Official NHL Thread

[JFC]

Firstly...R.I.P. Mr. Beliveau.
VIDEO LINK - http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=689181




Secondly...

Alfredsson announces retirement after 18 seasons
Thursday, 12.04.2014

Citing persistent back issues, Daniel Alfredsson announced his retirement Thursday after 18 NHL seasons.

Alfredsson spent 17 of his 18 seasons with the Ottawa Senators, and made the announcement at Canadian Tire Centre.

"Last year my body began to complain once more," Alfredsson said. "The old injuries and hard work to recover began again. I worked hard to play another year [but] three weeks ago I decided to retire."

The 41-year-old forward spent last season with the Detroit Red Wings, and was trying to play another season with the Red Wings, but persistent back pain wouldn't allow that to happen.

Alfredsson signed a ceremonial one-day agreement with the Senators on Thursday, and will skate during the warmups before the Senators play the New York Islanders.

He leaves the game 51st all-time in NHL scoring with 1,157 points and 60th with 444 goals. He's also second among all Sweden-born players in League history in goals and points, and third in games played (1,246).

Alfredsson is the Senators' all-time leader in games played (1,178), goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108). He also leads Ottawa in the same categories in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was Ottawa's captain for 13 seasons (1999-2013); in that span the Senators made the playoffs 11 times, including a trip to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final.

"Without question Daniel has been the greatest player that this city has ever seen," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said.

More to come.

FULL ARTICLE LINK - http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=742398
VIDEO LINK - http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=690099

Daniel Alfredsson's retirement speech
Thursday, 12.04.2014

OTTAWA - Daniel Alfredsson on Thursday morning donned his old Ottawa Senators No. 11 jersey and announced his retirement from the NHL. Here is his speech in its entirety:

"One evening nearly 20 years ago a young man in a small town in Sweden got a phone call that would change his life. It was an invitation to play hockey in Canada. I had never been to North America, I had a young girlfriend, Bibbi, and it was a long way from Goteborg to Ottawa. But we made the leap. We began an incredible new chapter of our lives in your town starting in August 1995. Our marvellous boys were born here, and we grew from youngsters into aging parents. You made your town our town. Thank you.

"It was an incredible experience to play hockey with so many great players, so many great friends over so many great seasons. I really realize that I'm a very lucky guy. Even more important to me than my time on the ice was my time in our city, meeting new people, making new friends, watching my boys grow, and most of all beginning a campaign to help change attitudes towards those struggling with mental illness. My work with the Royal Ottawa Hospital has been another high point in my life. Whatever I gave has been more than repaid in seeing the changes beginning to happen and some of the lives that I have touched. It is still an important part of my life and will continue to be so.

"Some of you may remember nearly four years ago now, my body started sending me signals that all these years of hockey had a cost. My back began to act up, and I began to have the kind of issues bodies develop after years of physical work. I worked hard to fight it off and I got some great help along the way and I got another two great seasons in Ottawa and a third one last year. But in the back of my mind, I still knew that the clock is ticking. Then on a Saturday morning two summers ago, I got another phone call from an old Swedish pal of mine. This call started a process that would launch the next chapter in our lives. It was a very, very hard decision to make: changing teams, uproot my family, start over again in a new place. But change helps you grow. New experiences are as important when you're young, like my children, as they were for me at 22 or even today. We've had a great year in Detroit: new friends, a new team, new adventures. Thank you Detroit.

"I've grown and learned a lot in the past 18 months. I realize that you never stop learning, especially when you're open to new beginnings and new chapters. Then last season my body began to complain once more. The old injury and the hard work of recovery began all over again. I worked hard to rehab my back this summer so I could play another year. However, about three weeks ago I realized it's time to retire. It's another hard decision. Then I got another important phone call from Ottawa. Bryan said he and Mr. Melnyk had spoken and had an idea that I should not end my career in Detroit but with a proper retirement here in our adopted hometown. I spoke with Ken Holland about my retirement and that Bryan and Mr. Melnyk wanted me to retire as an Ottawa Senator, and Ken encouraged me to retire here. He said it's the right thing to do.

"I was taken aback by this offer. I never believed that my career entitled me to any special treatment. However Bibbi and I both agreed this was the right thing to do and it would give us a chance to say thank you to the people and the fans of Ottawa. So here we are. Today I officially retire as an Ottawa Senator and another new chapter will begin tonight as we say goodbye to Ottawa. The future may hold some role for me in hockey again, but not this year. This is one for my family, for my own life and for reflecting on where we've been and deciding on what's next. For now I'm just very grateful for this opportunity to say thank you and goodbye, and please no more phone calls for a while.

"Let me just say thank you to Ottawa, to the Sens, to the Sens fans and especially to Mr. Melnyk, thank you. And to Bryan. I really appreciate this. Merci et a bientot. Thank you."

FULL ARTICLE LINK - http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=742435

[JFC]

Not entirely sure, is this the first coach firing this season?

Senators fire Paul MacLean as coach
Monday, 12.08.2014

The Ottawa Senators on Monday fired coach Paul MacLean. No replacement was immediately announced.

General manager Bryan Murray will address the media at 2:30 p.m. ET.

MacLean was in his fourth season with the Senators, who are 11-11-5 and in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

MacLean won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 2013 after the Senators went 25-17-6 in the shortened 2012-13 season. They defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round.

The Senators missed the playoffs last season.

MacLean had a 114-90-35 record in the regular season and 8-9 in the playoffs.

More to come.

- http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=742991

[JFC]

The guy/group that's trying to get a franchise in Las Vegas has set up a website.
- http://lasvegas-hockey.com/

[JFC]

Oilers fire Eakins; MacTavish reportedly interim coach
Monday, 12.15.2014

The Edmonton Oilers on Monday fired coach Dallas Eakins.

General manager Craig MacTavish will replace Eakins on an interim basis, according to a TSN report, and Todd Nelson, the coach of the Oilers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons, will join the NHL staff as an assistant or associate coach.

MacTavish will address the media at 1:45 p.m. ET.

The Oilers lost 2-0 to the New York Rangers on Sunday. They entered the week 30th in the League standings with 19 points; their seven wins are the fewest in the League. They're 29th in the League in scoring at 2.10 goals per game, and 29th in goals-against at 3.32 goals allowed per game.

Edmonton plays the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday in Glendale, Ariz.

Since winning back-to-back games in early November, the Oilers are 1-11-4, including an 11-game losing streak.

In his second season with the Oilers, Eakins is 36-63-14.

Eakins arrived in Edmonton after four seasons as coach of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. In 2012 he guided the Marlies to the Calder Cup Final. He also coached in two AHL all-star games.

MacTavish, who captained the team as a player, previously coached the Oilers for eight seasons (2000-09). He made the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice in that span, including a trip to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final.

LINK - http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=744116


With all due respect to the organization, we all know that the Oilers' problems are more than just ineffective coaching. It's become pretty obvious that you cannot build a successful team just be getting the #1 draft pick for 3 years in a row.  There are going to have to be a lot more changes made other than just bringing in a new coach to get this team turned around and winning again.



EDIT: They've now re-written the story, but kept the same link as the first "version" of it that I posted earlier today.

Oilers fire Eakins; Nelson eventually to take over
Monday, 12.15.2014

EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers have made another coaching change, firing Dallas Eakins on Monday after 113 games in parts of two seasons.

General manager Craig MacTavish will take over as interim coach as a transition for Todd Nelson, who has been promoted from Edmonton's American Hockey League affiliate in Oklahoma City. Nelson eventually will take over on an interim basis until the end of the season.

MacTavish said the rest of the coaching staff remains intact for the time being.

"I really feel the same way now as I did when I hired [Eakins]," MacTavish said. "He's an excellent coach. I was happy with a lot of things. I had no real good reason to do this outside of performance. That's really the bottom line that we're all judged by, is the performance level of the hockey club and certainly the record. I would point to those things solely as the reason for this change."

The Oilers (7-19-5) are last in the NHL standings and have lost 15 of their past 16 games. A 2-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday left the Oilers 29th in the League in scoring at 2.10 goals per game, and 29th in goals-against at 3.32 goals allowed per game.

Eakins leaves with a 36-63-14 record in Edmonton. He had been hired in summer of 2013 after a successful four-season stint as coach of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

Since MacTavish was fired after the 2008-09 season, Nelson will become the sixth coach, following Pat Quinn, Tom Renney, Ralph Krueger, Eakins and MacTavish.

"There is blood all over my hands in this too as well, because I put the lineup together and the roster," MacTavish said. "I'm not here to absolve myself of accountability for the situation that we're in. Nor am I here to solely blame Dallas for the job that he did, because in my mind he did a lot of good things for our group.

"This group had a long way to go. I think he brought them a significant distance as the bulk and the core of this group matures and gets their game to a level of maturity that would allow us to have more success than we've had now. But it's just the compounding of the losses that led me to this decision."

Nelson, 45, was in his fifth season with Oklahoma City. He will join the Oilers in time for the game Tuesday at the Arizona Coyotes.

"He will join me as I transition the team and the responsibilities of the team over to Todd," MacTavish said. "I know the personnel well so I want to help Todd in that transition. I want to be clear in my messaging to the players. I want to get into the trenches. I think I have a very good idea and understanding of what the dynamic is there, but I want to get my hands on it for a short period of time and then I will transition back over to Todd. Todd will remain as interim coach for the remainder of the year."

Nelson guided the Barons to a 15-6-2 record this season. He made the AHL playoffs in all four of his full seasons in Oklahoma City.

MacTavish did not give a timeline for when he would step aside and turn over the coaching duties exclusively to Nelson. MacTavish said he is confident Nelson will be able to handle an NHL coaching job despite not having previous experience as a head coach in the League. He previous spent two seasons (2008-10) as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers.

"I think he can, otherwise we wouldn't be making this move right now," MacTavish said. "We understand the concerns and we want to leave the door open and the flexibility of making a decision at the end of the year. That philosophy and strategy is fairly clear in my mind."

Outside of coaching, MacTavish said the entire organization will continue to undergo evaluation. The Oilers have not been to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since losing Game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Final to the Carolina Hurricanes.

"My superiors continue to evaluate me, we'll evaluate our scouting staff," MacTavish said. "We've got to make changes. To think that this is just a coaching issue is naive; it's rooted deeper than that and we have to get to the core of it. And we will."

LINK - http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=744116

[JFC]

Ladies and Gentlemen...the longest shootout in NHL history (as of this post, anyway ).
- http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=701947

[JFC]

Aaaaaaaand the coaches keep falling...

NHL.com - Devils fire Peter DeBoer as coach
- http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=745687


NHL.com - Devils name Oates, Stevens to replace DeBoer
- http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=745729

[JFC]

I'm starting to hear Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust".

NHL.com - Maple Leafs fire Randy Carlyle as coach
- http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=747317

[JFC]

Some more positive news for once.


For anyone not in the know, this coming Sunday (2015.01.11) is "Teemu Tribute Night" in the city of Anaheim, CA. That day, the Anaheim Ducks will play the Winnipeg Jets, and in a special ceremony, the Ducks will pay homage to Teemu Selanne and retire his number 8.

Ducks.NHL.com - Selanne Reflects on His Career, Looks Ahead to Sunday Night
- http://ducks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=747763



Among the current Ducks roster, goalie Frederick Andersen, who was teammates with Selanne during the last 2 seasons of the latter's career, has elected to do his own personal tribute by having a special, one-time goalie mask made for just this game. The mask will be auctioned off after the game.

Ducks.NHL.com - Freddie's Tribute to Teemu
- http://ducks.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=35722

[kuno_thunder]

Hopefully MTS Centre will be good enough to hold some IIHF tournaments soon.

[JFC]

So the NHL recently unveiled the jerseys that would be worn for the 2014-2015 All-Star Game.


VIDEO LINK - http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=747809
PICTURE GALLERY LINK - http://www.nhl.com/ice/gallerylanding.htm?id=50912



*sigh*

Looking at them overall, the black ones aren't that bad, but I personally don't care for the bright neon green. The chrome/stainless-steel look for the logo is cool.

As for the white jersey, well, it just looks like a plain practice jersey. When the players wearing that are actually on the ice, it's going to be like the old Winnipeg Jets with the home jerseys they had in the early 1990's (LINK HERE), the jerseys have so much white and only a scant amount of "accent colour", that they'll blend in with the white ice and all we're gonna see are sets of moving pants and floating heads.

[JFC]

TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!!

TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!! TEEMU!!

When it's about Teemu, you bet your ass it's gonna be a new post.

[JFC]

Well, there be a lot of annoyed/pissed off 'Peggers today.

Winnipeg Heritage Classic postponed until 2016
Mike Johnston | January 20, 2015, 6:44 PM

A proposed Heritage Classic game that would take place at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg during the 2015-16 NHL season has been postponed.

The Winnipeg Jets [and Winnipeg Blue Bombers] released the following statement Tuesday:

“True North Sports & Entertainment Limited and the Winnipeg Football Club, along with the National Hockey League, would like to formally announce that they were unable to finalize a date to hold the Heritage Classic at Investor’s Group Field during the 2015-16 NHL season. All parties are very hopeful that a date can be secured early in the 2016-17 NHL Season and will continue working toward that objective. The game will be an exciting celebration of hockey in our province and our city, one which both True North and the Bombers look forward to hosting at a time which works for all parties involved.”

The NHL reportedly plans to unveil its full slate of outdoor games for 2016 during the NHL All-Star Game festivities in Columbus this weekend. A Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens, plus two Stadium Series games that will be played in Denver and Minnesota are expected to be announced and the Winnipeg Heritage Classic was also thought to be among those announcements.

However, the 2015 Grey Cup takes place Nov. 29 at Investors Group Field and that was a main point of discussion between the parties that resulted in the postponement. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, who first reported the story, the NHL wanted the Heritage Classic to take place in late December 2015, but the Winnipeg Blue Bombers – who play their home games at Investors Group Stadium – were concerned that having the outdoor game so close to the Grey Cup could detract from or overshadow the CFL’s most important weekend and potentially affect ticket sales and corporate sponsorship.

According to the Press, True North Sports & Entertainment, the Blue Bombers and the NHL are now targeting some time in December 2016 for the Winnipeg Heritage Classic.

- http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-heritage-classic-postponed-until-2016/

CARBON-COPY OFFICIAL STATEMENTS FROM THE WINNIPEG JETS AND WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS:
- http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=749586
- http://www.bluebombers.com/article/statement-regarding-heritage-classic


TL;DR - Winnipeg will not be getting the 2015 Heritage Classic game because the NHL wanted to have it in December 2015 and the Blue Bombers were worried/scared that having it then would/could cause a drop in ticket sales for the 2015 Grey Cup, which we're hosting the previous month (i.e. in November 2015). The Bombers asked if the Heritage Classic could be bumped to January or February 2016, but the NHL doesn't want that due to weather (January is hella cold here, and so the NHL doesn't want to have an outdoor game then) and the All-Star Game (February). So now we'll likely have to wait until the 2016-2017 season to get it.



Now, looking at it from a business POV, I can totally understand why the Bombers would be concerned. I personally don't think that they should be, but hell, it's not like they're gonna budge anytime soon. A lot of hockey fans here in Peg Sheety are gonna be whining/bitching about this for a few days (or even weeks), and in all likelihood the Bombers are going to get a lot of flack for this.  But hey, at least the game (the Heritage Classic) is only being postponed and not totally cancelled. As long as we still get the game, I personally don't mind waiting until the 2016-2017 season for it.

[JFC]

Neat idea. Quite a few of them actually look really good. 

Icethetics.com - NHL Soccer Crossover (Uniforms)
- http://www.icethetics.co/concepts/2014/9/21/nhl-soccer-crossover

[JFC]

Holy shit, the Jets actually pulled off a significant trade. 

Winnipeg Jets trade of Evander Kane addresses current, future needs
Wednesday, 02.11.2015

The Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets started the run-up to the 2015 NHL Trade Deadline with a bang Wednesday, completing a blockbuster trade that sends forward Evander Kane and defenseman Zach Bogosian to the Buffalo Sabres for a package that includes defenseman Tyler Myers, forward Drew Stafford, two prospects and a first-round pick.

"It’s nice to go somewhere where you feel wanted and you feel that they want to put you in a situation to have success," Kane told Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com.

Buffalo holds three first-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft. The Sabres have previously acquired first-round picks in this draft from the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said the Sabres will decide which pick is transferred to complete the trade.

"This was not a knee-jerk reaction," Cheveldayoff said, noting there was strong interest in Kane from several teams. "I'm excited what this trade brings to our organization. … I feel good with the 'now,' but I’m really excited about the prospects of the future in this whole deal."

FULL ARTICLE LINK - http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=752865

VIDEO LINKS
- http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=749986
- http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=749985


Sorry to see Bogo leave. Sure he's struggled offensively this year, but he's been pretty solid defensively, not to mention a strong physical presence, which is really what you want from a defencemen.


And Kane, try not to slip on your wet tracksuit on the way out.

[JFC]

LULZ, Byfuglien...
https://twitter.com/HockeyWebCast/status/565981781707718658

[JFC]

With the 2014-2015 trade deadline is coming up soon (this coming Monday, as a matter of fact), teams are gettin' busy...

2014-2015 Trade Trackers:
NHL.com - http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=738676
TSN.ca - http://www.tsn.ca/tradecentre/trades
Sportsnet.ca - http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl-trades/trade-tracker/
ESPN.com - http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/page/tradetrackernhl/2014-15-nhl-trade-tracker



EDIT: And it's always nice to get those "hit ya in the hockey feels" type of stories.

NHL.com - Jiri Tlusty reunites with countrymen Michael Frolik, Ondrej Pavelec upon trade to Winnipeg Jets
- http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=755524

[JFC]

I guess this was a "if people who knew nothing about the NHL had to name the teams based on their logos" kinda thing. 


- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/510032726525671794/

[JFC]

Well, it's going to be crowded at MTS Centre next year:

True North relocates AHL franchise to Winnipeg
Thursday, 03.12.2015

True North Sports & Entertainment Limited, in conjunction with the American Hockey League, today announced plans to relocate the AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club from St. John’s, NL to Winnipeg, MB for the beginning of the 2015-16 hockey season.

Stay tuned for WinnipegJets.com for more, including comments from Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.

- http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=757779


Moving the AHL affiliate was something that the Jets and True North had been looking to do for at least a couple of years now. The logistics of sending/recalling players back and forth over such a large distance evidently was a real pain. This move is only going to be temporary (maybe just a season or two) until True North can find another, closer location to have the AHL team. There's already talk of resurrecting the "Manitoba Moose" name for them while they're here (so then we'd have the Jets 2.0 in the same building as the Moose 2.0).


Fortunately for the people of St. John's, they're not going to be completely screwed over:

AHL announces franchise transactions
March 12, 2015

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced today that the league’s Board of Governors has unanimously approved the following:

• The transfer of ownership of the Hamilton Bulldogs franchise to Club de Hockey Canadien Inc., owners of the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens.
• The relocation of that franchise from Hamilton, Ont., to St. John’s, N.L., beginning with the 2015-16 season.
• The relocation of the AHL franchise owned by True North Sports & Entertainment Ltd., owners of the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg Jets, from St. John’s, N.L., to Winnipeg, Man., beginning with the 2015-16 season.

Division alignments and schedule formats for the 2015-16 season will be determined by the Board of Governors at a later date.

- http://theahl.com/ahl-announces-franchise-transactions-p196769

Basically, the St. John's IceCaps name will still exist since it is owned by their current team president Danny Williams, however it will be composed of the team that is currently (soon to be formerly) known as the Hamilton Bulldogs. This second version of the IceCaps (IceCaps 2.0 ) will also only be a temporary arrangement, because the Montreal Canadiens, like the Jets, wanted to have their AHL affiliate geographically closer to make player transfers easier. As such, they have already begun construction on a new arena for their AHL affiliate in the town of Laval, Quebec. So like the Moose 2.0, the IceCaps 2.0 will only be in St. John's for a season or two, during which time Danny Williams and the rest of the current IceCaps front office will have a chance to seek out yet another team to come to St. John's after IceCaps 2.0 move to Laval.

Confused yet?

[JFC]

NHL to Las Vegas looking more like a done deal
JAMES MIRTLE | The Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Mar. 16 2015, 12:43 PM EDT
Last updated Monday, Mar. 16 2015, 2:37 PM EDT


All signs are pointing to the NHL expanding into Las Vegas in the near future, perhaps even in time for the 2016-17 season.

One of the first hurdles for the Vegas ownership group was a season ticket drive this spring, with the goal set to get 10,000 commitments in the form a 10-per-cent deposit.

One month into the campaign, they’ve already passed the 9,000 mark – and are gaining steadily.

“[We’re selling] between 125 and 180 tickets a day,” Bill Foley, who would own 80 per cent of the Vegas franchise, told KLAS-TV. “So everyone can do the math. We’re really on our way. They’re selling.

“We’re proving the point to the league and to everyone in hockey-land that Las Vegas is hockey ready. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’re going to have really good teams. Really good teams.”

So look out Los Angeles Kings…

The first big key to the Vegas franchise had been getting an arena built, but that process is well underway. The $375-million, 17,500-seat facility is now expected to be ready for late April of next year and construction has started behind the New York-New York Hotel on the Strip.

MGM Resorts and AEG have partnered on the building, so they have both casino-backing and one of the world’s top arena-companies involved.

It’s expected that a Vegas expansion team would be a one-off, meaning the NHL would be a 31-team league for at least a few seasons. Seattle remains a location the league is deeply interested in, but without a building or firm ownership group, progress on that front has been slow.

There also remains uncertainty around some existing markets, with the Arizona Coyotes remaining at the top of that list.

Foley had initially suggested his team name would include “Nevada,” but after some backlash in the city, he has stated it will be named Las Vegas.

One popular suggestion out there is they will be called the Black Aces.

Whether or not the franchise would be financially viable is difficult to say at this point. The Vegas metropolitan area population has grown so dramatically it’s now topped than two million, which is roughly on par with NHL cities like Columbus and exceeds that of Raleigh, Nashville and Buffalo.

Support from the casinos would obviously be vital, and Foley has wisely kept the local business community heavily involved in the ticket drive.

Being the first major professional sports league into Vegas also should help, as there is a local base of sports fans there that would get onboard. Based on the deposit prices, tickets for the team would range between $35 and $220 a ticket, which is on par with a lot of American markets.

Like Nashville, they are also not building a huge arena, which will make it easier to fill and improve the atmosphere.

At the very least, the uniqueness of the market should allow Vegas to generate more revenue in the early years than some of the NHL’s problem cities.

- http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/nhl-to-las-vegas-looking-more-like-a-done-deal/article23471555/

[JFC]

For some reason, I really like this image from last night's game (when the Jets shutout the Caps 3-0).