Hockey

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Minnesota wins the first PWHL championship, 3-0 over Boston in the deciding Game 5 of what had been a wild series with great support on both ends.

[Henry]

I wonder who Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier would pick if the Rangers faced the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final? This would be like the NHL's version of the Joe Montana dilemma, where the Chiefs and 49ers would meet in the Super Bowl (and so far, Kansas City's won both).

[Rothman]

The Boston/NY avenge pact is fun to watch unfold on TikTok, now that the Celtics knocked off the Pacers, which had beaten the Knicks.  Rangers must now beat the Panthers to avenge the Bruins' loss. 

[epzik8]

I wonder who Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier would pick if the Rangers faced the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final? This would be like the NHL's version of the Joe Montana dilemma, where the Chiefs and 49ers would meet in the Super Bowl (and so far, Kansas City's won both).

I'd LIKE to think Gretzky would be strictly Oilers, but he could surprise me.

[Stephane Dumas]

I wonder who Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier would pick if the Rangers faced the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final? This would be like the NHL's version of the Joe Montana dilemma, where the Chiefs and 49ers would meet in the Super Bowl (and so far, Kansas City's won both).

I'd LIKE to think Gretzky would be strictly Oilers, but he could surprise me.

Now then you mentioned it, I wonder which team Wayne Gretzky picked in 2014 when the Rangers faced the Kings in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final?

[epzik8]

Florida Panthers I love you

[Stephane Dumas]

Too bad I would have wished then the Rangers won because it would celebrate their 10th anniversary when they lost the Finals against the LA Kings in 2014 and the 30th anniversary of their championship in 1994 and to a latter extent, having a hockey team from the Big Apple going against the Edmonton Oilers, it was 40 years ago then the Oilers won their first Stanley cup championship against the NY Islanders.

[Henry]

I wonder who Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier would pick if the Rangers faced the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final? This would be like the NHL's version of the Joe Montana dilemma, where the Chiefs and 49ers would meet in the Super Bowl (and so far, Kansas City's won both).

I'd LIKE to think Gretzky would be strictly Oilers, but he could surprise me.

Now then you mentioned it, I wonder which team Wayne Gretzky picked in 2014 when the Rangers faced the Kings in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final?

I'd say the Kings, simply because he failed to replicate the same success that Messier had in New York.

Now the big question is: Will the third time be the charm for the Panthers (losing in '96 and last year), or will Canada celebrate its first champion in 31 years?

[NWI_Irish96]

Random fact that I looked up: there are no non-stop commercial flights from Edmonton to Miami.

The teams will fly charter of course, but media and fans will have to deal with layovers.

[Max Rockatansky]

Don't worry, there is a fair chance that a lot of people in Miami didn't realize Edmonton even existed.

[NWI_Irish96]

Don't worry, there is a fair chance that a lot of people in Miami didn't realize Edmonton even existed.

There is a fair chance that a lot of people in Miami don't realize hockey exists.

[Max Rockatansky]

Don't worry, there is a fair chance that a lot of people in Miami didn't realize Edmonton even existed.

There is a fair chance that a lot of people in Miami don't realize hockey exists.

I was going to say something similar until I looked up the Panthers attendance figures.  Apparently an average of 18,500 people showed up to their home games this season. 

[ET21]

Panthers home attendance hit over 1 million for the season for the first in franchise history this season. The franchise is healthy

[1995hoo]

We went to a Panther game in January and they had a pretty good crowd, especially for a very rainy Thursday night (remember it's a suburban arena with no meaningful public transportation).

I'd like to go this Saturday, but the cheapest tickets I can find are nosebleeds for over $400 prior to the various fees, so TV it is.

[Max Rockatansky]

Panthers home attendance hit over 1 million for the season for the first in franchise history this season. The franchise is healthy

For now, history suggests otherwise.  Miami in general has a track record for fair weather sports fandoms. 

[Alps]

Panthers home attendance hit over 1 million for the season for the first in franchise history this season. The franchise is healthy

That doesn't jive with the below...

I was going to say something similar until I looked up the Panthers attendance figures.  Apparently an average of 18,500 people showed up to their home games this season. 

Or the below...

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/04/25/nhl-regular-season-attendance

[epzik8]

"Utah Hockey Club" is an actual name in the running for Utah's team. You've got to be kidding.

[Rothman]

"Utah Hockey Club" is an actual name in the running for Utah's team. You've got to be kidding.

Utah Jello Salads.

[Henry]

"Utah Hockey Club" is an actual name in the running for Utah's team. You've got to be kidding.

Well, the Commanders were the "Washington Football Team" during their transition from the Redskins, so precedent is definitely there.

The other five names are Yeti, Venom, Outlaws, Mammoth and Blizzard. Which means that there'll be no new "double-Z" ending in a Utah team name this time around. The WNBA team now called the Las Vegas Aces started out as the Utah Starzz, which in retrospect is a dumb name to begin with; also, the Triple-A baseball team was once called the Buzz, but is now known as the Stingers.

[LilianaUwU]

"Utah Hockey Club" is an actual name in the running for Utah's team. You've got to be kidding.

Well, the Commanders were the "Washington Football Team" during their transition from the Redskins, so precedent is definitely there.

But that was a temporary name. Utah Hockey Club is being considered as a permanent name, which is absurd.

[epzik8]

"Utah Hockey Club" is an actual name in the running for Utah's team. You've got to be kidding.

Utah Jello Salads.

Okay, maybe HC isn't the worst.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Will this be the first year since 1993 that a Canadian team (finally) wins the Stanley Cup?

[NWI_Irish96]

"Utah Hockey Club" is an actual name in the running for Utah's team. You've got to be kidding.

Well, the Commanders were the "Washington Football Team" during their transition from the Redskins, so precedent is definitely there.

But that was a temporary name. Utah Hockey Club is being considered as a permanent name, which is absurd.

Why not just keep Coyotes? No worse of a nickname for a Utah team than Jazz.

[LilianaUwU]

"Utah Hockey Club" is an actual name in the running for Utah's team. You've got to be kidding.

Well, the Commanders were the "Washington Football Team" during their transition from the Redskins, so precedent is definitely there.

But that was a temporary name. Utah Hockey Club is being considered as a permanent name, which is absurd.

Why not just keep Coyotes? No worse of a nickname for a Utah team than Jazz.

There's probably some copyright shenanigans with that name. After all, the Coyotes franchise is merely suspended, not dissolved.

[epzik8]

ESPN this morning once again showed the story of the Panthers' 1996 playoff rat-tossing ritual that they made and aired for last year's Finals.