NHL - If the playoffs started today (Week 6)

[wyvernmcd]

Welcome to week 6.  Apparently, not even a car crash could pull me away from posting about my favorite sport on here. Sucks that I still have back pain but I am taking it easy for the time being (nothing too stressful like playing hockey or lifting heavy objects).

I did get a chance to attend the most recent Panthers home game (against the Flyers) and someone needs to tell me when you start a “red”volution and decorate most of the arena in “red” and the lower bowl seats are in “red” and part of the national anthem lights up in “red” (meaning the crowd is supposed to shout “red” similar to that of when Pavel Bure was playing down here and people shouted “Rocket” (because it was his nickname) during the anthem), and the tickets are in red and the Panther supporters/fans are mostly dressed in “red”, WHY DRESS THE TEAM IN “BLUE”? 
Didn’t they learn the lesson that the use of this color for the team is almost a promissory note to the opposing team that they pretty much have the win in the bag for these games. I have never seen a team play half of their potential just because of a jersey color, but here it seems to apply. They have always had playing issues when wearing the “blue” but the marketing people should be shot for continuously advertising and telling the team to wear “blue”. Someone needs to explain to me how people who can’t tell the difference between your marketing color ("red") and the teams old color ("blue") gets paid more comfortably than I do. They have a terrible marketing team and I know it keeps affecting the players. I could go on and on (possibly start a blog or something similar to that if this season turns out to be a disappointment). Thank goodness they are not going back to the bright yellow Jerseys again; that was blinding  .

Impressive the Rangers and the Bruins (almost on the list) have kept their win streaks to put them in a competitive spot to make the playoffs (If it started today  ).

Speaking of which, below are the results of Week 6 of If the playoffs started today…


* Stats courtesy of NHL.com approximately 6:40 pm EST (11/18/2011)

Eastern Conference:
1. Philadelphia Flyers (11-4-3; 25 pts; +15 G/D) – Leads the Atlantic Division – Up 4 positions
2. Buffalo Sabres (11-7-0; 22 pts; +8 G/D) – Leads the North East Division – Up 5 Positions
3. Washington Capitals (10-6-1; 21 pts; +8 G/D) – Leads the South East Division – Up 3 Positions
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (11-5-3 ; 25pts; +11 G/D) – Down 3 Positions
5. NY Rangers (10-3-3; 23 pts; +13 G/D) – Down 1 position
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (10-7-2; 22 pts; -11 G/D) – Down 4 positions
7. Florida Panthers (9-6-3 ; 21 pts; +7 G/D) – Down 4 positions
8. Ottawa Senators (10-9-1; 21 pts; -7 G/D) - *** Back on the list***

Drop-outs:  Tampa Bay Lightning

Potential Match-ups: Flyers v Senators     Sabres v Panthers     Capitals v Leafs     Penguins v Rangers

Western Conference:
1. Chicago Blackhawks (12-4-3; 27 pts; +14 G/D) – Leads the Central Division – Up 1 Position
2. Minnesota Wild (11-5-2; 25 pts; +6 G/D) – Leads the North West Division – Up 3 Positions
3. LA Kings (10-6-3; 23 pts; +4 G/D) – Leads the Pacific Division – Up at least 6 Positions
4. Nashville Predators (10-5-3; 23 pts; +6 G/D) – Up 2 Positions
5. Dallas Stars (11-6-0; 22 pts; +1 G/D) – Down 4 Positions
6. San Jose Sharks (10-5-1; 21 pts; +8 G/D) – Down 2 Positions
7. Phoenix Coyotes (9-5-3; 21 pts; +4 G/D) – No Movement
8. St. Louis Blues (10-7-1; 21 pts; +6 G/D) - *** Back on the List***

Drop-outs: Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers

Potential Match-ups: Blackhawks v Blues     Wild v Coyotes     Kings v Sharks     Predators v Stars

I’m not working during the Thanksgiving break, however like most people, I will be stuck in malls trying to get “Black-Friday” deals so my posting may be a little late but I still plan to have one for (or about the time of Thanksgiving). Looking forward to stuffing my self with food and the results of week 7. 

[SportsChick]

You went to a Sunday game - that blue jersey is only used on Sunday home games, it's the alternate

[EDGECRUSHER]

7 wins in a row for the Rangers. Are we actually good this season?

[Brian Fein]

Wow, quite a rant about the jersey colors, my friend.  They only wear the blue alternates on Sunday home games.  So, what maybe 5 games the whole season?  They wear red every other home game. 

Not sure what the jersey color has to do with the play on the ice.  Maybe I'm missing this here.

But they are definitely making strides with their "We See Red" campaign.  It has filled the arena for most games, that's for sure. 

Recommend you check out a non-Sunday game to get a better handle on the RED thing.

[Brian Fein]

By the way, I really like this post series.  I hope you keep it up all season.  Thanks for doing this.  It should get more interesting after the all-star break.

[Pats2006]

The Bruins havent lost yet in Nov.. they started off slow this year.. but have taking off this month!!

[Pappy13]

Go Hawks! 

[wyvernmcd]

Brian and SportsChick,
I’m trying to remember all the games that I saw but I’m pretty sure there was another regular season game when they were home wearing “blue” other than a Sunday. Me (personally), I’m not that much of a fan of it. True it could be a lot worse for a 3rd jersey (see the Dallas Stars 3rd's and you'll understand) but given the past history of the team when wearing it, it does not bode well to continuously wear it when you want the team to believe in the organization and believe that the local fans will come out to support the team. We (me and my girlfriend) were at the most recent home game against the Penguins and maybe it’s me, but the marketing for seats for the Panthers really sucks. I don’t know if for the other sports that go on down here the same thing happens for hockey but it seems there are about 4-5 full sections of the lower bowl or closer to the action seats where they are always full of the opposing team fans. I talked to one of the ticket checkers and they mentioned that its worse when the Canadian teams come down here for the Winter months (December and January) because it is a home game for them; minus the goal score horn. He said it is almost totally the opposing fans that occupy the whole lower section.

Earlier in the pre-season, when they were marketing the “red” seats, they made a season ticket marketing campaign where the seats were supposed to be sold “only” to the true Panthers fans rather than the opponents. My how the leopard changed their spots when they realized that it was not working and they marketed to outside of Florida markets.

Not to say there is anything new about it. Why do you think Jet Blue is a major sponsor to the team? It’s not for the locals; it’s for the out of state fans to come down here to watch a game. Brian may remember a facebook posting (early this year) that I found when I saw an old link for ADT Panthers tickets for Flyers fans at a reduced price for the seats and plane tickets (The ADT section is all inclusive food, beer, some wines and a pretty good view of the ice behind the home net). There was also a “bonus” deal should the person/people decide to purchase a hotel room for the night. We can’t get deals like that! Why are out of market people getting better deals?

That is where I have such a major issue with the marketing group down here. As unpopular as hockey is down here, there has got to be a better way to get people in the seats without having to give better discounts to the out of state fans.

I’ll do what I can with the weekly postings. Glad to hear that you guys like it, though this is predominately a football site.

Edgecrusher and Pats2006,

I think the Rangers are for real if they stop depending on Hendrik to do all of the work for them. As of now, since they added Avery back into their line-up, they seem to be playing better (though they lost the other night). I don’t think he is the glue of the team but since his return, everyone else has been playing better. They still have work to do, but in reality all the teams have work to do; it’s part of the job.

Not too shocking that Boston has found their way back after kicking off all the rust. Personally, I think they took too long celebrating their win rather than focusing on the defense of their title (they also lost extra work out time because of the length of the playoffs last season). Seigun is carrying the team though being in his 2nd season (I think) and both of the goalies (Thomas and Rask) are getting goal support so it helps them play better and/or more aggressively if they know they give up a bad/weak goal.

I do think it’s kind of funny that now people are calling for Washington’s head coach to be fired because 1 player is not pulling his weight, #8. Alex O. can only do so much and people forget that there were 2 major personal Russian tragedies he went through during the preseason; the loss of team Lokomotiv (the Russian KHL plane crash that killed everyone on the flight and basically wiped the team off the map for the year) and he lost a family member the week after that tragedy. I think that is what is messing with him because he is not taking the daring shots on net like he used to. As to everything else wrong with that team, 2 words: Tomas Vokun. Ok, he is a better goalie than I will ever be (… probably ), but he does have tendencies where he has really bad games in a series and we down here in Florida have experienced it firsthand. Like Luongo, whether we like it or not, we basically trained them to handle 35-40 shot (avg.) games to where they got used to it. The teams they are on now mostly keep opposing shots below 30 so it should not be too shocking that they are playing better than when they were down here. Problem for them is they are really not doing as good as they should be.

Just my random hockey thoughts for the day.

[SportsChick]

Last year that was the weekend home alternate. This year it is Sunday only.  The rest of the home games are the Red jersey

[Brian Fein]

To be fair - they can't control who gets the tickets.  Anyone can SAY they're a Panthers' fan just to get the tickets.  The team has no control.

While I agree, last season, they were marketing to opposing fans, but it was the end of the season and no one was going.  This season is different, I think.

There's always going to be opposing fans in the arena.  ALWAYS.  You can't stop it.  Even the Maple Leafs get opposing fans in their arena.  It happens.

But, I can assure you about the team jerseys - they only wear RED at home unless its Sunday.

[MaineDolFan]

I would like to point out that Boston has gone "worst to first" and now leads the division.  I think it's safe to safe the "Stanley Cup Hangover" is gone.

Watch out, world.  We're back.

[Brian Fein]

I'd like to point out that the Bruins suck. 

[wyvernmcd]

To be fair - they can't control who gets the tickets.  Anyone can SAY they're a Panthers' fan just to get the tickets.  The team has no control.

While I agree, last season, they were marketing to opposing fans, but it was the end of the season and no one was going.  This season is different, I think.

There's always going to be opposing fans in the arena.  ALWAYS.  You can't stop it.  Even the Maple Leafs get opposing fans in their arena.  It happens.

I'm not complaining about selling a couple of tickets here and there that opposing fans get, however the next home game you go to (probably the Rangers or Tampa Bay), check out the sections behind the penalty boxes and tell me whether you think I'm nuts. I showed that to my girlfriend when we saw the Penguins (minus Crosby) and her jaw dropped when she noticed how many yellow there was compared to any other color in those sections (she is still trying to get the hang of the game but she's progressing  ).

I am not knocking that there are a smattering of opposing fans distributed throughout the stadium. Let's face it, all sports teams have that "issue". What I am knocking is where there is a collection of about 20-30 people in seats who just so happen to be all the same opposing team fan in different rows, but they are all collectively in a group that you are able to notice from the 400 and 300 seat sections easily (mind you this does not count the people who sneak into the lower bowl seats). I am a little confused how seating is set up like this unless someone who is in control of the tickets plan something like that. When I see Panther road games, there are fans in the building but not in a full group section like when the Rangers, Canadiens, Leafs and the other major (popular) teams show up. That is where I have an issue when it comes to marketing for the local area. I think they have a reserve section that specifically caters to visiting teams just so they know they can get tickets sold; but again that is my opinion.

It's misleading when you say almost 15,000 people come out to watch a game, but honestly how much of that percentage is really cheering for the home team before you get down to the home hockey fans? I know we are but we don't make up a huge percentage of the attendance record. I also don't believe that their "sell to fans only" campaign would not have worked in the first place. They are at the point of desperation of selling tickets to anyone willing to pay anything for it.

I know its a bad market but if they want to grow a fan base, I don't believe they are not doing it the right way. Look at the commercials they have for hockey and compare it to anything else they have down here and tell me that the hockey advertising is better. I have not seen it lately (not counting North of the 49th).

We always deal with "winning sells tickets" but they should be selling it despite how good or bad they are doing rather than having to sell tickets at half price or other price cutting measurements. How are they making money if they are undercutting the ticket prices so much? How is Dallas playing kick ass hockey (more or less) and they are drawing less fans than a Florida (now Miami) Marlins game? How is that profitable for them? They are winning; a lot of games (other than the 6-0 shelling Florida gave them) and their seats are predominately empty when you see it in highlights or on TV.

[Sunstroke]

Sure was fun watching Sid the Kid back on the ice last night, and not just because two of my fantasy squads were desperate for an offensive spark. Crosby's talent level is just flat out sick...best player in the game, hands-down.

[StL FinFan]

Blues 3 Pens 2 OT