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Bettman hates Canada.

So true.

I'm pretty sure Quebec City can handle a NHL team again. This is a pretty small market but everyone here love hockey to death. What is the best: a small market with a strong following or a huge market who don't give a fuck about hockey? The mayor of Quebec is working pretty hard to bring back a team since a couple months. In november he did a press conference to talk about that and stop the rumors and he showed up on stage with a Nordiques jersey...pretty intense!!!

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Bettman doesn't hate Canada, he's just not a good commissioner.

That's not even entirely true. League revenues have increased about 400% since he's been at the helm, so he's doing something right.

Eh, there's big picture things and small picture things. Being on Versus and with NBC are both horrendous for the league. Or should I say not being on ESPN is horrendous for the league. He's over-expanded as well, putting teams where they don't belong resulting in some of the issues we've all seen in Phoenix.

The salary cap tied directly to revenue with the escrow account deal is the only thing I'd say he's done that will be a long-term, good for the game item.

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Was there a little gamesmanship in Toronto this morning? The Leafs had the practice ice first this morning, and when they left, the Zamboni came out to resurface. The driver stopped though, and came off the ice before the job was even half finished.

Why? Because Leafs coach Ron Wilson does his daily media session next to the rink, and apparently the noise from the Zamboni is too loud. So as the Kings filed onto the ice, they had to stand around and wait for Wilson to finish, so that the Zamboni could then come back out.

More than a little peeved, the Kings banged their sticks on the ice and glass in order to create as much noise as possible. Finally, Wilson finished, the Zamboni returned and Kings practice started after a 15-minute delay. Only in Canada, eh?

I think that's hilarious. (via lakingsinsider.com)

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That's not even entirely true. League revenues have increased about 400% since he's been at the helm, so he's doing something right.

Eh, there's big picture things and small picture things. Being on Versus and with NBC are both horrendous for the league. Or should I say not being on ESPN is horrendous for the league. He's over-expanded as well, putting teams where they don't belong resulting in some of the issues we've all seen in Phoenix.

The salary cap tied directly to revenue with the escrow account deal is the only thing I'd say he's done that will be a long-term, good for the game item.

ESPN wouldn't match a competing offer for the NHL rights, so whatever. the NHL is doing fine without espn, all professional sports leagues have teams that can't fill stadiums, that have bad players, make bad financial descisions, etc. the NHL would be in the same situations if they were broadcast by ESPN as they have without their support. Sports coverage doesn't change bad teams and bad management.

heres the article the NYTimes from 2005 when Comcast/VS outbid ESPN.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/18/sports/hockey/18sandomir.html

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ESPN says sports in the US just like TSN says sports in Canada. People, random people, just watch ESPN. I don't think the same is true of Versus, or OLN as it was called at the time of the agreement. I think the kind of exposure ESPN would have provided would have been more valuable than money.

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a kid who went to clarion was on UAE's national team. i was pretty good friends with him, he was a good guy. he's back there now though, kinda jealous of his because judging by his facebook, all he does is travel amazing places like egypt to the pyramids and such.

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I think it should probably be a mix of contraction and moving one or two teams back to Canada. With less teams, you'll have better talent in more places, making more hockey watchable. The problem with Hamilton is Buffalo has a good team again and I'm pretty sure their attendance is still pretty bad.
Since the lockout, attendance has been phenomenal. We sold out 3ish years straight (more or less) and now we're always on the brink of selling out if it's not actually at full capacity.
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i still don't get why Tangretti hasn't had a sniff with the big club yet... or is it like the Pirates and we're trying to control him longer? i know a good bit about baseball labor laws from various sites but not nearly as much about hockey.

I think its because he doesnt have a year of the AHL under his belt yet, they want him to get a lot of experience ther ebefore coming up. plus he's less than a year away from having major surgery on his hand, so I think that'll be enough reason to not bring him up and let him get 110% strength back. he'll be up/down all next season, doubt he'll come up at all this year, especially with caputi, connor, johnson already showing some life. no need to rush him.

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