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Around The League - 2024-25 Regular Season

Houston would seem like the logical destination financially. I wouldn't be opposed to it.

The sooner they can get out of that shitstain of a market in Arizona, the better. They seem to find newer and more innovative ways to fuck everything up.
 
Houston would need to build an arena. The one the rockets use isn't suitable for hockey.
 
It was Peladeau who tried to get the expansion team with Vegas. They trotted out Mulroney to do the pitch. Apparently it was very impressive, but Jacobs doesn’t want it.

I’m not sure about Desmarais. He’s poked around a few real estate projects that are linked to pro sports…
 
Habsy said:
Rod Gilbert died. RIP.
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He was a wonderful hockey player,more of a finesse guy. Not quite a superstar, but consistent and productive. Some fans always felt he could do more, as he never quite had that big break out or 50 goal season some expected. May have been appreciated more later in his career for his longevity and totals. Not sure of the story, but he was a Montreal kid who we missed out on signing. Same with another Quebecer, his buddy Ratelle. (Dave Keon, Pierre Pilote...we didn't get them all in the pre-draft days). Of course, he always seemed to do well at the Forum. I remember one Saturday night there he scored, I believe, four goals, if I'm not mistaken. At least a hat trick. About 1966 or 67. I was around 11 years old, and quite pissed off.

Matinee-idol looks of the time. The women loved him. Looked like the kind of guy who would live forever.....
 
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Sal_Butera said:
Again Winter-Peg only got a team because David Thomson is one of the richest & most influential people on this planet, without his financial backing of True North Sports, Winter-Peg doesn’t get a team back. If Paul Desmarais Jr fund$ QC team, Bettman & Jacobs will personally roll out the red carpet for Les Nordiques, but he won’t since he’s on record as saying he’s got no interest in sports

Quebec City might have a cute little tech sector but the key word is “little”, it’s not Silicon Valley tech sector or Seattle tech sector, or Houston oil & gas industry BIG as in large population w significant after tax disposable income.

Equally important, greater Quebec City’s population is tiny when compared to top-25 US TV markets, let alone #8 in Houston
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Even a big Canadian TV market means nothing to the NHL. They only care about US television markets. They can't sell a game to American viewers that features Canadian teams in obscure markets. ESPN isn't going to pay top dollar for the rights to broadcast a game involving a team from Quebec City. It's bad enough that they have to accept the reality of the 7 other Canadian teams which already exist.

And players, even ones from Quebec, won't want anything to do with playing there. They'll never sign a free agent. Players will go to the KHL before they'll play in Quebec City. So the team will not be like the old Nordiques. They won't be competitive and they won't draw fans. They lost an entire generation of fans to the Habs. The only people there who want the Nords back are the ones old enough to have been fans of the old Nords and old people don't matter to pro sports leagues. Quebecor built that arena for nothing, just like Hamilton did with Copps Coliseum back in the 80's.

People need to realize that while the sport of hockey is Canadian, the corporate entity known as the National Hockey League is not.

And it sucks because you can pinpoint the exact moment that the Habs took their foot off the gas and decided to rest on their laurels rather than try to be an elite team. It was the moment that the internal competition of the Nordiques left for Denver. The Habs have been purposely mediocre ever since.
 
WeHaveMoreCupsThanYou said:
Even a big Canadian TV market means nothing to the NHL. They only care about US television markets. They can't sell a game to American viewers that features Canadian teams in obscure markets. ESPN isn't going to pay top dollar for the rights to broadcast a game involving a team from Quebec City. It's bad enough that they have to accept the reality of the 7 other Canadian teams which already exist.

And players, even ones from Quebec, won't want anything to do with playing there. They'll never sign a free agent. Players will go to the KHL before they'll play in Quebec City. So the team will not be like the old Nordiques. They won't be competitive and they won't draw fans. They lost an entire generation of fans to the Habs. The only people there who want the Nords back are the ones old enough to have been fans of the old Nords and old people don't matter to pro sports leagues. Quebecor built that arena for nothing, just like Hamilton did with Copps Coliseum back in the 80's.

People need to realize that while the sport of hockey is Canadian, the corporate entity known as the National Hockey League is not.

And it sucks because you can pinpoint the exact moment that the Habs took their foot off the gas and decided to rest on their laurels rather than try to be an elite team. It was the moment that the internal competition of the Nordiques left for Denver. The Habs have been purposely mediocre ever since.
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Habs haven’t been elite since the Nords came into the NHL for 1979-1980. At the time of the move the talent on the Nords and their prospect pool led by Forsberg made the Habs talent level a laughing joke
 
Habsy said:
Yes I know, garbage source, but this did make me laugh.

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The same "hockey writers" who wrote an article on how the Habs can get back to the finals this season. But they have learned the most important lesson in internet hockey journalism: post lots of articles about the Habs and Leafs and watch the clicks roll in.
 
I'll start caring about the whole Eichel story when he's traded and laugh at the terrible return Buffalo got.
 
Don't a lot of Europeans train in Montreal just before the season? I remember Martin Havlat and a bunch of other players would train in Montreal. I think they were all Alan Walsh clients too, but I'm just going off memory.
 
GGpX said:
Don't a lot of Europeans train in Montreal just before the season? I remember Martin Havlat and a bunch of other players would train in Montreal. I think they were all Alan Walsh clients too, but I'm just going off memory.
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There is a Biosteel camp happening there, I think that's the reason. But I don't think he is allowed to work out, just promotional appearance?

Not sure why he is bringing hockey sticks though. Maybe signing them and giving them away?
 
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