117 replies to this topic

[Gammon_Clark]

That's going to be an excellent Winter Classic. I wonder how difficult tickets will be to come by with that many seats available..

Hope the weather works out for the league.

Edited by Gammon_Clark, 13 January 2012 - 03:13 PM.

[SidelineCameras]

Montreal has got to be coming up soon. Now that Toronto's playing, they're the only Original 6 left.

Bruins@Montreal in 2014?

[MoGator71]

Honestly, Habs/Nordiques when they return would be epic. 2 Canadian teams = never ever happening, of course...but that was one balls-out intense rivalry. I don't know enough Habs fans to get a good idea, but it seemed to be ahead of Habs/B's, at least from Montreal's perspective.

[PedroSpecialK]

That would likely be a Heritage Classic (if the event sticks around), but it would indeed be a great one.

[The Napkin]

If you had Jan 13 for Ricky D being out for the year come collect your winnings -- out w/ sports hernia surgery.

[ypioca]

If you had Jan 13 for Ricky D being out for the year come collect your winnings -- out w/ sports hernia surgery.

Hey, at least they can get rid of him in 9 years.

[Riles335]

http://www.nhl.com/i...s.htm?id=611605

TSN and the Philadelphia Daily News are reporting the Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs have held discussions regarding Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn being part of a package coming to Philadelphia in exchange for forward James van Riemsdyk.

This would be quite the deal. I understand where the Flyers would be coming from in all of this. They lost Pronger for the year and he isn't getting any younger and Kimmo Timmonen, although the ageless wonder won't be able to play forever. With the offensive power that the Flyers have including the young promising players like Couture and Schenn, dealing JVR wouldn't be the worse loss. I don't quite understand where the Leafs are coming from though. Schenn is probably their best defenseman and is one of the best young defenseman in the game. We all know that they have a steady offense and if anything lack defensive and goaltending talents. Adding to their offensive corps when losing Schenn would be a mistake in my opinion. I would be shocked if the Leafs pulled the trigger on this deal.

[Blacken]

Burke says no discussions are currently underway.

http://blogs.courier...enn-jvr-rumors/

[Hendu's Gait]

According to ESPN, the Next classic is Red Wings/Leafs at Michigan Stadium (110k). They're also looking to host a second outdoor rink for other things (the Michigan equivalent of the Beanpot, AHL games, etc).

Very disappointed the main rink/game won't be at Comerica, especially given the Illitch connection and the plight of the Detroit economy and the fact that a college outdoor game already took place at tBH. But understand that the NHL would prefer to sell 100k tickets, instead of 40k. Almost would rather see Detroit visit the Horseshoe or Crew stadium (to help invigorate the BJ franchise) or Busch (revive the Blues rivalry) for it and save the "home" game for the future.

Also worried that this will feel like a road game (given Toronto's status as a world-class financial center, and one of the 3 best/richest fans in the sport, compared to Michigan being . . . Michigan)
.
Kind of seems now that the Winter Classic is more about the larger capacity aspect than the outdoors aspect.

[kenneycb]

The Winter Classic is basically an event for the NHL to cater to its sponsors. A more competitive All-Star Game basically. It's all about pomp and circumstance.

[Riles335]

Not sure how the decision to have the game at the Big House would play into the previous posters ideas about this being an All-Star game/larger capacity event rather than an outdoors event. The Winter Classic has already been played at multiple outdoor MLB stadiums and with the opportunity to play at a complex in which you will have over 100,000 NHL fans is almost a once and lifetime opportunity. This isn't an opportunity to create an All-Star game festivity but rather an opportunity to really push and explore the possibilities of the NHL. I love it.

[Spacemans Bong]

Honestly, Habs/Nordiques when they return would be epic. 2 Canadian teams = never ever happening, of course...but that was one balls-out intense rivalry. I don't know enough Habs fans to get a good idea, but it seemed to be ahead of Habs/B's, at least from Montreal's perspective.

Habs/Bruins would win but it would be close. That rivalry is all about hockey. Habs/Nordiques is about Montreal vs. Quebec city, federalist vs. separatist politics and rival breweries more than hockey, which makes it more bitter in the short-term but less lasting in the long term. Though if Peladeau follows through in trying to turn the Nordiques into a team with a strong francophone presence, it will get really bitter.

[mikeford]

Very disappointed the main rink/game won't be at Comerica, especially given the Illitch connection and the plight of the Detroit economy and the fact that a college outdoor game already took place at tBH. But understand that the NHL would prefer to sell 100k tickets, instead of 40k. Almost would rather see Detroit visit the Horseshoe or Crew stadium (to help invigorate the BJ franchise) or Busch (revive the Blues rivalry) for it and save the "home" game for the future.

Also worried that this will feel like a road game (given Toronto's status as a world-class financial center, and one of the 3 best/richest fans in the sport, compared to Michigan being . . . Michigan)
.
Kind of seems now that the Winter Classic is more about the larger capacity aspect than the outdoors aspect.

Baseball stadiums sightlines suck for this event and they should stop having them in baseball stadiums. They already did it in the 2 historic parks left, time to do it in a place where the people who buy tickets can actually see the game.

[Fred not Lynn]

Not sure how the decision to have the game at the Big House would play into the previous posters ideas about this being an All-Star game/larger capacity event rather than an outdoors event. The Winter Classic has already been played at multiple outdoor MLB stadiums and with the opportunity to play at a complex in which you will have over 100,000 NHL fans is almost a once and lifetime opportunity. This isn't an opportunity to create an All-Star game festivity but rather an opportunity to really push and explore the possibilities of the NHL. I love it.

If you can sell 100,000 plus tickets for minimum $50 each, it will be more than once in a lifetime...

[Riles335]

Baseball stadiums sightlines suck for this event and they should stop having them in baseball stadiums. They already did it in the 2 historic parks left, time to do it in a place where the people who buy tickets can actually see the game.

Right on. Unless you have second deck seats, it is beyond hard to see the hockey game being played. If you are within the first twenty five rows of the stadium, you can't see up over the boards, giving yourself only the top quarter of the net to see. If you are far enough back to view the nets, it is hard to follow the puck. The double deck seats are the only seats that give you a chance to view the game when it is being played at a ball park and those seats are hard to come by.

[Spacemans Bong]

Agreed, unless it's a truly iconic baseball stadium (Fenway, Yankee, Wrigley, AT&T Park if they ever move it west of the Mississippi), it's not worth the terrible sightlines.

Also, the first-to-third configuration is idiotic for hockey. If ever there was a baseball park to lay it down the first base line, Fenway was it. You even could have sold more seats.

[FelixMantilla]

Section 33 and the shot is zoomed in a bit.

[AMcGhie]

If you had Jan 13 for Ricky D being out for the year come collect your winnings -- out w/ sports hernia surgery.

Serious idea here:

In April, when he's ready, the Islanders tell him, "Rick, you're not playing next year. Were still paying you for eight more years, so this year you're headed to API to get the fuck in shape and not get injured and train with people who can train you not to get injured. Get back in shape and get healthy and you'll be our #1 in 2013-2014".

Would the Islanders be able to get away with that cap-wise? Would the NHLPA allow that?

Seriously though, they sacrifice a year to get him un-injured and better off for the remainder of the contract. That a net+?

[ajml]

If Penner can get injured eating pancakes I'm positive DiPietro can get hurt training to not get hurt.

[MoGator71]

Serious idea here:

In April, when he's ready, the Islanders tell him, "Rick, you're not playing next year. Were still paying you for eight more years, so this year you're headed to API to get the fuck in shape and not get injured and train with people who can train you not to get injured. Get back in shape and get healthy and you'll be our #1 in 2013-2014".

Would the Islanders be able to get away with that cap-wise? Would the NHLPA allow that?

Seriously though, they sacrifice a year to get him un-injured and better off for the remainder of the contract. That a net+?

The Isles need DiPietro's contract to stay above the cap floor. If they did do that they'd likely leave him on the active roster, rather than sticking him on LTIR or assigning him to the minors. If DiPietro agreed to that I highly doubt the NHLPA would have anything to say.

I do wonder if that's the issue, or if the guy's just got shit luck when it comes to injuries.

[mikeford]

Maybe he's got that thing Nomar had.

[mikeford]

Also this:

"I'm having fun," Brodeur told the New York Post.

"I feel differently about it now than I did last summer, or at the start of the season," Brodeur said. "It's not 100 percent, but I'm definitely leaning toward coming back next year."

[TheStoryofYourRedRightAnkle]

Sorry, Mike. Terrible news.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Agreed, unless it's a truly iconic baseball stadium (Fenway, Yankee, Wrigley, AT&T Park if they ever move it west of the Mississippi), it's not worth the terrible sightlines.

Also, the first-to-third configuration is idiotic for hockey. If ever there was a baseball park to lay it down the first base line, Fenway was it. You even could have sold more seats.

San Francisco might be a bit warm to hold a hockey game. Average December/January lows are 46. Didja see the Saints game this weekend with most folks in shirtsleeves?

[Blacken]

You realize they've had outdoor hockey games in Las Vegas, yes? Game-time temperature of 80 deg F?

Edited by Blacken, 17 January 2012 - 04:32 PM.

[MoGator71]

You realize they've had outdoor hockey games in Las Vegas, yes? Game-time temperature of 80 deg F?

I seem to recall they being attacked by locusts or praying mantises or some damn thing though.

[Dummy Hoy]

Seen word leaking out that Alfredsson and Z are the ASG captains.

Kessel may go last again.

[cshea]

Yeah, the NHL made it official. Z and Alfredsson are captains.

It should be interesting to see Z handle the draft. He's always been machine like in front of the media, feeding them one Crash Davis cliche after another.

He better not pick a Sedin, however.

[Greg29fan]

Chara has to be the first all-star game captain under criminal investigation.

[AMcGhie]

Yeah, the NHL made it official. Z and Alfredsson are captains.

It should be interesting to see Z handle the draft. He's always been machine like in front of the media, feeding them one Crash Davis cliche after another.

He better not pick a Sedin, however.

He'd better. And like this "I want the Sendin that didn't get beat up by Brad Marchand in the finals last year. Is that Henrietta or Danielle?"

[MoGator71]

He'd better. And like this "I want the Sendin that didn't get beat up by Brad Marchand in the finals last year. Is that Henrietta or Danielle?"

Or just wait til one is picked, then pick the other out of spite.

[TheStoryofYourRedRightAnkle]

Then spend the whole game tripping both of them.

[Hildy]

tsnjamesduthie james duthie




Milan Lucic (laughing) on Chara as All-Star captain: "I'm pretty sure there won't be any Canucks on Z's team."
2 hours ago

[mikeford]

Or just wait til one is picked, then pick the other out of spite.

This would honestly be the best move. Make those babies play against each other for once.

[kenneycb]

Yeah, that would've been awesome if they did that last year...

[NYCSox]

Someone is getting a little ahead of themselves.

I said 'You can't give it back to me until we win the Stanley Cup.' And I think we're pretty close to getting that thing back," said Dolan, who has not addressed the Rangers media since the 2005-06 season

I missed this nugget a few months ago.

Dolan isn't the only one within the organization to share his lofty postseason expectations. Sather guaranteed a Stanley Cup championship during a Winter Classic news conference in Philadelphia this September

http://espn.go.com/n...ose-winning-all

[Blacken]

Seen word leaking out that Alfredsson and Z are the ASG captains.

Kessel may go last again.

“I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes. Somebody has to go last,” said Chara (with a smile on his face). “I don’t know if they’ll have a car for him or something else…we’ll see how it goes.”

[Terras]

Nothing exciting, but the Panthers trade Evgenii Dadonov to Carolina.

[PedroSpecialK]

Fehr Time on the Blues re-signing Brian Elliott:

Good news for Brian. I would say 2 years 10 million would be a good guess here.

2 years, $1.8m AAV.

[PedroSpecialK]

Seen word leaking out that Alfredsson and Z are the ASG captains.

Kessel may go last again.

[Delonte James Jr.]

With regards to the All-Star Game captains, the choices they made were fine and all, given the Ottawa connection of both players. If I had it my way, I would've made Kessel a captain- just to see if he would've picked Seguin.

[SoxScout]

Alexei Ponikarovsky to NJ. Might be time to get Ruutu if ya want him.

[PedroSpecialK]

Don't think there's any doubt that they could use an upgrade at 3rd line forward in the event Peverley is out and one of Caron/Hamill can't cut it. I'd be willing to part with one of Caron/Kampfer along with a 2nd and a prospect like Sauve for Ruutu, he'd be a great fit here IMO.

[NYCSox]

Don't think there's any doubt that they could use an upgrade at 3rd line forward in the event Peverley is out and one of Caron/Hamill can't cut it. I'd be willing to part with one of Caron/Kampfer along with a 2nd and a prospect like Sauve for Ruutu, he'd be a great fit here IMO.

While we're pondering about that slot, is there any chance for another Ryan Smyth rental? This time sans tears of course.

[mikeford]

Reality of the Devils ' finances: Chambers wants out. no deal yet. Approx. $80 million debt they are trying refinance and haven't yet.

The longer it takes for those two problems to be solved, the bigger those problems will become.

But the NHL is not taking the team over next month. There was no ultimatum from NHL/Bettman. Devils are working with NHL on this.

There is no danger of team going into bankruptcy until after completion of S.Cup Finals. Lenders know this. It's part of agreement.

Among areas Devils are exploring: Leveraging lucrative broadcast fees from MSG, working w/Prudential on arena naming rights, PSE&G.

This... sounds bad.

Edited by mikeford, 21 January 2012 - 12:26 AM.

[Blacken]

Yikes. T&P, fikemord.

[MoGator71]

Guess who got added to the All Star roster? Hint: natural hattie vs. the Bruins on Sunday.

He could be the last pick...

[TheYaz67]

And a sulking Ovi backs out of the ASG, because he is suspended....

[The Napkin]

Bitch.
I hope they add on another game. Datsyuk and Lidstrom probably agree with me.

[PedroSpecialK]

Da.

Ja.