6 Teams I Never Want To See On The Cup
By Tim Redinger
Across the network we have seen many top five posts. Five reasons why we love hockey, five reasons why we hate a particular team, five reasons why we love a particular player. Well, playing NHL 11 lately has given me an idea.
The other night I figured I had played enough games to venture into the Be A Pro Mode on one of the harder levels to give myself a nice challenge. My Pro ended up being drafted late in the third round. I guess in real life if it were to happen I would have been happy to have been selected by just about any team, because it meant that the culmination of my junior career was worth it, because I had made it to the NHL. Since this is fantasy world video games, I can be disgusted by the team that selected me.
For the duration of my “rookie” contract, and however else the chips fall when it comes to allowing my cpu based agent to dictate my contract talks, I am stuck with the Philadelphia Flyers. In the game, I want to win a Stanley Cup with them, mainly because, well that is the point of the game and I want my players value to go up. In real life, not so much. So it gave me an idea – what six teams do I never want to see win the Stanley Cup in my lifetime. Its probably not all inclusive – but its the top six.
6. Atlanta Thrashers. For me, this is Atlanta’s second go at it in the NHL. The Atlanta Flames failed to catch on fire in the South in the 190s, despite making the playoffs in six of their eight years of existence, they never won a playoff series. As operating costs grew and the city of Atlanta found other ways to entertain themselves, the team was moved to Calgary. The current edition of the team has lasted two years longer than their predecessor – but has only made the playoffs once in their ten year existence – and they couldn’t win a game in that series. How much longer shall we suffer hockey in Atlanta this time? Hopefully not long enough to see them win a Stanley Cup.
5. New York Islanders – Nasty contracts; they all started with Rick Dipietro. The franchise has not been a factor in the league since, well the dynasty years. The average crowd at an Islanders home games lately is well less than capacity. The oldest arena in use in the NHL, seats less than 17,000 fans. Percentage wise the city of Dundas brought more people out to see a pre-season hockey game between two regional teams that the Islanders can bring in to see the hometown boys play in the regular season.
4. Ottawa Senators. Ok, this one is somewhat personal. Again we go back to the point that this is the cities second chance in the NHL; but mainly its because the Sabres haven’t been able to beat the Sens since the lockout. It was bad enough I had to watch them beat the Sabres in the playoffs to go to the finals – I’m thankful that they didn’t win – and continue to hope and pray they don’t ever get the chance to life Lord Stanley’s Cup.
3. The Phoenix Coyotes. Its bad enough teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Anaheim Ducks have all won Cups in my lifetime. Having a team in the desert win it will just be the straw that breaks the camels back. I have no problem with the team, its fanbase, or them even being in the league; I am just tired of non-hockey cities winning Stanley Cups.
2. Philadelphia Flyers. It’s the city of brotherly love, except, I have no love for the franchise. Maybe its just a Buffalo thing – but I would probably have to dig my eyeballs out of the socket with a rusty spoon before watching this team with the Stanley Cup. Yeah, I know – I rooted for them last year kind of – but that was only so I could get the daily digs in on Frank Rekas from The Rat Trick – because he was rooting for Chicago; and that’s just my nature; but honestly, I never want to see an orange jersey lifting the Cup.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs. Ok, so again, topping the list is a team that makes the list for strictly personal reasons. I have nothing against the team or the organization as a whole. It’s their fanbase that makes me never want to see a parade in June through downtown Toronto. I stopped wanting to go to Sabres/Leafs games in Buffalo because they come here in droves and overtake our arena. Now I know its not there fault because corporate Canada has taken over the ACC when it comes to Leafs tickets – but just having to deal with them three times a year is three times to many.