Who stays? Who goes?

[Guest Mr McFarlane]

The Brantford Gretzkies would be a fantastic team. >_>

[Guest Brady_3for3]

People keep saying:

"Bring back this team, bring back that team." There's a reason why they don't have teams, because they failed the first time. That's why expansion to Atlanta and Minnesota baffled me, they had already lost teams in the first place.

I'd axe these teams:

Anaheim

Atlanta

Carolina

Columbus

Edmonton

Florida

Los Angeles

Nashville

22-24 teams is doable. You put Detroit in the East where it belongs with Boston, Montreal, the Rangers, and Montreal. 11 teams per confernce, 8 still make the playoffs.

[wCwCreator]

No teams will be axed at all. Bettman wants 30 Teams in the league and as long as the owners will be pushing for the cap, it's going to stay that way. The cap is going to help these small market teams.

Why would anyone even suggest that Tampa Bay would fold?, they won the frickin Stanley cup for godsakes, Plus they have talented players and a high fanbase there, same with Minnesota, remember when they had to move and everyone was down. Well now guess what? Most of them they're back now, stronger than ever.

Bettman, he's not to blame for the lockout because the players were getting too much, he's to blame because this is partially his fault. He should have NOT expanded to places like Atlanta, Nashville, Florida etc. If they had 24-25 teams now, I bet the 42.5 M Salary Cap would have worked or maybe even the 49 M. but with the league and their situation with 30 teams currently, it's too late for a 49 M salary cap.

What Will Happen Next Fall: Players will fold or Replacement players are put in.

and one more note, No Cap + No Oilers = 1 more canadian team lost. NO GOOD!

[JStarr]

I agree 100% with HT about putting a team in Seattle, I've been wondering for years why no one's really tried. Also, I've kinda thought for a while that Portland might be a decent place to expand or shift to. No other real pro sports there. (/fucktheblazers]

The league did screw up with trying to force hockey on places that think ice is only for keeping your drinks cold. Atlanta, Nashville, and both Florida teams (yes, even my beloved 'Ning) have been just...there. Anaheim? Didn't care for them from the moment they entered the league...didn't like the movies either. Phoenix might survive, and if they do, they have Wayne Gretzky to thank.

Some are bummed about Pittsburgh, but I'd be even more down if Edmonton folded. One of the only true dynasties of the past 25 years, and now they can't get enough people to come and watch? I thought hockey was Canada's national pastime, for God's sake. And don't nobody say nothin' bad about them Capitals, or I'll...I'll...I'll talk about yo' mama.

[sahyder1]

putting in rule changes to open up the game a bit would be far better for the league then to eliminate teams. Under a salary cap 30 teams won't be that much of a problem. I wanna see this big announcement Bettman had planned. I want to see the Red line dropped. I want to see them go back to 1 referee. I'm even leaning towards shootouts after overtime during the regular season.

[Malenko]

For the game to REALLY open up they would absolutely have to call more penalties. Of course in the beggining the game would stop a lot more, but then most hitters would calm down, if they intended to be on the ice for more than 2 minutes in a row. .. hmm.. actually, even in the beggining there would be more open plays through an astonishing amount of Powerplays.

At least that way there would be more goals and it wouldn't be so hard to reach the 1 point per game mark, which is only reached by about 5/10 players nowadays

And then noone else but me would be watching it

..actually, me and the guy who once said "I want to watch hockey, not toothless canadiens"... he probably didn't like benoit that much LAME... ok.. i'm done.

[Guest Mike Dude]

True enough... they're lower on my dislike list...

My Dislike List

Philly

Ottawa

New Jersey

New York

Long Island

Montreal

Well, Montreal and NYI switch for time to time, but the top four will always stay the same.

Edited February 19, 2005 by Mikey

[Guest Mike Dude]

Why would anyone even suggest that Tampa Bay would fold?, they won the frickin Stanley cup for godsakes, Plus they have talented players and a high fanbase there, same with Minnesota, remember when they had to move and everyone was down. Well now guess what? Most of them they're back now, stronger than ever.

[sahyder1]

Why would anyone even suggest that Tampa Bay would fold?, they won the frickin Stanley cup for godsakes, Plus they have talented players and a high fanbase there, same with Minnesota, remember when they had to move and everyone was down. Well now guess what? Most of them they're back now, stronger than ever.

Dude, some of Tampa's fans weren't even aware that there's a lockout....

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[Guest Mike Dude]

Nice young team lead by a 41 year old past his prime and with a Russian in nets who only quit smoking couple years ago....go team!!!

[Brock Lesnar]

Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres were ready to play hockey this year, with 31 players under contract for a total payroll of $39.885 million. That drops to 10 in 2005-06. Miro Satan is highest-paid at $5.25 million. Club was 20th in league average attendance at 15,343 last season (80.6 per cent of capacity). Owner Thomas Golisano has deep pockets, owns the rink, and has great hockey fans in his market.

Verdict: Up-coming club will survive the lockout and thrive when hockey returns.

Edited February 19, 2005 by Brock Lesnar

[Malenko]

Nice young team lead by a 41 year old past his prime and with a Russian in nets who only quit smoking couple years ago....go team!!!

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[Enter Blue Guy]

Say what you want about hockey failing in Minnesota.... they're obviously doing something right, enough to put up strong attendence numbers at least.

Can't argue with Atlanta, though. No solid fan support at all, unlike the Wild.

[Liam]

EDIT: Didn't see this posted somewhere else.

Edited February 19, 2005 by rvdwannabe

[Guest Mike Dude]

Yes, but Atlanta has some Minnesota currently doesn't have, depth, young talent, kids who are gonna become superstars...ok well maybe just 2 of 'em but still beats Minnesota "future".

[Lowerdeck]

I'm just wondering how a hockey return to Hartford would fare. After all, they left for that shithole Carolina in the first place. The AHL has a team in Hartford right now, not sure how they're doing. But Bridgeport, another city in CT, is in danger of folding and several of their games are now on Long Island.

Anaheim, Carolina, and Florida need to go away. Atlanta, Nashville, Pheonix, and Washington should too but won't. Tampa is only saved because of winning the Cup, so perhaps move them? Pittsburgh and Edmonton need help very badly.

[SeanDMan]

Comrie wasn't really a money situation. He was under contract and played for the same moeny in Philly/Phoenix.

Plus, there is no guarantee that a cap will help teams. You will still have Alexei Yashins and there will still be Mike Millburys.

[Guest Mike Dude]

Why do people keep saying FLA needs to go?

They're the next big thing, they have one of the best goalies in the leauge, great young talent (i.e. Bouwmeester) and a fucking amazing coaching staff with newly appointed Jacques Martin. Remember how the Sens used to be the joke of league until Martin stepped up? I agree Hockey shouldn't be played in low fan base areas, but this team is gonna be so amazing in a few years the fans will come back, I'm sure.

If any team is to go out of Florida let it be Tampa, they were a fluke anyways, couple decent players that I have to admit. I mean who stoops so low that you need Hogan to pump up a crowd during a PLAYOFF hockey game? THEY should be goners.

[Brock Lesnar]

They're the next big thing, they have one of the best goalies in the leauge, great young talent (i.e. Bouwmeester) and a fucking amazing coaching staff with newly appointed Jacques Martin. Remember how the Sens used to be the joke of league until Martin stepped up? I agree Hockey shouldn't be played in low fan base areas, but this team is gonna be so amazing in a few years the fans will come back, I'm sure.

[Guest Mike Dude]

You can't possibly compare ATL to FLA.

Atlanta has no depth in nets, and they have 2 amazing forwards....and that's it. And one of them is a felon.

I'm saying FLA is the complete package, they excel from every single aspect which will certainly place them into the playoffs soon which WILL draw fans.