Hockey

[MVHighways]

Well, Chicago has won their third Stanley Cup in six seasons. Amazing management, particularly in the salary cap era (new Bruins GM, take some notes). Duncan Keith had the Cup winning goal late in the second period, and he would end up taking  the Conn Smythe Trophy. Patrick Kane would add an insurance goal with 5:14 left in the third in the 2-0 Blackhawks victory.

[texaskdog]

Well, Chicago has won their third Stanley Cup in six seasons. Amazing management, particularly in the salary cap era (new Bruins GM, take some notes). Duncan Keith had the Cup winning goal late in the second period, and he would end up taking  the Conn Smythe Trophy. Patrick Kane would add an insurance goal with 5:14 left in the third in the 2-0 Blackhawks victory.

Great game, too   The only other game I watched in full was 4 and that wasn't good until the end.

[Henry]

For the first time in 77 years, the Hawks won the Stanley Cup in their own arena. It was also the first title-clinching game in the United Center since 1997, when the Bulls won the second of their three consecutive NBA championships and fifth overall.

[Desert Man]

Meanwhile in the AHL, the Manchester Monarchs, Los Angeles Kings farm-team in the AHL, had won their 1st and...last Calder cup championship. They'll move west to replace the Ontario Reign of the ECHL who'll move.....east to Manchester to replace the AHL Monarchs.

Strange arrangement for the LA Kings' affiliates, instead of only switching leagues (the AHL is a higher level of minor league hockey than the ECHL). The Ontario Reign is the closest ice hockey team to me, as well San Diego (the 5th version of the Gulls) and the junior level Lake Arrowhead Big Bears (their regional opponents are the Irvine Wolves, Long Beach Ice Dogs and Valencia Falcons in Santa Clarita).

If I was a billionaire, I would purchase the now-homeless Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes and relocate them to a new larger arena in Riverside/San Bernardino, the largest US metro area without a major league sports team (note they're often included in the LA-OC sports market). San Bernardino would be ideal for a NBA team, or Riverside, wherever and whatever it takes to help the US' 2nd poorest city, but incentives to bring jobs and prosperity to upcoming places is difficult. Temecula attempted to bring the Chargers NFL team before with a rejected stadium proposal, how about they check into a sports arena? Temecula is on the San Diego-Riverside county line.

The Coyotes might not want to relocate to Las Vegas, due to concerns of sports gambling interfere with the game. And what about the NHL plans to expand to 34 teams, and Las Vegas is the least likely to get a team? Good luck, Quebec City...Kansas City...Houston...Seattle...Portland...even Hartford, Hamilton and Saskatoon.

Another NHL team likely to move is the Florida Panthers, despite their regional rival Tampa Bay Lightning went to two Stanley cups (the last one), the team may see if Atlanta, where it had two NHL teams before, is better for them. Currently, the Panthers play in a sports arena in Sunrise, a suburb in Broward County north of Miami. 

[Stephane Dumas]

Meanwhile in the AHL, the Manchester Monarchs, Los Angeles Kings farm-team in the AHL, had won their 1st and...last Calder cup championship. They'll move west to replace the Ontario Reign of the ECHL who'll move.....east to Manchester to replace the AHL Monarchs.

Strange arrangement for the LA Kings' affiliates, instead of only switching leagues (the AHL is a higher level of minor league hockey than the ECHL). The Ontario Reign is the closest ice hockey team to me, as well San Diego (the 5th version of the Gulls) and the junior level Lake Arrowhead Big Bears (their regional opponents are the Irvine Wolves, Long Beach Ice Dogs and Valencia Falcons in Santa Clarita).

Not only for the LA Kings affiliates, some affiliates of others clubs will switch places from the AHL to ECHL and vice-versa as well. http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/American_Hockey_League#Major_Realignment_of_franchises_2015-

The teams on the move are the Norfolk Admirals (affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks), Manchester Monarchs (affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings), Worcester Sharks (affiliate of the San Jose Sharks),  Adirondack Flames (affiliate of the Calgary Flames) plus the previously mentioned Oklahoma City Barons (Edmonton Oilers).  Norfolk, Manchester, and Adirondack are scheduled to being the ECHL affiliates of their NHL organization. Oklahoma City and Worcester may end up as either AHL or ECHL affiliates to some other organization.  Oklahoma City had also been mentioned as a candidate for an NHL team (either by relocation or expansion).  Worcester best possibility for a team could end up with them being the ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins as the Bruins have been part of a split affiliation (along with the Washington Capitals) with the South Carolina Stingrays.

[Stephane Dumas]

Here some vintage Houston Aeros moments from the WHA posted on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2bKZcaN_JM

[Desert Man]

Imagine the NHL expansion happened and 2 teams came into existence. Video game simulated two teams play in this YT version of NHL '13 by EA sports. The Kansas City Blizzards vs. Seattle Bullfrogs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTNgIw2_rNI

[Desert Man]

And a potential team in Las Vegas, two nicknames to choose from, if the team came into existence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWkJ09_exPQ
The Aces

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq1ZZTzaA8s
The Black Knights

IMO, the Arizona Coyotes could move to Las Vegas, except the team recently renewed their contract with the city of Glendale west of Phoenix and will continue to play in the Gila River Arena. What gets me is the Maloof family who owns resort hotels (one in Las Vegas) owns the Los Angeles Kings and they're staying put in L.A. 

[Alps]

And a potential team in Las Vegas, two nicknames to choose from, if the team came into existence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWkJ09_exPQ
The Aces

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq1ZZTzaA8s
The Black Knights

IMO, the Arizona Coyotes could move to Las Vegas, except the team recently renewed their contract with the city of Glendale west of Phoenix and will continue to play in the Gila River Arena. What gets me is the Maloof family who owns resort hotels (one in Las Vegas) owns the Los Angeles Kings and they're staying put in L.A. 

The Aces are an Alaskan team name. Besides, the Black Knights always triumph!

[ET21]

NHL returns tomorrow!

[Stephane Dumas]

Gary Bettman urges Calgary to get a new arena for the Flames.
http://www.tsn.ca/bettman-urges-new-arena-in-calgary-1.421368
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/gary-bettman-calgarynext-chamber-commerce-1.3398581

[Pete from Boston]

What a brilliant racket sports leagues are.

[woodpusher]

I like "Las Vegas Aces" - you get the gambling aspect with the cards, then the experimental plane aspect of Area 51.

Now when the NHL redid their divisions a few years ago, they wanted teams within a division to be in the same time zone
where practical.

A team in Las Vegas would put 5 teams in the Pacific, 3 in the Mountain, with one in between (Arizona), along with 6 in the Central.

Two divisions of 8 teams would still require Colorado playing in the Central.
A 6-5-5 alignment would require finding another team in the Mountain - the only candidate I see is Salt Lake City.

Now Quebec City is lobbying for a team as well.  So maybe they could do divisions of 9 and 8.
This would require finding two teams in the Central Time Zone - maybe Kansas City and Houston.
Other possibilities:  Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New Orleans (??), Regina/Saskatoon (?).

[Stephane Dumas]

.
Other possibilities:  Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New Orleans (??), Regina/Saskatoon (?).

Ironically in 1983, the Blues almost moved to Saskatoon if it wasn't for John Ziegler.
http://www.stlouisgametime.com/2009/4/5/823172/the-saskatoon-blues-the-story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4FCaS0KA1o

[1995hoo]

There had been talk of the Capitals moving to Saskatoon at one point in the 1980 time frame until the trade for Rod Langway et al turned things around.

[Stephane Dumas]

The upcoming 2016 Stanley cup playoffs might be the 1st time since 1970 with no Canadian clubs in the playoffs.  Will the Capitals get their 1st Stanley cup championship?

[ET21]

More like "Can the capitals actually win a series?"

[1995hoo]

More like "Can the capitals actually win a series?"

Ask Islander fans the answer to that. This dumbass at my office kept talking about how the Caps always lose in the first round. I suggested he look at last season's playoffs.

The way they're playing right now they won't go far, though. I suppose it's a bit natural that when you're so far ahead in the standings you might be inclined to let up a bit on the effort, but it's damn hard to get back in the groove when the games suddenly matter again.

[Roadmaestro95]

More like "Can the capitals actually win a series?"

Ask Islander fans the answer to that. This dumbass at my office kept talking about how the Caps always lose in the first round. I suggested he look at last season's playoffs.

The way they're playing right now they won't go far, though. I suppose it's a bit natural that when you're so far ahead in the standings you might be inclined to let up a bit on the effort, but it's damn hard to get back in the groove when the games suddenly matter again.

As much as Holtby has done this season, it seems like he's regressing a bit down the stretch. Wonder if the Rangers and Caps will play again and then do the same thing like last year! But in reality, I think the Bolts are the darkhorse in the East, they'll be fun to watch in the playoffs.

[Stephane Dumas]

For nostalgia, here the former Hartford Whalers theme "Brass Bonanza".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bwZbWZhAaM

And the "Big Time Barons" for the former AHL team, Cleveland Barons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOqCh7hYTYs

Old Cleveland Barons fight song played during the original team's 1937-1973 AHL run, as well as following some wins after the Barons name was resurrected for the AHL franchise that played in Cleveland from 2001-2006.

[texaskdog]

won fantasy hockey again woohoo!!  23-1 this year, 20-4 last year, won 38 of my last 39.  Makes it more fun to watch hockey.

[ET21]

Eastern conference wild card is very intense. 3 teams within a point

[1995hoo]

My brother summed up tonight's game quite nicely:

On a night honoring their departed owner, they really showed what Philly fans are all about.

[Desert Man]

The NHL 16 playoffs: nice to see the Florida Panthers in the postseason, while the Ducks are down 2-0 vs. the Predators, and there's the Kings-Sharks series. My stanley cup predictions: the Chicago Blackhawks win again vs. the Washington Capitals.

[jp the roadgeek]

In keeping with the theme of the board, I love how the first round playoff series are between cities that can (or almost can) be connected by one highway.

TB/DET: I-75
NYR/PIT: Lincoln Highway
NYI/FL and PHI/WAS: I-95
CHI/STL: I-55
MIN/DAL: I-35
SJ/LA: I-5
NSH/ANA: I-40