NHL 2006 Playoffs thread...

[nl5xsk1 0]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2006

 

That website says otherwise. New Jersey is widely considered a "traditional" franchise in the NHL, they had a fairly successful season, yet they ranked 26th out of 30 teams in attendace. The Phoenix Coyotes had a terrible season, yet they averaged more attendance than the playoff-bound New Jersey Devils. Other long-time franchises like the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues had bad seasons and the fans didn't show up. It isn't just the new franchises and franchises in the South that have trouble drawing attendance. Fans anywhere will stop showing up if a team is consistently among the bottom fourth of the league.

Disregard Jersey ... the don't play in a town or a city, they play off an exit ramp on the Jersey turnpike. So, it's inconvenient for ANYONE to get to it. As far as I remember, there isn't any public transportation, so if you're going to go to a Devils game, you have to jump on the highway (and potentially pay tolls) to watch them play in an outdated, embarassing arena. They've never gotten good attendance, and never will until they move to a real city with a real arena.

 

The Blackhawks, again, are a bad example. The Wolves sell out every game, even though they're an AHL team in an NHL market, because the fans don't hate their owner. Until Wirtz sells the 'hawks, they're going to struggle with attendance. They'd need to become a Red Wing-level powerhouse to draw significant fans. (Boston, sadly, is on their way to this level, too ... the apathy around here is disgusting. The Massholes, though, will be quicker to jump back on the bandwagon when it's time to be a fairweather fan).

 

No excuses for the Blues & their fans, though ...

 

And I'd also like to throw in the fact that the attendance stats referenced on most of those kind of pages are meaningless. Those reference tickets sold, and since many of those are season tickets that companies purchase in advance (and don't use) ... it's hard to say that those numbers are absolute and infallible. I watched most of the B's games this year, and it's laughable to think that they averaged 87% capacity.

[Guest]

I keep telling you that I have at least 3 hockey rinks in driving distance from my house. I know the one I play at is packed on the weekends and when the high schooler play.

Which one do you play at, the Gretzky one in Upland or the older one in Ontario?

 

Nashville is the only city of which people that don't want hockey down South should have a legitimate gripe with.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

Gretzky rink. I can't play ice yet. I can't hit or take a hit yet.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

ok, nevermind, hockey shouldn't try to expand to cities that aren't familiar with it. the league should only have a dozen or so teams, too, because that's where it's understood.

you don't even need to televise them becauase there's enough room in the arenas for all the real fans to attend, too.

heck, newspapers should stop reporting it so hockey can be a special underground sport for the northern cities to enjoy.

Glad you didn't overreact or anything.

 

Fact is, of the 13 teams that have joined the league or moved since the 91-92 season, six have been fairly consistent draws (looking at % of capacity) over the last five seasons -- the five northernmost teams (Ottawa, Minnesota, Colorado, Columbus and San Jose), plus Dallas (Cup winner). One has gone from poor draw to good draw (Tampa Bay, another Cup winner). The other six have underperformed against the league average, and they all happen to be in the south (Anaheim, Nashville, Atlanta, Florida, Carolina, and to a lesser extent, Phoenix).

 

Now, obviously, there are some poor draws in the north as well -- New Jersey, Boston, Chicago and the Islanders come to mind -- but when you stick ice hockey in a warmer climate, you're just not going to get consistently good attendance figures over time, because the hardcore fanbase isn't really there.

 

Incidentally, why are there two days between games in the Sharks/Oilers series? Having to wait for Game 6 is a drag.

 

I thought i was just being sarcastic becasue you weren't really saying anything, but I can't think of any other solution to your attendance problem. Eliminate the southern teams!

[Guest Felonies!]

Anyone who looks at the whole NHL thing objectively can tell southern expansion was a failure. C'mon.

[CanadianChris 0]

Toskala's back in net for the Sharks. That surprises me, I thought they'd go with Nabokov after the last two games.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

Anyone who looks at the whole NHL thing objectively can tell southern expansion was a failure. C'mon.

 

Why?

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Toskala's back in net for the Sharks. That surprises me, I thought they'd go with Nabokov after the last two games.

 

Makes two of us...When was the last time Nabakov even started?

 

Pretty classy opening, no booing of anthems, but respectful appluase of the U.S and singing along to the Canadian one.

[CanadianChris 0]

1-0 Edmonton. What a great individual effort by Peca.

[CanadianChris 0]

If San Jose can't score on this 5-on-3, there's no way they're winning this game.

[Guest Princess Leena]

The Sabres are really popular in Buffalo, though...

 

It's just that with the shitty way the team was handled, nobody wanted to pay to see the games.

[CanadianChris 0]

San Jose's power play is atrocious. I don't think I've ever seen a team get shut down this badly.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

San Jose's power play is atrocious. I don't think I've ever seen a team get shut down this badly.

 

Doesn't seem to be improving when the chips are down, either, as they can't convert despite being on the man advantage for the final 1:50 and change of the second frame.

 

The Oil are 20 minutes from getting to the conference finals, still leading 1-0

[Guest]

That was nearly the series.

[CanadianChris 0]

I cannot believe how solid Roloson has played all playoffs. He was one of the big reasons the Oilers nearly missed the playoffs.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Edmonton's starting to look a little anxious. They next time it gets iced, MacT needs to settle them down.

 

Also, game 7 is Friday if neccesary. When's game #1 if Edmonton wins? Also Friday, I would think? If it goes till seven, would game #1 be Sunday?

[CanadianChris 0]

That's it for sure.

[Guest]

IT'S OVAH~!

 

Surprising.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Rexall is FUCKING LOUD!

[CanadianChris 0]

It's going to be so much easier to cheer for the Oilers this year than it was for the Flames two years ago. I loved the Oilers when I was a kid and didn't like the Flames at all. Messier was my favourite player by far.

[CanadianChris 0]

HOW DID THAT STAY OUT???

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

In case it wasn't over, San Jose comes up empty on a pp again.

 

NOW it's over.

[Guest]

Bernier should have scored twice in these past few minutes.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

As delirious as Canada was in the spring of 2004, I think this will be even greater. Everyone knew who Iginla and Kipper were in March 2004. This is a coming out party for a lot of lesser-known but hard-working Oil. They personify Canadian hockey right now as far as I'm concerned.

 

Red Baron can attest to what I just said, as I've been saying it for two years now.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

The Oil have never won a playoff series after losing games 1&2. Just a tidbit.

 

EDIT: Until now. 2-0 Oil. Bring on the Ducks. wOOt wOOt!

[CanadianChris 0]

Bring on the Ducks.

 

These are going to be two fabulous series.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Bring on the Ducks.

 

These are going to be two fabulous series.

 

It's true. With four small market, fast-paced teams about to vie for the Cup, Bettman will continue his Dibiase style "I told you so" laugh.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

Western Conference Semi-Finals:

(5) San Jose vs. (8) Edmonton - Edmonton in 7.

(6) Anaheim vs. (7) Colorado - Anaheim in 6.

 

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals:

(1) Ottawa vs. (4) Buffalo Ottawa in 6.

(2) Carolina vs. (3) New Jersey New Jersey in 7.

 

I was close with Edmonton. Oh and congratuations Edmonton.

Anaheim won in four. Who saw that coming?

Why can't Ottawa win in the post season? They were so dominating in the regular season but it's all about the post season.

Glad I was wrong. I hate the Devils

 

Western Finals:

(6) Anaheim vs. (8) Edmonton - Anaheim in 6. Anaheim had a week off, plus they are on a six game winning streak.

 

Eastern Finals:

(2) Carolina vs. (4) Buffalo - Buffalo in 6. God wants me to fight with the defenseman on my team. You see, he's from Buffalo and he plays most of his games with his Buffalo jersey.

[Guest]

I'm not making a pick for the West. I honestly don't know.

 

Carolina over Buffalo in 7, in possibly one of the greatest series ever.

[Guest Felonies!]

I love that the Oilers have gotten this far, because I'm all about Canadian and northern teams doing well, but hey Canadian guys, isn't there something Barronesque about supporting the Oilers since the Canadiens went out in round 1, then the Sens in the second? Whatever. Go Oilers. Start the second hand, or whatever the #6 equivalent is for "one for the thumb" from the Steelers run.