Sandy W (Posted 2008-07-14 14:24:31)
I'd like to know how not signing any free agents means that hockey is not working in Nashville. That makes a whole bunch of sense. Have you never watched the videos of Preds fans at the games nearing the end of the season? Have you not read the articles from writers everywhere that say it was the most magical building they have ever been in? I guess not. And the so-called ownership problems we are having. Del Biaggio is bankrupt and owns about 1/3 of the NHL in one team or another. If we are having ownership problems, then so is every other team that he has claims with. Yes, he wanted to move us but the local owners stepped up and said there is no way that can happen. Really can't move a team from jail can you? I thought we were passed the negativity towards the Preds. We proved ourselves. One of only five teams to consecutively make it to the playoffs. Every team has struggles and we have sure had ours but the fans and the team have come together better, bigger and stronger. Just take a second and you will see it.

Brian Kemp (Posted 2008-07-14 11:25:17)
Ummm, you should probably check your facts before telling someone to check their ignorance. No team in the history of the NHL has sold out 82 games in a season because no team has ever played 82 games in one season AT HOME. Even including preseason games and 4 seven game series where a team has home ice advantage through the playoffs, it still only works out to somewhere just over 60 games. Miller isn't coming to Detroit unless he is willing to take a lot less than what he can get on the open market. Ken Holland has said that with the salary cap being what it is and the Wings D being what it is, the best use of money for the Wings is to sign a solid, not superstar goalie for less money. Nashville isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The fans there are good fans. I know there are less of them than in, say, southern Ontario, but given time I think Nashville will develop into a solid market. Florida will move before Nashville, and so will Atlanta. For me, Brendan Shanahan ranks tied for second for his career with the other older guys, with Forsberg, and Sakic atop the list. I'd put him 4th for who is a better player right now, ahead of Forsberg. Forsberg would be a great addition to any team right now if the season were eight games long and spread over 4 months. He's just hurt too much to matter anymore. Ottawa will continue to sink, but will make the playoffs.

T.Roy (Posted 2008-07-14 07:29:42)
NHL.com is now talking about Jimmy Howard fighting with Conklin for the backup spot of Osgood. Now your going to consider Miller in the mix. I guess if anybody could figure it out the Wings management can. May the best goalie hopefully do the best job. They got Vernon, Osgood, and Hasek right.

Lamar (Posted 2008-07-14 00:25:40)
To Chelsea Lohr: Yeah, and Golisano will only sell to someone who won't move the team, The Bills will stay in Buffalo and soon we'll have a booming local economy here in Western New York! HA Then let's get an answer to the question - why does every pro athlete that plays here want out? And I'm tired of them all saying what a great place Buffalo is, Buffalo's best attribute is it's most damning flaw, it is a big small town. And until the flow of our best and brightest minds quit leaving town for brighter futures, to go ANYWHERE ELSE, it will remain so. The leaders and movers and shakers in our fair Queen City of the Great Lakes have a terminal case of "dumb arse", most especially Larry Quinn, Darcy, TG and it may be an epidemic. Stupid is as stupid does, Forrest!

The D (Posted 2008-07-13 21:21:44)
Hey joey from fish city ya bum, how many cups have the Bruins won? Ya thats what I thought... WINGS 11.. Eat it plug!

Brandon (Posted 2008-07-13 19:22:12)
I agree with Tiffany, I had the same experience in Nashville. It makes me scratch my head every time I read a sports writer's take on Preds fans: that they're nearly non-existent. It's simply, totally not true. As for the Coyotes.. Why are 3 fighters necessary? Shouldn't they have found a scoring replacement for Vrbata rather than sign Fedoruk?

Tiffany (Posted 2008-07-13 13:20:51)
I visited Nashville last fall on business and may a it a point to attend a Preds game. I loved it. The electric feeling in the building, the fans are enthusiast and a spirited bunch. If I lived there, the first thing I would do is become a season ticket holder. The fans of Nashville appreciate and love their team, and if you have ever attended one of their games you would agree. Instead of you columnists sitting at your computer typing doom and gloom stories about team. Get to Nashville, attended a game write most balanced stories and let's help this team succeed.

STEVE (Posted 2008-07-13 11:05:31)
The Coyotes should do much much with their attendence now that they have structured their ticket prices to the demand. Weekend games will all sell out but during the week it is very difficult as the arena is located in a area where their is too much traffic in order to get their during rush hour. With three very tuff hockey players on one line it should saend a message that we will fight to win and will bully a lot of teams to fall down.

Hayden Moher (Posted 2008-07-13 10:36:34)
Wow 4 years in a row. Do you guys want a ribbon or something? the Red Wings have made 17 straight appearances in the post-season,New Jersey& Ottawa 11, Dallas 5, and Calgary& San Jose 4. And of those teams, ALL of them have won at least one playoff series, unlike the predators. I do agree that Barry Trotz is a very good coach, and if he were with a better team he would definatly do some great things. But as long as he's with nashville, he'll always be golfing in early April.

Ted LaPlante (Posted 2008-07-13 08:34:33)
I think that Ottawa will rebound this year, too much talent about and distractons are gone. In Vancouver, they need one more piece to become a contender, their character will have to change with the exit of Naslund and Morrison and the Sedins must carry the team. Please remind me, how much is the salary cap increasing for 20008-2009? Mr. T

donsol (Posted 2008-07-13 07:56:24)
Everyone needs to know that "Gord Puquenutts" is just a troll who's trying to get everyone all geared up. And it's pretty obvious that he's just pretending to be Canadian (check out the atrocious spelling, punctuation, and grammar!). It's best to just ignore him so please don't feed the troll. He doesn't realize that xenophobia is spelled with an "x" and thus his attempted pun linking "zenaphobia" with "Zena: The Warrior Princess" (played by Australian Lucy Lawless) and the word "zebra" in reference to referees is more sad than anything else.

brady (Posted 2008-07-13 02:08:27)
okay. maybe there shouldnt be teams in the south. But what about alaska? We mite as well be part of canada seeing as how have the lower 48 thinks alaska is somewhere below hawaii.

Victor Minicozzi (Posted 2008-07-12 22:00:45)
Canadian fans do not want the NHL to themselves. They would, however, prefer that hockey doesn't continue to suffer in the country music capital of the world when there are plenty of rinks that would be packed 82 games a season with fans who appreciate the game and likely know what an icing is. Ummm, do you mean like Winnepeg or Quebec? Oh yeah those teams didn't make it in the NHL. There are 9 teams in 2008 that had a less percentage of capacity than the Predators. Boston, Washington, St Louis, Chicago, and the Islanders among them. Maybe those teams need to close up shop and move to Hamilton.

Ummm (Posted 2008-07-12 19:43:47)
Hey Chris, check your ignorance. Canadian fans do not want the NHL to themselves. They would, however, prefer that hockey doesn't continue to suffer in the country music capital of the world when there are plenty of rinks that would be packed 82 games a season with fans who appreciate the game and likely know what an icing is. Likewise it would be nice to see a revival of sorts in the seats of franchises pre Bettman. Specifically St. Louis and Chicago.

t-murder (Posted 2008-07-12 19:19:06)
what bettman needs to do is not move the failing Americans teams such as the panthers or the predators to canada just disband those teams. However, the failing small market teams would be disband if the existing owners were willing to buy the franchises back and then take them apart. That is the best solution to raising the quality of play and lowering salaries when there are more players looking for fewer jobs they will want to perform harder and be willing to take slightly less pay in order to ensure they stay on a team.

Dale (Posted 2008-07-12 18:44:10)
Hey Chris, what are you talking about?

Dale (Posted 2008-07-12 17:34:34)
You left Brendan Shanahan off your list. I'd slide him in there at 2nd or 3rd on the first list AND neck and neck with Sakic on the 2nd.

Joe (Posted 2008-07-12 16:47:47)
They wont move Cleary as he has a NTC in his contract for first 3 years

Blowtrees (Posted 2008-07-12 16:09:21)
Miller was a beast in Ann Arbor, I've still got pictures of his mask. I'd love for him to suit up as a Wing too, but I question whether or not it's worth paying for him assuming at that point his career would be on the downswing. Keep in mind we've still got Jimmy Howard and that 1st rounder from this year for when Ozzie decides to hang up his pads. Hossa likely will go unless he's willing to take another significant pay cut. Z and Franzen stay. Fillpula will stay. He'll get arbitration this year and a deal signed pending his performance. It's likely be in the 2.5-3M range for multiple years. I see Hudler or Sammy being shipped out before Fil. Even Cleary, but that's unlikely. Keep in mind we've also got a plethora of defensemen. You're right Drapes and Maltby will be retiring around then, but the cap will have increased also, probably about 12M from here to the end of 2010. Then there's Nick, who certainly will still be able to play for another 10 years, but may just retire when his contract is up in 2010 (I think) what with 4 cups and his reputation as best defenseman EVAR pretty much set in stone.

Antonio Graci (Posted 2008-07-12 15:40:48)
um, wait...................what???

james brown (Posted 2008-07-12 15:19:05)
the red wings will win another stanley cup next year.They will not resign marian hossa. They will use the capspace created to sign ryan miller to a long term contract in order to replace a retiring chris osgood. what will also happen in order to gain more cap space is that they will trade flippula in combination with a retiring draper and maltby.

Alexander K. (Posted 2008-07-12 15:00:27)
Justin, that is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard. Why should we care about the Canadians, there's only 6 Canadian teams...yeah, that sounds pretty stupid too doesn't it? 4 of the original 6 Canadian teams are in American cities, all the winners since 93, have been American cities. I think the hockey market in American is pretty important. Besides, don't try to heap us all into some giant generality, there's tons of hockey fans in the U.S. You just have to find the right markets.

Eurodude from Minsk (Posted 2008-07-12 13:41:04)
Wonderous: Jason K presents his own version of "Random Thoughts." If you're not "feeling" the resurgence of the Senators that your office staff is, it's because silly people work for you. Ruutu shouldn't even be IN the NHL and Smith is merely a bruised puck stop with heart at this point in his career. Please don't talk about "leadership"...in terms of "character" those two are a study in contrasts. Smith will have to spend all his time explaining to Ruutu how to NOT be a disgrace to the game. Let's all stop talking about Finger now, ok? Nobody cares. It's not a big deal just because it happened in Toronto. It's inevitable. Player contracts haven't ruined the NHL's economy. The mayor of munchkin land did that all by his little small self. He fomented a pointless lockout on behalf of minor market clubs, lost the TV contract with the world's largest sports network, and rendered the game irrelevant to the American public. Now before you all get your red and white maple leaf panties in a bunch, it should be pointed out that that athletes who play sports that the American public does watch, get paid ALOT more than the Finger contract that you are all so upset about. CFL, NHL and curling stars do not. Hmmm, I wonder why that is? Oh yeah, the "economic health" of the NHL is completely tied to US fans giving a damn and Bettman has made sure they don't. It's all very quaint, this "our game" crap, but elite athletes wanted to be paid and treated like other elite athletes, not like roller derby paycheck mules so that somebody's misguided national identity can stay in tact. And that's the Truth, Ruth.

Finn (Posted 2008-07-12 13:26:52)
If the NHL expanded into Canada, those team could have financial problems in the future if the U.S. Economy ever gets back on track and the Canadian Dollar hits rock bottom. The only safe expansion market in Canada is the Greater Toronto Area that could support another NHL team regardless of economy issues. Things are great right now for Canadian Markets but in ten years it could be the opposite. I'd love to see a Winnipeg franchise be successful, but they couldn't even sell-out a preseason game between their ex-Jets and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the preseason last year. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence when pre-season games are selling out everywhere else across the country. I'm Canadian, and I'd love to see more franchises in Canada someday, but some of you Canadian fans need to take your head out of the clouds.

Nick d (Posted 2008-07-12 13:08:36)
runamuk, get over what? Canada deserves more teams and everyone knows it. The teams in the south are just hurting the NHL's economy, AND CLEARLY BETTEMEN NEEDS TO GET OVER HIS OBSESSSIONS with teams in the south, and move at least one team to Canada, and his will see great revenue increase.

runamuk6 (Posted 2008-07-12 12:52:03)
Good God will you Canadians and unfortunates that have to live in Buffalo please shut the he!! up about Nashville not belonging. The ownership fiasco with Del Baggio has now been eliminated by the current local investors stepping up with the 9.8 million invested by this San Jose Shark fraud and it is now entirely local ownership without any hidden agendas to move the team to Kansas City or to Canada. Get over it!!! The Preds future depends entirely on the fan support which is growing yearly. The trumoil of the past two years has only strengthened the resolve of the community that NO ONE is going to take our team. With some many recreational alternatives availbale down here and that is certaintly not the case in beautiful Buffalo and the Ice Kingdom, the Preds are building a strong rabid fan base and hockey is now being played in Jr Leagues and is now a high school sport. Something never heard of 10 years ago. Nashville is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and the base is expanding. Never mind that we have had minor league hockey in town since 1960 so we are not totally ignorant of the game. Go pick on the Isles or someone else and leave us alone. We are coming of age and our impact on the NHL will be felt league wise very very soon.

sabresfan01 (Posted 2008-07-12 12:00:43)
Everyone knows that Nashville doesn't deserve a team, neither does Phoenix or Miami (Florida), move those teams to Canada, Hamilton, Qubéc and Winnipeg, where the stadiums will be packed EVERY night. Don't leave them there to satisfy like 4 die hard Pred, Coyotes and Panter fans, every team has those.

Jonathan M (Posted 2008-07-12 11:43:52)
I totally agree with Victor. We get so much crap blasted our way. I'm sorry, but even though Boots turned out to be a fraud, we still have about 7 other completely loaded investors backing this team. So your argument will be, "Why doesn't just one of them take the team?" Because putting multiple people into the fray that are from completely diverse business backgrounds and settings is EXACTLY what is good for a southern market hockey team (because hockey just doesn't belong here, right?). This is disgusting. Nashville gave Detroit their hardest test in the playoffs, yet we get no credit. We sold the farm last season and made the playoffs, yet we get no credit. Our team was about to go extinct and move to Hamilton (talk about bad business), and our "non-traditional, non-hockey loving, non-hockey deserving" little town rallies behind the city and pulls 10,000 people in the dead heat of summer for a rally that sells several thousand season tickets in one day, yet we get no credit (because remember, we don't like hockey in the south). Our team is facing an escape clause along with losing our revenue sharing if we do not average a certain number of fans per game (13,500 I think), but our city rallies and hits the number in the final 1/3 of home games with an arena that only seats 17,117 fans, yet we get no credit. We make no offseason moves, but we lock up some of the brightest talent in the NHL's future, yet we get no credit. This is basically bogus. Why not come to a game in Nashville and then see if we are a hockey town or not. I'm pretty sure after Games 3 and 4 of our quarterfinal series with Detroit last April I went home with a ringing in my ears. I could not even hear my friend next to me. But, right, we don't like, know, appreciate, or respect hockey and its hallowed Canadian beginnings.