A Crime, Absloute Crime...

[chilaxin12 2]

I watched the Flyers Penguins game last night, and MAF, although at times made me think he was a little out of position, played amazing 45 saves, I don't understand how the Penguins are going to keep holding this kid down, I know the money, but they need to make a deal to free up some cash to get this kid in the show, Pitt needs to win games, because like the broadcast said, end of next season, there lease on Mellon is up, and they could shop the team to other cities, and with sid the kid and MAF along with supporting crew, pitt could find themselves without the penguins rather easily.

[mik3 1]

He makes an extra 6 mil or so after 25 games. I'm sure he'll play about 20, but they'll be late if they're close to a playoff spot. And He was going to be sent down anyway. Thibault was supposed to play yesterday and Caron was coming off IR today anyway.

[jrhky36 1]

winnapeg, houston, san antonino were mentioned as possible new homes for the pens if they don't get a new barn.

[Chadd 916]

He makes an extra 6 mil or so after 25 games. I'm sure he'll play about 20, but they'll be late if they're close to a playoff spot. And He was going to be sent down anyway. Thibault was supposed to play yesterday and Caron was coming off IR today anyway.

I thought it was $4M total if he hit his incentives?

Even if the money for a new building was approved tomorrow, a new building wouldn't be built before the lease expires. The city might as well say goodbye now.

[beaucoup_fish 0]

winnapeg, houston, san antonino were mentioned as possible new homes for the pens if they don't get a new barn.

Win-ni-peg! Win-ni-peg!

[Chadd 916]

winnapeg, houston, san antonino were mentioned as possible new homes for the pens if they don't get a new barn.

Win-ni-peg! Win-ni-peg!

no chance.

[msander 0]

God, I hate the idea of more hockey teams in the southern United States. Ship the penguins up to Winnipeg...but the name and logo has to stay...I love the skating penguin!

[beaucoup_fish 0]

winnapeg, houston, san antonino were mentioned as possible new homes for the pens if they don't get a new barn.

Win-ni-peg! Win-ni-peg!

no chance.

Why's that? Winnipeg fans are still mighty bitter about losing the Jets, and let's face it, the Coyotes would be a better draw in the 'Peg. They wouldn't have trouble selling tickets at all.

I doubt that Texas really needs another hockey team, although the developing rivalry would be interesting to observe.

A city that's nuts about the Spurs is not going to care about hockey, nor will a city that already has the Astros hogging the media.

Of course, why go back where people care about hockey when you can continue to jam a glut of teams in the sunnier parts of the U.S.?

[beaucoup_fish 0]

God, I hate the idea of more hockey teams in the southern United States. Ship the penguins up to Winnipeg...but the name and logo has to stay...I love the skating penguin!

The Winnipenguins. Their throwback could be the Jets jersey. I like it.

[zingbergeur 0]

Didn't the Jets move to Phoenix because they couldn't make enough money in Winnipeg? Has the area grown by leaps and bounds in the last 10 years or am I missing something?

[SR27 0]

Didn't the Jets move to Phoenix because they couldn't make enough money in Winnipeg? Has the area grown by leaps and bounds in the last 10 years or am I missing something?

The arena they played in is no more and as far as I know the new arena where the Moose play is "only" 14.000 seats or so.

[Chadd 916]

winnapeg, houston, san antonino were mentioned as possible new homes for the pens if they don't get a new barn.

Win-ni-peg! Win-ni-peg!

no chance.

Why's that? Winnipeg fans are still mighty bitter about losing the Jets, and let's face it, the Coyotes would be a better draw in the 'Peg. They wouldn't have trouble selling tickets at all.

I doubt that Texas really needs another hockey team, although the developing rivalry would be interesting to observe.

A city that's nuts about the Spurs is not going to care about hockey, nor will a city that already has the Astros hogging the media.

Of course, why go back where people care about hockey when you can continue to jam a glut of teams in the sunnier parts of the U.S.?

"Sunnier parts of the US" - Home of the defending Stanley Cup champs. ;)

Capacity of the new arena is almost 2000 lower than the current building in Pittsburgh. Fans would have to pay roughly double what they paid for the Jets and sell out every game and the team could afford to spend around the minimum cap number. How does that help the league? I just don't think the league wants a team to have financial problems after moving.

Winnipeg population 700k

Houston population 1.9M

[beaucoup_fish 0]

Didn't the Jets move to Phoenix because they couldn't make enough money in Winnipeg?  Has the area grown by leaps and bounds in the last 10 years or am I missing something?

The arena they played in is no more and as far as I know the new arena where the Moose play is "only" 14.000 seats or so.

They'd have no problems packing the joint then! :P

I get the feeling that Winnipeggers are itching for NHL hockey to come back...I think overall, the city would be quite enthusiastic about it. I can hope at least...

[Sghockey21 1]

Move the Pens to the Northwest..

Seattle Penguins or Portland Penguins

[beaucoup_fish 0]

winnapeg, houston, san antonino were mentioned as possible new homes for the pens if they don't get a new barn.

Win-ni-peg! Win-ni-peg!

no chance.

Why's that? Winnipeg fans are still mighty bitter about losing the Jets, and let's face it, the Coyotes would be a better draw in the 'Peg. They wouldn't have trouble selling tickets at all.

I doubt that Texas really needs another hockey team, although the developing rivalry would be interesting to observe.

A city that's nuts about the Spurs is not going to care about hockey, nor will a city that already has the Astros hogging the media.

Of course, why go back where people care about hockey when you can continue to jam a glut of teams in the sunnier parts of the U.S.?

"Sunnier parts of the US" - Home of the defending Stanley Cup champs. ;)

Capacity of the new arena is almost 2000 lower than the current building in Pittsburgh. Fans would have to pay roughly double what they paid for the Jets and sell out every game and the team could afford to spend around the minimum cap number. How does that help the league? I just don't think the league wants a team to have financial problems after moving.

Winnipeg population 700k

Houston population 1.9M

If the new arena that you speak of is the building for the Moose, then I don't think the NHL franchise would play there.

Hypothetically speaking, if the city they moved to funded a new arena, then they'd be better off than in their current situation regardless of where they moved.

How do you figure that they'll have to pay nearly twice what they paid to see the Jets (irrespective of inflation over 10 years)? 2000 less seats doesn't equate to a doubling in price to reach the same revenue level. Selling tickets won't be a problem, especially with an exciting young core in tow.

All in all, it doesn't matter where they go, they're still the Penguins. Moving to Houston or San Antonio or wherever doesn't erase their financial issues. They will still be strapped for cash in the U.S. as well, so I don't see the logic to your argument about how they will be in any more dire a financial situation.

Winnipeg Population: 700K. % that care about hockey: 100 (exaggeration of course, but you get my point).

Houston Population: 1.9M. % that care about hockey: 0.

[Jason Allison 0]

I saw an article somewhere about the Penguins going to Kansas City. AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) the owner of the Los Angeles Kings and Staples center is either building or has already built a large arena facility in KC and they're supposedly really working hard to get the Penguins to be their #1 tennent.

[McCabe#1 0]

If I was MAF I would demand a trade soon. He is losing approx. 3.9mil when they send him down to the minors. It is obvious he is there best goalie, and they treat him like crap. The ONLY reason he gets sent down is to not pay him, but they went out in the summer and paid a bunch of over-priced vetrans a lot of money, when MAF could win more games for them. I'm disappointed that the penguins aren't more interested in winning hockey games, they deserve to miss the playoffs.

[Hobbes_86 0]

I've heard KC is a front runner as well. They either have plans to build or already have an arena in place for the Pens. From my understanding as long as Pitt has plans to build a new arena after the lease expires on the Igloo the Pens will stay. Mario does not want them to leave and neither do the citizens of Pittsburgh. The slots vote passed its just a question of the Pens getting a licence.

As for MAF the Pens are projected to be 7 million in the hole. MAF's contract if he stays up would tally on an additional 3 million. Also his contract is up at the end of this season. So my question is are they thinking about saving money now to make him a better contract offer next year, or are they going to cut him loose. (stoopid IMHO)

[Hobbes_86 0]

One last thing about the Pens organization and MAF.

He is a young goaltender at 21 and from my point of view a good goaltenders play matures slower than say a forward. If you bring him up now in front of this Pens team that lacks solid defence it could ruin him....then again it might not who knows. So I think the Pens are keeping him down to let him to continue to work on his consistancy and his game. He was at the top of their depth chart in training camp, they just want to be cautious with him.

The organization is handling the development of their second most important asset with patience, judiciousness and responsibility.

[mack 44]

...which is generally true, but look at Luongo. He played for complete piles of suck and has cemented himself as a great tendy.

[Hobbes_86 0]

very true!

[roadrunner 12]

There would be nothing better for Lemieux than to put the team in Quebec and play against Montreal.

[chilaxin12 2]

I know it will never happen, because the NHL hates Hartford, but I'd like to see the penguins here, Granted that when the whalers were here, they didn't always sell out, but they always drew at least 13000 people a game, and especially with sidney crosby with pitt, if theres a place that could afford to pay for redicliously overpriced tickets to an NHL game, CT is the place.

[Michael9 57]

I know a lot of people won't like this idea but why not put another team in toronto, Toronto is bye far the most popular hockey place in North America and if New York have 3 teams, why can't Toronto have 2 teams, I know that compared to New York the team would make a lot more profit,(in NY) but compared to harford and other places mentioned Toronto would defently have the edge and with the knew CBA and the high Canadian dollar i honsetly don't think its that bad of an idea

Just me 2 cents

[scubafrogman 0]

Kansas City is in the process of building the 250 million dollar Sprint Arena downtown. It is scheduled to be completed in 2007 but I don't think they will make it as they are still doing site preperation.

http://www.yourkcarena.com/index.htm