Market Pressure (and where would you prefer to play?)

[1989]

List your top-3 markets for most and least market pressure, then name the market you'd like to play in most (regardless of that team's historic/current success) with what rank you believe that team to be in terms of market pressure.

For what it's worth, IMO, market pressure related to things like how popular is hockey in that region, how large is the fan base, can a player go unnoticed, is the media friendly or hostile, etc.

My top and bottom 3:

Toronto
Montreal
Edmonton

Columbus
California teams
New York (either team)


I think I'd like to play most in Vancouver, even though I don't actually like their team much. The idea of playing for a Cup-less Canadian team is exciting but without as much scrutiny as Toronto. Maybe Buffalo if it's to be an American team. They're both around 10-14 range for me.

 

[Lieutenant Bookman]

I’m curious as to why you would have New York bottom 3? Is it just because it’s so big that you think it’s easier to blend in?

Anyways to answer the question:

Top 3:
Toronto
Montreal
Edmonton


Bottom 3:
Anaheim
Nashville
Florida

I’m too old to play now, but if I had a time machine and was in my early 20s probably the New York Rangers. It would be cool to play for an O6 team in MSG

 

[PistolPete]

Montreal (photographers will pose as doctors just to get a Pic of an injured player in the hospital)
Toronto (it's not just local, it's a national spotlight as the "national" broadcasters talk Leafs 90% of the time)

Edmonton- ghost of Gretzky

the bottom 3 are pretty much a 25 way tie amongst American teams

Nashville

Been to recently and really liked it and it would be awesome to make millions, have a solid fan base but then completely anonymous once I stepped away from the arena. And no state income tax (and I believe it is even an amendment in their state constitution)

Oh, and I love country music (while being a metalhead)

 

[Filthy Dangles]

List your top-3 markets for most and least market pressure, then name the market you'd like to play in most (regardless of that team's historic/current success) with what rank you believe that team to be in terms of market pressure.

For what it's worth, IMO, market pressure related to things like how popular is hockey in that region, how large is the fan base, can a player go unnoticed, is the media friendly or hostile, etc.

My top and bottom 3:

Toronto
Montreal
Edmonton

Columbus
California teams
New York (either team)


I think I'd like to play most in Vancouver, even though I don't actually like their team much. The idea of playing for a Cup-less Canadian team is exciting but without as much scrutiny as Toronto. Maybe Buffalo if it's to be an American team. They're both around 10-14 range for me.

I'd love to hear how you think playing for the Rangers is bottom 3 in terms of pressure and having to perform and live up to contract/expectations etc.

 

[PistolPete]

I'd love to hear how you think playing for the Rangers is bottom 3 in terms of pressure and having to perform and live up to contract/expectations etc.

I've heard even players comment that they are completely anonymous in NYC and the media coverage is too spread out in covering the Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Nets, and Knicks

 

[Lieutenant Bookman]

I've heard even players comment that they are completely anonymous in NYC and the media coverage is too spread out in covering the Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Nets, and Knicks

Even if that were true though I would think the Devils would be a better choice. You could still live in New York and the media is still fragmented, and the team has less of a following than the Rangers, particularly in New York City

 

[PistolPete]

Even if that were true though I would think the Devils would be a better choice. You could still live in New York and the media is still fragmented, and the team has less of a following than the Rangers, particularly in New York City

Prestige?
An Original Six vs a .....well New Jersey team

 

[Lieutenant Bookman]

Prestige?
An Original Six vs a .....well New Jersey team

I thought we were talking about bottom 3 markets in terms of pressure

 

[pi314]

If a star player ever leads Toronto to a cup, they will have gold statues from downtown to TSN headquarters.

 

[PistolPete]

I thought we were talking about bottom 3 markets in terms of pressure

Yup. Any difference in any American market is probably negligible and so make no difference in pressure from one market to the next.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Top 3
Any Market known for Hockey

Bottom 3
Any team that doesn't get snow

Team I would like to play. The team that will give me the most trade protection and money after taxes.

 

[PistolPete]

Top 3
Any Market known for Hockey

Bottom 3
Any team that doesn't get snow

Team I would like to play. The team that will give me the most trade protection and money after taxes.

Not much effort required

 

[Section 104]

I remember a few years ago when Tampa was lousy, one new addition to the lightning said it wasn’t the worse thing in the world to go to his job wearing shorts and flip flops in February

Of course a few years ago my brother moved back to New York after ten years in Jacksonville saying he could do without the humidity and hurricanes.

But I don’t know if I would have any reason preference or avoid at all costs until I tried it.

 

[dirtydanglez]

honestly probably just winnipeg

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I've heard even players comment that they are completely anonymous in NYC and the media coverage is too spread out in covering the Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Nets, and Knicks

I mean, this just isn't true, as a NYR fan who lives just outside the city and attends many games per year.

A Panarin/Zibanejad/Kreider/Laf/Shesterkin etc. would not just be able to roam the guts of Manhattan on any given day without being absolutely bombarded by people and fans.

Yes, the Rangers and hockey in general take a back seat to the other sports, but that's the case in every big American market and NY is a still a huge market for hockey and the Rangers have a big fanbase.

If you come to NYR and don't perform you will certainly hear about it from media, fans, social media etc.

 

[PistolPete]

I mean, this just isn't true, as a NYR fan who lives just outside the city and attends many games per year.

A Panarin/Zibanejad/Kreider/Laf/Shesterkin etc. would not just be able to roam the guts of Manhattan on any given day without being absolutely bombarded by people and fans.

Yes, the Rangers and hockey in general take a back seat to the other sports, but that's the case in every big American market and NY is a still a huge market for hockey and the Rangers have a big fanbase.

If you come to NYR and don't perform you will certainly hear about it from media, fans, social media etc.

Interesting. Can't remember the player but I recall one saying he had nonorovlem going about town and bit being bothered.
But maybe that was just his own experience.

 

[Fig]

I don't think it's purely pressure, but also style and situation as well. It could mean the teams change ranking year after year. For me, if I were good enough for the NHL, I'd assume I'd probably be a tweener responsible bottom 6 or bottom pairing guy who occasionally shows flashes of elevated play. I wouldn't assume I'd be a star player. I'd be like a Ryan Lomberg/Kris Russell type of dude who just does a bit of everything and tries to keep spirits high. Management or fans can affect my play, but honestly, I'm my own worst enemy vs them.

I'd least want to choose a team whose management would undervalue/unfairly blame guys like that/have a roster that doesn't have the room for a guy like that so that I have a chance to play vs riding pine/munching popcorn. Usually that might mean better contracts as well.

All other things equal, I'd like a market that values seeing someone play their heart out, even if it doesn't reflect on the score sheet vs focusing solely on the star players. The reputation of the medical staff might be a factor as well. I dealt with non-stop injuries when I was younger and played sports like I was invincible. I'd probably mow myself into the ground without a good medical group to keep me in check and advise me not to play through certain things.

I'd rather play for a team where the rhetoric can be, "The top line had a night off and the 4th line helped contribute." vs "Top line wasn't great, but 4th line contributions didn't do enough to help the top line.".

I dunno... top 3 where reputationally, anyone can be the hero for any night:
Flames?
Stars?
Panthers?

Bottom 3:
Teams with less loyalty that have been cycling through their bottom 6/bottom pairings thinking that's the answer for their cup/blaming those guys when things go wrong?

 

[Norwegianoiler]

I like winter and don't really enjoy beach life or too much heat. I'd like Montreal, Minnesota, and perhaps Alberta. The Sharks have a cool look, so if it was to be a team outside of the northern parts, it'd be them.

 

[PistolPete]

I don't think it's purely pressure, but also style and situation as well. It could mean the teams change ranking year after year. For me, if I were good enough for the NHL, I'd assume I'd probably be a tweener responsible bottom 6 or bottom pairing guy who occasionally shows flashes of elevated play. I wouldn't assume I'd be a star player. I'd be like a Ryan Lomberg/Kris Russell type of dude who just does a bit of everything and tries to keep spirits high. Management or fans can affect my play, but honestly, I'm my own worst enemy vs them.

I'd least want to choose a team whose management would undervalue/unfairly blame guys like that/have a roster that doesn't have the room for a guy like that so that I have a chance to play vs riding pine/munching popcorn. Usually that might mean better contracts as well.

All other things equal, I'd like a market that values seeing someone play their heart out, even if it doesn't reflect on the score sheet vs focusing solely on the star players. The reputation of the medical staff might be a factor as well. I dealt with non-stop injuries when I was younger and played sports like I was invincible. I'd probably mow myself into the ground without a good medical group to keep me in check and advise me not to play through certain things.

I'd rather play for a team where the rhetoric can be, "The top line had a night off and the 4th line helped contribute." vs "Top line wasn't great, but 4th line contributions didn't do enough to help the top line.".

I dunno... top 3 where reputationally, anyone can be the hero for any night:
Flames?
Stars?
Panthers?

Bottom 3:
Teams with less loyalty that have been cycling through their bottom 6/bottom pairings thinking that's the answer for their cup/blaming those guys when things go wrong?

And this is also the perfect argument for why the Entey Draft should be done away with. Allow prospects to find their best fit

 

[1989]

I’m curious as to why you would have New York bottom 3? Is it just because it’s so big that you think it’s easier to blend in?

Anyways to answer the question:

Top 3:
Toronto
Montreal
Edmonton


Bottom 3:
Anaheim
Nashville
Florida

I’m too old to play now, but if I had a time machine and was in my early 20s probably the New York Rangers. It would be cool to play for an O6 team in MSG

That's exactly it. I think, honestly, outside of being a star/starting role, New York has so much going on culturally and in the sports scene that unless you're in the SCF you're probably not getting a lot of attention for the rest of the year, relatively speaking.

 

[MoneyManny]

I think Montreal's pressure on the hockey team is getting weaker as time flows and the old beat writers retire or are going to in a few years. It's been nothing but fluff for years now and the toxic focus on the French language has diminished considerably.

If i was a hockey player i'd love to play in any of the O6 franchises except Toronto, i just really really hate the city.

 

[1989]

I mean, this just isn't true, as a NYR fan who lives just outside the city and attends many games per year.

A Panarin/Zibanejad/Kreider/Laf/Shesterkin etc. would not just be able to roam the guts of Manhattan on any given day without being absolutely bombarded by people and fans.

Yes, the Rangers and hockey in general take a back seat to the other sports, but that's the case in every big American market and NY is a still a huge market for hockey and the Rangers have a big fanbase.

If you come to NYR and don't perform you will certainly hear about it from media, fans, social media etc.

For what it's worth I'm not envisioning myself as a star, more of a middle-six cog. Maybe I should have stipulated that but I didn't want to put too many limitations as it's how someone sees themselves in the market.

 

[PistolPete]

I like winter and don't really enjoy beach life or too much heat. I'd like Montreal, Minnesota, and perhaps Alberta. The Sharks have a cool look, so if it was to be a team outside of the northern parts, it'd be them.

Not Stavenger? They can't tempt you?

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I like the idea of playing in a big market with lots of hockey history. If I'm going to be a professional athlete, I would want to be a part of something like that.

They should also be able to spend to the cap every year. I don't want to join a team that can't put me in the best position to win a cup.

Attention outside the rink and/or weather wouldn't matter much to me.

Top Three - Toronto, New York Rangers, and Boston Bruins

 

[Tawnos]

Interesting. Can't remember the player but I recall one saying he had nonorovlem going about town and bit being bothered.
But maybe that was just his own experience.

I've seen that in plenty of player interviews as a Rangers fan. Not sure where that poster is getting it from. Hell, Marian Gaborik walked through the streets of NYC with a damn tree on his shoulder and no one even blinked at him.