Congrats to our friends up north

[mikep]

Just watched Canada defeat Finland to win the 2004 World Cup of hockey. Good game, great team! Man, that Canada team is a who's who of future hall of famers.

Sadly, NHL owners will be instituting a lockout tomorrow as talks on a new CBA have gone nowhere. Owners say they refuse to start a new season without a salary cap and the players insist any issue is on the table EXCEPT for any salary caps. So it looks like this World Cup could be the last bit of hockey we see for some time. Of course, I'll still get to watch my son play twice a week and play father/son hockey with him at the local arena every Saturday morning. And there is also the local lake come winter time.

Just wanted to say congrats to our Canuck friends. This 2004 Canada team now owns the distinction of being the only team in Canada Cup (pre-cursor to the World Cup) and World Cup history to have gone undefeated. Not only that but they never trailed in any game. Quite an accomplishment.

 

[Doug]

"Sadly, NHL owners will be instituting a lockout tomorrow as talks on a new CBA have gone nowhere."

I don't blame the owners at all for locking them out. I could care less (this is coming from an Avs fan.) if they ever play another game. The salaries for these players are absurd. It's a freagin joke that poeple are getting paid $8-$18 million a year to skate around on ice. I love the game, but it's gotten rediculous. The owners are at partial blame for paying the salaries, but to win they have to. A cap is very much needed before it gets REALLY out of hand. The NHL lost $300 million last year......

Also, I'm tired of paying $60 a ticket for the cheap seats. That's why I won't go to games if their that expensive.

 

[mikep]

Well Doug....I guess I'm to blame for mentioning the whole CBA thing. My intention was to simply give a thumbs-up to our friends up north, not to get into a whole discourse on the CBA. But, since you seem interested;

Tampa Bay has the 10th lowest payroll of 30 teams (33.5 million)and they hold Lord Stanley's Cup. The NY Rangers, my team

, have the second highest payroll (77 million) and have not been to the playoffs in 8 years. Yep, my team is proof positive that throwing money around like a drunken sailor doesn't ensure a championship or even a winning season. Your team was among the top with 60 plus million in payroll. At least you guys made the playoffs!

I agree, salaries have become absurd but there is a lot of blame to go around. Owner and players have adopted a keep up with the Jones' attitude. We have players who score 10 goals per season earning 4-5 million per. That is insane!

Before I get too deep into it I'm stopping. I LOVE the game. I probably was kidnapped as an infant and taken from Canada because I would choose hockey over baseball or any other sport if forced to choose. I could go on and on. Lets just hope they work something out and we, the average working stiff who wants to watch hockey, doesn't get the shaft!

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

The problem with the NHL is that the Rangers cannot sign every player and make them all multi-millionaires.

Hockey players look at some other athletes and do not make comparable money. Hockey does not have comparable revenue streams (TV).

Hockey is one sport that does not translate well to TV. It does not capture the speed and skill on the little tube.

Back on topic, hail to our neighbors up North, it's well deserved!

 

[parrothead]

quote:

---

I probably was kidnapped as an infant and taken from Canada because I would choose hockey over baseball or any other sport if forced to choose.

---

I've thought the same thing many times! At least in my neck of the woods (Michigan) there are a lot of other choices for Hockey. College, IHL, ECHL etc. I've comitted to buying to buying a ticket to each one of the University of Michigan's home game. So I say to heck with the NHL. I'll still get to watch hockey in person and at a reasonable price.

P.S. Mikep, don't get on me about the spending habits of the Red Wings

I'm a life long Habs fan, I just happen to live in the Detroit area

 

[mikep]

quote:

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Originally posted by parrothead:

quote:

---

I probably was kidnapped as an infant and taken from Canada because I would choose hockey over baseball or any other sport if forced to choose.

---

I've thought the same thing many times! At least in my neck of the woods (Michigan) there are a lot of other choices for Hockey. College, IHL, ECHL etc. I've comitted to buying to buying a ticket to each one of the University of Michigan's home game. So I say to heck with the NHL. I'll still get to watch hockey in person and at a reasonable price.

P.S. Mikep, don't get on me about the spending habits of the Red Wings

I'm a life long Habs fan, I just happen to live in the Detroit area

---

Lucky! I would love to see some U of M games in person. Great school and a perennial hockey powerhouse! Would love to see my son end up there. Have you ever seen Montoya play? The Rangers drafted him but it'll probably be another few years before he sees any NHL action. From what I've read about him in Hockey News he could be the next Roy or Brodeur. Of course, the blueshirts will probably trade him away for another 38 y/o has been

.

BTW....I wouldn't dream of razzin' you, or anyone for that matter, about the Wings spending. After all, I am a Rangers fan and we haven't exactly gotten a huge return on our "investments"

.

Last thing...how about this line from team Canada;

Mario Lemiuex (sp?)
Jerome Iginla
Joe Sakic

Holy cow, if that ain't enough to strike fear into a goaltender I don't know what is.

 

[Doug]

Yeah, but my team DU is going to repeat. Can't wait to go to a game.

 

[Doug]

 

[parrothead]

I saw Montoya play quite a few times last season. He's always solid in net the times I've seen him. The fans at Yost love him. He definitely has the ability to steal a game with his saves. He kept Michigan in some games last year that they should have lost. I just read a couple of weeks ago that Dwight Helminen decided to skip his senior year and try and make it in the NHL. Considering the lockout it sure doesn't seem like a wise decision. Michigan is going to miss him this season. He was a solid foward. I believe the Rangers have his rights.

The whole team from Canada is pretty impressive to me. They sure had a good mix of superstars and blue collar type players that just work their butt off. Congratulations to Canada!