NHL 2013

[Jeff]

Saw on twitter season tickets for Panthers games were starting at like $7 + a free jersey and free parking?  Hah.

I saw another crazy deal - Columbus is offering BOGO FREE deal on their home opener tickets (against the Red Wings!) and to make it better, everyone who goes gets a free t-shirt, pepsi, popcorn, hot dog and schedule magnet.   Read that their "full season ticket equivalent" (which counts partial season ticket sales) is around 7000.

Meanwhile, our home opener sold out less than an hour after tickets went on sale.  I think the Red Wings game is the only other sell-out so far, but it sounds like the EDM and VAN games will probably sell out soon...  and our season ticket sales are almost back up to the cap (16500) so they are planning to restart the waiting list.

[Jesse James]

You'd think Columbus would embrace the Blue Jackets...  what else do they have going on?  I've been to Columbus and it's a cute little city, but there's not a lot going on there but OU.  I would've thought one pro team would be an easy draw.

[Jesse James]

Pens are airing a Black Vs. White scrimage tonight...  gamelike simulation, televised thanks to Ray Shero, and so far goalies are scaring me.

Free tickets, free parking...  people were lined up at 3 to get tickets.  Doors opened at 6.

Fun.

[Jeff]

Also printed off tickets to go see the free scrimmage (Wild v. Houston Aeros) this Wednesday.  A free night of hockey to get to know the new players, free $10 in concessions, and 50% off gear at the hockey lodge store (limit one sweater per person).  Might have to break down and pull the trigger on a new Granlund sweater if I can get one for 50% on Wednesday...

Fun time at the scrimmage tonight.  They ended up opening the doors about 45 minutes early because there was such a big crowd - final attendance was 13,096 (and there probablky would have been more if they hadn't capped tickets to avoid a total madhouse at the arena stores).  Everyone got $10 in free food, which helped offset the $15 for parking.  

Couldn't get a Granlund sweater (sold out!) but I did manage to snag a shiny new Koivu sweater, which was very nice deal at 50% off.

Man it's nice to see guys like Suter and Parise here.  Koivu/Parise/Heatly looks like a great line.   I am so trying to temper my expectations, but seeing places/stations start to pick the Wild to win the Northwest and it's hard to stay focused in reality.  All I'm asking for is the playoffs this year, but a #4 seed or better for some nice home games would be great...

[Morgbug]

Meanwhile, our home opener sold out less than an hour after tickets went on sale.

Our home opener sold for this year sold out last year.  Next year's home opener is already sold out.  Any tickets that went on Jets ticket exchange this morning (for the opener, plus the Pens and Isles next week) sold out in less than a minute.  All our games are sold out.   

Mind you we do have a tiny arena, so there is that. 

[Morgbug]

If we keep playing like we did today, we won't be selling out much longer.  That was a royal stinker.  Looked very much like a preseason game, which would be fine if it was the preseason.  We just handed it to Ottawa after playing solidly for 20 minutes. 

[TheSon]

Just got home from the Caps Lightning game. Although I am glad the Bolts routed the Caps, it was the sloppiest most out of sync NHL game I have ever seen. The 3 or 4 day training camp rust really showed. No matter the rust it was awesome to be in the barn tonight.

[JesseVader08]

Bruins 2-0, 46 games left until the playoffs.  It's going to be a fast regular season!

[Morgbug]

Bruins 2-0, 46 games left until the playoffs.  It's going to be a fast regular season!

I still hate shootouts.  I agree they add excitement but the game was tied 1-1 even after overtime.  That shouldn't result in a win. 

Oh and if you've seen the Sports Illustrated hockey preview (a whopping 5 or 6 pages  ) they are completely delusional.  They have the Caps finishing third in the East and I believe they mean that as a legit ranking space, rather than that some team actually has to win the SE.  If I'm picking the SE, I'm not picking the Caps.  I don't believe Ovie is back and I most assuredly don't believe in Holtby either.  A seven game playoff streak does not make you a good regular season goaltender.  Holtby might turn out to be great, but I'll wait and see. 

They do have the Jets last in the East and I think that is conceivable btw (though I can see us finishing ahead of Montreal, Toronto, the Islanders and possibly Washington as well), so I'm not just playing homers.  Were I to pick I'd take Carolina in the SE.  I'm not sold on Tampa's goaltender and while Stamkos is the real deal, St. Louis and Lecavalier are getting long in the tooth and their D doesn't make me believe.  I'm still not sold on Florida's season last year.  They have some pieces and they really played well last year but I just don't believe in them either. 

And if Jeff didn't see it they suggest that the Wild use the buyout option on Heatley and he was in there with Gomez, Redden and Di Pietro. 

They also found Barch's diatribe to be entertaining.  I found it to be a perfect allusion to how stupid hockey players are supposed to be.  Play it up to the stereotype Krys.  Just like ebay, don't drink and blog. 

Man I hate SI. 

[Jesse James]

I think that's just someone on the Ovie kool-aid thinking he'll be pissed about last year.  If anything they lost more than they gained I think.  Just my opinion.

SI sucks a big fat nut.

[Morgbug]

Jets 4 Caps 2.  Suck it SI.   

[Jeff]

And if Jeff didn't see it they suggest that the Wild use the buyout option on Heatley and he was in there with Gomez, Redden and Di Pietro. 

That seems to be a popular media take, but his salary isn't really killing us cap-wise and obviously (three goals in three games) he's going to be a key part of our power play, camped in front of the net waiting for Parise/Koivu/Suter to get him the puck.  I'll keep him for now, thanks...

Tough game against the Preds last night, but the fact that it was our third game in four nights showed big time.  Hard to keep up the intensity of the first few days unfortunately.  Still, 2-1-0 start isn't bad compared to how some other teams in the West have started (VAN = 0-1-1, LA 0-2-0, CGY = 0-2-0, DET = 1-2-0).

[Morgbug]

 





 





 

[Jesse James]

 

[I Am Sith]

Quite possibly one of the worst calls I've ever seen in last night's Blackhawks/Blue Jackets game, but I'm not complaining too much as it helped the Hawks get to their best start in almost 40 years.  I don't expect them to keep this up, but it's been fun to watch so far.  I don't think they are going to have much in the tank against Detroit this afternoon, and after today they start a 6 game road trip.  Pretty rough start to the season to have only two games at home out of eleven.  Thankfully they have a seven game home stand after that.

*edit*

I stand corrected, they had just enough in the tank to get the win.  Great PK tonight despite the high intensity from Detroit.  They'll be taking their best start in franchise history on the road to MN on Wednesday.