The NHL Needs the Wings to Win the Cup

[detroitdan 0]

Rangers vs. Kings...this would be the dream scenario for the NHL

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Believe it or not, but if LA was a contender and won the cup, that would be huge for the popularity of hockey as well. So would Chicago...but thats a whole 'nother story.

I think L.A. would kind of be a big story, but not like New York. L.A. just isn't a hockey town. So the Kings winning the Cup would be a bit more of a novelty story than anything else.

Rangers vs. Kings...this would be the dream scenario for the NHL

Honestly I think Rangers Leafs would be the dream scenario for the NHL.

[sibiriak 84]

The Rangers have ZERO chance of winning a Cup with Jagr in the lineup. Zero.

And without Jagr, those chances must be negative.

[krudmonk v2.0 0]

Holy s***, and I thought all your "we get to move east first" entitlements were ridiculous. This newfound level of self-importance blows that right out of the water. How many times have the Super Ultra Mega Red Wings won the Cup since the NHL has been steadily declining from it's mid-90s popularity? Three? Oh, but the popularity is still declining? Well s***, don't let evidence stop you from ruling the world, Baseballtown.

P.S. Yeah, I know you don't all think like this.

[Guest Crymson]

Rangers winning cup = more popular NHL.

Rangers not making playoffs = possibility.

[Guest Tunbo Batman]

what really amazes me is the speed at which people just off those crappy team's bandwagons once they are out. who gives two flying f***s about Edmonton right now? thought so. they pushed the evening-chances-out thing too far, now any mediocre gang of hillibillies ca have their run and fall back to blandness where they belong. last years finalists BOTH fail to make it in the top 16 this year? what does this tell you about the playoffs' real value? I agree that the NHL (and ME) need GOOD teams in the finals...not necessarily the wings, but at least not some backwater bunch of losers who will be off the map in 4 months. Give me a finals between two teams that are constantly up there in the rankings.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

what really amazes me is the speed at which people just off those crappy team's bandwagons once they are out. who gives two flying f***s about Edmonton right now? thought so. they pushed the evening-chances-out thing too far, now any mediocre gang of hillibillies ca have their run and fall back to blandness where they belong. last years finalists BOTH fail to make it in the top 16 this year? what does this tell you about the playoffs' real value? I agree that the NHL (and ME) need GOOD teams in the finals...not necessarily the wings, but at least not some backwater bunch of losers who will be off the map in 4 months. Give me a finals between two teams that are constantly up there in the rankings.

I agree that to have an exciting stanley cup playoffs, you need the powerhouses. It gives some people a favorite team to root for because they have a great chance at winning the Cup. And it creates a situation for the underdogs to try and take them down. It makes for better stories and drama in the playoffs. Especially when you have some of the same players going against each other several years in a row (colorado vs. detroit).

Having different teams every year isn't as compelling. Parity isn't always good.

Edited April 5, 2007 by haroldsnepsts

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

Holy s***, and I thought all your "we get to move east first" entitlements were ridiculous. This newfound level of self-importance blows that right out of the water. How many times have the Super Ultra Mega Red Wings won the Cup since the NHL has been steadily declining from it's mid-90s popularity? Three? Oh, but the popularity is still declining? Well s***, don't let evidence stop you from ruling the world, Baseballtown.

P.S. Yeah, I know you don't all think like this.

Wow. You are really mad that you have never made it to the finals aren't you.

what really amazes me is the speed at which people just off those crappy team's bandwagons once they are out. who gives two flying f***s about Edmonton right now? thought so. they pushed the evening-chances-out thing too far, now any mediocre gang of hillibillies ca have their run and fall back to blandness where they belong. last years finalists BOTH fail to make it in the top 16 this year? what does this tell you about the playoffs' real value? I agree that the NHL (and ME) need GOOD teams in the finals...not necessarily the wings, but at least not some backwater bunch of losers who will be off the map in 4 months. Give me a finals between two teams that are constantly up there in the rankings.

Exactly, Carolina and Edmonton are not the answer. Teams that are consistently good are the best bet to sell the NHL. Detroit, New Jersey, and Dallas are the answer. The salary cap did great to improve competition, but killed the marketability and possibility of a franchise team to improve the NHL's look in the media. Teams like the 70s Islanders, 80s Oilers, 90s Penguins, and SC Wings are now impossible teams.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Holy s***, and I thought all your "we get to move east first" entitlements were ridiculous. This newfound level of self-importance blows that right out of the water. How many times have the Super Ultra Mega Red Wings won the Cup since the NHL has been steadily declining from it's mid-90s popularity? Three? Oh, but the popularity is still declining? Well s***, don't let evidence stop you from ruling the world, Baseballtown.

P.S. Yeah, I know you don't all think like this.

exactly.

if you look through the thread, pretty much no one is saying that is true.

[TheLegend19 1]

never said it was right or fair. but it is what it is. if i get called a rapist in the media and am later declared innocent, i still won't get a job cause i will be that rapist guy.

do you really think bonds and mcgwire are clean anyway?

Until they fail a test, yes. And let's not forget, McGwire can never be guilty. If he took steroids and whatever else, that's ok - it was all legal until 2002.

[TheLegend19 1]

Everyone knows that they are, so no, they are guilty in the media and that is all it takes, ask OJ.

I want the NHL to be a 30 contender organization (with the Wings as the best, of course) but that won't sell the game to the media and the casual fan. If the Wings went on a 30 game winning streak scoring 10 goals a game, that would draw more ratings than 30 2-1 games. I'm sorry, but winners promote sports, I wish it was the competition of the sport like the NCAA March Madness, but that won't happen for the NHL.

I would love to see a 4 team in each conference play-off series, but if the Wings keep going in the play-offs as opposed to going out in the first round, I don't mind watchig hockey for 2 more months.

The casual fan wants every team to have a chance, and that's why there are 16 team in the playoffs. I agree that winners promote sports, but when it's the same team over and over and over, people get sick of it. They want new teams to win every year. The casual fan hates dynasties because they give up on their own team.

It's not all about the Wings. They aren't the savior of the league. If a minor league hockey team from Bumblef*ck, USA went on a 30-game winning streak scoring 10 goals a game, people would rather watch that than an NHL team winning 1-0 in incredibly competitive games (to the diehard fan).

[arnoldbuck 0]

The Rangers have ZERO chance of winning a Cup with Jagr in the lineup. Zero.

I just became a Rangers fan based on that comment. Haha, go Rangers!!! Go Jagr!!!

[Legionnaire11 0]

dream scenario? hmm

if Crosby led the Rangers past Toronto to advance to the finals against Ovechkin and the Kings who got there by beating Chicago (or detroit, or dallas)

and there are other star players in the league. But the league as well as individual teams need to market these guys. and I know it sounds like i'm being a homer, but the fans need to band together and support the entire league. how do we expect new fans to come on board when the existing fans are always bickering about which teams do and do not belong in the league? i've never had a problem with expansion, and I wish every franchise to be healthy and stable. i'd actually like to see the league expand to 32. Though I know the two new teams would catch major hell from the rest of the league.

It seems like every expansion class gets it worse and worse from the existing fans. and I don't understand it, i'm a hockey fan, it's the greatest game on earth and the more teams means more people watching and playing as well as more hockey for me to watch, more storylines to follow, more teams to see.

[datsyuk_13_fan 0]

I personally like the fact that all teams have a shot at the cup and not just big market teams or original 6 teams...more competition and I could care less about ratings.

[arnoldbuck 0]

and I know it sounds like i'm being a homer, but the fans need to band together and support the entire league. how do we expect new fans to come on board when the existing fans are always bickering about which teams do and do not belong in the league?

It seems like every expansion class gets it worse and worse from the existing fans. and I don't understand it, i'm a hockey fan, it's the greatest game on earth and the more teams means more people watching and playing as well as more hockey for me to watch, more storylines to follow, more teams to see.

I agree about fans bitching about the league. It is the greatest game on earth and even the best fans always seem to want to rip it down. I dont really have an opinion on expansion ... but i know many guys use the excuse "oh, it will water down the talent level. games are boring te way it is!" Well that is Bulls***. The avergae talent level currently in the NHL is higher than it has ever been. And I dont doubt for a second there are players out there in other league around te world who could replace some current players or add to new rosters. True, there are only so many Ovechkins, Crosby's, Iginlas, Zetterberg's etc. but dont try to say use that as an excuse.

And as for each new expansion class ... I have really come to find that MANY hockey fans are traditionalists. When it comes to teams, logo's, third jerseys, conferences, playoff format, rule changes, new jerseys, expansion ... etc. it goes on and on. So many people just want it to stay the way things were. I by no means want the NHL to expand into area's where the teams are gunna get no more the 3000 fans a night or have to fold in 5 years, but I do want the NHL to improve both with the on ice product and off ice situation. It is evolution of sport ... things will change. Some of the changes will be more drastic than others, but I for one am happy to watch a league with 30 teams, modern equipment (yes even sticks that shatter seemingly way to often) jerseys that dont look like my grandma nit them and rules that adapt to a changing style and play of the game.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Okay..how bout a Wings/Rangers SCF..with the Wings winning it all!

[arnoldbuck 0]

Okay..how bout a Wings/Rangers SCF..with the Wings winning it all!

I will second that.

[Jwo 7]

A lot of outsiders from St.Louis and Detroit said last years World Series was boring because no one had interest in the teams.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Jwo

[RyanBarnes! 293]

And without Jagr, those chances must be negative.

Hardly. Jagr is the greatest locker room cancer in the entire NHL.

[arnoldbuck 0]

Hardly. Jagr is the greatest locker room cancer in the entire NHL.

Is that still going on? Come on, yeah, he time in Pitts ended poorly, and with the Caps, lets not even go there, but he was great with the Rangers last year and this year. He is with a group he seems to get a long well with, a coach who works well with him. True he has had some head-related-issues, but he was born with talent/speed/size like no other. And he has found a good space for himself in NY and is going strong there.

[WingMachine91 0]

I think that by far the best scenario for the NHL would be a Red Wings Rangers final. Two oringal six teams that ur up there in attendance and ratings playing each other. I think then the finals would get pretty damn good ratings. I cant think of any other team in the west that for marketing standpoint, fans, ratings, sales etc that the NHL would rather have then the Red Wings, and im not trying to sould like a homer, maybe dallas, or if colorado makes it. but in the east, Montreal, New York, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Sabers, etc. As for marketablility. But like i said, dream finals Red Wings vrs Rangers, and prolly for the NHL, the rangers would be the better victor. however i of course, would want the Red Wings

[Hockey13Playa 240]

I personally like the fact that all teams have a shot at the cup and not just big market teams or original 6 teams...more competition and I could care less about ratings.

I am the exact oppisite.

I like when there are your few power house teams, that do well EVERY year, and make it to the 2,3,and 4th rounds of the playoffs.

Because it generates rivals and more excitement.

For example, Colorado and Detroit, two big dominant teams in the west, and when the met in the playoffs the series were always so exciting, and brought a lot of hype. Same thing in the east with New Jersey produciing year after year.

Then on occasion when you have a small market team upset a big bad talented team, its really exciting.

Like when Colorado and Minnesota went to 7 games and into overtime and Minnesota knocked them out.

That was so exciting to see.

Its not as fun when you have two different random ass teams making the finals every year, then come the following there not even making the playoffs. Its fun to see teams big market power house teams win the cup, and see them go into the post season and try and defend it, rather then not make the playoffs.

[Legionnaire11 0]

I am the exact oppisite.

I like when there are your few power house teams, that do well EVERY year, and make it to the 2,3,and 4th rounds of the playoffs.

Because it generates rivals and more excitement.

For example, Colorado and Detroit, two big dominant teams in the west, and when the met in the playoffs the series were always so exciting, and brought a lot of hype. Same thing in the east with New Jersey produciing year after year.

Then on occasion when you have a small market team upset a big bad talented team, its really exciting.

Like when Colorado and Minnesota went to 7 games and into overtime and Minnesota knocked them out.

That was so exciting to see.

Its not as fun when you have two different random ass teams making the finals every year, then come the following there not even making the playoffs. Its fun to see teams big market power house teams win the cup, and see them go into the post season and try and defend it, rather then not make the playoffs.

you are correct that it makes rivalries and makes the postseason more exciting. But you're leaving out one key part of the whole argument. It's more exciting when it's your team that is dominating and involved in the big rivalry. But I can guarantee you that any fan in Carolina and Edmonton found last seasons matchup to be way more exciting than the last 10 years of Detroit, New Jersey and Colorado combined. And actually a lot of fans from the smaller markets were really into it, I know for a fact that just about everyone in Nashville was pulling for Carolina because of the many similarities between our cities and franchises. And just about all of Canada was pulling for the Oilers. And it was basically the same the season before that where the smaller markets were pulling for Tampa and Canada was pulling for Calgary.

It might not seem like it to you, but I think it's very, very similar to Detroit vs New Jersey every season. Except instead of just rooting for those specific teams, you have fans rooting for specific causes. The teams in the finals might change every season, but the reasons that the fans pull for them are the same. If it ended up being Nashville vs Ottawa this year, it would be the same thing. And then Atlanta vs Montreal the next season would be the same thing. It would be like a different form of dynasty, where every season it's North vs South, Tradition vs Newness, Big Market vs Small Market. These are things that can actually unite and excite more fans (and definitely more casual fans) than just pulling for one specific team every season.

But really, the answer lies somewhere in between. We need a period where a lot of different teams contend, and we need other periods where a small handful of teams dominate.

[krudmonk v2.0 0]

Wow. You are really mad that you have never made it to the finals aren't you.

Way to address the issues. That was about the equivalent of "YOUR MOM."

[Barrie 900]

I think for the NHL to gain more national interest they need their top seeds to advance and make it into the deep rounds of the playoffs on a more consistant basis. When the low seeds advance, all it does is create regional interest.