Thread: The puck drops tonight!

It,s become painfully obvious Bettman,you know they guy.Pretends to like/know about/understands the true "beautiful game",has absolutely nixed any plans ever, to place a another hockey team in Canada. Much better to have the team in Phoenix or Galveston Texas,or some other hockey hotbed in the south, where according to new age math applied by a League full of empty seats, empty is a good thing. When i see Bettman chirping away about economics,coupled with whats going on in the U.S. right now with hysteria over pretty much everything related to a new word in the vocabulary of the times,trillions and trillions in debt,I really worry. Is it time to dismantle the League and make it into a Canadian League only playing for Lord Stanley's mug? What insanity makes him think hockey in a desert where they have to import water,let alone make ice is worth saving. I think it,s time for a poll. Since I have no idea how to set it up on this damn machine how about one of you guys doing it. How about..."The NHL". Should it fold and return to it,s roots in Canada by forming an entirely Canadian League. The only possible exception would have to be the inclusion of the other 4 original U.S. based teams. Oh,before I forget...the first pre-season games are only a few weeks away....thank God.

I hear you. I hate that guy Bettman. Why hasn't he been fired man? He single handedly ruined the game. He wanted to help poor franchises but he hasn't lol they are still losing millions of dollars post-lockout.

But, as much as I want a team to come to Hamilton, I don't think its a good idea Exarecr. Toronto Maple Leafs would be fine as they're sold out for the next 8 years, but Ottawa and more importantly Buffalo will take a big hit. Buffalo is supported by the city of Hamilton, if Buffalo loses Canadian ticket sales then think of it as the end of that franchise. I know as Canadians we shouldn't care, but thats the Sabres man! Even though they suck, I don't see the league without them.

So I think the better question is, ARE YOU READY FOR 2010 OLYMPICS??!!!

Originally Posted by gunnut

Easy solution: move the Sabers to Hamilton.

Sabres are not on the brink of bankruptcy

Originally Posted by gunnut

Heatly to the Sharks?

Shya, I'm glad I don't have to play in that division and see that team 6 times. If Marleau smartens up the whole West could be in real trouble, of course they'll still choke in the 1st round

Originally Posted by gunnut

But the sharks don't have a 2nd line now. Actually they never did.

I guess they're looking at Clowe (one of my least favorite people), Pavelski, and Setoguchi. Of course you can always put Thorton or Marleau on the second line, as they're both centers. I'm glad the Flames stacked up our defense this year, of course some more firepower up front would be handy to compete against these guys, can't have everything.

Ovechkin's been going on about how they're going to win the cup this year. I don't know if the Caps have something up their sleeve, or he thinks he's going to carry the team to the finals.

1. They said Theodore is their number 1 goalie, again, even though he only played 1 game in the playoffs last year and is most likely going to disappoint again in the playoffs.

2. Ovechkin's already tried to single handedly take over, he only got to game 7 of the second round, eventually losing out to the Stanley Cup Winners that year. With no other help because Semin was too weak on the puck and Green disappeared what on earth are they going to do?

Originally Posted by gunnut

There's still Simeon and Backstrom.

:P

They need a good veteran. They lost Federov who was a good role model for Ovechkin and Kozlov took off.

I'm surprised Pittsburgh kept their rent-a-players instead of offering guys like Hal Gill good extensions. I wonder who they'll get at trade deadline this year, but that's too far away

Story Highlights
Maple Leafs acquire rights to Phil Kessel after months of talks with the Bruins
Toronto gave up first- and second-round pick in 2010 and first-round pick in 2011
Kessel failed to negotiate a contract extension with Boston in the offseason

TORONTO (AP) -- The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired the rights to Phil Kessel after months of talks with the Boston Bruins and then signed him to a five-year, $27 million deal on Friday.

Toronto sent a first and second-round pick in the 2010 draft to Boston, along with another first-round pick in 2011.

Kessel scored 36 goals and added 24 assists in 70 games with Boston last season.

WHOHHHHHHHH. Hockey gods, is this guy the real deal? Burke praises him alot, "he's not even 22 yet" etc... But I didn't know he was worth 2 first rounders and a 2nd rounder; quite a lot for a guy who wasn't even going to sign an extension with Boston.