast majority of the teams are not in that country.

re: Bettman being American.  Not entirely... the fact he didn't know jack shit about the sport before getting the job is more of a rub.  You couldn't say that about a single solitary Canadian.  Most Americans (including hockey fans) cannot comprehend the passion for the league in Canada.  I'll never forget seeing this chart back in 2010.  It was estimated that 80% of the country watched that gold medal game.  It was the most watched anything in the history of TV in Canada.



On your last part, it's simple economics.  Depending on your standard of measure, the Canadian economy is typically between 7%-10% the size of the the US.  By that factor, there should be at least 70 American teams to equate to the 7 Canadian teams.  Nationality of NHL players is still dominated by Canadians - currently 46%
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #278 on: January 30, 2018, 07:41:31 AM »
Sorry, Chad, but the owners needed someone who could be the ultimate dick to everyone and no Canadian was fit for the position.
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Re: Official 2017-2018 NHL Thread v. Break the Ice
« Reply #279 on: January 30, 2018, 07:45:36 AM »
Sorry, Chad, but the owners needed someone who could be the ultimate dick to everyone and no Canadian was fit for the position.

There is one.









 ;D
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol