Hockey fans unite!!! {the All Things Hockey Thread}

[Stuntman]

ok so i really am starting to hate this east coast bias.....with the release of the nbc nhl scheduled coverage, the kings will get 13 appearances which by itself is not bad. but, only one of those games will be on nbc appearing nationally. while the other 12 games will appear on nbcsn.

you would think that with the stanley cup winners would come with more national exposure.......to some degree yes. but the nbcsn does not draw a whole lot of viewers.

and to make it worse they will be using the nbc nhl broadcasters and not the kings which would be fine, but many of them are just way to east coast biased. their coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs and finals were nuts. maybe it is because these guys can't stay up late to watch us, but i hope next year we get more love then what has been shown so far.

the worst part is that Bob Miller (future broadcasting hall of fame'r) and Jim Fox are getting snubbed by not announcing the banner raising game (first home game for the kings). Bob Miller will probably mc the event, but he will not be calling the game

Sounds like exactly what's happening in Canada. The reason is money. In Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs draw the largest TV audience. They get most of the prime time TV coverage. In Canada, the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast is the major, national TV event that happens every Saturday. The Leafs get more games because they draw the most viewers and thus generate the most revenue.

On top of that, normally they show a double header with one at 4pm Pacific time and one at 7pm Pacific time. That's 7 and 10 eastern. When the Leafs come to Vancouver, the game starts at 4pm Pacific time because a 7pm Pacific start would mean the CBC network loses a huge portion of their audience. Does the Kings game start eariler if it is on National TV and an eastern team is visiting?

 

[ocnbrze]

Sounds like exactly what's happening in Canada. The reason is money. In Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs draw the largest TV audience. They get most of the prime time TV coverage. In Canada, the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast is the major, national TV event that happens every Saturday. The Leafs get more games because they draw the most viewers and thus generate the most revenue.

On top of that, normally they show a double header with one at 4pm Pacific time and one at 7pm Pacific time. That's 7 and 10 eastern. When the Leafs come to Vancouver, the game starts at 4pm Pacific time because a 7pm Pacific start would mean the CBC network loses a huge portion of their audience. Does the Kings game start eariler if it is on National TV and an eastern team is visiting?

yeah i know it is about money as far as tv goes, but we are the Staney Champs!!!!!!! that should be an exception for this year.......normally yes i get it. but this coming year should be different.

if it is going to appear on the east coast they usually have it on at 7pm vs 7:30 pm PT on the weekdays and 5pm or even 1pm on the weekends.

but really my biggest beef is the commentators as they are such non west coast homers

 

[Stuntman]

but really my biggest beef is the commentators as they are such non west coast homers

The main commentator for CBC's Hockey Night in Canada used to do Canucks games, so I can't complain here. He's very good which is why he got the national gig several years ago.

The biggest complaint I have is that people in the east can't seem to pronounce some of the names of players on western teams. I hear so many mispronouciations of Bieksa.

In the past one of our sports networks, TSN (The Sports Network) also showed a slant towards the Toronto Maple Leafs. We used to call this network (Toronto Sports Network) because they show so much stuff about Toronto. They have gotten a lot better as of late in showing less of a bias.

There is going to be a big shake up next year for NHL broadcasts. In the past, CBC (our national broadcaster) and TSN owned the rights to nation wide broadcasts of games. Rogers Sportsnet (RS) had the rights to local broadcasts. RS had a number of regional channels, so if multiple games are on at the same time, you would see the broadcast for the home team of your region.

RS uses a lot of local talent. Of the three, RS has a nice local pool of media and commentators, but it appears to be not as polished as the others.

TSN has the best hockey panel consisting of a mix of media types, ex-players, ex-coaches as well as an ex-referee. I enjoy listening to them talk hockey the most. The ex-referee also comments on various calls and non-calls during the course of a game. I think it is really great to hear a referee's perspective on the game. There is no other sporting program I know of where you could really get an understanding of the game or play from a ref's point of view.

CBC has been broadcasting hockey since we had TV in Canada. They have the most traditional feel of the networks. They still have the main icons, Don Cherry and Ron MacLean, who have been doing Hockey Night in Canada since the 80's. Bob Cole has been around a long time, too. Jim Hughson has taken over as the main play-by-play man in national broadcasts. They practically own hockey broadcasting on Saturdays.

There is going to be a huge shake up in the hockey broadcasting landscape for next year. Rogers Sportsnet has the contract for next year. TSN is out. CBC will still do their traditional Hockey Night in Canada on Saturdays. RS threw a lot of money to outbid the others this time around. I'm sad to see TSN displace. I think they still get a few Toronto Maple Leaf games. I'm interested to see what the RS broadcasts will be like. I know two of the new hosts. One did the CFL broadcasts last year on TSN. He was also one of the local Vancouver sportscasters I used to see on TV. The other hosted a long running late night talk show on CBC. I like both of them, so this is a good start at least for RS.

 

[ocnbrze]

i wish we got to see more of don cherry and ron maclean.....i have only seen them from time to time and only as guests and such on tv.

not sure if you guys get to see or here Bob Miller and Jim Fox call the games, but for me they are the best in any sport that i know of.....i would put Bob Miller in with the likes of Chick Hearn or Vin Scully!!!!!!! He is that good.


and at least you get to watch your teams on tv. here the teams get their own network channel and then the cable companies go to war with the network all the while the fans do not get to watch their teams play. it is so frustrating that i can't watch my Dodgers(i know this is a hockey thread, but i'm comming to my point). the only good thing happening to sports here in LA is the Kings. they have a solid contract with prime ticket(fox).

my only hope is that the kings do not fall into the trap of wanting to get in on the action. and then their newly formed network will have to fight with direct tv and such and i will loose out on watching them play........i doubt this will happen as there will never be a high demand for hockey like there is for nba or nfl.

 

[Stuntman]

i wish we got to see more of don cherry and ron maclean.....i have only seen them from time to time and only as guests and such on tv.

They've been a staple of Hockey Night in Canada for over 30 years. Don Cherry started in 1981 and MacLean ended up joining him several years later.

Funny how you dislike the homer attitude of some commentators. Don Cherry is the biggest homer there is on TV. He loves the Bruins and Leafs and certain players (big, tough guys mostly). Most of all he loves Canada and Canadian hockey players. He once threatened to punch out another commentator if he kept saying negative things about Team Canada that was involved in an international hockey incident. I actually don't mind Cherry. I know some of my friends feel he is too biased even for Canada. I personally love the fact that he wears his heart on his sleeve and isn't afraid to speak his mind, even if it isn't the politically correct thing to say. I like listening to him speak even though I don't agree with some of the things he says.

not sure if you guys get to see or here Bob Miller and Jim Fox call the games, but for me they are the best in any sport that i know of.....i would put Bob Miller in with the likes of Chick Hearn or Vin Scully!!!!!!! He is that good.

We do get a number of American channels here. Those particular names I don't recognise. I do like watching some of the American broadcasts, mainly because I get tired of always watching the same 7 teams on TV. It's nice to see a Chicago-LA game or any other American match up with two strong teams.

One thing that I like about American broadcasts is that they do try to make hockey on TV better. Personally, I like watching hockey live, but not on TV. The reason is that the camera angles don't show enough of the ice. They pretty much zoom into the area where the puck is and there are important things happening away from the puck. The American broadcasts were the first to show the camera angle from behind the net. They generally only do this on power plays, but this angle really enhances the broadcast because the viewer gets to see the entire ice and see how something like a back door play develop. Some Canadian broadcasts are doing the same, but I recall it started with US hockey broadcasts.

When I watch hockey live, I love the fact that I can for instance see a break away or 2-on-1 develop starting from the defensive zone. On TV, you see a guy make a pass and then the guy 100 feet away receive the pass. You don't see how the guy managed to get open for the break away pass. This is what I miss and I hate it when I can't see stuff like this on TV. I would love to see the end zone view exclusively like they do in tennis.

CBC always has to show one Canadian team (if any are still playing). They also have triple headers on occasion with 6 Canadian teams. I understand the Edmonton-Calgary or Ottawa-Toronto rivalry, but there are years when one or both of these teams suck.

and at least you get to watch your teams on tv. here the teams get their own network channel and then the cable companies go to war with the network all the while the fans do not get to watch their teams play. it is so frustrating that i can't watch my Dodgers(i know this is a hockey thread, but i'm comming to my point). the only good thing happening to sports here in LA is the Kings. they have a solid contract with prime ticket(fox).

The TV landscape is different in Canada. Major networks get first dibs at national games. Then the regional sports channels (Rogers Sportsnet last year and previous years) get to broadcast any other games in their region. I think on the Maple Leafs have their own TV channel. I can't imagine a channel dedicated to only one team. Sounds weird to me. What do you show the other 6 1/2 days when the team isn't playing?

my only hope is that the kings do not fall into the trap of wanting to get in on the action. and then their newly formed network will have to fight with direct tv and such and i will loose out on watching them play........i doubt this will happen as there will never be a high demand for hockey like there is for nba or nfl.

The NHL has been trying to get better TV penetration in the US for decades. I guess the politics of TV networks in the US is hindering things. I guess it's tough to be a hockey fan in a country that places so many other sports ahead of hockey.

 

[ocnbrze]

true it is tough to get hockey love here.....as far as being in LA, i love the fact that i'm seeing more and more LA KINGS paraphernalia. there are way more Kings fans now then it was 10 years ago. back then i was almost embarrassed to admit that i was even a Kings fan then.

and i agree watching the games live is way better then on tv.

i did not post this here, but i got tickets to the NY rangers vs Kings game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final......double over time live was pure amazing!!!!!!!!!! i was exhausted after that.

it is not just homer attitude though that i dislike. it is just overall the east coast vs west coast bias is not only found in the nhl, but in all of the major sports......just getting tired of it is all. it just seemed more prevalent this past season.

 

[Stuntman]

I did get a chance to watch a game in LA vs. the Blues back in 1998. This was back in the old Great Western Forum. They ripped out several rows of seats and put in tables for the media. It's interesting to see how they made do with these older buildings. Here in the old Pacific Coliseum, the media was actually sitting in the catwalks high above the seats.

The interesting thing is that I've seen more NHL games in arenas outside of Vancouver than I have in Vancouver. I've watched games in LA, Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo and Ottawa. I've always been a football (CFL) fan growing up, so I just go to watch the B.C. Lions play. I play hockey, but I'm just not too interested in watching it.

Besides, hockey tickets are prohibitively expensive and I'd rather spend that amount of money on other things. The cheapest seats are close to $100 each. I think it's cheaper to fly to Phoenix to watch a Canucks game there than it is to watch it here in Vancouver if you're talking about the good seats.

The last few times I watched a game in Vancouver, I got my tickets for free. I won one set of tickets in a draw and the other times, I got them as a gift.

 

[ocnbrze]

yeah that is one great thing about the LA KINGS is that they have only raised the prices a few bucks , since winning the cup 2 years ago. we might get a slight bump in prices now that we won two.........i hope not. but you can get nose bleed tickets for $35!!!!!!!!

 

[Unforgiven]

I've never been to a Bruins game. You can't park for less than $50, let alone get tickets.

 

[Stuntman]

This is interesting news regarding NHL broadcast rights. Here in Canada, non-national broadcasts are blacked out. Even though I have channels that are scheduled to broadcast games of other Canadian teams, they are blacked out in my area if these are not national broadcasts.

Westhead: NHL loses key decision in TV rights lawsuit

 

[ocnbrze]

hmmmm weird we do not have blacked out games. majority of games are televised no matter what wether on local channel or nbcsc.

 

[Stuntman]

There's been a lot of speculation on possible expansion in the NHL. Nothing official yet, but I'm hearing Seattle, Las Vegas, Quebec City and Toronto as among the possible places for new teams.

Daly: 'Nothing new to report' in wake of new expansion reports

I would love to see a team in Seattle. It would be a great rival for the Canucks. I recall back in the NASL days, there was a huge rivalry between the Whitecaps and Sounders.

Quebec City lost its team to Denver who won the Stanley Cup the first year it moved. The economics and Canadian/US exchange rate played a role in Quebec and Winnipeg losing their hockey teams. Now that the Canadian dollar is much stronger, I would love to see the NHL return to Quebec City.

Toronto already has a team, but that area could support 3 teams. The biggest hurdle is the Maple Leafs. They don't want to share the hockey revenue they get from the area. The Leafs back in the late 60's even used their influence to delay Vancouver getting a team because they don't want to lose any revenue to a new team. They weren't too happy about the Sabres either.

 

[ocnbrze]

There's been a lot of speculation on possible expansion in the NHL. Nothing official yet, but I'm hearing Seattle, Las Vegas, Quebec City and Toronto as among the possible places for new teams.

Daly: 'Nothing new to report' in wake of new expansion reports

I would love to see a team in Seattle. It would be a great rival for the Canucks. I recall back in the NASL days, there was a huge rivalry between the Whitecaps and Sounders.

Quebec City lost its team to Denver who won the Stanley Cup the first year it moved. The economics and Canadian/US exchange rate played a role in Quebec and Winnipeg losing their hockey teams. Now that the Canadian dollar is much stronger, I would love to see the NHL return to Quebec City.

Toronto already has a team, but that area could support 3 teams. The biggest hurdle is the Maple Leafs. They don't want to share the hockey revenue they get from the area. The Leafs back in the late 60's even used their influence to delay Vancouver getting a team because they don't want to lose any revenue to a new team. They weren't too happy about the Sabres either.

its all rumors made by some journalist who is only speculating. the deputy commissioner has denied these rumors.

NHL denies report of expansion team coming to Seattle by 2017 | Q13 FOX News

i'm not sure how i feel about expansion just yet. i think the sport is growing in the right direction. maybe in 4-5 years from now we can support more teams.

 

[Stuntman]

Here's more expansion speculation: An NHL team in Toronto could be yours for - $1.2 billion?

With 30 teams and 4 divisions, the playoffs are uneven with 8/14 teams in the west making the playoffs while only 8/16 teams in the east making the playoffs. When I look at the number of teams and divisions, I immediately think that they either need to add 2 teams or remove 2 teams. I don't see the league moving back to 6 divisions. Most likely they would have to add 2 teams to the west to make the numbers even.

I'm still hoping for a team in Seattle.

A western team in Toronto is an interesting idea. If LA and New York can have 2 teams, Toronto can support 3 teams. MLSE will fight tooth and nail to prevent a second team in Toronto. MLSE doesn't want to give up any piece of their huge pie.

 

[ocnbrze]

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Hockey is back!!!!!!!!!!
arty:

i'm so stoked that the regular season starts next week!!!!!!!!

i just did one of my hockey fantasy drafts.....i have another one on tuesday!!!!!!!

so who is excited???????????

and here is something to make you all jealous:

Spoiler

 

[Stuntman]

I'm ready for hockey.

 

[ocnbrze]

I'm ready for hockey.

nhl card game....really? LOL

the one thing i regret about my LA KINGS winning the the Cup is that the price of tickets for certain games is crazy. the home opener prices are well over $200-$300 for nose bleed sections!!!!!! of course, they are raising the banner so it is not your typical home opener

i'll just wait and see what match ups looks promising later down the road and get those tickets. i would like at some point get me some of the premier seats. i have some money saved up for just that purpose.

 

[Stuntman]

nhl card game....really? LOL

I used to have an NHL board game called Big League Manager. It is a little like Monopoly where you draft and trade players to build your team. Unlike Monopoly, the game ends in a reasonable amount of time. I sold it to buy this game.

NHL Power Play is a deck-building game like Dominion in a hockey theme. It includes cards featuring NHL players as well as cards featuring various hockey related skills, maneuvers and events you would see in a game. The game company managed to get licensing from the NHL and NHLPA. There will be 2 expansions. One will come out around the All-Star game and the other one will come out around the start of the play-offs.

I'm really in to board games and card games. I also have a Football themed card game called Blood Bowl Team Manager.

the one thing i regret about my LA KINGS winning the the Cup is that the price of tickets for certain games is crazy. the home opener prices are well over $200-$300 for nose bleed sections!!!!!! of course, they are raising the banner so it is not your typical home opener

i'll just wait and see what match ups looks promising later down the road and get those tickets. i would like at some point get me some of the premier seats. i have some money saved up for just that purpose.

My cousin actually benefitted from the Canucks missing the playoffs last season. He found tickets to be more readily available.

 

[ocnbrze]

I used to have an NHL board game called Big League Manager. It is a little like Monopoly where you draft and trade players to build your team. Unlike Monopoly, the game ends in a reasonable amount of time. I sold it to buy this game.

NHL Power Play is a deck-building game like Dominion in a hockey theme. It includes cards featuring NHL players as well as cards featuring various hockey related skills, maneuvers and events you would see in a game. The game company managed to get licensing from the NHL and NHLPA. There will be 2 expansions. One will come out around the All-Star game and the other one will come out around the start of the play-offs.

I'm really in to board games and card games. I also have a Football themed card game called Blood Bowl Team Manager.



My cousin actually benefitted from the Canucks missing the playoffs last season. He found tickets to be more readily available.

never been into board games or card games.....lol

and as far as ticket prices go....i guess that is the price we all pay when your teams becomes successful. i think tho the prices go down considerably. it is just the home opener and the banner raising ceremony brings the ticket price up.

i think i might buy some premium seats when the NY Rangers come to town this year. i might go to some earlier games maybe around xmas time.

 

[ocnbrze]

ok that is 3 years in a row that the Kings have lost a home opener

and that is twice that they lost a home opener after winning the Stanley Cup

i know that it is a very long season, but man we have got to get a better start to the season then that.

i'm glad i did not shell out my money where the only good thing tonight was the raising of the championship banner.

oh well......enough ranting......it is a long season.

GO KINGS GO!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Unforgiven]

Bruins won.

 

[ocnbrze]

Bruins won.

:eviltongue::eviltongue::eviltongue:

 

[Stuntman]

ok that is 3 years in a row that the Kings have lost a home opener

and that is twice that they lost a home opener after winning the Stanley Cup

i know that it is a very long season, but man we have got to get a better start to the season then that.

i'm glad i did not shell out my money where the only good thing tonight was the raising of the championship banner.

oh well......enough ranting......it is a long season.

Take it easy. It's just the first game. Wait 10 games in and see how they fair.

 

[ocnbrze]

Take it easy. It's just the first game. Wait 10 games in and see how they fair.

LOL i know........i'm just frustrated each and every year. i get so hyped about the coming season....and each and every time they lose.....especially this year in preseason they looked really good. crisp passing....communication looked great. when Quick played he looked good.

.......then they raised the banner and played like poop. passing was off, unnecessary penalties, and Quick and Mike Richards failed to communicate and let in a very soft goal. this should have been a preseason game.

i know we have 80 some games more to go so all is not lost. just would have liked to start the season off better. hopefully Sutter will right the ship in time for Sat's game.

 

[Stuntman]

i know we have 80 some games more to go so all is not lost. just would have liked to start the season off better. hopefully Sutter will right the ship in time for Sat's game.

Did the Oilers cure your unhappiness?