The 2013 NHL Season Thread

[IceCap]

I've just always felt the whole original six thing was a bit overdone. Yeah, they have history, but if I'm not mistaken wasn't that because the NHL just didn't want any additional teams for a while? Even then I'm all for honoring the history, but it seems to me a lot of people want to make them out to be the literal founding fathers of hockey and therefore shouldn't be touched when there were plenty of teams before them in the NHL and beyond that were just as or more important.

Plenty of teams before them? The Montreal Canadiens pre-date the NHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs were founded the year that the NHL started up shop. As far as this league goes those two teams are the "founding fathers."

As for the other four, yeah they're not really original teams, but for whatever reason they were around for a long time with each other, and a lot of history was made during those years. That's kind of important.

I just never understood why there are people who want to make them into something they're not.

Two of them are. Would "Original Two" be better?

FTR I'm not for some Original Six division either, but to deny that these six teams have significant histories with each other is to be blind to the realities of the game and its fanbase. Leaving one of the six to play the Stars and Predators while their historic rivals beat up on Florida and Tampa Bay doesn't sit right with me.

Ideally I'd split up the Original Six down the middle. Chicago, Detroit, and Toronto in the West and Boston, Montreal, and New York in the East. Even moving Toronto to the East and leaving Chicago and Detroit in the West would be preferable to just having Chicago in the West and the other five in the East.

Not saying you guys are, but it's an observation I've made.

The only two people I've ever seen complain about the "Original Six" as a concept have been fans of '67 expansion teams. I'm not sure why that would be the case beyond the obvious, but it's just an observation I've made.

[The_Admiral]

Well, he's signed through this year, but if he was signed after the deadline then he shouldn't be eligible for the playoffs, so I guess they're just letting him hang out with the team in practice?

[Maz]

I've just always felt the whole original six thing was a bit overdone. Yeah, they have history, but if I'm not mistaken wasn't that because the NHL just didn't want any additional teams for a while? Even then I'm all for honoring the history, but it seems to me a lot of people want to make them out to be the literal founding fathers of hockey and therefore shouldn't be touched when there were plenty of teams before them in the NHL and beyond that were just as or more important.

Plenty of teams before them? The Montreal Canadiens pre-date the NHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs were founded the year that the NHL started up shop. As far as this league goes those two teams are the "founding fathers."

As for the other four, yeah they're not really original teams, but for whatever reason they were around for a long time with each other, and a lot of history was made during those years. That's kind of important.

I just never understood why there are people who want to make them into something they're not.

Two of them are. Would "Original Two" be better?

FTR I'm not for some Original Six division either, but to deny that these six teams have significant histories with each other is to be blind to the realities of the game and its fanbase. Leaving one of the six to play the Stars and Predators while their historic rivals beat up on Florida and Tampa Bay doesn't sit right with me.

Ideally I'd split up the Original Six down the middle. Chicago, Detroit, and Toronto in the West and Boston, Montreal, and New York in the East. Even moving Toronto to the East and leaving Chicago and Detroit in the West would be preferable to just having Chicago in the West and the other five in the East.

Not saying you guys are, but it's an observation I've made.

The only two people I've ever seen complain about the "Original Six" as a concept have been fans of '67 expansion teams. I'm not sure why that would be the case beyond the obvious, but it's just an observation I've made.

I was referring to non-NHL teams from when the Stanley Cup was a sort of hockey version of the Champions League. But if we want to narrow it down to just the NHL and from when they owned the cup, fine, the Leafs and Canadiens can be the grandfathers. I'll agree on that fact.

But to be clear, I'm not complaining about the concept, because what the hell would be the point of that? So the NHL wanted to be six teams for a few decades. So what? If it weren't for the great depression, we'd still have the Americans, Maroons, Hockey Pirates (interesting thought - would they have remained the Pirates?), and original Senators and be talking about the Original Ten. What I was talking about is the people who freak out if anyone mentions changing an original six team's look, or fans of said teams who act like their team is all that because they're part of the Original Six, and/or treat it like it's some sort of noble order. Yeah, the name isn't accurate and my initial point of that makes it look like '67-expansion-team sour grapes, but it isn't. To be one of the cities that the NHL wanted to expand to after decades of exclusivity is pretty good too.

I agree, split them up in half. I agree, having five in one and one in the other is silly, but NHL alignment is a messy issue to begin with. And I agree, however romanticized their history is, it's history nonetheless.

[IceCap]

I don't see why the Pirates would have changed. They were formed during that murky period of team branding so that when everything started to crystallize everyone would have been used to the Baseball Pirates and Hockey Pirates sharing a city. They probably would have had to drop that baseball P logo though.

Anyhow I wasn't really insinuating sour grapes on your part. It was honestly just an observation. You and STL Fanatic are the only two people I've ever come across, in real life or the internet, who have claimed to be peeved by the reverence some fans show towards the "Original Six." And you both happen to be '67 expansion team fans. I'm not even sure a jealousy angle makes sense, and I apologize if that's what it seems like I was saying. I just thought it was interesting.

Pre-NHL hockey history is interesting, but the fact is that the Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers, Montreal Wanderers, Quebec Bulldogs, and Ottawa Senators 1.0 are gone. The Canadiens emerged from the tail end of that era, and the Leafs from the beginning of the NHL era, so if you want to honour the early days of hockey via teams still intact those are who would go to, I guess. And the other four get some of that via association/decades of exclusivity. I do think the uniform thing is valid though. It's not an "Original Six" thing so much as a "older teams should have classic looks" thing. There were rumours that, in the mid 90s, the Leafs were going to add Columbia blue and redesign the logo so that the text looked like a graffiti tag. That just doesn't seem like something the first Stanley Cup Champions of the NHL era should be wearing, you know?

I'm with you on the fans though. Trust me, as a Leafs fan the Original Six connection doesn't really ease the decades of futility

[spartacat_12]

I've just always felt the whole original six thing was a bit overdone. Yeah, they have history, but if I'm not mistaken wasn't that because the NHL just didn't want any additional teams for a while? Even then I'm all for honoring the history, but it seems to me a lot of people want to make them out to be the literal founding fathers of hockey and therefore shouldn't be touched when there were plenty of teams before them in the NHL and beyond that were just as or more important.

Plenty of teams before them? The Montreal Canadiens pre-date the NHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs were founded the year that the NHL started up shop. As far as this league goes those two teams are the "founding fathers."

As for the other four, yeah they're not really original teams, but for whatever reason they were around for a long time with each other, and a lot of history was made during those years. That's kind of important.

The league began with 4 teams: Toronto, 2 teams in Montreal, and Ottawa. The "Original 6" are simply the teams that made it through the Great Depression and WWII in one piece. The league went through a long period without losing, gaining, or relocating any teams. This period happened to coincide with the boom in the league's popularity (introduction of televised games, debut of superstars like Howe, Hull, and the Rocket). I'm fine with these teams being called the Original 6 but the league shouldn't treat them any differently. The teams played no one but each other for decades, why would anyone want them all in one division? The great thing about the NHL (and all sports leagues) is that you have historic franchises playing against teams that are currently building their own history and tradition. You could argue that teams like the Oilers and Penguins deserve the same respect as the Blackhawks or Rangers.

[The_Admiral]

If anything, the fact that the NHL got to 1967 with the same six teams is kind of pathetic, not something to be celebrated. At the same time, there were 25 football teams, 20 baseball teams, 10 basketball teams. Maybe this is why we're in the mess we're in.

[ninersdd]

3 goals on 4 shots for the Leafs as Price has new pads, and is struggling.

[CS85]

Vancouver remains cool.

Free golf for Brad Marchand concussion? Vancouver course apologizes for Volchenkov offer

[The_Admiral]

OH FOR THE :censored:ING LOVE OF CHRIST THE LIGHTNING COME BACK TO TIE AT 5 AND STILL LOSE JUST DON'T BOTHER PLAYING THE REST OF YOUR GAMES JETS UGH

[Lee.]

Washington Capitals, Team Of Destiny

[Kramerica Industries]

OH FOR THE :censored:ING LOVE OF CHRIST THE LIGHTNING COME BACK TO TIE AT 5 AND STILL LOSE JUST DON'T BOTHER PLAYING THE REST OF YOUR GAMES JETS UGH

You know, just the fact that the Lightning even made that game is more than enough of a victory to me, at this point.

Unless they win out, this will be yet another losing season, as this was their 24th loss of the season.

[Brass]

Looks like Carl Soderberg will be coming to Boston after all. Should be in the city by Tuesday. Can't wait.

[habsfan1]

Vancouver remains cool.

Free golf for Brad Marchand concussion? Vancouver course apologizes for Volchenkov offer

At first, I thought Brad Marchant was getting the free golf as an appology gift. I misread it.

So the one who inflicted the hit is the one getting rewarded instead? That's just messed up.

[IceCap]

If they Habs play the Leafs in the play-offs can all the games be played at the ACC?

Works for me

The league began with 4 teams: Toronto, 2 teams in Montreal, and Ottawa. The "Original 6" are simply the teams that made it through the Great Depression and WWII in one piece. The league went through a long period without losing, gaining, or relocating any teams. This period happened to coincide with the boom in the league's popularity (introduction of televised games, debut of superstars like Howe, Hull, and the Rocket).

I'm aware the "Original Six" weren't the original NHL franchises.

I'm fine with these teams being called the Original 6 but the league shouldn't treat them any differently. The teams played no one but each other for decades, why would anyone want them all in one division?

I never said there should be an all Original Six division. In fact my stated preference was to split them up evenly. Three per conference.

The great thing about the NHL (and all sports leagues) is that you have historic franchises playing against teams that are currently building their own history and tradition. You could argue that teams like the Oilers and Penguins deserve the same respect as the Blackhawks or Rangers.

Of course you could. I never said anything to the contrary. I just think it sucks that the Blackhawks are stuck on their lonesome because the Red Wings couldn't bothered to play road games in St. Paul and St. Louis.

[Kramerica Industries]

There were rumours that, in the mid 90s, the Leafs were going to add Columbia blue and redesign the logo so that the text looked like a graffiti tag.

The Leafs were going to look like the Lightning in the '90s?

No wonder the Lightning struck back in 2011.

[dbadefense1990]

Washington Capitals, Team Of Destiny Getting Lucky Because the Jets Realized They're Still The Thrashers.

Fixed it.

[zpqmaowl]

The hit was clean.

[NEW.ERA]

They're two points out. Cool it with the Thrasher BS.

[Sodboy13]

Yeah, but damned if those two points don't feel like twenty.

[dbadefense1990]

Seriously, how does Dustin Brown keep on ending up on these controversial knee hits?