Saturday, January 17, 2004
A Hope for Winnipeg?
According to Winnipeg's deputy mayor, an American team is curious about Winnipeg. I find it kind of odd that he won't reveal which team, except to say that it isn't the Penguins. Makes me wonder if it is just a PR stunt by the NHL to mislead the fans into believing that an NHL lockout would in some way benefit the fans.
But if the story is valid who would be calling?
One guess would be the Devils, since their basketball counterpart in New Jersey, the Nets, might be moving to Brooklyn. The Devils might be forced to move because of the huge Meadowlands Xanadu complex.
If the Devils indeed did make the call, they've got a couple of reasons to do it. They're getting desparate for an arena. They want some leverage if the Nets move to Brooklyn and the Devils want to join them in their new building. They're biding their time until the US economy picks up and cities want to start building arenas again. They might also think that since Winnipeg was stupid enough to be a rink too small they might also be stupid enough to overpay for an NHL team. In their worst case scenario, they'd move to Winnipeg for a few years and then wait for someone to build them an NHL size rink.
Another might be the Islanders since they've got a brutal building. But I believe they are locked into a long term lease.
Since all the southern NHL teams except Atlanta (Tampa, Florida, Nashville, Carolina) are sole tenants in their buildings I wonder if they would have long term leases that they could get out of to leave town. I don't know about Atlanta but their attendance appears to be on the upswing since they've become competitive.
Phoenix isn't a possibility at all since they just moved into their new building which is the centerpiece of a huge development.
Anaheim is also a sole tenant and was well supported in the Cup run last year.
I can't picture moving a team out of Washington. It's too big a market and it could be a decent market with new ownership.
Regardless of whether a team goes into Winnipeg or not, I don't think Winnipeg has a long term future in the NHL. I've already blogged about Winnipeg's new arena and the idiocy of local government that made it smaller then all the new NHL rinks. Although I think the market is to small, the real drawback is the rink. It IS too small. I also wonder if Winnipeg fans are going to want to shell out current NHL prices for tickets once the honeymoon with a new team is over. Remember, Winnipeg is significantly smaller and poorer then all the other "small" Canadian NHL markets (Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton). (0) comments
But if the story is valid who would be calling?
One guess would be the Devils, since their basketball counterpart in New Jersey, the Nets, might be moving to Brooklyn. The Devils might be forced to move because of the huge Meadowlands Xanadu complex.
If the Devils indeed did make the call, they've got a couple of reasons to do it. They're getting desparate for an arena. They want some leverage if the Nets move to Brooklyn and the Devils want to join them in their new building. They're biding their time until the US economy picks up and cities want to start building arenas again. They might also think that since Winnipeg was stupid enough to be a rink too small they might also be stupid enough to overpay for an NHL team. In their worst case scenario, they'd move to Winnipeg for a few years and then wait for someone to build them an NHL size rink.
Another might be the Islanders since they've got a brutal building. But I believe they are locked into a long term lease.
Since all the southern NHL teams except Atlanta (Tampa, Florida, Nashville, Carolina) are sole tenants in their buildings I wonder if they would have long term leases that they could get out of to leave town. I don't know about Atlanta but their attendance appears to be on the upswing since they've become competitive.
Phoenix isn't a possibility at all since they just moved into their new building which is the centerpiece of a huge development.
Anaheim is also a sole tenant and was well supported in the Cup run last year.
I can't picture moving a team out of Washington. It's too big a market and it could be a decent market with new ownership.
Regardless of whether a team goes into Winnipeg or not, I don't think Winnipeg has a long term future in the NHL. I've already blogged about Winnipeg's new arena and the idiocy of local government that made it smaller then all the new NHL rinks. Although I think the market is to small, the real drawback is the rink. It IS too small. I also wonder if Winnipeg fans are going to want to shell out current NHL prices for tickets once the honeymoon with a new team is over. Remember, Winnipeg is significantly smaller and poorer then all the other "small" Canadian NHL markets (Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton). (0) comments
Friday, January 16, 2004
Best nickname in hockey
I caught a little bit of the Flyers-Leafs game near the end and managed to see a "fight" between Donald Brashear and Nathan Perrott. It reminded me of the best nickname in the NHL.
"Huggy Bear" Brashear.
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"Huggy Bear" Brashear.
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ESPN vs the NHL
The Toronto Star is reporting that negotiations between the NHL and ESPN haven't been going well for the NHL.
Sucks for the NHL. ESPN has them where they want them since they've got a glut of sports programming with NFL, NBA, MLB, college basketball and college football. They can dictate the terms and the NHL can't really do much about it. The NHL can try going to TNT or SpikeTV but if they do, what happens to their coverage on Sportscenter? The NHL really wants to avoid a repeat of their Sportschannel debacle.
In the big scheme of things, this doesn't make a bit of difference to the fans. The games will still be available although possibly on different stations. The prices aren't going to change. The big difference is that the owners and players might make a little less. But for the fans, who cares?
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Sucks for the NHL. ESPN has them where they want them since they've got a glut of sports programming with NFL, NBA, MLB, college basketball and college football. They can dictate the terms and the NHL can't really do much about it. The NHL can try going to TNT or SpikeTV but if they do, what happens to their coverage on Sportscenter? The NHL really wants to avoid a repeat of their Sportschannel debacle.
In the big scheme of things, this doesn't make a bit of difference to the fans. The games will still be available although possibly on different stations. The prices aren't going to change. The big difference is that the owners and players might make a little less. But for the fans, who cares?
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Thursday, January 15, 2004
BS in the Lone Star state
The Dallas Stars are lowering ticket prices next year because they, "are taking these steps now to fulfill our pledge to our fans to reduce the burden escalating payrolls have put on ticket prices".
I think I know why the Stars decided to put a bull on the front of their hideous new third jersey - because the organization is full of bullshit.
The Stars aren't lowering their prices because of their payroll. They're lowering their prices because they recognize their team is no longer a Cup contender and they think the fans will be recognizing it really soon as well. They might also be lowering their prices because a potential fan backlash against the upcoming CBA battle could reduce the demand for NHL tickets in Dallas.
Bob Goodenow sees through the bs, like anyone with an ounce of common sense should as well:
To simply put what Goodenow said, the owners will charge what will make them the most money and what the players make has nothing to do with what the fans pay for tickets.
If the owners are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the fans about this, why should we believe them why they tell us they're losing money? (0) comments
I think I know why the Stars decided to put a bull on the front of their hideous new third jersey - because the organization is full of bullshit.
The Stars aren't lowering their prices because of their payroll. They're lowering their prices because they recognize their team is no longer a Cup contender and they think the fans will be recognizing it really soon as well. They might also be lowering their prices because a potential fan backlash against the upcoming CBA battle could reduce the demand for NHL tickets in Dallas.
Bob Goodenow sees through the bs, like anyone with an ounce of common sense should as well:
"Ticket prices are set on supply and demand. So it's the owners who set the ticket prices based on the demand," union head Bob Goodenow said. "They do so as smart businessmen to maximize the revenue yield from tickets that are sold. Teams will go about pricing the house, tiering certain tickets at certain locations at certain levels.
"Fans set the ticket prices based on their interest and their demand for the tickets. Once the tickets are sold and the revenues come in to the clubs, then the clubs, as businesses, sit down and set their budgets and determine what they're going to pay players. Both of those functions happen more or less simultaneously, but ticket prices are not set based on what the salaries are. Ticket prices are set based on supply and demand as provided by the fans in each market."
To simply put what Goodenow said, the owners will charge what will make them the most money and what the players make has nothing to do with what the fans pay for tickets.
If the owners are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the fans about this, why should we believe them why they tell us they're losing money? (0) comments
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Fixing the high sticks
Last night's incident with Sami Salo highsticking Ladislav Nagy demonstrates the inability of the NHL's referees to police the game. For the referees to miss such a blatant high stick is yet another example of the NHL needing to find solutions for calling the game. I've seen Zdeno Chara highsticked with no call. How can you miss a high stick on a guy standing seven feet tall on skates?
That combined with the inherent danger of highsticking has given me an idea to fix this problem.
Make the players confess their sins.
Here's how you do it.
First, make highsticking either an automatic double minor or five minute major. I'm not concerned about that. There are people who know more about hockey then I who could make that call.
Second, any uncalled highsticking infraction is an automatic one game suspension. You could have the league reviewing the tapes to determine if any occurred during a game.
Third, allow the players to inform the referees of their team's own infractions. If the players own up to an infraction the penalty is called but the player avoids the suspension. The team must inform the referee of the infraction before the end of the next stoppage in play.
Highsticking is such a black and white infraction that it is easy to determine if it happened or not. Make the players confess instead of trying to get away with it and the problem might be solved.
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That combined with the inherent danger of highsticking has given me an idea to fix this problem.
Make the players confess their sins.
Here's how you do it.
First, make highsticking either an automatic double minor or five minute major. I'm not concerned about that. There are people who know more about hockey then I who could make that call.
Second, any uncalled highsticking infraction is an automatic one game suspension. You could have the league reviewing the tapes to determine if any occurred during a game.
Third, allow the players to inform the referees of their team's own infractions. If the players own up to an infraction the penalty is called but the player avoids the suspension. The team must inform the referee of the infraction before the end of the next stoppage in play.
Highsticking is such a black and white infraction that it is easy to determine if it happened or not. Make the players confess instead of trying to get away with it and the problem might be solved.
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Spinoff or ripoff?
The Montreal Canadiens have announced they will be holding an outdoor practice as a spinoff of the Heritage Classic.
A spinoff?
More like ripoff. The Vancouver Canucks held an outdoor practice at a small outdoor rink in Ottawa several years ago. Then last year the Ottawa Senators had an outdoor practice on the Rideau Canal.
What does practicing outdoors have to do with the Heritage Classic? I think the Habs are just trying to ride the coattails of the successful Heritage Classic and trying to sound innovative.
Too bad they're around four years late. (0) comments
A spinoff?
More like ripoff. The Vancouver Canucks held an outdoor practice at a small outdoor rink in Ottawa several years ago. Then last year the Ottawa Senators had an outdoor practice on the Rideau Canal.
What does practicing outdoors have to do with the Heritage Classic? I think the Habs are just trying to ride the coattails of the successful Heritage Classic and trying to sound innovative.
Too bad they're around four years late. (0) comments
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Big rings
Watching the Sens beat the Devils 4-0 on the Fox Sports Net NY feed, I noticed something odd. Both the host and one of the announcing crew were sporting big rings. Like Stanley Cup winning ring big. But neither the host, Matt Loughlin, nor the play by play guy, Mike Emrick had ever played in the NHL so those can't be Stanley Cup rings. Meanwhile colour commentator, Chico Resch, wasn't sporting any rings. Not even the Stanley Cup ring he would have received as a member of the 1979-80 Stanley Cup Championship team.
Someone needs to tell those two that if you've got a big ass ring on your finger and you're working an NHL broadcast, it had better be a Stanley Cup ring. Anything else just looks cheesy.
I don't even like seeing Pierre McGuire showing off his Cup ring during TSN broadcasts. Pierre, you were a either a scout or an assistant coach when you got that ring. You were lucky to be in the position you were in. If you weren't a player, coach or GM you don't need to be showing it off every chance you get. If the ring were for every day use it wouldn't be so freaking big. You don't see the Devils trainer coming out on the ice to work on an injured player with three rings under his latex gloves. Put the ring away until you've got grandkids to impress. (0) comments
Someone needs to tell those two that if you've got a big ass ring on your finger and you're working an NHL broadcast, it had better be a Stanley Cup ring. Anything else just looks cheesy.
I don't even like seeing Pierre McGuire showing off his Cup ring during TSN broadcasts. Pierre, you were a either a scout or an assistant coach when you got that ring. You were lucky to be in the position you were in. If you weren't a player, coach or GM you don't need to be showing it off every chance you get. If the ring were for every day use it wouldn't be so freaking big. You don't see the Devils trainer coming out on the ice to work on an injured player with three rings under his latex gloves. Put the ring away until you've got grandkids to impress. (0) comments
Bought and paid for
Headline from tsn.ca reads Gretzky, Lemieux may be key in CBA talks while Bill Daly's quote is actually, "If we feel they can play a role and help the process, we're not going to rule out anything".
I covered this earlier in my post about Bruce Garrioch's article but I wanted to talk about it a little more now that TSN is blowing things out of proportion.
Nowhere does Bill Daly state that they'll be playing a key role. In fact the notion that the NHL would push aside its lawyers and accountants to give Gretzky and Lemieux, two guys who never even attended university, key roles is absurd. It's like the Ottawa Senators telling their accounting department to run their power play.
Gretz and Mario might have a role in the discussions. That role would be as pimping the league's propaganda and they'll only have the role if they agree to toe the league line. They'll be bought and paid to advertise for the league, just like Wayne has been bought and paid to pimp Ford vehicles.
Hey Wayne! I'm not going to buy one of Ford's crappy minivans just because you're endorsing it! And I sure as hell am not going to support a lockout just because you say so either!
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I covered this earlier in my post about Bruce Garrioch's article but I wanted to talk about it a little more now that TSN is blowing things out of proportion.
Nowhere does Bill Daly state that they'll be playing a key role. In fact the notion that the NHL would push aside its lawyers and accountants to give Gretzky and Lemieux, two guys who never even attended university, key roles is absurd. It's like the Ottawa Senators telling their accounting department to run their power play.
Gretz and Mario might have a role in the discussions. That role would be as pimping the league's propaganda and they'll only have the role if they agree to toe the league line. They'll be bought and paid to advertise for the league, just like Wayne has been bought and paid to pimp Ford vehicles.
Hey Wayne! I'm not going to buy one of Ford's crappy minivans just because you're endorsing it! And I sure as hell am not going to support a lockout just because you say so either!
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The future is almost here for Canadian hockey fans
The Heritage Classic in Edmonton last fall was a huge event for the NHL. The record crowd. The alumni game with Gretzky. Playing outdoors. All things that made the event significant. But for me there was one thing that had me more excited then any other.
The first HDTV NHL broadcast by a Canadian station.
I purchased an HDTV set early last year. Very shortly after I signed up with Rogers for their HD bundle. Since then I've seen football, golf, baseball, basketball and hockey in HD. Unfortunately, my HD hockey experience was limited to a couple games in the Stanley Cup finals. But those games convinced me that there isn't a sport that has its broadcast experience improved more by HD then hockey.
CBC's foray in HD hockey with the Heritage Classic was just a tease. Since that event they've unveiled no plans to follow up their efforts.
Another hope for HD hockey occurred last fall when both TSN and Rogers Sportsnet started HD versions of their stations. However, they've neglected to add hockey into the HD lineup. Until this Thursday.
Starting this Thursday and for every Thursday for the rest of January, TSN HD will be simulcasting ESPN's NHL game broadcast in HD. Their schedule follows:
Jan 15 NHL: Dallas @ Colorado 9:00 p.m. et
Jan 22 NHL: Philadelphia @ NY Rangers 7:30 p.m. et
Jan 29 NHL: NY Islanders @ Boston 7:30 p.m. et
My only regret? The broadcasts conflict with the Senator games, not broadcast in HD, that I'll be watching instead. (0) comments
The first HDTV NHL broadcast by a Canadian station.
I purchased an HDTV set early last year. Very shortly after I signed up with Rogers for their HD bundle. Since then I've seen football, golf, baseball, basketball and hockey in HD. Unfortunately, my HD hockey experience was limited to a couple games in the Stanley Cup finals. But those games convinced me that there isn't a sport that has its broadcast experience improved more by HD then hockey.
CBC's foray in HD hockey with the Heritage Classic was just a tease. Since that event they've unveiled no plans to follow up their efforts.
Another hope for HD hockey occurred last fall when both TSN and Rogers Sportsnet started HD versions of their stations. However, they've neglected to add hockey into the HD lineup. Until this Thursday.
Starting this Thursday and for every Thursday for the rest of January, TSN HD will be simulcasting ESPN's NHL game broadcast in HD. Their schedule follows:
Jan 15 NHL: Dallas @ Colorado 9:00 p.m. et
Jan 22 NHL: Philadelphia @ NY Rangers 7:30 p.m. et
Jan 29 NHL: NY Islanders @ Boston 7:30 p.m. et
My only regret? The broadcasts conflict with the Senator games, not broadcast in HD, that I'll be watching instead. (0) comments
The indoctrination was successful!
Bruce Garrioch and the other hacks in the Ottawa hockey media had their meeting with NHL VP Bill Daly yesterday.
Bruce's article about the meeting is telling.
Some of the quotes:
Though Gretzky -- a part-owner of the Coyotes -- and Lemieux -- who has a stake the Penguins -- haven't been actively involved in discussions with the union, Daly indicated their input is a possibility.
"If we feel they can play a role and help the process, we're not going to rule out anything," Daly said in an interview at the NHL headquarters in Manhattan.
In other words, if Gretzky and Mario are willing to peddle the league's propaganda to convince hockey fans that missing NHL is a good thing, the league will be happy to have them aboard.
One thing is certain: There haven't been any productive discussions since June 4 when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and union head Bob Goodenow met.
So if there's been nothing new to report for over six months, what is the point of the meeting? Why wouldn't a press release suffice?
Daly isn't willing to come out and say there will be a work stoppage, but he says the league has done market studies and more people in Canada support a lockout to getting the system corrected than people in the U.S.
Maybe that's because a greater percentage of people in Canada care about hockey then in the US?
"The results of support have been very strong in Canada and in the United States. People want us to fix the problem and they feel it needs to be fixed," said Daly.
"It's much stronger in Canada than it is in the United States. Canadian fans are telling us that we need to fix it because it's important for the game."
What is the problem that needs to be fixed?
To many fans, the problem is tickets are too high. To people in Winnipeg the problem is that they don't have a team. A lot of people naively believe that a new CBA will fix these problems.
In Canada, five of the six teams look like they're making the playoffs. Three of those teams have their fans thinking they can win the Cup. Do half the American teams think the same thing? Can you name 12 American teams that have their fans thinking they can win the Cup? There's a chance there won't even be 12 American teams in the playoffs.
During the 90-minute session -- which Daly has held with media across North America this season -- the league marched out enough numbers to boggle the mind, but the bottom line is the current CBA is not working.
There's an old saying that if you can't dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with bullshit. Does anyone really think that anyone in Ottawa's media can crunch a shitload of numbers? For the most part, these guys couldn't even get a journalism degree from a university (Ian Mendes from Sportsnet would be the exception since he does have a journalism degree from Carleton University's well respected Journalism program). I suspect that many of them would have a hard time doing their taxes. (0) comments
Bruce's article about the meeting is telling.
Some of the quotes:
Though Gretzky -- a part-owner of the Coyotes -- and Lemieux -- who has a stake the Penguins -- haven't been actively involved in discussions with the union, Daly indicated their input is a possibility.
"If we feel they can play a role and help the process, we're not going to rule out anything," Daly said in an interview at the NHL headquarters in Manhattan.
In other words, if Gretzky and Mario are willing to peddle the league's propaganda to convince hockey fans that missing NHL is a good thing, the league will be happy to have them aboard.
One thing is certain: There haven't been any productive discussions since June 4 when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and union head Bob Goodenow met.
So if there's been nothing new to report for over six months, what is the point of the meeting? Why wouldn't a press release suffice?
Daly isn't willing to come out and say there will be a work stoppage, but he says the league has done market studies and more people in Canada support a lockout to getting the system corrected than people in the U.S.
Maybe that's because a greater percentage of people in Canada care about hockey then in the US?
"The results of support have been very strong in Canada and in the United States. People want us to fix the problem and they feel it needs to be fixed," said Daly.
"It's much stronger in Canada than it is in the United States. Canadian fans are telling us that we need to fix it because it's important for the game."
What is the problem that needs to be fixed?
To many fans, the problem is tickets are too high. To people in Winnipeg the problem is that they don't have a team. A lot of people naively believe that a new CBA will fix these problems.
In Canada, five of the six teams look like they're making the playoffs. Three of those teams have their fans thinking they can win the Cup. Do half the American teams think the same thing? Can you name 12 American teams that have their fans thinking they can win the Cup? There's a chance there won't even be 12 American teams in the playoffs.
During the 90-minute session -- which Daly has held with media across North America this season -- the league marched out enough numbers to boggle the mind, but the bottom line is the current CBA is not working.
There's an old saying that if you can't dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with bullshit. Does anyone really think that anyone in Ottawa's media can crunch a shitload of numbers? For the most part, these guys couldn't even get a journalism degree from a university (Ian Mendes from Sportsnet would be the exception since he does have a journalism degree from Carleton University's well respected Journalism program). I suspect that many of them would have a hard time doing their taxes. (0) comments
Monday, January 12, 2004
A chat or an indoctrination?
Noted Sun columinst/fiction writer Bruce Garrioch mentions in today's column that, "Members of the media who cover the Senators have been invited to the league's head office in New York today for a sit-down session with NHL vice-president Bill Daly to discuss where negotiations stand on a new collective bargaining agreement".
These have been happening with the media from most teams when they travel to New York.
I wonder if these sessions happen in a darkened and crowded room where the media are whipped into a frenzy until Daly arrives surrounded by a beacon of light to lead the media in chants extolling the virtues of cost certainty and a new CBA. Or maybe the league just brings in free food and hookers. Whatever they do, you can be sure that the media members will be hoping to be invited back. When everyone's saying goodbye, you can be sure that the league officials will ask the media if they have their support with a wink and a nudge.
I mean who needs a press conference that would take ten minutes, because there's nothing new to report, when high powered league officials can spend an afternoon hobnobbing with a bunch of jocksniffers? (0) comments
These have been happening with the media from most teams when they travel to New York.
I wonder if these sessions happen in a darkened and crowded room where the media are whipped into a frenzy until Daly arrives surrounded by a beacon of light to lead the media in chants extolling the virtues of cost certainty and a new CBA. Or maybe the league just brings in free food and hookers. Whatever they do, you can be sure that the media members will be hoping to be invited back. When everyone's saying goodbye, you can be sure that the league officials will ask the media if they have their support with a wink and a nudge.
I mean who needs a press conference that would take ten minutes, because there's nothing new to report, when high powered league officials can spend an afternoon hobnobbing with a bunch of jocksniffers? (0) comments
Hockey fans in the desert?
A lot of hockey fans have knocked Phoenix as a hockey market. They've snickered at the attendance and wondered why the Jets even moved at all.
But now that the Coyotes have moved out of the woeful for hockey America West Arena and into the built-for-hockey Glendale Arena, could there be a hockey boom in the desert? The Coyotes haven't just sold out every seat in their first four games in the new building. They've sold more tickets then they have seats.
Check out the attendance numbers so far for the 17,653 seat building:
19,052
18,217
18,106
18,086
So people are willing to stand to watch Phoenix Coyotes hockey but hockey can't thrive in the desert? Whatever.
Give the people something special (a championship team, a record shutout streak, etc) to see and hockey can work anywhere. (0) comments
But now that the Coyotes have moved out of the woeful for hockey America West Arena and into the built-for-hockey Glendale Arena, could there be a hockey boom in the desert? The Coyotes haven't just sold out every seat in their first four games in the new building. They've sold more tickets then they have seats.
Check out the attendance numbers so far for the 17,653 seat building:
So people are willing to stand to watch Phoenix Coyotes hockey but hockey can't thrive in the desert? Whatever.
Give the people something special (a championship team, a record shutout streak, etc) to see and hockey can work anywhere. (0) comments
The World Junior short list
The field bidding for the 2006 World Junior Championships was reduced to five today. Ottawa, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Quebec City, and Kitchener/London remain in the field. It appears that Hockey Canada eliminated the markets without a CHL team along with the previous winner, Halifax.
From my obviously biased point of view, Ottawa should be the winning bidder. Ottawa has the best main venue in the Corel Centre (it's slightly bigger then GM Place). Ottawa has the best supported CHL team in the Ottawa 67's (while across the river in Gatineau the Olympiques are a viable CHL franchise as well). Ottawa has also put on a successful Memorial Cup tournament.
But who knows who these things get decided? Hockey Canada might prefer to choose a market that doesn't have an NHL franchise. One of the markets might offer up a huge cash guarantee that's subsidized by the bidder.
I've got my deposit down for tickets to the World Juniors in Ottawa. I just hope it doesn't get returned. (0) comments
From my obviously biased point of view, Ottawa should be the winning bidder. Ottawa has the best main venue in the Corel Centre (it's slightly bigger then GM Place). Ottawa has the best supported CHL team in the Ottawa 67's (while across the river in Gatineau the Olympiques are a viable CHL franchise as well). Ottawa has also put on a successful Memorial Cup tournament.
But who knows who these things get decided? Hockey Canada might prefer to choose a market that doesn't have an NHL franchise. One of the markets might offer up a huge cash guarantee that's subsidized by the bidder.
I've got my deposit down for tickets to the World Juniors in Ottawa. I just hope it doesn't get returned. (0) comments
Sunday, January 11, 2004
And what if he were hot?
With two goals today against Carolina, Marian Hossa has climbed into a fifth place tie in league scoring with Pavel Datsyuk. He's also tied for sixth in goals. He's on pace for a career year. But the strange thing is that he hasn't really played that well lately. Not to say he hasn't played well but he hasn't been dominating like he can. When he's on his game he's scoring goals by dominating down low or blowing past defencemen to go in alone. Right now most of his goals are coming from one timing feeds or shots on the outer part of the slot.
He hasn't even been the best forward on his team. Daniel Alfredsson has outplayed him for the past month.
Inevitably Hossa will get hot though. He's only 3 points off the scoring lead. He's only 4 goals off the scoring league. So when he does get hot, he might end up doing what Iginla did two years ago. He'll lead the league in points and goals.
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He hasn't even been the best forward on his team. Daniel Alfredsson has outplayed him for the past month.
Inevitably Hossa will get hot though. He's only 3 points off the scoring lead. He's only 4 goals off the scoring league. So when he does get hot, he might end up doing what Iginla did two years ago. He'll lead the league in points and goals.
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