Central West NHL division

[richtee]

Wow, in the length of two seasons, the central has gotten TOUGH! Even last year the talking heads, who know very little other than stats- never seen it coming. Chicago, St. louis and Nashville all have strong offerings this season. The Wings best get on their "A" game soon, I have a feeling it's gonna be a battle to the end in the Central West.

 

[promise'cajunbiker]

usually is for everybody but the wings. they may not runt away with it this year, but i don't get to see many of their games here

 

[twistertail]

Better watch out for the Blue Jackets!!

 

[richtee]

All of 'em been tough. Wings will do what they always do tho. Just gonna be a bit rougher road for sure. Besides, they got that lazy Federov dude... heh.

 

[twistertail]

I still dont understand much about hockey. I go to 4 or 5 games a year but mostly taking customers. I dont think it has caught on as big in Columbus as they thought it would.

 

[richtee]

Well, in my opinion, they needed to CONTRACT the league, not expand it. Hockey has been around near a hundred years professionally. If some other area in the world wanted hockey, it would have been there already!

Most of the success of the "southern" teams, meaning S. West as well- has been due to transplanted Northerners and "snowbirds". Admittedly, some local "fanage" will develop, but hockey is a fairly complex and WAAY too fast a game to catch the casual observer. You gotta be COMMITTED to WATCH a hockey game. Not many beer breaks, gabbing time, etc.

If I were commish, I'd drop a few teams for sure. Columbus would NOT be my first choice tho. Gretzky's Phoenix Coyetes would be.

 

[twistertail]

Around here you grow up playing football and watching football, you try to introduce a new sport you're just not going to get the support you need. We have a pro soccer team also, that only fills about 1/4 of the stadium. The only time the soccer stadium has been full was when they play a high school football playoff game there. The Jakcets dont fill their arena very often either, get much fuller during concerts and stuff.

 

[lcruzen]

Until the NHL rescinds the "instigator rule" hockey will not grow. The tough physical play and players making each other accountable "on the ice" is a key part of the attraction to the sport. It is just becoming a "ballet on ice" with the rules now in place. Bettman need to go.


Lou

 

[richtee]

Agreed! "The Code" must be left to do what it is supposed to in a gentleman's game, which, despite common uninformed opinions, hockey is. Gentlemanly does not mean whimpy..it means if you break the rules, it gets settled like men do such things. Sheesh... used to mean duels heh.

 

[fatback joe]

We have an autographed Yzerman jersey hanging up in our computer/office room..........most of the people that come to the house and see it take a look and go "who is that?"

Got a ways to go in the south.

 

[richtee]

Blasphemy!

 

[dingle]

I have season tickets to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. The Blue Jackets are the parent team of them. Before the Crunch came to town Syracuse could not keep a team for more than 3 years. I have now had season tickets for all of their 14 years of existence! I honestly believe the marketing here in Syracuse has gotten people in the door. I agree that the rules are ruining the game and not allowing the players to "legislate" it like in the past. I do believe there is a market there for the Blue Jackets.
I am a big fan of the original six and old time hockey however I still think it's the best game going. Evan at the minor league level.