new wha

[goaliefan]

Is this new wha for real? can they make a go of it?

Cant be any worse then watching or going to an NHL game,
I feel that the last couple of seasons the NHL has become boring
to watch. what do you think and how can the NHL improve the
great game of hockey.

less teams
larger ice
remove the center line
have the players be fan friendly
replace Bettman
less regular season games
etc
What do you think?

[TDHarvey9]

Gary Bettmen has gotta go.

Over the last 10 years he has been almost obsessed with getting the major US TV contract(something he will never ever do when the NFL has it). He won't take no for an answer and figured that more US teams will inhance interest, but what he didn't realise is that it watered down the product, giving every day jobs to players who do not diserve it.

Gary stole the Jets from Winnipeg and put them in the desert, put teams in Nashville? Tampa Bay? Carolina? come on they are hardly big hockey cities (my apolies to fans of them but its the truth)

I heard that when the Senators and Sabres declared Bankrupcy (I heard this from one of Garys closest friends) that Gary "finally realised" what he did. I just hope he can fix what he did.

Judgement Day is coming, Sept 16, 2004. I am not exactly his greatest fan, but I am hoping he can fix the problems that I believe Gary is atleast somewhat responsible for.

as for the WHA, it won't go anywhere when half the league is in Florida!

[zkytek]

The WHA2 is real. They are first starting up a developmental league for this season, 5 or 6 teams for this year. And the initial inaugural season will start 2004.

Here are some websites:

http://www.wha2.com
http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net

Who knows what's going to happen (whether it'll be good or bad for hockey), but whatever the case it'll be interesting.

[CHL_NUT]

Bettman's gotta go he's screwing up a great game

[jb4725]

Fewer regular season games is an excellent idea. Remember how competitive the 95 season was? I don't live near an NHL city (12 hours to Montreal or Boston) so when i see a game it is a real treat. The NHL is a blast to watch, even when Buffalo is playing Montreal. I don;t think the new WHA will last. They are going tpo try and sell AHL hockey and call it major league. WHA2 will last maybe 2 seasons (hockey will never catch on in Macon, no matter what league, Birmingham will not support 2 low level minor league teams)
Sometimes it is nice to be on the outside of the NHL. Junior hockey is fast, exciting and a whole lot of fun. The QMJHL is a great product, so is Jr A. It's cheaper to see a junior game, or a senior game then a pro game and you'll have just as much fun. In Montreal, you can get 1 ticket for $25 for the Habs, ot last season stretch that 25 into a Montreal Rocket game, a Verdun Dragons (QSPHL) and a Lachine Maroons (Jr A).
JB

[puckbrain]

Originally posted by TDHarvey9
Gary Bettmen has gotta go.

Over the last 10 years he has been almost obsessed with getting the major US TV contract(something he will never ever do when the NFL has it). He won't take no for an answer and figured that more US teams will inhance interest, but what he didn't realise is that it watered down the product, giving every day jobs to players who do not diserve it.

Gary stole the Jets from Winnipeg and put them in the desert, put teams in Nashville? Tampa Bay? Carolina? come on they are hardly big hockey cities (my apolies to fans of them but its the truth)

I heard that when the Senators and Sabres declared Bankrupcy (I heard this from one of Garys closest friends) that Gary "finally realised" what he did. I just hope he can fix what he did.

Judgement Day is coming, Sept 16, 2004. I am not exactly his greatest fan, but I am hoping he can fix the problems that I believe Gary is atleast somewhat responsible for.

as for the WHA, it won't go anywhere when half the league is in Florida!
Your right about Bettman; he is destroying the game.

FYI, Bettman was one of the architects of bringing the salary cap to the NBA during the 1984-85 season.

Look at the NBA now, big market teams still get their choice of elite players (L.A. Lakers, Knicks, 76ers, Spurs) and win championships, while other teams (Cavaliers) become minor league teams sending elite talent to big market teams when they can't afford 'em anymore despite the cap.

I think Bettman will bring a NBA-ized salary cap, and smaller markets (edm, cal, van) will still lose elite talent to the bigger market teams even with a cap on salaries.

Bettman will really kill the NHL and Canadian NHL hockey if they decide to go with a "soft" salary cap like the NBA

[TDHarvey9]

wow, I didn't realise that he was in on the nba cap. in a perfect world the nhl gets a nfl system. but I think your right, he'll get a nba like cap. the players association says they will never ever except a deal with a cap. but with all the other major sports leagues have some form of a cap, they have to.

[puckbrain]

Originally posted by TDHarvey9
wow, I didn't realise that he was in on the nba cap. in a perfect world the nhl gets a nfl system. but I think your right, he'll get a nba like cap. the players association says they will never ever except a deal with a cap. but with all the other major sports leagues have some form of a cap, they have to.

Yep. Here is the link of a website which states Bettman as one of architects of salary cap in the NBA.

http://www.washingtonhockey.com/200203/features/sc2.htm

On the website, there are types of caps: "soft" and "hard".

The "hard" cap is used by the NFL where cap money can't be exceeded to a point; the NBA practices a "soft" cap meaning you can either exceed or be under the cap.

Both have their flaws and good points.

What the NHL needs is what you called a "minimum" payroll or a "minimum wage" type of system that teams can employ in how to pay salaries without losing money..

[bigm16]

Is there any truth to the rumor that Bobby Hull is getting involved in the new W.H.A.? Instead of getting rid of the red line, I would get rid of the 2 blue lines.

[jb4725]

Bobby will be the commish! He wants guys like Steve Thomas, Chris Chelios, Igor Larionov and Brett to come play in his league. Sounds like washed up old guys, not-quite-good-enough AHLers and washed up euros that will play. Exciting! Geez, I think the Federal league is a better idea...
JB
www.federalhockeyleague.ca

[bigm16]

That's what they said about the W.H.A. from the 70's. I thought a lot of the N.H.L. teams were afraid to play against some of the W.H.A. teams like the Winnipeg Jets for example.

[jb4725]

Yes, but in 1972 there was 14-16 teams in the NHL, with them being all Canadian players. Now there is 30, with many more euros, yanks and Canadians. There just isn't enough depth in world hockey for another major league in North America. There are no more untapped markets to find players.
JB

[bigm16]

I agree. The N.H.L. is too watered down to. There would'nt be a very good talent pool.