Scott Merryfield
Senior HTF Member
The puck drops tonight on the start of a new season, so it's time for a new thread.
In Detroit, we instead get the "screw the Canadian fans" plan. With their change in conferences, the Wings have jacked up the price on all games with the Habs and Leafs, since they know fans from across the border will pay the ridiculous asking price. A co-worker with season tickets in the last row in the corner of the upper bowl always offers to sell me his Habs tickets at face value. He told me his $30 seats are $58 for the games against Montreal. You cannot even see the action clearly at the far goal from his seats. The Boston games are also a premium price, but not quite as high. I have a friend with seats on the glass -- I shudder to think what the asking price for those seats are (I have not talked with him lately). They were normally about $150, so I would guess the price will be well over $200 for the Canadiens and Leafs. At those prices, this Montreal fan will not be going to any NHL games this season.Aaron Silverman said:I got a promo email from the Panthers to buy a 3-pack of tickets to "see Tim Thomas take on the Bruins twice" plus one other game. I may take 'em up on that!
Keep an eye on Tom Wilson, Scott. Hopefully he is in the lineup tonight for the Caps. I will be flipping to that channel during intermission of the Habs - Leafs game.Ockeghem said:It looks like I will get the Washington - Chicago game tonight. That's fine, but I would love to see the Maple Leafs - Canadiens tilt.
http://espn.go.com/nhl/schedule
Scott,Will do. I don't think I get CBC (I think in a PM we may have mentioned this channel before), unless that's one of the NBC sports channels. I do get all of those channels.Scott Merryfield said:Keep an eye on Tom Wilson, Scott. Hopefully he is in the lineup tonight for the Caps. I will be flipping to that channel during intermission of the Habs - Leafs game.
Ockeghem said:Scott,Will do. I don't think I get CBC (I think in a PM we may have mentioned this channel before), unless that's one of the NBC sports channels. I do get all of those channels.
Here is an article on Daniel Briere. I realize that the subheading reads "Montreal veteran finally puts on his favorite team's colors," but there's no accounting for taste.
http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview2013/story/_/id/9751761/nhl-daniel-briere-excited-wear-montreal-canadiens-sweater
Scott,Scott Merryfield said:CBC is the Canadian Broadcasting Company, so it is not one of the NBC sports channels. Here on the east side of the state, we get the CBC affiliate out of Windsor -- just across the river from Detroit. I have been watching Hockey Night in Canada on CBC since around 1970.
There was a nice moment with Briere during the opening ceremonies tonight. Guy LaFleur entered the rink carrying a torch, which he passed on to Briere. Danny then passed it to the next Canadien who was introduced, and so on.
I'm not a banner-waving "fighting must go" person, either. However, it will only take one incident similar to the one last night with Parros where the outcome is much worse -- either a permanent injury or a death -- and fighting will be gone. With all the legal issues surrounding sports and safety these days, there will be no other option. I think it's inevitable -- it's just a question of when.Ockeghem said:I don't know how I feel about the fighting issue in the NHL. It's so steeped in tradition. Being a traditionalist in most things, I tend to like to leave things the way they are, but I can see that fighting may eventually be banned.
I just watched a clip of the Parros injury. Ugh.
http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9756894/montreal-canadiens-george-parros-suffered-concussion
I think the new rule is a good idea, although it was a little strange seeing the whistle blow before the puck was touched. I am somewhat used to that when watching OHL games, but it is not a hybrid icing there. Instead, the whistle blows immediately after the puck crosses the red line -- there is no opportunity for the offensive team to negate the call. The NHL's rule is a good compromise between safety and still allowing a team to negate the call, IMO.Aaron Silverman said:The new "hybrid" icing rule will be interesting. Basically it allows the linesman to make a judgement call once the first player reaches an imaginary line at the face-off dots (the winner doesn't have to be that player). It's intended to prevent injuries to players racing full-speed to the boards.
I understand your pain in trying to get hockey on TV in the South, Aaron. We have a condo in South Carolina, and seeing playoff hockey when we are down there in the spring requires some effort. Fortunately we found a sports bar called Overtime that shows every game for any major sport you can imagine -- they have TV's everywhere. The most fun I ever had watching a hockey game on TV was at that place a few years ago when Montreal upset the #1 seed Capitals in the opening round. My wife and I watched Game 7 sitting with a bunch of Canadians who were down there on a golf trip. It was almost like being at the game -- including long lines for the men's room between periods.Aaron Silverman said:In sad news, although the Lightning list their games as carried on SUN Sports, they are not available in my Pantheresque neck of the woods. Sun was showing boxing or something last night.