Around the NHL

[cybresabre]

Your posts are always so insightful

They genuinely are.

and everyone seems to misinterpret them.

You must be confused. Rob posts on many boards of this forum and the overwhelming opinion that I've seen from fans local and abroad is that he contributes well articulated information on a wide range of hockey topics.

 

[Zip15]

Preds lose Rinne (sprained knee) for 3-5 weeks
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/...rinne-sprained-knee-til-after-all-star-break/




think they would be interested in one of our goalies?

Hutton did better last year when he saw more regular action. And Hellberg has been solid in the AHL. I'm sure they'll roll with those two for awhile and then re-evaluate.

 

[Paxon]

Are they trying to move the team out of Arizona (Nevada??) or just to a new arena? I don't get that... I thought all the drama the last few years was to keep the silly sand-hockey team buried in the desert?? what a dust-aster.

No one can say for sure what the intentions are but there is new majority ownership. The league took a long time to sell the team because it would only sell to a group that'd keep them in Arizona. That group, IceArizona, bought the team last summer. Recently, Andrew Barroway bought 51% of the team for nearly the same price IceArizona bought the entire team at the year before, which means the price he bought his shares at essentially doubled from the price they bought theirs at. Barroway previously had a deal in place to buy the Islanders which Wang backed out of before selling to someone else this year. He was actually suing Wang over it. I believe a condition of his purchasing a majority of the Coyotes was that he had to drop the lawsuit.

Now, if you read between the lines, you could theorize that the NHL knowingly washed its hands of the situation by using IceArizona as a buffer. They could say they sold the team to a group that'd keep the Yotes in Arizona, because they did, even if they thought IceArizona may then turn around and sell to someone else. I don't think there's any question that the NHL genuinely wanted to keep the Coyotes in Arizona. Bettman's entire career as commissioner has been characterized by two things: trying to attain cost certainty (didn't make any progress until 2005) and expanding into non-traditional markets. Bettman has gone to great efforts to keep teams in those markets as best he could, with the only failure so far being Atlanta. So I think the sale to IceArizona was genuinely the best they could do to keep the team there, regardless of how likely they might have thought it'd be that it might not work out.

I think Barroway just wants to own an NHL team, but I get the feeling he'd be pretty damn open to moving them -- it might be hi actual plan in the first place. The lease with Glendale and the arena has an opt-out clause if the Coyotes lose a cumulative $50m over a 5 year period (this being the 2nd year). They're well on their way to hitting that figure, so I guess we'll see in 3 years.

 

[JThorne]

No one can say for sure what the intentions are but there is new majority ownership. The league took a long time to sell the team because it would only sell to a group that'd keep them in Arizona. That group, IceArizona, bought the team last summer. Recently, Andrew Barroway bought 51% of the team for nearly the same price IceArizona bought the entire team at the year before, which means the price he bought his shares at essentially doubled from the price they bought theirs at. Barroway previously had a deal in place to buy the Islanders which Wang backed out of before selling to someone else this year. He was actually suing Wang over it. I believe a condition of his purchasing a majority of the Coyotes was that he had to drop the lawsuit.

Now, if you read between the lines, you could theorize that the NHL knowingly washed its hands of the situation by using IceArizona as a buffer. They could say they sold the team to a group that'd keep the Yotes in Arizona, because they did, even if they thought IceArizona may then turn around and sell to someone else. I don't think there's any question that the NHL genuinely wanted to keep the Coyotes in Arizona. Bettman's entire career as commissioner has been characterized by two things: trying to attain cost certainty (didn't make any progress until 2005) and expanding into non-traditional markets. Bettman has gone to great efforts to keep teams in those markets as best he could, with the only failure so far being Atlanta. So I think the sale to IceArizona was genuinely the best they could do to keep the team there, regardless of how likely they might have thought it'd be that it might not work out.

I think Barroway just wants to own an NHL team, but I get the feeling he'd be pretty damn open to moving them -- it might be hi actual plan in the first place. The lease with Glendale and the arena has an opt-out clause if the Coyotes lose a cumulative $50m over a 5 year period (this being the 2nd year). They're well on their way to hitting that figure, so I guess we'll see in 3 years.

While I agree with your post, the bolded part only resonates true if you consider moving the franchise as the only way a failure happens. I, do not.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Your posts are always so insightful and everyone seems to misinterpret them.

Rob's one of the few people around here that regularly provides thorough well though posts, if you're having trouble with them you should probably look at you first

 

[Paxon]

While I agree with your post, the bolded part only resonates true if you consider moving the franchise as the only way a failure happens. I, do not.

I meant to specify a failure in his attempts to keep teams in the new markets he expanded into but I guess I didn't word it like that

Edit: Actually it looks like I did. Yeah, I agree if we're saying some of these markets are more or less failures (Florida sure looks like one right now and the Coyotes specifically in Glendale is clearly a failure). I'm not saying he's right to put such a priority on saving markets, but clearly it's a goal of his and he's only failed in it once unless I'm forgetting one.

 

[sabrebuild]

I meant to specify a failure in his attempts to keep teams in the new markets he expanded into but I guess I didn't word it like that

Edit: Actually it looks like I did. Yeah, I agree if we're saying some of these markets are more or less failures (Florida sure looks like one right now and the Coyotes specifically in Glendale is clearly a failure). I'm not saying he's right to put such a priority on saving markets, but clearly it's a goal of his and he's only failed in it once unless I'm forgetting one.

I wonder if you're the nhl, you can say you are happy with the results of the southern expansion. And not just the attempt, but the effort to keep them there. Does the exposure of having florida, arizon, and carolina truly help more than having extremely strong markets in say Quebec, Toronto #2, Seattle, Milwaukee, and even Vegas perhaps.

I feel like the league would be probably more financially secure if those truly flailing teams had been moved.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

I wonder if you're the nhl, you can say you are happy with the results of the southern expansion. And not just the attempt, but the effort to keep them there. Does the exposure of having florida, arizon, and carolina truly help more than having extremely strong markets in say Quebec, Toronto #2, Seattle, Milwaukee, and even Vegas perhaps.

I feel like the league would be probably more financially secure if those truly flailing teams had been moved.

Genuine question: How did LA's crowds do when they were a losing team seven years ago? Did they still draw a good crowd? I think the southern markets you listed have a strong fanbase, when the team is actually competing and playing well.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/best-centers-in-the-nhl/

Hockey is a complex game that doesn’t always translate well to TV, so we enlisted the help of Logan Couture to break down the most nuanced position in the NHL: The center. Logan is probably overqualified for this assignment, because he moonlights as a real, live NHL centerman for the San Jose Sharks. Take it away, Logan:

This is a good read.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/16/kassian-on-potential-trade-if-it-happens-it-happens/

Zack Kassian was once again a healthy scratch last night for the Vancouver Canucks. And once again his absence from the lineup, this time in Philadelphia, had people buzzing about a possible trade of the 23-year-old winger.

So, how did Kassian, who vowed a couple of weeks ago that he wouldn’t be a healthy scratch again, explain coach Willie Desjardins’ decision to put him in the press box versus the Flyers?

“I laid an egg in Nashville (on Tuesday) and I guess there can’t be any dips in my game or else I’ll be out of the lineup,†he told TSN 1040 (audio).

“I need to get my coach’s trust back I guess.â€

And what does he think of the trade rumors?

“It’s a little frustrating,†he said, “but I’m at the point now where if it happens, it happens. It means another team wants you, maybe you get a little more opportunity.

“But I’m a Vancouver Canuck. I love it here. I especially love the guys here. So I’m not thinkin too much about that stuff.â€

 

[Chainshot]

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/16/kassian-on-potential-trade-if-it-happens-it-happens/

The guy has the potential, but at this point... he's got to understand it's all on him. And yeah... a "dip" in his play can't be tolerated. He's used up all of those chances. I am doubtful he ever fully grasps what it takes.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://www.tsn.ca/rangers-close-to-signing-d-staal-to-six-year-contract-extension-1.184088

According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, the New York Rangers are close to signing defenceman Marc Staal to a six-year contract worth north of $5.7 million per season.
The deal would also have a full no trade clause for the first three years, but then would become a partial no trade clause. It would have a full no-movement clause as well, only pertaining to waivers.
LeBrun says the deal isn't done, but is close.
The 28-year-old has one goal and six assists over 41 games this season with the Rangers, his eighth year with the club.

 

[SundherDome]

http://www.tsn.ca/rangers-close-to-signing-d-staal-to-six-year-contract-extension-1.184088

Seems a bit steep in conditions and dollars

 

[Jim Carr's Rug]

That slew foot by Marchand was brutal.
Such a dirty little player.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/best-centers-in-the-nhl/



This is a good read.

Agreed. I enjoyed reading and watching this type of analysis from a pretty darn good NHL player in his own right.

However, the cartographer in me needs to let Logan know that spacial is spelled spatial in my line of work. Good use of the word in any case!

 

[sabrebuild]

Genuine question: How did LA's crowds do when they were a losing team seven years ago? Did they still draw a good crowd? I think the southern markets you listed have a strong fanbase, when the team is actually competing and playing well.

LA in general is not one of the markets I would have worried about. They are in the second biggest market in North America and have been there for decades. Teams like Carolina, Arizona and Florida have struggled pretty much their entire existence. That's why I feel like Tampa was a franchise that succeeded. They were terrible, they won a cup, and then they seemingly have maintained a good franchise even in the years after the lockout and the cup. Jame probably knows better but I don't think they ever hit a brutal stretch of fan support like the other three franchises.

Carolina won a cup and made a finals in the last 15 years and they are a significantly weaker market and fanbase than several other excellent options. Even in their Cup run they didn't draw particularly well. Florida is a league embarrassment and has been for almost two decades. I went to a game two years ago when they made the playoffs and were leading their division, and the papered crowd for a home game against Nashville, who was also a division leader, was maybe 12,000 people. Tickets on the glass were 15 bucks.... Arizona has openly bled money for so long that they are going to relocate now after years of failure both economically and on the ice.

It's not a big deal one way or the other, some teams will always struggle, bad teams on the ice, or bad ownership. But it seems like some of these franchises should have been given up as sunk costs at some point and put somewhere else for a better investment.

 

[sabrebuild]

Agreed. I enjoyed reading and watching this type of analysis from a pretty darn good NHL player in his own right.

However, the cartographer in me needs to let Logan know that spacial is spelled spatial in my line of work. Good use of the word in any case!

I saw that too, and the petty side of me said "there's your junior education", but it was an entertaining read.

 

[Jim Bob]

I saw that too, and the petty side of me said "there's your junior education", but it was an entertaining read.

I'd blame the editor of the piece more.

 

[LaxSabre]

Ryan Miller with back to back shutouts - back to back nights.
Yeah they were against Philadelphia and Carolina but hey a shutout its a shutout.
For Ryan getting a shutout is something because hes known to give up a cheap goal late in games.
He would have so many more shutouts if games were only 58 mins-59 mins long.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Ryan Miller with back to back shutouts - back to back nights.
Yeah they were against Philadelphia and Carolina but hey a shutout its a shutout.
For Ryan getting a shutout is something because hes known to give up a cheap goal late in games.
He would have so many more shutouts if games were only 58 mins-59 mins long.

Ovechkin has been back checking too, weird season

Niskanen hands Neal the game

 

[JThorne]

Don't ignore that Tampa bled money for quite a few years.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

NYR sign Marc Staal to an extension. 6 years, 5.7 per.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

Ryan Miller with back to back shutouts - back to back nights.
Yeah they were against Philadelphia and Carolina but hey a shutout its a shutout.
For Ryan getting a shutout is something because hes known to give up a cheap goal late in games.
He would have so many more shutouts if games were only 58 mins-59 mins long.

While we all know he's given up late goals to spoil shutouts on more than one occasion, they have rarely been cheap.

And that was his 5th shutout of the season last night, second in the league.

 

[sabrebuild]

I'd blame the editor of the piece more.

Absolutely. My less douschy side thought that as well, which is a way worse foul up. I mean its in like the first paragraph of your guy's work. You gotta be better editor, that was your mess to clean up. If he doesn't get it together I say management makes him sit out a publishing round or two.

 

[TehDoak]

NYR sign Marc Staal to an extension. 6 years, 5.7 per.

Somewhere, Sekera and his agent are high fiving each other.