Monday, December 17, 2012

How To Fix the NHL


How to Fix the NHL
I haven’t been writing much of anything regarding the NHL Lockout since we already know all there is to know about it. However, while watching this debacle, I have come up with a few ideas of my own to make the game and the NHL better. Here they are;

11)   Reduce the NHL to 26 teams by folding Columbus, Florida, Tampa Bay and, Nashville. This will allow the NHL to rid itself of these four ‘money pits’ that never turn a profit and drag the rest of the NHL down with them. The owners’ of these franchises will receive Contraction Payments from the NHL, and the players’ of these teams who have either a One-Way Contract or Two-Way Contract with the teams will go into a Dispersal Draft to be picked up by the remaining NHL clubs which will better these remaining teams’.

22)   Relocate the Phoenix Coyotes to Quebec City. Quebec City is in the process of building a new arena/amphitheatre which will be capable of hosting an NHL franchise. As it stands with Phoenix, the team will NEVER be able to build a viable fan base, and has never really attracted an acceptable number of fans to games, even for the NHL Playoffs. Quebec however, offers a ready-built fan base for a potential NHL return to the city. The citizens of Quebec City have been starving for a major-professional hockey club since the Quebec Nordiques relocated to Denver to become the Colorado Avalanche in 1995. Also, the Quebec Coliseum is capable of being a temporary home for any potential NHL franchise until the new Quebec Amphitheatre is ready. Make it eight!!
Realign the NHL. As it stands right now, Winnipeg is playing in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. Here is a possible scenario if the NHL were to remain with its current teams for realignment; 

1)    
Western Conference
Eastern Conference
(Western Canada Division) Edmonton
Calgary
Vancouver
Winnipeg
Minnesota

(Northeast Division)
Toronto
Ottawa
Montreal
Detroit
Buffalo

(Central Division)
Colorado
St. Louis
Chicago
Columbus
Nashville
(Atlantic Division)
New York Rangers
New York Islanders
New Jersey
Boston
Washington
(Pacific Division)
Anaheim
Los Angeles
San Jose
Dallas
Phoenix
(Southeast Division)
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Carolina
Florida
Tampa Bay

23)   Cut the NHL Regular Season to 76 games, and start the NHL Regular Season on October 1st each year. This would allow for the fans’ request for the season to start earlier than it has been to be addressed. This will also allow for the season to end earlier, which will in turn allow NHL Free-Agency to begin at an earlier date than on Canada Day. June 25th would be an excellent place to start.
34)   Eliminate Re-Entry Waivers
45)   Establish the “Wayne Gretzky Award”-For the Most Assists in the NHL Regular Season By a Player. This will allow for an important aspect of the game to be honored which, has not previously been recognized on NHL Awards Night. It will also give the NHL an opportunity to further honour the greatest hockey player who ever lived even further.
  Introduce the ‘Hybrid Icing’ rule currently being used in the AHL. This will eliminate many hazardous plays while players’ are1)   racing for the puck, as it will be the ref’s discussion as to whether or not the situation is hazardous or not and, to blow the play dead or not. This would reduce many injuries.
26)   Introduce a single 10-min Overtime period, followed by a shootout if the score is not won by the end of the 10 minute period. Also allow each time a player scores in the Shootout to count as a goal on the score-sheet, just as is it is in a penalty shot. This will help to improve the entertainment value of the games, should they go into Overtime.
37)   Fire Gary Bettman and CUT TICKET PRICES!!!!!!!

   So there you have it! These are my thoughts on how to improve the NHL and the game, while keeping the integrity of the game intact. I hope you will leave any comments below as to how you think the game/NHL could be improved. I hope we will be watching NHL hockey soon, but until then, enjoy the World Junior Championship and Thank you for reading. Go Canada Go!!!!

Written By Paul Neumann  

Friday, December 14, 2012

Hockey Canada Announces Captains for WJHC

Hockey Canada just announced the captains for the 2013 World Junior Hockey Championships.

Oilers 1st rounder, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was named team Captain this morning. It's his first junior tournament that he's participating in. He brings skill and leadership to this team. He also brings NHL experience to the fold as well.

Scott Harrington and Jonathan Huberdeau have been named the Alternate Captains and will wear A's.

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The NHL in Las Vegas?



Back from a week in Las Vegas and Valley really opens up the mind to a broader perspective when it comes to entertainment and sports in general. Having several conversations with locals about the now departed IHL, the current ECHL Hockey team and the NHL in general. The people of Las Vegas who are residents don't have a specific sport they follow in the dozens of thousands other then their University Basketball. Sure they love their NFL football and they love their NBA Basketball but don't write them off when it comes to NHL Hockey just yet. IN several southern cities I have visited over the years, their can be a distaste for hockey as minor league. Not the case with the majority of locals in Las Vegas and area.

Before you start saying, "C'mon, let's be real here, there is not the population or $ for hockey in Las Vegas!" think again! Las Vegas and Valley has a population of approx 2 million people. That is the population of residents not with tourism. Currently with the economy being the way it is in the last few years in the States Las Vegas is attracting approx 120,000 in visitors each day for tourism. That would mean on a daily basis, there is 2.12 million people who could consider the NHL game for entertainment.

There is also something important for NHL hockey to survive in any city and that is called Corporate Dollars and we know there is plenty of that in droves in Las Vegas. 70% of International Flights into Las Vegas are from Canada and we know that they experience about 1500 visitors from Canada daily via WestJet alone. The approx totals are 4700 Canadians are visiting Las Vegas daily. It is estimated that about 2,000 Las Vegas Residents are french Canadians who reside as residents and then there are those who have relocated and live in Las Vegas from other parts of Canada. 

So doing some math here, let's say 25% of Canadian visitors would take in a NHL hockey game in Las Vegas and 25% of the local Residents who are Canadian would do the same. That would bring our total to...1175 Visitors to buy a ticket to a NHL game and 500 local French Canadians who are now residents of Las Vegas as well. Add in a guess of a additional 2,000 Canadians who reside in Las Vegas and you have a additional 500 people to purchase tickets to a NHL Hockey game. That would bring a total of 2,175 Tickets guaranteed to be sold every game at a very manageable number. Even if Las Vegas Residents were at .5% that would consider to buy tickets to go to a NHL game that would amount to a further 10,000 people. While you would have to be careful with ticket prices. entertainment value is what matters in Vegas, very few places have cheap tickets for anything. It's a place where people expect to be entertained and also expect to pay decent prices for that. In my estimate (I believe it is under estimating as well) that would mean the arena could sell easily close to 12,200 tickets per NHL game.

Enough with my numbers, let's look at some local news 
out of Las Vegas on this very topic...

Frozen Fury 2012 Las Vegas at the MGM Grand (CANCELLED)

 L.A. Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche

By , About.com Guide

The NHL lockout has cancelled this great event. You can blame the owners, you can blame the players but either way hockey fans will get no game in Las Vegas this year. Don't worry, they'll have the event next year and expect fans to fill the seats all over again. Apparently, the NHL believes that it is ok to have a work stoppage just as the game was gaining some serious momentum. Can you tell I'm a disgruntled fan? If every season ticket holder in every city would just stop paying the NHL might realize that the game really is about the people who fill the seats, buy the merchandise or travel to see their teams.



Tickets for this game will be refunded at the point of purchase. However, if you have a hotel reservation or flight booked I guess you have to go to Vegas! Luckily, for you this huge hockey fan is a big fan of Las Vegas as well.

The current seating capacity of the MGM Grand Arena is 16,800 but likely would be slightly smaller for hockey. It is possible the MGM Grand could be a temporary home for a NHL team until a new Sports Arena could be constructed. Wait! You have not heard? Here is another article and rendering of a possible new entertainment complex in the great city of Las Vegas...

Las Vegas could soon have an NHL-ready arena

Thursday, December 6, 2012

NHL Lockout is Affecting the Oilers in 3 Good Ways





Please stand by while greedy people fight.



If there is a sliver lining for this NHL lockout, it's that the Edmonton Oilers have three things in this NHL lockout going for them!




Number one;


Letting Taylor Hall have more time to recover, because if the NHL season would have started on time, he might have been rushed in a little bit to fast then he would have liked.





Number two;


Developing their farm team by getting their players that will hopefully be in Edmonton someday to hang out and play with some of the great young faces of the Edmonton Oilers. Hopefully most of the kids playing in OKC will be playing someday with guys like Ebs, Hallsy and RNH on the Oilers. This is great experience to have them "gel" ahead of time.








Justin: Thanks for signing me

Steve: No problem. It's fun locking out people after I sign them. Yakupov, Hallsy, Eberle and now you.




Number three;


Getting Schultz time in the AHL so it's not as big of a step from college to the NHL. That's a big leap and if I may say my thoughts on him, what a player he is turning out to be. He's better than anyone could have thought, even with the high expectations people had on him.



This article is written by Noah Fuchs.

Monday, December 3, 2012

"Oilers 2nd Team Prospects"


As mentioned in my previous post on OILERS 1ST TEAM PROSPECTS , sometimes taking time to look through a NHL franchise system can be a good indicator of exactly what areas look strong and what areas need improvement in. I do really believe you can see the real depth at a position of need by the depth in the organization. What stood out loud and clear in the 1st Team Prospects list is that, the Center position is one of weakest and MUST be remedied as soon as possible. Goaltending may not be all-star quality but their is some potential and we all know the Oilers have now great future depth on the blue even if the current big Club lacks somewhat today.

As far as who is eligible and who isn't for the Prospects, I am going to make it simple. A player can not have played more then 60 games in the NHL and not be over 25 years of age.

Introducing your Oilers 2nd Team Prospects!
Starting at Right Wing, at 6'2 and weighing 193 lbs. 
Tyler Pitlick

I have been closely observing Pitlick's career since being drafted by the Oilers and while it doesn't all look good, Tyler is a strong worker, has size and strength and while he has not been producing much offence, I have seen his shot and it is accurate and hard. I wish he would have been groomed as a Center but both Tyler and the Oilers organization seem to have settled in on him being a RW player. He appears to be looking at a high end of third line checker who can plug in some goals here and there.

On Left Wing, standing 6'3 and weighing in at 202 lbs. 
Curtis Hamilton

Curtis has struggled so far in his Minor pro career but he continues to work hard and is starting to sign the signs that the Oilers drafted him for. Until the NHL boys move out of OKC we will really not get a chance to see what Hamilton can do at the AHL level. He is working the PK recently and was a specialist in jr. While he as well has not shown the offence, Curtis is more likely looking at a 4th line hard nosed player role who can be a effective penalty killer in the NHL, possibly covering in on the 3rd line on occasion. Likely is still this year and one more season away of development before trying out in the NHL.

At Center, Standing 6'3 and coming in at 207 lbs...
Ryan Martindale
Ryan had a tremendous offensive career in jr hockey but was known to be lagging behind on occasion. His first year in minor pro in the ECHL was underwhelming and despite his limited progress came into AHL camp and impressed coaches and oilers brass. He started the first few games exceptionally well with limited errors but has fallen on a bad stretch again as of late. He has been the odd man out of the Barons line up on some nights and like other players developing there, his chance will come soon enough when RNH is no longer on OKC. Is big, strong, creative but needs to show consistency. Highest potential would be a #2 Center but low end could be no better the a career ECHL'er. It's all in Ryan's hands when it comes to his future. His time is running out, so he will need to make a move real soon.

On Defence, standing at 6'4 and weighing 187lbs...
Martin Marincin


Martin came on the Oilers Radar with a incredible 1st season as a import player in Prince George with the Cougars. Later in the year he tuckered out probably due to not playing the amount of games in a season and the adjustment he encountered with all the wear and tear of travel. His second year went ok, but he still didnt seem to put on much more muscle and strength and caused some concerns with critcs of his game. He was traded before the WHL trade deadline and while not scoring at earlier paces did seem to start working more on his defensive game. This year being his 1st as a minor league pro has had some downs but most of all ups. His quality playing time with the 'phenom' Justin Schultz was a perfect storm for him in his being mentored into the pro game of hockey. A good player who has potential to be a 2nd line defence pairing but should at least settle into a 6th or 7th defencemen role in the NHL.

On Defence, at 6'5 and 191 lbs...
Martin Gernat

Gernat won a WHL Championship and just when everyone was saying 'what's he going to do for a encore in year 2?', he came down with a injury and is just about ready to take action in 2013. Hopefully this injury does not stall his progress, but like Marincin, Gernat is a tall player and has some good offence from the backend and has a great stick on the ice. At his height, that long reach will only be a assest in his future pro opportunity. Until he can show this injury will not stall his progress it will be difficult to measure his top end but I put him around the same range as Marincin.

In Goal and standing at 6'0, weighing 170 lbs...


Olivier Roy

Olivia Roy had a stellar year with the Stockton Thunder last year and is honing his skills this year as back up in OKC. He has had a couple shaky starts but in all fairness the games he got the opportunity the team played like crap on the backend and forwards not seemingly back checking. Roy is still adjusting and my guess is, by february we will see his game improving in leaps and bounds as he adjusts to the next level of pro hockey. A good prospect but has his work cut out for him.

Oilers 2nd Team Prospects
Hamilton/Martindale/Pitlick
Marincin/Gernat
Roy

Not a terrible group for a 2nd team of Oiler prospects but nobody will be writing rave reviews on this group either. Other then Marinicn all their chances are low in making the NHL one day but each one has potential and still has time for development.

My bet? Just like last post on the 1st team, I still see Center as the greatest need for this organization. What they need is a good 2nd line Center at this years next draft or they need to trade for a good one.

Continuing to look at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and if there is no season, there is a strong possibility the Oilers could land a Sean Monahan, Aleksander Barkov or at least a Curtis Lazar. Of these names, I would say their is a good chance we could see one of them putting on a Oilers Jersey at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to www.twitter.com/revingev 

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