Your 2012 National Hockey Lockout Thread

[Funky Bunky]

Red Wings choose architect for new, 18,000-seat arena

If/when they eventually move, let's hope they don't bring all 97 000 banners with them.

People may say that they have too many banners, but I absolutely love how it looks... It's intimidating. If I were a player, I'd get really motivated by looking up at those banners before the game. So yeah, I want, and expect them, to move the banners to the new arena.

I wonder if the new building will also be called "The Joe". It'd be ideal IMO.

[Don]

Red Wings choose architect for new, 18,000-seat arena

If/when they eventually move, let's hope they don't bring all 97 000 banners with them.

People may say that they have too many banners, but I absolutely love how it looks... It's intimidating. If I were a player, I'd get really motivated by looking up at those banners before the game. So yeah, I want, and expect them, to move the banners to the new arena.

I wonder if the new building will also be called "The Joe". It'd be ideal IMO.

I agree with this. Its not going to be the Joe tho, they'll choose a naming rights sponsor (probably get more money out of Amway to go along with the practice jersey sponsorship).

[The_Admiral]

It seems like the talks to move the Pistons out of Auburn Hills have pretty much sputtered, so they'll have the rafters to themselves and will be able to go on properly recognizing their February 17th, 1973 win over the Oakland Seals in tangible, textile form.

I hope it ends up looking like the Olympia.

[GFB]

I hope it ends up looking like the Olympia.

X2

There's a website called newolympia.blogspot.com that has some nice stadium designs, but they're a little too retro for my tastes. I think that combining some "red brick barn" elements in a modern way could look really really nice.

[maz]

I hope it ends up looking like the Olympia.

X2

There's a website called newolympia.blogspot.com that has some nice stadium designs, but they're a little too retro for my tastes. I think that combining some "red brick barn" elements in a modern way could look really really nice.

I think it looks great. It's unique while so many arenas look alike.

[charger77]

Jagr to test free agency.

[NJTank]

Jaromir Jagr should test AARP he is old

[The_Admiral]

And yet he still scored 53 points in 79 games, which puts him ahead of quite a few younger top-six players.

[NEW.ERA]

Flames definitely will be in the mix for Jagr.

Seeing as we now have his right hand man from the KHL in Roman Cervenka.

[The_Admiral]

I see the Kings winning as an 8 seed is going to make bad teams think they're still in it, then. Looking forward to the Stars signing Ray Whitney now.

[NEW.ERA]

I see the Kings winning as an 8 seed is going to make bad teams think they're still in it, then. Looking forward to the Stars signing Ray Whitney now.

Exactly what Bob Hartley said.

It's stupid. The Kings were an 8 seed on steroids, that played like crap during the season. Everyone knew that they were capable of winning or at least having a bloody strong chance at the Cup.

Teams like Calgary, Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose (soon) need to shut up, and just learn to stop trying to contend, be good for a while, not one year and be ousted in the first round. The Philly and Detroit way of doing things only go so far.

[The_Admiral]

Detroit's way of doing things is to maintain a top-flight farm system and remain at the vanguard of scouting, which is then buttressed by free agency signings. Actually, they can do that in perpetuity with good results. And have! Call me when the Sharks and Ducks find Hall of Fame players where no one thought to look.

[Don]

Flames definitely will be in the mix for Jagr.

Seeing as we now have his right hand man from the KHL in Roman Cervenka.

Thats exactly what the Flames need to do, trade Backlund, sign Jagr. Get older!

[Funky Bunky]

I see the Kings winning as an 8 seed is going to make bad teams think they're still in it, then. Looking forward to the Stars signing Ray Whitney now.

Exactly what Bob Hartley said.

It's stupid. The Kings were an 8 seed on steroids, that played like crap during the season. Everyone knew that they were capable of winning or at least having a bloody strong chance at the Cup.

Teams like Calgary, Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose (soon) need to shut up, and just learn to stop trying to contend, be good for a while, not one year and be ousted in the first round. The Philly and Detroit way of doing things only go so far.

Luckily for Anaheim, their prospect pool is very good (#5 on HF), so there's a good chance that the Ducks will be back in the mix soon.

[ninersdd]

Stuart to the Sharks, 3 years, 10.8 million.

[Still MIGHTY]

I see the Kings winning as an 8 seed is going to make bad teams think they're still in it, then. Looking forward to the Stars signing Ray Whitney now.

Exactly what Bob Hartley said.

It's stupid. The Kings were an 8 seed on steroids, that played like crap during the season. Everyone knew that they were capable of winning or at least having a bloody strong chance at the Cup.

Teams like Calgary, Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose (soon) need to shut up, and just learn to stop trying to contend, be good for a while, not one year and be ousted in the first round. The Philly and Detroit way of doing things only go so far.

It is a dumb way to go about things.

But I think the Ducks are much different than the three others you listed. They are MUCH closer to being a contender than Calgary, Dallas, or San Jose are. The Ducks core (Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Beauchemin, Hiller) is much better than they show (always due to having their heads up their asses for the first 3 months of each season) and much younger than those other three. Getzlaf/Perry are 27, Bobby Ryan is 25, Hiller is 30 but that's not old for a goalie, Beauchemin is the one outlier of those I named at 32, but Fowler is 20, Sbisa is 22.

If Boudreau can get the Ducks focused and going right from the beginning of the season, the Ducks will be a mid-level playoff team next year. With another year from Teemu and Koivu, another summer/camp of development for the younger role players (maybe even the injection of Emerson Etem into the big leagues), and heck, maybe a run at Suter (although I doubt we're high on his list), the Ducks will be better next year. I will guarantee that.

Detroit's way of doing things is to maintain a top-flight farm system and remain at the vanguard of scouting, which is then buttressed by free agency signings. Actually, they can do that in perpetuity with good results. And have! Call me when the Sharks and Ducks find Hall of Fame players where no one thought to look.

It really is quite amazing how Detroit has been able to do that. Until these 7th rounders start to just be 7th rounders, they will be competitive. When this finally falls through, they'll fall hard.

With the Ducks drafts, they've been able to hit on their early round picks. They're not Hall of Famers, but they're decent enough players. I mean, it's great that the Red Wings have been able to find their diamonds in the rough, but we forget that their early round picks might be misses.

[The_Admiral]

If the Ducks get some depth they're a playoff team, no question. I'd be a little concerned about Hiller's health, though. If they end up getting six games to beat up on Colorado or Winnipeg, that will help their cause immensely.

Oh, Blackhawks signed a bunch of two-ways today: Brandon Bollig, Ben Smith, Carter Hutton (G). Bollig is useless and belongs in Rockford all year as a Me Like Punch Guy sideshow. Smith is a borderline NHLer at this point; he's either a full-time 13th forward or he does the Shuffle all year and only comes up when people are hurt. Hutton is some dude off the street or something, so if recent history is any indication, he'll inexplicably wrest the starting goalie job from Corey Crawford without necessarily being very good himself.

[Still MIGHTY]

If the Ducks get some depth they're a playoff team, no question. I'd be a little concerned about Hiller's health, though. If they end up getting six games to beat up on Colorado or Winnipeg, that will help their cause immensely.

They picked up the Swedish Elite League's reigning back-to-back goalie of the year, 29-year old Viktor Fasth, to ease the burden on Hiller. Let Hiller play less games to just not wear him out. Fasth has good stats (Five shutouts with a 2.12 GAA and .931 SV% in 46 games in the SEL and went 4-2 with a 2.34 GAA and two shutouts in the World Championships) and is supposed to be the best goalie out of Sweden since Lundqvist. I'm much more confident in that department than I was with Dan Ellis (despite some occasionally stellar performances), Devin Deslauriers, or Iiro Tarrki (to the KHL with you!).

And yeah, the Ducks would definitely benefit from some last second realignment. 6 games against LA/San Jose/Dallas/Phoenix isn't always a treat. As evidenced by the shootout/overtime numbers and the low points, the whole division tends to leach off each other.

[NEW.ERA]

Flames definitely will be in the mix for Jagr.

Seeing as we now have his right hand man from the KHL in Roman Cervenka.

Thats exactly what the Flames need to do, trade Backlund, sign Jagr. Get older!

I know right Just another day in the office of Ken King and Co.

Jagr come here HA! We're more likely to get the Winter Olympics again. If he's less than what we'd have to pay Jokinen sure, other than that go away!

Also to address everyone on the matter of the rebuild or not theory. It works if you have the right people in place, good smart Hockey people. It's just too bad they already have jobs. Anaheim, yes they may be an exception with a strong pool of prospects, a Cup in the last 6 years and Ryan/Perry/Getzlaf are a great 1, 2, 3 punch to work with.

I know where I stand on how the Flames should go about a rebuilding. I just feel that branching off of a fluke playoff run practically a decade ago, and hoping for two measly playoff games a year (if that) to pocket a couple million bucks is a slap to the face to the fans that stuck through the crap in the early 2000's and that are now dealing with the crap now.

[ninersdd]

Oh, Blackhawks signed a bunch of two-ways today: Brandon Bollig, Ben Smith, Carter Hutton (G). Bollig is useless and belongs in Rockford all year as a Me Like Punch Guy sideshow.

I just remember Bollig as the guy who got the major after going after Torres in Game 3.