Scott Merryfield
Senior HTF Member
Definitely an ooops. During their existence, the Nordiques and Habs rivalry made the Habs - Bruins look like a lovefest. I did something similar many years ago (probably mid-80's) while standing in line at King's Island amusement park in Cincinnati. I made a disparaging remark about Pete Rose, forgetting where I was! I am not sure about a 2nd team in Toronto. While the Leafs own that city, they do have the highest ticket prices in the league and still sell out every game -- even as bad as the franchise has been over the past 45 years. That tells me that demand is greater than the supply in the area. The counter argument, though, is that any other type of higher-end hockey fails miserably in the greater Toronto area. The OHL teams in suburban Toronto struggle to survive (another one is relocating out of the area this off season), and the AHL Marlies do not draw well, either. So, it could be that the Leafs are the only hockey team Toronto is interested in supporting, or it could mean the city in only interested in NHL hockey (but do the Leafs really qualify? ).Ockeghem said:Scott, I wouldn't mind seeing a Quebec franchise (the Nordiques?) again in the NHL. I'm not sure that a second franchise in the Toronto area would work. But as hockey is almost a religion in Canada, I suppose that it might be possible. That's impressive to have that many fans for a junior team game! And speaking of the Maple Leafs and junior teams, I believe they're playing a game tonight against an up-and-coming minor league franchise. I have a funny story to tell (which wasn't too funny at the time). I was on my honeymoon back in 1986 in Old Quebec. I was filling up my tank, and while there I struck up a conversation with a few of the others who were getting gasoline. I said something like, "How about them Canadiens!" I had mistakenly thought that because I was in Canada, everyone loved the Habs. Of course, as I was driving away I realized what I had done, and where I was at the time. Ooops. I thought I was going to be lynched. (Actually, no one responded to me.)