2004/2005 NHL Offseason

[John C]

Yeah, I think there should be a change in union reps. It seemed to me like the players were unhappy with the way things were handled.  It does look bad that they cancelled and then they say "Just Kidding"  Bettman should also go away.  He should have extended the deadline until this weekend.  You know the owners wanted the playoffs.  That's where they make the most money.  I guess we'll see if the fans decide they care or not. 

[Morgbug]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand..................................



it's off again

[DSJ™]

I really didn't expect anything to go through.

See ya next season! 

[Jesse James]

I second what Dale said.  Gretzky and Lemieux can bend over backwards on this but there's no saving the NHL season, I'm sorry. 

It was a pipedream I think.

[Dressel Rebel]

See ya next season! 

Perhaps.

[Jeff]

www.freestanley.com

I guess there are some crazies out there who want to award the Stanley Cup to SOMEONE, even if there is no season or playoffs.  Their plan is to try to get the trustees to award the cup to the best team in Canada, sort of a winner take all between the OHL/IHL/QHL etc.

Pretty funny read if you are interested in reading about Stanley Cup obsessed, beer-swilling, hockey loving Canadians.   

Jeff

[Morgbug]

The Cup stays in Florida with the Champs! If you want the Cup back, have your weak ass teams win the NHL title and you can have it back. Most of your teams have moved to the US because you can't support them. So grow a sack and take the Cup back the way a man would, by earning it!

Kenneth Shier, Tampa Bay Lightning fan, Stanley Cup Champions 2004

Dumbass   Gee, I wonder what Kenneth is going to say after the league contracts and takes Tampa out.

[Mikey D]

I can guarantee Kenneth wasn't a Tampa Bay Lightning fan before 2004.

[Darth Kenobi]

Hopefully for the new owners of the Mighty Ducks the team doesn't fold up.  I glad that Disney has finally giving up on all of my sports teams, ANgels and Duck, and now hopefully the teams will be managed better.  The only thing I hope is they don't rename them as the Los Angles Mighty Ducks of Anahiem like the owner of the Angels did. I guess I should take my rant on that to the baseball thread.

[JediMAC]

I guess I should take my rant on that to the baseball thread.

Been there, done that.   

Yeah, interesting to see Disney selling our guys off again.  Sounds like a Billionaire actually bought the team, so hopefully that's a good sign.  He better not be moving them anywhere though...   

[Darth Kenobi]

I guess I should take my rant on that to the baseball thread.

Been there, done that.   

Yeah, interesting to see Disney selling our guys off again.  Sounds like a Billionaire actually bought the team, so hopefully that's a good sign.  He better not be moving them anywhere though...   

Dam Right about them not moving them.  I doubt it since its the owners of the actual Pond Arena.

[CorranHorn]

www.freestanley.com

I guess there are some crazies out there who want to award the Stanley Cup to SOMEONE, even if there is no season or playoffs.  Their plan is to try to get the trustees to award the cup to the best team in Canada, sort of a winner take all between the OHL/IHL/QHL etc.

Pretty funny read if you are interested in reading about Stanley Cup obsessed, beer-swilling, hockey loving Canadians.   

Jeff

A tournament between the various "major" minor leagues would be cool to award the cup. however, I don't think the juniors should be involved, they're not officially professionals, so no OHL or QHL. But a tourney between the champions of the AHL, UHL, ECHL, and whatever other pro leagues there are could work. Be a pity to not award someone the cup, would be more of a pity to let the lightning have it for a 2nd year.

[Paul]

 Sounds like a Billionaire actually bought the team, so hopefully that's a good sign.  He better not be moving them anywhere though...   

While on the surface that may seem like a good deal, be warned, you could end up with a Tom Hicks (owner of the Stars).  He seemed good for the team, but when he decided to sell he got CHEAP on the purse strings.  I just hope YOUR Billionaire owner is a Hockey guy, ours is not a hockey guy and we the fans are paying for that.  Don't get me wrong, I love the new stadium, I love the fact they won the Cup, but I think if he had more interest or knowledge of the game, the Stars could have been more competitive in the recent years.

On a side note, I went to the Fort Worth Brahmas Minor League game the last week, and I know this will annoy the Hockey Purists, but a good minor league fight is a really fun thing to watch.

[Morgbug]

On a side note, I went to the Fort Worth Brahmas Minor League game the last week, and I know this will annoy the Hockey Purists, but a good minor league fight is a really fun thing to watch.

You mean non-Canadian hockey purists?  Us r rednecks when it comes to fightin'.  It is part of the game. 

Skating up behind someone and driving their face into the ice, regardless of how much was intentional, how much accident, is clearly not.

[Morgbug]

I don't have a link for it (yet) but apparently Gretzky has been quoted as saying even though he won't like doing it, he'll put scabs on the ice next season (not his exact words). 

Anyone else think maybe the players really ought to wake up now from their little fantasy world?  Rightly or wrongly the owners are the one holding the ball, so jumping up and down and shouting about how it's your ball isn't going to accomplish much. 

I'll go out on a limb and suggest the owners are going to be absolutely huge ******** here and the next SIGNED CBA will have a salary cap and it will be lower than one they offered last time.  I'd expect around 44 mill this time, just to spite the players.  The players played their hand and to me their best card was the playoffs.  Once the owners resigned themselves to losing that revenue, the players were ******.