AH Timeline: The NHL-WHA merger: A different story
Whoever gets broadcast rights beginning in 05-06 may just hire CBS's announcers away for themselves. Or they may not, i've haven't really focused to much on broadcasters ITTL.
The schedule will be a short and sweet 38 games, but the playoffs will be the same as usual.
I'd say either Dallas or Tampa Bay, since they moved to their cities around the time the internet was getting popular and they played in a non-traditional city.
I wasn't talking about the personnel, I was talking about the broadcasters in Fox, CBS TNT etc.
Current NHL broadcast teams
CBS and Turner in the US, CBC and TSN in Canada.
CBS announcer lineup
Mike "Doc" Emrick and Bill Clement
Jim Nantz and John Davidson
Dick Stockton and Darren Pang
Dave Strader and Brian Engbloom
Studio Hosts: Greg Gumbel or James Brown and John McKenzie
Turner announcer lineup
Kevin Harlan and Eddie Olczyk
Marv Albert and Stan Fischler
Jiggs McDonald and Barry Melrose
John Forsland and Peter McNab
Studio Hosts: Ernie Johnson, Brian Heyward and Glenn Healy
CBC announcers
Bob Cole and Harry Neale
Jim Hughson and Dick Irvin Jr
Don Wittman and Jim Peplinski
Dean Brown and Patrick Flatley
Studio Hosts: Ron MacLean, Kelly Hrudey, Don Cherry and Steve Shutt
TSN announcers
Chris Cuthbert and Glenn Healy
Mark Lee and Mickey Redmond
Studio Hosts: Steve Armitage, Bobby Orr and Dave Hodge
Shoutout to @OldNavy1988 for helping me with this
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Chris Cuthbert was TSN's play-by-play guy for the CFL. I think he also did NHL games for NBC.
For CBC, there's also Dean Brown, Mark Lee and Steve Armitage.
Studio hosts if you need them:
CBS: Greg Gumbel, Jim Nantz or James Brown
Turner: Ernie Johnson
CBC: Rod Smith
For CBC, there's also Dean Brown, Mark Lee and Steve Armitage.
Studio hosts if you need them:
CBS: Greg Gumbel, Jim Nantz or James Brown
Turner: Ernie Johnson
CBC: Rod Smith
2004-05 NHL Standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
New York Islanders 54 points
Tampa Bay Crocs 53 points
Tennessee Raccoons 44 points
Atlanta Flames 42 points
Mighty Ducks of Orlando 36 points
Washington Capitals 33 points
New York Rangers 33 points
Philadelphia Flyers 30 points
Northeast Division
Hartford Whalers 49 points
Quebec Nordiques 39 points
Ottawa Senators 39 points
Montreal Canadiens 38 points
Pittsburgh Killer Bees 34 points
Buffalo Sabres 32 points
Boston Bruins 30 points
Toronto Maple Leafs 29 points
Western Conference
Central Division
Milwaukee Admirals 51 points
Detroit Red Wings 50 points
Houston Aeros 46 points
Minnesota Moose 37 points
Chicago Blackhawks 32 points
Cincinnati Stingers 31 points
Dallas Texans 28 points
St. Louis Blues 24 points
Pacific Division
Vancouver Canucks 55 points
Seattle Thunderbirds 45 points
Colorado Rockies 35 points
San Jose Seals 30 points
San Diego Penguins 30 points
Calgary Wranglers 29 points
Los Angeles Kings 24 points
Winnipeg Jets 23 points
After a ten-day training camp, the 2005 season finally got underway on February 9, 2005. The schedule would be 38 games with each team playing teams from their division four times and teams from the other division in their conference twice. There would be no intra-conference play. There were some surprises throughout the season, with the success of the teams largely hinging on how prepared they were for the unusual season. Winnipeg, a team stuck in a rebuild, stumbled out of the gate and ultimately won only eight games to finish last in the league and get the first overall pick. Defending Eastern Conference champions Orlando also struggled, dropping to ninth place and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2000 after an injury-riddled season. The New York Rangers, unable to solve their goalie woes in the offseason, missed the playoffs for the first time since 1991. San Jose would also miss the playoffs after Mats Sundin played the season in Europe than hold out during the lockout, marking the first time the playoffs would be played outside California for the first time since 1988.
With some major teams dropping off, there were some surprises. After an impressive 2003-04, Jarome Iginla would dominate in Tennessee in 2005, scoring 60 goals and having 125 points to win league MVP and lead the Raccoons to the playoffs for the first time in club history. The Ottawa Senators would also return to the playoffs thanks to a breakout year from goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who would win goalie of the year, posting 5 shutouts in the short season. Out West, Alex Ovechkin would make an impact in his first year in Chicago, leading the Hawks to the playoffs for the first time in six years and taking home rookie of the year honors. Colorado would also finally make a return to the playoffs after getting off to a hot start and although they struggled near the end, the Rockies got it together and did something they hadn't done in a long time.
Some things however, don't change. The reigning champs from Vancouver would take home the Presidents trophy for leagues best team during the regular season. The Islanders took home first place in the East, looking to bring Steve Yzerman his first cup in possibly his final season, much like what the Canucks did last season with Mark Messier. To win the conference, the Isles had to fend off their division rivals from Tampa Bay in a tight race as the Crocs also enjoyed a strong season in which they only lost 10 games. Hartford took the Northeast Division as Daniel Alfredsson put some solid numbers with 52 goals and 113 points, finishing runner-up for MVP. Milwaukee would barley edge out Detroit for the Central Division title as the Admirals smashed the Wings on the last day of the season in an 8-2 blowout in Milwaukee. After the final buzzer sounded, the two teams got into a brawl that lasted nearly half an hour. Some players even got arrested, but they were bailed by the next morning.
By the end of the season, one player had everyone’s attention and that player was not in the NHL. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Sidney Crosby set a new league scoring record with 207 points while leading the Rimouski Oceanic to a Memorial Cup. Crosby was projected to go first overall in the 2005 NHL draft, and as the playoff teams prepared for a run for the Cup, Winnipeg fans were more than ready to land the player everyone believed could turn a franchise around.
Atlantic Division
New York Islanders 54 points
Tampa Bay Crocs 53 points
Tennessee Raccoons 44 points
Atlanta Flames 42 points
Mighty Ducks of Orlando 36 points
Washington Capitals 33 points
New York Rangers 33 points
Philadelphia Flyers 30 points
Northeast Division
Hartford Whalers 49 points
Quebec Nordiques 39 points
Ottawa Senators 39 points
Montreal Canadiens 38 points
Pittsburgh Killer Bees 34 points
Buffalo Sabres 32 points
Boston Bruins 30 points
Toronto Maple Leafs 29 points
Western Conference
Central Division
Milwaukee Admirals 51 points
Detroit Red Wings 50 points
Houston Aeros 46 points
Minnesota Moose 37 points
Chicago Blackhawks 32 points
Cincinnati Stingers 31 points
Dallas Texans 28 points
St. Louis Blues 24 points
Pacific Division
Vancouver Canucks 55 points
Seattle Thunderbirds 45 points
Colorado Rockies 35 points
San Jose Seals 30 points
San Diego Penguins 30 points
Calgary Wranglers 29 points
Los Angeles Kings 24 points
Winnipeg Jets 23 points
After a ten-day training camp, the 2005 season finally got underway on February 9, 2005. The schedule would be 38 games with each team playing teams from their division four times and teams from the other division in their conference twice. There would be no intra-conference play. There were some surprises throughout the season, with the success of the teams largely hinging on how prepared they were for the unusual season. Winnipeg, a team stuck in a rebuild, stumbled out of the gate and ultimately won only eight games to finish last in the league and get the first overall pick. Defending Eastern Conference champions Orlando also struggled, dropping to ninth place and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2000 after an injury-riddled season. The New York Rangers, unable to solve their goalie woes in the offseason, missed the playoffs for the first time since 1991. San Jose would also miss the playoffs after Mats Sundin played the season in Europe than hold out during the lockout, marking the first time the playoffs would be played outside California for the first time since 1988.
With some major teams dropping off, there were some surprises. After an impressive 2003-04, Jarome Iginla would dominate in Tennessee in 2005, scoring 60 goals and having 125 points to win league MVP and lead the Raccoons to the playoffs for the first time in club history. The Ottawa Senators would also return to the playoffs thanks to a breakout year from goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who would win goalie of the year, posting 5 shutouts in the short season. Out West, Alex Ovechkin would make an impact in his first year in Chicago, leading the Hawks to the playoffs for the first time in six years and taking home rookie of the year honors. Colorado would also finally make a return to the playoffs after getting off to a hot start and although they struggled near the end, the Rockies got it together and did something they hadn't done in a long time.
Some things however, don't change. The reigning champs from Vancouver would take home the Presidents trophy for leagues best team during the regular season. The Islanders took home first place in the East, looking to bring Steve Yzerman his first cup in possibly his final season, much like what the Canucks did last season with Mark Messier. To win the conference, the Isles had to fend off their division rivals from Tampa Bay in a tight race as the Crocs also enjoyed a strong season in which they only lost 10 games. Hartford took the Northeast Division as Daniel Alfredsson put some solid numbers with 52 goals and 113 points, finishing runner-up for MVP. Milwaukee would barley edge out Detroit for the Central Division title as the Admirals smashed the Wings on the last day of the season in an 8-2 blowout in Milwaukee. After the final buzzer sounded, the two teams got into a brawl that lasted nearly half an hour. Some players even got arrested, but they were bailed by the next morning.
By the end of the season, one player had everyone’s attention and that player was not in the NHL. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Sidney Crosby set a new league scoring record with 207 points while leading the Rimouski Oceanic to a Memorial Cup. Crosby was projected to go first overall in the 2005 NHL draft, and as the playoff teams prepared for a run for the Cup, Winnipeg fans were more than ready to land the player everyone believed could turn a franchise around.
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2005 Stanley Cup Playoffs
First Round
Eastern Conference
(1) NY Islanders vs (8) Montreal
The Islanders, heavy favorites to take home the Stanley Cup, found themselves in trouble early as they nearly found themselves eliminated by an aging Montreal team when the Canadiens went up 3 games to 2. But Islander Captain Steve Yzerman put the Isles on his back, scoring two goals and 4 assists in games 6 and 7, including the winner in both as New York takes the series in 7.
(2) Hartford vs (7) Ottawa
Playing in his first ever playoffs, Henrik Lundqvist comes up big early for the Sens, allowing just one goal over the first two games of the series. Daniel Alfredsson would step it up for Hartford in games 3 and 4, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists to even the series. Lundqvist and the Sens would respond, however as he shutout the Whalers in game 5 and Mike Commodore would score the Overtime winner in game 6 to win the series for Ottawa.
(3) Tampa Bay vs (6) Quebec
The underdog Nordiques put up a good fight, jumping to a 2-1 lead over Tampa with two shutouts. It appeared they would advance until Tampa salvaged the series in seven games thanks to dominant play from stars Zdeno Chara and Marian Hossa while Tommy Salo rebounded from a tough start to the series with a strong performance in the last four games of the series.
(4) Tennessee vs (5) Atlanta
In in all southern series, the gritty Atlanta Flames gave the Tennessee Raccoons all they could handle in their first round series. After the Raccoons won the first two games, Jarome Iginla went down with an upper body injury. Atlanta took advantage, bringing the series to seven games. Iginla would return to the lineup for game seven and scored two goals as Tennessee took game seven 4-3 to win their first playoff series.
Western Conference
(1) Vancouver vs (8) Chicago
After predictably losing the first two games of the series, Alex Ovechkin and the Hawks would wake up, winning the next three, all in overtime, with Josef Vasichek, Matt Greene and Todd Harvey scoring the OT winners. Vancouver would game 6 5-3 to bring to a game 7, where Chicago would complete the upset led by an Ovechkin two goal performance 3-1.
(2) Milwaukee vs (7) Colorado
Milwaukee won the first two games decisively at home, but Colorado eked out an overtime win in game three on a goal from veteran Glen Wesley. It would be the last goal of Wesley’s career as Milwaukee won the next two in overtime to advance in five games. Wesley announced his retirement following the loss in game five.
(3) Detroit vs (6) Minnesota
After splitting the first four games, the Red Wings moved ahead 3-2 with a decisive 6-1 victory in game five. The series appeared to be over. However in game six, Vincent Lecavalier scored twice including the OT winner to tie the series. Lecavalier scored again in OT in game seven to give Minnesota their first-ever series victory.
(4) Houston vs (5) Seattle
After Houston takes the first two games at home, Seattle jumps to a 3-2 series lead before a Trevor Linden hat-trick in game six turns the momentum. Paul Karyia's two-goal effort in game seven propels the Aeros to the second round.
Second Round
NY Islanders vs Ottawa
Ottawa’s 2-1 series lead is erased, as the Islanders recover from a series deficit for the second time in the post-season. Yzerman leads the way once again, scoring five points in the series as New York advances to the Eastern Conference Final.
Tampa Bay vs Tennessee
With a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals on the line, two teams looking for a breakout met in a hard-fought six-game series. With some lingering upper body symptoms, Jarome Iginla missed the first two games, which Tampa Bay won on at home to take a 2-0 series lead. Iginla returned for game three and had an assist, as his team won 4-2, then took game four 3-2 to tie the series. Needing a road win in game five, Tennessee came out strong, taking a 5-0 lead and ultimately winning 5-2. Game six in Nashville was tight, tied 2-2 through two periods. Midway through the third, Matt Cooke scored for Tennessee, giving them a 3-2 lead. Tampa Bay pulled Tommy Salo in an attempt to tie the game, but Andy Hilbert scored the empty netter to seal the win and send Tennessee to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Milwaukee vs Chicago
After being a Western Conference powerhouse for better part of a decade, including a Stanley Cup victory in 2000, the Admirals couldn’t be blamed for a feeling of entitlement as they entered their second round matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks, a team coming off one of the biggest upsets in NHL history. After the teams split the first two games, the Admirals won both in Chicago by identical 6-3 scores and never let the Hawks back into the series, taking game five 4-2 to return to the Western Conference Finals once again.
Houston vs Minnesota
In one of the most competitive series of the playoffs, Houston took on the upstart Minnesota Moose for the right to head to Conference Final. After the teams split the first four games, Houston eeked out a 1-0 win in game five thanks to a big overtime goal from Paul Kariya. After Minnesota forced game seven with a 3-1 win, the teams then played an epic game seven where both Alex Auld and Andrew Raycroft both stood on their heads as the game went to triple overtime, once again at 0-0. At 12:32 of the third overtime, Paul Kariya once again proved to be the hero for the Aeros, flipping the puck over Raycroft's shoulder to propel Houston to the Western final.
Conference Finals
NY Islanders vs Tennessee
Facing the top-seeded New York Islanders for the right to play for the Stanley Cup would be no easy task, and New York stifled Tennessee immediately, shutting them out in the first two games. Tennessee would finally find the back of the net in game three, finally arriving for the series with a 3-2 win, but the Islanders stormed back with a 4-2 victory in game four to take a commanding 3-1 lead. After making some adjustments in their lineup, the Raccoons staved off elimination with a big 3-1 road win. Tennessee now had New York on their heels, as the Islanders now needed to close out the series on the road to avoid a decisive game seven. In game six, Jarome Iginla turned in one of the best performances of his career, scoring a hat-trick and assisting on a goal from Yanic Perreault as the Raccoons forced game seven on Long Island. Game seven would be a classic. The Islanders led 3-1 through most of the game until Gary Roberts finally brought the Raccoons within one with a goal early in the third period. In the dying seconds, Tennessee pulled Jussi Markinen in a desperate attempt to tie the game. New York cleared the puck with just five seconds left and it looked like the game was over until Scott Thornton picked up the puck, crossed the blueline and just whipped it at the net. The puck dipped and beat Chris Osgood, crossing the goal line as the horn sounded. A video review confirmed that the puck did indeed cross the line just .3 seconds before the buzzer went off and the game went into overtime. After scoring the tying goal, Thornton nearly won it for Tennessee just seconds into the extra frame but Osgood made a huge glove save to keep the Islanders alive. Just two minutes after the save, Alexander Mogilny was sprung on a breakaway. Mogilny made no mistake, deking Markinen and sliding the puck under his pad to win the game and series for New York.
Milwaukee vs Houston
While the Eastern Conference Final was amazing, the West final may have been the most stunning series in NHL history. The Houston Aeros, who had been clutch throughout the spring, came out flat early on against the Milwaukee Admirals. Milwaukee jumped to a commanding 3-0 series lead and the hockey world immediately began preparing for a Stanley Cup Final featuring the Admirals. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel even ran an article speculating on whether the Ads would face Tennessee or New York in the next series while analyzing their chances against both. Game four was supposed to be a formality, especially with Milwaukee up 3-2 with nine seconds left, until Doug Weight tied it, then Paul Kariya won it just 19 seconds into OT. Confident that they would still take the series at home, the Admirals forgot to show up for game five, falling behind 3-0 in the first period. A comeback attempt fell short, as did a desperate attempt to salvage the series in game six. The Houston Aeros had unbelievably brought the series to game seven. Back at Bradley Center for game seven, the Admirals were simply out of gas. With a 6-0 victory, the Aeros had pulled off the impossible, becoming the first team in professional sport to win a best-of-seven series after trailing 3-0 twice (they had done the same thing against the Blackhawks 12 year prior, but in the second round). “You have to give them credit” said Admirals head coach Darryl Sutter. “I think we learned a tough lesson, don’t forget to finish the series before celebrating.”
Eastern Conference
(1) NY Islanders vs (8) Montreal
The Islanders, heavy favorites to take home the Stanley Cup, found themselves in trouble early as they nearly found themselves eliminated by an aging Montreal team when the Canadiens went up 3 games to 2. But Islander Captain Steve Yzerman put the Isles on his back, scoring two goals and 4 assists in games 6 and 7, including the winner in both as New York takes the series in 7.
(2) Hartford vs (7) Ottawa
Playing in his first ever playoffs, Henrik Lundqvist comes up big early for the Sens, allowing just one goal over the first two games of the series. Daniel Alfredsson would step it up for Hartford in games 3 and 4, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists to even the series. Lundqvist and the Sens would respond, however as he shutout the Whalers in game 5 and Mike Commodore would score the Overtime winner in game 6 to win the series for Ottawa.
(3) Tampa Bay vs (6) Quebec
The underdog Nordiques put up a good fight, jumping to a 2-1 lead over Tampa with two shutouts. It appeared they would advance until Tampa salvaged the series in seven games thanks to dominant play from stars Zdeno Chara and Marian Hossa while Tommy Salo rebounded from a tough start to the series with a strong performance in the last four games of the series.
(4) Tennessee vs (5) Atlanta
In in all southern series, the gritty Atlanta Flames gave the Tennessee Raccoons all they could handle in their first round series. After the Raccoons won the first two games, Jarome Iginla went down with an upper body injury. Atlanta took advantage, bringing the series to seven games. Iginla would return to the lineup for game seven and scored two goals as Tennessee took game seven 4-3 to win their first playoff series.
Western Conference
(1) Vancouver vs (8) Chicago
After predictably losing the first two games of the series, Alex Ovechkin and the Hawks would wake up, winning the next three, all in overtime, with Josef Vasichek, Matt Greene and Todd Harvey scoring the OT winners. Vancouver would game 6 5-3 to bring to a game 7, where Chicago would complete the upset led by an Ovechkin two goal performance 3-1.
(2) Milwaukee vs (7) Colorado
Milwaukee won the first two games decisively at home, but Colorado eked out an overtime win in game three on a goal from veteran Glen Wesley. It would be the last goal of Wesley’s career as Milwaukee won the next two in overtime to advance in five games. Wesley announced his retirement following the loss in game five.
(3) Detroit vs (6) Minnesota
After splitting the first four games, the Red Wings moved ahead 3-2 with a decisive 6-1 victory in game five. The series appeared to be over. However in game six, Vincent Lecavalier scored twice including the OT winner to tie the series. Lecavalier scored again in OT in game seven to give Minnesota their first-ever series victory.
(4) Houston vs (5) Seattle
After Houston takes the first two games at home, Seattle jumps to a 3-2 series lead before a Trevor Linden hat-trick in game six turns the momentum. Paul Karyia's two-goal effort in game seven propels the Aeros to the second round.
Second Round
NY Islanders vs Ottawa
Ottawa’s 2-1 series lead is erased, as the Islanders recover from a series deficit for the second time in the post-season. Yzerman leads the way once again, scoring five points in the series as New York advances to the Eastern Conference Final.
Tampa Bay vs Tennessee
With a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals on the line, two teams looking for a breakout met in a hard-fought six-game series. With some lingering upper body symptoms, Jarome Iginla missed the first two games, which Tampa Bay won on at home to take a 2-0 series lead. Iginla returned for game three and had an assist, as his team won 4-2, then took game four 3-2 to tie the series. Needing a road win in game five, Tennessee came out strong, taking a 5-0 lead and ultimately winning 5-2. Game six in Nashville was tight, tied 2-2 through two periods. Midway through the third, Matt Cooke scored for Tennessee, giving them a 3-2 lead. Tampa Bay pulled Tommy Salo in an attempt to tie the game, but Andy Hilbert scored the empty netter to seal the win and send Tennessee to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Milwaukee vs Chicago
After being a Western Conference powerhouse for better part of a decade, including a Stanley Cup victory in 2000, the Admirals couldn’t be blamed for a feeling of entitlement as they entered their second round matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks, a team coming off one of the biggest upsets in NHL history. After the teams split the first two games, the Admirals won both in Chicago by identical 6-3 scores and never let the Hawks back into the series, taking game five 4-2 to return to the Western Conference Finals once again.
Houston vs Minnesota
In one of the most competitive series of the playoffs, Houston took on the upstart Minnesota Moose for the right to head to Conference Final. After the teams split the first four games, Houston eeked out a 1-0 win in game five thanks to a big overtime goal from Paul Kariya. After Minnesota forced game seven with a 3-1 win, the teams then played an epic game seven where both Alex Auld and Andrew Raycroft both stood on their heads as the game went to triple overtime, once again at 0-0. At 12:32 of the third overtime, Paul Kariya once again proved to be the hero for the Aeros, flipping the puck over Raycroft's shoulder to propel Houston to the Western final.
Conference Finals
NY Islanders vs Tennessee
Facing the top-seeded New York Islanders for the right to play for the Stanley Cup would be no easy task, and New York stifled Tennessee immediately, shutting them out in the first two games. Tennessee would finally find the back of the net in game three, finally arriving for the series with a 3-2 win, but the Islanders stormed back with a 4-2 victory in game four to take a commanding 3-1 lead. After making some adjustments in their lineup, the Raccoons staved off elimination with a big 3-1 road win. Tennessee now had New York on their heels, as the Islanders now needed to close out the series on the road to avoid a decisive game seven. In game six, Jarome Iginla turned in one of the best performances of his career, scoring a hat-trick and assisting on a goal from Yanic Perreault as the Raccoons forced game seven on Long Island. Game seven would be a classic. The Islanders led 3-1 through most of the game until Gary Roberts finally brought the Raccoons within one with a goal early in the third period. In the dying seconds, Tennessee pulled Jussi Markinen in a desperate attempt to tie the game. New York cleared the puck with just five seconds left and it looked like the game was over until Scott Thornton picked up the puck, crossed the blueline and just whipped it at the net. The puck dipped and beat Chris Osgood, crossing the goal line as the horn sounded. A video review confirmed that the puck did indeed cross the line just .3 seconds before the buzzer went off and the game went into overtime. After scoring the tying goal, Thornton nearly won it for Tennessee just seconds into the extra frame but Osgood made a huge glove save to keep the Islanders alive. Just two minutes after the save, Alexander Mogilny was sprung on a breakaway. Mogilny made no mistake, deking Markinen and sliding the puck under his pad to win the game and series for New York.
Milwaukee vs Houston
While the Eastern Conference Final was amazing, the West final may have been the most stunning series in NHL history. The Houston Aeros, who had been clutch throughout the spring, came out flat early on against the Milwaukee Admirals. Milwaukee jumped to a commanding 3-0 series lead and the hockey world immediately began preparing for a Stanley Cup Final featuring the Admirals. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel even ran an article speculating on whether the Ads would face Tennessee or New York in the next series while analyzing their chances against both. Game four was supposed to be a formality, especially with Milwaukee up 3-2 with nine seconds left, until Doug Weight tied it, then Paul Kariya won it just 19 seconds into OT. Confident that they would still take the series at home, the Admirals forgot to show up for game five, falling behind 3-0 in the first period. A comeback attempt fell short, as did a desperate attempt to salvage the series in game six. The Houston Aeros had unbelievably brought the series to game seven. Back at Bradley Center for game seven, the Admirals were simply out of gas. With a 6-0 victory, the Aeros had pulled off the impossible, becoming the first team in professional sport to win a best-of-seven series after trailing 3-0 twice (they had done the same thing against the Blackhawks 12 year prior, but in the second round). “You have to give them credit” said Admirals head coach Darryl Sutter. “I think we learned a tough lesson, don’t forget to finish the series before celebrating.”
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2005 Stanley Cup Finals
Deep into June of 2005, the Stanley Cup Finals were set to begin later than ever before. The New York Islanders were making first appearance since their 1982 victory, while the Houston Aeros appeared in their first final since making it to the finals in 1987.
Game one was all Islanders as Yzerman, Mogilny, and Alexei Kovalev all scored in a 6-4 victory. Game two went into overtime after a very tight contest with Kovalev netting the winner for the Isles. New York took a commanding 3-0 series lead in game three with another 4-3 overtime win this time with Zach Prarise scoring the winner. The Islanders stood just one win away from their first Stanley Cup in 23 years. Houston, meanwhile, was no stranger to 3-0 series deficits, as they had beaten Milwaukee in the Conference Finals after losing the first three games and were looking to do it again. The overtime epics continued in game four as the Aeros tried desperately to extend the series. Alex Auld’s play through two extra periods was nothing short of heroic as the Isles pushed hard for the winning goal. Finally, Paul Kariya ended the marathon with just 1:31 left in the second overtime to extend the series to a game five on Long Island.
Game five went back and forth with New York giving up the lead three times. Houston finally pulled ahead on a goal from Trevor Linden late in the third. The Islanders pushed for the tying goal but could not beat Auld as the series stretched to a sixth game in Houston. Frustration boiled over toward the end of the game as both teams began pushing and shoving by the benches and a few fights broke out with Paul Kariya and Andrew Ference engaging in the main event at center ice. Houston was now only two wins away from equaling the 1942 Maple Leafs 3-0 comeback in the Stanley Cup Finals while the Islanders suddenly found themselves unable to close out games.
New York barely got into game six. Linden opened the scoring and Houston went on to hold the lead the entire game until the final minutes when the Islanders found themselves on the powerplay when Brett Clark was called for high-sticking. The Islanders pulled Chris Osgood and tried desperately to tie the game until Andy McDonald slid the puck into the empty net to seal the win and force a miraculous game seven on Long Island.
The Aeros had managed the impossible, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to force a game seven for the second series in a row. Meanwhile, the stunned Islanders struggled to find answers. Alex Auld had played unbelievably for the Aeros, holding Steve Yzerman to only one point through three games. Game seven started out as the epic showdown it was supposed to be, with the teams skating to an intense scoreless tie through the first half of the game. Halfway through the second period, Alexander Mogilny came up big once again, giving New York the lead before Yzerman made it 2-0 three minutes later. By the third period, Houston had run out of gas. Christian Erhoff and Patrick Rissmiller each scored for the Islanders in a convincing 4-0 win. The Islanders were Stanley Cup Champions for the fourth time in franchise history, and the first time since 1982. Steve Yzerman was named playoff MVP, capping off his career with the two biggest awards in playoff hockey.
Despite the loss, an emotional Trevor Linden had nothing but praise for his team. “I’ve never seen 20 men play like these guys did this spring.” Said Linden, who refused to confirm his future, as he is a free agent come next offseason.
Game one was all Islanders as Yzerman, Mogilny, and Alexei Kovalev all scored in a 6-4 victory. Game two went into overtime after a very tight contest with Kovalev netting the winner for the Isles. New York took a commanding 3-0 series lead in game three with another 4-3 overtime win this time with Zach Prarise scoring the winner. The Islanders stood just one win away from their first Stanley Cup in 23 years. Houston, meanwhile, was no stranger to 3-0 series deficits, as they had beaten Milwaukee in the Conference Finals after losing the first three games and were looking to do it again. The overtime epics continued in game four as the Aeros tried desperately to extend the series. Alex Auld’s play through two extra periods was nothing short of heroic as the Isles pushed hard for the winning goal. Finally, Paul Kariya ended the marathon with just 1:31 left in the second overtime to extend the series to a game five on Long Island.
Game five went back and forth with New York giving up the lead three times. Houston finally pulled ahead on a goal from Trevor Linden late in the third. The Islanders pushed for the tying goal but could not beat Auld as the series stretched to a sixth game in Houston. Frustration boiled over toward the end of the game as both teams began pushing and shoving by the benches and a few fights broke out with Paul Kariya and Andrew Ference engaging in the main event at center ice. Houston was now only two wins away from equaling the 1942 Maple Leafs 3-0 comeback in the Stanley Cup Finals while the Islanders suddenly found themselves unable to close out games.
New York barely got into game six. Linden opened the scoring and Houston went on to hold the lead the entire game until the final minutes when the Islanders found themselves on the powerplay when Brett Clark was called for high-sticking. The Islanders pulled Chris Osgood and tried desperately to tie the game until Andy McDonald slid the puck into the empty net to seal the win and force a miraculous game seven on Long Island.
The Aeros had managed the impossible, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to force a game seven for the second series in a row. Meanwhile, the stunned Islanders struggled to find answers. Alex Auld had played unbelievably for the Aeros, holding Steve Yzerman to only one point through three games. Game seven started out as the epic showdown it was supposed to be, with the teams skating to an intense scoreless tie through the first half of the game. Halfway through the second period, Alexander Mogilny came up big once again, giving New York the lead before Yzerman made it 2-0 three minutes later. By the third period, Houston had run out of gas. Christian Erhoff and Patrick Rissmiller each scored for the Islanders in a convincing 4-0 win. The Islanders were Stanley Cup Champions for the fourth time in franchise history, and the first time since 1982. Steve Yzerman was named playoff MVP, capping off his career with the two biggest awards in playoff hockey.
Despite the loss, an emotional Trevor Linden had nothing but praise for his team. “I’ve never seen 20 men play like these guys did this spring.” Said Linden, who refused to confirm his future, as he is a free agent come next offseason.
So ends the lockout shortened season. How are most teams doing when it comes to popularity and attendance? Are their any teams struggling?
Pretty much every team has solid attendance numbers and are doing well financially, though Dallas and Pittsburgh are both losing money but are not rumored to relocate at this time. There is a growing movement to bring a team back to Edmonton however, led by IOTL Oilers owner Darryl Katz but the league has no interest in expansion right now. Colorado, who was rumored to move a few years ago, has bounced back and saw a rise in attendance late in the year due to making the playoffs. Washington also may be in relocation talks near the future, but it seems unlikely the Caps will leave DC anytime soon.
2005 in other events
Sports
NFL: In the good ol' NFL, the Super Bowl was being contested by the Dallas Cowboys and the California Cardinals. Shaun Alexander and the Cowboys would end the Cardinals chance to win their third title in four seasons, capturing their first title since the 1970s and being bought by Jerry Jones in 1989. The Virginia SeaWolves would have a solid second season, repeating as AFC East champions at 11-5, but again failed to make it out of round 1.
MLB: The 2005 World Series, between the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals, would be considered a Heavyweight Prize Fight in all the good ways. Both teams would fight back and forth in both Toronto and St. Louis till the final game at the SkyDome. Toronto would host game seven and it would again be a classic between the two teams. Both teams would score runs until the sixth inning where the pitchers steped up their game and we went to extra innings in a 6-6 tie. Ten innings would become eleven. In the bottom of the eleventh, Ichiro Suzuki would hit a walk off home run to give the Blue Jays their first ever World Series win.
NBA: The talk of this season is Allen Iverson and his injuries that plage him from winning another NBA Title. This season will be no different, as despite playing for the Hartford Nets, he would get himself injured and was forced out of most of the season.
The NBA surprise team to watch was the Washington Wizards. The Wizards would surpass the Knicks, Detroit, and Miami to reach the team's first NBA Finals since 1979. However, they would be shut down by the Seattle SuperSonics. The Sonics would win their first NBA Finals in a long time after a hard-fought four-game sweep. The Sonics and Thunderbirds also announced a new arena for the teams would break ground in 2006 and would be completed in 2010. The NBA also talked about another round of expansion.
Cites Considered for future NBA expansion
United States:
Las Vegas, Nevada
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Columbus, Ohio.
Canada:
Edmonton, Alberta
Montreal, Quebec
Regina, Saskatchewan
WFA: The WFA in 2005 would be a rough one as they, like the NHL would avoid a lockout and the league would shorten the regular season due to avoiding it. On the field, the Saskatchewan Roughriders would prove the elite team to beat this season. Despite them losing Ryan Leaf to retirement. They would pick up Alex Smith in the WFA Entry Draft. Smith would prove to be a tough QB and the final piece for the western Riders return to the Playoffs.
Meanwhile, Hamilton Tiger-Cats would be the other top team in the Canadian Conference along with Calgary and Halifax. In the American Conference, Portland and Baltimore, along with Orlando and Arizona would prove their case for the playoff spots.
Portland would be the lucky ones to make it to the American Conference Championship against Baltimore. Baltimore would be too much for the Tom Brady and the Breakers and the Stars would head to the Grey Cup against Saskatchewan.
In the Grey Cup, Saskatchewan would capture the trophy with a 34-19 win over the Stars with Alex Smith winning the game MVP.
NFL: In the good ol' NFL, the Super Bowl was being contested by the Dallas Cowboys and the California Cardinals. Shaun Alexander and the Cowboys would end the Cardinals chance to win their third title in four seasons, capturing their first title since the 1970s and being bought by Jerry Jones in 1989. The Virginia SeaWolves would have a solid second season, repeating as AFC East champions at 11-5, but again failed to make it out of round 1.
MLB: The 2005 World Series, between the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals, would be considered a Heavyweight Prize Fight in all the good ways. Both teams would fight back and forth in both Toronto and St. Louis till the final game at the SkyDome. Toronto would host game seven and it would again be a classic between the two teams. Both teams would score runs until the sixth inning where the pitchers steped up their game and we went to extra innings in a 6-6 tie. Ten innings would become eleven. In the bottom of the eleventh, Ichiro Suzuki would hit a walk off home run to give the Blue Jays their first ever World Series win.
NBA: The talk of this season is Allen Iverson and his injuries that plage him from winning another NBA Title. This season will be no different, as despite playing for the Hartford Nets, he would get himself injured and was forced out of most of the season.
The NBA surprise team to watch was the Washington Wizards. The Wizards would surpass the Knicks, Detroit, and Miami to reach the team's first NBA Finals since 1979. However, they would be shut down by the Seattle SuperSonics. The Sonics would win their first NBA Finals in a long time after a hard-fought four-game sweep. The Sonics and Thunderbirds also announced a new arena for the teams would break ground in 2006 and would be completed in 2010. The NBA also talked about another round of expansion.
Cites Considered for future NBA expansion
United States:
Las Vegas, Nevada
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Columbus, Ohio.
Canada:
Edmonton, Alberta
Montreal, Quebec
Regina, Saskatchewan
WFA: The WFA in 2005 would be a rough one as they, like the NHL would avoid a lockout and the league would shorten the regular season due to avoiding it. On the field, the Saskatchewan Roughriders would prove the elite team to beat this season. Despite them losing Ryan Leaf to retirement. They would pick up Alex Smith in the WFA Entry Draft. Smith would prove to be a tough QB and the final piece for the western Riders return to the Playoffs.
Meanwhile, Hamilton Tiger-Cats would be the other top team in the Canadian Conference along with Calgary and Halifax. In the American Conference, Portland and Baltimore, along with Orlando and Arizona would prove their case for the playoff spots.
Portland would be the lucky ones to make it to the American Conference Championship against Baltimore. Baltimore would be too much for the Tom Brady and the Breakers and the Stars would head to the Grey Cup against Saskatchewan.
In the Grey Cup, Saskatchewan would capture the trophy with a 34-19 win over the Stars with Alex Smith winning the game MVP.
How sports look in 2005
National Hockey League
Atlantic Division - Atlanta Flames, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Mighty Ducks of Orlando, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Crocs, Tennessee Raccoons, Washington Capitals
Northeast Division - Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Hartford Whalers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs
Central Division - Chicago Blackhawks, Cincinnati Stingers, Dallas Texans, Detroit Red Wings, Houston Aeros, Milwaukee Admirals, St. Louis Blues
Pacific Division - Calgary Wranglers, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Kings, San Diego Penguins, San Jose Seals, Seattle Thunderbirds, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets
National Football League
AFC East: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Virginia SeaWolves
AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans
AFC West: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Posse, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
NFC North: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West: California Cardinals, Los Carneros de Mexico City (Mexico City Rams), San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
Major League Baseball
AL East: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Buffalo Bisons, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central: Carolina Knights, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Spiders, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers
AL West: Calgary Cannons, California Angels, Denver Athletics, San Francisco Gatekeepers, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers
NL East: Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Ottawa Lynx, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals
NL Central: Atlanta Thrashers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins, St Louis Cardinals
NL West: Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Phoenix Coyotes, Portland Giants, San Diego Padres, Vancouver Sasquatch
National Basketball Association
Atlantic Division: Boston Celtics, Hartford Nets, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Orlando Challengers, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Huskies Washington Bullets
Central Division: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Kentucky Colonels, Nashville Stars, Pittsburgh Ironmen
Midwest Division: Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Kansas City Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Jazz, Utah Cougars
Pacific Division: Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Clippers, Seattle SuperSonics, Vancouver Grizzles
Expansion coming in 2007 or 2008
World Football Association
Canadian East: Atlantic Schooners, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, London Kodiaks, Montreal Alouettes, Ottawa Renegades, Quebec Chevaliers, Toronto Argonauts
Canadian West: BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Stallions, Thunder Bay Osprey [1], Saskatchewan Roughriders, Vancouver Island Captains, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
American East: Baltimore Stars, Birmingham Stallions, Hartford Generals, Jacksonville Bulls, Louisville Thoroughbreds, Memphis Showboats, Orlando Thunder
American West: Anaheim Avengers, Arizona Outlaws, Oklahoma Gamblers, Portland Breakers, Salt Lake Snowcaps, San Antonio Gunslingers, St Louis Pilots
European: Amsterdam Admirals, Barcelona Dragons, Frankfurt Galaxy, Hamburg Sea Devils, London Monarchs, Moscow Bears, Paris Phantoms, Rome Emporers
Major League Soccer
Eastern Conference: Bay State Revolution, Columbus Crew, DC United, Miami Fusion, New York Cosmos, Tampa Bay Munity, Toronto FC
Western Conference: Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wizards, LA Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders
Women's National Basketball Association
East Division: Atlanta Glory, Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Columbus Quest, Houston Comets, New England Blizzard, New York Liberty, Toronto Nationals
West Division: Colorado Xplosion, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Samurai, San Jose Lasers, Seattle Storm, Utah Starzz, Vancouver Paws
Arena Football League
National Conference
Eastern Division: Boston SeaWolves, Buffalo Destroyers, New York CityHawks, Philadelphia Soul, Washington Stars
Southern Division: Charlotte Cobras, Florida Bobcats, Nashville Kats, Orlando Predators, Tampa Bay Bandits
American Conference
Central Division: Chicago Bruisers, Detroit Drive, Houston Thunderbears, Iowa Barnstormers, Milwaukee Mustangs
Western Division: Arizona Rattlers, Denver Dynamite, Las Vegas Gladiators, Los Angeles Piranhas, San Jose Sabercats
Roller Hockey International
Eastern Division: Orlando Jackals, Motor City Mustangs, Philadelphia Bulldogs, Montreal Roadrunners, Connecticut Coasters, Chicago Bluesmen, Long Island Jawz, Toronto Planets
Western Division: St. Louis Vipers, Dallas Stallions, Calgary Radz, Denver Daredevils, Seattle Kraken, Sacramento River Rats, Las Vegas Coyotes, Anaheim Bullfrogs
Atlantic Division - Atlanta Flames, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Mighty Ducks of Orlando, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Crocs, Tennessee Raccoons, Washington Capitals
Northeast Division - Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Hartford Whalers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs
Central Division - Chicago Blackhawks, Cincinnati Stingers, Dallas Texans, Detroit Red Wings, Houston Aeros, Milwaukee Admirals, St. Louis Blues
Pacific Division - Calgary Wranglers, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Kings, San Diego Penguins, San Jose Seals, Seattle Thunderbirds, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets
National Football League
AFC East: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Virginia SeaWolves
AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans
AFC West: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Posse, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
NFC North: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West: California Cardinals, Los Carneros de Mexico City (Mexico City Rams), San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
Major League Baseball
AL East: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Buffalo Bisons, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central: Carolina Knights, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Spiders, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers
AL West: Calgary Cannons, California Angels, Denver Athletics, San Francisco Gatekeepers, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers
NL East: Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Ottawa Lynx, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals
NL Central: Atlanta Thrashers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins, St Louis Cardinals
NL West: Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Phoenix Coyotes, Portland Giants, San Diego Padres, Vancouver Sasquatch
National Basketball Association
Atlantic Division: Boston Celtics, Hartford Nets, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Orlando Challengers, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Huskies Washington Bullets
Central Division: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Kentucky Colonels, Nashville Stars, Pittsburgh Ironmen
Midwest Division: Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Kansas City Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Jazz, Utah Cougars
Pacific Division: Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Clippers, Seattle SuperSonics, Vancouver Grizzles
Expansion coming in 2007 or 2008
World Football Association
Canadian East: Atlantic Schooners, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, London Kodiaks, Montreal Alouettes, Ottawa Renegades, Quebec Chevaliers, Toronto Argonauts
Canadian West: BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Stallions, Thunder Bay Osprey [1], Saskatchewan Roughriders, Vancouver Island Captains, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
American East: Baltimore Stars, Birmingham Stallions, Hartford Generals, Jacksonville Bulls, Louisville Thoroughbreds, Memphis Showboats, Orlando Thunder
American West: Anaheim Avengers, Arizona Outlaws, Oklahoma Gamblers, Portland Breakers, Salt Lake Snowcaps, San Antonio Gunslingers, St Louis Pilots
European: Amsterdam Admirals, Barcelona Dragons, Frankfurt Galaxy, Hamburg Sea Devils, London Monarchs, Moscow Bears, Paris Phantoms, Rome Emporers
Major League Soccer
Eastern Conference: Bay State Revolution, Columbus Crew, DC United, Miami Fusion, New York Cosmos, Tampa Bay Munity, Toronto FC
Western Conference: Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wizards, LA Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders
Women's National Basketball Association
East Division: Atlanta Glory, Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Columbus Quest, Houston Comets, New England Blizzard, New York Liberty, Toronto Nationals
West Division: Colorado Xplosion, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Samurai, San Jose Lasers, Seattle Storm, Utah Starzz, Vancouver Paws
Arena Football League
National Conference
Eastern Division: Boston SeaWolves, Buffalo Destroyers, New York CityHawks, Philadelphia Soul, Washington Stars
Southern Division: Charlotte Cobras, Florida Bobcats, Nashville Kats, Orlando Predators, Tampa Bay Bandits
American Conference
Central Division: Chicago Bruisers, Detroit Drive, Houston Thunderbears, Iowa Barnstormers, Milwaukee Mustangs
Western Division: Arizona Rattlers, Denver Dynamite, Las Vegas Gladiators, Los Angeles Piranhas, San Jose Sabercats
Roller Hockey International
Eastern Division: Orlando Jackals, Motor City Mustangs, Philadelphia Bulldogs, Montreal Roadrunners, Connecticut Coasters, Chicago Bluesmen, Long Island Jawz, Toronto Planets
Western Division: St. Louis Vipers, Dallas Stallions, Calgary Radz, Denver Daredevils, Seattle Kraken, Sacramento River Rats, Las Vegas Coyotes, Anaheim Bullfrogs
2005 NHL Draft and Offseason
2005 NHL Draft Highlights
1. Sidney Crosby (C) - Winnipeg Jets
2. Carey Price (G) - St. Louis Blues
3. Bobby Ryan (RW) - Los Angeles Kings
5. Anze Kopitar (C) - Calgary Wranglers
6. Marc Staal (D) - Toronto Maple Leafs
12. Tuukka Rask (G) - Washington Capitals
17. T.J. Oshie (C) - Montreal Canadiens
28. James Neal (LW) - Philadelphia Flyers (from Tampa Bay)
37. Paul Stastny (C) - Calgary Wranglers
59. Kris Letang (D) - Ottawa Senators
65. Jonathan Quick (G) - Winnipeg Jets
71. Ben Bishop (G) - Toronto Maple Leafs
News
After a bit of delay, the Cincinnati Stingers will undergo a rebrand prior to the start of the 2005-06 season to differate from the Pittsburgh Killer Bees. They planned to re-brand last season but the lockout put a stop to that. Team ownership announced a few names the people of Cincinnati could chose from.
Ohio Bluejackets (Only one where the whole state is in the name. A nod to the Civil War history in Ohio)
Cincinnati Monarchs (A homage to Cincinnati's nickname of the Queen City.)
Cincinnati Cyclones (The Midwest and Cincy do get hit by a lot of Cyclones, plus alliteration)
Cincinnati Hogs (Cincinnati was known for meat packing in it's early days)
Which one do you think the Stingers new name should be?
1. Sidney Crosby (C) - Winnipeg Jets
2. Carey Price (G) - St. Louis Blues
3. Bobby Ryan (RW) - Los Angeles Kings
5. Anze Kopitar (C) - Calgary Wranglers
6. Marc Staal (D) - Toronto Maple Leafs
12. Tuukka Rask (G) - Washington Capitals
17. T.J. Oshie (C) - Montreal Canadiens
28. James Neal (LW) - Philadelphia Flyers (from Tampa Bay)
37. Paul Stastny (C) - Calgary Wranglers
59. Kris Letang (D) - Ottawa Senators
65. Jonathan Quick (G) - Winnipeg Jets
71. Ben Bishop (G) - Toronto Maple Leafs
News
After a bit of delay, the Cincinnati Stingers will undergo a rebrand prior to the start of the 2005-06 season to differate from the Pittsburgh Killer Bees. They planned to re-brand last season but the lockout put a stop to that. Team ownership announced a few names the people of Cincinnati could chose from.
Ohio Bluejackets (Only one where the whole state is in the name. A nod to the Civil War history in Ohio)
Cincinnati Monarchs (A homage to Cincinnati's nickname of the Queen City.)
Cincinnati Cyclones (The Midwest and Cincy do get hit by a lot of Cyclones, plus alliteration)
Cincinnati Hogs (Cincinnati was known for meat packing in it's early days)
Which one do you think the Stingers new name should be?
Monarchs would be too similar to the LA Kings in terms of logo design.
For me, it's a tie between Ohio Blue Jackets and Cincinnati Hogs.
