The good news for Leafs fans is they wont lose a game this week; the bad news for Leafs fans it this is because they aren't playing until Saturday... against the Islanders.
Bad news for Leafs fans: they're leafs fans. Good news for Penguins fans: they're killing it so far this year. One thing I'm glad to see is the production of the Avalanche this year. They've sucked recently and I've always liked them, was a fan when I was younger but became a Pens fans about 5 years back. It's staggering that Colorado is doing so well this year though, same goes for Phoenix. Gotta love how in the air the NHL is.
I'm happy for Phoenix too, and it's not because I live 30 min away from Hamilton. Furthers my point that Gretzky's patented coaching technique of showing highlight reels of himself from the mid-80s and saying "Do that" probably wasn't all that effective.
Quebec City is supposedly going to build a new arena which would likely lead to one of the south teams coming back to Canada. I think Bettman would like to move the Coyotes to Quebec just to say Fuck You to Balsillie.
I'd rather see them in Winnipeg. Also QC is a unique problem in that unlike Montreal, almost no one speaks English. It'll be really hard to attract UFAs and even draft picks.
If QC gets that $400 million facility built, you're damn right they will get a team. Bettman is biding his time with the Coyotes, and the meeting he had with the mayor of Quebec went rather well according to Bill Daly and the boys at TSN. Hopefully this means the Nordiques will be back, as they had some of the best jerseys in the NHL during their time. Oh, and Rei, the Leafs play Vancouver on Saturday, not the Islanders.
Didn't realize I screwed that up. I'm more hoping Montreal actually ends its losing streak vs Atlanta
I'm hoping Montreal ends up getting demolished for the next 74 games or so, just so Burke doesn't look like an idiot for trading away our first rounder. Hopefully the Leafs can make a big splash in free agency for some additional scoring help for Kessel until Bozak and Stalberg are ready to play together on the same line.
I wouldn't MIND Taylor Hall on the Habs, but I really don't want to watch 74 losses. I'm not too worried about the leafs having a top tier pick, they'll likely finish tenth again - I really don't think they're as bad as say, the Islanders. I'm sure some (small) things will turn around for them.
Montreal is just suffering from a lack of chemistry. If you watch the games you'd know they are trying, the effort is there. Hopefully we can get the PP gets rolling with M.A.B. called up.
Quebec City I think is just too small to support an NHL team. I know it was a different era, but the Nordiques had the best record in the Eastern Conference, and then moved that off-season. I'll bet anyone that Winnipeg sees a team before Quebec City does. BTW, did anyone else catch the end of the Vancouver-Edmonton game? The Canuck's managed to score the tying goal ... about .3 seconds after the final buzzer had gone. Boy did that every suck. And I know the refs don't decide the game, and Vancouver I'm sure missed plenty of opportunities and can only blame themselves, but with about a few minutes left in the game Burrows gets knocked down, goes to pick up his stick ... and the Coiler defenseman hits it away from him. I know Burrows can't draw a penaty to save his life, but I'm amazed not one of the officials saw that go down.
Quebec City has virtually the same population as Winnipeg. The Nords also didn't move because of a lack of fan support, they moved due to an extremely weak Canadian dollar and a crappy rink with no suites.
Well you won't have to worry, because we will NEVER get a team in Hamilton. Not. Ever. Say what you want about it being about enforcing league rules or whatever, but the entire issue with Balsille/Bettman was based around the Maple Leafs and their monopoly over southern Ontario. Hamilton's been crying out for a team for the past 20 years, and even though it would instantly be a top 10 market, the league will never let it happen. Unfortunately, the Winnepeg and Quebec options just wouldn't get the corporate support to have a team. I don't know where the NHL will move Phoenix, Atlanta, Florida, Nashville or any other team bleeding money, but Kansas City ain't the answer.
Really, Toronto isn't the problem with Hamilton, it's that Hamilton will completely kill Buffalo's market of people who don't want to pay for Leafs tickets. [also, you posting here makes me think my PM to you was on point]
Toronto is exactly the problem. And fuck Buffalo. The fact that they would cry poor because they would lose customers FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY coming to their games just shows you what type of market Buffalo is. The only way the league allows another team into Toronto's territory is if someone drags the league into an anti-trust case and tries to snag a team somehow. We've seen how much money and effort that takes from Balsille, though it was done through a bankruptcy court. That guy is worth billions, and he's quit because of how much time/effort/money it took. I don't see anyone else stepping up to take on the league anytime soon.
I'm so comfortable with the Habs right now. New coach, new system and new players, I wasn't surprised they were losing. I thought they would play worse than they had so far, so it's a bittersweet experience. Losing sucks but this team is expected to lose and mess up the first month or so anyway. The PP sucks really bad and Spacek is playing on his off-side; must be fixed.
You do realize that Buffalo's arena is only a few miles from the border of Canada, right? People tend to cheer for teams based on who they are close to, not because "oh well I live right by a team but they're in another country so I can't cheer for them." It has nothing to do with what "type of market Buffalo is". It simply has to do with location.
I am a Leaf fan, and I think I'm about ready to kill myself. Anyone else hear that they played dodgeball at practice last week to "lighten the mood" and "ease the stress"? I bet Toskala won.