2010 NHL Offseason Thread

[Oxyminus]

It's still not very impressive. You would think for being the NHL store in New York fucking City it would be much more glamorous and spectacular.

I wouldn't. Hope so? yeah, but honestly I think it's an indictment of hockey being such a niche sport.

Off the top of my head, the only other league that has a "league store" is the NBA, right? They've got TONS to market...Kobe, James...and some other guys who I couldn't care about because I don't care about basketball. But having a sellable product makes it easier to have a store focusing on that product.

What does the NHL have? Crosby...who outside of Pittsburgh is equally hated as much as he is admired? Ovechkin? Though while he's more exciting than Crosby, the league only seems interested in marketing him as Crosby's nemesis. Sure after the Olympics there's maybe 1-2 more household names in guys like Miller and Parise...but anyone who posts in this thread with any regularity could have told you long before the Olympics that Miller is one of the elite young goalies in the league, and I bet within a year (if not already) most casual fans will forget Parise scored what was an epic goal in a valiant losing effort for the USA.

Think the point I'm fumbling at getting across is the NHL store is lousy because the non hockey fan doesn't give a shit, and I'm sure we all have our stores/resources to get our gear anyway.

Sure...I could get my jerseys at the NHL and pay more than I usually do, to have them iron on a name patch on my jersey...Or I could go to where I usually go, pay less, get the names/numbers stitched on proper...and done by people who will talk hockey for hours on end.

Basically, there's no real incentive for anyone to go to the NHL store outside of sheer curiosity...but yes...I bought a hat there...once!

[Sepukku]

We must not let the Muslims build their mosque near the NHL Store!!!

[Callisto]

We must not let the Muslims build their mosque near the NHL Store!!!

Maybe they can be convinced to make ice rinks instead of the basketball courts they had planned. Hell, if they do that they can build it in my back yard.

[Oxyminus]

Pretty sure it would be attacked then... Muslims don't believe in ice?

[Richybear]

Whoa, new forums...
But the Pens said today that they won't be bringing Guerin back next year.
Wonder how much his production will drop on a team without Crosby/Malkin setting him up on the PP next season.

[Eckskalibur]

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/ph...ed-complex.jpg

This rink looks pretty incredible. Not sure if it was mentioned earlier.. but yeah. Despite it being down town Toronto, I'd definitely like to play there some time when it's finished.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/sto...-arena549.html

[Callisto]

I recall someone comparing him and Modano a while ago and showing that Modano had similar numbers playing on the third line of Dallas that Guerin did playing with Crosby lol

[Sepukku]

I've been worried about this. He was one of our most reliable-offensively wingers (4 G / 5 A in 11 Playoff Games this year according to ESPN.com's article on this revelation). He can't PK, you can't have him on the ice with the lead in the final minute, but goddamn was he useful and he was a massive leadership force in the locker room in the absence of Gary Roberts' departure 2 summers ago.

I don't see him getting a team to be honest. Either teams see him as a defensive/injury liability or he's asking for way too much.

The way I percieve him in the mental constructs of my mind is like Mattheiu Schneider's role last year, except he's a winger and not a D-man.

Pens preseason tickets went on sale today. The cheapest seats are $50+fees For preseason. For the worst seats.

[Selamis]

The price we pay for winning the Cup man. In Chicago the standing room only seats are still $25, crappiest seats, last row at the very top is $40 and $45 for premium games (Original 6, Pens, Caps, Flyers, basically anyone who's considered the top 10 in the league.)

[Callisto]

The price we pay for winning the Cup man. In Chicago the standing room only seats are still $25, crappiest seats, last row at the very top is $40 and $45 for premium games (Original 6, Pens, Caps, Flyers, basically anyone who's considered the top 10 in the league.)

I believe we went from the 8th cheapest seats in the league to the 6th most expensive in the league over the summer.

Edit: That said, 300 level really isn't that bad, the UC's layout makes it so you are mostly just higher above the ice rather than further out from it.

Also Sep I saw about Pens season-ticket holders getting super boned on WC seats lol, anyone in the third deck gets nosebleed seats @ Heinz.

[BadKarma]

I cant wait to see how much my season tix will go up next year at the garden after the massive renovation >.>;

[Selamis]

I believe we went from the 8th cheapest seats in the league to the 6th most expensive in the league over the summer.

Edit: That said, 300 level really isn't that bad, the UC's layout makes it so you are mostly just higher above the ice rather than further out from it.

Also Sep I saw about Pens season-ticket holders getting super boned on WC seats lol, anyone in the third deck gets nosebleed seats @ Heinz.

Yea I mean the 300 level are still good seats, I think they only went up like $10 though from last year. The 200 and 100 levels seats though, they had I think I remember reading they got a more larger pay scale increase....like 25-30% I think.

[Callisto]

That's fine with me, 100 level and front-row 200 level were where all the rich bandwagon douches sat last year anyways, let them pay out the ass for tickets.

[Selamis]

I wouldn't mind sitting next to Vince Vaughn though, I respect that he's not in a box but sitting with the fans. That said, tickets on the glass are like 300 a pop, or something ridiculous.

[Sepukku]

Also Sep I saw about Pens season-ticket holders getting super boned on WC seats lol, anyone in the third deck gets nosebleed seats @ Heinz.

Yeah they super-boned everyone with this year's game. Clusterfuck is an under statement, which is a shame cause this year's game is going to be the biggest WC yet. The south end of the stadium is literally about 75 feet from the river and the stadium is majestic with Pittsburgh-gold seats and the Caps-Pens is an awesome pairing but they screwed up ticket distribution BIG TIME.

[Izzy]

I didn't know they were renovating. They really need to. That place was getting a bit dated.

[Sepukku]

Stars resign for Nicklas Grossman for 1.6m/year cap-hit (3.25 over 2 years).

Donald Fehr another step closer to becoming the NHLPA rep.

[Palin]

Stars resign for Nicklas Grossman for 1.6m/year cap-hit (3.25 over 2 years).

Good singing, good price. Hopefully he keeps developing into a solid top pairing shut down D in the next few years.

[Callisto]

Good for them, sucks for me knowing I'll still have to shudder every time he touches the puck in NHL11 and they say his name.





























(It's a Chicago thing)

[Bweigelt]

I'm really apprehensive about Fehr becoming head of the NHLPA. The guy has a history of playing hardball and with the CBA coming up in 2012 the last thing the league needs is another lockout.