If the nhl folds

[IceCap]

for the sake of tradition....YES!!!

i will NOT support the toronto touros

[STL FANATIC]

If the NHL folds there will already be reorganization plans.

[CJR]

The NHL won't fold. Teams might, but the league won't. By the time 10 teams folded, the league would realize they were in deep trouble and get their act together.

[jkrdevil]

The league is not going to fold, and I don't think any teams are going to fold. The only league that is going to fold is the WHA.

We may miss some NHL hockey next year, but doom and gloom won't happen.

[IceCap]

i know the nhl WONT fold, but if it does, should the original 6 join the wha?

[Brian in Boston]

You're assuming that there is going to be a WHA to join. Thus far, the "relaunch" of the WHA consists of nothing more than press releases, smoke and mirrors.

Brian in Boston

[jkrdevil]

i know the nhl WONT fold, but if it does, should the original 6 join the wha?

If you don't think the NHL will fold, then why post this poll?

My answer is no. Is it me or is the "original 6" the most over-rated in sports.

EDIT: Good point Brian, there might not be a WHA. So far it's gotten 0 publicity. That's not a good thing if you want to start a league.

If the WHA gets launch it will be nothing but a glorified minor league.

[STL FANATIC]

i know the nhl WONT fold, but if it does, should the original 6 join the wha?

If you don't think the NHL will fold, then why post this poll?

My answer is no. Is it me or is the "original 6" the most over-rated in sports.

EDIT: Good point Brian, there might not be a WHA. So far it's gotten 0 publicity. That's not a good thing if you want to start a league.

If the WHA gets launch it will be nothing but a glorified minor league.

Yes, the NHL's so called "Original Six" is very overrated.

There were four teams at the beginning of the NHL in 1917. The Montreal Canadiens, the Montreal Wanderers, the (original) Ottawa Senators, and the Toronto Arenas (then St. Pats, then Maple Leafs). Those were the original four. Two of those teams survived, the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs. The Rangers, Bruins, Red Wings, and Blackhawks came into the league along with other teams, but in 1942, just those 6 teams remained. Yet, they were not ALL original to the NHL. This is why I prefer "Surviving Six", or I liked YH's "Senior Six".

It's however, just a way for the NHL to market itself, and attribute more tradition to those teams.

[IceCap]

i know the nhl WONT fold, but if it does, should the original 6 join the wha?

If you don't think the NHL will fold, then why post this poll?

hypothetical question

and the original 6 is not overrated, depite the fact that they are not the oringinal nhl teams (only montreal and toronto have been around since the nhl's fist days)

hypothetically lets say the nhl foldes, the wha existes, and the original 6 get offers to join the wha. fans in toronto would rather see the leafs over the touros. i know the same can be sed for the fans in any other original 6 city that will get (maby) a wha team.

[Stampman]

i know the nhl WONT fold, but if it does, should the original 6 join the wha?

:laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:

What the smilies said.

[STL FANATIC]

i know the nhl WONT fold, but if it does, should the original 6 join the wha?

If you don't think the NHL will fold, then why post this poll?

hypothetical question

and the original 6 is not overrated, depite the fact that they are not the oringinal nhl teams (only montreal and toronto have been around since the nhl's fist days)

hypothetically lets say the nhl foldes, the wha existes, and the original 6 get offers to join the wha. fans in toronto would rather see the leafs over the touros. i know the same can be sed for the fans in any other original 6 city that will get (maby) a wha team.

I think the same can be said for St. Louis, but they aren't original six...this is where I think the NHL will reorganize...if these teams stay existant, they aren't gonna go join another league, they are gonna reform their own...not just the Surviving Six either.

[habsfannova]

The 25 greatest years in hockey's history were played with those 6 teams.  Every arena except Chicago was full, and that was close to capacity.  The players were fully under control (Bad for them, good for fans).  The talent pool wasn't diluted.  Three of the top five greatest players played most of their careers in the era (Howe, M. Richard, and Bobby Hull).  Those three, Tim Horton, Jean Beliveau, Frank Mahovlich, Henri Richard, Stan Mikita, all became heros.

Was it perfect?  Nope.

In fact, it had many of the same problems.  Selling the game to the US was difficult, the Rangers spent dollar after dollar on expensive, used up players in trades, Dump and chase was getting common in the 50's (The 60's took off from it though, until the expansion).

Did it have to end?  Sadly, yes.  Surprisingly, it lasted farther then it should have.  A more planned expansion then the one used (A team a year or something, and a Canadian team instead of the Seals)could have kept the game on track.  However, the WHA pretty much screwed any plans.

Are they the Original 6?  Not really.  But, for Canadians, they hold a special place in our heart.

[Stampman]

The 25 greatest years in hockey's history were played with those 6 teams. Every arena except Chicago was full, and that was close to capacity. The players were fully under control (Bad for them, good for fans). The talent pool wasn't diluted. Three of the top five greatest players played most of their careers in the era (Howe, M. Richard, and Bobby Hull). Those three, Tim Horton, Jean Beliveau, Frank Mahovlich, Henri Richard, Stan Mikita, all became heros.

Was it perfect? Nope.

In fact, it had many of the same problems. Selling the game to the US was difficult, the Rangers spent dollar after dollar on expensive, used up players in trades, Dump and chase was getting common in the 50's (The 60's took off from it though, until the expansion).

Did it have to end? Sadly, yes. Surprisingly, it lasted farther then it should have. A more planned expansion then the one used (A team a year or something, and a Canadian team instead of the Seals)could have kept the game on track. However, the WHA pretty much screwed any plans.

Are they the Original 6? Not really. But, for Canadians, they hold a special place in our heart.

Howe, Hull, and Richard--the reason number 9 is the greatest number in hockey  (and then there's that Lanny guy--not in the same "league" but a very good player in his day as well--and then some guy named Gretzky put two 9's together)

[STL FANATIC]

And there's nothing wrong with loving that era of hockey and those teams because of it, I just hate the term original six.

[habsfannova]

Besides, it resulted in the greatest uniform in history.....

THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

[STL FANATIC]

Besides, it resulted in the greatest uniform in history.....

THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

I don't understand that. It's a really nice jersey, unquestionable, but it doesn't have all the elements to be the nicest jersey in history. I gotta think the Whalers get consideration for that, and whether or not anyone else considers them that or not I think the current Blues jerseys are some of the nicest ever and the nicest in the game today.

[habsfannova]

Meh, its all in the eyes and in the biases....

Anyway *steers the wheel straight* I think the NHL would at least form one enitity.  The WHA is just not gonna last more then a year (If it really happens)

[STL FANATIC]

Meh, its all in the eyes and in the biases....

Anyway *steers the wheel straight* I think the NHL would at least form one enitity. The WHA is just not gonna last more then a year (If it really happens)

It might last, but it will likely be a minor league and have to leave the NHL markets that it has now (planned) and go somewhere else.

[CJR]

The reason there's been very little media coverage of the new WHA so far is they're playing everything very close to the chest.

The original WHA screwed up big time in a few places.  The San Francisco Sharks, Dayton Aeros, Calgary Broncos and Miami Screaming Eagles were all granted franchises before their leases were negotiated and ended up moving before even playing a game (to Quebec, Houston, Cleveland and Philadelphia, respectively).

The WHA has announced business partnerships and prospective owners but won't announce franchises until March, so that the people who they plan to grant teams to have time to get their leases set.  If they announce the teams before the leases are set, then the arenas gain the upper hand and can say "You said there'd be a team here, if you want it here you'll pay what we say you'll pay."

You don't want the teams making announcements on their own because when you have a new league, everything has to be coordinated for maximum media exposure.  That's why 3/1/2004 is so important, most (if not all) of the franchises are supposed to be announced that day.

Until they prove otherwise by making a stupid mistake, I'm betting that the WHA will play at least a season.

[STL FANATIC]

I'll bet more than one, but next year may be their one year of prominence.