NHL Offseason - 2007

[CanadianChris 0]

Because the Finals thread was getting cluttered with the whole Nashville/other teams moving discussion, and Nightwing made a very sensible suggestion that this thread be created.

 

Go nuts.

[Zetterberg is God 0]

The Pittsburgh Penguins will announce tomorrow that Sidney Crosby will be named the team's captain.

 

At 19, Crosby will become the youngest captain in NHL history.

Not really surprising at all.

[CanadianChris 0]

I always wondered why they never had a captain last year. Crosby was clearly the leader of the team.

[Guest George's Box]

I don't think that's necessarily a bright move, given how it seemed to really mess up Vincent Lecavalier for a few years early on, but Yzerman and Sakic were both young captains, so it goes both ways. Those Dead Wings and Nordiques were teams that were very much rebuilding, though; the Penguins at least have their foot in the door.

[Nightwing 0]

Yeah, sorry about that.

 

Edit: I think that's what they are hoping for, though I'm not sure that's the best way to go. I mean, 19 is a ridiculous age to be leading a hockey team, even if you are as talented as Crosby. I'd say give the spot to Recchi and let Crosby watch and learn for at least a year, as they haven't really had a real captain since Mario (who only played 26 games). Gretzky was captain after 4, Lemieux, Yzerman and Sakic after 3. I think they are pushing him a little too hard into the 'Next One' spot.

[Guest]

The Kings are looking to trade their draft pick. For what, I don't know.

[CanadianChris 0]

I didn't think 2007 was supposed to be that good of a draft class.

[Guest]

It's not. Not at all.

[World's Worst Man 0]

If Toronto doesn't drop Raycroft and get a real number one goalie, JFJ should be shitcanned immediately. Seriously, the Leafs are a playoff team with a half-decent goaltender. The problem is, which solid goaltender is out there?

[Guest George's Box]

I didn't think 2007 was supposed to be that good of a draft class.

It's not. Not at all.

As long as the top overall pick is good enough to resuscitate the most damaged organization in professional sports, it's good enough for me!

[Guest]

It's good enough.

 

It's a "top 3 are really good, possible franchise players and the rest, outside of one Russian that may not come over, suck" draft. Only one NHL ready player and he's a defenseman.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

Anyone know when the new jerseys are set to debut?

[Guest George's Box]

This autumn, if everything goes off without a hitch. They were previewed at the All-Star Game that nobody watched. I suppose it's kind of a throwback to the days when sweaters were tighter (I suppose they got really baggy around the 80s?), but now with HIGH-QUALITY PERFORMANCE FIBER or some shit. If any designs have to be modified to fit within "the uniform system" as they're laughably calling it, then it's a failure, especially if said designs are the Original Six's.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Hamilton? The fuck?

[CanadianChris 0]

Hamilton? The fuck?

It makes more sense than K-W, at least. More than Winnipeg, too, really -- they already have an NHL-ready arena, at least as far as capacity goes, and a much larger potential population base.

[Broward83 0]

Anyone have a clue as to how hard it might be to take an AHL and get them into the NHL?

 

Seriously, Houston should've had a Hockey team before Atlanta or fuckin Nashville and with us already having the Houston Aeros.. it shouldn't be so hard to get them into the NHL.

[bob_barron 0]

Hamilton? Ugh. Go to Winnipeg!

[World's Worst Man 0]

Hamilton is way too close to Toronto, and it's actually smaller than Mississauga, at least in terms of population. People in this neck of the woods (which is between Hamilton and Toronto) are hardcore Leafs fans, and I seriously doubt many people will go support a Hamilton team. Then again, if they draw good crowds, I doubt the ownership will care about how many people are actually fans of the team. Still, putting a team in Hamilton is just silly, and Winnipeg makes a lot more sense.

[treble 0]

He might just want to put the team there for a year or 2 while he has a new building built in Kitchener.

 

And wouldn't the Sabres have more of a beef with a team in Hamilton? I know the Leafs would kick up a storm, but it really wouldn't hurt them too much, they'd still sell out and make a ton of cash, but the fans that the Sabres draw from that area might jump ship instead of crossing the border.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Still, putting a team in Hamilton is just silly, and Winnipeg makes a lot more sense.

 

Winnipeg won't get corporate support, and their arena isn't built properly to maximize revenue (it has about half the luxury boxes that GM Place has).

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Hamilton? The fuck?

It makes more sense than K-W, at least. More than Winnipeg, too, really -- they already have an NHL-ready arena, at least as far as capacity goes, and a much larger potential population base.

 

 

I wasn't so surprised by the logistics of Hamilton, it was more of a surprise to see his choice of city to offer. I would have thought, consequences be damned, he'd call KW.

[Guest George's Box]

Isn't Hamilton kind of a dive? Some of the pictures I've seen make it look like Canada's version of Gary, Indiana.

[J.T. 0]

Canada's version of Pittsburg.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Yes and no, Czech.

 

As it said in a satirical book about Canadian that Baron and I once read "Hamilton...not nearly as bad a place as you probably think".

 

It's still got a stigma (rightfully) of being dirty and rundown, but it is an industrial town. On the other hand, it's one of Canada's biggest cities, which means a lot of diversity, different cultural appeal. It's hosted the World Cycling Championships, Grey Cup, Brier, Bell Canadian Open, and recently, was the runner-up in a bid to host the Commonwealth Games.

 

My dad lives in Hamilton and has since 2001ish. Since moving there, he says he's seen remarkable progress as far as construction and new business go, in addition to general efforts to improve the city's image. And, if I can be a little boastful for a moment, it's also home to one of Canada's biggest universities, featuring a premier medical programme, which my mother just graduated from.

 

 

 

Two Canadian teams make big offers today, with Mats Sundin and Sheldon Souray both being offered contracts.

[treble 0]

The Hamilton airport is shitty.

[Nightwing 0]

... Hamilton?

 

Please, God, Bettman, don't let him move it there. If there is a bad place in Canada, that's it; it's like the centerpoint between Buffalo, Toronto, Ottawa, and Detroit. I mean, what sort of fanbase do people think they are going to find there? And what corporate funding is a team going to get when it has 4 great teams around it?

 

Even if Winnipeg has a smaller arena, it's going to sell out every time, and I'm sure the city would try and figure a way to add more if they were getting a real franchise. It might not be easy, but Winnipeg would definitely be a city that would put effort into it.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Anyone else ever wonder why no one mentions Quebec City?

[Nightwing 0]

Not really. Mainly because, as my father says, "They'll shoot your ass to hell if you speak English there".

 

Seriously, they'd up there in my choices, too, if they actually had an English paper that was a daily, and broadcasts (Both T.V. and Radio) that weren't exclusively in French. I'm guessing that the sort of Anglo-phobia is playing against them ever getting another team, even though they could probably do a decent job supporting it.

[Guest George's Box]

Yeah, Quebec City is another one that could've supported NHL hockey continuously, especially if they had amassed a multi-national following with Sakic and Forsberg, but after losing the Nordiques, it's hard to put a new team back there. Same with Hartford. The small anglophone population and media of Quebec City hurts as well. I really wish a lot of those language laws would be repealed so that the province can get closer to 50-50 in the major cities. Wasn't Montreal's Jewish community practically exiled due to Bill 101? Everything I've read about the Language Police shit up there is ridiculous.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

Anyone else hear the rumor that the NHL has already selected two new expansion cities on the west coast?

 

Apparently, it was mentioned on the Primetime Sports radio show. The hosts believe the two cities are Kansas City and Las Vegas, they also mentioned that Winnipeg was rejected.

 

Here is a link to the show, the comment is made at around the 16:45 mark.