NC WINGS FAN

Seeing as the fans are a big part of the game, why can't the commissioner be voted in by fans and owners? The owners can be like congress, and the fans can cast their ballots every say 4 years after several debates. Of course the fans should meet certain standards to be able to vote. You all can laugh, but I think it would make things interesting and bring the league much needed exposure. The NHL could be known as a fans league which may do wonders

You know what offends me? Everything that comes out of that man's mouth is a blatant lie!!! What does he think we are a bunch of retards riding the short-bus? Listening to him talk about expansion, while 10 or more teams are losing money in this salary cap era, in such hockey towns as Las Vagas and Kansas City offends me!! Listening to him speak of "growing the game" offends me!! Seeing his picture offends me!!! Hearing him talk offends me!! Seeing where the game was in the early 1990s and then seeing where it is now, after he took over, offends me!! Bettman not being fired offends me!!!

I was not aware of his foot injury. I just remember back in 01? 02? where he took a year off and decided to come back. I remember Neidermyer doing that in Anaheim after 07 and then coming back late last year after not deciding what he wanted to do until it was too late for the Ducks to adjust for last year.

.... or how about, "Daddy why did Chris Celios say you need to be gassed?" Seriously, not only would he be doing the fans/league/sport a favor, he would be doing his kids one as well.

Unfortunately, and in all seriousness, we live in an age where kids are bombarded with sexual content everywhere they go. You got 12 year olds telling their parents about the "Donkey Punch". Hell, when I was that age, back in 1996, my friends and I would steal the neighbors porn mags and READ THE ARTICLES!!! For him to say what he said is just typical Bettman dribble.

If they are going to do that, chances are they will wait until the playoffs. I hate to say it, but they have done that before in the post season, 06 against Edmonton comes to mind. I could never wish that upon the Redwings. I still believe they can get it together before then. If they are so terrible this year then need I remind you of the 1998-1999 season?

If that were the case then he would resign as commissioner of the NHL so as to avoid having to explain to his 12 year old daughter why people think he sucks. I bet she knows what a midget and a gnome is by now!!!

That is true. It is just still annoying to me when players pull this crap. Who do they think they are? Well, I will get off the soapbox now. I hear the Rangers are interested in Sundin for some reason beyond me. Have not followed much of him for years. Is he even a factor anymore? Toronto did not seem to think so. I also can't help but wonder who would want to sign Forseberg. It should be interesting.

If he has such a desire to play, then he needs to try playing a full season instead of just hopping on the bandwagon he thinks will take him to the promise land. I mean how many times has the guy retired now? The regular season is no vacation. If he wants to win another championship, he must stick it out through the regular season. That's my take, for what ever it is worth.

Watch him go to Anaheim just to piss everyone off!!!! If he comes back just for the playoffs one more time, I hope that bastard gets popped in the first round!!! How can the league continue to allow this. He decides to retire and then decide to come back just for the playoffs, how convenient. The league should not stand for this any longer. If you are healthy and/or retire, you must wait until next season starts to return. Unless a player has been injured or moved up from the minors most of the year, it is understandable that he should play in the post season. If he is just like this jackass and decides to play hookie all season only to show for the playoffs, no. If none of the above apply, then you should around most of the regular season if you want to play in the post season. This is a joke!!

Redwings sore 2 in 3rd and win it in OT, typical Wings fashion!!!! If anything, you must give them credit for their reliance this year. That goes a looooooong way in the playoffs. We Redwings fans should know that better than anybody.

One thing you must consider is that finishing with the best record in the NHL rarely leads to the Stanely Cup. Since the dawn of the Presidents Trophy, only 7 teams who have finished with the league's best record have won it all. The are as follows 1987 Edmonton Oilers 1989 Calgary Flames 1994 New York Rangers 1999 Dallas Stars 2001 Colorado Avalanche 2002 Detroit Redwings 2008 Detroit Redwings As you can see, it is not like the NBA where the best team in the regular season typically wins it all. In 1997, the Redwings finished the regular season with an unimpressive mark of 38 wins, 26 losses, and 18 ties and managed to win the cup after knocking the league's best team, the Colorado Avalanche out of the conference finals, going on to beat the more impressive and heavily favored Philadelphia Flyers. The NHL's second best team, the Dallas Stars lost in the first round to the Edmonton Oilers. The year before, the Wings finished with a NHL record of 62-13-7 and where did that get them? You all see where I am going with this?

I am not a Canadiens fan, but I would rather see them win it than some other city who does not care about their team, like Anaheim or New Jersey.

It is certainly good for the league to have good teams in Chicago and New York. A few years ago that was the problem in the league. You had bad the best teams in places like Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Anaheim, and New Jersey, etc. It is no wonder ratings were so low!! Hopefully this will help turn things around.

I have a funny feeling about the Canadiens this year. I can see them winning it in the next year or two. I have no concrete basis, just a hunch.

What would be his reasons for hating the Wings? I see that he had brief stints with both the Redwings and the Maple Leafs. Did we screw him over way back in the day?

Given the state of the state of the economy, it is a no-brainer that people do not have the disposable income they had ten years ago to spend on such luxuries as attending sporting events. Like other businesses, it is bound to feel the pinch and have to cut costs. How might the league handle this? How much longer can player salaries and ticket prices continue to skyrocket when many businesses are cutting costs by laying off workers and/or backing out of sponsorships and season tickets etc.? Might this result in another era where "Blue Collar" folks can attend without feeling so much as though they have been violated? That would be a positive for sure.

I would agree depending on where the shots are coming from. If they are coming from a mile away or from outside, then I would agree totally, but if guys are crashing the net, then I blame the defense. The goalie can only do so much. It is a team sport, so it goes both ways. I agree that we can use some help at goal, but at this point, it is just not in the cards. However, the pieces are in place for the defense to be the league's best but the motivation just does not quite seem to be where it needs to be.... from what I have seen.

Some things never change in that we never really had a "premier goaltender", except Hasek at the end of his career in 02. Ozzie and Vernon were no slouches but not Roy or Brodeur. Despite that, the Wings have been able to win 4 cups in 11 years. Last year the Wings had the best defense in the league and won it all despite shaky goaltending in the post season. Having said that, I agree that the defense must first improve before we go worrying about goal tending.

Yes but that may come at the cost of winning. Just ask Tony Amonte or Sergei Federov. They left for bigger contracts with worse teams and look where it got them. Why do you think so many have come to the Wings for less money? I can tell you why because their comes a point when rich is rich and they just want to win. When you have the wealth they have, what is another mil?

Man I wish there were more hockey fans down here in North Carolina, outside of Raleigh. I tell people I like hockey and they either change the subject or look at me like I am some kind of sexual deviant.

Think of it this way, if the Wings sucked, ownership would have to lower the prices to entice more to attend...... unless of course you are Toronto or maybe anywhere else in Canada, but everywhere else, this is generally how it works. Is not the loss of money from endorsements and corporate spending kind of the same thing?

If the businesses are feeling the pinch, could that lead to a time where the average fan can afford to attend? After all, they are what makes their world go-round, as much as they may hate to admit it. The corporates are only in it for the money while the fans have nothing to gain but more interpersonal reasons like enjoyment. My point is that if the businesses back out, for now, then the owners must turn to the fans to make ends meet. Agree? Any possibility? ..... or am I oversimplifying things a bit?

Ugh!! What are they retarded!!? That rivalry has been dead since 2002. That would be like talking up the Packers and 49ers rivalry while ignoring the Packers Bears one. These games are always shootouts/crowd pleasers, add to that the fact that they are two historic franchises and you are golden. Wings Avs does not even come close!! By the way, I see they took a goal from the Wings. What happened?

I wish!! they are showing some *** Santa Clause movie And VS, who is supposed to show all of the best hockey match-ups, is showing that movie "Any Given Sunday" It is one of the best rivalries in sports and no one is showing it WTF!!!