Hockey

[cpzilliacus]

You'll never see the European-sized (international) rink used in the NHL, simply because it would be too expensive to rebuild the arenas to accommodate it. Recall how the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver were played on NHL-sized ice for the first time–all previous Olympics were played on international-sized ice, but the IOC and the IIHF agreed to use the NHL rink to save money.

I also don't think that most NHL fans do not want the larger international-sized rink.

The lockout is saving ME a fair amount of money since my wife and I share our Capitals season tickets with a couple of other people. I haven't sat down and crunched the numbers yet, but I believe we are soon approaching the point where they'll start refunding season-ticket installments already paid (we make 12 payments with no interest for the regular season; playoffs are billed after each round concludes). We went to an AHL game in DC a few weeks ago when the Hershey Bears played the Norfolk Admirals at Verizon Center. I've been a huge hockey fan since 1984, but I found myself thinking that I didn't miss being at the games all that much. That's the sort of thing that will really kill the NHL–if long-time fans move on and find they don't miss it.

That ought to be a word of warning to the NHL players and team owners.

The hardest thing for me is having no sports to watch on TV this winter! Yeah, the Redskins are experiencing a revival, but that's one day a week. Nothing to watch on weeknights. Maybe I might have to get back into college basketball. (As an alumnus of two ACC schools–Virginia and Duke–I used to watch a lot of college basketball, but I lost interest when I was no longer able to attend games.) I've never watched the NBA, but then I grew up in an area (Washington DC metro area) that does not have a pro basketball team.

I'm more of a Ravens fan from the other end of the B-W Parkway, though I don't dislike the Redskins either. 

I have always been an ACC fan, but with my alma mater apparently taking the greed route to the Big 10 (and the Rupert Murdoch/FoX-majority-owned Big 10 Network), I won't be supporting anything associated with the University of Maryland ever again, I am not sure what will happen.

[CanesFan27]

Hockey starved photos from the Augusta Riverhawks vs. Fayetteville FireAntz game last night.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamontheroad/sets/72157632390822998/

[Dougtone]

It looks like there has been a agreement reached on the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412844

That being said, I will be back to watching hockey at the NHL level.  I'm a diehard Islanders fan, and I'm looking forward to making the trip to catch an Islanders game or two this season, as well as a few more games before they move to Brooklyn in 2015.

[Stephane Dumas]

It looks like there has been a agreement reached on the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412844

That being said, I will be back to watching hockey at the NHL level.  I'm a diehard Islanders fan, and I'm looking forward to making the trip to catch an Islanders game or two this season, as well as a few more games before they move to Brooklyn in 2015.

I wondered if they still be called NY Islanders or renamed the Brooklyn Islanders?

[Alps]

It looks like there has been a agreement reached on the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412844

That being said, I will be back to watching hockey at the NHL level.  I'm a diehard Islanders fan, and I'm looking forward to making the trip to catch an Islanders game or two this season, as well as a few more games before they move to Brooklyn in 2015.

I still anticipate that if I see another game this season, it will be a minor league game.

[Roadmaestro95]

Welp, the NHL and the players finally made an agreement on the collective bargaining issue. 
And HOCKEY'S FINALLY HERE!
I know this lockout kind of killed our hopes for a season, but is anyone excited about it nonetheless?

[Mr_Northside]

Hell yeah.  With the Steelers season over, it would be a much longer winter here without the Pens playing.

[Alps]

It bridges the gap between the return of Amar'e Stoudamire (meaning end of Knicks season) and the return of Mariano Rivera.

[mgk920]

(Listening to the deafening yawn from the masses....)



Anyways, with the Packers advancing in the NFL playoffs and the Premiere League starting to get interesting again, as well as the Bucks having an OK season for once, I don't know if I can fit any of this other curious league in before summer.



Mike

[Brandon]

HALLE-FUCKING-LUJAH!  IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME.
  :jumping:                         

Go Wings!

[Dougtone]

It looks like there has been a agreement reached on the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412844

That being said, I will be back to watching hockey at the NHL level.  I'm a diehard Islanders fan, and I'm looking forward to making the trip to catch an Islanders game or two this season, as well as a few more games before they move to Brooklyn in 2015.

I wondered if they still be called NY Islanders or renamed the Brooklyn Islanders?

New York Islanders.  The team's owner has stated that the name will remain the same.

[hbelkins]

Hockey's back? I would say "yawn" but that might earn me more points toward double-secret probation.  

[1995hoo]

I'm curious to see how much more we owe on our season tickets. The Caps let you make 12 monthly payments with no interest. We paid five installments before the lockout. Can't owe too much more, maybe one or one and a half more payments.

[kurumi]

Go Whalers (er, Sharks)!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I'm curiously excited to see what the Wild can do with their offseason haul. I'm glad we get to see it this season instead of next... 

[CanesFan27]

I'm curious to see how much more we owe on our season tickets. The Caps let you make 12 monthly payments with no interest. We paid five installments before the lockout. Can't owe too much more, maybe one or one and a half more payments.

The Dear Old Hockey Club has a very similar payment plan down here. We did receive 5% interest on our existing paid balance during the lockout.  So it will be interesting to see if what we paid plus interest earned covers the season and parking.

We also will receive 10% of 2013-14 and 5% off 2014-15 season tickets.

What will be interesting is that the Canes do a full, 26, and 12 game plan.  It'll be interesting if they offer all 24 home games to 26 game holders - so the building can be more reliably full.  If that's the case, as a full season ticket holder it will be interesting in what they will offer us (free parking has been rumored) in return.

I'm just hoping they keep the five consecutive home game weekends in late feb - mid march.  Gotta catch up on our tailgating!

[1995hoo]

They gave us a piddly 1% simple interest, which I understand to be an annual rate. Since the lockout lasted for a tick under four months, that would be one-quarter of one percent. I think I worked out the interest on our account to be less than $15. Parking not an issue because our arena is downtown and does not offer parking. We usually pay $15 at a garage located about four blocks away.

[CanesFan27]

$10/game for parking here.  STH's can purchase general parking passes ahead of time for $7/game.  That's the benefits of having the arena away from downtown.

Having something to do or go out to after a game.  That's a drawback.

You don't want to know how much our tickets costs.

[texaskdog]

$10 for parking here for Texas Stars AAA.  We really like the games but it's $27 just to sit in the corners unless you can snag a Groupon.  Just too expensive to go to hockey games.

[1995hoo]

Mathieu Perreault celebrates Ovechkin's shootout winner tonight:

[Stephane Dumas]

The Toronto Maple Leafs will go in the playoffs, a first since 2004. http://www.thestar.com/sports/2013/04/19/toronto_maple_leafs_return_to_playoffs_would_be_firsttime_experience_for_these_kids.html

[amroad17]

Did anyone see that behind the back save from the Toronto Marlies goalie against the Rochester Americans in the AHL playoffs the other night?  That is probably the best save I have ever seen in my life!

[texaskdog]

It looks like there has been a agreement reached on the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412844

That being said, I will be back to watching hockey at the NHL level.  I'm a diehard Islanders fan, and I'm looking forward to making the trip to catch an Islanders game or two this season, as well as a few more games before they move to Brooklyn in 2015.

I wondered if they still be called NY Islanders or renamed the Brooklyn Islanders?

New York Islanders.  The team's owner has stated that the name will remain the same.

How about the Long Island Islanders?

[Roadmaestro95]

It looks like there has been a agreement reached on the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412844

That being said, I will be back to watching hockey at the NHL level.  I'm a diehard Islanders fan, and I'm looking forward to making the trip to catch an Islanders game or two this season, as well as a few more games before they move to Brooklyn in 2015.

I wondered if they still be called NY Islanders or renamed the Brooklyn Islanders?

New York Islanders.  The team's owner has stated that the name will remain the same.

How about the Long Island Islanders?

It's a shame that they're relocating off into NYC when they really belong out here on the Island.
Should've moved them to Suffolk instead!

[Henry]

I'm proud to say that my hometown Blackhawks are the #1 seed in the West (and BTW, Pittsburgh is #1 in the East), and hopefully will have their second Stanley Cup in four years...but then again, it felt wonderful and strange at the same time when they won in '10. Anyway, GO HAWKS!!!