The NHL thread

[CFH]

The Leafs havent been good since the salary cap came in. They are rebuilding and working towards turning it around. But if/when they win it will be unlike anything else in sports.

When they are good its complete pandamonioum in Ontario and all of Canada for that matter. Its nuts here now and they arent even very good. People can say what they will about the Leafs, but we are the best fans in Hockey bar none and this can not be argued.

No wonder you didnt like hockey before if all you were watching was international garbage..lol. We call it pussy hockey here.

Enjoy, and welcome to the greatest sport in the world and its not even close imo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiMJdl7k9sU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq5jhgNQTzc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnJqCZDcex0

I agree with most of what you say. Pretty much all Canadian teams have rabid fans, but I would agree that Leafs (or Habs) fans are probably the most passionate because those teams have so much history.

I would disagree that all of Canada goes nuts for the Leafs though, they're a very polarizing team - you either love them or hate them. Around here, the vast majority of people despise the Leafs (and everything else about Toronto really), but you still find the hardcore Leaf fans; however, I would not describe it as "pandamonium" here when the Leafs are doing well. Out East in Ont. and the Maritimes though, I have no doubt that that is the case.

What do you think about the talk of putting a 2nd team in the Toronto area?

[wesrman]

I dont know what i think about a second team around here. It could work, but i dont know if i like the idea.

[CFH]

I dont know what i think about a second team around here. It could work, but i dont know if i like the idea.

I'd rather see one in Hamilton, Winnipeg, or the Maritimes. Not that Toronto couldn't support it, I just think the Leafs are a special team with an outstanding fanbase (regardless of how much I hate the team and the vast majority of its fans), and I wouldn't want to see that tampered with. You have no idea how much it pained me to type that . Fuck the Leafs ahhhhhhh, that's better.

Maybe that's an unreasonable position, I mean NYC supports two MLB teams and tha Yankees are still the Yankees....

[amat]

It's much more interesting with a 2 team environment. I love it, I love having Raider fans and 49er fans and that being all there is, it just makes things more itneresting because otherwise it's boring. Especially when people like teams not from the area, I know more Laker fans then Warrior fans probably. Not the case with the Sharks because the only people who care about hockey at all are Sharks fans here.

[wesrman]

Ya but we already have Montreal, Ottawa and Buffalo all very close so its not like there arent close rivals. 2 Toronto teams isnt necessary imo.

Id prefer to see Winnipeg get a team too.

[CFH]

It's much more interesting with a 2 team environment. I love it, I love having Raider fans and 49er fans and that being all there is, it just makes things more itneresting because otherwise it's boring. Especially when people like teams not from the area, I know more Laker fans then Warrior fans probably. Not the case with the Sharks because the only people who care about hockey at all are Sharks fans here.

Toronto already has 29 different teams worth of rival fans who hate them. Ask a fan of any of the other Canadian teams what they think of the Leafs. They don't need another team in their region to have that kind of atmosphere. There are also Leafs fans in every Canadian city, so any Leaf games in other cities have that same atmosphere as well. There are always a fair number of people at Vancouver-Toronto games wearing Leafs jerseys and reveling in the abuse that is heaped upon them.

[amat]

It's much more interesting with a 2 team environment. I love it, I love having Raider fans and 49er fans and that being all there is, it just makes things more itneresting because otherwise it's boring. Especially when people like teams not from the area, I know more Laker fans then Warrior fans probably. Not the case with the Sharks because the only people who care about hockey at all are Sharks fans here.

Toronto already has 29 different teams worth of rival fans who hate them. Ask a fan of any of the other Canadian teams what they think of the Leafs. They don't need another team in their region to have that kind of atmosphere. There are also Leafs fans in every Canadian city, so any Leaf games in other cities have that same atmosphere as well. There are always a fair number of people at Vancouver-Toronto games wearing Leafs jerseys and reveling in the abuse that is heaped upon them.

I thought about that just after I posted that but whatever, it might divide Toronto though I doubt it the Dallas Cowboys haven't been hurt to much by the Texans.

[amat]

Also I have no concept of Canadian geography (or any geography really) so I'm not really good for this discussion.

[killersheep]

Also I have no concept of Canadian geography (or any geography really) so I'm not really good for this discussion.

Hope this helps

[Mikkel_K]

Also I have no concept of Canadian geography (or any geography really) so I'm not really good for this discussion.

Hope this helps

I'm probably even more lost than Amat when it comes to Canadian geography, so thanks for that map! I have a few questions still, though

Where is Hamilton (or am I blind?), and which is the biggest Canadian city without a NHL-team? Winnipeg? Quebec City? Both of those have had teams relocated before, right?

[Also, it should not go unnoticed that placing the North Pole in Canadian territory is at best disputed. Everyone knows it belongs to Denmark ]

[killersheep]

Also I have no concept of Canadian geography (or any geography really) so I'm not really good for this discussion.

Hope this helps

I'm probably even more lost than Amat when it comes to Canadian geography, so thanks for that map! I have a few questions still, though

Where is Hamilton (or am I blind?), and which is the biggest Canadian city without a NHL-team? Winnipeg? Quebec City? Both of those have had teams relocated before, right?

[Also, it should not go unnoticed that placing the North Pole in Canadian territory is at best disputed. Everyone knows it belongs to Denmark ]

Hamilton is very close to Toronto (the southern most city labelled on the map, nestled between the Lake Erie and Lake Huron)

by population
Quebec City has 715,515
- Quebec City had the Quebec Nordiques which changed into the Colorado Avalanche

Winnipeg has 694,668
- Winnipeg used to have the Jets which morphed into the Phoenix Coyotes

Hamilton has 692,911
- Had a team a long time ago called the Hamilton Tigers

[Youngblood]

Winnipeg has proven not to have the fanbase to support an NHL team, so this to me would be simply a step backwards in time. There is nothing remotely close to it to draw from outside the city.

Hamilton would atleast have the drawing power from the many populated cities in close proximity and is a viable option. To retry something proven not to work is a fools errand fuelled merely by sentiment.

Plus our government needs to have a little more patriotism when it comes to our sports. Our teams can barely afford to operate here, so get sold to cities in the states...where tax breaks and incentives make it possible for them to see profits and survive.

This same standard of putting our countries amateur sports on the back burner is evident in the next to nothing, or miniscule support towards programs that lead to olympic qualifiers. It is commonplace to have a knock on your door by someone holding a can, asking for a donation that on it reads..."Support our Olympic Athletes."

Ask them about it, you'll often get the answer.."Well I qualified, or my son or daughter did...and we are trying to raise the funds to actually go." Sound ridiculous? Yes, it is. We, a world power have so little support and pride in our own sports programs, that this is often what it boils down to.

[killersheep]

Winnipeg has proven not to have the fanbase to support an NHL team, so this to me would be simply a step backwards in time. There is nothing remotely close to it to draw from outside the city.

Hamilton would atleast have the drawing power from the many populated cities in close proximity and is a viable option. To retry something proven not to work is a fools errand fuelled merely by sentiment.

Plus our government needs to have a little more patriotism when it comes to our sports. Our teams can barely afford to operate here, so get sold to cities in the states...where tax breaks and incentives make it possible for them to see profits and survive.

This same standard of putting our countries amateur sports on the back burner is evident and is the next to nothing, or miniscule support towards programs that lead to olympic qualifiers. It is commonplace to have a knock on your door by someone holding a can, asking for a donation that on it reads..."Support our Olympic Athletes."

Ask them about it, you'll often get the answer.."Well I qualified, or my son or daughter did...and we are trying to raise the funds to actually go." Sound ridiculous? Yes, it is. We, a world power have so little support and pride in our own sports programs, that this is often what it boils down to.

Agreed case in point the Jets moving to Phoenix, it's cool I can get hockey here, but for christ's sakes it's a desert.

[killersheep]

Ok guys that signed up for the fantasy league, get your line-ups situated, We have enough people now, So I will set the draft to "ready" later this week.

[CFH]

God being a Canucks fan is a awful thing.

The team is 1st in their division, 3rd in the West, 5th OVERALL, exceeding all expectations, clicking as a team in a way we haven't seen in years, exhibiting great chemistry, and our goalie and captain - the best in the world - is playing as good as he ever has.

Well, Roberto Luongo, again - the best goalie in the league, hurt his groin on Sat. in Pitts so bad that he needed to be helped off the ice. Rumors are swirling that he is out at least 2 months (though nothing has be confirmed).



At least my two secondary teams, the Bruins and the Red Wings, are ripping shit up, but this is just terrible and pretty much par for the course as a 'Nucks fan.