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Good April 1st story here for you.
8 NHL teams go bankrupt, Leafs make playoffs
by Sympatico.ca
Phoenix, Nashville, Atlanta, Colorado, Columbus, Tampa Bay, Detroit and St. Louis have all declared they no longer have enough money to pay their players or bills.
Effective immediately, all 8 teams have removed their clubs from NHL competition and will make plans to pay back any existing ticket holders for future games.
NHL president Gary Bettman released a brief statement earlier today:
The NHL is sad to see teams with such potential close their doors to the fans today. The NHL is already underway searching for new markets for these franchises, including Inuvik, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Winnipeg and New Orleans. We feel these are all viable markets for NHL franchises, and look forward to exploring all our options.
Well known veteran of trying to buy flailing hockey clubs Jim Balsillie was critical of the NHL, "How could you not consider Hamilton? It already has hockey-mad fans, and a hockey rink that is just a few hundred-million dollars away from being NHL-ready."
Probably the most interesting news of this mass-bankruptcy is the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs are now playoff-bound.
Leafs GM Brian Burke was quick to respond, "I knew it. I said it all along that we would make the playoffs before anyone expected, I would think we could refer to this day as Brian Burke day."
When asked about whether he thought Rio de Janeiro was a good location for an NHL team, Burke didn't hold back his disdain for the NHL's comment. "I'm not sure they even know what hockey is in Mexico City – I think Bettman just wants a nice place to vacation at on the NHL's dime."
This would have been the Maple Leafs' sixth straight year missing the playoffs, Leaf fan Tyler Kingsnett had this to say. "Thank goodness. I was ready to become a Habs fan. Or cheer for another Canadian NHL team. Are the Jets still around?"
The playoff picture looks pretty good for the Leafs who face a pretty easy opponent in the first round.
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Halak didn't just steal that win against the Flyers last night, he committed grand theft larceny. Is it even fair to credit the win to the Habs? They should just put Halak's name on the game sheet under team.
Also, I tried to give Hal Gill the benefit of the doubt at the start of the season in thinking that he could do at least something right on the ice, but now I'm convinced that he absolutely cannot do anything of value. He has to be the worst player in the entire NHL. Watching him try to transition from skating forward to backwards last night would make a tyke player squeamish. The only time he's ever in the correct position in his own end is when he's giving the puck away, otherwise he's floating around in la la land not covering anyone, and being nowhere near the puck to clear it out of the zone. I would feel more comfortable if they dressed Carey Price as a defenseman instead of him.
Montreal better overhaul that blue line next year because they have been absolutely awful this year. Hamrlik needs to go, and I wouldn't mind seeing them get rid of O'Byrne as well. Gorges and Markov are the only guys I really feel comfortable with out there.
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Lol at Rejean Houle saying he signed a poutine today!
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Sure hope my Bruins can make the playoffs should be a tight race and it will probably come down to the last game....
Nothing like playoff hockey,except for playoff hockey with the Bruins included !!!
Go Bruins Go !
Not that it will happen, but it sure would be great to have a Boston vs Montreal series and we can get rid of them in 4 again !! :rambo:
"When I'm wild and lonely, in a winter mind and I cannot become -
Wild and loyal in a winter mind - what I want to become"
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Habs need to stay exactly where they are in the standings. Buffalo is the best mactchup for them.
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Did anyone else watch the Anaheim/Dallas game last night? The ending was something special! It was Mike Modano's last home game with Dallas, and with about 5 minutes to go in the game, the crowd gave him about a 2 to 3 minute standing ovation, which brought Modano to tears. Then with the Stars trailing 2-1, with 1:47 left in the 3rd, who else scores the tying goal but Mike Modano!
Then in OT, Modano had a chance to win it on a breakaway, but never got a shot off because of the strong backchecking by Sexton. So the game went to a shootout, and both Mike Modano & Jeri Lehtinen scored to win it for Dallas. It was very fitting too that the 3 stars were Mike Modano, Jeri Lehtinen & Marty Turco...all 3 likely playing their last games in front of the hometown Dallas fans.
And it's also very fitting that Mike Modano's final NHL tomorrow night will be back in Minnesota! I'm sure the Minny fans will give Modano a big ovation as well.
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HUGE game tonight for the Rangers. They absolutely have to win this game! Technically they would still be alive if they only picked up 1 point tonight (could still tie Boston & NYR would hold the tie-breaker...but Boston still has 2 games left)...but 2 points tonight are a must!
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ryan93 Wrote:Did anyone else watch the Anaheim/Dallas game last night? The ending was something special! It was Mike Modano's last home game with Dallas
I saw it - and it was amazing.
They even had to review his goal - just adding to the roar when the ref announced "good goal"
Even if his stick was over the crossbar there is NO WAY Toronto was calling that no goal.
"We're forced to bed, but we're free to dream"
Dana
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Solid win by the Rangers last night, should be a great game tomorrow! Honestly i had counted the Rangers out a few weeks ago, but i'm been very impressed with them on this 7-1-1 run to close out the season. Here's hoping they have 1 more regular season win in them!
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And i still can't believe Brian Boucher did this last night. Can you imagine if it had gone in...late in the 3rd period, the score 4-3 with the Flyers in a fight for their playoff lives.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EkapNcvDsc[/youtube]
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Let's go FLYERS tommorrow against the Rangers. Should be one heck of a game. I know I will probably take alot of slack for being a Flyers fan, but I have been a fan all my life. The Boucher play from yesterday was um interesting to say the least.. Even if the Flyers make the playoffs I can't see them lasting very long this year, though I hope I am wrong.
I'm going to Toronto see them play next Saturday, so hopefully they have a good week so the game still means something.
Although i think the Rangers best shot of making it is with Philadelphia. Philly are 2 points ahead of NYR, but the Rangers still have a game in hand. Then this coming weekend, the final of the season, the Rangers/Flyers play a home-in-home. Friday night in NYC, Sunday afternoon in Philly!
