Catch all thread for discussing other NHL teams/news.

 

Up first:  Pittsburgh Penguins, my secondary team to cheer for.

 

I guess their worst start since Sid's rookie year could be because of their lousy defense.  Or bad coaching.  Or Kessel.

 

But in reality its because I took Fleury in my pool every year for 10 years until last year when I was fed up, he has his best year ever and then I took him this year and now he sucks. 

 

But really, whats the deal?  They might be the first to can their coach.

saw a rumour yesterday that they're looking to make a deal with Anaheim for goaltending...

@CraigCustance: Even after failure of Atlanta expansion, Bettman says he thinks ATL would still support an NHL team although "it’s not on the table."

@CraigCustance: Daly on Thrashers situation: There were no prospects of it being successful from a business standpoint. Nobody local wanted to own it.

@CraigCustance: Bill Daly said relocation to Winnipeg exceeded leagues expectations: "It’s turned out beyond our wildest dreams." #PrimeTimeSE

@CraigCustance: Gary Bettman says expansion means league revenues would now be divided by 31 teams: "That has an economic consequence."

@CraigCustance: Gary Bettman on Florida: "I have no doubt about the strength of that market."

@CraigCustance: Gary Bettman on Florida: "I have no doubt about the strength of that market."

@SWhyno: Bettman on 3-on-3 OT critiques from players: "If you owned a bakery, you wouldn't advertise that your cupcakes don't taste good."

@CraigCustance: Bettman confirms no expansion announcement coming at December board of governors meeting.

@CraigCustance: Bettman also says timeline has nothing to do with waiting on Seattle. If NHL expands, it will be either Quebec City or Las Vegas.

When will Bettman leave... That day cannot come any sooner.

When will Bettman leave... That day cannot come any sooner.

Amen...despise that slimy little weasel...

When will Bettman leave... That day cannot come any sooner.

@CraigCustance: Gary Bettman on his potential retirement: "That’s not on my radar screen." #PrimeTimeSE

When will Bettman leave... That day cannot come any sooner.

A Canadian team will only win the Cup when Bettman leaves.

Bettman has been great for the league. He's not popular but theres a real chance the Jets aren't here right now without him.

**** Gary Bettman and everything about him....

Bettman has been great for the league. He's not popular but theres a real chance the Jets aren't here right now without him.

Wow, just wow...

Bettman has been great for the league. He's not popular but theres a real chance the Jets aren't here right now without him.

As much as I can't stand that little weasel look a like... I agree

Sorry guys but Bettman is just a puppet of the owners he had nothing to do with the Jets leaving and nothing to do with Atlanta coming here, really has no power except for what the owners have mandated him to do, but he does come across as know it all condescending a hole.

Sorry guys but Bettman is just a puppet of the owners he had nothing to do with the Jets leaving and nothing to do with Atlanta coming here, really has no power except for what the owners have mandated him to do, but he does come across as know it all condescending a hole.

He works for the owners but his opinion matters a lot and he supported the jets returning.

Bettman has been great for the league. He's not popular but theres a real chance the Jets aren't here right now without him.

Wow, just wow...

How is my post incorrect?

It's just opinion but I agree with it.

Not sure why bettman is such a bad guy. Yeah he's a prick... but he's a successful one

Just cuz a few southern markets are failing doesn't mean he's a failure.... like it or not... there aren't any real options of where to move teams anymore. Seattle doesn't have an arena. Canada is pretty much... that's it really outside of Quebec. .. Hamilton will never get an nhl team ever... sask won't. The gta won't....

Rogers paid like 5 billion for rights... they got a decent deal in the USA.... Bettman has done lots of good. Yeah some bad but mostly good.

The Coyotes have some tremendous young talent. It will be fun watching them go play for other teams in years to come

They will move to Scottsdale or Phoenix

I meant the players. Because Arizona won't pay to keep them

I don't consider him a failure,  as a fan I think the guy is a major prick.  

 

He's done a good but not great job in his role.      

 

He hasn't elevated the game all that much in the States and he's definitely alienated the fans in Canada big time.    

 

As a fan he's diluted the product and I'd give him maybe a D....  if I were an owner I'd of course give him glowing praises and a solid B+ 

Under Gary Bettman, league revenue quintupled.  And TV revenue and corporate sponsorship increased significantly.  Player salaries also increased so his time has been good for them too.  In a world of escalating salaries, however, he brought cost certainty in the form of a salary cap the PA said would never happen.

 

He actually pushed for the currency stablization fund and helped keep Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa in the league (despite those that would say all he wanted to do was move teams to the US).  His cost certainly policies, league revenue, cap etc allowed Minnesota and Winnipeg, two traditional hockey markets, to get their teams back.

 

League expanded to 30 teams from 26 under his watch, adding Nashville, Atlanta, Minnesota, Columbus, and relocated Winnipeg, Quebec and Hartford.  Only one of the expansion or relocated teams failed (Atlanta) and it could be taken as a compliment how hard Bettman has worked to keep the Coyotes in Arizona.

 

Southern Expansion as a whole gets hung on Bettman but of the teams he actually expanded or relocated, most are doing well and there have probably been more established or traditional franchises with issues then the ones he expanded/relocated to.

 

If creating a new sports league today, he's definitely on your shirtlist of Commissioners if you want to be successful.

 

Southern Expansion as a whole gets hung on Bettman but of the teams he actually expanded or relocated, most are doing well and there have probably been more established or traditional franchises with issues then the ones he expanded/relocated to.

 

Dallas & Nashville are the only two "non-traditional" markets Bettman moved into that have seen success. Arizona, Atlanta, & on a lesser scale Carolina, have been train wrecks. Columbus has been ok, but are still in the bottom third in attendance. Colorado & Minnesota have been successful, although even Colorado's attendance has been down lately.

How many work stoppages were there before Bettman?

How many after?

 

Saying he alienated the Canadian fans is an understatement.

The Coyotes are still in AZ and they shouldn't be. Move them already. How do the players in AZ feel with all this uncertainty hanging over their heads?

He's the biggest weasel I have ever seen. Most owners love him so what does that tell you?

That he's doing his job cuz the owners are his boss

You cant really say a team is failing if its in the bottom third of attendance.  No matter what, there will be teams in the bottom third of attendance.  Atlanta failed but one could argue it was worth the chance.  A MAJOR US market.  I think people fail to understand the point of expansion which was to grow the league and grow the revenues which required being in large US markets.

 

Ill say again, revenue quintupled under Bettman and he brought in a salary cap, currency-stablization revenue sharing.

 

If were going to blame work stoppages on the NHL, blame then equally on the players too.  It takes two to tango.  The Jets left town partially because the lockout of 94 didnt produce a salary cap.  Bettman promised he'd get one and he eventually delivered.

 

Difficult to call a guy a failure when he was delivered every single mandate of his position.   If there are things you dont like about NHL policy, blame the owners, not Bettman.  Chipman himself has said True North and fans wanting the Jets back have no better friend in the league than Bettman.

 

And while the truth might hurt, Bettman didnt chase the Jets out of Winnipeg.  He has repeatedly said there are two criteria to owning a team:  1) Fan support  2) building  3) owner.  Jets didnt have a building and didnt have anyone willing to own the team while a building was constructed.  Jets left because no one here wanted to pay their bills.

When Bettman took over the first thing he said was that salaries could go up. What commish says that? From NYR and for the next 10-12 years afterwards you won the cup because you spent more then the other guy. Canadian teams really had no chance. We had to sit there and suffer. Even Montreal fans stopped going to the games.

 

Now it did not start with Bettman, it started with Ziegler. Canadians had to suffer for years knowing the American teams were just going to own the cup for a decade until salary cap came in.

 

Is the NHL better today? Certainly its got more pop to it and with Rogers hoggin the rights they've turned it into a religion with deities and demigods.

 

Salaries and ticket prices - whats the percent increase? 400%?

 

Just venting, I remember Chi-chi's, Fingers and McD's at old arena