The Dangers of Nationalism

A few years ago, it was perhaps Dmitri Filipovic of the Hockey PDOcast, Travis Yost of TSN or  Dom Luszczysyn, then of The Hockey News and now of The Athletic, who led the call for the NHL be more like the NBA.  (That's Dom Loose-CHIZ-in, for those of you who are interested in saying the name close to correctly.)

Sell the players, not the teams, as the attraction. To be a big time sport, perhaps not tucked entirely in the shadows of the NBA, MLB and NFL, the players needed to earn star billing. This whole regional concept -- endless rivalry matchups as the selling pitch on TV commercials -- were not getting it done, either for them or the league.

It was a disservice that was limiting the revenue of the league, and the earnings of players, who could not translate any standing in the league into cash earned through endorsements, etc.

Sounds logical. It may be more difficult with the NHL's larger team rosters and the fact that the stars in the league do not play as large a share of minutes per game as do the NBA's stars. But it is a smart marketing concern.

Well, forget all that. It's Canada all the time now. In the true north, at least in English-speaking Canada, it's give us the Canucks, Oilers, Flames, Jets, Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Senators and only them. To the lower 24, get lost. 

Perhaps this troubling noise began earlier, but I started to notice this drum being pounded last summer, right before the Stanley Cup bubble cities were determined. 

For a time, it looked like Las Vegas and another city in the United States would be selected because of health concerns by Canadian and provincial governments over travel across the border during the Covid-19 pandemic.

David Amber, a Sportsnet host on television and the Hockey Central radio show and podcast out of Toronto, was aghast that Canada might not play host to any games last summer. Stunned how could this be? Never mind that no fans were being included and that there would be a full plate of games being shown each day.

OK, so I may not mind the proprietary nature of such feelings, but this was the start of something bigger, at least to me. Next was Amber's inability to consider how, should the bubble cities both NOT BE IN TORONTO, how could this work?

He could not see that games played in the morning in Las Vegas, or Vancouver or Edmonton, would be in the proper window for viewing in Toronto. The "but it's not in Toronto" whine was coming through loud and clear.

Eventually, and for myriad responsible reasons, the games were played in Edmonton and Toronto, with the final two rounds in Edmonton. Somehow -- it's a miracle, really -- viewers in Toronto were able to find a way to watch the games. 

Now, with the start of the 2021 season, the drum beats for the North Division, or more important to the rights holders of broadcasts in Canada, the All-Canada Division, the Canadian Division or Canada. Whatever the term, nationalism has consumed Rogers Sportsnet (it has regional English-language contracts with the Canucks, Oilers, Flames and Maple Leafs as well as the national Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday night packages) and TSN (Jets, Senators and Canadiens English-language regional contracts as well as a share of the regional Maple Leafs rights). 

Rogers' radio shows and podcasts have asked the same question each day: Can this Canadian-division format be incorporated into the regular schedule beyond this season? Why wouldn't you want it? Who doesn't want it? You get the drill. It's sounds much like my kids, when they were younger, asking why they couldn't have ice cream every day, why shouldn't they, who doesn't want them to? 

Chris Johnston, a voice of reason and an insider for Sportsnet, was on the Leafs Hour show with Ben Ennis and JD Bunkis, who asked for the 4,000th time why this Canada division could not be maintained next season and beyond. (The day prior, they asked the same thing of NHLPA executive Donald Fehr, who gave them neither a real window of hope nor a bitter pill of dismissal.)

Johnston told the hosts that the downside of this format would be that stars like Nathan MacKinnon would not garner much attention up north, what with the Colorado Avalanche not crossing the border this regular season. Bunkis said that he didn't care about this, about the Dallas Stars or any other team not above the U.S.-Canada border. 

So keep this in mind as we go forward. We will be hearing this noise for some time, and much like the lazy fans in the New York area who would rather see 900 games between the Rangers, Devils and Islanders than play teams in the West, North or South, there is a certain not-so-fine whine being produced. 

I'll still serve them in the Lounge, and games from the North Division will be viewed (I am watching one right now), but perhaps they may be told to lower their voices slightly -- I am trying to be polite yet stern -- and to pay in "real money."*

*Quotation is from my good friend Steve, the former Anti-Puck who is now in Florida but still on the Ducks bandwagon.

Pour Me One for the New Season

 Yes, in almost one hour, the NHL returns for the 2021 dash for the Stanley Cup.

I'm not sure who is excited more? Could it be me, or Mrs. Stereo Lounge, who has had to endure me staring at the calendar ever since the end of the 2020 Cup final?

Probably her, as I have been a real pain without hockey. But no more. The Lounge will have all three games from NBCSN tonight. Tomorrow morning, the two games from Canada will be on replay behind the bar. 

The Lounge will be paying particular attention to the Los Angeles Kings, as per usual, but will have keen interest on the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche in the West Division. In the North, the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames are my picks to click. Added bonus, the Habs en francais on select nights. Love the cry of "lance... a BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!" from the booth at TVA's Le Super Soiree.

In the Central, you need to stretch the regional concept to focus on the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning. And in the East, I have the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins on the nightly watch list.

My Bud Light red light has fresh batteries, the snacks are being prepared now and Mrs. Stereo Lounge is actually happy for me. Drop the puck.

Updated Start Dates for 20/21 Season

The USHL has announced that it is planning to open the regular season on Nov. 6. The USHL was the last of the for major junior leagues in North America to give a target starting date.

The QMJHL is looking to open the season on Oct. 1, while the OHL has marked Dec. 1 on its calendar and the WHL has Dec. 4 as its starting date. Both the AHL and the ECHL plan to begin on Dec. 4 as well.

In Europe, the KHL has Sept. 2 as its opening date, and it has already made some adjustments for the pandemic. The Beijing-based HC Kunlun Red Star has moved into a rink in the Moscow area for this season. Late last winter, the team completed the regular season in Russian rinks rather than stay in China.

Daytime Hockey Served Here

Veteran patrons of the Lounge, and those who are familiar with the proprietor, know how much I hate summer. Nothing to do but endure the heat until the cool breezes of September and October return. But this year, there has been one positive development in a year of calamity.

Summer hockey is here. I still cannot believe that the Stanley Cup tournament is on. I hope it can play out to the end without Covid-related incidents (knock on wood).

With that, the taps have been cleaned and are back on. To-go hard Arnold Palmers are ready, as are to-go frozen Long Island iced teas. By the way, if you are in Manhattan, the Beach Cafe has a frozen LI iced tea that will clear you for take off halfway down the glass. The to-go window is open at 1326 Second Avenue.

Still walking around the Upper East Side looking for frozen drinks? Head to La Esquina (aka the Corner) at 1402 Second Avenue and order a liter bucket margarita. The menu says it is the equivalent of three drinks. Who cares? Just order one for you and get another for your friend across the table on the sidewalk. Add a few tacos, turn the NHL.tv or Sling.tv apps on your phone and watch a game as well. A full-meal deal.

Here in the Lounge, we are making do with fresh coffee and breakfast burritos until after 3 pm, when the hard stuff comes out to play, giving patrons a chance to get a good flow going before the Hurricanes face the Bruins at 4 Eastern.

And if there are no games on? Well the Lounge (top) has that covered as well. The teams on the Stiga rink at the moment are the Kings and the Zero-Time Stanley Cup Champion Canucks. Others available are the Penguins, Maple Leafs and Red Wings. Or you can bring your open. Either way, the game is on here in the Lounge. More later.

Best Night of the Year

O.K., perhaps the headline is overselling it a bit, but not much.

We have, starting at 7 pm Eastern, the Showtime special "All Access: Quest for the Stanley Cup." The Lounge will have that stream via the Showtime app on the Roku stick.

At the same time, I will have a screen in the Lounge dedicated to the opening night of the Memorial Cup, the championship tournament for major junior hockey. Tonight's game features the host team, the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League against the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Windsor was knocked out in the first round of the OHL playoffs, but are in this four-team tournament because, well, they are giving the party.

The tournament runs through May 28. The other two teams in the tournament are the Seattle Thunderbirds, champions of the Western Hockey League, and the Erie Otters, champions of the Ontario Hockey League. You have to love it, two U.S.-based teams in the hunt for the championship of the Canadian Hockey League, the umbrella organization for the QMJHL, OHL and WHL. The last time two U.S.-based teams reached this event was in 2007, when the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL and the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL advanced to Vancouver.

The teams are loaded top prospects who have been drafted and more who will expect to hear their names called at the NHL Entry Draft next month. Most of these games can be seen on the NHL Network in the United States, though I am not certain of the exact schedule, as the games could run long and conflict with the "NHL Tonight" shows that go with the Stanley Cup. In short, check the listings for live coverage and replays of the games. (In Canada, all games are on Sportsnet.) And all games will be streamed live via the web because the Lounge has paid the $26 subscription fee to see all the tournament games.

At 8, the Lounge have Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final between the Penguins and Senators via the SlingTV app on the Roku stick, though I am always tempted to wait until the game is over to stream the Hockey Night in Canada feed through the NHL.tv app on the Roku stick or iPhone. We stream sports, movies and music in the Lounge, or we don't watch.

The eyes are in for a beating tonight, but when I finally close them, I'll be smiling.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Finally Begin

Opening night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Lounge is better than Christmas morning or my birthday.

Nothing like hearing the roar of the crowd in Montreal to start the spring and summer tournament. That said, Tanner Glass helped suck the life out of the Bell Centre as the Rangers came away with a 2-0 victory, but those are minor points for me. My Los Angeles Kings are doing the walk of shame to the golf course after missing the tournament.

This time is for the winners, and the Rangers played like one tonight, surviving an early surge by the Canadiens before forcing the Habs to play on the fringes of the rink. Montreal's shots proved less effective from that range, and on this night, fans there will have to wash down those smoked meat sandwiches with flat beer and salty tears.

To the west, Ottawa was done in by a Brad Marchand shot that gave the Bruins a 2-1 victory. Canada, which had no teams in the tournament last season, fell to 0-2 on this night, with the Edmonton Oilers still to play as I write.

And as I write, Sidney Crosby and Connor Sheary make mistakes and Matt Calvert gets Columbus back in the game with a goal late in the third period. But I still feel the Penguins will hold on to take Game 1 at home.

Now I have to refill my snack bowl and prepare for the late game here in the Lounge. Opening night. Consider it a holiday.

Talking Hockey and Land Grabs Over a Beer

A full menu of items to talk about and a fresh shipment of Labatt's Blue in the commemorative Goodbye to the Joe cans is here in the Lounge thanks to the good patron Wayne from Port Huron, who likes to bring in all things Michigan when he returns to New York after a visit to his parents' home in The Thumb.

Nothing like having good friends to feed your hockey memorabilia tastes and have the items come with some cold adult beverage inside. (If only the cases could have had a few Lafayette Coneys inside, but that would have been way too much to ask for.) Ah, I do miss Michigan, the food, the beer, the hockey, the cold. But not the summer. You can have the summers, with the high humidity, the sleep-inducing drone of Tigers baseball on the radio and the steady supply of mosquitos waiting outside your screen door to suck the life out of you.

As a whole, summer is the worst, which is why we are happy to be in the Lounge, windows open to give the room a chill before the Capitals visit the Canadiens and the Kings face the Flyers. Both games will be on in the Lounge, starting at 1 pm Eastern, joined at 3 pm with the broadcast of the Jets at Avalanche.

When given a choice, I go with the Canadian feeds to get more solid between-periods gossip/reporting on the shows. The US broadcasts, particularly when it comes to news around the league, are well behind those of our northern neighbors. And on Saturdays, its like getting the old Sunday newspaper notes columns a day early.

I cannot imagine how quick the Canadian shows will discuss the collapse in arena plans in Arizona, and I will put a fiver down on the bar that it will not take more than 30 seconds for someone to mention that there is a brand new building in Quebec City waiting for an NHL team. Mortal lock, I say, with a better chance of paying off than those Super Bowl pools, where you put your mark in one or two squares to win big or, at least in my case, lose the $40 I invested with Jersey Paul, a friend of the Lounge and the man whose thirst for the NFL cannot be slaked.

Commissioner Gary Bettman has quite a shopping list to distribute to those on his team. He gets to answer in the negative all those questions about the ownership issues or nonissues in Carolina. And then there is issue with the Coyotes and their lack of a home they can call their own, and the Islanders, who try as they might, do not have an idea where they may be in the immediate or long-term future. Time to queue up the Frogman on the jukebox.

To me, with no skin in the game, the answers are quite simple. In Phoenix, the old Veterans Coliseum is available for the interim, and it is much closer to the Coyotes' fan base. At least, the fans in Scottsdale, Tempe, etc., may be more willing to try to get to a more central spot near Interstates 10 and 17 rather than drive in deadly traffic halfway to Las Vegas, which is a kind description the route one must take to reach Glendale on a weeknight.

Problem one solved. The Islanders? There is talk of possible, tentative, wish list, dreams of a gleaming building in Queens near that hellhole that is Laguardia/CitiField/U.S. National Tennis Center/World's Fair traffic tangle. But that would be a new dog with the same old fleas.

I say move the Islanders to Quebec, putting an established team in an appreciative market, while reducing the number of teams in metropolitan New York from three to two.

In my book, the next smart move would be moving the Devils out of the always overpraised, undervisited downtown Newark. Perhaps Houston or Salt Lake City would be a smart move to enhance a western footprint, while leaving New York with only one team, which is the proper number. Right now, the Rangers, Islanders and Devils all play on the same night at the same time. Even when they go on the road, they manage to line up their start times within an hour of each other.

It is funny/sad to see the sports TV writers to ignore the surplus of supply and the limited demand for the Islanders and Devils. The Rangers' numbers tend to remain steady, which is to their fans' credit. So ease the situation and share hockey with other areas.

(A quick news update: A mousehole-like crack at the bottom of the dasherboard behind the net of Washington's Braden Holtby has delayed the game as the Bell Centre crew comes in like a NASCAR crew, with power tools, pry bars and shovels to make what they hope is a quick break. And the good fans of Montreal get to run for another adult beverage and some snacks early in the period. Meanwhile, the Sportsnet broadcast turns into a DIY fixer-upper show on the Home and Garden channel, with play-by-play on how to drill new holes, etc. Actually, it is quite compelling.)

Back to the Lounge Solves the NHL To-Do List: Next, I watch the Carolina situation more closely, with interest as to who might have the money to spend on more nights in Raleigh, N.C. Players speak warmly of the area and the fans have come out when the team was good. Funny how that works, isn't it?

But there is a new wrinkle to look at thanks to the Atlanta Braves. Their move from central Atlanta to a new stadium in DeKalb County (population of 720,000) puts them, the team says, closer to its fan base. Sound like the Coyotes' situation to you? Well, there is bad traffic in the central city, a supposed dedicated fan base that is not in the central city and an opportunity to extract money from a government entity willing to give away public money?

Yes, but Glendale, Ariz., did not have the fan base to start with. So where am I going with this theory? OK, the ECHL Gwinnett Gladiators did well when the Thrashers were around, and managed to maintain their business when the NHL team left Georgia for Manitoba. The Gladiators rebranded themselves as the Atlanta Gladiators though they remained in Gwinnett County (population 860,000). And this is where a dedicated fan base was mentioned/rumored to be when the Thrashers were exploring options that did not include staying in downtown Atlanta.

So, might this push for a suburban county to be big league attract the NHL and a land speculator? Well, it worked to get a carpetbagger to move his team from Hartford to Raleigh, so it could work again. Hey if DeKalb County has a new big-league industry, why can't Gwinnett County have one, too, the thinking goes. This type of logic has inspired companies, large and small, to move all across this great continent. So I have faith this idea will not be ruled out immediately.

What I will rule out now is to keep this post going. I have taken great advantage of your patience, but you are missing a good game (1-1 in the first period) in Montreal and the Kings' usual strategy of no one scores until we have to. It is Zed-Zed in Philly.

I thank you for your patronage in the Lounge. I promise to be back behind the bar more often. As an enticement, here is a Sportsnet Big Read article on Bill Barilko. Consider it a Sunday sports page feature a day early. Visit that site early and often as well. It replaces their magazine, which was put down way before its time. (Of course, I was a paid subscriber. Did you really have to ask?) I'll raise a glass for the magazine, which delivered more hockey than any copy of Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Magazine has presented in the last 30 years.

After I top it off, you should raise a glass, too.