[canucker]

Khabibulin retournerait à Phoenix

Dimanche 24 juillet 2005 - (RDS) - Attendez-vous à une avalanche de nouvelles au cours des prochains jours concernant les gros canons de la Ligue nationale de hockey. Nos sources indiquent déjà que le gardien Nikolai Khabibulin accepterait sous peu une offre des Coyotes de Phoenix.

Joueur autonome sans compensation, Khabibulin a déjà porté les couleurs des Coyotes de 1996 à 1999. Il possède d'ailleurs une résidence dans cette région de l'Arizona.

Le gardien du Lightning, qui a remporté la coupe Stanley lors de la saison 2003-04, a disputé 24 parties avec Kazan Ak-Bars l'an dernier durant le lock-out.

Link.


This is the only place I found this announcement. But it seems as though Khabibulin will be returning to Phoenix. That will make Phoenix a contending team this season for sure.

[Hester]

I think Khabibulin is a great goalie, but I'm still surprised that he would go back to Phoenix. After he sat out the entire 1999-2000 season I was pleased to see him sent off to Tampa Bay. I thought he deserved it. But it turns out he got the last laugh.

I know, and am surprised at this too, that 90% of the players ratified the new agreement. I guess they're getting desperate for a paycheck. I'm just wondering how players like Khabibulin, the ones who sat out for more money, feel about the new agreement?

Some US teams may not recover from the strike. Gretzky will have his work cut out for him in Phoenix. Has anyone heard if he will coach them this year?

[canucker]

He most likely will be coaching this year, although it's not official yet.

[Hester]

canucker,
You sound more and more like a Phoenix fan everyday Well, at least that is a team that I can cheer for. Are you happy that Khabibulin is coming back? I think he's a good goalie, but I still don't like him after he sat out an entire year.

I wouldn't be surprised if 5 or more US teams didn't survive the next two years. That might be that Khabibulin could end up in Canada, or anywhere else of course.

If some Canuck fans get turned off, there are plenty more willing to take their seats. A lot of US teams don't have that luxury and they will be suffering this year. And with the loss of the ESPN contract, those Americans who have forgotten hockey wont be exposed to it. It will be a very tough year.

It's time to play hockey.

[canucker]

Besides being a Canucks fan, I am a Phoenix and Boston fan.

I agree, it's going to be very tough for alot of the US teams to market their game. That's why Bettman should be fired, he doesn't know how to market the sport.

[Jaime_Souviens]

Hester wrote:

...I wouldn't be surprised if 5 or more US teams didn't survive the next two years...

Any particular five?

[Hester]

Jaime_Souviens wrote:

Hester wrote:

...I wouldn't be surprised if 5 or more US teams didn't survive the next two years...

Any particular five?

This is complete speculation on my part, unsupported by anyone or anything; these are the teams I think have the weakest support and will be in the most trouble:

Altanta
Anaheim
Carolina
Columbus
Florida
Los Angeles
Nashville
Phoenix
Tampa Bay
Washington

Not to pick on the US teams, but if we were to lose 10 teams, any 10 teams, the league would be phenomenally better. Everyone would love it, except for the mediocre players who wouldn't make the cut.

[canucker]

Hester wrote:

And with the loss of the ESPN contract, those Americans who have forgotten hockey wont be exposed to it. It will be a very tough year.

Local cities will still be able to watch their own team play on FOX Sports, there just isn't a national TV broadcast yet.

[canucker]

Some of those teams do have a fairly good fan base, like LA, Tampa Bay, and Columbus. These teams had a higher average attendance than Calgary last season for instance. Teams like Anaheim, Florida, Phoenix, Washington, and Atlanta, and possibly even Nashville have a bright future ahead of them because they have alot of good young players and prospects.

NHL Attendance

[The Hoser]

You can't even but a Stanley Cup Tampa Bay jersey in Tampa Bay, that has to say somthing about the fan base!

[Hester]

canucker wrote:

Some of those teams do have a fairly good fan base, like LA, Tampa Bay, and Columbus. These teams had a higher average attendance than Calgary last season for instance. Teams like Anaheim, Florida, Phoenix, Washington, and Atlanta, and possibly even Nashville have a bright future ahead of them because they have alot of good young players and prospects.

NHL Attendance

You have to convince the fans of the young players and talent. A five year plan wont work, they are going to need immediate results. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people weren't even aware, or cared, that there was a strike. What happened two years ago doesn't matter. Who do you think will get more fans this year? Any of those 10, or Calgary? An established fan base counts for a lot.

Calgary hasn't forgotten hockey, I'm not so sure of the others.

[Jaime_Souviens]

Hester wrote:

Jaime_Souviens wrote:

Hester wrote:

...I wouldn't be surprised if 5 or more US teams didn't survive the next two years...

Any particular five?

This is complete speculation on my part, unsupported by anyone or anything; these are the teams I think have the weakest support and will be in the most trouble:

Altanta
Anaheim
Carolina
Columbus
Florida
Los Angeles
Nashville
Phoenix
Tampa Bay
Washington

Not to pick on the US teams, but if we were to lose 10 teams, any 10 teams, the league would be phenomenally better. Everyone would love it, except for the mediocre players who wouldn't make the cut.

Fair enough. I agree that there should be fewer teams and mostly it's the recent American ones that ought to go.

Greater L.A. gets one team, not two. Florida gets one, not two. Phoenix is a desert.

Then throw Altanta, Carolina, Nashville, & Washington on the ash-heap of history.

In general, I think you have to be in a northern climate where people can actually play regularly. I'd only excuse L.A. and Florida because their metropolitan areas are so large, they'd always have enough northern emigres living there they would be able to survive.

[Giselle]

Hockey? Oh ya I remember that game. It folded or something like that didn't it?

[Hester]

It tried, we don't know if it's done yet.

You gotta get out and watch some games, if you want TML to survive. The Leafs are counting on YOU!

[The Hoser]

Yeah, because all of the regulars abandoned them...

SEVEN MORE YEARS, COUNT YOUR DAYS NHL! SEVEN MORE YEARS!