Official NHL 2005-2006 Season Thread

[Mal Brossard]

The fact Carolina even has a team is disgusting.

I can't watch Game 6 because of my damn job.

Games 1, 3, and 5 were good, while games 2 and 4 sucked.  Game 6 will probably continue the trend.

Go Edmonton.

[Backslash]

I think Carolina is gonna win it in the next game, i see no reason this not to happen. 

I see a reason... the next game is in Edmonton.  The Oilers generate amazing momentum from the home crowd.  It's been there throughout the playoffs.

[Backslash]

Told ya so! 

Great game by the Oilers.  Stupid decision by Laviolette to put Cole in though.  He could've gotten hurt. 

[Mal Brossard]

All I know is Game 7 better be DAMN good, because 5 and 6 were two of the best games I've seen that didn't have any fights.

[gnr-4-ever]

Well i still belive that Carolina is goin' to win game 7.

[Neemo]

oilers shoulda won game one....and i woulda been right

anyway...so exciting...GAME 7!!! now all we need is Overtime Best finals in 12 years IMO

[sandman]

Game 7 of the Cup Finals!!!

it doesn't get any better than this  (in all of sports IMO).

and i think i agree....best finals in 12 years.

[Mal Brossard]

I wouldn't say best in 12 years-- the 2004 Finals were damn good (besides the blown goal call in game 6), but yes, before 2004, everything sucked back to 1994 or 1992.

[Malcolm]

2-0 Carolina in the 2nd

[Communist China]

Fuck.

[Mal Brossard]

Anti-climactic, like I said.

So, who gets the Conn Smythe? Can you give it to a goalie who still lost 3 games?

Markkanen deserves it about as much as Ward does.

I hate this league, I hate Gary Bettman, I hate fucking Southerners.

This is the worst thing that could possibly happen to all the real hockey fans-- the purists-- out there.

[chineseblues]

Carolina getting the cup? Wtf, they shouldnt even have a team anyway.

[Mal Brossard]

The primary factors in the Whalers' departure from Hartford were the fact that Hartford was not considered a major television market, and the lack of a modern playing facility. Additionally, the fact that Hartford was located within two hours driving distance of four other NHL teams limited their ability to garner significant corporate support. Many people also criticized the Whalers for long essentially conceding Fairfield County (one of the wealthiest counties in the U.S., and one with a large corporate presence) to the New York-area franchises.

The Hartford Civic Center was adequate, but small, and famously mocked for being part of a shopping mall. As teams in the NHL began moving into larger, corporately-sponsored stadiums with luxury suites and other high-end amenities, it increasingly became apparent that a team playing in an aging municipal facility with limited revenue streams couldn't compete.

On June 26, 1994 a new ownership group led by Compuware founder Peter Karmanos purchased the Whalers for $47.5 million, beating out an ownership consortium with a number of smaller investors. Though the competing group offered a higher price, the Connecticut Development Authority and Governor Lowell Weicker preferred to sell to a smaller ownership structure with a clear lead partner. Karmanos also pledged to keep the Whalers in Hartford for a period of years. Lowell Weicker now sits on the Board of Directors for CompuWare.

Upon purchasing the team, Karmanos quickly focused on addressing the team's two major business issues. Frustrated with lackluster attendance and corporate support, he announced in 1996 that if the Whalers were unable to sell at least 11,000 season tickets for the 1996-97 season, he would likely have to move the team. Furthermore, ownership only made season tickets available in full season (41 game) packages, eliminating the popular 5-game and 10-game 'mini plans', in a strategy largely designed to spur purchases to wealthier corporations and individuals. Sales were underwhelming at the beginning of the campaign, and at the end of the 1995-96 season, it was still unknown whether the Whalers would stay in Connecticut or move. However, thanks to an aggressive marketing campaign that targeted the entire state (and specifically Fairfield County), and the creative efforts of many fans (who pooled together resources to purchase some of the full-season packages collectively) the Whalers were successful in coming very close to their goal of 11,000 season ticket holders. The Whalers announced that they would stay in Connecticut for the 1996-97 season and Karmanos then focused on the second prong of his strategy, gaining a new arena.

In early 1997, negotiations between the Whalers, and the State of Connecticut and Governor John Rowland to build a new $147.5 million arena seemed to be going well and an agreement appeared close at hand. However negotiations fell apart when Rowland and the State of Connecticut refused Karmanos' demand to reimburse the Whalers for up to $45 million in losses during the three years the new arena was to be built. As a result, the team announced on March 26, 1997 that they would leave Hartford, eventually deciding to move to Raleigh, North Carolina. It marked one of the few times in American sports history that a team announced that it would leave its current home city without having already selected a new home city. During that last season, the 15,500+ seat Civic Center was consistently sold out and the Whalers played to more than 90% capacity. Alas, it was not enough to satisfy Karmanos, who many suspect was eager to move the team with support from the NHL and in particular Commissioner Gary Bettman regardless of the package he was offered to stay in Connecticut.

On April 13, 1997 the Whalers played their last game in Hartford, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Whalers won 2-1. Fittingly, team captain Kevin Dineen scored the final goal in Whaler history.

So you're right, chineseblues.  This is a place that shouldn't even have a team.

I'm done with thie league until Gary Bettman leaves his position.

[Communist China]

Those hicks don't deserve it. They got through three rounds on injuries. With Koivu, Montreal was destroying Carolina. With healthy defensemen and Connolly, Buffalo would've won too, and Roloson's loss in the Cup series had a big effect on Game 2.

[Mal Brossard]

Good lord.  God this really pisses me off more than 1999 or 2004.

How long until we see the Cup at a Nascar track, Toby Keith concert, or in a white robe and hood atop a horse?

[gnr-4-ever]

Told ya Carolina won. 

[Neemo]

well duffman you were initially right in your guess, carolina in 7. but i felt over all the officiating was fair...for the most part.

I dunno Carolina has had a tremendous year, last nights game was great, there was about 5 or 6 players that coulda won the Smythe...too bad that edmonton couldn't get going until the 3rd but like i saidearlier in the thread, I felt that this was arguably the best finals I've ever seen.

Congrats Caniac's and for 1st cups for vets Weight, Hedican, Wesley and Brind'Amour I'm looking forward to a busy off season and next year

[sandman]

who cares what cities have teams? people were PISSED when philly got a team. now we are seen as one of the best hockey towns in america.

maybe if the Hartford fans had gone to see their team play, they would still have a team.

sports are a business. plain and simple. everyone is there to make money - the players, owners, coaches, TV, etc.

and EVERY team that wins the Stanley Cup deserves it. it is the most difficult championship to win. Carolina came out last night and kicked ass. they elevated their game when it mattered most. they refused to be denied. all the result of Brindy's leadership. 

[Neemo]

who cares what cities have teams?

That's my thoughts too....the teams go to markets that can afford it...Winnipeg and Quebec are priome examples too....they don't attend until it's too late...also years and years of losing teams didn't help any of the team that changed locations either

I just look at it that 70% or so of the league is canadian so it's all good no matter who wins (don't get me wrong though, it'd be great for a Canadian city to win the cup again though, as long as it's not the Habs )

[Mal Brossard]

well duffman you were initially right in your guess, carolina in 7. but i felt over all the officiating was fair...for the most part.

The officiating was terrible in the Carolina-Buffalo series.  The officiating in the Finals was better, barely.

who cares what cities have teams? people were PISSED when philly got a team. now we are seen as one of the best hockey towns in america.

I care what cities have teams. Cities like Hartford, Winnipeg, Quebec, and Minnesota are better hockey cities.  And in most cases, they supported their teams!  The owners were just pissed that the city wouldn't build them new, bigger, more luxurious arenas and decide to move them to places with new arenas, no matter how little a hockey tradition there is in that city.  I was pissed when Dallas got a team.  I was (and still am) a firm believer that if you don't get ice naturally outdoors for at least 45 days a year, you shouldn't have a damn team!  So what happens?  They win the Cup under questionable circumstances in 1999 and the game takes off.  Now they're among the top 5 in attendance, have 3 junior teams within a 4 hour drive, and have a successful youth hockey program.  Tampa Bay-- Cup winners in 2004 after a questionable no-goal call in Game 6.  #2 in the league in attendance in 2005-06.

Don't forget that when Philly got a team, there were only 6 teams, and the league suddenly doubled in size to 12 teams.  Of course people will be pissed at something like that.  Typical expansion, which hadn't happened much in pro sports up to that point (2 teams in baseball, and an approaching merger in football) involved putting two teams in at a time, with several years between each two-team expansion.  And Philly had a team before that, the Quakers back in the 1930-31 season.  They had been at least a prospective hockey market for years, much like all the 1967 "Next 6" expansion teams.

maybe if the Hartford fans had gone to see their team play, they would still have a team.

Read my post above.  Karmanos told them if they buy 11,000 season tickets, the team stays.  Even after the move was announced (Karmanos did the same deal-- buy 11,000 and they stay; then after selling the 11,000 season tickets, he kept upping the number), they sold at least 90% of the tickets for every game.  They met his demands and still got screwed over.  The fans should not be blamed for the unethicalities of an owner desperate to leave.  I'd love to know how many people would blame the Cleveland fans for Art Modell moving the Browns, or the Baltimore fans for the Colts moving.

sports are a business. plain and simple. everyone is there to make money - the players, owners, coaches, TV, etc.

And the fans get repeatedly screwed over in the process.  Tradtional fans are abandoning the game in droves, alienated by teams moving away, rule changes, and a game that just isn't what it used to be.  The new markets for the most part have seen the game as a novelty-- something they'll pay to see for a while, but it's just not an American sport to many of them.  Bettman and the BOG need to find a way to replace the old fans fast and the new fans aren't coming in like they need.

And don't tell me attendance is up at record levels, therefore the fans really are back.  Of course attendance will be up after a lockout season-- people were happy to see the game back.  And comparing attendance now to attendance even 20 years ago is apples and oranges-- there are 30 teams, all playing in larger, more luxurious arenas.  Percentage of tickets sold would be a better indication.  I'd love to see someone do a study on that.  Even people who don't care much about hockey will go buy tickets because of all the hype around the game being back, the rule changes, and greatly reduced ticket prices.  Ticket prices are the biggest factor here-- drop ticket prices by 50% and everyone who couldn't afford tickets before will buy them.  Prices were down approximately 50%, but attendance was only up 2.4%.  Next year's attendance will be a better judge as to whether or not the fans are truly back.

You'll probably see Nashville or Atlanta win it all next year-- the league is desperate for the game to succeed there.

the teams go to markets that can afford it...

And the small markets get screwed over in the process.  I just love how Bettman wants to protect the small markets now long after Winnipeg, Quebec, and Hartford all moved (two teams with a weak Canadian dollar, another obviously desperate to move somewhere else).  It's locking the barn door after the horse is stolen.

I just look at it that 70% or so of the league is canadian so it's all good no matter who wins (don't get me wrong though, it'd be great for a Canadian city to win the cup again though, as long as it's not the Habs )

I just hate the attitudes of the fans that American hockey is so much better because American teams have won every cup since 1993.  Or that somehow the Cup "belongs" in the States. (Can you believe that?  Someone actually said that to me!)  American players had about as much to do with the Canes winning as they did with the Oilers losing.  And the Cup itself is Canadian (bought in Canada by a Brit and originally awarded to Canadian teams), always has been Canadian, always will be Canadian, and belongs in Canada far more than it belongs anywhere else.

I'm one who, if my teams are already out, will always cheer for a Canadian team over most of the American teams (unless it's the Leafs).  Cheering for the American team just because I'm American is pointless for the reasons I just named-- the teams aren't composed of a majority of American players or even more than a handful of them.  The Cup needs to return to Canada soon.  It's just a shame Bettman & Co. can't see it as the old school, real, hardcore fans do, but rather just as businessmen with no sense of tradition besides the tradition of printing dead politicians on their money.

(Edited to get these goddamn quotes formatted correctly)