What is hockey coming to?

Question

Straka goes home to coach, Sundin may not be a Leaf, Hasek retires (again...good riddance), the Russians want to start their own league, and Melrose is coaching again? How do you feel about the state of the best sport in the world?

Answer 1

It needed a good shaking up!!!

Answer 2

I feel great about the state of the NHL.  

- They renewed my contract with a 6% increase

- NHL revenues were at their highest levels EVER this year.  

- Arena Attendance set record highs,

- Arena Revenues set record highs

- NHL Corporate sponsorship is at an all time high (more people are sponsoring than ever and paying more for the privilege)

- merchandising sales were at record highs,  etc

- American TV ratings were the best since 2002, and 4th best overall.  For the first time ever, the NHL final beat the NBA final in a top 10 market.  

As for Straka, Sundin, et al.............Players can't last forever................had Maurice Richard and his cronies never retired, we never would have had the next generation, and so on.  Everytime a player retires, it gives a chance to the next generation of superstars.  That keeps the cycle of hockey going!

Answer 3

Hi, Ever since the original six expanded, NHL hockey has NEVER been the same...  There are franchises out there that shouldn't be.  Gary Bettman can only see the dollar possibilities in all these expansion teams...Columbus, Nashville, Pheonix, teams in Florida.... I don't know, they may appear stable, but down deep, are they really...?

European players have changed the face of the game, and a lot of them play when they WANT to play...

Some have been good for the game, but there are a lot of "floaters" around..  But it's all starting to sort itself out...  Look at how many players are being bought out on their contracts...

Original Six - approx 130 of the best players ever... Remember what Punch Imlach said - My way, or the highway... If if wasnt for expansion a lot of today's players would be selling used cars..

Rachelle In High Heels

Answer 4

At least the basic rules and all haven't changed....it's still hockey and it's still fun to watch!

Answer 5

Things needed to change a little.  I hope the Russian league pulls all the Europeans.  More opportunity for the North American players and i highly doubt you will find many of the top North American players who would jump ship to live a life in Russia.  Maybe they can come up with a championship between the two league champions.  

As for Melrose, i actually will miss his iput on ESPN (what little coverage they did give.  Hopefully they get someone with a personality to replace him.

Answer 6

Rachell, with the original six everyone forgets that two of the teams — the Rangers and the Bruins — were lousy for years and maybe decades. They were like glorified AHL teams.

It got pretty boring when you saw the same four teams playing in the playoffs year in and year out over 20 years.

Answer 7

I love it. as long as the Russian super league doesnt take any good players, im lovin the game right now.

Answer 8

I don't care what happens to it, i still love it

Answer 9

Things are looking up for the NHL.  The salary cap was increased by over $6 million this upcoming season, which is a sign of greatly increased revenues.  Game attendance is up.  TV ratings were up in the playoffs.  The league has some bona fide future superstars.  And the quality of the game is quite good.  What's not to like about that?

Answer 10

Welcome to Salary Cap NHL where the older guys must take discounts to remain in the league.

-Hasek was done!

-I think Straka was done also!

-Sundin needs to leave TOR, they need to go a idfferent way and part ways with him in order to show thats what they are doing.

- Melrose is kind of a publicity stunt to me. Who knows.. maybe after being out of it for so long and still seeing hockey from a different side he will have learned something.

- Russian League? Kind of like the WHA on foreign soil.... I dont see them getting any GREAT PLAYERS unless they are in their last 2 years of their career, and maybe a few Russians that dont want to leave home!

Answer 11

The only constant in life is change, and hockey ain't no different.

Answer 12

Well the ratings were better for this years finals then they've had for many years.Bettman finally has his golden boy and Ovie looks like he may become the superstar they thought he would be.

Answer 13

the players change, the leagues change, the teams change, the coaches change, everything is always changing. hockey is the same as every other sport, it will have its good times and it will have it's not so good times (the strike, anyone?). but hockey is hockey, and it will always be the greatest sport on this planet.

Answer 14

It is never boring ,thats for sure.

Wait until the free agents start picking out new addresses.

I say Sundin stays in Toronto,if He doesnt retire.

Straka...oh well.

Russians starting there own league.I think they already have one dont they?

Melrose can still coach.He wont do any worse than Tortarella did last year.

HOCKEY-PURE PASSION BABY!!