bignick33

I'm gonna guess that Stevie Y's meeting with Richards was primarily for show. He wants to show Stamkos that he is prepared to move on without him, when in reality the priority is to extend Stamkos forever.

The Philly thing is interesting. By failing to re-sign Leino AND trading Versteeg, that opens up some space. Does this mean they could become a player for Richards?! I hope my math is wrong.

Lastly, as a Bruins fan, I really hope the Flyers or someone else doesn't put out a ridiculous offer sheet for Marchand. The rumor last week was that the deal was done, but that obviously didn't happen. Now, we might have to give Marchand Leino money which would be necessary but :banghead: as he's a really good young player. The interesting thing about Marchand is that Boston management literally had to tell him to get the hell out of Boston and go back to Halifax, because he was partying too hard. He's not only a pain in the arse to the opposition, he's a pain in the arse to his own franchise.

The contracts being throw out today are all out of whack and this is clearly a bubble. But, there are gonna be enough losers that things won't really normalize until probably about 2013. It'll still be a seller's market at the trade deadline and the 2012 FA class is once again fairly weak.

Ryder to Dallas for 2 years and 7 million. Not a bad spot for him, as he won't be under the microscope. He's a solid goal scorer (and decent backup goalie to?!), but highly inconsistent in terms of both results and effort.

Ed Jovanowski get's 4 years from Florida. He'll be dead before that contract ends.

There are some insanely irresponsible contracts being thrown around. For the first time in my life, I'm glad the Bruins AREN'T spending money. But, keep an eye out for them at the deadline again this year and in free agency next year, as they'll have crazy $$ to throw around.

Apparently both Pittsburgh and Detroit have withdrawn their interest in Jagr.

I actually think Kansas City might work if the team were well-run. The heartland has been surprisingly receptive to the sport of hockey at both the pro (Blues) and amateur (USHL and Nebraska-Omaha) levels. The fact that there's little going on in KC during the winter could work to a team's benefit. And, the arena and infrastructure are already good to go. The question would be finding someone rich and competent with interest (Cuban?!).

How so? I said that it's more expensive in advance of the game than day-of, but if you're gonna buy in advance of the game, wait a few weeks before (as opposed to a few months before). Buying in advance is probably the best bet for someone who is coming from out of town, even if it's a bit more expensive.

It's simply not true that tickets are more expensive day-of. They're typically less expensive, because people would rather deal with a reputable online agency and have the tickets in hand in advance than deal with some shmuck on the street. That being said, the peace of mind of having them in hand in advance is often very much worth the cost, and the selection is much more diverse online that it'll be on the street. I'd recommend waiting until a few weeks in advance of the game, because prices are typically inflated well in advance (just the way college football ticket prices are inflated in the offseason and go down a bit once the season starts).

I have no doubt they'd sell out initially. But, would they sell out ten years from now if they had a losing team? It's the same suggested problems with Winnipeg except on an even smaller scale. And, there are of course the corporate commitment problems that you mention as well. I'd still say it's among the top 5 or so Canadian markets that doesn't currently have a team.

I love the Halifax and its connections with Boston. If a team were moved there, they'd be able to draw interest from the other Martimes, but I have to figure drawing 18k on a consistent basis would be a challenge just because it's such a small city. You're right, Quebec and another Southern Ontario franchise are both more feasible at the current time. In any event, the cup is heading up there for the second time in three years (and, incidentally, it's headed to New Brunswick and Newfoundland as well).

Matt Ryan is probably approaching Rivers.