Something that I don't get about hockey

[Guest thevertex]

Why does the NHL keep putting teams in the South, where obviously they will be an afterthought, and without exception they ALL suck and aren't competitive.

 

Meanwhile, places like Minnesota, Hartford, Winnipeg, and Quebec lose their teams, while cities where the populace couldn't give a shit about the NHL get expansion teams.

 

Here's what I propose, they need to first and foremost give Quebec and Winnipeg teams again. Hockey is Canada's national past time, speaking as Americans, we don't deserve hockey teams if we don't want them. Move Carolina back to Hartford, give say Quebec the Lightning and Winnipeg the Panthers, and while they're at it, move Predators to Seattle, the pacific northwest really strikes me as somewhere that would embrace hockey. Atlanta and Phoenix can keep their franchises though, at least they are major markets that have a possible chance of success.

[Guest thevertex]

While i'm playing fantasy NHL commisioner, might as well move Anaheim to the bay area....

[Guest Brooding Genius]

Here's what I propose, they need to first and foremost give Quebec and Winnipeg teams again. Hockey is Canada's national past time, speaking as Americans, we don't deserve hockey teams if we don't want them. Move Carolina back to Hartford, give say Quebec the Lightning and Winnipeg the Panthers, and while they're at it, move Predators to Seattle, the pacific northwest really strikes me as somewhere that would embrace hockey. Atlanta and Phoenix can keep their franchises though, at least they are major markets that have a possible chance of success.

 

The Carolina team, after a rough start due to the fact that the team had no permanent home, is thriving.  The Predators have been selling out the building non-stop since they were formed, and the Canadian farm kids who grew up on country music are DYING to play there.

 

If anything, the two teams you mentioned as being able to keep their franchises are in the worst shape.  Atlanta is one of the worst sports towns in America (the Braves don't even sell out during the playoffs), and Phoenix has been slashing payroll since Gretzky took over.

 

The Vancouver Canucks are the team in the Pacific Northwest.  The league has been promoting Portland, Oregon as a potential spot for a team to move, because they don't want Seattle and Vancouver competing for the same fans.

[Guest DrTom]

"Move Carolina back to Hartford, give say Quebec the Lightning and Winnipeg the Panthers..."

 

Hartford, Quebec, and Winnepeg all saw their teams leave for a reason.  What makes you think moving other teams in would be successful, or smart?  They'd enjoy the typical honeymoon period, then lack of interest would set in.  Besides, the Canadian economy sucks and teams up North find it hard to compete with American teams and their more valuable dollars.  It's a reality of international business, too, that teams have left the Great White North for the greener pastures of the USA.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

The big problem is our dollar.  Until we finally kick the Liberals out of power, nothing will be done about it.  Remember Trudeau?

[Guest CanadianChris]

I'm trying to forget, thank you very much.

[Guest DrEvil]

Yeah, it's going to take a major economic collapse for people to finally wise up to Uncle Jean's liberals.  Fortunately or unfortunately it looks like that's coming because doing nothing except creating new taxes is finally showing the holes or their strategy of "I don't know how, but it works, so don't touch anything."

 

As far as the NHL goes, they just expanded to big cities.  I don't think they put too much consideration into whether or not the population would take to hockey.  A city like Winnipeg deserved to lose their team because they would draw sub 5,000 crowds every night until it was too late to save the team.  It was a shame for a city like Quebec that was a decent draw to lose a team though.  It's just a matter of a weak dollar and no tv revenues.

[Guest Brush with Greatness]

When the fuck did Winnipeg draw sub-5000 crowds?  They were always 13,000 for one of the most consistently poor teams in the NHL.  It was not until after the original move was planned did the crowds start to drop off and even then they were still around the 10,000 range.

 

In 17 years, the Jets made it past the first round of the playoffs ONCE.  One time.  Meanwhile, despite playing in an era where 16 of 21 teams made the playoffs the Jets still managed to miss the playoffs a third of the time.

 

Don't give me this shit about sub 5000 crowds.  The crowds were always strong until the move was announced, at which point some people started boycotting, and rightfully so.

 

Your a fuckhead Dr. Evil.

[Guest DrEvil]

You're Welcome.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

The Canadian gov't played a great role in the down fall of Montreal's dominance. Correct me if I'm wrong but the taxes where too high for Montreal to pay anyone.

[Guest Choken One]

Canada screwed Canada. Get a normal Econmy and then MAYBE people will consider you fuck ups.

[Guest Brooding Genius]

Continuing on the Montreal thought, I've read on more than one occasion that the Canadiens pay more in taxes than all 24 U.S.-based teams combined.

 

THAT could be the reason for their downfall.

 

And it's my personal belief that the Flames will be the next team to move south of the border.  No way that the league will let the Oilers, the team of Wayne Gretzky's greatest years, move without a dogfight.