NHL 2017/18 season

The Oilers looked solid with McDavid being a monster, this guy is going to be tough to stop. And the Leafs spoiled the opener big time in Winnipeg and Marleau had a good game. He might bring some added life to the Leafs this year.

Interesting facts about the Sens attendance and season tickets.

The Senators only get about half their season ticket support (roughly 4,000 of an estimated 8,000 season ticket holders) from corporate outlets. In the Greater Toronto Area, the Maple Leafs have the luxury of tying up about 80 per cent of their season ticket sales (roughly 13,000 of 16,000) from corporations. The massive population of the GTA fights over the remaining tickets like chickens chasing feed.
I'm surprised that the Leafs only have 3,000 individual season ticket holders.

No surprise in Edmonton as McDavid took control of a game but under-powered Flames team.

Real surprise in Winnipeg as the young buck Jets signed star fwd Nicolai Ehlers to a 43 million dollar contract in the morning and then took a massive 43 ton dump in the evening, getting smashed to pieces by the Maple Leafs 7-2 . . . . could easily have been 10-0

Biggest problem in Winnipeg now is coaching. Leafs Babcock is a coaching colossus while Paul Maurice in Wpg. is a coaching dwarf - - - soon coming up on the most losses by any NHL coach, in history!

Jets have never won a playoff game - either in Atlanta or now in Wpg.

They are coached to be out of position on a disturbingly consistent basis. Combine that with mediocre goal-tending and you have a problem. A big problem.

As predicted Patrick Laine, the Jets most explosive offensive force was totally neutralized by Babcock (close checking by one man, with another guy following in behind) and Dustin Byfuglian (old buffalo butt) put in a typical disinterested outing.

Jets now have their own version of Kellyanne Conway (the notorious White House liar). Brian Munz went ballistic on TSN radio morning show today - telling Troy Westwood and the other meatballs that "Its only one game" and the typical Jets problems can easily be corrected. WOW - welcome Kellyanne!

Interesting for sure jay!

Too funny Lyle. But he might end up becoming pretty close to the Almighty incarnated on Earth, well with a pair of skates and stick in his hand. ;D

Leafs are looking like offensive dynamos. Certainly their defensive personnel can only do so much, as they're young and under-powered - but the onslaught of goals is breaking down opponents resolve.

Winnipeg teams (both Jets & Bombers) are looking more and more like succulent, soft-tissued pigs

Opposition loves to bully and devour soft, non-threatening animals - and it appears both Jets and bombers have been built with Charmin in mind.

Biggest question in NHL is which NHL coach gets the neck hatchet first.

Paul Maurice (aka PR Boy) in Winnipeg or Mark Bergevin in Montreal.

Neither team should make playoffs as they're currently constituted.

In CFL both Winnipeg GM Kyle Walters and coach Mike O'Shea will trudge on making mistakes, having a helluva time and cashing hellaciously high pay cheques - high in terms of money to performance ratio.

Have a feeling Jets will give a good account of themselves after their debacle vs. Toronto in G. 1 - but still lose 3-2 or 3-1 is my guess. A close loss gives the team a bit of extra breathing roomas some of the rumpled media types in Wpg. start waking up to the reality of soft sports teams!

I see that the Leafs went for the two point convert tonight to hit 8 after settling for a regular convert and 7 points in their first game. lol

Can't remember a Leafs team that has scored 15 and has had 11 different players score their first goal of the season in their first two games?

Next up the Hawks on Monday night - who incredibly have even been more impressive than the Leafs having won their first two games 10 - 1 over the Pens and 5 - 1 over the Blue Jacketd.

Leafs took a 5-1 lead - and I suspect they were absolutely stunned when the Rangers deadlocked the game at 5 before running out of gas - and serving up the woeful ex-Jet Ondre Pavelec as their gaoler.

Big difference between Jets and Rangers - is that Rangers have a few shooters on the team that can actually bury the puck - and make deposits across the goal-line.

Jets have one guy with scoring touch - Laine. After that, a group of miscreants, fumblers, softs & pad-thumpers.

Leafs still don’t have the personnel to disturb a great opponent’s solid offense - Babcock says all the right things but Leafs will be fortunate to advance past the first round of the playoffs. That’s when the going gets rough.

Jets meanwhile will be fortunate to be playing for the same coach in November they had in October.

It's early, but defence and goaltending have to be better for both the Leafs and Rangers, woeful display of both in this one.

Two of the best coaches in the game w/ The Frenchman & Mike Babcock.

NYR made a goofy choice this year, bringing on perennial Winnipeg/Atlanta mope goalie Ondrej Pavelec as their backup to King Henrik. Ondrej will show great athleticism but he’s a porous as fog.

Leafs were really impressive last night against the Hawks. Dominating most of the last half of the game in an exciting come from behind 4 - 3 win. Outshooting the Hawks 43 - 21.

On to off ice news.

New Rockets onwer showing some interest in bringing the NHL to Houston.....if the numbers pencil out. Building is already in place which he controls.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/new-rockets-owner-interested-bringing-nhl-team-houston/

Once Seattle gets their building in order likely later in the year and if another expansion process starts and both apply. League is going to have an intriguing decision to make.

Carolina will continue to get propped up - especially if NHL commissioner Pee Wee Herman has his way.

Pee Wee is tremendous in appealing to the egos of billionaire NHL owners and is fully capable of stripping them of as much money as they've got.

He'll put Houston & Seattle in a chase scene for the remnants of the Canes franchise - but only on Pee Wee's timeline. . . . . only exception is if Carolina's owner turns in the keys - which is even better for Bettman - he could then sell the assets (mainly NHL franchise rights) of the canes to the top bidder - and won't have to pay the Canes owner a penny.

Nobody plays the long game better than Pee Wee.

He is the worst commissioner in recent memory and makes Jeff Orridge look brilliant.
In fact, I am starting to wander how he has lasted this long.

He's not the worst commissioner if you own a team in the league. The opposite is closer to the truth.

From the 2005 - 2016 season to 2015 - 2016 season league revenues jumped from $2.27 billion USD to $4.1 billion USD.

Plus since 2012 the value of an NHL franchise has jumped from an average of $282 million USD to $517 million USD.

And average attendance has risen by about 1,000 per game since 2010.

So from an owner's perspective - and they are the ones to hire a commissioner - they would consider him a geat success.

It's been an entertaining start to the season. Leafs, Devils, Golden Knights, Blackhawks etc, all off to good starts. Montreal is playing as expected tbh, this should be Bergevin's last season to dismantle that team.

As a Habs fan, I know they were in for a tough season... they didn't address any needs, size, scoring, D... they kept Benn who was an absolute waste of space last year in the playoffs. I would have protected Emelin... lets the Knights take Benn, he is just about totally useless. The PK trade is biting MB in the butt right now.

I loved the 5-3 shorty in last night's NJ/Tor game... I'm hoping a couple of more losses will bring the Leafs and fans crashing back to earth... although I still believe that the NHL's biggest market is in line for a SC sooner rather than later...

Interesting. Houston would be easier to just slot into the Central Division with Dallas.

What do you think they’d do with Seattle joining? I guess just slide Arizona over to the Central.

Maybe they could move Arizona to Houston and give Seattle an expansion team.

sambo, I've heard everyone in Toronto is already planning the SC Leafs parade now though! 8)

The Seattle situation with arenas sounds a bit complicated.

Looks like Winnipeg Jets have an interesting team on their hands this year. Brought in a veteran star goalie to take over prime responsibilities from up 'n coming trainee Connor Hellybuyck but Helly has been superb and The Sugar Man from Philly has been a bust. (Steve Mason)

Not quite time to push the panic button but Jets #2 overall pick rookie Patrick Laine looks like he's in severe sophomore slump mode. 3 goals in 11 games - still on pace for 23 to 26 goals - but he had 36 as a bare-assed rookie last year. This one was easy to see from a mile away by semi-knowledgeable hockey analysts - Laine is a one-dimensional player (great shot from inside 35 ft), the book on him is making sure you get a forechecker or d-man to put a stick a few inches away from his contact point. He'll either barf up the puck or whack it into the stands. Bomber or Jet fans never really panic because they're used to losing and being professional mopes. . . . . . so hope will continue to be on the lookout for Laine. . . . . he couldn't even catch Phil Kessel after he barfed up the puck to the pudgy Penguin in OT - Pudge Kessel was actually pulling away from the lanky 6'5", 19 yr old freshface before he potted the winning goal

I'm sure Laine will come to life against hobo teams (fewer and fewer of them exist) that don't bother looking at game films and putting the right check on Laine. . . . . . but I suspect he'll still end up with 20 to 25 goals (assuming a near full season) to quiet the natives. Right now, it looks like Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are in a totally different league than Laine. Laine is 1-dimensional. Matthews isn't - The leaf #1 pick also destroyed Laine with 40+ goals last season, easily taking rookie of the year from the 1-dimensional Mr. Laine.

Eventually Laine will demand a trade - his livelihood depends on it. Right now, everyone is abiding by the bible and keeping their lids on. Just wait a few more weeks!

The Leafs have sort of hit a wall too after their red hot start - losing 4 of their last 5. Babcock has done a big shuffle of the lines for tonight's game with Bozak and Marner bumped to the 4th line.