Official NHL Discussion Thread

[MikeRaw]

Despite a 4-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday, Denis Savard's tenure as the coach of the Chicago Blackhawks has come to an end.

The Blackhawks made the move to let their coach of three years go, after the club got off to a slow 1-2-1 start.

"I'm disappointed but I guess it's the nature of the business," Savard told ESPN when contacted on Thursday.

"I know I was doing a good job, I'm dedicated to my work. Obviously they felt they had to make a change, so what can you do."

Expectations are high in Chicago this season. The club added free agent defenceman Brian Campbell, and free agent goaltender Cristobal Huet in the off-season to add to the core group of Martin Havlat, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

"The only thing I can say is that last year I thought I did a heck of a job with our young kids," added Savard. "Eight to 10 rookies in our lineup. We had a bit of a slow start this year but I thought the team was on the right track. I guess it goes with the territory. As a coach you're judged on wins and losses."

Sources say former Avalanche and Blues coach Joel Quenneville will take over behind the bench.

In 147 games as Blackhawks coach, Savard posted a 65-66-16 record.

TSN.ca
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Wow, so the Blackhawks have fired Denis Savard, and hired Quenneville. Cool for them I guess.

 

[monkeystyle]

lol Chicago.

Good luck with Huet.

Also, skin of our teeth last night, and I have the strongest urge to hump Carey Price.

 

[PeepShow]

lol, I thought Chicago was supposed to be good, Mike.

 

[MikeRaw]

^They are, they will be great. And atcually, they are already predicted to have a great year and have a good run in the playoffs, they just fired their coach cause he is horrible at teaching defensively, and didn't get along with the new owner.

 

[monkeystyle]

lol, I thought Chicago was supposed to be good, Mike.

Give Chicago a few years and they'll have a great team provided they can hold on to all their guys.

They might make the playoffs this year, but they certainly aren't one of those dark horse teams this year.

And like I said. lol Huet. Shaky goaltender at best.

 

[gamebreaker]

LMFAO wowwwwwwww....
Tampa Bay lost in OT again but this time to the Islanders...
They really need to step it up this season, they lost 4 in a row.

 

[JayScorpion]

im very happy with my rangers thus far, hopefully they can squeeze another pt here against the wings.....

EDIT:
nvm, but a pt is a pt

 

[MikeRaw]

It appears some National Hockey League officials think the Toronto market is big enough to have two teams.

According to The Globe and Mail, NHL governors have had informal talks about putting a second team in Toronto.

''Why shouldn't we put another team in the best and biggest market in the world?'' one governor told the newspaper anonymously, adding one scenario involves Research in Motion CEO Jim Balsillie being awarded an expansion franchise after coming to the aid of the financially-strapped Nashville Predators.

''I've heard bits and pieces of this scenario, although not in that kind of detail,'' Calgary Flames co-owner Harley Hotchkiss told The Globe and Mail. ''Our priority is to have the existing franchises solid.''

President of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Richard Peddie said his organization would listen to any expansion suggestions and downplayed any negative effect it could have on the Maple Leafs.

''When and if the league brings expansion to the table, we'll listen and decide what is best for hockey,'' Peddie told The Globe and Mail. ''The Maple Leafs would not be hurt one bit. In fact, it would help them. They could make all kinds of money renting the Air Canada Centre to the other team.''

Another governor told the newspaper the league would be better served by moving an exisiting team as opposed to granting an expansion franchise.

“I don't think it can be an expansion team,” the unnamed governor told The Globe and Mail. “We can't expand because we would be the laughingstock of professional sports. We've got too many troubled franchises."

In recent years, Balsillie has made attempts to buy the Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins amid speculation he would move the team to the southern Ontario region.

Files from The Globe and Mail were used in this report.

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Wow, another team in Toronto? That'd be cool. I would always be a leaf fan, of course, and would probably end up hating this team, but it'd still be good to have another team here.
BTW, I can't wait for all the hate people will be directing at Toronto, as if we needed anymore, lol.

 

[monkeystyle]

Why?

So you assholes an have two chances at not bringing a Cup home?

Fuck that. There are plenty more deserving places for a new team other than a second Toronto team.

 

[MikeRaw]

^Really? Please don't say Kansas City, lol.
The only places that deserve new teams are in Canada. I, personally, would love to see one team in Quebec City (being back the Nordiques), and one morein Winnipeg before Toronto.
But I see why they are doing it, because despite all the hate, Toronto is home to 4 million people, and the surrounding area (GTA) has another 4 or 5 million in southern Ontario alone. So I know why they are considering it, because if they want to move a struggling team, it should be to a place they know they will sell out.

 

[monkeystyle]

Yeah that's what I mean.

Winnipeg
Quebec City
Any large maritime city (Seriously why don't they have anything yet?)
And if we're gonna go into Ontario again, London is a better idea IMO than another Toronto (Hamilton) franchise.

 

[MikeRaw]

^I know this will sound like a copycat since you just said it, but for some reason I forgot to bring it up earlier, but ya, I've always said that a team in St Johns Newfoundland, or Halifax, would be good. It would probably do as good as a team in Detroit or even Edmonton in terms of selling tickets. I wouldn't mind that at all.
More realistic though would be Winnipeg.
I think there are 3 teams that actually need to move. Atlanta, Florida (Panthers), and Nashville. The rest are fine in terms of attendance, and the ones thta are down, like the NY islanders, adn LA kings, are only because the teams suck.
But in 5-10 years, I would like to see Atlanta go to Quebec City, Florida go to Winnipeg and Nashville go to Hamilton/Toronto.

Let's face it, as much as people hate toronto, it is good for business, because we are hockey crazy, and can easily support two teams, and the NHL needs a team like Nashville to move to a solid market.
So we can all agree on why it needs to be done, and really, I think it would be fun for fans here in Toronto.
However, like I said before, I agree that there are a few other places who SHOULD get it first, but I doubt they will, becuase the NHL wants to get a team into a sure place first.

 

[chessarmy]

Another win for the New Jersey Devils! A 4-3 shootout win vs the Capitals! Brodeur PWN3D in net like he always does, and he helped bring Jersey's team to 4-1...

YOUR NEXT DALLAS!!!!

EDIT: Sad news...Brian Rolston AND Bobby Holik (our two free agent acquisitions btw) are injured and won't be back for a month. So we're back to last year's team for now no:

 

[niggles]

Nashville and Atlanta are completely irrelevant, no one would miss them if they disappeared.

 

[Soulpower]

The Canadiens are cheating! Its the only reasonable explanation for their fast start this season.

Figures.. Their opponents have a combined 11-12 record. I smell a conspiracy. Meanwhile, the Wings' opponents have a combined a record of 13-8-2.

CONSPIRACY!!!