The NHL Discussion Thread

[rottersclub]

I actually remember going to a few Ottawa Nationals games back in the early 70s. The big star was a guy named Wayne Carleton whose nickname was "Swoop". I don't remember them being particularly good and they only lasted a single season. Apparently, there was another WHA team here in 1976 for half a season, but I have no recollection of them. They were called the Civics.

[ForeverAutumn]

The Canadiens have had many nicknames over the years, mostly by the press. Few are used these days:

Yeah, I've had a few nicknames for them too...actually, moreso for their fans.

I'm glad that you guys find my course interesting because I am probably going to be asking for your help, if you don't mind me doing so. I just received a bulletin from the instructor and he suggested that we start giving some thought to our assignment topic. He states, "When you go to research and write it, I will offer bonus marks for original research -- interviews, surveys, etc. Keep that in mind".

So, once I pick a topic (and I'm leaning towards the Bertuzzi/Moore hit) I may ask you guys for some thoughts that I can include in my report. If, for some reason, you're opposed to me doing that here, please say so. If some are willing to help and others prefer that I not clutter up this space then I can always set up a PM with the folks willing to help me. I think that this could be fun and create some new topics of discussion here aside from how awesome/shitty our respective teams are.

[ForeverAutumn]

I was just a kid when the WHA was in play. When the league disbanded in 1979 I was 13. But I grew up with two older brothers who both played hockey and a Dad who was a big hockey and baseball fan. Hockey was always on TV in the winter and Baseball in the summer. I do remember the league existing, but I don't recall too much about it. And I didn't realize until I read about it yesterday that four NHL teams (or former teams) actually got their start as WHA teams.

[Yves]

I watched the Toronto Toros for a few seasons when I was very young.. I can't recall a single player on the team though...

Back to the NHL... The Buffalo Sabres have won only 15 games all season. 3 of them against the Habs!

Habs have now lost back-to-back to Phoenix and Buffalo.

[Brad to the Bone]

I watched the Toronto Toros for a few seasons when I was very young.. I can't recall a single player on the team though...

http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/BRB/ is your friend. Some of the more prominent names during the team's three seasons in Toronto included Frank Mahovlich, Paul Henderson, Carl Brewer, Pat Hickey, Vaclav Nedomansky, and Mark Napier.

[Yves]

http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/BRB/ is your friend. Some of the more prominent names during the team's three seasons in Toronto included Frank Mahovlich, Paul Henderson, Carl Brewer, Pat Hickey, Vaclav Nedomansky, and Mark Napier.

Seriously? How could I not remember any of those players?

The only things I remember about the WHA:

Bobby Hull signed a contract worth 1,000.000.00 per season(?) to play for the Winnipeg Jets

Gordie Howe played on a line with both(?) his sons as a member of the Houston Aeros

I had a Wayne Gretzky rookie(?) card when he was with the Indianapolis Racers

..and those question marks tell you that I' m not 100% sure about any of those things.

[oilersfan]

Gordie Howe played on a line with both(?) his sons as a member of the Houston Aeros

I had a Wayne Gretzky rookie(?) card when he was with the Indianapolis Racers

..and those question marks tell you that I' m not 100% sure about any of those things.

Marty Howe was a blueliner so they were never technically on the same line, though they were certainly on the ice together quite a bit, both for the Aeros as well as the New England/Hartford Whalers.

The Gretzky rookie card you had (either 1979-80 O Pee Chee and Topps...mostly likely OPC since you are in Canada) are of him with the Edmonton Oilers. O Pee Chee last produced WHA cards for the 77-78 season, the year before Gretzky's debut in the league, meaning that no officially licensed rookie cards of him in a Racers uniform exist. There are a few knock-off cards of Gretzky in a Racers uni that were produced in the late 80s but none of them are officially licensed/legitimate. Some officially licensed cards from Upper Deck and Topps exist that depict him in the Racers jersey but that wasn't until the 1990s.

[oilersfan]

Speaking of Gordie Howe...

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2...family-raving/

[Scott Bails]

Stolen from Twitter:

"P.K. Subban walks into a bar.

A DIVE bar.

<drops mic>"

[Yves]

I could have sworn I had a card of Gretzky wearing a racers uniform with a small print somewhere saying "Now with the Edmonton Oilers" but my memory is fuzzy. Are you a collector Brian? I guess you'd know if such a thing ever existed. Did he even play for the Racers? Did the Racers just fold or did they move to Edmonton? Was Pocklington the owner of the Racers? Didn't Gretzy sign a "personal services" contract with him? So many questions....

[oilersfan]

Gretzky was originally signed by Nelson Skalbania, owner of the Racers. By signing him to a 'personal services' contract instead of a regular hockey contract, Skalbania could skirt the WHA draft regulations (not that there were many in the first place) and make Gretzky a Racer, pulling him away from his junior team in Sault Ste. Marie. Interesting to note what this means...Wayne Gretzky was never actually drafted by a professional team. Gretzky played less than 10 games for Indianapolis before he was traded to Edmonton. The Racers folded after the final WHA season in 78-79. He actually signed another personal services contract, this time with Edmonton owner Peter Pocklington, at center ice before a game in 1979. The contract was for 21 years and would've kept Gretzky an Oiler until 1999 if the terms of the deal would have been fulfilled.

Yeah, I've been collecting sports memorabilia for most of my life. My collection is mostly hockey cards but I have some football and baseball too as well as other types of memorabilia.

[Yves]

Nelson Skalbania! The man who nearly killed professional football in Montreal! No wonder I forgot him! He bought the struggling Montreal Alouettes back in the early 80s, changed their name to the Montreal Concordes, and proceeded to try and build an instant contender by signing ageing/ unproven NFL players. I recall the likes of Vince Ferragamo ,Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, and Tom Cousineau all playing briefly here. The team eventually folded and Montreal went at least a decade without football until the Baltimore Stallions were move here in 1996.

[headcrash]

Nelson Skalbania. Sounds like a Eugene Levy character on SCTV.

[ForeverAutumn]

So what happens when a team loses 10 in a row? The musical parodies come out of the closet. This is actually quite good. The Dude can sing (even if he is a little boy-bandish)!



And in case you don't know the original (I didn't), here it is. Kudos to you if you can get through the whole song...I couldn't.

[ForeverAutumn]

Nelson Skalbania. Sounds like a Eugene Levy character on SCTV.

LOL!

[Brad to the Bone]

He actually signed another personal services contract, this time with Edmonton owner Peter Pocklington, at center ice before a game in 1979. The contract was for 21 years and would've kept Gretzky an Oiler until 1999 if the terms of the deal would have been fulfilled.

And as it turned out, the fact that he was signed to a "personal services" contract with the owner rather than a standard player contract with the team was the only reason Edmonton was able to retain Gretzky when the team moved to the NHL. The rights to every other WHA player reverted to the NHL teams which had drafted them (if applicable) or else they went into the 1979 NHL entry draft.

[oilersfan]

And as it turned out, the fact that he was signed to a "personal services" contract with the owner rather than a standard player contract with the team was the only reason Edmonton was able to retain Gretzky when the team moved to the NHL. The rights to every other WHA player reverted to the NHL teams which had drafted them (if applicable) or else they went into the 1979 NHL entry draft.

Yes, which I'm sure pissed off pretty much every NHL GM at the time.

[ForeverAutumn]

So there's a drive to see whether a Las Vegas hockey team could attract season ticketholders. They are accepting deposits for season tickets beginning on Feb. 10. http://vegaswantshockey.com/

Apparently the NHL supports the test run. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...oley/22026309/

Personally, I don't see it. Certainly not as an expansion team; a relocation maybe...maybe. When my husband and I go to the Sports Books in Vegas and look for the hockey lines, the people working there haven't a clue about hockey. If they represent the average Las Vegan (Las Vegasite?) this is not going to go anywhere. It's a bad idea.

[Obscured]

http://www.blueshirtsunited.com/arti...st-three-weeks
**Cam Talbot prepared to make his second straight start in the place of Lundqvist, and is confident he’ll make the most of this opportunity. Mackenzie Skapski was recalled from Hartford to back up Talbot**

[SteveSly]

So there's a drive to see whether a Las Vegas hockey team could attract season ticketholders. They are accepting deposits for season tickets beginning on Feb. 10. http://vegaswantshockey.com/

Apparently the NHL supports the test run. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...oley/22026309/

Personally, I don't see it. Certainly not as an expansion team; a relocation maybe...maybe. When my husband and I go to the Sports Books in Vegas and look for the hockey lines, the people working there haven't a clue about hockey. If they represent the average Las Vegan (Las Vegasite?) this is not going to go anywhere. It's a bad idea.

Vegas has had minor league hockey for years and supported it fairly well. Their current team The Wranglers play in the ECHL. We went to a game the last time we were out there and the arena was pretty close to full. Of course supporting an NHL team is a whole other level.

[Brian Griffin]

Borrowing from the USFL's Houston franchise, the Las Vegas Gamblers has a nice ring to it

Blues finally crash and burn in a big way last night, national TV vs les Hawks on Sunday

BG

[Yves]

Fruitful weekend for the Habs! A big blowout win against the Devils on Saturday and the completion of a season sweep against the Bruins last night! I guess it is now time to lose a few in a row. Their next 3 games are against opponents currently not in the playoff race...

[McCarroll]

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[oilersfan]

Are we that geeky that the spammers confuse us for gamers???

[oilersfan]

Evander Kane is finally out in Winnipeg...

http://www.tsn.ca/kane-bogosian-deal...-deal-1.205003