Make up your mind, Western Conference. I am tired of waiting for the third round.

Still alive! GO WINGS

man, would really suck to be a sharks fan right about now

sorry, m-cap

take solace in the a's surpassing the rangers in the standings

Looks like the Coyotes are staying in Arizona. Politics and Bettman's foibles aside, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for them. Glad they're staying.



Sad to say, I even bought this when I found it (and the team was still wearing it) at a discount place for $15.

Eh, thanks. It's not going to last long with our Triple AAA offense. Our pitching staff can carry the team for only so long. As soon as you get J-Ham back and the pitching improves some, you'll be back in your rightful place.

The Sharks - With (1) to redeem = what a disappointment.

Boys, stop sullying the NHL thread with baseball talk. This is for a real sport.

After we redeem ourselves manana, I need you to think about what our bet's going to be?

You might want to propose this to barker. There's money to be made. I've always believed the Sharks are the one team that the Canucks aren't equipped to beat (even though they went 3-0-1 against them in the regular season). Then again, it looks like SJ and Van have similar fears of success, which could lead to a tight series of one goal games culminating in a 7th game with a score of 26 - 0.

In other words, if we bet anything it ain't gonna be cash.

No, that's fine. I should've made that clear. Not interested in taking anyone's cash.

Dunno. Some sort of music "file(s)" or burned CD's or whatever you suggest. Basically, what we do here, ramped up a bit.

Well, dern, that sounds doable.

Who wants to take me up on the bet that TBL is going to beat either of the three remaining teams in the West for the SC?

What's the point? The Blackhawks are out of the playoffs. It's just two faggots posting about their insignificant team from their insignificant city now.

btw, lightning in 5 this series, in 6 for the finals (fuck you and your dumb ass over the top trophy names)

no one is freaking out over tyler seguin here?

Freaking out? No. Everyone has a cold streak eventually. Talk to me when he's got 18 points in 6 games. He is pretty fun to watch though. Dat Speed. I just like that BOS has gotten this far without Savard and Bergeron for large chunks of the season. Thomas has some broad shoulders, IMO.

very impressive, especially considering how young and raw he is

on a related unrelated note, there's a small town called seguin down the road from where i grew up (it's where noted broadcaster verne lundquist went to college). their high school football team was the only one in the district consistenly worse than ours. their mascot was the matadors, so we obviously referred to them as the door mats

Pretty sure Vancouver should win this series now, not because of the team itself, but because we got DEM TIGGIES flashing in the penalty box:

So sorry ATL, but rumor has it that the formal announcement of the Thrashers to Winnipeg will come on Tuesday. Maybe now Nashville will be in the East where they belong.

I wish the NHL could get their act together news-wise. NHL.com has the above report, and then Bettman is saying that there is no way it has happened. Sheesh. According to insider sources, players are also being told to make real estate moves now.

Also, and maybe I should know this but, who owns the rights to the "Jets" name? If they become the Winnipeg Thrashers, some heads are going to roll.

Yeah, there's been no "done deal" announced but it's all over but the crying. Bettman and the Atlanta ownership can shuck and jive all they want but it's happening. It's a cryin ass shame too. We deserved better but we got saddled with possibly the worst ownership in all of pro sports.....The Atlanta Spirit Group, who've been in litigation for more years than not since they bought the Hawks and Thrashers. They bought the Thrashers only because they were a package deal with the Hawks.

The problem is that if you bring a pro team into a town where there is ZERO history or culture around the sport there is only one way to get people to buy in and that's to WIN. Bottom line. I don't buy that hockey doesn't work down South. The Thrashers have been here 12 years, have ONE playoff appearance, and ZERO wins. In that same time frame Carolina and Tampa Bay BOTH have Stanley Cups (Carolina played for it TWICE). Neither of those teams are setting attendance records but they do have a fanbase and hockey culture there that wasn't there before. Thrasher fans have only had a BAD product here and have watched players like Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Marc Savard, and Dany Heatley all go out of town.

This will be another black eye for the Atlanta sports fan but the ownership never invested in the product to begin with. I hope they can get a deal done for the Hawks as well. Then they can go away forever and rot on their pile of money.

All valid points, but this is the 2nd NHL franchise to leave ATL. That has to say something. I love what Nashville has done. Grassroots fan-building and now they have some of the most rabid fans in the NHL. It can work.

For every TB or Carolina, you have a FLA Panthers or Dallas Stars. I don't think region necessarily means that its going to be a dog or a winner though. I just think ATL might not be a hockey (or at the very least a NHL) town. I feel like some cities think they need a franchise in all major sports in order to legitimize themselves.

To me, it seems like if there was an owner with vision who thought it could work--they would've stepped up by now. Seems like the numbers just don't work.

That's a shame too. Doubt we'll see ATL get another team, and it certainly adds fuel to the argument that the south can't support teams.

As a sidebar--I'm a fervent believer that names of teams/logos (especially expansion teams) can make or break teams. To me, the Thrashers were doomed from the start with that name/logo. Horrible branding. I get the Georgia significance, and even that fans voted for it, but its still horrible.

Should have called them the Black Ice. Not even Atlanta Black Ice. Just -- Black Ice.