The Hockey Thread

[Cactus Drags]

There's a big difference between being passionate and being whiney douchebags. Habs fans crossed that line a LONG time ago.

That's rich coming from you.

This. It's like he's mistaken Sid for Ben.

[Toe]

I am pretty happy to see the Sharks move on to the Western Conference Finals. They finally have that stigma of failing in the playoffs off of their backs. I can see the Sharks being very competitive with either the Hawks or the Canucks. It is going to be a good WCF either way.

Oh man, I hope Sami Salo didn't suffer a ruptured testicle. That sounds awful.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Toe

[Ruki]

Apparently there is more talk of the Coyotes moving to Winnipeg.

The immediate future of the Coyotes could be determined as early as Tuesday when Glendale City Council — which has already rejected Ice Edge Holdings once — reconvenes and reconsiders the proposal by the hockey-loving investors who would have the Coyotes stay put.

With emotions and the stakes very high, none of the principals — including Daryl Jones of Ice Edge and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly — were returning calls Friday.

It’s believed the NHL wants the city to help Ice Edge cover losses next season. That might be politically untenable for the city. A month ago, Glendale’s politicians backed Reinsdorf’s controversial last-minute bid, but there was a backlash. Business owners and political groups were unhappy with the idea that tax dollars should help Reinsdorf pay the NHL part of the $165 million the league wants for the team.

The bankruptcy left the team in the NHL’s control and gives it the power to move it after June 30.

Glendale council is in a tough spot, having built the $180 million Jobing.com Arena specifically for the Coyotes.

If Glendale can’t work out a deal with Ice Edge and the NHL, the league is expected to move quickly on a long-rumoured deal with Toronto-based billionaire David Thomson and Mark Chipman, chairman of Winnipeg-based True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd.

The Phoenix Business Journal said the NHL had an agreement in principle with Thomson and Chipman as a backup plan that could see the Coyotes move back to Manitoba’s capital.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said March 30, in response to that story, that the league’s focus remains on keeping the team in Glendale and there was no agreement in place with Thomson and Chipman.

Thomson and Chipman are partners in True North, which owns the 15,000-seat MTS Centre and the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.

True North issued a statement Friday that said in part, “We will continue to respect the efforts of all parties involved to maintain the Coyotes in Arizona, including those of the National Hockey League.

“As we have stated many times in the past, if that situation changes, we are certainly open to reviewing the opportunity with the NHL.”

[Toe]

I'd like to see the team stick in Phoenix, but more and more it sounds like the situation there is just untenable. Is Winnipeg really the best option, though?

[caucasianheat]

Is Winnipeg really the best option, though?

It's certainly not in line with NHL protocol to put a team where people actually want to see hockey, but I think Winnipeg just might work.

[mikevandam]

I know its not completely NHL related. But the A-Group World Cup in Ice Hockey is underway. And as a dane i feel a bit lucky and proud at the same time. First we mauled Finland on saturday 4-1 and earlier today we beat the U.S in O.T 2-1.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Winnipeg is up there as one of the best options. An arena (and ownership group) that's willing to go on a moment's notice, an ownership group with closer ties to the NHL's old guard, and no territorial concerns. Winnipeg and Kansas City are probably the two best markets they've got ready ASAP, and Winnipeg should be more successful long-term.

[Ruki]

Seems like Montreal is going to game 7 again...wow.

[SeanDMan]

It's hard to fathom, a nation going from an Olympic silver medal to potentially being relegated from the World Championship.

[Hajjhowe]

Yeah, Winnipeg is a no brainer. The only reason they really left last time was lack of an Arena (Which they now have) and the fanbase will be there pretty much infinitely like almost any Canadian team (Except Ottawa ).

KC probably deserve a team too, but not before Winnipeg.

[naiwf]

I say this as someone who hasn't really paid attention to anything outside of the Rangers/Devils/Ovechkin for the last few years, but aren't the Islanders rumored to be going to KC because Charles Wong is tired of losing tens of millions every year?

[SeanDMan]

The Islanders can't move; they have too much history. They'd probably just assassinate Wong first.

Also, I think it's time to have a serious discussion about the rules in regards to crashing the net. In case you're not aware, this is a career ending injury.

[The Sultan of Swank]

While last night's game was nothing short of a miracle, and we saw heroics from Lapierre and Cammalleri... I don't see us winning a game 7 again... but I gave Montreal 5 games against Pittsburgh so as always....

YOU GOTSTA BBEEEELLLLIIIEEEVVVEEEE!!!!!

What I found interesting was a few things... after the game ended and the Habs were celebrating, Crosby gave Plekanec a good crosscheck... classy. I thought he'd be thrilled having equalled Tom Pyatt's goal scoring totals for this series...

Also, I thought it was nuts that Montreal from 3pm yesterday, started detouring traffic out of downtown and had closed the entire downtown off from cars by 7pm or so. After the game, there were apparently just tens of thousands of people from the arena, bars and restaurants who just took over the streets having a good time.... no riots haha...... yet. They did this also for each elimination game of the Washington series, home or away it doesn't matter, so it's just safer to close down Ste. Catharines street than to try to let a car navigate past 20,000 or 30,000 fans having too much fun.

Cripse I hope we win game 7. I know I'm hoping against hope, but really... it's been a pretty incredible run for a team that lost their way into the playoffs and was supposed to go down to Washington in 4 games... maybe 3, and that shouldn't have posed any issues for the Penguins.

[Draevyn]

The Islanders can't move; they have too much history. They'd probably just assassinate Wong first.

Also, I think it's time to have a serious discussion about the rules in regards to crashing the net. In case you're not aware, this is a career ending injury.

The problem with that is that it was a Philly player who basically dropped onto his own goaltender before Boston did. And it looked like the Boston guy was shoved onto Boucher by another Boston player. The situation was pretty fucked up.

and I said it on facebook, and I'll say it here. I think there might be a God, and unfortunately for us Pittsburgh fans, he seems to love the Montreal Canadiens.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Fork, it's not at though Pittsburgh is playing badly... but it just seems like the Montreal defense is willing to stop a bullet for Halak, clear every possible rebound, and let Halak take care of the rest... It's a good team buying into a system and playing like a great team.

[SeanDMan]

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[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

So I haven't been following the Worlds too closely, but what the heck is going on? Did a lot of Olympic players opt to sit this one out, or are we somehow getting closer to international parity beyond the big six?

[SeanDMan]

A lot of the Olympics players are in the NHL right now. The Americans are really hard hit by that, what with needing to play Scott Clemenson.

[Plubby]

What about Andyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

It's not just the US though. Look at these results:

Germany 2-1 USA

Denmark 4-1 Finland

Denmark 2-1 USA

Norway 3-2 Czech Republic

I know the tournament's always a bit of a tossup because of the NHL playoffs, but you can still normally count on the teams that are there every year to beat the teams that aren't.