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Special teams are a funny thing. You can go long stretches of games without scoring on the PP then have a night where you score 3 or 4 PPGs

Hey warwick, you're from Spokane, what do you think of the talk of Seattle getting a team? Think it's doable? I for one would fucking love to have another team that's actually within reasonable driving distance.

I've seen a few Ducks/Stars games which I'm sure Grossman was in, but he did nothing that made me remember him. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing for a D-men, but seems like a 3rd pairing guy to me. Kubina will be a UFA at season's end as well, which is good for you, wouldn't want 3.5m tied up in him for next year.

Do you want in on the Rick Nash sweepstakes? He's apparently available now for the right overpaid deal and Philly was mentioned in the rumours. Though how they could be in is beyond me with your cap situation, since I doubt anybody would take Briere or Bryz off your hands.

@Colin,...I've not heard any rumors of Seattle getting a team beyond the WHL,...but I highly doubt it would happen. The city wouldn't build the Sonics a new arena and I don't think they'd build the NHL a new Arena nor do I think the NHL is interested in putting a team in a 50 year old building (Key Arena). I could be wrong. I'd be pretty jazzed if they did get a team though. Seattle seems more hockey appropriate as far as climate/geography goes but at the same time,...I've never really though of it as a sports town (not that I'm all that familiar with Seattle,...they seem to love their Seahawks,...but every American loves that stupid sport). Seems like Seattlites are only interested in a team if they are doing well. Don't get me wrong,...I'd love it if the Flyers come to Seattle I'd be there in a heartbeat.

I do want to come to Vancouver when they host the Flyers on the annual Dec 26th game (or is it Black Friday,...I fucking forget but it's like a post holiday game that the Flyers and Nucks have played in recent memory,...shit that might not even be in Vancouver,...but anyway,...yeah,...Flyers in Vancouver you can hooks it eh?). I just don't know what it takes to cross the border these days.

@Haki,...I don't mind Briere,...he contributes and I think makes a good leader. He is a bit feisty too which I can dig.

I'm still not quite ready to give up on Bryz. I guess if he turns into another Chechmanek and just disappoints season in and season out,....but whatever, he is who we have and I don't know how his NTC is setup soooooo,...I wish he would just shut his mouth and play solidly,...but yeah,...Russians,...Goalies,...blah.

As far as Philly being involved in a deal for Nash,...you hit the nail on the head. We are close to the limit with the cap,...and I had heard during coverage of the Pens Flyers game that Columbus GM and scouts were in attendance,....JVR's name had been thrown around but if I'm honest,...I'd be surprised to see any other trades made by Holmgren.

I don't know specifics, but I heard that Seattle was putting forward a proposal to build a new arena in order to lure back an NBA team and hopefully snag one of the struggling NHL franchises. I can see the NBA part happening, but somehow I doubt the NHL will move to Seattle even though it would probably do better than a lot of the non-traditional markets that Bettman has pushed in the past. Honestly I think it would be stretching the Seattle sports market too thin, could the city sustain the Seahawks, Mariners, whatever the MLS team is called, college football, returned NBA and NHL?

I've not heard of this proposal. They have changed their tune since 2008.

There was a press conference about the Seattle thing last week:
http://www.king5.com/news/New-Seattle-a ... 07008.html

I didn't listen to it, but I guess some rich guy owns a bunch of land just South of the baseball stadium. Looks like they're trying hardest to get the NBA back. Even if we don't get a hockey team I hope this happens because it would likely mean the destruction of the Showbox SODO. Hate to call for the destruction of a music venue, but seriously, fuck that place. Not sure if it'd be a successful market, but Canucks games are expensive as hell so we'd probably get quite a few Canadians coming down. For now I just get my live hockey fix from the WHL since I live only five minutes from where the Seattle team plays.

I remember hearing something earlier this season about teams pushing for AHL or ECHL expansion Westward. Don't know how likely this is, or when it would happen, but I for one would be quite satisfied with something like that.

I think the Seattle population could support it,...the question is,...which team do they move? They face realignment next year with the movement of the Thrashers to Winterpeg so I don't see any Eastern Conference Team moving. I think the people of Phoenix made it pretty clear that they are willing to support their team. Beyond that I don't know which teams are struggling attendance wise,....one of the Cali teams? STL?

Is anyone going to buy the Coyotes and keep them in Phoenix though?

The worst possible case would be expansion. With Bettman it's probably on the table somehow too. That realignment plan put forward earlier this season would pretty much require it with the uneven divisions. Expansion drafts are insane, but I really don't want to see more teams in the NHL.

Really the whole thing is probably a couple years off if Seattle is involved (though isn't there a big push to get a team back in Quebec City?), as putting any NBA/NHL team in the Key Arena temporarily would be awful.

Yeah I'm not into the idea of expansion. I don't think the talent pool could support it. And you are right about the realignment set for next season is whack,...but they had to compromise some how and this seemed like the best one.

I think you are correct about Quebec City maybe getting a team, they may have been rumored for getting the Thrashers but I'm not sure how seriously they were considered.

Considering Hockey is Canada's sport (not really sure how they feel about the NHL though or if they just follow the Major Junior and local teams more religiously),...I'd like to see some of these struggling non-traditional market teams move back to Canadian markets that can support them (which there may be only 1 or 2 beyond the existing teams). If I were a hockey player and played in half capacity arenas in some of these warm climate markets with little to no fan support,...I wouldn't feel especially compelled to work hard on a daily basis.

Phoenix should be the first to move. The re-alignment plan pretty much allowed for that. The Islanders have crap attendance and are in desperate need of a new arena, though their plans for one have been shot down repeatedly by local government. St Louis is actually doing quite well in attendance, their current streak certainly helps. Nifty little numbers here: http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

With a few teams struggling financially, including the Devils apparently, teams still needing ownership sorted; Dallas and Tampa Bay other than Phoenix, whoever is thinking expansion at the NHL deserves to be shot. Even if Buttman were thinking it, as he's obviously NOT busy negotiating the new CBA, kinda need an owner, unless he's willing to call Jim Ballsilie's blackberry.

Quebec City needs a new arena before it can get a team, though one is currently being developed causing Buttman to acknowledge them as a potential target, if memory serves right.

I didn't realize the Devils attendance was so shitty. They seem like they have a lot of fan support,...but I guess considering that market is saturated with 3 teams and the Sabres not that far away,...it does make sense.

warwick.hoy wrote:I didn't realize the Devils attendance was so shitty. They seem like they have a lot of fan support,...but I guess considering that market is saturated with 3 teams and the Sabres not that far away,...it does make sense.

I'll always love the Devils just for this:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYeRDCWU1HA[/youtube]

The NHL could easily move Phoenix and lets say one of the Florida teams to cover the apparent Seattle/Quebec demand. Hell, maybe move a couple, do some realignment, and then just get rid of a team or two? Thirty teams is a lot and is there any real reason why Columbus should still be in the NHL?

Flyers finally string together back to back wins with success against the Islanders and the Caps on Thursday and Sunday. They had been a .500 team since mid January. Win one, lose one, win one, lose one,....

Now would be a good time to catch fire and start getting some points. We cannot face the Rags in the 1st round or it's lights out me thinks. I'd love to see them sneak into the 4th and snag home Ice from the Pens.

Bryz is starting to play better. I don't think he is out of the woods yet,...but it's a step in the right direction.

In just his last three starts, Bryzgalov has posted a .951 save percentage, allowing just four goals and 81 shots, and a 1.33 goals-against average.

The Bruins have been playing like absolutely dogshit for 2 months. Just no fire whatsoever. They reek of we-got-our-cup, year-after complacent malaise.