Well, by "harbinger" I meant a start. We can only hope that those southern teams will soon be moving north, where they rightly belong.

Next up Quebec City and Hamilton followed by Hartford. That takes care of where to move Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Florida. That leaves the decision of where to move Phoenix, which, by my guess, will be next spring after the taxpayers of Glendale realize that they will be on the hook each and every year for $30,000,000 plus to cover the Coyotes' losses.

The scuttlebutt here in New England is that there is no way Hartford will get an NHL team again. So, we shall see.

Personally, I'd like to see Halifax get one before Hartford.

I've heard that too. There is a lot of interest in Hartford to get another team, but from what I understand, from reading news reports, they have a long way to go before the NHL will consider Hartford again.

Halifax is an interesting idea. There have been occasional rumblings about a team going there, but nothing ever seems to happen about it.

Halifax has a substantial Bruins fan base, probably in part because of the strong overall connection between the city and Boston dating back to the famous Halifax Explosion in 1917, when the city was devastated. A French cargo ship loaded with explosives collided with a Norwegian ship in "The Narrows," a section of Halifax Harbor. The explosion killed about 2,000 people and injured 9,000, and destroyed lots and lots of buildings. Massachusetts sent a relief train, and beginning the year after and every year since, Nova Scotia has donated a fabulous Christmas Tree for the official City of Boston lighting ceremony. I've been to bars in Halifax during the hockey season and one feels a very strong Bruins presence.

Plus, it's less than two hours to fly between the two cities.

During this year's Stanley Cup finals, there were several articles about Halifax fans of the Bruins in the local press here, in part because Brad Marchand is from Halifax. Apparently, the Nova Scotia minister of transportation is a big Bruins fan, and told The Boston Globe that he is probably better known for that than as a member of the government. He recounted how he has a tradition at home of taking his false front teeth out whenever the Bruins are in the playoffs. Obviously, once he took them out this year, the Canucks were finished! ;)

The Halifax Road Runners sounds good to me as does the Qubec Lightening and the return of the Hartford Whalers
And as for Phoenix how about the Maine Mariners

:yes: Penguinsfan Jen

I like it. :yes:

Go, go, go, Jen ... you're on a roll. :)

With the 23rd pick the Pittsburgh Penguins pick Joe Morrow
so is anyone else watching or keeping a eye on the NHL draft?
:yes: Penguinsfan Jen

I've been taking the odd peek at it since Friday and skimming the reports when I find them, but I'm not closely watching any of the picks.

the 2011 hall of fame class
 

Going in this year are Doug Gilmore and Mark Howe [long over due]
:yes: Redwingsfan Jen

Ummmmm, how come you're not a Penguins fan anymore?:confused::eek:

^^^I still like the Penguins but decide to go with an orig six team so i'm going with the Red Wings the most successful US team and damn i'm surpised you caught that
:yes: RedWingsfan Jen

Well, you're my friend, so of course I would pay attention to what you were saying.:respect::)

I don't suppose you're any closer to dating Toronto Maple Leaf fans are you?;):lol:

I wonder how the Red Wings will do this year? They seem to have been quiet in the FA sweepstakes so far(it is a pretty weak crop this year). I know they signed Ian White, but I don't think they've signed anyone else yet.

Wow! The Sharks seem to be wanting to make some changes! First they traded away Setoguchi, and now Heatley is gone to Minnesota!

From tsn.ca:

SHARKS SHIP HEATLEY TO WILD FOR HAVLAT IN BLOCKBUSTER DEAL

The San Jose Sharks have traded forward Dany Heatley to the Minnesota Wild for forward Martin Havlat.

Heatley scored 28 goals and added 38 assists in 80 games for the Sharks last season while Havlat scored 22 goals and added 40 assists in 78 games for the Wild.

The Wild inherit the last three years remaining on Heatley's deal that will count as $7.5 million a year under the salary cap. However in real money, Heatley will make $8 million in 2011-12, $6 million in 2012-13 and $5 million in 2013-14.

Havlat has four years left remaining on his current contract, with an annual cap hit of $5 million.

Heatley, who has a modified no-trade, had to submit a list of 10 teams he wouldn't go to before July 1. Minnesota was not on that list.

"When players that we have targeted become available, you need to be able to react quickly and you also have to pay a price in order to acquire them," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a release. "When we made the Brent Burns trade, we knew we still needed to address our speed up front and we think the acquisition of Marty does that."

According to his agent Allan Walsh, Havlat agreed to waive his own no-trade clause earlier in the day to facilitate the move.

This is the second major deal between the teams over the past two weeks. The teams completed a draft-floor swap that sent Devin Setoguchi, former first-rounder Charlie Coyle and a 2011 first round draft pick to Minnesota for defenceman Brent Burns and a 2011 second rounder.

Heatley's tumultuous time in San Jose comes to an end after just two seasons. He demanded a trade from Ottawa following the 2008-09 season and was shipped to San Jose for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a 2010 second round draft pick.

He has drawn criticism for his lack of production in the playoffs, scoring just five goals in 32 games over the past two post-seasons.

In 669 career NHL games, Heatley has scored 325 goals and chipped in 364 assists. His 26 goals last season tied for the second lowest single-season total of his career, equaling his rookie total in 2001-02 and better than only his 13 goals from 2003-04, in which he played only 31 games.

Havlat's 62 points from last season was good for the third-best total of his career, behind 2008-09 and 2003-04. He put up 77 and 68 points in those two campaigns, his last in Chicago and Ottawa respectively.

The Czech-born Havlat has scored 209 goals and added 303 helpers in 621 career NHL games between the three clubs.

Both players have a past with the Ottawa Senators. Heatley suited up for the team for four seasons between 2005 and 2009, while Havlat was drafted by Ottawa in the first round, 26th overall in 1999. The Sens would deal Havlat as part of a three-way trade in 2006.

Heatley was originally drafted second overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2000.

----------------

I wonder if he regrets whining about wanting out of Ottawa a few years back?;)

sharks want the cup. Bottom line.

Doug Wilson is keeping it interesting. We picked up some more room under the cap, despite the trades.

It's sad to see players you like go (seto), but I want a cup too!

-K

I haven't been listening to the news recently. It's good to see Gilmore and Mark Howe get in the HOF.

I've never been a Wings fan, but if I cheer for Detroit when they play those hated southern teams do I still have a chance for a date, Jen? ;)

Does getting Burns and Havlat make them much better than they were? The problem with Havlat is that he is injury-prone and I don't see him as the player he used to be. I imagine that Heatley is a cancer in the locker room so that is probably why the Sharks were willing to get rid of him. I think that they will regret getting rid of Setoguchi to be honest, as he was awesome in the playoffs.

Hey! You're already involved with a beautiful woman, so don't you try anything, you rascally Canadian.:eek:;):lol::p

You guys are fighting over me like i'm a can't miss draft pick
Not sure what you two will do if i ever move to Canada, which may happen if Bachman wins in 12
:eek: Redwingsfan Jen

Seto will be missed. He was young, fast, and a good guy who came up through the organization. Losing him, we needed some speed. We'll see if Havlat has it.

Everyone is injury prone by the time the playoffs roll around and the games matter. Thornton and Clowe had separated shoulders, Heatley a broken hand ... The list is long.

Heatley scored a hat trick on his first game in San Jose. People here liked him, and the players too. There were a gaggle of surprised well wishing tweets from them after the trade was announced. I don't think he "was a cancer in the locker room", because the Sharks are pretty successful. When they weren't, he was as much to blame as anyone, and he knew that. He wants to win, and he knows the game. In a less successful organization he might piss people off telling them how to do their jobs. I really don't know, but here in SJ, he was always a professional.

I'm never sure how things will shake out until they do. I don't think the Sharks are much weaker or stronger than last year. Maybe, at this point, I feel some optimism? They've got, maybe this year and next to win it, before age starts to take more of a toll. Tough to point to any weaknesses that glare. They should contend again. Last year we all said: the d is weak without Blake.

I would like to go on record that the Wild make me think of Christmas every time I see them. I imagine I'll laugh when I see Seto and Heatley in red and green. They'll get applause here in the tank when they return...

-K

Let the Canadians fight. Meanwhile, I will sit here in Boston confident that, ultimately, Jen will come around to the Bruins. ;)

You are the number 1 draft pick, Jen. :);)

AHHH that explains why the guy flashed me the number one sign as i blow past him
:lol: Redwingsfan Jen

:lol: Yep, that would be the reason.

Sorry SMC but since i'm all of a sudden the top pick i'm taking my option and leting the Red Wings draft me
So let me make the announcement that now cheering for the Detoit Red Wings is Redwingsfan Jen
Look on the brightside with me going to the Red Wings that makes four of the orig six teams are reposented on this fourm
:yes: Redwingsfan Jen

I think that the best we'll ever do is to get members here cheering for five of the original six. After all no one cheers for the Rangers. :lol:

I read in the paper the other day that Winnipeg signed Andrew Ladd to a five year contract and that he will be the captain of the Jets. It looks like a good deal for Winnipeg.

I'd sooner cheer for the Rangers before i'd ever cheer for the Blackhawks

:rolleyes: Redwingsfan Jen

Stick with Detroit. They've done far better and have more potential than Rangers or the other original six team which shall remain nameless.

Well, even if you're a Red Wings fan, the other part of my invitation (in the PM) still stands. Any time. :yes:

Everyone needs to remember
that the Jets are not an expansion team they are a relocated team who are an up and coming team
:yes: Redwingsfan Jen

That's true. The Thrashers were building a good team and Winnipeg has been lucky enough to benefit from the start that Atlanta made.

I think we would think we'd died and gone to heaven.;):)