Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[Island Nucklehead]

I want another team in the GTA, but I'd love for it to be a young up and coming team like Florida who comes n and wipes the floor with the leaves for years and years. How many more seasons in Sunrise can the Panthers sustain in front of 11,000 paying spectators?

I imagine the NHL is hoping that, like the Lightening, if the Panthers ever get to a sustained level of respectability, the fans will come. They've got a nice young crop of players, but they need to put it all together. One thing's for sure, with the Eastern conference being fairly wide open every season, they could get to the playoffs as soon as next season. They'll need to do it consistently and start making runs into the later rounds to really gain any traction, though.

It's not shocking that the NHL wants to expand. If you believe what Bettman and Daly have said, that $500M is the price, then that means an extra $1B for two teams to be shared amongst the other owners. The players get nothing (besides the extra 46-ish NHL jobs). So for a team like the Panthers, that's a nice little $33M or so cash infusion (even though it only covers their loses for probably one season lol).

[herb]

I imagine the NHL is hoping that, like the Lightening, if the Panthers ever get to a sustained level of respectability, the fans will come. They've got a nice young crop of players, but they need to put it all together. One thing's for sure, with the Eastern conference being fairly wide open every season, they could get to the playoffs as soon as next season. They'll need to do it consistently and start making runs into the later rounds to really gain any traction, though.

I imagine that's the hope as well. Winning cures many ills in pro sports.

I also imagine part of the Panther's problem is being in Sunrise. I wonder if it's like the Coyotes playing in Glendale all these years (arena in the wrong place). One difference is the Panther's owners are filthy rich. Moyes was never that rich. The Thrasher's ownership group was never that rich.

Would anybody really be surprised if after another horrible season or two the Panthers are on the move? Maybe Gina would.

[Aaronp18]

Vegas and Seattle into the Pacific.

The then Scottsdale into the Central.

Sunrise to Quebec/GTA.

Move Tampa into the Metro and C-Bus into the Atlantic and the divisions look better geographically.

The Yotes will probably be pissed, oh well. They either move to Scottsdale in a new rink or somewhere else anyways.

[Meds]

I want another team in the GTA, but I'd love for it to be a young up and coming team like Florida who comes n and wipes the floor with the leaves for years and years. How many more seasons in Sunrise can the Panthers sustain in front of 11,000 paying spectators?

11,000?

That's how many seats are sold, but if there are 8,000 people in there on most nights I would be surprised.

To be honest, that's almost where you want to develop prospects though. No interest, no pressure, the media leaves you alone.....probably half the reason why Louie wanted to head back there so badly.

[damonberryman]

Put a team in Whitehorse and hand out free beer. I would travel from NY to see that shit. Have you ever been to a bar in Whitehorse? If you like to fight a lot it is a great town.

[ESQ]

The players get nothing (besides the extra 46-ish NHL jobs). So for a team like the Panthers, that's a nice little $33M or so cash infusion (even though it only covers their loses for probably one season lol).

I remember the last lockout got stuck on the issue of whether players get a share of expansion fees, but I don't remember what the result of that was.

But, two teams getting added would increase league revenues - if they're successful teams, particularly if its in Toronto for example, that would be a huge bump to the salary cap (or would give players more of their escrow money back). So really, expansion is very much in the players' interest as well.

[Island Nucklehead]

The players get nothing (besides the extra 46-ish NHL jobs). So for a team like the Panthers, that's a nice little $33M or so cash infusion (even though it only covers their loses for probably one season lol).

I remember the last lockout got stuck on the issue of whether players get a share of expansion fees, but I don't remember what the result of that was.

But, two teams getting added would increase league revenues - if they're successful teams, particularly if its in Toronto for example, that would be a huge bump to the salary cap (or would give players more of their escrow money back). So really, expansion is very much in the players' interest as well.

I'm pretty sure expansion fees do not count as HRR (hockey related revenue), so they are outside of the CBA. And yeah the Players should be for it, more jobs for them. Not to mention the employer-funded trip(s) to Vegas every year

[Jovocop]

First trade of the day...

TSN Radio Vancouver ‏@TSN1040
RT @MikeChambers: #Avs have acquired Carl Soderberg from BOS for 6th-round pick in 2016

[Blob Mckenzie]

Put a team in Whitehorse and hand out free beer. I would travel from NY to see that shit. Have you ever been to a bar in Whitehorse? If you like to fight a lot it is a great town.

i wonder if all the season ticket holders in Whitehorse would be 6ft 8 .

[Hockey Widow]

First trade of the day...

TSN Radio Vancouver ‏@TSN1040
RT @MikeChambers: #Avs have acquired Carl Soderberg from BOS for 6th-round pick in 2016

Clearing a spot for Bieksa or Kassian

[Topper]

It is a cash grab by the owners to make up for the falling Can-US exchange rate.

[Island Nucklehead]

Arizona picks up Grossman and Pronger ( ) for Gagner and a pick.

Gotta reach the floor somehow!

[Cousin Strawberry]

Put a team in Whitehorse and hand out free beer. I would travel from NY to see that shit. Have you ever been to a bar in Whitehorse? If you like to fight a lot it is a great town.

I lived there for a year and loved it. More tail than you can shake your dick at...
There was no more fighting there than at coconuts in 1988...although which W/H bar u pick makes a difference...ask Jello or Topps their opinions on such matters

[BurningBeard]

Arizona picks up Grossman and Pronger ( ) for Gagner and a pick.

Gotta reach the floor somehow!

Trading around the contract for someone who's "retired" and is working at NHL head office has got to raise some eyebrows. Although I'm not surprised, and I don't begrudge the deal, it works for the Yotes and Flyers.

[Hockey Widow]

Arizona picks up Grossman and Pronger ( ) for Gagner and a pick.

Gotta reach the floor somehow!

Trading around the contract for someone who's "retired" and is working at NHL head office has got to raise some eyebrows. Although I'm not surprised, and I don't begrudge the deal, it works for the Yotes and Flyers.

Amazing cap circumvention both ways.

We should be able to trade our hold back on Luongo no? Along with the cap recapture o Arizona no? If Luongo retires it will help Arizona for years.