What is Digg?40 Comments
- lolwaffle, on 11/03/2008, -2/+10Seems a bit novelty to me, but GO PENS anyway!
- negativefx, on 11/30/2007, -1/+8Penguins, Senators, Rangers, Lightning. RTFA dummy.
- bamirza, on 11/30/2007, -0/+6Screw Europe, the NHL has already failed at marketing the game HERE in the USA. Bring back the old Pre-Buttman NHL.. where's my ***** Norris Division you son of a bitch?!
- Weip, on 11/30/2007, -0/+6FIRE BETTMAN
- ribbedtaco, on 11/30/2007, -0/+5The NHL had two sellout games in London with the Ducks and Kings, it was very successful and would only be further welcomed somewhere hockey is more embraced like the Czech Republic and pretty much any nation in that area. As for a team...the distance is far too great, the time change would fatigue players too much.
- Rabbethan, on 11/30/2007, -0/+5The NFL's Miami Dolphins requested to be one of the teams playing in London this year. They were happy about it. It's the fan base that was unhappy, as they had a home game taken away from them. No matter, they are winless anyways.
- inactive, on 11/30/2007, -1/+6Yes it did. That was the point of negativefx's "RTFA".
- unicornography, on 11/30/2007, -0/+4You're comparing two completely different fan bases in London and Stockholm. You're insane if you think Swedes "couldn't care less" about hockey. Also, both the London games were sold out. http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKSP2 ...
- mrhuhk, on 11/30/2007, -0/+4Um, isn't hockey already popular in Europe?
- jonnyeuchre, on 11/30/2007, -0/+3The nhl run so poorly. What did the lockout solve? The cap is higher now that before the strike. If you don't want cluching and grabbing, then call the penalties, don't shut the league down.
Fire Bettman, he's the worst. Get the games back on ESPN. Get rid of the instigator rule. And if you really want to shake it up, I'd wouldn't be against permanent 4 on 4 hockey. It's pretty exciting to watch when it's 4 on 4.
It all starts with firing Bettman. Hire Bobby Orr. - cryptomystic, on 11/30/2007, -0/+3Hartford Whalers FTW!
- ostracize, on 11/30/2007, -0/+24 on 4 makes the ice easier to move around in but doesn't generate as many opportunities. You need two guys to cycle the puck in the corner and one out front to pop it in. 5 on 5 is better.
Other than that, I agree with the rest. I would also add 1 point for a win, 0 points for a loss. To hell with OT losses and shoot out losses. Just play until you win. - Bulldogge16, on 12/02/2007, -0/+2Nothing else to say other than anything more than what is scheduled is really stupid. If this is all that will happen than it's good for the NHL to sell some jerseys. Nice for the good European national teams to scout our Canadian talent. Which might be helpful for the competition in IIHF, or Olympic play.
- funkedup, on 11/30/2007, -0/+2Send the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple leafs to Stockholm. They both feature well known Swedes and I'm sick of not seeing original six teams such as these not playing each other during the season.
Do it while Lidstrom and Sundin are still around. - Battleloser, on 11/30/2007, -0/+2Would be interesting to see the NHL gain enough interest in Europe to warrant them opening up their own division.
- inactive, on 11/30/2007, -1/+3Do you actually read what you type?
- AnotherTechie, on 11/30/2007, -0/+2I don't think Flyers fans would ever forgive the Flyers for doing something like that. Besides, I don't think there is a Swedish equivalent of Pat's or Geno's...
- troycott, on 11/30/2007, -0/+2an expansion to Europe would be ridiculously foolish. Players hate it because it's so far away and Jet lag will kill them. 3 hrs is one thing, but 7 or 8 hrs? and then you're expected to come back to NA and play some more games? never going to happen. If anything they should have an EHL.
- fleury29, on 11/30/2007, -1/+3The was a low blow bingo :P
I agree with you tho. Even looking at the Penguins schedule they have like 5 of there next 7 games on the road. Who would want to add overseas game? I know they wouldn't do that but who towards game 75 wants to travel across the world to play in a country (most likely Russia, or Czech)? I don't think it will work, not to mention the time difference, lol I get pissed when the Pens play on the west coast because I have to wait till 10 for the games. Bottom Line no league expansion into Europe. - brspies, on 11/30/2007, -0/+1Rather, I guess with the new schedule it'd be 1 game out of 3 from the division, not 4. Still, that seems more palatable. Just another case of the NHL spiting its current fans to try to get new ones.
- emma32, on 12/03/2007, -0/+1im sitting here in denmark and reading about this, i was supposed to go to london in september, had the tickets and in the end had to cancel the weekend in london, which pissed me off very much! just because i live in europe dosent mean that i dont wanna see a NHL game in europe, that would be fantastic, so im hoping that if 4 teams are here, it wont be the same date, so i can see all 4 teams.
- Lapsarian, on 11/30/2007, -0/+1Make no mistake, I hate Gary Bettman as much as the next hockey fan. And I think European expansion is stupid, but I also don't think that's necessarily the entire point. Bettman announced two days ago that the league might not allow its players to participate in the 2014 Olympics (http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=129 ... They'll play in Vancouver in 2010 since it's nearby, but he wants to keep them from playing in Russia. Of course, international response has been rather negative - when countries are sending their Jagrs and their Lindstroms and their Sundins and their Lundqvists and their Sedins to the NHL, it means a lot to them (both the players and their countrymen) to see them playing for their country, not for an arbitrary North American NHL team. I have a feeling this announcement is related.
It is also to drum up international interest, sure. And as an American living in Europe and not getting to watch any hockey ever, if my Rangers are playing in Prague, I'll be there. Of course, I'm not the NHL's target fan, but it will be interesting to see what kind of people turn up if these proposed games go ahead. London sold out, yeah, but I'd be interested to see how many of those tickets were held by people who weren't already hockey fans. - inactive, on 11/30/2007, -1/+2The NHL is having enough trouble with the teams they have. They are not about to open a new division overseas. You think that a team that is currently losing tens of millions of dollars a year is going to want to send their teams to Europe even one time? And what good would it do? The only countries that would want an NHL team already have professional leagues. And while you could possibly make an argument that these European Leagues are not up to the same level as the NHL, if the NHL expanded with several teams in Europe, then the caliber of hte NHL would not be up to the same same caliber as the current NHL.
The NHL desperately needs to CONTRACT. Not expand. - brspies, on 11/30/2007, -0/+1What I really don't understand is why they'd be doing these with interdivision games. If I were an STH of one of those teams, I'd be pissed to find out I'd have to miss one of only two home games against a team because they decided to play it in Europe. At least with a division rival (see Ducks-Kings this season), STHs are only missing 1 game out of 4, and for some divisions (see the SE), the fans would probably prefer missing those games anyways.
- gkiltz, on 12/01/2007, -0/+1The NHL has a problem and they know it!
32 teams, and only 24 viable hockey markets-6 of which are in Canada. The NHL gets lower ratings in places like Norfolk, Jacksonville, and Mobile than a tractor pull!
They are still dodging the issue of contraction!
In my heart, I would like nothing better than to see the Penguins be a success, both in the bottom line, and on the ice, but my head says, "Not Gonna Happen!"
Hockey will have to deal with this issue first, and the NFL may have as long as 25 years before they have to deal with it, they have one or two potential relocation cities left, but the NHL, and next MLB has NONE! - bamirza, on 11/30/2007, -0/+1If the Leafs and Wings play each other, I'd rather it be here at home... it's hard enough catching their games with this moronic schedule.
- inkubux, on 11/30/2007, -2/+3Go HABS GO
- inactive, on 11/30/2007, -6/+6Should that be "among the BOTTOM teams..." I have yet to see a American professional sports team be HAPPY to play a regular season game overseas. They all absolutely HATE it. It is a horrible idea, and does not expand the league to other countries. And it certainly is not going to help the NHL to go to a country that is already well versed in NHL caliber hockey.
And to answer the final question...yes, an overseas franchise is far behind. As in...not going to happen. - sporg, on 11/30/2007, -2/+2Bury Bury Bury.
- bamirza, on 11/30/2007, -1/+1Pat's for me, thank you... WIT WHIZ!
- inactive, on 11/30/2007, -2/+2They like hockey, but they already HAVE hockey. Good hockey...unlike London. It will be no big deal. Sure, if they do it once every year, it will do well, but what good does that do? It won't help ratings, or merchandise, other than that one time merchandising deals. If they do it too much, it loses its novelty appeal. And the whole time they are risking losing their CURRENT fanbase.
It is already bad enough that they blackout games. I am not talking about non-sellouts. I am talking about how in upstate NY (closer to NY City than to Buffalo) MSG Network is only allowed to show 50 of the 82 Rangers games. So, whenever they play on the same night that the Sabres play, we get the Sabres. The NHL's insane reasoning is that when Rangers fans tune in to watch the Rangers, and see that they are not on, they will stay on MSG and watch the Sabres, thereby helping a smaller market team who should relocate anyway.
OF course, that doesn't happen. If I turn to MSG hoping to watch the Rangers and the Sabres are on, all that does is make me hate the Sabres more, and makes me LESS likely to watch ANY NHL games, including the Rangers. since I never know which games will be on and which won't (all TV guides, including the onscreen cable guide always list the Rangers) I get less enthusiastic about watching the Rangers, and often miss games when they ARE on.
But that is Bettman for you...He had a chance to bring hockey to the forefront. The Rangers Stanley Cup gave it to him gift wrapped in 1994. And since that June evening, his decisions have been nothing but one giant ***** up after another. - inactive, on 11/30/2007, -3/+2Awwww...so cute. You haven't been banned yet? digg's abuse was interested in your little bitchfest talking going on. I wouldn't expect your login to work much longer
It is nice to know that you have no life but to follow me around. I myself have a life, so like everyone single other person on this planet, I don't give you a second thought. You lead a lonely, lonely life. And you will die the same - inactive, on 11/30/2007, -4/+2Football is the only sport that jumping several time zones doesn't destroy the next several games. Even when they give a team several days off after, it creates havoc for the next several games. With the NFL it is not as bad since the teams had plenty of time to readjust.
- robphillips, on 11/30/2007, -6/+2It didn't say in the article.. that was my point.
- blair794, on 11/30/2007, -7/+3they tried doing that this year with Anaheim, and it failed miserably, people over there really couldn't care less. If anything people will only go to see crosby.
LETS GO PENS!! - shcforward, on 11/30/2007, -7/+3In related news, Crosby was extremely excited to be playing in continental Europe, saying that it would be the first time for him to play in front of a road venue that wouldn't boo him for diving.
- MacSuxWindozSux, on 11/30/2007, -8/+4Do it. Awesome.
An expansion to Europe is long overdue, and will be great for the game. - robphillips, on 11/30/2007, -8/+2I'm a huge hockey fan, however I don't follow the news much. So I find it frustrating that they mention "four NHL teams" yet do not mention which 4 teams.
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