Speaking of horrible sweaters:

I like the Thrashers sweaters that have the script on the front... they look much nicer than the other Thrasher gear.

This one:

(05-12-2011 01:54 PM)curtis0620 Wrote:  Wouldn't Nashville to the Eastern Conf South division be better?

I would think the Predators to the Southeast would make the most sense geographically, but I think the League wants more Eastern start times for the Red Wings, one of the biggest TV draws in the NHL.

On a personal note, I would not mind if the Red Wings wound up in the Eastern Conference with Philly coming to the Southeast... Canes v Flyers games are always fun.

(05-12-2011 03:26 PM)MWD1001 Wrote:  

(05-12-2011 01:52 PM)Marksonar85 Wrote:  hockey just doesn't work in the south I'm amazed it wasn't the panthers moving

Let's see. Since 1999, Dallas has been to two Stanley Cup finals (1999, 2000) and won once (1999). Carolina has been to two Stanley Cup finals (2002, 2006) and won once (2006). Anaheim has been to two Stanley Cup finals (2003, 2007) and won once (2007). And Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup in 2004, and are on the verge of the Stanley Cup finals this year. Dallas, Carolina, Anaheim, and Tampa are pretty far south of Canada and the North East if you ask me.

The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was Montreal back in 1993.

Now what was that about "hockey just doesn't work in the south"?

P.S. Don't forget that the Florida Panthers lost the Stanley Cup finals in 1996.

Southern California is not in the south, just like West Virginia is not in the west.

Also, I'm pretty sure that when the OP said "hockey just doesn't work in the south" he was talking about NHL franchises making money, not about won-loss records.

As for realigning the NHL (since this is a realignment board) ... if the Thrashers become the Manitoba Moose, the Canadian franchises will want Manitoba in the Northwest Division with the other western Canadian teams, so it's likely that Colorado moves from the Northwest to the Pacific (yeah, I know, geographically Colorado is in neither the Northwest nor the Pacific), Dallas moves to the Central, and Nashville replaces Atlanta in the Southeast.

Hockey fans check out the NHL forum on here and get it poppin.

http://ncaabbs.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=525

I'll move this thread over there tomorrow

I live in Atlanta...and I am really frustrated. Phillips arena is an awseom venue...The thrashers ownership is awful...one winning season in 11 years,,,that is not how you build a fanbase... everything I am reading down here tells me the Thrashers are heading to Canada.

Columbus is technically the most eastern team in the Western Conference, but I agree that Nashville in the southeast would make sense.

I also agree that moving Detroit to the East would really screw up competitive balance...but, having more games between Detroit and some of the eastern powers might help the TV contract. Just a theory, I have nothing to really back that up.

I would feel bad for the fans in Atlanta if their franchise gets moved after watching the the NHL try to save Phoenix for 2 years...that is the team that needs to move, Atlanta is in way better shape comparatively.

As for Manitoba, it has a population of 1.2 million...which is slightly less than New Hampshire. I'm not sure that is the best place for a franchise, but more power to them if they get one.

Bring back the quebec nordiques:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bQUMuVTqDE

(05-12-2011 05:28 PM)animus Wrote:  Hockey fans check out the NHL forum on here and get it poppin.

http://ncaabbs.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=525

I'll move this thread over there tomorrow

Cool, I didn't even know it existed.

(05-12-2011 05:03 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(05-12-2011 03:26 PM)MWD1001 Wrote:  

(05-12-2011 01:52 PM)Marksonar85 Wrote:  hockey just doesn't work in the south I'm amazed it wasn't the panthers moving

Let's see. Since 1999, Dallas has been to two Stanley Cup finals (1999, 2000) and won once (1999). Carolina has been to two Stanley Cup finals (2002, 2006) and won once (2006). Anaheim has been to two Stanley Cup finals (2003, 2007) and won once (2007). And Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup in 2004, and are on the verge of the Stanley Cup finals this year. Dallas, Carolina, Anaheim, and Tampa are pretty far south of Canada and the North East if you ask me.

The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was Montreal back in 1993.

Now what was that about "hockey just doesn't work in the south"?

P.S. Don't forget that the Florida Panthers lost the Stanley Cup finals in 1996.

Southern California is not in the south, just like West Virginia is not in the west.

Also, I'm pretty sure that when the OP said "hockey just doesn't work in the south" he was talking about NHL franchises making money, not about won-loss records.

Thank you, atlanta is one of those bandwagon sports towns that don't really support their teams unless they are doing good, and when you have three other pro sports in the city someone is going to be left out.

And 96 was 15 years ago.

(05-12-2011 03:52 PM)Chappy Wrote:  This one:

That looks like a long sleeved football jersey...arena football.

The Coyotes are not going to Winnipeg?


Why would the Thrashers move? haven't heard about them having financial issues.

**************

I own this one



--It just appealed to me more than our red and white ones.

I've always felt hockey (NHL hockey especially) should not be played in places where ice does not form naturally....

Someone commented about San Francisco needing to step up. The San Jose Sharks are already in the Bay Area. I'm not sure it would be wise to have a second team. But if you did you could bring back the Seals. Oakland Seals, I believe? California Seals?

As for divisional lineups.

The Southeast's Atlanta nee Winnipeg goes to the Northwest
Northwest Colorado goes to the Central
Central's Nashville goes to the Southeast

Please move Nashville into the Eastern Conference so I can see the Penguins more often. In all seriousness, wouldn't Columbus be the obvious choice to move east?

Nashville to the Southeast makes a ton of sense.

(05-12-2011 10:38 PM)Bearcat 1984 Wrote:  I've always felt hockey (NHL hockey especially) should not be played in places where ice does not form naturally....

Someone commented about San Francisco needing to step up. The San Jose Sharks are already in the Bay Area. I'm not sure it would be wise to have a second team. But if you did you could bring back the Seals. Oakland Seals, I believe? California Seals?

As for divisional lineups.

The Southeast's Atlanta nee Winnipeg goes to the Northwest
Northwest Colorado goes to the Central
Central's Nashville goes to the Southeast

Nobody should move in my Sharks. That team is successful and has a good following so splitting it up would be a bad idea. Also for a newer logo the shark is awesome!

EDIT: By the way WE WON TONIGHT WOO! I love sticking it to the wings. My first hockey game on TV was Sharks v Red Wings 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs which the sharks won as their first playoff series. Hated Detroit ever since.

1.) I absolutely love hockey and I have a lot of thoughts on this situation that I'd like to share.

2.) I love the playoffs in all sports and I curse college football for openly conspiring to avoid one. However of all of the postseasons in American sports the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the Stanley Cup playoffs are - for my money - far and away the most compelling. Few teams actually win the Stanley Cup in a given year as much as one team survives it.

3.) I don't think Atlanta is necessarily going anywhere...yet. However the Thrashers' ownership group - the Atlanta Spirit - are desperate to sell that team and with each passing day that goes by True North's (Winnipeg) proposal has to look better and better to an already bitterly and openly divided Atlanta ownership group.

4.) Phoenix is going to move to Canada eventually, I'm just not sure if it will be after next season or the season after that.

5.) So far all of the attention in Canada has gone to True North (Winnipeg) or to a lesser degree Jim Balsille (Hamilton). However both of those cities have real issues. Winnipeg's arena is just 15K seats and Hamilton is opposed by both Buffalo and mighty Toronto. Also, Copps Coliseum in Hamilton needs hundreds of millions of dollars in renovations. That is why I think it is a real mistake for anyone to count out Quebecor Media (Quebec City) as they are getting ready to put shovel to dirt for a $400 million building that they are hoping will land them the 2022 Winter Olympics.

6.) The difference between Glendale and Atlanta is that Glendale built Jobing.com arena specifically for the Coyotes (the Suns play in another building) whereas Philips Arena will not go backrupt if the Thrashers leave. That is a BIG deal and seems to get glossed over again and again. If the Coyotes leave the desert they and the NHL are going to get their eyeballs sued off.

7.) Get healthy soon, Sid. Both the Pens and the league need you.

8.) Hockey absolutely can work in non-traditional markets but the teams in those places have to win once in a while to build that support. That is what happened in Raliegh, Dallas, Tampa, Anaheim, etc. In the cities where the teams haven't ever won anything the fans have been slower to embrace the sport.

9.) Atlanta and Phoenix are terrible sports cities in all sports (except maybe college football).

10.) The fact that so many Canadians have turned this entire issue into one of blind nationalism (and xenophobia) is extremely annoying and makes me root for all of the teams to stay put.

11.) The truth of the matter is that the Canadian markets probably are underserved relative to the number of passionate hockey fans in that country. Combine that with the fact that the Canadian dollar is almost even with the American dollar and the NHL now has a salary cap and it is very realistic for those teams to compete as mid-salary types of teams (they will rarely be able to spend to the cap).

12.) As far as I'm concerned the only question I have is if places like Winnipeg and Quebec City would be able to garner the corporate support to consistently sell out those luxury suites. If the answer to that question is in the affirmative then those cities absolutely should - and likely will - get their NHL teams back.

14.) A second team in the GTA makes the most sense to me as it would easily satisfy all of the above criteria but because of the power of the Leafs I doubt that is going to happen any time soon. Still, if the New York metro area can handle three teams I am absolutely positive that Toronto can handle two.

15.) If Atlanta does indeed move to Winnipeg I think Nashville will likely move eastward over Detroit's objections. I know that will PISS OFF the Wings brass - who already have a very complicated relationship with the league - but it is probably the best thing for the league as a whole. Moving DET to the Eastern Conference would cause all sorts of chain reactions that would upset all kinds of teams and their fan bases. Chicago fans would be pissed to lose their rivals and so too would fans of the team that was forced to move to the Southeast Division and that teams' rivals. For example let's say that Pittsburgh or Philadelphia is forced to the south. Well, that would not only piss off the fans of either of those teams but it would also irritate the fans of the other teams in that division that have grown to hate those teams and who show up when those teams are in town. It is much easier just to swap NAS for ATL and be done with it.

16.) My prediction is that by 2016 the NHL will have teams in QC and WIN and perhaps TOR as well. I think HAM is going to get skunked.

Chew on this for a minute and note how many NHL teams are there
http://www.cnbc.com/id/39915632?slide=1

*************

FWIW, I was surprised Raleigh got a team that was relocating from a cold climate in Hartford. Don't get me wrong though as I love the Hurricanes and their presence in NC has given me a reason to watch more hockey. That Cup didn't hurt either.

It seems to me that the NHL needs to do a) better marketing, b) better tv deal, c) more intense analysis of areas it wants to get into, and d) realize that in order for it to grow it will HAVE to move into non traditional markets. D is especially important as the more it localizes into Canada and northern US cities the lower the pool of possible fans it will have.