Thread: Playoff beards

GAME 1 OF THE RANGERS. I just got my first straight in today and cant waite to try it sorry guys. I also have a interview in the morning so need to look good lol

Originally Posted by nycexit2

GAME 1 OF THE RANGERS. I just got my first straight in today and cant waite to try it sorry guys. I also have a interview in the morning so need to look good lol

Never apologize for shaving with a straight. Ever.

mrbhagwan, your wings are off to a good start

Originally Posted by teemus

mrbhagwan, your wings are off to a good start

Thanks Teemus- I was very happy with their penalty killing last night. Getting out of the 2-man advantage in the first was huge. I'm still a little hoarse from yelling.

Do you have any insight on the rumors I've been hearing that the Thrashers might have played their last game in Atlanta? What's up with that?

There's been speculation around the NHL that the ownership of the Thrashers want to sell the team. The ownership announced that fact some time last week I believe, stating that they'd like to see the team stay in Atlanta, but they'll consider all offers.

I don't think anything will happen this year, unless they get a buyer who keeps the team right where it is. For someone to buy the team and move it somewhere else within the next few months doesn't seem feasible. Training camp will be starting and the season itself is just over five months away from now.

Also, they need the approval of the NHL as to relocation. Again, if they stay where they are there isn't much change, but if they want to relocate you'll have the ownership of the other teams near that area complaining that it will draw from their market. Look at what happened with Phoenix. If I'm correct, one of the plans was to move them to Hamilton, Ontario. The ownership of the Maple Leafs helped put a stop to that.

There's been talk about adding two more teams in the future, and the Canadian market is where they most likely will be. However, the NHL wants to make sure it keeps its existing teams happy and profitable and that any new teams can succeed on their own.

Maybe this whole thing with Atlanta is to try to get the NHL to bail them out financially to keep the team going for now. Who knows? It will be interesting to see how things play out.

And now, back to the playoffs.

John

Originally Posted by mrbhagwan

Do you have any insight on the rumors I've been hearing that the Thrashers might have played their last game in Atlanta? What's up with that?

Have not heard much on Atlanta personally, but a local Toronto Sports Radio station was reporting that once Phoenix is out of play offs they will begin the process of moving them to Winnipeg. An ownership group based out of Toronto and Winnipeg will take the team over and move it. NHL has denied it but it seems like the Goldwater Institute has all but killed the recent attepts to seel the team.

Now that Leaves Quebec who is apparently in the running to get a team back. Atlanta Maybe? We hear up inToronto where Hockey is 24/7, there are no less than 6 teams that could be sold/moved as owners are bleeding money.

I think (maybe hope) the Phoenix thing has left Betman with significant egg on his face with the owners. It seems like the old 80/20 rule. 20% of the teams are floating 80% of the league

It would be fitting to move Phoenix to Winnipeg as that's where the franchise originated. I would be willing to bet that's priority # 1 for the NHL, to sell the Coyotes. The NHL wants the money back that they invested in the team. If it does happen then obviously the possibility of Atlanta moving decreases. There are other cities that would like a franchise, Quebec being one of them, as well as Las Vegas and Kansas. I don't know the viabilty of those cities to market a profitable NHL team. Quebec has obviously done it in the past, but it's a tough market nonetheless.

I think wherever a team goes they're going to need a true fan base, not just people who think "Maybe I'll go to a hockey game." They need a solid following through good times and bad to survive. I don't know that Vegas or Kansas would be able to do it, but who knows.

John

I thought Betman's first priority was to not relocate teams when they're struggling financially. Based on what happened in the past with the predators and the coyotes, I don't imagine the NHL would let Atlanta move any time soon.

I agree 100%. If one is to believe that 6-10 teams are in financial trouble they need to move a couple teams to cities that can stabilize the league. The NHL has struggled through this expansion into southern markets and still do not have the national TV deal that Betman was after. It is time to stabilize things by making a few more teams profitable.

Potential Markets for Teams IMO

Winnipeg
Quebec City
Hartford
Toronto

I know they all had teams previously and I sound like someone screaming for the good ol days. But the truth is they are hockey markets. All three markets demise was mostly due to Arena issues and failure to secure new facilities that would attract corporate Dollars. If I remember correctly Hartford also had a horrible lease agreement or something as well. Did not get any revenue from concessions and parking or something....

Toronto is up for sale right now. The teachers’ pension fund want out and it is going up for auction. RIM/blackberry owner Jim Balsillie was a bigger obstacle in getting a team in Hamilton than opposition from Toronto and Buffalo. He is his own worst enemy when trying to get a team. He constantly tried to bulldoze the NHL into his way of thing. The other owners and the poisoned dwarf (aka Betman) do not take kindly to that. But I think like New York Toronto could easily support two teams.

As for play-offs. Have to say GO PENGUINS. Both my Daughters are goalies and MAF is my younger girls IDOL (At least from NHL Hockey). Was nice to see the PENS bust out a win in game 1.

As much as I appreciate the condolences from the HABS fans I cannot cheer for the Bleu Blanc Rouge. I would rather perform a Vasectomy on myself using a rusty old kitchen knife.

I thought part of the "expansion" plan was to pump more United States Dollars into the league. To me, it always made sense to stay with your fan base, but I think they were looking to grow like the NFL, and that just wasn't going to happen.

Players were also looking to get paid like the other major league franchise players were, and Hockey just didn't have the support and the multi-billion dollar media contracts to make that happen.

I think the NHL can shore up its struggling franchises and remain viable and even grow, but it's going to take a lot longer than most owners are willing to wait.

To sort of bring this back to straight razors and shaving, this community is evidence that there is a strongly loyal, but small (in the grand scheme) market of people interested in wet shaving in general, and straight shaving in particular. There are a couple of established giants, some custom makers, and even some re-start and new start-up companies going now. The newer razor makers and companies aren't trying to produce razors on a scale thinking everyone will give up their fusions in the next three years. Hockey seems to have made that kind of mistake with their expansion attempt.

(Note to Dyimages - you posted while I was still typing - I agree with a lot of what you say, except for the Penguins part! )