frankgrimes

This is just another ridiculous idea by the NHL. Most european hockeyfans are like me: We love watching the best players in the world (NHL) but other than that, we don't care about international competition (safe vor Olympics obviously) and are pretty happy with our "lower" domestic leagues. (NLA, SEL und FEL aren't that bad mind you ). As long as we can see a lot of homegrown talents, local heroes coupled with few but very good foreigners giving their all, we are happy So if the NHL îs trying to pull something like this off, it would be a disaster. Maybe the NHL should learn a thing or two from the KHL, they thought they could compete with the NHL and tried to get other clubs to join them, well most teams and fans aren't interested in them nor the competition against the NHL..the only way the KHL has is to force other teams into their league, this can be compared to a hostile takeover. As others have mentioned, the corporate system is totally different you have sponsors plaguing the jerseys and not just one/two owners who are paying for everything, the player freedom is also completely different - in my honest opinion this would NEVER work. Another point I wanted to make is this, the league can't even sustain 30 teams and now they want to create even more? That's ridiculous the league should shrink not grow. Sometimes I'm wondering if those running tthe NHL are honestly so out of touch with reality, that they are seeing $$$$ 24 / 7 and nothing else, disgusting.

Exactly and that's why it's so hard for me to understand the snubbing of Hedman. Yeah Oduya might be a veteran, but he doesn't bring what Hedman would have brought. At least Lundqvist is used having to bail teams out time and time again. I really like the first line, although I don't like the second line and think overall this team is way to soft, they are going to get pushed around easily by Canada and America.

Exactly, they are just hypocrites. Also I don't know why a hockeyfan should care about the return of the world cup? It doesn't matter it's nothing special, I'm sure a lot of players wouldn't even want to participate it's just a slightly bigger World Championship. In the end this isn't about shutting down the league, concerns over injuries or anything like that it is one more time about the bottom of the line $.

All we as fans can hope for, is that the NHLPA will decertify this time. Most owners think of the players as some sort of proberty instead of human beings, which is just digusting. If the NHLPA decertifies than the crappy franchises won't have the luxury of getting tons of millions from teams like the Red Wings, their owners either compete or go under and the team gets moved to a more deserving city in Canada. I don't care if its a 15, 24 or whatever team league the product will for sure be better than the current watered down version. The Olympics are a two week break every FOUR years, I don't need NHL executives coming here and trying to convince me, that this is bad (we're talking about a whooping 3,5 days / year) here. Like someone mentioned if two weeks are such a problem for some franchises, well than they shouldn't have been awarded with one from the beginning or are in a pathetic market, period. Not the fault of the players nor the fans. Glad there are owners like Mr. I, Pegula, Dolan and Burkle at least they seem to be reasonable, nice counterpart to absolute idiots like Snider, Yormark, Liarpold, Wang.. The stupid IOC is responsible for the timezone think, not the players nor the fans why award the winter olympics to a country, that isn't even into Winter games ? Makes just as much sense as giving the games to Sochi despite all the safety concerns...

If you can't get whatever your point is across without getting personal, don't bother at all! The whole no olympics things is just another stupid tactic in order to get even more concessions from the players, they just decertify in the next CBA and put the NHL on the ropes. If the players still want to go, they are going to do so, period. Although the next olympics will be at a very odd timeframe and the conditions in Russia are way below of what a professional athlete should expect, they are still going just goes to show you, that some of them really want to play at that stage. Yes international hockey is meaningless unless it's the olympics. That's why the return of some sort of forced tournament every year or every two years won't ever have the same effect as the olympics.

Didn't like the pick back then and don't like it now either, he just isn't NHL material. As for Callahan wanting 7 million a year it's a lot of money, but the guy does it all I'd rather pay him 7 million (the guy has intangibles) instead of Vanek 9 ...I still think, Wings should have been in on Marc Frazer giving up a 6 rounder for a rugged physical defenseman, who can win a fight also is like nothing.

The NBA commissioner will be retiring soon, so maybe he goes back to a sport that's more suited for him and his believes...one can pray right? *g*

They're going to retool so Vancouver might want to get younger and less injury prone, also Tortarella would absolutely kill Weiss motivation just look at what he did to Richards. Also MG would be absolutely stupid to sell Edler now, his value is at a low point he wouldn't gain much by it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's just pure greed by multi billionaires. Boohoo we have to shut down the league for two weeks, how are we going to survive? Well these are the same guys who have no problems locking the players out for years and month and now they are crying over a span of 2 weeks, thats really ridiculous. If these guys are really in for the big money, how about giving Canada more teams and relocate some of the not working franchises ? The consequences of this will be simple, european players are going to sign 1 year contracts in the NLA, SEL and other top leagues before the olympics and will play their if they want to. Russians will just go to the KHL for a year, the only ones really screwed by this are NA players. The Olympics are the biggest international stage of hockey, nothing tops it the ratings for Canada - USA, Finland - Sweden, Russia - Canada will always be huge and it's really nice to see the best players of the best countries going at it. Team Canada has an aav of 160million annually we are never going to see such a team in the NHL; so it's nice to watch allstars playing together in the winter olympics.

I'm not saying they are bad, just not as good as the ones Canada has (no other team can match that). I really like the top like you said, the problem is Martin, Faulk. The luxury is, they don't have as much pressure as Canada for the simple fact, that even if a guy like Suter or McDonagh are making a mistake (barely happens), Quick or Miller will be there to stop it. Canada does not have have this luxury, so their defense needs to be elite, which they certainly are. Btw. here is the whole hockey schedule http://www.sochi2014.com/en/ice-hockey-schedule-and-results

Finland and Slovakia has been hitten hard by injuries. Canada, USA, Russia and Sweden for sure are the big favorites althoug hI really don't like Russias defense. The top 6 is very good but other than that, this is not a powerhouse team, they may have to outscore teams by a lot in order to have a chance, add to that the pressure of playing at home not an easy task. The US will soon find out how important the non intense speller would have been, he just has this god given gamebreaking ability. As with russia I really don't like the defense, they are good but compared to Canada nothing to write home about. At the end of the day they just need to be good, because of Quick and Miller. Sweden will regret not picking Hedman for the bigger ice guy is used to it and plays a great season in Tampa, I really like their overall roster especially the goaltending but my oh my the D without Lidström looks so much weaker it's amazing. Canada has surprise surprise the best team on paper, the only weakness might be their goaltending, but infront of such a great allstar defense Price and Luongo just need to be good and the team should win gold. Dark horses for a medal are Switzerland and Finland for me.

Guess what NHL ? The players if they want to will go anyways but after seeing the conditions in Sochi I'm not surprised if some would pull out of that. Add to the that the ridiculous time difference (games at 6am anyone?!). Multi billonaires can't stand a standstill for two weeks unbelievable how greedy some of them are, must be a pleasure to work for them in normal life... Can't wait till players are asking for olympic clauses *g*

Vanek at 9 mill per ? No way he isn't the difference between a cup and non cup. He turned down 50million over 7 years from the Islanders, so the least amount of aav will be around 7,5 per But the fact of the matter is, he doesn't fix our defensive needs. I'd rather go above that and sign Callahan + Girardi in the ballpark of 11 - 12 million, the may not be as good as Vanek they are fixing two needs for slightly more money.

Amack is going to want a huge raise, he is their best defenseman right now. Schenn would be a great signing he is physical, tough and the definition of a shutdown guy.

If Howard is playing that means USA will have a lot of trouble, Quick and Miller are elite if both are hurt USA can kiss the gold medal goodbye their defense is not that good.

Just watched some youtube videos from it and a guy summed it up as "a much more streamlined low budget version of Skyrim without the same freedom that's charging 60$ + 15$ a month + cash shop" As for alternatives I'm still Path of Exile here and there, but boy finding groups at 68+ that aren't farming the thing over and over, over .....is a pain in the ass mostly the search board is filled with WTS WTB requests

Also the olympics aren't really a break when half the roster is going to join them

yeah and then reality should set in at some point in the season

Wow that's still a lot but much better than thousands and well deserved for such gorgeaus work.

Hey Mr. Kronwall how about some effort on that ******* third goal? Block the shot with your body if you need..........

Well there may never be another player like Lidstrom but his son will be ready soon, that's a chance Holland should take. I really like Kronwall but the truth is, the guy should focus on his shutdown role instead of trying to run the powerplay.

Oh well thats way too rich then but man these things are awesome.

Would be nice, but the way Buffalo is doing the rebuild they need some expensive veterans just to reach the cap floor. Their rebuild really reminds of Edmontons one and that's not an advantage far from it.

I like that thought, never hurts to add another good ol hardworking Michigan boy to the lineup. At this point, I would be very happy with a pure shutdown D man who is willing to play physical and clear the front of the net. He would be a perfect fit in that regard and also doesn't cost a kings ransom. Dreaming about Vanek is nice but honestly, I think he is Minnesotta bound this is just way to similar to the Suter/Parise situation. If not Minny, then Pittsburgh which doesn't help them a lot because they need defense

MG would be fired if he did Edler for Franzen Tatar, Mantha and a first should be a non starter, heck Mantha alone should be a non starter.