Rissmiller Placed On Waivers

Bettman totally looks right past any kind of sense of logic in making desicions like these.

It’s all about the money.

and when some things that seem obvious, he avoids (ie, putting the Rangers in the Czech Republic and not Sweden.)

is everything important run by morons?!
and (i hate to bring up politics) but does anyone else think NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg is crossing a thin line in asking for a third term, and basically changing the law for himself?!
gah.

call me crazy but I think the NHL could add a franchise in Seattle. I mean it’s in close proximity to Vancouver and a new rivilary is born. but I agree with steve that now is not the time for the NHL to expand. Give it 5-10 years when the economy is better.

I agree.
if they decide to move the failure in a 2nd florida franchise in the panthers needs to move, they would to fine.

our boy dubi played for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL before coming to Hartford then MSG.

They should have a good fanbase, though my only consern would be the fans who may not click with hockey as soon, because of the large Seahawks fan base.

popular to contreary belief, hockey in Florida is quite popular. the problem we are seeing in south florida is that there hasent been a playoff contending team since they went in 2000 and of course who can forget the miracolus 1997 cup run when they lost to Colorado in 5 games. this florida team is young and the potential is there. Once they get the right chemistry, this team will return to the playoffs with a vengence.

Gabbi, the thing that a seattle team needs to be afraid of is UW the University of Washington. Way more popular than the Seahawks.

I think alot of things should change, like moving the ducks to San Diego(along with the clippers). Giving Seattle a franchise, and I think that any city in the west that has an NBA franchise could support an NHL franchise. Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Portland, Houston, and a city like Chicago could support a second team.

I think the NHL needs to focus and expand the market in the US. Canada is a given, I think that there is no doubt that a second team in Toronto, a team in winnepeg or a team in Quebec city (AGAIN!) would be profitable. The NHL needs a bigger fan base, and the only way to do it is to expand. People in Utah dont give a crap about a hockey team in san jose or colorado. but they would if it was in SLC!!!!

Im the new Michael!!!!!

Richard-
you think that Chicago should have a north-side, south-side rivalry like Cubs-White Sox??

has there been any other news on this 2nd Toronto franchise?
Would it be in Hamilton??

do I think chicago should have a second one? no but they could easily support one. And from what Ive heard the Toronto franchise would be in the city or right outside it.

NO NEW TEAMS!!! This league is just recovering from the Lockout! Maybe move a team thats loosing $$$ to Toronto or Kitchner.

Just an FYI Chicago hardly supports the one NHL team they have… this is the 1st yr in over a decade that they’ve sold their lower limit on Season tickets. The same goes for the Panthers. The only time they sellout is when the opositions fans buy all the tickets.

The other reason not to want Expansion… is the expansion draft! We’d lose some young guys! They need to work on making this league work & forget about Expansion to Europe, Canada & the US!

First off this is like 10 years away at least. And the league will expand, that is not a question, the question is where to.

Chicago is the #3 TV market in the US, it could more than support another team. its not just about butts in the seats, look at the florida marlins or the tampa rays. If you have a good tv contract then it can work.

Expansion is necessary. Like I said people in WA, and OR, and ID, and WY, and UT dont give a crap about hockey unless they moved from a town that had a team. Those are the fans to shoot for.

And Dude, the expansion draft?! That is what you are worried about. Go to Wikipedia and look up who was taken in the last 2 expansion drafts. Nobodys and has beens. Not something Im worried about.

The fact IS Chicago for as big a market as it is DOES NOT support it’s NHL team! That is a fact that you cannot deney! They don’t care about the team. Maybe if the team does well this year they’ll start to get some support but, a this moment they’re just begining to breath life back into an almost dead franchise. On paper the market may look good to you but, not for a 2ed NHL team. by your logic LA being the #2 market could support another NHL team.

In reality, Toronto maybe the only other place beside the NYC area that could support an additonal team. The Leafs suck but, they’ll always sellout! That’s the kind of market that you could add a team!

As for the NHL expanding in 10 yrs. I don’t know where you got that # but, I think what should happen the teams in the poor markets should relocate. Maybe you’re right about OR but, some places that support a minor league hockey either don’t have or are not willing to spend the $$$ for an NHL team (see Quebec & Whinnipeg).

Then there’s your position that they need a team to care… how many teams are in the NFL? Yet, it’s by far the lions share of the sports market. The NHL must promote its game better and it doesn’t matter if they have 50 teams in the NHL if its on VS… no one will be watching. Bettman has taken the league in the wrong direction and expansion IS NOT the answer… PR is. If the can fix all of the problems w/ the 30 team league and grow the sport and have people chomping at the bit for more NHL hockey; only then should they grow the league to more than 30 teams.

Finally, your claim that the expansion draft does not hurt existing teams is ridiculous… that’s why they call it diluting the the talent! See, if you’ve got 30 teams with 23/24 guys on their NHL roster and you add 2 teams you’d have 46 to 48 Ahl caliber guys in the NHL… if wgive teams to the 6-8 cities you think need teams (or 2ed teams) you’ll have 138- 192 guy that are not NHL quality playing NHL quality. As to the Rangers… who on this team do you want to give away for nothing… Daws, Pruc’s.

As Rangers fans (the top US based NHL team) we should be against expansion! We support our team win or lose, playoffs or not! Sorry, but I don’t want a watered down NHL so everyone can feel good about having a team! They can watch AHL and minor league teams b/c w/ too much expansion that’s what we’d ALL get!

dude, LA has 2 teams but here is the problem with more PR. The Liberal media in general hates with a passion that there is still fighting in hockey. And every time there is an illegal hit from behind, fighting comes up, and every time that someone gets hit in the face with a puck, fighting comes up. As long as the liberal media hates fighting in hockey, they will never support the game and since most of America are sheep and dumbasses that dont think for themselves, this is what we get. A league that its only way of getting more fans is to expand! I just go back to the point that I live in Northern California. About 5-6 hours away from San Jose. No one here gives a crap about hockey. But if there was a team in Sacramento we would be looking at a potential fan base of 8 million people!
These are the markets that need to be tapped but can’t.

You don’t need to expand to have a team in Sacramento. The answer is NOT expanding! I think if there is a better market out there for a team… it should MOVE there! Think the Panthers, the Predetors or the Thrashers. I’ve lived in Atl for 3yrs now and went to game #2 for the Rangers VS Thrashers playoff game; it was soldout. Then for game 6 of last season I go to NYR ATL game and the arena wasn’t even 1/2 full! They don’t deserve a team! If its noy Nascar or High Scool football they don’t care!

What are you talking about “Liberal Media”? There’s no such thing! You’re talking about HUGE multi-media corporations. It’s not a political agenda. Do you imagine Growing the league with no advertising? You think as long as a team shows up people will show up with no PR? You want to add new teams but, just not tell anyone about it… that’ll work!

Look I’m not going to tell you what’d work in your hometown. I already said that your idea of another West Coast team was/is a great idea. I just think it should happen through relocation rather than expansion. Once we have 30 sucessful teams maybe then we can think about expanding. PR is the key, it’d be nice if you didn’t need cable to see some games, if some teams followed in the footsteps of the Sabers and Penguins and showed games outside of there arenas. Maybe the Nhl should play some exhibition games in potental cities with free admition b/c I think once you get someone to a live game… you’ve got a new fan. See PR. That’s why they have the Winter Classic, and NHl players in the Olympics… it’s PR PR PR and the NHL needs MORE!