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Silly NHL owners & CEO May 21, 2009

Posted by jphebert in Business, hockey.
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The Coyote’s future is at stake, or at least where they’ll play in the future.  We’re now seeing two investors willing to keep the team in Arizona (where the only ice outside the rink is in your glass) and sell this to a public with “prior engagements” (Nascar, NFL, NBA, etc.).  Local culture is around these sports, not hockey.

I think the goal of making a franchise work is a great one, but they’re at the point of cutting losses and moving on, loosing 70+M$ in the last few years should be a clue any investor should look at.    Just move the team where it can be profitable (and that means somewhere people like hockey), I’m not saying go with Jim’s plan but where it snows would be a start..

The NHL needs to be held accountable to selecting cities for new teams.  Arizona?  Someone needs to go back and hit the books..

Please someone fire Bettman May 7, 2009

Posted by jphebert in Business, hockey.
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I’m your average hockey watching and playing and coachign dad, but also a business decision maker.  When I see egos get in the way of product/service quality and most importantly the customer it drives me nuts.

Seeing that Jim Basillie is offering a mountain of money to take a team which has filed chapter 11 in a non-natural hockey market to a place it can be profitable and create a strong following in record time makes a whole lot of sense to me.  Yes I’m in Canada and would love to see a 7th team here.  I’d prefer Quebec City but Hamilton is in a hot market for this product.

Now seeing good old Gary get all defensive on this is shameful.  He said that he does not  abandon markets, but when attendance is 10-20% of capacity, once has to ask the sanity of moving the Jets from Winnipeg to Arizona.  I love Arizona by the way – phenomenal state.  But seriously, who cares about hockey there as the best way to ensure attendance is to build a franchise in a market when people “get it”.  Nobody plays recreational ice hockey there (lack of rinks, staff, coaches, etc.), and other sports are stongly entrenched.

So why keep Gary?  He wants to put teams in the US to “expand” the audience and create growth.  Not a bad idea at all, but secure your core markets first.  Since he does not get it or his ego prevents logical decisions, the govenors should fire him.  He’s costing the league millions and the NHL can barely make it on occasion on NBC and nowhere on the ESPN grid.  Shameful.

For the future of hockey and its growth, there you have it, sending a team to an owner who will not be a fan in a dead market or to a passionate billionaire fan in a hot prospect market.  If  I’d behave like that I think I’d get fired.

NHL salaries: Bettman & Co. are back to square 1 July 2, 2008

Posted by jphebert in hockey.
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NHL general managers for the most part are mental.  They spent a gazillion dollars on players that are not necessarily worth the moolah.  I don’t mean to pick on any player but some are lucky to have found idiotic cash-spending loonies like the GM in Chicago, Huet now makes more than Brodeur and how much does that make sense?

Let’s face it, Bettman & Co. are back where they were 2 years ago, with the same financials (give or take) at play, where they can spend waaaay too much then they’ll complain about making money.  They should ALL be fired, Bettman first for allowing this 2 years after the strike.

Congrats to the GMs who did not go berserk, namely our GM Bob Gainey who is criticized on a regular basis for “inaction” but heck, he’s not sinking his ship with contracts.

Hockey: how to fix the fighting issue and injuries April 2, 2008

Posted by jphebert in family, hockey.
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I think ice hockey must be the last sport on Earth to allow fights the way they do and I think it’s just plain stupid.  Some claim the NHL will loose some audience, good, send these fans over to rastlin’ (pro wrestling) and new fans will come for the same reason.

A simple yet efficient way to improve player protection and eliminate fights is actually very simple: full-face helmet protection.  If they guy in front of you has a full metal grill or an I-Tech style transparent unit, how can you punch him in the face?  The ones to loose the most will be dentists anyway..

Also, on the topic of player protection, force them to wear kevlar neckguards.  The NHL has the ability and authority to impose (with the NHLPA) equipment obligations.  Look at Richard Zednik’s injury.  ’nuff said!

The problem in all this revolves around Bettman and the ruleset.  Take out fights and the players will pull dirty moves.  How to manage dirty moves?  5 to 10 game suspensions without pay.  And the NHLPA should go with this because they’re protecting the well-being of their members.  If a dirty players gets caught 4 times (and yes such penalties should be given after the game from video replays), he looses half the season and half the pay.  I call that motivation.

Also in that line of thought, actual hockey players will get promoted to more ice time and the show will get better with more plays and more passing and more goals.  Don’t mess with the goalies’ equipment, just make the players play.  Sometimes I think rules for women’s hockey should be applied to the NHL..

Standings as of March 2nd and the system sucks March 2, 2008

Posted by jphebert in hockey.
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I’m repeating myself: the system sucks.  The leader of a division should not get an automatic free pass to the playoffs.  Quite frankly, people don’t care about divisions, they care about their teams.  Here is where we’re at:

Team GP W L OT PTS
1. Montreal * 66 36 21 9 81              
2. New Jersey * 66 37 23 6 80              
3. Carolina * 68 34 29 5 73              
4. Ottawa 66 37 23 6 80              
5. Pittsburgh 66 36 23 7 79              
6. Boston 64 35 23 6 76              
7. NY Rangers 65 33 24 8 74              
8. Philadelphia 65 33 25 7 73              
9. Buffalo 65 31 25 9 71              
10. NY Islanders 66 31 28 7 69              
11. Washington 66 30 28 8 68              
12. Toronto 67 29 28 10 68              
13. Atlanta 66 29 31 6 64              
14. Florida 67 28 31 8 64              
15. Tampa Bay 65 26 32 7 59              

Quite frankly, I don’t think the Hurricanes should be in slot # 3, they should be #7..  Bettman & Co. should kill this program for 2008/9..

Refs suck tonight February 19, 2008

Posted by jphebert in hockey.
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NHL refereeing can be good, bad or ugly.  Tonight, ugly in the Ravers vs Canadiens game.  I won’t blame the refs for the Habs’ sleeping the 1st period but come on, call the penalties!  And we’re 2 periods down..  It’s ridiculous to the point of the fans throwing the flags from flag day.  Nuff said.

NHL: positions system need to change February 14, 2008

Posted by jphebert in hockey.
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If you take a quick look at the positions on NHL.com today (or anywhere else), there is a blatant absurdity in the rankings, just take a look and try to find it:

Rank GP W L OT Pts
1 Ottawa Senators* 58 34 19 5 73
2 Pittsburgh Penguins* 57 32 20 5 69
3 Washington Capitals* 58 27 25 6 60
4 Montréal Canadiens 58 30 19 9 69
5 New Jersey Devils 57 32 21 4 68
6 Philadelphia Flyers 56 30 21 5 65
7 Buffalo Sabres 57 28 21 8 64
8 Boston Bruins 57 29 23 5 63
9 New York Rangers 59 28 24 7 63
10 Carolina Hurricanes 59 28 27 4 60
11 Atlanta Thrashers 59 28 27 4 60
12 Florida Panthers 59 26 27 6 58

If you noticed that team #3 (Washington) has 60 points and should be in the slot after the Panthers, you got it right. Bettman & Co. need to address this rule now or for next season. I don’t think this system brings any value where if no teams from a division don’t make it past 82 games. If your team doesn’t make it it sucks, but who cares about divisions really. Top 8 go in, the rest play golf.

If you want change in the NHL, check these guys out.

Thoughts on the NHL All-Star Skills Game January 29, 2008

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Here are a few observations on this activity:

  • Speed race: boooring – bring back the old format
  • Too much happening at the same time at once on the once when they did the “team activity”, cameras were not keeping up
  • The judges for the last segment were nobodies – where were Gretzky, Bossy, Lafleur or other hall of famer?

They need to shape up this activity, it holds a lot of potential but excecution is, well, bad.  When the players have to ask for pucks, you hit rock bottom.

I think these guys got it right.

NHL- something’s gotta happen January 25, 2008

Posted by jphebert in hockey.
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I read the blog “Fire Bettman” because I agree with the idea that the head honcho for the NHL needs to go.  I don’t wish for anyone to loose their job but I don’t think he gets it.  Today’s post is on the mark.

Quite frankly, when the NHL is not selling into it’s key demographic (the north part of North America, like Winnipeg & Quebec City) and is trying to keep teams in Nashville (??) and implement one in Las Vegas (ice hockey in the desert..) they need to re-think where they’re going with this.

Plus, the NHL all-stars are a no-show at the all-star game, which is absurd, just a tad less absurd of showing games on the Vs channel.  Talk to ESPN for crying out loud!  Talk to local TV stations!  Give all these guys a great deal, cancel the Vs contract and get some viewers.  Sounds like rocket science?

For those who want a good laugh and like hockey, try this film.  Just trust me, it features “Gary Buttman”.