Hockey Returns: 2005

[Miss Filangi]

Thanks for the updates, Rusi! Can't wait until the regular season begins!

[Rusicade]

Thanks for the updates, Rusi! Can't wait until the regular season begins!

I can't wait, too! Only a couple teams aren't play-off worthy this year, and it'll be interesting to see how all these roster changes affect teams...

[Rusicade]

Ouch! The Blues take some major hits...Doug Weight and Barret Jackman could miss opening night and a few games after that with shoulder injuries.

Scott Mellanby is the captain of the Atlanta Thrashers.

[Wallyhorse]

Well:

While it's good the NHL will be back, I suspect it's going to be an uphill climb no matter what they do. What the league needs in my opinion more than anything else is to have a final between specifically the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. That would bring out the "Broadway vs. Hollywood" angle that would bring casual sports fans who will watch anything that is New York vs. LA.

It's something I wouldn't sneeze at, given that in the NBA, before Jordan and before Bird and Magic, you had three finals in four years between 1970 and '73 between the Knicks and Lakers. It was those three finals (with the Knicks winning in '70, the Lakers in '72 and the Knicks again in '73) that got the NBA its first big break, something not even the Celtics dynasty of the '60s could not do.

That's why I think the NHL needs a Rangers-Kings final.

[JR.]

What the league needs in my opinion more than anything else is to have a final between specifically the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. That would bring out the "Broadway vs. Hollywood" angle that would bring casual sports fans who will watch anything that is New York vs. LA.

That wouldn't work. Most people in LA don't care about sports, they show up late and leave early. In NY, it's the Yankees first and then whichever team is winning. Aside from that, the people that don't live in these places don't necessarily care about them. Do you think people in Cleveland care about Broadway or Hollywood?

What the league needs is to have exciting games, the way they used to be before that god awful "trap". They need to promote and market the game and the players way more than they've done, they've dropped the ball in this area. And finally, ticket prices must be reduced. You are not going to get "casual" fans to drop $50 - $100+ per game on a regular basis. I saw this quote on another board and it fit perfectly - "it's a blue collar sport with white collar prices".

[Zaius]

That wouldn't work. Most people in LA don't care about sports, they show up late and leave early. In NY, it's the Yankees first and then whichever team is winning. Aside from that, the people that don't live in these places don't necessarily care about them. Do you think people in Cleveland care about Broadway or Hollywood?

What the league needs is to have exciting games, the way they used to be before that god awful "trap". They need to promote and market the game and the players way more than they've done, they've dropped the ball in this area. And finally, ticket prices must be reduced. You are not going to get "casual" fans to drop $50 - $100+ per game on a regular basis. I saw this quote on another board and it fit perfectly - "it's a blue collar sport with white collar prices".

I agree with everything (especially the ticket prices) except for the "most people in LA don't care about sports" part. Almost everyone I know is a fan of some team or another, I hear constant talk of baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. We also have a lot of sports arenas with very high numbers in attendance.

I'm not sure I understand Wallyhorse's point though...do you want the NHL to manufacture this LA/NY final or...what's the deal?

[Rusicade]

The Montreal Canadians traded marcel Hossa to the NYR for Garth Murray.

Not a good move, Gainey! :nono

[Rusicade]

Surprise?

Marc-Andre Fleury has been assigned to Wilkes-Barre (Pittsburgh AHL affiliate)

[Rusicade]

The Avs' Curtis Leschyshyn has retired.

The Preds signed Yanic Perrault.

The Blue Jackets signed 2005 first-rounder Gilbert Brule to a 3-year deal. The Jackets have said that he has a good shot at making the big club...

The Ducks have named newcomer Scott Niedermayer team captain.

And the Sens have placed Denis Hamel on waivers.

The Ducks acquired defenseman Bruno St. Jacques from the Hurricanes for Craig Adams.

[Rusicade]

Agh! Just ran out of time to edit...

Even with all the good leadership the Panthers now have, olli Jokinen will remain captain, but Roberts, Niewendyk, Hill, and Gratton will be alternate captains.

Jeff Halpern is the captain of the Capitals.


The refs will wear microphones so they can announce penalties to spectators and TV viewers.