[cferneyh]

Or it was done to create some buzz a couple of weeks before the NHL season starts, which it did.

[tth_fan]

Or it was done to create some buzz a couple of weeks before the NHL season starts, which it did.

I don't know. I think all the fights happening in the preseason are creating a bigger buzz then this attempt to redo the Heritage Classic.

[grimes]

Apparently 25,000 of those tickets were held for Penguin fans, Leaf fans and of all things Blue Jay season ticket holders. Sure it sold out quick but Gary Bettman isn't trying to get more fans in the Buffalo/Pittsburgh cities I'm sure his goal was to get views across the U.S to tune in and I just can't see that happening with the College football games going on.

That's not entirely accurate. 42,000 seats were put on sale and sold within 30 minutes on Tuesday. Penguins and Blue Jays season ticket holders had access to a special block of those tickets (the Jays due to their relationship with the Bills). There was no special treatment for Leafs' fans. The remaining 30,000 tickets are being held back for Sabres and Bills season ticket holders, and the NHL.

Source: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070918.wsptsabre18/GSStory/GlobeSportsHockey/home">http://www.globesports.com/servlet/stor ... ockey/home</a><!-- m -->

As for the decision to hold it on Jan 1, it is actually NBC that pushed for that date, as they do not hold any college bowl rights and want something to compete with it. I agree it seems risky, and ratings aren't likely to be particularly good. It should be noted however with the invention of the BCS, there are now only 2 major bowl games on Jan 1 (the Rose and Sugar), but they both take place later in the day. The hockey game will have to compete with four lesser bowls scheduled for the early afternoon.

Of bigger concern is what the weather will be like in Buffalo on January 1...

[cferneyh]

Or it was done to create some buzz a couple of weeks before the NHL season starts, which it did.

I don't know. I think all the fights happening in the preseason are creating a bigger buzz then this attempt to redo the Heritage Classic.

Well, let me put it to you this way: I haven't seen one headline on ESPN.com about "all the fights happening in the preseason", while I did see one discussing this game.

An outdoor game is going to get more attention among casual hockey fans than pre-season fights will.

[j-monster]

I think the fights in the preseason issue is much ado about nothing. I saw Darren Dreger on TSN.ca post that some NHL people think that the number of fights so far in the preseason (which is more than last season but about the same as the season before that) is due to teams trying to copy Anaheim's style (since Anaheim had the most fights of any team last year and of course won the Stanley Cup). I think that's a load of garbage myself. To me it's nothing more than the usual scenario of marginal fourth-liners and so-called tough guys trying to fight their way on to their respective teams. Players at that level literally fight for their jobs; it has always happened before and it will always happen in the future. In other words, move along folks, nothing to see here, etc.

[daylight]

Sounds like they're looking toward European expansion again. Maybe Bettman should focus on fixing the multitude of problems on this side of the pond before creating a slew of others over there.

[emperor penguin]

God forbid a team comes to Hamilton or Kitchener Ontario but hey it might be a good idea to put a couple of teams in London England or somewhere else in Europe :roll: This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard of.

[grimes]

Europe is a much better market for the NHL than the southern US. But with the travel time and costs, you can't just put two teams over there. I say cut about 8 American teams, add one in Winnipeg, one in Hamilton, and then add an 8-team European division.

[daylight]

I think it depends on what regions of Europe they're interested in. Aside from Canadian ex-pats, I'd imagine most of the UK, France, and Spain could care less. Russia, Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic could probably sustain at least a team each, though. I think the main problem would be that no North Americans would want to play over there, and less Europeans would want to play over here. The talent pool is getting pretty shallow as it is, too.

[j-monster]

Anybody see the hit Steve Downie laid on Dean McAmmond the other night? Here's a YouTube clip of it if you haven't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HerZdQmigLs

I do like Downie, I think he's a good player who plays with a nice physical edge... but that said the NHL HAS to throw the book at this guy. Downie got hit earlier by another Ottawa player, a legal hit, and then started looking for blood. He knew Mcammond was vulnerable, he may or may not have known about McAmmond's concussion issues from the past, but he left his feet and led with the elbow. It was sickening to see Mcammond lay limp like that, and in the melee that ensued after he's lucky no one stepped on him or else the NHL would have had a real tragedy on their hands.

Colin Campbell has to man up and give Downie a serious punishment for this action. I like great hits and physical hockey, but head shots like that have to go, for the good of the game and players everywhere.

[cferneyh]

Downie is a headcase, pure and simple. He's the perfect Philadelphia Flyer. This is a guy who - as an 18 year old - cross-checked an unsuspecting 16 year old TEAMMATE to the face in practice. He also played for a total of three teams in junior (how often does that happen to a guy with his talent?), which speaks to how quickly his act tires.

I hope the Flyers send him to the AHL and the Sens' AHL team takes care of business. It would certainly fly under the radar more than if the retribution happened at the NHL level. Hell, we'd have to hear about the Bertuzzi/Moore incident for the 1,645th time.

[tigerthelion]

Anybody see the hit Steve Downie laid on Dean McAmmond the other night? Here's a YouTube clip of it if you haven't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HerZdQmigLs

I do like Downie, I think he's a good player who plays with a nice physical edge... but that said the NHL HAS to throw the book at this guy. Downie got hit earlier by another Ottawa player, a legal hit, and then started looking for blood. He knew Mcammond was vulnerable, he may or may not have known about McAmmond's concussion issues from the past, but he left his feet and led with the elbow. It was sickening to see Mcammond lay limp like that, and in the melee that ensued after he's lucky no one stepped on him or else the NHL would have had a real tragedy on their hands.

Colin Campbell has to man up and give Downie a serious punishment for this action. I like great hits and physical hockey, but head shots like that have to go, for the good of the game and players everywhere.

Downie is a punk. He continually acted like a punk while playing for Canada at the juniors but everyone disagreed with me because they thought I was just being unpatriotic. :? Now, I guess everyone knows what a loser he is.

[The Darkest Canuck]

it was a cheap sht for sure, but he'll get what's coming to him i'm sure, and that'll be that...

[Tthip]

I do not think I have seen this mentioned here.
But what the hell is the NHL thinking moving the goal judges from behind the nets to up in the press box?
That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

[grimes]

I do not think I have seen this mentioned here.
But what the hell is the NHL thinking moving the goal judges from behind the nets to up in the press box?
That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

They're thinking they can make more money by having fans pay $200 each to sit behind the nets. I believe they were able to add 8 seats (4 at each end) to the Air Canada Centre when they made the switch last year.

What's the difference anyway? Goal judges have been irrelevant ever since video replay was introduced. All they do now is push the button that turns the red light on.