Around the League Part XIII: The season's here, and so still is this thread!

[Nac Mac Feegle]

So, bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics is now down to two - China or Kazakhstan.

Anyone still think the NHL will keep sending their players to the Olympics? I think we have seen the last of that for a while. Say hello to the World Cup, which will make far more $$$ for players and owners anyway...

Pretty early for China to get another Olympics. They just had the summer ones not too long ago. And Kazakhstan...that doesn't feel all that safe. Seems like poor choices.

Seguin got stronger this off season and looks better now. I wouldn't expect a drop off. I'll predict he's a ppg guy the majority of his career. Better than everyone on our roster.

That's all well and good, but it won't mean anything if the motivation isn't there. That's the part I'm worried about, the mental game. He went balls to the wall last year, in large part, to prove Boston wrong. Now that he's done that, is there a new fire to hit the next level, or is he content to be where he is right now and take advantage of the adoration and slip back into the party hearty days?

 

[Larionov]

They are poor choices indeed, but they are the IOC's only choices. Those are the only two countries who are actually bidding. The Government of Norway just pulled the plug on the Oslo bid. Escalating security costs have made bidding for the Olympics prohibitively expensive to the point where it is hard to see any major North American city jumping in any time soon.

Having yet another games out of the North American time zone will put a huge damper on the amount of money networks are willing to pay for broadcast rights. The 2016 Summer Games are in Brazil, and Rio is on Atlantic Time, so it's not so bad. 2018 in South Korea, though, 2020 Summer in Japan, and now 2022 Winter guaranteed to be in Asia will be a huge buzzkill for NBC, CTV, etc. Like I say, I think this is pretty much the nail in the coffin to NHL participation...

 

[Benjamin]

I wont miss watching Olympic hockey at all. Would much rather be watching NHL action.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

The 2010 Olympic Hockey tournament was sweet

 

[MainDotC]

Watching Wings/Pens on NHLN. Although Howard has given one up he's looked pretty sharp.

 

[BonkTastic]

Honestly, I think Winter Olympics are in a huge crisis. They cost FAR more to put on than Summer Olympics do because of the cost of sport-specific venues, and as a result, most developed nations in N.A. and Europe are passing on hosting them because they know that they're going to spend more than they bring in.

You could drop the Summer Olympics into the USA tomorrow, and there's not a whole lot that would need to be built. For Winter, you need ski hills, bobsled runs, olympic-sized speed-skating ovals, etc... the cost is huge. Plus, giving Olympics to tiny, boutique cities like Sochi is a massive mistake, because you're building up this enormous infrastructure of buildings that will never be used again. Sochi's olympic village is already a ghost town.

 

[Qward]

Kazakhstan might get the Olympics?
Very nice!

 

[Ice-Tray]

Honestly, I think Winter Olympics are in a huge crisis. They cost FAR more to put on than Summer Olympics do because of the cost of sport-specific venues, and as a result, most developed nations in N.A. and Europe are passing on hosting them because they know that they're going to spend more than they bring in.

You could drop the Summer Olympics into the USA tomorrow, and there's not a whole lot that would need to be built. For Winter, you need ski hills, bobsled runs, olympic-sized speed-skating ovals, etc... the cost is huge. Plus, giving Olympics to tiny, boutique cities like Sochi is a massive mistake, because you're building up this enormous infrastructure of buildings that will never be used again. Sochi's olympic village is already a ghost town.

Agreed. What they COULD do is award double Olympics for the bids. The city would get two games within the lifetime of the sport specific infrastructure.

The village could be contingent on being removable, or another inevitable development (blunder).

New facilities should not be built unless they can demonstrate that they will be used again. Really, how many bobsled tracks does one country need?

Also, perhaps hockey could go the way of Olympic soccer, with age restrictions on participants. That would make a lot of team owners happy.

 

[BonkTastic]

New facilities should not be built unless they can demonstrate that they will be used again. Really, how many bobsled tracks does one country need?

I think this can be applied across the entire Olympic spectrum, both summer and winter..

Countries that need to build 50% or more new buildings for the sole purpose of hosting the event should not be considered unless they can provide a plan for sustainable use of those buildings - either a long-term plan for the building in the host city, or a plan to move the facility to an area that will use it.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I think this can be applied across the entire Olympic spectrum, both summer and winter..

Countries that need to build 50% or more new buildings for the sole purpose of hosting the event should not be considered unless they can provide a plan for sustainable use of those buildings - either a long-term plan for the building in the host city, or a plan to move the facility to an area that will use it.

Yup. I wouldn't be surprised to see a dip in interest and involvement until the soaring financial commitments are reigned in. Like you mentioned, so many amazing venues don;t even bother bidding because it's such a money drain to host the games.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Biggest turnoff for me over the years, is seeing a country hosting a big event, whether it's the Olympics or world cup of soccer or whatever, in a country that has an overall poor standard of living and millions living in poverty. It's like, you can put millions/billions into buildings you'll use once, but you can't afford to give a freaking loaf of bread and a roof over the heads of your people? What the hell kind of priorities are that?

 

[Icelevel]

i look at buffalo's roster and i don't see a bad team. not sure why people don't seem to think the additions will help much

 

[bacon25]

I think this can be applied across the entire Olympic spectrum, both summer and winter..

Countries that need to build 50% or more new buildings for the sole purpose of hosting the event should not be considered unless they can provide a plan for sustainable use of those buildings - either a long-term plan for the building in the host city, or a plan to move the facility to an area that will use it.

What they need to do is pick 3-6 places to have the Winter Olympics and then just rotate between them. As well, does every Winter Olympics (and summer) really need all the pomp and frivolity that comes with it, I would say no. Eliminating ( or at least downsizing) the opening and closing ceremonies would save quite a bit of money.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

What they need to do is pick 3-6 places to have the Winter Olympics and then just rotate between them. As well, does every Winter Olympics (and summer) really need all the pomp and frivolity that comes with it, I would say no. Eliminating ( or at least downsizing) the opening and closing ceremonies would save quite a bit of money.

Great ideas. Totally agree.

It's funny...a month ago, tons of people in the internet were *****ing about the abject horror of wasting a bucket of cold water to raise money (and awareness) for Lou Gehrigs disease. But countries spend tens of millions on the opening ceremonies alone and no one bats an eye. Humans are insane.

 

[Super Cake]

i look at buffalo's roster and i don't see a bad team. not sure why people don't seem to think the additions will help much

The additions might help in a way, but i doubt it will help them enough to get out of the bottom 5. They only brought in the additions to help teach the kids and make sure a tanking culture is not created.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Tanking is a myth, it's not real

YOu don't get to the NHL by thinking that not wanting to win is OK

In 1984 maybe and some teams do give up later in the year (Colorado) but that's not tanking, that's cutting your loses

 

[Qward]

If I were RyJo I would take the 2 year then fire his agent.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Firing your agent as a 21 year old (or however old he is) would take some balls

 

[NyQuil]

I think Spezza is better off and I wish him well.

He's not the right guy for a rebuild. By the time we're any good, I don't think his body will hold up.

He belongs in a supporting role on a contender, and that's exactly where he is.

I'll try to catch as many Dallas games as I can.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Dallas winning the Cup would be nice for sure, easy second best option after Ottawa taking it

I sure hope it isn't LA/Chicago again

 

[Benjamin]

Some guy bought 51% of the Coyotes. Please move them.

 

[bacon25]

Tanking is a myth, it's not real

YOu don't get to the NHL by thinking that not wanting to win is OK

In 1984 maybe and some teams do give up later in the year (Colorado) but that's not tanking, that's cutting your loses

You can't say tanking is a myth and then give a real example of it with Lemieux and the Penguins. As well, I am sure some players don't mind losing since they are getting a paycheck either way.

But I do agree that 'tanking' today would be much harder in the sense that sports- in general today - is overanalysed and any moves indicative of tanking would be called out by the media and league much sooner than in the 80's.

 

[Super Cake]

Coyotes fans seem to be pretty upset right now. I just took a look at their forums and they are pretty much all ******** over the there team because of players they wanted to stick with the nhl team are being sent down instead.

 

[Qward]

Coyotes fans seem to be pretty upset right now. I just took a look at their forums and they are pretty much all ******** over the there team because of players they wanted to stick with the nhl team are being sent down instead.

Good, piss off more players so we can steal them when they demand a trade.

 

[Super Cake]

Good, piss off more players so we can steal them when they demand a trade.

Domi for Wiercioch + 2nd