How many NHL fans do we have here? (4 Viewers)

[Lil Tuna]

I went to my first Caps game when I was 10 years old in 81. Will never forget Ryan Walter dropping gloves with one of the Montreal Canadians players early in the first period.
Have been a hockey and Washington Capitals fan ever since. It was so great to finally see my favorite team win a Stanley Cup after all these years.
As far as major league sports goes, would rather watch hockey than any other sport.

 

[WedgeRock]

Jack Edwards is the greatest announcer in the game. Change my mind.

Give me Dave Strader and Mickey Redmond!

 

[Nuhockey]

@JMC9389 wouldn’t it be nice if Stephan Matteau’s son ended up on the Rangers and scored A playoff series ending goal over the Devils to send the Rangers Into a Cup final.

 

[Nuhockey]

I told myself and wrote a letter to my son when he was born. In that letter I wrote to him there are only two teams if he ever cheers for that he will be kicked out of the Family and disowned for 1. Is the Dallas Cowboys and 2. Is the NJ Devils. Below is something I will be ashamed for the rest of my life. Last year I signed my son up for Learn To Play Hockey which was sponsored by the NJ Devils. The NY Ranger rink was close to an hour or so away. Based on the dates and times available and both me and my wife’s work schedule this was the only rink and place we could do.

 

[Mike Wells]

Give me Dave Strader and Mickey Redmond!

"You could hear that hit over in Windsor."

 

[Dix]

Do you really believe that there is zero instances of systemic racism in the country right now?

Yes.... and if you think otherwise, look up the definition of the word "systemic". Because you don't really understand what that means, and what it would entail for that to actually be the case.... as we sit, here in 2020.

This isn't the 19th century, or even the early to mid 20th.... it's the 21st.... we've come a long *ssed way since MLK. In fact, if you're asking me, MLK would be spinning in his grave. The man wanted a color-blind society. Which for the most part I think we've done a h*ll of a job with. The race-hustlers that have hijacked what he stood for now want color to be the 1st thing on the agenda, and the ONLY thing that matters. To which I give the one-fingered salute.

If you believe the bilge that BLM & the like are puking out you'd believe that every day, all across America, every police force in the country is just randomly shooting black people & the bodies are piled up like cordwood. Which is bullsh*t. Now, if you're talking about the south-side of Chicago, that's actually true. But, it ain't the cops doing the shootin'.

A few rotten apples do not for a "systemic" problem make. & you're always going to have a few of those, human nature is what it is. You deal with them as you find them.

And I hope you are right here. But my son works for a local hardware store. A well groomed, well-spoken and intelligent black kid came in to apply for a job. He did well on the math exam. When he left, the manager said, "There is no way [the owner] will hire that kid. He's black."

See above....

Let me ask you this. Do you agree an employer/owner is well within its rights to require its employees/players to take a knee during the National Anthem (or some other form of disrespect for the nation)?

Yes.... believe it or not. However, question for you..... would you work for that outfit?

Personally, I wouldn't get past the interview without telling him what I thought of him.

Can we get this thread back on topic and agree that Brad Marchand is a douchebag?

Yea..... but he's OUR douche-bag.

If it helps any, he's still the same douche-bag today that he was back in the mid-2000s in the QMJHL... & we all wanted to kill him.

Like I said.... funny how a change of uniform can change your perspective.

Some use their size to their advantage. Lacking that, Marchand uses being an annoying, antagonistic, *sshole... a role he's seemingly honed to perfection.

Of course, scoring 30+ goals a season doesn't hurt either.

2. Is the NJ Devils.
Last year I signed my son up for Learn To Play Hockey which was sponsored by the NJ Devils.
Based on the dates and times available and both me and my wife’s work schedule this was the only rink and place we could do.

Well.... THAT came back to bite you in the *ss.... OUCH.

I haven't been to the new building in Newark. I used to go to Devils-Bruins games at the old Meadowlands Arena when I lived in NE PA.

 

[DJ_Fett]

I went to my first Caps game when I was 10 years old in 81. Will never forget Ryan Walter dropping gloves with one of the Montreal Canadians players early in the first period.
Have been a hockey and Washington Capitals fan ever since. It was so great to finally see my favorite team win a Stanley Cup after all these years.
As far as major league sports goes, would rather watch hockey than any other sport.View attachment 475386

To try to keep this thread on somewhat of the right track.....

As a lifelong Pens fan I absolutely hated Ovi from day one. I could write a book on the things that I didn’t like, but one was how quick he was always back to Russia playing for the World Cup after a playoff exit, almost like he was more worried about that than the Stanley Cup. I’m sure I was wrong, but when you don’t like someone you REALLY nitpick.

Anyway, then there was the drama with the 2018 Olympics, and Ovi being one of many saying he wouldn’t play in the NHL if they couldn’t play in the Olympics.

The NHL didn’t let their players go to the Olympics, Ovi stayed and played. I’m sure there’s more to it, but in my eyes chose chasing the Stanley Cup over glory for mother Russia. and he won the Cup. And my respect, not that it matters lol.

I GENUINELY enjoyed watching him lift it.

 

[One Eyed Dollar]

I enjoyed the Caps win for Ovi and Oshie, especially with Oshie's dad. I still have a signed Oshie stick on my wall of Blues stuff.

 

[FordPickup92]

So I heard they're opening spring training and kicking off a season soon? I'm thinking, too risky?

 

[Nuhockey]

So I heard they're opening spring training and kicking off a season soon? I'm thinking, too risky?

So I heard they're opening spring training and kicking off a season soon? I'm thinking, too risky?

All the problems they are having with College Sports with Athletes returning to Campus to begin training for Fall Sports should be warning to all the pro leagues. Last week 23 Clemson Football players tested Positive for Corona. In contact sports it's inevitable that people are going to test positive until you test everyone beforehand and lock them down in a bubble.

 

[FordPickup92]

All the problems they are having with College Sports with Athletes returning to Campus to begin training for Fall Sports should be warning to all the pro leagues. Last week 23 Clemson Football players tested Positive for Corona. In contact sports it's inevitable that people are going to test positive until you test everyone beforehand and lock them down in a bubble.

I heard baseball or basketball maybe? Had major flare ups of the virus not sure why they're forcing sports....money?? My assumption

 

[JMC9389]

I heard baseball or basketball maybe? Had major flare ups of the virus not sure why they're forcing sports....money?? My assumption

Ding ding ding.

It's a bad idea unless you lock every single player down in a hotel. You can't control the behavior of hundreds of athletes. Look at that dummy Djokovic the tennis player. Held a charity event in Europe with hundreds of people in attendance without any social distancing guidelines. Now he, another tennis player, and many others tested positive.

I want hockey and other sports back too, but although 99.99% of athletes will be ok even if they contract the virus, all it takes is for someone immunocompromised or an older family member to get sick and we're back at square one.

The NBA and MLB should GTFO Florida and any other state where there's an outbreak. The Northeast is ironically one of the safer places in the country now COVID wise.

 

[FordPickup92]

Ding ding ding.

It's a bad idea unless you lock every single player down in a hotel. You can't control the behavior of hundreds of athletes. Look at that dummy Djokovic the tennis player. Held a charity event in Europe with hundreds of people in attendance without any social distancing guidelines. Now he, another tennis player, and many others tested positive.

I want hockey and other sports back too, but although 99.99% of athletes will be ok even if they contract the virus, all it takes is for someone immunocompromised or an older family member to get sick and we're back at square one.

The NBA and MLB should GTFO Florida and any other state where there's an outbreak. The Northeast is ironically one of the safer places in the country now COVID wise.

I did hear they are not doing any training in Florida as of now, everyone is at home. It seems kind of foolish, I know economy revenue blah blah, but it's also thousands of peoples lives... I'm sure the entirety of the thing is over my head, but I cant imagine what a year off will hurt. They can still keep physical at home, most athletes like that have to have a home gym set up, right?
(I also understand skating requires certain muscles only obtainable on ice, so that's a slight kink)

 

[mipevi]

Hockey is back! Let’s go Flyers!

 

[AK Chip]

Flyers!!!!!

 

[WedgeRock]

it's inevitable that people are going to test positive until you test everyone beforehand and lock them down in a bubble.

So now strip clubs after a family funeral?!

 

[12thMan]

I can now participate in this thread!! from all of us up here in the Pacific NorthBest we would advise the rest of the teams in the NHL to seek safe harbors, for the KRACKEN HAS BEEN RELEASED!!!!

 

[One Eyed Dollar]

I can now participate in this thread!! from all of us up here in the Pacific NorthBest we would advise the rest of the teams in the NHL to seek safe harbors, for the KRACKEN HAS BEEN RELEASED!!!!

Welcome, Krakheads!

 

[WedgeRock]

About 28.5 hours until the playoffs begin.

 

[FordPickup92]

I heard 14 hours of hockey

 

[WedgeRock]

I heard 14 hours of hockey

Saturday, Aug. 1:
Rangers vs. Hurricanes, 12 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Blackhawks vs. Oilers, 3 p.m. ET – NBC
Panthers vs. Islanders, 4 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Canadiens vs. Penguins, 8 p.m. ET – NBC
Jets vs. Flames, 10:30 p.m. ET – NBCSN

 

[k9dr]

 

[FordPickup92]

Also heard baseball players are transmitting covid, 18 players sick?

Saturday, Aug. 1:
Rangers vs. Hurricanes, 12 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Blackhawks vs. Oilers, 3 p.m. ET – NBC
Panthers vs. Islanders, 4 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Canadiens vs. Penguins, 8 p.m. ET – NBC
Jets vs. Flames, 10:30 p.m. ET – NBCSN

Maybe Kevin will throw on a game while we play cards

 

[ChipEnvy]

 

[WedgeRock]

Just so we are clear... that is a cephalopod sea monster similar to a squid. It IS NOT an octopus. There is only one octopus in hockey.

 

[Forty4]

This format is going to be interesting. Like the reseeding but bummed we can’t do the brackets because of it.

 

[Kyle]

Oh, BTW..... before we get too worked up about the comments of some ignoramus that seems to be the norm that passes for on-air talent at ESPN these days, maybe we should consider the source.... I wonder what ESPN's subscriber base looks like these days?.....

Oh yea, now I remember.... it's been on a serious back-slide for quite a while....

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... & part of the reason for that IMO is partly because of the brain power (or lack thereof) that they put in front of the cameras down in Bristol.

In another example of my ongoing quest to answer the question, "Have we really gotten this stupid?", let's unpack the "genius" that is Max Kellerman shall we?...

The term "four major team sports" has been around as long as I have (yea... THAT long) & everybody pretty much knows what it means. Or at least they did.

OK... so what are they?

Major League Baseball - When I was growing up, it was number one, & it wasn't even close. Today, MLB has slipped to #2.

National Football League - The new #1 since the mid-late 1970s. The NFL/AFL merger wasn't such a bad idea after all.

National Basketball Association - Had been flirting with dropping to #4 for a while. Especially since the latest round of NHL expansion, NBC took over NHL coverage, & ESPN has basically all but become "The NBA Network" for all intents & purposes. Funny how that timing happened.

OK, so there's 3 of the 4.... and # 4 is???????

I suppose in the warped politically-correct worldview of Kellerman & ESPN they'd LOVE to say.... "why, Major League Soccer of course."

& few other delusional drones have offered up "the stats" that pathetically try & prove that case. The biggest of which is citing that the average MLS game packs a whopping 25 thousand fans in to a game while the NHL manages a meager 17.5K average.

Knowledgeable hockey fans counter that with seasonal overall attendance... For the NHL that comes in at around 22 Million, give or take. Which dwarfs MLS's 8-1/2 by more than a bit.

But, reality is, neither of those are the real story. Let's take a closer look, shall we?....

Neither of those numbers means much when you consider that an MLS team only plays about 20 games a season, vs the NHL team's 80-100 depending on playoffs survival. Also, add to that the smallest of MLS stadiums hold more than the majority of NHL arenas, & half of them more than double the capacity of the largest buildings in the NHL.

Nope.... neither of those numbers "prove" anything, in reality. Although, with the above figures in mind if I told you the average venue capacity of the NHL was roughly 17,500 would that be a hint?

Yea, average NHL game attendance & average building size are THAT close. (but, I STILL miss the old Boston Garden )

Here's a couple "real world" numbers.....

Average television audience.... (best official estimates I could find)
2017-18 NHL Season: 460,000
2016-17 MLS Season: 250,000

Half the NHL audience.... barely.

Here's the best one.... & IMO the best gauge.... Average Seasonal Revenue Per Team. That's the best gauge of how many fans you've got. If you don't have fans, you don't generate income.... period. & the more of 'em you've got, the more you generate... simple economics boys & girls.... & this isn't total revenues, it's average PER TEAM... so it's an apples to apples comparison. (scale in millions of $)

View attachment 474677
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Yea.... #4 is obviously, The National Hockey League. & it's not even a close call. In fact, all of the top 4 team sports, hard as that may be to believe, have been enjoying a bit of a rise over the last decade. While MLS is pretty much flat-lined in a very distant 5th.

When all is said & done, major league sports is still a business. & like any other business your success or failure is always measured in money. No money, no business, no league. period.

Bottom line, the "top 4 team sports" are still the same "top 4" they've been even since I 1st laced up a pair of skates & the NHL was only 6 teams.

& Max Kellerman, quite frankly, is an idiot for whom, if active Gray Matter were gunpowder, couldn't generate enough force to blow his nose.

ESPN sucks. The CNN of sports when and if they actually cover sports.

 

[JMC9389]

I'm not at all reading into anything with these games. It's going to be a total crap shoot. Still better than nothing, though!

 

[ChipEnvy]

That little guy is cute!

 

[GenghisKhan]

Omg hockey day is here!
Games all day.
My Habs vs Pens tonight!

I'm a fan of many teams and many players.
Especially come playoff time. In every single match-up, I'll root for a deserving team/player I want to see move on.

So I'm gonna really enjoy this!