General Forum

Yup it is purely money, mindset and attitude for NHL now a days. Why bother with the northern cities when you can own a Lambo and drive Santa Monica Boulavard. It is truley sad at how hockey has changed. Guys like Ryan Smyth have dried up and blown away. Heck driving a Land Rover in Nashville sounds better to alot of them than any city up north. Toronto and Montreal would be higher on the list  Iwould suspect. But really if you are going to make 10 to 20 million dollars clear over your career does it matter WTH your taxes are. Spoiled babies now a days that's all, sometime try and find the Hockey Wives" show on tv and sit through one episode of that. Almost puked a little in my mouth, Mr Getzlaf if your reading this, not as big a fan as I once was, YES I am jealous and proud to say I am. But really dude do you need THAT many Italian sports cars. =D All kidding aside I get frustrated being an Edmonton Oiler fan and having to hear that nobody wants to play here all the time, pisses us all off. We could have 20 first round picks but if you do not get the players to make it a TEAM you are just paddling around in circles like a Goldfish with one fin. Rant done.

Your rant reminds me of my favorite Canadian show...

To me, I think that taxes have less to do than people might think, but they make a good reason that people understand. To me it is the fishbowl that the players live in while they play in Canadian cities, especially when things are going bad.

I hate how intrusive the media can be here in Ottawa. There is one reporter in particular that always seems to find a whipping boy that can't win no matter what they do. Do I blame players for leaving when their contracts are up? Heck, no!

A player that were to lead the Leafs to a Cup would be set for life, but until they are competitive why subject yourself to the scrutiny? And it goes for the other Canadian cities as well.

That show is the bomb Cigars, love it!! And sadly you are correct armac that is an issue up here but dont the players in the Big Three down south get treated the same way, we can't help it that its the only true worldy sport we can have in Canada from coast to coast. Save for the other team sports in Toronto. MEH lol

I'm not a fan of hockey, let me say that up front.  However a big part of the reason is because of all the relocation in the 90s.  Why does Phoenix have a hockey team?  To me hockey should be played where a good amount of ice is.  Sure its part of expansion and sports are worldwide events, but still, hockey is a sport that should be played in cold places.  By the time I got into sports, Tampa Bay, San Jose, and Florida Panthers were already around and I let them slide (Tampa and San Jose because they didn't have other major sports), but it irked me when the North Stars moved to Dallas and the dominos fell.  When people ask me my favorite hockey team (they must not know me), I usually reply the Hartford Whalers just so I can remember teams that should still exist.  In my dream world, I would have at least 8 Canadian teams, and the rest mainly north of I-70 in the United States.  A few exceptions of course, but its still within reason.

I also think hockey season is too long since I appear to be ranting as well.  Cut 20 games off the season, same thing should be done to the NBA.  Cut 5 races off NASCAR, cut 1 preseason game off NFL (and move the season up so the Super Bowl ends in January again), and cut a month off of MLB.  I can't say anything about MLS since I don't watch enough, but I didn't realize how many MLS teams are in Canada until today, its about to have more MLS teams than NHL teams.

If it makes you feel any better, the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers can't attract any top free agents, either.

I wish the Knicks could though, I have been aching to find a regular team to root for and if the Knicks could field a good team I would root for them.  Instead I just root for Mizzou players in the NBA.  I rooted for the Hawks last year since DeMarre Carroll was on the team, but since he went to Toronto and then got injured, I lost interest.  I just can't root for the Warriors like most, and the closest teams I have are the Bulls, Grizzlies, and Thunder, and I just can't find myself rooting for them.

My interest in NBA is about the same level of NHL, but I still love NCAA and high school basketball.  As for NHL teams, I guess I should root for the Blues, but I just can't, which again is why I say its the Hartford Whalers. If KC had a NBA or NHL team I would root for them.

Jupiter, I'm in Illinois, and a few miles north of Interstate 70.  I tend to root for the nearest team on the 70 in most sports. St. Louis Cardinals, Indiana Pacers, Columbus Crew, now Indy Eleven in the NASL. Even went to Indianapolis Indians baseball last night.  Anything that isn't Chicago!

Can't agree more w/ you ranman.  How has hockey gone soooo far south.  Gretzky in LA must be the beginning of the end, but Nashville?  Come on.  I have a hard enough time watching Gary Bettman ruin the game I love for his money grubbing owners.  All offense no ruthlessness that I grew up w/.  Broad Street Bullies and Big Bad Bruins gone for Powerplay penguins and zebra calling interference every 2 seconds.  I pine for the days of Maple Leafs and Canadians pounding each other for 7 games.  I can't stand the new nhl, drives me nuts

Amen rushrules, hockey of the 80's (my era) was great, fights, forchecks and goalies that didnt hide behind a wall of rubber and foam. =)