jeh-see Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 I have heard this rumor from my local newspaper all the way up to the mighty ESPN......after the final sip of champagne is sipped from Lord Stanley's Cup this season, the NHL will be dead forever. Say it isnt so. They are saying that even if the labor agreement can be met in a reasonable time frame, it will still mean the contraction of no less than 5 and up to 10 NHL franchises. WTF!!!!!!! How did it come to this? I live for hockey, in any American league, federation, association, what have you. From the minor leagues up to the big show I follow it all. But now, to take away clubs, that have developed important and great rivalries??? What gives. I mean I have even read that the Chicago Blackhawks could be one of those contracted because the ownership is completely incompitent and the team is barely filling its arena (i think the figure i read was 70% capacity on GOOD nights). I mean this is an original six club with roots that go back nearly a century, and as a DIE HARD Red Wing fan, I need the Blackhawks as a traditional rival to my team. I live for those Wings-Hawks fight filled extraveganzas. I dont know what others are up for termination, but common sense can only tell you a couple (*cough* Pittsburgh *cough*) of them. I am just wondering what the rest of you guys think about where the NHL is headed, what can be done to fix it and which teams you think are definitely skating on "rapid melt" ice in their rinks.~UJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yh Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 My guess is that the NHL will be back, although perhaps not for a year or two. And the Blackhawks, hated just as much in the Lou as in Hockeytown, will still be in the mix. Even if it isn't with present ownership, clearly Chicago will support NHL hockey and some business enterprise will see to it that any potential void is filled. The franchise may be a shadow of its former self, and frankly since 1962 that's pretty much what it's been anyway, but it will be there.I think a lot of this doom talk, while not wholly fanciful, is for the most part posturing. Let's be serious here, is it really in the best interest of the players union to have several hundred of its members suddenly unemployed and practically unemployable at their present salaries doing anything else? The labor strife will cause temporary interruptions to the continuity of the NHL, but not its death.If I was a betting man, I'd put the over/under on the number of folded-contracted-suspended franchises at 8. My best guess is that 4 may fold outright and another 4 may suspend operations pending reorganization or sale.Now, off to the General Discussion board we go . . . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyJay Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 *cough* Pittsburgh will be fine after we get a new arena... which is slowly coming. *cough* Let's go Pens! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JQK Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 There is a better than average possibility the NHL could fold during the lockout. Don't think it CAN'T happen... it very well could... Stay Tuned Sports Podcast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmorss9 Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 If they do close up for a year or so, I'm sure there will be fewer teams, and in the end, a better brand of hockey. I don't think the entire league will fold, but there will be some MAJOR changes, and hopefully one of them will be a commissioner who could tell you what a 2 line pass is. "Hats for bats. Keep bats warm. Gracias" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yh Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 The only reason why I don't believe there is much of a chance of the NHL folding is that if it folds, then there is no legal entity to hold on to or control the trademarks and other branding identities of its present teams. You could have each of the ownership groups of the present NHL franchises deciding to start their own leagues using their NHL names and crests and there would be nothing that anyone could do about it. There is always going to be a market for pro hockey, so in order to keep the New York Rangers and LA Kings from suddenly popping up in the new WHA or some other new league, the NHL will continue to exist as a legal entity. And when the dust settles, it will have the ability to resume operations and hold on to the team names and identities of its franchises. Economics may make the NHL go on hiatus, but economics will also ensure that the NHL will come back in some shape or form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeh-see Posted February 10, 2004 Author Share Posted February 10, 2004 *cough* Pittsburgh will be fine after we get a new arena... which is slowly coming. *cough*I wasnt trying to be mean about it, honestly. I lived in Pittsburgh from 2001 through August of last year and ALL of my in-laws still live there so I have a pretty good idea about the happenings in Pittsburgh in general, my father-in-law just told me the WHOLE city is going bankrupt, so I am just saying that that paired with the "Penguins Fire Sale of 2002-03" isn't a good sign for there future, but believe me, I would always like that possiblity of seeing Super Mario and company when I go back on visits. Hope that clears up my thought process a bit.Also I was thinking...say the NHL does dump a few teams, is the possibility there that they will mass expand again over the next decade once the league gets back on its collective feet (honestly if it comes to this I hope they have more sense than that)~UJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JQK Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 When a league foulds as does most trademarks it has. The New York Rangers would still be around, just not under the NHL umbrella. Same with all the teams that didn't themselves fold.I don't think the NHL itself will fold, but it could.As for the teams, i think alot will fold.I think 8 teams will be gone.Some think more, some think less, but i think teams will be gone.There are going to be major changes, and i think it can only help the NHL. This lockout is a good thing, and i, as one true hockey fan, am looking forward to it, as i think it will help the NHL survive... Stay Tuned Sports Podcast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmorss9 Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Yale, I think you just said what I was trying to put into words, but just couldn't. I guess to say it in an elementary sense I'm thinking that there will always be Canadiens in Montreal and Maple Leafs in Toronto. "Hats for bats. Keep bats warm. Gracias" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeh-see Posted February 10, 2004 Author Share Posted February 10, 2004 oh yeah, one more thought about the pittsburgh thing, I say the city contracts the Pirates and builds the new Pens arena on the parking-lot-to-be of PNC Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmorss9 Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 There are going to be major changes, and i think it can only help the NHL. This lockout is a good thing, and i, as one true hockey fan, am looking forward to it, as i think it will help the NHL survive...Exactly. I think all of us would trade a season for a more stable NHL. And on a personal note, I'd trade a season simply to Gary Bettman out of the commissioners office. By the way, Does the NHL own the Stanley cup, or does the HHOF? I was almost positive its the NHL, but the HHOF are the official caretakers of it. sorry to drag this off topic, but it jsut crossed my mind. "Hats for bats. Keep bats warm. Gracias" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJR Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 The NHL now owns (or has full control of, I don't know which) the Stanley Cup. The former caretakers of the Cup very quietly signed it over to the league in the 1970s or something like that. If you're thinking that the reborn WHA teams could compete for it, that's not going to happen. FantasyHockeySim.com || DetroitHockey.Net || DetroitHockey.Net FHL || cjr.dev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yh Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 The NHL now owns (or has full control of, I don't know which) the Stanley Cup. The former caretakers of the Cup very quietly signed it over to the league in the 1970s or something like that. If you're thinking that the reborn WHA teams could compete for it, that's not going to happen.If the NHL does fold or go on indefinite hiatus I nominate Chris (since he's closest) to "borrow" the cup to be presented to the IHL champion. And since there won't be a player pool from which to field IHL teams next year, all games will be decided by coin flips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JQK Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 The NHL has had the sole right to compete for the Stanley Cup since 1927 (i believe). The Cleveland Barons in the 70's tried to challenge the NHL into a series, but they were denied.The Hockey Hall of Fame i believe has what one could call ownership of the Cup, not the National Hockey League. If the NHL were to go under, the HHOF could find another outlet for the Cup, if they so desired. Stay Tuned Sports Podcast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJR Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 The NHL has had the sole right to compete for the Stanley Cup since 1927 (i believe). The Cleveland Barons in the 70's tried to challenge the NHL into a series, but they were denied.From Total Hockey 2...[The Stanley Cup] has been competed for only by NHL teams since 1926-27 and has been under the exclusive control of the NHL since 1947.I swear something else happened with it in the '70s. I'll keep looking. FantasyHockeySim.com || DetroitHockey.Net || DetroitHockey.Net FHL || cjr.dev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JQK Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 I think the Barons or some WHA team tried to get the Cup Champion to compete in a series for the cup in the 70's, but they didn't bite. Stay Tuned Sports Podcast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsfannova Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Something happened in the 50's. The AHL Cleveland Barons (featuring a then-little known goaltender named Johnny Bower) challenged the NHL Champion (Probably the Canadiens, not sure of the year though). The challenge was of course refused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsfannova Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 When a league foulds as does most trademarks it has. The New York Rangers would still be around, just not under the NHL umbrella. Same with all the teams that didn't themselves fold.I don't think the NHL itself will fold, but it could.As for the teams, i think alot will fold.I think 8 teams will be gone.Some think more, some think less, but i think teams will be gone.There are going to be major changes, and i think it can only help the NHL. This lockout is a good thing, and i, as one true hockey fan, am looking forward to it, as i think it will help the NHL survive...I'm sorry you don't have QMJHL/WHL/OHL hockey to watch on TV in the US for the duration. It's the pure form of the sport.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC97 Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 I think the Barons or some WHA team tried to get the Cup Champion to compete in a series for the cup in the 70's, but they didn't bite.I've heard this story too, but from what I understood it was the Cleveland Barons in the 1950s... not sure tho.I've never heard anything about an event with the Cup being signed over in the 1970s, I've always heard that 1947 date. Since 1926 it's been NHL only, but in '47 it was made official. --- Chris Creamer Founder/Editor, SportsLogos.Net "The Mothership" • News • Facebook • X/Twitter • Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwertman Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 I'm sorry you don't have QMJHL/WHL/OHL hockey to watch on TV in the US for the duration. It's the pure form of the sport....Hey its not that hard to get..oops did i say that out loud LOL Kings Cross AFC -BIP, Winnipeg Falcons - TNFF, St. Louis Archers - MLF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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