Draft Day Notes >>>

[FlyersFan]

The stupidity of the NHL rings true again on this Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh outdoor game at Ralph Wilson Stadium. How in the ******* ****ity **** **** do they expect anyone outside of those two cities (and maybe Canada - which doesn't count ratings wise) to watch a hockey game on JANUARY 1ST??? It's the biggest college football day of the year, and the mental midgets of the NHL schedule their big outdoor hockey showcase that day?

What a joke... Enjoy that 0.26 rating Mr Bettman. :thumbs:

Cuse- i will say this yet again. If Gary Bettman were the commish of baseball or if hockey was as big as baseball, he would have been run out of town years ago and he would make the heat Bud Selig takes look like a bed or roses. He has to be the worst commish in any sport of all time, but hockey flies under the radar so nobody catches all his gaffs. From out of control expansion to line the owners pockets with money to temporarily alleviate team's cash crunches (there is a great thought...we have struggling franchises already, so lets add about 5 more of them). The NHL All-Star game on a Tuesday night or whatever it was. Changing the schedule so Detroit plays Columbus 423 times a year instead of Toronto twice....the list goes on and on. Now he is debating teams in KC and Vegas. Good freeking luck in those 2 places. Maybe some of the fans from Nashville will start driving to KC for games since they wont have a team after this year. And yeah, now the game outdoors. MICH and MSU played a game outdoors in front of 77,000 people a few years back. Ummmm, they will be lucky to draw 770 people for that game on Jan 1st. Hockey needs a new voice and somebody to start making some good decisions for this sport.

[FlyersFan]

My buddy called me today and told me the Stanley Cup was at a Restaurant by my office today around 5:30. Probably should have cruised over but i didn't have time.

[chickameng33]

My buddy called me today and told me the Stanley Cup was at a Restaurant by my office today around 5:30. Probably should have cruised over but i didn't have time.

WOW that is freakin Sweet!!! That is about as perfectly put about Bettman I have ever seen.

I bet Chuck Norris could do a better job then Bettman...... :cheery:

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

If you ask me, at this moment, the Oilers are NOT a playoff team. They won't score enough goals. They'll have to add a few bodies up front to have any hope.

Yeah...definitely need some scoring up front....desperately! But I don't think Lowe is done by any stretch.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

As far as Smith, even if he has lost a step he could skate to the end of the ice and back before Hatcher, Rathje or Gauthier reach their own blue lines, so we'll take him...lol.

Hatcher, Smith and Charles Barkley should have a race for charity this year!

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Two sources in Finland said that right winger Teemu Selanne was considering signing with the Philadelphia Flyers to rekindle his international playing days with Kimmo Timonen and Sami Kapanen.

Philly GM Paul Holmgren said the thought of Selanne's playing for the Flyers never crossed his mind, because the Flyers are less than $900,000 under the NHL cap.

Courtesy of the Philadelphia Enquirer. Interesting if it is true. You never know with a guy like Selanne. He might sign for 1 year 1M....he is that type of player. Play one last year with PHI and the Fins. Longshot but who knows.

"rekindle"....isn't that sweet. lol :huddle:

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

And yeah, now the game outdoors. MICH and MSU played a game outdoors in front of 77,000 people a few years back. Ummmm, they will be lucky to draw 770 people for that game on Jan 1st.

770 people? lmao. No way. That game will be a huge success at the gate. Western NY will be all over something like that. I don't care what day it's on...you have to understand in this area (western NY and Ontario), hockey is a lot more popular than College football. They will get 40 grand at a minumum. There will be people driving from Pittsburgh (like chickmeng) no doubt, and there will be tons of Canadians coming over for an event like this (I would go for the party). Much like the outdoor Edmonton game, this is more of an event to give back to the local fans...something unique and fun. Plus, even if there will be no ratings in the US, they expect that, and they're not after that. It's about Buffalo giving back to their loyal fanbase IMO. It might get a quick mention on sportsentre, however, which is better than nothing.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Hockey needs a new voice and somebody to start making some good decisions for this sport.

:thumbs: I think we can all agree there.

Toronto actually plays Detroit this year. But the Leafs don't play any Western Canadian teams...which is a HUGE cash cow for them. Schedule is the biggest probem IMO...just brutal. Great...Boston again???

[FlyersFan]

JML- no offense, if you think people are going to scrape themselves up off a couch and go watch that game on January 1st in the US you are nuts. First of all, why would you even try and go head to head with one of the biggest sports days in the US? Just dumb. NOBODY will watch that crap in the states versus watching the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl etc.. And i have to tell you this, the health of the NHL depends a lot more on the US than it does Canada. I think you Candian guys forget that sometimes. YES it is your sport for sure. But 75 percent of the teams are in US and the population in the US is a heck of a lot bigger than it is in Canada. The fact that 4 zillion people tune in on CBC doesn't help cable companies in the US who might be interested in the product and are seeing .000001 ratings on games in the US. It is kind of an interesting situation in that it truly is your game, but the health of the league is dependant a lot more on the US market due to its size, and i think you canadian guys forget that sometimes. The US has a population of approx. 330,000,000. Canada is 32,000,000. Like 10 times smaller. That is why playing this game January 1st is dumb. You should be playing that game when you have the greatest chance to attract US viewers. Candians are always going to watch. The problem with the amount of people who tune into hockey is in the US, not Canada. IF the NHL wants to grow itself and the game, it needs to find ways of attracting US viewers as its top priority. You wont get any legit cable outfit to carry games that get as piss poor ratings as the NHL does in the states and on versus right now.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

I've heard your US/Canada rant before. And I most definitely agree with your take on the situation. Although if it was up to most Canadian fans, they would contract half the teams out of the US. ******* Bettman with his hardon for expansion to the south.

Yeah, I agree FF...why could they not have picked the 28th/29th, or 2nd? It is strange. Is it a done deal? I don't even know. My only disagreement with any of your original, or secondary points is the actual gate. IMO the game will be a success at the gate in BUFFALO, NY regardless. Could saying people "in the US" won't scrape themselves off the couch be more generic? Yes...people in Little Rock won't. But that's why they are putting the game practically on the Canadian border, and in one of the best US hockey markets in Buffalo. I believe if this game is marketed correctly, that this huge hockey market of Western NY, and Southern Ontario would support it. You have to realize that of the 7-8 million people in southern Ontario that are within a couple hours of Buffalo...most couldn't give two ****s about CFB, and most are hockey fans that would find an event like this an opportunity for a unique, fun party. Add them to the good solid Western NY hockey fanatics, and I see people "scraping" themsleves there. Maybe I am nuts. Maybe not. I guess we'll see. I just think that being from Ohio and California, you are a little nieve as to what this area will support. Maybe Vazman, UD and the other Buffaloians could give their take on it?

I know If it does happen, I will most likely head there with some buddies for the party for sure!

:booz:

[FlyersFan]

JML- you're missing my point! I didn't say that BUF wouldn't support it. Great, so 40,000 hockey loving fanatics show up for the game. Great, that is swell. How does that help the sport. You're setting up an event for people who are already going to go. Hockey isn't going to grow because 4 zillion hockey zealouts from western NY and Canada show up. And i am not naive. I own a company of my own and i understand marketing and positioning of products very well. I also understand that outside of the "western NY and ontario market" nobody gives a **** on January 1st about the game. If the purpose is to entertain some canadians who don't want to watch CFB then mission accomplished. If the purpose is to grow the game and show off the sport, it gets a fking F end of story. Maybe i am reading it wrong. I took it as the NHL trying to showcase its sport. Maybe it is just that which you said....i carnival event to entertain some western NY'ers and candians via the sport they love. One thing is for certain, the tree is gonna be fallin' in the woods with nobody around most everywhere else that day.

[vazman05]

FF, JML, agree with both of you…. If this game happens in Buffalo, no doubt it will be a huge draw, not only will it bring people in from Buffalo, but also the surrounding cities, Pittsburgh, fans from Canada, such as Hamilton, St. Catherines, Fort Erie, Toronto…. However, the game is nothing more then a “gift” to the fans. The game, in the long run, will not help the league IMO. Stupid ass contracts like Scott Gomez’s, Brieres, throw in Vaneks, and the NHL is going back to exactly where it was 4 or 5 years ago.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the outdoor game would draw over 35,000 or 40,000 fans. I just done see how the game would benefit the league as a whole. The Buffalo and Ontario market doesn’t need help. These two areas have there die hard fans, who support there teams. Areas that do need help, include Florida, Nashville, Carolina, and so forth. Hell if these cities were to have a outdoor game, the attendance would be pitiful.

I know that if the game will be made official, ill be in attendance. Sabres hockey dominates these areas, especially now a days. If it comes down to a NCAAF game, or a sabres game, the choice is easy. Heck, if you combine the people in attendance for Sabres playoff games, and those who watched the game outside, there was close to 30,000 in attendance for that.

FF- no doubt if the game were to be televised, ANY NCAAF game would get higher ratings then the hockey game. Hell, a Baylor/ Wyoming football game would outdraw a hockey game on January 1st.

Cant wait till NCAAF/NFL and NHL comes around….Toronto improved, as did Philly, while Buffalo, yeah, about them LOL, should be a great season for your respective teams!

[CuseFan10]

You guys are both right. It will probably sell out Ralph Wilson friendly neighborhood bar and grill stadium. And it will get a sub 1.0 rating. It just makes no sense on any level to play ANY SPORT on January 1st, America's premiere college football day. The Rose Bowl Parade will get a better rating than the hockey game. That is a day of football, plain and simple. People who don't even watch football, watch football that day because their fat asses are hungover on their couch because they had 3 glasses of wine for the first time in six months, or they are stuck somewhere where the hosts/homeowners have the football game on and will rip your fingers off if you go near the remote control because they made their one bet a year, $50 on some small school from southern Cali named USC who they heard is kind of good, and they are only laying 6.5, and they heard the defense is good (plus the cheerleaders are HOT!). Rock on football!

It's a football day. You don't showcase your major star and two of your more exciting teams on a day where you'll be lucky if half a million US households tune in. It's just retarded in every sense.

They'd have a better chance on Christmas night against the NFL (IMO).

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

JML- you're missing my point! I didn't say that BUF wouldn't support it.

MICH and MSU played a game outdoors in front of 77,000 people a few years back. Ummmm, they will be lucky to draw 770 people for that game on Jan 1st.

I'm not missing your point, FF. I AGREE with all you said EXCEPT for the gate. I agree that it isn't growing the game, and misses out if that's their goal. I agree it's a dumb day to hold it on Jan 1st. But You DID originally say that BUF wouldn't support it. That was my only disagreement with any statement in this whole issue. lol

Anyway...I think we all agree that FF is right, and in the grand scheme of things, it's another mistep by Bettman, and the powers that be! BUT....can't wait fo the season...and maybe I can hook up with some of you Buffalo guys for that Jan 1st gane! Should be fun!

[FlyersFan]

JML- it just frustrates me as you all know by now. What nobody remembers is that the NBA didn't even show its finals live into the late 70's (maybe even the early early 80's). They were on tape delay after the late late late late late show...lol. Nobody watched that product in the states and the league was in big trouble. Fast forward 25 years.....worse product than ever, but they have managed to market their stars through the years and that gangsta crap of a product they call a league. Where you can take off from the 3 point line for the basket and never dribble, get fouled about the FT line, score the bucket and lmao...get a FT as well....and everyone says wow.....yeah that league. But with a good marketing plan and a strong commish they have made that league into a watched and talked about product. Why can't hockey do the same thing? I just don't buy the argument nobody in the states likes hockey. So we market our stars and product on a day everyone else we are trying to target will be watching football. I mean it's like having a grand opening furniture sale from 1AM to 3AM on a wednesday morning. And there in lies the frustration i always have. I always say i am not going to get upset anymore and then there is always some dumb idea that sets me off.....lol......