Two or less Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Still very much in the preliminary stages, the NHL has pegged its six teams to start next season overseas. The Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks have been asked by the league to partake in next season's Premiere Games, multiple industry sources told ESPN.com Saturday. Link- http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl Cool idea. Hope they take us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Link- http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl Cool idea. Hope they take us. I don't. The teams that went over there this season had screwed up schedules to start the season. Preseason was shortened for them and then they had a lengthy break after they came home. Early season schedule continuity was all messed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cereal Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hmmm I feel a bit reluctant as well. Anyone have any insight as to where they'd play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonInBuffalo Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Doesn't sound like a bad idea (assuming they stay there for good) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Heck ya! We are the third place team in the North Eastern Conference! That ain't easy to be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frisky Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 I hate the idea. Even if Pegula is the new owner with new personnel (I like the thought of Craig Patrick or Rick Dudley), next season I think would be just like this year. Horrible start and out of the playoff picture from the get go. Even with a high turnover on the roster. I say no. Hopefully (and praying) we ditch the soft players and no shows like Vanek and Hecht before next season. Boo to Europe trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 "I heard the rumor, too, that we’re going to Germany to my hometown," Sabres left wing Jochen Hecht, who is from Mannheim, told The News. "That would be nice. We’ll see." Link- http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2011/01/report-sabres-asked-to-start-next-season-in-europe.html So possibly going to Mannheim? I understand the draw backs, but i just think that would be real cool for the team to gain European exposure. Maybe thats just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregkash Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 if they were smart, theyd go to austria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Link- http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2011/01/report-sabres-asked-to-start-next-season-in-europe.html So possibly going to Mannheim? I understand the draw backs, but i just think that would be real cool for the team to gain European exposure. Maybe thats just me. I'm against the idea for selfish reasons one of which is what effect the travel will have on the guys when they return. One positive will be the team building that happens on a trip like that and with new players on the roster (oh please god) we'll need that bonding. I'm not sure how european exposure will help this team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakstream Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Please come to Sweden! :) NHL in Europe rocks for us who never can se a game live without traveling over seas. Saw Columbus-Sharks in Oktober in Stockholm. That was a great experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Please come to Sweden! :) NHL in Europe rocks for us who never can se a game live without traveling over seas. Saw Columbus-Sharks in Oktober in Stockholm. That was a great experience. Buy tickets to Mannheim as soon as they go on sale, and let's meet for a beer (or 6). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakstream Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Buy tickets to Mannheim as soon as they go on sale, and let's meet for a beer (or 6). haha deal :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 I wonder if a brand new owner would be willing to miss out on the money from the lost home game. I doubt this game would offer much of a marketing opportunity to most teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 I wonder if a brand new owner would be willing to miss out on the money from the lost home game. I doubt this game would offer much of a marketing opportunity to most teams. I laughed at this. If Pegula cares about this lost income, we are screwed (again). What I care about is what someone else alluded to -- being hurt by the experience of going overseas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 I wonder if a brand new owner would be willing to miss out on the money from the lost home game. I doubt this game would offer much of a marketing opportunity to most teams. If this is so, who do teams (NFL, NBA and NHL) continue to go there? They are NOT going just to throw money away. It may be small, but i do think there is some positives to take out from it, from merchandise sales to possible new Euro NHL TV deal. I don't know but they are def not going so they can throw money into a garbage can, that's for sure. Imagine if Sabres sign Christian Ehrhoff this off-season, i'd imagine his jersey sales would sky rocket in Germany.... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 If this is so, who do teams (NFL, NBA and NHL) continue to go there? They are NOT going just to throw money away. It may be small, but i do think there is some positives to take out from it, from merchandise sales to possible new Euro NHL TV deal. I don't know but they are def not going so they can throw money into a garbage can, that's for sure. Imagine if Sabres sign Christian Ehrhoff this off-season, i'd imagine his jersey sales would sky rocket in Germany.... lol I think it will help the league as a whole more than the individual teams. At this point I'd imagine the league is trying to mix it up from year to year and get as many teams out there as possible. Whether or not it's next year, we'll get our chance soon enough. PA, I guess it's not so much about the money as it is that this could potentially be his time to make a statement to the fans here in Buffalo. In the big picture, it's probably no big deal, but outside of the offseason, those first few games of the year are the first real shot to make his presence known. Some will read into it the wrong way if a game is shipped out of the HSBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I think it will help the league as a whole more than the individual teams. At this point I'd imagine the league is trying to mix it up from year to year and get as many teams out there as possible. Whether or not it's next year, we'll get our chance soon enough. PA, I guess it's not so much about the money as it is that this could potentially be his time to make a statement to the fans here in Buffalo. In the big picture, it's probably no big deal, but outside of the offseason, those first few games of the year are the first real shot to make his presence known. Some will read into it the wrong way if a game is shipped out of the HSBC. I hear ya. Are these games considered home or road games? One of each? You would think a decision like this would be held off with a new owner coming in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Another reason these games are important to the NHL; is the existence of the KHL. You know the NHL has to worry that the KHL will at the least continue to grow where European players will decide they would prefer to play there then in the NHL. I'm sure there is also fear that perhaps the KHL would eventually also expand to include teams in Europe proper. Each NHL team may benefit a little by picking up a few fans; but this is primarily a league event. In the NFL, the league requires every team to play a non-US game at some point and decides who goes where and when. I would think the NHL might add something in that nature to their next CBA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I hear ya. Are these games considered home or road games? One of each? You would think a decision like this would be held off with a new owner coming in. It has to be a home and a road game. That's the only way teams would ever agree to it. The almighty dollar rules all. Another reason these games are important to the NHL; is the existence of the KHL. You know the NHL has to worry that the KHL will at the least continue to grow where European players will decide they would prefer to play there then in the NHL. I'm sure there is also fear that perhaps the KHL would eventually also expand to include teams in Europe proper. Each NHL team may benefit a little by picking up a few fans; but this is primarily a league event. In the NFL, the league requires every team to play a non-US game at some point and decides who goes where and when. I would think the NHL might add something in that nature to their next CBA. I was under the impression that the KHL has really been struggling financially over the last year+. Maybe someone like Vanek-man who seems to pay attention to this stuff a bit more can chime in and straighten this one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 It has to be a home and a road game. That's the only way teams would ever agree to it. The almighty dollar rules all. I was under the impression that the KHL has really been struggling financially over the last year+. Maybe someone like Vanek-man who seems to pay attention to this stuff a bit more can chime in and straighten this one out. KHL is a mess. Last off-season they lost 4 teams. Three teams just flat out folded due to losing too much money and two teams just merged into one (including Dynamo Moscow, one of their most successful clubs... alumni includes Afinogenov, Ovie, Kovalev, Datsyuk, Yashin, Kasparatis). These teams have failed to pay contracts on a monthly basis and many players who did go overseas do return due to not getting paid (Ray Emery for one). The crowds are small and they have a small tv deal. Only thing that keeps them still known is the big contracts (with oil money) they give away which still attracts some guys from the US. They have a salary cap- (562.5 mil roubles, 23.5 mil euros 29.10 mil dollars) but also have exception to a STAR that is not in the "cap" and teams can trade their exception for players/picks/cash. Not a serious threat to NHL at all. KHL is expending into Europe though. This season they have a team from Belarus and Latvia, and next season a team in Kiev, Ukraine will join. They are also targeting teams in Finland, Slovakia and Czech Republic. But, they don't target the "giants" because in KHL existence, i believe only 1 or 2 teams have made a profit thus far. It's not a money maker. People buy teams for political reasons. The teams in Europe that they target are 2nd division teams or teams near bottom of standings. In hopes those teams will spend more, in theory go to a better league, and lure players from their leagues to their team in hopes of making like an all-star team. I doubt it works. In a crazy rumor i once heard they would even try to expend to Pyeongchang, South Korea and/or Toyko, Japan. South Korea is favorite to land 2018 Winter Olympics so i guess it makes some sense since they would have hype. Point is, i highly doubt NHL fears KHL one bit. Back to the topic- Howard Simon wrote about the possible Europe trip here and says it's a toss up about the jetleg and starting slow for teams who did go overseas - http://www.wgr550.com/SIMON--Sabres-in-Europe-/9007650 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matter2003 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I don't. The teams that went over there this season had screwed up schedules to start the season. Preseason was shortened for them and then they had a lengthy break after they came home. Early season schedule continuity was all messed up. I mean the NHL's preseason is already screwed up. WTF is with teams playing a totally different number of games than other teams? Some play 11, some play 7, some play 9...how hard is it to ensure all teams play the same amount of preseason games?? I mean, you are giving teams either an advantage or disadvantage...what if a key player like Crosby or Ovechkin gets injured in the 11th preseason game while other teams are done playing? I would be burnt if I was the team forced to play extra games... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I mean the NHL's preseason is already screwed up. WTF is with teams playing a totally different number of games than other teams? Some play 11, some play 7, some play 9...how hard is it to ensure all teams play the same amount of preseason games?? I mean, you are giving teams either an advantage or disadvantage...what if a key player like Crosby or Ovechkin gets injured in the 11th preseason game while other teams are done playing? I would be burnt if I was the team forced to play extra games... Teams make their own pre-season schedules, so teams that play 7 instead of 11, is by choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 V-M, so with all that KHL stuff you posted, it sounds like the league is slowly shifting towards the west as each team fails. Russian team falls, replace it with one deeper into Europe. Wash, rinse, and repeat. I can't imagine that working out too well. They'll start to run into trouble with some of the other european leagues... that and there probably isn't any Russian mob money that will want a team in Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I don't. The teams that went over there this season had screwed up schedules to start the season. Preseason was shortened for them and then they had a lengthy break after they came home. Early season schedule continuity was all messed up. Of course, it's hard to see how the Sabres could have been any worse to start this year, and they didn't have any travel. Please come to Sweden! :) NHL in Europe rocks for us who never can se a game live without traveling over seas. Saw Columbus-Sharks in Oktober in Stockholm. That was a great experience. This would be fine with me, especially if the Sabres brought home a couple of Swedes. I wonder if a brand new owner would be willing to miss out on the money from the lost home game. I doubt this game would offer much of a marketing opportunity to most teams. I'm pretty sure I've read that the NHL ensures that the teams don't lose money on the games. You would think a decision like this would be held off with a new owner coming in. This makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaLaLaFontaine Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Ohhh please come to Mannheim, it is near my home town here in Germany. I am a Sabres fan since 1995 (the good old tomes with Pat, Mogilny and the Dominator) and i saw Jochen Hecht playing in Mannheim as youngster. For me it would be a dream come true. Go Sabres Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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