crosby to pittsberg... sigh.

[gadjet 11]

Penguins won the lottery... Crosby, Malkin (last years number 2) Lemieux, Tarnstrom and Recchi will be awesome to watch...Canucks slipped into 10th... not bad at all...

[Guest]

FUCKIN RIGHT

[Eclipse17 0]

Leafs picking 21stboo =(

[cursive34 0]

good cause the pens shoulda had ovetchkin(sp?) last draft. that kovalev trade was one of the worst ever though.

[WestcoastCanuck 0]

Crosy couldn't get any better of a mentor than Mario Lemieux. Number 10 pick for my Canucks isn't that bad either. The Leafs get the 21st pick, which is around where they would have picked if they did it based on the 2004 season. The Flames and Oilers got screwed, as did the Rangers. Not that I am complaining!

[Guest]

lol we needed all the help we could get

[Oziumrules 0]

Penguins deserve it....Now if Cuban buys the Bucs we can really have a good baseball team!

[Eclipse17 0]

but Florida got screwed bad!!!!!!!29th pick!they should have been in the top 5

[HtotheNootch 0]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

[WestcoastCanuck 0]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

If Crosby went to the Rangers, Blackhawks or Kings it would obviously help the NHL from a marketing perspective. The problem is, all of those teams (maybe not LA as much) suck, and will probably suck for a long time. There is a very good chance Crosby would not develope into the player he could be. I know the Penguins were horrible the last few years, but he has Lemiuex (maybe the only draft picked who was as hyped as Crosby, certainly the only draft pick that hyped who lived up to the hype), and a competent GM. Under the new CBA the Penguins could thrive.The NHL managed to market Gretzky and Lemiuex when they were with the Oilers and Penguins during the 80s, you would think there is a chance they can do the same with Crosby.

[KStrom 0]

habs get the 5th!

[HtotheNootch 0]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

If Crosby went to the Rangers, Blackhawks or Kings it would obviously help the NHL from a marketing perspective. The problem is, all of those teams (maybe not LA as much) suck, and will probably suck for a long time. There is a very good chance Crosby would not develope into the player he could be. I know the Penguins were horrible the last few years, but he has Lemiuex (maybe the only draft picked who was as hyped as Crosby, certainly the only draft pick that hyped who lived up to the hype), and a competent GM. Under the new CBA the Penguins could thrive.The NHL managed to market Gretzky and Lemiuex when they were with the Oilers and Penguins during the 80s, you would think there is a chance they can do the same with Crosby.

What marketing of Lemieux and Gretzky? The NHL blew that opportunity when they had it. Then Bettman blew his big opportunity in 1994 (in June 1994 there were articles about how the NHL was overtaking the NBA) by locking out the players to get the CBA, that he had to cancel a season to change. By the time the NHL came back it was too late to capitalize.BTW, the Blackhawks wouldn't have helped. The Blackhawks are probably the worst run team in professional sports - yes even worse than the Clippers.

[murmar 0]

All those new rules are looking pretty fantastic.

[CaneBrain 95]

but Florida got screwed bad!!!!!!!29th pick!they should have been in the top 5

to paraphrase a stoned homer simpsons....Whoa! We have a hockey team!??!

[Heaton 0]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

How won't the NHL survive? It's virtually impossible for the league to lose money now.

[CaneBrain 95]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

If Crosby went to the Rangers, Blackhawks or Kings it would obviously help the NHL from a marketing perspective. The problem is, all of those teams (maybe not LA as much) suck, and will probably suck for a long time. There is a very good chance Crosby would not develope into the player he could be. I know the Penguins were horrible the last few years, but he has Lemiuex (maybe the only draft picked who was as hyped as Crosby, certainly the only draft pick that hyped who lived up to the hype), and a competent GM. Under the new CBA the Penguins could thrive.The NHL managed to market Gretzky and Lemiuex when they were with the Oilers and Penguins during the 80s, you would think there is a chance they can do the same with Crosby.

What marketing of Lemieux and Gretzky? The NHL blew that opportunity when they had it. Then Bettman blew his big opportunity in 1994 (in June 1994 there were articles about how the NHL was overtaking the NBA) by locking out the players to get the CBA, that he had to cancel a season to change. By the time the NHL came back it was too late to capitalize.BTW, the Blackhawks wouldn't have helped. The Blackhawks are probably the worst run team in professional sports - yes even worse than the Clippers.

No league has ever been run as poorly as the NHL has (with the possible exception of the XFL)I had no sympathy for the owners during this lockout...they took out their guns pointed them at their own feet and pulled the trigger.They overexpanded, they created hilarious bidding wars for good players even though the sports' popularity dictates that the players should be making half as much (at best) compared to the other Big 3 pro leagues.I am personally upset hockey is back not because I dislike hockey (I think it can often be very good) but because the same people are in charge and they will probably **** it up once again. The NHL can only succeed in the long run with a salary cap AND a significant lowering of the # of teams in the league. (What do they have 30? 32? They really should have about 16 tops and no, ZERO, ZILCH teams should be in the following states: Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Tennessee....well you know which states I mean.However, I am happy for the many Canadian members of this forum....enjoy!

[longdistance 0]

The Habs were so close...that wouldve been awesome.Ill take 5th however, there are probably a few gems who are being overshadowed by the kid.Habs in 2006!

[vonteego3 0]

wtf is Pittsberg?

[teneight 1]

wtf is Pittsberg?

i think it's a type of meat...don't really know though

[Batch 0]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

I hope it is less.Life has been great without this pathetic sport.

[HtotheNootch 0]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

How won't the NHL survive? It's virtually impossible for the league to lose money now.

There are several major problems:1) Fan apathy. I am a long-time member of an excellent hockey board. I was having beers with another member the other night. We both said the same things:"I've found other things to do.""I don't think the product will be that good.""I've found better things to do with my money.""Now that I think about it getting to the games was a hassle."I was a pretty intense hockey fan. If I'm saying that, I wonder what a lot of the more casual fans are saying?2) Television. Even with the new CBA, in order for the league to grow it will need television. See #1 for the problem with that.3) Player quality. Watch how many talented Europeans stay in Europe. Kovalchuk made $5 million in Russia last year. He probably won't be offered more than that by the Thrashers. While Kovalchuk's ego might keep him here, remember he's still young (and single). I've read a lot of stories about how some of the Euros' wives would rather raise their kids at home. Without a major financial difference, it's quite possible they will do just that.4) The game won't open up. Despite the "new rules", I've heard this all before. Every year it ends up the same. Dump, trap, repeat. Dump, trap, repeat. Dump, trap, repeat. Dump, trap, repeat.I can think of others if you give me time.

[HtotheNootch 0]

Good post CaneBrain.

[Marchione 0]

you know the pens are getting crazy trade offers right now ~i think it is a wait and see if they dont trade, sooo many players that can be traded with teams hoping to get inline with the CAP.Let me say this CROSBY is the best thing to come out of Nova Scotia since KIETHS and our lobster

[CaneBrain 95]

Good post CaneBrain.

Thanks.It amazes me as to how little some people know about the business of sports. Not accusing anyone in particular just sports fans in general.For instance, why is the NFL so great. It is their TV contract.EVERY team in the NFL gets somewhere between 75-100 MILLION dollars to start the year from TV. NHL TV contract isnt worth that much TOTAL.This is the main problem the NFL faces. And TV money comes from popularity and the NHL has the appeal of dogturds. I will be shocked if they dont have to LOWER that cap figure at some point....and cut teams.

[WestcoastCanuck 0]

Yeah that's just where the NHL needed Crosby.swWhat's the over under on the NHL's survival? I'm thinking 5 years.

If Crosby went to the Rangers, Blackhawks or Kings it would obviously help the NHL from a marketing perspective. The problem is, all of those teams (maybe not LA as much) suck, and will probably suck for a long time. There is a very good chance Crosby would not develope into the player he could be. I know the Penguins were horrible the last few years, but he has Lemiuex (maybe the only draft picked who was as hyped as Crosby, certainly the only draft pick that hyped who lived up to the hype), and a competent GM. Under the new CBA the Penguins could thrive.The NHL managed to market Gretzky and Lemiuex when they were with the Oilers and Penguins during the 80s, you would think there is a chance they can do the same with Crosby.

What marketing of Lemieux and Gretzky? The NHL blew that opportunity when they had it. Then Bettman blew his big opportunity in 1994 (in June 1994 there were articles about how the NHL was overtaking the NBA) by locking out the players to get the CBA, that he had to cancel a season to change. By the time the NHL came back it was too late to capitalize.BTW, the Blackhawks wouldn't have helped. The Blackhawks are probably the worst run team in professional sports - yes even worse than the Clippers.

I am in no way saying the NHL is in great or even good shape. And I would never, for the life of me, argue against the Blackhawks being the worst run team in sports. All I was saying is that as far as Crosby goes, I think it is better for the league for him to go a small market with a great chance of being a success than to go a major market and be a bust.The NHL had some serious momentum in the late 80s early 90s. This momentum was largely a result of Mario Lemiuex and more importantly Wayne Gretzky. When gretzky moved to L.A. it created a major buzz, but he was already a huge star with the Oilers (the smallest of small markets). His popularity while playing in Edmonton helped the league expand. If the NHL is lucky, Crosby can become as big in Pittsburgh. If he doesn't, he will still be a free agent by the age of 25 and can bolt to NY to play alongside a 51 year old Mark messier.