Winnipeg could get revenge on Bettman

[lookalive07 251]

This happens and the team is called the Jets again, I'm buying a jersey.

[jeff48109 474]

EDIT: Let's say the league did contract, what happens to those players? With the cap world, a lot of them would go unclaimed it seems. Poor players.

there won't be a contraction. too many lost jobs, the players association will step in. its much easier to expand. when was the last time any of the major leagues in the United States contracted? it's a great idea in theory, but almost impossible to implemet

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Tonight might be the night.

[MacK_Attack 108]

there won't be a contraction. too many lost jobs, the players association will step in. its much easier to expand. when was the last time any of the major leagues in the United States contracted? it's a great idea in theory, but almost impossible to implemet

I guess you could say the merger of the Minnesota North Stars & Cleveland Barons was a contraction of sorts.

[BlakKy 58]

Wonder how long they're going to give Phoenix? It seems that despite being "move in ready" Winnipeg would still need time to design and create uniforms, and come up with a new name and do promotions. That is, I'm assuming they would change the team name.

Name and logo look alright to me. Maybe just very minor updating... this is the same franchise after all.

[Michgal89 0]

[jeff48109 474]

I guess you could say the merger of the Minnesota North Stars & Cleveland Barons was a contraction of sorts.

that was more than 30 years ago? i doubt its going to happen ever again, unless a team goes bankrupt and no one saves the team

[StevieY9802 6]

EDIT: Let's say the league did contract, what happens to those players? With the cap world, a lot of them would go unclaimed it seems. Poor players.

But I agree with what was said about taking half the US teams away and expecting it to flourish.

The idea isn't to get rid of every team in a market that isn't hockey friendly, just some. For instance, get rid of the Florida Panthers but keep Tampa Bay. Keep LA and San Jose but get rid of Anaheim (hey, we can dream, right?)

Well for contraction there would be the opposite of an expansion draft and then teams could buyout other players.

And what you said is righ, too many teams in non-traditional markets. I'd keep Tampa and get rid of FLA and keep LA and get rid of the Ducks. You don't need two teams in LA. The NHL was stupid back in the early 90's. they saw hockey working in LA with Gretzky and said hey it'll work in other places. Yeah if you can make 4 more #99's to play in those markets.

Everyone who said the NHL won't contract is right. The PA won't let it. Expansion is stupid though. The rumor of 1/3 of NHL franchises could be up for sale in the next couple of years should make them think twice about expansion. Fix what we have first.

[Jibbajaba 14]

City of Glendale voted to cover the Coyotes' losses for next year, so they aren't going anywhere just yet. It blows my mind that in this economy, a municipality that's already in the red would agree to do that.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jLF92I7lewixUWAgsf3YsPo9V5NgD9FL2NV81

Hopefully at some point the league rights itself by getting teams out of weak markets and back where they belong.

Chris

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

15,000 seams like a small arena. But whatevs.

if it's gonna work here in the peg, there's gonna have to be some inner construction to add atleast 2000 more seats, which may be hard, but feasible. with the 20+ mil the coyotes lose each year, you can take a small chunk of that and do the job. and thomson's 19 billion can get it done with nothing more than pocket change.

winnipeg is alot different than it was 15 years ago, but still i talked to a guy at work today and he said that 2 Winnipeg radio stations said the deal already fell through to get the team back here. so hopefully the radio stations are just blowing misinformed smoke out their asses.

as for merchandise...if they do come back here, they had BETTER be called the Jets again, as Jets merchandise is still sold here and everyone has it. and everyone will go crazy buying more if they move back.

but still, the council in glendale has to do their vote and then if a decision is made to move them to the peg, there's the serious job of adding seats to the arena, selling season tickets and press boxes (if it's not already in the works) and all the financial and upper management and marketing s*** that needs to be sorted out. and we all know how long that s*** takes.

i for one would love to throw an octopus on the ice at the MTS centre! though for the life of me i don't know where to find one here...

Well for contraction there would be the opposite of an expansion draft and then teams could buyout other players.

And what you said is righ, too many teams in non-traditional markets. I'd keep Tampa and get rid of FLA and keep LA and get rid of the Ducks. You don't need two teams in LA. The NHL was stupid back in the early 90's. they saw hockey working in LA with Gretzky and said hey it'll work in other places. Yeah if you can make 4 more #99's to play in those markets.

Everyone who said the NHL won't contract is right. The PA won't let it. Expansion is stupid though. The rumor of 1/3 of NHL franchises could be up for sale in the next couple of years should make them think twice about expansion. Fix what we have first.

but...but the mighty ducks had a movie. and charlie conway and adam banks...goldberg the goalie. the team can play at disney world or some s*** like that.

so they threw a team in anaheim. great inspiration NHL. way to go.

Name and logo look alright to me. Maybe just very minor updating... this is the same franchise after all.

no updating! the jets uniform is badass. maybe go with darker blue and red to make the jerseys slightly more modern and mean, but the symbol stays! get rid of the ******* puppy and put the jet back.

[BlakKy 58]

no updating! the jets uniform is badass. maybe go with darker blue and red to make the jerseys slightly more modern and mean, but the symbol stays! get rid of the ******* puppy and put the jet back.

Yea tahts the kind of updating I'm sort of forseeing. Plus the RBK jerseys will help to give it a modern look anyways.

[Guest Four]

Maybe less blue in the Jets jerseys to keep with the phoenix theme

[Marty Barry 230]

No contraction needed. Every 10 years the bottom 5 teams in revenue just move. The "Carousel rule". It ends all the drama. Plus, every city lobbying for a team will eventually have one. What the hell.

[Shady Ultima 40]

While I think Hamilton could support it, I don't think the league will do it before of the Sabres. Second team in TO or somehwere else in Southern Ontario would be nice though and could happen one day. The rest of what you said I agree 100% with.

My plan would actually be Yotes back to Winnipeg and Thrashers to Quebec. Then contract Nashville and FLA. I think fewer teams would be better for the on-ice product.

Or move the Panthers to Seattle and/or Portland, so the folks there can stop supporting the Nucks/california teams.

I think it's funny. The Jet's last game in Winnipeg was a loss in the playoffs to Detroit. I'd love if Winnipeg is back for next year. Thus Phoenix's last game was a loss in the playoffs to Detroit.

[CMatt89 63]

To make money, you have to have fans. To have fans, don't try to find cold weather sports fans in a desert. Phoenix, Florida, Nashville, Atlanta...Get rid of them. Too many teams means too many medium quality players which brings continuously lousy teams, which brings in no money. Less teams..in better cities, means more money, and true fans. Remember exciting hockey?

Teams that should be removed or relocated (original location) from the league:

Columbus, Nashville, Florida, Tampa Bay, NY Islanders, Carolina, Atlanta

Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec could see new teams.

26 teams, 13 per conference. Home and Home with each team in opposing conference (26 games) 2 home, 2 away games with each team in conference (52 games) remaining 4 games would be extra intra-divisional games.

Fans will get to see every team at least twice.

Wishful thinking is fun! Too bad it'll never happen

Also, with less teams...That means less players in the league, which also means the skill level will rise in both the NHL and AHL. Teams will be better, players in minor leagues will be better suited for pro's with a more skilled talent pool in the minors to help with development. Imagine a league filled with a balance of skill and heart and soul players? Violence in hockey could decline due to skill, talent, and hard work being more of a key factor in getting to the NHL. Instead of having teams with 4 or 5 stars on their team and having teams with none...it will balance out. There is too many AHL level players packed on teams, while other teams are jammed with money hungry stars. I think less teams would be greater then a salary cap.

Also, too many teams miss the playoffs each year...too many teams continuously miss the playoffs each year as well.

Edited May 12, 2010 by CMatt89

[Shady Ultima 40]

The Blue Jackets and the Islanders should stay. As far as the others, move them to where they were from, or new cities that have proven hockey interest.

[eva unit zero 271]

I'm always amused by the "Bettman f***ed up when he moved the team from Winnipeg to Phoenix" stuff.

Yes, the Coyotes have not exactly been a huge success, but here's a history lesson and a lesson in NHL procedure for everyone in this thread since everyone here seems to not understand how it works:

Winnipeg was failing miserably since joining the NHL.

Between the WHA/NHL merger and the move, its attendance peaked close to 15,500 and averaged closer to 12,500, which was well below what all other teams were doing.

The Jets were not "Moved by Bettman" as everyone here seems to idiotically think. The Jets were put up for sale, and eventually sold via the official NHL procedure to owners who wanted to move them to Phoenix. The team was moved after playing one final season in Winnipeg.

Team sale requires approval of the NHL Board of Governors; in other words all of the other owners vote and a majority must approve the sale or it's a no-go; see the Balsillie circus for this.

Team relocation requires a BoG vote. There is typically a relocation fee and a waiting period; the only recent team to move without playing at least one season after being sold were the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche, who were sold due to financial issues almost immediately after being eliminated from the playoffs in 1995 and moved to Denver that summer.

Winnipeg did not lose its team because Bettman wanted to move a Canadian team to a southern American city as so many of you Bettman-haters feel. The Jets moved because Winnipeg simply could not support the Jets anymore.

Sorry, but that's the facts.

[drwscc 212]

Take your logic elsewhere, sir. It has no place in a "Bettman is evil and Canada needs all 30 teams" thread.